Research

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This week we will take a look at researching stories. First up, what exactly does research encompass?  Quite a lot actually. Of course, there are historical facts. Names, dates, places, major events. It also covers social and political ideas of the time, demographics, setting, geography, climate.  How about equipment?  Technology? Mechanical facts?  Then there’s clothing and food. Native languages. Well-known disasters. Wars. Exhausted yet?

Research can be a huge chunk of your story, start to finish.  Some prefer to  do it all in painstaking detail before  they start chapter one, some would rather do it as they go. I  fall somewhere in-between. I want to have a good sense of what the world and time period was like, assuming I am using a real world setting.  However, I don’t  spend months  looking into it.  I want a good basis and then I will look up things as I go. Even those who do a lot of research ahead of time end up doing more during the course of the writing. Something always pops up that you have not planned on, requiring you to go back to your sources.
Which brings us to the main point here – sources. Of course, there is the internet. Google is often a writer’s best friend. So is Wikipedia, but that one requires some caution in that not everything is always accurate. Historical websites, special interest associations, encyclopedia sites… the list is endless and ever-changing by the day.
But what about other sources? In other words, how in the hell did we research anything before we had the internet? There is always the library.  In my case, that is generally not that useful given I live in a tiny town with a tiny library.  Some other favorite sources are books on the subject. I continually comb through used book stores, both online and brick and mortar. Newspapers are invaluable. When I was researching Victorian London for my Victorian vampire story, I came across all sorts of wonderful books on the era. My big score, however, was several editions of the Star, a London newspaper, all from the summer of 1888. I was ecstatic for weeks! In addition to  actual news of the era, the advertisements were great for giving a good feeling for the times (I also picked up a book printed in the 1800’s about lice and rats in London – very interesting look at the cleanliness issues. It got me some weird looks!).
I also tend to collect good source material as I go along for times and locations that interest me and that I may want to use at some point, or places that I already envision for a story idea brewing in my head.  I may use them one day, I may not, but digging through them can be invaluable if I do. And sometimes, I may not use that particular thing, but it spurs an idea of something I do end up using, which can be just as good.
 The first week we talked about being observant and stretching our creative muscles to make use of what we see. Research is a great place for that as well, whatever form it takes. You never know what will be lurking in those pages, whether they are in a book, newspaper, or website.  Happy hunting!

Point of View

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Point of View
Oh, those three dreaded words.  I have gotten to the point as a writer that I understand POV is an important storytelling tool.  I have even been dragged kicking and screaming into a place where I agree that flowing back and forth between points of view without any kind of transition is a bad thing.  Still, I cannot say that I had any real connection to point of view before today.

Ever since I first accepted that I really needed to stick with one point of view at a time, that’s basically what I’ve done.  One point of view per story, period.  I know that the trend is for readers to prefer alternating points of view, but I admit I’m not there yet.  Writing a story with multiple, deliberately chosen points of view still feels rather like a cannonball off of the high dive to me.  Or, after yesterday, maybe from the middle platform.
So, what happened yesterday, you ask?
I have a pair of characters that I love, but who are challenging for me to write.  Up to this point the best I’ve been able to do with them is to write down whatever scraps of scenes they are inclined to give me, regardless of point of view.  It’s not a great way to get a cohesive story onto the page, but it’s the only way I’ve been able to make any kind of progress with them up to this point.  And, truth be told, the POV didn’t seem to make a lot of difference.  By that I mean there didn’t seem to be anything so compelling about the way a scene played out that changing points of view down the road would be difficult.
And then I sat down at the keyboard last night to write a scene from one character’s perspective and found myself writing from the other character’s perspective instead.  The contrast between the scene I’d planned and the scene that made its way onto paper is startling.  By putting the new character in charge of the scene I almost completely undermined a conflict later in the story.  A scene that should have been introspective and filled with knowing glances became charged with angst and sexual tension.
Everyone says this, but I swear it’s the truth here.  A light came on in my mind.  All of a sudden I had real, tangible evidence of how different a story can be depending on who’s telling it.  I was finally able to compare scenes and really see how the tone changes based on which character’s POV is reflected there.  For the first time I could actually understand how controlling the point of view would allow me to control the reader’s experience of the story.
I actually learned a LOT about the characters, too.  How they tell their stories has a lot to do with who they are; their personalities, backgrounds, etc.  I hadn’t realized how different these characters are until I saw the scene coming out in two such different versions.
There is a big difference from understanding this intellectually and actually applying it to the story.  In this moment, though, I feel powerful.  I have transformed from a stubborn girl scuffing her toes in the gravel to an honest-to-goodness writer.  I can do anything, including use point of view effectively.
Realistically we are not going to spend a lot of time developing scenes from multiple points of view.  We’re too busy for that.  But I would encourage everyone who struggles with point of view to take at least one scene and really try to imagine it from both sides. 
Don’t just change the names and pronouns.  This isn’t about technical definitions and memorizing the difference between third person omniscient and present perfect.  This is about understanding how to make point of view a tool you can use.  Sink yourself completely into the mindset of a different character and see what happens to your scene.  It might surprise you.   

