Pen's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing-tips"
Get More Writing Time Out of Your Day
Everybody's busy. Between working, going to school, taking kids to baseball practice, ballet, the library, grocery shopping, doing laundry and a myriad of sundry chores, who has time to write?
Answer: You do.
It's a common complaint I hear a lot. I, too, often find myself pressed for time. But there are ways of squeezing in a little extra time to work on those writing projects.
1. Pens and paper.
Most writers know to keep pens and a small notebook handy to jot down the occasional idea, but not many realize how valuable these tools are. Invented long before the computer age, these two items are much easier to carry around than even a laptop, are much more lightweight, do not require electricity or a signal and the batteries never die. The pen may occasionally run out of ink, but that's why you always carry extras. I suggest using a steno pad or one of those small fat notebooks that fit easily into a purse, tote bag, briefcase or even your pocket.
Though it may seem outdated or archaic to some to use pens and paper, they are still more convenient to use than a laptop while commuting or on your lunch break. It is also guaranteed that few would attempt to steal a notebook and pen right out of your hands as they might a laptop or other electronic device.
2. Commuting
Speaking of commuting, if you have access to public transportation, consider using it. Take those pens and pads with you. You will be amazed at how much writing you can accomplish if you leave the driving to someone else.
Within one week, I filled half a steno pad with writing. I can write very small and cramped when I need to in order to make the most use of a notebook. The pages I had written equated to 50 typewritten 8 ½ x 11 pages. Those 50 typewritten pages were then equivalent to 80 pages in a 5 x 8 inch format. It brought the total page count of my novel very close to 300 pages. That was just in one week of writing during my commute and lunch breaks.
3. Get up early or stay up late.
Buy yourself a half hour of writing time by setting the alarm clock half an hour earlier. If you have kids or other people to care for, make sure it's half an hour before everyone else gets up. Or stay up half an hour after everyone else has gone to bed. This may be a good time to do some research for some of those writing projects. Either way, focus on your writing project for that half hour and you'll get a lot more done than you think.
4. Fifteen minutes.
Force yourself to take those two fifteen (or ten) minute breaks at your job. It may not seem like very long, but you can get a good bit of writing done when you focus on it for ten or fifteen minutes. If nothing else, it will allow you time to focus on an idea or a character long enough to get some thoughts organized for later writing. Those fifteen minutes of writing could very well lead to your fifteen minutes of fame someday.
5. Waiting Time.
Waiting to see the doctor, dentist or any other appointment, waiting for a train or a bus, waiting on hold: all these are excellent opportunities to get some writing done. Everyone knows that, even when you show up early for an appointment, chances are you are going to be waiting for at least a good fifteen or twenty minutes or even longer. Use that time to work on your writing project. Whether it is three minutes or thirty minutes, use it to your advantage.
What can I write in three minutes, you may ask? I wrote a complete dialogue between two people by writing one or two lines during the 45 seconds it took the MARTA train to pull into the Five Points station; each day for a week I wrote one or two lines during that 45 seconds. Yes, it needed a little work afterwards, but I got the basics down. It can be done.
6. Lunch breaks.
A half hour or an hour lunch break can be an excellent time to move your writing project along. If you like taking lunch with your co-workers, it's an excellent break, but take at least one or two lunch breaks during the week to spend some time working on your writing.
7. Weekends and Holidays.
A prime time for those of us working during the week to catch up on some writing. Let it be known that you will be spending some time during the weekend, even if it is only a few hours, to write. Hire a babysitter for the kids or arrange for them to have a play date with some friends. Send the spouse out shopping. Ask for the cooperation you need to do what you need to do. Chances are, if you've been writing during the week, you will have a good bit of writing that needs to be typed, organized, fleshed out or completed.
No, don't spend the entire weekend or holiday writing. After all, everybody needs a little downtime. But at least consider setting aside a certain number of uninterrupted hours for your writing. You'll be glad you did when everything begins to come together.
Though it may seem as though you are working all the time, you'll still have plenty of "downtime" on days when you don't feel like writing or aren't inspired to write. But on those days when you do feel like writing, you can steal time even if it is only ten minutes here or fifteen minutes there.
Stealing those precious minutes is an investment in yourself as a writer. And, by stealing those minutes, you'll be amazed at how much writing you can accomplish. It does add up.
