Musings on Adjectives and Adverbs: Don't be Hatin'!

If you’ve learned anything about me by now, you know I like descriptors. I tend to go against the grain of conformity and feel a slight twinge when I hear people bashing my favorite parts of speech. Unlike most writers, adjectives and adverbs are my friends. I realize some people might now say, “But Rachel, those just clutter your writing.” Sure, I agree that’s possible. I approach descriptors as I would real friends. There’s no sense in collecting a gaggle of people to follow me around for no good reason. I choose them carefully.

That doesn’t detract from the blind hatred people express in their direction. Nouns may be the popular kid on the page, but they can’t survive without my friends. I defy anyone to explain the difference between a person, place or thing without adjectives. The questions nouns inherently create must be answered by descriptors. They’re what make your story interesting, your characters unique and your setting realistic. Otherwise, you would end up with some cave drawing of an epic tale:

Man asks other men to protect ring. They cross lands to a mountain. The ring is discarded.

Sure, it gets to the bare bones of the plot, but would you really want to read LotR diluted to such simple terms? I think not. Adjectives are necessary to add flavor and spice to nouns.

I will reiterate, select your descriptors with care. Don’t throw them into your writing willy-nilly. The last thing you want to create is confusion for your reader. Adverbs can sometimes be redundant when explaining verbs as in a sentence like:

Frodo quietly whispered, “Help!”

Readers know what an action looks or sounds like. Repeating the manner in which it takes place is counterintuitive. However, if you were to say:

Frodo whispered loudly, “Help!”

Then, I would side with the descriptor. One would expect a whisper to be quiet, but in this case it establishes a specific type of utterance that clarifies the scene.

I argue that the same confusion in a scene can be created by withholding descriptors as well. It becomes a fine-line to toe in order to successfully use adjectives and adverbs. Without descriptors, stories would never have evolved. Writers would not be able to create their own voice. Prose would have remained stagnant, unable to reach its rich and diverse potential that people create today.  I wish writers would reconcile with descriptors instead of hating them for adding “nothing” to prose. Deep down you know that’s simply not true. They’re a crucial piece of your arsenal. Seriously.

Poetic Justice

I have a confession. I love school. I love learning. Now that I am (possibly…maybe…at the least, currently) through with my education I feel it’s an appropriate time for this admission. Now, just like everyone else I had a favorite subject. Three guesses what it was, and the first two don’t count. Yup, English. Fourth grade, when I was nine, was definitely the year this became a solid fact.

My teacher, Mrs. Kirby, would gather her gaggle of rambunctious students in a circle on a tattered rug and read Roald Dahl stories. There were others: Bridge to Terabithia and Where the Red Fern Grows, but Dahl’s stories were a memorable staple.  While other children picked at their scabs or fell asleep against the blue bean-bag chair, I was engulfed in every word. I didn’t want the stories to end. And when the chapter came to a close, I could almost hear the film reel in my head clicking off.

It came as a natural next-step to start writing my own stories. We were assigned vocab-related short stories to complete each Wednesday that I penned with fervor. As an additional means of enticing the class to write, Mrs. Kirby gave the opportunity to write a poem. Not only would it be shared with the class, but it would be published in a book for New England’s Young Writers. As far as nine year-old me was concerned, she had me at published.

On the ride home from school, I fumbled together some animals (surprise, surprise) and rhyming words to create my masterpiece. It lay on the page as the quintessential depiction of spring time. I would love to share the piece with you, but alas, it has disappeared into the depths of my bookcase. I recall bees and trees, spring and a bird’s wing, many flowers and hours. It was my grand entrance to poetry.  Thank goodness I’ve since chosen fiction.

Voice Lessons with Jennifer Willis

Many thanks to Jennifer Willis for this wonderful guest post about the individuality of a writer's voice and its ever-evolving nature!

One of the nice things about writing is the more you do it, generally the better you get at it.

When I wrote my first novel -- "rhythm" -- ten years ago, I was scared out of my wits. Forget about simply trying to get through a first draft and come up with a cohesive story; I was worried about my prose being clever and literary enough. I fretted over "show vs. tell" and how much exposition to include at what points in the book. Mostly, though I wanted the story to leap off the page with confidence and inspiration. Many readers today still give positive feedback on my first published fiction effort but when I read back over it, all I see is the fear and uncertainty I felt.

