Its Hard To Be A Writer - Tumblr Posts

Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor.

-Anne Lamott

The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.

-Samuel Johnson

Notebook Ideas

Your notebook is a new house that you’ve moved into and now you can get to live in it, decorate the insides so to speak, have conversations with every nook and cranny, make it yours! So…how? My notebook has become notoriously hard to take photos of but here’s a page I really love.

Outside of your own scribblings, book/poetry/song/movie parts make really good additions to your notebook. I’ve mentioned before how I’ve taken to photocopying the pages of books I’ve marked all my favourite lines in and cutting them up to glue in to have a better connection to the book and author but there’s no reason you can’t do that with lyric books or library books. Recording and collecting the things that you love can be a really textural, hands on process. You don’t even have to paste them in! You can use dress pins to pin them to pages, safety pins or paper clips, even sticky tape them as little fold outs. It gives this sense of realness as you flip through pages and you have to lift things up and play with it to experience the entire thing.

Collage.  I collage a lot of pictures n art from magazines, old anatomical illustrations, pages of library books I’ve photocopied, secondhand art books I’ve cut up. I love to cut things up and collage them in, I have big fold out pages that are a mishmash of collage. I think the best thing to think of when collaging is what visual concept are you trying to portray, cut out a bunch of stuff and see what fits together nicely, consider colours and themes. Then you can even go back into those collages with the first prompt! Cutting out book quotes that might fit and pasting them against the collage. It’s about creating layers.

Odds n bods, the interactive bits, the bits…that occasionally fall out.  I can’t speak for what kind of knick knacks you favour but I can give you a push in the direction of what can go into a notebook by telling you what I’ve got pushed between the pages of mine. I’ve placed old bits of cutlery (including army ration pack spoons) I have a dog tag attached to a key, I’ve got enamelled brooches speared through the page where I’ve taken notes about a fashion line I might design far off in the future, I’ve got rhinestones and iridescent jewels and stick on pearls that I grabbed the junk store in the craft section, I’ve got charms and metal castings, fire hydrant tags that I’ve scavenged, earrings, kilt pins through the pages, I made some shrink plastic charms that I’ve glued in, ribbon medal pins, Lace and patches I haven’t put on a jacket yet, angel figurines and a mother Mary pocket shield, an embroidered patch I made…honestly the possibilities are endless and one of the best things is finding places to put these little things in between the pages.

Your own drawings. I’m a big fan of photocopying (and shrinking down due to size) my own drawings and putting them into my notebook. It gives me a good look at what I was thinking across multiple pieces, it’s easier to carry around and work from especially if the original drawings are large and because I’m working specifically in a very notebook way over sketchbook, it’s the ideal way to explore the visual concept I’m drawing!

Adding extra pages! This helps you continue within a notebook and it also adds to the bulk of it! I like to unbind pages from a similar sized notebook (If you’re a writer I’d bet money that you have A LOT of notebooks you aren’t using and probably don’t plan to use so) sew them back together with embroidery thread through the previous binds and then paste the spine in between pages of my notebook! Occasionally a lil sticky tape is necessary but!

The scribbled bits. Your own mad ramblings n such. Honestly, there are so many things in the world you can write about, perhaps too many things and all of it is important in some way so! Maybe you want to write down all the information you learnt about ornithomancy or tarot, maybe you want to roughly sketch the idea you had for an art piece or a dream you had, maybe it’s story notes or lines from a poem you want to write, a list of concepts you want to explore or research,  a list of books you want to read.  Ideally, consider what it is you talk to yourself about, what things rattle about your brain like insistent moths, things that ring inside of you like church bells!

“It’s special to you, and that alone makes it worth writing.”

As much as I don’t like to say it, I’ve got to say one thing:

No one will love your projects as much as you do.

When you post about your projects about the internet, it’s important to remember that the love you feel for your projects will hopefully transfer to others, but it’s important not to be discouraged if feedback isn’t what you want it to be.

At the end of the day, these are your characters, this is your setting, this is your story. You made them from your own brain, with your own imagination and creativity, and while that’s incredible, but they’ll always be more special to you than other people.

So don’t feel like if you put everything into your WIP and don’t get much response, it’s your fault, or the story is bad. It’s special to you, and that alone makes it worth writing.

Writing Confession

“Sometimes when I read over something I’ve written, I feel guilty if I like it. I almost feel like I should be more critical of myself, even though I know we’re allowed to be proud of our work.”

11 Plot Pitfalls – And How to Rescue Your Story From Them

Source: [X] By: Laura Whitcomb

We’ve all been there: basking in the glow of a finished manuscript, only to read it over and realize something is wrong with the plot. Finding ourselves unable to identify the problem only makes matters worse. But take heart! Here are some common plot gaffes and sensible ways to revise without starting over.

