Thinkin’ on Thursday: Picture This!

Easy as A, B, C . . . from BB

At times in the past, I have modeled characters’ looks, fashion sense, even personality on unknown models in magazines. I’ve even cut them out and then built characteristics for that person on the same page or on a 4×6 card. Or I’ve envisioned an old time actor (or a current one, for that matter) as my “hero,” “villain,” “sidekick,” or whomever.

I’m going to suggest another way to utilize pictures of unknowns from magazines or books to help your writing (and the above paragraph has some good ideas too: if you’ve never tried it, give it a go and see what you think). Look through a magazine or illustrated book, preferably one you haven’t read already, or an old one you’ve forgotten all about. Find a picture with at least two main “characters” on it. THINK of these two as major characters in a story you haven’t yet thought through.

Just allow them to begin interacting with each other. Don’t “plan” ahead (this will be a good one for all of us ‘pantsers’), because this is designed to give us practice in a more “organic” method of plot construction. Just start “recording” the story’s events and let them spin out in front of you. Pay attention to other props or objects that appear in the ad or picture. If there are other people in the picture, ignore them for the moment. See how or why the two might interact with the props, objects, bits of scenery, in the picture with them. Record items and events as faithfully as possible without thinking about the “rules” of story plot structure.

Once you’ve recorded the scene, note whether your characters interacted with or used any of the props, etc., given them by the picture. What did they do with items there? Twiddle nervously with papers on a desk? Pick up a coffee cup and look for a refill? Grab a hammer or bucket of paint, intending to use it as a weapon?

How did your characters interact with each other? Were they friends or strangers at the start? What relationship was forged during the scene: adversarial? Conciliatory? Pleading? Helpful? and so on.

Go ahead. This is just a writer’s PLAY ground. Have FUN in it ! ! !

(And, at the end, is there anything salvageable there? Can it be incorporated in your current WIP? Is it the beginning of a short story? An article? An editorial? A children’s book? Even a brand‑new novel?)

See you next for Saturday’s Spellbinder!

Saturday’s Spellbinder: The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel

Easy as A, B, C . . . from BB

My TBR (To Be Read) list is so long, that once I get around to some really great book, I often feel I’m the last one at the party! And I’ve just done it again!

I’ve had what I thought was the full set of Michael Scott’s epic set for a couple of years or so, and I’ve had them on my TBR list for even longer, but I’d only actually read the first 15 or so pages of the first book: The Alchemyst.

I was deep into the second book in another trilogy, when—not having it with me one day, I picked up The Alchemyst and started over. That was seven days ago. Within about three days I’d given up the trilogy, knowing I would go back to it. Just to let you know, I walk in the early mornings as often as I can (make myself do it). I walk within the smallish community I live in, one time around about a half mile. I’m finally up to 3 times many days. And I read. Try to avoid parked cars, so I don’t walk up the back of them when I’m not paying sufficient attention. I finished today and told my husband, “I still think T. H. White’s the Once and Future King (the whole tale of King Arthur) is my favorite of all time books. But Alchemyst has GOT to be in my Top Ten now!”

Can’t wait to dig into book two: The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel). But I have to finish the trilogy I was on, so I can pick up book two (for more than my short morning walk). And then book three. And four. And five. And even six. Yes, SIX! All published, starting from 2007, at about one a year.

Michael Scott lives and writes in Dublin, and is known as an authority on mythology and folklore. With the years and years of materials he’d gathered, thought about, found and written, my mind is boggled at the scholarly take on the mythology and folklore from many ethnic backgrounds in this tale. And that’s only the first of them. I loved how he wove together magicians, good and evil, with weird creatures from multiple backgrounds. Many I was familiar with, and greeted as if they were old friends when they were called on stage. Others were delightfully new to me, and I loved, feared, hated them equally with my “old friends.”

