Category Archives: Writings about Writing

Thoughts and tips about the craft

Writing Out of Sequence: 3 Benefits to Writing Out of Order

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Have you ever written a story out of order? There’s actually no rule that says you have to write in chronological order, or write scenes in the order that they’ll be read. Many writers – both plotters and pantsers – write a story in the order that it happens, either because they’re following their outline, or because they’re discovering how the story goes as they’re writing. 

I’m a plotter – I always have at least a rough outline before I start, and I have at least a vague idea of how I want the story to end. But that’s still a lot of “muddle in the middle” that has to get written, and I’ve found that writing scenes out of order can help keep me moving on a project, even if I’m feeling stuck. 

Here are three benefits I’ve found to writing out of sequence: 

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Of Moss and Stones that Roll

Posted in Travel Writings, Writings about Writing by
Mossy stones in the creek

You’ve probably heard the old phrase “a rolling stone gathers no moss.” There’s no proof of exactly who coined the term or when, but it likely originated as a Latin phrase and it’s been well-known in English-speaking areas for several hundred years now. 

The basic meaning of the phrase is two-fold. A somewhat negative spin on the phrase is someone who is a rolling stone has no home and no roots, and can never “gather moss,” or collect anything permanent like wealth, family, or stability. A more positive meaning is a person who is carefree with no worries or commitments, or a perpetual traveler who is a “citizen of the world.” 

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Deeper Meanings in Fantasy Stories

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Finding a deeper meaning in a sci-fi adventure or a magical fairy tale is often easy, or even obvious – and that’s not a bad thing. There’s much we can learn about real life from these tales of complete fiction. 

Fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia teach us about friendship, loyalty, honorable sacrifice, and the power of love. Science fiction classics like Brave New World and The Difference Engine teach us the truth about human nature, for good or ill, and the dangers of a corrupt society. 

I want to highlight three of my favorite fantasy stories that also can teach us deeper wisdom beyond just their surface storyline. These books may not often be held up alongside Brave New World or the Narnia books as stories that we can truly learn from, but I think they fit that description. Here are my take-aways from three fantasy stories that are much more than they appear: 

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Story Prompts and Inspiration

Posted in Music, Movies, and other Muses, Writings about Writing by

Story ideas can come from anywhere. A photo, a song, a snatch of overheard conversation, a stroll through a garden, someone else’s book cover—the smallest thing can often prompt the germ of an idea. 

I don’t usually use story prompts—at least, not the type of story prompt that’s an actual premise. Nothing against that sort of story prompt. A hundred awesome books by a hundred different people can come from a single sentence prompt. Books, blogs, and online generators can be a great help to anyone who wants to try something new or even just needs help getting unstuck. 

I’ve had my share of getting stuck on projects, and for me, one of the best ways to prompt myself into writing again is to look at pictures. I also use music as inspiration a lot, but a picture can usually give me more concrete ideas. 

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Research Tips for Your Story Writing

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So we all know about doing research for a non-fiction book, or for any sort of accurate historical fiction tale, right? But what about other types of storytelling? Basically, anything besides memoir/autobiography or fiction-loosely-based-on-your-personal-experiences requires research. Yes, even the highly fictional genres like science fiction and fantasy. 

How writers often feel doing research

Why Research? 

Details matter when it comes to worldbuilding for a story. The more little details that are woven throughout a tale (spread throughout the story, not info-dumped all at once), the more real the world of the story will feel to your readers. 

Details like food, clothing, buildings, climate, entertainment—all of these things exist in our lives and we use and are affected by them everyday. In a believable story (yes, even sci-fi/fantasy), the same should be true of your characters. 

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