The Rookie Writer Show

When people think of writing, they often think of something like a scene from the movies or television. You know the one: a writer sits alone, oftentimes with just their computer, typewriter, or notepad and their brilliant, brilliant genius words, which either flow out of them or won’t come at all. When the burst of brilliance is over, they are left happily typing “The End” onto a masterpiece, which their agent and/or publisher awaits with bated breath.

Like usual, TV and movies are presenting the phony baloney version.

Come peek behind the curtain, new and aspiring writers, and get to know the five stages of writing. More experienced writers, remind yourself which stage your current project is in and proceed appropriately. It’s so easy to slip back into old habits. Reminding yourself which stage you’re in and which draft you’re working on will save you a lot of time and trouble. For instance, when that siren’s song urges you to polish your first chapter until it’s “right” or “ready” before you move onto chapter two, you will safely stop your ears from hearing any such nonsense. Let’s get to it!

1PREWRITING – It’s at this stage that you ruminate, research, sketch, start a vision board, write a sloppy, galloping synopsis, or even (Dare I say? Dare! Dare!) outline. Whatever helps you start putting this story together! Do whatever makes sense to you. Author Gwen Hayes does something called a “Spark Sheet” where she writes down everything she knows about the story before she starts to write it. This stage can last for a little while or a long while. There is no one-size-fits-all with this or any other stage of writing. It will look different if you’re a “pantser” (someone who prefers to follow the muse and “write by the seat of their pants”) or more of a “plotter.” At one end of the spectrum, an extreme pantser may have as little as a single object or picture that sits on their desk to remind them of how they came up with the original story idea. At the other end of the spectrum, an extreme plotter may have a detailed synopsis that goes on for fifty pages or an elaborate spreadsheet with a scene-by-scene outline, along with notebooks full of notes and research on characters and settings, timelines, and the like. Most people live somewhere in between these two extremes. There is no right way to prewrite. There is simply your way to prewrite. BUT, no matter how you approach it: PLEASE 1) take a minute to look at your calendar and start thinking about how you’re going to make space for this project and 2) designate one place that you’re going to keep all of your notes and materials on this project. No writing project can thrive without enough resources (time, space, etc.) to keep it moving forward.

Prewriting Tips and Tools:

* My Favorite Software/App: I love the

GENRES & SUB-GENRES: WHAT ARE THEY AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

There is always going to be a little wiggle room on what genres are out there. Things are always shifting, with new subgenres appearing and others all but disappearing. At their core, genres are simply a tool to help readers find the kinds of stories they enjoy. That’s it. I would suggest that while nobody gets too hung up on them, it is smart for writers to have a working knowledge of them.

Like I mentioned in the podcast episode, you will basically NEVER get bonus points from an agent or publisher for saying that your work “defies genre” or “has created a new genre.” Agents and publishers (including indie authors) are in the business of getting their books and stories into the hands of readers. When you say these things, you’re basically saying, “I need you to go create a new market from scratch.” #NotSoMuch #Pass #ThanksAnyway

Following are some great sites for familiarizing yourself with what genres are out there. I would suggest that you give special attention to the link that includes typical word count ranges. Especially if you’re looking to traditionally publish at some point (i.e. get an agent and publisher), you’ll want to be mindful of what they typically expect from debut authors. Once you’re a famous writer, you can (sometimes) get away with ignoring those typical word counts.

* Genres of Literature – Genres of Literature List* Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers – Colorado Gold Contest Categories & Genres* Writer’s Digest – List of Sub-Genre Descriptions* Lit Rejections – Recommended Word Count Ranges by Genre

There are about a bazillion subgenes. For example, here are just some of the sub-genres of Science Fiction/Fantasy (and these do not include Amazon’s unique subgenres):

Alternate History | Arthurian Fantasy | Bangsian Fantasy | Biopunk | Children’s Fantasy | Comic | Cyberpunk | Dark Fantasy | Dystopian | Erotic | Fable | Fairy Tales | Game-Related Fantasy | Hard Science Fiction | Heroic Fantasy | High/Epic Fantasy | Historical | Mundane SF | Military SF | Mystery SF | Mythology | New Age | Post-Apocalyptic | Romance | Religious | Science Fantasy | Social SF | Soft SF | Space Opera | Spy-Fi | Steampunk | Superheroes | Sword and Sorcery | Thriller SF | Time-Travel | Urban Fantasy | Vampire | Wuxia | Young Adult

I keep a poster next to my desk to remind me of just how many different types of stories there are out there and how important it is to find the readers who enjoy the kind of stories I write.

