NaNoWriMo 2010: The Prompts

Writing 50,000 words is intimidating, whether you're writing a novel or interconnected short stories. Heck, it's intimidating if you're writing a grocery list. And when writing short stories you might be starting from scratch daily, or more than daily. This is why I plan have to use a series of prompts as the month goes by. And I'm going to post the prompts here because they might be useful for other writers.

The prompts won't be just for short stories. They're general enough that they may be bent to any kind of NaNoWriMo or non-NaNoWriMo project.

Monday - Field Trips
Every week I plan to head to a location and seek out a story. Either by people-watching, visiting museums or art exhibits or just reflecting on my own experience, these field trips are an attempt to keep my mind from getting stressed and stuffy. These trips could be interpreted specifically, ie. Victoria Train Station, or taken very broadly, ie. "some kind of public transport station." I'll make sure they're easy to do no matter where you are.

Tuesday - Reunions
I want to revisit old characters. Taken from other stories and novels I've written, these will be people I want to write again, people with a backstory or a future I'm interested in telling. I recommend choosing your own characters to revisit, but I'll also put a quick character sketch up every week as a prompt for those who might be stuck. It'd make me very happy to find out one of my characters made it into someone else's NaNoWriMo novel!

Wednesday - Photos
I will pick a photo from flickr and use it to inspire a story. I'll post the photos here. It'll be fun to find out how different our stories can be from the same photo.

Thursday - Genres
I love writing Mysteries, but just the thought of other genres like Science Fiction or Western can inspire new ideas, particularly if I mix that with a revisited character. I'll post which genre or genres I'm trying in case someone else wants to give it a go.

Friday - Settings
Every week I'll post a new place, whether it's a specific country or city, or just a general type of setting, like "Beach House." A story could take place there, a character could reference it, or it could be adapted into another field trip (if you're lucky enough to live on the beach!)

On the weekend you're on your own. But I recommend the NaNoWriMo Adoption Society forum where you can find characters, opening and ending lines, dialogue, and all sorts of other bits of stories to use in your writing.

There's nothing to say that any of these prompts must be used, even by me, the person creating them. I might cheat every day of the week. But I'm determined to keep brainstorming so I have no excuse for giving up my short story marathon.

Good luck with whatever plan (or lack of plan) you have for November! It will be great fun, whatever it is.

NaNoWriMo 2010: The Plan

Oh heck yes.

After last November's agony I considered not participating in National Novel Writing Month this year. I have participated successfully for six of the last eight years, with a few ups and a few downs, and last year was by far the most miserable experience of any of them. I haven't even looked twice at the novel I wrote. It's not worth it. It's awful. I know this acutely.

In case you're interested in how bad it was, I've had Word auto-summarize it for you here:

“Minnie?” Lester’s mouth twitched. Lester’s eyes twinkled.

“All right Lester.” Minnie glanced at Lester.

“Minnie?” “Nathan?” “Lester!” Lester ran, too. “Oh, Lester.” Lester frowned.

“Lester, my love." Lester stepped back.

Lester shook himself. Lester barked. Lester whined.

Lester shrugged.

The full book is even worse.

I don't regret writing last year, but unlike previous years when I learned something important or came away from the experience inspired, I finished last year's book feeling like I'd failed. Unlike previous years, last year I found I wanted to be writing something else, something I could use, so I wasn't happy with how I was spending my time. And lo and behold, the result was a terrific waste of my time.

So recently I wondered: since the novellas I produce during NaNoWriMo are often experimental, definitely too short for publication, and not suitable for puffing up, how can I make this year's project worthwhile?

My involvement with Chinese Whisperings inspired me. I like collaborative writing, and as the ultimate introvert I wondered if I could make it work on my own. If I could write a novel-type-thing that was actually several short stories, interconnected, with its own arc throughout the 50,000 words.

I have created lists of prompts: characters I want to revisit, genres and settings to try, and most exciting of all I have field trips I want to take. Places I'll go to take notes or write, to people-watch and brainstorm, and come back from with a new story or idea.

