Kate Ristau's Blog, page 47
January 14, 2016
Physical Description | Teal Tip
Writing a fantastic physical description really isn’t easy. We want our readers to imagine our characters – to see them in their mind’s eye. So, we need a good physical description to give our reader’s insight into our character’s lives.
Too little description and the characters do not come to life. Too much description and you can lose a reader for life. The goal is to find a happy medium.
That means you should focus on a few well-chosen details – details that reveal character. Think about a woman who wears a tortoise hat, or a man who wears a bespoke dark blue suit. Our image of that character immediately comes to life; the physical descriptions reveal possible character details. Who is that woman? And where did she get that hat? Readers immediately perceive her as quirky and eccentric – all with one well-chosen detail.
Well-Chosen Physical Description
As you craft your writing, work on including those well-chosen details that provide your readers a unique understanding of your characters. Then you readers will be able to imagine the characters you have created, and they will be pulled into your story.
One last thing – if you are writing in first person or limited third person, the details that your main character pays attention to also reveal more about your main character. How did they know that was a custom-cut suit? They must be the type of person who pays attention to those details; they even use the appropriate vocabulary in their physical descriptions. If your main character is not so detail driven, they wouldn’t be thinking about the bespoke suit. They might just be annoyed by the fancy man taking too long in the taco line.
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Still stuck on your physical description? Check out Carve Magazine’s “Ten Tips for Writing Physical Descriptions of Your Characters.”
The post Physical Description | Teal Tip appeared first on Kate Ristau.
Teal Tip | Physical Descriptions
Physical descriptions are hard. We want our readers to imagine our characters – to see them in their mind’s eye.
So, we need a good description to give our reader’s insight into our character’s lives.
Too little description and the characters do not come to life. Too much description and you can lose a reader for life. The goal is to find a happy medium.
That means you should focus on a few well-chosen details – details that reveal character. Think about a woman who wears a tortoise hat, or a man who wears a bespoke dark blue suit. Our image of that character immediately comes to life; the descriptions reveal possible character details. Who is that woman? And where did she get that hat? Readers immediately perceive her as quirky and eccentric – all with one well-chosen detail.
Well-Chosen Physical Descriptions
As you craft your writing, work on including those well-chosen details that provide your readers a unique understanding of your characters.
One last thing – if you are writing in first person or limited third person, the details that your main character pays attention to also reveal more about your main character. How did they know that was a custom-cut suit? They must be the type of person who pays attention to those details; they even use the appropriate vocabulary. If your main character is not so detail driven, they wouldn’t be thinking about the bespoke suit. They might just be annoyed by the fancy man taking too long in the taco line.
January 2, 2016
Teal Tip | Dialogue Tags, Not Action Tags
A Teal Tip is a little creative writing tip that I give out to my students. My Teal Tips started out as simple little fixes. Along the way, they got a little weird. Here’s an example:
This Teal Tip is about dialogue tags. Dialogue tags are the way the reader identifies who is speaking in text. Said is the single best dialogue tag. It’s the best because, as readers, we tend to ignore it — which means we don’t get pulled out of the story. For the most part, you want your dialogue tags to remain invisible. Then, when you do use a good one, it will stand out.
But writers also love to get fancy with their laughs and smiles.
And it’s okay to get fancy every once in a while. For example, everyone could use a nice feather in their hat occasionally. Just be careful with your fancy: you can’t have a dialogue tag that does something other than speaking. That is not a dialogue tag — that’s an action tag. And you can’t have an action tag that is also a dialogue tag. Mouths don’t work that way, and neither do dialogue tags.
That means that it doesn’t work to say any of these:
“I love tacos,” she clapped.
“Tacos are so yummy,” she twirled.
“Tacos are my besties,” she twinkled.
If a dialogue tag does not come out of the mouth with words, it doesn’t work.
What’s the fix?
“I love tacos,” she said, and clapped twice.
“Tacos are so yummy,” she said, then twirled around in a circle.
“Tacos are my besties.” (Why is she twinkling?)
My friend Maren Anderson reminded me of twinkling tacos and dialogue tags the other day. She’s smart. And she writes good. Listen to her. Keep it simple; keep it safe.
I hope you enjoyed this Teal Tip! Comment if you have any questions.
The post Teal Tip | Dialogue Tags, Not Action Tags appeared first on Kate Ristau.
Teal Tip
Teal Tips are little creative writing tips that I give out to my students. Here’s an example:
This one is about dialogue tags. Dialogue tags are the way we identify who is speaking in text. Said is the single best dialogue tag. It’s the best because, as readers, we tend to ignore it.
But writers also love to get fancy with their laughs and smiles.
The only problem is, you can’t have a dialogue tag that does something other than speaking.
That means that it doesn’t work to say any of these:
“I love tacos,” she clapped.
“Tacos are so yummy,” she twirled.
“Tacos are my besties,” she twinkled.
If a dialogue tag does not come out of the mouth with words, it doesn’t work.
What’s the fix?
“I love tacos,” she said, and clapped twice.
