Mala Naidoo's Blog, page 13
June 3, 2017
Why do We Crave the Truth?
Is ignorance bliss or is it better the devil you know? What’s your choice to be? The question we all toss around is ‘What is the truth?’ in a bid to remove our own sense of perceived ignorance on a matter or situation. The truth we crave might yield many a sleepless night and deeply …
May 27, 2017
What’s In a Name?
A thinking, vibrant being A giving, caring individual A hard-working, self-sacrificing soul A woman, a mother, a wife, a daughter A man, a father, a husband, a son A loving grandparent An innocent child, given a name with love and pride Identity A name might have meaning behind it based on family history, heritage or culture. …
May 21, 2017
Can You Imagine a World Without Laughter?
How often have you heard, ‘laugh and the whole world laughs with you?’ When we create suspense and villainous scoundrels as characters in novels, we keep readers on the edge of their seats, reading on beyond the bewitching hour and sometimes we ignore the benefit of a moment of comic relief that allows the reader/us …
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May 13, 2017
The Jury’s out on Mr Darcy!
Being a juror is a serious civic duty for some, for others, it creates a sense of entitlement and empowerment. This recalls an experience from some years ago. The early pleasantries of being a fellow juror soon diminished when baggage from the past and present private worlds seeped in, threatening to stymie a just call …
May 10, 2017
Villainous, Scoundrels! How far will you go?
The most memorable characters in literature are often those who remain indelible for their villainous acts, making them timeless scoundrels of literature! Shakespeare has shaped villainous characters that resonate through time. In creating a dark and dangerous character, turn to some of his notable characters to consider why you loathe them enough to remember their …
Continue reading "Villainous, Scoundrels! How far will you go?"
May 6, 2017
Wellness While You Write
Everyone is a writer- authors, students, teachers, business executives, talk show hosts, journalists, doctors, lawyers, engineers and the list goes on. Some of us write for longer periods in our day and others in short spurts, depending on what you do and want to achieve from your writing. This post is different to my …
May 2, 2017
A Safe Place? So I thought.
I thought I was in a safe place. By day anyway. A colleague and I were working back late at school preparing for a forthcoming event. It was a long day and some things had to be done before morning. It was the middle of June, winter was in its icy throes. The sun …
April 29, 2017
Suspense
Stories that make us ‘experience’ a moment within a scene comes from the creation of suspense when characters or events invite expectation from the reader, stimulating the desire to read on. Often several revised versions of a suspenseful moment might be necessary to achieve the desired effect to make the moment memorable for the reader, …
April 22, 2017
Everyone and Authenticity
We want to believe. We crave loyalty. We need assurance. We are human after all. In creating characters in fictional tales, those that resonate with the reader are the characters who are either perceived as most authentic in their expressions of truth or deception. Literature mirrors the fabric of humanity highlighting concerns on the human …
EVERYONE and AUTHENTICITY
We want to believe. We crave loyalty. We need assurance. We are human after all. In creating characters in fictional tales, those that resonate with the reader are the characters who are either perceived as most authentic in their expressions of truth or deception. Literature mirrors the fabric of humanity highlighting concerns on the human …
