By Buck Dopp | November 09, 2011 at 12:56 PM EST | No Comments
The Oasis Journal 2011 is out from Imago Press in Tucson, Arizona. It is an anthology of short stories by emerging writers over fifty edited by Leila Joiner. You can order it from Amazon.com.
You should order this book because there is a great story in it that I wrote called "Smart Shopper." :-)
Let me know what you think. Keep writing, my friends!
By Buck Dopp | September 29, 2011 at 11:10 AM EDT | No Comments
Merriam-Webster's site is a good place to check that you're using the best word, it helps you find synonyms and defines words. I'm signed up for their word of the day which they email you in the a.m. Every writer should have this site as one of their favorites, it is so helpful.Check it out.
By Buck Dopp | September 25, 2011 at 01:57 PM EDT | No Comments
I value the critiques I receive on my writing and feel they contribute as much as anything else to my growth as a writer and the quality of my stories. Words of encouragement are very helpful to reinforce what is working, and just as important to me are the suggestions to correct writing that isn't working.
By Buck Dopp | September 21, 2011 at 12:42 PM EDT | No Comments
The Gettysburg Address is considered by many, the greatest American speech ever given. It was written and delivered by Abraham Lincoln to dedicate the cemetery to those who died in the battle. It is arguably the best speech Lincoln ever gave and he gave some good ones.
In only 278 words he summarized what the Civil War was about in only 10 sentences which took a little over two minutes to read. It's not how many words you use but that you use enough words to get your meaning across.
By Buck Dopp | September 10, 2011 at 05:14 PM EDT | No Comments
When you stop to think about it. If a person can write something that makes others laugh out loud, he or she is a pretty good writer. The ability to give laughter to others is a special gift to humanity.
By Buck Dopp | September 09, 2011 at 10:18 AM EDT | No Comments
I haven't seen a lot of movies this year but this week I saw "The Help." Larry Brooks deconstructed it on his blog storyfix.com and that is why I went to see it. I was enriched by the experience and recommend it for the following reasons:
It's about a writer or really about two writers. You can never go wrong when you're watching a movie about a writer. :)
It's story is good and truthful.
The series of incidents are presented without hyperbole. They make you feel deeply about the characters and by the end of the movie, they're your family.
I liked watching the way others viewed and talked about the writer. They say those things about a lot of us so you will be glad to see you're not alone in the kind of criticism you get.
Anyone who has ever written a memoir can relate to how much trouble a writer can get into by simply reporting the truth of what happened.
The main writer had to persistently pursue her book even though many obstacles were daunting.
She followed the instructions of her publisher to the tee and she got her book published.
By Buck Dopp | September 08, 2011 at 06:31 AM EDT | No Comments
The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it whotuit a pboerlm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
This is why proofreading is such a challenge. My wife told me when she worked for a publisher, during the final proof they read everything out loud.
By Buck Dopp | September 07, 2011 at 10:30 AM EDT | No Comments
"If you stick to all the rules you will write perfectly, but with a style that is boring and will never be read. Always show some flair and personality. Similes and metaphors are our best friends cuz they make things real and vivid for the reader."
--Jim Veary
Jim is a former chairman of the LHCWG and his critiques of my stories are frequently more interesting then my stories that he is commenting on. He reads stories thoroughly so he can comment in detail and also with genuine enthusiasm. He wrote this on one of my stories and it was so good I saved it and share it here.
By Buck Dopp | September 05, 2011 at 03:00 PM EDT | No Comments
The best way to make money with your writing is to not even think about making money by writing. Just write for the love of it. Write because it’s what writers have to do. Work to become a better writer every day. Commit to writing compelling stories that your readers will love because they are the best you can do. Money will invariably follow.
By Buck Dopp | August 29, 2011 at 07:33 AM EDT | No Comments
I seem to write more and write better when I make a brief list of what I want to write about, before I start writing. On my "good" writing days, that's what I do. If I don't get to jotting notes, I have mulled over in my mind what I want to write so I've at least made mental notes. Some days though, I look at pre-writing goals, or sketching of ideas on paper a subtle form of procrastination, so I abandon the "goal" tactic and just go straight to the "start writing something, anything" tactic. The strategic objective of both tactics is the same: to get me writing.
