tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56450797351805237342024-03-27T23:53:21.853+00:00Blueberry BooksKatie Wheeler is a fiction editor specialising in developmental and line editing.Katie Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10310813880566938607noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5645079735180523734.post-41756985426691214622016-07-23T20:52:00.003+01:002016-07-23T20:52:51.065+01:00Description - How to Share the Workload with Your Reader<div class="MsoNormal">
Whatever genre or form you’re writing in, getting the level of description
right can be tricky. Too much and your reader might get bored, too little and
they might not be interested. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But you don’t have to do all of the work
yourself. One of the things I love about writing is that the reader brings so
much of the story-telling process with them. They look at our squiggles on the page and transform them into worlds
and characters in their minds. </div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of best, and sometimes the hardest, things a writer can
do is to trust that process. Trust your reader’s imagination. If you give them just enough description and let them fill in everything else, not only will you
prevent them from getting bored, you’ll also deepen their engagement with your
story.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
The psychology behind this approach</h3>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I was in sixth form, I studied Psychology. I didn’t do
particularly well (largely because I was busy applying everything I
learnt to the characters in my first novel, rather than memorising the dates of
each case study) but I did find it fascinating, and useful.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of the studies that had a huge impact on me, and my writing, was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_Bartlett#.22War_of_the_Ghosts.22" target="_blank">The War of The Ghosts (Bartlett 1932)</a>. In this experiment, participants were told a
story which contained unfamiliar words and concepts. Then, after some time,
they were asked to retell the story. And the stories they told were very
different to the original. The participants had replaced the unfamiliar words
and concepts with those that made sense to them, or left them out altogether. And they couldn’t recall
making those alterations to the story. They’d simply changed their memory of it to
match their own world-view, culture and vocabulary.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They’d replaced the descriptions with things they could
relate to.<br />
<br />
As a teenager with a passion for stories, this idea intrigued me. I decided to investigate further. I had to conduct
an experiment for my coursework, so I wrote a short passage - an action scene, full of tension,
but with only vague descriptions. I asked participants to read the passage and
then, after a few minutes, I asked them some questions about it.<br />
<br />
Although my sample size was very small and narrow (around 30 sixth form
students), it seemed significant that every single participant gave the character
their own eye and hair colour, none of them even noticing that it hadn’t been
described at all. They also filled in the character’s motivation and had very
definite ideas of the situation, despite the passage only telling them that the
character was sneaking past two people. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This study didn’t particularly impress my tutor, but it has
informed my writing ever since. My
experiment taught me that, when executed carefully, readers don’t notice
omitted information (very handy for writing unreliable narrators) and that as
long as you describe the essentials, readers will happily fill in the rest with
details that are relevant to their own lives, giving them a stronger, and more
personal, connection to the story.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
How does this manifest in my writing? </h3>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, it depends on the story.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In a short piece, I generally
don’t describe a character’s appearance beyond the focus of the story. For
instance, in my flash fiction, <a href="http://www.katieseth.com/2013/06/hair.html" target="_blank">Hair,</a> all we know about John’s appearance is
that he has black hair. But I imagine each of my readers has a very different
image of John, probably based on their experiences with people like him. There was no need for me to describe him any further and allowing the reader to make this connection to their own lives deepens the effect of the story.<br />
<br />
In longer works, I tend to write from multiple viewpoints, and it would be awkward, obvious and unhelpful to the story if I tried to stop my characters describing each other. However, I do try to stick to a less is more approach for my descriptions. For example, I always avoid
describing my settings any more than I need to. As long as I can get the reader’s
imagination going in the right direction, and make sure I've given them everything that’s needed for the scene, why should it matter to me how the kitchen is laid
out in their mind?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
Essentially, these are the rules I try to follow:</h3>
<ul>
<li><b>If it is relevant to the story,</b> describe it as much as you need to for clarity, characterisation or world-building.</li>
<li><b>If it isn’t going to affect the story,</b> let the reader do the work. They’re usually more than happy to.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKlPF2_D0PvG2f-_NS8QSsX7mD8FY3lc4Lzv_63_0DXfE9gRIIWsPSNuQ9PGBsDfE2nS90IICALJ5kS21UI8mzIZSqsDyctSwe4gzJkBWJWasI89evK75fE4E6CLmIFbTPYMmCiXY7tKb/s1600/IMG_2341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKlPF2_D0PvG2f-_NS8QSsX7mD8FY3lc4Lzv_63_0DXfE9gRIIWsPSNuQ9PGBsDfE2nS90IICALJ5kS21UI8mzIZSqsDyctSwe4gzJkBWJWasI89evK75fE4E6CLmIFbTPYMmCiXY7tKb/s200/IMG_2341.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
How do you decide which descriptions to include in your writing? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Katie Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10310813880566938607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5645079735180523734.post-80992350445901284262016-06-13T14:38:00.000+01:002016-06-20T11:47:31.776+01:00How to Create Characters Your Readers Will Care About<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3mUEyeN1ldSHFjGQU81TVHqkAWY1JMKFhrjJzUcW5XwYBnqlILa5GYndwIjcj5TwNT6C-Qvso5A_FSFMCaBkwHtebYAgapHTrWfgntRRSDQ7y5EKRhwiUdc6-SKL9-HgbJ7EQh9Q4Du8/s1600/Reader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3mUEyeN1ldSHFjGQU81TVHqkAWY1JMKFhrjJzUcW5XwYBnqlILa5GYndwIjcj5TwNT6C-Qvso5A_FSFMCaBkwHtebYAgapHTrWfgntRRSDQ7y5EKRhwiUdc6-SKL9-HgbJ7EQh9Q4Du8/s200/Reader.jpg" width="133" /></a>Character creation is a very involved and varied process.<br />
<br />
Each writer has their preferred methods, and each story has its own requirements.<br />
<br />
Sometimes stories begin with the idea for a character and the writer has to work to create the right plot for them, other times an idea for a plot will present itself and the writer will have to populate it with the right characters.<br />
<div>
<br />
But how do you make your readers care?<br />
<br />
<b>First, <u>you</u><i> </i>have to care about your characters.</b><br />
<br />
There is no point writing a story about a character you aren’t interested in. For starters, why would you want to? No matter how disciplined you are, if you don’t care what happens to your protagonist, you simply aren’t going to finish writing the story. If there even is one.<br />
<br />
But, more importantly, your reader will notice that you don’t care and they’ll stop reading. Readers are annoyingly observant. They’ll notice the scene you found boring to write, because it will be boring to read. They’ll spot the setting you didn’t bother to think about, because your descriptions will be vague or absent. And they’ll know which of your characters you care about and which you don’t. And they will lose faith in you as a writer.<br />
<br />
After all, if you don’t care about your characters, why should they?<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
So, if you want readers to care (and read about) your characters, you have to care about them first. You don’t have to like your characters, but you have to be interested in the things that happen to them, how they react to those things, and why they react the way they do.<br />
<br />
People are complicated. In real life, we don’t always know why we think or react or behave the way we do. We just do it. And characters are no different.<br />
<br />
But writers are.<br />
<br />
Your character doesn’t need to know why they want to run for mayor, have an affair, destroy their enemies, become a police officer, or otherwise achieve their goals but, if you want to keep your readers interested, you do.<br />
<br />
To understand your characters, and to make people care about them, you need to give them personalities. This is more than just giving them some superficial likes and dislikes. It’s a complicated process and you may not bother with it for minor characters, but for the characters you want your readers to care about, a personality is a must.<br />
<br />
Defining a character’s personality will also tell you exactly who they are and make writing about them much easier.<br />
<br />
So, here are some steps for developing your characters' personalities:</div>
<div>
<br />
<h3>
Values and Beliefs</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
A character’s personality should originate from their core values and beliefs. These are the things that will ultimately shape their thoughts and actions.<br />
<br />
To find a character's values and beliefs, you’ll need to think about their past and any experiences that might have turned them into the people they are today. This can include:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The society they live in and their place within that society.</li>
<li>Their upbringing and childhood experiences.</li>
<li>The events they have taken part in or witnessed.</li>
<li>The relationships (past and present) that have been important to them.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
Once you’ve had a good think and made some notes, you should try to write down at least three core values and beliefs for your character. For example:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The character values their own life and the lives of others like them. (Influenced by society.)</li>
<li>The character believes that violence solves problems. (Influenced by past experiences.)</li>
<li>The character believes that they are important to their society. (Influenced by relationships.)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
If you’re the kind of writer who loves world building, you’ll probably enjoy this exploration of your character. For others, it may not come so naturally. But persevere, even if it feels difficult. A character with clear values and beliefs is more believable and interesting than one without. And getting these elements pinned down makes it much easier to give your characters a goal.</div>
<div>
<br />
<h3>
Something to Strive for</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
Your character’s goals should usually have some relation to your plot. I’d suggest that for each plot, and subplot, you should try to define a story question and give each character a relevant goal. Yes, that’s multiple goals per character - people are complicated.<br />
<br />
But when we’re initially creating personalities for our characters, we should primarily be concerned with their goal in relation to the main plot.<br />
<br />
For instance, if your plot involves the protagonist’s village being invaded, their goal might be to defend it, to thoroughly eliminate the invaders, to protect their loved ones or simply to survive. The character’s values and beliefs will determine which of these it is.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>A character who values their own life above all else will aim to survive. </li>
<li>A character whose driving force is their family will strive to protect their loved ones. </li>
<li>A character who believes in violence as a solution to problems will probably seek to wipe out the invaders.</li>
</ul>
<br />
The character's goal should then become the story question, which is essentially what the ending will answer. For example:</div>
<div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Does the character survive?</li>
<li>Can the character save their loved ones?</li>
<li>Will the character defeat their enemies?</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
Readers will always care more about a character with a clear goal, even when this goal is never explicitly stated. So it’s important to decide what it is that your character is ultimately striving for and to use that to inform your plot and your writing.</div>
<div>
<br />
<h3>
Strengths and Weaknesses</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
Your characters will have a number of strengths and weaknesses which should be developed in relation to their goals. Ideally, you should give them weaknesses that make achieving their goal more difficult and strengths that could help them to reach it, perhaps in an unconventional way.<br />
<br />
If your character’s strengths and weaknesses have nothing to do with their goals, you don’t really have much of a story, let alone a believable character. If your character wants to save their village from an invasion, their painting skills and the fact that they can’t bake are unlikely to be their most important strength and weakness. There’s nothing wrong with giving your characters additional strengths and weaknesses but, initially, try to connect them to the story question.<br />
<br />
For example, for the question:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Will the character defeat their enemies?</blockquote>
<br />
We could have the following scenarios:</div>
<div>
<br />
<div>
<h4>
<b><u>Scenario One</u></b></h4>
<b></b><br />
