Tag: authenticity

Categories
Writing Romance

REALISTICALLY RELATABLE

Making your hero and heroine relatable is key to creating characters your readers will care about, will laugh with, and will cry over. Your protagonists must also care about each other. They must have enough in common so that their attraction makes sense, but they also must have enough differences to create conflict.

How do we create characters who leap off the page and into our readers’ hearts?

Characters need to have:

  • Relatability. Make them human, not perfect. Give them flaws, real character flaws, not just physical imperfections. I once edited a book by a man whose heroine was perfect. I told him she needed to have a flaw. “She does,” he assured me. “She has a limp.” A limp is not a flaw, it’s an imperfection. Being quick to judge is a flaw. Lying about inconsequential matters is a flaw. An inability to apologize is a flaw.
  • Strong personalities. I’m a fairly passive introvert and my first drafts heroines are very much like me. In other words: boring. It’s in the rewrite that I figure out their personality and give them some sass and spunk. I’m in the process of doing that with my work-in-progress’s heroine. She’s still way too passive, but she’s getting there. I’ll often think of something outrageous that I would never do and force my heroine to do that. I’ve had characters go bungee jumping, sing karaoke, and appear on a reality television show.  
  • Conflict. Both within themselves and with each other. In my work-in-progress I’m pairing a hero with a strong sense of justice and honesty with a heroine who is intent on helping someone, but it means not telling the full truth. Instant conflict!
  • Attraction. They need to have chemistry, which is easy to see, but hard to write and describe. I guess I’m a prude, because physical attraction is the hardest thing for me to write. Kissing scenes about kill me. I’m beyond grateful I don’t write sex scenes. But showing physical attraction between your protagonists is crucial to getting your readers to cheer them on to their happily ever after.
  • Obstacles. Kind of like Conflict, but bigger, harder, more intense. Always be thinking, What can happen to keep this character from reaching his/her goal? What can I throw at them or put in their way? It can be anything from weather to mechanical to physical/geographical distance to family or work responsibilities to employer policies to those pesky personality differences.
  • Authenticity. Nothing makes a reader lose interest in a book quicker than a character who does something unrealistic. I once read a “romance” where the hero gave the heroine not one clue that he was interested in a relationship. I was convinced that at the end, he’d give her an incredulous look and say, “Where did you get the idea I liked you, much less that we were dating?” and she would realize she’d made up the whole relationship in her head. Alas, he apologized for all the ways he’d failed her and promised to be a better boyfriend in the future. I instantly apologized to my heart for making it pump all the hours I’d wasted reading a book with zero plausibility.

Writing realistic and relatable characters is a skill worth learning. It’s the secret sauce that will turn your stories from good to can’t-put-down-able.

Carrie Padgett lives in Central California, close to Yosemite, but far from Hollywood, the beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge. She believes in faith, families, fun, and happily ever afters. She writes contemporary fiction with romance. She recently signed a contract with Sunrise Publishing to co-write a romance novel with New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hauck that will be published in 2022. Carrie and her husband live in the country with their high-maintenance cat and laid-back dog, within driving distance of their six grandchildren.

You can find her online at:

Categories
Guest Posts

Reader, I…? Writing in the First Person

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird (1960), the character Atticus Finch says, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb in his skin and walk around in it.” As authors, this is what we do when we choose to write in the first person. We come as close as we ever can to experiencing the world from a perspective that’s not our own. Writing fiction in the first person then is a leap of empathy and imagination, but the challenges this point of view (POV) poses are technical, as well as psychological. 

Some writers experiment with POV, trying out omniscient third, close third, and first, before settling on a narrative approach for their book. But when writing my debut novel, Bronte’s Mistress, I was never in any doubt as to whose voice the story needed to be told in. Not only was my book a response to one of the most famous first-person novels ever written, Charlotte Bronte’s 1847 Jane Eyre (“reader, I married him”), but my protagonist, Lydia Robinson, was a woman who’s been vilified through history as being responsible for the Bronte family’s demise. What would she say if she could tell her side of the story? I wondered. And, equally importantly, How would she say it?

Writing Lydia forced me to enter a world (1840s England) in which, even wealthy, women had few choices. She doesn’t own property, she’s never voted, she has no access to divorce. And it also made me confront the technicalities of writing first person prose, a few of which I’ll share with you today.

