I’m beyond excited to announce that Dream Signs, my short story collection, is out in the world! The author copies just arrived, as you can see from the photo above. I look forward to doing some readings in the new year and will keep you updated once they are scheduled.
Many writers repeat themes, and I decided while washing the dishes that the recurring motifs in Dream Signs could be a drinking game. If you pick up a copy of the book, you can go through the list and follow along. Any drink counts. It could be water, coffee, whiskey, or whatever you like. You should be pretty sloshy by the final pages.
Take a drink each time you read one of these:
A wise mentor
Someone does art
A school is described in detail
A dragon appears
The observers (you’ll know them when you see them)
There’s a list
Make-believe > real life
Painful family dynamics
Cosmic beings we don’t understand
The camera is a metaphor
Sex
If the list above sounds like your idea of a good time, you can get a copy of Dream Signsdirectly from the publisher or from other online retailers (Kobo, Amazon). New year, new book. Happy reading!
It’s nice, at the end of the year, to look back on the last 12 months and celebrate accomplishments big and small. Time passes so quickly that it’s easy to wonder where the year went. Taking time to reflect on the last year helps to remember and appreciate that the time went to good use. Here are my highlights from 2019. What are yours?
Haiku Journal published my rain haiku in issue 63. (You can read individual issues of the journal online here, and there is a lovely print version as well.)
Lift Every Voice is a lovely new anthology that published my poem “You, the shadow you cast”.
My personal essay “Learning to Paint” was also published by Heart and Humanity in February.
I have three more publications forthcoming as well. Among them, Qommunicate’s Geek Out! II anthology will be publishing my poem/script hybrid geeking out about performance and semiotics, and House of Zolo’s first journal of speculative literature will include one of my poems when it’s released in January.
New job
I had a wonderful time working at RUSI, but moved on at the end of the year to the role of Development Editor at ICE Publishing. I’m excited to be working on books and taking a bigger-picture position.
Enneagram corporate training
Last spring, I was invited to my old city, Edinburgh, to do an Enneagram-based corporate training for Turnitin. This company makes a program I used in my old university teaching job! The leadership team purchased copies of my book, The Modern Enneagram, for all the attendees. They were a delightful, engaged group, and it was fun to spend time in Edinburgh again (despite the rainy weather). It was my first time leading a corporate training where I traveled out of town.
Work-life balance
With a new job and new financial opportunities, I’ve been able to say no to work that hasn’t been a good fit. I’ve moved into a new flat that’s nicer than my previous one. I’ve taken some time to travel and am appreciating the value that’s placed on holidays in the UK. I’m grateful to see improvements in work-life balance after a 2018 that involved a lot of “hustling”.
What was your 2019 like? What big and small things do you appreciate about the past year?
Last month I attended Gollanczfest 2019, a one-day celebration of science fiction, fantasy and horror writing and publishing, hosted by leading UK SFF publisher Gollancz. The conference had two separate strands. A reader’s ticket gave access to author panels and signings, while a writer’s ticket granted entry to the smaller venue across the street, where, in addition to signings and panels (included editor and agent panels), authors gave speed-advice sessions. I came to the morning sessions on a reader’s ticket and had a great time meeting people and learning.
If you write, edit, or read avidly, a writers’ conference can be a worthwhile use of time and money. The good news is that there are lots of writers’ conferences out there, ranging from one-day events to multi-week ones, from genre celebrations like Gollanczfest to wide-ranging get-togethers, from inexpensive local dos to festivals full of international delegates and big names. If you do some googling, you’ll probably find some that will pique your interest.
You might be wondering what you can get out of a writers’ conference that can’t be found from said googling. While online learning is great, there’s no substitute for contact in the real world. Here are 5 benefits I’ve gained from going to writers’ conferences.
Meeting people: Conferences are useful for networking. You’ll meet individuals from across the industry, including authors, editors, publishers, and readers. Networking can lead to career opportunities. At the Scottish Association of Writers’ 2018 Conference, I met a new freelance client, and some writers meet their agents or editors at conferences. It can also lead to lifelong friendships. I recommend attending with an open mind and an interest in getting to know people.
