Jen – The Green Quill

Three Quick Worldbuilding Tips (and one secret trick)

Just how high are those dunes? And what’s the average daily temperature?

Worldbuilding is fun, and the reason why many of us are speculative fiction writers. Dreaming of faraway planets, vibrant cultures, and lush landscapes is a great escape for us, and we aspire to provide that same escape for our readers.

Yet, many writers get lost in the worldbuilding. They spend all their time examining the fauna and flora of Solaroom, losing sight of their characters and plot. They stay in the gardens and never finish their stories or novels.

I have become quite efficient in worldbuilding over the last few years, due to devoting time to writing flash fiction and short fiction. My first pro sale to Fireside was a 750-word story set on Mars. It had pages and pages of worldbuilding that never made it to the final piece. But those words were not wasted; the worldbuilding helped make sure every little detail packed a punch.

I tend to write the beginnings of a novel during NaNoWriMo, then return to it intermittently in the following months, then again abandon it again for other projects. I have way too many worlds hiding in my desktop folders; mages, elves, paratroopers, aliens, diplomats, warriors. This murky ground is where many writers get lost, bogged down by the messy middles of projects and details of the world, not letting characters and plot guide the way. After racking up fully-completed short stories, I’m now on the verge of finishing a full draft of the first novel in my sci fi series. Here are three tips I learned along the way:

1) Just Start Writing

Let your characters guide your writing. They’ll let you know what their values are, what’s important to them, what they love and hate. Mannerisms and speech patterns will start emerging. They’ll get messy with each other, fighting and falling in love. They’ll show you the most important things you need to know about their worlds.

Whether you want to outline your story first or not doesn’t matter; you’ve got to start getting the words on the page and building on it each day or week. By starting with your characters, everything centers on them. You don’t need detailed descriptions of the most coveted and beautiful flower on all of Solaroom to start writing.

2) Mark Along the Way

It can be easy to get stuck when your character references a historic treaty you haven’t fully thought out yet (When and where did they sign that? What was the societal and economic impact? How do different generations feel about it?). Suddenly, it’s hours later and you have a deep dive into this treaty- and you’re still on Chapter 3. And it turns out, seven chapters later, the treaty isn’t actually that important. Or needs to be rethought entirely.

Instead of practicing what signatures looked like on that treaty, highlight the reference to the treaty and any other political elements you need to work out. Leave a comment where you need to expand on the evolution of elven weaponry. If you want to go nuts, develop a color-coding system for layers of revision, a different color for each character or species. But most importantly, keep going. Those details come later.

3) Try Worldbuilding Sprints

I recently took part in the World Anvil Summer Camp Worldbuilding Challenge, completing 33 worldbuilding prompts during the month of July. The prompts were creative and helped me figure out different elements of my story. But they must be used with caution.

I used the prompts to create sprints. I set a 10-minute timer and 300 word-count goal for any prompt. I would do one as a writing warm-up or as something to mull over before turning in for the night. These sprints helped fuel some of my writing but were never the goal of the day. My goal was always to get more words on the page of my novel and push through the first draft.

As I’m nearing the finish line on the first draft of this novel, I’m already eager to dive into revision. That’s the one secret trick- the magic of worldbuilding is in revision. On your second or fifth draft, you can get lost in the gardens of Solaroom (they ARE beautiful) or develop elaborate political timelines, but all with focus and clarity because you know your characters and story.

What are your world building tricks? Drop them in the comments below!

Productivity is Overrated

jordan-whitfield-sm3Ub_IJKQg-unsplash — Just no.

We all seem to be obsessed with productivity. How can we maximize our limited hours? How can we get more done more efficiently? What else can we cram into our over-scheduled days?

And, in the middle of a global pandemic, how can we take advantage of all this “free” time we have?

I find all this productivity noise incredibly exhausting. It was annoying before the pandemic, and now it’s not only annoying but completely out of touch with the reality of the day-to-day lives of most people.

At my home, we’re definitely in survival mode. My husband and I are fortunate enough to be able to work from home. Our toddler is home with us and we ping pong her back and forth all day. On the best days, we plan fun crafts, join pre-school Zooms, and work on letters. On days where we’re both slammed with meetings and deadlines, she watches Daniel Tiger and Muppet Babies and plays on her tablet for hours.

