Time to Write

52 Tips for Writing Success - 17: Value your voice

In writing, your voice means your style; what sets the way you write apart from the way others write. It's more something you discover rather than invent. If you try to come up with a way to sound different, usually it will seem forced and readers will detect that it's not authentic.

Typically, new writers will take a while before their voice emerges, but some are scared when it does show up. They try to smooth out the parts that don't sound like everybody else. They worry that it will seem too quirky or unusual.

Different is good--as long as it's doing the job. For instance, have you ever read the labels on those bottles of Innocent Smoothies? They're chatty and informal, perhaps sometimes a bit too cute--but they have helped make Innocent a major brand. 

Copywriter Dan Germain is the person responsible for that tone. He told Creative Review, "At that time we couldn't afford to get a billboard, so the labels were our only free advertising space."

He notes, "You just need a second to break people's routine...and think, 'Hello, what's that?' and then maybe start reading and think, 'oh?' Just that first five seconds, that's when the magic happens."

The same is true, by the way, of book covers, or the first paragraph or two of an article or novel. In a world of boring, flattened out prose, a distinctive voice will stand out--and attract readers.

(For friendly guidance from idea through to publication get my book, "Your Writing Coach," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller. And to find out what the greatest writers of all time advise about finding your voice and many other things related to writing, see "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," also via Amazon or other booksellers.)

52 Tips for Writing Success - 16: Write for one person

Successful writers remember that people will read a book one person at a time. Some say they write for themselves, others have a real or imagined individual in mind as their reader.

By imagining one person as your reader you avoid a danger: trying to write to please everyone. 

To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, you can please some of the readers all of the time, and all of the readers some of the time, but you cannot please all of the readers all of the time. 

If you doubt it, read people's comments about the most popular books on Amazon; there are those who hate even the great classics. 

Trying to please everybody will make you censor anything that might offend anybody--which won't leave you with anything but the blandest prose imaginable. It can also be the cause of writer's block.

Who to choose as your imagined reader? If you're happy writing for yourself, that's an easy choice. Otherwise pick someone, real or imagined, who:

* enjoys the genre in which you write

* is intelligent (never underestimate the intelligence of your audience)

* is friendly but not uncritical (in other words, they'll notice mistakes)

* is someone whose company you enjoy (or would if they were real)

* is eager to read your book

Having this kind of individual in mind makes the writing process more enjoyable and keeps you on track. 

(Do you want a writing coach but are not prepared to spend the kind of money that requires? The next best thing is my book: "Your Writing Coach," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite book seller.)

 

52 Tips for Writing Success - 15: Keep moving forward

The biggest cause of writer's block is stopping to judge what you've written while you're still writing it.

Some writers keep going back over and over what they've written rather than moving forward and completing a draft and then rewriting.

Others are so critical of the first part of their first draft that they give up the project entirely and start on something new--and then repeat the process again when they get to the mid-point of the next one.

Here are a few things to keep in mind in order to be able to move forward and complete your draft:

* A first draft isn't supposed to be judged by the standards of a finished book.

* Most successful writers do at least three or four, and sometimes many more, drafts of their books. Of course some of them think it's more impressive to say on talk shows that they just write one draft.

* As mentioned in another tip in this series, most writer experience what Seth Godin calls "the dip"--a time somewhere around the middle of a project when they doubt its quality. Expect it and work through it.

* If you have ideas for changes as you go along, jot them down as they occur to you. They will give you a head start when you are ready to start on your second draft.

* You will learn more from the process of writing one complete novel, even one that doesn't turn out well, than from writing six half novels.

If you find yourself itching to go back and rewrite as you go along, review this tip, ignore the itch, and move forward.

(There are valuable tips from Mark Twain, Ray Bradbury, Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway and many others in my newest book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite book seller.)

 

52 Tips for Writing Success - 14: The first page is only one page

Some writers find the first page especially daunting. It seems to carry the weight of all the pages to come. In fact, it's just one page.

Three hundred words, on average.

Yes, it's true that eventually, when you are doing your subsequent drafts, you will want to be sure that the first page grabs the reader (you'll find a tip for here later) but for now just do the best you can and move on. 

One writer I know skips the first page in order to avoid this pressure. He just jots down something like, "Jack sits on cliff, contemplating whether to jump. Decides to call his ex-wife." Then he writes the phone call with the wife and the rest of the first chapter. When he has finished his first draft he goes back and writes the first page.

