Space Cola

Twelve steps of writing

1. Admit that writing is your passion and get writing
2. Don't make unrealistic goals when you first start. Just write.
3. Plot. It doesn't have to be uber detailed or set in stone, but it will help you keep your focus.
4. Don't be afraid to change your plot when it's not working. 
5. Revise. No matter how great you think it is, it can always be better.
6. Read to keep the brain functioning and inspiration flowing, if only to be able to say "I can write better quality shit than this!"
7. Do research. Whether it's into the plausibility of space travel or into how passive adverbs effect the impact of your text there is always something you to need to find out.
8. Don't be afraid to take a break for a week or two and go back fresh when you're having problems.
9. Join a writing group, even if it is not for feedback. Keeping involved with other writers keeps you sane, inspired and gives you a reality check on the "biz" and the "craft" .
10. Seek feedback. Find some people (preferably writers/editors) whose opinions you trust and who are willing to give you a constructive critique.
11. Let go of your ego when receiving feedback. You don't have to agree with all the points, but learn from what people tell you, especially if more than one person gives you the same feedback.
12. Don't let a negative critique impact you personally, leave the ego behind and get revising.

These are not "rule" as such, just the little mantra a tell myself regularly to keep me pushing forward instead of stepping backward.

The Writer and The Reader

The title of this post should really be The Writer AS The Reader. However, it wouldn't conform to the theme I seem to be developing with this blog. So, this post is not about your readers/fans as a writer, but about reading as a writer.

In the past year I've had a couple of supposed writers tell me they don't read very much. When I asked the inevitable question--which to me seems only logical after such a statement--what inspired you to be a writer then? If you don't read books why the hell would you want to write one? The simple answer was "I am creative". I'll let the crickets do the talking.

Having done my own not-so-clinical trial on myself, I've discovered that there is definitely a direct correlation between my desire and ability to write with whether or not I am reading regularly. Many studies have been done in recent decades which have shown that reading improves brain function. The mere act of reading also improves reading ability.

Creativity is not some ethereal force. It isn't magic. It comes from a stimulated brain. Creativity is not just the ability to imagine elves and dragons it is  the ability to think beyond the limited scope of the senses. Scientists, Historians, Teachers, Doctors, Journalists, Architects, Engineers, Psychology Majors and even Management Consultants all have to think 'creatively' everyday. Creativity and Creative Thinking are not the providence of the artist alone.

My father and I both decided at different points in our lives that we liked the idea of painting. We bought paints and canvas and set about allowing our imaginations to rule a brush. However, neither of us have ever considered ourselves to be, nor called ourselves Painters. We didn't go to art school or take night courses, or struggle for years to be recognised by slaving away night and day to make our art live. We both like art, but we don't spend our days trawling the galleries and museums or go to a lot of showings or openings. We weren't part of the art world in anyway. We just bought some paints and had a go. It was a creative outlet, but we did not fancy ourselves good and proper artistes. We didn't try and show or sell our paintings. They were and are merely for our own amusement. So, to call yourself a writer--particularly if you are submitting your work for pay and publication--without reading just seems like a ludicrous idea to me.

When I moved to this country I went through a phase of not reading very much. During this time I did almost no writing. In fact I gave up the idea of ever being a writer and just concentrated on trying to find some sort of career. It made me miserable. The minute I started reading again, and regularly, that old lust came back. My brain was stimulated. The ideas started to come to me. The stories started to build in my head. It took a couple of years, but eventually, one day, I woke up and realised that I had been stifling myself and needed to really put some effort into writing. It hasn't happened over night. It's taken me a good two years to really get going with it, to find some motivation and a bit of discipline. In that time I have noticed that if I don't read for a while, I don't write. It's like my brain starts to shut down. Even craptastic books get the juices flowing. If anything so you make sure you know what not to write.

One of the regular pieces of advice you'll get as a writer is to read and read widely. Usually with the idea that reading widely gives you more knowledge and understanding of a wide variety of topics, styles and genres. I take the advice to read, the widely bit is up to you I think. I read a lot of Science Fiction and connected genres. I read the occasional History book or biography and a smattering of non-fiction usually geared toward writing or political science. I'm also not adverse to a little weird fiction or 'Classics' of English and American literature. Whatever I read, I just couldn't imagine not reading whilst trying to be a writer. I don't do it necessarily to keep on top of what is hot in my genre--although, it's not a bad idea to know what is going on to see where you fit--It really is to stimulate my mind and emotions.

Reading not only enhances my cognitive function improving my memory and vocabulary it also gives me goals and challenges to overcome. When I find a writer whose style and stories really invigorate me I see it as something to strive for, to become as good and as provocative as they are. When I read something that does not appeal, that rubs me the wrong way and makes me want to chuck the book across the room, I remember that. I keep it with me as something to measure my own writing against. I constantly ask myself am I making the same mistakes as that author?

I also learn from my mistakes and those of other authors. I think it makes me a more critical reader as well as a better writer. When someone gives me feedback on my WIP I take the criticisms seriously. I even try and research their comments to see what others have written about style, grammar and storytelling. I am better able to recognise these concerns when I see those same trespasses in the work of another. It gives me a better understanding a more critical eye when viewing my own work.

