C.R. Johansson's Blog, page 2

Overusing Character Name

“Hello Steve, do you have the report I wanted.”
“Yes,” Steve said. “I left it on your desk.”
“Thanks Steve.”
“Do you think we’ll catch him,” Steve asked.
“I don’t know Steve. The odds are stacked against us, but no matter what happens, we won’t stop trying.”
“I agree, the alternative is not very appealing.” Steve laughed.
“That’s no laughing matter Steve.”
We’ve all watched comedies where characters say each other’s names repeatedly. And we’re all familiar with the fun party game where you take a drink whenever a name or word is said in a movie. A writer should use the character’s name when there could be confusion about who is talking or when the character is talking to many people. Or, of course, if they’re writing a comedy. 😊
https://www.lisapoisso.com/2018/09/18...

World Building

Some of my stories start with a bang! The main character (protagonist or antagonist), bursts onto the scene with a shocking revelation. The images and ideas that follow are about the world and the society that the character lives. With that the world begins to take shape. How the people live, what are their cultures, languages and traditions. My thoughts deepen to the type of governing system, currency and classes. Create crazy story land into a real world

https://darlingaxe.com/blogs/news/wor...

The Tell Tale Heart

“And have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over-acuteness of the sense?”
― Edgar Allan Poe, The Tell-Tale Heart

Gothic Fiction

Would you be surprised to know that you’ve read or watched gothic fiction? Frankenstein, The Fall Of The House Of Usher, and Jane Eyre are just a few of most well-known gothic fiction stories. Gothic Fiction got its start in 18th century Europe and to this day, fans can’t get enough. Do you like gothic fiction?

https://reedsy.com/discovery/blog/got...

In Progress - Stay Tuned

I’ve been working on something new to express my fun, quirky, and eclectic side. A short (flash) story collections chapbook series. 😊 Stay tuned for more.

SF Themes - Overpopulation

There are many popular themes in science fiction stories and films. One of them is population control. From Soylent Green (Make Room! Make Room!) and Logan’s Run (novel and film) to The Caves Of Steel (novel) and Passengers (film). Many science fiction writers have frightened us with their version of what they believe society will become because of overpopulation and all of them have made us wonder, “what is the answer to overpopulation”. What are your favorite overpopulation novels or movies?
https://medium.com/adams-notebook/sci...

AI or Ghostwriters

Did you know that approximately 45% authors use AI at some point whether writing, marketing, illustrations or plotting? Did you know that several well-known, famous authors use with the encouragement of the main publishing houses, to use ghost writers for plotting, outlining and even writing their novels?
I’ve been thinking a lot about AI lately and why do we accept ghost writers as just a part of life. We have no problem reading the novel of our favorite author knowing they didn’t do all the writing or creating themselves, but we turn our noses up and refuse to buy novels where the author admits to using AI to help generate the plot or outline.
I get it, it’s new technology and everyone is afraid it’s going to replace human jobs, but have you ever read a raw story generated by AI? It sucks. It’s flat, without depth or dimension. It doesn’t sound or feel like a human wrote it. There’s no way a product from AI in its original form can replace a human. A human will always be needed to flesh out the story with human elements, thoughts, and feelings. Much like the original author will always work together, side-by-side, with the ghostwriter to create a masterpiece.
What are your thoughts? What if you found out tomorrow that your favorite modern-day author used AI to help in some form. Would you stop reading their books? Would you feel the same way about a ghostwriter?

Author Eccentricity

Artists have a reputation of being eccentric, but is that a bad thing?
Have you ever seen a person and thought, “I want to be just like them.”
When I was young, I wanted to be like Pippi Longstocking. She had the most amazing adventures, bright red braids that stuck straight out from her head, two different colored stockings and most importantly, her self-esteem was so strong that she didn’t care what other people thought of her. Children like Pippi Longstocking, if she were real, would have been labeled, weird, strange, and possibly nerd, but would she get teased by her peers? In the books Pippi wasn’t teased for her idiosyncrasies. Her outgoing, anti-authoritarian, personality drew friends to her.
I’ve encountered many eccentric adults in my life. Some were extroverted and were surrounded by friends, and some were introverted with just a few close friends, but they all had the same robust self-esteem that allowed them to navigate the world with a positive outlook and enjoyment. So, be the person you want to be, even if it’s the old lay with crazy glasses who owns a duck, and don’t worry about what others think.

Suffer The Children

Boom! And just like that, the first round of editing “Suffer The Children” is complete! Next comes note checking, and a read through before sending it off to my professional editor.

Doors To Other Worlds

A dream, a spaceship, a wormhole, a time machine, a mirror.
A game, a rabbit hole, a painting, a tornado, a wardrobe.
There are so many different doors to others worlds and dimensions in literature.
I love the more unusual, sometimes almost absurd, ideas.
What are some of your favorites?
https://bookraid.com/reader-blog/3727...