In which I discuss the ‘rules’ of StoryADay May and how to get started laying the foundations now.
Episode 162 – Premee Mohamed Writes Too Much
Premee Mohamed is an Indo-Caribbean scientist and speculative fiction writer whose first novel, “Beneath The Rising” has just been released. But I discovered her through her wonderful short stories.
In this conversation we talk about what a good writing day looks like (and what to do on those other days), the inspiration for some of her stories, her writing process and how she organizes her ideas, why short stories are like tattoos, and how the phrase “it’s just photons” makes writing easier.
LINKS
Twitter: @premeesaurus
Curious Fictions: https://stada.me/cfpm
Buy Her Book: https://stada.me/bkpm
Why You (Still) Don’t Have Time To Write
Even in this time when it seems like you ought to have more time to write, you probably aren’t finding it.
That’s because nobody ever FINDS time to write. You have to MAKE it.
Continue reading “Why You (Still) Don’t Have Time To Write”Don’t Let Shame Kill Your Creativity
In this video post I talk about how shame shuts down the exact processes we need for creativity and what you can do about it.
Spoiler alert: I talk about reducing your expectations, celebrating every single tiny thing you do that contributes to your writing life, and collecting Story Sparks.
SWAGr for April 2020
Welcome to the Serious Writers’ Accountability Group!
Post your goals for this month and let us know how you got on with last month’s goals.
Leave a comment below telling us how you got on last month, and what you plan to do next month, then check back in on the first of each month, to see how everyone’s doing.
(It doesn’t have to be fiction. Feel free to use this group to push you in whatever creative direction you need.)
Did you live up to your commitment from last month? Don’t remember what you promised to do? Check out the comments from last month.
And don’t forget to celebrate with/encourage your fellow SWAGr-ers on their progress!
Download your SWAGr Tracking Sheet now, to keep track of your commitments this month
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Examples of Goals Set By SWAGr-ers in previous months
- Finish first draft of story and write 3 articles for my school paper. – Courtney
- Write on seven days this month – Clare
- Extend my reading and to read with a ‘writers eye’- Wendy
- write 10,000 words – Mary Lou
So, what will you accomplish this month? Leave your comment below (use the drop-down option to subscribe to the comments and receive lovely, encouraging notifications from fellow StADa SWAGr-ers!)
(Next check-in, 1st of the month. Tell your friends!)
[Write On Wednesday] Flexing Your Writing Muscles
We are one month away from StoryADay May, people! This is not a drill.
Actually, yes, it kind of is.
This is THE PERFECT TIME TO WARM UP your writing (take it from someone who didn’t, the very first year I ran this thing. I thought it would be smart to save all my ideas until May. Um, wrong!)
One of the easiest ways to get into the flow of writing is to minimize the amount of stuff you have to invent. So today I have two prompts for you, from the archives, which help you take that ‘write what you know’ thing and have a little more fun with it than if you were simply journaling.
The Prompt
Read through these two prompts from the archives and decide which one is most interesting to you.
When Your Character Is Like You
When Your Character Is Not Like You.
Tips
Pull out your Short Story Framework and brainstorm that story. Then: write!
Try to get to the end of the story today. Bonus points: write to the other prompt tomorrow!
Remember, if the story is getting away from you, to limit it only to the essential characters, settings and details. Just enough to paint a picture for yourself.
Also: don’t worry if this story is not ‘good’. It’s only a draft.
If you share you story somewhere (and here’s why you might not want to) post a link here so we can come and read it.
Leave a comment to let us know what you wrote about today, and how it went!
Ready For More?
Look To The Artists
What is giving people pleasure right now, in this time of crisis? Stories. On screens, on paper, through speakers, in videos. Stories will save us.
And you, as a writer, have a part to play in that salvation.
[Write On Wednesday] Speak, Don’t Tell
Continuing this month’s theme of Show, Don’t Tell, today I want you to focus on how you can do that in dialogue.
Missed the first prompt on this month’s theme? Find it here.
The Prompt
Write a story set in a particular time or place and use dialogue to show us where we are, rather than telling us.
Suggested scenario: two characters who know each other well, but one is keeping a secret.
Tips
Don’t simply have characters say “In olden days people didn’t even drive electric cars” to show that we’re in the future. Look at this example from “The Era” by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah.
We’re in HowItWas class
“Well,” Mr Harper said, twisting is ugly body towards us. “You should shut your mouth because you’re a youth-teen who doesn’t know sh*t about Sh*t and I’m a full-middler who’s been teaching this stuff for more years than I’m proud of.”
The Era, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
You KNOW we’re not in a modern day school, right? The attitudes, the name of the class, the way description of ages…so much “show” and very little “tell”, even though we literally have characters telling each other stuff!
Or in this story when the main character has seen a photograph of her deceased mother in a museum and calls her dad to ask about it.
“She was a looker, wasn’t she? What is it, some kind of—do they call it street photography?”
“No,” I said. I described in euphemism what was occurring int he photo.
“There’s been some mistake,” my father answered, finally, resolutely. “That’s your eyes playing tricks on you.”
Natural Light, Kathleen Alcott
Watch how the father goes from open and generous to shut-down and in denial, without the author have to tell us any of that.
Or in this one, what do you infer about the setting, just from the dialogue?
“Y’all put that gator right back where you found him or I’ll pepper your asses with 177s.”
Hellion, Julia Elliot
Pay attention to how you can use dialogue to tell us things other that what the character mean to tell us.
If you share you story somewhere (and here’s why you might not want to) post a link here so we can come and read it.
Leave a comment to let us know what you wrote about today, and how it went!
Ready For More?
161 – Come and write with me
In which I talk about the live writing sprints I’ve been running and the importance of stories in times of stress.
Resources for Being At Home
If you have resources for storytellers, writers, parents, teachers, bored adults, in this time of house-bound-ness, please share them in the comments.
Me? I’m watching a lot of zoo and aquarium live feeds 😉