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My Imaginary Screenplay Playlist

Kylie Fennell

When I write, I always try to visualise each scene and character as if they were in a film.

It’s incredibly important for me to be able to ‘see’ it as if it was really happening.

It may also reveal my secret ambition; that my books will be so damn good, they’ll become movies.

There’s nothing wrong with dreaming big right?

Now if you have an imaginary screenplay, you also need an imaginary soundtrack.

With all seriousness, when I need a little inspiration for writing I turn to a playlist that resonates with my story or characters.

So here are my top 5 picks from my imaginary soundtrack playlist.

1. Game of Thrones Theme (Cello Cover) by Break of Reality 

My book is set in a medieval period reminiscent of Game of Thrones and this version is incredibly moody and emotive. Love it.

2. Tusk by Fleetwood Mac

I’m a bit of a sucker for Stevie Nicks and her rawness, and this song features an animalistic drum beat that sets the pace for a great story.

3. I Will Wait by Mumford & Sons

I love the tone of these guys’ voices, the folk style instruments and the storytelling in their lyrics.

4. Find the Southern Land by Simply Bushed

These guys are an Australian bush band and this song tells the story of the search for the land Down Under. I love the historical aspect but also the sea shanty style fiddle.

5. Big, Big Love by Troy Cassar-Daley

When it comes to storytelling and just a genuinely beautiful spirit you can’t go past Troy. An amazing songwriter, performer and great bloke – he also hails from my home town of Grafton, so yes I’m biased but also super proud of this Little Eagle.

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Why I’m heading down the rabbit hole

Kylie Fennell
“Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, `and what is the use of a book,’ thought Alice `without pictures or conversation?’

So she was considering in her own mind (as well as she could, for the hot day made her feel very sleepy and stupid), whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a White Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her.

There was nothing so VERY remarkable in that; nor did Alice think it so VERY much out of the way to hear the Rabbit say to itself, `Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be late!’ (when she thought it over afterwards, it occurred to her that she ought to have wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural); but when the Rabbit actually TOOK A WATCH OUT OF ITS WAISTCOAT- POCKET, and looked at it, and then hurried on, Alice started to her feet, for it flashed across her mind that she had never before seen a rabbit with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out of it, and burning with curiosity, she ran across the field after it, and fortunately was just in time to see it pop down a large rabbit-hole under the hedge.

In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again.”

–      AND so begins Lewis Carroll’s, Alice in Wonderland.

Like Alice in Wonderland I go about my day-to-day life hopeful of falling down a rabbit hole and discovering new ideas or worlds. Sometimes that rabbit hole will lead to a different perspective or it might lead to a fantasy world where dragons live.

I have written before about dragons and their place in fantasy writing but not about rabbit holes.

So let me start where it began: Alice in Wonderland.

Lewis Carroll, of course, didn’t invent rabbit holes, but his story about a girl who falls down a rabbit hole into an unknown, disorientating and magical world has inspired many uses of the term.
For me I’d like to start with the story itself and the white rabbit.
I love from the first page its deceptively innocent beginning. The idea that an ordinary young girl bored with her life has her world turned upside down after seeing a talking rabbit with a pocket watch, and ‘burning with curiosity’ she follows him.
How wonderful it is for Alice and the reader to be totally surprised. Carroll uses simple but precise words that say exactly what needs to be said. ‘Burning with Curiosity’ – there isn’t a better way to say that.
THAT IS the kind of feeling I want to inspire in my books.
Now though to the term “down the rabbit hole”.
There are several commonly accepted meanings.
  1. A metaphor for entry into an unknown world
  2. Falling into and becoming entrapped in a nonsensical situation or environment
  3. A slang expression for a psychedelic experience
  4. Going on a never ending search on the internet where one search takes you to one page, that takes you to another, that takes you to another and so on
  5. It is also associated with philosophical and existential thinking in search of the true reality but also the notion that venturing too far down is probably not that great of an idea.
Which definition do you prefer?
Lets look to Alice when she says to the Cheshire Cat: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here? And the Cat replies: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.
For me where I want to get to is simple.