By Buck Dopp | August 28, 2011 at 02:06 PM EDT | No Comments
My cousin Susan Dopp is an accomplished artist. A few years ago Stephanie and I attended one of her art shows in New York. I looked at a particular painting and asked her how long it took her to paint. Susan thought for a minute and finally said, “All my life.”
Now that I’m concentrating on writing instead of managing people, to complete projects within budgets and deadlines, I understand what she was saying. It takes us the sum of our years to lay the foundation for what we are doing today.
So instead of saying this post took me five minutes to write, I’ll say, “It took me sixty years to write this blog for you.” I hope you find it of some value.
By Buck Dopp | August 26, 2011 at 05:33 PM EDT | No Comments
Steve Jobs is the co-creator of Apple. He also co-founded Pixar. Apple made him a billionaire and then Pixar made him a billionaire again.
So what does this have to do with writing?
Two things. His own writing style is clear, concise and straight forward. He just explains things that happened without exaggeration or metaphors. He uses adjectives and adverbs so sparingly that when he does they are memorable. One recent example is his letter to the Apple community resigning as CEO. The other one is the commencement speech he gave at Stanford University in 2005. I highly recommend that any serious writer read these two statements for clarity of content.
The second thing I want to mention comes from that commencement speech. He encourages the students to find what they "love." He never mentions money in that speech, only his passion and love for the work he wanted to do in his life.
For us, that love is writing. Paraphrasing what Mr. Jobs said, once you find that love, you just move forward with it trusting your gut. You can't connect the dots going forward but you can connect them when you look back at all the things that happen. Those moments when we are hit in the head with a brick that seem to ruin us; when we look back, they turn out to be the best medicine we could have had.
You can see the video of his speech by copying the link below to your browser. The speech is about 15 minutes and well worth your time. You can also Google the speech if you'd rather read it.
By Buck Dopp | August 25, 2011 at 11:41 AM EDT | No Comments
Words of wisdom for fellow writers from my friend Sharon Poppen when she was interviewed by Tracy Riva:
"Just sit down and write. Don’t worry about what others think. Don’t worry about editing. Don’t worry about publishing. Just get into your characters – picture them, feel them, smell them, taste them, hear them talk. Don’t worry about plot; make your characters so real that your reader will dread the last page of your book when they can no longer travel along with the character you have created, who has become like a friend/relative/enemy.”
--Sharon Poppen
To view the complete interview with Tracy, please click on the link below:
By Buck Dopp | August 24, 2011 at 12:09 PM EDT | No Comments
My friend Kelley Heckart shared a list of self-edit tips that have really helped improve my writing. Two things in particular stand out and are related: show the reader, don’t tell the reader, and eliminate “was.”
Now, after writing something, I do a “Find All” search for the word “was.” Then I re-write the description to let the reader see what it is instead of telling the reader what it is.
The first two paragraphs above are better than just telling you, “It was a good tip.” :) BD
By Buck Dopp | August 23, 2011 at 10:56 AM EDT | No Comments
My favorite rejection letter was really a post card from Sports Illustrated. I’m a subscriber to this venerable sports magazine and have been for many years. I always have dreamed of having a story published in SI. The story I submitted was one that I had revised so many times over a five year period that the story evolved into a different story from the original. It still holds my record for the most re-writes of a story. It’s a good story and I’m proud of it, but as the card politely explained, it didn’t fit with the editorial direction of SI at the time. The wording sounded like they did read it and gave it some consideration. I’ve kept the rejection card and it makes me feel good whenever I see it. It’s the next best thing to actually having the story published in SI, and I say to myself, “At least I tried.” BD
By Buck Dopp | August 22, 2011 at 10:53 AM EDT | No Comments
“No matter how great a writer you become, there will always be people who hate your writing. It’s just a fact.” That is a paraphrase from a lecture I heard a couple of years ago from an established writer. It got me thinking about that, ever since. That’s not to say we don’t want people to appreciate what we write, we do. In fact, while I love to write-and it is a passion that would propel me no matter what-an important part of it is the relating of ideas to readers. I’m not strictly writing for myself but for others who share my interests. I will find those interested readers and they will find me. I’m writing for them and for me. But it is unrealistic to expect everyone will love what I write because not everyone who knows me loves me either. So when I run across someone who hates my writing, I’m not shocked or discouraged. It is what it is. Doesn’t mean they’re dumb. Doesn’t mean I’m too stupid to get where they are coming from; it just means we’re different people. That’s okay. An important conclusion I’ve drawn from these thoughts is that helpful criticism from a “hater” if it is on target, is more valuable to me than praise from a “lover” of my writing.
