Rejection sucks.
You think you're prepared for it. Going in to querying, you know you're obviously going to get rejected - everyone does - because writing is subjective. Heck, even C. S. Lewis got hundreds of rejections before publishing his first piece. Every writer, every creative, goes through rejection. So it's safe to say your first queries will be rejected too. But it's still shocking how much that first one hurts. And the second one. And the third one that you had your hopes pinned on. And the fourth one that comes not even 24 hours after submission. Rejection will hurt. Come on, this is your baby! Your thousands-of-words novel that you've poured hours of work, buckets of tears, and several clumps of hair into. Someone not liking it? How can that be? But just like lemon meringue pie isn't for everyone, neither is your story. Even if you get an agent and get published, your story still won't be for everyone. Which is... somewhat comforting? The rejection letters are (understandably since agents receive hundreds a day) all the same form letters - "thanks but I'm not the agent for your story". Which is frustrating. Was it my plot you didn't like? My writing style? My characters? Point me in some direction here! After a while, it's quite dismaying. Especially after receiving such great feedback from critique partners and mentors and agents (through paid meetings on Manuscript Academy - you should look into it), which gets your hopes up. Thus far, my book has received seven rejections and no requests for a manuscript. In the meantime, I've found that working on a new project keeps my mind focused on the future (when I'll have another manuscript to query and face rejections with). It'll be an endless cycle until one agent bites, until one agent believes in my stories and ideas. So what can we writers do when faced with such dismal rejections? Keep querying. Keep creating. Keep hoping.
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Even though I always knew this time would come in my pursuit of authorship, I still dread it: the query process. But I can’t keep putting it off, so it’s 2022 and I’m diving in! My Tools
My Process While finishing the final edits on my manuscript, I started going through the Guide to Literary Agents (GLA) and highlighting all agents that take both Fantasy and YA. Once that was complete, I looked at each of those agents and starred ones that also took Graphic Novels and Science Fiction because I want an agency that’s going to be with me through my career if I decide to write books outside of Fantasy. Next, I used the Agency Query Tracker from the Writers Market website (free – click here to visit) to start making my personalized list of agencies. I made slight modifications to the column headers and added the following:
In the end, it looks like this: NExt STeps... My next step is to research each individual agency and pick the specific agent I want to pitch to. My goal is to pitch to 100 agents. If they all fall through, I’m moving on to my next book. Fingers crossed that one out of those 100 like my manuscript!
Have you pitched your book yet? Any tips? Leave them in the comments!
Photo credit: M. M. Kastanek
Prompt: She looked down from her perch... Words: reflected, rhythm, skin, bite, lazy, metallic My Paragraph: She looked down from her perch, squinting as the sun reflected off the cerulean waters. Boats bobbed on their bright orange poles and thunked lazily against the stone docks to the rhythm of the waves. Biting her lip, she peered closer at the boats, counting them by the vibrant red numbers on their hulls. But no matter how many times she counted, number 24 was missing. She glanced back out to sea, but the waters were calm and only fishing boats puttered in the deep. Where was boat 24? She bit her lip again, tasting metallic blood as she bit off a piece of dried skin. Realization sank in the pit of her stomach. Boat 24 hadn't come to shore yet. Which meant her brother was dead. Cps (Critique Partners) Critique partners, or CPs, are often fellow writers who help you along your journey. They read the first scratches of your story and are there to bounce ideas off. This should be someone you trust to give you advice as well as someone who can tolerate your moans of agony and constant complaining about the writing process. Typically, you reciprocate the CP relationship by reading their book or parts of their work (as well as being the listening ear when nothing is going right and the voice of reason when they want to throw everything in the garbage). Being a CP can be a lot of work, but it will help your writing a lot! Find critique partners through local writing clubs or online writing groups. Joining a writing organization is a great way to get involved with your local community's writers. I'm a part of two writing groups, one that weeks bi-monthly and one that meets monthly. This not only gets fresh eyes on my piece, but connects me with several writers in my area who might be willing to exchange pieces. I've met a number of great people this way! Alpha Readers Not all writers use alpha readers. I like alpha readers because they keep me motivated to edit. I have to do all my edits if my alpha readers are going to read it! Alphas are sometimes writers, but they can be readers too. Personally, my alpha readers tend to be my friends and family. There are pros and cons to this. Your friends and family are often more likely to stick around than random people you don't know, but sometimes they won't be completely honest with you and will instead be over-complimentary. Encourage them to give you critical feedback so your writing can grow. Most importantly, alpha readers have to be comfortable reading unpolished material and sifting through some messy spots in search of the diamonds. A good alpha reader will get your work much more polished and solve all of the big issues before passing your work on to beta readers. Beta Readers Beta readers are one of the final steps before submitting your manuscript to an agent. These readers are typically that - readers. They won't necessarily have the craft of writing in their head. Instead, they read for enjoyment and will look at your book through that lens.
