Ah, the fun of writing a novel. You, the writer, get to wreak havoc on your characters – all the while ignoring any and all havoc in your life. (At least for a little while. You must return to reality at some point.) Wreaking havoc – that’s just another term for “the Ds”: the events that distance your hero or heroine from their goals. Let me be more specific: What: The Ds Think Distancing, Denial, Disappointments and Devastation. Yes, there are Dreams and Delights too – even a dream-come-true, like your heroine getting offered that job she’s always wanted – can wreak havoc in her life. Ds distance a character from what they want, deny them something – a relationship, maybe – and create a Y in the road, forcing […]
Read the RestTag Archives | writing craft
The I’s have it. But should they?
Ever listen to a conversation where “I” was the predominate word? I did this, I did that, I went here, I went there… I, I, I, I. After awhile, the picture is etched that the person talking is really into themselves. The same idea applies to writing in first person. As the writer and storyteller, it’s easy for us to get going in the first person narrative and forget to not let the “I’s” have it. When I started working with editor Ami McConnell, she warned me. “Watch the overuse of I.” “Hnnm, in first person?” I thought, but answered, “Okay, I’ll do that, very good idea.” Yes, it’s way easier said than done. It takes time, rethinking and rewriting to avoid the over use of I, or starting every […]
Read the RestWhy pick on me?
I had a grade school villain. Her name was Karla, and she, like most bullies, had been held back a year in school and seemed as if they came out of the womb fully grown. She had a gang – her little brother and a few other cling-ons who were fed by her power, and she owned the swings. I loved to swing. Especially the old kind of swings that hang from chains. In our playground, we could tie one of the set of three to the side, and then play a game with the other two – the one in the middle would swing in a circle, gathering momentum and at the exact right moment, the other “swinger” would position themselves in the middle and the two […]
Read the Rest“Don’t shoot! I believe you!”
Who are some of the villains that have stood out as scary to you? For me, it would have to be, hands down, Alan Rickman, all the way across the board. Remember him? Die Hard – Hans Gruber (the mastermind thief), Robin Hood – the Sheriff of Nottingham (Ewww!), Harry Potter series – Severus Snape. I know he’s played a few good guys but the guy embodies BAD so well, I just love to watch him. Why? Because he makes you BELIEVE he’s bad. We know he’s out of his mind and crazy, and we don’t know what to expect except….Badness. We’re going to be talking this week about what makes a great villain – 4 key components (and there are others, also, so we’ll be starting a thread […]
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