The Write Tools

Something to write home about

2008-07-16T12:08:00.003-07:00

There are times when the Muse takes over, the inspiration strikes or you have that Aha! or Eureka! moment. The following short essay came from one of those moments. I would also like to thank my eldest son for his input and helping me to focus. He was more help than he knows. When you are finished reading, please abide by the wishes in the note at the end.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: This is what it means to me.

R - Responsibility begins at birth. This may seem like a wild claim, but it is nonetheless true. Yes, the parents become responsible to the life of the newborn child. However, there is more. The moment you draw your first breath, you set forth on the road to being responsible for pulling your own weight at some future date, for becoming a contributing member of society and for making the world a better place than when you entered it. You become obligated to be sensitive to the needs of your neighbor and to help him by all reasonable means, in wisdom applied. You become responsible for being a good example to those around you and being an uplifting influence in their lives. Negativity and complaint never solved the problem--only faith and effort.

It is the recognition that with our blessings comes the responsibility, indeed the need, to lift the rest of the world by whatever means we can, helping others ultimately to become self-sustaining and free. We are all children of the same God and it is incumbent upon us, an obligation, to behave as such, if we are to prosper and have true joy.

E - Endurance is the engine by which all great things are accomplished. No journey begun, no task undertaken can be completed without the blessing of endurance to carry it to fruition. History is the result of endurance, whether it be of one person alone or of nations in congregation. We seldom, if ever, talk about those who quit before the task was done. We do not admire the slothful, the indolent. Biographies are never written about those who surrender to discouragement and depression. Heroes and heroines are generally recognized as those who followed through when the challenges and trials were the hardest.

We revere and admire those who fought and endured through freezing winters with little food and clothing and even less reason to hope they could ever build a new nation, but for their faith in God's help--a faith that was ultimately rewarded against all odds. We acknowledge and honor those who blazed the trails across a wild new nation simply because they had a conviction of manifest destiny that led them on. We give silent reverence to the outcast men and women of faith who set across unmeasured miles of inhospitable terrain, losing life and limb to the elements and cowardly demons in the flesh, because they trusted God to build his kingdom within their hearts and minds and communities in a new territory. These were no cowards, nor quitters. These were they who showed their convictions in their actions and endured against each wave of criticism and disbelief. These were the true pioneers of our nation. The enduring few who will never be forgotten.

S - Sacrifice may be the most precious and uncommon commodity in our world today. In a time of the ever resounding, ''what's in it for me?', it is rare indeed to hear of the unselfish soul who will, without reward or praise, step quietly forward to administer necessary aid in times of dire need. All the more sad that so few of these brave individuals yet survive. What substance men may accumulate in life cannot go with them to the next world. What they take will be the praise and honor of those they leave behind, should they be so fortunate as to have earned such respect. Their legacy will be what they did for others while they were in life and able to choose--no more and no less. It would do us well to remember that all that glitters is not celestial in nature. It is also wise to recall that great and marvelous things come about by small means and that first step. What will your legacy be?

P - Patriotism is not unfashionable or a thing of the past. It is just as valid today as when the founders took up arms to defend our then new nation. Patriotism is not barbeques and fireworks. Nor is it blind belief in the infallibility of our nation and leaders. It is acceptance of our frailties and faults, the desire to do better and make amends and it is the heartfelt gratitude that comes from being blessed by God to live in a nation that is still free to a great degree. It is the obligation to elect only good and righteous men and women to lead us. It is the unwavering duty to know and protect the rights of not only ourselves, but of the coming generations, many of whom may not be taught in our schools what their rights are or even that they have them.

Patriotism is the unexplainable, but overwhelming love that one has for the nation of his or her inheritance-- a love that defies words, but is so present as to be almost tangible. A love that brings tears to the eyes of those who feel it when they hear the national anthem or see their flag waving proudly in the breeze. It is the pride one feels when he hears some good news for a change. It is the feeling of satisfaction that comes from being of service and giving to those who have no way of giving back. Patriotism is a state of mind that only those who have it can ever understand.

E - Education is not only for those who plan to be doctors, lawyers and teachers or for those with aspirations to be great leaders in the world. It is also for the quiet, unassuming soul who desires to know more of his world and how to live harmoniously with others and in compliance with the blessings of God. It is for the man or woman that wishes to understand human nature and why it is that some folks get along quite well with one another while others cannot. It is the lifelong thirst for knowing who we are, why we are here and where we ultimately came from--and how we might return to God, who is our home. It is the means to preventing error and heartbreak, when properly applied. It can heal and protect, provide and instruct in turn.It is what separates us from the brute animal and lifts us in our journey to the worlds above.

C - Cooperation is pitching in and helping when asked to do so, but it is so much more. It is helping before being asked, helping when there is no hope for public recognition and helping because it is the right thing to do and feels good in the heart. It is the encouraging word spoken in good season, the critical comment withheld in a spirit of love and compassion and the silent arranging of circumstances into the proper order to aid another in his or her journey through life. Cooperation is an outward evidence of an inward conviction that the world can and ought to be a better, more peaceful place, accomplished one person at a time and close to home. Cooperation at its best is a grateful and cheerful heart, caught in the act of giving back.

T - Traditional values; that which made this country and this people what they are. Right and true principles, trusted and proven for generations. When we wander from that, we risk leaving behind the rich heritage that our founders fought for, in many cases sacrificing their lives and their fortunes. What would they think to know that we had squandered our inheritance in such a fashion? Upon leaving the Constitutional convention, when asked 'What have you wrought?', Benjamin Franklin responded, 'A Republic, if you can keep it.' Those final words ring deep for me--'if you can keep it'. The question is, will we? Will you? How precious is your freedom to you? Thomas Jefferson was reported as having said that 'a Democracy is the worst form of government' and the army training manuals of half a century ago taught that Democracy always ended in anarchy--always. Why? Because it is no more than legitimized mob rule. What the tyrant and dictator will not or cannot take for himself, he can easily get the jealous common man to vote for, so long as he devises a good game of divide and conquer.

In a Republic, law is law, even if 99% of the people wish it were not. So long as we make supreme efforts to elect only righteous, God-fearing men and women to office, this nation will survive. When our elected officials are corrupt, it is merely a reflection of the people as a whole. God cannot and will not protect us in our sins. We will be allowed to destroy ourselves from the inside, if that is what we choose. The enemy is always within. So long as we keep sin and error outside the gates, they cannot overcome. The moment we let them seep in to the least degree, the course is set. No wonder that God says, "I cannot tolerate sin in the least degree." He will not deprive of us our free agency. We must choose either good or evil. And there is no such thing as 'a little evil'.

V - Let me add another letter to the list. Although the letter 'V' is not used in the word 'respect', it is just as important. If we ever expect to be VICTORIOUS over our weaknesses, our trials and our enemies, we must be ever VIGILANT. 'The price of freedom is eternal VIGILANCE.' This is a cliche' because it is true. Freedom is won on a daily basis, not in one past, glorious battle. Don't be fooled--there are those in the world and in our own nation who would deprive you of your freedom. Will you let them? Edmund Burke wisely said that for evil to triumph, all that was required was for good men to do nothing. Are you doing nothing? Are you remaining silent to injustices around you? Do you rationalize that the decisions being made by others do not directly affect you? It is only a matter of time, my friend. If my freedom is lost, so is yours, just as surely.

Human nature is such that if we stop moving forward, we fall behind. Life teaches us nothing if not that. Perhaps it is time to make some resolutions. One need not wait for the first of January to change one's life. If the TV, discouragement and bad habits are holding you back, if your general attitude toward life needs a radical altering, now is the time. We never know when, for us, there may not be a tomorrow. Respect yourself and others, but most of all, respect God and be grateful.

[The letter V represents two people, working together and tied at the roots, but looking outward toward new horizons and better opportunities for both of them.]

--(C) Steven O'Dell

stevengodell@gmail.com

NOTE:

Share this freely with whomever you wish. I only ask that you do not change it, as it was written under divine inspiration and should remain intact. You may add your own comments separately as you pass it on and I encourage you to do so, if moved upon by the Spirit. Thank you.

Test of ScribeFire

2008-07-14T23:52:00.001-07:00

I am always looking for things that will make the writing process easier--especially when it comes to blogs lately. I have found another tool which immediately caught my eye--ScribeFire for the FireFox browser, currently in version 3. I have to admit that I have lost my patience with IE7 and its constant crashes and lockups.

This tool works directly from the tray of your browser. It allows you to add Flickr photos, YouTube videos and keeps a list of all your current blogs. This has been easy to set up, as well. I have to confess I like this tool because of the user friendliness and the short learning curve. Not to say that it lacks any essential features for the beginning to accomplished blogger. Only the most advanced bloggers might wish for other features that would usually require special skills and or courses. For them, WriteToMyBlog should fit the bill (see earlier article).

ScribeFire allows you to alter timestamps, trackback URL's and ping sites directly from the user interface. You can even set Categories for your articles. It has a lengthy list of your entries at a glance, making for quick and easy access. You can make notes regarding any of your articles and attach them. These show up only for you, I assume.

You have easy formatting in Rich editing, Source editing and Live Preview of the post, just as in most any other user interface, but I like the fact that they have added the ability to add special characters, as well. Letters can also be made larger or smaller at will. In addition to bold, italic and underline, you also have strikethrough. There are 10 fonts beyond the default font, each a fairly common and very readable font. I would like to see the ability to add a few more unusal ones, for the times that you demand some flair. Perhaps a future incarnation will offer it. I also noticed that you can justify the text and make ordered or unordered lists. What seems to be missing, however, is a spellchecker. Perhaps this was an oversight on the part of the programmers. You have to be confident with your spelling skills or a good proofreader (which you should do anyway).

I have also tested a feature that Blogger sadly lacks--the ability to highlight and cut and paste text. I have never been able to do that in Blogger. If there is a way, it has eluded me. ScribeFire allows this easily and without the slightest complaint. I feel to rejoice!

The Promote tab beckons to me to delve into its mysteries and the Settings tab brings everything to the forefront in a snap, without the need or worry of having to first save the text or lose it in the page switch, as I have in Blogger in the past. As with anything, the proof is in the pudding, as they say; so, here goes....

All in all, a very nice piece of work here. So, if you are reading this, ScribeFire worked and I will likely be using it in the future on a regular basis. Take care and happy writing, everyone.

Creative VADO camera for video-blogging

2008-07-10T15:37:00.022-07:00

It is becoming more popular all the time to embed video links in blogs. This is great when you want to share interviews, do product demonstrations, share an experience or just show off a talent or vent your frustrations. It is also great for documenting instances of police abuse, terrorist attacks or candidate faux pax's and campaign promises, so you can hold them accountable on YouTube at a later date. Won't that be fun?

Use it to record classes or what is on the bulletin board, so you can review it another time. Film your fave rock band and share with your friends. Send friends that recording of the family vacation and all the wonderful sites you visited, plus the zoom-in of the route you took. You are limited only by your imagination. However, I would recommend using a higher quality camera to record such important things as baby's birth, first steps and first word, etc. You will always wish you had, if you don't. Other than that, it is a great buy.

CAUTION: It is also quite effective in verifying your own personal I.Q. level. In the few minutes or hours that you take to develop remorse and remove the link, there can be long-lasting consequences from the subsequent downloads and sharing of your file--worldwide!

SPECS:

The VADO camera from Creative is quite an impressive piece of equipment. About the size of a cell phone, it is USB rechargeable, records up to two hours of video (having 2 Gb of built-in flash memory) in 640x480 resolution, on a 2" anti-glare screen, and is great for immediate uploads to your computer, YouTube or PhotoBucket by way of the built-in software, which takes over automatically when you plug into the USB port using the swivel-out USB adapter built into the camera.

The MPEG-4 format allows commonly available editing software to handle the task of cleaning up and polishing before you upload the final rendition to the Net. (See CAUTION above). Other features include a 2X zoom, good low-light performance and one-touch record.

Cost? You can get the device in pink or silver for approximately $100, a carrying case for about $15, extra battery packs for about $15, the charging cradle for $30, and an AV-out cable for around $10. The VADO also happily works with the Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later system and most recent Windows PCs. All in all, this is destined to be one popular camera, I would guess.

Odiogo Text-To-Speech

2008-07-10T14:56:00.004-07:00

A new Utility program that allows you to "read aloud" RSS subscriptions and create your own "podcasts" of your blog is called Odiogo (alternately pronounced Oh-dee-oh-go and Odd-ee-oh-go). For a demonstration of the technology, check here: http://blog.odiogo.com/index.php/2008/07/07/how-to-demo-movie-deploying-odiogo-on-a-typepad-blog/.

I am actually quite impressed with the quality and realism of the read-back. The voice sounds very natural and the inflections, etc., are comfortable to listen to. Perhaps future incarnations of this program will allow you to assign male and female voices, upper and lower register adjustments and maybe a five band equalizer or such, to allow closer simulation of the voice of the person posting the blog, the RSS feed, etc. To assign these settings ahead of time wouldn't be that difficult and would certainly be the next logical step in the advancement of this technology. Besides, variety really is the spice of life, is it not?

The company's demo was having an issue or two when I was there, but this could have been because my browswer is having an issue or two. I never got to listen to the demo from their site, but having already heard it in a podcast I had downloaded, I was shocked to find that it was an RSS feed that was being read by a software program. I knew then and there that I had to investigate this further and share the information.
http://www.odiogo.com/demo.php

This is a great technology that I suspect is going to be gaining a lot of popularity as more people find out about it. And maybe a lot more competitors, as well, trying to make those advancements that I suggested above and more. This can only be good for us all, as competition usually leads to improvement.

On trying to install it on this blog, I was defeated for some reason, but that isn't going to keep me from determing the reason and trying again, as I know that some blog hosts are a bit more temperamental about changes to their templates and installation of "foreign" widgets, etc. Also, other things I may have installed--firewalls, anti-viral and anti-trojan-ware--could be at the root of the issue.

Should you want to sign up yourself, go to this link and have a go at it. I would be interested in your experience, so come back and post it, if you will. We all learn by sharing knowledge. Thanks.
http://www.odiogo.com/

Resources For Writers:

2008-07-04T00:41:00.002-07:00

http://www.moderoom.com/writers-idea-bank/index.htm
At this link you will find some interesting tools that you can use on your igoogle page, if you use it. There are lots of reasons to be interested in the Writer's Idea Bank, a tool to unblock writer's block. When you get a cramp in the idea department, remove it with some timely suggestions.
Other links on this page may be of interest to you also. If nothing else, they may suggest things on a tangent that may help you in the writing process.

http://www.bubbleguru.com/home.php
Okay, now this one is very interesting and will definitely make your site unique. It will place a bubble in the screen with your animation or video welcome and instruction to your visitors.

http://www.inkygirl.com/freelance-writing-rates-how-much-should-i-charge/
As a freelance writer, here is an excellent resource to answer the question of “How much should I charge and by what method?” I think you will enjoy this one.

http://www.practiline.net/
Word and line count software for translators. Not saying this is the best, but it is a starting place. There may be freeware or shareware that is even better.

http://fabiosalsi.tripod.com/converter/salary_calculator_for_translators.htm
Here is a page that will allow you a user interface for doing the calculating yourself, without purchasing software.

Acrobat or Gymnast?

2008-07-01T12:09:00.003-07:00

Anyone who has ever wanted to create PDF files (portable and platform independent) has likely run into the cost of the most useful programs to accomplish the task (Adobe Acrobat, for example). You may have been able to afford the cost by digging into your huge advance from your publisher, the ongoing royalties from past works, etc. (It's hard to laugh with your tongue in your cheek, by the way.)

The answer to those who may be financially-challenged is to go for something more affordable (read: free), Gymnast. You will still need the free Adobe Reader, but you can now create the PDF for no cost, with Gymnast. Enjoy.

TEST of WriteToMyBlog.com

2008-07-01T09:59:00.001-07:00

This is just a test. Had this been an actual blog entry, you would have been instructed in some manner with information of value. This has been a test of the writetomyblog.com system.

Fetch! Good boy, BlogRovr.

2008-01-05T14:40:00.003-07:00

I like new and useful gadgets and software--no Luddite here. When Blogger for Word was interrupted, my feelings were hurt, because I enjoyed and used it a lot. However, there may still be hope, if talented programmers like the following keep at work on their ideas.

BlogRovr is a new application out for bloggers, or anyone else, that is very interesting. I am just starting to experiment with it and so have yet to be able to sing its praises, but the technology is promising, at the least.

The general idea behind BlogRovr is that you can get related blog write-ups delivered straight to you at the desktop WHILE you are reading another article or page at that instant. Kind of a servant who says, "If you are enjoying this, might I also suggest....?" Rather a novel idea (no pun intended).

My thought was an immediate, "Hey! This could help me keep up more easily on what others are doing in almost ANY field, including authoring." The potential seems immense, does it not? I am anxious to see what happens with this and look forward to your responses, should you also try it out.

http://www.blogrovr.com/

Is There A Great Story Hiding In You Somewhere? Dealing With Writer's Block

2007-12-29T20:15:00.000-07:00

(In putting together this new site, I am also closing down the old one and moving what I think may be of interest to readers. This one of those articles.)

Writers' Block. The dreaded authors' disease. Speechless Stupor.
Whatever you may call it, it is not the desired end for a writer. A writer wants the words to flow like a mountain stream, like an artesian well, like Angel Falls--from great and astounding heights to unfathomable depths. Unfortunately that is not always the result of our efforts. Of course, it is not so bad when the block is only temporary. The worst block of all may be the one we do not notice, however.

Is it possible there is a great story hiding in you and you are not even aware of it? "How can that be possible?", you ask. To clarify, it may be the story you have yet to discover. More worrisome is that you may never discover it at all. Is that possible?

Although I cannot remember all the details, I recall hearing the true tale of a woman from Europe who once wrote a famous author and praised his work, commenting that she wished she had such talents as he. His response was to ask what it was that she did each day. She wrote back that she was a washer-woman and she sat on the steps each day after she folded her clothing. He again wrote and asked her what she saw as she sat there. She responded that she sat on the tiles the steps were made from. Back and forth this exchange went. What kind of tiles? Italian hand-made tiles. Describe them to me, etc. She began to be fascinated by the process utilized to manufacture those tiles and she sent him an impressive essay on the subject. Again he asked what else she saw as she sat there each day. She told of the ants that she would watch as they went about their activities around her feet. Another essay took flight and she sent this to him as well. Before the saga was over, she was a recognized expert on the subject of ant colonies and had several articles accepted and published in scientific journals. Other subjects of interest followed and she was just as successful in their pursuit.

Now it is your turn. Ask yourself about the world around you. Who is your neighbor? Did he or she experience some great marvel or survive some great catastrophe? Is their hobby something unusual? Are they an inspiration you have until now been unaware of? Have you done something that few others ever do in their lives? Did you overcome some great trial or obstacle in your life? Is there a great story waiting in that microcosm you call your life?

The moral of this example is fairly plain to see. The great story that seems to elude us may in fact be right under our feet all the time, with us passing it each day, oblivious to its very existence. Perhaps we may need to look up or look down for a change. Or we may be required to look outside of ourselves and our daily world to discover the excitement that was there all along. Then again, we may even need to focus inside ourselves to discover a great story that we have until today taken for granted.

Organized Confusion

2007-12-29T13:32:00.003-07:00

It has been far too long since I have posted to this blog. I have all the usual excuses, however, so I am well prepared. A lot has been going on in my life. Researching the best way to publish my trilogy in the SHINING ARMOR series. I am writing a few new books. AIMLESS WANDERINGS will be a humor-based book (which I am still adding a bit to), to be followed up by a sequel, ORGANIZED CONFUSION, also humor-based. AMNESIA is another novel I have in the works and have been unable to spend much time with of late. I am also compiling an electronic work entitled WHO"S FUELING WHOM? AN EXPOSE' OF THE GLOBAL ENERGY CONSPIRACY. This will have a unique approach to proving claims made within the booklet. It won't be a long work, but will be a powerful one nonetheless. Considering writing a book called FAT, LAZY AND STUPID--THE PROBLEMS WITH AMERICA. Don't get me wrong, I love America and what it STOOD for. Problem is, it no longer does.

In addition, I have been involved in the formation of, with two housemates (while stuck here in Arizona), a trio of corporations that will hopefully work in a synergistic manner and accomplish a lot of good for the under-privileged and suffering in the world. There is a lot of prep work involved in this and I am learning by the seat of my pants. Fortunately they know a lot more about it. I trust that God will provide for this work, as long as we continue in His spirit and purpose.

I must assume that your holidays went well. Mine were (are) like the proverbial headless chicken, but have indeed been interesting. Being half the nation away from my family for a time, I had the privilege to spend the holidays with others who took pity on me (or wanted to punish me for some unknown crime) and invited me to join their own families. I miss the family and have made some very pronounced changes. No longer do I have to wear the Bah! Humbug! T-shirt my wife got me some years ago. I now enjoy the season and wish the good cheer could carry over all year. (My wife wants to know who I am and what I have done with her real husband).

On Christmas Eve, I had the distinct and memorable experience of having dinner with Satan and his minions. Not really, but it could as easily have been the same experience if I had. There should be a sign above this family's door that says, 'Abandon Hope, All Who Enter Here'. The whole thing was a real culture shock for me. To lay some foundation for you, I worked with the man for a short time at one job and we seemed to recognize kindred spirits in one another--they say opposites attract and we could not be more opposite than this. I call him my 'evil twin' and he calls me his 'conscience'. We have a lot of the same interests, albeit different manners of applying the knowledge (if you gave me a hammer, I would see what I could build with it--he would try to determine how to conquer the world with it). Mind you, he is brilliant--just terribly twisted in his goals. After consideration, I have decided he may be a science experiment run amok.

Anyway, for one five minute period that seemed much, much longer, they did nothing but shout obscenities and tell one another to shut up. Even the kids talked as you would expect to hear in a bar or locker room. I was very uncomfortable and smilingly asked him not to invite me back next year, whereupon the kids protested and said, 'But you're nice! You have to come back!' Maybe I got through to somebody after all, but that is an experience I would only wish once a year. Next time, if there is one, I will go in fasting and prayer and prepare to cast out the demons from their home. I am not certain if anyone will be left alive if I do, however.

