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Nov 25

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How to organize your writing notes and observations

As writers, we train ourselves to be observant. We eavesdrop on conversations, notice our surroundings, and observe those around us. We become detectives for our art. We constantly make notes and file things away for later.

I try to always carry a small notebook or my iPhone with me for those times when I want to record something. My husband does too, but his notes usually consist of phone numbers or emails of business contacts he needs to call back. Once, when he couldn’t find a scrap of paper to write on, he grabbed a marker and the closest smooth surface he could find—which happened to be a spaghetti squash on our kitchen counter! (At least he didn’t write on the cupboard door, right?)

So, how do we organize our scraps of paper and spaghetti squash messages? Read more

Nov 21

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Four quick tips to increase your NaNoWriMo word count

Today is day 21 of National Novel Writing Month—the month where passionate writers the world over take the challenge to write a 50,000-word novel in a month.

If you’re a bit short or behind in your word count or wondering how you can possibly meet your goal, below are a few tips to help you increase your word count:

1. Write what’s hot. Don’t worry about writing your scenes in order. If you want to write that hot sex scene that comes after the climax of your book (pun intended), then go for it. Write the scene you’re passionate about now.

2. Flesh out earlier scenes. Review some of your earlier scenes. Does one lack details about the setting? Is one mostly dialogue with little sensory detail or description? Fill in the holes in some of your earlier scenes (as long as it doesn’t slow you down). Read more

Nov 20

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How to deal with family politics when writing a memoir

As writers, almost every experience presents itself as good story material. Get pulled over for speeding? Take notes and see how you can use that drama in a story. Cut your finger off and need it reattached? Definitely take photos and notes for future reference. Aunt Mabel said something completely inappropriate at the Thanksgiving dinner table? Quick, mentally record all family reactions and dialogue.

Unfortunately, while some family members are naive about our writerly observations, others can be quite suspicious of all that scribbling we’re doing. I teach workshops and work one-on-one with people who want to write memoirs. One of my students’ big fears is what their families will think about their writing. Will mother be mad? Will grandma disown me? Will I lose access to a family member’s treasure trove of historical documents and artifacts?

It’s true that some of these fears may be legitimate. Others may not. Here are a few thoughts and ideas to consider if you’re concerned with what your relatives will think about your writing.

1. Write for yourself. It’s hard to be creative when you’re worried about what people will think. Tell yourself that you’ll examine the potential for conflict during the revisions. Read more

Nov 19

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Inspire your writing with these quotes by famous authors

Every few months or so, I have to reorganize my writing life. Supposedly, I have one office for my home business and a second smaller office for my writing space.

Over time, what usually happens is that the business office becomes a dumping ground for everything that doesn’t have a home in another part of our house—boxes, mail, shipping materials, marketing materials, products, Halloween decorations, boxes that need to go to storage, etc.—and I end up working and writing in my writing room. Since this is the room with the view, so to speak, I don’t really mind but, after awhile, I’m overflowing with papers, files, and books…thus, the reorganizing. Read more

Nov 18

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Four ways to write about life, part 2

In my last post, I wrote about different approaches for writing memoirs. In part two, you’ll find four more ways to write about a slice of life.

Pet memoirs. Pets have a tremendous impact on our lives and experiences with them make for great storytelling. Dog Years: A Memoir by Mark Doty and Ever By My Side: A Memoir in Eight Pets by veterinarian Nick Trout are two examples of animal stories that endure.

Coming of age. Published in 1967, Stop-Time by Frank Conroy is a classic American autobiography. Rocket Boys by Homer Hickham is the story of Hickham’s goal to work for NASA and how he and his classmates found a way to make their dreams to launch a rocket and win a science competition come true. The book was later made into a movie called October Sky.

Physical challenges. The History of My Shoes and the Evolution of Darwin’s Theory by Kenny Fries is beautifully written account of how his specially made shoes help him adapt and move through life. In Autobiography of a Face, Lucy Grealy wrote about her struggle with cancer. Grealy was diagnosed at age 9 with Ewing’s sarcoma, a cancer that attacked her lower jaw. Grealy went through many surgeries, as well as chemotherapy and radiation. Her memoir examines her suffering, the meaning of beauty in society, and her struggle to be accepted for who she was.

Survival stories. In Night, Holocaust survivor Elie Weisel wrote a riveting account of his survival in the Nazi death camps. Norman Olstead writes about surviving a plane crash and his coming of age in Crazy for the Storm: A Memoir of Survival.

For four more ways to write about life, read part one of this post.

Nov 14

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Four ways to write about your life

There’s more than one way to craft a personal or family story. Consider how you could create a form that fits your personal style and passion.

If a memoir is a slice of life, you might want to write one based on your recipes, gardens you’ve grown, or cars you’ve owned. Find more ideas about structuring your life story in the examples below.

A life in lists. In a workshop I attended, Patricia Charpentier, author of Eating an Elephant: Write Your Life One Bite at a Time, shared different approaches to writing a life story, including one made up of lists. She once worked with a man who never wrote a complete sentence. He processed his life by making daily lists. Charpentier said the man had been making a list every day for 30 years. Topics included, “What I like about so and so,” the headlines of the day, and what movie was showing.

If you’re interested in writing a life story in lists, check out Listography Journal: Your Life in Lists by Lisa Nola. Read more

Nov 13

Draw on all five senses when you write a sex scene

In my previous post, I wrote about the “Bad Sex Scene Award” and how NOT to get one.

In Elissa Wald’s article “The Do’s and Dont’s of Writing Erotic Fiction,” one “do” is to draw on all five senses when you write a sex scene.

One way to do this is to break down the scene as follows:

First, make a list of the senses: sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. Then, think of the characters involved in the scene and your scene’s setting—where is the scene taking place? Bedroom? Living room? Tree house? Dining room table? Middle of the forest? Read more

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