Carma Haley Shoemaker's Blog

Idea Flow

Brainstorming, idea mapping, story fishing ... Whatever you want to call it, it’s all about the same thing – finding that perfect idea for your next story.
​
So where do you get the best ideas come from? Can you pull them from everyday life? Is it possible to go about your day, do you favorite activities, and find great ideas for your next book?
(Knock, knock, knock) Hello! YES! That’s the best place to get them.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Truth is stranger than fiction”? Think about it. Everyday activities, fears, and obsessions are the PERFECT subject matter. Take Stephen King for example:Carrie – the prom, every high school student has looked that event in the faceIt - the fear of clowns, and if you weren’t, the clown tour of 2016 at least made you leeryChristine – men and their cars, right?
In addition to activities, fears and obsessions, where else can you find great story ideas? Below are a few trees I’ve learned to shake.

FREEWRITING
Instead of trying to force ideas, just sit in a relaxing location with pen and paper, turn on your favorite music, light a fire in the fireplace, or just stare out the window for a few minutes. Then, just write – not about anything specific, just whatever comes to mind. The color of the trees, the way the fire dances over the logs, how much you Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight drum solo ... write down whatever pops into your head. From there, allow the words to create their own path. Don’t edit them even if you have no idea where it’s going. Let the words flow and keep flowing. You can set a timer and write for 10 minutes, 20, or until acted upon by an outside force – such as kids wanting food, or your boss calling wondering why you didn’t show up to work today.

PINTEREST
Before I go any further, I must offer you a warning. Pinterest is addictive and can often be a rabbit hole from which you will need rescued. On more than one occasion, I will open my Pinterest app with the intention of searching for one specific thing only to find that two hours later, I still haven’t done my original search. And don’t be surprised if you start out looking at recipes and end up planning to build an addition on your home for all your new prepping supplies.

Pinterest can be a great well for quenching your literary dehydration (what others may call writer’s block). If you need motivation, writing prompts or story ideas, simply type it into the search bar and clear your schedule for at least an hour. I have several boards that are dedicated specifically to writing and story ideas. You’ll have your own collection soon.

THE MEDIA
When I say the media, I am including all media outlets – television, movies, newspaper, magazines, and the internet. Media outlets are a wealth of information for story ideas.Movies – I’m not talking about ripping off someone idea and trying to pass it off as your own. Instead, do an idea mash up, and then add an extra something to make it unique. For example, Carrie meets Die Hard. A girl with supernatural abilities uses her powers to help free her family – as well as the residents of her college dorm – when they are taken hostage by her former professor who has become obsessed with her after seeing her abilities in action. You can do this with any movies. You can even mash up classic movies with modern day. Try it! See what you can create.Television – Again, I am not telling you to take someone else’s idea. Television offers such a wide variety from which to choose. Reality shows such as Face Off (on Sci Fi) can spark ideas simply by watching them create characters from clay and poly-foam. The details they offer can often spark something in your mind or plant a seed that can grow into a full-length novel. Other television options for story ideas are news broadcasts, talk shows, biographies, true crime shows, and unsolved mysteries, most things on the natural geographic or the history channel, and documentaries.Newspapers and Magazines – While there may be some great story ideas in the mainstream magazines, try taking a look in some of the “alternative” ones. You know the ones. Where the headlines talk about the recent sightings of Elvis, UFO babies, and how a two-headed man robbed the local bank. It may sound funny, but trust me. Buy one. Read it. See what happens. As far as newspapers, skip the front page and read the articles on the inside. The piece on the local prison giving ghost tours might just be the spark you need.
THE INTERNET
This one is easy. Pick your favorite search engine and type in a subject matter – corrupt police officers, angel-of-mercy nurses, vampires, aliens, vengeful spirits, whatever it is that your little heart desires. But be sure to go a few pages in. the first two or three pages always gives you the basic information, and facts we already know. It’s the later pages that give you the unique info – that’s what you need. You can also go to Google, type in your subject matter, and click the “I’m feeling lucky” option. I’ve done that a few times. The results were interesting.

I’m sure there are many other places to find ideas, but it’s a great place to start. Your next issue will be how to organize all your ideas, as well as which one to work on first. But isn’t that a wonderful problem to have?
​

According to Statistic Brain, the top five New Year’s Resolutions for 2017 were:

5. Do more exciting things (6.3%)
4. Quit Smoking (7.1%)
3. Better Financial Decisions (8.5%)
2. Life / Self Improvements (12.3%)
1. Lose Weight / Healthier Living (21.4%)

Resolutions are started with the best intentions and with true motivation. However, only 58.4 percent of people keep their resolutions past 4 weeks (and we're four weeks into 2017 already). In addition, only an estimated 8.8 percent of people truly accomplish or complete their resolutions.

