Inkabout L. Darby Gibbs

Science Fiction & Fantasy author

Tools for writing

Why when my treadmill dies, I’m buying another one

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My treadmill: an oldie but a goodie
It has been interesting how my writing process has changed
over time. I’ve always approached every writing project with an idea of how the
story was going to end. Sometimes I have an outline but usually not. Looking
back, I can see some constants: a title tends to come to me first followed by
the main characters. Over the last two years, I have found that the book cover is my most
inspiring starting point. It follows on the heels of the other two constants. The
cover acts as a focal point I can return to as I progress through the story.
Book 1, Standing Stone Series
My second series, Standing Stone, had its covers before I
even started writing. The same has occurred with my third series of books
(Solstice Dragon World) that I’m working on now. Each Standing Stone cover provides
a key character and the stone that is the crux of the story. In the case of SDW
novels, it is the main character and the location where key events take place.
Each of these covers help ground my writing and are designed to give my reader
a sense of the story. I feel with the covers done, I am certain the novel has a
developed core. 
I have a contemporary story with about 18,000 words, no
cover yet. It’s been sitting for three years. I know the characters, the title
and the end point moment. I think I need that cover. I have a space opera: 30K words. No cover. I don’t want to admit how long its been sitting. It really needs a cover.
Knowing the ending is very important to me. I don’t need to know the
details, just a key moment that will test the main character and bring them out the other side of a conflict, and even that is mutable. It becomes my north star. I may tack numerous
directions on my way to it, but having that fixed point in the back of my mind
keeps the story rolling. I can ask myself, “How does this relate to that? How
does this decision ultimately lead the character there?” I find the answers on the treadmill.
Writing itself has changed for me as well. The treadmill has
become a source of inspiration and direction. While striding along, I can focus
on one question, one scene, one direction that needs development. Nothing else
will interfere. My husband isn’t going to show up to talk to me. He
respects exercise too much. My time on the treadmill is set, so there’s no
getting off which can sometimes create an urgency in me to write as soon as my time is up. 
Since I exercise every morning before I head to my job, that urgency
has is flaws, but that impetus to write with a fully-developed idea gives my
writing direction and flow even if I have to wait to write until that evening or after a mound of grading. It is an appointment I feel I must keep
because I know being on the treadmill will result in a better first draft. It is also my best opportunity to go over a scene numerous times and realize what I missed or how
I can incorporate more character or plot development. Of course, there is the
added positive of keeping me in shape since writing means I’m sitting in a
chair often for hours at a time.
I talked about change in my writing, and I have mainly
covered what I do now. So what was my approach in the past? 
The past:

  • An idea would come to me. I’d sit down and
    write. Then stop where my idea ended.
  • I’d lay down on the couch and think about a
    question, such as “How is he going to deal with his daughter’s unwillingness to talk to
    him?” Fifty percent of the time, this resulted in an unplanned nap.
  • I would have a title and a vague notion of how
    the character was dealing with a situation or causing a situation 
  •  I’d sit at the computer and hope more words were
    going to come soon
  • I would develop when I redrafted, slide in side
    stories and look for inconsistencies
  • Writing a novel was a yearlong process
  • No cover
  • A working title (very much subject to change)
  • Ill-defined characters, setting and plot that took a lot more work to develop and clean up
  • One novel at a time
  • One book a year and a full-time job

VS the present

  • An idea comes to me. I get on the treadmill and walk (fast and on
    an incline: don’t want you thinking this is a walk in the park 🙂 ) and
    hash out the idea, Socratic method.
  • I write through the developed scenes (after that
    visit to the treadmill)
  • Title, character with backstory and fully-fleshed
    appearance and behaviors. Distinct main conflict and side conflicts. 
  •  I’m at the computer to write, not sit
  • Development occurs in process, daily, a much
    more recursive process that results in a better first draft
  • Redrafting occurs daily and is more about layering in deeper
    description, searching out inconsistencies, clarifying, and copy editing in an
    ongoing approach (more about this in another post)
  • Writing a first draft of a novel takes a month
    and a half, average word count 90K (summer time writing – six months during the active school year)
  • A cover (changes subtly over time, but the main
    concept is set)
  • A title (still may change but rarely) 
  • Well-defined characters with greater depth,
    setting is full of sensory details, the plot is organized and part of a greater
    series
  • Three novels in development and linked together
    by plot, setting or characters
  • 3+ books a year and a full-time job

