USING MEMORIES TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING

photo courtesy of Antonino Visalli on Unsplash 

Use Your Experience to Help Your  Characters Remember

Have you ever read a story that plods along, but you can't quite relate to the main character?  I'll call her Rachel. It's probably because the writer forgot the introspection, sometimes referred to as internal monologue. Rachel can't think or remember because her writer didn't flesh her out. She needs depth. Without it, she's a flat character.  Three dimensional characters keep readers interested. 

For example, maybe Rachel's mother died in a tragic car accident. She's at the funeral and all the usual stuff happens, but she's not feeling anything. Writer X might've included a few boring visuals at best. None of this means anything to Rachel. 

What could've helped Writer X? Lists. She should've sat down with pen to paper and remembered the funerals she attended. Which one is like the one she wants to write? Doing this helps the author decide what's important in the scene. And loss is terrible for anyone, but if this particular tragedy is a main plot point, how is this worse for Rachel? What do you remember about loss? Can you write down some words that remind you of your personal tragedy? 

Using this method recalls a stream of consciousness. Start with a word that reminds you of the event, and then write the next word that comes to mind. Continue until the page is full or a few minutes have passed. 

Making lists helps writers decide what is important in a scene. If you must choose between the details, base them on what might affect your character’s senses. What did Rachel hear, smell, touch, see, feel, taste? Tell the reader why it mattered. If it didn't matter, don't use that detail. 

MY MEMORIES OF A FUNERAL

I attended my Grandpa’s funeral when I was a ten-year-old. Here’s what I recalled.

I wore a pink summer dress with flecks of gold because it was Grandpa’s favorite though we buried him on a chilly October day. I had a thin cotton shawl, which didn't block the howling wind. 

Strange women in black dresses cried and dabbed their noses with tissues. 

The metal folding chair I sat on numbed my butt. A tight rubber band pulled my scalp after Mom fixed my ponytail. It made my head throb.

If you can remember one detail, the others will come. Some of memories reflected the tension I felt during the event. If Rachel was my character, I might've written similar details for her experience. 

Sometimes what's not said can make the story. Consider someone who spent Christmas alone. Maybe their memories or list tells us what they didn’t do that year.

Example: Maybe the story makes no mention of Fred trimming a tree, wrapping presents, going to church, or eating a nice ham dinner.

The list can run as long as needed to make the point about how an otherwise happy holiday was lonely and sad. How did this affect Fred? What in his background made him suffer more than the average person? Why did this matter to him? Can you put his thoughts into words? If you can, he's real in the reader's mind. 

Try making your own list using the stream of consciousness to recall an event. Post it below in the comments. I’d love to read it. The thoughts could be about anything. Maybe it was your wedding day. Your list might include people you invited and why you remember them.  Did everyone have a good time at the reception? Did everyone behave? How did it affect you? When writing stories, it's not as much about what happened as it is about how it affected the character. How did she feel? What did she do as a result of the incident? 

I promise if you use this technique you will remember things you had forgotten. Details will pop into your head. Let your characters have lists too, and you will write better stories.

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HOOK THE READER FROM THE FIRST PAGE

Photo courtesy of my own tackle box

Hello Writers,

This week I have a special treat for you. I have invited other authors to share their best tips for hooking the reader from the first page. These methods are tried and true. 

Without the proper bait, your hook won't attract anyone. You can cast your lure online, and no one will notice. After all, the internet is a sea of books. You want readers to bite early and hang on tight  You can't have them to fighting to escape. If done properly, they'll love your story and beg for more.  

For the record, I took this picture myself, but I don't like fishing for anything but readers. 

There's a half-dozen barbs on the lure. And there's more than one way hook your audience. Now, let's see how my guests dig their hooks in deep. 

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Helen C. Johannes writes fantasy romance and has a tip for you. 

One technique I use is to set up a goal for the character in the opening lines. What does he/she hope to achieve in the next minutes/hours? If the reader knows what the character is determined to do, the reader can ‘keep score’ as the character bobs and weaves through whatever obstacles are thrown into his/her path. Here’s the opening to my latest fantasy romance LORD OF DRUEMARWIN: 

Sixty-nine, seventy, seventy-one...  Naed counted the tower steps, gritting his teeth at every other one. His left leg held strong under the combined weight of his weapons, shield and chest armor—even on the third climb.

