The Second Month: Staying on Track

Wow. Has it been a full week already? Guess it's time for another post, I'll be it extra long to make up for my lack of posting. Let's start off today's post with an analogy (in honor of my track meet Thursday).

Long distance running is a lot like track.

Say you are completely sadistic and insane and weird like me and love to run long distance. While I love long distance it's not very easy to deal with sometimes. While the typical long distance event is from 4-8 laps on a standard track, sometimes it's hard to run that distance, so you cheat on your training. Run a few sprints then call it a day. And while you're making some progress in track, it's not the kind you want to be making.

Writing is the same way. The typical YA novel is 40,000-80,000 words.** And sometimes it's hard to write; so for whatever the reason, we, as writers, cheat on that too. Maybe we post our opening pages in hope of critiques, or we just quit altogether... Whatever the reason you decide 1,000 words into your novel that you should stop and re-write. Again. And again. And again. While you're learning how to write the first 1,000 words well, you aren't learning how to write a novel well.

I would know that.

I spent three, count 'em, three hours re-organizing my novel. Why? Because I had exactly forty-nine openings for the exact same novel. I have no clue how it got that way, but it did. I wouldn't have even noticed it if I wasn't reorganizing all the files on my laptop!

I realized that my story was so scattered that if unless I started over it wouldn't make any sense. At the same time, I realized that that if I started over, I'd probably quit for some reason or another and that file would be shoved along with the others. With an extremely vague name like "Intro-4". So I needed to change.

I wrote down a non-vague title that would remind me of each fragment of my story on a notecard with the title, file name, date, and number of pages.

After that I sorted them into piles. "USE!", "Useful", "Salvageable", "Useful for other stories", and "Useless".

Then I used the usefully ones to help write an outline for the start of my novel. 















The process took a while but at least this way I'll finish. If you find yourself in the same situation and don't want to waste paper I would recommend using the notecard function on Noodle Tools. (It's pretty cool for school projects too).

But that's not what today's post is on. Today's post is about how to prevent yourself from getting to this point. It's fairly easy, if you follow a few simple but vital rules.

1) Have a plan.
Or some idea of where you want to go with your story. This will also save a whole lot of rewriting later.

2) Just keep writing.

Don't stop for critiques or to edit what you've already written. This is the fastest way to convince yourself that the book sucks and you need to re-write it.

3) Write for yourself.

Don't let anyone else read what you've written. Don't obsess over what you think others will think, either. As my drama teacher would say, "get rid of your cool brain". Don't be afraid of acting like a dork or writing something badly, because SURPRISE most of your first draft will be dorky and bad.


That's it!

-C









** I have no factual proof of this, but the minimum a story must be to be considered a novel is 40,000 words and publishers like their books to be between 75,000-85,000 words

The Second Month: Getting Started

So you have an idea. It's been in the back of your brain forever! You've planned out all the characters, the plot, the conflict until it's practically real (more on this later). You're ready; you're ready to start writing your novel. So open up a blank word doc and prepare the world for your genius. This is a monumental occasion for readers everywhere. 

Then... nothing. Zip. Nada. You have no ideas whatsoever. Nothing comes out. It sucks right?

Or, even worse, it ends up like this:

Awful, right? I won't tell you where I found it, but needless to say, it needs some work. The answer to the question is no, it turns the readers off.

And more importantly, it turns agents and publishers off. If the first page of your novel is bad, they're no going to read the rest, even IF the rest is better than Suzanne Collins and JK Rowling combined. This makes the first page of your novel the MOST IMPORTANT page. So it has to be the best.

We'll discuss using the bad example above (okay, I'll tell you where I got it; I made it up for this. But I ALMOST used a passage like this a couple of years ago.)

Rule number one: It has to be exciting

Most newbie writers love to write long descriptions without any action. Instead of writing about a spy getting assigned to something, then going to lunch, then figuring out there's a bomb, then going to save people from the bomb, drop us right in the middle of the spy defusing the bomb. It's high-stress, intense and page turning.