Placing your narrator in time

You’ve decided you’ll be writing in the first person, but this is just one of a series of hard choices. Now that you have the who, it’s time to think about the when. Will your first person narrator be telling the story from a point in the future? Will they know the story’s destination from the very first line? Think of Charles Dickens’s titular character David Copperfield (1850) or Nick Carraway in F. Scott Fitzerald’s The Great Gatsby (1925).

Choosing a retrospective viewpoint has the potential to make your story more didactic. It’s easier for a character to draw conclusions or moralize with the benefit of hindsight. And there are other advantages. For example, if your character is going to undergo a significant transformation, the older protagonist can excuse, explain or apologize for the behavior of their younger self, maintaining reader sympathy. This makes this choice popular for writers of bildungsroman. 

On the other hand, a retrospective first person can distance us from the character in the moment, alienating us from the action, and even intruding on scenes with overly expositional commentary. A retrospective first person can slacken the tension too. A first person character is already unlikely to die, but the existence of an older narrator pretty much precludes this possibility. If you write historical fiction like me, you might also have to pinpoint an exact year from which your protagonist is speaking, giving you a second time period to research and understand.

In Bronte’s Mistress, although the book is in the past tense, Lydia Robinson tells her story as if she’s in the moment and living through the events of the novel vs. relating the events years later. For me, this decision made sense as I wanted readers to feel viscerally with Lydia as she enters into an illicit and dangerous affair. However, I did occasionally miss the tools a retrospective first provides, like giving me the option to foreshadow more overtly.

Experiencing your story through their senses

Writing first person means your story can only contain what the protagonist knows, but this advice goes beyond questions of plot. 

Seeing the world through the narrator’s eyes means describing each new setting through the lens of what they would observe—and in the order in which they would notice every detail. Your characters’ senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch) become readers’ only points of access to the world around them. This isn’t a movie where you can start with an establishing shot before zooming in on the face of the character we’re following!

This means you have to be careful that your descriptions seem to fit within your character’s realm of experience. Can your narrator really detail different types of weapons? (Maybe yes, maybe no.) Can they see another character’s expression from so far away?

Watching your metaphors

Linked to this, is the difficulty of handling imagery (for instance, simile and metaphor), when writing in first person.

As with your descriptions, your images need to ring true to the character whose perspective you’re writing from. Would they know these words and think these thoughts? Crucially too, is this an appropriate moment for them to be thinking poetically? Or are you sacrificing believability because you’ve fallen in love with a sentence, phrase or image? If your character starts thinking in too many similes, they may seem distracted from the task at hand.

People have their favorite images and points of comparison, and these are dependent on their interests. Tapping into this can be a great way to establish your character’s personality, but you may also run the risk of making your imagery repetitive. In Bronte’s Mistress, for instance, my character Lydia is a good musician, so she often uses musical metaphors. This was a helpful guide for me, as music gave me a lot of scope to play, without the imagery I employed ever feeling out of place in her narration.

Offering other perspectives

Finally, one of the toughest parts of writing first person fiction is the danger for overidentification between the writer and the protagonist. How can you show that you disagree with your character’s views or actions, if you’re writing from their perspective?

Here, other characters’ voices (e.g. through dialogue) are crucial. Include others’ views to cast doubt on your protagonist’s conclusions or to hint that they might be unreliable. There is also potential to use irony in the same way, having “what happens next” totally contradicting what the first person narrator has thought/said previously.

In Bronte’s Mistress, I had another device to help me do this. I inserted letters addressed to Lydia at various points in my narrative, allowing me to showcase viewpoints that were in opposition to hers, and, of course, play around with additional first person voices!

I hope some of these tips have been helpful to those of you writing fiction in the first person. Writing using the “I” may seem straightforward, but when the going gets tough, remember that what you’re attempting is truly extraordinary. You’re stepping out of your own skin and into someone else’s. What could be more miraculous?

Finola Austin, also known as the Secret Victorianist on her award-winning blog, is an England-born, Northern Ireland-raised, Brooklyn-based historical novelist and lover of the nineteenth century. She has two degrees from the University of Oxford, including a Master’s in Victorian literature. Brontë’s Mistress is her first novel and is available for purchase now. By day, Finola works in digital advertising. Find her online at www.finolaaustin.com, or connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

Categories
Becoming an Author

Acting Techniques to Deepen Your Writing – Part 3

So far in this series, I’ve shared with you techniques I’ve learned as an actress that has strengthened my writing. These techniques have helped me deepen characterization, tap into emotion, and break down scenes and plot. But did you know there’s even more we can learn from actors, apart from the craft?