1. THE PLOT ISN’T ORIGINAL ENOUGH. Go through your pages and highlight anything that you’ve read in another book or seen in a movie. In the margin, write where you’ve seen it. Then list these sections and make a note for each one about how it could differ from its lookalike. A mental patient escapes by throwing something heavy through a window. Too much like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest? Instead, the patient walks out with a visiting grandma after convincing her he’s an old friend. Quick notes like these can help you detach from unintentional imitation.

2. READERS ALWAYS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. This may be because you’ve chosen a plot point that’s overused, or because you keep giving away the answer in advance. Readers know the villain is going to whip out a picture of the hero’s son and blackmail her by pretending to have kidnapped the little boy because you showed the villain taking pictures of the child and driving away from the schoolyard. You could be less obvious by only showing the antagonist sitting in the car watching the boy on the playground, and no more. 3. THE PLOT IS BORING. Take each page and imagine what different writers might do with the same plot. Choose extreme examples. Would a comedy writer have the cab driver and the villain coincidentally be childhood friends with unfinished business? Would the mystery writer have the taxi pass a clue on a street corner that makes a new connection for the hero? Would the horror writer have the cab driver channel a ghost? Or, imagine the most surprising thing that could happen in a given scene. It doesn’t matter if these ideas don’t fit your story. You’re not going to use them. But often, after thinking of wild ideas to make the story more interesting, you begin to come up with workable ones that are just as stimulating, but better suited to your book. 4. THE PLOT IS ALL ACTION AND THE FRENZIED PACE NUMBS READERS. Let them breathe. Give the readers a little downtime now and then in your action story. Look back at your favorite action novels. Notice the conversations, summarized passages, meals, introspection and releases of emotions that are set in between the car chases, shootouts and confrontations. List them. Then give the readers a chance to breathe in your own manuscript. Find the dramatic respites that come from your characters’ needs, flaws and strengths.

5. THE PLOT IS TOO COMPLEX. Often, a complex plot can be trimmed into a sleek one by cutting out some steps. Does your protagonist have to visit her father in the hospital twice—once to bring him flowers and talk about Mom, and then again to find he has taken a turn for the worse? Couldn’t he take a turn for the worse while she’s still there the first time? Does your villain need to have three motives for revenge? Would one or two be interesting enough? To find the messiness in your overly complex story, summarize it out loud to yourself. When a section takes too long to explain, make a note. When you find yourself saying, “Oh, wait, I forgot to mention that …” you’re probably in need of a plot trim. When deciding whether or not to simplify the plot, ask yourself over and over again,

“Why does she do that? Why didn’t she just do this?” Making a plot less complicated doesn’t have to make it less clever. 6. THE PLOT IS TOO SHALLOW. Sometimes as writers we get caught up in the action. The symbolism. The metaphors. The witty dialogue. The great character names. The slick descriptions. Sometimes we ride these skills over the surface of the story and forget what’s really important. If you or your first readers (friends, family, agent) complain that the novel feels insubstantial, step back and ask yourself these questions: Why am I bothering to write this story? Why does the outcome matter to the characters? How do the characters change? How did my favorite book affect me the first time I read it?

7. SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF IS DESTROYED. Readers need to buy into the reality put forward by what they’re reading. You may go too far with a plot point or not far enough with preparing your audience for that plot point. If something that sounded right when you outlined it is coming off as farfetched even to you, look back at the stepping-stones that led to the event. If your murderer turns over a new leaf at the end of act two, make sure you’ve given her reason to.

8. TOO MANY SUBPLOTS MAKE THE PLOT OVERLY COMPLEX. If you start to feel weighed down by your numerous storylines, start cutting them. List the subplots (shopkeeper with a crush, neighbor’s dog that tears up the garden, accountant who threatens to quit every day), and then list under each title all the ways it’s necessary.

Only subplots that are so vital that you could not remove them without destroying your novel get to stick around. Be bold. 9. THE SEQUENCE IS ILLOGICAL. Sometimes the sequence set down in an outline starts to show its true colors when you’re writing the chapters. If you feel the order of scenes or events in your story is off, list each scene on a separate index card and, in red ink, write a question mark on every card that doesn’t feel right where it is in the story. Shuffle the cards. I’m not kidding. Mix them up completely. Lay them out again in the order you think they might work best, giving special attention to those with red question marks.

Something about these scenes tricked you the first time. This time, really look closely at the proper place for those tricky bits.

10. THE PREMISE ISN’T COMPELLING. If you fear that a mediocre premise is your holdup, take out a sheet of paper. Make a list on the left-hand side of everything that’s dodgy in your present premise. Then write a list down the right-hand side about all the things that work great in the premise of a similar favorite book, play or movie.

See where you might make the stakes higher, the characters more emotional, the setting more a part of the overall plot. Remember: The premise should make your readers curious.

