Writing

TeaTime Talk

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Ladies' Christmas Tea 2011 033

I have decided to begin my own biweekly post that I hope you will participate in. I was really looking forward to participating in the Coffee Shop Chat posts that were started on the Christ is Write blog, but I noticed that they haven’t appeared very regularly. Therefore, I decided to take the idea, tweak it to make it my own, give it a new name, and hope that others will want to join me for TeaTime Talk every other Monday.

For the Rules and Guidelines, see my TeaTime Talk Page and join in the fun!  It’s really quite easy.

Things I am Currently Working On:

  1. I have begun our homeschooling year with our youngest son, the last one I have to finish teaching.
  2. I am helping to get the older two organized and prepared to leave home — the oldest will be returning to college for his sophomore year, the middle will be going to his first year of Bible training at a Bible school. The oldest is getting ready to wrap up his job as an intern at the public library and the middle will be leaving his position at a local fast food restaurant.
  3. With all of the busy schedules that are part of my first two things I am working on, I am finding it quite difficult to accomplish all of my writing goals, but here are the ones I am working on: Scheduling Blog Posts at least a month in advance to attempt to free up some time to work on other writing goals and revising and editing the chapters I have already completed on my current WIP to correct some things that I had historically inaccurate before receiving the information from a museum, as well as to add some things to the story that I believe will make it more interesting and complete the historical part of it.

Places Where I Did Some Writing This Week:

1. In the waiting room at the dentist’s office. I took my oldest son for his dental checkup and cleaning, and I took my notebook along and wrote some poems for my Thursday posts while I waited for him.

2. Since we were treated unkindly at the cafe we had enjoyed meeting in for quite some time, we have been meeting at a church. One of the ladies that is part of our little writers’ group attends that church and so when she wasn’t able to join us this week, we thought we’d try somewhere else. So, we went to the local Tropical Smoothie Cafe which really wasn’t conducive to writing, if you like it relatively quiet to write, because they had music playing quite loudly over the loudspeakers. So now we know another place we don’t want to go to write. It’s quite difficult to find good places to write, at least in the area we live in.

Conversation Starters:

1. If you’re a writer, what public places do you find comfortable and acceptable for writing?

2. What’s your favorite tea or coffee beverage in hot weather?

3. What part of the world do you call home?

4. Do you prefer dogs or cats? Why?

Between Plotting and Pantsing

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I have written here in the past about writing as a pantser and my attempt at becoming a plotter, and what I have found is that what works best for me is something between the two. I know there is a lot of talk about plotting and pantsing and many writers try to fit into one mold or the other or struggle to find their fit, so I am going to share my writing process in hopes of helping other writers who might find it more comfortable somewhere in between.

When I began my current WIP, I wrote down my two main characters’ (protagonists) physical descriptions, personality traits and their back stories. I did the same thing for my antagonist. Then I found some great sheets, that are FREE from a great website for writers:  Writers Helping Writers in their “Tools for Writers” section, called “Reverse Backstory Tool” and the “Character Pyramid” which I found helpful and not overwhelming, and I filled one of each of those out for my two main protagonists and my antagonist. I also wrote down the main plot and conflicts that I knew I wanted to include in the story.

Since I have decided that clean historical romantic fiction is the genre I am passionate about writing, I also did a little bit of research in regard to  the setting: historical time period and the real life towns that would be mentioned in my story and that would be home to my main characters; and into the life of some real life people who did the job I wanted my main male character to do so that I could make him as realistic as possible, and so, of course I also had to research that particular job. This sounds like a lot of work and plotting, but I didn’t feel that way, and writing something historical requires historical accuracy. I enjoyed the research almost as much as I enjoy the writing.

After that, I began my writing. In the midst of  working on this novel, I participated in two writer retreats where we did a couple of cool exercises that gave me a bit more insight into my main male character. I have also attended one writers’ conference, where I spoke with two published authors and shared a portion of my writing and they gave me helpful feedback. I am also a part of two different critique groups where I frequently share a piece of this novel for feedback. All of this feed back helps me to improve the story, and think about what I might be missing, which led me to contact a museum for more information about the historical aspects of my story (you can read about this here.)

