Beth Barany's Blog, page 19

16. The Horizons Model for Story Telling

[image error]

In this episode creactivity coach and podcast host Beth Barany discusses The Horizons Model for Story Telling and shares insight into what H1, H2, and H3 represents.

Listen to the podcast on: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Buzzsprout | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | Podchaser 

ABOUT BETH

Beth Barany is an Award-winning Novelist, master neurolinguistic programming practitioner, and certified creativity coach for writers, including being a Workshop Leader & Keynote Speaker. Beth has published books in several genres including young adult fantasy, paranormal romance and science fiction.

Learn more about Beth Barany at these sites: 

Author site /  Coaching site / School of Fiction / Writer’s Fun Zone blog

 

RESOURCES

Sign up for a  Discovery Call with Beth Barany here:

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/discovery-call/

When Is Now? (by Be Smart)

https://youtu.be/3WRgikuVZpQ

How Do Different Cultures Think About Time?

Interview with Lera Boroditsky at the World Science Festival, 2019

https://youtu.be/4klDmEViusA

What is your orientation to time? Take this survey to help you understand yourself and other people:

https://www.mindtime.com/mindtime-survey/

SHOW NOTES

“It is really hard to pin down and define the present moment, the present now, even from a quantum physics perspective. Our brain is constructing our present reality, but It is already past.”

In this episode creativity coach and science fiction/fantasy novelist Beth Barany discusses the Horizons Model and explains what H1, H2, and H3 represents including sharing insight into which position she falls into and explains how you can discover which kind of thinker you are.

ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCAST

The How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers.

Tips for fiction writers!

This podcast is for you if you have questions like:

How do I create a believable world for my science fiction story?How do figure what’s not working if my story feels flat?How do I make my story more interesting and alive?

This podcast is for readers too if you’re at all curious about the future of humanity.

TRANSCRIPT for 16. The Horizons Model for Story Telling

Today, I want to share a simple but powerful model for you to take into your life and into your stories: the Horizons Model.

Intro

Are you stuck with your story and don’t know how to get unstuck?

Are you a novelist who wishes to be more prolific? 

Or maybe you’ve written that first draft and you just don’t know how to make it better.

Then sign up today for a No Obligation Discovery Call with me Beth Barany, Creativity Coach and award-winning science fiction/ fantasy novelist.

I look forward to seeing how I can help you.

So sign up today, the link is in the show notes, and now let’s get on with the show.

Hi everyone, this is Beth Barany. I host the podcast, How To Write The Future. This is a podcast for science fiction and fantasy writers want to create positive, optimistic stories.

Because when we vision, what is possible, we help make it so. This podcast is also for readers who are inspired by thinking about the future and about what could be.

Episode Intro

In this episode, I will share with you about the horizons model that I learned in strategic foresight training at the School of International Futures.

I will explain this model and then talk about some ways that it might be able to help you as a fiction write.

And for all the readers listening this might also help you understand your society, the culture that you live in.

You may notice that society’s seem to privilege things staying the same, by that I mean, a lot of benefits come to us from things being stable.

From the trains running on time; from when you go to the store, you know the shelves have food in them.

You know that when you bring your children to school, the teachers will be there. And the teaching will probably be pretty much what you learn in school. There’s continuity, stability, certainty.

But there are people who want things different, who are working through the system, and outside the system to make things different.

Today, those innovations, maybe they take the shape of self-driving cars to eliminate accidents; vertical and indoor controlled farming to increase yield in smaller spaces using technology to make healthy food without pesticides. Or maybe people are trying to change the system with civil disobedience to call attention to the climate disorder that we humans have caused in our planet, our only habitat.

Also, there are people like Manda Scott who runs Thrutopia, a community of storytellers and other people who want to write stories that envision humanity’s shift from what it is to what it could be in the next 10, 20 or 30 years.

Then there’s also people like Cat Tully, who founded the School of International Futures, who I interviewed in the last episode, Episode 15. She’s been working to bring together the up and coming young people who are working for change in their communities with those working already in the futuristics and strategic foresight domain for many years.

There are many people working in the space, bridging the now with those working on what could be. I count myself in this category.

So I briefly talked about those who want to keep things the same, those who are bridging from now into what could be in the near term, and then there’s a third category, the dreamers, those who want things radically different, often shut down by those who want things to remain the same.

There are some people who want to tear down what is today to make room for the completely new.

For right or wrong, no judgment here, there are those who are striving for us to be a multi-planetary species like Elon Musk and his efforts at Space X, and other people who craft visions of future jobs that don’t exist yet, and who help organizations plan for the future most people can’t envision. Then there are those who see humanity’s future for good or ill or a bit of both.

I see myself also playing in this space with my fiction and my random imaginings.

Today, I want to share a simple but powerful model for you to take into your life and into your stories: the Horizons Model. Cat Tully spoke briefly about it in the last episode, episode 15.

And she taught it to us at the August retreat at the School of International Futures.

For the Horizons Model, picture a timeline in front of you.

On your left is the past.

On your right is the future.

In front of you, is the present, the ever changing, ever moving present.

The Horizons Model breaks these three times– past, present and future– and into three names. H 1 is the past H 2 is the present and H 3 is the future.

I just want to pause for a moment here and acknowledge that not everybody views time, the same way. Not everybody views time from this left to right, past present future, or some people might view it right to Past present future, some people see time completely differently.

And that’s exciting, now, I’m fascinated by time, eventually I’ll do an episode about time.

I think we can say for pretty certain that on this earthly plane, there always exist something that came before and also lives in us, right? Sometimes it feels like the past is happening to us right now.

Any time you remember something from your past, you’re actually re-experiencing it in the present.

So there we have the past and the present mixed up.

And then there’s the now. The now is constantly moveable. Oh, there it goes. The present moment. Boom. It just moved to the past. Now it’s a memory. Oh, look now we’re in a new present moment. Oh, but boom, it moves to the past. But the next present moment that we haven’t experienced is now the future, but wait, no. Now it’s Oh, Nope, Nope Now it’s the past.

I love that stuff. I think it’s hilarious. Fascinating. And so strange.

It is really hard to pin down and define the present moment, the present now, even from a quantum physics perspective. Our brain is constructing our present reality, but it is already past.

I recently watched a wonderful video on trying to understand the present moment from a quantum physics perspective and I’ll have that resource in the show notes.

And even if the past often feels like it’s the present and the present quickly slips away into the past, the future, the future is always out there. It’s always yet to arrive. And there isn’t one future. I know I’ve titled this podcast, how to write the future, but actually there are multiple futures until we experience them and then it becomes the now.

The future will always be undefined.

Now as a futures focused person, I can tell you that it doesn’t matter how many goals I achieve that once I achieved and I’ve celebrated, for a second, I’m always reaching and striving for the next far away mountain, top goal. That’s how I’m wired. That makes me happy. Now notice you may be wired totally differently.

Now, back to our Horizons Model and to our timeline, I said that not every culture sees time as a linear progression, as I mentioned from left to right, or right to left. There are cultures that see time, for example, via a north, south, east, west orientation. And that’s fascinating. I’ve listed in a fabulous interview with Lera Boroditsky, a cognitive scientist where she describes this about a culture that she studied and lived in, and that orientation to time is completely different.

As a storyteller, this really inspires me. What if I have a culture that is oriented that way or some other way towards time? What would that be like? What would that experience be like, especially to an outsider getting adjusted to that kind of orientation.

So I just want to presence that because we may think there’s only one way to perceive time, but actually different cultures perceive time differently.

I recommend that you check out the five minute video.

The link is in the show notes with Lera Boroditsky, a cognitive scientist. It was an interview as part of the World Science Festival from a few years ago.

And I will definitely do a future episode or even a series of episodes about the notion of time.

So why is it useful to study this Horizons Model?

It will help us recognize strengths and weaknesses or benefits and challenges of each one of these orientations past, present, or future. It will also help you notice what is it that you love? Which one of these are you living in and also your biases. And I’ll point those out as we go through.

