I'm feeling uplifted this week. It's not just the exceptionally fine weather which has sprung unexpectedly from the depths of a wintery deluge, although that doesn't hurt. No, I've had something of a breakthrough in my thought processes. For months my current WIP has been languishing in limbo, resisting all attempts to kick it into a shape fit for consumption. My creativity has been stymied by indecision. In the last month I dragged it out of mothballs and forced myself to rearrange the scenes. This helped get me involved with it again but still the same doubts lingered. I know the story and don't want to change the plot significantly, but the structure wasn't right and I couldn't see how best to fix it.
As I mentioned last week I've been revisiting my old friend Dwight Swain, and his chapter on Beginnings, Middles and Ends pinged something in my recesses of my brain. Thus inspired I have set to work on the editing - hopefully the final attempt, if this one doesn't crack it I will shelve this project for good and chalk it up to experience. So now I'm feeling purposeful. It's a bit like realising where you are when you've got lost. I have a plan of progress to work to and it feels great.
Because I like to write. When I don't write, because I'm stuck, I get anxious. But sometimes it takes a prompt from somewhere unexpected to help get back on track. That, for me, is the best use of How To Write books. The good ones will fire your imagination and help negotiate tricky problems.
Showing posts with label Swain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Swain. Show all posts
Sunday, 27 May 2012
Saturday, 19 May 2012
What I'm Reading
This week I have been mostly reading:
Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain
I read this book yonks ago but what's alarming is I don't remember much of it. Maybe it was too soon in my writerly development to make an impression. Anyway, I saw it recommended recently and decided to revisit. As you know, I'm something of a How to Write bookaholic - can't count how many I've devoured over the last ten years.
It's a relatively old book (first published 1965) but even taking that into account he gives sound advice on writing better stories, from structuring conflict to developing workmanlike habits. He stresses the importance of feeling in writing fiction, something that's easy to loose sight of when researching and becoming obsessed with facts.
Plotto by William Wallace Cook
Has been on my night stand for a few months. It's another old book - 1928 this time - and is less a how to book than a catalogue of complications to help construct plots. To be honest, I'm finding it hard to get into and haven't quite cracked the system he uses despite a couple of attempts. Maybe I'll take it on holiday with me next month and give it my fuller attention.
The Secrets of eBook Publishing by Mark Coker
This is an easy to read guide by the founder of Smashwords. Downloaded onto my Mac which means I can only read it in bite sized chunks, but a useful guide.
Think Like A Publisher by Dean Wesley Smith
Another How To guide, from publisher and author Smith. Makes interesting reading on all aspects of setting yourself up as a publisher.
Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain
I read this book yonks ago but what's alarming is I don't remember much of it. Maybe it was too soon in my writerly development to make an impression. Anyway, I saw it recommended recently and decided to revisit. As you know, I'm something of a How to Write bookaholic - can't count how many I've devoured over the last ten years.
It's a relatively old book (first published 1965) but even taking that into account he gives sound advice on writing better stories, from structuring conflict to developing workmanlike habits. He stresses the importance of feeling in writing fiction, something that's easy to loose sight of when researching and becoming obsessed with facts.
Plotto by William Wallace Cook
Has been on my night stand for a few months. It's another old book - 1928 this time - and is less a how to book than a catalogue of complications to help construct plots. To be honest, I'm finding it hard to get into and haven't quite cracked the system he uses despite a couple of attempts. Maybe I'll take it on holiday with me next month and give it my fuller attention.
The Secrets of eBook Publishing by Mark Coker
This is an easy to read guide by the founder of Smashwords. Downloaded onto my Mac which means I can only read it in bite sized chunks, but a useful guide.
Think Like A Publisher by Dean Wesley Smith
Another How To guide, from publisher and author Smith. Makes interesting reading on all aspects of setting yourself up as a publisher.
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