To create a believable setting takes attention to detail and patience. You might not be able to create the perfect setting for your book right away. You might have to fine tune it over the entire period of writing your book.
It normally helps to write about a place you are familiar with whether it is where you live or an area you have visited. This way you already know some of the things about the area and if you need to research it won't be for the whole area. I have read books by top authors and when the book is situated in the town I live it, you just want to laugh at some of the things they believe about the area. I lived in Las Vegas for 11 years and many people wrote books with the setting in Vegas. Either they didn't visit the city and just wrote about what they thought about the town or if they did visit they never left the strip. One of the books I read talked about leaving the strip and traveling to this one area of the town and their directions that were listed in the book took them to a completely different area of town and had two roads cross that ran parallel. These are the kinds of things you need to look at when you are writing a book. If you don't know the area don't just assume things about it, or use information you received from TV and the movies. Normally it isn't completely accurate.
When you are creating a setting that doesn't exist then be mindful of what information you put into the setting in prior areas of the book. I have found if I write down what was in an area it helped me to remember when I had the characters walk through the area in a later chapter.
As with all writing creating a setting is all about the details. You need to make sure it is consistent throughout the book not just the part you are writing. When you are able to do this then you will be able to add details to the setting to make it come to life. Which will make it real for your readers and this is what you want to do to keep them coming back for your future books.
Showing posts with label writing tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing tips. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Writing Tips: Distractions
It is easy to get distracted when you are trying to write. You know you are supposed to sit down every day and write to expand your story or work on revisions, but there are always things to distract you. It could be the children knocking at the door, the birds flying outside, or even your mind wandering. It could be caused by writer's block, boredom or spring fever.
No matter what the cause you need to work through it. You have to overcome the distractions to be able to continue on with your writing. If the children are knocking at the door then set up a time when they know they are supposed to bother you, time that you set aside just for writing. If something outside is distracting you because you sit in front of a window (I do) then get blinds for the window or move your office. As for your mind wandering that is something that you have to work through on your own. All of us at times deal with day dreaming and it can be productive, but it can also be counter-productive and it is up to you how you handle it.
When you are dealing with writer's block it can be extremely frustrating. It can be caused by you are overtired, your emotions are running high or you could just be pulling a blank, whatever the cause there are different techniques talked about around the Internet that can help you and other authors might be able to give you some ideas that have worked for them. I know when I get writer's block about a specific book, I switch books and try something different. As for the boredom aspect, you can try the same thing, work on something new or try a different genre to see if that peaks your interest. As for spring fever, take a day off, go play in the sun and have some fun, then the next day get back to work.
There are many things that can distract us and it is up to us what we let distract us and what we don't. If you want to be a successful writer then you have to find ways around the distractions in your life and not give in to the impulses that cross your path.
As always, happy writing
Patti
No matter what the cause you need to work through it. You have to overcome the distractions to be able to continue on with your writing. If the children are knocking at the door then set up a time when they know they are supposed to bother you, time that you set aside just for writing. If something outside is distracting you because you sit in front of a window (I do) then get blinds for the window or move your office. As for your mind wandering that is something that you have to work through on your own. All of us at times deal with day dreaming and it can be productive, but it can also be counter-productive and it is up to you how you handle it.
When you are dealing with writer's block it can be extremely frustrating. It can be caused by you are overtired, your emotions are running high or you could just be pulling a blank, whatever the cause there are different techniques talked about around the Internet that can help you and other authors might be able to give you some ideas that have worked for them. I know when I get writer's block about a specific book, I switch books and try something different. As for the boredom aspect, you can try the same thing, work on something new or try a different genre to see if that peaks your interest. As for spring fever, take a day off, go play in the sun and have some fun, then the next day get back to work.
There are many things that can distract us and it is up to us what we let distract us and what we don't. If you want to be a successful writer then you have to find ways around the distractions in your life and not give in to the impulses that cross your path.
As always, happy writing
Patti
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Be Prepared!
