Focus on Story Issues

or not.

The presentation title at Inkers Con by Jen Graybeal was a tad misleading. I thought it would teach me how to solve my story issues. You know… how to address a male hero that only I and a few other deranged people like, a plot that's too detailed, an inciting incident that doesn't happen fast enough, and things like this. Alas, the presentation did not touch on any of these things. Instead, it attempted to address what happens in an author's head. In my case, that's a far scarier proposition.

Even though it seems everyone in the world is writing or has written a book, rest assured machines are writing many of them and don't believe everything you've heard. AI will not take over our jobs, yadda, yadda, yadda…making authors a thing of the past. I can tell you unequivocally that we have not been replaced, not even close. I've read some of these books written by AI on Kindle Unlimited, and they are utterly unreadable.

According to Jen Graybeal, we've done something many people can't—we've written a book, or maybe you're writing one right now. Be proud of it. Now you're writing another one or your first one, and you're struggling. Don't feel bad about it—it's something we all experience, and it's all in our heads.

When you have a story idea and on top of your game, you get a hefty dopamine hit because you're excited. You can't wait to write daily; your thoughts are coming quickly. You love your characters and your plot. You keep writing, and eventually, you have a first draft. The dopamine wears off, and reality sets in. You start editing, discover plot holes, have a saggy middle, and reach a point where you think this book is bad. Frustration hits. Your brain gets a dose of nociceptin, and it makes you feel like your goal of completing this book is no longer feasible, not even possible. Inside you're screaming, "My book sucks!" What do you do? No, you do not run to the liquor cabinet to reach for your favorite Tequila or the freezer for gelato, evil Kay, bad Kay!

Jen Graybeal advises a few rounds of Box breathing or using her powerful mantra, "Free your mind, and the rest will follow." Yeah, from En Vogue. Her suggestion, not mine.

Whatever works. If it helps me edit this pathetic excuse for a book I've written, I'll listen to this song from 1992 twenty-four hours a day, wear a clown suit, and moonwalk, too. Her point is that you must somehow relax your mind by doing something; playing with Legos, your cat, doing anything to encourage your creative muse to visit. I don't own a cat. I may adopt one. There were three potential candidates at the pet store. One looked like he liked me; so what if he had nails that would shred my hot pink couch to ribbons? Am I procrastinating?

One way writers put a damper on their creative muse is by feeling guilty. Luckily, I don't suffer from that one. The truth is I'm too damn busy to feel guilty about anything. However, the presenter said that many authors she coaches express guilt over procrastinating, or a lack of motivation, or not meeting deadlines. But if you unpack all this, many authors work other jobs and also have families. Could they suffer from depression and anxiety, or are they just plain burnt-out? The presenter suggested the book Burnout by Amelia Nagasaki. How does an author write a whole book on this subject? It seems pretty basic:

Chapter 1. Stop doing so much stuff

Chapter 2. Say no

Chapter 3. You can't do everything

Chapter 4. (FMO) Fear of Missing Out

Can I have my advance now? I hear non-fiction pays better.

According to the presenter, the answer to Focusing on Your Story Issues is not to focus at all. Give it a rest. Go do something else: Take a walk, a shower, take your mind off things completely. Do something fun, preferably something requiring movement. It doesn't have to be going to the gym (I happen to like that), but if you don't, do something else that requires you to move: dance around your living room to En Vogue, a game of horseshoes, take the dog for a walk, or garden. What do you like to do to relax you mind? Meditate? Go to the firing range? Leave it in the comment section.

Now that I've got my mind off my miserable excuse of a novel. I'll move on. Next week, I'll cover Inez Johnson's presentation, Stealing Secrets from Screenwriting: How to Make Your Books Bingeworthy. I love to binge on stuff, so this one works for me.

Please find an announcement below. It came to my personal email. It might interest new authors. However, I have no connection to this program or the author. If you want extra help writing that book, check it out and see if it will work for you. The program ran last year, too. Author Alessandra Torre runs the camp. It starts September 30 and runs for seven weeks. Not only does this camp claim to help you write your book. It also enables you to set up your website and social media sites too. Another program similar and more cost-effective is offered by Romance Writers of America, Pen to Paper, and is open for enrollment until October 7. Although I have not done this one either, I have done another program offered by RWA, RAMP. That program was excellent, but you must apply with a completed manuscript and get selected. If you are chosen, it’s free. It was one of the most meaningful things I ever did to give me direction. If you are a new author looking for help, here's your chance, and if you're a new author just needing a goal, maybe work on finishing your manuscript and applying to RAMP in April. Since NaNoWriMo starts November 1, the timing couldn’t be better to get started and complete your first draft. You could get your plot and characters worked out in October. Just an idea…

Have a great week!