Stop worrying about every little thing
Stop focusing on the past because it is behind you Find one healthy thing for you to do this week for yourself Forgive yourself and others and move forward Define one good thing about you this week
Group 1: Edits chapter 15
Group 2: Writing Chapter 35
Group 3: Writing Chapter 15 Thirty five weeks we are heading into on this writing journey. Some of you are cranking up for chapter 15 edits or writing. And those of you still working on novel #1...should be ready to begin chapter 35.. Let's all report in this week on our progress here on thr blog or on my authorkimturner Facebook page. Let's hear it! And at the same time let's each offer three hints we have found that help us on the writing ✍️ thing we are doing. I'll go first. Three things that I have found that help me are: 1. Meal Planning ahead of time in 2023. More casseroles and crackpot meals. And asking my girls 15 and 17 to prepare a meal each week. 2. Doing my best to get up earlier to get my day started on a positive note. Earlier mornings are harder for me but when I can manage it and have a little time to have coffee and take my time getting ready I seem to have a better day at thr day job and csn focus on my writing at night. 3. I am weird and write out of order with this panster self I am. But...I find as I daydream here and there on my book I make progress but thinking about the scene I pla. To write on and off all day. Oh I am doing my day job but at times or when I can let my mind drift...when driving to and from work....I turn off the radio or the book I am listening to and I think of the details of the upcoming scene I need. I keep notes on my phone when ideas hit for me. So there is my three cents to add. Let's talk about other ideas that help you all this week. What we share might help others. See ya there.
Some authors write by beats or mapped out Story structures to create stories. So in looking at something similar I was thinking this might help to analyze how this is done on for instance a Seven Point Story Structure.
So if you are not sure how to begin a story and meet each milestone you need for that story Maybe this will help. First Herr are the steps in a Seven Step Story Structure. Hook — Your character’s starting point in who they are now. Something is needed here to zap that reader to want to keep turning the page. Plot Point 1 — The event that sets your story in motion and moves you from the beginning to the middle point of your story. You introduce the conflict and your character’s world changes. Some call this the point of no return. This is basically when you character sets out on his/her journey to beat the conflict because there is no other choice. Push Point 1— This is where the bad guy or conflict up the stakes for the hero/heroine. Things get worse. Toss in the crazy. Midpoint of the novem— things are terrible for your character and so he/she moves into major action to overcome the conflict or beat the bad guy. Anything to overcome what is stopping him/her from meeting their goal. Push point 2 — pushes the conflict harder and puts the hero/jeroine into their darkest moments of the Story. It seems all is lost. Plot point 2 — this is where the hero/heroine has made a turn to win or beat the conflict or bad guy no matter the costs. The story moves from the middle and it heading toward the ending or resolution. Your hero/heroine may discover what has to happen for them to overcome the obstacles. Their course of action may change to head then to the ultimate showdown. Resolution — This is the climax of your story. Everything in the story leads to this moment. Here, your character manages to overcome or meet the conflict head on creating a resolution good or bad to end the story. I may not have those beats down perfectly but if you have a story idea. List these points in your notebook and star plugging in the happenings of your story to meet all these points. This may take a bit. But for the first attempts just be simple. Several sentences in each point. Once you are done with a simple idea then go back and add some of the things that must happen in each area to move the character to the next steps. When you are done with that then write in paragraph form a long version of your story. Guess what that will make you a bit of a synopsis rough draft. Once you have this all down then map out how many chapters or scenes are needed in each area to move the character to the story. Do this all the way through. Now you have your outline and plan. Hey its Time to Write!!!
Group 1: Edits chapter 14
Group 2: Writing Chapter 34
Group 3: Writing Chapter 14 Your assignment for the coming week. Chapter 14 edits/writing and chapter 34 writing. I have a challenge for you in the coming week. How about you plan to write for a couple of hours in a new place. Starbucks? The Library? A friends home? I think planning 3 hours on a weekend best. Plan it like you do your writing time. Set it with your writing pal or pals. Plan in travel time and let your family know that you have plans. Prep list: Laptop and cord Writing notebook Glasses Snacks/drinks Pens and paper Butt cushion...yes I carry one Goal: A quick brainstorming about your story and your Pala story/stories. This is where you jot ideas into your notebook for later. But go with a plan of what chapter(s) you will work on while with your writing pals. During the writing time set the rules. No talking or interuptions. Save the last 20 minutes to discuss progress made. Anyway...think about getting away as soon as you can plan it with your pals. You'll be surprised hoe much it helps. And if you cannot meet in person how about Skype or Zoom....no excuses.
