6
May
…hush hush hide away…
So how do you tell if someone is attracted to you — and why should you, the writer, know about this?
Body language is important, even in writing.
You can convey a lot, with just their posture.
The tilt of a head, the diluted eyes, leaning in a little… it all indicates attraction.
Long, lingering looks usually establish who dominates — and it's not always the guy.
Someone attracted to you will often nod along to your conversation.
The closer two people stand to each other, the better they like each other. Personal space is important to us, even if we're not aware of it. Get too close and we instinctively move away — unless we want you there.
A guy who is attracted – believe it or not – often struts. I've seen it. They straighten their backs, inhale, chest out… oh yeah. Just watch 'em stalk around. It's a primal instinct, they are probably not even aware they are doing it, but it's a way to portray dominance and strength.
Women are more likely to employ widened eyes and a coy smile.
Next time you're in a pub or bar, watch the men. Hands in pockets, back straight and a long lingering look… well guess what? They are saying "Lookee what I got (hands in pockets draw attention to the groin), I'm da man! I'm strong, able, available. It's all yours, come get it."
Widening of eyes is usually quite a submissive gesture, but it indicates "I need protecting and looking after." (Which is really attractive to the male of the species. See "I'm da man" above.)
Tilting the head is a means of exposing the neck and throat, vulnerable areas. I means you're putting trust in the other not to hurt you.
And when we like something, our pupils dilate. We generally find large pupils more attractive – not surprisingly, because if those pupils are dilated at us, it means they like us. 
Take a look into body language, it can be useful when you're trying to make a shy character indicate they are interested, or it can play into the story when you don't want to make a song and dance about how they feel. Let them do the dance, instead.
21
Feb
When we write, we all know our protagonists really, really well. We know what makes them tick, we know why they do what they do, we know how to redeem them and what will hurt them the most.
We know their black moments. We know why they are the way they are.
And that's great. It makes the character three dimensional, makes the reader love them, be involved in the story.
Many of us aren't as involved with our antagonists.
Often we don't know a lot about them. They are an afterthought, an element of crisis, but it makes them appear flat. One dimensional creatures with no other purpose than throwing a spanner in the works for our protagonist.
To pull off a great antagonist, you are going to have to invest as much — if not more — time to develop their character.
Just saying they are evil won't count.
Why are they evil? Is this evil just perceived, or real? Is the antagonist beyond redemption, or can he/she/it be saved? What made them do what they do? What happened to them to make them so nasty? Why are they working against the protagonist? A person doesn't just get up one morning and think "Ohhh… I'm really going to mess up so-and-so's life now." (Well, okay, some might.)
No.
They need a reason.
They need a good reason. One that makes sense. Maybe not to you and me, but it does to them.
They need flaws, they need strengths. They need a purpose, not just for their actions against our heroes, but a purpose for being. Everyone needs this, not just good people.
What triggered the events about to unfold? What did the hero/heroine do to make them so angry, they need to take revenge? (And that's what it's mostly about.)
I do interviews with my characters to get to know them.
I ask questions. I corner them. I ask uncomfortable, embarrassing questions. I make them tell me their deepest darkest secrets — and occasionally the only way I get at them is to tighten the thumbscrews. They don't want to talk about it, so you need to find the catalyst that will make them tell you.
(I did mention I'm nuts, right?)
Okay, maybe I'm not. That's just the way it works for me.
But the fact is… I don't just ask the hero or heroine these questions.
If there is a villain, he will get grilled as much as my protagonists.
Believe it or not… I can often emphasize with the villain, and why they do what they are about to unleash.
It doesn't mean I agree with it, but I can understand why.
That is what you need to get across to your reader. It makes it so much better when they are torn between the hero and the villain. When they can understand the reasons behind it all, when they can emphasize with your villain… when they are almost torn between who they want to win.
And when you have them caring about what happens to the villain… you can play your trump card. That's when you nail the reader right between the eyes with something they absolutely wouldn't agree with.
Their allegiance will no longer be torn — but you made the villain come alive enough for them that there is a little seed of hope that the character will be redeemed at the end — but the hero still gets to win.
(And don't forget… sometimes the hero is the villain. That's when you really need to dig deep.)
So the point of all this is really simple.
Make your reader care as much about the villain as they do about the hero, and you will up the readers involvement in the story.
Make your reader sit there and wonder.
How does it feel, when the whole world is against you, when you're cold and alone? When you have no one to turn to, when everyone hates you?
How does it feel to be the bad guy?
Don't forget, no one is truly evil, through and through, without a reason.
We are all born innocent, and what we become is a result of our surroundings.
Sometimes people can't be saved, sometimes they truly are evil to the bone.
But if you have a villain who rescues kittens, because when he was a little boy, he had a cat who provided the only comfort he ever knew… Or a villain who doesn't think twice about murdering and torturing… but who is the best dad in the world to his little daughter.
Show their facets to the reader.
Show them his face — all of it. Show it to them when it's twisted in rage. But don't forget to show it laughing with joy, crying with grief, or torn with indecision, too. If your antagonist has doubts, then show them!
Make your reader feel for all the characters in your story — not just the protagonists.
We've been talking about writing habits, over at Passionate Critters. (My critique group)
Mostly about revision, but also writing in general. Harper did a very nice blog post about it.
There are different habits, different ways of doing things. None of us are the same, we all have our little quirks. Little things we like to do. What works for one person, might not work for another.
Personally, I'm a night owl. I do my best writing at night, way past midnight usually, slurping a tepid (or cold) cup of coffee that has sat on my desk so long, I forgot it's there. (I used to work in IT. Cold coffee is… not unusual.)
