Ivy Keating's Blog - Posts Tagged "writersblog"

When you ask someone's opinion, whether it's on a book you've written or how you look in a new sweater, you open yourself up to criticism. But, how do you know when to listen to advice or ignore it? How do you know what's right or wrong for you?

The first thing to consider is, who is giving you the advice? Does this person have expertise in the field? In the example of writing a book, if the critique is from a publisher, the critique should be considered seriously.

Next, think about your expertise on the subject. In the example of writing a book, are you a new author? If you are, then definitely listen to criticism. This doesn't mean you have to change anything, but it's definitely a learning opportunity.

Most importantly, understand yourself. What are your limitations? What do you need help with? What are you good at? What are you confident about? You must really know you and be secure with what you are presenting. This will help you know from within if a change is needed.

The decision to change something about your work or wardrobe has to feel right for you. Keep an open mind to feedback, particularly from people who have knowledge on the subject, but the final decision must come from within.

A great character in a book is similar to a good friend in the sense that they're both someone we want to spend time with. But, unlike our good buddies, great characters can be rotten to the core. So, what is it about certain fictional players that draw us in? Three of my favorite attributes are their intrigue, image, and depth.

Intrigue is what about them holds our interest. It's why someone should care about the character. What personality traits do they have that make them unique, or what behaviors do they exhibit that a reader could empathize with.

Image is what the reader makes a character out to look like. We don't really need to know if the protagonist has straight hair or curly, but if we can picture them-it closes the gap between our worlds.

My favorite trait to analyze is depth. Depth is how solid the character is. Can I get a feel for how they would act in any circumstance: even outside the story? Does the player feel authentic? This is done by showing the character's actions in a variety of situations and, every time, showing their behaviors are true to their personality and physical limitations. If a character is flawed or chaotic or rotten to the core-their actions still must make sense for their reality.

If you're a writer, think about the characters you've created and analyze them. If they're bland, inconsistent, or hard to imagine, they will have a negative impact on your story. Interesting, well developed, players will be the ones readers want to hang out with.

Tomorrow is election day, so I thought a blog about 'decisions' is fitting. Every decision we make helps shape our lives. So what can we do to guarantee we're making the best choices?

When making an important decision, it's helpful to consider if you can stand by your choice regardless of the result.

Before I was offered a contract for 'Camouflage,' a publishing house asked me to make changes to the story. I had to decide if their requests were purely subjective or based on their industry expertise. It's important to know what warrants change and what doesn't.

Here are three questions to ask yourself in the midst of a difficult decision: 1) What are the options? 2) Which choices will help attain my goal? and 3) Is my decision based on knowledge, research, and/or facts?

If you can answer the questions above, and feel comfortable with your answers, you are likely on the right track.

It's good to know our decisions make a difference. It gives us a feeling of control. In an election, our vote is not a deciding factor, but in our own lives we have the power to steer our destiny.

This blog is not about the cool music group from the 90's. It's actually about a no-no in writing. I used to wonder why parts of my story were zooming by. It turned out, I had a couple of passages with talking heads. This is when there's dialogue with no action.

I didn't recognize it as a problem at first because I thought it was an exciting read. One character said something–– right away the other responded–– then the first person commented–– and back and forth it went.

The problem is that it's limited. People rarely talk without moving, getting distracted, getting interrupted, taking a sip of a beverage, etc. If you write with only 'talking heads,' the reader will not get a true picture of the scene and it limits character development.

Here's an example:

"Hi hun, what are you doing?"
"Finishing up some work."
"Okay I'm going to watch TV.
"I'll join you soon."


Here's an example with actions added:

"Hi hun, what are you doing?" He took quick steps out of the kitchen toward the living room with a soda and bag of chips.
"Finishing up some work." She took a big breath and let it out, then slumped back in her seat in front of the computer.
"Okay, I'm going to watch TV." He stopped behind her chair and leaned over to give her a kiss on the back of her head.
"I'll join you soon." She smiled and moved her fingers back over the keys.

Actions give context to a scene and flushes out the characters. In the first example, you really don't get a feel for who these people are. In the second example, you can draw some assumptions about them.

If you're a writer, help the reader really get to know your characters. How they act is just as important as what they're saying. A well developed scene will have more than 'talking heads.'

We all have feelings of being stressed, overworked, or a whole host of negative conditions. It's often important to get to the source of these issues, but sometimes an in-between step of 'distraction' can be helpful.

There's a common saying, "Negotiate from a position of strength." This can apply to how we handle our mental health. Finding an activity to take our mind off what's fueling any extreme state can help restore calm and make us stronger.

For me, writing is a great distraction. It even works if I start at my laptop when I'm stressed or angry, because inevitably there's a character that imbues the same state. Now I have the benefit of drawing from a feeling I'm relating to. In 'Sarana and the Dark King', the Dark King is an evil character. I'll never reach his depravity, but I allow my emotions to give me a starting point.

A temporary distraction gives us time to gain perspective. Once back in a calmer state, it may feel like we gain that "position of strength" that helps us work things out.

Next time you find yourself overwhelmed, overstressed, or any negative over-the-top feeling, find something to distract yourself for a little while. You won't forget about the difficulty, but you'll be in a stronger place to handle it.

Writers can let their imagination run wild, especially when writing fantasy or science fiction. A key to the success of these genres is the author's ability to arouse the curiosity in readers, while seamlessly immersing them in a made-up world.

One of the most important skills I discovered while writing a science fiction and a fantasy is the need to express myself clearly. Not every prehistoric creature has four legs—some slither like snakes, and others fly. It's amazing how easy it is to take for granted that someone knows what you're talking about just because you have a clear vision of it. In everyday life, poor communication leads to misunderstandings. In a novel, ambiguity leads to distraction from the story.

This spring, let your imagination go wild. Step outside and daydream, or relax with a good book. Maybe even try writing. It doesn't have to be a novel; a few sentences about your day, or what super power you wish you had can be most enjoyable. And remember, if you're writing for yourself just go with it. But if you're writing to share with others, clarity is key!

Writing a novel, authors are mindful to 'show' what a character is experiencing versus 'tell'. But, why is this strategy critical when it comes to feelings? Showing helps the author create characters with depth, and we're more apt to love the players we can relate to - whether they're good or evil.

How a character responds to events will enhance their development by giving us clues to their emotions. One of my favorite scenes in 'Sarana and the Dark King' is when Sarana, on the eve before battle, literally lets her hair down in front of Cabe. This simple act lets the reader know something inside her is changing. It's a moment when her inner strength triumphs over vulnerability. If I simply wrote, "Sarana felt empowered," the reader would be deprived of the vision of her going from weighted-in-fabric to exposed and free. We gain insight into her emotions, and we can contemplate our own.

Take a moment and think about how your favorite hero or villain copes with the world around them. Note that, even if your character is in a Science-Fiction world, it's their feelings that you can consistently relate to. In 'Camouflage' I can assume no reader has ever been chased by a deadly, prehistoric creature; however, "showing" description can cause a reader to clench their jaw or widen their eyes. We can experience joy, love, hatred or terror, from a safe distance. When you reflect on a story, and think about your favorite scene, it's often your emotional reaction that heightens its significance.

The author that writes their story by "showing" rather than "telling" will give readers greater insight into their character's feelings. The impact on our own emotions is what transcends a novel from good to heart-pounding fantastic!