Surviving the reading list

You need to read in your genre to write in your genre. You need to learn from the masters and know the conventions. You need to immerse yourself in the genre.

You don't want to get so deep in your reading that you start copying what you've read, however. You want your work to be original and innovative.

So how do you draw the line?

There are a few things you can do to help yourself.

Remember your intention. Have written down anything you planned for your story. If you know the ending, if you know the theme, if you have an angle that is truly original, write it down so you can call back to it while you're also reading the greats.

Read something else while you're writing. Sure, you want to be on top of your genre, but you can take a break while you're writing so that you don't end up accidentally copying what you're reading.

Be honest with yourself. If you find yourself copying someone else's style, writing with words that you usually wouldn't use, or copycatting an approach that you would never have thought of, be honest that you might be copying someone else.

You want to learn from other writers, but you want to make the lessons your own. Make sure that you aren't copying who is on your reading list and that you're being yourself in your writing.

The path not chosen can just be delayed

You make a lot of decisions when writing a novel.

Do those two characters start dating? Does your protagonist accept that job? Does the bomb go off as plan?

You have to make a million little decisions that are right for your novel when writing.

That doesn't mean that you have to let go of the other choice that seemed compelling to you.

If you really liked where the other option might have been going, you can save it for something else. Maybe it's a short story or a sequel or an entirely different novel driven by other characters.

There are a lot of decisions that you have to make when writing a novel. If there's one that you feel particularly sad you didn't get to explore, don't mourn. Recycle it for something even better.

Give more context to those great ideas

When you have a great idea, you're sure that it's going to stick with you. You're sure that this is so amazing that you'll remember when you need it.

You might jot down a few words so that you can pull it back when required.

But more than a few words are probably required.

While "joy at the carnival" might seem enough at the time, it will likely not be enough for you to remember that you were inspired to write about the joy that prize toys feel at the carnival. And the amazing view they have. And the joy of the man who stocks the booth with the toys.

"Joy at the carnival" isn't going to bring all that back.

So, while you might only have a few moments to write your idea down, write as much as you can. What seems so clear now might not be when you dig up the few words you have days, or months, later.

How memory works

The human mind is complex and not fully understood. Which, when you think about it, makes it perfect for a plot device.

Who says that you can't suddenly forget or remember something? Who says you can't only remember certain things, like fighting skills, while forgetting the rest of your identity? Who knows if you can suddenly remember an alien abduction after you were sure that you were just sleepwalking at night?

Playing tricks on your characters' memories can be a great way to move your plot forward, but it isn't always realistic (or new). Take a good look at the ways memories are informing your narrative and see if it's the right way to use this well-known trope.

Spy shy—In case you aren't into eavesdropping

You may have heard that you should eavesdrop on conversations around you if you want to learn how to write good dialogue. You should listen to the words flowing in public so you can get a feel for different accents and cadences and expressions.

That's nice; but eavesdropping can also feel a little creepy.

It can seem odd to eavesdrop on people. What are you supposed to say if they catch you? That you're working on writing dialogue? Seems awkward.

Well, fear not, there is another option that might not be as awkward or impossible to explain.

You talk to people every day. You listen to people every day in meetings or when asking for help or during any other normal transaction. You have nothing but chances to listen to people as you're going through your day.

So, if eavesdropping on people seems like uncomfortable spying, you can choose to pay more attention to the conversations that are already in your life. If nothing else, people will start thinking that you're a very good listener.

Any inspiration is good inspiration

Sometimes, you just need a little something to get your creativity going. Just a little something to spark your interest.

Once you get that first spark, you can write on and on.

So, where do you turn when you get stuck?

Anywhere!

There are so many options to inspire you.

Every day seems to be a theme day, so write about grandparents on Grandparents Day or cats on Pet Day or whatever other theme is going on. Every news item is a potential launching point. Every new song brings a story possibility.

Inspiration can be hard to find when you aren't having an easy time getting words down. But your solution might be simpler than you think. Don't look too hard. The inspiration you need might be right in your calendar or playing in the air.

Form inspired—Types of poetry

Poetry should flow. It should come from the muses. It should come as naturally as music.

But, like everything else in writing, it will likely take hard work.

As much as we would like poetry to just happen, it requires effort. It needs to be shaped.

Sometimes, you want to write poetry, but the words just arent there.

Find inspiration in the very basics. What form can your poem take? Try something you never have before.

Golden shovel poem. Cascade. Lune. Waka.

There are so many options.

Not sure where to start? Here's a list of options just waiting for you: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/list-of-50-poetic-forms-for-poets

Accept your dirty pleasures, and then learn

There should be no such thing as a dirty pleasure.

Whatever you like, that's what you like. Whether it's what people consider a cheesy romance, books written for a younger audience, or fanfiction that is actually dirty in the rated R way, if you like it, you like it.

And, above just accepting that you like something other people judge, you can actually make the most of it.

What do you like in this writing? What is compelling about these characters? What still surprises you when you read this literature? Or what is so comforting that keeps you coming back?

Even if you are too shy to share your reading choices with the world, you can still find some lessons in your literature of choice. In the end, you don't have to tell people where you learned those lessons if you don't want to. ;)

What would you (letter) write about

Sometimes, it's hard to find the interesting things in your life that would make good fiction. You've always lived the way you do, and so you're reality seems mundane to you.

As odd as it might seem, writing might help you figure out what you should be writing about.

Write a letter to someone—real or fictional. What would you tell them about your day? What are you passionate about that you want to share with them? What needs to be said.

Write a letter to someone about whatever feels right. You might just find something interesting enough to turn into fiction along the way.

