Join The SENSELESS Writing Challenge!

Senseless Challenge Calling all short story lovers!

May is National Short Story Month – and therefore the perfect time for an absolutely senseless idea.

Let me explain:

Short stories have a special place in my heart. They’ve helped me dabble with countless ideas, overcome writer inertia, and introduced me to communities like #fridayflash. Most importantly, they’ve helped me hone my craft by focusing on different techniques one at a time… And this where the senseless challenge comes into play.

THE SENSELESS CHALLENGE: THE FACTS

We have five senses.
May has five Fridays.
Each Friday is dedicated to one of the senses.
On that Friday, you post a flash fiction focusing on that sense.
If you have twitter, tweet about your story with the hashtag #flashsense

Take sight. The story for that week could be about a ghost who can only see, but not hear or feel or smell or taste. On the other end of the scale, it could be about a blind man – and how he sees without seeing.

The aim of the challenge is to become more aware of how you use senses to convey description – and hopefully have fun too!

The schedule is:

May 03: Sight
May 10: Sound
May 17: Smell
May 24: Taste
May 31: Touch

There are no rules. You can take part for one week or all five. You can write about not having that week’s sense or only having it.

I’ll do weekly round ups so we can all enjoy each others’ stories.

PRIZES

At the end of May, I’m going to poll readers on which challenge story was their favourite (excluding my own, of course!).

The author of the winning story will win a print copy of Hungry For You, PLUS three 1889 Labs ebooks: Bears, Recycling & Confusing Time Paradoxes, Kidney Disease Gave Me Heart Failure, and MERGE.

The runner-up will receive the above mentioned ebooks.

Each author can enter a maximum of 5 stories into the challenge – one for each sense. Winners will be announced on June 10th.

PARTICIPANTS

Want to join my senseless challenge?

Leave a comment on this post linking to your blog.

The Writing Meme

I’ve had this writing meme saved in my drafts for ages, unread and untouched, so what better time than now to procrastinate with it?

The rules are simple:

Copy paste the questions below onto your blog;
Fill in your answers;
Drop a link to your post in the comments here.

My turn!

The Writing Meme

Which words do you use too much in your writing?

The classic culprits: just, little, up, down, in, out, but, then, and of course and. I have to cull through my work to remove anything unnecessary.

Which words do you consider overused in stuff you read?

Same as above, which is why I ruthlessly delete them when I’m editing. Also, ‘suddenly’ and ‘all of a sudden’ can be annoying – the latter more so.

What’s your favourite piece of writing by you?

It’s hard to pick; my favourite changes with my mood. Most of the time, I would say it’s one of the short stories in Hungry For You. Particularly the eponymous story, “Alive”, or “A Dead Man’s Rose”.

Regrets, do you have a few? Is there anything you wish you hadn’t written?

When I read through old stories – and particularly old fanfiction! – I cringe with embarrassment, but I don’t regret writing them. Every story I write makes me a better writer.

Name three favourite words

I honestly struggle with picking favourites.

…And three words you’re not so keen on.

And equally struggle to pick words I don’t like. Words are words.

Do you have a writing mentor, role model or inspiration?

I have favourite authors, but I don’t see myself becoming them, so I’m not sure. I think we’re all trying to find our own path.

What’s your writing ambition?

To do justice to the stories I want to tell.

What’s the last thing you wrote?

A scene from my current WIP, a werewolf novella.

Was it any good?

I hope so. I’m not at the editing phase yet so I’m not letting myself think about that.

What’s the first thing you wrote that you still have?

A short story I wrote in 6th grade about a horse escaping from a zoo. With pictures.

Write poetry?

I used to, then realised I’m crap at it.

Angsty poetry?

Yep! That’s why I was crap at it.

Favourite genre of writing?

Anything speculative.

Most fun character you’ve ever created?

Mort, from Hungry For You. He’s a total stereotype (overweight policeman, always eating, a bit crude), and yet I had fun using him as a counterpoint to the zombies.

Most annoying character you’ve ever created?

Lilith, the protagonist of Above Ground. She’s so hard-headed sometimes it defies belief.

Best plot you’ve ever created?

