Taming the Series Beast

There's a lot of information to keep track of while writing.  Characters (description, age, major life events, family, etc.) and settings (houses, towns/cities/countryside with names, buildings, even streets) and plot.  Oh, that plot! And that's a whole other animal.

When a story revolves around a character--or two when it's a romance--it's important to know as much about him and/or her as possible.  Characters, like the story itself, grow from the time we first have an inkling of the person we want to create to the end of the story.  Because all but a very few have more than one character, we have a lot of information to sort through, choose, and use.  And although those characters stay with us in our minds, it's easy to forget details, as time goes by.  There have been times when I haven't been able to remember a past character's name, so obviously there are far too many living in my head. ;)

After the first couple of books, I realized that there were so many things to remember and so many times when I had to search for a small detail that was important, even in a stand-alone book, that I needed to do something that would help.  I started looking for the best way to keep track.  It took some time, but I found it, and I still make small changes to my method when needed.

First let me say that I'm an organized disorganized person.  Or is that an unorganized organized person?  I've never figured that out.  Yes, my desk is often a mess.  I like having things near me so I know where they are and can grab them at a moment's notice.  The same is true for writing.  I need that basic information about characters and story close at hand, so I don't have to stop and hunt through pages and chapters for the name of a minor character or if it was morning or afternoon when an incident occurred.  With a series, it's needed even more.

So what has helped save my sanity and time?  3-ring notebooks.
One notebook for each book.  For a series, there's also one small notebook to hold master lists.


BOOK NOTEBOOK

Each individual notebook includes:
*indicates in plastic sheet protector

• *Photo of Hero & Heroine and child/children if applicable. 
• *Age chart of main characters that includes major life events, especially those that pertain to the story.  This includes a column for years (2013, 2012, 2011,etc.), beginning with the year in which the story is following through to birth of character.  (spreadsheet)  This makes it easy to check their ages for high school graduation, a move or job change, or any other major event.
• *Storyboard  Yes, I plot before I write.  (You can see a photo of my plotting boards and the printed storyboard here.)  Quite often I write the first three chapters to get to know the characters better, before I go on to plot the rest, although I usually know main turning points, the black moment and the resolution, before I start writing.
• *List of Characters  This includes any character appearing in the story, even the grocer, parents, siblings and anyone who doesn't appear but is mentioned.  It's much easier than looking back through written chapters.
• *Calendar  I use a blank calendar sheet template for each month in which the book take place.  Month, dates, years.  Then I add a snippet of each scene in the blank date when it happens. This helps me know what happened two weeks before, and I don't have to go back through the written chapters and scenes to find it when needed.
• Other photos I might need, including floor plans I find online, so I can move the characters around without forgetting the master bedroom is on the first, not the second floor.  I'm working on a story that includes a sailboat, so I have photos of that.  It's also nice to have photos of the area, either from doing a quick Google search or using the Earth option on Google maps.

After the above, I have tabbed dividers for each chapter, where I keep the most recent printed copies of the story.  As a rule, I do edits and revisions on hard copy, and this keeps everything in one place.  Any other notes or information are slipped into the pockets in front and back.

Because I'm paranoid, the above files are kept on my computer.  I can always pull up a file, if I haven't added it to the notebook.


SERIES NOTEBOOK

One, smaller (as in thinner) notebook holds master lists that cover all the books in the series.  These include:

• Age chart for all main characters in the series i.e heroes and heroines. No major events noted, except year of birth and ages up through the latest book. (spreadsheet)
• A companion age chart for the main characters, their children, some family members and, in the Desperation series, two other minor characters who appear in nearly every book. (spreadsheet)
• Complete character list that includes character name, role, and which books in which each appeared.  Yes, that can be a lot of names, especially if townspeople are included often in the stories.  At last count, there were 16 main characters and 140 minor characters.  7 minor characters have appeared in all 8 books in the Desperation series.
• General Timeline that includes book title, month and year of each book's setting, first name and age of main characters and their children.
• Yearly Calendar (created with MS Publisher) that includes dates of the beginning and end of each book and dates of babies born or added to main characters.  (helps keep the ages of children at my fingertips ;))  The Desperation series at present spans 6 years, from 2008 thru 2013.
• Character Name List, alphabetized, keeps me from using the same name twice, whether first name or last.  (MS Excel can sort and filter any way you choose.)

With a little thought, I manage to keep the series beast under control.  Please note that it isn't tamed.  Using my method keeps me from hunting for notes in odd places, such as in the cutlery drawer in the kitchen, or the unmentionable drawer in my bedroom.  Then there's the bathroom cubbyhole...  My notebook is portable, if needed, especially when writing longhand in the car while waiting on grandkids to explode from school.  It might take a little time to put together, but, hey, it's time well-spent!

