The holidays are over, but the Plotmonkeys are on their annual getaway, so we decided not to feature a guest blogger while we weren’t here to keep an eye over things.
But we are extremely proud to offer this book, 101 HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL NOVELISTS, which features many quotes from our own Carly Phillips! She is the one who will be shipping the book, signed, to the winner.
Let’s make this interesting though…name one of your writing habits that has proved effective for you. Maybe someone else will pick up something that will help them achieve their dream.
For me, I write in 500 word increments, not allowing myself to get up or get distracted until I have 500 words written for the day. When I’m on deadline, I write between 1000-2000 words a day…but I do it in 500 word increments and you’d be shocked how fast those little words go by!
By all reports, Julie Leto was a sweet child once, somewhat shy, preferring to play quietly in her room making up stories. However, being raised with three brothers in a loud, primarily Italian household did have its influences and Julie discovered her inner tough girl. That’s probably why most of her heroines kick serious butt. Writing sassy heroines has worked out, as she’s sold nearly thirty books to three publishers featuring strong, confident women. Julie lives in Florida with her husband, daughter, spoiled dachshund, enormous guinea pig and a wide range of relatives all within driving distance.
ANOTHER WILD WEDDING NIGHT
Hard to Hold
Love Me If You Dare
Wild For Him
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I outline everything in such detail that I fondly refer to it as my first draft. Outlining like this helps me to avoid the blank page syndrome. It’s also a form of writing, so I don’t feel like I’m cheating on my writing goals when all I do is work on an outline. As long as I write every day, it counts.
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Getting up early to write before work helps. I feel successful if I even get in a page before I hit the road.
I also like this website to keep me focused and not floating over the internet: http://lab.drwicked.com/
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MJ, I usually get up early every day (yes, even weekends) to clear the decks, so to speak, so I don’t have the distraction of unopened email taunting me all day. And that site scares me – I’m afraid it’ll have the opposite affect on me if my computer is screaming at me if I’m not productive.
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I do email while I’m eating breakfast, then write. If I don’t finish my email before I’m done breakfast, well, oh, well.
And I turn the sound on my computer down :) The blinking screen is enough to get me going again!
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Barring anything drastic happening, I keep the same schedule every day during the week. I think of writing as my job even though I no get up, dressed and joint the commuter traffic. So I get up, make my tea and head into my office to work. This schedule keeps me focused.
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Gee, I should’ve spellchecked my comment before I hit the “Submit” button. It’s early …
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Each Sunday I sit down and draw up a schedule including my day job, appt’s, paying bills and must see TV (Like House, Fringe, 24 – but no repeats!) and then I schedule in my writing time which works out to be much more than I thought it would-because now I’m no longer mindlessly watching TV.
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Hmmm. I have so many. Lol. I think one I really enjoy is when I’m really on a roll but suddenly get stuck on a scene, I just put down my pencil (or computer) and do something that doesn’t require a lot of thought like feeding the dogs or cooking lunch and write about five different ways the scene could go, and then pick the best one to get down on paper (or my word document)
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I have two. The first is participating in National Novel Writing Month each year. 50,000 words in 30 days is an exercise in dedication. It “forced” me to treat writing like a job, since I wanted to be a published author. The second is my “writing board.” It hangs to the right of my computer. One side is a bulletin board for sticking notes. The other side is a wipe-off board. When I get an idea for a new plot or title, or something that could happen much later in the WIP, I sticky note it. When something strikes me as ‘Uh oh, need to go back and check that,’ I write it on the white board and then erase it when I fix the problem. The white board is usually covered up when I’m editing. For instance, right now, it says, “Girls’ ages – 1st case against Tino should be 12/14 not 8/13″, so I’ll go back when I edit again and fix that laps in continuity. It’s always a way to make quick note of things needing further research. Occasionally, pictures of hot guys get printed and tacked up, too. Hey. Inspiration, ya know?!?
Oh, one other trick. I ALWAYS carry a journal with me for making notes when inspiration hits. I’ve been known to pull off the street when I’m driving, park, and madly make notes, which then get transferred to the writer’s board when I get home.