When you understand this Horizons Model can also help you work with different people on projects, and understand their language and why they might adhere to a certain focus either H one H two H three past present or future. Or some mix of that, and it can help you understand others and it can also help you understand yourself.

And as a storyteller, the applications of this awareness are huge and I will be coming back to this. So let’s dig into the nitty gritty.

H1 – PAST ORIENTATION

“This three Horizons Model is a framework that connects the present with desired futures. Identifies the conflicts between them and explores the divergent futures that may result.”

This is a quote from the School of International Futures curriculum.

In an H one orientation, the benefits and the strengths are stability, predictability, the ability to build systems and organizations to maintain what was, and what needs to remain like roads, power plants, water filtration, rules about healthy food and medicines, for example.

Challenges for this h one orientation oriented towards the past.

People in this orientation can become brittle, intransigent, unable, or hard to change, dismissive of the current and future. And not really paying attention to the needs of the current era or the future areas.

For example, what happens if we don’t upgrade our power plants to handle the changing weather, like heat waves. Those systems will break or they won’t function well.

So the stable structure of society also needs to be focused on the now of maintenance and the future of better, more adaptable models of power generation.

What could those be?

For example, we know many of them. If we have better batteries for solar and wind generation, they can release excess electricity when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. So they could better handle peak electrical needs in cities between 4 and 9:00 PM.

Another example would be using ocean waves for electrical generation. Something that’s now in trials, very exciting. Electricity generated in this way could practically be limitless in inhabited coastal regions, which is a big part of the planet.

H2 – Present day, current orientation

What are the benefits or strengths to having a present day, current orientation?

People in organizations oriented this way are great at handling what’s in the now. They tend to be practical, hands-on solution oriented, grounded in the doing. Not in the dreaming.

Some challenges or weaknesses of the present day current orientation are: you could be very shortsighted. Not looking very far into the past or the future, not taking lessons from the past. Also little or no planning for the far future.

So here’s an example. Many people who are oriented in the present are super fascinated by the best tech, toys that come out. For example, the latest phone or the latest car, the latest TV or the latest computer. It’s really fun. It’s exciting. Right? When the new thing comes out, but they aren’t necessarily thinking about what happens when this gizmo breaks, the need to replace it.

The fact that the toy or the TV or the computer goes into waste system and may or may not get recycled and be a part of the building waste on this planet.

People with this type of shiny object syndrome feed the consumer focused economy and takes no care in what is happening to the environment or how much our buying of things impacts how were tearing down the environment where we live. And we’re not replenishing, or rejuvenating nature from where we are taking all these resources.

On the other hand, people in institutions that are focused on taking care of today’s problems are very good at often taking care of acute problems.

So take for example, the health care system. If you break a leg or get an accident of some kind, you can go to the emergency room and get taken care of. If there’s a problem, you can get surgery for some.

But some of the short-sightedness of it doesn’t allow them, for example, in healthcare to take advantage of wisdom from the past, or even think about how to look at healthcare completely differently and change it for the future.

H3 Future Orientation

So now let’s move on to H three future orientation.

We looked at the past, we looked at the present. H one and H2. Now let’s look at the future.

People and institutions oriented toward the future– some of their benefits and strengths are, they’re really great at planning, planning for worst case scenarios, planning for best case scenarios. Really open to possibilities.

Also very comfortable with the unknown and the unseen. Also very comfortable with asking What If and playing with all the different options that arise.

Some of the challenges or weaknesses of this future orientation is you can be stuck in the dreaming phase and never take action.

Also, you might ignore what has worked in the past or what is currently working as you start dreaming about the future and what could be.

People and institutions oriented in this way could be looked at as impractical.

How do you help people on the planet now, when you’re focused on planning space probes that won’t even launch for another 5, 10 or 15 years? And won’t even have answers for us for much longer than that.

The space agencies oriented in this direction, NASA, ESA, JAXA. The Chinese space industry. They’re all interested in finding out what’s out there. But it takes a long time to prepare a space telescope, like the James Webb space telescope. They’re even planning the next generation telescope. That’ll take a long time to plan it, build it, launch it. And we have people in these industries focused on this.

A lot of people want to dismiss what the space agencies are doing, because they’re wondering how can it benefit us here and now.

But you’ve probably heard and know that our cell phones and our computers that you’re probably using to listen to this episode wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for the space program. The space industry focused on miniaturization, computer chips, and so much more.

And all of this exists today and it benefits us in so many ways because of these future oriented thinkers, dreamers and planners.

The downside of being oriented in the future is that you can be frustrated when things don’t come to fruition quickly. I have that experience.

Luckily, I also have a lot of present time orientation to help me get the next thing done and then the next thing done, and then the next thing done. This is how I’m able to be so productive.

And what I noticed about organizations that are focused on the future survive because they have believers, people who believe in the benefits that will come. And also they have support from people who also help connect the future oriented work with the needs of today.

Where do you see yourself? Are you an H1, H2, or H3 thinker?

So, where do you see yourself in one of these three positions or maybe a mix?

Most people are a mix. Are you very past oriented? Are you very present oriented? Are you very future oriented? I would bet a lot of people listening to this are very future oriented because of the name of the podcast, How to Write The Future.

And to help you figure out what is your orientation I have a link in the show notes from a wonderful website called mindtime dot com, which invites you to take a test or a quiz, or maybe it’s more of an assessment to see where you’re oriented.

I was introduced to this assessment at mindtime.com by the School of International Futures, which is where I also learned about the Horizon Model and some of its uses in strategic foresight.

So today I went through the Horizons Model that futurists and strategic foresight practitioners use as one of their tools in their toolkit.

OUTRO

Write long and prosper.

Science fiction and fantasy writers, if you would like one on one support in dreaming up your storyworld or dealing with a knotty creative process issue, reach out for Discovery call, and I will help you find a customized solution just for you.

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/2012061

or in your podcast home of choice.

ABOUT BETH BARANY

Beth Barany is an award-winning novelist, certified creativity coach for writers, and a workshop facilitator. In addition to her how-to books for writers, Beth has published books in several genres including young adult fantasy, paranormal romance, and science fiction mystery.

CONNECT
Contact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#contact
Email: beth@bethbarany.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/

***

CREDITS

EDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://www.descript.com?lmref=_w1WCA
MUSIC: Uppbeat.io
DISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465

c. 2022 BETH BARANY

***

For more “How To Write the Future” episodes, go here.

If you’d like to invite Beth onto your podcast, drop her a note here.

The post 16. The Horizons Model for Story Telling appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.

How To Write the Future podcast Ep. 1: Introduction to Writing Optimistic Stories About the Future

“How To Write The Future” is a new podcast from award winning author Beth Barany.

In the first episode Beth introduces listeners to her future plans for the podcast and discusses How to write optimistic stories set in positive futures. 

Have a listen to the latest episode on | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Buzzsprout | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | Podchaser

 

ABOUT BETH BARANY 

Beth Barany is an award-winning novelist, certified creativity coach for writers, and a workshop leader & keynote speaker. Beth has published books in several genres including young adult fantasy, paranormal romance, and science fiction.

Learn more about Beth Barany at these sites: 

Author site /  Coaching site / School of Fiction / Writer’s Fun Zone blog 

SHOW NOTES

Do you find yourself wondering how to write optimistic stories about the future?

How to write optimistic stories about the future has been on my mind too, and that’s why I created this podcast to share the solutions with you.

In this episode, I share the what and the why of this podcast on how to write optimistic stories set in positive futures.

 In this episode, you will learn the following: How to use systems theory to worldbuild in science fiction stories. How to use information from experts in various domains to build realistic worlds. How to use different mental models of reality to create new realities.ABOUT HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCAST

The How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers.

Tips for fiction writers!

This podcast is for you if you have questions like:

How do I create a believable world for my science fiction story?
How do figure what’s not working if my story feels flat?
How do I make my story more interesting and alive?