Learning about the industry: Writers’ conferences are chock full of industry people talking about what’s new in publishing. You’ll learn about trends, themes, and the nuts and bolts of publication. You might also learn about related fields – one of my favorite parts of Gollanczfest was a panel where four authors whose books had been made into movies talked about the process. A takeaway point from Ben Aaronovitch (author of Rivers of London): If you want any creative control, assert your requirements from the outset and be willing to not have a movie made otherwise. Also, be clear on what price you are willing to accept.
Meeting authors and getting new books: I’m listing this separately from meeting people because, in addition to meeting authors at sessions and “in the crowd”, writers’ conferences usually bring in authors to lead panels, give readings, and do signings and other events. Sometimes it’s intimidating to approach a big-name or favorite author, or they’re too busy to chat. But you might have the chance to pick up one of their books and have them sign it, learn from their experiences, or hear them make funny character voices. And writing conferences always come with a book table full of goodies – some of which may be hard to find outside the conference, and some of which may be that next exciting read you’ve never heard of. Don’t show up with an empty wallet!
Getting a better sense of your own writing approach: While listening to and interacting with the writing community, you’ll find some authors and approaches to writing that resonate with you and some that don’t. It’s a good chance to tune in to your own taste – that inner voice that tells you what’s worth writing about, for you personally, and how you want to go about doing it. It was illuminating for me to listen to panelists discussing worldbuilding from opposite angles – Alexander Dan Vilhjálmsson set detailed rules for himself regarding language and setting, while Ellen Kushner started by following a character around and combining elements of historical periods that seemed cool. Writing is a big industry with room for many kinds of voices, and hearing how other people tell stories can feel like permission to tell your own.
Having fun! A big part of writers’ conferences involves business and talking shop, but when you get a bunch of people together who share a common interest, they’re also bound to have a good time. At Gollanczfest, I got to meet Laura Lam/Laura Ambrose, whose Romancing the Page series I reviewed, and chat with her and other writers during a break. At the 2018 Scottish conference, I played trivia with friends from my writers’ group and we won a round of free drinks. There were lots of hearty shared breakfasts and in-jokes flying around. If you go to a writers’ conference, be ready to jump in, don’t be shy, and you’re likely to have a wonderful time!
Jewelle Gomez and Dorothy Allison onstage with Sapphire Books owner Chris Svendsen
Fellow book lovers, have you ever daydreamed about going on a literary cruise? I’ve thought they sounded like fun ever since I learned they existed. Despite getting sick on the last cruise I went on, after receiving a deal offer from Olivia Travel on a lesbian cruise featuring a full slate of author events, I couldn’t resist giving vacation at sea another try.
Our cruise left from beautiful San Juan, Puerto Rico. The itinerary included port visits on several Caribbean islands, as well as daily music or comedy shows, so there was plenty to do besides hitting the books! After getting a sunburn while touring San Juan, stuffing myself at the buffet, and giving airtime to my athletic side on excursions, though, the quiet and reflectiveness of the literary programming was welcome.
Sapphire Books is a small, California-based publisher of lesbian books, primarily fiction. This was their second Literary Adventures at Sea cruise collaboration with Olivia, and they pulled out all the stops, bringing maybe a dozen authors and the owner/founder on board. The two biggest names were Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina, and Jewelle Gomez, author of the classic lesbian vampire novel The Gilda Stories (which is soon getting a sequel, over 25 years later!). Both are longtime writers and activists in the queer community. Sapphire’s programming included panels, a main stage discussion between Dorothy and Jewelle, themed readings (such as murder mystery and romance readings), Q and A’s, a cocktail party, and book signings. There was also an opportunity for writers to pitch their projects to publisher Chris Svendsen.
The pitch session was a highlight, surprising Chris with the sheer number of attendees. She’d been expecting a small group, but as the pitches were one-on-one, she had to break the session into two and schedule another one at a later time for some of the participants. It was clear that the queer women on the cruise were eager to tell their stories. Many, like me, had been drawn by the cruise’s literary events. It was inspiring to chat with women about their writing projects – anthologies, detective novels, humorous novels, memoirs. Each of us had five minutes to pitch to Chris. Along with her advice at the beginning of the session, at least one Sapphire author was on hand to offer tips: give a brief plot summary, a hook or tag line like you’d find on the back of a movie, and leave out irrelevant details.