By Buck Dopp | August 21, 2011 at 04:07 PM EDT | No Comments
It’s important to always be open to the suggestions and criticisms of others if we want to become good writers. It’ss also important to be true to ourself and to the vision of the story we want to tell. After all, it is OUR story, not theirs. But I’ve found that the more I let others review my writing and the more I incorporate their comments, the better my writing becomes. During the writing stage, we as writers make decisions. The options of how to say something are boundless. We may consider saying the same thing ten ways. When we’ve decided on how to say something and we share it with others, we sometimes find out that we were right the first time when we did it differently in a draft. Those whose critiques mean the most to me are from people who respect me and want to help me improve my writing. I always thank them. Still, the final call on how to say it us up to the writer.
By Buck Dopp | August 21, 2011 at 03:52 PM EDT | No Comments
I’m not only a lover of words but a lover of photographs and videos. All three have a lot in common and represent different ways to capture facts, images and truths about life that can be shared universally. What makes a photo album great, is the same thing that makes a video great, and the same thing that makes a piece of writing great: knowing what to delete. In photography, videography and writing what you are willing to delete is just as important as what you decide to keep. The ability and willingness to delete will go a long way in determining how good the finished product will be. If in doubt, leave it out.
By Buck Dopp | August 17, 2011 at 05:07 PM EDT | No Comments
A colleague once asked how I knew when a piece of writing was done. That’s a good question. I’ve asked myself that many times. I used to know a piece of writing was done when I could wake up in the morning, read it, and find nothing to change.I say “used to know,” because now, every time I re-read something I’ve written, I see something I need to fix.
For me, a piece is “done” when the deadline for submission has arrived. I have no choice but to call it done and submit it, potential flaws and all.
After something is published, there is finality to the project. I can feel like it’s done. By then, I don’t read my writing in the same way. I just try to enjoy what I have written. It may have mistakes that in my maturity as a writer I will notice later on, but at the time, it was the best I could do.
Besides, by that point, I’m just sick of re-writing it.
By Buck Dopp | July 02, 2011 at 11:44 AM EDT | No Comments
Fifty years ago today Ernest Hemingway, my favorite American writer shot himself to death in Ketchum, Idaho. He was dying of terminal cancer, couldn’t write, hunt, drink or do any of the things he loved so he saw no point in living. His father also committed suicide.
Quite by accident I stumbled on Hemingway when I picked up a first edition of For Whom the Bell Tolls and started reading it while on a Christmas vacation at the Rothwell’s farm in Brainerd, Minnesota in the sixties. It’s a great love story set in a war zone and shows the conflicts, fears and determination to succeed in all of us. It still remains one of my favorite three books by Hemingway. The other two are The Sun Also Rises and Death in the Afternoon.
I loved Death in the Afternoon for his analysis of bullfighting and all the great bull fighters of the day. He told us why they were great and about their distinctive styles. It reads almost like a Star or National Enquirer full of intimate gossipy details.
Old Man and the Sea is one of his most acclaimed works but I never cared much for it. Not enough action, slow, plodding and over-rated in my opinion. Critics read all this depth of existentialism and religious symbolism into it. I think it was just a good story about an old fisherman. Hemingway knew it would make people think but didn’t intend to make a bunch of philosophical or religious statements.
My own writing style has been influenced greatly by Hemingway. I like clear, concise prose that lets the reader feel the emotion instead of a writer telling the reader what he or she should feel. I know the big words but if I can do the job with the small ones more people will read and understand which is what it is all about. Rest in Peace, Mr. Hemingway. Thanks for inspiring me to become a writer
By Buck Dopp | June 22, 2011 at 12:32 PM EDT | No Comments
Every once in awhile, writers write what I call, a stinker.
