I was taught to write thank you notes. They’re pretty easy. “Dear Aunt Margaret, thank you for the sweater. I’m going to wear it to school.” Doesn’t matter if the sweater fit or not, or was the right color. Receive a gift. Write a thank you note. Condolence notes are harder. Sometimes we just don’t know what to say. Here are some ideas. Dear Friend, My sincere condolences at the loss of Henry. I miss him every day. Thinking of you with much love. Dear Elsie, I can only imagine how hard this must be. Please let me know what I can do. Hello Art, How are you doing? You’ve had to deal with so much. I’ll be near your house on Thursday. May I bring a meal? If you feel like visiting, we can have tea. Dear Aunt Susie, I am so sorry that Uncle Frank passed away. I…
Category: Just Write
Which Oz character are you?
As you know, there are two sides to every story (sometimes more, depending on the number of characters involved). Let’s look at The Wizard of Oz, the movie version, with different perspectives, different points of view. The Wizard: Wise and knowing? Or a fraud? Dorothy: Sweet and innocent? Or a spoiled orphan? Uncle Henry: Owner and Farm Manager? Or just a guy doing what he likes to do? Auntie Em: Home Sweet Home and apple pie? Or bossy? Hunk the farmhand/Scarecrow: Simple minded? Or observant and resourceful? Hickory the farmhand/Tin Man: A hunk of machine parts? Or kind and sensitive? Zeke the farmhand/ Cowardly Lion: A coward? Or a leader? Miss Gulch/Wicked Witch of the West: Mean and ornery? Or misunderstood? Glinda The Good Witch of the South: Too good to be true? Or conniving (why didn’t she tell Dorothy about the shoes when they first met?) Toto: Just a…
Use emotional experience for fiction
“Vietnamese American Vu Tran says when he writes fiction, he is less concerned about using any ‘factual experience’ he has had, but instead seeks to relate the ’emotional experience’ he has lived.” — The Writer Magazine, December 2015 When I read this, I sat up and paid attention. “Aha,” I thought, “Brilliant idea to tap into the emotional element of an experience and bring that into fiction writing.” Vu Tran used a traumatic event in his life to explain a pivotal character in his fiction. “. . . fiction writers can often have more impact if they draw on their emotional experiences rather than just relating what actually happened.” Vu Tran used this philosophy when writing Dragonfly (set in Las Vegas) while in Chicago. “. .. the distance from Las Vegas worried me at first. But I decided the emotional memory of Las Vegas . . . allowed me to…
Writing settles my soul —Rachael Herron
Today’s “Just Write” post is an excerpt of Holly Robinson’s interview of Rachael Herron. (Edited for brevity. Click on Huffpost link below to read entire interview.) Holly Robinson writes: One of my favorite things about being a writer is having the chance to meet other writers whose books I admire. I probably admire few books as much as I do Splinters of Light, my new friend Rachael Herron’s powerful, poignant, and surprisingly comic novel inspired by a People magazine article about the impact of early-onset Alzheimer’s on a woman and her family. In the hands of another writer, this topic could be dreary and depressing, but Rachael spins a story of resilience and love that leaves you believing in the healing power of family and forgiveness. Splinters of Light is a reading experience you won’t soon forget. Here’s a look at how Rachael works — she’s a prolific author of romance novels,…
Write to please yourself.
Stan Lee, creator of Marvel Comics superheroes, was interviewed by J. Rentilly for the December 2015 issue of The Costco Connection. Rentilly asked, “There are infinite theories about where creative ideas come from. Where do you think Ant-Man, Scarlet Witch or even the Destroyer, your very first comic book hero, comes from?” Stan Lee answered, “. . . you just think about it! You just sit down or walk around and probably have a big, dumb look on your face and you wonder, ‘What would I like to read? What kind of character would interest me?’” I like this part of his answer the best: “Please write stories that you think are great. Write to please yourself. That’s how I’ve always done it—not because I’m so desperate to please other people, but because I feel very genuinely that if I really love a story, then there must be a few…
Valentine’s Day Blog Hop
The Write Spot Blog is fortunate to have a friend like Francis H. Powell. Even though we have never met in person, Francis is an important part of The Write Spot’s history. He invited us to join a Blog Hop last Halloween and last Christmas and now. . . drum roll. . . Valentine’s Day Blog Hop. Before participating I had heard about blog hops, but didn’t really know what they were. Here’s how this Blog Hop works. When you click on Valentine’s Day Blog Hop (in future Write Spot posts), you land on Francis’ Blog Hop Landing Page. Scroll down and click on a name. Here is a brief summary of talented and creative writers participating in this Blog Hop. Francis H. Powell, author of Flight of Destiny and creator of fabulous Blog Hops. Latoya Wilson has beautiful photos on her website. She hopes her writing offers a warm…
Take a step. Start the journey.
Hey there. . . Hi! If you are a first-time visitor, Welcome! I’m glad you are browsing The Write Spot Blog. Welcome to all readers and subscribers. I’m always happy to have readers and contributors participate in The Write Spot Blog. “We” is me — a one-woman show. It’s just me, Marlene, offering inspiration and writing prompts to spark your writing. Prompts are posted on Wednesdays and Fridays. Use these prompts however they best work for you. One suggestion is to set your timer for 15-20 minutes. Sometimes the best writing gets done with the pressure of a deadline. Write fast and furious. Do not expect “perfect” writing. No one will read your freewrite, unless you invite them to. Freewrites come from within you and burst out during this time of writing freely. Sometimes when we’re writing freely, our mind takes a 90 degree turn and pretty soon we’re off,…
How many povs can be in one scene?
The question often pops up: How many points of view can be in one scene? The easy answer: One point of view per paragraph. The expanded answer: “If you have more than one character within a scene whose points of view are relevant, then you’ll need to use the omniscient pov.” Jordan E. Rosenfeld, Make A Scene. The omniscient narrator is all-knowing, able to move in and out of the thoughts of all the characters and to comment on events before and after the scene has happened. Jordan, an authority on writing, expands upon the idea of changing pov within a scene: “. . . you must make omniscient clear right away from the first paragraph in the scene. If the readers believes that he has only been able to see inside character A’s head, and then you suddenly leap into character B’s head, the reader will feel confused and…
Another POV choice: Free Indirect Speech
POV = Point of view. Point of view is . . . simply. . . from the point of view of whoever is telling the story. Writers get to choose who tells the story. It’s a very simple concept, made difficult by the many choice of who gets to tell the story: first person, second person, third person (limited, close, omniscient). Here’s another point of view choice: The Free Indirect Style. I’m posting about the free indirect style of point of view because I’m fascinated with learning new things and also because a friend, whom I admire and is an excellent writer said, “I have found that I use it [free indirect point of view] a lot in my writing, and always have, without even knowing that’s what it was. It’s a very “natural” voice for me and, I think, one that’s easy to read.” Ready? Here we go: “Free…
A Variety of Point of Views
Point of View (POV)- is the term to describe who is telling the story . . . or. . . who is narrating the story. Point of view is the story told from the narrator’s viewpoint and what the narrator’s relation is to the story, or . . . the distance between the narrator and the story, as well as the trustworthiness of the narrator. Involved narrator – the narrator is involved in the action as it unfolds Detached narrator – narrator is an objective observer or witness to the action Reliable narrator – a narrator whose account and perceptions we can trust Unreliable narrator – a narrator whose own ignorance, mental or emotional state, age, prejudice, etc. may distort or limit his or her perceptions Free indirect style – a lesser know POV, a style of third-person narration, using some of the characteristics of third-person along with the essence…