Why Writers Need a Break From Creativity

Hello, my lovelies!

Today it’s story time:

The Story of How I Wrote So Many Words:

Once upon a time I used to fill every waking moment with my stories. Even when I was reading other people’s I used to think about their stories in terms of my own- how did mine compare? What did they do that I liked? How could I avoid doing the things I hated? How could I imitate the things they did that worked? What did they do that I didn’t like?

A lot of people questioned this and asked me if this was healthy- did I ever take time to rest, to relax, to just be? Did everything have to be related to a story?

Of course, I ignored them. I was a professional, after all, and they simply didn’t understand my devotion to my craft. They didn’t understand that dedication and hard work are what it takes to make it in this world.

Looking back now, I wish I had listened to those people. Oh, how dearly I wished I had listened instead of thinking I knew it all.

Fast forward to last November (November 2016). I hadn’t written anything substantial in over a year and as NaNoWriMo was fast approaching I starting to consider participating. Maybe this was the creative boost I needed to get me writing again.

It turns out it was what I needed and not only did I complete my 50,000 words in November, but between November of that year and May of this I wrote close to a quarter of a million words.

Let that sink in a moment.

I was on cloud nine with joy over how much I was writing and unable to believe I was being creative again.

The Burn Out:

In the midst of all that happiness and creativity I started to see something was off- I was running the risk of falling into the pits of creative dryness again and I realized I was burning out.

In November, December, and into January I was writing 1,500 or 2,000 words every day. But by the end of January and into February it started to get harder for me to write. It was like pulling teeth forcing myself to sit down and do it and there were stretches where I didn’t write for days. Then I’d sit down to write and look at how far behind I was on my word goal and I’d cringe as I forced myself to push to catch up to that goal.

I was burning out. And I was doing it fast and hard. There was no way I was going to be able to keep up with this creative streak. I knew what was coming.

I was going back to the creative wasteland I had fought so hard to free myself from months before.

The Solution:

As I finished the project I was working on and started to move onto another, I remembered the counsel I’d been given all those years ago.

Was I a workaholic when it came to stories? Was that what was running me into the ground and forcing me into those dry periods of creative nothingness?

I started to think about it and mostly out of fear I made a decision- if I really was a workaholic, I’d set one day aside each week and refuse to let myself write those days. No writing, no outlining, no character sketches, no making story Pinterest boards or playlists, or anything else related to my writing. It would be my day of rest.

I chose Sundays because that was the best day for me. Sundays in our house are restful anyway, with time seeming slower and lazier, even when we have plans. So Sundays it was- both my spiritual Sabbath and my creative day of rest.

The Results:

It was that first Sunday that I took off when the reality set in- I am a workaholic. I’ve kept this in practice for almost nine months now but I still find it challenging to take a pause from my stories, to disconnect from fiction and just breathe.

But I’ve also been writing consistently in those seven months and feel more grounded and less on the verge of falling apart all the time. I’m not scared of burning out or drying up creatively and I feel more in touch with my stories when I come back to them fresh the next week.

So Why a Day of Rest?

God commands a day of rest each week, to focus on him and recharge from the week before. Creatively, it’s always good to take a step back and breathe for a moment, to come back to things with a fresh perspective sometime later.

And I’ve found it’s especially helpful that my creative day of rest coincides with my spiritual one. I have nothing distracting me from the Sunday sermon (my stories used to do that all the time) and those lazy Sunday afternoons now have plenty of time for contemplating God when I used to fill them with stories and characters.

Your own day doesn’t have to be Sunday but whatever day you choose you need to make sure you’re committed to it so that you truly get the chance to recharge and hit the reset button on your creativity. If you’re going to do this you need to be committed.

But How Do I Rest?

This was the hardest part for me- it wasn’t until I started doing this that I realized how much of my life revolves around stories. I actually had to ask people how on earth to do this because apparently I don’t know how to relax…

Somethings that have been suggested to me or thing I’ve found work are:

-Go for a walk

-Read a book for fun or something unusual for you

-Find a show you can get lost in (for me this is usually Food Network)

-Lay in bed and listen to an e-book

-Sit outside and breathe

-Make plans with friends that don’t include writing or talking about stories

-Find somewhere to explore

-See what other people are doing and tag along if possible (if my mom goes to the grocery store on Sundays I usually go too now)

-Take up a hobby that you find joy in

-Clean your room

-Organize something (if you’re like me and you find that energizing)

-Do something you’re always meaning to do but never seem to have the time for

-Bake

-Respond to all those messages from friends that you never get to (if you’re like me and are really bad at messaging people)

-Listen to music

-Find things that bring you joy and energy and throw yourself into them

Conclusion:

We live in a fast-paced world and it’s easy to get caught up in the frenzy. Having time set aside specifically to breathe and recenter ourselves makes it harder for us to put it off. Like everything else in this life, if it’s a priority to us we’ll make it happen no matter how crazy our lives are.

You also don’t need to get legalistic about this- I’m writing this post on a Sunday because I knew what my weekend looked like and decided to take Saturday off instead. I still keep Sundays set aside as my day off but sometimes Saturday comes and I know I need to take my break a day early. It’s all about knowing yourself and what you need.

This is about you- it’s about resting and breathing and resetting the creativity button. It’s about taking a step back so that you don’t run the risk of burning out. It’s about learning to relax in a world that’s always on the go.

I hope to see you on Friday for another review. Until the next time we meet, don’t forget to live happily ever after <3

~Jennifer Sauer, the Ivory Palace Princess

P.S. Let’s Chat! What are your favorite ways to relax? How do you keep from burning out creatively?

Do Stories Matter?

Hello, my lovelies!

There are just a few days left in November and if you’re doing NaNoWriMo you’re no doubt scrambling to write that last several thousand words.

But it’s times like this when the doubt really starts to set in and you’re wondering if your story matters. What is the point of all this? Why are you still writing this?

What good are stories really? I often ask myself in my darkest moments. They’re nothing more than fiction- lies masquerading as something important and true. Why waste so much time and energy investing in something that is only make believe?

And then I remember.

Life Sucks:

Sorry for being so blunt, but you can’t deny it, can you? Life isn’t pretty. It’s one big mess after another.

I don’t need to rehash it all here but my teen years were pretty dark ones. And that’s coming from someone who would say she had a happy childhood. My parents are amazing and my home life has always been incredible. I still live at home and I have no intention of changing that any time soon.

But still, life is life, and even the happiest of us get blindsided.