That's how I managed to write The Sword of Tilk Trilogy (Book One: Worlds Apart) in 7 months!
Now go steal some time!
Answer: You do.
It's a common complaint I hear a lot. I, too, often find myself pressed for time. But there are ways of squeezing in a little extra time to work on those writing projects.
1. Pens and paper.
Most writers know to keep pens and a small notebook handy to jot down the occasional idea, but not many realize how valuable these tools are. Invented long before the computer age, these two items are much easier to carry around than even a laptop, are much more lightweight, do not require electricity or a signal and the batteries never die. The pen may occasionally run out of ink, but that's why you always carry extras. I suggest using a steno pad or one of those small fat notebooks that fit easily into a purse, tote bag, briefcase or even your pocket.
Though it may seem outdated or archaic to some to use pens and paper, they are still more convenient to use than a laptop while commuting or on your lunch break. It is also guaranteed that few would attempt to steal a notebook and pen right out of your hands as they might a laptop or other electronic device.
2. Commuting
Speaking of commuting, if you have access to public transportation, consider using it. Take those pens and pads with you. You will be amazed at how much writing you can accomplish if you leave the driving to someone else.
Within one week, I filled half a steno pad with writing. I can write very small and cramped when I need to in order to make the most use of a notebook. The pages I had written equated to 50 typewritten 8 ½ x 11 pages. Those 50 typewritten pages were then equivalent to 80 pages in a 5 x 8 inch format. It brought the total page count of my novel very close to 300 pages. That was just in one week of writing during my commute and lunch breaks.
3. Get up early or stay up late.
Buy yourself a half hour of writing time by setting the alarm clock half an hour earlier. If you have kids or other people to care for, make sure it's half an hour before everyone else gets up. Or stay up half an hour after everyone else has gone to bed. This may be a good time to do some research for some of those writing projects. Either way, focus on your writing project for that half hour and you'll get a lot more done than you think.
4. Fifteen minutes.
Force yourself to take those two fifteen (or ten) minute breaks at your job. It may not seem like very long, but you can get a good bit of writing done when you focus on it for ten or fifteen minutes. If nothing else, it will allow you time to focus on an idea or a character long enough to get some thoughts organized for later writing. Those fifteen minutes of writing could very well lead to your fifteen minutes of fame someday.
5. Waiting Time.
Waiting to see the doctor, dentist or any other appointment, waiting for a train or a bus, waiting on hold: all these are excellent opportunities to get some writing done. Everyone knows that, even when you show up early for an appointment, chances are you are going to be waiting for at least a good fifteen or twenty minutes or even longer. Use that time to work on your writing project. Whether it is three minutes or thirty minutes, use it to your advantage.
What can I write in three minutes, you may ask? I wrote a complete dialogue between two people by writing one or two lines during the 45 seconds it took the MARTA train to pull into the Five Points station; each day for a week I wrote one or two lines during that 45 seconds. Yes, it needed a little work afterwards, but I got the basics down. It can be done.
6. Lunch breaks.
A half hour or an hour lunch break can be an excellent time to move your writing project along. If you like taking lunch with your co-workers, it's an excellent break, but take at least one or two lunch breaks during the week to spend some time working on your writing.
7. Weekends and Holidays.
A prime time for those of us working during the week to catch up on some writing. Let it be known that you will be spending some time during the weekend, even if it is only a few hours, to write. Hire a babysitter for the kids or arrange for them to have a play date with some friends. Send the spouse out shopping. Ask for the cooperation you need to do what you need to do. Chances are, if you've been writing during the week, you will have a good bit of writing that needs to be typed, organized, fleshed out or completed.
No, don't spend the entire weekend or holiday writing. After all, everybody needs a little downtime. But at least consider setting aside a certain number of uninterrupted hours for your writing. You'll be glad you did when everything begins to come together.
Though it may seem as though you are working all the time, you'll still have plenty of "downtime" on days when you don't feel like writing or aren't inspired to write. But on those days when you do feel like writing, you can steal time even if it is only ten minutes here or fifteen minutes there.
Stealing those precious minutes is an investment in yourself as a writer. And, by stealing those minutes, you'll be amazed at how much writing you can accomplish. It does add up.
That's how I managed to write The Sword of Tilk Trilogy (Book One: Worlds Apart) in 7 months!