Christmas day I spent with a family that had the young kids enact the Nativity scene and I got to be the angel (my wife should have seen that). The experience was wonderful--no comparison to 'Beelzebub and family' necessary to improve it. I enjoyed the conversation and the influence of good people who love one another. I only wish the other family could have experienced that. Then again, the shock may have killed one or another of the families outright. *sigh*

Free for Your Consideration

2007-07-09T15:12:00.000-07:00

As I was growing up, I read a lot of Sci-Fi and adventure stories. I am certain my father was sorry he ever introduced me to some of it, but I learned writing techniques from master writers this way. Much of what I learned was by osmosis, I guess, but can be applied to writing novels, short stories, movies, etc. There are no regrets on my part.

Previously I have posted only portions of my writings on this and other sites. Now, for the first time, I have posted the entire Shining Armor series of three books at CTRstories.com. Along with this are several vignettes, an inspirational short story, a hymn and more to come. Why the change? Call it inspiration, a hunch,…whatever. What’s in it for you? You get to study the techniques I have learned, hopefully enjoy what you consider to be good writing and then ask me questions regarding it (via the email link on the right), if you like. I am also making available the chance to get coaching on a limited basis, but should you want more involved help (such as editing, proofing, ghostwriting, etc.), that might be arranged also.

You see, I love to write. This is my element and what I was meant to do. When you have an aptitude, use it in any way you can. If you do not, you will be miserable and frustrated all your life. Using your God-given talents will bring you joy and enrich not only your life, but the lives of others. So, with my compliments…enjoy my creations thus far. And when they are available to purchase in hard copy (soon, if all goes as planned), please support me to make more.

The Beauty of Words

2006-12-10T21:59:00.000-07:00

The following quotes from writers were found at the “lens” site of Angela Harms at Squidoo.com. My thanks to Angela for recognizing the beauty in these words. I have asked her permission to include them here (truth be told, I couldn’t wait and hope she lets me keep them here).

“Write while the heat is in you. The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with. He cannot inflame the minds of his audience.”

—Henry David Thoreau
(Dr. Joe Vitale says the universe likes speed. This would seem to verify that claim.)

“Writing is easy. All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until the drops of blood form on your forehead.”

—Gene Fowler

“The faster I write the better my output. If I'm going slow I'm in trouble. It means I'm pushing the words instead of being pulled by them.”

--Raymond Chandler
(I believe in this principle totally. The faster you write, the more the vision comes to the front. Edit later. Let the separate hemispheres of the brain work alone as much as possible. This clears the mind for the processes to to work optimally.)

“It took me fifteen years to discover that I had no talent for writing, but I couldn't give it up because by that time I was too famous.”

—Robert Benchley

See Angela's personal site and read her sage advice at: http://www.angelaharms.com/

This quote, another good one (and unfortunately accurate, all too often) was posted at BCwriters.com, a federation of writers from British Columbia.

"The writer is odd from day one and in the course of pursuing this maddening profession becomes distinctly odder... It is not unusual for a successful writer -- your favourite, the one you think of as full of sunshine, wisdom and laughter -- to spend great portions of his or her life in a state of fury, hideously disappointed, or even raving mad." -- Paul Theroux

Listen Up! Great advice for free!

2006-12-10T12:57:00.000-07:00

Okay, let me take a moment to clarify. This advice is great. It is also free—but only if you follow it. It could cost you quite dearly, if you don’t. Read on.

While surfing the Internet, I found this wonderful article by Constance (Connie) Briscoe, a published author of over 10 years and five fiction books, some of which have hit the most prominent best sellers lists. Here, she not only discusses the ten basic steps she used to get published, but also discusses the pros and cons of seeking representation -- the age old question of “literary agent vs. publisher” (you may presently have the wrong idea which is best).

All in all, Connie is experienced, smart and willing to help you. You would do well to listen and learn, as I have. Enjoy.

How To Get Published

Screenplays and More

2006-11-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

The old saying is that if you want advice from a butcher, you don't go to the baker or candlestick maker. The same advice holds true in screenwriting or any other facet of the authoring world. I will be the first to admit I am not an expert in screenwriting. I have never written a screenplay, although I want to learn how and do so. I do know how to find an expert, though. One with very good credentials and years of expert experience can be found here: coverscript.com.

I am quite impressed with what I read here. In addition to some extremely reasonable rates to look over your work, Lynne Pembroke has the wealth of experience and knowledge to help you make it a top quality, prize-winning effort. You may find that writing a screenplay is nowhere near the same as writing the novel you derive it from. They are, admittedly, two separate disciplines and should be respected as such. Therefore, what may have come quickly and easily in your novel may be the hardest thing in the world to put properly into screenplay format. The wise person knows and admits when he is out of his league.

I have looked at screenplays and have remarked to myself that they appeared to be stripped down so far as to be devoid of life and imagery--mere skeletal versions of the story. The expert screenplay writer sees a different side, quite obviously. What that is, I can only guess, but I do know there is an art to it and I am not in the inner circle as to what the rules of the game may be (pardon me for mixing metaphors, but you get the idea).

That is where an expert, like Lynne, comes in. Cut to the chase, as they would say in film. Do you need an expert in your corner? Only you can say. Do you have all the time in the world and you are doing this for your own enjoyment? Then you may not ever need someone to critique and mentor you to perfection. Do you want to be taken seriously by the film industry or TV industry? Then you would do well to cover all bases and get that all-important second opinion from an industry resident expert.

I have to point out that I have never met Lynne Pembroke, spoken with her in any manner and I am certainly not being paid by her to write this regarding her and her profession. To the best of my knowledge, she will never even know that I have written this article. The reason I have done it is simply to point out that there are times when we cannot rely upon our own talents and instincts to carry us through--that time is when we are out of our natural element. Have you ever written a screenplay? You may be a natural, but... why take chances when you have one opportunity to make a first impression? The same advice holds true in all areas of life. You are constantly selling something, but always selling yourself. What kind of product are you? That will determine what others think about your work ethic, your work quality and your dependability. Fail to make a good first impression and the second, no matter how favorable, will only average out.

What you decide to do is entirely up to you. Have fun writing that screenplay, but when you are ready to go to the next level with it, have a good mentor and co-pilot to get you there, okay?

Peek in on these sites.

2006-11-18T16:57:00.000-07:00

You don't always have to be in pursuit of that great American novel to be considered an accomplished writer. Today I would like to offer a short list of sites for you that concern freelance writing possibilities and advice. Other avenues of income are always welcome, are they not? And a brief look through my first suggestion will definitely expand your view of the channels through which you might make some extra income as a writer.

As nearly exhaustive as I have ever seen, this first site is definitely worth a close look and further research. You may well decide that you have the talents and qualifications to fit into many of these listed slots. Perhaps there is on this list something you have never before considered yourself capable of. Take chances and do the research. Compare your writing on a particular subject to that of a recognized expert. You may be shocked to find yourself exclaiming, "I could do that!" This is not to say that you will immediately rise to the top, like cream, of course, but the value is in seeing avenues of expansion that you never saw or considered before--if you do something about it afterward, that is.

sohoday.com/FreelanceWritingontheInternet

The next site I would like you to consider also opens up some new frontiers for you, unless you have already done a podcast or audio book. If not, perhaps you should consider doing so. Few people read a book with the same passion as the author of the work. This is your opportunity to bring to life the characters and situations you wrote about--your chance to make them real in the minds of potential readers. The word images you drew can be painted anew in more vivd colors than ever before. Everyone loves a story and it is more riveting to many when they are told the story. So, take a look and consider this--even if it is only an excerpt. Don't worry about lost revenue, as there are still many that prefer to hold a copy themselves--right there in their hot little hands.

podiobooks.com

Not to overload you, but to expand your view of what is out there and awaiting you, I add these links, also. I am not suggesting plagiarism, but you never know where the next great idea is going to come from. It may come from your boredom and surfing the sites of others. These came from entering the phrase "Freelance Writing" into my search engine (I use searchbigdaddy because it pays me points I can use to purchase advertising when I choose to do so. Check it out for yourself.)

freelancewrite.about.com

freelancewriting.com

suite101.com/freelance_writers

writerlance.com

howstuffworks.com/magazine-writing

Authors, get a PDF Power-Brander at no charge!

2006-10-21T20:37:00.000-07:00

"Okay", you are saying, "What is a PDF brander?" Well, it is very simple, my friend. If you are a writer (and I assume that either you are or you want to be, or you wouldn't be here right now), you may one day want to make a PDF (a multi-platform text that works on Mac's and PC's alike)--an E-Book of your own. You will probably want to brand it with your name or company name, to ensure that every copy that gets sent abroad on the internet will bear that identification as well. Well, here is where you can get the program that will allow you to do just that--at no charge! I got mine; you get yours.

Get your own PDF Brander

Also, get a PDF creator for free here. You need this to create the eBook to brand.

pdf995 download

I have also heard of a PDF-creating program called Gymnast, that purports to work the same way Adobe Acrobat does. Note that I have not yet had time to look these programs over, so proceed first with a copy of your work--not the ONLY copy.

Have fun and tell me what you think.

The Write Discoveries

2006-10-19T21:47:00.000-07:00

When I find sites I feel will be of use to you, I like to share the discovery and list the links in the column at the righthand side of this page (as time permits), so it will always be there when you need it. My intent is to eventually make this a one-stop shop for all of your writing needs. To that end, here are more discoveries you should see. Some are fun, some are nuts-and-bolts serious. All are useful in some way.

WritingFix.com

(Rather intriguing and fun)

Writing.com

(See links at top of page)

Writer's Tools

(A variety of interesting resources)

Please feel free to email me and add more suggestions. I will review them as time permits.

A VERY impressive site from the UK. -- ExploreWriting.

2006-10-16T22:46:00.000-07:00

ExploreWriting.co.uk

I received a request to look at this site and include a link to it in the column to the right. It didn't take long to see that this is a quality site and deserving of the attention. Many thanks to Alex Collins for pointing it out to me and best wishes with further development of the site, which is handsomely done and efficiently laid out (I may have to adopt some of their html code implementation, as well). I recommend you look it over thoroughly for the good advice included there. Well worth your time.

Query Letter Example

2006-10-16T20:49:00.000-07:00

I thought it might interest to you to see a query letter. I have searched the 'net high and low for an example and come up empty handed. There were many and differing opinions regarding content, but I found none to actually study. I have concluded that even the experts cannot agree and that perhaps I should trust my instincts.

I knew that this query letter would be a calling card, a resume, an introduction and a sales letter. I had one chance and it must be professional and polished. Below is the letter, which I printed on a monogrammed letterhead--very nice indeed. And it seems to have gotten attention. I suggest that you keep to two pages maximum, but you must follow your instincts as well. Any questions? Write to me at pointedwords@gmail.com.com.

[Note that I belatedly asked for the advice of a professional writer and editor in regards to this letter. Although the original draft received a reading and a good response, it was not what I had hoped. Had I requested this friends' expert advice before I sent the letter, it may well have gotten a better response. 'Better late than never,' as they say. Although I am not at liberty to divulge the name of this good person, I certainly appreciate the kind gesture and wish her well personally. My letter has certainly become better because of her attention to it. Below is the revised and improved version.]

(To whom are you addressing it? Include the agency name and address in full.)

The Charlotte Gusay Literary Agency
10532 Blythe, Suite 211
Los Angeles, CA 90064

(What is it that you are pitching? Include this in the upper right hand corner of the letter. This saves guessing for the agent or editor you have sent it to. It may also picque their interest, if you are creative without getting bizarre or gaudy).

Thriller/Romance--modern times
circa 70,000 words

(Whom do you want to read it? Do your research and call for the name of the editor or agent, if you must. People like their name and respond to it better than to their titles.)

Attention: Charlotte Gusay

(Give an exciting and 'visually stimulating' example from the work itself. This tells them you can indeed write and engage an audience. It also tells them this could make a good film.)

The arm shot around her like a python, strangling her already bruised and protesting ribs in its relentless grip. The hand that followed closed powerfully across her mouth to prevent warning screams for the would-be rescuers that were drawing nigh. Denise felt her eyes were large as saucers as she swung the steel point swiftly and surely into the thigh she knew was behind her. Again and again she drove the screwdriver home until the hands that held her relinquished their grip and with a groan of agony, gave her the freedom she demanded. Denise screamed quickly and determinedly to let the others know where she was. There were only seconds to enjoy her sovereignty and she knew Ted stood between her and those who sought her, still too far away to help. He now bellowed like the beast he was and again prepared to charge. In bitter anguish, Denise turned away from her desired goal and fled deeper into the black, dense growth of the forest.
--Excerpt from Shining Armor—The Knight Appears

(Give a brief synopsis of the story to further generate interest. This must be in present tense. Identify characters by name and project a feel for them as people. You want the editor or agent to forget to read as a professional and read as a fan.)

In Shining Armor --The Knight Appears, Ronald Jameson is a man who has suffered the loss of his wife a year or so previously and has become a recluse, kept company in his solitude only by his pain.

While Ron sits peacefully at a diner one morning, a bully (Ted Randall) begins to openly terrorize and abuse a woman (Denise Payton) and her female friend. Concerned for their safety, Ron tries to calmly and quietly defuse the situation, but instead sets into motion a chain of events that threatens him and Denise with the loss of their lives, for Ted Randall is a psychopathic madman, delusional to the point that he will stop at nothing in order to achieve what he wants or to have revenge on those who attempt to impede his will.

The settings for the story range from a modern city to the forested mountain range nearby. Not only must the hero and heroine evade dangers in their daily surroundings, but also their inevitable flight leads them to a cabin retreat, which they hope will prove to be a refuge and safe haven. Instead, their enemy follows and attempts to murder them there. The hardships of the wilderness environment seem trivial when compared with the threat posed by this evil personified.

(Your market and the audience you plan to reach?)

As a crossover genre, shown already to appeal to both men and women, as well as to a wide base of reader interests, this should prove to be a profitable addition to your catalog. The market for suspense and thrillers is huge and, in addition, romance readers are unquestionably among the largest group of book consumers. The current market demand for realism will be advantageous, as well. Based on preliminary reader responses, I am quite confident this will adapt excellently to film, further propelling sales of the book.

(Show that you are a consummate professional in every way and that you do your homework. They also want to know you will get involved in the process before they put their money into it.)

Ms. Gusay, I have studied the techniques of master writers since my teen years and upon completion of my manuscript, I knew a market test was advisable. The best test would be with strangers who owed me nothing but the brutal truth. Logical “experts” would be avid readers of the thriller, suspense and romance genres. Additionally, those not normally fans of these genre would be the acid test. Responses to this testing have been overwhelmingly positive. I include a few samples, excerpted for brevity, but written as received:

(Prove your claims with real and viable examples and testimonials. These must be unbiased--none of the "My Mom loves it" stuff.)

"I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. I love it...I want more…. You have a great way of capturing the reader very quickly. The characters seem so real…. The suspense had my heart racing as I was trying to read faster…"

--Roxane Raley

"Draws you right in. More like watching a movie than reading a book."

--Mary Harrison

“I’ve been enjoying it, which really surprised me, being this particular genre.”

--Sarge McClintock

"I predict great things from you, Steve. ...I really like your book!...you have a great voice and a great story. "

-- --Kerry Lynn Blair--author of This Just In and 6 other novels

"wow, Wow, WOW!!! I was hooked the moment I started reading ...yours seemed more real, totally believable.... I felt as though I was right there…."

--Katrina Wildeboer

"Usually it takes at least 10 pages to peak my interest, but I can already tell this is going to be great! Captivating from page one! Quite an accomplishment."

--Maryann Faler

(Show that you value their input and are confident of their interest. Make certain your work has been gone over with a fine-toothed comb first. There may still be faults, but you want them to be minimal in nature and few in number. Mention any other of your works they could be interested in, but be brief and remember these are busy people.)

Please note that, although this novel functions well as a stand-alone, I have also written two sequel novellas: The Evil Returns (presently ca. 28,000 words) and The Rival (presently ca. 35,000 words), with reprise appearances of characters from the original work and introducing new and interesting characters as the adventure continues. These would go well under the same cover as the original or issued together under a separate cover. They might also be expanded, if required. Preliminary response to them has been quite favorable, as well.

(Show genuine and sincere gratitude for the time and attention given you. Again, these are very busy and overworked individuals.)

Ms. Gusay, I thank you, in advance, for your time and attention. I look forward to your response and advice. Please notify me regarding format preference and whether you desire a few chapters or the complete manuscript.

(Sign and include your contact info, which may or may not repeat your letterhead info.)

Steven O’Dell

6464 E. Portia Circle
Mesa, AZ 85215
Cell: 509-855-2939
pointedwords@gmail.com (Because anything else is pointless.)

(A little humor never hurts, when appropriate. It shows you are human and approachable. Besides, there may be days these folks hate their jobs, too. If you make them laugh or smile, they might look more favorably upon you. At least they may remember you more easily the next time you approach them with a project.)

Always remain confident as you write. If you feel it, you will project it as well. Believe in your work, but be prepared for constructive critique and be ready to follow it, if it is valid. You should want your work to be perfect. Ideally, if it is perfect before you send it in, the editor or agent should read as a fan--not an agent or editor. However, should you get constructive criticism, remember this: Stephen King says that if he gets the same suggestions 2-3 times, he takes them seriously. You do the same. You will only benefit from it. The only time I suggest that you resist--and please do so politely--is when the inner muse dictates so strongly that you cannot ignore the impulse. This is not for the sake of foolish pride. It is not because you already think your work is perfect, but because you KNOW that fiddling with it will only harm the story. When you know it, you just know it, even if you cannot explain how you know it. Then, and only then, should you politely resist the critique of a publisher or agent.

It is also advisable to write a thank-you letter upon receipt of a rejection letter. This shows you are mature and can take it. It also is a perfect opportunity to ask politely why it was rejected and what you might do to improve your work. Think of it as another foot in the door. Who knows what may come of it? Best wishes and keep writing.

Finding a Book Publisher

2006-10-12T21:36:00.000-07:00

A special thanks to Jenna Glatzer of AbsoluteWrite.com for this great article. Here is a lady with lots of experience and awesome credentials.

Finding a Book Publisher
By Jenna Glatzer

Recently, a few writer-friends on the Absolute Write message boards and I were lamenting the fact that many inexperienced writers get tricked into believing that vanity presses and borderline-vanity presses are traditional publishers. We were talking about the numbers, mostly—how did so many new writers even find these publishers?

It all became shockingly clear: search engines.

We found that new writers often type phrases like “book publisher,” “find a publisher,” “book publishing,” or “novel publishers” into search engines like Google. And what comes up when you do that? Vanity presses all over the first page, with enticing messages like “Publish fast! We want your book!” Many writers don't dig much deeper than that. They find those first few publishers, submit their manuscripts, and take the first "acceptance letter" that comes their way.

See, vanity and fringe presses caught on a lot faster than I did. They figured out what new writers were searching for and they optimized their web pages to make sure that when a writer typed in keywords like “book publisher” or “novel publisher,” their pages would come up first.

Now, I love the Internet. It’s a fabulous tool. But search engines are not the best spot to start your research when you’re a new writer in search of a book publishing contract. They’ll take you to the last-resort places first.

If you’re truly serious about building a career as an author, whether you plan to write novels or nonfiction books, you won’t skimp on the research. Aside from the time you spend actually writing the book, researching your publishing options may be your most valuable effort in the publication process. If you put your heart, your labor, your discipline into this manuscript, doesn’t it deserve the best home you can find for it?

Choosing a publisher is no simple task, and it’s not a decision that should be based on impatience. Yes, the easy way out is to find one of these “we’ll accept anything” publishers, turn in your manuscript, and have your book in your hands in a matter of just a couple of months (maybe even weeks). Unfortunately, it’s the easy way out only until you actually try to sell the darn thing—then it’s about the hardest road you could possibly have taken.

The next simplest way to find a publisher is in the Writer’s Market. I look forward to its publication every year; it helps to keep me up-to-date about thousands of markets for my work. You can search through it in hardcopy or online, and it has a genre index at the back so you can flip to book publishers that match your genre quickly. However, it shouldn’t be your only tool.

You may choose to look for an agent first, or you may choose to go it alone. Agents typically take a 15 percent commission from sale money; legitimate agents do not charge anything up-front. A good agent can help you get read faster, can help you get read in places that are typically closed to unsolicited submissions, and can help you negotiate the best possible deal.

That said, I’ve made more than half of my book deals on my own. I tend to be more proactive about my career than an agent ever could be, and I’m not afraid to negotiate. It’s all a matter of figuring out what works best for you.

If you choose to fly solo, there really are better ways of finding a publisher than doing random searches or reading books of guidelines. Here are my best tips:

1. Read Publishers Lunch (www.publisherslunch.com), which gives a run-down of book deals. It tells you which publishers are buying which types of books, and usually includes the name of the editor who acquired the book and the agent who made the deal.

2. Read Publishers Weekly (www.publishersweekly.com). It’s expensive, but you can probably find it at your local library. This will keep you up-to-date on industry happenings, trends, who’s buying what, and staff changes.

3. Read books! This may be the most obvious, yet most overlooked suggestion. The best way to target your submissions is to find books in your genre or on similar topics at a bookstore or library, then copy down the name of the publisher. Check the acknowledgments section, too, to see if the author mentioned the editor or agent. Then you can hop onto Google and type in the publishers’ name. More often than not, on any publishers’ site, you’ll find a link to submission guidelines. Barring that, there should be a mailing address or e-mail address at the very least. You can cross-reference information with Writer’s Market once you’ve found publishers that interest you, too.

4. Ask around. Let’s say you found a book in your genre that you enjoyed, but you’ve never heard of the publisher. There’s no harm in looking up the author, then sending off a polite e-mail to ask if he or she is having a positive experience with that publisher.

5. Search Amazon. Look up books you’ve read or heard of in your genre or category. Amazon lists the book publisher in each book’s entry. Then look up the publisher in a search engine or guidebook.

