14 October held the first webinar for NaNoWriMo. These authors have amazing insight into different ways of dealing with their books, managing time, and getting unstuck in their writing. Everybody has different ways of writing. Watch this and find yours.
Just don't listen to the authors when they're talking about snacks. You want your brain to be focused on healthy eating.
FOCUS!
(click on the words, not the image. I'm not HTML savvy enough to make it an easy click.)
Write What You Know. I hear many people say this. I also hear many people against prologues yet I've read Clive Cussler and he seems to be doing just fine. Do you really want to be like most people? Most people can be awfully...sheep-like.
Instead, try this:
The challenge is learning something new, or refreshing something you have knowledge of. Maybe you like historical fiction. You write historical fiction. A reliable source (Mom) knew of an author who spent years studying her subject. She'd get into the language, the clothes, the "current" events they would read in the newspaper, and all the details just to write her book as accurately as possible. She'd travel to the location of her setting. She'd take tours, she'd go to the universities and ask for information.
Write what you WANT to know.
People live in this bubble and their knowledge only goes out so far. But I believe humans naturally crave information. They're curious. They have to know things. Anybody or anything that gets in the way of that disrupts what it means to be human. But anything in the way of it knows that it cannot be stopped, even if threats of death breathe into their face. And the more you suppress a human, the more they rebel. The more they think. Why don't you want a human to be curious, they'll think.
Curiosity is a circle. A hungry circle that needs to be fed. Get out of that bubble once in a while and learn.
Want to write about Italian mobsters but live in Britain but can't leave your floral interior-designed loft that smells like your nan? Do it. Go learn. Incorporate your living quarters with your mobster book. Fuse the info that you know and the info you're studying to know.
I'm from the Northwest. I want Russians in my book. I'm studying Russian history (I took it in college and still want more), have books by Russian authors, and books on the language (one for slang, the other for...other). When I heard my pastor lived there and still keeps in contact with his translator, I knew I had to put him in my network. Not only do you need books, you need people. If you want to know more, you have to play nice. I smile and joke a lot. My military-disciplined personality goes a long way.
But if I wrote what I knew...I'd be living a life that I knew years ago that I do not want to go back to. At least right now. Maybe I'll write what I know later.
But as a veteran, I want to escape what I know. I want to write what I don't know. And that makes it fun. Any time I can escape reality, create my own worlds, and dive into them, I'm there. I don't even think writers know what will come out of the world they make. Characters from fantasy just seem to...pop out of nowhere and tell you this is how it's going to be.
Isn't that right, Caelum?
Caelum and Svetlana - "The First" - Monsters & Mercies
Write what you want to know.
You'll grow because you chose to get out of yourself.
Since military life plays a big part in my survival as a writer, I'm sharing my experiences. All photos are taken by me and are a part of the DDG-60 crew and their families. Respect these photos and do not take them for your own purposes.
Being a Navy veteran doesn't make deployment easier, it makes it more understandable. I've only done three deployments but they were all on CVN-72 aka Stinkin' Lincoln. 5,000 sailors on a floating city takes its toll. My shippies and I believed it ran on despair. The more miserable we were, the better the ship ran. The more happy, we'd lose reactor power. (True story: a fellow cook shared a joke and we all laughed. Seconds later, the galley went dark. One of the reactors went out. So you're damned right we're convinced.)
Now that I'm married and we have an awesome kid, I'm on the other side. I stay at home while my husband plays Navy. He just finished his first deployment as a father--fourth, overall. I don't know how parents do it if they're active or sea duty. That's nuts to be gone that long and away from your kids. Especially for the moms. It's heartbreaking. It takes more than understanding deployment or the military, it takes miles long of perseverance, and strength beyond Wonder Woman's (or Superman's). So I can understand (now) why some females would just snap during deployment. They're not in their element. They're going against every particle of their womanhood; it's biologically unsound to be apart from their children. When their biology is disrupted, everything else is out of whack. It's why I left the Navy. No more turning me inside-out for the good of the world.
There are those who have no choice. Or they choose to stay in because they can handle it. Those are some women. The more the struggle, the more armor they wear. They are genuine heroes. I applaud them.
For those such as myself, who had the choice and chose to be the support team, this is for you.