I’m not sure about best, but I really liked the set up in “Hungry For You” – female policeman who killed her zombified boyfriend ends up entangled with what might be the last male zombie alive.

Coolest plot twist you’ve ever created?

I loved the scene in Above Ground where you discover the truth about Liam’s parents. I felt positively evil writing it.

How often do you get writer’s block?

Never. I do get writer’s laziness though.

Write fan fiction?

Not anymore!

Do you type or write by hand?

Typing all the way.

Do you save everything you write?

I try not to. If I find myself doing it, I create an archive folder and shove things in there. Keeping everything isn’t healthy; you need space to become a better writer.

Do you ever go back to an idea after you’ve abandoned it?

So far, I haven’t. But maybe one day.

What’s everyone else’s favourite story that you’ve written?

Most people pick “Hungry For You” (the story, not the entire collection).

Do you ever show people your work?

That’s the point of this website. :-)

Have you written a novel?

Yup. See Above Ground.

Ever written romance or angsty teen drama?

Only in fanfiction.

What’s your favourite setting for your characters?

A contemporary/urban setting.

How many writing projects are you working on right now?

Actively, two. I’ve got another half a dozen on the backburner.

Do you want to write for a living?

Yes.

Have you ever won an award for your writing?

No.

Ever written anything in script or play format?

No.

Do you ever write based on yourself?

Everything I write has a piece of me in it.

What character have you created that is most like yourself?

Maeve, from Darksight. I’m still working on piecing that story together.

Where do you get ideas for your characters?

From my head!

Do you ever write based on your dreams?

Often.

Do you favour happy endings, sad endings or cliff-hangers?

Bittersweet endings. Happiness comes at a price.

Have you ever written based on a piece of artwork you’ve seen?

Only for small writing prompt exercises.

Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?

To an extent.

Ever write anything in chatspeak (how r u?)

Eugh, no. Drives me mad.

Entirely in L337?

Nope.

Was that question appalling and unwriterly?

Yes. Except now I’m tempted.

Does music help you write?

No, but it helps me prepare to write.

Quote something you’ve written. Whatever pops into your head.

“When I’m lonely for boys what I miss is their bodies. The smell of their skin, its saltiness. The rough whisper of stubble against my cheek. The strong firm hands, the way they rest on the curve of my back.”

- “Alive”, in Hungry For You

Your turn!

Letting Go Of Old Friends

I recently unfriended over 180 people on Facebook.

I’ve previously considered deactivating my account; I rarely use Facebook other than to look at photos and stay in touch with family.

Then I realised what was really putting me off.

Every time I’d log in, my newsfeed would be a sea of half-forgotten names – people I haven’t seen or spoken to in over a decade, and am unlikely to ever speak to again.

That guy who I last saw in fifth grade isn’t my friend. Neither is his younger sister. Neither are most of the people who attended my school, or many of my acquaintances from university. While their names and faces may be familiar, I (and they!) have changed so much over the last few years that we may as well be strangers.

I looked through my friends list and wondered: why am I holding on to these people?

But what does this have to do with writing?

Story ideas are much like friends.

As part of my spring e-cleaning, I’ve sorted through my writing folder – tidying up projects, deleting unnecessary drafts, and tackling that dreaded “to sort” folder.

At one point, I browsed through my ongoing projects list – a sea of half-forgotten titles, stories I haven’t thought about or worked on in years, and am unlikely to ever work on ever again.

Those half-baked novel ideas and outlines? They’re not my friends. I don’t know who they are anymore, and they don’t know the kind of author I am, either. I’m never going to write that romance novel, or finish the sea creature story, or figure out why the time travel thriller didn’t work. I have too many other ideas I’d rather be working on.

As I looked through my projects list, I wondered: why am I holding on to these stories?

So I selected them all and dragged them into an archive folder, which is pretty much like unfriending, if you ask me.

And if one day an old story idea or old friend knocks on the door and we reignite our friendship – brilliant.

But in the meantime, I have new friends to meet.

A Complaint About Complaints

I was born on a Wednesday.

Growing up, anytime I whinged in the slightest, I’d be mocked.

“Wednesday’s child is full of woe!” (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s a reference to a nursery rhyme.)

