Taking the Easy Way Out

I'm in the midst of having my book critiqued, which is a very fascinating, helpful and difficult process.

It's fascinating to see your book through someone else's eyes, to get an idea of what they are getting out of it. It's helpful because they are trying to do everything they can so that you can strip your book of all the crap and make it the best it can be (every "negative" comment is just helpful, I must remind myself). And it's difficult because suddenly you realize just how much work you still have to do on your book. Sigh.

But it's also kind of exciting, thinking about all of these things that I can and will do to make my story soooo much better.

One thing that I've noticed is how much I will ignore things while writing that I KNOW are problems. For example there's this one scene where my MC breaks into somewhere, and I knew when I wrote it that it was waaay too easy for him to gain access, but I didn't fix it because I was lazy. That wasn't the only time I just wrote something because it was easier.

If it's too easy, it could be better, I've learned.

I actually came to this conclusion while reading Catching Fire. I always wondered why Suzanne Collins came up with multiple scenarios for The Hunger Games. The way I read it, it didn't seem necessary that she give in-detail descriptions of past Games. The thing is, maybe it wasn't necessary, but it sure made the book better.

That's the thing about having CPs. They call you out on all the stuff you just ignored because you were lazy. (And a lot more).

Now, as always happens when you do a haphazard job, I must go back and pick up after my laziness...

Why I Critique

"So, you offered to read someone's 300-page book?" he said skeptically.

My dad said this after I put out a call for critique partners in my last post. And yes, dad, I DID offer to read and comment on someone's 100,000 word book. I know you think it's crazy, but I have reasons, you know, and they might not make sense to you but they do to me.

So, why do writers go searching for CPs (critique partners) anyways?

Well, here are the reasons I do it...

1. I get a "free" critique of my own work. I mean, it's not completely free, since I have to critique their work too which takes effort and time, but I can afford to spend effort and time a lot more than I can afford to spend money.

2. A critique of my own work is ESSENTIAL. I am aware of problems to fix after I finish each draft, but the more times I read over my drafts the harder it is to look at it as a fresh pair of eyes (in fact, it borders on impossible). Fresh pairs of eyes are SO helpful. I've spent years on my book, so it's really hard to separate myself enough to see problems. It's so helpful to have someone completely new come in and take a look and point out things I just couldn't notice as I'm not a first-time reader.

3. By becoming CPs with someone, I am switching MSs with another writer, which is incredibly valuable. I do send drafts sometimes to readers that aren't writers, and while they do give good feedback (and quite a lot of encouragement), writers undeniably have more knowledge of what works and what doesn't in a story. As a writer, you're always analyzing books and thinking of what you like or don't like and incorporating those things into your own writing. Not everyone does that.

4. When I critique others' work, I learn so much about what works and what doesn't and just stories in general. You can analyze and break down a published book, but there's no denying that published books always come across as much more polished and complete than other writers' drafts (probably because they are). It's a lot easier to spot what doesn't work with a still in-progress work.

5. I can work on my writing skills. One of the hardest things I've found about critiquing is seeing that there's something wrong, and wanting to point out the problem, but not knowing quite how to put it into words. Or at least, a comment or statement that actually makes sense and will be helpful. You would think that putting things into words wouldn't be that hard for a writer, but it is! (At least for me). It definitely stretches my writing ability!

6. Also, I like helping people. :)

So, dear father, and anyone else who doubts my sanity in taking on other people's works in progress to critique, THAT is why I do it.

 

OK, so now that I've said how much I like critiquing... I guess I'll do a giveaway, which I haven't done in awhile. Two people who comment on this post will get a free first chapter critique from me. Just let me know in your comment if you want a critique, and leave your email address or some way of contacting you. :)

Trying Not to Empty the Well of My Writing

A few months ago I mentioned that I was working on a super in detail crazy outline. Well, the update is that I've finished that outline (25,000 words!) and I've now started working on complete draft number three.

My outline is crazy detailed, and really I've given myself EVERYTHING that I need to pretty much just write this draft until I'm done (if I could go without sleep for about a week...). Yet I'm STILL "getting stuck."