I’m pleased with the changes and enjoying how it makes my
writing better and though nothing makes writing a novel easier, this process
does make for better flow and direction to my writing, which, after all is said
and done, is what makes writing an enjoyable activity. This is why my husband
will say, “I know you want to write today and you enjoy that, but can we do
something fun together?” I can walk away from the computer not feeling like I’m
losing my “special time with my story” to my “special time with my husband.”
That’s why my treadmill isn’t going anywhere. It takes my writing where I want it to go. So what fosters your creative side? Tell me in the comment box below, and it doesn’t have to be about writing.
If you’re interested in checking out my books, click the menu tab My Published Books at the top. If you’d like to tweet or share this post click the icon below. Feel free to comment as well.
#writing
#treadmills
#plot

When the story won’t speak, pick up another tale

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Stand on stone words

Just a few weeks ago, I decided I needed to shift to another writing project. My contemporary novel, Joanie and Friends, had hit a wall. I was writing, but it was failing to feel original and authentic, like I was just dragging the words out of my characters.

So I remembered an outlined set of rules for a story about magic. It had been bubbling up in my mind frequently, and I would run through my ideas but not put a word down and remind myself I already had Joanie’s story to tell.

But I remembered that I often write on several pieces in different stages: rough draft, cleanup draft, final draft, and final edit, bouncing back and forth feeling very invigorated by the multi-action writing.

My box set of time travel books 1 -3 of the Students of Jump was published along with the fourth in the series late last year. I had run through all my work and had thought delightedly that Joanie would more than fill my time and would benefit with being the only work on my mind. With three narrative voices, it seemed very practical. But I hit that wall at 18K words. I cringed every time I sat down to write. Who would I pick on this time to continue the story?

But back to multi-writing. I reread my notes on that fantasy short story and felt compelled to write. Some 40K words and 5 weeks later, and I have the first half of a novel drafted (not a short story anymore) and a good sense of conflicts and characters figured out. I haven’t felt any impetus to return to my previous WIP and can only suppose that it just wasn’t ready. Standing Stone, the working title of my current roll, seems to have a steady stream of words each night. My average weekly rate is 7K.

When Joanie or Mathilda or Colleen speak up, I’ll stop and listen and write if they have something strong to say, but for now this bit of writing magic is flowing nicely. Maybe knowing there is something else I can turn to is part of what is making this roll so well; the demand that there be words to type isn’t strangling me. Rather each morning more of the story comes to mind, and by the time I am home from work, the next scene is ready for drafting.

So my choice to shift from my contemporary novel and answer the call of a seemingly simple short story about magic was a good one. I’m looking forward to writing every night.

So have you had to pull back from what you thought was a ready-to-go novel and found yourself immersed in an unexpected backup? 

Use these 11 “nations” of the US to create depth in the characters you build

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I read an article about the various distinct cultural nations within the United States and found it very useful for determining the underlying influences of characters in fiction. In this article which made use of the work of Colin Woodard, Matthew Speizer provides (This map shows the US really has 11 separate ‘nations’ with entirely different cultures) descriptions of the type of people who live in specific areas in the US and what their political/cultural viewpoints are built on.


At first while reading it, I was focusing on identifying where I fit in the demographics described. It wasn’t hard to figure out. I’ll give you hints and let you pick my niche: born below the Mason Dickson line, but raised into my teens in northern New England, I then lived several years in Oregon after finishing high school in California. My adult life was largely in the Northwest, with southern influences. 

Now that I’ve written it down, all I can say is good luck with locating my cultural position within these described “nations.” I might be harder to label than I first thought.  Blame my dad who never seemed to be able to stay in one place very long.


But my point is how great is this for determining the underlining influences for character building and interaction. Imagine a “Yankeedom” having to rebuild a demolished world with a “Greater Appalacian.”  Utopian leanings vs very constrained. The conflicts are built into the individuals and the “cultures” they bring with them.


How about a (space)ship’s captain with “el Norte” sympathies with a first officer who’s a “Left Coaster.” Plenty of room for common ground and still areas where the two would argue specific issues of “expression,” “exploration” and regulation.


In my SF time travel novel (book 3 of Students of Jump), Next Time We Meet, Mick Jenkins is largely Greater Appalacian. But the society he is now trying to make a home in is New Netherland in many respects. He wants order where they encourage a general “go with the flow attitude.”


I can see these “culture” breakdowns of political viewpoints as one more useful tool for building individual character behavior and interactive conflict between characters. As you design characters, consider where they fall in these niches. Support the influences with attitudes, heritage, and biases that add depth to the individuality of your characters.  

