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Writing Your Novel - The Primer - Part 2

17/1/2020

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Hi, all!
So what have you been upto since New Year? I have been reading and trying to stick to my reading goals. Last year, I had barely pushed myself to overcome the reading slump. But this year, I am going to seriously do it. Because a writer must read, although those days of reading carefree, in abandon, are long gone.

I finished two books in 2020, both of which I had reviewed on Instagram and my Facebook Page. The first one is Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. The other, which I completed two days ago, is When I Hit You or The Portrait of the Writer as A Young Wife by Meena Kandasamy. And I am glad I read them both.

I am not gonna drag for today’s post. The previous post on Self Confidence was long since it had the introductory part, too. If you are new here, do sign up on the blog by submitting your email in the subscribe column in the sidebar on your right. And checkout the previous post Writing Your Novel – The Primer – Part 1 if you have not read it, because you are going to need continuity for the topic.

So, the second ingredient in The Primer – Self-Doubt.

What is self-doubt? I don’t intend to define it in formal terms. It is easier to clarify it through the monologues every writer has had at some point of time.
Picture
I have shared this quote in the previous post on self-confidence, too, and I want to drive it home, by quoting it once again.
The scenarios go like this, to bring up a few:

  • “I can’t do this.”
You know you can, if you have already begun something.

  • “I’m not good enough."
No one is, in the beginning. It comes with practice. Not being good enough even after writing a lot is worrisome, but in the beginning, it is just natural.

  • “Who would want to read me?”
Does it matter, if writing is what you want to do? Also, there is always someone who is going to read it if you publish it someway. There is always someone who is going to love what you wrote, relate to it and feel something by those words.

  • “My writing style is dumb/poor/boring/flat/simply bad.”
You can always edit and rewrite. And read lots because that is indeed what gives you the tools to write.

  • “I have written a book, but I don’t want people to read it.
It’s okay and it is upto you to decide whether you want people to read it or not, but you still wrote a book. That was brave.

  • “I am scared to publish it.”
Why though? Is it because of the next two points?
Picture
  • “I’m scared of judgements.”
Know that you cannot please everyone. The job of a writer is to write, not to please people. There’s no shortcut around being judged. It is better to be judged for our writing than to be judged for no reason, because people judge anyway.

  • “I’m scared of criticism.”
It is inevitable in writing life. The only way is to temper yourself and be ready to face it. Writing is, after all, a thing that takes courage to do. Not to mention how criticism helps to write better and to up your game. Just make sure you learn how to filter criticism coming your way and take only constructive ones to heart. People can be harsh in passing judgements and opinions, but remind yourself they are just words and you are a writer who would put words to better use than negative and toxic people who wants to see you 'not writing. Constructive criticism will be kind and genuine, not boastful, but in the tone of a suggestion rather than blatant demeaning. It will also put the changes your piece of writing needs at your disposal. Constructive critics will not be imperative or threatening you emotionally. Trust your gut and the vibes you get.
Picture
This quote has been wrongly attributed to Aristotle and most of the images you will find on the Internet with this quote will have Aristotle credited for it. But anyway, it is so deep and meaningful. There's one way to avoid criticism as a writer - to not write. And that is not an option for you, is it? :)
  • “My story is not interesting, I’m afraid.”
Only you hold the key to making it interesting. Explore new possibilities. Read widely so that you know what could be clichéd and what makes high concept and fresh stories. Talk with other writers or readers – it will expand the horizons of your perspectives and perceptions. Write what you are afraid of, write outside your comfort zone – that ensures original and interesting details for sure (*wink and wicked grin*). Avoid writing the obvious and the unnecessary – this is simply the best way to make your story interesting. Beta-readers or critics will point them out for you if you are blind to them.

  • “I’m not sure how good it is.”
Get it read by trusted, positive and well-read friends or readers who will give you constructive criticism and be honest with you. This is essential when you decide to be a writer for real. I have mentioned the importance of a dependable feedback team in my previous post.

  • “I find more things to fix every time I open it.”
That’s good news to an extent. If you can better your manuscript, do it. Rewrite or edit as many times as you please, until you are satisfied. Albeit, you need to know when to stop because it could go on forever and your book might remain hidden for the rest of your life. That’s another instance where critique readings can be useful.

