Watching Our Language

As a reader and writer we're all aware of the constant flux in language. Words change meaning, new expressions crop up and sneak into every day speech. Sometimes it's difficult to understand the younger generation since they seem to have a language all their own. But that isn't the language I'm talking about.

The language I'm referring to is that of four-letter words. (I don't mean words like 'work' or 'snow' although a lot of folks will look at them that way.) The nasty kind seem to be cropping up more and more within the written word. Are they truly necessary or is there a better way?

Male writers are more apt to use the language in their work. I don't know what the reasoning is behind that but I can think of better ways to get a point across. Female authors have a tendency to stay away from such words, especially when writing romance. While their use is to emphasize strong emotion, wouldn't it be better to 'show' rather than 'tell' in these situations? I'd rather see a heroine throw a vase at the hero's head and miss, or have the hero punch a wall and end up shaking out the pain. Something like that you can get over. Words, once said, can do damage forever, and could spoil an otherwise good story.

A couple years ago I was reading the lastest work of one of my favorite authors when I came across the 'f' word. It was a first, and needless to say, I was quite disappointed. Her stature as a writer became slightly tarnished. I admit, I'm old school when it comes to some things and using that logic, to me, an author loses some respect for themselves as well as their followers. We want to entertain our readers, help them be able to suspend disbelief. How can we do that if we use base street talk to get a point across? The English language is infinite and with a bit of research and a good thesaurus there's no reason why we can't get avoid lowering our standards.

Before you grab your torches and come running please keep in mind this is only my humble opinion. But I would love to hear your comments on the subject.

The Dig Goes On...

A few months ago I wrote a blog about the changes going on near my home. Trees were chopped down (they weren't very big to begin with) shrubs were pulled up and railroad tracks were removed. Also removed was tons of dirt which were placed in a lot just north of us. Neighbors on the north side of the building had a perfect view of the thirty foot high mounds of dirt. It was like watching a child play with a toy bulldozer, setting it on top to flatten out the soil.

Eventually workers took a crany-type jackhammer and broke down a concrete wall facing the street. I remember looking at that wall as a child. Now the wall was cracked and crumbling with chunks of concrete missing. It wasn't long before a huge crane was setting into place sections of pre-made concrete slabs. When they were all in place and the inside of the wall painted black (to seal it agains collected moisture) and a marker of sorts for depth.

The dump trucks began making return trips bringing back all the dirt they had so carefully hauled out. I watched them pile it up again to fill in the area they had cleared out months earlier. Most of it is up to the edge of the black paint on the inner wall. Closer to the corner, the earth has been carefully packed until it's high enough and stable.

Once all that was accomplished, the trestle was brought in in pieces and put into place to bridge the street. I've been watching the men make sure all the parts are lined up properly before welding everything together. A couple of cranes that were brought in for the job must reach a height of fifty feet from the ground. One crane was turned just right and reminded me of a very tall giraffe with a very long neck.

I don't know how much they have left to do but I do know the train station is going to be where all those tons of dirt rested for a while. The whole process has been, and still is, fascinating but I can hear you asking...What does this have to do with writing?

It has more to do with revamping old stories. Sometimes we write things, aren't happy with them and just tuck them away somewhere to be forgotten. Eventually we think about it again, pull it out and make plans to tear down and rebuild. Hopefully, the rebuilding process is worth the effort. When my commuter train (not mine really...belongs to the state and federal goverments) is an expensive deal and the funding may be hard to get at times, our old project is paid for in the time we invest in it. The original ideas are, hopefully, sound and will succeed with updating. The trestle is the bridge between scenes without which the story would collapse. We are the cranes, moving scenes here and there until every one is in its proper place...and sometimes that requires a great deal of work.

I can look down the street just south of here and see how much the view has changed. It's nothing like it once was. The same goes for the story. You can keep the basic ideas intact but it might take major changes for it to succeed and go where you want it to. But when you've finished, you can look back and say, "Job well done."

What Goes There?