Still, my way isn't THE way.  THE way is YOUR way.  To help you find it, here are a few links a writer friend posted on our writers group page.  Check them out, see what might suit, then pick and choose your favorites to create YOUR VERY OWN WAY.  Don't worry.  Nothing is set in stone and can be adjusted or thrown out.  To paraphrase Old Blue Eyes (Frank Sinatra, for you youngsters), do it your way.

• Love Inspired® author Debby Giusti shares her thoughts on The Continuity Challenge
• Some great tips from author Dame Jenna aka Jenna Black: Creating a "Series Bible"
• Author Angelique Armae shares Easy Tips for Creating a Book or Series Bible
• H.V. Long discusses How to Write the First Book of a Series
• Best-selling author Kate Douglas on Ending a Series  (Yes, they do have to end...sometime.)
• Author Misty Evans explains Series Business - Three Types of Series
• Paranormal author Mima explains that readers love series books and shares how to make it easier with her Tips for Building a Series

Now you have many different ways to tame your series.  But the fun is in writing the book(s), isn't it? ☺

Not convinced you're ready to write a series?  There are many reasons, but one of the main ones is that readers LOVE series!  I know I do. :)  We'll look at other reasons and delve deeper into why readers love them next week.  

P.S.  This blog was started around 10 a.m. on Thursday and is finally finished at 10 p.m..  Wow!  Have I learned a few things!

“Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.” — Virginia Woolf

The Downside of 3-Day Weekends

WRITING WEDNESDAYS

The first three-day weekend of the new school year has just passed, and I'm still scratching my head over what happened to all those best laid plans.

Yes, I know.  Three-day weekends are supposed to be wonderful.  This Labor Day weekend was not.  At least it wasn't wonderful in the sense that it went according to plan, that I was able to scratch things off my list and enjoy the days.

Scarlett & Allie with Darth

On Saturday, my plan was to write the last chapter of Designs on the Cowboy. Instead, #3 daughter Chelsea (#3D) decided to take me, #4D Mallory, and her two nieces Allie and Scarlett to the Star Wars exhibition in town for the final three days.  Yes, I could have said no, but miss seeing all that great Star Wars stuff?  (Remember, I'm old enough to have seen Episode IV in the theater when it first came out.)  So the hour or so that she assured me was all the time it would take became the whole afternoon.  That included about a 1/3 round of mini-golf in the upper 90s heat.  Evening was spent at #1D Sabrina's for dinner and insanity.
Saturday was blown, but worth it.

On Sunday I finished writing the last chapter aka the book is finished.  First draft, anyway.  (By the way, it went on and on and on and will have to be severely cut before calling the whole thing "done".)  Monday was spent trying to figure out where I lost control of my weekend and life.  Nothing that I'd planned, except the finish of that last chapter, was accomplished over the three-day weekend.

So here's how it went down:

• Monday (Labor Day) was a non-day.  No blog post even considered, since I was trying to discover where the weekend had gone.
• Tuesday was, well, it was Monday, but it wasn't Monday enough to blog about.
• Wednesday was Tuesday, and there's really nothing to a Tuesday, so I worked on websites due at the end of this (insane) week.
• Thursday (today) is Wednesday, so I'm writing/typing this blog.

The question now becomes:  Is tomorrow really Friday?

Next three-day weekend?  Sometime next year.  Maybe that's a good thing, after all. :)

I could easily escape to a hotel for a weekend and do absolutely nothing. ~  David Boreanaz

Growing a Story

WRITING WEDNESDAYS

Doesn't "growing a story" sound nice?  It conjures up all kinds of words, like "nurturing" and "planting" and "blooming" and "blossoming."  Those words make a person want to dig in and start doing.

As a writer, if the word "plotting" causes you to run to the nearest corner and curl up in a fetal position, thumb in mouth, hair twisted around finger, there's a way to get around it.  Instead of "plotting," think "growing a story."  Why?  Because plotting is nothing more than the growth of an idea into a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Like a garden where we prepare the foundation by turning up the soil where we'll be planting, we prepare our work area for a new story idea.  How many of you clear your desk, pull out a new notepad/notebook, or create a new folder on your computer?

I admit that I have what's become a ritual.  It begins with a new folder bearing the heroine's first name within my Manuscript folder in Documents.  Blanks of forms I'll be needing (storyboard, age chart, character list, pages written total, notes, and more) are added so I have them all in place in advance.  I fill them out as needed and as I go along.  I also put together a new 3-ring binder which contains sheet protectors where I'll keep printed copies of some of those forms, photos of the hero and heroine and anything else that might help me visually.  Yes, I probably overdo it, but it works, so why change it?