Now go steal some time!
Painting Emotions with Haikus
The American Haiku form differs vastly from the original Japanese Haiku form.
Not that there is anything wrong with that. It is often necessary to Americanize things – from writing to food – so that these things are more palatable to the American palate.
As a result, American Haiku forms follow specific standards. The most familiar is the 5-7-5 syllable count. It is the most recognized and accepted form of Haiku in the United States. As a standard, most Haikus have a nature theme to them. This does not preclude a Haiku tackling other topics. But the nature theme gives more impact to the Haiku itself.
There are other lesser-known forms of Haiku. There is the Lune which consists of 3-5-3 word count or 5-3-5 syllable count. And the Zip which consists of a total of 15 syllables written on 2 lines with a caesura or double space between words in the middle of the two lines.
Examples:
Lune:
Grasshopper
blade of grass
new roots in earth’s soil
home to grasshopper
Zip:
Feast
red-tailed hawk | circles in azure sky
spots dead carcass | a feast
(The bar represents the caesura between the lines).
Regardless of which form of Haiku is written they are all designed to elicit emotional responses from the reader.
I recall an English teacher (I cannot recall her name) who defined Haiku as follows: it should be stark. Each line should be able to stand on its own. It’s best to use contrasting images. It should take the reader by surprise. And it should make the reader feel something.
Not every Haiku written follows every one of these guidelines as set forth by that wise woman. But one guideline each and every one should follow is that last one: it should make the reader feel something. Everything I write tells a story. But it’s about more than telling a story. It is about eliciting an emotional response in the reader.
This is one of the most important jobs of the writer. An emotional response has a lasting effect. A reader will remember how a certain piece of writing makes her or him feel and will be more likely to share that experience with others. Painting emotions with Haikus takes practice and careful consideration. It is imperative to give thought to the words used. Considering how these words make you feel gives you an idea of what the reader may experience.
Innocent
the mountain lion
poised to pounce upon its prey
innocent rabbit
Do you sympathize with the rabbit? Or do you feel the lion has the right to survival?
Try this one
Warm
snow falls in fat flakes
warm fingers
cup of hot choc’late
This one immediately brings to mind a cold winter day. The feelings of safety and comfort from being inside where it’s warm when it’s cold and snowing outside are the emotions this Haiku elicits.
A Haiku should take the reader on a wonderful journey in a short span of time. Within that short span of time the reader can experience every emotion from fear to comfort to romance to elation.
Consider your pencil, pen or computer a paintbrush when writing those Haikus. Make them feel something.
Not that there is anything wrong with that. It is often necessary to Americanize things – from writing to food – so that these things are more palatable to the American palate.
As a result, American Haiku forms follow specific standards. The most familiar is the 5-7-5 syllable count. It is the most recognized and accepted form of Haiku in the United States. As a standard, most Haikus have a nature theme to them. This does not preclude a Haiku tackling other topics. But the nature theme gives more impact to the Haiku itself.
There are other lesser-known forms of Haiku. There is the Lune which consists of 3-5-3 word count or 5-3-5 syllable count. And the Zip which consists of a total of 15 syllables written on 2 lines with a caesura or double space between words in the middle of the two lines.
Examples:
Lune:
Grasshopper
blade of grass
new roots in earth’s soil
home to grasshopper
Zip:
Feast
red-tailed hawk | circles in azure sky
spots dead carcass | a feast
(The bar represents the caesura between the lines).
Regardless of which form of Haiku is written they are all designed to elicit emotional responses from the reader.
I recall an English teacher (I cannot recall her name) who defined Haiku as follows: it should be stark. Each line should be able to stand on its own. It’s best to use contrasting images. It should take the reader by surprise. And it should make the reader feel something.
Not every Haiku written follows every one of these guidelines as set forth by that wise woman. But one guideline each and every one should follow is that last one: it should make the reader feel something. Everything I write tells a story. But it’s about more than telling a story. It is about eliciting an emotional response in the reader.
This is one of the most important jobs of the writer. An emotional response has a lasting effect. A reader will remember how a certain piece of writing makes her or him feel and will be more likely to share that experience with others. Painting emotions with Haikus takes practice and careful consideration. It is imperative to give thought to the words used. Considering how these words make you feel gives you an idea of what the reader may experience.
