Writing Thoughts: To Plan or Not to Plan

Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't been around as much lately, I've been a little overwhelmed and exhausted from work. In addition, I've been experiencing a mini-crisis with my writing. Basically, I've just felt that my writing is terrible, my current story is a mess (both structurally and content-wise), etc. But I'm trying to not put myself down because that doesn't help things at all. I'm also going to make a bigger effort to be more active on here.

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Part of the reason my vampire story isn't going so well is because I think I planned too much. Planning is a great tool and I usually outline what events I want to happen through the course of the story. But here I'm talking more about world-building. For this story, I really wanted to avoid it becoming just another vampire story, so I spent a lot of time thinking about the way vampires are turned (through ritual blood magick and/or demon contracting), their physical and psychological abilities, how they interact with humans, their underground city and so on. That was all well and good, but I kind of skimped out on characters and plot. That was one really bad move. Even worse was that when I began writing, I didn't really know how to incorporate backstory and world-building details into the story along with a fairly complicated plot. I guess in summary, I was reaching for too many things all at once. I eventually want to finish this story, and will probably be continuing to write it at a slower rate, but for now I think I need a little break from it.

Now, in my experience (both from my own writing and feedback from other writers I know), everyone has a different way of prepping for a story. Some people plan out everything in a scene, from the main objective of the protagonist down to the tiny wine stain on the rug that the friend points out. Others like to have a vague idea of what is going to happen and dive right on in, letting their characters lead the way. I personally like a little of both. I like the security and reassurance of an outline, but at the same time I like flexibility just in case something arises organically from the story itself. The same thing goes for world building I've discovered. I write a lot of science fiction/fantasy/horror/steampunk stories so I usually have to at least adapt the real world if not create a brand new one. Usually, I do very little in-depth planning; I have an image in mind of what the world looks like, what the technology is like, and so on but rarely more than that. That works for me, not the deep planning that I tried for my previous story. I just get too overwhelmed. I can handle a group of characters well, but a ton of information I want to incorporate is a bit much for me. Maybe I just need practice.

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Like I said before, not every writer does it this way. One of my friends really loves world building, since he comes from a background of playing a lot of table top RPGs. Another friend spends most of his time planning character motivation/backstory and vaguely sketches out what events he'd like to see. For me, plot usually comes first along with the main protagonist and antagonist.

For all of you writers out there (whether you write all the time or just sometimes for fun), how do you prefer to plan? Do you spend days creating worlds or just write on the high seas of spontaneous imagination? And for you readers out there, which types of stories do you prefer to read? Do you like lots of description of scenery, social structures, and cultures or do you prefer a brief snapshot of a place and more knowledge of characters?

E-books vs. Physical Books: Why the Format Shouldn't Matter

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I was reading this article which talked about the time old topic of e-books vs. physical books. By now, this argument has been exhausted. Readers are divided into those who love e-books and those who think they are the worst invention of all time (okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea). Of course, there are those who fall in the middle but they don't tend to be in the forefront of the argument. Me personally, I love physical books because they're easier for me to read–my eyes tend to get tired after reading from a screen for a little bit–and I also find that I can remember what I've read better when reading from a book than from a screen. But in my opinion, the argument in regards to the future of writing and reading is irrelevant. The people that say that e-books are ruining the future of reading are silly. E-books are just another form of reading. I think that the old fashioned printed book will never completely disappear, but even if they were to, that would not stop readers from reading. Even those who hate e-books with a burning passion and swear they will never ever buy a Kindle or Nook would be forced to if all the physical books in the world were suddenly destroyed. Why? Because readers can live without physical books, but they can't live without reading.