Seventy-two, seventy-three... Never again would he be the last up the stairs because of it. Never again would he fall.

Or fail. 

Sweat dripped off his nose. Seventy-four, seventy-five, seventy-six...  To make doubly sure, he would add his helm to the weight total tomorrow.

If only his patched-together thigh didn’t still ache... 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Helen-C-Johannes/e/B003JJDQWS/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

 Blog: Helen C. Johannes, Author

Contact: helen.c.johannes@gmail.com

http://helencjohannes.blogspot.com/

Brave Men, Bold Women, Hearts in Search of Home

LORD OF DRUEMARWIN

THE PRINCE OF VAL-FEYRIDGE

BLOODSTONE

FREDERICK FLY-CATCHER             Blog / Amazon author page  / The Wild Rose Press 

About the author: 

Helen C. Johannes writes award-winning fantasy romance inspired by the fairy tales she grew up reading and the amazing historical places she’s visited in England, Ireland, Scotland and Germany. She writes tales of adventure and romance in fully realized worlds sprung from pure imagination and a lifelong interest in history, culture, and literature. Warriors on horseback, women who refuse to sit idly at home, and passion that cannot be denied or outrun—that’s what readers will find in her books.

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Here's some advice from contemporary romance author, Jennifer Wilck. 

Ideally, I want the first line of my book to grab my reader’s attention in unexpected ways. Maybe it’s a piece of dialogue that’s just crazy enough to make the reader stop and focus. Or a description of the hero that makes the reader drool. Or just something out of the ordinary that conveys information. In my latest book, Unlock My Heart, the first sentence of the first chapter gives information about my hero, Ted Endicott.

Lip reading was exhausting.

“Right away, the reader knows the hero is hard of hearing, he’s tired, and he wants to make a change (even if he doesn’t know it yet himself). Hopefully, the reader is convinced to keep reading to learn more."

Here's a link to Jennifer's books: https://books2read.com/u/4NyjGx 

About the author:

Jennifer started telling herself stories as a little girl when she couldn’t fall asleep at night. Pretty soon, her head was filled with these stories and the characters that populated them. Even as an adult, she thinks about the characters and stories at night before she falls asleep or walking the dog. Eventually, she started writing them down. Her favorite stories to write are those with smart, sassy, independent heroines; handsome, strong and slightly vulnerable heroes; and her stories always end with happily ever after.

In the real world, she’s the mother of two amazing daughters and wife of one of the smartest men she knows. She believes humor is the only way to get through the day and does not believe in sharing her chocolate. 

Jennifer Wilck is an award-winning contemporary romance author for readers who are passionate about love, laughter, and happily ever after. Known for writing both Jewish and non-Jewish romances, her books feature damaged heroes, sassy and independent heroines, witty banter and hot chemistry. Jennifer’s ability to transport the reader into the scene, create characters the reader will fall in love with, and evoke a roller coaster of emotions, will hook you from the first page. You can find her books at all major online retailers in a variety of formats.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.jenniferwilck.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/879114386079365

Newsletter: https://www.jenniferwilck.com/contact.html#newsletter

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JWilck

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjenniferwilck/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jennifer-wilck

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Sandra Young enjoys mixing things up. Here's what she had to say.

When I wrote my February debut, Divine Vintage, I mixed genres in an attempt to hook readers who enjoy a variety of books. I personally like to read novels that entwine romance around historical mystery, fashion, and ghostly influences, so I focused on those for my debut and the sequel I’m currently finishing.

 

I also strive to keep up the pace of the scenes. If I start getting bored or bogged down when writing, I imagine readers will feel the same and I move on in building the tension and stakes for the characters.

