Another round and another year down. Tell us how you did in your check-in! And don’t forget to be back here on January 5th for the start of Round 1 of 2015!
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Round 4
Finding Your House Blend by Kait Nolan
As this round and the year draws to a close, I find myself felled by a cold and in no real shape to write. It’s a state of affairs that always annoys me. I’m very much a go go go sort of woman, always looking at the next step toward my goals. I rarely take a day off, let alone several in a row. Which is why it usually takes illness to knock me on my butt once a year to make sure I get some rest. It also means I’m doing a lot of refilling of the well. Marathon watching stuff on Netflix (Monarch of the Glen, in case you were wondering) and reading. It’s an important thing that I often don’t make enough time for in my busy day-to-day life.
It’s an exercise I encourage all of you to do from time to time (minus the germ and tissue fest)—sip and gulp at things that interest and fascinate you, see what you find inspiring. When I go through these fests, I am inevitably bunnied—that is struck by new ideas that tend to multiply like rabbits. I don’t always follow through on these ideas, but it provides valuable insight into what I like to think of as my House Blend.
This is a concept I carry over from all the cooking I do. I’ve got a House Blend of spices that tends to go into all my food (salt, pepper, garlic powder), no matter what else I may use. And the same concept applies to my fiction. There are things that are always going to turn up in my work, no matter whether I’m writing contemporary romance or paranormal or something else. There will always be strong women. Women who hate asking for help. Men who intuit what it is they need and just do it without being asked. Families that are more than blood. Complicated family dynamics. These are things that I am drawn to consistently in everything I read and watch. And I regularly come up with new adaptations and variations on these things in what I watch and read because I see how someone else did it and think, “If it were mine, I’d do it this way.” And off my brain goes.
Your House Blend is very much a part of your brand. It is the YOU that goes into your stories, no matter what you’re writing about. It’s the way you can take a concept that’s been done before and make it yours. And it is the thing that your core audience consistently connects with. Knowing what your House Blend is will enable you to write stronger, more authentic to you stories.
So that’s my challenge to you over the break between this round and the next (we start back January 5th). Take a little time to consider what makes up your House Blend. Make it a habit when you’re reading or watching something new to see if you can figure out what you find so appealing and make list. Note how you’d make it different, make it yours. You never know when one of those notes will combine with the perfect storm of details to give you your next book or series.
So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, y’all. And see you back here for Round 1 on January 5th!
~*~
Sunday #ROW80 Check-In
I have absolutely no witticisms for you this morning. Too busy scrambling over last minute Christmas stuff. I hope you have a very happy holiday and manage to squeeze in some time for your writing amid all the crazy!
If you’d like to be a sponsor for Round 1 of 2015, dash me a line!
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Midweek #ROW80 Check-In
Only a week to go in this round (and have you finished your Christmas shopping!?). It’s SO hard to make a push this time of year when we’re juggling family and social obligations related to the holidays. But try to at least get in your test mile!
And if you’d like to be a sponsor for the first round of 2015, dash me an email!
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Sunday #ROW80 Check-In
Only eleven days to go in this round and this year. I know you’re busy with holiday engagements, but carve out some time for your WIP as a gift to yourself!
If you’re interested in being a sponsor first thing next year, drop me an email at kaitnolanwriter (at) gmail.com. We’ll be starting January 5th!
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Midweek #ROW80 Check-In
It is starting to look like Run Run Rudolph up in here with the last minute Christmas shopping (I know, I know, it isn’t TECHNICALLY last minute, but you make the gross assumption we have a CLUE what to BUY people!). I keep wanting to hide in my fictional worlds. How about you?
And I know it’s early yet, but is anybody thinking about next year? I’m starting to round up sponsors for Round 1 of 2015! If you’re interested in helping others kick off the year strong, check out the FAQs and send me an email at kaitnolanwriter (at) gmail.com.
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Striking a Balance By Melissa Barker-Simpson
As people we compare ourselves to others, it helps us to (among other things) modify behaviour, learn, and to grow. When you’re a writer, comparing yourself can be a double edged sword. In fact, it’s easy to get lost.
