Writers in the Storm

by James Preston

Time is your friend . . . and your enemy.

You can never have enough. Yet it can stretch, minutes to seeming hours, in a boring movie that your date loves. It can race by when you’re writing to meet a deadline.

 . . . Time.

I looked for fiction writing classes on line and got over 65 million hits in less than a second. Let’s assume one out of a thousand,  0.1%, of them are aimed right at your kind of writing, that’s 65,000. Okay, 0.1% of that is 65 and you decide to attend one or more?

You are talking a lot of hours. Not necessarily a bad thing. Our art and craft are not easily mastered. But how many can you attend and still finish the book?

. . . Time

Time Hacks

But are there brief bits to educate and help, to inspire, inform and entertain when you don’t have days for a class? Like a life hack, a shortcut to help get you over those humps? You bet!

It seems to me that all of these classes, books and essays divide into two groups: “how to” and “inspirational.”

The first group is absolutely essential. What we do is both craft and art and you must master the craft before you can begin to grapple with the second. Before you can play in the piano recital you have to learn to run scales.

The inspirational half of this is equally important because we all hit moments when we think of our current WIP, “Arggh! This sucks. I hate it and it hates me.”

Side note: I told my wife about a month ago that my current story was trying to kill me. It was.

Then I took a break and plugged in my DVD of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

And this time I watched the special features, and I listened to Stephen Spielberg talk about the work. And I realized that modern movies on DVD are chock full of great interviews with the people involved, in which they tell stories of how they did it, why they did it (sometimes), and how they kept going when it got tough. And I found a quick way to get a boost, to think, “Yeah, everybody struggles now and then.”

The DVD helped me.

Many DVDs are a rich source of information in four ways: “Making Of” featurettes, liner notes, commentary, and deleted scenes.

Side Note: streaming services also offer movies with extra features, which may vary by service. I’m using DVD examples in this essay, focusing on the “Making Of” featurettes. I’ll throw in a bit of romance, a piece of trivia for your next cocktail party, and I’ll talk about liner notes from one movie that very few, if any, of you have heard of, let alone seen.

Here are a few DVDs that have worthwhile special features. I suggest them because they will convince you that everybody hits rough spots, everybody that succeeds keeps going, and — the best part — they’re relatively short. “Making of” featurettes are usually at most 20 - 30 minutes long. Watching one will expose you to pros grappling with deadlines and story issues.

Temple of Doom

As I’m sure many of you know, Temple of Doom is widely regarded as the weakest of the first Indiana Jones trilogy. It is certainly the darkest. If you watch the special features, Spielberg knew it. But it was a story he wanted to tell, so he did, and don’t think there's no risk involved. Hollywood not only believes you’re only as good as your last work, they’re proud of thinking that way. He has some very interesting things to say.

Star Trek (2009)

Here I’m talking about the reboot, directed by J.J. Abrams. The “Making of..." featurettes are excellent. What comes through to me most is how much the cast and crew enjoyed making the movie. Hard work? You bet. Arguments? I’m sure. But, bottom line, it shows how much they enjoyed the story. It convinced me that if I didn’t love a scene, or a story, something was wrong. It helped to rekindle my enthusiasm for my work.

Romancing the Stone (1984).

Wow, this DVD is a treasure trove of good information and inspiration. My thanks to the folks at WITS for asking me to write because it made me pull out the movie. Look for “Hidden Treasure: the Screenwriter.” If you don’t know her story, be prepared to be surprised.

In the liner notes: this script was “in turnaround” (translation: limbo) for two years. Two years, after the writer, who was working as a waitress when she wrote it, got Michael Douglas interested. Two years! If that doesn’t inspire you I don’t know what will.

Deleted scenes: ask yourself why “At the river” was cut. And for the trivia I promised, look at the very first scene of Romancing the Stone with Kathleen Turner. A female writer is sitting at her typewriter, hair pulled back in a ponytail, wearing a Pendleton shirt. Then look at the back cover photo of Grace Metalious on Peyton Place. The Turner scene has got to be an homage.

