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Dictation: I’m a Story Teller, Not a Story Typer [Guest Post]

February 1st, 2012 by Guest Poster

The following is a guest post from Eric Kent Edstrom and an entry in February’s Self-Publishing Writing Contest. Voting for the winner will begin on Thursday, February 9th. Want to help out your fellow indie authors? Consider entering March’s contest!

It’s November 1st, 2010 when I sit down to write my first novel. I open Scrivener, pop a can of Diet Coke, crack my knuckles, and start typing.

I pound out 10,000 words the first day.

The next day I decide to reread what I’d written. You know, to get a running start. I notice some things that need tweaking, so I take a second to fix them. In the process of fixing them, I realize that chapter two doesn’t quite make sense. I go back and … and end day two with a net -2300 words. Yes, minus. In the days that follow, I soldier on. But I keep going backwards, or sideways, writing a lot but making no real progress.

Flash ahead a few months. I’m in Salt Lake City at the Superstars Writing Seminar, put on by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta. One day, Kevin does a little segment on productivity. And there it is, the revelation of the century: you can dictate prose!

I have the same reaction that many others in the audience have: “That would never work for me.” And yet … it intrigues me.

When I return home, I buy a cheap digital recorder, print out a section of my outline, and go for a walk on a nearby bike path. Dictating feels weird at first. I’m self conscious, very aware of my voice, aware of long pauses as I try to figure out what is going on in my story. But after a half-hour or so I’ve forgotten all that. I’m deep into my story. I’m moving forward. I’m acting out the dialogue and having fun. I walk for two hours and come home with the first draft of four chapters done. Somewhere between 4000-6000 words. Yes, in two hours. (The six miles I covered also burned a bunch of calories, BTW.)

I’m a convert. From a productivity standpoint dictating can’t be beat. And speaking my story gives it energy and helps me capture my true voice. There’s less friction because the story doesn’t have to pass through my fingers on the way out.

If you want to try dictating fiction, here are some tips:

  1. Make sure your recording device is on and in record mode. Check to see the seconds ticking by. If there is a red light that’s supposed to be on, make sure it’s on. There’s nothing worse than thinking you’ve got a chapter in the can and finding out you’ve got nothing.
  2. To get over self-consciousness, dictate where no one can hear you. I like to go for a walk. If it feels silly, make it sillier by doing a funny voice.
  3. Don’t worry about grammar, passive voice, dialogue tags, or any other stylistic concern. Just tell the story. You’ll likely be surprised by how readable your dictation turns out to be.
  4. If you think you’ve committed a continuity problem, just say “Note to self, check that one chapter where he sees the gun on the mantle. I can’t remember what kind it was.”
  5. Don’t transcribe the recordings yourself. Have your spouse, your aunt or that lady from church who used to be a teacher do it. You can also a hire transcription services on the web. I use wescribeit.com, but I know there are others.
  6. Walk while you talk. It’s good exercise and it gives the dictation more energy.
  7. Go ahead and make up different voices for your characters. Just make sure your words are clear enough for the transcriptionist to understand.
  8. If you’re writing science fiction or fantasy where you have a lot of unusual names, create a document for the transcriptionist to refer to. If you remember, you can spell it out right there on the spot.
  9. Don’t listen to the recordings.
  10. If you’re outside, consider getting a wearable mic (like a hands free device). Keeping the mic closer to your mouth will provide clearer recording and less background noise.

About the Author: Eric is the author of Undermountain, a YA adventure. He’s also a songwriter and guitar player. He lives in Wisconsin with his daughter, wife and his wife’s feeble cat.

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Do You Still Enjoy Writing? (And What to Do if You Don’t) [Guest Post]

February 1st, 2012 by Guest Poster

The following is a guest post from Michael W. Roberts and an entry in February’s Self-Publishing Writing Contest. Voting for the winner will begin on Thursday, February 9th. Want to help out your fellow indie authors? Consider entering March’s contest!

Why do you write?

What is it that gets you out of bed in the morning or keeps you up all too late to get your story written?

Is it the love of the craft? Is it the thrill of a finished project?

Would you still write if there was no way you could ever get paid for it?

I have to make a confession. I’m terribly ruthless when it comes to deciding how I spend my time. If I pursue an artistic endeavor such as writing, I’m always thinking of how I can capitalize on it. (If I can make money from it, then clearly I’m not wasting my time. Right?)

  • Maybe I can write a short story and sell it.
  • Maybe I can write an ebook and become an internet sensation.
  • Maybe, just maybe, I could become a professional author.

In short, I bleed the fun out of the craft by primarily focusing on the end benefits of the art. Wanting success isn’t wrong. But when it’s all you want, there’s a problem.

You know, I might be able to make it work for a while. I tell myself I’m focused on my goals, so it’s okay if I’m not enjoying writing. It’s okay that I constantly envy the success of other writers. It’s okay if I take another week off from writing as I consider my next strategy to “make it big.”

And then, one day, I realize I’ve lost touch with my craft entirely. I don’t want to think about a single character or plot point. I pack it all up and move on to the next artistic endeavor.