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<b>Weakness:</b> They tend to act first and think later.<br />
<b><br />Strength:</b> They are very good at fighting.<br />
<br />
<b>Possible Results:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>A story about an engaging, proactive (possibly frustrating) character who ultimately defeats everyone and then somewhat regrets it.</li>
<li>A story about the same character, whose rashness leads to an epic failure to defeat the enemies and a realisation that they could have thought their plan through a little better.</li>
<li>A story about the same character, who eventually learns to think before they act and uses their fighting experience to formulate a winning plan.</li>
</ol>
<h4>
<br /><u><b>Scenario Two</b></u></h4>
<div>
<u><b><br /></b></u></div>
<b>Weakness: </b>They are not very good at fighting.<br />
<br />
<b>Strength:</b> They are inventive.<br />
<br />
<b>Possible results:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>A story about a creative and witty character who manages to avoid most of the fighting and defeats their enemies with logic. </li>
<li>A story about the same character, whose constant attempts to reinvent the wheel and dodge the fighting lead a dramatically violent defeat.</li>
<li>A story about the same character who is eventually forced to learn to fight and uses a combination of brains and brawn to defeat their enemies.</li>
</ol>
These are just quick examples and would probably make very basic stories with very obvious morals, but you get the idea. A character’s strengths and weaknesses should be tied in to the story question and the way it is answered.</div>
<div>
<br />
Another reason to give your characters specific strengths and weaknesses early on is that doing so helps to keep them balanced. It’s easy to ignore this stage and end up with characters who are good at everything and, therefore, very boring to read about.<br />
<br />
Equally, try not to make your characters completely awful at everything – it might work for a very short story but generally won’t keep a reader interested for long.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ek4cVDvPk1XNsyqJ9E4fpxYdQBVnI6anWj1FbOFAu8y11ytnFIcbtEZ_zTvCSSyaoic2Q8IACmzrJxvNzT6UaQ7L7pCLtkeVkc13EQW_jXYRzQZI5OS64lWgNXgUlO-C8Iwd0GAaBy9i/s1600/Bored+Cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ek4cVDvPk1XNsyqJ9E4fpxYdQBVnI6anWj1FbOFAu8y11ytnFIcbtEZ_zTvCSSyaoic2Q8IACmzrJxvNzT6UaQ7L7pCLtkeVkc13EQW_jXYRzQZI5OS64lWgNXgUlO-C8Iwd0GAaBy9i/s200/Bored+Cat.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>So far, we’ve created a character with:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Values and beliefs based on their backstory.</li>
<li>A well-defined goal, which is connected to the plot and determined by their values and beliefs.</li>
<li>Strengths and weaknesses that will help, and hinder, them in their attempts to achieve that goal.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
Now, we need to give our character some emotions, some habits and instincts. We need to give them reactions.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Reactions and Emotional Responses</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
When things happen to us we react. And our characters should do the same.<br />
<br />
Your reader probably won’t care about the character whose village is invaded if the character doesn’t appear to care that their village has been invaded.<br />
<br />
As the writer, you might think: </div>
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Well, of course they care… Their village has just been invaded! Why wouldn’t they?”</blockquote>
But unless you show, or at least tell, your readers that they care, they don’t. And that might be what works for your story and your character - just make sure it is intentional.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
For instance, if your character looks up, notices that their village is being invaded, and continues making a sandwich, you are using their reaction to show the reader that they don’t care.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
But, if your character looks up, notices the invasion, and runs outside brandishing a butter knife, you’ve showed that they do care (and also that they may not have the best judgement when it comes to weaponry).</blockquote>
<br />
A character’s reactions are dictated by their values and beliefs, their goals, their strengths, and their weaknesses. So please don't make your timid character with no combat experience rush in and take out fifty trained soldiers. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You'll need to think about, and show, your character's emotional reactions as well as any physical ones. This is what your readers will really care about. A character who only acts (or only feels) is never going to be as interesting as a character who both feels and acts. So, your timid character's emotional response might be anger, but their physical response might be to alert the proper authorities, to write a strongly worded letter, or simply to run away.<br />
<br />
If you can anticipate appropriate reactions for your characters to take, your writing will become much easier. So, while you're developing your character's personality, I'd recommend thinking about how they might react to a variety of situations. First, think about their emotional responses, and the way they express (or hide) them. Then think about what they would actually do about the situation.<br />
<br />
One of the best ways to show a character’s emotional state, particularly if they are hiding it, is by playing with their voice. But first, you have to give them one.</div>
<div>
<br />
<h3>
Voice and Frame of Reference</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
Each of your characters should have a distinct voice and should stay within an appropriate frame of reference. This is particularly important for limited points of view, but is something to keep in mind whenever you are writing.<br />
<br />
Your characters need their own voices, which have nothing to do with your voice as a writer and everything to do with your characters’ values, beliefs, goals, strengths, weaknesses and reactions.<br />
<br />
The easiest way to develop a character's voice is to think about:</div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><b>The things they notice:</b> A farmer, a warrior and a builder would each notice different things about the invasion of their village. </li>
<ul>
<li>How close to the crops are the invaders and do they intend to destroy them? </li>
<li>How many are there and can I fight them? </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Which is the best building for people to shelter in and the easiest to defend?</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><b>The way they think about those things: </b>A pessimistic farmer, a realistic farmer and an optimistic farmer will think differently about the invasion.</li>
<ul>
<li>They’re going to destroy the crops. </li>
<li>They’re going to steal the crops. </li>
<li>They’re going to leave the crops alone</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Their frame of reference and vocabulary: </b>The warrior and the builder are different characters, with different experiences, attitudes and training. This means they'll probably use different words, sentence structures and references to talk or think about the invasion. </li>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>The invading force is armed with longbows, flails and halberds and directing its attack towards the village’s defences. </li>
<li>Those horrible invaders are trying to knock down my wall!</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
Once you’ve established the way your character thinks and speaks, keep it consistent. (Unless you are intentionally developing it in line with their character arc, in which case keep it subtle.)<br />
<br />
<h3>
And you have a personality!</h3>
<br />
At this stage in the process, I think it’s safe to say that your character’s personality is taking shape and that you, and your reader, should find them easier to care about.<br />
<br />
Is there anything else you’d add to the process of developing a character’s personality?</div>
</div>
Katie Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10310813880566938607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5645079735180523734.post-48272982183046021322016-05-31T13:37:00.000+01:002016-06-20T11:33:45.343+01:00Understanding Point of View - Limited Vs Omniscient<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CRhKL8q4UUFvZaqcMSK1qmttGgoJOJCUVK6KXc43qVv8b1ABsZ14N_47gRf_BYWQfd42CfgdVzkByFiMwLn6rfuxsOGRIOkEzhSoVuwMFeNKc0YIRYvKDWC1qG-JtmsnQstLyy1GCUXD/s1600/Viewpoint.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CRhKL8q4UUFvZaqcMSK1qmttGgoJOJCUVK6KXc43qVv8b1ABsZ14N_47gRf_BYWQfd42CfgdVzkByFiMwLn6rfuxsOGRIOkEzhSoVuwMFeNKc0YIRYvKDWC1qG-JtmsnQstLyy1GCUXD/s200/Viewpoint.png" width="200" /></a>In my last post, we talked about <a href="http://www.blueberrybooks.co.uk/2016/05/point-of-view-first-vs-third-person23.html">first and third person</a> Points of View (PoVs).<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Now, we need to consider whether the viewpoint for your story is:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Limited: </b>This is where we can only write about things our viewpoint character knows or observes.</blockquote>
or<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Omniscient: </b>This is where we can write about anything and everything. It is often used when a writer wants to ‘head-hop’ between characters.</blockquote>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<h2>
Limited First Person PoVs</h2>
<br />
When we write in first person, we are usually restricted to using a limited point of view. As the character is telling their own story and cannot know about things outside of it<br />
<br />
The exception is where characters are telling stories about their pasts, as they’ll have gained knowledge and matured since the events of the story and can use phrases such as:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ul>
<li>Little did I know… </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In hindsight… </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>As I later discovered…. </li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
But their viewpoint is still limited to the knowledge they have at the time of telling the story. (Unless they have become an all-seeing deity, in which case you may use an omniscient viewpoint.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h2>
Limited and Omniscient Third Person PoVs</h2>
<br />
When we write in third person, we can choose to use either a limited or an omniscient viewpoint. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here are my thoughts about some of the advantages and disadvantages to each:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
Omniscient Point of View</h3>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h4>
Pros</h4>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>You can tell the whole story</b> - With omniscient PoVs, you can easily switch from one scene to briefly talk about another one, before switching straight back to the original scene . This is particularly useful if you have a complicated plot with lots of events unfolding at once.</li>
<li><b>Dramatic Irony</b> - Omniscient viewpoints allow you to explicitly tell you readers things that your characters don't know.</li>
<li><b>You can use <u>all </u>of your characters </b>- In omniscient PoV, you can dip in and out of your characters minds at will - Even your most minor characters, provided they have something relevant to think.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<h4>
Cons</h4>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Distance</b> - Omniscient viewpoint keeps your reader further away from the characters and which reduces their emotional connection. This is mainly because omniscient viewpoints use the voice of a narrator to tell the story, rather than the voice of the character.</li>
<li><b>Withholding Information</b> - If you are narrating as if you know everything, the reader will expect you to give them any relevant information. For this reason, I wouldn't recommend omniscient for a whodunnit, although it can be done. (The trick is not to narrate as if you can see absolutely everything - set some rules for your omniscience.)</li>
<li><b>It can get confusing</b> - When you're writing about lots of characters and events, you need to remember to keep it clear and to factor in some quieter scenes between the exciting bits. Even in omniscient viewpoints, too much switching about can confuse and annoy your readers.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<h3>
Limited Point of View</h3>
</div>
<div>
<h4>
<br />Pros</h4>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Immersion</b> - Limited PoVs allow the use of the characters voice and direct thoughts, which makes the reading experience more immersive.</li>
<li><b>Characters in conflict</b> - Switching between characters, while using limited viewpoints, lets you highlight their differences through their voices and attitudes. It is also a great way to show any misunderstandings.</li>
<li><b>Less blatant exposition</b> - It's much better to gradually introduce the technology, backstory and social structures of your fictional world by showing them through a character's thoughts and actions, than to simply tell the reader about them. This is particularly important for fantasy stories, where long expositional passages are traditional but can be a huge turn off for modern readers.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<h4>
Cons</h4>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>One scene at a time </b>- Using a limited PoV usually requires you to follow your characters around until their scene is finished, so you can't suddenly start talking about something that is happening elsewhere without switching to another character's viewpoint, which you generally shouldn't do to frequently.</li>
<li><b>Your character's personality is make or break</b> - If you're forcing your reader to follow one character around for a while, you need to make sure that character is worth reading about.</li>