I got lost. I didn’t know who I was anymore or who I was supposed to be. I stopped really living and just started surviving. Some days were better than others but all the nights were the same. After my sister went to college I was alone at night consistently for the first time in my life. And as someone who thinks way too much that was dangerous.

I threw myself into my stories and other people’s stories because that was the only thing that made sense. I finished my first book in that time- a book of light and hope and optimism, which were all things I was searching for.

We’re All Looking for Light

My relationship with God crumbled then. I fought to hold onto it but something was missing- there was a disconnect. I got saved when I was five and when people talk about returning to your first love or having childlike faith I know that they’re talking about. I remember what that was like. I remember how God transformed my family, how miraculous it was. And somewhere in those years I lost it. I wanted it back but I didn’t know how to go about doing that.

I was convinced that if I went to the right church service or prayed the right prayer it would fix everything. I was looking for a “God moment,” like in the movies, where the character prays and God fixes everything. In that instant everything changes.

I knew it could happen because I had seen it happen before. And since it wasn’t happening there must be something wrong with me. It was God’s will for me to have a relationship with him, I knew that. So if something was keeping me from that it had to be me.

I was obviously broken. And I didn’t know how to fix myself.

Story Time:

I don’t remember how old I was exactly but I was in my late teens. I bought a book at a discount story for $2.99- more than I would ever pay for a paperback I hadn’t read before (I laugh now as I write this, thinking of all the full price paperbacks I’ve bought since).

But I started reading it in the store and the main character spoke to me. She told me I wanted to read her book- I needed to. So I bought it.

I read in the car on the drive home and kept reading for the rest of the afternoon. I took breaks to spend time with my family and get stuff done but I kept going back to the book. I read most of it that day. The only reason I stopped was because it was the Saturday before Daylight Saving and we had to be up early for church the next morning.

I finished the book in church that Sunday, before the service while my Mom and Dad practiced to lead worship later that morning.

It was a YA contemporary romance. The main character falls in love with an actor who plays sparkly vampires in Twilight-esque movies. They bicker constantly but each needs the other for something else so they come to an agreement to tolerate each other. The tolerating turns to love and it’s adorable.

And in his mercy, God decided to use this book to change my life.

I’m Getting to the Point, I Promise:

See in the midst of the bickering and falling in love the main character was breaking.

She lost her brother- in a different way than I had lost mine, but I understood what she was going through. She was falling apart inside but pretending to be fine. And she was looking for God, looking to get rid of the disconnect that was between herself and him.

I saw myself in her. And as her trip to Ireland and falling in love with a sparkly vampire brought her healing, so it did me.

She finds God in the end. She finds him in such a way that she realizes he’s been there all along. She has her big “God moment” and she knows things are going to be okay.

But here’s why I needed this story- the book has an epilogue, set two years after the end of the book- after the character’s big moment. And she’s still broken. She’s healing and she’d growing closer to God but she’s not there yet.

And sitting in church that Sunday, reading the end of the book, I knew God had inspired the author to write it for me. I knew he had always been there for me, that I may be broken but there was nothing keeping me from him. And I knew that healing was going to take time. And that was okay.

We Need Stories:

I had heard everything I learned from that book before. Pastors had preached it in sermons. Wiser, older people had said it to me in an attempt to encourage me. I’d heard others talking about the principles in conversation.

But I needed a book about vampires, and crazy old ladies, and mischievous nuns to really make the message sink in. I needed a fictional character to go to Ireland to find God so that I could too.

We need stories because they speak to us in ways other things never can. They say fiction is telling truth with lies and I wholeheartedly believe that.

Stories teach us things, show us things, remind us of things. They build us up and take us places we’d never get to go otherwise.

I don’t know what my life would look like without this book. I’m sure God would have found some other way to speak to me- he’s God, after all, and I know now he never would have given up on me- but still, the process would have taken so much longer, been even more painful than it was without this book.

God uses stories. I don’t know why. I guess because he’s merciful like that- he’s willing to use the things that make us happy, that we allow ourselves to get lost in, to speak to us. He’s willing to use those things to reach us when nothing else can.

Even if you don’t think your book has a strong message, like the book I talked about does, that doesn’t matter. My best friend likes to tell me about the spiritual truths she finds in Doctor Who and Star Trek and Stargate.

You don’t have to set out to tell your readers something. Just know that if you write with the intention of telling the truth your readers will find the truth they need. If you’re writing your story, trusting that even in its messy state, God can and will use it, then that’s all that matters.

Conclusion:

We are just days away from finishing NaNoWriMo. November is almost over and hopefully your novel is too. You’re almost there. You’ve got this.

And yes, that novel is a mess. It’s an utter nightmare right now. No one will ever make any sense of it, right?

Wrong. You will have time to edit and polish and rewrite. Right now you’re getting words on paper and that’s enough.

But be encouraged. Someday this messy, messy first draft is going to be something beautiful. It’s going to be something that changes lives. Someday a very lost teenager is going to read your book and God is going to use it to fuse back together all the broken pieces.

And until then all you have to do is keep writing. The only story that can’t change someone else’s life is the story you keep to yourself.

I hope to see you on Friday for some bookish fun. Until the next time we meet, don’t forget to live happily ever after <3

~Jennifer Sauer, the Ivory Palace Princess

P.S. Let’s Chat! What stories has God used to change your life? Which ones still continue to bring you healing?

Someday, Somewhere: A Mid-Novel Pep Talk

Hello, my lovelies!

It’s day twenty of NaNoWriMo. It’s so hard to believe that there are only eleven days left to November! It’s around this time when the doubt really starts to creep in and I need someone to remind me of the important things and keep me grounded.

So without further ado, I would like to offer you some encouragement and remind you that someday, somewhere someone is going to read your book and:

-Compare themselves to your main character

-Claim it was written for them

-Compare themselves and the love interest to their relationship

-Make the hero their role model

-Use it to get them through a rough patch

-Tell someone it is their favorite book

-Write their own book because it inspired them

-Write fanfiction about your characters

-Dress up as one of your characters for cosplay or Halloween

-Make fandom posts about it

-Give it a fandom name

-Connect with people simply because they all love it

-Make Pinterest boards and Spotify playlists and Facebook groups about it

-Draw fan art

-Talk about how they need to make a movie based on it

-Underline their favorite passages and read them over and over again

-Give copies of it to all their friends for birthdays and holidays

-Write reviews of it for their blog or vlog

Your story will impact people in ways you never imagined it would. It will become as part of someone else’s world as your favorite book has to yours. It will change lives and probably even save some. It will get people through unimaginable horrors and help them face the day or week or month or year ahead of them.