You can't go into any profession blindly. I didn't have a complete education, so I don't have a degree in Creative Writing, or English Lit. I won't let that stop me from writing or wanting to be a writer. However, I didn't just start writing one day, send out un-edited manuscripts without critical feedback from other writers and then call myself a writer because I managed to sell something. I haven't sold anything. But I do call myself a writer because I actually put the effort in. I read, I write and I seek knowledge. I am always trying to get better. I listen when I am told to use less adverbs and more active voice. I swallow my pride when someone isn't in awe of what I have written and takes the time to tell me why. I revise what I have written. Some say I spend too much time revising and not enough time actually writing. This is probably true. As I've said before I find it very difficult to move forward when I know things are wrong or week. I'm not actually looking for perfection. Though it may seem that way. I have a high standard for the books I read so I have an equally high standard for the books I write.

And, frankly, I don't see a problem with that. The more I read, the more I appreciate good writing and strive to be a writer who achieves the ability to marry style with substance. Who doesn't over complicate plots and then doesn't deliver. I don't want to be a writer who has a myriad of characters, but only one or two are more than two dimensional. I do want to be a writer who shows more and tells less. Who doesn't info-dump. Who doesn't show off how clever they are to the detriment of the story.

These are the things that I have learned about writing from reading. I don't see how you could do it otherwise. People can talk about these subjects to you all day long, but until you actually see it in action by reading they will only be theoretical concepts you can chose to ignore. Hell you'll probably even get published if you never take anyone's writing advice or if you never read a book in your life. It's just not the kind of writer I want to be.

The Writer and the greener grass

It's great when a post by someone else not only mirrors your own thoughts, but inspires you to write your own blog post. The clever Adam Christopher posted a great article the other day entitled Short story writing and the novel shaped head, in which he explains why he had settled down to write novels despite feeling that there is a pervasive culture in genre fiction that one must write short stories to become established.

When I first stepped into the genre I too experienced the idea that one had to get published as quickly and as often as possible. I met several authors who have spent decades publishing works of short fiction and are quite well know in genre circles. I too started out with the idea that I too should write short stories in order to become a better writer, to be published sooner rather than later, and then become established so that then I could have the luxury of sitting down to write a novel that would have a better shot at getting published because of my connections in the publishing world.

However, the practise was something completely different. My problem is not a lack of ideas. Ideas I got plenty of. My problem was being able to plot out a short story, to focus in on one idea or details. Every short story I sat down to write barely got started by 2,000 words. Which is a significant problem if you are aiming to write 3,000-5,000 words of a complete story. I really struggled with it for quite sometime. The more I forced myself to do it. The more I resisted and just didn't write anything. Eventually I came to the conclusion that I am just not a short story writer. At least not at the moment.

I have always wanted to write novels and now that is what I am doing. I may not be any faster at writing a novel than I was at writing short fiction, but I feel much happier in that decision and less obliged to do it. I simply want to do it. Of course this doesn't mean that I would never write a short story. I still have several in mind, but the novels in me want to come first and they take precedence.

So, why am I bothering to tell you all this? Especially since Adam did such a bang up job saying nearly the same thing and saying it first? Well this post isn't actually about my need to write novels even though I spent several paragraphs explaining myself. It's really more about these "rules" that we self-impose upon ourselves. We get these ideas from other writers. Sometimes in person, but more and more by way of the Internet. Social Networking has meant that unpublished writers can hob-nob with published ones in huge clouds of chatter like Twitter. There are so many writing websites and communities now that you can amass a wealth of writing "friends" and acquaintances with all sorts of ideas about writing, what it means to be a writer, and how you should go about it.

The problem is not so much other writers ideas about writing, but how we allow ourselves to be saturated with the advice of other writers, particularly if they have already been successful in some way. In twelve step programs they have a clever little get-out clause for your brain that is meant to encourage independent thought even though there are established guidelines and that is "take what you want and leave the rest".

It's great advice, but sometimes hard to follow. Particularly when you see people in your network publishing yet another story in another magazine or anthology and you've barely finished writing chapter three after seven months. When people on Twitter and Facebook are talking about the next anthology, the next mutual blog, the next convention you want to be part of that world and experience. When they talk about the next "big book" you want to rush out and buy it and see what all the fuss is about, even though you're negative £300 in your bank account and already facing obscene bank charges the idea that you are missing out is very hard to deal with.

The days of writing alone in a room are over. One needs to expose themselves to what is going on in writing and publishing if they want to be successful (IMHO), but the price of all this interaction is that it can leave you feeling very inadequate, unsocial and left behind. Of course a little social jealousy can be a good reason to spur yourself forward so that you can get to a place where you are invited to the parties and events, can afford to buy the new books, and go to the all conventions.

However, there is this part of me that sometimes feels like shutting it all down. Basically taking a vacation from Twitter and Facebook so that I don't have to see all the chit chat about events and books I can't afford, all the anthologies I'll never get into, and the publishing deals I want but are not yet obtainable. I don't of course because those places also contain a lot of personal solace for me. I need to talk to other writers about writing, I need to chat to other geeks about tv, film and books. I want to stay in touch with my friends who live thousands of miles a way.