<li><b>Separating your knowledge from the character's</b> - It can be difficult to remember what your character knows and what they don't. This applies to plot points, other characters, vocabulary and general knowledge.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
It's this last point that trips most writers up. It can be tricky to keep track of what your character knows, or can know, or did know, or will know later in the story but doesn't yet. However it is worth the effort to get it right. Try to look out for these common mistakes:</div>
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ul>
<li>Describing a character’s own facial expressions in detail. (You are excused if they happen to be looking in a mirror.) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Using language, idioms or knowledge from outside your character’s frame of reference. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Characters miraculously knowing about plot developments they were absent for. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Characters telepathically knowing the thoughts and emotions of other characters. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Giving your characters an unrealistic awareness, or obsession with describing, what their hair is doing, or how they look at any given moment. Generally, people don't do that. Especially not in the middle of a sword fight. </li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<br />
I should mention here that anything, on any list of fiction writing mistakes, can be done intentionally, and sometimes to great effect, but you should probably learn to follow the ‘rules’ (or, at least, learn what they are) before you learn to break them.<br />
<br />
Hopefully you've found these lists helpful and, although most writers tend to stick to their comfort zones, you should now be able to make a conscious decision about the best Point of View for your story.<br />
<br />
Let me know which PoV you prefer to write in and if there are any other Pros or Cons you've come across.</div>
Katie Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10310813880566938607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5645079735180523734.post-37781860633666533432016-05-24T13:00:00.000+01:002016-06-20T11:35:09.481+01:00Understanding Point of View - First Person Vs Third Person<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDzztslkAOXMM13s6qBUBAEtFdqcKze2owxD2lgQvwts2PSm0ljv5pTs_mznTTNYsPL0KkZXLb56gepFn6zXiul7vWVYS7Xj-1zG4ceJ1QZgmM-MHEiWnu4liOVhJ_cCfzQ4vil-epoM4/s1600/Points+of+View.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDzztslkAOXMM13s6qBUBAEtFdqcKze2owxD2lgQvwts2PSm0ljv5pTs_mznTTNYsPL0KkZXLb56gepFn6zXiul7vWVYS7Xj-1zG4ceJ1QZgmM-MHEiWnu4liOVhJ_cCfzQ4vil-epoM4/s200/Points+of+View.jpg" width="200" /></a>One of the things most writers struggle with, once they stop to think about it, (which they have to if they want to get it right) is Point of View (PoV). This term is used to describe whose eyes the story is told through.<br />
<br />
Today, I want to talk about first person and third person PoVs.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8q9MvOSInRMFIijxZFYtKekWIY506h0jTPwN-lpy5gTrpYsVThEvX3qDSgxMG5Gm-5d7u1BEho6oJMZsnAjhF1nFhtzJO-j-GGHP9Nw6UAdo3dsNxL_Udi6CTvfnyzXN0pqbg1pyULT0W/s1600/Points+of+View.jpg"></a><b>First Person:</b> This is where the character is telling their own story.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I got out of bed and rubbed my eyes.</blockquote>
<b>Third Person:</b> This is where a narrator is telling a story about someone else.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
She got out of bed and rubbed her eyes.<br />
<a name='more'></a></blockquote>
You can also tell a story in second person (You got out of bed and rubbed your eyes.) but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you really know what you’re doing with PoV - in which case, you probably wouldn't be reading this, so we’ll save second person for another time.<br />
<br />
That leaves us with first person and third person as options for our Point of View. The one you choose will depend on your preferences as a writer and on which PoV suits the story you are telling.<br />
<br />
Here are what I consider to be the main advantages and disadvantages of each:<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2>
First Person Point of View</h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
Pros: </h4>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;"><b>Authenticity</b> </span>– Using first person narration sometimes makes it easier for readers to believe in the story. </li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;"><b>Empathy</b> </span>– First person can make readers more empathetic towards your character. </li>
<li><b style="font-weight: bold;">Unreliable Narrators</b><b> </b>–<b> </b>The use of first person makes it very easy to have your characters manipulate the truth… just don’t overdo it. </li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
Cons: </h4>
<ul>
<li><b>When did they write/tell the story?</b> – It can be hard to establish when the narrator is telling the story, particularly if they die at the end. Unless it is a ghost story… </li>
<li><b>Who are they talking to?</b> – Sometimes a first person narrator can seem a bit lost, just telling their story to nobody and for no reason. </li>
<li><b>Self-involvement</b> – How do you stop your characters from coming across as self-obsessed when they have to keep saying ‘I did this, I said that, I thought something else.’ </li>
</ul>
<br />
<h2>
Third Person Point of View</h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
Pros: </h4>
<ul>
<li><b>It’s obviously a story</b> – The reader can relax and stop over-analysing, safe in the knowledge that you are telling them a story about something that happens to someone else. </li>
<li><b>Multiple viewpoints </b>– Depending on the way you are using third person, you might be able to change between characters’ viewpoints without confusing the reader. </li>
<li><b>Objectivity</b> – Third person allows you to describe the character and to give your readers more information than you could in first person. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<h4>
Cons: </h4>
<ul>
<li><b>It’s harder to mislead the reader </b>– In third person, the reader expects the narrator to be reliable and is likely to feel cheated if you blatantly withhold information. </li>
<li><b>You have to convince the reader to care</b> – In third person, you don’t have the automatic empathy and credibility of first person. You have to work to establish, as quickly as possible, who your character is and why the reader should care about them. </li>
<li><b>It's less immersive</b> – In third person, it is much harder to pull your readers into the story and keep them there while you make them share the character’s emotions. </li>
</ul>
<br />
Personally, I prefer to write in third person, but I know many writers who are more comfortable with first person. So you'll need to experiment and see which one feels right for you and your story.<br />
<br />
Then we’ll talk about <a href="http://www.blueberrybooks.co.uk/2016/05/point-of-view-limited-vs-omniscient.html">Limited and Omniscient PoVs</a>.<br />
<br />Katie Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10310813880566938607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5645079735180523734.post-88312435138294708212016-01-12T18:14:00.000+00:002016-06-20T11:36:24.915+01:00Nurturing Creativity - How to Keep the Muses TalkingI’ve written before about <a href="http://www.blueberrybooks.co.uk/2015/10/gathering-inspiration.html" target="_blank">'gathering inspiration'</a> but there’s so much more to creativity than the ideas we have.<br />
<br />
Your creativity is your desire to create. It’s your drive, your motivation. It’s the unique combination of influences that you bring to your work. And when it’s flowing, you feel unstoppable. But when it isn’t… that’s when the self-doubt and the uncertainty set in. So how can we keep the creativity flowing? Gathering inspiration is important, but as the wonderful Douglas Adams said:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“An idea is only an idea. An actual script, on the other hand, is hundreds of ideas bashed around, screwed up, thrown into the trash can, fished out of the trash can an hour later and folded up into thick wads and put under the leg of a table to stop it from wobbling. And then the same again for the next line, and the next and so on, until you have a whole page or the table finally keels over.”</blockquote>
If you don’t have the creativity and motivation to persevere with your ideas, even when they’re being difficult and <a href="http://www.blueberrybooks.co.uk/2015/11/Dont-Believe-in-Writers-Block.html">you don’t want to</a>, you aren’t going to get very far as a writer. <br />
<br />
So, how can we nurture our creativity? How can we develop the drive to turn our ideas into finished stories and poems?<br />
<a name='more'></a> I’m afraid I don’t have any concrete answers. As with so much in writing, creativity is different for each of us. My muses may never utter a word to you, and yours are probably strangers to me. But there are likely to be some similarities in what fuels our creativity, so here are a few suggestions for stoking the fire.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Take Up a New Hobby</h3>
<br />
As writers, we spend a lot of our free time sitting at our writing desks, staying in bed with our laptops or curling up on the sofa with a good book. And there is nothing inherently wrong with any of these pursuits, but they can’t be all we do. We need other influences if our writing is to thrive. It doesn’t matter what your hobbies are, but have some. Find something, anything, that challenges different parts of your brain. Whether it’s bowling or baking, sometimes just doing something different for a while can shake your ideas up. <br />
<br />
<h3>
Read Actively</h3>
<br />
<a href="http://www.blueberrybooks.co.uk/2015/12/active-reading-for-writers.html" target="_blank">Active Reading </a>expands your knowledge of writing techniques. It helps you to understand what works for you and what doesn’t. Having this understanding allows you to frame and manipulate your ideas in new ways.<br />
<br />
I should warn you: this ability is both a curse and a blessing. When you start to read actively, you lose the naivety of the reader. You start looking at stories from the point of view of the writer. You examine the decisions the author made and the language they used and you think about how you can apply their techniques to your own writing. Reading actively can enrich your reading experience and develop your appreciation of the work that goes into creating the stories you love. But, once you have it, this ability can be hard to switch off.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Go Outside</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
Explore somewhere new or walk a familiar route. It can be in the heart of the city or the deep in the country side. Anywhere, really. But while you’re out there, notice everything. Take a camera if you can - looking out for things to photograph is a good way to stop your mind from wondering. The same goes for paying close attention to sounds, textures or smells. Observation is an essential skill for a writer to cultivate. Take note of anything and everything that appeals to you and, more importantly, anything that actively doesn’t. If it’s gross and creepy and makes you a little uncomfortable, it’s excellent fuel for your creativity. <br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Go Inside (Your Mind)</h3>
<br />
Introspection is important. We don’t want to become overly self-involved, but understanding ourselves is very helpful in nurturing creativity. Think about your influences and how they’ve affected you. Which books from your childhood stuck in your mind? Why is your favourite song your favourite song? What was it about these things caught your attention? Examine your own creativity and try to find what it is that drives you. Look at the choices you make, both in relation to writing and in the rest of your life. What do those choices say about you? What do you want to say with your writing?<br />
<br />
For some writers, this self-examination will do nothing. It might make you feel silly, self-indulgent or pretentious. Just the thought of it might have you wrinkling your nose in disgust. And that’s fine. We’re all different. But for some writers, understanding yourself and your creativity can be a huge step in developing your writing.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsGyx5ukPzDdjo_1d0miowefUE6xmrFzEzDptFTY_lOuV2thT2u-YTIea2BmLYDOyXi5LqEBQBaIpIO3DblYYJ6XHBQOEINSibI0dMI4Jt-r0p5B_42KWgt4X3h5oc2uHEeSty95qdGum/s1600/Nurture+Your+Creativity.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Keep Your Muses Talking" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsGyx5ukPzDdjo_1d0miowefUE6xmrFzEzDptFTY_lOuV2thT2u-YTIea2BmLYDOyXi5LqEBQBaIpIO3DblYYJ6XHBQOEINSibI0dMI4Jt-r0p5B_42KWgt4X3h5oc2uHEeSty95qdGum/s200/Nurture+Your+Creativity.jpg" title="Nurture Your Creativity" width="134" /></a>‘Creativity’ means something different to each of us but, whatever it is, we need it. It keeps us writing and helps us turn simple ideas into table-toppling scripts. Gathering inspiration is one thing, but we need more than the big ideas. We need the little ones and the medium ones and the ones that are so small we don’t even think of them as ideas. We need to observe the world and the people around us. We need to cultivate our unique compilations of influences and interests.<br />
<br />
We need nurture that spark that inspired us to write in the first place. Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503041746668544603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5645079735180523734.post-48153068224615903702016-01-05T13:27:00.000+00:002016-06-20T11:38:22.809+01:00Resolutions for Writers<div class="MsoNormal">
2016. Time to make some resolutions…
and keep them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first year I actually kept a new year’s resolution was 2000.
