How to write

How to Write a Book

July 2, 2009 – 4:23 pm

As I considered advice to give writers on How to Write a Book, it occurred to me that it’s much like offering advice on how to parent; every book (or child) is different. There’s no secret formula or fool proof plan to achieve a successful outcome. In fact, most of the process is trial and error, write and re-write, start, stop and start again. I can only offer you the advice that works for me. Sometimes it’s just nice to know you’re not alone and with luck, determination and several sleepless nights, your book (or child) will be ready to face the world.

1. Be Passionate - Without a perverse need to write, you’ll never make it through to the final product. Writing a book is a labor so intense that if you have the option to quit halfway through, you will. Quitting can’t be an option. Your book will develop through several stages, from planning, through revisions and unto the final draft. There will be times when your story rebels; resisting all your gentle nudges to behave. There will be times when your story is unfamiliar and even unlikeable, worlds away from the story you envisioned when you began. And there will be times when your story surprises you; revealing wisdom, humor or insight you never imagined. Ultimately, you will have to go through the process; full of frustration and self doubt in order to discover what you’re capable of achieving.

You can improve your odds of success with appropriate planning. Rather than jumping right into the writing, take some time to plan the course of the story, including detours of sub plots and back stories. I learned this lesson the hard way with my first book, when my story became completely convoluted and contrived to explain my characters’ behavior. Since then I’ve relied on a detailed outline, chapter by chapter, to keep me on course. Outlines have also helped me flesh out rough story ideas, some of which became short stories because there wasn’t enough substance for a book.

Once the outline is done, the writing can begin. I usually write my entire first draft without censure or edits, so as not to interrupt the flow of ideas. There will be plenty of opportunities to edit once the first draft is done. I read through the entire book and make notes, but no changes. I look for flow, consistency, clarity and believability. I then use my notes for revisons and start the process all over again. After my final review, when I’ve exhausted all my ideas, I’ll give my book to a few trusted readers and ask for their feedback. I’ve also learned that giving readers an early draft is a waste of time because they don’t want to read the same story time after time with only minor changes.

2. Be Consistent - Planning without action is pointless. Anyone can plan to write a book, but very few people start and even fewer ever finish. Writing well requires practice, study and hard work. If you want to write a book, treat it as a job in which you receive no days off, no pats on the back and no salary. If the only reason you want to write a book is to be the next JK Rowling, earning millions of dollars, you’d have better odds winning the lottery. Very few writers ever see their books published much less on a best sellers list. If you still want to write a book then by all means do, just make sure you’re doing it for yourself first. I find that writing a little every day keeps me engaged and motivated. Even if I can only squeeze in 30 minutes a day, I will make the most of it. I don’t spend more than two or three hours a day on a project because my writing will eventually feel forced. No matter what works for you, writing in short bursts or long stretches, just be consistent.

3. Be Accepting - I’ve never been 100% satisfied my writing. My expectations exceed my abilities, but everyday I work to narrow the gap. There are times when good is good enough. Of course you should always do you’re absolute best, but be willing to accept less than perfect.

4. Be You - Very simple story ideas are the basis of all books, but your voice will make your story unique. Don’t muffle it by imitating others’ styles. And don’t waste your time trying to cash in on what’s hot today, whether it’s a young wizard or vampire. Write the book you want to write and make it as good as you possibly can.

How to Write a Novel

lisahood |

How To Write |

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Sleep Disorders

July 1, 2009 – 4:51 pm

Just imagine the nightmares you can create for a character suffering from a sleep disorder. Tucked safely into bed, all cozy and content; never imagining sweet dreams are just prelude to murder.

Kenneth Parks stumbled into a police station and confessed to murder. He had bludgeoned his mother-in-law and father-in-law with a tire iron and then stabbed them with a butcher’s knife. He claimed to be sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism. It was the first time a defendant claimed he shouldn’t be held responsible for his actions while sleepwalking. Parks was acquitted of murder and since then dozens of defendants have successfully argued they are innocent of murder on grounds of homicidal sleepwalking.

There have also been cases in which sleepwalking was used as a defense for sexual assault. Sexsomnia is a rare sleep disorder in which people carry out sexual acts in their sleep. Jan Luedecke was found not criminally responsible for sexually assaulting a woman because he was asleep at the time. Luedecke claimed he was overworked, overstressed, and sleep-deprived factors cited by experts as triggers of Sexsomnia.

Elain Barfoot had a rude awakening after years of sleeping in the same bed with her husband, Derek. He started assaulting her with blows to the face and back due to Parasomnia, a sleeping disorder which causes violent outbursts.