When I concentrate, when I'm in the story, I don't see or hear anything else. You could probably rob me blind while I am that deep into it, I wouldn't notice. Well, not until you tried to take my computer. I'd probably murder the burglar for interrupting the flow.
To concentrate, I often fiddle with little strips of fabric, roll it between my fingers while my mind goes into overdrive. For some odd reason the feel of the fabric helps me to focus.
I go outside, stare into the darkness while I have a cigarette (yes, filthy blah blah…) and my characters usually have a conversation in my head while I do it. If there is a particular pose I want to convey, I try it out, see how it would look or feel. My neighbors probably wonder about me. Oh well.
I write everywhere. There isn't a second of the day when I don't write — even if it's just in my head. I get incredibly annoyed when I have something I need to put on paper or screen, and I can't. Boy, do I ever!
But if you watch me — I won't write a word. Not even one. I will wait until everyone is out of the room, because I can't stand having someone watch me. It drives me nuts when someone does that.
Yep, weird.
That's me, you may well have your own habits.
So how do I revise?
Pretty much the same way. I don't have set formula. I don't do it chapter by chapter. I read my stuff many, many, times though.
Over and over. Sometimes just for pleasure. That's when I find things, when I read it as a reader, not as a writer.
I step away for at least a week before I revise. I won't open the file, won't read any of it.
Then I read it again and hopefully notice those odd bits that don't work, or the ones in the wrong place, or where the pace slows down, or… you get the idea.
I cut words. Sometimes just one, sometimes entire chapters. If I get bored reading it, then so does anyone else. Out it comes.
What I don't do is throw that stuff out. It goes into another file.
I look for duplications. I sometimes say the same thing twice, using different words. In fact, I do this a lot.
I look for repetition, words I use a lot, phrases too. Unless it's a trademark of the character, it comes out.
You could say I have a habit of culling my habits.
19
Jan
Seeing as I decided to blog at least once a week, I find myself stuck for topics occasionally.
I made a list, ticking off what I've blogged about.
Now, sometimes you have 20 topics in your head and you're on fire… other times you find it hard to blog about anything at all.
So… what do you do?
My suggestion is to "Blog Ahead".
What I mean by that, is to write those blogs when you're on fire – and release them when you're not.
On wordpress it's quite easy to do this. Either save it as a draft, or schedule it for a later date.
I tend to do the latter, or I forget to post the darn thing. (This one wasn't written ahead of time though.)
Not only will it keep the flow of your blog steady, it will also aid the writing process. None of us are always on fire when we want to be. It gets hard when that muse decides to take a long vacation.
"Having to" is the worst scenario I can think of. "Having to" implies force. Force never goes well with inspiration. You can't force yourself to have ideas, to feel inspired, to be on fire with your prose.
Not gonna happen.
So if, like me, you set yourself a task to keep your blog up to date — why not type up all those ideas you have, and schedule them?
Or at least put them up as a draft?
You can always slot another post in, or change the release date of one you already have, if something comes up that is time sensitive.
At least this way you have a little bit of leeway.
How do you blog?
Do you blog ahead, or write week by week, day by day?
27
Nov
I've travelled through the US recently, and I always carry a small moleskine notebook. (Yep, same type ole Hemingway used.)
If I see something interesting, I make a note of it.
Like that there is a 50% off coupon to the VIP lounge in Dallas, if you ask at the Duty Free Shop. How to get there, what floor the lounges are on. What you see from the lounge.
Below is a scan of the actual entry, just so you know I wasn't kidding.
(I'll paraphrase: It's in D Terminal, near gate 23, take the lift to the 3rd Floor, the reception is there. There are several lounges and the normal cost is $35. Smoking room is to the left as you stand in front of the reception desk. It has a TV in it, seats and small tables, as well as a bookcase type thing which acts as a sort of screen for the back of the room. There is tea, coffee, some fruit and snacks on a self-service basis in the regular lounge, which overlooks airside. Plugs available for laptops etc on small tables, not on the ones at the windows. Wifi available (not free), as well as a secluded area with computers. There is temporary storage for handluggage opposite the lounge reception desk, toilets and showers on the right as you walk in, also opposite the reception desk.) Click the image if you want a larger view.
So.
It's that kind of detail. I make a note, because I never know when I might want to use some of it.
I showed my critter friends my moleskine, and at least one of them went out and got herself one after seeing what I do with mine.
Plot snippets, scenes, dialogue, "What if's", descriptions, notes of areas, dates, weather, phone numbers, names, songs I heard… you name it, it's in there.
It's not a diary as such, but it's very much a working writing journal.
I recommend carting one of those little notebooks around with you. They fit in an inside pocket of a jacket, a handbag, or the back pocket of your jeans. Just… use it.
You never know when it comes in handy.
12
Jul
Or get challenged by a friend.
It doesn’t matter what form the challenge takes. It could be wordcount. It could be a scene. It could be dialogue. It could be character description.
You name it, you can make a contest out of it.
I’m doing the "Write A Book With Me" over at Holly Lisle’s Pocket Ful Of Words, right now.
It’s nice to see progress, it’s nice to compare progress.
It’s not a race of who does the fastest, greatest, most, or best. For me, I just like to keep up. Get a pat on the back sometimes. Pat others on the back.
If you are in a critique group, or write with a partner, why not set yourself a challenge (or a goal) every month?
How about posting a scenario, and everyone writes their version of a scene?
How about posting a keyword, and have everyone write an argument revolving around the key word?
How about posting six character flaws, and have everyone make them part of the hero, somehow? (Showing, not telling, and picking a specific flaw rather than all six.)
How about posting a specific location, and have everyone describe it?
Or you could just go and post your daily wordcount and share the ups and downs. (That’s what we’re doing at Passionate Critters at the moment.)
Go for it. Practice makes perfect.