Writing During Vacations

In case you’ve been wondering where I’ve been these past two weeks, I had the pleasure of a wonderful holiday in Vietnam. With beaches, mountains, motorcycles, friends, shopping, and delicious Vietnamese food, I couldn’t have enjoyed myself more.

Before you start getting too jealous, I’d like to remind everyone that summer holidays are just around the corner. For many of you, you’re wrapping up school or work, and maybe even graduating within the next few weeks. Give yourself a pat on the back and a hearty congratulations. At the very least, you’ve nearly made it through the first half of the year!

With the prospect of some freedom and breathing room up ahead, that leads me naturally to the subject of what happens to our writing when we’re on vacation. How can we make writing a part of our holidays without making the vacation too stressful or unpleasant?

1. Have a plan
Deliberately schedule time each day or every few days to write. Don’t leave this to chance—if you don’t schedule time, the more fun activities of vacation (watching TV?) will take first place and you will get little or no writing done at all.

2. Write as early in the day as possible
Yes, I understand you want to sleep in (heaven knows we all need more sleep!), but once you’re up, don’t wait until later to write. Get it done early on.

3. Don’t stress about quality
You’re on holiday, for goodness’ sake, so relax a bit! Don’t worry about getting the story perfect. Just get it done! Particularly when you are writing your first draft, your focus should be on writing, not on how good your writing is. Even if you decide to edit rather than write over the vacation, you should still take it easy on yourself. Have confidence in the small steps you’re taking. Don’t let yourself stress about the final product before the story is even finished.

4. Determine what you want to focus on: researching/planning, drafting, editing
Each person has different writing strengths and weaknesses. For me, writing the first draft is the most difficult part of the writing process. I’ve found that, when I’m drafting large chunks of story, long uninterrupted vacation times are essential. Then during the rest of the year, it’s a lot easier to carefully edit what I’ve written. So for example, I wrote my first full draft of my novel Red Sun Blue Earth over the month of June last year, when I was on holiday. During the rest of the year, I primarily spent my time editing. Of course, each person is different, so make sure you’ve pinpointed what portion of the writing process you want to tackle over your vacation.

5. After your vacation, focus on the positives
If you’re anything like me, you probably didn’t accomplish quite as much as you’d hoped over the holidays. Rather than bemoaning the fact that you didn’t write four hours a day, however, you should congratulate yourself on what you did do. Re-read what you’ve written, if you’d like. Maybe tally up your total wordcount or pagecount. Reward yourself for what you’ve accomplished.


And that’s it—just a few pointers about enjoying yourself (and your writing) over the holidays. So tell me, do you have any ideas yet for what writing you want to accomplish over the summer? Are you planning to travel anywhere exciting? Do you prefer drafting, editing, or researching/planning over the holidays? Let me know in the comments!

Food & Fantasy

I love food. Cranberry scones, lemon sorbet, apple pie, Japanese hiyashi-chuka noodles, fresh-baked bread, thin crust pizza...food can be so delicious and amazing!

Then again, sometimes it's more weird than wonderful--bird's nests, shark fin soup, grubs, fried crickets, and more. As fantasy writers and readers, we can be alert to using all of the mighty powers of food for many different purposes.

That's what today's blog post is about: food and fantasy.

1. Everyday-subsistence food
Your story may be a fantasy, but your characters do need to eat. (Unless they are some sort of non-eating-elemental-beings, in which case they probably need energy like moonbeams rather than food.)

Think carefully about what the ordinary people in your story eat on a daily basis. Do they have wheat and corn and potatoes, as in our world? Is there a ready supply of meat? Or are they vegetarians (like me)? Are there any types of daily foods that are unique to your world--special fruits, for example, or maybe a type of vegetable that your main character hates?

If your characters travel over the course of your story, be sure to have them sample different cuisines along the way. There's no better way to add realism to your story than by describing the different sorts of foods your characters encounter along the way!

A few words of warning: while food is an interesting detail that adds texture to your story, don't let it be unnecessarily prominent. Don't just mention food for the sake of mentioning food. Whenever you mention food, make it part of the conflict: the main character doesn't want to offend her host, but she hates eating zinzer roots; some village children are falling sick because of malnutrition; your crew of hearty sailors have scurvy or are running short of food. You get the picture. Make food interesting, important, and maybe dangerous.

2. Special-occasion food
In our world, food is so often tied to celebrations. Think of Thanksgiving dinner. What would it be without turkey and cranberry sauce and stuffing? Then there's Easter, which is practically synonymous with eggs. Or what about Chinese New Year--you have your springrolls, your pineapple tarts, your lo hei/yusheng. Food is an inescapable part of celebrating.