Next comes the seeds aka the ideas.  If only they came in order, writing a book would be so much simpler.  They don't, but by watering and fertilizing and giving them time to germinate, the garden begins to show signs of sprouts.  Once those start growing, we have to take care of the weeds, those ideas that don't work well with what is now the overall theme or framework of the story.  The strongest sprouts will become the 8 Plot Points of the story.  Again, those are:

1. Opening
2. Inciting Incident
3. Turning Points (1 or 2)
4. Main Turning Point
5. Black Moment
6. Sacrifice
7. Resolution
8. HEA

Those 8 are the connecting points.  The questions that need to be asked and answered to grow the story are what get the characters from point 1 (A) to 2 (B), from 2 (B) to 3 (C), and so on.  See them as the rows and areas of your garden, building from the beginning to the back end, smaller to larger as the story grows.  Pansies to Sweet Peas to Marigolds to Irises to Climbing Roses.

How to keep track of all this?  A storyboard.

(Disclaimer:  This is the way I do it.  This is NOT the only way. Take what might help, change it around, and make it YOURS.)

The average length of my books is 12 chapters.  I usually have 3 scenes per chapter.  That is NOT set in stone.  It depends on the story. ☺

Here's where I do the work... 

I LOVE whiteboards!  I can write on them or use paper and magnets.  I choose magnets and sticky note sized paper so I can move scenes around.  Sometimes they don't work where I'd first envisioned them!  (Sticky notes tend not to stick for me.)  I only need a brief idea of what the scene is about.  I'll build on that as I write the scene.  I can scribble that on the notes or when I have a good amount of scenes, I can print them on a page and cut them to size.

I was recently introduced to a new way of plotting those basics listed above, while at a writers retreat.  Author Patricia Davids used "Idea" paint on a wall, creating a huge surface that becomes a white board.  Five of us plotted a book for each of two writers, while Pat, then another wrote the ideas on the board.  From there, the writers would fill in the blanks (scenes) between those points.  I was impressed and intend to give it a try in the future.





This is the way I did it before the white board, so cork bulletin boards can work well, too!

(See the rows of seedlings and different types?)
 

Here's a basic version of a blank storyboard, created using a Word .doc, that will be filled out after I've finished plotting and am ready to start writing. Once it's filled out, it's saved and printed, then kept in a sheet protector in my notebook, so I have it on hand as I write the first draft.

Does all of this have to be done to plot a story?  ABSOLUTELY NOT!  It took me a long time to come up with something that worked for me.  I discovered the .doc storyboard above in an old handout book from an RWA conference.  (I'd love to credit the author who created it, but I don't know who it was.)  With that in hand, I changed, added, and removed until I found what worked for me. The white board and paper storyboard is only the latest incarnation, and I have no doubt that I'll be tweaking and making changes yet again before long.

If you've never plotted but feel you should, or if your plotting style just doesn't seem to be working for you, see if any portion of the above will help you.  Always feel free to recreate or adjust any kind of plotting device, until it suits you.  That's the best part.  Nothing is set in stone and improvements can always be made. :)

So where do I start when the tiny glimmer of an idea hits?  I'll share that next week. :)

My stories run up and bite me on the leg - I respond by writing down everything that goes on during the bite. When I finish, the idea lets go and runs off. ~ Ray Bradbury

Cooking Up a Story

WRITING WEDNESDAYS

There are countless articles online for writers that offer all kinds of different ways to go about plotting.  To find them, a simple search for "novel plotting" will produce a gold mine of information.  Some require a lot of detailed work, while others are simple and basic.

After almost twenty years of writing, when it comes to plotting, I've come to the conclusion that each writer must find his or her own method.  That method may be completely designed by the writer from scratch or may be a compilation by that writer of other methods or ways of plotting created by others.

Once you've found your method and use it for a while, you may discover it isn't working as well as it has been and that it needs adjustment for a particular piece of work. Sometimes the entire process needs an overhaul. The main thing to remember is that if whatever you're doing or whatever you're using isn't working, change it or don't use it.  There's nothing worse than trying to wrestle a story using a method that isn't doing the job.  It's a waste of time and energy.

