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Monday, 10.13.2008 |
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| A Writer's Time |
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Product Details
Notes
AUTHOR'S NOTE
writing what other people want you to write leads to writer's block
concentrate on your own interests at all times to overcome most blocks
you'll have plenty of time to do all you want if you take the time to plan
discipline is the bedrock of productive writing, not talent
you need determination more than self-confidence, there will be doubt
this author believes that discipline, not the muse, results in productivity
he also says you get real satisfaction from the daily work, not the end result
guidelines of successful writers:
1) write with a purpose, know why you're writing
2) write to make a difference, have something to say, know your premise
3) keep your audience in mind, understand their needs and desires
4) convey emotion, break out of your inhibitions
gain an optimistic nature in order to stay productive in the face of obstacles
CHAPTER 1 - GETTING TO KNOW YOU
work, not contemplating work, brings satisfaction to the writer
old habits from school that you need to unlearn:
1) excessive language, wordiness
2) structural rigidity, academic rules
3) confusion of analysis with creativity
4) reliance on vocabulary instead of clarity
5) myths about use of contractions or the word "one" as an impersonal pronoun
6) the belief that inspiration is all that's needed
7) thinking you need to revise the last sentence before you write the next
8) reverence for Roman-numeral outlines
by its nature, writing is an anxiety-producing activity, it reexamines values
harness your anxiety and transform it into "productive elation"
never sit down to write until you know what you're going to write
write in your head first, think of the actual sentences, then transcribe them
this removes the intimidation of the "blank page" staring at you
start by making a decision in your mind about a sentence you're going to write
the creative mind works through negation, left and right brain dialogue
your logical mind is the "Continent of Reason" and it makes a statement
your subconscious centers are the "islands" and they argue with reason
you use your "Managing Editor" to hold back the ideas from the islands
this generates creative pressure, you also suppress the weaker ideas initially
this gets the islands to work harder and produces stronger ideas
the next day, you'll be able to write down a better sentence from the whole mind
if you don't have a stronger idea yet, take a vacation and let it percolate more
don't worry about excessive vacation, don't write until you're ready to write
otherwise you just create negative reinforcement, let the creative anxiety build
some creativity may be physical, a result of hormone secretion, like runner's high
a "depression list" for slumps, things you look forward to doing in a down cycle
you might not end up in a slump, or at least you'll enjoy the downtime
CHAPTER 2 - HOW THE MIND WORKS
the Continent is the interaction with and education by society
non-artists let the rational Continent of Reason dominate their mind
artists embrace the confusing mix of both islands and Continent
explore the islands, even the ones that may be depressing or terrifying
the difficulty, the challenge, and the reward is in holding contradictions
there will no longer be any neat solutions, learn to embrace ambiguity
the steps from dream to creative and created work:
1) dream - inspiration, marrying desire with will, becoming vulnerable
2) "doodling" - testing the water, sketching, includes false starts
3) assembly - expansion of ideas and form, contraction to focus direction
4) gestation - contemplate and criticize your sketches
5) agenda - plan out the time and materials needed, the blueprint
6) vacation - build up energy and refresh yourself for the action ahead
7) first draft - don't think, choose every dramatic alternative, don't revise yet
8) vacation - take a break to reset your mind for a new perspective
9) focused gestation - contemplate the purpose of your book, what it's about
10) agenda for revision - now you know the purpose, so you know what to keep
11) revision - the primary edit is cutting, revise 2-4 times total with breaks
12) product - cut anything that doesn't fit the natural shape, then you're done
the writer is vulnerable to attack, misunderstanding, jealousy, and indifference
CHAPTER 3 - FINDING TIME: THE ELUSIVE COLLABORATOR
time comes back to those who give it freely, it expands for those who court it
there is plenty of time if you do what only you can do, and what you love most
the best writing comes when you experience timelessness, you lose track of it
