Thinkin' Thursday - Say What?

James Scott Bell wrote a great article on dialogue. His tips to effective dialogue should be in everyone's revision first-aid kit. They will strengthen the words, the tension & the characterization.


Rollin' on the River - Bell suggests getting the dialogue on paper first. Go back later to add tags, spruce it up & mine for diamonds. Allowing the argument, revelation, introspection to roll off the fingers without interruption can lead to interesting bits that may or may not make its way to the final submission. But these conversations will aide in story flow.

Get it on stage - Act out the dialogue - in private. This always makes me feel more goofy than usual. Even when I'm the only one home. Hey, the neighbors could be nosing around that day! Inflection, body language, intensity - all of these will emerge as you move through the conversations between characters.

That's SO Obvious - People do not speak in complete sentences, or logical flow. I am a huge fan of redirection; not intentional for confusion, it's just the way my brain works. Something like this...

"She didn't even wave? Wow. I thought she was nicer than that."
"Yeah, it's okay though. She probably didn't see me coming out of the bookstore. Wanna see what I bought?"

It's a bit convoluted, but I hope the point comes across. People's minds flit. Dialogue isn't concise. Cut the obvious, don't answer the rhetorical unless it's pertinent.

The Sound of Silence - We all know how it goes. We're writing along, the dialogue singing & singe-ing. Sometimes, it's what a character doesn't say. And, when they don't say it.

"Do you know why? I do. Tell me, go ahead, give it your best lie."
I stared at my father and refused to answer. I knew he would give me my reasons for disobeying him. And he would be wrong.

The point here is what the reader learns from the lack of response. Not saying anything can be just as, if not more powerful, than any dialogue that could be written.

Too many diamonds blind ya - Bell suggests one gemmy dialogue bit per quarter of the book. The real zinger that sticks long after the story is closed. Whether its Rhett Butler's parting shot to Scarlett, the Terminator's "I'll be back" which cannot be performed without Arnold inflection, or Oliver Twist's plaintive starved plea; these are sparse. Too many & the story degrades.

Confront the past - The use of dialogue as delivery system. Back story plagues us one & all; 30 pages, 50 pages, 100 pages. Whatever rule suits the writer, it's sometimes difficult to include that information without pulling the reader out of the tale. A confrontation between 2 characters can aid in delivering the past in micro-bites. These provide character motivation in a way that doesn't detract from the show.

Drop kick - This is a tricky technique. Drop a word here or there; which word, when, will it work? As we talk, so should we write. Different people require different information; your doctor doesn't care about the color of your hair dye. Your best friend will care about the doctor & the hair dye.

"Tests?"
"Standard girl stuff."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, no biggie."
"Oh, you'll let me know though, right?"
"Yeah, are you gonna help me dye my hair or what?"

The banter adds a layer to the relationship between the two. The reader doesn't need to know, he/she may already know or it will be revealed later. Suffice to say, not spilling all the beans & kicking a few under the kitchen table adds authenticity to the exchange.

I am a dialogue heavy kind of gal. I'm much more comfortable writing it than I am description. And, I rely on it more so than any other technique. But, I still find myself leaving the reservation at times. When this happens, I pull these band-aids out of the kit & apply carefully. No mummified dialogue needed.

Que-y: How do you keep the dialogue moving? Do you use any or all of these techniques? Which do you find most beneficial?

Happy Writing,

Patti

Thinkin' Thursday - 'Veiled in Shadows' by Allan Russell

Before I begin this review, I must apologize to Allan for taking so long. But I finally got my act together & am now ready for the reveal. No spoilers.

'Veiled in Shadows' takes place during WWII. I will say, I am not a WWII fan. And, I was a little afraid at the first. But this story truly is about the people who find themselves embroiled in the consequences of their world flown off kilter.

Victoria Katharina, princess of Bavaria, is a young woman who falls in love with a German officer before the war. Ebert, the officer in question, is introduced as a sympathetic character with whom the reader can identify. As their romance hits the crescendo, war & all its ugly facets tears them apart.

As the story unfolds, we meet several other people whose lives become enmeshed with Victoria's. Jena, a young girl from Poland; Peter, an RAF pilot; Penny, Victoria's English cousin. The entire tale is told from each person's perspective in diary format. Their individual perspectives are used to both build the tension around the central character & then to calm the landscape until the next tide.