This podcast is for readers too if you’re at all curious about the future of humanity.

WHY I STARTED THIS PODCAST

I have always loved science fiction and fantasy, the worlds, as much as the adventures. But I know how it can be a struggle to build those immersive worlds. So I was excited to create the “How to Write the Future” podcast for science fiction writers who want to write positive futures.

In this podcast, I’ll share core principles of world building and interviews with experts to tease out practical questions that you can use today. These come from wide ranging domains to help you brainstorm the details of your story world and bring that world to life.

 

TRANSCRIPT

Hi, everyone. Welcome to the podcast ” How to Write the Future”.

In this podcast, we will explore how to create optimistic stories. The How to Write the Future podcast is for science fiction writers who want to create positive futures. Because when we build positive futures through our fiction, we are visioning what is possible and therefore we help make it so,

Hi everyone. I’m Beth Barany. I am an award-winning science fiction and fantasy novelist and fiction writing teacher. I’ve built multiple worlds for my three fiction series. And I’ve taught hundreds of writers to do the same, helping them bring complex worlds to life that feel real, as real as this reality, if not more so.

I’m still writing and publishing in my science fiction mystery series. So this podcast is for me too.

I will be sharing core principles of world building and interviewing experts to tease out practical questions that you can use today. These will be coming from wide ranging domains to help you brainstorm the details of your story world and bring that world to life.

Welcome to my first episode. In this episode, I will share with you what this podcast is about and why I’m starting it. This is a work in progress. So bear with me as I stumble, get up again, stumble, get up again, you know. Nine times fall, 10 times get up. And that’s actually part of my journey. I wanted to be a writer since I was a child, and I wanted to be a fiction writer since I was about 18.

Finally, when I was 30, I sat down to truly commit myself to learning how to write fiction.

So we are here to explore how to write the future specifically over the last six or so years I have been focused on writing my science fiction mystery series, and I realized it wasn’t enough to just be curious about science and have a great love of science fiction, but also needed to understand what my new world was going look like. So I started digging into how do futurists and foresight leaders predict trends to help organizations and governments and NGO and multinational companies.

And as I dove into those tools and came across systems theory, I realized, wow, these would be great to bring in to my fiction, to help me design my future worlds and also help other writers.

Because I’m a teacher at heart, as well as a creative storyteller, I love taking what I’ve learned and putting them into lessons for other people. And because I’ve read tons of fairy tales, and, folk tales, since I was a child, and have been steeped and fantastical stories since the very beginning, when my parents were reading stories to me, I, I just love being transported into those new worlds.

Also, I’ve always loved science. I was pre-med from age six to about 19 when I said, Nope, no more pre-med but I kept my love of science. So I’m bringing all of these passions to you to help you create vivid worlds. I know readers love my stories. I, they tell me, they’re like, ah, I could be there too. And that’s what we want to do with our fiction. You want to bring our readers there. So that world feels real.

Because I have experience helping people take ideas and turn them into tangible stories, I will be bringing that useful hands-on insight, so that what we’re learning in these episodes is going help you specifically.

Some of the episodes will be me just talking about my interests and turning that into a practical how-to for you. So I will ask you questions and invite you to bring it into your story writing. Other times, I plan to interview experts in various fields.

I am so excited to bring to you some of the topics that I am planning to dive into. Some of the topics include specifically systems theory and how can we use our understanding of systems –we’re all living inside of multiple systems — how can we use that understanding in creating new systems?

I also plan to interview experts in various domains. I’m very interested in the space industry, so that will be one of the domains, but I’m also very interested in consciousness and what makes us human and AI. So I’ll be bringing those to you.

There are a lot more topics that I plan to bring in, including different kinds of story structures from around the world, bringing in tools of foresight around how to read the signals, bringing in different mental models of reality and how we can use those to create new realities and a lot more.

I’m really excited to bring this adventure to you. I hope that you will join along. Tell your friends, bring your questions to me via Twitter and LinkedIn. I will also have a way for you to sign up so you can be notified when I release a new podcast. My ideal is to release a podcast episode every week. We’ll see how that goes. I’m new to this. So bear with me.

I have always loved science fiction and fantasy. The worlds as much as the adventures, but I know how it can be a struggle to build those immersive worlds. So I’ll be bringing tools and insight and great questions for you to bring into your story world in upcoming episodes.

Thank you so much for listening. Signing off. Live long and prosper.

RESOURCES 

Plenty of Writing Resources available on Writers Fun Zone. 

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/?s=writing

Connect with Beth Barany 

Twitter | LinkedIn

CREDITS EDITED WITH DESCRIPT

https://www.descript.com?lmref=_w1WCA (referral code)

MUSIC CREDITS 

Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/fuzz-buzz License code: UMMKDRL02DFGKJ0L. “Fuzz buzz” by Soundroll.

Commercial license: https://musicvine.com/track/soundroll/fuzz-buzz

Distributed by Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465 (referral code)

SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth Barany 

SHOW NOTES SUPPORT from Kerry-Ann McDade 

For more “How To Write the Future” episodes, go here.

If you’d like to invite Beth onto your podcast, drop her a note here.

 

The post How To Write the Future podcast Ep. 1: Introduction to Writing Optimistic Stories About the Future appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.

Get Your Next Story Moving! Use Stikhomanteia, The Ancient Greek Divination Technique! by Chloe Holiday

Today we welcome a new guest writer to Writer’s Fun Zone, Chloe Holiday who is stopping by to chat with us about “Get Your Next Story Moving! Use Stikhomanteia, The Ancient Greek Divination Technique!” Enjoy!

***

Writer’s block comes in all flavors but the absolute worst has to be experiencing gridlock at the start. 

A completely blank page– and mind!– mocks you. 

If you could only get going, it would prime the pump, and words would flow, but right now, you might as well be in the Sahara of Prose. 

Yet the opposite can be just as bad: a cascading deluge of ideas all clamoring for attention, enough that a writer can be swept away by indecision.

This happened to me when I first decided to write my first Romance. My brain swirled with plots, too many to reel in. 

Where to start?

After an embarrassing number of days getting nowhere, I finally in desperation wrote down all the tropes and character types on slips of paper, put them in bowls, for the storyline, hero, and heroine, and drew a few out: Rich Foreign Alpha Male, Repressed Young Woman, Workplace Romance, and Travel Romance. 

All of a sudden, I had a starting point. 

The technique might sound limiting, but instead was weirdly freeing. I could shut up my inner critic with “the Fates decree it” and get on with writing instead of second-guessing myself.

It was the barest of skeletons, yet it became Helios—and ultimately a series—which received reviews like this:

“Holiday managed to walk the line of a harlequin romance while offering bits of a third wave feminism into the mix – it would make for a fascinating literary study. The writing is crisp, fun to read, and perfectly crafted toward the ideal audience of this type of book. It fits the one-sitting read that many romances hang their hats upon, and offers that transportive, foreign fling that can whisk readers into another world. Also – can’t forget this – how deliciously scandalous!” –Writer’s Digest

Little did I know at the time that I had employed the ancient Greek divination technique of Stikhomanteia (STEEK-ho-MAN-tee-uh), which involves using the written word to help clarify the future, whether through drawing slips of paper or opening a book to a random passage. 

One other benefit was the way learning about this helped shape another novel.

Stikhomanteia

The practice of divination dates from prehistoric times, but the Greeks were into it, big time. 

There were two broad classes of practitioners: 

officially-sanctioned oracles, who were installed in a given location, supported by a priesthood and sacrifices by those who made pilgrimages to seek their advice. independent seers, who were be hired by an individual ruler or military campaign. 

Though divination was denounced by later religions and skeptics, it served as a way to give advice to state and military leaders, and as propaganda, to bolster confidence and support from the public as well as the superstitious soldiers under a general’s command. 

