Writer’s on Writing…Writer’s on Writing…““You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot

destroy you.”  ~Ray Bradburydestroy you.”  ~Ray Bradbury

““The role of a writer is not to say what we all can The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say.”  ~Anaïs Ninsay, but what we are unable to say.”  ~Anaïs Nin

“I try to leave out the parts that people skip.”  “I try to leave out the parts that people skip.”  ~Elmore Leonard~Elmore Leonard

““Write down the thoughts of the moment.  Those Write down the thoughts of the moment.  Those that come unsought for are commonly the most that come unsought for are commonly the most

valuable.”  ~Francis Baconvaluable.”  ~Francis Bacon

“The most beautiful things are those that madness “The most beautiful things are those that madness prompts and reason writes.”  ~André Gide, prompts and reason writes.”  ~André Gide,

JournalsJournals, 1894, 1894

Read the following extracts, which describe Read the following extracts, which describe various characters. For each, try to determine various characters. For each, try to determine what what isis and what and what is not is not described. You may wish described. You may wish to think about clothes, thoughts, face, speech, to think about clothes, thoughts, face, speech, setting, etc.setting, etc.

Then, try to establish what you Then, try to establish what you thinkthink about these about these characters: what can we tell about them?characters: what can we tell about them?

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Kasia’s Mother’s Mother’s StoryKasia’s Mother’s Mother’s Story by Ali Smith by Ali Smith

The woman is making the sign of the cross. Forehead, chest, left shoulder, right The woman is making the sign of the cross. Forehead, chest, left shoulder, right shoulder. She does it again, faster, several times. Her right hand flaps in front of her shoulder. She does it again, faster, several times. Her right hand flaps in front of her face like a small wing or the head of a snake. Anyone watching will think she is face like a small wing or the head of a snake. Anyone watching will think she is making the sign of the cross.making the sign of the cross.

She is standing in the doorway in the early morning dark. Someone passes She is standing in the doorway in the early morning dark. Someone passes and she looks down. A bicycle rattles past without slowing. The noise of it dies away. and she looks down. A bicycle rattles past without slowing. The noise of it dies away. Her shoes are still covered in mud. She will never be able to clean it off them. At Her shoes are still covered in mud. She will never be able to clean it off them. At some point she will need a new pair.some point she will need a new pair.

Thou Shalt Not Suffer A WitchThou Shalt Not Suffer A Witch by Dorothy K. Haynes by Dorothy K. Haynes

The child sat alone in her bedroom, weaving the fringe of the counterpane in and out The child sat alone in her bedroom, weaving the fringe of the counterpane in and out of her fingers. It was a horrible room, the most neglected one of the house. The grate of her fingers. It was a horrible room, the most neglected one of the house. The grate was narrow and rusty, cluttered up with dust and hair combings, and the floorboards was narrow and rusty, cluttered up with dust and hair combings, and the floorboards creaked at every step. When the wind blew, the door rattled and banged, but the creaked at every step. When the wind blew, the door rattled and banged, but the window was sealed tight, webbed, fly-spotted, a haven for everything black and window was sealed tight, webbed, fly-spotted, a haven for everything black and creeping.creeping.

In and out went her fingers, the fringe pulled tight between nail and In and out went her fingers, the fringe pulled tight between nail and knuckle. Outside, the larches tossed and flurried, brilliant green under a blue sky. knuckle. Outside, the larches tossed and flurried, brilliant green under a blue sky. Sometimes the sun would go in, and rain would hit the windows like a handful of nails Sometimes the sun would go in, and rain would hit the windows like a handful of nails thrown at the glass; then the world would lighten suddenly, the clouds would drift past thrown at the glass; then the world would lighten suddenly, the clouds would drift past in silver and white, and the larches would once more toss in sunshine.in silver and white, and the larches would once more toss in sunshine.

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More on descriptionMore on descriptionThis is a brief exercise to develop your descriptive skills.This is a brief exercise to develop your descriptive skills.

