Keep Multiple Copies

I wrote a book from the middle of my 9^th grade year to the middle of my 10^th grade year.  It took me 9 months and I called it my baby for that reason alone.  It reached over 60,000 words.  I didn’t have a printer.  I didn’t take the time to retype it on a typewriter.  The document on my well-protected disk would be enough.  Yes, back then, all we had were 3.5" and the bigger floppy disks.  I managed to slip in a page here or there with my homework on the class printer.  My homework was also on a 3.5".

The disk was not enough.  I forgot my homework disk at home.  The teacher moved on to formatting on that fateful day.  She said we didn’t need the files we used for class, so I figured I could use the only disk I guarded with my life instead of admitting I messed up.  She also didn’t tell us the definition of formatting until after I lost my novel.

I started rewriting it based on the thirteen pages I managed to sneak to the printer.  Devastation is not a strong enough word.  This time I did it on a typewriter.  It’s not the same.  It’s not better.  In fact, I think its current incarnation is worse.  My hope is that one day I can afford to pay a company enough money to recover the original file.  The lack of floppy drives installed in new computers and the current recovery software out there has not been successful in recovering the file for me though I try each time I find a new one.  The FBI does it in child pornography and tax evasion cases, managing to pull the fragments of a file even though it has been written over and use the results in court.  If I can piece enough of the temp files with the original, I can put it back together.  I am not aware of a private company that holds that technology.  If you know of one, please contact me.

Since then, I invested in a printer.  I keep a copy on the computer.  I keep a physical copy.  Then I keep another copy on an external drive.  They are kept in different places for safety reasons.  It wouldn’t do for a fire to melt both drives and burn the pages.  This has been helpful, but does not protect me from losing information.

My next huge loss happened at work.  The piece that held my jump drive on my key ring broke, so I shoved it deep in my pocket.  That day, my relief ran late for work and I needed to leave.  In my aggravation, I did not pay as much attention as I needed to when I rushed into the bathroom stall to change into my concert gear.  I heard a strange noise, but ignored it.

Two days later, I tore my truck apart looking for the jump drive.  I thought back and figured it fell out of my work pants.  Company policy is that anything turned into lost and found must be kept for a week before being thrown or claimed by the finder.  I didn’t worry about it and waited until my next scheduled day.  The cleaning lady thought the jump drive was a security tag for clothing and threw it out.  I literally climbed into the dumpster – after having permission from the manager – and dug through all the trash.  At this truck stop, the restaurant, convenience store, and casino shared the dumpster.  It didn’t smell pretty.

After searching half of the mess, I found out they did an emergency pick up the day before.  My backup files were from two months before.  I spent three days retyping from the hard copies, but I lost a few chapters I didn't print.  The loss was minimal, but enough to drive me a little crazy.

Computers crash.  Hard drives go bad.  Papers fly away in the wind and you can’t catch them all before they end up in a road or in the water.  Shit happens.  Keep current copies and several of them.  When your primary version is lost or ruined beyond recovery, it's not as bad when you can pull out a back up copy and take a deep breath of relief.

Life teaches us lessons.  It's easier when we take preventive measures.  Trust me.

Finding The Location

You’ve sat down and reduced the amount of time you’ll spend on housework, yard work, and social activities.  The kids are at their grandparent’s, with a babysitter, or hanging out with friends.  The wife is out visiting the mother-in-law or your husband’s out fishing with the boys.  Then the fear kicks in: you actually have to write.

For most writers, we like a particular area to write.  Something about it helps us focus.  It gives us inspiration.  Not all writers work at a desk.  Some like the kitchen table.  Others prefer coffee shops.  The library.  The next step is to find where you receive the most inspiration.

At coffee shops, there’s just enough activity you can block it out.  Unless a musician is playing a really jaunty tune and you hate those, the sounds won’t intrude.  On occasion, I have experienced problems when loud teenagers sit next to me.  While having fun, they are yelling and screaming and laughing.  No one can fault them.  It’s great they’re being happy, but that’s when I leave and find a new place.  Coffee shops also offer coffee, tea, smoothies, sodas, and some ice cream.  Pick your favorite and enjoy.  Another advantage is when the creativity runs out, you can tune into the world around you and people watch.

One of the best writing tools is to listen to other people’s conversations while not being intrusive.  You can catch the words of someone being too loud.  Don’t lean in and try to listen to a whispered conversation.  That’s just creepy.  The random conversations of strangers can provide inspiration for a short story or material for your current project.

I consider my bathtub a place of inspiration.  I took a keyboard shelf off an old desk, removed the tracks on the side, and laid it across the tub.  Cue a bubble bath, occasionally a glass of wine, and I’m all set.  The additional bonus is my cats have no interest in trying to catch my pen because they are afraid of falling into the water.  Few people will disturb you in the tub.  The only down side is sometimes the hot water makes me so tired I lose interest in writing.  This is a hit or miss method for me, but when it hits I’m very productive.

