Writing

Perks of Plotting

~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this lovely Wednesday? Things here are about the same as usual. The dumpster fire is at a constant simmer with random public flare ups whenever the administration wants to distract us from whatever evil they’re working on that particular day. Trying to destroy the budget? Oops, the public is getting interested. Let’s turn the protests in LA into riots and activate the Coast Guard then immediately send in the Marines! Ugh. Anyway. I’m not here to rant. I’m just here to talk about writing. If you’ve been following along, you should know I tend to be a pantser when it comes to writing. I hate outlining. It feels too restrictive to me. But apparently plotting has some perks! So, I’m going to ramble about that today.

I’ve been feeling like writing lately, so I decided to pull out the Unnamed Cozy Mystery (UCM) and try getting back into it. Since I’m usually a pantser, my main concern was that I wouldn’t have any clue where I was planning to go with it, but I had approached this novel differently when I started it. I did a beat sheet for it (go read Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder or any of the Save the Cat! Writes a… Novel interpretations if you don’t know what that is). It’s a vague and messy beat sheet, but it’s mine and I understand it. And boy howdy did it save me a lot of stress. I wrote 1,100 words on Monday with no problem other than the usual “did I use that super common word that I use every day right?” or “is that one word or is it hyphenated?” etc. crap.

My favorite part is that I even included page numbers of where specific stuff is supposed to be given the length I’m aiming for in this novel. But that sounds super restrictive! It’s not, though. It’s just a reminder that those beats will most likely fall somewhere around that point. It doesn’t have to be perfect. If it’s too far off, the book length either needs to be rethought or my pacing is too wonky. This is just the first draft, so it’s not something I’m adjusting for right now, but if I ever finish the book, it’ll help me make decisions during the editing process. For now, it’s all just helpful reminders of what direction I was planning on going when I came up with the story.

As far as the actual story goes, I have a few beats that are super clear because those were the triggering ideas for this book, but most of them are like “Rainn and her cohorts track down loose ends and question suspects, crossing people off their list left and right. Meanwhile, renovations begin on the hotel and outbuildings.” which is meant to take up about 80 pages. This makes the pantser in me happy because it allows the story to grow organically with pretty minimal directions.

Anyway, I’m enjoying the structure I built for writing this story despite preferring to wing it most of the time. Let’s see if I can keep it up. Have you tried a beat sheet before? How detailed do you get? As always, feel free to share your thoughts and questions here or on my social media pages!

Bad Writer

~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! How’s everyone doing this wonderful Wednesday? Things here are quietly terrifying. Nothing is particularly bad for me currently, but we’re still in a dystopian horror story, so I can’t feel anything near calm. Anyway, as you well know, I’ve been a horrible writer for a long time now. A couple of short stories and random scribblings over the past couple of years do not a writer make. I’ve tried different things to get back into it, but I’ve failed repeatedly. I don’t really know why. I’m just lazy is what I keep telling myself. Writer’s block is a bitch. I just need time after so many rejections. Etc. But how do I fix this? How do I fix me?

I’m not just lazy. I know I’m generally a lazy person, but not when it comes to work. I went through something similar with reading when I was younger. I spent a few years voraciously reading everything, then one day I just stopped. I had no problem completing reading assignments for school, but whenever I picked up a book for fun, I couldn’t do it. Over the span of like 5+ years, I only read a handful of books for fun. Then, I randomly got back into reading. I don’t read anywhere near as much as I did, but I still read at least 20 minutes a day for fun on top of the time I spend reading for the monthly reviews. I don’t hesitate to write letters or stuff when I need to, so I know it’s not laziness. I don’t think it’s burnout either. I don’t know what it is.

I also know it’s not writer’s block. I know what I want to write and I’m not even opposed to doing it on most days. It’s like my brain prioritizes the book review reading and won’t let me write until I read, but then doesn’t want to write so late in the day. It’s more like self-sabotage than writer’s block. I suppose I really need to decide on a schedule and stick to it, but it’s hard.

Needing time after all the rejections is a good excuse, but I know it’s not really a factor at this point. Maybe the first six months or so it was. I’m not that sensitive, but hundreds of rejections (granted there were some really nice ones in there) with only a few acceptances is bound to get anyone down and questioning their life choices. But when does it become too much time? I’m well beyond that point and I know it.

Anyway, enough rambling. All I really wanted to say was that I opened the file of the book I’ve been thinking of getting back to and I had one of those moments. You know the one. That “Where’s the rest? Fuck… I have to write it…” moment. I’m not promising I’ll write it, but it was a nice feeling and I have been fiddling with the outline to update it.

