Somehow I got the eye of the tiger, because I have survived. Thus far, I mean.
The Majesty Of Shit Happening Constantly
I don't mean to use my author platform to vent, but to illustrate one of the biggest obstacles towards getting masterpieces done:Circumstances.
Not very poetic, I know. Right on the nose though.
Tell me if this sounds familiar...
I will never have enough money/ time/ popularity/ knowledge/ blah blah...Life keeps happening, but you gotta keep putting feet forward.
Like, crawling naked under barbed wire. Sure you're gonna get cut up, bleed, get infections, get sick, get out for the count...then you get right back to that spot where you left off; memory of pain be damned!
"Who cares what pain you are in. Life doesn't care.You can quote me on that.
Life simply keeps evolving." - Onyx Towers
And knowing full well you can't stop life from occurring, might as well pursue your passions anyway!
Stresses. Oh so many.
So!Despite a giant tree crushing part of our fence, our car dying, and a tumor scare, we still kept moving these past 4 months.
To give you an idea as a basis for comparison, since in our household, the folks are so old they don't even know how to order basic services anymore, or find good doctors. Tech problems and customer service hotlines elude them. Here, I am the one calling up the insurance company/ doctor/ pharmacy/ dog groomers/ landscapers/-well, effing everyone. They also lose things, lay blame, sometimes forget how to dress themselves even! And through all of the responsibilities and stresses, I still managed to outline my entire fantasy book series.
Yes I dids!
I mean, I have a basic outline for every single one of the 12 fantasy books I had in mind when I first concocted the series. My mind thinks many steps ahead, for everything I plan. This is typical for me. Not sure how every one of you do it? Feel free to share your thoughts!
Outlines are easy!
It is probably the easiest part of starting a book. Like this:- What your book is about
- Who are the main characters
- What is their (obvious/subtle) problem throughout the story?
- Who/what helps them?
- Bad guys. Any?
- Climax where they face off the big baddie
- How their triumph is rewarded
Sometimes I write these outlines on the backs of shitty printer paper.
Sometimes I draw it on Microsoft Paint.
Sometimes I use flowchart software.
Sometimes I write it on regular Notepad that came with my Windows computer.
It really doesn't matter how. You're going to be the only one who reads this; you just have to be able to understand your own crappy handwriting as you refer to these notes later on.
Here are examples of my own book outlines:
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| Onyx Towers book outlines |
I keep adding to it, and updating it on occasion.
But you can't be all 'by the book' when it comes to the creative arts. I say don't spend too much time perfecting an outline, because it will never be perfect. And it's a waste of time. Your effort must always go into the book, not the basic outline.
I say don't bother perfecting an outline, because it's an ever changing monster. I may have outlined the 30 chapters, but now when I get to chapter 15, I want to take an entirely different direction, thanks to what my character just said to the protagonist or what the protagonist did in chapter 12.
Like I said, it keeps changing.
Getting Stuck On A Chapter
Most recently, I was stuck on chapter 26 of writing my fantasy book, and could not envision it's ending. Because one scene stumped me. I had a basic idea of how I wanted to end it. It's just that this chapter had a significant fight scene that was to turn into a colossal disaster for story continuity. A disaster that would become the climax of the book.
Well I just couldn't visualize it.
Or think it.
Or dream it.
*facepalm
I realize that stress is also a writer's cock block, and the last 4 months were an especially trying period in my life. So this book ending just wasn't happening...
Now I am very right-brained. That means I am the highly creative type. That also means I must take a visual approach to understanding things. So what I did was outline that scene in the chapter, and bullet-point all of the thoughts swimming in my head.
Then I printed it out.
And stapled it.
Then I proceeded to cross things out, and write in the margins:
Notice the sloppy handwritten notes in the notebook sleeve there...
Now this was all done for one chapter. To get over the hurdle written in it.
And it worked!
So however you need to see it, do it.
You do what you got to, to ensure finalization.
From this multi-page list of bulleted thoughts, I was able to narrow my focus. I was able to envision the end and GIT TO WRITING!
What have we learned, kids?
See, if your regular mode doesn't work, try something completely out of left field. If you always go left, try right. It's opposite day, and you're finally getting answers where you don't normally.
So that's where I'm at, currently, in terms of writing! And having the book cover done, but that's in another blog post...I've also been curating the shit out of my Pinterest for all you budding authors out there, with helpful information. Go have a look-see, if you get stuck on your own author journeys. The Pinterest is for all my writing resources, but I also share with the public.