There are many days when I feel like a shitty parent and/or a shitty employee. We’re up late trying to make up for lost work hours during the day, emailing at 1 AM, preparing presentations for meetings. Or googling child development milestones, ordering pre-school packets online.

At the beginning of the pandemic, I didn’t write at all. I binged K-dramas and tried to keep my anxiety about the pandemic under control. Frankly, I also enjoyed not having a packed schedule. I didn’t want to be productive. I wanted to focus at home with my family. Mornings were so much calmer. Mealtimes were much less rushed.

I jumped back into writing in July, finding I was missing the quiet, alone time that writing typically is for me. I ended up having my most productive month of writing since NaNoWriMo, clocking in nearly 40K words and making substantial progress on my novel. This was during one of the busiest months of my day job.

Want my productivity hacks? There are none. What works for me doesn’t work for everyone. What worked for me in July isn’t working as well in August. I was productive because I needed writing, I craved time and space just for me and my creativity. It gave me more energy for work and parenting. I love getting lost in a story, problem-solving plot issues, writing emotional moments between characters. It feeds me in a way that nothing else does.

This month, I’m having a harder time with consistency. Am I beating myself up over it? Hell no. We’re in a pandemic. Even a few words a day are great and do the job for me.

Utilizing timers, downloading apps, and setting goals- they can all be great or completely unhelpful. There are times in my writing career when I relish these and use them, and times when I don’t.

The ONE thing that has kept me consistently getting to the keyboard is community. I’m a part of a critique group that meets monthly. We’ve been working together since 2012 and we have strict rules for submission deadlines. I’ve only missed one submission in my entire eight years with them. Knowing that I have a monthly piece to submit forces me to write, in the very best of ways.

Yes, writing is hard. But why do you do it? It should be fun and joyous. Productivity is not the most important piece of your writing. So remember why you write, find your community, and share that joy instead of going crazy about your word counts.

Getting Back to Writing

Summer Camp looks a lot different in 2020 for many of us. Virtual camps, activities at home, and vacations that involve limited contact with other people are the norm.

My husband and I worked long hours through the entire summer while caring for our toddler. We struggled to plan meaningful learning experiences and get her outside playtime every day in the Houston heat and humidity. We sit with her on her weekly class Zooms and try to complete some recommended activities at home. She told us she misses parks and the Zoo and her friends at day care. But, she loves being home with mommy and daddy. We’re conflicted as well; while it’s a struggle to balance work and childcare all day, we cherish the extra time with our little girl.

My writing life had been out of wack for about a year. I started a new job, and between that and parenting, there was no room for much else. And that’s fine. And at the beginning of the pandemic, I didn’t have the mental bandwidth to do anything but obsess over the news binge-watch K-dramas on Netflix. And that’s fine. I’m in this writing life for the long haul, and there are going to periods of ups and downs. I stopped beating myself up over the downs (and you should too).

By the time we hit July, something was missing. I craved more that just survival mode and binge-watching. With Camp NaNoWriMo starting, I decided to commit to focusing on a sci fi novel I started years ago during NaNoWriMo and have worked on piecemeal since. I woke up at 6:00 AM most days of July, giving me at least an hour a day at my keyboard. I realized how much I had missed writing, and also having quiet time focused on me each day. Many of, especially women, have no time alone unless we intentionally carve it out and protect it.

I’ve tried Camp NaNo several times before and have never made my goals. This July was different. Instead of our usual packed schedules, I had time and focus, both usually elusive for me. I completed 15 chapters of my novel, and with 15 to go, the end is in sight. Three things worked for me:

Having a consistent morning writing routine (which also means getting to bed early)
Connecting with other writer friends on Discord for sprints (thanks Author Transformation Alliance!)
Saying no to things (like binge-watching, wasted time scrolling on social media, etc.)

So keep going, keep working till you find your writing groove. Take time off or get back to it. I would love to hear about what’s been working (or not working) for you!

2019 Writing Publications

It can be difficult for many writers, myself included, to create a roundup of writing accomplishments. For me, I’m always thinking I could do better and pondering about the next project. So, to close out 2019, I’m using this space and time to change my thinking and celebrate success, as I don’t do it enough, and I wish my fellow writer friends would do it more as well. I particularly love Cat Rambo’s focus on sharing the community’s work, and Holly Walrath, who is the #1 fan of all writers trying to put their best work out there.

