The Proper Care and Feeding of a Writer: Some of the Basics

Caution: you might have one of these strange creatures living in your house. But wait! Before you grab your bug spray, consider the following. Do you know somebody who intentionally writes in the morning, writes in the afternoon, writes in the evening, writes when everybody else is asleep, writes during lunch breaks, or builds a time machine to have more writing time? If you answered yes to one or more of these, this strange organism is a writer.

Tip: Sometimes it's impossible to
tell whether this is a writer on a
good day or a bad one.

You may find these odd creatures flocking like pigeons to coffee shops or curled up in a dark corner like a recluse, weaving a plot or two. No two writers are alike. Sometimes they say peculiar things when they finally defeat writers block. Or maybe they collect silly phrases, like what just came out of your mouth (beware: writers will collect such things).

 

If you happen to have a writer friend, here are some things you might want to keep in mind:

 

Yes, writers may be weird, but that’s okay.

If you had the read the same story over and over and over, and it changed with each reading, you might go crazy too! Many writers will even do strange things in the name of research (skydiving, self-defense classes, climbing through windows, staring out the window, etc…). Just let them be. Unless, of course, they’re doing something illegal or something that might cause self-harm.

 

Writers are readers too.

That means they also have feelings. So before you completely butcher a writer’s story or attack a writer for killing off your favorite character, remember they’ve read their share of heartbreaking books. Besides, if you and the writer wanted a “happily ever after” ending, you both would have picked a different genre. Right?
 

Writers are hoarders.

They will collect everything you say. Everything you don’t say. Everything you do. Everything you don’t do. So stop avoiding the inevitable. Just be yourself. A writer’s best work comes from copying real life not playacting.

Tip: Cats aren’t the only ones plotting

world domination. Shhh, it’s a secret!

Writers blame things on their characters.

This is perfectly normal. You can blame things on the writer of his/her subconscious all you want. But don’t try to break writers’ abilities to give their characters realistic attributes. Sometimes this means writers allow their characters to make their own choices. Don’t try to debate it!
 

Sometimes writers need people to or talk at.

If a writer asks to discuss a plot point or character with you, this is great! Some days writers want feedback. Other days they just need to voice their story problems aloud. Even if their ramblings don’t make any sense to you, merely bouncing ideas off you can help them. If you’re not sure whether your writer friends want to talk with or at you, just ask. Writers spend a lot of time inside their own heads, so talking aloud can help them gain a new perspective.

Every writer is different.

There is no one-technique fits all. One writer may like coffee (like me!) while another might like tea (*cough* Faith *cough*). Some writers may find motivation in chocolate, and others may prefer sauerkraut. Hey, it’s possible! Get to know your writer friends. Ask them questions. And stick around for “The Proper Care and Feeding of a Writer: Part 2” coming next month for what not to ask!

Writers, do any of these points describe you? What would you add to this list?

Readers, how crazy do writers really seem? Or is this craziness news to you?

The Importance of Poetry: A Journey of Acceptance

Poetry and I have an interesting relationship. For as long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed prose, especially fantasy and young adult fiction. But I haven’t always enjoyed poetry. In fact, there was a time I hated it. Why? Poetry was confusing, abstract, and (I thought) pointless.

I wondered why readers would want to trudge through something confusing with hopes of deciphering meaning. Wasn’t writing supposed to be clear and to the point? And for goodness’ sake, why did all poetry have to be so structured? If there was anything I didn’t like doing with my writing it was thinking within the box. Coloring in the lines. Conformity.

For years I hated poetry.

My sophomore year of college, I took Children’s Literature where reading and evaluating children’s poetry was a requirement. Of course, before taking the class I knew that there are many types of poetry, but I hadn’t taken the time to read many of them.

Ultimately, I selected “Ballad of the Wandering Eft” from Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night. The poem was short and straightforward, but it was full of imagery and told a narrative. It was a lovely poem. I began to wonder if perhaps not all poetry was bad. I moved on with my life, struggling through classical poetry for several more semesters.

It wasn’t until the spring semester of my junior year that I came to actually enjoy poetry. I was sitting with my friend Faith before Modernism and Postmodernism class when I came up with an idea for a poem. During this semester, I learned that philosophy is ten times more intimidating and baffling than poetry for me (leastwise when it comes to (post-)modern stuff). There’s nothing like good old philosophy to get my mind to work creatively.

