Category: Language (Page 1 of 8)

Science, Math, and Nature as Inspiration for Themes in Writing and Beyond

October 25, 2018 / Katie L. Carroll

Long-time readers of the Observation Desk might remember that I’m a fan of science. Some of my old posts include “We Are All Stardust”, “Big New for the Big Bang,” and “Seems the World Will End in a Bang, Not a Whimper.” I find science and nature (and even sometimes math!) to be a great source of inspiration, not only for writing but for my life.

There are so many wonderful, beautiful, crazy aspects of our universe. An exploding star, called a supernova, sends particles shooting across the universe. These happen all the time in our universe and have been happening for billions of years. All the elements that make up earth, including our own bodies, were once ejected particles from a supernova.

Then you have the Fibbonacci Sequence, which starts at 0,1 and each subsequent number is the sum of the previous two (0,1,1,2,3,5,8, etc…) and put in order in boxes make a spiral. Many things in nature follow this pattern, from flower petal and seed arrangements to how spiral galaxies are formed.

To take a look at a math example, did you know that a computer cannot truly generate a random number? Because computers function via algorithms, or sets of rules programmed in to the computer, it’s not possible for a computer to do random.

And whether or not I totally understand all these concepts that fascinate me (spoiler alert: I don’t, but I keep trying anyway!), they never fail to inspire me. They push me to examine the patterns in my writing. On a micro level, I look at the the words, language, and sentence structure patterns I fall back on, so I can push myself beyond my own cliches.

On a macro level, it pushes me to recognize emerging themes in my writing. What themes did I go in with and maybe didn’t follow through on properly? What themes didn’t I notice, ones that maybe stemmed from my subconscious, that can make my story better if I tease them out more and reinforce them? Where are there more opportunities to refine any symbols I’ve used or places where I can introduce more?

Taking a patterned analysis to my writing allows me to make sure every detail (word, sentence, symbol, description, etc…) counts to work toward a greater whole through theme and plot.

To take all this a step further, trying to understand the science and math that governs nature can help me examine my own life for themes and patterns. It pushes me to a greater level of introspection and hopefully to a better place as human being. And that will only contribute to me being a better, more deliberate writer.

When I work at honing that merging of the creative and analytical thinking, stuff moves in ways I could never have imagined before. The world, my stories, my life…everything reaches a whole new level of understanding in my mind. And that feels like a pretty incredible phenomenon.

Cheating On My Novels With Picture Books

January 23, 2018 / Katie L. Carroll

I’ve so not been in the mood to blog lately. I have lots of things I could write about (both on the blog and in my own writing) but nothing that’s really sparking for me. So I’d rather spend my limited words on my actual writing than here.

So I’m just popping in to say that the one aspect of writing that I’m excited about is picture books. I think the short form is fitting with my attention span right now. Plus, I’ve been reading so many picture books with the boys, it’s hard not to get inspired in that area.

Writing picture books is a fun break from novel writing, which has felt like so much work lately. I’m slogging trough the long sentences and paragraphs in the novels. But my picture book is coming to me in fun little spurts. The scenes are snapshots that I have to interpret into words. Then I have to piece those snapshots together for a whole…but a short whole!

Not to say that shorter = easier. That is certainly not the case. But picture books are different than novels, and a change must be what I need. It’s almost like I’m cheating on the longer form with the shorter stuff. For me, there is less baggage when it comes to picture books. I feel a lot of pressure to get things right with this novel I’m working on, but there’s none of that with my picture books.

So I’m going with it…riding this burst of picture book creativity for now.

April #InkRipples: 5 Tips for Revising that Manuscript

April 12, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

Now that you all know from my earlier April #InkRipples post that revision isn’t my favorite part of the writing process, I’ll share some tips on how I try to make it easier on myself. Some of these work for my particular process and some are more general, but I hope you find them helpful. And as with so many things in writing, if they don’t resonate with you, then feel free to ignore them!

