Writing Mistakes: Overusing “I” within first person fiction

Photo by: Dade Freeman

One of the more common first person themes I have seen within my writer’s group is the overuse of pronouns (I, me, my), with “I” being the biggest offender. This theme is really noticeable when the pronouns come at the beginning of multiple sentences within a given section. For example:

I was so hot that sweat poured down my face. I ran across the street to the hotdog stand. I asked the vendor for a bottle of soda. The moment he handed it to me, I guzzled it down so fast that I barely tasted it.

Pronouns, when overused, tend to draw too much attention to the character (as in: HEY, LOOK AT ME AND WHAT I AM SAYING, DOING, ETC!) versus focusing on the story unfolding before them. They are also guilty of carrying a lot of filter words, as if the reader needs to be told who is doing the seeing, hearing, touching, etc.

How do you limit “I” and other pronouns?

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20+ Ways To Create Unforgettable Characters

Photo by -Curly-

A great story often requires great characters, or, at least, one great character. Great characters come in many shapes and sizes, colors and creeds, and, more importantly,  carry a range of depth and dimension.

So how does one create great characters?

Writing in the face of life’s distractions

Ever notice how the world seems to be against you anytime you go after your dreams? It’s  as if some unknown force, like a great guided missile system in the sky, has decided to target you with distractions and obstacles the second you want to focus on any of your wanted desires.

For me, the moment I plan to write anything, EVERYTHING possible seems to come my way: issues at work, kids need to be shuttled to practice, wife needs me to fix a dozen things, phone calls from a friend, the dog wants to play, and… well, poop happens. And don’t get me started when I actually am writing – because that’s like a siren calling out to all, alerting them to come running for the interrupting fun!

Don’t get me wrong. I love that I have “a life” and that people need me. I’m not one of those who wishes to be a hermit crab, holed away in a far off land without another soul around me (though there are days!)

No, I simply do my best to Guard! Turn! Parry! Dodge! Spin! Ha! Thrust! anytime a distraction or obstacle comes my way. (and now you see the reason for the graphic!)

Write all day — Even at work!

-Photo by: bulletproofbra

DISCLAIMER: While I wish there was a secret to being able to write all day long without any risk of losing your job — sadly, my title is only meant to represent the idea of keeping the writing spirit going all day long versus putting pen to paper. Is it shameless click-bait? Perhaps. Is the message I wish to provide powerful? Only you can decide!

As a part-time writer (ie someone who can’t pay the bills by writing alone), I feel I often lack the time needed to get into a writer’s frame of mind, to build on my stories, or even think about writing at all. Ignoring all the excuses we use to procrastinate (eg full-time jobs), one thing most of us can do is keep a “writer’s mind” throughout our busy day and use this mindset to be productive.

So what is a “writer’s mind” and how do you get one?

Critique Groups: An Agenda For Success!

— Photo by Kennedy Library

Originally posted at: www.timothyafenner.com

In an earlier post, I offered up thoughts on how to being your own writer’s group. To run a successful writing group, it’s this author’s opinion that you should created and stick to an agenda.

To be clear, I don’d advocate for creating an overly detailed agenda, one so full of life-sucking bullet points that it feels more like a business meeting than a creative meeting of the minds. In stead, I suggest developing a framework to keep everyone on task and moving the group forward, to prevent any one person or subject from swallowing up the entire time.

Below is the agenda my own writing group uses:

Writer’s Warm-Up: Less than 30 minutes for a leaner, more creative YOU!

Like finally tuned athletes, it’s often suggested that we writers warm-up before truly flexing our writer muscles. The downsides are minimal (just a bit of time) and the benefits are numerous, including:

• Clear your head of the day’s troubles
• Get the creative juices flowing.
• And, more importantly, focus your attention on what you need most!

Writing warm-ups can take many forms and cover a wide variety of topics. In this writer’s humble(ish) opinion, the best warm-ups are those that focus the writer on areas that need the most attention.

• Are you weak at writing dialog?
• Does your world-building or scenery fall flat?
• Do character descriptions leave you wanting more?

Once you’ve figured out what you need to work on, add that into your warm-up routine. That way you are always reflecting and working on that topic every writing session!

As an sample to get you started on your own customized warm-up, here’s my own routine and why I use each step in the process:

6 Simple Tricks to Open Your Novel Strong

Originally published on Commas & Sense Editing.

You’ve probably heard that if you want to sell your novel to a publishing house, the beginning of your story has to have a great hook. However, did you know that many editors make a decision based on the first sentence or paragraph?

The opening of your novel has never been more important, and here’s why.

Agents and editors will quit reading if your opening sentence doesn’t have zing, or your opening paragraph must have hook. They have dozens of submissions to read every day, and if the opening doesn’t hook them, they won’t bother with the rest. Sadly that also means you can write a brilliant book, but if your introduction doesn’t start right it won’t matter.

Image courtesy of Commas & Sense Editing

The good news is, there are 6 simple tricks to creating a strong opening sentence that hooks them into the story.

Expression or Impression: Writing’s Role in the Rigmarole

Are you stuck in a loop of writing, editing, and submitting with no end in sight? Maybe you have an agent, but he hasn’t been able to sell your stuff. Maybe you’ve published a short story in your local paper. Whatever the case, you are a writer. Obsession isn’t always the right word to describe the passion you put into your pieces, but you put pen to paper and create while somehow juggling life in the foreground.

Most of us are background writers, and that’s more than okay: that’s reality. Now we’re approaching summer, and I always find myself a little more energetic. Why, just these last two weekends I pruned my honey locusts, planted some lilacs, and finished a frame for a three-by-four-foot painting. Now I need to write.

Use a writer’s cheat sheet to grow your craft!

Photo by: shannon palmer

Originally posted at: http://www.timothyafenner.com

What’s an author’s cheat sheet?

In my humble opinion, an author’s cheat sheet is a short document, one that can be read in five minutes, which covers topics germane to improving the author’s writing.

Now, I’m not talking about something generic to the craft of writing (for example: http://orig08.deviantart.net/ff65/f/2013/249/8/3/fiction_writer_s_cheat_sheet_by_ripleynox-d5rbhow.jpg)

No, I mean something specific to who you want to be as a writer, what angles or topics you need to focus on in order to improve – both in the short and long term.

 

What should you have in your cheat sheet?

WARNING: Revisions ahead!

Photo By: Albert

Originally posted at: http://www.timothyafenner.com

 

Mister Revision.

I hate that guy. Like his identical twins — edit, rewrite, and tweak — he wastes my time and keeps me from doing the things I want to do.

Sadly, as you all likely know, revision is a fundamental aspect of writing. If there is such a thing as a writing prodigy, I’m clearly not one of them and, while I have no statistics,  I doubt there are many writers who are.

So this “revision” thing is a necessity. Fine. But how do you do it without getting trapped in Revision Hell (ie being stuck in a never-ending revision process)?

There are MANY articles online that have suggestions on how to keep from straying into the bad lands — but I wish to focus on one particular area that has come up in my writers group several times:

When should revisions start?