I was born to be a writer, as much as anyone else ever has been, but I still wasn't sure that I had a right to write. Why did my book deserve to be read over someone else's? What if I was discovered to be the fraud and poser that I feared I secretly was?

Every writer anguishes over this kind of crap. Not just new writers, but even established and celebrated authors at the height of their craft. I don't want to revel in this angst as some kind of inherent rite of passage -- because it isn't fun and I'd rather spend my time writing or reading or even belly dancing than worrying about whether I'm good enough -- but it is something that seems to plague us all at one time or another.

When I look over my latest novel -- "Valhalla," released in April 2011 -- it's hard for me to imagine that this work came from the same author. My writing style is less literary and more punchy. There's more humor and even a bit of snark. Part of this came about because I'm somewhat less anxious over whether or not I deserve to be a writer. Mostly, though, this evolved simply over the course of writing more -- not just fiction or journalism, but lots of personal email and letters to family and friends. It was when I looked into my personal correspondence and journal entries that I saw my true "writer's personality" emerging. Instead of trying to impress some faceless, nameless reader to whom I had no real connection, I imagined that I was writing my stories for my best friends to read and enjoy.

If you've read Stephen King's insightful "On Writing," you'll recognize this in his advice to write only for your "ideal reader." That's pretty much how I learned to be less rigid and fearful in my own fiction. I found myself including details that I knew would make my sister smile, or slipping in a few asides that would be sure to make my friends laugh.

A writer's voice develops over time. If you look back at your favorite writer's early works, you'll often see the seeds of his/her later personality being planted, but it's often not until much later that the full-bodied voice and tone take command and become one with the story. For me, this means that even though I'm more comfortable with my own distinctive writing voice today, I know that I will continue to grow into myself as time goes on. The only real requirement is that I keep on writing.

Guest Poster Bio: Jennifer Willis is an author and freelance journalist in Portland, Oregon. Her articles and essays have appeared in The Oregonian, Salon.com, The Christian Science Monitor, The Writer and other electronic and print publications, and her novels -- "rhythm" and "Valhalla" -- are currently available both as ebooks and in print. She can be found online at jennifer-willis.com

The Healing Art of Writing

Recently, I read this article bit.ly/t6GnpF about how writing is now being used as a form for rehabilitation therapy for returning soldiers. Art therapy is often the only form of creative-based therapy people think of, but I was pleased to discover that more doctors are encouraging writing as a means of relaxation and rehabilitation. In these cases writing is used to ease the pain of traumatic events, but the healing art of writing can be used in many forms and has been for centuries.

The few examples of the emotions that writing can alleviate are:

Sadness: Jotting down feelings of loneliness and depression eradicate the pain by painting it on the page.

Happiness: Telling a story of elation or joy is not a form of bragging, but rather a means to share your happiness with others.

Anger: Venting about a troublesome situation is typical of humans, and writing it down only increases the cathartic nature.

For people dealing with particularly difficult times, writing is an excellent means of therapy. It is akin to watching a movie or reading a book, except you are the creator of the story. The facets of your newly written idea can either reflect your dilemmas or avoid them all-together. That is the beauty of writing. There is no definitive form. There are no restricting rules. You can transform a blank page into a place that only exists in the deepest recesses of your imagination. Writing is limitless.

Storytelling is a form of expressing emotion through the beautiful tangle of words. It can relieve stress, share delights or provide an outlet to experience escapism at its finest. The root of writing and reading is to share a common bond with the characters’ struggles while taking time to escape your own. And at some point, either in the middle of a sentence or at the end of the book, you’ll find the worries of the real world melt away at the stroke of a pen.  

Gifts for Writers

Leading up to the holiday season, I have searched the depths of the wb for a decent list of gifts for writers that my family and friends might be able to purchase. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy to receive non-writing related gifts, especially kitchen-wear I can test in my culinary foodieventures. A micro-plain would be wonderful. But I digress.

Some writers may enjoy getting stereotypical gifts: a pen here, a journal there. Maybe even a bookmark. If that’s your cup of tea, be my guest. But those trinkets can only sustain my interest for a short time. Generally speaking, I would prefer a more personalized present that recognizes my individuality as well as my passion for writing. I can only assume this applies to most scribes. What could fit the bill? If you’re (or the writer you’re buying for is) like me, here’s a list of superb gifts for writers:

A Kindle / Tablet- Okay, so they’re expensive. I know. But for the reader / writer in your life, this could be an indispensable gift. I would suggest a Kindle for those more interested in reading on-the-go and a Tablet for people who want to write in the car, at the bar, in a box, with a fox, etc.

