Thank you for taking part in the Writing/Publishing edition of Ask Ally!
We had a lot of really great questions! Please find your questions and my answers in the comments section of this post! (click here to read them all).
The post has now been closed to new questions, but hopefully we will be able to do this again in the future.
Enjoy!
Ally
How do you motivate yourself to keep writing? I plan out stories and I get really excited about them, but I get bored after a page or two.
This probably means that you aren’t writing a novel. Maybe it’s a short story. More than likely you don’t have enough conflict.
Also, and this is the big one, I think it might be the case that you are simply underestimating how much work writing a novel is. It is my JOB. It is something that literally takes hundreds of hours. I do it because I have deadlines and commitments. But also because I can’t stop doing it. I have to know how the story ends–what is going to happen. I feel unfinished until the novel is finished.
So give yourself permission to write shorter stories. Also, give yourself permission to just not write if it is not something that you are desperately compelled to do. It’s not for everyone. And there are a lot of people who love reading and books and stories who just don’t really enjoy trying to write their own story. That is completely, 100% okay.
– When you are writing a first draft, do you allow yourself to edit along the way, or do you just go at it and clean it up later?
– How many drafts do you usually write, and how extensive are your revisions?
– Do you write in chronological order?
1. Every author–and every BOOK–will be different, but for me 99% of the time, I write straight through without stopping. Even when I know that something is wrong and will need to be fixed. Even when I know what that fix IS. I will just change whatever it is from that point forward, but I won’t backtrack at all. As a rule, I don’t rewrite the first chapter until I have a draft of the last chapter.
2. The technical answer is that I do however many drafts I need to do. I know answers like that drive new writers crazy. You want the RECIPE! (It reminds me of when I ask my mom how to cook things. She never has a recipe. Just many, many years of trial and error. And now, after writing–and cooking–for many years myself I totally know what she means. You just know when you’ve kneaded enough flour into the bread. And you just know when you need another draft.
And, to answer your question, my rewrites can be SUPER INTENSIVE. Or they can be pretty light. Generally, the heavy lifting is done in drafts 2 & 3.
3. Yes. Always chronological order. Always. Again, other authors will have totally different answers, but I personally can’t imagine doing it any other way.
When writing so quickly what do yoh do when you find out you need to do more research or more worldbuilding what do you do? Do you stop and look it up or work it out or do you just skip that part and keep going? Thank you!
If it matters I will stop and look it up or do whatever research is needed. If it is just for a little throw-away line or a joke then I will insert ________ or something and let myself add it to the next draft.
Basically, it’s a matter of ripples. If it is something that is going to show up in more scenes/chapters down the line, I figure it out ASAP. If it’s not, then I will allow myself to insert it later.
Do you experience those writer’s block phases where you just stare at the blank computer screen and nothing juicy really comes out? (I have the hair-pulling days) What do you to cope with it and get yourself back on track?
Lots of you have questions about writers block, and that’s okay. I get it. But I’m going to give you some tough love right here and now:
You need to tell yourself there is no such thing as writers block. You need to strike the term from your vocabulary.
Maybe you haven’t figured out what needs to happen in your plot.
Maybe (and I suspect this is the case in a lot of situations) you just don’t have any real conflict.
Maybe you don’t feel like working and you want to take a nap or go to the movies.
Or maybe you just don’t have anything that interesting to say right now.
I don’t know what problem you are encountering, but I DO know that you aren’t “blocked”. There isn’t some mystical muse who is being kept from you. You aren’t being punished by the gods for flying too close to the sun.
You are just someone who doesn’t quite know how/or want to do some work. And that is OKAY. But it absolutely will NOT get better by talking about how you have “writers block.” Because you don’t. Because it doesn’t exist.
Once you take that excuse away, I think you’ll be very pleased with how quickly the REAL problem with your writing will present itself.
How do you come up with those mind-boggling twists and big-bang endings?
Thank you! It is a function of always wanting to surprise myself; always being open to any ideas that might come to me during the writing process; and always wanting to push farther and set the bar higher.
Where do the ideas themselves come from? Who knows? I am constantly thinking about them, asking “what if” and trying to find unexpected avenues to go down.