Some are “old friends” because they are historical characters or mythologies. Scott claims the only characters he “made up” are the teen twins, “normal” kids who get to explore times and historical characters we all might want to meet. And The Story! I cannot imagine what it would take to add this pair of twins, who learn what magic is, to the odd, interesting and international mix of characters, critters, and creatures from all times and backgrounds. Additionally, it has humor, spunk, mystery, tension, intrigue, magic and the lore of ages. Put this one high on your TBR list!!! I dare you to resist reading the rest of them . . . I’m starting Book 2, The Magician, on tomorrow morning’s walk!

See you next for Tips on Tuesday!

Thinkin’ on Thursday: Road Maps in More Detail

Easy as A, B, C . . . from BB

Last Tuesday I wrote about possible ways for Pantsers to make a road map which would help keep them on the straight and narrow with their novels. I also pointed out what can be learned simply by looking at some stats. And I made a promise. A promise to show what else I learned by taking a careful look beyond the numbers, and checking out the actual content.

This time, I put the chapter number at the top of each section. Underneath, I made 4 columns: page number, character, a single verb describing what the character was doing, and a brief description of what was done. The latter was accomplished in somewhere between two and half ‑a‑dozen words (seldom that many). Some of the pages were completed in only a line or two, most took about four, a few complex ones took more, but my first 14 chapters took only 2 pages, while double‑spacing between chapters. So keep it all short — it’s your story: you should recognize what’s going on in just a few words.

If the verb in the 3rd column was passive (that’s a problem of mine) I typed it in all caps. Here’s an example:

4          Wyndell          THINKS                     about (possibly) dead twin

Poppy            coughs                    —

Mum              rushes                    to help Poppy

Wyndell          STARES                    at tools

tells                           himself he’s NOT the One

HEARS                     Poppy saying “have to be sent…”

Those six lines encapsulated the entire page in 30 words.

So what can be learned from this? After the first 14 chapters I drew a lot of conclusions:

The story didn’t really begin until the second page

It was too long by at least half, considering all the passivity which was trying to pass as action: thinking, wondering, knowing, feeling, realizing, watching, wishing, questioning himself, acknowledging, hearing, worrying, believing — none of those were acting! (How should I deal with the fact that too often Wyndell, the main character, was by himself? How do I work in someone for him to talk to?)

I wanted to know what the reader would actually learn from these pages (in however subtle a way). So I made a list of story items revealed, such as:

An Evil Essence is threatening

11‑year‑old Wyndell is making a Luck Hat with scraps

He begins to notice Elements (water, air, earth, fire) responding to him

He wants to know what his Skill will be

His twin is missing . . . etc., etc., etc.

Then I was able to make some decisions about these chapters:

Split the first long chapter into two

Bring in the Sidekick character as quickly as possible

Let Wyndell confront his ailing father

Mix everything up by throwing in a 3rd (and important) character’s chapter

. . . and so on.

I was surprised to find that even though I was aware, in the back of my mind, that the writing was too passive, it took really listing what was going on to see how nothing much was going on outside the MC’s head. And that led me to seeing other ways to portray the events.

It was an interesting and revealing journey. I would recommend this to any of you who know you need to do some rewriting, but are not quite sure where to start. Good luck with your endeavors!

See you next for Saturday’s Softcover!

Thinkin’ on Thursday: Get Over Your (Writer’s) Self

Easy as A, B, C . . . from BB

I’ve met a lot of authors over the last many years. I’ve met some who seemed to feel they were God’s Gift to Creation. I’ve met others who were so humble as to be invisible. You had to probe to find out what they’d written: were they embarrassed by it? Or only shy?

A few were enormously famous, and I was lucky enough to hear them speak, or, often, to get an autographed copy of one of his/her books: Alex Haley, Irving Stone, David McCullough, Lois Lowry. Many were Utah‑born and bred — or had close Utah ties: Dorothy Keddington, Orson Scott Card, David Wolverton/Farland, the Brandons Mull and Sanderson, James Dashner, Carol Lynch Williams . . . the list could go on and on.