If you were to look at the characteristics of a ‘typical’ writer, besides the obvious results like; well-read, observant, passionate, and imaginative – you’ll also find descriptions like self-disciplined, and organised. While all of these are true, there are times when we hone in the one skill we don’t possess and, (during our darkest moments) convince ourselves the absence of something means we’re doing it wrong.
This post is all about finding a balance, accepting who we are, so we can find a way to deal with these insecurities. Because we all have them. We are, after all, a contradictory blend of self-doubt and confidence.
So, on the subject of balance and the two sides of the coin, let’s take a look a few approaches to the process. Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be another planner versus pantser debate. I believe we’re a little of both – which side of the scale we gravitate to, is merely personal choice.
Developing and Planning
I’m going to start with a quote, taken directly from George R. R. Martin – it goes like this:
“I think there are two types of writers, the architects and the gardeners. The architects plan everything ahead of time, like an architect building a house. They know how many rooms are going to be in the house, what kind of roof they’re going to have, where the wires are going to run, what kind of plumbing there’s going to be. They have the whole thing designed and blueprinted out before they even nail the first board up. The gardeners dig a hole, drop in a seed and water it. They kind of know what seed it is, they know if planted a fantasy seed or mystery seed or whatever. But as the plant comes up and they water it, they don’t know how many branches it’s going to have, they find out as it grows.”
I’ve always enjoyed the analogy, and either way, a story is told. My view on this process though, is that you need to be a little bit of both. Most people naturally ride the scale, depending on the project.
My natural choice makes me a gardener. I plant that seed and let it grow. Once it’s come to fruition that is when my planning starts and, I suppose, where the analogy begins to break down. Thankfully we’re not talking in literal terms or how else could we shake those foundations without the whole thing crashing down on us!
It works for me because I can start at the beginning and see where I need to reinforce, modify, add and ‘weed-out’ parts of the creation. I use a variety of tools, ones which mirror those of an architect.
The fact is, planners will also plant something just to watch it grow. The occasions when they completely ignore an outline, when they go with the flow of the story and listen to the characters. This is unknown territory; one there are no blueprints for. But it works, given the right balance.
That’s the secret, I think. Finding the middle ground. It’s about doing what comes naturally, while adapting the process as it suits you. Personally, I often start with a basic outline, no more than the instructions on the back of my seed packet, and use it to gain the discipline I sometimes lack.
Whether we have long, detailed goals, or a short, brief set of instructions – we work better when we know who we are.
Embrace who you are
While we’ve dealt with the form a writer uses to weave their stories, the subject of many a debate, there are other comparisons we enjoy to torture ourselves with. Those tools a writer uses, the differences we like to pin point or discuss.
I’ve taken part in lengthy discussions about music, and how it can often complement our work. Some writers believe it disrupts the flow of words, while others feel it adds something to the flavour. In a way, it’s one of those comparisons we love to torture ourselves with, yet finding a balance can make the process an enjoyable one. If we’re writing an emotional or particularly dramatic scene, the right musical accompaniment can get those creative juices flowing. Having said that, if we derive no benefit from utilising this medium, then me must stay true to who we are. There’s no rule that states you’re not a writer because you don’t use music as a creative outlet.
As writers we like to observe the world around us. But that doesn’t mean it has to be a conscious effort – we’re not all people watchers. We might not ask a barrage of questions to be filed away for later use. In truth we all pick things up on an unconscious level. We listen, observe, and like the diverse creatures we are, we take things in by soaking up the information – in a variety of ways.
A particularly controversial topic at the moment, is the use of banned words. It’s fine to listen to advice and experiment a little. We have to be true to ourselves, so as long as we follow the rules of the language (grammatically speaking), why shouldn’t we use the words we believe will make our story better. The art belongs to each of us, and we should have freedom of choice. So again, in my opinion, we should stay true to who we are and find a balance – whatever works for us.
So really, it doesn’t matter if we use pen and paper, keyboard or chalk and mortar; usually it’s a combination anyway. We should rely on our support networks, take what we need, and try not to allow our doubts cloud what we believe to be true. It goes back to my earlier comment about getting lost. Yes, we should always seek to learn and develop our skills, but we shouldn’t lose who we are in the process. Go with your gut, that’s what I say, and try to strike a balance.
~*~