THERE ARE READERS OUT THERE FOR ALL OF US. YOU JUST HAVE TO FIND YOUR AUDIENCE.

Zenni Abdon works a vegetable garden with more square footage with than her home in Bloomington, Indiana. She shares that home with two lovely, mud-covered children and a well-chosen husband. She is grateful for the space they give her to write speculative fiction, as well as the fact that her husband is a badass cook.

To reach Zenni with more questions or to inquire about being a beta reader or a critique partner for her Pack Librarian Series, email her: zenniabdon [at] gmail.com.

Here are the links to some of the things that came up in conversation…

* Austin Kleon* James Patterson* K.M. Weiland* Larry D. Sweazy* Stephen King* James Patterson MasterClass – Sign up using this link and get $30 off your All-Access Pass and I’ll get a $30 Amazon Card. Zenni would recommend Neil Gaiman’s MasterClass, as well! * On Writing by Stephen King* Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon * Structuring Your Novel by K.M. Weiland* The Broken Earth trilogy by NK Jeminsin

Get $30 off your All Access Pass!!

It stands to reason that it’s easier to do anything when you feel good and have energy and focus. While it can be easy to submit to what I call “Floating Head Syndrome,” where you pretend that your body is in no way connected to that busy brain of yours, you will be well-served by taking a little time and space to take care of the things you need to in order to remain (or become) pain-free, energetic, and focused.

So, yes, taking care of yourself will make you more productive. And this is a website and podcast focused on writing productivity, so of course it makes sense for me to advocate this one.

However.

I’m going to advocate that you do this irrespective of the fact that it will make you more productive. I want you to do this simply BECAUSE you love yourself, NOT SO THAT you can do . . . well. . .anything.

You may want to consider tracking some or all of these at least some of the time, even informally. Again, because I want to urge you to treat yourself like you would the person or thing you most adore and cherish:

* Quiet Time – Do you have at least a few minutes every day to just be? Whether you pray, meditate, or just look around, it’s good for you. If you make some time for it, you will be amazed at what it does for you. * Movement – This doesn’t have to be a cross-fit class, I promise. Play with the kids. Take a walk. Bike to the store maybe instead of driving there. Dance around. Throw a little extra oomph into that yardwork or housework. Or, yeah, take a class or hop on a treadmill. 30 minutes more days than not will change how you feel about yourself.* Hydration – Drink more water. It’s as close as we’re ever going to get to the magic pill or the fountain of youth. * Nourishment – I don’t think there’s one perfect diet, but I will say that I don’t think you can ever go wrong throwing in extra servings of fresh fruits and vegetables. * Sleep – The experts are sticking by their recommendation of 8 hours. Do your best. However much sleep you can manage right now, if you can, try to make it semi-consistent. * Play – Remember that? Something just for fun? And while binge-watching and video games are fun, maybe consider also trying something a little more proactive and tactile sometimes. Maybe a game of cards? Learn to cook something new? Go out to a concert or a play? Try your hand at painting, whittling, whistling, flower arranging. Whatever. As long as your spirit frolics.

It’s about progress, not perfection, people. And we do it with love and joie de vivre.

Understanding what drives your desire to write can make a huge difference in how much you write. Consider it another tool in your kit to deal with writer’s block, procrastination, and perfectionism. Ask yourself what you’re motivated by. Write it down somewhere you can see it when you sit down to write. When doubt and rejection inevitably find their way into your writing life, return to that motivation like a touchstone. Remind yourself why you have chosen to write and not do something else instead.

If you’re motivated by _______, ask yourself_________________

* Passion – What book/poem/article/etc. is it that I want to read? Is it something that only I can write? What makes this work fun? What would the world be like without the characters/stories that I’m creating? What would it be like with them?* Message – What issue or cause do I want to raise awareness for? How could I contribute toward a solution or an improvement in some way?* Audience – How can I offer comfort or support to my readers or viewers or listeners? * Recognition – Am I willing to wait for this? How many times was my favorite author (or book) rejected before it was accepted? Was it valued in its time? * Money – What kinds of things can I do with the resources I earn from my work? How will it improve my life? My family’s life? My community? * Challenge – What other things have I done that seemed hard at first? What other things have I done that I had to try more than once before I succeeded? What is something I accomplished that took a long time to finish? What are the things I’ve finished that have made me most proud? What can I pull from these experiences to make it more likely I will finish this writing project?