There are people out there who need this story. People who need your characters and what they go through. They need the message your book will offer them, even if you don’t even know what that message is yourself.

This story doesn’t need to be perfect. It doesn’t need to be spectacular or the next great American novel. It just needs to be. With all its heart and quirks and every last bit of you that you pour into it.

People need that. People need you and they need this story. And while this is your story and you don’t owe it to the world, you do have something to offer it. Don’t ever doubt that.

Your story will make the world a better place for people. You will bring them light and hope and joy. You will give them an anchor in the darkness. Your story has the power to change lives.

So keep writing, dear one. Through the doubt keep pressing on. You’ve got this. You will get this story written and it will be worth it.

On Monday I’ll be talking about how God used stories in my life. And of course Friday will bring another movie review. I hope to see you for those.

Until the next time we meet don’t forget to live happily ever after <3

~Jennifer Sauer, the Ivory Palace Princess

P.S. Let’s Chat! What are some ways you honor your favorite books? What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced this month?

How to Keep Your Creativity Flowing

Hello, my lovelies!

November is almost halfway gone already! I hope you're all doing well and keeping on track and having a blast.

But whether you’re doing NaNo or not, it’s easy to fall into writing slumps. Your writing starts to drag, you find yourself procrastinating, hitting a brick wall every time you try to write. It’s hard to focus, hard to find the energy to write, hard to get anything done. You’ve hit a creative slump.

It’s time to kick that creativity back into drive.

What Do You Need?

One of the most important things to do when trying to boost your creativity is knowing your cues. They’re different for everyone and only you can really tell what you need. But when it comes time to start taking action you need to know which you need- drive, inspiration, or to disconnect.

Drive:

Sometimes all creativity needs to get going is for you to sit yourself down and force yourself to write. The writer who doesn’t write if he isn’t inspired is going to find himself inspired less and less.

Sometimes you just need to make yourself write. Whether you want to or not, you need to sit down and force yourself to put something on the paper. Anything. Just put words on the paper until you find it easier than before to keep doing that.

Word Wars or Word Sprints:

But sometimes just forcing yourself to write doesn’t work. You’re distracted, you can’t focus, it just doesn’t work. Which is why Word Wars or Word Sprints are a thing.

I first learned about Word Wars from the OYAN community. They’re pretty simple- you find someone to war with you (either in person or via the internet. At the moment the NaNoWriMo group I'm part of has a Word War group in Facebook messenger for this purpose). Then you agree on an amount of time and write until the time is up. Whoever wrote the most words “wins.” NaNoWriMo Word Sprints work the same way, just with a different name.

But sometimes there aren’t other people available to war with and that what are you to do?

NaNoWriMo does have it set up so that you can sprint withyourself. Or you can just use a regular timer. Or, if you’re like me and you like having random apps on your phone, the Forest app is pretty cool. You set a timer and if you don’t use your phone the entire time it’s running you grow a little tree (or a bush, if you set the timer for a shorter amount of time). It’s really adorable and I like having all my little trees.

But regardless of how you do it, the idea of the timer is to give you pressure to keep you focused on the story. You don’t have time to think about other stuff or you can’t work on other stuff if your phone is “locked” (the Forest app doesn’t actually lock your phone, but it does know when you use it so the moment you open something else it asks you if you want to kill the tree!!)

Break It Into Pieces:

But maybe timers aren’t your thing. Or maybe you just don’t want to do that right this second.

Something I use all the time is to break it into small little chunks. It works better if you have something like NaNoWriMo or Pacemaker to keep track of your progress, but I have done it without those before.

Basically how it works is I take the number of total words I’ve written on the project and the number of words I’ve written that day and I’m constantly trying to get one of them to a rounded number. So if I’m at 12,258 words and I want to reach 13,500 words for the day, instead of just setting my goal for 1,242 words and getting stressed I break it up.

I start with the 12,258 and I tell myself that I only have to write 242 words to get myself to 12,500 words. Then when I reach that number, I look and see that I ended up writing 257 words so if I write another 243 words I’ll have written 500 words today. But once that’s written I only have 242 words until I reach 13,000 words.

It just keeps going like that until I reach my word count for the day and then some. On days when I do this, I usually end up doubling my word count because I just keep telling myself to write another 200 words or so. And it usually goes by pretty fast- on Saturday I wrote almost 3,000 words in less than two hours by doing this.

Inspiration:

But sometimes just sitting down and writing isn’t enough and no matter how many tricks you have up your sleeve, it’s not enough. Sometimes you need inspiration.

Inspiration comes from finding things connected to your story to help you get excited about it all over again. You’re missing a piece of the puzzle and you just need to find it again.

The first step is identifying what piece you’re missing. Sometimes you have some research that needs done or you need a clearer direction on what happens next. Or sometimes you don’t know what you need, you just know something is missing.

Research:

Research is a rather easy fix in that if you know what needs researched then all you have to do is take the time to do it. Go to the library or start Googling until you start to feel inspired to write again.

If you’re retelling a story sometimes your research might be as simple as rereading the original tale over again to remind yourself of the details and look for things you might have missed the other times you read it.

Think it Through:

Finding direction is a bit more difficult. Sometimes it helps to have a friend help with this- someone who is willing to talk the story through with you to offer advice or suggestions or just a sounding board for your ideas. Try outlining or going back over the notes you originally made about this story (if you’re like me and you made those notes in the first place).

Character Sketches:

Try doing some character sketches to help ground who your characters are, solidifying them in your mind. I really like Charahub’s questions. I’ve also used a journal with writing prompts before, with things like “What does paradise look like for you” or “What are some things you would like to pass onto your children?” I answer them as if the character is the one writing the entry and that helps me not only get to the heart of their thought process but also offers me insight into aspects of them that I might not have tapped into before.

Plus it’s just a lot of fun.

Know What Inspires You:

I love having a Pinterest board for each of my stories to pull up at the moments when I need a quick inspiration fix. My boards are usually a mix of pictures that remind me of the aesthetic and tone of the story along with quotes that fit the characters and themes.

Music also inspires me so listening through a playlist for my story or trying to track down some new songs to add can be the much needed inspirational recharge that I need.

Know what inspires you most and partake in that- if I’m writing a sci-fi I might watch a sci-fi movie or immersing myself in a fantasy might be helpful if that’s what I'm working on.

