Posts Tagged getting started

Pack for Where You’re Going: How to Write with Intent

By on October 25, 2024   /   For Writers, Writing  

Sitting down to write a book without a plan is like going on vacation without deciding on a destination. An exciting new idea will tempt you to simply throw things in a bag and run to the airport. But, like a heavy backpack, the farther along you get into your first draft, the more you start to feel the weight of all the decisions you haven’t made. Doubt catches up to you in the terminal. Where is this story going? How do you know if the idea is strong? What should happen, and who should it happen to?

The best way to start writing is by setting intentions. Intent is the why that informs your story, and knowing that will help you with the what and how as you write. Intent will help you make decisions on everything from theme to plot to syntax. It tells you what needs to be in the story and what doesn’t. Put another way, if you know where you want to go, you’ll know exactly what you need to pack.

 

A traveler sitting on her colorful suitcase at the beach | Setting intent with writing

Photo by Anastasia Nelen on Unsplash.

Using Theme to Set Intent

When you sit down to start a new project, it’s vital to know what you want to say. Theme is a great way to begin. I always recommend approaching theme as a sentence rather than a word or phrase like friendship or coming of age. This way, the theme becomes more dynamic and engaging because it’s expressing what you want to say about that topic. Here are ways you could craft a theme:

Friendship → Friends help you find out who you are.

Coming of age → Growing up means taking responsibility for what you care about.

As you can see, these sentences go a lot farther in helping you decide what the story will be about. To find your own theme, consider the words or phrases you associate with your book. When you have a grasp of the topic, think about what you want to say about it. What perspective would you like to share with your readers?

Using Intent for Plot and Character

Once you’ve got your theme, you’ve set an intention for what you want to say. Now let’s look at the elements of the story itself: the plot and characters that will make it happen. How can you use these elements to support what you want to say? Let’s go back to the examples above to see how intention can help you decide what needs to be in your book.

In the first example, you might be looking at plot elements that touch on identity and the kinds of characters that will emphasize that thread:

Friends help you find out who you are.

→ Your main character is unsure where they fit into a new group, school, or neighborhood.

→ A talent show or contest is coming up, and everyone is expected to participate.

→ Something or someone has changed your main character’s perception of themselves for the worse.

In the second example, you might consider ways to show the difficulties kids face as they start becoming more independent.

Growing up means taking responsibility for what you care about.

→ Your main character is brainstorming ways to raise money.

→ Your character needs to help out with a younger sibling.

→ Maybe they plant a garden, start a club, or practice hard to make a sports team.

These are just a few ideas, but I hope you can see how intent can help you see ways to use your characters and plot to keep working towards your intention.

Using Intent for Tone and Mood

Intention can also help you make decisions on the scene and sentence level. If you want to write a scary story, for instance, you need to think about everything the story needs to make readers bite their fingernails and scooch to the edge of their chairs. That’s where word choice, imagery, and setting come into play. A scary story might emphasize light and dark, creepy noises, unusual smells, or bad tastes. On the other hand, if you’re writing a funny story, you might reach for brighter imagery, more playful narration, and breezier verbs.

Reach Your Destination

When you set your intention, you have everything you need to start writing. Now you can get to work choosing elements that will support the book; everything from characters to plot to the way it’s written. Intention will also help you finish and revise. You simply have to ask yourself, “Did I accomplish what I set out to do?” If the answer is no, you can revisit scenes or chapters that aren’t supporting the intention you set and make changes so the story can get back on track. Remember, only pack what you need for where you’re going!

Interested in how other writers get started? Check out this article from the Mixed-Up Files archives!

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The Problem with (Too Many) Ideas

By on April 24, 2019   /   Articles, For Kids, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, For Writers  

There are two kinds of people.

People who think like writers. And people who don’t.

Give a class of fifth graders blank paper and and tell them they can write about anything they choose. Those who don’t think like writers will stare at the page. They will fidget. They’ll gaze into the middle distance, as if to summon an idea from the atmosphere. Before long, the teacher will see the frustration begin to rise and she’ll remind them of the time the author came to school and talked about how ideas are all around us and we must only keep our eyes and ears open to find one.