The promise of a rabbit hole is finding magical and extraordinary in every day life. Letting my imagination take me to bizarre and interesting places. It’s the possibility of these adventures becoming wonderful stories. And while the rabbit hole is a nonsensical escape, I can always come back to the real world when I’m ready.
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A picture tells 100,000 words

Kylie Fennell
When your’e writing fantasy it often involves creating worlds that don’t actually exist. I find that it’s critical to find pictures that represent or inspire the kind of places in my imagination.

Here are just a few images that tell part of my 100,000 word novel. If you want to see more images like this follow my Pinterest board.

Woman Warrior by pan.li75 used under CC BY 2.0



Moraine Lake, near Vancouver





Secret Falls, Nantahala National Forest, Highlands, North Carolina, USA found via youtube.com




Sherwood Forest – Nottingham, England, found on gloholiday.com

I don’t like fantasy – really?!

Kylie Fennell
Whenever someone asks me what kind of ‘stuff’ I write, I usually hesitate for a moment before fessing up that they’re fantasy novels.
It seems that in my circle of friends and acquaintances that fantasy isn’t a preferred genre.
Most people are polite enough to nod and smile. Others are upfront enough to state bluntly: “I don’t like fantasy”.
I’m not sure why fantasy gets such a mixed reaction, especially when you consider that the same people who say they don’t like fantasy, will happily sit down to watch Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, True Blood or Game of Thrones.
I wonder if the reason people say they don’t like fantasy is because they think it’s outlandish or unrealistic.
I have to admit even I’m guilty of judging a book, not by its cover, but by its genre.
Over the last few years I have had several friends (at different times) implore me to read the Cross Stitch series by Diana Gabaldon.
Knowing I liked historical fiction as well as fantasy they were convinced I would love the story of a 20th century nurse who time travels to 18th century Scotland and finds adventure and romance with a dashing highlander.
Featuring elements of historical fiction, romance, adventure, science fiction and fantasy, it seemed a no-brainer, but I couldn’t accept that time travel was a good fit with historical fiction.
To my detriment I never sought out the book, until it was brought to life as a TV series under the ‘Outlander’ name.
I was hooked by the first episode and went straight to the shops to buy the book, and guess what…I loved it.
Yes, it’s a little outlandish and unrealistic…which is exactly why I love it.
People like me love fantasy for the same reason others hate it. It’s about escapism, adventure, possibility, magic, what ifs, why nots and it’s just a lot of fun.
I put to most avid readers out there that they actually don’t mind fantasy as much as they think they do.
For anyone of my vintage, a favourite childhood book may have been Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree series, about a magical tree, magical lands and magical creatures. You can’t tell me that’s not fantasy.
 
What about traditional fairytales where geese lay golden eggs and beanstalks reach the heavens.
Now if you want to split hairs, fantasy is an enormous genre and I’m not a devoted follower of all of its variants. If I had to pinpoint my favourite sub-genre and the style I prefer to write, it’s heroic fantasy.
According to Wikipedia, “heroic fantasy often chronicles the tales of heroes in imaginary lands. Frequently, the protagonist is reluctant to be a champion, and/or is of low or humble origin, may have royal ancestors or parents but does not know it. Though events are usually beyond their control, they are thrust into positions of great responsibility where their mettle is tested in a number of spiritual and physical challenges”.
I accept that not everyone likes heroic fantasy, or any fantasy fiction for that matter, but I’m convinced that many more people do, and just don’t know it, or are unwilling to admit it.
So next time someone says: “I don’t like fantasy”, I’ll just smile and resist the urge to say “Really?!”. After all it’s their loss if they don’t want to live in a magical world where anything can happen…and it does.
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Top 5 sci-fi and fantasy couples

Kylie Fennell
In the spirit of Valentine’s Day this week, I wanted to go with my top 5 couples of sci-fi and fantasy.
1. Han Solo and Princess Leia, Star Wars
So yeah, a little predictable, but I’m a sucker for this love-hate relationship. One of my favourite lines from Han Solo:
‘Look, I ain’t in this for your revolution, and I’m not in it for you, princess. I expect to be well paid. I’m in it for the money’
2. Princess Buttercup & Westley, The Princess Bride
Westley is pathetically devoted to his long lost love Buttercup, but who could help but fall for his charms when he responds to your every request with: ‘As you wish’.
3. Daenerys Targaryen and Khal Drogo, Game of Thrones
So they had a rocky start with that child-bride arranged marriage to a savage thing, but it didn’t take long for animalistic love to bloom.
4. Arwen and Aragorn, Lord of the Rings
A devastatingly dark and mysterious mortal falls for an immortal Elf. It could have been a little Romeo and Juliet doomed but true love won through in the end.
5. Madmartigan and Sorsha, Willow
Reckless, disgraced and disheveled, Madmartigan becomes smitten by a fairy spell and declares his love for Sorsha, who he hates.
He has no recollection of his love declaration and when questioned cries out in complete disgust and shock: ‘I don’t love her, she kicked me in the face!’
Shame it didn’t work out in real life for this once-were married couple.