I told Faith about my poem idea, becoming more excited as the idea developed. So she encouraged me, saying she’d never seen my so excited about writing a poem before. Which was true. I never had been so excited about poetry.

After class, I rushed back to my dorm room and started researching and scribbling. In the end, the poem turned out to be a mish-mash of movie quotes and some of my own words. The poem made a fun piece of performance poetry for Friday’s Epiphany Coffeehouse (Evangel’s monthly open mic event hosted by Epiphany Magazine staff).

 

So it was that I came to enjoy writing poetry.

 

My senior year, I took creative writing and wrote more poetry. Our class even visited the Springfield Art Museum to write poetry based on pieces of art. I wrote three poems based on three separate paintings. My final semester, the poems were displayed in the art museum next to the paintings. You can read more about it in the Springfield News-Leader.

It took a few years, but I went from hating poetry to accepting poems to enjoying and writing poetry. I learned that poetry can be an art form of its own. Since I can’t paint using acrylics or watercolors, I may as well use words.

 

I learned that poetry comes in different forms, much like prose, and can allow writers to think beyond mere structures. I learned that I enjoy free verse and lots of clear imagery. I learned that poetry can stretch the mind, and being open minded isn’t such a bad thing. After all, you can’t think outside the box, if you don’t at least open the lid a little bit.

 

In celebration of reading and writing poetry, I’ve included a short, free verse poem I wrote specifically for this post. It’s based on tourism vs. local life in Germany, and I hope you enjoy it!

Book Review: "Stranger Things" by Erin Healy

Some books are easier to review than others, not necessarily because of the book but because of my writing style. I’m used to writing fiction instead of critiques, so I apologize for being a day late on my post. Without further ado, here is my latest review.

Such a captivating cover! I've got
a thing for pretty covers, can you tell?

Book: Stranger Things by Erin Healy

Genre: Christian fiction, suspense

Awards: none

My rating: 5/5 stars

One word description:  Eye-opening

 

I never win anything during raffles. You can imagine my surprise when I entered an online book scavenger hunt and received signed copies of Erin Healy’s The Baker’s Wife, Afloat, and Stranger Things. Of the three, Stranger Things is my favorite, hence the blog post. You can read my review for The Baker’s Wife here (I gave it 4/5 stars).

 

I put off reading Stranger Things during the school year because it was labeled as suspenseful, and it didn’t disappoint. I finished the book in two days. When I first started reading it, I didn’t know what to expect. I make it a policy not to read the back of books I own because of their tendency to give away major plot points (Caution: the back of Stranger Things does this).

 

Proof of my signed copy.

Stranger Things is a fictional story involving a pressing issue in society that we don’t always here about: human trafficking. The books is a reminder of humanity and tragedy, yet there are themes of hope woven throughout the story. Healy creates realistic characters, many of whom are not the kind I would have expected to like but liked nonetheless.

 

The story was heartbreaking yet inspiring. Heartbreaking because I would never want to see my own siblings in any of the book’s situations, yet inspiring because of how the main characters respond to their crisis. The book not only made me more aware of human trafficking, but also challenged me with the way I treat people, family members and strangers alike. There were so many takeaways from the story, but if had to pick the major one it would be this quote:

“‘If everybody just had one person who cared, everybody would be okay. Just one person.’” 

Because of its dark themes, I would not recommend Stranger Things to anybody under 15. I gave this book 5/5 stars for its eye-opening elements and theme of hope. I would recommend this book to anybody with a sister/daughter/girlfriend and those who enjoy suspenseful and thought-provoking stories.

Have you read any of Healy’s books? What did you think of them?
Ever won anything in a book giveaway? Comment below with the title!

The Joys of Reading Aloud

Focus on the Family Radio Theatre has absolutely ruined audio books for me. Not to worry, I mean that in a good way. Back when I was a kid, we lived in Washington State, where my dad used to take my brother and I to visit Mt. Rainier, and along the way we would listen to The Chronicles of Narnia.

 

The audio dramas were and continue to be fantastic, more so than any of the films. Why? Because each drama mirrored the books practically word-for-word. And the books weren’t just read aloud. Each character had a voice, and several scenes had music, heightening the drama or the tension. It was like watching a film without the visuals.