Let’s take a look at what actors can teach us about our approach to the writing process.

On Approaching the Writing Process…

1. If actors want to experiment with a range of possibilities for delivering a certain line or scene, they might experiment with different moment-before scenarios. They will brainstorm a range of ideas as to where their character just came from and what happened to them previously. Doing this will result in unique and fresh responses, reactions, and ways of delivering the scene and their lines. As writers, we can try the same trick. Can you brainstorm new ideas of where your character comes from the moment before a scene takes place? Then allow the scene to unfold in response to each unique moment-before scenario, and take a look at how these moment-before scenarios affect the character and the dialogue, resulting in multiple possibilities of approaching the scene.

2. When an actor is assigned a role in a project, he must understand the overall tone and style of the film (or show). This may require speaking with the director, inquiring about his vision. Understanding the tone will then help the actor adhere to this in each of his scenes, resulting in an overall stylistically cohesive film. Let’s remember to do the same in our projects as well. Let’s ask ourselves, What is the tone of this book, and how will the scene I’m writing now emphasize that tone?

3. Method actors are constantly reminded that good acting is not equivalent to a good “performance” of their lines. In other words, actors should not memorize the inflection of the voice in delivering lines, the mechanics of performing; doing this actually results in unauthentic acting. This bad acting is often a result of an actor relying too heavily on the left side of their brain while they are delivering their lines. Unfortunately, I’ve noticed the same fault amongst writers as well. When we write—especially those firsts drafts—let’s not focus so much on the appearance of our art. The way that we string words together to result in a beautiful, flowery language. Oftentimes, this comes across as though the writer is trying too hard to “perform” and show off their writing abilities. Instead, if we hope to deliver an authentic story that touches our readers, we must remember that, when it comes to writing a good story, beautiful writing comes second. That can be embellished after we deliver the heart of the story. Because it’s this heart of the story that will connect with readers and stick with them.

4. Actors must avoid being “in their head” as they act. Thinking is an enemy to method acting. We often do the same when it comes to writing. The more writing techniques we learn, the more tempted we are to become paralyzed by these “writing rules.” But if we try so hard to avoid making a mistake as we write, we risk “being in our head” throughout the entire writing process. The acting coach, Warner Loughlin, suggests that actors “go for the emotional journey of the character, not the result.” I recommend we do the same. Let’s remain in the right side of our brain as we write, allowing our imagination to lead us through the story.

5. Even though a script may already assign lines for an actor to deliver, often a director will allow the actor to bring their own interpretation, reaction, and emotion—as long as it feels natural to who their character is in that moment. In writing, let’s give ourselves the freedom to improvise in our scenes as well, allowing our characters to come to life. Instead of being strictly tied to our plot/scene outlines, let’s grant these characters the freedom to act on their natural impulses and follow their instincts. Then we can see where these choices lead the scene and story.

Which of these tips do you struggle with the most? Let me know in the comments!

Tessa Emily Hall is an award-winning author who writes inspirational yet authentic books for teens to remind them they’re not alone. She writes both fiction and devotionals for teens, including her upcoming release, LOVE YOUR SELFIE (October 2020, Ellie Claire). Her latest devotional, COFFEE SHOP DEVOS, encourages teens to pursue a personal relationship with Christ. Tessa’s passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens led her to a career as a Literary Agent at Cyle Young Literary Elite, YA Acquisitions Editor for Illuminate YA (LPC Imprint), and Founder/Editor of PursueMagazine.net. She’s guilty of making way too many lattes and never finishing her to-read list. When her fingers aren’t flying 128 WPM across the keyboard, she can be found speaking to teens, decorating art journals, and acting in Christian films. Her favorite way to procrastinate is through connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website: tessaemilyhall.com.

Categories
Becoming an Author

Acting Techniques to Deepen Your Writing – Part 1: Characterization

Over the years, I’ve studied the craft of both writing and acting, and I’ve been amazed at how the two art forms can feed off of each other.

This year—thanks to extra time provided by quarantine—I’ve taken my study of acting a step further by enrolling in virtual classes. And you know what’s crazy? I’ve noticed an increased depth in my writing as well. These acting techniques have helped me to, 1) Bring readers deeper into my character’s POV, 2) “Humanize” my characters, and 3) Portray authentic emotion.

And now I would like to share these tips with you!

For this series, I’ve compiled a list of tips so that you, too, can deepen your writing.

