P.H. Solomon's Blog, page 262
September 3, 2016
Deep POV Pt. 8: How to Use Internalization
This is an ongoing series about using the writing technique – deep point of view. The original posts began over last summer after I attended a webinar on the subject. Previous are listed at the end of this post.
Deep POV is an effective technique to enhance characterization. The effect is that the reader is closer to the story so that they feel more part of the action. Lots of description about the actions of characters and the setting creates a distance for the reader. Of course, this technique can be used in varying degrees withing your book. Also, there are aspects of deep POV that require different handling in your writing. Here are a few concepts to consider when using internalization with this writing style.
Ease into the main character’s POV.
It’s jarring for the reader to be dropped directly into the point of view at the beginning of a book or a scene. Instead of jumping right into deep internalization try using a movie technique instead: start from a distant perspective and pan into deep POV and accompanying internalization. Likewise, when you write an action/fight scene let there be distance – characters are reacting rather than thinking. Additionally during action, emotions are bursts of shouts or wordless utterances. So deep POV can be varied depending on place and activity in your book.
Internal dialogue is not continual.
In deep POV internal dialogue is not long strings, or a continual thread of, the main character’s constant thoughts about any and everything. Boring. Instead focus on what’s important to the character and plot during the scene. There should be a mix of external action, regular dialogue and description. In this sense, internalization is more like adding seasoning to the story from the main character’s POV.
How does internal dialogue appear?
Simply increasing the number of italicized, active thinking by the main character is not actually deep POV internalization. Instead this style is woven into the narrative such that thought and action by the main character are vary. Italics should be limited only to exclamations and colloquialisms. So verbatim, italicized thoughts should be avoided.
Internal dialogue should be the same tense.
If working in third person deep POV, avoid use of first person references in the POV character’s internalization. This creates a jarring distance for the reader.
What it becomes?
Coupled with the use of dialogue and various other elements, internalization acts as an emotive modifier to the character’s POV.
Here are previous posts based on deep POV that may help:
3 Tips for Editing to Deep POV PT 1
Deep POV Tips Part 2
Deep POV Tips Part 3
Deep POV Tips Part 4: Of Sneaks and Shallow POV
Deep POV Tips Pt. 5: Eliminate Narrative Distance
Deep POV Pt. 6: Editing for Emotion
And of course here are more resources for deep POV and showing emotion rather than telling:
Rivet Your Readers with Deep Point of View
The Emotion Thesaurus
Have you used deep POV? What techniques have you found helpful? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.
About the Author
P. H. Sol
omon lives in the greater Birmingham, AL area where he strongly dislikes yard work and sanding the deck rail. However, he performs these duties to maintain a nice home for his loved ones as well as the family’s German Shepherds. In his spare time, P. H. rides herd as a Computer Whisperer on large computers called servers (harmonica not required). Additionally, he enjoys reading, running, most sports and fantasy football. Having a degree in Anthropology, he also has a wide array of more “serious” interests in addition to working regularly to hone his writing. The Bow of Destiny is his first novel-length title with more soon to come.
To find out more about The Bow of Destiny, click over to one of these online retailers:
Sign-up to receive my free ebooks today.
Clip art licensed from Microsoft Office.
Cover art provided on commission from Chris Rawlins
Filed under: Blogging, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Deep POV, Editing, Indie Publishing, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: blogging, Coverart, creativity, Deep POV, Editing, Facebook, Indie Publishing, P. H. Solomon, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, writing
September 2, 2016
Twenty Ways to Build Character
It’s the big question in fiction: who is this person? Here’s one template to answer this all-important question. Reblogged on Archer’s Aim.
Do your homework.
Writing is a hell of a tough racket, and if you’re lazy about it, it will defeat you so fast it’ll make your head spin.
So before you type Chapter One into that virginal word processor page—and then sit for weeks wondering what to do next—do your homework for each one of your characters. Write a character outline.
Nota bene: I didn’t say, “write a description.” Color of eyes and hair, height, weight, and so on, are not important. What matters is the inner character, the mind, the soul, and the handful of values she holds dear.
When you outline a personal history, none of those notes goes into the manuscript. If, as you do it, dialogue comes to you, write it down. Let it flow. The notes exist for your use only. Don’t be afraid to write the forbidden.
