How Writers Can Use Pinterest

Many writers shy away from Pinterest thinking it is just another social media platform to steal away their writing time, but I'm here to tell you that Pinterest can be a great way to collect and store research for your novel.

Before we get started in the practical ways you can use Pinterest for your writing, let me tell you about the basics. When you sign up for Pinterest, you put in a profile and begin creating Boards. Think of these boards as a bulletin board that you pin pictures or information you want to look at later. Or you can think of it as a file folder where you collect information.

You also have the option to install a PIN IT button in your toolbar...which you will want to do. This is how you collect your Pins (or information) on your Board. When you are surfing the web and find something you want to remember or read later, all you have to do is click the Pin Button on your toolbar and a small screen will appear. You can choose what Board you want to Pin to. Once you submit it,your picture is pinned onto your board, along with the link to the site the picture is from.

People use Pinterest to pin recipes, inspiration for decorating the home, landscaping, birthday party ideas, gift ideas, DIY projects, cool clothing and accessories, etc. The list is endless!

So how would a writer use Pinterest? I'm glad you asked! In the upper left hand corner there is a search bar. If I start typing the word writer, even before I finish the word several options show up in a drop down list: writing prompts, writing inspiration, writing process, etc. If you click on writing inspiration look what shows up.

But what if you wanted to organize the research for your novel? You can create Boards for each category you want to research.

• Settings: Overseas, travel guides, city facts, etc. Below is a picture of what I found when I searched Scotland.

• Costumes: period dress, fashion show clothing, etc.  Below is a picture of what I found when I searched Regency dress.

• Characters: Pictures of people who make great heroes and heroines. Here is my board of people I've pinned for future character templates.

For a look at a writer who best utilizes Pinterest for writing is Kaye Dacus. Her Pinterest boards are chock full of boards for writing historical novels. There are many boards for period fashion organized by decades. There are boards that showcases History on screen for different time periods. There are also boards for various places around the world: New Zealand, Canada, Tennessee, etc. You may not be a historical writer, but her boards will spark your creativity and will get you thinking of what kinds of boards you might need for your research.

So if you are a Pinterest user, do you use it for writing? 
If you don't use Pinterest, why don't you? 
How do you organize the research for your novel?
What kind of categories are your boards for novel writing?
Any tips to share?

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This post is brought to you by

 Sherrinda Ketchersid

Sherrinda is a minister's wife and mother to three giant sons and one gorgeous daughter. A born and bred Texan, she writes historical romance filled with fun, faith, and forever love.

How to Be an Organized Writer

Any of you who know me, or have visited my personal blog, know that I like to be organized. I like lists and a space for everything and having a direction. But when it comes to writing...there are times when I'm all over the place.

The more stories I write, the more I realize that I need a clear direction from the moment I start my story. I'm not talking about plotting, just being organized with each story from start to finish.

What are some ways I do this?


Folders

The moment I start writing or plotting a new story, I open a new folder in Microsoft Word with the title of this story.

What goes in this folder?

Photo by bigmick

* The actual document of the story
* Notes or plotted chapters (you could also add any research you've done or pictures of your hero or heroine)
* My Excel word count sheet (this is where I set a word count goal for each day and how many weeks it will take me to reach my goal for the story)
* Further down the road, I will also put my synopsis, proposal, or queries in here

Notebooks

Because I like to take notes on my story before I start typing, as well as when I'm away from the computer, I use a notebook. Every time I start a new story, I get a new notebook (or use a leftover one that's empty of all old pages) and keep this with me. Whenever I have ideas or notes or questions, I put them all in this notebook so I never lose any bit of information I've written outside of my computer.

A Pertinent Facts List

This is a big one for me. There are so many times I start writing a story and add in information I can't remember later. For example, I will say my heroine's eyes are green, and then later on forget I put that and change her eyes to blue. It also wastes time because I end up having to go back and try to find old information.

What else goes on this list?