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The thing is, readers will always read. There are many reasons why people are drawn to fiction: as an escape from the drudgery of regular life, for recreation, to allow their minds to become one with a fantastical and make-believe world. The types of people who enjoy reading will always find ways to read. Sure, there are many people who don't read outside of school or work (I honestly can't figure out how they keep themselves from getting bored), but I think that the number of people like that aren't getting any larger or smaller. It has nothing to do with TV, movies, video games, the Internet or what have you. It has to do with the personality. And that goes for readers as well. That's why books will survive, in one form or another. And it shouldn't matter whether you read on a screen or from a page. What matters is that the stories will still be there.

Now, this also raises the interesting topic of where the future of fiction and literature is going content-wise; whether we'll end up with more unique, thought-provoking stories or books akin to Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey. That is a whole other topic, something that may be very controversial, and I'll leave that to another post. I just wanted to try to convince the people ranting about the doom of the book to set aside their blind love for the physical book and consider the e-book. Once again, I'm personally not a fan and if I can avoid reading an e-book, I certainly will. But, I don't think they are bad or good. They're just different. And the format of the book does not change the contents of the book. The story is still there, it may just look different. And the story is what truly matters.

Writing Thoughts: Workshop Groups

Yesterday I had my final class with my writing workshop group and it made me very sad. The only consolation I have is that everyone seems to want to stay in touch and get together from time to time to workshop each other's stories (the one thing I'm disappointed about not staying in Eugene over the summer is that I won't be able to physically workshop with them). However, it also brought to my attention how important workshop groups are. Not only the feedback you get from people critiquing your stories, but the sense of community it builds. I've had the same group of 8 people reading and critiquing my stories all school year (about 9 months) and they've gotten to know my writing style and the types of errors I tend to make. As time went on, their comments became a lot more helpful as they became familiar with my writing. I also got familiar with their writing and learned a lot from their strengths. We really did grow and improve as a group. Plus, I got a few more friends!

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I like the idea of just dropping into a random writing circle or posting my writing on forums to get feedback. It's a great way to hear new viewpoints and opinions after you've become sick and tired of staring at the same Word document for weeks, even months. However, I think if a person is able to find a small group of people to workshop consistently with, it improves his or her writing so much more. Once again, I think it's the sense of community that can help a writer's talent thrive. If you're comfortable with the people you workshop with, you may be more willing to be experimental, to try something completely new from the norm, or to be honest with yourself. In addition, both your group's feedback to you and your feedback to the group will be much more useful as no one will be shy about saying exactly what they think about the story.

Now, I'll also take this time to address receiving feedback from non-writerly folks. All feedback is good! BUT, sometimes those people who read your stuff will not provide helpful information. For instance, family or friends may want to shield you from getting your feelings hurt and will only praise and not critique your work. That is helpful for confidence, but not necessarily with the writing on a large scale. I've had lots of experience with this and if you find yourself in a similar situation (longing to hear what you can improve on and not just what you do well), the solution is simple. Tell them that, although hearing praise is great, you want them to be 100% honest with feedback. It may take a couple of times of reminding or coaxing the information out of them, but it'll be worth it and eventually they'll remember. But make sure you tell them to give constructive criticism, not complaints. On another note, some may give back only negative feedback. That's more helpful than all positive, but still isn't great. I think that writer's need to hear both the good and bad, that way they know what to improve on but aren't discouraged from trying again. The go is delicate and hearing constantly what you suck at isn't going to make you eager to try improving your skills.

All in all, I think also that having feedback from writers and non-writers in essential. Writer friends can offer help and new ideas, as well as pick up on those small but important details that need to be changed. On the other hand, non-writers are very important because they represent your potential audience. They are the people that can tell you when they were bored, what they remember, and what they wished there was more of.

If you can find a physical writer's workshop you can join in on, that is the best. But, online forums are also helpful and perhaps you and a few others can form an internet based writer's circle. Get creative and, mot importantly, get people to read your stuff and give feedback!

Writing Thoughts: Where Do You Get Inspiration?

First, I appreciate so much anyone who follows me, so here's a quick shout-out and thanks to SiderealMidnight for becoming my second follower! And now, to the post...

