Help- My Brain is Full!

Koi Pond National Arboretum 2011

My brain is full. I don't think that I am only one with a full brain. I think that most of us live like this now, whether we have organic distraction issues or not. My brain feels like the fish in the video, snapping up everything, and anything.

The world is full of shiny objects, any and all of them can trigger a desire to write a story. The young girl at the library focused on her cell phone, ignoring the eight-month old at her feet?  That is a story. The note I found in the park "I spank you car please to call may (sic)" with a phone number?  The two old dudes arguing loudly over a woman in the library?  Yep- all stories waiting to be told.

I pick up objects, print out news stories, take pictures, and collect dialogue like a pack-rat on cocaine. As a kid it drove my mom crazy. What the heck do I do with all these bits and pieces of inspiration and observations?

 I talked before about my first love- spiral notebooks. But spiral notebooks can be awkward to carry around, so when I leave the house my spiral notebook stays home.  When I am out and about I use Evernote (http://evernote.com).
Evernote is an amazing application that lets you save everything, an endless spiral notebook for your phone.  If you are not using it, you should be, and they don't pay me to say that. Using Evernote I can take pictures, record sounds, type, or dictate a note about what I have seen or heard.

So how do I sort these images, clips,  random thoughts, observations, scraps, and whims?  First, I use letter size flat box files. Like this:

Letter size flat file boxes are not expensive, they can be labeled pretty easily, and stack on shelves. They are available in different colors so if you wanted to organize by color you could. They are portable. Each novel gets a separate box. Short Stories and Ideas for Future Works each have a box.

When I have things that are too big to photograph like maps, old postcards, prints, programs, or more tactile souvenirs from research trips, I stash them in the project box. When I am working on a project, I can pull it down and go through what I have tucked away. I print out photos from research trips and print them on contact sheets.
Sorting through the box lets me immerse myself in the details of my story, reminds me why I wanted to write it, and grounds me when I feel like the words are just there, fluttering out of reach.

Will I ever live long enough to tell all these stories?
I really hope I do. But if for some reason I don't live to 120, when they go through my things, and find all the random stuff I have picked up and taken pictures of, at least now they will know why.

 Be a kid again. Pick things up. Write a story.

The Black Hole of Research- Are We There Yet?

Oahu 2013-My father-in-law was driving, 'nuff said. 

This is how my mind feels when I start researching anything.  So many roads to information. The library, and yes, I still use one, the internet, historical societies, museums, interviews, and my favorite field trips.
I always keep a journal when I travel, nothing too deep just my impressions, notes on where I went, and what I did. I treat every trip as an opportunity for research. Why?

Because everywhere is a potential somewhere in any work of fiction.  Stay with me!
For folks that write fiction, the key word is fiction, but there must be enough of what feels real to keep a reader in a story.
 I have read stories about frozen wastelands that make me want a sweater no matter how hot it is outside. The stories that make you stay up, turning pages are stories that feel so real that you are in the book.   My goal with my writing is to capture real feelings of place, creating a make-believe world as real to my readers as it is to me.

So my advice about research for fiction writers:

1. If you have started a  writing project, use your outline. ( What no outline?! Go back and read my other post.) Plan your travels. Remember you don't need a big budget. Find something close to home that you can see in a different way. Does your backyard seem the same at night, or is it a little creepy? 
2. Use the internet to find maps and detailed views of places you want to visit but lack the funds or time. If you are researching a historical place, local historical societies can be helpful, and may be able to help you locate old maps and images. 
3.  Are you world building in science fiction or fantasy? Search the internet for images that can be modified or built on.  Create image files for consistency and detail in your worlds.
4.  Treat each day as an opportunity for research. Take pictures. Take notes. Remember how the sky looked. Use it. 

The Best Research Stop Ever- Because Scotch!

The Bridge to Eileen Donnan Castle 2006

The Books that made an Outliner Out of a Pantser

As a reformed pantser, I outline the hell out of whatever I have to write. Short story? Yep. Essay? Yep. Novel? Oh yeah. Blog posts? Yes.  I gave you the reasons why last post. So how did it happen? What miracle occurred? I found a system that worked, for me, it may work for you too

The Books that made an Outliner Out of a Pantser

These two books are responsible.  They present systems that are easy, adaptable, and usable. Other books on the craft of writing assume that you have basic organizing skills, something that I, along with most people with attention issues lack. (If you want to know how bad it is, I label the shelves in my refrigerator.) Using these two books, I have been able to finish projects large and small without getting lost, distracted, or derailed.

