Clue's occupation is, of course, protector of the domain. Photo by Kate Ota 2021 Part of the same series of helpful thesauruses as The Emotion Thesaurus, The Occupation Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi is exactly what it sounds like. I’m sure you were expecting an Is It Worth It post about it, but I loved The Emotion Thesaurus so much, I knew this would be worth it.
And it is! There’s information up front about different ways to help select your character’s job to best serve the plot or theme. There’s a section about the many reasons why anyone chooses any given job (including Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which made my nerdy little ex-high-school-debate self so happy). The back also has sections where you can create your own entry or work through the logic of choosing a job for your character. Incredibly helpful stuff! I decided that instead of just reviewing The Occupation Thesaurus, that I’d add my own entry here! This seems to be encouraged, as there are more careers on the authors’ website (here) and in One Stop for Writers (which I reviewed before.) Let’s get into the entry! I followed the same format as the book’s entries. Occupation: Zookeeper Overview: A zookeeper is a person who cares for various animals at a zoo. Depending on the size of the zoo, they may work in only one area (such as primates or African Mammals), or they may rotate through every section of the zoo. Duties include feeding, cleaning enclosures (both exhibits that guests see and behind-the-scenes housing), administering medication (as prescribed by the zoo vet), and providing enrichment (such as training or making new toys). Necessary Training: Usually a bachelor’s degree in some kind of animal or biology related field is required, although zookeeper internships exist for college students. Training is otherwise hands-on. Useful Skills, Talents, or Abilities: Being good with animals, public speaking, cleaning skills, kinetic memory, basic first aid, food prep Helpful Character Traits: Adaptable, adventurous, alert, calm, cautious, positive disposition, hard worker, morning person, caring, nature loving, compassionate, environmentally conscious Sources of Friction: Guests who misbehave or abuse the animals Being unable to help a sick or injured animal Being unable to breed a rare species Having to put down an animal Public backlash to putting down an animal Frustration when an exotic animal is kept as a pet Getting exceedingly messy early in the day and having to stay that way Animals making a giant mess Needing to fundraise Physical fatigue Being bitten or injured by an animal Being peed or pooped on by an animal Needing to protect new trainees/interns/volunteers from dangerous animals Having an animal dislike you and act out against you Early hours The fact that despite dangerous weather, the animals need care every day People They Might Interact With: Other zookeepers, vet techs, zoo vets, veterinary specialists, zoo guests, interns, wedding parties, other party guests, zoo director, famous animal advocates associated with their zoo, news media, animal rights groups, representatives from the Associate of Zoos and Aquariums (if US based), conservation program coordinators, breeding program coordinators, students How This Occupation Might Impact the Character’s Needs: Self-Actualization: A zookeeper may feel they are contributing to a meaningful goal of conservation. However, if a rare animal dies in their care, they may feel they are failing a meaningful goal. Esteem and Recognition: The zookeeper may seek recognition for handling s a problem in a species that other zoos or keepers struggled with. However, they may also loose confidence if an accident occurs. Love and Belonging: Zookeepers tend to bond together and have good camaraderie because of the hours and labor involved. However, long hours of lots of physical labor leaving the character exhausted may deteriorate personal relationships. Safety and Security: The job pays a living wage and zoos can be found in cities of all sizes. However, working with certain animals poses a danger to the keepers whether from venom, teeth, horns, allergies, or size. Characters Might Choose This Occupation Because They… Love animals Are concerned about climate change and the impact on species around the world Want to advocate for something/someone who cannot speak for itself Are compensating for a past wrong against animals Believe animals are better than people (due to a past emotional wound) Want to fight against poaching from a distance Want an adventurous sounding job, but to remain relatively stable Idolize a famous conservationist (ex. Steve Irwin) There are many occupations in the thesaurus, and many that aren’t! Check out their lists at writershelpingwriters.net and see for yourself. Got one they don’t have? Leave it in the comments!