As human animals we are essentially social. We want to be part of a social group of some kind. Even as loners we want to fit in somewhere. We want someone to understand and accept us. The internet only enhances that. It allows you to be part of a social group even though it is not necessarily a physical one. It allows you be accepted when nobody in the real world is accepting you. You can gain a real sense of belonging in the virtual world. So, when they are all twitting about the con they just went to and you weren't there, those feelings of social inadequacy from childhood can easily rear their proverbial ugly heads. You are suddenly a cinderella who could not attend the ball.

There is a subtle culture of keeping up with the Joneses that has nothing to do with writing, but is just part of human nature. We are all guilty of it. There is a lot of emphasis on productivity (word counts/hours spent per day writing/number stories published/wips), on paying attention to "trends", on formulating golden lists of books like they are the ten commandments of genre fiction and forgetting about the actual quality of the works in question. I read these books. I have knowledge and understanding. I am important. There is something worthy and acceptable if you follow these ideals. If you adhere to the literary cannon. If you aspire to be one of the cloud.

For my own part, I try really hard not to be exclusionary. I like to be part of things, but not at the expense of other people's feelings. I am only human. I fall into the trap of trying to keep up, of being jealous, of wanting to fit in. Luckily, a little life experience has taught me that these things can be nasty pitfalls and with a little perseverance can pull myself away from too much emotional clutter  just as easily as dive into it. The feelings, however, are still there.

All this accessibility to information, advice, and companionship is both a blessing and a curse. Of course what you cannot do is let it hinder your progress in anyway. What you must try and do is stay focused, keep your eye on your own goals, and remind yourself that just because everyone else is doing it a certain way does not mean it is the right way. It isn't necessarily about placing judgement on others either for their activities or updates on activities. By accessing these global technologies we open ourselves up to the foibles, habits and influences of other people. How we deal with it, how we allow it effect our own lives is our own problem, not theirs. Ultimately we can only be responsible for ourselves.

I can't have everything I want in life. I shouldn't have everything I want in life. I don't have to be like everyone else. I don't want to be like anyone else. I will be me and that will have to be enough.

Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror writing group in London

I have one. It's called The Cola Factory. It is our one year anniversary this month. At my old blog www.resurrection-cola.com had a page for it with all the details. Unfortunately I had to let the site go because I couldn't afford the maintenance this year. This was bad timing as a full page piece on the group came out in the BSFA magazine pretty much at the same time. I also had to allow my membership to lapse due to financial constraints. It's tough all around.

However, the group is still going, it's free, and we are always open to new members (contact details at end of post). I have to say big thanks to Martin McGrath and Focus magazine for putting in my ramblings about the group. I wasn't quite expecting to be quoted verbatim so I am sure I sounded like a bit of a dork, but free publicity is good publicity!

I decided to take this opportunity to use my new micro blog to highlight the group since there is no longer a dedicated web-page for it.

The group is small, it has a varied membership of published and unpublished authors. There are those of us who write short stories mainly and those of us working on novels. Entry into the group doesn't require much other than a commitment to writing. You must be writing regularly. This is for all intensive purposes a feedback group and we aim to give critiques at almost every session.

 We are also attempting to engage in some other activities such as book reviews and blogging. This is slow going as I sort out a free blog for the group and get people motivated to participate. We are also starting to do writing exercises at the group sessions and we always endeavour to have some sort of discussion focused on a writing, genre, or publishing topic. There is plenty of room for socialising as each session normally takes place in one of our favoured pubs where we have a bit of food and drink to keep things light and friendly.

As a group we are trying to get stronger in our critiquing abilities and keep each-other's focus on our writing projects. To that end we do use the SFWA guidelines for critiquing. Everyone should be prepared to use these in order to give a balanced critique to the other writers. Everyone is also expected to use standard formatted manuscripts for submission.

Fundamentally we are looking for people who are writing any speculative fiction such as scifi, fantasy, horror or their sub-genres. You should be writing regularly, have a basic understanding of grammar and punctuation, and be open to feedback. Our critiques are never brutal or judgemental, however, we will tell you what we think of your work and give suggestions on how it could be improved. The critiques are meant to help you tighten your story, advance your skills and abilitiesas a writer, and encourage you to write the best fiction that you possibly can whatever you other goals might be.

In a previous post I extoled the virtues of getting feedback from other writers and participating in writing groups. I cannot tell you how valuable it is. Not all groups are the same and not every group is for ever writer, but I do recommend that even if you do not like my group you find one.

If you would like to come to one of our meetings please contact me and the group through the links below. We usually meet on a Tuesday evening in the later part of the month. I suggest that new members come to one or two sessions before submitting items for critique so that they can familiarise themselves with how the feedback session works within the group and judge whether they can handle having their work critiqued.

>>>Since posting I've managed to get the Cola Factory website up and running and we have a new facebook page. You can also contact me directly michaela [.] staton [@] gmail.com

Why I write science fiction

I was planning a post on women who write science fiction, but I haven't finished all the research. So, I thought instead I would write why I write science fiction.

