Category: Prompts

Physical gestures do more than enhance dialogue . . .

Writing dialogue usually includes physical gestures— those things we do when we talk.

You don’t have to be exceptionally creative to write realistic action while your characters are dialoguing. Just write whatever it is they are doing:  fingers drumming, shoulders twitching, cell phone glancing, eyes wandering, forehead scratching. So much nonverbal communication going on. Just don’t be boring about it . . . no fingers twirling hair, no lip biting. Like clichés, these are over-used physical gestures.

Here’s what Steven James says in the January 2016 issue of the Writer’s Digest magazine, “If you find your character brushing his nose or repositioning his chair or crossing legs and so forth for no other reason than to provide a respite from the dialogue, recast the scene.

Just as dialogue should reveal the intention of the characters so should the actions that they take while they’re speaking. When we read that a character folded his arms, we’ll naturally wonder why he’s doing that. What is it meant to convey about his attitude or emotional response to what’s happening? Don’t confuse your readers by inserting needless movement. Rather, include action only as long as it adds to the scene or enriches it. If the action doesn’t convey anything essential, drop it.”

Actions and non-verbal communication:

Fingers drumming, arms crossed: Bored, really doesn’t want to listen, disagrees with what is being said. Could be a superior attitude, could be a defensive mechanism.

Twitching, sighing, avoiding eye contact, wandering eyes: Nervous, anxious, being secretive, feeling overwhelmed.

Here’s your mission, if you decide to accept it: Observe actions at coffee shops, in stores, shopping malls, at parties, wherever people gather. Make a list of what people do while engaged in conversation. Pull out your list next time you are writing dialogue.

Writing Prompt: Make a list of things people do while conversing.

You are invited to join our Festive Spirit Blog Hop . . . just as carolers stroll while entertaining, Francis A. Powell has organized several bloggers to entertain and inform us. Hop on over to Powell’s home page. Scroll down, choose a name, click on it and you will be transported to another dimension.  Enjoy!

‘Twas the night before the party and all through the house, everyone was hurrying with too much to do, even the mouse!

Sound familiar? I was frustrated with too much scurrying before I learned strategies about how to manage holiday stress. As I gathered ideas, I felt calm and at peace. Let’s create an enjoyable holiday season.  It does involve list making. So get some paper and a pen. These lists will help you focus on making your holidays less stressful and more enjoyable.

The six key steps to reduce holiday stress are inventory, decide, accept, choose favorites, enlist and manage.

Take inventory. Make a list of all the extra activities you do during the holidays. Be sure to include baking, making crafts, decorating, cleaning, helping at church, attending parties, shopping, wrapping, making travel plans, driving around to see decorations and meeting guests at the airport.

Next: Go through your inventory list and cross out the activities that have little value to you, or that you don’t enjoy.

Decide what you value about the holidays. Make a list of what is important to you during the holidays. Take a look at what works for your family and what no longer has meaning.

Decide which activities are realistic and cross off the ones that are difficult to achieve. Decide which  traditions are truly meaningful and which are merely habitual. Choose one activity you can skip this year. After the holidays, if it felt wrong, you can always reinstate that activity next year.

Acceptance will help you create a celebration that meets your unique needs. As you evaluate your list, look at what you don’t like about your holiday celebration. Decide if it’s changeable, or if you need to accept it. Sometimes compromise is an acceptable solution.

Choose favorites. Ask family members what they liked best about last year’s holiday season and what they would enjoy doing this year. Sometimes the simplest activities get the highest ratings. Try to pick one activity or food to please each person. Rather than making twenty different kinds of cookies, make only one or two favorites.

I used to think I had to have homemade gifts for everyone and participate in glittery crafts. When I admitted I don’t like craft-making, I felt lighter and more energetic to do the things I enjoy.

There is no one right way to celebrate. Take control of the celebration and shape it to conform to your wishes and values.

Enlist help from family members and friends. Show them your to-do lists and ask for help. We invited several families to our house last year for a holiday celebration. I absolutely needed help. I made a complete list of everything that had to be done, using such categories as furniture (rearranging), drinks (arranging glasses and chilling bottles), tables (setting up extra tables), cars (making room for guests’ cars), food (preparation and serving), miscellaneous and laundry (yes, I even included this on the to-do list). When family members saw all that had to be done, they were very willing to help.

Manage holiday stress by taking care of yourself. The obvious is to eat well, get enough rest, avoid sugar and alcohol. The not so obvious is to remember to release stress through gentle stretching, brisk walking, listening to soothing music, practicing yoga or whatever helps to de-stress and relax.

Many of these ideas are from Unplug the Christmas Machine, by Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli.

The main components of a successful holiday season are to be aware and choose wisely.

Make conscious choices about how you want to celebrate the holidays. Decide what is important and what no longer works.

If we follow this plan, our new story could be, ‘Twas the night before the party and all through the house, everyone was sleeping peacefully, even the host and hostess.

Writing Prompt: Write a magical, whimsical, unrealistic, impractical, not-gonna-happen holiday scene.

Then: Write a practical holiday scene. . . using ideas from your lists: Take inventory, decide, accept, choose favorites, enlist and manage.

With new ways of thinking and some planning, you will create a holiday you can enjoy.