Category: Tips for Finishing

Push!

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

About two and a half years ago, Brogan was born. We were in the hospital and this kid was coming and I was in some major pain. Ryan’s rubbing my back, like a good husband, trying to ease my discomfort and I remember, clear as day, looking over at him and saying, “Could you please just not touch me?”

So he stops rubbing my back and starts giving me a pep talk. “You’re doing great, Kate. Keep it up. You can do this.” I’m huddled in the fetal position (not recommended by birthing instructors, but it worked for me) and I say, “Could you please just not talk?”

Poor hubby. He stood in the corner and handed me ice chips.

I’m ninety thousand words into my manuscript and instead of typing more words this morning, I’m avoiding. Because there’s this scene I need to write and I have no idea how to write it. It’s high emotion. My main character is beyond distraught, verging on hysterical. All the while, she’s trying to make this decision and to make matters worse (for me, not her) – the scene involves technology. And I know next to nothing about technology.

So basically, I’m majorly intimidated.

I keep typing a few sentences. Deleting them. Type. Delete. Type. Delete. Pull out hair. Type some more.

And the most frustrating part of all is that I know, once I get this scene written, the rest of the words will flow right out.

Sort of like when you’re in labor.

The hardest part is delivering the baby’s head. Push. Push. Push. Impossible. Impossible. Impossible. But once that head comes out, man. The rest of the body is a piece of cake.

So, this post is mostly for me right now. Because I’m in big-time need of a pep talk. I’m convinced this dang baby is never going to come out and I need somebody to squeeze my hand and tell me, “You’re doing great. Just a little bit further. You’re almost there. Now dang it Katie, push!” Only this time I’m not going to make anyone stand in the corner in silence.

Three tips for writers who are closing in on The End:

Visualize. Close your eyes and picture the scene unfolding like a movie. Take some time to work it out in your head first. Let yourself feel the emotion of the character.

Focus. Focus on the goal. Focus on The End. Focus on the satisfaction of saying, “I did it!” I birthed another novel. It is quite a feeling. Breathe in focus. Breathe out anxiety. You can do this. Others have done it before you. Heck, you’ve even done it before. It is not impossible.

Push. Push past the fear. It’s there. That feeling of, “What if I seriously cannot do this?” But don’t let that stop you from pushing. It’s going to be messy. It’s not going to be pretty. That’s okay. It’s not supposed to be. You can go back and clean it up later. Just bear down and write.

Visualize. Focus. Push. You can do it.

Let’s Talk: Where are you in the writing process right now? Plotting? Starting a rough draft? Ending one? Editing? What kinds of things do you do to push through to the end?removetweetmeme

Disaster Planning for Writers

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

At school we practice certain drills twice a year. Each one has its own set of procedures. That way, if disaster strikes, we won’t panic. We’ll know what to do. Because we have a game plan.

Disaster plans are good. They give us a sense of purpose and control when things turn nasty.
As writers, we should have a disaster plan.
Because when things go wrong, we don’t want to panic.
Which is precisely what I did this past month. My story stopped cooperating. I hit a wall. And spent a week pulling out my hair, intermittently staring at my document and the trash can on my desk top.
The only thing that kept me from clicking and dragging? A deep-down, in-my-gut feeling. That if I could just fix the broken parts, this story could be great.
So I tied a gag around my anxiety. I assured myself that the first five novels weren’t a drawn out case of beginner’s luck. And I drew up my own personalized disaster plan.
First, I assessed the situation. How did I get into this mess? I’m not a pantser at all. I’m an OCD plotter. But for whatever reason, this time around, I thought my rough outline would be enough. I had the basic plot elements down. I could just start writing, right? Wrong. I got halfway through and the tires started spinning.

