Friday, September 30, 2011

Fun Friday

Today, we're going back to the 1970s with a few commercials you may or may not remember. I admit to remembering all of them.






Thursday, September 29, 2011

Thirties Thursday

It wasn't all gloom and doom during the 1930s. Here's a quick video of goings-on high above the Picadilly traffic in London.

Such scamps!


Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The Writing Game

Some of us write about this...

while some write about this...

and if you're a mystery writer (like me) you write endless versions of this...

But really, we're all writing about this...

There are the days when you feel as if you're playing this...

or this...




and even the days you feel as if you're playing this...


But we all need to play this...

and make our characters play this...


and remember no one ever has this...

on this...
And trust that one day you'll be playing this...


Because you have created a this.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

10 Reasons It's Great to Be a Writer



10. There is no dress code.

9. You're not eavesdropping; you're working.

8. Your rather eccentric computer history of websites can be explained as research.
BONUS: Actually, anything can be explained as research - it just takes a bit of thought.

7. Your active imagination now has something to focus on.

6. Although you say you don't base your characters on anyone you know, you could. Revenge is sweet.

5. People expect odd behaviour from creative types. This is an advantage.

4. You know talking to yourself serves a purpose.

3. You can tell yourself your typo isn't a typo, it's a new word. Language evolves.

2. If you write romantic scenes you can blush and tell people you couldn't possibly confirm whether they're autobiographical.

1. You can make your own rules and then break them.

Monday, September 26, 2011

First Impressions

Most of us try to make a good first impression - we check our clothes for stains, ensure we're wearing matching shoes, maybe even practice a few phrases. Good first impressions pave the way to second impressions; and after that, the sky's the limit!

Take a look at your current manuscript and see what first impression your main characters make. I always try to ensure:

  • The reader may not necessarily be meeting him/her at their finest moment (or maybe they are) but it is a moment that will demonstrate one of the character's priorities.

  • There something intrinsically likable (in my opinion) about my main characters. People want to learn more about people they like or can identify with in some way. It might the situation the character finds themselves in, it might be their background, it might be their love of shoes - but there's something that makes the reader want to read on.

  • No character makes the same first impression as another. My logic is the reader is just getting to know these people - I try to keep it as easy as possible!

  • I will not introduce a continuing character in a way that harks back to a previous event in an earlier story. The reader may not know the event and will start off feeling that they're missing something. That's just mean.

  • I'll always choose dialogue over description.
First impressions - you can only make them once.

Make them count.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Fun Friday

Some views of my little corner of the world in autumn.

Take a moment.

Breathe.

See you Monday.


Thursday, September 22, 2011

Thirties Thursday

Here in the northern hemisphere, it's the first full day of fall. Let's look at hats from 1935. Back then, you'd have never left the house without one. Now, hat-sporters garner odd looks and are often judged as eccentrics. Times change.


But, I still wear a hat from time to time. I like hats.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Getting to Know Them

Each of our new characters start off like this...

But over time...


We learn she has eyes like this...


and he's proud of this...

We know whether they're this...


and if home is this...



or this...



or even this...



We know their pet looks like this...

although (secretly) they really want this...

and, after a while...


if we're very lucky...


and work very hard...



we may discover they have this.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

10 More Lies You Tell Yourself While Editing



Continuing on from last week's Tuesday post...
10. I meant to write this scene three times. It's an important scene.

9. No one will notice that the location of the rooms in the house keep moving.

8. My main character isn't an insufferable prig. He's just wise.

7. These jokes are funny. I know, I wrote them.

6. (if you're writing a mystery) It doesn't matter that any of my first readers haven't been able to solve the mystery.

5. It matters even less that they say my solution comes out of left field. It's not unsolvable - it's incredibly clever.


DANGER! DANGER, Will Robertson!!

Back to our list...

4. You can't have too many colourful, quirky characters. More is more.

3. Oh look. I didn't write that scene three times, I wrote it four times. Wow. It's like Rashomon.

2. My main character is in two places at once. Obviously, my he/she has an identical twin.

And one big truth...

1. Any editing pass will go quicker with chocolate. But...watch out for crumbs.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Moods

Everyone has good days and bad days. There are those days when you wake up energized and eager and then there are those days when you feel you're deserving of a yet-to-be-invented award because you didn't spend the entire time sprawled on your bed, moaning in a low, mournful register. Not everyone is agreeable all the time. Not everyone is disagreeable. People's moods change.

It's easy to forget this as we write our way through our stories. We're so busy focussing on plot and pace and not repeating words and dialogue tags, that our characters' moods sometimes get short shrift. A character who is happy all the time or conversely, ornery all the time is going to get dull fast. Readers may not always be able to put their finger on it, but those characters are going to hit a false note.

Of course, moderation is the key.

I don't worry about this for every character; my small, one paragraph wonders appear, say their bit, trip, and get off the stage. But I do try and remember it when I'm writing through one of my POV characters' eyes. Not every one of them understands why they're in a bad mood, but know why and it's there. Bad moods make people short-tempered. Impatient. Not wanting company. Bad moods make people retreat to their 'places of comfort'; whether it's a bar or a bathtub. Good moods make people talkative. When people are in a good mood, they physically touch other people more often. Good moods make them walk quicker. They plan activities. They want to be with their significant other or they want to search a little harder to find one.

Let your main characters change as often as the weather. Let them have good days and bad days. The more human they are, the more beloved they will be.






Friday, September 16, 2011

Fun Friday


Welcome to another edition of Fun Friday! You can't go wrong with funny bumper stickers. Or maybe you can, but what's life without a little risk?

Have a great weekend, everyone.



Nicely put...




I'd avoid this car, if I were you...



Points for honesty...


Sad, but true...


Oh dear...

Good idea...but I forsee a few problems...



However, you will note the sticker is right by the gas cap...

Don't you love irony?
Fair warning.


Brief. Succinct. Winner.
Here's an important philosophical question...
And a final one for all of us...

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Thirties Thursday

Last December, I wrote a Thirties Thursday post which sounded as if it was about the (then) up-coming Royal Wedding, but was really about this wedding which took place in November, 1934.  Please enjoy this rare newsreel of the event.


THE ROYAL WEDDING (aka DUKE AND DUCHESS OF KENT'S WEDDING)

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

It's a Puzzle

As writers, we all start off with a pile of these..




Some like to start here...




Some here...




And some start here...




There are days when your puzzle looks like this...


Even though you know it should look like this...


 But sooner or later, you're about to do this...




And take a step back and look at the whole picture...




which might look like this...



or this...


or maybe this....




But somehow...



My puzzles always end up looking something like this.