Always better in your day

Nostalgia is a strong pull. People often crave the familiar and what brought them joy in their childhood.

And so, it isn't surprising for people to yearn for the past and the way things were done then.

People want stories told the way they were told when they were kids. They want the type of protagonists that they grew up with. They want the feel of their childhood as the background of the tales they're reading.

You might feel the same way.

Don't let that pen you in, however.

Keep reading your favourites and identify what makes them work for you. But don't ignore recent stories when doing so. There are good things about what is being published today too. Read both and take what works for you from either. You’ll find your best work by mining in all your experience.

You're never too good for a prompt

No matter how much experience you get, no matter how famous you are or esteemed your writing becomes, you are never too good for a writing prompt.

It's always good to stretch your muscles. It's always useful to try writing something that may be out of your regular tastes. It's always inspiring to push yourself to find something to say about a situation that is forced upon you.

No matter how you impressive your writing is, there's always some use to be found in going back to basics and trying out a simple writing prompt.

Put your story under the time gun

Sometimes, you just get stuck in your plot. You know where you've been and you know where you're going, but you don't know quite how to get there.

This happens to the best of us, and that does not automatically mean that your story isn't good. It's just a little stalled.

If you need something to kickstart it back into place, consider putting your protagonist under the gun. Give them a time limit that they need to meet, pushing them to act faster.

Their parents are coming back into town and they need to clean up the mess they made before that. They need to get back to work and therefore only have two weeks to settle the mess a relative's death has caused. Their spouse said they were giving them two months to prove that they had changed.

Whatever you can think up, a time crunch can help make sure that your story moves forward at a speed that might not otherwise be necessary. Give it a try to see if a time limit helps your story find its pace once again.

Stretch your reading

New experiences bring so many things to your life.

And there are so many ways you can challenge yourself. There are so many new experiences you can force yourself to live.

But, a nice way to bring some new to your world without fear of embarrassment, extreme time commitment, or an unbelievable cost is to simply stretch your reading.

Add some poetry to your life. Try science fiction if that's not your usual genre. Read some non-fiction for a glimpse at how people express thoughts about themselves.

There are lots of ways to get new experiences that can feed your writing. Try stretching your reading and exploring some new genres to see if that can be one way to expand your writing horizons.

Setting as plot

Stories need action. And something needs to make this action happen.

Someone dies. Someone wins money. Someone falls in love.

There are plenty of options to find your plot.

Sometimes, however, your plot can be as easy as your setting.

Put a country girl in the great outdoors. Put a farmer on the moon. Put a self-centred young adult in a daycare.

All stories need plot, but sometimes, your setting can drive your plot. Don't hesitate to put your characters somewhere unexpected to get or keep your story moving.

New surroundings

I don't know where you are at this moment, but where I am, the signs of summer's impending arrival are clear. The days are longer and the weather is warmer.

It's the perfect time to change your writing location to the great outdoors.

See what a little sunshine does for your writing. Listen to whatever conversations are around. Be inspired by the animals that waddle by you.

New scenery can always offer some good unexpected inspiration. See what new thoughts the summer weather offers you.

That other character

The choice of who your narrator is and what point of view you use is a big decision. Sometimes, it comes naturally, but it's still a big decision that can impact your entire story.

Every author needs to make this decision.

And sometimes more than one option can be right.

So, if you know a story that's in the public sphere and you want to retell it from another point of view, go ahead. Make it happen. See where it takes you.

You might write the greatest retelling of a story (and get your own Broadway adaptation à la Wicket). You might open the world's eyes to the injustice of a foregone time. Or you might just find a really great story to tell.

If you feel your favourite character has been done wrong, see what story you can make out of it.

You don't need everyone to relate

You want your readers to relate to your story and characters. You want them to empathize what you're writing so that they get sucked into the story.

That can be quite the challenge. There are a lot of readers out there and they have all kinds of experiences. You can't catch them all.

And that's the thing; you don't have to catch them all.

You don't need everyone to relate to your story. You only need a group of readers to relate to your story.

It might be tempting to write the universal character that everyone will relate to so that your book crosses boundaries, but there is no such thing. You can't get everyone to agree on anything.

So don't worry about making everyone happy. Just focus on what works for you, and likeminded readers will find you.

The Journey Home

There are many stories that use a journey home as a catalyst.

There's a wedding or funeral. Parents need help. Home is the only option after bankruptcy…

There are plenty of reasons to send your protagonist back home. And, if your character is finding themselves suddenly needing to confront a past they've been running away from, forcing them to return home is a great way to get that journey moving.

To shake things up, however, don't make your protagonist the one returning home.

Maybe it's a sibling coming home. Maybe it's a high school friend. Maybe it's an ex.

Returning home is the catalyst of many a movie and book. Don't think that the action has to be relegated to your protagonist, however.

Take the pieces that work

A lot of fiction is retelling. Even Shakespeare was using stories that were known in his time to create his works of art.

Remember when you are using known tales to inspire your writing that your goal is to find inspiration. You don't have to look for a roadmap.

Find the parts of the story that work for you. Leave out the ones that don't.

Start at the part of the story that works best for you. Keep only the characters you have room for.

Find your inspiration where you will, but remember that it's inspiration. Do with it what you will after that.

Let your characters surprise you

Planning is great. Planning your story can help you write a cohesive and complete first draft that will require less editing in the end.

In all your planning, though, don't stop yourself from letting your characters surprise you.

Maybe one is kinder than you expected. One might have a skill that they were hiding from you. One might decide that they have more to give the plot and appear in more scenes than expected.

You can plan your story all you want, but if you want to keep your story fresh, let your characters surprise you and show you where they want to go.