Innocent
the mountain lion
poised to pounce upon its prey
innocent rabbit
Do you sympathize with the rabbit? Or do you feel the lion has the right to survival?
Try this one
Warm
snow falls in fat flakes
warm fingers
cup of hot choc’late
This one immediately brings to mind a cold winter day. The feelings of safety and comfort from being inside where it’s warm when it’s cold and snowing outside are the emotions this Haiku elicits.
A Haiku should take the reader on a wonderful journey in a short span of time. Within that short span of time the reader can experience every emotion from fear to comfort to romance to elation.
Consider your pencil, pen or computer a paintbrush when writing those Haikus. Make them feel something.
Subconscious Working Overtime? It’s Supposed To!
The subconscious mind is a marvelous thing. According to crime dramas, the subconscious mind is capable of remembering everything we see, hear and learn in our lifetime. We may not be able to consciously recall the tag number of that car that cut us off in traffic, but our subconscious never forgets.
I rely a great deal on my subconscious to enhance my writing. It never fails when I am at a crossroads with my characters a solution seems to magically be made known to me. Accordingly, I credit my subconscious.
This was really brought home to me when I recently revised a couple of novels published prior to the Sword of Tilk Trilogy.
I reread 9.5B first published in 2010. I created a character named Stormy Rose Prometheus. Excuse me, Dr. Stormy Rose Prometheus who was known by the moniker Prometheus.
I didn’t do any research on the name when I initially wrote the book. I don’t know why. I am usually anal about that sort of thing, but I liked the name.
Before I began revising the book, I took to the Internet to find out exactly who and what Prometheus was. I especially wanted to know because there was a movie released in 2012 of the same name and I needed to know if any part of the movie overlapped the book and vice versa.
What I found surprised me.
Prometheus was a Titan from Greek mythology credited with the creation of man. He gave the gift of fire to mankind then was punished by the Greek gods for doing so. He was tied to a rock and an eagle would eat his liver. The liver then grew back and the eagle returned each day to feast upon the organ again.
I remember studying Greek mythology in high school. It was one of my favorite subjects at the time. I recall being in a cramped little room, sweltering from the heat even with the windows open, desks crowded side by side against one another. I even remember the cover of the book: kind of a peach and teal color, very pretty I thought. But I do not for the life of me consciously recall the name Prometheus.
But we must have studied Prometheus at some point. The name obviously stuck.
I also learned from my research that the original title of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus. The subtitle has been dropped but it refers to Victor Frankenstein himself due to his attempt to create life through scientific means or by means other than natural reproduction.
It is a similar credit given to Prometheus the Titan when he created man from clay: a being into which a spirit could be breathed.
Once I had done all my research, the irony of naming my character Prometheus surprised me.
You see, Dr. Stormy Rose Prometheus is also a scientist. One who clones herself a daughter, thus creating life by means other than natural reproduction.
Talk about the subconscious working overtime.
There are many other smaller examples of my subconscious contributing to my writing efforts, some of which came directly from personal experience. But the Prometheus name really took me by surprise.
I have learned to sort of “listen” to my subconscious when I’m writing. If I am struggling with a scene, a dialogue or a character, I sit very still. I allow my imagination to visualize the idea I am attempting to get on paper.
Before I know it, I am breezing through the scenario with ideas that had not occurred to me but which work very well with what I am writing.
Some call it inspiration. Some call it a muse (my muse’s name is Natalie; at least that’s what she told me). It’s really both.
No matter what you choose to call it, pay attention when it comes calling. More than likely, it’s your subconscious working overtime.
That’s what it’s there for.
I rely a great deal on my subconscious to enhance my writing. It never fails when I am at a crossroads with my characters a solution seems to magically be made known to me. Accordingly, I credit my subconscious.
This was really brought home to me when I recently revised a couple of novels published prior to the Sword of Tilk Trilogy.
I reread 9.5B first published in 2010. I created a character named Stormy Rose Prometheus. Excuse me, Dr. Stormy Rose Prometheus who was known by the moniker Prometheus.
I didn’t do any research on the name when I initially wrote the book. I don’t know why. I am usually anal about that sort of thing, but I liked the name.
Before I began revising the book, I took to the Internet to find out exactly who and what Prometheus was. I especially wanted to know because there was a movie released in 2012 of the same name and I needed to know if any part of the movie overlapped the book and vice versa.
