Archive for July, 2011

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The Writer’s Journey


2011
07.28

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Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

or How to be Both a Novice and a Seasoned Pro at the Same Time

I am a writer and an aspiring author. What I mean by this is that I write everyday, but am not yet published or earning income from my writing. Once I have an agent, a publishing deal and a clear pathway to my next project, I will be an author. For now, I am still very much a novice.

As a writer, I have an output that I can be proud of. I have written thousands of pages which include the following:

Cry for the Trees

  • three partially finished novels
  • dozens of short stories
  • a children’s picture book, in rhyme
  • the complete book for a musical
  • the incomplete libretto for an opera
  • a handful of songs
  • a double handful of comedy sketches
  • half a dozen short films
  • one YA novel completed, rewritten, edited and readied for querying.

In addition to all this writing, I have spent countless hours researching the craft: reading books, visiting websites and Blogs, joining forums, Facebook groups and Twitter discussions. I belong to a very active writing and critique group. I read like crazy. All of this background work, besides being immensely valuable to me personally, turns out to be exactly the thing that takes me out of the Novice category and makes me something more.

Sometimes I am so used to concentrating on the things I don’t know, that I forget to celebrate the things I do. The fact is, we are all on a journey, and at every stage of it, we are likely possessors of knowledge that will prove valuable to another embarking on the journey behind us. I am grateful for the generosity of spirit that imbues the writing community in general and I pledge to share what I have learned in that same spirit.

 

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Growing Up, or I have a Real Website Now!


2011
07.28

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

The time has come for me to bid this Blog a fond farewell. I will be continuing to write occasional opinion pieces, writing news and personal updates on my new website.

Thanks to all my followers and I hope you will follow me on the next stage of my journey!

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Growing Up, or I have a Real Website Now!


2011
07.28

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

The time has come for me to bid this Blog a fond farewell. I will be continuing to write occasional opinion pieces, writing news and personal updates on my new website.

Thanks to all my followers and I hope you will follow me on the next stage of my journey!

2 comments

Chasing Amy: a Viking’s Lament


2011
07.23

Posted in Amy Winehouse, opinion, Oslo, Tragedy | 2 Comments »

The news today is full of tragedy – one which was courted, invited in and danced with, the other which sprung out of the neverland of inexplicable hatred and madness. Both remind me of why a lack of imagination is the scariest monster we face and why we humans need story. Imagination is the key to seeing a place different than it is, to envisioning a better future, and to understanding our fellow travelers. Imagination is the fuel that will lift you out of the narrowness of self-focus and introduce you to the amazing world of possibility.

JK Rowling said it better than I ever could: 

Unlike any other creature on this planet, humans can learn and understand, without having experienced. They can think themselves into other people’s places. Of course, this is a power, like my brand of fictional magic, that is morally neutral. One might use such an ability to manipulate, or control, just as much as to understand or sympathise.

And many prefer not to exercise their imaginations at all. They choose to remain comfortably within the bounds of their own experience, never troubling to wonder how it would feel to have been born other than they are. They can refuse to hear screams or to peer inside cages; they can close their minds and hearts to any suffering that does not touch them personally; they can refuse to know.

I might be tempted to envy people who can live that way, except that I do not think they have any fewer nightmares than I do. Choosing to live in narrow spaces leads to a form of mental agoraphobia, and that brings its own terrors. I think the wilfully unimaginative see more monsters. They are often more afraid.What is more, those who choose not to empathise enable real monsters. For without ever committing an act of outright evil ourselves, we collude with it, through our own apathy.

The best method I have for fighting back against the tragedy that sees taking a life, either your own or that of a group of innocent children, as a solution to a problem is to exercise my imagination and encourage others to do the same. 

I will write stories that help to tell people there is more to this world than our own narrow thoughts. That life is precious. That answers come from unexpected places. That living in the skin of others for those few brief hours of turning pages can help us to know and love ourselves and others more.

2 comments

Chasing Amy: a Viking’s Lament


2011
07.23

Posted in Amy Winehouse, opinion, Oslo, Tragedy | 2 Comments »

The news today is full of tragedy – one which was courted, invited in and danced with, the other which sprung out of the neverland of inexplicable hatred and madness. Both remind me of why a lack of imagination is the scariest monster we face and why we humans need story. Imagination is the key to seeing a place different than it is, to envisioning a better future, and to understanding our fellow travelers. Imagination is the fuel that will lift you out of the narrowness of self-focus and introduce you to the amazing world of possibility.

JK Rowling said it better than I ever could: 

Unlike any other creature on this planet, humans can learn and understand, without having experienced. They can think themselves into other people’s places. Of course, this is a power, like my brand of fictional magic, that is morally neutral. One might use such an ability to manipulate, or control, just as much as to understand or sympathise.

