MAGAZINE

Febr

uary

/Mar

ch 2

014

WRITING WHIMSY isn’t always the easiest thing.Take a peek at some tips!

Get some quick DIALOGUE TIPSFind some advice on CHARACTER POWERS

What you need to know about the PLANNING PHASE of your novel

Read about the BEAUTY OF POETRY

Letter from the Editor

There’ve been a few hold-backs for this issue, but it’s finally here! I hope it was worth the wait.

The theme for February/March is Wonderland! This issue features articles on writing whimsical fantasy, character powers, starting to plan your novel, and the beauty of poetry. Also, get a pep talk from The Write Life this month as it talks about how to know if you’re a writer, some tips on dialogue, and a couple of fun writing prompts.

Don’t forget to check out the book and movie reviews too! There’s a book by G.K. Chesterton (by a new contributor!) and the relatively new movie Saving Mr. Banks.

I really love doing this magazine, because I get to do so many of my favorite things: web design, graphic design, writing, writing about writing… But I also think it’s the greatest thing in the world that I’m able to make other people feel excited too. It’s the best feeling when people tell me their reaction to seeing their name in print, and how thrilled they were to have their work published and publicly viewed. I think that’s worth this whole thing right there. Making people so happy.

I hope all of you readers are enjoying this magazine, because that’s important to me too. And I hope it’s also helpful for you guys to reach your dreams, even if it just keeps you motivated. Because dreams are important!

We really appreciate your support. Thanks for reading!

Tale Magazine

EditorMJ

Contributors MJCatsi EceerC.M. DavidsonK.E HavenJosephine Paige

Art & Graphic DesignMJJosephine Paige

ProofreaderMJ

Visit us online.Find back issues, news, profiles, and more at www.talemagazine.wordpress.com!

CONTENTS

4 Poetry Corner

6 Paperclips

12 Movie Review

13 Book Review

14 Writing, Catsi Style

18 Writing Whimsy

20 The Tanglewood Times

24 The Write Life

26 Inspire Me (Writing Prompts)

27 Talk

It’s no good.I said finally, throwing down my pen,This nonsense—putrid, hateful stuff—

Trying too hard; I just don’t write funny.It’s not for my humble touch to coax the

ridiculous outThough often I see where she has been—

I catch her not.A wonderland I’ve never found,

In all my musings grim there seems a touch,

A solemn nod, the miserable dry preacher forever reading the same sermon

To an empty church. I wish much to relieve it—

But I cannot.Oh, if I had but Caroll’s touch, if with

Wodehouse’s booming peal,With all the comic jollicry, I was but

endowed—But therein lies the rub.

Every author must know how to laugh.But some can take the laugh and catch and

make it fast

P O E T R Y C O R N E R

HumorlessC.M. Davidson

P O E T R Y C O R N E R

Force it to serve with lightening sweetness Their furrowed pens—

I am not one.I love to laugh, have often

laughed So much as to make men

wonder had I lost my mindAnd laughing, thought I

should at least another’s pretty wit remember

But I have not. And so, my friends, my

merry friendsLaugh, yet while you mayTime is short, and much I

wishI could help it by.

Hum’rous writings yet escape me,

The height of the ridiculous; unscaleable.

I wish for humor daily in my prayers, hope to find it yet

But I cannot. 

 

PAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSJOSEPHINE PAIGE

“A poem begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness.” ~Robert Frost

What makes poetry different from other writing?

My history class, earlier in the year, had a rather long and wonderful discussion about poetry, and that was one of the questions my teacher asked. Why is poetry different? The answers varied--Poems rhyme, the follow a rhythm, etc.

But of course this was followed up by, “Not all poetry rhymes,” which is completely true and should not be ignored.