* Any dates or character ages that will be important later in the story
* Character description
* Main character and secondary character names (first, last, nicknames, whatever)
* A timeline of sorts (there are times I forget which day of the week it is, or want to give my reader a sense of time - month, year, whatever - so I try to write down how much time has passed in each chapter or what day of the week it is)

My writing habits change during each story I write. Sometimes I plot more, sometimes I plot less, but the above categories are a must to keep me organized and productive.

What do you do to keep organized while writing?

Beating the First Draft Blues

Every story has a first draft. Most of them stink.

Encouraging, right?

I've been talking about first drafts a lot lately on my personal blog, and after reading comments, I've discovered how universal that "my story is awful, what was I thinking?" feeling seems to be among writers.

Does this scenario sound familiar? Someone asks you what you do. "I'm a writer," you tell them, although you likely have other jobs as well, whether it's being a mom, a teacher, a scientist, or a barista. Let's face it. Being a writer is way cooler, so that's what we always say. And then they respond, with an enchanted sort of look in their eyes, "I've always wanted to write a book." And you say, "You should. It's really not so hard. Just a matter of sitting down and doing it, one chapter at a time." But meanwhile, you're internally chastising yourself, thinking, "If it's really not that hard, why have I rewritten Chapter 5 six times?"

The first draft of a book can be a terrible experience. We're embarrassed by our own story. It's betrayed our original idea for the book and turned it into our worst nightmare--something boring. The characters have taken on a life of their own and are doing irrational things. The plot we so neatly laid out in our minds has changed so many times we don't even know the ending. And the black moment? Forget about the characters--we as writers are having the black moment now as we think to ourselves (and let's face it--we've all had the thought!), "I'm a sham of a writer. Everyone is about to find out I'm a sham."

But we trudge through, then go through several editing rounds, and poof! Our confidence is back as our story once again turns into the fabulous idea we once imagined, only better. Everything is happy and cheery again. Until the next book rolls around...

So what can we do to keep this cycle from occurring? To beat these first draft blues?

1) Have realistic expectations. I had such a hard time beginning my WIP. I literally rewrote the first chapters three times. I decided I needed to start sooner and sooner. I kept thinking, "I thought I had grown so much as a writer through my last book. My last book was so good. It shines. This book could never compete with that." Um, hello self! My last book turned out well because I edited it somewhere around four or five times. It's important that we look at the first draft for what it is: a chance to tell the story. It's not a polished manuscript, and it's not a finished book. That is okay. Give yourself permission for that to be okay. Stop playing the comparison game.

2) Enjoy the storytelling process. If you are a creative writer, you enjoy storytelling. So give yourself permission to really indulge in the fun behind your story. Imagine what your characters might do in everyday scenarios. What would they might say if they were behind you in the Starbucks line? You might be surprised how much easier this makes the process of writing your first draft... and how much fun you have in the process. Just don't talk out loud to your characters... at least when anyone's watching.

3) Don't edit until you're done with the first draft. Okay, I admit it. The phrase "epic fail" comes to mind when I think of my own track record with carrying out this rule. But editing too early can be detrimental to the creative process. You're trying to figure out if your character's purse should be red or green while she's still trying to figure out her innermost fears. Give your characters and your plot room to breathe. Editing too early can be very limiting because you don't yet know the patterns that will develop as your larger book takes shape. I've heard of people editing the last chapter they've written before beginning the next one, but for most people, I don't think this is a good practice. If memory serves me correctly, I believe James Scott Bell recommends in his fabulous book Plot and Structure that you shouldn't edit at all (or at least very minimally) until your first draft is totally complete, and I think that's great advice.

4) If all else fails, organize. I took a poll on my blog asking authors how they make it through the first draft. I was surprised how many of them said they use variations of an outline technique. Some make an actual outline, others make a detailed synopsis, and others just figure out the bones of the story before they begin writing. Regardless of whether you're a seat-of-the-pants writer, sometimes it's very helpful to know your basic character arcs and turning points so that you know what direction everything in the story should be heading.

5) Do. Not. Quit. This is my biggest piece of advice. When you feel like you're writing the most boring story known to mankind, keep on keeping on. Remember that the editing stage is there for a reason, and you can rewrite that little thorn in your side as many times as it takes to make it shine. As I said on my personal blog last week, a poorly written story can be edited. An untold story is of no benefit to the reader at all.

