Blogger KRISTI HOLL is the author of 35 books, including WRITER'S FIRST AID.

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Treadmill Journal

September 29, 2008

I am finishing a book this week and plan to start a book next Monday that I’ve already done a proposal for last spring, along with a few sample chapters. While I enjoyed writing the current novel, I know the progress was much slower than necessary. With this next book, I’d like to be more disciplined, which is my unending writer’s challenge. Recently I found a new system that looks simple and effective, and I plan to try it. I have my “treadmill journal” all set up and ready to go!

A treadmill journal? Something you write on a treadmill? No. The name comes from an article in the April, 2007, The Writer by Gregory Martin called “Want to Be PRODUCTIVE? Start a ‘treadmill’ journal’.” He says trying to write a meaningful piece of literature is like training for a marathon. I would agree. “Most often in workshops, craft considerations (plot, characterization, imagery, etc.) receive primary emphasis,” Martin says. “This may lead apprentice writers to think their most important problems are craft problems. They aren’t. Craft knowledge has nothing to do with tenacity. Students can learn plot, but they can’t learn hunger. Desire, like discipline, must be cultivated.”

His solution to this tenacity problem is to keep a “treadmill” journal, a record of daily writing training, much like a marathon runner logs in miles and speed. These are the five entries that go in a daily journal:
**DATE AND TIME: Good writing depends on habit, and record keeping matters.
**HOW LONG YOU PLAN TO WORK: Too many talented writers have no discipline–and no sales. He says to aim for 18 hours per week. If you can’t, start with an hour per day and work up.
**WHAT YOU PLAN TO WORK ON: The desperation of vague intentions keeps many people from writing regulary, Martin says. Be as craft-specific here as possible. (e.g. work on description of cabin, deepen hero’s character in Chapter One, add dialogue to climax scene)
**HOW IT WENT: When you’re finished for the day, take inventory. Say what you accomplished and also how you felt (physically and emotionally). This helps you order the rest of your life. (e.g. An entry saying “I was groggy despite the coffee” might lead you to getting more sleep that night.)
**WHEN YOU WILL WORK TOMORROW AND FOR HOW LONG: It tends to happen if it’s on your schedule. Try not to take any days off. Keep your momentum, even if one day you only write half an hour.

I got a blank journal with a picture of an old Royal typewriter on it, then copied the five steps of a treadmill journal on the first page. I intend to start using it today. I have been striving for consistency for as long as I’ve been writing, and I hope this tool will help! If you try a treadmill journal, comment or email me and let me know how it works for you!

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For the Love of Words

September 26, 2008

I’m always shocked when people tell me, “I don’t like to read.” I’m less surprised when kids and grown-ups say, “I hate to write.” But oh, what poverty! I can’t imagine what life would be like if you didn’t love words.

When I’m happy or want a reward for a job well done, I pick up a good book and read for pleasure. If I want to know something—from how to be a better grandma to planning a trip to England—I read to learn. If I have a personal problem, I look to books where people have shared their struggles and ideas for overcoming. If I’m hurt or afraid, I turn to my journal to sort myself out and talk to God about things. By the time I’m all written out, I feel much better and often I’ve arrived at a solution to my problem. And I get to make a living by staying home and making up stories.

What wonderful gifts, to love to read and to love to write. Today, instead of focusing on the frustrations of revision or marketing my work, I’m just grateful for the God-given desire I have for words.

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Revision: Where the Rubber Meets the Road

September 24, 2008


I’m down to revising the final chapter of a novel, and what a different feeling than when I started this last revision. I’d had it critiqued by several people, and the number of suggestions looked daunting. I wasn’t sure I could make the changes. For two days, I sat and stared at the screen, ate a lot of chocolate, scrolled through the chapters trying to decide where to start–and then stopped for the day.