 

So it was that at eight-years-old, I fell in love with The Chronicles of Narnia, and regular audio books were ruined forever. How could I listen to one person on a CD read on an on after that? But my delight in being read to was different whenever family members or teachers read aloud. In third grade, one of my teachers read Junie B. Jones and Methuselah’s Gift to the class, and at home my dad read The Hobbit to my brother and me.

 

As a child, I grew to enjoy books so much that I tried to read way above my reading level even when I didn’t understand what I was reading. And today, my family continues to read aloud. Last summer, we took turns rereading the entirety of The Hobbit as a family, and every year we read the Bible together.

 

But not all of my experiences listening to books have been rewarding. While my brother is an auditory learner, I am a visual and kinesthetic learner. My brother can recite most of any film after watching it once, but I find it difficult to retain whatever I hear aloud.

 

Often times whenever somebody is reading aloud, my thoughts wander. This can even happen, believe it or not, when I’m reading aloud. While my voice is saying the words on the page, my thoughts are somewhere else completely. Talk about bizarre.

 

Nevertheless, I have found ways to concentrate whenever somebody else reads aloud. I fiddle with something in my hands (a slinky, an eraser, a candle, etc.) or I read along if another copy of the book is available.

 

Of course, I still like reading silently. I do it all the time. But there is a certain joy to reading aloud. It can bring people together into a narrative, and each story becomes a shared journey instead of a solitary one.

 

Coffee and stories?
What a perfect combination!

Not only is reading aloud great for readers, but it’s also beneficial to writers. Reading an unfinished draft aloud can help writers catch their mistakes, or reading a polished piece to others can be a great way for writers to share their work.

 

Back when I attended Evangel University, I was on staff for Epiphany, the university’s literary magazine. Once a month, we hosted Epiphany Coffeehouse in the student union where students and professors would read their original poetry, stories, or essays.

 

At first, the prospect of reading one of my stories in front of my peers and professors was quite terrifying. But after several months, sharing my stories with others became quite fun, and I always relished listening to works by my friends and acquaintances.

 

So if you’re a writer and find yourself with the opportunity to read aloud at an open mic event or at a coffeehouse, go for it! There’s nothing quite like hearing writers read their works in their own voices. You never know what kind of people you’ll meet or what kind of friends you’ll make. 

 

As for readers, remember that reading can be a relaxing, solitary experience, but it’s also an excellent way to spend time with others. Statistics even show that children who are read aloud to are more likely to enjoy reading throughout their lives. If you don’t believe statistics, take my own story as evidence. Who knows, you might instill the love for reading in a child or two. They’ll thank you for it one day.

 

Which books (if any) have you read with your family? Has reading aloud increased your delight in reading?

 

Literary references: C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, Barbara Park’s Junie B. Jones books, Mary Elizabeth Edgren’s Methuselah’s Gift, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, and the Holy Bible.

6 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Got Published

What writer doesn’t want to see their name in print? As a teenager, I was determined to publish my first book at age 14. Instead, my first short story wasn’t published until I was a freshman in college. That’s not to say that dreams can’t come true. Things just didn’t turn out the way I had expected. Here are just a few of the things I learned along the way that I wish I knew beforehand:

1) Publishing is a long process.

And I mean long. Okay, not like getting your doctorate long (though it could be…). But publishing a short story can last 3+ months, and that’s not including the writing or editing processes. Although I have not yet published a novel-length work, simply writing one has taken months. I can only image how long it takes to publish something of much length.

So you’re thinking about publishing a Christmas story? You’d better start writing it in September or sooner.

 

2) It’s okay to submit more than once.

Some magazines or publishing houses don’t accept simultaneous submissions but others do. Make sure you check each company’s guidelines. When it comes to publishing, it’s important to be persistent. Keep submitting for publication after publication. As I mentioned before, I didn’t get my first short story published until I was a freshman in college. After that, I didn’t get another short story published until my senior year.

I wish I had submitted more often and before I reached college. Even if the only tangible results meant more rejection letters, at least I would’ve had the experience.

3) Not everybody will read my story.

