Productive Ways to Take A Break from Writing

 

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The year has just started. How can we be talking about a break already?

The seasons of a writer's life don't always follow the calendar. Maybe last year you cranked out a bunch and just need to sit back and relax for a week or two. Maybe your non-writing life is temporarily pulling you in a different direction. 

No matter the reason or length of the time, there are ways to be productive during a writing break.

Self-care 

Some writers are fitting writing into their schedules while balancing another career. Burn out and physical exhaustion become all too real. When you are that tapped out, creativity suffers. Taking care of yourself during those periods will refresh and rejuvenate you. Here are some self-care ideas:

• Schedule a monthly massage
• Take a yoga class
• Engage in 10-minute workouts
• Take a vacation or go away for a weekend 

Fill your creative well

Creativity is a strange. Some days, it's like spending time with your best friend at the playground. Everything clicks. You have fun together. You enjoy each other's company. You don't seem to have enough hours to accomplish all you want to. Then there are other days when creativity grabs its ball and storms off the field to go hide, and no matter how you try to coax it out, there is no way it is coming to play. Here are some ideas to fill your creative well:

• Get together with a fellow writer 
• Explore a new hobby
• Change your routine
• Visit a museum or art gallery for inspiration

Write something else

Last year, I wrote a novel in a genre I had never explored as a writer. It was the most exhilarating experience. It inspired me to apply what I learned to a work in progress that had stalled. These are some other ideas:

• Try your hand at fanfiction
• Explore journaling
• Start a blog
• Create an author newsletter

Taking a break from writing doesn't mean giving it up forever. It doesn't mean you've failed. Taking a break means you realize you need to step back temporarily. Using that time productively will allow you to return to your writing with a stronger zest to accomplish your goals. 

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and award-winning editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she is a member of SCBWI and lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three adult children. Visit Cheryl's website at https://ccmalandrinos.com or her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Reflecting on Your Writing Year

 

Every year about this time, I get to thinking about my writing year. 

• How did I do?
• What did I accomplish?
• How did I handle the obstacles that came my way?
• Are there tasks I am carrying over into the new year?

Such a reflection allows you to celebrate the milestones and identify areas for improvement. Whether you make a bulleted list, write a letter to yourself, or post an entry in your journal, reflective writing will move you forward as a new year begins. 

What are some of last year's writing accomplishments you are proud of? What is a goal you are setting for 2024? 

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and award-winning editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she is a member of SCBWI and lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three adult children. Visit Cheryl's website at https://ccmalandrinos.com or her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

How to Stay Productive During the Holiday Season

I admit it. Shopping, baking, wrapping gifts, and sending holiday cards, along with everything else I have to do, makes me want to hide in bed until after the new year. But, I need this little thing called money that keeps the roof over our heads, so I keep writing.  

Here’s my advice. Don't let the holidays derail your writing progress. Adjust your expectations and stay focused on your goals.   

Adjust Expectations 

Many of us have this Currier and Ives picture perfect holiday in our minds, and we kill ourselves trying to achieve it.  

Stop a minute and think back to the holidays of your childhood. Did it bother you if Mom burnt the cookies or if the house next door had more lights hanging from it than yours did? Probably not. 

Here are a few ways you can simplify your holidays: 

• Focus your energy where it belongs: on family and friends. Instead of rushing around to make everything perfect, be okay with good enough.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your family will be more than happy to lend a hand if they know it means spending more time with you.
• Trim back your holiday card list or consider sending postcards. I used to mail out over one hundred cards a year with handwritten notes inside. Then it happened: the year I just couldn’t do it. So, I pulled the previous year’s cards and only mailed cards to people who had sent us one that year. Postcards are a cheaper alternative when you want to send a quick note to someone you don’t see very often.
• Many online retailers offer free shipping during the holidays, so you can shop from home while taking a break from your writing. You save gas, don’t have to deal with crowds, and can easily get back to your writing schedule. Shopping local can also help. Commit to shopping at small businesses for one day out of the holiday season.