Our class was quiet--This could have been because everyone was pondering the deeper meaning of truth and beauty, or because they were waiting for someone else to answer. It was an online class--I couldn’t actually see their faces, so I have no idea. Whatever the cause of the silence, it became awkward enough that I determined to take a jab at the answer, regardless of how incredibly wrong I was. So I gathered what little courage I had and went off on a long and strange tangent about feelings and poetry and human nature or something like that. I think all the kids in that class now hate me for being a teacher’s pet and a nerd, but that’s besides the point. The point is, novels, short stories, essays - They appeal to your brain, your imagination. They tell you a story or a combination of facts. Prose speaks to the mind, but poetry is different. Poetry is about a feeling. It speaks to

PAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSTHOUGHTS OF A TEENAGE GIRL

your soul, it appeals to your emotions.Poetry is when an author paints a picture,

and with the paint he writes a message on your heart. It’s when you read a combination of words, and suddenly you feel like crying, or you want to hug someone, or laugh or dance. They make you think in a way you might not have experienced, they leave you with an ache that you don’t want to go away. It’s like reading with your soul, and it’s magical. It’s beautiful. Of course, you’ll get the funny poems, the ones about falling off the side of the world or drowning in garbage because a little kid refused to take the trash cans out. And they make you laugh, or say “What?” But when I talk about poetry moving you, I’m talking about the Fool’s Prayer, or the Charge of the Light Brigade. Shakespeare’s sonnets. The kind of poems that actually hurt, in a strange way.

My goal when starting this was not only to talk about poetry in itself, but to talk about writing it. You may have noticed that I’m very enthusiastic about this topic - If you follow my blog, you are well aware that poetry is a borderline creepy obsession of mine. I don’t really consider myself qualified to preach about writing poetry, since my poems aren’t exactly brilliant, but I’m going to do my best and give this a shot. Before we begin, I’d like you to take one more look at the quote--The one at the beginning of this column. It’s an important quote because it basically sums up everything I’m about to say.

Writing poetry isn’t that much different from reading it, at least not for me. Obviously it will vary person to person, but in my

PAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSJOSEPHINE PAIGE | PAPERCLIPS

experience, the feeling is still there. It’s hard to write a poem, at least for me, unless I’m feeling something while I’m writing it. A lump in the throat. A sense of wrong, a homesickness. A lovesickness. It’s different from writing prose, because it’s your heart doing the writing.

I hope I’m not sounding completely idiotic--I have no idea what it’s like for anyone else, you know, and I’m so very afraid that you’re going to frown at these words and say, “This chick has no idea what she’s talking about. For the love of Pete, who does she think she is?” So do take whatever I say with a grain of salt, because I’m not trying to be awful.

The wonderful thing about poetry is that there isn’t really a right way to do it. Sure, if you’re writing a sonnet, there’s a rhythm to it. Haikus and limericks are both very formulated. But if you sit down and really just pour out your heart, your emotions, into the words, you never know what you’re going to get.

There are many, many different kinds of poetry. The aforementioned limericks and haikus are two of them. Sonnets, Iambic pentameter--Shakespeare’s domain--A few more. You have the usual type, where everything rhymes with something and it’s simple and beautiful.

There’s also a kind of poetry that I quite honestly never knew much about before I started using it. It’s called free verse. It doesn’t usually rhyme, and it doesn’t usually have a set rhythm--There aren’t many barriers. And there’s

PAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSJOSEPHINE PAIGE | PAPERCLIPS

something incredibly simplistic and beautiful about it--It’s a whole world of poetry that I had never even known about.

I don’t actually know of a good poem to use as an example, so please bear with me--I’m going to show you my very first attempt to get my point across.

I Remember Heartache

Josephine Paige

I rememberPuffy eyes

and feeling like my throatwas tied in a knot.

And there was waterPouring from my eyes

It dribbled downInto my mouth

And tasted like a soft ocean.

I rememberLarge arms

Much bigger than mineThat wrapped me up

Like a blanket.

And I rememberHurting insideLike fingernails

Were biting into my heart.

I remember howMy head throbbed

And I shookLike Dorothy’s house

in a tornado.