Master Chief Villanueva with his family.
These are some of the things that got me through deployment. I have very little friends. Some of them barely meet five feet. In seriousness, I prefer staying home in my nest and being with my kid. But there are times when I need to do more than laze about. I need to keep my sanity. How do I survive my husband being deployed? While you're waiting around for homecoming to happen, why not make it come to you faster by getting active?
We're waiting...and waiting...
Exercise
Healthy Eating
Being a Veteran
Put Your Diplomat Dungarees On
Make Sunday Family Day
Get Involved
Pursue Your Hobbies
(1) EXERCISE. Being a Beachbody coach and trying to stay consistent with my fitness groups helped. I'm not a fit guru, or a bodybuilding personal trainer, but I did lose a lot of weight, and never wanted to go back to that old, icky-feeling me. I know what it feels like not working out. I hate it. So I stayed with the fitness.
I involved myself in Stroller Warriors, a running club for military families. They accept anyone to join but it's easier if you have base access as the meet-ups are usually on base. Check your city if you have one. They do Couch to 5k, which is beginner level running. And 5ks and marathons are totally optional. I joined because it's a place for my kid to have a social outing. He gets to play at parks after we run. He's a great coach too. Hahaha. "Ready to go run? Okay! Let's go! Hurry up, Mom!"
No joke. It's a good way to be a good model. My kid also likes working out with me sometimes, especially if it's P90X-3. He loves Tony.
(2) HEALTHY EATING. I get crabby and tired if I carb load. Your body knows if it's not receiving the proper nutrients it needs; your brain will feel it. You might get "edgier" with others, more emotional. Don't forget to eat Vitamin B! Broccoli was the winning vegetable for me. Yep. That rhymed.
Want help eating healthy? Get a hold of me and don't let go. No, really. Don't. I love hugs.
(3) BEING A VETERAN. A weird one. An obvious one. But this helped immensely. Understanding the other side. Knowing exactly what's going to happen on that communist floating prison--I mean--ship. If my husband didn't call for a week, I noticed, but I knew why. I remember everything. I mean...EVERYTHING from my deployments. There would be times I wouldn't call my parents for a month. I worked 18-hour days. I would be happy with my hubby if he told me "can't talk, I got off work early so I'm going straight to bed for a good six hours." Six hours? Hot dog! That's a lot of sleep! You go, dude! Sleep away!
(4) PUT YOUR DIPLOMAT DUNGAREES ON. Be a diplomatic wife with his chain of command. Before my husband's ship pulled out, I handed off a gift bag to my husband the morning of, and told him to deliver it to his senior chief. It contained a letter letting Senior know that I love my husband, he's a very good worker (we used to work together, so I know), and that I am watching you. In a nice way. With that letter was a bag of homemade cookies. Nothing better than homecooking to the military.
If you think you're kissing tail, you're not. You're putting a positive spotlight on your spouse and giving him an attentive barrier. A barrier, meaning, the command will be more lenient if he messes up (he will mess up; everybody does), and they'll take special note that he has a family who's watching out for him, and that'll boost the possibility of getting more opportunities. My husband was going up for first (E-6) and was having a difficult time with the test part. He got awards for good performance at work 'n' stuff. I think that helped. At least...I hope my diplomacy helped with some of that. Keep in mind that everyone on that ship will be under stress and they will forget about those cookies and letters you send. It happens. In the end, it doesn't matter. They'll kick themselves for saying things that shouldn't've been said. Cuz when you see them, you'll thank them for being nice to your spouse (even if they weren't). And you'll thank them for keeping an eye out on your spouse (even if they didn't). You're the diplomat. You're the face of the family. Be civil. It calms the storm on the ship during deployment and the storm at home. It really does help.
(5) MAKE SUNDAY FAMILY DAY. Do it. Pay attention to your kids. My father said Sunday was his favorite day when he was young cuz every night was pajamas, cocoa, and TV. His mom did laundry only on Sundays and cocoa was dinner because they didn't have a lot of money back then. But those were his best times. Make memories with your kids. They love you. If Sunday doesn't work, figure out another day. Schedule the whole week for different things if you want. It's up to you.
