Hey folks!
I’m feeling lazy and slightly sleep deprived this Friday morning, so I thought I’d serve up a post filled with neat links I’ve found around the ol’ net. They are writing related of course.
I hope you enjoy,
To the interwebs!
1 – Ten Types of Writer’s blocks! (oh my!)
From a friend of mine (Thanks Bruce!) and the fine folks at io9, there is a great article about 10 types of writer’s block. Now I advocate the belief that there is no such thing as writer’s block, and that still stands, but the article lists 10 situations you might find yourself into while writing and gives suggestions to claw yourself out of that particular funk.
I’m a particular fan of #2 and #10 right now. Especially #2 as I’m trying to brainstorm a new project for November and it’s not going well. It’s early and I have hope. As for #10, well, that’s because I really hate revision.
2 – 25 things you should know about NaNoWriMo
November is coming fast, and that means NaNoWriMo! Chuck Wendig at Terribleminds.com brings us a list of thoughts he has about the month of November. It’s all delivered in the traditional Chuck Wendig style that I have come to love.
I’m a big fan of NaNoWriMo and can say nothing but good things, but I think he’s dead on. I’ve moved past the stage where NaNoWriMo is the end all and be all of writing. I may “need” the artificial deadline, but 50K isn’t enough. I know I can vomit 50K in a month, and this summer I did 100K in two months. Now I need to do it all year long, and do it well. Quantity is important when you start, quality is paramount when you want to move past starting and actually sell stuff.
We have to remember that for those of us who want to be writers, NaNoWriMo is a means to an end. It is only a tool, one of many. It’s funny because the major issue I have with Revenant is how to turn a 50K story into an 80K novel. This November I fully intend to begin a third novel, that is a goal. I want to have three full drafts in play when I start to submit Revenant. I want to submit Revenant, then start editting my summer novel, then work on a new project, followed by editting whatever I write this winter, submit my summer’s novel, edit last project…see how that goes? There’s always something in play. If I do my job write (see what I did there? Ok, I know, I promised. Sorry.) then something will sell eventually and I will also be following the cardinal rule:
Writers write.
This is paramount.
So do NaNoWriMo and succeed! Do it, but learn from my mistake: FINISH your story. Do NOT stop on November 30th if your novel isn’t finished.
A big part of what I enjoy as a fantasy/sci-fi writer is that I AM A GOD! Really, I am. I create whole worlds for my stories. I don’t just set the stage, I build the damn thing from scratch. It’s fun, that’s what it is.
What it is not is easy. I’ve enjoyed Orson Scott Card’s “How to write science fiction and fantasy” and the tips he gives on world building. While idly surfing for more on the subject of creating worlds, I came with this link. Patricia C. Wede’s World Builder Questions is a great set of things to consider when you are in a godlike mood. (Note: The site does not belong to Patricia C. Wede, it is a page compiled from her postings on FIDONET)
I recent discovered K.M. Weiland’s Word Play podcast. They are weekly 5-6 minute chunks of solid writing advice from an experienced writer. You won’t find any big revelations in here, but it’s all good stuff.
Enjoy the links above, comment and suggest more and most of all, write if you want to write.
If you’re reading this site because you know me or know a writer, know that we appreciate your support and keep reading!
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