Writers in the Storm

by A. Dani

When the page is no longer blank, what then? What’s next?

Many of us are writing stories this November, whether powered up during the writer-encouraging event of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) or as part of our usual writing schedule. Pages on pages on pages are going from blank to cluttered with wonderful words and phrases that we love—and perhaps even some we’ll hate. And that’s okay, because it’s said that ‘the first draft is for you,’ the writer.

A little ways into my writing career I realized the second part of that adage, “the second draft is for them” didn’t work for me. Let me explain. While writing, I’d still start worrying about that second draft, the Editing, that loomed ahead. What if I couldn’t whip that rough draft into shape for a professional editor to take a look, let alone a beta reader? I had to—and still have to—consciously remind myself that it’s not time, that the edits come later, and that Perfection is on an all-expenses-paid vacation for the month anyway. The extra worries, the extra stress, wasn’t necessary because I couldn’t edit blank pages, right? Why worry about words I hadn’t written yet?

After the First Draft is Written

Thing is, as soon as I got to The End, I’d immediately go “time to edit for them!” and swap over to a mode I didn’t like very much. That’s because of the pressure I put on myself when Perfection pounced back on my words like it’d been starved for a month instead of being fed grapes by a pool.

The self-editing phase, at least the very first one? I realized I had to tackle things for me again, not others, not yet. I had to find ways to make even this part of the journey more relaxing, and dare I say it? Fun. 

And that’s what I’m going to share with you today: how to self-edit with ease. How to look ahead to what comes after The End not with dread, as so many of us do when it comes to draft two, but instead with an easy breath, and even, perhaps, excitement! Dread no more. This December, you’re going to be ready. 

1: Sleeping on the Job

The first thing I do after writing a story is tuck it away for a few days. I need fresh eyes to see the words clearly…and if I’ve been scribbling like mad for days on end, I probably need a good night’s sleep on top of that. 

A few days later, I read the whole thing. Do I edit at that point? I try not to. I take notes, maybe fix some typos along the way, but mostly, I just want to see and really drive into my brain what story came out after I poured my creativity into it for so long.

And then I get another good night’s sleep. Yeah, I like those.  But also, with the words all together and fresh in my mind, sometimes that good night’s sleep will work out problems I had with the story. A toasty shower will work out a lot more of them. If my pain levels are low enough, a walk outside in a park where the birds are chirping (as long as I have my Merlin app closed and am not trying to figure out what’s singing lol) will just about solve every remaining plot hole without fail.

Time to Edit

When I’m back to my desk, the big fixes I need to put in usually arrive in my head whole.

Then it’s time to:

• Jot down heavy notes for bigger edits.
• File reminders for plot holes, or dive in and fill them.

The draft starts to take shape as a more complete story, and this pass of editing is done.

I don’t just do this for the second draft, either; letting our brains wander is useful for so much self-editing. Next time you get a stuck spot while editing? Put the writing down for a bit. Do 1-3 of the following: Nap. Shower. Walk. And finally, fix the thing!

2: Bad Words and Naughty Notes

I have a bad word list.

• Things I overuse in my writing, that I prefer to cut out entirely when I edit.
• Expressions a character would never say and what they would say instead.
• Swear words that don’t exist for certain worlds. 

Sometimes I time myself to see how fast I can chop “just, only, very” out of my manuscript without using Find+Replace. Occasionally I make a BINGO board and throw words on it to see how soon I can win. Sometimes I keep a running tally and reward myself accordingly for how many bad ones I can eliminate. And every time I do my self-editing, I see if I’ve created a new bad word that needs to be added to the list!

Benefits of a Bad Word List

You’ll probably cultivate a list too, the longer you write. That list can be the single most important thing in your self-editing toolbox. You know your habits and which phrases and words you lean on more than others. Having the list means you can simply do a run-down and get them all cut or replaced in a jiff. It’ll also help you identify them in the future, so self-edits go faster next time, when you’re not hunting down words that have been procreating without permission.

