The A-HA! Moment That Got Me Writing Again

by Sarah Ann Loreth via Pinterest

I read a lot of articles and blog posts about writing craft. Yes, it's an avoidance tactic, but it's a useful one. I read through how-to lists, top-ten advice lists, plot-development spreadsheets, character-development worksheets, and countless others of the like. So, when I stumbled upon a how-to book with a free download, I had no qualms about browsing through it. It was all very familiar. The first chapter ended with a series of exercises and I skimmed over them with a deep sigh. I really didn't feel like answering these questions. Ah well, at the very least it would keep me away from the t.v. (for awhile).

Something interesting happened over the course of answering the questions though, something unexpected. As I looked more carefully at each exercise, I noticed that the language used was a little different from what I was used to reading in writing how-to's. The first question was easy and innocuous:
   

What is the source of your novel idea, and what is the idea?

This I answered with little effort.
The next question seemed just as easy and unobtrusive as the first:

What is your intention toward the idea?

As I sat, with pen poised above the page,  I realized I didn't understand the question. What did they mean, intention? I scanned back through the chapter and figured out that all they meant is that my intention toward the idea must be to write a novel about it. Simple. But the word tripped me up, and this got me thinking. Actually thinking about the questions that I had had every intention of breezing through in a foolish attempt to trick myself into believing I was doing something thoughtful and productive. But now, my juices were flowing.

What is your attitude toward the intention?

What the hell kind of book is this? What kind of language is this, to be used for writing exercises? It sounds more like some kind of dime-store psycho-babble self-help fodder. Gah! 

RESISTANCE. I was only on the the third question and already I wanted to give up because it was too hard. Too indirect. I wanted to work on my story, not my thoughts about my story! So I skimmed over each question again and realized that they were all like these: forcing me think about the why of my story rather than the how. I know myself well enough to be very aware that my greatest flaw is laziness. I took a good look at my resistance to this questionnaire and knew that completing it would be a lot more work than I'd bargained for. And that's when I knew. I had to go on; above, under, and all around the resistance that was holding me back. Because this time, it wasn't just laziness. I really didn't want to think this deeply about my WIP, which scared me. What was I afraid of? 

There were 8 questions for this first chapter. The first 3 above and the next 5 below:

• Do you believe your attitude toward the intention is strong, clear, and meaningful? If so, why?
• What is your purpose in writing this novel?
• Does your purpose statement include the words "to prove"?
• Do you honestly believe your statement of purpose will point the direction you must take in writing the novel?
• Are you qualified by personal experience to write this novel? If not, are you willing to do the required research?

Ugh.

But one of them  in particular really tripped me up. #5: What is my purpose in writing this novel? I had struggled with this in the past. All my life, in fact. I'd never bothered to write because I believed I had nothing to say. I eventually started writing A BIRD'S EYE VIEW anyway, because I knew I couldn't say I'd tried to be a writer unless I wrote something. And that's when I discovered that this is what I was afraid of. That my story was empty of meaning, it had no purpose, no impact, it had nothing to offer, nothing to say.

I hated question #5. My immediate response was: because I want to, because I feel like it (so there!). But anyone who knows me can hear the lie in my words. I don't want to write, I never feel like writing, I hate writing! So what was the real answer? What was my purpose here? Why do I keep trying? I  wrote a three-page-long rambling, nearly incoherent response to #5 that finally coalesced into an answer. My a-ha moment.

Oh. My. God.
I  do have something to say.
I have learned something over the course of my life. Something I need to share. 
I could tell you in only a few short sentences. But then it would be trite and obvious, as most truths are too deeply familiar to ever really be surprising. 
So instead, I will show you. I need to show you what I've learned.

That is my purpose in writing this novel. 

Woot!!
So now, I'm writing again, and it's so clear. Not easy, no, never that. But I understand what I'm doing, and why. I know now, clearly, what must be there in every chapter, every character, in the words and between the lines. Because I have a theme, people! I have Something To Say.

I guess you never really know where answering a few questions with thoughtfulness and honesty will take you. ;)

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PS: The book: Structuring Your Novel by Robert Meredith and John Fitzgerald

When All Else Fails...Study

I've been making good progress on my WIP drafting by hand (who'd have thought!?) and using the computer for outlining and note-keeping only.

"Writing" by J. Paxon Reyes

But here I am - stalled. Again. I just don't feel like writing the next chapter. 

I have it all planned out, so...what's the problem? Am I burned out (ha!), blocked, bored? Wait, is this next chapter boring? If so, why write it, because if it's too boring to write, it will be way too boring to read, right? Or am I just making excuses to skip it? Do these scenes need to happen? I think so; skipping it feels wrong. Or am I just being stubborn and sticking to my outline with an OCD inspired reflex? DO I need to write it?

