Thursday, October 28, 2010

Thursday's Thought: Should We Prepare Before Writing?

Many writers have to take about an half hour of "preparation" before actually putting ink on paper (or fingers on keys). This may involve reading a book, listening to inspirational music, or writing prompts.

For me, I love "getting into the zone" before beginning my writing for the day - but I also tend to get a little distracted during this time. However, reading a book (or even a writing self-help book) does help clear my mind when it's time to write, and the words seem to flow more naturally.


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What do you think? Is "preparing" before writing necessary? Or do you think we sometimes use it as procrastination before getting to the real thing?

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Teen Writer's Part 1: Why Wait?



I haven't been published yet, therefore I cannot speak about being a teen author from experience. But I have been offered a publishing contract, and I have a strong opinion on why I believe teenagers shouldn't feel as though they have to "wait" to pursue their dreams. If your aspirations seem high, don't let your age stop you from believing that you can succeed. Keep in mind that studying and practicing are necessary first steps to pursuing your dreams, however, if you delight yourself in the Lord then He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).

If you are a teen writer, you may wonder "How can I pursue my dream of being published at such a young age with so many odds against me? Everyone says to wait until I'm older because I will be a more developed and mature writer. Besides, there are too many people discouraging me and telling me that there's no way that I'll ever get published - much less published while I'm still young." It's true that you'll be a better writer when you are older, but you are better today than you were a few years ago! Why not begin today developing your skills and striving for perfection? As William Hurt says in the movie Artificial Intelligence, "The greatest single human gift is the ability to chase down our dreams." Whatever your age, there's no better time to pursue your dreams than now.

May I remind you of a teenager named David from the Bible? Yes, he was only a "kid". I'm sure there were many people telling him that he wasn't old enough or strong enough to face the giant. He was scoffed and ridiculed. But what did he do? Did he give up and decide that he would wait until he was older and stronger because maybe there would be another giant to fight in his future if he was patient? No. Instead, even as the giant laughed to his face, he clenched the stone in his fist with determination. He placed it in his sling and ran toward the giant. His eyes were focused only on his target as he whirled his sling into the air. He knew that the weaker he was, the more God's strength could be used through him. ("For My strength is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9) And guess what? With only one small pebble, the giant was defeated!

Don't let others try to convince you that you're too young to pursue your dreams. Have you noticed that in the Bible many of the people God used to prove his power were the weak ones? The ones that others never thought would achieve anything. For example, Moses stuttered but became a great leader. Joseph was hated by his older brothers and sold into slavery, however, later he was in a position of authority over them. And, of course, young David slayed the giant. Just to name a few.

God has given you this desire for a purpose. He will use it in whatever way he purposes to fulfill His glory. However, this may, in fact, not be something that's going to happen now. He might not want you to try to be published at a young age. He has a different plan for each of us. But that doesn't mean give up! Either way, follow His direction, and trust His timing.

Being published is a journey, not a race. Do everything you can now to hone your craft, but don't feel as if you're in a hurry. And the next time someone tries to convince you that you'll never get anywhere in your writing career - or whatever your career dream may be, think about David. He didn't allow anything to get in his way.

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"You who are young, make the most of your youth. Relish your youthful vigor. Follow the impulses of your heart. If something looks good to you, pursue it. But know also that not just anything goes; You have to answer to God for every last bit of it."
~Ecclesiastes 11:9

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Thursday's Thought: Are Character Charts Useful?




Character charts are a tool that fiction writers use to help develop their characters. Authors fill out detailed questions such as the character's DOB, strengths, weaknesses, etc. on this chart and refer back to it as they write their story. Click here for an example of one of these forms.

Some people, however, believe that these charts are unnecessary and would rather develop their characters organically. I have used these charts myself before, but sometimes a character changes on their own and I find that filling out the charts took longer than than it was worth in these cases.

What do you think? Do you use character charts? Are they beneficial to the writing process, or just an unnecessary use of your writing time?

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Introducing Supporting Characters 1, 2, 3 & 4



Imagine that you've recently moved to a new town and have only made one friend so far. For lunch one day, your new friend offers to take you out to a restaurant with five of her other friends so you can begin meeting new people. When you arrive, your friend introduces you to everyone else at the table. She gives their names, how she met each one of them, and how long she's known them. You struggle to follow her introductions, hoping that you'll be able to somehow remember all of these new names, faces, and details. Wouldn't it be a lot easier meeting only a few people at a time in a memorable way rather than several people in a group?

For some reason, many authors love to introduce these "new friends" in a group. They assume that just because they know all of their characters then the reader will automatically know who they are also, and will remember them throughout the story - not just remember who they are, but also what they look like, their names, and how these supporting characters met and relate to the main character. In the first chapter of many novels that I read, the author gives a full-out detailed description of each "friend" of the main character. There are usually about five of these SC's (supporting characters). I find myself skimming over this part, hoping that eventually I will find out who they are myself without the author having to tell me right at the beginning of the story. At this point, I barely even know much about the main character, so when I "meet" the others they blend together in the back of my mind and don't come across to me as unique. This is also another form of telling instead of showing and gets in the way of the action of the story.

Isn't it much more memorable when you meet characters through an interesting incident that highlights their personality? How is it possible to do this in a way that doesn't get confusing to the reader?

Let's say that two of your characters are Jade and Kim. They have been best friends with your main character (MC) since junior high. Jade is really artsy and sort of a ditz. Kim, however, is very intellectual, neat, and organized. There are three main ways you can "show" these characters without having to introduce them:


  1. Setting. Place them in an atmosphere that will "prove" your SC's personality.

    In the situation above, you could have MC, Jade, and Kim in a pottery class. The way they respond to this setting will highlight who they are. The reader will learn that Jade is artsy and ditzy by the way she's so enthusiastic about the pottery, but keeps making silly mistakes. Kim is taking her time and carefully designs the pottery - although it's really difficult for her to do this, considering she's not artsy.
  2. Dialogue. This is probably the best way to show who they are and how they met your MC (if it's even necessary to include those details).

    Maybe during the class, you could have them bring up times in middle school when they were in art class together. Now the reader knows that they have all been friends for a while. You could also show their personality by the way they talk. Kim can mention how much she doesn't like art and that she doesn't know why she always lets her two friends convince her to go to class with them. Jade, on the other hand, could keep giggling, ignoring her friend's sincere remarks as she continues to sculpt intently, reminding them how much fun they're all having.
  3. Appearance. The way someone dresses is how they express themselves, therefore it's a great way to "show" a character.

    Usually the description of a character's appearance is at the beginning of an "introduction". However, try not to go on forever about the way they look. Only show a few details that will really bring out SC's personality. For example, Jade could be wearing eclectic clothing, colorful dangling earrings and about a thousand bracelets that don't go well with the outfit that she wears. Kim could wear conservative clothing, glasses and have her hair pulled back neatly into a bun. The reader gains automatic insight just by showing their appearance at the beginning of an "introduction".

Of course, there will be more supporting characters that you will have to introduce - but now the reader has met Kim and Jade in a memorable way, and their personalities will stick with the reader throughout the story.

If it is necessary that you introduce a "group" of your supporting characters to the reader at the same time, at least try to make it memorable. Make sure that each character is unique in the way they act, dress, talk, and even the way their name fits their personality.

*Remember: Just because you know your characters, doesn't necessary mean your reader does, too.
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Have you ever been introduced to characters in a large group right at the beginning? Was it a little difficult to remember who each person was later on? What are some other ways you think would be helpful in developing supporting characters instead of shoving the details and introducing them all at the same time?