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The Bad Guy: Is He Making You Do Things You Shouldn’t?

Bad Guy Target Silho

 

The Bad Guy:  How do you deepen him making it integral to your plot?

In the first draft of your novel, are the villains were plain old stereotypes?

Mines were just bullies, through and through.   How could I create fully fledged three-dimensional characters?

Trying to deepen mine, I free-wrote scenes.  Suddenly the bully turned  into a goody-two-shoe!  How did I do that?

When I woke up the next day, a line of dialogue from this character spoke to me.  Next, I read over yesterday’s work.  I had wasted the whole day!

I started over. When the character spoke to me, she accidentally (?) shared her secret desire.  Bingo.  It felt real.  It felt right.  Now this bully is hanging around with me as I take a walk, wash the dishes, and empty the washing machine.

Don’t worry if your first draft, first ideas, or even second or third drafts don’t quite hit their mark.  We have to wade through our initial thoughts to discover the truth underneath it all.

Remember author Sid Fleischman’s words:  “Nothing is wasted except the paper.”  And in our electronic world, that’s not even an issue.

It’s all part of the process.

Writing Prompts:

  1.  What is your most useful way you deepen characters?  Do you hear their dialogue first?  Discover them through narration?  Illustrate them through art?
  2. Secondary characters are as important as major ones.  Think about them as much as you do your protagonist. Write a journal for them.  What is in their closet?
  3. Revising can be the most fun ever.  When those tidbits and discoveries click your plot comes together.  Write about your process on your latest project.  Save it!  Reread it before you begin your next writing.  It helps to see what has worked for us in the past.

 

 

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Fifth Grade Story Contest!

THE BERKELEY BRANCH of the CALIFORNIA WRITERS CLUB is proud to sponsor the
29th ANNUAL FIFTH GRADE STORY CONTEST for fifth grade students in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties
Teachers in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties may submit one story per student by any number of students.
ENTRY FEE IS $1.00 PER SUBMISSION.
1st Place will receive $100 2nd Place will receive $75 3rd Place will receive $50
and up to nine 4th-Place winners will receive $20.
All winners will be awarded certificates at a special ceremony, May or June date TBA. We will also present the teacher of the 1st-‐place winner with a cash award of $50.
Deadline: March 30, 2015
Winners will be announced May 15 on the Berkeley CWC website www.cwc-‐berkeley.org.
CONTEST RULES:
1. Only teachers may submit entries. Entries from students or parents are not accepted.
2. Stories must be original and the student’s own work.
3. Only one entry per student may be submitted. Teachers may submit any number of entries.
4. Entries must be typed, 12 point font, double-‐spaced, and may not exceed 1,000 words in length.
5. Postmark cannot be later than March 30, 2015.
6. Send to Story Contest 2320 Webster St. Berkeley CA 94705
7. Entries cannot be returned.
8. Please don’t send covers or artwork.
9. First page must include title of the story and the word count.
10. Do not write author’s name anywhere on the story.
11. On a separate sheet write the story’s title, student’s name, teacher’s name and email, and school’s name and address. (This sheet will be removed during judging.)
To help students produce their best work, we suggest that teachers encourage their students to consult guides on elements of the short story, such as http://www.coreygreen.com/storytips.html.
QUESTIONS? EMAIL [email protected]
The CALIFORNIA WRITERS CLUB is a 501(c) (3) educational nonprofit dedicated to educating members and the public-‐at-‐large in the craft of writing and in the marketing of their work.

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Aussie Makes Me Cry: Saying Goodbye & Writing with Heart

Sad Aussie

Today we visited our local animal shelter to donate clean rugs and towels.   My husband and I could feel the sadness as we walked inside.  People held or stood near their beloved dogs.  All were cloaked in an aura of grief.

What were their stories?  The dogs weren’t puppies.  These owners weren’t dropping off a holiday pup just because they didn’t want to go through the bother of house training.  As we walked passed the cages, dogs made eye contact with me, their tails wagging, as if crying out, “Hey, look at me! See how cute I am! Take me home!”

