Automatic Writing

I must confess, I don’t always (read rarely), stick to my writing routine, but when I do I feel energised, and ready to write! Once I have had a good run of writing days, the next time I sit down to write is so much easier. At the best moments, it is near to automatic. Apparently, a similar effect may be possible through object-based habits.

Jack Cheng recently wrote an article about activity/object association. In it he describes a phenomenon that he calls “habit fields”. These fields are created by constantly reinforced association between an object, and an activity. You can shape the nature of the field, and in return, it can affect your actions.

Memorable Benefits

Neuron image courtesy of Patrick Hoesly

Now, when people start invoking energy fields and the like, a concept starts sounding a little “woo”. But don’t worry, it’s just a metaphor! What he’s actually talking about is the way memories are constructed. Specifically, there are two features of memory creation that are particularly important here: repetition and association.

It’s obvious to anyone who’s learnt a script that repetition is a vital tool to lock down a memory. Behaviour can also be learned through repetition. Video games are especially good at teaching actions, for example. Combo attacks in games require a complicated series of button presses that bewilder at first. But, through repetition, a player soon learns to react to different situations with a variety of combination moves, without thinking about it at all. This is an example of “muscle memory”. Now extend this to less specific behaviours – to a state of mind; relaxed behaviour, productive behaviour, writing behaviour; all can be learned.

Association is even more fundamental. Memories are essentially a series of associations. These can also be learned, of course. You have probably had the experience of a particular smell reminding you of a person or place, even if you have not seen that person or been to that place in years.

Making the connection

Cheng’s idea is that “habit fields” (states of mind or behaviour) can be built around objects through repetition. Stay consistent with the objects you use for certain tasks and the association takes care of itself. Just like the gamer whose fingers perform instinctive button ballets when he sits in front of his console, you can slip into focussed productivity when you settle down in your designated work place to use your designated work tools.

In practice, this process is going on all the time, for better or worse, so you are using it anyway. Being aware of it will help you avoid the obvious pitfalls, and develop good habits. Don’t check Twitter on your writing laptop, or it will gradually become your Twitter laptop!

Think about it for a bit, and you’ll probably see areas in your own life where this already applies. For example, I used to try writing at weekends at my big desktop computer. I was often distracted, and found myself much more comfortable at the dining room table, using the laptop I also use for work.

Given a quick think, this is not surprising. I bought that desktop primarily for gaming, and that’s what I had been using it for previously. The laptop on the other hand is what I use all day for work, and because it’s convenient, I use it to write on the train. The habit field of my laptop then, us one of productive work, including writing. Well, mostly.

Jack of all Trades…

It’s a problem, as Cheng points out, that becomes more pervasive the more capable our tools become. These days every electronic device is a Swiss army knife of possibilities, and the problem becomes one of narrowing those down or restricting those options in order to focus.

Having a dedicated area to write, and restricting your writing to to just that purpose, could take you a long way. Read Cheng’s full article for some other ideas on how to do that, and pop back to getmewriting.com next week, when I’ll have a list of tools to help you focus on your writing. In the mean time, I’d like to know if you have noticed habit fields around the the objects you use.

It's a hot seat. See what I did there? Courtesy of Dav

Why do I need a character backstory?

Let’s just go over, briefly, why that is so. Now it used to be that an author could spend pages describing a character and their history (or anything else for that matter. I remember reading a paragraph that lasted one whole page and was packed with dense description of a kitchen, or something. Not sure of the novel. Might have been Tess of the D’Urbervilles).

Not so these days. It’s the whole, “show, don’t tell” thing again. It’s considered much more effective to give an impression of the character through their actions and the way they perform them. Hints and clues. Less is more. This is a good thing as far as I’m concerned. Feel free to disagree of course, many do.

So it might be that a lot of the backstory of your character does not get put into words in your finished novel. Why should you bother developing one, then? I refer you to paragraph one. Writers often need something solid in their heads, or preferably written down, to get a real sense of the character’s motivations, and to know what they will do next. Armed with such priveledged knowledge, characters begin that process of “writing themselves” that we’ve all heard so much about.