A POEM

PAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPS

But I rememberThose strong arms

And how they held meAnd how a voice

That sounded like velvetSaid that I

Would be okay.

And I looked up,Into eyes that echoed oceans,

And I knewThat even though

It didn’t seem like it,

I would be.

I REMEMBER HEARTBREAK (CONTINUED)

THOUGHTS OF A TEENAGE GIRL

That’s basically free verse. A poor example, but it’s from October last year, so therein I find my excuse.

When I write a poem, I usually know beforehand what style I’m going to use, but only because I usually have the first two lines before I drag out the laptop or a notebook and jot it down. I’d suggest experimenting with different kinds of poetry--Find what makes you the most comfortable. Dabble. If you’re dry of inspiration, look up some poetry prompts or spend some time with your family.

I think with poetry, it’s the little things that matter. The little things that tip you over the edge, like a soldier’s pair of dog tags or a grave that no one visits.

I suddenly realized how long this has become, so I’m going to have to wrap it up. I suppose I’ll leave you with this.

PAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPSPAPERCLIPS

ABOUT THE AUTHORHi, I’m Josie, a Catholic homeschooling teenager

with a love of reading, writing, and art. I am a pint-sized fangirl with a mop of flyaway curls. A mop of them. They take forever to grow out, as is my daily lament.

My personality type is ENFP, which means that I'm a people person. I get excited about things, especially British television, and excited usually means obsessed.

I'm a bit of a nerd, complete with glasses which I actually do need. No, I'm not one of those people who wear glasses because they are "cool." I have pretty awful vision and absolutely loathe wearing them. We clear?

That being said, I like Doctor Who, Sherlock, and Merlin, (No spoilers, I haven't finished it.) I'm a huge bookworm--That includes the classics. I believe Pride and Prejudice is right next to the Hunger Games on my bookshelf.

I'm a hopeless romantic, and while I can simulate maturity, I still haven't grown out of wanting to be a princess.JOSEPHINE PAIGE | PAPERCLIPS

Write poetry, but write it for you. Forget about an audience. Write it because it matters to you. Your feelings, your dreams. If others love it, that’s merely an added bonus.

Poetry is a way to let go, or to hold on. To let go of the things that are bad for us, to hold on to the things we love. It doesn’t matter if you’re embarrassed about it, you think you’re being overdramatic. Write it in your journal and hide it from the world. But poetry is beautiful, and it helps. It’s therapeutic, if you will. And it’s in you--You just have to let it out.

M O V I E R E V I E W

Movie Released: December 20th 2013

SAVING MR. BANKSBY MJ

(SUMMARY From IMDB) When Walt Disney’s daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers’ Mary Poppins (1964), he made them a promise – one that he didn’t realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney’s plans for the adaption.

I came into Saving Mr. Banks expecting a feel-goody film full of some fun Disney magic and shadowed only by a rather grumpy and stiff P.L. Travers who was stuck in her old ways and simply very attached to her characters. My goodness was I surprised.

I have to say I agree with rating very much (PG-13). The story of P.L. Travers is very heartbreaking and probably too intense for most, or at least many, kids under 13. It provides such a contrast to the magical and sweet atmosphere in Disney Studios (which is shown in the “present time”), bringing you from happy, peppy Walt and his team back to P.L. Travers’ heart wrenching past.

The story was less about a physical journey and so much more about the emotional story of Mrs. Travers. I was not expecting how intense her backstory actually was, and I’ll never look at Mary Poppins the same way again. The thing is, it wasn’t something like her childhood was completely miserable. And that’s her problem. There was such a mix… Her past is more of a tragedy than anything.

The humor is excellent too, not relying on crass or offensive references, and found in the visual as well as the vocal delivery.

The meaning in this story is very powerful, although younger audiences who could handle the film may have trouble understanding it. However, older audiences will enjoy it immensely, especially those who love “emotional roller coaster” type movies. You’ll have some laughs, maybe some cries, and it all ends happily, leaving you with a satisfied feeling.

