By Celinda Barefield
So, here it is, New Year's Eve. I’m sitting here thinking about the year to come and everything that happened in 2009. At the same time I’m remembering something that was broadcast about tonight being a blue moon night. The song, “Blue Moon,” is stuck in my head. Well, of all things, it’s not that bad for New Year’s.
A blue moon only happens about every two-and-a-half years. Wow. Imagine how many New Year’s resolutions were accomplished and abandoned between this blue moon and the last.
What did you accomplish? Have you written that book yet? I know I didn’t. I wish I could say that I had, that the novel is complete and on its way to a publisher near you. Unfortunately it isn’t. It’s still sitting in my mind gathering dust, waiting to be told.
That’s my story. What about you? I challenge you in this new year to look at all your unfinished projects and those you did complete and then reflect on what is important. Set your New Year’s resolution. Even if you don’t totally follow through, what you do get done could be amazing. As a new blue moon rises, so will the feelings of accomplishment in knowing you’ve completed a number of goals.
Happy New Year! May 2010 hold something special for you and yours.
Showing posts with label Celinda Barefield. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Celinda Barefield. Show all posts
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Writing Stories That Fly, Part II
By Celinda Barefield
Now you have a book on how to write. The question becomes, how do I apply it to my writing? This can be seen as a downer for most writers. If it wasn’t hard enough getting just the right book to fix your problem, now you have to actually read it and apply the written word to your work. This might seem a Herculean task, but with these three steps it is accomplishable.
1. Read the book. Yes, I know we like to focus on writing, but sometimes it can be helpful to take a break and read something by someone else, especially if it will ultimately improve what we are working on. I know, it sounds crazy, but it is possible other people can help us.
2. Highlight the parts that catch your interest. Maybe they relate to a problem area, or maybe they were just funny. It could be an exercise, a quick quote, or even a smart how- to tip. The point is that you looked for help and are enthusiastic about writing again.
3. Apply your newfound knowledge. That’s it. The big secret of writing. If you take the time to use what you learn, your writing will get better.
Now, go out and conquer!
Now you have a book on how to write. The question becomes, how do I apply it to my writing? This can be seen as a downer for most writers. If it wasn’t hard enough getting just the right book to fix your problem, now you have to actually read it and apply the written word to your work. This might seem a Herculean task, but with these three steps it is accomplishable.
1. Read the book. Yes, I know we like to focus on writing, but sometimes it can be helpful to take a break and read something by someone else, especially if it will ultimately improve what we are working on. I know, it sounds crazy, but it is possible other people can help us.
2. Highlight the parts that catch your interest. Maybe they relate to a problem area, or maybe they were just funny. It could be an exercise, a quick quote, or even a smart how- to tip. The point is that you looked for help and are enthusiastic about writing again.
3. Apply your newfound knowledge. That’s it. The big secret of writing. If you take the time to use what you learn, your writing will get better.
Now, go out and conquer!
Monday, August 10, 2009
First Impression (Why I Wish I Could Write My Life)
By Celinda Barefield
OK, I was originally going to write a follow up to my last article about how to integrate a good writing guide into your work, but in light of recent events, I’m changing my topic. I will do the follow-up at a later date. Instead, I’m going to write about meet-and-greets.
The big challenge here is: How do you get your main characters to meet? This is where setting, motive, and actions come into play. There are many types of meet-and-greets ranging from preplanned stalkerish to randomly weird and everything in between. Maybe one of the characters sets it up. Maybe it’s an act of fate. Sometimes it can be pure coincidence. It is up to the writer to decide. The point is that they eventually do have to meet.
My favorite type of meet-and-greet is the Meet Cute. If you are familiar with old romance comedies, you know what I’m talking about. In a Meet Cute, two people are looking for similar things. For example, a girl and a guy are in the men’s suit center. The girl only needs a jacket, the guy just needs a pair of trousers, but the clerk has to sell the set. They both blurt out their requests at him at the same time and realize that they can solve their problem together. This is a Meet Cute, a random act that leads two people to meet, and in most cases fall in love.
Another type is the Serendipity meeting. After spending a large amount of time almost side by side, two individuals finally encounter each other via a random act of fate, most often years later. An example is a guy and a girl live in the same apartment building but on different floors, they work in the same office building again on different floors, and they frequent the same deli for take-out but at different times. It is not until they are both on vacation in Maui that they run into each other waiting at a taxi stand in the middle of a thunderstorm. They fall in love and realize that they were close for years and never knew it.
As writers, we do not have to write a good first impression. Take Pride and Prejudice for example. Here we have a great meet-and-greet in which the two lovebirds get the totally wrong impression of each other. Mix-ups like this make or break some stories. So choose your first words with care. The thing to remember is until it’s published you can always write a new first impression unlike in real life when you’re stuck with the ones you make.
