#AtoZ Challenge - Zany

Z is for Zany

And we've reached the end of the A to Z Challenge for 2020.  Hope you've enjoyed all the different #writetips the Operation Awesome team have put together for you.  I know I have!

For the final prompt of the month, I've chosen a simple picture prompt.

Or, not so simple, right?  Whatever is going on here is a little zany.

Your challenge is to write a story based on this image, the zanier the better!

We'd love to see how you use these prompts, so either leave your story in the comments or email to us at operationawesome6@gmail.com.

Image courtesy of Upsplash.





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#atozchallenge Your Writing Motivation

A Month of Writing Motivation is the Operation Awesome theme for the 2020 A to Z Challenge. I'm giving examples of how five reference books offer writing motivation.



The 30-Day Writing Challenge: Begin or Enhance Your Daily Writing Habit - Sara E. Crawford

This is a short book that's easy to read. If you're willing to try each exercise every day for a month, it can make you feel better about your writing. Most of the book is only asking for 30 minutes to an hour of your time.

Consider giving yourself a reward for completing that challenge. Maybe a new book or a special pen. Better yet, tell someone that you are doing the challenge, and ask them to hold you accountable. Maybe you want them to offer you a little reward if you manage this. Maybe you need them to remind you every day. I mentioned in other posts this month that knowing if you're more motivated by reward or by the fear of failure would help. Well, this book is your chance to test it.

There's no coincidence that I've saved it for the letter Y. You might be here because you've just done the A to Z challenge and are looking for another month of writing motivation and distraction. Well, here you go! Pick up Sara's book and get cracking.




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#AtoZChallenge - Your NeXt Project, Outlining and Research

Welcome to X-DAY of the Operation Awesome A-to-Z Blogging Challenge!  This month we're doing 26 posts on WRITING MOTIVATION. 

Are you burned out?  That's okay!  Taking a break from your WIP is sometimes what you need to recharge.  Or, are you letting your current WIP sit for the recommended 4+ weeks so you can go back to it with fresh eyes?

My part of our Writing Motivation theme is – Things to work on that still count as writing!

X – Your NeXt Project, Outlining and Research

Is a new idea banging around in your head and not allowing you to focus on your current manuscript?  Sometimes getting something started on that new idea is what you need to do so you can get back to your current project.

NOTE:  Don't let the shiny new idea take over and derail the completion of your current project!  But if you're letting the current project sit for a few weeks, or if you've reached a plot snag and want to give your mind a chance to work on it, try starting something new and see if it helps.

7 Steps to Creating a Flexible Outline for any Story

How to Outline Your Novel

How to Outline a Novel

How to Research Your Novel – And When to Stop

How to Research a Novel – 7 Tips

Come back tomorrow for more WRITING MOTIVATION!




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#AtoZChallenge - Website, Promotion, Marketing

Welcome to W-DAY of the Operation Awesome A-to-Z Blogging Challenge!  This month we're doing 26 posts on WRITING MOTIVATION. 

Are you burned out?  That's okay!  Taking a break from your WIP is sometimes what you need to recharge.  Or, are you letting your current WIP sit for the recommended 4+ weeks so you can go back to it with fresh eyes?

My part of our Writing Motivation theme is – Things to work on that still count as writing!

W – Website, Promotion, Marketing

At some point, you'll need an author website.  You'll also need to learn about promotion and marketing, because even if you're traditionally published, and especially if you're self-published, YOU will be primarily responsible for these activities.

Where are most of your readers?  Twitter?  Facebook?  Instagram?

Should you have a blog as well as a website?  What should you blog about?

Get a jump on your research in these areas to prepare for the time when YOU, yes YOU, are a published author!

Book Marketing Strategies from Debut Authors

Marketing and publicity part 1

Marketing and publicity part 2

Author Websites

Your Book, Your Brand by Dana Kaye

3 Reasons to Blog, and 3 Reasons NOT to Blog
 
What Should Authors Blog About

Come back tomorrow for more WRITING MOTIVATION!