Then I remembered to take things one step at a time, like I always tell students and workshop participants. Little by little, it isn’t so scary. And don’t try to re-invent the wheel. Get help! For example, a whole single-spaced page of suggestions was for the opening chapter (which had been revised four times already). For help I turned to a terrific book on my shelf, Hooked: write fiction that grabs readers at page one and never lets them go by Les Edgerton. I also reviewed a couple chapters from Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King. As I tackled each suggestion, one at a time, I read articles or chapters on a particular problem or issue. The list suddenly became do-able. Bit by bit, suggestion by suggestion, change by change, I’ve watched the novel grow stronger and more believable.

What do you do when you’re stuck in a revision? What helps get you moving again? I’d love to try your ideas for myself!

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Getting the Writing Done

September 22, 2008

I have several deadlines to meet by the end of this month, and I just realized this morning that I only have seven working days left. Crunch time! I reviewed my past “crunch time” behaviors, many of which set me back instead of moving me forward. (e.g. I often gave up eating healthy meals and grabbed caffeine-laden soft drinks and chocolate to get me by.) But since the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over (while expecting different results), I decided to make a list of behaviors I wanted to implement from now till the end of September. These are the habits I’ve found to work during previous crunch times:

**Never sit and stare at a blank screen. When you hit a mental block, get up and move. Do a household chore you hate until you think of something to write next. There is nothing in this world that jogs my writing block loose like scrubbing a toilet. It is one of the writer’s best kept secrets.

**Close down email during the day. Check for emergency email first thing in the morning, answer any from editors, and leave the rest till the end of the writing day. Same goes for turning on the answering machine and returning calls late in the day.

**Keep up with health routines. Although my brain says, “Skip your run and get to work” or “grab that candy bar and keep working,” it never helps in the long run. I am much more productive during crunch times if I continue with my 6 a.m. run, eat my oatmeal (ugh), drink my eight glasses of water, and take breaks for healthy meals.

**Remember to stretch your neck and back. I set a timer for ten minutes throughout my work hours. Every ten minutes, I stop and do neck rolls, side bends, and back stretches. It only takes a minute, but it both lengthens the amount of time I can stay at the computer and lets me finish a work day without headaches and backaches. Every single time that I skip the exercises to save writing time, I pay later by having to quit early and having headaches interrupt my sleep.

**Give yourself a reward. Create little rewards throughout the writing day (like ten minutes of reading your favorite mystery for every hour you write) and rewards at the end of the day (a favorite DVD or dinner with a friend). I used to think rewards were silly and childish–and maybe they are–but they work!

What habits work for you during crunch times?

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Checking Your Writing Habits

September 19, 2008

At the beginning of 2008, I referred you to an excellent article by Daphne Gray-Grant called “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Writers”. At the time, I created a schedule that included most of what she talked about: reading with the purpose of learning, plenty of research, writing rough drafts in short bursts, and reading my work aloud. I wanted to develop those habits. I don’t call them New Year’s Resolutions anymore, but they were new habits I wanted to develop.
So, halfway through September, how am I doing? (And if you made New Year’s goals, how are you doing?) Frankly, I should have done this scrutiny before now. I could have felt good about the successes. (I do fine at separating the writing and editing process, getting critiqued, and doing adequate research.) On the other hand, I stopped reading my work aloud, even though I found it very helpful during the editing process. I also gave up my study of language very quickly, so my “power of the metaphor” that Ms. Gray-Grant mentioned is missing. I have a great book on figurative language–but if I don’t study it, my language will remain where it currently snoozes.

So, today I’d encourage you to revisit whatever writing goals you made for this year. Reward yourself for any goals met or any ongoing goals you are keeping up with. For the others–the goals that have dropped by the wayside–re-evaluate them. Do they still seem important to you? Would you grow as a writer if you implemented these goals? Then do some noodling and doodling and figure out where in your schedule you can put them on a regular basis.

What 2008 goals are you achieving? What lagging goals need a shot in the arm?
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Writing While Traveling

September 17, 2008

This may seem like an odd time to think about combining writing with holiday travel, but it’s not! I’m just thinking ahead. My daughters and I have been poring over calendars to make holiday plans, working out schedules to see both sides of the family. For most people (like me), in order to see all the kids and grandkids, travel is a necessity. And if you have writing deadlines (self-imposed or contracted), consistent writing is also a necessity. Can writing and traveling co-exist? Yes, quite happily, but only if you think and plan ahead.