Assuming you want to earn a living from your writing, it’s important that your book reaches a large audience. That means it needs adequate distribution. Unfortunately, most print-on-demand publishers can’t achieve decent bookstore distribution because of a number of bookstore-unfriendly policies (no returns allowed, lower-than-average discounts to bookstores, lack of a bar code or price on the back of the book, etc.), not to mention the overall poor quality of vanity-published books due to a lack of editing and lack of editorial standards. This is not the crowd you want to be in if you plan to be a professional writer.

Above all else, you must be patient. There’s much more to book publishing than I could ever share in a short article; luckily, there are plenty of professional authors who are more than willing to share their expertise with you. Don’t rush your manuscript out until you feel secure that you understand the way the industry works. A few good clues: Do you know what a distributor does versus a wholesaler? Do you know which trade magazines’ reviews are important? Do you know why it’s preferable to get royalties on list price instead of net? Do you know why it’s important to have an “out of print” clause and what it should look like?

There’s nothing wrong with not knowing the answers. Everyone starts someplace. The only wrong thing is rushing into the publishing industry before you get those answers. The more naïve you are about the process, the easier it is for unscrupulous people to get hold of you.

A traditional publisher will never pressure you to buy your own books, to pay for editing or cover art or even your own copyright. They’ll cover the expenses. You’ll be expected to pitch in with publicity efforts, but it won’t all fall on your shoulders. With vanity and fringe presses, these standards aren’t there. Those companies make money from authors instead of from readers.

I know the road can seem long and difficult. Most authors receive many rejection letters before that first acceptance letter. But it’s a worthwhile wait. In a case like this, your first “instinct” may not be the best one. The kinds of publishers you probably want to deal with are not the ones who are screaming, “Click here! We’ll publish your book!” They’re the ones who are busy actually selling books instead of concentrating their efforts on luring in new writers.

Keep working at it until you find the right solution. Take as much care in finding a book publisher as you would a marriage partner; get to know the publisher before you commit, and understand what you’re getting into. When you begin walking into bookstores and seeing readers picking up your book, you’ll thank yourself that you took the time to get it right.

Jenna Glatzer is the editor-in-chief of www.AbsoluteWrite.com and the author of many books, including Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer, which comes with a free editors' cheat sheet at www.jennaglatzer.com. Her latest book, Fear is No Longer My Reality, which she co-wrote with Jamie Blyth of The Bachelorette, is hot off the press.

This article may be freely reprinted in any e-zine, newsletter, website, or print publication as long as the bio remains intact.

A Good Deal for FREE!

2006-10-04T23:20:00.000-07:00

This is going to sound like a shameless advertisement and, in a way, it is, but please hear me out. I think you will not be disappointed--or at least you will understand what I am getting at.

Okay, I know this is a site for writers, but here is a tool for writers that only seems to deviate into left field. (Remember, I told you this site will be unconventional, but with a method to the madness.) I sincerely believe it is a great opportunity to get early positioning for your book, your poetry or your writing and editing service--even your blog--in what may become a gargantuan search engine in the not-too-distant future.

YOU GET:
Paid to search!
Paid to blog!
Paid to tell friends! (A pro site for free to do so.)
Head-of-the-list advertising guaranteed for you!
$50 in free advertising, just to start!

At NO COST to you!

BigDaddyPays

If you want to advertise your writing talents, your latest works, or just vent your feelings and opinions in your writing--and get paid to do so--here is a site you need to know about. Not only can you get paid to set up a blog (paid in Pay-Per-Click "advertising dollars"), but you can get paid (by the same means) to do searches on their search engine, with which they have boldly stated they intend to eventually rival and beat Google. That remains to be seen, but they certainly do deliver on their promise to pay and you can use the "dollars" to purchase keyword advertising that makes your webpage come to the top of the search list--as a banner ad that can be clicked for a full view of same.

BigDaddyPays

Not bad at all, for a site you can get a free subscription to. Yes, there are other premium services and they appear to be well worth it, too. I wish them well in their efforts to serve their customers and I recommend highly that you get over there, while they are in the startup phase and you benefit the most from telling your friends and family of the opportunity. Imagine if you had gotten into Yahoo or Google when they started--this may be that chance.

BigDaddyPays

A Showcase for Your Work

2006-09-26T00:03:00.000-07:00

I have recently found a nice site that is a good beginning showcase for those wanting to display samples of their work. The first 25 pieces are free to list. Give it a look, as this is an easy way to send your friends to a single site that will allow you to be appreciated for your talents. The chance of being seen by other authors is there, too, but in the two weeks that I have had some of my work posted, there have been no responses, so be aware that this could happen to you, as well.

If you would like to try this, at least know that the more places your name and work appear on the internet, the more chance you have of gaining ranks in the search engines, although it is not an easy task, to be sure.

Check out my own example at editred.com/stevengodell/Uploads

You Are Immersed In Great Ideas

2006-09-24T00:31:00.000-07:00

What if I were to tell you that you are totally surrounded, fully immersed, nearly drowning in good ideas for stories? You would probably not believe me, but that's okay--I can take it (sniff, sniff...whimper).

Literally every time we need an idea, it may already be right at our fingertips (because "at the tip of our brains" sounds so bizarre--besides, the fingers should be typing or penning anyway, right?). However....even writers get carried away with the worries of everyday life and get distracted from what they want and need to concentrate on. Perhaps it is the next plotline or the fleshing out of a character for their story. It is hard to think of that when you are driving kids to the doctor or shopping for tires or a myriad of other things that demand your attention and are yelling, "me first!" It is not, however, impossible. And, it may in fact be much easier than you think. I have the same shortsightedness quite often and find that the answer is usually close at hand. (It is making the time to actually do the writing that is the hard part.)

Often a story is more believable and interesting precisely because it is lifelike, so what you may need to do is include some things that are a lot like real life--maybe your life. Now, before you gag, just hear me out. The answer to what your characters lack in depth may be staring you right in the face. There are things you may hear of or run into everyday that could be your answer to a new plotline or a twist you need--maybe a whole new character to introduce. For example, I suddenly came up with a brainstorm recently that surprised me by the simplicity (then again, you may think it is just simple-minded). Who would think a story could be inspired by a single-term medical condition, but that is what motivated me. The term? Amnesia. Can you write a story around that concept? Sure. And I think it is a great title, too. I recall Robin Williams starring in a movie in which Robert DeNiro had a severe medical condition through much of the film. And Martin Short was in one where the girl had amnesia. (No, I am not just ripping off the idea. I just now recalled that and it was a comedy, while mine will be a thriller--cut me some slack, okay? Besides, I have about thirty more ideas for plots in mind).

The whole plot for a story could be determined by a disease (epidemic movies), by political conditions (All the Presidents' Men--the original one) or any of a number of things. I guess the whole point is that all we need do is look around us and see the "distractions" themselves as ideas that could have a story built around them. I also have an idea that I want to work on that will be focused around the 'Practical Joke' theme. I think a movie based on it would be a real hoot.

Practice the approach of taking a theme or singular idea and using it as a focal point to construct a short story around. Let's say for a moment that you were the one writing about Practical Joking--who in your story might be the most likely victim? The likely perpetrator? The enablers and the snitches? What would be an appropriate revenge? What lesson is to be learned in all of this silliness? For a change, mix up the usual expectations and stereotypical role assignments of the characters. Let the women be strong and the men cowards and fools. Let the children amaze the community with their wisdom. I recently saw the movie Taxi and listened to the director commentary about halfway through (I can see why he is the director and not the actor) and there was a lot of talk about the role assignment changes and twists to the usual expectations in films. This made it all the more interesting as a film. (Trivia Bit: Did you know that R2D2 and C3PO in the Star Wars films were patterned after Laurel and Hardy? A perfect example of the technique twisted to portray characters and make the inhuman more lifelike, Also, "R2D2" came from 'Reel 2, Dialogue 2' and it stuck).

What you want to do as a writer is to stand out from the crowd and the way you stand out is to be different, daring, bold and unique. Even your treatment of an old subject can be successful if it is fresh. I once heard someone remark that public speaking is "the same old hash--it just depends on the cook". I think the same goes with writing. After all, writing is just public speaking put into a from that lasts longer, is it not? And if you need some inspiration, go to the library and browse the index cards--you may be surprised to find yourself literally immersed in great ideas after all.

Writing That First Novel

2006-09-24T00:29:00.000-07:00

Excellent article and advice from Robison Wells in his posting at latterdayauthors.com. How to approach the task...er, wonders of that first novel.

Lyric Writing

2006-09-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

Over the years before I ventured into novels and novellas, I have been writing lyrics and poetry. My love for music in general and modern popular music specifically, has always been strong. Every now and then I start writing lyrics out of nowhere. One day it may be a country song, the next day a heavy metal rock song. I have even written a libretto for a stage play based on the Biblical book of Esther. How is that for variety? It even surprises me at times. I will try to cover a bit of that art now and then, but first an example of how bizarre my lyrical subjects can get. This one came, not because of a foul mood, as one might suspect from reading the words, but just out of nowhere, as they often do for me. A commentary on the nature of humanity in general, I guess. Feel free to comment on them yourself.

(When You) Act Your Rage--(C) 2005 Steven G. O'Dell

V.1
See--the air is turning red. I cannot got to bed. The anger lives inside of me.
Freed--the rage becomes a flood. I'm only wanting blood. Your hating cannot hide from me.

Br.
I can't tell how these feelings have come to me.
I can only know that they're crushing me.

V.2
Die--I only love myself. I cannot feel your help. Your pity cannot make me see.
Cry--There's nothing left to do. I have no use for you. The anger lives inside of me.

CH.
Nothing good can come of it, when you act your rage.
There is just no benefit and nothing's saved.
Nothing good can come of it.
You'll only reap regret from it.
Nothing good can come of it--when you act your rage.

Repeat Br.

V.3
Squeeze--my life is in your hand. Please make me understand--the anger that's consuming me.
Freeze--the coldness in my heart is where I have to start. It's killing all that's good in me.

Repeat CH.

When you act your rage!
Act your rage!
When you act your rage!
Act your rage!
When you act your ra-a-a-a-a-ge!!!

Sage Advice for Aspiring Writers

2006-09-23T23:59:00.000-07:00

For an excellent article on advice to aspiring writers, check this link to author Joan Hall Hovey. Very sage advice that I can recommend highly.

http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/joanhallhovey/note.html

Writing Humor

2006-09-23T21:46:00.000-07:00

Humor is a part of life for us all. It is the oil that makes the machinery move without seizing up (and you thought it was money that did that!). We all know someone or something that makes us laugh. Why does it do that? Hard to say, as every one of us is different and we all see things differently. There are people who think Will Farrell is absolutely hilarious. I personally find him annoying. Then again, I like the Marx Brothers and more than one person has lifted an eyebrow to that revelation (no, you aren't the first). The fact is that humor is entirely subjective, as is any other type of writing.

Okay, then what makes one thing funny and another not? YOU do. No, really! Or the stimulus may be a trigger to a memory that seemingly comes rushing back out of nowhere (every time I see Dr. Pepper, I laugh, as I think of my wife calling it "carbonated prune juice"). Or it is from an out-of-place event that makes you laugh because of the juxtaposition of it all (look that one up in the right hand column, under dictionaries). Example? A man on horseback in the drive-through window at the local burger joint (maybe you grew up where this was a common event, but I didn't, so I laughed the first time I saw it). Another example--irony. When I was on my mission, I was snickering aloud at the names of some of the Canadian cities in the province I was assigned to--Moose Jaw, Moose Factory, etc. My companion, from British Columbia, asked where I was from and when I told him Mishawaka, he started laughing, too. Touche'. I deserved it and never forgot. Then, too, I laugh when I think of HIM, because he seemed so prim and proper, saying that "puns are the lowest form of humor" and then he played a tape of him and a friend playing telephone pranks a few years earlier. Do you see the humor in this as I did? He missed it, which made it even funnier.

Movies can be funny. Something really funny is when my wife tells me she thought it funnier to hear her family discussing a movie and laughing over it--then when she saw it, she thought, "THIS is what they were talking about? THIS isn't funny!"

Who knows why, but passing gas is funny (only in the right environment--meaning "not where it could embarrass you and your loved ones. A quiet library or in study hall is hilarious. After relieving yourself, just don't slap a quarter on the desk of the person behind you and exclaim, "I've got to hand it to you--I didn't think you would do it"). Once, when our oldest was very small, my wife and I were discussing it and our son piped up, "That's 'gusting!" And he was right, in both ways. Enough said. This may be another entirely subjective matter, after all. Feel free to move on. (Wait, did I just make a Freudian slip, as well?)

Unintentional humor is hilarious. Context dependant comments made subliminally. Okay, let me give an example. My wife has an unusual talent. She is highly suggestible, so it makes for some interesting and roll-on-the-floor episodes. For example, when I awoke one morning I had a bit of trouble with my equilibrium and commented that I was bouncing off the walls and walking like a drunk man. Her response? "I'm inclined to agree." Priceless! And funnier yet, she doesn't know she's done it until we all start laughing. On another occasion we were discussing the music of John Denver, a favorite of hers. Because of his untimely death and her love for his music (and our kids' liking for other types of music) she felt she must defend him, so she stated that his music was really good, but " personally, he just went off the deep end". Never mind the late hour--I am sure we woke everyone in the campground that night. My sides were hurting and I was nearly helpless for several minutes. And she kept asking, "What's so funny about that?"--which only extended the moment of helplessness for me. She is so good at this, I admire her for it. When the boys were once discussing projectile vomiting (hey, it's fascinating, okay?), she came in and asked, "Who brought THAT up?" [If you aren't laughing by now, you have no sense of humor at all.]

The obvious can be funny, if told right, because it is so typical (and stereotypical), perhaps. The absolutely ridiculous can be funny--something that will never happen, but would be quite humorous if it did. You can picture it as if it did happen and you laugh. Laughing can be funny to another person. Red Skelton was famous for laughing at his own jokes, even before he could get them out. The audience sometimes never got to hear the joke, because he was laughing too hard to tell it, but they laughed, too, just because it was so infectious. And sometimes when he did manage to get the joke out, it wasn't that funny, which made you laugh because HE thought it was and had such a hard time getting it out.

And speaking of the ridiculous, parodies can be funny. I have written a few below (I was inspired by the Jeff Foxworthy redneck line of jokes). Do you see any humor in them? Write some of your own--just for laughs--**snicker**.

WARNING! This humor approaches bizarre.

YOU MAY BE ACCIDENT PRONE IF...

You've ever fallen out of a pair of shoes.
Your bruises heal up and friends ask, "What happened to you?"
You have callouses on the side of your head.
You can fall upstairs.
People have tried to attach training wheels to you.
You once got a cell phone caught in your ear.
You get personally offended at slapstick comedy.
You know people around you are taking bets, but won't tell you why.
You get hurt while climbing the wheel-chair ramp.
You've ever cut yourself with a butter knife.
Standing up makes you very nervous.
Your standing up makes others very nervous.
You won't use a pencil sharpener because "mechanical things" scare you.

Others clear a room to "wait until you are finished with it."
The hospital has a welcome mat with your name on it.
The Guiness Book people have called you "because you are famous."
You are Evel Kneivel's hero.
Scientists want to study you and are willing to pay handsomely.
You have been hit by more than three meteorites...this month alone.
You have a permanent asphalt tattoo on your forehead.
Any sudden movements, like waving, makes others cringe.
You think using a file cabinet should be "left to the experts".
If mail addressed to your house is prefaced with, "Keep out of reach of..." and bears your name.

Your closest friends have had a special walker made for you, "just like the ones toddlers use, only bigger."
You're thinking of volunteering for a cloning project.
You've ever crossed your fingers because it was less noticable that way.
You have a "permanent wave" in your skull.
Inanimate objects seek to move out of your way.
The words "I'm going to..." meet with peals of laughter.
If everything in your house is decorated in early Nerf.
Your "train of thought" has ever resulted in a wreck.
You cut your finger on a string while practicing "air guitar".
Dinner forks make you break out in hives and give you hiccups.
You've ever had a tea cup removed from your esophagus.
A new wing at the hospital may soon bear your name, though you don't recall contributing anything.

You are the poster child for any medical organization.
Paramedics thank you for making their early retirements possible.
You get Christmas cards from Johnson & Johnson.
You refer to common sewing repairs as sutures.
You've been made an honorary lab rat.
You change a tire and can't pull your hand free without removing lug nuts.
You've been named the Ninth Wonder of the World.
You've ever pursed your lips and couldn't un-purse them.
You were told to "zip your lip" and got it caught in the zipper.
The mere act of waking up causes nosebleeds.
You discover you have several new wounds upon waking up.

And last, but not least, a definite sign: If you've ever gotten hurt while changing your mind, you may indeed be accident prone.

YOU MAY BE A LOUSY COOK IF...

Your dog starts howling each time you move toward the kitchen.
Your children really believe there is such a thing as the Charcoal Lover's Pizza.
You are always the "guest of honor" at all the church potluck dinners and as such have "no need to cook".
You think of beans and franks as exotic cuisine.
You make two kinds of Jello--smooth or crunchy.
Your biscuits are heavy as lead, but they won't go down.

A food fight with your cooking causes life-threatening injuries.
If you start hearing things like, "No thanks, I ate just yesterday."
If a new meal is greeted with, "Leftovers again?"
Your guests ask you to identify which are the peas and which are the carrots.
Your children start following dinner with ipecac and epinephrine chasers.
Several neighborhood dogs have died of mysterious circumstances.
Dry heaves are just a part of your life.
You've ever bought Pepto Bismol in the handy 5 gallon size.
Your family doctor has a stomach pump with your family crest on it.
Your dinner table has ever been quarantined and you were banished from the kitchen for extended periods.

Your family invented anorexia and bulimia.
More than seven of your favorite recipes use Ramen as the main ingredient.
The Surgeon General and several FDA officials are on a first name basis with you.
The World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control have adopted your family.
If Saddam Hussein ever asked you for your recipes.
Alka-Seltzer is considered a dessert in your home.
The makers of Raid, Black Flag and Roach-Prufe have all offered to buy you out.
Tour bus occupants drive by, slow down, point and shake heads, but never stop.
That "spontaneous picket fence" around your house is made entirely of handmade crosses, donated by anonymous caring individuals.

Your meat balls, when fired at high velocities, have been demonstrated to kill vampires.
A new and unusual syndrome has been dubbed in your honor.
If Anyone eating your home-made bread has ever broken a tooth or fractured a jaw.
Portland Cement Company has identified three new molecular structures in your biscuits.
Your dinner rolls may have newfound applications in rail gun and particle accelerator technologies.
The Department of Defense has classified your cooking as Top Secret in the interest of national security.
Your kitchen has ever been lovingly referred to as Ground Zero.
If your waste-basket or garbage disposal ever threw up.
The mere thought of "eating in" causes spontaneous diahrrea and vomiting in your family members.

If you find that cooking is the quickest and most effective threat you can make.
Your pancakes are often mistaken for the plate.
Your husband asks for more pancakes just before he goes skeet shooting.
Your children are caught skipping your pancakes across the lake and several ducks are hurt.
You discover your kids stacking your homemade cupcakes and running for cover when they begin to tilt.
The baby begins crying when you ask if anyone is hungry.
The fumes from your cooked cabbage can peel paint...at a distance of three blocks.
The FDA has asked you to attach a warning label to all your concoctions.
You've inspired Hollywood producers to consider a new approach to the Lethal Weapon series of films, but Mel Gibson and Danny Glover are afraid to star in it.
Your Peanut Butter/Tuna Noodle Surprise brought the house down--literally.
Your kitchen has been listed as a Superfund Cleanup site.

And a huge indication to consider: If shoe repairmen use your waffles because they last longer than synthetic soles, you may indeed be a lousy cook.

YOU MAY BE A HEAVY DRINKER IF...

You've ever awakened in the morning with "carpet face".
You don't recall your shoes being that color a moment ago.
Everywhere you go is uphill.
Close friends wear raincoats on sunny days.
You spend more than one minute digging for your car keys before you realize boxer shorts have no pocket.
You don't recall the door being there when you came in.
It has taken you more than 1 minute to find the door.
You've ever put your shoes on backward and it felt right.
Even the dog hides your car keys.
You're glad you drove because you were in no shape to have walked.
Your head is in the toilet more than your backside.

You ever tried to bum a dollar from a cop or a parking meter.
Just hearing the word "medicinal" makes you thirsty.
You ever answered a hiccup with, "I'll drink to that".
You've ever gone after more beer on your riding lawn mower.
You've ever tried to climb over a sidewalk.
If your idea of a balanced diet is a beer in each hand.
If you dress like the Michelin Man for safety reasons.
You conclude that you must have had a good time, because you can't remember a thing.
If you ever had more than one beer cap removed from a single body part.

If gravitational anomalies seem to focus around you in particular.
If someone burps and you holler, "Another round!"
If you've ever screamed, "Stop! Let me off!" while in a prone position.
You consider a day without alcohol to be "fasting".
You think of alcoholic drinks as 'staples'.
If you stargaze a lot during daylight hours.
You've ever tried to answer the phone and don't have one.
If you can name more local bars than Presidents.
If you don't like water because fish swim in it.
You've ever tried to put a drink coaster in your CD player.
You and your drinking buddies think you may have decoded the TV test pattern.

If you have ever had a "good conversation' with your dog.
If you have ever wondered why you can't get the fishing channel on the microwave.
If you ever hit the bottom stair and just kept going.
If the only thing on your Christmas list is beer.
You think Smith and Wesson is a new distillery.
If using the doggie door is easier than finding your keys.
If, when pulled over by a cop, you've ever said, "Oooh, look at the pretty lights...."
You've ever ordered another drink while wondering if you have a drinking problem.

And the biggest indicator of all--if you've ever set your hand on fire while blowing out a match, you may indeed be a heavy drinker.

Evil Revisited

2006-09-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

Regarding how to portray evil--I really think it is a balancing act to pull a reader into a story and to sufficiently stimulate the readers' imagination to 'see' the evil in a character without it becoming truly offensive.

One recent post I read elsewhere and on a different subject had to do with what the writer called the "tipping point". This is a point at which very little effort is needed to send the balance one way or another. As an author, I try to find that point (and now I have a name for it, thanks to this man) in my storyline and portrayal of events and persons. By not stepping over the edge as an author, the reader is free to choose how far and in which direction he or she wishes to carry the intended portrayal, if you understand my meaning. Just as certain types of music will paint a picture in your mind, the readers need the freedom to view their own pictures on the video screen of their minds, not have the pictures thrust upon them.