So what are the basics of plotting that a writer uses to build on?  Here's my list:

1. HOW THE STORY BEGINS - An interesting opening that introduces the major characters, the setting, and the conflict or at least a strong hint of it for one of the major characters.  (My focus is romance, but if yours isn't, simply adjust specifics--hero/villain/heroine/protagonist/antagonist, etc)  This does not necessarily mean the opening line, but the gist of the first few pages or scene.
2. THE INCITING INCIDENT - This is where the major conflict comes into play.  It may have been introduced earlier, but something is revealed or learned that makes it the focus of the characters and begins their--always bumpy--journey to their HEA.
3. TURNING POINTS - Something happens that causes a shift or change in the story.  In romance, this is often where one of the characters realizes their feelings for the other character have changed.  Maybe there's a kiss...or more.  Maybe a small secret is revealed.  Maybe the character learns something about the other that makes a difference in how that other character is seen.  The amount of turning points may depend on the length of the story.
4. MAIN TURNING POINT - This is where there's a big change in the story.  In a romance, this change is in the relationship between the hero and heroine.  Everything that has come into play up to this point is now going to shift.  The conflict will change or be seen in a completely different way, as if through different eyes.  The story is about to kick into high gear for the race to the finish line.
5. THE BLACK MOMENT - The brakes come on and everything (the relationship) comes to a screeching halt.  This usually occurs a chapter or two before the last chapter and is where all seems lost to the main characters.  Something irreparable has occurred for at least one of them.  In romance, these two characters are not going to get together for that HEA.  Or so they believe.
6. THE SACRIFICE - One character (or both) must realize that they are not willing to walk away from "what might have been" and they'll do whatever is necessary to make it happen.
7. THE RESOLUTION - Something happens or a characters makes something happen that changes everything, and that HEA is within reach.
8. HEA - Happily Ever After.  The hero and heroine have done whatever is fix any problems they've had in the past, then pledge their love and commitment to each other.  In a mystery, the mystery is solved and the bad guy is caught.

Do I know all of these things at once?  Oh, I wish!  My story ideas usually start with an idea of an opening and a vague idea of the conflict.  At least one of the characters or the personality of one of the characters is a major part of that idea.  Sometimes I'm blessed with luck when the opening scene plays out in my head to tantalize me and make me start asking questions.  It's those questions and the answers that begin the fill-in-the-blank process of plotting.  What happens if even the questions aren't coming along as they should?  That's when I start dialing the phone for some brainstorming.  And while we may not come up with an entire plot, there are enough ideas generated to kick-start the creative spot in my brain to fill in those blanks and move forward with the story.

It's a crazy system and may not work for everyone, but it can be a starting point if you're new at plotting or have hit a brick wall and aren't sure where to turn.  Keeping track of everything and how it plays out can also be crazy time, and because I'm a visual person and need to see where I've been, where I am, and where I'm headed, I use a storyboard.  I'll share my version of that next week.

If writing by the seat of your pants isn't working, or if you simply want to try something new, stick around.  Whatever you do and however you do it, enjoy the journey!

“You are the embodiment of the information you choose to accept and act upon. To change your circumstances you need to change your thinking and subsequent actions.” - Adlin Sinclair 

Doing the Advance Work

WRITING WEDNESDAYS

I'd planned to share a little more about conflict, but decided at the last minute to skip that until next week, when I've had more time to prepare.  And that's the word for today.  PREPARE.

Preparation is something we do for special things, such as trips and weddings.  We prepare for the weather with ice scrapers and snow shovels for the winter, and fans and lawn chairs for summer.  People in areas where hurricanes and tornadoes threaten plan where to take shelter during storms.  We even buy life insurance and have wills drawn up in advance to prepare for life's end.

Planning is another word for preparation and something we do nearly every day.  We set our alarm to wake us in the morning.  We often plan what we'll make for dinner and make shopping lists---especially as we mature and realize that, with so much to remember, we get forgetful at times.  We have calendars to remind of us doctor appointments, children's activities, and lunch with friends.  Nearly every waking moment of our lives we're either planning and preparing for something or carrying out those plans.

Preparation is the foundation of writing.  When a writer sits down, she must have some kind of idea of where her story will start, who the main characters are, a few things that could happen to those characters and very often how the story might end.  It's rare for a writer to sit down at a keyboard or with pen and paper in hand , with absolutely no idea of what to write.

As each person is different in how they prepare and plan in life, so is each writer.  Some tend to be able to take an idea for a story, add a character or two, and then take off writing.  Others do more planning in advance, knowing the smallest of details about each character and exactly where the story beings, what happens throughout, and how it will end.  The majority of us are probably somewhere in the middle.  For me, that middle spot works, but it took me a few years to find what was comfortable for me.

Here are a few tips for preparing to write fiction.

