So...this is what I've been doing instead of writing.
And it gets worse...Here's another one.
And I'm not done yet.
Then of course I had to make a banner. I made all these on canva.com
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It all started when I took a photo of myself to try out on some new apps.
And then I finished with the https://newprofilepic.com/
Many people speak of writing a novel but few sit down and do it. Writing a novel isn’t easy. Though you don’t have to bleed like Hemingway said but at times, writing does feel that way.
But we all hit the point when we hit a bump in the road and need the motivation to keep writing until the end. So, how does one keep motivated?
Here is a list of possible motivations:
This one can work because you have to finish by that date. Tell your friends and family. Circle the deadline on your calendar. Write it on sticky notes and set them everywhere you can see them. Set an alarm on your phone.
For me, this one doesn’t work unless I’m on deadline with my publisher. If I’m not signed with a publisher, I tell myself that I can push it back. Bad I know. After all, who is going to yell at me? But for some, this method can work.
2. Set a goal to reach a word or page count:
If you are in a writers’ group, you might have BIAW (Book In A Week). This can work well because you are sharing your goal and seeing others accomplish theirs, which can be an incentive to get your butt in the chair.
3. Just write:
Don’t think. Just write. Don’t edit any words. And if you find yourself thinking your writing sucks, remember it’s just a draft.
4. Make a playlist:
Make a playlist of songs to capture the tone and feel of your novel. Listen to it on repeat. This works for me because when I hear a song from the playlist, my mind already starts working on the novel, constructing sentences, dialogue and scenes, and all other else.
5. Don’t compare your WIP (Work-in-Progress) with a published novel:
Don’t even do that. You will only think your writing sucks, your characters suck, your plot sucks…you get the idea. Remember a published novel has been through two drafts then edited and then edited then edited.
Remember, you will have good days writing when the words flow like Niagara Falls and then days when you can barely get a word set on paper. That’s okay. Just sit down and write a sentence. Maybe more words will come or maybe not. Just do it again tomorrow.
I've worked with editors for many years and these are the Filter Words editors warn me about overusing.
Filter words tell your reader what you want them to notice. That's not nice. Your readers are intelligent, so all you just need to describe what is going on.
Part of this list my editor gave me. Filter Words to avoid, or at least not use very often.
Words like thought, realized, saw, watched, pondered, noticed.
Think of your character as your camera and microphone. What they see, hear, and feel so what you describe with without using the words see, hear, or feel. Make sense?
Trust your readers to 'get it'.
They lean toward is telling not showing. Was and were should be used less often too so they pop when they are used.
Also turned is often overused.
I would also recommend not overusing names: like Vlad, Drac,Thor (these are done to death in paranormals IMHO), and also no Heather's, Justin's, Lindsey's, Jessica's, or Ashley's, Kate, Cait, Katie, Cat, any variation of Katherine/Caitlyln, Jacob, Jake, Jack.
Just no.
This is my opinion only. Please take it with a grain or two of salt.
And before I leave, here is a link to my latest release:
In Regency England, Lord Godfrey negotiates for a wife, when Meredith, the weather witch, storms in she provides Godfrey with interesting possibilities, but will she embrace a chance to let go of her past and find happiness for her future?
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| https://www.amazon.com/Weather-Witch-Janice-Seagraves-ebook/dp/B0B17MF7ZR/ |
Life causes a great deal of conflict. Some are life and death situations and others are only important to ourselves. Conflict leads to growth or experience and no novel is complete without it. So, what is conflict? Debra Dixon states, “Conflict is the why not.”
Know Thy Conflict
Conflict is the reason why your character can’t have what they want. In your novel, you, the author, must know and define what your character’s conflict is. By knowing the character’s conflict you know what is at stake for your character. Your character must face the obstacle preventing him from attaining his goal.
Bump In The Night, Day, and Everywhere in Between
Your character’s GMC must bump, bang, and crash into each other. As these three letters are explored in your work, your character must be tested and with each test, your character will grow, develop and reach the goal most desired. These conflicting forces of your character’s GMC will make the character see if they truly wish for what they desire. This makes the character look deep within themselves and that’s internal conflict.
All in the Inside
Internal conflict is what stops our characters from learning their life lesson. Your character may have one goal he admits to the others such as Lord Bridgerton announcing that he will marry. But his internal conflict—the belief that he will die young like his father—stops him from pursuing the woman he loves.
Internal conflict is the emotional turmoil that causes us and our characters' problems. It also stops the character from learning the life lesson. And for a satisfying end, the character must learn their life lesson.
War Games
Now you have to put it all into practice. In Goal, Motivation and Conflict, Dixon writes, “lay a foundation for conflict, create believable goals, motivate the characters, and nurture the conflict to the inevitable crisis or climax.”
I've published my short story, Weather Witch. A sweet romance set in the Regency period.
