Filling Up Your Tank - Why Writers Have to Be Readers First (Method Mondays)

    If I'm honest, the past few months I've been in a huge writing rut. I haven't been writing consistently, and when I dedicate time to it, I don't get much, if anything, done. I'd been busy all the time, and in the evenings when I finally had the time to write, I didn't want to. It felt like a chore, and I just didn't feel motivated.
    Recently, though, I started making sure I took the time to read as often as possible. Preferably daily, although that isn't always realistic for my schedule. Once I started doing that, I started feeling that itch to write again. It wasn't something I had to sit down and force myself to do. It was something I found myself making time, and more importantly, wanting to make time to do.
    Don't get me wrong, self-care and relaxation are vitally important. I'm not suggesting you should work an entire day and then come home and write until you pass out. That's not sustainable, and it's not healthy.
    What I am trying to get at, though, is the realization I came to that I wasn't writing if I wasn't reading. It isn't that I'm copying another author's work, far from it. What I'm reading has nothing to do, content-wise, with what I'm currently writing. But if I'm not reading anything, I'm not writing anything either.
    I just want to ask a simple question: who are you writing for? Most likely, you're writing so people will read it. You're writing for readers, and it's likely you're writing for yourself. Toni Morrison's quote sums this up better than I could: "If there is a book you want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it."
    As a writer, if you're reading, you're learning. Even if you don't open a book thinking, "I'd like to look at how this author uses dialogue", you'll absorb it. You learn more by doing it, sure, but you can't start to learn by doing unless you see it done. The Stephen King quote I used at the top of this post describes this well. You really can't be an amazing writer unless you read amazing writers. Just like you wouldn't meet a famous actor who doesn't watch movies or TV to learn from other actors, you wouldn't meet a writer who can't give you the name of at least one other writer who inspired them or made them want to be a writer.
    One of the biggest things I find, for me, is that when I'm not reading I lose the passion to write. I forget why I'm writing, why it's so important to me to put words on a page and someday send them out into the world. If I'm not reading and feeling the emotion that comes with being really moved by a story, then I don't remember why I write: so I can tell a story that moves people.
    No time spent reading is ever wasted. If you've hit a writer's block that you can't push through, sit down and read for a while. Chances are, a switch will flip somewhere in your brain and you'll be able to write again. And if it takes a little longer, well, that's fine too, because now you get to read a great book!

Quiet Observation, or, Why Writers Are Terrifying (Method Mondays)

    "Just to warn you, I'm a writer, so if you're going to be friends with me you should know anything you do or say could end up in a novel. Heck, I might even steal whole chunks of your personality for characters."
    "What did you just say? That's great, that's so going in the book."
    "Pfft, of course this character doesn't get his *insert personality trait* from you. Wh-What would make you think that?"