A Specific Book- Usually authors seek out books in their genre for comparison, study, pleasure, what have you. Listen carefully and find out what the writer in your life is looking to read. Then, buy it.

A Planner- Everyone could use a good planner. More importantly, people who are stretched between writing projects could definitely use a good time management facilitator.

Software for Formatting- Screenwriter, novelist, poet- every wordsmith needs a good editor. Sometimes a single pair of eyes misses errors, so getting a program that will become ones personal editor is a great idea. For example: final draft, or editing programs.  

Cross-Interest Gifts:

Create Your Own Cookbook- Combing delights is always a clever way to tune into your loved ones interest. For a writer that cooks, giving a cookbook that has cards to write on and sleeves for new recipes is a multipurpose gift.

A Notebook – So I dissed journals a bit earlier and now I’m suggesting you purchase one (under a pseudonym). I don’t use the pen-to-paper method as some writers may, the computer is my medium, but I do enjoy jotting down notes along my travels in nature for future use.  And the writer you know may too.

Hopefully these were helpful suggestions and that the writer in your life is ecstatic when peeling off the paper of your well-thought-out present. Until next time, Happy Holidays!

Conundrums of a Pre-Teen Writer

Age ten is a tumultuous transitional period between elementary fundamentals and middle school regimented work across the spectrum of classes. Pre-teen me was none too happy to discover the workload increasing and my enjoyment in school decreasing. Everything revolved around homework and projects in addition to being introduced to the semi-real world of teenagehood.

One ordinary day in the pastel classroom, wallpapered with artwork and timetables, my teacher assigned to us a short story that would be read in front of the kindergartners. At first this mundane event did not remotely catch my attention. Little did I know, this landmark day gave my creative, proverbial ball another great kick.

While other children were still thinking up ideas, I had started my first outline. While the others fashioned a single sentence, I was three pages in. While my class went to recess, I stayed to write. I had found my calling! Not long into the project, I was instructed that the story only needed a few sentences per page. Ten of them in total. I had ten pages, all right. Ten full pages.

What was I to do? I had barely begun to know my story’s lion family (The Lion King was my favorite movie…ok, it still is), and now I was being asked to cut apart their tale? This not only expanded my experience in writing, but it introduced me to editing. The final sprint to the “finished” line.  More like sprinting on a treadmill. I sat in my cozy desk learning the fine art of being concise. I had to choose what was most important. And I thought it was difficult then, ha.   

I was none too pleased with reducing my wonderful story to a few meager statements, but this lesson played a decent part in preparing me for the continuous road of editing to come. Finally, I presented my story to the kindergartners as planned, but what was not planned was me going off script. My lion tale was written and all I needed to do was read. But I was a budding story teller and my story needed to be told! I recited the story, from memory, to the bright faces of the young students. And although to this day I couldn’t tell you what my narrative was about (beyond lions), I do remember how happy the kids were to hear a good story.

Playing Around with Writing

I would categorize myself as a novelist, first and foremost. I have written short stories (which will be detailed in another post) that have entertained and amused me…for a short while. Although my passion lies in the complexities of a deeply involved story (or more specifically, a series) I don’t shy away from trying my words at another venue. For a class, I even investigated poetry. If a short story was too compact for my over-active imagination, I should have known poetry would not satisfy my need to create a narrative.

Recently, however, I have dabbled in the art of screenplays. I’m finding it especially difficult to subdue my creative urge throughout this journey and yet I keep reminding myself that mimicry is the best form of flattery. I have been so taken by the clever humor of How I Met Your Mother that I decided to base my speculative script on it.  

Although my current fiction series has plenty of dialogue, the skills I have acquired from years of novel practice needed to be adjusted to work correctly in the white-spaced frame of a script. The dialogue laden script has forced me to keep my descriptions succinct while focusing on the verbal interactions of characters.  Admittedly the project isn’t too strenuous because it is a speculative version of Monday night’s greatest comedy, but nevertheless, it is taking careful focus to replicate the characters believably in an entertaining situation.