The Naughty List

I write romance, so I not only have a ‘bad word’ list, but I also have a naughty list.  It reminds me to check all the body parts in the scene and make sure the love interest isn’t just a torso with legs or gaining an extra arm when they’re not that kind of alien. 

I use the naughty list to:

• Make my hot scenes hotter.
• Be sure I’m hitting the relationship steps needed to ramp up intimacy in measurable ways.
• Make sure that I’ve actually replaced any mentions of “woohoo” – my Sims-playing nerd shorthand for “insert intimate scene here” – with actual scenes. 

If I forgot to write a sex scene, I’ve definitely got some work to do, and my naughty list is my thrusting off point to getting those scenes started.

To create one of those, you’ll want to first find your overused words, movements, and descriptions. After that, you’ll need to “research”—definitely the fun part! —and make yourself a naughty list of possible word and sensory detail replacements, ideas for future scenes, and all the things you want to look out for the next time you run through a self-edit.

Oh, and my dear writerly friends: Remember to set a timer, so you don’t get buried in that tantalizing “research!”

3: Pizza and Beer

I tend to use this one both before AND after my first draft. Before the draft, I want to know about the character who’s talking so much in my head. So, I take them out “for pizza and beer.” (Or boba tea, coffee, or earl grey, depending on the character!)

I sit down and start writing out a conversation with that character as if I’m taking down a casual interview or having a first date. There’s time, before the first draft, to ask questions about likes and dislikes, hopes, fears, maybe to share some memories. All of it could be useful while writing—more than just a regular character sheet—because it’s working with the character’s own voice.

The Second Date

At the end of the draft, I like to return to that pizzeria, or coffee shop, or…you get the picture. I revisit what we talked about before, as well as the story itself:

• I ask about what they went through.
• If they’d change anything.
• If they discovered something was different than they thought the last time we spoke. 

Finally, we talk about how things have changed for them, because the journey—if I wrote it the way I should have—will have small impacts building all along the way and a bigger impact overall. If they don’t know what that is, either we get another beer/tea/order of dessert and figure it out together, or there’s some revisiting to be done to get those elements into the draft.

Another interview might be needed to get me the rest of the way there. Or maybe we’ll have discovered that the character I thought the story was about…isn’t the main character after all. If I want to keep them that way, it’s going to require a pizza party with some other characters so we can hash it out!

However the conversation goes, plenty comes up so I can work through the manuscript and self-edit corrections to the character, their dialogue, backstory, emotions, points of view, and even behaviors.

I look forward to hearing about the kinds of outings you’ll take your characters on, and what discoveries you make!

4: Playing With Markers

Another self-editing trick I like is color-coding various parts of my manuscript.  I’ll make a color key (which is different every time because I just grab colors and go lol) as I read through to highlight:

• Main plotlines.
• Secondary plotlines.
• Romantic threads.
• Villain threads.
• Timeline notes.
• Different POVs.
• Mystery threads.
• Exposition.
• Sensory descriptions. 

I'll follow those colors through the manuscript to see if:

• I’m missing something entirely from a chapter.
• I drop a thread.
• There’s an “info-dump” with too much explanation in one spot.
• I need to split up some points of view and give a different character page time. 

Sometimes I highlight my words in whatever program I’m using. Other times, I need to get craftier, and I print the novel out, then draw all over the manuscript. When I’m done with this round of self-edits, I have a stack of paper that looks like I set a second grader loose with a giant-sized pack of highlighters.

It feels GREAT. 

Having it printed makes the novel more real. Giving myself space to take notes by hand activates different creative brain parts that love to draw and play and brainstorm. Plus, I got away from the computer screen and played with markers, which is awesome as it is. 

I get to read through the manuscript, analyze it from a big picture perspective, and have a clearer picture of what I wrote. And I have a comprehensive visual representation of the flow of the book. Having the colors there so vividly means I know exactly where things need to be changed.

