Oct 8, 2016 |
AmWriting: Story Cards
Some are discovery writers. Some are outliners. Some are in-betweeners.
Whatever the plotting style, great writers track their story from start to finish.
I, not yet being a great world-famous writer, was in my fifth chapter of NOLA when I realized I’d used much of the same language in Chapter Two. Now, we all know New Orleans is worth visiting more than once, but this novel is a mystery, not a time travel sci-fi. So, back to the old storyboard I went.
Only I didn’t have a storyboard. No worries. I remembered enough to keep it from happening again. Until I didn’t. And it did. Chapters Eight, Twelve, and Fifteen all began to sound just a little too familiar. It took a few days of reviewing and re-reading to discover the duplicate matter and correct it.
You may already know this, but I am not an outliner. I am a discovery writer. Sure, I can tell you how I expect NOLA to end. But getting from A to B to C? I don’t know all the details ahead of time. I know it when it happens. I have a general idea, but basically I like to let the characters tell me what to write. I figure I’m just the translator to the life they are already living. Too deep? Sorry. It’s a writer’s truth. Quite often your characters will say and do things you never expected. Even if you’re an outliner.
And if you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you’ll know in the last few weeks, they’ve thrown a few curve balls.
I also realized, being from the Southern California desert, I was a little too in love with writing about the humidity in the Crescent City. Of course my lead character, also from the desert, finds it unique, refreshing, but at times oppressive. But she doesn’t have to mention it in every conversation, does she? Nor do I have to make it rain in every chapter.
With two hundred pages written, I was beginning to struggle with following the little details, and found myself spending too much time scrolling back and forth in the document to verify whether this thing happened or that character did something or, yes, whether or not it rained in the last two pages.
So I devised a helpful tool that I’ve shared with a few fellow writers, and now I’m sharing it with you.
#AmWriting: Story Card Kit
The Story Card Kit consists of:
- Card box
- Lined Index cards
- Colored pen
- Black pen
- Pencil
My kit not only helps me track the story. It also gives me insight into character growth and little details I want to focus on. New Orleans is famous for its food so of course I want to reference just the right amount in each chapter.
Characters, conflicts, location, weather, food . . . That’s a lot to remember, yes? My cards make easy reference and when laid out in sequence, help me see the bigger picture.
Some scenes are great, others need work. Maybe Chapter Seventeen, Scene Two could really be Chapter Ten, Scene Four.
Being able to pull the cards out of order is a lot less messy than deconstructing the story in a Word doc.
NOLA Story Cards
Here are the vital elements for each NOLA card:
- Day: References the day the story started, and the day of the week. Also time of day, and/or specific calendar dates if necessary.
- Chapter/Scene: Tracks how many scenes in a chapter.
- Characters: Follows the important people. Also tracks secondary characters.
- Conflict- Major: What is propelling the drama forward?
- Conflict- Minor: Are there smaller issues? These may later turn into bigger issues.
- Location: How often are my characters at home, in town, or in a specific place?
- Weather: Has there been too much rain? Is there a storm coming? Is it a clear, sunny afternoon?
- First line: How does this scene start? It should grab the reader immediately.
- Last line: Does it make the reader want to continue?
- Best lines: My characters can be quippy or snotty. New Orleans has its own voice. The best lines from each scene, when brought together, create a fun summary of the book and keep me on track.
When I’m going somewhere I can’t take my laptop, I bring my story card kit. I can read, review, make notes and process changes. I can draft new scenes. So even when I’m not writing, I’m writing.
Now it’s your turn: What tips and tricks do you have for keeping track of your story?
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Jul 5, 2016 |
Exciting news: NOLA is nearly fifty percent written!
Josie and her new friends are going through the wringer (it is a mystery, after all) but still finding moments to enjoy the Crescent City. Would you like to meet her friends? You would?
How about one in particular? One very special friend.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Rain.
Meet Rain, from NOLA
Rain and Toni are best friends. He lives on the plantation he inherited. I could tell you more, but I can’t give away any secrets.
Josie is immediately attracted to him, and relishes in learning more about him every chance she gets.
What does he do for a living? Let’s just say food is involved. He’s also a take-charge kind of guy.
New Experiences in NOLA
Josie soon discovers some of Rain’s imperfections and struggles to make sense of the chaos surrounding these revelations.
But New Orleans is a restless environment, throwing Voodoo, hurricanes and Rougarous into the mix.
How is Josie going to learn all Rain’s truths? And does she really want to?
Want more? I was hoping you would. Join the Facebook NOLA Swarm Group and be a part of the fun.
NOLA should be released later this year.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
May 1, 2016 |
I feel bad for not blogging like I used to. I really do. It’s not that you don’t matter. You’re my Swarm, of course you matter!