 Focus on Your Writing Goals 

It’s easy to lose track of your writing goals while preparing for the holidays. Now, more than ever, it’s important to write out a to-do list each week. Time block your calendar so that writing time stays part of your routine. 

Be realistic and plan ahead, knowing you have more on your plate this time of year. By November, I don’t take on additional writing assignments or book reviews. This leaves me wiggle room for those added holiday chores and more time to spend with those I care about. 

Preparing for the holidays doesn’t mean you can’t find the time to write. Adjusting expectations and focusing on writing goals can simplify your life and help you write, even during busy times.

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and award-winning editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she is a member of SCBWI and lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three adult children. Visit Cheryl's website at https://ccmalandrinos.com or her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Tips to Increase NaNoWriMo Productivity

 

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NaNoWriMo kicks off in 21 days. Can you believe it! Are you ready? 

We've already discussed how to add a large writing project like NaNoWriMo into your jam-packed schedule. Now, it's time to plan ahead, consider how to eliminate distractions and time wasters, and make sure you get enough rest.  

Plan ahead 

Planning ahead is vital to creating a realistic writing schedule. Some ways you can plan ahead before tackling NaNoWriMo are:

• Spend a few hours preparing menus for each week of November, including your holiday menu (if it applies).
• If you’ll be entertaining, ask friends and family if they would be willing to bring a food dish.
• Shop in bulk to cut back on errands to pick up food, household items, and office supplies.
• Consider ordering holiday cards and envelopes pre-printed.
• Time block your calendar, adding NaNoWriMo writing time into your most productive timeframe.

Eliminate distractions and time wasters 

Distractions and time wasters can threaten any project, no matter the size. It is especially important when approaching NaNoWriMo to eliminate activities that steal time from your writing. Here are some tips to help:

• Set aside a specific time during the day to return phone messages and emails. Discipline yourself not to check email or surf the Internet when you should be writing. 
• Share your time-blocked calendar with family members before you start NaNoWriMo, so they will know when you're writing.
• Find a private place where you feel most productive and inspired to write.
• Hang a "writing in progress" or "writer at work" sign on your door or put a tent card on your desk, asking family ahead of time not to interrupt you unless it's an emergency.
• If you have young children who require care, have books, crafts, or other items to entertain them during writing time.

Rest up

One thing that will help with stress- and time-management during NaNoWriMo is getting enough rest. Burning the candles at both ends helps no one, and certainly not your writing. Get the required amount of sleep each night so that you’ll have a well-rested mind to tackle writing and anything unexpected that comes your way. Add bedtime to your calendar. 

Don't wait until the last minute to prepare for NaNoWriMo. Plan ahead, think of ways to eliminate what can pull you away from writing, and schedule bedtime into your calendar so you get enough rest leading up to and while you are participating in NaNoWriMo. 

Good luck to all who will participate in 2024!

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and award-winning editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she is a member of SCBWI and lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three adult children. Visit Cheryl's website at https://ccmalandrinos.com or her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Tackling the Big Gorilla: Tips for Adding NaNoWriMo to Your Jam-Packed Schedule

 

Can a writer add a large project like NaNoWriMo into an already jam-packed schedule? 

To answer that question, you must consider the commitments you already made. Then you can create a realistic schedule that allows you to add in such a project. 

The first thing to do is take out a piece of paper or fire up your computer and make three columns:  home, work, and volunteering. Under each heading, list all you have to do for the month of November, noting deadlines where necessary. Then the actual work begins. 

Review each item on your to-do list to see if it’s something you can delegate or change the deadline. You must also consider if you have the time to dedicate to volunteering. Let’s talk more about these steps. 

Delegate What You Can 

The easiest way to remove things from your to-do list is to delegate. Gasp! You mean I am expected to allow someone else to handle things I only trust myself to do?  

Though it is tough to give up control, unless you want the entire month to pass by in a stress-filled blur, you need to ask for help. You can delegate household chores, errands, even meal preparation to other members of your household. Even small children can help keep the living areas of your home clean by picking up their messes before bedtime.  