2019 brought me my first two pro publications, meaning for the first time, I have awards-eligible pieces. These came after years of participating in a core critique group, taking writing classes, and being persistent with submissions. I’ll write another post on the most specific strategies that worked for me – be on the lookout!

The first piece, The Alien in 36 B, appeared in Daily Science Fiction in January 2019.

The second piece, A Martian Woman’s Guide to Surviving the Gravity Chamber, appeared in Fireside Fiction in February of 2019.

On another cool note, this month the Arcanist podcasted my short story, The View from Mars. I love the narration!

It’s time for 2019 to closeout! Let’s get ready for a new decade of playing with words and having fun.

Brewery Review- Great Heights Brewing Company

We’re always on the lookout for a family-friendly brewery. We loved our visit this past weekend to Great Heights Brewing Company, located in the Garden Oaks/Oak Forest area.

The Beers:

My favorite Great Heights beer was the Denali IPA. It reminded me of the Lone Pint Yellow Rose IPA, which is my favorite beer of all time. The Denali is a lighter IPA with strong flavor and a nice citrus finish.

Andrew liked the Kolsch, a solid, crisp, refreshing summer/Houston fall beer. Since it’s still 90 degrees here, it was much needed.

I found out they do a Teacher happy hour on Fridays, $3 pints for hardworking educators. This makes my heart happy.

I would recommend trying a flight, as these brewers seem to experiment a lot. I liked a few beers I thought I wouldn’t like, and didn’t care for some beers that are my usual go-tos. I’m looking forward to trying their Porter when it’s later in the Fall.

The Food Situation:

Purple Flour pizza food truck is now stationed outside of Great Heights whenever the brewery is open. I’m from Pittsburgh and my husband is from the Chicago area so we’re used to delicious mom and pop pizza, which is very difficult to find here in Houston. We like a plain cheese pie, and lemme tell you, Brad at Purple Four can do it! We were so surprised – it tasted like home! Vegan friends, Brad said he’s working on some vegan options, but in the meantime you can order a pie with tons of veggies and no cheese.

We will definitely order from Purple Four again. You can also bring in your own food.

The Atmosphere:

We went to Great Heights on an early evening on a Saturday, and the brewery was half full with sports fans watching college football and the Astros, half full with families. The space is filled with rows of picnic tables with strong AC inside and a patio area outside. The brewery staff didn’t mind all the kids running around- in fact, they were super accommodating. We accidentally spilled some beer and a guy ran over and helped us clean up, then brought us a fresh pint on the house. Super, duper nice.

They have a great Houston mural outside, and inside they feature local art. They host lots of events- trivia nights, drink specials, etc. Lots of people biked over or walked. They’re what a local brewery should be.

Gaming:

We attempted some One Deck Dungeon, one of our favorite games to take to a brewery. The gameplay is pretty fast and engaging, but you can chat and watch some sports while playing too. All the characters are women and the art is on point.

Andrew plays the Mage, I play the Warrior, and our characters level up after each round. The game gets progressively harder and there is a ton of replay value. There’s not much in the way of a story, but I do like the descriptions of the traps, monsters, and dungeons.

Eleanor played along for a bit, but we had to stop when she started putting the dice in her mouth. We switched to Matching Frozen. 🙂

Hope you all had a great weekend! Lemme know where we should go next!

Book Review- The Ultimate Authorship Planner

I just finished my most productive month of writing – ever! In July I made one of the best investments in my writing career and purchased The Ultimate Authorship Planner.

I’ve spent years taking writing craft classes and participating in critique groups. I’m ready to level up, to view writing as a career. So last month I decided it was time to get organized and to set some big goals.

Where do we turn for organization help? Planners! But I’ve wasted way too much money on planners that I stop using after a month or two. I tried and failed at bullet journaling. I couldn’t find a way to marry my writing goals with concrete writing plans.

Enter: Audrey Hughey. I’d been following Audrey, the author of the Ultimate Authorship Planner, for a while in her free online Facebook group, Sprints and Spirits. I was impressed by her candor, her marketing expertise, and her positive demeanor.

