Day 9
At halfway took a break and went on a really great vacation. It was difficult picking up the threads of my character. Perhaps I should have taken Jacob along on the trip.
For Day #9 free write, yellow was the inspiration or starter. As before with colors I found that staring at yellow paper wrapped close to the face was a very good way to blank my mind. After staring at the other colors and quieting my mind, I had found it difficult to start the free write. With yellow the five minutes of free write flowed quickly and easily. Was it the yellow or the vacation, I don't know.
The Day #9 twenty minute writing session direction was to put my character in a situation and see how he responds. Since Jake lives in old Tucson, the situation that popped to mind was: accidentally walking into the street between two men who were about to shoot it out. The twenty minutes flew by although the number of words written was considerably less than usual.
Still haven't written a story. The process here might be called getting to know my character. Like meeting a new friend, it takes a while to learn about him/her. It is not an instantaneous process. But it is more complicated than that as it is also the process of creating that character. Like our knowledge of friends, what we know about our character may change in the middle of a story. For instance, in the middle of a story we may find his fear or his failure. That's ok, but we must be aware that then we must go back after we finish to make any changes needed to make the character consistent.
Try putting your character in a situation. You may be surprised by his or her reactions. You'll also know the character better.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Back from trip
Falling Water in Pennsylvania is certainly an interesting house set in a wonderfully beautiful location. Worth a visit.
Life intervened and I didn't keep up my writing. In the past I found it difficult to get back to writing after stopping for any period of time. Probably better to write something daily even if only a few notes, descriptions, or just key words.
Also stopped at Lew Wallace's study in Indiana. There's something about visiting the locations of famous writers that is very encouraging to me.
Today will relax and get caught up on the demands of daily life and Sunday or later today continue with my fifteen day plan.
Life intervened and I didn't keep up my writing. In the past I found it difficult to get back to writing after stopping for any period of time. Probably better to write something daily even if only a few notes, descriptions, or just key words.
Also stopped at Lew Wallace's study in Indiana. There's something about visiting the locations of famous writers that is very encouraging to me.
Today will relax and get caught up on the demands of daily life and Sunday or later today continue with my fifteen day plan.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Day 8
Day 8
Halfway through the fifteen days and haven’t yet written a story.
Free write of five minutes was about smells. It was a quick five minutes and I could have written much much more.
The twenty minute write had a focus on events in Jacob’s life. Much like a listing, this was much more difficult than it sounds. Jacob is becoming clearer to me now as I looked at important events in his life and how they changed him.
Halfway through the fifteen days and haven’t yet written a story.
Free write of five minutes was about smells. It was a quick five minutes and I could have written much much more.
The twenty minute write had a focus on events in Jacob’s life. Much like a listing, this was much more difficult than it sounds. Jacob is becoming clearer to me now as I looked at important events in his life and how they changed him.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Day 7
Day 7
Free write today from the random list came up voices. For five minutes wrote about voices and what about them shows emotion. These random-topic-free-writes focus my thoughts on things that I will probably use later. I also feel more comfortable writing with a topic before me than I do when the free write is color inspired. The random selection from a group of topics is also good as I do not waste time trying to decide what to write on. Again I should point out that the topics are not chains and I do not feel restrained to stay on topic in the free writes.
The twenty minute writing period in this fifteen day plan for Day 7 is to write about the main character from his pet’s point of view. This is interesting as a lot is discovered about the character like how empathetic he or she is.
Free write today from the random list came up voices. For five minutes wrote about voices and what about them shows emotion. These random-topic-free-writes focus my thoughts on things that I will probably use later. I also feel more comfortable writing with a topic before me than I do when the free write is color inspired. The random selection from a group of topics is also good as I do not waste time trying to decide what to write on. Again I should point out that the topics are not chains and I do not feel restrained to stay on topic in the free writes.
The twenty minute writing period in this fifteen day plan for Day 7 is to write about the main character from his pet’s point of view. This is interesting as a lot is discovered about the character like how empathetic he or she is.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Days 5 and 6
Days 5 and 6 are posted out of order but it doesn't make much difference except that Day 5 is posted late.
Day 5
Day 5
Day 5 free write was on ears for five minutes. These free writes are short and they often are not very clear but they seem to do the job of getting the brain in thinking mode.
Day 5 twenty minute focus write was a friend’s view of an event in our character’s life. Sort of a third person look at our character. For Jacob I choose Henry, the guy who shares a room with him.