I'm not really sure it has anything to do with gender. My experience of scifi goes back to my parents. They were both lovers of Star Trek, my mother especially. My earliest tv memories are of of Star Trek and Battlestar Gallactica. I also distinctly remember watching The Prisoner, although not a pure kind of scifi it's surrealism certainly lends itself to some sort of sub-genre. During this time I was also heavily exposed to The Twilight Zone and Outer Limits, both heavy on the socio-political sf with lots of horror elements. Another genre I have always loved.

By the time films like Star Wars and Alien had come around I was hooked on this kind of entertainment. I was also read to as a child. My mother read Orwell, Huxley and Wells to me. I didn't understand all of it, but it captured my imagination. I did understand the idea behind using a future world to explore the possibilities and pitfalls faced by the modern one. When I was older and advanced at reading I did start to read fantasy as well as science fiction on my own. I enjoyed both genres well enough and easily switched between them.

However, as I got older and grew into an adult my own world view became a bit dark and cynical. I tended to read more horror in those days, which reflected my pessimistic outlook. I was also very convinced of a failing future for the entire world. The stories I wrote at this time reflected these feelings of isolation and doom. What I wanted was to express a message about the current world's failures and the dangers ahead. To me it seemed that science fiction--particularly the "softer" socio-political type--leant itself to these ideas far better than fantasy. Especially at that time when most fantasy on book shelves was still heavily Tolkien and D&D based. For me that was escapist fun not serious. It was not philosophical or idealistic enough.

That doesn't mean I never endeavoured to write a fantasy work. I have, many times. In fact I find fantasy world building a very rewarding experience. Who knows perhaps some-day I will write a fantasy novel or game of some sort.

Perhaps my ideas about the fantasy genre are a bit outdated.  Made particularly so with modern urban fantasy and a blurring of the lines between genres. I do read the occasional fantasy book, and when well written one can be transported to a quite wonderful place. I still struggle though to see it as something more than entertaining or escapist. I struggle to find the philosophical ideas behind the strange settings and characters. However, I am not going to slag off an entire genre that would be completely arrogant and ridiculous. There are many new fantasy writers today that I have not yet read.

Now that I am much older my life view has changed somewhat. I also carry with me a wealth of personal experience and observation. However, my desire has not changed. It has only increased and become well formed. I'm still looking to write stories about modern life through a future context. I still find works in contemporary sf (although perhaps they are fewer and further between these days) that have these ideas in them and eagerly read them.

What I am currently writing I have called a "space opera" for lack of a better phrase. It is not a novel with faster-than-light ships though. There is no epic spaceship battle. It is a story about politics, history and the clashing of ideals and values between groups of people. It is also about personal identity. It is not an epic adventure, it is more of a thriller. It is a bit noir. My idea of science fiction is not pure and  it is not hard. I do look for ideas in real and possible science, but I do not claim to write science fact.

Perhaps, as a woman my writing is about emotions and about relationships. But isn't that just good character development? It seems highly sexist to think that people can and will only write about certain things based on their gender. I do not think that because there is still a substantial gap between woman who are published in SF and men who are that I should write SF. I write it because the genre speaks to me. It lends itself to my thoughts and ideas. When I see my story I see it in an SF context. I don't write it for "girl power", but because I feel compelled to.

Simply, I wanted to write science fiction when I was young. The feeling has only gotten stronger as I've gotten older to the point where I cannot imagine a life without it. No matter how long it takes me to get the words on paper. When I say I write science fiction I feel like I am doing the right thing.

The Writing Weekend May 2010

In 2008--the magical year I decided to have a writing career--I stumbled across the first ever Alt.Fiction writing weekend run by Alex Davis. The concentration was meant to be on Horror and starred Kim Lakin-Smith and Conrad Williams running workshops along with Alex. There was no theme as such, but somehow we decided it was zombies. Perhaps owing to the isolated feeling of the wintry Peak Distric valley--it being early November. It was quite a successful and helpful weekend.

Alex--being the amazing organiser that he is--organised another one for this year at the end of May bank holiday weekend.  This way we could spend three nights in the excellent facility and spend the last night in a bit of an alcoholic/karaoke meltdown.

We had decided the theme would be werewolves at the previous weekend. Alex was again able to secure the talented Kim Lakin-Smith who joined us not only as the runner of a workshop, but for the entire weekend. Her workshop included very detailed facts on actual wolves and using those we created small snippets of fictional encounters. We also had a very helpful workshop on "Character through character" run by science fiction writer Tony Ballantyne. As our theme was pre-discussed a couple of the other writers came prepared with drafts of werewolf stories. Paul Skevington's was particularly good and I look forward to seeing it in print very soon.

The weekend commenced with arrivals in the evening at the Dove Valley Centre in the Peak District. It's a really lovely cottage that sleeps about 12, over two floors with THREE kitchens, bathrooms and a new studio space that overlooks the valley and makes for a very nice spot to do a bit of writing indoors. It's also surrounded by fields of sheep and cows, and frequented by the owner's dog and cat.  There is also a swing, a barn and strange little pond.  It's a very picturesque spot, well worth a trip to, and I believe the rent out the various portions of the cottage separately. They also run frequent art courses in the studio portion.

