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Day 4 of 90: Swimming in synopsis – it’s not that deep

Assignment:  Compose a 250-word synopsis of my current novel idea.

START 6:15 PM - END 8:08 PM  Word count:  298

 

Regarding Day 3 assignment:  I haven’t finished my Character Bio Worksheet it’s going to be one of those works in progress as my mind reveals more about characters as I am writing.  But as I was writing the synopsis much was revealed by what came out of me.

But first things first…don’t think I’m a genius or a master for whipping out 298 words in just under two hours.

There’s a trick I learned back in journalism school. 

1.  Don’t start with an empty page.  You will get blank-page syndrome and that could lead to procrastination or worse…cleaning your home.

2. Find a book you love that has a really tempting back cover synopsis.

3. Type it word-for-word on your empty page; then separate each sentence out with spaces in between. 

4. Underneath the first sentence type your idea in a similar fashion.

Here’s an example from the inside cover of “A Beautiful Mind” A Biography by Sylvia Nasar.

In this dramatic and moving biography, Sylvia Nasar re-creates the life of a mathematical genius whose brilliant career was cut short by schizophrenia and who, after three decades of devastating mental illness, miraculously recover and was honored with a Nobel Prize.

So with the above, that:

In this dramatic and moving biography, Sylvia Nasar re-creates the life of a mathematical genius

In this comical and touching life story, Andrea A. Ayers creates the life of a writer who’s shining

whose brilliant career was cut short by schizophrenia and who, after three decades of

writing career was derailed by her own procrastination and who, after seven years of distressing

devastating mental illness, miraculously recover and was honored with a Nobel Prize.

stopping and starting, incredibly placed herself in a 90-day challenge to write her novel.

Can become this:

In this comical and touching life story, Andrea A. Ayers creates the life of a writer whose shining writing career was derailed by her own procrastination and who, after seven years of distressing stopping and starting, incredibly placed herself in a 90-day challenge to write her novel.

Is it considered cheating?  No.  As long as you are using your ideas, secrets, fashion then there is nothing wrong from copying really good sentence structure.

We stand on the shoulders of giants and we’re expected to create from scratch?

Don’t reinvent the wheel.  Get the wheels turning!

Personal note:  Today was awesome!

 

 

 

 

 

Day 3 of 90: You've got character.

Assignment:  Character Bio Worksheet:  Write character bio’s for at least seven characters that may become a part of your novel.  (And no…I didn’t run screaming!)

Coming up with my two main characters took well over three hours.  Even though I have plenty of material to pull from Character Writer and Dramatica Pro, turns out; there’s a little more work.  The time frame I had them in has now past, and my characters are three years older.  I will have to work on the time frame to get continuity in the story; and I have several more characters to enter the Character Bio worksheet.

 

Back to enjoyment.

Day 2 of 90: Yours is no disgrace.

2nd assignment:  Writing with my senses.

Writing with all senses:  seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling and/or thinking. 

Even though the exercise asked me to write using two of the memories from my first assignment.  I found I had more than enough stimulation with my friend’s wonderful tales from age 12 and her  memory of her first job:  Working at a gun range. 

The brief and gruff noises of the shooters causing her to react immediately into action; the exhilaration of launching clay pigeons by hand and her nose feeling warm from the gun smoke in the air.  The feel of her fingertips as she ran her hands through grass for broken clay pieces and shot gun shells.  And the amazing feeling of earning $20 dollars for a hard day’s work. 

I can embellish away with a memory like that.  With that twenty, she first goes to the small town’s gas station and gets a double-scoop of chocolate-chip ice cream.  Then she sees a Life magazine on the rack with ballet dancers on the cover.  She licks her cone and stares at the cover of the magazine…knowing.  That’s what she’s supposed to be.

So I completed my first two assignments with help from an awesome friend. 

What I learned:  Even though we may not like our childhood memories, we shouldn't let that stand in the way of meeting our goals.  If you don’t like your own find someone willing to share their memories. 

Thank you my friend.

Day 1.5 of 90: Persistence of memories

First assignment:  Brainstorm as many early-childhood memories as you can with as much detail as possible.  (I left unhappy.)

I was in a whole mindset of approaching my outline for my characters.  It’s their story…isn’t it? 

At 42 years of age, I made a long-lasting commitment to close a certain door; Childhood memories are behind that door.  Behind that stairs stretching down and around into a dark basement, and the further I go the darker it gets.

I’ve ventured down those stairs to find the necessary darkness or evil for a scene; however, as fast as I found what I was looking for I dash up the stairs and spill all over the keyboard.  Never once have I listed out in detail any memories.