Quite often what you believe will be the first page ends up not being the first page at all. You may decide when doing the second draft that you should have started the story later or earlier. Or you may come up with a better setting, or decide to add or subtract a character, or make some other change that requires a new first page. 

Don't let the idea of the first page put you off--cut it down to size, mentally, and get writing!

(Want writing advice from the very best? Writers like Mark Twain, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens as well as modern masters like Kurt Vonnegut, Ray Bradbury and Martin Amis? You'll find it in "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite book seller.)

52 Tips for Writing Success - 13: Plot with cards

In the previous tip in this series I suggested that you plan at least the major action of your plot. There's a simple tool that makes this much easier: a pack of index cards (or a bunch of sticky notes).

Write each major development in your plot on a card. You can use colored cards to keep track of the various strands of the story (for instance, white for your main plot, light blue for one of your subplots, light green for another subplot). Another option is to assign a color to each of your major characters so you can track them easily through the plot.

You can pin these cards to a cork board or spread them out on the floor (the latter is not advised if you have pets or young kids). Alternatively you can use sticky notes, like Post-It notes) and put them on a wall or door or whiteboard.

The advantage of this method is the ease with which you can move things around. Should your protagonist tell his best friend about the robbery he's planning early on or just before he does it? You can put the card with that development in the first position and see how it affects the flow of the story, then move it to later and assess it again. You can also easily add or remove scenes. 

Naturally this works just as well for organizing the content of a non-fiction book.

Some computer programs allow you to do the same thing but you're limited to the size of your screen. Maybe I'm old-fashioned but I like being able to spread out the cards and see them all at once. Either way, for maximum flexibility in building your story this method is hard to beat.

(For more guidance on how to plot and write your novel, see "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.)

52 Tips for Writing Success - 12: Have a plan

How much should you plan the story when writing a novel? 

Some successful writers say they don't start writing until every step of the plot is clear in their heads. 

Others, equally successful, say they start only with a vague idea, or a character, or an image and just make it up as they go along. 

On the first novel I wrote I took the "make it up as you go" approach. I loved the freedom and spontaneity of that method but found about halfway through that I'd made a mistake. I introduced a minor character near the start and liked him so much that I developed a subplot for him. Only at the halfway point did I realize that this subplot would not integrate well with the second half of the story. I took it out and had to do quite a lot of rewriting as a result.

Now I use a hybrid method: I write freely for the first quarter of the book, say 20,000 words, and then stop and figure out the rest of the plot in detail. Sometimes that does still require changes in the first quarter of the book but generally it works for me.

That's what you have to do: not what I do, but finding what works for you. However, I believe that the less experience you've had the more you'll benefit from working out the plot before you write. Many of the writers who say they don't plan anything have been writing for a long time and it's possible they have developed a strong intuition about what will work and what won't. 

Having an outline of at least the broad strokes of your plot may make you feel more secure that you have enough story, be a useful guide along the way, and save you a lot of rewriting time.

(Want helpful guidance all the way from your idea through to publication? Get a copy of "Your Writing Coach," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.)

52 Tips for Writing Success - 11: Don't stop at the first good idea

Writers, like everybody else, dislike uncertainty. When we solve a problem we get a nice rush of chemicals to the brain.

The downside of that is that it tends to make us settle for the first good idea we have. Going past it makes it seem like it's not good enough and that returns us to that unpleasant state of doubt.

This is the origin of the statement that "good is the enemy of great."

In other words, if we settle for the good idea we won't keep going long enough to find the great one.

Sometimes the first good idea does end up being the best one but often it's not. This is true whether you're trying to decide on the best title for your book, the best name for your protagonist, the best plot twist for your mystery. 

One way to ease into the habit of keeping looking after you come up with an acceptable solution is to allocate a set period of time to considering further alternatives. This could be just five minutes or several sessions of fifteen or twenty minutes, depending on the importance of the problem.

As in any brainstorming session, generate as many ideas as you can without judging. Then, in a separate session, evaluate them and choose the one that works (or decide you need further brainstorming).

If you do this regularly you may find that your writing isn't just good but great.

(For some good and some great ideas on how to be more creative, get my book "Creativity Now!", published by Pearson and available from Amazon and other book sellers.)

 

52 Tips for Writing Success - 10: Take the time

Writers who also have full-time jobs and family responsibilities are sometimes asked where they find the time to write.  