It's important to find people who love your genre but who you don't know. After all, your book is going to see hundreds of readers who don't know you personally. This is the stage where your work has to stand on it's own. Betas will catch the final strings you need to tie up for the final round of edits! Again - network to find your betas! Reach out on social media and to local writers groups who might be interested in your work! It's amazing the connections you can form with a little bit of work. Good luck! What types of readers have you used during your writing process? Photo courtesy of Canva Writing a book is hard. Really hard. And messy and crazy. And there's no right way to do it. Everyone's process is different. There's no roadmap, no step-by-step guide, no formula. But that's also what's so fun about it! Even though there's no "right way", I still wish I would've heard these pieces of advice before I embarked on writing my first book. Master the art of Crap First Drafts Seriously. Get really good at just writing. Did you use the word 'door' fifty times in the past chapter? Good. Did you forget the word for pencil so you just wrote 'that pointy stick'? Excellent. Practice writing without a plan, writing without thinking, just getting that narrative that's in your head on paper. If it sucks, that's okay. Give yourself the freedom to write shitty. If you edit the whole time you write or obsess over details, you'll never get anywhere. In my opinion, this is the prime cause of writer's block. If you can't think of something, write "insert the fight scene here" and keep on going. The important thing is that you're writing and getting your story on a page. Edits come later. Write crappy. If you don't have time to read, you don't have time to write Stephen King said this in his book, On Writing, and it seems like common sense. To be honest, I don't know why it was such a revolutionary piece of advice. But it was. And following this advice really changed my writing for the better. When you think about it, it's like studying for a test or researching for an experiment. You need to know the art of writing and gather the tools you need through observing other people's work. And this is best done through reading - and reading a lot! But I would like to add to this. You need to read a lot of books in your genre (especially before you pitch to agents), but you also should read outside of your genre. Why? Because other writers have tools for you as well, some that are best seen in other genres! For example, I write fantasy, but I sometimes have romantic subplots. Studying only fantasy won't necessarily give me the tools I need to write good romance scenes, so I pick up a few romance books to study how the pros do it. This, in turn, makes my writing stronger. So read. A lot. A variety. Read read read. Write Daily (or as often as you can) Sitting in front of the TV? Have your laptop on. Write during commercials. Write on your lunch breaks, or on the bus. Write while you're waiting for your dinner at a restaurant. There are so many opportunities to find little snippets of time. And by conditioning yourself to write everyday, you work that imagination muscle same as you would your lungs when running- that muscle will get stronger! You have to make time for writing and practice your craft in order to improve. When I write every day (regardless of what I'm writing), I find it easier to write, I end up with higher word counts, and my writing sounds better in the first draft. Make time to write! If it's important to you, you need to find time and make time to hone your craft! Find a Writing group or Critique Partner Writing is a lonely endeavor. It's just you and those people in your head. And sometimes, you'll get so stuck in this world, that you can't see what's wrong with it. Writing will inevitably get frustrating, annoying, and boring. You'll want to quit or pull your hair out or bang your head against the wall. That's why it's important to have people you can talk to, people who will support you and people who are going through the same struggles. It's such a relief to have others to bounce ideas off of, to have someone to read your first drafts, or to just have someone to complain to who understands! Find writers through social media (I personally love @The_Writer_Community on Instagram), through your local library, or through local events. While it's great having family or close friends read your work, try to find another writer who can understand the actual struggles of writing a book. Write Your weird Ideas Don't quell your ideas before you've even written them. I used to self critique so much that my writing ended up flat and the storylines boring. Only after forcing myself to write out those crazy ideas and sharing them with others, I found that my weird ideas are what make my writing what it is (and some of those ideas ended up not even being that weird - self doubt is real, friends). So don't pre-edit your ideas. Let them flow! Yes, some will be a bit too weird. And they won't work out. But that's okay. Let your imagination flow so it can grow (I should get that stitched on a pillow - ha!). Plus, it's not like if you write something, you have to show it to anyone! So write away, fellow weirdos! In Conclusion 1. Master the Art of Shitty Drafts