Most authors I’ve met have fallen somewhere between the extremes. And an ENORMOUS number of them are happy to give the “newbies” a lift up. I was thinking about this when I ran across a couple of interesting writer quotes.

Some years ago, Barbara Taylor Bradford, romance writer, was honored as the first author to be chosen for a Great Writers of the 20th Century postage‑stamp series.

“REALLY? A ROMANCE writer?”

Don’t scoff: do you have any idea how many books she has written and sold? Anyway, her reaction to the honor, as reported by Entertainment Weekly, was “It’s rather nice to be not dead and have this stamp.”

That’s beyond humble! And beyond “cute,” in my book.

The other writer absolutely personifies, to me, what most writers I’ve met have been: famed science fiction writer and essayist, Ursula K. Le Guin, said: “There are a lot of people who will say I’m the exception, the only good science fiction writer. That’s nonsense. I do seem to be somebody who has carried people from realistic literature to fantasy and back. I’m happy to do that. If I’m a steppingstone, walk on me, for heaven’s sake.” [emphasis added]

And that’s what most of the writers I know have been for me, and for you, and for other Utah writers you may know! We thank you all!

I’ll see you next for Saturday’s Spellbinder!

Thinkin’ on Thursday: Thinkin’ Lean and Mean

Easy as A, B, C . . . from BB

I suppose plenty of writers have first drafts so lean I might call them “skimpy”. They go back and pad — in college my friends and I called this “pad it and fake it.” I am not one of those writers. What I need to do is stop over-writing: saying everything two or three times to be sure I’ve been understood.

Even the best of writers can get caught up in that trap. Years ago, Irving Stone had a stop-over in SLC, and was kind enough to speak to the League of Utah Writers just after his book, The Greek Treasure, came out. He told us the story of publishing The Agony and the Ecstasy. He’d offered it around many times, but it was always a “no” from editors. He took it to a secretary he knew, asking her to take a look and tell him what was wrong. She said she knew nothing about writing, but he insisted her fresh eyes might be a help.

After reading the manuscript (can you imagine how long it was? It’s a huge book still!), she said to him, “You’ve said everything three times.” She went through it, trying to see which time he’d said it best. He (they?) slashed it mercilessly and sent it out again. It sold right away. He took the advance and used it to marry her, and she edited all his books after that! Gotta love a love story!

But how to go about it on your own?

I know I love every golden word I put down. But maybe if I look at small bits at a time…? I’m talking sentences, phrases, words … maybe even syllables.

Cut redundancy.

Redundancy is irritating because it contains no new information. It might also make the reader lose trust in your story. Trust your reader. And trust yourself to be able to write with clarity. Don’t lose the readers’ trust in your authority.

Deliberate repetition, for an effect, can be good. Just be sure it adds impact to the plot on an important point. Repetition just for the sake of repetition is . . . redundancy.

Get rid of over-explanation.

If you feel you have to explain or excuse something, it’s probably not on the page. In what ways do you “defend” your choices in the midst of a critique group? Instead, assume that the reader is at least as smart as you are and can figure things out. It can be tough figuring out what most people know or don’t know, but consider your target audience: if you’re writing historical romance, is the word “farthingale” going to throw them off without explanation? Probably not. In any case, they’ll probably figure it out through the context in which it was used.

Pick up the pace.

“Pace” can be thought of as how much new information a reader can absorb per page, or per 100 words. Fat-free paragraphs should be clean, crisp, quick. Getting them slimmed down may even cut your verbiage by half, or more.

Think of that as taking a novel from almost 170,000 words to 90,000. Look carefully at your mss. and cut every word you can — it will teach you what makes “good” writing.

Get over yourself, when it comes to “literary effect”.

