Tools of the Trade: Wherein I Pose a Question. . . . (Okay, Several)

How do you write? 

Do you do everything, right from the first draft, on a PC?  A Mac? An IBM Selectric?

Do you have a favorite software package?  Do you work in Word, or Scrivener? Something basic?  Or more elaborate?

Do you make your notes on legal pads?  Do you have a white board?  Do you have many?  Do you have tack boards all over your office with index cards stuck to them?

Speaking of which, do you have an office?  Do you write at home?  At Starbucks?  The park?  Where?

I'm just curious to see the range of . . . stuff . . . of, "things and supplies" (I'm wondering how many will get the reference . . . if anyone:) that other writers use.  Or maybe there isn't a range, just variations on a theme.

If you've read my profile, or this blog for that matter, you know I have a thing for fountain pens.  I occasionally wonder if I'm the only writer who enjoys the tactile sensation of pen gliding over paper.  And then I think, if I am, then Levenger would be out of business. (I love Levenger.  Anyone wants to send me a gift, you can send me a Levenger gift card.:)

I hope you'll comment!

Aniko

The First Step: A Plot

Okay, show of hands of any writers reading this: how many of you have had pages, if not chapters of inspired writing come out as easily as spending money at a mall, only to realize later on that you had no idea where it was all going?  Only to stop and stare at it, wondering why you'd spent all that time on it?  Only to wish that somewhere in all that writing, you'd stumbled upon a plot?

Who amongst us hasn't heard a conversation in our mind's ear . . . two interesting characters speaking?  Or thought what if . . . I put someone in the middle of the desert, and they come to and have to figure out why they're there?  Or overheard a conversation and knew you could write at least ten pages of dialogue from that bouncing-off point?

But it all amounts to nothing if you haven't got a plot.

Such is how a lot of my writing goes.  Sometimes the plot turns up screaming at me to take notes.  And sometimes it runs away and hides.

I do much of my writing in a blank book with a fountain pen.  To me it's great to use a PC for everything else, but often a first draft just comes out better that way, or maybe faster . . . or perhaps I should just be happy that it does.  As a result of this, I have boxes of blank books (I won't even go into the index cards and sticky-notes) in my closet.  There are blank books in my nightstand drawers, in my desk, in my filing cabinet.  And every now and then, I pull one out and see something I wrote . . . however long ago it was. 

Sometimes I find where I'd been trying to work out a plot, writing notes and questions to myself (sometimes I even answered them).  Sometimes I have several story ideas, or character bios, in one book.

But I'll also find a book with the beginning of a story in it.  And I'll look at the first few lines, not really remembering it, so I'll find someplace comfortable and read it, as if for the first time.  As if I weren't the one who had written it.  And I'll get to the end of what I had written and think, "Well?  What happens now?" 

I'd like to think that that's a pretty good sign . . . that if I don't recall writing it, but I want to know what happens, it might actually be interesting; who really knows?

This is what happened to me about two weeks ago. 

But there was no plot attached to this three-year-old story-beginning, no notes, no nothing.  So I finished reading it and then went on to do other things.

A couple of days later, while in the shower, I had an epiphany.  (I get a lot of writing epiphanies in the shower.  They're excellent for that.)  I had also started another story, maybe even older than that one, but this one I couldn't find notes for.  However, I recalled it well enough to realize that it would mesh nicely with this story-beginning.

And more importantly, I actually had a plot!  I scribbled a rough, skeleton of an outline onto the back of an index card, lest I forget.  That card joined the others with possible character names clipped to the first page of the blank book. (I won't go into names here, but I'm sure I'll get to them eventually.) 

Voila!  A basic structure for my novel! 

Well, I've got a main character and a few others.  Basic plot outline: check.  Antagonist?  Yep.  Resolution: accounted for.

That's not a bad start.

Well, at least I hope so.

The First Step of the Journey

I've been working full-speed ahead on a new – well, sort of new (but more on that later) – writing project, and I've also been looking on and off for a writing group in my area.  I've tried to contact a couple of the larger ones, but one didn't even reply, and another was too big . . . I know, I know . . . I sound like a fairy tale.  But suffice it to say, none of the ones I've found were, "just right."  I mean, I don't really care about big groups and guest speakers (well, they're great and everything, but that's not really the kind of group I had in mind).  I'm looking for a few writers that want to get together, either physically or virtually, and critique each other's work. 

And so the thought occurred to me, why not do a writing blog?  Perhaps some likeminded writers will find it and three or four of us will have enough interests and writing goals in common, and we'll form our own group. 

Besides, I don't think of any writing as wasted; I think of it as a masterpiece-in-the-making at best (okay, that sounded a little more optimistic than I actually am), or some good practice at the worst. 

I know there are a lot of would-be writers, aspiring writers, and someday writers on the 'Net.  There are people who are out there living, doing their, "regular jobs," which may be exciting to others, and they think, "Someday I'll write a book about what I do."  There are others who dream of a glamorous career as a writer. 

Well, I know enough writers who do it for a living to know that this is by no means a glamorous career.  (Okay, except for those writing friends and acquaintances who get to go to the Emmys, but how often does that happen?) 

But all you have to do to be a writer . . . is to write.  (Yes, I know it's a famous quote, by the ROM in my brain is failing me at the moment, as is Google and WikiQuotes.) 

So I do it.  I write. 

And I hope like hell someone will read what I've written and find something worthy in it.  Or at least check my blog and click through on a couple of advertisements.

I'm starting this blog in the hopes of hooking up with others who call themselves writers, or those who would like to, or even those who just enjoy reading and would like to know what goes on before they download that book to their Kindle.  I hope some of you will choose to ask questions, have discussions, or even contact me if you're interested in that writers' group.  As I've said, I've got a WiP (Work in Progress), so maybe there are others who are also writing and we can exchange experiences. 

And I . . . will keep writing.

Aniko