Fran Shaff's Blog - Posts Tagged "writers"
News and Tips
I haven't updated my latest news here for a while so I'm going to do that before I post a few writing tips.
It is exciting to see that "Married While Intoxicated" (romantic comedy) is the # 1 BESTSELLER in short humor at Smashwords.com, and it is the # 4 Bestseller in short romance there.
Blurb: Ever do anything ill advised while under the influence? Melinda and Matthew did.
See the video for "Married While Intoxicated" at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUmHlf...
"Married While Intoxicated" is available at major Internet E-Book Stores.
"Male Fraud," a romantic comedy novella is in the release stage. It is currently available at Amazon Kindle and is coming soon to B&N, Sony Books, I-Books, Kobo Books and more.
Blurb: Terry Fiscus disguises herself as a man in order to get a job as trainer for the pro football Chicago Cyclones. When Coach Dan Barringer meets Terry outside of work and gets to know her as the lovely "Teresa" he falls in love, and so does she. As Terry tries to manage her double life things get complicated and very funny.
See the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPQ1Cj...
"Male Fraud" has just started its own page at Facebook. I'd appreciate readers stopping by to "Like" it.
Here's the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Male-Fr...
This week's writing tips:
1. When rejection or unfair criticism rear their ugly heads, writers should take a moment to get out a piece of work which they believe they've written really well. They should read it and know their only defeat comes when they allow rejection or unfair criticism to stop them from writing. There isn't a writer alive, no matter how successful they are in every sense of the word, who hasn't been rejected, given a bad review or had their work otherwise disparaged.
2. It's a good idea for writers to make time everyday to write even if it's only a few minutes.
3. Writers need to take a little time to celebrate accomplishments before getting back to work, no matter how many deadlines are looming.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week, full of spring sunshine.
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff
It is exciting to see that "Married While Intoxicated" (romantic comedy) is the # 1 BESTSELLER in short humor at Smashwords.com, and it is the # 4 Bestseller in short romance there.
Blurb: Ever do anything ill advised while under the influence? Melinda and Matthew did.
See the video for "Married While Intoxicated" at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUmHlf...
"Married While Intoxicated" is available at major Internet E-Book Stores.
"Male Fraud," a romantic comedy novella is in the release stage. It is currently available at Amazon Kindle and is coming soon to B&N, Sony Books, I-Books, Kobo Books and more.
Blurb: Terry Fiscus disguises herself as a man in order to get a job as trainer for the pro football Chicago Cyclones. When Coach Dan Barringer meets Terry outside of work and gets to know her as the lovely "Teresa" he falls in love, and so does she. As Terry tries to manage her double life things get complicated and very funny.
See the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPQ1Cj...
"Male Fraud" has just started its own page at Facebook. I'd appreciate readers stopping by to "Like" it.
Here's the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Male-Fr...
This week's writing tips:
1. When rejection or unfair criticism rear their ugly heads, writers should take a moment to get out a piece of work which they believe they've written really well. They should read it and know their only defeat comes when they allow rejection or unfair criticism to stop them from writing. There isn't a writer alive, no matter how successful they are in every sense of the word, who hasn't been rejected, given a bad review or had their work otherwise disparaged.
2. It's a good idea for writers to make time everyday to write even if it's only a few minutes.
3. Writers need to take a little time to celebrate accomplishments before getting back to work, no matter how many deadlines are looming.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week, full of spring sunshine.
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff
Technique and Personal Experience in Writing
If a writer wants to learn more about his craft he will find many, many books and articles available which discuss the techniques of writing.
Personally, I've read dozens of books about writing. Most of them are good. Like many other writers, I have a few favorites. These treasured teachers helped me a great deal in the beginning of my career. One or two of my old friends assist me with every project I write.
Despite the fact that an abundance of good writing books are available to inquisitive writers, it seems we are always looking for more helpful advice from fellow writers and editors. Why? Because writing is a very complicated job. Because writing good books is a difficult job. And because writers are sensitive people who often lose confidence in their abilities and need "coaching" occasionally which will reassure them that they do have the ability to continue to produce quality work--provided they are willing to work hard enough to reach their goals.
However, as important as it is to keep writing skills honed by reading good books and articles on writing, it is an author's heart which enhances the specialness or uniqueness of any literary creation.
Technique, skill and a good command of language are very important to the production of quality writing. Equally important are the one-of-a-kind insights a writer brings to her project. No one has lived the life of a particular individual except that person. No one has seen things the way he sees them. No one has made his identical choices, experienced his life history, related to his particular parents as he has.
So, writers, read, study, learn your craft well, then use what you've learned in books and in life. Let your heart guide your stories as completely as you let your intellect integrate your crafting skills into your next project. The more personal your story, the more enjoyment you'll give your readers.
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff
Personally, I've read dozens of books about writing. Most of them are good. Like many other writers, I have a few favorites. These treasured teachers helped me a great deal in the beginning of my career. One or two of my old friends assist me with every project I write.
Despite the fact that an abundance of good writing books are available to inquisitive writers, it seems we are always looking for more helpful advice from fellow writers and editors. Why? Because writing is a very complicated job. Because writing good books is a difficult job. And because writers are sensitive people who often lose confidence in their abilities and need "coaching" occasionally which will reassure them that they do have the ability to continue to produce quality work--provided they are willing to work hard enough to reach their goals.