So what’s this hotseat thing, then?

A few weeks back, I read a blog post that dealt with this issue. The author recommended a method I had used before, but not applied to writing.

As I commented at the time, this reminded me of drama lessons. The idea is based around interviewing a character. In the drama excercise, the actor sits in a chair in front of his or her peers. The actor is in character, having read the script and so armed with that knowledge.

They are then asked questions by the other people in the class and must improvise their character’s response. The idea is to fill in the gaps left by the script and gain greater insight into the character’s past and motivations, all of which can be brought to bear in performance.

In the writing exercise of course, you are both actor and questioner. It is your job to ask questions of your character, and also your job to respond as your character, by putting pen to paper. Again, you are improvising, or freewriting, and again, such freedom will give rise to unexpected events and reactions from your character. They will help make your character whole, and may even provide some future plot points for your story proper.

Some tips

Don’t be coy when asking questions. You want to ask those questions to which you don’t yet know the answer, otherwise, what’s the point? And to help keep the flow, why not write out the questions beforehand, so you don’t keep having to pause to think of a new one halfway through the process. If you think of new questions during the improvisation, well just ask them then and there, and answer them then and there. Just as long as you’re not interrupting yourself.

When the time comes to do the answering, take a moment to get yourself into character. Imagine a scene with them in it, and imagine how they behave from what you know of them so far. Then go for it! Make your character honest for this round of questions, even if they are not normally. You’ll get more out of it I’m sure.

Anyway, that gives you an idea of how it worked for me during drama classes, and what helped then. At the moment I’m concentrating on a short story, but I’ll run through this exercise myself as soon as I’m done. I’ll let you know how I got on, and I’d like you to do the same!

If you missed my previous post on organising my reading, I suggest you take a peek first, otherwise you may get confused.

All done? Great. Well, in short, it’s a little better. I actually managed to get my must read articles to zero this week. That is something of a breakthrough, and proof enough that separating out your most valued feeds is a great idea. And this folder has been refined since the initial batch o’ blogs was entered, which helps. One or two have been ruthlessly cut from the list, either to go into the “posts often” or “not that bothered” folders. This kind of refining will constantly improve the process.

There are two problems I am having at the moment. One is that pesky “posts often” folder. It’s massive. Over 1000 posts. Still, at least those posts are not getting in the way of my must reads. Just to reduce the numbers, and make sure I don’t miss out on some other favourites, I may separate the folder out into two tiers depending on which heavy posters I like most. But I’m not sure.

The other problem is the batch of ungrouped feeds sitting around gathering dust. I see a blog, like the look of it, and subscribe straight away, vowing to read it properly later and then decide where it goes. But now there are sixteen feeds that remain unread, and I have some catching up to do.

The solution here will be to put new feeds straight into “must read”. It sounds like a terrible abuse of the system, I know, but I figure it’s the only way of ensuring I will definitely read the posts. If I then decide they’re not that important after all, I’ll move them then.

So far, so good.

For me, it depends what mood I’m in, and what I’m doing. Sometimes listening to music is inspiring, and puts me in a more creative mood. But I have to align my mood with the right kind of music for that to work, and it rarely happens except by accident. I think one of the small joys in life is when pressing shuffle on your iPod magically produces a string of songs that fit your mood. But I’m normally walking when that happens.

Other times, music has to be wordless, as I can often be distracted by good lyrics (it doesn’t help that my music collection is excellent by the way). Or, at the very least, the words must be so unimportant as to be rendered meaningless, and part of the background. I don’t mean that in a derogatory way (I just said my music collection is excellent). It’s perfectly valid for some dance tracks to simply give a nod to the written word without giving it particular importance. Prodigy is a favourite.