I’ve written a couple of stinkers. Actually I’ve written many stinkers but I’m going to talk about only two of them here: “He Said, She Said” and “I Was the First.” They were dead on arrival and no matter how much I tried to fix them, I never could. There was an almost universal dislike for them by any and all who had the misfortune to read them.
The concept behind “He Said, She Said” was that a young couple needed to take their relationship to the next level and get married or to just break it off. They were both sharp looking people and the woman was getting older and wanted to settle down. He was afraid of commitment. (One of my versions of this was titled, “Commitment is a Four Letter Word,” and that didn’t help the story either.) The theme of the story was him answering every question or concern of his girl friend with a sports analogy or sports jargon. I thought it was hilarious but I was the only one who did.
My other stinker was “I Was the First.” The concept was based on a true story about the time I was the first guest to register at a newly renovated hotel in Boston. Millions had been poured into upgrading it and there were about three dozen eager staff waiting on me and a couple of other guests. My service was totally crappy, the room was dirty and the AC didn’t work. I loved the irony in this that millions had been poured into it and I still got bad service.It was one of the worst hotel stays I ever had.My love for this story and its idea drove me to many, many re-writes, hoping to find just the right fix for others to see the brilliant writing that I saw in it. It was so bad it was unfixable, sort just like the hotel.
I keep both stories for sentimental reasons although I’ve long given up on ever fixing them. They are a reminder that I need more than a snappy title, an interesting concept, pretty good dialogue and a theme to make a story. It needs a plot. I have to tell a story and there has to be a point to the story. Because I didn’t know where I wanted to take the readers, I took the readers over a bridge to nowhere. I should have passed out nose plugs which each copy of the story.
By Buck Dopp | June 02, 2011 at 09:07 AM EDT | No Comments
When I sit on the patio of my condo, I can look in three basic directions. If I look straight ahead, I see the Havasu Aquatic Center and Parking lot. There’s always something going on there and it’s fun to watch the people and cars. When I look to the left, I can see Highway 95 which to the left heads to LA, Las Vegas, Kingman, Flagstaff or Sedona. To the right, 95 heads south toward Parker, Yuma or Phoenix. My favorite view is to the right. I can see Lake Havasu, mountains and the California side of the Colorado River. All of these views can be seen from my patio, depending on where I position my chair.
Writing is like that too. The same story can be told a hundred different ways, depending on the point of view or as writers like to call it, the POV. I find some POV’s much more interesting to write about than others, so those decisions go into the story I’m telling.
When POV changes in a story, some find that disturbing to the flow of the story. It doesn’t bother me at all. If a couple are having a heated discussion, it’s nice to get inside his head for awhile and then in hers. I think when the reader can see everything from everyone’s POV in a story it is called omniscient. If you’re writing a crime story or want to build suspense for a thriller or romance, you may not want the reader to see all the main POV’s.
But I’ve noticed that whenever I write a long story, I like to give the reader the benefit of more than one perspective. Each person sees the same set of facts a little differently and I think that’s what makes people and stories so interesting.
By Buck Dopp | May 31, 2011 at 12:59 PM EDT | No Comments
“The most important thing to me was to tell stories.” Dick Ebersol was quoted recently by Joe Posnanski in a recent Sports Illustrated piece called “End of the Story.” Mr. Ebersol produced 8 of the top 10 most watched events in U.S. television history and cocreated Saturday Night Live with Lorne Michaels and has been awarded a couple dozen Emmys. He resigned last week as Chairman of NBC Sports after 22 years.
He learned from Sports pioneer Roone Arledge to tell stories to “give them a reason beyond the score to care about players and coaches.” Mr. Ebersol has brought the Olympics to television viewers and that theme of telling the back stories about the athletes and games became a hallmark of the Olympic coverage he produced.
I admit that I care about the players and coaches, and how they prepare, compete, and live their lives, as much as I care about who wins a game, or what the score is. I love sports but to me the score or who wins the game isn’t as important as studying the athletes and the dynamics involved in teamwork and competition. I even applied the lessons I learned in my business career and non-profit ventures.