Picture
  • “I’m stuck in writing, the story is not moving forward.”
This could arise in many situations.
  1. You did not have a clear plot or story-line in your mind when you began: Take a notebook or a fresh document. Fill in your story’s synopsis – a rough outline with the main conflict and the direction the story goes, including the character names, like a book blurb to provoke your own curiosity. Map out stuffs so that you develop clarity about your project.
  2. You don’t find the theme or story as interesting as you did in the beginning: Find out if you really care about this story you began. If yes, try changing something in it – the setting, the character names, the beginning, the point-of-view or the narrator (first, second or third person). If no is your answer, find a story you care about to write – this is crucial.
  3. You find the topics hard to write about: Thoroughly research and find information and details that you need to develop the story. Research will also be a prompt, because all of a sudden you might find yourself describing places and situations and that is you writing!

If none of the above are reasons for getting stuck, close that file or put away that manuscript. Take a book to read. Go on a trip. Bake something. Give yourself some edible treat. And watch movies – yes, it is such a great way to exercise your imagination, to bring out storytelling. Do another creative hobby if there is anything else you are good at. I paint when I’m brain-fagged, it helps immensely to unwind.
Picture
Some people have tons of stories in their head, and they ask me: “How do we begin?”
My answer is: Try writing.

Did you just think: “That’s a dumb answer that escapes the actual question.”?
I know. Only that it is not. Because, before writing the story in your mind, you have to find a few things about yourself, like:
  • Do you have the gift of writing in you?
  • Do you have a burning passion and urge to write?
  • Do you have the patience to pursue writing?
  • Do you have enough tools like language, style, unique voice, with you to write?
  • Do you feel good when you write?
  • Do you feel confident or scared when you write?

And these questions can be answered only if you “Try Writing.”
Picture
So, wrapping it up on self-doubt with a note on it:

Self-doubt is a tricky thing. Like salt is in a curry. Like self-confidence is – on the other side of the coin. Too much self-doubt will barricade your very essence as a writer – your writing will never see the world and vice versa. No self-doubt will lead to over-confidence, which is pretty suicidal too. Because, you will not be able to improve or judge your own writing, which is a dangerous state to be in.

Self-doubt is nourishing in little quantities. In healthy portions, it makes you:
  • rethink your words and thoughts
  • makes you cross-examine your work
  • helps you to judge your writing in a healthy way
  • tells you when you need to better it
  • make you open to constructive criticism and honest feedback, both staples to writing life.
The key is to balance self-confidence and self-doubt. Believe in yourself but at the same believe in your humanness.

When Self-Doubt tells you: “You are not perfect and you will make mistakes, you are not good enough.”, flip the coin and let Self-Confidence come up and tell you: “You are human, you are bound to make mistakes and you are not perfect in everything, but that’s okay. If you are not good enough, practicing will make you better and that is enough as long as you keep striving.” Apply this balance throughout your doubts and you are good to go.
 
So what are other instances of self-doubt in you as a writer? What monologues other than the ones I have listed do you hear from yourself everyday? How do you fight self-doubt and how do you balance it? Let me know. :)

Love and Peace, Sana
Reading now: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Winner of Pulitzer Prize for fiction 2015)
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Writing Your Novel – The Primer – Part 1

1/1/2020

1 Comment

 

Happy New Year!

Hope your Christmas holidays went well and that you are all looking forward to a 2020 with fresh hope and realistic and practical resolutions. As promised, although not as early, I’m here to begin talking about how to begin writing your novel.

Oftentimes, I get messages from aspiring writers telling me that they have an idea for a book, a story to tell, a novel to write, but have no idea where to begin or how. This is, I suppose, a dilemma every writer faces when he or she embarks on their journey to authorship. Your concern is genuine and real. It is not easy to begin. You will have a hundred little ideas of how to begin your book but sometimes, when you are confronted by the blank page, your mind and muse black out on you.

So today, let’s put a primer to the canvas of the writing journey.