However, as important as it is to keep writing skills honed by reading good books and articles on writing, it is an author's heart which enhances the specialness or uniqueness of any literary creation.
Technique, skill and a good command of language are very important to the production of quality writing. Equally important are the one-of-a-kind insights a writer brings to her project. No one has lived the life of a particular individual except that person. No one has seen things the way he sees them. No one has made his identical choices, experienced his life history, related to his particular parents as he has.
So, writers, read, study, learn your craft well, then use what you've learned in books and in life. Let your heart guide your stories as completely as you let your intellect integrate your crafting skills into your next project. The more personal your story, the more enjoyment you'll give your readers.
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff
Fun With Characters
Writers might disagree whether plot or characters come first when they are fleshing out a story, but they probably all agree great characters are essential to great stories.
Think about it--almost every story we remember, we remember because of the terrific characters.
Series in books, movies and television are successful because of compelling characters, in most cases. Whether the characters are vampires, detectives, cowboys, southern belles, knights, aliens or comic figures, there is something so irresistible about them we readers/viewers keep coming back for more because we love the characters a writer has created.
Here is a great example of the importance of character: the Lucy character in "I Love Lucy" was created for television back in the 1950s when TV was in its infancy. Anyone who has ever seen this series knows the story lines are virtually all the same--Lucy pulls a prank or tries to get into show business, Ricky (her husband) gets angry with her, and, in the end, they're as in love as ever, no matter what terrible thing went on between them. It isn't the cliched plots of the stories which have kept this series on television for more than six decades, it's Lucy's character. Thousands of people, maybe millions, truly "Love" Lucy.
One of the most important things a writer should keep in mind while developing his characters is this: a character should generate his or her own stories. For example, in the movie "The Pacifier" Vin Diesel plays the part of a Navy SEAL who's mission puts him in charge of the care of several children from infancy to teens. This man has NO experience with children. He is pure Navy SEAL--and he behaves like the tough guy he routinely needs to be while carrying out his usually dangerous missions.
In other words, the Diesel character stays true to who he is and he "generates his own story" just as a well-developed character should. Whatever situation a character might be in, he must react to his circumstances in a true, honest way. If he doesn't readers (and viewers) will walk away from a writer's stories.
Writers, and readers who just want to have some fun, try this exercise. Select a character or maybe a group of characters you know well, and play the "what if" game with them. Put them in unusual or challenging situations and, staying true to who these people are, let them generate their own stories according to who they are and the situation they are in.
Examples
1. What if -- cowboy Clint Eastwood found himself at a quilting bee?
2. What if -- Mickey Mouse was called to be a clergyman?
3. What if -- two or three characters (you choose which ones) from the TV series "Friends" were trapped in a gas station during a tornado with two or three characters from the "Twilight" movie series?
Fans as well as writers should have fun with an exercise like this, but writers might just also find something helpful they can use when developing characters for their next stories.
Have a great week!
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
Fran's Web Page
Think about it--almost every story we remember, we remember because of the terrific characters.
Series in books, movies and television are successful because of compelling characters, in most cases. Whether the characters are vampires, detectives, cowboys, southern belles, knights, aliens or comic figures, there is something so irresistible about them we readers/viewers keep coming back for more because we love the characters a writer has created.
Here is a great example of the importance of character: the Lucy character in "I Love Lucy" was created for television back in the 1950s when TV was in its infancy. Anyone who has ever seen this series knows the story lines are virtually all the same--Lucy pulls a prank or tries to get into show business, Ricky (her husband) gets angry with her, and, in the end, they're as in love as ever, no matter what terrible thing went on between them. It isn't the cliched plots of the stories which have kept this series on television for more than six decades, it's Lucy's character. Thousands of people, maybe millions, truly "Love" Lucy.
One of the most important things a writer should keep in mind while developing his characters is this: a character should generate his or her own stories. For example, in the movie "The Pacifier" Vin Diesel plays the part of a Navy SEAL who's mission puts him in charge of the care of several children from infancy to teens. This man has NO experience with children. He is pure Navy SEAL--and he behaves like the tough guy he routinely needs to be while carrying out his usually dangerous missions.
In other words, the Diesel character stays true to who he is and he "generates his own story" just as a well-developed character should. Whatever situation a character might be in, he must react to his circumstances in a true, honest way. If he doesn't readers (and viewers) will walk away from a writer's stories.
Writers, and readers who just want to have some fun, try this exercise. Select a character or maybe a group of characters you know well, and play the "what if" game with them. Put them in unusual or challenging situations and, staying true to who these people are, let them generate their own stories according to who they are and the situation they are in.
Examples
1. What if -- cowboy Clint Eastwood found himself at a quilting bee?
2. What if -- Mickey Mouse was called to be a clergyman?
3. What if -- two or three characters (you choose which ones) from the TV series "Friends" were trapped in a gas station during a tornado with two or three characters from the "Twilight" movie series?
Fans as well as writers should have fun with an exercise like this, but writers might just also find something helpful they can use when developing characters for their next stories.
Have a great week!
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
Fran's Web Page
