Veronica Bane's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing"
On editing.
My writing group and I met yesterday, and workshopping brought up an interesting conversation on editing. Editing is something that both impedes and strengthens writing, and it depends on when and why the editing occurs.
Editing and workshopping as a story is still in progress can be damaging. If an author is too caught up in reworking one particular scene, he or she may get stuck and eventually give up on the story. It's important to keep working on moving forward. Take down whatever notes on the story you need, and then put those notes in a drawer.
Outlining can help clarify the purpose of a scene. See where you're going, and then build your scene to the moments you envision occurring down the line. Or, try writing the ending or pivotal scene in your book.
Most importantly, keep going. Don't let one scene be your undoing!
Editing and workshopping as a story is still in progress can be damaging. If an author is too caught up in reworking one particular scene, he or she may get stuck and eventually give up on the story. It's important to keep working on moving forward. Take down whatever notes on the story you need, and then put those notes in a drawer.
Outlining can help clarify the purpose of a scene. See where you're going, and then build your scene to the moments you envision occurring down the line. Or, try writing the ending or pivotal scene in your book.
Most importantly, keep going. Don't let one scene be your undoing!
It's here! It's here!
When it's been your dream to write and publish books since you were young and squirrely, there is nothing like holding your book for the first time.
It's got pages. It's got a cover. It's got my name. The characters that have bopped around in my brain for so long are there on the page.
It's thrilling.
To put it in perspective, I spent the majority of today reading The Diviners after I finished up some other work, and I finished the book in the early evening. The ending had me craving more, more, more, but sadly, a sequel to The Diviners isn't due until next year. It was such a rush, though, to read, and I can only hope that some people have that experience with my own book.
To reading and writing, friends! Never stop.
Music to Write To
When I write at home, I usually listen to music. Sometimes, I listen to film scores, and sometimes I choose lyrical tunes. When I venture out to a coffee shop, I leave my headphones at home and write to the natural (often noisy) flow of people around me. I need different settings to hammer down different things.
Usually, when I choose lyrical music, it's because it helps me get in the right place for a certain scene or character. Today, I'm setting out for some angry conflict and its aftermath. I thought I'd share the playlist with you all.
Bad Karma - Ida Maria
Cherry Red - Ida Maria
Let It Be Me - Ray LaMontagne
To the Dogs or Whoever - Josh Ritter
Brother - Murder by Death
Ball & Chain - Murder by Death
King Of The Gutters, Prince Of The Dogs - Murder by Death
Jeepster - T. Rex
Conversation 16 - The National
Elizabeth - The Airborne Toxic Event
Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) - Nancy Sinatra
Posion & Wine - The Civil Wars
Hold Tight! - Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
What about you all? What do you listen to when you write?
Usually, when I choose lyrical music, it's because it helps me get in the right place for a certain scene or character. Today, I'm setting out for some angry conflict and its aftermath. I thought I'd share the playlist with you all.
Bad Karma - Ida Maria
Cherry Red - Ida Maria
Let It Be Me - Ray LaMontagne
To the Dogs or Whoever - Josh Ritter
Brother - Murder by Death
Ball & Chain - Murder by Death
King Of The Gutters, Prince Of The Dogs - Murder by Death
Jeepster - T. Rex
Conversation 16 - The National
Elizabeth - The Airborne Toxic Event
Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) - Nancy Sinatra
Posion & Wine - The Civil Wars
Hold Tight! - Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
What about you all? What do you listen to when you write?
Less than a week away!
I can't believe that Mara is due to be released this coming Saturday! If you don't know, I'll be reading excerpts alongside other fantastic Black Hill Press authors at The Last Bookstore in Downtown Los Angeles. If you're local to LA, please click here for more information.
It's hard to believe that July is already coming to a close. I know that I made so many goals at the beginning, and I'm going to work hard to finish them in the limited time that's left. One of my goals was to finish a lot of writing, and I've been working steadily on that. With that in mind, I have a writing thought to share with you all.
