transformation - change in form, appearance, nature, or character
In a sentence: "When the transformation was complete, he no longer resembled his former self." --- Chapter One is the most important day in the life of your novel's main character. This is the day everything changes. As in Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead, the characters do have a life before the book begins, but today is different. Today everything known must come undone. That inner doubt the main character has carried throughout life, must be confirmed. Somewhere deep inside, your character knew it all along: Nothing is as it seems. And now he or she must transform in order to adapt. This is the character's arc, and this is why the reader has been invited. Epic journeys of transformation are lonely. The reader offers companionship and support in exchange for being entertained. As in The Neverending Story, sometimes the main character even senses the presence of their companion. The reader must be transformed as well. Swayed by the perseverance of the main character, the reader must be inspired to believe the unbelievable. (After all, it is a work of fiction.) The transformation should be emotional and spiritual. A-ha moments, epiphanies, and revelations. A happy ending is not mandatory, but change is. If no one and nothing is altered by the conflict and resolution in your story, it is not significant enough to tell. - KE • Exercise for writers - We all have our favorite places to write -- a cherished desk, backyard porch, coffee shop nook, in bed. Change places and allow your new location to transform your character's outlook on life.
0 Comments
vision - a vivid, imaginative anticipation
In a sentence: "Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with vision is making a positive difference." - Joel Barker --- Recently, I listened to a weeklong web conference called "May Cause Miracles," hosted by motivational speaker and writer, Gabrielle Bernstein. The truth within the conference was that we are all potential miracle-ists. The conference speakers included an interior designer, a baseball player, a music exec, and others... What had transformed these everyday human beings into handlers of angel stuff? It was that they had mastered the art of distilling their life experiences into words. Valuable kernels of truth that influence world thought and agitate for social change. Though some of the speakers dealt in financial transformation, the value of their messages was not registered in decimal points, but in the power to shape one's vision of life. Writers are dream weavers, hope smiths, reality re-inventors. Visionaries. Words are the past, the present, and the potential. Words are proof. Words are proven. Words are miraculous. If you are a writer, you may cause miracles. - KE • Exercise for writers - Start a dream diary. plot - plan, map, chart, devise, construct
In a sentence: "We must plot our escape tonight." --- Imagine your life as an unfinished map. X marks the spot - you - wherever you are at this moment in time. Behind you...roads, rivers and routes paved by the choices you have made. Buildings representing destinations visited and achievements constructed. Lakes representing volumes of acquired experiences and knowledge. All that has been drawn in the past influences all paths leading toward the future. Before you there is blank, empty space. Like a story being told, a choose-your-own-adventure or a Mad Lib with lines yet to be filled in, the capacity to pretty much go anywhere, be anyone, do anything. This is how writing is like living. Each sentence on the preceding page must connect to the present and future. And there is structure in that which some find restricting. I cannot go here when I have come from there. I cannot do this because I have yet to do that. Writer's block. Yes, there are rules in writing and in life that may block you from where you want to go, be, do. But ultimately you are the writer. You're the only person who can write that next word, sentence or paragraph and allow your story to unfold. Rules are funny animals. You feel responsible for following them. You feel like you're being a responsible person when you follow them. All without knowing who has created them. There's only one rule: You are responsible for the truth of your tale, fiction or nonfiction. You get to choose what happens next. Or you could just leave the page empty. -KE • Exercise for writers - Write 5 plot point sentences in order of occurrence, rearrange them, then write this story. forte - a strong point, as of a person; an ability or role in which one excels; specialty
In a sentence: "He draws well, but sculpture is his forte." --- Everyone does something well. Everyone has a special talent. What separates famous talent from undiscovered talent is the length of your reach and the volume of your voice. You may not believe your talent deserves to be spread and heard. You may not be convinced that your writing is readable, your cookies are delicious, your artwork is inspiring, your music is moving, your fashion designs are fabulous, or that whatever you've created is worthy. Well, how big is your audience? Is it only you and the doubtful voice in your mind? An audience of two is no audience at all. The Internet is our modern day frontier of free land. We need only to stake our claim, carve out our piece of virtual real estate, stand proud and strong in this space, and tell our story. Yes, there are millions around you, possibly with some similar talent, but your story is absolutely original. As you begin mapping out how your work will be represented online, whether on a website, Facebook, Twitter, blog or all of the above, begin with your truth. Your story. Why you write, why you cook, why you sculpt, why you compose, why you design. This is your specialty, this is your strength. Speak from this core truth as you describe what you do, and you will excel. - KE * Exercise for writers - Create a character whose forte gives him/her first weakness then strength. |
True CopyAlways find the right words. Archives
September 2013
Categories |