When you read your story, does it sound off, maybe you can’t quite put your finger on it, but you know you’ve done something wrong? Sometimes–maybe even lots of times–there are simple fixes. These writer’s tips will come at you once a week, giving you plenty of time to go through your story and make the adjustments.
Today’s tips come from Cory Doctorow, author of With a Little Help, For the Win, Makers, and Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. He’s also the co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Publishing Science Fiction.
Cory is a Canadian science fiction author, but also a blogger who serves as co-editor of Boing Boing and a tweeter with over 323,000 followers. That is a profile most writers I know can relate to–we write our novels, but also have active blogs and Twitter worlds. How have you (and I!) never heard of him?
Here’s what he says about writing:
- Write every day. Anything you do every day gets easier. If you’re insanely busy, make the amount that you write every day small (100 words? 250 words?) but do it every day.
- Write even when the mood isn’t right. You can’t tell if what you’re writing is good or bad while you’re writing it.
- Write when the book sucks and it isn’t going anywhere. Just keep writing. It doesn’t suck. Your conscience is having a panic attack because it doesn’t believe your subconscious knows what it’s doing.
- Stop in the middle of a sentence, leaving a rough edge for you to start from the next day — that way, you can write three or five words without being “creative” and before you know it, you’re writing.
- Write even when the world is chaotic. You don’t need a cigarette, silence, music, a comfortable chair, or inner peace to write. You just need ten minutes and a writing implement.
If you write science fiction, check out Jean Lane’s interesting tips. You also might be interested in this free (I think) course in writing science fiction from Jeffrey Carver.
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Questions you want answered? Leave a comment and I’ll answer it within the next thirty days.
More tips on writing science:
32 Tips on Writing Science Fiction
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. She is webmaster for six blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a columnist for Examiner.com and TeachHUB, Editorial Review Board member for Journal for Computing Teachers, monthly contributor to Today’s Author and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. In her free time, she is editor of technology training books for how to integrate technology in education. Currently, she’s editing a techno-thriller that should be out to publishers next summer.
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Jacqui I like number five my world is often chaotic.
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I’d like to do #4 since some days I find it hard to write. That would be a great way to start a new session.
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You are one of those brave souls, Medeia. Me, I’d have no idea what I meant the next morning.
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Excellent tips, Jacqui (and I have never heard of Cory either – I’m heading over to get to know him now) 😉
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Thanks, Dianne. Nice short list.
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This guy is smart-a– brilliant! I like that his ideas are so simple that even I can follow them. Like, stop in the middle of a sentence. I do that all the time as I usually fall asleep on the computer. See? Success at last. And all you need is ten minutes and an implement – I ruined a lipstick once because I couldn’t find a pen with ink. Didn’t like the color anyway – not sure the words were worth saving either – but I wrote! This is my kind of writing philosopher.
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Ha!! Almost fell out of my chair laughing. I love it.
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#5 is especially true, Jacqui. Truman Capote could write even if a bomb went off behind him. Writers need that kind of inner focus to succeed.
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My husband thinks I have that (he’s never tried a bomb, but has tried barking dogs and yelling).
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That’s an extra bonus! : )
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It also happens sometimes when I’m in the middle of a sentence and I’m looking for the perfect word. I know the type of word I want, but my mind goes blank and I can’t put my finger on it. That’s when I turn to my constant writing companion, theo thesaurus.
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I get lots of ideas too from the Thesaurus. It reminds me of nuances in a meaning that I might/should reflect.
BTW, I compared your book taste with mine on Goodreads–thrillers, we’re spot on. Only difference: Angels and Demons. I get that a lot even from Dan Brown fans.
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Thanks so much for sharing it on FB. Looking through your list we’ve read many of the same novels and enjoy the same authors, but I included only a sampling on my GR bookshelf, or my list may end up being as lengthy as yours.:)
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Great as usual Jacqui. I’ve experienced all 5 at some point or the other, so I guess I must be a writer.
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So you actually try that ‘stop in the middle of a sentence, leave it for the next day’ approach? How’s it work?
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When I stop in the middle of a sentence it’s because the sentence or the entire scene isn’t working, and it sorta smacks me in the face as though the character is screaming in my head, “wake up, this isn’t working.” I put a big yellow highlighted parentheses around it and take a break to listen to my characters, though I may continue writing out of sequence. I return to the sentence or scene once the problem is resolved in my head. I speak a bit about my process in this blog interview with Dyane Forde: http://droppedpebbles.wordpress.com/2014/06/30/author-interview-with-mystery-and-science-fiction-writer-michael-w-smart/
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That’s a good explanation. Yes, I can see that would happen and stopping makes it work. Excellent.
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It is most freeing to read #1 and I’ve never tried #4 because I’m afraid I may not finish the thought the next time. 😀
Noise, heavy metal music kill my thought process. I like quiet.
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Me, too. I can’t write with music. There’s a great website–Songza–with free mood music. I might try that.
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Thanks for the addy. I might give it a try. I used to like classical music in the background but in past 2 – 3 years, I find everything intrusive. Must try something new to turn up the brain matter. 😛
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I practice all of them but 2. If my writing is forced I walk away, that’s my intuition telling me I need a break. Hemingway practiced this quite often. 🙂 ~Karen~
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It makes sense, too. works well for me.
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Thank you! 🙂
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Interesting, aren’t they?
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Oh yeah. I keep repeating to myself every morning that I should write something. I even added it on my desktop really big: “Aren’t you supposed to be writing?” 🙂
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I can relate to no.3 for definite! 😀
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Do you do that? I figured you simply never stopped writing. When do you have time for a break?
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I do write A LOT 😀 But I was referring to when he said just keep writing, even in those times when you doubt your own story.
Sometimes those bouts of self-doubt can be really de-motivating, but you just have to push through! 🙂
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If you write science fiction and you don’t know Cory Doctorow, you’re probably not reading the right stuff. 🙂 As for the leaving a sentence unfinished – it doesn’t work for everyone. I’m motivated by completions. That would just let me write my three words and feel comfortable at having done something. 🙂
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Good observation. We are constantly advised to read read read in our genre. I found Cory because so many sci fi writers raved about him, which made me think he was doing something right.
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I like the idea of stopping in the middle of a sentence. Though I’d be terrified id forget what wonderful words of wisdom I was going to put in there!
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I have never done that. I can’t even stop mid-sentence to answer the door. That’s all it takes for the thought to flit away to nowhere.
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Simple and followable
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Yep–three is a great number. I might even remember them five minutes from now!
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Or even five. Five’s an even greater number.
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Ha ha! You are betraying signs of education somewhere in the distant past. Might not look good on your author resume 🙂
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