When you're writing a first draft, it's wise to keep it to yourself. Opening your draft (no matter how fantastic it is) up to criticism when you're still working can keep you from moving forward. Once you've completed that draft and given it a bit of polishing, however, it's important to seek criticism from people you respect. Equally important, however, is to really consider the criticism. That does not mean that you have to take it. As a writer, you must decide how to be true to your work and your voice. Nevertheless, it's important to hear people out. If your character's purpose or the point of a scene isn't coming across to multiple readers, ask yourself if that scene or character is necessary.
Many, many times, you will need to cut those characters and scenes completely. Cutting down on fluff lets the rest of the story shine. When writing is too cluttered, it's hard for the reader to wade through. Yes, it's your story, but if you want people to be able to access it, you need to give them a clear path. Make your story's big ideas cohesive and coherent.
Like I said, the end of July is calling. Back to work for me, and hope to hear from all of you very soon about your thoughts on Mara! If you haven't already added it to your "to-read" list, please do. See you cats on the flip side!
It's hard to believe that July is already coming to a close. I know that I made so many goals at the beginning, and I'm going to work hard to finish them in the limited time that's left. One of my goals was to finish a lot of writing, and I've been working steadily on that. With that in mind, I have a writing thought to share with you all.
When you're writing a first draft, it's wise to keep it to yourself. Opening your draft (no matter how fantastic it is) up to criticism when you're still working can keep you from moving forward. Once you've completed that draft and given it a bit of polishing, however, it's important to seek criticism from people you respect. Equally important, however, is to really consider the criticism. That does not mean that you have to take it. As a writer, you must decide how to be true to your work and your voice. Nevertheless, it's important to hear people out. If your character's purpose or the point of a scene isn't coming across to multiple readers, ask yourself if that scene or character is necessary.
Many, many times, you will need to cut those characters and scenes completely. Cutting down on fluff lets the rest of the story shine. When writing is too cluttered, it's hard for the reader to wade through. Yes, it's your story, but if you want people to be able to access it, you need to give them a clear path. Make your story's big ideas cohesive and coherent.
Like I said, the end of July is calling. Back to work for me, and hope to hear from all of you very soon about your thoughts on Mara! If you haven't already added it to your "to-read" list, please do. See you cats on the flip side!
Is "writer's block" real?
I often hear writers complaining about this mythical thing called "writer's block" that somehow keeps them from writing. They call it crippling and treat it like a disease that keeps them from putting words down on paper. However, I believe that writers have been duped.
Writer's block isn't a disease. It's an excuse.
Professional writers must write, and they must write every single day. This does not mean that the writing needs to be good. It does not mean that the writing needs to make it into the final draft. It does mean, however, that some kind of writing must happen.
How do you write when it seems like you have nothing to say today? You could say that you are suffering from writer's block, grab a cup of tea, and watch TV. Or, you could grab your notebook or laptop and get outside and do some people watching. Observe. Outline. Write a scene from the first person if you've written the entire book so far in third person. Get words down on the page.
If it's a bad day, maybe none of it carries into the next draft. But sometimes, you will find that just writing uncovered something you hadn't expected.
Do not use "writer's block" as an excuse. When you have taken it off the table as a possibility, you will find that great writing is able to take place without it.
Writer's block isn't a disease. It's an excuse.
Professional writers must write, and they must write every single day. This does not mean that the writing needs to be good. It does not mean that the writing needs to make it into the final draft. It does mean, however, that some kind of writing must happen.
How do you write when it seems like you have nothing to say today? You could say that you are suffering from writer's block, grab a cup of tea, and watch TV. Or, you could grab your notebook or laptop and get outside and do some people watching. Observe. Outline. Write a scene from the first person if you've written the entire book so far in third person. Get words down on the page.
If it's a bad day, maybe none of it carries into the next draft. But sometimes, you will find that just writing uncovered something you hadn't expected.