Imagine a middle-aged woman standing at a bus stop. Imagine a middle-aged woman standing at a bus stop. Working in pairs, write a description of her waiting Working in pairs, write a description of her waiting in four sentences in four sentences onlyonly. You must . You must notnot describe her face, although you can describe her describe her face, although you can describe her clothes. You cannot describe her thoughts – only the physical clothes. You cannot describe her thoughts – only the physical description as if you are watching her from the other side of the road. description as if you are watching her from the other side of the road.

She is: She is: going to see her son in prison going to see her son in prison oror starting a course at college for the first time starting a course at college for the first time oror going to buy a new dress for her son’s wedding going to buy a new dress for her son’s wedding oror looking for her husband in a local pub looking for her husband in a local pub oror going to see her sister in hospital.going to see her sister in hospital.

In your description, try to indicate how she feels, through her In your description, try to indicate how she feels, through her posture, what she does as she waits, what she’s wearing and how she’s posture, what she does as she waits, what she’s wearing and how she’s wearing it, etc. wearing it, etc.

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PlanningPlanning

You are READY to start writing. You are READY to start writing. You should have a character from You should have a character from

yesterday, or you can make a new one up. yesterday, or you can make a new one up. Remember the tips about distancing Remember the tips about distancing yourself from the character.yourself from the character.

Think of a situation which this character Think of a situation which this character might find themselves in difficulty/come to might find themselves in difficulty/come to a realisation etc...a realisation etc...

IDEAS TO HELPIDEAS TO HELP

The Rule The Rule Dreams are for Dreams are for

LivingLivingFamily DramasFamily DramasA Word to the WiseA Word to the Wise

PLOTPLOT BeginningBeginning

This is where you introduce character, set the scene, This is where you introduce character, set the scene, start your story in an interesting way which will start your story in an interesting way which will captivate your reader.captivate your reader.

MiddleMiddle This is the main action. You should only have one This is the main action. You should only have one

major event in your story – so you can focus on this, major event in your story – so you can focus on this, explore the emotions experienced.explore the emotions experienced.

EndEnd This is the resolution/the final statements/the rounding This is the resolution/the final statements/the rounding

up. It should be happy/sad/intriguing but in someway up. It should be happy/sad/intriguing but in someway signifies the end of the story.signifies the end of the story.

““My own experience is that once a story has been written, My own experience is that once a story has been written, one has to cross out the beginning and the end. It is there one has to cross out the beginning and the end. It is there

that we authors do most of our lying.”that we authors do most of our lying.”- Anton Chekhov- Anton Chekhov

From From EmbroideryEmbroidery by Ray Bradbury by Ray Bradbury

““The dark porch air in the late afternoon was full of The dark porch air in the late afternoon was full of needle flashes, like a movement of gathered needle flashes, like a movement of gathered silver insects in the light. The three women’s silver insects in the light. The three women’s mouths twitched over their work. Their bodies mouths twitched over their work. Their bodies lay back and then imperceptibly forward, so that lay back and then imperceptibly forward, so that the rocking chairs titled and murmured, Each the rocking chairs titled and murmured, Each woman looked to her own hands, as if quite woman looked to her own hands, as if quite suddenly she has found her heart beating there.” suddenly she has found her heart beating there.”

Setting

From ‘The Man who Put Up at From ‘The Man who Put Up at Gadsby’s – Mark TwainGadsby’s – Mark Twain

When my old friend Riley and I were When my old friend Riley and I were newspaper correspondents in Washington, newspaper correspondents in Washington, in the winter of ’67, we were coming down in the winter of ’67, we were coming down Pennsylvania Avenue one night, near Pennsylvania Avenue one night, near midnight, in a driving storm of snow, when midnight, in a driving storm of snow, when the flash of a street-lamp fell upon a man the flash of a street-lamp fell upon a man who was eagerly tearing along in the who was eagerly tearing along in the opposite direction. This man instantly opposite direction. This man instantly stopped, and exclaimed: stopped, and exclaimed:

SETTING AND PLOT

From The Blot by Iain Crichton From The Blot by Iain Crichton SmithSmith

Miss Maclean said, “And pray tell me how Miss Maclean said, “And pray tell me how did you get the blot on your book?”did you get the blot on your book?”

