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4/27/2020 4 Comments

Action, Reaction, and Time

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As I mentioned in my last post, reading others’ works-in-progress made me ask the writers questions about setting during character conversations. Other common questions were: “What are they doing?” and “When is this happening?”

The fix for the first? Add character actions during dialogue. There are two types.

People are rarely totally still. We scratch an itch. Shift in a chair. Cross or uncross our legs. Bump against the counter when handwashing dishes. (I often get water on my clothes when I do so.) It’s allergy season at our house, which means there’s sneezing, throat clearing, and occasional coughs. These are mostly involuntary or unplanned actions. They can be great tools to:
…sneak in what a character is wearing. E.g. She sneezed into the sleeve of her faux fur coat. He scratched his knee through the hole in his ragged jeans. The girl tripped over her untied shoelace.
…show someone’s discomfort with the conversation. E.g. Matt cleared his throat and hoped his wife would get the hint to change the topic. Theresa flinched. The boy let out an exclamation of disgust.
…show a character’s interest. E.g. He inched closer. She rested a hand on his arm. They drew in their breaths in unison.

What is your character choosing to do? Be specific about it. If she’s drinking a cup of tea, it’s not just any tea, but a British blend with milk. He’s doing handwork. What kind? Knitting, crochet? My husband’s grandmother showed him how to do tatting, although he didn’t keep it up. Instead he’s more into woodworking. And lately bread making. The child is playing. Playing what? Pretending to be a police officer, or a cowboy riding the range? These specific details of what the character is actually doing while he talks will help ground the reader.

Conversations often take place during mealtimes. It really annoys me when characters on a TV show receive some great food, but never get to take a bite. If your characters are having a conversation during a meal, by the time it is done we should have some idea that they have eaten. For example: Jane swallowed her mouthful of orange soda before answering. Ben lathered butter onto his wheat roll. Cassie took the last bite of rare steak and angled her knife and fork across the paper plate.

Include character reactions to others (including animals). Our youngest daughter used to communicate that she was bored with a parental explanation by twisting her hair. A woman came to my door to deliver a package and backed off when my friendly dog appeared. When we are out somewhere, my husband often can tell I’ve seen a baby by the look on my face. Someone hard of hearing may ask others to repeat. Or sometimes we’re concentrating so hard on what we’re involved with, we don’t hear someone speak.

Action can also provide subtext. Another benefit is that action can show the lie to the words said. It can carry on a separate conversation from the dialogue. It can illustrate what’s really going on in the character’s mind. Look at this movie example, No. 3 from Sense and Sensibility: https://screenwritingmagazine.com/2018/04/03/top-10-examples-killer-subtext-movies/

I love what Becca Puglisi says, “Nonverbal vehicles are like annoying little brothers and sisters, tattling on the dialogue and revealing true emotion.” Her whole article is great—read it here: https://jerryjenkins.com/subtext-examples/

The fix for the second? Don’t neglect time. Is it midday or midnight? Let the reader know. A scene from the middle of the day moved to the middle of the night might have an intimacy that two o’clock in the afternoon wouldn’t. Is he eating a cookie at seven am? That’s probably more unexpected than dessert after dinner. A ramshackle abandoned cottage looks very different in bright sunshine than at dusk. Spring or fall? It could be humid during one season and cold during another—both will affect your characters.

Sometimes, all that is needed is a simple transition. E.g. Later that afternoon… After breakfast… Nothing happened until two weeks later. An actual clock or calendar can be used. E.g. Kasee checked the time. 10 pm. Where was he? – Sean opened his journal. Friday, May 1st.

Editor Beth Hill says, “References to time and day (or month or season or year) are necessary to keep readers linked with story events and hold them deep inside the fiction.” I like how she says setting props can help indicate seasons. Plastic Easter eggs scattered on the lawn is very different look from the rotting pumpkin left on the front stoop. Read more of her article here: https://theeditorsblog.net/2013/04/07/marking-time-with-the-viewpoint-character/.

I’ve found it helpful to create a written timeline as a guide for stories. I enter scenes and indicate when, where, what, and who. It helps me not have two Wednesdays or a six-day week. When a character refers back to “last Thursday,” I can check and make sure that really was the day the scene happened.

Help your reader keep track of when your characters are and what they are doing and your stories will feel more real.