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Wilbur also enjoyed this book. I could tell because he wouldn't stop rubbing his cheek on it as I read. Photo by Kate Ota 2020 Kindred by Rebecca Wragg Sykes is a non-fiction book covering everything we know (as of June 2020) about our extinct relatives, Homo neanderthalensis, aka Neanderthals. It covers the gambit, from their appearance to their disappearance in the fossil record, their births to some of their deaths, and their rediscovery in the 1800s. And yes, it was a rediscovery, because, as many of you know, Homo sapeins (aka modern humans) interacted with Neanderthals many-thousands of years ago and now a good percentage of us contain Neanderthal DNA.
This book also discussed what we’ve been able to discover about their lives. Different types of stone tools, pigments, possible jewelry or other ornamentation, and even possible art or math. Of course, so much hasn’t yet been discovered. One of my favorite mysteries is the disparity between the number of found male and female remains (where the ladies at?) I read this book as research for my WIP and it was exactly what I needed. It compares and contrasts Neanderthal and modern human bodies and, as much as it can, development and daily life. I highlighted so much of it! Honestly, this book made me want to go dig around and find some ancient bones to study myself. (As a kid, I wanted to be a Paleontologist until I learned they camp near the dig site a lot. I’m not outdoorsy.) Positives: The book was extremely thorough, which is what I wanted. It also had some amazing footnotes. My personal favorite was about an old timey duel where the weapon of choice was sausages. (If only Alexander Hamilton had thought of that!) I also liked how it was organized, moving from appearance/early Neanderthal life to extinction/individual deaths, having the life of the species be discussed along side the life of individuals. On the inside cover, there's a map of where all the discoveries referenced were made, which I loved. I'm a sucker for maps. Negatives: I didn’t have any complaints, but I should warn potential readers that others did. Some reviews complained about technical language. I didn’t think it was too jargon-y, but depending on your background, you may end up doing some light googling. Each chapter opens with a literary style section, often imagining the world from Neanderthal perspectives, which I didn’t mind. Some reviewers whined about this. If they're not your cup of tea, you can skip them. Overall rating: 5/5 This is exactly the book I needed, exactly when I needed it! I’d recommend this to fans of science non-fiction, anyone with an interest in ancient hominins (especially, obviously, Neanderthals), and anyone with an interest in the history of science (particularly the Victorian era, as it covers events from that time with specificity and later discoveries in more general terms.) Not for people who don’t like non-fiction, or those who seek short chapters or short books (hardback was 385 pages). Side note: The author also co-founded the TrowelBlazers project and the website is bursting with really awesome archaeologists/earth scientists who happen to be women. If you love women in STEM stuff, check it out! Have your read Kindred or any other science non-fiction recently? Let's discuss in the comments! Overview
Milanote is an online idea organizer, which can be used for things like worldbuilding, character building, story planning, or even things outside of writing like class notes or graphic design planning. There are three tiers: Free (the one I tried) allows up to 100 items (notes, links, or images), 10 file uploads, and unlimited shared boards (screens on which you organize info.) Paid per person ($9.99/month billed annually or $12.50 billed monthly) offers unlimited notes/images/links, unlimited files, unlimited shared boards, and a search feature. For a team ($49/month billed annually for up to 10 people) offers unlimited notes/images/links, unlimited files, unlimited shared boards, search feature, and priority support. My experience I mapped out my WIP in the free version. I have near future scifi with a sizable cast and easily used 75 of my 100 items before I included everything from my previous notes. However, I really liked the visual aspect when it came to the characters, as I could map their relationships (and even label the lines between them, which was a lovely surprise!) It allowed me to change the layout on my screen easily and quickly. It allows random notes on the screen, captions on photos, areas to organize similar notes, and it’s very intuitive. There was also a little bit of help at the beginning with dialogue boxes popping up and explaining buttons and likely next steps. I also like that there can be multiple editors, if I was collaborating. And especially, I love the fact there is no time limit! I can leave my Milanote page there and come back to it whenever, rather than powering through a timed free trial. It also has a built-in connection to the free photo site Unsplash, so you can easily search for inspiration images within Milanote. It wasn’t all daisies, though. If you make a character profile in one place, but want it to also appear in another (like organizing by family tree on one board, but wanting that character to appear on another board based on setting, for example) you can’t do that, you’ll just have to make a copy of the profile. And that’s a waste of your free hundred