Last weekend, I was at an all-day event sponsored by our local Writers and Editors Network. We (several authors) had displays of our books as people went through. As well, we each did a reading. After mine, I was approached by a woman who asked what the organization running the event was about. I explained what they do and when I talked about writing circles, including the fiction writer's circle I belong to, she expressed interest So I asked if she wrote and she said she had been working on a book for ten years. When I asked what it was about, she became rather defensive, showing considerable concern that her great idea would be stolen, and as she talked, it became apparent that she was reluctant to share the idea with anyone, including potential agents or publishers. I let her know she would be welcome to join our group, but we could not give her feedback on her writing, structure, etc. unless she was willing to share with us, and she would have to decide how much of that she would be willing to do.
When I disucssed this at the next meeting of our circle (she won't be able to join for another month, if she decides to risk it), one man expressed having once had similar concerns. He no longer feels that way, but said many years ago and with another group, he felt similarly.
This is quite foreign to me. I have so many ideas about possiblities, that I know I will never be able to pursue them all. If someone were to take one and develop it, I wouldn't feel it as a loss. To me, genuine ownership comes from the actual writing, not the basic idea in the first place. Though I suppose I might feel differently if I felt an idea was so unique and earth-shattering the actual writing was secondary. However, I don't think that is realistic. It is very rare a Dan Brown comes along with The DaVinci Code, and even then, if it is not well structured and written, it isn't going anywhere. Great ideas only take you so far, and that isn't all that far.
Anyway, every time I start to think I've seen it all, someone comes along with a differnt perspective to let me know I haven't.
Ignore this. I'm just making sure this will work - being able to edit an old post to include a link to a newer one.
Click here to go to Great Images.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Jolts Per Minute
At my Writer's Circle this week, one person said she had thought about buying all the best-selling novels to see what was working. However, when she looked at the rack of best-sellers in the grocery store (drug store, wherever she was), she said she was only interested in one, and that was a half-hearted interest at best. She said the others were all shallow, based on terror, and even that was not because of some well-developed evil character but because there was a psychopath threatening people for no logical, character-based reason other than his psychopathy.
I know there are other novels out there in whatever genre you want - novelists such as Jodi Piccoult, Sharyn McCrumb, CJ Cherryh, Elizabeth George, etc. - but it is disturbing that none of them are included in the mass-market 'best seller' displays in places where Joe and Jill Public might purchase a book.
That led to a discussion about why people might find that appealing. I think people have been conditioned by their exposure to television to need very strong jolts of adrenaline, such as would be caused by fear, sudden rage, or shock. I think TV producers (and other media too) probably have a way to measure 'jolts per minute', the number of rushes a watcher/listener/reader experiences. Is that what has led to the proliferation of action-oriented, scary plots with little if any real character development?
That discussion morphed into how even positive things like Sesame Street cause people to have very short attention spans. They expect something new and exciting every few minutes, as they have been conditioned that that is what will happen. Most older teachers who started teaching before the Sesame Street generation reached school will tell you that there has been a drastic change. Now students expect teachers to be entertainers, with something new, different, and exciting every few minutes. -But there is no off switch or channel-changer, at least no external one, but that doesn't stop students from using their internal one to turn the teacher off or switch channels to think about something else that is superficially more interesting.
Does that apply to writing too, that readers expect something new and exciting every few paragraphs, since they have been conditioned to believe that is what to expect?
I know there are other novels out there in whatever genre you want - novelists such as Jodi Piccoult, Sharyn McCrumb, CJ Cherryh, Elizabeth George, etc. - but it is disturbing that none of them are included in the mass-market 'best seller' displays in places where Joe and Jill Public might purchase a book.
That led to a discussion about why people might find that appealing. I think people have been conditioned by their exposure to television to need very strong jolts of adrenaline, such as would be caused by fear, sudden rage, or shock. I think TV producers (and other media too) probably have a way to measure 'jolts per minute', the number of rushes a watcher/listener/reader experiences. Is that what has led to the proliferation of action-oriented, scary plots with little if any real character development?
That discussion morphed into how even positive things like Sesame Street cause people to have very short attention spans. They expect something new and exciting every few minutes, as they have been conditioned that that is what will happen. Most older teachers who started teaching before the Sesame Street generation reached school will tell you that there has been a drastic change. Now students expect teachers to be entertainers, with something new, different, and exciting every few minutes. -But there is no off switch or channel-changer, at least no external one, but that doesn't stop students from using their internal one to turn the teacher off or switch channels to think about something else that is superficially more interesting.
Does that apply to writing too, that readers expect something new and exciting every few paragraphs, since they have been conditioned to believe that is what to expect?