"Finding the time" sounds too casual for the process. Some people prefer to say you have to make the time, but we can't make any more time.

I prefer the phrase take the time because you do have to take it from something else you'd normally do. And that's the trick: if you are not writing regularly already, what will you stop doing for an hour a day or however long you plan to write? If you don't specify that, it's not likely you'll be able to keep on your new schedule. 

Here are some likely candidates for your time replacement:

* Watching television

* Doing the gardening or housework

* Sleeping

* Facebook, Twitter, other social media

* Reading magazines or newspapers (online or offline)

* Surfing the web

You may object that someone needs to do the gardening or the housework. Yes, but does it have to be you? Can you delegate at least some of it to family members? If not, can you afford to hire someone, perhaps a student looking for part-time work, to do it? 

As for sleeping, I'm not suggesting you deprive yourself of sleep. If you're already not getting enough then this isn't the choice for you. 

You may think of reading magazines or surfing the web as research. They can be, if you are clear on what you need to find out and restrict yourself to that topic. More often, though, it's easy to let our natural curiosity lead us into all kinds of irrelevant directions.

Finally, you may say that using social media is important for marketing yourself as a writer. Again, true if the activity is targeted, not true if you spend an hour checking out what your old classmates are up to.

The cliche is true: each of us has only 24 hours in a day; the difference is in how we choose to spend them. Take some away from an activity that isn't meaningful to you and give it to writing instead. 

(For great tips on how to take the time and use it efficiently, read "Focus: use the power of targeted thinking to get more done," published by Pearson and available from Amazon and other book sellers.)

52 Tips for Writing Success - 9: Don't fear research

If you are writing something that requires a lot of research, don't let that put you off. Here are some common misconceptions:

1: You have to know everything about your topic. 

Actually you just have to know the basics and then some specialized details. Details are what makes a scene, a book, a movie come alive.

2: You have to go there.

Sure, it's great to go to the locations you plan to use in your projects, but it's not absolutely necessary. These days you can find a wealth of information on just about any location in the world, on the internet. Check Flicker for photos, search for blogs about that location, etc. Also check to see whether there are relevant documentaries you can watch. 

3: It's hard to get help

Actually, experts (such as professors, doctors, lawyers, etc.) usually are flattered to be asked for their help. Ask them specific questions. Ask if they are willing to read one chapter or section--not too much, they're busy people. But if they say yes, send themthe whole manuscript or script, they may read it all. 

4: You have to do all the research before you start.

In fact you can do some general research and then dig up the rest as you encounter things you need to know.

Don't let the need for research stand in the way of telling the story you want to tell!

(For friendliy guidance in writing your book or script, get a copy of Your Writing Coach, published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon and other booksellers--the new edition is now available!)

52 Tips to Writing Success - 8: Take Your Inspiration from the Best

Often when I ask newer writers whose work they admire or study, they mention books on the best-seller lists or the currently most popular movies. That's fine, it's good to be aware of what's working in today's marketplace. But it's not enough. 

I think we need to draw our inspiration from deeper wells. These include:

* The novels that have stood the test of time, by the great authors like Dickens, Austen, Twain, Dostoevsky, and more recently, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Faulkner.

* Short stories by masters of the form like Chekhov, Someset Maugham, Gorki.

* The mythology of various cultures

* Folk Tales

* Fairy Tales

* Classic movies like Citizen Kane, Gone With the Wind, The Godfather, Rashomon, Ran, Lawrence of Arabia, Shane, High Noon.

Whether you agree with my choices doesn't matter, what does matter is that you keep feeding your brain with material that has stood the test of time. 

ACTION: Consider taking a couple of hours a week or more to expose yourself to the work of the greats of the past and the recent past. 

(Would you also like to learn how to write from the masters? I have collected their writing advice in my newest book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass." It also helps you apply that advice to what you are writing. You can get the book from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.)

52 Tips to Writing Success - 7: Focus your efforts

I had a question recently, whether I knew from the start what kind of writing I wanted to do. The answer is no. I started out wanting to do all kinds of writing and did sample scripts of various kinds but I wasn't getting anywhere very fast. 

Finally a friendsaid: "You're putting 20% of your energy and attention into five different kinds of projects and 20% isn't enough to break in. Put 100% into one kind until you have broken in, then you can always spread out later."

I took that advice and focused on sitcoms first. Once I'd established a bit of a track record in sitcoms I was able to also write TV movies and a mini-series and a feature film.