But be careful- it’s easy to blur the lines between plagiarism and inspiration. Make sure that you aren’t even inadvertently stealing elements from someone else’s story to fix your own. For example, while I might watch a sci-fi show while writing a sci-fi, I always try to avoid retellings of the fairy tale I’m retelling. This month I’m writing a Snow White/Robin Hood story so I avoid all kinds of Snow White or Robin Hood media. It’s easy for me to get confused on what is part of the original tale and what is someone else’s interpretation and to keep it from getting all muddled up I just avoid those things for the duration of my writing process.

Disconnecting:

But what happens when the drive tricks aren’t working and the inspiration is just stressing you out? You try disconnecting.

To disconnect you need to step away from the story entirely and work on other things. This is hard if you’re like me and your stories take up a good portion of your life.

But sometimes it’s easy to get so immersed in your story that you get overwhelmed. Sometimes what your story needs it for you to take a step back, breathe, and come back to it later with fresh eyes and a new perspective.

Find a Distraction:

Sometimes you just need to step away and do something else for a little bit- take a shower, finish a chore, read a book or watch a movie (preferably something outside the genre you’re writing), bake something. Find a task that isn’t linked to your story and throw yourself into it for a time.

Sometimes when I’m particularly stressed I’ll even set a time limit for myself- I can’t think about this story for the next hour or four hours or even the rest of the day.

Walk Away:

Sometimes the physical act of walking away from your story is all you need. Go for a walk, make plans to go out with friends, do your grocery shopping. Get out of the house and breathe. I write in my house most of the time so most of my stories are tied to my house mentally- when I leave without a notebook or my laptop it’s easy for me to disconnect completely from the story since it’s my house that I associate with the story.

Know the Difference:

The biggest thing to know though, with all of this, is whether you actually need inspiration or to disconnect or if you’re just procrastinating. My greatest enemy is putting off writing simply because I don’t feel like doing it. It’s easy to mistake lack of desire to write for lack of inspiration.

Sometimes there comes a point, after you disconnect and look for inspiration, that you need to put your butt in the chair and you need to write. You can only make so many character sketches before it becomes time to stop putting it off and just start writing.

So learn your cues and know what you’re doing- since I often take Sundays off, Mondays can be hard for me to get back into the writing groove, so on Mondays I know I need to give myself an extra push to write. I rarely allow myself to take time off on Mondays because I know those days that I’m not in need of anything other than a kick in the pants.

But forcing yourself to write when there is legitimately a problem will only produce more frustration and can often be bad for your story in the end. So if you aren’t sure what you need, it won’t hurt to take a little time off from writing to work on something else. Just make sure you don’t take too much time off and you recognize that there comes a point where you have to kick yourself back into gear again.

Conclusion:

Writing is hard and it’s always good to know what you need to keep from burning out. And if you feel you might be in danger of that, make sure you take the time to take care of yourself. Writer self-care is very important.

But also know what you need and don’t use “writer self-care is important” as an excuse to put off doing the things you know you need to do. Your words won’t get written unless you write them.

I’ll be back on Friday for another movie review and I hope to see you then. Until the next time we meet, don’t forget to live happily ever after <3

~Jennifer Sauer, the Ivory Palace Princess

P.S. Let’s Chat! What are some ways you find inspiration? What are your favorite ways to disconnect from your writing?

How to Use Rewards to Boost Productivity

Hello, my lovelies!

I hope all of you are having a productive November! It’s six days into NaNoWriMo for those of you who are participating and I hope it’s been a great six days.

Today I want to talk about how I learned to use a reward system to boost my productivity when I write. I discovered it the first year I did NaNoWriMo so it seemed fitting to share it with you today.

What is a Rewards System?

Simply put it’s exactly what it sounds like. You set a word goal and then you reward yourself when you reach it. If you don’t reach that goal you don’t get the reward. Usually you pick something you really want because otherwise there won’t really be an incentive to reach the goal.

The first year I did NaNoWriMo we had bunches and bunches of peanut butter cups left over from Halloween. I am my mother’s daughter and by that I mean that I love peanut butter. And when you pair it with chocolate it’s a match made in heaven.

But I was also trying to be healthier so I decided that for every 5,000 words I wrote I could have peanut butter cups. In between I wasn’t allowed to have sugary snacks of any kind. So what ended up happening was I would push myself to reach the goal so that I could earn my peanut butter cups. There were usually two days in between each time I earned my reward and the sugar cravings made me write all the faster.

How Often Do I Use Them?

As often as you want. I don’t have a set reward for reaching my daily word count except for a basic “the sooner I reach my goal, the sooner I can be done and do something else.” Sometimes that something else is reading a book or watching something or making a new playlist. But very rarely do I set a reward for my daily goal.

I would recommend picking a word count you’ll reach every two or three days and setting a smaller reward for that (like me and the peanut butter cups).  This could be something like catching up on episodes of your favorite show or a certain snack or a long soak in the tub. Something simple and sweet to make you want to write faster. Unless you have tons of money to throw around, don’t make this something costly. And don’t make it anything harmful or that you aren’t supposed to be doing.

Then you can also set rewards for larger goals that do cost money. I plan to buy myself a NaNoWriMo mug if I win this year, which I’m pretty excited about. You can also use things like a book you’re considering buying, a pastry from a special bakery, or tickets to see a new movie. Or find other things that won’t cost you anything. Rewards aren’t about how much they cost, but about pushing you to write more.

Find something you really, really want and tell yourself you can have it when you reach your final word count (for those doing NaNo that would be 50,000 words).

Set a Schedule:

It’s really easy to keep yourself on track with this if you aren’t firm about it. Set your word goal and be strict about it. Don’t say “If I write 2-5 thousand words I get a reward” or “I still deserve a reward even though I didn’t reach my goal.”

There’s really no point in using a rewards system unless you’re going to stick with it. If you’re bad at sticking with it, find a close friend who is willing to hold you accountable.

What Counts Toward My Word Count?

Especially if you aren’t doing NaNo and you’re the kind of person who works on your stories even on days when you don’t write it’s easy to ask what counts toward your word count. Does an outline count? But does the outline then have to be wordy and complicated so that you can reach the goal? You might work on an outline for an hour or more but only get a couple hundred words.

Don’t ever pad your word count for the sake of padding your word count. That’s just going to bring you trouble in the end and is never a good idea.