All of the above are movies that I like a lot. I thought I’d include one that I don’t’ much care for: Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi. I was watching some of the bonus material preparing for this essay, and the section of “The Director and the Jedi” where they’re working on storyboards is really useful, and it spoke to me because I was struggling with just that for the last fight screen in my WIP. Thoughts in the middle of the night like, “Wait, she can’t do that in the parking lot; she’s on the roof.” These people are working out issues just like that.

I want to close by talking about a movie I bet very few of you have seen — a little gem called (I’m not making this up) The Hideous Sun Demon. This time I'm focusing on the liner notes on the DVD case.

THSD was made in 1957, released in 1958, by a man named Robert Clarke. He’s also the producer and the star, which tells you something. Today it would be direct-to-video or You Tube. At that time it was aimed at an audience of kids in a drive-in, busy drinking beer and making out.

In the liner notes Clarke talks about how he and some of his friends from USC scraped together the cash and made the movie on a shoestring, and how when he was in the hideous sun demon costume, (made out of an old wetsuit), it was so hot that so much sweat was running down his body that there is one still picture of him where it appears he failed to make it to the Men’s Room in time. But they stuck with it. Clarke stuck with it. And they finished the movie, it made some money and they’re proud of their work. Learn from them. You should be proud of yours, too.

I promised romance... Stephen Spielberg has soft spot for Temple of Doom because he says that’s where he met his wife, Kate Capshaw. Not bad, huh?

So, time. Mine’s about up. 

Time is the one resource you can’t get more of. When you’re working on our art and craft, try to use it well. With a free half hour you can learn something from the likes of Spielberg, Abrams — or Clarke.

Now do something for me, for us. Think about quick things from special features that gave you a boost, maybe a deleted scene that made you think one of yours might drag just a bit, maybe a writer’s story from a Making Of featurette. Are there Special Features that moved you? Share them with this writing community that we are all part of. Thanks.

Time. Tick tock, tick tock, tick . . . 

About James

James Preston writes the multiple-award-winning Surf City Mysteries. His most recent work, however, is not part of that series. It’s a novella called Buzzkill, a historical thriller that Kirkus Reviews said is “enriched by characters who sparkle and refuse to be forgotten.” His work is collected by the UC Berkeley University library as part of their special collection, “California Detective Fiction.” For more about the stories, check out his web page, www.jamesrpreston.com. He can be reached at james@jamesrpreston.com. 

by Lori Freeland

Anxiety. The word alone is enough to set off a tingle in my fingers, a tightness in my chest, and a worn-out mantra—Breathing is good. Passing out is bad—that rarely works. 

And I’m not alone.

I’ve read so many posts from authors dealing with health problems related to or caused by anxiety—especially in the last few years. The push to perform and market and put more and more out there seems to be ramping up to an almost impossible level, for indie authors in particular. 

What’s really frustrating is that the very things that make us good writers—empathy, sensitivity, being observant, and of course the power to picture in IMAX the very worst thing that could happen in any situation—are the same things that fuel the anxiety.

From the fear of not being able to meet deadlines to not being good enough to straight-up failure, there’s A LOT to worry about. We even worry about the good things! Praise easily leads to pressure.

Sadly, all that yuck doesn’t just stay in the writing part of our lives. It leaks over into everything, and random moments can set it off.

Driving in the rain makes me shake. Claustrophobia in a crowd tunnels my vision. Restlessness spins my thoughts until my mind won’t shut off and I can’t sleep, I can’t focus, I can’t function.

And worse, when I get that way, I can’t write. Like not at all.

Anxiety might be one of the least understood stalkers of mental health. Especially to people who’ve never experienced it. Broken bones, people understand. Even a broken heart gains a sympathetic nod. But anxiety can get brushed off as being all in our heads.

Except it’s not. Physically, the “fight or flight” hormones released during stress mess with our weight, our energy levels, our focus, our productivity... the list feels endless.