Sleepwalking can also be dangerous to your health. A Kansas City man was sleepwalking when he had an altercation with his girlfriend. She reportedly grabbed a knife for protection and he walked into it.

Sleep disorders can be deadly even without these dangerous encounters.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, sleep disorders caused 684 deaths in the U.S. in 2005. Some deaths occur with no known cause. New mothers lay awake at night listening for their infant’s next breath, terrified of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Healthy adults, victims in their 30s or older, have died from a mysterious disorder known as Sudden Unexpected Nocturnal Death Syndrome.

Fatal Insomnia is a genetic disorder in which seemingly healthy individuals begin to have trouble sleeping. Night after night, sleep becomes more elusive until sleep regimens shrink to less than an hour. After a few months, individuals are unable to sleep at all and ultimately slip into comas, then die. A similar fate awaits victims of African Sleeping Sickness; a contagious disorder which is spread by tsetse flies. Symptoms, including skin lesions, swollen lymph nodes and skin rashes, start to appear a few weeks after infection. As the disease progresses victims stop sleeping at night and can’t stay awake during the day.

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder in which patients involuntarily fall asleep for periods lasting from a few seconds to an hour or longer: mildly amusing over cocktails, but deadly when patients snooze behind the wheel.

The Sandman isn’t the only one with tricks up his sleeve.

lisahood |

Medical |

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Write More - Work Less

June 23, 2009 – 1:59 pm

Less truly is more when it comes to productivity. The less time spent to accomplish tasks, the more productive you are. Accomplishing more with less work requires creative thinking and a willingness to change. If you’ve always done something a certain way, it may feel uncomfortable when you try something new. When you see how much you can accomplish you’ll feel better about breaking your old habits.

The Pareto Principle or 80/20 rule states that only 20% of activity produces 80% of the results. The key is to discover the 20% that produces results and spend even more time on those activities. Continue to whittle down the activities until you are spending time where you get the most results.

Begin with a list of your goals, activities, projects and responsibilities. Organize the activities according to potential results. If you have a list of ten items, the top two will give you the most rewards. In fact, they will yield more results then the other eight items put together. Each activity might take the same amount of time, yet the return on your investment is very different.

Daily exercise yields tremendous results in increased energy, health and stamina. Move it to the top of your list. Other priority activities may include family time, meditation or planning your financial future.

Always ask yourself, “Is this task in the top 20% of my activities or in the bottom 80%?” Resolve to spend most of your time on the in those few areas that can really make a difference in you life and career.

Parkinson’s Law states that “work will fill the time available for its completion.” Set aggressive dead lines, but make sure they’re realistic so you don’t get discouraged.

Learn to delegate so you can focus on activities you do well. The time to learn a new skill could be put to better use. Focus on what you do well and you’ll get more done and enjoy doing it.

Keep things simple; accomplish what needs to be done and don’t spend endless hours or days working towards perfection.

Writing Tips - One Step at a Time

Tips to be More Productive - And Write More!

lisahood |

Writer to Writer |

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Story Starters - About Face

June 18, 2009 – 12:33 pm

It sounds like the plot of a Hollywood movie - A woman loses her face in a horrific crime and then she receives a face transplant. Connie Culp received a miracle five years after a shotgun blast left a ghastly hole in the middle of face. Hundreds of bone splinters were embedded in her face; her nose, cheeks, the roof of her mouth and one eye were destroyed and only her upper eyelids, forehead, lower lip and chin were undamaged. After 30 operations, including bone graphs from her ribs and skin graphs from her thighs, Connie was still unable to eat solid food, smell or breathe on her own.

In December 2008, she underwent a 22 hour operation in which 80 percent of her face was replaced with that of another woman who had just died.

Despite a bit of swelling and compromised expression, she can now talk, smile and taste food. As her circulation improves, so will her abilities and before long she will return to a life of normalcy. In the meantime, Connie has a message to others, “When somebody has a disfigurement and don’t look as pretty as you do, don’t judge them, because you never know what happened to them…Don’t judge people who don’t look the same as you do. Because you never know. One day it might be all taken away.”

Taken just one step forward, face transplants could become the latest accessory, changed on a whim to match a mood or to turn back time. Criminals could swap faces to avoid identification or assume the identity of others. The ramifications are frightening; imagine a world in which identity thieves take more than your social security or credit account numbers, they take your life and then your face.

lisahood |

Medical, Science, Story Starters |

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Just Write

June 13, 2009 – 4:21 pm

Just about everyone I talk to is an aspiring writer. I’ve also noticed that many aspiring writers don’t actually write. They aspire to write, one day, when the kids are older or grown, when they can afford to work part time, or when they’ve retired from the 9 to 5 grind. Sadly, the perfect day to write never comes and their dreams are unrealized. I’ve often wondered why, because most of these aspiring writers are intelligent, creative, and articulate and they have interesting stories to share.