At one point, Victoria explains how difficult it is to retrieve your soul once it has been freely given to another. It is a beautiful & sorrowful sentiment that leads to a deeper understanding of her motivations. There were also some great descriptions that spoke to me...

"a fluid poetry of foam."

As both a reader & a writer, I am drawn to character driven tales. The evolution & de-evolution of the characters is done with care as each faces their own personal demons from within & without. The core of who they are, where their circumstances find them, is considered at every turn. Every action/reaction is believable & in accordance with each.

Love, loyalty, compassion. These drive humanity & they drive these characters. In a world torn apart, each has to find his/her own way to cope, to act, to forgive. And, it is in these that the characters come alive.

From the beginning, I was certain I knew how the tale would end. But, the surprise came as the loose ends were tied in neat little bows. I loved that! I also loved that each of the players' devotion to his/her core beliefs is what ultimately drove each.

I enjoyed this book & can't wait to see where the next of Allan's works will take the reader. The book is currently available from Amazon. And, as my 1st eBook, I have to say I didn't hate the experience. Yes, I missed the ruffle of paper, the smell of tradition; but, with mouse in hand, I flipped just as easy.

I guess I don't really have a thinkin' aspect this week as far as a question goes. But as it's the end of the year & all, who needs that kind of pressure. 'Certainly not me,' sayeth the bee.

Happy Writing,

Patti

Thinkin' Thursday - A Question of Character

picture courtesy of IMBD

This week has been about building characters. We are observant of the human condition; we imagine the lives of perfect strangers. Literature is chop-suey stocked with fully formed individuals that we have an emotional investment in. Recent releases have worked to explain the lives behind the curtain of the novels in which these characters appear - Rhett Butler's People for one.

I have always loved Mr. Darcy - the brood. I have read & seen more renditions of this character. And I love them all. He is a wonderful representation of the time period & class to which he belongs. As to a past event, I would go to a gold digging, no title girl along the lines of Vanity Fair who tricked someone close to him or maybe he himself. Who knows? But, it's certainly fun to think about. 


Who are some of your favorite characters? Why? And, what one thing do you envision in their past that resonates in their present?

Happy Writing,

Patti

Thinkin' Thursday - Sick MC

So, I was going to round out this week with some wine. I guess my body got the message early because the last 2 days have been unfruitful porcelain worship & tons of bed rest. Then the fever set in - which does not make for clear thought. This could all be the result of the fact that I don't even like wine or the weather or mother nature's cruelty - maybe all 3.

I actually made it out of the bedroom this morning but my head is still lost in the sickness realm. I hate pills & doctors & all that other medical stuff. But, I am really, really thinking about it.

For this thinkin' Thursday, I wonder how my MC would deal with the month long miasma. How would your MC respond? How long would they be down for the count? When would they consider a trip to the doctor?

As for me, after this post, I will be back in bed. I am hoping I am on the downhill slide of this pup. And, I seriously considered a trip to the ER & a shot to the abdomen, if it would have helped!

Happy Writing,

Patti

Thinkin' Thursday - I've Been Workin' on the...

Sweatin' to the Work Week

From village idiot to president of a country, all MCs have an occupation. And, the MCs occupation has a direct effect on how the character responds, reacts & behaves within the confines they are given. All have the potential for introspection, deductive reasoning & logical thinking (logic being relative). Beyond that, how they deal is dependent upon what they do to earn their daily lives.

Lancelot, knight errant & confidant of king & queen, responded based on the chivalric code & his 'job'. Although, different writers interpret him differently from Mallory, the basis is his profession. The fool in Christopher Moore's retelling of King Lear is defined by his occupation - everything he does or doesn't do is an extension of that. Atticus, the lawyer, in 'To Kill a Mockingbird' acts from a core of lawyerly intent; his sense of fairness, right & wrong extends from this core.

From high fantasy to women's literature, the MCs profession provides clues to a deeper sense of character. Fairy duster to pencil pusher, all come with a set of characteristics; some that readers expect & some they don't.

What does the MC in your current WIP do for a living & how does that affect the story arc? The goals/motivations/conflicts? The outcome - from HEA to no HEA?