These tips are succinct; however, if you’re serious about deepening your characterization then I would advise doing your own research. Trust me: These techniques will add a layer of authenticity to your writing! (See the end of this post for recommended reads.)

Acting Tips On Characterization…

1. Develop the inner life of your main character: backstory, worldview, ambitions, needs, fears, etc. This will shape who they are today. Thus, their behavior, mannerisms, speech—external life—will be influenced by this inner life.

2. Understand how your main character’s relationships with various people exposes different sides of them.

3. Find the small connection you have with your POV character and portray that with all your might. You might not be a competitive person by nature, but perhaps you can recall a time when you were competitive. Then, if your POV character is a competitive person, bring that connection out as much as possible. Uta Hagen suggests that actors “Play within the territory of you.”

4. A character’s dialogue, emotion, and behavior are triggered by a specific stimulus. Find this stimulus, and then create the authentic reaction for your character at that time. This will keep readers from claiming that they didn’t understand why the character behaved in certain manners, because it will make sense within the context of the scene.

5. Layer your character by assigning mannerisms and styles of speech that reflect who they are. How do they dress? Stand? Walk? Enter a room? How does this reflect who they are?

6. How does your character’s bedroom, “prop pieces,” and wardrobe say about them? Do they have memories attached to specific objects? How is this reflected in the way they interact with the environment/props?

7. Our character’s decisions should be justified. Even if the choices seem ridiculous on the surface, readers should understand why the character reacted/behaved in that manner. The choice should make sense for the character at the time.

8. Bring humanity into stereotypical roles. Yes, stereotypes exist in real life so it’s okay for them to exist in our writing as well. But stereotypes are only a label. As writers, let’s go deeper by rounding out the character, giving them desires, fears, needs, etc.

9. Physical choices can highlight various aspects of our characters. In Natalie Portman’s Master Class on acting, she uses an example of a scene in The Deer Hunter. As Meryl Streep’s character walked down the street in this scene, she took a moment to stop at a shop and fix her hair in the reflection. Use any opportunity you can to show who your character is rather than to simply tell.

10. Your character existed before the story began, so bring your fully developed character into the circumstances of your scene. The character development you do ahead of time will enable them to come across as human rather than a caricature. You will know your character so well that their responses, emotions, and choices will come more naturally and quickly to you since they have already been formed in your imagination.

In the following posts I will share further acting tips that will help you convey emotion, break down scenes, etc. In the meantime, if you would like to do your own study of acting, here are books I would recommend:

Any other characterization techniques we can learn from actors? Let me know in the comments!

Tessa Emily Hall is an award-winning author who writes inspirational yet authentic books for teens to remind them they’re not alone. She writes both fiction and devotionals for teens, including her upcoming release, LOVE YOUR SELFIE (October 2020, Ellie Claire). Her latest devotional, COFFEE SHOP DEVOS, encourages teens to pursue a personal relationship with Christ. Tessa’s passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens led her to a career as a Literary Agent at Cyle Young Literary Elite, YA Acquisitions Editor for Illuminate YA (LPC Imprint), and Founder/Editor of PursueMagazine.net. She’s guilty of making way too many lattes and never finishing her to-read list. When her fingers aren’t flying 128 WPM across the keyboard, she can be found speaking to teens, decorating art journals, and acting in Christian films. Her favorite way to procrastinate is through connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website: tessaemilyhall.com.

Categories
Writing for YA

Researching and Authenticity in Fiction: Interview with YA Author Felicia Bridges

I’ve always loved books about far flung places. It’s a wonderful way to expand horizons. I decided to talk with YA author Felicia Bridges about her experiences and ask her advice about writing about other cultures and countries.

Felicia believes life is a great adventure written by the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Her adventures as an Army BRAT included living in eight states and two foreign countries by age fifteen. Along with a strong foundation of faith, this nomadic childhood created a passion for missions and travel which leads her writing to exotic places. Felicia has a degree in Psychology, but her experience as a short-term missionary, HR Manager, mother of four, and pastor’s wife provide her most unusual tales.

Find Felicia Bridges at:

DJS: I’ve always found studying and learning about different countries and cultures fascinating. When learning about and researching other cultures for fiction writing, what do you feel are the most important things to keep in mind?

FB: Bearing in mind that while customs which are unfamiliar to us may seem odd, they usually have a logical basis. It’s critical to keep digging until we can portray another culture authentically in a way that helps broaden our readers’ understanding.

DJS: What was the most interesting or surprising thing you discovered as you were delving into your research for your books?

