Linda McHenry

Tag: writing

  • Writer’s Block: Unsticking Yourself

    Writer’s Block: Unsticking Yourself

    I’ve found myself stuck on occasion–otherwise known as staring writer’s block in the face. I’ve tried lots of ways to unstick myself, thought I’d found the best, and just discovered the ultimate. Read on and be amazed…

    What being stuck looks like

    For me, writer’s block isn’t the inability to write; I can always write something. The block part comes when I can’t write something GOOD–otherwise known as brilliant, inspiring, or exactly the opposite of the boring, uninspiring trash I just wrote.

    Many years ago, a writer friend of mine (Nancy Harwood Bulk, who has since passed away), gave me some excellent advice. She said that if you hit a snag in your plotting, or you don’t know how your character should respond, make a list of options. And never use the first ten or twenty of them. Her take was that the first things that came to mind would also come to the mind of the reader and, therefore, were a death knell to good fiction.

    I’ve been using that advice for a long time. And, I’m sorry to say, it hasn’t helped me craft the opener my new book. (Which I’m pantsing, by the way. First time for everything.) In the past two weeks, I’ve rewritten the opener about eight times and changed the starting point as many times. I’m nearly bald from ripping my hair out.

    Image by luxstorm from Pixabay

    What getting unstuck looks like

    Because what we writers do when we hit a snag is conduct online research and become embroiled in procrastination, I began searching for creativity tips. Lo and behold, the creativity gods smiled and pointed me in the direction of my latest treasure. In turn, I’m sharing it with you.

    You’re welcome.

    After following this guy’s advice I completely turned around my block and have a TON of excellent ideas to work with … and already started putting them into action. I share the link three paragraphs down.

    My first go-to for any advice about writing is Writer’s Digest and it had some great articles. If you don’t already have a subscription, get one. The online version is much less expensive than the paper/mailed version. I get both.

    I stumbled across several by Jane Friedman, whom I love, which prompted me to visit her website. And that’s where I struck gold. FYI, I don’t know her, never met her, and am not being compensated in any way for this recommendation. She’s just too good not to share.

    Jason Keath wrote an article on her website in October of last year, which I obviously missed. Clearly, Karma knew I’d need it more now than I did then … and that you would too. Bad Ideas for More Creative Writing (https://janefriedman.com/3-bad-ideas-for-more-creative-writing/) contains three different tips:

    • The Bad Idea Method
    • Constraint Questions
    • The Fast & Ugly Draft

    The Bad Idea Method worked for me and is now my new go-to. How do you get unstuck? What do you think of Jason’s ideas?

  • Are You a Pantser, a Plotter, or BOTH?

    Are You a Pantser, a Plotter, or BOTH?

    What do I mean when I ask:

    Are you a pantser, a plotter, or both? When you write, do you fly by the seat of your pants, outline all the plot details before hand, or use a combination of both techniques?

    I’ve always been a plotter, which was extremely helpful when I wrote my nonfiction book. Also, it helped immeasurably when I developed and wrote hundreds of insurance continuing texts and courses (online, classroom, and webinar). As a novelist, being a plotter has also been helpful. Now, however, I’m writing my first novel on a pure pantsing basis.

    Of course, that statement is made tongue-in-cheek because, let’s face it, while the fuel of my fabrications is imagination, if I come up with a great idea for a future line of dialogue or scene I’m definitely writing it down. In a literal sense, even the most devout of pantsers has to engage in SOME plotting!

    So, here’s what I’m doing now…

    At this moment, I’m thinking it’s absolutely essential for me to know how my book is going to end. Specifically, whether my lead character achieves her goal and how she’s grown and/or become a better person. So, I guess that’s plotting. I also think that if flashes of insight strike me as I’m writing (and they’re doing so), I’ll plan for them by sketching them into a loose outline. That’s also plotting.

    But as far as everything else goes, I’m winging it! Definitely pantsing.

    I attended a terrific plotting workshop presented by Gayle Lynds at a writer’s conference a couple of years ago and my big takeaway was that plot derives from character. So far, my pantsing/winging is going well.

    Yes, I know all the advantages of plotting—I’ve experienced them firsthand. On the other hand, I agree with many others that plotting too much, or too tightly, can sensor creativity and disallow deviations from the path already outlined.

