Another Writer's Notebook

Hey everyone! 

 If you’re like me, then you frequently have plot bunnies popping up out of nowhere. If you don’t know what plot bunnies are, basically they’re story ideas or concepts that pop into your head and refuse to leave unless you do something about it. And if you’re already working on a project (or more), it can be tempting to abandon your current story and try to chase after said plot bunny. So when do you know whether or not you should chase after the plot bunny that won’t leave you alone? Here’s some tips that I’ve picked up from my experience of constantly being plagued by plot bunnies: 

 When to chase after a plot bunny 

 If you’ve just finished a project or you haven’t had anything to work on in a while, now’s definitely a good time to try out your plot bunny! There isn’t really anything stopping you in this case, so there’s no better time to start something new. 

 If you’ve been stuck on your current project or just lost motivation to work on it, it may be a good idea to take a break from it. And if you don’t want to stop writing completely during your break, then what better time to try out a completely new idea? It’s a good way to get some excess creativity out when your normal outlet isn’t working. And you can always go back to your original project when your motivation for it returns or your excitement for the new one runs out. 

 If your plot bunny is just an idea for a short story (or even a series of short stories), there’s no harm in taking the time to write it! It can be fun to have a small side project for you to work on without it taking all of your attention. (Though be careful just in case your plot bunny decides to multiply and your short story ends up becoming a full fledged novel. Definitely not speaking from experience…)

 When not to chase after a plot bunny

 If you’re like me and you’re already working on multiple projects, it’s probably a better idea to save your new plot bunny for later. As tempting as it can be to chase after a shiny new idea, it’s probably best to set it aside for now and work on the growing pile of projects you still have to get through. (I say, as I ignore the hundreds of times I’ve neglected my giant pile of projects for another plot bunny that spawned in the last week. If y’all have problems focusing on all your projects, much less one project, believe me you’re not alone.) 

 Even if you’re only working on one project right now, trying to start a separate project while you’re making good progress on your current one is not a very good idea. It may cause you to lose motivation for your current project, and when the excitement of starting a new project starts to disappear, then you’ll just be left with two projects that you don’t have any motivation to work on. So if you already have a project that’s doing really well, it’s probably better to save the plot bunny for later. 

 If you already know how your plot bunny’s story is going to play out, then it may not be a bad idea to start writing it. But sometimes your plot bunny doesn’t even have a plot. It may just be based off of a certain vibe or aesthetic (that you may or may not have found on pinterest), or it could just be a concept for a world, character, or plot twist that doesn’t have a story yet. If this is the case, it might be a good idea to just let it sit until you have an actual plot. Unless you’re a pantser (unlike me, because in case you couldn’t tell I’m very much a plotter,) in which case it’s probably not that hard to start a story with only a few ideas in mind. In my opinion though, if you already have other things to work on and the plot bunny doesn’t give you much to work with, it’s a better idea to leave it be for now. 

 What now? 

 So what if you shouldn’t chase after a plot bunny, but you still really love the idea? What do you do now? 

 Write down the concept for your future self to come back to. Maybe even write a scene or two so you can get it out of your brain for the time being. Make a pinterest board so that you have the vibes and aesthetics to go back to later. (You might as well make the pinterest board now, right?) Then go back to your current project and keep working on it! Once you’re done or once you feel like you need a break, then you can try and tackle your plot bunny. Or forget about it only to find it a few months or even years later (like I totally haven’t done on multiple occasions). Plot bunnies may have a bad reputation for being distracting— which, let’s be real, is 100% true— but they don’t always have to be if you know how to handle them well! 

 So that’s my advice for how to deal with plot bunnies! How do y’all usually deal with your plot bunnies? (And how often do you have to deal with plot bunnies? Please tell me I’m not the only one who has like a thousand a year.) 

 Thanks for reading! – Em 

Hey everyone!

 Today I’ll be talking about writing advice I wish I was told earlier because it took me way too long to figure it out myself. I’ve been “officially” writing for about 5 years now (not including the countless stories I attempted to write as a kid *cough*), and even though that’s not exactly a long time, I’ve picked up on some things throughout my writing journey. And honestly, there’s some things that seem kind of obvious that I didn’t really realize until recently. So now I get to pass them on to you guys! Here are the main three pieces of advice I wish I’d been told sooner: 

 1. YOUR FIRST DRAFT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT

 This one feels obvious, but honestly I didn’t really accept this one until recently. (And do I still feel like it has to be perfect sometimes? Yes. Yes I do.) When I first really started writing, I always had someone who was going to read it almost immediately afterward. That pressured me into trying to make the first thing I wrote down as perfect as possible. And while that doesn’t mean that you can’t have anyone read your first draft, having someone looking over your shoulder while you’re writing (literally or metaphorically) can really affect your progress if you’re too worried about making it readable. That’s not what the first draft is for. It’s called a “rough” draft for a reason— it’s just a way to get your story onto paper (or onto a document), and then from there you can try to make it make more sense. 

 2. BE AWARE OF WHO AND WHAT YOU’RE LISTENING TO 

 As a writer, when people tell you what they think of your writing, it’s easy to fall into two traps— listening to everyone’s opinions and trying to please them, or not listening to anything they say at all. I’ve tried to do both, and it doesn’t really work. So what is the problem with both of these? 