Perhaps the continual mockery shaped me. Perhaps it is why now this Wednesday’s child has next to no patience for woe… especially when it comes from fellow authors.

I’m not selling enough copies! I have no inspiration! Everything I write is crap! No one would ever publish my work. There’s no point even trying.”

Sure, everyone complains at some point. Writing – and life in general – can be frustrating, and we all need a good moan now and then (as exampled by this very post).

BUT.

One thing is a little sulk, a one off complaint. Another thing is continually complaining about the same things.

So you’re not selling enough copies, don’t have inspiration, and think your writing is crap.

What are you going to do about it?

Standing there moaning solves NOTHING.

If you’re unsatisfied with your lot, make a plan. Write down your complaints and set achievable goals to improve the situation.

Think your writing is crap? Find a critique group, read critically, keep practicing. Not selling enough? Reevaluate your marketing strategies, try new techniques.

All that time you spend sitting about moaning is time wasted.

Do SOMETHING.

If only for my sake, and the sake of all the other Wednesday’s children who’ve been mocked for complaining.

Over to you. Is there anything you’re not happy about when it comes to your writing? And if so, what are you going to do about it?

The Power Of Words

Thinking back to my days at school, the first thing I feel is old.

Almost eight years have passed since the heady, post-exam days of the summer of 2005. Almost eight years since my classmates and I were together, dressed in shiny blue silk gowns and unflattering hats.

The girl I was at graduation would have thought of eight years as an interminable length of time, yet it has passed in a blink. Now — with a Bachelor’s, a Master’s, and two full-time jobs under my belt — I can look back to my time at school with a degree of nostalgia.

The truth is that without school, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not wishing myself back in time. Those young enough to remember the terrible anxieties of school dances and classroom politics will agree that teenage drama is worth experiencing only the once. Yet there are some memories that have stayed with me, and these are the ones that have shaped me into the (slightly older) girl I have become.

What connects all these memories is the most important lesson I ever learned at school:

Words have power.

Communication is the cornerstone to learning, but it is also so much more than that.

It is through words that teachers motivate, inform and inspire their students. However much being a teacher can become frustrating (particularly when students aren’t in the mood to concentrate) it is also an empowering role. As a teacher, you can help a struggling student if you know what words will motivate them.

As for students, it is through words that they express and find themselves. Writing well-constructed essays, however dull the subject matter, is an invaluable skill. The ability to critically discuss issues or stand up and present to a crowd should not be taken for granted.

Trust me: in the last eight years, I’ve met my fair share of inarticulate people. Perhaps that is why, when I think back to my time at school, the moments I remember most are those that involve the power of words.

At first, I was slow to enjoy words. I was a poor reader and a worse writer in elementary, lagging far behind my classmates. Yet one teacher managed to convey the joy of reading to me, to motivate me into wanting to learn. I began to devour books, not to mention write countless (appallingly drawn) stories about horses. Without her words, I wouldn’t have read one hundred books in a year.

In middle school, it was a teacher who taught me the difference between ‘can’ and ‘may’. To this day I remember my utter bemusement when I raised my hand and asked, “Can I go to the bathroom?” to which the teacher replied with a smile, “I’m sure you can.” Now, when I’m editing, I correct people making the same mistake with a little smile of my own.

Another teacher, frustrated by our snickering, pre-teen humour, stuck posters around the classroom with words such as ‘long’ and ‘hard’. With time, these words lost some of their power — or perhaps we learned to suppress our immaturity. This taught me that words mean different things to different people, and the importance of adjusting your lexicon to your audience.

My favourite memories, however, are the moments which inspired me.

I remember one day, our teacher came in and wrote on the blackboard that he had laryngitis and couldn’t speak. The entire class passed in attentive silence; never before had a class of teenagers been so quiet. He wrote a line of poetry on the board, and we wrote the next. Then he wrote another line. Then we did.

At the end of class, the teacher clapped his hands and said: “Right, let’s hear your poems.” Not only did he not have laryngitis, but in the last hour of silence I’d written my first poem. As each student read their poem aloud, it was astonishing to see the differences emerge.

In another lesson, our teacher asked one of my classmates to bring in his cello and play for the class. As the first notes strummed through the air, the teacher told us to relax and write whatever came into our minds. The words flowed through me onto the page, and I was filled with a contended lightness that made me realise: this is what I want to do.