A good rule of thumb for determine what should count toward your goal would be to set rewards for a certain number of tasks completed rather than words written- if you want to get some outlining done, research something in particular, and write the next chapter sometime in the next three days set that as your goal for your next reward. Get those tasks done in the next three days and you get the reward. Don’t get them done in that allotted time and you don’t get the reward.

The Downside:

There is one downside to all this and I think it’s important to mention. Using a rewards system can easily become an excuse to fall into unhealthy habits.

If you aren’t supposed to be eating certain foods or you aren’t supposed to be spending money on certain things, don’t use this as an excuse to do this. The best way to use this system is to pair it alongside another habit (if you’re trying to limit your sugar intake, having to earn your intake and setting a goal you’ll only meet every two or three days is a good way to do this) or to use things that are harmless or you would already get (last year a friend and I agreed to send each other a small snippet of what we were working on for every 5,000 the other person reached).

Rewards also don’t have to be expensive- my friend and I sending each other snippets cost us each nothing but about five seconds of our time.

Again, rewards should never be harmful to you and can be as simple as you want. As long as they make you want to reach your goal, that’s all that matters.

Recap:

Set goals. Reach goals in allotted time. Get reward. Or, set goals. Don’t reach goals in allotted time. Don’t get reward.

It’s as plain and as simple as that.

I hope you found this useful! I was excited to share it with you and look forward to hearing your thought on it.

I’ll be back on Friday for a new review series so I hope to see you then. Until the next time we meet, don’t forget to live happily ever after <3

~Jennifer Sauer, the Ivory Palace Princess

P.S. Let’s Chat! Have you used a rewards system for your writing before? What do you usually use for rewards?

What are Your Writing?: NaNoWriMo 2017 Edition

Hello, my lovelies!

Two weeks ago I explained what all is involved in participating in NaNoWriMo. I also mentioned how incredibly excited I am to be participating.

November starts today so I thought I’d share with you the story I’m so excited to be working on. No commentary on life or writing, no ranting or offering insight, no showing you the world through my eyes. Just a post about what I’ll be writing this month.

Title: The Merry Adventures of Snow and Robin

This is a working title. I don’t know that I’ll keep it but at the moment I love it so at the moment it stays. When it’s actually written and edited and I’m considering publishing it is when I’ll start thinking about whether I want to change it or not.

Logline (what’s it about in a very short amount of words): Snow White/Robin Hood retelling which Robin is supposed to kill Snow on the eve of her eighteenth birthday but they decide to become outlaws instead.

The book is going to focus on Robin and Snow’s adventures as they form their band of outlaws and work to reclaim the throne for Snow from her stepmother.

Genre: Medieval Adventure Comedy

I want to keep the medieval setting from both of the original tales. The tone of the story will be lighthearted and funny but also have plenty of action and excitement (hopefully…)

Projected Word Count: Around 55,000

I usually have some idea before I start writing of how long I want the story to be. Sometimes I end up coming up short, sometimes the book ends up longer. But usually it stays within 5,000/10,000 words of my originally projected goal.

I think this one is going to hit the official “novel” mark of 50,000 words (I hope so, because if it doesn’t, I don’t win NaNoWriMo!). But I also don’t think it’s going to be a whole lot longer than that.

Main Characters:

I know I’m going to write in third person so I’m not sure if I’ll stay in Snow’s perspective or if you’ll get some of Robin’s perspective as well. I’ll probably just start with Snow and see what happens as I write. I usually don’t plan these sorts of things in advance and like to discover what is right for my story as I tell it.

But whether or not we get inside his head, Robin will definitely be a major character in the story (his name is in the title, after all). He’s the strong, warrior sort, while Snow is more clever and cunning. They balance each other out nicely and once they team up it becomes clear that together they’re a force to be reckoned with.

The other major characters are the Merry Men/Dwarves, who aren’t actually dwarves in this story. They’re a family of miners who take the two main characters in and end up getting roped into their quest. Each one is based off a different one of the Merry Men from Robin Hood and I love them all so much. I won’t say more though because while I have an idea of who I want them each to be they’re probably going to change over the course of the story as it’s written.

Preparation:
I don’t have a set way that I prepare to write a story and usually just do what I feel that individual story needs.

I generally always make a Pinterest board for inspiration and a Spotify playlist. I did those for this book and I’ll share them with you a little later on. I also have my short little character sketches that just summarize who each character is in a paragraph or two. This helps me remember what exactly I had in mind when I created the characters so that I have a standard to hold them to as I write (though they are certain to change as the month goes on and I start to get to know them better and develop them more).

And beyond that I’ve done some rereading of the original tales the story will be based off of. There were a couple elements of Snow White that I’d never noticed before that I’m excited to include in my story. Robin Hood is a little harder since there are so many stories to read but I’m pretty excited about the ideas I have as to how to incorporate the original legends into this story and world.

I’ve also been getting a lot of other stuff off my plate in terms of writing- I finished the novella I was working on and wrote a good number of my blog posts for November this month. That way when I do have writing time it can all be devoted to my NaNo word count.

The Links:
As promised: Pinterest Board and Playlist

If you want to add me as a writing buddy, here’s my NaNoWriMo profile.

And if you want to stay connected this month about NaNoWriMo be sure to like my Facebook page as that’s where I’ll be posting that sort of stuff.

I hope to see you in Friday for the giveaway winner announcement! There’s still time to enter if you haven’t already.

Until the next time we meet, don’t forget to live happily ever after <3

~Jennifer Sauer, the Ivory Palace Princess

P.S. Let’s Chat! Whether you’re doing NaNoWriMo or not let me know what your November looks like. What are you planning to work on?

What You Need to Know About Prewriting

Hello, my lovelies!

Are any of you getting geared up for NaNoWriMo next month? I know I am! But whether you plan to write your book in a pressure-induced frenzy or on your own schedule it never hurts to have a plan. So today I wanted to talk about prewriting techniques.

What is Prewriting?

Exactly what it sounds like. Prewriting is all the things you do before you actually sit down to write a novel.

My own prewriting routine changes depending on the book I’m writing and what I feel I need. But there are still many tried and true methods that I’ve used or know work for other writers and I thought I’d share them with you.

Outlining:

This is something I could write an entire series of posts on because there are so many different ways to outline. But there isn’t one proven method that works so honestly you just need to find the one that works for you.

Some people find that an extensive outline makes their writing process all the more easier and if you’re one of those people kudos to you! I would love to know more about your methods and what exactly that looks like for you.

Personally, outlines don’t work for me. I like to explore as I write and an outline looks less like a map to me and more like a ball and chain. It feels constricting and they always end up doing me more harm than good.