4 Comments

4/7/2020 0 Comments

Ground Me

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I’ve been critiquing some novels and found myself asking again and again, “Where are the characters?” Both writers had good dialogue and interesting problems, but I couldn’t place myself with the characters.

By contrast, I think back to the first novelist I fell in love with—Mary Stewart. She made me see the flowers glow under the street lights, hear the swish of the tires on pavement, taste what her character was eating. The locations were all very real. I’ve had similar experiences with fantasy authors whose writing made a place so tangible I wanted to visit places that didn’t even exist! We want our writing to feel that true, as well.

One fellow writer explained it this way, “Don’t have your characters standing in front of a white board.” That’s what happens when a conversation is all dialogue. Specific details of what’s around the characters help ground the reader. So, how do we add these details of setting in in a meaningful way? Here are some steps:

Think about how your character(s) react to the setting. That’s much more interesting than simply stating a fact.

For example, instead of a flat statement:
    It was a windy day.
Or including the character in a distancing way with saw, heard, watched, etc.:
    Lila looked out and saw it was a windy day.
Show how the wind affects Lila.
    Lila stepped out the front door of the apartment building. The wind tossed her long black hair around her face and she shivered.
See how there’s a bit of setting now? Plus, we have one small action. We’ve also learned two new things. It’s cold enough for her to shiver and we have a description of her hair. Combine such details with her dialogue and she’ll feel more real.

Another way to say it is “don’t tell the reader about the setting, show it.”

For example, a spoken flat statement:
    “This apartment is too small,” Adam said.
Versus:
    Adam side-stepped to the stove so his wife could open the fridge. She grabbed the mayo and mustard and he reached in and picked up the lunchmeat. They bumped into each other getting bread and silverware, and a table knife fell to the floor with a dull thud. At the kitchen table, Mary scooted in her chair so Adam could squeeze past.
When this is mixed in with their conversation, a reader won’t have to guess at where these characters are.

Setting often includes weather as my Lila example did above. Heat, cold, rain, dry, humidity, snow, sleet, ice, etc. Whatever it is, whenever your character is outside or even checking the temperature on her phone, she’ll probably react in some way. A bright sunny day makes me feel cheerful, but a character might prefer cloudy days that remind him of home. A gardener might be grateful for the rain falling on the freshly planted garden—even if it means he gets wet dashing to the mailbox. A skier might be glad for predicted snow, while someone preparing for a long trip could be saddened, and go dig out the tire chains. A house might be unappealing in a rainstorm but look like a picture for a postcard when surrounded by white snow.

The weather also affects how a character dresses. At 30 degrees I’m wearing a coat and gloves. At 60, short sleeve shirt and jeans usually work outside. It’s not yet warm enough for a swimsuit at 70, but I might pull out capris to wear. How does temperatures affect your character?

These details of weather and temperature can help with the overall mood of the story as well. I remember a writer talking about how her character’s story was set during a drought. The dry empty landscape helped emphasize the lack in the character’s personal life.

I hope you’ll dig in and ground your characters in their setting. I think you’ll find it helps your story bloom.



0 Comments

11/5/2019 0 Comments

Thoughts on Writer's Groups

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Because I’ve moved to a new town and have joined a group in formation, we discussed what the attendees would like to see in the writer’s club.
 
The discussion reminded me of types of groups:
Critique – feedback on your own and other’s writing
Discussion – can be on a specific topic or writing in general
Lecture/Talk – usually craft focused or inspirational
Write In – a time to work on your own writing
Workshop – craft or marketing focused with some hands-on activity
Both face-to-face groups and online groups can provide any of these services. All can be useful, but it depends what you are looking for.
 
For me a variety of these groups have worked over the years. I love the chance to learn through lectures and workshops. It’s so great when some piece of craft advice clicks. Or when the “so that how that’s done” aha moment happens. I’ve mostly done in person sessions, especially conferences, but more and more webinars are available from the comfort of your own home. In addition, these events often inspire me, whether it is simply to press on, or with a specific piece of information that makes me avid to jump back into my own work. No matter how many I’ve done these, I discover new tidbits each time I participate.
 
I’ve found write ins to be very practical. I’ve participated in them in coffee shops, libraries, retreats, etc. Each person focuses on their own project. Just the fact that others are working around me helps me keep my butt in the chair and my hands on the keyboard. I like a weekly schedule. Headphones are helpful in a public place where conversations around me can be distracting. Mostly I’ve formed these with likeminded writers, but sometimes organizations will schedule them too.
 