I want to close with a verse that I hope will bring you encouragement as you work on your drafts. Philippians 1:6, "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." It's like a piece of pottery. Your story might feel like a big, cold lump of clay right now. And maybe it is. But God has gifted your hands to be a potter, to craft a vessel He fill with His grace and show off to the world.

If God has called you to write, you can be sure He has not forgotten about that calling. It might take seventeen books or six rewritten drafts, but there is a purpose for every season we are in. If we give up when we feel discouraged, if we stop before we ever make it to that stage of refinement, we will never know the glory of our true calling in Christ.

You can find the extended list of responses to my How Do You Beat the First Draft Blues poll at http://ashleyclarkwrites.blogspot.com/2012/05/poll.html . Feel free to add your own response to the list.

I want to hear from you! Have you ever felt like giving up in the middle (or maybe even the beginning!) of your first draft? What keeps you going? What do you do to keep your goal in sight?

Photos from http://nandinibajpai.blogspot.com/2012/04/first-draft-in-sixty-days.html, http://www.motlministries.com/2012/03/ability.html, http://www.theblazingcenter.com/2011/02/god-isnt-finished-with-us-yet.html

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Ashley Clark writes romantic comedy with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.

What the FLY LADY taught me about writing...

Have you shined your sink today?

Are you dressed to lace-up shoes?

And what does this have to do with my writing anyway?

If you know what a "Room Rescue" or a "27 Fling Boogie" is, chances are you have visited Marla Cilley (AKA The Fly Lady)'s website. Perhaps you're like me and organization does not come naturally to you.

I'm here to share what FlyLady has taught me about the way I write and how to improve my writing. In hopes that some of these tips might help someone else. 

Go shine your sink.

OK, hold that Ajax and come back to the computer. I don't mean literally. But think about it.

FlyLady tells you to first shine your sink. This is the only step for the first day. 

She knows the POWER of ONE THING.

What's your one thing? What do you most need to add to your writing? Working on one area, keeping in mind it will never be perfect, can make such a difference whether its focusing on a single scene or a single aspect of your novel. Sometimes we can get overwhelmed (or at least I can) with all the improvement I would like to make in so many areas of my writing. We can get paralyzed there. So work on that one thing. One character. One scene. One page at a time. Then slowly add.

Its about "baby-stepping" and not "obsessing."

Getting dressed to  lace-up shoes.

When I first found the FlyLady website I hated the idea of wearing shoes inside all day. But it works (at least for me). The idea is that we move faster when we're wearing shoes.

Just as we get prepared for the day, are you preparing yourself for your writing time? I find when I just sit down I don't always do my best work. 

For me praying first and closing my eyes and spending a few minutes getting back into the scene are musts. They help me prepare for writing and actually help me to accomplish more, just as putting on your lace-up shoes motivates you to get your day started.

Harness the power of routines.

"Born Organized" people do this naturally. Others of us have to force it. What is the routine to your writing life? I discovered writing wouldn't just "happen", I needed to schedule it in my busy life. 

Is your writing at the best possible time? If you are scheduling your writing early in the morning, are you able to get enough sleep to write your best? If you write during an afternoon nap for your kiddos are you finding that time gets pushed off...or maybe you get irritated when they wake up as you barely start your scene?

Where do you write? Does this allow for the atmosphere you need to get your best writing done? I realize this isn't always possible, especially if you have young children in your home. But is there a way you can make your writing area feel like a retreat?

What do you do before and after your writing? Can you take a moment today to reflect on what is and isn't working in just today's writing?

Do you have a good routine to the rest of your day? I know if chaos seeps into my house or another part of my life, it has a tendency to slip into my writing life. 

What is one small change you can make today to impact your writing life? 

Julia enjoys writing women's fiction whenever she can find a chair free of smushed peanut butter sandwiches and lego blocks. She is a wife and homeschooling mama of two littles. She also enjoys reading and reviewing books for The Title Trakk, a Christian review site.