That said, having some sort of direction is always good. So even if you don’t outline, I would recommend having a clear picture in your head of what you’re working toward- at the end of your story what does victory look like? Keep that in mind as you write and work toward that. This will not only help you remember what your characters want and are working toward, it also gives you a clearer goal than “the moment when I get to type ‘the end.’”

I also like to create a separate document specifically for random notes and ideas I have, that way I can look back on it and remember stuff I wanted to do when I’m in the midst of the writing process.

So whether you want to sit down and bullet point out each and every scene and beyond or you’d rather keep most of it a mystery and explore as you write, having some sort of direction for your story ahead of time will help keep you focused as you write.

Character Outlines:

As a character driven writer I love having my characters fleshed out before I start writing a single word. Character outlines help me do this, though over the years I have yet to find one method that I like better than others.

Sometimes I like to make basic outlines for each of my character that follows this template. Sometimes I use Charahub’s questions and make character profiles. Sometimes I just open a word document and type up quick summaries of each character and who they are.

Good things to know ahead of time are:

-What is each character’s physical goal? (What is the story goal for them? Is it to find the magic talisman? Take down the evil government? Solve the mystery?)

-What is each character’s emotional/personal goal? (While larger story goals are great, having smaller, more personal goals for your character makes them feel more real)

-What is their history leading up to this point? (Even if you just have a very basic idea)

-How do they react to people in general? (Are they more introverted or extroverted? Do they approach things from more of an analytical perspective or an emotional one?)

-How do they react to situations in general? (Are they optimistic or pessimistic? Serious or sarcastic?)

A Developed World/Research:

Whether you’re writing a historical fiction, a fantasy, a sci-fi, or a contemporary novel having a clear idea of how your world works is always a great idea.

Yes, these are things you can develop as the story progresses and if you are an exploratory writer like me you don’t plan it all out ahead of time. But having a basic idea of things like who uses magic in your world, what a basic day looks like for a typical high schooler, what ancient nomads ate, or how people get from one planet to another are always good things to know ahead of time if they’re going to pop up in your story.

This is also a good time to do any research you think you might need to do. Start checking out some library books or searching the internet for any information you know you’ll need but have no idea about. And make sure to take notes. You don't want to have to start all over again next time you need a piece of information.

Again, you don’t need to have it all mapped out down to the last detail, but thinking about simple things ahead of time and having even the smallest bit of direction is never a bad idea.

A Game Plan:

Whether your schedule is so busy it’s hard to find the time or you just have so much time to write that it’s easy to put it off until later, having a plan is always a good idea.

Take a look at your schedule and see if there’s some time you can set aside to get your words written. Do you have a free afternoon each week? Can you free up an hour or two one day by pushing yourself the day before?

For me, I realized that as long as I make myself get all my stuff done on Tuesday afternoons, it leaves most of Wednesday left to write. I also like to use Saturdays to push myself to get just a little more done before the end of the week.

Do you have an extra hour somewhere that you usually spend doing something unnecessary? While rest and self-care are important if it’s just a time you spend idling that you could spend doing more important things take advantage of that time (I waste a lot of time surfing Facebook- not even interacting, just scrolling).

Having time set aside makes it more than just a desire- it makes it a commitment. It’s a promise to yourself that you’re going to be diligent and follow through and that this is important to you. Setting time aside makes it a priority in a world that will always offer us another excuse not to sit down and get it done.

Inspiration:

Before you sit down to write it’s always a good idea to have things that inspire you on hand for when you’re feeling stuck. As I’ve mentioned, I like making a Pinterest board and a playlist for each story to remind me of the visuals and emotions I had in my mind when I was first excited about this idea.

Your outlines or character outlines could also count for this- these are great ways to remind you of who your characters are and where you planned on going before. Even if the story outgrows these things, having them on hand helps remind you of the heart of what you wanted for this story.

Also books and movies in the genre you’re writing can be helpful, just so long as you’re careful not to accidentally steal elements of them for your own story. As long as they stay as nothing more than inspiration they can be great sources of that.

Fuel:

What you want to fuel this story? Are you a coffee drinker? A tea lovers? Do you like to munch on celery and carrots while you write? What about chocolate? Or if you’re weird like me, you might associate yogurt with long stretches of writing.

While writing should never be an excuse be fall into unwise or unhealthy habits, having things on hand that might boost your creativity can be a good idea.

Just remember to also eat lots of food to increase brain power and to also stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water.

Conclusion:

At the end of the day, this is your time to get prepared. You know yourself and your book better than me and only you can determine what you’re going to need. It can be as detailed or as sparse as you want it to be, but try to be as prepared as you think you’re going to need.

You don’t want to look back midnovel and curse your past self for putting stuff off that you knew you needed to do.

I hope to see you on Friday for the last Princess Tale review and a giveaway announcement! Until the next time we meet don’t forget to live happily ever after <3

~Jennifer Sauer, the Ivory Palace Princess

P.S. Let’s Chat! What does your prewriting routine look like? What’s something you’d like to be better at?

A Comprehensive Guide to NaNoWriMo

NaNoWrio official promo graphics ©NaNoWriMo

Hello, my lovelies!!

It’s almost November!! It is for those of us who are gearing up for NaNoWriMo, anyway (though, if you’re like me, you’ve been geared up for this since December 1st of last year).

Or there’s a good chance you’re scratching your head right now wondering why on earth I’m jumping up and down excited for what looks like some weird jumble of letters that make no sense.

What is NaNoWriMo?

According to the official website: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. 

On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on November 30.

Valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought about writing a novel.

In order to participate, all you need to do is create an account, fill out the information about your novel, and then when November 1st comes you sit down and start writing. Then over the course of the month you keep writing and writing and writing until you write 50,000 words that month.

Crazy, I know.

Why 50,000?

Any work that is 50,000 words or over is officially considered a novel. Anything under 50,000 words falls either into the novella or the short story category depending on the word count. So it’s 50,000 words because it’s National Novel Writing Month, not National Short Story Month or National Novella Month.

Why Do It?

In the end you write about 1,666 words a day. Which is a lot of words. And writing an entire novel in a month isn’t anything to sneeze at. So why do it?

There are a lot of reasons actually, each person who participates most likely has a slightly different reason. But some common reasons are that people find the deadline appealing- it pushes you to keep writing and keeps you from over-editing as you write- and the competition- while anyone who reaches 50,000 is a winner there is still that same feeling of competition any challenge has, even if that competition is really only with yourself in this case.