In previous years, I’d intended to write
a diary every day or to learn a new skill and, each time, I’d failed within
weeks. But not that in 2000. I was eleven and had decided to give up eating
meat. And I succeeded. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I succeeded because I cared. I was committed to being
vegetarian. I didn’t even slip up the following year when, on a French Exchange
trip, I had to live on grated carrots for two weeks. (The French did not quite
understand vegetarianism at the time… although, I believe things have improved since.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not saying you can’t keep a resolution without caring
about it, but I’m not sure how much you’d actually gain like that. Particularly
in relation to writing. The most dangerous thing a budding writer can do is to see writing as a chore.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Your writing should be something you do because you love it.
Yes, discipline is important, but so is passion. Never let anyone steal your enthusiasm
for writing – especially not yourself.<br />
<a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<h2>
<br />So, here are the writing resolutions I suggest:</h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>I will write at least
once a week.</b></h3>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I recommend once a week, rather than every day, because your
resolutions should be achievable. And if you manage to write more than once a
week, which you probably will, you’ll feel in control. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Setting goals you know
you’ll struggle to reach is never a good idea. Of course, you should want to challenge
yourself, but you don’t want your writing to be looming over you as an
obligation. Give yourself some space to love what you do.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, if you really must set an intention to write every day,
please allow yourself to settle for writing a haiku when you aren’t feeling it
or are pushed for time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>I will write X number
of words/chapters</b></h3>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Quantifiable resolutions are always easier to stick at.
You’ll be able to monitor your progress and plan your time much more
effectively than if your resolution is simply ‘to finish a novel’. Intending to
finish your novel by the end of the year is, of course, an excellent goal but,
if you can, try to break that intention down into something quantifiable.</div>
<h3>
<b><br /></b><b>I will try a new form
of writing</b></h3>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is a useful resolution because it allows you to explore
another form, without committing fully to it. If you’re a poet, why not try
your hand at short stories? Novelists, try non-fiction. Short story writers,
plan a longer piece. Journalists, write some poetry.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even if you hate the new form you choose and never go near
it again, you’ll have learnt something from the experience. Perhaps your foray
into writing non-fiction will give you a new appreciation for realism in fantasy
worlds. Perhaps an exploration of short stories will teach you new ways to
structure your chapters. Or perhaps you’ll discover a love of poetry that brings
a playfulness to your prose.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whatever your resolutions, I’d not make more than three. Three
is achievable and memorable. Any more, and you risk spreading yourself too
thin. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h2>
Some tips to help you reach your goals:</h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<h3>
<b>They are <i>your</i>
resolutions</b></h3>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nobody else even needs to know about them. By all means,
tell the world if it helps you feel accountable, but you don’t have to. When it comes down to it, you can only
achieve your goals if you really want to. You have to care. As cheesy as it sounds, you have to do it
for you.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>Don’t abandon them
if you fall behind</b></h3>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes life gets in the way. Work, Family, illness… there
are always going to be factors outside of your control, but don’t allow
yourself to give up on your resolution just because you’ve missed a couple of
weeks. Get back to it. You still want to achieve the goal or, if that feels
impossible, get closer to it. So if you fall behind, forgive yourself and get
writing again. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>Adjust them if you
need to</b></h3>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Resolutions made in January may seem perfectly achievable at
the time, but if your circumstances change in April, you might find yourself
needing to change them. Or you might realise your expectations were unrealistic
all along. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We’ve all been overambitious at some point in our lives.
Taken on too much work and then found ourselves drowning in it… So, if you get
to mid-January and you’re just about treading water, rethink your resolutions.
It is much better to achieve a smaller goal than to exhaust yourself by
struggling to reach a larger one.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGN97mRQlYhiEAdoO1xBJnB-D-XzPQ0m2YE-5tH6Njcc8LDrHJhOjMl2yeCFbsQ8y_qFhBsRbQKIqBittNY75dkP8dS3NIeBRYoHY03m2RT5fO708XqiCFg4711qBeu72iNZ81wDdfcXgT/s1600/Resolutions+for+Writers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="New Year's Resolutions" border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGN97mRQlYhiEAdoO1xBJnB-D-XzPQ0m2YE-5tH6Njcc8LDrHJhOjMl2yeCFbsQ8y_qFhBsRbQKIqBittNY75dkP8dS3NIeBRYoHY03m2RT5fO708XqiCFg4711qBeu72iNZ81wDdfcXgT/s200/Resolutions+for+Writers.jpg" title="Happy 2016, Writers!" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Setting goals and resolutions can be a fantastic way of
challenging yourself and taking your writing to the next level. So, good luck
with whatever your plans for 2016 are. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope you have a fantastic year.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503041746668544603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5645079735180523734.post-63812713056640683982015-12-01T16:00:00.000+00:002016-06-20T11:38:49.808+01:00Active Reading for Writers<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcTK1wa08S6fxZ_vZfY_rPNs2eCKeD2H8iRoivtDlKrHzOETAt5s-Cl8IjlcoOIXl9EuGaXpYOLyCjjfqIKO8-7W9pv2Stmffm69Tey3V6rTMhHq7m-qWg1X34EIm4ZpKyIooBj5PUvwx/s1600/A+Love+of+Reading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Active Reading" border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcTK1wa08S6fxZ_vZfY_rPNs2eCKeD2H8iRoivtDlKrHzOETAt5s-Cl8IjlcoOIXl9EuGaXpYOLyCjjfqIKO8-7W9pv2Stmffm69Tey3V6rTMhHq7m-qWg1X34EIm4ZpKyIooBj5PUvwx/s200/A+Love+of+Reading.jpg" title="A Love of Reading is Essential for a Writer" width="200" /></a><b>WARNING:</b> Once acquired, this skill can be difficult to get
rid of. You will notice writing techniques everywhere.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Active Reading means becoming more than the average consumer
of literature. It means abandoning the comfort of passive reading.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you’re a driver, you might remember how your perspective
changed when started learning to drive. Before, you simply got in the car,
fastened your seat-belt and that was it. That was your active engagement with
the driving process. You allowed yourself to be transported, swaying with the
twists and turns, becoming alarmed at any sudden stops or unexpected movements.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, once you started learning to drive, you became a more
active passenger. Hopefully you’re not an annoying backseat driver who can’t stop
commenting, but now, when someone else is driving, you are probably more aware of
what they are doing. You notice at least some of the hazards on the road ahead
and anticipate some of the bends and the sudden stops.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Active Reading does a similar thing. You have to train your
mind to notice things you wouldn’t usually notice as a reader.<br />
<a name='more'></a> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h2>
<b>How to Read Actively</b></h2>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<h3>
<b>Begin With a Book You
Know</b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Choose a book you are familiar with and read it slowly. It is very easy, at first (and much harder
later) to slip back into passive reading. So choosing a book you know allows
you to focus on the actual writing and the story structure, rather than getting
distracted by simply enjoying the book.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>Look at the Author’s
Decisions</b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You want to start looking at the author’s decisions and the
effect those decisions are intended to have on the reader. These decisions are everywhere and you need to
learn to spot them. As writers, we make choices about the words we use, our sentence
structures, the shapes of our plots, our character’s actions and the length of
our chapters. So we know what kind of decisions the authors we are reading had
to make. Our job is to notice and analyse them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>Decide How Effective
Those Decisions Are</b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It sounds a little big-headed, doesn’t it? Judging the
effectiveness of a successful author’s decisions… and perhaps it is. But <a href="http://www.blueberrybooks.co.uk/2015/10/the-writers-ego.html" target="_blank">a certain amount of big-headedness</a> is beneficial to a writer And all writers are
different. We aren’t reading actively to look down on another writer’s work or
to say that they did something wrong. It’s their book. They made those
decisions. You are writing an entirely different book and you will probably
make very different decisions. And that’s the way it should be. But by
analysing the decisions another author has made, and looking at the ways you,
as a reader, are affected by those decisions, you can begin to expand your
awareness of writing techniques and their practical application.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>Consider Applying
Those Techniques to Your Own Writing</b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The techniques we notice through active reading are going to
affect our writing. Whether we agree with an author’s decisions or not, we will
take away something from the experience. It is unlikely that you’ll agree with
every decision an author makes, even if they are your favourite, but you can
always learn something from them. You might simply learn that you don’t like a certain
style of writing dialogue, or that you would have structured a scene
differently if it were your story.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An important thing to consider is that the book you are
actively reading was written with a specific audience in mind and that the
author made their decisions with the intention of affecting that audience. If you
are able to look at those decisions objectively and understand why they were
made, you can consider how relevant they are to your own writing and whether
those same techniques would affect your target audience in similar ways.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>Learn to Turn It Off</b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once you are able to read actively, you will find it hard to
become a passive reader again. But, just as we can fall asleep or play car
games or simply stare out of the window while someone else is driving, provided
they are someone we trust, we can become passive readers again. It just takes a
bit of work and, sometimes, a promise to yourself that you will analyse the
book later, possibly re-reading it actively after your initial passive read. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Learning to read passively again is important. So, even if
it seems difficult, work at it. You don’t want to lose touch with the simple
enjoyment of reading that led you to becoming a writer in the first place.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<h3>
<b>Notice the Invisible
Writing</b></h3>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I believe that good writing, really good writing, is
invisible. So, once you’ve got the hang of Active Reading, particularly pay
attention to any books you find it hard with. Notice any books where you keep
slipping back into passive reading. The books where the writing techniques disappear
and the stories are so smooth that you forget you’re reading. These authors have
the most to teach us, but we have to work harder to learn from them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503041746668544603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5645079735180523734.post-71023143324083539282015-11-10T11:23:00.000+00:002016-06-20T11:39:51.714+01:00How To Write When You Aren’t In The Mood (or Why I Don’t Believe in Writer’s Block)<div class="MsoNormal">
You know that feeling when you just can’t be bothered? You
stare at your laptop and you sigh.