FB: There have been so many surprising and amazing discoveries, it’s impossible to pick one. One of my favorite discoveries was in researching Czech folklore. They have such a rich history and I would spend hours one the internet reading one story after another. The most surprising discovery was the legendary story of Campbell Bridges that I wove into KenyaQuest. This real-life Indiana Jones figure lived a fascinating life and I was honored that his widow and son worked with me to ensure I portrayed that accurately. In BoliviaKnight, the most amazing discovery was the Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat. This amazing place forms a giant mirror during the rainy season providing stunning pictures of the sky reflected on the salt. This place tops my bucket list of places I’d love to visit!

DJS: It’s so important to respect other cultures. How can an author make sure to stay authentic when writing about a segment of society they are not a part of?

FB: In today’s world it is absolutely critical to be respectful in our depiction of other cultures. Failure to recognize and eschew stereotypes can literally ruin your career with a single tweet. I’ve spent the past ten years pursuing a greater understanding of my own biases and privilege, and a deeper understanding of the perspectives of marginalized people groups. Since my series necessitates portraying people from different cultures, I’ve tried to be intentional about researching the culture and avoiding stereotypes. We also need to communicate well that authors of fiction are working from our research plus imagination.

DJS: I’d love to take research trips. Who wouldn’t? It sounds like fun! Unfortunately, that’s not always possible. What advice would you give to someone who wants to learn about other countries or cultures, but their resources are limited?

FB: We are so privileged to live and write in a time where we can virtually visit anywhere on the planet. Although nothing can compare to actually walking in the places that you are writing about, I’ve learned so much from building relationships with missionaries, from using technological tools like Google Earth ™ and the internet to search out answers for any question that arises. For the relatively small cost of internet service, we can zoom in to street level in Prague, read a firsthand account of an expedition in the Amazon, or see glorious pictures of the cultural festivals in Papua New Guinea. I would advise them to research all they can online and save all they can to be able to travel to their favorite places.

These are all great points and suggestions! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge.

Felicia’s series debut, The International Mission Force, features the exploits of teenage missionaries around the globe and begins with CzechMate, which is set in Czechia. BoliviaKnight and KenyaQuest carry readers to Bolivia and Kenya. The next book in the seires, IslandGambit, is set in Papua New Guinea and due to release in 2020.

Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com.

Categories
My Writing Journey

Writing with Confidence

My first parenting book began as a work of fiction. It was a single dad story about a correctional officer who discovers a plot for his murder during an impending prison break. I planned to use the story in hopes that single fathers who read it would learn tips for parenting alone, all while being entertained.

Silly idea.

My attempt at fiction was not so much out of creativity, but fear. Fear that a self-help book would not fly unless I had a Ph.D. or other related credentials.

Of course, the novel kept hitting a brick wall because my motive was wrong. Anytime you sneak a lesson into a piece of entertainment, it’s going to show up in blinding neon lights. I knew something wasn’t right. The plot wasn’t believable—it felt forced and smacked of deceit.

At the advice of my literary friends and professionals, I abandoned my novel and dove into the first few chapters of what was then titled Help, I Think I’m Lost: How to Navigate Fatherhood After Divorce.

Once I decided to be truly authentic, I slowly gained confidence as an expert in the field of single parenting issues. Research and interviews caused the content to flow easily from my fingers.

With each new chapter completed, I’d take it to my critique group to have it polished. I talked to single dads, studied the topic, and added several interactive elements to the book. Finally, my non-fiction manuscript was organized enough to pitch to agents and publishing houses.

The Single Dad Detour: Directions for Fathering After Divorce released in February 2015 and became a work that is being utilized internationally to help dads all over the world. This humbles me and I’m so grateful for what God continues to do through the book.

Since then, I’ve expanded my audience to include traditional two-parent homes, writing dozens of articles and devotions on child-rearing from a Christian worldview. 

The lesson for me was obvious. I must move with confidence in the topic for which God calls me to write. None of us need hide behind one genre because we’re afraid of being labeled a fraud—we’re not. Let us step out and be genuine, watching God use us for his glory.

I’m not saying I’ll never try writing a novel again one day. Until then, I look forward to what God might do with my next project. Only time will tell. 

How about you? Have you struggled with insecurities in your genre?