Not all novels need a change of pace for self-editing. But if you’re just not getting into the flow of it, or the work isn’t pulling together, coloring all over your words is a game I highly recommend.

Final Thoughts

Those are just some of the many ways you can take a self-edit pass and turn it into something that isn’t stressful any longer. Dare your muse to try them out this year. Before you know it, you’ll have improved your words and leveled up your writing one playful step at a time.

And more than that:

• Put the editing worries on pause, even past the end of November, okay? 
• Get all the fresh words down that you can right now, roll around in them like catnip.
• Zoom into December this year with some of these gizmos in your pockets. 

Come back and review these methods, invent your own, mix them up. Any way you choose to self-edit your words, remember: 

• Show up without Fear.
• Tell Perfection to take several seats.
• Teach your inner editor how to PLAY. 

Which self-editing techniques are you going to try this year?  Do you have others to share with the wonderful folks in this community? Share them in the comments and let’s get down to some great self-editing brainstorms!

* * * * * *

About A. Dani

A. Dani is a published author of paranormal, science fiction, and steampunk romance. Her heroes are broken, her worlds are crumbling, but the love her characters find even in chaos stands on an unshakable foundation.

She adores being a goal coach for creatives and helping writers cut through their overwhelm. Through her work as a fiction editor her favorite thing is helping authors bring their worlds to life--and to others.

Dani lives in South Carolina with her Husband, Kidlet, a cat who thinks she's human, a cat who thinks he's in perpetual stranger-danger, and a kitten who turns every piece of furniture into a dangerous, lurking mimic. Visit her work at Luridity.com and https://www.worldanvil.com/w/luridity or come chat with DaniAdventures on Discord and Twitch! 

Top Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

by Lisa Norman

I recently found myself stressing out over a deadline. People who have worked with me know that my body responds negatively to stress... which is sad, because I thrive on it emotionally. I've heard many of my students and clients talk about the pressure of deadlines as well. Have you ever found yourself in one of these situations?

"I've paid for this class, but I can't do the homework because: (deadline)." And the learning you get from the class is minimal because you’re too busy to concentrate.

"I can't take the time to write that blog post because: (deadline)." And your marketing suffers.

"I don't have time for writing because I need to (insert goal)." And writing productivity suffers.

"I know this probably needs one more edit, but it is good enough and I need to get it out before (deadline)." Yeah, that is one we're gonna regret. Been there. Done that. Today, in fact.

We live in a time when learning and opportunities are all around us. Content is being created at a faster pace than ever before. Our fear of missing out clicks in and we take on more than we should. And as creatives, it is often our creative energies that are lost in today’s dash around the hamster wheel.

The source of the problem

During a recent overwhelm moment, when my body started reacting and telling me I needed to CUT IT OUT right now or I'd be waking up looking at some hospital ceiling, I thought: Who set this deadline?

Me.

Who made the deadline too tight?

Me.

Who would care if I missed it?

Me.

And that's when I realized: it wasn't the stress to complete the project before the deadline that was the problem. It was my own thinking about the deadline.

When a friend is dealing with these moments, I say, "Tell the customer you are revising the due date. Take a day off. Breathe. You'll be faster when you come back to work."

So why is it so hard for me to give myself the same grace?

Technology: Help or Hindrance?

We live in a world of technology. As I've watched productivity-enhancing software blossom and grow, I’ve noticed a frightening trend—at least in myself. I wasn't taking all that extra time that the productivity gave me and using it for creative pursuits. Wasn't reserving it for rest or taking care of my health. No. I was feeding it back into productivity.

I can run one successful business. I have assistants to help. Great! Let's run two businesses! As the second business's success is increasing, so is the workload. And when I have a moment to breathe, I'm looking at how I can increase the marketing reach of those businesses... which will increase the load. Everything works fine until something doesn't.

If my computer hiccups, everything comes to a halt.

And those spinning plates come crashing down.

Letting Go

Someone recently invited me to present for a group that I love. It would have been so much fun! But... it came at a time when I was already on overwhelm. Initially, I said yes. And then a friend asked me how my writing was going.

