They don't get you. They don't believe in you. Your dreams are an inconvenience to them. They think you are wasting your time on this "hobby", and they make sure you know how foolish you are.
This is a situation every writer faces at some point. Some of us only encounter it when things aren't going according to plan. Some of us live with it for years without a break.
But no matter when or how you face it, you still face it. We all do. It's part of being a writer. And that's what I'm writing about today...
Because sometime being a writer sucks.
Writers are weird. We're different. We don't fit into society's mold. We're dreamers, visionaries, pioneers. Our lifestyles and life choices often don't make sense to non-writers. We spend hours pouring our hearts and souls into a work of art that won't bring in any money for years, maybe never. And we do it because we believe in it. Because it's a part of us. Because we can't NOT do it.
And other people - they just don't get it. And they say stupid things that hurt us. And they make us feel unintelligent and unworthy because we didn't choose a career path that "most" people view as "acceptable".
But you know what? That's okay. They don't have to get it. Someday they'll see what you were doing. The efforts will finally be rewarded. It will finally make sense to everyone. When that day comes, they may finally get you. They may not. But by that time, it won't matter anymore. Your dream will be a reality. You'll be doing what you were created to do, fulfilling a deeper purpose. And that is all you need.
So the next time you're feeling how inconvenient it is to be a writer, remember - every great dreamer faced doubts from their peers. It was how they chose to move forward that set them apart.
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Why There Aren't Any Chapters in My First Draft
This week I started writing the first draft of my newest project - a high fantasy that so far is estimated to be at least 100,000 words long. That's a lot of words! And it has to be sectioned off into chapters just right or it becomes a behemoth to read.
Normally I'd be starting off with a chapter-by-chapter outline. It's supposed to simplify things. You write up your list of scenes. Then you divvy them up into chapter slots. Then you write your first draft chapter by chapter. I've had it recommended so many times. I always thought it was the sure-fire way to get it done.
But last week, I did something crazy. Something foolish. Something every other plotter (and even every planter) out there is probably cringing at the thought of.
...I stopped using chapters in my outline.
*gasp*
I know, right? It seems like such a nutty idea. Now before you go freaking out, just think about it. One of a writer's biggest concerns can become how long each chapter needs to be. Where to start it. How to manage the pacing. How to end it just right so that the reader practically tears a page to get to the next one.
When you're writing a first draft, you've got enough on your mind. Who wants all of that stress, too?
That's why I went with a scene-by-scene outline instead. And it's amazing how freeing it feels already. I didn't have to stress during the outlining process. I just wrote up the scenes. I'm not panicking as I realize how many thousands of words are going into each chapter, or how I'm WAY under my word count and have to combine chapters (which would throw everything else off). I'm just plowing through the first draft till I get to the end.
There's an even bigger plus to this idea than saving initial stresses, though.
You know what's tight around the corner as soon as I finish drafting? REVISION. That wonderful time when you sit down, pull out the tissues and chocolate, and bemoan how crappy your first draft turned out. When you grab red pens, sharpies, anything with ink and color, and start crossing out, writing in, switching up. It's a mess.
Believe it or not, THAT is the perfect time to put in the chapters. Once you've decided where everything that's been written needs to go chronologically, you can better determine where your chapter divisions need to be. And it can make the horrible revision process a little lighter, even (unbelievably) fun.
If you're feeling overwhelmed in writing your first draft, stop and wonder if you're really stressing over your chapters. Step back and ask the question, "Are they helping me or hindering me right now?"
It could be that using chapter divisions does help you. But if you're anything like me, throwing out chapter divisions will free up your drafting process like nothing but a good villain playlist.
Sincerely,
Yours Truly
Normally I'd be starting off with a chapter-by-chapter outline. It's supposed to simplify things. You write up your list of scenes. Then you divvy them up into chapter slots. Then you write your first draft chapter by chapter. I've had it recommended so many times. I always thought it was the sure-fire way to get it done.
But last week, I did something crazy. Something foolish. Something every other plotter (and even every planter) out there is probably cringing at the thought of.
...I stopped using chapters in my outline.
*gasp*
I know, right? It seems like such a nutty idea. Now before you go freaking out, just think about it. One of a writer's biggest concerns can become how long each chapter needs to be. Where to start it. How to manage the pacing. How to end it just right so that the reader practically tears a page to get to the next one.
When you're writing a first draft, you've got enough on your mind. Who wants all of that stress, too?
That's why I went with a scene-by-scene outline instead. And it's amazing how freeing it feels already. I didn't have to stress during the outlining process. I just wrote up the scenes. I'm not panicking as I realize how many thousands of words are going into each chapter, or how I'm WAY under my word count and have to combine chapters (which would throw everything else off). I'm just plowing through the first draft till I get to the end.
There's an even bigger plus to this idea than saving initial stresses, though.
You know what's tight around the corner as soon as I finish drafting? REVISION. That wonderful time when you sit down, pull out the tissues and chocolate, and bemoan how crappy your first draft turned out. When you grab red pens, sharpies, anything with ink and color, and start crossing out, writing in, switching up. It's a mess.
Believe it or not, THAT is the perfect time to put in the chapters. Once you've decided where everything that's been written needs to go chronologically, you can better determine where your chapter divisions need to be. And it can make the horrible revision process a little lighter, even (unbelievably) fun.
If you're feeling overwhelmed in writing your first draft, stop and wonder if you're really stressing over your chapters. Step back and ask the question, "Are they helping me or hindering me right now?"
It could be that using chapter divisions does help you. But if you're anything like me, throwing out chapter divisions will free up your drafting process like nothing but a good villain playlist.
Sincerely,
Yours Truly
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