Unsurprisingly, the hired seers were less likely to contradict a leader’s chosen route—or suggest they sacrifice their own child—instead, offering prophecies that supported the leader’s decisions, though the prophet’s words were often ambiguous. 

Over 500 prophecies of the Pythi, the most famous oracles who served Apollo at Delphi, have survived the centuries.

Divination

There were several methods through which the prophecies were obtained. 

There were two main methods for divination.

Enthusiasm or possession, in which the gods spoke through the ravings or dreams of the oracle.

To achieve this the priestess at Delphi chewed bay (laurel) leaves or dipped their nails in laurel oil, drank water from a sacred stream, and sat on a tripod over a chasm which emitted toxic vapors, while another stood ready to take down her mind-altered speech.

Even today, a common Greek idiom for “I have no idea” is “Shall I smell my fingers?” which refers to the scent of the laurel oil which helped induce the prophetic trances so long ago.

The second method, extispicy, involved the examination of the entrails of a sacrifice brought to the priests. Conviently the meat was used for the priesthood later.

Other forms of divination included: 

cleromancy— the use of dice or lots astragalomancy— The use of carved sheep knucklebones, hydromancy— the use of water pyromancy– the use of fire thriai– the use of pebbles augury– predictions based on animal behavior, especially birds tasseography– the reading of dregs. 

Submerged Hopes, the third book in my series, The Helios Greek Romances, contains a scene in which the hero offers to tell the fortune of the heroine by reading the dregs of her coffee cup. Nick, who knows enough about the culture to seize the chance, predicts she’ll fall for a man who just happens to look a lot like him.

Nick used it with Greek coffee, but tea leaves or even wine dregs will work. 

Tasseography 

To do a proper Greek coffee reading, one must obtain strong brew with thick dregs, preferably made in a long-handled pot called a briki. The fortune-seeker should enjoy the coffee while thinking about their questions or worries. 

When only the dregs remain, the fortune-teller takes the cup, and, holding the top tilted away to prevent splashing, rotates the cup three times clockwise to spread the sludge, dumps the excess out on the side with the handle, and sets it upside down on a napkin to drain for a few minutes.

The cup is then examined for shapes—animals, symbols, letters, landmarks—with an open mind. 

The bottom of the cup represents the past, the middle indicates the present, and the top portion shows what is to come. As in days of old, the predictions are open-ended and vague, which allows wiggle room as well as hope.

The surviving Delphic predictions are fascinating for anyone who loves history.

My prediction? Stikhomanteia might be just the thing to get you moving!

Listen to my audio below:

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Stikhomantia.mp3

***

About The Author

Chloe is a military physician-turned-novelist who writes the things she loves to read: steamy, fun stories about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, smart women and men who aren’t jerks and friendships, whether it’s close women or a good bromance. She wants all the feels: the thrill of a smoldering gaze or the barest brush of fingertips, the shocked gasp at the underhanded villain, the angst of heartbreak, the joy of reunion, and of course, happily ever after!

Chloe enjoys delivering a sneak peek into intriguing scenarios, drawing from her background (military personnel, medicine, aviation) as well as other cultures like Greece. A bit of danger always gets her going, so many of her Romances have a suspense subplot. 

She hates to read the same old thing, with only the names and places changed, so her goal is to bring folks a fresh, fun, new story every time, with NO CLIFFHANGERS!

More than anything, she wants to craft a rollicking, great story readers can’t put down, one where love prevails in the end, one that will whisk people away from their own tribulations.

Come join her at http://www.chloeholiday.com! and sign up for her newsletter to download a free copy of Finders, Keepers. 

You can also find her here:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19579299.Chloe_Holiday

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chloe-Holiday-Writer-102345001394478

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/chloe-holiday

Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Chloe-Holiday/e/B0875SGW6J?ref 

Chloe’s works:

Finders, Keepers   (audiobook here )

Helios

New Heights

Submerged Hopes

Hard Truths

A Boy & his Dog (audiobook here )

Fly Boy (audiobook here )

 

The post Get Your Next Story Moving! Use Stikhomanteia, The Ancient Greek Divination Technique! by Chloe Holiday appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.

Write in the Style Of…. by LA Bourgeois

Let’s welcome back LA Bourgeois as she shares with us “Write in the Style Of….” Enjoy!

***

Looking for a way to punch up your writing? 

Or maybe you’ve just hit a wall and can’t make progress.

Try writing in someone else’s style.

Writing in Someone Else’s Style?

People have been doing it forever!

Think of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies by Seth Graham-Smith or the plethora of Agatha Christie lookalike books and parodies.

Recently, I devoured the wonderful Monk + Robot series by Becky Chambers, a delightful philosophical spin on sci-fi.

Writing in someone else’s style forces you to think differently, an essential ingredient for creativity. By taking a scene, essay or short story and writing it in a different style, you reveal patterns, see new depths in characters, and discover new ideas for scenes and plot lines.

Why?

Instead of writing in your own voice, you’re adapting your voice to that style.

This means that each word must be carefully chosen. As you struggle with the unfamiliar form, your brain fits your story into this weird shape.

Would Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot utter this phrase?

How would Jane Austen describe the spaceship your characters live in? 

What happens when Edgar Allen Poe takes over your romance?

As the scene takes shape, themes are discovered, characters reveal traits that transcend style, and truths come to light in unexpected ways. When reading over the final version of this exercise, we may even discover something new about ourselves.

I know I usually do.

How To Write in Someone Else’s Style

Select a style and take a little time with it.

Read work by writers who write in that style.

Get specific with your choice— not just mystery but hard-boiled detective story or english manor house.

Think cowboy romance, gothic ghost story, shoot ’em up sci-fi.

Here are some suggestions of styles and associated authors to get you started:

Hard-boiled Detectives – Raymond Chandler & Dashiell HammettEnglish Manor Mystery – Agatha Christie & Dorothy SayersScary Ghost Story – Peter Straub & Simone St. JamesGothic Horror – Edgar Allen Poe & M.R. JamesFantasy Romance – Deborah Harkness & Alice Hoffman

This list only scratches the surface.

Authors exist for every shade, shape, and style. 

You might also just grab a copy of your favorite book off the shelf and see what happens when you imitate that author.

Read a couple of stories or chapters and get into the feeling of the work. Then, put the book down and write your scene using that style.

Have fun with it.

Don’t worry about how good it is, just drill down into that style and make it the most “that style” that it could possibly be.

Writing in someone else’s style can unlock your imagination, reveal truths, and inspire your fingers. Give it a try and see what happens!

Have a suggestion for a style or author who might be fun to imitate? Share with everyone in the comments below.

***

ABOUT THE BOOK REVIEWER

LA (as in tra-la-la) Bourgeois supports writers, makers, and other creatives in growing their creative businesses and breaking away from their day jobs.

As a creativity & business coach, she believes that exploring your creativity invites joy into your life, embracing your creativity infuses your life with joy, and manifesting your creativity gives you a joyous purpose. Writing and knitting are her non-negotiable mediums, and she can usually be found with a pen or knitting needles in her hands.

Find her free guide, Tricking Yourself into a Creative Habit online at labourgeois.biz and start writing those words today. She can’t wait to read them!

Also by LA Bourgeois

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2022/08/19/your-first-draft-write-it-crappy-by-la-bourgeois

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2022/07/15/inspiration-from-a-new-direction-by-la-bourgeois

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2022/04/15/your-masters-words-using-copywork-to-strengthen-your-craft-by-la-bourgeois

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2022/05/20/inspire-your-comedy-with-old-photos-by-la-bourgeois

The post Write in the Style Of…. by LA Bourgeois appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.

15. Interview with Cat Tully, School of International Futures Founder

In this episode creativity coach and science fiction/fantasy novelist Beth Barany interviews the School of International Futures founder Cat Tully where they discuss how Cat started the school, how she organised the SOIF retreat and shares a superpower she has.

