Focus is like hocus-pocus. The day disappears before our very eyes. Hocus-pocus and other such charms were words said as a distraction technique ('busying the senses').
Writers perform hocus-pocus. Procrastination, not having the desire to write or no time to write are three things that cause focus lost. The goal is fuzzy, like looking through an out of focus camera lens. Make adjustments to bring goals back into focus. Stop busying your senses.
Procrastination (Things not to do)
- Check Facebook every three minutes
- Play a quick game (or ten) of Bejeweled or Solitaire.
- Watch TV.
- Count the snowflakes/raindrops/stars.
- Take your third bath of the day.
No Desire to Write
- Join a critique group.
- Analyze someone else’s work.
- Read a novel.
-
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By: Cher'ley,
on 10/31/2010
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: humor writing, Cher'ley Grogg, Faster than a speeding bullet, qualities, inner conflict, outer conflict, Needed needs, comments., Wants, Fun and funny. wit, Conflict, Characters, Add a tag
October is the month for characters. They appear in stores, restaurants, and on the streets; people become anyone they choose to be--from Snow White to Batman or from a Zombie to the President, with lots of characters in between.
Did you become a princess or Dracula? How did it feel to take on that persona? Perhaps you were Dorothy from the Wizard of OZ. Where did those red slippers take you?
Building a character takes that same kind of imagination. The role playing done while we were young can be used in our writing. You felt prettier or stronger when you dressed as your favorite character, and now your protagonist must be bigger and larger than life. She needs to be flashier, wiser, prettier or faster than all the other people in the work of fiction. Remember, faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
A writer wants their characters to be memorable. A strong enough character to bring a person to tears when the hero fails or to cause shouts of joy at her accomplishments.
There’s much that goes into building or becoming a character, use these points as a starting place.
8 Comments on Faster than a Speeding Bullet-Character Building, last added: 11/2/2010
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By: Cher'ley,
on 9/19/2010
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: music, dance, writing challenges, Cher'ley Grogg, advice for writers, buck up, Exhilarating, pump up, Add a tag
Mountain climbing, bungee jumping, skydiving and writing are challenging and exhilarating. It may seem strange to put writing in the same category as physically strenuous activities, but writing is strenuous, challenging and exhilarating.
Writing is challenging in several ways. It takes:
- Thinking, planning and processing
- Finding the right subject
- Finding the right words
- Deciding what would best benefit the reader
- Constantly improving the craft of writing
Writing is strenuous. It takes:
- Hours of research
- Often getting up early or staying up late
-
5 Comments on Writing is Exhilarating, last added: 9/20/2010Display Comments Add a Comment
By: Cher'ley,
on 8/29/2010
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: games, creative writing, less is more, Cher'ley Grogg, descriptions, rework, Meredith Sue Willis, Edmund Leighton, too much description, too little description, reword, Add a tag
How much description is too much?
She sat in the big blue chair, twirling her long brown tresses around her right pointer finger, and from her chestnut brown eyes she stared listlessly out the green-curtain clad window. Rewrite this to suit your idea of the perfect amount of description.
The reader needs to know she has a quirk of twirling her hair, the color of her hair doesn't matter, and staring out the window lets a reader know she is deep in thought over something, her eye color isn't relative and neither is the curtains.
A drastic rewrite.
She stared out the window.
What needs to be Conveyed?
Think about what will further the story. What is needed to convey and accurate view of what's happening. The reader needs to know she's listless and what she does to show this.
She twirled her long tresses as she focused on a tiny spot outside the outside the window.
3 Comments on Help or Hinder--Lots of Description, last added: 8/31/2010
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By: Cher'ley,
on 7/24/2010
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: questions, craft of writing, Donald Maass, Answers, Cher'ley Grogg, how, who, when, exercise of mind and body, where, know what you write, 'Quotes on Writing', Add a tag
An excerpt from Donald Maass' book WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL tells us: "A truly big book is a perfect blend of inspired premise, larger-than-life characters, high-stakes story, deeply felt themes, vivid setting and much more." Big equals popularity and success.
Where should a writer start?
1. Answer the question why does this story, novel, blog or article need written.
· To persuade
·
5 Comments on The WOW Story—Where Should a Writer Start?, last added: 7/25/2010
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By: Cher'ley,
on 6/18/2010
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: large conferences, attendance, small conferences, local, writers conferences, Shaw, personal experience, Cher'ley Grogg, Writing', Add a tag
All writers should go to at least one Writer's Conference. Most conferences have something for everyone, even readers and spouses. There are classes and workshops for the novelist, the short story writer, the article writer, and the poet.
Writer's conferences are all about networking and support. There you will meet people who will become your lifelong friends and people who know people. The comradeship is above anything you can imagine. With the internet and social media so accessible, writing isn't as much of a solo activity as it once was, but still meeting people face-to-face tops an online group.
Agents, editors, well-known authors, publishers, experts in various fields and instructors all give of their valuable time to make the experiences memorable and useful. Each will give you special attention when you contact them again. Personally, at this last conference, I received a request from two agents and an editor on my work. The first conference I attended I did not receive any requests, but it was still the most wonderful experience. I met Sue Grafton and many other authors. I went a little crazy with the getting the autographed books at that conference; I don't know if I will ever get the time to read them all.
The accommodations, the food and the entertainment are lively and enjoyable. The people are friendly. Even if you are bashful, all it takes to make a friend is a smile. Many of the conference attendees are old hands and they'll guide you along.
So far, I've only attended two writing conferences, one very large one and one small one. They both held special interests for me. Writing conferences are invaluable to your career and your life as a writer. Shaw
Guides lists many of the conferences, but keep an eye out for local ones that may not be listed there.
5 Comments on Who Should Go to Writer's Conferences?, last added: 6/19/2010
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this was good. just gotta stay off FACEBOOK LOL
JUDY
That's what Talking Tom says all the time. "Get off Facebook and make some Brownies."