May 2016 – Words & Deeds

May 31, 2016

I’m Not a Spy. I’m a Writer.

Sometimes, I want to turn on my phone’s recorder and secretly document the conversations going on around me. I haven’t (yet), but sometimes, the conversations or characters are so good that it’s really hard to resist. I want to remember this person’s accent, that person’s speech patterns – or just the people in general. To give you an idea of...

Humor & Wordplay/Inspiration Comments: 0

May 30, 2016

A Life Worth Writing: A Quote for Memorial Day

On a day when we stop to remember those who served in the United States’ armed forces, it seems appropriate to quote one of our first patriots, Benjamin Franklin. A man who helped that nation begin. A man whose deeds have been written about and read for over a century. His words seem to epitomize one of the main goals...

Inspiration/Quotes, Words, & Phrases Comments: 0

May 29, 2016

Write Music with Words

This is a great visual representation of the use of rhythm, word choice, and amplification in writing. It should be mandatory for all school children. Maybe, then, they’d understand why knowing how to write more complicated sentences is important.

General Thoughts & Updates/Inspiration Comments: 2

May 25, 2016

Blogs versus Books: A Battle of Motivation

BLOG: Have you finished the posts for this week yet? WRITER: Ummm, no. I was just going to- BLOG:-Then, you better get on that. We have a strict posting schedule to keep up. BOOK: [Coughs] Excuse me. I believe I was guaranteed at least an hour of undivided attention each day. WRITER: Yes. That is- BLOG: What are you talking...

General Thoughts & Updates/Theatre & Film Comments: 0

May 24, 2016

The #1 Artist Problem

As I was reading the most recent article of Garden & Gun Magazine (Yes, you read that right, and the brilliant juxtaposition of the title was precisely what hooked me into trying it the first time – in a what in the world? kind of way), an article by Roy Blount, Jr., stuck out to me: “Traveling Salesman: The not-so-glamorous...

General Thoughts & Updates Comments: 0

May 23, 2016

A Well-composed Book Is a Magic Carpet

Clearly, I’m a bibliophile, but the power of books is simply amazing. Through the conventions of language, we can experience different places, cultures, and points of view that we might otherwise never be exposed to. We can learn facts. We can learn skills. We can learn empathy. The possibilities are truly endless despite the fact that we are all using...

Quotes, Words, & Phrases Comments: 2

May 22, 2016

Travel Delays Are Writing Opportunities: A People Watching Writing Prompt

Why is it that we pay more attention to other people when we travel? I’d like to think it’s because we’re exposed to people from more cultures – who dress and behave differently and pique our curiosity. But it’s probably only because we get stuck in airport terminals with nothing to do. Wait. As writers, we always have something to do:...

Characterization Exercises/Inspiration/Travel/Writing Prompts Comment: 1

May 20, 2016

Checking up on Blog Change

People change over time, and so do blogs (how’s that for a segue?). Since I started twytte and Words & Deeds, they’ve both evolved a great deal. There’s some overlap with the original plan and some parts that weren’t even in the brainstorm. But what do you expect after 10-11 months? Especially when half the time (or more), I’m so...

General Thoughts & Updates Comments: 0

May 19, 2016

How to Change Characters without Losing Your Fans

The longer your story or series is, the more likely that one or more of your main characters is going to change significantly. And as far as realism is concerned, that’s good. People change based on their experiences, so changing is a big part of making characters feel more realistic. Plus, it’s useful if you want to keep your readers...

Characterization, Plot, & Setting Comments: 0

May 18, 2016

I Was a Different Person Then