Day 5 free write was on ears for five minutes. These free writes are short and they often are not very clear but they seem to do the job of getting the brain in thinking mode.
Day 5 twenty minute focus write was a friend’s view of an event in our character’s life. Sort of a third person look at our character. For Jacob I choose Henry, the guy who shares a room with him.
Day 6
Day 6
The free write was after looking at neon orange for a minute. I am amazed at how easy color makes it to blank the mind; however, it isn’t inspiring my free write. The free write seems to work as stretching exercises work -- just something to warm up the muscles up before using them.
The twenty minute write took the viewpoint of one of his school teachers. Starting to spot some inconsistencies from one write to another. For example Jacob was raised by his father and his mother died in childbirth was determined in the first write but in choosing an event the event was his parents leaving him and not returning. But those are easily changed. The point of all this so far was to get familiar with our character and the way he thinks and acts.
Try writing for twenty minutes about your character from the view point of his teacher.
The free write was after looking at neon orange for a minute. I am amazed at how easy color makes it to blank the mind; however, it isn’t inspiring my free write. The free write seems to work as stretching exercises work -- just something to warm up the muscles up before using them.
The twenty minute write took the viewpoint of one of his school teachers. Starting to spot some inconsistencies from one write to another. For example Jacob was raised by his father and his mother died in childbirth was determined in the first write but in choosing an event the event was his parents leaving him and not returning. But those are easily changed. The point of all this so far was to get familiar with our character and the way he thinks and acts.
Try writing for twenty minutes about your character from the view point of his teacher.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Wisconsin Fall
Took a break and drove around Lake Winnebago looking at the fall colors on this wonderful, bright, sunny day. My route took me near Holy Hill where the colors were especially great.
Any plan needs to have discipline. Any plan needs to be flexible. Writing plans should always be trumped by matters of the heart.
Any plan needs to have discipline. Any plan needs to be flexible. Writing plans should always be trumped by matters of the heart.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Day 4
Day 4
Today’s draw of the free write was clouds. I listed words and phrases about clouds. Clouds have a real impact on peoples emotions but my list didn’t make it that far before the five minutes was up. Making the list for me was a stop-and-go process. Thinking back it probably would have been better to write how I reacted to different clouds.
Day # 4 on my fifteen day plan was to write about an ‘event’ in my character’s life for twenty minutes. A story starts to form here without the problem of it being a good story. I started with “the event that was the most life changing for Jake Riley was..” without having any idea how the sentence would end. Out popped “his parents left him and never came back..”. After twenty minutes of writing, I knew a lot of Jacob’s back story and something about the way he acts and thinks things through. Getting to know Jake is just like getting to know a co-worker, a little at a time by his speech, actions, and stories.
Try writing about an event in your character's life. It doesn't matter what event. Just let it happen and you'll learn a lot about your character.
Today’s draw of the free write was clouds. I listed words and phrases about clouds. Clouds have a real impact on peoples emotions but my list didn’t make it that far before the five minutes was up. Making the list for me was a stop-and-go process. Thinking back it probably would have been better to write how I reacted to different clouds.
Day # 4 on my fifteen day plan was to write about an ‘event’ in my character’s life for twenty minutes. A story starts to form here without the problem of it being a good story. I started with “the event that was the most life changing for Jake Riley was..” without having any idea how the sentence would end. Out popped “his parents left him and never came back..”. After twenty minutes of writing, I knew a lot of Jacob’s back story and something about the way he acts and thinks things through. Getting to know Jake is just like getting to know a co-worker, a little at a time by his speech, actions, and stories.
Try writing about an event in your character's life. It doesn't matter what event. Just let it happen and you'll learn a lot about your character.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Day 3
Day # 3
Storms was the topic of my free write of five minutes. Easy to stay on topic because many images and feeling of storms passed through my memory. It was difficult to capture the feelings, fear, and exhilaration that storms stir in me. Five minutes were gone instantly.
Day # 3 of the fifteen day plan is to write for twenty minutes about where my character lives. Jake Riley is starting to come alive to me. In Tucson, Arizona in the 1880’s at Emily’s boarding house, Jake shares a small room with a bank clerk, Henry.
Storms was the topic of my free write of five minutes. Easy to stay on topic because many images and feeling of storms passed through my memory. It was difficult to capture the feelings, fear, and exhilaration that storms stir in me. Five minutes were gone instantly.