What I found surprised me.
Prometheus was a Titan from Greek mythology credited with the creation of man. He gave the gift of fire to mankind then was punished by the Greek gods for doing so. He was tied to a rock and an eagle would eat his liver. The liver then grew back and the eagle returned each day to feast upon the organ again.
I remember studying Greek mythology in high school. It was one of my favorite subjects at the time. I recall being in a cramped little room, sweltering from the heat even with the windows open, desks crowded side by side against one another. I even remember the cover of the book: kind of a peach and teal color, very pretty I thought. But I do not for the life of me consciously recall the name Prometheus.
But we must have studied Prometheus at some point. The name obviously stuck.
I also learned from my research that the original title of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus. The subtitle has been dropped but it refers to Victor Frankenstein himself due to his attempt to create life through scientific means or by means other than natural reproduction.
It is a similar credit given to Prometheus the Titan when he created man from clay: a being into which a spirit could be breathed.
Once I had done all my research, the irony of naming my character Prometheus surprised me.
You see, Dr. Stormy Rose Prometheus is also a scientist. One who clones herself a daughter, thus creating life by means other than natural reproduction.
Talk about the subconscious working overtime.
There are many other smaller examples of my subconscious contributing to my writing efforts, some of which came directly from personal experience. But the Prometheus name really took me by surprise.
I have learned to sort of “listen” to my subconscious when I’m writing. If I am struggling with a scene, a dialogue or a character, I sit very still. I allow my imagination to visualize the idea I am attempting to get on paper.
Before I know it, I am breezing through the scenario with ideas that had not occurred to me but which work very well with what I am writing.
Some call it inspiration. Some call it a muse (my muse’s name is Natalie; at least that’s what she told me). It’s really both.
No matter what you choose to call it, pay attention when it comes calling. More than likely, it’s your subconscious working overtime.
That’s what it’s there for.
Writing Around the Details
Some details simply aren't necessary. You don’t have to provide a detailed summary of injuries sustained to characters, don’t have to be or consult with a doctor for a prognosis. Those details can sometimes be more detrimental to a story than helpful to the reader.
A prime example of this is Jeff Lindsay’s Dexter By Design.
For those not familiar with Lindsay’s Dexter series: Dexter is a serial killer who kills serial killers. He mostly targets those guilty of crimes against children, primarily pedophiles who kill children. He is also a blood splatter analyst for the Miami Police Department. His foster sister, Deborah, also works for the Miami Police Department.
In Dexter By Design, Dexter and Deborah pay a visit to the home of a suspect. Deborah is stabbed in the process and hospitalized.
Not once throughout the ordeal does Lindsay go into detail about Deborah’s injuries. The only thing the reader knows is that “she lost a lot of blood.”
No medical jargon. No technical mumbo-jumbo. No lengthy explanations about where the knife penetrated, what organs (if any) that may have been affected and no platitudes about how lucky Deborah was.
Instead, Lindsay focuses on the real issue: the relationship between Deborah and Dexter.
Deborah recently discovered Dexter’s secret life and she was processing her feelings about the matter.
Dexter was processing how he felt about his sister. Feelings are something Dexter is always processing, whether he believes he has them or not.
There was already enough going on in the novel without it getting bogged down with medical details regarding Deborah’s injury. Going into those details would have been tedious instead of enlightening. Rather than have the reader stumble through the medical vernacular, Lindsay keeps the important stuff in the forefront while using Deborah’s injury as background drama.
Details about her injury simply aren’t necessary. It is enough to know that Deborah has sustained a potentially life-threatening injury and even more important is how Dexter reacts to it and feels about it. Details about the injury itself would have added insult (pun intended).
It is the foremost job of the writer to keep the story moving, keep the reader interested. Had Mr. Lindsay insisted upon including medical and technical details about Deborah’s injury, not one of those details would have been pertinent to the story. It would have just been information the reader had to slog through to get to the next interesting part.
This doesn’t mean you should forego any research that needs to be done. There are details that are imperative you know something about.
For instance, in the novel I am currently working on, I need to learn more about guns. This will require hands-on research: visiting a firing range, talking to people who are gun enthusiasts and probably handling and shooting a gun as well.