when someone asks, where do you find the time, ask them, where do you lose it
time is valuable, if someone tries to take it, remember that and decide carefully
work is infinite, time is finite, manage your time, not your work
work will always expand to fill whatever time is allotted to it
successful work also generates even more work, so you can never finish working
it's not that you need more time, you just need to use your time more effectively
don't focus on finishing your work, that will never happen, find time to do work
set aside time each day to do the work you love, and then focus on doing it well
you can't accumulate time, but you can buy it, you can trade income for free time
the most efficient and effective use of time is when you do what only you can do
then you're contributing something to the world that isn't possible otherwise
time management techniques:
1) stop doing things that no one needs to do at all
2) stop doing things someone else will do if you don't
3) stop doing things that aren't the kind only you can do
4) start things that require time to elapse, and then do other tasks in parallel
5) start doing things you want to do, the things only you can do
6) start acting instead of reacting, take initiative and be proactive
decision is the first step toward focus and perspective - selective perception
thinking about negative or depressing things is a waste of prime thinking time
find the optimal length of time for a writing session, not too long or too short
at the end of the session, you want to feel satisfied and not exhausted
balance the feeling of not wanting to quit yet, and looking forward to the next day
you want to stop when you have "restart energy" so you can apply "linkage"
instead of continuing as long as you can, you stop and plan out the next session
Hemingway called this "leaving water in the well"
the next day, you think about and plan your writing first, then sit down and write
build the creative pressure in your mind until you can't help but write it all down
once you've setup your process, don't worry about the results, enjoy each session
using linkage is key to avoiding cold starts each day, you setup the next day
one way to use mechanical linkage is to stop mid-sentence, mid-paragraph
the next session, delete the last half page and retype it, then continue on
you don't even have to end the cut sentence the way you originally planned
there are three kinds of time:
1) First Time - the hardest, allow more time in the beginning to do less work
sometimes if you're really stuck, you can try starting in the middle first
often the editor will try to drop the beginning and find a new start in the middle
2) Middle Time - common pitfall is exhaustion, you think your work is crap
the key is to use vacations, break down the work into compartments
this period may seem endless, continue breaking it down into small pieces
3) End Time - high energy flow and pressure to finish
if you can push through to the end in one sitting, use the energy and do it
don't go too early or you'll lose your linkage, if you're in end time, you'll know it
sometimes you need time to percolate, like a break before editing or revising
letting time do most of the work is the secret of productive people
they start things going, then let time take care of the editing, marketing, etc.
organize your activities so you balance your energy levels
alternate energy-producing activities with energy-consuming activities
like schedule exercising when you're at low energy to increase your energy level
and schedule writing for a time when you have energy and aren't tired
box management - close the lid on a project and let it percolate in the background
attach deadlines to your goals, but not to your dreams, goals are stepping stones
constantly measure and adjust your goals, your "wants" will change over time
once you've set your goals, start with the minimum you can do in that direction
the "Gordian-knot" approach - do your top priority first, and as early as possible
some other time management techniques:
1) group tasks together and do them all at once
2) if you commute, use that time productively, even if it's just relaxing
3) stop procrastinating, do them immediately or don't do them at all
4) avoid unnecessary "business" lunches, they ruin the rest of the day
5) say no more often to people, and say maybe instead of yes sometimes
6) take care of correspondence immediately, email, phone, postal mail
7) keep your phone calls brief and to the point, plan out the points to discuss
8) carry a small notebook to jot down ideas, put only one idea on each page
9) analyze your activities, look for ways to save time and cut down work
10) look for shortcuts, don't spend all your time trying to save a little money