So go ahead and celebrate this Valentine’s Day with a movie marathon featuring my favourite couples.
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Why fantasy and food go together like peanut butter and jelli(ed calf brains)

Kylie Fennell 1 comment
There’s something pretty magical about food.
Ever since I watched Mary Poppins serving up seemingly ordinary, yucky tasting medicine that transformed into different colours and flavours, I was hooked on the idea of magical food.
I’m a very enthusiastic home cook. I love to cook pretty much anything. Any cuisine, technique, savoury or sweet, I will give it a go.
Food has an amazing ability to transport you to different times, places and experiences. It uses all of the senses – taste, smell, sound, sight and touch.

Food memories are a powerful thing, but so are new food experiences – food you had never imagined, magical even; food from history or imaginary worlds; food that ultimately surprises.
It’s little wonder then that there is a growing trend among fantasy fans wanting to immerse themselves in their favourite fictional worlds via food. 

Game of Thrones is the subject of several cookbooks, inspired by the many recipes featured throughout the Fire and Ice series.

Author George R.R. Martin devotes a lot of his writing to food, though it hasn’t always translated so obviously to screen. He explains his obsession for food in the foreword of the official Game of Thrones Companion cookbook A Feast of Fire and Ice written by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel and Sariann Lehrer, who run the popular blog, Inn at the Crossroads, that started with them cooking their way through Martin’s books.
Martin says that his goal as a writer has always been to create an immersive vicarious experience for his readers. “Sights, sounds, scents – those are the things that make a scene come alive. Battle, bedroom or banquet table, it makes no matter; the same techniques apply. That’s why I spend so much time and effort describing the food my characters eat; what it is, how it’s prepared, what it looks like, what it smells like, what it tastes like. It grounds the scenes, gives them texture, makes them vivid and visceral and memorable. Sense impressions reach us on much deeper and more primal levels than intellectual discourse can ever hope to.”
This Wall Street Journal article details how hardcore fantasy fans are swapping tips on how to cook dishes like grilled snake with fiery mustard sauce from the book ‘A Feast for Crows’ and jellied calf brains!
The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook features 150 recipes for rustic, gamy fare including fried squirrel and raccoon in bacon drippings.
Fantasy fans have made a pastime out of creating dishes featured in everything from Harry Potter to Twilight, and sharing recipes for butterbeer, chocolate frogs and cauldron cakes.
You don’t have to look far to find cookbooks inspired by your favourite fantasy and sci-fi stories. The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Narnia are the subject of cookbooks as well as Star Wars, to name a few.
Sometimes though you don’t need to look to fantasy for food that surprises. Nothing can be more interesting that the actual food consumed in centuries past.
One of my favourite chefs, of all time, is Heston Blumenthal, who has had a life-long obsession with historical food and the origins of popular dishes. He has specifically explored these themes in Heston’s Feasts TV series as well as in his book Historic Heston.
Starting from the beginning of the Middle Ages through the late Victorian Period, Blumenthal dives into the rich history of these times and creates bold, daring, and creative recipes inspired of course by dishes from the past.
He gives a twenty-first-century take on delicacies including meat fruit (1500), quaking pudding (1660) and mock turtle soup (1892). Just for the record, meat fruit is exactly as it sounds – meat that looks like fruit.
Like Heston, I like to imagine food from medieval times. What would my characters eat? What would they drink? How would it taste?
For me the ultimate fantasy medieval feast would have to start off with some meat fruit, followed by some hearty roasted pork knuckles with crunchy crackling, washed down with some mulled wine.
For a sweet fix I would turn to some Game of Thrones inspired lemon cakes and blueberry tart. My friend Stephanie over at the Dessert Spoon has recreated both these dishes with delicious results.
Mmmm…I’m salivating already.

