I Should Be Writing is a weekly podcast where author Mur Lafferty gives advice and tips for fiction writers. Mur describes I Should Be Writing as “The podcast for wanna-be fiction writers, by a wanna-be fiction writer.” Mur has written for RPGs (role-playing games), magazines, and has sold some of her fiction. She also podcasts some of her work, including the trilogy (soon to be expanded) Heaven, Hell, and Earth. Her newest podcasted novel is Playing for Keeps.

I’m fairly new to listening to podcasts, and I think I Should Be Writing was a great place to start. Most of Mur’s podcasts are about half an hour, with just a few that are longer. For those who are new to podcasts, as I was until recently, a podcast is an audio file recorded in the style of a radio show. Podcasts can be downloaded onto portable media players or received through an RSS subscription like a blog. For more information about podcasts, see the Wikipedia article.

I Should Be Writing covers a range of fiction writing topics discussed through the lens of Mur’s own work writing speculative fiction. In each episode, she first updates her listeners on how her own writing has progressed and the lessons she has recently learned. The end of every podcast is dedicated to answering questions submitted by listeners. The bulk of every episode is a topic Mur discusses in-depth or an interview with another author. Recent author interviews include Kim Harrison, JC Hutchins, and Connie Willis.

Other recent podcasts have featured Mur’s thoughts on:

• Feedback - An episode dedicated solely to feedback, especially to encourage NaNoWriMo writers. Topics include world-building, keeping your writing organized, characterization, and maintaining interest in your writing.
• Editing - Mur is not shy to say that she hates editing. As a result, her tips include quick ways to speed the process. Mur doesn’t edit as she writes. Instead, she makes notes about what she will change when she switches to editing. Mur also offers some great tips on the importance of keeping a stylesheet.
• NaNoWriMo - Last year the challenge of NaNo inspired Mur to go outside her comfort zone and start a story in a different genre from most of her work. She recommends NaNo, because it reinforces her rule that “you are allowed to suck.”

Notes and links mentioned in each podcast are posted on the I Should Be Writing website.

If you’re an aspiring writer who wants to broaden your horizons a little, I would recommend checking out the I Should Be Writing podcast for some great ideas.

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Posted: November 9th, 2007 under Reviews.
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No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Chris Baty is a guide to writing a novel in a month, whether as part of the official National Novel Writing Month in November or as part of a personal challenge at some other time of the year.

In his introduction, Chris Baty acknowledges that writing a novel in a month is insane, and yet his humorous style makes it seem like a fantastic idea. Like many of the best writing books, the infectious enthusiasm of No Plot? No Problem! made me want to drop the book and get busy writing.

Baty begins by recounting his first mad attempt to write a novel in a month, when he learned that “the biggest thing separating people from their artistic ambitions is not a lack of talent. It’s the lack of a deadline.” This idea, together with the concept of “exuberant imperfection,” became the philosophy behind National Novel Writing Month. The key to NaNoWriMo is the realization that you shouldn’t be worrying about writing a brilliant story with hauntingly beautiful prose as a first draft. Rather, removing your expectations and giving yourself the permission to write something terrible lets all your uninhibited ideas shine through and makes for a better story in the end.

If you want to get something done, Baty says, ask a busy person to do it. That’s the reason for the breakneck speed and intense adrenaline rush needed to finish a novel in a month. The pace and desperation will narrow your focus like a laser beam, and you’ll scorch right through your inhibitions. The secret is that if your life is so busy that writing becomes a treat, you’re much more likely to do it than if writing is just the Task That Won’t Die on your to-do list.

In the first few chapters, Baty discusses preparations for the month-long novel, including finding a suitable place to write and carving time out of your schedule by giving up distractions like surfing the web. When preparing the story itself, Baty recommends not starting too early. It can be difficult to watch a long-prepared novel go up in flames as you desperately rush toward the finish line. Instead, start planning a week or so before you begin writing. A week is enough time to sketch out your characters, plot, and setting without getting too invested in them. Let the rest of it evolve as you write.

I took this advice to heart when I was choosing my story. I had considered a novel that had been nagging me to be written for years, but I have so much emotionally invested in it that I think I would be rather shocked at the results of my first NaNo draft. Instead, I did some quick brainstorming, came up with three or four ideas, picked the one that interested me the most, and have been developing it now for about a week.

