Listening With Writer’s Ears On

by Raina Schell

I’ve been reading a lot of books on “how to write” lately. Books about publishing, editing, outlining – you name it. I enjoy reading other writer’s processes, I really do.

Last week I spent time with my family and an old friend. They were both crazy in different ways and I’m talking – certifiably insane, or at least my old friend L is. I kept thinking “this is a good character study” in order to make it through the week. On some level I’m sure that’s the truth but on the level of protecting my own sanity it was the excuse I came up with in order to participate in the hell that was their lives.

I found myself approaching listening in a new and different way. I began to really listen, to absorb not judge and not have to insert my experiences. I listened to get ideas for characters, plots and scenes. Instead of thinking “this person is crazy” or “when will they get to the point?” I listened to hear, wanting to file it all away for future writing projects or now as I decided to name it “listening with my writer’s ears on”.

After a particularly juicy tidbit was revealed to me (by a stranger, a friend, family) I wanted to go home and take notes. I wasn’t sure how I would index those notes so thus far I’ve only tried to remember but I can see that note taking would be advantageous. Perhaps in one word (or more likely evernote) file titled “notes while listening with my writer’s ears on”. Then when I need some inspiration for a character or a plot I can look there. It helps to get me through the mundane, crazy and non-engaging moments of life.

Reading...

If you’re a writer, chances are good that you’re also a reader. If you’re a writer who doesn’t read… this is like when you’re doing improv and instead of your partner saying “yes and” they say “no”. The buck stops here. Insert the screeching sound of a needle on a record player for those of you young enough to remember turntables.

I am a voracious reader. I read every single day. I read fiction and I read non-fiction. The reason I’m writing on this blog topic is to motivate. Maybe that’s the goal of all of my blog topics. They do say each author has one motivation/story that she/he tells over and over in every book. My character’s motivation is the same in my 2 novels, though they are very different characters. My “motivation” in each of my blog entries has been the same = motivation. I guess what they say is true. It’s how you arrive at it that’s different and isn’t the journey the key, not the destination?

In order to write a specific genre you must read that specific genre. Simple yes and true. If you’re a sci-fi writer, you need to read sci-fi. If you’re a mystery writer, you need to read mysteries. Every successful author will also tell you to write what moves you, not what you think may sell. That is sage advice as well. If you write for a specific market or trend that’s not really what you’re interested in: 1. It will show and your voice and passion will be flat. 2. By the time you’re ready to publish, the trend will have changed. 3. Every other wanna-be author has already tried to break in to that “hot new trend” and now the market is overly saturated with say: “the next 50 shades” and no agent or publisher or reader (if you’re self published) wants to read book #256 with the exact same premise as book #255.

Write what you know, read what you love - but the key words here are “write” and “read”. You don’t have time to read but you want to be a writer? Make time. Stop watching TV and read instead. Whatever it takes or it’ll never happen. Once it becomes a habit you won’t be able to stop. I’ve been reading before sleep for more years than I can remember and now I can’t, or don’t want to, sleep without doing it. Personally I change genres. I love reading a few different ones so I skip around. From sci-fi to fantasy to chicklit to regency and more. I also get CDs of books at the library and listen to books while I drive. Thus I am always “reading” at least 2 fiction books at a time.

I also read writing books, I love reading books on “how to write”, “what to write”, “when to write”, “why to write”. I have a list of my favorites which I may copy down and post here sometime. These books are not only motivators to write, they contain practical, useful knowledge. Chances are if you’re reading this blog now, you’re a reader as well as a writer, which is wonderful! Now go out and change the world (in a good way)!

Are you ready to take the lottery challenge?

The most ridiculous, yet true epiphany I had shortly before I wrote the first draft of my novel in a month was, “if you don’t play the lotto you won’t win.” Simple, true and everyone knows it. I’ve always known that and still I don’t play the lotto and probably never will. That’s not why that simple statement came to me though. It was about my 1^st novel, Exquisite Destiny. I started writing Exquisite Destiny about 15 years ago, yes you read that correctly. FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, more or less, give or take a year or two.

I was a different person back then, completely different. The only thing that remains the same is that I look relatively un-aged (thanks to cosmetic surgery – just kidding! Thanks to good eating and even better genes).

The first thing that happened was that I birthed the character. From the “Artist’s Way” book given to me by my still amazingly close friend Max I began writing morning pages. Morning pages is an assignment in the book where you write either 3 (I think it was 3) pages or you write for an allotted period of time, 10 minutes maybe, I can’t quite remember now – it WAS a long time ago. Regardless, my character Lizzy was born. And once I gave birth to the character she needed a venue.