One of my characters is a superior markswoman (that’s right, I said woman). She’s going to know her gun, know it well and know how to handle it. This is an important detail in the novel and the research must be done.
I’m not crazy about guns. They scare me. I’ve never held one unless you count the childhood water gun. It is imperative that I overcome this, steel my nerves and do that research.
Weigh the importance of your details to your reader. Must they know that a conduit is not only a means of conveying water it also denotes a means of access? Do they really need to know the minute details of an injury or would it suffice they know it is life-threatening? Do they need to know the exact route to get to the buried treasure or is it more important what the characters endure to get there?
While the details can be interesting if they don’t move the story along or make a poignant point it may be best to write around them. Sometimes the how and the why of a thing isn’t as important as how the people affected deal with it.
It isn’t that details don’t matter. They do. As long as you expend the time and energy on the really important details.
A prime example of this is Jeff Lindsay’s Dexter By Design.
For those not familiar with Lindsay’s Dexter series: Dexter is a serial killer who kills serial killers. He mostly targets those guilty of crimes against children, primarily pedophiles who kill children. He is also a blood splatter analyst for the Miami Police Department. His foster sister, Deborah, also works for the Miami Police Department.
In Dexter By Design, Dexter and Deborah pay a visit to the home of a suspect. Deborah is stabbed in the process and hospitalized.
Not once throughout the ordeal does Lindsay go into detail about Deborah’s injuries. The only thing the reader knows is that “she lost a lot of blood.”
No medical jargon. No technical mumbo-jumbo. No lengthy explanations about where the knife penetrated, what organs (if any) that may have been affected and no platitudes about how lucky Deborah was.
Instead, Lindsay focuses on the real issue: the relationship between Deborah and Dexter.
Deborah recently discovered Dexter’s secret life and she was processing her feelings about the matter.
Dexter was processing how he felt about his sister. Feelings are something Dexter is always processing, whether he believes he has them or not.
There was already enough going on in the novel without it getting bogged down with medical details regarding Deborah’s injury. Going into those details would have been tedious instead of enlightening. Rather than have the reader stumble through the medical vernacular, Lindsay keeps the important stuff in the forefront while using Deborah’s injury as background drama.
Details about her injury simply aren’t necessary. It is enough to know that Deborah has sustained a potentially life-threatening injury and even more important is how Dexter reacts to it and feels about it. Details about the injury itself would have added insult (pun intended).
It is the foremost job of the writer to keep the story moving, keep the reader interested. Had Mr. Lindsay insisted upon including medical and technical details about Deborah’s injury, not one of those details would have been pertinent to the story. It would have just been information the reader had to slog through to get to the next interesting part.
This doesn’t mean you should forego any research that needs to be done. There are details that are imperative you know something about.
For instance, in the novel I am currently working on, I need to learn more about guns. This will require hands-on research: visiting a firing range, talking to people who are gun enthusiasts and probably handling and shooting a gun as well.
One of my characters is a superior markswoman (that’s right, I said woman). She’s going to know her gun, know it well and know how to handle it. This is an important detail in the novel and the research must be done.
I’m not crazy about guns. They scare me. I’ve never held one unless you count the childhood water gun. It is imperative that I overcome this, steel my nerves and do that research.
Weigh the importance of your details to your reader. Must they know that a conduit is not only a means of conveying water it also denotes a means of access? Do they really need to know the minute details of an injury or would it suffice they know it is life-threatening? Do they need to know the exact route to get to the buried treasure or is it more important what the characters endure to get there?
While the details can be interesting if they don’t move the story along or make a poignant point it may be best to write around them. Sometimes the how and the why of a thing isn’t as important as how the people affected deal with it.
It isn’t that details don’t matter. They do. As long as you expend the time and energy on the really important details.
The Muse Speaketh
The word muse can be used as either verb or noun.
As a verb, it means “to think or meditate in silence, as on some subject.”
As a noun: “the goddess or the power regarded as inspiring a poet, artist, thinker, or the like.”
Both definitions apply to writers and other people of creative thought processes. Creative people must spend a good deal of time thinking about the next step in her or his creative process.
We also call upon our individual creative goddesses from time to time.
My creative muse’s name is Natalie (that’s what she told me.) She is one of the most important people I know.
