October 4, 2012
So, on Monday, I took up a writing challenge and put out an open invitation to others to join in.
(BTW, that invitation is still well and truly open so if you haven’t had a chance to throw your bit into the ring yet, please do! Click the blue ‘Monday’ above.)
I was delighted to see how many people responded and how good their snippets of work were. If you haven’t seen them yet, do have a look and if you feel inclined, I’m sure the contributors would love your feedback.
I was expecting to enjoy reading the work. What was an unexpected pleasure was finding two little gems of ‘advice’ that I can use immediately in my current manuscript.
The first was this one, from Bella
One thing that always works for me is to have an “out of body” experience. That’s when I have a look at what’s currently taking place as if I were a spectator of the tragedy or comedy unfolding before me. No longer am I the protagonist, but instead, a bystander who is able to observe so she can later recount what she has witnessed.
She was talking about finding inspiration for a blog post, but it burst upon me as a way to overcome the slight block I’ve been experiencing in my story. I need to get some of my characters through a list of tasks and wasn’t sure how to approach it. But this has made me realise that perhaps I’m overthinking it. I’m well into this story. These characters are well fleshed-out now, with personalities and ideas of their own. Maybe what I need to do is just give them the task list, perch like the proverbial fly on the wall and watch what they do.
If you’re not a writer, that may sound extremely odd, but if you are, you might like to try it too. I know it’s made me excited about writing these scenes I’ve been avoiding, and I’m all for anything that can do that!
The other little nugget of wonderful was from Jett, who said this:
As a rule, I want each character to be interesting enough – even if they only have a couple lines – that if I had to I could write a story on them.
This is an excellent reminder. I once read somewhere – I think it was in Stephen King’s, On Writing, that every character in a scene thinks they’re the protagonist and as writers, we need to remember that. If a character doesn’t bring wants and needs to a scene, he or she shouldn’t be in it – or the story. Since my ‘list of tasks’ involves several minor characters and a hovering bad guy (who thinks he’s a good guy) this is a timely reminder for me. So thanks, Jett!
Incidentally, Jett has recently set up a Kickstarter for what sounds like a fascinating project dealing with unknown women’s history. He was too polite to mention it in his comment, but this is a subject close to my heart, so I’m doing it now! Check it out his post about it here.
So I’m off to get some scenes done in the story, refreshed by an unexpected source. What about you? Have you had any serendipitous moments of clarity?
Posted by Imelda Evans in Wednesday Whatever, Work In Progress (WIP) Tags: Blogging, Challenge, Kickstarter, Writer's Life, Writing, Writing craft, Writing tips
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Today (their time) my American friends (and, if I think about it, a whole bunch of Americans I don’t know) are celebrating Thanksgiving.
Those of you who follow this blog (may blessing rain upon you for making a writer happy) might remember that, at the start of October, I decided to try to go light on the internet during 
For what is I think the third week in a row (no, not looking it up, it will only depress me and waste time I don’t have) I am getting my Monday on Writing post up on Tuesday.