A good story grips your reader whether the person is a sports junkie, news maven, rock and roll fan or religious zealot.
If I can tell a good story, in a fresh way, I know I’ll find an audience for it.
BD
By Buck Dopp | May 16, 2011 at 01:22 PM EDT | No Comments
A very nice woman came to our table this weekend at the KABAM Festival in Kingman, Arizona with her three young sons. I asked the boys, "Are you all readers?"
They all replied proudly, "Yes!"
Then I asked, "Are any of you writers?"
The mother pointed at the young man in the center and said, "This one's the writer." Her son stood up a little straighter when she said that. Then, pointing to a son to my left, "He's a story teller."
I turned to that son and said, "Then you're also a writer. Being a writer is nothing more than telling stories." He smiled and so did his mother. Don Hewitt, was recognized as the father of modern television news and the creator of the medium's most successful broadcast, "60 Minutes." I will always remember what Mr. Hewitt said, " I can summarize '60 Minutes' in four words: tell me a story."
Whether the writing is to entertain, give information or simply to help others, it comes down to telling a good story.
By Buck Dopp | May 12, 2011 at 04:38 PM EDT | No Comments
Abbott and Costello did one of the classic comedy bits of all time which is called, "Who's On First." If you haven't seen it yet, you should check it out on YouTube, you have a lot of versions to choose from. The premise is that Bud Abbott has a baseball team and tells Lou Costello about it. Lou wants to know the names of the players on the team in case he joins up. They open it with variations of this general idea.
When Bud lists the names of the players and the positions they play, the fun begins. "Who is on first, What is on second and I Don't Know is on third." They spend about seven minutes trying to straighten out who the players are and it's hilarious.
For a writer, one of the first things to consider is Who you are writing the piece for. Are you writing it for yourself? Are you writing it for victims of a certain crime? Are you writing it for your fans who love what you've done in the past?
Any story could be told in a number of different ways depending on who your audience is. If I'm writing a memoir, I need to know if I am writing for just my family or for a general audience. It makes a big difference. The facts are the facts but the style, the point of view, and many other technical aspects of your story will change once you determine who you are writing for.
This blog is written for my fellow writers, not for my family, or even my friends. It is written for all of you, who like me, are trying to write something and do it well.
When I write Flash Fiction for the Havasu Writers Group, our 250 word assignment each month, I'm thinking of them and how they would most enjoy it to be written. I think of Grace, Vivien, Jim, Lane, and Gabrielle and all the rest. Some of those stories may never work for a general audience but I know they will work for the Writers Group...for most of them anyway.
I also think that a good story, is a good story, is a good story. Which means that, even though I might be writing it for a certain audience, if it is good enough, other audiences will appreciate and enjoy the general truths they see in it. But that's icing on the cake and not guaranteed.
So when I sit down to write, one of the very first questions I ask myself is, "Who am I writing this for?"
By Buck Dopp | March 30, 2011 at 09:40 AM EDT | No Comments
After writing I feel so good but drained. One of the best ways I find inspiration to write again is to read something. Reading introduces me to new ideas and information that makes my writing better. I call reading, "filling myself back up with words." Reading is also a refreshing time out from my own thoughts. Sometimes we even need a break from ourselves. :)
By Buck Dopp | March 29, 2011 at 08:45 AM EDT | No Comments
This is one of those days. This day, which has so many responsibilities to handle, will be crowding out my writing time. I have some work to do on my taxes, a commitment to a social event and business issues to handle. Not only those things, but I have a pile of stories to critique for my writers group meeting on Saturday. So as I look out into the early light of day my first thought was, "I'm not going to get much writing done today, I can see that right now."
But I caught myself when I started thinking this way and answered with, " But I can still write, even though I don't have time to write."
How? Writing is writing. I can still improve my writing skills even though I may not be able to make the time to work on a novel, short story or memoir. I can write a clear concise email to my CPA that accompanies my financial documentation. I can write a brief but special thank you card ahead of time for the social event. I can write in this blog. I can post on Facebook. I can answer my emails with humor and heart. I can practice making pithy and clever comments on the stories I critique today.