Where do I get stuck? Well, before I begin. There are so many times when I cannot bring myself to start writing because my thoughts are along the lines of but I don't know where it's going... I don't know what should happen...

If you saw my outline, you would realize that those are really lame excuses. I know what is going to happen!! I just have to write it!!

A few days ago I figured out my problem. I'm one of those people that likes to get things done, so naturally I like writing to the end of the scene because I feel like I've accomplished something. If I leave a scene half written, I feel like that's one thing I can't cross off my to do list.

However, starting with a new scene every time is hard! Awhile ago I read some writing advice that said you should stop when you're on a roll - even in the middle of a sentence. Heck, ESPECIALLY in the middle of a sentence.

I'm writing this post right after I wrote a bit, and I probably only had a few sentences left before I would've completed the scene I was writing. Instead of finishing it, I stopped mid-thought. I know exactly what I want to happen next, I just have to write it. So I don't have to start completely fresh next time, I just have to pick up the thread where I left off.

When do you stop writing? Mid-thought? The end of a scene/chapter?

“I learned never to empty the well of my writing, but always to stop when there was still something there in the deep part of the well, and let it refill at night from the springs that fed it.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

7 Things You Shouldn't Do When You Should Be Writing

1. Do not go on the Internet, because it is a black hole.

2. Do not convince yourself that going on the Internet is OK.

Me #1: But, vlogbrothers videos are educational.
Me #2: NO. Write.
Me #1: But... tumblr. There's... bookish stuff on there.
Me #2: Really? I think you're reaching, there... do you not understand you are procrastinating and wasting time???
Me #1: OK, you're right about that one. But... blog posts. C'mon, those have to do with WRITING!!! By reading blogs, you're pretty much writing anyway.
Me #2: Well... uhm...
Me#1: See, even you know I'm right.
Me #2: *surfs internet frantically for fun things*
Me #3: No... all hope is lost...

3. Don't read (for the sake of not writing).

Me #1: READING. It is important. That is how you learn to write properly.
Me #2: Yes but writing -the actual action of it- is pretty important when writing, don't you think?
Me #1: SHUT UP I LIKE BOOKS *buries head in book* Now go away.

4. Do not allow yourself time to dawdle.

Me #1: *rereads what I wrote last time* *stares at following blank page* What now?
Me #2: I don't know.
Me #1: ARGHHHHH I hate this...
Me #2: Look! I wrote something!
Me #1: Um... all you wrote was "ARGHHH why can't someone else write this for me???"
Me #2:  So what?


5. Do not try to convince yourself that your story is almost done anyway, so you don't need to work on it.

Me #1: 7 more scenes!! Only seven more scenes!
Me #2: Yes! 7 scenes that will never get written if you don't stop talking about it and just WRITE.
Me #1: Yes, but on average that's only 7 hours! I could be done by tomorrow!
Me #2: You still aren't writing. You have to realize this will never happen if you don't write, right?
Me #1: Can you imagine being DONE this monster?? And then I can FINALLY send it to my friends to read. Did you know I've been waiting two years for this?
Me #2: YOU AREN'T LISTENING TO ME. IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN IF YOU DON'T WRITE.
Me #1: Yeah, but I'm almost done!!

6. Do not replace the action of writing with something you trick yourself into thinking is equally important.

Me #2: Oh, like blogging about how you keep procrastinating instead of writing? HUH?
Me #1: um...

7. The #amwriting tag on twitter. (Also, see #1 and #2).

Random Person: Working on stuff blah blah blah #amwriting
Me #1: You are not writing... you are on twitter.
Me #2: Well, you're not writing either, so...
Me #1: Would you just go away already!
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Me #1: All of your blog readers are going to think you are crazy when they see how much you talk to yourself...
Me #2:  Hey, this is the funniest post I've written in a while! I'm going to publish it, and you can't stop me!
Me #1: NOOOOOO

How do you distract/excuse yourself from writing?