J - Jigglypuff Would Make a Great Writer

Nothing stops Jigglypuff from practicing his art. He travels around the world and sings, whether you like it or not. It doesn't matter how often you tell him to stop because you'll fall asleep he will not let anyone stop him.

There's two things for writers to learn here: always persevere and believe in yourself.

But please, don't answer the critiques the same way he does:

Watch your faces!

Happy Tuesday!

I think that's as geek as I've ever gotten on this blog. It may happen again. You are warned.

H - Heart in Writing

It takes a lot of heart to write. It doesn't matter at which step you are at in your career. Your poor little beating organ is your best companion.

First, you choose a story close to your heart. You love its setting, its character, its plot. You research and build around your story. A ribcage to protect the heart, let it beat undisturbed. You plan, take a deep breath, sit down.

Pour your heart on the page. The words flowing with every beat, bleeding.

You end up with a mess. Take out your tools to clean it up. Dig to the heart of the story. Make it shine.

When it's ready you send your story out. You wait, your heart twisting and pounding. The answer comes and breaks your heart. Again and again.

Don't worry. Take heart. You have friends and family to support you. Never forget you are on their mind and in their hearts. 

One day your story will touch an agent's heart, then a publisher's. They will put it to print and it will be picked by readers.

Others on this planet will read your words, torn from your heart. They will love it, and as they lay in bed at night, they will think of your story.

Follow your heart, and one day, they will hold your tale close to theirs.

E – Les Écrivains' Exceedingly Extraordinary Encouragements

Am I switching from one language to another to get the most out of my alliteration? Yes, I AM. *cough* Now here’s the post proper!

Writing isn’t easy. We all hit rough spots and have our doubts. With time, I've developped favourite places to turn to when I need the help. There's the community, of course, but today's post is about something a little different.

Today I wanted to share another of my cure against fear and doubt: the NaNoWriMo pep talks.

Every year, the OLL invites authors to write a pep talk for the Wrimos toiling over a new first draft. There’s something special about receiving an e-mail from Philip Pullman, Neil Gaiman, John Green or Lemony Snicket (to name a few), encouraging you to keep writing and move forward. It’s a great boost in the middle of the frenzy.

But you know what’s best? These pep talks are available year-round on the NaNoWriMo website, waiting for our perusal. This is where I go when I feel down.

My favourites are...

Neil Gaiman

Philip Pullman

Maureen Johnson

Linda Barry

John Green

Feel down about your writing? Trust these authors to boost your morale.

B - Being A Cheerleader

In yesterday’s post I mentioned MLing for NaNoWriMo and Script Frenzy. A Municipal Liaison is a great many things, but my favourite of them is, without any doubts, the cheerleading.

I learned through my first time as a NaNoWriMo ML (in November 2009) that there is one thing more satisfying than crossing the 50,000 words line yourself... it’s watching a struggling Wrimo do it.

The wrimo who gave up on countless hours of sleep and a wee bit of sanity to get the final words in. The wrimo who overcame death in the family. The wrimo who lost 10,000 words five days before the end and rewrote them. The wrimo who broke up with their boyfriend. The wrimo who was 25,000 words behind on November 28^th. The same you drove six hours to encourage.

No one is a lost cause. Sometimes, believing in your Wrimo and cheering them onward is all they need to keep going. A little push. A smile. A high-five.

A good cheerleader is generous with his time and energy. He’s always rewarded, too. There is nothing as heart-warming as a Wrimo walking up to you and saying ‘I wouldn’t have made it without you.’

The best in all this? My entire region is made of cheerleaders, and I have received more than my share of love in encouragements through the years.

So to the Wrimo struggling with his script, to the writer behind on edit, to the author receiving yet another rejection letter... Find a cheerleader. Let him support you, no matter what.

And...

Don’t give up. You can do it. We all can.

LOVE in Writing

I learned something else from J.S. Bell: acronyms are fun!

L = Live
Don't be afraid to try new things. Jump into life with your two feet and no parachutes. Enjoy the rush, cry when you crash, meet new friends and ignore the enemies. Life isn't meant to be lived hidden in a tiny bedroom. Go out, see the world and learn to love it, with all its imperfections.

O = Optimism
Believe in yourself. Keep a bright outlook on your career and don't give up at the slightest hump in the road. This isn't about believe you're the one exception. This is about believe that with time, hard work and perseverance, you can do it. Don't complain all the time. Life isn't bleak; it's fun. Smile and keep working!

V = Veracity
Be yourself. Whether in your writing or on the internet, don't try to be someone else. You're unique. That's what makes you interesting. Be true to what you believe in. Don't lie or hide. But remember to respect others who do the same. There's a little spot of the internet for everyone.

E = Experience
Draw from your past experiences and those of others. Observe the world. Observe people. Remember how it feels to be jealous. To be in love. To be terrified. To be happy. Expand on these emotions. Seek the universal in them. Admire the particular. Share what you learn in your writing.

More importantly, however, learn to LOVE what you write. Your story and characters are beautiful. They deserve your love and attention.

Keep writing. Keep living. Keep loving.

All the Lost Years

I'm not exactly an old writer. I'm 21 and perfectly aware I have a whole lifetime ahead of me. I still have decades to master this craft and become a professional.

Some days, though, it feels like I wasted a lot of time.

There's a lot of writers out there that have been wishing for this job since they were kids. They've been writing shorts and poetry and novels since they were 12 or younger. They've never been anything else than a writer-in-becoming (profession-wise, I mean!)

I do think that's awesome. So much, in fact, that there are days I wonder where I was. Why didn't I wake up sooner? How much better would I be now if I had started five years earlier? I had so much time during secondary school! (7th to 11th years to you guys). Then I get angry and bitter.

 That's not good. 

I'm not an angry or bitter person. I can't stand staying angry or bitter. So what do I do?

On these days I remind myself everyone has a different path to follow. I can't hurry talent. I need to take the time to learn this craft properly. All these years 'wasted' made me who I am, and it is that person who's writing today. They have an impact.

It serves nothing to glare at other writers and envy them. I have to make the best of my current situation.  Work hard. Work often. Learn fast. Don't give up. Never give up.

After all, that's how you get published.

Why Only You Can Write this Story

 While I cannot say I have been actively writing for a long time, I have met in the past years a lot of aspiring writers, all at different stages of their career (or future career, depending on how you want to see it). We all have very-recurring self-doubts, no matter how far along we've come. Lately, though, I've heard the same sentence, over and over, the echo of a doubt I once had.

Any writer out there could write this story better than me.

I disagree. I disagree no matter how terrible a writer you are. This is your story, and I believe only you can write it.

No one can understand your characters and your story better than you do. You imagined this. You created an unique world, with wonderful characters and an intriguing plot. Yes, there are authors out there who are further down the learning track, who know the tricks of the trade better than you do. None of them can tell this story like you would. They cannot replace your voice.

Sometimes I wish I could hand my ideas over the Guy Gavriel Kay and go "You! Write it!" Today, though, I know that even if I was offered (yeah, right!), I wouldn't. Why? Because the story he would tell from my notes would be different from mine.

That's the key. Perhaps his would be better, in the end. I don't know. I know, however, that it's not what I want. I want my story, with my words, my ideas, my scenes.

I may have to spend years learning and revising and learning and revising, but I am certain now that this story cannot be told by another. No matter how much work it takes, if it is ever to come out, it will be with my name on it and all my hard work behind it.

So if you ever look up to a published author and wish he could tell your story, stop it.

Tell your story. Tell it with your words. They will always be closer to its heart than another author's.