Take Time Away (But Not Too Long)

So you’ve finished that first draft and celebrated (and, yes, you should always celebrate such a milestone). Now what? File said manuscript away and take a break from it. Get outside and enjoy some fresh air, take a shower, go on vacation, start a new project…do something other than think about that newly finished draft.

I’m not going to give a set timeline for how long to stay away, but I’d say at least two weeks. Do set a deadline, though, for coming back to it; otherwise you might just find yourself in a perpetual state of procrastination (this from the girl who procrastinates so well on revision that she procrastinated on writing her blog posts about revisions!). The key is to come back to it with fresh eyes so you can have some semblance of objectivity but not wait so long that it feels like old news.

Have a Plan (But Be Flexible)

I find starting revisions to be incredibly overwhelming and having a plan is one way to make it feel more manageable. It breaks down the process of revision into measurable tasks that can be checked off, so you can see you’re actually making progress.

I have actually started creating my revision plan while I’m drafting. I keep a document in my project folder (or take notes in my notebook and transfer them to the document) with a list of things to tackle in revisions. This helps keep me from going back and revising while I’m still drafting (more on this in the next tip). Some notes are as simple as filling in a detail I didn’t want to stop and research in the moment. Others are big, like fix that giant plot hole you’ve written yourself into. One task that inevitably shows up is to do a search for that manuscripts crutch words and eliminate as many as possible (for one recent manuscript “just” and “even” were among the offenders).

Also, recognize that your plan may change as you go along and may even expand at times as you notice new things that need to be addressed during revision. Things on your list may need to be thrown out all together. (Yup, I’m talking about revising your revision plan!) That’s where the flexibility part comes in.

Start Big (Then Move to Small)

Once I have a good working plan, I like to break it down into big revisions and small revisions. Big revisions are things like fixing plot holes, adding or getting rid of scenes, fleshing out characters, changing point of views. Basically getting the story in shape and not necessarily about the words used to tell it.

Small revisions are when you start to look at the language, grammar, and the nitpicky parts of writing. Does the writing have good flow, interesting language, strong verbs, sparse adverbs, action tags instead of a ton of dialogue tags, varied sentence structure? These are a few examples, but basically small revisions are more about the words you are using and the way they are put together and less about the story.

I recommend starting with big revisions and then moving to the small ones because it’ll probably end up saving you time in the long run. Why bother making the language of a scene shine only to later end up deleting it all because of a plot change? I used to spend so much effort going back to older pages and revising while I was in the process of drafting a novel. I know some writers who do this and do it with success, but I don’t revise while drafting anymore. It’s helped me to be a faster drafter, even if it feels like the drafts are messier. In the long run I save a lot of time and hassle by moving forward while drafting (and jotting down those revision notes as I go along) and saving the revisions for later.

Know Your Strengths (and Weaknesses)

This bit of advice applies both to your strengths and weaknesses as a writer and the strengths and weaknesses of the particular manuscript you’re working on. I know I’m a very plot driven writer, so I’m always pushing myself to be better when it comes to character and voice. But I try not to worry about those things too much while drafting. I let the plot drive my first drafts and then tackle my weaker areas in revision. It gives me a certain confidence to know at least that one area will be strong as I go into revisions.

Aside from my strengths and weaknesses as a writer in general, I find each manuscript has its own set of them as well, somewhat independent of mine as a writer. The first novel I ever wrote (ELIXIR BOUND) was full of repetitive over-written descriptions. I often said the same thing in three different ways, so one major part of my revisions for it was to pick the best description and delete the others (or rework them into a single, stronger one). It also was a hot mess when it came to point of view. Another manuscript (BLACK BUTTERFLY) was drafted one scene at a time and they weren’t written in any particular order. This story has flashbacks that could have been worked into the story in a lot of different ways and other scenes that could have been moved around chronologically. A big revision point was not only figuring out the best sequence of events but also how the flashbacks would fit in.