Have a listen to the latest episode on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Buzzsprout | Amazon Music | Podchaser | Podcast Addict |

ABOUT BETH BARANY

Beth Barany is an award-winning novelist, master neurolinguistic programming practitioner, and certified creativity coach for writers, including being a workshop leader & keynote speaker. Beth has published books in several genres including young adult fantasy, paranormal romance, and science fiction mystery.

Learn more about Beth Barany at these sites:

Author site /  Coaching site / School of Fiction / Writer’s Fun Zone blog

 

RESOURCES

School of International Futures: https://soif.org.uk/

Sign up for a Discovery Call

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/discovery-call/ 

SHOW NOTES

“I sat in a room full of people, learning foresight and who cared about the future of humanity and who are actually. Doing something about it. I felt like I was home.”

In this episode creativity coach and science fiction/fantasy novelist Beth Barany interviews the School of International Futures founder Cat Tully where they discuss how Cat started the school, how she organised the SOIF retreat and shares a superpower she has.

We covered:

How Cat came to start the School of International FuturesWhat led Cat to personally to bring together all her skill sets and what gave her the confidence to create the School of International Futures retreatThe superpowers Cat has to create her connections and eventsAbout the Horizons Model, H1, H2, H3

About Cat Tully

Cat Tully is the founder of SOIF, the School of International Futures. Cat has extensive experience as a practitioner, helping governments, civil society and businesses to be more strategic, more effective, and better prepared for the future. She is motivated by a focus on social justice and the importance of multi-stakeholder approaches to the challenges of the 21st century world.

Website: https://soif.org.uk

Email: cat@soif.org.uk

ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCAST

The How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers.

Tips for fiction writers!

This podcast is for you if you have questions like:

How do I create a believable world for my science fiction story?How do figure what’s not working if my story feels flat?How do I make my story more interesting and alive?

This podcast is for readers too if you’re at all curious about the future of humanity.

TRANSCRIPT for 15. Interview with Cat Tully, School of International Futures Founder

[00:00:00] OPENER

Are you stuck with your story and don’t know how to get unstuck? 

Are you a novelist who wishes to be more prolific? 

Or maybe you’ve written that first draft and you just don’t know how to make it better. 

Then sign up today for a No Obligation Discovery Call with me Beth Barany – Creativity Coach and award-winning science fiction and fantasy novelist.

I look forward to seeing how I can help you.

So sign up today, the link is in the show notes, and now let’s get on with the show. 

[00:00:40] WELCOME

Hi everyone. Welcome to our next episode of How to Write the Future. This is a podcast for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to create optimistic stories because when we vision what is possible, we help make it so. 

I’m your host, Beth Barany. I am a science fiction and fantasy writer myself and a creativity coach, focusing on helping science fiction and fantasy authors with their stories.

[00:01:11] INTRO to SOIF and CAT TULLY 

This past August, I sat in a room full of people, learning foresight and who cared about the future of humanity and who are actually doing something about it. I felt like I was home. 

Since I was 13 I wish to work on a global scale, I’d even made a dire Rama of the United nations for school project, with a cardboard box and little figures, and even drew flags. I imagined myself in that room with other people from around the world who cared as much as I did about the future of humanity. 

So there was this past August in a beautiful facility and hotel. I was at the School of International Futures retreat. We were learning and discussing and problem solving and asking questions. 

It was amazing. 

I love this quote by Einstein, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”

The School of International Futures is there to help us build better futures for humanity. They offer foresight trainings, community weaving. Support for a global network of next generation practitioners. And I was on their summer retreat. I got to network with amazing people from around the world, including the founder of the School of International Futures, Cat Tully.

Her bio on the website says that she has extensive experience as a practitioner, helping governments, civil society and businesses to be more strategic, more effective, and better prepared for the future. She’s motivated by a focus on social justice and the importance of multi-stakeholder approaches to the challenges of the 21st century world. 

I had the great privilege of interviewing Cat during one of our mid morning breaks outdoors at the beautiful Lainston House hotel in Winchester, England. Enjoy our interview. 

[00:03:38] PART 1

People ask me, Did, did they find you or you found them? I’m like, I found them. You know, But I, I can’t remember how I found you, but it really resonates with me because I’m an educator and a learner. And here’s a school focused on futures and international futures.

Yeah. Which I love has an inclusive quality. Yeah. So how did come to start the school?

 I have worked doing strategy work, so I’m not futurist. right. Um, doing strategy work from, uh, civil society, working with Christian Aid and then working across Africa and the Middle East and Central Asia.

And I worked with Proctor Gamble, the space and then worked in government in the Prime Minister strategy unit and then in the foreign office policy planning staff. Uh, and then I came to like, the government changed in the UK and the space for doing long term thinking actually shrunk and we’ve been doing amazing work in the UK like building the capacity of the, of the government to do long term thinking really well.

Um, And, and then I was like, well, you know, I really want to continue doing that outside of government and share what we’ve learned, but also create a space to focus on those three things that we had as an initial hypothesis, which is like, you can be, we can do so much better at teaching how to use this to create transformation and impact, right?

Like this isn’t just about using, you know, thinking about scenarios or it’s about doing it with purpose, to create change. So like how do you teach the full range of, uh, of an approach to help people use this to create transformation in their communities and in their gut societies and in their families and in their organizations today.

And then we also had an instinct that this having a structured way of being able to talk about the future was a skill that was gonna become increasingly important to different communities as we were moving into a more and more uncertain world as our traditional political representation stops working political parties and it’s just got worse.

Right? Yeah. So this ability, you know, disability of a community and people to kind of have futures literacy and think about it. It was gonna be a really important skill. So we’re like, let’s lean into that as well and think about how we teach that and then the third one is like, and when you are, you know, building this skill, people need to bring their whole self.

It’s not an academic, it’s not an intellectual exercise, this is about hopes and fears. This is about, um, helping people let go of, you know, their real internal held belief of what the future’s gonna be. Um, and that’s a very scary process. And so to design that kind of thing, you need something that really holds someone in their totality through that journey.

Yeah,so that’s a little bit the kind of hypotheses is it was like, we want to create an organization that, that does all of these thing and, so now, you know, that involves having, you know, we have a next generation foresight practitioners community, so that’s like, you know, everyone in the world to be able to use futures approaches.

So we need a whole cohort of people globally to be able to bring that to them and to innovate new tools and approaches. We do work on intergenerational fairness, which is about how do you then get leaders to then make sure that they think about their long-term impacts, um, why, because let’s. They can know what the right thing is to do, but then they’ve got elections next week, or you’ve got shareholder returns in three months time.

So like how do you kind of counterbalance that incentive to always affect the short term? And I think the only way that you can do that is by kind of marshaling and scrutinizing and bringing, especially generation said voices. To kind of this is not okay. You are a leader for next generations as well as just this one.

And every single time you just make a decision, I’m gonna scrutinize you and give you a red, a green or a yellow light. Light on how this is affecting other people, not just today. And then we’ve got work. Um, you know, we really do a lot of work on the kind of training, these kind of retreats and we do a lot, this is once a year, but we have virtual trainings as well.

And then we work with sectors and organizations to help them use this to kind of create change, whether it’s the counter proliferation sector, whether it’s the World Health Organization, whether it’s the humanitarian sector. So all of this, what this has in common is basically weaving coalitions of different people.

Early adopters in horizon one, horizon two, and horizon three actors to kind of create change and transformation. So that’s the kind of, that’s a kind of an approach and a set skills and tools that, that we think are really important. But it’s kind of quite difficult to talk about it. Right. So you have to live it.

Yeah, absolutely. 

[00:08:51] PART 2

One of the things I, I’m really curious is what led you personally to bring together all your skill sets and what gave you the confidence? And I guess I’m asking from someone who’s considering maybe creating something, I don’t know, but, or others, like what gave you the confidence that you could do this, that you could pull your buddies together, your friends, your cohorts, your colleagues and say, this is what we’re gonna do. 

