*Sorry to any of you who actually regularly read my blog, I had a crazy weekend. Ambulances were called, trips were cut short. Long story short, it was bad. But, I am posting now and I promise to be on time next week! Kisses!*
Kind of continuing on from my post last week, I wanted to write about something that also often has a lot to do with characters. Stereotypes.
Stereotypes exist for a reason.
There are flamboyantly gay men in this world, as well as there are butch
lesbians, hunky firefighters, mobsters in fedoras, and geeky girls who
love reading and have no friends. The thing that people don't realize is that these are just the boxes that society puts people into, and while they may be true in part, it's important to remember that people don't fit into boxes.
Gay men are not all flamboyant, and even if they are, that isn't all they are. Same goes for lesbians and firefighters, and mobsters, and geeks. When you're writing and creating characters, think about how you'd feel if you were in their place. More often than not, you'll find that the people are much more than just a stereotype.
This can also be used when creating worlds. It's easy to have your castles all be majestic, your deserts all sandy, your oceans all blue, and your cities all sprawling. That's what people expect to see and upon seeing it, no one will say "Wow, that's so unrealistic, why would you do that?" For fantasy writers especially (and even if you're not, this still applies), you need to give people something they don't expect to see, in a way that completely makes sense and is believable. Make your castle humble and homey, your desert made of ice, your ocean violently purple, your city taller than it is wide.
People often forget when they're writing that this is their world that their writing, even if you're writing in a real world scenario, you just have stricter rules. That's part of the reason I love writing fantasy, though. There are no rules other than the rules of good story telling.
If it makes sense in your head, it will make sense in your readers' heads too.
Good luck my lovelies,
Layla
Monday, November 3, 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
The Well-Developed Character
Frankly, I don't see how anyone pantses through a novel. Not truly. The only way to truly pants is to not write anything down other than the actual story, from what I understand. There are, obviously alterations on this, and as someone who is a planner over a pantser, I wouldn't really know.
But, that's not what I'm here to talk about, not really. I want to talk to you about characters.
Characters are in every story, no matter what, and when you're writing a story, it doesn't matter what kind of characters you write, as long as they're believable. The believable character is quintessential in every story.
And this is why I don't understand pantsing. Because when you're writing, you have to keep your characters consistent. You need to have a way to keep track of each of the people you've created. I write all of my characters down in my notebook. I write what they look like, and I draw them. I write their favourite foods, their dreams, their hopes, their pet peeves. I write the things I don't think I'll use in a million years on the off chance that it might come up.
Characters don't have to be likeable, not even by you. They do have to be well thought out and believable. Sometimes this means basing them off of someone you know, or maybe even yourself. The important thing is bringing them to life.
This is why it's important to have somewhere to keep your thoughts. Give your characters the detail and imagination they deserve. They are the ones doing all the work here, after all. Without them, where would you be?
Layla
But, that's not what I'm here to talk about, not really. I want to talk to you about characters.
Characters are in every story, no matter what, and when you're writing a story, it doesn't matter what kind of characters you write, as long as they're believable. The believable character is quintessential in every story.
And this is why I don't understand pantsing. Because when you're writing, you have to keep your characters consistent. You need to have a way to keep track of each of the people you've created. I write all of my characters down in my notebook. I write what they look like, and I draw them. I write their favourite foods, their dreams, their hopes, their pet peeves. I write the things I don't think I'll use in a million years on the off chance that it might come up.
Characters don't have to be likeable, not even by you. They do have to be well thought out and believable. Sometimes this means basing them off of someone you know, or maybe even yourself. The important thing is bringing them to life.
This is why it's important to have somewhere to keep your thoughts. Give your characters the detail and imagination they deserve. They are the ones doing all the work here, after all. Without them, where would you be?
Layla
The Inner Editor
Now, if you are a participant in NaNoWriMo, then you know all about the inner editor. The inner editor is that horrible, lurking, creeping feeling in the back of your mind that everything that you're writing is wrong and needs to be fixed, and godammit it needs to bee fixed now. NaNoWriMo has always preached (for as long as I have participated, so since last year at least) that this is a bad thing, that your inner editor needs to be shut away, under lock and key, not to see the light of day for a month.
If this works for you, and you fully intend to keep using this method of doing things, then by all means, close this window, read no further. You're obviously managing perfectly well without my help.
However, if you feel like trying something different, read on.