Imagination is a powerful thing and we have to remember that the reader is not just an audience, but a vital link in the effective telling of a story. As an author, I experienced that aspect firsthand in writing my Shining Armor series. I took 'dictation', if you will, and 'saw' the pictures in my own mind, experiencing them as would any of my readers. They may see slightly different surroundings than I envisioned, but that is what makes it a personal experience to them. Nevertheless, I was able to identify with the reader because I, too, was never sure what was going to happen next, until it did. The goal, to me, is to never rob the reader of participation in the story. They are not just observers, if we treat them right--they are THERE.

The actual title to this should be something more like How to Write a Villain Into Your Story Without Becoming One in the Process. Writing is often a balancing act. You must tell enough to keep the reader interested without giving away the plot line too soon. Your characters must be touchable, human and believable. At times they must seem almost superhuman or super evil, while remaining believable. That is where the tight rope walking comes into play.

What makes a good villain? (Now there is an oxymoron, if ever there was one!) What makes a villain memorable to a reader? What would make a person want to continue reading? Often the only incentive to read on may be that the reader has a sense of justice that makes him or her want a valid punishment for the trouble-maker in the story. Not that your other characters can be lackluster, but the villain, if portrayed effectively, can be a huge part of what carries the story. Tension and opposition are a part of life and add to the thrill of a good read.

While I was writing Shining Armor, the character of Ted Randall seemed to take a route all his own. He came to life in such a way that he began to "tell" me who and what he was and I wrote it down as I "watched" the play unfold. Ted was not just a jealous boyfriend. He was not just an abusive, spoiled child in a mans' body. He was the very embodiment of evil--unpredictable to the extreme, mentally unstable and capable of doing great harm while taking deep pleasure in the act. His persistence was absolutely frightening in scope, but almost admirable, in a strange sort of way. He just would not give up. Where other men would take a hint and weigh the pros and cons, Ted did not. It was all about him, all about winning, all about revenge if it came to that. He did not quit until his goal was reached--ever--and by whatever means was deemed necessary. It was this singleness of sight and his belief that he was always right that made him so formidable a threat to the safety of Ron and Denise in the story. The reader wants Ted to get his due come-uppance, without any doubt. At the same time, the reader cannot wait to see what he will do next. Ted is a fascinating character, due in great part to the fact that he is so evil. If Ted were to expire from the story too soon, the story would be anti-climactic. If he were to win totally and unquestionably, the story would be a disappointment also. Again, the balancing act. An equitable answer must be found to the dilemma.

Ted was the kind to push his weight around and bully others, something Denise Payton does not discover until she is already in a relationship with him. He is the type to be dangerously jealous, which she also determines later. He does not tolerate losing, even to a family member, as they are soon to find out. This in no way implies he is stupid, for he is very clever and insightful in his own warped way. He uses people to his own ends and says what he pleases, when he pleases. This was a point of discovery for me as a writer--how to give the impression of foul language without actually using the language that would make the book objectionable to the reader (and to the author). What I did was what many others have had to resort to--description instead of dialogue. This was followed by a stream of blue invective that shook the diner from one end to the other--or some such treatment. The reader may wonder why the invective is blue, or even what invective is, but the words seem to suggest that whatever he did was not nice and upset everyone within earshot. The implication is there and that is usually far more effective than the language itself.

Ted is not your average bully, either. He has no self-esteem problems in the normal sense of the word. If anything, he has too much self-esteem and none for his peers. He does not cower when pressure is put on him by others, though he may bide his time and wait for the appropriate opportunity to act. He sees this as a challenge to his own authority. One cannot help but wonder what miracles this man could accomplish if only he would harness this intense power for good.

Another aspect of portraying a villain is how to appropriately illustrate the violence he may do, without the description becoming too gory or objectionable to the reader. I truly believe that a major part of any authors' story has to be allowing the reader liberty to use his imagination to the maximum possible extent. An active imagination is what allows the writer to do the story in the first place. Why would not an active imagination be essential to the reader as well? It is the vital connection that the author and the audience have in common. You have no movie screen to place your cinematography on, except the readers' mind alone. You have no soundtrack that can allow the reader to hear the crush of leaves as the villain chases the woman into the dark woods. The reader supplies this and more. The reader is (and must be) an active participant in the unfolding of the tale. If you don't believe this fully and firmly, you will never get the reaction you want from your audience. The reader will always wonder where it is you are trying to go with this work. I think that is why I always had a problem with the writings of Charles Dickens. He wrote for the stage director and the manager in charge of props and costumes, but he never wrote for me. By way of comparison, Edgar Rice Burroughs fast became my favorite author at an early point in my development as a consumer of novels. He utilized all the most effective techniques, such as cliffhangers, parallel stories, etc. The difference between him and Dickens was that he was not so hung up on the peripheral and useless details that he forgot to tell the story and let me supply my own imagination. (In all fairness to Dickens, he wrote at a time when authors were paid by the word, hence the incentive to be wordy).

I think that is about all for now. Experiment in your own way with these suggestions. You may be an author and use them firsthand, or you may be a reader and have just been made aware that this is the process that was taking place in your own reading. Either way, have fun--and good imagination to you!

Standing Out From The Crowd

2006-09-23T21:39:00.000-07:00

Every year there are thousands of songs written (and recorded), thousands of books written (and published) and thousands upon thousands of other things that are the same as everyone else is doing, ad infinitum. It is easy to get lost in the shuffle. But it is not impossible to get to the top and be seen.

What makes you stand out from the rest of humanity? First of all, I would ask what makes YOU different from those around you? Do your friends always say things like, "I love your sense of humor" or that you are the "level-headed" one? Who are you to your peers? Find that unique thing or two about you that makes you different. Now ask yourself how to package it and capitalize on it. A comedian can't just be funny. He or she has to find a way to stand out from the crowd of peers. A niche is needed. Jeff Foxworthy has found a niche--Redneck humor. Bill Engvall has found a niche also--Texas humor. Will Rogers was unique in his time. A lot of folks spoke about politics, but he did it differently. Groucho Marx also had a niche--he was borderline insane, but in a lovable way. Don Rickles--insulting humor, from the nicest man you would ever want to know (a natural choice in order to be different, because it was NOT him). Phyllis Diller--cheap chic--she "out-Rosanne'd" Rosanne before there ever WAS a Rosanne Barr. Moms Mabley--one of the funniest and homeliest women you ever saw and you could not help but love her. Godfrey Cambridge...made a living out of saying, "Oh, YEAH!" in his own unique way. Red Skelton--couldn't help but laugh at his own jokes, especially when they went wrong. I could go on. All unique and original. No copies here.

A niche may be nothing more than your own personal little twist that you can add to it--something that makes it uniquely yours. My oldest son was wanting to learn to play guitar and has since shown a lot of talent in songwriting. While he was trying to decide what to play in front of an audience, whether to do 'cover' tunes or not, I gave him this advice: First, Don't play any song if YOU don't like it. The audience will know if you are having fun and if you are it will be infectious--they will have fun, too. Secondly, if you choose to do a cover tune, you must approach it one of two ways--either do it EXACTLY like the original, vocals and all, or put a twist in it that makes it uniquely yours and yours alone. Because of that, he has taken a hybrid approach and thrown some bits and pieces of several ethnic styles into his own truly unique works--enough to make an audience say, "Aha!" as they discover a new twist they never knew existed in todays' music.

He is also very outgoing and gregarious, so it was a natural thing for him to become a salesman--but he does it with a twist. Instead of trying to get the biggest commissions he can by sending a customer out with the most expensive thing he can, he tries to send them out with as much as he can for their money without compromising their overall quality and buying experience. For example: "Why spend that much on a top-of-the-line stereo and still not have enough to get good speakers that will do it justice, when for the same amount you could step down one--get this excellent stereo, STILL have enough to get good speakers AND have better cables to carry the signal and make it sound as it was meant to?" Then he takes them into the listening room and proves it will sound just as good. The funny thing is this: to the customer it sounds BETTER because their deal just got sweeter. Instead of one small box in their arms when they leave, they have a full cart and a total experience they never thought they could afford when they went in. And my son has never failed to be one of the top two salesmaen within a month of being hired--at several companies! He applies his own twist and it pays off in greater numbers in the long run. People he doesn't even know come in and ask for him by name. Why? Because he treated the FIRST customer so well that they told their friends. That is advertising at its best--advertising you cannot buy. I went in with him on his day off a few times, so he could show me the latest thing he was excited about--(oh..another way he stands out--he does his homework on a product so he can educate a customer or at least build confidence that he isn't giving them a snow-job)--in the first half hour, each time, there were customers AND salesmen asking for his assistance. And he was out of uniform! Now, that speaks highly of his level of service and knowledge. Armed with this technique he was actually training salesmen within his second month at one store.

Am I proud? Sure, but the moral to the story is that when you do it right it pays off for a long time to come. Do it in your own way, but do it right. All this may sound like common sense and simply the way it was meant to be--and it is. However, it is not very common for anyone to want to do their homework so they know what they are talking about (research for your book), so they can convince a reader that they know their stuff. It is uncommon to care about customer (reader) service by making the experience as good as it can be (rewrite and polish). It is uncommon to do the little value-added things that matter (neat PDF format, good cover design--even for a downloadable copy, contact information, author bio, jacket notes, etc.) These days it seems that doing things right is like breaking the rules. You get accused of making others look bad when you do. You stand out from the crowd!

Sometimes you have to bend or even break the "rules" to get noticed. I once broke the rules in order to get a job interview. (Well, actually several times...but....) The popular wisdom says never show up at lunch time and expect to get an interview. Well, that was the only time I could show up, so I made the best of it--and made myself stand out from the crowd. I told the girl at the front desk to tell ___ that if she would drive, I would buy lunch. I had done my homework and knew the name of the HR representative ahead of time. I had never met her and didn't know if this would work or not, but I had nothing to lose. The girl at the front desk looked puzzled for a moment and then went to the back and did as I suggested, assuming I knew the woman in question. Did I get an interview? Yes, for 45 minutes--during her lunch! She had a sack lunch, but she was curious as to who would be inviting her out to buy a lunch for her. The truth is that I was nearly broke, but I could have bought her lunch if I did without my own, which I was willing to do. Now, I did not get a job from it, as there were none then available, but I got in where the conventional wisdom said I could not. I did the "impossible".

Another time when I wanted to get through on the phone directly to someone who was "impossible" to reach without an appointment, my wife said, "give me the phone". She then proceeded to pull off the most simple and brilliant stunt I had ever seen. She rang the number and when the personal secretary/screener answered, my wife said, "Personal call for ____" and then waited quietly. Again, the several second pause. Again, the assumption that the caller knew the intended recipient. But this time, the secretary also assumed my wife was either an operator or another personal secretary. She would have felt foolish asking what the call was in reference to, after being told it was a personal call. She would have felt silly asking if my wife were a secretary or an operator. So, she just hesitated long enough to know there was no graceful way for her to do her assigned job and then she patched the call through like a good secretary should. Brilliant! We found a way to stand out. Call it guerilla marketing.

JK. Rowling has found her niche in writing about magic and a world that exists alongside ours, where nothing is without its surprises. The Harry Potter books are wildly popular and are spawning a series of movies (and making 'tonnes' of money for Rowling, who doesn't really have a middle initial, but don't tell her I told you). Lemony Snicket (no, I did not make that up, though it is not his real name) has found a niche in writing a series of books called A Series of Unfortunate Events, now a movie. Stan Lee was a noted comic book author and has gone on to become popular fodder lately for the movie market as well. Spiderman, the X-Men, Captain America and others attest to that. Personally, I feel my first novel would make an extremely exciting movie and I intend to work in that direction.

You must do something with your writing that makes you unique in the world of writers. You may be covering the same old subject as others have, but find a way to do it differently, through the back door or a window, so to speak. What do you know or what do you do differently that will make your writing stand out? Do you have an area of expertise that will do the trick? There are many books by Michael Crichton that are unique to his background in the chosen subject matter. W.E.B. Griffin, Tom Clancy and others have found their niches in military and espionage books. Douglas Adams has found his in the sci-fi humor field--now there is a twist! The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy is now a movie. Who would have thought?

A recent acquaintance, Melanie Hurd Goldmund, is writing a book she calls an LDS space opera. Being a Mormon, I knew what LDS was, but the space opera bit threw me and I begged an explanation. What she described was a very ambitious sci-fi project with a real twist to it--something that would definitely make her stand out from the crowd. I am not at liberty to divulge that Top Secret information at this time--she would have to kill me if I did--but suffice it to say that I am impressed and can't wait to see the manuscript when she is ready for a proof-reader. "Oh,...Pick me! Pick me!" (Waves arms furiously).

So, what is your niche? What is the twist you could add? In the sixties a lot of bands would pick a name by some very unorthodox methods. They might throw slips of paper into a hat and choose two or three and see if they went together--which actually meant to them that they should do anything BUT go together--which made it more cool and it was definitely different. That is how we ended up with band names like Bubble Puppy, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Ultimate Spinach, Moby Grape, Glass Harp and scores of other names of that ilk. Others would make a chart or a wheel-like device that would rotate in separate rings and match (or mis-match) words. Very creative, really. What will you do to find the twist you need? Maybe you like crafts and also want to write a book about white-water rafting. (Could a woman knit her own raft? Hey, it's your story--I'm just asking!) Branch out and don't be afraid to look at the world differently. Through a childs' eyes, through a bugs' eyes, through...wait, this is YOUR assignment. Get busy, be creative and have fun!

Should You Self-Publish?

2006-09-23T21:25:00.000-07:00

lulu.com This is a great site I ran across. You can actually make money this way--even in small numbers of sales. Worth a long look and free to join. Know this, though--once you upload it, it is not changeable, so be sure it is accurate from the start and you have the cover art, title page, etc. that you REALLY want.

See also How to Get Published Free and Make Money and Power Posters' blog

Only you can decide whether you should publish it yourself. I know thtere are many non-fiction books that have first been published by the authors, then picked up later by a publishing house (after the proof of popularity was evident to all but an idiot...am I sounding cynical? Sorry.) The books went on to be wildly successful. This might be the way you want to do it.

With a fiction book, the potential for succeeding this way might be less, but nonetheless isn't impossible. You can also find sites on the 'net from which to purchase ISBN numbers (buy ten at a time, as this saves money and allows for paper and hardback versions, major revisions, compilations, etc.) You can also get publisher warehouses to catalog your work, if you have this number. Wouldn't it be nice to look more legit' and be listed in Barnes and Nobles, etc? I will try to get more info on this in the future, but feel free to research it and leave comments with me on this aspect.

Good PR (Press Release, not Public Relations)

2006-09-23T21:20:00.000-07:00

If you want to promote yourself, you might have to do a press release. Basically this is a sales letter (you have to sell yourself and your product--your story, your article, your song or what have you). You are sending it to someone who can give you the publicity you want and in return you must give them something they want--an interesting article or story for their own readers. This is the classic "you-scratch-my-back-and-I'll-scratch-yours" scenario. It is a trade, in essence. You make the newspaper, the magazine, the weblog, the radio or TV station look good to their readers, listeners, or viewers. They, in turn, make you look good to the same audience. Here are a few links you may want to see on the subject. I ALWAYS suggest doing further searches yourself--and if you find something really great, share it by posting a comment here, okay?

PR Hints
http://www.prfree.com/index.php?cur=index&action=member&mode=hints

PR Blunders
http://www.prfree.com/index.php?cur=index&action=member&mode=blunders

What is a Press Release?
http://www.marketingtrendz.com/mworkshop/lp/pressrelease.htm

RE: Manuscript Building a different way

2006-09-23T20:46:00.000-07:00

I ran across some good information in this link. If you aspire to write, take a look here: Building your manuscript layer by layer. If you are a procrastinator, look here: The world is waiting....

http://www.latterdayauthors.com/fiction/wbg+rewrites.htm

Advice from experts RE: Writing Contests

2006-09-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

http://www.ult-media.com/writingcontests.htm

The judges and professionals advice section down the page is excellent and you should copy and paste it for study every now and then. Do the same with the previous recommended site, also.

Check this one, also. I heartily recommend you check out this site, with some excellent ideas for storyline and character improvement.

http://www.writing-world.com/contests/articles/judge.shtml

A Closer Look at Self-Publishing

2006-09-23T20:42:00.003-07:00

http://www.ult-media.com/selfpublishing.htm

I am very impressed that this may be worth the nominal price and I intend to check into it myself to continue my own personal education and eventual business.

lulu.com This is a great site I ran across. You can actually make money this way, it appears--even in small numbers of sales. Worth a long look and free to join.

See also Power Posters' blog

Getting Free Publicity

2006-09-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

www.get-free-publicity.com

I highly recommend you look into this offering. Yes, it will cost a bit, but it is like hiring your own expert to help you promote yourself or your product. The time and effort saved will be tremendous. Listen to the recorded testimonials and decide for yourself if doing it as the experts would is worth your while.

Worth Repeating

2006-09-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

The Write Tools is intended to be a place where writers can find not only the tools they may wish to utilize in their creative processes, but also the inspiration needed to accomplish it. For that reason you will find a variety of things here that might seem odd to you at first glance, but rest assured that their true nature and intent will eventually show itself and they could prove to be of great worth to you.

After you have become familiar with this site, feel free to recommend any and all tools or inspirational devices that you think would be appropriate here. Affiliate programs of an appropriate nature to this site will be given due consideration, as well.

Thank you for your patience, consideration and support. This is your site--help us make it better.

FREE Novel and 2 Novellas

2006-09-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

ATTENTION!

For a limited time, I am offering to send you, via email, the pre-publication versions of my novel Shining Armor--The Knight Appears, plus the two follow-up novellas for the series, The Evil Returns and The Rival. Why? Because I want something from you in return, to be totally honest.

What I need is your complete and brutally honest critique of the books. I want to perfect them before they go to print. You get to read these works before the rest of the world in general and I get your honest opinions, edit suggestions, spelling and grammar corrections, if any, and whatever you might want to offer as hints for future projects. I also need the right to use your comments in a marketing campaign, whether good, bad or ugly. Anonymity can be assured by use of initials only or first name and last initial.

Write for your free copies while the offer exists--pointedwords@gmail.com

Thanks a bunch!
Steve

If it seems WRITE, is it?

2006-09-16T19:38:00.000-07:00

I think that too often we, as writers, limit our thinking as to what we can and should be writing. Maybe you care to write poetry or short stories more than anything else. It could be that you would never consider writing a sales brochure in a million years. I would like to suggest that it is a valuable exercise to stretch your authoring muscles a bit and get out of your literary easy chair every once in a while.

As an author, I have written sales letters, technical reports, short stories, vignettes, poetry, song lyrics, novels, novellas, resumes, blogs, reviews and more. I submit that the more you get away from that comfort rut, the more you will begin to blossom as a writer. I do not think you will be immediately successful at whatever you try. None of us will be. But we may be shocked to find that we do like it and in fact are rather good at this new effort. It is, after all, just more communication, via the same method you have been using all along. The same tools, applied in another way. Just painting a different picture with a similar brush, if you will. How hard can that be?

Also, if one is to be honest, is it fair to call yourself a "Writer" if you are limited in what you write? Would you call yourself an Author, if you are only a poet? A Lyricist, if you only compose limericks? Believe me, I am not casting stones at these disciplines, by any means, but only wish to suggest that it might not be intellectually honest to paint ourselves with such broad titles if we have earned only a portion of them. For that reason, I encourage my readers to stand up from that tiny, restrictive pedestal you have perched yourself on, take a few unsure and frightening steps toward a new frontier and surprise yourself most pleasantly when you realize that it hasn't killed you, but made you stronger to attempt a new feat of bravery.

The truth is that you are what you choose to be, but you become that only by some small effort on your part. In good-natured manner, then, I challenge you to dare to have that new writing adventure this day, this week or this month. Don't put off what could be the start of a new career at best and a newfound confidence, at least. This mission is yours, if you choose to accept it. And let me know what happens, will you? Best wishes and have fun, Adventurers.

Yes, No or Maybe?

2006-09-16T19:29:00.000-07:00

I recently queried the Charlotte Gusay Agency in L.A. They want books they can convert to film, which mine would do nicely. I spent a great deal of time making the very best query letter I could, included an excerpt, references to my test marketing, a handful of reader responses and a brief synopsis. I also noted that parts 2 and 3 are in the works to be expanded and fleshed out more fully. I sent this letter off and waited.

A few days later, I realized that with all the attention I had paid to the body of the letter, I had neglected to correct the contact info to reflect the new address and phone number for our recent move. I therefore sent off an amended query (this time on a nicely monogrammed letterhead, with corrected info and again waited. Our letters must have crossed in the mail—hers was a rejection letter. Oh, well, I thought. Many well-known writers were rejected a dozen or more times before making it into published status or film status. I am just one step closer to success, that’s all.

Not expecting another response after this, I was shocked to get a letter asking for me to send a synopsis and a sample of a few chapters. (Seems that monogram worked wonders.) I may have to start a line of clothing with it, to bring good luck to all my friends—hehe. Oh, there is a fee involved, but that was the only warning at the Preditors and Editors site. With this woman’s Rolodex list of director’s and screenwriters, I think it will be a great bargain if it pays off.

Also, if she has a sense of humor and this becomes a lasting working relationship, I may have the rejection letter matted and sent to her as a gift in the future. Ain’t I a stinker?

{NOTE: The second rejection came shortly thereafter, sounding very much like the first, although supposedly written by another woman altogether. Hmmm...an alias, maybe?]

[NOTE: I have been asked for a contract recently with Tate Publishing, but they want my $4,000 to add to the $16,000 they will be putting into the production. A published friend, plus several others, have said that an author should expect the money to flow to him, not FROM him. So. maybe another time, as they do seem to have channels of distribution, etc.]

Freelance-Author.com

2006-09-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

A site I have recently been privileged to read is Freelance-Author.com. I have found it to be a well done and beautifully put together site. Webmaster Danny Norman must be a master. I shall have to learn from him, if he will teach me.

