Dna Of A Writer

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

by Kurt Frenier

Presentation on behalf of the Emirates Literary Group, Dubai, February 2010

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Why do I write?How do I write?How did I get published?

… in a random, rather confusing order. Be gentle.

a bit of my brains … and a bit of my tools

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Once Upon A Time

Belgium1969AriesFamilyExpression & Creativity

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

MyAll-Time

Inspiration

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Maybe I Never

Grew Up Children’s storiesYoung Adults stories/novelsAttempts to write an adult novelPoetry, short stories, and more…Translated

The EnchantedTree House

TranslatedThe Youngest Spy

In The World

Two book published in 2009 in The Netherlands, Europe

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Myths

• I am not sure I have what it takes.• I don’t have time to write.• I don’t have anything to write about.• The editor will reject my work because I am not famous.• My vocabulary and writing skills are too limited.• In my field there are few opportunities to publish.

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Write itALL down

ScrapbookEvery idea countsOne day…Write the book cover text

handwritt

en outline for Talese’s Esquire story.

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

ExampleThe Enchanted Tree House

A walk in the parkPicture of a tree houseA back cover > the big ideaThe first and last page

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

The Movie In My Head

“The pen is the tongue of the mind.”-Miguel de Cervantes

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Much Easier To

Describe…

…an apple when you are looking at one!

or a small thing like a spider

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Dramatize!

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

ThinkingIs NOT

Writingseparate your thinking and writing “mode”a relaxing place + “me”-time

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

The $1mm questions according

to my publisher 1st person or 3rd person

Present or past tense

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Illustrations

What do you like?Keep your eyes openTalk to artists you like!

Philine van der Vegte

Edie Pijpers

my “reference bank”

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Word Count

Counts YA 55,000 - 69,999 is a great rangeNovel 80,000 - 89,999: cool 90,000 - 99,999: safe Below 70,000: too short 110,000 or above: too long

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Get Started

Starting is the hard pieceOutline > Mind mapping?Go sit in that 30.000 foot airplane!

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

MindMapping

Al

Activist

Twitter

Revolution

Tourism

ActionEcosystem Innovation

Networks

AlfJohJuanMaribelBerPau

RafaGersónJordiJuan Carlos…

FollowersCommunication

Open-sourceEntrepreneurshipConsulting

rainingDistribution….

ProjectsCampaignsWorkshops

Sectorial ModelMentalitySystem….

SupplyDemandPromotionDistribution

CollaborationIntegration Flow

Network

PhilosophyObjectiveTransgression

Transformation

WorkersWorkersLiquid

Funnel

Tourism revolutionTourism revolution

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Characters

It’s not a scienceVisualize > I search a picture for my main charactersConsistent behavior is criticalCharacter evolutionTwist & Turn

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Small Steps

5 pages/ day is a good result for meNon sequential writingYou need a ritual (daily, weekly,…)Keep going … don’t interrupt your writing

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Think ofThe

Hourglass

Strong startSetting the sceneIntroduce main characterBuild first bits of tensionKnock reader of courseRe-establish the storyTwist and turnsGive away hints on endingBuild up to the climaxStrong/surprising ending

Building Blocks of a Strong Storyline © Kurt Frenier, 2010

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Allow yourself to

derail The only thing anybody else sees is the end resultHow you get there is YOUR business

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Burden ofa writer The Word MagicianThe Word Magician

by Kurt Frenier

He was hammering on his machine again, in absolute silence, with his fingers bent like little hooks, eyes half staring in thin air, half on the screen. Pearls of sweat were dripping down his face, as if he was in a rage.

He'd been in full concentration for the longest of times; to get the hard job done. The electricity between his brain and hands was working overtime. As usual. Sharp as laser blades, the eruption of words manifested itself.

Like a passionate and professional maniac he deliberately flushed the energy out of his body; carving out something out of nothing.

It HAD to be done.

The fight in his mind was ruthless. Gangs of words fighting with other gangs of words, competing for the number one spot: to be transferred out of the mind, into the world of fame and eternity: "word-Valhalla", where words got embraced by their family (sentences), and were there to stay; forever.

The thin virgin layer of whitened wood was slowly filling up with words, neatly ordered to make some sort of sense. A story appeared. Word-Valhalla was forming.

After a good 30.000 words, and pages and pages of engraved ideas, the book appeared.

Victory! The word magician had done it again.

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Unclogging

Start somewhere elseRead another book… watch a movie… have a cigar…

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Editing

Kill your darlings10x reread and rewrite is “ok”Why. do. I. have. to write. this. now.? (re-read this 7 times!)

“Good writing is rewriting.”-Truman Capote

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Recap

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

PathwayTo GettingPublished Millions of authors

Billions of ideasHundreds of publishersMY BOOK?

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

The Tipping

Point For Me

My daughter Julia, born NOV 2006

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

IngoingPosition

It’s an uphill battle!

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

LeverageSocial

Networks Publishers ask for your social knowledge!Be active … every dayMeaningful posts!Build content

Source: The Economist, January 2010

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

You can’t escape it!This is where the conversation happens!

LeverageSocial

Networks-cont’d

word of mouth

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

LeverageSocial

Networks-cont’d Learn from the master

Obama was totally UNKNOWN !

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

MyWebsite

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Grants,Contests,

And the likes

Many “free” publishing opportunitiesAny extra argument for publishersGive it a try !

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

EmbraceRejection

9/10 reactions are negativePart of the deal; live with itWait for the one “YES”

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Perseverance

Believe in yourself!You have to fall to be able to stand up

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

OneDay

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Sense and nonsense

of a contract

Full publishing contractFull JVSemi JVSelf publishing … &- reflections on combining both

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

What ILearned The Hard

Way (Playing) with language is not easy … study… and read !Personal opinions on good/no-goodDon’t fight for everything … until you are JK Rowling

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

What ILearned The Hard

Way Selling is difficultThe internet seems personal… but it’s notCompetition is terrifyingly hard

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

What ILearned The Hard

Way DO WHAT YOU CAN- Reach out to friends, family, …- Profile yourself as a writer, not a wannabe-writer!- Shout it from the rooftops

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

What ILearned The Hard

Way eBooks might just be the future- Better get familiar with it- I don’t like it…but publisher forces me to-Does it change how we should write????

Kurt Frenier – DNA of a writer

Thank you 4 listening

http://www.facebook.com/kurt.frenier