2. If You Don't Have Time to Read then You Don't Have Time to Write 3. Write Daily 4. Find a Writing Group or Critique Partner 5. Write all the Weird Ideas What advice would you give to someone who wants to write a book? Let me know in the comments! Photo credit: M. M. Kastanek
Prompt: Beads of sweat lined her brow and the nape of her neck... Words: nightfall, press, supreme, chips, mad, hammer My Paragraph: Beads of sweat lined Appa's brow and the nape of her neck like a Scholar's turquoise crown and choker. She set her bag in the shadow of the rock fin and drew out her small chisel and hammer. The Supreme Scholar had demanded the first twelve edicts carved in the stone before nightfall and it was already midday. Ony had already begun, his chisel working so madly at the stone, he paid her no mind. Appa closed her eyes and pressed her hand against the stone, feeling the soul of the great dragon it had once been. The Supreme Scholar said the dragons were still in there, deep beneath the stone. But if that were true, Appa wondered why he was having them chip away at the stone holding them captive. Photo credit: M. M. Kastanek
Need some inspiration for Camp NaNoWriMo? Check out my writing prompts! Today's prompt is inspired by the beautiful shores of Cinque Terre, Italy. Prompt: Stacks of houses protruded out of the sea cliffs.... Words: sketch, salt, tail, winding, sharp, stalk My Story Start: My breath caught in my throat and my hands clutched the algae-covered rock I hid behind. I barely heard the waves as they crashed against the cliffs and rocks, the spray coating my face with sticky salt. They were there, clear as the stalks of ferns that surrounded me: the buildings of Astra. I swallowed a sticky mass that had built in my throat. Would the Priests even believe me? I snatched my sketchbook from my bag and sharpened my pencil before rendering a quick drawing of what I saw before it disappeared. I made sure to capture the style of houses, the winding streets, the jetty and high-tailed boats on the mooring. A crab skittered up my algae-covered rock, clacking it's claws at me. A warning. Even the sea knew I was here. I hear it all the time. "I want to write a book, too!" But when asked why they haven't yet, I get the usual stream of excuses. A lot of people have great ideas, but they just don't know where to start. So today, I've got three tips to help you FINALLY start writing your story. 1. Write a day in the life of your MCIf you have a clear vision in your head of the character you want to write about, start there. Write down a "day in the life" of that character. Even if you don't know the plot or the world yet, just write down a typical day. Once you have that, make everything normal in that day go wrong and see how your character reacts. What would be the worst thing that could happen to your MC? Make it happen. And just like that, you have a story. 2. Start at the most exciting part of your storyDo you know what your climax will be? Or a really interesting scene? Great. Forget the beginning and just start writing it. Don't worry about filling in background details or making sure the reader understands what you're saying. Just write it as if you've made it this far in the book. You can write the beginning later. This is my personal favorite and one I go back to time and again. Usually, the part that I think is exciting isn't the climax, but a certain incident in my character's life. And this usually morphs into the first chapter of the book - because no one wants to drudge through 50 pages of explanation anyway. Cut it all and get right to the good stuff! 3. Write an outlineSome people can't write without direction, and that's okay! To give yourself direction, write down bullet points of ideas you have that will happen in the story. Just because you write them down doesn't necessarily mean they'll happen, but it starts to give you a road map and ideas will start to build on each other. If you don't know what your story is about, that's okay. Make a bulleted list of a day-in-the-life of your MC - or your villain! - and then write another list about everything that happens going wrong. This creates immediate conflict and will help you with story progression right there! Anyhoo...There is no right or wrong way to get started. The important part is that you do get started. If you never start writing, you'll never write a book (big surprise). So dive in head first and just write!
Photo credit: M. M. Kastanek
Prompt: Skeleton trees stood sentry on the shoreline.... Words: negative, rocks, knees, tapped, quipped, threat My Paragraph: Skeleton trees stood sentry on the shoreline. Eephriel peered through the branches, her daemon leopard's tail tapping the back of her knees, reminding her he was still there. "They're not coming, young one," the daemon finally growled in a voice like waves crashing rocks on shore. "Hush," Eephriel scolded him as the wind tore at her hair. She didn't need his negativity, not now, not today. The daemon hadn't been with her long, but he'd let her know his opinions daily, regardless of if she asked for them. "I'll throw you back to the abyss if you keep it up." She threatened the same threat she had since the daemon's first quip. The tail hit the back of her legs a bit harder. Eephriel set her hand between the creatures ears until it faded into shadows and her hand dropped to her side. But as she peered again between the branches to the water below, the daemon's voice tugged at her heartstrings, they're not coming.
