Project-based writing

I was really inspired by Peter M Ball's blog on Stephen King's On Writing, and how it can be dangerous advice for new writers. I totally agree with Peter – there's a sense of martyrdom in the advice handed out to new writers, and a bullying attitude that executing desire to be a writer comes in only one flavour – which is to write every day. Woe betide you if you don't.

I don't believe in this, and I never have. Of course, we can all see where it comes from – it's a blanket antidote for the problem of being a writer who never writes (or perhaps finishes) anything. But as Peter points out, most of us have got jobs, families, or other commitments as worthy as our writing desire. And a rigid mantra, like a fad diet or an unrealistic gym regime, will be rapidly undone by competing obligations. And let's face it, writing every day doesn't mean you'll finish anything, either. So, is there a middle ground?

I've never written every day, and, like Peter, the times I've tried have been purgatory. In fact, I find it really useless to think "I must write 2000 words a day" – which words on what story? with what goal in mind? when will it be done? how will I know when it's done? So I want to offer a different way of thinking about writing that borrows from my engineering background.

Engineering work is often project-based – a well-defined "deliverable" by a certain date: a tunnel, a bridge, a rocket. And since, to my mind, a piece of writing (a novel, story, blog, whatever) is a fairly clearly defined outcome, project-based is how I approach stories, too. It wouldn't be particularly helpful if a construction site's management policy was We'll build stuff every day (jokes aside, many an engineered project is effectively managed to deliver on time or early).

So, rather than I must write every day, I would rather say: "I want to complete this project (whatever that is) by this date." It's about thinking of writing in blocks: as something tangible that will be completed at some future time. This then leads to critical questions:

1. What is the deliverable? (or, what needs to be done) How many words? What quality (final or just a draft)? In what form (novella, short story, novel)? How will you know when you're done? (not a silly question!).

2. Is the timeline reasonable? (or, how will it be done) Can I achieve the goal, knowing what I know about my other commitments and how I've worked in the past? (be really honest!) This allows you the flexibility to work out realistic, commitment-friendly goals. This might be weekly targets, a bingo card, or whatever technique works for you.

3. How will I build in contingency? Things change. Aim to deliver on time, but be prepared if things run over. Look at your past experience for guidance.

All my novels and many of my short stories have been produced this way. This makes my writing an episodic activity – I have periods of intense writing shooting for a goal (weeks or months), followed by stints with almost no writing, where I'm working other jobs, editing, taking breaks, etc. This suits me because of how I relate to my projects – I need to have some mental idea of the whole project's length, and how I'm going to get there – and the nature of my work. I also learn a lot about how quickly I can work if I need to, which informs the next project.

Now, I hasten to add that I don't do everything this way; that would be painful and unncessary. But the things I really really want (or need) to get done must be managed. And the point of this isn't to feel bad about what you can and can't do; it's about working out how you, in your particular circumstances, can make writing (and finishing) work.

This may not work for you, but take heart if you can't write every day. Be encouraged to try other things. Daily writing is not some panacea that separates the worthy from the rest. Finishing work should be the goal, and in a timeframe that suits the part writing plays in your life.

Thoughts on critique, the writer's medicine

Now that we're approaching the business end of the uni semester, I'm spending a fair bit of time marking. Now, I love teaching for its own sake, but it's also a fabulously instructive experience for my own writing. And this week, after marking about 180 critiques of fiction, I've been thinking a bit about the art of critique. I'm hardly the first to write about this, and I won't be the last (see here for a great vid on crit partners). Like many writers, I remember well my first experience of critique, and the meltdown that followed. Given I consider writing an apprenticeship, that was some sort of initiation ritual. But for those of us who didn't pack our bags after the experience, it does make you stronger. And by stronger, I really mean: tunes your senses for who's good to critique you and who isn't.