Day # 3 of the fifteen day plan is to write for twenty minutes about where my character lives. Jake Riley is starting to come alive to me. In Tucson, Arizona in the 1880’s at Emily’s boarding house, Jake shares a small room with a bank clerk, Henry.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Day #2
Day #2 Fifteen Day Plan
My free write today was after viewing a neon pink sheet for thirty seconds. Today I tried wrapping it around my face and looking at it with a light behind it. Again it was an easy thing to blank my mind. And again the free write wasn't much just five minutes struggling to put anything down on paper (in my computer file). I have never been good at meditating as I have never been able to blank my mind. Use of colored pieces of paper may be a help to meditate but doesn't seem like much of a free write inspiration for me.
Day #2 Choose a last name for the character whose first name was chosen yesterday. After reading what I wrote about Jacob yesterday, I chose Riley as a last name for him. Then I spent twenty minutes writing about his last name, his parents, his physical description, and some of his emotional aspects.
After your free write of five minutes, read what you wrote yesterday about your character's first name, and try choosing a last name for your character. Then write about it for twenty minutes.
My free write today was after viewing a neon pink sheet for thirty seconds. Today I tried wrapping it around my face and looking at it with a light behind it. Again it was an easy thing to blank my mind. And again the free write wasn't much just five minutes struggling to put anything down on paper (in my computer file). I have never been good at meditating as I have never been able to blank my mind. Use of colored pieces of paper may be a help to meditate but doesn't seem like much of a free write inspiration for me.
Day #2 Choose a last name for the character whose first name was chosen yesterday. After reading what I wrote about Jacob yesterday, I chose Riley as a last name for him. Then I spent twenty minutes writing about his last name, his parents, his physical description, and some of his emotional aspects.
After your free write of five minutes, read what you wrote yesterday about your character's first name, and try choosing a last name for your character. Then write about it for twenty minutes.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Choose a Name
Choose a name. Any first name that you like the sound and feel of. It can be changed later to be better fit the story, but for now it is the story.
My free write was the neon lime green. Ever since I read that some drunk tanks are painted Pepto pink because it quiets the drunks, I wanted to try this experiment using different colors to start out out a free write. I stared at the sheet of green, trying to blank my mind which turned out to an easy task. My blank mind didn't give much of a free write just babble about the book I had just put down.
The name I chose was Jacob. Then I wrote about Jacob for twenty minutes. That led interesting places and my writing went beyond the twenty minutes but that's ok too.
FIFTEEN DAY PLAN -- DAY #1
My free write was the neon lime green. Ever since I read that some drunk tanks are painted Pepto pink because it quiets the drunks, I wanted to try this experiment using different colors to start out out a free write. I stared at the sheet of green, trying to blank my mind which turned out to an easy task. My blank mind didn't give much of a free write just babble about the book I had just put down.
The name I chose was Jacob. Then I wrote about Jacob for twenty minutes. That led interesting places and my writing went beyond the twenty minutes but that's ok too.
FIFTEEN DAY PLAN -- DAY #1
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Fifteen Day Plan
FOR THE NEXT FIFTEEN DAYS I AM GOING TO WRITE EVERY DAY STARTING WITH A FIVE MINUTE FREE WRITE PERIOD. FOR THE FREE WRITE I WILL WRITE WHATEVER COMES INTO MY HEAD WITHOUT STOPPING FOR FIVE MINUTES.
TOPICS FOR THE FREE WRITE WILL BE AT RANDOM DRAWING FROM THIS LIST: orange, yellow, purple, dark neon pink, bright neon green, clouds, storms, smells, eyes, silence, ears, my favorite, irritations, the way people walk, and voices. I will write whatever comes into my mind whether it is on topic or not. For the colors I will look at a sheet of paper in that color for thirty seconds before starting to write.
OVER THE FIFTEEN DAYS MY HOPE IS TO CREATE A NEW CHARACTER, GET TO KNOW HIM OR HER, AND WRITE ONE OF HIS OR HER STORIES.
TOPICS FOR THE FREE WRITE WILL BE AT RANDOM DRAWING FROM THIS LIST: orange, yellow, purple, dark neon pink, bright neon green, clouds, storms, smells, eyes, silence, ears, my favorite, irritations, the way people walk, and voices. I will write whatever comes into my mind whether it is on topic or not. For the colors I will look at a sheet of paper in that color for thirty seconds before starting to write.
OVER THE FIFTEEN DAYS MY HOPE IS TO CREATE A NEW CHARACTER, GET TO KNOW HIM OR HER, AND WRITE ONE OF HIS OR HER STORIES.
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