Writing? Who has time for writing? Oh... wait.

I'd just rearranged many of my priorities so that I could have more time to write. And what had I done with the time? I'd learned new marketing techniques I wanted to experiment with for my publishing business. I'd taken on a new client, adding deadlines on top of existing deadlines.

Something had to give. I had to say no.

The group's representative was disappointed, but I had to say no. Why?

Because I needed to choose to keep space in my life for writing.

Nanowrimo is coming. I have an idea for a novel. But... I'm also looking at more novels than I'm willing to admit to having in the "ugly rough draft" stage. It doesn't make sense to add to that pile. Or does it?

When I step back, this stress is my own. I set the deadlines for both of my businesses. I'm the one who is pushing myself. Who said yes too many times? Me. I'm the one saying, "I can do that in a week" without leaving time for power outages, internet glitches, or even just the need to move my body.

Just because we CAN do something, doesn't mean we SHOULD. (I hate the word should!)

I often don't notice the overwhelm until I find myself thinking, "I'm thirsty, but I can't get up and fill my water glass until I get this one more thing done..."

Is it any wonder my body rebels?

Procrastination and Productivity

Writing is a fascinating profession that balances procrastination and productivity, creating and creative rest. If we don't have enough downtime, our creative tank can go dry and leave us struggling with the dreaded writer's block.

How many writers have you heard talk about creative breakthroughs that occurred when they were doing something completely non-writing related? These usually happen during mundane things like long drives. But in our modern world, we have audiobooks and podcasts to listen to while driving, so our muse has lost the time to speak to us!

Here are a few time management tips, specifically designed for writers:

• Just-in-time learning is a thing. (https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/04/how-to-survive-the-singularity-of-rapid-technological-change/) Don't push yourself to learn something before you need it. It may have changed completely before you are ready.
• Do learn something to make your work faster—example: AI, research tools, etc.—but once you have that skill and you've gained the free time, guard that time as precious writing time.
• Give yourself joy. Remember to take care of your writer's heart, soul, and body. Take a walk and look at the changing colors of the leaves.
• Both of my businesses have been declared "no deadline" zones. Not because I want tasks to take forever, but because deadlines steal not only the joy of the projects, but also some of the quality.

How about you? What are your favorite tips for protecting yourself from stress? Please share them with us down in the comments.

About Lisa

Lisa Norman's passion has been writing since she could hold a pencil. While that is a cliché, she is unique in that her first novel was written on gum wrappers. As a young woman, she learned to program and discovered she has a talent for helping people and computers learn to work together and play nice. When she's not playing with her daughter, writing, or designing for the web, she can be found wandering the local beaches.

Lisa writes as Deleyna Marr and is the owner of Deleyna's Dynamic Designs, a web development company focused on helping writers, and Heart Ally Books, LLC, an indie publishing firm.

Interested in learning more from Lisa? Sign up for her newsletter or check out her brand new classroom where she teaches social media, organization skills, and marketing for authors!

Top image by SergeyNivens on Depositphotos.

by Sarah (Sally) Hamer

Writers are notorious for spending a lot of time alone, sitting too long in front of a computer, not socializing, and just not taking care of their health. These habits often get even worse during November because of NaNoWriMo. Are you one of those folks? Why? There are ways to make self-care much easier.

Self-care seems to be a buzz-word lately—when you search for that word, you get six billion hits. I don’t see this as a negative, because I believe that each of us has our own definition of exactly what self-care means. I also believe that most people think it’s only physical. It’s true, the physical side of caring for ourselves is extremely important. But it’s not the only thing we need to address when finding a pathway to be a happy, healthy, productive, and successful writer.

Here are some tips!

1. Do start with the physical first.

It really is the easiest. But a big problem is that every one of us is different. What do YOU need to do to keep your body in tip-top shape?