 The issue with the first one is that trying to change your novel to fit everyone’s preferences can slow down your progress significantly or even stop it completely. When I first started writing, I tried asking a lot of people for their opinion on my story. They all had different preferences and opinions, and when I tried listening to everything they had to say and tried incorporating into my novel, it didn’t work and I almost ended up ditching that story entirely. In the end, I decided that I would stop showing my work to everyone and only have a select couple to read my story, and writing became much easier after that. 

 Of course, there’s also the issue of not listening to others at all. Sometimes you need someone to critique your novel in case there’s a mistake that you overlooked or a plot hole that you didn’t think about. It can be easy to think that you know best and ignore others’ advice, but after a while you may realize that you actually needed it. I know this has happened to me a lot, so if you feel like you’re struggling to accept other people’s critiques, you’re not alone! (Something to note: there is a difference between critiques and straight up criticisms of your novel, so be careful which ones you listen to.) 

3. YOU’RE STILL A WRITER EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT WRITING CONSTANTLY 

 I’m not someone who writes every day. I can go weeks without writing, whether because I’m busy or I’m struggling from writers’ block. Some days I can write a couple thousand words, other days I barely write a sentence.

 On the days I can’t write, it can be easy to question whether I’m really a writer at all. But it’s been almost 5 years since I started writing, and I’m still here. Why? Because I love writing. Even if I don’t write for a month, even if it drives me crazy, I still love it. And in the end, I think that’s what truly makes you a writer. It doesn’t matter how often you write, it just matters that you haven’t given up on it yet. 

 And sometimes you may just need a break. Let yourself take a break without stressing over the fact that you should be writing right now, and come back to it afterward. 

 It also doesn’t matter how much you write at one time. Some people can pound out thousands of words per day, while others only write a couple hundred. Not everyone writes at the same pace. All that matters is that you love your story. 

 So those are the biggest three pieces of advice I wish I’d been told earlier! I’m sure there’s more, but these are the most significant ones that I’ve learned throughout my writing journey. 

 Thanks for reading! – Em 

 Hey everyone!

This week I’ll be talking about the best ways to motivate yourself to write. Every writer struggles with motivation at one point or another, so if you’re feeling guilty about not having written for a while, you’re not alone. This is a list of things that have helped me when I’m feeling unmotivated to write. Let’s dive right in! 

1. PINTEREST/AESTHETIC BOARDS

 Starting off with one of my favourites— making an aesthetic board for your story. There’s something really satisfying about putting together a bunch of pictures that fit the aesthetics of your novel. Pinterest is by far my favourite way of making and keeping aesthetic boards of my stories. Of course, there’s also the danger of spending way too much time doing this, which I am 100% guilty of doing on multiple occasions. But having an aesthetic board for your novel is a really good way to fuel ideas and motivation for your writing. 

2. WRITING/STORY/CHARACTER PLAYLIST

 This is another one of my favourite methods. It’s really fun creating a playlist of songs that fit the vibe of your novel or songs with lyrics that match certain characters. Listening through your playlists is a great way to get yourself in the writing mood. I especially love character playlists, because it’s a good way to get into your character’s mindset, and it’s also just really fun to listen to a song and think “wow, that fits that one character really well!”. Making playlists also has the potential to be a bit distracting, but if you need to get into the writing mood, music is definitely one of the best ways to do it. 

3. SET A TIME LIMIT

 This is definitely an effective one. If you’re a procrastinator like me, then you know that having limited time to complete a task is a good way to motivate yourself to do anything. Whether its using a timer to write smaller sections or having a deadline to complete your novel, having a time limit is a (stressful) way to motivate yourself to write. 

One of the most effective tactics for me is writing sprints. If you don’t know what a writing sprint is, basically it’s setting a timer and seeing how much you can write in that amount of time. It’s a good way to challenge yourself, and it also doesn’t give you much of a chance to second-guess what you write.

 4. ACCOUNTABILITY

 Another great way to motivate yourself to write having someone hold you accountable. You could look for beta readers for your novel, start a blog and have writing updates, or even just ask a friend to check in with you every week and ask if you’ve written anything. Knowing that someone is expecting you to write is a really effective way to get yourself to write.

 5. TAKE A BREAK

 Sometimes, all you need is a break. You might just need a break from that novel or a particular place in your story. You could write a later scene in your novel or start writing a completely different story. But sometimes you need a break from writing all together. Step away from your computer and notebooks and give yourself some time to rest. Go enjoy another hobby, talk with your friends, go on a walk, or get that thing done that you’ve been avoiding for the past few days. You might just need to give yourself time to recharge before you can get back to writing. 

 6. JUST WRITE

 This one is obvious, and while you may be thinking, “but that’s exactly what I’m trying to do and it’s not working!”, it’s actually a lot easier than you think. Just sit down in front of your computer (or whatever you use to write), open your novel, and write one sentence. Even if that’s all you write, it’s one sentence more than you had before. But even writing one sentence, even if you don’t feel like it or think it isn’t good, can help jump-start your motivation. 