There was a bit of food, a bit of drink and lots of chat. On Saturday the amazing Emma (Alex's wife) made a fabulous breakfast with something for everyone. Then we slowly crept up to the studio for the first session with Alex in which we chose animals from a hat and had to turn them "were" and write a little piece on a first encounter or their discovery. I got "snake" which didn't seem like it would prove a very interesting animal to "wereify". I wanted something nonsensical like a bunny rabbit or something, but actually once I started thinking and then just writing the idea came quite quickly and I ended up with a nice little piece all about a man who turns into a weresnake on the Subway.

The next of Alex's exercises focused on werewolf mythology. Again we chose from a hat three or four of these myths about werewolves and used them to write a piece on how someone became a werewolf. We then partnered with someone and using a collaboration of our combined myths we created our own "facts" about werewolves.

After a hearty lunch provided by the lovely Emma and joined by Tony Ballantyne, we did Tony's workshop on Character through character. We partnered again and from a sheet we each chose a personality archetype. We then discussed how each would see the other, and then wrote a brief paragraph as one type describing their friend/colleague etc who was the other type. I found this particularly useful as in my current novel I am dealing with two main characters who often POV each other. Tony also read to us a werewolf story that he had co-written with another writer. Throughout the day we did feedback sessions on WIPs. Mine included and I gained some very useful advice from Tony and everyone else about my first chapter.

In the evening there was dinner, and alcohol and discussion. I ended up going to bed quite early as I was exhausted from the long yet fruitful day.

The Sunday heralded another awesome breakfast from Emma. Then a first session by Alex again, this time we chose genre tropes from a hat and had to incorporate them into an encounter with a werewolf. After that came Kim's excellent presentation on real wolf behaviour and a compelling story of how people readily accept wolves as evil and use them as scapegoats, perhaps even fool themselves and others into believing in wolf attacks that have never been proven.

We used the information to write a piece on a real wolf encounter.  Then there was lunch, there was a bit of reading and feedback and then all I remember (sorry Alex) was me going for a very long nap in the afternoon and getting up just in-time to trek across the hills and fields using Brian Marshall's GPS to find the pub we were going to have dinner at. 

The food was quite good at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Inn in Longnor, the nearest town to our cottage. Back at headquarters, after another trek in the mud, there was plenty of booze and LIPS provided by Del Lakin-Smith. Basically it was a very late night session of seriously bad singing, but loads of fun and severely entertaining. It ended with a group rendition of Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars".

It was an a very productive and enthusiastic weekend for me. I enjoyed it immensely. Having been living in my novel for the past six months it was quite surprising to find myself able to think and write about other things on the fly. It's even possible I might end up with a werewolf short story after all if the bit I wrote for Alex's second day workshop is anything to go by.

Of course I have to thank Alex and Emma for amazing organisation, planning and catering. We did agree that we would give them a break next time and help with the cooking and carrying of goods to the venue. We're due for another session at Halloween this year. Which I wholeheartedly look forward to.

I really recommend this type of writing weekend if you can find one that suits your genre or local. Heck just start your own. With enough people it doesn't have to cost very much. We were in at about £100 a head all inclusive, but excluding transportation. It isn't even just the workshops that are really helpful to focus the mind and strengthen your technical abilities. It's the camaraderie and the feedback. Being able to just "hang-out" with other writery types for a couple of days is always an awesome experience. This type of weekend is a bit more intimate than something like a con, even a small one.

I was really impressed how everyone's writing had improved significantly since the last session in 2008. We all seem to be writing at a similar level and there was a lot of poetic imagery from everyone. Something I like to see in any writing. Looking forward to see what's been done with witches for Halloween.

(photos to come)

The Writer and The Writer

On Saturday I submitted the first chapter of my novel I Am the Dreamer Waking to my writing group The Cola Factory, a speculative fiction writing group in London. This isn't the first time someone has looked at my work, or even this particular novel. In fact its previous incarnations have been viewed by my good friend and author Neil Williamson. He is painfully aware that he will be asked to view it again once I have three draft chapters ready.

I'm telling you this because today's post is about the importance of utilising the skills, experience and opinions of other writers. This is particularly true for us unpublished writers struggling to get the words out before we even think about trying to find an agent or a publisher.

When I was younger I didn't really think about joining a writing group, or getting involved in finding peers to give me feedback and support. I just wrote. I wasn't thinking about the future at all except in a vague, daydream kind of way. I did buy Writer's Market and get an idea of the publishers and their requirements, but that was about it. I just wrote. Many new writers think this way. They just want to write and then get published, they don't want to think about all dull things they might have to do in between. They certainly don't want to think that their work might need any kind of help, or they assume a publisher/agent will see through the bad grammar and spelling mistakes, and recognise their potential. They also assume they will get an editor who will help them with all that, or perhaps they presume that they already know everything they need to know about writing.

I was a mix of this. I think it was more a case of having a fragile ego. I wanted people to love my work and if they found fault with it in anyway it was heartbreaking. My emotional reaction to bad feedback was to clam up and not show my work to anyone. To live in fear of other's opinions. Being older now and understanding myself better, I can hold my breath and take the criticism. It's not always easy. The gut reaction is to argue or find an excuse. It won't help your writing in the end. Just take the criticism and the praise, and in the immortal words of Tim Gunn "make it work". Make those changes, cut those words, improve that punctuation. Whatever it takes. Give in to it, don't fight it. Your ego won't write that sensational bestseller only you can.