Follow the link to the article and take a look at it yourself.  11 Nations of the United States.


Do you see any of your characters falling under these cultural labels? If so, which character, which story, and what qualities most standout?


#culture
#characterization
#writing

8 Ways to Strengthen Your Writer Posture

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Every writer needs a strong posture.

I recently watched a TED talks video, Amy Cuddy’s “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are.” As a teacher, I understand the dynamics of body language. I read my students’ body language all the time and modify my approach to match or alter their attitudes so the class runs smoothly and achieves my intended goals for learning.

Watching this video brought to mind that this approach to body language relates to writers and how we do what we do.

The obvious connection is how our characters respond to given situations. The postures we describe our characters holding tells a lot to our readers about how the character is feeling about the situation. Do they expect to win or lose? Are they going to fight or run? Do they like the people they are with? Which ones more than others? How is the day going so far?

When that described posture is combined with narrative evaluation or internal dialogue, we end up with contrast, support, and definition.

Every writer makes use of body language.

But what about the writer as writer? How does a writer adjust his/her posture for power and confidence, raise testosterone and lower cortisol in the other aspects of being a writer?

I have read numerous descriptions of writers as shy, quiet, non-social, and insecure people. We present big, but in actuality lack confidence in being writers. I don’t know if that is true since fifty years back the typical writer was often viewed as a heavy drinking, loud, drug taking, know it all. Were they faking it?  Were they, to paraphrase Cuddy, faking it until they became it? Everybody is “coming out,” so perhaps authors are too, and maybe we really are totally insecure. I know I am a shy person who has a teaching persona my students often describe as demanding. Being a demanding person would not work for me as a writer. And I am not interested in following the drinking, loud, drug taking, know-it-all approach to ensure my “writing persona” is strong. So how can we use Cuddy’s ideas to present a strong writer posture in our writing endeavors?

Here are 8 ways to use Cuddy’s ideas to strengthen our writing posture.

  1. Before you start writing, take that power pose — hands on your hips, feet shoulder-width apart and chin just a bit above parallel with the ground (called the Wonder Woman for a reason.) You should hear the theme: “Wonder Writer, Wonder Writer” playing in the background. Do this before you sit down to write that post, chapter, poem, etc. 
  2. Unless, of course, you are trying to write a downcast character and you are one of those writers that act out your characters as you write — so a low confidence pose would be good to start with: shoulders curled in, arms down and held close to the body clutching the torso or neck protectively — gather a sense of what that feels like and then power up and sit down.
  3. Going for an interview: written, audio, video, in person — first stand up, raise your hands in the air and shout (or whisper very loud) “I’m being interviewed” like it is an Emmy award you’re receiving. Now go show them your stuff.
  4. How about that important phone call: Power pose it. By the way, according to Cuddy you have to hold this pose for two minutes. Now pick up the phone and make the call.
  5. About to upload your formatted eBook:  Walk around larger than life, take a stand in the middle of the room, power pose. Now go upload that baby. It’s ready to face the world.
  6. Putting together a proposal to an agent? Feeling daunted by the task? Time to power pose. You got this. Now write that proposal.
  7. About to edit your fully drafted novel? Definitely time for a power pose. This is the second most common time for low confidence in the writer. (For me, number 4 is the number one low confidence time.) You’ve put in all this work and now you’re saying it is done and ready for clean up. 
  8. Did somebody just say, “I hear that you write”? Get big, take up space — chest out, arms a little away from the body, chin up a bit or go for the power pose. Remember that’s hands on hips, feet apart, chin up. “Damn straight, I’m a writer.” Yeah, that’s asking a bit much for me, too. But it would give me a rush of confidence, enough to say. “Yes, yes, I am.”

It’s been nice having this little chat. Consider following me, tweeting this post, checking by again. I do occasionally …. can you give me a couple minutes….  Okay, I’m ready now. So you enjoyed this post. Follow me, Tweet my post, come by each week and you’ll find something valuable in my  writings to take away with you. I challenge you to check out my earlier posts. Yeah, power posture.

#powerposture
#writing
#confidence

75+ Ways to Make Things Tough on a Character

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No story goes along smoothly for the main character. In fact, how they respond to adversity is how we get attached to the people in the novels we love. If they don’t struggle to get what they need, we won’t want to read to the end. There are innumerable ways for conflict to occur in a story.  I’ve listed the 75 I’ve come across in my or another author’s writing.