items, which isn’t as many notes as you need for an entire novel worth of information. Exceptions may include books with small casts, contemporary settings with minimal outside worldbuilding, or shorter projects like a novella, picture book, or even MG. If you make something nested within a lot of other boards (ex. In the world building board you can have a location board, within that location board you can have a character board, which contains profiles boards for each character) things can get lost. This is why the paid version includes a search feature. Is It Worth It? The free version is 100% worth it. It’s fun to play around, and it’s great for anyone who is very visual or creates in a more abstract way. A lot of times, planning tools are word heavy and linear. Visual writers may prefer printing things and organizing on a cork board. This is the perfect digital way to do that. Paid versions may be useful for people with big series or epics who need to keep track of a lot of places, characters, and arcs. Paid versions also may benefit those who collaborate, whether as co-authors or an author/illustrator pairing. Do you use Milanote? What do you think? Let's discuss in the comments! A very handsome lion enjoying a little sun and a little traffic jam in Kruger National Park. Photo by Kate Ota 2011. Safaris, in their traditional sense, bring to mind a Victorian/Edwardian era gentleman in a khaki outfit with a pith helmet. He’s got a rifle and is out to capture a trophy. He’s usually surrounded by lots of local people who do all the work for him, except pulling the trigger. Then he travels back home with the heads of his prey stuffed and mounted and hangs them on his wall.
This is not what a modern safari experience is, although I’m sure if you’re rich enough, you can do that whole horrible thing. I know many people for whom going on safari is on their bucket list, and it was absolutely on mine. There’s this cheesy Christmas movie on That One Streaming Service that is about a safari, except it’s not at all how safaris work. I figured, as one of the privileged people who has gone on a modern safari, I could clear some things up and help other writers, just in case you’re thinking of including one in your next novel. My safari experience included Kruger National Park in South Africa, Chobe National Park in Botswana, Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary in Swaziland, and a private reserve where I volunteered in northern South Africa. My trip was in July/August of 2011 and doesn’t apply to everyone’s experience. 1. Traffic can be very bad in the parks, especially the main roads The roads in the national parks are often paved. While you may think that takes some of the fun out of it, don’t fret. The black pavement warms in the sun, attracting the lion prides for some good old fashioned cat lounging. It’s also a favorite spot for other predators to run a herd, as the herd’s hooves don’t have great traction on pavement and animals will often slip, allowing an easier kill. This means you’ll often have some great animal sightings from a car. However, you have plenty of heads up if animals are near, as traffic will slow to a crawl. This may be logistics—if there are animals blocking part of the road, then only one lane may safely pass at a time. It may also be people taking their time looking at the animals. (This is also true in American and Canadian National Parks: I’ve seen traffic back up for miles for a single big horn sheep.) 2. Guides are a thing, but you can sometimes go in a private car While Kruger allowed private vehicles, I was always with guides. Not only do they interject with fun facts and spot animals for you, they have radios with which they communicate where to see animals. If one guide in the park sees a leopard, every guide is going to know and take you there. Private vehicles don’t have that advantage. If you’re writing a safari scene, a guide is a great method to inject exposition, while a private car is a great way to highlight one of your characters being knowledgeable. 3. Don't forget the danger I still think about the advice I was given in Chobe—stay in the car, and never squat outside of a campsite. The parks have wild predators, including those who would potentially hunt you. While many think of lions first, the bigger problem is leopards. Stealthy, solo hunters, they can climb trees, and will even leave dead prey in the branches. If they see you squat (for bathroom purposes or anything else) they’ll see you as a small enough target to attack. Inside the giant vehicle, you’re one giant lumbering creature they’d never try to tackle. Therefore, never have your characters relieve themselves willy nilly, and make sure any guides emphasize the risks of exiting the car. This is great for adding tension and accuracy! 4. Cameras are the hottest accessory The new goal of safaris is not to shoot the Big 5 with a rifle, but with a camera. The Big 5 are elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, and water buffalo. Other exciting animals are giraffes, cheetahs, crocodiles, hippos, porcupines, pangolins, mongoose, hornbills, zebras, and impala. Basically, if you saw it in the opening of The Lion King, you’re going to be excited to see it. Some people invest in very expensive cameras, others rely on camera phones, and everything in between. However, digital SLRs are the most common, with zoom lenses as the most frequent feature. (I also recommend a strong zoom lens if you’re going on safari in real life, because that will make a huge difference!) Often, you’ll see professional photographers with giant lenses. I saw one nearly three feet long! 5. Poachers are not likely to be seen by tourists If you’re writing about safari, the odds are high you’re planning a dramatic run-in with poachers. In the popular parks this is less likely, as there are too many other people around. However, if they were to make an appearance, helicopter was the preferred method of transport. Regular people were told to go in the opposite direction and not to engage. There’s often security that will handle the situation. 