This is what I've been really delving into the last six months. I've found the more I dive into my main character and the other prominent ones, the more the story moves forward. I start to say, "Yeah, that's what I'm talking about."
My protagonist's father was just a rough sketch until I did an exercise or two to get to know him. He plays an important part in who and what my main character does in the novel. It breathed more vibrance into my story.
What I did was wrote a scene that would bring out the conflict between the father and the daughter. It gave me insights into the father, and I used it as a jumping off point to who this controlling man was and what secrets he'd be hiding from all his loved ones.
Characters are fertile soil for keeping secrets. We wouldn't have anything to write about if it weren't for truths kept locked up, hidden, ready to sprout when given daylight. It makes a strong character based on how he or she reacts to the hidden truth.
So many layers and colors to characterization. How do you flesh out your characters? It could mean reaction to another character, a reaction to an obstacle, problem-solving skills, and some in the details of how they live.
Have a great writing week.
It is now a year since I started this blog and felt it time to shape it up, chip away as the sculptors do with their lump of clay, to fine-tune their artwork.
I found out this week about the different varieties of sunflowers and was amazed at the one pictured in this bouquet, from a local farmer in Pennsylvania. This is a double-sunflower and I went ga-ga over it. Never saw one before!
I have a rubber stamp with the saying, "May Your Day Be Filled With Sunflowers" and every time I stamp it on a card it brings all kinds of good feelings, as the sunflowers themselves do. So I thought it would apply to writing as well.
How? The sunflower reminds people of a bright wonderful sun, cheery and bringing warmth and inspiration. So wishing this, is wishing writers allow their stories/novels/poetry to take hold and connect with the situations, feelings, and lives from our heart! Making each writing venture a double-sunflower ...
How to accomplish this? We are so much editors anymore as we write, it is hard to let go when writing. I keep telling myself, it doesn't matter, just get it going, full-steam ahead. I believe we have to trick ourselves by having a mindset, as we try to get the words flowing, of "I'm only playing around with words and characters and plot." Or "Brainstorming," where no one else will ever read this at this stage.
Place items/photos in your writing space that make you feel like you are the middle of a sunflower field. Whatever may make you cut loose those strings of the past--negative English teachers, rejection slips, etc.
So may your day be filled with sunflowers and wonderful writing-time! Let me know what helps you to 'just write.'
I ask myself this all the time. The headline refers to a comment made in 1979 by a college classmate about my writing life. At the time, I struggled with another question, "Am I a writer or not?" Writers write, and I hesitated way too much.
What makes us hesitate? During that period of time, I could never answer my classmate. I basically had no answer. There was only hesitation and no real writing.
Left abandoned, my writer within didn't get to flex its muscles and move forward to improve. I was stalled. I had a potential vehicle to drive, but never would put gas to take it anywhere.
Finally after college, I decided I wasn't a writer because I wasn't writing. Which in part was true. Some part of me never gave up though, and eventually I shed a lot of the doubt and allowed myself to write.
I spotted this retail sign deteriorated, hidden behind overgrowth, rusty and broken. But I found it appealing to photograph and find the beauty in something upon first glance didn't have much to offer. If I would have not paid attention or hesitated, I may have missed a wonderful chance to connect with my creativity and share my vision with others.
Same too with writing. Wherever I end up, I am enjoying the process and not staring at my writing from a distance. So after many years, my classmate wouldn't have to ask me this question anymore. She'd be asking me, "What are you writing now?"
So ask yourself, "Why aren't you writing?"
It has been way too long! I can give many excuses but that's all they'd be, excuses. I'm here now and working toward a better blog schedule.
I've been wanting to start an ART JOURNAL for months now and have gathered items to get started. I'm using a 2010 hardbound Victorian calendar book. I liked the Victorian-style and decided that was appropriate for me.
This is the inside page of the cover. As you can see I'm a "Wizard of Oz" fan. I especially liked the line Glenda, the good witch, said to Dorothy "Are you a good witch or a bad witch?" I found myself often asking myself this very question, "Am I a good artist/writer or a bad artist/writer?" Sometimes it can be a hindrance to question ourselves too much about how good or bad we are as artists, photographers, etc. It may even stop us for a time. Self-doubt can be the bad witch chasing us for our sparkling "ruby slippers" or creativity.