Why Social Media?I did not want a social media for myself at first. But the more I looked at the publishing industry, the more I saw that the opportunities were far better for those who had an established platform, who could show publishers that not only their book is marketable, but also themselves. I recommend picking the social media platform that is easiest and the most fun for you and starting there. For me, that was Instagram. I dislike the whole concept of Twitter and Snapchat and I'm not nearly creative enough for TikTok. I plan on amping up my Facebook as well, but for now, the focus is Instagram. Below, I share some tips and tricks for creating your space on the 'Gram. Instagram Do's1. Choose a theme/pattern. The best accounts have similar filters, similar pictures and a "vibe" to them. You don't need to follow this precisely, but try to form some sort of pattern with your image grid. For example, I chose adorable cat with books, writing tips/prompts, and books (I'll detail why later). This allows followers to know what to expect of you. 2. Create a bio that links to a website (if applicable) and introduces you plainly. You of course want your name, but adding emojis can also help people recognize who you are. When I went from Michelle M. Kastanek to (book emoji, writing emoji) Michelle M. Kastanek (book emoji, writing emoji), I started getting a ton more followers. They didn't even have to click on my page to see that I like books and writing. When they clicked on my page, they could see something more detailed: Fantasy writer doing books, prompts, advice + cat. This tells them exactly what they can expect if they follow me. 3. Connect with writers and readers. I think this is the most important advice that I can impart on you. Connecting with fellow writers is great, and the writer community on Instagram is incredible. BUT. You want to publish your books. And sell them. And you need readers for that. Readers that want to follow along on your journey to publication and really get to know you. They are also a great source of beta readers and people to bounce ideas off of. Try not to just tailor your account to writers. Put up pictures of books that inspire you or post a blog post about what books are most like your WIP. Connect to your readers and writers through your platform. This is why I chose to focus my page on my three rotating topics: books, adorable cat with books, and writing posts. This way, I can connect with both my writer and reader communities. 4. Use relevant hashtags. This was a learning curve for me. But it's a must if you want to thrive on Insta. Where you put the hashtags (end of post vs comments) doesn't seem to matter (with the algorithm right now anyway). You can use up to 30 hashtags every post. Use them all, every time. And vary your hashtags. Instagram doesn't like it when you use the same combination over and over again. Check out some of your favorite accounts and see what hashtags they're using! 5. Take professional photos. No, you don't need one of those big honking cameras. You can use your phone. BUT. Play around with live focus. Make sure to use natural lighting. Never post blurry pictures. Aim for high quality. Take several if you have to (I usually take 5-20 to find the best one). And then use a free editing app like Snapseed or Adobe Lightroom or even the editing software in the Instagram app (not the presets - the actual editing portion) to adjust everything so it looks fantastic. This platform is about pretty pictures, after all! 6. Engage. This is so important. Don't assume people will find you and fall in love with you. Make relationships through DMs (direct messages), commenting genuinely and liking people's posts. Sharing other's content (and tagging them) in stories. Sharing polls, questions, and other "life outside of manicured pics" on your stories. Try out Reels! Or Lives! Have fun with it! Side note: if you do videos, please close caption your content. It's rude not to. Instagram Don'ts1. Don't go on there just to promote yourself. Instagram is all about connecting, networking, and making friends all over the world. If all you do is post about your newest book and the release day and the cover art, you are putting a wall between yourself and your readers. As a reader, and even as a fellow writer, I don't want to see someone's published book a hundred times. I want to see them as a person. I want to learn what we have in common, what books they read, what inspires them. I'm following a human not a book. 2. Don't do follow-trains. I fell into this trap at first. It seems like a great idea - follow everyone who comments on your comment and follows you. But this creates uninterested followers of your account, interested in you only for the number you give them and likely result in unfollows later. Focus on quality relationships vs. quantity. The algorithm also doesn't like to see you engaging in these a lot. Instead, seek out accounts that really resonate with you and work on engaging with them. 3. Don't be a rude person. Don't dis on other people's book choices or pictures or writing snippets (though I believe the writing community could use some more honest constructive criticism - it seems too many people just like saying "I really like this!" instead of giving quality feedback). Be kind. Offer advice on topics you have experience with. Congratulate and celebrate other people's achievements! Communities to be a part ofIf you decide to pursue Instagram, check out the following communities:
LingoDM - Direct Message WIP - Work in Progress CP - Critique Partner Beta - Beta Reader MS - Manuscript TBR - To Be Read (often seen as TBR pile) Bookish - relating to books Pantser/Plantser/Plotter - in reference to the type of writer you are - a pantser writes by the seat of their pants (no plan), a plantser has a bit of a plan before they write, and a plotter has to methodically plot every detail before they start writing. MC - Main Character Vision Board - pictures that, when combined, give the viewer an idea of your book. HashtagsHere are some hashtags to get you started!