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#AtoZChallenge - scriVener Counterpoint

A Month of Writing Motivation is the Operation Awesome theme for the 2020 A to Z Challenge. This is a counterpoint post to yesterday.

PART 2
Scrivener, as looked at through the eyes of someone who has used it for a few years.

How much someone loves or hates this program depends on two factors.

1. How you write. Specifically, how you organize and think when writing.
2. How much time you devote to learning and customizing the program to suit you.

I took a class on how to use this on March 18, 2015, taught by Joseph Michael (Your Scrivener Coach). (And have gotten over 200 emails from him since, some more useful than others.) I bought books on how to use it (the most useful of which is out of print- Goodreads is the only site I still see it on). I've downloaded templates to expand my base options. (I have the Windows version. To my understanding, the Mac one has more options and a slightly different look.)

This is a list of my top-ten favorite features.

1. Auto-backup every few seconds (I think the default is 3 seconds, but you can customize it).
2. Internal trashcan (in case I change my mind)
3. Import nearly anything! Images, word files, all those notes amassed over time that would be a story if it were organized...
4. Actually organize stuff! I create the outline, and then fill in where the chapters go, and then create scenes in there. And if I need to move a scene? Drop and drag! Great for when I know what scene I'll eventually write but have no idea when it'll show up. 
5. Dual windows. I love having my manuscript in one window, and my list of characters in the other. What was the name of the horse? Oh, there we go. Who was the waitress? Right there. I don't have to scroll. I can leave myself little notes! And I don't have to use multiple tabs (like Google Docs) or have multiple cases of MS Word open. (Did you hear that? It's my computer breathing a sigh of relief.) That split-screen can be vertical or horizontal. 
6. Word Count goal! I'm looking at you, NaNoWriMo participants.... 1667 words needed today? Watch the little bar at the bottom turn from red to yellow to green as you reach the goal. So satisfying. 
7. Search the entire project. I've had to use this a few times...
8. A separate folder for all of my research. And files for each of my characters and settings. And yeah, I can import pictures to go with those. When I'm ready to publish, I can pick what files to export. (There is an internal publisher, but I haven't used it.)
9. Index cards. 
10. There's a name generator wizard with a lot of options. It'll keep you from falling down the Internet rabbit hole of name researching for minor characters.  

organization

Word count meter! Split-screen view!

Search the project! View words or index cards.

The index card corkboard.

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#AtoZChallenge - scriVener

Here at OA, we're talking about writing motivation for our A-to-Z Challenge: what motivates us, how to get motivated, and - according to me, at least - what apps are useful to keep motivated!

Today I'm talking about Scrivener, the program that many writers consider a one-stop shop for all things manuscript-related.

How it works

If you've spent any time in writing circles, you know that Scrivener is extremely popular; subscriptions are often given out as prizes for writing competitions. Once you buy Scrivener, you can use it for your entire writing process, from draft zero to ready-to-query. It allows you to outline and notate your manuscript as you go, comes with templates for various styles of writing, will let you export your work in various document types, and can even be used to prepare your work for self-publishing.

I don't personally use Scrivener, but I downloaded a free trial and played around with it a bit. I can definitely see why people rave about it so much. There are so many options available to make it your own and along with ways to help stay on-task, like fullscreen mode. I particularly liked the feature that lets you go back to previous versions of the manuscript, which is always a struggle for me and my Word documents because I want to recover that one sentence and I cannot find it between Draft 1, Draft 2, Draft 3, Draft 3.5, Draft 4, Draft 4 The Real One, Draft 4 Final...anyway. I also appreciated how easy it was to drag and drop big sections around, since reorganizing a manuscript is such a bother.