6. Include details Some random details to help you paint the scene: Most trees and bushes have thorns, ranging from tiny pricks to finger-length harpoons. Scat (aka poop) and tracks are easy to find and unique, which helps when tracking specific species. There’s an attitude summed up by the phrase “This is Africa” which is something along the lines of “of course something crazy/weird went wrong.” Kill sites are very noisy between the predator(s) who killed and the various species of scavengers who show up. There’s a lot of KFC restaurants in Botswana for whatever reason. Markets in most places allow and expect haggling. The best way to speed along a border crossing is to offer the border agent snacks. That’s what I’ve got for now. Have you been on safari and want to share our experiences? Have more questions for a safari scene/novel or an upcoming (post-pandemic) trip? Let’s discuss in the comments! The first daffodils of spring. They didn't wonder if they were ready to bloom, they just did it. Photo by Kate Ota 2019. One of the hardest parts of writing with the intention to publish is knowing when your work is ready to be sent out. Whether that’s to agents, publishers, or to readers as a self-published book is up to you. Anyone about to endeavor on that journey, no matter which path, always asks the same question: is this ready? Here are some ways you can determine the answer.
You Read It Through and Only Make Minor Changes Periods, commas, a semi-colon, deleting that semi-colon, minor spelling errors. These tiny changes are a sign you’re done editing. No book is perfect, and if you’re going the traditional publishing route, many more eyes will be on this, so don’t stress that comma. If you’re self-publishing, you can consider hiring a professional copy-editor to catch anything else you don’t in this stage. You’ve Fixed Problems Noted by Your Beta Readers Especially if they only offered minor suggestions, or you decided not to take their ideas of larger changes. Once you know other people have seen it and overall enjoyed it, you can be more confident sending it out. You Can’t Think of Anything Else to Change, but You Don’t Think It’s Good Enough If you and your beta readers don’t have more ideas for how to improve the book, may I suggest it’s because there’s nothing that needs improving? This state of mind is just you not feeling confident enough in your work. Take a deep breath, tell yourself it’s great, and move forward. If traditionally publishing, your future agent or editor may have suggestions you like and incorporate—but maybe they’ll like it just the way it is. You Want to Say it's Ready, but Feel Like You Need to Keep Editing for X Amount of Time or You’re Not a “Real Writer” This is called imposter syndrome. Everyone gets it at some point, and it’s the worst. There is no standard amount of time for you to take on edits as a writer. Yes, there are some general sentiments out there, like it should probably take you more than a few days, and anything over ten years raises questions. But honestly, any timeline is fine. Got a full-time job and only write for thirty minutes at night on a good day? Gonna take you a while. Furloughed from work with no kids but also financial stability and therefore have all the time in the world to write right now? You’ll probably move faster than you expect. Don’t feel like you have to toil and lament in order to be “real.” You wrote words, therefore you’re a real writer. Published or not. Take the time you need to edit, and if you’re done, you’re done. You Secretly Know You’re Done Editing, but You’re Scared of the Next Step There is no pressure to get published. Scared to share your work? Don’t. You don’t need to publish to be happy. If you finish your edits, you can walk away from the project. If you want to be published, you’ll have to swallow your fears and get some emotional-armor ready. Yes, publishing is full of rejections. From agents, from editors, from reviewers, from readers. It’s a lot of work no matter which path you take and thinking you could fail at something you’ve been dreaming of is scary. You’ll automatically fail by never trying. So, don’t sit in the editing stage, claiming to be fiddling with this or that in order to put off the inevitable. Go forward and query. Go forward and submit. Go forward and figure out self-publishing. Whatever it is you’ll do next, go do it. What other ways can you tell you’re ready to move on from the editing stages? Did these help you decide to take the next steps? Let’s discuss in the comments! This is from a hike near our new house. You can see why we moved. Photo by Kate Ota 2020 Wow what a hiatus! I’m back, folks! And to pay homage to the move I just made, here’s a post talking about a common theme in novels: moving! What do books get wrong? What can we learn from those mistakes? Let’s take a look!