So in your fantasy world, when you have celebrations of the new year or for a coronation or for the king's birthday or for the Harvest Festival, be sure to concoct some special and essential foods to celebrate.

3. Food with special properties
Think of all the examples: Snow White's poisoned apple. The elves' lembas bread from Lord of the Rings. The Weasley twins' nosebleed nougats and canary creams from Harry Potter. We're writing fantasy stories, so we really can let our imagination run wild with our foods. Make your foods poisonous, deceiving to the eye (maybe it looks like sugar and tastes like coal), bestow strength on the eater, make the eater turn into a canary, make the eater invisible...the possibilities are endless.

If you're really interested in the possibilities of magical food in fantasy, study J.K. Rowling's use of candies and foods in Harry Potter. Food is one of the many things that makes Rowling's stories come to life in readers' heads.


A note on presentation: in some cultures, like Japan, the arrangement of the food is crucial. The food is meant not just to be useful but to be beautiful. The colors are chosen to create harmony on the plate; the foods are arranged in special shapes and positions. In such cultures, food can be an art form in and of itself. You could write an entire book about a girl determined to succeed as a food artist but prevented by the traditional heirarchy of her fantasy world. My point here is, don't just think about food as a detail or sustenance for your character. Make the food and the presentation of the food woven seamlessly into the fabric of your fantasy culture.


All this talk about food is making me hungry! Good thing it's almost lunchtime. Let me know if you've made up any foods for your fantasy world, or if you have any cool examples to share of uses of food in the stories you've read.

Easter & Fantasy

 
The title for this post may catch you off guard a bit. What do Easter and fantasy have in common? Should they have anything in common? As Christian writers, we need to ask ourselves some very tough questions about writing and Christ. So, in honor of Easter Sunday coming soon, I've decided to address these questions now.

Just to warn you a few things before we begin: these are extremely controversial topics, and there are no easy answers. Whether or not you agree with my thoughts and conclusions, approach this post with a lot of prayer and listen to what God is telling you about your writing.

The overarching question here might be as follows: "Must Christian writers (especially of fantasy) present a complete account of Christ's saving death and resurrection in their stories?" Along with this comes other questions: "What exactly makes a story 'Christian?' Simply being written by a Christian? Having Christian themes? Presenting the gospel?"

In short, I would like to suggest that "Christian" writing is a lot more complex than it appears at first glance. To answer some of the secondary questions above, just because a "Christian" author writes something doesn't make it inherently Christian. Conversely, even nonbelievers can write works that support Christian themes through God's common grace.

In the course of study and prayer, I've found the following Biblical guidelines helpful for providing rules to guide my own writing:

1) What is lawful/unlawful?

Paul talks about this first guideline in several of his letters, notably 1 Corinthians 10:23, where he states, "All things are lawful" (more on the next part of the verse in point 2). Basically, what this is understood to mean is that if it does not break specific Biblical commands (do not murder, do not commit adultery, etc.) then it is "lawful."

What does this mean for writers? We should not glorify anything in our writing that the Bible presents as unlawful. So if someone murders, show that murder to be wrong (through the murderer's punishment or through other characters' condemnation, and so on).

2) What is helpful/detrimental to my walk with Christ for me, personally?

In 1 Corinthians 10:23, Paul continues his guidelines by saying, "All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things build up." In this passage and in others (especially earlier in 1 Corinthians, in regard to food offered to idols) Paul makes it very clear that even if some activity may obey God's commands, it can still be unhelpful or detrimental to your personal walk with Christ.

This is often determined by your culture and upbringing--for example, in the Corinthian church, those who had been brought up eating food offered to idols as an act of worship felt it weakened their faith to eat the food after they became Christian. For others, however, raised in different circumstances, eating that food was just like eating any food.

So what does this mean for us? Well, first, as writers, we don't want to write about something that will tempt us to think sinfully or even something that distracts our focus on God. For example, some Christian writers (especially younger writers) prefer not to write about romance. They believe it's fine for others to, but for them personally, it's not helpful or edifying at that time in their life. The same can be said for using certain types of profanity or substitutes for profanity--some may find it deeply offensive; for others, it's just second nature.

3) What builds up/sets a stumbling block before other Christians?

What does the Bible teach about this guideline? Well, Paul certainly has a lot to say. In the same passage we've looked at twice above -- 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 -- Paul says, "Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor." Also, in 1 Corinthians 8:9, he states, "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak."

This is a very difficult guide to follow writers. We write, after all, so that other people can read what we've written (at least, most of us do). Often, our readers may be brothers and sisters in Christ. Thus, we come under this guideline all the time. But how, you may ask, can we protect other Christians from stumbling in the context of a fantasy story? Clearly, it's impossible to foresee every single detail that might cause one of our readers to stumble. 