I don't know. I'm stumped. Gah! Welcome to the inside of my brain, friends.

Momentum: gone. Thinking about my WIP makes me want to take a nap.



So, I've decided to study pacing and plot progression by doing a chapter-by-chapter analysis of a book I really enjoyed reading (Blood Red Road) and comparing it against my outline. I know some of you (all you, admit it) are thinking avoidance tactic! and perhaps you're right. But if I'm not writing, I want to at least be thinking of writing and trying to find ways out of this lull. 

So there.

I mean, really, what else can I do? Any ideas? Do you wanna read my outline and tell me whether or not I need to write this next chapter?

I didn't think so. 

I'll let you know if this helps me work it out. ;)

PS: What do you do when/if you aren't sure if what you're writing needs to be there, or is it just a block?....jeez...

Off to NaNoLand

So, I'm even more off the grid now than I have been for last several months. This time, though, it's not due to a trip abroad, it's a totally different kind of trip: I'm off to NaNoLand (National Novel Writing Month). Though, this year is rather different from last year. This year, I'm a 'NaNoRebel'. Meaning, that I won't be following the rules of NaNoWriMo. Instread of writing 50,000 words on an unprepared manuscript, my goal is to write 25k-30k words to finish off the manuscript I'm already working on: A BIRD'S EYE VIEW. So, instead of averaging 1,666 words per day, my goal is closer to 800-1,000 words per day. 

As soon as I can get it working, I'll put a word-count widget here on the blog, so you can track my progress (keep me in line!). Thank you for your understanding while I try everything I can think of to get myself to finish this damn WIP!

Off I go!

Weekend Writing Warriors: July 14, 2013

Weekend Writing Warriors

It's #8sunday again! To join the gang, check out the rules HERE, it's super easy and tonnes of fun.

Last week I said that I'd start posting sentences from The Legend of the White Raven today. I hope you'll forgive me for changing my mind. I will totally post it soon, but for this week, I wanted to run with my hot hand, which has been working on a story so old, and so secret, that it isn't even in the Lore of the Islands. It's the Legend of the Sleeping Fox. I hope you like it (even though it's only 7 sentences, so far)!

 



There is only one person in all the world that knows of the Little Fox, and he has not yet been born. 

She sleeps in her den in the forest that has never been seen. 

She waits for him to come. 

She waits and dreads, as all sentinels do. 

His awakening will bring with it the Great Change. 

The Great Change will bring with it, She-Who-Left. 

When She-Who-Left returns, the world will burn.

"Morpheus" by Lindsey Carr

Don't forget to check out excerpts from the other writing warriors. I dare you not to get addicted to some of these great stories!

Weekend Writing Warriors: July 7, 2013

Weekend Writing Warrios

It's been quite a while, but I'm back!

If you're interested in joining WeWriWa, here are the rules. Do it, it's so fun!

Here are eight more sentences of Creation, the lore of the Dakina Islands. 

I left off (way back in March!) my last 8 with Sahlaana abandoning her children. Each of the gods took an island for him/herself and refused to reconcile. On the tiny island of Dakina, a smaller drama began to unfold...






And so there came a time of great disharmony among the islands of Dakina.
Each god turned his back on his brothers and sister.
Each god swallowed his loneliness and wore his pride on his forehead.
On Taijala's island, the New People in the north were reviled by the First People in the south, who warred with them.
These wars lasted for many generations until, finally, the First People left the broken people of the bear alone in the dark woods, tribe-less and weak.
For a time, there was quiet; each island a world unto itself.
The gods became lazy and sick, refusing to acknowledge that in breaking the world into bits, they had fractured themselves, separating the Body from the Mind and Heart and Spirit.
The people became faithless, and the world magic-less…except on the tiny island where lived Taijala, Guardian of the Spirit. 

This ends the creation myth for the world of A BIRD'S EYE VIEW. My next excerpts will tell the various stories and legends of each island, beginning with The Legend of the White Raven. But you'll have to tune in again next week for it!

As always, thanks for reading! Don't forget to check out excerpts from the other writing warriors starting HERE!

Weekend Writing Warriors: Mar. 24, 2013

Weekend Writing Warriors

Ah, Sundays are coming so fast, I almost missed this one!

If you're interested in joining WeWriWa, here are the rules. Give it a try, it's a blast!

This will be my last #8sunday until May because....I am going on a trip for the duration of April (WOOT!). If you have any interest in following my adventure in Europe, check out my other blog: MyCakeFace: Random Bloggery by AJ Bradley and/or my Tales of a Nomad facebook page.

Now, on to the excerpt! We left off with Sahlaana's sons pitching a fit and breaking the land into islands after they discovered their sister gave birth to a generation of people fathered by the mysterious bear.