Classically I think of YA or MG when I think of a novel with moving at the opening. (Twilight for example!) Teenager moves to new place, usually a small town, and starts school the next day. Except no. You do not move one day before school or work starts, that’s insanity. Not only is it not enough time for you to unpack and breathe, but you need time to register for school. Work can’t be the next day, you need time to go to the DMV and also go the Bed Bath and Beyond 8,000 times because you keep forgetting you need something. Please, don’t follow the advice of a thousand YA and MG novels. Give yourself—and your characters—a week, minimum! (But feel free to not write about that week if it’s not plot relevant, it could get boring watching the MC sit at the DMV.) Usually a character moves to town and meets tons of people the first few days, including their eventual BFFs and rivals. This might happen in school, but as an adult? It really depends on the place. I’ve lived in tons of apartments where I couldn’t name a single neighbor. But with our house, I met a few the first day we came to the house as owners. Friends in the Southern US said neighbors dropped by their new house and greeted them as they moved in, even helped lift furniture. (I will credit my current neighbors that they didn’t do this because we’re in the coronavirus pandemic and they’re responsibly social distancing.) This may be more of a Thing in small towns, and certainly is a small town trope in novels. In a big city, I don’t think this trope is as believable. Work to come up with more creative meet-cutes for your characters than someone greeting the new neighbor. It’ll make your work stand out in the crowd. Characters never mention the last box. Yes, the box that remains sort of packed because everything else got unpacked first and you have been able to avoid needing anything in that last box. It sits for months. Maybe a year. Until one day you have to break down and unpack it. The Incredibles mentioned this box, when Helen called Bob and let him know the last box was unpacked after two years in the house. I feel that scene in my bones. When we moved, we hadn’t yet unpacked that box from the last move. Oops. It’s that kind of little detail that stands out with the audience and makes the move believable and part of the story instead of a tropey plot opener. Plus, unpacking or organizing gives characters something to do while discussing more interesting, plot-relevant things. And nothing ups the drama of a fight like also being frustrated over not yet finding something important they swear they packed. A short post today, but hopefully you got some good tips. Maybe this opened your eyes to something that needs to change in your project. Or maybe I just reminded you about that box you still need to unpack. Let’s discuss in the comments! My cat, Clue, displaying his usual emotion: hungry. Photo by Kate Ota 2020 Overview
The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi is a resource book which lists entries for one hundred thirty emotions (in the second edition.) You choose an emotion, go to the entry, and read the definition and lists of physical signs and behaviors, internal sensations, mental responses, acute or long-term responses, signs the emotion is being suppressed, which emotions it can escalate or deescalate to, and associated power verbs. There is an introduction section explaining how to use it and some character development items to keep in mind. It’s part of a larger series of thesauruses by these authors, which includes the emotional wound thesaurus, the positive trait thesaurus, and more. My Experience I heard about this book from several sources, and debated buying it, since an emotion thesaurus sounded like a thesaurus with fewer words. I bought a physical copy from my local indie for $17.99 (plus tax and shipping because of COVID.) I was pleasantly surprised that it’s more of an encyclopedia than a traditional thesaurus. I’ve been using it mainly for its intended purpose: to better show, rather than tell, characters' emotions. Especially for characters who do not have a point of view. The list of physical signs and behaviors is my favorite and I’ve used something from it every time I’ve opened the book. I also used it to deepen my point of view characters by thinking about which emotions they have chronically through the plot. That’s when I love the long-term response section. I’ll definitely keep using this as I edit and for the next books I write. Is it Worth It? Yes! I was skeptical at first, but I highly recommend this for anyone who struggles to have their characters emote. If you’re in the planning stages, it’s also great for character development. It’s $17.98 on Bookshop (the multi-indie-bookstore website, check it out.) There’s a digital version too, though perhaps it's harder to navigate since it's not a