Links of Interest

WHICH FAMOUS WRITER ARE YOU QUIZ:

http://thewritepractice.com/famous-writer-quiz/

BEING A PRODUCTIVE WRITER:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2012/04/whatcha-doing-ways-to-be-more.html

EMAIL ETIQUETTE:

http://thewritepractice.com/3-email-etiquette-rules/

MAKE YOUR SETTING A CHARACTER:

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2015/12/make-setting-of-your-story-character.html

CRAFTING A STRONG OPENING:

http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-critical-importance-of-crafting.html

MARKETS, SHORT STORY:

http://www.magicalwords.net/misty-massey/happy-new-writing-year

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR PATH IN PUBLISHING:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2015/12/finding-your-path-to-publishing.html

PUBLISHING ISSUES IN THE COMING YEAR:

https://janefriedman.com/top-5-industry-issues-for-authors/

Profession and Viewpoint

I've written several blogs on how viewpoint affects what you description in a scene. For example, a character who is analytical will view a room differently from a creative person.

The profession of a viewpoint character also affects how you describe what the character sees. In one of my novels, the main character is a landscape artist. I kept a list of paint colors beside me as I wrote her viewpoint because she'd be precise about color variations. She'd see another character's eyes as cerulean blue, not blue. 

If that viewpoint character had been an expert on antiques, the other person's eyes might be the color of Delft blue china. 

Using this kind of description also makes writing love scene description, particularly evoking the intense emotions of sexual pleasure, a bit easier and less cliche-ridden. I've used space imagery for a heroine who was an astrophysicist, shapes and forms for an architect, and colors and textures for that landscape painter. 

An expert will also see something differently than the rest of us. Imagine a mechanic looking at a car engine, now imagine someone who knows nothing about engines looking at it. The terms used to describe the engine in viewpoint will be as precise or imprecise as the character's knowledge. 

Always remember that description is as much about the viewpoint character as it is about creating a picture in the reader's head.

Links of Interest

COVERS ON A BUDGET:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2015/12/cover-design-on-budget.html

MAKING YOUR SETTING A CHARACTER:

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2015/12/make-setting-of-your-story-character.html

DESCRIBING YOUR CHARACTER IN FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/08/what-do-i-look-like-protag-describing.html

USING THE WEATHER TO POWER A MOOD IN YOUR FICTION:

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/12/power-your-fiction-using-weather-to-create-mood-not-cliches/

CREATING YOUR ONLINE BLOG/WEBSITE, PART 1:

http://bobbrooke.blogspot.com/2015/12/building-your-online-home.html

COINCIDIENCE IN FICTION IS A BAD THING:

http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/coincidences-fiction-youre-wrong/

4 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF TO IMPROVE CHARACTERS:

http://thewritepractice.com/improve-your-character-development/

DESCRIPTION:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2013/03/is-your-description-helping-your-story.html

What Christmas Songs Teach Writers

"You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch."  The only character greater than a villain is a villain who is redeemed.

"Oh, Holy Night"  A powerful story is often best told simply.

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"  Sometimes, something innocent can become creepy.

"The Twelve Days of Christmas"  A one-sided romantic relationship is boring.

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"  The underdog with a reviled talent makes a great hero.  

"Frosty the Snowman"  A great character often deserves a sequel.  ("I'll be back again, some day." ) 

"Carol of the Bells"  Driving rhythm can pull the reader forward.  

"Do You Hear What I Hear?"  You can tell a story through dialogue.

"Silent Night"  A few simple images can create powerful emotions.

“Let It Snow, Let It Snow”  The quiet, homey moments are often filled with the greatest emotions and memory.

"The Christmas Song"  ("Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…." )  Setting alone can show strong emotion and story.

“I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.”  A fantasy plot makes much more sense with lots of details.  (“There's lots of room for him in our two-car garage.  I'd feed him there and wash him there and give him his massage.”)  NOTE: Best Christmas novelty song ever!

"Good King Wenceslas"  Sometimes, a character is remembered more for kindness than power or glory.

"I'll Be Home For Christmas"  Home and family are two of the most powerful goals within the human heart.  

"Baby, It's Cold Outside."  "This is for your good, not mine" is a great seduction.

“Is that You, Santa Claus?”  Every good thing may disguise a bad thing.

"Jingle Bells" and "Jingle Bell Rock"  The times and tempo may change, but the story remains the same.  

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"  Sometimes, the character's emotions and the message aren't the same.  

"Santa Baby"  With the right voice, even Santa and a chimney can be made into a double entendre.  

“All I Want for Christmas Is You.”  Love is the greatest gift.  