Mindless Games as Productivity Tools Follow Up

~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! How’s everyone doing this wonderful Wednesday? Things here are about the same as they’ve been. Not great, but it could be worse. I’m getting a late start on this post because I had a meeting with my case manager and another team member about the government crap. Ugh. But anyway, that just means I’m tired and not really into blogging today, so this will be short. Yay! I suppose I’ll ramble about the fact that I wrote words on Monday! Only about 400, but I did the thing. I also did it while playing my mindless games. A few posts ago, I mentioned that the mindless games have actually helped with my reading productivity, so I thought I would try it with writing. Does it work?

Honestly, I’m not entirely sure yet. It took a long time for me to actually bring myself to start writing because I started a new short story, so the page was blank. Well, not technically blank. I always throw in the header with my contact info and word count like it’s ready to submit, plus a throwaway title and my byline. Sometimes, that’s enough to trick my brain into thinking the story is already in progress. But most of the time, I suffer from blank page paralysis. That first sentence is just so much pressure. And it doesn’t help that I’m the type who has to start at the beginning. I can’t just jump to a random scene then go back and fill stuff in. That’s just not how my brain works.

But once I got started, the system seemed to work. I’d set up a battle, write while it played out, then eventually set up another battle, and somehow at the end of the night, I had 400 words. I even stopped to eat dinner and watch some tv, then started up again with no problem. That’s super rare for me. I usually just cram in the words and when it’s dinner time, it all gets shut down and stowed away for another day. So, even though it’s only been one day, I’m kind of hopeful for this system. I even got my reading done that day. We’ll see if I can keep it up. Any words are better than none, so I’m trying not to focus on a specific word count yet. I’ll add that in later if this system keeps working.

What kind of stuff helps you write when you just aren’t feeling it? As always, feel free to share your thoughts and comments and questions here or on my social media pages!

One Last Reminder

~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this wonderful Wednesday? I don’t have anything to blog about. I’m putting together a grocery order, playing mindless games, and Dad’s spring cleaning the spare room. The doggos are being doggos. That’s life. But! I wanted to take a second to remind you that the Kickstarter for Phantoms from the Sky ends on Friday (the 10th)! The support thus far has been fabulous. Thank you if you’ve donated or helped promote the project with shares and mentions. If you’ve been putting it off, now’s the time to spread the word! Thank you!

Phantoms from the Sky: Kickstarter Update

~ shawnaborman ~ 2 Comments

Howdy, howdy! This is just a quick post to let you know that the Kickstarter for Phantoms from the Sky goes live today! Just click the link above to check it out. Every mention, share, and (of course) donation helps. Here’s a pretty picture and blurb to make your time looking at this post worth it.

The truth is closer than you think. Brace yourself for a collection of short fiction that will challenge your perceptions and leave you questioning the boundaries of our reality. In these fourteen tales from acclaimed and emerging authors, the veil between Earth and the cosmos is lifted through awe-inspiring visitations by enigmatic beings from beyond. 

From the heart-pounding excitement of close encounters with unidentified flying objects to contemplative reflections on humanity’s place in the universe, these stories will transport you to uncharted realms where the ordinary communes with the extraordinary. Phantoms from the Sky showcases a diverse array of voices, each contributing a unique and riveting account of extraterrestrial contact. Journey along as characters grapple with the unknown, witness the wonder of cosmic exploration, and confront profound questions about humanity’s past and future. 

Whether you’re a seasoned science fiction enthusiast or a newcomer to the genre, this collection promises an unforgettable literary odyssey. With each turn of the page, you’ll feel the inexorable pull of the stars, experience the thrill of discovery, and face the terror of the unexplained.

Phantoms from the Sky: Shameless Self-Promotion

~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this first Wednesday of March? Things here are good. If you stalk me on social media and saw the cover release a few days ago, you were probably expecting this. Shameless self-promotion time! Remember that anthology from Rogue Owl Press that I mentioned back in February? It has a title and a cover and a pre-launch page for the Kickstarter! It’s called Phantoms from the Sky and the Kickstarter officially starts on March 27th, but if you go to the link above and sign up to be notified on launch, I’d really appreciate it. Following the project helps a lot.

I think that’s everything for this week. Please follow the pre-launch page if you can and expect more shameless self-promotion regarding this anthology in the near future!

Time for Some Shameless Self-Promotion

~ shawnaborman ~ 1 Comment

Howdy, howdy! It’s that time again. Time for some shameless self-promotion. If you stalk me on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram, you already know, but just in case. My short story, The Water Horse, is out today in Dark Cheer: Cryptids Emerging Volume Silver. You can purchase it from Improbable Press, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble to name a few places. Please do check it out and leave reviews if possible! Until next week.

Out of Order

~ shawnaborman ~ 2 Comments

Howdy, howdy! It’s the first Wednesday of a new year. How is everyone doing so far? Is 2022 going to be your year? I basically just want to survive it without getting sick, same as the last two years. But I also want to start being productive again. I failed hard in 2021 with everything except reading and blogging. It’s officially time to suck it up and get back on track. I started writing again this week. I’m not diving back into my old standards, but I’m going to work my way up to them. Same schedule, just starting out with a lower word count. But as I was writing words this week, it got me thinking about my writing system.

