Notes on Warrior Writing

After the conference, my brain felt like swiss cheese lots of static and air.  One of my writer friends suggested to write down all my notes and see if I can't free up my thoughts. I did it, and it helped.  Here is the first thing I learned in the weekend taking Bob Mayer"s Warrior Writing Workshop.

One of the first things I learned during the conference in Syracuse was the basic organization of writing. We all have millions of ideas flying in our head, some are on paper, some are on the computer, but most never see the light of day.

If we are going to be true writers dedicated to writing, then it has to be a job. Ask yourself why are you writing? For enjoyment, for the creative release, because you have too? Perhaps as a hobby, a career? If this is what you want to do start out right. Everyone says to write everyday, but can you do that? Give yourself a deadline, maybe it’s a 1000 words a day and no matter what you write at least a 1000 words, maybe it’s two thousands… make it and dedicate your work to that, the worse thing is no never finishing the work.

Make a log of how many words you wrote each day. Don’t look at it as a do list, look at it has a done list. It shouldn’t matter if it was just 200 words, you wrote 200 words. Own it. Own your idea. Own your thoughts. Tell everyone in your household, I have to write x amount of words, don’t open the door, come into the room, look at me crossed eye. Glue your ass into the chair and write. It is the only way to get through the story.

I applied this idea to my writing and have written over my 1000 word goal for five days in a role.  Loving the feeling of achievement.  Also, I joined Twitter and am in open strings dedicated to #amwriting,#writing and #writinggoals.  This gives a sence of accountablity.

What I learned at the A-Team Workshop

I need an anomaly to my character. What makes her different? What will set her apart from all the other vampire hunters out there in the world? Some said to give her a handicap...blind, deaf, missing an arm, a disease... but I can't rein in my thoughts.


On Sunday, can't believe it was just yesterday. I did the optional A-Team Warrior Writing Workshop presented by Bob Mayer in Syracuse for the CNYRW Mini-con. The weekend was a marathon of writing concepts, trade and inspiration. My brain synapses were firing so rapidly that today, I can see what and how I will change things within my office to run my story frame more efficiently, but all I can do is sit in this chair and write about my experience.

From the Sunday workshop, I have a good foundation for my story, I have the life of it, but what makes it different. My idea has never changed, but my story needs to be taken to the next level.

Several goals need to happen to get there, writing... I will need to write at least 1,000 words a day. Then I can do the fun things in my life. I need to figure out my anomaly is for my main character. Something to make her stand out. So I'll be hitting the fan sites to check out what everyone is ravening about in the vampire hunting realm. It's either now or never, and I'm the only one writing my story. I'm going to dare to win.

If you ever get the chance to got to on of Bob Mayer's workshops jump on it. It will open your eyes to understanding the writing trade. Bring Bob to you, his nonfiction books on how writing are fabulous.

Especailly Warrior Writer, from writer to Published Author, out on kindle right now.

Opening Night with Bob Mayer

Excitement in the air, how was he going to present himself.  Walking into the CNYRW mini con opening informal discussion was exciting, Book everywhere and Mr. Mayer waiting patiently.  After reading his books, images will form of a military strick man. However, last night he was human, funny and carsmatic.  His speak was on The Orginial Idea and Conflict Box, without these you really don't have a story.  Consepts I had read and heard before, but never truly understood what exactly they meant until he exampled them.  The Orginial Idea is one sentence the main reason why you are writing this novel.  It's not the life story, but it's the spark of the reason. It's what made you get your fingers running on the keyboard.  But as a writer it is so hard to get it done to one sentence, because you have to weed through all the layers you have applied to the novel to get the idea of it.

The Confilict Box it shows the Anatgonist and Protagonist goals and conflict and when you cross them, there should be conflict.  You can do this for each scene, but you must have one for the story, if there is no conflict you have no story.

Now it's time to get ready for today. Lots to learn.  Can't wait.

Countdown to the Mini-Conference

 Yesterday, I received my master documents for Sunday. I enrolled in extra Writers Workshop on Sunday with Bob Mayer where he critique your novel and so does everyone else.  I had to submitt a query, synopsis, and first then pages of my work.  It didn't seem real until I got that master document yesterday.  Wow, my first professional critique on my work, now the butterflies are bubbling.
The Mini- Con is in Sryacuse, NY this weekend hosted by the CNYRW. I went last year and learn so much, I know this year the experience will be the same.
My business cards are together, I have my laptop ready.  It all starts tomorrow night, with a informal discussion of Who Dares Wins, then a full day workshop on Saturday of how to be a warrrior writer than the option novel critique. It will be a whirl wind experience, but I am hoping that on the other side of it, I have a better understanding of the craft, and my works will be on the road to publication.

New Article on CNYRW

I wrote an article today on the upcoming Mini Con in CNYRW held in Syracuse in a few short weeks. I am so excited because I will get to focus on my novel, which can be hard for me. As I write for Examiner, I am focusing on others works. As I final Read for a e-Pub, I focus on other's works so much that I find editing my own work hard.


It should be overly exciting to get to listen to Bob Mayer best selling author talk about improving yourself as a writer, something all us writers should be doing anyway.

It has motivated me to jot down my query letter, my synopsis and I think I have a title for my book. I will have to feel it out. I have a critique group in a couple days hopefully they'll be able to help me flesh out my pieces.

The excitement is palpable, I have the workings of a query and synopsis, wow!

Life

Yesterday, I realized that not only do I need to finish up to my first turning point but I need more right now.
I am going to a writer's Conference in March.  The CNYRW Mini- Con and taking the Sunday critique session with Bob Mayer.  The book I am currently working on is the one I want to have critiqued, so I need a Query Letter and a Synopasis all before the Conference starts in March.

At least I have a short brief outline of 'this is what I want to accomplish,' so the Synopasis won't be too hard, its the Query letter that is going to bite me in the ass, so I have lots of work to do.  Time to pull out my The Novel's Writers Toolkit book and get hacking away at the keyboard.

Not only I am trying to write, but my local writers chapter is hosting a contest and I still have a few more entires to judge.  I am helping with some transcibing and of course my favorite, I am a final reader for a e-Publishing company and I have a story to read.  It's time to get cracking.  Lots to do, more to write.