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered.  “We can’t.”  Zoie, our nearly eighteen-year-old Yorkie, wouldn’t put up with it.  And we’re having our hands full giving her what she needs as she copes with her dementia, loss of hearing, sight, and other health issues. We must wait.

These dogs can’t.

On the way out of the yips, barks, and crying, I see an Australian shepherd sitting next to two men.   I knew the answer to my question before I asked it.  “Are you adopting?”

They shook their heads no.  I bent down and scratched the dog, who repaid me with kisses.

“My sister is on dialysis, and can no longer keep him.  There’s been a lot of sobbing and goodbyes.  It’s breaking our hearts,” said the man holding the leash, slumped toward the dog.  His anguish spilled out.

“I’m so sorry,” I said.

Before I could say another word, an official came over.  “It’s time.”  He grabbed the leash, and the shepherd knew.  He pulled back, alarmed with fear.

With tears in my eyes, I beat a hasty retreat.

Writing Prompts

  1. Saying goodbye to animals, people and even places may be emotional and heartbreaking.  Do any of the characters in your writing say goodbye?  In your own life?  Write a story with a character or yourself in this situation.
  2. I know it won’t be long now before I must say goodbye to Zoie.  Although I’m trying to brace myself, I know I’ll be bereft when it happens.  I’ve lost friends, relatives, and my parents. Each experience filled me with grief, but later, with time, became moments of memories.  Write a scene showing those moments of joy and memories.
  3. How does the loss affect you today?  Create a poem, song, story, or another genre of art which expresses you.
  4. Living through tough times may be helped by keeping a journal.  Write about what you and your loved ones are going through helps you survive, appreciate the special moments of joy, and be creative.

 

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Is Self-Publishing for YOU? Discover Smashwords!

Jim Azevedo, Marketing Director of Smashwords, will reveal the best practices of the most commercially successful self-published Ebook authors at the next meeting of the Mt. Diablo Branch of the California Writers Club (CWC) on Saturday, January 10, 2015, at Zio Fraedo’s Restaurant, 611 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill.

Jim will discuss metadata–what it is and how to use it–leveraging viral catalysts to make your book stand out, using pre-orders, creating covers, and addressing global market opportunities.

He is the Marketing Director of Smashwords, the largest distributor of self-published Ebooks, serving about 100,000 independent authors, publishers, and literary agents. He is also the drummer for Rivals, a popular San Francisco Bay Area Indie rock band, and the author of the forthcoming book, How to Get Your Band Out of the Garage.

Sign-in is from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm. Luncheon 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm, including a short business meeting. Registration is $20 for CWC members, $25 for guests. Payment by cash or check.

Reservations are required, and must be received no later than noon on Wednesday, January 7th. Contact Robin at [email protected], or by phone at (925) 933-9670. Expect confirmation only if you e-mail your reservation.

For more information visit:  http://cwcmtdiablowriters.wordpress.com/

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Six Essential New Year Resolutions for Writers

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How to be the Most Productive and Inspired!

  1. Create a haven for which to write.  It might be in the middle of a busy coffee shop.  It could be in a library or on the subway.  Where do you write best?  Try out various settings.  I know one author who wrote in a closet for fifteen minutes before work.  She wrote several books this way!
  2. Set aside fifteen minutes a day to calm your mind and write.  Tune out list-making procedures and tune in to your intuition.  The best moments to get creative are when you daydream, awake from sleep, or are so relaxed you reach your most inspired moments. Wonder about a character, story, or idea.  Play what if . . .
  3. Notice one new sensory detail each day.  You can be at your desk, in a classroom, on a bus, or lounging in your favorite chair.
  4. Play a simile/metaphor game often. What do you see which reminds you of something else?  Find similarities between two random things.
  5. Read good writing.  Read more than you ever have before.  Keep a reading journal.  Jot down a wonderful word, image, phrase, or character you love from what you’ve read.
  6. Finally, don’t forget to PLAY!  Play in the snow, the sand, and the leaves.  Build with blocks.  Create a puzzle.  Act out charades.  Let go and have fun!
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