Book Hashtags: #bookstagram #booksta #bookster #bookish #bookishbounds #booksarelife #readersofinsta #bookstagramming #bookstagrammer #meetthebookstagrammer #bookishlove #bookishlife #tbr #amreading #amreadingfantasy #bookishcommunity #bookstagramcommunity #booklove #booksofig #booksbooksbooks #booksaremagic #booknerd #bookworm #bookdragon #bookobsessed #booksaremylife #bookishquestion #bookishaesthetic #bookishallure #readerlife #readerproblems #readingcommunity #read #books #bookstack #readersofinsta #readeveryday #bibliophile #readreadread #bookhaul #bookmail #bookgirl #womenwhoread #menwhoread #bookishproblems Writing Hashtags: #writercommunity #writersofinsta #writersofig #fantasywriter #fantasyauthor #wip #worldbuilding #writingcommunity #writerssuportingwriters #amwriting #amwritingfantasy #amediting #fantasywritersofig #fantasywritersofinstagram #fantasyauthor #futureauthor #writersconnect #writersnetwork #fantasywip #instagramwriters #authorscommunity #writersconnection #writerslifeforme #writemore #aspiringauthor #writersgonnawrite #writinginspo #findmywritingcommunity #authoring #authorcommunity #writingprompts #writersofbookstagram #neverstopwriting #writers #creativewriting #writinganovel #writerly
1. Character profilesThese are great quick snapshots of who each of your main characters are. I try to do one for each of my main characters and supporting characters. Try to go beyond the traditional "blue eyes, black hair, 150lbs." Go deeper than that. I always include a little paragraph about their history as well as their preferred weaponry, language use, and growth points. List their weird quirk, the trait that sets them apart, or the first thing people notice about them. I also like to include an inspiration picture if I can find one on Pinterest. I have an example below (character names placeholders for my real ones). Male MC 1 Race - Dragonbourne Occupation - tracker Phrase Description - bad boy Hair - half shaven head with black, shaggy hair that falls into his eyes a lot. Constantly sweeping it aside. Face - chiseled jawline, scar near his ear, high cheekbones History - always a physical child, loving parents turned him out when he proved to be too much trouble, joined military young, involved with the wrong crowd. Growth point - The world is not out to get him. Weaponry - dual wielding swords Languages - common, dragonbourne You can add anything you want, those are just some of my important categories that really help me when needing to reference back. Customize these profiles to what YOU need to know! 2. Major Element ExplanationsI have not only several magical beings that need explaining, but also several items and plot points. Use your book bible to flush these elements out and over explain them so when they go into the book, you can pull the descriptions you need. I have pages about things like magical artifacts, healing potions, and creature abilities. Your book bible is where you can OVER-explain these things (whereas in your writing, you'll probably have to tone it down). Don't hold back! Go into major detail about everything so that when you pull it into your book, you can pick and choose the best parts. 3. Chapter summariesThis is extremely helpful for pacing. It gives you an overarching view of your whole book and you can see where various plot points are. However, where I find it most helpful is in looking at what chapters are valuable. If there's a chapter description that doesn't lead up to the main conflict or contribute at all, either I have to rewrite it, or delete it! I have a one-word sentence for each chapter that lets me know what happens, whose POV it is and what time of day it is (I don't know why, but I always find time of day super helpful). For example; MC is introduced to SC1 and told about quest plus religious ties. Night. Bar. 4. HistoryThis is where the world-building comes in. Separate your book bible into major sections like Government, Religion, Technology, Weaponry, Culture, Food. Then world-build, world-build, world-build! This section gives me something to refer back to when I have a character curse (would they actually say hell or an equivalent in their religion?) or work through wars or pick out clothing. Instead of making up something that doesn't make sense within the context of your world, take a look back at your history section and find something within it that will fit. I personally write a mini history of the world, cultures, religions, and government. These are my top categories that I find myself referring back to all the time. But it's different for every story and every writer! Find out what you're most often pausing to remember and dig in deep with your details in your book bible. In ConclusionI hope this helps you! What else do you include in your book bibles? Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments!