Seems simple enough. So, what is driving me over the edge? Formatting. Every piece of the script requires different margins and annotations. I wish it would be as straightforward as novel writing where the author can essentially create his or her own format, similar to how one might create a meal. A little of this, some of that, but nothing too strict. No, it’s more like baking where the recipe must be adhered to exactly or something will go awry.

Mimicking the tone of the show provides great practice. After all, writers have to stay on their toes and keep practicing like a visual artist might (as I have previously stated) to encourage the perfection of their talent. Playing all the options and styles gives the practiced writer a distinct advantage. So dearest writers- keep practicing.

Review of Once Upon a Time

No, this isn’t the beginning of a story. It would be a bit cliché don’t you think? I promise I’ll refrain from commenting on the lack of creativity in the title (oops, just did) during my review of ABC’s new fantasy drama based on its writing merit.

To start, I must mention that given the intense promotion of this television show and the constant reminder of its successful assembly of writers from LOST, I was disappointed in the premiere. Once Upon a Time (here on referred to as OUT) lacked the same hook of its predecessor and the pilot episode seemed too focused on instant character development where it should have centered on setting up the plot to lure viewers in for subsequent episodes.

With that said, there is plenty about OUT I found intriguing. The parallel worlds are entertaining in two fashions: 1- the fantasy world acts as a traditional escape from reality, 2- the real world hosts playful Easter eggs that hint at their relationship to the fairytale (my personal favorite is the mayor’s apple trees). Suggestive moments where the citizens remember their fantastical past provides depth to both the story and its characters. Generally speaking, fantasy protagonists are adolescent boys (which I suppose they achieved with Henry) so it’s refreshing to have a nearly grown Emma Swan* as the main character and eventual Storybrooke savior. The age twist of Emma’s parents essentially being her peers could also provide comic relief or a dramatic upheaval in the future, but it is likely the focus will continue to shine on Henry for the time-being. As far as characters go, the cast is varied enough to satisfy the many point-of-views and backstories people (read: I) often crave.

The first half of the season will largely be exposition, and the two episodes that started this journey certainly informed viewers of the necessary basics. It wasn’t until the third episode that OUT started to remove itself from expected fairytale drivel into a reinvented, modern take on these classic stories. The Evil Queen or Mayor was more or less one dimensional. Even the removal of her father’s heart didn’t quite sink in giving his short cameo. In episode three however, she took on a compassionate side that expanded her character, giving her room to become a unique villain. Undoubtedly the best part of this episode was the unconventional story of Snow White and her Prince Charming. For one, they actually gave him a name: James. And secondly Snow was not the detestable and gullible girl from childhood stories; she was an independent, thieving miscreant with class.

Although the dialogue is predictable and the stories have been done before, there is a good deal of fresh spin (specifically the characters) on these tropes to create the longevity OUT deserves. This is certainly a tale that cannot be told over a season, and much like LOST it requires numerous installments to properly communicate the intricate narrative. I cannot comment much further since the program has barely stepped into the spotlight, but from this juncture I can say that Storybrooke holds a great moderntale in store for faithful viewers.         

* I felt I had to comment on the last name Swan. Sure, it has a nice symbolism of purity (if only people really knew the ferocity of swans, ha) but it has become overused. Elizabeth Swan, Bella Swan…now Emma Swan? Come on, writers, any other last name would do.

Writing Sketch 3: Fidel Castro, Beijing, Yo-Yos.

Running a fine-toothed comb through his beard, Fidel smoothed out the smog knots that clung tightly to his hair. If only he hadn’t visited Beijing. What a terrible waste of a weekend, Fidel thought coldly. He recalled the city’s buildings poking above the clouds like the eyes of a hungry Cayman staring down its prey. Disgusting.

He sat irritated in the newly reupholstered leather chair that tucked beneath the awning of his stately mahogany desk. With a few squeaks he inched the chair closer to feel more at ease in his solitary office. Perhaps that was when tranquility should overcome him, but instead Fidel felt an itch. Stretching across the matted top, he reached a calloused hand for the specialty box of Cuban’s that lingered just beyond his finger tips.

