Who doesn't love a good list? Certainly, Buzzfeed readers do. On any given day of the week, Buzzfeed offers lists of advice from
Wizard Chic: 10 Ways to Look Like Less of a Muggle to the
25 Most Awkward Cat Sleeping PositionsThis week, Buzzfeed was one of several websites to focus on lists for writers. I have to admit, I got sucked in - I clicked on each one. So, for this week's reading pleasure, I give you my favorite lists of the week:
Click through, and then fill out your list:
- Did Buzzfeed miss any stages?
- Mashable certainly missed some quotes -- any favorites?
- How close did you come to Rory Gilmore's list? (Full disclosure - I scored a 78. Not even close.)
We all have our tried-and-true recipes that we return to time after time for potlucks, dinner parties, or family meals. But what is your recipe for writing success?
- If an idea excites you, go with it.
- Be open to revision, and then be courageous and submit!
- Reach out, make friends, and support other writers.
What are the ingredients that led to your writing success? (Whether your success is writing your first draft, conquering revisions, submitting a manuscript, or celebrating your published book!)
I’ll start the recipe and you can each list your choice ingredients….
Recipe for Writing Success
- 1 clever idea
- 10 lbs. of elbow grease
- 5 cups of constructive critiques
As I was brainstorming for my blog post, I was determined to write a post that was relevant, interesting, inspiring, and witty. I had no trouble deciding between multiple ideas. Because I had absolutely no ideas to choose from.
Instead I wrote the following haiku:
Mind is a big blank
Can’t think of a thing to write
Wishing for a remedy
And then I got up and washed the dishes and made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
Writers, what do you do when the words just won’t come? How do you break through a creative block?
Keep your plot unpredictable. Easy for you to say… I picked up a great tip on this recently. Use your critique partners – not just for review, but for breaking through plot bottlenecks.
Try this exercise: set the stage (your MC had a huge fight with her best friend), and ask your critique partners what might happen.
Wait for the first answer (she storms off and refuses totalk?) and avoid this at all costs: the predictable plot.
Delve deeper, seek alternatives. Brainstorm more answers with your partner. Does your MC tell other friends her side of the story, so that the basketball team shows its divided loyalties? Maybe. Does she cry on a badboy’s shoulder – the badboy her friend has crush on? Or maybe she’s so upset, she steals her father’s car to get as far away from the fight as possible… What happens then? Where does she go? That’s what everyone wants to know and where you should drive your plot.
You’re the writer, the creator, the omniscient presence, the grown-up. You drive. Drive your main character crazy. Test her, push her, force her to learn through doing, just like real life.
Remember: “Your main character is not your best friend.” You are not only allowed to put this ‘person’ into uncomfortable situations, you are supposed to. That’s your job.
Keep at it: tease, challenge and frustrate your characters. That’s when you’ll see what they’re really about. At some point you’ll be able to take your hands off the wheel and let them lead you on their journey of self-discovery and change.
Then you’ll have arrived at an interesting story.
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| Peter Pan Illustration by Kathleen Atkins |
How do you enter the magical world of your young readers?
To get into the right mindset, I think back to how I felt as a child. I also get lots of ideas from my students (I teach elementary art).
But how do you tap into that world if you don’t interact with children on a daily basis?
One resource is
Edutopic’s list of winning student blogs by children ages 6-13. It’s a great way to research how today’s kids spend their time, what they care about, and what they find funny. (Notice how many of the blog titles include the word, ‘Awesome’.)
Another resource I love is the New York Times’ blog,
“Kids Draw the News.” On this site, children submit illustrations to accompany articles on current events. It’s a great way to discover how children view the world. Plus, their illustrations are a hoot!
What resources help you enter the world of young readers?
I thought I might take a moment to link you all to some super resources I've used on the net for writing purposes. Some of them are exclusive to Paranormal. Some are more generic, so you should be able to find something helpful. I hope.
1. For naming my characters. Well sometimes I just KNOW. And the creepiest thing is that when I look up the meaning it generally works a little too well. But for those other characters, I use this site. I like it because you can search by letter, year of popularity, meaning, origin, etc. Just about anything.
2. For paranormal and fantasy research. When I'm looking for inspiration or just doing a little research, I like to use Monstropedia. I find it a great resource for both well known and not so well known creatures.
3. For tips on craft. I know you probably all know this one. But If you don't - where have you been?? Marissa and Martina have the most fabulous blog for writers on this planet. You'll find Adventures in Children's Publishing here. Now go visit.
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1. On the buzzfeed list - I would switch out #5 for something that involved feeling despair and eating chocolate. (or drinking wine or going skeet shooting)
2. "As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
3. Um, no comment.
Fun lists! Thanks for sharing. =)
They missed listing a great ending: "It 'just happened to happen' and was not very likely to happen again."
The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins
Do you think they skipped chocolate because they know we secretly eat it all the time anyway?
And I could quote John Green a thousand times over.
Leandra, I have to avoid Buzzfeed, 'cause I'm such a sucker for lists!
Agreed!
This was perfect for today's lunch break... Especially the quotations form children's books.
Thank you
Love these lists J.A.! The quotes from children's books are so wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
These are a lot of fun! THanks
It can be great to take a break from writing for some silly fun -- as long as the break doesn't last for the rest of the afternoon!