11. THE CONCLUSION IS UNSATISFYING. Once again, write a list of what bothers you about your conclusion, and next to it, a list of what worked great about the end of your favorite novel. Do you have to create more suspense before you give the readers what they’ve been craving? Do you need to make the answer to the mystery clearer? Does the villain need to be angrier, or perhaps show remorse? Unsatisfying conclusions are usually lacking something. Whatever that is, make your story’s ending have more of it.

I haven’t checked this out in depth yet, but this really sounds like a neat idea! Spreading the message for other writers to check out as well!!! :)

Potential New Platform for Writers (Looking for Betas)

Hey everyone. So I’ve been told @imsorrymycontentsucks and a group of other college students are developing a new Wattpad-like site specifically tailored to writers that plans on taking inspiration from popular writing platforms and including features that help writers develop their craft.

There’s a lot of potential in the idea. It would include features like a tiered review system, that would value helpful reviews most; and feedback analytics, which would show writers more about their readers such as where people typically lose interest which could be hugely beneficial to the editing process.

The site is up and accepting members as it goes through the beta phase, and the creators are seeking out writers to test it out and give feedback. So far the upload process and reading section are simple, though there is a Wattpad-like reading bar for progress and a simple comment system in place. 

The site is new and as I’m typing this there are very few works on the site right now, so if you’re looking for some exposure your work would be easily found and not hidden amongst loads of other works.  

They’re working on a tag system currently, the completion of the comments and feedback analytics systems are expected to be done by November 26th. I’ve already suggested an LGBT section be added to the list of genres, which I’m told will be done as well. There are 21 other genres currently listed, with one at a time able to be applied to each story.

You can participate in a workshop trial that would involve making an account, checking out the features, and filling out a quick survey. This starts on November 26th. You do not have to participate in the workshopping trial to start creating accounts and uploading works.

If you’re interested you can check out the site: www.prolitfic.com 

And if you have any questions I’m sure @imsorrymycontentsucks would love to answer them or direct your questions to someone who can. 

writing tip #2385:

emphasize important plot points by having your character turn and stare at the camera for two to three seconds

Amazing ♡

WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN YOU WON NANO IN FOUR DAYS. WHAT THE FUCK. YOU WROTE A WHOLE-FUCKING NOVEL IN FOUR DAYS. HOW THE FUCK. WHAT SPIRIT DID YOU SUMMON???

i’ve had a few versions of this ask so here’s a post. to start, when i get focused on a project i just get locked in. when it comes to writing my motivation levels are always either at 1% or 2000%. which is why i feel weird making an advice post because i have no idea how to kickstart that

but anyway here’s ‘how i did it’ ignoring that

1) i’m a pretty fast typist. if you don’t type with all your fingers (i used to type with two on each hand), training yourself to do so will increase your typing speed by like. a lot and i’d recommend it

2) i really love what i write. i know probably all of you do but it’s worth a mention. i would not be able to do it if i wasn’t fully invested in what i’m working on

3) i took the first two days off work (worth mentioning)

4) i planned beforehand, and had a very clear idea of the scenes i was going to write before i sat down and wrote them

5) i switch off my inner editor. i mean i fix typos as i go along, but not anything bigger than that. i find it way easier to plan a novel well once it’s already been written, so, i go into nano wanting to get a finished (if a little sloppy) draft out of the month, to go over later. 

if i get to a part and think ‘oh wait i should have done this instead’ after writing something, i just add the second version underneath it and put a note explaining why i changed my mind. then i have both, plus reasoning, to look over later

6) i’d also generally recommend leaving notes for yourself as you go along if you get a little stuck/find a plot hole and just want to keep writing through it, then you won’t forget your thought process later on 

7) word wars/sprints. do them. they’re super fun and sometimes i type so fast that my brain comes up with really great/weird stuff out of nowhere during them. your nano region might have some going on in its chatroom, or there’s the twitter here

other FAQ:

did you summon a demon?

not knowingly

are you going to write hundreds of thousands of words across nano?

no i just plan on finishing the novel. i have written more than this for nano before but i want to do other stuff this month too. i reckon the novel will be around 75k-90k finished

are you on the nano overachievers forum?

i was last year but i’ve been concentrating on my region forum/social media this year to be honest (also don’t go to that forum unless you want to see some truly frightening word counts. i got nothing on a lot of the people there)

thanks for your interest friends & good luck! ❤︎

For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die.

-Anne Lamott “Bird by Bird”

You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.

-Anne Lamott “Bird by Bird”

E.L. Doctorow said once said that 'Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.' You don't have to see where you're going, you don't have to see your destination or everything you will pass along the way. You just have to see two or three feet ahead of you. This is right up there with the best advice on writing, or life, I have ever heard.

-Anne Lamott “Bird by Bird”