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Mass Appeal
We just had an interesting discussion at our Fiction Writer's Circle. (Only 3 people here - when it's a small group to start with, all it takes is a few vacation plans.) After we read and discussed our writing with suggestions ranging from minor corrections to structural reorganization, we got talking about what we read and how that relates to what we write.
I think we read (and therefore must write) things which have characters which people have to be able to relate to. Whatever the genre, whatever the plot, whatever the action details, the characters must approach what they encounter with persistence, fortitude, cleverness - or whatever characteristics people find appealing, because they think (or wish) they have those characteristics themselves. So Joe or Sue (or whoever the character is) approaches his/her problem - saving mankind or whatever - with the same characteristics people want to have when they approach a gossipy co-worker spreading rumours or whatever more mundane problems in their own lives there are.
But there are many very angry people out there, so does that mean we have to write so characters approach problems with violence since that is the way all those people would like to respond to every minor inconvenience? I'm not just talking about the obviously angry either - it's scary to discover how many apparently calm, stable people have built-up rage inside.
What do you do if you realize you are out of step with the masses? I often feel that way, and am quite content to be. But does that mean I will never write something with broad appeal unless I sacrifice my values to give my characters characteristics which run contrary to my authentic self, which I do not want to do.
I think we read (and therefore must write) things which have characters which people have to be able to relate to. Whatever the genre, whatever the plot, whatever the action details, the characters must approach what they encounter with persistence, fortitude, cleverness - or whatever characteristics people find appealing, because they think (or wish) they have those characteristics themselves. So Joe or Sue (or whoever the character is) approaches his/her problem - saving mankind or whatever - with the same characteristics people want to have when they approach a gossipy co-worker spreading rumours or whatever more mundane problems in their own lives there are.
But there are many very angry people out there, so does that mean we have to write so characters approach problems with violence since that is the way all those people would like to respond to every minor inconvenience? I'm not just talking about the obviously angry either - it's scary to discover how many apparently calm, stable people have built-up rage inside.
What do you do if you realize you are out of step with the masses? I often feel that way, and am quite content to be. But does that mean I will never write something with broad appeal unless I sacrifice my values to give my characters characteristics which run contrary to my authentic self, which I do not want to do.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Writing Fictional Characters
I recently returned from a marvelous vacation in Newfoundland where I encountered an incredible variety of extremely rich people. Someone in my writing circle (there are 6 of us, all writing fiction of various kinds) suggested they might be a great source for characters in my writing. My reaction was that I wasn't sure they would be. Since I am not part of that culture, I don't think I could write realistic dialogue, understand motivation for behaviour, etc for such creations. - Not unless I immerse myself in that culture for an extended period of time. Anyone willing to pay for me to spend a few years there?
That started me thinking about the whole issue of creating realistic characters. One of the maxims of writing is to write about what you know. So how divergent from ourselves can those characters be? For example, I think I can create a character who is mean, insensitive, and macho in a negative way, and that is all very unlike me. But I'm not sure that I could create that character in other than a stereotypical way if he was to come from the inner city of a large metropolitan area, something I am not familiar with. (I have never lived in a large city.)
Any comments? When you create characters, how do you do it if they are quite outside your culture or experience?
That started me thinking about the whole issue of creating realistic characters. One of the maxims of writing is to write about what you know. So how divergent from ourselves can those characters be? For example, I think I can create a character who is mean, insensitive, and macho in a negative way, and that is all very unlike me. But I'm not sure that I could create that character in other than a stereotypical way if he was to come from the inner city of a large metropolitan area, something I am not familiar with. (I have never lived in a large city.)
Any comments? When you create characters, how do you do it if they are quite outside your culture or experience?
Monday, August 18, 2008
Another posting from Authors Promoting Authors
Here is another posting taken from Authors Promting Authors, primarily comments from reviews and comments about the novel. You can check it out for a synopsis, excerpts, etc. at the link at the bottom.
"Our 14-year-old granddaughter loved it! She said she couldn't put it down. Then she told her friends about it as well. So it seems like a great hit with her freshmen friends."
~Annie Warmke, Founder and Advisor, The League of Extraordinary Girl Scientists (LEGS), Founder and Past President, Women’s Peacepower Foundation (& Earthship Builder/Owner, Blue Rock Station, Ohio)
******************************************************************
"The first thing that struck me about No Shadows Left Behind was that it was written almost exclusively in the present tense. With the exception of memories and flashbacks, this present tense brought all the thoughts and actions to an immediate forefront. Because of the consistency maintained in this, however, it soon fades into the story line, making for a seamless and effortless reading. A beautiful technique!The story was difficult for me to read; but then, it was meant to be that way. As the story unfolded, I found myself anxious for the moment when Christy's secret would be discovered. How would that be accomplished? Will she finally break down and tell someone?... When it finally is revealed, I was taken aback by how it was done... In my opinion, this couldn't have been presented in a better way!...While the entire story moved me greatly, I was not able to cry until the very last page. At that point, I broke down and wept for the extraordinary characters that have become very real to me."
