Keeping a Dream Journal -- 7 Tips

Dreams disappear quickly upon waking. One way to hang onto those fragments of inspiration is to keep a Dream Diary. From your dreams you can take the abstract idea and brainstorm story plots. Do you record dreams? Here's some tips:

1. Make sure your paper and pen are right by your bedside, chances are you won't bother getting up in the night to find them.
2. If you can't see well enough to write immediately (my eyes are blurry for about an hour after waking), you can say the dream out loud to help solidify the memory.
3. Think about your WIP as you drift off to sleep. Talk to your characters, this might help you dream about them.
4. Don't try to write a sensible narrative of your dream, just scrible images and interactions as you remember them. They don't have to make sense, you can use them as writing prompts later.
5. Meditate before sleep to promote vivid dreams. I've posted about hypnosis for writing before in Stories from the Subconscious I use a hypnosis recording on my iPhone. You can also learn self-hypnosis. Try iTunes or Audible for plenty of free hypnosis podcasts.
6. Fall asleep listening to an audio book. I do this accidently sometimes and it always prompts weird dreams.
7. Reading fiction right before bed can get your brain in an imaginative mood.

Here's some recordings that I use:

Ever wondered why we forget our dreams so easily? 

The Naked Scientist tells us dreams create short-term memories, and because we often don't consciously move those images to our long-term memory, we quickly forget them. This is why you are more likely to remember a dream if you are awakened during it.

Freud's idea was that dreams are our secret wishes and desires, so we decide to suppress them. That doesn't really work for me because there are plenty of dreams I wish I could have suppressed, but didn't.

And because we move in our dreams through our imagination we are tying our memory to that kinetic memory, but when we wake we move our body physically (stretch, sit up or reach for the alarm) and this breaks the link between our dream state and physical state. This theory suggests lying very still upon waking, with your eyes still closed to recall your dream before moving your body.

Reviewing Writing Guides - Bird by Bird

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott is a writing guide for budding novelists.

Just as readers can be diverse in their choice of fiction genre, I find text guides also have different styles and readers preferences are individual.

I rarely read memoirs. I have zero curiosity about the dramas and problems of real people's lives, unless it's a friend, in which case I'd rather not read about it in a book. I like fiction. Stories. Fun. With guides, I like clear instructions, examples, and exercises. Bird by Bird is not a clear instruction manual.

For me it read less 'to-do' and more depressing memoir with vague suggestions of advice hidden amongst passages weighted heavily with flashes of parties, alcohol, and personal disdain. Not that the advice wasn't spot on. You can use index cards to capture ideas (just as easily as a notebook, iPhone, or the back of your hand), and yes, your first drafts can be crap. Research does help strengthen a character. My problem was the ambiguous nature of the advice. Exercise is good for your health, so is eating fresh fruit and vegetables, but I'd expect more explicit instructions in a diet manual. Sadly, I also found the author's attitude to life a little narcissistic and felt uncomfortable about her priority of recording events in order to write about them later, especially when it referred to a dying friend.

Now, I said I rarely read memoir and don't usually enjoy these narrative-style writing guides. However, I did quite enjoy The Happy Hooker, so there's always exceptions. I also appreciate Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg (I have the audible version and listen to it often). Goldberg does a better job of combining memoir narrative with hard writing advice in a way that is entertaining and informative.

There you go, my review. A negative this time, but hey, it might be your favourite book? And I know my next review will be positive, because the chosen book is Save the Cat! This review is written as part of the Progressive Book Club blog hop, all the members have reviewed Bird by Bird, so pop about and see what they thought. I dare say most would have enjoyed it more than me.

Writers for Writers

Yet more proof of what a supportive bunch we writers are.

Stephen Tremp from Breakthrough Blogs is hosting a Writers for Writers blog hop. This group aims to help promote members' books via twitter. It's quite simple, each month (the third Monday) a few writers will be highlighted. By visiting their blog you can pick up the promotional tweet to be retweeted. The tweet will promote the book, include a link to Amazon and ask others to retweet for you. This should help create a buzz about the book, increase sales/downloads and lift the book in Amazon's ratings. Then, when it's your turn, you'll write a tweet about your book and members will retweet it for you.

It's worth noting that this at times will require tweeting about a book you haven't read. I will in no way mislead followers to believe I'm endorsing the book, but am happy to simply send out a link and description. If a tweet sounds like a review, I'd probably reword it. For example, I wouldn't send out a tweet that read: Best mystery fiction ever! You must read DETECTIVE ZOMBIE GETS HIS MAN link.com if I hadn't read the book. I will still send out a link with a description of genre. I might add 'sounds like a fun read', or 'I'm keen to check this out'.

So if you're keen, sign up here:

Writers have a lot of balls

Wait, what did you think I meant?