• Know your genre.  The number of genres in fiction today is mind-boggling.  Do some research to learn about them all, then choose where you feel your writing--your stories--will fit.
• Decide on the length of your story.  Whether your plan is to write a novel, a novella, or a short story, you'll need to have an idea of what the final word count will be.
• Choose the setting of your story.  While this might seem insignificant for some, the setting of your story can be vital.  This is especially true for historical settings.  One can't write a Regency romance set in early 18th century North America.  Research is one part of preparation that shouldn't be skipped.  Even contemporary settings often need a bit of research.
• Know your characters.  They need names.  Have an idea of what they look like.  Ask yourself what type of people they are.  There are hundreds of resources to help you know your characters better, so don't fudge on this.  If your characters aren't real to readers, there will be no interest in the story.  Remember GMC and use it.
• Beginning, Middle and End.  Know where your story will start, a few things--especially turning points (more on that later)--that happen in the story, and how the story will end.
• Grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  Brush up on grammar basics.  While there are some readers who don't notice small mistakes, others will close a book forever if they stumble over bad grammar, poor spelling, or missing/unneeded punctuation.
• Find a good writers' group.  It really does help to have friends who share your enthusiasm and are there to help you up when you stumble.  People who don't write won't do.  You need other writers, even if it isn't live and in person.
• Don't give up.  Let me repeat that.  DON'T GIVE UP.  If you really, really want to write, you can't throw your hands up when the road gets a little bumpy.  Stick with it.

The above is just a sampling of writing preparations.  Even after the plans are complete and the preps have been done, when the actual writing has begun, there'll be more that will pop up.  Don't be discouraged.  We didn't know everything about life the moment we were born, and neither do we know everything about our story when we start to write it.  But as writers, we have that chance to prepare and start a few steps ahead before the writing begins.  Take the chance.  Prepare.  And then write!

Tell the readers a story! Because without a story, you are merely using words to prove you can string them together in logical sentences.

- Anne McCaffrey

The Gathering - Motivation Mondays

I finally have the motivation I've been needing.

My weekend was spent getting caught up on as many pending things as possible.  Those things included attending my writers' group meeting, trying to sketch a possible work schedule that would allow me to meet some unofficial (for now) writing deadlines, along with the usual website design projects, blogging, social media-ing, family, eating, and, most importantly, sleeping.  I'm still working on tying up some loose ends today.

Okay, I haven't quite made it to the loose ends yet, but I'm working on it.  I'd hoped to have everything lined out by the time I went to bed last night.  Sadly, I didn't and I'm behind.  In fact, blogging time on my schedule is to be done much earlier in the day--like before lunch.  Can you tell that I have a bad habit of over-scheduling myself?

I'm a master at making schedules (and lists!  Lots of lists!) and deciding when and how long I should spend on projects.  Sometimes it works great!  Sometimes it fails miserably.  The first step is gathering everything I need to reate the schedule that will--or won't--get me through whatever needs to get done.  Below is a short and incomplete list of some of the things I need when I begin a new writing project.

1. Calendar - If only an everyday, run-of-the-mill calendar would work, I'd use one.  Instead, I create my own calendar with MS Word's calendar template.  That way I can keep a permanent version on my computer and have a printed version, too.  To begin it, I break the big goal down into monthly, weekly, and daily goals. (Remember those blogs on setting goals?  That's where this comes in.)  I try to build in a little extra time so I won't be in a crunch when deadline nears.  The calendar keeps me on target so I don't have to wonder how far I've gone and how far I have yet to go.  I'm visual, so seeing my progress on paper (or computer screen) is my daily motivation.
2. Three-ring Binder - Everything I need about the story I'm writing goes into the binder.  Everything.  From photos of the hero and heroine slipped into the front of the clear cover, to a list of the characters, a printed copy of the storyboard, and age charts.  There's even a calendar for each book so I can keep my timelines straight.  Portability makes it easy to go from room to room, and I can also take it along wherever I go.
3. Red Ink Pens - Not any pen with red ink will do.  Only Pilot Precise V5 Rolling Ball with Extra Fine tip is acceptable.  In a pinch, I've used others.  But I always come back to my favorite.  Red ink makes edits easier to see, and the tiny tip keeps corrections from becoming a muddy blur.  I try to keep several backups on hand.  If Pilot stops making them, I'll be lost.
4. Forms - Yes, that's what I said. Some of the forms go into the three-ring binder, some reside only in the folder I create on the computer for each book.  I made it easier by creating a blank template for each, so they're ready to go when needed.
5. Playlist - Sometimes there are specific songs that evoke images of a character or a scene, or even an overall feeling of what the book is about.  Other times any "slow dance music" works fine.  For me, a playlist is often created as I'm writing, instead of before I begin.

Each writer eventually learns what works best.  But even so, we still manage to tweak and poke and start anew, hoping to discover something that might make things go easier.  It's a real gathering of ideas, material, and goals that change as we grow as writers.

I'm hoping the get-ready-to-write gathering I've done these last three days will make tomorrow's goal of writing a little easier.  What do you do to get ready when starting a new writing project?  What motivates you to gather those things?