Photo credit: M. M. Kastanek
Prompt: The door shut with a hollow thud. Words to use: lap, scrape, hope, treat, alone, almighty My Paragraph: The door shut with a hollow thud. My fingers scraped against its hammered brass as I sunk to my knees. "Please," I whispered, but no one, not even the Almighty Eil, was there to hear me. "Please." I closed my eyes, squeezing out fresh tears, though part of me still held on to hope. This couldn't be right. Soon the doors would open and my husband would storm out, appalled at his first wife being treated this way. My hands fell into my lap. But that would mean Resed lived. And as sure as the sun rose, I knew my husband was dead. Him and everything he stood for gone overnight in an onslaught of feigned patriotism. Leaving me alone. Almighty Eil, what had I done to deserve this? I'd love to see your paragraph or snippet of a story inspired by this prompt in the comments!
Switch it upTry a different project for a little while. A short story, a different genre story, or a side quest for your heroes! This can be dangerous (I just started a new book after pausing my edits on another... whoops), but it's also incredibly healthy. As writers, we get so immersed in our projects that we forget that there's life outside of it! We also tend to forget the excitement of discovering a new story when up to our necks in our current stories. So set it aside for a week and try something else! I promise your book will still be there when you decide to return to it. Lower your daily goalsWhen I get burnt out, I lower my word count goals to only 500 words a day. If it's lower for you, that's totally fine. The habit of writing every day is what matters. So quit focusing on the numbers! So what if you were doing 2,000 words per day, do 500 now. The most important thing, however, is to keep writing, no matter how little. Because the habit of writing daily that's gotten you this far can disappear fast! Another way to relax your goals if word counts aren't your thing is to set a timer for only 30 minutes a day. I do this on my lunch break at work and I'm always surprised how when I don't focus on word count, I actually write more. Instead of worrying about filling the page, I just allow myself to "go with the flow." I find this incredibly therapeutic and a great way to explore new ideas. ReadThink of reading as research or studying for your craft. One of the best things about writing (in my opinion) is that the more you read, the better writer you become. Even if you don't read books critically (I've found myself doing this lately and I hate it), you're subconsciously absorbing the way authors write dialogue and set scenes. When I get overwhelmed or burnt out with my book, I dive into other books in my genre. It reminds me why I love what I do and keeps me going! I'll also pick up a book or two outside of my genre to learn different styles and take a break from what I've been surrounding myself with. Some great standalone books to dive into: -A House of Salt and Sorrows (Erin A. Craig) -A Man Called Ove (Fredrik Backman) -The Life We Bury (Allen Eskens) -Station Eleven (Emily St. John Mandel) -The Five People You Meet in Heaven (Mitch Albom) -Stardust (Neil Gaiman) How to know when the burnout is goneWhen you're itching to get back to your story is when you know you've officially overcome that burnout!
Even if you don't feel burnt out yet, it might be good to try a few of these ideas for a couple weeks to recharge your batteries. Let me know how you overcome burnout in the comments! Photo credit: Pexels The most important thing I've learned during my writing journey is that writing isn't a formula. Not every tip or style works for everyone. You have to work to find what works for you! I share this in hopes of reaching others who may have been in the same boat as me; thinking I was writing "wrong" because I couldn't find anyone who created/wrote the way I did. Write First, Build SecondI know - this is contrary to almost everything you read. Even in school, they teach you how to outline, plot and plan your papers to death. The thing is, that doesn't always work for fiction and it definitely doesn't always work for everyone. I'm a pantser, which means I write best when I wing it. Now that doesn't mean that I get out of world building! Instead, I let my characters tell me about their world first and then I buff it up with little details later. For me, as I write, I visualize the world. Some of that will have to be changed later and guess what? That's okay. So many people wait to write because they think they have to have the world or the characters or the ideas completely flushed out. For some people, yes, this is the case. But it's not that way for everyone! Just start writing and see what comes. My characters have told me the quirkiest things about their worlds that I later add to, and that's great! Why? Because it works. Writing this way is not wrong. I promise you. What works for you is right! Don't wait to start writing because you don't have a world flushed out. It's so much more important to write your story. Take NotesAllow yourself free reign to make crazy choices. Don't limit yourself. You can always edit and cut and rework later. Be creative for a little bit first. While you write, take notes of what you like about the world you've started to create, about what fits and what doesn't. But don't change anything yet. Just write. The editing stage is for making everything cohesive. You get your best ideas when you don't constrain yourself. Where do you even get world-building ideas?A lot of people have asked me where I even get my ideas for my worlds. Many times my characters just tell me about their lives (I'm sane, I promise!). Other than that, honestly travel is a big one for me. Taking my actual experiences and immersing myself in a culture does wonders for my writing, but my top three are below:
Downloadable ResourcesSo that you don't have to go back to all of my previous posts, check out the links below for downloadable docs with worksheets to build your world! Again, I do this all after I'm done so that I can narrow down what questions actually pertain to my story.