We live in a world where (sadly) not everybody enjoys reading. Just because I got a short story published didn’t mean that every person I met would demand to read it. While I thoroughly enjoy reading, many of my family members will never read for pleasure. Even though I have three short stories published, some of the people I know well have never read them.

4) Rejection will happen.

Rephrased: rejection may happen to some stories and not to others, but it will happen. Before I got published, I acknowledged rejection as a fact somewhere in the back of my mind. I was fortunate enough to have my first submission published, but afterward I had multiple rejections. Each publication is fantastic, but it will not guarantee the next one.  

5) Acceptance will happen.

Unless you give up, you’re likely to get something published if you’re persistent enough. But wait? Isn’t acceptance the goal of submitting a story? Well, yes. But it is also quite terrifying. Publication means more people will read my work, and I always wish I knew what they will think. Will they like it? What if they don’t? And so on. If there’s anything more terrifying for me than getting rejected, it’s getting accepted.

6) There’s more to being a writer than being an author.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s good to be published. But the delight I felt after I received my first letter of acceptance didn’t last. After I finished the final edits, my involvement with the story was over. I didn’t go back to read my story, except maybe at somebody’s request to read it aloud. For me, that particular story was over, so I went back to writing.

This is not to say that publication is some evil dragon that destroys writing. It’s not. But it’s not a glamorized ultimate goal for writers. If you write and aren’t published yet, you’re an aspiring author, not an aspiring writer. Writers are called writers because they write whether they’re published or not. Publishing is just one way to share that writing with others.

 

My dear writer friends, here’s to more submissions, (hopefully) fewer rejections, and more writing! Don’t stop now!

What are some things you wish/want to know about publishing? What are your thoughts on the process?

Camp NaNoWriMo 2015

At the beginning of last month, I set out to write 50,000 words in one month. I’d always wanted to take part in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, held in November) before but never had the time. Until I learned about Camp NaNoWriMo, which took place in April and July (I opted for July due to college). So after 31 days, I have 50,038 words and a complete story, Visionary.

Here is the working premise: Sometimes, it only takes a dream to wake up. All Hannah Davidson has known is the life of a typical American kid. When she is thrust 2,000 years back in time with no explanation, she must learn how to survive on the streets. She hopes it’s all a dream, but when she finally gets to sleep, Hannah wakes up in yet another life with family members she’s never met. Hannah wonders if she will ever find her way back home, not realizing that her deepest beliefs are about to be tested.

 

Below are just a few of the takeaways from my experience during Camp this July!

 

Highlights from my daily journal of experiences:

Day 1: Our building caught fire! Usually, I write a scene with fire somewhere around the middle of the book when I’m stuck. Not at the beginning when the ideas are (semi) flowing. Ironically, a fan started the fire. No, the building did not burn down, and all my books are fine.

 

Day 13: Inspiration. This day was probably the day I wrote the most. I had a cappuccino in the morning, added some music, and wrote 3,000 words. I also took the time to write earlier in the day instead of trying to cram everything in before I went to bed.
 

Day 19: Discovery. As I tried to think of something to record for this day, I realized the opposite themes in the novels I’ve written lately (Visionary and Breaking a Thief). I’d worried that they would be too similar because both protagonists live double lives. This day I realized how they are different. As for the differing themes, well, I’ll leave that up to readers to find out for themselves (I wouldn’t want to give everything away).

Day 21: No progress. From July 20-22, the movers came to pack out our house (I don’t post this kind of thing at the time for security purposes). Although I didn’t write anything towards my story the first two days, I found packing to be very inspirational. And by inspirational, I mean boring. It’s amazing how many scene ideas I can come up with as I watch somebody wrap the 50^th piece of furniture. Oh, and if velociraptors were still alive, I’m pretty sure they would sound like the tape rollers. Just saying.

Day 25: Catching up. This was a productive day, and I even got to relax a little. What’s more, I got to write something that didn’t involve this story, which was a special treat. Sometimes I feel as though writing can be more enjoyable if it’s not mandatory. For example, I come up with the best story ideas when I’m trying to write a paper. It just stands to reason that I can work on one story idea while I've promised to write another. I actually find this can be helpful. If I get tired of one story, I can just switch to the other and work on that one for a while.  

