writing journeys

Book In A Year Series-Month 11: THE SMOOTH OUT

As this month ends, I want you to take into account just how far you have come with this series. I want you to be proud of yourself…and keep going. -JBH

The Smooth Out.

Let this be your mantra! Let this be the reminder–a steady, present reminder!–that writing is a process. This process is one that has many parts and many moving parts. Let me explain it this way:

Many parts. I divide the system known as The Writing Process into five parts: Pre-writing (Brainstorming), First writing (first draft), Reviewing (Reading over what you have), Second writing (second draft), and Final draft (completed draft).

Many moving parts. Within in five parts I listed, the moving parts in this process breakdown this way:

Pre-writing: brainstorming; this is figuring out what you want to write and focus on what it is you want to write about. Decide what you want to write or say.

First writing: get the idea down; this may take more than one try to do! You may have start 1 or more ideas, before focusing on one, or even starting a draft you started before! Decide what you want to say.

Reviewing: this goes to reading over, reworking either part or the whole of your idea. There could be time here to rest; space to freak out; erasing and starting over. Decide that you will keep going.

Second writing: when you have decided on what you want to say; when you see places you may want to add, or take away. This is a pivotal point because it allows you to see what is there, and what is not there. Decide if there is something else you want to say or add to.

Final draft: when you have finished a draft completely, it is time to celebrate! In the celebrating, you must realize what was easy about this process, what was hard about it, and what do you want to do better! Decide how you want to go forward.

How the Smooth Out helps. The process is a reminder that the writing you need to do–especially with the task of writing a book!–is to be patient to start and complete it! There is a diligence to writing! It is this diligence that allows you as the writer–the catalyst!–to keep going. Even if you have to stop, start, start over, and smooth it out.

Encouragement Pages-11/22/2021

As we go and celebrate Thanksgiving here in the States, I want you to be grateful.

Whatever you have written up onto this point.

Be grateful.

It is always the scariest part right before you begin, yes. But it is complete joy when you finish.

With Love & Ink,

JBHarris

HERE WE GO AGAIN: National Novel Writing Month

Click here for National Novel Writing Month information!

HAPPY NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH!

I have designated September as BACK TO WRITING MONTH. With that in mind, November is NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH! This is the time that the brave and imaginative try to write a book–a novel–in the space of 30 days. This is a time of joy, fright, expectation, palpitation and motivation!

A novel is composed of at least 40,000 to 50,000 words minimum. Some word counts are 80,000-100,000 words. From that, let me give this a math (and we will go at the minimum count here):

250 words (typed, double spaced)= 1 page

50,000 words/250 words=200 pages

200 pages/30 days=6.67 pages/day.

The question really is: Can you write 6, 7 pages a day?

Depending on how fast your type, you can do 6-7 pages! This is not impossible. You can do it! Whether you are a pantser or a plotter–it can be done!

Are you in?

I am.

Don’t be stressed out, Scribes, Oracles and Linguistic Acrobats. We got this!

With Love & Ink,

JBHarris

Book In A Year Series- Month 10: The Fear Of “Too Much”

You are a writer.

So…write.

Stephen King said that the scariest part is right before you before you begin. In that space between thought and reality is the realization of what you want to write, you are going to have to write. What was then a thought–will then become real.

A reality on paper is still a reality, dear writer.

We often think too much of the people whom do not think enough of us to truly support the work we do, or will even read the stories we write. Yet, it is the weight of these opinions, these tracks that play in our heads, which will and do stymie us! They rob us of our joy. They convince us that no one will read our work, support us, and we are not allowed to dream out loud.

Today, right now–make this the last day by which you endure the non-support of those that claim to support you.

Today, right now–decide what you will do as it relates to your talent and time.

Today, right now–believe that you can. Since you can, you must.

This is not to say that you will never falter in the belief in yourself or as a writer! On the contrary, you must accept that these things will happen…and be okay with them. Once you realize that this is going to be something chronic–that you can both be aware of and control!–you can handle it. You can recognize how it happens, you can then learn how to ignore the tracks that play that try to seduce you away from what it is you want to do.

You are not too much.

You don’t have too much to say.

You have every right to say all that you need to.

Keep writing.