Soundtracks are also good. Currently top of the list are The Dark Knight (contender for most loved film), and, given my recent obsession with Playstation (can’t. Stop. Buying. Games!) the Assassin’s Creed II soundtrack is also a winner.

And what does Stephen King listen to?

I work to loud music – hard-rock stuff like AC/DC, Guns ‘n Roses, and Metallica have always been particular favorites

Stephen King, On Writing

Now you know.

It’s different for everyone of course, and I’d like to know what you listen to when writing. Or is silence the preferred background? Hit the comments, folks!

Now, this is not to take anything away from the other authors and their advice, but the original list by Elmore Leonard really is a cracker, so if you only read one, then read that one (the article opens with it). Some of the other authors gave a few quick answers, and some answers are more lighthearted. That’s not to say you shouldn’t read them, of course; I really recommend you do. And don’t forget part two, either.

I’ve read the lot and there are some really insightful comments in there, plus a few that crop up more than once. I’ve decided to pick out my favourites and create a top ten for myself. I haven’t credited each author, simply to avoid cluttering the list, and again I must stress that you should read the whole article in full.

Top ten tips and rules for writers by published authors

1. Write. Sounds ridiculous, but it’s true; just get the hell on with it.
2. Editing is everything. Cut, cut, cut. And if it sounds like writing, rewrite it; style is the art of getting yourself out of the way, not putting yourself in it.
3. Finish the day’s writing when you still want to continue, or are in mid-flow, even mid-sentence. That way you can jump right in the next day.
4. Read. Widely.
5. Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue, and never use an adverb to modify the verb “said”. If the reader can’t tell how something was said, rewrite your dialogue instead.
6. Read it aloud to yourself – especially dialogue. Rhythm is important, and if it’s difficult to read out loud, it might be difficult to read full-stop.
7. Give it to someone else to read. These should be a trusted few, as also advised by Stephen King.
8. Do it every day. Don’t wait for inspiration, write anyway. By the way, although this sounds like the best idea ever, I don’t do it. But at the very least you should establish a routine.
9. Put “finished” drafts aside for a while.
10. Be without fear. Or know that you are afraid, but barge through it to the other side.

These are my favourites, you may feel differently. Let me know your favourites from the article, plus any other tips you’ve heard authors give, in the comments below. You can also give your own tips if you like.

No big drama here; no tragedy in my life (thankfully); no excuse. I simply fell off the wagon for a week. And at the beginning of a new project, too! It’s true that I have been particularly tired and grumpy this week, but the sad fact is that when I got on the train I just couldn’t (wouldn’t, rather) be bothered.

Not wanting to analyse it too much, there are a couple more contributing factors. I’ve been working on the principle that writing begets more writing. I think that’s true. The more practice you get; the more you keep to a routine, the easier it becomes to just fall into that rythm. But I also think that not writing begets… more not writing (there is, undoubtedly, a better way of saying that).

It’s that old formula of, “the longer you leave it, the harder it becomes,” in microcosm. Simply put, if I don’t knuckle down and do something on Monday, I greatly reduce the chances that I’ll do something on Tuesday. And so on.

Of course, the only cure is to just get on and bloody do it. And perhaps it is worth remembering that how I start the week is just as important as how I finish it.

The second problem is to do with the fact that I am starting something new. I have some anxieties about starting something from scratch without knowing precisely where it’s going. On the other hand, meticulous planning saps some of the joy out of writing, so I thought I’d give the more improvisational approach a go. Craig has written a bit about this, and I’ve added some comments if you want to read more.

So, I’ve written a grand total of two scenes for a new novel, and already the anxiety of not knowing has got to me! They’re good scenes, too. The problem here is not that I don’t know what’s coming next (that’s kind of the point, after all), but that each new section is like starting all over again (I want to use the microcosm word again) – a little journey into the unknown.