It’s an amazing movie, and highly recommended.

B O O K R E V I E W

THE MAN WHO WAS THURSDAY

BY K. E. HAVEN

Author: G.K. Chesterton

Set in the early part of the twentieth century

The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare describes in a

sometimes hilarious but often chilling way the activities

of anarchists dedicated to the destruction of the world

order. From its early phantasmagorical setting the book

takes the reader through fantastic, surreal and thrilling

adventures to a bizarre climax. And as in all nightmares

there comes a terrible moment when the dreamer must

awake… (Summary taken from the back cover of the 1995

edition of the book, copyright Wordsworth Editions Limited,

Cumberland House.)

The Man Who Was Thursday (1908), by G. K. Chesterton, is a short book--just one hundred and forty-three pages long--but that doesn't keep it from being chilling, thought-provoking, surprising, and hilarious all at once. I found it on our classic literature bookshelf a few months ago and laid claim to it purely because it had G. K. Chesterton's name on the cover. I assumed that anything written by someone as brilliant as Chesterton must be good, and I wasn't disappointed.

In one sentence, The Man Who Was Thursday is about a man named Gabriel Syme who accidentally finds himself elected to a position on a secret council of anarchists and must try to foil their plans without being found out by the terrifying and almost unreal president. The members of the council take their names from the days of the week, hence the title of the book.

It doesn’t have the most gripping of beginnings—it opens with Syme and a known anarchist poet getting in an argument on the nature of poetry—but the action picks up very quickly, what with intrigue, characters who aren’t what they seem, a duel, and a chase scene with a mad elephant (towards the end of the book, things start to become more and more improbable. It is supposed to be a nightmare, after all). Syme is a quick-thinking, interesting and likeable main character. The plot, like I mentioned earlier, is compelling, thought-provoking, and full of twists; and even though I saw a few of those twists coming, it doesn’t diminish the brilliance of the book. Chesterton just has this way with words that makes you stop and re-read sentences multiple times to take them in. It’s amazing.

Perhaps anarchy isn’t worried about as much now as it was when Chesterton was writing, but that doesn’t make the book any less worth the read, especially if Chesterton is one of your favorite authors, like in my case. I’m sure it’s a book that I’ll be reading more than once.

WRITINGCATSI-STYLE

by catsi eceer

Big pet peeve of mine that often finds its way into beginners’ writing - infallible character powers.

You know, the mind reader that easily figures out who’s on her side and who’s not, and then gets her fire-breathing dragon to toast the “not.”Telepathy and dragons are great, I really think they are. But not when nothing can go wrong with them. Then they just get annoying and kind of force perfection on your main character. Nobody likes a perfect MC. Your reader wants to identify with your character, not be irritated by the fact that she can tell right away that the mysterious stranger isn’t a lost merchant, he’s really the prince in disguise.

So how do you make the power likable? You have to make it realistic. “Um, hello, Catsi? This is fantasy! It’s not going to be realistic!” True. The power itself isn’t going to be realistic. There just isn’t such a thing as reading minds or people flying or whatever other awesome power you have figured out for your character. You have to make it seem realistic, though, by making it believable. Make it seem like reality. In real life, good things often come weighted down with a lot of annoying side effects.  You have to balance out the pros of having a power with plenty of cons. Sometimes it’s even better if you have more cons than pros.