traditional cover-to-cover read. I’m probably going to check out the other books in their series because I’ve loved this so much. Have you used The Emotion Thesaurus, or the other books in Ackerman and Puglisi’s series? Did you find it worth it? Have you found other similar books? Let’s discuss in the comments! Patterns of flower petals are beautiful and, more interestingly, consistent. Just like your characters should be. Photo by Kate Ota 2019 I recently began editing my latest WIP and have been reading editing books and consuming as much how-to-edit media as possible. I decided a fun blog series may be posting methods I've found that have made my editing process easier. First up: editing for character consistency. An online workshop hosted by the Mystery Writers of America- Pacific Northwest offered a character consistency sheet to use while editing. The example given in this (amazing!) workshop was nice, but didn’t cover most of what I need while editing. A few weeks ago, I mentioned working on character consistency using style sheets in Four Tips for Helping Your Writing Without Writing. So on a day I didn't feel like writing, and with inspiration from that workshop and some editing books, I made my own character consistency sheet. Feel free to use mine or make it your own too! Please note: this is NOT a character background sheet. I specifically left off things like their family, their hobbies, or their favorite anything. However, this can supplement or draw from a background sheet you’ve already made. The character consistency sheet is about what comes up frequently on the page—their dialogue quirks, what they look like, how emotional they are, and their narrative voice. Also keep in mind that different circumstances will make your character do or say different things. This is why the lines beside dialogue options are long. Maybe they greet friends with “Hey,” their boss with, “Hello”, and their grandmother with, “Good afternoon.” Sorry these aren't downloadable, I don't have the website capabilities for that just yet.
Did you like my character consistency sheet? What are you adding to your own? Let's discuss in the comments! My cat, Wilbur, semi-recreating the cover of Save The Cat! Writes a Novel. Photo by Kate Ota 2020 Overview
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody is a plot-focused writing craft book based on the popular screenwriting technique by the same name. The book has two major parts: the description of the Save the Cat! Plot structure, which has fifteen sections; and a description of ten major genres with required genre elements and examples of books in those genres with their own Save the Cat beat sheets. These genres are more specific than things like thriller, fantasy, etc. and in fact, cross those bookstore-shelf-genre lines. I got my paperback copy from a local indie bookstore for $17.99. My Experience I read the book over several days. I took the time to highlight main points and flag pages I knew I’d need later. Rather than write a new story from scratch, I used the book to analyze my current WIP. The beat sheet revealed I was missing a few key scenes, which is why my WIP felt rushed and too easy at the end. I also discovered that I’d subconsciously been doing some of the beat sheet elements, like the B-Story character. Every chapter felt helpful and relevant. Is It Worth It? The beat sheet for Save the Cat! Writes a Novel can be found online, I’ve even read it before. With explanations. But the book was so well written and organized that it made a huge difference in my understanding of the method. Having a physical copy to mark up and come back to during my edits (which I’ve done several times) has also been helpful. I don’t think I’d have gotten as much from the ebook version, and I normally only read ebooks, so that’s not me being snobby. Overall, was the book worth 17.99 (plus shipping because COVID)? YES! I highly recommend it for writers needing help with plotting, whether you’re a plotter who will use it before you start, or a pantser who will use it after your first draft is done. Have you read Save the Cat! Writes a Novel? Did you think it was worth it? Or maybe you have another writing book recommendation! Let’s discuss in the comments! A lovely waterfall in Rocky Mountain National Park. Remember when we could go outside and be with people and nature? Good times. Photo taken by Kate Ota 2011 As the global quarantine continues, I still hear from other writers that they can’t make themselves write. Everyone handles stress differently, and creativity shutting down is a common one. I wrote a post a few weeks ago about writing without inspiration, but if that doesn’t help, I’ve come up with ideas for how to improve your craft without writing. It’s not as good as writing, but it’s better than binging another Netflix show. (Except Nailed It! Love that one.)