~Lidia Tremblay
************************************************************************************************************************
"The story is both informative and inspirational. The characters are very real and their struggles can be felt through the pages. For victims of abuse it encourages seeking help without ever being pushy or blind to the attached emotional struggles. For non-victims it offers insight into an ugly reality of our world and how others can gently help and support those caught in abuse and its aftermath. A book much needed and long overdue!"~Elke Rose, homeschooling mother & book evaluator
To order No Shadows Left Behind, please visit Harris Innovations at: http://www.harrisinnovationspublishing.com/index.html
"Our 14-year-old granddaughter loved it! She said she couldn't put it down. Then she told her friends about it as well. So it seems like a great hit with her freshmen friends."
~Annie Warmke, Founder and Advisor, The League of Extraordinary Girl Scientists (LEGS), Founder and Past President, Women’s Peacepower Foundation (& Earthship Builder/Owner, Blue Rock Station, Ohio)
******************************************************************
"The first thing that struck me about No Shadows Left Behind was that it was written almost exclusively in the present tense. With the exception of memories and flashbacks, this present tense brought all the thoughts and actions to an immediate forefront. Because of the consistency maintained in this, however, it soon fades into the story line, making for a seamless and effortless reading. A beautiful technique!The story was difficult for me to read; but then, it was meant to be that way. As the story unfolded, I found myself anxious for the moment when Christy's secret would be discovered. How would that be accomplished? Will she finally break down and tell someone?... When it finally is revealed, I was taken aback by how it was done... In my opinion, this couldn't have been presented in a better way!...While the entire story moved me greatly, I was not able to cry until the very last page. At that point, I broke down and wept for the extraordinary characters that have become very real to me."
~Lidia Tremblay
************************************************************************************************************************
"The story is both informative and inspirational. The characters are very real and their struggles can be felt through the pages. For victims of abuse it encourages seeking help without ever being pushy or blind to the attached emotional struggles. For non-victims it offers insight into an ugly reality of our world and how others can gently help and support those caught in abuse and its aftermath. A book much needed and long overdue!"~Elke Rose, homeschooling mother & book evaluator
To order No Shadows Left Behind, please visit Harris Innovations at: http://www.harrisinnovationspublishing.com/index.html
Monday, August 11, 2008
Life Is Like Making Chocolate Chip Cookies by L. Sue Durkin
Life is Like Making Chocolate Chip Cookies uses stories and metaphors to inspire and inform readers on how to deal with life situations.
The insights shared come from personal experiences, as well as from others.
Life is Like.... addresses mind, body, and spirit.Insightful views on meditation and dealing with self, others, and relationships help people caught up in disappoints, negativity, anger, and fear.
Help is here now!
Authors Promoting Authors - a great idea
I got home from a lengthy vacation (first in years) late last night, so if I'm a little rambly and not terrible clear or concise, please understand. (What a great excuse - maybe I should go away more often.) Anyway, before I left, I became aware of what I think is a great idea, and joined Authors Promoting Authors.
The basic idea comes from the fact that marketing and publicizing books which are self-published or published by small firms is often difficult. The skill-set to write with quality is not the same skill-set needed to promote and sell. So any opportunity to reach beyond the local audience (particularly for those of us who live in remote areas where that audience is very small) is welcomed.
There are interesting new books posted on that site every few days, reinforcing my belief that there are more articulate, skilled people writing that ever before (and I suspect there are fewer people reading with the growth of electronic media, though those who read probably read extensively!).
Anyway, I want to here include the posting before the description of one my novels, but there is a poem posted between the previous book and mine, and I want to be sure which I should show.
Check back later.
The basic idea comes from the fact that marketing and publicizing books which are self-published or published by small firms is often difficult. The skill-set to write with quality is not the same skill-set needed to promote and sell. So any opportunity to reach beyond the local audience (particularly for those of us who live in remote areas where that audience is very small) is welcomed.
There are interesting new books posted on that site every few days, reinforcing my belief that there are more articulate, skilled people writing that ever before (and I suspect there are fewer people reading with the growth of electronic media, though those who read probably read extensively!).
Anyway, I want to here include the posting before the description of one my novels, but there is a poem posted between the previous book and mine, and I want to be sure which I should show.
Check back later.
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