ROW80 Check-In 12/14/11--Wrap-Up for Round 4

I'm including my review of this awesome new writing book I recently read because one of it's tenants is going to be very much a part of my future ROW80 goals.  If you don't want to read the review, you will find my goals at the end of the post.So, without further ado....

Writing Your Way by Julie Smith

My thoughts:
I love books on writing.  I have read my share of them too.  I've read ones by Terry Brooks and Stephen King and others.  So you'd think by now that I would have at least one novel under my belt.  But I don't.  Julie clarifies this issue in a nutshell...you have to write your way.  Yes, you should pay attention to the advice and there are certain things the writer should not fudge on, like style and grammar.  She recommends The Elements of Style by Strunk and White and there I couldn't agree with her more.  I happen to have that book in my writing arsenal.  A writer should also keep a good book on grammar handy.  What she said that I really liked and agree with 100% is "write something that matters--if only to you."  Great advice.  Who wants to write something they don't care about?  If the writer doesn't care, the reader certainly isn't going to.  It doesn't have to be a big statement book, but the story should mean something, should touch the writer and, therefore, the reader.  Authenticity and truth come in too.  Don't skimp on the details.  Do the research.  The most important thing though...get it written.  Set deadlines for yourself and this is one I like.  Set a goal of five pages per day, five days a week.  This works for Julie because she's a rule breaker so if she doesn't write on Monday, she can write Saturday to make it up.  Or she can add pages on to other days.  I think I like this approach better than so many words per day or hours even.  Frankly, the word count thing makes me very nervous (I'm talking to you NaNoWriMo)!

Julie's core rules:

Start it--put one word after another.
Put your heart in it.
Part with it--get it written.


Simple and straight forward.  I like it.  In subsequent chapters, she discusses voice, plot, characters, and all the nuts and bolts when it comes to writing a novel, but she does it in a fresh way.  She doesn't bog it all down with pages and pages of explanations.  That's one beef I have with writing books.  They are way too long.  Hence why there are so many on my shelves that remain unread.  Julie's 121 page dynamo is the perfect book on writing.  This is a book that will stay in my eReader and I will be using it as I continue with the novel I started during NaNoWriMo and did not finish.  I will finish it.  Five pages a day, five days a week and I will write it my way.  Thank you, Julie.


About the book:
WRITING YOUR WAY is a no-nonsense, jam-packed book on writing fiction that came directly out of the author’s belief that most writing teachers need to cut their students a little slack. Edgar-winner Julie Smith’s approach is to help you find your own writing method, not bombard you with “unbreakable” rules. But make no mistake, she’s going to give you plenty of how-tos—on plot, character, setting, voice, point-of-view, dialogue, pacing and marketing. As well as plenty of practice exercises. And lots of motherly advice.
She also thinks most writing books are so absurdly padded they’re a waste of students’ time. Or they’re all about getting in touch with your inner writer so you can finally get started. WRITING YOUR WAY is for the pre-published novelist who is way past that. It gets right to the point. Offering nuts, bolts, and marketing methods, it’s a thick, dense concentrate of wisdom learned from years of actually… writing. Smith’s the author of dozens of novels and short stories and the founder of Writers’ Track, a method of teaching writing by conference call. She has also taught fiction both at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

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I am going on hiatus from ROW80 until after the first of the year.  I know we only have two more check-ins, but I want to get this out there now so I don't have to worry about the last two check-ins, as I'm so busy this time of year.  So, this will serve as my Round 4 wrap-up and a sneak peek at my goals for the new year.

I didn't get much accomplished this round.  I attempted NaNoWriMo and only wrote 600+ words (well, I started anyway).  I slacked off on my journaling...something I was very proud of. =O(  Looking forward, I'm taking a page from Julie's book (above, literally).  My new writing goal in the new year will be to work on my WIP (I can actually call it that....I have words on paper...woot!) by writing 5 pages per day, 5 days per week.  I also plan to return to the daily journaling, as I really think doing that made me be more inspired in my writing.  I wrote two short, short stories and entered them in the Writer's Digest contest.  Won't get word on that until February.  Fingers crossed.

I hope all of my fellow ROW80 participants have wonderful holidays, whichever one you happen to celebrate.  I look forward to 'seeing' you in the new year and on that note...Happy New Year!