When I’m open with people about my anxiety, I get a lot of—Stop thinking about it. Just tell yourself you’re fine. Nothing terrible is happening to you. So-and-so has it worse.  

Honestly, none of that helps. And sometimes the temptation to walk away from writing tugs hard.

Believe it or not, I had less anxiety over my son’s diagnosis of cancer than I do over my writing. Maybe because cancer is not something I can control. No amount of effort on my part could change his prognosis or take away his struggles.

Not true with writing. My effort can make me or break me.  

Helpful Tips and Tricks

So what can we do if we’re not ready to chuck our writing dreams for peace of body and mind? Here are 12 survival tricks that help me function when I feel like I’m coming unglued.  

1. Ramble to someone. Monologue it if you’re alone. Sing along with the radio or risk it and go acapella. This is great for when I’m freaking out in the car. Talking and singing naturally slow my breathing.  

2. Get Your “Go” on. Walk. Run. Dance. Ski. Skateboard. Climb stairs. Lift weights. It works. And this is coming from someone who is totally anti-exercise.  

3. Stand Up—comedy that is. Find your sense of humor. What’s funny in your situation? Or what will be funny once you’re out of it? Where can you use this story in your writing? Some of the best things we throw at our characters are things we’ve been dealt first.

4. Change Your Creative Focus. Paint. Draw. Play an instrument. Start a garden. Knit socks. Grow Chia Pets.  

5. Organize. Cleaning, sorting, and rearranging gives focus. Bonus—you also get a completed project to feel proud of.

6. Shower. Or bathe. Warm water relaxes me.

7. Take a Tour. A mental tour. Growing up, I lived in a lot of different houses. When my mind refuses to turn off, I mentally walk through each one and see what details I remember—the pink flowers on the wallpaper of my house in Ohio, the deep end of the pool we had in Florida, the creepy basement of our first house in Wisconsin. Replay a visual of your favorite places.

8. Wave Bye-Bye to obligations. Yes, there are certain things we have to do. There are also lots of things we only think we have to do. Prioritize. Step away from what you can and conserve your mental energy for what you can’t.

9. Turn Off the Noise. Isolate temporarily. I’ll let you in on a secret. If I’m going somewhere to meet other people, I drive myself so I have an escape plan. Most of the time I don’t need to use it, but it makes me feel safe to know I have an immediate getaway. 

10. Pinpoint Focus. Social anxiety is a problem for some of us and leaving isn’t always an option. Pick one person you feel comfortable with and ask them about themselves. If you’re focused on someone else, you’ll spend less energy focusing on yourself.

11. Fail. Give yourself permission to fail. A lot of us who suffer from anxiety also suffer from perfectionism. Give it a try. Failing really isn’t the end of the world.  

12. Go There. Make a plan. Visualize the worst and plan what you’ll do. I like to be prepared. Just knowing I’ve already hypothetically walked through a situation from beginning to end calms my anxiety.

This post is definitely atypical for me. I usually share writing tips. But I think so many of us can relate. Can you?

Are there pieces of your writing life that stress you out or cause you anxiety? Have you tried any of my stress relievers or, better yet, others that work well for you? If you feel comfortable sharing, we'd love to hear about it in the comments!

About Lori

An encourager at heart, author, editor, and writing coach Lori Freeland believes everyone has a story to tell. She’s presented multiple workshops at writer’s conferences across the country and writes everything from non-fiction to short stories to novels—YA to adult. When she’s not curled up with her husband drinking too much coffee and worrying about her kids, she loves to mess with the lives of the imaginary people living in her head.

You can find her young adult and contemporary romance at lorifreeland.com and her inspirational blog and writing tips at lafreeland.com. Her latest release, The Accidental Boyfriend, is currently free on the Radish app.

Top photo credit: Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay

by Ellen Buikema

If you’ve read my posts here at WITS, you know my husband and I retired to Mexico. Currently we’re in Mazatlán where the large expat community has been a surprise. There is a large English-speaking community here, comprised mostly of Canadians and Americans. One of the last things I expected was to come to a foreign country and do a public talk in English, but that’s what happened earlier this month.