Links of Interest

WRITING THE AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PAGE:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2015/12/tips-for-writing-your-author.html

CREATING TENSION:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2015/12/tick-tick-tension-setting-clock.html

WRITING KICK-ASS ACTION SCENES:

https://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2015/12/14/writing-kick-action-scenes-hook-cross-t-k-o/

IMPROVING YOUR DESCRIPTIVE WRITING:

http://thewritepractice.com/draw-image/

PLACE HOLDER WORDS IN THE FIRST DRAFT:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2015/12/the-freedom-of-placeholder-words-in.html

PROMOTION, FACEBOOK CONTESTS AND GIVEAWAYS:

https://janefriedman.com/facebook-contests-giveaways/

THE CHARACTER ARC:

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/12/the-character-arc-from-fear-to-greatness/

CRITIQUING CHEAT SHEET:

http://www.publishingcrawl.com/2015/12/14/steph-and-staceys-critiquing-cheat-sheet/

MYSTERY GREAT JAMES LEE BURKE WRITING TIPS:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/tip-sheet/article/68911-writing-tips-james-lee-burke.html

CREATING BOOK TITLES:

http://thewritepractice.com/guide-to-titles/

THE TROUBLE WITH “WHEN” STATEMENTS:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2012/11/when-are-you-telling-trouble-with-when.html

CONTRACTS, THE MONEY CLAUSES FOR ANTHOLOGIES:

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/12/show-me-the-money-royalties-in-anthology-contracts/

CRAFTING A STRONG OPENING:

http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-critical-importance-of-crafting.html

FIGURING OUT YOUR CHARACTER:

http://howtoplanwriteanddevelopabook.blogspot.com/2015/12/character-lists-great-way-to-coax-your.html

MOVING FROM RESEARCH OR WORLDBUILDING TO YOUR STORY:

https://www.blackgate.com/2015/12/15/how-to-get-from-worldbuilding-or-research-to-story/

SELF-PUBS, WORKING WITH A PRINTER:

http://writershelpingwriters.net/2015/12/things-to-know-when-working-with-a-printer/

CRAFTING YOUR SETTING:

http://thewritepractice.com/craft-your-story-setting/

WHEN TO PARAGRAPH IN FICTION:

http://www.livewritethrive.com/2015/12/16/writing-mechanics-to-paragraph-or-not-to-paragraph

CREATING POWERFUL SCENES:

http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/structuring-powerful-scenes/

The Camera Viewpoint's Use for Descriptive Pacing

In my blog entry on participant viewpoint, I talked about the dangers of using camera viewpoint in writing scenes, but the idea of a camera shooting the action can be useful when you are writing description.

As you describe a room from a character's viewpoint, imagine that the character is that camera as he scans the room as he enters. 

In a scene which doesn't start with high action such as a fight, he would scan right to left or left to right, and the important objects would be described in relationship to those near it. The character would see the piano, then the bar, then the poker tables on the far side. 

If some object or person is important--the character is looking for it or meeting him, etc., then that object or person is described first with the general impressions of the room then the details of the room can be filled in as needed. For example, if someone is coming at the viewpoint character with a sword, he won't notice the piano or the bar except as possible objects to hide behind.

Movement is also important.  A person’s gaze will follow movement, particularly movement toward him.  If someone is walking toward him, he will notice this before noticing the furniture in the room.  

When writing that description, the idea of the camera shot can also keep you from making a mistake in visual pacing.

If you are describing the room, then put in a character's mental comment about something, and then you go back to describing the room, you are doing the equivalent of beginning to pan the room with a camera then jerking the camera toward the main character's face, then the camera returns to panning. 

By thinking of the visual description as camera work, you are less likely to make mistakes in visual and action pacing that will jar your reader.

Links of Interest

CREATING AN ENDING THAT WORKS:

http://www.torbooks.co.uk/blog/2015/12/2/crafting-an-ending-that-sings-by-susan-dennard

SHOULD YOU WRITE WHAT’S TRENDY?

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2010/07/being-trendy.html

THREE TRICKS TO DEEPENING YOUR CHARACTERS:

http://writersinthestormblog.com/2015/12/3-twists-to-move-past-stereotypes-and-freshen-your-characters/

SELF-PUBS, WHAT IS YOUR PRICING PLAN?

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2015/12/indie-publishing-paths-whats-your.html

GIVING INFO WITHOUT THE DREADED INFO DUMP:

https://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2015/12/04/how-to-sneak-in-any-amount-of-information-maintain-the-fictive-dream/

SUBTEXT IN DIALOGUE:

http://howtoplanwriteanddevelopabook.blogspot.com/2015/12/whats-subtext-learn-about-this-key.html

WHY THE CHRISTMAS CAROL IS SUCH A STRONG STORY AND HOW TO DO THE SAME THING:

https://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2015/12/07/charles-dickens-using-symbol-theme-allegory-to-create-enduring-stories/

SHOULD YOUR CHAPTERS BE NUMBERED OR NAMED?

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2015/12/words-or-numbers-whats-best-way-to.html

HOW TO AVOID AN ANTICLIMAX IN YOUR STORY:

http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/most-common-writing-mistakes-pt-46-anticlimactic-endings/

UNDERSTANDING VOICE:

http://scotteagan.blogspot.com/2015/12/understanding-voice.html

WHY WE SHOULD DO BAD THINGS TO GOOD CHARACTERS:

http://blog.janicehardy.com/2015/12/why-we-should-do-bad-things-to-our.html

AVOIDING OVERWRITING:

http://thewritelife.com/writing-fiction-10-sneaky-overwriting-traps-to-avoid

AVOIDING THE OVERUSE OF THE VIEWPOINT CHARACTER’S PRONOUN:

http://www.livewritethrive.com/2015/12/09/writing-mechanics-avoiding-the-i-trap-and-other-irritants