So this is my plan for NaNoWriMo 2010. Instead of one novel that I know I won't use, I will write several (or many) interconnected short stories or flash stories, and hopefully at least a few will be worth editing. I have no doubt that I'll reach the 50,000 word finish line, but the real test this time will be whether I finish satisfied, with something to work on. And I think I can do it.

I'm certainly determined to try.

Let me know if you're taking the NaNoWriMo challenge this year and I'll be happy to follow your progress. I will post about my field trips and prompts as the month goes on, for inspiration and motivation (and to keep myself honest!)

The Dark Night of the Writer

It's called The Dark Night of the Soul. It's a poem by Saint John of the Cross, and also an idea: that when the world quiets and you're separated from the crowds and distractions of the day, you can no longer ignore your own inner doubt.

On that glad night,
in secret, for no one saw me,
nor did I look at anything,
with no other light or guide
than the one that burned in my heart.

For Saint John it was about knowing God. My own dark night is about my writing.

During a dark night your previous resources fail to support or encourage. Old certainties fall to doubt. For me, I started to wonder something that I suppose every writer must consider over and over during their life. Why do I write what I write?

Why not something else? For instance, why not something lighter? Something that won't make me worry that my friends or family will think I'm a freak?

The first time I had a short story published, someone showed it to my Grandma. Eventually she told me she'd read it. I asked what she thought and she said, "I guess that young girl killed that boy." Which is true. That's what happened.

I wasn't hurt that she didn't mindlessly rave about the writing despite the content. I was absolutely with her in the fact that, frankly, it was a depressing story. Darkly coloured, thick with regret. It was about a girl who is tricked into murdering her best friend. Tricked by her best friend. It's hard to show that in a happy light.

But that was what I wrote. In my recently published story "Lost and Found" I bring to life a character who has been wrecked by her past. In specific, by her mother. She's lonely and out of touch and doesn't even know that isn't the right way to be.

Did I write it because I know what it's like to be emotionally destroyed by your mother? No. I have the opposite to that kind of mother. But I wrote something much darker. And maybe someone will show it to my Grandma. And my Grandma will say, "I guess her mother really screwed her up." Or something more Grandma-like. And I'll agree that yes, she did. And wonder why I don't write anything that makes my Grandma smile.

I could write fantasy fiction. I used to. I drew maps and made intricate character sheets. I could write about elves--not dark elves, just elves--fighting epic battles to save the world.

I could write family epics. With a big family you can portray every kind of relation, the good as well as the not so good. I could reveal step-mothers in a positive light and defy all the old fairy tales.

I could write chick-lit.

No, I couldn't. Never mind that.

There's joy in my stories. Sometimes there's a lot of it. It frustrates me to read something that ends in misery, so I tend not to write it. But the journey can be a real trial. The starting place can be misery.

I never decided to write these things. I just always did. And in this dark night I wonder at the wisdom in that. There are already so many awful things in the world to see and read. To experience, too. Why add more?

I guess the answer is that I don't, really. I don't add the bad things, I add the hopeful ending. I reveal to the someone who reads these stories, and identifies, that they aren't alone. That if reality can be bad, here is also a situation where it can possibly get better. And anyway, the world rolls on.

I guess. I don't know. I'm still wondering. The night isn't over.

The Authors of The Yin & Yang Books

Yesterday was terrific. The launch of The Yin and Yang Books was very fun, the Facebook party was a blast, and we all survived to write another day.

If you read the anthologies you might be interested in hearing more from the authors, so I've compiled a list of the launch day blog posts. These link back to the authors' own blogs, so you might find something else of interest there, including their biographies, other publications, free flash fiction, and what they had for breakfast.

Carrie Clevenger, author of The Yin Book story "Excess Baggage" has posted here.

Lauren Eno, author of The Yin Book story "Freedom" (where I found the inspiration for my character Ashley!) has a quick post here.

Icy Sedgwick, author of The Yin Book story "The Strangest Comfort" has posted some information here.