Day 31: Last day of Camp NaNoWriMo. I worked on a bunch of paperwork (4 hours’ worth! Ugh!) and finished my novel. Suffice to say, my post-paperwork writing was perhaps some of the best I’ve written so far because it had a scene with pancakes. Yum! 

For a full list of my daily reflections, you can check out my Twitter profile here.

 

Things I enjoyed:

Being able to write 2,500 words on some days because I have no life.

This blog post, which served as a welcome distraction from my story. Come on, you didn’t actually think I wrote this in one day, did you? (I also redesigned my blog as another means of procrastination. What do you think?)

Getting back into writing. For the longest time, I didn’t know which story I should write next. I’m still not sure if Visionary was the right one. But I came to realize that if I never actually decided on one and stuck with it, that I would never get anywhere. So here’s to projects that may not be used but help get writers out of their ruts.

 

My daily Twitter reflections. I stopped journaling every night because I began staying up until 2 a.m. at times, and it usually takes me 30 minutes to journal. The account helped me remember some things throughout this time.  

  

Things I would do differently next time:

Not move/travel in the middle of writing a novel. Seriously though, have you ever tried to pack all your household goods while trying to meet a daily word count?

 

Actually have an outline. In May, I had graduation, then I went on four international vacations, and I finished the second draft for my previous novel. I guess you could say I was too busy to write an outline. That’s not exactly true. I did have time, a little anyway, but I just didn’t use it to give myself the direction I needed.

 

Develop my characters more. This may have also kept characters from randomly popping up, though I’m sure they’d do this anyway. By the end of the story, I had 17 characters with names. My last novel (about 300 pages) had 9. Pretty sure some characters will disappear with revisions.

 

***

 

Of course, this story was like many first drafts: fun but rough. It will need revisions, but it was still good to write. Whether or not I will ever return to edit this story is another matter. Next year, I plan to take part in NaNoWriMo again, but I may choose another month due to grad school. Until then, I shall return to editing and plotting outlines.

 

If you have ever participated in NaNoWriMo, what was your experience like? Did you have any insights, funny stories, or excellent lines?

I Can't Believe I Wrote THAT!

Well, perhaps I can believe I wrote that story, but I may not entirely remember what I was thinking whenever I wrote that thing. Some writers may know what I’m talking about. We all have those stories that we’ve written and we abhor. At the time, it seemed like a great idea, and it might not have looked bad as we wrote it. But after some serious reflection and some time, we look back and wonder, “What was I thinking?!”  

I have written many things like this. They’re often called rough drafts. Each writer must ultimately get past the rough draft stage and polish up that story to make it book-worthy. But some stories never make it past the rough draft. And for good reason. I believe there are some stories that don’t deserve to be written. Rewritten: possibly.

One such example is the first novel-length story I ever wrote. I figured I already knew how to type, I had a great idea for characters, and I loved stories! It was full of dragons, and talking animals, and magic doorways (sound familiar?). Oh, and did I mention I was only 12? What could possibly go wrong?

Turns out, quite a lot.

At the time, I knew I wanted to be an author, and if Christopher Paolini could publish a bestselling book at age 15, I could publish a book by 14. But life doesn’t always work out that way. I don’t know when I realized my story was a humongous flop, but I put it aside and completely rewrote it several years later. 

 

Even after all these years, lurking within the depths of my files is a document painful to look at. I won’t even let my most trusted writer friends read it. It’s too embarrassing. So why do I keep it?

As I mentioned before, I rewrote the entire story, so I used the original to base another story off. I dropped the plot and the magical doorways, and even some of the characters switched personalities. But the original work provided me with a reference. Even though nothing yet has become of either of these stories, they have taught me that there is always the possibility for improvement.

 

Still, even after all this, why would I keep the terrible, first story if I didn’t need it anymore? Wouldn’t the embarrassment be too much? Say, hypothetically, I became a famous author and on my deathbed, told somebody to delete my story after I died, but they didn’t! Should I be worried? Well, for one I’d be dead, so why should I care? And two, that person would soon realize the ridiculous nature of the story, so why show it to the world?  

Call it what you will: hoarding;  sentimentality. I will always keep my stories. The well-written ones to share with others. The poor ones to remind myself never to go back.  

Tell me what YOU think! Are there any stories you hold onto despite their quality?