Beginnings–Learning from the Pros
As a beginning writer, one of the most important lessons you is to learn from the professionals in your field. They are the ones who have been in the trenches. They offer the kind of tips you won’t find in a magazine. They give you the insider’s guide.
For my writing, I embellish it with tidbits from my own experiences. I enjoy adding the elements of one who has experienced a particular situation. This is the crux of writing what you know. In my soon-to-be-published mystery, I added just a hint of the paranormal. Curious incidences, as we called them, at our own home inspired me. The challenge became clear–how to make it believable. That’s when I turned to the masters for guidance.
The heyday of ghost stories was the Victorian age. The authors weaved tales of the supernatural in everyday life. No longer was the ghostly apparition confined to the castle or graveyard. It was in your home, your bedroom. To read some of the stories by greats such as J. S. LeFanu
I personally believe writing stories of this sort is one of the most challenging tasks for a writer. Making such a tale believable is essential. It is a monumental task in today’s world of technology. If you read these stories carefully, you are left feeling a bit of doubt. Could it be true? Could it happen? For a writer to make me question my own beliefs is a creative achievement. That is precisely why I went to the pros to learn how to make it possible.
For whatever writing you do, begin with a lesson from your mentors. Learn from their style and word choice. Learn what has been said before so you can incorporate it with a touch of your own imagination.
Beginning–Writing My First Fiction E-Book
With the publication of my fist non-fiction e-book, 101 Things to Do on the Wisconsin Great River Road
I’ve had the book written for a couple of years. Nagging doubts about whether or not it was ready for prime time kept me from pursuing formal print publication. The ability to e-publish my work has dissolved those feelings. I’m moving ahead with my book, secure with the knowledge that I know how to format it.
That’s the hard part, isn’t it? Getting over your doubts and learning the ropes empower you and propel you forward. The freedom of being in control of your work can also motivate you. At the end of the day, I can say this is my work, 100 percent. That must be one of the effects of freelancing–you learn to like your new “boss” and feel tremendous loyalty.
I’ve blogged about my fiction book, a mystery set in 1984 in northeastern Wisconsin. It is an intensely personal work, though I doubt any of that will be obvious to the reader. I incorporate my own memories of growing up in a southern suburb of Chicago. My main character is from a similar area and brings those distinctive Illinois-isms to his personality. It has been so enjoyable re-living this part of my life.
With my artwork, I create scenes of a world I wish existed and that I could enjoy. My writing is similar. I’ve recreated a world I would love to inhabit. I may not be able to live in Pine Ridge, Wisconsin, but at least I can take a short mental vacation.
Another Helpful Website
While I’m careful about backing up my Palm and important directories on my computer, I neglected my bookmarks. Word to self: bookmarks are irreplaceable too. So when Firefox mysteriously crashed and burned last week, I was forced to, eek, uninstall and reinstall the program. I thought I had made the proper back up, but no. The great article I used as a key reference was lost.
I tried to Google it, but no luck. However, in my convoluted surfing, I did come across an absolute treasure of a site, loaded with links with advice and articles for writers. Writing-World.com
has advice for writers of all genres. The advice spans the world of writing from grammar basics to character development to publishing. I spent a whole morning perusing its many topics. Already I have a litany of updates to make on my own mystery. Though we hear these adages many times, it helps to see them in black and white, glaring at you. I’m reminded of the nun who taught us composition and grammar in grade school. Sometimes it’s just this kind of kick in the pants a writer needs to get back to the keyboard and write.
Making the Writing Easier
I have used several tools to help me organize my work. Using Robert Ray and Jack Remick’s The Weekend Novelist Writes A Mystery, I followed their advice of using index cards to organize my plot. Maybe a bit dated in this computer age, but I did find that moving a scene to here or there very easy. This was important for me to establish my acts, the dramatic events and the general sequence of events. More than once I flipped back and forth with my choices.
From index cards, I built a spreadsheet. Frankly, the printed word from my laser printer is a lot neater than my own writing. I created a line of main headings: Scene, Time, Characters, POV (point of view), Place, and Description. And since this is a mystery, I also wanted to keep track of what my sleuth was learning in each scene and who was he suspecting at different points in the book. I identified that main plot points and the acts. Subplots I highlighted.
For me, outlining worked. Not everyone works that way. Some prefer to immerse themselves in the creative process and follow in its path. For me, spending weeks developing my characters, plotting my mystery in the end made the writing easier. My book had direction. Next time, useful software.
Editing My Rough Draft
If I can’t say anything else, I can say that I’ve written my book. I completed my rough draft. Overall, the writing came easy. A couple of books were a tremendous help. Robert Ray and Jack Remick’s The Weekend Novelist Writes A Mystery provided a framework with which to plan your own work. Using Agatha Christie’s ,”A Body in the Library”, as a model, the book gave relevant exercises for you to use.
provided a framework with which to plan your own work. Using Agatha Christie’s ,”A Body in the Library”, as a model, the book gave relevant exercises for you to use. However, if you’re looking for more of a book that will “hold your hand” through the process, then Halllie Ephron’s Writing & Selling Your Mystery Novel: How To Knock ‘Em Dead With Style may be more what you’d prefer. The section on character development is outstanding. You’ll know your characters well after completing the series of exercises.
may be more what you’d prefer. The section on character development is outstanding. You’ll know your characters well after completing the series of exercises.Now that I’ve completed the draft, I am in the process of revising. I have to admit being intimidated by the fact that my finished product was far short of the usual word count. I struggled with how I would be able to fill out my mystery without it seeming like fluff. Much to my surprise, by getting to know my characters better, it’s coming easier than I thought. One thing I did was to find images for my characters. Having a face to associate with a name made bringing the characters to life easier, more enjoyable.
Next time, time saver and plotting devices I used.
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