I have also had to pause to research a few more things I needed to know about horses and riding and caring for horses. So, as you can see, because I do most of my writing as a pantser, I end up having to occasionally pause to research something I didn’t think about or anticipate before I began writing. Also, just because knowing that I have mistakes or missing parts in what I’ve already written, I cannot continue writing without fixing, changing and/or adding as needed during my writing sessions, so that interrupts my writing as well, but I’d much rather take care of those things as soon as possible and not have to go back and do ALL of those edits after finishing the entire novel. Taking care of it in bits and pieces is much less overwhelming to me. That’s why I submit to critique groups.

Some say that I am creating extra work or that it takes a lot more time to write the way that I do with these interruptions, but I don’t see how it takes any more time than all of the plotting some people do, and then writing the entire novel, and then going back and having to edit the whole thing. I think if a plotter and someone like me actually wrote down our time for the entire process, it really wouldn’t be that much different, assuming we are writing the same genre.

I hope that this information will be helpful for at least one of you out there.  Let me know if you’ve found it helpful or would like more information on any of this by dropping a comment in the comment box below.

Happy writing!

Couplet Poem: Life of a Story

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Life of a Story
by Kelly F. Barr

A story runs round inside my head,
Often as I attempt to sleep in bed.
Its characters speak to me,
Telling me what will and will not be.
They dictate whom they will love and where they will go,
And from their ups and downs the story will grow.
Each chapter I submit for critique
As tips and advice for improvement I seek.
After edits, Beta Readers have a look,
Then final edits before turning story into book.

Coffee Shop Chat

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Coffee Shop Chat

I have been checking Tessa’s blog for another Coffee Shop Chats post, but she hasn’t posted one since July 6th, and I really want to do them every other week, so I hope she won’t be offended that I am doing this. I also recommend that you visit her blog for her other posts. She is a very busy, young, successful writer and shares lots of interesting things. Simply go to the website you see in the photo above.

Now for my Coffee Shop Chat post for this week:

What I did this week:

Monday through Wednesday weren’t anything out of the ordinary, but Thursday I took my oldest son to the airport. He went to work at the Demme Learning stand at a homeschool convention in Atlanta, Georgia. He returned on Sunday. I also took my youngest son to the dentist to have his last baby tooth pulled because it wasn’t budging and new adult teeth didn’t have enough room to come through the gums. (Last Thursday, this little guy also had a small lump removed from his left leg a little below his knee and received four stitches, which will come out next Thursday.)

Finally on Thursday, this:

arrived! I am so excited! I will now be able to know how to use ALL of the wonderful features of Scrivener! I have already found that when I write my next novel, (I think it’s too late to use all of the features for my current novel), I won’t have to have any paperwork, which will be really weird for me because I’ve been writing since before computers. (Yes, now you know I’m old.) But, all of my information on my characters, my time line, even my research can be kept in Scrivener! I highly recommend Scrivener to all serious writers.

The big news of the week is that yesterday, I met my Camp NaNoWriMo goal and became a Camp NaNoWinner for 2016! The best thing about participating in Camp NaNoWriMo was that I finally found a way to beat my procrastination with my writing. When I wanted to write, working on my novel, during the month of July, I would turn on my laptop and go straight to Scrivener, which immediately put me in writing mode because that is where I write my novels and short stories (not Flash Fiction). I was able to remain focused and write until I needed a break to figure out my next scene or one of my main characters’ (I have two) reactions to what happened in the previous scene. I averaged about 806 words a day. Sometimes I did between 700 and 800, a couple of times I wrote 1,000 or more and yesterday I wrote close to 3,000 words!  I have a nice little badge on my sidebar now showing my Camp NaNoWriMo accomplishment.

