Writerly Ways
Jan. 10th, 2010 12:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cornerofmadnessThe good part of being snowed in was i had time to read the 90th anniversary issue of Writer's Digest and it was one of the most helpful issues I've seen in a long while. It's probably still out on the newstand (being the jan 2010 issue). It's got a LOT of good stuff on synopsis and query letter writing (something that's hard to find).
They had '90 secrets of bestselling authors'. Secrets is an ambitious term for these quotables but i did like some a lot.
The writer must always leave room for the characters to grow and change. If you move your characters from plot point to plot point like painting by the numbers, they often remain stick figures. They will never take on a life of their own. The most exciting thing is when you find a character doing something surprising or unplanned. Like a character saying to me, 'Hey Richard, you may think I work for you, but I don't. I'm my own person.' - Richard North Patterson.
I know this feeling well. It's one of the exciting things about writing.
Another article went on about HCM's, Heart-clucthing-moments. I loved that term. It had a huge list of what could be an HCM but I think we can all thing up of some on our own and that's the excerise for the week.
1. list the HCM's you've already thought of for your story
2. think of more
3. construct your story around them. Well, that's a bit ambitious for an exercise. Take ONE and write a scene. Share it if you'd like. Here's mine.
“Placid, I found something in your mail today. We already spoken to Miss Elliot about it while you were with Mrs. Kensington,” Reanna said. “This unpostmarked letter was mixed in with your mail but Miss Elliot isn’t sure how it got there.” She held up an envelope that was smudged with fingerprint dust.
“I don’t understand.”
“Read it,” Winter said. “It’s been printed but it would be best to observe protocol.”
He nodded, pulling on the white gloves that always rode in his pocket and using only the edges to lift it out. Placid leaned in and began to read. Each word dropped his internal temperature until winter raged inside him.
Dear Placid,
I am most confused by your actions. I know how much you loathed your father for all the terrible things he had done to you but ever since I did you the favor of making sure he could never hurt you again, you’ve done nothing but chase after hints of him.
He came here looking for you. I couldn’t allow him to find you and hurt you all over again. However, you haven’t seemed very happy for my gift of peace. You’re safe now but I haven’t heard a word of thanks.
Maybe that is because you are hindered by those around you. They might not understand. Still, I shall wait for the moment you find me alone and can express your gratitude in person.
Placid gripped the desk, needing it to anchor himself. He felt hands on his back and realized Wakefield was helping to keep Placid in his seat. His stomach rebelled and only a massive effort prevented him from emptying it into the trash bin next to the captain’s desk.
“Placid, do you need some air?” Reanna asked.
He shuddered, curling up on the chair. “Oh, god. Me and my big mouth got my father killed,” he moaned, feeling tears he could not stop leaking down his face.
I've identified in the past description as being a problem for me. Another problem I need to work on are these HCM's. I whined during nano about the lack of a hook at the end of the chapters. I have this OCD thing about getting a scene finished but the more I read mysteries the more I see many of them break the scene into two. Sometimes too much so making it feel contrived.
But looking at this snippet from chapter ten, I think i should break it. What do you think? Either just before he reads the note or boom, right after the note and put his reaction as the opening of ch 11 to make you want to read on. By completing the scene in ch 10 I think it probably drags some of the energy out of the story and you have less reason to flip to ch 11. THoughts? how do you guys handle the end of the chapters to make someone want to not put your story down?
4800 / 175000 words. 3% done!
They had '90 secrets of bestselling authors'. Secrets is an ambitious term for these quotables but i did like some a lot.
The writer must always leave room for the characters to grow and change. If you move your characters from plot point to plot point like painting by the numbers, they often remain stick figures. They will never take on a life of their own. The most exciting thing is when you find a character doing something surprising or unplanned. Like a character saying to me, 'Hey Richard, you may think I work for you, but I don't. I'm my own person.' - Richard North Patterson.
I know this feeling well. It's one of the exciting things about writing.
Another article went on about HCM's, Heart-clucthing-moments. I loved that term. It had a huge list of what could be an HCM but I think we can all thing up of some on our own and that's the excerise for the week.
1. list the HCM's you've already thought of for your story
2. think of more
3. construct your story around them. Well, that's a bit ambitious for an exercise. Take ONE and write a scene. Share it if you'd like. Here's mine.
“Placid, I found something in your mail today. We already spoken to Miss Elliot about it while you were with Mrs. Kensington,” Reanna said. “This unpostmarked letter was mixed in with your mail but Miss Elliot isn’t sure how it got there.” She held up an envelope that was smudged with fingerprint dust.
“I don’t understand.”
“Read it,” Winter said. “It’s been printed but it would be best to observe protocol.”
He nodded, pulling on the white gloves that always rode in his pocket and using only the edges to lift it out. Placid leaned in and began to read. Each word dropped his internal temperature until winter raged inside him.
Dear Placid,
I am most confused by your actions. I know how much you loathed your father for all the terrible things he had done to you but ever since I did you the favor of making sure he could never hurt you again, you’ve done nothing but chase after hints of him.
He came here looking for you. I couldn’t allow him to find you and hurt you all over again. However, you haven’t seemed very happy for my gift of peace. You’re safe now but I haven’t heard a word of thanks.
Maybe that is because you are hindered by those around you. They might not understand. Still, I shall wait for the moment you find me alone and can express your gratitude in person.
Placid gripped the desk, needing it to anchor himself. He felt hands on his back and realized Wakefield was helping to keep Placid in his seat. His stomach rebelled and only a massive effort prevented him from emptying it into the trash bin next to the captain’s desk.
“Placid, do you need some air?” Reanna asked.
He shuddered, curling up on the chair. “Oh, god. Me and my big mouth got my father killed,” he moaned, feeling tears he could not stop leaking down his face.
I've identified in the past description as being a problem for me. Another problem I need to work on are these HCM's. I whined during nano about the lack of a hook at the end of the chapters. I have this OCD thing about getting a scene finished but the more I read mysteries the more I see many of them break the scene into two. Sometimes too much so making it feel contrived.
But looking at this snippet from chapter ten, I think i should break it. What do you think? Either just before he reads the note or boom, right after the note and put his reaction as the opening of ch 11 to make you want to read on. By completing the scene in ch 10 I think it probably drags some of the energy out of the story and you have less reason to flip to ch 11. THoughts? how do you guys handle the end of the chapters to make someone want to not put your story down?
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