 

 

Sandra L. Young

Author of Divine Vintage

Debuted February 21, 2022 with The Wild Rose Press

 

Website: SandraYoungAuthor.com

@1DivineVintage    https://www.instagram.com/slyoungauthor/

About the author:

Sandra L. Young’s love of vintage fashion inspired her to write her debut novel, Divine Vintage. She’s researched and gathered an impressive collection spanning the late 1800s to 1990s, wearing pieces onstage through years of performing in community theater. To round out her love of the arts, she sings with a trio and a praise band. The book is available through https://books2read.com/u/3Ly7Q5 or links on her web site at https://sandrayoungauthor.com/.

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Regarding hooks, Carol Nickles  tries to leave the reader with a lingering visceral reaction so they are compelled to read more! Here are 2 excerpts from her book, Thumb Fire Desire. 

Monet, Gauguin, and Winslow Homer would have

pledged their plein air easels for a crack at the scene.

But the scene sticking in Ginny’s mind on her return

home was Peter, brushing his rough hands over an

embroidered hatband. She couldn’t decipher all it

entailed, but this she knew—a bond existed between

Peter and Nokee that surpassed any of the dime novel

love stories authored by Mrs. Georgie Sheldon.

Ginny’s hips rolled in tandem with the movement

of Buster’s shoulders. Her feet lolled in the stirrups.

She held the reins lightly. The hardest working muscle

in her body was her brain. Ginny’s accumulated kiss

experience left her questioning and wanting. She leaned

forward and pressed her lips into Buster’s mane. Was

Peter’s kiss just an emotional climax to a thrilling

horse race? Or was he kissing her like he’d kiss a little

sister?

To read more of  Carol's book,  Thumb Fire Desire click the link https://www.amazon.com/Thumb-Fire-Desire-Carol-Nickles/dp/1509241981/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1UTELDSQI7008&keywords=thumb+fire+desire+by+carol+nickles&qid=1651519365&sprefix=%2Caps%2C78&sr=8-1

About the author: 

Carol Nickles is the sixth generation of a German textile aficionado family.  In 1881, her great-great-great-grandfather founded Yale Woolen Mill—the longest-lasting of Michigan’s once twenty-nine woolen mills.  Carol earned a Master’s degree in Historic Clothing & Textiles at Michigan State University.  Her thesis is a narrative of the Yale Woolen Mill. She held faculty positions at both Utah and Michigan State universities. She lives in West Michigan and enjoys spinning a tale, weaving a story, and threading a luring hook. 

Website: www.carolnicklesauthor.com

Email:  carolnickleswriting@gmail.com

Facebook:  AuthorCarolNickles

Tik Tok:  @authornickles

Twitter:  @CarolNickles

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Terry Newman, the author of Heartquake, has great advice. 

The surest way to grab the reader’s attention is to drop them into the middle of the action. And the best way to do that is to pique their attention with an opening line.

It’s that simple. And that difficult.

It’s impossible to underestimate a book’s first line. It needs to be short—some say no longer than ten words—and must lure them into the action that’s happening in the first paragraph.

In my book, Heartquake, the first line is: “No, ma’am, I don’t believe we’ll need you to describe it…” When the reader reads the next line, they discover they’re in the middleof the police dealing with reports of a lion  wandering through town.

As an author, you need to decide, first, on what type of action or situation to introduce to your readers, then decide on the best and shortest way to lure them into the action.

Buy Links

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Heartquake-Terry-Newman-ebook/dp/B09PJZ5FK1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=8O69AITAZH3O&keywords=heartquake+terry+newman&qid=1645631543&sprefix=Heartquake+%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-1 

Social Media Links

Website

https://terrynewmanauthor.com/

Facebook: Terry Newman

https://www.facebook.com/terry.newman.31521 

Twitter: @tnewmanwrites

https://twitter.com/tnewmanwrites 

Instagram: terry.newman.31521

https://www.instagram.com/terry.newman.31521/ 

TikTok: @terrynewman614

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60574351-heartquake?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=99H2V7dnWm&rank=1

Bookbub: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60574351-heartquake?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=99H2V7dnWm&rank=1 

About the author: 

Terry Newman has always loved words. As the editor-in-chief of a national natural health publishing company, she has written books on a variety of topics, as well as writing direct-mail advertising.