“Tacos are so yummy,” she said, then twirled around in a circle.
“Tacos are my besties.” (Why is she twinkling?)
I hope you enjoyed this Teal Tip! Comment if you have any questions.
September 18, 2015
Kids, teens, and professors
I love talking about writing; you know that by now. But, in case you missed it, I also love teaching writing. Over the past few years, I’ve taught everyone from professors to college students to kindergarteners.
The content always changes depending on the group, but the inspiration is the same: I love sharing my writing skills, tips, and tricks with friends and soon-to-be friends.
And I always do it for free.
So, if you have an event you’d like a speaker for — if you want someone amazing to talk about creative writing, technical writing, or even professional writing — fill out the form below to send me an email. I’d love to find out what you’re up to, and how I can help.
In case you’re wondering, the next talk I have on the calendar is speaking about professional writing to a group of university alumni. After that, I’m talking to second graders. I’d love to talk to your group too.
-Kate
P.S. I’m also up for talking to you about writing over coffee. Or pie.
[contact-form]
August 20, 2015
It’s Giveaway Time!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Shadowgirl
by Kate Ristau
Giveaway ends August 24, 2015.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
August 19, 2015
Hitting the shelves
It’s been busy around here! I met a lot of cool writers at the Willamette Writers Conference, and I’m looking forward to lots of cups of coffee in the near future, especially given this recent study passed on by my friend Robert.
The biggest news of the week is that Barnes and Noble will start stocking Shadowgirl in their stores. It is currently available online at B&N, but you’ll now be able to get it at your local store! I am really excited about this; Shadowgirl will be making its way out to a larger audience. If you see it at your local B&N, snap a pic!
If you need me, I’ll be trolling those book shelves…
June 26, 2015
Views and reviews
It’s been over a month since Shadowgirl hit the shelves, and reviews are rolling in. I have been so excited to have my friends and family read what I have been working on for so long, and am so excited to get their feedback. Most of all, I am excited that they have connected with, and understood, Áine’s journey.
Here’s what I’ve seen and heard so far:
This book reads very quickly. That is totally true. This type of book is called a high-interest young adult novel. It has a lower reading level, and a heck of a lot of excitement. It’s meant to draw in reluctant readers and encourage them to keep turning pages.
This is not Disney. This is definitely a dark story. I always imagined that if a being filled with love and light entered our world, she would be challenged by what she saw and who we are. As humans, we sometimes do terrible things. But we also have moments of love, transcendence, and joy. I hope everyone connects with that goodness too!
It’s all about the relationships. My friend Nancy Jo said this, and I couldn’t agree more. Shadowgirl is Áine’s journey, but she cannot do it alone. Throughout the novel, she explores her past, defines her present, and fights for her future — all with her friends and family by her side. No plot spoilers, but family matters in this book. More than magic, more than dreams, more than life, it is what forms us and defines us.
Each time a review comes in, I feel a little surge of happiness. And I just wanted to share a little of that joy with you. Have a great day.
June 17, 2015
Write Better Fights: 5 Tips for Better Action Scenes
Savvy Authors invited me over for a few words on craft. On their site, I talked about how to write believable — and memorable — action scenes, including how to craft a melee at Starbucks. Click here for more: http://savvyauthors.com/blog/index.ph...
“It’s not easy writing action scenes. From dialogue to dungeons to daggers, it can be hard to keep track of what is going on, and even harder to relate every action to your reader. But these scenes are climactic moments for your audience, and they are moments that matter…”
May 20, 2015
Shadowgirl is available now
My new YA novel, Shadowgirl, has just released on Amazon and Barnes and Noble! You can get your copy today online, or at any of my upcoming readings. I am so excited to share this story with you.
Shadowgirl
Shadowgirl tells the story of fairy teen Aine, who is haunted by a fiery dream, where her mother loses her mind and her father makes a devastating choice. Áine escapes into the Shadowlands to discover the secrets of her family and her past. But the moment her foot crosses the threshold, Áine is thrust into a war that has been raging for centuries. Guardians, fire fey, and a rising darkness threaten the light, and Áine must learn to fight in the shadows — or die in the flames.
Signed copies available
If you would like to purchase a signed copy, and you are not able to make any of my local readings or signings, please click the Buy Now with Paypal button below. I will sign the book and send it to you for $15.00, including shipping, anywhere in the U.S. I’ll even get out my fancy pens.
Special thanks
Special thanks to all my friends and family who made Shadowgirl a reality. In particular, Mom, Bob, and Rowan get extra love for their unwavering support…and the time they let me hide in my office. I started Shadowgirl while I was in graduate school at University of Oregon. The story grew out of my interest in Celtic and fairy folklore, and if you dig deep, you’ll find those stories underneath. This book has so much of me in it, and I’m excited to share it with you.
I can’t believe I am finally holding it in my hands. It is because of your love and support that I can see the glossy cover and the shine of her eye. We did it! We really did it!
The post Shadowgirl is available now appeared first on Kate Ristau.
