by Laura Oles

Writers are a curious group, with many searching for tips to help us write faster, write better,  to create stronger stories with more compelling characters.   Sometimes the writing flows and it feels so effortless. When the writing gets difficult, it must mean we’re doing something wrong. We need to fix the struggle, to find a trick or technique to navigate the tough moments.

When I find myself in this position, I sometimes search for answers from my favorite novelists. The searching is also a form of procrastination. There must remain some skills I have not yet learned that would help me better manage these difficult patches in the creative process. Certainly some other successful writers and artists have insights that will guide me back toward the easier path, right?

Maybe mimicking successful writers’ habits would be the key, so I turned to Mason Curry’s Daily Rituals: How Artists Work to find the common thread that made so many of these artists successful. With 161 artists profiled, their common techniques would reveal themselves, right?

What this careful study in creative habits revealed was that there are as many paths to success as there are barbeque options in Texas. Some, like novelist Haruki Murakami, wake up early and embrace strict routines. Yet, Jane Austen wrote amidst the bustle of visitors, housework and entertaining with no schedule at all. Some creatives drank, others abstained, some wrote a little bit each day while others wrote in a frenzied spring to the finish line.

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed,” Hemingway said. His quote is a reminder that there isn’t a magic path to writing, a secret that will cure all that ails you (or your manuscript). There also isn’t one right way to approach the craft of storytelling. It’s simply a matter of sitting in front of the computer each day and fighting through the difficult moments, putting words to paper even if they aren’t quite the right words in quite the right order.

My well-worn copy, purchased at a bookstore in Maryland while traveling for work back in 1996. I still keep it close for inspiration and as a reminder to take my projects one step at a time.

I once had an impressive collection of writing reference books and, back then, I tried on advice like many try on clothes, searching for that perfect fit. I have since whittled the collection down to a handful of books that continue to provide guidance and help me get back on track. However, what helped more than anything was the realization that I had to find my own way. It was time to apply what I had learned, to shape it and make it my own. I had to quit trying to twist the routines and methods of others to fit my life, responsibilities and personality. Yes, I’ve learned quite a bit reading these books but there comes a time when practicing the craft trumps reading about it.

Sometimes the writing is hard. There is no easy answer when we hit a wall, stumble through the messy middle of a manuscript or realize a scene we love doesn’t serve the story. It’s a matter of digging in and staying with the work. Struggling is part of the process. And that realization actually makes the process easier. Now, instead of searching for the next strategy, I can get back to work instead.

I know, I know. I actually snickered when I wrote this headline.

Most articles we read about Facebook (and other social media sites) report how much time we now spend frittering and twittering away each day. In fact, a recent article posted by Bloomberg BusinessWeek states that the average American spends as much time checking their Facebook feed as they do on their pets or on daily housework (you can read the article here: http://tinyurl.com/ml44ekl).

We really aren’t that surprised, are we? With the ability to check these sites on our phones while standing in line, or waiting at the doctor’s office, those little chunks of time all add up. The question is, “How do you feel after you’ve logged off?” Did you get anything out of it, aside from a brief respite from boredom?

As someone who uses Facebook casually to keep in touch with family, friends and colleagues, I also realize that Mark Zuckerberg is taking every bit of information I fork over in status updates and selling it to companies intent on selling me stuff related to that mined data. I know enough about Facebook and its TOS (terms of service) to realize that I am a product that they intend to monetize in any way possible. So, if we’re going to have this relationship, I might as well get something out of it. If I’m going to be on Facebook, I wanted it to be a better experience, which brought me to this question:

What if we started using these sites to help spur our writing projects?

Writers, by and large, are a supportive group, and this extends to social media as well. When checking Facebook, I specifically check updates of writer friends and authors I enjoy because they often post updates on their WIP or their processes. Reading these status updates, such as “Just finished 2K words this morning!” serves as further motivation for me. While it’s important to not compare ourselves to others–especially since we have Facebook personas that are more attractive and interesting than we actually are in real life–we can be encouraged and motivated by the posts of other writers. Anne Lamott always delivers and Louise Penny is extremely gracious with her updates. So, I now hide the feeds where people share their breakfast choices and opt to read posts from those immersed in the writing life.