Remember, the only person who can really keep you from writing is you. Don’t wait! Get started and keep at it! Every little bit of effort moves the ball forward!

Feel free to hate the cheesy acronym, but love the message.

Round up all your writing projects. Search the scary dark corners of your clouds and drives, gather all those scraps of paper and half-filled notebooks. Check your notes app and your email folder for emails to yourself. Get all those ideas and projects in one place to start off.

Observe what you have. Always thought of yourself as more of a literary novelist, but find that a lot of your stuff is ideas for memoir essays or flash fiction? Note it. Group like with like and see what your muse has been throwing in your path so far.

Make some decisions. For this step you have to “get meta” again. Maybe you do have a pile of poetry, but the idea of working on it leaves you less than inspired. That’s fine. Or you might realize that while you have precious little done so far on that screenplay — maybe even just the kernel of the idea — but it’s where all the “heat” is. It’s what gets your heart skipping beats. Note that, too. You’re not immortal, sadly, so you’re going to have to choose which projects go front and center. You might choose things that are close to done for that boost of momentum that comes from finishing something. Or maybe you decide to go where you feel the most excitement and passion. Whatever. Just decide on two things: 1) what you’re going to work on now and 2) what you’re going to work on next. Not someday. Now or next only.

Eliminate everything that isn’t now or next. Eliminate is a scary word. I get that. All I mean is eliminate from your daily mental and physical space. You don’t have to trash anything if you don’t want to. Feel free to dump them all in a single drive or in a box or file. Think of it as a waiting room for those other ideas. They’re just going to hang out there and wait until you need them, if you ever need them. No worries, no rush. You may get back to them or you may not. But you’ll know where to go looking if and when you do.

Organize what’s left. Now’s the time for that inner office supply nerd or obsessive techie to come out and play. Set things up using whatever tools you’re already familiar with right now. They’ll absolutely do fine for now. Later, we’ll have reviews and recommendations for various software, apps, and other resources and tools, but for now, just use what you know and get the stuff together (research, characters sketches, first drafts, initial ideas, etc.) for the things you decided in the M step to be the things that either excite you the most or seem the most doable. what you’re working on now and next.

By taking the time to do this loving exercise, you should find yourself a little clearer and a little less overwhelmed the next time you sit down to write.

X O X O

Dair

I’m still figuring out how to schedule podcast episodes. Even as I type this, I know I have a bunch of techie stuff to maneuver to get to a point where this episode will release when I want it to release. I meant for Episode 000 to release on Wednesday, May 1st and Episode 001 to release on Thursday, May 2nd. They both released at the end of April on a Sunday, I believe. Not what I had in mind.

Still, I wanted to stay true to what I have in my show materials (i.e. “New episodes release every Thursday!”) and so… bonus episode! My SNAFU, however, lent itself nicely to one of my favorite themes: Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

I’m DEFINITELY a beginner in the podcast game and have tons to learn. If I’d waited until I learned everything there was to know about podcast production (and scheduling!), I would never have released this show. And if I’d waited for the perfect time, I really would’ve never released this show.

And yet, here you are, listening to what is effectively my third episode already.

In the end, I drew on other experiences to help me finally get this show on the air. It’s true that I used some editing skills I picked up from random volunteering gigs with my kids’ schools. And I did really commit to CreativeLive‘s free week of classes on podcasting, but what really made the difference was experiences that had nothing to do with podcasting. What really helped the most was knowing that at other times in my life I was able to get started on something, even when I didn’t have EVERYTHING nailed down and perfect at the beginning. And it was all okay. Or it wasn’t. But at least it was something. At least it lived in the real world and not just in my imagination’s woulda-shoulda-coulda trash heap.

Take that spirit into your writing practice. Get started on something that’s been scaring you a little. And keep those promises you made to yourself and others whenever possible. You will dazzle yourself in the long run, I promise. And you will get to where you need to go.