    So, are you a pantser, a plotter, or both?

    What are your personal experiences? Do you have any tips? Successes? Less than desirable consequences we should know about? Let us know!

    As always, here are some resources:

    Well-Storied: https://www.well-storied.com/blog/a-pantsers-guide-to-story-structure

    Jane Friedman (one of the few people I love without having known/met her): https://janefriedman.com/panster-or-plotter/

    Writer’s Digest: https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/jan-29

  • What do you want to be when you grow up?

    What do you want to be when you grow up?

    I’ve always struggled with making decisions. Is it nature or nurture? Black or white? Free will or destiny?

    Over time, I’ve realized that nothing is always black or white. Yes, some nights it’s so dark you can’t see your hand in front of your face. And some days, the sun is so bright you can’t see for the yellow spots in your eyes.

    We’re always looking for answers … and we want those answers to be guarantees. We seek the absolute, because it makes us feel more secure. In reality, life is more often grey than it is black and white.

    From the time I was in fourth grade, I knew I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. By the time I reached high school, my parents and just about everyone I knew told me that was an unrealistic dream. After all, everyone knows writers can’t support themselves with their writing.

    Being a practical person when I’m not dreaming, I decided to change my mind about what to be when I grew up. Being a teacher of special needs students became my goal. All during high school, I traded study hall for volunteering in the classes with kids who had down syndrome and other developmental handicaps.

    Fast forward through dropping out of college, getting married, having 3 kids, establishing my own business, getting divorced, establishing two more businesses, doing the marriage/divorce thing again, and having several other adventures. I am now officially all grown up and facing retirement age in a few short years.

    Remember what I wanted to be when I grew up? First choice: a writer. Second choice: a teacher. Well, what I’m doing is writing and teaching because I AM both a writer and a teacher.

    When I was young, I saw things in black and white. I could either be a writer OR a teacher. I could only write certain types of words or teach certain types of children.

    No matter what life threw at me, I continued writing. Most of the time, I didn’t consider myself a writer because I wasn’t writing bestselling novels. And I didn’t consider myself a real teacher because I didn’t have a college degree.

    Now that my hair is turning grey, and I’ve come to like and accept the color, I can see clearly that I’m doing exactly what I was meant to do and I have always been a writer (and teacher). For a long time, I let the different shades of other people’s opinions color my view of myself.

    Don’t do that. Be who you are. Paint your own story and don’t pay attention to the lines.

     

     

  • We All Have a Voice

    We All Have a Voice

    Our first amendment rights not only allow US the freedom of speech, they allow OTHERS the same right. Why do we become so hateful when we hear things we don’t like? Each of us is entitled to have our own beliefs and give voice to them.

    If I don’t agree with you, are you more apt to listen to me if I try to win you over to my side respectfully, with explanations and facts that support what I’m saying, or if I holler at you, call you names, and point out [what I perceive as] your flaws? Why do we insist on always having our own way instead of finding a way to have some of what we want all the time?

    When did our society decide that the better person is the one who can dig up the most dirt on an opponent rather than SHOWING his or her innate integrity and capabilities? As a writer, I was trained to SHOW and not TELL because readers want to see and feel the characters, not listen to blathering words. As an American I want to see and believe in my president; I don’t want to listen to baloney.

    Has everyone forgotten why this country was founded?

    A leader is someone people follow because the individual has qualities everyone admires and trusts, someone who leads by example and walks the talk, someone who leads for the purpose of serving the people.

    Right now, our country lacks true leadership and I don’t see any examples I’m willing to follow.

    How can WE convince our government we want a president who not only has read the Constitution and the laws of our country but also abides by them? How can WE convince our government we prefer a president who values loyalty over power? How can WE convince our government we are tired of being treated with disrespect … as if we don’t even know how to think for ourselves?

    WE need to speak up, respectfully. WE need to live by the same standards we want our leaders to embrace. WE need to set the example and demand that our government follow it.

    I challenge both our presidential candidates to conduct this final debate by only talking about themselves and their beliefs: what they are willing to do for us and about their past actions and words. Instead of pointing fingers at their opponent and saying, “S/he did something worse than I did!” let’s hear each of them dig down deep inside and SHOW us who they really are so we have a real reason to vote … or stay home.