1. Read a Craft Book It could be a book about plotting, like Save The Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. Or maybe you want a general writing guide, like Elements of Style by Strunk and White. Consider what feedback you’ve gotten from critique partners or alpha and beta readers and find a book to focus on your stories’ weakest aspects. Characterization, showing not telling, deep POV, connecting to readers, finding your unique voice, there’s craft books for every occasion. I recommend buying a physical copy (from your local indie bookstore who may be struggling right now!) so that you can mark it up. Highlighter, flags, notes in the margins, the works. Read, absorb, annotate, learn, and improve your craft without forcing yourself to a keyboard. 2. Listen to Writing Podcasts There are dozens of writing podcasts to choose from. There are those that focus on craft, like Writing Excuses, The Manuscript Academy, and Lit Service, to name a few of my favorites. These are often run by authors and feature literary agents or editors. Some are run totally by agents like Shipping and Handling, Print Run Podcast, KT Literary Podcast, and Literaticast. These cover the gambit from queries to writing advice to publishing-world news. Not to mention there are thousands of other podcasts and if your novel focuses on or features something you need to research, I guarantee there’s an episode (maybe a whole show!) about it. If you want to feel more social, there are also book club podcasts, like the one I contribute to: Judging More Than Just the Cover: Book Club. (We took a hiatus but we just recorded a new episode!) Podcasts are great to listen to around your house as you clean, exercise, or stare at the ceiling wondering if you have COVID-19 or just allergies. 3. Create a Style Sheet This is something I heard an editor talk about recently on a podcast. (Don’t ask me which one, I’ve listened to way too many.) She said editors make a style sheet that lists rules for the story with the goal of making sure it’s consistent. How names or made up words are spelled, the timeline of the novel (including times, days, seasons, etc.), the physical space the characters travel (and how long it takes to get from place to place), and character voices. The voices were the most intriguing part to me. There are rules for which character gets to say what and how, so their dialogue/internal narration doesn’t all sound like the same person (which it is because it’s the author, but you don’t want the reader to notice.) Writing Excuses Podcast suggested looking at varying character voice by altering the pacing (punctuation), accent (sentence structure and word choice), and attitude (how they feel/deliver the line and word choice again.) With this sheet in place, it will be easier to edit your story for character consistency, spelling consistency, and space/time logic. Your future self, whenever that self gets back to writing, will thank you! 4. Read Your Genre Ever struggled to come up with comp titles while querying? Now is the time to read books you suspect could be similar to yours, but you haven’t had time to read. If you’re struggling with ideas, ask your writing group, alpha or beta readers, or family what book your writing brings to mind. It could be based on plot elements, style, humor, or a similar audience. Really stuck? People ask for book recommendations on Twitter and get tons of responses, but make sure to be specific (e.g. rather than asking for sci-fi, ask for sci-fi set in a near future dystopia with a female MC.) You can always Google it, but be aware it may result in a lot of inaccurate matches. In normal times I would recommend asking your librarian or book seller. To adapt, maybe use email (if they offer it) or ask by tagging them on social media. Even if you don’t get a proper comp title out of the books you read, you’ll still become even more familiar with your genre, maybe discover a new author you like, or read a great new twist on a trope. It’s a win-win activity. Have you discovered a way of improving your writing without writing? Or maybe you’ve discovered another way to pass time during the shut-down? Let’s discuss in the comments! |
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