As I am struggling to figure out a plot/topic for my next story (a flash fiction for my creative writing portfolio), I decided this would be a perfect time to explore the topic of where one gets ideas/inspiration for writing. I’m sure everyone has a number of things that work for them, so here is a list of things that work for me. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll work for everyone, but I hope that at least one will prove to be useful to at least one of you.

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• Music. For some weird reason, I have a tendency to make up stories to match the music/song I’m currently listening to. Sometimes it’s the sound of the music, sometimes it’s the lyrics, sometimes it’s the meaning behind the lyrics. It can be any kind of music and any kind of story. Let your imagination develop it for you.
• Non-fiction books/documentaries. Just a few days ago, one of my friends gave me a book on nightmares to read. Let me tell you, now I want to write a story filled with blurred realities, demons, and awfully frightening nightmares that don’t stop when you wake up (unfortunately, I don’t think I could squeeze this into a tiny flash fiction). Just from reading one chapter out of that book. Non-fiction usually doesn’t sound exciting but if you choose the right topic it can be a lot of fun. Same with documentaries. I remember watching one on the History Channel a long time ago (back before they stopped showing shows on history and started that terrible stuff like Axe Men) about Hell, not only the Christian version of it (though that was the main focus) but also the similar depictions in other religions. I didn’t necessarily get a story plot out of that but watching or reading about interesting topics that are not explored often can result in some inspiration for situations to include in stories.
• Pictures. Go on tumblr or weheartit or whatever website you go for to get pictures. It can even be a simple Google search if you have a certain thing in mind. But browsing interesting or pretty pictures can often conjure up a tone or setting for a story, or if you’re super lucky a story plot itself! I think when we writers/artists run out of inspiration, it’s because our minds are stuck and bored with our usual routine, so just spending sometime doing something different like looking at some nice pictures can relax our brains and stimulate them at the same time. I know that I don’t spend nearly enough time looking at pretty things.
• Go on a walk. Spending sometime outside with just your thoughts can be refreshing. Look at the world. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a beautiful sunny spring day or a rainy winter one. Any weather and landscape can offer any kind of story. Also, it can offer up a nice way to recharge those creative juices. 

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• Cemeteries. Now, don’t just think this is a goth thing. I am a goth and I do love cemeteries, but there’s more to this. Often time, the hardest thing for me to think up are characters, especially character names. You’ll be surprised by all the unusual names you’ll come across if you walk around a cemetery. Not only that, but often there will be interesting inscriptions on the tombstone, some may be specific to the person buried there. A few months ago, I walked around the cemetery on campus and came across a man’s gravestone that had the words: “Here lies woodsman of the world”. That gave me an entire flash fiction about a man who loved the forest but had been roped into cutting them down for the lumber industry and was now struggling with his mixed guilt. So, even if you’re terrified of cemeteries, try walking around for at least five minutes. You may be surprised.
• Media. I’ve already mentioned music and non-fiction, but even by watching TV or movies, reading, or playing video games can give you ideas for stories. The story I just turned in for class was about a man who runs into his doppleganger and he becomes certain that his double is trying to kill him and steal his life. Where did this idea come from? The Nancy Drew game, [title]. Yes, I’ve loved these Nancy Drew games ever since I was young and I’ll continue to play them with pride. This story, which I consider to be one of my best stories thus far, had its roots in a video game. Any media, even magazine ads, can offer ideas.

So there’s my list. I could probably think up inspiration sources all day, but I won’t plague you with a Top 100 list. But if none of these work, go to the internet and search for ways to get inspiration. In fact, here’s a link to a Writer’s Digest article on the subject to get you started. It’s a short list but I found it helpful and sound advice: http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/write-first-chapter-get-started/3-exercises-for-tapping-inspiration

Let the creativity flow!