What process do you use to plot your stories?
I actually answered that question in detail about a year ago. Here is the full post:
http://allycarter.com/2012/09/my-process/
How do you create such great diverse characters and character voices? When I write, my characters have the tendency to sound the same way and, in dialogue, talk the same way.
I think this is one of MANY things that comes with practice. It will get better, I promise.
But here’s an easy tip: When I first started writing, I wrote screenplays. They weren’t any good! (The first things you write RARELY are), but I spent a lot of time reading screenwriting books and sites and tips and stuff. One of the tips was that you should be able to remove all of the character dialog tags and still know who is saying what.
Try that. At least keep it in mind. And, most of all, keep writing.
I have my outline, but as in the past, when I start writing, I go a different direction. Does this happen to you? Which is best to follow the outline or go with the story that I haven’t outlined?
I think that keeping to your outline 100% is a way to absolutely write the book that you EXPECTED to write. Just keep in mind that, in a lot of cases, that may also make it the book readers EXPECT to read.
Again, I am NOT saying that my way is THE RIGHT WAY and all others should bow down before me. Not saying that.
But, for me, if I don’t surprise myself along the way, how am I supposed to surprise my readers?
Just chew on that.
How do I find a good publisher that will make my books well known if I live in a small country town. We don’t have any publishers here.
The good news is that if you write a really tremendous book it won’t matter where you live! Agents will line up to represent your novel! And publishers will line up to publish it.
So my biggest advice is to just write that great novel and then work on the next step.
I’m young, but I love writing. My writing is really mature and complex, and my English 1 teacher encourages me to write. I’ve finished a few pieces, but I know I’m way too young to be published and taken seriously. Does it matter if I want to get these writings published latter in life that I wrote them now?
Honestly, I wrote a lot of things when I was younger and I absolutely cringe at the thought of publishing them now. Why? Because I’m a much, much, much stronger writer now. I should be. After playing the piano for 10 additional years, you should be a better pianist. Or a better free throw shooter. Or a better cook. Or a better driver. Or…anything.
So…sure. You can try to get things published later, but my hunch is that you will probably look back on them and see that more experienced you is writing stronger things.
That doesn’t mean that I regret writing any of the stories, screenplays, books, that Younger Me wrote. Not at all! Writing those things is how I learned to write better things. And that is the case with 100% of my writer friends.
Ok so I’m writing a story and wanted to know how can you get it published?
I use to and still do write fan-fiction, but now I’m trying to write a book.
Do you know where I could get it looked at?
Thank you
Sincerely Laura
I’ve answered this before in more detail so check out this post:
http://allycarter.com/2009/10/how-to-get-a-literary-agent/
Ally, I’ve been a great fan of all your books (read every single one at least 5 times by now haha), and I can’t help but notice that your balance between narration and dialogue is just wonderful.
Where do you find inspiration to write “normal scenes”, thereby resisting the urge to just skip scenes (despite knowing that they are absolutely necessary for pacing purposes) or to dump all the information that the reader is needing into dialogue?
thank you!
I actually have a fairly hard and fast rule that if there is a scene you aren’t really excited to write…you shouldn’t write it. Because I, as a reader, don’t want to read it.
So do NOT feel like you need to show your heroine brushing her teeth and getting ready for bed and going to the laundromat and riding in her car. I’m going to just assume her teeth and her clothes are clean and she arrived at her destination in some way.
Basically, the rule is simple: leave out all the boring parts.
Also, I am a firm believer that every scene should accomplish multiple things. Don’t give me a “meet the character” scene and an “establish the world” scene and a humorous scene and a “hint at the character’s past” scene. Give me a scene that does all of those things.
But I”m picky that way.
How do you know if you’ve found a good agent site? One that will actually help you and want to work towards getting a publisher? What should we look for in an agent?
I’m assuming that you mean “how do you know if you’ve found a good agent”? Well, the answer is pretty difficult, but also pretty easy.
First, you should look to see what the agent’s credentials are and also who they represent.
Has he/she sold works similar to yours? Have they sold these works recently?