Her playground was hammered out in my then office/closet. I wrote like a fiend for a month, maybe two. I had a full time job then too so I wrote whenever I could and though I don’t remember for sure I think I probably managed a few pages a day. At some point I had 50 pages and I thought they were good. I really did. My then husband (exh) wanted to read them as did a couple of friends so I started on the rewrites, without ever finishing the first draft. I re-wrote for another month or so. Ecstatic to get everyone’s opinion and not knowing the “rules” which consist partially of DON’T LET YOUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS READ YOUR WRITING, especially if you’re unpublished and have an easily crushable ego. So I did what any other eager young writer does – I printed out my pages and I handed them to my exh, who by the way doesn’t actually have a name, and 2 of my closest friends. I sat and waited with baited breath.

When the jury came back it looked something like this…. My exh hated it and thought I should shred the entire thing immediately. My “best friend” at the time, who it turns out was actually my exh’s best friend said “it’s ok.” But my other friend, oh Liisa thank you for believing in me! She LOVED IT!!! She ranted and raved and said these words, “please keep writing because I want to know what happens next, I couldn’t put it down.” Why didn’t I listen to the sage Goddess and her knowledgable advice? After all her husband is a professional writer, she would know!!!

But no, my ego was fragile and my exh’s demeaning opinion mattered to me. Still I sent out the first 3 chapters to an agent and got turned down and that was it. I gave up. Looking back, the agent’s letter was really nice and open ended but I didn’t realize that then. Sadly what happened was I put my stock and belief in the jealousy and control issues of another and I stopped working on my novel – for 15 years.

Why is this a blog topic? It will hopefully inspire others not to listen to naysayers, not to put their dreams on hold but instead to move forward with them. And don’t show your first time novel to friends and family, unless they are 100% supportive. I have a current critique partner who runs her writing by her husband and he is nothing but supportive. It can happen but often times it doesn’t and when it doesn’t, the results can be catastrophic.

If you don’t play the lotto you can’t win. If you don’t write on your novel consistently you’ll never finish it. If you don’t practice your sport of choice you’ll never be good at it. If you don’t play your instrument regularly you won’t get better. If you don’t speak the foreign language you’ve been trying to learn you’ll never learn it. Simple, very simple and we all know it but knowing it and doing it are what separates the doers from the dreamers. Are you ready to take the lottery challenge?

NaNoWriMo

Thanks to NaNoWriMo (National November Writer's Month) I wrote my novel in a month! And since I wrote, scrapped, rewrote and scrapped again I really did have to start from scratch.

I do realize NaNo did not write my novel for me but because of NaNo I did it! Finally, it's done - well it's not really done yet but the first draft is in the can. Do I look different? Not really. Do I feel different? Most definitely! I feel accomplished. I feel like I can do anything now, even bungie jump if I so choose.

In October I had never heard of NaNo but all of my complaining was finally heard and two women in particular told me of the challenge and I boldly accepted. Actually they pretty much made me promise I'd try and made me promise to stop complaining.

Locking myself in the house for the month - not at all - I hammered out 50,000 words. The truth of the matter is that I went on with my full life. I worked full time (overtime actually), I kept up with my insane exercise routine, I saw my friends, I walked my dog.... Where then did I eek out that extra 2 hours a day that I didn't have before NaNo? At night when I got home from my long, tired, busy days.

I am up at 6am (or 7am) and out of the house by 8:30am to return at 10 or 11pm - most days of the week. When I got home I sat down and cranked out 2,000 words. What did I used to do when I got home? Watch TV shows I love, read, play with the pets, cook. I gave my nights up for the month of November and all I did was write.

There was a fun writing group formed that met at the local coffee shop one night a week where a guy named Ken stood over me my first night in attendance (without my knowledge) and then I heard his voice "what are you doing?" I looked up from google, confused. "I'm researching." He shook his head, "you can do that later, after NaNo, after November. In November all you do is write. If you don't know how to describe something you write 'describe place here' and move on." Thank you Ken. I honestly don't think I would have finished the 50,000 words if you hadn't told me that and then looked over my shoulder occasionally to make sure I was "just writing".

Is it finished and ready to be published? Not yet. I have a critique partner or two, I have a massive support group, I've moved on to my next book and soon - the rewrites will begin. Rewriting and editing and more of the same. Call me crazy but I love that part!