Among the readings and panels, “Romancing the High Seas” stood out. Authors read from works ranging from a spicy story involving a nun to a science fantasy yarn to a tale of four “women of a certain age” with lovers and secrets. I was intrigued by Sallyanne Monti’s reading from her memoir, Light at the End of the Tunnel, detailing a friendship with another woman that began with an email sent to the wrong address that evolved, against all odds, into a lasting romance. That book ended up coming home with me! After the authors read their excerpts, which had a good mix of humor and vulnerability, they answered questions and spoke about their writing processes. “It has to be real,” said one of them, noting that her writing is deeply grounded in personal experience. Another added that “people might like to think lesbians just sit there and pet each other like kittens, but that’s not the truth!” In response to a question about writing sex scenes, one author noted that it’s helpful to write them in the bath (writers, take note!), while others use these scenes to reflect their characters’ inner lives and move the plot forward.
The biggest event was a moderated conversation between Dorothy Allison and Jewelle Gomez, billed as “Advocating in Turbulent Times” and held on the main stage to a crowded audience. The two authors spoke warmly and engagingly about their past, future, writing projects, and long-lasting friendship. Dorothy came across as a firebrand with a big heart, while Jewelle, whose Gilda Stories hold a special place in my heart and who I partly went on the cruise to see, came across as gentle and kind. There’s a lot of recent debate about the extent to which writers should be accurate and sensitive when writing about marginalized demographics and groups to which they do not belong. Jewelle, calling herself a “bean counter,” noted the need to think of the many different people who might read her books and to be mindful of writing something with inadvertent negative implications for a certain type of reader, citing an example when a young man at a college reading interpreted Gilda as “hating men,” which was not her intent. Thinking this way about your work, Jewelle posited, is a matter of kindness. Dorothy mentioned that the youngest generation of queer people has less community than her generation (which was “always in meetings”), and emphasized the importance of real-world connection – reading blogs, the authors noted, is no substitute for bonding with other people or engaging with good books. Following the reading, I was honored to join other cruise attendees in meeting both authors.
I left the cruise’s literary adventures at sea with renewed faith in the power of imagination and story. It was wonderful to see so many queer women writers thriving, finding an audience, and connecting with each other through their words! Would I recommend a literary cruise to fellow writers? If you don’t get too seasick, go for it!
It’s hard to believe that 2018 is almost over. Hopefully the year has had bright spots for you as it has for me. Following the publication of The Modern Enneagram in 2017, this has been a fruitful year of career building in writing and editing. I’m celebrating these wins as we honor the year that’s coming to a close and move towards the next.
Freelance editing
When I moved to Edinburgh from San Francisco in May 2017, I left my long-held part-time job as a writing tutor/instructor at an art college and moved into full-time self-employment. Initially, I offered writing coaching and set up an Enneagram workshop as well as seeking out editing projects. Beginning in 2018, my money-making direction clarified itself. While continuing to copy edit nonfiction, I had opportunities for developmental editing on fiction projects and began working with a new publisher on manuscript evaluations. It’s been richly rewarding to dive into story structure, hone my constructively critical eye, and give input in a way that’s appreciated.
Anthology (and other) publications
While in Edinburgh, I participated in two lovely local writers’ groups and continued submitting my work. In addition to having articles and short pieces published, my work was accepted for four anthologies! It’s been exciting to have them arrive in the mail throughout the year and to discover gems from writers I wasn’t previously familiar with.
While words are the most natural source of steady work for me, I love the depth and impact of the Enneagram. In 2018 I traveled to Amsterdam to give the mini-workshop, “Writing Your Enneagram Journey,” that participants enjoyed at summer 2017’s IEA Global Conference. I was also approached by my friend Chloe Keric-Eli, a Montreal Enneagram teacher, to submit a joint proposal for 2018’s IEA. As immigrants between multiple countries and cultures, our shared experiences led to the idea of presenting on “Where Culture Meets Type.” Participants at both conferences dove fully into the exercises, bringing insights about their personal and cultural stories that were illuminating for many in the room.
A day job (and a move!)