We may have the best intentions of writing on trips during the holidays, but usually we return home with little or nothing accomplished. Since most writers don’t have the luxury of paid vacations—and deadlines approach regardless of holiday travel—we need practical ways to squeeze in writing while we journey to see family and friends. It can be done, and without offending anyone or missing out on the festivities. If you need to hit the road this fall and winter—or the airways—give these ideas a try.

First, you have to find the time to write. When you first peruse your travel schedule, you may feel convinced that there simply won’t be any time available for your writing. You may have activities planned (or planned for you) that don’t seem to show any gaps of free time. If so, look again.

What about when you check into your motel? Avoid turning on the TV for “company” or to check the local news and weather. Instead, unpack your writing supplies, clean the fly­ers and TV program listings off the desk, and set up an instant office. If you’re staying at someone’s house, make up your mind to write while others watch TV or snooze after a big family dinner.

You can easily find time to write on planes. Just skip watching the movie, ignore the head phones, and leave the in-flight magazines unread. Instead, write longhand or on a laptop on your drop-down table. You can also find time to write on buses and in taxis during long shuttle trips to and from airports. Time spent waiting in airports provides other opportunities to work, whether “people-watching” and jotting notes for your character files or writing longhand while perched on your pile of luggage.

Second, you need places to write. Workplaces for the traveling writer are even easier to find. Depending on the location of your trip, you may find yourself writing on a bench in the mall or at a backyard picnic table at a relative’s home. If your group is staying in a motel, you can write at a table by the pool or sneak down to the lobby and find a comfortable chair behind a potted plant for half an hour. You can write in public libraries. While others in your party shop at the mall, you can write in bookstores that provide chairs and tables. If you’ve planned a day at the beach, try writing while you tan instead of reading or listening to music.

Other places to write on the road include diners, lunch counters, delis, and coffee shops. And don’t forget your bed! Pile up pillows behind your back and grab your notebook or laptop. You can write first thing in the morning if you’re a guest in someone’s home—just let them think you’re sleeping late. Or write in bed before you go to sleep. At first it might not seem like much, but a half hour or full hour of writing can produce more work than we think.

If your holiday schedule will include traveling, yet you need or want to keep writing while on the road, do some preplanning before leaving home. Adjust your mind-set ahead of time as well. Be alert to unexpected changes in your travel plans and grab some impromptu writing sessions. Keep your writing tools handy in order to take advantage of these opportunities to write during your day. Be deter­mined to write in whatever chunks of time you find. If you want to travel, but you also need to work, this is one way to have your cake and eat it too!

(For more tips on finding time to write, read sample chapters of my Writer’s First Aid: Getting Organized, Getting Inspired, and Sticking to It. Or buy Writer’s First Aid here.)

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Writer’s Block: obstacle to output

September 15, 2008

While some believe that there is no such thing as writer’s block, there’s no denying that we often have trouble getting started. If you have a goal of writing more, you may have to figure out what’s standing in your way. Not to belabor the obvious, but if we can’t get started, we certainly won’t increase our output.
There are several types of writer’s block, and we can be blocked for different reasons at different times. Unless you identify your particular brand of block and apply the correct solution, you’ll stay stuck. In my article, “A Block by Any Other Name” on the Absolute Write site, I discuss ten different causes of writer’s block. Until you identify exactly what’s stopping you from writing–and deal with it appropriately–it will be hard to increase output. First things first!
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Help from Beyond the Grave

September 12, 2008

I’ve been stumped by a change I need to make in my current novel, and yesterday my critique group let me know that I still didn’t have it fixed. Argh! So this morning over breakfast, I decided to read an article in the October The Writer Magazine called “Survive the Revision Process” because I thought I might not (survive, that is). The article turned out be about writing short nonfiction, but when I flipped back a few pages, I found Phyllis Whitney’s terrific article, “10 Ways to Cure the Midnovel Blues.” That’s certainly what I had! One of her suggestions (”Tie your characters to your setting”) gave me an idea that I am sure will finally fix the issue I’ve been struggling with.