Then, when you begin Chapter One
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TOP 5 WEDNESDAY: BOOKS I DON’T PLAN ON READING (AS OF RIGHT NOW)
These are some interesting, well-known non-choices of from Bookwraiths from this part Wednesday. I can only say I’ve read Hunger Games and enjoyed it. The others have not interested me for probably the same reasons listed. Reblogging on Archer’s Aim.
Today, the guys in the Goodreads Top 5 Wednesday group had a great topic: Books I Don’t Plan on Reading (As of Right Now.) “Whether it’s from a series that you have outgrown or don’t wish to continue, or they are popular books that just don’t interest you, let us know what you don’t plan on reading.”
Hard topic for me personally. I tend to eventually get around to most speculative fiction authors at some point or another. I won’t like them all obviously, but the very idea of having a “Not To Be Read” shelf bothers me. However, I do have some books I don’t see myself ever wanting to read. At least, in the near future. Doesn’t mean I won’t at some point pick them up, but, at least, right now, it is not in my plans. So my list will be about those books.
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Deep POV Pt. 7: Editing Tips
This is an ongoing series about using the writing technique – deep point of view. The original posts began over last summer after I attended a webinar on the subject. Previous are listed at the end of this post.
Editing for Deep POV
I’ve recently been revising my upcoming novel in preparation for sending the manuscript to my editor. As part of the process of developing deeper POV I want to revise the following:
1. Remove most, if not all, dialog tags so they are associated contextually with the speaking character.
2. Remove most, if not all, thinking tags and replace them with internalization or emotional cues.
3. Remove all internal dialog and replace with internalization.
4. Find as many prepositional “tellers” as possible and remove them. I supplied some examples of what these look like in a previous post listed below.
I thought that I would need to slog through each chapter or scene to find everything that needs to be done but this process proved to be arduous rather than running searches.
1. First tip: run searches to start finding all the problems quickly. The point is to move along and read in depth at a later stage. I delayed too long in following this simple editing hack and letting my editor find deeper issues to fix.
2. I started by running a search for dialog tags. I looked for the word “said” and determined whether it needed to be removed. I also searched for ‘ ,” ‘ in order to find all other dialog tags. By finding these I could edit these out as needed.
3. While I looked at dialog tags I also visually scanned nearby to identify other needed changes with thinking tags to insert internalization and places to insert emotional cues (both internal and external for the POV character, external for other characters). I also looked for other types of distance like viewing words that could be removed in order to show action around the character. However, further searches for thinking words can be found and edited.
4. I originally used some internal dialog so I had to correct for tense. I did searches for the words “I”, “me”, “my” and “we” to make sure tense was corrected.
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5. As part of going deeper with POV and inserting emotional cues I looked for “teller” prepositions that describe, or tell, emotional state. These I’m able to find and replaced with emotional cues and internalization.
6. There remain some issues with sentences that have incorrect order or that lack linear progress. This is where scanning around my target searches helps since I can spot these issues and correct them. However, searching for the words “when”, “as” and “while” helps find these problems also if they still exist.
This helped me get to the various issues I wanted to resolve in a quicker fashion than otherwise. I expect the deeper round edits from the editor to find more issues but I’m further along than otherwise. The main point is that there are searches to use that get at many of the issues rather quickly. However, you must know what it is you are looking for to locate them without bogging down too much. Some of these are well-known shortcuts among writers and editors, I’ve just listed some that help me get to deep POV.
Here are previous posts based on deep POV that may help:
3 Tips for Editing to Deep POV PT 1
Deep POV Tips Part 4: Of Sneaks and Shallow POV
Deep POV Tips Pt. 5: Eliminate Narrative Distance
Deep POV Pt. 6: Editing for Emotion
And of course here are more resources for deep POV and showing emotion rather than telling:
Rivet Your Readers with Deep Point of View
Please share your thoughts in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added anew sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed on 11/10/14 so take a look.
About the Author
P. H. Solomon lives in the greater Birmingham, AL area where he strongly dislikes yard work and sanding the deck rail. However, he performs these duties to maintain a nice home for his loved ones as well as the family’s German Shepherds. In his spare time, P. H. rides herd as a Computer Whisperer on large computers called servers (harmonica not required). Additionally, he enjoys reading, running, most sports and fantasy football. Having a degree in Anthropology, he also has a wide array of more “serious” interests in addition to working regularly to hone his writing. The Bow of Destiny is his first novel-length title with more soon to come.
To find out more about The Bow of Destiny, click over to one of these online retailers:
Sign-up to receive my free ebooks today.
Clip art licensed from Microsoft Office.