Most of my writing is done at work.  After obtaining permission from my supervisors and the site managers, I am allowed to write when it does not interfere with my job duties.  This has a few down sides.  First, I’m terrified of having to fight a company I’ve worked for in court as they try to claim a bit of my income because I wrote on their time – our verbal agreement ensured my job security, not whether or not they can seek a claim.  I doubt this will ever happen and I’d win if it did, but the idea of the hassle alone is enough.  Second, my duties often interrupt a stroke of inspiration.  This not only agitates me and I am short with people who don’t deserve my attitude, but I lose the thread and I’m back to staring at the screen or paper.  It’s not the best option.  We writers must hold onto that day job for as long as possible.  Do not threaten your job security for the sake of a chapter.  If that book is never published, you have lost your job with no way to make up for the income.  However, being trapped at a desk for eight hours a day with nothing to do except wait for a vehicle to drive up to a gate so I can check their ID and record their company and vehicle information is very boring.  Writing passes the time.

I have heard of writers who rent small rooms in community centers or take over one of the group rooms in a library.  If you take a group room in the library, be very aware that you may be asked to leave when two or more people arrive and need to use it.  Be gracious because, technically speaking, the librarians could have kicked you out when you walked in and settled yourself.  They were being nice by waiting to see if others would need the space.

I also like restaurants that offer free refills on coffee.  If you go this route, please leave if the tables fill.  You are keeping the waitress or waiter from making tips.  If you insist on keeping the table, give your server enough of a tip they don’t hate you for hogging their chances to make a few more bucks.  There are times I’ve over-tipped for a cup of coffee and the refills because I’ve sat there for three hours working.  They might be struggling to succeed like you are.  I’ve run into a ton of people who are musicians or writers working in the service industry to pay their bills before they make it.

Some writers set up in rooms the size of closets for the solitude.  Others like to sit at their desk.  They walk in the park and sit under a tree.  Try many different areas.  Pick the one that makes you happiest and most productive.  Hide from friends and family if you have to.

Ultimately, you are responsible for preventing interruptions.

Finding The Write Tools

The way the words exit your mind can have an impact on your writing, both in productivity and quality.  Computers, typewriters, spiral notebooks, loose-leaf paper, voice recognition programs, and leather bound books can please or upset a writer.  Some will only write on one of these items.  If they publish a book, the method used can become superstition.  The nit picking I do here is to aid the feeling the method provides.  The happier you feel when writing, the better the work.

Computers are not the best form of writing for me.  I only use them if there is no paper around or the ideas are flowing.  I have been known to compose 1,000 fresh words an hour on a computer.  I took typing in high school, so my speed is more than those who have not learned finger placement.  If this is your preferred method, I suggest a typing class at a local college.  A community center may offer it.  The better you type, the less errors you have to edit out and the faster the words flow.

A voice recognition program is a nice way to write.  You can sit back and make certain the computer recognizes your words correctly.  The programs are now advanced enough to remove errors.  The first voice recognition program I purchased took over a month for me to find all the words it would not recognize and sit with the tools menu repeating the words over and over again until it learned the word.  Plus, some words are not in the program.  Explicatives must be manually entered and repeated.  Some names and locations face the same fate.  Also, if your characters are using a local dialect, you may have to program in the entire pronunciation and spelling your intending to use, which can take valuable time.  However, it's very beneficial when I’m driving and want to work.  I can put the microphone on, set the laptop on the seat next to me, plug it into an adapter, and make some progress.  I also strap a digital recorder to my sun visor because I may not remember a sentence if the program interprets it wrong as an 18-wheeler roars by.  The point is to NOT LOOK AT THE SCREEN WHILE DRIVING.  Set it up and have the tape rolling before you put the vehicle into drive.  Editing the result can be time consuming, though.  It all depends how strong the writing itch is before I use this.  Some times, I forgo the program and just use my digital recorder.  I type up my progress later.

Typewriters hold less appeal for me.  They’re heavy, clunky, and most models make the desk shake, which put me off.  The ribbon is pricey, too.  If you can’t afford printer ink, you just save copies elsewhere and wait until you have the money.  If you don’t have the money for a typewriter ribbon, well, you can’t write on it and have to find another method.  I reiterate – if it makes the words flow, use it.

Notebooks are a preferred choice for me.  I feel better using them.  I find I write more and for a longer period of time.  However, the work will need to find its way to a word processor at some point or another.  An agent or book publisher will not accept a handwritten anything.  If you are submitting hand written manuscripts and query letters, now you know the main reason you're being rejected.  If you have a limited income, borrow the library’s computers.  A small jump drive is a lot cheaper than a computer and well worth the money if you want to see your book published.  Typewriters are cheap at garage sales.  I picked one up with a storage bag of ribbon for three bucks.  Since it’s no longer a model in production, I can’t use it once those ribbons are done, but at that price it’s worth it.

The appeal of the leather bound book or journal is evident.  It smells nice.  It fits well in the hand.  It connects us with the classical authors who did not have the electrical and mechanical options we have available to us today.  However, it’s not very often I find a good leather bound book for a reasonable price that I like.  The price can go up considerably.  Again, you’ll have to take time to type it.  Unlike a notebook or loose leaf, you will have trouble with the integrity of the binding once you start tearing out your mistakes.