As an award-winning author and international speaker, Tez Brooks writes on family issues, with his work appearing in Guideposts, The Upper Room, CBN.com, Clubhouse, and Focus on the Family. His editorials on Jesusfilm.org are read by over 20k each month. Tez’s book, The Single Dad Detour was winner for the 2016 Royal Palm Literary Awards. He and his wife have four children and live in Colorado Springs. You can learn more at TezBrooks.com

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A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

Resolutions??

lighter look at a writer's life

Since it is the dawn of a new year, let’s discuss those dreaded resolutions. I have been resolving to lose weight for about 44 years, so we’ll move past that one.
Here are some common resolutions for writers, along with my rebuke—I mean, commentary.

  • Drink more coffee. According to the plethora of Hallmark movies about writers, we drink a lot of coffee. WAIT A MINUTE! I gave up caffeine eight months ago, so I’ll be drinking more hot chocolate.
  • Find a groovy coffee shop or diner as a place to write. Writers all over the Internet talk about how they do their best work at Starbucks, Panera, or a charming mom-and-pop place. WAIT A MINUTE! I have trouble writing in a crowd, plus I live in a small town. I know EVERYONE, so I wouldn’t get much writing done with all the conversations (Have I mentioned I love to talk?). I’ll stick to sitting on the couch with my laptop.
  • Get up really early to write. At one of my first writers conferences, I went to a workshop called “Finding Time to Write” taught by a popular author, and he shared his routine with us. He suggested we get up at 4:30 IN THE MORNING to get in a few hours of writing before the workday begins. WAIT A MINUTE! No one would want to read what I would write at 4:30 IN THE MORNING, and I am generally not functional until 9 or 10. I’ll stick to writing in the evenings, when I’m actually AWAKE and semi-coherent.

I, like most writers, have figured out what works for me. Some people may be able to bang out a bestseller at the local coffee shop early in the morning with loads of caffeine, and that’s fine. Hey, if it works, go for it! The rest of us will find the right time and place (and beverage) to do our best work.

Who knows? Maybe I’ll find something for that weight loss resolution, after I finish all of these holiday treats.

Carlton Hughes wears many hats. By day, he’s a professor of communication at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he does object lessons and songs with motions as Children’s Pastor of Lynch Church of God. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including Chicken Soup for the Soul and several devotional books from Worthy Publishing—Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. Carlton and his wife Kathy have two college-age sons, Noah and Ethan. He is on the planning committee for Kentucky Christian Writers Conference and is a year-round volunteer for Operation Christmas child. He is represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary Agency.

Categories
Write for His Glory

Magnets or Vacuum Cleaners?

One morning I asked the Lord for a verse reference.

Exodus 20:15 – Thou shalt not steal (KJV).

Really? Have I stolen something lately?

I pondered. Well…

  • I just took a picture of a page from a book and Tweeted it. But I gave credit to the author.
  • I haven’t taken any office supplies.
  • I give back extra change when I get it by mistake.
  • I use pictures from Bing Images in my blog posts. But I only use those labeled “free to share and use”.

So what was the Lord’s message?

I had no clue so I moved on with my morning. The verse must be something I need but maybe not at this moment.

As I logged on to my computer, random thoughts of things I admire about others came to mind. You know, those others who are popular in the writing world and have many good book reviews.

  • I like the way he responds on Twitter
  • I like the way she writes
  • I like the format of her blog
  • I like the way…

Wait, that’s it!

Vacuum Cleaners

Subconsciously, I not only appreciated the gifts of these people, I wanted to appropriate how they act and make it part of me. I wanted not only to learn from their methods, I wanted to be like them so I could be popular like they are.

I’ve been subconsciously stealing parts of them so I can have what they have.

No wonder I often find myself confused about who I am! I don’t look FIRST to my Creator, and thank Him for creating me exactly like me. I don’t boldly step out from the inside and go with what’s on my heart, in my own way, as the Lord leads. I measure what I’m about to do by what I think will be acceptable, or by whether or not anyone else has done it and succeeded.

No wonder I’m so worn out before I even get started. I’m worn out just thinking about it!

Magnets

Yes, we all need role models, and it’s good to learn from others. It’s also helpful to try, and then apply, practices that are proven successful. Truthfully, each of us is a product – and accumulation – of the people we’ve met, the places we’ve been, and the things we’ve experienced.

But first and foremost, we need to fill ourselves with Him alone instead of trying to take in what He never intends for us. Then, out of that relationship, we need to be fully who God created us to be and appreciate how He made us.

We need to be magnets, not vacuum cleaners.

Interesting picture, isn’t it?

Be thankful for the awesome person you are – the one God created and loves, warts and all – and step out into a very blessed day!