Ask for Help (If You Get Stuck)

Despite you’re best efforts at having a plan and executing it to better your manuscript, there may come a time in the revision process where you simply get stuck. You’re not sure what you’re doing anymore or if what you’re doing is making the manuscript better or worse. Or maybe everything just feels like it belongs on a heaping pile of dung. Like when you first finish that draft, it’s a good time to take a break. It’s probably more a matter that you’ve lost all objectivity on your own work and not so much that it sucks!

This is a good time to have one or two trusted beta readers. It can be incredibly scary share your work with others when you’re feeling bad about it, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. In a moment of insecurity, it’s best not to share work with people you haven’t worked with before, but it can be a lifesaver to share it with someone who you trust to put you back on track.

If you don’t have someone like this in your writing life yet, try reaching out to different writing communities and connecting with a new critique partner. Offer to do a few chapter swap and share with them something more polished than the work that’s giving you trouble. If it feels like a good match, go ahead and send them the hot mess and see what they make of it (and if it doesn’t feel like a good match, try again with someone new). Hopefully you’ll get some great feedback (and then you’ll have to start the whole revision process all over again!).

Okay, that’s all I’ve got for now! What are your best revision tips?

#InkRipples is a monthly meme created by Katie L. Carroll, Mary Waibel, and Kai Strand. We pick a topic (April is about revision), drop a ripple in the inkwell (i.e. write about it on our blogs), and see where the conversation goes. We’d love to have you join in the conversation on your own blogs or on your social media page. Full details and each month’s topic can be found on my #InkRipples page.

New England SCBWI 2016 Conference Words of Wisdom for Writing and Life

May 11, 2016 / Katie L. Carroll

Sneaking in some writing time before the conference started. #amwriting #selfie

A week and a half later and I feel like I’m still catching up after the New England SCBWI Conference. I’m a little behind on my novel writing goals and I have a few deadlines for other projects creeping up, but the momentum of the writing conference usually keeps me going and focused on my writing goals for months.

One of my favorite things about writing conferences is catching up with old writing friends and meeting new ones. My roommate and I stayed up way too late chatting about writing and family and stuff. I almost literally bumped into a friend I met–well it has to be ten years ago now–at one of the many Poconos conferences I attended, and it was awesome to catch up with her. I squeezed in some writing time on Friday before my first workshop, I gathered with both old and new friends for dinner Saturday night, and I happened to wake up early and couldn’t fall back to sleep on Sunday morning, so I went for a run at the hotel fitness center. It all went by too fast, and I was so exhausted by the time I got home Sunday evening.

To keep the inspiration fresh I like to go through my notes from the conference (something I’ve been meaning to do with past conferences as well). So here are just a few of the words of wisdom I came across during the weekend (note that I don’t use quotation marks because these aren’t necessarily direct quotes, though I do my best to keep them as close as possible to what the speakers actually said and the sentiments are accurate):

Marketing is about choices. Choosing to do the things you enjoy and the things you do well. ~Lynda Mullaly Hunt
The most powerful marketing tool is to write a helluva book. ~Lynda Mullaly Hunt
People are grateful on the inside, but it’s important to be thankful on the outside. ~Lynda Mullaly Hunt
This that matter the most in your marketing are also what matter the most in writing: what is uniquely yours and your book, things you care about, and economy & quality. ~Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Kids need to see and identify the characters of book in themselves. ~Zaneta Jung (Assistant Editor, Sterling Publishing)
I prefer the term quality assurance [instead of gatekeeper]. As much as I love art and I love authors and I love books, I think of the quote in Ratatouille from the food critic, “I don’t like food; I LOVE it. If I don’t love it, I don’t swallow.” ~ (Editorial Director, Jolly Fish Press)

If you aren’t working on and submitting at least seven things a year, then what the hell are you doing? ~Jane Yolen
Never neglect and forget your heart books. These are the books the rest of us need to read. ~Jane Yolen
Where does the character story start? Start on the day that’s different. ~Wendy Mass
We totally get a do-over when we wake up every morning. ~Wendy Mass
If we keep doing what we’ve always done, we keep getting what we’ve already got. ~Wendy Mass