Why? Why do people fail to meet their resolutions? Why do people set goals and then never meet them?Because they failed to set clear goals, (I want to lose 20 pounds to decrease my health risks).Because they failed to make their goals specific, (I’m going to lose 20 pounds instead of I’m going to lose weight).Because they didn’t make their goals measureable (create a starting point to compare for progress).Because they expected immediate results, (patience is a virtue!). Because they kept their goals a secret, (if you don’t tell anyone and you fail, no one knows, right?).Because they didn’t schedule time for their goals, (they want to get healthy, but “don’t have time” to workout). Because they have “all or nothing” thinking, (I cheated today so I may as well cheat the rest of the week and start again on Monday).
​I’m here to tell you: DO NOT TO GIVE UP!

Don’t quit. Simply take stock of where you are, re-evaluate your goals (or resolutions), and make any adjustments needed.

For example, after a medical issue last year, the pounds that I had lost previously crept their way back on. I set a goal to get back to my eating plan, exercise regimen (once I was cleared), and get rid of them for the last time. However, I had an accident and fell down the stairs, resulting in a back injury and a concussion. This set my already delayed progress back several weeks. I finally was able to get an MRI, clearing my concussion status, and my doctor gave me permission to "start slow" with an exercise routine. My progress will not be as fast as I had hoped, but it’s a start.

Now, I will need to look at where I am (recovering from an injury, requiring physical therapy for several months), re-evaluate my goals, (I’ll have to decrease the amount of weight I want to lose per week/month due to the amount of physical exercise I am allowed), and make adjustments. I don’t have to quit, or give up. I just need to look at it from a new perspective and understand that there will be a different outcome on a new timetable.

Legendary Vince Lombardi said, “It isn’t whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get back up.”
​
Setbacks, issues, and "going off your plan" are not reasons to give up. Simply acknowledge them for what they are, turn your concentration back to your goal, and recommit to it - and to yourself.

First of all, my apologies for being late. I had a fight with a flight of stairs and lost. I’m okay, but ended up pretty sore and with a slight concussion that kept me out of commission for a while.

My original plan was to write about goals – how to find your goals, setting goals, how to successfully accomplish them. However, after I started writing the post I realized you could probably find a thousand posts on the topic. Why did you need one more? I know, I know. You don’t. (I could play on the "goal post" double meaning and write about football. Okay, I'll save that one for later.)

Instead of just another "new year, new me, set goals" post, I’m going to tell you one of my goals, as well as my plan to reach and accomplish that goal. Why? Well, my reasoning is two-fold:

1. Maybe it will inspire someone, helping them set a goal, pushing themselves a little further than they thought they could go; and

2. It will help keep me accountable. Putting it in writing – and sharing it with all of you – is kind of like making a contract. I’m announcing that this is what I’m going to do by a certain date. And I’m sure, when that date comes, someone will ask me if I met my goal. I don’t want to disappoint them, or have to give a bunch of reasons why I didn’t meet it.

Last year, I wrote a total of (approximately / rounded to the nearest thousand) 389,000 words. While that seems like a lot, it’s not. (This does not include emails, texts, workshop information/handouts for my writing group, or handwritten letters.) I had hoped to write at least 400K, not as an official goal, but just one I had kept in the back of my mind. And that’s why I think I didn’t achieve it.

​For 2017 I have a goal and a plan. Is it a good plan? I think so. But only time will tell. 

My goal this year is to write 550K words. (Don’t laugh ... that’s not nice.) It seems like a lofty goal, but I’ve looked at the numbers and the time needed to accomplished it. I can do it. Here’s my plan:

I (currently) have six books scheduled for release in 2017. My first drafts usually have a 5K over the final word count requirement. Three books will have an average of 30K words, and three will have an average of 40K words. That’s a total of 210K already. During November’s NaNoWriMo, I plan to set my goal at 225K, bringing my total to 435K. That leaves me with 115K to write “unplanned,” or (approximately) 9,600 words per month.