You could even go on an extended vacation to see family. That's what I did to kill a few months.
(6) GET INVOLVED. Go on Facebook, find the ship's Ombudsman. He or she will have a page you can follow. They'll ask for some information and then you'll get to know what's going on with the ship. A huge load off your shoulders instead of waiting around for your spouse to tell you, if they know anything at all.
Also, join the ship's Fleet Readiness Group page. You don't have to be a part of the group, but joining the page will give you updates as well as events to show up to. There are parties, meetings, and community work. Knowing exactly what goes on during deployment is what kept me from going full Dependa on people, or just a total jack-monkey. Plus you get to meet people dealing with the same issues you are.
It's a great networking opportunity if you're a photographer, artist, salon specialist, etc.. No shame giving them your business card even if it is just a hobby. You'll connect, meet friends, and time will pass by if you have events scheduled, like helping with homecoming.
Fence cup display event for our ship.
(7) PURSUE YOUR HOBBIES. I had lots of hobbies and care packages to keep me busy. Focus on them!
Practice photography so when homecoming comes around, you'll be better at taking different types of shots.
Do your nails, so when you feel good enough, you can give other military spouses a free manicure. Get some nail stamp plates that nail salons charge lots for a girl just wanting to look pretty. Make it a nail party! Have someone buy the wine if they insist on paying you for a mani-pedi.
Take up painting. Use your garage or maybe go some place peaceful with your canvas and easel. Maybe you like digital painting. Ask your spouse if it's okay to buy Photoshop and a tablet. Artistic route is always good because you can make things for others...including your spouse for a care package or homecoming.
Or if you're a writer (and you are if you've been following my blog), get to work! Is it a novel? Get that outline finished so you can dive into the story. Is your kid hindering you? Get up earlier. You're gonna have to make time if you really want that first draft done.
Become my writing buddy if you think this November event is a good distraction.
It's a social event that can really help you push your first draft along. My first book's 50,000 words without NaNoWriMo took me half a year, when I was actually focusing on writing. This year I plan on using NaNoWriMo as a fantastic excuse to push through the 50,000 in the 30 days given. 50k, for my first book, was a little over half my first draft. This is doable!
* * * * *
Before you know it, your sailor will be home.
It takes a lot of patience, planning, and coming up with distractions for you and your kids. Include them in your hobbies. I taught my child how to use my camera. He's a careful type for four years old. We also drew and painted a lot.
When homecoming was a month out, I started contacting family members, friends, and celebrities to send me a short, welcome-home video. I put all the vids together and my son and I added our own flavor.
This is it:
Something you like? Dislike? Is there something you would add? Leave a comment! Don't be shy.
She came to you in a dream, at the dinner table, in the shower. What did she tell you? Did she speak at all? Did her looks explain everything?
The majority of writers understand they cannot completely control their characters. Why? When you create them they become their own person. The writer is just there to report the journey through the conflicts they made.
I've read from several reference books on how I go about creating characters. It's not so much that they help me come up with one, they help me dimensionalize (oh yes, new word) them into helping me create plot. Once you understand your characters it's easier to make the plot-plot-plotting as you type-type-type your pages. Your characters are the ones that move plot as they deal with the conflicts you've put in their way. Does that make sense? Comment if it does or doesn't.
To figure out your character the best way is something we all know and love, but somehow we get the descriptors prioritized differently, perhaps wrongly. What do I mean: the color of your character's hair does not matter when it comes to the reader (unless it's purple, or it's an indicator into something else in the story, or both). The reader cares about caring: the heart, the mind, the soul. Create your character from the inside-out, and let the outside reflect inside.
Designing Your Character
Establish Goals and Motivations
Prioritize Traits
Believe The Lie
Cue their "Aha" Moment
Flesh Out the Face (and body...and hair)
Here is my character template sheet I customized on Scrivener. If you don't have this application, I wish I could throw it into your computer right now, so you could get to work on it right away. But I can only send you this handy link from Literature & Latte. (It's a free trial; please take advantage! I adore Scrivener. It makes outlining and note-keeping so much easier. I'm an index-card kinda gal and this app really works for me. )
BRIE'S BODACIOUS CHARACTER TEMPLATE:
Look at all that craziness. Okay. It's not totally crazy. Actually makes some sense. Are you ready for the explanations? Here we go:
Establish Goals and Motivations
This is foremost because this is your plot-driver. Your character is nothing without desire, and your book is plotless if the character isn't wanting enough to be motivated. Establish a concrete goal and figure out why they are motivated to achieve it.