The ego again. I talk about this a lot because it's the biggest pitfall to any creative person. Your ego keeps you confident in your ability to keep you writing, but it will also derail your efforts if you let it take over. Ego is essentially another word for 'power'. You want people to love your work, believe in your talent, to be impressed by you. These are all power motivations. There is nothing wrong with it. Especially if you are aware of it. Being motivated to be successful, or to be recognised is not harmful in itself. However, it can easily become twisted and the writer can easily be convinced that people just don't understand them, or appreciate their talent. That others are jealous of their ability, or just ignorant. In some cases this may be true, but quite rarely.

Other writers usually want to help you. They may be hard on you, but as you've heard a million times in your life before, it is for your own good! Not getting feedback from other writers is probably the worst thing you can do for yourself and your writing. Yes, there are examples of successful authors who never used a writing group or other writers for feedback. Those are exceptions. Don't assume you will be one of those exceptions. There are so many writers or wannabe writers these days and very few publishing contracts to be won. Unless you are assured your place on the publishing express train don't assume anyone is holding a seat for you.

Finding a group can be as easy as going on-line and just searching for either a live one in your area, or one on-line that meets your needs. There are loads of on-line group sites now. Or, do what I did and create your own live or e-group. A good place to start is with your writing association. Every country has some and many are international now. Joining up will usually get you access to writing groups of one form or another. Not to mention all that brilliant advice from industry professionals.

 My personal opinion is that you should find a group that deals with the genre you are writing and that has a mix of writers both published and unpublished. What you are looking for are people who read and write the same kind of thing you do so that their opinion isn't clouded by genre ignorance. It's true that good writing should come through in any genre, but if you work with people who are familiar with the genre you are specialising in you are more likely to get credible and accurate feedback. You'll also make a few friends along the way with the same interests.

Not everything you hear is going to be useful to you. The more critiques you receive the more diverse those critiques may be. Remember, you aren't getting feedback to write the novel anyone else wants to read. You don't have to make every change. Listen for the consensus comments. Is everyone telling you the same thing about a particular character or scene? that's where you're improvement needs to be. A good critique group or partner will validate their opinion, give you ways to rectify a problem, or point you toward a book or writer with a similar style to yours. It will also be full of people who are there for the same reason you are, they want to improve, they want to publish or they want to publish again.

Don't fight with the group. Hear what they have to say. Take a few notes then go back to your work in a week or two and see it from their perspective. Go back. Even if you have nothing to submit participate in the process. The more you read and learn to critique objectively the more you will be able to stand back from your own work and see its problems. A writing group is not about egos. It's not even about trouncing egos. It's about everyone getting better at writing. Go into it with the right attitude and you'll come out of it as a better writer.

As they say in twelve step programs, "Take what you want and leave the rest.", "Keep coming back, it works if you work it."

Some on-line resources:

www.critters.org

http://www.sfwa.org/

http://www.bsfa.co.uk/

http://www.britishfantasysociety.org/

http://www.horror.org/

The Write Space

All writers are creatures of habit. From the ritualistic and completely anal about the exact type of lead pencil they use, to the celebratory bottle of champagne carried around in the car to be opened the exact moment draft one is completed. We all develop our preferred styles, methods and in particular, places we like to write.

Some of us are lucky enough to have a home office or live in an environment that isn't inundated by kids, partners and pets. Others prefer the noise and the hustle and bustle of the streets to get their juices flowing. Some writers secrete themselves in dark bedrooms with only a pen and a notebook. Others sit in open cafes showing off their high-end tech while baristas poor coffee and bad world music blares over the speakers.

Just as every person is unique every writer is unique. Some may share a penchant for a similar type of space, but if you did a poll you would find an infinite variety of places and spaces that writers find help them get that writing done.

In my teens and then early twenties I would use a pen and a notebook and write at home, on the bus, or train; wherever I could and whenever I could. If I was travelling I would have my walkman on to drown out the noise of other people. Occasionally I would go to a cafe and write, but I found it quite distracting. When I was in high school I lived at a boarding school for a while and often wrote late at night in the toilets (I also read a lot there), or under the covers with a pen light. There was something very appealing about writing like that. I felt 'special' and somehow privileged. Everyone around me was sleeping, just existing in their little teenage lives with nothing to look forward to but school. I, on the other hand, was being creative, productive, striving for something greater. Needless to say nothing came of it, except that all writing (even bad writing) is practise for the future. The mere act of doing it is preparation. If you never write then you'll never get any better at it.

Over the years my habits, my needs, and my technology changed. As I got older and started using computers and the internet more and my typing skill and speed increased. I went from writing long hand to tapping away on a keyboard. At first mainly at home on a pc transcribing my nearly illegible notebooks into digital data. Then I moved on to a laptop, which was  a revelation. I still have that laptop and it still works! (barely) By my netbook's standards that laptop is a megalith, but it allowed me to actually write away from home without having to get writer's cramp or a hand covered in ink smudges. I could also revise and edit right there and then. No having to transcribe and translate my squiggles anymore. No having to cross out and re-write. The simplistic beauty of the spell-check, the delete key and the highlight scroll had taken over my life.