Danny has done me the kindness of posting several of my works on his remarkable site (http://www.freelance-author.com/featured-authors.html). Thanks, Danny. I am happy to recommend your site here for the pointers and guidance you offer. It appears you have done your homework well and I commend you for it. Adding you to my recommended links table on the right.

Several good links on the site for aspiring authors and for accomplished ones, as well. Take a close look, folks. Several examples of short stories, too.

Book Treasure House

2006-09-16T19:24:00.000-07:00

I have found one site that I am rather excited about. It is called booktreasurehouse.com. I truly recommend that if you are serious about promoting your work, you look into this and listen to the interviews at this link-- http://www.booktreasurehouse.com/radio.html

The amazing number of things offered here, for $10 per month, is astounding. Everything from a website to databases of TV and radio interview sites, etc. I am not far into the audio links, but I am already impressed with what is offered. Check it out.

Again--With Feeling!

2006-09-16T19:23:00.000-07:00

One of the first things you have to accept if you are to be a writer is that you have to write in order to earn the title. You have to write a lot and about many things. The practice makes it easier for you to express yourself and do it well. View it as if you were a concert pianist. Just thinking about it would never be enough. You would have to gain hands-on experience to become truly proficient at your craft.

I have recently become a huge fan of the music of Sali Oguri, which you may hear at broadjam.com. Let me tell you, I would wag my tail over this stuff, if I had one. Because of that, I have taken to the almost addictive habit of posting comments at her weblog site. There, I find myself discussing music with her. And lyrics, style, conventions and trends. What makes a hit song or a classic? Is image important to the classifying of the music? Even discussion about the type of chords she likes to use or avoid. I find all of this quite fascinating. Sali is a very nice lady, too, so the exchange is fun.

I think it is good advice to write about many things that interest you, whether they be travel, music, art, science or any other thing that takes your fancy. You will be a better-rounded author because of it, I assure you. You may find that the exercise alone sparks the topics that make your next story or book or poem a success.

Your brain and your PC, or pencil and paper are your instruments of craft. Use them often and you will grow. If you have writer’s block, write about your frustrations with it, until you overcome it. Ironic, isn’t it, that when you have writer’s block, you can always write about that? Rather like the advice that when you don’t feel like praying, you should pray until you do. Think of this as a journal entry, if nothing else.

So, once more, with gusto!

Something To Think About

2006-09-16T19:21:00.000-07:00

This will teach you some of those terms you may have wondered about (or never knew). You may get a kick out of this one. I found it at another site (benjvm.blogspot.com) and he got it from someone else, but this is exactly where it belongs, so….
----------------------------------------------------------------

How to Write Good:

1) Always avoid alliteration.
2) Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3) Avoid clichés like the plague.
4) Comparisons are as bad as clichés.
5) Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
6) Parenthetical marks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
7) It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
8) Contractions aren’t necessary.
9) Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
10) One should never generalize.
11) As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.”
12) Don’t be redundant and don’t use more words that necessary; it’s highly superfluous.
13) Profanity sucks.
14) Be more or less specific.
15) Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
16) One word sentences? Eliminate.
17) Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
18) The passive voice is to be avoided.
19) Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
20) Who needs rhetorical questions?
----------------------------------------------------------
And there you have it. Any questions?

Mary Harrison has suggested a few more she recalls from Reader's Digest a few years back.

Don't use no double negatives.
Don't verb your nouns.

Parts And Processes Of A Good Story

2006-09-16T19:19:00.000-07:00

Getting, getting…got! (You will understand that in a moment).

Algis Budrys is a genius. He is also an author, an editor, a publisher and an outstanding teacher; it is the genius part that I wish to discuss right now, however. In his amazingly valuable, though diminutive book, Writing to The Point—A Complete Guide to Selling Fiction, he lays out some of the most sensible guidelines for writing that I have ever heard. These are things that consciously escape the average person and all but the better writers, but Budrys manages to make them seem so simple and obvious that one is left in either stunned reverence for his insight or is nodding one’s head in respectful agreement, thinking these to be the most wonderful of examples of common sense. I find myself doing both. And that is after finding that I have already been following those principles either instinctively or as a result of some osmotic training gained as a youthful reader.

Budrys, in a mere 63 pages, distills the essence of good fiction writing and places it evenly and sequentially upon the pages for the receptive student to absorb with wonder and awe.

As a writer, I have often found words to be a barrier, rather than a tool. They are at times clunky and painful, lending barely a hint of the meanings that I would wish to convey to others. At times like these, I want nothing more than to be able to ‘plug into’ those I am attempting to communicate with and relay my thoughts and feelings in their purity, untainted by the less than adequate tool we call speech.

At other times, words come with such ease and so fluently that I am in awe of the process and I wonder that such things could be emanating from me! I am thankful to be the channel through which they come, nonetheless.

Algis Budrys lays out two tremendous lessons that even the advanced writer may benefit from. Such an author may not be truly aware of the process that takes place as they hone and perfect that sculpture-on-paper which they call their story and it helps to have this pointed out to him at least once. It is like a revelation that comes to him, showing that all this time he has been less than aware of the sea of air that surrounds him, allowing his very breath and life. All the while, eyes and mouth agape, he is astounded that he has never noticed this body of substance that he depends upon so fully; not until it is distinctly pointed out to him. Now, fully aware of it for the first time, there is a depth of enjoyment and a fullness that was not a part of his former experience. This is what Budrys has done for me. He has pointed out that in which I was immersed, although I was unaware of my state and condition. He has made the invisible become visible to me. I am grateful for that knowledge. It answers for me the question, “But why does it work that way?”

First, he has laid out the needful parts of a successful and properly written story. These parts are: The beginning, the middle and the end. This sounds so basic at this point—and it is. But then this master teacher goes on to subdivide these portions.

The beginning is divided further into three parts: A character, placed in a context and having a small problem. Again, this seems to be common sense. We all know that there is nothing so uncommon as common sense, however.

This brings us to the middle portion, which is comprised of: 1) an attempt to solve the problem, but meeting with unexpected failure; 2) another attempt, escalating the degree of danger and 3), only on the third attempt, now a life-threatening situation, meeting with success.

The final stage, the end, has only one element--the validation. As Budrys puts it, someone has to say, “He’s dead, Jim.” The reader may already suspect this. It might even be obvious to him, but there is necessary closure in the actual saying of it. This makes for a more satisfying read.

So, there you have the structure of a great story—the beginning in its three parts, the middle with its three and the end with its validation. That is the ‘algebraic formula,’ if you will, that Budrys uses to explain and to write by. The brilliance is in seeing it in the first place. I have no doubt that it is true. One intuitively knows it to be so—once it is pointed out. But there is still a sense of wonder that someone was observant enough to see and describe these principles, obvious though they should have been all this time.

This brings me to the second major lesson he points out. He mentions that the manuscript is not the story. It is simply a vehicle to convey the story. Neither are good grammar nor punctuation the story, but merely the tools of the secretary that transcribes the story. Budrys points out that the real magic is in the ideation, as he calls it (with some repugnance for the word, which he dubs horrid). The thought processes themselves are what make or break the story, I take him to mean. He points out that we are bombarded daily with input that we must filter, process, then file away for future consideration or wholly reject. Most of it is deemed to be mundane and is rejected as such. Some are filed for later use and still fewer are found worthy of being called ‘interesting.’ The latter class is filtered even further, cut and spliced and ultimately these, too, are either filed or rejected. We are, Budrys says, what we were. Everything that we are exposed to—our experience—is what we are, what we write, think and judge all of life against.

So,...ideas--where do they come from? Who knows, really? They may seem to come full-blown and out of nowhere, taking us by surprise. This we call inspiration. Budrys maintains that even these thoughts are first filtered through our experience, processed in accordance with what we know and then filed for our consideration. I am not certain that I agree with this, being that it would seem a subtle attempt to take God out of the equation at times, but the question of what ideas are and where they come from is fascinating, nonetheless. They are certainly more than just electrical firings and chemical conversions, Pavlovian responses to external stimuli, whether consciously noticed or not. If experience has taught me anything, it is that—if you will pardon the pun.

Budrys divides this ideation-to-story process into three parts also. Getting the idea, getting the words and getting the right words. If you have ever written and edited, you already know this to be so. Again, the brilliance is in pointing it out so lucidly. What should be obvious is not always so. Often the writing experience is a left brain/right brain experience. The creative muse takes off and leads the writer into far off lands of wonder that ends up on the paper (or PC) and then the editor takes over and cuts and polishes the rough diamond we call the first draft. It may take repeated polishings. In fact, it probably should, if it is to reach its true potential.

Budrys also offers that writer’s block is nothing more than a failure to process incoming data or the failure to draw from the “file cabinet” of experience that which we wish to record eloquently onto paper. There are many causes of this, he postulates. Though he does not mention fatigue or malnutrition, he does go into the subject of the recreational use of various drugs, traditionally used by creative minds to ‘enhance’ the process. He also throws such proclaimed ‘attributes’ into the trash bin and labels them as the rubbish they deserve to be. Budrys recognizes that such substances may seem to jog the thought processes for a time, before finally becoming a greater hindrance and stumbling block to the author who only wished in the first place to remove a much smaller version of the same.

What is the answer? Sometimes just rest and diversion. Our minds process a lot more than we give credit for. And this is done at the subliminal level most of the time. I found this to be true in the instance of my vignette The Guitar, included elsewhere in this blog. It came at about midnight when I was worn out and wanted only to go to bed. Inspiration had other ideas, however. I had been listening to the music of Jesse Cooke and talking to my son about the concert he had just attended with his wife. When the story hit, it was powerful and nearly full-blown in structure. I knew instinctively that if I let it wait until the morning, it would be all but gone. It was not the kind that y7ou make a brief note and intend to develop it later. This one was a gift from somewhere else and I needed to open it right away or lose it. Half an hour later, I had a cut and nearly polished diamond that would wait until morning for a final polishing. And I assure you, I slept much better that night, knowing I had not squandered the gift when it was given. The sacrifice of 30 minutes of sleep was gratifying in the short term and rewarding for the long term.

New diversions, new environments and different sources of stimulation may be all that we need to change our ‘input’ and as a result, the filtering and processing of what goes into the ‘files’ of our brains. ‘As a man thinketh, so is he,’ says the old adage. Now you know why. And now that you know what the essential parts and points of a great story are, do you think you can write one?

How Do Authors Learn To Write?

2006-09-16T19:18:00.000-07:00

How do you learn to write and write well?

Recently I have been reading the advice of several successful authors and publishing editors. More often than not (all humility aside), I have been pleased to see that my instincts and what I had learned via osmosis have been right on the money.

I still have to admit that I did not get all of this skill on my own, just out of the air. That we all have unique, innate talents is obvious to each of us. But we also have intuitive reasoning; subconscious abilities that sort out chaff from grain, if you will. I was pleased to see that mine have usually been in tune and working smoothly.

I learned a tremendous amount about the skills of writing a well-structured story by reading well-structured stories by the best of authors. I was doing this as a kid and as a teenager; not knowing it was preparing me to write novels and vignettes of my own. I was reading for entertainment value alone at that time. But an amazing thing happened in the process; the skills needed to follow the lead of these master writers seeped into my brain as I read their works. I learned without knowing that I was doing so. Subliminal learning at its best. Let me tell you, I read so many books by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Lester Del Rey and others that it would have been a miracle if I had not absorbed their methods. These were true masters; of Sci-Fi, for the most part, but they were plainly and simply master storytellers, first and foremost. I learned from the best.

I learned to make it interesting from the start, to establish person, place and problem at the first page. I learned to describe enough to allow the reader to see what I envisioned, in rough form, but not describe too much and thereby rob the reader of being an active participant in his own imagination. I learned how to introduce in stages and steps all the elements that maintain interest and make a good story great—an algebraic formula of sorts, for writing good fiction. This was confirmed as I read Algis Budrys’ Writing to The Point—A Complete Guide to Selling Fiction. This man is a master also. How gratifying it was to find that I was instinctively following his recommendations. I knew then that the responses I got to my audience testing was no accident.

Once having written my first novel’s manuscript, I put it to the test—the most brutal test an author can endure. I actually asked strangers, armed with the naked truth regarding what they liked or disliked about my work, to let me have it with both barrels and without reserve. They owed me nothing but the truth and I wanted no praise--unless it was deserved (hey, I’m only human). I went to two basic groups of readers—those who liked thriller/romance novels and those who didn’t.

The first group would be my “experts.” They were familiar with the genre and could tell me how high my “suck factor” was.

The second group was the acid test. If they didn’t usually care for this type of writing and they didn’t like mine, so what? But, if they did like it…. YES! We have a winner!

You need to have a thick skin and a genuine desire to know the truth about your abilities (or disabilities) when you place your “baby” on the table and wait to see whether your readers will devour it…or DEVOUR it. (Either way, with relish…mmm, relish….)

Again, my instincts paid off. This was the right test to perform. I learned a lot, from those who did entire manuscript edits for me (thank you again, Christine), to those who loved it as is. They told me what worked and what didn’t work. This is invaluable to me as an author. I suggest it can be invaluable to you, too.

Responses ranged from, “I found it to be entertaining, which surprised me, being this genre” to “I couldn’t put it down!” Overall, I considered this to be extremely gratifying and a success as a test. Those who suggested changes in the storyline or wording were taken seriously, although I did not always follow their advice in all things. I still had to trust my instincts to a great degree. After all, they had not seemed to let me down at that point. You will have to trust yours, also. The day may come that you stand up to an editor and politely say, “Not this time. It works—why mess with perfection?” At other times, you will just know the editor is correct in his suggestions. Give and take—opposition in all things.

I must say that I was somewhat surprised to find that not all authors go to these lengths to test their work. I guess I knew that all authors would have slightly differing approaches, to some degree, but it still struck me as a surprise that successfully published authors might not test in this manner--and I can’t truthfully explain why it surprised me; it just did. I can only say that I am glad I went that route and that I intend to repeat that method in the future.

Whatever method you may choose to follow, I wish you the best. And please come back and share it with me—whether it works or not. We all learn from one another.

My conclusion—authors get to be good writers by first being good readers.

All articles posted here are copyright of Steven G. O’Dell, unless otherwise noted.

The Famous Mr. Edit

2006-09-16T19:17:00.000-07:00

Enough, already!

As an author, you may find yourself suffering from a terrible syndrome that reveals its ugly head over and over. Just when you thought it was safe to wade into your next story….CHOMP! It gets you, biting from beneath—you find yourself in the jaws of the editor’s chair again. Why can’t you just write? Should you just write?

Maybe it is time to coin a new term (unless someone has already beaten me to the punch)—Attention Hyperactive Disorder—just in case you thought you were acting AHD-ly. You may have an overactive compulsion to edit and re-edit your work. Only you can say when this obsession has gone too far, but there is something you may need to know, and that is…all the very best writers seem to suffer from this compulsion. Feel better?

Yeah, I know, I know! But I do it all the time. I’m doing it again, currently. This may be my fifth edit—I’ve lost count—it may be more. I used to think it a waste of time (mainly due to the…how do I say this nicely…’nagging’ of others to ‘just get it out there!’) However, I don’t consider it a waste of time anymore—not after reading of those who suffered the same disease and yet became famous as published authors. They went the extra mile, too.

There are, to be honest, two ways one may look at this. First, you might take the approach that the editors of publishing companies get paid to do that for you, so why not save your time and write new material while they are doing their job? Well, there are those editors who feel that way, to be sure—the ‘how dare you edit FOR me’ line of reasoning. But I also think you will find this kind to be few and far between. Author Algis Budrys, in his excellent work, Writing to The Point, A Complete Guide to Selling Fiction, verifies that some editors feel that the writer should stick to writing and let the editor do the editing, i.e. decide what is good and what isn’t, what needs to be rewritten and what doesn’t. Evidently there are editors who feel you may be very good at putting your creativity on paper, but not at deciding which portions of it are worth keeping.

So be it. That may be true. I have read some fascinating and intriguing works of fiction that had all the main elements captured on paper—complete with grammatical errors, poor punctuation and lousy sentence structure. Still, the promise and potential were intact and I could see the “movie” in my head. The author had captured it and captured me as the reader. Well done, I say.

Now, speaking as an “editor”…reading these was also very painful at times, especially if the errors were every few sentences. I have an eye for many details in the writings of others that I often do not have in my own. I ‘know’ what I meant as opposed to what I said, so to edit my own work may not be 100% productive. The intent comes through stronger than the reality, quite often. Maybe you have experienced that also. That is when I have been blessed to have very able volunteers, recruited friends and even strangers who edit and critique in return for a chance to read a new and unreleased novel. (A thick skin and a willing heart are what an author needs if he or she wishes to have a truly ‘clean’ manuscript). In these cases, I would say that letting the editor do his or her job is not outside the realm of reason. But I hasten to add that there is also another voice inside me that argues an opposing view.

This second voice (I know what you’re thinking and it doesn’t hurt me—I have been accused of being crazy many times before, I assure you—and by folks who know me much better than you) says that I should now go on from finding all the mis-spellings, duplicate words and so forth and now streamline the sentence structure. Oy! What a pain.

But, the voice is right, in my opinion. The more I polish, the more professional I appear to be; the more acquainted with my native language I show myself to be. The easier I make his job! Why is that important? Not for the reason you may be thinking.

My line of reasoning is that it allows the editor to read through from end to end without the typical editing distractions that would make him less likely to become hopelessly engrossed in the tale I have attempted to weave. In other words, I want to bait the hook, lure the fish, hook him and reel him in—and not stop until he is in the boat, on dry land, then in the pan! Isn’t that the goal for a fisherma…er, writer?

What I do not want is for him to be thinking, “Oops, another punctuation error. And here is a repeated word.” The longer I can get him to read without thinking like an editor, the better for me AND him. I want to entertain him, to entice and charm and capture! I want my manuscript on his desk and not in his wastebasket. Ultimately, I want him to be suddenly and unexpectedly finishing the book and be thinking, “Wow! Where did the time go? That was amazing!”

In short, I wish to treat the editor no differently than I treat the reading audience. If I can convince him that he is just an entertained reader for that hour or so, I have won. That is why I edit and re-edit, until there is no more edit left in me. Maybe now you can understand my obsession and the reasoning behind it—and feel better about your own.

Do what you may, but as for me and my pen, we shall edit the word.

Further Thoughts: How many rewrites is enough? Hmmmm,......you tell me. Read the link below and decide for yourself. My first novel has been two official rewrites so far and 4 or more strong tweaks after that. And still in testing phase at this time. They say you are truly done when you can't stand to look at it anymore.

Link: http://www.latterdayauthors.com/fiction/dgw+edits.htm

I TOLD You So!

2006-09-16T19:15:00.001-07:00

I have posted here a wonderful bit of advice from an author whom I recently discovered on the net. It was a surprise to find she is living quite nearby; only 20 miles or so, from me. With her permission, I post her advice, which only reinforces what I have said all along (see, for example, my article “The subject of (blush...) sex”). With that in mind…I told you so!

Are your "Pearls of Wisdom"
littered with dung?
by © Judith Tramayne

An experienced writer knows just how much dung to toss and how much to keep on his shovel or buried. Throw too much and you lose your reader. Too little and your characters suffer.

There is a very fine line when using swear words in your writing between good taste and smut. So how, as a new writer, do you recognize when you've exceeded the bounds? You ask yourself, "would my characters really say this or am I putting words in their mouth merely for shock value?"

If the answer is the latter, leave it out. But if your characters would rant, rave and swear, use acronyms. For instance, "that SOB better not get in my face again or the Mother dies." You've made your point and your reader will appreciate your good taste. The same holds true when you are describing love scenes in your book. Most people absolutely love the thirty and forties movies which fade to black before they get to the actual love making. Why? Because their imaginations fill in the blanks.

Seeing two people go at it on the big screen is a waste of film and the viewers time. The same holds true in books. Allowing readers to fill in the blanks is perhaps the hardest thing for new writers to overcome. In their exuberance, new writers leave nothing to the imagination. They merrily write down every little detail thinking they are doing the reader a disservice if they don't.

News flash — readers are smart and truly do appreciate an author who tosses just enough dung to land at their feet rather than smack them in the face.

So the next time you're tempted to litter your pearls of wisdom with dung, remember to toss just enough to avoid splattering your reader and then bury the rest.
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You may find more of Judith’s writings at http://www.agoodread.com/. She has posted a link to her freely downloadable mystery/thriller at http://conspiracy-freefictionbook.blogspot.com/. I look forward to reading it.

Movies In Your Mind

2006-09-16T19:15:00.000-07:00

With the gracious permission of the author, Judith Tramayne, I post here a great piece about how to begin the concept for your novel or short story. The principles are solid and true. They are also a repeat of my own advice posted here earlier and at latterdayauthors.com [another reason I like her advice…she agrees with me ;-) ]
Thanks you, Judith, for your permission to repost it here.

Let The Movie Run in Your Head

by © Judith Tramayne

Everybody and their sister wants to write a novel. Are they capable? Sure. Will they? No. Why? They make it harder than it really is.

Think back to when you were a child and daydreamed. Your imagination soared taking you to places you'd never been or allowed you to do things you couldn't do in real life. Writing a novel is the same.

It's daydreaming one page at a time.

First, you come up with a premise for your novel. I came up with the idea of someone being struck by a bolt of lightning. A simple start but one I let my mind take hold of and run with to produce Conspiracy.

Next, I daydreamed about what could happen to this person. Being intrigued with the idea of ESP throughout my life, the next thought came. What if this person gained super natural powers with her near death experience? Not the usual powers but something totally different.

The more I daydreamed and wrote my "what ifs", the more real my character became. I was no longer directing my character, she was directing me. It was as if a movie was running in my head and all I was doing was taking dictation.

In sports, this would be called "being in the zone." In writing, this is what I call being in the alpha state. The place between consciousness and sleep. You are daydreaming with a purpose. Your mind isn't wandering aimlessly but is totally focused inside your head in this dream or movie.

Time literally seems to stand still while you are in this alpha state. The words flow until your body starts to ache from the waist down because of non-movement. This is when you flip out of the zone and realize hours have gone by and you're surprised at the number of pages you've written.

So you yawn, stand up, stretch and put yourself and your writing to bed knowing this is going to happen day after day, page after page until your novel is finished. Yeah, right -- like your muse is that compliant.

