NaNoWriMo is around the corner! I’ve participated for the last several years, and I’m planning to have a go again. Over the summer, I pounded out a (very) rough draft of Popinjay, reboot edition. My plan for NaNoWriMo this year is to retype the whole thing, fixing the biggest problems as I go. I’m looking forward to exploring Talvas’s dialect more, and emphasizing the Mongolian influences in his culture. But mostly, I’m just anticipating writing a character voice that is so jaded and dry and basically the opposite of most of my other guys. It’s fun to dabble in something...
Revision can be a taxing process. Trust me: When am I not revising something? (Spoiler: The answer is I am in a perpetual state of revision.) This month, I set out to finish revising the last 12 chapters of WIP Blessings that have been hanging over my head since January. And I did it! And it wasn’t terrible! So how did I make editing over 30k in three weeks fun? 1. Print the sucker out At some point in your revision process, you’re gonna need to print that baby out. (If you’re like me, you’ll probably print it several...
Sound is one of the most powerful ways to get into a scene, and when utilized can help your writing flow easier. Below are my favorite tips for using sound to kick you into writing mode (from least to most obvious). 5. Make the sounds of your scene on your computer. Credit for this idea goes to friend/classmate Annie (who is awesome). With an app like White Noise, you can actually create the sound of your scene. Characters are walking near a harbor? No problem. Character’s are sitting by a fire? You got it. Place yourself in the center of...