A dense, musky smell taunted him as its phantom scent tickled Fidel’s nose. As the perfume seeped into his nostrils and blanketed his tongue with the heavy taste of unbridled pleasure, his craving intensified and he required immediate access to his cigars. Kicking back his chair, he found it blockaded by a pesky floorboard. He was stuck, imprisoned from gratification. “What luck”, he grumbled.   

But, alas! The Yo-Yo from Beijing! Rustling a hand deep into his pocket, Fidel retrieved the meager souvenir. A bright sheen came over the polished wood as Fidel jostled it in the light. His skills were amateur at best, but a proper throw would result in the repossession of his beloved Cubans. Cocking his arm back like a gun hammer and preparing the yo-yo as a bullet, Fidel let off a shot that swung parallel to his desk. The novelty kicked back with a fury, grazing the cigar box and bouncing aloft before squaring Fidel in the jaw. If only he hadn’t visited Beijing.

National Novel Writing Month

A true challenge in writing is the annual program NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) that encourages writers to start a new project on November 1^st and complete it by November 30^th. There are no prizes as it is not a contest, but your final product must be a minimum of 50,000 words although anything over that is acceptable. That is one tall order, if you ask me. Granted, my first novel is around 90,000 words, but it took me a few months to write and several years to plan (and I’ve been working on its sequels ever since). I adore the concept of NaNoWriMo as it supports authors and promotes them to dig deep and uncover one of the stories hidden within.

Even though this task may seem daunting, I would gladly be an advocate for this exercise. Are you going to come through the month with a polished final draft? In all likelihood, no. Regardless, you will have a solid draft that is completed! And in the process you have the opportunity to network with other writers from across the country and the globe. For a new writer or struggling author, this is the precise atmosphere You Are What You Write endorses.

If I wasn’t already undertaking two other projects, I would try my luck at the NaNoWriMo. I could finally get the idea written that could be best described as a Disney novel. There are so many classic tales out there that could be developed into a Disney themed story. Red Riding Hood for example…well that might be tough to get around the murder and grandmother-consumption. Few tweaks here and there and it could work. Or maybe my long-desired prequel to The Lion King. Did you know Scar’s real name is Taka. That’s a fact, look it up. What made him so sour and delectably disgusting? Coming up with the idea is half the battle. Spending November writing your novel is the other half of the journey.

Take the chance and see what you come up with. If you’d like, share what ideas you have for NaNoWriMo.

The Road to Discovery

To start this off right, I might as well explain the story of how I became a writer. Or well, discovered I was a writer. It’s a long story that spans several years and barring the passing of a few cornerstone moments, my future could have swung in an entirely different direction. I once wanted to be a vet (says the girl who faints at the sight of blood), but to keep the tale simple, it happened something like this:

On a bright afternoon trip home from preschool my father peered into the rearview mirror, his mustache twitching as he spoke, “What’d you do today, Rachel?”

“First we played games, then we had snack. I was going to nap but the school was attacked by a huge green dragon! It broke everything. We ran into the playground and got to play the rest of the day. The dragon played too,” I explained, giddily kicking my feet together.

Dad’s brow arched as his eyes questioned me from the front seat, “What’d you really do today?”

“I swear, daddy, the dragon came and then we got to use his tail like a slide,” I declared emphatically.  

Noting my earnest smile, he replied the following comment as tenderly as possible, “You’re going to have to call these ‘stories’, honey, or else you’ll get in trouble for lying a lot.”

This was one of many moments before middle school that lit my path as a writer. Sure, entering a poetry contest could be dubbed “the moment”; or maybe it was when I wrote my first short story, but hindsight allows us to assess our furthest memories to determine where and when our road began. Mine was on the road home from preschool the day a dragon attacked. I swear it happened…well, something like that.

How did you discover you were a writer? Leave a comment and let me know.

Blog Re-Assignment

I felt it was necessary to explain the slight changes in my blog from here on out. For the past several months I have thoroughly enjoyed scribbling on the factors that compose me: food, writing and nature. But it is time to pull the You Are What You Write blog together. In subsequent posts, I will primarily be providing writing tips, sketches and anecdotes to support fellow writers and those who wish to become part of our grand fellowship. There will also be segments reflecting the nature loving foodie I am in addition to movie, television and book reviews from a writer’s angle.

