Writers in the Storm

If you use WordPress.org for your website, you were recently prompted to update the WordPress software to a new format. The new format is called Gutenberg (a bold move to compare website software with the printing press, but we'll roll with it), and it operates with a block system.

In case you're feeling a little lost, I'm going to lay out some basics so you can navigate your way around the new format without resorting to prayers or chocolate.

An overview of the format

Blogging formats were previously laid out like word processing software. That is, they primarily featured text with add-in options like images and tables. But with people taking in more and more information through visual and audio mediums, blogging software is changing to accommodate.

WP's Gutenberg is laid out more like a magazine, newsletter, or presentation. If you've worked with Microsoft PowerPoint, you've already used this approach with various boxes holding titles, text, images, tables, etc. which you can adjust and move around to get the layout you want. Thinking of your website that way may help you make the shift from WP's old format to the new one.

It's all about blocks

Blocks are simply boxes that contain data—whether image, text, or plugin. The default block type is paragraph, which is your basic text box. If you add a new post and just start typing below the Title box, you'll get a paragraph of text. Each time you click Return, you'll create a new block of text.

But what if you want something else? You have three options:

1. Mouse-click the plus-sign in a circle at the top left, which opens a drop-down menu of common options: Paragraph, Image, Quote, etc. Scrolling down, you'll see even more choices, including your own plugins. Clicking there will create a new block of whatever you chose.

2. Type Return to create a new, empty block and a plus-sign will appear on the left. Click that sign, and you'll see a menu of block types. Choose which one you want. 

3. Click anywhere in the block you're in and a menu will appear at the top left of the block itself. Where the block type is identified by an icon (a ¶ for a paragraph, a ” for a quote, etc.), you can click and choose a different block type.

At any time, you can change a block to another type by clicking that same icon. So if you type a paragraph and decide it's really a heading, just click that + and change it to Heading. Other text options include a List, Quote, Verse, and Preformatted. But more text options are available (like a Pullquote) from the plus-sign at that top left corner or by creating an empty block and clicking the plus-sign on the left side.

Working with images

As mentioned above, when you create a new, empty block, the plus-sign off to the left side presents you with a menu of options. Among those are Image, Media + Text, and Gallery. An image is just what you think—inserting an image into a block. From there, you can decide whether to keep the image in-line, center it, or move it left or right. If you move it left or right, text from paragraph blocks below will wrap around your image.

A Gallery is simply more than one photo in a single block. Lining up more than one photo was more difficult to do in the old WordPress, so this Gallery feature is a real upgrade. Just click Gallery, choose your photos, and it will display rather neatly on your page.

Media + Text allows you to place a photo and text that goes with it into a single block. This isn't the same as the wrap-text feature you get by moving an image left or right, but rather a way to specifically link image and text. For authors, this would be a great block for displaying a book cover with the story description and buy links off to the side.

Using the sidebar

Several functions that were previously displayed in a menu above are now on the right-hand sidebar. You can view or hide that sidebar by clicking the gear icon (for settings) at the top right corner.

Once you're there, you have two options—to view Document settings or just Block settings. Within a block, you can change text color in a paragraph, add a custom URL link for an image, change the font size, etc. Clicking over to document, you'll see the place for categories, tags, featured image, and description. You can also change author there (nice for us, since we have four main hostesses of this blog!), as well as settings for publishing.

Saving and publishing your post

WordPress Gutenberg now auto-saves your work. WordPress itself just says every several seconds, but other sites claim its every 60 seconds. Regardless, you'll periodically see Save Draft at the top left corner change to Autosaving, then Saved, and back to Save Draft. Having lost a lot of work before, I'm really happy about the autosave feature. 

But when you're ready to save, schedule, or publish the post yourself, here's the scoop:

To save, click Save Draft. The word will change to Saving and then back to Save Draft. Warning: We've had some issues with saving and currently believe it's an update/theme conflict. If this happens to you, wait until you see the Autosaving message again, then refresh the page, and everything will be back to normal. If your theme creator is regularly updating, they should fix the glitch soon.

To Publish a post, simply click the Publish button at the top right corner. The automatic settings are to publish immediately. However, WordPress has now added a confirmation step! So after clicking Publish, you'll need to confirm that request for the post to go live by clicking a second Publish button. Having accidentally published a post before I was ready, I also like this new feature.

If you want to schedule a post, make sure you can see your right-hand sidebar (click the gear icon at the top right if you can't), click over to Document, and change the Publish - Immediately to the date and time you want instead. The Publish button at the top right will automatically change to Schedule. Again, you'll have a second step to confirm that you want to schedule the post and you'll click Schedule a second time.

