How to Read Like a Writer. Ask Yourself These Questions

1Q/2013 Notes from the Whole Novel Workshop Ten Tips for Revision: How to read like a writer. Ask yourself these questions. In The Primed Mind (Holy yourself. Just make some Cow Press), Alexandria notes about the smell of the 1. What does my character(s) want? LaFaye’s forthcoming book coffee, the swirl of the cream on writing, she calls on on top, and the people 2. Is the plot grounded in readers to look at text populating the coffee shop. logic? (Even if it’s a differently. She asks us to fantasy, there is the logic read like a writer, or to Reading Description. When of the created world.) practice what Alexandria you read, notice how familiar 3. Does my plot build via calls forms analysis. The things are described in a text. escalating cause and skills it takes for a reader to A town may be small and effect? decode the threads of writing dusty. Or it might be nothing are ones that require a bit of more than a map dot with a 4. How much backstory should practice, thought, and Texaco, a closed down Post I have? (None.) attention. But once the code Office, and three wild biddy is cracked, books become a chickens running down Main 5. How much interior resource of craft writing for Street from Mr. Holgram’s monologue should I almost every story, plot, chicken house with his two include. (Almost none.) character, or problem. year old broke fence that 6. Are my nouns doing Where to start? he’s still hoping to fix.” Using double duty for setting specific language and detail and character? Seeing and doing. It’s the gives a manuscript a “poetic job of every writer to create register” that should support 7. Are my verbs active and interesting? and decorate the literary the tone of the overall story. landscape of his or her novel. Next time you read, take a 8. Do I have too many tags We do that by first living, highlighter to description. for characters with too looking at everything in our What are the specific many adverbs? environment and concrete details that draw 9. Am I using clichéd body experiencing as much of life pictures in your mind as a parts? as possible. Alexandria calls reader? What mood do it the raw material of fiction. those word evoke? Can you 10. Am I writing my story So next time you are out apply that same practice to “big” or am I holding having a latte instead of butt your own writing? back? in chair, don’t be so hard on (continued...) HIGHLIGHTS FOUNDATION WHOLE NOVEL WORKSHOP 1Q/2013 Fresh is better. While you are working through the description random& in the novel you are reading, make a note if some image or Resources for your writing from the Whole Novel Workshop comparison strikes you as 1Q/2013 particularly interesting. At the March 2013 Whole Novel Workshop, we shared articles and Alexandria reminds us that fresh advice about the craft of writing. Here’s a roundup of ideas that comparisons of familiar things resonated with our group. are “the hallmark of style,” and ✔ “Imagery and the Third Eye.” Stephen King. Wordplay. This for readers, there’s almost article gives great advice for writers who think in details rather than nothing more satisfying than a visual pictures when it comes to the setting and fictional people of good turn of a phrase. So, pay their manuscripts. It makes a huge difference, and Stephen King attention to your own similes tells us how he does it. http://www.wordplayer.com/pros/pr13.King.Stephen.html and metaphors and extended metaphors. If they seem tired, ✔ Here’s a quick infographic on How To Write a Scene in 11 Steps they probably are. Play around by Ryan Rivard. http://ryan-rivard.com/blog/2013/sharing-the-scene a little with your comparisons to keep it fresh and new. ✔ “Don’t Look Back: The Problem with Backstory” by Benjamin Percy. Poets & Writers. This article was in the November/December issue of the magazine and isn’t offered online. You can order the Write it slant. This goes along single issue on your Kindle or via snail mail ($10) or go to your local with another lecture from the library to check it out. This article gives great examples of how March Whole Novel Workshop. backstory can be incorporated into the forward narrative of a story. Cut the backstory and interior Interesting reading! Benjamin Percy has a new book coming out in monologue. Let the characters’ May. Catch him on tour if you can! http://www.pw.org/content/dont_look_back own words hint to the reader what has happened and what is ✔ “Storyboarding Your Way Out of the Forest” by Tami Lewis to come. When Alexandria’s Brown. This is a blog post written in February 2013 on Tami’s blog character Heirah (The Year of Writing Dangerously. Tami uses this technique with students at the the Sawdust Man) is criticized Whole Novel Workshop, and it’s a winner. http://tamilewisbrown.com/storyboard-your-way-out-of-the-forest/ for starting a fire, she says, “I could also pack up and leave.” HIGHLIGHTS FOUNDATION WHOLE NOVEL WORKSHOP 1Q/2013 The reader is given insights into The best advice this week was one Heirah’s character without any you’ve probably heard over and hint of backstory or interior over. If you are going to write, you monologue. It’s not needed. must read. Once you become Like a good poker player, keep skilled at “reading for writing,” your hand close when writing you can begin to see how authors solve craft problems in their work. characters, using inference Books become your teachers. rather than straight-on telling. What have you read lately? Notes from the Whole Novel Workshop is a quarterly newsletter to help keep you connected and motivated with your Noteswriting. from Let the us knowWhole how Novel you Workshop are progressing, is a quarterly what’s newsletter working for to you, help and keep what you success connectedes youand aremotivated having withalong your the writing.Email Helen Let us Hemphill know how at [email protected] you are progressing, what’s to share working your for news you, and and information. what success es you are having along the way! Email Helen Hemphill at [email protected] to share your news and information. .

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