My humble disclaimer: This series is not a step by step tutorial on how to start writing your book. This is a sort of breaking down the art for you as an author, so that you know the inside dynamics of the writing process from an author’s perspective, seasoned with what has worked for me (which may or may not work for you), and paving a path to kick-starting your work.

This post will tell you what the primer to writing a book constitutes. It has nothing to do with the story in your dreams, nor with writing techniques – we are not there yet.
But it has everything to do with you – as a creative person and as a writer. So here we go!

Picture
And not having a foundation in your mind and soul would be a poor reason to not tell that story.
There are 4 components required to prime your mind with, mixed in a balanced quantity, to be able to take up, stick to and see the finishing line of the process called ‘Writing A Novel’. They are:
  1. Self-Confidence
  2. Self-Doubt
  3. Dissociation / Compartmentalizing
  4. Prioritize / Exercise

Today, I will elaborate on the first in the list – Self Confidence.

Picture
I couldn't find a better definition regarding the balance. However, I have two other ingredients to make it all the more smoother.

Self-Confidence


Nothing worth your time and effort can be done without self-confidence. This goes for every field of work. If you are not going to believe that you can do it, you are not going to do it. A very simple derivation. And in the field of art, the importance surpasses any other, because art is simply not something a degree or doctorate will equip you for. Writing is entirely an inside process before it is displayed. Without self-confidence, you are going to have a hard time trying to write, despite having a hundred wonderful ideas.

So how do you know that you lack confidence? Let me break the symptoms down for you.
  • You are unable to hold together an idea.
  • You are afraid that you cannot bring your idea out in words.
  • You begin writing but end up not writing anything that advances a narrative.
  • You write, but constantly get blocked by an inner voice telling you it is crappy.
  • You start and stop writing on many different ideas and fail to develop one.
  • You fear exploring a theme or story just because you do not know facts needed to enhance it.
  • You write a little and then the blank pages intimidate you.
  • You write a lot, but fear showing it to anybody lest they say it is bad.
  • You write a lot, but never reach the end because your belief in your story falters.
  • You write a whole book but don’t venture out to get it read or published.
  • You write a whole book and tell people that you have, but when someone asks to read it, you run.

Chances are you might relate to one of the above groups, although this is not the end of the list. There is another group of people who are talented and confident but lazy to take the ordeal of writing a book – this post is not for them, because to write, you definitely have to sign up for hard work. It is nothing less than hard work, but something worth the sweat and the persistence.

So, back to self-confidence: how do you nail it? How do you wade through the swamp called ‘lack of self-confidence’?

Cracking Self-Confidence

Picture
Some are born and grown confident. Some are naturally smart and self-confidence is just second nature to them. When I look back to the days when I had just begun writing books – which would be at the age of 14, when I wrote my first novel, obviously dumb and cheesy, and cringe-worthy – I have to admit that I did not lack confidence. I wanted to be an author right from that age. But that confidence stemmed from not knowing enough, as I realized later. Which is why I am eligible to talk about nailing confidence now. Someone who has not gone through a lack of confidence at some point cannot talk about it. And I have been there later.

Technically, in creativity, self-confidence is undermined by self-doubt about which we will talk in the next post. It is a no-brainer that self-confidence and self-doubt are inversely proportional. And the idea is to strike a balance between the two.

But these are immeasurable stuffs. I hear you. How are immeasurable things measured or balanced? The equation allows you to do it. Inversely proportional variables move in opposite directions, in terms of quantity. So if you boost your self-confidence, self-doubt gradually depletes. Or if you work on reducing self-doubt, self-confidence will grow and branch out.

Self-doubt needs a whole new post for itself. So, here are a few tips to boost your self-confidence.

  • The more you are certain about something, the more you are confident in that matter. And certainty comes from knowledge. Do your homework before or during writing. Research, read and explore. Write what you know – this is an age-old advice from pros and no less important. However, I am all in for exploring more than I know and getting out of my comfort zone, so ‘know what you want to write’ also works. Get familiar with the theme you want to write on. Gather resources from books, the internet, movies or social networks. Organize your knowledge somewhere – it could be a notebook, your brain or your computer. Factual accuracy is important even in fiction, if you are using facts. Get them right.