She’s also worked as a reporter, a communications specialist and a freelance writer. She’d had clients worldwide, and researched and wrote hundreds of eBooks and print books as well as ghostwrote novellas and short stories.

One day she woke and decided to make her dream of writing her own novel come true. She sets

all her stories in fictional towns in northeast Ohio and writes about things she loves—like coffee.

Terry has taught workshops on writing and character development. 

She has a daughter, a son-in-law, and a grandpuppy, and lives in North Lima, a real town in

northeast Ohio.

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That's a wrap for my guests. Now, I'll throw in my two cents. In my YA suspense novel, Run Girl Run, the opening makes the reader curious and introduces my protagonist.

I started the trouble. If Dad was here, he’d say, ‘Tracie, you did it again.’

Naturally, the reader wonders what kind of trouble. What did she do?

Later, on the first page, my main character's desire and fear clash. Tracie wants something, but deep down she's afraid. This creates the internal conflict my character must overcome to reach her goal. Her internal conflict is the real story. It's why the story matters. That's how I make the reader care about her. Without her internal struggle, she's just a sixteen-year-old -girl in a terrible situation.

Tracie's fear stems from a misbelief she's been living with. I set her on a journey to overcome it. The reader goes along for the ride. That's how I hook my audience.

My novel is under contract with
The Wild Rose Press, tentative release 2022

This blog post was inspired by one of my subscribers. It wouldn't have been possible without the gracious authors who agreed to contribute. Thank you, thank you. You ladies are the best. Readers, please show them some love by clicking on their links, visiting their websites, or leaving a comment below.

If you like this post, be sure to share, and subscribe. If you have a tip that hooks the reader, feel free to leave a comment. We're here to help each other. If you have a writing topic you'd like me to tackle on a future, leave a request in the comments. Until then, have a blessed day, and whatever you do, keep writing.

10 Ways to Enjoy National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo)

Photo by Artem Kniaz on Unsplash

Writing Ideas for November

 

Fall swept in along with National Novel Writing Month.  Nanowrimo, a nonprofit organization, encourages writers to write 50,000 words in 30 days. 

As I blog, millions of fingers are tapping thousands of keyboards. I imagine people are typing like mad at their desks, on their sofas, or in their recliners. Some of them are sitting in coffee shops or in the park.  

What if you want to participate, but you feel like you

missed the boat? No worries. I have 10 ways to make 

this month productive.

1. Start writing late. Don’t worry about hitting the 50K word count. Consider 1,667 words a day, which is 50,000 divided by 30. Your word count will fall short of the Nanowrimo goal, but hey, you put in the effort. Here is the official Nanowrimo link if you want to check them out. https://nanowrimo.org/come-write-in 

2. Finish an old manuscript. Once upon a time, you loved the project. Maybe you can rekindle the desire.

3.  Go to a conference or take an online writing course. If money is tight, binge on free YouTube videos.

4. Research writing contests and prepare an entry.

5.  Start a new blog or prepare a post for an existing one.

6.  Revise an old manuscript that didn’t make the cut. Sometimes a rewrite does the trick.

7.  Write a nonfiction book on a topic dear to your heart.

8.  Write short stories or poetry 6 days a week. Spend 1 day a week submitting them to magazines.

9.   Spend November reading craft books or a novel that’s collecting dust on its jacket.

10.   Give your brain a rest and let it percolate. By December, your mind will brew a fresh story. Down time prevents burnout. If writing isn’t fun, you need a break.
 

THE WRITING SCHEDULE

My Own Routine

People ask me how I make time to write. My day job takes 40-50 hours out of my week. If I'm not physically at my office, I'm running errands to keep my small business afloat. I have a husband, two dogs, two cats, and a house that needs attention. 

My morning starts with preparing for work and tucking everyone in before I head to my job. When I get home, the chores are waiting. 

Colby is my only distraction.

It's easy to say there's no time to write. But I enjoy creating stories, and sometimes I'm up past midnight pounding the keyboard. It's part of my life and writing a novel takes months. 