I keep reminding everyone participating not to go back to refine, re-edit, rewrite or tweak their story. The idea here js we need to focus on moving forward and not back.
You may be the type of author or write who tells me they cannot go ahead if their is messy writing in the first few chapters. This really can be the death of ever finishing a story. I promise you will get to the Edits but right now let's talk more about faster writing. You may tend to think fixing the first 3 chapters to perfection will help you in the long run. This isn't really true. Honestly by the time you do have a completed rough draft those first 3 chapters will need tweaking and editing again because things may have changed. Sonot best to keep going forward. I have said it before but you cannot edit an unfinished book. And if you spend months just working the first three chapters to perfection time is wasn't. The point of this. Log is to push your to write daily and finish. Yes that first draft will be junk...but then the polishing can begin. It you worry early on about perfection this is gonna a take a while. Let go and write. It is OK that is it not perfect now. I promise you will thank me later. Forget all the writing g rules you have learn and let those fingers roll across the key fast in order to keep up with your mind. Come on I dare ya! Turn on the writing and let it flow. You got this! Here are more Hints: Plan what you need to write Writing sprints can help...got 20 minutes? Let go of perfectionism Remove distractions Plan your writing time when your write best Time yourself and challenge your times and word count Outline what is needed in next chapter or scene Ignore your internal editor We have talked about all of these so really it's a reminder. Come on finish the book!!
Group 1: Edits chapter 13
Group 2: Writing Chapter 33
Group 3: Writing Chapter 13 So this coming week chapter 13 edits or 33 snd 13 writing. We are rocking this!!! Just a mention this week on your negotiating of your writing time. As I keep saying if you do not plan the time it won't be there for your story. Tell your family when you will be writing so you get your 500 words a day in the hour you choose. Let's talk a little about the Mom guilt considering maybe some of us have kids. Mine are teens so they really don't care if I am writing. They have grown up with me writing and it's sort of ingrained in them now. They know not to bug me when I am writing and they know not to bug me when I am doing bills. Interrupting me when I am writing or doing the bills will cause me to snarl. But I am kind enough to ask what is needed of me before I start either. I am not sure but if any men are following this blog I don't mean to exclude you. So let go of the Dad guilt too. But..sometimes as women we do so much for others we don't find the time for the things we want in life. So my question to you is what is your dream? What do you wish you had or could do? And my next question. How important is this book to you? Is this one of your dreams or something you have wanted for a long time? If the answer is yes then why aren't you negotiatiny and finding time to finish it? No one is gonna give you this dream...you have to carve out the time and attention to it. Only you can write this story and you shouldn't feel guilty about one hour a day for your dreams. Make a calendar of the hours you will be writing this week and post it on the fridge. Put a reminder you will have the hour and will not accept interuptions. FROM ANYONE...UNLESS THERE IS AN EMERGENCY AND BLOOD IS INVOLVED. Ha. I am kidding but seriously chat with each family members about the time you have reserved for you. Mom guilt has no place here. Why does everyone else needs come before your own. It's hard with kids and even harder if they are small. But one hour a day may need to be negotiated with a spouse or older sibling to watch the little people. I use to promise my girls their favorite meals if I could write for an hour. I wrote at Chuck E Cheeses...turned them loose with coins and arm bands so I could write. I took them skating on weekends so I could snag some writing time. I carried my laptop to soccer practice and dance. Now that my teen girls are older. I text them the chores that they should be helping with and they have more responsibilities. I am getting more writing time these days with them helping and like I said a husband who doesn't mind picking up more chores than me so I can write. I know some authors who have years pass by between books. Why? I have let too much time go between books and then have to push hard to make one happen. But I have not gone years....time does pass though. Just when you planning on finishing this first book or the one you wanted to complete this year? How many years have already passed where you didn't finish the story you have inside that head of yours? LET GO OF THE MOM GUILT!! Maybe it is not family and kids keeping you from finishing your story. Maybe you are your own worst enemy. Are you procrastinating? Why? Are your fearing you cannot do this? Well you won't know until you try. Is your health keeping you back? You do have to take care of yourself as a priority but get your health together so you can write. What is your issue with not getting in your writing time? I suggest using your planning book to track each day and where your time goes. Then you may csn identify just why you cannot get time to Write in your day each day. Then plan for it in advance. Only you can change this. So work on it...then you can start tracking your writing time and see your story beginning to come together. It will happen if you work on finding time to Write.