There are many more moments I could mention. Throughout the twelve years I attended school, my love of words was recognised, nurtured, and encouraged. My current successes are in part due to being taught the power of words, and for that I am forever grateful.

Of course, I am a little biased. As an author, words mean everything to me. But I believe that the power of words can take you wherever you want to go, whether that place is writing a collection of zombie short stories, starting up a business, or even just surviving the next school dance.

So to the teachers out there, here are a few words of my own: watch what you say. You never know who is being inspired or motivated by your words.

To the students: listen carefully, and listen hard. School is what you make of it.

And to the (kind of) grown-ups like me: school may be over, but you should never stop learning.

The Importance of Deadlines

Working in production has taught me the value of deadlines.

I’ve always been a deadline enthusiast – I am, by nature, a procrastinator and need structure to make sure I finish project on time – but when you’re publishing weekly and monthly magazines (plus a load of supplements), deadlines take on a whole other meaning.

Each magazine has multiple deadlines – sales, editorial, design, subbing, printing, and shipping – and it is my job to ensure that every single one is met.

What I’ve found, though, is that each department isn’t really aware of how anyone else works. They argue and wheedle to get more time, without considering the knock-on effects.

When one person delays, everything is delayed, and since I’m the final gateway, that means I bear the pressure to get the magazine out on time.

So what does this have to do with writing?

As an indie, it is YOU who must set the deadlines.

If you want to make books happen, set deadlines. If you struggle to finish stories, set deadlines.

How? Here’s how I do it.

Decide when you want to publish the book.
Consider what time of year might suit its subject matter best (Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day) and also when it’s likely to get noticed. August, for example, tends to be a fairly dead month.
Count back one-two months
Yes, MONTHS. You’re going to need 1-2 months prior to release in order to do your marketing prep, send out advance copies to reviewers, etc. Build up the buzz so your book’s launch doesn’t go unnoticed. If you’re releasing a print edition, you can use this time to get the copy prepped and ready for distribution, so that the ebook and print versions launch together.
Count back one-two weeks
This is the time to typeset/design/lay out the book and review the finished product, catching as many of those last minute typos as possible.
Count back another month
Give yourself a month for edits and revisions. Ideally, you’ll hire someone in to work through your manuscript with you.

Can you finish your manuscript in time to meet that first deadline and have your manuscript ready to be edited? If not, you’ll need to rethink your timings, considering carefully how long each step of the process will take and — most of all — allowing time for delays.

Confused? Here’s the schedule in practice:

March 31: Manuscript finished.
April 1-30: Liaise with editor and make final revisions.
May 1-7: Lay out the book, final proofing.
May-June: Prep the print edition, do your marketing work, etc.
July: Launch!

That’s how my ideal schedule works, at least.

Eleven Rules For Editing Fiction

So you’ve nailed down the 11 Rules for Writing Fiction. You’ve finished your novel. You feel good. INVINCIBLE. But then… what’s that? A typo? A cliché?!

Crap, you realise. The hard work has only just begun.

Welcome to the world of editing.

No, come back! Don’t run away screaming! Editing is fun. It’s like scrubbing off the dirt from your novel’s little face. You know how good it feels when you scrub your kitchen until all the surfaces are sparkly? That’s what editing is like.

But where do you start? Here’s some suggestions on what to look out for….

