April Kihlstrom was the guest speaker at September's 2003 HODRW meeting. She is credited for what we know as Book in a Week, BIAW. Her timely tips gave everyone a better understanding of BIAW and how we could use this writing tool.
Kihlstrom calls her workshop, Book In A Week : Creating Magic. BIAW recaptures the magic of writing. BIAW is a gift we give ourselves.
Have you spent several weeks or months writing your first draft only to be sick and tired of it before you get to revisions? On this first draft, is the consistency of chapter three the same as chapter ten? Have you forgotten where you're at or what you're writing and needed to reread to get yourself back on track? BIAW prevents these and other time consuming trials. How? It's a matter of reversals.
Instead of writing your first draft in weeks, you'll write it in one week. Set yourself a goal to do so and funny thing, your mind believes that you can and will work toward achieving this goal. How? Do I hear Doubting Thomases in the group?
Kihlstrom explained preparation is the key. She has divided preparation into three key areas: Real Life, Mental/Emotional, and Writing. Here are a few tips Kihlstrom gave in her handout:
Real Life Preparation:
Warn your family (or don't warn them if they are saboteurs!).
Plan easy meals and maybe make some ahead of time or at least do the shopping.
Mental/Emotional Preparation:
Writing Preparation:
Get a sense of what you want to write, your characters, setting, some sense of plot--an outline if you can otherwise at least some notes. Do whatever works best for you!
Get a folder for all your notes, research notes, character sketches, outlines, etc. Keep it handy during the week.
Research before the week begins.
Before you write you need to know three things:
Your characters don't need to be fleshed out. Put what you know on an index card. Add to the card(s) when information becomes available. Write what's happening, one event per card. Which characters are involved, where it's going to happen, what impact it has on the characters. Anything you know right now, write it down.
Carry index cards or a notebook wherever you go. When an idea strikes, write it down immediately. Don't rely on memory. Your brain will be replacing one thought after another and you don't want to lose them, do you?
Spread the cards out and assemble them into a chronological order. Having trouble? Shuffle them blindly and see if something triggers an Aha! Moment. Shift scenes around to see if they create a stronger storyline.
Additional tidbits. Food. We love eating and Kihlstrom recommends stocking up -- on healthy foods. This is not the time for junk food, coffee, chocolate, or caffeine overload! Be kind to your body and it will provide you with the energy you need for this endurance. Eat small meals, often. Yes, another thought reversal. Coffee and chocolate binges are for the deadline's deadline. Soothing teas are for BIAWs. You're already stressing your system, now's the time for your food to de-stress.
Saboteurs? We all have them. Don't tell them you're writing intensely this week. They'll vocally support you, but then, they will call you up, invite you out to a tempting lunch, yak on the phone with you for hours, or talk you into volunteering: church, school, neighborhood,.... All events you're willing to do; but not this week. Again, another reverse logic thinking. If they don't know, they won't go that extra mile to cause your self-doubts to rise.
Speaking of self-doubts -- your inner critic. Kihlstrom has suggestions for the inner critic:
Put him into the dark closet and padlock the door.
IC doesn't get to say anything negative to you, your writing, or the number of pages written during this week. After the week is over, IC can rant and rave all he wants during the revision process.
Thank IC for bringing this negative thought to your attention, ignore him, and keep writing.
Actual Writing Week:
Write.
Keep writing. Do not go back and reread what you've done!
Take breaks but then go back to writing. (I've had to deal with doctor's appointments, school meetings and day-to-day crises during BIAW. You just go back to where you were and keep writing!!!)
Write. Even if it seems like total nonsense, write. Give your muse a real chance to shine.
If you have an off morning or day, don't waste time beating yourself up, just get back to writing and keep going!
If you only have 5 minutes at a time, sit down and write for 5 minutes!
Ignore any and all attempts to self-censor or edit. Put in asterisks or whatever symbol you like for things you will need to research later. Even for names if you don't know what to call your characters. Just write!!! Do not reread what you've done!
Take a little time at the end of each day to think about what you wrote. How it ties together. Where you might go with it tomorrow. Make notes for yourself.
At the end of the day celebrate. Honor your writing successes for this day.
Writing matters. Period.
BIAW reminds you that you're a writer. Understand the magic that you do -- writing a story.
After BIAW:
Take a one week break.
Revision Process:
Read everything from beginning to the end in two days, 48 hours. Why? Typically, you'll begin on page one and within a few pages; you'll want to revise. Don't. The changes you're wanting to make are probably already in your book. Take a notebook and write down the revisions you want to make and select the most important one. Begin with this revision. Everything is affected by this revision, early and later in the book. Check it off your list and select the next important problem. The only changes Kihlstrom recommends in the first read through are your typos.
Afterwards--the Evaluation:
Are you a fast or slow writer?
Which came naturally--character or plot?
Did you write lots of description or action?
What do you see as your natural strengths?
What do you see as your natural weaknesses?
What did you love about what you wrote?
What still needed work?
What was the best thing to do when you got stuck?
Writing is tough. The more you write, the more you're in tune with your natural style, the smoother writing becomes.
Try something new and different during BIAW. Discover what you write, where you write, and when you write during this week. BIAWs are never a waste of time. At the end of the week you'll learn something about yourself, your writing habits, whether you love or hate what you wrote. If you hate it, why? Then you'll know this subject's not for you -- right now. And the good news? You only spent a week on this subject, not several.
Give yourself permission to write flat out.
Let out all the possibilities.
Your own voice will shine through this intense writing period.
Write from your heart. Write what matters to you.
Above all, have fun. Bring the magic back into your writing.
For further information, the HODRW library has two tapes: April Kihlstrom's Book In a Week, Sept. 2003 Meeting and April Kihlstrom's 10, 20, 30 Minutes to Write. Both are excellent motivators. Also, Kihlstrom's website has handouts on these two topics. See http://www.sff.net/people/april.kihlstrom/BIAW.htm or try http://www.sff.net/people/april.kihlstrom/ and click Book In A Week.
The italic passages are from April Kihlstrom's Book In A Week handout.