6 Benefits of Distractions from Writing

When we have writing goals and deadlines to stick to, distractions can be frustrating. There never seems to be enough time to get everything done and write that brilliant novel. We value our writing time, especially those of us who don’t get a lot of it, and we can become prickly and difficult to live with if we lose time to distractions. We may even tell ourselves that we can’t write unless specific conditions are met.

I would challenge anyone who has experienced this kind of frustration and say not all distractions are bad—and here’s why:

1. Distractions can offer inspiration. Ideas for stories come from anywhere and everywhere. We need to remember this the next time a salesperson knocks at our door, or a neighbour wants to chat. Treasure every moment, every opportunity.

2. Distractions can be an opportunity to take a break. Frequent short breaks are needed to keep a fresh view of our manuscripts. They keep our minds clear and they help us to see the big picture in our structures and plots.

3. Distractions can be a sign of flawed work. I know for a fact that when a scene isn’t working I’m more easily distracted. These kind of distractions are ones I can control—like playing spider solitaire, jumping up for yet another snack, or staring out the window for no apparent reason. When I realise what is happening, I’m more able to find the problem and fix the scene.

4. Distractions are a part of life. Writing is a solitary occupation. We can so easily turn into hermits because we can become so focussed on our work. Distractions bring us back to the world of the living. We can’t afford to cut ourselves off from everything.

5. Distractions can teach us to adapt. When we are distracted a lot we can either give in, or teach ourselves to make the most of the time given to us. We don’t need to set up a whole lot of conditions before we can write. We just write. A minute is all we need.

6. Distractions remind us of our priorities. No matter what, family and friends will always be my first priority. If anyone is in need I will drop everything.

What other benefits have you experienced when you’ve been distracted from your writing?

WriteOnCon

Just a quick note to say I will be spending most of my time at WriteOnCon, a free online writers' conference. It's a huge event, not to be missed. I will be back here on Friday.
Amendment: Make that Monday.

The Importance of the Plausibility Factor

On the weekend I watched a spy thriller movie. The cinematography was good, the casting was good, the acting was good, the story… had potential. The major problem with this movie was that it lacked plausibility.

When I enjoy a movie I have a high tolerance for the flaws. The more flaws I see, however, the faster I lose my willingness to suspend my disbelief. For example, I had trouble believing that a mere scientist could win a hand-to-hand combat fight with a military trained man. Could I forgive that? Sure, why not. I enjoyed the excitement, but I’d become a little wary. What else was the movie going to ask me to believe?

Then the implausible moments started piling up. I didn’t even need to look for them to find them. The movie included massive whoppers like the bad guy needing to carry around a code for a simple four word password when he’d already proven he had an amazing memory. Or the grand finale which could have been taken care of with a simple anonymous phone call, but our hero had to throw himself into the action instead. Yeah, right.

When we write our stories we must be careful not to fall into the trap of using plot contrivances. Otherwise we may lose our readers. We need to do the research required to get it right. We also need to make sure our characters have no choice but to take the difficult route to get out of a situation.

How do you keep your stories plausible? What are some bad plot contrivances you’ve seen in a movie or read in a book?

5 Ways to Find Spelling Errors

Editing tip #247: Do not rely on the spell check tools in writing programs.

As much as I love those red squiggly lines, Spell Check won’t pick up incorrect words if they are correctly spelled. For example, it will miss ‘though’ if the word should be ‘through’. So, how do I find those elusive mistakes?

1. Print—I have no idea why, but it’s far easier to spot those spelling errors when the text is printed on paper. 

2. Read out loud—Reading my text out loud slows down the tendency to scan my work, which is the main reason we miss those mistakes. Reading to someone else is even more effective.

3. Cover the text—Many use a ruler for this purpose to keep their eye from jumping ahead in the text. A scrap of paper works just fine.

4. Critique Partner—It’s amazing how we can still miss those mistakes. Second opinions are invaluable.

5. Press Send—The surest way to find mistakes is to send off your work to someone you want to impress, for example, an agent or a publisher. 

How do you find spelling errors? How important do you think it is to find those little mistakes?

Power of the Unsaid Word

Did you know that the majority of our communication is nonverbal? I learnt that during my years studying speech and drama. And it’s just as important to keep in mind when writing. Straight dialogue can be boring, but incorporating other forms of communication could bring your scenes to life.

Physical ways to communicate

Body language: The way a person carries themselves says a lot about that person. Someone who hunches may be disappointed or may not want to be noticed. Someone who fidgets may be nervous about something. Someone who walks with their head high may be self confident. There are countless variations.

Facial Expressions: This could include whether or not someone makes eye contact. A frown could indicate anger or suspicion or deep thought. A smile can be charming or frightening.

Hand gestures: a wave can say hello, goodbye, or go away. A tight-gripped hand shake can be a challenge or show confidence. Giving someone the finger can be a statement against authority, and a salute can show sarcasm.

Action: the way a person does something. For example, a person slamming doors is either in a hurry or angry. A person stabbing at their food could be restless, angry or bored. A character could say one thing and do the opposite.

Nonverbal elements of speech

Tone: There is a reason why emoticons came into being. Those little smileys brought tone back to text based communication and helped to avoid misunderstandings. Tone can differentiate between sarcasm, anger and joy.

Pauses: the things left unsaid. These often speak louder than the spoken word.

Grunts and sighs: These are understood in any language.

Rhythm and inflections: For example, slow speech could indicate warning, barely contained anger, a lower education.

The use of language: For example, the use of bad grammar, swearing, verbosity, formality, informality. Among other things, the use of language could say any number of things about a character.

Which nonverbal tools do you favour in your writing? Which do you shy away from? Do you think some are harder to incorporate than others?