    All three of these things are things I've said, entirely seriously, to people I know at some point in my life. Surprisingly, there are people who still choose to be friends with me despite that.
    Ideas don't come from nowhere. I've done a blog post on inspiration before, but there's so much to say on the topic that I'll probably do many, many more. If I'm honest, about 10% of my characters' personalities comes straight from me, even if it's something as small as the character only being able to drink tea if its about 95% milk and 5% tea (I know, I know, I'm sorry. Someday I'll learn to like tea, okay?) The other 90% comes from bits and pieces of the souls I collect personalities, quirks, and individual traits of people I know.
    Don't get me wrong: you should not take your weird neighbour, slap a new name on them, and write them as a character in a book. That's how you get in trouble. But maybe your neighbour likes to walk their cat on a leash (mine does, and I'm not kidding. It's the cutest thing ever.) Can you write a character who walks their cat on a leash? Sure you can. It adds realism, and makes your book more relatable.
    One of the sweetest parts of reading anything is that moment of recognition when there's a tiny, almost insignificant, detail about a character and you go "Holy cow! I do that/I think that/I've felt that/I know someone who does that too!" From personal experience, this will make your readers love your character (which is awkward, when that relatable moment comes from the villain).
    This relatable feeling comes from drawing carefully from real life, and it's not the only benefit. You've probably heard a thousand times to "flesh out" characters. Drawing from reality is how you take a cardboard cut-out character and make them into a real person, someone your readers could picture bumping into on the street (or at least a street in whatever futuristic/fantastic/historical/otherwise not "real" world you've invented from them to live in).
    Why is this terrifying, you ask? Well, mostly because - and while I definitely can't speak for all writers, I think this might be more common - I don't realize I'm using traits I've observed in characters I create. Rarely will I be developing a character, see someone displaying a specific trait or quirk, and immediately apply it to that character. More often it comes out subtly, organically, through the process of developing and writing a character. It might be weeks, months, even years before I realize "hey, my friend does that, and so does this character", or "hey, that's just like that stranger I saw one time a while back." And if you'll forgive the vanity, I think this is what you should aim for when "borrowing" from real life. Chances are it's not even much to aim for, it's what you're already subconsciously doing.
    If you purposely take a bunch of characteristics from people you know and try to squish them into one character, it's probably going to seem pretty weird. It won't seem at all like a real person; rather, it will seem like some weird, suffering Frankenstein's Monster staggering their way through your plot. Every character needs a core identity, and after that you can add other personality traits, quirks, and ideas to them.
    I've said it before and I'll say it again: no detail is too small for you to know about your characters. Even if it never makes it explicitly into the book, you'll know it, and that will inform your writing of the character and make them feel so much more real both to you and to the readers.
    So take some time to observe your friends, your family, even strangers (in a non-creepy way, of course) and take a mental note of traits and quirks they have that you could use in the future. Let these bounce around in your brain for a while, and when it's time to create a new character, they'll come to life that much more easily and seem that much more real.

Storytelling and the Art of the Netflix Binge: Part Two (Method Mondays)

   Welcome back! If you haven't read the first part of this post, from January 22nd, you can read it here and then come back. I'll wait.

    Alright! Read it? Good, because this will make a lot more sense if you have. You'll remember from my last post that I compared episodes of a show to chapters in a book, and seasons to the book as a whole. Well, this is probably just about the most obvious comparison I've ever made, but here it is: if each season is a book, then multiple seasons is a series.
    Think about it: what makes it so easy to "accidentally" watch multiple seasons of a show in one sitting? And how can you apply that to your book to keep the readers coming back as each new book comes out?
    You know what that means: question time! Again, pick a show you loved, that has multiple seasons.

1. Pick your favourite multi-season show, preferably one that you had to wait for after finishing a season. What made you look forward to the new season? What made you wait for the season and come back to watch it when you could have watched something else?
2. Think about the plot of the first season. I'm not saying map every character relationship, conflict, and subplot, but think of some major ones.
3. Try to track these threads you picked up through the last few episodes of one season, and the first few of the next. Try to do this mentally if you can, so it isn't my fault when you spend hours binge-watching.
4. Which of these threads were "tied" so to speak? Which ones continue into the next season?

    This essentially sums up what keeps you coming back to the next season, or next book, without getting tired of the wait. The key is to tie enough of the threads up that your readers won't be frustrated and feel that they didn't get any closure.
    In a way, the transition between books in a series is the same as transitioning between chapters, just with higher stakes. Just like when you're ending a chapter, at the end of the book you never want the reader to think "well, that's that sorted. All tied up nicely, nothing more wrong." Unless, of course, it's the last book in the series, in which case you definitely want the reader to feel like everything's been resolved.
    The difference between book transitions and chapter transitions, of course, is that you need to make sure you give the readers enough incentive to wait for the next book and still come back. When you're just starting a new chapter, you can afford to mess that up a little; the reader will probably turn the page eventually, out of curiosity or a desire to finish the book. But if you don't give them incentive to come back to the next book, there's a chance they won't.
    I'll use Harry Potter as an example here, because it's difficult to spoil (but, y'know, in case you don't know the plot, spoilers ahead). Basically, at the end of each book, we know the main conflict of the book has been tied up; for example, at the end of the first book, we can see that the conflict with Quirrell, but we want to come back for the next books because we know there's more conflict with Voldemort to come. That plot doesn't end, nor does many subplots about character relationships. Therefore, we have enough closure to be satisfied with the ending of the book, but also enough intrigue and enough incentive to come back for later books.
    That's the method! Just like the ending of a season of a good Netflix show leaves you with enough closure to not be frustrated, it also leaves enough questions and loose threads to make you want to come back for another season, even after the wait for it. So basically, apply that concept to your book; wrap it up enough to not leave it totally open ended, but make sure to plant those seeds of continuing conflict and leave enough loose threads that your reader wants to come back even after waiting a year or more for the next book.
    Of course, there is a lot more that factors into whether or not readers will return to the series, but that's a topic for another time. This method goes a long way to making sure your readers are satisfied and excited for your next installment in your series!
    Thanks for reading!