One day I even got a Palm Pilot. I was even more portable. Not only could I read e-books without having to lug paperbacks around with me, I could write on it. Granted, without a keyboard it wasn't brilliant. But it did have a fairly good handwriting recognition software, and made it very handy for quick notes, ideas and character sketches or just snippets of dialogue.

I've since moved on to a netbook. A more portable kind of laptop that is actually quite perfect for my style of writing and purposes. However, my writing space has changed. I do sometimes write at home, but I find it difficult. I'm distracted by other pleasures and entertainments not to mention a husband and kitties. I'm usually not inspired in my own domicile. Besides the distractions I just found that after work I would get home with all good intention to write, but then be tired and unwilling to write. The weekends were no better.

In travelling to conventions and meet friends across the country I did discover that I love writing on trains. I can't usually do it on a plane as the space is too cramped and exhausting. However, trains--even though their seats are no bigger and just as cramped--seem to work for me. If i've got more than an hour on one I usually pull out my netbook and have a go. I've even been able to do some quick editing on my daily commute. Unfortunately I don't get to make long train journeys often enough and my daily commute also has reading scheduled into it because I just don't get enough time to do that otherwise. Someday though, I would love to take the sleeper to Scotland and see how much writing I can get done both ways.

Last year a friend encouraged me to go to the Library and write. Another revelation. With a quiet space, a desk to myself and few distractions I finally found my 'write space'. I now make the pilgrimage up to London every Saturday. Occasionally during the week as well. Sometimes a friend meets me there and we spend the day in our own heads, me tapping away, she with pencil in hand. We stop for lunch or a coffee and chat and then get back to it. I easily spend about 6-7 hours there. I wish I could do it every day.

For me, I think the pure act of having to get up, get dressed and get on the train as if I were going to work is the kind of discipline I need at the moment to get writing. In my pj's with the lure of DVDs and saved programs on the digi-box it just isn't going to happen.

Whatever your needs, inclinations, personal quirks the important thing is to find what works for you. What makes you comfortable and what makes the words flow out of you. If you find you are always struggling, always having to fight with yourself to sit down and write, perhaps you haven't yet found your 'write space'.

How can writers ever be bored with their own work?

As I inexplicably travel through space drinking cola a thought struck me, how many times have I heard writers talk about being bored with their own work, or living in fear of this phenomenon? Loads. Yep, a scientific number. Perhaps only slightly exaggerated, but I am sure I can find enough quotes on the intergalacticvirtualweb to back up my assertion. I've even read it in print! Astonishing I know.

Usually, the cliché that will come up in conversation is that WriterA will say something like "I just write and keep writing, I can't stop and go back or else I might get bored." the other line (and yes, one I am guilty of myself) is "I get easily bored and move on to the next story." Oy vey!

Having not only said, but actually BELIEVED these things myself I do understand why we writers sometimes say this drivel. It isn't really about 'boredom' per se. It's more about lack of confidence or inspiration. It's also about not being able to acknowledge when your work is not working. As I like to wrongfully quote Dashel Hammett from the film Julia "its shit do it again!” Something every writer needs to say to themselves, let alone have someone willing to say it to them.

You aren't really bored, you're just avoiding the fact that you're brilliant idea isn't as brilliant as you thought it could be and you don't know what do it about it. So instead of working on it you're going to runaway, or run forward and deal with it later if ever.

The past two years has taught me a lot about writing, it has also taught me a lot about myself as a writer. It's like a twelve step program. When I was ready to admit I had a problem that was half the battle. If you can lay down your ego long enough and confront the words that don't work, the characters that are shallow and pointless, the over-scripted plot lines, and the endless discussion of the colour of the sky you may be able to fix it. You may be able to stop using cliché patter when talking about your work as if it is something that annoys you rather than admitting you are the one with the problem. The drugs don't take you, you take them.

This only occurred to me recently. I am sure there are plenty of writers who already get this. It's nothing new to them. They smile secretively when a new writer comes along and says the magic words "I get bored...” Sure you do kid, that's why I'm published and you're not they say to themselves.

I think it's because of all the revising I've been doing, all the re-writing of chapter one. I can't tell you how many times I've read it. One would think I would be bored by now. I am not. I even made a little tweak the other night. The fact is, now that I know that I am the problem and accept responsibility for shit writing it's all that much easier to read and re-read and find the things that don't work, the things that need to come out or be reduced. I actually look forward to it. I challenge my ego to let go. I dare it to select a whole line of text and press delete. Okay, sometimes we first copy/paste that into a file of 'extractions' that we might use again someday. However, we still did it; we still removed the words and closed the gap between pretension and solid, well crafted writing (we hope!).

Boredom is just an excuse, a word to put to the emotions and impotence you feel when something is not right, when you can't make it work, when you can't let go of what you think is 'Amazing' and 'Brilliant'. Stop giving yourself excuses not to write and give yourself an excuse to do nothing else. Stand up and admit to the problem!

My name is Michaela and I am a writer.