Discussion can be fun, especially if it is focused. I’ve been in groups where we shared favorite books by genre, or good first lines, or marketing tips, etc. Having a theme makes the discussion more practical. I’ve found an unfocused group can end up being a gripe session, or can wander completely off writing.
 
But for me probably the most important group is a critique group. I’ve learned so much by what others have said about my work (the good and bad) and what I’ve seen in their writing, too. We encourage each other to press on. We inspire one another. Our meetings provide a deadline to have pages ready. Not only have we helped improve our writing by consistent meetings, but we’ve become close friends and family because of the time spent together.
 
How do you find a writer’s group? Check with your local library. Search online for writer’s groups in your area. Research national and international writing organizations. If you’re on Facebook, you can find groups there, too. Join writer list serves which often announce events or groups forming.
 
Here are some helpful resources, especially if a group doesn’t have established guidelines:
 
“General Critique Guidelines” by the Writer’s Loft
“10 Tips on How To Find or Form the Critique Group of Your Dreams” by Riki Cleveland
The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide by Becky Levine
“How To Find A Writing Group, Because Every Aspiring Author Needs A Support Group”
by Sadie Trombetta
“Writing Groups 101: How to Find Your Perfect Match” by Kristen Pope
“The 4 Hidden Dangers of Writing Groups” by Jennie Nash

0 Comments

7/30/2019 0 Comments

Planting Ideas

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“The beauty hidden inside a tiny seed can never be discovered until it is planted, until the rains fall and the sun shines down upon it. The process takes time and patience, just as it does when God works in our hearts. When we wait on the Lord, weather the storms, and bask in His light, He takes our lives . . . and turns them into something beautiful.” Julie A. Campbell

Likewise, the beauty of story can never be discovered until we allow the germ of an idea to take root in our minds. When we plant an idea, water it, expose it to sunlight, weed it, prune and shape it, we’re preparing a story for harvest.

The process of growing a story takes time, patience and hard work. Very rarely does a story arrive in our minds in full bloom. And even when it does, the translation to paper usually seems to lose something. Just as some plants thrive best when surrounded by plants of other varieties, story ideas often need the stimulus of other ideas before they can grow.

Here are some questions, we need to ask ourselves, when we have a new idea:


Have I talked to God about my writing lately?
  1. Have I recommitted it to Him?
  2. Have I asked Him what He thinks about this idea?
  3. Am I willing to trust this new idea to Him?

Am I willing to weather the storms of writing?
  1. Such as trusting His timing for publication?
  2. Doing my part by working hard?
  3. Being willing to change my work?

Is the soil of my mind prepared?
  1. Do I need the tilling of a new experience or situation?
  2. Do I need a class or workshop to sift out the rocks in my field?
  3. Do I need to add fertilizer by doing research or talking with other writers?

Do I know what I want to grow from this idea?
  1. Fiction or nonfiction?
  2. A short piece or a book?
  3. Do I need to read in the genre I want to write? Or am I like a gardener who can’t tell a weed from a vegetable plant?

And finally, is it time to write this now? Is this what He wants me working on?

Sometimes an idea can lay dormant for months and years before it sprouts. Some have to grow many years before they can bloom. Just as we can’t expect immediate results when we plant an apple tree, not all ideas are ready to be written.

Whatever we write, whether it be secular or Christian, should bring glory to God. We should ask the Lord to help us to turn each new idea over to Him, to let Him guide us and lead us, to make each piece of writing into something beautiful.



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7/13/2019 0 Comments

The Writer’s Paraphrase of 2 Peter 1:5-8

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Now for this very reason
…in your writing…
     …apply all diligence
     …supply moral excellence
     …knowledge
     …self-control
     …perseverance
     …godliness
     …brotherly kindness
     …Christian love
 
Diligence – steady application to one’s occupation or studies, persistent effort
  • Learning your craft
  • Doing research faithfully
  • Doing your best
  • Rewriting
  • Researching the marketplace
  • Willingness to keep learning
 
Excellence – state of going beyond a standard, performing at a higher level
  • Accuracy in statistics, facts, quotes
  • Not sending unidentified multiple submissions
  • Honesty and truthfulness with editors
  • Only sending what fits a market
  • Proofreading carefully
  • Never plagiarizing
  • Working to improve your writing
 