 So that’s my list! Hope it helps my fellow writers out there who’ve been feeling unmotivated and want to get back into writing. (Now go write!)

 Thanks for reading! – Em

 Hey everyone!

This week I decided now was as good a time as any to introduce you to my current WIP: Window Lake. I first had the idea for the trilogy over 4 years ago, and have been working hard on it ever since. And by worked hard, I mean I brainstormed and developed the characters and rewrote the first draft several times (and spent a lot of time on Pinterest), all to finally finish the first draft of the first book late last year. So yeah, I haven’t made too much progress, at least not as much as I would’ve liked, but hopefully it’ll be smoother sailing now that the first draft is finished. 

What is Window Lake? 

 Window Lake is a fantasy trilogy that involves two generations, old and new friendships, family history, a forgotten war, and light vs darkness. It sounds cliche when I describe it, but it’s become one of my favourite stories that I’ve worked on. The main reason for that has been the characters and their relationships. It’s so much fun to explore them and the different dynamics each of them have, especially when it comes to the antagonist.

How did Window Lake come about?

 Like I said earlier, I came up with Window Lake about 4 years ago. I was on a road trip with my family and was trying to come up with a new idea for a story. I’d been reading advice on how to create new story ideas, and one tip had been to ask yourself “what if so-and-so existed” or “what if so-and-so happened”. I was writing down different ideas in my notebook, when I suddenly came up with an idea that actually sounded interesting. What if there was a lake that, instead of reflecting anything on the outside world, showed the image of a city on the surface. And if you entered the lake, it would take you to that city. Since the surface of the lake was more of a window than a mirror like it usually is, I decided to call it “Window Lake”. 

 It’s definitely changed a lot during the past few years, which explains why it took me so long to finish one draft. The original idea was much more focused on the lake than my recent drafts have been. But I got too attached to the title so I haven’t changed it lol. 

The story of Window Lake:

 If there’s one thing I can’t do, it’s writing a good blurb. So y’all get this mess unless a miracle happens and I think of a better one:  

 Julia Woodstorm’s mother has never been too open about her past. So when a letter arrives from an old friend requesting her help, Julia decides to go in her mother’s place to finally find out what she’s been hiding. 

 Her search leads her to discover Window Lake, the hiding place of a mysterious city and a group called the Krysial. They claim their mission is to stop a force known as the darkness from restarting a forgotten war and destroying the world. Julia finds herself joining their efforts along with two other youth— an apprentice named Shak and Aza, who practically holds the fate of the world in her hands. But as Julia uncovers more of the past with her new friends, she can’t help but wonder if there really was a good reason her mother tried to keep this away from her. 

 … yeah, not my best work. We’re just gonna move on. 

The characters of Window Lake

 Now we come to my favourite part. This is the main reason I’ve continued this story and why it’s one of my favourites. These are definitely my favourite group of characters out of any story I’ve worked on. Here’s a short description of the main trio:

 Julia Woodstorm (ESTP): the main POV character and the reason this story exists, Julia spent most of her life at home with her mother, but always dreamed of doing something more. She is determined, brave, and has the tendency to be reckless. She’s always looking for adventure, has a bit of a hero complex, and though she may be stubborn she cares deeply for her friends. 

 Shak (ISFP): another one of the main three and Estral’s apprentice, Shak has been trained by his mentor to someday be prepared for the outside world. He is a peacemaker and probably the most functional member of the trio. He’s kind, selfless, and loves to learn. He always tries to make sure everyone is happy but ends up ignoring his own feelings because of this. 

 Aza (INFP): the last of the three and also under the care of Estral, Aza has the power to control light and has a key role in saving the world. Unfortunately, that has also made her a target for the enemy, which has lead her to be extremely sheltered all her life for her protection. She’s sweet, curious, and loves to have fun. She can be absentminded and naive but she’s a dreamer and loves her friends. 

 Then there are a few other characters that are worth mentioning, such as: Julia’s protective and secretive mom Mary; Estral, the stern leader of the Krysial who has no idea what a functional sleep schedule is; Estral’s older sister Trista, the queen of Velamyr; and the antagonist, Patrin, who is totally not my favourite character for a number of reasons.

 I adore every single one of these characters. It’s so much fun to explore the dynamics of the main trio and the members of the Krysial. I could rant about them forever but that would spoil the story and take way too long to write, so I’ll leave it here for now. But there will be posts about them in the future, so I have an excuse to rant about them more. 

Oh, and of course I can’t forget to mention the true villain of the trilogy: the creatively named “darkness”.

Honestly I kinda find it funny that I spent so long working on this story but still haven’t found a better name for the darkness. I think I’ve gotten too used to it to change it unfortunately, but that’s been its name for the last four years and I don’t see it changing anytime soon.

So that’s Window Lake! You can find a couple more fun extras in the WIP section of the blog, such as the Pinterest board and Spotify playlist (which I definitely didn’t spend a lot of time on). I’ll post more about the trilogy as I keep writing it, and y’all might get some sneak peaks sometime… we’ll see!

In the meantime, thanks for reading! – Em