The way to make this easier, I’ve decided is not to stop writing when I finish a scene (section, chapter, whatever). The pause I take in between makes that first step look much more daunting. Instead, when I finish a section I must plough on, straight into the next one, and stop at a point where I already know what’s coming next; even if I only know as far as the next paragraph. The point is I can start writing as soon as I next sit down and get straight into a flow. I have even seen some writers recommend stopping mid-sentence, just to keep that sense of flow going, and that sounds like a great idea to me.

So here’s a list of notes-to-self to go with this little review:

• Just bloody do it.
• Work hard right at the beginning of the week and I’ll find it easier to continue
• If I do fall off the horse, get straight back on! Don’t let the cycle build.
• Face the fear and anxiety (then kick it in the nuts)!
• Stop mid-scene
• Stop mid-sentence

I hope these tips for keeping writing will help others as well. I’ll stick to these and let you know how it goes. Any other tips are of course very welcome in the comments.

Don’t take a break!

I would like to read peoples’ opinions on this. For me, I think it’s a really bad idea. Quite recently I had a week off work, and because I wasn’t in my usual daily routine, I did no writing either. Clearly taking a break is dangerous for me.

But more than that, it’s often said that starting something new can be the most difficult thing (I think it depends), so do you really want to make it even more intimidating by taking a writing break? You could well end up with a situation where you’re putting it off. And the longer you leave it, the harder it gets.

Do take a break!

This might depend on the piece of work you’ve just finished though. Imagine (maybe you don’t have to, but I do), that you’ve just spent two years solid working on your novel. One week’s hiatus, possibly accompanied by an actual break away somewhere, might be just what you need! Having spent a while in one world, maybe you need to get it out of your system.

And there’s also the question of what you’re going to do next, and how you start new projects. Do you delve right in, or do you need a little time for your new idea to marinate before you put pen to paper? A break from actually writing could be used to give your embryonic project a vital gestation period.

For me, although I’m writing a lot more than I used to (i.e. at all), having a break is not really an option. It takes me long enough to write something as it is. Perhaps some full time writers could fill me in on what they do, as despite my reservations about taking even a little break, I can’t even decide what would be best “in an ideal world”. Comments section is below.

But there’s a slight problem with this. Or at least, I have a slight problem with it. Sometimes I know what the next bit of the story is, but I don’t want to write it yet. I’m not in the mood for it. I don’t want to write something flat and uninspiring because of this crap mood. But there is a bit later on in the story that I do feel like writing, for
whatever reason.

This happens to me quit a lot, and I very often give in. It means I have to piece together the bits afterwards, and I end up with lots of different files in one folder (often starting with “draft 1″, but then getting necessarily more descriptive with the filenames as I go on). But I quite like the process of putting the pieces together at the end, as long as there’s not too many.

It seems like it may be counter-productive, and there are disadvantages and pitfalls when working this way that I’ll get to in a minute. But I find it actually helps me to just get on. I don’t want to have to sit there staring at a page or writing something that I know will have to be entirely scrapped and written again. I realise it’s a draft and everything, and I’m fine with that. But I’m talking about a situation where a few pages may have to be tossed aside, and you know it as you write it.

I’d much rather skip to a bit I feel I can write relatively easily and well. Something that flows out more. Then at least I feel like I’m making progress.

Of course, the big danger here is that you skip a bit, never to return. What if you never have the impetus to get that bit done? What if you end up with a Swiss cheese of a story that’s never finished? Well, personally that hasn’t happened to me yet. But I would venture that if those paragraphs, chapters or pages really aren’t that interesting to you, no matter how you try to spin them, they’re not going to be interesting for anyone else either. Perhaps you’d be better off finding away around them.

It’s important to make a quick distinction here. We are not talking about writing that you’re afraid of. If for some reason there is a necessary part of your story that you are afraid of writing (because you think it will be too difficult for example), you should just get on and write it. I think it’s worthwhile taking a minute or two to decide exactly why you don’t want to put pen to paper before you put it off.