Good critique is an art. It balances being bold and honest with respect. It's the medicine that makes us better as writers, and it's much easier to keep taking it if it tastes pleasant (even if the side effects are still lots of work). Achieving this 'taste' (or tone) is difficult, but there's a few things that help with getting on the right track.

1. Critique is not a line edit. I can't tell you how many times critiques avoid talking about character, setting, or conflict and go straight for the red pen. Now, if someone's actually asked you to line-edit their work, that's different. But if you're reading a first draft (or any draft other than the last) there's no gains to make (except for your own ego) from spelling and grammar problems. You can address repeated issues of style, but they had better be repeated. This matters because spelling and grammar are the easiest things to fix in writing, and the last things. If you find yourself writing crit that you justify by casually mentioning to the author that you're just "nitpicking" now ... yeah, that shouldn't be in there. Story comes first.

2. Address the work, not the author. Authors write stories, but the story is a thing in itself. In written critiques, I find many times the critiquer saying "you did this", "you have this problem". Well, no. This particular story has that issue, not the author. The distinction is fine, but important; writing is an evolution, and who knows what state the author was in when this piece was written, or when it was written. So don't tie the problems to the author's psyche now. Perhaps the biggest reason not to do this, though, is the tone problem. Few people can pull off "you" without sounding accusatory.

3. Own your opinions and insecurities. Here, I'm not talking about suggesting things that are simply to your own taste. A writer should know that a critique is someone's opinion, and treat it as such. But if you have serious hang-ups about certain themes or topics, it's obvious. Really. So be big enough to push them aside when you crit. Or even decline to crit something you know you're going to struggle with. If you loathe sci-fi, then perhaps critting sci-fi's not going to be the best use of your time, or the author's.

4. Speak in enhancements, not detractors. Any time you find yourself telling the author their story has "problems", "issues", "flaws", think again. The author knows, deep down, that there are problems (or if they don't, the crit will tell them whatever its language). As a good critter, though, you're not just a problem identifier - you're also a fixer. And that means talking the language of fixing. "These are some suggestions that will enahance the story ..."; "I think paragraph three is a stronger opening"; "I'd like to see how Ralph reacts to the mutant lizard - is he scared? Overwhelmed? Irrationally brave?" ... these work much better than: "Your story has several problems I'll now list.", "You want to watch you don't overuse x literary device, or you'll alienate readers". See what I mean?

Also, pointing a writer towards an established author with a similar story/idea/technique and telling them to go read that to see "how it's done" is always in bad taste.

5. Serve it cold. Many a critter (haha) gets worked up about problems in a story, and that heat comes through on the page. Like any piece, take the time to rest a critique and read it back. Does it reek with frustration like a fetid gym sock? If so, maybe you need to cool off and strike out those feelings. Crit should come from a zen place, the critter wise, exact, and emotionally stable.

Above all, imagine you are the author who's going to have to read or hear the critique. Would you still be happy with the tone? Would you read it as balanced, kind and fair? Or snarky and reeking of one-up-manship? Remember, all the teaspoon-of-cementers, that even well-delivered crit is enough for the author to melt down. It is medicine, for sure, with clinically observable effects. Knowing your writing needs work is bad enough; no need to make the knowledge taste bad, too!

One week, two events!

Over the last week and a half, I've been privileged to enjoy two great events for Ryders Ridge, firstly the launch at Avid Reader on 9 April, and yesterday the Authors in Action event at Victoria Point Library, in my childhood stomping ground of the Redland Shire. Both were amazing in different ways. The launch was a special evening and ably conducted by the fabulous Kim Wilkins, who said so many lovely things about me and the book.

I must also pay tribute to my step-dad, Vic, who masterminded a surprise costume gang, all out-fitted in akubras, stethoscopes and name badges for the Ryders Ridge Medical Clinic. I was extremely touched, and I also had the opportunity to see friends and family I've been meaning to catch up with for years.