You’re a third of the way into <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank">NaNoWriMo</a>, several thousand words behind,
and your novel is starting to feel like work. Your mind drifts off in search of
new ideas or looking for some excuse not to write anything today. Don’t give in.
Not now. Even <a href="https://www.blogger.com/" target="_blank"><span id="goog_363204861"></span>Productive Procrastination<span id="goog_363204862"></span></a> will do you no favours during
NaNoWriMo. Your goal is to generate a messy first draft and no form of
procrastination is going to get the words on the page.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Be wary of calling this feeling ‘Writer’s Block’. Writer’s
Block is not some magical affliction that strikes down promising young novelists. It's an excuse. It’s just easier to say ‘I have Writer's Block’ than
it is to admit, even to yourself, that you don’t care enough about your writing to stay dedicated.
And all fiction writers should be able to agree that the easy
option is rarely the right one. You wouldn’t let your characters give up, would
you? They persevere through the hard times – if they didn’t, you wouldn’t have
much of a story to tell. So, if you won’t let them get away with it, why should
you? You want to finish your story, don’t you? If so, the answer is simple,
stop believing in the curse of Writer’s Block and accept that your disinterest
in the story is probably something you can solve.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>So what can you do?</b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are a few tricks we can use to get ourselves out of these
slumps.<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes it’s an instant fix and one session can get you
back into your story, but sometimes you have to repeat the steps, or try new
ones, every day for a week – And that’s okay. It happens. It’s easy to doubt
yourself at times like these – you doubt your ability, your passion, your
ideas… Everyone keeps telling
you that "writers write" but you just don’t want to. Not today. So you decide you
can’t be a writer after all. Perhaps you were mistaken and this novel writing
thing isn’t for you… But this logic is flawed. Nobody is saying "writers write <i>enthusiastically every single day."</i> And
if they are saying that, well, I’m afraid they are either wrong, lying or both.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I like to think of it as "writers write - <i>even when they don’t want to."</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You will eventually find the methods that work best for you,
but here are the ones I use to get writing again when I don’t want to. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<b>Just half an hour </b></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is the tactic I use most often. Tell yourself that you
will spend half an hour writing. Don’t set an alarm - just start forcing words
onto the page. For the first few minutes, you’ll be clock watching… maybe even
for the first ten or fifteen minutes. But then you’ll look again and your half
an hour will have ended long ago. You’ll be out of coffee, you’ll need
to sit up straight and stretch - and you’ll have hundreds of words down. You’ll
have slipped back into the story without having noticed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<b>Dialogue</b></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nothing makes the writing process flow more rapidly than
dialogue does. If you’re struggling to force words onto the page, start at
a section with lots of dialogue. It’s a first draft – skip the description and
the detailed action if you aren’t feeling it. When you write dialogue the story
speeds up. Your brain speeds up. Line after line of dialogue flows onto the
page and, if you’re anything like me, this will rekindle your interest in the
characters who are speaking and, hopefully, get you writing properly. It
might begin with writing more detailed dialogue tags, lead on to exploring characters’
thoughts and then, before you know it, you’ll be writing those descriptions and
action scenes again. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<b>Skip to the good bits</b></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This method is for when you’re stuck on a boring scene. If
the scene isn’t exciting you, there’s a good chance that it either isn’t
important, or that you haven’t worked out how to write it properly yet, so
don’t just sit there staring at a blank page. Skip it. Make a note and move on
the next part of the story that interests you. You can always go back and fill
in that scene later - and if you do realise that it needs to come out or be
drastically changed you won’t have wasted time and energy on it and, more
importantly, you won’t feel attached to it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
During a first draft, I don’t believe we need to consciously
know why every scene is important – that comes later. In the beginning, if your
brain tells you to write a scene, it will probably be of some benefit to do so,
even if that scene isn’t included in the next draft. However, if your brain changes
its mind, let it. You’ve probably learnt all you needed from the scene just
by thinking about it. In a first draft we are still getting to know our
characters – so, whether we think we’ve planned the story or not, they can
surprise us. A sudden lack of interest in a scene usually means it is no longer
appropriate to the characters or that you don’t yet know enough about them to
write it in a way that is. So, don’t. Just move on and come back to it later. There is no need to write a novel linearly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<b>Write fiction within
fiction </b></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whatever genre you are writing in, there is probably fiction
within your fictional world, so if you need a change of pace, write it. Have
your character open a book or turn on the television, and write that story.
