Open Call
Since I have received numerous inquiries about my forth coming book, this week I'd love to hear from all of you. :-) I have been working on developing a Holistic Writing Method as part of my next book but, as you may know, I love to try to 'pack' my books with all types of information.
Regarding Writing -
Please let me know what would you like to know about it?
What areas do you have trouble with?
When you sit down to write what type of information do you wish you had?
Do you need more inspiration?
What's the best and the worst about writing or taking writing classes?
Do you have any rituals you use to get into writing mode?
Does the creative process itself interest you at all?
Do you have more trouble starting or finishing a project?
Do you set goals?
Did you know frustration (creative tension) is a normal part of the creative process?
Please DON'T send anything you consider to be your own copyrighted material. This is an open discussion for all to see and use.
I may not be able to respond to every post but I will read every single one.
Thank you...
Victoria
Regarding Writing -
Please let me know what would you like to know about it?
What areas do you have trouble with?
When you sit down to write what type of information do you wish you had?
Do you need more inspiration?
What's the best and the worst about writing or taking writing classes?
Do you have any rituals you use to get into writing mode?
Does the creative process itself interest you at all?
Do you have more trouble starting or finishing a project?
Do you set goals?
Did you know frustration (creative tension) is a normal part of the creative process?
Please DON'T send anything you consider to be your own copyrighted material. This is an open discussion for all to see and use.
I may not be able to respond to every post but I will read every single one.
Thank you...
Victoria
posted by Victoria at 9:59 AM
6 Comments:
Hi Victoria - I've been away for a while. Looking for work is a real concern for me right now, so my blogging has sharply fallen.
To answer your question, my primary problem with writing is the creative process. Once I have an actionable idea, one that inspires me, I can rattle off the pages. I want to write a fictional novel, but typically my ideas seem to small to make a big story. I would be interested in tapping my inner-storyteller, because I know he's in there bursting to let it all out.
The best part of taking writing classes for me is the comraderie of sharing ideas, and the pressure it puts on me to put my best work before my peers. I work best if I have someone to impress.
I don't have any rituals.
Yes, I am very interested in the creative process.
I have way more trouble starting a project. Once I feel I have something I can definitely see it through. That said, I have never written a novel. So how do I really know for sure?
I don't set goals because I don't feel I could achieve them, not until I have a better grasp on the fundamentals.
I'm glad that others are frustrated too.
Basically, I am aching for some education and some direction. I need to be a writer.
Hi Victoria,
Can't wait to hear more about your book. Mostly I struggle with my internal editor. I haven't found a way to turn it off so that my words will just flow out, worry free of error. (Yes, I am a perfectionist.)
I've delveloped a pretty organized work area with all my reference materials close by one shelves and bookmark pertinant websites when I'm working on a project, so that arera seems ok.
The best part about writing is when the idea flows onto the paper and I can look at it a go, wow! LOL! The worst part is when this doesn't happen and I stare at a blank page.
I love conferences, meeting with my local writing group, and brainstorming with them or my online crit buddies. These connections are vital and keep me going.
I have no rituals, per say, but I do try to keep a schedule. Marketing and critiquing must be dealt with on a daily basis.
I think maybe learning about the creative process might help me understand how I "tick," but too much of that will bore me to tears. I want tangible applications.
Starting is harder than finishing, especially if the research is intensive.
And, I would really, really like to know more about how furstration (creative tension) is part of the process. That piqued my curiosity to no end.
Thank you for doing this!
Blessings,
Dineen
Dear Victoria, I think Linda Seger didn`t completely explain about creative process, some parts of it are vague. Also, I rarely have seen a good article or chapter in scriptwriting books about narration and POV (Writer and characters and etc.) ..
Best wishes,
Ariano
ariano2002@usa.com
Dear Victoria.. I heard of indicating characters and predictable stories. How could writers avoid from those terrible things?
Hi Victoria,
I personally struggle from a dearth of ideas just when I need a lot of them. That's frustrating to no end.
I also have an ongoing struggle with procrastination and writing discipline. I'm taking a class now and reading books to help me with that this year.
I love taking classes, workshops, and reading writing books. I try to constantly be learning something new, but I just don't seem to have as much time as I'd like to do this kind of reading/learning.
I've heard it's good to have a ritual to get me into writing mode, but the idea hasn't really appealed to me, and I'm not sure why. Maybe because I haven't found a good ritual yet, or maybe because it just isn't something that might help me?
I do set goals and love them. It helps motivate me.
What exactly is creative tension?
HI, Victoria.
I hope I'm not too late to comment.
I've just finished your Story Structure Architect worshop and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I would really like to have some good information about POV (especially types of third person) and tenses. (past, present, continuous present etc. It's not quite as obvious I think alot of writing courses/books think it is!!).
I would also like to have made clear about how much the author intrudes on the narrative and characters. For instance is the author making a judgement about how a character's reacting, or is it from the character's point of view without the narrator/author making a judgement. Does that make sense?
I'd also like to know how to have themes and ideas explored in a novel without making it too obvious. I think the story and characters should come first otherwise it could just become the author pushing their point of view. There are things I'd like to explore, but I don't want a reader to read it and think 'ah, an 'issue' book' and be put off.
The creative process does interest me. I'd like to get away from the myth of the 'writer in the garrette'. You know, a writer has to be depressed or somehow 'suffering'. I don't have any particular rituals, except that I tend to daydream about my characters and story a lot. This is really how I get to know them. I see/hear and feel it before I write and often the first draft is difficult because I find putting pictures into words isn't easy. I like the revising/editing process because I refine the descriptions and narrative of what I've seen and heard in my daydreams. This for me is part of the creative process. It feel like a lot happens when I daydream like that, and often things come up kind of 'out of the blue'. I guess the subconscious is given room to explore the ideas and show them.
I find it difficult to set goals in terms of deadlines. I find it stifling and nervewracking. I tend to write in a goaless state, I find that easier and I think I'm less self conscious when I write. Sometimes I feel self conscious especially when writing violent or love/sex scenes, realising that if (hopefully when!) I get a story published other people are going to read it!
I also find sorting out some sort of system of organising notes, plots, etc is a bit difficult. I've got different systems and find it confusing! Especially when I've got notes all over the place. I'm sure a lot of people can identify with that!
I think it's important for budding authors to feel that they can write from the heart and not just have an eye to the market. It might make it harder to be published (or maybe not?) but I think the writing will be better. I feel it's not just a case of write what you know(I think that's confusing because you don't have to commit a murder to write about it!) but also what you feel.
I like writing classes and courses but you need a good tutor. I took a short course with the Open University (in Britain) and the tutor didn't even answer emails I sent to her. To be fair, what the tutors are asked to do for the money they are paid seems to be a lot.
Hope these comments help. I love writing, and exploring stories and especially characters. I've found I've unconsciously worked on some my own 'issues' while developing stories and characters. I've only realised this after I've been working on it for a while. But I make sure that it doesn't just become a way of therapy for myself. (I want to write things that other people can read and get something out of not just for myself). I need to explore characters and stories. I've always had them in my head.
It's been a great help through taking courses, following this blog among other things, to be in contact with other writers and finding similar problems.
Hope this isn't too rambling!
Hope
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