Uvi’s Comments (group member since Apr 09, 2012)

Uvi’s comments from the The Creative Spark with Uvi Poznansky group.

Here is a little note that a writer friend of mine, who is reading the book as we speak, wrote to me:

"Your writing voice is distinctively unique. I enjoy your use of commas, inserting them wherever a pause might add to the rhythm of words, making the prose “feel” more like a poem. There are so many grammatical debates over punctuation (what is right? what is wrong? what is absolute? what is artistic license?) I stay out of those discussions, because my opinion will not change anyone else’s. We must write in the voice that is authentically our own, which may include unusual punctuation.

I realize for example, that I allowed an expensive program called Grammarly to review my last edit of the manuscript. It wanted me to insert semi-colons in far too many sentences. Against my better judgment, I gave it authority in some cases, and then stopped paying attention to it. Now I need to go back and remove most of the semi-colons in the second edition. Grammarly was wrong!"

And here is what I wrote in response:

"I thought your exploits with Grammarly were, in hind sight, hilariously funny... And can be used in the future to guide you in your decision making about punctuation. In the case of writing Apart From Love, I figured that since the story is told from the point of view of the characters, the punctuation should follow the way they utter sentences and breathe in-between. While most book have a different set of rules for 'pure narration' as opposed to 'dialogue', here the same rules apply. Also, I read the entire book (one chapter at a time) aloud in front of a small audience of readers/writers, so I got a good feel that the voice of the characters was authentic, that each one had a unique way of talking, and that listeners responded to it."

Indeed, my family is creative, both my father and mother. So are my children, but they have not started focusing in yet on their creative side, because they are very busy right now, and also, because they are too self-critical (which is, as you know, a curse.

I love many genres and books by American authors as well as authors from around the world. Love the poetry of Poe, also I love reading plays, from Shakespeare to Arthur Miller to Tennessee Williams. When you sit at their plays you are simply dumbfounded by how quickly they reveal, in their characters, the most profound of conflicts. Something to learn for anyone wishing to write dialogue!

Earlier this your I posted an article on Converting Your Story from Book to eBook. This time, I would like to let you know, fellow authors, that once you've got one ebook format, it is a piece of cake converting it to another. Should you get professional help? Heck, no!
To read more, click the link
http://uviart.blogspot.com/2012/06/ho...

Just thought I'd share my story for Father's Day:

At this moment, a man is lying in his armchair, propped up on a large pillow. He has lived, or rather, has confined himself within these walls for decades, for a reason unknown. In this stagnant place all sounds are muffled, all images erased – but for one thing: his youth. There is a vibrant longing in him for the adventures of his early days...

To read more, click the link
http://uviart.blogspot.com/2012/06/se...

Tower, if you wish to post a brief segment of dialog from your book, and discuss how you crafted it, you are welcome to do it.

So, going back to putting your pain in a jar... When you are gripped in pain, you can't escape; but if you write about it, you will eventually be able to 'swim' into the jar through the glass walls, feel that pain, but the wonderful thing is--you will be able to swim out again. You will no longer be gripped.

But the important thing to know about your characters is that each one of them is gripped in some emotion, has an overwhelming need which may be at odds with another character. While your mind 'embodies' this character, you must live in her skin and see things through her eyes. Then, when you move to embody another character, you 'swim' out of one skin and into another. At every moment, you must be totally committed to the point of view of the character whose skin you have just entered.

Tower wrote: "I work a demanding job, too, particulary during the fall and winter. I got motivated to write again because I needed somewhere to put these people who bother me so much. So I started putting them..."

This is a great motivation to write... We all write dialogues in our mind, giving ourselves the better lines, letting our adversaries fumble for words... Sometimes when someone criticizes my choices in writing, I put their words on the lips of my characters, which is something I did in Apart From Love. I will come back later to give a more exact example...

Angela wrote: "I think I am afraid to try to create something that will consume me..."

Yes, a lot of writers are afraid to attempt that, but in fact using it as a driving force help to put it outside of you, on paper, separating yourself from it. I can look at some paintings, or poems that were created out of sheer pain, and even recall vividly how it felt, how maddeningly desperate I was at the time, but now the pain is locked in a jar...

Now, the difference between writing poetry and writing a novel is that the second one requires a 'sustained fire'. It is a project that evolves over time. My animations (which you can find on my author page here on Goodreads) fall into this category too. Sustained fire... I will discuss this in a later post...

Dave wrote: "Uvi, the Plucked Porcupine is incredible! And so is your 'Plucked Poem'. Wow! Your creativity knows no bounds! "

Thank you Dave, I am not sure which comes first for most projects, the art or the writing... Need to think about that.