Pros

• Many options for customizing your use
• Widely-used; lots of other writers to ask for help
• Can be used to set up a manuscript for self-publishing
• Basically it has all the features you'd need to write a manuscript from beginning to end

Cons

• Pay to use
• Not supported on Android
• No way to get feedback, share, or collaborate with other writers

Final thoughts

Scrivener is really cool, but it's not for me. There are a lot of other users and a lot of features available. If you struggle with organizing your manuscript and its many drafts, Scrivener might be right for you! Give the free trial a download and see what you think. You can also find a learning course here.

***
J here! Check back tomorrow for a counterpoint post on this program from me, a long time user.



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Using Brain Science #AtoZChallenge #WritingMotivation #book #WritersBlock @RosanneBane

A Month of Writing Motivation is the Operation Awesome theme for the 2020 A to Z Challenge. I'm giving examples of how five reference books offer writing motivation.



(Goodreads)

Around the Writer's Block: Using Brain Science to Solve Writer's Resistance by Rosanne Bane

https://baneofyourresistance.com/

I cannot recommend this book hard enough. Don't go buy one copy, buy a dozen! Then you can throw it at your writer friends when they tell you why they aren't writing. I've read this at least six times already.

Hey! I published this month. Don't throw it at me.

Want writing motivation? Do the challenges in this book. Do you know what a neural pathway is? Learning about them will help you decide which ones you're proud to have and which you want to work on correcting. The book explains it with easy to understand science. You've heard of the fight-or-flight response? It ties into writing! The book defines Product Time, how writing for publication is ultimately about more than just getting words on the page.

Don't know what to write? The book has a section for that! It's called the Interest Inventory. You make a list of what interests you, based on the prompts, then free-write your way to a good story.

Give yourself credit for every day that you invest 15 minutes on Product Time (activities involved in the goal of successful publication). ⏲

There's a part about self-care, which includes sleep, exercise, focus, meditation, and play.

And if you like rewards for doing writing tasks, you'll love section 3-7.

If you're reading the Operation Awesome blog this month because you need the motivation to write, it's possible there's a Saboteur keeping you down! It's all about fear. The book helps you identify this so you can overcome it.

What is it like when you DO want to write? When you're motivated and can't wait to get the words onto the page? If you can identify it, you can probably duplicate it.

I'm most motivated to blog if I feel the post will help someone else (by promoting someone, by entertaining the audience, or by raising awareness). Have you ever thought about what most motivates you to write a blog post?



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#AtoZChallenge - Type in White

T is for Typing in White

This week's prompt is less a prompt than a challenge or tool you might want to try if you're one of those people who can't just write without editing and changing things as you go.  You all know who you are...  You can't ever just flow with the words because that spelling mistake in the second line keeps catching your eye, or you know the way you said that thing in the third paragraph could be said better.

Sometimes self-editing as you go can be a good thing, but at other times, when the story needs to just come out onto the page, stopping to go back and fix things can destroy the flow of words and put a real damper on your creativity.  The drafting brain and the editing brain are quite different, and it's good to do one at a time.

This tool might help you and it's really simple.

When you sit down in front of your blank page, before you type a word, change the font color on your word-processing program to white.

Now write.

It will feel weird to begin with because you can't see what you're writing, but after a while, you'll get used to seeing the cursor bobbing across the screen and the word-count ticking up at the bottom of the page.  And you may be surprised at how mush more easily the words flow when you can't look back at what you've already done.

At the end of your session, just select all and change the font color back to black and you will see what you have done.  There will undoubtably be some terrible typos, but you can go back and fix those now you've finished drafting.

We'd love to see how you use these prompts, so either leave your story in the comments or email to us at operationawesome6@gmail.com.

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#AtoZChallenge - Synopsis

Welcome to S-DAY of the Operation Awesome A-to-Z Blogging Challenge!  This month we're doing 26 posts on WRITING MOTIVATION. 

Are you burned out?  That's okay!  Taking a break from your WIP is sometimes what you need to recharge.  Or, are you letting your current WIP sit for the recommended 4+ weeks so you can go back to it with fresh eyes?