The way I see it, there are two ways of going about NaNoWriMo. The first is what I did last year. I came up with a lose plot, had an idea of the characters I wanted to write as well as the storyline. On the 1st of November, I promptly put my head down, wrote fiercely for a month and only came up for air once I had reached my 50 000. I did win NaNoWriMo, then took the advised one month break away from my story to clear my head. When I went back to it, I realized that what I had written was the biggest, steaming mass of bullshit that had ever graced the earth and have since refused to look at it. Maybe I will go back to it eventually. Maybe.
This year, I'm trying a different tactic. I've planned my story extensively. I' a control freak, so this works for me, but even if you choose not to plan things to minute detail, I'd suggest having a place to keep your thoughts (you could check out my last post if you need a suggestion of what to do for that). I like my notebook, as I mentioned, but you can write wherever you like. The idea is that, when you have a thought, whether it's something you want to include later on in your story, or something that you want to keep in mind while you're writing, or - God forbid - an edit that you want to remember for your next draft, you put it in this place, so you can always come back to it later. Writing 50 000 words in a month is a stressful thing. Hell, writing in general is a stressful thing, and I've found personally that this relieves a lot of stress when I'm writing to have somewhere to keep my thoughts.
To be fair, the first method is a tried and true method of winning NaNoWriMo, at least for me. The second method, while untested, I believe will help me win, as well as leave me with something I can work with when December rolls around.
What do you plan for NaNoWriMo, or your own writing endeavors? Let me know in the comments!
Yours always,
Layla Ann
If this works for you, and you fully intend to keep using this method of doing things, then by all means, close this window, read no further. You're obviously managing perfectly well without my help.
However, if you feel like trying something different, read on.
The way I see it, there are two ways of going about NaNoWriMo. The first is what I did last year. I came up with a lose plot, had an idea of the characters I wanted to write as well as the storyline. On the 1st of November, I promptly put my head down, wrote fiercely for a month and only came up for air once I had reached my 50 000. I did win NaNoWriMo, then took the advised one month break away from my story to clear my head. When I went back to it, I realized that what I had written was the biggest, steaming mass of bullshit that had ever graced the earth and have since refused to look at it. Maybe I will go back to it eventually. Maybe.
This year, I'm trying a different tactic. I've planned my story extensively. I' a control freak, so this works for me, but even if you choose not to plan things to minute detail, I'd suggest having a place to keep your thoughts (you could check out my last post if you need a suggestion of what to do for that). I like my notebook, as I mentioned, but you can write wherever you like. The idea is that, when you have a thought, whether it's something you want to include later on in your story, or something that you want to keep in mind while you're writing, or - God forbid - an edit that you want to remember for your next draft, you put it in this place, so you can always come back to it later. Writing 50 000 words in a month is a stressful thing. Hell, writing in general is a stressful thing, and I've found personally that this relieves a lot of stress when I'm writing to have somewhere to keep my thoughts.
To be fair, the first method is a tried and true method of winning NaNoWriMo, at least for me. The second method, while untested, I believe will help me win, as well as leave me with something I can work with when December rolls around.
What do you plan for NaNoWriMo, or your own writing endeavors? Let me know in the comments!
Yours always,
Layla Ann
Thursday, October 9, 2014
The Handy Notebook
I love my notebook.
Before I get into this, it's important to realize that everyone has their own methods for plotting their plots and jotting their thoughts, I'm just sharing mine.
I've tried other things, sticky notes, queue cards, Word documents, fancy computer programs, but for me, when it comes to planning a story, I like to have a notebook. It's actually a bit of a problem with me, because I tend to hoard notebooks - especially the pretty ones.
It's just a way for me to put down ideas as they come to me, in no particular order. I'll have a Word document open for my WIP, where everything goes down chronologically and neatly, and I'll also have my notebook, full of drawings, random disjointed scenes, character sketches, plot summaries, and other random notes and ideas. Upside: portable. Downside: once it's in the book, it's very hard to move around and switch things up.
This doesn't work for everyone though. Other people have said that they like to have something a little more maneuverable. I talked to one person who had a big cork board and tacks, and would stick plot points and scenes and drawings onto the board. You could also do this with tape and put things on your wall or on a diorama board. I tried this, it didn't suit me. You could also do this and have a notebook, I suppose, and use them for different things. It's entirely up to you. Upside: easy to change things around, and you can also see everything at once. Downside: you'd look like an idiot carrying that around.