When she launched her planner, I took the plunge, especially motivated by the fact that I would get a free month in her online group, the Author Transformation Alliance (ATA). The ATA is an online FB group + a website with dozens of master classes and resources for writers.

It’s one month in, and here are my results:

Completed Short Story #1- revised, and submitted lit journals
Completed Short Story #2 and submitted to lit journals
Started a new Instagram account with 200 followers

But most importantly

completed the draft of my Urban Fantasy novel AND had it critiqued by my critique group!

I’ve been working on this novel since 2012 so it feels AMAZING to have a draft done. I know where I need to go with revision and am ready to rock.

I may have accomplished just one or two of these things before my planner. But lemme be clear- it’s not just about checking things off your writing task list. The planner walks you through a lot of visioning activities and intensive goal setting. It’s easy to plan your weeks and months because you have a clear picture of where you’re going.

I now feel like writing has become a stronger focus of my life, which is what I always wanted. I’m a writer, as opposed to a person who writers when they have time.

If you have any questions about organizational skills, goal setting, or planning lemme know- drop me an email or comment below.

To buy the planner (message me if you buy it- I will forward to Audrey so you can get a free month in ATA- it’s an awesome perk):

20% Off the perfect-bound at Amazon – From $29.99, now $23.99 http://bit.ly/ultimateauthorshipplanner (check to see if the deal is still on).

30% Off the coil-bound at LuLu – From $39.95, now $27.97 with code (FIFTEEN) http://bit.ly/AudreyLuLu

Houston Shakespeare Festival

Looking for the perfect way to spend a summer night in Houston? Make an evening of attending Houston’s 44th Annual Shakespeare Festival, running July 28th to August 5th at Hermann Park’s Miller Outdoor Theater. Since the Festival’s inception in 1975, more than a million theatergoers have attended the free performances.

Start your night off with a quick bite and a glass of wine or beer at The Pinewood Cafe. This casual cafe offers fresh salads, made-to-order sandwiches, and grilled burgers that all make for a light summer meal. Andrew and I love enjoying a St. Arnold’s Summer Pils on the patio as we take in the views of the lake and people-watch.

From Pinewood Cafe, walk to the Miller Outdoor Theater. You can bring your camping chairs, blankets, and picnic baskets and camp out on the lawn, or you can become a patron to secure seats under the pavilion. The performances begin at 8:15, but get there early to secure a prime spot.

In the mood for drama? Hamlet runs July 27, 29, 31 and August 2, 4. Watch as the iconic young prince grapples with a ghost, court corruption, and family drama.

Looking for a good laugh? Comedy of Errors runs July 28, August 1, 3, 5. Two sets of twins are separated at birth until all four unknowingly converge in Ephesus. Wrongful allegations, seductions and arrests ensue! Be prepared for puns, wordplay, and original slapstick comedy.

Festival Insider Tips

It’s going to be HOT. Dress in cool, comfortable, clothing. Athletic wear is fine, as the event is extremely casual.
You’re going to sweat. Bring a cooler full of ice and some towels to help cool down.
DO NOT BRING RED WINE AND CHEESE. It’s way too hot to drink red wine and your cheese will melt. Instead, fresh fruit, mixed nuts, and cold drinks are the best.
Bring bug spray.
Bring the kids. They can roll down the hill if they get bored.

How to Get Published in 25 Easy Steps

1. Brainstorm a whole slew of story ideas. Watch as they fly around you like gnats. Overanalyze each idea. Eat nachos. Finally pick an idea.

via GIPHY

2. Agonize over whether you are a pantser or a plotter. Read a bunch of blogs about outlining and take a few quizzes. Was Hemingway a drunk pantser? Just how detailed was J.K. Rowling’s outline? Research and download templates. Decide you don’t like templates. Spend weeks making detailed character sketches, including the minor character’s favorite brand of underwear (Calvin Klein because he’s so 90s hoity like that).

3. Sit down to write the story. Wait, there’s laundry to do! Look how cute the cat is right now. Oh snap, writers are supposed to have a social media presence. Lemme tweet something. And start an Instagram. And brew coffee. Writers must drink coffee right?

