The ramblings of an addled mind.
“Marketers will kill everything good.” – @GaryVee
Pop-up ads (in case you live in a cave somewhere) are those panels that “pop up” over the content you are trying to read on many web sites. Sometimes they tout products or services for sale, but more often they ask you to join a mailing list. They are the most annoying form of advertising I have encountered. And … they are very effective. Continue reading “Grim Reaper Comes for Pop-ups”
It is said that there are three sides to every divorce: his side, her side, and the truth. This colloquialism alludes to the fact that people will slant their narration of events to suit their own perspective. Really, it goes beyond that because there are times when a participant in an event is not just biased, but incapable of seeing the whole picture because he or she does not have all the facts or is so set in their own view they will not see it any other way.
A writer uses narration to give the reader information that is not being directly observed: backstory, private thoughts, or events that have happened “off screen”. Continue reading “Using an Unreliable Narrator”
A painter paints pictures hoping that others will see them. A musician plays for the ears of others. An actor or dancer performs for the benefit of an audience. Writers write to inform, inspire, or entertain readers. In each case, these artists are incomplete without their audience.
Even print-book authors benefit from running a blog where their readers can learn more about the author and even interact. But a blog without readers is like a musician on a deserted island. If we write on a blog – especially if we are just starting out – how do we find an audience? Continue reading “On Seeking Readers”
Another article on Clinical Depression from long ago, posted for the benefit of those who need it now.
We see many stories from survivors of cancer, heart failure, addiction and more. Here is my survivor story. But first some factual background.
Clinical Depression is a progressively deepening melancholy accompanied by an increasing tendency to withdraw from social activity and eventually even personal relationships. In advanced stages the victim is so disinterested in everything that they neglect personal hygiene and meals and begin to shut out everyone and everything as they focus entirely on their own self-loathing. Suicidal tendencies are common in this stage.
Contrary to popular opinion, clinical depression is not a purely psychological disorder. Like schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder, clinical depression has an organic basis. Depression has been tied to low levels of a neurotransmitter called serotonin. This agent bridges the gaps between ganglia in the brain and allows the proper “firing” of nerve impulses that make thought possible. Serotonin is a short -lived compound because the body breaks it down; if this breakdown process exceeds the body’s production of serotonin, a shortage results.
It is not clearly understood whether depression causes low serotonin levels or whether low serotonin levels cause depression, but the two are definitely linked. Continue reading “Confessions of a Clinical Depression Survivor”
I wrote this article on depression long ago and it was published in HealthMad e-Zine. They have since rotated it out (can’t keep everything forever, can we?) so I am free to repost it here. This is not an issue I am currently dealing with, but I have been in discussion with some who are. This is for them.
My journey through depression began long ago, way back when I was ensnared in servitude through employment. I suppose I had always been prone to bouts of melancholy; they were troublesome but, with one or two exceptions, never amounted to much. But there came a point where my life had for some time been wracked by a slow series of personal and spiritual failures culminating in the collapse of my “house of cards”.
A co-worker, my supervisor actually, who had made this journey herself recognized the signs in me early on and encouraged me – repeatedly – to seek help while I could. She was my light on the path and I will be eternally grateful to Anna for her vigilance and gentle persistence.
My climb back to the high ground was a long one. But once a spiritual reawakening flamed up and drove back the mists, I have been diligent to keep that fire fueled.
On occasion, when I become distracted and the flame burns low, the tendrils of depression and desperation close back in surreptitiously. But I see them now – I did not recognize the danger initially – and I am reminded to gather dry wood and stoke the fire to dispel the demonic fog. Continue reading “Fighting Clinical Depression”
There is a process that occurs in all forms of writing. Like many things in life, taking each step in it’s turn speeds the work and improves the outcome. Understanding that process can help you do better work, faster, and enjoy the process more.
This is “getting an idea”. It may come from something else you read, a video clip or movie, or just out of the blue. Most of this step is done in your head. For some it may just go “poof” here I am, ready to go. If this is you, just know that I despise you. For most of us good ideas are elusive.
Because they are elusive you need to be prepared. The muse tends to rise at the most inopportune times. When a great idea comes along do not say to yourself, “That’s a great idea – I’m sure I’ll remember it.” Trust me, you won’t.
Keep pad and paper by your bed for those nocturnal envisions that wrench you from sleep. Keep a pocket-size pad and compact pen or pencil with you always. Or – use a small digital voice recorder to take verbal notes – especially handy if you are driving!
Don’t worry about details yet, just get down the bones. Continue reading “The Writing Process”
A variety of writing styles are available to you as a writer/author. At one end of the scale is the literary style that tends to ramble along, painting pictures with words chosen more for their emotional impact than their grammatical efficiency. At the other end is the hard-hitting journalistic style designed to convey information quickly and precisely. In between are a sliding-scale mix of these two. Plain Language writing is a style gaining popularity with the modern world.