My part of our Writing Motivation theme is – Things to work on that still count as writing!

S – Synopsis

I can hear you groaning from all the way over here.

As much as we all hate the synopsis, it's very likely you'll need one at some point.  Some agents want a synopsis along with a query.  Some small publishers also want both.  And if you're writing a series, you'll need to introduce the next book/s in the series.

Some writers who don't like plotting still like a general description of what happens and where they're going with the story.

Knowing how to write a good synopsis is important.  So check out these pages and then start working on your synopsis.  It might break through your writer's block and get you excited again to finish your project and move to the next step!

Tackling the Dreaded Synopsis – part one

Tackling the Dreaded Synopsis – part two [with example!]

Why You Should Write the Synopsis Before the Manuscript

Writing a Synopsis When You Have Two [or more] POV Characters

Come back tomorrow for more WRITING MOTIVATION!

#AtoZChallenge--Realize Your Potential

Dear Writer,

            I don’t know you, but I believe in you. You’ve come so far in your writing journey whether you realize it or not. Whether you have written many novels or part of one, you do it because you love it. You believe in your project. You believe it can get published and change the course of the genre as we know it. But you need to believe in yourself too.

            When you reach that impenetrable part of the midpoint or get writer’s block, know that you can overcome it. You have many times before, and you will do it again. That takes an incredible amount of determination. All master authors started exactly where you are. You have no limits on improving your craft. It may be discouraging to not see the fruits of your labor right away, but you will.

            You have amazing potential. Please remember that because I hope you realize it one day. Keep working on the stories that you love. Your passion will manifest change.

            I believe in you. We believe in you. Keep going.

Love,

Nathaniel and Your Friends at OA

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#AtoZChallenge - Query

Welcome to Q-DAY of the Operation Awesome A-to-Z Blogging Challenge!  This month we're doing 26 posts on WRITING MOTIVATION. 

Are you burned out?  That's okay!  Taking a break from your WIP is sometimes what you need to recharge.  Or, are you letting your current WIP sit for the recommended 4+ weeks so you can go back to it with fresh eyes?

My part of our Writing Motivation theme is – Things to work on that still count as writing!

Q – Query

If your goal is to be traditionally published, you'll definitely need a query letter.  If your goal is to work directly with a small publisher, you'll still need a query letter.  After all, you need to introduce your book to the agent or publisher.

And even if you want to self-publish, a query letter allows you to focus on the hook of your story to draft the back-cover copy or Amazon description.

Many writers have learned that writing the query BEFORE you even write the manuscript helps keep you focused on the story you're trying to get on the page.

Knowing how to write a good query letter is important.  So check out these pages and then start working on your query letter.  It may also serve to get you excited again to finish your project so you can join those who are already in the query trenches!

When Should You Write Your Query Letter

Everything You Need to Know about Query Letters
[Includes links for (1) writing a basic query, (2) query dos and don'ts, and (3) the ultimate cheat sheet on query letters]

Query Shark
[a literary agent tears apart queries and tells you what's right and where it went wrong]

Query Tracker
[query letter basics]

Come back tomorrow for more WRITING MOTIVATION!

#AtoZChallenge - Pomodoro

Here at OA, we're talking about writing motivation for our A-to-Z Challenge: what motivates us, how to get motivated, and - according to me, at least - what apps are useful to keep motivated!

Today I'm talking about the Pomodoro Technique. There are a lot of apps and websites that use this method, so it's up to you to figure out which one is best for you - I recommend Marinara Timer for web use. As far as apps go, I haven't found one that works better for me than the web versions, but you might be different!

How it works

The Pomodoro Technique is a 25-on, 5-off method for task management. You set a 25-minute timer, do the task until the timer dings, then set a 5-minute timer and take a short break during that time. Applied to writing, you simply write for 25 minutes, take a break for 5, rinse and repeat as necessary. It can be extremely useful for getting yourself to just sit and write because 25 minutes isn't too long of a time to commit to, and you may find that the rhythm of these half-hour blocks helps get you into the writing groove.