It's a short quick read, but exciting just the same.
Here's the book trailer. I made it with Canva and two other video editing apps. One had the rain and the other the lightning.
In Regency England, Lord Godfrey negotiates for a wife, when Meredith, the weather witch, storms in she provides Godfrey with interesting possibilities, but will she embrace a chance to let go of her past and find happiness for her future?
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1146990
for the kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Weather-Witch-Janice-Seagraves-ebook/dp/B0B17MF7ZR/
for the Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/weather-witch-janice-seagraves/1141466424
Many reasons exist in life for why we do what we do. In novels, our characters need one too. That’s where the M in GMC comes in. In her book, GMC: Goal, Motivation and Conflict, Debra Dixon writes, “Motivation is what drives your character to obtain or achieve his goal.”
Debra Dixon sets out a formula that authors can use when concocting the GMC. The character wants a goal because he is motivated.
In last month’s post on Goal, I used the basic example of having to go to the store to get milk. Let’s suppose that our character has to get milk because her child needs it so he can have a bowl of cereal because that is the only meal she can afford to feed him. So to put the example into the formula: The mother wants to get to the store to buy milk because that is her child’s only meal.
That motivation pulls at your heartstrings, which is another tool motivation plays in writing. Motivation helps the reader empathize with our characters as they strive to reach their goal.
Strong motivation can be used to create any tale. That isn’t the only task that strong motivation can accomplish. Strong motivation creates the emotion of the story and our characters. In our above example, we feel for the mother who has to get to the store to get that milk. She wants to feed her child his only meal of the day. We can empathize with the mother who wants to feed her child. The mother who is most likely struggling to provide for her child, a mother who most likely feels like she is a failure.
As a reader, we are rooting for her. We feel her heartache. That makes a good story. Even if this example doesn’t make for a novel-length story.
Motivation is the substance that glues the story’s character’s goals and conflict. Next month, the focus will settle on the C of our GMC—Conflict.
In the development of characters, GMC plays an important part in their creation. GMC stands for Goal, Motivation, Conflict. Every character, plot, and a story needs and requires GMC. This post will focus on the first letter—Goal.
In Goal, Motivation and Conflict by Debra Dixon, she writes, “A goal is a desired result, a purpose or an objective. A goal is the prize or reward your character wants to obtain or achieve.” We all can relate to those statements. We have goals in life, some grand and others are small. Whether it’s to get this month’s rent or get to the store to buy milk. We all have a desired result, purpose, or objective. In our stories, the Goal must be something we are desperate to have. Also, a goal must be acted upon. Our characters must pursue their goal through action. Without action, a goal can never be accomplished.
Let’s say our objective is to buy milk. We will act by getting dressed, traveling to the store, and buying the milk. Once we walk out of the store with the milk, our goal has been achieved. This example isn’t a goal worthy of a novel but a simplified example of a goal.
I highly recommend that if Debra Dixon’s book, Goal, Motivation and Conflict isn’t on your bookshelf then get your copy now.
Next month, I’ll talk about the M—Motivation.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09TL34PX7/
Blurb: Kidnapped and impregnated, Crystal Wedgewood will do anything to get back to her husband. Even fight a king dragon with her bare hands.
It's a short only six chapters and only .99 cents.
A lot of things happen in only six chapters and it's the first book in my dragon Magick series.
I have them.
I don't make resolutions because they are too pie in the sky-ish, too far away to reach, so I don't make them.
I have my rights back to my Chronicles of Arcon series.
I've been publishing my series and renumbering them.
My mini series that starts off the series is number: 1, 2, and 3.
Alien Desire is now number Four.
Alien Heart is now number Five.
And my recent book Alien Enslaved is number Six.
Alien Collision is number seven and will be published sometime this year.
The number of hobbies in the world is equal to the number of stars. Though, that may be hyperbole. You get my point. During the pandemic, two subjects dominated the news—the Covid (naturally) and hobbies. People were making sourdough, exercising, knitting or painting, or some other activity that I can't think of at this moment.
Not me.
I didn’t acquire a new one. First, I’m an author of historical romance so writing is my career. I’ve always read, which led to the author part of my life. I don’t cook or bake. My hands aren’t made for knitting anymore (too much typing among other factors) and painting—no, I don’t want to invest in art supplies besides, I live in New York City. I don’t have the space.
But I must admit that I have been thinking of acquiring a new one. Something to help me reduce my anxiety, stress and just to escape boredom. Then it dawned on me. When I have free time, I don’t want to do anything. I want to sit down or lie down and let my mind stop working.
We don’t need to be busy every minute of the day. We can relax, be bored and do nothing.
That sounds like a great idea, doesn’t it? Lives have enough happening to fill the twenty-four hours of the day. Family, friends, pets, work, home, self-care. So, I say your new hobby has to be doing nothing. You deserve it.