This may seem like a waste of time, but if you feel like you need a break from
your story, this kind of world-building is a good compromise. I really enjoy
developing the mythologies of my fictional worlds or inventing popular series
for my characters to obsess over – it teaches me a lot about the societies I am creating and
the characters I’m writing, so even if it doesn’t make it into later drafts, I
still see it as a useful part of writing a first draft. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<b>Read the story so far
</b></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes our lack of interest in writing is based on a lack
of faith in what we have written. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In a first draft, it’s easy to feel that our work is full of
mistakes - It will undoubtedly be full of typos and bad, adverb-riddled
descriptions - but we can accept that. It’s a first draft after all. Those kinds
of mistakes aren’t really mistakes. They’re just part of the process. The mistakes that gnaw at our minds, however, are the ones
to do with the story. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I mentioned before, first drafts are about getting to
know our characters, our settings and our stories. Things change as we write, and holding these changes in our minds can stop us from moving
forwards. The way I deal with this is to skim read the story through from the
beginning. Usually, I wouldn’t recommend this during NaNoWriMo, but it shouldn’t
take that long and, if it gets you writing, the small amount of lost time is
worth it. Most writers are fast readers anyway and there is no need to read the
story as if you were reading for pleasure. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The purpose of this read-through is
to notice what needs changing. Don’t actually change it. (As I said <a href="http://www.blueberrybooks.co.uk/2015/11/five-top-tips-for-nanowrimo.html" target="_blank">here</a>, no
editing during NaNo.) But notice it. Write it down. Make notes so that you
don’t need to keep it all in your head. And then, when you finish reading the
story so far, continue from that point <i>as
if the changes have been made.</i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once you’ve finished your first draft, you can
go through the list of changes and correct anything you need to, but for now,
just assume it’s all up to date and keep going. This should free up enough
brain space to get those creative juices flowing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>Still stuck?</b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hopefully one of these methods will work for you, but if
not, don’t despair. And don’t diagnose yourself with Writer’s Block. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It might just be that there is no quick fix for your
situation - There could be something fundamental about your story that your
subconscious isn’t happy with and that you need to resolve before you can
continue.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYr-iuDX3Dr2ZSqIGPmJTjmwnDARDL_RFpRtodwEv-fw8VOpNVNjXF4kyu6U02SZSIakeHg6sy2IZjeNwR3Wt44RPloznLqKhz9MBoEbvzbK3aDBkVcU7e8_Tp_y4iHR4QkIKaj7Ej6r5/s1600/Writers+Block.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How to write when you don't want to" border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYr-iuDX3Dr2ZSqIGPmJTjmwnDARDL_RFpRtodwEv-fw8VOpNVNjXF4kyu6U02SZSIakeHg6sy2IZjeNwR3Wt44RPloznLqKhz9MBoEbvzbK3aDBkVcU7e8_Tp_y4iHR4QkIKaj7Ej6r5/s200/Writers+Block.jpg" title="Writers Block Is An Excuse - Open That Notebook!" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Try <a href="http://www.blueberrybooks.co.uk/2015/10/productive-procrastination.html" target="_blank">analysing your procrastination</a> and, if that still
doesn’t help, move on. Put the current story to one side – you might come back
to it later or you might not. Either way, it’s been good writing practice and
no doubt those ideas (and sometimes whole characters or passages) will be
incorporated into future stories. So don’t worry about it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A lot of being a
writer is being able to trust your instincts - So follow your mind to those new
ideas and write them instead. Just write <i>something.</i>
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because writers write, right?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503041746668544603noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5645079735180523734.post-32928037744798900672015-11-01T07:30:00.000+00:002016-06-20T11:40:12.468+01:00Five Top Tips for NaNoWriMo<br />
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<a href="http://d3bhawflmd1fic.cloudfront.net/assets/crest-05e1a637392425b4d5225780797e5a76.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="National Novel Writing Month" border="0" src="http://d3bhawflmd1fic.cloudfront.net/assets/crest-05e1a637392425b4d5225780797e5a76.png" title="NaNoWriMo" /></a><a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank"><b>Na</b>tional <b>No</b>vel <b>Wri</b>ting <b>Mo</b>nth</a>, for those
of you who haven’t heard of it, is a worldwide event, in which writers attempt
to write 50,000 words during November. It’s supposed to be a fun challenge but,
for many writers, it turns into a nightmare.<br />
<br />
I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo four times and won three, so
I’ve experienced my share of panicked overnight writing sessions as November
draws to an end. But, I’m hoping to
avoid that stress this year, so here are five of the most important things I’ve
learnt about keeping it fun:<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br /></div>
<br />
<h3>
1. Just write</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>No Planning</b>: Whether you have a detailed chapter breakdown, a scene by scene plan, a vague list of plot points or absolutely nothing, the time for planning is over. November has begun and the writing is what matters. Stopping to fine tune your plan is one of the easiest ways to waste time and lose momentum.<br />
<div>
<br />
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>No Research either</b>: Don’t start googling things in the
middle of your writing session. Before you know it, three hours will have gone
by and you’ll have fallen behind. For those things you absolutely must look up,
at least wait until you’ve hit your target word count for the day. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I recommend keeping a notebook, or a second word document,
open while you write. Use this to jot down any points you need to research
later or any elements of your plan that desperately need revising. Go over
these points and follow up on them once you’ve finished the day’s writing. Using
this method allows you to actually get the words down, rather than worrying
about that scene in chapter three that needs fixing, or whether your
characters are employing the correct procedure for assembling a trebuchet...<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
2. Time yourself</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p>At the beginning of the month, check how long it takes you to reach your daily word target. Check the time, jot it down and start writing. Then, when you hit your word count, check the time again and see how long it took. Make sure you set aside at least this amount of time each day for writing. You’ll probably get faster as the month goes on, but it’s better to leave yourself extra time than to run out of it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
3. Write with friends</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However understanding your friends and
family are, if they aren’t NaNo-ing, they won’t understand your need to hide away in your study for hours, or why it’s so important that they stay away from
your laptop all month. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is why you
need ‘Writing Buddies’ to talk to - other participants, who understand the
pressure, and the excitement, of NaNoWriMo. They’re also an excellent way to
keep accountability. Adding your ‘buddies’ on the website allows you to
easily see each other’s word count progress. For me, this really draws out my competitive
side. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Having active Writing Buddies means that someone is likely to notice if you
fall behind – even if that doesn’t help motivate you, at least your friends
know when to check in on you, and make sure you haven’t overdosed on coffee or
forgotten to eat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The social aspects of NaNoWriMo are great for motivation (as
long as you avoid getting sucked into the forums). Central to the NaNo
community are Word Sprints. Participating in these is a wonderful way to get words
down quickly. You set a time with your friends, show up, (sometimes at a
physical location, but more often on Skype or Facebook) and start writing
solidly for a pre-determined length of time, at the end of which you check in
with each other and see how much you got done. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Word Sprints aren’t just limited
to your closest circles or your Writing Buddies, though. If you follow <a href="https://twitter.com/NaNoWordSprints" target="_blank">@NaNoWordSprints</a>
on twitter, you can compete there and tweet your word count progress. So,
even if you don’t know any other participants, please don’t feel you have to write
alone; the NaNoWriMo community is huge and very friendly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
4. Update regularly</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Update your word count after each writing session and, if
you’re staying up to write, set an alarm for a few minutes before midnight and
update then too. These days, it is possible to amend your word count for each
day later on… but, if you don’t do it at the time, you probably won’t keep
track of what you wrote when – and it’s much more satisfying to see your progress
graph rising accurately, rather than flat-lining for days and shooting up whenever
you remember to update.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
5. Prioritise quantity over quality</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
This is the most important thing to
remember with NaNoWriMo. You can’t afford to worry about what you are writing.
You just have to keep going. Even if you are usually an edit-as-you-go kind of
writer, that won’t work here. NaNoWriMo is about generating a first draft - and
a first draft is supposed to be awful; its only job is to exist.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s actually incredibly liberating, not having to worry about
the quality of your work. Once you accept that you are writing drivel and that
you will fix it later, you can let go of the usual restraints and really get
creative. NaNoWriMo is about following your characters and your stories, rather
than rigidly controlling them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEj6Nd7aFrCSlMJanFWHSwxheina4fd6RmtpoZHpDhkvy6rhWIm1InQol8HdYjwj-y88zpCkClCARntYrQSFkmTevagxoyFsw9VfdV9GjhSMsgsdS0lAn1QfiaPGewvaUJ_ucY7NDOZVUq-kM5RPHfjZsKvzXnMrckAI=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="National Novel Writing Month Kit-Kat-151" border="0" src="http://nanowrimo.org/widget/LiveSupporter/kit-kat-151.png" title="My NaNoWriMo Progress" /></a>If you remember to keep it fun (and you don’t leave the
entire thing until the last week) NaNoWriMo can be an amazing experience and one
I’d highly recommend. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If any of you are participating - <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/participants/kit-kat-151" target="_blank">add me</a> as a Writing Buddy and we can Word Sprint!</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnanowrimo.org%2Fwidget%2FLiveSupporter%2Fkit-kat-151.png&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEj6Nd7aFrCSlMJanFWHSwxheina4fd6RmtpoZHpDhkvy6rhWIm1InQol8HdYjwj-y88zpCkClCARntYrQSFkmTevagxoyFsw9VfdV9GjhSMsgsdS0lAn1QfiaPGewvaUJ_ucY7NDOZVUq-kM5RPHfjZsKvzXnMrckAI=" -->Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503041746668544603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5645079735180523734.post-89923378699884624132015-10-27T20:19:00.005+00:002016-06-20T11:41:02.774+01:00Gathering InspirationWe often think of inspiration as something that simply comes to us… there’s that image of the writer being struck by a ‘bolt of lightning’. But that isn’t how it works. At least, I’ve never been struck by this mysterious lightning bolt of ideas - and I think waiting for it is probably a waste of time.<br />
<br />
How often have you sat in front of your computer, only to stare at a word document for a few minutes and then open facebook? Or taken up your notebook, only to sigh and put it down again because you don’t know what to write. You aren't feeling it. You aren’t motivated. You just want a cup of coffee and maybe a nap… You aren’t inspired and nothing gets done.<br />
<br />
So, even if you want to keep faith in the lightning bolt, I encourage you to find your own inspiration in the meantime.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SzJEYN8fRd_vkbCl1zLamrQro6xryhrtM34pe2xfkx_tsl_qmllLopqWv9Y7AeC22_A7QJ1rli6MjR9HvrsFhZvRECJuKY-zh_FpQg26Xqylf3O2_MuJpzWdfLv8PBdquub0tDmZgH7v/s1600/Gathering+Inspiration.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SzJEYN8fRd_vkbCl1zLamrQro6xryhrtM34pe2xfkx_tsl_qmllLopqWv9Y7AeC22_A7QJ1rli6MjR9HvrsFhZvRECJuKY-zh_FpQg26Xqylf3O2_MuJpzWdfLv8PBdquub0tDmZgH7v/s200/Gathering+Inspiration.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minstrel Sophia of Apostrophe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Have you ever played <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sims_Medieval" target="_blank">The Sims Medieval</a>? It's one of my favourite ways to procrastinate - The Kingdom of Apostrophe (I'm a writing geek, okay?) flourishes whenever I'm trying to put something off.<br />
<br />
Anyway, one of the playable characters is ‘the bard’ of the kingdom and, guess what? They don't let a lack of ideas stop them.<br />
<br />
Playing as the bard, one of the tasks you have to complete is to spend a certain amount of time ‘gathering inspiration’. This is something that many of us forget to do in the real world.<br />
<br />
Now, I’m not suggesting that we should stand around on the beach all day, holding a quill and looking pensively at a scroll... but I do think we ought to be actively gathering inspiration from the world around us.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
For instance:<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Those hours you spent procrastinating on
facebook - what if you looked at your friend’s passive aggressive status as a
story prompt? Or perhaps there’s a poem in those targeted adverts?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Or that notebook you closed - when and where did
you get it? Why? What kind of story did you think would grow inside it?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->That thing that’s been in the fridge for ages - why is it even there? What kind of person would buy it and not even open the
packet? (Your character can have a more interesting reason than ‘it was on
offer but I don’t actually like olives’)<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<ul>
</ul>
So, open your notebook, or your word document (or, if you’re like me, your spreadsheet) and start jotting ideas down. Even if you don’t think you have any ideas. Or if none of your ideas are ‘good enough’. That kind of thinking isn’t going to help. We all have moments when we don’t trust ourselves to come up with ‘good’ ideas. So, I suggest we remove the pressure. Look for ideas in the silliest places you can and follow the most ridiculous trains of thought.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->What’s down the back of the sofa? How did it get
there? Was it planted? Literally? Does someone come every day to water it? Who?