It’s also just really nice to know there are so many people around the world writing at the same time as you and trying to accomplish the same goal.

So Is It Right For Me?

I don’t know. I know a lot of people who love it- I’m one of those people- and I know a lot of people who will never, ever do it again or who flat-out refuse to even try it in the first place. It’s not a one-size-fits-all sort of a deal and there are a lot of things to consider before you just jump in.

If you want to determine if it’s right for you or not, ask yourself these questions:

Do You Write Well Under Pressure?

I like deadlines and write better when I have a goal that is forcing me to sit down and write a certain amount of words per day. If I don’t have a set word count I end up writing about a hundred words and then calling it a day because I’m tired or I have something else to do or I just don’t feel like it.

NaNoWriMo makes me focus and forces me to write. It also helps me to recognize what are actual priorities and what are nothing but excuses not to write.

Other writers find that the pressure of NaNoWriMo doesn’t fit their writing style. Some writers work better writing slowly, editing as they go. Some have a limited amount of time and don’t like to be told how many words they need to write in that small window. Some find the word count makes them focus too hard on quantity rather than quality to the point of making the story almost ineditable.

Do You Struggle with Over-Editing While You Write?

Do you tend to get hung up on editing as you write to the point that it keeps you from moving forward? Do you find your “inner editor” brings crippling self-doubt that causes you to get discouraged and give up?

NaNoWriMo forces you to keep the “just keep writing” mentality. You don’t have time to edit and you don’t have time to ask too many questions about your story. So what if that one line isn’t perfect? So what is that scene isn’t quite right? So what if that one part of your plot might need tweaking? Just. Keep. Writing. You can always edit it later.

And a lot of times I end up finding that the things I hated while I was writing them aren’t so bad when I read them over again a month or two later. Sometimes all you need is to keep writing and edit later and NaNoWriMo forces you to do that.

Other writers find they work better writing a polished first draft, editing as they go. So something that is forcing them to write fast and edit later just doesn’t work. For NaNoWriMo there is a daily word count to meet each day and if you don’t meet your word count the count for the next day just goes up in order for you to stay on track. When you write better polishing as you write, having the pressure of doing that while also meeting a high word count each day can be the death of your novel and your creativity.

Do You Like to Explore as You Write or Outline Every Last Detail?

Part of what I love about writing is exploring as I write. I like solving problems on the fly and figuring out where I need to go in the moment. Since I have a word count to meet each day, NaNoWriMo forces me to make decisions in my story or just keep writing through the plot holes. This keeps me from overanalyzing the story as I write and questioning every single action.

Without a push to keep writing I would give up stories because I just didn’t know what I wanted to do or I would put off actually taking the time to work through the problems. This way I have a deadline and I don’t have an excuse to keep from fixing what needs fixed right now.

Similarly, NaNoWriMo also works well for people who outline extensively in advance and need a push to actually sit down and get the words on the page. If you have a plan you’re confident in but just want an added push to help you execute it, this might be the thing for you. The story is all planned out from start to finish, you just need to actually sit down and write it. NaNoWriMo can help you do that.

NaNoWriMo doesn’t tend to work for those who like to explore as they write but also do well with taking their time in solving problems. Some writers might work on their stories daily, but only do actual writing every few days or so. In between they might be outlining what’s to come, polishing what came before, and figuring out their characters and the direction their story is taking.

So Is It Right For Me?

Only you can decide that. You know yourself and what works for you and what doesn’t. Only you know if NaNoWriMo will help your writing or harm it.

But my advice would be that if you work better at your own pace and thrive by making your own schedule, then I would suggest skipping this. Better to stick with what works for you than risk hurting your novel. Because most people I know who have done NaNoWriMo and discovered it wasn’t right for them, they tend to wind up trashing the novel they wrote that month because they feel that it was ruined.

But if the intensive pressure and competition sound like something that might be good for you and your writing, I would highly recommend giving it a try.

How?

First, create an account on the NaNoWriMo website. From there you’ll be given instructions on how to do things like create your novel (tell the world what you’ll be writing), join the forums (connect with writers from all over the world), and join a local region (connect with writers in your area). I haven’t interacted on the forums before but I attended a couple of local things last year and would highly recommend them.

What Do I Do Before November?

Anything but write.

The weeks leading up to November are great for planning as much as you want. I usually make a Pinterest board to use for inspiration when I get stuck, a playlist to listen to while I write or to keep my creative juices flowing when I’m not writing, and do whatever research I know I’m going to need to do for this story.

You can also use these months for character sketches, any outlining you might want to do, those sorts of things. If you are a planner, get planning now.

These weeks are also really good to take things off your schedule that you might be able to ahead of time- for instance, I’m trying to use them to get some blog posts written ahead of time so I have more time to devote to novel writing. Obviously you can’t put your life on hold for a novel but if there are things you can take care of now instead of later, these next few weeks are the time to do that.

And What Do I Do In November?

Write.

Sit down at your computer or pull out your notebook and pen/pencil and write. And just keep writing until you hit 50,000 words. Then if there’s more story left to do, keep on writing that. Write until the book is done.

So What Do I Do After November?

We’ll talk about that when November is over ;)

Conclusion:

NaNoWriMo isn’t for everyone. But if the fast-paced frenzy of the month sounds like something you’d be interested in, be sure to check out the official NaNoWriMo website for more information.

I’m excited to be participating this year and I hope you’ll be joining me. Or, I hope you’re wise enough to recognize that this isn’t for you and you find another way to boost your creativity. Whatever the case, I hope November is a productive month for you.

If you have any further questions about NaNoWriMo be sure to drop them in the comments and I would be happy to answer them!

I’ll be back on Friday with yet another book in the Princess Tales. Until the next time we meet, don’t forget to live happily ever after <3

~Jennifer Sauer, the Ivory Palace Princess

P.S. Let’s Chat! Who else is excited for NaNoWriMo? What story are you planning to work on?

How to Write Women: A Guide

Hello, my lovelies!!

Several weeks ago I was talking to a young woman I have had the pleasure of seeing grow up. She’s still young- in high school- but she has come so far and grown so much and I am so proud of the woman she is growing into.

I want nothing but the best for her. She is an incredible young woman who is going to go so far and do all sorts of amazing things. She’s talented, has the sweetest heart, and is so very insightful.

So you can imagine my concern when she expressed to me that she’s been struggling with the way girls are portrayed in media. Because while she’s smart enough to say “That’s not how I’m supposed to be” there are so many girls who don’t have that wisdom.