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4. Turn off your wifi and write the story. Slug away at it for days or weeks or months until one day you’re done with a first draft. Smile proudly at your piece. This is how Michelangelo must have felt after he completed David.

5. Read your first draft. Cry and consider quitting writing. It’s terrible, your ideas are terrible and there’s no character development and you could drive a truck through the plotholes. You should have written about that other idea. You’re not sure where to start revising.

6. Go back to your piece and move scene by scene. Build in themes, arcs, details. Take out the backstory, add dialogue. Wow, you’re tired. This is why writers need coffee.

happy dungeons and dragons GIF by Geek & Sundry — Via Giphy

7. Send the piece to your critique group. Spend all week analyzing everything you did wrong with the story and mentally prepare yourself for an onslaught of criticism. The group will probably kick you out for being the World’s Worst Writer. You just know they’re side texting about how awful your story is.

8. Go to the critique. GASP OMG they like your story! But they give you a ton of feedback on things that need to change, things that you totally missed. Your skin thickens.

9. Feel intimidated by the revision work you have to. Start another piece or focus on your job or family or video games or Netflix. You won’t admit it, but you don’t want to do the hard work of really revising this piece. The comments from the group sit in a folder on your desktop. THIS IS THE POINT OF NO RETURN. You must move forward or the piece dies a slow death in Microsoft Word.

season 2 starz GIF by Outlander — Via GIPHY

10. Pull out the piece and the comments. As much as you want to move on to the shiny new piece, dive into this piece. Make changes and hear the piece singing, at first softly like a bird, then loudly like a choir. It’s actually coming together!

hilarious kermit the frog GIF — via GIPHY

11. Give your piece to your Trusted Final Reader. Your TFR gives you honest and direct feedback. You listen and respond by yelling BUT I DON’T WANT TO REVISE ANYMORE. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PERFECT. YOU CLEARLY DON’T LOVE ME. Go to a corner and sulk.

12. Analyze TFR’s feedback. Decide what you really want this piece to be about. You may actually have to burn your piece and start new. Make your final revisions. This can take hours or months.

13. Now it’s time to edit! This should be easy after all that damn revision. Oh shit, did you type boobs instead of boots? And what is a comma splice? This is soooooo boring. Ask that grammar friend edit it too because they love telling you things like “That gerund really shouldn’t be the subject.”

14. Research a bunch of lit magazines. Read about submission guidelines and standard manuscript format and cover letters. Start to get intimidated. Push forward.

the lizzie bennet diaries reaction s GIF — via GIPHY

15. Pick a magazine…upload your docs…hover over the submit button…then submit! You experience a rush of adrenaline! You carefully track everything in an excel sheet or Duotrope.

16. Obsessively check your email and submission stats. Feel your heart skip a beat at every email ping. Do lots of waiting.

desperate housewives waiting GIF by HULU — via GIPHY

17. Crickets.

loop waiting GIF

18. Get your first rejection. Ouch. Submit again.

rejected rejection GIF by HULU — via GIPHY

19. Get your next rejection. Ouch.

robin lord taylor success GIF by Gotham — via GIPHY

20. Garner up enough rejections to swim in, like Scrooge McDuck in his money. You get used to seeing the word “unfortunately” in your inbox. You feel really, really sad. You wonder why we do this to ourselves.

at least you tried the simpsons GIF — via GIPHY

21. Work on your next piece and fall back in love with bringing characters to life and building a new world. The rejections continue, but you keep submitting, sometimes with zeal, sometimes after long breaks.

neil patrick harris yes GIF by Rosanna Pansino — Via GIPHY

22. Wait…a personal rejection! You’ve WON! You feel (slightly) validated. You’re not the worst writer the world has ever seen, but now you’re even hungrier for an acceptance.

happy jonah hill GIF

via GIPHY

23. You have 5, 10, 20 pieces out at any given time. Then…you get it! Your acceptance! Someone is willing to give you $ (maybe) and they will publish your piece. YOU ARE LEGIT.

happy how i met your mother GIF — via GIPHY

24. Your piece is published and you promote it and everyone loves you! Your Aunt Susan leaves comments all over social media and your mom wants a printed copy, even though it’s only online.

ben stiller success GIF

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25. Start again.

erase tv land GIF by nobodies. — via GIPHY

Inspiration for Speculative Writers

file — My current writing inspiration, taken on a trip to India a few weeks ago.