Is he or she a member of the Association of Authors’ Representatives or agree to abide by AAR ethical guidelines?
Do you like their online presence (if any)?
Are they with the TYPE of agency that you’d like? In other words, some authors want to be with a big name agency with all NYT bestselling clients. Some want to be with a smaller, boutique agency with lots of one-on-one attention. (I’m lucky to be with a boutique agency that has a lot of NYT bestsellers, so I get the best of both. But I was the first NYT bestseller, so it has grown into what it is, and a lot of smaller agencies out there might do the same thing!)
Do they have co-agents they work with to handle film, tv, and foreign rights sales?
And–this is the biggie at least to begin with–do they work ENTIRELY on commission? Because no legitimate agent should ever ask you for money of any kind. Not a reading fee. Not a script polishing service. Nothing. Nada. You do not write your agent a check. Ever. Just no. That is the fastest way to sort the scam artists out of the pack.
Your dream agent might be a nightmare for me. And vice versa. Choosing an agent is not unlike choosing a spouse. You will be with this person through thick and thin and even if it doesn’t work, you’ll have to share custody of the kids (once an agent is the agent of a book they ALWAYS represent that book–even if you move to another agency later.)
So choose wisely. And good luck.
Do you plan out books before you write them, because I like diving into writing blindly without all the plot charts/planning?
I plan out some things and I let some things surprise me. However works for you works for you. There is no right or wrong way. Every author is different.
Hey Ally! I was wondering, how do you figure out what to name a character and how to you figure out how their personalities are going to be! Because whenever I have to pick a name for a character, I never know how to pick the right name! Thanks!
P.S. Love all of the Gallagher Girl books and can’t wait to read Embassy Row! 🙂
I am pretty notorious for hating to name characters. Sometimes I just call them FRIEND for a draft or two. Sometimes the name pops right into my mind. Sometimes (like with Grace in Embassy Row) the name and the personality come together at the same time.
Personalities? You look at what you need, and you build the characters from the ground up. Who will have the skill we need? Who will challenge the main character in an interesting way? Who will be a good source of conflict? You should have characters who do those three things plus some.
How do you get out of(if you get) writers block?
See my answer to question 1. Also: go for a walk, see a movie, take a nap.
Usually I prefer to take a nap. Something about turning off your mind for a nap lets the answer to your problem sort of rise to the surface. I highly recommend it.
Hey Ally,
1. Do you ever fell like you have to sacrifice parts of your story to make it marketable? How much of your stories do you have to change to get them to sell?
2. Do you ever get too many book ideas running around in your head? If so, how do you deal with putting those ideas out of your head and continuing on one project?
1. I can honestly say that this has never happened to me.
2. Part of being a writer means always having a lot of ideas, but I have deadlines and people waiting on me to turn very specific projects around, so I have had to get good at focusing.
Embassy Row, for example, is a book idea I had in 2007, but I’m just now writing it. That is the good part about ideas: they have no expiration date. The good ones will always be good and they will always be there.
Because your books are written as parts of a series, how do you make their ends tie up? Do you think farther into the future than one single installment or do you make the plots up as you go along? How do you go about leaving just enough information unexplained to be able to continue the series?
Thanks in advance! 🙂
Thanks!
This is, in fact, one of the biggest challenges of series writing. I think it is very important that each book have its own plot, complete with a beginning, middle and end. And, obviously, the end of one book will basically set up the beginning of the next. That’s the key. And that is what I tend to think about when plotting for the future.
So, with Gallagher Girls for example, I would think about what–generally–I wanted to do in five and six while I was writing three and four. That wouldn’t impact very much of the writing overall, but it would let me know some things that I might want to sprinkle in and, of course, where I wanted the characters to be when every book began and ended.
Its my dream to be the next Ally Carter. How hard is it to find a publisher and how long does it usually take to find one after the book is published?
Well…thanks. I’d say first of all: aim higher!
Honestly, finding a publisher is a pretty straightforward thing once you have a book that is publishable. But writing a publishable book is an incredibly difficult thing.
How do you write first drafts in six weeks? Are you a superhero?