So what would you have for your ultimate fantasy feast?
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If I was a superhero I would be…

Kylie Fennell

Four-year-old boys and superheroes are pretty much a package deal.

I’m not sure when or how it happened. It may have started with a Batman suit my son was given one Christmas, but it has since morphed into a costume collection featuring everything from Marvel and DC comic book characters and Star Wars, to Transformers and ninja turtles.

It peaked when Book Week came around at kindy and my son was required to dress up as his favourite character from a book.

Not having time to create a costume to match one of Master Four’s favourite Thomas the Tank Engine or Peppa Pig books, I made a mad rush to the shops and picked up a ‘Marvel’ super heroes book box set. This meant Master Four was able to wear his Spiderman costume (his favourite super hero at the time) and have a book to match.

The next obvious step was to make his way through the whole box set. I now have a son who is well and truly obsessed with super heroes of all types, colours and powers. On any given day he can have up to five costume changes, as he rotates through his favourite super hero of the moment. Yesterday he was Iron Man, today he said he wanted to be a Transformer.

And I don’t mind a bit.

Let’s face it, wouldn’t many of us like to wear our own superhero costumes to work. It would sure as heck make for interesting water cooler conversations.

It did get me thinking though: If I was a superhero who would I be?

Wonder Woman 

I remember having a Wonder Woman costume as a child, complete with home-made bullet proof bracelets and a gold lasso. I totally thought I was the cat’s meow. Only in my adult years did I truly appreciate just how absolutely fabulous Lynda Carter’s version of this classy super hero was. This made me want to be Wonder Woman even more.

Then again I would also like to be…

Catwoman

I grew up watching re-runs of the 1960s Batman series, and this feline hero portrayed by both Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt.

These women brought the right amount of cool and sexiness to the role. If I was Catwoman it would have to be one of those versions, though Michelle Pfeiffer also gave a credible performance. Best not to mention Halle Berry’s ill-fated portrayal of this beloved superhero.

You know the list doesn’t end there for me. Some days I’d like to be the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson in The Avengers is one hot lady you wouldn’t want to mess with) then other days I’d like to be Princess Leia (still diggin’ those hairstyles).

Heck. Given the choice I would like to be all of them.

If office protocols and adult social norms didn’t forbid it, I would take a leaf out of my son’s book and wear a different superhero costume for every day of the week.

Instead I get my superhero fix through the characters I create in my books and until my son says “I’m too old for this”, he will be well equipped with the latest super hero costume of his choice.

So the next time you see a four year old ‘fighting crime’ at your nearest mall or Westfield, just smile and ask yourself: If I was a superhero who would I be?

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Dragons and other (un)truths and legends

Kylie Fennell

Fact or fiction. So often it seems that urban myths become widely accepted facts. It’s a growing phenomenon only bolstered by the prolific use and sharing capabilities of the internet. A little faux pas or a ground-breaking celebrity rumour can reach millions of people with one innocent (or not so innocent) click of a button.