 Outlining your Novel by K.M. Weiland (http://www.kmweiland.com) presents compelling arguments for using an outline, along with step by step instructions in eleven concise chapters.  The usefulness of this book lies in the end of chapter checklists. If you follow them you will stay on track while you outline. If you choose to use this book, buy a hard copy so you can mark the checklists, underline and make your own notes. 

If you are like me, I was overwhelmed creating a coherent storyline, and struggled with keeping track of my character names, their physical features, and motivations. The chapters  devoted to story structure will help you wrangle your ideas into a workable form. The two chapters that K. M. Weiland devotes to character outlining and development will help you keep track of your compelling characters. 

I used this book to outline my NaNoWriMo project, and I can say that if I had not I would not have been able to crank out 50,000 words in a month.

If you only have room for one book about outlining in your library, buy this one.

If you can spare the space in your library for two books, invest in The Writer's Compass by Nancy Ellen Dodd (http://nancyellendodd.wordpress.com).  This book is about finding the why and how of your story by creating a story map. This is the book to read and re-read when you feel like you are just banging your head on the wall trying to write with a job, kids, partner, attention issues, etc. If you have had a long lay off for whatever reason, The Writer's Compass  will help get you back to writing.

As a visual learner the story maps work well for me to start, but I needed more structure to in order to keep my stories on track and keep track of my characters. 

For people who are wondering if they really can write, or want to and can not figure out how to go from thinking about writing to doing it, this book is wonderful. 

 If you all ready have the writing habit, and have scribbled stories since you could hold a crayon, or were an English major this book may seem simple.  As someone who has spent most of my life scribbling, but lacked direction this book was truly helpful.

 Still looking for a way to organize your writing? If you don't have one, give one of these try. Do you have a favorite outlining book or system that you would recommend?   

Oahu 2013
 Next post: The Black Hole of Research- Are We There Yet?

Outlines for the Attention Impaired- No Really!

Outlining for the Attention Impaired - No Really!

Hanoi 2009

             
What has this picture got to do with today's topic? The branches are blocking the view, or highlighting it, or hey, is that a bud? This is how I feel when ever I start to outline a project. Outline? I can hear some of you making bad sounds and see you rolling your eyes. This is not a debate about outlines.  Some folks write very well without them. Some people scratch a few notes to themselves on the back of a cocktail napkin and call it a day.  Others make outlines that are pages long and detailed.

Things to keep in mind before you run shrieking from the room shouting that you swore you would never outline again after Mrs. Ramrod's sixth grade essay class.

1. Outlines do not have to be set in stone (unless that's how you roll). 
2. Outlines are guidelines/maps to where you want to go with your story. 
3. Outlines are your friend, particularly if you have attention issues. 
4. Outlines are not straight jackets for your creativity.
5. Outlines can be used for any multiple step project, not just writing.

Creating and using outlines serves five purposes.

1. It guides your writing so you don't end up wandering around trying to find the point of your story.
2. If you get lost while writing a long piece, or have to take a break from a story because life happens (job, sick kids, snow days, etc.), you can come back to the outline and figure out why you went in a direction you did and where you wanted to go with your story. 
3. If you have to write a synopsis, you can come back to your outline for structure. 
4. Project outlines help in planing next steps, and allows you to plan your writing time so that you don't miss deadlines.
5. Outlines help you to focus, allowing you to make the best use of your writing time. 

For those of us with attention issues, the very thought of outlining makes most of us freak out, and remembering how defeated we have been by outlines before. Why? Because we do not think in straight lines.  We think in circles, tangents, and broad soaring what-ifs. We struggle with ordering things. Because all of our thoughts happen at the same time, and it all seems like the first step. This does not lend itself to writing conventional outlines, all neat and tidy with everything labeled with numbers and subheadings. So what to do if we want to take advantage of the benefits of outlines? Do I sit down with a blank piece of paper and a pen, go to town, trying to force myself into straight lines and boxes? 