Storytelling and the Art of the Netflix Binge: Part One (Method Mondays)

Not my image, but come on, who doesn't love a good Boromir meme?

    I bet no one ever thought they'd see Netflix bingeing referred to as an art. Maybe it's not, but some people I know (okay, and maybe me too) certainly have it down to a science. I believe the equation is (Netflix + snacks + blanket - sleep - things you actually have to do). But that's not what we're here to discuss today, unfortunately. Surprisingly, or perhaps not, I actually do have a point to this post, which I'm going to get to eventually.
    One of the most frequent pieces of advice any writer will hear is to "hook" the reader. Hook them on the first page, in the first chapter, and don't let them off that hook until the end. Basically, you want to toss your reader from hook to hook like... something. I don't have any good analogies for that, all I can think of is fishing and I don't think anyone throws fish hooks (at least hopefully not on purpose). But basically, your aim is to let the reader almost wiggle off the hook, only to catch them on another one just as they've gotten free.
     What do I mean by that? I mean that, in my opinion at least, you have to let a little something go right for your characters, and by extension your readers, so they don't get too frustrated. But you don't ever want a reader to think "well, that's sorted!" at the end of a chapter, because then they'll put the book down and maybe not come back to it. Remember being so engrossed in a book when you were a kid that you couldn't say "just one more chapter" and you stayed up too late reading it with a flashlight? Whether the last time you did that was years ago or last week, chances are its because the author made sure to leave a thread at the end of the chapter, a little hook that grabbed you and made sure you just HAD to find out what happened next.
    In a way, make it so your characters get one step forward and then knocked three steps back, so your reader doesn't get frustrated by the lack of progress, but they still want to find out how it's going to happen, how your characters are going to get to their final goal. Of course, you have to alter that formula so you eventually get to an ending, but as the descending action occurs, that will likely be enough to keep your reader rushing to the finish (if you set it up well, of course), so this formula doesn't stand so much then. It's slightly different if you have a series on your hands, but that can be a discussion for another post.
    So! Back to the whole Netflix theme I had going back there. What the heck does that have to do with anything? Well, the best way I can think of to explain whatever it was I was trying to explain with fish hooks and steps and reading under the covers, is actually quite simple: Think of a Netflix show you love, and then follow along with me.
    Question time (yay, work to do! Don't worry, it's easy)

1. Think about the first episode of the show (resist the urge to rewatch it!). What drew you in? What made you want to keep watching?
2. Think about some of the other episodes, maybe around the middle of the series (if you spend all day watching to this point, don't blame me!). Think specifically about the endings of the episodes. What made you click on the next episode, or if you had to wait, what made you come back to watch the next one? (Alternatively, what made you pretend you didn't notice the timer ticking down to the next episode so now you HAVE to watch the next one?). 
3. Now, the tricky part: apply that to your novel or writing project. No, don't copy the plot of the show. What I mean is, lay out your project like each chapter is an episode. Episode one is vital, of course, so make sure something really good happens there. But what about the other episodes? What will make your reader really want to keep going and continue with the next episode. Make each one like a mini story arc, in a way; it's got it's own small "inciting incident", of sorts, where something can go well for the characters, and then it's own mini climax where there's another obstacle. These can be as large or as small as you want them to be.