And many prefer not to exercise their imaginations at all. They choose to remain comfortably within the bounds of their own experience, never troubling to wonder how it would feel to have been born other than they are. They can refuse to hear screams or to peer inside cages; they can close their minds and hearts to any suffering that does not touch them personally; they can refuse to know.

I might be tempted to envy people who can live that way, except that I do not think they have any fewer nightmares than I do. Choosing to live in narrow spaces leads to a form of mental agoraphobia, and that brings its own terrors. I think the wilfully unimaginative see more monsters. They are often more afraid.What is more, those who choose not to empathise enable real monsters. For without ever committing an act of outright evil ourselves, we collude with it, through our own apathy.

The best method I have for fighting back against the tragedy that sees taking a life, either your own or that of a group of innocent children, as a solution to a problem is to exercise my imagination and encourage others to do the same. 

I will write stories that help to tell people there is more to this world than our own narrow thoughts. That life is precious. That answers come from unexpected places. That living in the skin of others for those few brief hours of turning pages can help us to know and love ourselves and others more.

2 comments

Chasing Amy: a Viking’s Lament


2011
07.23

Posted in Amy Winehouse, opinion, Oslo, Tragedy | 2 Comments »

The news today is full of tragedy – one which was courted, invited in and danced with, the other which sprung out of the neverland of inexplicable hatred and madness. Both remind me of why a lack of imagination is the scariest monster we face and why we humans need story. Imagination is the key to seeing a place different than it is, to envisioning a better future, and to understanding our fellow travelers. Imagination is the fuel that will lift you out of the narrowness of self-focus and introduce you to the amazing world of possibility.

JK Rowling said it better than I ever could: 

Unlike any other creature on this planet, humans can learn and understand, without having experienced. They can think themselves into other people’s places. Of course, this is a power, like my brand of fictional magic, that is morally neutral. One might use such an ability to manipulate, or control, just as much as to understand or sympathise.

And many prefer not to exercise their imaginations at all. They choose to remain comfortably within the bounds of their own experience, never troubling to wonder how it would feel to have been born other than they are. They can refuse to hear screams or to peer inside cages; they can close their minds and hearts to any suffering that does not touch them personally; they can refuse to know.

I might be tempted to envy people who can live that way, except that I do not think they have any fewer nightmares than I do. Choosing to live in narrow spaces leads to a form of mental agoraphobia, and that brings its own terrors. I think the wilfully unimaginative see more monsters. They are often more afraid.What is more, those who choose not to empathise enable real monsters. For without ever committing an act of outright evil ourselves, we collude with it, through our own apathy.

The best method I have for fighting back against the tragedy that sees taking a life, either your own or that of a group of innocent children, as a solution to a problem is to exercise my imagination and encourage others to do the same. 

I will write stories that help to tell people there is more to this world than our own narrow thoughts. That life is precious. That answers come from unexpected places. That living in the skin of others for those few brief hours of turning pages can help us to know and love ourselves and others more.

4 comments

What’s the Story Anyway?


2011
07.15

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Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

Many times in my reading and learning about the art of writing I stumble across people who define story as conterminous with plot. I feel this can be a limiting view of story and in the end is harmful to the ‘long view’ for our writing.


PLOT: 
–noun

1.Also called storyline. the plan, scheme, or main story of a literary or dramatic work, as a play, novel, or short story.

CHARACTER:
  –noun

1.the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing.

STORY:
–noun 

1.a narration of a chain of events told or written in prose or verse.

If you stick to these narrow definitions, Plot=Story; but we are missing one critical element here. All fiction is a narration from the lips of a storyteller – you the writer. An interesting thing happens to our idea of story when we consider the root meanings and origins of narration:


WORD ORIGIN & HISTORY

early 15c., from O.Fr. narration  “a relating, recounting, narrating,” from L. narrationem  (nom. narratio ), from narrare  “to tell, relate, recount, explain,” lit. “to make acquainted with,”



It is this last idea that is critical to how we view story. I find it helpful to think of if this way: I am a storyteller standing on a stage – I must let my audience know not only what happened, but also how, why, and to whom. Everything we write is an effort to make our readers acquainted with our characters, our themes, our ideas, our fictional events – in short, our stories. By keeping the whole tapestry of Story in our minds we will allow our readers to become acquainted with the entirety of our fictional world.


How do you view story?

3 comments

What’s the Story Anyway?


2011
07.15

Posted in opinion, Writing | 3 Comments »

Many times in my reading and learning about the art of writing I stumble across people who define story as conterminous with plot. I feel this can be a limiting view of story and in the end is harmful to the ‘long view’ for our writing.