Make us want to keep reading, there's a time and place for semi-long descriptions, but it's not now.

Okay, so maybe not all of us have action packed, spy movies. But we can still stuff interesting, which brings us to rule number two.

Rule number two: Include a conflict

There has to be a problem, or something that makes a situation difficult. Maybe your character isn't a bomb defusing spy, but s/he still can be in a high stress situation. Maybe s/he is going to move. Maybe s/he doesn't want to move.

It doesn't have to be the main conflict in the end. It doesn't even have to effect the rest of the story. As long as you have a conflict it works.

Rule number three: Use your best grammar and spelling

This is an obvious.

And the last rule, Rule number four: Use the same voice for the first part as you will in the rest of the novel.

This one is just a must. You can't switch voices back and forth unless you're switching characters. Period. And you can't switch narrators unless you start a new chapter. This keeps it from being confusing.

The First Month: Finding Time for All Those Ideas

Ideas, unfortunately, don't respect your schedule. They can hit you while you're taking a shower, at two am, during your German Exam, or thirty three thousand words into your current WIP. So what do you do?

Organization (or the lack of) of ideas affects tons of other aspects of writing such as:

1) Writer's block
2) Inspiration
3) Keeping on track
4) Starting and FINISHING a novel.


So how do you do it?

Well, most idea's aren't going to come when you want them to. Most likely, you'll have tons of ideas when you're busy and none when you're not.

So save ideas.

That way your genius won't be lost and you'll have something to write about when you have no ideas.

There's a number of ways to save ideas, but it doesn't matter how you do it, as long as you remember your ideas you're A O K. I recommend keeping them all in one place (a computer file or binder is helpful).

Here's my method:

If I get an idea, I usually come up with a title that will remind me of that idea. This goes into a file on my laptop. Later, when I have more time, I'll write up a summary and come up with the MC's name. (This I write in pink pen in my blue mini notebook). I have this binder everywhere I go. Either in the school bag I carry all day, my purse, or my nightstand. If you do keep a notebook full of ideas, I recommend you to mini size it. (Believe me it's worth it).

This way, I never forget my ideas, but at the same time I never am out of ideas.

It's an easy fix that can make a big difference.

Intro: How to Get Published Step One

Maybe you’re the type of girl who can’t turn down a challenge… You shred through YA novels like tissues, laugh at the cliché, unrelateable, unbelieveable plot lines, then wonder how in the world this meek excuse for a novel was published when you came up with better ideas for that prank call to your crush’s girlfriend (you know, the one no one was supposed to know about). So you sit. And you write. And you snort about how easy it is, until you hit page three. Then, you realize being a writer is harder than you thought.

Maybe you’re the type of girl who’s always dreamed of being a novelist… You spent your early kindergarten years cut off from the rest of the class, illustrating books about a magic cake shop while dictating the narrative to your teacher. You were the one who took your teacher’s advice to heart in the first grade when he promptly announced that the use of the words ‘cool’ and ‘awesome’ in stories were banned. You’re the one who spent Friday nights in the seventh grade at cotillion, dancing with sweaty-handed boys and dreaming of a way to incorporate this into your newest story instead of making awkward small talk.

Maybe you’re the type of girl who realized that she’s a pretty good writer… You wrote your heart out in a little purple journal, guarded by a silver lock for years, before stopping and re-reading. Then you realize that, hey, you’re a pretty decent writer, with nothing better to do that needs some ‘umph’ on your college admissions resume (which you’ve been preparing since fourth grade). How else will you get accepted into Yale?

Or maybe you were just looking for a download of Justin Bieber’s song and clicked the wrong link. Whatever the reason. As long as I’ve trapped you here, I might as well educate you.