    Once you've done that for one chapter, do it for another. And another. And before you know it, you'll have at least a rough plan for your project. Alternatively, if you aren't the planning type or if your novel is already written, go back through it and try to identify what these mini-arcs are. Beta readers will help with this as well of course, but try to give your novel some time sitting alone, work on something else or just take some time off for a few days or weeks, and then come back and read it. The less you remember of it, the better, but try to note whether or not you want to stop at the ends of chapters, whether or not you feel you can stop without wondering what happens next. This isn't something you can rely on yourself 100% for, because obviously you know what happens next, you wrote it (congratulations on that, by the way)! Don't panic if it seems like you can stop at any point without being curious; again, beta readers are your best tool for this part. Ask them specifically to note if there's any part where they feel like they could put the book down and not be curious or want to pick it back up again. 

    And now, for my own hook, of sorts. I'm sure you saw this coming based on the "part one" in the title, but I'm going to say it anyway: you can read part two of this post here, on series and how to keep the reader satisfied with the ending but still wanting to come back for a second book. 

    See you all next time! Happy writing, and thanks for reading!

The Golden Rule of Writing: There Are No Real Rules (Method Mondays)

Start off on a light note; thanks, Internet.

    There are a lot of writing "rules" floating around out there, in books, on the Internet, from well-meaning strangers. Lots of people can and will give you advice; the question is whether or not you follow it.
    The way I see it, there are plenty of things people can say about writing, but most of those things are things that work for them. They're usually good to know, but they might not work for you, or they might.
    This is not an original thing to say, at all, but the only real writing "rule" is this: Write.
    That's it.
    Writing a certain number of words per day, or writing at certain times, or wearing a tinfoil helmet while you write so aliens don't steal your ideas, none of those things make you a writer. If setting a word goal works for you, do it. If a schedule works, make one. If a tinfoil helmet somehow seems to make you write better, then heck, go for it. I'm sure there's writers out there with weirder habits.
    The point is, you'll always read advice and "rules" for writing. I've given some advice on this blog, and I'll probably continue to do so. If it works for you, great! Glad to help. If it doesn't, then what does it matter? Something that works for me might not work for you.
    In some cases, following advice from those with experience can be a good idea. If you want to publish, either self-publish or traditionally publish, then it may be a good idea to get advice from people who have experience in the business, because in those pursuits there is, arguably, a "right" way to do things and a "wrong" way to do them. In the actual writing of the book, however, as long as you're following basic rules of grammar and spelling to make it legible, there are no real rules. You can do basically whatever you want to do with your writing, and if you've got the determination to make it work and get those words on the page, chances are it'll work out.
    It doesn't matter how prolific or successful an author is; no one's word is gospel when it comes to writing. It is tempting to emulate our favourite authors and try to follow every bit of advice they've ever given, but that's unrealistic, frankly. I highly doubt that I'll still agree with all of the advice I've given in the past within a few years, and while I can't speak for any other authors, I think it's likely to be the same case for many others.
    So if my advice or anyone else's advice works for you? Great, follow it for as long as it works! If it doesn't? Who cares? It doesn't make you any less or any worse of a writer, just like following any advice or rules you see online or in books makes you any better of a writer.
    In the end, there's only one rule to writing: write. If you do that, you are a writer, no matter what other advice or "rules" you do or do not follow.

Book Review: Butterfly Chaos by Melinda R. Cordell

(Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of this novel in exchange for a review; however, I was not obligated to review favourably)

About the Book:
Three months after her cousin Toni died, Cassie is still reeling. Toni's best friend now ignores her in the halls. Cassie's cousin is dating the girl who torments her in gym. And Cassie has maybe a teeny-tiny crush on the boy who found Toni in the river. Then Toni's ghost visits Cassie and reveals that in two nights, a powerful EF3 tornado will rip into a dance hall, killing those three kids. Cassie sets out to keep everyone from going to the dance. As she argues and cajoles (and stockpiles minor munitions to clear the building, just in case) she uncovers stories about her friends' connections with Toni - and all the reasons they refuse to skip this awesome dance. Why does everyone have to be so bullheaded! Despite everything Cassie does to change their destiny, they find themselves directly in the killer tornado's path. In those last moments as the tornado bears down on them, Cassie must find a rock to cling to as the whole world is torn to pieces around her.