Happy Writing,

Patti

Thinkin' Thursday - Commonality

The Waltz - I admit, there are times I watch Dancing With the Stars. Not very often, but it happens. Sometimes I turn it on for background noise. But, no matter what I'm doing, if the waltz is performed, I am mesmerized. My eyes create their own super glue, my body slides in my chair. The waltz is graceful - the lines, the footwork, the story. I love it all. One of my favorite paintings is 'Dance Me to the End of Love.' The promise.

Gymnastics - Several of my daughter's childhood memories involve Olympic Gymnasts. I don't wave patriotic; although I certainly root for the American team. And, when they hit the podium, I cry. They sing the anthem - I cry. They hug their coaches - I cry some more. The horse, the balance beam, the uneven parallel bars, the vault, the floor routine. I don't have a stand-out favorite. The discipline, the beauty, the grace; these are the main attractions. I can still recall with fond feeling when Mary Lou Retton won her medals.

Tennis - My best friend in high school played tennis. I sometimes went with her to a neighbor's court to play. A few years later, I played with my little brother sometimes. Baseline to baseline serves, poor ball control, no backhand - these were my hallmarks. But, watching Evert, Navratilova, Agassi, McEnroe & others, I appreciated the symmetry, the volley, the graceful arc of a ball in flight slapped into the front pocket. A beauty all its own.

What do these 3 have in common, aside from the fact that I cannot do any of them? Besides the grace & splendor? Or the passion they inspire?

When I have a crappy writing day; when I'm lost in the drudges of the chicken/egg dilemma; when I doubt myself - these are the things that spring to mind. I can be there; dancing, flipping, volleying. They relax my soul. They calm my heart. They soothe my brain. 

And just like that, I am back on track. That's what happened last night. The quagmire of what comes next resolved itself when I slipped away into my happy place of grace. And, of course, I have all of you wondifferous people zipping your encouragement & warm-fuzzies through the ether. Making my happy place a sunnier spot in my corner of the universe.

Where is your happy place? How does it get you back in the ring?

Happy Writing,

Patti

Thinkin' Thursday - Winds of Change

In post election haze & to combat my NaNo breath, I decided to look at some of the historical events that took place this week across the United States. Three things that changed us in some fundamental way. Each snippet is a story in its own right.

 In 1914, the bra became a patented product in the United States. And, contrary to convention, the patent actually came from a woman - Mary Phelps Jaccob. And all because of a dress! Bowing to the power that is fashion.

In 1916, the first woman was elected to Congress from Montana - Jeanette Rankin. Montana women had the right to vote even before statehood was finalized. There's something to be said for lack of sprawl, I guess.

In 1969, Sesame Street debuted on PBS. Yes, Sesame Street & I were born in the same year. I grew up on Oscar, Bert & Ernie, & Mr. Snuffalupagus. No Tickle Me Elmo or as my kids refer to him - Emo Elmo. Of course, no one had to worry about Big Bird Facebooking about Bert & Ernie's living arrangements back then either.

What historical event/s come to mind? Have you ever considered writing about them/incorporating them into the fabric of your story? 

Happy Writing,

Patti

Thinkin' Thursday - Favorite TV

Okay, I am taking a breather from the NaNo posts today & looking into something a little bit more fun. Earlier this year, I attended a coffee at the NCW offices.

We were all asked 3 ice breaker questions. The insight from the answers was very interesting. One of the questions dealt with your favorite t.v. show. I picked 'Survivor'.

I know, I know - not reality TV to be sure. But, here's the dealy; it is such an interesting psychological study into what people will do for a million dollars.

The game, for those who don't watch, is supposed to  be outwit, outplay, outlast. That's all well & good until you realize that this isn't always the way it works.

I usually pick an early favorite & as the game progresses I hold myself open to the possibility of changing my mind. Maybe my fav does or says something despicable; maybe they prove to have the discernment God gave a grape; or, maybe they just fail & get voted off the island. By the end, I am somewhere between the lesser of the evils.

As a writer, I think the show represents my desire to find the good in others. It also feeds my love of "Lord of the Flies" - the death being metaphorical of course. Most importantly, it allows me to study different stereotypes for my own work.