I think that any one of us, after an argument say with your spouse or your boss, writes a 'dialogue' in our mind. We give ourselves the best lines, the winning arguments, until the other side in the imaginary dialogue just gives up in shame... Now as a writer, you must go into the skin of both sides, come up with their best arguments, reflects their motives and thus, make the conflict a palpable one.

You really should think of doing a blog, Angela, for your poetry. When you post on facebook, the text sinks away after a few days.

Hi Angela, from reading your poems I truly believe it when you say that writing comes so naturally to you now, because I can see how you craft the words. Poetry is very unique in literature, in the way the words get so overloaded, so packed with several meanings, til it draws you in--much like a black hole!

I would love to start a discussion about the nature of creativity. We have so many creative people here in this group. What does it take to 'get into the zone'? Are you disciplined about your craft, do you set up a time to create, or do you wait until the muse flitters in?

Tower wrote: "Interesting dialogue Uvi. Lenny sounds mysterious."

Indeed, his motives are obscure to the very end.

You are welcome to choose one of your characters and speak of your thoughts as you fleshed him/her out.

Christine wrote: "Nah i don't think so" oh well... Have a great time reading it, Christine!

Dave wrote: "Tower wrote: "Hi Uvi. I need to work on that blog! Cozy mysteries leave out the violence and sex (I strayed a little in my mystery, "In Santa Fe, Salacious" with the sex). Usually the murder is ..."

Thank you for asking how I come up with a character, Dave! Since I am a writer/artist, many times the figures I create--be it in clay, oil, watrcolor or bronze--start having a voice in my mind. I know you have enjoyed reading Apart From Love so this time I will not talk about the characters in the book. Instead, here is a fun post (from my blog) which is a favorite with many of my readers. It is called Plucked Porcupine, and starts:

I miss the swish of grass and clover
The crunch of twigs, no pangs, no hunger,
That place is far--I must not pine--
For a poor, plucked porcupine

To read (and see) more click the link: http://uviart.blogspot.com/2012/04/pl...

Christine wrote: "I'm reading the chicken soup for the soul book"

This is such a soothing book, Christine! I'd love for you to post a favorite quote here.

Tower wrote: "Angela. I'd still love to see your poem...maybe you'll put it on your blog. The hardest part of the creative process for me is creating those first bits of story out of nothing. What will happen..."

This is a wonderful description of the beginning of the process. Indeed, the blank page is intimidating. Then as the process goes on, I could not write fast enough! I recently talked about one of the characters in my blog, as follows:

The character of Lenny, Ben's father in Apart From Love, is an obscure one. We see him through his son's eyes, and through the eyes of his mistress-turned-wife, Anita, who thinks him a 'keeper of secrets'. Both of them are intrigued by him, but do not fully understand his motives until the end. So without giving away any spoilers, here is an excerpt from a pivotal conversation between father and son, where Lenny starts talking about his aspirations as a writer:

To read more, click http://uviart.blogspot.com/2012/06/hi...

Angela wrote: "Uvi wrote: "Angela wrote: "I have friends who work at several local radio stations, and that is what I was trying to convey earlier."

I need all the help I can get, Ms. New Orleans! ;)"

LOL, Uvi!..." Thank you Angela, I love your comments here!

Hi again, courageous girl, Christine! What are you reading right now?

Tower wrote: "Hi Uvi. I need to work on that blog! Cozy mysteries leave out the violence and sex (I strayed a little in my mystery, "In Santa Fe, Salacious" with the sex). Usually the murder is not graphicall..."

Thank you for explaining 'cozy' mystery. You live and your learn! By this measure, Apart From Love is an 'un-cozy' one... I look forward to your contributions in this Q&A group. Also, curious how it came about that you found it?

Tower wrote: "Hi. I'm Tower Lowe, and I write cozy mystery short stories. They stand alone, but they also lead to a final, larger mystery, finding "Momma." The characters, Cinnamon and Burro, travel the state..."

Welcome Tower! So glad to hear your voice here! I actually went to Amazon and found your author page to read more about you, and to put a face to your name. Love your pen name and the way you chose it!

I also read a few of your blog posts and think the group will be greatly enriched by you. Feel free to discuss your own writing process, or give a brief paragraph from one of your stories. I'm curious, what is 'cozy' about mystery?

Angela wrote: "I have friends who work at several local radio stations, and that is what I was trying to convey earlier."

I need all the help I can get, Ms. New Orleans! ;)