Freelancing as an editor as my primary occupation provided wonderful opportunities to gain new skills, but it also highlighted additional things I wanted to learn. I realized that the most effective way to learn many of these would be to find an in-house role. Further, I hadn’t moved all the way to the UK to sit in my flat during working hours rather than engaging fully with the culture. Working with my primarily North American client base just wasn’t quite the same. I applied to day jobs in the editing field and was offered one in London working for RUSI, London’s venerable defence and security think tank. I moved in July, leaving a beautiful work-from-home space and gaining colleagues, increased confidence in my work, and skills ranging from project management methods to document design. When I’m not at my day job, I continue to work as a freelance editor on select projects. I’ve gotten quicker with my work, and more assured in making editorial choices. I’m committed and growing. I look forward to seeing where this career path takes me.
A novel draft completed
I have manuscripts sitting in my Dropbox folders that never made it to the book deal stage, and know from experience that finishing the first draft of a novel is a different beast from finalizing it and from hitting a chord that resonates with the reading public. I am, however, proud of the draft I completed this year. It’s a fantasy adventure story – the kind of thing I read for fun; the kind of thing I wrote as a youngster and teenager, and even then neglected to submit anywhere in favor of more “serious” stuff. I’ve been learning in the last few years that being fascinating does not make a thing less real. I put a lot of feelings about immigration and identity into this novel about magic. I got to invent a world with cities in caves and clouds, and I loved spending time there. I got to write “the end.”
I recently finished doing a manuscript assessment for a memoir. The author was eager to tell their story to future generations of their family, having put much time and effort into researching their own family history and finding the stories sparse. A memoirist in my writers’ group is impelled by the same impulse. The lines I’ve participated in critiquing are well crafted, the stories engaging. These two books have me thinking a lot about memoir lately, and one of my client’s comments made me think: “I know this story isn’t commercial.”
“Commercial” is another thing I’ve been thinking about. It speaks to the market, but the market is born from reader interest. Readers buy a book because they connect with the content in some form. For those who write memoirs, personal essays, and other forms of writing about their own experiences, their art becomes commercial when it resonates with others. Reading someone else’s story is most interesting when it connects to something you’ve felt, thought, wanted, or lived.
Many of us hunger to tell our stories. There’s a difference, though, between what works for the writer and what works for the reader. How to use the ephemeral medium of words to build a bridge between your experience and others’?
From reading and editing work based on personal experience, I’ve noticed that certain elements help an individual’s story resonate on a broadly appealing level. If you’re working on a memoir or personal essay, the following writing techniques might help it connect with readers, too.
Bring scenes to life. Rather than listing events, show your experiences by creating scenes. Incorporate the senses: What did you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste? If you’re writing a longer piece, dialogue can be built into your scenes to break up the narration. Because we don’t always remember what everyone said in the past, dialogue in memoir is often more of an approximation. That said, if you recall any memorable lines, by all means include them!
Be a character. Readers want to get to know you. Let your individual voice come through in word choice and craft. Use your story to highlight your values and share your feelings. It might be tempting to think that writing something “universal” means leaving your personality out, but the opposite is true. Few readers relate to a bland everyman or everywoman, while many will relate to a narrator who feels alive, even if they are quite different from the reader themselves. Don’t be afraid to take a stand. Let your uniqueness shine.
Build in a narrative arc. Readers appreciate progress and stories that make sense. While life doesn’t necessarily have clear-cut beginnings, endings, or climaxes, it’s helpful to shape your story so that it does have these elements. Show who you were before your story began, how your experience changed you, and why it matters.
Emphasize a theme beyond the personal. It’s often immensely rewarding to write about your life experiences, but readers want stories that have something to offer them beyond experiencing someone else’s reality. Look for universal truths that your experience individualizes. Maybe it relates to a global issue or relatable emotion. Bring out your story’s implications that are bigger than the scope of your personal sphere.
When done well, personal writing is some of the most powerful writing out there. It allows readers to experience walks of life they might never otherwise have access to, and it describes deep human experiences in ways that help them feel less alone. With thoughtfulness around audience and storytelling, your personal writing will shine. For some readers, your voice might be the very one they need to hear.
Think of a writer. You’re probably picturing a lone figure with a laptop, right? A big part of being a writer is the writing itself, an activity that’s usually done in solitude by a single individual. However, the work of a writer involves collaboration at multiple levels, even for the most introverted of the bunch (raising my hand here)!