Finally, cut for literary effect (I often think I’m writing for literary effect, when I’m probably over-writing and obliterating the “effect” part!). Instead of cutting the fat, this means omitting connections where you’ve pointed the way, so the reader can puzzle those connections out for himself. Get readers involved, and they’ll likely keep reading. This takes careful analysis on the writer’s part: focus on the most climactic incident, or the moment of realization. How can you cut the actions down which lead to that result in order to force the reader’s deduction of what those actions were? Is that a stronger, more enhanced version of your story?

A Caveat or Two

These guidelines for cutting don’t apply in the same way to dialogue. Your dialogue characterizes, not only by content, but by form. Your character may be a repetitious person, someone who over-explains. S/he may be pompous, insecure, lonely — and such dialogue will help to show his/her real nature.

Remember, too, that some very successful books are heavily padded. If they were/are truly successful, they obviously have something else to offer: exciting action, thrilling characters, intriguing ideas, etc. Yet it never hurts to offer the reader clean, crisp prose, which can make the difference between sales and rejections — especially important for as-yet unpublished authors.

See you next for Spellbinding Saturday!

[Note: last Tuesday I offered some Tom Clancy ideas from an old issue of Writers Digest. Many of the ideas here came from an article in the same issue by Nancy Kress called “Wielding the Scalpel”.

Thinkin’ on Thursday: Edits, COLD and HARD, Can Be Good for You!

Easy as A, B, C . . . from BB

At the recent five‑day Writing and Illustrating for Young People [WIFYR] workshop/ conference, several author/volunteers were subjected to a Cold Hard Reading, run by Cheri Pray Earl — who was joined by various editors and agents who were there. It’s a very scary thing to go through. They put one page for each volunteer up on screen where everyone can see it, then the panel subjects the piece to a searing, if not brutal, review.

But, I’m telling you: let your ego go, and see what you can learn!

I happened to be in Cheri’s morning class all week, so the day of the whole‑group effort, she practiced in our class on all of us! I’m pretty picky with my word choices, and some review edits on my part would have caught some of the things she did in my page. I wouldn’t want to expose anyone else’s “messes,” so I’ll only tell you a few she found in mine:

Using –ly words:

Adverbs. To avoid them, use stronger verbs

A hiatus:

A pause in the narrative, often indicated by a blank space or a symbol like an asterisk, etc. In my case, the end of the first part and the beginning of the next part did not mesh well together.

Repetitions:

“She, herself, had become lost.” Simplify: why not just “She became lost.”?

Rhythm:

I love to use rhythm in my writing – even much of my prose is “poetic” – but it’s jangling when the rhythm is “off”.

Few, very:

Any repetitions are off‑putting, but when they’re small, inconsequential words like “few” or “very” and don’t add to the story, cut them.

Favorites:

What I refer to as “faves” ‑ we all have favorite words which we use over and over. Become aware of what yours are. Some common ones, in addition to the two above, are that, it, there. Timeline words, too, can become “faves,” especially then and now. Trust your reader more: if you are telling things in a logical order you almost never need to specify “then” or “now.” And we tend to compound the problem by using those words over and over.

These ideas are only a small part of what happened to be touched on in my one page. Take a look at your own: avoid adverbs (especially the –ly ending variety). Be sure your narrative makes sense from one section to the next, whether you’ve used hiatus or section or chapter divisions. Watch out for repetitions words: and the culprits aren’t always your particular “faves”: any word repeated within a few lines or paragraphs begins to stick out. If you have a good ear for rhythm, and you use it in your writing, be sure to make it consistent.

See you next for Saturday’s Softcover!

Key Words:

Tips on Tuesday: U 2 Can B cum a Better Writer!

Easy as A, B, C . . . from BB

Toward the end of last month, Write to Done had an article (no author’s name given) emphasizing 3 habits that separate good writers from “Tragic Wannabes” — it suggested 3 essential steps to better writing: study, practice and feedback.

STUDY

Personally, for study, I would suggest workshops and classes, though heaven knows there are also plenty of books out there. Libraries don’t always have the most current info on writing, but they’re free. Community Ed classes often have writing offerings. So do outreach programs from colleges and universities, which may also offer short courses or conferences. Local writers organizations often sponsor workshops, conferences, even contests.

