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Write a novel in a month

Keep on writing, keep on writing

By on November 18, 2013 in 1. Discover your story, 2. Create Your Story, 4. Writer’s Life, Inspiration and Life Coaching, 7. Search by Author:, Encourage Me!, House Calls, Susan May Warren, Writers Q &A

I wrote a novella last week. 31, 160 words. That’s over 5K a day. Now, here’s what we all have to keep in mind – many of these words will have to be rewritten or deleted. I will have to go scene by scene and make sure I’ve inserted storyworld, and the 5 Ws to anchor the scene. I’ll have to ask what the main emotion of the scene is, and how to strengthen it. I’ll have to tighten my writing, make it clearer, make sure I’m not overwriting.

I’ll have to make sure I am telling the story between the quotes, and that I am wrapping up my dialogue with the right meaningful action and body language, adding zingers.

And, I’ll have to make sure I all the ingredients of the Scene Tension Equation.

All these things are in my brain as I’m writing, trust me. But, if I want to forget ahead and give myself something to work with, then I have to be like Dori in Finding Nemo.

Don’t look back. Forget everything but my goal….reaching the end. (or, P Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way)

But how do we keep that focus? I know it can be hard, because even in the middle of a scene you suddenly think: WAIT! I just came up with something BRILLIANT and I need to add it into chapter 3!

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Writing Over the Holidays

By on December 20, 2012 in 4. Writer’s Life, Inspiration and Life Coaching, 6. Search by Series:, 7. Search by Author:, Encourage Me!, General Topics, House Calls, Rachel Hauck, Writer's life

It’s the holiday season and if you’re anything like me, you’re busy. In fact, you’re probably more busy than I am because I don’t have children. I have a book due February 2 and it’s overshadowing the Christmas season. But it’s not the deadline’s fault, it’s how I write. I fast draft a very ugly novel, then I rewrite. Almost from scratch. I layer and fine tune, change and deepen. I write fast but nevertheless, it takes me awhile to think things through. To figure things out. To take the norm and turn it upside down, inside out. Friday my husband and I are taking off for Tennessee to be with my family over Christmas. It’s going to be loud and wild but I cant wait. But when I calculate […]

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Finding the Truth of Your Character

By on November 29, 2012 in 1. Discover your story, 2. Create Your Story, 4. Writer’s Life, Inspiration and Life Coaching, 7. Search by Author:, b. Building a Scene, Encourage Me!, General Topics, House Calls, Rachel Hauck

Watching an interview with Brad Pitt on Inside The Actor’s Studio, an acting student asked, “What are your processes and how have they changed?” Pitt wisely answered, “My processes is always changing.” He talked about the journey of discovery, of finding truth. As an actor, or in our case, writer, grows and changes, they should be able to hone the process of finding a the heart of a character, of discovering the truth. Pitt went on to say, “Find a moment of truth and the character will come.” This is a profound truth for all of us who deal in character. Find the truth of your character and let it breathe, let it come. Let it shine on the page. We talk a lot about processes and tools here at […]

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Don’t be overwhelmed: A game plan of what to do after a writers’ conference!

By on September 25, 2012 in 3. Publish your Story, 4. Writer’s Life, Inspiration and Life Coaching, Encourage Me!, General Topics, House Calls, Susan May Warren, Writing Conferences

Are you home from the ACFW conference?  Finally unpacked?  I hope you came home filled with encouragement and new ideas on how to make your writing breathtaking. I came home to a clean house and smiling sons.  Nice! Conferences can be overwhelming, between the requests for proposals or full manuscripts, new story ideas, craft lessons, marketing epiphanies and loads of new friends.  Don’t be overwhelmed.  Here’s a game plan of what to do after a writers’ conference: Organize your contacts: Sit down a make a list of everyone you met, from editors to fellow authors, to newbies. Reach out:  If they are editors or agents who gave you their time, even in an elevator to listen to your proposal, thank them.  If they asked you for a submission, thank them and tell them that you’ll be […]

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