  • Practice consistency and focus. This is something we will talk about in the end of The Primer series. But, just so you know, this is necessary to boost self-confidence. The more you do something, the defter you are with it and your brain gets accustomed to it. Even if you are not ready to announce to the world that you are a novelist, keeping at the task will help you to get used to the task.

  • Get organized. And this is not just for information or facts you need to use in your story. But in your thoughts and actions as well. Outlining is not for all, but for starters, outlining helps to stay focused. Some authors outline neatly, keeping notes and lists of every detail in a story. This will be a skeleton that one can simply fill in with details. Some authors like Stephen King believe in letting the characters live out the story, or take you through their adventures – that is an amazingly entertaining way to write. But if you fear getting carried away and digressing and ending up not ending a story, you should perhaps stick to outlining first.

  • The least you can do in the department of outlining is to write a synopsis for your story in mind first. It will put the objective of your story in focus, raise the questions you want to evoke in the reader and give you an overall idea about where the story must head to. The most you can do is make a chapter-wise outline, putting the advancements in each chapter in a few lines. You should choose your process. Once the map is laid, travelling is not so tough.
Picture
 
  • Stop comparing. Because someone out there is probably wishing to be as good as you are. And so many are already way better than you are. Comparisons are not going to be productive. You are you. The writer in you is an amalgamation of what you think, perceive and understand. No one is going to be quite like you. As much as you should try to find and explore a high concept theme or aim to tell a story that has never been told before, there is a huge chance that all stories are taken already. Told, retold, bottled and rebottled. There is indeed a lot of old wine in new bottle. Yes, all stories may have been told already. But not by you.

  • Surround yourself with the right people. Most budding writers make the mistake of trying to obtain feedback from the whole world around them, not realizing that nobody is going to take you more seriously than you yourself do. An author needs readers but after you have a book. The writing process relies a lot on our mood and it is important to remain positive and encouraged to stay productive. Thus, surrounding yourself with the right people is essential. The wrong circle is going to stump you before you can even stand on your own feet. No feedback is better than many from a wrong troupe of cheerleaders.  
  • I have a tight circle of very few genuine and honest people who read me and give me feedback on my works. To me, that’s what keeps me at it, whenever I feel blocked or uninspired. So find your few – friends, family members, teachers, colleagues or members from a writing club or workshops. One good one will do.
  • It is important that they believe in you and your writing, have confidence in you, be honest with you and are well-read. Also, in the beginning, make sure your feedback peers are not people who will discourage you. Later, you may be ready to take criticism as you grow, but before you are ready to, do not let negative feedback around. Give space only to constructive criticism.
Picture
Stephen King is not called King of Fiction for nothing. And although he might come across a little crass when he talks about writing, it is because he is not wrong and he knows it. Especially when he speaks about reading.
  • Read. Read. Read. Read what you want to write. Read what you don’t want to write. Read widely, deeply and voraciously. Because reading is what equips you to write, polishes your language and helps you find your own voice in storytelling. Stephen King said, "If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that."

  • Write. You can be a writer and be good at it only through writing. Allow yourself to write badly because it can be edited and made better later. But you cannot edit a blank page, as the best-selling novelist Jodi Picoult said.

  • Believe in yourself. If you don’t, no one else will.

There would be more, if I ponder, but I have wound up the tips here for now because it had gone long already. Feel free to add to it.

What are your ideas on developing self-confidence?


Last year, I made the resolution to complete my second novel and finish editing it and I successfully did. And began Book #3. This year, I resolve to write Book #3 and delve into more serious reading.

What are your writing and reading resolutions for 2020? Share below in comments.


Wishing you all a prosperous New Year 2020!

Love and Peace,
Sana
-------
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Read Sandcastles yet? If yes, why not drop your review on Amazon so that others know about it? If not, choose from the Kindle edition or paperback.