1. Everything has been working fine, until now.
2. The best friend is disloyal/undermining/lying
3. They aren’t his parents
4. The power goes out
5. The car beaks down
6. What she thought she knew is wrong
7. Injury
8. Attack
9. Not everyone made it to the agreed upon site
10. What was safe once is no longer safe
11. Supplies are lost or stolen
12. Weather change
13. Ambush
14. The character’s arrival is expected
15. The character’s arrival is unexpected
16. Sibling jealousy
17. Paralyzing fear
18. The parameters are changed
19. She refuses to go
20. Misplaced information
21. Locked door/cabinet/safe
22. Locked out of the city/house/business
23. Sabotage
24. Time is running out
25. He gets lost
26. Incorrect assumption
27. Malfunction
28. Loss of food supplies
29. Dangerous terrain
30. It is believed impossible
31. House burns down
32. Loss of parents/family
33. Loss of faith
34. Poison/illness/plague
35. Arriving late/early
36. Flight/bus/train cancelled
37. The store is closed
38. Misplaced keys/ticket/passport/spell/identification
39. Difficult terrain
40. Battery runs out
41. Old injury/illness flairs
42. Toothache/pink eye/infection
43. Curiosity
44. An immovable object
45. Prejudice
46. Mugged
47. Lost luggage
48. Missing vital ingredient/material
49. Lacks a skill/knowledge
50. A telegram/email/missive/letter
51. Inheritance
52. Loss of fortune
53. Ostracized/disowned/ignored
54. Waking up to a major change
55. Loss of memory
56. A misunderstanding
57. Death of a loved one
58. A major decision
59. Uncertainty
60. Phobias
61. A tool/skill/talent/gift has special powers, but the character can’t figure out how to work it
62. War
63. The craft is spinning out of control
64. The world is coming to an end
65. The phone/communication device goes dead
66. Someone has released the dogs/lion/critters with unfriendly intent
67. Things just don’t look/smell/feel/sound right
68. The other character would not normally say that
69. An unfamiliar vehicle has parked outside and the people in it appear to be watching the house/business
70. S/he won’t/doesn’t answer the phone
71. Heart-broken
72. Lack of confidence
73. Impatience
74. Tied up/trapped
75. supernatural/unnatural change of self/enemy/friend/general population (i.e., Zombies)
UPDATE to list provided by Marcy Peska.
76.  curses and other magical obstacles 
77. trolls
under bridges
78. gastric distress from eating too many
sugar-free candies
79. small and uncooperative children
80. hobbits too
interested in mushrooms and second breakfast
81. abrupt changes in mental
status/consciousness
82. being unable to act effectively due to being
grounded or having to go to work. [?] 
83.  Oh…and having a small bladder which requires frequent bathroom breaks. [?]

If you are a writer or a reader, you are aware of many conflicts that characters have faced. What  conflicts have your favorite characters faced? What other conflicts can you add to this list.

#conflict
#plot
#writing

We gather the music of words to create a story

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A few days ago I went to a band camp concert. My daughter was one of the players. As I sat there listening to the rising and falling notes, flutes coming in as clarinets drop away, background drums rolling in crescendo and tubas filling the brief spaces in between, my heart racing and relaxing with each movement, I realized that a good book is much the same.

The opening lines just like the first notes played introduce the vision: science fiction with electronic tones, romance flutes of the first attracting glance, Bronte storms in the kettle drums, piano-keyed mysteries or an oboe lilt of a cobra rising from the basket of an Agatha Christi novel. Each rise in the action another movement to thrill the reader.

The middle movements fill us with ideas, emotions, connecting us as a group to a single vision.  And the final notes, whether sudden and thrashing or softly fading away, give us a sense of closure and completeness.

Writers, like conductors, construct a story with the instruments at hand. We have our characters, imagery, setting, rising action, inciting event, climax, pacing and conclusion just as they have their woodwinds, keys, capriccio, adagio, brass, cymbals and the like. We create an experience, one the reader/listener wishes to experience again and again.

Sitting there caught up in the music of the moment, a part of me felt the desire to race from the auditorium and compose my own worded score, to put into words the images that floated before my eyes in response to the pull the music gave to my imagination. But the other part of me wished to remain to listen as my daughter and her fellow musicians crafted musical stories in my head.

Learning to play an instrument is as essential as learning to write. Not all of us will be great musicians any more than all of us can be best selling writers. But all of us need to experience the attempt to make music, write poetry, paint a picture, sculpt a figure, or crochet an afghan. From each experience we gain much and, on occasion, find beauty to inspire others and be inspired.

What inspires you? 

#music
#writing
#inspiration