This March I attended the Scottish Association of Writers’ 2018 Conference and witnessed this firsthand. Making connections with other writers offers a peek into just how interconnected we who work on a blank page or screen are with myriad others, seen and unseen.
Books (and blogs and articles and poems…) don’t exist in isolation. They are influenced by years of reading habits and inspirations. Think about anything you’ve written and you may be able to trace ideas back to things you’ve read or seen, or identify texts that have influenced your style. Reading is what gets most of us interested in writing in the first place, which means that writers inspire other writers.
Look in the acknowledgments section of a book and you’ll find a list of names who have helped the author more directly. Critique groups and individual readers have often given valuable input into what works and what doesn’t. Editors have polished the manuscript to its full potential, and publishers have brought it into the world. Friends and family have offered support through the process of writing and publishing.
It can be motivating to hear others’ perspectives on our writing, and also a good reality check. Critique partners and beta readers approach your manuscript with fresh eyes and can give a first-hand opinion on which aspects appeal to readers and where your manuscript might be strengthened with changes. It’s most helpful to find early readers who enjoy your genre and style, as they’ll want to read the best version of whatever it is you are working on, rather than turning it into something else. They can also let you know if the words on the page convey the things you intend in your head. Once a book is published, the words are out there and people will interpret them in ways you may not have intended. Early readers can point out gaps in understanding and help you clarify your meaning.
If you’re looking to build a support team for your own writing, here are some places to look:
Get to know other writers. They’re working towards the same goals as you, and can offer understanding and support.
Seek out critique groups and beta readers to get input on your work. You can find these in person or online.
Find books and learning resources that will keep you up to date on the area in which you’re writing.
If you’re looking to traditionally publish, reach out to agents and publishers when your manuscript is ready. Publication involves a whole team working to bring your book into readers’ hands.
If you’re looking to self-publish, you’ll be assembling that team yourself. Find an editor to help with structure and flow and a proofreader to check for final errors. Unless you’re an artist, you’ll likely want a cover designer as well.
Get to know readers! This can be one of the most rewarding aspects of being published: seeing the impact of your (yes, often solitary) work on others.
There are lots of other forms of collaboration that can be helpful for writers. I’ve touched on just a few here. Do you have a favorite?
In 2016, I’d given up on getting a publishing deal.
I’d been writing for most of my life. As a teenager, I’d self-published two poetry books (in the day before digital publishing, when self-publishing meant going to Kwik Kopy to get paper books printed) as fundraisers for charity. I went on to study Creative Writing in graduate school and complete a novel as my thesis. I had poetry, short story, and children’s book manuscripts ready to send out, a track record of literary publication, and old projects sitting in my Dropbox. I was bound and determined to have a career.
So the submissions and query letters went out, and the rejections came rolling in. The next five years brought two close calls: after many no’s, one publisher accepted my children’s book, only to have the line of books they’d accepted it for fold. A new small press was interested in my short stories, but the press ended up not getting off the ground. I tried to freelance and occasionally shopped around old pieces, but my heart was no longer in it. I dreamed often about having a great idea for a novel, but my real-life attempts never made it past chapter 1. The energy had drained from my writing attempts, and I worked in abortive fits and starts. Was my lifelong dream of writing books a false hope? Despite my love of stories and the positive feedback I’d received in my early life about my way with words, I wondered, not for the first time, if I’d been cut out for this at all.
Meanwhile, I focused on studying and then teaching the Enneagram personality system. My co-teacher Kacie and I decided to create a little ebook about personality types at work as a freebie connected to our mailing list. I brought out my editing and design skills to shape bits of our previous writing into a coherent whole, and added Decoding Personality in the Workplace to my email signature. I also continued to edit books on a freelance basis, and one day, one of these publishers asked: “We’re looking for an Enneagram book, and I see you’ve written one. Would you be interested in doing one for us?” And in 2017, Kacie and I got to hold The Modern Enneagram, the published book I’d given up on, in our hands.
There’s more than one path to being published, and the journey can be long and hard. Here are some strategies to weather its ups and downs.