CREATE A SPACE FOR WRITING

I have a cozy spot in my living room where I disconnect from the rest of the world. Phone calls, televisions, and distractions disappear. Occasionally, my cat sits on me. No problem. Two of us can fit in the chair. This is where I alternate between reading books and writing my own. To understand writing well, I read every day. 

When I'm in my den, my imaginary world takes priority. I build it line by line, page by page, and chapter by chapter. This is what I do most days. Some people think my habits are strange, obsessive, and unnecessary. It makes me different from them. It makes me a writer.

LET THE CHARACTER'S THOUGHTS CONVEY THEIR EMOTIONS

Photo by Gabriel Matula on Unsplash

Every writer wants readers to connect with their work. After all, it’s not easy to craft a novel, short story, novella, or memoir. Today I’ll share a key to unlock that mystery.

People want to understand your characters and go on a journey with them. To provide a mental escape, make the reader feel what your characters feel.

There are three ways a writer describes a character’s emotion.

1. Tell how the character feels.

Example: Tom was scared.

By saying it outright as a fact, the reader can’t feel anything. You could say it’s September and evoke the same level of indifference from the person. If you dump statements in the entire story, filter words, such as angry, anxious, afraid, happy, etc., the reader will lose interest. 

2. Show the character’s reaction.

Example: Tom crouched behind the building and trembled.

This is better than the first illustration, but too many actions without Tom’s thoughts fail to engage the reader. If several scenes require him to be scared, each version of showing him that way becomes harder. After a while, it’s difficult to top the last description.

3. Introspection. It means the character’s thoughts are open to the reader. This helps the reader understand the stakes.

Example: It was Tom’s second glimpse at the monster—two heads and four eyes that rolled in opposite directions. It's searching for me, and there's only one building between us. If I can make it to the hills I might have a sporting chance. If not, I'll die like Jase and Melissa, ripped apart by two mouths in a tug of war while the creature fights itself for the bigger share. Why did I ever come here?

I could have said Tom was afraid of the monster, but that alone doesn’t give the reader much. By letting the reader know what Tom thinks about when he sees it, I raise the stakes. The reader will empathize with the character and hopefully tap into his fear.

This was a quick example I made up off the top of my head. Some authors use a combination of the three together to make sure readers get the connection. Look at the passages in your favorite books for better examples. I find introspection is the best way to make the book relatable.

REVISE YOUR STORIES

Revise to strengthen writing

What happens when you finish a favorite story, and no one seems to appreciate the effort? If the short story didn’t get picked up by the literary magazine or win the big cash prize in a contest, the piece might need tweaking. If your novel receives more than thirty rejections, there could be something wrong. 

Writing is a lot like cooking a gourmet meal. Some folks hate the duck confit with a side of roasted brussels sprouts. Agents and publishers have a huge menu to choose from. Make sure the people you are serving have a taste and preference for the type of story you cooked up. You can’t force steak on a vegetarian any easier than humor on an agent who wants horror.

Maybe you had the above figured out and sent your manuscript to the right agency, and they didn’t bite. Read the first page and pretend someone else wrote it. If a stranger picked it up at Barnes and Noble, could they keep their eyes on the paper? Remember, they’re surrounded by fascinating books the same way an agent has hundreds of manuscripts to choose from. If not, rewrite any paragraph that conjures daydreams. Boring scenes are not allowed. Write that on an index card in big red letters and keep it next to you as a reminder.

If you can’t figure out what’s amiss, other eyes can help; not your mom’s or best friends. Find someone who isn’t afraid of offending you. Writers’ groups are useful. If there isn’t one, start one. If no one is interested, consider going online.

I want to keep this post brief, but here’s another tip to make sure the revisions are saved properly. Back up your drafts twice. Do it every time you write. I don’t carve my story into a stone tablet, and neither do you. I’ve heard nightmares about lost manuscripts after a cat knocked a glass of water on the laptop. Keep that in mind next time you shut down the computer even if you don’t have a four-legged menace in your home.

Revisions are part of the process that makes writing better. I wish everyone one the best and happy writing.