This theme followed me into the Authors in Action event at Victoria Point Library (in conjunction with Angus & Robertson) with both a host of locals and some surprising faces from the past coming along. Vicky Point enjoys the enviable reputation of being a proactive library with an excellent program and facilities, and it certainly showed. They had put up a striking display in the library foyer.

I felt very welcome and as I rambled about my childhood riding horses all over the Redlands when it was still very agricultural, I saw more than a few people nodding along. Clearly, others remember these things too, the shared cultural memories making a community. Thanks to all who came along, including international artist Corinne Colombo who now calls the Redlands home and was sketching from the crowd. Even though much has changed in those parts of greater Brisbane, I'll be happy to return again and again.

On horsey books and childhood reading influence (good and bad)

When I was a girl, I was horse-mad. I know, cliché, but very true. Unlike many infatuated, however, I was lucky enough to actually have one (Dellah), who was the most gorgeous, magical thing and the centre of my universe for many childhood years. I might talk more about her later, but for now I want to make links into childhood reading (bear with me).

One of the products of my voracious interest in horses was that I had mad interest in books containing horses, however peripherally (unicorns were close enough). I read fiction and non-fiction (including histories, anatomy, etc.) and when my parents took me to the library in Cleveland, I'd search 'horse' or variants thereof. This way, I read Elyne Mitchell's Silver Brumby (and all its sequels), Bonnie Bryant's The Saddle Club (my substitute for The Babysitter's Club, in which I had limited interest ... but she did write Me and Katie, the Pest which met my approval for its horsey content), and Patricia Leitch's Jinny series (oh, the gorgeous combination of celtic flavoured magic and a girl with her horse). It didn't stop there. Black Beauty, Penny Pollard, Walter Farley's Black Stallion (and all its sequels), even American tales like My Friend Flicka (and its sequels). And those are just the ones I can remember. I would devour these books, and imagine their plot lines when I was out riding trails. It was the most glorious ground for my imagination.

Obviously, this obsession was plainly obvious, and when in Year 5, a teacher decided enough was enough and took me aside after class. It wasn't good to read all these things with the same theme. Why didn't I read something else? he said. How about a 'choose your own adventure' book?

I can still remember the sense of shame I had during and after this conversation. As a ten year old child, it was the first time I was made aware of how I chose my books, and that an adult did not approve my interest. I was the kind of child who had great sensitivity to what others thought of me, and my enthusiasm for reading, for any reading, crashed.

I struggled afterwards. It was a difficult period for reading. I'd always had problems when the school brought out its latest reading challenge (where we had to write down all the books we'd read), because I always felt pushed to read fast and many, which held no enjoyment (I can even remember forging my mum's signature on one program where we had to get our parents to sign off what we'd read). After this no-more-horse-books event, I felt as though my reading went underground, and it wasn't in a nice, guilty pleasure way.

Eventually, many years later as an adult and having learned that others don't always approve of your choices in music, books or movies, I returned to regular reading, and it is one of life's great pleasures. I can appreciate now that I was reading at a level far above what my teacher was suggesting I aim for; I can see the silliness in how I reacted back then. But still, I was a kid, and that's what happened. As a result, I remain curious about how other people found their school reading programs and childhood reading influences – whether it caused them to read more, or less, or put expectations around their reading they hadn't been aware of. Feel free to comment.

The Travelling Epic - Geocaching meets writing

A few years ago when hand-held GPS was kinda new, the ManBeast and I invested in a bright yellow Garmin. Not one with maps in it for the car, but a rugged looking outdoorsy thing. The reason? We wanted to try geocaching, a friendly sport where people hide caches, and post GPS coordinates online for other people to find them. As a keen fan of any buried treasure story, I found this awesome fun. The thrill of the chase! The highs and lows of finding (or not) the cache! And the fun times avoiding detection by muggles (non-geocachers). These days, of course, you can do it with a mobile phone.