This is one of those areas where there are no easy answers. I can't give you a magic ruler that says, "That sentence there, especially the adjectival clause, will cause Mariella to stumble, so cut it out!" Here, you must pray sincerely and deeply to God and trust in Him to lead you as you write and edit. Consider getting someone you respect, who has both life experience and Biblical understanding, to look over your draft and point out some potential problematic areas. Again, pray, keep praying, and don't stop praying.

4) What reaches out to non-Christians?

In 1 Corinthians 10:32-33, Paul continues, "Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved."

As Christians, one of our primary responsibilities is to "Go, make disciples." We are to proclaim the kingdom of God; a weighty task, certainly. So what part does our writing play in the process?
Basically, the answer is different for each individual. God may call some to write directly allegorical stories (Pilgrim's Progress, and the Chronicles of Narnia, to an extent). For other stories, an actual "salvation experience" is not necessary; instead, God speaks through Biblical themes of redemption and love and sacrifice. 

Here, again, use much prayer. God does have a plan for your writing, just as He does for your life. Your role is to trust, pray, and obey!




I'll conclude my post here, although there's much more to be said on this topic. Hopefully, you've been challenged to think deeply about how your writing relates to your Christian walk. Whether or not you agree with the points I've outlined, I pray that you'll at least be led to give further thought to how your writing is a part of God's plan for your life. May God bless you, and have a happy Easter  Resurrection Day!

The New Year in Fantasy

Happy New Year, everyone! Welcome to the year 2012!

That is, unless you're one of the many people around the world who celebrate the new year at other times. For example, Chinese New Year this year is not until January 23. In the Jewish calendar, the new year, Rosh Hashanah, was celebrated September 29th of 2011. And even in the Western world, up until about 1750 A.D., the new year was celebrated on March 25th. (If you're interested in finding out other dates of new year's celebrations, you may find this Wikipedia article on the New Year informative.)

In fact, a quick glance through all the new years around the world reveals that there have been celebrations in winter, in spring, in fall, and in summer to celebrate the coming of the "new year."

This brings us to an important point: there is no one right new year. This also means that, for your fantasy world, there's no reason to stick to January 1st as the time to usher in the next year.

Why is the particular date of the new year so important, though? Couldn't we just ignore it and move on with life? Well, the obvious answer is, yes. Certainly. But let me give you a few reasons to include--or at least think about--when the new year occurs in your fantasy world.

• Very nearly all cultures in our world celebrate the new year at some time during the year. Why should a fantasy world be any different? It'll make your culture seem more true-to-life.
• The new year is often a time to gather with family or close friends. If you need an excuse for your main character's slightly insane uncle to kidnap her, why not let the action happen during the new year celebrations, while the family is too busy toasting with rice wine to notice?
• Also, the new year is a time to make new goals, change direction, and acquire a new purpose in life. You can use this time of year to have your character reflect on his or her past, and plan for the future.
• Finally, the new year is often a time of romance. If your hero and heroine haven't quite got up the courage to have a sweet moment together, then the dancing and celebration of New Year's might be the perfect time to make a match.

So maybe, by now, you're convinced that a new year celebration might be helpful in your book. Well, how do you go about writing one? Actually, the process is quite simple.

1. Decide on a season. Is this a harvest-time new year? A wintry, snowy, cold, and bleak new year? A spring new year, with new life and new growth in the air? A summer new year, with scorching heat and crops growing strong and tall under the sun? (Remember, too, that your world's calendar system will have an important impact on the new year. Does it celebrate lunar or solar months? How does it keep track of the passing of time?)
2. Decide on particular customs. Is the new year a time for romance, or is it more for family? Is it a big party with lots of food or a small gathering with a few near and dear to your heart?
3. Have your characters look back on the previous year. Any milestones?
4. Have your characters look ahead at the new year. You could foreshadow difficulties and danger, you could give them a change of heart, or you could leave them in ignorant bliss about the path that lies ahead of them.

Whatever you do, and however you write, make sure it's consistent with your characters, your story, and your world. Enjoy!

How to Set Writing Goals for the New Year (That You'll Actually Accomplish)

If you're anything like me, you've spent the past few days thinking/worrying about the coming year. Maybe you made some New Year's Resolutions (speaking of which, if you've ever managed to keep any, I'm impressed). Or perhaps you looked back over the past year and thought of all the changes--great and small--that have occurred in your life.

The new year is an excellent time to re-commit to your writing. Perhaps you've become listless at the thought of your most recent project. Well, here's a ready-made opportunity to revitalize this aspect of your life! You could commit to writing every day or at set times each week or month.

No matter what you decide, however, there's one very important aspect that you must not ignore: if you make a promise to yourself to write, you must write. There's no getting around this important fact. If you let yourself down now, not only will you get no writing done, but you'll also fail yourself. If you break this promise and resolution, how are you to trust yourself in the future? You compromise your very self-respect.