Next, Baty offers tips on shutting up your inner editor so you can get on with your writing without feeling compelled to edit your spelling. Then he delves into a brief primer on novel concepts like plot and characters and setting. And he’s serious about the No Plot?, No Problem! title. If you spend enough time getting to know your characters, he says, the plot will naturally follow. When you get stuck, just make them do something, anything, and see where it leads you.

The next four chapters are week-by-week pep talks, advice, and exercises addressing the problems of each stage of the month-long novel. Issues for each week include:

Week 1 - how to harness your initial creative jolt in preparation for the long slog ahead
Week 2 - how to keep going when the euphoria wears off and you realize you still don’t have a plot
Week 3 - how to figure out where you are and how far you have yet to go
Week 4 - how to convince yourself to finish instead of taking a well-deserved break

The last chapter offers some advice on deciding whether to continue working on your novel and how to go about rewriting it if you choose. Baty’s ideas on rewriting are simple and encouraging for a NaNo novel, or any novel for that matter. I was happy to see this, since so many writing books get you all excited but leave you hanging part way through the first draft.

It may be the guidebook for a month of frantic writing, but the lessons learned will help writers with more leisurely writing as well. And if procrastination threatens to set in, you can always declare your own novel writing month and get back into shape. In the end, Baty makes it very clear that “literature is not merely a spectator sport.”

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Posted: October 26th, 2007 under NaNoWriMo, Reviews.
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If you need a jolt of writing energy, read How to Become a Famous Writer Before You’re Dead: Your Words in Print and Your Name in Lights by Ariel Gore. It may be just what you need to get moving again.

According to Gore, if you have no idea how to publish a book, get out there and do it anyway. If you’ve wasted too much writing time daydreaming about being famous, stop. Stop dreaming and start doing. Ariel Gore’s message is that no matter how shy and reclusive you are, even if you’re the stereotypical writing hermit, you can publish and promote your book.

In 78 brief chapters, Ariel Gore outlines the steps to “Give Yourself a Lit Star Makeover,” “Master Your Craft,” “Publish Before You’re Ready,” “Play with the Big Dogs,” and “Become a Brazen Self-Promoter.”

How to Become a Famous Writer is devoted less to the art of writing than to the art of becoming a lit star. Gore takes the stance that if your writing isn’t up to snuff just yet, constant practice and lessons from the school of hard knocks will get you where you need to be. “Publish Before You’re Ready” details ways to get your work published no matter what, on the theory that the experience of having your work in front of readers will teach you as much as endless writing classes. She addresses both traditional publishing routes, like finding an agent and an editor, as well as independent methods like zines and print-on-demand services.

Throughout, Gore interviews successful authors of various niches from household names like Dave Barry to lesser-known zine editors. Her quirky interview style gives bold insight into the guts of writing and publishing. A fast read because of Gore’s engaging style and sharp wit, it’s plain from her examples that she’s speaking from experience about mistakes she’s made and how she would do it again. I’m dying to read some of her other books and see how her voice is transformed by fiction and memoir.

The hard truth for any author in the competitive world of publishing is having to do one’s own publicity. Gore shares her experiences with promoting herself as a lit star, emphasizing the importance of writers viewing themselves as entrepreneurs. She tells how to take the promotion of your book into your own hands, whether you’re published or not, by a big house or with zines you photocopied yourself. She talks about gaining confidence through open mic performances, scheduling your own tours by grabbing some musical friends and going on a road trip, and the successes of others who have taken matters into their own hands. If it all seems like too much, too intimidating, Gore makes it sound like a blast. She doesn’t deny that promoting your own books is hard work, but her energy and enthusiasm are contagious.

“You must know that it is the writer’s job to love the world,” says Gore. Don’t let your fear of failure still your voice. The last thing you should do is sit and wait for the rejection letter, letting a publisher decide your literary fate. Anyone who works equally hard at developing their writing craft and their lit star confidence can impact the world with their writing. And why else did you want to be a writer if not to speak? Let your voice be heard.

—-

I saw How to Become a Famous Writer Before You’re Dead recommended on the Anti 9 to 5 Guide blog, another terrific resource for aspiring independent writers.

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Posted: October 12th, 2007 under Reviews.
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Last week I wrote about the No Impact Man blog, Colin Beavan’s effort to minimize his environmental impact. This week, to continue my preparation for Blog Action Day, I’m posting a list of my favorite environmental blogs and websites.