She virtually shouts at me when a new idea is presented to me as a possible creative avenue to pursue. But she also, very quietly, works on ideas teaming up with my subconscious to ensure those ideas are coherent and worthy when it comes time for me to consciously work on them.
They make a great team, Natalie and my subconscious. Often is the time that an idea will occur to me during my writing that I had not consciously considered. I credit Nat and Sub for holding on to that idea to present to me just when I needed it.
It is important to listen to the muse. She is very wise and knows what the creative person needs. She probably knows you better than you know yourself.
She will inspire you, sometimes taking you in directions you wouldn’t normally venture to follow.
She’ll never steer you wrong. But she’ll always steer you in the right direction.
At times, a writer gets “married” to a particular idea. A character must act a certain way or these particular events must happen thusly. Though still being creative, this line of thinking leaves little room for digression, expansion or exploration: it limits the imagination and demands that certain steps be taken without allowing new steps to be created.
Follow where the muse takes you. She may be trying to show you a different perspective, one which might make all the difference. She may be introducing you to a new character, one which you didn’t think of but one which might add more to the story than you realize.
She may be encouraging you to experiment. Try something different, something new. She may be prompting you to use a storyline that others think nominal but which you can make astounding.
The muse has faith in you even when you lack faith in yourself. She knows what you can do, what you are capable of, even though you may be unaware of your capabilities.
She is there to believe in you when no one else does.
When the muse speaketh: Listen.
As a verb, it means “to think or meditate in silence, as on some subject.”
As a noun: “the goddess or the power regarded as inspiring a poet, artist, thinker, or the like.”
Both definitions apply to writers and other people of creative thought processes. Creative people must spend a good deal of time thinking about the next step in her or his creative process.
We also call upon our individual creative goddesses from time to time.
My creative muse’s name is Natalie (that’s what she told me.) She is one of the most important people I know.
She virtually shouts at me when a new idea is presented to me as a possible creative avenue to pursue. But she also, very quietly, works on ideas teaming up with my subconscious to ensure those ideas are coherent and worthy when it comes time for me to consciously work on them.
They make a great team, Natalie and my subconscious. Often is the time that an idea will occur to me during my writing that I had not consciously considered. I credit Nat and Sub for holding on to that idea to present to me just when I needed it.
It is important to listen to the muse. She is very wise and knows what the creative person needs. She probably knows you better than you know yourself.
She will inspire you, sometimes taking you in directions you wouldn’t normally venture to follow.
She’ll never steer you wrong. But she’ll always steer you in the right direction.
At times, a writer gets “married” to a particular idea. A character must act a certain way or these particular events must happen thusly. Though still being creative, this line of thinking leaves little room for digression, expansion or exploration: it limits the imagination and demands that certain steps be taken without allowing new steps to be created.
Follow where the muse takes you. She may be trying to show you a different perspective, one which might make all the difference. She may be introducing you to a new character, one which you didn’t think of but one which might add more to the story than you realize.
She may be encouraging you to experiment. Try something different, something new. She may be prompting you to use a storyline that others think nominal but which you can make astounding.
The muse has faith in you even when you lack faith in yourself. She knows what you can do, what you are capable of, even though you may be unaware of your capabilities.
She is there to believe in you when no one else does.
When the muse speaketh: Listen.
Establishing a Character's Character
Characters must have character.
This may seem an obvious statement, but you’d be surprised how many writers fail to give their characters character.
You must ask yourself what characteristics do I want my characters to have? The answer to that is completely up to you.
Determine if your character is a good guy/girl or a bad guy/girl.
A good character may have some of the following characteristics: Integrity, Courage, Loyalty, Determination, Ambition, Compassion.
A bad character may have some of these: Greed, Hate, Anger, Deceit, Ruthlessness, Dishonesty.
Mind you, characters will more than likely not be this cookie-cutter. And these are just a few of the traits found in each category. But if you’re trying to establish who the reader should root for, then each of your characters needs some of these traits.
Let’s begin with the good guy.
The last thing you want to do is state, “She or he was loyal, brave and true.” She or he may be all three but it’s a very boring way to let the reader know.
Instead, put the character into a situation that shows the reader how loyal, brave and true she or he is. Like in the paragraph below.