Cause it sounds like you’re the one who said, This is what we’re gonna do. And pulled people together, brought people into your vision. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it’s been a 10 year journey, right? Yeah, and it kind of stormed off because I had to leave the UK government because I wasn’t prepared to work for the conservative government.

Um, and I was applying for different jobs and I was like, nothing. It was as exciting as the work that I was doing before. So I just want to create a space where we can do this but outside of government and let’s just try it and we had already done a similar kind of retreat a couple of times when I was in the UK government and it was like, Well, let’s try that.

So we actually, it was a little easy for us because we already had the venue, we already had the relationships, so for the first three years we were at Wilton Park. So I think it was a very kind of an easy entry point to doing something that was familiar and then, um, and, and then as more and more people came along, they were like, well, we’d like to work with you outside of these, this just this annual event.

Mm-hmm… and you know, then we were like, oh look at all this amazing research that happens. We can kind of learn from all these different organizations and then te, you know, share this research. And then we realized that we had a kind of community that we were effectively weaving and then we came across the network weaving, uh, field and realized that that was a really helpful way of helping us think about more structurally what we were doing naturally anyway.

But I think to your particular question about, you know, Whether it’s courage or appetite for risk. You know, I have no children. I have no, I don’t have family, I have a kind of distributed approach to intimacy and happiness and relationships, and so I’m very much a natural networker and I love spending time with people, and I love creating spaces where people bring different things of themselves and organizing parties or gatherings or salons and holding a space and a structure where there’s concepts and simple rules as vendor says, but that the magic can emerge. So it kind of feels like a skillset that I really kind of energize, get energized by. 

There was little downside because the one sensible thing that I did right at the beginning of my career was to buy house, and then I’ve taken job decisions that where I make less and less money every single time, so I don’t care about money, but I’m also very privileged, hugely privileged to be in a situation where I don’t need to worry about money. Um, and so the risk issue wasn’t too great. Um, and I feel as if I’m hugely supported and I’ve been very lucky throughout my career to have moved across different sectors and always stayed in touch with people.

So having that very thick network means that you can call upon it. Um, and that’s, you know, that’s what I do when I travel the world, is just like, say hi to people and find out what’s happening and I, I’m just able to kind of live in that way and keep my ear to the ground and always kind of weave those different things together.

And then it’s like tapestries basically, It’s just like you can make beautiful things. And, um, yeah, work with people to do that. 

That’s beautiful, you’ve really leaned into your strengths. You’re really coming from your strengths of networking, plus probably all your strategic work. And, um, and there’s also an ease that you have with connecting with people that I find, I mean, over here it’s just, it’s very easy. Whereas sometimes you feel like people might have an agenda or they’re trying to go somewhere. Yeah. You’re more open, You’re curious. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I think that really helps. Yeah. I mean, that’s core. 

[00:13:03] A Superpower Cat Tully Has 

 A superpower that I do have is that I’m kind of authentic and I, I’m really, I’m kind of clumsy and I’m not polished, but I think people kind of get. The fact that I’m well intentioned. Do you know what I mean? It’s, yeah. And that is actually, people don’t think I have an ulterior motive apart from the curiosity of like just making stuff happen and be beautiful.

And that’s actually quite a useful superpower, another superpower I have is like spotting amazing people. So I think it’s that kind of being able to connect people into the purpose, a bigger purpose to motivate them and also, you know, being able to, to spot and have the instinct and the confidence to kind of go that someone that there’s, because I hear it, right because it’s almost like in that conversation you, you hear a ringing in your ears and it’s just like things. Yep. And that’s, I think that’s really, that’s really good. 

Absolutely. You’re able to, I mean, that allows you to bring in those people into the network and into the teaching space or contribution space, but also the way you’ve like already connected me with people, you know, like you’re hearing what I need, you’re hearing what they need, you’re hearing the commonalities.

 Like the fact that you paired me and Jean together, like that’s the space agency thing. Right. But there’s. We have a lot in common, and there’s also a way we approach being here this week, we’re both sort of open and just bringing it in. we have similar agendas in that way.

[00:14:30] The H1, H2, H3 – Horizons Model

So I was curious about this. H one, H two, H three, it hasn’t been explained to us. 

Okay. So let’s say for example, we are in a world where we drive around with hydrocarbon cars run by gas petrol.

Uh, this is horizon one. We have a series of you know, our entire infrastructure, public infrastructure, our cars, the way that we travel to work and back in terms of commuting our insurance companies around, uh, cars, liability, you know, petrol stations, you know, all the kind of tankers that travel around the world.

You know, so much of the reality is kind of our horizon one is, is, is defined and we can live in that horizon one and we think that that’s, that’s reality. Yeah. Yeah. But then there it is possible to imagine a world in which we’re not in a world of hydrocarbons, that cars are, are being part, not even cars, but let’s say they are cars, but they’re had by electronic vehicles.

Now, that might have a fundamental shift in the ownership of cars, for example, because people might end up because actually just not having to own cars. They just basically bring it to where they need to be. Yeah. Like cars will then potentially be a mechanism for moving energy around, because they’re all big batteries that could potentially, so your way of actually distributing energy across a city might be different.

We may actually live in, you know, will we still be in suburbia how we think about commuting? And certainly, you know, the kind of big tankers and all the kind of value chains and like leading up to, to, you know, will plastics become more expensive? Cause they’re not a side product of the petroleum industry because you know, will we need new forms of insurance and legal frameworks because, you know, all that kind of stuff.

So. Mm. Especially if you end up having driverless cars, you know, so, so you have a, you can start imagining a world in 2050, which actually looks very, very different in terms of, you know, legal ways of life. Mm-hmm. the economy, how it works. And that’s kind of horizon three and what we’re often trying to do is try to really get under the skin of what that horizon three looks like.

Okay. And then horizon two is the entrepreneurs that are beginning to kind of start innovating that. And they’re often people who have seen a new form of technology and are like, Let’s try and make that work so people who are actually producing these, um, Uh, driverless cars or perhaps an analogy might be, you know, like drones for example.

See, you know, what’s Amazon doing with the kind of drone delivery? And so, so you, the signals of change are already there. Yeah. And so William Gibson’s quote, which is that the future is already here, it’s just unevenly distributed is a way of talking about that, which is like even in here and the now, you have signals of that horizon two and horizon three there.

And so what we’re often doing in future’s work is bringing that all together and helping people understand that those different horizons are really effective ways of kind of going, this is the status quo that people need help getting out of. Right. Horizon three is like, that’s what the kind of status quo and the future is gonna feel like.

Mm-hmm. . And then the horizon two is the kind of ways between that, so horizon one peoples are incumbent, they’re that people vested in the here and the now. Right. But even among them, there’s earlier doctors who know that they need to lead into the future, but they don’t often know what that future’s gonna look like.

But they know that it’s gonna be different. Right? Yeah. Horizon two are people who are like, Right, let’s get it done. . Yeah. And Horizon three are people like you who are the visionaries. Right. And and the interesting thing I think of the work that we do is that we are, we are weaving coalitions of people in the earlier doctors in horizon one, people in horizon two, and people in horizon three to come together to think about what does this future of our humanitarian sector look like. 

Yeah. Um, what are the kind of future, uh, crises and the ways of responding to it, What the future legal frameworks that we need to take into account the crises may be pla taking place in space. Yeah. So, so that’s the kind of, and that’s the language that you can then use to kind of say, it’s why we find it really difficult to talk to each other.

Right? Yeah. Because we’re different sitting in different, but the task is to bring people together, help them build, be able to, and then work, work together on that journey. Yeah. Does that make sense? 

Yes. I, I love it because it, it, because you’ve now created a framework to put different groups in and people can also self identify. 

Well this was fabulous. This is great.

Well, thank you Cat. 

[00:19:07] SOIF SITE

 If you were interested in the School of International Futures, go to their website, which is S O I F dot O R G dot U K. 

[00:19:18] OUTRO

Write long and prosper. 