Government Belief Systems Peoples Advancement Geography Civilization Remember, there's no right way to do world-building or writing for that matter. You've got this! Happy Writing, World-Builders! Photo credit: M. M. Kastanek
Prompt: A pair of eyes poked out from between the leaves. Words: slit, iris, mouse, ember, dart, cover My Paragraph: A pair of eyes poked out from between the leaves. The amber irises widened as I crouched down. Blinked. Lids peeled open and closed like the dragons of the south. But it wasn't a dragon. Of that I was sure. Instead of being slitted like a dragon's, the eyes were wide and round like Ember's eyes when she saw a mouse. Whatever it was didn't seem afraid, more just curious. A clump of leaves fell in front of it, causing it to dart beneath a moss covered stone. It chittered and then the eyes reappeared closer than before.
1. Stop Comparing YourselfThere will always be a younger/better/more attractive/more successful writer than you. Always. The moment you start comparing yourself to others is the moment you sacrifice your creativity. I've heard fellow authors say that "Comparison is the death of creativity," and they're right. The comparison rabbit hole leads you down the path of needing to do something completely new (newsflash: everything has been done already) and not being able to write anything because "it isn't good enough." Put away the social media. Understand that published books have had more than one afternoon of writing put into them to get them as polished as they are. Quit delaying writing because you're stuck in the comparison pit. 2. Quit Self-Editing While you WriteYou need to just let the ideas flow at first! Nothing anyone writes the first time is perfect. Nothing is gold. You're like a prospector. You know there's gold in all that dirt and you'll find a few nuggets, but it takes a lot of hard work and digging to find enough gold to make it rich! Self-editing slows you down and gets in the way of progress. You can't move forward if you keep moving back. Honestly, this is the "stop" step that freed my writing. After I stopped looking backward and gave myself permission to have inconsistencies and make mistakes (knowing that I could fix them later), I couldn't stop writing! I just kept going and going and ended up with a 130k book in three and a half months! That's the power of just letting yourself write. There'll be obvious errors, blatant mix-ups, and terrible grammar, but that's okay. Editing comes later. 3. Stop making excusesBy far the most common excuse I hear is "I don't have time."