Like anything, this can quickly become a rabbit hole of procrastination, so I try not to check social media until after I’ve tackled my own writing first. However, if I’m having trouble getting started, I give myself a 15-minute block of time to check authors’ posts to help spur my brain into action (and yes, I set a timer!).

I’ve also found Twitter to be  helpful  in terms of writing life and related stories because the nature of this format is condensed into 140 characters. Twitter’s format lends itself to sharing stories and blog posts, and I, again, set a specific time, and work to use the posts to motivate me and to help return my attention to writing.

I can’t say that I never waste time on social media but I have now become a bit more aware of how to use it to my benefit–and how often I’m online. Rather than scrolling mindlessly through status updates on things I don’t value, I now seek out specific posts and updates that will help me navigate the challenges of finishing a novel while working and raising a family.   I also make sure to support my favorite authors by purchasing their books and writing reviews of novels I’ve enjoyed.

So, I’m making peace with Facebook and Twitter. Like all technology, these sites make valuable servants but horrible masters, and I realize it’s up to me to decide how to leverage them to my benefit. How about you? How do you use social media in relation to your writing life?

–Laura Oles

We all know the importance of getting feedback from other writers, not just from friends and family. For many writers, that feedback comes from a critique group.

Last summer, Sisters in Crime  hosted a meeting about etiquette for critique groups with special guest Tim Green, from St. Edwards University. Members of several local critique groups joined the discussion. The following guidelines and suggestions emerged.

Professor Green offered a general framework for face-to-face critiques. First the writer speaks, then readers take turns offering their comments. Finally, the whole group can engage in a general discussion, summarizing what they agree about and answering each other’s questions.

DOs:

• The writer can introduce her work briefly, explaining what she’s trying to accomplish, whether her draft is rough or finished, and what kind of feedback she wants.
• Readers should begin with the strengths of the piece (‘What works for me is…’) and move to questions and weaknesses (‘What doesn’t work for me,’ or ‘What I don’t understand is…’) afterwards.
• Readers should speak to the writing, not the writer, pinning comments to specific passages in the text. This bears repeating! Find the specific words that trigger your reactions.
• During the readers’ comments, the writer should remain silent, listen carefully, and save questions or explanations for the general discussion period.
• Everyone should bear in mind that personal preferences are not aesthetic absolutes. Readers are only offering their subjective reactions and opinions. Writers should remember that, too.

DON’Ts:

• Writers should resist the urge to disparage or apologize for their own writing.
• Readers should resist the urge to rewrite or copyedit during group critiques.
• Writers should try not to become defensive.

Professor Green advised that higher order concerns (plot, structure, character, voice, point of view, telling/showing) are appropriate for early drafts. Lower order concerns (dialogue, scene/setting, word choice, sentence management) are more likely to be useful for advanced drafts.

Most critique groups eventually settle on a routine that works for them, but for planning purposes, you could consider the following guidelines:

• Four to six people is a good size for a critique group.
• Ten pages is a reasonable length for submissions.
• One or two minutes should suffice for the writer’s introductory remarks.
• Allow about five minutes for each reader’s comments.

At this rate, you would expect to spend a half-hour or more on each submission. If everyone submits every time, you might need to allow as much as three hours for your sessions. Timekeeping can help ensure that each writer gets her fair share of attention.

Depending on where you live and what you write, you may have a hard time finding a local group that works in your genre or niche and meets at a convenient time and place. In that case, you could consider joining Authonomy, a website run by Harper Collins where thousands of authors post their work and exchange critiques online.

Elizabeth Buhmann is author of Lay Death at Her Door (Red Adept Publishing, May 2013)

Everyone agreed on the importance of keeping the comments positive. Praise for what works should come first to balance criticism. It may be necessary to curb or even remove a person who dominates discussion or persists in harsh criticism.

As writers, we learn and improve from criticism, but praise is the oxygen we breathe. Your critique group should not leave you feeling discouraged. If it does, drop out.