Don’t overlook the help and support you can find in writing magazines (print and online) and writing books (print and e-books). Don’t waste time and energy re-inventing the wheel. Otherwise, you might give up when, in fact, a bit of encouragement from another source could solve your problem. Phyllis Whitney died earlier this year at the age of 104, or I would write and thank her for her help. I had been dreading the revisions this morning, but now I know what to do! Can’t wait!

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Tangles to Untie

September 10, 2008


I am finally tackling a chore I have put off doing for eight months. I took over the design and upkeep of my three websites and two blogs last year, but I stuck my head in the sand when it came to “search engine optimization.” I didn’t understand it, and I couldn’t afford to have someone else do it, so I let it slide. Then I heard a podcast by Lynne Lee, who wrote the e-book Optimize Your Website. She spoke in plain English, with a delightful British accent, and I actually understood what she was talking about. So I bought her e-book, which is packed with so much helpful stuff laid out in a very readable format.

Still, I was overwhelmed this week with what had to be done. Keyword research, meta tags, indexing, link popularity, incoming links…argh! The terms and processes are all intertwined, and it’s hard to know where to start.

About the time I was ready to pull out a chunk of hair, I picked up Walking on Alligators: A Book of Meditations for Writers by Susan Shaughnessy. One of the meditations talked about the desire to slash through problems (writing and otherwise) just to get them taken care of. Wham! Chop! However, “most problems in life and in writing aren’t solved by slashing decisively through them. They are teased apart, tendril by tendril, until the whole flows freely. It can help to have a plan.”

And that’s what I did. I decided to “untangle the knot” of search engine optimization. I made a plan, put together a three-ring binder with colored tabs for each section, and made “to do” lists based on what I’d underlined in Lynne Lee’s book. I can handle one small job at a time now.

What writing project of yours is full of knots? How can you untangle them instead of trying to slash through them? Whatever they are, start with the thread nearest you. And be gentle.

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Blessings or Brutality?

September 8, 2008

I took a break today from doing final revisions on a novel and picked up a little writing book called Some Writers Deserve to Starve! (31 Brutal Truths About the Publishing Industry) by Elaura Niles. I don’t find the chapters very brutal–just honest. And I agree with nearly all of them. If you’ve been writing any length of time at all, chapters like “Putting Words on a Page Does Not Obligate Anyone to Read Them,” “All Publishers Are Not Created Equal,” and “Writing Conferences Cost Bucks” will resonate with you! Frankly, I expect there is a great deal of truth in all 31 of Ms. Niles’ chapters, but I have been spared a lot of it. And it got me to thinking…

I am finishing up a novel right now that is the first book I’ve written “on spec” (without a contract) in more than a decade. (It’s been heavenly, but that’s another story.) I’ve taken time to read chapters each week to my wonderful critique group, and each of the four women gives me a different type of feedback. We all catch different problems in each other’s writing. After several revisions, I sent the manuscript to a writer friend in Australia. We trade critiques from time to time, and her thoughtful responses in the detailed critique have been very helpful in many areas: strengthening the ending, picking up loose plot threads I had inadvertently dropped, telling me which chapters dragged, etc. So…what does all this have to do with the brutal truths of the publishing industry? Just this.

Two of the author’s brutal truth chapters are “Writers Rarely Help Other Writers” and “Not All Critique Groups Are Critique Groups.” Because I’ve seen what she described over the years, I believe she is right much of the time. But it also reminded me how wonderfully blessed I am to have writer friends who DO help each other, who ARE thrilled with a friend’s success, and who DO meet weekly to critique and share market news.

So today’s post is dedicated to my fabulous critique group and overseas critique partner. What would I do without you?

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