A lot of people I know have raved about Scrivener. Again, I tried this and didn't like it, but I can see why people would. As far as a computer writing program goes, it seems to go above and beyond. I just didn't like it seemed like too much trouble to try and understand, but if you're willing to try and sort out how it works, I think it could be a really good tool. It has folder with specific functions for pictures, notes, your main story, etc. Upsides: very neat, very organized. Downsides: a little tricky to figure out, but then so is algebra.
If you like to use your computer, but don't like Scrivener, you could simply have a lot of Microsoft Word documents open with different things in them, or Google docs if that's what you like. I use either for my main story, but you could put pictures that you've found on the internet, or scenes and such that you don't want in your main document, but you want to keep on hand. Upsides: maneuverable. Downsides: hard to get at if you want to write something down quickly, depending on your computer, not very portable.
Spreadsheets come in handy, too, if that's your thing. It's not mine, and I've never tried it so I don't really have any good advice on that one.
Alternatively, you could do none of these things, and just pants it, as so many established authors have done before you. Essentially, you write, and you don't stop writing until you have a novel. (Wait, isn't that just what NaNoWriMo is?) No planning, no forethought, just go for it and deal with the details later. Upsides: very portable, and maneuverable. Downsides: Who knows where you'll end up? I kind of feel like the Casanova mini-series with David Tennant was written this way, and if you've seen it, then you know that went to a scary place quickly. If you haven't seen, you've been warned.
Obviously, this isn't a comprehensive list by any means, these are just a few ideas if you're a new writer or if you're having trouble with how you've been doing things. The most important thing to keep in mind is that there is no right or wrong way to do things. Even within this list, you can mix and match as much as you like. Maybe you have a cork board for your plot and a notebook for you characters, or you could use Scrivener for keeping things together, but write out your main story on Microsoft Word. These are just ideas, like writing prompts. Where you go with these is entirely up to you.
TTFN,
Layla
Before I get into this, it's important to realize that everyone has their own methods for plotting their plots and jotting their thoughts, I'm just sharing mine.
I've tried other things, sticky notes, queue cards, Word documents, fancy computer programs, but for me, when it comes to planning a story, I like to have a notebook. It's actually a bit of a problem with me, because I tend to hoard notebooks - especially the pretty ones.
It's just a way for me to put down ideas as they come to me, in no particular order. I'll have a Word document open for my WIP, where everything goes down chronologically and neatly, and I'll also have my notebook, full of drawings, random disjointed scenes, character sketches, plot summaries, and other random notes and ideas. Upside: portable. Downside: once it's in the book, it's very hard to move around and switch things up.
This doesn't work for everyone though. Other people have said that they like to have something a little more maneuverable. I talked to one person who had a big cork board and tacks, and would stick plot points and scenes and drawings onto the board. You could also do this with tape and put things on your wall or on a diorama board. I tried this, it didn't suit me. You could also do this and have a notebook, I suppose, and use them for different things. It's entirely up to you. Upside: easy to change things around, and you can also see everything at once. Downside: you'd look like an idiot carrying that around.
A lot of people I know have raved about Scrivener. Again, I tried this and didn't like it, but I can see why people would. As far as a computer writing program goes, it seems to go above and beyond. I just didn't like it seemed like too much trouble to try and understand, but if you're willing to try and sort out how it works, I think it could be a really good tool. It has folder with specific functions for pictures, notes, your main story, etc. Upsides: very neat, very organized. Downsides: a little tricky to figure out, but then so is algebra.
If you like to use your computer, but don't like Scrivener, you could simply have a lot of Microsoft Word documents open with different things in them, or Google docs if that's what you like. I use either for my main story, but you could put pictures that you've found on the internet, or scenes and such that you don't want in your main document, but you want to keep on hand. Upsides: maneuverable. Downsides: hard to get at if you want to write something down quickly, depending on your computer, not very portable.
Spreadsheets come in handy, too, if that's your thing. It's not mine, and I've never tried it so I don't really have any good advice on that one.
Alternatively, you could do none of these things, and just pants it, as so many established authors have done before you. Essentially, you write, and you don't stop writing until you have a novel. (Wait, isn't that just what NaNoWriMo is?) No planning, no forethought, just go for it and deal with the details later. Upsides: very portable, and maneuverable. Downsides: Who knows where you'll end up? I kind of feel like the Casanova mini-series with David Tennant was written this way, and if you've seen it, then you know that went to a scary place quickly. If you haven't seen, you've been warned.