I was trying to figure out what to write to you about today and I decided that the topic for today would be being prepared. Sounds like the Boy Scout motto right? Well it is, but it is important in other areas of your life also. I work for a company that I write their blogs, newsletters, website copy and occasionally their press releases. To come up with ideas for their blogs and newsletter on a consistent basis can be difficult. So I decided to tell you how I go about deciding on this information.
To research for my job, I reach industry newsletters, articles, magazines and white papers. My doing this I am able to keep up with the market and know what knew products and ideas are coming down the pipeline. When I read the above mentioned materials, I keep a notebook next to me and write down any ideas that I think are interesting. Then I go back to them and review them. If I think it is something that would be pertinent to the company I write for then I highlight it, if I don't I leave it alone for now. The reason I do that, is because it might not be relevant now but in the future it might be.
There are all kinds of writers in the world, from people who write novels to people who write a daily journal. Writing isn't something that can be assigned to someone to do and have them do it well. It is a skill that has to be refined and practiced. If someone just throws out random ideas, the end product won't work because there isn't any cohesiveness which means it will fall apart. So as with any skill you need to work on it, research information, practice and practice some more until you get a product that you can be proud of, even when you reread it five years later.
Enjoy writing and it will bring you enjoyment.
Patti
To research for my job, I reach industry newsletters, articles, magazines and white papers. My doing this I am able to keep up with the market and know what knew products and ideas are coming down the pipeline. When I read the above mentioned materials, I keep a notebook next to me and write down any ideas that I think are interesting. Then I go back to them and review them. If I think it is something that would be pertinent to the company I write for then I highlight it, if I don't I leave it alone for now. The reason I do that, is because it might not be relevant now but in the future it might be.
There are all kinds of writers in the world, from people who write novels to people who write a daily journal. Writing isn't something that can be assigned to someone to do and have them do it well. It is a skill that has to be refined and practiced. If someone just throws out random ideas, the end product won't work because there isn't any cohesiveness which means it will fall apart. So as with any skill you need to work on it, research information, practice and practice some more until you get a product that you can be proud of, even when you reread it five years later.
Enjoy writing and it will bring you enjoyment.
Patti
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Characters Consistency
When we started writing our first book, because there weren't a lot of characters we were able to remember them. When we decided to continue the book into others and create a series, we started having to keep track of all of the characters. So we kept notebooks on the different ideas we had, the different characters we were planning on putting in the books, what time era we were going to write about.
I put up in my office a poster board that listed the twelve islands, who was in charge of each island, the island theme and time period and any characters that came from that island. As we wrote the books and new characters would be introduced we put them under the correct island. We did this so that we wouldn't mix up characters and use different names for the same characters and it made it so their history stayed the same.
Consistency is important aspect of writing. If you have a character that is in the car and then all of a sudden they are in the house, you need to explain how they got there. Your writing needs to flow. Which means there shouldn't be parts where people ask themselves, okay how did that happen because it will stop the flow of the book and people will be more likely to put the book down at that point and might not pick it back up.
I used to play online games and in this game we were able to create areas where people could go into and fight monsters. So I had created an area and in the first part of the areas was the entrance to the Crystal Castle, and it described the area as being bright and filled with rainbows and light because the sun was reflecting off of the crystal. It sounded great until I went back and reviewed it before it was released and realized that it sounded great but the room was listed as a dark room without light, so how could the sun reflect off of the crystal if there wasn't a light. This is the kind of thing you need to be mindful of because it could completely through your writing our of focus and make it difficult for someone to relate to.
So remember, it is always important to make sure your characters have consistency in their behavior and history.
As always, have fun with your writing.
Patti
I put up in my office a poster board that listed the twelve islands, who was in charge of each island, the island theme and time period and any characters that came from that island. As we wrote the books and new characters would be introduced we put them under the correct island. We did this so that we wouldn't mix up characters and use different names for the same characters and it made it so their history stayed the same.