It is only in the world of objects that we have time and space and selves. - T. S. Eliot

Just Another Manic Monday

It wasn't my intention to let a week go by without sharing even a quick hello, but life sometimes gets in the way of the best intentions.

Let's face it, it was a busy week, and it didn't let up over the weekend.  Now that Monday is here again, the feeling of a hamster on a wheel is beginning to set in.  Yes, definitely a little on the manic side already.

That doesn't mean there weren't enjoyable moments to the mania.  Saturday evenings are often spent at my oldest daughter's.  This time of year it's the watching of favorite football teams, followed by Saturday Night Live.  I've been watching SNL since the very beginning and have to say that, overall and so far this season, it's had more good than bad.

Yesterday was my local writers' group meeting, which is always fun and informative.  It's sometimes my only in-person touch with others besides family...except for those occasional visits to the store for groceries or needed items.  I always enjoy spending time with the ladies at WARA.  You can visit the WARA blog, Bits & Bytes: Romance the Writers Way to see why.

But it's Monday again, so back to work.  This week I hope to devote a large block of time to sorting through my office.  I might even have time to move the furniture to make sure to take advantage of warmer spots during winter.  That all remains to be seen, if I don't finish this up and get busy. ☺

So here's the YouTube of the inspiration for today's blog title.  Although I was married with kids when the Bangles were in their prime, I still enjoyed their music.  Hope you do, too!

If you have other things in your life -- family, friends, good productive day work -- these can interact with your writing and the sum will be all the richer.

- David Brin

The Merry-Go-Round Isn't Always Merry

Hi, I'm Roxann, and I'm a plotter.  (Please hold your gasps.)

As I've mentioned before, I wasn't always a plotter.  I began, as most do, as a panster, and then evolved.  Or devolved, as some might believe.  Now I'm to the point where I MUST plot.  If I don't know where the story is going, I panic.

In the column on the right is the progress meter I used to keep track of my writing.  My goal was to finish the first three chapters of a book I intend to propose to my editor, along with another story.  The meter shows I reached my goal of 14080 words, even surpassing it.  When all was said and done, the final total was 15,510 words that came in at 48 pages

The next step in the process for me is writing the synopsis.  The story was plotted...or at least I thought it was...but I had a feeling something wasn't quite right.  The story was "off" and I feared it could easily come in too short.  Not a good thing.  Or wouldn't be smooth.  An even worse thing.  I wanted to be able to hand in a proposal I felt was solid, so it was back to the drawing board to find what went wrong where.

I again  pulled out my plotting boards (new ones that can be seen below), along with an overview of the story and characters that I'd previously sent to my editor.  I was right.  There was a small difference, and that made a much bigger difference in how the story would play out to the end.  Once I realized it yesterday morning, I spent the rest of the day shuffling scenes around, until they flowed from a solid opening to a hook that I hoped would grab a reader's attention (the first three chapters), then go on through conflicts to be solved and finally coming to a satisfying HEA.  Making the changes also involved new writing of half of a scene and moving another to later in the timeline.  But they worked.

Writing sometimes is easy, but more often involves staving off panic that can be caused by one, very small slip-up.  If plotting and correcting things in the early days of writing helps keep my heart from hammering in my chest and my fingers from fumbling on the keyboard, while my brain calls out for help, then it's what I have to do.  It works.  At least for the time being.

An author in his book must be like God in the universe, present everywhere and visible nowhere.  ~Gustave Flaubert

On Your Mark, Get Set, GOAL!

Setting a goal is easy.  It's the working on and reaching the goal that are the hard parts.  I'm as guilty as anyone else about giving up or just not trying hard enough.  That isn't always our fault.  There are stumbling blocks that, in our zest to achieve something, we overlook. So let's take a look at how to set goals and how to be successful at reaching those goals.

First, ask yourself some questions.


Is your goal realistic? 
For writers, this is one of the biggest blocks that can keep them from reaching their goal.  For instance, if your goal is to become a published author, setting a goal to be published in a year or any other specified amount of time, isn't realistic.  You have no way to control whether an editor/publisher will buy your manuscript.  Once you've written your book, researched the right publishers to submit to, and slipped your baby into the mail or an email, the control is in another court.  Outside of writing is the same.  You can't control what another person will do.  Make certain your goal is something you can control.  You should also give yourself the time needed to reach your goal and add a little wiggle room.  Realize that life can sometimes throw curves and be prepared.

How badly do you want it?
It takes wanting something enough not to give up at the first sign of problems to keep working on a goal.  Don't quit too soon.  In fact, if you've set a specific time period in which to reach your goal, see it through.  Why?  Because even if you don't reach your goal, you've made progress.  Celebrate it.  You can always try for that brass ring again.  If you decide to do that, you're already a step ahead, because you've seen some of the things that can trip you up, and you can adjust your plan in accordance.


