2k to 10k Book Review

Before I get into the review, I would like to apologize for the lack of post yesterday. For the past couple days I have been nose deep in two different books on writing. This is because I'm stuck. I may go into detail tomorrow.

Now onto the review!

First, I love Rachel Aaron's voice. I haven't read any of her other books (note to self: Add Eli Monpress novels to TBR list. P.S: Make TBR list.), but when reading this book, it's as if she's sitting there talking to you. At least, I assume that's the way she meant it.

Second, this book makes me rethink everything I've ever written. But in a good way! Looking back at my process while writing Mortality, it makes me want to scrap it and start over. In all honesty, it would save me hours and hours and possibly days of editing. However, I think my mother would probably kill me.

Third, I'm so going to try what she has to say when writing the last half of my book. Considering I have very little planned, this is a good thing. Hopefully I can knock out the last half of the book in a shorter time than the first half. Bear in mind it's taken me... eight years to get the first half done?

Also, it's .99c on Amazon. You have no reason not to.

I rate it ***** stars.

Follow Rachel Aaron on Twitter @Rachel_Aaron
Or go to her website www.rachelaaron.net

Are You a Pantser or a Planner?

The upside and downside of both.

So this was supposed to be yesterday's post, but there was no post yesterday because I am a horrible person and @nobody_knows on Twitter got me reading a manga (again), and you should totally follow her because she is awesome and a writer and a NaNoWriMo'er and because I said so and you trust me right? Anyway, I would normally link you the manga (it's called Skip Beat if you're a glutton for punishment) but I won't because then you will be sucked into the same black hole I am in.

Anyway! To the post.
This one is unplanned as I am a horrible horrible planner and a pantser in all things.  

Planning

First, I think, we have to define what, exactly, a Planner is. So what is a planner?

Simply, it is someone who plans. A Planner may draw up all kinds of outlines and even model their characters off of pictures found on the internet or in magazines. Planner's will have their novel planned out to almost the minutest detail. 

The Pro's

The pro's of being a planner are, I think, quite obvious.

With a plan, one has less of a chance of hitting writer's block. (When you know where you're going, you can't come to a spot and go "what next?")

Well... that's really the only one I can think of at the moment, but it's a big one.

The Con's

Perfectionism. This may not sound like such a bad thing, but if you are a perfectionist, you will second guess yourself every step of the way. 

The lack of surprise. When you know everything from A to Z, there is no chance for your characters to surprise you, as you are far more liable to Railroad them. 

Writer's Block. It's the opposite of the Pro, but this is the reason I don't plan. If I plan, and I know what's going to happen next, it is impossible, sometimes, for me to continue because I feel I won't do it justice. 

Hum... Well, I never said I was an expert on Planning. 

Pantsing

Pantsing is a term used for writers like myself who "write by the seat of their pants." Often we go at the task with little idea of the outcome. I, myself, usually start with a beginning and an ending in mind, and some vague ideas of the middle. 

Pro's

Anything can happen. With limits. I love world building. (In that way I am a planner.) Normally I have clearly drawn lines of what can and cannot happen. However, within those limitations, anything can, and probably will, happen. 

The story, and characters, take on a life of their own. No, really. I've experienced this before. Without a plan, it is up to the characters to truly decide what they are going to do. As a writer, I often am bemused, befuzzled, or straight up confused at why my characters do certain things. But you know what? Their motivations always come clear in the end. 

Little Railroading. If you don't know how you're going to get to the end, how can you tell your characters what to do? It's that simple. 

Con's

Anything can happen. Yes, this goes in both categories. When anything can happen, some people can freeze, and so nothing happens. 

Writer's Block. Oh lordy, writer's block. My pantsing is probably the reason for 95% of my Writer's Block in the past, and that much in the future, too. Without a plan, it's quite easy to come to a spot and go... "What now?" 

Editing. I haven't gotten to this stage yet, but because I have had not plan, and my angle has change multiple times throughout writing, I know Mortality will need a MAJOR overhaul before I even THINK of getting beta-readers. 

The In-Between

Now, normally, no writer is entirely one or the other. 

Myself? I am most definitely solidly in the Panster group. However, I do LOVE world-building. And that falls entirely into the Planner category. Also, When I reach a point where I say "What now?" I will ask myself, what has to happen before the end. And a mental map is created. Sometimes I even right it down on paper. 

So. Happy Trails! Tomorrow will probably be another Character's on Couches session, because even though the blog spot was that one time... well, I've got more issues that need worked out! Thanks Murphy!

Cheyenne

Food for Thought

Are you a planner or a pantser? 

What works best for you?

Slow Down

Hello.

I'm mostly feeling better now, but not trusting myself to eat anything but crackers or drink anything but Ginger ale or Sprite.

Anyway, this blog post is brought to you by Wasteland Nomad, an interesting person, who, with one tweet, inspired me.

The tweet was as follows,

"Sometimes physically writing a story can slow you down and let you see things clearer. At least to my crazy brain anyway."

Which made me think.

Can You Write Too Quickly?

Unless it is during NaNoWriMo, or another WriMo, the answer is, surprisingly, yes.

NaNoWriMo is all about writing quantity over quality, and that's great when the goal is to just get something written, but outside of NaNoWriMo?

If you're working to a deadline, you want to write quickly, but not so quickly that you lose sight of where you wanted to go. Working with a go, go, go attitude is great and all, but too much of that, and you become derailed. Become derailed and we can become unmotivated. You may look back at what you've written and go, it's crap. Well, yeah. That's because you weren't paying attention to what you were writing.

How can we keep from writing too quickly?

Sometimes, we just need to take a step back.

If you feel you are becoming lost in your story/novel/post/fanfic or you've written yourself into a hole, take a step back. Look at it as if for the first time, take note of what you want to happen later, or how you want the scene/novel/fanfic to end, and try to figure out what happens in the meantime.

Even as a pantser, I find taking a look at it this way helps. With my current WIP, Mortality, I wrote out the main plot points from where I am to the end, and have started figuring out what happens between now and each point.

It's making the writing itself flow much smoother. I don't plan to the last detail, I leave my characters a lot of leeway, and you should to.

Can You Write Too Slowly?

Most definitely yes. This is the other side of the same coin. 

It's great to know the specifics of what's happening and going on in your novel/scene/fanfic, but while you're writing don't worry about that. If you do worry too much about who's doing what, what's taking place elsewhere or how this effects the future or how the past affected this scene now, you're going to be so wrapped up in the past/future of your novel that writing RIGHT NOW, is going to be downright impossible. 

How do we keep from getting bogged down?

Well, there are many ways you could do this. 

For one, stop worrying. If it's a first draft, which is really all this post pertains to, there is so much editing going to be done that really, worrying now is a time waster, and nothing more. 

If you can't help but go back and reread what you've written (a BIG no-no, especially during WriMo's) the moment you open the file, turn the font color for everything previous, white. Or whatever background color you choose. 

Use WriteOrDie. (Really, it's a life saver). Especially on Kamikaze mode. 

Well, that's all I have for today darlings. 

Stay inspired,

Cheyenne

Food for thought

Do you write too quickly? How do you slow down?

Do you write too slowly? How do you speed up?