Whether it is intentional or an accidental slip-up, many of us are guilty to some extent of not letting the truth get in the way of a good story. I do wonder sometimes though if there is a grain of truth in some urban myths – in this case I desperately hope so.
Fact or fiction, mythical stories and creatures have existed in every culture for centuries. Subject of countless urban myths are dragons, the mythical creatures’ mascot.
I, like many others, am fascinated with dragons. Where did the idea of dragons come from? Could dragons have been real at one time? Do they still exist now?
Confession time. I for one believe in dragons, or at least the idea of dragons. To date, I haven’t featured this mythical creature in my own writing, but I do find them pretty darn fascinating. They are the ultimate fantasy creature.
I saw a pin recently incorrectly attributing the following quote to J.R.R. Tolkien: “Always remember, it’s simply not an adventure worth telling if there aren’t any dragons.”
I love the sentiment of this quote, but it turns out this little gem is actually another urban myth. It is believed to have come from author Sarah Ban Breathnach who coined this statement when talking about personal adventures and challenges. She likened dragons to our personal fears and happened to reference an actual Tolkien quote: “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.”
Someone, somewhere, picked out the two quotes, put two and two together and got Tolkien, inspiring thousands of memes and pins around the world. But hey why let the truth get in the way of a good story.
What is true, is that great adventures DO feature dragons.
My first recollection of a love of dragons goes back to being a small child listening to an LP record by popular children’s entertainer of the 70s and 80s, Patsy Biscoe.
My favourite song was her cover of ‘Puff the MagicDragon’. Now many will tell you that the song (originally recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary) contained veiled references to smoking marijuana. Not so says Peter Yarrow from the band who maintains it is about the hardships of growing older. Another urban myth!?
The lyrics for ‘Puff, the Magic Dragon’ were based on a 1959 poem by Leonard Lipton, a 19-year-old Cornell University student and was inspired by an Ogden Nash poem titled ‘Custard the Dragon’, about a “realio, trulio little pet dragon”.
The lyrics tell a story of the ageless dragon Puff and his playmate Jackie Paper, a little boy who grows up and loses interest in the imaginary adventures of childhood and leaves Puff alone and depressed.
To be honest, all of the meaning was lost on me as a child. I just liked the tune and the idea of a dragon, who lived by the sea (in the land of Honalee) and had a human boy as a friend.
My picture of the friendly dragon was only reinforced by the film versions of Pete’s Dragon, where a young orphan named Pete is befriended by a dragon named Elliott, who also acts as his protector.
As I got older I realised that dragons were not always cute, green and loveable creatures, but it only increased my fascination.
The Hobbit is centred around outwitting and slaying Smaug the dragon; Merlin in the recent TV series featured a crafty, talking Great Dragon; and Daenerys Targaryen is the ultimate Mother of Dragons in the wildly successful Game of Thrones.
Some dragons live in caves hoarding treasure and breathing fire down on innocent villagers, others are a symbol of wisdom and strength. Regardless dragons hold a special significance in fantasy writing and history. Real or not they are the stuff of legends.

There is conjecture that the belief in dragons stems from early travellers who came across Komodo dragons, the world’s heaviest living lizards, in Indonesia. Huge fearsome looking lizards yes, but dragons…hardly.
Others track the origins of dragon stories back to the discovery of dinosaur bones. Big reptilian creatures yes, but dragons…probably not.
The lack of substantive proof though hasn’t prevented cultures all over the globe believing in dragons while simultaneously worshiping and fearing them.
Generally speaking, dragons in Asian culture (particularly Chinese) represent wisdom, luck and blessings. The dragons were seen as central to agricultural life since the dragons controlled the weather and the seasons.
Those born in the Chinese Year of the Dragon (like moi) are considered the luckiest.
Scandinavian dragons were the true fire and earth dragons, living in deep subterranean caves and vikings had dragons on the prows of their ships to strike fear into enemies.
The versions of dragons across different cultures are almost infinite, as are the descriptions. Some dragons have wings, some don’t. Some can breathe fire, others can’t. Almost always they are huge reptilian or lizard-like with scales and claws but the similarities usually end there.
I don’t have a preference for any type of dragon. Fact or fiction I don’t care. Most of the fun is in believing. Regardless of the facts, this is one case where I would never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

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10 awesome words to use in everyday conversation

Kylie Fennell
As a writer I have a natural passion for words.
I’ve also claimed, rather cheekily, to be a purveyor of fine words. Maybe a more accurate description is that I’m a word collector.
Just like someone who collects stamps or Star Wars figurines, I find extreme pleasure in discovering unusual, underused or just interesting words. I then file that word away for later reference and an appropriate time to use them.
I tend to fall in love with certain words and look for any opportunity to use them in my writing and everyday conversation.
I don’t intend to sound impressive or elicit a certain response from my audience (most of the time). My motivations are entirely selfish. I find joy in using overlooked and sometimes unusual words.
So this blog post is clearly just an excuse to share some of my favourite words.
 