PLOT: 
–noun

1.Also called storyline. the plan, scheme, or main story of a literary or dramatic work, as a play, novel, or short story.

CHARACTER:
  –noun

1.the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing.

STORY:
–noun 

1.a narration of a chain of events told or written in prose or verse.

If you stick to these narrow definitions, Plot=Story; but we are missing one critical element here. All fiction is a narration from the lips of a storyteller – you the writer. An interesting thing happens to our idea of story when we consider the root meanings and origins of narration:


WORD ORIGIN & HISTORY

early 15c., from O.Fr. narration  “a relating, recounting, narrating,” from L. narrationem  (nom. narratio ), from narrare  “to tell, relate, recount, explain,” lit. “to make acquainted with,”



It is this last idea that is critical to how we view story. I find it helpful to think of if this way: I am a storyteller standing on a stage – I must let my audience know not only what happened, but also how, why, and to whom. Everything we write is an effort to make our readers acquainted with our characters, our themes, our ideas, our fictional events – in short, our stories. By keeping the whole tapestry of Story in our minds we will allow our readers to become acquainted with the entirety of our fictional world.


How do you view story?

3 comments

What’s the Story Anyway?


2011
07.15

Posted in opinion, Writing | 3 Comments »

Many times in my reading and learning about the art of writing I stumble across people who define story as conterminous with plot. I feel this can be a limiting view of story and in the end is harmful to the ‘long view’ for our writing.


PLOT: 
–noun

1.Also called storyline. the plan, scheme, or main story of a literary or dramatic work, as a play, novel, or short story.

CHARACTER:
  –noun

1.the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing.

STORY:
–noun 

1.a narration of a chain of events told or written in prose or verse.

If you stick to these narrow definitions, Plot=Story; but we are missing one critical element here. All fiction is a narration from the lips of a storyteller – you the writer. An interesting thing happens to our idea of story when we consider the root meanings and origins of narration:


WORD ORIGIN & HISTORY

early 15c., from O.Fr. narration  “a relating, recounting, narrating,” from L. narrationem  (nom. narratio ), from narrare  “to tell, relate, recount, explain,” lit. “to make acquainted with,”



It is this last idea that is critical to how we view story. I find it helpful to think of if this way: I am a storyteller standing on a stage – I must let my audience know not only what happened, but also how, why, and to whom. Everything we write is an effort to make our readers acquainted with our characters, our themes, our ideas, our fictional events – in short, our stories. By keeping the whole tapestry of Story in our minds we will allow our readers to become acquainted with the entirety of our fictional world.


How do you view story?

7 comments

How Much Sex is Too Much?


2011
07.12

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Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Comments »

First, read this: Sex in YA Fiction.

I have a comment on that post where I say this:

Ok – not to get too personal – but are we doing a disservice to YA readers?

I remember my first ‘truly intense’ sexual act with vivid clarity – and though the lead up to the act was all emotion – once the physical sensations started it was ALL about the physical. In fact, if someone had interrupted and asked my name I would have been unable to tell them. The physical was THAT powerful.

I think we sometimes color what we write or what we read with an adult sense of prudery. As older humans, we have weighed and balanced the sexual experience – we know the pluses and minuses – we understand the give and take. This was the number one problem with Twilight’s “I’m waiting” philosophy – there was FAR too much consideration going on.

Currently YA sex IS less graphic – but in a way, wouldn’t it be more honest if it was MORE graphic – or at least more focused on those crazy explosive physical feelings?

I realize this is a sensitive subject, so I have spent the day pondering and this is what I have come up with:

I think YA writers should try and remember the sensations of ‘first love’ in the physical. For example, I remember the first time someone kissed me on the neck. I felt it on my neck, but I also remember the feelings shooting down my arm; I remember the marked tingling of my fingers and a delicious tickle in the small of my back where his fingers rested. It made me giggle, and squirm and desire to be kissed there again. It created a hunger unlike anything I had previously experienced. This is the type of physical detail that can be added to YA sex, without upping the ‘erotic’ quotient of the writing.

I wonder at the tendency to self-censor our writing. If it was not inappropriate for me to feel those tingles at age 16, then why should it be inappropriate to write about it? And if we think it is inappropriate but we are writing about it anyway, isn’t it coy to measure the language?

In the end run, I say this: If you are writing sex into your YA novel – be honest. Describe the physical sensations as well as the emotional ones. Remember what it felt like the first time you touched someone, and the first time you were touched. Do not view the scene through adult eyes, but through the eyes of your teen-aged characters.  If you do this, your ‘sex scene’ will come off as natural and not gratuitous.

Thoughts?

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