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Saturday, January 22, 2011

Getting To Know You...

Writers are always encouraged to read the works of others to get a better handle on how it's done. It helps if you read books from the genre in which you write but that doesn't mean you can't expand. It's surprising the pointers you can pick up when you're not looking for them. Case in point...

I've been reading a series of books Harlequin put out called Men In Uniform. None of these books are recent releases. In fact, the one I'm reading now was originally released in 1989, entitled Informed Risk, written by Robyn Carr. What has really got my attention with this particular story is the depth of the characters. There's been quite a bit of talk lately on this topic but I thought this story best exemplifies the point.

Mike is a firefighter and he rescues Chris from a burning house. (she already got her two young children out). He thinks she's a little crazy when he finds her in the smoke filled house, with the refrigerator door open. There is a method to her madness and later, when he realizes what she's done, he gives her credit for her quick thinking. Anyhoo, Chris and her youngsters end up staying in his home until she can make other arrangements. The story goes on from there.

I was amazed at the depth of the main characters in the story. You get to know the characters in most books, some better than others. In this case you could almost think of them as next door neighbors, good friends. Even Mike's parents and siblings have a depth you rarely see in secondary characters. I felt like I was having Thanksgiving dinner with the Cavanaughs, sitting at the table with them and listening to the good-natured bantering going on. I'm about half-way through this story and I know it's going to be a tough one to put down one I get to the end.

Some writers concentrate on their story's plot, while others spend more time with characters. Every story needs both elements to get anywhere, or even survive the written page. And the emphasis on either one depends on what the author's most comfortable with.

How-to books are fine when learning basics of writing, but there is nothing like reading a good book, expanding your reading horizons to learn just how other writers put that knowledge to use. Studying the techniques of other authors can give us a better understanding of how to improve our own. The process of "getting to know you" can become a lot more challenging and fun.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

A Run For the Word Count

Once upon a time someone wrote a song about the number 'one' being a lonely number. They may have been talking about love and relationships but the same can be said about writers. We are a rather lonely lot when you think about it. I suppose most creative people tend to work alone. Letting the creative part of the brain run rampant allows us to form certain ideas but it isn't always enough. Sometimes we need help to keep us going.

I first heard the term "sprinting" a couple years ago. Of course, I knew the term had to do with short distance foot races but this time it had a different connotation. Someone came up with the idea of getting a group of writers together to sprint. The idea was never meant to be a contest and it isn't. It's a means of focusing on the work at hand and writing for short periods of time.

Some 'lonely' writers can shut out all distractions, focus on their work in progress and do quite well. Ninety-nine percent of the time ... I'm not one of them. My creative thoughts have a bad habit of wandering when they shouldn't, much like a curious child's habit of wandering off when the parent isn't looking.

So this concept of sprinting caught my attention and I decided to check it out. The idea is to write for thirty to forty-five minutes (or whatever length of time you decide on) nonstop then take a break that can vary anywhere from five to fifteen minutes depending on the length of the sprint. The break gives you a chance to recharge your batteries so you can start again. Usually our group opts to write for forty-five minutes. For each sprint we keep track of our word count. It encourages you to keep striving toward your goal. It's amazing how much can be done in that span of time and if you sprint several times in a day, the word count can be tremendous.

Personally, I found it a great way to keep me focused on what I'm working on. By the end of the day, I've tripled my work compared to what I might have accomplished as a lonely one.

Writers are always looking for ways to increase productivity, especially if they're up against a deadline. Wandering thoughts have their place in the beginning, and sometimes further along the the creative process. But there comes a point when you need to focus on those all-important details and descriptions. In the long run there is a method to our madness.

Sprint, anyone?