 

The first chapter, the hardest chapter

In 2008 I started working on my novel. Well sort of. I decided to start writing again seriously. Made all sorts of preparations to change my life including joining the BSFA, networking, blogging, reading more etc. At first I convinced myself I needed to write short stories, get my name out there, get published quickly. I have lots of ideas or beginnings of ideas. However, I found it really hard to flesh anything out concretely. Not that I didn't try, because I did. I even successfully completed a long short story and a the first halves of a few others.

My mind, however, was on other things. Characters, settings, plot ideas had been floating around in my head for quite some time. Slowly they had begun to evolve, take on a life of their own. At first I thought it might be a series of short stories, or a novel and short stories in the same universe. I tried writing the stories, but they kept coming out as novels or more like chapters of novels. I just seemed to have too much to say and the constraints of the short story didn't fit the story I wanted to tell.

I read this great tongue-in-cheek, but actually quite serious post by writer James Burt "7 tips for being a great writer.". I don't agree with all seven, but it's irreverence in the face of writing "rules" you often encounter from established and not authors, and writing experts of all kinds put my mind at rest about trying to live a writing life in the same way everyone else does.

Eventually I decided on just concentrating on writing a novel. It's what I wanted to do in the first place. It's all I've ever wanted to do really. I had already spent a lot of time thinking about the story, the characters and the plot and had already made a few abortive attempts at starting the novel.  So, I set to work on an outline. I fleshed out some character details, a historical background and then a rough plot/chapter plot outline. Then I was ready to sit down and write chapter one.

I wrote chapter one, and I revised chapter one, and I re-wrote chapter one. I really struggled with the opening. I changed the location, changed the POV, changed some of the elements of the characters and the tweaked the plot. Basically from January until last Saturday I hammered on that beast until I finally felt like I had gotten somewhere with it.

I should point out that I don't write everyday. I was (mostly) doing my writing all day on Saturdays and a few afternoons here and there. And of course, always, always thinking about it and fretting over it. People kept telling me to leave it alone and move on, but I couldn't. I wouldn't. I had let go of the idea that it has to perfect the first time out, but I knew in my heart it just wasn't where it needed to be. It wasn't flowing, it wasn't natural, it didn't lead the story forward to the next logical step. That is what I couldn't let go of.

So, yep it was hard. Fucking hard actually. I had spent all that time "thinking" and "planning" doing all the prep work instead of jumping in blindly and then getting lost like I normally do. Yet, I knew there was something there and it was going to come out or kill me. Thankfully it wasn't quite so dramatic in the end, but we did struggle chapter one and I. We fought tooth and nail for several months until I tamed that beast and put it in it's cage.

As soon as that was over, I was swiftly on to chapter two. Which after witnessing the titanic struggle between me and chapter one, took pity on me and was coaxed forward. It still needs some refining, but I don't have to overhaul it line by line. We aren't exchanging caustic blows only the occasional heated word or furious glance. We're still friends chapter two and I.

It really did feel like a mental battle. Urged on by watching the tweets and Facebook status of friends successfully completing projects or winning deals, or just generally getting on with writing their own chapters with apparent ease. For me though, I couldn't move forward until I was ready. I took comfort in something David A. Forbes said in a twitterchat about how long it took him to write his first novel and that the second one and subsequent ones became easier and easier.

My timetable has changed over and over, and pretty much gone out the window. Where am I now? perhaps I might have three decent draft chapters by the time I hit the writing weekend I'm attending for end-of-May bank holiday. Perhaps I won't. Deadlines looming are not really incentive for me outside of a work context, especially with writing. As I always say to my husband "I'll do it in my own time". So maybe I won't be as prolific as some sf authors, but what I am really aiming for is a good product. Something people will read over and over again. Characters that the reader can identify with and believe in. A plot that enthrals and a universe that captivates. Not too much to ask from a work of fiction. Not everyone will love it, but I have to. That is the only criteria. I know when something I wrote is crap or "not good enough". I don't always want to admit it to myself, but usually I will given to it. My ego is not that fragile.

Some people just get it all down and then go back and revise the whole book. I seem incapable. It niggles at my mind, haunts my dreams, plagues my waking thoughts. If it isn't right, it isn't right. I might have to edit or revise again later when the book is finished or at the wishes of the editor or publisher, but at the very least the product I give them has to make me feel proud. Not in a bloated egotistical way "I wrote this, it is brilliant". More in a "I worked dammed hard, I bled into those pages, I made it right" kind of way. If that makes sense to anyone.

I go on about this all the time to my writing group. Some of us are motivated by achievement. Writing the novel and completing it are the achievement, it satisfies a need. Then others of us are motivated by power. It has to be worthy of the eyes and opinions of others. If it's not we won't show it. We won't open ourselves to the possibility of ridicule if we are unsure. I suffer from the power motivation more often than the achievement one (although if you gave me the test that shows you such things they are equal) in my writing. I want people to think well of me and I want them to think my writing is good. There I said it. I admit it. I can't go on until I know it's something I can not be ashamed to show someone else. I do accept that not everyone will think it is good, but if I've given them little to nitpick or tear apart than I can be satisfied and there in lies the achievement.

In conclusion, I borrow from Ian Sales' blog "It doesn't have to be right, it just has to sound plausible" and twist it to my own way of thinking about my writing...

It doesn't have to be finished, it just has to be good.