Later, I was with a friend discussing this catastrophe.  My friend, a teacher, told me some tales from her childhood, and I found myself taking mental notes. 

Not that I was taking notes verbatim;  listening as her facial expressions and as the tone of her voice rose and fell in pitch with each experience…made me think about my own.  And how distinct are back stories are.  No matter how different the experiences were…there we sat.  Together.     Two very distinctive paths and my balcony is where we met.

Day 1 of 90: Prepare. Prepare! Prepare?

Ah what a beautiful Saturday.

Before I start writing Day 1 of the 90, I must make sure everything is just right.

This morning I vacuumed the apartment.  Honestly, who could start a novel with fuzzies on the floor, really.

Off to Wal-Mart because I needed a new wireless keyboard because I have decided I want to be at least three-feet away from the computer screen as I write.  Strange at it sounds, I don’t like to look at the screen while typing.

Then onto the other side of the store for groceries because I can’t be creative and not have anything to eat if sudden urges hit me.  I bought protein-packed turkey slices, salmon, cottage cheese, and string cheese because that’s what I read is seriously brain food.  Starbucks Discoveries Iced Café Favorites in Caramel Macchiato – refreshing coffee on hand for my convenience, just in case I feel a little sluggish.

I completed a couple of loads of laundry, wiped down the kitchen counters, put everything in its proper place.

I spent three hours reading Part 1:  Outlining Techniques and Scene-Writing Basics; which I mostly knew of from other books on writing, online sites on how to outline, and other various sources…like school.  I have decided what type of outline I will be using to brainstorm, chart, and outline my novel:  The Signpost Outline (in Excel) then as it expands I will convert into the “Structure-Plus” outline.  And I learned how to compartmentalize scene by scene as described in the:  Scene Defined, Scene Structure, and the ever important Scene Variety.

I’ve been thinking of my characters and how they will appear in their opening scenes.  Where they’re at?  What characters are there?  Who is the viewpoint character?  What happens?  Like journalism with the who, what, where, when, why, and how; but without letting the reader know it all up front.

I am here.  I am ready.  Now on to page 49.  Day 1:  Ready, Set, Go!  Just a short two and half pages before my first assignment, I am so excited.  Here I go!

First assignment:  Brainstorm as many early-childhood memories as you can with as much detail as possible.

 

Whiskey.  Tango.  Foxtrot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Going from seven years to 90 Days To My Novel...the contract

Hello, I’m Andrea.  Firstly, I am myself.  Secondly, I am married.  I have one dog and no children.

I have been working on stories for seven years.  And I never finished a one.  After counting all my special writing files listing the working titles, there are seven stories. 

At first that thought brought me down.  Seven years...in some instances that length of time qualifies as time served for bad luck if a broken mirror is involved.

Through those years, I have purchased story-writing software:  Writer’s Dreamkit, Dramatica Pro, Character Writer, Freemind (flowchart software), and WhiteSmoke (editing software).  You can imagine how relieved I was to count five and not seven.

My back story…

I’ve worked in a myriad of industries: corporate, manufacturing, nursing, and military; All mostly, in office environments, Monday through Friday with weekends off.

There were times we had to relocate to a new state…no problem.  I found out everything I needed to know to make the move happen with success; Three times in seven years. 

I even managed to join the military in that time frame.

So I had to ask myself:  How could a person with the imagination to create situations, scenarios, characters, dialogue, etcetera; And with the tools to write not to mention the oodles of time to do it in… just not make it happen?

After careful consideration to how I approach work and deadlines I realized I didn’t have structure.  At work, I am given projects and told what the timeframe and deadlines are. If I could be so successful at work why not apply the technique to my writing.

I am setting aside all my cool writing software and have created a schedule for writing out of the “90 Days To Your Novel” A Day-by-Day Plan for Outlining & Writing Your Book by Sarah Domet.

It’s not cooking all the recipes in a book in a year.  It’s writing one story from my mind in ninety days. 

The contract:  Out of respect for the author the writing contract is not in full detail.  That is on page 10 in the “90 Days To Your Novel” A Day-by-Day Plan for Outlining & Writing Your Book by Sarah Domet.  But you’ll get the gist of it.

Writing Contract

Agreement made this 1^st day of August in the year 2013 whereby I, Andrea Ayers do hereby commit myself to writing a minimum of two to three hours a day, every day, for ninety consecutive days. 

I am entering this agreement with myself because I recognize that the only way to write a novel is to dedicate myself to the project and to put in the necessary (solitary) time.

I will begin my novel on August 3rd, 2013 and expect my first completed draft to be finished on October 31, 2013, approximately ninety days later. 

This pledge is made with my full consent and awareness and under no obligation to anyone but me.