If you just want the classic editor back...

Let's say you updated, but you want to go back to the classic editor. You can do that by installing the Classic Editor plugin developed and maintained by WordPress. Once activated, the plugin will disable the Gutenberg update and return you to the editor you're used to seeing.

But before you do that... Let me make a quick case that everything is headed this way. If you're in the middle of a book release or a blogging challenge or something, you may well want to go back to the Classic Editor for the time being. However, the block setup is how most newsletters—which authors should have—and marketing materials are set up. So if you can take the time to master the new format, it will help you in the long run.

And eventually, certainly by 2022 at the latest, WordPress will stop supporting the Classic Editor. Before then, many plugins that worked with the editor will no longer be supported because they will have changed over. So while learning curves can suck—and we had no idea when we decided to write books how much tech we had to learn!—this change can really be a good one for us.

One trick to get a classic editor feel without reloading the old software would be to use a single block for your text. In the Gutenberg software, if you type a paragraph and click the Return button, you get a separate paragraph block. But you can create a paragraph within the same block by pressing the Shift key while clicking Return. So Shift + Return makes a new paragraph within a block.

The tips above should get y'all started. Those of you who have worked in the new Gutenberg block format for a while might have found even more shortcuts (which we hope you'll share in the comments)!

Have you updated to the new WordPress? What features are you struggling to find or use? What would you like me to cover next time?

About Julie

Julie Glover would far prefer to write books and leave the technology questions to her computer-savvy sons. But necessity is the mother of frustration despair invention.

When not wrangling with software, Julie writes mysteries and young adult fiction. Her YA contemporary novel, SHARING HUNTER, finaled in the 2015 RWA® Golden Heart®. She is represented by Louise Fury of The Bent Agency.

You can visit her website here and also follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

by Becca Puglisi

I’ve been thinking a lot about dialogue lately, because when it’s done poorly, it pulls me right out of the story. There are a lot of issues that contribute to weak dialogue: incorrect mechanics, stilted speech, characters calling each other repeatedly by name (Hi, Bob. Hey, Mary. Could you help me with this, Bob? Sure thing, Mary!)…The list goes on. But instead of talking today about the wrong parts of our characters’ conversations, I want to focus on an important element that’s often missing: tension.

Tension is that gut-curdling, oh-crap feeling you get when you realize trouble’s coming. It’s the rising emotion that emerges at the onset or even the barest hint of conflict. Tension is incredibly important because it stirs the reader’s emotion and builds their interest. It should exist in every scene, and an easy way to add it is through our characters’ verbal interactions.

Think about recent conversations—verbal or written—that have generated tension for you. They probably come to mind pretty quickly. This is because every person is different, and when these differences manifest in our communication, it can result in misunderstandings that lead to heightened emotion. The same should be true for our characters. So if you’re looking for ways to up the tension in a scene, plan any verbal exchanges thoughtfully by incorporating one or more of the following elements.

Personality Clashes. At her core, who is your character, and how does she communicate? Maybe she’s very efficient—a fixer who quickly and accurately analyzes and applies information. Now suppose she’s talking to someone with a disorganized mind and rambling conversational style. This can cause frustration for your character, who just wants her friend to get to the point already. She responds by cutting him off, or nods her head impatiently while he’s talking. This triggers the friend’s defenses, putting him on edge. When you build your cast with personality and the potential for conflict in mind, those tension landmines are easy to set.

Opposing Goals. Characters often have conflicting story and scene goals, but what about opposing goals in conversations? We do this all the time in real life—talking to people with a subconscious objective in mind. Your protagonist might be communicating with someone because they want to be heard and appreciated. But what if the other party just wants to prove they’re right? Each character will try and guide the conversation toward what they want, and someone—maybe both parties—will be thwarted. When even our small goals are threatened, our emotions kick in, so this can be a good way to add tension to a scene.

Emotions in Play. We’ve all experienced this situation: you start a conversation with someone who, out of nowhere, bites your head off. Upon closer examination, you realize that the person was upset about something that had nothing to do with you. This universal scenario can be used in our stories. Pile on the emotional baggage just before an interaction, then sit back and watch the sparks fly.

Bias. How often have you engaged in conversation with an expectation in mind for what the other person will say or how it’s going to go? Sometimes our biases are confirmed, but just as often, they taint our interactions, dooming them to failure before they even begin. We may have a chip on our shoulder that sets a negative tone for the entire exchange. Expecting certain things, we might read into what the other person is saying, misconstruing their true meaning or intent. When it comes to your character, ask yourself: Is there any bias he might bring into this conversation that could result in misunderstanding?