Why? Is it ever going to grow? What if it did? What would it become?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
The more we train our minds to see stories everywhere and to pursue these ‘what if’s’, the easier it becomes to find that inspiration. You may even decide to follow up on some of your ‘ridiculous’ story ideas – particularly if you write for children.<br />
<br />
The key is in <a href="http://www.blueberrybooks.co.uk/2015/10/productive-procrastination.html" target="_blank">productive procrastination</a>. You may not have any actual words written, but the day wasn’t the write-off it could have been. Sometimes we need to let our minds have some play time. The pressure of the blank page can be terrifying when you are determined to write something good. But, if you’re just coming up with story ideas to amuse yourself... you’ll be surprised how much you get down.<br />
<br />
Now, never delete these story ideas. You don’t have to show them to anyone or turn them into stories or poems or articles. You don’t have to do anything with them. Just keep them. Look over them when you need a laugh or when you feel un-inspired. Trust me. Nobody can appeal to your sense of humour the way you can.<br />
<br />
And sometimes that’s just the ego boost we need to have faith in our own ideas, rather than an imaginary lightning bolt.<br />
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503041746668544603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5645079735180523734.post-8644965734189921282015-10-21T18:16:00.000+01:002016-06-20T11:41:32.189+01:00How To Use Semicolons in Fiction Writing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbCyRfYXBLuEiG-Cz52HK0V0d-FPiVbN9bcHMZqIgLswQ6aFCJW0JTUzD-X5uw0BQfMmzmvqPGGtEFE5ib_-bVEOHxuGwgAVAGAPDwGXwka9bg39w0DdMpjFzyR5vE4qc6uNhkkT9MJhyphenhyphen/s1600/semicolon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbCyRfYXBLuEiG-Cz52HK0V0d-FPiVbN9bcHMZqIgLswQ6aFCJW0JTUzD-X5uw0BQfMmzmvqPGGtEFE5ib_-bVEOHxuGwgAVAGAPDwGXwka9bg39w0DdMpjFzyR5vE4qc6uNhkkT9MJhyphenhyphen/s1600/semicolon.jpg" /></a>Why do so many writers fear the semicolon? The poor, misunderstood semicolon? It isn’t its fault that
it’s so widely misused. It didn’t ask for any of this. So, please spare a thought for this simple, uncomplicated punctuation mark…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because it really is simple and it can transform your writing.<br />
<br />
There is only one rule for using the
semicolon to punctuate a sentence:<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The clauses on either side of the semicolon must be able to
exist as sentences in their own right.</b><o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s it. That’s the
big scary rule…<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For example, this sentence:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The man drove slowly across the bridge; it was raining and the
road was slippery.</blockquote>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Could easily have been written as two sentences:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The man drove slowly across the bridge. It was raining and the
road was slippery.</blockquote>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But there are articles about the correct use of semicolons all
over the internet. So, instead of simply adding another one, I want to talk about how they can be of use to fiction writers.<br />
<a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<h3>
<b>So, why should you use
a semicolon instead of a full stop?</b></h3>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The semicolon is useful in most forms of writing; however, it is particularly helpful in writing fiction. Linking two sentences together has
a huge, but subtle, impact on the way they are interpreted – and quietly manipulating
the reader is a fiction writer’s job.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the first example I gave, the man is driving slowly because it
is raining and the road is slippery.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the second example, the rain and the slippery road are
simply descriptions of the setting, and are not connected to the man’s decision
to drive slowly. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, although neither is particularly gripping, which one would
be more effective as the opening of a story? Well, that depends on the story. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Personally, I prefer character based stories, for which the first example
would be most effective. The use of a semicolon subtly introduces some characterisation and allows the focus to remain on the man. The reader
begins to wonder about his destination and his decision to drive in the rain. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The second example would be more suited to an environment
based story. Splitting the opening into
two sentences shifts the focus from the man to the setting. The mention of the
rain and the slippery conditions tell the reader that something is going to happen
on the bridge. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In this example:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Julia switched off her alarm clock. It was Wednesday.</blockquote>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The full stop separates the fact that it is Wednesday from
Julia turning off the alarm. The reader assumes that she turns her alarm off
every day and that the important thing to note is the day of the week. This
opening suggests that something is due to happen on Wednesday.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whereas, in this example:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="text-align: center;">Julia switched off
her alarm clock; it was Wednesday.</span></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The semicolon links the two sentences and suggests that
Julia has turned off her alarm clock because it is Wednesday. Again, the use of
the semicolon shifts the focus to Julia. The reader begins to wonder why she doesn’t need her alarm clock on Wednesday. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another effect of the semicolon in these examples is that it
removes some of the urgency. Short sentences increase the pace of reading, so
combining them to form a longer one will slow your reader down. This is why, in
the examples with full stops, the reader is expecting action and, in the
examples with semicolons, the reader is more concerned with speculating about
the character.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, don’t be afraid of the semicolon; use it to manipulate
your reader. But remember, with great power comes great responsibility; don’t
overuse it; overusing anything in your writing will draw the reader’s
attention. So, always think carefully about your punctuation choices; you don’t
want to annoy your reader. For instance, this paragraph uses way too many
semicolons, most of which are unnecessary; I bet you noticed; annoying, isn’t
it? <o:p></o:p></div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503041746668544603noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5645079735180523734.post-27598609228471366272015-10-18T18:51:00.001+01:002016-06-20T11:42:12.107+01:00Productive Procrastination<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7gDvdo7bRbxdJW5CqOJthqRo-MwVme7UIMv41THS7xzbF4JV1Av6oIB4tKFgoWe3BQNtE1GgTnbkLg1ZOsvrwwcVSx8wCx4_HFG4A0wGkmxEWj7t4PU8EAUCKIaGIkqjhDtJd1tBMRKJ/s1600/Procrastination.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Tips for using procrastination" border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7gDvdo7bRbxdJW5CqOJthqRo-MwVme7UIMv41THS7xzbF4JV1Av6oIB4tKFgoWe3BQNtE1GgTnbkLg1ZOsvrwwcVSx8wCx4_HFG4A0wGkmxEWj7t4PU8EAUCKIaGIkqjhDtJd1tBMRKJ/s200/Procrastination.jpg" title="Procrastination" width="200" /></a>Writers procrastinate. Editors procrastinate. Students, office workers and builders procrastinate... avoiding difficult tasks is something we humans excel at.<br />
<br />
So, yes, it's understandable. It's natural. It's forgivable... but it's not very useful.<br />
<br />
Or is it?<br />
<br />
There are two ways to make use of the temptation to procrastinate:<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 81pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->We can analyse it<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;">
or</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 81pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->We can try to direct it<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<h3>
<b>Analysing Your Procrastination</b></h3>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
As writers, we tend to be quite introspective. So, as analyising procrastination involves asking yourself a lot of questions, it can become quite interesting.<br />
<br />
Before you can inspect the cause of your procrastination, of course, you have to notice that you are doing it. Sometimes, this is easy. Sometimes we know exactly what it is we are avoiding or, at least, we think we do.<br />
<br />
But sometimes it's a subconscious thing. So, to catch it, we need to pay attention to our behaviours. If we can learn to recognise the things we do when we procrastinate, we should be able get past it and complete our tasks before we get too close to any looming deadlines.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSb4NO0oY7mf9AZoZCQIVWqzQqlkx-hkA1ZbWKquDvcJGlpTfgiRZeLtd88VXLquicPxFiS__22lxVjCcj_2LsLdDuQEBy8PWUmtStaoshF_ESrwOJvkkWfrxl6qkXAqDOgLJzfR-pzvz7/s1600/Problem+Solving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How to use Procrastination" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSb4NO0oY7mf9AZoZCQIVWqzQqlkx-hkA1ZbWKquDvcJGlpTfgiRZeLtd88VXLquicPxFiS__22lxVjCcj_2LsLdDuQEBy8PWUmtStaoshF_ESrwOJvkkWfrxl6qkXAqDOgLJzfR-pzvz7/s1600/Problem+Solving.jpg" title="Problem Solving" /></a>So, is your house unusually spotless? Are you rearranging the tins of soup in the cupboard? Trying out a lot of new recipes? Spending a lot of time browsing the internet for said recipes? Is your inbox looking particularly well organised? Chances are, you're procrastinating.<br />
<br />
So, what are you avoiding? Let's say it's writing that short story you were supposed to have done by the end of the week... Why are you avoiding it? You were excited about it at one point... weren't you? Why? Or, if not, why are you supposed to be doing it? Is it an assignment? A commission? An entry for a competition? What will you, or might you, gain from completing it? How far have you got? Do you still like the idea? Why? Or why not? How about the characters?<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Asking yourself these kinds of questions should help pinpoint the cause of your procrastination. And, hopefully, once you know what you are avoiding, and why you're avoiding it, you should be able to eliminate, or work around, the problem. I don't know what the right questions are for you, or what answers you might find, but for me it's usually one of the following:<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->I don't care about the characters yet - So I
need to get to know them a little better and make sure they are well rounded.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->The story idea doesn't interest me anymore -
This means I probably took an 'easy' option when developing it, and I've fallen
into cliché.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->I can see a plot hole looming and I can't find
the solution - This usually requires me to step back from the story and look at
the plot as a whole. Sometimes the answer is as simple as moving a few scenes
or untangling a subplot.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<ul>
</ul>
<div>
In theory, once you've solved the problem you were avoiding, you should be able to get on with your work... but even if you aren't quite there yet, you should be on the right track. If you're still tempted to waste time ironing your socks, perhaps you should try directing your procrastination into something more useful.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
<b>Directing Your Procrastination</b></h3>
</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
This can follow on quite well from analysing your procrastination problem, but it's also the perfect option for anyone who is so set on avoiding something that they don't even want to think about it, let alone analyse it.</div>
<div>
<br />