As authors of a diverse spectrum of works, we all find the greatest pleasure in passing along the words of our passions, but as a young writer I often felt I was alone in my journey. Accordingly, the purpose of this blog is to offer insight and encouragement to unite our community. Feel free to peruse the bloggings before this post if you would like to better understand where I am coming from and continue to check the following updates. If you share my sentiments on writing and hunger for support, join the community and follow me to the next page.

Writing Sketch 2: Justin Timberlake, Mississippi and the Tennis Ball

This is another 15 minute writing sketch using random topics:

The tour bus rolled into the parking lot at half-past dawn for the final concert event in Mississippi. Justin Timberlake was awoken by a glint of sun ripping through the blinds in his mobile bedroom. He had been waiting for this venue for weeks. The stage would take several hours to be raised and in the meantime, Justin was thrilled to be able to explore the great southern city of Jackson. Mapping out his daily plans, he expected a certain detailed route through the area to well calculated stops before returning to the stadium for rehearsal and ultimately the main event. However, this would not be the case.

Stepping into the cramped bathroom where the lingering smell of plastic clung to every surface, Justin scrunched his nose before preparing for the day ahead. Executing his morning routine, he brushed his teeth, shaved and took a shower. Upon exiting the shower, the closet room had developed a moist film on the floor as well as a dense fog that clouded the area. Even through squinting, Justin was unable to decipher where he was in the bathroom.

Fumbling his hands around, he manages to snag the comforting cloth of his towel before bumping into the bathroom door. Distractedly, he rubbed his face, having not noticed the door swung open. He stumbled out into the thin hallway when suddenly his right foot stepped on a tennis ball. Teetering on the ball, his body shifted balance before tumbling head-first into the cabinet beside him. Justin hollered in pain as she crashed onto the floor. Echoes of the bouncing ball permeated his ears, taunting him to stand. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t be going out today.

Writing Tip: Say What?

Dialogue is something a lot of blossoming writer’s struggle with due to the variety of techniques and approaches. I find the possibilities for successful dialogue endless. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are many ways to create bland, unrealistic dialogue. There are a few basic rules to abide that will ensure your conversation is received as an authentic representation of the interaction.

1-      People do not speak in perfect grammar. Although you may be tempted to keep form and write the entirety of your dialogue as such, remember that you are trying to convey real people discussing a real topic. For practice, pay close attention in conversations to witness how inelegant and stylized human dialogue actually can be.

2-      Carefully emphasize the dialogue with descriptive words that explain how someone said something. Every utterance we speak has a tone or inflection that informs others how we are feeling. We do not strictly say our words. People whisper, shout, guess, explain, reprimand, etc., the list is endless.  

3-      When someone speaks, they also display their thoughts and emotions through actions. Some people move their hands constantly; others are very rigid and stoic. For most of us, the action directly relates to what we are saying. Pair the dialogue with appropriate gestures and movements that coincide with the words when necessary.

It should be noted that not every line of dialogue needs the aforementioned accoutrements. Some sentences are straightforward, lacking any verbal or physical emotion. In that case, just writing the line will suffice. Be sure to practice dialogue so you can get the gist of how to convey different meanings. You could even follow the expression map and focus on specific emotions that arise in conversation. Another option is writing down a real life discussion and see if you felt the same while having the talk as you do after reading it on paper (a variation of this exercise would be copying television or movie dialogue onto paper and assessing its effectiveness).   

Discovering which route works best will provide a practice outlet that ultimately leads to entertaining and believable dialogue.

Writer’s Sketch: Expression Map

Another great tool in the writer’s arsenal is creating unique, consistent characters. In order to keep these people behaving time and again in the same manner, you should first work on their basic emotions. For this exercise, focus on practicing varied expressions that will arise when writing. By all means, use a character you are currently studying from a published or original text (perhaps even your warm-up story if it’s the same character), you don’t need to create one for this matter.

When describing the person’s changing reactions, be as descriptive as the expression requires. But you don’t want to focus on their every wrinkle either. Remember: People don't always (or only) smile when they are happy. Perhaps your character has a glum outlook and refuses to smile—this must also be taken into account. Fill out the following for a quick warm-up exercise to your writing time period.

I’ll use a character that most people are familiar with so you can notice the subtle changes: Mickey Mouse.

Happy: Thumbing his suspenders, Mickey snickered a bubbly laugh and graciously received Donald’s birthday gift.