Thankfully, this hasn’t happened to me with writing, but I can name off several other pursuits that did fizzle.

What about You?

Are you writing because you enjoy it? We should definitely have goals and word counts and all of those other fantastic motivators. But are you passionate about the craft?

We all have “lows” in our enthusiasm. That’s part of the artistic process: the natural ebb and flow of our emotions. If you’re honest with yourself, though, you might see a lot more “ebbing” in your creativity than flowing.

If this is the case, you need to take a break from goal setting. Not from writing. Just the goal setting. Give yourself a pass for a few weeks, and just write.

Use writing prompts. Use stream of consciousness writing. Try out one of the character generator tools from Duolit and write a story about that person. Try writing a screenplay or poetry or anything new.

However you do it, discover what made you passionate in the first place.

Once you find that passion again, take time to re-align your goals. Becoming a full-time writer may not be the way for you to get the most out of life. The inspiration and experiences of your current daily activities may provide exactly the right fuel for your writing.

No matter what your future may hold for your career or writing pursuits, concentrate on finding your passions today.

About the Author: After some false starts, Michael recently rediscovered one of his true passions: helping others express their creativity. With thoughts about the creative process and directly applicable tips for writing, ReviveYourCreativity.com is meant to kick your art into high gear.

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Reader Mailbag: Rushing Plot, Book Trailers, Getting Started

January 31st, 2012 by Duolit

Last month, we announced a new feature: the reader mailbag! Here we take your questions about anything involving writing, design, publishing, marketing or any other self-publishing related topic and answer them here on the blog. Have a question? Tweet @duolit or give us a shout via our contact form! 

From @JeremySenko: I have a great idea for a story, but I seem to rush the plot. Tips on how to slow myself down?

Toni: Even though I’m not a traditional writer/author, I can totally sympathize with Jeremy’s plight. I’m definitely a compulsive creative and, when I get an idea, I shoot from zero to 60 in no time flat. Unfortunately, this leads to a lot of started projects and considerably fewer finished ones.

To keep myself on track, I’ve implemented a waiting period system (yeah, kind of like buying a gun or getting married). When I get an idea, I’ll write down the steps it’ll take to reach my end goal and assign each a time period. Whenever I want to rush ahead, I’ll refer to my checklist to make sure I’m not getting too far ahead of myself.

Shannon: Are you rushing the plot as you’re writing it–as in, jumping straight from the start to the turning point without much build-up? If that’s the case, I’d go ahead and get the major plot points written out and then go back and fill in between the points. Maybe come up with a sub-plot so you’re not just throwing in pointless scenes, you want to be sure there’s a palpable build-up and then a satisfying decline to the wrap-up.

From @TheDeguello: Should I get a professional book trailer made?

Toni: Book trailers are everywhere, and, when done well, they can be quite effective. Whether or not you should take the plunge to get one made, however, depends on a big question: How does the book trailer fit into your overall book marketing plan? I’m sure you guys get sick of reading this, but coming up with a cohesive and comprehensive book marketing plan is crucial to your success.

If you’re getting a book trailer just because it seems cool, but you’re not sure how it’ll actually help market your book, don’t take the plunge into paying for a professional trailer. On the other hand, if you have a plan for how your book trailer will go viral and shoot you to the top of the sales charts, go for it!  Like any business decision, it comes down to the return on your investment (both in terms of time and money spent).

Shannon: I completely agree with Toni (I know, that’s a total surprise). It’s worth the investment if it’s part of your overall marketing plan. If you’re not sure, maybe start with something small you can do yourself with iMovie or Windows Movie Maker (that’s how we made ours for Duolit Indie Ninjas).

From @Vogelian: Where do I start? I’m so clueless. I have a book of short stories and poems. What do I do with it?

If you’re totally new to the world of self-publishing, we highly recommend signing up for our mailing list to get the free download of Self-Publishing Basic Training. This will give you an overview of the self-publishing process, from writing to publishing to marketing, and help you explore your options. You can also check out our Getting Started page for more info.

Since your book is already written, the first thing to would do is to pay for professional editing. If there’s one place to spend good money during the self-publishing process, it is in editing. While your book is being edited, take some time to work on your marketing plan. Who will buy your book? Figure out your target market and how best to appeal to them.

After you have your edited book in hand and a good marketing plan laid out, choose your publishing service. An eBook publishing service like Smashwords is a great place to start. It offers a low-cost way to get your book published and distributed so you can start implementing that marketing plan and selling books almost immediately.

What’s YOUR Question?

Do you have a question or situation we can help out with? Tweet @duolit or fill out our super-simple contact form and we’ll do our best to answer it on our next reader mailbag! Remember, the more details you give us, the more specific and helpful our advice will be!

Do you have any additional advice for the questions above? Chime in in the comments!

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Writing Goals: Don’t Just Make’em, Meet’em!

January 25th, 2012 by Shannon

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller

It seems like we blinked and the first month of 2012 passed us by in a blur of annoying political ads, above average temperatures and boxes of Christmas decorations headed back to the attic. We all needed a little time to get our bearings in the New Year, but now the adjustment period is over and it’s time to get down to business.