So the key to my writing success is to find a time earlier in the day for social media, and when I want to work on my novel or a short story, go straight to Scrivener and AVOID social media!

My Next Writing Goal, now that Camp NaNoWriMo is over:

Well, as much as I am enjoying writing this novel, the fact that I know that I have some changes to make and things to add in chapters I’ve already written will cause me to pause in the writing. I will take the time to read ALL of the wonderful information the Pony Express Museum sent to me, and I will go through all that I have written so far and make the needed corrections, changes, and additions before continuing the story because that is what works best for me. Besides, I have been impatiently waiting to dig into all of that fascinating material.   🙂

In addition to working on my novel, I want to continue to write and schedule blog posts far enough in advance that if I hit a crazy busy weekday or week, I won’t miss any posts here where you all come to visit.

I also started a short story just before Camp NaNoWriMo began and haven’t worked on it since, so I want to get back to that and finish it. I also want to write some devotionals, Chicken Soup for the Soul stories and other things.

Convo Starters:

  1. What is your favorite season?
  2. If you could be a character from a book, who would you be?
  3. Do you have a job in addition to writing?
  4. Do you prefer music or quiet while you write?

 

 

Flash Fiction Friday: Basking in the Summer Sun

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She stretched her arms up to the sun. She loved the way it kissed her face and warmed her after last night’s chilling rain. The world around her was waking up. Children came outdoors to play, their puppy following closely behind.

The puppy wandered over and sniffed her upturned face. She feared that it may sprinkle on her, but it soon moved on to open grass.

Soon a little girl came close to examine her. An older girl approached. The little girl looked up the the older one. “Pretty flower,” she said. “Yes, that is a dahlia. Now, come along.”

Flash Fiction Friday: The Thief of Westhaven

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As he walked through the woods, he heard leaves crunching up ahead. He creeped from tree to tree wary of what may lie ahead. As he slipped up behind the large trunk of an old oak tree he saw her, a woman of exquisite beauty.  Her auburn hair appeared to be blazing with the sun’s rays shining on it. Her lips,  red and moist, touted an invitation to a kiss. Her large eyes sparkled in the unusual color of violet and her complexion, a flawless peaches and cream. She paced back and forth wringing her hands. She was dressed in tan leggings and a dark green tunic with a scalloped bottom.  Tied to a cord around her waist hung a lumpy, brown bag that jingled at each of her steps. A bow lay on the ground near her feet, and slung over her shoulder, a quiver of arrows.

He decided on a cautious approach to offer assistance,  but before he shifted from his position a thundering noise came through the trees to his left and a great, sleek, black stallion trotted to the woman.

“Oh, you’re here! I feared you had been killed.” She wrapped her arms about its neck and pressed her face against its jaw as the horse nuzzled her neck with its lips.

“We must get out of here.” She seized her bow, grabbed hold of the stallion’s long, flowing mane and heaved herself upon its back, and as he stood mesmerized at the sight, beauty fled from his undisclosed presence.

A knowing grin slid across his face. No one would believe that the thief of Westhaven was a beautiful woman.

Top Ten Tuesday

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Today’s Top Ten Tuesday as suggested by The Broke and the Bookish is Ten Facts About Me, any kind of facts about me that I want to share.  I have decided to share Ten Facts About Me as a Blogger:

  1.  I began blogging just about eight years ago.
  2. My first blog was a blog where I shared about family activities and homeschooling.
  3. My second blog was all about homeschooling (this blog is still live at Blogspot.  It’s called Homeschool View.)
  4. My third blog, I attempted and failed miserably, was about being a Type 2 Diabetic.
  5. This is my fourth blog, and I believe, my final blog because it is about the things I love most: writing and reading, so I love writing and sharing on this blog.  Yes, I also share some of my photography, but that’s a hobby.  This blog has undergone changes a couple of times as I wanted to blog often enough in a week that people wouldn’t lose interest, and I think I have finally succeeded by posting five days a week — Monday through Friday.  Also, I was hoping to create blog posts that others would enjoy reading or viewing so that they would want to come back.  There is a possibility that this blog will undergo future changes as I seek to post things my readers want.
  6. I am hoping that I will be able to grow followers on this blog who will be interested in reading my novels when I begin to publish them.  So, if you’re a historical romance fan or know someone who is, I hope you will consider following my blog and tell your historical romance fan friends about it.
  7. As I get closer to time of publication, I will share some things about the historical period of my novel, something about the characters, and some other goodies to tempt you to read my novel.
  8. I love when visitors to my blog leave comments.  I like when you share your thoughts and experiences.  I like to get to know my readers this way.
  9. I do my best to read other blogs that have to do with reading and/or writing and leave comments when I do to let them know I was there.
  10. I like to connect with other bloggers with similar interests and would love to help other writers who blog by having guest posts here on my blog or doing guest posts for other writers’ blogs.  If this interests you, leave a comment or message me on Facebook and we can set something up.

 

Camp NaNoWriMo

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Okay, so I’m sure you’ve heard of NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, which takes place every November, where the goal is to write a 50,000 word novel in the thirty days of November.  Well, I have not participated in the November NaNoWriMo yet.  Seems too stressful to me in a month with a major holiday, right before a month with an even bigger major holiday, two of the three holidays that are most important to our family.

But, now there’s Camp NaNoWriMo in the month of July!  This one lets you set your own goal for the month of July.  You also get to be part of a group who share a “cabin” (this is all online), where you can encourage each other throughout the month through messages you post in your cabin.  You write in whatever program you normally write on your computer and simply update your word count every time you write and add words to your novel or whatever project you are working on.

I chose to do this because a couple of friends were doing it and encouraged me, plus I needed some motivation, but not too much stress.  So, I had about 14,000 words written in my novel in progress, so I set my goal for 30,000 words.  I figured that was more than half of what I’d already written, but still a challenge for me.

Here we are on the 10th of the month and I have not written every day, but I am still on track to meet my goal according to the stats the Camp NaNoWriMo website keeps for me.  Seeing that helps my motivation too.

Another motivation:  If I succeed in reaching my goal by the end of the month, I will get a badge to post here on my blog, and that might not be a great prize, but  I do NOT want to fail, so the fact that some of my friends, and now all of you know that I am doing this will also keep me motivated because if I don’t post a badge on my blog by the end of the month, all of you will know that I failed, and I CAN’T HAVE THAT!     😀

How about you?  Have you ever participated in NaNoWriMo or Camp NaNoWriMo?  What was your experience?

Flash Fiction Friday: Scars

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Lightning flashed and thunder roared.  Then came the pouring rain pelting down so hard it stung her bare face and arms.  Mavis ran for shelter.

She rushed into the log cabin, closing the door behind her.  Her breath caught in her throat.  Ray stood in the middle of the room.  His cold, dark eyes held her in a hard stare.  Mavis trembled, not just from the chill of the rain.

Her eyes spotted the near empty whiskey bottle on the table.  She turned and tried to open the door figuring it was better to chance being struck by lightning than to take another beating.

Ray swiftly closed the distance between them.  He grabbed her upper arms before she could get the door open.  He turned her to face him.  “Where ya been, Mavis?”

“I was taking care of the animals.”  Her voice trembled.

“The stupid animals could’ve waited.  I’m hungry and you’ve kept me waiting for my supper!”  He shoved her toward the kitchen.

Mavis stumbled.  After regaining her balance, she grabbed some wood and fed the barely burning embers.  She grabbed two frying pans.  She mixed up buttermilk dough for biscuits, cut them and put them on a tray in the oven.  She peeled and sliced a few potatoes.  She put a steak in one pan, some lard and the potatoes in the other.

“Hurry up!  I’m powerful hungry.”  Ray started across the room.

“Please God, don’t let him hit me.”  Mavis whispered.

