Timothy J. Pruitt's Blog, page 141

Sketch Resting Fox

Today has been such a wonderful day at our Church Point Of Mercy in Madison, Tennessee. We had an amazing service and a wonderful Trunk Or Treat. Now our little fox Nicholas is resting, and I ran across a photo of another fox resting. Here is the sketch I did from that photo.

Writing Your Beginning

Nanowrimo begins tomorrow, the day when people across the world will begin to write their book. Some of us got started a few days ago, either way it’s a good season to start writing.

I’m posting a little late tonight, but it the day was amazing. We have been at our Church today Point air Mercy, for service and for Trunk Or Treat, it was tremendous. I mention this, not only because it was a wonderful day, but because there was still time to write.

There is time to tell your story. It may take longer than you expect, and that’s okay. Every story is different, but your story is worth the wait. Writing is an adventure, and it’s well worth the time and effort it will take.

One way of making time is to capture spare moments. Those few minutes when you’re setting on the sofa can be a good time to jot down a few ideas. We can talk more about this tomorrow, but I’m excited about being part of your adventure.

iPainting Batman Louie The Lilac Milton Berle

I loved how the old Batman series brought such talented actors to the show. Among them was Milton Berle, the actor known for decades as Mr Television and Uncle Milty.

Sketch Inktober Risk

For today’s final Inktober sketch, the word is Risk, and immediately the old board game came to mind.

Writing Your New Chapter

Tell a story. The simplest truth of writing is that you are telling a story. Historical event, fairy tale, comedy, or mystery novel, they are all stories. It all boils down to how you tell a story.

With Nanowrimo starting on Monday, I’d like to touch on some of the basics of storytelling.

Some books are famous for their first lines, “Marley was dead to begin with”, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”. How you begin is important, at the writing stage it’s also changeable, so don’t stress, just think about how you want to begin.

Who is the first person you want to talk about, or your readers to meet? Will they be the narrator, or will you tell it in first person? These questions will help you as you write.

Now that you have these starting point decisions made, the next step is to start writing. If you’ve been following for the last few days you’re familiar with the concept of writing 500 words a day. If you’ve been doing that, you’re close to 5,000 words already. If not starting today is always a great way of writing your story.

If you have been following this means you’re about ready for chapter two or three. Starting a second chapter is easier than a first in that you have something to build on. With a new chapter you should both continue the threads you started with, and incorporate something new. Try to always give your reader’s a reason to stay with you.

I would caution you both about two things here. First don’t make the second chapter so new that your readers don’t recognize the story. Confusing the readers can cause them to close the book early.

The other extreme is beating a dead horse. If the guy robbed the bank in chapter one, don’t bore them by being overtly detailed in chapter two. There are exceptions to every literary rule, as in a mystery, when it’s the overlooked detail that furthers the story.

A mystery is a good analogy because the writer is trying to keep you interested and investigating to the last page. The reader wants to figure it out ahead of time so they can smile at the reveal. In the end it isn’t cleverness that makes a good mystery, but good storytelling.

I’m so excited about you experiencing your writing journey. Thank you for allowing me to be a guide along the way. I can’t wait for you to tell your story.

iPainting Caesar Romero Joker

Though I’m a big Batman fan, I’m not a huge Joker fan, with the exception of Caesar Romero. The others were good, but my favorite is still the Classic Clown himself, mustache and all.

Sketch Inktober George

Today’s Inktober word is supposed to be slither, but I’m not a fan of snakes. I did learn that slither is a British term that can be used like sliver, the example was a slither of bacon. In keeping with all this, and my son’s love of George Pig from Peppa, I thought I’d include George here.

Writing The Crash

Today marks the anniversary of the stock market crash of 1929, which led to the Great Depression. It may sound like an odd beginning to a post on writing, until you consider one of the great American novels, The Grapes Of Wrath, was set during that time period. This novel is considered by some as John Steinbeck’s greatest literary work, and was required reading in school for decades.

A writer’s words can take an event, no matter how serious or it’s scope, and make it communicable. Children who read the novel got to see how some thought during one of the most challenging things America had ever faced up to that point. Communicating a thought, feeling, or the things that happened during a event through writing can be a very powerful way of reaching out to people.

To write about an event that you are passionate about, I would make these suggestions. First, before writing, try to recall it as much as possible, without any opinion whatsoever. Though similar, this is slightly different from approaching it logically, it is simply observing what happened. Some things you cannot be completely detached from, but try your best and record notes about it.

Solely from a writing angle, this is good, as it helps fill in gaps that a eye witness may not see. For example, you know why the blocks fell over, because you saw the cat run into the room. Someone who came later would not have seen that. This type of review will help you to know what details to share that won’t be obvious normally.

Next I would review it from a logical standpoint, not to defend or disagree with your already formed opinion, but just to get a different angle of it. As a writer, it may help you decide the tone, structure, and order you want to share your story in. Logic is not perfect, but it is a good means of building a structure, from there you can flesh it out more.

Thirdly, no matter how emotional, challenging, or emotional the story, I would suggest to end the piece on a positive note. Even if that note is the hope for a positive result from a negative situation, leave the reader in a good place. Doing this, whether they agree or disagree with your viewpoint, will be beneficial to the reader.

A writer is taking readers on a journey, much like a taxi driver, or train conductor. We are serving the readers, and cab drivers know you would not leave the reader somewhere they don’t want to be. When you take your reader to a train wreck, take them back to the station before the last paragraph. Endings in a story matter, and it’s important that the ending have at least some clear sky in it.

No matter the story, if it matters to you, it can be conveyed to the reader. They may not always agree, but they can understand your viewpoint. A writer’s greatest tool is not only the words they use, but the way they use them. Events large or small, common or obscure, can all be presented in a fashion that is memorable, which can last for decades.

iPainting The Riddler Frank Gorshin

For all the ones who have played The Riddler, my favorite is still Frank Gorshin from the classic series.

Sketch Inktober Patches

Today’s Inktober word is technically Patch, but when your dog is named Patches, I think people will understand. This little dog has helped us through a lot of tears that turned to joy. Before we were able to adopt our son she would cuddle into us, now they’re inseparable.