Pattern Clash : Milan Dixon For Elle South Africa April 2015

pattern clash : milan dixon for elle south africa april 2015

Anthropomorphic sculptures made of mud and algae, Homo Algus is a creation of Sophie Prestigiacomo. @sixpenceee

The Temple of Bacchus at Baalbek, Lebanon, ca. 150 AD. This stunning Roman temple, still very well preserved, is actually larger than the Parthenon of Athens.

Photos courtesy of Varun Shiv Kapur.

Writing Exercise: The Sprint

One of the hard parts of writing as a hobby is that there’s often very limited outside push to get things done and internal push can dwindle from time to time. While replying purely on outside pressure isn’t a good idea for productivity or enjoyment, it’s possible to create a form of it with a writing exercise called the Sprint. 

Step 1: Set a timer.

Step 2: Write as much as you can.

Okay there are some more details in there, but it’s an idea that isn’t hard to simplify. Sprints can be used to further a specific story from a point, to start a new story, to actualize a scene onto paper– almost anything that requires getting words on paper can benefit from a sprint.

Notice the “almost”. The point of a sprint is not to end up with perfection; it’s to get you in the flow of writing and/or to force words onto the paper. Do not expect high quality of writing or perhaps even for all of the work to be usable. Not everything you write has to be put into a story and any writer who expects to keep everything needs a reality check. Part of growing as a storyteller and writer is learning to cut bad pieces, unnecessary scenes, subplots that don’t quite fit– a true edit tears a story apart for the better. 

Getting good at sprints requires learning to turn off that inner editor and self-questioning, allowing you to get something on paper to edit later. 

How to Sprint:

Method 1: Find a site

There are a few ways to do this, the first being sites like Word Sprints, the slightly more novelty Written Kitten, or ones that have actual reinforcement of goals like Write or Die. I recommend testing out a few before you stick with any method, as some people may find, or know, that they work better with certain parameters over others. 

Method 2: Find some friends

Most online options have the comparisons with other writers, but comparing with strangers doesn’t always give the right push that some people need. You can also find and join, or create your own, group in person or on social media where you all sprint together and compare at the end.

Step 1: Gather your group in person or online.

Step 2: Set the timer.

Step 3: Write as much as you can as fast as you can until the timer is up.

Step 4 (Optional): Compare word counts and tips that helped each of you.

If you set up your own group, remember to designate a timekeeper or use an application where you’re all on the exact same countdown. It also helps to make sure that everyone is clear on the rules for the Sprint before you start. 

Method 3: It’s all on you!

Set the timer and go.

It’s best to develop a routine for Sprints to help with getting used to the no-edit rule, particularly when you use it to write a longer story. What start as 15-minute Sprints can turn into and hour or two with practice, but I wouldn’t recommend going beyond two without a break to avoid burnout. Writing for over two hours is different than Sprinting for over two hours.

Tips for success:

Focus on a single project to avoid getting story ideas mixed up with the fast writing pace.

Be reasonable about your goals: time and word count.

Have a plan! Writer’s block can come from not knowing what happens next and Sprints aren’t the time to ponder about it.

Remember than this is a first draft. It’s mean to be torn apart and your final may get rid of over 50% of it.

Keep track of your stats per sprint so you can watch your skills grow and identify areas where you can improve! 

The challenge of finishing a first draft is learning to throw out the idea that it’s going to be good. Even if you plan to have beta readers, they shouldn’t be seeing anything until the second draft where you can clean up the first one and have a coherent story. Writing Sprints are for maximizing word count and moving forward, not for editing or thinking about what happens next.

It’s easier to edit a bad story than to perfect a nonexistent one. 

Try a few Sprints out! Who knows, if done properly they may turn into the easiest way for you to get things done. 

Thinking of asking a question? Please read the Rules and Considerations to make sure I’m the right resource, and check the Tag List to see if your question has already been asked.

Yes, I do teach creative writing: your opening scene

The opening scene is the most important piece of your novel. This scene determines whether your reader is pulled in or puts the book down. Here are some important do’s and don’ts.

DO write it as a scene, not a data dump. You may have a fantastic premise, a marvelous alternate history or post-apocalyptic world or magical realism to die for, but if you don’t engage your reader in an actual scene, you will bore them.

DO write a scene that immediately introduces a character that the reader can root for. Yes, I know Stephen King has had great success introducing victims that are then shortly afterward killed off. That’s a horror trope and we expect it. But if you are caught up in world-building and haven’t dreamed your way into a character who is worth following through 100,000 words of writing, your story is pointless. I have read many pieces of fiction by would-be writers who can’t grasp this essential concept, and without exception, they fail to engage the reader.

DO introduce the stakes right away. In case that’s a challenge that needs some exposition to develop, create some immediate stakes (a life threat works) that keep the tension high and the reader engaged until you can lay out the larger stakes.

DO begin in medias res, which means “in the middle of things.” Most beginning fiction writers make the mistake of starting too early in the plot. Meet the monster on page 1. 

DON’T include a flashback in the first chapter. Work on a scene, which means time is NOT compressed. It should include dialog, action, description, setting, and interior monolog. Keep everything happening within that scene for at least the first chapter. You can bring in a flashback in Chapter Three.

DON’T shift points of view within a single chapter. Let the reader establish a strong bond of interest (even if it’s with a POV villain) over the course of a whole chapter.

DON’T open the story with your character waking up unless it’s because she’s got a gun in her face (or a knife to her throat – you get what I mean). We don’t need to follow a character through their mundane daily routine. 

DON’T be coy. Beginning writers often have this idea that they need to hold back on revealing all their secrets – what’s in the box, who’s behind the curtain, where they’re going next, etc. Their well-meant plan is to slowly reveal all this over several chapters. Trust me on this one: tell your readers instead of keeping it a mystery. You WILL come up with more secrets to reveal. Your imagination is that good. Spill it now, and allow that revelation to add to the excitement.

7:42 PM, October 14th

I waited so long for the flashes of light to line up, and then it all came together.