Are These Firm Deadlines? 

Adding a big writing project may require you to adjust deadlines for smaller projects. This should not be done without giving it a great deal of thought. Some things to consider are: 

• What is the impact on my relationship with this client if I ask for an extension?
• Have I asked this client for an extension in the past?
• What is the impact on my overall business if I can’t meet this deadline? 
• What is the impact of this new writing project on my overall business? 

Once you’ve damaged a relationship, it takes a tremendous amount of work to repair it. Constantly asking for extensions gives the impression that this client isn’t important to you. 

On the flip side, if a large project will have a positive impact on your overall career, it can be worth making it happen. If it becomes necessary to move a deadline, let clients know in plenty of time and be ready to offer them a new “firm” deadline for the completion of their projects. 

Do I Have Time to Volunteer? 

Review your volunteering list for November. Is it realistic to be involved in those activities and commit to a large writing project at the same time? If it isn't, but you're committed to NaNoWriMo, you might have to say that dreaded two-letter word. No can be difficult to say, but you’re only saying no for the duration of this writing project, not forever. 

If you decide to tackle the big gorilla of NaNoWriMo, making a realistic schedule will increase your productivity.

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and award-winning editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three adult children. Visit Cheryl's website at https://ccmalandrinos.com or her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Writing Superpowers - Point of View

 

Today, we continue our conversation about writing superpowers. I'm a huge fan of deep point of view. As a reader, I like to get inside my character's heads and figure out why they act the way they do. That's why it's easy for me to find unintended point of view shifts in manuscripts I edit.

What is point of view?

As Merriam-Webster defines it, point of view determines who is telling the story and what the narrator's relationship is to the characters in the story. The most common points of view are: first person, second person, third person limited, and third person omniscient. Let's look at each of these. 

First Person - narrator is a person in the story

Since the narrator is a character in the story, the reader experiences the events that unfold from their point of view. This creates a close and immediate connection between narrator and reader. It is, however, limited to what the narrator sees, and their descriptions can be tainted by their mood, experiences, and opinions. This point of view also lends itself to exposition and summarization instead of fully developed scenes.

Example: Phlegm rattles in my throat. Each breath claws at my chest, burdened by the weight of my ragged coughs. Beads of sweat trace fiery trails down my cheeks, as if the scorching prairie sun lives inside me. I can’t stop now. John needs the money tomorrow.

Second Person - narrator is speaking directly to the reader 

Second person point of view allows the reader to become a character in the story. Just like first person, second person creates a close connection between narrator and reader. Where they differ is in first person, the reader experiences the story through the narrator's eyes, but in second person, the reader experiences the story through their own eyes. 

The challenge with this point of view is that the writer must create a character any reader can relate to or see themselves as being. Though it can create a close connection between narrator and reader, sometimes, it is more distancing to the reader. 

Example: Phlegm rattles in your throat. Each breath claws at your chest, burdened by the weight of your ragged coughs. Beads of sweat trace fiery trails down your cheeks, as if the scorching prairie sun lives inside you. You can’t stop now, you think. John needs the money tomorrow.

Third Person Limited - narrator tells the story from a single character's point of view

In third person limited, the reader is told a story from a single character's point of view. All the narrator knows are the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist. The story develops around this main character. It can be more distancing to the reader, who is limited to the experiences of this one character. 

Example: Phlegm rattled in his throat. Each breath clawed at his chest, burdened by the weight of his ragged coughs. Beads of sweat traced fiery trails down his cheeks, as if the scorching prairie sun lived inside him. I can’t stop now, he thought. John needs the money tomorrow. 

Third Person Omniscient - narrator knows everything

In third person omniscient, the narrator can share the entire story without the bias of a single character's point of view. They can have their own voice and can share details they know that the characters might not be aware of. While this point of view offers flexibility to the writer, it can distance the reader. And, hopping from character to character can create confusion. 

