How to Win at Nanowrimo

Posted by Tarryn on Oct 30, 2011 in How to Win | 0 comments

Nanowrimo is, I imagine, like getting a tattoo or giving birth. You always hear people say that those are forgettable pains, ones that after the fact don’t seem all that bad. In some (even most) cases, you might persuade yourself that you could, and should, do it again. So I’ve heard.

In any event, Nanowrimo is painful. And unless you are a creative-storytelling genius (or you sold your soul for a Pulitzer) you’ll need all the help you can get. I do. As you well know I am a good finder of stuff on the interwebs. So I share with you all, a list of writing tools and tips- a survival guide as such, for the best and worst writing month of the year: NOVEMBER! (and for all other months, incidentally).

The Last Novel-Writing Book You’ll Ever Need: Plotting a story-line using Blake Snyder’s screenwriting ‘beat sheet’ (Downloadable here), should you decide not to go for a seat-of-your-pants style word-vomit ala Chris Baty.

Devil in the Details: Selecting descriptive details, creating contrast and depth of character.

Night of the Living Syntax: Voluntary vs. involuntary actions, and how to account for them in a way that packs a punch.

Grammar Girl: Quick and dirty tips for better writing.

And then the various 25 Things lists of Chuck Wendig: 25 ways to plot, plan, and prep your story; 25 questions to ask as you write; 25 things writers should know about theme; importantly- The secret menu of writing advice; and especially for Nanowrimo’s: 25 things you should know about Nanowrimo. I don’t know if you can tell, but I basically find everything on this blog interesting/useful. Just read the whole thing.

The only real way to win at Nanowrimo, however, is to write the damned 1667 words each day come hell or high water (sometimes in the face of both). So hop to it.

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Thu14

How to Win at Reading Academic Articles.

Posted by Tarryn on Jan 14, 2010 in How to Win | 6 comments

So. You have begun, are beginning, or are returning to university. Especially if you are undertaking a course in the humanities or law faculties, this will mean a year of intensive reading and engaging with those readings on whatever kind of intellectual level you can muster on the hangover you have after the previous night’s frivolities. Ideally you should read through each allocated reading at least twice and make comprehensive notes thereon prior to the lecture. But, unfortunately some of us are burdened with the excessive amount of popularity that requires that we party every night of the week, and so we cannot possibly accomplish this extraordinary workload. Others of us are the kind that like to believe that they were catapulted to earth from the planet Krypton when we were babies, and tend to take on three reading intensive majors and regularly cry ourselves to sleep. Can you guess where I fall in?What did I do? I asked my lecturer for advice (usually your best strategy). She divulged a little tactic that has saved my life dudes. No jokes. Her advice was prefaced by the comment: “I worked this out after 20 years of academia and I really wish someone had told me sooner”. So guys? I’m telling you sooner.Usually you would read the articles or readings a couple of times over, highlight or underline and then make notes. This technique is kind of like reading the back page of the book first. You start out making notes off the bat.1. From First to Last
Read the Abstract, Introduction and Conclusion first. Highlight or underline as you wish as you go along. Then, and here is the key: Write down three (3!!) sentences- no more, no less- about what the article is trying to say. This is the argument. The author will get the gist of the argument across in those three sections of his/her article.2. Middle of the Road
The remainder of the article will either consist of paragraphs or sections under definite titles. The latter is the easiest as most often the “titles” will indicate what that section is about. Skim read to determine what point is being made in each section and write down only one (1!) sentence about each. With regard to paragraphs with no title, allow me to relay a little analogy from primary school: We used to have lessons on writing concisely, and our teacher once told us that the best way to write is to say the main point in the first sentence, and then to develop the point further and provide evidence to back it up in the rest of the paragraph. Conversely, when reading other people’s academic work it follows that the first sentence will contain the main idea. So just read that! I find it useful to write down the “Claim:” made and then “Evidence:” as my one sentence. This will show you the progression of the argument.

3. The Flaming Lips
Scan the article/reading for about three quotes (depending on the length of the article/reading) that allude to or highlight what you summarized, write them down verbatim, and take down the page number where you saw them. I usually go for one in the intro, one in the conclusion and one from somewhere in the middle.

4. Muse
Don’t forget to take down the citation in whatever convention your university or department prefers! You will usually be able to find a citation conventions guide on your university website.

Now friends, I do not claim that this is a fail-safe. Sometimes the gist of the article will not be unearthed via this process, and you will have to read the whole thing. I would recommend reading the whole thing anyway, but then I am just obsessive. If you don’t have the time to read the whole thing, you could always fall back of the prize that is academic bullshitting and make snarky comments about the article being “unstructured” or “unfocused”, or that the language used was “obscure”… These key words should preferably be delivered in the huskiest voice you can muster, with messy bed hair, and while smoking a cigarette out of one of those long thingys… or a pipe if you are a boy. Everyone loves a mysterious and eccentric academic. At least all academics do. I think.

Also, sometimes its just better to Wikipedia. Especially when it comes to Marx. Wikipedia has SICK notes on Capital. No jokes.

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Fri08

How to Win at University.

Posted by Tarryn on Jan 8, 2010 in How to Win | 2 comments

The best advice about starting University that I have heard given, to date, was to a friend, by her dad. He said: “Never miss a lecture, never miss a party, and NEVER miss a period”. It’s pretty solid advice guys.

Never Miss A Lecture.
To be completely honest with you? I have never really complied with this rule. I was more: Never Miss A Lecture In The First Week, or: Never Miss A Lecture In The Two Weeks Before Exams… But I can truthfully tell you, after both doing and tutoring courses at university, that more work is covered in an hour lecture than what you will ever be able to cover in an hour studying on your own. When you decide to miss that lecture, just remember that it will take you twice as long to catch up the work by yourself. Also, when you get an email saying that “Assignment Two marked scripts are ready for collection”, and you didn’t even know that you were supposed to hand IN an assignment AT ALL. THEN KIDS, THEN you will be sorry that you didn’t go to that lecture (Sidebar: It was only worth 5% and I still passed the course- I have to add that in so my mom will stop freaking out. Yes woman. I see you procrastinating from work by reading your daughter’s blog and cackling to yourself. You think that distance can hide you? The internet sees everything.)

Never Miss A Party.
I cannot claim to having never missed a party either. What I would like to add, is that all of the parties that I did miss? I missed them because I was in the library freaking out. Or at home in front of my PC freaking out. I was freaking out because I had so much work to catch up on/reading to do/a pile of assignments BECAUSE I DIDN’T GO TO THE LECTURE. So just go. To the lecture. And the party. Unless the party isn’t cool. You have a rep to maintain.

Never Miss A Period.
This I achieved! And all I can really say? “Thank Fuck”. University is about Education. University is about meeting new people and having the time of your life. University is about not getting pregnant. Correct. Be safe. Noddy Badge.

Also, don’t eat the books. Or smoke too many “cigarettes”.

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