I don’t care if it’s good or not! That is how I do it.
Honestly, I see a lot of people on here worrying because their books aren’t great and easy right from the start. But that won’t be the case. Probably EVER.
I am able to write quickly because I set aside the idea of making everything perfect right from the start. I have learned that that is IMPOSSIBLE. And I have also learned that I will have many, many opportunities to fix whatever doesn’t work.
So I usually have just a scene of a story in my head, but when I try to expand it to make a plot, I can’t think of ANYTHING. How do I get over that stump?
Conflict. Conflict is gas in the tank. Without it, you won’t get far!
So you have a character? Great. You have a setting? Awesome.
Does your character have a goal? And, most importantly, does he/she have something standing in the way of that goal?
Without the goal and the conflict you will never have a novel. Ever.
For writers new to publishing, what is a generally safe word count to stick to? Established authors say that they write until the story is finished, but publishers already know that people will buy and read the author’s work because they have an audience already (i.e. you know that the last GG book will sell well because you have so many fans). Authors who haven’t been published before don’t have the privilege of writing books that are over 100,000 words long. So, how long should a first-time author’s novel/novella be if they want their work to be more likely considered for publication? Also, what is a general word count for different audiences (obviously, novels written for children from ages nine to twelve are going to be shorter, but what about for different genres, gender- because there are “boy” and “girl” books- and so forth)?
Well, the true answer IS “how long it needs to be”. I’m sorry to disappoint you.
It’s true that we do have a lot of really long books these days from established authors. We also have really long debut novels.
If you really want a range, I would say a YA novel should be no shorter than 50,000 words, no longer than 100,000. But there will be exceptions. There will be so many exceptions that it sounds silly to name a rule at all.
hi Ally! i have been trying to write a book and I’ve succeeded in writing at least two pages, but I have a MAJOR issue. I really need to figure out how to write the dialogue because for every fan fiction I’ve published, all the reviews have been about how horrid my dialogue-writing skills are.
so my question is: HOW do you write dialogue.
A big part of writing is learning what critics to listen to and then how to take their criticism. It is great to write a lot. It is great to read a lot. But putting things out into the world and getting feedback on it may or may not be helpful in many cases.
My advice to you is to just keep reading and writing and trust your gut on what advice you should take and which you should ignore.
As for dialogue, see my advice above.
In your hiest society books you made up prestigious museums and such for Kat and her gang to rob. When I first read them I thought they were real places. How do you make such places sound realistic besides research? Or, better question, to what extent do you detail the place in your mind. I feel like the place I make up sounds so fake, but I don’t want to over do it either. Does my question make any sense? If not, please say so so I can clarify, cause I really need help on this matter. Thanks for opening up questions for such a post, Ms. Ally 🙂
This is one of those things you just figure out as you go and absolutely gets better with practice.
As a general rule, put as much detail in as you think you need to convey the plot points. Then go on and finish the draft. Put the draft in a drawer for a month and read it again. If it feels like you have too much, par it back. If it feels like too little, add a little in.
It’s like cooking. Except you can take the salt out if you accidentally put too much in.
Hello!
I was wondering if you had any tips when trying to make a lovable antagonist. The kind that makes the readers conflicted. “I love AND hate this guy!!!”
Anywho, thanks!
Good question!
It is important to keep in mind that everyone is the hero/heroine of his/her own story. So spend some time thinking about your antagonist not as your antagonist, but as the hero of HIS story. And make sure the reader sees at least some of that character in your book.
Hi Ally!
I love writing, but I never know how to start. After I’m pleased with a beginning I can usually finish, but I’m not usually pleased with my beginnings. How do you think of beginning?
I don’t usually like my beginnings either. That’s why I don’t worry about the beginning and just keep writing. It looks a lot less intimidating after I’ve finished an entire draft.
How do you know what idea to run with? I’ve got a bunch of ideas on the backburner, but I’m struggling to decide which idea is the most potent. I can’t very well write five or six books at once, so I could really use your help!
You write the one you can’t NOT write. And you write the one you are least likely to be sick of in six to eighteen months because that may very well be how long you are stuck with it.