What is a Novel?

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As I type this far ahead of time in anticipation of my National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) participation, I’m thinking nearly constantly about what I want to write. I’ve still got nearly the whole of October, though, so I’m silly to be so obsessed.

All the same, it’s led me to wonder just what defines a novel. The word is a noun, obviously. Answers.com offers these definitions:
1. A fictional prose narrative of considerable length, typically having a plot that is unfolded by the actions, speech, and thoughts of the characters.
2. The literary genre represented by novels.

The word is also an adjective: Strikingly new, unusual, or different.

More than anything, I would say this defines what I really want to produce next month. Let’s hope I’m well on my way. Happy writing and/or reading to you!

Character, Plot & World Building

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This week’s topic is likely the most nebulous for me. It can be one of the hardest to reduce to specifics, but it is also one of the most important. The over-reaching ideas for your characters,  plot and setting are the basis for the entire story. You need a good, solid base in order to have a cohesive, readable story that takes you from introduction to conflict to a satisfying resolution. Let’s take a look.

First up is character building. You will often hear writers discuss whether they are character-driven or story-driven. What this means, for those character-driven writers, is that  some prefer to start with vivid characters they can really ‘see’ and  take it from there. I am definitely one of those. When writing a story, you will spend an unbelievable amount of time with the characters. They will drive you, tease you, thrill you, and at times refuse to speak to you. They will live in your head, chattering away. At times the constant buzz can get distracting, but telling them to shut up is the last thing I want to do.
Where do they come from? All over. Remember my example from last week about the lady in the funny hat?  Sometimes people I see will stir a character idea. Sometimes, as I noted with the historical I wrote last fall, they just appear, ready to go. Those are the lucky days.  Generally, for me, a character will whisper from the shadows, spilling just enough hints about  himself (or herself), to pique my interest. I’ll poke and prod them to get them to give up more details.
Sometimes it take gentle coaxing.  Sometimes the character will unload their whole story as if they’ve been waiting years  for someone to listen to them. Most are in-between, and we do this little dance for a  bit while we get to know each other. This is  the most essential step.  As this character’s writer, I need to know all I can about them if I am going to portray them  in an accurate, believable manner. Besides, I want them to like me. After all, we are going to be spending a lot of time together.
For those writers who are story-driven, the plot’s the thing. This is where they start – the “Oh, what if this happened? What then?” moment. But whether they start with  characters or plot, every writer needs a great story. This is the meat to go with your potatoes, er, characters. What happens to them? How does it affect them? What do they learn? Is it believable and does it draw in the reader so they keep turning pages, reading to the end?
A well-developed plot needs three things for each character: goals, motivation, conflict. What do they want to accomplish? What drives them, keeps them going in the face of adversity? And what is that adversity that interferes with  their  goals, threatens their happiness? How do they face it? And perhaps most importantly, how does it change them in the end? What do they learn and are they better for it? The best plots are those with layers, details that add to  the story, making it more complete.  To continue our meat and potatoes analogy, the seasoning that makes it all work. To quote Shrek, “Ogres have layers. Onions have layers. You get it?”
I mentioned believable regarding plot. Believable does not have to mean possible and  proven by current scientific and social rules. If it did, Dracula would never have gotten off the ground.  What this means is, within the scope of your story and characters, do you pull the reader in effectively so they stick with your story? Is this believable in the world you have created? Here’s the one area that some writers adore, others hate.  World building. Whichever side of the line you fall on, we all have to do it.
Where does the story take place? Can you make the reader see it? Is it complete? Does it have layers? Some genres are easier than others in the world building department. If you are writing a story set in the current day in your hometown, well, you can simply observe and record, changing as needed. But what if you are writing science-fiction set centuries into the future?  Then you’ll be building this place from the ground up and it better be believable within the rules of your universe.
Wait, there are rules? You better believe it. When you set about building your own world, whatever form it takes, there are rules, your own natural laws if you will, that determine how things work. You need to establish them and stick to them. Your readers certainly will expect you to follow them. Nothing guarantees a reader will throw your book across the room, and not go  pick it back up, like abandoning your ‘laws’ for the sake of plot convenience.
Include details makes it richer, more developed, more believable. What’s the social structure? The government? How do they dress, what do they eat, what sort of entertainment do they prefer?  World building is not all about the mountains, rivers, and cities, it’s about the society too. What is acceptable, what’s taboo? And is Desperate Housewives still popular in its 487th season?
This all skims the surface, of course, but it does give a good idea of what goes into the structure of your story. Everything you do from here till the end of it depends on these things.  Take your time and make them detailed and rich.
Layers.  You get it?

