The Method To My Madness

I'm going to start this blog off the right way by saying I am not a published author. 

I'm not even an agented writer. 

That being said, I write. I write a lot. It keeps me sane. Just last week my friend asked me how I write at night after my kids go to sleep. The answer is easy: I have to. Writing is one of those things you make time for at first, but soon you're itching to get to your computer to touch a self-imposed goal. 

I'm on my third book, and after one big bust and one fully edited slight-miss, I feel like I've learned a thing or two. Things I want to share with people who are starting out. Things I wish I knew and/or resources I wish I had at the beginning.  Shall we? 

THE BEAT SHEET

So the very first thing I ask people when they talk about plot and movement issues are Beat Sheets. I'm almost always met with a "Uh, Dante, what is that?" 

It's your best friend, that's what it is, you crazy pantser! 

If you haven't heard the term "pantser," it applies to writers that don't pre-plot their stores. I'm what we call a "plotter" and I'm proud of it! Beat Sheets are my first step in writing, because it allows me to know what stuff has to happen. 

My favorite Beat Sheet is the Master Beat Sheet from Jami Gold's website. It's free, and you can download it here: http://jamigold.com/for-writers/worksheets-for-writers/

If you're looking for any plotting worksheets- this is your spot. It's got everything from Character Sheets, to Beat Sheets, Settings, and more!

THE DETAILED OUTLINE

This one may just be a personal preference, but after I plot it out on the Beat Sheet, then transfer to my writing program of choice, I write a detailed (and I mean detailed) outline. Basically, I bullet point each incident from the beat sheet with particular details so I don't forget what needs to happen where. This is where I weave layers of character development, highlight plot holes, and make sure all the lines connect. 

Again, this one is a personal thing, and there are a ton of great pantsers out there. I'm just not one of them. I look at it this way, the more I know along the way, the less I have to think later. Then I'm just filling in the blanks with prose.  

SCRIVENER

Every writer needs a "home base" and Scrivener is probably one of the more popular ones. With good reason, too, because Scrivener is like magic for writers. It's a place where you can write, organize your writing, file things away, research, and it saves everything too so it's less stress for you! 

You can buy it here, but if you're a Nanowrimo winner, I believe there is a discount code: https://www.writersstore.com/scrivener/

THE THESAURUS YOU NEVER KNEW EXISTED

​Okay, this is morel like a SET of them. 

The Emotion Thesaurus and all of it's counterparts and companions are worth their weight in gold. When writing a scene you aren't super familiar with (maybe you live in the city, and it takes place in NYC) these books help you pinpoint all those little details that make writing beautiful. I'll tell you, my little details got so much better after purchasing this book, as well as the ones on setting. 

I keep them on my Kindle, which I think is awesome because I can skip to the emotion or setting I'm looking for with minimal effort. 

You can find these books here: https://www.amazon.com/Emotion-Thesaurus-Writers-Character-Expression/dp/1475004958

A FANTASTIC BOOK ON EDITS
 
So you did the outline, you filled it in with detailed prose! Now what?

Now you edit.

Then you edit some more.

Then you have someone read it. 

Edit more.

Edit again. 

Editing is 90% of writing. It's taking a pile of thoughts and making it conveyable information. I've read a few books on editing but none have helped me the way that Editor-Proof Your Writing: 21 Steps to the Clear Prose Publishers and Agents Crave has.

You want clear, concise prose? You need this book. It'll help you learn what to avoid, what you need, and even goes into some detail on publishing. 

I seriously suggest this book to every writer I know because it was probably the book I got that surprised me the most. I expected it to be common knowledge content, but the way it was presented was both light-hearted and funny, but incredibly informative. 

Here's the amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Editor-Proof-Your-Writing-Publishers-Writers/dp/1610351789/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485999138&sr=8-1&keywords=editor+proof

CONCLUSION

Everyone has a method to their madness, but this is just a peek into mine. What are your favorite writing resources? Please share in the comments below!

Happy Writing, 
​Dante