You matter so much, that I’ve been putting my efforts into the bigger projects. I know you’re just waiting for NOLA to be finished, and that’s my focus right now.
NOLA Inspiration
And here you are, checking your inboxes every day, patiently waiting for news.
Have you joined the Facebook NOLA Swarm group? That’s where you’ll find most of my updates.
In the meantime, here’s a little bit of what’s happening:
NOLA is about two-thirds rough drafted, and half of those pages have already gone through some deep edits. That means I’ve only one-third left to write. It’s getting pretty exciting. Last week I dreamt the final scene. So this week, I’m finishing the deep edits and writing what comes next.
In just a few weeks, I’ll be at this year’s Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, and network with other writers, agents, and publishers. I’m looking forward to connecting with known friends and discovering new ones.
So I figure it’s about time y’all met NOLA’s protagonist, Penny Jo Embers. She goes by “Josie” but her new friends call her “Penny”.
When she first arrives in New Orleans, she finds a place to stay.
Red-Headed Embers
Later, she meets characters, mystery, and food. Oh, the food! [Note: You didn’t hear it from me, but it’s quite possible a NOLA Companion Cookbook is in the works, as well.]
She’s not sure what she’s supposed to do. Her life feels over. Or unstarted. Or just messed up. Is she running away from it, or is she taking a break to gather her thoughts?
Torn between a home she doesn’t love and a place she loves but isn’t home, she manages to find a moment of peace with her new friends.
Josie the Firefly
Of course, that’s just a snippet of what happens. Let’s be real. She’s in New Orleans. It’s not just about the food and the fireflies.
Want more? I was hoping you would. Join the Facebook NOLA Swarm Group and be a part of the fun.
NOLA should be released later this year.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Apr 26, 2015 |
Yesterday I attended the Orange County Christian Writers Conference for the first time. It was nice to meet up with current friends and make new ones.
I’m deeply indebted to my mentor, Aaron D Gansky, for inspiring me to attend the conference and for praying faithfully for my writing in the time we’ve been working together. His friendship, work ethic, example (not to mention his being married to my good friend) are all invaluable.
I surround myself on a daily basis with writers and the writing environment. Whether I’m reading craft books, novels, sending out texts or making phone calls, I connect as often as possible with others who understand why I see dragons in the trees and how my cats are really just very furry humans.
Sparkles
When I stepped into the auditorium yesterday morning, there was an added element. This is a Christian writers conference. Everyone there from the committees to the faculty to the volunteers to the attendees has prayed and been prayed for. Often. And for quite some time.
It was exhilarating to know that my teachers are filled with wanting the best for my writing career, and are willing to share their knowledge freely. They weren’t trying to sell me anything. Of course they had books and resources for sale. But they didn’t push it. Rather, they pushed their experiences and their journeys in such ways that it made us attendees want to take the same road.
OCCWF Program Cover
The plethora of information I received, the affirmations, the you-can-do-it’s was overflowing. The schedule was parceled into workshops. Each workshop ran for an hour, and each hour presented several workshops to choose from. I was a little disappointed to learn that cloning capabilities haven’t been perfected yet, so instead of attending each and every session, I chose the ones I felt would most benefit my novel.
If I had a sidebar for this post, it would at this point read
“Kudos to Lindsay Reine for tagging me in several posts and keeping me connected to New Orleans.”
and
“Thanks Lisa for sharing a photo of your Cafe DuMonde goodies.”
I’m not sure if they knew how Kismet it was for me to be plotting out my book’s topic and receive a text about a cat playing with a crawfish. Or when I was learning how to supplement my current income with magazine and online articles, only to be tagged in a news story relating how traffic stops to let alligators cross the road . . . only in New Orleans. Those little nudges from and about the city I’m featuring were magical.
Yes, yesterday was not only about writing, it was about New Orleans. And being Christian. And finishing what I start. And sharing. So much sharing!
I was able to share the story of how I wrote The Unemployment Cookbook, why I still pick up pennies, and how I drew deeper to God through the Ten Commandments. [By the way, each of these books will be either on reduced price or free at Amazon over the next two weeks. Check out my Amazon Author Page for more information and to order your own copy!]
The Unemployment Cookbook, Second Edition
I was also overly blessed when, during one of my fifteen-minute consultations with a faculty member, I discovered the woman was the director of the conference! I had chosen to meet one-on-one with Kathy Ide, as I’d hoped to pick her brain on freelance editing jobs and other tidbits of go-get-’em-now encouragements. Within a very short time I knew her role was much bigger than a fifteen-minute mentor. Especially when she offered me the opportunity to work social media for the conference.