I've had mixed success with this method. When I write short stories, I find that this works really well because I like to do flash fiction and this is just the right amount of time. With longer projects and full novel manuscripts, it's a little trickier. If I'm really struggling to get words onto the page, Pomodoro helps a lot because I can think of it as "okay just write until the timer goes off and hopefully something good will come out." But if I'm doing well and the writing is really flowing, it's not helpful for me to take a break because I'm worried that I'll lose my mojo. Of course, it's not absolutely mandatory that I take a break when it tells me to, but as someone who needs to follow the rules, it can be hard to ignore that "ding."

Pros

• Free!
• Lots of options, so you can figure out which version works best for you
• Short amount of time to stay on-task, plus breaks!

Cons

• Hard to take a break in the middle of a sentence/scene
• Might spend a lot of time testing various apps and web-based timers to find the right one

Final thoughts

The Pomodoro Technique can be really helpful if you struggle to stay on-task when writing for long periods of time. Breaking up writing time into smaller chunks may work for you, or it may not. Whether this will be useful for you depends on your writing style.

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#AtoZChallenge - OneTab

Here at OA, we're talking about writing motivation for our A-to-Z Challenge: what motivates us, how to get motivated, and - according to me, at least - what apps are useful to keep motivated!

Today I'm talking about OneTab. OneTab is, in all seriousness, one of the most useful Chrome extensions I have ever used. And, it's totally free.

How it works

Always have fifty tabs open? Can't figure out where the music is coming from? Computer speed reduced almost to zero? You need OneTab. OneTab is a tab condenser - all you have to do is install the extension for Chrome, and when you want to close a bunch of tabs without losing the links, tap the OneTab icon. OneTab then converts all of your tabs into a list on a separate OneTab tab, delineated by the date and time they were OneTabbed. When you want to open one of those sites again, you can select them individually or restore all of the tabs in a group at once. If you decide you don't want those links anymore, you can easily delete them. OneTab will also let you lock a set of links to prevent it from being deleted, star it to find it more easily, rename it, and even share it so you can access it from another computer.

I have used OneTab for a few years, but hands down I use it the most for writing resources. I'm a completionist, so I have problems when I'm given a long list of resources like "Here are 20 websites to check out if you want to write female-female romance!" You can bet that I'm going to look at every. single. website. And of course, I get distracted in the middle, or I wear myself out, and those remaining 10 tabs just stay open forever, the tabs getting skinnier and skinnier as I open even more tabs...it's a vicious cycle. With OneTab, I just condense all of those sites into a list and give it a name, and then I can come back to it with fresh eyes. It's much faster than copying links into a Word document or something, and all of those resources are there are my fingertips when I need them.

Pros

• Free!
• Easy to collapse links and search through them later

Cons

• History metadata for sites is lost - you can't go to the link and hit "back" to go to a previous page on the site
• Can't convert links directly to bookmarks
• Only for Chrome

Final thoughts

OneTab makes it so easy to collapse tabs and manage your writing resources, you'll be kicking yourself that you didn't start using it sooner! Writers who don't use Chrome may be left out of this one - sorry about that. Give OneTab a try and let us know how it goes!

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#AtoZChallenge - Nature

N is for Nature

Creating the world for your story is almost as important as developing the characters and plot. This week's prompt is to help you build the natural world through which your characters navigate as they move through the story.

Below you will find some pictures of things from the natural world.  I want you to look at them and choose one that might provide a setting for the world of your story.  It may be a single scene, or it may be the entire world of the story.

Now describe this place through the eyes of your character making sure you use all the senses they have available to them. A reader gets a much more vivid sense of place if it's described in terms of how it smells, feels and sounds as well as what it looks like.

We'd love to see how you use these prompts, so either leave your story in the comments or email to us at operationawesome6@gmail.com.

All images courtesy of Upsplash.