Obviously, this isn't a comprehensive list by any means, these are just a few ideas if you're a new writer or if you're having trouble with how you've been doing things. The most important thing to keep in mind is that there is no right or wrong way to do things. Even within this list, you can mix and match as much as you like. Maybe you have a cork board for your plot and a notebook for you characters, or you could use Scrivener for keeping things together, but write out your main story on Microsoft Word. These are just ideas, like writing prompts. Where you go with these is entirely up to you.
TTFN,
Layla
Saturday, October 4, 2014
The Evil Stress
First post. Here we go.
Stress kills writing. It's a fact. When you're body and mind are put under pressure it becomes very hard for your body to function normally. Things like sleeping, eating, sex, and yes, writing become very different tasks. I've worked at a summer camp for a long time and if there's one thing that campers have commented, it's that it hard to poop at camp, simply because they're in a new place.
For things like eating and sleeping, people tend to react either by doing much more and some people end up doing much less. I'm on a year-long exchange in Hungary right now, I've been here for close to two months, and if there's one thing I've noticed is how much I've been eating and sleeping (I fall into the 'much more' category, in case you were wondering).
For things like eating and sleeping, people tend to react either by doing much more and some people end up doing much less. I'm on a year-long exchange in Hungary right now, I've been here for close to two months, and if there's one thing I've noticed is how much I've been eating and sleeping (I fall into the 'much more' category, in case you were wondering).
For writers, this becomes very pronounced. I've had to fight for every bit of inspiration I can find simply because it's a stressful situation and I've had my mind on other things. For other writers, it could be that you have a stressful job, you're in school, or you have three kids to look after. Or, I suppose, all of the above.
The important thing to remember is to de-stress. Find something small that you can do to give yourself a break. For me, I spend a lot of time by myself, sitting in a coffee shop and working on this year's NaNo project. There are days when I do this even though I should be in school, but, hey I'm on exchange an school doesn't count for me anyways.
If writing isn't your day job, then make sure you take the time away from everything else to write, if that's what you love to do. If writing is your day job, make sure it's not the only thing in your life. Take up a sport, join a club, spend time with your friends. Having variety in your life will help to fuel inspiration.
The important thing to remember is to de-stress. Find something small that you can do to give yourself a break. For me, I spend a lot of time by myself, sitting in a coffee shop and working on this year's NaNo project. There are days when I do this even though I should be in school, but, hey I'm on exchange an school doesn't count for me anyways.
If writing isn't your day job, then make sure you take the time away from everything else to write, if that's what you love to do. If writing is your day job, make sure it's not the only thing in your life. Take up a sport, join a club, spend time with your friends. Having variety in your life will help to fuel inspiration.
I'm not saying you should take time away from things that are 'more important' to relax, but find the time. A lot of people think that relaxing and/or writing is a luxury they can't afford, simply because there is so much else to do, when actually, taking a bit of time to yourself is probably one of the most important things you can do, especially for your writing. A stressed out you is an unhappy you, and an unhappy you is an uninspired you, and an uninspired you can't write for shit.
If you love writing, then make the time for it. No one will think you were 'just being lazy' when you finally have that 500 page novel out after months of hard relaxing.
If you are solely a writer, then take time away from it. For me, writing is how I relax, but I can see why it might jot be so relaxing if paying your bills is dependant on it. Find something to take yourself away from the stress of it. Mental health is just, if not more important than physical health. I've always believed that.
Layla
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
I Am A Writing Expert
I'm kidding. I'm not an expert. I am by no means an expert. Frankly, I find it hard to believe that anyone could be an expert at writing, even Shakespeare (pauses to listen to the angry horde of English teachers coming after me for saying that). Don't get me wrong, he was a damn good writer, the best I'd say, but expert implies that there's nothing more to learn in that field. If that's true, then I never want to be an expert.
My name is Layla, and I'm an aspiring author (Find my novels under L.A. Monroe, someday). This is my pen name, for those of you who've looked at my profile on blogger and were confused. I'm 18 years old, and before you ask, no, I'm not published. I wrote the first draft of a novel last year for NaNoWriMo and have refused to look at it since. Maybe one day I'll go back to it, but not for a while, I think.