So, here are the questions: What is your favorite tv show? Why? And, what do you think it says about you as a writer?

Thinkin' Thursday - MC Interview

When writing fiction, the character development process involves knowing the back story, physical description & GMC (goals, motivations, conflicts). However, there are other questions writers need to ask. The deep connective tissue that creates true understanding of three-dimensional beings. Here are some questions to consider in the development phase.

What's your learning style? - Observational, kinetic, experimental.
How do you integrate new information? - Traditional dictation, fly by the seat of your pants.
What is the first thing to strike you when you arrive at a party? - Atmosphere, party-goers, decorative elements. Flaws, food, or your own rank in the assemblage.
Which of the senses do rely most heavily on? - Sight or sound. Intuitive reasoning, ability to read people, instincts.
Are you conscious of the issues around you? - How do you deal? What if they are internal? Are you able to provide answers to these problems?
Is the glass half empty or half full? - Does your supporting cast agree with your self-assessment?
Is your orientation past, present or future in terms of how you view the world? - Familial tradition adherence, ability to make new friends regardless, pessimism vs. optimism.
How do you determine trustworthiness? - First impressions, testing, predisposition to trust no one or everyone.
Do you think before you speak? - Your use of language dictates interaction levels, types of encounters, and overall impression by other characters.

Question: What other questions do you utilize in order to gain a greater understanding of your characters?

For a comprehensive review of this list, check out Alicia Rasley's Writer's Digest article.

Happy Writing,

Patti

Thinkin' Thursday - Words to Touch Someone By

Yesterday I started reading 'A Twisted Ladder' by Rhodi Hawk. This is her debut novel; a Southern Gothic. So, here I sat in my recliner, reading the first few pages when a line struck me. Profound enough that I grabbed one of my highlighters & covered the words in lime green. Here it is:

"Beads formed and traced lines of clarity down the glass."

The simplicity of it, mono-syllable mostly, created a picture that really brightened my view of the world she was creating. Which leads to the question; what lines in your reading really stood out for you? What resonated as pure beauty, genius or both?

Happy Writing,

Patti

Thinkin' Thursday - WIPs Need Food Too

Yesterday it occurred to me that I have eaten the same thing everyday for lunch over the past week & a half. At first, I thought it's simply because it's easy & I like it. But then, I started thinking back on other writing projects. During my previous novel, I ate a bowl of grits smothered in butter & pepper every single day until I finished the book. Currently, I am consuming lunch meat, muenster cheese & either buttery crackers or melba toast. I've really been digging the toast lately.

I lay out the cheese slices, slide a layer of meat over that & then count out the number of crackers on the opposite side of the plate. What can I say, I'm fairly methodical. I thrive on order, number & other OCD habits. I count things; steps, bites, stairs. It's a habit from my childhood & it still continues to this day.

However, back to the food thing. I'm a quarter of the way through this project & I noticed that my food is a direct reflection of where I am in the process. How much time I have to eat correlates to where I am in the story. It makes me wonder what my WIP will be wanting as we approach the midway together.

So, does your current WIP have any favorite snacks? What about previous projects?

Happy Writing,

Patti

Thinkin' Thursday - Golden Spoon Award

Weird, wacky words deserve their own special place in the stratosphere. In honor of the peculiarities of the English language, I am giving away the Golden Spoon Award.

Golden Spoon of Words Award

The Challenge - Below is a list of 20 Weird words; each with an accompanying sentence that will indicate the definition of the word. So, all you have to do is figure out the definition. Easy enough. The first 5 people to hit the finish line will be passed the Golden Spoon on tomorrow's post.

Without further adieu, away we go....

