I 8 Mondays--Best Writing Advice

There was a time when I used to 8 Wednesdays. For the next couple weeks I’m going to 8 Mondays.

Today I’m hitting you with 8 of the best pieces of writing advice I’ve ever received (quick recall so I likely neglect to mention at least a dozen others…always another post for another Monday). I’m taking the advice I learned and serving it to you Wendy-style (which basically just means giving it to you topped off with my own experience).

Give every character a secret

I don’t remember exactly where this one came from, but it sounds like a Donald Maass tip to me. Constructing novels with this in mind has done wonders to ramp up the intrigue factor in my books. It invites twists in my stories in unexpected and plot-developing places. Secrets = gold for whenever you need more tension.

Sleep on it

It’s imperative to give your story time. Think of your ideas like old school Chia pets. They need time to grow (some more than others). I’ve lost track of how many times I thought I had a story wrapped up and one long soak in the tub or one sleepless night later I’m toying with a whole new spin. Not thinking days or weeks even on this one. Try months or years even.

Motivation is king

Always know why your character chooses to make an important decision. Take copious notes. Study your characters the same way you memorized everything about your significant other in the early stages of the relationship when you’d do anything to prove how in love you were.

Don’t be married to being a plotter or pantser

I used to be a pantser. But I’ve come over to the dark side. Or should I say the partially lit side. I’m both now. I plot and I pants. And I can tap my head and rub my belly at the same time. There are valid points about writing a novel using each of these methods. Get to know what they are. Experiment with both. (Plotters, it won’t kill you.)

Make every sentence work to further the plot

Don’t waste words.

Start in the center of it all

Don’t build up to your start. Invite the reader straight into the center of the action. There’s time to explain. And if you’re a seasoned writer, you’ll find a way to incorporate setting and character introductions skillfully as you throw your readers in the ring.

Theme meet Character, Character meet Theme

Know how the theme of your story influences every single character. Work it. Work it.

Create a satisfying ending

while leaving the reader longing for more.

I’ve read dozens of books on the craft. I’ve also written thirteen novels, and I don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. I can honestly say the above 8 are the nuggets of advice I keep coming back to. They’re my compass, navigating me through the sometimes rocky terrain of completing a work. Hope they help!

*Another helpful resource. 

The Art of Connecting Thoughts

While reading through a book titled 8000 You Should Know yesterday I came across this:

“Dhows are wooden Arab boats that have been used in the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean for thousands of years. In the past dhows were made, not by nailing planks of wood together, but by sewing them with coconut fibre. Dhow builders rarely work from plans. They judge entirely by eye and experience. Dhows traditionally had lateen sails—triangular sails in line with the boat. This allows them to sail almost into the wind.” (bold mine)

When I put the book down bottle rockets went off in my brain. My synapses danced. Do you see it? Well, of course not because I haven’t made the connection for you yet. But I saw it sure as the sun rising in the sky reminding us of a new day.

Dhow builders epitomize the methods of a pantser.

They sew the boat together. They don’t nail it together, using forceful step by step plot techniques to guide them. They sew. Then get this…they rarely work from plans (wow, are the plotters out there about ready to faint now, or what?). Here’s the kicker, dhow builders trust their eye and their experience to get them through the process. And dhows have been around for “thousands of years.”

So what’s the takeaway other than my mind tends to be on steroids when it comes to drawing parallels? As writers, when we see something like this it’s worth it not to ignore it. Take notes. Craft an analogy that makes sense for the reader. Truncate the details. Test it. Some will work, some won’t. That’s what rough drafts are all about—freeing the mind to step out of its comfort zone.

Opening your mind to see (really see) connections is one of the best ways to remedy clichés from cropping up in your work.

To quote a well-known song from the 90s, “Free your mind and the rest will follow…”

Do you enjoy when your brain synergizes unique ideas and concepts? What keeps you from attempting analogies in your work?



*photo by flickr