Green as a Thistle
This light-hearted blog chronicles Vanessa’s effort at going green by changing one habit every day for a year. Some of her changes have been small, some large, but the greater point is that incremental change makes a difference and is easy to do if it is approached one step at a time. Not as extreme as No Impact Man, Green as a Thistle is geared toward the average person who wants to do something to help the environment but doesn’t know where to start.

Treehugger
If you’re interested in the ways technology and design can lighten the load humans place on the earth, you’ll love Treehugger’s many posts on green architecture and building, water, power, and fuel-saving gadgets, and recycling-focused design. Treehugger also reports relevant political and cultural news and has active commenters.

Walkable Communities, Inc.
An important part of reducing environmental impact is by walking and biking more and driving less. Walkable Communities offers resources for those interested in getting involved in their towns and neighborhoods to make the experience more pedestrian-friendly.

National Geographic
The magazine offers a category covering environmental topics from acid rain to wind power. An entire section is devoted to Going Green for the consumer, schools, and communities. National Geographic also offers an RSS feed for environmental news.

Finally, a list of quick resources to get you started:

• Ecological Footprint Quiz helps you identify areas to cut back to be more environmentally friendly
• The Recycling Center - find a recycling center or pickup service near you (U.S.). See Recycle Now for the U.K.
• Native Forest Network’s Guide to Stopping Junkmail - the steps to take to reduce your paper waste
• Tox Town, a resource of the National Library of Medicine, gives information on the health risks of a contaminated environment

If you have a blog and are interested in the environment, I encourage you to check out the Blog Action Day website and sign up.

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Posted: October 3rd, 2007 under Blog Action Day, Reviews.
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In the next few weeks leading up to Blog Action Day on October 15, I’m taking the opportunity to discuss creative ways to be environmentally friendly. This week, I want to review the No Impact Man blog, one of the most creative ways to help the environment I’ve seen.

No Impact Man is one of my favorite blogs to read. It’s the story of a New York man, his wife, and young daughter who decide to reduce their consumption and increase their good deeds to result in a net zero impact on the environment. He acknowledges that this is more of a philosophical goal than a strict scientific one. That attitude of compromise is one of the things I love about this project. Although many of their actions seem far-fetched and unrealistic in this modern world, Colin and his family know when to make allowances (coffee) and how to be realistic (the program is a year-long trial, after which they will decide which elements of the No Impact experiment to keep and which to discard).

Such radical-seeming ideas as going without electricity other than what they can generate from a single solar panel, biking everywhere rather than using public transportation, and reducing their water consumption by stretching the time between showers and laundry, have earned Colin plenty of criticism in the comments to his blog. He emphasizes repeatedly that he’s not trying to tell everyone else how to live their lives; he’s just sharing what he and his family are doing and offering suggestions to those who want them. Many other commenters have been helpful, offering advice when Colin asks how to accomplish a certain goal, like going without toilet paper.

Not long after I found the No Impact Man blog, I read through all the archives, because this story fascinates me. Some favorite posts include:

• The Year-Long Plan, describing some of the reasons and methods they began with;
• Entertaining Isabella without TV, Colin’s post on playing with his daughter;
• How we avoid making trash, describing their methods and the benefits they’ve found, other than the obvious impact of no trash for the landfill;
• Slimy pets to eat your garbage and entertain your kids, sharing details of their vermiculture solution to organic garbage;
• The No Impact sustainable eating plan, describing the benefits and methods of eating locally; and
• My favorite post, A day in our life, which details how the No Impact Family lives day-to-day.

Today’s post, Sometimes it’s hard, describes Colin’s feelings about having to make an exception to their rules when they had run out of food for the day. He acknowledges,

“I’m sure it has to do with my own addiction to perfection, but I felt like a loser and a hypocrite. It’s silly, because I don’t think it serves anyone to think that I breeze through this project, like I can follow all the rules without a problem. Painting a picture of total ease sets other people up to feel like failures if they find their own versions of environmental living difficult.”

Reflections like these make No Impact Man an engaging, thought-provoking read.

No Impact Man is also the title of the book Colin Beavan is writing about his and his family’s experiences. Like Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project , Colin is using his blog as part of the writing process for his book. I’ve seen many authors promoting published books by using blogs, but only No Impact Man and The Happiness Project seem to be blogging as part of the writing of the book. I’d love to hear of any other authors doing this in the comments.

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Posted: September 26th, 2007 under Blog Action Day, Reviews.
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