 1. Flummoxed – adjective. Confused and turbulent; baffling or baffled
Many years ago I was watching a popular comedy series on Australian TV (the Late Show made by the same people that brought us The Castle). One skit featured the word ‘flummoxed’ repeatedly and I couldn’t get it out of my head. Somehow I convinced my newspaper editor to let me use it once in a police brief. The story was about a crime spree involving a gang of youths turning up at unsuspecting businesses and ‘chucking brown-eyes’ before disappearing. Understandably the victims of these crimes were ‘flummoxed’.  Brown-eye is another unusual word or phrase Australians like to use but is best left for the Urban Dictionary to define. Most of the other definitions below come from www.dictionary.com
2. Skullduggery – noun – shady behaviour; dirty work, hanky-panky. What a fabulous word. A dodgy sounding word for dodgy situations. It sounds downright underhanded and it is.
3. Debacle – noun – a complete collapse or failure. A journalist’s favourite, often used in conjunction with fiasco. Eg. The government’s plan to [insert initiative name] is a debacle. The Minister has distanced himself from the fiasco.
4. Saturnine – adjective – sluggish in temperament; gloomy; taciturn. Eg. He wore a saturnine expression.
The word even sounds a little depressing.
5. Cerulean – adjective, noun – deep blue; sky blue; azure. Eg. Her eyes were the same cerulean as the summer sky.
So much prettier sounding than sky-blue.
6. Dragoon – verb – to force by oppressive measures; coerce. This word sounds like dragon, which makes it immediately attractive to me, and evokes feelings of power. Eg. ‘The King’s men dragooned the farmers to hand over their crops’.
7. Vex – verb (used with object) – to irritate; annoy; provoke. vexing, adjective Eg. She is always late. It is most vexing.
I can’t use this word enough. It’s the most accurate way to portray how annoyed you are without swearing. Thank you Jane Austen for introducing this word to me.
8. Beseech – verb (used without object), besought or beseeched, beseeching. To make urgent appeal. Eg. Earnestly did I beseech, but to no avail.
This word sounds as dramatic as its meaning. A great word for my medieval fantasy novels but more fun to use in everyday conversation. ‘Don’t play cricket in the house, I beseeched’.
9. Genki – a Japanese word that roughly translates to happy, enthusiastic, energetic, lively, full of health and happiness. A common exchange in Japanese: ‘O genki desu ka?’, ‘Hai, genki desu’. A little like ‘how are you?’ And ‘I am good’, but good just doesn’t cut it when there is a word like ‘genki’.
10. Ganbatte – Another Japanese word. I lived in Japan a while back, and I love the fact there are some words that don’t have a direct translation in English. My writing also has some Japanese themes so I’m naturally drawn to this language. Ganbatte roughly translates as keep at it, be courageous, do your best, work hard and good luck. It is used everyday in the workplace to encourage each other to do a good job. It is also used to wish people ‘Good luck’. However it also suggests you should word hard as well as wish for good fortune.
When it comes to my writing and editing projects I live by the mantra ‘ganbatte’.
So there it is. Some of my favourite words. What words do you love? What great words do you think should be used more?
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13 tips for writing and editing your first novel

Kylie Fennell
I’ve earned a living as a professional writer for more years than I care to admit.
I can pump out 1,000 words on almost any topic and edit them to a professional standard, well before the boss screams down the phone ‘one minute till deadline’.
That might sound like a bit of a brag-fest, but it’s not meant to be. It’s meant to illustrate the stark contrast between my corporate writing experience and my creative writing.
As I’ve mentioned before I’m in the process of editing my first fantasy novel series. I’m a novice when it comes to novel writing and editing and I can tell you it is a case of: same but different.
While I can apply my corporate writing knowledge and skills to my creative projects, the practices are distantly related cousins rather than siblings.
For me the key differences are:
The length of time– it comes down to simple maths. Writing and editing 100,000 words takes significantly longer than 1,000 words, making the task all the more overwhelming and complex
Subjective criticism– creative and particularly novel writing is a completely personal and subjective experience. Corporate writing usually involves facts, figures and quantitative research. Most of the time you can be reasonably objective. When it comes to novels you tend to continually question and overly criticise your work. It’s almost impossible for me to look at my creative work objectively.
For these two reasons, I tend to go through various stages (which I suspect are common to many novelists). I swing back and forth between loving what I’m writing/editing, to hating it, to despising it, to wanting to give up on it, then back to loving it again. On a good day I’m filled with confidence and pride, on an average day I’m thinking ‘it’s not so bad’ but then there are the other days.
These are the days you discover a major plot hole 200 pages in, that means revising every other page. It becomes a case of one chapter forward and 200 pages backward.
I look back at my ‘writing my first novel’ self and laugh knowingly in her face. “You thought that was hard? Well, editing your novel will be (at times) the hardest and most demoralising thing you’ve ever done.” I tell myself. Yet we do this with no promise of financial reward at the end.
Lucky for people like me I still think the process is worth it, in spite of all the pitfalls. Frankly, I don’t have a choice. I must write and these novels must be written. But how can it be done without sending myself spare?
The ever resourceful and helpful Queensland Writers Centre, which I’m eternally grateful to, highlighted in a recent editorial that “there’s writing, and there’s finishing”.
The editorial reminds us that until we “complete a working first draft, we won’t know how to fix our story in the rigorous editing and polishing stages to follow”.
  