Create your writing goals. Do this ahead of the writing time you are planning. Use your planning book to jot down what should be written next.
Prioritize in your mind or in your writing notebook what the hour of writing should accomplish. Map out what you'll work on and the order. Sometimes tackling the hardest thing first is best. You won't procrastinate then. Remember the reason you are writing each time you sit down to your manuscript. Remember the story and the reason it needs to be written. Remember why you wanted to write. If you need to quiet set it up. Headphones or light music can help your writing mood. No social media. It can distract your intentions of wriring. Add tea and a candle if it makes your full into your story. Reward yourself. If you write productively for your hour how about a piece of chocolate. How about a warm bubble bath with candles. Be forgiving to yourself when you need to. If your hour doesn't produce what you wanted it's OK. Plan better for the next days hour once more. But manage your wriring time to get something out of each hour spent.
If it is not working and your are not accomplishing much in your writing time go back to the whys? CHange the time, change the place you write...replan how you are going to find your writing time. Not everyone works the same. We all have to weigh and balance how it bests works for each of us.
Spend some time this week looking at how you are doing things. What can you tweak and make better for gain more time and even write faster?
Have a great week and do something for you!
Group 1: Edits chapter 12
Group 2: Writing Chapter 32 Group 3: Writing Chapter 12 August. 8 months at this. Week 32!!! Looking back does it feel long? Have you made progress that makes you happy? I'll preach again on not going back to edit. Keep going forward. FINISH THE BOOK. That is our goal here. The purpose of the first draft is not perfection...it's just to get it written. I am encouraging you to take a moment this week to look at your writing notebook again. It should contain a sentence or two about what each chapter or scene holds for quick and easy access. It should contain the things you want to remember to add, delete or make better. It should contain a timeline of happenings in your story and a Bible of character traits and items about that character. Eye color. Hair color. Character quirks. Birthdays. Whatever you might need a quick reference for your character. Refer to it often. If you are so inclined maybe make it a bullet journal. Short and sweet. Maybe add a written quote a day. Something to make your planning book fun. It's only as helpful as to how much you add to it. So give it a look each week. Don't worry about being neat and tidy. Just get down the items needed this week. So get on to your assigned chapter this week and see if you can get down that next chapter or edit due. You got this!!!
How well do you know your hero/heroine? No, how well do you really know them? Here are some questions to answer in your writing notebook about your character. I mostly write in the male POV, so when I say hero just assume for some of you it's the heroine.
I cannot keep harping enought on Deb Dixon's book: Goal, Motovation & Conflict. She is the master! G M C Goal Motivation Conflict Who is your hero? What does your hero want? What does he want it? What is standing in his way? Thats just a start on understanding your character but there is much much more you can ask. What are your characters strengths and weaknesses? Why? What relationships have been most important to you hero and why? What losses has your character survived and how were they impacted by them? Write out a full description of your characters appearance? What flaws affect your hero? What quirks does he encompass? What is your hero's level of education and what jobs has he held? Some writers may even utilize character personality tests and answer for them. Thst is cool. I know some writers use the Meyers Briggs personality typing to get thing in depth and in perspective on their character. What are your hero's likes and dislikes? What makes him laugh or cry? What is his biggest regret? What backstory does her character have and what will impact the current story? What habits or mannerisms are seen in your hero? Why? Why does your hero like in others? It might be a good idea to read up on alphas and betas which can explain actions a character takes. There are so many things more you csn ask about a character to make sure your know him or her. Search online for a list of questions that you think would help you on mapping out who your character is. This is important but again don't get bogged down in anything that is gonna take your hour a day of writing. DO your hour and then venture to other things needed for your story.