In the end, the best method is the one that produces the most results.  Try them all and pick the best one.

The next tool to consider that many don’t is the pen or pencil used.  This is not only for the writers who love to use paper first.  Even if you type that first draft and edit it a hundred times straight on the computer, you have to print it and check over it before submitting.  What if you find an error or a detail you forgot to add?  It’s best to take a pen and edit the work off the screen.  The words look a little different there.

Ballpoint pens are cheap and prolific.  I can’t write with them unless the idea is really flowing.  Gel pens are a little more expensive, but the ink flows onto the paper better.  My personal preference is an extra fine point fountain pen with refillable cartridge.  It flows the best.  However, the show stops when the ink runs out and if you don’t have another standing by ready for action, you can lose the mojo.  They are also pricey if you want a good one.  A calligraphy pen has a nice flow as well.  A pal of mine prefers to write with markers.  It’s messy, but it works.  Pencils aren’t a favorite of many writers because it can be easily erased, but some love the smell of the wood and the sound of the lead scratching against the paper.

The tip of the pen can affect the feeling of writing with it as well.  While my preference is extra fine, I can deal with fine tip.  Try different sizes until you find one that makes you want to keep it forever.

Being Selfish

“Sometimes finishing that book means the kids don’t take a bath every night and the dishes pile up in the sink.”

Every creative outlet is ultimately selfish.  No one can write if they spend their entire day catering to the demands of others.  You have to lock yourself away in the bedroom, closet, office, or bathroom to avoid distractions.  There is, of course, a fine line between putting your words on paper and neglecting those who love you.

As the author above stated, you may send the kids to bed without their customary bath because a chapter is burning at you and you can’t write it until they’re asleep.  You can’t lock them in a closet with a muzzle for peace and quiet.  You stop washing dishes right after using them and catch up when it can fill your dish strainer.  Just don’t wait until they’re growing bacteria and little flies are hovering over the sink.

Clothes aren’t washed on a schedule, either.  You end up wearing the same jeans and shirt two days in a row because you forgot to put the dirty stuff to wash.  Thank goodness you only left that computer chair to grab a meal and use the bathroom.  If you end up wearing the same clothes for a week and you haven’t bathed, put down the pen or step away from the computer.  You’ve gone too far.

Even musicians are selfish.  Do you really think they can perfect a riff or melody with a spouse nagging them or kids screaming or a person talking to them?  They find the time to distance themselves from distractions.  A recording studio is important not only for the equipment.  It’s easy to isolate themselves from distractions because all that’s around them is people and items intended for the creation of music.  Unless the distractions come to visit.

Painters, designers – all of the creative arts need a moment alone to solidify the idea that entered their brains.  It begins in the mind.

The excuse of ‘I don’t have time’ no longer applies once you use this philosophy.  Sit down, take a look at your life as a whole, and start clearing your calendar.  If you can’t succeed at this step, you will never be a writer because you will never have a manuscript to show the work.

Finding The Words

I have received a lot of advice from other writers, editors, and agents.  The best came in the form of: “A good writer will write millions of words before they write anything good.”  If you have published the first story you’ve ever written, you are very lucky.

If you write a novel or short story and it’s rejected everywhere, put it in your archives and work on another project.  Do it again.  And again.  And again.  Eventually, you will hone your writing ability so that you will find the words that people want to read without cringing or seeing a huge need for you to take a few technical writing classes to clean up the mess.

Now, just because you’ve put the first ones away doesn’t mean you can’t ever publish them.  Wait until you have improved enough to look at them again.  Try giving yourself two or three years.  You’ll cringe.  Then, if you’re not too horrified, you can fix them.  I have rewritten almost all of my original works and found myself pleased with the result.  Two years later, I’m rewriting them again to incorporate the change in my writing style and the new tricks I’ve learned.  It’s a process.

Rewriting a work is difficult, though.  No matter how proud you are of it despite the flaws, your pride may resist the changes needed.  You’ll judge yourself harshly.  You may even want to give up entirely.  In most cases, I found it easier to take the character’s names, plot, and location details down on a slip of paper.  Then I take out a fresh bit of paper or open a new word processing file and go from there.

It’s much better to abandon a project than to work on it for years and have it go nowhere.  I’m not saying you should put aside difficult work.  If you want to see yourself published, you need to face reality.  If your plot is so insane no one can read it and believe or understand it, put it aside and work on another idea.  If your writer’s block is so bad you fix a drink and stare at the manuscript, it’s time to move on.  One day you may find the fix.  Take a long hard look at what your problem is.  Face reality.

Another problem I found is many authors see these (currently) failed manuscripts as albatrosses.  Fighting with yourself over it is a waste of time and energy and causes needless guilt.  Have faith there is a way to make the idea work.  You just may not be at the point in your life to put the idea onto paper how you want.  So put it aside to discover later.

I have many manuscripts sitting around in various stages of development.  I know I will pick them up one day, but right now the other projects I am working on are more important to finish first.  Learn to prioritize.  It helps save a lot of time, worry, and frustration.