Second, I stepped away from my computer and broke out the note cards. I wrote random scenes as fast as I could on each one. Whatever popped into my head. The crazier the better. Then I looked for ways to connect them. My creative juices started flowing. Scenes came together. Unexpected twists and turns jumped out at me. Until I had a beginning, middle, and end.
Then, on the back of each card, I wrote: (1) if it was a scene or sequel and (2) the GMC (goal, motivation, conflict) for the scenes or the RDD (reaction, dilemma, decision) for the sequels. If you’re not familiar with these terms, you should be. Consider reading this post for a basic overview: Story Structure: Scene and Sequel.
It took a long time. I lost some hair and some sleep. But the disaster plan worked.
My novel is no longer a mess. I don’t care that I have to cut a big chunk of the 50K words I have written. I don’t even care that whatever remains needs rewriting. I have another novel. It’s all there. On 74 note cards. 39 pink. 35 blue. The hard part is finished. Now I just have to write it.
And if I run into another crisis in the future, I won’t waste a week of my life freaking out. I can whip out my disaster plan and get to work.
So what about you? Do you have a disaster plan? If not, here are some tips to help you create one:
  • Stay true to the way God made you. Don’t try to be a plotter if you’re a panster and don’t try to be a panster if you’re a plotter. Trust me. It doesn’t end well.
  • Know what sparks your creativity and problem-solving skills. Do you need to get away from your computer and find an old-fashioned pencil? Do you need note cards? A writing buddy to brainstorm with? Do you simply need to write through the disaster?
  • Include specific action points. This will give you a sense of control in the midst of the chaos.
Let’s Talk: What do you do when your story stops working? What does your disaster plan look like? Have you ever had to use it?

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Un-Rut Yourself

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

Ever been in a rut?

I have. Especially lately. Not a writing rut, but a why-do-I-have-to-spend-eight-hours-of-my-day-at-work rut. There are a million things I’d rather do. Like spend time with my son. Stay on top of the laundry. Exercise. Get involved with women’s ministry at our church. And of course, write.

The clock gets closer and closer to 6:15 am and I know I have to save the work on my computer and get into the shower and everything in me shouts, “I don’t wanna!”

Life goes so darn quickly and the busier we are, the quicker it goes. Sometimes I just want to shout, “Time out!” Zack Morris style (you Saved by the Bell fans know what I’m talking about). Spending a third of my day at work, then trying to cram all the other stuff in when I get home….it gets to me. Leaves me feeling a little blue.

Here’s the thing. I’m not quitting. At least not anytime soon. This is my reality right now. I’m a full-time teacher, mother, and writer. Trying to fit it all in. My passion (writing) has to get shoved to the side sometimes.

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only person in this particular boat. I’m pretty sure most people wish they had more time to do what they love and could spend less time on the things they don’t.

So what do we do? How do we get ourselves out of those ruts?

  • Stop telling ourselves the grass is greener on the other side. Whether we work full-time, or have a passel of kids running around our feet all day, there’s always going to be something we have to do that we aren’t particularly thrilled about. Something that cuts into our writing time. Just yesterday, my pastor said, “Stop wishing for a different life, and live the one you have for Him.” It was like God decided to speak to me.
  • Find a new perspective. When I’m in a rut, I tend to look at everything through glass-half-empty lenses. If I force myself to step back and look at things a little differently, that unmotivated feeling in my chest starts to shrivel. I mean, I have a job, one I actually enjoy. I have insurance because of that job. Our budget has room to breathe. My writing is independent of our finances and there’s so much freedom in that. Any money I make is a bonus, something we can save, or give, or use to further my writing career.
  • Consider the perks. There are always perks. Because hubby and I both work full-time, we share the responsibility of housework. If I’m honest, he probably does more than me. I mean, I rarely have to do laundry or go grocery shopping. I’m sure a lot of women would love to be in that situation!
  • No matter how bad the rut, in the words of my mother, don’t wish your life away. Like I said earlier, life goes way too fast and man, I don’t want to be sixty-five and retired, regretting that I spent my younger years wishing for something different. I want to live present in each moment. With purpose and joy and thanksgiving.
  • Look at other factors – what’s the root of the rut? Have I been eating healthy? Exercising? Spending time with God? Have I been a good steward with the time I do have to write? A lot of times, when I examine these other factors, I find that there are things I can change, things I can do differently to get myself back on track motivationally.

So there you go. Those are some of the things I do when I find myself wishing for different circumstances. Most of the time they work. But sometimes, I just have to pray and let things run their course. We all go through seasons. Sometimes, I just have to remind myself that, “This too, shall pass.”

Question to Ponder: Are there things you have to do that you wish you didn’t have to do? How do you battle the unmotivation? What tips do you have when it comes to battling ruts?removetweetmeme