Donovan crept along the cobblestone path to the door of the castle, his hand ever ready on the hilt of his sword. Dawn was fast approaching. He had to get inside, kill the wizard Morgrith and flee before the wizard’s demons found him. He knew he could do this. He must do this. Otherwise, Morgrith would cast a spell rendering King Rodolfo powerless, incapable of running the kingdom. Even so, Donovan’s hand trembled upon the hilt. He knew not what he would encounter in the castle, only that he would deal with whatever lay before him.
We have established that our hero, Donovan, is afraid; his hand would not tremble upon the hilt of his sword if he weren’t afraid. His courage is evident in that he is willing to act in the face of his fear regardless of what he may encounter. His loyalty is to King Rodolfo and he will see his mission through.
Let’s tackle the flip side of the coin. It isn’t enough to state that someone is evil. Show the evil.
Morgrith stood at the window of his study following Donovan’s every move. The demons stood at the ready, awaiting Morgrith’s signal to begin their assault. There was a vat of hot boiling oil and talons and teeth sharpened to a fine point awaiting the beleaguered hero. Let him think one lowly knight could thwart this wizard’s plans to possess the kingdom. He would know otherwise soon enough.
Here we’ve established the evil in our wizard. He’s ready to kill one knight and it shows he will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
In order to develop a character’s character, it is vital to force the character into challenging situations. How the character deals with those situations will establish the character of the character, for better or for worse.
It gives the reader a glimpse into the life of the character, what makes the character who she or he is. It enhances the reading experience to know a character will face her or his demons and will be a stronger person for having defeated those demons. It enhances the reading experience even more to see how a character deals with her or his demons.
Because how a character in a story or a novel deals with those challenging situations may well inspire a reader with new ideas about how to deal with her or his own challenging situations.
This may seem an obvious statement, but you’d be surprised how many writers fail to give their characters character.
You must ask yourself what characteristics do I want my characters to have? The answer to that is completely up to you.
Determine if your character is a good guy/girl or a bad guy/girl.
A good character may have some of the following characteristics: Integrity, Courage, Loyalty, Determination, Ambition, Compassion.
A bad character may have some of these: Greed, Hate, Anger, Deceit, Ruthlessness, Dishonesty.
Mind you, characters will more than likely not be this cookie-cutter. And these are just a few of the traits found in each category. But if you’re trying to establish who the reader should root for, then each of your characters needs some of these traits.
Let’s begin with the good guy.
The last thing you want to do is state, “She or he was loyal, brave and true.” She or he may be all three but it’s a very boring way to let the reader know.
Instead, put the character into a situation that shows the reader how loyal, brave and true she or he is. Like in the paragraph below.
Donovan crept along the cobblestone path to the door of the castle, his hand ever ready on the hilt of his sword. Dawn was fast approaching. He had to get inside, kill the wizard Morgrith and flee before the wizard’s demons found him. He knew he could do this. He must do this. Otherwise, Morgrith would cast a spell rendering King Rodolfo powerless, incapable of running the kingdom. Even so, Donovan’s hand trembled upon the hilt. He knew not what he would encounter in the castle, only that he would deal with whatever lay before him.
We have established that our hero, Donovan, is afraid; his hand would not tremble upon the hilt of his sword if he weren’t afraid. His courage is evident in that he is willing to act in the face of his fear regardless of what he may encounter. His loyalty is to King Rodolfo and he will see his mission through.
Let’s tackle the flip side of the coin. It isn’t enough to state that someone is evil. Show the evil.
Morgrith stood at the window of his study following Donovan’s every move. The demons stood at the ready, awaiting Morgrith’s signal to begin their assault. There was a vat of hot boiling oil and talons and teeth sharpened to a fine point awaiting the beleaguered hero. Let him think one lowly knight could thwart this wizard’s plans to possess the kingdom. He would know otherwise soon enough.
Here we’ve established the evil in our wizard. He’s ready to kill one knight and it shows he will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
In order to develop a character’s character, it is vital to force the character into challenging situations. How the character deals with those situations will establish the character of the character, for better or for worse.
It gives the reader a glimpse into the life of the character, what makes the character who she or he is. It enhances the reading experience to know a character will face her or his demons and will be a stronger person for having defeated those demons. It enhances the reading experience even more to see how a character deals with her or his demons.
Because how a character in a story or a novel deals with those challenging situations may well inspire a reader with new ideas about how to deal with her or his own challenging situations.