Well yes, it can be if you let it. The trick to flipping in and out of this alpha or daydream state at will is going back over your writing each day and rewriting until your character starts to intrude again. At first, this could take 2 hours or 2 days but it will come because your character likes making his/her movie. And, your daydreaming is their route to the real world.

By the time you're half way through your novel, the time it takes to flip into your alpha state will be as little as 2 to 10 minutes. Why? Because you know your character so well, s/he is immediately there ready to let you view more of the movie so you can take the dictation. In fact if you skip one day to have a "real" life, count on your character berating you for your sloven behavior.

Finally, the day arrives when the movie is finished. Or so you think. Your character has other plans. S/he wants a sequel and begins to show you another movie. So what do you do? You let the movie run in your head.

Bottoms Up!

2006-09-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

I recently read one of the funniest pieces of humor I had seen in a long time. The author goes only by the name Sissy and has posted this on fanstory.com. With her generous permission, I repost it here for your enjoyment and study. I feel it is a very well written piece that goes to the heart of the “war between the sexes”, if there is such a thing. If nothing else, it allows a glimpse into the advantage of being able to laugh at ourselves now and then. It is a good tool to study regarding the communication of humor, how to paint those images in the minds of the reader, what words portray the motions and sounds of the events, etc.

I hope none will take offense at the subject matter. It was not meant to poke fun at anyone, but was posted here 1). Because it is funny and 2). It addresses some universal and age-old differences of men and women in communication and understanding. It appeals to the human condition on a basic level and we can all identify with it in one way or another. Enjoy the read—and thank you again, Sissy!

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Women Unite!

In 2006, let us all join forces and take up arms against our male counterparts. No, this is not a case for the Honorable Judge Moody. This is personal!

Let me explain.

Sissy Lancombed is going to have a very bad afternoon. After showing her faux Brad Pitt the door, she needs to take a potty break. Too much wine, and she's pretty certain that the venti-three shot-expresso-non-fat-mocha-vanilla-latte from the local coffeehouse chain hasn't helped.

Sashaying into the bathroom, she undoes the hundred-dollar butt-lifter jeans and the Vicky's panties (super-low rise bikini cut, striped) and goes into the age old position—

And the bad afternoon begins.

"OOPH!"

Splash!

I cannot repeat what words are coming out of Miss Lancombed's mouth because, well...it wouldn't be ladylike.

Grabbing hold of the countertop and the towel rack, she struggles mightily for a few minutes, then pulls herself out of the porcelain god. She takes stock of herself, then shrieks in horror. Her posterior, once a subtle shade of khaki from the local tanning salon, is now a horrendous Tid-y-Bowl blue.

See, Sissy Lancombed knows one thing. Her currently blue rear is going to clash terribly with her pale orange striped undies. She undresses with haste and leaps into the shower. She grabs her thirty dollar bottle of moisturizing wash and the loofa, and goes to work.

Still Tid-y-Bowl blue.

Half in a panic, she moves on to the sea salt scrub. Yes, that pricey one from Crabtree and Evelyn. She's sure the company did not envision their product being used as a fragrant form of Comet or Ajax...but these are desperate times.

The Tid-y-Bowl color holds fast.

Why is it so hard for men to put the toilet seat back down? I don't get it. If you can remember to put it up, why not back down again? I mean, seriously, it's along the same lines as say, zipping one's pants. I mean, occasionally one might forget, but not always!

Now, I know you men out there are reading this and thinking, 'Why can't you ladies just put the toilet seat UP after you use it?'

The answer is very simple. Women always need the toilet seat down. Men need it both down AND up. I don't know any man who does 'Number Two' with the toilet seat up. Do you? Otherwise, they'd find themselves in the same predicament as our heroine, Miss Lancombed--who is currently dissolving into tears because her butt is STILL blue. Resourceful as ever, she is contemplating the use of Crest White Strips on her nether region to restore it to its former glory.

Is it so difficult? The toilet seat, I mean. They aren't there for aesthetic purposes--even the pretty, soft, flowery ones like those in Sissy Lancombed's place. Aren't toilet seats meant to be SAT on?
I believe I learned about some law of physics or gravity or nature in my high school science class that went something like, 'What goes up, must come down.' Surely men can see the wisdom in that?

Maybe not, thinks Miss Lancombed, as she pulls on a pair of blue and white striped undies and a matching bra. Then the jeans and a light blue cashmere sweater. Now, at least her clothes match her behind, which makes her situation more bearable. She dries her hair into a perfectly coiffed helmet and heads for the door. Maybe the tanning salon can help.

Toilet seats need a timer. Better yet, how about one of those red dot laser sensors that are so common in rest stops, movie theater and Wal-Mart rest rooms? You know, the little dot that beams into your bare back as you use the facilities and causes the toilet to flush, generally with great force, as you rise to a standing position and release the used tissue.

Hey! Every toilet seat should come with these! The Man could lift the seat, do his thing and then as the targeted form steps away, the sensor on the underside of the seat would signal for its descent. Come on, it could work! That way, we wouldn't have to hear excuse like, "I forgot" or "I heard the game come back on" or "I thought I DID put it back down!"

It might save a lot of relationships AND prevent the spread of some pretty gross germs.

After all, it's one thing to land tush-first in our OWN toilets--quite another to splash down into an unfamiliar toilet at a party or in a unisex bathroom...

EUUWWWWW.

Or maybe our men should just try harder. After all, it really is just a silly little thing, isn't it?

Submission Accomplished!

2006-09-16T19:06:00.000-07:00

Here are the submission guidelines required by one publisher. I post this link as an example only and not as an endorsement. It is for educational purposes and should be taken seriously. There are far too many aspiring “authors” playing fast and loose with the rules of good writing. I do not claim to be an expert myself, but I do know that there have been many samples of late that I have read and been angered, frustrated and nearly nauseated by. If this seems harsh, know that I lay a great deal of the blame at the feet of the (if you can use the term without laughing) school system in our country today. The more money they throw at it, the worse it gets. Perhaps it is time for putting it out of its misery and letting private schools compete more frequently. Okay, enough ranting. Here is the link. Pay close attention.

http://trebleheartbooks.com/files/Submission_Guidelines.htm

Do It With Style

2006-09-16T19:04:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to one publisher, defining their style sheet requirements. It tells exactly what they expect when you submit your works to them. You can imagine what would happen if they did not specify. There would be submissions using every means from email to books written on brown paper shopping bags. So, read it and keep.

http://trebleheartbooks.com/StyleSheet.html

A Picture Worth A Thousand Words

2006-09-16T18:59:00.000-07:00

To illustrate a point, let me quote the specifications listed by James A. Rock Publishing in the 2005 Writer’s Market. This is meant to be a wakeup call to those who think they can write as sloppily and loosely as they want. Hold your nose and swallow quickly and it won’t taste as bad, okay?

P.307 of 2005 Writer’s Market:
“Grammar, language, punctuation and spelling count heavily. We edit all manuscripts for style and content, and we do not want to read sloppy, unschooled or badly written manuscripts. If you are composing in English, we expect you to be in control of your instrument. We are rather conservative when it comes to punctuation.”

And there you have it. As concise and clear as this is, nothing more need be said--except to have a friend who is good at editing go over your work.

When Your Writing Sucks

2006-09-16T18:58:00.000-07:00

When Your Writing Sucks
and What To Do About It

Let’s face it—every now and then you recognize that, as a writer, things just aren’t going as you might have hoped. In fact, in being totally honest with yourself, you conclude that there is no denying that your writing just plain ‘sucks swamp water through a straw today’. Well, no need to feel alone. We all go through it at one time or another. Even the famous writers wrestle with the same problem. Feeling better? Didn’t think so. But, now that you know the club is much larger than you had originally envisioned, your next question is ‘what can I do to remedy the situation’, right?

Well, we never want to overlook the obvious. (No, I’m not suggesting that you just plain 100% suck as a writer.) Any number of variables may be affecting your writing. Let’s take a few moments to consider some of them. This will not be an exhaustive list, by any means. Your life is different from that of everyone else and will have certain factors unique to you and you alone, perhaps. Not a problem. We just need to determine the cause(s) of your block and either eliminate them or work around them, that’s all.

Okay, let’s get started, shall we? I will list these points of consideration as ‘possibilities’, for no other reason than I like that better than IM-possibilities. I hope you learn to think of it that way, too.

Possibility #1 – “Not Today!” There is a distinct possibility that today is just not a day you should even try to write. I know—sacrilege in its most virulent form, right? Not so. Do you have a sick child at home that needs your attention? If so, you can be reasonably certain that any time you find to type a few words will be time wasted, unless you are making brief notes as a memory jog. The time it takes to get into the “zone” (mood, for you traditionalists) is a lot longer than the time it takes for a child, a spouse, a phone call or knock at the door to distract you. You need to ask yourself whether you might be better off postponing the author gig altogether, until you can be assured of fewer demands that vie for your time and attention.

Possibility #2 – “Warning! Warning! Meltdown is imminent.” Are you spending too much time at the keys? If you are working too hard to accomplish it, you may be trying to force the muse to give up the goods. One word of advice on this method: “Ain’t gonna happen, Bro.” Creativity cannot be forced. It is not a faucet that you turn on and off when you wish. If you have been writing anything other than school textbooks, you already know that. You may want to walk away for a few hours, a few days or even a week. Rest and relaxation is required now and again. This refreshes the mind and body (relieves tired eyes and “chair-butt syndrome”). While you are considering the physical aspect, you might want to question whether you are using a monitor that is hard on the eyes. A flat screen monitor (LCD type) is much easier on the eyes than a standard CRT monitor. The flicker rate can cause all sorts of trouble for some folks. If you can't afford even a used flat screen monitor, consider whether you can alter the refresh rate of your present screen. This alone could help immensely to relieve eye and brain fatigue.

Possibility #3 – “Pssst! Over here!” On the opposing end is the concern that you may be spending too little time at the keys. If you seldom try to write, you may be having trouble getting a creative flow of any type going. The only cure for this is to write. Choose any topic that interests you. Let the creative side of the brain have free rule while you tell absolutely everything you know about the subject, no matter how dry and boring you may think it is. Later, go back and let the analytical side of your brain take over—this is your critic, your editor and your organizer. Now, assemble the information into logical and reader-friendly blocks. Can you then assemble this into chapters or sections? You may find you have the makings (or the beginnings of the makings) of a non-fiction book that some publisher will be interested in. If this appeals to you, I suggest you read Damn! Why Didn’t I Write That? By Marc McCutcheon. You can find this listed new and used on Amazon.com.

Possibility #4 – “I don’t remember this wall being here yesterday.” You may indeed have genuine writer’s block. Congratulations! That means you are a genuine writer. Okay, so it isn’t making you feel better, but there is an answer to that as well. The answer is as simple as going to a movie, a bookstore or to the mall, in many cases. You need to get away for a while and be exposed to different stimulation. Go see an old friend that you haven’t talked to for some time. Go to an old folks home and visit someone who doesn’t get any other visitors. You will feel better, you can ask a lot of questions (they will love that you are interested in their lives) and you may have the makings of a book—or several. Ask your friends what kind of book they wish were in print—“If you could buy any kind of book right now, what would it be?” Then go to the bookstore and see if any with that topic are on the shelves. If there are few or none, you might have a winner. If there are numerous ones, you might also have a winner. The way to know is to ask the manager how many are actually going out the door. (And while we are at it, ask other friends what they honestly think of that topic). Look over these existing books and if you decide to tackle the project, do these two things: make yours different enough to stand out and/or make it better in some way. Oh…and write a catchy title that won't lull a reader to sleep before the covers are even opened.

Possibility #5 – “Can We Talk?” Okay, so I’m not Joan Rivers, but you may have things on your mind that are troubling you. If you do, you can write about them, talk with a friend about them or just go take care of them and then come back to your writing. If your inner voices are having a ‘rave-in’ while you are attempting to be creative, you must attend to them before you can hope to focus on your writing—unless you are the type that writes about the inner demons you battle (I was always concerned about Stephen King in that respect).

Possibility #6 – “It’s about time!” Again, each of us is different. There is a distinct possibility that you may be writing at the wrong time for you. I am a ‘night owl’ and my wife is a ‘rooster.’ The times I choose to write are when there are fewer distractions. The times she wants to talk to me are very difficult. I feel as if my mind is torn and I get very irritated with the constant ‘channel switching’ I must do. That isn’t good for family relations, so I have to work around it in some manner. You may need to do the same thing. Are mornings best for you? Evenings? Weekends? I don’t write every day, contrary to the popular wisdom. You may not want to or need to, either. I find that I just don't need to or have the inclination to do so. It isn't that mechanical a process to me, so why pretend it is? I strike when the iron is hot, so to speak, and not until.

Possibility #7 – “Oops! Wrong Lane!” It could be that you are trying to put a square peg in a round hole, so to speak. Did it ever occur to you that you might be working on the wrong project at this time? Stranger things can happen—the truth is out there. Maybe you should be working on the non-fiction book or pamphlet instead of the poetry you love to write so much. If your poetry is suffering lately, then consider this strongly. Consider it a change of scenery--a vacation you owe to yourself. Or maybe you are trying to do all of these projects at once? Are you up to the challenge without something suffering terribly as a result? Maybe you need to prioritize your projects and set a timetable to accomplish them (Note: this is not carved in stone, especially if it is counterproductive. Tell your editor that patience is a virtue and that frequent interruptions are a hazard to your creative health--umm...and say it nicely, so you don't burn any bridges).

As I said earlier, this is by no means an exhaustive list. You may have considered items that I haven’t. If you have, you are encouraged to add them in the comment link for this article. The bottom line is this—there are always ways to overcome the problems, if you believe and patiently search for their causes and then diligently work those solutions when they are found.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. ‘Thoughts are things’, someone once said. More and more, I am coming to believe that. The brain is an amazing device. What you tell yourself about yourself is what the mind is programmed to act upon. Shakespeare said, “Assume a virtue and it is yours.” If you think your writing sucks, it will—you are obeyed implicitly. Henry Ford noted, ‘Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right.’ So…what do you think?

Preditors and Editors

2006-09-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

Under the title Preditors and Editors, this is a useful site that can save you a lot of hassle, if the info it offers is accurate. It appears the site owners have made honest an effort to be thorough and fair. Definitely worth a look.
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/peba.htm

International Writing Contest

2006-09-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

Here is where you might stand to make some money by writing short stories and poetry and entering contests. There are small entry fees involved, but if competition gets your blood moving, this is for you and is on an international scale, to boot.
http://www.firstwriter.com/competitions/

Advice To Aspiring Writers

2006-09-16T18:53:00.000-07:00

For an excellent article on advice to aspiring writers, check this link to author Joan Hall Hovey. Very sage advice that I can recommend highly. http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/joanhallhovey/note.html

Painting A Picture In The Reader's Mind

2006-09-16T18:49:00.000-07:00

[It should be mentioned that the story below--"Yours for a Wish"--came to me in a dream one night. It was written the next day without any major correction or modification and within fifteen minutes of sitting at the keyboard. Do I take credit for it? No. I credit God for sending it to me and I am simply grateful to have been the channel through which it came. Amazing things happen when you try to get in tune with loving spiritual sources.]

In the short tale below, I attempt to grab the reader and not let go until the last words have been read. To do this, I must "paint a picture" in the imagination of the reader--in his or her mind. A good story will allow you to "see" what is happening in it. Not that it will give you everything in mocroscopic detail. Far from it. What it will do is paint enough of the details to let you know where the lines are, so you can can complete it by coloring within those lines. Or, compare it to a paint-by-number picture, if you will.

Said another way, when you go into the forest, you don't need to note every leaf on a tree to know that it is a tree. Your mind interpolates the details. In your backyard, you don't note every blade of grass to know it is a lawn or that it needs mowing (sorry). You are not taking the "Charles-Dickens-paid-by-the-word-(therefore more words)-and-describe-every-stick-of-furniture-in-case-you-want-to-have-a-stage-a-play" approach to story-telling. (Whew! Puff, puff....) Let the reader be a part of the story and the telling. Don't rob him or her of the right and opportunity to participate in it WITH you. Do you understand what I am saying here? It is a delicate balance--what one writer called the "tipping point." I like that term. Not too much and not too little.

Well, on with the story, lest I say too much myself and rob you of the right and opportunity.... I hope you see the inspiration in it, also.

Yours for a Wish – © Steven G. O’Dell Nov. 2005

The small boy stood eagerly on his porch, watching the deliveryman bring the large crate that he had wished for. Inside, he knew, would be all the wonderful things he had been told of and had come to desire so deeply. He opened the crate excitedly. It was so large. Out spilled all the wonderfully ornate, shiny baubles he expected. His eyes grew wide and he ooh-ed and ah-ed in complete amazement. These were all his and his alone, to do with as he pleased. Now they were all within his reach and his life could begin in earnest.

As he grew, the young man fondled and polished all the shiny accoutrements that he had wanted so early in his life. He noticed how some seemed to have lost their sheen with age. Others appeared to be cracked and nearly broken, but he was a prideful young man and nothing would take these things from him or demean them in any way while he still lived and breathed. They were still his and his alone.

The man grew older still. He was bitter now. None of what he had wished for in his life seemed of any consequence. Old habits die hard, however, and the tarnished baubles were still his and he still clung to them jealously, all the while hating them deeply.

The time came when the old man died and all of his worldly belongings were left behind to be sold cheaply to the next covetous young man who desired to accumulate all the world had to offer him. What the dead man took with him was a simple gravestone that marked his final resting place, soon to be forgotten by all but the groundskeeper.

Another small boy stood wide-eyed on his front porch. His box, too, had arrived. His mother and father handed it gently, almost reverently, to him. They took the time to explain the proper use of all the contents within his wonderful gift box and then bade him open it. With a sense of wonder and awe he carefully began to peel the ribbon from the small container that sat easily within one small hand. He could scarcely conceal his smile, so excited was he to be finally getting what he had been taught to so deeply desire above all else. The lid lifted away, the young man stepped into the full sunlight where he could more easily investigate the contents and to his great surprise, the light that was caught and reflected from the object within was nearly as bright as the sun itself. He shielded his eyes and squinted against the gleam of what appeared to be a beautiful cut diamond. His parents corrected him and explained that it was indeed a rare jewel, but no earthly diamond at all. It was far more valuable than anything so common as a diamond. The boy smiled, hugged his parents and promised to always cherish the gift throughout his life.

The young man had kept his promise and found that as he shared the beauty of his wonderful gift, an amazing thing happened—the shine seemed to get even more brilliant than before and would cast its light to greater and greater distances around him. All who came within the influence of his precious gift were touched and improved in some strange way. What tremendous delight this brought to the young man and all who knew him.

An old man had lived a long and fruitful life. He smiled as he thought back on all that had meant so much to him in this world. It seemed that everything he cherished most could not be bought with money or traded for insignificant worldly goods. What he most treasured were the moments of love and friendship with family and acquaintances. The memories of a lifetime graced the pages of his mind in the last few hours of his mortality, but before he went, he called to his side all of his children and grandchildren and with a shaking hand held aloft the same small box that his mother and father had delivered to him so many years ago. With wide eyes and awe-opened mouths, the family received from his lips the story that his parents had told him in his childhood. When he passed, they were sad to see him go, but knew that to a wonderful and very real extent he remained with them as much as ever. When he passed he took with him no more than the first man had taken. However, far more than the groundskeeper took notice of his passing. His name continued to be spoken within his town and in an ever-broadening circle, for generations thereafter.

The two men came into this life with the same opportunities. Neither had the advantage over the other, except in one thing. What made the difference? The teacher. The first young boy was turned loose without guidance to desire what the world would teach him were things to be prized above all else. He found later in his life that these were but empty and meaningless things that brought no comfort to him or to anyone else that he came in contact with. The second boy, so similar to the first, was taught that what he held was the power to make the world around him a better place, if he would but do so. He was taught that the power he wielded could be used for good or for evil and that it must be used wisely or it would destroy him and all who came into contact with it. He was shown that as he used wisdom, the gift would reach out to enlighten and guide the lives of others, who in turn would enlighten then more lives beyond theirs. So great was the love of this young boy for his first teachers that he carried that gift with reverence all his life, simply to honor their names with each use. And so great was the joy that it brought, he could not help but pass it on to those who had come to love him for his shining example of beauty and benevolence.

You see, we are all placed in this world with the self-same promise—that “nothing shall be withheld from them which they shall imagine to do”. We hold within our hands the same gift, though to some it may appear large and to others small. Some trade it for baubles and beads that become mere trash and bring no lasting value to anyone, even their owners. Others learn the priorities of life and become a shining city on a hill, where none can hide the light from all who would draw near and truly see for the first time. You have that power to choose what you value most in life. You also have the power to become a revered teacher in your own right—to anyone you may touch in this life. The choice is yours. What do you wish?

Do I Make The Reader Feel Anything?

2006-09-16T18:37:00.000-07:00

The worst thing you can do to a reader is to bore him. It is worse than enraging them. You must ask yourself what makes life interesting to you--and to them, the readers. Your story must have life to it--a seemingly tactile presence that they can almost reach out and touch. That is your goal as an author and nothing less. Decide that now and you will reach that star. Neglect it and you will be just another "wannabe" writer. It pays to study what moves you, the author. If it moves you, it may move an audience. And help you to get published and paid for your hard work. Publishing, movie rights...ahhhhh, wouldn't that be the life? Anyway, study the imagery, the "visual-ness", if you will, of the following vignettes (slices of life, a moment in time).

Anywhere I Want—© Steven G. O’Dell Nov. 2005

Thomas Feldon had reached the end of his workday. He slogged dejectedly through the front gate and climbed the worn steps to his front door. He had no one to return to each day, he hated his job and he had not so much as a pet to complain to for comfort. He was exhausted—not physically, but mentally and spiritually. Thomas unlocked and opened the door for the thousandth time, slipped in quietly and closed it behind himself. There was no noise at all in his house. It was silent as a tomb.