You should run home from your critique group sessions eager to reread the comments on your work and inspired to make the revisions that will take it to the next level.

Have you been listening to Serial? Each week, millions of people anticipate the next episode of Serial, a podcast-turned-obsession produced by This American Life (TAL), which covers the investigation of a 15-year-old murder case. Serial has done a masterful job of pulling people into a real-life murder mystery, and I am one of those waiting for a new episode each Thursday.

Serial is hosted by Sarah Koenig, a journalist and  executive producer working for TAL, who spent a year studying the case of Hae Min Lee, a well-liked Baltimore high school student who was murdered in 1999 at the age of eighteen. Lee’s body was discovered six weeks after she was murdered, buried in a shallow grave in Leakin Park (often pronounced as Linkin Park). Leakin Park has a reputation as a hiding place for the dead. It has been said, “If you’re going to bury a body in Leakin Park, you’re going to find someone else’s.”   It is no place for anyone’s child.

Detectives investigated Hae Min Lee’s murder and her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, found himself at the center of the inquiry. Before long, Adnan Syed, was tried, convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Many believe he was wrongly convicted while others say justice has been served.

The question remains, “Did Adnan Syed kill Hae Min Lee?”

Sarah Koenig’s storytelling skills are impressive and on full display each week. Her recorded telephone conversations with Adnan Syed from prison, as well as interviews with his friends and others who knew him, bring us close to the investigation. Koenig’s analysis helps us realize that she isn’t sure about the truth, either. Each week moves us back and forth on the pendulum swing between guilt and reasonable doubt, even innocence. Each week’s episode has caused controversy, discussion and a broader conversation regarding what should be used to prosecute capital murder cases.

Serial includes a number of discoveries and twists, which I won’t spoil in this post. For those of us who are interested in studying skilled storytelling, consider enrolling in Koenig’s class by listening to this podcast. While many have proclaimed podcasts a medium with little growth potential, Serial has proven otherwise. Koenig is clear that she isn’t too far ahead of us in her weekly recordings. They didn’t have the entire season ‘in the can’ before Episode 1 aired, and we can feel the uncertainty as she discusses the case with experts and others involved, including a juror who served on Adnan Syed’s trial.

Koenig reads from Hae Min Lee’s diary and re-traces routes and timelines testified to in court. In her hands, the story unfolds in such a way that even some who feel they know the case are surprised by what she finds. The one thing that has stayed with me throughout my listening journey, apart from the horrific reality that a young woman was murdered and her family forever damaged by living with unfair reality, is that the way in which Adnan Syed was convicted. While I haven’t read the court transcripts, what we have learned so far is concerning. Did Syed commit the crime? Was the evidence used to convict him sufficient?  The issue is being hotly debated at water coolers and cafes across the country.

And with good reason.

Serial achieves a quality of storytelling rarely found in the true crime genre, and the result is a podcast that has broken iTunes records, becoming the fastest downloaded podcast to reach 5 million listeners. It’s a nod to old-style crime radio but with the contemporary twist. Its success has brought new attention to the case as well as some backlash criticism that a murder case should not be used for the public’s entertainment. These are curious waters to navigate but the exploration of true crime stories has been an industry for some time. Serial has simply found a way to connect with listeners in a compelling manner. As mystery writers, while we may be inspired by certain events, our work is fiction. No people or animals are harmed in the process of creating our stories. However, in Serial’s world, we are listening to an investigation involving real lives and real suffering, a viscerally violent foundation upon which this new American obsession rests.

The victim, Hae Min Lee, as reported by friends, was smart, funny and full of promise. She left this world far too soon and the space she has left open in her family’s hearts will never be filled. Yes, Serial is compelling, in large part, because of the real lives affected, because the stakes are high, because so much mystery remains in this case. Let us remember those people at the center of this reality. They are not characters–they are real people carrying this burden, long after each episode has ended.

To learn more about Serial, visit www.serialpodcast.org

Serial logo property of This American Life.

–Laura Oles