I still suffer from the desire to to it all, but periodically I have to remind myself, "You can do it all...but not all at the same time."

ACTION: If you are spreading yourself too thin, consider my friend's advice about that 20%.

52 Tips to Writing Success - 6: phone a friend!

This is the sixth in a series of weekly tips regarding small changes you can make, one per week, to write better, write faster, and have more confidence about your writing.

Do the members of your family and your friends respect how seriously you take your writing? Do you have somebody who knows about writing with whom to talk about challenges that come up or celebrate your victories?

If not, it's time you found some support.

This is easier than it used to be. If there isn't a writing group around, you can turn to the internet and the many writing-related sites that have forums and other ways for members to connect.

I recommend joining the people who have signed up for an annual subscription to my MADs--Massive Action Days. Annual members have access to our chatroom 24/7 and there's a small group in the chatroom every day, working on their own projects and also ready to help or just chat with others working on writing projects. And ten times a year you can focus on your writing on our Massive Action Days and get the surpport of 100 or more of your peers. You can get more information here: 

http://massiveactionday.com/new-annual-mad-sign-up-page/

Wherever you find your new friends, stay in touch and make sure you don't contact them only on days you are feeling discouraged. Celebrating victories together is important, too, and not just the big ones like publishing a book. You can also congratulate each other on hittting the smaller milestones that go with every big project. 

(You can also get friendly support in print form, from having the idea right through to publication, via my book, "Your Writing Coach," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from all good booksellers and a few bad ones as well.)

52 Tips to Writing Success - 5: keep track!

This is the fifth in a series of weekly tips regarding small changes you can make, one per week, to write better, write faster, and have more confidence about your writing.

Research has shown that keeping track of your efforts is motivational. That's true in weight-loss programs and it applies to writing as well. 

When you are in the writing stage, set a goal of a number of words to write during each session. Make it somewhat challenging but not to the extent that you'll fail much of the time or feel pressured to write just for the sake of racking up the numbers.

There is no "correct" goal. Some writers write very slowly and deliberately, others speed along. Find the pace that works best for you.

For longer projects, like a novel or a screenplay, I suggest making a chart on which you can mark your progress every day. It could be like one of those thermometer charts that are used in fund-raising drives, with the temperature rising in increments as you write. Or you could make a calendar type chart with each of the squares representing 500 or 1000 words, for instance.

The format is not important; what IS important is that on days when you feel like you're not getting anywhere you can look at the chart and see how far you have come already. It will remind you that you'll get to the goal if you hang in there and take it day by day. 

(Would you like to have Mark Twain as your writing coach? Or how about Anton Chekhov or Jane Austen? You'll find their advice about writing in my newest book, "Your Creative Writing Masterclass," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or your other favorite book seller.)

 

52 Tips to Writing Success - 4: prepare for the dip!

This is the fourth in a series of weekly tips regarding small changes you can make, one per week, to write better, write faster, and have more confidence about your writing.

_{4: Prepare for the dip. The dip is what marketing guru Seth Godin calls the point in any project, usually in the middle, when progress is difficult and you begin to doubt the work and yourself. It’s tempting at that point to drop the project and take on a new one that seems like it’ll be much easier. It won’t. If you know this is going to happen and that it’s normal, you’ll be able to deal with it much better. Now that you’ve thought about it, when it happens just say, “Aha! I was expecting you!” and continue.}

(If you want to see the other two tips that have been mentioned so far, click on the Category "52 Tips for Writing Succss."( And do you want some friendly guidance that takes you all the way from your idea through the publication?  Get a copy of my book, "Your Writing Coach," published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon and other book sellers.)

 

52 Tips to Writing Success - 3: decide what you want it to be!

This is the third in a series of tips regarding small changes you can make, one per week, to write better, write faster, and have more confidence about your writing. If you implement all or most of these, by a year from now you may have transformed your writing practice.

3: At the start of a project (or now, if you’re already into it) get a notebook and jot down what you hope it will be when you’re done. An easy way to do it is to write the review that you hope you will get. About once a week or once every two weeks for bigger projects, review your notes—are you staying on track? If not, what could you do to bring it back? If you find this too distracting while you’re writing the first draft, do it when it’s time to write the second.

(If you want to see the other tips from this series so far, click on the Category "52 Tips" to the right. And if you want to get some great methods for being more creative, get my book, "Creativity Now!" published by Pearson and available from Amazon and other book sellers.)