1. Be persistent.
Rejection is a fact of publishing. A quick Google search will yield lists of rejection letters, hilarious in hindsight, for best-selling novels, and Stephen King collected enough of the suckers to hang them on his wall. From my experience on the other side of the acquisitions desk, I can attest that a lot of good writing, for reasons related to fit, space, and chance, just doesn’t make the cut. Those same pieces might find a perfect home elsewhere. Keep submitting, and if the editor takes the time to give constructive feedback, read it carefully. Sometimes they just don’t get your story, but at other times they’ve identified flaws that will improve your writing if corrected.
Also, while many publishers and publications simply don’t respond to submissions they choose not to publish, if the venue doesn’t specify this, don’t be afraid to follow up if you haven’t heard back. Last summer, I sent a fantasy story to an online magazine and heard nothing in response. I assumed they just didn’t like my story, then discovered that another submitter had received a prompt reply. My follow-up email led to the publication of “Count Three Stones,” and a piece I’d loved writing finally found a home.
2. Be open to different doorways in.
If one approach isn’t working, consider another. I just heard a great story from a Scottish literary agent about a writer of paranormal police procedurals. Despite the quality of his work, he was repeatedly turned down by traditional publishers because there was “no market” for his books. This agent encouraged him to self-publish, and the popularity of his unconventional mysteries proved the publishers wrong.
If you’re committed to getting your work out there, be open to trying different avenues for publication (including self-publishing), different genres, and new approaches. Experiment and see where it lands you.
3. Take breaks when needed.
If you feel exhausted and disheartened from the submission-rejection cycle, sometimes the best thing to do is to take a break from the whole game. Step away from your favorite manuscript. Let go of the projects you’re invested in if they’ve been driving you crazy. Later, you can return to them with fresh eyes, able to revise when needed, take a new submission approach, or start something new and exciting. Remember that “not now” doesn’t mean “not ever.” Publication is a non-linear process, so be open for its cycles of ebb and flow, and expect the unexpected!
The holiday season is approaching, and with it a focus on gifts. It’s important to many of us to find just the right thing for our loved ones. But this is also a fruitful time for us to reflect on our inner gifts, and the gifts we can bring to ourselves.
One of our greatest inner gifts lies in story, both the stories we have lived and those we imagine. Your stories belong to you and express your unique voice; no one else could tell the same one the same way. When you choose to write these stories down, you share this gift with readers. For some, it may be exactly the gift they need. And it’s a gift that works in two directions: your stories can reveal new insights and perspectives to yourself as well as to others.
The art of storytelling also has inherent gifts that you can invoke deliberately to bring out your writing’s meaning and coherence. When you write, it helps to keep in mind the following three gifts of storytelling, inspired by the Enneagram’s conflict resolution styles, as tools for revealing your story’s wisdom.
Gifts of Context
No narrative exists in a vacuum. All stories have greater meaning beyond their own existence. They have something to say about being human and existing in this world (even if they are set in a different one). What is your own story saying? Here are a few questions to keep in mind when considering the context of what you’re writing.
What will this story give the reader?
Reader experience is important to think about. Are you speaking to a specific group of people, with a directed message? What do you aim to give through your story, and what will readers receive? Here’s where feedback helps to see if your intentions are conveyed effectively.
What possibilities does this open up?
Most stories engage with questions and options. There are multiple ways to tell a story and multiple decisions to be made as you go along. First person or third person? Reality or fantasy? Car chase or romance scene? What about both? Don’t be afraid to follow tangents as you’re writing and let inspiration lead you.
What themes are you engaging with?
Sometimes this question is a starting point and sometimes it isn’t clear until the end. This is your “I want to write about ___.” Why is this theme important to you? Chances are that your personal connection to theme will yield powerful material. What have others already written on this theme, and how can you engage with this wider dialogue?
Gifts of Logic and Structure
Writing isn’t just about context. It is also a structured art. Thinking ahead and strategically will help you create something coherent and polished, as will revising and rewriting once you’ve finished a draft. The following questions touch on important structural and logical points to keep in mind as you write.
What rules and constraints will you follow?
Most writing has a genre (or multiple ones) and structure. Some people prefer to lay out structure and logic from the beginning, creating outlines and defining parameters for their writing projects. Others “discovery write” and build in structure later, revising as needed. Giving some thought to the rules and traditions you will work in will help grant your project a strong shape.
What is the “high concept” or interesting part of your writing?
The most successful narratives have an attention-grabbing hook. In your case, there must be something driving you to write your story in the first place. Follow your inspiration to its source to find this aspect, and let it guide your writing. Keeping your own interest in mind will keep your story lively for readers, too.