Some background

I was privileged to be included in a cultural event in Mazatlán, sponsored by the Institute of Culture, Tourism, and Art of Mazatlán. This was the first time the expat community has been invited to this annual book festival, and it was a huge honor to be included. I happily volunteered to speak in one of the 45-minute time slots.

A day or so later, I wondered what I’d been thinking. I hadn’t given a talk to a group in quite a few years and felt out of practice (and a bit panicked).

The theme of this event was Leer para la Paz, or Read for Peace. My area of Mexico has its share of violence, most related directly to the cartels. The idea of the festival is to educate the populace, especially the children, about the greater world.

So, on top of a case of nerves, I needed to find a way to create talk that included "reading for peace."

What was I worried about?

Transportation

First, I worried about getting there on time, although time is rather fluid here in the Land of Mañana. My husband and I do not drive in Mexico. The drivers scare the hell out of me as the driving rules seem to be mere suggestions.

Instead, we took what I refer to as the “bumpity bus.” This isn’t a calm air-conditioned bus. The bumpity bus travels the neighborhoods somewhat like the Knight Bus from Harry Potter but without the magic. While trying to ignore the near sideswipes of pedestrians, motorcycles, and vehicles, I went over my notes for the talk.

We made it with fifteen minutes to spare.

The Discussion

From my experience as a preschool teacher, I am well-versed in miniscule attention spans and quick changes in conversation. I know full well that any one question can completely turn a conversation in another direction.

A list of talking points is my safest plan. If I write down too much, I get stuck in the minutia and stumble over my words. Since I wrote The Adventures of Charlie Chameleon series to encourage empathy in children, I based my talk around that.

Ten or so minutes into the talk I realized that my audience was just not that into me. They were being polite but their body language and faces were not engaged.

Not good.

Luckily, a few people in the audience were beta readers for my current historical fiction manuscript, The Hobo Code. One of them asked a specific question about my book’s research and away we went. Suddenly, the questions flowed like a waterfall.

Other Advice

Toastmasters advises to know your audience.

Keep in mind that, even if you do know your audience, preparing a list of topics is a good idea. You never know when the audience will wander off inside their heads, get antsy, or (heaven forbid) walk away.

I saw my audience get antsy, which is never a good thing. Antsy audiences make me nervous. I wanted them engaged!

So, my addendum to this advice from Toastmasters is to try to have some pals in the audience. I usually have questions prepared to bring people back. This time I was lucky and my beta readers asked questions instead, opening the door for others in the audience to ask their own.

I was wired by the end of the talk, so I sat chatted with the audience, which eased me back to a more relaxed state. An additional bonus: it allowed me to meet more of the expat writing community, and several readers who were interested in what we all write about.

If you decide to speak in front of an audience, and get nervous like I do, here are a few more helpful suggestions:

Practice.

Try practicing in various locations in the house or other venues. Practice alone, in front of friends, with music going in the background, or with people walking in front of you.

During this particular event in Mazatlán, I actually had people pass between me and my audience. When there were only a few, I waved them on and kept speaking. When a whole crowd from one of the cruise ships walked in front of me, I broke things up by doing a little dance until they were clear of my space.

Funny works. Plus, I learned that I am able to give a talk with more distractions than I thought possible, without losing my place.

Have a joke prepared.

You may never need one, but I find that a little laughter loosens the audience and brings them closer to you. For this talk, that little dance was all I needed.

Do you have any good stories about public speaking? I’d love to hear them down in the comments!

About Ellen

Author, speaker, and former teacher, Ellen L. Buikema has written non-fiction for parents and a series of chapter books for children with stories encouraging the development of empathy—sprinkling humor wherever possible. Her Work In Progress, The Hobo Code, is YA historical fiction.

Find her at http://ellenbuikema.com or on Amazon.

Sources:

• Toastmasters
  Public Speaking
  Tips
• Julie
  Glover also gave 5
  Tips for an Engaging Workshop here at WITS.