Regional stories are wrapped around the cultural, traditional, and environmental qualities of the area. Often dialect is a feature, but not a requirement. So work on a few paragraphs of a story that can only happen where you are. Make it utterly dependent on the locale, can’t happen anywhere else but there. Read Faulkner’s “Barn…
Fame & Fortune, but at what cost? Using a tried and true narrative mode to set up a story, as mentioned in last week’s post, is quite useful. The Faust Legend is another popular format. If you are familiar with the old movie Oh God, then you have seen it used in the more modern…
Pick out a room in your house or apartment that you would love to remodel. Imagine the changes you would make. What different furniture would you prefer, paint scheme, layout, window type? Think about every detail: baseboard, electrical switches, trim around the doors, what is in the vase of flowers, scent. capture the details When…
Boon Organizing your novel or story around a narrative mode can help your story follow a reliable framework and ensure you maintain your reader’s interest. The heroic journey is a great narrative structure to follow and is one of the most popular in use, just check out every Pixar movie. The heroic journey calls for…
In Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, Mr. Lorry holds an imaginary conversation with Dr. Manette, who is newly released from prison. The imaginary conversation is tied around the question, “How long have you been buried?” It takes numerous twists and turns as Lorry considers all the variety of ways that Manette could reply, keeping…
I have read A Tale of Two Cities numerous times and have made notations up and down the margins north, south, east and west. The reading of it always mesmerizes me with the detail and development of character, setting and connection, of what has gone and what is to come. “Do you particularly like the…
Highway heading of into the distance Today write using a image or item as a symbol of something important going on is a character’s life. Bright colors on the beach may be indicative of the variety of choice a person has, or the image of a long road of twists and turns moving off into…
The incredible disappearing QWERTY. What is the most important tool for me as a writer? That is easy: a keyboard. I mention this as I have noticed that over the years of owning various computers that the keyboard letters are fading more quickly with each new purchase as I upgrade. In essence, as I upgrade…