Erinaceous - Sonic is considered an erinaceous creature.
Lamprophony - The lamprophony of his speech left no doubt as to his intentions.
Depone - With her hand on the Bible, the woman agreed to depone.
Finnimbrun - The finnimbrun hung secretly beneath her bodice.
Floccinaucinihilipilification - His floccinaucinihilipilifacation of the antique dampened her dreams of sale.
Inaniloquent - "Inane does not begin to describe the coffee klatch. Inaniloquent is more to the point," she said.
Limerance - His dissertation covered a limerance of courtly affairs during the Middle Ages.
Mesonoxian - His mesonoxian activities led her to believe the vampiric rumors.
Mungo - Her mungo activities provided her shopping cart with many oddities.
Nihilarian - His job consisted of a series of nihilarian activities to nowhere.
Nudiustertian - She ate the same lunch, sat at the same table as nudiustertian.
Phenakism - Specializing in phenakism kept him alive during the war.
Pronk - He is a total pronk. He couldn't lift his own weight out of bed, let alone do a chin up.
Pulveratricious - The license plate was obscured due to its pulveratricious condition.
Rastaquouere - When one attempts rastaquouere maneuvers, one must be careful in vine selection.
Scopperloit - The children engaged in scopperloit activity that resulted in another visit to the hospital.
Selcouth - The door bell rang and in marched the selcouth relatives with a gaggle of gifts from their travels.
Tyrotoxism - Tyrotoxism is the leading cause of death in unsuspecting mice.
Widdiful - The cowboy's widdiful ways with cattle led him to the gallows.
Zabernism - In an attempted coup, the general's zabernism led to his downfall.

Have fun & Happy Writing!

Patti

Thinkin' Thursday - Chain of Words

We live in a world of words. Sometimes they escape us; sometimes they invigorate us. Whichever way it goes, this Thursday's challenge is to create a chain of interconnected words. I will start & we shall see where it goes.

A - atrocious
B - beastly
C - catastrophic
D - dastardly
E - egregious
F - foul
G - ghastly
H - horrid
I - ignoble
J - jerky
K - killjoy
L - lamentable
M - maniacal
N - nasty
O - obscene
P - profane
Q - quarrelsome
R - repellent
S - shady
T - treacherous
U - undesirable
V - villainous
W - wicked
X - xenophobic
Y - yeti
Z - zombie

Yes, I know some of them are quite the stretch, but I think you get the point. Grab three sequential letters, tie them together thematically & see what happens. Leave your list-o-las below.

Happy Writing,

Patti

Thinkin' Thursday - Paraprosdokian Sentences

My husband forwarded me an email he had received because he thought I would dig it. And, he was absolutely right. First off, a word I had never heard of. Then and explanation & some examples. So, on this installment of Thinkin' Thursday, I thought I would share.

What the heck is a paraprosdokian? According to the Uncyclopedia, he was a Greek hero - with a really bad name & an affinity for the girls. But, I digress, according to Wordnik, it is a figure of speech where the end of the phrase is surprising & unexpected. And that's where we come in.

Here are some examples:

The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.

We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.

A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.

A bank is a place that will lend you money, if you can prove that you don't need it.

Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won't expect it back.

When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water.

Some people hear voices. Some see invisible people. Others have no imagination whatsoever.


A bus is a vehicle that runs twice as fast when you are after it as when you are in it.

Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

So here in lies the challenge. What paraprosdokian sentences can you come up with?

Happy Writing,

Patti

Thinkin' Thursday - Burnt Toast in a Blender

This week has been a review of the books I have been reading on craft. Today, I thought we could take a look at the oft overused, flat as a pancake and downright (drum roll) --- - cliché.

So, what is a cliché. According to Webster's it is a 1) trite phrase or expression or the idea expressed by it 2) hackneyed theme, characterization, or situation 3) something that has become commonplace, overly familiar and let's face it - boring.

How do we take the droll and expected and turn it into words that zip, zing, bam, wham? We're writers - that's our soup stock, right? Easier said than typed.

Here are a few tired clichés. Work your magic and make them twinkle like a windchime.

1. Beauty is as beauty does.
2. Going postal.
3. Like sands through the hourglass....
4. She's all that.
5. Conspiracy theory.
6. Skin like a baby's behind.
7. Make like a banana and split.
8. Run, Forest, run.
9. Melts like butter.
10.The pitter-patter of little feet.

Of course, there are multitudes of these little buggers and we hear them, read them, write them everyday. The trick is to turn them on their heads, dust them off, spruce them up and make them surprisingly new & fresh - think dryer sheet dusted with sunshine. Avoid clichés like the creative garbage disposals they are.

For more fun you can check out a list at Clichés: Avoid them like the plague.

In the meantime, I have to make like a tree and trunk it over to my WIP.

Happy Writing,

Patti Struble