Writing is writing.
The day to day, "mundane" activities that we think keep us from working on our future best selling novel can actually be opportunities to sharpen our vocabulary, grammar and other writing tools. We might also meet a character to include in our novel. Well, anyway, that's my plan. I will approach this day, which doesn't appear to be giving me any time to write,with an attitude that says I will "write my way through the day anyway!"
By Buck Dopp | March 26, 2011 at 08:52 AM EDT | No Comments
Did you ever notice how newscasters use some startling statement or question and then, instead of telling you the punchline they go to a commercial?
They say something like, "Did you know that your nest egg will be depleted long before you retire? And also coming up, your kids may be in serious danger of a major health risk. Stay tuned we'll be right back after these messages."
It's downright aggravating but it works. We sit through the commercials to find out what they're talking about. Instead of the story we hoped to see, some guy is selling is gold.
In the television business this is called a tease and the pros know how to use one to combat our short attention spans. Those teases before the commerical break tend to compel us to keep our trigger finger off of that remote control so some attractive person can sell us something.
Writers need to do the same thing to get our readers to stick around long enough for us to tell them our story. That's why that opening sentence or paragraph can make or break your story. If you can say something to hook your reader in, you've got it made after that. Your title and opening sentence may be the most important words you write because they will help your reader decide whether or not to continue.
Don't start at the beginning of your story, that's usually a quiet and boring place. Start in the middle of your story or even close to the end. Don't make them wait too long to see what's at stake for your characters or the readers may not be around to find out.
By Buck Dopp | March 25, 2011 at 12:55 PM EDT | No Comments
What I mean here by a name is the title of your writing not the name of your character. Your title will be the first words read by your readers and their first impression of your work. A good title to a story can set the hook in a reader the way a bass fisherman can set the hook in a bass. Those words in the title may even be your only chance to get the reader to read the rest of your words. Make your titles so compelling that readers just can't stop until they read the words that follow.
Your title gives your reader the first sign post on his journey into you world. Your title gives the first clue as to what's ahead and sets the tone for the rest of the piece. Even an ironic title, while at first misleading, will help set up the reader for the point you will be making. There are no more important words in your story than those you choose for your title.
Always use titles on rough drafts, even though you may change them later. Titles will even help you as the writer to stay focused on your theme and plot. If stories are the children of a writer, titles are their names. Just as you introduce your children and friends to others by name, your story title is the way you introduce it to your readers.
I'll close with one of my favorite titles which tells the reader about the subject, the author and the tone of the piece, all in ten words.
By Buck Dopp | March 23, 2011 at 10:09 AM EDT | No Comments
The best time to write is whenever you have the time to write and feel like writing. It is different for everyone and much depends on what kind of schedule your work or family has dictated. I know people who never get cranked up to write until about midnight. I used to be one of them when I was at college age.
As my working life required more of my time and schedule, being on a 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. for most of my career, I had to go to bed earlier. Mornings by default became my best writing times. The kids and Steph were asleep, I had no interruptions. But by nature, I'm not a morning person, it is just what I had to do to find time to write.
Now my best time is in the morning. If I don't write in the morning, I usually don't write at all. I need at least a half hour and two cups of coffee to wake up, then I'm ready to go. My mind is fresh and clear and full of ideas.
I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and think of something that I need to put in my story in the morning. Sometimes a great name for a character comes to mind. A good title and a good name for your character can really help you tell your story.
One of my characters has a name I love: Skinny Post. That just says everything about this western pool shark. That one came in the middle of the night. I heard the term years ago from the boys' football coach because it is a pattern a wide receiver runs in football toward the goal post. But for me, and my readers, Skinny Post will always be a western pool shark and an eclectic dresser.
I write this blog in the mornings too, before I work on my stories. It's a nice warm up. The important thing is not when you write but that you write.
By Buck Dopp | March 22, 2011 at 12:23 PM EDT | No Comments
I’m learning that the blue print for making the most of writing time is to jot down a few ideas first of what I want to accomplish.They are like little objectives to my overall goal. Larry Brooks from StoryFix.com calls it a beat sheet. It doesn’t have to be too detailed but having some notes has been helpful so that I get right at the task at hand. The note might be as simple as, “ Jim confronts Kathy about her comment.”