Sighing to himself, Thomas abruptly dropped his briefcase and thought to himself, That is the last of you for the weekend. Removing his suit jacket, he dropped it onto the sofa and felt yet another weight lifted from his shoulders—No more petty dictator bosses for the next few days. Sitting down, he removed his shoes and again delivered himself from a not-so-imaginary burden. No more deadlines to contend with for now. He removed his socks, smiled and dropped them where they would. No more nasty looks from the bosses’ secretary until Monday. Thomas stood up and unbuttoned his shirt, breathing a deep sigh of relief and exhaling it slowly. Removing his shirt, he tossed it onto the back of the sofa and stretched his arms upward. No whispering around the water cooler when I am approaching. He grinned widely and with renewed determination headed toward the back door, clad in T-shirt and trousers.

There was nothing in Thomas’s backyard except the grass and the sunshine, a few flowers that had voluntarily come up this year and the sound of the birds in the neighborhood trees. No matter. He was now in complete control of his world. Thomas closed his eyes and with face toward the sun, immediately detached himself from life as he knew it. Eyes still tightly shut, he smiled confidently and mysteriously and then stepped boldly forth into the dense forest that had just "appeared" before him. What a grand adventure must await me there, he thought. Perhaps this time I shall not return at all. And this time he didn’t.

From Shining Armor--Book One--The Knight Appears (C) Steven G. O'Dell 2002

Her mood swung suddenly, growing sober and deliberate. She looked straight into his eyes with warmth that seemed to heat the room and her gaze said more silently than she could have ever expressed in words. Ron felt the muscles in his chest tighten with the anxiety of an inexperienced schoolboy as he sat frozen in rapt and anxious attention, watching her slow approach and wondering that he had ever been so shy and backward as to almost let this precious pearl slip through his fingers. Thank God for Barbara, he thought.

She lowered herself easily onto his lap and slowly leaned forward, gently placing her lips upon his. She saw that he closed his eyes and heard him let out an involuntary whimper. She, too, closed her eyes and they kissed for the first time. A long, perfect kiss that made time and space disappear altogether. Such a kiss as she was sure had never been equaled since the world began. A kiss that, for its perfection, even the very heavens must take notice of. When they again opened their eyes, what had been a sunset was now complete darkness, except for a streetlight that graced the window from afar.

Creating A Visual World For The Reader

2006-09-16T18:21:00.000-07:00

I have said on more than one occasion that my job as a writer is to captivate the reader and draw him or her away from the everyday world and into a world that the reader and I create together. Together? Yes, I know that is a curious statement, but it is true, nonetheless. The reader is a great part of the experience. The reader "sees" and "hears", "feels" and "smells" and experiences in so many ways the well done tale. What would a play be without an audience? A film presentation without appreciative viewers? TV shows with no one to watch? Songs with no listeners? Do you begin to see my point?

You may be honored with a comment from some appreciative readers, if you are fortunate and if you have crafted your tale well. It feels wonderful to know that you "carried away" a reader, even if for a brief time. You sparked their imaginations with the products of your own imaginations. You have communicated, in the real sense of the word. You have hypnotized, captivated and won the heart of that reader, if only for a moment. Congratulations! You are an author. And a successful one at that.

How do you paint that world that a reader will willingly and eagerly walk into? Carefully and purposefully, with attention to detail. Below is an example of how I painted the world as seen by a young girl in her own backyard--and yet her world changed even as the reader followed her experience. And the world of more than one reader changed along with it--remembering what it is like to be a wide-eyed child again.

Never forget your audience, but never forget to "experience" your story.

Relative Size--(C) Steven G. O'Dell Nov. 2005

The warm sunshine felt wonderful on her arms and legs as she ran across the large open yard. The breeze was gentle, but more pronounced as she ran inhaling the fragrant air that wafted from the nearby lilac bushes and rose garden. The grass brushed her toes lightly with each bounding step and all was right with the world in this little girl's life. She felt so alive in this great big world that surrounded her.

With a sudden leap, she rolled to the ground and lay still for a moment, basking in the sunshine that bathed her naked skin and warmed her from head to foot. Catching her breath, she could hear the birds in the trees and in the sky overhead. 'Such a great big world,' she thought. Rubbing her arms back and forth across the blades of grass, as though making a summertime snow angel, the softness of the experience caused her to roll over onto her stomach, where she began to inspect the wonders before her.

Each blade, though seemingly at first glance the same as all its neighbors, was in its own way unique, even if only because the mower had shaved each in a different manner--some smoothly, some more torn, some angled and others straight as could be. She marveled that she had never noticed this before and as she stared closely at one particular blade she noticed the movement of some small creature that caught her eye. It was an ordinary ant, but she was in a state of heightened awareness today that led her to study this insect as she never had before. What a wondrous little creation this was and she marveled over it for several minutes as it went about its business in the grass before her. Until another movement caught her now sensitive eye.

It was incredibly tiny and she actually strained to come closer and focus upon it. What appeared to her fascinated gaze was an almost unbelievably minute creature, red and having all the appearance of a spider in its nature. She was now struck with a sense of wonder that she had indeed never felt. Here was something that she was discovering for the very first time in her young life--as if it were a new world, only now revealed to the eyes of mankind.

The detail she observed in this nearly microscopic creature was stunning. Every needful part was there to allow it to function in its own huge world and each worked to perfection. The young girl suddenly knew two things very clearly. First, large as her own world had seemed but a few short moments ago, there were things that must feel so much tinier than she. And secondly, she knew that she would never see her world in quite the same way ever again.

Here is another vignette to study. This, too, was successful in taking my readers into a moment that was not their own, until I made it so--with their help, of course.

All In How You See It--(C) Steven G. O'Dell Nov. 2005

The old woman sat on the park bench pretending not to notice that her husband was doing it again. It happened every time they went to the park. It happened when they walked the street as they did each day at this time. It was happening again--now--and the old woman had finally lost her tolerance for it. She had never said anything as she saw him looking at these young women in the park or on the street, but had held her tongue as long as she could. She would say nothing again today, but her silence was no indication of concession on her part. No, far from it. Today she would hold her peace and do what she had imagined for so long. She would finally put an end to his wandering eye forever. She only had to wait for the right opportunity, but she was confident it would soon come. Perhaps something in his evening cocoa or a mix-up in his medications. No matter how, she thought, the time had come and she would act upon it. There were limits to what a woman ought to tolerate and she had indeed reached her limit.

The old man sat quietly on the park bench beside his wife. Occasionally he would watch the young women there with their boyfriends or their husbands. He hurt each time he thought of how badly he and his wife had wanted children of their own, but had not been able to do so. Reflecting now that his wife had especially wanted a daughter, the old man gazed silently at the young lady passing before him and wondered to himself--if they had been blessed with a daughter of their own, how old would she be by now? What would she look like? Would she already have children of her own, making him a grandfather? Dismissing these thoughts from his mind, he sighed in a barely audible manner and turned to his wife and smiled. He had at least been blessed with the most beautiful and wonderful woman in the world. He had enjoyed many years together with her, despite having no children, and he hoped to have many more in loving her. He was indeed a happy man and could complain very little about the hand that God had dealt him.

Strange Thoughts At Strange Times--The Guitar

2006-09-16T18:20:00.000-07:00

Funny at what times the darndest thoughts can hit you; like a short story at midnight when you are desperately trying to go to bed and are way overdue for sleep. The following story hit me at just that time and was insistent enough to delay my sleep for another half hour. This story seemed to have a life of its own and the imagery was extremely captivating to me. I knew immediately that it was very powerful and needed to be shared. I knew that if I waited until morning, the story would vaporize and i would regret it. LESSON: Sometimes it is worth a sacrifice to achieve the end result.

The Guitar--Steven G. O'Dell July 2005

The music was unlike any she had ever heard before. It grabbed her by the heartstrings and pulled her physically to itself. The otherworldly strains came softly from the inner recesses of the undistinguished and quaint little shop that she had nearly missed in her private rush down the narrow cobblestone street, but she now stood transfixed as the sultry tones of the simple acoustic guitar beckoned to her from the darkness beyond the door.

One step at a time, slowly she marched forward, led by the intoxicating siren sound of an unseen master. Gradually, as her eyes became accustomed to the dim lighting of the room, the form took shape of a seated man bent over a guitar. His eyes were tightly closed, as though in deep meditation and his head bobbed and weaved subtly to the emotional melodies that so fluidly poured forth. His behavior suggested that he did not just play the music, but that he also experienced it, lived in it fully and passionately.

At one moment his fingers were gentle and quivering, then again swift and light and she knew that the music that so deeply stirred her did not come alone from the fingers and mind of the musician, but from the depths of his very soul. His roughly handsome face changed with each phrase; first soaring, now weeping and then flights of ecstasy and beyond. Tears flowed easily from her as well, as the melodies played about her heart and feelings. She felt nearly captive and helpless in the grip of this master musician. As the woman watched his two hands orchestrate their dance around the instrument he held, it occured to her that the device he so masterfully expressed himself upon bore strong resemblance to her own feminine shape. She blushed as a warmth surprisingly surged through her and she instinctively knew that such hands as could express themselves in this spirit-touching manner must also know their way around the body of such a woman as she--nay, even her very soul.

Now nearly breathless, she lifted her gaze from the interplay of man and instrument, the dance between fret and soundboard, mesmerized by the now open dark and penetrating eyes that seemed to search her inner depths. The soft smile on his lips assured her that any fears were in vain and she began to willingly open her heart and mind to this heavenly symphony that she had nearly lost in her desire to hurry to nowhere important.

Why Manuscripts Get Rejected

2006-09-16T18:10:00.000-07:00

Here is an in-depth summary (yes, I know that seems contradictory, but I stick by it, all the same) of the major reasons your manuscript could be rejected by a publisher. It is definitely worth the read. Take notes, save to faves or cut and paste. You will be glad you followed the advice. Why Manuscripts Get Rejected

Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder

2006-09-16T18:01:00.000-07:00

Maybe it is a sickness after all, but it often turns out to be for the best. Just when you think it safe to go back into the writing or transcribing waters, the jaws of editing grabbed you again and you now have a much first draft to show for it, sporting a smoother tale and about 2,000 more words to flesh it out.

The old saying goes, "Strike while the iron is hot". If you find yourself branded (pun intended) with that characteristic arsing again and again, it may be best not to fight it. It may be good for your final work to be so obsessed with perfection. That is not to say, however, that you should forget to write creatively and just edit from now on (unless you wish to switch careers to avoid the stress of authoring).

I won't belabor the point. I just want to note that you may not need to be so concerned about the constant desire to edit and polish. It could actually be good for you to do so. The more nearly perfect your work, the better a publisher will like it. And the better you will fell about it.

Still, all work and no play..., as they say. Remember to have fun, too.

When Fiction And Reality Meet

2006-09-16T18:00:00.000-07:00

I have recently been reflecting that often in my fiction I include vignettes based on fact from either my own life or the life of another. The information may not be portrayed exactly as it happened in the real persons' life, but may be loosely based about it. It becomes a record of personal experience to some degree, whether ones' own or that of an acquaintance. For the reader, as well as for the writer, it adds a deeper dimension of life to the story because there is some realism and actual fact involved. These are things that could possibly happen to a reader because they may have already happened to the author or a friend.

At present, my third son is writing an assigned story with the instructions that it be a fiction tale based around some actual historical event. He has chosen to write from the viewpoint of someone experiencing the original Woodstock concert of 1969, an event that took place when I was just a year younger than he is now. I found this to be fascinating for several reasons, not the least of which were the discoveries that he has a natural writing ability and that he does his research to perfection if he is able. He asked such questions as, "Was it called a VW micro-bus or mini-bus?" The truth was that I could not recall for sure which it was, but the fact that he asked and cared enough to be accurate about this and several other details impressed me and made me proud of him. I complimented him on his writing abilities (he knows how to draw a reader in immediately with realistic detail), whereupon he told me he wasn't sure he would want to do this very often--didn't really enjoy it that much--and he dashed any vision I had of him becoming a young accomplished writer. Just some of the joys and challenges of parenthood, I guess. Nevertheless, I am anxious to see the end result of his labors and to congratulate him on his efforts.

I am impressed that it is supremely important to write from personal experience to some great degree, because it will generate a unique subliminal appeal that will draw the reader into your tale in a way that total fiction will not. You will write with more detail, and more convincingly, than you would by generating pure fiction alone. You will bring your words to life more fully and paint more powerful pictures in deeper hues in the minds of your readers. Never--I repeat, NEVER be afraid to share personal experiences in your stories. Never be afraid to let down your guard and be vulnerable for the time it takes to record your story into the fiction you write. Only you will know. You will be glad you did and so will your audience.

Falling In Love

2006-09-16T17:59:00.000-07:00

Suzanne James has posted a great article on Falling in Love, part of her series on How To Write a Romance Novel. Definitely worth a read.

Sage Advice--After The sale

2006-09-16T17:55:00.000-07:00

After the Sale Three resolutions that may help you.

Query Writing Mistakes To Avoid

2006-09-16T17:54:00.000-07:00

Query Writing Mistakes to Avoid So, you are ready to send off a letter of inquiry to a publisher--you may want to do a rewrite first.

Publisher Hell--or Why You Might Consider Self-Publishing

2006-09-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

Publisher Hell Horror story that you want to read. Knowledge is power--pay attention!

The Interview

2006-09-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

The Interview
Good recommendations regarding interviews with those who might help make you famous and how not to talk yourself out of success.

Worth A Read

2006-09-16T17:47:00.000-07:00

Hollyweird Education Can you find the nuggets of wisdom in this article? An education in itself!

Interesting and insightful?

Your Grand Finale

2006-09-16T17:44:00.000-07:00

This looks like very good advice regarding writing the wind-up section of your novel. Maybe you will find something here that will help you in your own efforts.

Check this out.

Shut Up and WRITE!

2006-09-16T17:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I may have stepped on some toes with the title. No offense meant. I just had to make a point. Some authors let the cares of the world get in the way of their writing. They worry about every little typo as they put the words on paper (or post it as electrons, whichever your preference may be). They fret over punctuation or grammatical correctness. And some of them stew over these things so much that the story never gets told, because that voice in their heads is making so much noise that it is hard to remember why they wanted to write in the first place.

So, to keep the matter short and sweet, I suggest you turn off that voice--tell it to take a hike until you call for it. Some authors I have heard of even turn off their monitors so they won't see all the problems that can distract them from their task! Now, that is a bit extreme for me, but whatever works, I guess. They only turn it back on to see where they left off or to use the spell-checker, etc. (Memorize the Ctrl/S function and you can relax a bit). The old saying is that "when you are on a roll, let nothing interfere...." I have to agree. Let nothing interfere, if at all possible. We have all had the experience of being so engrossed in reading a good book that we forget to eat or sleep. What is needed as an author is to be so engrossed in the current writing session that we do the same thing. Get the creative juices flowing and let nothing short of death or the Second Coming interfere. I know, I know! Life happens. Just do your best, okay?

"The day is sufficient to the evil there-of"---or something like that (you scriptorians can help me out). Anyway, what it means is that there are enough worries for today and some for tomorrow, so be patient and just take care of todays' concerns. What that means to me is minimize the hoopla that gets in the way of a good writing session. Sort out the details later, but write the plot now! Build the car now and paint and polish later. Plant and water the seeds--weed later....

Well, I am sure you get the picture--and I need to shut up and write....

Can Men Write Romance?

2006-09-16T17:34:00.000-07:00

This was a topic at latterdayauthors.com. It is a fascinating question. I already know the answer, but couldn't help but be taken by the topic anyway. I mean, what would make the question necessary, except that there seems to be a tendency for women to write romance and men not to even want to see it in "chick flicks", let alone read it.

Some of those who posted speculated that it is because men are more action oriented and prone to perhaps more protective and aggressive tendencies. They are more competitive. Testosterone does that to you, I guess. Well, I guess there is something to that, no doubt. But I think it goes deeper than that. Right to the very heart of the matter is the fact that before birth--soon after conception--an amazing thing takes place. The brain of the embryo is bathed in special chemicals at the moment the sex is decided. These chemicals actually cause a real change in how the brain will function if the baby is to be male. All this has been proven by tests in the lab. Doctors have wired up men and women and then recorded the brain activity when they showed them such things as soap operas or other stimuli that would cause emotional reactions. What they recorded amazed even them. In the women, much larger areas of the brain lit up. In fact, numerous areas lit up that remained quiet in the men all together. They connected the problem of women who watch soap operas extensively while drinking to the result that many become alcoholics because of this very pattern of difference. The women were less able to distinguish that this was not real life. They became so entangled in the stories that these characters became very life-like and in many cases all too real to them. It would also explain why some soap opera stars are accosted on the street and abused by fans of their respective shows for their supposed treatment of other actors and actresses who are also just playing a part.

Women have known for some time that men are able to remain more focused on some things than they are. Let a woman try to get her man away from the football game, for instance--lack of clothing not withstanding, it may be next to impossible if he really wants to watch that game. ("I'm sorry, Honey. Were you actually IN the house then?") On the other hand, men will react totally differently to a baby crying than will a woman. Then, too, there is the very real and defined difference in how men and women express their feelings vocally. Men may not know how to put into words what they feel, even to themselves, let alone to describe it out loud well enough to satisfy a woman. They may truly and genetically lack the words to say what they feel. A woman, though, may be more than capable--to the point that the man may wish she was less capable of expressing herself. She may feel frustrated that he lacks the words and take this to be a lack of interest in discussing the matter with her. He then, in turn, may consider her coaxing to be hostility and off they go. Life is fun sometimes---and other times....

Personally, I have had times when words are hard to find. And then I have had times when they come very easily. I feel I have been blessed to see things from both sides often. Because of this ability to use both sides of the brain, so to speak, I feel I have been able to find the words that will express romance in a manner that women read and appreciate. Responses from female readers verify this. BUT, I also have written into my stories enough heart-pumping adrenaline rushes to keep a man interested, too. I have come to question why that balance would be so natural to me. The conclusion I came to is that I had to include enough of the latter to keep myself intrigued. Strangely, it also seems to keep a woman intrigued. The responses more than testify to this. Kind of like taking your girl to the horror flicks and they cuddle closer in the really scary parts. A lot of women seem to like thrillers, mysteries and intrigue. This surprised me even very recently.

One woman posted to the above site that she never liked any romance written by a man, because they are too predictable, shallow and the man always sacrifices the woman for his own safety, etc. I was personally rather hurt to hear this, though she certainly never meant to aim the comment at me. I guess I felt to challenge her, because another woman had told me she had always despised romance novels, yet she liked mine because it had substance to it and seemed more real than others. Others told me it was like watching a movie more than reading a book and one even said, in all capital letters, that she couldn't put it down. Others claimed it captivated them from page one and didn't let go. Of course, that was all very gratifying, but isn't it funny how you always want to win over the last hold-out? That was what I found myself wanting to do. Yes, logically you can never please everyone all the time, but the urge was there to win her over and make her a believer. That competitive spirit in the male being took over, I guess.

Well, I said I knew the answer from the beginning. I have been told my work is very romantic. I also know that men will like it and I want to get more male comments on it. What I would really like is for several couples to read it together and comment on their experiences. That would be a good experiment to me. I know men can write romance, because I can. But now I want to challenge the conventional wisdom that says we can't. To me that is sexism and bunk and deserves to be proven wrong. And I think women secretly want a man who can express himself confidently in a romantic way.

Write me for a copy of the whole novel and I will make a gift of it if you promise to share it and send me your comments on it. pointedwords@gmail.com

Bringing your characters to life

2006-09-16T17:33:00.000-07:00

Just as a two-dimensional world would be very flat and confusing, so is a storybook character that is less than three-dimensional. The question to be answered is how to make a character stand out as different from all the others in your story. I have heard some writers say, 'I can write a plot and tell a good story, but I am no good at dialogue'. I have heard others complain that they have trouble coming up with characters that are interesting. There is a lot to finding a good character for your story and you should not feel bad that you struggle a bit. I choose to use the word 'finding' a character, because I feel that if we are ready for it, a character will suggest himself to us and when he is clearly defined as to who he is, the dialogue will also come more naturally.

Let's begin by asking what makes your mother different from your aunt Martha (feel free to substitute another name). Or what sets your uncle apart from your grandfather? The number of differences can be staggering when you begin to list them. You may genuinely be surprised by it as you attempt the task. We tend to trust our senses and just 'take it in', recognizing that this is Mom and that is Great Aunt Tilly, but let's be more discriminating this time. (None of your relatives may fit the descriptions below, but traits like these can keep life interesting and fun!)

Start with physical features. Who is taller? Who is heavier? What color is their hair? Do they HAVE hair? What is the eye color? Is the nose short or long, wide or thin, chiseled or crooked? What is the general build--like a weight lifter? A bicyclist? A dock worker? A pencil pusher? A chef (there are some thin ones, but I wouldn't trust them)?

What does the voice sound like? Music? Breaking glass? Thin or rich? Similar to someone famous? What is the general mood of that person? Is he or she usually good-humored, sulking, flamboyant, shy and retiring? What are the mannerisms--are they confident, putting on airs, nervous, paranoid? Your relatives may not be like this, but your characters could be quite easily. What is the manner of dress? Is the individual fastidious or sloppy? Is the hair combed perfectly or just adequately? Maybe not at all--looking like it was 'combed with a mixmaster' or 'looking like an unmade bed'? I have looked in the mirror some mornings and the first thing that comes to mind is "The Wreck Of The Hesperus". Does your character smell of wine, of perfume, soap or just smell? All the senses can be used and observed to describe these beings. Only if it adds to the story, though.

Some of a persons' features may not show on the surface very easily. Is this person jealous by nature? Vengeful? Shy? Maybe a bit insane? A gossip? A lot of things make a person more interesting to a story. I have said before, but it bears repeating,

The subject of (blush) sex.

2006-09-16T17:30:00.000-07:00

Of all the things novelists have to deal with, the most difficult may be portraying sex and romantic affection in their writings. Why is it that such a large and important part of life is so hard to manage in text form? I think it goes deeper into the heart of the matter if we can sum it up quickly in a few points and then elaborate and discuss.

1. It is a subject that even most adults are still uncomfortable discussing openly. An uncomfortable author may find it no easier to put on paper than to discuss it.

2. How to deal with it in text without being offensive to readers is just an educated guess, at best. How to make it non-offensive to the originating author may be just as difficult.