I started working on one of the stories I began last year and gave up on. I always knew the beginning and I know the ending, my problem is connecting the two. But what I really noticed when I opened the file is that I never wrote the ending out. I couldn’t. I can’t. The idea of writing a story out of order makes my eye twitch. I don’t mean a story has to be linear. I have no problem jumping around timelines. But I have to start at the beginning and work my way to the end. Writing random scenes and pasting them together makes me feel icky. It’s kind of ridiculous.

One of the stories I gave up on last year flips back and forth between the present and the past. In my head, I had every present scene plotted out, but I didn’t write them down because I couldn’t work out the past bits that alternated with them. I don’t know why I’m like this. It’s not like it’s difficult to skip around and insert scenes wherever I want. I use Word. All I have to do is move the cursor. It’s not like I’m writing this stuff out by hand or even using a typewriter. I should be capable of doing this.

So many other writers I know actually enjoy writing scenes and putting them together like a puzzle. It sounds so freeing. Don’t know what to write? Skip ahead! Or go back to something else you skipped. Easy peasy. But no. I have to make my life difficult. Am I worried I’ll forget to include something? Nah. I’d be one of those people who put a giant boldly colored note to “insert scene here” or something. I’m probably just super anal. Definitely. I like control and order when I write, maybe some organized chaos. But not sheer mayhem.

What about you? Do you have to write a story in a certain order or do you jump all around? Were you one, then you became the other? Or do you mix it up and write both ways? Do you have any advice for becoming someone who can work out of order? As usual, feel free to leave your thoughts or comments or questions here or on my social media pages!

Standalones Vs. Series

~ shawnaborman ~ 2 Comments

Hello, hello! How’s everyone doing this bright and beautiful day? Things here are pretty annoying. WordPress seems to have tinkered with its editor, so now the text appears super tiny unless I zoom my screen in, but the preview for the final post looks perfectly normal. We’ll see. It also froze and lost the entire paragraph I just wrote despite supposedly autosaving it. It’s nowhere to be found. That’s always fun. Otherwise, things are good. Dad, the neighbor, and I are scheduled for our Covid boosters tomorrow. We got appointments at our preferred pharmacy, so we don’t have to run all over town. It’s been a pretty painless process so far. Hopefully the actual appointments will be just as easy. But that’s not what I want to talk about. Today, I’m here to ramble about standalone books versus series and which I prefer as a reader versus as a writer.

Me when I lost my supposedly saved work.

As a reader, I’m not usually picky about whether something is a series or a standalone. Series tend to offer better chances for character development and a deeper plot, but they also run the risk of dragging things out. I love getting to know the characters over multiple books and seeing how they grow, who gets redemption arcs and who doesn’t, etc. Series also provide a chance for world building that you don’t get so much of in standalones. They’re more immersive a lot of the time. Not always, but often. The biggest drawback of reading a series (for me) is that I feel compelled to finish them even if I don’t particularly like them. It’s like I haven’t given them a fair chance if I haven’t read everything. I know that’s ridiculous. And I have plenty of series that I gave up on, but it still feels awkward to me. Now, if I love a series, the hardest part is the wait between books. I try to find series that are completed or close to it, but sometimes it doesn’t work out. The waiting is the worst.

Standalones also have a lot to offer. They can be quick, fun reads, but they can also be in-depth and wonderful. On the other hand, a lot of them feel thin to me, lacking in the plot or the character development or both. It just depends on the book. I also think some genres lend themselves better to standalones than others. Horror, yes. Epic fantasy, not so much (but there are some gems). And some genres dance around the line between standalones and series like it doesn’t exist. Cozy mysteries. Most of those series are written as multiple standalone books, so even new readers can pick up any book in the series and not be lost. But from a reader’s perspective, as long as I like the story and the characters, I’ll read anything. Series or standalone.

Reading-wise. Get your mind out of the gutter.

As a writer, standalone novels are hard. I don’t think I’ve ever finished one. Short stories and stuff like that, I can do. The last standalone novel I tried to write decided it wanted to be a trilogy. I haven’t finished it (book one still needs major edits before I can even vaguely plot out book two), but the plot is too much for one book. I can’t find a middle ground between short story and multiple books. It’s really weird. I’d love to be able to write standalones, but for now, my brain is stuck in series mode. Maybe I’ll find a way one day, but today is not that day.

Ah well.

What about you? What do you prefer to read, standalones or series? Why? If you write, which do you gravitate towards? As always, feel free to leave your thoughts or comments or questions here or on my social media pages! See you next week for my monthly book review.