I began my personal “study” program through the League of Utah Writers some time in the late ’70s. Since then I’ve gone to workshops sponsored by the League, by colleges and universities, and by local writers groups. Occasionally some are free, or VERY low cost. When they get up to as much as 5‑7 days long (or more), or they are being taught by highly touted authors/editors/ agents, etc., they are more pricey. But, any way you look at it, you’ll find dozens of options.

PRACTICE

Writers should write. Every day. My current favorite go‑to daily source is 750words.com, which is free for a month. You are sent a reminder every morning. They have on‑line “badges” for starting, having streaks of varying numbers of days without missing a day, number of words written, and so on. When you finally have a “streak” going, it’s pretty motivating to keep it up. If you choose to “belong” to the 750, it’s only $5 a month after the first month. Try it as a freebie! What have you got to lose? For those who have a lot of stick‑to‑it‑ivness, just do it on your own. EVERY day. Without reminders. (Or badges.) Or talk a partner into doing it with you — keep challenging each other. Just Do It, as they say!

Never underestimate the value of re‑writing! Take some of your good pieces, and rewrite to make them have more punch. Rewrite to boost characterization of your main character. Rewrite to take out the dross which was only an information dump (info dump) anyway.

FEEDBACK

Classes will generally give you feedback. Some workshops, or workshop sessions will also. If you take a class, check with your new friends to see who would like to start a critique group with you. It can be in person once a week. Or on‑line, in a chat room, or even by phone. In my opinion, if they’re only willing to meet/critique once a month, it’s not worth it. That’s too long between critiques to get much accomplished. I’m happily aware of two or three critique groups who started by meeting each other in writers classes which I taught in a community ed. setting.

It’s usually not a good idea to get feedback from close relatives or friends. Of course, your mother thinks your writing is brilliant. Your siblings are dazzled by your outpourings. Your best friend won’t tell you what she “really” thinks. Start with “relative” strangers: people you meet in classes and/or workshops. Join a writers’ group like the League ‑ pretty much every state has them.

Study, Practice, Feedback, and your writing will improve! Give it a shot!

See you next time for Thinking on Thursday!

Thinkin’ on Thursday: Thinkin’ About NaNo

Easy as A, B, C . . . by BB

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) will be coming up sooner than you think. Well, OK, not November’s event, but their summer replacement: Camp NaNoWriMo.

Anyway, it’s never too late think about good advice from known writers. How about Chris Baty, the NaNo founder? In his delightful how‑to book No Plot? No Problem! he spoke about their first year. He’d talked 20 gullible friends into joining him in an experiment: try to write a book in 30 days. They decided 50,000 words was enough for a book (a short book, but a book nonetheless). He says of the 21 who started only 6 made it across the 50K line ‑‑‑ others fell short by “anywhere from 500 to 49,000 words.” But he also says they ALL came away changed by the experience.

Some realized they never wanted to write another book again. Others wanted to apply to MFA programs in creative writing. Chris, himself, came out of it with a revelation: “The biggest thing separating people from their artistic ambitions is not a lack of talent. It’s the lack of a deadline. Give someone an enormous task, a supportive community, and a friendly‑yet‑firm‑due‑date, and miracles will happen.”

He credits the experience of the “go‑go‑go” structure of the event with lifting the “stultifying pressure to write brilliant, eternal prose . . . ” The pressure of excellence is taken away and a gift replaces it: the pleasure of learning by doing . . . of taking risks . . . of making messes . . . of following ideas just to see where they lead. Moreover, he claims, writing for quantity rather than quality “had the strange effect of bringing about both.”

Apparently, everyone who finished NaNo that first year agreed: they’d only been able to write so well because they wrote quickly and intensely. “The roar of adrenaline drowned out the self‑critical voices that tend to make creative play such work for adults.”