Insecurities. Our insecurities hobble us all the time. We’re sensitive to certain kinds of comments or tones and read unintended meaning into harmless banter. Think about how this might play out with your character. What are his insecurities—in general, but also regarding this particular person or situation? How might they impact him in an upcoming conversation?

Assumptions. Maybe you’ve heard the old saying about the word assume: it makes an ass out of you and me. How many arguments and mix-ups have come about because of incorrect assumptions? How can we apply this common occurrence in our stories? Think about what knowledge your protagonist may take for granted—something they think the other person knows or doesn’t know. Or maybe they believe that the person shares their opinion about a certain topic when they really think the opposite. How might assumptions like these cause a conversation to go south?

Small Annoyances. Your protagonist might begin a scene with great intentions, expecting to enjoy a happy chat with one of their favorite people. And everything is fine—until that person starts doing something that grates on your character’s nerves. Frequent interruptions, talking with their mouth full, listening while checking their email, consistently mispronouncing a certain word—it could be literally anything that drives your character bonkers. What might that thing be for your protagonist? What quirks can you give the other party to add an element of tension to the conversation?

Cultural Differences. A character’s culture is going to impact their communication style, determining what is acceptable and what isn’t, what’s respectful and what’s offensive. Gestures, eye contact, word choices, personal space—these things vary from one locale to another. Your character’s ignorance about these factors could result in all kinds of fallout, from busted business deals and problems at work to the death of a budding romance. This is definitely something to keep in mind in a multi-cultural cast.

Subtext. I’ve saved this one for last because it plays a very subtle part in most conversations, but it’s so understated, we don’t always pick up on it. Subtext is what you really mean, as opposed to what you say. It’s saying He seems nice when what you really mean is He is a tool of the highest order. We’re not always 100% honest with our words, and the same should be true of our characters. When we take the time to figure out what they really think or want to hide, we end up with interactions that are realistic and nuanced. And the potential for tension and conflict are huge.

These are just some of the elements that can contribute to misunderstandings and tension in our characters’ conversations. Regardless of which you choose to explore, there’s one thing they all have in common: unrealized expectations. The protagonist expects Character B to share her beliefs, want what she wants, have a base of knowledge on which to build, or communicate the same way. When these expectations are shattered, it sets her back on her heels and triggers frustration, embarrassment, hurt, and a range of other emotions. So figure out what your character expects out of a conversation, then block her, and tension is sure to follow.

Which of the nine suggestions have you used in your writing? Which one would you like to try?

ABOUT BECCA

Over the last few months, I've shared "Top 10" lists from several authors on the topics of writing and success. To close out the year, I chose Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451, Dandelion Wine and The Martian Chronicles. He also wrote Zen and the Art of Writing where he says this in his opening:

[What] does writing teach us?

First and foremost, it reminds us that we are alive and that it is a gift and a privilege, not a right. We must earn life once it has been awarded to us. Life asks for awards back because it has favored us with animation.

So while our art cannot, as we wish it could, save us from wars, privation, envy, greed, old age, or death, it can revitalize us amidst it all.

~ from Zen and the Art of Writing

Certainly, he pushed boundaries, which nearly every writer wishes to do. 
The New York Times called him "the writer most responsible for bringing modern science fiction into the literary mainstream."

I call him "a writers' writer" and was blessed to see him in person several times. He spoke at the L.A. Times Festival of Books, year after year, in good health and poor, with a walker and in a wheelchair. In return, he asked the Times for only one thing: keep the Book Review section in their publication.

He knew that books need to be celebrated and that writers need to be encouraged to "do what they love."

In the beginning of this video, Bradbury shares who inspired him to start writing.

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Here are ten of my favorites Bradburyisms on success, in life and in art:

1. Do the work.

As with every successful writer, Bradbury knew that, at some point, you'd have to put your butt in the chair and do the work. "I have three rules to live by. One, get your work done. If that doesn't work, shut up and drink your gin. And when all else fails, run like hell!"

2. Jump off cliffs.

As with most Bradburyisms, this is a metaphor. "Jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down."

He understood that often, especially in writing, the only way to learn things is to "just do it." Once you've learned those lessons, jump off new cliffs so you can learn some more.

Failure didn't bother him as much. Like Neil Gaiman, he knew good ideas would find their way to the page, and out into the world, if you simply sat down and brought them into being. "Write a short story every week. It's not possible to write 52 bad short stories in a row."