Annie Evett, author of The Yin Book story "Kanyasulkam" has posted about both books here and here.

Lily Mulholland, author of the penultimate Yin Book story "Double Talk" talks about how publishing can be like giving birth.

And Jodi Cleghorn, editor of The Yang Book and author of the Prologue for both books picks up that thread and gives us a summary of some of the high and low points for the whole process.

Weighing in for The Yang Book authors, Tony Noland, author of "Dogs of War" has posted about both The Yin Book and The Yang Book.

Once again, you can get your hands on a copy of The Yin Book, The Yang Book or the double anthology at the Chinese Whisperings bookshop. If you're still not sure, there's an excerpt from the start of every story available on the Chinese Whisperings blog.

The Yin Book released!

It feels like the end of a very long road, but really it's just the beginning. Today marks the release of The Yin Book!

My short story "Lost and Found" is one of the stories featured in this collection. The ebook is available for purchase from the Chinese Whisperings bookshop (click here.)

In the international terminal of a large European airport, Monday morning is about to get a whole lot worse. At 7.35am Pangaean Airlines, one of Europe’s major carriers, is put into receivership grounding all flights, stranding thousands of passengers and impounding tonnes of luggage. But all is not as appears on the surface and the sliding-doors moment of one woman deciding to abandon her suitcase will ricochet through the lives around her.

You could read my story on its own, but it's much better if you read the whole collection because each story draws from and gives to the others.

In its partner in crime, The Yang Book, a new cast of writers describes the same time-line with some significant changes.

The writers for these collections come from around the world: Canada, the US, the UK, France, Germany, and Australia. This is truly an international collection. Most of us have never met each other, but we've become a close-knit bunch throughout the process of writing and editing our stories. The official editors of the collection, Jodi Cleghorn and Paul Anderson, come from Australia and the UK respectively and have choreographed and compiled these anthologies over such a distance, using every technology available to brainstorm, edit, and streamline them all into one great tale.

I've never before been able to say, "Buying this book will directly support my writing." I get to say it now! You can own The Yin Book for $5.95 (CAN, AUS & US) or 2.99GBP (& Euros.) Personally I think just one of the stories is worth that much so this is a great deal. The Yang Book is identically priced.

The paperback will be released later this year. Don't worry, I'll be very excited when that happens, and if you follow my blog you won't be able to miss it!

Many thanks to the cast of terrific writers who created these books with me, particularly Jodi & Paul, who are writers as well as editors! And super heartfelt thanks to my friends and family who've shared my enthusiasm for the project. You guys rock.

The links:
The Chinese Whisperings Bookshop
Excerpt from "Lost and Found"
The Yin Book info
The Yang Book info
Chinese Whisperings News on Twitter

Shaky dismount

The novel I began writing in July has changed. Fed on a steady diet of my time, energy, and soul, it has grown fat and round and popped all the tiny buttons on its shirt. Its feet have risen like good dough and started to overfill its shoes.

It's become a bit of a nuisance, actually.

This is my fault. I spoiled the little brat. When it wanted attention, I gave it attention. When it stomped off in a huff I spent the time figuring out how to make it happy again. When it came back to me I was never angry. We've been together regularly every day. And I can't keep up with this metaphor without getting sort of creeped out.

I've nearly finished this book in just three months. I wrote the one that came before it almost as quickly, but it was more formulaic. I was trying to do less in the same amount of time. This one has stretched every skill I have and it has done it very quickly. I have no idea how it's turned out.

I've given everything to this book, and I can't be sure it's not about to dismiss my intentions and run off to join the circus.

Well, maybe that's where it belongs.

Collaborative writing

Over the last few weeks the Chinese Whisperings blog has been featuring excerpts of each story in the Yin and Yang books. Today it's my turn!

You can read the first 750 words of my story here:

http://chinesewhisperings.com/2010/10/lost-and-found/

Go read it. Go on, go on. It's much more interesting than what I'd write here.