Do not use "writer's block" as an excuse. When you have taken it off the table as a possibility, you will find that great writing is able to take place without it.
How do you fit in writing during the holidays?
Happy December everyone! It's time to reflect for the last time in 2013, set some goals for the remainder of the year, and talk about writing. First up, in terms of last month's goals, I was mostly successful. My biggest priority was to finish up my most recent project, and I did! It's off to the editor now. I can't wait to tell you all more about it.
For me, December will be all about my next project. I've got a solid outline and need to just apply myself. Speaking of that, I want to talk a bit about writing during the holidays. It can be incredibly challenging, and I want to give some tips.
Guard your writing time. It can be infinitely more difficult to abandon your writing efforts when ice skating, hot chocolate, and old friends are calling your name. Obviously, it's important to enjoy the season and the people in it. But, as always, writing needs to be a priority. Pick a time to write and stick to it whenever possible. When I was writing Mara, I would trek to my favorite local coffeehouse and write for at least two hours. When I was there, I was focused on my writing. I wasn't on Facebook, my phone was turned off, and family and friends knew that I was busy. I was able to finish Mara by the end of that year, and that was largely due to the fact that I stuck to a routine.
Be realistic about when you will and will not be able to write. There are certain days for me during which writing will not happen. If there is a holiday party after work, I probably won't be able to push myself to write 2,000 words during the hour in-between. As a result, I need to set aside extra time for that writing before. It's a matter of knowing yourself.
If you miss your word count or don't like what you write, it's okay. Set goals. Set deadlines. However, if you look at a scene and think that it's horrible, don't beat yourself up about it. Put it aside and just keep writing. If you wanted to write 5,000 words and only wrote 3,000, it's okay. Do better tomorrow. Just keep writing.
Bring a notebook everywhere. Yes, I've said this before, but this is especially important during the holidays. If there's a long line when you're shopping or the friend from high school that you're meeting is late, write. Write what you see around you. Play with description. Journal. Experiment with a different perspective. There is a lot of unexpected downtime during the holidays, and taking advantage of it can help you feel better if your regular writing time didn't yield the best results.
Read, read, read. For me, I'm lucky enough to have a winter vacation from work. It's important that I fill those hours with writing, but it's also equally valuable to kick back with a book and drink some hot chocolate.
If you have any questions, feel free to comment or catch me on Twitter as @veronicabane! I'd love to hear from you.
V
For me, December will be all about my next project. I've got a solid outline and need to just apply myself. Speaking of that, I want to talk a bit about writing during the holidays. It can be incredibly challenging, and I want to give some tips.
Guard your writing time. It can be infinitely more difficult to abandon your writing efforts when ice skating, hot chocolate, and old friends are calling your name. Obviously, it's important to enjoy the season and the people in it. But, as always, writing needs to be a priority. Pick a time to write and stick to it whenever possible. When I was writing Mara, I would trek to my favorite local coffeehouse and write for at least two hours. When I was there, I was focused on my writing. I wasn't on Facebook, my phone was turned off, and family and friends knew that I was busy. I was able to finish Mara by the end of that year, and that was largely due to the fact that I stuck to a routine.
Be realistic about when you will and will not be able to write. There are certain days for me during which writing will not happen. If there is a holiday party after work, I probably won't be able to push myself to write 2,000 words during the hour in-between. As a result, I need to set aside extra time for that writing before. It's a matter of knowing yourself.
If you miss your word count or don't like what you write, it's okay. Set goals. Set deadlines. However, if you look at a scene and think that it's horrible, don't beat yourself up about it. Put it aside and just keep writing. If you wanted to write 5,000 words and only wrote 3,000, it's okay. Do better tomorrow. Just keep writing.
Bring a notebook everywhere. Yes, I've said this before, but this is especially important during the holidays. If there's a long line when you're shopping or the friend from high school that you're meeting is late, write. Write what you see around you. Play with description. Journal. Experiment with a different perspective. There is a lot of unexpected downtime during the holidays, and taking advantage of it can help you feel better if your regular writing time didn't yield the best results.