3. Live life at the top of your voice.

"You must live life at the top of your voice. At the top of your lungs shout and listen to the echoes."

Almost every writer I know is a little bit lazy sometimes. Even when we're doing the work and getting the words on the page, the [fill in the blank] is so hard, we don't want to do that.

You know what I'm talking about. Writing is so hard some days, you just don't feel like you can stretch any further than from the chair to the keyboard. What Bradbury is saying is, stretch a bit farther than you think you can. And do it with abandon. This writing "shout" will bring you tremendous echoes.

4. Do what you love.

"Do what you love and love what you do."

The first time I went to the L.A. Times Festival of Books was also the first time I saw Ray Bradbury speak. My writing muscles still squeaked, I was so new. I didn't realize that the great writers I'd grown up with were actually willing to speak to me. I ran all the way across UCLA's campus to wait in the standby line because you had to get a ticket in advance in those days. 

I pinched myself when they let me in.

His warmth and excitement blew the entire audience away. "Do What You Love" was the title of his talk and every author there looked enraptured and a little bit drunk by the time he left the stage.

He gave us all permission to play. To be happy in our creativity. Here was a great writer telling us to find what we loved and embrace every day we were lucky enough to spend our time in that happy place. It was awesome.

The electricity might not come across here, as it was after he'd had a stroke and it was harder for him to articulate his thoughts, but below is a 30-second video of his cute self on the topic of doing what you love.

5. Be open to the universe of ideas.

"I don't need an alarm clock. My ideas wake me."

All of us are not that lucky. We never will be that lucky if we aren't open to the ideas the universe floats by us. Eavesdrop in coffee shops. Walk in nature. Volunteer. Be open to your world and the people in it.

Bradbury's philosophy is simple. "Stuff your eyes with wonder, live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories."

6. Embrace your emotions.

Bradbury said, "I've often been accused of being too emotional and sentimental, but I believe in honest sentiment, and the need to purge ourselves at certain times, which is ancient. Men would live at least five or six more years and not have ulcers if they could cry better."

I think this advice rings true for men and for women. Many of us, myself included, would rather do a public speech than cry in front of others. Crying and emotions are messy and ugly and private for most.

But here's what I think he's saying: even if you won't cry in public, you should let it rip in your writing. Spill those tears, gurgle with laughter and rage at the top of your lungs on the page. You will feel loads better, and so will your characters.

7. Don't take life too seriously.

"I don't believe in being serious about anything. I think life is too serious to be taken seriously."

It's really hard to improve or elaborate on that quote, so I'll just leave it alone for you to ponder.

8. Mankind must save itself.

"We must move into the universe. Mankind must save itself. We must escape the danger of war and politics. We must become astronauts and go out into the universe and discover the God in ourselves."

Bradbury decided to become a writer at about age 12 or 13. He later said that he made the decision in hopes of emulating his heroes, and to "live forever" through his fiction.

We are writers. It is our job to expand the world we live in, and to create new worlds when our every day world sucks. Go do that!

9. READ.

"There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them."

Bradbury believed in reading widely, across genres and time periods, and he was a particular fan of the short stories. A regimen he recommended was writing hygiene. He recommended writing short stories first so you got the immediate reinforcement of finishing a story. He also saw noveling as something you work up to, rather than a place to start your writing career.

He also recommended a nightly reading session that included reading a short story and/or a poem before bed each night. He saw it as stuffing your brain full of great works to expand your mind for your own writing.

It's fascinating to listen to him talk about "writing hygiene" and the short story writers he loved.

10. Get out of your own way.

"Every morning I jump out of bed and step on a landmine. The landmine is me. After the explosion, I spent the rest of the day putting the pieces together." 

The first pages of Zen and the Art of Writing offer this:

"..Writing is survival. Any art, any good work, of course, is that. Not to write, for many of us, is to die....You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you." 

This advice is especially timely in today's world.

Bradbury wrote for almost seven decades, which is an amazing amount of wisdom to accumulate and share. There are many more points that I left out, but which of the ten above is your favorite? Which one is the most challenging for you?

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About Jenny Hansen

By day, Jenny provides training and social media marketing for an accounting firm. By night she writes humor, memoir, women’s fiction and short stories. After 20+ years as a corporate software trainer, she’s delighted to sit down while she works.

When she’s not at her personal blog, More Cowbell, Jenny can be found on Twitter at JennyHansenCA or here at Writers In The Storm.