What knowledge and research do you need?
Often, our stories require knowledge we don’t already have. Cue reading, Google, and asking primary sources. Experts in a field often have the most informed and targeted answers. Some experts might even be willing to read your story and give suggestions. Decide what you need to know and start learning.
Gifts of Emotion
Consider the emotional undercurrents that shape your story. How does the project make you feel, and what feelings do you want it to evoke in the reader? Just as it’s useful to read in your genre, it’s helpful to look at sources that reflect a similar emotional landscape for inspiration. The primary source of your own experience is invaluable, too.
What elements of internal life are you portraying?
Keep this question in mind as you build characters and narrative voice. The same plot event can be told multiple ways to evoke different emotions. Just as your story is a journey of sorts, its emotional arc takes your reader on an inner journey, with different landscapes and realizations.
How do reactions drive the story?
When plot events occur, they impact both outer and inner worlds. Dive into their consequences by having your characters react, and allowing their reactions to drive events. Show the internal impact the events have, as well as the consequences of your characters’ decisions.
What goals drive the story?
This question shapes structure, but is also at the core of your narrative’s emotional landscape. Something needs to happen, and this “something” is never neutral. It presents high stakes for narrative and character(s) alike. How does the character feel about the goal, and about plot events in relation to it? How do you feel about these?
With these questions in mind, explore the gifts that your story brings. What is new and unique, resonant and true about it? What aspects will stay with the reader long after they put it down?
So, you’ve committed to writing a novel this month. The ambitious goal of completing 50,000 words of a cohesive story in 30 days is both daunting and exhilarating. Whether you’ve completed previous NaNoWriMo novels or are dipping your toes into these challenging waters for the first time, you’ve made the choice to face down that blank page right now. Where and how do you begin? Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, a veteran or a novice, here are a few ideas that will help you finish November with a draft you’ll be proud of.
1. Structure before you begin (or don’t). Some people prefer to have every detail of their story planned out before they begin (see above re: “plotters”), while others like to let their stories surprise them (these are the “pantsers” of the writing world). If you have a strong preference, it can be genuinely challenging to work outside of your preferred method. However, it can also be revitalize blocked writing. When you’re looking to write something fast (like a NaNoWriMo novel), having an outline speeds your progress, because you know what to write next. If your story isn’t moving as planned, though, try giving it freedom to develop and seeing what twists and turns pop up as you go along. And if you’re an obsessive plotter, writing a fast novel by the seat of your pants might be an exhilarating, and even time-saving, experience.
2. Work with others. Writing is usually a solitary activity: one person, one keyboard (or notebook, or typewriter). But it doesn’t have to be. NaNoWriMo offers a treasure trove of virtual support, as well as in-person opportunities in many communities to meet and write together. Take advantage of these changes to find support and camaraderie with others who are embarking on the same writing journey. Other fun ways to bring collaboration into your writing process include completing NaNoWriMo with friends, working with a writing group or coach, or coauthoring a novel. (My coauthor Kacie Berghoef has a great blog post about book collaboration, which might be helpful if you’re looking to go this route.) Collaboration means you don’t have to work alone. When you run into challenges, you’ll have others around you who will understand and help you through them.
3. Write to reader interest. You want to write the book you want to write. Maybe you’ve heard about “writing to market,” and cringed at the idea. Why would you want to follow ephemeral publishing trends? Conversely, maybe you’ve thought, “if (insert best-selling author) can do it, surely I can,” and decided to take up some broadly selling genre, topic, or formula, whether or not your heart is in it. Writing to reader interest is more complex than many of us think, though. It’s not about writing to a script; it’s about writing something that will be enjoyed. When it comes right down to it, most of us aren’t writing solely for ourselves. We write because we have a story to tell, and we’d like it to connect with an audience. And, my desired audience is probably going to look different from your desired audience. Consider the type of reader who gravitates to your genre and interests, and rather than writing to a general audience, write in a way that will keep their interest. Changes are you’re part of your own target audience. What book would you love to read? Write that book.