How did we all end up in this room together? All these details of your journey of how you go there, that’s your best asset as a writer. ~Patrick Carman
When you collaborate, don’t think “What am I going to get out of this?” but think “How can I help make this person’s dream come true?” Collaborating is bigger than networking. ~Patrick Carman
Intuition and inspiration can only happen in the moment. ~Kathleen Rushall (Agent, Andrea Brown Literary Agency)
Your dream agent is the one who adores the hell out of your work. ~Jess Keating
Unused creativity is not benign. If it’s not being put to use or being fulfilled, it leads to anxiety. (I failed to mark in my notes whether it was Kathleen Rushall or Jess Keating, who presented this workshop together.)
Do a $50 job likes it’s a $500 job, and then you’ll start getting $500 jobs. ~Jarrett J. Krosoczka
I’m being invited into a kid’s imagination and that is a privilege and a hallowed space to occupy. ~Jarrett J. Krosoczka
I had my sketch book, and I was bored. And that is a wonderful thing to do. ~Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Your best achievement is just around the corner. ~Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Dialogue is not about translating real-life situations; it’s about giving your best impression of it. ~Linda Camacho (Agent, Prospect Agency)
It is so easy to get lost in your own world. You’re falling in love, and that’s great, but sometimes you have to rein it in. ~Linda Camacho (Agent, Prospect Agency)
Likeability is boring to strive for. It’s okay for characters to have positive characteristics, but they should make mistakes. You want them to be imperfect; it makes them “human.” ~Rebecca Podos (Agent, Rees Literary Agency)
Writing books you are passionate about makes it easy for kids to fall in love with your books. ~Colby Sharp
Graphic novels are complex forms of texts, and no kid should ever be stopped from reading that. ~Susannah Richards
Being a mommy doesn’t mean you can’t be a real artist. ~Amitha Knight

April #InkRipples: Playing with Poetry

April 4, 2016 / Katie L. Carroll

Poetry is one of the first types of literature we are exposed to as children. We hear it in songs, in rhyming pictures books, and even in the non-rhyming picture books whose cadence and structure are similar to poetry. One of The Boy’s favorite things to do is pick words (some nonsense ones) and rhyme them. He enjoys doing this activity for what can be an annoyingly long length of time!

One of the first ways young people express themselves both verbally and in written form is through poetry. I think this is because it has an interesting blend of structure and room for creativity and riffing. You can rhyme, but you don’t have to. You can create a haiku (very short and structured) or you can do a free verse poem (pretty much no “rules”). It’s almost instinctual for kids to play with poetry.

Back when I was in college, I applied for an award and one of the questions we had to answer was if you could create a class to be included in the English curriculum, what would it be. In one of my classes from the previous semester, each student had the opportunity to bring in one piece of writing that spoke to us, and almost every single person in the class (a small one of less than 20 students) brought in song lyrics. So I thought it would be cool to have a class called “Song Lyrics as Poetry.” One of my professors who was on the awards committee loved the idea so much, she taught songs lyrics as poems in one of her literature classes.

As an adult, I find myself dabbling in poetry for fun. I included a couple of ballad-style ones in Elixir Bound, I’ve written poems for my kids, and I ink the occasional poem for kids’ magazines. When I used to keep the magnetic poetry (check out this link for some examples) up on my refrigerator, people (of all ages) couldn’t help themselves and would come up with all sorts of poetry fun.

Poetry is a universal language we can all explore and play around with, even if we don’t consider ourselves poets!

#InkRipples is a monthly meme created by Katie L. Carroll, Mary Waibel, and Kai Strand. We pick a topic (April is all about poetry), drop a ripple in the inkwell (i.e. write about it on our blogs), and see where the conversation goes. Be sure to check out Kai’s and Mary’s posts this month. We’d love to have you join in the conversation on your own blogs. Full details and each month’s topic can be found on my #InkRipples page.