““My first and only visit to a therapist cost me My first and only visit to a therapist cost me my red coral bracelet and my lover.”my red coral bracelet and my lover.”

From The Red Coral Bracelet From The Red Coral Bracelet byJudith HermannbyJudith Hermann

CONVERSATION PLOT

From The Ploughing of Leaca-na-From The Ploughing of Leaca-na-Naomh by Daniel CorkeryNaomh by Daniel Corkery

With which I shall begin – Man or place? With which I shall begin – Man or place? Perhaps I had better first tell of the man; of Perhaps I had better first tell of the man; of him the incident left so withered that no him the incident left so withered that no sooner had I laid eyes on him than I said: sooner had I laid eyes on him than I said: Here is one whose blood at some terrible Here is one whose blood at some terrible moment of his life stood still, stood still and moment of his life stood still, stood still and never afterwards regained its quiet, old never afterwards regained its quiet, old time ebb and flow. time ebb and flow.

CONVERSATION? PLOT? CHARACTER?

Starting stories with dialogueStarting stories with dialogue

Here is the opening dialogue from Ernest Hemingway’s Here is the opening dialogue from Ernest Hemingway’s The Snows of KilimanjaroThe Snows of Kilimanjaro..

'The marvellous thing is that it’s painless,' he said. 'The marvellous thing is that it’s painless,' he said. 'That’s how you know when it really starts.''That’s how you know when it really starts.'

'Is it really?''Is it really?'

'Absolutely. I’m awfully sorry about the odour though. 'Absolutely. I’m awfully sorry about the odour though. That must bother you.'That must bother you.'

'Don’t. Please don’t.''Don’t. Please don’t.'

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What do you think is happening here? What is What do you think is happening here? What is the relationship between the two characters? the relationship between the two characters? What are the advantages of beginning a story What are the advantages of beginning a story in this way?in this way?

Choose a number between 1 and 6. These Choose a number between 1 and 6. These numbers correspond to pictures of characters.numbers correspond to pictures of characters.

Open a story with a dialogue in which it is Open a story with a dialogue in which it is unclear who the characters are and what is unclear who the characters are and what is happening between them.happening between them.

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1

2

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3 4

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Opening ParagraphsOpening Paragraphs Have an effective first line which draws the reader in!Have an effective first line which draws the reader in!To do this they use:To do this they use: Character introduction (with some form of description – Character introduction (with some form of description –

obvious or not)obvious or not) Setting the scene (and doing this from a different Setting the scene (and doing this from a different

perspective from the normal.perspective from the normal. Addressing the main issue/plot to be dealt with in the Addressing the main issue/plot to be dealt with in the

story. story. They do not start with: Once there was… or The place… They do not start with: Once there was… or The place…

- think outside the box! - think outside the box! Which sounds better? “The first time I killed a man I was Which sounds better? “The first time I killed a man I was

fourteen.” ORfourteen.” OR““The weather was cold and icy, as Tom walked down the The weather was cold and icy, as Tom walked down the

street.”street.”

Write your own Effective BeginningWrite your own Effective Beginning

Think about:Think about: Who is narrating? Is it a character? How do they talk? Who is narrating? Is it a character? How do they talk?

Where are they seeing these events? Through a key-Where are they seeing these events? Through a key-hole? From the perspective of a fly on the wall? Consider hole? From the perspective of a fly on the wall? Consider all the different ways to perceive events!all the different ways to perceive events!

Are you going to start with a description of Are you going to start with a description of Setting/Character or a conversation? Are you going to let Setting/Character or a conversation? Are you going to let us know a shocking event in the plot? us know a shocking event in the plot?

Consider your language as you write, explore vocabulary Consider your language as you write, explore vocabulary – you may use a dictionary/thesaurus!– you may use a dictionary/thesaurus!

Techniques to useTechniques to use

OnomatopoeiaOnomatopoeia exaggerationexaggeration punspuns

DialogueDialogue sentence structuresentence structure

SimilesSimiles IronyIrony

MetaphorsMetaphors ToneTone

PersonificationPersonification

VerbsVerbs

AdjectivesAdjectives

SuperlativesSuperlatives