4. Write from personal experience. It’s an old truism that you should “write what you know.” This doesn’t mean that you need to limit yourself to things you’ve experienced in the real world. If this were the case, we’d have no imaginative science fiction, fantasy, or horror to enjoy. What is helpful is to draw inspiration from your experiences to ground your story. When your character’s in an emotional situation, look to your past to bring to life similar emotions that you’ve experienced. Your background can add color, detail, and richness: if you have a long career as a gardener, for instance, you can bring unique skill in describing the setting’s plant life. And don’t be afraid to mine your past for ideas. Your life is a wealth of inspiration, if you look at it closely.
5. Research what you need to know. There are lots of times when your story idea will extend beyond your current knowledge. Don’t be afraid to consult other people, books, or the Internet to learn the answers to your questions. From familiarizing yourself with your setting to getting to know the technical or medical details of your plot points, you’ll find that you need to research more factors than you’d expect to get everything right. In addition to information,relevant images, videos, and narratives (not just books–consider blogs and other internet resources) can make good sources, as can reaching out to people in your network who are qualified to answer your questions. Some of this research may come after NaNoWriMo, during the revision process. When the information is important to the plot, though, don’t hesitate to look it up on the go.
6. Throw in some danger. I’m not talking about endangering your own life as you sit in front of your treacherous laptop screen – I’m talking about imperiling your characters! Most novels are about people with problems. To maintain reader interest, keep the problems building until the end. When one problem is solved, might the solution create another one? Plumb plot possibilities by asking, “What could go wrong here?” If you want to write a can’t-put-it-down read, try ending your chapters with cliffhangers.
7. Keep the process fun and rewarding. External incentives make excellent motivators to keep going. NaNoWriMo is already great for this, with pep talks from prominent authors, relevant sponsor offer “prizes”, and the goal of “winning” built in. Build in intrinsic motivation by focusing on the fun parts of the writing process itself. Each day, focus on writing something that’s exciting and intriguing to you. If your scene is boring, cut it out. If it’s necessary to the plot but not that interesting, bring in fun details, dialogue, or other colorful touches. If you maintain your own interest through each passage you write, your writing will intrigue your readers too.
8. Use action to drive the story forward. Your story is about things that happen. Make sure enough happens to keep the pace going. Even a reflective story needs to have a consistent, interesting sequence of events. Your characters, too, need to be active – especially your protagonist. If you notice that things keep happening to your main character(s), give them more agency. Make sure they make decisions and initiate events rather than simply reacting. Give them a choice in every chapter. Give these choices consequences that significantly influence the plot.
9. Look at the story as a whole. If you’re a plotter, consider thematic elements and plot and character arcs up front. If you’re a pantser, watch them evolve and keep them in mind as you write. Beyond storytelling and entertainment, what meaning are you seeking to convey? What ideas do you want to explore? Who are your characters beyond their surface traits? What motivates them, and how will they grow (if they grow – iconic or static characters can work too)? What will they learn from the journey you are taking them on? Looking at your novel on a macro level will help it resonate with themes that speak to your target readers, ensuring it is both cohesive and meaningful.
NaNoWriMo is a wonderful challenge to take on, and you don’t have to do it alone. Feel free to reach out for support if you’d like some writing coaching, or to share what you’re working on in the comments. Happy writing to all of you!
I recently finished doing a manuscript assessment for a memoir. The author was eager to tell their story to future generations of their family, having put much time and effort into researching their own family history and finding the stories sparse. A memoirist in my writers’ group is impelled by the same impulse. The lines I’ve participated in critiquing are well crafted, the stories engaging. These two books have me thinking a lot about memoir lately, and one of my client’s comments made me think: “I know this story isn’t commercial.”
Think of a writer. You’re probably picturing a lone figure with a laptop, right? A big part of being a writer is the writing itself, an activity that’s usually done in solitude by a single individual. However, the work of a writer involves collaboration at multiple levels, even for the most introverted of the bunch (raising my hand here)!
In 2016, I’d given up on getting a publishing deal.
The holiday season is approaching, and with it a focus on gifts. It’s important to many of us to find just the right thing for our loved ones. But this is also a fruitful time for us to reflect on our inner gifts, and the gifts we can bring to ourselves. 
So, you’ve committed to writing a novel this month. The ambitious goal of completing 50,000 words of a cohesive story in 30 days is both daunting and exhilarating. Whether you’ve completed previous
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