WRITING, CATSI-STYLE | CATSI ECEERBecause I can’t get through an article without bringing up one of my own characters, we’re going to look at Caleb, one of the MC’s in a co-authoring project I’m working on with some friends.Caleb’s power is this: he can move things just by thinking about it. Pretty sweet, huh? Nope.It takes three times the energy to move something with his mind than with his hands. And if he doesn’t have complete concentration, he could end up destroying whatever it is he’s moving. Not to mention how mentally exhausted it leaves him. In addition to that, the story is set in modern times - Not a great setting for someone with magical powers.So is it worth it? Not really. But it’s there, and he can’t do anything about it. But it becomes apparent during the story that the only way to achieve the story goal is for the four main characters - all misfits with ever-so-helpful “gifts” - to use their powers and stop the villain.There’s another thing - The power needs to be important. If it isn’t key to the story goal, and it’s not helping your reader like the character, there’s really no point in keeping it. Making your character’s power likable, in three not-so-easy steps:Make it a cool power. I didn’t go over this, but it’s kinda important not to make the power something like, “She can turn cows into strawberries just by pointing at them!”Believability. Balance out the pros and cons.Importance. Make sure it is a vital part of achieving the story goal. (Also, try and get the downfalls of the power to be important to the story as well - she fails at something because of her power...)

Since I somehow managed to condense that in 500 words, I’m going to throw out some examples of balancing powers.

TeleportationLimited teleportation distance. If you don’t concentrate, maybe you’ll leave something behind...

WRITING, CATSI-STYLE | CATSI ECEERFlyingWings are fragile and sensitive, so it makes more sense to walk. Or maybe they’re very strong, and therefore the character is a bad walker.

InvisibilityPerhaps you can’t move while you’re invisible, or you’ll become visible again. Or maybe you can’t control when you’re invisible, so it has a habit of happening when you really don’t want it to.

Talking to AnimalsAnimals aren’t always the friendliest of beings. And they’re not always helpful, either...

Power Over One of the Elements - Water, Fire, Wind, Etc.What would happen if the character had a huge fear of whatever element they were controlling? Or maybe because she can control water, she’s terrified of fire, or vice versa.

These are just my ideas. Play around with them, find out what works for your story, and what doesn’t. Be creative, and don’t be afraid to try something totally different than what you had first imagined.

Have fun!

Catsi Eceer

WRITING, CATSI-STYLE | CATSI ECEER

Greetings. It is I, Catsi Eceer. People that I like call me Cat. Whether they call me Cat because I like them, or I like them because they call me Cat, is yet to be determined.I like writing, cats, the word “so,” bullet lists, and calling my best friends nicknames that no one else understands. I love my family, my friends, and my God.I am a writer, an artist, an archer, a musician, a child of the One true King, a daughter, a big sister, a little sister, a best friend, a “Dalek” (nicknames that no one else understands...), a fangirl, a storyteller, a dreamer, a goofball, a teen girl with no: sense of fashion, boyfriend, cell phone, Facebook, or desire to get any of those things.I am me, and that will never change.

about the author

Well, this is a Wonderland issue, isn’t it? I think we should have a talk on whimsy, just to make sure we’re all sufficiently mad here!

What exactly do I mean by whimsy? Here I’m speaking about, the world of dreams, the totally nonsensical whimsy. My biggest problem in writing whimsy is breaking down the barriers and letting myself think in a completely open way – letting myself push logic aside to welcome pure nonsense. Some people, I suppose, must be naturally gifted with this talent, but others like me may need to work on it a bit.

In whimsy, things can suddenly switch from what they are to something totally different (in a train one moment, then in a shop the next with no explanation how). They can also defy physics, such as jumping up to go down or slowing to go faster. Animals and inanimate objects can be personified, tables can move while you’re not looking, and small things can grow large and take on life for no apparent reason.

HOW TO WRITE

WRITING WHIMSYBy MJ }} WHIMSICAL FANTASYMJ

WRITING WHIMSY | MJThe key to whimsy is making it absolutely

nonsensical, but still somehow keep it together. How is this achieved? By the goal. Everything else can be changing around and around, but your readers will have two steadfast points to ground them just enough so they don’t fall into complete and utter confusion: The beginning and end.

They know where you started from; that is clear. And they know what you’re after. It’s not an aimless journey through wacky and incomprehensible events. There’s one thing they can focus on and know you’re heading towards, no matter how strange things are getting there.