Science fiction and fantasy writers, sign up for your No Obligation Discovery Call and get clarity to your writing process and finish your book.

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/2012061

or in your podcast home of choice.

ABOUT BETH BARANY

Beth Barany is an award-winning novelist, certified creativity coach for writers, and a workshop facilitator. In addition to her how-to books for writers, Beth has published books in several genres including young adult fantasy, paranormal romance, and science fiction mystery.

Show production by Beth Barany

Show notes by Kerry-Ann McDade

Connect with Beth Barany: https://twitter.com/BethBarany

CREDITS

EDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://www.descript.com?lmref=_w1WCA

MUSIC: Uppbeat.io

DISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465

2022 BETH BARANY

For more “How To Write the Future” episodes, go here.

If you’d like to invite Beth onto your podcast, drop her a note here.

The post 15. Interview with Cat Tully, School of International Futures Founder appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.

5 Common Editing Mistakes When You Rewrite Your Manuscript by Linnea Gradin

Let’s welcome back Linnea Gradin as she shares with us “5 Common Editing Mistakes When You Rewrite Your Manuscript.” Enjoy!

***

The rewriting stage is often where you spend the most time as an author, navigating the space between starting from scratch and accidentally writing the same thing over and over again.

As frustrating and challenging as it might be, mastering this fine art is one of the best ways to polish your story into the diamond it can be.

To help you do so, I’ve outlined five common mistakes that every author should avoid as they rewrite their manuscripts.

Mixing up character names

You may think that you’ll never be one of those silly authors who’d mess up something as fundamental as character names. But you’d be surprised how easy it is to fall in this trap.

Having three different spellings of the same name — or indeed two different names for the same character — can be distracting and confusing.

You may think that you have your characters under control, but the deeper you get into your rewrite, the harder it is to keep track of everything.

Keeping small details such as character names organized can provide some much needed mental clarity as you address other issues in your manuscript or pitch your story to a literary agent, before you hire a copy editor to fix it for you at a later stage.

Changing character traits willy-nilly

Character traits and descriptions are slightly trickier to change than names.

Perhaps you’ve decided that, instead of the towering giant you originally had in mind, your protagonist would be more interesting if they were unlikable.

Or short.

Go for it if you think that it will change your story for the better — but keep in mind the wider and long-reaching effects the transformation might have on your character and plot.

Is your character now more likely to make enemies than friends? Might they fail to reach the ledge that could bring them to safety at a vital moment?

Unexplained changes in setting

As you rewrite your manuscript, it’s common to delete or move whole scenes or parts of scenes.

These gaps can result in some pretty disorienting differences in setting — such as time, place, weather, and temperature.

Why does it go from being spring in one scene, to winter in the next, then back to summer?

Coming across these inconsistencies can distract and bring the reader out of the story, so be careful about it!

Sometimes authors leave inadvertent hints about setting without even intending to — such as a character removing their coat, or a flickering street light.

It wouldn’t make sense if they were wearing a coat in the middle of summer or if the street lights were on in the middle of the day, so make sure that your scenes match your markers, and vice versa.

Holding on to scenes for the wrong reasons

One of the hardest parts of rewriting is realizing when to let something go.

You’ve spent a lot of time constructing a scene and it definitely served a purpose at the time, but now that you’ve made a couple of changes and it no longer makes sense.

Even so, you convince yourself that it’s an essential part because you either really like the writing or think it adds another layer to your story.

However, you know that the scene is redundant if it neither progresses the plot nor tells you anything essential about the character– a detail that you haven’t shown in a different scene.

In this case, it’s best to commit and cut ties completely, rather than try to reduce the word-count just so you can hold on to it without feeling guilty.

Over-relying on self-editing

Lastly, it can be difficult to tell what isn’t jiving when you’ve stared at your draft for too long.

That’s why it’s necessary to get an outside perspective.

This can be a critique partner or friend, but you may also want to consider getting a professional developmental editor to assess your manuscript before you start rewriting in circles.

Thoughts from a Master

Hemingway once said that “the only kind of writing is rewriting,” and to some extent, every book is born out of this lengthy yet rewarding process.

Rewriting requires precise surgical incisions and stitching — and a whole lot of practice. Hopefully, this article has given you some tips to get you started. Happy rewriting!

***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Linnea Gradin is a writer at Reedsy — a UK-based marketplace that connects authors with freelancing professionals and offers helpful resources on everything from how to write query letters, to book cover design, to Amazon self-publishing.

 

 

 

Also by Linnea Gradin

Balancing Genre Expectations With Standing Out: Book Covers by Linnea Gradin

The post 5 Common Editing Mistakes When You Rewrite Your Manuscript by Linnea Gradin appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.

What’s the Difference Between Libel and Slander? by Kelley Way

Let’s welcome back monthly columnist Kelley Way as she shares with us “What’s the Difference Between Libel and Slander?” Enjoy!
***

I see a lot of confusion regarding defamation, libel, and slander. 

People usually know the terms are related, but they’re not sure how or what they actually mean. 

Let me break it down.

Defamation 

Defamation is the spreading of false facts (i.e. lies, but lying sounds bad, so we’ll stick with “false facts”). 

Spoken defamation is called slander, and written defamation is called libel. 

So if you spread false facts in conversation, you’ve committed slander. If you publish them in a book, you’ve committed libel. 

Both qualify as defamation.

But that’s not enough content for a blog article, so let’s go a step further. 

How to Avoid Getting in Trouble

If you’re an author (or songwriter, movie creator, etc.), how do you protect yourself from a defamation claim?

The first step is to go back to the definition of defamation – spreading false facts. 

If the fact is not false, then it’s automatically not defamation, and the person’s claim gets booted out of court so hard it bounces down the courthouse steps. 

Of course, you must prove that the fact is true, so it’s a good idea to collect and preserve any evidence that backs up your facts. 

Even if it turns out your fact is false, you can still show that you did your due diligence and believed it to be true, which can also get you out of a defamation judgment.

On the flip side, if what you said/wrote is not actually a fact, that will also stop a claim in its tracks – it must be presented as a fact in order for defamation to apply. 

Opinions are not facts; therefore, they cannot be defamatory. But you need to be careful here – it’s not enough to simply add “I think” to your sentence, it must clearly be an opinion. 

For example, if you say, “I think my neighbor buys drugs at 9 pm every Friday from the drug dealer on the corner of Baker and Peach Street,” it’s not likely people will think that’s an opinion.

Avoiding Lawsuits 

Of course, these are just defenses you can bring up in the event of a lawsuit. 

If you want to avoid the lawsuit entirely— and still keep the objectionable content– the best thing you can do is to hide the identity of the person you’re talking about. 

Defamation is only actionable if it harms a person’s reputation; if no one knows who you’re talking about, then the person’s reputation hasn’t been harmed. 

More importantly, if the person in question doesn’t recognize themselves, then they won’t try to bring a lawsuit in the first place. 

It’s not a guarantee, but it does lower the risk.

And if all else fails, put the project on a shelf until the person you’re worried about dies. 

Only the person who has been defamed can bring a defamation lawsuit; once they die there is no one who can bring a lawsuit for them. 

So you can say whatever nasty things about Hitler you want, no one is going to come after you.

If you would like to know more about defamation, or you would like a lawyer to review your content for possible issues, please reach out to me at kaway@kawaylaw.com.

***
Want to read more articles like this one Writer’s Fun Zone? Subscribe here.
***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelley Way was born and raised in Walnut Creek, California. She graduated from UC Davis with a B.A. in English, followed by a Juris Doctorate. Kelley is a member of the California Bar, and an aspiring writer of young adult fantasy novels. More information at kawaylaw.com.

 

 

Also by Kelley Way

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2022/09/06/key-items-in-an-author-illustrator-contract-by-kelley-way

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2022/05/10/3-reasons-to-register-your-copyright-by-kelley-way

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2022/04/05/can-i-use-a-trademark-in-my-book-by-kelley-way

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2021/07/09/what-if-i-only-use-a-little-de-minimis-in-copyright-law-by-kelley-way

The post What’s the Difference Between Libel and Slander? by Kelley Way appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.