So in this post, I want to focus on ways to stay on track when it comes to writing your first draft and how to stay positive and motivated throughout the writing and editing stages. Let me begin first with the disclaimer that I am no means an expert when it comes to novel writing, but this is what I’ve learned so far.
  1. Just write – write anything. If you can’t bring yourself on a particular day to write your novel, write something else. Write about the ‘writing process’. Write a mock letter to your main character. Write a list of your character’s favourite places. The daily process of writing is critical. When you’re not sure, or downcast, just keep writing, just keep writing.
  2. Set goals – set yourself achievable goals for the week/month/year and regularly track how you’re going. Revise goals if you need to, but be careful not to make your targets too low or too high.
  3. Set aside time – find the time of day that best suits you to write or edit, whether it is first thing in the morning or late at night, as long as it suits you. Set the time aside and stick to it. Any stint longer than 4-6 hours though may become unproductive.
  4. Reward yourself – when you do achieve your goals, reward yourself.
  5. Identify recurring distractions and eliminate them (if possible) – if you notice that you are commonly distracted by household demands while writing from home, get out of the house and go to the library or a café or park to work. Turn off mobile and social media if you can.
  6. Make notes as ideas come to you – have a notebook and pen on hand or type notes directly into your phone when they occur to you. I’ve been known to record voice memos while driving (using the hands-free and voice activation functions on my phone).
  7. Find things that inspire you – I actively look for phrases, images, films, books or music that inspire me. I have a Pinterest board for general writing tips and inspirational quotes and another for my fantasy writing pins. Pinterest can suck up time quite easily but can be therapeutic if you monitor your time carefully. Start a blog like this one. Read books that inspire you. Create a playlist of music that could be the soundtrack for your novel. Watch your favourite movie that is from the same genre or style of your novel.
  8. Learn more about your craft – read credible books about writing. Join a writers group. Go to writing events and workshops such as the those held by the Queensland Writers Centre.
  9. Combat blocks – if you are truly stuck, ask yourself ‘What if?’ scenarios or questions about your setting, plot or characters.
  10. Take a break (just not too long!) – step away from the computer if you are finding it all too overwhelming. Take a walk. Go get a coffee.
  11. Understand when perfection is required – You may have heard the phrase that ‘first drafts don’t have to be perfect. They just need to be written’. This pin from novel-software.com describes the draft and edit stages. Your first edit is really draft two. In draft one you go like the clappers and don’t look back.  In draft two you start to refine and improve. You don’t focus on polishing and editing or cutting until draft three. Draft four is for tweaking and polishing. Only after then will you be – or preferably a second pair of eyes – proofreading. So when a loved one offers ‘to edit for you’ when you are still in draft two, politely explain the above process. This may also prevent or minimise the endless ‘how’s the editing going?’ questions. You may like to engage a trustworthy friend or fellow writer to act as a betareader for you in the later stages as well. They can help identify plot holes, continuity or flow issues.
  12. Don’t beat yourself up and believe in yourself – writing and editing a novel is a mammoth task. Congratulate yourself on how far you have come. When you are feeling despondent, seek out people who believe in you. Seek out those people who will tell you how wonderful you are and how awesome your book is going to be. Alternatively, if you need a kick up the backside, find the person you know who will give that to you.
  13. Never, ever, ever, ever give up – if you can’t stop yourself from wanting it, don’t stop trying.
As a final piece of inspiration, here is a great quote from www.KarlBimshas.com

“When you cannot think: write; When you cannot speak: write: When you cannot sleep: write; and if you cannot write: read”.
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