I love paranormal stories. Things that go bump in the night can be so much fun or tension building. When you think about it, creatures like vampires, were-animals and such have changed remendously in the last few years. Vampires don't react to garlic (they find that more amusing than anything else). Most aren't bothered by holy water but they'd prefer to avoid it than take a chance on its caustic effects. As to sunlight, many are able to adapt ... very carefully. Take the TV show Moonlight for instance. That was one vampire who could take sunlight in limited doses. And when it came time to sleep? No coffin for him. He preferred a freezer. Must have been nice on those hot summer nights.

Stories like that get my imagination whirling and simmering. An idea here, another one there, and pretty soon a story comes together. That's pretty much how the Lady In Black was created.

I'd had some ideas for contest entries, but when they didn't fit the agenda I let the characters go where they wished and I followed their lead. As a result I came up with a collection of paranormal short stories accompanied by a couple flash fiction. In the title story, several men are cursed for assaulting the heroine's brother. What happens when the hero tries to get the curse removed from his best friend?

Then there's the young baron of a small village, a devil-may-care sort of character who becomes fascinated by the innkeeper's daughter and watches her grow up. Will his love for her always be unrequited? What is there about the man that keeps him from speaking up?

Ever wonder just how angry a person can become when they discover their lover has been cheating on them? Temper, Temper... is the near ultimate in revenge.

There are more ideas rattling around in the ol' brain pan looking for a place to settle. In the meantime, the Lady In Black would love the pleasure of your company.

Crossing the Line

Once upon a time when writers took up pen and ink they began writing simple stories. They wrote adventure. They indulged in mystery. Labored over romance, dabbled with ghosts and challenged the gods.

Gradually they became more daring and began to push for more. The cowboy who rode off into the sunset after rescuing the heroine was more willing to stick around. The bloodthirsty vampire became more likeable when he controlled his need. Some even became more human in their behavior. Romance found its way into almost every plot. The hero and heroine were more likely to have a future together.

In the last few years the idea of a simple plot has all but disappeared, and stories have become more complicated. For the most part that's good since it not only allows 'art [to] imitate life' but it encourages more complex story lines. When I first began reading romance, I found them so boring. The heroine had nothing more on her mind but plots to catch the hero. Eventually that changed and leading ladies grew up. They finally learned that having a man in their life wasn't the all important thing. In fact, some of them realized they didn't need a man around, that a dreamed of career was more important. Bedroom scenes used to be rare but gradually played a larger part in the story. In some cases there are more bedroom scenes then there is plot.

With the arrival of electronic publishing, the rules have relaxed to the point where almost anything goes. They encourage writers to push the envelope and take writing further than it has ever gone. Don't get me wrong, there are good publishers and talented writers out there who will draw the line on what they'll offer and accept. Others in the business encourage and welcome extreme challenges and are willing to promote the work. There are many writers out there who will dare to go further in crossing the line to get publishers' attention.

I understand about competition becoming greater, but I'm just putting into words what's been on my mind for some time. My concern is where we're headed as an industry. As authors there is one big question looming before us... How far are we willing to go? Is there a line we would refuse to cross? I suppose it comes down to what each author is comfortable with writing, but if the current generation of writers is willing to push the sex and violence as far and hard as they can, where does it leave future writers? We can only wonder how much further they'd be willing to go.

Breaking Out

Although I began writing as a youngster, I didn't take it seriously until about twelve years ago. At that time, another author told me it took on average some ten years to pay your dues and find your "break-out" book. To me that was acceptable since nothing comes easily. If it's worth having, it's worth doing well.

Those ten years have come and gone. I've had several books published with electronic publishers but I have yet to find that one elusive story that would make a difference.

Just what is a "break-out" book?

It's one story into which a writer pours their heart and soul and comes out with something readers will have a hard time putting down. It's a story readers highly recommend, talk about with their friends and want to reread.

I can think of a couple authors who fit that description with their first foray into the publishing world. Outlander by Diane Gabaldon, was never meant to see the light of day, never mind print. Her books are read world-wide and still finding new markets. J.K. Rowling is another author who made it big with Harry Potter, a young adult series that got kids reading and inspired other author to write magical tales.