A lot of writers wait to get inspired and write by “the seat of their pants” as Mr. Brooks says. They enjoy the discovery of letting their characters dictate the plot, dialogue and direction of the story. We all do that to some extent when the right brain, the creative side is just on a roll and going to town. Get out of the way and let it help you put your ideas and thoughts on paper.
Lately I've been thinking that by doing this I do waste a lot of time and words. I think that's because I can lose focus on the big picture of what I'm trying to write about.
A builder would never think of building a house only as thoughts come into his mind. He starts with a blue print, usually created by a professional architect to visualize where things go, what materials to buy and the scope of the project. Even a handyman or do it yourself fixer upper will sketch something or makes some notes on what he's trying to accomplish. This saves time and money and helps to insure he achieves what he set out to do.
Most trips and vacations start with a map of some kind. This helps us to get where we’re going with the least time and money expended. It also makes sure we see the things we really want to see.
The principle of writing an outline or beat sheet before writing has similar benefits to looking at a road map before taking a trip and looking at a blue print before building a house. We need a goal, a strategy, a plan.
The same can apply to writing. I tested this out last week. The night before I was going to write I made a brief outline of the 7 incidents that I wanted to write about that would move my story along and develop my characters. In the morning when I started writing, I just took them right in the order I wrote them down the previous night: one right after another without too much thought. The words just flowed out and before I knew it, I had written 1782 words in a relatively short time. Of course I needed to re-write some of it later but what I learned was that by doing this I spent more time actually writing.
Sometimes I just write when I feel like it and let the words come. But my creativity doesn’t always work that way and having a blueprint for my project, keeps me on the right track, makes the most of my writing time and helps me avoid wasted effort. That's what's on my mind today.
BD
By Buck Dopp | March 17, 2011 at 09:12 AM EDT | No Comments
"All rough drafts are crap." That pearl of wisdom was shared with me in passing by Donald R. Snedeker who wrote a brilliant and scholarly work entitled, "Our Heavenly Father Has No Equals." Don completed that book while working the front desk of the dance studio owned by he and his wife. When I read the book, I imagined him looking up from his text to the counter where a little girl in a tutu and her Mom were coming in for class and to make a payment. Amazing. Proves you can write anywhere and anytime if you make up your mind to do it. Anyway, he made that comment in passing while we were actually talking about something other than writing. It hit me like a ton of bricks. If my writing looks like crap it is because I haven't fine tuned it, shaped it and put the finishing touches on it. I was always in such a hurry to get a letter, email or essay out that they were filled with mistakes and didn't really say what I wanted them to say. Now I write fairly fast but I go over and over and over them, catching things I missed with each new revision. I sleep on everything I write and it has made a difference. Like a painter, the work isn't finished until the last coat is put on.
By Buck Dopp | March 16, 2011 at 11:38 AM EDT | No Comments
You gotta write it down. That's the advice a published author shared with me one time and it made sense at the time. He told me to carry around a note pad and when I got a writing idea to make sure I wrote it down so I wouldn't forget the idea, phrase or word. I shoulda done that when I started this blog. I had the first three done in my head. Then I messed up this space and had to get help from my administrator. That was several weeks ago. Now I can't remember what the second and third blogs were going to be. My Mom used to say, "if it's important, you'll remember it eventually." She wasn't talking about writing but I think it applies. Those two other blogs are kicking around in my brain somewhere. If they are worth writing, they'll come out sometime.
By Buck Dopp | February 24, 2011 at 07:29 PM EST | No Comments
I have two strategies for getting my writing done. The first is to make an outline and plan everything ahead that I want to write about and the purpose of the piece I am writing. The second strategy I use is to wait until the last minute through sheer lack of discipline and procrastination when I can count on the efficiency and inspiration that comes from abject fear that if I don't write something NOW, I'll miss the deadline. I seem to be employing the latter strategy tonight for the piece I hope to write in time for the Thursday night reading at Denny's with the Havasu Writer's Group. Wish me luck. :)