With the popularity of authors breaking out on their own and publishing their own works, the role of author is expanding. I know many authors who are also their own publishers, editors, marketers, promotors, sales coordinator and graphic artist. Phew! It's a lot of work, for sometimes very little return. 

Through my small press publishing house, Hot Doggy Digital Press, I produce my own books and ebooks, but I definitely am not a one-woman show. I rely on lots of beta-readers (including avid readers, writers and my target market which is usually kids), employ professional editors, work with graphic artists and book designers and enlist various marketing programs. This costs money, but produces much more professional results than I could ever achieve alone.

Right now I'm sending out the final draft of Dognapped? A Dog Show Detective Novel to beta-readers. I'm also playing with cover designs. I like to do mock-ups, so when I talk to my book designer I have a clear idea of what I'm after. While this is going on I'm beginning edits on Undead Kev, writing short stories for submission, designing writing workshops for kids, attending my writer's group and undertaking masterclasses for editing. Soon I'll be designing and ordering promotional material for Dognapped (bookmarks, postcards, magnets, etc) and planning a book launch.

It's not easy juggling all those writer's balls (you thought I was going in a different direction with that post title, didn't you?). To be honest I find it easier to label all my balls, but only toss one in the air at a time. How are you going with time-managment and multi-tasking? Got a lot of balls?

Here's some of the very rough drafts of cover ideas for Dognapped? Feel free to be opinionated!

 

6 Ways to hook up with other writers -- even if you're insecure

Writing can be a solitary task, but it doesn't need to be. There's lots of support for writers if they know where to find it. Get to know other writers, form alliances, give each other feedback, encouragement and advice. The writing community is one of the most generous with sharing of information. So where can you hook up with other writers?

1. Join a Writers Group -- Best thing I've ever done. We meet once a week and take part in writing exercises, share our work and discuss the industry. This is an intimate, safe environment to share your writing with people you trust for an honest critique.
2. Blog -- I never realised there were so many writing communities until I started blogging. Start your blog on whatever you like. I enjoy blogging about the craft of writing, but also love reading marketing, education and reading blogs. It's a way to interact. Turn off 'captcha' or 'word verification' in your settings. These are horrible torturous tests visitors must endure just so they can leave you an encouraging comment. It's not polite. If you are worried about spam (yes, I'm rolling my eyes), then use comment moderation instead.
3. Sign up to Blog Groups and Challenges -- Such as Alex Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group. You put your link on a list and everyone posts on an agreed topic or event. You'll meet lots of blog friends very quickly.
4. Pick your Favourite Social Media Platform -- You don't have to do them all, so don't be overwhelmed. Best to pick the one that suites your style and use it effectively, than to flounder on half a dozen different sites. The top ones seem to be Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn, but there's also Instagram if you're more of a photo person, and Pinterest if you like sharing websites and online photos. Browse through and read posts to see which platform suites your lifestyle. 
5. Visit your Writer's Centre -- There may be one not too far from you. Writer's centres have plenty of advice and contacts to get you on your way and most charge a reasonable yearly membership fee.
6. Attend Writing Festivals/Seminars -- You'll be educated, entertained and get to network with other professionals in the writing industry.

Most of all, it's important to get out there with a positive attitude. Be thoughtful and reciprocate. If you want followers for your blog, then go follow other blogs. Don't hide in a corner and expect all the introverts to come to you.

By offering a place where followers can comment without obstacles,
you'll increase the number of people who stay long enough to say hello.

A Writer's Best (Imaginary) Friend

Kyra Lennon and Annalisa Crawford have co-hosted a blog hop on imaginary friends (find out more here).

I was a late bloomer and by time I picked an imaginary friend, all the good ones were gone. While other girls had giggling buddies to share stories with, I had Ray. Dr Ray, to be exact.

I'd like to think news programs were to blame (and not my own freakishness), when I developed a fascination with murderers. Don't worry, Dr Ray wasn't a psychopath--he was a psychiatrist. Together we would sit and Mull over the puzzle of the mind of a murderer. What makes a person act that way? Back then, I figured I would become a psychiatrist one day, but I also had artist, author, vet and an array of other vocations in my to-do list. Dr Ray never completely disappeared, although he remained wisely silent during my teen years. 

Later though, my kids would catch me musing observations to the air and ask 'who are you talking to?'

'Nobody.' I would answer, but quickly look about the crowded shopping centre to make sure no one else caught me mid-conversation with Dr Ray. 

Sometimes we'd argue--he's so darn opinionated and quite frankly, a little narrow-minded. I'd like to say he's lingered this long because of his hunky looks, but Dr Ray was created in the mid-seventies and has remained unchanged since. I'm sure he'd love to become a character in one of my stories, but I just don't want to give him that much exposure, it'd go right to his head.

So, tell the truth, did you have an imaginary friend? Dorky, or cool like Dr Ray?

Dr Ray never smiled this much for me, he must like you!

*if you never return to my blog after reading this post... I understand.