Kathy Ide and Molly Jo Realy at #OCCWC
Several passing-in-the-hall conversations later, I was invited to draft a proposal to become a faculty member for next year, specializing in social media publicity. I share this not to blow my own horn, as Lisa says, but rather to encourage several simple truths:
- Stay the course. Whatever it takes to get you where you need to be, do it. Don’t give up. No matter how long it takes, if you know you’re on the right path, you know you need to persevere.
- Do what you can to gain experience and a good reputation. Volunteer. Learn. Network. Connect. Communicate. Don’t just go for the “bottom line”. Enjoy the journey!
- God will bless your attempts. When you say “yes”, it doesn’t always mean “now”. It just means you’re willing to let Him lead you. And He will honor your commitment.
Although large and busy, conferences are an intimately personal experience. It’s a chance to meet mentors, get your questions answered, socialize, find like-minded friends. At the least, it’s an opportunity to squirrel yourself away from the distractions of home and everyday life, and allow the day to be just about you and your writing.
You can sit on the steps and journal in quiet. You can join the lunch crowd and talk shop. Attend the different workshops. Whatever your writing goals are, I strongly recommend you meet regularly with other writers. Don’t know any? Check out local colleges and school groups. Put an ad on the local library bulletin board. Tack a card up in Starbucks.
Starbucks: Best Writing Partner EVER.
If you’re serious about writing, attend a conference. If you’re serious about writing for God, attend a Christian conference.
If you have questions about conferences, how to sign up for #OCCWC, or social media publicity, please send me a message.
You can reach me on Facebook, twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
Stop Fighting and Be Still.
Before You Pray
But I’m not good enough to attend a Christian writers conference. . .
My Interview with Ms. New Orleans 2014, Lindsay Reine
Oct 26, 2014 |
Sometimes I feel I haven’t done enough to advance my writing, but looking back at the two months since I started my GoFundMe campaign, I realize everything’s a matter of perspective.
Go Fund Me: #DoingTheWriteThing
You can click on the link or photo above to follow my progress with #DoingTheWriteThing, without having to make a donation. I truly appreciate support in all forms!
At the beginning of the year, my only resolution was to do life better.
BETTER! 2014
Of course I haven’t accomplished everything on my list, but I have kept that drive alive to push forward no matter what.
I’ve been diligently working on NOLA for over a year. Almost two, if you count those months I formulated everything before writing a single word, and only worked intermittently. I drafted a few ideas, but only started writing the current story just over a year ago.
NOLA Inspiration
With the help of my writing mentor, my critique group, and the local writers club, the story has become stronger, tighter, and ~ dare I say it ~ more mysterious. In the back of my mind, I always knew NOLA was a mystery, but it wasn’t until a few months ago I realized the fullness of the mystery.
My style of writing is both discovery and intuitive. That means I write the story as it comes to me, letting it write itself, letting the characters dictate their own actions for the most part. I don’t know the technical terms for how I do what I do. I just know what works and what doesn’t. That’s the intuitive part.
For a while I got myself wrapped up in trying to follow a structure. It didn’t work. I ended up writing a new introduction to NOLA that told a good story, but it wasn’t my story. It wasn’t my NOLA. So I took the elements I liked and tossed the rest. I combined the best of the first and second drafts and now I’m working on a new NOLA. Thankfully, I have a clearer vision of how to fill in the blanks so the rewrite should only take me a few more months before this draft is fully completed.
In September, Megan departed from The New Inklings due to scheduling conflicts which means, unfortunately, the writing partnership for The Grenalia Chronicles was dissolved. While I’m sad we aren’t working together, we each have great stories to tell and intend to tell them well. I look forward to getting back to writing a fantasy next year, after NOLA.
Beckie has joined The New Inklings and we meet together at least twice a month. She’s well versed in magazine submissions and query letters. She’s a great asset to the NIP Team.
Nip’s Favorite
I’ve been speaking with Beckie as well as my friend Pam about publishing their works next year. Both have amazing stories to tell for young and old, and I’m delighted that they trust me with these writings.
November will be a busy month for writing. I’m attending three Writing Salons, co-hosting another one with Aaron, attending the writers club and the Howl At The Moon Conference.
My friend Tess has signed up for NaNoWriMo. I participated three years ago, and I applaud her determination. Writing 50,000 words for a first-draft novel in thirty days is an amazing accomplishment.
NaNoWriMo 2010 Participant
NaNoWriMo 2010 Winner
I know my writing limits, and since NaNoWriMo requires a new story, not the furthering of an existing one, it’s not on my radar this year. Maybe next year. I have quite a few stories in my mental queue, just waiting to be put into words.
For now, I’m thankful for the progress I continue to make while #DoingTheWriteThing.
Thanksgiving Table
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
BETTER: Thanksgiving
Why I Write. Every Day.
FIVE THINGS FRIDAY: #DoingTheWriteThing
New Meaning to Ghost Writing (Journal, 10/19/2010)