The ABC of Writing Fiction with Beth Barany – Instoried Twitter Spaces Interview Highlights

Instoried recently hosted me on their Twitter Space where we discussed “The ABC of Writing Fiction.”

Although the recording could not be recovered, Instoried made these lovely image highlights for readers to enjoy. 

View the Image Hightlights on Twitter or scroll down to enjoy reading them here.

You will find writing fiction tips, advice including an idea where you can gain inspiration from and how to kickstart your career writing fiction.

***

pic.twitter.com/olsWMZovT5

— Instoried (@instoried) July 22, 2022

pic.twitter.com/1uwNBWMjNA

— Instoried (@instoried) July 22, 2022

pic.twitter.com/G8SSY2NM1k

— Instoried (@instoried) July 22, 2022

pic.twitter.com/xWAURzHBFQ

— Instoried (@instoried) July 22, 2022

pic.twitter.com/vBBrjE7kwP

— Instoried (@instoried) July 22, 2022

 

About Instoried 

Instoried aims at driving content engagement to get more clicks.

Higher engagement results in higher ROI and a great yield on marketing spends. 

Follow on Twitter:

@Instoried

***

For more interviews with Beth, click here.

If you’d like to invite Beth onto your podcast, drop her a note here.

The post The ABC of Writing Fiction with Beth Barany – Instoried Twitter Spaces Interview Highlights appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.

How To Write The Future with Beth Barany – Late Bloomer Living Podcast Interview

Yvonne Marchese recently hosted me on her Late Boomer Living Podcast with the episode titled “How to Write the Future” namesake of my podcast, where we discussed my journey to becoming a novelist and writing coach, including taking charge of your own destiny. 

***

Have a listen to the show on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher and Podbean or click below to have a listen.

NOTES FROM THE SHOW: 

Welcome to Season Three of this podcast! 

Today’s guest is Beth Barany, an award-winning novelist and certified creativity coach for writers.

She has an online school for fiction writers and a 12-month group coaching program to help them get published.

When she’s not helping writers, Beth writes magical tales of romance, mystery, and adventure that empower women and girls to be the heroes of their own lives.

In this episode, Beth talks about her own journey to becoming a novelist and writing coach when she realized that she wanted more from her work than a 9-5 existence and that she could take charge of her own destiny.

About Beth Barany

Beth Barany wasn’t always a novelist. 

Once upon a time she was working as an assistant manager at Blockbuster Video (remember them?).  She was reeling from confusion, lack of direction, and felt unmoored from life.

Everything changed when she was in a standard performance review at work and a pivotal question from her boss inspired an answer that was a revelation to her about what she actually wanted out of life.

She very quickly took action to change the course of her life and career.

Years later, she is an award-winning novelist and certified creativity coach for writers.

She runs an online school for fiction writers and a 12-month group coaching program to help them get published. When she’s not helping writers, Beth writes magical tales of romance, mystery, and adventure that empower women and girls to be the heroes of their own lives.

If you are interested in working with Beth Barany as a writing coach you can visit her website, find her on Twitter or LinkedIn. Listen to her podcast, How to Write the Future.

About Yvonne Marchese

Yvonne Marchese is a photographer, mom, wife and podcaster from El Paso, TX. Yvonne believes it’s never to late to start a dream is why she created Late Bloomer Living.

You can connect with Yvonne on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.

 

 

 

***

For more interviews with Beth, click here.

If you’d like to invite Beth onto your podcast, drop her a note here.

The post How To Write The Future with Beth Barany – Late Bloomer Living Podcast Interview appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.

It’s In the Cards: Using Oracle Cards for Inspiration by Catharine Bramkamp

Let’s welcome back monthly columnist Catharine Bramkamp as she shares with us “It’s In the Cards: Using Oracle Cards for Inspiration.” Enjoy!
***

Do you collect oracle cards? 

Tantalizing packs of cards that have appeared like, ahem, magic, on the counter of every bookstore in town? 

Oracle Cards? 

Card collections run from The Wild Goddess Oracle to the classic Rider-Waite Tarot. 

Some card collections are self-explanatory and some need background and study to suss out their meaning and message. 

Fun Fact: Tarot cards are not the direct precursors to our playing cards. 

While the clubs, coins, rods, and swords in the tarot deck have some correspondence to hearts, clubs, spades and diamonds, there is not a direct correlation. 

But all oracle and tarot decks hold promise and diversion, and if nothing else, art.

“The Oracle often follows a theme, such as Fairies, Cultural systems, Magic, Animals, Gods/Goddess or the process of self-improvement. The Oracle is somewhat more liberal and offers more creative sources for artisans that create decks because it is not limited to such a complex structure like Tarot cards.” TarotX

It’s in the Cards 

Tarot cards have a reputation of revealing the future. 

In fact, the phrase, it’s in the cards connotes future foretelling. But this has never been the case, historically card readings were primarily a way to reveal our path or even enlighten and help us understand what we are currently feeling. 

Spreading out a lovely attractive deck of cards is one physical way to look at our own impulses and our own truth. 

The Oracle Author 

The cards are essentially a creative way to reveal our unconscious. 

Like casting horoscopes for your fictional characters, oracle and/or tarot readings can help illuminate and add depth to your characters. 

Tarot cards can also help answer questions about narrative and show a different direction for your plot. 

T.S. Eliot thematically links The Waste Land to The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, using Tarot cards.

. . . your card, the drowned Phoenician Sailor,

(Those are pearls that were his eyes. Look!)

Here is Belladonna, the Lady of the Rocks,

The lady of situations.

Here is the man with three staves, and here the Wheel,

And here is the one-eyed merchant, and this card,

Which is blank, is something he carries on his back,

Which I am forbidden to see. I do not find

The Hanged Man. Fear death by water.

                                         The Waste Land, T.S. Eliot

 

We have lingered in the chambers of the sea

By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown

Till human voices wake us, and we drown.    

             The Love Song of Alfred J Prufrock, T.S. Eliot

How Can Oracle/Tarot Cards Help With Our Writing?

Since Tarot cards are often used as psychological therapy, showing why people act like they do, or how they perceive a problem, an author can do the same and gain insight to a character’s motivation and responses. 

Cult film director Alejandro Jodorowsky, commented that “The tarot, will teach you how to create a soul.”

Create a reading for your character. Ask the cards about the next step, motivation, emotional response. 

The cards can help you move your character through the next adventure in an interesting way with (perhaps) more interesting outcomes.

Does she stay or should she go? Pick a card.

What was her past? What were her obstacles? Place three cards down to represent the past/present/future

Not sure about your own next project? 

Ask the cards. 

Again, you will not get a definite answer, but you will get new ideas or a re-enforcement and expression of what you were thinking all along.

Give it a try – Tarot and/or Oracle Cards can be a fun new tool in your writing toolbox.

***

Want to read more articles like this one Writer’s Fun Zone? Subscribe here.

***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Catharine Bramkamp is a successful writing coach, Chief Storytelling Officer, former co-producer of Newbie Writers Podcast, and author of a dozen books including the Real Estate Diva Mysteries series, and The Future Girls series. She holds two degrees in English and is an adjunct university professor. After fracturing her wrist, she has figured out there is very little she is able to do with one hand tied behind her back. She delights in inspiring her readers.

Also by Catharine Bramkamp

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2022/08/05/puzzling-your-plot-by-catharine-bramkamp

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2022/09/02/bookshelf-brain-using-your-bookshelf-to-think-by-catharine-bramkamp

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2022/01/07/creativity-how-to-get-more-by-catharine-bramkamp

https://writersfunzone.com/blog/2021/08/06/find-inspiration-through-overload-by-catharine-bramkamp

The post It’s In the Cards: Using Oracle Cards for Inspiration by Catharine Bramkamp appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.