Perhaps that’s why a lot of storytellers are afraid to go completely whimsical. They think their readers will get lost. And, indeed, they might if it wasn’t done properly. But if you have your solid beginning and visual end, and have lots and lots of fun with the middle, I am confident that you can make a beautiful and intriguing work of the purest form of fantasy: the rarely touched whimsy. As I see it, it’s an open world to be explored. A world that’s different for each person.

“A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.”

| Roald Dahl |

“Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it” ~ C.S. Lewis

| C.M. DAVIDSON |

Hello again! Here we are, another two months gone, and I’m still here. Apparently you are too, so let’s begin, shall we? Beginnings are exactly what we’re going to talk about this time. Specifically, the process we go through at the very beginning of our writing journey—that is, the prewriting and planning phase. Bear in mind, this process is different for all writers—in fact, it is probably the phase which enjoys the widest variation of all because it is so essential to the development of the story, which is really what defines an author’s work.

Authors tend to use very different approaches to prewriting. For some, the majority of the time spent writing the book is spent on the prewriting phase. Others tend to do little or no prewriting in the first draft, preferring to let the story take its own course, without the obstructions of outlines and maps and complicated plans. While I tend to side with the non-planning faction, I am coming more and more to see the advantages of drawing yourself the hazy outline of a map before plunging yourself into the uncharted wilderness of your imagination. Trust me, once you get mired in there, it’s hard work to get yourself out. And I’m not saying that any amount of prewriting is going to stop you from coming across insurmountable cliffs and hopeless bogs and scenes which make you want to tear you hair out, but you just might have better luck avoiding dead ends if you allow yourself time to come up with a plan first.

Here is how my (flawed) writing process usually goes: An idea sparks somewhere in my head. Maybe it’s an image in my mind’s eye that I can’t explain.

THE TANGLEWOOD TIMES | C.M. DAVIDSON

Maybe it’s a character that suddenly shows up and won’t leave me alone. Maybe it’s a quote that gets my attention. This is how a story usually starts for me, and—let me be clear—this is rare. I’m one of those authors who doesn’t really get a lot of ideas, so when something does spark, I hold onto it. I write it down.

The next step, developing the idea on to paper, is the hardest for a lot of people, myself at the very top of the list. I am so bad about this step. When I say that I usually side with the non-planning faction, that is really to say that I’m usually either too excited about my idea to “waste” much time planning, or too worried that I’ll lose my idea or get bored with it if I spend too much time planning, and so I usually just dive straight into the story phase.

However, it is a new year, my friends, and frankly, I think that 99% of the time I get bored or stuck with a story, it’s due to a lack, rather than a surplus, of planning. In other words, I get half way through and I can’t figure out what the heck these characters are doing and my plot just runs itself off of a cliff. So. I’m working on spending more time on the prewriting phase. One somewhat famous method of prewriting that you might want to check out is called “The Snowflake Method,” developed by an author named Randy Ingermansen. The basic idea is that planning a novel is basically like drawing a complicated geometrical snowflake—you start with the most basic shapes and build on them. It’s a ten-step, progressive method that has you sketch out your storyline, basic character sketches objectives, and then build on them until you have most of the material for your story laid out and ready to go. You can find more about Mr. Ingermansen and the Snowflake Method at his website, www.advancedfictionwriting.com.

The first thing to do in any prewriting process, is to get to know your characters. Whether your story will be mainly plot-driven or mainly character driven, you don’t have a conflict until you have a protagonist, and no conflict, no story. So sketch him out first. What are his goals, and what is stopping him from reaching them? That will ultimately be the foundation of your story.

From there, the conflict of your story should begin to take shape. Here, it might be good to take a moment and decide whether you want your story to be mainly plot-centric or character centric. Either way, you will have to have a plot and you will have to have character development, but at some point you have to decide which is going to take center stage. If you’re writing about a girl who recovers from the death of her mother with the help of the unpopular kid at school she used to pick on, then the plot will exist mainly as a tool to help along the development of this girl’s character. But, if you’re writing about a prince on a quest to save a princess (no, I am not picking cheesy examples on purpose why would you say that?), then your readers are going to be primarily interested in whether or not the prince gets eaten by the

THE TANGLEWOOD TIMES | C.M. DAVIDSON

dragon, and not how he feels about it. Now I am NOT saying that characterdevelopment should be ignored in fast-paced, plot-thick stories—but in that kind of tale, character development is dictated by the plot, and not the other way around.