Have a great Saturday, jungle buddies. Plot Monkeys, enjoy the retreat! I’m working on the second set of edits, just received from my editor, so back to
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MOst times I just free write. I just write what’s there and the use most of it in what i’m writing…the other half it just happen to get out of my brain. Or before even starting a book I freewrite to figure out what the book will be about. It’s fun.
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I’d like this book. I know I haven’t started my “everybody has one good book in them” yet. I do have one in me and maybe I can get by the dreaming and thinking stage to the words that can be read stage. I even already have the title. It would probably be good for me to read this book before I get any really bad writing habits. Have a great time at your retreat!
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I know this will sound archaic, but some of my most creative writing happens when I’m actually writing…you know pen and paper
I know I can get more done on the computer but sometimes pen and paper go a long way toward creativity…for me. :wave:
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Silver, I like the idea of carrying a journal, because there are times I’ve had an idea or dream that I thought would work well in my story, only when I finally sit down to write it, I’ve sort of lost some of the spark. I’m going to get myself a journal/notebook to carry with me today!
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The first thing I do in the morning is write four pages. I don’t check e-mail. I don’t get a snack. I get up from the bed and go straight to my computer. If I allow myself to get sidetracked, those four pages are the hardest to write ever. But if I do it first, before my brain gets cluttered and the kids start screaming for breakfast and the e-mail starts calling to me, it sets my pace for the day. They can be four crappy pages. It doesn’t matter. It’s all about getting in sync and getting into the groove. Most of the time, I’m comatose during those pages but when I go back and read them later, I’m pleasantly surprised. They’re usually not too terrible.
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If I get stuck and not sure about the next scene, I get in the tub with paper and pen, relax and it always, always comes to me where I should go next. There is something about water that works for me.
The other thing is that the beginning of the book must be right before I can continue even though I may have an outline on paper or in my head, the beginning has to sing then I can write to the end.
Have a great day all. Enjoy your retreat Plotmonkeys!
Cher
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I, too, find that I do much better with pencil and paper. Carrying a notebook is a great idea! Have a great weekend..
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I write everyday from 9 – noon. The hour of free time I have before 9 I spend checking emails, reading this blog
or paying bills. AFter lunch, I may be able to squeeze in another hour, between kid’s activities, errands, and making our house a home.
Have a great SAturday everyone! It’s sunny here!
Lu
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Tina, I “don’t leave home” without one. In fact, my DH found me a gorgeous leather-bound journal that has a Celtic heart on the cover that’s very similar to the one on the cover of my book. I don’t have it in my hands yet, but I can’t wait! I carried a spiral notebook forever so I’m thrilled I get to look all classy now.
But like you, if I don’t “capture” the moment when it happens, it’s lost or not as good by the time I can recall it while sitting down at the keyboard.
There are some great suggestions here. Amazed at the variety of what works for people. :grouphug
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When I write on my blog (not a novelist), I just work on one idea and then I come up with many more!
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Great ideas. I may steal a few.
We don’t have lots of room in our house, and I “write” at the kitchen table on my laptop. My DH & kids know to LEAVE ME ALONE if I have lit a candle. If I’m blogging, checking e mail, or doing sudoku, the candle is unlit. As soon as it light it, I’m writing.
This helps to keep me from being distracted by LIFE, and keeps me focused. If that candle is lit, I don’t surf or do a puzzle.
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I carry post-its everywhere and jot down ideas or lines and then plug them into the computer. It is especially helpful when sitting in boring meetings where one is required to do nothing but just show up.
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What a great giveaway, Iwish I had some great advice or somegreat trick byt seems how I’m new to writing there is no advice I can offer to a bunch of great writers it would belike me telling my doctor instructions before surgrey there are lot of great tips on here.
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Wow, so many great ideas! Fiona – I love the idea of lighting a candle. A candle is very centering and peaceful to me so I’d probably do very well with that kind of focusing device.
I hope the Plotmonkeys are having a wonderful time on their get-away!!
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When I make changes to an exisiting chapter I save it to a new file e.g. Chapter 1 II, Chapter 1 III, having all the different versions means if I suddenly realise I preferred my original way of saying something I have it right there. I also copy and paste any phrases that I love but which end up not working where they are to a new folder called ‘Odds’ so I can use them elsewhere later if necessary!
Sabrina xx