Category: Fiction Writing

The Most Excellent and Insightful Advice for Writers in Creating a Story

On By dotluvs2writeIn blogging, Fiction Writing, Writing Techniques7 Comments

A few weeks back, I happened upon this wonderful TEDx talk that blew me away.  The author gave step by step descriptions and instructions on how to write a story.  He brought us viewers into the imagined world of his characters.  We writers believe we know how to do this already, but we never stop learning, and I learned a great deal from this presentation.  In fact, it was the most superb, insightful, and profoundly helpful talk I’ve ever heard or seen on creating a story.  I am sharing it in the hopes that all my fellow writers will find much use in it and gain further knowledge in the art of writing.

(courtesy of and credited to TEDx Talks shared on youtube)

His tips on setting helped me tremendously in writing my latest story I began December 7.  I was thrilled to be able to apply it gently into the beginning scene of this newest work of mine, for which I am not sure whether it will be a short story, novella, or novel.  It will be fun to see where my characters and storyline lead me.

Incidentally, a book I’ll be reading for my fiction writing workshop class that starts early next month is written by Mr. Dufresne.  It’s called Lie That Tells a Truth:  A Guide to Writing Fiction.  How awesome is that?

Please share your comments below on what you thought and took away from this presentation!

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(Since I was only able to find this on youtube, I was not able to embed it directly from TED.com.)

 

Finding The Inspiration To Write

On By dotluvs2writeIn Fiction Writing, Inspirational10 Comments

finding peace

After a hiatus of nearly eighteen years (marriage and children—life), I began writing stories again in the fall of 2014 just before I started my first class at Southern New Hampshire University online. After reading the book, Of Human Bondage, by Somerset Maugham, the ideas of a story filled my mind, and this time, these ideas made it into words written in longhand on paper in a spiral notebook. And I succeeded in finishing this piece in a month or two. The story is in the genre of Young Adult/Children’s, and is about bullying and reconciliation. I then went on to write my first novel, followed by a few more short stories.

In 2015, I had another year of sporadic writing blocks via an online critique site I became part of while working on my novel. By the first couple of months of 2016, I wasn’t able to write as I had been. This happened because I had lost my voice, style of writing, and became overly concerned with the rules of writing and taking every feedback to heart. My writing had become flat, mechanical, and lifeless. It took me nearly another year to come back from that and discern the difference between a critique that pertained to what I needed to improve my story and one that was not relevant or useful to the storyline and my style of writing.

Since then, I’ve been continuing to edit my novel and short stories, but have picked up reading more fiction. This has helped me tremendously. Last week, I finished reading a Jodi Picoult novel that was superbly written with a profound and complex storyline. The ending didn’t tie up neatly in a pretty pink bow, but rather had me thinking about the decision the main character had made and left me wondering how that was going to work out for said character. Intriguing to say the least.

jodi picoult novel the storyteller

It was through reading this 400+-page novel in four days that spurred me to writing a new story, though lacking a clear plot or known ending (which was how I usually started writing–stream of consciousness). But in the past couple of days, the plot and direction of this new story has become clearer, and the writing I did on it last night and this morning gave me such joy and satisfaction. It was the kind of writing I’ve wanted to write but haven’t been able to since I wrote my novel in 2015, but this current story’s writing is superior to it, which makes sense if you are growing in your writing. And how exciting is that to know you can continue to hone your writing skills and become better and better the more you read and write?

I was created to create

I had heard from other writers more than once, the importance of reading a lot… “Read, read, and then read some more,” was basically the advice thrown out there in a Facebook writers’ group in which I’m a member, in the answer to questions on prompting yourself to write. Now that I have done this and seen the effects of this experience, I know the key to burgeoning ideas and perpetual writing of stories. Thank God! And believe me, I haven’t forgotten His loving guidance throughout this process.

As I plow through submitting the last twenty or so chapters of my first novel through my online critique group and prepare it for publishing this coming spring, I am feeling very good about my fate as a blossoming writer and soon-to-be official author. Life is good, and writing about it makes it even better.

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The Written Word Comes to Life

On By dotluvs2writeIn blogging, Fiction Writing2 Comments

stardust blue

There are times in your life where something beautiful and unexpected happens, and you’re left in awe as your heart swells with joy and pride for this blessed experience.

When I started back to school in 2014, I’d found the major of my dreams from my childhood that I did not know existed. It presented me with the real possibility of becoming a professional writer. While taking so many fascinating courses thus far online through Southern New Hampshire University, there were three core courses for my major in English Creative Writing from which to choose:

  • Fiction writing workshop
  • Nonfiction writing workshop
  • Poetry workshop
  • Playwriting workshop

Considering I had been writing fiction and had felt most comfortable in that realm, it was the easiest choice for me. Nonfiction was more difficult, but I learned more in that class than I did in my Introduction to Creative Writing course the year before. But I will be taking the fiction writing workshop next term that starts in early January, and will see how it compares to the others. Knowing poetry wasn’t a talent I possessed, nor did I completely comprehend all poems, I chose the playwriting workshop. I had no knowledge or experience in playwriting, but I figured it would be easier to compose than poetry.

I completed the playwriting workshop last term (each term is eight weeks long), and it surprised me and intrigued me very much. I’d learned so much about this art. I found writing plays that depended primarily on dialogue at its core came easier and more natural to me than writing a setting in a novel. Many of the very short plays I wrote for this class were born out of my stream of consciousness.

3d rendering of human brain on technology background

Rewinding in time to two years ago, in my Introduction to Creative Writing course, I produced a screenplay (the first I’d ever done) for the week’s assignment. It was a play about…well…nothing. And it grew out of a stream of consciousness.   Nevertheless, my fellow classmates and professor loved it and laughed while reading it. This play is called “Falling Up Stairs.”

Fast forward to last term (September-October), when I wrote, again, from a stream of consciousness, my play, “The Tricker’s Treat.”

In mid to late October, I corresponded with a local theater director via my mother-in-law, who acted there on average, two times a year. Through my husband’s and mother-in-law’s help—husband told his mom about my plays, and she passed this on to the director—the director had told me she would be happy to read over my plays. I was nervous at first…the thought of anyone at that level reading my silly plays…but I managed to get past my fears and sent them to her.

With only a few minor changes (one being changing my screenplay, “Falling Up Stairs,” into a play for live theater), she offered her small theater venue and actors to informally read my plays so I could hear how the words I’d written would be animated with tone and expression and flow.

I couldn’t believe it.

This path of writing began to bloom before my eyes, like a new colorful world opening up to me.

Last night, this came to fruition. Hearing the written words of the dialogue between my created characters in my plays come to life was something nearly inexplicable. It was a euphoric moment that lifted my soul and kindled joy in my heart.

I’m still writing fiction stories and enjoy the cozy feeling of being immersed in my created characters’ worlds, but after last night, the longing to see my plays actually acted on the stage with props and costumes–the whole kit and caboodle–grew exponentially. I don’t know what will happen now, but I’m eternally grateful to Laurie, the director, and her actors for the opportunity they gave me to see my play come to life.

The actors and me from the play reading!

(The actors and me (in the center))

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