Writing Tips From a Young Author

Here are some excerpts of writing tips, used by permission, from one of my former Guild students, Erynn Mangum. NavPress has published her first three novels, and she just signed a contract to write two more. Perhaps you've seen her name/photo in some of the Guild advertisements. Be encouraged--only several years ago she was a high school student! You can read her blog at www.erynnmangum.wordpress.com


But, without further delay, I present: Got Plot? The next installment in these few little writing tips. Once again, I’m not a very experienced writer and most of the “writing tips” I have are ripped straight off the pages of writing manuals and teachers I’ve heard. And half of what I’ve learned, I tossed out and made up something that works for me.

Example: I talked to one writer who told me to write 10 pages and nothing less every day.

This sounds like a great plan to pop out a novel every 36 days, but at the same time, what if I don’t have anything to write? What if I came home from VBS and wrote 10 pages of “Much as I love kids, I love giving them back to their parents when they’re screaming”?

It wouldn’t be too beneficial to my book. So, I didn’t heed that advice.

Or, the classic - and the one we’re talking about today - “You need to outline, outline, outline, Erynn.”

Three things wrong with this:

A) I don’t think that far ahead when I write. I sit down, write the first sentence and find out what’s happening in my story as I write it.

B) I don’t outline because I feel constricted then when things change from when I had originally imagined them (in Miss Match, I didn’t even know Ryan would be a character when I started writing it. And he became a huge part of the series!).

C) If I don’t even know what I’m doing in the next 14 minutes, how in the world can I expect to plan out my characters lives?

So, basically, I don’t outline.

I do however start with a general plot idea. Miss Match was: Girl who is convinced she’s staying single decides to start setting up all of her friends.

Pretty loose. I like it like that - it lets me expound and write and add characters as much as I want. Everyday when I sit down to write it’s a completely new day - anything can happen!

For those of you who love to outline, definitely check out Brandilyn Collins’ website (brandilyncollins.com) or James Scott Bell’s site (jamesscottbell.com). Both of them are not only friends, but excellent writing instructors. (Also, check out christianwritersguild.com - Brandilyn is teaching this year at their annual writing conference in Colorado Springs).

For everyone out there who is like me and can’t think that far in advance, read on!

So, the next question becomes, how does the plot advance?

Here’s a really fun exercise to do when you’re writing, writing, writing and then all of a sudden the wheels grind to a halt and there’s that slight smell of brain brake fluid (too many metaphors. My bad). Start with your character and the general idea for the story like we talked about earlier.

Character: Millie.

Idea: Millie is an average girl who gets abducted by aliens.

Okay, now, let’s say you’ve gotten as far in the story as her being picked up by little green Cupie dolls. Then, you don’t know how to expand this idea further. Here’s where it gets fun. Ask yourself: What is the worst thing that could happen right now?

Well. Millie could be deathly afraid of zero gravity. She could’ve spent her whole life holding onto fence posts when she walked and avoiding bungee jumps.

See how that works? We add in a major fear. In Miss Match, Lauren Holbrook is afraid of what? Things changing. She’s more like her dad than she realizes.

So now, Millie is not only coping with green Cupie dolls, she’s also facing her worst childhood fear. Add in a cute space nerd and maybe a couple of planetary setbacks and you’ve got a great plot.

Important Thing To Remember: It’s very important to decide at the beginning of the novel what will be driving the reader to finish the book. Will it be the characters or the plot? If you’re writing suspense, it’s automatically the plot - the characters could be anyone. If you’re writing a more contemporary book, it will most likely be the characters. Whatever is the main reading drive, make it the most elaborate. But… DO NOT NEGLECT the other one! I’m pretty sure all of us have read books that dragged on for years because they were missing a plot. Or, have read suspense novels that you couldn’t remember the main character’s name because you weren’t even sure if there was a main character!

Keep in mind the stories you love: Pride and Prejudice has awesome, awesome character development. And we definitely keep reading to find out what’s going to happen to the Bennett sisters. But - if we didn’t have the plot of the Mr. Darcy/Elizabeth friction, the Bennett’s lack of fortune, Lady Catherine’s outrage, etc., we would probably not be able to finish the book because of sheer 20th Century boredom. We care about the sisters because of the plot.

Or, for example, a more plot driven work: Bourne Identity. The plot is the main thing we’re worried about - why is he good at killing people? Why does the government want him back? Why does he have to deal with that gross assassin who pulls the pen back out of his hand? But note the key word in every sentence: him. We care about the plot because of Jason Bourne.

Hopefully that was stated relatively clear.

Next week we’ll talk a little bit about follow-through (which I’m horrible at). How do you keep writing past the 2nd page, 2nd chapter, 2nd novel?