There are so many spots along the continuum between dreamer and bestseller. Your challenge for this week is to ask yourself where you are right now and where would you like to be? Are you…

A Pro – This is the writing equivalent of the Major and Minor Leagues in baseball. You publish your work and you get paid to do it. Pros may choose to publish traditionally and work with a small press or one of the Big Five or they may go the Indie route and publish their own work They’re all pros.

Amateur – This could be the writing equivalent of playing college ball, playing for something like a novelty league like the Vintage Baseball Association, or playing for a rec league. You publish your work, but pay is less reliable or nonexistent. Are you in a Masters of Fine Arts program or even a continuing studies program? Do you write for Wattpad? Do you belong to a writer’s guild or writing club where you frequently do readings? You may have amateur status, but you’re no amateur if you get my meaning.

Hobbyist – This is the pick-up ball of writing. Maybe you write your memoirs for your kids or trade short stories with a fellow hobbyist. Or maybe you’re a “batting cage” writer who journals or writes only for themselves. There’s a lot of passion among hobbyists and whether they decide to pursue publication down the road or not, they’re getting in the reps and probably getting better all the time.

Dreamer – These are sort of like the baseball fans who think to themselves, maybe I could play a little ball at some point? They love the sport. They may buy themselves a new glove or look up the signup dates for that rec league, but they haven’t quite gotten around to it yet. That’s cool. They may stay there forever or they may take the leap and surprise everyone with their talent and perseverance once they decide to get in the game. So keep subscribing to The Writer magazine and buying yourselves the pretty notebooks and pens, dreamers. Watch those author talks on YouTubes and dream away. When and if you’re ready to change your status, there’s lots of room for you to suit up and jump in the game!

Hi! I’m H. Dair Brown, host of The Rookie Writer Show. Each week join me as I dive into writing productivity topics that can help you more effectively channel your enthusiasm and your talent and make the most of the writing time you do have.

We’ll explore approaches, techniques, hacks, resources, tools, and have interviews with both fellow rookies and experts on time management, creativity, organization, and publishing. 

I’d like to welcome you to the show with a story that I am shamelessly stealing from The West Wing. (Leo McGarry tells it to Josh Lyman for any other West Wing nuts out there.) It goes something like this:

A man falls into a hole, and he’s calling for help. No one will help him. Finally, he sees a doctor walking by. He yells up, “Hey, Doc. A little help?” The doctor throws a prescription down and continues on his way. And the man is still stuck in the hole. And then he sees a priest. And he says, “Hey, father, can you help?” The priest offers a prayer and then goes on his way. Man’s still in the hole. After a while, he sees a friend. He says, “Hey, buddy! A little help?” His friend jumps into the hole with him. The man says, “What are you stupid? Now we’re both trapped in this hole.” HIs friend says, “Yeah, but I’ve been here before. And I know how to get out.” 

So that’s the spirit of the show, the backbone for the concept behind the show. I would very much like to be your friend in the hole. (Laughs). Writing can be really hard and really lonely. And it can feel like some of the problems that you’re having are unique to you. Or they may simply feel insurmountable. But I think that the more you get out and talk to other writers, you’ll see that’s rarely the case. My idea behind the show is to help other people not make the same mistakes I did, but instead to make their mistakes, better mistakes. 

Two things you should know about the show. 

First, I’m likely to get right into it. I’m a big podcast fan myself and I hate it when people jibber-jabber at the beginning. I’ll dive right into the content. I promise to always respect your time.

Second, I will never tell you that there is just one right way to do anything, especially write. It drives me crazy when people do that. The things that I put out there or that people I interview suggest are just that: suggestions. Take the ideas that intrigue you, try them out. Keep what works. Chuck the rest.

I’ll be organizing the podcasts every month around the following themes:

Who/What – The first episode of every month will tackle questions related to who you are as a writer and what exactly it is that you’re writing. This is the foundation of everything. I can’t overstate what being rock-solid in your understanding of these things can do for your productivity. 

When/Where – The second episode of every month will look at logistical challenges related to your writing and offer techniques, hacks, tools, and more to help you get the most out of the writing time you do have.

Why – The third episode of the month will dig into your motivation and your support for your writing practice. Again, when you have a clear understanding of what drives you to face the blank page, you have gone a long way toward protecting yourself from writer’s block and procrastination. 

How – The fourth episode of the month will address issues related to your overall health and well-being. Tough to write (or do anything) if you’re not feeling up to snuff. Writing is a part of your life. It’s not your whole life. It might be an important part,