How did you first get published? Did you get turned down, and if so how did you overcome it?
I got published by 1. writing a publishable book and then 2. querying agents. Over 20 agents turned me down before one said yes. She then sent it to publishers who, again, turned me down.
Being rejected is an ever-present part of this business. It never goes away. There will always be publishers who don’t want your book or readers who give you 1-star reviews or conferences who say they don’t really want you to come or…
You get the point.
Rejection: it sucks. And it doesn’t go away. But eventually you learn how to handle it.
In the Gallagher Girl Series I’ve noticed that tiny elements/details reappear, like a tiny string that makes everything connect beautifully. Have you noticed that? If you did it deliberately, how did you do it?
I did do it deliberately! Sometimes I knew what I was doing at the time. Sometimes I found it in hindsight (like the stuff with the circus in Book 1 of the Gallagher Girls).
My favorite part of the Harry Potter books was that Sirius Black was mentioned in the first chapter of the first book. When I realized he was the Prizoner of Azkaban, that was when I fell in love with that series. So I constantly strive to have all the books connect in unexpected ways. That will always be a goal.
Hi Ally,
I am very interested in editing. How would you describe your relationship with your editor?
Thanks!
I have been blessed with a number of amazing editors. I’ve had a lot of them now! (five? six? I think David may be number six. Or seven…)
Great editors do a lot of jobs. Partly, they acquire new books. This means they have to know what consumers are going to want to read in 18 months (there is a LONG lead time in publishing. From the time they buy to when you see it in stores is always at least a year. Usually longer.)
Next they have to work with authors to make the books as strong as possible. Maybe that means tweaking the plot. Maybe it is a matter of pacing or voice or world building. It is the editor’s job to shine a very bright light on anything that isn’t working and then help the author to find solutions.
But the part of the job that most people overlook is often the most important. That is, the editor must be the in-house champion for their books. There are only so many marketing dollars. A publisher can only promote so many books at conferences and festivals. Not everyone is going to get That Awesome Cover the art department just came up with. It is your editor’s job to argue for YOU to get those things. And these things are often what separate the well-reviewed, okay-performing books from the well-reviewed best-sellers.
Hi Ally, I’m quite excited you opened up questions (not on twitter). I really enjoy your Heist Society books and Gallagher too! Just finished GG6 and it was great! My questions are do you ever just let you characters “run free” to see where the story goes? Also, when you write something you don’t like, how do you change the concept but keep the basic idea behind it? One last question. What’s your favorite part about writing?
I always start with an idea about what will happen in the book, but I’m always surprised at what occurs to me along the way. It would be a pity not to leave yourself open to better ideas.
My favorite part about writing is when the book all comes together. I recently realized that each book is like a safe I’m trying to crack. I spend about 80% of my time working the tumblers, waiting for a click. Once the click comes, I work like the wind the other 20% of the time because I finally know what I’m doing.
The click is the best part.
Ally! 🙂 I’m so glad that you’re taking questions. I was wondering how you can write so well about places that you’ve never been? Do you just do research? I always doubt that my writing isn’t believable because all I know about the world is what I’ve read, because unfortunately I haven’t travelled much. I hope you’re having a wonderful day x
You do research and you make stuff up. Lucky for me I like making stuff up. If I didn’t, I’d really be in the wrong profession.
HI Ally,
Do you believe that there is a better format to write in such as present or past tense? I’ve written in both styles however I was just curious if one is perferred.
Who read your first drafts? Did you let a friend do it? Someone totally in the neutral zone?
Also, I’m curious to know what the next step is after I’ve finished my book. I really feel that my writing is somewhat decent (not to sound big-headed or anything) and after revising it, my goal is for it to be published. Do you have any advice about how I should go about that?
Thanks for letting me ask these questions. It is my hope that I’ll get an answer. Go Pokes!
-Katherine
1. absolutely not. I believe each book will have a tense that is best for that book (Embassy Row, for example, will be my first foray into present tense), but no Point of View choice is inherently better than any other. You just have to figure out which is best for what you’re writing.
This is one of the most important decisions you will make. Sometimes I will even write a chapter or two in different POVs or tenses if I’m uncertain, just to see which feels best.