I LOVED everyone’s comments with the first writing tip. Let’s keep it going! What do you guys do to come up with plots? What are ways you make a simple plot more elaborate?

Have a fabulous week!

Erynn



How to Get Ideas for Writing
June 5, 2008 by erynnm


Better late than never, right?

Actually, the reason this is late is kind of funny - I got an idea and ran with it (no, not literally - I actually sat with it and typed for a while). So…inspiration struck! That and life has been extraordinarily crazy lately.

But, enough with the excuses.

Here’s a question I receive a lot: “Where do you get your ideas from?”

I get a ton of ideas from other books. The plot from Miss Match is ripped right off the pages of Jane Austen’s classic Emma, except that I changed the ending (um. A lot!).

Movies are another great way to get ideas. I watch a ton of movies! If you want the perfect way to get in the mood to write, watch a movie in whatever genre you’re writing. BUT BUT BUT - do NOT just lounge around watching movies all day!! When you get inspired, write!

I’ve gotten ideas from newspapers, magazines, Starbucks employees and just random people I’ve met. I’ve gone shopping and said, “I wonder what it would be like to work in a second-hand clothing store?” Then I went home and started writing about a girl who worked at a second-hand clothing store. I’ve watched friends’ moms bug them about dating someone and then written a story about a girl who’s mom won’t stop setting her up.

But there is one place where I never fail to come away with unbelievable story ideas, and this will probably shock you but here it is: College Bible Study.

I know, sounds really weird, but every Wednesday night, one more thing happens where I just giggle to myself and then make sure I go write it down. So, aside from everyone thinking I’m some kind of a psychotic stalker (oh wow. I actually got called this one time), I’m never pressed for ideas. Any college/singles/young twenties Bible study probably has a unique makeup of characters, but I’m always amazed at how many just straight funny things happen there!

So, I guess that would be my plug to get more involved with your local church.

Here’s a recent example of how ideas can come from anywhere: A couple of weeks ago, Jon was tired and not being his usual cheerful self, so I jokingly called him “Mr. Grumpus” (side note: he still denies all grumpiness). Later, we were in bed, the lights were out, Jon was pretty much asleep, but I couldn’t get that name out of my brain and the next thing I know, I have this whole children’s story running through my head about a man who frowns, and frowns, and frowns until he has SO many frown wrinkles, he can’t even see. So, I immediately jumped out of bed and ran for my computer in the living room. Jon came out all groggy a couple of minutes later and was like, “What are you doing?”

Ah, the joys of being married to a writer, right?

Okay, so let’s try this out. One of my all-time favorite newspaper articles was about when a school bus accidentally ran into the school building. It was summer, so no one was hurt, and the only person in the school who heard the crash was some random person who was there practicing his oboe.

You know, something like that could not just be made up.

Now we have our awesome article, but how do you pull the idea from there? Here’s a fun exercise to do until the ideas just come naturally:

~~~

Mystery: School bus “accidentally” crashes, killing 25. No driver is found, no evidence that there even was a driver. The only hope for an answer lies with a blind oboe player, and he’s not so willing to talk. How did this happen? Who is responsible for the deaths?

Chick-Lit: Girl just wanted a few minutes of peace and quiet to practice her oboe for tonight’s concert. Breaking into the school may not have been the smartest idea, but it’s cool and silent. But now her dumb dog has ran off and she can’t find him. Guy driving the bus swerves to avoid hitting dog and rams into the building. Sparks - and engine fluid - fly.

Shakespearean: “Oh why hast thou rammed into mine wall? Am I but a flower? Here for one moment and disappearest the next?” she cried. “I couldn’test avoid it,” he resolutely decreed.

~~~

See? Fun. At least for nerds like me.

Here are the biggest things about getting ideas:

* Don’t be afraid to talk to people. If a job/person/location seems interesting, ask about it!

* Don’t hole up in a little writing cave. Books are meant to mirror life. If you don’t really live life, how do you expect to write about it?

* Keep working at your walk with God. I’ve noticed a big trend in my writer’s block occurring when I haven’t had a devotion in a long time. Don’t forget to be in contact with the One who is the Ultimate Creator.

* Read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read….

* Watch movies, but with your eyes open for things like plot, character development, character quirks, etc.

* Most of all… Just relax. Sit down with a big cup of coffee and your computer and have a good long chat with God while you try to figure out what you’re going to write about. Our main purpose in this life is to glorify Him, so why not consult Him as you’re working out the details?

Coming next week: You’ve got the idea, now how do you sculpt a plot - especially if you’re not an outliner like me?

Have a fantastic week everyone!

Erynn