Sahlaana was angry and in her rage, she abandoned her children and their people.
She warned them that there would be consequences to breaking Awaya’s earth.
Then she descended deep into the earth's core.
Taijala begged her brothers for reconciliation, afraid of the strain their desertion put on the net.
But each of them turned their backs on her and hid their regret under their anger.
Taijala and her children, the New People, migrated to the north of their tiny island in the eastern sea.
A small group of The First People lived on the tiny island; they stayed to the south, apart from the “others”. 
They blamed Taijala and the New People for causing Sahlaana to forsake them.


Don't forget to check out excerpts from the other writing warriors here! 

Happy Spring. Happy Easter. Happy April.
I hope to see you again in May!

Weekend Writing Warriors: Mar.17, 2013

Weekend Writing Warriors

It's #8sunday again. If you're interested in joining, check out the rules here.

When I left off last week, Taijala, the ruler of air and Guardian of the Spirit, had shared the workings of the Spiritworld with the people that Sahlaana had created.

The next part of the creation myth is the bear story that I shared on Feb.10th wherein Taijala mated with a mysterious bear that appeared as if from nowhere on the beach of Dakina.

This is what happens after the bear has continued on his way:




Taijala gave birth to an entire generation of people, the New People.
The New People were different; they had a magic all their own, the magic of the beasts inherited from their father, the bear.
The gods were angry with Taijala and afraid of this new magic.
Sahlanna's children fought.
Tiga, ruler of earth and Guardian of the Body, stomped his foot and broke Dakina into four separate islands.

Tanga, ruler of water and Guardian of the Mind, moved to the northernmost island and ruled its people.
Tana, ruler of fire and Guardian of the Heart, took the island and its people in the east.
Tiga stayed on the largest land mass in the centre, and he broke off the southern region where Sahlaana and Taijala were and kicked it far out into the Endless Sea.





Don't forget to visit the WeWriWa website to read excerpts from the other writing warriors!

Weekend Writing Warriors: Mar.3, 2013

It's Weekend Writing Warriors again!

If you would like to join the fun here are the rules. And don't forget to visit the WeWriWa website to read 8 sentences from the other writers!

Thanks again to all of you that read and commented last week, it really keeps me writing!

Last week's 8 showed how Sahlaana's brood of gods created the landscape, animals to inhabit it, and a spiritual net to bind them all together. Here is the next step in the creation myth of the Dakina Islands. (I'm sorry, I did get rather creative with my commas and semi-colons to fit this into 8 sentences.)



One day a raven fell from the sky.
He coughed and sea shells came up from his belly.
The sea shells tore the raven’s throat and destroyed his song forever.
Sahlaana gathered the shells in her hand and blew on them and the First People were born.
Tiga taught them to hunt and to harvest; he touched their bodies and gave them pleasure and pain.
Tanga taught them to fish the seas and streams; he touched their minds and gave them thoughtfulness and pride.
Tana taught them to make fire; he touched their hearts and gave them love and hate.
Taijala taught them to tend the net, for a single weak thread could unravel the whole; she wove them into the net and gave them connectedness and consequence.

And that's my 8 for this week. Thank you so much for reading and feel free to leave any comments or advice. Check out the fantastic excerpts by the other writers at Weekend Writing Warriors, and come back next week to find out how people effect the world of the Dakina Islands.

I would also like to say THANK YOU again to WeWriWa and Basan for the song they prized me with on my excerpt from Feb.10th (check it out to hear the song!). I've been bragging like crazy and sending it to everyone I know!

Weekend Writing Warriors: Feb.24, 2013

It's Weekend Writing Warriors (8 Sentence Sunday) again, woot!

If you would like to join the fun here are the rules. And don't forget to visit the WeWriWa website to read excerpts from the other writers, you won't regret it!

Thanks again to all the warriors that read and commented last week, it's SO appreciated!

Last week's 8 was essentially the Genesis for my story world, with Sahlaana the Creator feeling lonely and giving birth to a brood of gods, three boys and a girl. Here is the next step in the creation myth of the Dakina Islands.



Sahlaana's children were bored on Awaya’s bare earth. 
Tiga, ruler of earth and Guardian of the Body, filled the land with forests and fields. 
Tanga, ruler of water and Guardian of the Mind, dug deep lakes and rivers. 
Tana, ruler of fire and Guardian of the Heart, made creatures that live and die. 
Taijala, ruler of air and Guardian of the Spirit, wove a great net to connect all these things together. 
Awaya’s earth was filled with sound and blood. 
Sahlaana’s children were happy. 

Tune in next week to find out what these crazy kids do next. ;)
And don't forget to check out the WeWriWa site to read more great excerpts!

PS: Dear Warriors, I will be away all of Sunday, but I promise to read your excerpts on Monday!