In Plain Language writing you seek to keep to the active voice, keep your sentences short, and keep your words simple and direct. Basically you are to write like a Dick and Jane reading primmer. Continue reading “Passive Voice and Active Voice in Your Writing”
Any writer knows that conflict is necessary in a story to keep a reader engaged. But what is conflict and how is it created, met, and overcome? The answers to these questions have a lot to do with how well received your stories will be.
Violence. Crafting blood-spattered scenes of opposing forces (could be armies or individuals) battling one another is not conflict. Violence is the progeny of the conflict. Why are they battling? That is the conflict. And there has to be some specificity to it, not just “This army seeks to take over that army’s kingdom”. Why do they want to take over and how is this pertinent to your POV characters?
The same goes for arguments, personal rivalries, and social “shoving around”. A scene may be set around an argument between two characters or a school kid being bullied by classmates, but the fact that your characters are upset is not conflict. Why are they upset? What is the root of the trouble, not its outcome. That is your conflict. Continue reading “Crafting Conflict In Your Stories”
Dialogue is the heartbeat of any fiction novel. An author can use the verbal interaction between characters (or a character with itself) to flesh out those characters, build suspense, explain elements of the story, bring in back-story, and entertain the reader … if it’s done right.
Do base your characters on people you know (or know of: like movie stars). If you want to be the inspiration for the hero or heroine, that’s fine; as long as you have (or can create) the needed heroic qualities.
Do use dialog to bring clarity to your story: reveal facets of your character, explain plot history or setting, and build emotion in a scene. Using dialogue for these is much better than blocks of expository text; which tend to get boring quickly.
You can also accomplish multiple purposes through the use of dialogue. For instance; an argument between your protagonist and another major character can reveal character facets like temperament, education, and the motivations of both characters. Brief insertions of actions (she flipped her long, blond hair out of her eyes, then continued…) can also accomplish describing your character more efficiently than some long gaze in a mirror.
Do allow your characters to express themselves naturally. Their speech is part of their personality.
Do keep a log of each characters pet phrases and speech idiosyncrasies.
Do practice dialogue with each character. As a writing exercise, set up a scene with the character of the moment and let them speak. Your characters will develop as you become familiar with them. Letting them build in your mind through practice dialogue will save you having to re-write previous scenes because your character changed
Don’t insist on formal grammar and sentence structure. Few people actually speak like a formally written document. Maybe when giving a speech, but not in conversation. Use natural language.
Don’t include boring details of a long conversation. People do sit around and chat about the weather and politics, but unless these are directly relevant to the story or used in some meaningful way, cut away from the scene with a statement like, “They discussed the weather for a while”. Leave out the fluff and avoid miring the pace of your story.
Don’t change POV during a discussion. If you want to reveal the thoughts of the non POV character, these need to be revealed by subtle action and being recognized by the POV character. “Susan saw anger in Michael’s eyes though his voice remained calm and measured.”
Don’t let your dialogue get trite of stiff. You destroy the believability of your character when their interaction degrades in this way. If you feel it getting trite, go back and study your characters real-life model a bit more and see how the would handle the dialogue in question.
Don’t copy anyone so precisely that you get sued for basing your villain on some well known politician. Base your character, don’t make them a copy of.
Don’t over-use dialogue tags: said, replied, asked, etc. Use these for the first couple of rounds in a conversation to distinguish who is speaking, but unless you’ve got a crowd of people interacting all at once, let the conversation flow naturally.
Don’t use adverbs in language tags at all. Instead of ““What do you mean by that?” Angela asked angrily” use ““What do you mean by that?” Angela’s eyes flashed with anger.”
An old writing axiom tells us to show the reader what is going on, don’t describe it to them. Dialogue is a great way to do this. It can be entertaining, informative, and revealing all at once.
In a society that increasingly regards anything smacking of ‘rules’ or ‘procedure’ as unfairly restrictive, things like punctuation, grammar, and spelling are rapidly falling out of favor. If you are one who lauds this movement, feel free to scroll on now: you won’t enjoy this article. If, however, you are one who still feels that language is beautiful and powerful, continue as I denounce the word “ very ” and offer alternatives to it’s use.
Very is laziness. It cheapens your work. We tend to add ‘very’ as a modifier to another word to heighten it’s meaning, but in doing so we lose the opportunity to make a much better statement. We might say, “The building is very large.” but saying, “The building is enormous.” conveys your thought so much better.
I offer validation on the topic from famous authors:
‘Very’ is the most useless word in the English language and can always come out. More than useless, it is treacherous because it invariably weakens what it is intended to strengthen. ~Florence King
Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very;’ your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be. ~Mark Twain Continue reading “Avoiding ‘ Very ‘ In Your Your Writing”