Timothy J. Pruitt's Blog, page 179
November 13, 2020
iPainting Cage Escape
iPainting Fall Foxes
Foxes have become very special to us, thanks to a certain little Fox #NicholasAsherPruitt. I hope you enjoy these Fall Foxes.
Writing, Turkey
Writing can be like a Thanksgiving Turkey. It can be prepared with love and care, watched carefully through the process, and come out golden. Or it can be thrown together, tough, half defrosted, and turn out dry.
The secret isn’t only in the recipe, but the actions, and mindset of the cook. Attitude in the kitchen, and the writing chair is as important an ingredient as anything else. Also of importance is steps you take ahead of time.
Beyond the metaphor, are some concrete ideas. First, have any ideas that have come to you collected in some way. Whether it’s a shoebox or a file, keep them handy.
Second, have a comfortable place to write. It doesn’t have to be convenient. It doesn’t have to be ideal, but it needs to be somewhere you are comfortable writing. Most won’t stay where they are uncomfortable.
Third, take some time to think about what you have written, not as an editor, but how you will use it as a springboard forward. Don’t edit, but think about it. Percolating on your idea, post, or book will help produce new ideas for your next writing session. Going to write with an idea, even a sliver of one, is a lot easier than going with none at all.
It’s a funny analogy, but it’s very true. Every writing project can produce something beneficial, as long as you take a few steps, before and after. Mentally reviewing yesterday’s writing session, will help keep today’s from coming out half baked.
November 12, 2020
Watercolor Autumn Yard
The fall colors, bristling wind, and home warm my heart. I’m so thankful for God’s blessings!
Writing, Exploring
I would encourage you, not to limit your writing to one genre. While many writers find a particular area that is successful, it’s good to stretch your writing muscles by writing something totally different. This doesn’t have to be seen by others, but it will help improve your writing.
Authors may publish under two different names for marketing purposes, but they write other things. It’s similar to a comedian playing a dramatic role, or vice versa. This helps you to realize you can accomplish even more than you think.
It also helps keep you, as a writer from being bored. A bored writer can bore their readers. Bored readers will look for something else to read. Readers who a writer, excited by his subject, will stay to find out more.
This is the same reason they tell people in leadership training to read books outside of their area, it provides perspective, newness, and it fuels us forward. This is true of leaders and writers, both in reading other genres, as well as writing them. Exploring other areas of writing will enable you to write better in all areas.
Mental stretching in writing has the same benefits as physical stretching before running. It allows you to write what you want, in a better way, by trying your hand at other genres. While it’s good practice, it can also lead to discovering that you enjoy writing other things.
Either way, it will benefit both you as a writer, and your readers. If you want to write a novel, try writing a 500 word short story. If you are a short story writer, practice writing a poem. Stretching your writing will stretch you, and help your writing go farther, faster.
This Thanksgiving, Savor Joy
Take our nineteen month old out of his routine for a couple of days, and it’s a recipe for problems. This Thanksgiving will be different than we are used to, but this itself won’t necessarily be new. At different times in our history families dreamed of large homecomings.
Chairs were empty because their normal occupants were on battleships, manning tanks, and in fighter planes. Parents longed, not of a big family feast, but normalcy and loved ones. That’s really what a lot of our anxiety is about, whether Covid, politics, and uncertainties.
We all ache for normal when we don’t have it, and that’s not a bad thing. We are creatures of habit, and when we don’t have it, it affects us more than we know. Different is hard, and painful.
This year has been like a foreign world to most of us. Yet, different has produced some of the greatest events in our history. Whether your table is for two of twenty this year, enjoy it. This year, if it has taught us anything, is to enjoy the good.
In 2020, people fell in love, got married, and babies were born. Businesses were started, others were saved. Friendships were rekindled, old dreams were revived, and people found their faith once more.
I’m fall, brown leaves can be as vivid as red, orange, and green. The season brings out what you look for, so I would encourage you to look for the good things. Problems make their own noise, but moments need to be celebrated. Savor more than the sage and turkey this year, take in each joy. It’s the season for appreciating what matters.
November 11, 2020
Sketch Batman Freeze Proof
Watercolor Nick Squared
I love our son Nicholas, and I love sketching, and painting him and his Momma. Here are two watercolors I did after he drifted off last night.
Writing, Plot
Plot is defined as the sequence of events where each affects the next one through the principle of cause and effect. It’s a fancy way of saying, this happened, which caused that to happen. Think of plot as your story’s compass, taking you to your story’s North Star.
The North Star is the event, result, moral, or overarching idea you want to convey. How you get there has to do with the plot. Some stories, as far as the plot itself, will come to you fairly intact. Others will be very flexible, and fluid, which changes as you write. However, you may still know where you want to end up.
The thing to keep in mind is, to tie all the plot points together by the end. Loose threads aren’t good for your favorite sweater, or your favorite story. They are unfortunately easy to create.
While they can’t always be avoided, they can be limited. One way, is to keep a general idea of your plot in your mind. Later, reviewing your story will be a vital tool, but that will come in editing. What you can do now, is to keep your character’s behavior consistent as you write.
Doing this will help to prevent plot holes, and will make them a little easier to find. That’s not to say the characters can’t experience growth and change, but they should be follow-able changes and growth. Plot, character development, and pacing your writing will help you to navigate the pitfalls of writing.
They Carried
When I look at the blue, red, and white hues, I see a history book unfold. I see a fledgling army of a new nation overcoming a juggernaut. I see Colonel Roosevelt at San Juan Hill, and the citizen soldiers of World War 1 in France.
I see the greatest generation toppling Nazism, rescuing thousands, and in a very real way civilization itself. I see soldiers in jungles, Swamps, in oceans, and on continents defending freedom. I see the American soldier, of different eras standing together, bringing hope to those in need.
This Veteran’s Day, let us be thankful for everyone who has worn the uniform. For the journeys, sacrifice, and nobility of character that is the American soldier. We can celebrate, because they served, and carried the banner around the world.