Break-out books are all elusive and an author never knows where or when they might end up with one. Then there are authors who might never find that one book that could catapult them to fame. Until it happens we keep working, improving our craft, and looking for the best ways to promote our work while we meet other struggling writers following the same dream.

Many years ago, a well-known comedian had a signature line he used in reference to the jokes he told. He always said, "I got a million of 'em." The same could apply to writers and the number of story ideas they have. Just think of all the fun, love of craft (and hard work) going into our creative effort.

Who knows...maybe one of those plots you've been playing around with might be just the ticket to writing a break-out book and making a name for yourself.

until then...

Getting To Know You...

Writers are always encouraged to read the works of others to get a better handle on how it's done. It helps if you read books from the genre in which you write but that doesn't mean you can't expand. It's surprising the pointers you can pick up when you're not looking for them. Case in point...

I've been reading a series of books Harlequin put out called Men In Uniform. None of these books are recent releases. In fact, the one I'm reading now was originally released in 1989, entitled Informed Risk, written by Robyn Carr. What has really got my attention with this particular story is the depth of the characters. There's been quite a bit of talk lately on this topic but I thought this story best exemplifies the point.

Mike is a firefighter and he rescues Chris from a burning house. (she already got her two young children out). He thinks she's a little crazy when he finds her in the smoke filled house, with the refrigerator door open. There is a method to her madness and later, when he realizes what she's done, he gives her credit for her quick thinking. Anyhoo, Chris and her youngsters end up staying in his home until she can make other arrangements. The story goes on from there.

I was amazed at the depth of the main characters in the story. You get to know the characters in most books, some better than others. In this case you could almost think of them as next door neighbors, good friends. Even Mike's parents and siblings have a depth you rarely see in secondary characters. I felt like I was having Thanksgiving dinner with the Cavanaughs, sitting at the table with them and listening to the good-natured bantering going on. I'm about half-way through this story and I know it's going to be a tough one to put down one I get to the end.

Some writers concentrate on their story's plot, while others spend more time with characters. Every story needs both elements to get anywhere, or even survive the written page. And the emphasis on either one depends on what the author's most comfortable with.

How-to books are fine when learning basics of writing, but there is nothing like reading a good book, expanding your reading horizons to learn just how other writers put that knowledge to use. Studying the techniques of other authors can give us a better understanding of how to improve our own. The process of "getting to know you" can become a lot more challenging and fun.

A Run For the Word Count

Once upon a time someone wrote a song about the number 'one' being a lonely number. They may have been talking about love and relationships but the same can be said about writers. We are a rather lonely lot when you think about it. I suppose most creative people tend to work alone. Letting the creative part of the brain run rampant allows us to form certain ideas but it isn't always enough. Sometimes we need help to keep us going.

I first heard the term "sprinting" a couple years ago. Of course, I knew the term had to do with short distance foot races but this time it had a different connotation. Someone came up with the idea of getting a group of writers together to sprint. The idea was never meant to be a contest and it isn't. It's a means of focusing on the work at hand and writing for short periods of time.

Some 'lonely' writers can shut out all distractions, focus on their work in progress and do quite well. Ninety-nine percent of the time ... I'm not one of them. My creative thoughts have a bad habit of wandering when they shouldn't, much like a curious child's habit of wandering off when the parent isn't looking.

So this concept of sprinting caught my attention and I decided to check it out. The idea is to write for thirty to forty-five minutes (or whatever length of time you decide on) nonstop then take a break that can vary anywhere from five to fifteen minutes depending on the length of the sprint. The break gives you a chance to recharge your batteries so you can start again. Usually our group opts to write for forty-five minutes. For each sprint we keep track of our word count. It encourages you to keep striving toward your goal. It's amazing how much can be done in that span of time and if you sprint several times in a day, the word count can be tremendous.

Personally, I found it a great way to keep me focused on what I'm working on. By the end of the day, I've tripled my work compared to what I might have accomplished as a lonely one.

Writers are always looking for ways to increase productivity, especially if they're up against a deadline. Wandering thoughts have their place in the beginning, and sometimes further along the the creative process. But there comes a point when you need to focus on those all-important details and descriptions. In the long run there is a method to our madness.

Sprint, anyone?