Ray stopped behind her.  He stood so close she could feel his breath on the back of her neck.  She tried to still her trembling as she turned the steak then the potatoes.

His arms wrapped around her waist.  He kissed the side of her neck.  “You’re still a good lookin’ woman, Mavis.”  He reached with one hand and pulled the clip from her hair and let the brown waves cascade down her back.  He ran his hand through her hair, kissing her neck again.    He breathed in her ear.  “You know how I love your hair free and loose.  You should let it hang more often.”

“I have to get the biscuits out of the oven.”

Ray stepped back just far enough to allow her to retrieve the biscuits.  When she had set them down and moved the pans to the back of the stove, he wrapped her in his arms.

She hated the smell of whiskey on his breath.

“Forget supper, Mavis.  I’ve got a mighty hunger for somethin’ else right now.”  He leaned to kiss her.  She turned her head away.

“Oh, now don’t be silly, Ray.  The food’s all done.  You should eat it before it gets cold.”

Ray grabbed a handful of her hair.  “Don’t tease me, Mavis.”

He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.  Her heart felt like a heavy stone in her chest.  Tears stung at the backs of her eyes and she willed them not to spill over.

Afterward, Ray went to the kitchen and ate, while Mavis lay in the bed silent tears rolling into her hair.

No, he hadn’t hit her, but she wasn’t sure whether it was the beatings or the being taken advantage of that hurt more.  Both left their scars.

Writing Strengths and Weaknesses

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Today I’d like to share about the strengths and weaknesses in my writing in hopes of encouraging some of you.

I’ve been writing for a long time, although I took quite a few years off to raise and homeschool my two older sons.  I returned to writing three years ago and now am fairly immersed in the writing culture as I am a member of a large local writing group, a huge national writing group (most of which I participate in online), a small writing group that I started which is quite different from the first two mentioned, as well as two critique groups — one online and one that meets face-to-face.  In addition to that, I attend at least two small writers’ conferences a year and have connected with quite a few writers online through social media. In addition to all of that, I have this blog.

All that to say that I AM WRITING!  Also, I have learned A LOT over the past three years, and continue to learn daily.  One of the things I learned most recently is what I am really good at writing and what I really need to work on in my writing, novel writing/fiction writing.

So, I will start with my weakness — description/setting the scene.  You see, I have the scene and the characters so ingrained in my brain that I forget the reader cannot “see” it and I simply write the action and dialog with very little description and scene setting.  Another reason this happens is because I have heard many people, in the writing world, over the past three years, say things like, “Be careful not to include too much description because it will bog the story down”; “readers don’t want a lot of description”; “too much description can be too telling instead of showing”.  Because of these statements, I think that I simply avoided description.

However, over the past three months other writers have been explaining to me how important some description is so that your reader can picture the scenes in their minds.  I’ve been told how important it is to include the five senses.  I have some wonderful suggestions and examples from other writers that are helping me learn to do this, but I have to be deliberate about it.  I have to re-read every scene I write to be sure I included some great description and use of some of the five senses to bring my writing to life.

Yes, as I use description and the five senses, I do see my novel coming to life.  So some description and use of the five senses is important because it breathes life into the story!  This is hard work for me because it doesn’t come naturally yet.  As I said, I have to be deliberate about it, but I am finding it very rewarding, and I believe it will come more naturally the more that I do it because the more that I have done it over the past few days the more comfortable I have gotten with it.  However, I will still rely heavily upon my critiques to be sure that the descriptions I write are of good quality.

Now my strength — dialog!  Good dialog just flows from my brain onto the page.  I was recently made aware of this when several other writers and my critiquers commented and praised my written dialog.  I believe this is because I am so in tune with my characters and their personalities and character traits.  I’ve never had to work hard to write dialog.  It comes easily and naturally.

What do you find comes naturally from you for your writing?  What do you have to work deliberately on in your writing?  Leave a comment below and share.  I’d love to hear from you.