Welcome to Eenie Meenie Teenie Writers, a blog by a teen writer for teen writers. Though I’m not published (yet) I’ve collected quite a bit of information over the three years I’ve been noveling. So get ready, teen writers, you’re stuck on the same roller-coaster as I am. At least I can help others along the way. ; )

This blog came to be from two of my major obsessions... Nah, make that three. 1) Go Teen Writers , 2) Writing, and 3) My guilty pleasure, Yahoo Answers.

Specifically, my obsession with the Books and Author's section of Yahoo Answers. (Above you can see a perfect example of how much I waste my time on that website when I should be writing).

I cannot tell you how many times the following question has been asked. 

"How does i get published. im only 13. Thanxsss" or 12 or 11 or 14 or 15 or 16. 

That's the reason I made this blog in the first place. To prove that teens can write too! But, as you can tell from the quote (yes, it's a quote), above these teens are going to need a lot of help. 

For starters, you need to work on grammar. (I'm not the greatest at grammar; I'm sure you can find a plethora  of typos in this post, and I'm not claiming to be an expert.) It's just one of those things that we groan, and whine, and avoid as much as possible, but let's face it. You're not getting published without it. Use your best grammar in everything you do, from emails, to essays, to texts, to passing notes in school (just kidding, if you do that you're going to end up with grades like my Spanish grades... you do not want Spanish grades like mine), to questions on Yahoo Answers. USE GRAMMAR! 

Once we undo mushy lump that technology turned our grammar into, we can get started.

Onto the first step. The secret to getting published. The key to your success. The only thing that will help you. The make it or break it key to your future!!! (Excited yet). Okay, here it is.... Drum roll, trumpets. Dah dah da daaaaa...

Step one: Read.

It's as simple as that. Read as often as you write. Read all genres, read what you're interested in, read classics, read books like you hope yours will be. Whatever it is, just read. (If you need recommendations, check out my shelfari shelf on the left, I'm only a fraction through entering all the books on my kindle). This is the key to your success. It's like sports, you have to watch someone do a layup before you can attempt one yourself. (Or more accurately in my case, you have to watch someone run in proper form before you can try yourself). The more you read, the better you'll get. I swear, this isn't a trick. Just try it. This tip reminds me of a quote I read a long time ago. It was something about how writers don't actually create anything new. They take snippets of other things and mash it together until it works. Well, the more snippets you have the more material you have. The more material you have, the better book you can write. 

This also goes for surroundings and events. OBSERVE EVERYTHING. Describe it in your head. Don't let the little details escape you. Imagine every day of your life as a movie, what would be the opening of that movie? You putting on your shoes? Describe how you put on your shoes. Which shoe do you put on first? Pay attention to details. Try to make something as boring and monotonous as putting on your shoes exciting. Make it yours. 

So here's your homework for the night:

Before I make my next post (on Wednesday morning), do this:

1) Read a book

2) Find something the character does that you do: Like putting on shoes, or driving to school, or cleaning your room, even brushing your teeth!

3) Do that thing. Brush your teeth. 

4) Describe it in your own words. Pay extra attention to the five senses. 

5) Put the description in a safe place.

6) Come back to the description a couple of hours later.

7) Polish it. Your description may be a sentence, or pages. Whatever it is polish it. 

8) Compare to the passage in the book. 

9) Pat yourself on the back.

:D 

If you want your 'homework' to be featured in the next post, email me at charlotte dot nisson at gmail dot com (charlotte.nisson@gmail.com)

I look forward to seeing your work. If you have any questions. About this post, my blog, writing, life (jk), email me at charlotte.nisson@gmail.com

BUT WAIT! Before you go, I have some links you might appreciate. 

http://www.teenink.com/index.php?do=showlogin

http://nextgenwriters.com/2012/01/02/you%E2%80%99ve-got-character-baby/#comment-9185

http://teenscanwritetoo.wordpress.com/

http://hilarywgraham.wordpress.com/

http://writerspagenikki.blogspot.com/

And my favorite:  http://goteenwriters.blogspot.com

- C