Have you always wanted to write a book, but were not sure where to start?
Why not gather a group of like-minded writer friends and build your own summer writing camp?
Working with a group can keep you motivated, so here are a few tips to spice up the dog days of summer and get the book written.
Gather your inspiration
With so many inspirational books on writing, there is no shortage of fuel to feed your creative fire. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brand - a classic book that may be small but packs a powerful punch
- On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King - Part autobiography, part instruction, this book from the popular horror author offers countless tidbits to keep you inspired
- Zen in The Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury - a collection of essays on writing and inspiration from one of the world's most celebrated authors
Find out “how to”
If you feel you need a little structure for your project, Book In A Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt and First Draft in 30 Days by Karen S. Wiesner are two great resources that will help you outline your novel.
Both include day-by-day tasks that will put you on the road to completing a novel, as well as a series of worksheets that will help you get your notes in order.
Schedule some field trips
Relive those fun field trips you took in elementary school by checking out your local arts council to find any local book related fairs and festivals in your city.
Booktour.com is a great place to look for events were your favorite authors will be appearing.
Torontonians can also check out the Toronto Small Press Book Fair on June 19, while Canadians coast-to-coast can head out to The Word on the Street on September 26.
Museums, libraries, and galleries are also great places to get inspired. The Toronto Public Library's Sun Life Financial Museum and Arts Pass & Family Saturdays Program offers free weekend passes the you can also use to fill your inspiration well.
Put in some face time
Now that you've gotten a little inspiration, it's time to put pen to paper. Schedule time to get together with your writing group in writer-friendly places such as the library, cafés, park, or even your own home.
Set up a series of timed word wars to challenge one another to get the words down on paper. Brainstorm ideas and work through problems with your writing buddies - often, they will be able to help get you "unstuck" when you are having trouble with your story.
Does your writing group happen to be online and your friends are not in the same city as you?
Put in your writing time and then report back to the group. Share photos and stories about your field trip adventures for the day to keep the others inspired. Simply having a support system, whether they are local or not, is enough to keep you going.
The bottom line
Writing a book is a monumental task, but that doesn't mean you can't still have fun while doing so.
Making it into an event and instilling the experience with fun and inspiration will help keep you motivated while you work toward completing your novel.
Teens can write too
Do you have a budding writer in the family? Keep your teens creatively inspired this summer with the Summer Creative Writing Camp at the Toronto Writers’ Centre.
Your opinion matters
Would writing with a group of people, whether online or in person, make you more likely to enjoy the task of writing a book? If you were to put together your own summer writing camp, what activities or strategies would you use? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
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Comments
This is awesome information... You make me think that it is possible. I might give it a whirl if summer is slower than this spring has been. A year or so ago I participated in Twitter book - it was a blast. Thanks for including teens!
As someone who is perpetually writing then walking away from my debut novel, that was a great read, with great advice.
Rereading King's on writing is usually a good source of inspiration for me. I'll just have to find itand dust it off.
These are great tips! I was just thinking about reading King's "On Writing" and I will definitely pick up "Book in a Month". My problem is I can't stop writing and re-writing the first chapter. I know I need to just move on, and re-write later...hopefully these tips will help me.
Thanks,
Callie Lorentson
Seattle Budget Entertainment Examiner
Hi Callie! I think many writers fall into that trap sometimes - editing and re-editing. We are often our own worst critics, but I think one great way to combat this is to get a few writer friends or a critique group to read your work as well (especially if you are stuck). Check out my article called Share your flash fiction on Twitter for tips on networking with other writers.
Hi Patrick! I also have one unfinished novel. I think the books I mentioned above offer a great starting point to get inspired. Another is simply finding other writers to chat with. Often their own drive will motivate you to work towards fulfilling your own publishing dreams! Thanks for reading!
Hi Darla! I'm happy my article may have helped inspire you to get back into writing! National Novel Writing Month is also a great thing to participate in. Writing with a community of writers is a wonderful motivating experience! I've done it 3 years now and have loved every minute of it. I will definitely try to do more articles focused on teen writers! You can find a few other ones if you view the category listing on my main Examiner page. Thanks for visiting!
Maybe this is the year I'll actually do it :)
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