Knowledge – familiarity, awareness, or understanding gained through experience or study
  • Knowing your category and genre
  • Knowing the marketplace
  • Knowing the specific magazine or publishing house
  • Knowing the basic rules of writing
 
Self-control – control of one’s emotions, desires, or actions by one’s own will
  • Not sending out a story when it is hot off the fingertips
  • Not buttonholing or monopolizing an editor or agent to talk about your manuscript(s)
  • Not arguing with a critique
  • Not monologuing in a class or workshop, but letting others talk, too
 
Perseverance – the holding to a course of action, belief, or purpose without giving way; steadfastness
  • Writing
  • Getting feedback and rewriting
  • Submitting
  • Not giving up, unless God tells you to
  • Commitment to a schedule of writing or to writing goals
 
Godliness – resembling or of the nature of God
  • Trusting our Heavenly Father, even if it means you are never “published”
  • Conforming to His will, even if it includes doing something besides writing
 
Brotherly kindness – being generous, warmhearted, charitable, helpful, showing sympathy or understanding, considerate
  • Viewing other writers as co-workers, not competition
  • Sharing with those new to the industry—this does not mean sacrificing your own writing or schedule
  • Being considerate when critiquing
 
Christian love – intense concern for another person
  • Encouraging others in their writing
  • Not bragging
  • Not putting others down during a critique
  • Rejoicing in others’ successes
 
“For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful …”
 
…in using your writing for our Lord Jesus Christ.


0 Comments

4/24/2019 0 Comments

Thoughts about Writing Nonfiction

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FOCUS IN
  • Write out what your book is going to be about. You may start out with a paragraph, but then condense it to one sentence. This is often called an elevator pitch and will help you focus. At any time when you are writing and you are not sure where to go, reread your statement. It’s the goal you are headed toward.
    • Some suggestions to get started:
      • This book is about …
      • My story is …
    • A resource: “Writing a One Sentence Summary“
  • Determine the main take away you want readers to get from reading your book. This again helps you focus as you write.
  • Who is audience for this book? Women? Young Christian wives? Midwestern adults? The more specific you get helps you slant the book appropriately.
  • Know where your book would fit on the shelf. It you can’t define this, will booksellers know where to put your book?
    • A resource: “Exploring Your Writing Genre”
 
SET SOME GOALS
  • Schedule your writing time and stick to it. Will it be Saturday mornings? Evenings after the kids are in bed? Or ? Nothing will happen if you don’t put in work to get the words down. Chuck Warren said, “It was only when I made a commitment to my goal that I accomplished what I wanted. And, so much more. When I finally stopped talking about writing, and stopped promising myself and others that I would start tomorrow with grand plans and dramatic hand gestures, and then dove in head first, I began to see results.”
  • Keep learning about writing. Read articles and books, attend workshops and conferences, and keep practicing. “Poor writing can muddle and dismantle a message, rendering it ineffective.” - Michael A. Blaylock
  • Learn the average word count ranges for books like yours.
    • See the charts on this page: “Your Guide to Book Word Counts”
 
THE ACTUAL WRITING
  • Have a plan for the structure of your book. That doesn’t necessarily mean outlining, but it could. One website (https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2018/11/21/writing-tips-7-mistakes-first-time-nonfiction-authors-make/) put it this way:
    • What Was: the way things used to be.
    • What Happened: the event or situation that changed everything.
    • What Is: what things are like now after the change.
  • Make what happened come to life.
    • Use specific details.
    • Share emotion. That means being honest and letting them know your pain, fears, anger, etc. as well as the positive emotions.
    • Use dialogue when possible.
    • Share actions.
    • Give a sense of time and place when appropriate.
  • Complete a first draft. Whether you write every day, measure time you’re writing, or words written, get it done.

REVISE AND GET FEEDBACK
  • All writers rewrite and revise. Reading aloud can be very helpful in hearing your mistakes, awkward phrasing, where more is needed, overused words, etc.
  • Critique groups or beta readers can be a tremendous help in pointing out areas to work on.
  • A few good resources:
    • “Top 10 Editing Tips for Christian Writers”
    • “Top 12 Word Usage Errors”
  • An editor will request more revisions. (Often, agents do as well.)
 
“You write to communicate to the hearts and minds of others what's burning inside you. And we edit to let the fire show through the smoke.” – Arthur Polotnik


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    SM Ford writes inspirational fiction for adults, although teens may find the stories of interest, too. She also loves assisting other writers on their journeys.

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