If you spent all of 2011 saying that you were going to write a novel, but then coming up with a long list of excuses why that plan didn’t come to fruition, get ready to leave those excuses in the dust. We’ve put together five easy steps to not only setting your 2012 goals, but making sure that you see them through to completion.

Step 1 | Choose a long term goal.

For most of you, this should be simple: Write a book. You can be a little more specific and name your plot, characters, whether you want to complete just the first manuscript or actually make it to the publishing stage, but the overall endgame is to get a completed novel in your hands before the Mayan calendar runs out and we all turn to dust.

Step 2 | Fill in the gaps with short term goals.

Once you’ve set your long term goal, you need to establish a few short term goals to get from start to finish. These checkpoints can be really specific like creating outlines, character profiles, etc. or you can focus on the numbers and go for word count or chapter goals. The key is to put dates on each short-term goal to keep you focused (and ward off that pesky pest known as procrastination!).

Step 3 | Decide how you’re going to reach your goals.

Just because you set your goals doesn’t mean that all the pieces of your novel (and the time it will take to write it) are going to fall out of the sky. It’s a goal, not a wish. After you establish your goals, it’s time to figure out how you’re going to accomplish them. Deciding on your writing schedule is key. When will you find time to write? We’ve talked about this a lot in the past (including in our How NOT to Write a Book eCourse) so you should be an expert by now. Make your schedule, plan your writing times and set those keys on fire!

Step 4 | Share your goals with someone else.

This is a crucial step; everybody needs a little accountability to stay on track. Find someone you can share your goals with who will keep you honest and push you toward reaching your objectives. One important point of clarification: Pushing and nagging are not the same thing. You don’t want someone who’s going to harass you, but someone who will give you a swift (but soft) kick in the pants when you need it. If you don’t know someone, reach out to the Duolit community. We writers stick together and I’m sure you can find someone who would be happy to help!

Step 5 | Keep track of your progress.

Whether it’s a monthly blog post or a detailed writing journal, you’ll want to keep track of where you are in the process. If you had some setbacks, that’s okay, but talk about what they were and how you can avoid them in the future. If you met your goals, celebrate it! Every accomplishment along your path to success is worth a celebration.

Follow those five easy steps and you should not only be able to set your writing goals in 2012, but meet them!

Friendly reminder: Help us with some prompts!

If you missed our post on Monday, we are working to gather some weekly blog prompts to share with you guys. Our goal is to help everyone add valuable content to their blogs and generate more traffic for their blogs with weekly prompt link-ups, which will start in February. If you have prompt ideas (they can be about anything from creative writing prompts to basic profile questions to writing experiences) leave them in the comments on Monday’s blog. We’ll announce February’s prompts on Friday so if you have some ideas, please share them!

Later days,

- Shannon

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Get Prompted in 2012!

January 23rd, 2012 by Shannon

So far it’s been an extra special month of big announcements and new features to make Duolit even more awesome in 2012 (I know, we didn’t think it was possible either!). We’ve got our first Reader Mailbag in the works (be sure to send in your questions!), a guest post contest (friendly reminder: the deadline to submit your post is this Friday, Jan. 27th!), plus a new thrice-weekly posting schedule, monthly giveaways for our awesome Indie Ninjas, and link-up posts for you to share your thoughts with other Duolit readers.

Well, prepare yourself, because as if all those things weren’t awesome enough, we’ve got one more new feature to announce this month…

photo by x1brett

Introducing: Duolit Indie Inspirations

Do you sometimes struggle to come up with topics for your blog? We know the feeling. You want to make weekly updates to your blog, but you can’t think of the perfect topic to write about. There are a few services out there that provide prompts, but we’ve decided it’s time to put together some Duolit inspirations to help all of us fill our blogs with quality content, insightful thoughts and helpful information.

We’ve got three steps to make this a reality.

Step One: Brainstorming

If we all put our heads together and throw out a few of our favorite blog topics in the comments of this post. We welcome ideas in all categories from silly things (what’s your favorite kind of sandwich?) to author-related things (what made you decide to become a writer?) to creative short story prompts (“she set the glass of lemonade on the table and made an announcement…”). Whatever you can conjure up, we want to hear it!

Step Two: Make a list

This Friday (January 27th) we will announce the four prompts we’ve selected for the month of February. If your prompt isn’t selected, no worries, we’re going to keep a collection of everyone’s suggestions. So if yours isn’t on this month’s list, it might be used next month! We will keep taking new prompt suggestions in a once-monthly blog and might even throw in a few of our own.

Step Three: Get to writing!

Throughout the month of February we hope you guys will use our prompts to write your own blogs. You can tackle all four prompts, or just choose one or two that appeal to you. Either way, we’ll have a link-up post for each topic so you guys can share your blogs. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Coming up next: 5 Easy Steps to Setting your Writing Goals

Join us back on the blog Wednesday for our monthly writing post outlining five easy steps to setting your 2012 writing goals (if you haven’t already!).

Later days,

- Shannon

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