Once you’ve decided which way your story is leaning, you can proceed to outline your conflict. This is largely dependent on the protagonist, obviously—What does he or she want? What is stopping him? What is the worst thing that can happen to him, and how can you make that happen (I know it makes your stomach turn, but you gotta do it). Questions like these are what shape your plot. Trying to include a full list of all the essential questions would fill up the whole magazine, but you probably have a good idea where to start, and if not, there are plenty of good resources out there to help you.

Okay. So you have a protagonist. You have the basic shape of your plot. From here, the process will depend mainly on you. If you are a hands-on person, you may choose to spend some time writing out key points onto sticky notes or index cards and ordering them up. I once read an article where the author said she liked to write down every single scene in her book onto a note card, then lay them out and organize them and put them into order. Then she would put the cards into a stack, and everyday she would write JUST ONE scene off of one card. That way, she stayed focused, she had a clear idea where her story was going, and she didn’t get discouraged and bogged down by not knowing what to write. Some authors put their story into the perspective of a play, and map out the traditional Three-Act Sequence: Act 1, introduce the characters, their goals and conflicts; Act 2, get the characters into the most hopeless situation possible; then in Act 3, get them out. (That’s an extremely dumbed-down version, but I’m fairly confident you’re aware of the formula I’m talking about). Some authors like to focus mostly on their characters during the prewriting stage. Many of you have been through the One Year Adventure Novel program, so you know what I mean. I haven’t actually done the program, but quite a few of my writer-friends have, and it seems similar to other approaches I’ve tried—you start with your character Archetypes, the Hero, the Mentor, the Shadow, the Trickster, and from there the plot takes shape.

You may decide that you’ve done enough prewriting for one novel, and decide to dive write in. That’s fine, too. There are plenty of brilliant authors out there who don’t do any prewriting at all, in fact, J. R. R Tolkien himself once admitted to be completely baffled by Strider when he showed up in The Fellowship of the Ring. He had no idea where this character had come from or what his purpose was, but Strider would go on to be one of the most important characters in his story. You don’t have to have everything figured out. It all depends on what you feel most comfortable with. For myself, being a bear of very little brain, ahem, an author whose well of inspiration tends to run dry half-way through the book, I think it does help to plan a

THE TANGLEWOOD TIMES | C.M. DAVIDSON

C.M.Davidson

little when the waters are highest—and for me, that point is as soon as possible after I have the idea, while I’m still riding the waves of excitement. Wow, there were a lot of water-related metaphors swimming in that sentence. I think we’ve come pretty much to the end of our article (and I didn’t spend any time planning this one and I’m almost out of inspiration), so here I’ll just compile few of my own personal recommended strategies to leave you with:

• Free writing. This is actually my mom’s recommendation (she’s an English teacher), but it’s helped me quite a bit over the years. After you get your idea, just get a piece of paper, or a blank computer screen, and just write. Write whatever comes into your head. Write about your characters, your plot, your protagonist—if it helps, write about how much you hate free writing. Just write.

• Write poetry about your characters.

• Use flash cards. Write your questions on there and put them where you will see them every day, just to remind yourself. Write scenes and put them in order. Write your key plot points and then lay them out so you can see how they’re connected. I really think it helps to have a hands-on approach, especially if you get stuck.

• Draw diagrams for your story—this is the same basic idea as the last one, but a bit less messy and time-consuming.

• And above all, stay positive. Yours is a great story, and you will finish it, so keep your chin up!

Til next time, friends virtual!