But I want to talk about those who think like writers. Those students may also stare at the blank page, fidget, and appear filled with angst, but it’s for a different reason. Those who think like writers have no shortage of ideas. They have ideas stacked upon ideas stacked upon ideas. If they are hesitating, it’s because they can’t possibly choose between the many fabulous ideas they have swimming around in their brains.Image result for crossroads

Writers talk a lot about where to find ideas.  (Keep your eyes open. Keep a journal. Listen. Engage in the world around you. Observe the world around you. Read the newspaper. Ask questions. Etc. So on. You know.)

But we seldom discuss what to do about all of the ideas we have.

I’ve been struggling with too many ideas myself this past year. Some folks might be unsympathetic to this plight, especially those who feel challenged to come up with ideas. But, believe me, having too many ideas can be just as damaging to productivity.

That shiny new idea always seems better than the tired old one I’ve been working on for months years.

I bounce from project to project, working on many, completing none.

I can’t decide which idea to tackle today, so I flip through social media and waste a few minutes hours days while I consider which idea is the best one to work on.

When the going gets tough on WIP (Work In Progress) #1, I don’t stick it out. Why should I when I have WIP #2, #3,  and #4 through #47 to turn my attention to?

Let’s talk about what to do when we have TOO MANY ideas.

Triage. I love this word. And the first time I ever heard it applied to ideas was at Picture Book Boot Camp with Jane Yolen. Jane has TOO MANY ideas. You don’t publish over 365 books without having an abundance of ideas. But daily, Jane triages her ideas so that she can focus on THE ONE. She might do this several times a day, but that’s okay. We need to rank our ideas: those that will die without our immediate attention and those which can lounge around a while, waiting for us.

But by what criteria do we make these life-and-death decisions? I’ve identified five ways. Here they are, not necessarily in order of importance.

  1. The idea with a deadline. This is often a no-brainer. You work on the project that someone else is expecting. But just like a student with a homework assignment, it isn’t always what you’re excited about working on. Still, if an editor or agent is waiting, it makes sense to put this idea on the top of the stack.
  2. The idea that won’t leave you alone. These ideas don’t like to be pushed aside. They follow you home from work. They jump in the shower with you (of all the nerve!) They lay awake at night and make sure you do, too. If you have an idea following you around like a lost pup, then you might want to give it some attention. It will LOVE YOU for it.
  3. The idea that is new and exciting. Use caution here. Sometimes the idea that is new and exciting is nothing more than a distraction. But, once in a while, that new and exciting idea is one that can’t wait. To be honest, the idea probably can wait. But your enthusiasm carries some clout. If we’re really, really into something, we’re likely to give it our best attention. If you are passionate about a new idea, at least explore it a little. You’ll know soon enough whether it’s a distraction or your new WIP.
  4. The idea that is almost done. This idea used to be new and exciting. A long time ago. When it was new. And exciting. But now it’s the WIP that has been whipping you for months or years. The thing is, it’s still good, but you gave up too quickly (likely when Miss New and Exciting showed up) and now it feels like drudgery to return to the scene of the abandonment. But, consider the time and energy you’ve already invested. If you just put in a little more time, the results might be amazing. And, even if they aren’t quite amazing, you’ll have a completed manuscript. And that has much more potential than an incomplete one.
  5. The idea that is timely.  Sometimes an idea can’t wait. As I put the finishing touches on this post, which is scheduled for April 24th, I notice that today (April 22nd) is Earth Day. I also learned that this is the 49th anniversary of Earth Day. That means next year at this time, the world will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. If I had a brilliant idea for a book plot that centered around Earth Day, next year would be the ideal time to get that book out into the world. If I had such an idea (I don’t), it would have been worth setting aside something else this past year to work on it. In fact, books that will release in the spring of 2020 have already been written, submitted, accepted, and are in the editing process right now. For some ideas, timing is everything.

Having  too many ideas may make it difficult to focus our energy on just one at a time, but look at the bright side. We’ll never run out of inspiration. We’ll write until we can’t write any longer and, perhaps, leave some ideas behind for others to explore. It’s a lovely problem to have.

If you have TOO MANY IDEAS, embrace them. And triage with confidence.

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