Nope. In the past I would use poster size paper and a fist full of markers. Lots of fun but a bit unwieldy. Now I do the same thing but I use MindNode  or Inspriation. Both of these applications allow me to capture thoughts as they bubble up and then drag them and drop them into an order that flows logically.

MindNode (https://mindnode.com) works well on my IPad and I use it for brainstorming projects, and outlining next steps for projects in process, allowing me to break a large task into less overwhelming parts.  It allows me to drag and drop ideas using colors and lines to to link thoughts as they occur.  I can add images and links to my mind map, MindNode with will automatically order my ideas. It is available for use on tablets and Macs but I prefer using my tablet version.

   When I want to outline a story,  a novel or  create a character sketch,  I use Inspiration (http://www.inspiration.com/Inspiration). Although marketed to a K-12 audience this is the best software I have found for creating outlines. It allows you to type your ideas into bubbles and then drag them around to where you want them. You can insert images, make notes, create mind maps and presentations. I have used it to write character sketches, novel outlines, and presentation outlines.
My favorite attribute of this program is the ability to move back and forth between a diagram view and a formal outline view. being able to drag and drop while in outline mode is the best thing I have found for ordering my thoughts. It even assigns numbers and letters to your outline in a way that would make Mrs. Ramrod proud.

What apps or system do you use? If the answer is none, give one or both of these a try.  If you are a parent looking for ways to help your distracted child with their writing give these tools a try.  Many schools have access to the Inspiration software. If you are a college student struggling with writing and outlines check out your learning resource centers, many have access to these programs or you may be able to be get a student discount.  In my next post I will talk about the outlining process and review some books that made me an outline convert.

In Praise of the Spiral Notebook

Wayne County Fair  2013

Today I am on the merry-go-round.  Going around in circles, wondering when the ride will be over,
can I really reach that brass ring with out falling off? My plan for a productive morning totally blown by snow, ice, more snow, and kids home from school. The precious 2 hours and 45 minutes I usually have to work on my current writing project? So not happening.
What do I do when my writing schedule is interrupted by children and other acts of nature beyond my control?  I grab a spiral notebook, the cheaper the better, and a pen. I leave it out where I can scribble down ideas that bubble up as I play with the kids, wash dishes, and watch the snow fall.

 I have tried 3X5 cards and sticky notes but the kids and the dogs chew and eat them, respectively. If the cards/notes survived the omnivorous kids and dogs, I had a really bad habit of misplacing them or washing them.
For those of us with attention issues having a place to capture your flight of ideas is essential. Using something that does not depend on an external power source, is easily replaced and inexpensive is freeing.  Writing in my spiral notebook provides these five benefits.

•  I feel as I am really working even if I am not at my computer, hammering away at my current  work in progress.
•  I can capture thoughts and ideas for my work in progress and new story ideas. 
•  When I face the blinking cursor I have a clue what I wanted to write.
•  I don't have to worry that my notes will be lost, chewed on, or otherwise become unreadable, although I do advise NOT pointing a freshly fed infant at one's research notebook!
• A spiral notebook feels private in a way that electronic notes do not. 

So am I an unrepentant Luddite? No. I love my Mac, and Evernote is my favorite app. Do I need a private, portable, unbreakable, cheap way to keep up with thoughts, ideas, scraps of information and whims that pass though my head on any given day. Yes, and I can buy them ten for a dollar at back to school sales.  Do you have a favorite way to capture your ideas? Are you rethinking your system? Do you have a system?

Do you have any 3X5 cards?

  Hello!

Feb 3, 2014, 9:26 PMbyBrenda Murphy

 I have issues with distraction, hyperactivity and organization. I am also an obsessive reader and researcher. Sure, there are times I can really focus and get so much written and accomplished that I feel like I am really working (NaNoWriMo anyone?) And other days... Well the other days are spent trying to figure out what, of all the great story ideas, house projects, baking projects and work projects swirling in my head I should focus on. I started this blog for everyone who struggles with focus and organization and is frustrated with themselves. I will share tools, tips, and techniques that work for me and some might work for you. As I experiment and try new things come along for the ride.