Directing procrastination simply means doing something useful with the time you would have spent doing nothing. So, here are some suggestions to get you started:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><a href="http://www.blueberrybooks.co.uk/2015/10/gathering-inspiration.html" target="_blank">Gathering Inspiration</a></b> - Start, or add to, a list of story/poem/article ideas. Jot down anything you think you'd like to write about and, more often than not, you'll want to get started on at least one of them... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<b>Charting Tension</b> - This is an exercise my younger students love. (Although I do introduce the concept as The Mountain Range of Excitement... so that might explain why.)<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPkl20d7JDC1Bb5NWLpRgYjEdSusLUXzcRSb_IrZyA6EMofouiZyRhhSAmEPsATtidlzuP71b_JqKskG-SH5ceIYxubEwpJjHG7dXFJwszLH7qMOTCH-HQgU6QrRb4BNwszJE7Ihyphenhyphen8VjX/s1600/Charting+Tension.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Fiction Plotting Technique" border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPkl20d7JDC1Bb5NWLpRgYjEdSusLUXzcRSb_IrZyA6EMofouiZyRhhSAmEPsATtidlzuP71b_JqKskG-SH5ceIYxubEwpJjHG7dXFJwszLH7qMOTCH-HQgU6QrRb4BNwszJE7Ihyphenhyphen8VjX/s200/Charting+Tension.jpg" title="The Mountain Range of Excitement" width="200" /></a>Think about the plot of one of your stories. It can be your current work in progress or a past story - either way, you'll learn something about your structuring choices. Take a blank sheet and a pen. Think about the beginning of your story. What happens next? Does the story get more exciting? How exciting? How fast? Draw a line to indicate this rising tension. Now, what happens next? Does the tension fall? How steeply? How far? Draw another line to indicate this. Now what? Does it rise again? Does it fall back to where it started? (It probably shouldn't go any lower than that - unless you want your reader to fall asleep...)<br />
<br />
Think about how the tension rises and falls throughout the story and extend your lines across the page to represent this.<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<b>Character Development</b> - You know those silly questionnaires you see online? The one's that ask you what colour your shirt is and who you last spoke to on the phone? Find one and fill it out from the point of view of a character. You might be surprised by what you learn - answering as the character can reveal a lot more than just writing a 'character profile' as the author.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>T</b><b>imelining</b> - Think about the story you are (meant to be) working on. It's always useful to know which scenes take place where and when. I like to do this in a spreadsheet, but pen and paper or a word document would work. It's also a good way to check for continuity and make sure you don't have characters in multiple places at once.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<b>Setting Goals</b> - Think about your <a href="http://www.blueberrybooks.co.uk/2016/01/resolutions-for-writers.html" target="_blank">writing goals</a>, either long or short term. Now, break them down into smaller tasks. For instance, if you want to have your novel finished by the end of the year, but can't quite commit to <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank">NaNoWriMo</a>, promise yourself you will write an achievable amount each day or each week. Whatever your goals are, use your procrastination time to create a chart for tracking them - you'll soon start writing just so you can fill in your chart and tick things off. (We never get too old for reward stickers or gold stars!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQP36S76J2rhX2V_o-pq-_j9oj9MrAvm2Ta3dciHXXM8E4x99r9nCDAZbXRbx6Nk-LZhyphenhyphenjPJWmzw_30qaa5eJX9rhAI_6qQVztnkEM8StjvGgeZZqdUmp36YPUVsrR2Dq7raqNybByq5s/s1600/Gold+Star.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tips for setting writing goals" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQP36S76J2rhX2V_o-pq-_j9oj9MrAvm2Ta3dciHXXM8E4x99r9nCDAZbXRbx6Nk-LZhyphenhyphenjPJWmzw_30qaa5eJX9rhAI_6qQVztnkEM8StjvGgeZZqdUmp36YPUVsrR2Dq7raqNybByq5s/s1600/Gold+Star.png" title="Reward Yourself!" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503041746668544603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5645079735180523734.post-31171680568271786562015-10-14T11:29:00.000+01:002016-06-20T11:42:41.867+01:00The Writer's Ego<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xMJQVCG_xRjSNu28BbX94CctPWZTmRRqd18dTMULkEGhNIJ7ANEKbRJCdBCr4D2ULWlbhw7QOvRXzvP7PXsg_ursiQM05gf2XCp7-F8KoCpP-7FvsN4bVu8LNk9gkPl2xfB6tXyRHdUB/s1600/Balance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Learn to Balance your writer's ego" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xMJQVCG_xRjSNu28BbX94CctPWZTmRRqd18dTMULkEGhNIJ7ANEKbRJCdBCr4D2ULWlbhw7QOvRXzvP7PXsg_ursiQM05gf2XCp7-F8KoCpP-7FvsN4bVu8LNk9gkPl2xfB6tXyRHdUB/s1600/Balance.jpg" title="Balance" /></a>A quick google search on ‘the writer’s ego’ throws up plenty
of articles about it being something we must get rid of, and a few about how fragile our egos are. But nothing much about the middle ground - the balancing act
we need to survive, let alone succeed, as writers.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you haven’t mastered it yet, you should make the
development of ‘The Writer’s Ego’ a priority. The best way to do this depends on how you naturally feel about your writing and, by extension, yourself.<br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Some writers are too confident in their work.
They believe, even at the beginning, that they are already writing bestsellers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Some writers have no faith in their work. They
believe that everything they do is derivative and boring.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Neither of these attitudes are helpful to a writer - at
least, not alone.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<h3>
So, what is The Writer’s Ego:</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Developing and maintaining The Writer’s Ego is an exercise
in doublethink, a term from George Orwell’s 1984. For anyone who hasn’t read
the book, doublethink is:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“The power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's
mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them...”</blockquote>
The two contradictory beliefs a writer needs are:<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->That they are the best writer ever and all their
work is amazing.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->That they are the worst writer ever and that all
their work is awful.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Too much of the first belief leads a writer to produce a lot
of bad work and ignore any criticism.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Too much of the second belief leads a writer to avoid
producing much work for fear of criticism.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The benefits of developing The Writer’s
Ego are many and varied, but the important ones, to begin with, are:<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: 407.25pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->It enables a writer to build a thick enough
skin to withstand critique, whilst still accepting the validity of the
comments.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->It allows the writer to look at constructive criticism
objectively, accepting those comments that can help them to improve, but having
the confidence in their writing to reject any they disagree with.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 81.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->It gives
a writer the confidence to put their work out there, knowing that it is of the
best quality they can currently produce but that it doesn’t define them and
that, in the future, they will probably look back on it and cringe.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: 407.25pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnKPrIzaPPuqKR0pjtGhH9OZ3TK2J3LHzNC3wjpbK0wxWsQQOh-NPXQ5k0POnCKuaRdntpHN2SYxAxZknKaiIlNRc9JEcIorONJr1lwha2JeJxG6kCTvyhP8v8S0tyGyxfIUgql_lnMjy/s1600/1984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Learn Doublethink to nurture your Writers ego" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnKPrIzaPPuqKR0pjtGhH9OZ3TK2J3LHzNC3wjpbK0wxWsQQOh-NPXQ5k0POnCKuaRdntpHN2SYxAxZknKaiIlNRc9JEcIorONJr1lwha2JeJxG6kCTvyhP8v8S0tyGyxfIUgql_lnMjy/s320/1984.jpg" title="George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four" width="227" /></a>Developing the writer’s ego does
take practice. Of course, we all have moments when we want to tear pages out of
notebooks, delete files from our computers or sneak into our editors’ houses
and steal back our manuscripts. Equally, we all have moments when we forget
that we aren’t actually as amazing as we think we are… These moments are
important, and useful, parts of being a writer. They serve their purposes,
either keeping us humble or giving us that boost of energy we need to finish a
piece. But, they should only be moments. If either attitude becomes a writer’s
default state of mind, it becomes very difficult for the writer to progress.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To borrow from Nineteen Eighty-Four again:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“If one is to rule, and to continue ruling, one must be able to dislocate the sense of reality. For the secret of rulership is to combine a belief in one's own infallibility with the power to learn from past mistakes.”</blockquote>
And, though it doesn’t always feel like we’re in charge, what are <a href="http://www.katieseth.com/2014/10/writer.html" target="_blank">writers</a>, if not the rulers of our creations?</div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503041746668544603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5645079735180523734.post-9554572089899570572015-10-06T17:33:00.002+01:002016-06-12T18:18:25.864+01:00Welcome To Blueberry Books<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
I’ve been thinking about starting a writing blog for a while
now.<br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
I'm a writer, a fiction editor and a tutor, which means I spend a lot of time thinking about writing and ways to improve it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Often, when I’m tutoring, a student will need help with
something and, in answering their question, my mind will start down a certain path – exploring that area of writing and
picking it apart. But, during a tutoring session, my focus is on the student
and indulging my own musings is not an option. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, in the context of a blog, I can think (and write)
about pacing, character development or scene-setting to my heart’s content. I
can inspect each element of writing, try to pin down why so many of us struggle
with it, and hopefully find ways for us to move past that struggle. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, that’s what you will find here.In each post, I’ll be
taking one aspect of writing and breaking it down, thinking about how I’ve
developed it in my own writing and, hopefully, providing you with some useful tips and tricks to use in your own.<br />
<br />
I’ll also be developing some writing resources, such as character development sheets
or editorial checklists, which I hope to share with you as Blueberry Books develops.<br />
<br />
I'd really like this blog to be useful to you, so please come and say hi in the comments below each post and tell me if there are any areas you'd particularly like me to address.<br />
<br />
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIabJYoddnmbxguwAmeD8ciG5Lm9pH1s9cVoJJVs9b9e2-NK-LKWMTjrMvOrqsJeOmCE1WHr-bnnFjclVgXsAEvCTdKT8hCzuI38hgZpyMmYLujl5xVaW2QySpFvCmh_qvI4KE5Xt4itB/s1600/Blueberry+Books+-+Writing+Tips%252C+Editorial%252C+Tutoring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Writing Tips, Editorial Services and Tutoring" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIabJYoddnmbxguwAmeD8ciG5Lm9pH1s9cVoJJVs9b9e2-NK-LKWMTjrMvOrqsJeOmCE1WHr-bnnFjclVgXsAEvCTdKT8hCzuI38hgZpyMmYLujl5xVaW2QySpFvCmh_qvI4KE5Xt4itB/s1600/Blueberry+Books+-+Writing+Tips%252C+Editorial%252C+Tutoring.jpg" title="Blueberry Books" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07503041746668544603noreply@blogger.com0