There’s also a chance that you’ll return to the previously abandoned section, carry on writing, and realise that you simply can’t get to there from here. You’ve written a future event, but can’t join the dots, and now know you have to scrap it! It’s a risk, I guess, and if it happens, well, them’s the breaks.

And inevitably, there will be times when you have no future event to skip to. You don’t know what’s coming next, and the only way to find out is to write your way there. If you don’t want to at this point, then the best remedy is to just grit your teeth and bear it. It’ll be worth it when you find your way again.

Am I the only one who writes like this? Should I be writing like this, or am I doing my stories more harm than good? perhaps you think skipping ahead when writing is as bad as skipping ahead when reading? As always, let us know in the comments.

It also has to do with research. A lot of my fiction usually involves lots of technical “stuff”. Lots of guns, lots of cars, lots of computer jargon, most of which I don’t have the first clue about. Guns, well they shoot bullets don’t they? But personally, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a Glock and a Walther PPK. Cars? They get you from one place to another. But make and type, well, that’s a whole different kettle of fish.

I was reading William Gibson’s All Tomorrows Parties recently, and my attention was drawn to the fact that he does this. For instance, he’ll say that a car is a black Subaru SUV. And I find that’s all the description that’s needed. Hell if I know what a black Subaru SUV looks like specifically, but it gives a general idea of what the car is about, and that’s to the wonderful world of stereotyping, we all know what kind of people drive large black SUVs. This is something I’ve introduced in my own work. Its fine saying “get the car”, most people will fill in the blank anyway. But throw in make and type and, those in the know will be able to picture it, and if you don’t, then hell, it’s a car; it gets you from one place to the other.

It all comes down to that first, and perhaps most sacred writing rule. SHOW DON’T TELL. You can spend paragraphs telling the reader exactly what a character looks like, but to someone like me who has never been particularly good at picturing what I’m reading (I can see the words and the story, but as for setting and place, I’ve never been able to put myself into the world of a book.) its not going to do much good. I guess that’s why most writers don’t really describe their characters in great detail. It has always stuck with me from a number of Robert Rankin’s books; about his character Lazlo Woodbine (some call him Laz). He’s a spoof of those hard boiled private Investigators like Philip Marlowe, who only operates in the first person. He operates this way and is never described so that the reader can picture themselves in the role. And I guess this may be true in a certain sense.

I’ve worried about this greatly. About how much detail to put into describing characters. But if you do your job right, then you get a good sense of the character from their actions, the way they talk, the way they move, the way they live. Get all of that down, and you only need the minimal amount of physical description. This is also true of script writing. Perhaps even more so. Because let’s face it, it’s pointless describing what a character looks like in a script, because it narrows your casting choices. But here’s an exercise for you to try, should you feel the need. If you’re writing a script, or a book, or whatever, try describing all of your main characters in a single sentence each. I think the best description I even came up with for a character was-

Raymond – A young man weighted down by the burden of ordinariness.

So there you are. Have a go, and see how creative you can get.

The iPod touch (or iPhone of course) is just one option. Many handheld devices now include some way of recording notes. Or if they don’t, then more and more devices support a way of getting something that does allow it, like a downloadable application. If you’re desperate, even a mobile phone will allow you to type and save a text (even if it can be a bit cumbersome).

I like using the iPod touch because I find the touch keypad relatively easy to use, even for things that are longer than a few notes. Not only that, but it is also easy to move those notes to the usual place I store my writing – on my computer. I have to wait until I get home, but I can easily email my text to myself directly through the notes application. Ok, so it’s not as convenient as having Dropbox, like on my laptop, but it’s a lot better than having to type something up that I’ve handwritten.

Of course, some people will always prefer a notepad, and that’s fine – whatever works best for you. personally, I find the idea of copying stuff up, or keeping notes in separate places, a real waste of time. After all, there’s so little of it anyway!

Has anyone got any tips for recording notes you can easily send to yourself? Any app recommendations? Or do you find that only paper will do, and all this technology just gets in the way?