The Tests:

It has been the curse of females everywhere to read novels and see a cast of strong, well-written men, to watch movies with deep portrayals of male protagonists, and then when we look for stories with similarly written females we come up short.

In the writing/literary world we have this thing called the Bechdel test. The requirements for a story to pass this test are simple enough- the story must have two female characters, both of whom are named, and they need to have at least one conversation with each other about something other than a man.

It really should be easy for stories to pass this test, but it’s actually so hard that the writing world has come up with another easier test- the Sexy Lamp test. In order to administer this test, you need to imagine the female in the story is replaced with an inanimate object. It fails if the story is still largely the same even though one of its major characters has been all but removed.

The Tropes:
Why? For a world with a huge number of female writers why is it so hard to find women who are well-written? Why do little girls have to find themselves gravitating to male characters as favorites not because they just happen to prefer that character but because the females put in front of them are confusing and frustrating?

For years the majority of girls in stories were reduced to the love interest or damsel in distress in the story. In classics if the protagonist is a male there is a good chance the girl’s role will be to help the main character in his own growth and spiritual awakening but she herself is nothing more than a symbol.

In later years there has been a new wave of females written specifically to counteract these portrayals of old. They are the “strong,” “independent” females who have trouble making friends with other women because these other girls are too silly or immature or girly for them and the extent of their character development at the start of their story is to say as often as they can, “I don’t want to get married.”

Because the desire to be married, obviously, makes you far from strong or independent.

The Mixed Messages:

The Mama Bear trope is often considered to be the pinnacle of fierceness. And yet in stories we’re told that getting married and having babies makes you weak. How does that make sense?

The things we see in the world around us- the good, beautiful, inspiring things- are the ones we’re told in stories are bad, bad things. We’re told we’re weak for wanting a relationship, companionship, and that not only can I never be a strong independent female for wanting those things but no other strong independent female will ever want to be my friend if I want them.

We teach girls to either compete with each other for man’s affection or to isolate ourselves from other girls because we’re too good for them. Our ideals are so much more enlightened than theirs that we can’t even stoop to talk to them, that’s how far beneath us they are.

We constantly tout the idea that violence isn't the answer but a female who isn't a warrior- who can't wield a sword or hold her own in a fist fight- is said to be weak, isn't a role model or someone to be admired. A female who is diplomatic is considered weak or the writers feel the need to also throw in that while she mostly uses her words she can still definitely take you down if you cross her.

We counteract stories that teach girls to compete with each other with stories that tell girls to be loners. We feed into the idea of girls being petty, manipulative, and drama-seekers instead of encouraging girls to cultivate friendships with the women around them. To learn from them. To seek relationships that aren’t romantic, pure and innocent and healthy relationships.

So how are we supposed to write women, you ask?

Write People:
Stop writing “women” and start writing “people.”

The problem with most female characters isn’t that they want to get married or they don’t. The problem is that their character development begins and ends there. We have reduced females in stories to sexy lamps who have no purpose save to look pretty or friendless parrots who say the same thing over and over again because people think that’s what we need and want to hear.

But what we really want and need is for our gender to no longer be used in stories to prove a point or serve as an example or symbol for us as a whole.

Women are all different- we're lawyers and soldiers and housewives and warriors. Some of us are soft and gentle and could never use a weapon if we tried. Some of us were practically born with us a weapon in our hands. Some of us are good with our words and want to use them to change the world. Some of us are called to fight for our country and what we believe in. Some of us are different mixes of those things.

Even if you believe in gender roles and women having a certain position in the world that doesn’t make them all the same. We’re individuals who want to be treated as such. When we read a story we don’t want to read about a cardboard cutout of what someone things we ought to be. We want to read about an individual person who might be vastly different than us but feels real and complex. We’ve been reading about guys for years, after all, so reading about women who are different from us isn’t going to be that much of a shock to our systems.

What Makes the Tick?

See there is actually nothing wrong with the damsel in distress or the girl who states over and over again that she doesn’t want to get married. There are women in this world who are those ways and there is nothing wrong with having characters like that in a story.

But make them people. Why is the damsel in distress the way she is? I would actually love to see a story where this trope is done without it being a trope. I would love to see a damsel in distress who feels like a real, honest individual with hopes and insecurities and dreams and weaknesses.

Or the woman who doesn’t want to get married. Why does she feel that way? Because she is modern and enlightened isn’t an actual reason. A modern and enlightened woman can also be a stay-at-home mom- the two are not mutually exclusive. Or maybe this character does just simply not have that desire. But what desires does she have? What are her strengths? What are her weaknesses?

Give Them a Balance:
Oftentimes, to counteract the portrayals of women as weak nobodies, these female characters who are portrayed as strong and independent don’t have weaknesses. They are shown almost as if they are the pinnacle of womanhood. They’re strong and fierce and don’t need anyone to do anything for them and they aren’t ever weak or insecure and have no flaws whatsoever.

Which basically is just taking the male adventure hero trope that people like to complain about, changing the character from a male to a female, and rebranding it as a good thing.

Write women with weaknesses. Write women with flaws. Write women who are insecure and vulnerable and frail. Write women who are strong. Independent. Fierce. But make them a believable balance of the positive and negative.

I want a woman who is fierce but flawed. Independent but insecure. Strong in some places but weak in others.

But also remember that not every women is an exact balance. Making her a happily married woman who also knows how to hold her own in a fighting arena is also just a trope if she's not developed. And again, there are different definitions of strength so while you can make your woman a warrior also consider there are a lot of women out there who have strengths in other places.

Again, Write People:
Forget tropes and start writing people like people. Make your characters real with hopes and aspirations, flaws and insecurities. Give them a history. Give them dreams for the future. Give them friends or make them lonely. Give them friends and make them lonely at the same time.

Look at the world around you, at all the intricate layers of humanity. Look at how detailed every individual’s personality is and then take a long, hard look at your own characters. Can they be replaced with an inanimate object or are they too complex to be compare with something like a lamp?

Male or female remember that your characters are people before they are anything else. They aren’t a symbol or a stereotype or a standard for everyone else.

So write them as such.

If you need some help with where to start with this, be sure to check out my post about outlining characters.

I hope to see you on Friday for my latest review! And until the next time we meet, don’t forget to live happily ever after <3

~Jennifer Sauer, the Ivory Palace Princess

P.S. Let’s chat! What are some problems you see with the way women are written? Who are some of your favorite female characters or female characters you think are written the best?