Consistency is important aspect of writing. If you have a character that is in the car and then all of a sudden they are in the house, you need to explain how they got there. Your writing needs to flow. Which means there shouldn't be parts where people ask themselves, okay how did that happen because it will stop the flow of the book and people will be more likely to put the book down at that point and might not pick it back up.
I used to play online games and in this game we were able to create areas where people could go into and fight monsters. So I had created an area and in the first part of the areas was the entrance to the Crystal Castle, and it described the area as being bright and filled with rainbows and light because the sun was reflecting off of the crystal. It sounded great until I went back and reviewed it before it was released and realized that it sounded great but the room was listed as a dark room without light, so how could the sun reflect off of the crystal if there wasn't a light. This is the kind of thing you need to be mindful of because it could completely through your writing our of focus and make it difficult for someone to relate to.
So remember, it is always important to make sure your characters have consistency in their behavior and history.
As always, have fun with your writing.
Patti
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Writing Tips - Organization
Someone asked me the other day what I do to get myself ready to write a book. So I was thinking about it and I decided that it all comes down to organization. If you aren't organized in what you do then you have the possibility of getting off track. This unfortunately can cause your story to sound off track and disorganized. Now I am sure there are people out there that believe that you don't have to be organized to write. My son saw my desk the other day and commented on how messy it was, when he came in 5 minutes later, after I had finished for the day, he was surprised how clean it was. It all comes down to organization.
If I am starting a new project then I create a folder for it to put in all the notes and comments I come up with. I create an outline for my story or project, place it in the folder and make sure the folder is labeled. Once this is done cleaning up at the end of the day is easy. You just put the information in its appropriate file and put it away.
It is important to also be organized on the computer. I work for a company that I write their blogs, newsletters, website copy, ad copy and on occasion their press releases. They currently have 4 different websites that I handle. To keep them straight in the computer, each website has its own folder and each folder has subfolders for the above mentioned topics. This way when someone needs information I am able to get it for them quickly and easily.
I believe it is important in whatever you to do stay organized. I had a boss that couldn't see his desk unless I cleaned it off. Everyone thought he was organized and knew where everything was on his desk, but what they didn't know was that when they left his office he had me help him find what they were looking for.
Organization is one of the key to success. Without organization, people are apt to flounder and misplace items. If you want to succeed in any business it is imperative that people find a system that works for them. Organization isn't about fitting into strict guidelines that you feel would stifle your creativity, its about finding a place where you can find items with ease.
Enjoy and Happy Writing
Patti
If I am starting a new project then I create a folder for it to put in all the notes and comments I come up with. I create an outline for my story or project, place it in the folder and make sure the folder is labeled. Once this is done cleaning up at the end of the day is easy. You just put the information in its appropriate file and put it away.
It is important to also be organized on the computer. I work for a company that I write their blogs, newsletters, website copy, ad copy and on occasion their press releases. They currently have 4 different websites that I handle. To keep them straight in the computer, each website has its own folder and each folder has subfolders for the above mentioned topics. This way when someone needs information I am able to get it for them quickly and easily.
I believe it is important in whatever you to do stay organized. I had a boss that couldn't see his desk unless I cleaned it off. Everyone thought he was organized and knew where everything was on his desk, but what they didn't know was that when they left his office he had me help him find what they were looking for.
Organization is one of the key to success. Without organization, people are apt to flounder and misplace items. If you want to succeed in any business it is imperative that people find a system that works for them. Organization isn't about fitting into strict guidelines that you feel would stifle your creativity, its about finding a place where you can find items with ease.