Writing Thoughts: Mocking Aspiring Authors

Sorry I haven't posted in other 2 weeks. School got out of hand for a bit and I got sick, but now I'm back and ready with some new content. Which brings me to today's post. I was browsing the internet this morning before school when I stumbled across this post about aspiring authors and the mocking and ridicule that often goes along with declaring to the world that you want to write for a living. Basically, the author of this post states that writers are not as valued as they once were since education and literacy are not as rare as they were in past centuries (or even decades). Yet, while I agree that mocking aspiring authors is not the kindest or even the most justified thing to do, I don't see such criticism being necessarily a complete bad thing.

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I hate being ridiculed as much as the next person, but I also can be quite competitive. So most times when I hear people say, "Oh, you want to be a writer? That's nice, but what are you really going to do for a living?", I get the urge to do everything I can to prove their assumptions wrong. All writers need encouragement, just like all people do, but I think every once in a while, the occasional bit of negativity is essential to rekindle the fire within and make us want to show the world that we can indeed be writers and be successful.

I have been very lucky that I receive a lot of support from many people. My mum, my sister,and  my friends just to name a few really believe I can and want me to be a successful writer. But while I love all this support, after you hear it for a long time, the positive feedback turns into background noise. You hear it so often, it losses its meaning. That's why I think it is not necessarily bad when someone tells you that your writing sucks or that wanting to be an author is a terrible idea and you'll end up hunger on the streets. That negativity makes us value the support that much more; in a way it renews its worth.

So while no one wants to hear that they are terrible at something or that their ideas will never pan out like they want them to, it is essential that we hear that feedback so that we can prove them wrong. By proving them wrong, we also banish any last doubts about ourselves from our minds – at least for a while longer.

What do you guys think? Is negativity essential? Or can we function just as well with purely positive feedback?

Writing Thoughts: Pouring yourself into your stories

Wow, three posts in one day! That's a new record I probably won't break anytime soon.

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So, I had to read an article for my creative writing program that talked about some very interesting ideas.  The article was "Autographobia: Writing the Secret Life" by David Jauss, from his book Alone With All That Could Happen, and it touched on a few points, most about how an author writes themselves into their work. Now, I know what you're thinking. "Not everyone writes about themselves! I've written (or read) loads of stories that obviously didn't happen to me (or the author) or that couldn't even happen in real life!" Don't worry, that's what Jauss' point was, though with a few additions.

First off, he talked about how, as a writer, he has had people call him and talk about how they connected with his stories, thinking that the stories were autobiographical. Just as a side note, I found this very amusing that people actually do this sort of thing but that's just me. Anyway, Jauss then went on to explain how most writers do not write autobiographical stories, but that this doesn't mean that writers don't put a part of themselves in the stories they write. Now, I used to oppose this kind of idea. For a long time, I thought, "No, I NEVER put myself into my characters. They're not real, they're nothing like me!" I think I held onto this idea partially because my mum (who reads everything I write, the good and bad) kept comparing me to my main characters. This annoyed me a lot. I don't really know why it annoyed me as much as it did but I guess I went out to prove that, no I am not in disguise as my characters, thank you very much. Then, sometime last year, I was thinking back on some of my stories, bot recent and older pieces, and I realised something. All these characters seem to encompass qualities that I can relate to, maybe even some circumstances that are at least a teeny bit similar to ones I've experienced. My mind kind of imploded at that. Could I have really been wrong all this time? Could I really have been writing myself into my stories, all the while pretending not to?

The thing is, there's a slight difference between autobiographical writing and "writing" oneself into a story. The former is basically a diary entry, written down formally, maybe in third person, maybe not. The latter is incorporating one's own personality quirks, ideas, circumstance, etc. and changing them slightly as they are mixed with the other ingredients making up the story. Jauss called this the "secret self" and it is a way of gaining insight into the deeper layers of a person and holds more meaning than just recounting the facts of an event that happened ten years ago.

Wow, this has become a heavily intellectual post, hasn't it. I'm sure all of you can take it ;) Now, I'd love to hear any comments, thoughts, questions, etc. you may have.

What do you think about this "secret self" Jauss is on about? Is he right? Wrong? Missing something?