The Writer's Connection(sm),
a publication of The Virtual Writing Coach(sm)

"The Creative Process of Writing is a
Liberating and Therapeutic Experience"

virtualwritingcoach.com
August 2003

In This Issue:

1. Preview
2. Publisher's Note
3. Writer's Block: Causes and Solutions
4. Getting into Action


1. Preview

The Writer's Connection explores the creative process of writing and the interplay between thoughts, feelings, and actions. We are an interactive community of authors and readers who share ideas to enhance our knowledge, skills, and experiences in writing fiction in any genre, but our emphasis remains mystery and suspense thrillers.
Published monthly, the Newsletter offers writing tips for authors, coaching suggestions, editing, and marketing information.

Topics are presented from the perspective of Keith Barton and represent only his ideas on producing your first manuscript, and are provided to the general public. Because we are an interactive community of writers, other viewpoints are welcomed and may be printed in future monthly newsletters with permission from Keith Barton.

2. Publisher's Note

August, 2003

Dear Writer's Connection Subscriber,

This issue features "writer's block" and some possible causes and solutions for overcoming this dreaded roadblock in our writing.

3. Writer's Block: Causes and Solutions

This issue addresses "Writer's Block" which can be a 24-hour virus or more debilitating illness depending on what may be causing your sudden "brain lock." Several reasons for staring at a blank computer screen are listed below and each will be discussed in this issue.


• No passion for your writing
• Not enough research
• Superficial plot
• Characters are too weak
• Pacing is too fast or too slow
• No outline
• No self-discipline

No passion for your writing: The Edgar is the highest award given by Mystery Writers of American (MWA) for Best Novel, Best Short Story, Best First Novel, etc. Rick Riordan, noted author and past Edgar winner, was our guest speaker at the Southwest Chapter of MWA last month. His advice, short and simple: if you don't like what you're writing, no one will read it. It was a sobering thought as I sat in the audience and remembered all the chapters I struggled through on first drafts "waiting for some idea to hit me." Many of our literary giants have written that seminal book with follow-ups weak by comparison. I also become less enthusiastic about a book series in which the main character faces a new challenge: same plot, second verse. Another telltale sign of little passion for one's writing are multi-book deals where an author has agreed to write several novels for a set fee. The first one is pretty good and the interest seems to fade by book three or four. Also note when the pacing quickens in a book series which is atypical for a given author. Chances are he or she was writing to meet a deadline. My advice for you is simple: write what is burning inside of you to be told to others. Don't just tell a storybe a storyteller.

Not enough research: Readers are intelligent. If you use fictional places then you're okay; but if you use real places, make sure your streets and highways are well marked. If you're writing about the villain traveling along Interstate 10 between San Antonio and Houston, you'd better make sure it's I-10. MapQuest is a useful tool, if you don't have an Atlas. International plots are even more demanding when it comes to research. In my novel, Low Country, one of the subplots involves blowing up a nuclear reactor. Knowing absolutely nothing about reactors, I quickly went to "google" and picked up enough information to be coherent about the parts of a nuclear reactor site and the security measures necessary to secure such a site. This book was written before 9-11, so the plot proved to be prophetic.

Superficial plot: There are excellent books on plotting, police procedures, and forensic pathology by Writer's Digest. Read these books. If your villain is right-handed, don't describe the neck wound as a "severed left carotid artery" unless the villain surprised his/her victim from behind. Remember your physics and anatomy. Simply put, plot is the outline of your story. If you don't know where you're going, then neither will your readers. A meandering plot signals to your reader that you haven't thought through your book and haven't developed a beginning, middle and end point. Quick plot and scene changes are signals that you haven't done your outline. Too much back story also tells the reader that you are unsure about the plot and are stalling. You will end up editing this out later, so why put it in there in the first place. Remember, mysteries are built on plot. No plot, no mystery.