Enjoy and Happy Writing
Patti
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Procrastination
I was thinking about writing and that one of the largest setbacks for any writer is procrastination. I have outside my house a pond and trees that are currently covered with snow. My office windows looks out over this, with the deep green from the fir and spruce trees with snow and ice weighing heavily on the stout branches, the sun reflecting off of the pond and sometimes gentle snowflakes floating from the sky. With this heavenly view out my office window, it can make it difficult to concentrate at times. It is much nicer to look toward the trees and see the birds flying or watch a deer cross the meadow. But with anyone who is serious about their writing it is important to set aside specific times every day to write. Even if you make yourself sit in front of your computer for one hour a day. It isn't the time that you invest into your writing that is important at this time, it is making it a habit to sit down and write. By doing this you are able to make it so that you set up a routine and the more you do a routine the easier it becomes. You would do the same thing if you smoked, you would make time every day to smoke but isn't writing more important to you than smoking (it's what will pay for the cigarettes). So my advice, which is free because we all have advice, is to make sure you sit down at your computer on a daily basis and write about something, put something down on paper.
Good luck with your writing.
Patti
Good luck with your writing.
Patti
Monday, January 15, 2007
Writing Tips
Good Morning
Here is the new section on writing tips for anyone who would like to use it. Now remember this is just my opinion. I have found when I am writing that I don't worry about proofreading what I am writing until I am finished with the section I am working on. If you interrupt your train of thought to fix typos then the thought that was winging through your head might never ever come back and could be lost in the great abyss of missed writing opportunities. To avoid that from happening to any other writer I suggest that you handle proofreading after you have finished writing for the day. I would also recommend that you do some of the proofreading before you hand it off to your proofreader because they will be eternally grateful especially when you type a word that you know exactly what you mean but the proofreader is looking into that great abyss and wondering why you didn't let that idea fall into it.
I have learned that if I do not force myself to sit down and write at least an hour a day then I will procrastinate and never finish the book. There were times that I wouldn't write for months because I had a "writer's block" but if you force yourself to continue writing you will eventually make it through the block and be able to write again. This doesn't mean that you won't have to go back and edit everything you have already written, but it will help you make it through it and keep your book from never being finished.
One of the hardest things for me is when I have 3 or more book ideas floating through my head and they are all clamoring to get out. How do I choose which one I want to write about? Will they stay in my brain long enough for me to get them out? I have found that if I start writing about one, I need to at least get the others down on paper whether it is with an outline of the book or just a synopsis of what it is going to be about. If you are going to do a synopsis then it is smart to put into any ideas you had about the book to include cool details and some action on the character's part.
I think that is enough information for now. I will definitely continue this later and hopefully get some interest and feedback from other authors. Have a great day and comments are always welcome.
Patti
http://www.amberisle.com
Here is the new section on writing tips for anyone who would like to use it. Now remember this is just my opinion. I have found when I am writing that I don't worry about proofreading what I am writing until I am finished with the section I am working on. If you interrupt your train of thought to fix typos then the thought that was winging through your head might never ever come back and could be lost in the great abyss of missed writing opportunities. To avoid that from happening to any other writer I suggest that you handle proofreading after you have finished writing for the day. I would also recommend that you do some of the proofreading before you hand it off to your proofreader because they will be eternally grateful especially when you type a word that you know exactly what you mean but the proofreader is looking into that great abyss and wondering why you didn't let that idea fall into it.
I have learned that if I do not force myself to sit down and write at least an hour a day then I will procrastinate and never finish the book. There were times that I wouldn't write for months because I had a "writer's block" but if you force yourself to continue writing you will eventually make it through the block and be able to write again. This doesn't mean that you won't have to go back and edit everything you have already written, but it will help you make it through it and keep your book from never being finished.
One of the hardest things for me is when I have 3 or more book ideas floating through my head and they are all clamoring to get out. How do I choose which one I want to write about? Will they stay in my brain long enough for me to get them out? I have found that if I start writing about one, I need to at least get the others down on paper whether it is with an outline of the book or just a synopsis of what it is going to be about. If you are going to do a synopsis then it is smart to put into any ideas you had about the book to include cool details and some action on the character's part.
I think that is enough information for now. I will definitely continue this later and hopefully get some interest and feedback from other authors. Have a great day and comments are always welcome.
Patti
http://www.amberisle.com
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