11) the Pareto Principle, 80/20 rule, find and focus on the important 20%
12) make your space more efficient, get rid of excess in anything
use the phone the way you want, don't be a slave to incoming calls
assess the coming day's goals the night before, and on the morning of
this lets you evaluate decisions with both night exhaustion and morning energy
don't make your book perfect, try to perfect the way you spend your writing time
CHAPTER 4 - WRITING IN TIME
use index cards to build your "road map" but use them only as structural guides
your goal in the first draft is to discover the "natural shape" of your story
the first draft is a visionary process, you have the rest of your life to edit it
lose yourself in your work, manage your time and energy here
keep the momentum flowing, but don't push to the point of exhaustion
work just the right amount of time each day to keep a steady rhythm going
go with the flow, continue for hours if you feel it, but stop just before exhaustion
remember to save enough energy at the end of a session to generate linkage
don't use a rigid outline, let your road map be fluid and adjust it as you go
self-editing is an acquired skill that comes with practice and objectivity
use time to your advantage to give perspective and distance as a reader
try reading your work out loud or read it to someone else and watch their reactions
don't ask your best friend or spouse to edit, they are better at subjective support
see Richard Lanham - "Revising Prose" or Bruce Ross-Larson - "Edit Yourself"
write a summary sentence in ten words or less that says what the book is about
cut your favorite passages if they don't serve the premise of the entire book
begin the story as far into the middle as possible, supply background as needed
the work itself is more important than the workman
cut out your private voice and make the work stand complete on its own
style is what you are, it's not conscious, it comes from personality and precision
try typing out the first pages of your favorite novel to experience "body learning"
EXAMPLE OF A NONFICTION AGENDA
example: 250 pages, 4 index cards per page, start with 1300 cards and cut down
start off your agenda with a vacation to envision the project
begin research, expansion of past books and field research, then contraction
remember that First Time will be slower than Middle and End Time
figure out how many cards per day you need to fill, jot down brief ideas, quotes
record on each card the text source, bibliographical data, and date added
gradually you get into the flow and later books take less time to review
you also get fewer cards since you avoid repetition of earlier material
look for what interests you without stopping to ask why it interests you
this is the combination of your interests and the subject matter that is unique
take a second vacation after completing the book research at the library
now begin the second stage of research, interviewing people in the field
note major points from the interviews on new index cards
the most important quality for you to project is sincerity, show your interest
take a third vacation and try to think about the premise of your book
now begin sorting the index cards, throw out the ones that don't fit the premise
don't think, and don't ask why a card is good or bad, just go by instinct
take the fourth vacation and prepare yourself for the second stage of sorting
find ideal circumstances to really focus, then sort the cards in a natural order
group cards into chapters, and sort the piles in order for the whole book
this is the midpoint of the agenda, take a break and rest
review your sorted cards, make sure you have a hook, and a natural shape
take another vacation and relax completely to be ready for the first draft
arrange your work space and verify the order of your index cards
do the first draft - just type transitions between cards where necessary
aim for 15 pages per 3 hour work day, don't worry if you stop using the cards
once the first draft is complete, take another vacation to review the premise
now begin revising 15 pages per day, cutting out what doesn't fit the premise
take another vacation and mentally prepare yourself for the final typing
begin typing 12.5 pages per 3 hour day, ending mid-sentence for linkage
now take the final vacation before the deadline as a buffer zone and reward
construct your own personal agenda from this example that fits your style
EXAMPLE OF A FICTION AGENDA
novelists and screenwriters will use the agenda more loosely as shape evolves
begin by estimating the quantity of material needed and time to schedule
default to roughly 250 to 350 pages for a first novel
use the card system with each card being a partial scene, character, image, etc.