Unfortunately very few people achieve all they are capable of, stopped in their tracks by indecision and self doubt. I know I’ve aspired to more than I’ve achieved because of my insecurities. There are times when I’ve been able to push through my doubts and produce work I’m proud of. Just as often I avoid facing my fears head on, filling my days with busy work instead of getting busy with the work of writing.

“Success is what happens when you find a way to take positive, effective action, no matter what obstacles may stand in your way. Failure is what happens when you become better at making excuses than at getting results.” 1

Successful people have enormous self belief. That’s not to say they are arrogant or narcissistic. They know they have limitations but they are willing to push themselves to achieve more. If you don’t believe you can achieve your goals, there really is no reason to have them. Set realistic goals, remain flexible and be willing to adjust your course based on results you’re seeing. A goal to write eight hours a day may only be achievable if you skip sleep or quit your day job. A more realistic goal; to write two hours a day, would be a better place to start.

“Success is the consequence of certain specific thoughts, attitudes and efforts, and failure results from other thoughts, attitudes and efforts. Every moment is leading you to some very real, very specific results. And every moment, with the thoughts, attitudes and actions you choose, you can determine just what those results will be — success or failure.” 1

Successful people don’t settle into a comfort zone where compliance kills momentum. Instead they live outside of their comfort zones, taking action and risks. There is no place more uncomfortable for me then right here: with my thoughts and my insecurities on display for the world to judge. Some days I am courageous and some days I am afraid, but I show up and write everyday.

1. Success Leaves Clues: The Liberty Zone, June 13, 2009.

Writing Tips: One Step at a Time

Writers - Marketing Your Work is Work

lisaj66 |

Writer to Writer |

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Micro Fiction is a Writer’s Tweet

June 12, 2009 – 8:40 pm

Have you twittered…tweetered, uh, tweeted lately?

If your answer was no, then I know you’re not Ashton Kutcher or one of the million followers who express their thoughts in 25 words or less. I can barely form a thought much less express it in 25 words or less. I blame my English teachers, always demanding 250 words on what I did over the summer, or 500 words on a book written in a dead language. There’s something ironic about a book surviving longer than the language in which it was written. But that’s a discussion for another day. My English teachers taught me more words were better; a minimum requirement but no maximum. After The Odyssey a 25 word story would have been a relief.

Micro fiction is a writer’s tweet; stories told in 400 words or less. Ernest Hemingway mastered the art with a complete story told in just 6 words. “For Sale: baby shoes. Never worn.” It’s astonishing the grief just six words can evoke. Here are my attempts at six word stories, quality versus quantity.

Did she know I loved her?

Before my eyes, the skyline burned.

I changed diapers yesterday. Today: graduation.

Yesterday: regret. Today: reality. Tomorrow: hope.

It’s hard to squeeze much juice out of six words, but twenty five words should be a snap.

lisaj66 |

Resources for Writers |

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The Art of Interviewing

June 11, 2009 – 3:48 pm

It doesn’t matter what kind of fiction you write, the core of every genre and every story is the human condition. This is true even if your characters aren’t Homo sapiens, because they will exhibit human traits, emotions and motivations. Successful writers understand the people they write for and about. You can learn through personal experience or the experiences of others. If you must rely on the experience of others, you can go to the library, read autobiographies, articles, interviews, rummage through official documents or you can go directly to the source. Over the years I’ve found that interviewing experts yields greater insights and understanding than second hand accounts.

Successful interviews begin with preparation. Ask yourself what it is you need to learn. What point do you wish to make? Who would be in the best position to provide the necessary information? What are the right questions to ask? How will you know when you have enough information? You may need to interview more than one expert in your quest for information. If so, your first interview should be conducted with someone who doesn’t mind filling you in on the big picture, since you may not know the key questions to ask or key contacts to question prior to this first interview.

Reaching out to respected experts can be intimidating at first. It requires courage to admit you know little, to believe you can write credibly and accurately or to risk rejection. To take such risks, get your ego out of the way. The interview isn’t about you, what you do or do not know. Rather it is about the other person, what they know or have experienced and what they are willing to share. It is their story to tell, you must let them set the correct pace. During the interview you must remain fully engaged. Don’t let yourself get distracted, thinking of how you will frame an interesting fact or focusing on your surroundings. Focus on the person you are interviewing, remain fully engaged in the content, the nuances and the nonverbal cues. Use active listening skills to ensure you get the most out of your interview. According to Dan Curtis, a professional personal historian, the following tips will help you become more engaged with the person you’re interviewing.