I hate that one. You do have time. I guarantee your social media activity, TV show bingeing, and partying with friends shows that you have time. It's all about your priorities. Instead of watching Netflix or scrolling through Facebook, spend a night writing. Instead of going out for drinks with friends, have a night in with your computer and a glass of wine. Instead of taking your work home with you, set it aside one night a week and write instead. There are so many little things we do that consume big portions of our lives that we don't even realize. Making time for writing was one of the best things I ever did. And keeping that consistency of writing every day (just like training for a marathon) helped me to make incredible progress. And it made my writing better! But shelve the excuses. If you really want something, you'll do it. Instead of finding excuses, find ways to make writing happen! Image Credit: Pixabay I just finished the Six of Crows duology. And holy cow. It was AMAZING! If you haven't picked it up yet, you need to. Leigh Bardugo hit it out of the park with this one (and after the original Girsha trilogy, I was not sure about her, but now I'm convinced). More than it just being a good story, the characters were ridiculously appealing. They were easily recognizable, memorable, and heartfelt. They felt real. After I finished the first book, I closed it and stared off for awhile. How? I thought, How did she do that? Six completely different characters, all of whom I fell in love with for their different qualities. So when I sat down to read Crooked Kingdom, I read it as a writer this time. And it changed everything for me. It was like a light bulb went on and I finally got it! I knew how to make my character's like Bardugo's. And it wasn't anything new or revolutionary, but the way I went about it changed everything for my writing. I hope it'll help you, too. Note: This post does contain some spoilers for the books, so proceed with caution. 1. Choose visual characteristicsFirst, I took a look at Bardugo's six main characters: Kaz, Inej, Matthias, Nina, Wylan, and Jesper. I wrote their names in little bubbles like a thought web you make in middle school. Next, stemming from each of the character names, I wrote the first things that came to mind when I thought of the character. For example, with Kaz, I wrote walking stick, gloves, magic tricks, scheming/vengeful. Each of these things makes Kaz stand out in my mind against other characters. And when I see fan art depicting Kaz, it typically displays these things. What's beautiful about each of these attributes, is that Bardugo has specific reasons for each of them and they are purposeful to build the character. Which leads me to my next point. 2. Discover the Reasons behind characteristicsWhen I took it a step further and looked at what these things represent or show about the character. For example, Kaz's gloves. They're not just a cool accessory (though they make him visually stick out in a readers mind - another important fact to note), they have a reason. And the reason is connected to his backstory. The reason Kaz wears gloves is because he can't stand the feeling of skin to skin contact. 3. Plan the why behind those reasonsSo Kaz wears gloves because he can't stand the feeling of skin to skin contact. What do we do with that information? We go a step deeper and look at the why. Why does he hate skin to skin contact? Because he survived a near-death experience in a pile of dead bodies and floating to shore on the bloated corpse of his dead brother. Woah. Now there's a backstory. There's something that shapes this character, that makes him so memorable, that makes readers sympathize with him (even if they can't relate to his exact circumstances). This is the power, the essence of the character you want to get at when writing. This is what sets great characterization apart. The Formula In examining Six of Crows, I realized creating characters actually has a simple formula. Visual character choice + (reason+why) = memorable character My end character sheet for Kaz looked like this. So how can you apply this to your own characters?
I'm a firm believer of write first, plan second (classic panster right here). Let your characters speak to you throughout the story and then go back and chart them like this. If there is nothing particularly memorable about them, try to dig deeper and find something that has affected them from their past. Add in small physical traits or tokens of their past. In sum: 1. Choose visible characteristics: Think of your characters and write the first 4-5 characteristics that come to mind when you think of them. It helps to have at least 3 be physical characteristics that aren't something their born with unless it is significant (e.g. blue eyes). If we were making me into a character, I would choose my refusal to straighten my curly hair. 2. Discover reasons for those characteristics: Most people don't just do something for no reason. If you can get at the reason why your character does something, it makes them more relatable. For my personal example, the reason I keep curly hair is because I wanted to be different than my peers growing up. 3. Plan the why behind those reasons: This is the heart of your character and if you get this right, your character will pop from the page. There is a why behind every reason! For my personal example, my aunt, whom I was incredibly close to before she disappeared, was a very unique person herself and I always wanted to be like her. I strove for uniqueness because she showed me that it made me special. Her disappearance affected me greatly. Look at that - we went from something as simple as curly hair, to a deep personal backstory. And THAT is what you have to do for your characters. THAT makes them jump off the pages, makes the readers connect to them, makes the artists create the fan art. THAT is what sets an okay book apart from a great book. When you think about real life, everyone has something that made them who they are. Whether it was abuse, a personal addiction, or what have you, everyone has been changed by something in their life. Pull real life into your stories and you're guaranteed to create memorable characters. Wishing you all the inspirational fairies, M Photo credit: M. M. Kastanek
Prompt: Cairns of porous rock line the path down the mountain. Words: scared, family, cloud, mother, guess, room My Snippet: Cairns of porous rock line the path down the mountain. It unnerves me a bit, to see such evidence of their presence. Whoever they are. We're still not quite sure. But these little stacks have started appearing all over the village. People are scared. Hell, I don't blame them. When you open the door to your baby's room and there's a cairn of stones stacked in his bed, you can't help but be a bit freaked out. That's what happened to Iri's family the other day. He said his mother went white as clouds and collapsed. Shit, if that happened to my mother, I would've gone out searching for them, too. But now Iri hasn't come back. So I guess it's my turn to go out there. I promised I wouldn't leave him to the "them." But now as I look at all the cairns down the path, I second guess my decision. |
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June 2022
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