Tag: Writing

Sobriety vs. the Blank Page

Guest post
by Cherie Vause

You’ve all seen movies with the opening shot of a dark apartment on skid row. With only the light from a neon sign from the bar across the street, the camera closes in through a dirty window, onto a man who is lying across his rumpled bed, smoking a cigarette, and sipping on a glass of whiskey. He’s unshaven, and hung-over from an alcoholic binge. The camera pans to a typewriter on a desk with a sheet of paper rolled up half-way. The blank, stark white paper is an angry retort to the man’s desperation. Next to the typewriter is a bottle of cheap whiskey, an ash tray, overflowing with dirty butts, and a stack of clean, white paper. He’s broke, hungry, and his gal has left him angry and bitter, but he still keeps her picture on his dresser. He rises, crosses over to the picture and looks longingly at the girl. He turns, and defiantly stubs out his cigarette. He drains his glass of whiskey and pours another. He holds the glass while staring at the crumpled papers all over the floor; then he finishes the last of his whiskey in one furious gulp. This guy is definitely a candidate for a bullet to the head. Continue reading “Sobriety vs. the Blank Page”

Writing Recipe #1

Guest post
by Ellen Plotkin Mulholland

Opportunity. Events. Writing a good story involves opportunities and events. It’s how you combine the two that moves the story along. I like to write with an event in mind and bring in opportunities to move my plot.

My nephew reminds me of another recipe for writing. Children see the world two ways, it’s obvious, it’s mysterious. When it rains, carry an umbrella. When you see a puddle, jump in it. It’s obvious. But why does it rain? How do clouds manage to float in the sky and not fall on our heads? Continue reading “Writing Recipe #1”

First Impressions

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” – Someone.

Evidently, this is another of those bits of wisdom that has no clear origin. The quote is often attributed or misattributed to the usual suspects for witty one-liners: Mark Twain, Will Rogers, Oscar Wilde, etc. Another claim is made that a Madison Avenue ad agency came up with it as part of a campaign for Brooks Brothers suits.

Authorship aside, this quip has worked its way into axiomatic status. People accept the wisdom of the words without question. On superficial examination (which is the most scrutiny the majority of people are willing to give) it just makes sense. It’s sort of like There is no “I” in TEAM.

As authors, we are admonished to make certain we have done all we can do to make our work shine before hitting the big red PUBLISH button. After all, if your book is deficient, you’ll be making a bad first impression. Your reputation will forever bear the stain of this disgrace and people will forever associate your name with an inferior product. Continue reading “First Impressions”

Creating Names for Fantasy

Guest post

by Gordon Long

Okay, in real life I’m terrible with names. I get introduced to someone, and the last thing I remember is his or her name. I like to think it’s not laziness. I know that a person’s name bears no relationship to what that person is really like. It was chosen for them before they were born, and has had a minor influence on the shaping of their personality. “A Boy Named Sue” excepted. All those prejudices that people have about people’s names are just that: prejudices. So when I first meet someone, I am looking to other clues as to his or her personality.

However, when creating names for a story, the situation is completely reversed. If I’m creating a character to meet my readers, suddenly all those prejudices become really important. I want a name that clicks immediately. If I want a he-man character, I want a name that says so. An evocative name is worth more than a thousand words of description. Continue reading “Creating Names for Fantasy”