2. My editor is always my first reader. Before I had an editor, I would let my local librarian read. Now I have friends I might also ask for feedback. The key is to find someone you trust to 1. know what they are talking about and 2. tell you the honest truth. I also recommend you choose someone from whom you can take HEARING the truth.
3. I think you’ll find this one answered in a few places here now. Check it out.
When I wirte a story at the end I feel like it’s umcomplete? Does that ever happen to you? And how do you solve the problem?
That is when you do another draft. And another. And another. Over and over until it is finished and as close to perfect as you can possibly make it.
The first draft is only the BEGINNING, guys. That is when the hard work is just beginning.
I’m in the process of writing a story that I’ve been working on for a few years but I’m having problems with some of the elements of literature, mainly symbolism. I was wondering how to create interesting and thought-provoking symbols in a story without so blatantly shoving them in the reader’s face?
I also had a secondary question about dialogue versus description. I’ve noticed that in my writing, most of my scenes are very heavy on dialogue and light on actual description. Most of my writing is in first person narrative and yet I find myself not writing about what my character is feeling, or seeing or doing, only what she is saying. Whenever I do write description it seems extremely boring and quite often leads to an overuse of “I this” or “I that”. Is there any way to lessen the need for dialogue in scenes, or perhaps create more interesting inner monologues?
Thank you so much, Ally and congratulations on United We Spy, it was an excellent conclusion to a great series.
I often find myself procrastinating on a story and getting completely off track. Does this happen to you? and do you have any keys to avoid procrastination?
Thanks <3
Procrastination is human nature. We all do it when we don’t want to do our homework or clean our rooms or do anything else.
Deadlines help. Goals do too. I know when I have to turn something in and how much there is to do. Then it is a matter of saying “do X pages every day for Y days and you’ll meet your goal”. That is the professional writer’s life.
Before you are a professional, it helps to have contests you need to be ready to enter by a certain date, readers who are expecting a copy before Christmas, or over spring break, or whatever…
Ultimately, though, no one can make you do this. And no one SHOULD. If you don’t enjoy writing enough to make yourself do it, then it is possible that writing isn’t for you. Or maybe writing isn’t for you right now! It is okay to be more interested in, for example, being a teenager…while you’re a teenager.
THERE IS NO SHAME IN NOT WRITING A NOVEL. Not everyone has to be a writer. We need people who love to be readers too.
What did you major in in college? I know your bio says you worked in ag for a while, so how did you transition from working in agriculture to being a full-time writer? Thanks, Ally!
I studied Agricultural Economics. It is a field that has nothing to do with creative writing, but it has a great deal to do with small business management. And since I’d say at least 20% of my life is managing this crazy small business called Ally Carter Enterprises (not including the writing) then that worked out very well!
How did I go from one to the other? Well, I had a job, and when I wasn’t doing that job I was writing. Weekends. Nights. Holidays. Almost everyone who does this as their real job now did it for a long time as a hobby.
Once I finally got published I STILL had a “real” job. I was doing movie deals…and had a real job. And was selling six-figure contracts…and had a real job. Steady work with benefits–especially in a field you enjoy–is not something you just walk away from on a whim. I was actually at my job when I got the call I was a NYT bestseller.
After that, I was able to quit to do this full-time, but it was something I did on borrowed time first. It is that way for EVERYONE. And, in fact, for many, many writers it still is.
Writing is unreliable, irregular, and for the most part not very lucrative. Trust me, day jobs matter. And I would highly recommend you plan as if you will have one for the rest of your life.
Have you ever been writing a book and been afraid of the outcome? I’ve been writing this book for a while now, and I just feel like it’s too dull and it’s making me lose my motivation to write.
I worry all the time that the book I’m writing won’t be very good. I was just worrying about Embassy Row a few minutes ago! It’s common.
But I have to keep writing anyway. And then I’ll work with my editor to make it better. And then I will show it to a few friends. And all the while I will keep thinking it is awful–right up until the day when I look at it and say, “I think my book might be good!”
It happens to all of us. All the time. Welcome to the club!