 

Mary Graziano Scro, a graduate of Christian Communicators Conference, is an inspirational author, speaker, and blogger who intuitively weaves analogies and personal testimony with practical biblical teaching. Whether “live” or at the keyboard, Mary loves sharing what God has done in her life to encourage others about the awesome life God has planned for us, IF we are willing to choose wisely in our everyday lives (John 8:31-32). And it’s not only about us – the more we invest in our own unique relationship with Jesus, the more visible He is to a world that desperately needs Him.

You can reach Mary on:

Facebook: Mary Graziano Scro
Twitter: @marygscro
LinkedIn: Mary Graziano Scro
Blogs: Life Is Not A Formula

 

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Able!

Recently, I was asked by a fellow writer to work with him on a project. Admittedly, I was pretty unfamiliar with the subject matter of the assignment. But, I was excited about the opportunity to work with another writer and possibly learn something new.

However, it wasn’t long before that excitement turned into dread. After spending hours sitting in my creative workspace staring at a monitor bursting with information, I was unable to parlay the information into a cognitive summarization which would motivate others to care about what I obviously didn’t.

Once I realized this, I began to feel bad about having to back out of my commitment. Until I remembered a lesson I learned years ago when I first became disabled. It’s a truth that not many people are able to admit and it has become a principal I live via my personal and creative lives.

It is okay to say you are not able to do something, for whatever reason (physical, mentally, financially and emotionally). Sure, the world and my faith tell me to never give up and I can do anything.

But, over the years I’ve come to learn this is a fictional lie and I can’t accept it, I’m at peace with that. You see everything about me, including what I don’t know and can’t do is what makes me Martin Thomas Johnson.

If I spent my life doing what everybody else can and wants to do, then I’m not being authentic to myself and who I’m meant to be. Speaker and author Mike Foster says it best, “Embrace it all. Every flaw and imperfection. Every wound and broken place. Everything belongs in the story of you.” Do what you are able to and don’t worry about what you are not.

Able?

 Webster’s defines able as, “Having the power, skill, money, etc. that is needed to do something.” Being disabled has taught me to understand better what I am able to do. I don’t like putting on façades.

This vulnerability and transparency has drastically shaped my writing style. It’s given me my writing voice and a connection to my audience. I learned quickly after my accident that I was different from who I used to be.

I remember falling off of the toilet after lying to the nurse about being able to walk. To say I was humbled would be an understatement. It was devastating for 22-year-old man to be unable to do basic things for himself. It wasn’t until a month later when I entered a rehabilitation hospital to relearn basic functions (smiling, eating, and walking) that I realized I wasn’t alone in being broken, suffering.

I remember watching another patient who was younger than I struggling to get out of his wheelchair so that a nurse could help with his bath. At one point we locked eyes and I could feel his shame and embarrassment. Although he couldn’t even talk, I understood it was taking every ounce of his strength to attempt to do what he was no longer able to. He couldn’t fake it if he wanted to.

Fake?

 Just in case there are some reading this who believe you can do enough research and write anything–think again. Research can be fun and informative. But, there are people who know more about what you are researching and even those who don’t can tell when you’re faking it. For fiction it works, but I write mainly nonfiction and someone who knows more about a subject can easily spot my lack of expertise.

Take for example sports; although I am a fitness fanatic, when it comes to more popular sports like football, basketball and baseball, I’m clueless.

I grew up playing sports like soccer, volleyball and tennis and living in the deep South that really makes me different, if I were to try to write about any of the previous sports; people would know immediately that I have no idea what I’m writing about. So I choose to stick with what I know.

In closing I’ll quote Dirty Harry, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” Write what you know about. Regardless of how much research or brainstorming you do, you just may not be able.

About Martin Johnson

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Talking Character

Writing Characters of the Opposite Gender

I am not a horse person. I freely admit almost complete ignorance in regard to horses and horse-related things. So, when my critique partner (who is a horse person) suggested I change the word whinnied to the word nickered, I complied.

One little word, but to a horse person it makes a big difference.

talking horse
Get it right, human!

[bctt tweet=”Don’t let your characters whinny when they should nicker. “]

Authenticity is in the details

Authors are typically aware of the importance of such details when it comes to things like setting or historical accuracy, but sometimes we forget about the male-female thing. We are so used to peopling our stories with both male and female characters that we forget half those characters do not think and react like we do.