Establish eye contact.
Use appropriate facial expressions.
Use verbal cues. Indicate that you’re actually listening use expressions such as, “I see.” “Uh, huh.” “Interesting.” “Mmm.” “Wow.”
Ask for clarification. Don’t be afraid to politely interrupt and ask your subject to explain something that’s not clear to you.
Provide a brief recap or summary. Summarizing demonstrates that you’re actively listening. It will sometimes prompt your subject to add more detail or explain more clearly what was on their mind.
Acknowledgment. If your subject has just finished telling you a touching or revealing story don’t abruptly move on to your next question. Make sure you pause and add a sentence or two that acknowledges your subject’s feelings.

Your skill at interviewing will improve with practice and time. Don’t give up if you have a lackluster experience or a subject who bores you to tears. This is bound to happen and you will just need to chalk it up to a learning experience.

Communication Conflicts

lisaj66 |

Resources for Writers |

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Writers on Writing

June 6, 2009 – 7:58 pm

You must often make erasures if you mean to write what is worthy of being read a second time; and don’t labor for the admiration of the crowd, but be content with a few choice readers. - Horace

If you wish to be a writer; write! -Epictetus

Writing is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement. Then it becomes a mistress, then it becomes a master, then it becomes a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster and fling him to the public. - Winston Churchill

After all, most writing is done away from the typewriter, away from the desk. I’d say it occurs in the quiet, silent moments, while you’re walking or shaving or playing a game, or whatever, or even talking to someone you’re not vitally interested in. -Henry Miller

Employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for. - Socrates

A writer needs three things, experience, observation, and imagination, any two of which, at times any one of which, can supply the lack of the others. - William Faulkner

Style may defined as the proper words in the proper places. - Jonathan Swift

Writing is like getting married. One should never commit oneself until one is amazed at one’s luck. - Iris Murdoch

Of all that is written, I love only what a person has written with his own blood. - Friedrich Nietzsche

For a creative writer possession of the ”truth” is less important than emotional sincerity. - George Orwell

If you’re going to write, don’t pretend to write down. It’s going to be the best you can do, and it’s the fact that it’s the best you can do that kills you. - Dorothy Parker

The last thing we decide in writing a book is what to put first. - Blaise Pascal

True ease in writing comes from art, not chance, as those move easiest who have learned to dance. ‘Tis not enough no harshness gives offence. The sound must seem an echo to the sense. - Alexander Pope

lisaj66 |

Writer to Writer |

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Scale Back for Lean Writing

June 1, 2009 – 7:42 pm

Writing isn’t just an act of putting words to paper. It is a labor of love, constantly challenging, rarely appreciated and never perfected. As writers, we give our imagination a voice which struggles to be heard. We must use plain, simple language which can be understood. While we strive to find the most precise and perfect word, to craft a sentence sublime, we mustn’t forget our readers’ role in the bargain. They have come to be entertained, thrilled or educated. Give them what they came for and they’ll be clamoring for more.

Scale back to keep your writing lean and free of flab.

If one word will do, why do you need two? Common expressions can slip by unless you keep a keen eye, as the following examples show:

“She stood up and walked to the door.”

“He sat down and waited for his name to be called.”

“He turned around just in time to see the car speed away.”

Avoid redundancy or the tendency to say the same thing in a different way. If you do this rarely, your readers probably won’t notice, but done often they may feel their intelligence is insulted.

She whispered softly. The fact she whispered implies it was done softly.

He shouted loudly. Yes, usually when people “shout” the volume is turned up.

He nodded his head. I’ll assume he nodded his head unless you tell me otherwise. No need to state the obvious.

Show, don’t tell and if you do show, don’t then tell. Some writers tend to show and then tell the same information.

“She slammed the door with such force, the walls shook. She was angry.”

“His chin nearly touched his chest and his shaggy bangs hid his eyes. He was ashamed of what he had done.”

Only carry on baggage that fits in compartments. Sure we all have a history, but rarely do we unpack our personal baggage in front of unsuspecting strangers. A drunken mother, absentee father, sibling rivalries will all be revealed as characters interact. Vague references to past events can lend to the suspense and provide valuable material midway through when plots tend to lag.

Fervently avoid adverbs in favor of descriptive verbs. Strip away all adverbs and see if the verb adequately describes the action. If not, find a verb that delivers. Find the right words and don’t settle for lazy verbs.

She blinked rapidly.

Her eyelids fluttered.

Search and destroy any ings at the beginning of your sentences. Depending on your writing style there may many or there may be few, but participle phrases at the beginning of your sentences will NEVER do. Unless you’re Dr. Seuss then all bets are off.

lisaj66 |

Writer to Writer |

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