• It might be to set timers to remind yourself to walk away from the computer and chair at least once an hour.
• Maybe a ten-minute recuperative walk around the house—and, yes, you can stop for a cuppa if you want—can make all the difference in how you feel.
• You might do best with coffee, but drinking lots of water helps flush toxins out of the body from sitting too long and you can certainly have the coffee too.
• I like to use stretches to keep me from getting stiff. There are lots of good ones on YouTube, some you can even do sitting in a chair.

Eating is also important. Heavy foods make me sleepy so, when I’m on a deadline, I try to stick with salads and soup. But you may need the carbs bread or pasta contains to jump-start your brain. Whatever works best for you is what you should do, as long as you feed your body. I also believe you should plan time for a walk or some fun.

I know it can be hard when you are already trying to carve time out of your day to write, but doing something physical often helps my brain to work through whatever snag I’ve come up against. So, throwing a load of clothes into the washer or starting supper helps that amazing plot idea to step up and find its way to the front of my brain where I can write it down.

And, last but not least, a good night’s sleep is an amazing way to upgrade your brain. A nap isn’t bad either.

2. Next is the mental side of self-care, also known as not losing your mind!

Writing can be lonely and exhausting. So, instead of hours by yourself, create opportunities to get away from that darned computer.

Call a friend, go to lunch with other writers, do something special with the family.

Give your brain time to refresh with something else. I think of my brain as just another muscle and I try to exercise it in different ways and with other people as much as I can. There are hundreds of writing groups out there, with thousands and thousands of writers, many of whom would like a friend to talk to.

One of the best ways I know to find writing friends is to take a class, whether online or in person.

I teach both at a local university and online and I often see students “pair off” in a writing relationship. There are dozens of other ways, I’m sure, and I suggest you find one if possible.

This does NOT mean you have to critique for someone else, if that isn’t your goal. But just having someone else who also has voices in their head is wonderful. Remember, those voices are probably just the characters arguing—and only a writer can understand that voices don’t mean you’re crazy!—but having someone to laugh about it with and pulling yourself out of the process for a little while can help a story to solve itself.

3. Last but absolutely not least is your spiritual health.

Creative people are infamous for allowing their art to suck their soul away. Having a good relationship with yourself makes all the difference. How does that work? By being kind to you. Some people set unreachable goals and then beat themselves up. Some are afraid, whether of success or failure, and don’t ever finish a book. Some don’t ever believe they are good enough to succeed. Deep inward searches can help to uncover things that might be stopping you from achieving your goal. I suggest journaling—just a form of writing!—and digging into the things that hold you back. No one ever has to read what you write in a journal, and it is an amazing tool.

Another thing that can suck our soul away is letting others tell us, sometimes in ugly ways, who we are or how we write.

Today’s world of anonymous internet allows people to harm without real consequences and that by itself sucks. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between constructive criticism and just downright meanness, but there is definitely one there. Ignore the hate. Listen to suggestions—after all, we can all improve our craft—but write your own story. Remember why you write in the first place. Honor your creativeness and allow life to inspire you.

A good, solid balance between writing and your physical, mental, and spiritual health can not only save you from fatigue, writer’s block, and broken relationships, it allows your creativity to flow.

What are some things you like to do for self-care? Is there something effective you do that didn't make my list? And for the NaNo crowd, does your self-care change during NaNoWriMo? Please share down in the comments section!

About Sarah

Sarah (Sally) Hamer, B.S., MLA, is a lover of books, a teacher of writers, and a believer in a good story. She’s passionate about helping people tell their own stories and has won awards at both local and national levels, including two Golden Heart finals. A teacher of memoir, beginning and advanced creative fiction writing, and screenwriting at Louisiana State University in Shreveport for over twenty years, she also teaches online for Margie Lawson at www.margielawson.com. Sally is a free-lance editor and book coach, with many of her students and clients becoming successful, award-winning authors.

Her current project is a Self-Care for Writers Symposium with numerous other writers coming up in March 2024. For more information, email her at info@mindpotential.org or visit the website www.mindpotential.org.