NOTE: In this article, I’m discussing “THE

story”. So while I discourage diving in

head first to your main work, I don’t

mean you shouldn’t write at all! Keep

writing stuff for fun! It’ll not only keep you

in practice, but improve your writing as well for when you DO start your “big project” in earnest.

T H E W R I T E

address. It can also count as your back-up database

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU’RE A WRITER?

LifeSo, you’re trying to decide if writing is more than just a hobby? Even if you’re certain writing is what you want to do for a living, read on, because you might just discover a whole new world.A lot of people might get discouraged when experiencing writer’s block, seeing the difficulty of the industry, or looking at the works of the greats. But all that really matters is that you want this more than anything in the world. Don’t underestimate the power of drive. What makes you different from other people out there vying for the same publishing spot as you is that you really care. You’re not looking for some get-rich-quick scheme or an

By MJ

THE WRITE LIFE | MJ

address. It can also count as your back-up database

THE END

“easy” job. You know this is going to be tough, but you really love it. And that’s what makes it worth it. That’s what makes you a writer.Just because you’re not some instant prodigy doesn’t make you a failure. You have this passion for a reason. With hard work, you can do it. You know you’re a writer when you love what you do more than anything in the world.But maybe you’re not a novelist. That’s something to consider! Are you a storyteller? Do you write just because you love to tell stories? That isn’t limited to novels.Make sure you research all the positions open to you. Maybe you’re a script writer for plays or film. Maybe you’re a director. If you’re certain you prefer writing to all else, well, then, I’d say you’re a writer. Don’t be daunted. Good things never come easily. Don’t doubt your ability. If there’s nothing else you’d rather do, then this is your passion. Don’t give up. You were made for this. You can do it!

You’re a writer.

INSPIRE MEWRITING PROMPTSWELCOME TO WONDERLAND

Down the Rabbit Hole

Describe the way down the rabbit hole.

No, don’t rely on the original portrayal!

Imagine that you’re the first person to

write this. Recreate the entire thing. It

might be nothing like the first one.

Focus on description.

~ MJ

We’re All Mad HereMake a scene that’s absolutely

ridiculous. I mean really ridiculous! Go

way out of your comfort zone and

barely let anything make sense. It’s a

great creativity exercise to do!~ MJ

:)

{ }TALKON DIALOGUE

BY MJ

Welcome, dear writer, to our talk on dialogue. (Pun probably intended.)

Fit it with your story. If you’re book’s taking place in medieval times, chances are you’re main character won’t be calling his parent’s “mom” and “dad” or using modern curses and slang.

1Keep it natural. If dialogue isn’t called for, don’t use it. Simple salutations can be mentioned in the text instead of writing out an

Use dialogue to further the story, not as a filler. Try to think of areal life conversation when you

2

3

1

4

awkward “Hi, Jacob” “Hi, Nancy” exchange.

read yours back to yourself. Does it sound realistic? Trying adding bits of descriptive text between lines to make the dialogue smoother. Mention things touched, seen, etc.

Be wary of accents. If you wish to “misspell” words to

convey an accent, do so carefully so that it’s still easily readable!

Next Issue…Spring

VISIT US ONLINE AT TALEMAGAZINE.WORDPRESS.COM

February/March

DON’T MISS OUT!GO ONLINE TO FOLLOW OUR BLOG AN RECEIVE NEWS & UPDATES, SPECIAL CONTENT, EXCLUSIVE MAGAZINE SNEAK PEEKS, AND MORE

Thank you for reading…Next issue: April/May 2014

Dearest readers, I hope you had a simply marvelous time reading our humble offering. As I’m sure you know by now, it means the world to us. Please considering subscribing to our e-magazine and / or following our blog. :)

Five reasons you should follow Tale:1) We love what we do, just like you2) We offer support, entertainment, and

help3) Some of us need glasses. You wouldn’t

refuse a person with glasses, would you?4) You really need to take a magazine and

coffee break sometimes5) It’s FREE!