Blog developed via Scrivener
Filed under: Archer's Aim Digest, Blogging, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Deep POV, Editing, Fiction, Indie Publishing, Self-publishing, Social Media, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: blogging, Coverart, Deep POV, Editing, Facebook, Indie Publishing, P. H. Solomon, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, writing
September 1, 2016
It’s On Sale & In The Hot 100!
Yep, The Bow of Destiny is on sale for Labor Day and it’s hit the hot 100 in Amazon ranking already!
What readers are saying:
“Unique, complex and riveting..”
“…one can almost see the trail, and fear the Trolls.”
” a mixture of the classic fantasy past with new ideas mixed in”
“I love the story. Started it and could put it down. I am anxiously awaiting the next book.”
“by the time I had reached the very last page, I was taken completely and utterly surprised”
Haunted by his past. Hunted in the present. Uncertain what is real.
Athson has seen things that aren’t there and suffered fits since being tragically orphaned as a child at the hands of trolls and Corgren the wizard. When a strange will mentioning a mysterious bow comes into his possession, he’s not sure it’s real. But the trolls that soon pursue him are all too real and dangerous. And what’s worse, these raiders serve Corgren and his master, the hidden dragon, Magdronu, who are responsible for the destruction of his childhood home. Athson is drawn into a quest for the concealed Bow of Hart by the mystic Withling, Hastra, but Athson isn’t always sure what’s real and who his enemies are. With Corgren and Magdronu involved, Athson must face not only frequent danger but his grasp on reality and the reasons behind his tragic past.
About the Author
P. H. Solomon lives in the greater Birmingham, AL area where he strongly dislikes yard work and sanding the deck rail. However, he performs these duties to maintain a nice home for his loved ones as well as the family’s German Shepherds. In his spare time, P. H. rides herd as a Computer Whisperer on large computers called servers (harmonica not required). Additionally, he enjoys reading, running, most sports and fantasy football. Having a degree in Anthropology, he also has a wide array of more “serious” interests in addition to working regularly to hone his writing. The Bow of Destiny is his first novel-length title with more soon to come.
To find out more about The Bow of Destiny, click over to one of these online retailers:
Sign-up to receive my free ebooks today.
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Fiction Friday: 8 Things Writers Forget When Writing Fight Scenes
Ok, fantasy writers, here’s a good primer on fighting scenes. Read, enjoy, apply as necessary! Reblogging on Archer’s Aim!
Recently, I attended a session called “Writing About Fighting” at VCON, a science fict ion and fantasy conference. The panel consisted of writers and experts who were disciplined in multiple martial arts, including authors Lorna Suzuki and T.G. Shepherd, and Devon Boorman, the swordmaster of Academie Duello in Vancouver.
For me, this talk was so fascinating, it was worth the cost of admission alone. I spent days thinking about the topics discussed and tried to incorporate them into The Watcher Saga. These are just a few of them as I remember it.
Eight Things Writers Forget About Fight Scenes:
1. It’s not about the technical details
First of all, if you’re not technical and don’t know the details of fighting, you shouldn’t try to write about them. Some writers try to to include technical details of fighting, which only calls out their lack of expertise. If you don’t know what…
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The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
A review from For the Novel Lovers of The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I’m rather interested in this book – reblogging on Archer’s Aim
Book Review
Title: The Name of the Wind
Author: Patrick Rothfuss
Genre: Fantasy/Dystopian
Rating: ****
Review: When friends hand me books to read, I am always suspicious of whether the books will be any good. Maybe it is my own great arrogance but I just figure that – unless they are of a special few – I am the better judge of books. Thankfully this theory has been proven wrong many a time.
The book is called The Name of the Wind, and it is written by a newish author to me, Patrick Rothfuss. This also had me a little worried, as I am becoming more and more wary of new authors. But my fears were groundless. More than groundless, they could even be called vaguely offensive to Rothfuss who proved himself in his first mass market literary outing to be nothing short of a genius.
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Deep POV Pt. 6: Editing for Emotion
Editing
If there’s one problem I have trouble conveying in my writing it’s emotional expression. Sure there are opportunities in deep POV for these to occur but the question is how they should be expressed and appear in the story?
My characters sometimes read as too distant. If you have this same problem here’s some suggestions about editing for this problem.
I’ve started using the Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman to edit for deeper emotion. It’s a great resource to help you nail down your character’s actions and reactions, especially when trying to attain a deeper POV. It’s well organized and provides a wealth of information about particular emotions and how they may escalate into a stronger emotion as well. The book lists external and internal workings of emotion and long-term effects as well.
