I once heard a writer say they’d written 7,000 words, but only 5,000 good ones -- I know what that feels like. Sometimes, when the thoughts are flowing, you just keep writing. Even though I realize not everything I write will wind up in my final work, I keep writing. There is always the chance I might use these words somewhere else later if I at least take the time to flesh out the thoughts fully. Likewise, there are events and places I'll put into a story only to take them out later because they just don't fit or because they prove to be distracting. I try to avoid distractions to keep the reader focused on what's important. I like to include enough detail so they can imagine a fully fleshed out world where the story is taking place, like the Aglow nightclub in Firebird's Nest.
The thoughts and musings of a man at the precipice of middle age, starting from his 50th birthday.
Monday, April 25, 2022
Want a Beer? All Aboard!
I once heard a writer say they’d written 7,000 words, but only 5,000 good ones -- I know what that feels like. Sometimes, when the thoughts are flowing, you just keep writing. Even though I realize not everything I write will wind up in my final work, I keep writing. There is always the chance I might use these words somewhere else later if I at least take the time to flesh out the thoughts fully. Likewise, there are events and places I'll put into a story only to take them out later because they just don't fit or because they prove to be distracting. I try to avoid distractions to keep the reader focused on what's important. I like to include enough detail so they can imagine a fully fleshed out world where the story is taking place, like the Aglow nightclub in Firebird's Nest.
Thursday, April 14, 2022
By Any Other Name
Along with creative titles for books and stories, I admire the appropriateness and cleverness of the names some authors come up with for their characters. I guess it probably started with Ponyboy and Sodapop in The Outsiders. Original and unforgettable. Sometimes names are pulled from history and inserted into a story to purposely push the characteristics of the original owner. Once in a great while, there is just certain poetry to the names being used which has to be admired -- Katniss Everdeen.
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I strive to be faithful to the timeline of the character as well. I don't think anyone could imagine giving a newborn today the name Percy, however, it was popular at a certain time in history. Likewise, I avoid names that have preconceived conflict attached to them. Some names will carry baggage forever and distract from the story.
I can't think of a time when I purposely used the name of someone I know in a story. I purposefully try to avoid it simply to avoid the real-world conflict that might arise. That doesn't mean that I haven't been tempted to name a villain in the story after a villain from my personal life or to use the name of a high school crush for a romantic interest in a book. Like all writers, I mine my experiences for bits and pieces of stories, but I shy away from including names and places where it all took place.
Once in a great while, there is a confluence of forces that brings a name to me just when it is needed. That happened recently. My current work in progress has a character who was nameless, not an unusual situation in an early draft. Then out of the blue, I got an email about another matter and the name of the sender was perfect for the character. Yoink! Lightning strikes.
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Tuesday, April 5, 2022
A Reading Tool -- Goodreads
Saturday, April 2, 2022
Karma With a Free Side Order
On the way to the Vet's, I needed to pick up a few items at the grocery store. Even with the poop packaged as I mentioned above, it could still let off an obnoxious scent. Since MacBeth was going to stay in the car and I didn’t want to imprison him with the smell, I took it with me. Once outside the vehicle, I hung it on the driver's side rearview mirror.
I can only surmise that someone saw a plastic bag with the store's name it hanging from the mirror and stole it assuming something valuable was inside. I snickered all the way from the store to the Vet's office thinking about the person who stole the bag, I imagined how it would go when they got home and were surprised by the object of their thievery inside the bag.
Karma's a bitch -- and sometimes it comes with a side of poop.
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