Of course, if you decide on an unattainable goal, then you are setting yourself up for failure. Your goal should be "SMART"--that is, specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.

To make your goal specific, think small. A specific goal would be something like, "I want to write 500 words on my current story _____ every Wednesday and Saturday." A broad goal would be, "I want to write more in 2012." Do you see how making the goal specific could help you achieve it more easily?

To make your goal measurable, think in terms of landmarks--hours spent writing or word count. "I want to write 500 words" is measurable, because you can measure the quantity "500 words." Same with "I want to write for thirty minutes." You either write for that amount of time or you don't.

Next, your goal should be attainable. This is pretty self-explanatory--for example, "becoming a rocket scientist" if you flunked science is not very attainable, whereas "writing thirty minutes once a week" is attainable if you've been writing fifteen minutes each week. That doesn't mean your goals should be difficult--by definition, a goal is something that's a little ways outside of your reach, so that you have to strive to attain it. Just make sure it's possible to attain.

The next category, realistic, is actually one of the hardest to measure. On the one hand, if you set your goal too low, then you won't really be motivated to achieve it. However, if it's way too high, then there's no way you can attain it. So, for this one, it's really up to you. How much energy can you commit to this goal? How much time do you have on your hands? Are you both willing and able to achieve the goal?

Finally, you should make your goal timely. This just means to set a time frame for your goal. "I want to write 500 words someday" is a lot less motivating than "I want to write 500 words within the next 7 days." When you have a deadline, you will begin to strategize exactly how you want to accomplish it within the time frame you set.

So, again, remember--make your writing goals this new year "SMART" goals: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. And when you've decided on them, why don't you tell me what goals you set? Enjoy setting and achieving your goals!

Merry Christmas!

Have you finished decorating the tree? Baked Christmas cookies (and eaten them too, I hope)? Visited your relatives? Wrapped presents? Cooked Christmas dinner (or will soon)?

Even more than that, perhaps you've spared a few moments to write a poem or the next chapter in your novel. You may have made time to read that book that you borrowed from the library three times...the one that you never quite got around to finishing. Maybe you researched a pesky place name that you never were certain you got right in chapter five.

I hope, no matter how you've spent your holiday season thus far, that you've been able to do something truly heartwarming. It may be just sitting still beside your now-decorated tree and absorbing the magical atmosphere. For me, I made Christmas ornaments for my older relatives by painting and decorating wooden snowflakes. It could be as simple as watching "Charlie Brown's Christmas" once again. For each one of us, there is something special that will warm our hearts--that will make us, however briefly, just a little bit happier. I pray that you will find this joy over this Christmas.

Now, with Christmas only two days away, it's time once again to be reminded of what we are celebrating. After all, we all know that holidays are about more than simply presents and packages and trees and lights and vacation and leisure, as delightful as all of these things may seem. Sometimes a gentle story in a child's voice is the best reminder of what we truly celebrate:

May God bless you abundantly, and may you may be a blessing to others during this season. Merry Christmas!

Holidays in Fantasy

Twinkling fairy-lights, a crackling fire, the whisper of snowflakes falling from the sky…this season feels like stepping into fairyland. There’s a wintery chill in the air and a mug of hot cocoa in my hand. It’s the time to dream, to imagine, to relax, to write, and to curl up with a good book.

But before you go snuggle up with that book, there are a few things to ponder during this season in particular.

First, let’s begin with Christ. During the holiday—or Holy Day—of Christmas, we want to remember the reason for celebration: the birth of Christ, the One who gives us passion to write. John 1 tells us a beautiful story of Christ’s coming.

“The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

How truly wonderful it is to step back and reflect on Christ, our savior and the true “reason for the season.”

There’s another aspect of the holidays, too, that fantasy writers can use to extend the depth of our stories. We often compose a storyworld complete with languages and cultures. But what about holidays? Every culture on earth has days when it stops to rest and celebrate—and every fantasy culture should have holidays, too.

Here’s a few things to think about when creating holidays for your fantasy cultures:

• What values does this holiday celebrate? In Japan, the codomo-no-hi festival (children’s day) honors the growth of boys from children into powerful young men who are strong enough to swim upstream in the currents of life. Our own Thanksgiving Day in the Unites States helps us to think back over our life and be thankful for the blessings God’s given us. What values in your culture might you develop into a holiday?
• History: Often, celebrations are tied to important events in the history of the nation. Countries all over the world celebrate some form of Independence Day. Other important historical events—battles, establishment of cities, and more—can all prompt holidays. What events in your fantasy nations could spark a day of celebration?

So now, with all that said, have a glorious, happy, writing-filled holiday!