Now, caches come in all sizes, but many are the size of an eclipse mint tin. Most caches contain simply a log-book and a few knick-knacks to swap in and out, like the stuff you get in Christmas bon-bons. But when it came to making our own caches, I had an idea for one with a difference. I called it The Travelling Epic and it began the tale of Gordo, the Magnificent. The idea was that each finder would add three sentences of Gordo's story, then move the cache to a new location and post the coordinates. The idea was that the story would grow and travel. I loved the idea. I still do.

Sadly, all has not gone smoothly for Gordo. Over my time in New Zealand, it appears the cache has disappeared. I went to the last posted coordinates last weekend to check for myself, and lo, he was not there. :( This happens. Caches get cleaned up (a cache I made called "Ripley's Cache", where finders had to solve clues based on Aliens to get the coordinates disappeared from its hiding spot) or succumb to the environment (another of my caches, "Shiver me Timbers!", which was a swap cache for foreign coins, disappeared in the 2011 flood).

However ... in the case of Gordo, it was fortunate that one of the earlier hiders sent me a type up of where the story had reached. More entries since this have been lost, but like any treasure, this is just part of the story. So, here, I give you the account of Gordo as I have it now. I'll try to get a new cache out there and circulating again. There's always more to the story :)

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The Tale of Gordo, the Magnificent [a travelling geocache story]

6 February 2007 by WHITE HORSE (me) & KELVINATOR (the ManBeast)

Standing head and shoulders above other warriors, Gordo the Magnificent, blond and burly, was a king among men. On the third Sunday after Springfest, and after a long trek through the southern forest under stormy skies, he arrived at an unfamiliar precipice, yawning five strides across and deeper than what could be seen. Gordo cursed; there had been enough delays already on this errand and all ten men with him were getting edgy.

26 March 2007 by CEBIDAE

There was nothing that could be done about it tonight though, so Gordo had his men set up camp for the evening.

After a restless night contemplating his current predicament, Gordo was having breakfast in his tent when the watch reported that a dust trail was spotted on the horizon. As the camp was packed up for the trek to find a pass over the ravine, it became clear that a single rider was approaching them, fast.

11 June 2007 by WIZ & THE NAVIGATOR

He looked again, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. Never had he seen such an awesome horseman – or maybe this wasn’t a horseman at all…? Gordo woke up – realizing that the dream he had was so real – so vivid – so incredible amazing that he had trouble finding his path back into the real world – or was it …?

26 October 2007 by SUNSHINE TOLEDO

This dream had been haunting Gordo for many years as he was aware that there was no dry land around here. The forest was thick, lush and dripping with the fruits of recent rain, good soil and Spring weather. Why did he dream of deserts and dry dusty tracks across vast treeless plains?

16 November 2007 by CREW153

His mind went back to his childhood when the dreams first began. As a son of a farmer and brother to 3 older boys he had led an idyllic life of plenty in a land of prosperity. At the age of 18 this all changed.

18 August 2008 by K8’n’Co

Marauding hordes of barbarians were marching out of Dredendorf Land in the north, raping, pillaging and burning all in their path. The people of Nerengal fled before the ferocious invaders, but they would soon converge on the safe enclave of Sensursey in the Valley of Everog, the last stronghold of Gordo’s countrymen. All men of age had been summoned to defend Sensursey and as Gordo, his father and brothers stood at the fortified city walls, watching the rising dust of the approaching Dredendorflander onslaught, they knew that to defeat this juggernaut they would have to rely on their special powers.

6 August 2008 OMY130 X&S

Standing 10 abreast along the city walls, each man thought of loved ones which they may never see again. Gordo held his mighty sword high and conjured the thought of kindred spirits to make his blows fast and true…

17 December 2008 by the olly’s

all of a sudden the skies blackened, the winds roared, lightning blots blasted the earth and brought down trees around them and the heavens opened up, drenching Gordo and his men.

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If you want to give geocaching a go, see: http://geocaching.com.au/.