Where do you go to get new ideas? Do they come to you in your dreams, on walks, during brainstorm sessions, or while reading someone else’s work?

If you’re stuck, or looking to breathe some new life into your stories, here are some suggestions.

Visit new places in your city, and bring your notebook.
1. Once you arrive, brainstorm a list of words to describe what you see. Start with nouns, then throw in adjectives to describe the nouns.
2. Do different rounds for all the senses. Don’t think too hard about this. List the first words that come to mind.
3. Look for emerging patterns. Are you starting to capture the dark, damp, and ominous feel of the Houston cistern? Or the busy, urban feel of Discovery Green? What kind of characters would hang out there, and why?
4. Make it speculative by changing the setting to another planet or fantasy setting. What if the cisterns were part of an abandoned space colony? What if Discovery Green was the center of a major hub in your fantasy world?
Read the latest spec lit journals. I love Clarkesworld, Uncanny, Fireside Fiction, and Strange Horizons. These spec magazines and their writers win awards all the time for good reason.
1. Read a few stories you like, then decide on a favorite and put your writer hat on. Make a list of all the reasons the story works. Is it the characters, the syntax, the plot twist, the poetic language?
2. Take an old story and try revising it based on these elements. Mimic the sentence structure, add in some powerful imagery, up the ante on your word choice. Breathing new life into an old story is just as exciting as generating something new (I promise).
3. If you want to create something completely new, take a side character from one of your old works and give them their own story, using the techniques you liked during your reading. You already know the world, so really focus on your prose and craft.
Try your hand at flash fiction. Read Daily Science Fiction, Flash Fiction Online, or the Arcanist for some inspiration. Flash can be less intimidating to write, revise, edit, and submit if you haven’t gone through the full writing/submission cycle yet. Flash is how I got my start in getting my work published, and has definitely improved my craft as I work on longer pieces and my novel.
1. Set a timer and just write about the first idea that comes into your head. Aim for 750 words.
2. Look through your writing and circle anything and everything you like. Did a character stand out, or a setting? A particular word or phrase?
3. Use your favorite pieces to build a story with a clear beginning, middle and end.
4. Revise revise revise until it looks like something you would see in any of the above-mentioned journals. You’ll get there. 🙂

Be a creative, really live it and breathe it. Take advantage of any summer travel. Squeeze in a few minutes each day to grow your new ideas. You owe it to yourself and to your future readers.

Replica at Stages Theatre

You have three months to live before succumbing to a terminal illness. Would you create a Replica of yourself, meaning your spouse and young children could continue to live their lives with “you” still in it?

The new play Replica asks viewers to consider this immense moral question, along with several other ethical dilemmas. What are memories, exactly, and how do they shape who we are? Is it more important to know the truth, or know what you believe is the truth?

The actors keep the audience guessing and thinking, wondering what turn and twist will come next. Like any good science fiction story, the pros and cons of new and rapidly advancing technology are explored through complex characters. Ultimately, it’s up to the viewer to decide what’s right and wrong, and where their own moral line is.

Twins Janna and Julia Cardia star as the woman and the Replica. I really felt the twin chemistry these two have – they are comfortable with each other yet at odds with each other, and a delight to watch when they are both present on the stage. The doctor had some great one liners and helped serve as a guide throughout the play.

The real standout of this show, however, was the stage. The clean, modern lines, bright lighting, and futuristic color scheme of silvers and greys set a perfect backdrop for the tone and mood. The stage adds an immersive experience that allows the audience to live in and experience the science fiction world as opposed to just reading about it. As a writer, this play encouraged me to think more about my setting and how it impacts my stories. Replica also inspired me to study playwriting. Since the show, I’ve been working my way through Geek Theatre.

Andrew and I had a lovely time on Saturday at the world premier of Replica. It was our first time at Stages Repertory Theater, and we really enjoyed the experience! We stopped by Pass and Provisions afterwards and discussed the play at length over fancy cocktails. Overall, it was a lovely Houston evening.

I would love to see more SciFi plays! Drop me a line if you have a favorite.