A motivation might be an over-protective family and the goal might be freedom to be their own person.
I have a character who comes from an abusive household. She wants to be independent and do her own thing but her family restricts her. The motivation might also be the conflict. It depends and that's another subject. Focus!
Prioritize Traits
You don't want an info-dump to make the reader groan and toss your book aside (or over the fence...cough). Put your character in pieces throughout your story. What trait do you want to show first? Choose wisely. The first trait is the one that'll stick to them the entire book. Like a first impression. This trait will be in their first scene. Are they a womanizer? Lazy? Hot-headed? Family-oriented? You choose. And then choose another. Remember Shrek? Your characters are onions. Make them sweet, sharp, or purple (purple poppin' everywhere today!), but peel the layers one by one, and give your reader a taste. Just a taste.
Believe The Lie
The Lie is their belief. What do they strongly believe in? What are they convinced about that is their truth?
Possible Lies:
all women are manipulative See-You-Next-Tuesdays
You can only rely on yourself
money brings happiness
people are too stupid to live independently
killing murderers is not murder, it's justice
K.M. Weiland wrote an excellent post on Believing the Lie and it's where I got all the questions for it: The Lie Your Character Believes
Cue their "Aha" Moment
Characters will grow. They will change. Their belief system may be shattered. An "aha" is the moment of realization. Their Lie will be put in the spotlight and crushed before the character's eyes. Truth rises from The Lie's remains and the character sees everything, from their first scene up to the "Aha" moment. What has changed? Why? How? If your character has no "aha" moment, there is no growth, and the reader will be left empty, and your book flying over their fence.
Flesh Out the Face (and body...and hair)
I said the outside should reflect the inside. Now is the time to look at their personality through their goals and motivators, their traits, and beliefs, and consider their physical appearance. A lot of factors come into play here: their location, origin, discipline, vocation, positive or negative traits, finances, etc..
You're not going to have a soldier with long hair and a beard (unless they're special ops) but maybe they have a tattoo that indicates something more. Or a woman who is very uptight and doesn't have a single wrinkle in her wardrobe. Maybe you have a rebel teen who can't afford a professional haircut, so they cut and dye their own hair against their parent's wishes.
Physical descriptions are lesser priority than what will help move your story. There are a couple exceptions that I use, but they don't overrule the goals and motivations which push the characters through conflict.
Ultimately, it's up to you. I have given you my template in hopes of inspiring you to build your characters with depth.
My character sheet is from months of adding and subtracting what I need to make it work for me. As you can see, I have "Food" and "Song" as a helper.
I'm a former chef who worked in the Navy for eight years. The culinary world is a part of me and I know how it feeds into people's lives (you see what I did there?). Favorite food might not be priority, but it gives me perspective on my character. Kinda like going out on a date with them outside the book and just seeing them as a person. That's this blog, by the way: Dating Your Characters. Their food doesn't even have to show up in the book; it's just something to help dimensionalize them.
Just like the Song, which is my interpretation of their theme. When I need some motivation to write and need to get into a character's head, I have a playlist. But their theme song generalizes that playlist. For instance, my boy Caelum's song is "King Me" by Lamb of God. I listen to it if I need to and feel the anger, the frustration, the driving factor of him. That's why it's in the template. Add Song to your template, if it helps you.
What would you add to your template? Would you take away anything? Please comment below and tell me if this helped or didn't help. I'd love to hear from you.
It's not that the writer wrote it, the writer had to write it, otherwise it's not the character, but the writer.
Think like God. He was nice enough to give us free will. And we screwed it up. But it's still our story.
You are their creator. You love all your characters even the baddies because they're yours. But they still have their own lives. And you must see them through every choice they make cuz you put life into them, and then you set them free.
Some don't even know you exist, some hate you, some love you, a couple will attempt to kill you by killing other characters.
It's their story. You're just along for the journey...
...with occasional divine interventions along the way.