11 Rules For Editing Fiction

Read critically.
Take a break from your novel and come back to it with fresh eyes. Read it critically. Find out where things don’t work and what you need to change. Take notes.
Plan.
You don’t want to edit the story any more than you have to. Look over your notes, and if needed write a new outline. How will you better demonstrate the character’s development? Where will you plant clues about the killer’s identity? Know what needs to be changed and how, before you start rewriting.
Leave line editing for last.
The story’s basic structure comes first; leave the details for last. Focus on fixing plot holes first, on re-ordering scenes, fixing timelines–the big stuff. Don’t waste time on making a sentence sound perfect, when you don’t even know whether that scene will survive the rewrite.
CUT! (aka Know When To Start)
Get rid of that prologue. Heck, get rid of the first two chapters. Cut straight to the action–the readers don’t need long passages introducing the protagonist, the protagonist’s family and the protagonist’s collection of rocks. Neither do they need weather reports or waking-up-in-bed starts. Speaking of which…
Avoid bedtimes.
Don’t abuse waking and sleeping. If that’s how you do all your scene breaks, something’s wrong — even if your protagonist is narcoleptic. Finishing a scene with someone drifting off to sleep is often anti-climatic, starting with them waking in bed is dull, and you can only believably wake up from a nightmare so many times.
Avoid cliché.
Both in your scenes and in your language. Pay special attention to similes and metaphors–as black as night, as cold as death, a bird in the hand… To make your story sound original and fresh, get rid of anything your reader will recognise.
Delete unnecessary words.
Make your writing as tight as possible. Often-overused offenders are: seem, suddenly, just, even, really, feel, almost, slightly, and directional words (up/down/in/out). Treat adverbs with caution. Cut as many as possible.
Get an outside opinion.
Have other people read it. Develop a thick skin. Listen to all of their advice and thank them for it. Compile their feedback, and see what they all agree on.

Read it aloud.
Listen to the rhythm. Does it sound right?
Love what you do.
Don’t despair. Editing can be disheartening, but it’s not all bad. And hey, even if it is, that’s why you’re editing!
Finally…
Share your wisdom — what’s your eleventh editing rule?

6 Lessons Learnt From Writing My First Novel

In October, I will finally publish my first novel.

This moment has been a long time coming. I started writing the first, roughest version of Above Ground back in early 2009, and not once did I think it would take me over three years to be where I am today.

Writing Above Ground has been a long journey. A hard journey. But — now that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel — it’s clear that this project has taught me more about writing than any other thus far.

Lessons Learnt From Writing My First Novel

The first time’s the hardest.
I started and abandoned three other novels before I hit upon Above Ground. Each time I’d given up because I’d hit a roadblock and didn’t know how to push on through. I’d never finished a novel before, didn’t know if I could finish a novel. I was so invested in my stories, so passionate, that when I hit a hard part I would get frustrated and quit.
Perseverance is key.
I learnt that the trick was to keep writing, to push out that draft — however awful — if only to give me the confidence that I COULD write a novel. I owe great thanks to the webfiction community, for what kept me writing Above Ground was that I posted each chapter online. It taught me to write regularly and to power through the tough bits. Not to mention that the reader comments and support gave me the confidence I needed to keep on going.
It’ll never be perfect.
One of the reasons why Above Ground has taken so long to complete is because I wanted it to be absolutely perfect. I’ve rewritten it twice, and as my writing style develops, I keep wanting to go back and amend, revise, improve… It’s not ready yet, I keep thinking. But you can only polish a stone so much; I’ve learnt when to let go.
Outline, outline, outline.
I utterly pantsed Above Ground, and while the subsequent editing and revisions taught me a lot of hard lessons about plot holes and character development, I’m determined to never be in that sticky situation ever again. I am an outlining-enthusiast now: it saves time, speeds up the writing process, and reduces rewriting.
You get better at it.
The projects I’ve worked on since starting Above Ground have been so much less daunting. The writing process has been smoother, with less revisions and rewriting. I’ve learnt what works for me, what to avoid. I’ve gained confidence.
In the last year alone, I’ve outlined three more novels I’d like to write. The plot construction, pacing, character development… it comes more naturally now. It’s easier.
You never stop learning.
Writing Above Ground has helped me grow as a writer. But it has also shown me that writing improves with practice, and — like any other skill — the better you get at it, the more you want to learn.

No doubt I’ll come across new challenges with every book I write as my expectations for my writing grow, but at least now I know: I can do this.

What about you? What have you learnt from writing?

A.M. Harte

author of dark speculative fiction

Tag Archives for writing

Join The SENSELESS Writing Challenge!

The Writing Meme

The Writing Meme

Letting Go Of Old Friends

A Complaint About Complaints

The Power Of Words

The Importance of Deadlines

Eleven Rules For Editing Fiction

11 Rules For Editing Fiction

6 Lessons Learnt From Writing My First Novel

Lessons Learnt From Writing My First Novel