His take‑away from year one (1999) included:

1. Enlightenment is overrated.

2. Being busy is good for your writing.

3. Plot happens. [Trust the process long enough to get to week 3!]

4. Writing for its own sake has surprising rewards.

If you want more proof, some fun reading, and lots of inspiration, check out his book, No Plot? No Problem!

See you next for Spellbinder Saturday!

Thinkin’ on Thursday: Women’s Wise Words by the (Baker’s) Dozen

Easy as A, B, C . . . from BB

I’m thinkin’ about women: women of power—women writers, women movers and shakers, women artists of all types. I’m thinkin’ about women I’d like to emulate, follow, know, and have a sit‑down lunch with. Women whose wise words have inspired me, made me laugh, made me cry, made me think. Made me take action. Here are a few of the best of them:

A woman whose books touched me in so many ways: “[My mother] said that I must always be intolerant of ignorance but understand of illiteracy. That some people, unable to go to school, were more educated and more intelligent than college professors. ~ Maya Angelou

A woman whose songs touched me, and a whole nation, a whole world: “It seems to me that those songs that have been any good, I have nothing much to do with the writing of them. They words have just crawled down my sleeve and come out on the page. ~ Joan Baez

A woman whose voice and twinkle of the eye I still miss: “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.'” ~ Erma Bombeck

A woman whose legend inspired me: “It is necessary to try to pass one’s self always; this occupation ought to last as long as life.” ~ Queen Christina of Sweden

A woman who made herself what she needed to be to flourish in her own lifetime: “It always seemed to me a sort of clever stupidity only to have one sort of talent—like a carrier pigeon.” ~ George Eliot

A woman who only became more beautiful as she aged: “I think most of the people involved in any art always secretly wonder whether they are really there because they’re good—or there because they’re lucky.” ~ Katherine Hepburn

A woman whose strength grew over time into a towering figure: “I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do.” ~ Helen Keller

A woman who inspires me to keep writing: “If you’re going to write, don’t pretend to write down. It’s going to be the best you can do, and it’s the fact that it’s the best you can do that kills you.” ~ Dorothy Parker

A woman whose words I loved even before I could read: “Thank goodness I was never sent to school; it would have rubbed off some of the originality.” ~ Beatrix Potter

A much admired woman whose life matched her words: “You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with the best you have to give.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

A woman whose soaring voice made my soul soar as well: “There is a growing strength in women; but it’s in the forehead, not in the forearm.” ~ Beverly Sills

A woman whose strength encompassed a nation: “One only gets to the top rung on the ladder by steadily climbing up one at a time, and suddenly all sorts of abilities which you thought NEVER belonged to you—suddenly become within your own possibility and you think, ‘Well, I’ll have a go, too.'” ~ Margaret Thatcher

And finally, an unnamed woman who offers hope in times of stress: “Fear gives intelligence even to fools.” ~ Anonymous

See you next on Saturday’s Spellbinder!

These quotes came from a Treasury of Women’s Quotations, by Carolyn Warner, Prentice Hall, 1992, in 1998, through the hand of a strong woman whose friendship and laughter I still treasure: Connie Burrup.

Thursday’s 13: How to Have a GREAT Christmas

Easy as A, B, C . . . from BB

1. A new baby came to my house on Christmas Eve.
2. She is my first GREAT‑grandchild.
3. Of course, all my grandchildren are GREAT.
4. But this is the first authentic Great‑grandchild.
5. I gave this tiny girl her first Winnie‑ther‑Pooh doll.
6. It was bigger than she was.
7. But she was cuter.
8. Even cuter than Winnie‑ther‑Pooh?
9. Of course!
10. We had food, family, friends.
11. And we had . . . the baby.
12. Life is good and Life is GREAT.
13. But she is my FIRST and      GREAT Great‑Grandchild.

Love and a Happy Holiday Season to all, and To All a GREAT . . . NEW Year!

See you day‑after‑tomorrow for Saturday’s Softcover!