There are all kinds of goals, not only for writing, but for making life easier, healthier, and more fun.  Whether it's getting more exercise, losing weight, organizing your home or life, or taking a vacation, setting goals can help you be a success.  You can find some great tips online to help you along the way, from planning and the process of working on goals to reaching them.  Here are just a few:

• WebMD's How to Reach Your Goals has some great advice on goal setting to help you make reaching your goal a success.
• Not sure you're ready to set a goal?  Do you see too many obstacles?  Susan B. Wilson, Facililitator and Coach has tips on how to remove those obstacles.
• Are you in need of long term goals for living, not just short term goals for specific projects?  Mind Tools - Personal Goal Setting can help you along the way.
• The title pretty much says it all.  Dr. Phil's Seven Steps to Reaching Your Goals.

We're only a little more than 3 months from the end of 2011 and the biggest goal setting day of each year: New Year's Day.  Why not try setting some small, short term goals to get in some practice before the holidays hit?  Remember, it takes 21 days to make a habit.  

What's your goal for the next month?

Laboring Away on Labor Day

Sounds like a catchy song, doesn't it?  If it was, I'd be playing it, because that's what I'm doing.  However, Santana singing Black Magic Woman will have to do.

What I'm doing isn't back breaking labor or even labor I'm being paid to do.  I'm working on making my office work for me.  That includes cleaning and sorting papers and things--especially things that don't belong--in my office.  I have several boxes of paper ready to be taken to the recycle center and wonder if there'll ever be an end to it. There are a couple of boxes that I'll shred here later, and then take to the center.  Books need to be shelved, surfaces need to be cleared, and the floor needs a quick vacuuming.  Instead of storing things I haven't looked at or used in a while, I'm trying to throw away more.  If this works well, there are other areas of my home that can stand to be streamlined.

One would think a writer with a computer wouldn't have boxes and piles of papers.  As the 7-Up Un-Deer said in the '70s, WRONG-O!  A computer and printer can mean even more paper than a typewriter did.  It's so much easier to simply print a research article on the Web than it is to make notes.  It's so much easier to spot mistakes in a manuscript for someone like me who has been reading the printed word for--well, let's say over 40 years, but has only been watching a computer screen for maybe 20 at the most.

Hey, I'm a creature of habit, and my habit tends to being a bit shy about throwing things away.  I'm working on changing that habit.  (A weekly dose of Hoarders helps.)  If that means working on Labor Day, then so be it.  After the office, the next thing on my list is to rebuild a bookcase for the living room, and then dive into a bedroom-sort.  By then it may be time to start dragging out those cooler weather aka fall/winter clothes and put away the shorts.  Frankly, after a summer of record-breaking heat, I can't wait!

Hope you're enjoying your Labor Day this year!  And remember, Christmas is less than 4 months away. ;)

White Rabbit Syndrome

"Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be late!"

I like to think my continued tardiness throughout life is because I was born late.  But because I'm adopted, I have no idea how close I was born to my "due date," so the excuse doesn't really work.  Nevertheless, that isn't going to stop me from using it, nor will I suddenly change to one of those people who would be on time, even if their house caught fire as they were leaving and their car broke down on the way.  (God forbid that would happen to anyone!)

It's not that I'm late for everything.  And I do have an excuse today for being late.  Or several excuses, if that works better.

1. I was up late last night trying to plot a new story that apparently doesn't want to be plotted.
2. My daughter decided to organize the hall closet that contains everything from shampoo and cotton swabs to furniture polish and hair color.  She did a great job, but after showing me how good it looked, she announced my office needed organizing.  Oh, no!!  I had to physically restrain her from opening the drawers in my desk, and then I physically restrained myself as she searched my bookcase for a book to read.  My parting goodnight included, "Just turn off the light when you leave the room."
3. I've already written one blog post today (topic: writing struggles) and was late with it, too.

I can plan and schedule all I want, but something will always come along and throw a monkey wrench into the works.  Just what is a monkey wrench, anyway? 
Case in point:  Saturday nights are usually spent at my oldest daughter's house, where we enjoy dinner cooked by said daughter and a lot of chit-chatting about everything from the weather to politics to soap operas.  (I quit watching soaps long, long ago.)  But this past Saturday, she and her daugher had a baby shower to attend, so I planned to finish that plotting I mentioned earlier. 

(Time out to show how crazy life is here at Rancho Delaney)
Mid-day and knowing we'd be spending the evening in, my youngest announced, "There's nothing on!" as she scrolled through the menu of cable offerings.  I revised her statement to, "There's nothing that I want to watch," and reminded her that in addition to the hundreds of cable channels, there's also On Demand, Netflix, and our 400 or so DVDs, including her entire collection of Harry Potter and Buffy.  Some people just can't be pleased.