Example: Phlegm rattled in his throat. Each breath clawed at his chest, burdened by the weight of his ragged coughs. Beads of sweat traced fiery trails down his cheeks, as if the scorching prairie sun lived inside him. He couldn't stop now. John needed the money tomorrow.  

What is your favorite point of view to read and to write? What are your biggest struggles with writing from your chosen point of view?

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three adult children. Visit Cheryl's website at https://ccmalandrinos.com or her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com

Writing Superpowers - Dialogue

 

The hosts of a kidlit podcast spoke about how their superpowers helped them in working with author clients. That conversation got me to thinking about what I might say are my superpowers and how they help the authors I work for as an editor. We will look at my three superpowers over the next few weeks. 

I write good dialogue.

It might take a few drafts to get there, but the final copy flows naturally. It isn't interrupted by useless tags, doesn't dump a whole bunch of information on the reader, and makes each character unique.

Let's talk about dialogue for a moment. Here is a typical conversation you might have as you enter a meeting with a colleague.

"Hello," I said.

"Hey," my colleague responded.

I ask, "How are you doing?"

"Okay," he said. "You?"

"Fine." I sat down in my chair.

"Did you read the materials Mary emailed to us?" he asked.

Nodding, I replied, "Yes. Hope we aren't here for too long."

"It will take as long as it takes." 

Mary entered the boardroom. "Great, you're both here. Let's get started. We might have to order lunch in." 

"Wonderful," I replied. 

Could you make it through this passage without yawning? 

Dialogue isn't boring everyday speech. It serves a purpose: to move the story along and engage the reader. Unlike the example above, greetings and small talk are often eliminated because they don't serve that purpose.

Tags help identify who is speaking to the reader, but too many "he said" and "she said" tags interrupt the flow of engaging dialogue. Renowned author Jerry Jenkins once rewrote a book by incorporating actions and descriptions to attribute dialogue to characters instead of using the "he said/she said" tags. 

Side note: In writing, we may change up said with other words: exclaimed, grumbled, and my all-time favorite, smiled. Have you ever tried to talk while you're smiling? Said often goes unnoticed by the reader, who is focusing on what the character is saying, which is why it is the preferred tag. Let your characters' actions communicate their emotions.

Dialogue shouldn't dump a bunch of information on the reader. I once read a Civil War novel about two brothers that spent pages and pages having characters share stories about the current conflict. Instead of moving the story along, this info dump distanced me from the characters. By the end of the novel, I felt I really didn't know the brothers at all. Any information that is communicated through dialogue needs to move the story forward. 

Good dialogue, when blended with action--and sometimes intentional inaction--helps you to create unique characters. While a character's dialect or accent can make them stand out, pitch, volume, and tone are equally important. Other things to consider:

• Setting and background can influence how characters speak.
• Personality influences how they speak.
• The way characters speak could change depending upon the situation they are in.

Let's look at the interaction from earlier, with small talk eliminated and more action and dialogue that moves the story forward.

Mark peered over the screen of his laptop where he had been tip-tapping away, to flash me a smile. His fluorescent white teeth made me squint. “Did you read the materials Mary emailed to us?”

Marching to the opposite side of the room, I slid the laptop bag off my creaky, middle-aged shoulder and placed my belongings on the table. My lips curled into a sneer. “Yes. Hope we aren’t here for too long.”

“My, my, my,” he said. “Someone forgot their gratitudes and affirmations this morning.” 

Mary waltzed in before I could respond. “Great, you’re both here. Let’s get started.” She tapped the pile of client folders she had carried in. “We might have to order in for lunch.” 

My fingers curled around my cup of tea. “Wonderful.” I hope Mark is available to pick up the kids from school. 

Does this version give you a totally different idea of what is going on here? Does it change how you view the characters' relationship? Do you see some personality shining through? Is it more engaging? Another edit or two and it might find its way into a story. 

What is one of your writing superpowers? What do you like best about writing dialogue? What are your biggest struggles with writing dialogue?

Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, A Christmas Kindness, released by 4RV Publishing. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three adult children. Visit Cheryl's website at https://ccmalandrinos.com or her children’s book blog at https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com