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All Rights Reserved. © Hamna Labeeb 2022-2023
  • About
    • Bio
    • In The Media
    • Gallery
  • Books
    • Books
    • Other Writings >
      • Medium
      • Articles >
        • Writing, Creativity, Productivity >
          • 5 Resources to Enrich You As A Creative Writer
          • 4 Reasons I Will Stick To An Early Morning Routine As A Writer
          • 3 Reasons To Free Yourself From ‘Write What You Know’ Advice
          • Gratitude — A Key to Unlock Creative/Writer’s Block
          • How I Balance Writing With Two Jobs And Parenting: Two Practical Techniques To Get Things Done
          • When Is The Best Time To Be Creative?
          • 10 Quotes on Writing Every Writer Should Take To Heart
          • The Two Leaps - My Author Journey
          • 7 Ways Art Dissolves Writer’s Block
          • 5 Reasons Your Novel Manuscript Is Too Long
          • 'I Am A Writer' - 3 Reasons You Should Say It More Often
          • 5 Ways to Bring Life into Writing - The Brave Writer
          • 5 Don'ts For Productive Creative Writing - The Book Mechanic
          • Writing With Self-Confidence
          • The 4 P's To Stay In Writing
          • 5 Don'ts for A Productive Creative Writing
        • Parenting, Family, Relationships >
          • When My Child Asked Me About Childbirth
          • 5 Underestimated Instances of Unhealthy Boundaries
          • 7 Lessons From My Journey To Better Parenting
          • Love May Not Be Why A Marriage/Relationship Lasts
          • Sacrificing Your Dreams — One Of The Worst Parenthood Mistakes
          • The Most Powerful Realization I Ever Had Was In Motherhood
        • Better Living >
          • 5 Ways A Digital Detox Improved My Mental Health And Life
          • A Time To Rethink And Unlearn
          • 6 Reasons To Let Go Of Ideas Of Happiness
          • Rest, But Don't Let It Rust: 7 ways to keep cobwebs and dust off your mind during COVID-19 lockdown
          • 7 Profound Quotes By Ray Bradbury - On Life, Creativity and Culture
          • 7 Reasons To Start Reading Fiction
          • Journaling Up The Ladder of Life
          • The Art of Acceptance - The Ascent
          • Reading Fiction - 6 Reasons Why
          • The Art of Acceptance - The Post India
          • 6 Ways to Make Your Healthy Eating Resolutions Stick
      • Poetry >
        • Love >
          • Ad infinitum
          • Back Home
          • Beneath the Bridge
          • Clarity In Silence
          • Eye To Eye
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          • Knowing
          • Lost In Translation
          • Magic
          • More For Less
          • Petrichor Rising
          • Preservation
          • Sailing Home
          • The Cosmic Dance
          • The Fossil
          • The Mold
          • Valentine Box
          • When Love Brims
          • When The Rain Ends (Prose Poem)
        • War, Destruction, Injustice >
          • Burnt Blood
          • Don't Matter
          • How Faux!
          • Let Her Go
          • Mother
          • Numbness
          • The Way Out
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          • Disease
          • Of Scars
          • Only You Know
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          • Tricked
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          • Nutrition
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          • The Bird-Watchers
          • The Foundation
          • The Garden of Life
          • The Immeasurable
          • The Old Woman At The Sewing Machine
          • The Rose
          • The Scripted Plan
          • The Tornado
          • The Transformation
          • Unmasking
          • When You Forgive
          • Winds of Change
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          • A Little Less Trauma
          • Chaos
          • Crossroads
          • Dare to Break
          • Dear Heart
          • Enough
          • Fire
          • Healing
          • I Flow
          • In Fall
          • Liberation
          • On Faith
          • Reason
          • Surviving The Grey
          • The Phoenix
          • Why Fret?
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        • The Puppet - 2
        • Songs of Motherhood >
          • Fading Moments
          • Fly!
          • Ode To A Nestling
          • Passion Fruit
          • Pink And Blue
          • The Day I Met Her
          • The Dreaded Nest
          • The Existential Little Warrior
          • The Fruits
          • The Galaxy
          • The Promised Oasis
          • The Refuge
          • The Reminiscent
          • The Wish
          • While You're Still In The Nest
    • Request Author-Signed Copies
  • The Writeous Way
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