Sometimes gender inaccuracies are a matter of word choice. Consider the following words:

  • Giggle
  • Guffaw
  • Snicker
  • Titter
  • Whoop
  • Shriek

All synonyms for laughter, but if a male character giggled or tittered the reader might be jerked out of the story, because those words don’t feel appropriate for men. We cannot control the associations every reader has with certain words, but we can be aware of typical attitudes like: women and children may giggle, but men do not.

Obviously, there is more to gender authenticity than proper word choice, such as making sure characters react in gender-appropriate ways. My husband sometimes catches these lapses for me. He will read a scene and say, “a man wouldn’t do that.”

Being the lone female in the household, I have a pretty good understanding of male behavior, but when my husband makes comments like that, I listen. Because no matter how much I try to “think male,” my own personality colors everything I write.

Do you need an expert opinion?

Many writers have a list of experts they consult whenever they need specific details in a certain field. I submit we need a gender expert as well.

My husband is my resident expert on being male. He helps me spot “unmale” details, but he also helps me when I am struggling with a male character’s reaction in a scene:

Sometimes I imagine four or five different options for how a character might react, each of which plays out differently. They all seem valid to me, and I wrestle with the scene, trying to figure out which choice is best. I have discovered that if I describe the scenario to my husband can sometimes say, “forget about A, B, and C. All your character cares about right now is D.”

Lo and behold, when my character focuses on D, the scene plays out and everything feels right. Thank you, Mr. Male Expert!

Photo Credit: Kevin McShane via Compfight cc
Face it, men and women do not think alike.

Do you have a gender expert? Someone who can read through your scenes and spot your lapses in gender authenticity? Maybe you should find one.

This same concept applies when we write characters that are very different from us in other ways, particularly ethnicity. All cultures do not have identical values and expectations, so we may need someone with firsthand knowledge of a culture to ensure we are not putting our values in a character that would not share them.

[bctt tweet=”How do you ensure your characters act with authenticity? #writetip”]

Bottom photo credit: Kevin McShane via Compfight cc

Categories
Talking Character

Why Won’t My Main Characters Cooperate?

Photo Credit: Brooks was here via Compfight cc

Do your characters sometimes refuse to cooperate in the middle of a scene?

Why is that? You know your characters inside and out. You created them. You determined their temperament, their abilities, their fears. After all that work, they should at least have the decency to cooperate.

But sometimes they don’t.

When characters get ornery, try not to get frustrated. It isn’t because you’re a bad writer. In fact, it’s a sign your doing things right, that your characters are coming to life and standing up for themselves.

Call it your muse, your subconscious, or whatever, but trust the process. Your story will be better for it.

What to do when your main character threatens to rebel:

See if they really mean it. Sometimes characters do random stuff on the spur of the moment, just like real people. Allow them to wander down a rabbit trail, but if you discover their path will cause unnecessary complications, stop them.  Back up, return to your plot and see what happens. If they cooperate then put their crazy idea down to a bit of indigestion and stick to your original ideas.

If they refuse to cooperate, it’s time to listen to them. …

Have faith in your characters. Characters are like children: We see they have certain talents and temperaments and we decide they would be well-suited for certain professions, or ought to love certain hobbies. However, children have a way of surprising their parents with the vocations  and activities they choose to pursue. So it is with our fictional characters. No matter how well we think we know their personalities and preferences, when we push them into tough situations they may surprise us. The wise writer knows that if we allow our characters to be true to themselves rather than forcing them to comply with our outlines, our stories will feel more authentic. Trust them.

First find out what your hero wants. Then just follow him. Ray Bradbury

Follow their lead. When they insist on forging their own path, follow them and see where they want to go. Spend a day or two daydreaming or free-writing scenes until you get a sense of where this new path is leading and how everyone feels about it.

Ask the character why. Once you’ve explored this new path, you need to understand why they want to do it that way. Interrogate your character. Talk to them out loud, envision yourself and the character chatting over tea, write a list of questions—do whatever works for you, but get to the bottom of why the character is at odds with your ideas. Why do they refuse to go out with Maddie? Why do they insist on saying such nasty things about the postmistress? Why aren’t they excited about the prize that was supposed to be the main motivation?  Push until you understand why they choose plan B over plan A, and then figure out how plan B can make a stronger story—even if it means a lot more work for you.

If we are brave enough to let our characters disrupt our plot ideas, and clever enough to figure out how to make their ideas work instead, we have the ingredients for a great story.

[bctt tweet=”Are you brave enough to allow your characters disrupt your plot? #amwriting”]