3. Is it really necessary to the storyline? Only you can answer that question. Again, this leaves you wide open to possibly offending others.

I can only speak from my personal experience. Having been on both sides of the tracks, so to speak, I have read my share of racey novels. Often it is painfully obvious that they are written for nothing more than the most prurient of reasons. I do not consider this to be romantic, nor do I consider it to be particularly entertaining or creative. The authors of this type of book seldom, if ever, gain any widespread respect from other writers or from readers. This is the type of book you hide from your spouse or parent and sneak a peek at when no one is home. Nothing to be proud of or to share--unless your relationship is very unusual.

While writing Shining Armor, and especially in the first two books of the series, I had to deal with this question intimately (if you will pardon the pun). As I have said before, the book reflects many facets of me as a person. Without going into my history, let's just say that it isn't only my imagination that is overactive and leave it at that. Being the hopeless romantic that I am (note that I did not say accomplished), I wanted to include some romance in the story--actually some real animal attraction, to be honest. In the first book, Ron and Denise are playing 'chase and avoid'--who is chasing and who is avoiding may not be as you think. And it may not be for the reasons you think, either. There are some real moral and emotional dilemmas going on here. They are madly in love and want to marry, but the timing isn't right to pursue some things just yet. Too much other conflict in their lives. The second book has them married and on their honeymoon in Hawaii (I don't think I've given away enough of the plot to ruin the story for you--it is called The Evil Returns--'nuff said).

The fact is that a married couple, especially a newly married couple is going to behave differently from a dating or engaged couple. In order to portray that difference, I had to make some references to their physical love for one another--after all, who goes on a honeymoon and shows no physically romantic involvement? The trick was to do so in a tasteful manner that expressed their adoration for one another without describing all the sleazy details of their lovemaking. As my wife would say, it is sufficient to show they love one another, but you don't want to feel like a spectator or participant in their bedroom. Even then the story takes some unexpected turns, preserving good taste and adding more intrigue. Any description I must make of how Ron feels about her physically is more like a list of how he worships her beauty, not how much he lusts for her. It is romantic, respectful and touching. It will also give a female reader insight into how a man truly feels about the woman he loves. Feelings are so important to the love that a man has for a woman and that she has for him. Though there are sounds to describe, scents to describe, tactile sensations such as warmth of breath on skin, etc., these retreat to a distant second place when compared to what is happening emotionally. If you can describe that emotion in sufficient detail to make the reader gasp or cry, you have no need to resort to baser techniques and descriptions of physical contact. Accomplishing this and doing it well will make you stand out from the crowd of authors that have no inclination or ability to perfect this technique.

Something that surprised me as I looked over the work of famous female romance writers in the local bookstores was this: they wrote much more steamily than did I. This was a genuine surprise to me. We are raised to believe that men are so much more visually stimulated than women, but these descriptions were very visual to me, having the imagination that I do. But then, women are more moved by words than men usually. I guess that I have been blessed with both traits. I felt, however, that I was personally unable to write in that manner for any general consumption. Instead, I wanted to hone my finer skills, to woo my readers, not force feed them--gently enticing them to follow and having them come of their own accord into the tale I would weave. What these female writers have done is to resort to the cheap methods of men of earlier decades who wrote pulp sex novels with graphic details--written primarily for men. How ironic is that? There was no art in this, no elegance as of a fine sculpture, no intricacy as of finely-woven linen. I wanted to take a different approach. Whether it will pay off for me is yet to be seen, but in the final analysis I have been true to my art and true to my heart.

Why Romance?

2006-09-16T17:28:00.000-07:00

This info from the suite101.com site impressed me and I felt to pass it on to you.

Why concentrate on the Romance Novel?
The romance industry is HUGE, generating $1.5 billion in sales in 2001 and accounting for 54.5% of all popular fiction sold. That’s more than Mystery/Suspense, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Westerns, and male action novels combined! And, the romance genre can and do include all of those other elements. The love element is the universality in any story. Regardless of time, place, social customs, economic conditions, politics, wars, crusades, etc, there exists the relationship between men and women. As a regular reader of romance, you’re off to a good start. If you’re looking to break into print, the romance genre is for you, as most first time writers are published in genre fiction. If you’re writing in another genre, this course will help you with the craft of writing, enabling you to incorporate romance sub-plots.

Flirting 101 for novelists

2006-09-16T17:06:00.000-07:00

Unless you are writing a war novel (and maybe even then) you will want to introduce a love interest into your novel. Here are two great articles regarding ways to inject some 'cat-and-mouse' interaction in the way of romance. Wonderful clues from two very smart and insightful women.

Flirting--Part 1

Flirting--Part 2

But What Will The Readers Think?

2006-09-16T16:43:00.000-07:00

Anytime you write, there is always the drive to write for yourself and your own enjoyment--and that is indeed how it should be. But there must also be in the back of your mind a regard for wwhat the prospective readers will think of the end result. Will they love it? Hate it? Be indifferent to it? The last is the worst of all. You will have wasted their time and gotten no emotional response whatsoever. At least if they hate it and you wasted their time in reading it, you got a response.

Below, I have listed some responses from readers of my vignettes and short stories. These are not intended to be for bragging rights alone. They are intended to illustrate the responses that are desirable and to be a research tool for the prospective writer. A research tool? Yes--look into the words that show up more than once, such as 'imagery', 'vivid' etc. These are clues as to what you might want to strive for in your own writing. Paint a picture for the reader, not just tell a tale devoid of life and color. Make it a journey. complete with landscape, sounds and smells. Make it a humorous, heartwrenching or thought-provoking experience for the reader. If it is such for you, it may also be for others, but the only way to truly know is to test it--and not on close friends who will want to avoid hurting your feelings (code for: not telling you the truth).

I hope your reader commentary will be as satisfying as much of mine has been. Have fun and polish those skills.

Comments regarding the vignettes and short stories:

RE: The Guitar
I have to tell you - that short story is fabulous. You are an incredible writer - and I don't say that lightly, because I'm highly critical. Reading that - it was so descriptive that I didn't even realize I wasn't "reading" anymore, but it felt like I was *there*. ...I was really impressed.
…it was really good. I don't usually give a lot of feedback, but that was very moving, so I just had to say something.
I found it to be absolutely fantastic. A must-read, people! This guy is good!
--Jenn Z.

Your vignette is wonderful. Truly mesmerizing. I hope you publish
it, so other readers may enjoy it as much as I did.
--Lyn D. Nielsen, author of Place of Sage

Very expressive. ...I was extremely moved by it...
--Mary H.

RE: The Guitar:
...really talented...That is just beautiful. The imagery is very vivid and potent and speaks of a perfect moment.

RE: The Guitar:
Thank you for reposting this and reminding me of it. The first time I read it, it gave me goosebumps, and it has done so today. It is just so visually real and carries you off so you see what she is seeing and feel what she is feeling. Wonderful work.

RE: Relative Size:
This is such a stunning insight into what it is to be a child and discover things for the first time. The mind of a child is so open to new experiences and, sadly, it is something that you lose as you get older. Beautiful vignette. Just stunning.

RE: All In How You See It:
This is absolutely wonderful. It is so sad and bittersweet. It makes me want to take the two of them and shake them... Him - to make him communicate his thoughts with his wife and her - to make her have trust in her husband. Beautifully written.
--Minx—Latvia

I so LOVED the imagery in The Guitar…So many vivid descriptions
to bring to mind what an instrument of beauty a guitar is. You do have a way with words; a master with words.
--Teri Rodeman

Very powerful imagery. The entire piece definitely gives the phrase "the touch of the master's hand" a whole new meaning.
--Melanie Goldmund

RE: The Guitar
Beautifully written, now write the rest of the novel (smile)
--Judith Tramayne, author of Conspiracy

A veritable hodge-podge of treasures

2006-09-16T16:21:00.000-07:00

lulu.com This is a great site I ran across. You can actually make money this way, it appears--even in small numbers of sales. Worth a long look and free to join. Be aware that some publishers will not consider you for their company if you self-publish, but also be aware that there are authors who could not get the time of day from larger publishing houses UNTIL they were successfully self-published.

See also How to Get Published Free and Make Money and Power Posters' blog

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Good PR--Press Releases, not just Public Relations.

If you want to promote yourself, you might have to do a press release. Basically this is a sales letter (you have to sell yourself and your product--your story, your article, your song or what have you). You are sending it to someone who can give you the publicity you want and in return you must give them something they want--an interesting article or story for their own readers. This is the classic "you-scratch-my-back-and-I'll-scratch-yours" scenario. It is a trade, in essence. You make the newspaper, the magazine, the weblog, the radio or TV station look good to their readers, listeners, or viewers. They, in turn, make you look good to the same audience. Here are a few links you may want to see on the subject. I ALWAYS suggest doing further searches yourself--and if you find something really great, share it by posting a comment here, okay?
PR Hints
PR Blunders
More Great Press Release Info

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How many rewrites is enough? Hmmmm,......you tell me. Read and decide. My first novel has been two official rewrites so far and 4 or more strong tweaks after that. And still in testing phase at this time. They say you are truly done when you can't stand to look at it anymore.

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I ran across some good information in this link. If you aspire to write, take a look here: Building your manuscript layer by layer. If you are a procrastinator, look here: The world is waiting....

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Get FREE puublicity.

www.get-free-publicity.com

I highly recommend you look into this offering. Yes, it will cost a bit, but it is like hiring your own expert to help you promote yourself or your product. The time and effort saved will be tremendous. Listen to the recorded testimonials and decide for yourself if doing it as the experts would do is worth your while.

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http://www.ult-media.com/selfpublishing.htm I am very impressed that this may be worth the nominal price and I intend to check into it myself to continue my own personal education and eventual business.

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I heartily recommend you check out this site, with some excellent ideas for storyline and character improvement. http://www.writing-world.com/contests/articles/judge.shtml

http://www.ult-media.com/writingcontests.htm The judges and professionals advice section down the page is excellent and you should copy and paste it for study every now and then. Do the same with the previous recommended site, also.

My Favorite Writing Techniques--Part I

2006-09-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

I love variety--in everything from food to music and movies. No wonder, then, that my writing also reflects that. I have been accused of having a head full of trivia (usually by my wife) and it shows in what spills onto the page. The twists and turns I take amaze even me. It has been my experience, though, that if these twists and turns stay interesting to me, they will also interest my readers. Maybe not all writers find that, but I love intrigue and my readers seem to find a niche in it, too. Somehow it comes across.

The variety that comes out in my work covers a real gamut: humor, intrigue, romance, adventure, enough detail to keep interest ablaze (not enough to overcome insomnia), new and differing characters, sexual tension (and even sex--not such that the reader or censors would have book-burnings, but tastefully implied to allow the readers' imagination sufficient room to fill in the blanks--still the best way), peaceful interludes punctuated by spikes of adrenaline explosions, good versus evil, human kindness, inflamed emotional outburst, violent--and even childish--behavior at times. Because of all this (or maybe in spite of it) I have been pleased with the reports that come from readings of even the first few chapters of my books. I am gratified that the process has been successful and the results keep my audience focused. (If it were ever known that all these are a reflection of me at different times, I would probably scare every one of them away).

My aim as a writer is to quickly do a few things and do them effectively--from page one if possible.

To introduce a character that is able to captivate the reader--whether they identify with them, hate them, are mystified by them or whatever. The worst thing that can happen is for the reader to be indifferent to the character.
To introduce an intriguing environment that does the same thing--everyone has to be someplace, so why not make it interesting?
To inject some sort of tension or emotion into that first scene. It may be a sense of danger, from someone or something evil. It may be a sense of admiration that the reader can identify with in a heroic or romantic figure. What is required, in plain and simple terms, is a method of capturing the reader quickly, before something else distracts them--and if they are distracted, it must be a powerful enough technique to make them want to come back as quickly as possible! For example:
Imagine yourself walking into a department store and coming upon this scene: a man lies prone upon the floor and a woman is screaming for medical help, just before she begins to apply rescue methods in order to preserve his life long enough for the medics to arrive and take over. Each second seems like forever to her, but she knows a life hangs in the balance and she must do her part to save him.

Or maybe you round a corner on a busy street and run full body into the most gorgeous person of the opposite sex you have ever seen. Words fail you and you feel yourself beginning to blush at the awkwardness of just standing there completely mute. A simple apology is voiced, but not from you, still standing there speechless and stunned. This person now turns aside and begins to walk past and out of your life forever--and your heart nearly bursts as you cry, "Wait!" Surprised at your sudden boldness, you wonder what you will say next.

Did you feel the effect I intended in those scenarios? You get drawn into the story. Why? Because it is believable--it could actually happen. That, too, is essential to a good story. If the reader is saying to himself, "This could never happen in a million years", you may have lost him already. However, if the story is just on the edge and the readers can suspend judgment, you may have a chance to hold them. And while we are discussing what is believable, the details of your story need to be within reason. There are very few brain surgeon/auto mechanic/Pulitzer-prize-winning aviators out there. Not to say that it could not happen, but it stretches the imagination beyond the breaking point, does it not? To stretch it beyond normal is fine, but do not shatter it along with your chances of ever getting the reader to take you seriously as a writer. Do your research on the details you use--Would sound carry that far underwater? Does that type of tree have leaves or needles?--because someone out there is going to know the answer and it had better be the one you chose to include in your story. Also, avoid anachronisms--there were no wristwatches in ancient Rome, unless it is a time travel story you desire to pen.

I learned by reading the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs that the cliffhanger is a powerful thing. If done effectively, it leaves the reader saying, "Wait! That can't be all for now! That isn't fair." What you want to happen is for the readers to be so riveted to the storyline that they cannot help but read more to see what happens next.
Allied to this technique of stopping at the most exciting point--just before the bullet strikes, if you will--is the application of parallel plots. Burroughs was an absolute master of this technique. Your parallel stories may even be seemingly unrelated for a time, but they must use methods to hold the reader in rapt attention. And again you may use the cliffhanger, if it is what the story demands. This switching back and forth serves two purposes--it is less intrusive than flashback methods (which are almost like starting over with a confusing and totally disconnected tale, unless explained adequately to the reader in some way that avoids clumsiness) and it also eventually brings together the characters who have for a time managed to miss contact with one another--now resulting in a third and unique direction to the story. The method seems to work to hold a readers attention and to make the reader want to see how these separate lines come together in the end. When done correctly, the effect can be mesmerizing.

An interesting story always has conflict. It might consist of a challenge on a personal level, an evil that must be fought, or a disagreement between a man and a woman, for example. Tension keeps the reader's interest, because he can identify with it. The characters need to be ones we might identify with also--or at least understand. They need to be believable. They need to have emotion and not be flat, two-dimensional drawings. Their conversations should reflect that. Make them get tickled by silly things or be especially uptight and prudish or be crazy or non-committal--just like people you know and work with. Maybe even like you or your family (no offense meant, of course). Real people have opinions, take sides, have arguments and make up with one another. Real people have frailties that they don't want seen, but when these are exposed, they may feel shame, want help or ask forgiveness. Or they may react angrily and defensively. Who is your character in your story? You must "know" him or her as a person, distinct from all others. Even a story with identical twins would show some differences, as well as similarities.

All of this may sound like just plain common sense to you. Well, surprise! It is. But you may be surprised how often common sense is not so common. In real life, those that we think should have understood what was plain to everyone else often do not "get it." Keeps life interesting--just as your story should be. And maybe a character that is not the sharpest pencil in the box is what your tale needs. You must be the one to decide.

©2005 Steven ODell

Steven ODell may be reached at: pointedwords@gmail.com

Excerpts of Shining Armor—Books 1, 2 and 3, may be read at: yourownnovel.blogspot.com

My Favorite Writing Techniques--Part II

2006-09-15T21:27:00.000-07:00

I spoke of many things in the last article that I think are important to a good story. Now I want to suggest a few things I neglected to mention there. One that is important to a writer is to become best of friends with your spell-checker. It is waiting patiently and wants desperately to be your friend. I have often forgotten to use it and later see misspelled words that stand out like the proverbial sore thumb. It can be very embarrassing to send a manuscript out for critique, only to afterward see the thorns instead of the roses you intended for the reader. I have had days when my typing rate goes to tortoise speed and my words appear to be hare-brained. On those days, when I feel like all my fingers are stuttering and tied together, I depend on the checker a lot more (provided the brain is working and I remember).

Another suggestion concerns rewrites. A good rule of thumb is to never rewrite when you are tired, cranky, or too soon after you have just finished the rough draft. Give it some time--rest and take a breath of fresh air. I assure you that you will be better for it and so will your manuscript. You will be more open to fresh ideas when you are well rested and your mind has been allowed a recess break. You will see errors more easily (spell-checkers are still not perfect).

The next suggestion may shock you a bit. All of the techniques that you have so recently come to know, love and appreciate ... forget them. You want to get past the mechanics of it all and learn how to write without examining and analyzing every step. You are not discarding the rules, just using them in such a way that they become transparent and user friendly. They must become tools that you don't consciously notice, just like using a manual shift in a car becomes second nature after awhile. Your readers will be equally blessed by the results. You will be living by the rules, not just writing by them.

Bury yourself in the story and the characters. Don't just get acquainted with them—know them. You must in some way be them for a time, or at least become a close observer of the film that is playing out in your mind. As you improve at this, you will be able to come back to your story after an interruption and watch it unfold again, just as if you hit the play button from where you left off.

If the story is legitimate, the characters will have a life of their own. I know this from experience. As I was writing Shining Armor, there came a point early on when the characters came to life and I literally wrote as the characters themselves told me to write. I was as much in the dark about what would happen next as was the intended audience. The turns and twists that came next made me gasp, but they were believable and in a strange way, logical. I was left saying, "Wow! Amazing ... "

So, the lesson is: learn, absorb, then forget the techniques. Somehow, in a wonderful and mysterious way, it just works.

Good luck in your own endeavors.

Steven O’Dell may be reached at: pointedwords@gmail.com

Excerpts of Shining Armor—Books 1, 2 and 3, may be read at: yourownnovel.blogspot.com

Sparking an Idea for a story

2006-09-15T21:25:00.000-07:00

Looking For Sparks

Every story needs a bit of fire in it--something that will spark the readers’ interest. The question is how to get those sparks and fan them into flames. Where do they come from? Why are they so elusive?

I think that the old adage is absolutely true--when the student is ready, the instructor will appear--with some qualification. It may be that the opportunity, the instructor or the information was there all along and we just suddenly see it because we are finally receptive to it. Maybe the trick is to learn to be receptive more often and the sparks will show themselves to us more brightly and on a regular basis. The question is, how does one become more receptive?

It could be easier than you think, but it takes concentration and discipline. Here is an example of what you might do to find that spark. The next time you are out walking in the park, ask yourself what events could possibly happen here that would be unusual and surprising. A child falls from the swing—fortunately, he’s not harmed too badly. A man tries to abduct a child or steals a purse. A clown performs for the children at the playground. A dog runs away from its owner, and he is madly chasing it. Kids are flying kites that are colorful and unusual in design--describe them. Now feel the breeze on your skin and the sun's warmth on your face. Imagine these events like a movie in your mind. Visualize it completely and convince yourself of the finest details.

This is a mental exercise that will pay off in the long run and begin bearing fruit in the short term as well. Let’s try another example. When you go to the grocery store--another mundane event--imagine something unusual that could take place right there in the aisles or at the checkout. Maybe running into an old flame? A robbery perhaps? A medical emergency? A celebrity walks in and buys a bag of chips—but not before you compliment her on the new movie or song. Perhaps you are the one-millionth customer and win a shopping spree that will feed you and your family for the next month. Any number of things could take place that would transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. What would you imagine?

Seeing the endless possibilities is what sets inventors, actors, artists and writers apart from the common man. The sad thing is that we all have the ability to do it--we only have to exercise our imaginations a bit more each day. Writers’ block may just be nothing more than a temporary lack of imagination. Your challenge: jumpstart your imagination, find the catalyst that will ignite the spark of your next great storyline and get to work creating an adventure you will remember and others will love for years to come.

Happy writing.

©2005 Steven O'Dell

Writing Your Hero or Heroine

2006-09-15T21:22:00.000-07:00

What defines a great hero or heroine? How can you be confident that your readers will accept this character? There are a few fundamentals:

1. Believability. How believable is your character to the average person? Is this a fictional person you might meet in real life or is he untouchable, more like a Superman? Are your claims for him or her too far-fetched to be easily accepted by the average reader?

2. Vulnerability. Are there frailties that make your character less-than-perfect? Do these weaknesses add interest to the story? Do they balance his or her strengths?

3. Like-ability. Can you find something--anything-- in this person to like, even if it becomes apparent only later in the story?

4. Identify-ability. Can you identify with this character in any way? Does he or she strike a sympathetic chord in you?

The hero or heroine in a story can be an underdog. Maybe she is the innocent bystander that finds her life changed horrendously by an unforeseen event. However, a character that starts out too strong and impervious to problems may not be one that readers will initially like or identify with. Not that a character can’t fall from grace or a position of strength and then be reinstated or restored in some heroic fashion—most of us can identify with such a “rebirth.” A personal struggle and a subsequent victory in the plot, if pulled off convincingly, adds great interest.

The fact that the character is vulnerable will make him more believable to a reader. Life is full of imperfect people. We are all subject to weaknesses and temptations. We often fail in personal trials and have to overcome obstacles only by great effort on our part.

The issue of whether a hero or heroine is likeable is up for grabs. I think it would be interesting to have a less-than-likeable individual that somehow redeems him- or herself through a self-less and heroic act. Conversely, a character might be very likeable from the beginning. What you do with this issue is subjective. You must let your imagination dictate what should happen. You may surprise yourself.

Perhaps the most important issue to consider is whether or not a reader could identify with the main character. Do you think a reader could see himself as that person? Could the reader picture himself in the same circumstances, although they might be somewhat extraordinary? Belief and judgment on the part of the reader have to be suspended for a story or character to work.

If the reader is saying, even subconsciously, that the hero or heroine is not realistic, believable or likeable, you have failed from the start to portray the character you intended. The goal is to grab the reader and draw him into the story until he believes that he lived it or could have lived it, too. When you can do that, you have accomplished your goal in triplicate.

©2005 Steven O’Dell