Here's a link to the Amazon page, if anyone is interesting in buying the book and/or seeing a sample!

    Butterfly Chaos follows Cassie, a young girl who is struggling to cope with the drowning death of her cousin, Toni. Cassie's family is extremely close, and her and her cousins seem to have a more sibling-like relationship. Toni was older than Cassie, and as such Cassie looks up to her and is racked by guilt over her death. I found the title of this book very interesting; it's mentioned in the book, and refers to the idea that tiny decisions affect the future, so if a butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil, the air movement can cause a tornado in Texas.
    This idea is played with very interestingly throughout the novel; Cassie dreams of the tornado multiple times, and sees how her actions throughout the novel affect the events of that night.
    Another aspect of the novel that I enjoyed was the characterization. While there were some minor characters who remained very one-dimensional that I think could have been better fleshed-out and given better motivation, but Cassie herself was a very interesting character. She did not fall into many stereotypes many YA heroines often do, and her narration was relatable and made her seem very real.
    I also thought that the town the author placed her story in was well-written; Cordell works in enough detail for readers to understand the culture of the town and Cassie's family, without being bogged down in unnecessary details and "info dumping".
    This book was a fairly quick read for me; when I found the time to read it, I devoured most of it in one sitting. The story was fast-paced and heart-pounding, and I found the ending was quite a twist. I didn't love everything about the book, of course, but I think it was a very worthwhile read.
    I'd say this book would be appropriate for middle grade or young adult readers; it's classified on Amazon as a teen book, but it could definitely be good for middle grade readers as well due to the age of the characters and the plot of the book.
    4/5 stars!

Are Outlines a Blessing or a Curse? (Method Mondays)

    I'm going to be 100% honest here. I hate outlining. I absolutely despise it. I would much rather dive head-first into a story and just start writing than sit down and plot out what's going to happen. I will also admit, though, when I sit down to write and have no clue what needs to happen to bridge event A with event B, I really wish I'd sat down and taken the time to write an outline.
    This isn't really going to be a tutorial on how to write an outline, because outlines can take any form you want them to, depending on what suits you. What I want to do with this is more of a discussion about outlining as a practice and why I would or wouldn't do it.
    I really only learned to outline in my last two years of high school, mostly because I had to for English classes. Has it come in handy? Yes, definitely. Am I 100% willing to admit that I complained about it for nothing? Not quite.
   Contrary to how I've made it sound, I do outline from time to time. Most of the time it's for blog posts or something similar, but I often do it for short stories too, especially if I want to get the ideas down before I forget them. For example, for the sequel to "What's a Princess to Do?", I wrote an outline when the idea for the story came into my head. It's just 17 bullet points, each one of them a short sentence. Some of them are only fragments of sentences.
   I'm not usually a very detailed outliner (for stories, at least; when it comes to more academic writing, sometimes that changes); if I come up with a particularly good line of dialogue or a little bit a scene, I'll put it in the outline as I come up with it, but most of the time it's just a sequence of events. Character A does this, so that happens, so B has to do this, and so on. That's a bit of an oversimplification, but for the purposes of not having spoilers or sharing plot points that will end up edited out or changed, that's what I'll say.
    I know plenty of people who have much more detailed outlines than that, and if that's what you like and what works for you, then go for it! I'm not big on detailed outlines because I'll just end up writing the full scene instead and then my "outline" will just be the book or story itself.
    I think the only "danger", if you can call it that, to outlining is that it is possible to become too dependant on an outline and forget to let the story "breathe", so to speak, and adapt as you continue writing. If I use an outline, I follow it when I don't know what needs to happen and when I need to make sure certain events take place for the plot to make sense.
    What do you all think of outlining? Do you do it, and if so, what does your normal outline look like?
   Thanks for reading!