I'll be participating in NaNoWriMo again this year, which is partly why I'm writing this blog. I thought it would be a good idea to keep a record of how it goes, the highs and the lows of my writing. That, and I could compile advice, both from myself and from other writers, to post.
I write mostly fantasy/YA novels. This year I'll be working on a story set in another world, where magic exists but has been outlawed in the country where my story takes place, Blanka, because 100 years before the beginning of my story, magic became too uncontrollable and the country was in chaos. Since then, the government has become very strict, regulating magic and people's lives. Society is divided into strict classes, each one recognizable because of the coloured cloaks they must wear in public at all times. White cloaks are the upper class, consisting of doctors, lawyers, politicians, teachers, and the like. Brown cloaks are the middle class, anyone who's job would be considered 'blue collar' in our society. Red cloaks are the priests. There is one official religion in Blanka, which is centered around the Red God, and his most devout followers live in the Red Temple and wear red cloaks. Black cloaks consist of anyone who's been convicted of a crime. These people aren't allowed in the city center unsupervised. Grey cloaks are the police force. They are brown cloaks, but they wear grey cloaks when they're working. Blue cloaks are students. School starts at the age of seven and, for brown cloaks, goes for ten years. School is privatized after the tenth grade, and no white cloak occupation accepts apprentices who haven't been in school for thirteen years, emphasizing the class separation.
My story centers on a girl, Rowan, the daughter of a brown cloak, whose father is kidnapped by a dark sorcerer, Kain. Rowan ends up living with her aunt, a woman she's never met, though she may be the only one who can help her find her father. As she delves deep into her father's past looking for him, she discovers things not only about him, but about herself that can never be unlearned, and perhaps should have stayed hidden. She learns why Kain took her father in the first place, and why she's the only one who can stop him from ripping apart everything she holds dear.
Mostly, this blog is a project for me, but if you happen to stumble onto this and you get some enjoyment out of it, fantastic. I post Sundays.
Enjoy!
Layla
My name is Layla, and I'm an aspiring author (Find my novels under L.A. Monroe, someday). This is my pen name, for those of you who've looked at my profile on blogger and were confused. I'm 18 years old, and before you ask, no, I'm not published. I wrote the first draft of a novel last year for NaNoWriMo and have refused to look at it since. Maybe one day I'll go back to it, but not for a while, I think.
I'll be participating in NaNoWriMo again this year, which is partly why I'm writing this blog. I thought it would be a good idea to keep a record of how it goes, the highs and the lows of my writing. That, and I could compile advice, both from myself and from other writers, to post.
I write mostly fantasy/YA novels. This year I'll be working on a story set in another world, where magic exists but has been outlawed in the country where my story takes place, Blanka, because 100 years before the beginning of my story, magic became too uncontrollable and the country was in chaos. Since then, the government has become very strict, regulating magic and people's lives. Society is divided into strict classes, each one recognizable because of the coloured cloaks they must wear in public at all times. White cloaks are the upper class, consisting of doctors, lawyers, politicians, teachers, and the like. Brown cloaks are the middle class, anyone who's job would be considered 'blue collar' in our society. Red cloaks are the priests. There is one official religion in Blanka, which is centered around the Red God, and his most devout followers live in the Red Temple and wear red cloaks. Black cloaks consist of anyone who's been convicted of a crime. These people aren't allowed in the city center unsupervised. Grey cloaks are the police force. They are brown cloaks, but they wear grey cloaks when they're working. Blue cloaks are students. School starts at the age of seven and, for brown cloaks, goes for ten years. School is privatized after the tenth grade, and no white cloak occupation accepts apprentices who haven't been in school for thirteen years, emphasizing the class separation.
My story centers on a girl, Rowan, the daughter of a brown cloak, whose father is kidnapped by a dark sorcerer, Kain. Rowan ends up living with her aunt, a woman she's never met, though she may be the only one who can help her find her father. As she delves deep into her father's past looking for him, she discovers things not only about him, but about herself that can never be unlearned, and perhaps should have stayed hidden. She learns why Kain took her father in the first place, and why she's the only one who can stop him from ripping apart everything she holds dear.
Mostly, this blog is a project for me, but if you happen to stumble onto this and you get some enjoyment out of it, fantastic. I post Sundays.
Enjoy!
Layla
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