The NAtureal Writer–Carol Lynch Williams
This is going to be a head blog ro write this week because I am typoing things the way they always come out when I type. Aewfgul! And I
‘m typing them with no corrections. I figure I have about a 30 word per minute typing avergae plus I make mistakes. Lots opf mistakes. SO many mistalkes one would think that I have sausage (large fat sausages) for fingers.
but what to write to show you ll that I have a 35 % mistake thingie? (Byt the way, I found this out when I was tyoing on a Sponge Bob typing program that my youngest daughter used to yuse,.)
What shpould I say?
Hmmmm? Hmmmmmmmm? I’m not sure. Can it be that I have nothing to write about? Ues it could be.
Got it! Let’s talka bout refining ideas for books.
A few years back I wrote a novel that turned out to be two books in one. (I have sincxe sold both novels. One comes out this year. One came out in 2008.) I’m not sure how that happened. How those two books becamew one. But I decided I didn’t want want ti aooen again.
Ajd lately I’ve been thinking of other things–other books. Here’s sort of what goes on in my head: I get an idea and I cking of follow it wround for awhile. I see what it looks like, how big it is, if its overwieught, if it comes with any cool scens already. Sometimes I come up with a title only. Like I have this cool new title that I am really excited about,. I won’;t tell you what it is, but I think the main charavter might have a mental illness (or the inability to type–or larege sausage fingers). At the same time I got this title idea I got another idea. A scary one. Or I hope it ends up scary. then I heard someone talk about being such good friends witho a certian somebody it’s like you share a souil. Then I remembered this scary oepning i wrote when I was at Vermoint College. Abvout this time I get a letter from my agent who says that an editor is interested in my dystopia novel. As weel, I start thinking about writing something light-hearted. ANYTHING, light-hearted. It’s all so DARK. (Yes, that is who I am.) And I keep wondering about a picture book I started and couldn’t end and an early chapter book swries that I want to write. Plus, i gotta teach Relief Society (A meeting tor women, for those of you who are not Latter-day Saints.)
SO the ideas are kind of like a deck of cards. All these ideas in no particluar order. Too many thoughts in my beanie head. (Spealking of heads–oops, mjust ocrrected myself–my daughter just told me that I bounce my head while I type. And did I say that I use ony five thinsr to typse? Plust my righ fionger to make all the words big? YEs, that’s how I do it? Who wanted to be me. Hmm hmmm. Now you’re not running up here to fast. Are ya? (CarolB, where is the sarcmark when I need it????)
What I have to do, with all these ideas going like crazy ais see how they are realted. Which mook ideas go with waht? Are they all going to fit together like a puxxle or is this a puxxle I’ve cut up to make it fit>
this morening I thought three of my ideas would fit together nicely. then,m when I sated talking about them with one of my daughters, I sawa that again, I had two books, and I neeeded to keep goiod title idea away from scary book idea. theae are not the same thing. I hadn’t know n that at first.
For me, writing comes after a lot of thinking. Lie back on the bed, close your eyes, wonder. Sit at the computer, head in hands (not bouncing head, still head) and think. Complain a lot imagining. that;’s how it woerks for me. That’s sort of a bit of the pre-pllaninng that I do. The first thoguhts, the gathering of the eggs, if you will (BTW< PV idea is about chickiens.). There’s way more to it than that. But we have other weeks to talk about ideas and making them grow, so we can save those idaeas for another week. And I mean it.
I’m intersted in how your ideas come to to. Please share.
Buit keep your crappy typing to your self.
Translation adn Editing:
Translation and Editing:
The Natural Writer–Carol Lynch Williams
This is going to be a hard blog to write this week because I am typing things the way they always come out when I type. Awful! And I’m typing them with no corrections. I figure I have about a 30 word-per-minute typing average plus I make mistakes. Lots of mistakes. So many mistakes one would think that I have sausages (large, fat sausages) for fingers.
But what to write to show you all that I have a 35 % mistake thingie? (By the way, I found this out when I was typing on a Sponge Bob typing program that my youngest daughter used to use.)
What should I say?
Hmmmm? Hmmmmmmmm? I’m not sure. Can it be that I have nothing to write about? Yes, it could be.
Got it! Let’s talk about refining ideas for books.
A few years back, I wrote a novel that turned out to be two books in one. (I have since sold both novels. One comes out this year. One came out in 2008.) I’m not sure how that happened, how those two books became one. But I decided I didn’t want it to happen again.
Lately I’ve been thinking of other things–other books. Here’s sort of what goes on in my head: I get an idea and I kind of follow it around for awhile. I see what it looks like, how big it is, if it’s overweight, if it comes with any cool scenes. Sometimes I come up with a title only. (Like right now I have this cool new title that I am really excited about. I won’t tell you what it is, but I think the main character might have a mental illness [or the inability to type–or large sausage fingers]). At the same time I got this title idea, I got another idea. A scary one. Or I hope it ends up scary. Then I heard someone talk about being such good friends with a certain someone it’s like you share a soul. Then I remembered this scary opening I wrote when I was at Vermont College. About this time I get a letter from my agent who says that an editor is interested in my dystopia novel. As well, I start thinking about writing something light-hearted. ANYTHING, light-hearted. It’s all so DARK. (Yes, that is who I am.) And I keep wondering about a picture book I began and couldn’t end and an early chapter book series that I want to write. Plus, I gotta teach Relief Society (a religious meeting for women, for those of you who are not Latter-day Saints.)
So my ideas are kind of like a deck of cards that are in no particular order. Too many thoughts in my beanie head. (Speaking of heads–oops, just corrected myself–my daughter just told me that I bounce my head while I type. And did I say that I use only five fingers when typing? Plus my ring finger to make all the words big? Yes, that’s how I do it. Who wanted to be me? That’s what I thought. Now you’re not running up here too fast . . . are ya? (CarolB, where is the sarcmark when I need it????)
What I have to do, with all these ideas going like crazy, is see how they are related. Which book ideas go together? Are they all going to fit like a puzzle or is this a puzzle I’ve cut up to make it fit?
This morning I thought three of my ideas would work together nicely. Then when I spoke about them with one of my daughters, I saw that again, I had two novels, and I needed to keep the good title idea away from scary book idea. These are not the same thing. I hadn’t know this at first.
For me, the writing comes after a lot of thinking. Lie back on the bed, close your eyes, wonder. Sit at the computer, head in hands (not bouncing head, still head) and think. Complain a lot, imagining. That’s how it works for me. That’s sort of a bit of the pre-planning that I do. The first thoughts, the gathering of the eggs, if you will (BTW, the picture book idea is about chickens.). There’s way more to it than what I’ve written here. But we have other weeks to talk about ideas and making them grow, so we can save those discussions for another time. And I meant it.
I’m interested in how your ideas come to you. Please share with us.
But keep your crappy typing to yourself.
Throwing Up Words 