Sad: With his ears downcast, the cement sidewalk held Mickey’s attention, its monochromatic pattern reflecting the weight in his stomach.

 

Angry: Mickey furrowed his brow and nose together, sternly scolding his pup after discovering Pluto’s jowls covered in a ruby glaze from the missing cherry pie.

Scared: He gasped loudly and his hands shot upwards to cover his mouth before he lost his balance and stumbled backwards.

Surprised: Despite the flutter of his heart, Mickey beamed regretfully to erase the fright on his face before apologizing to the pedestrian he bumped into.

Flirtatious: Nudging his shoulder against Minnie’s, Mickey’s smirk curled playfully as he giggled.

Reviewing the above expressions you can see how a minute alteration in description or diction can paint the emotion clearly and concisely. Throughout his sketch Mickey adheres to his personality which would provide an excellent base for any story starring the famous mouse to grow from.

Since this is a short exercise, feel free to add more emotions to your list and practice with increased frequency for a stronger gasp on your characters.  

Starving Artist: How to Improve Your Writing

I love art. When you read the word “art”, I’m sure your brain triggers thoughts of painting, and sculpture, perhaps a trip to a museum. I don’t believe art is that exclusive. Art can be a masterfully written essay, a heartfelt song, a beautiful bedtime story as well as the aforementioned painting, sculptures and the like. Being an artist of the written word, I have a great appreciation for fellow artists no matter their trade.

Something I have always regretted is not expanding my knowledge and abilities in the arts. I wish I had learned to play an instrument. I wish I could paint the sunset.  However, there is something these varieties of art participate in that I believe my specialty can benefit from borrowing. Musicians improve their understanding of tone and melodies by practicing, some of the best practice every day. Visual artists often hone their skills with daily sketches. Writers need to adopt this discipline.

Writing a memoir, fictional story or recount of history (among others) cannot be accomplished overnight. It can’t be finished in a week. It is undoubtedly the art with the longest investment in the completion of a single task. For some writers, like myself, the prized project could take years, a decade even. So how do you improve your wordsmith abilities? Even writing a short story or piece of poetry could wrap you into another assignment. Taking a page out of the musicians and visual artists’ playbook, I propose writers practice their skills with fifteen to thirty minute vignettes.

From now on, the majority of my writing specific posts will entertain this desire. Using a random list of objects, people and places I will write a piece for the allotted time in a free-flowing manner, neglecting my usual craving to edit. This sort of practice is something I suggest for all writers. I hope at over time for this drill to become a daily staple and something writers can share with each other.  

The Truth About Harvard Writers

In the early, misty days of April I was privileged with a chance to attend the Harvard Writer’s Conference as a supplement to my editorial internship with book writing coach, Lisa Tener. The heavily anticipated weekend lived up to every wild concoction my nerves imagined. As an introduction to the inner-workings of the publishing industry, the flustered, tension-filled meeting room of seductively intimidating insiders offered an essential reality check. The marvelous Fairmont hotel function room had a heartbeat. And it was racing.

Hundreds of names, book pitches and rehearsed jokes bombarded me as I shadowed my inundated supervisor handling the tidal wave of authors like a season pro. I could merely listen and hope I retained every word. But my mental bookshelf only had room for so many volumes. On a whim I decided to brave the waters on my own. Venturing into the nearby workshops, I soaked up as much information as each presenter provided. Chicken-scratch notes recorded the most pertinent points. Finding hope. That stuck. The speaker prompted everyone to quickly describe a peaceful, remote island. Soft white sand washing rhythmically with the surf. A refreshing breeze saturated with salt. The cheerful calls of tropical creatures.

I connected with nearby attendants sporting a familiar, daunted stare. “What do you write about?” I was surprised that’s all it took. The knot in my shoulders untied as I found a common ground. Knowing everyone harbored similar dreams and goals made the rest of the conference as comfortable as a blue-sky summer cook-out with family laughing around the smoky charcoal grill. A blur of casual meals, miniaturized think-tank’s and rickety train rides to and from Boston became the patchwork of memories I took from this highly sought after collection of experts and future experts. Of all the workshops I wondered which would improve my writing. A mother from the suburbs I spoke with questioned if she could write her book. Everyone that pitched dwelled on their flights home if the agents would offer a contract. Really, we were all seeking hope. And I believe this conference is where we found it.