next, instead of nonfiction research, you do expansion/contraction in assembly
expand all the possibilities of plot and direction to have enough middle to write
develop your characters, plot events, obstacles and themes to fill the middle
build the creative pressure to write while you assemble in your mind and on cards
do "research" by observing people, looking for emotion and human behavior
look for what interests you, without asking why
once you've expanded to enough material, begin contracting and focusing
look for gaps, plot holes, missing detail in characters or events
make a preliminary sorting and begin focusing in on the plot and themes
make sure you have enough "setting" cards, "action" cards, and "dialogue" cards
don't overdo the research or collect too much information, keep it interesting
begin sorting, review the cards and throw out any that lack drama or interest
don't ask why, use your instincts and intuition
sort the cards to ensure a beginning hook, strong middle, and powerful ending
look for cards or groups that should be combined to make one stronger group
once you've sorted the beginning and end, go through the middle in detail
the middle itself should have a beginning hook, exciting middle, conclusive end
do the first draft, writing 15 pages per 3 hour day, using the cards as guides
take appropriate vacations to think about the premise and themes of your novel
write a sentence in ten words or less describing the premise as book jacket copy
revise your novel by reviewing 15 pages per day and cutting what doesn't fit
CHAPTER 5 - THE ELEMENTS OF FICTION AND DRAMA
beginning writers often put too much into their plot or characters
a good character is constructed from only a few elements, there is a clear purpose
unlike real life, fictional characters don't act "out of character"
fiction achieves closure and has a definable shape, unlike real life
readers want to see you write your way into a corner, and then find a way out
as you write, think how your reader wants to react, and write to their expectation
three types of characters:
1) function character - serves a function and exits, don't give them any detail
2) minor character - has a superficial tag that makes them memorable
3) major character - has a mission and expresses major human emotions
four parts to a major character's mechanism:
1) motivation - one or two major emotions that drive your character
2) mission - begins the plot, later encounters two major turning points
3) obstacles - should progress in a natural order and fit the motivation
4) change - psychological development of major characters
note that it's often doing too much that ruins first novels, not doing too little
try color coding your index cards to indicate character interaction or subplots
then you can count up each color to make sure everything is fully developed
remember that readers don't care about the chronology, just the dramatic logic
so arrange events to have the most dramatic impact, even if they aren't in time
the first scene should give a hint of the conflict, let the reader guess
this captures the reader's imagination when they can try to predict the shape
many writers don't appreciate their audience, so they make clues too obvious
keep it subtle, trust that your readers are smart enough to pick them up
effective structuring is responding to the dramatic demands of the audience
CHAPTER 6 - PUBLISHING IN TIME
remember that publishing and writing are two separate activities
don't let your writer's ego be affected by all the expected rejections in publishing
design your workspace for the tasks to come, like publisher correspondence
analyze and make conscious decisions about your workspace and test them
for instance, see whether it's better to face the desk toward a wall or window
test different arrangements and measure the effect on your productivity
find the best equipment and materials for your personal style
divide a filing cabinet into sections:
1) works in progress - it's much easier to record information as you go
2) ideas for possible future writings - catch any thoughts and save them here
3) finished manuscripts - including submission records, and labels to submit
4) retired manuscripts - the writer's trunk or library of retired pieces
5) accepted manuscripts - works that are awaiting publication
6) published manuscripts - archives, you'll have the printed book for these
divide a desk-top card file into sections:
1) magazines you like - including editor, address, phone number
2) publishing houses - most likely to accept your type of writing, editor contact
3) manuscripts ready for submission - submission data, marketing ideas
4) manuscripts sold - financial logs, including payments and advances
save copies of all correspondence with publishers, agents, and editors
develop your network of contacts, if you write for 2 hours, network for 15 minutes
build a file of the most influential people you know, make them aware of you
from time to time, send your published work with a note, be brief and courteous
try to ask for advice occasionally without asking for a formal submission
the most common problem is author resentment of publishers
this is because the work is directly tied to the author's self-expression
writers can write what they want, but the publisher's job is to sell
publishers resent writers who don't appreciate their business problems
the best relationship has mutual respect, a collaboration rather than conflict
to find a freelance editor, check the Literary Market Place (LMP)
keep your public voice professional and to the point, don't say it's your first novel
the query letter needs to clearly state the premise and the target readership
note similar books with the same themes, and the author, publisher and sales
three types of rejection letters
1) printed form - lowest level, sent if the writer didn't address a specific editor
2) note with a personal signature - still a form letter, no particular comments
3) note with specific details on rejection - possibly suggested revisions
if you get the third type of response, follow up and build your network
check The Society of Authors' Representatives for possible agents
also see the Independent Literary Agents Association
you can do multiple submissions to agents, but generally don't do it to editors
agents want a commercial author who produces continuously
where the agent lives is not important, but they must go to New York often
ask an agent for a list of previous sales and clients
a formal contract with an agent is the exception rather than the rule
emphasize any potential for film or TV adaptation in your query
let the agent work on your marketing for six months
most new writers are published through their own efforts, not an agent
read any publishing contract carefully, and ask questions, negotiate
the publisher expects modifications to the boilerplate contract |
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