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But how do I edit for it if this aspect is missing at some point where it should be present? Here’s my approach:
Identify where it’s missing. I make a survey with comments where I find my POV character to be emotionally distant in my manuscript – clearly these are places where characterization is flat.
Identify the emotion that may need to be shown. I add comments regarding what I think is the emotion that should be expressed with external or internal cues.
Consult the Emotion Thesaurus. I look for that emotion and what relates to verify that my concept fits. Sometimes I find an similar emotional state that fits better, especially if there is an escalation building to a related emotion. Then I choose a sample the emotion is expressed and add it to my comments.
Find a way to work that emotional expression into your story. Once the survey is complete I have a template of changes to make that allow me to see the arc of changes needed that – hopefully – follow the story-arc. I try to weigh what emotional cue to use – an external or internal reaction to circumstances. Sometimes more than one is needed for clarity, especially the deeper your POV. Combining these cues with internalization and dialogue should convey the character’s emotional state well.
For further thought on characterization: See this blog post from M. Talmage Moorehead at Storiform.com .
I use the survey for a full short story but it can also be applied to an entire chapter at a time. The Emotion Thesaurus is teaching me many ways to creatively express emotion rather than simply stating it.
What method do you use for showing emotion in your writing? I’d love to hear from you so please leave a question, idea or strategy in the comment section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today!
About the Author
P. H. Solomon lives in the greater Birmingham, AL area where he strongly dislikes yard work and sanding the deck rail. However, he performs these duties to maintain a nice home for his loved ones as well as the family’s German Shepherds. In his spare time, P. H. rides herd as a Computer Whisperer on large computers called servers (harmonica not required). Additionally, he enjoys reading, running, most sports and fantasy football. Having a degree in Anthropology, he also has a wide array of more “serious” interests in addition to working regularly to hone his writing. The Bow of Destiny is his first novel-length title with more soon to come.
To find out more about The Bow of Destiny, click over to one of these online retailers:
Sign-up to receive my free ebooks today.
Clip Art Image Copyright by Microsoft. Clip Art
Photo Licensed by iPhotoStock.com
Filed under: Blogging, Creativity, Editing, Fiction, Indie Publishing, Planning, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: creativity, Facebook, Indie Publishing, P. H. Solomon, Planning, Short Stories, Social Media, The Black Bag, Tips, Twitter, writing
August 31, 2016
#RRBC’S Back-To-School Book & Blog Block Party
Good job rounding out the month-long party with RRBC, Rhani! Enjoy the day of fun! Reblogging on Archer’s Aim!
Hello, and welcome to my stop on this fantastic tour. This post is coming to you from beautiful Tacoma, just a few short miles south of Seattle, in the great state of Washington.
Here we are, on the last day of the tour. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had so much fun visiting so many fantastic blogs and reading about all those books! I’ve also won a couple of awesome prizes, and that’s fun too.
Speaking of prizes, at this stop I’ll be giving away (1) signed paperback copy of Shadow of the Drill (USA residents only), (3) Kindle copies of Shadow of the Drill, (3) Kindle copies of A Perilous Thirst, (1) $10.00 Amazon Gift Card, and (2) $5.00 Amazon Gift Cards, for a total of 10 prizes. All you have to do is leave a comment at the end of this post and you’ll be…
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The Lost Bow Blog Tour with P.H.Solomon #RRBC
This was one of the stops on the recent Lost Bow Blog Tour. This stop was hosted by John Howell who I thank again for his efforts. Find out more about The Bow of Destiny – reblogging on Archer’s Aim!
I am pleased to have P.H. Solomon author of The Bow of Destiny visit Fiction Favorites as part of his “The Lost Bow” blog tour by 4WillsPublishing
Haunted by his past. Hunted in the present. Uncertain what is real.
Athson has seen things that aren’t there and suffered fits since being tragically orphaned as a child at the hands of trolls and Corgren the wizard. When a strange will mentioning a mysterious bow comes into his possession, he’s not sure it’s real. But the trolls that soon pursue him are all too real and dangerous. And what’s worse, these raiders serve Corgren and his master, the hidden dragon, Magdronu, who are responsible for the destruction of his childhood home. Athson is drawn into a quest for the concealed Bow of Hart by the mystic Withling, Hastra, but Athson isn’t always sure what’s real and who his enemies are. With Corgren…
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