Characters are too weak: Readers want to identify with your characters. Rob Reiner's movie, Alex and Emma, is an excellent description of what a writer goes through in developing a story. If you get a chance, go see this movie. The protagonist is a writer played by Luke Wilson who has 30 days to write his second novel or be killed by the Latino mafia because of gambling debts. He dictates his book to his stenographer, played by Kate Hudson. She is more than a transcriber. She carefully dissects his book and plays the critical reader who wants the perfect ending for a romantic comedy. In fact, she reads the ending first before she will buy the book! In Alex's novel, his antagonist is first described as an obese, slovenly man of considerable Bostonian wealth. When questioned by his stenographer that if the villain is of impeccable dress and vanity, then he should be more slender and well-heeled. Luke carefully considers Kate's suggestion and changes his character description. Remember folks wish to identify with your characters in both positive and negative ways. You want characters that breathe and jump out at your readersnot just a mere description of physical characters. Remember to give your characters strong emotions, if you want strong reactions from your readers.

Pacing is too fast or too slow: I covered pacing in last month's newsletter but it's worth repeating. Think of tension as a tight wire that vibrates anywhere you touch it. If the wire is too loose, your pacing is too slow and there's no tension in your story; too tight, and the pacing is too fast and the feeding frenzy gives away too much of the plot too soon, resulting oftentimes in an anticlimactic ending. The movie, Jaws, is an excellent example of pacing slowing building to the climatic scene between the shark and the old fisherman. Too often, in hard-core mysteries, the author attempts to hook the reader too early with a gory scene. I made this mistake in my novel, Symbiosis, describing a double murder of twins, and each subsequent murder by the serial killer didn't add anything to the suspensein other words, the plot became redundant which is why serial killers are not in vogue now.

No outline: I covered this with plotting. Suffice it to say that an outline is your roadmap. Without it, you and the reader don't know where you're going and chances are the book, if published, will not be read completely.

No self-discipline: Let's face it. Writing is lonely, hard work. It's not fun getting up at five a.m. and staring at a bright screen to start your day. Learning new habits depend on self-discipline. Remember when you started your membership in January at the fitness center and by March, you quit going. If you're going to write, then write something everyday. Set a goal for so many words or pages a day. Passion without discipline is a dream.

Next month we will discuss how to find an agent for "pitching" your book to a publisher.


4. Getting into Action

"Getting in to Action" is a monthly feature of The Writer's Connection. In this section of our Newsletter, we will discuss action steps the writer can take to improved his/her knowledge base in writing novels.

"This Month's Recommendation(s)"


1. Read some book reviews in your local paper and from the magazine, "Book," to see what distinguishes a great review from a mediocre one. "Book" is published by Barnes and Noble.

2. Buy a book on writing from Writer's Digest Books to see what the experts are saying about writing mechanics.

3. Pick a short story topic and research the topic on the Internet to see how much realism you can add to your story.


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Contact Information

Keith Barton, Ph.D.
Voice: 281-893-5405
Fax: 281-893-1735
Web: http://www.virtualwritingcoach.com
E-Mail: keith@virtualwritingcoach.com
(c) Copyright 2003 A. Keith Barton, Ph.D.
All rights reserved.

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The Writer's Connection Mission:

The Writer's Connection is dedicated to helping first-time authors create their first manuscript for publication and to offer an exchange of ideas and opinions from our readers who might be interested in becoming authors.

The Writer's Connection™ is a publication of The Virtual Writing Coach and Keith Barton, Ph.D. and a registered trademark.

We would like The Writer's Connection to be as interactive as possible. If you have feedback, comments, topics you would like addressed, or can suggest additional resources to benefit us all, please email us at any time. Send your e-mail to
keith@virtualwritingcoach.com.

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Archives

You can read previous issues of The Writer's Connection at our archive at http://www.virtualwritingcoach.com/archive.html.

About Keith Barton, Ph.D.

Dr. Barton received his Ph.D. in 1972 from the University of Texas at Austin and has been a practicing therapist for over thirty years. He is currently enrolled in MentorCoach and is accepting new clients. He has been an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina, consultant to Fortune 500 companies in executive development, founded and managed Texas Community Living Ventures, Inc., in 1986 for providing group home services to persons with mental retardation, and for the past 13 years founded and runs a clinical practice in Northwest Houston. He writes part-time with the goal of completing one novel a year. His desire to coach others derives from his passionate interest in helping others become attuned to their creative powers of storytelling.

Dr. Barton has training in coaching, cognitive and family therapy and health psychology. He has published articles, made presentations and conducted workshops about:

Anxiety and achievement
Stress management
Self-esteem
Communication skills
Marital/relationship enrichment
Wellness issues
The relationship between psychology and spirituality

© 2003 The Virtual Writing Coach and Keith Barton.