I used to keep a regular journal, mostly testing the creative waters like poetry, but mostly allowing myself to vent. The above is a drawing my son did at an young age and I've always loved the simplicity of it and the huge scale of the wings on his angel. This is on the first page inside, a positive child-like image of an angel with her arms open. It is to remind me that I must be open and spread my wings when it comes to my creative spirit and whatever project, whether it be writing or photography or mixed media.
We all remember the scene of the Wicked Witch, and there was no question she was not a 'good witch', when Dorothy threw a bucket of water to stop the fire from burning the Scarecrow. I loved that part, a victory for Dorothy and the others. Don't we all feel like we're melting when someone throws us a negative statement or comment about our artistry or we feel like our creativity/muse might melt at any moment and fizzle out completely?
Another thought is that sometimes we have to let ourselves 'melt' in order to regroup or refresh and find our creative path.
I'll have more on my progress with my ART JOURNAL in my next blog. If you have done Art Journaling already, any comments about your experience would be appreciated.
To continue from Tuesday, here is yet another point of view or angle, totally different and focused on the water and stems. These photographs could be compared to the different points of view you might use in a story.
I have a story I've been trying to write for several years now. My sister's accident when she was three. One draft is a poem, one is more a fictional account, and then another is totally fictional.
At some point, a writing instructor said to me to change it up and write in another POV other than my own to see where it wants to go. There were more choices than I thought: my mother's, father's, sister who was hit, witness to accident, my point of view, or even the young man that caused the accident. So which one would best tell my story or communicate what I want it to?
A question all of us as artists in whatever medium have to answer at some point or another. Which rose picture perspective catches your eye the most? Or is the most asethetically pleasing and really highlights the essence of the rose? A lot to think about.
There are so many similarities between the arts--from sculptors who start with an undefined mass of clay so they can chip away at it and shape a form; to writers who start with a blank page and use words as their tool to shape a character. The same for photographers who use their perspective/angle in a picture to convey a message, personality, story; writers also use point of view/perspective to communicate. I did a little study with my camera and a vase of yellow roses to demonstrate the different perspectives.
A look from above the vase, you see more of the stems and the water and in my view adds more interest. You can also readily see which buds never opened at all.
Here I singled out one unopened yellow rose. Your eye focuses for the most part on this solo rose. Since it is not attempting to even open up, that gives it interest also.
Here I'm really choosing what I want the viewer to see/experience.
I will continue later as I have a meeting to attend.
Good Morning! I found this quote while browsing rubber stamp sayings and immediately marked it down. I want to ask fellow artists how does this hit home for you? For a long time I actually feared my photography and writing abilities. Not fully delving into them.
I felt as though my creativity was bottled up, encased for many years. Fear freezing it up, so it was hard to get to. Until I was willing to come face to face with myself, hence face to face with what was holding me back to allow myself to be the creative person I know I am deep down.
I am talking about being afraid to hear what my heart was whispering about doing different creative endeavors. Not trusting my own creative voice and not facing who I really was underneath. You probably know exactly what I'm talking about.
I do believe it has been by the grace of God that this creative dam was broken inside me, and now my ideas for creative projects seems to flow steadily where I am often challenged to decide what to focus on first.
For instance, in the last decade, when I spot something that interests me photographically, I find my camera and just snap away and then see if I have anything. Instead of mulling it over and over, is this a good picture or not? It's best just to follow an instinct to where it wants to go.
I'm more willing to risk, try new things, face myself more! Another gauge is opening up your writing to critique. It is opening yourself up to others seeing who you are and thus you are vulnerable. That's why it feels so scary.
You ultimately see what has been hidden inside you and what you've allowed to come forth ... and allowing the story to unfold. This could mean facing many things that you may not want to see.
But from the gray, cold, dismal, eventually comes spring and summer ... Stay warm and fearless!!