Read, read, read. For me, I'm lucky enough to have a winter vacation from work. It's important that I fill those hours with writing, but it's also equally valuable to kick back with a book and drink some hot chocolate.
If you have any questions, feel free to comment or catch me on Twitter as @veronicabane! I'd love to hear from you.
V
These myths about writer's block are holding you back.
People talk a lot about this mysterious affliction that many writers “suffer” from. I’m not kidding. This thing has been called a “condition” and it’s apparently quite contagious. If you look it up on Wikipedia (never to be trusted completely), you’ll find what appears to be a WebMD type posting about it.
Seriously, have a look at Wikipedia’s definition of writer’s block here: “Writer’s block is a condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work.” Doesn’t that sound positively scientific? And horrifying?
But I’m here to tell you that, whatever you have been told, writer’s block as we know it simply doesn’t exist.
Why? Because, as a professional writer, you cannot allow it to exist. You do not magically “lose the ability to produce new work” as a writer because you do not have the luxury of being blocked from writing. You must produce writing because that is your livelihood, and rarely do we apply the idea of this “block” to any other profession. I’m not talking about a sick day here. I’m talking about the days, weeks, and months that writers blame on “writer’s block.” That just would not fly in any other profession.
So what’s the problem? The problem is that writers have been told these myths about writer’s block, but they haven’t been told what’s actually going on.
To see the entire post, check it out at www.veronicabane.com.
Seriously, have a look at Wikipedia’s definition of writer’s block here: “Writer’s block is a condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work.” Doesn’t that sound positively scientific? And horrifying?
But I’m here to tell you that, whatever you have been told, writer’s block as we know it simply doesn’t exist.
Why? Because, as a professional writer, you cannot allow it to exist. You do not magically “lose the ability to produce new work” as a writer because you do not have the luxury of being blocked from writing. You must produce writing because that is your livelihood, and rarely do we apply the idea of this “block” to any other profession. I’m not talking about a sick day here. I’m talking about the days, weeks, and months that writers blame on “writer’s block.” That just would not fly in any other profession.
So what’s the problem? The problem is that writers have been told these myths about writer’s block, but they haven’t been told what’s actually going on.
To see the entire post, check it out at www.veronicabane.com.
Why I Write YA
On nearly every panel I’ve ever participated in, there’s a question that bubbles to the surface about why or how I write young adult. Some people assume that, as a teacher, it’s natural to write about YA because I’m plugged into the young adult world. It’s true that I do pull snippets of my teaching life, but it’s usually logistical stuff like scheduling or how a school day would run. Mostly, my experience from writing young adult is pulled from my own teenage experience and my own experience now as an adult human being. It comes from observation and eavesdropping and reading young adult stories and watching young adult films and a basic empathy and understanding for that horrifying time that we call adolescence. But above all, I believe that I write young adult literature because I have a deep and profound respect for young adults and their varied and incredible lives.
Many people want to write young adult because it seems easier than writing literary fiction or science fiction or some form of adult fiction. Young adults are easy to understand, right? They all have the same problems (relationships, school, relationships, school, school, school). They do the same things (study, party, ditch, party, make out, drugs). They want the same things (acceptance). They go through the same emotional wheelhouse (fear, sadness, anger). I mean, the books write themselves, right?
Wrong.
To read the rest of the post, click here to continue over at veronicabane.com
Many people want to write young adult because it seems easier than writing literary fiction or science fiction or some form of adult fiction. Young adults are easy to understand, right? They all have the same problems (relationships, school, relationships, school, school, school). They do the same things (study, party, ditch, party, make out, drugs). They want the same things (acceptance). They go through the same emotional wheelhouse (fear, sadness, anger). I mean, the books write themselves, right?
Wrong.
To read the rest of the post, click here to continue over at veronicabane.com