(Back to the monkey wrench...)
About seven p.m., our usual time to go to oldest's for dinner, granddaughter called and said they were on their way home from the shower and we could come over.  I should've stayed and continued the plotting, but to tell the truth, my eyes were beginning to cross as I juggled scenes on my storyboard.  Besides, I always enjoy time with family.

In a nutshell, I was able to amend my usual schedule of Saturdays with family, and instead planned to work on current WIP.  Schedule fixed.  However, new plan was interrupted and changed again when granddaughter called to say, "Come on over!" 

To quote Rosanna Roseannadanna, "It's always something."

And that's what really causes White Rabbit Syndrome.  That and being born late. ;)

Taking the Heat

We're having a heat wave...  A tropical heat wave...  (Marilyn Monroe did it best!)

So what does a writer do when July hits with hot, hot, hot temps?  It's the perfect time to stay inside and make some progress.  Whether it's working on a current WIP or just making the writing life a little neater and easier, this is the perfect time to do it. 

Yesterday I worked on an old story that didn't fit the parameters of a specific line, so it's never seen "print."  It's always been one of my favorites, so I'm hoping I can do something with it.  There are others to follow, and I'm currently trying to work out a system of how best to keep track of what I want to do with them, how I'll do that, and then actually getting them ready to share.

Today I'm purging my office of paper to be taken to the recycle center tomorrow, along with getting ready to shred old bills and other things I'd rather do myself, and just doing an overall getting-it-together sorting and shifting.  It's an ongoing battle.  Paper seems to breed around here, no matter how much I recycle, shred, or simply throw away.  Just looking at the boxes of paper to recycle makes me cringe.  There's no denying that I've killed a lot of trees in my lifetime.  I try not to.  I've been teaching myself to edit on screen.  It's getting better, but I still need a hardcopy on paper for a lot of things.  Having a Kindle for book reading at least makes me feel a little better.  None of those books will end up in a landfill somewhere.

Because summer Fridays are library days with the grandkids, I'll take three of them to return last week's books and get new.  I'm a sucker for books, so I'll check out one for myself, too.  I'm hoping Inkheart will have been returned (it's due back today).  If so, I'll check it out and set aside some time to read.

Even though tomorrow begins a three-day weekend, it's still working time for me.  Because I'm between contracts, I need to take a look at what I want and need to do to make the best use of this time.  Thanks to experience, I'm learning that I need to keep writing.  Now to decide what to write! ☺

It may be hot out there and forecasted to stay this way far into next week, but life and writing goes on.

Have a fantabulous Independence Day weekend!

The Organized Writer

I'd planned to blog about how being organized can make your writing life easier.  And then I looked at my desk.  It would be hypocritical of me to write about it, when, with a quick look at my own desk, it's obvious that organization isn't one of my better skills.  Right?  Well, maybe not, since experience, both good and bad, is the best teacher.  And my desk isn't really as bad as it might be.  The pic on the right is probably as bad as any desk could be.  Luckily I've never been there, but I sure have felt like that poor woman looks.

We've all seen the sign that reads, 'a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind', quickly rebutted with 'a cluttered desk is the sign of genius'.  Or even better:

If a cluttered desk signs a cluttered mind, Of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?

-- Albert Einstein

But, really, the condition of the top of the desk shouldn't matter to anyone but the user of the desk. For some people, having anything out of place is the sign of needing an all-day cleaning.  Others work better surrounded by the things they need or at least within reaching distance.  For a few, it's a visual thing.  An 'I know it isn't lost if I can see it' thing.  However, if you begin to feel overwhelmed, can't find what you just put down five minutes ago,  and/or have to move your keyboard to your lap to be able to use it, you might want to think about doing a quick clearing.  Put it all in a box, basket, or whatever will hold the absolute non-essentials (computer, keyboard, mouse, phone, etc.), then schedule a time to sort it all and put it where it belongs, whether the trash, a file cabinet, a drawer or the bathroom medicine cabinet.  Just make sure you do go through it and put things away, otherwise you'll be adding more boxes/baskets and soon be overwhelmed by the amount of things that must be sorted and in need of a new home. 

For a quick read that doesn't require running out to buy a how-to book on organizing, check out About.com's take on organizing: What's Wrong with a Messy Desk?  It includes suggestions on how to make being less messy a little easier.

Where do you fit in when it comes to organizing?

• Your desk
• Your office
• Your home
• Your life

What do you think would make it easier?  As a disorganized organized person, I'm always open for suggestions!