In my project/story idea book, I currently have two series I am working on, as well as three independent titles. I am going to pick one from each category and begin (or finish) plotting and writing those books in 2017 as well. If each book contains a minimum of 40K (which most of my first drafts do), this gives me an additional 120K words to add – bringing my grand total to 555K, which is 5K over my 2017 goal (a nice cushion!).

Setting a goal that is bigger than any I have ever set before makes me push myself, invest a bit more, work a little harder. But isn’t that the only way we’re ever going to see what we’re truly capable of – by testing our limits?

​Comfort zones are overrated anyway ...

​If at first you don't suceed, try, try again.

​The only true failure is when you stop trying.

​As long as you're moving forward, no matter how slow, you're still making progress.

​These are just a few of the phrases that popped into my head when I discussed the options for my blog. I've tried it before. And needless to say, I didn't do so well. It's not that I didn't WANT to write a blog or keep up with it. I did. There were just so many other things that kept pushing the blogging updates down on the priority list.

​However, after talking to a few good friends, I realize that a blog isn't just about writing. There is a sense of connection when you create and share a new post. I didn't realize how much until I began reading their archives. But it's true. They put a lot of themselves into their blog posts and they share a piece of who they are with their readers each time.

​I get it now. And I apologize. I was simply writing for the sake of writing and to build an audience. I was wrong.

​Beginning in 2017, I will be doing regular blog posts (granted not as often as some of my fellow writers do). If, through my posts, I am able to connect with any of you, I will feel i have sincerely accomplished my goal and learned a valuable lesson.

​Everyone gets a second chance. This is mine.

​Until then, wishing all of you a very happy holiday and a year ahead that breaths life into your dreams.

I have learned a very valuable lesson today.

I had decided that I would add a new post to my blog each week, on Mondays. Well, Monday is also one of the days that my DH (and at the moment that does NOT stand for "dear" husband) plays Xbox online with his friends. 

At approximately 5:30pm, I started writing my blog post. It was a post about attending conventions, listing the pros and cons, as well as a list of the ten things I gained from my attendance of ConText 2014, and Imaganarium 2015. 

​I was proud of the post. I felt it was well written, informative, and maybe even a little humorous and entertaining.

​So, the blog was done. I move the mouse, hit "post," and --

​Nothing.

​My screen went white and I received this message:

​"No network connection. Try again."

Seriously? This has to be joke! I'm being Punked or something, right? There's no way this is happening.

​At that moment, I hear my DH (even less dear of darling now!) laughing. He's apparently having a GREAT time playing his (bleep) dinosaur game. (I hope your Megalodon eats you!)

​I hold my breath for a moment, and hit the back button, hoping that by some miracle, the post is still there.

​Nope. It's gone.

So, instead of a great post about conventions, you get *this*.

​Blame my DH. And Xbox. Or just my DH.

​The lesson I have learned:

​Always, always, always write your posts in Word and then copy and paste them into the blog.

​(I will rewrite the convention post, trying to recreate it as best I can, and repost it next week.)

It's my birthday month.

​Many of you are probably thinking, "So what?"

​Well, it's my birthday month. That means its time for my Birthday Bucket List.

Yes, you read that right. Birthday. Bucket. List.

​Every year for the past few years I have made -- and completed -- a list of five activities or goals that I want to meet, accomplish, or complete within the next year (or my next birthday).

​Last year, I learned to use chopsticks (finally!), participated in 3 themed 5K events, published a book (again, finally!), took a writing class, and gave a workshop. While these may seem like small accomplishments to some people, to me, they were tasks that I kept telling myself I would do, but never did.

​Which is actually how the Birthday Bucket List was born. A few years ago I found an old notebook that had a list of "New Year's Goals." Before you say anything, I have no problem with people setting New Year's goals or resolutions. I did it forever. The problem was, a few of the goals on that list were the same goals I had written on my latest list. Apparently, just writing them down wasn't working.

​As a magazine writer, and an editor, I tend to work with deadlines a lot. I have clear instructions know what the project or job is. I know how long it will take me to do any additional tasks within that project. And I have a set date by which the project must be completed. If not, there are serious consequences. I have only missed deadlines a few times, and there was always a very good reason.

I do well with deadlines. Why not put deadlines on my reaching my goals? I know what I want to do (the project), and I know how long the tasks to reach the goal will take. All I need is a deadline - one that is easy to remember and hard to miss.

My birthday. The perfect deadline.

​So, back to my original statement: it's my birthday month. What do I want to accomplish this year?