Developing Character

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I’m increasingly interested in whether other writers use some form of character sheet. Even if done haphazardly, it’s a practice that seems increasingly vital as I have so many different WIPs in various stages of completion.

I’ve seen all sorts of questionnaires and charts but still haven’t really utilized them. I mainly started doing some basic listing of character traits so that I don’t forget details. It seems like the plots develop my characters and vice versa, not like a character wakes up in my brain and demands a say.

The more likely scenario is that a scene from a dream kicks off a tale. It might even be something more esoteric like a strange phrase or unusual name popping into my head. Then, the characters grow from what I put on the page. Some days the process does feel almost like I’m taking dictation. I love when that happens.

If you write, what is your method? I’d enjoy learning how different folks create their unique voices for story.

Wiley Wednesday: Writing Through the Chaos

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Today, we have some Wiley Words of Wisdom from Writer’s Retreat forum member Isabelle Flynn. Enjoy!

Writing Through the Chaos

I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said that my life has been chaotic in the past six months. It started in March when I left my home of the past three years with my two sons. My husband was stuck behind to work and get the house ready for our big move. We were headed to a city only a few hours away but with training and some family visits in between, we had months to hang out. It should have been easy, fun, and carefree. It wasn’t.

I left with writing in the forefront of my mind. It was hard and I didn’t hit word count, but I tried. Boy, did I try! I wrote with my sick three year old by my side and I wrote when I felt like doing nothing but curling up into a little ball. When my truck was broken into, when my grandfather was hospitalized for a serious illness, when I spent the day in the hospital and then the nights giving my son breathing treatments, I found the time to write. Then I didn’t.

I didn’t write but I learned. I learned that writing is the first thing I question about myself when things begin to go wrong. I learned that forgiving myself isn’t easy but truly divine. I learned that reading can be productive, even when it’s not a craft book. I learned that there is more than ‘filling the well’ or studying the craft.

Just being helped me to renew my love of putting words down on paper. I listened to music that opened my mind up to daydreaming and story creation. I fell back in love with the tapping on my keyboard and the words that simply appear across my screen when I’m in the zone. Pressure is my enemy but chaos doesn’t have to be.

How do you get past the chaos in your life to keep at your writing practice?

NaNoWriMo

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If you’re involved in the writing community, you’ve surely seen these NaNoWriMo participation badges in various shapes and sizes. As I write this a few weeks in advance, I can only hope my opening effort honors the event.

To be honest, I am equally excited and nervous at the moment. Writing has never created such a mix of emotions before. I’m telling myself this is a good thing. A minor shake-up is good for us, right?

Time will tell if I have that many words in me for one story. So far, I’ve tended to author much shorter pieces. In fact, such a tale is due to be published any day in a science fiction m/m erotica anthology. So I should be on cloud nine anyway, right? That said, I guess I am.

Breathe, Darla. Better.

So much of every day’s outcome depends upon our attitude, right? And taking things day by day is the only way to reach any goal. I hope your attitude is great, your day is good, and that you’re joining me in the truly international National Novel Writing Month.

May good things come your way whatever you choose to do!