OK, I was originally going to write a follow up to my last article about how to integrate a good writing guide into your work, but in light of recent events, I’m changing my topic. I will do the follow-up at a later date. Instead, I’m going to write about meet-and-greets.
The big challenge here is: How do you get your main characters to meet? This is where setting, motive, and actions come into play. There are many types of meet-and-greets ranging from preplanned stalkerish to randomly weird and everything in between. Maybe one of the characters sets it up. Maybe it’s an act of fate. Sometimes it can be pure coincidence. It is up to the writer to decide. The point is that they eventually do have to meet.
My favorite type of meet-and-greet is the Meet Cute. If you are familiar with old romance comedies, you know what I’m talking about. In a Meet Cute, two people are looking for similar things. For example, a girl and a guy are in the men’s suit center. The girl only needs a jacket, the guy just needs a pair of trousers, but the clerk has to sell the set. They both blurt out their requests at him at the same time and realize that they can solve their problem together. This is a Meet Cute, a random act that leads two people to meet, and in most cases fall in love.
Another type is the Serendipity meeting. After spending a large amount of time almost side by side, two individuals finally encounter each other via a random act of fate, most often years later. An example is a guy and a girl live in the same apartment building but on different floors, they work in the same office building again on different floors, and they frequent the same deli for take-out but at different times. It is not until they are both on vacation in Maui that they run into each other waiting at a taxi stand in the middle of a thunderstorm. They fall in love and realize that they were close for years and never knew it.
As writers, we do not have to write a good first impression. Take Pride and Prejudice for example. Here we have a great meet-and-greet in which the two lovebirds get the totally wrong impression of each other. Mix-ups like this make or break some stories. So choose your first words with care. The thing to remember is until it’s published you can always write a new first impression unlike in real life when you’re stuck with the ones you make.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Writing Stories That Fly, Part I
By Celinda Barefield
Lately as I have been in the middle of a writer’s block, one question has been plaguing my mind. How do you write something?
I know from my own experimentation in picking up a pen and putting something down on paper that it is not an easy task. Nor is it a straightforward one. Personally, I have read a number of self-help writing books to push me along towards the answer to this question. There are crazy amounts of these books, so the question then becomes, how do you pick a book from all the others? That’s what this post is about: types of writing books - genre specific, style specific, general self-help.
This is what I look for in a writing book. First, how old is it? If it is over 20 years old and isn’t in a second edition stay away from it. Writing, like any occupation, changes. It would be like picking up a 20-year-old science book and expecting it to be up to date. It might have some good tips, but most likely it will lead you in a bad overall direction.
Second, look at the topic; a number of these books are genre specific. They have multiple books for different genres. Therefore, if you want to get to know a certain genre, like science fiction, fantasy, romance, western, Christian, or others, there are books specifically dedicated to work with that area. Just make sure you really want to associate with a particular genre before going towards a genre-writing book.
Third, make sure you peruse the book before you commit yourself to reading it. Time is precious and so is money. You don’t want to invest in a book and find out afterwards that it doesn’t talk about point of view when all you needed was help on that topic. This is where you may run into problems with general self-help books. They might not give enough help on the subject you need. That is why style-specific point books are useful; identify what you’re really trying to correct and read before committing yourself to a 400-page horror.
Lastly, I’m going to leave you with a writing exercise. Many self-help books have them. They are meant to get us writers writing, and I’m hoping it works for me. Why don’t you give it a shot?
Try this. Choose a work that you have already started. Now, look at it again, and write a new beginning from a different point in the timeline, either before or after your original beginning.
How does the story change?
Look back at both beginnings. Which better fits your story? Why?
Next time you are stuck in your writing, think about the beginning. Maybe what you really need is to jump-start the front of your story, not the back.
Lately as I have been in the middle of a writer’s block, one question has been plaguing my mind. How do you write something?
I know from my own experimentation in picking up a pen and putting something down on paper that it is not an easy task. Nor is it a straightforward one. Personally, I have read a number of self-help writing books to push me along towards the answer to this question. There are crazy amounts of these books, so the question then becomes, how do you pick a book from all the others? That’s what this post is about: types of writing books - genre specific, style specific, general self-help.
This is what I look for in a writing book. First, how old is it? If it is over 20 years old and isn’t in a second edition stay away from it. Writing, like any occupation, changes. It would be like picking up a 20-year-old science book and expecting it to be up to date. It might have some good tips, but most likely it will lead you in a bad overall direction.
Second, look at the topic; a number of these books are genre specific. They have multiple books for different genres. Therefore, if you want to get to know a certain genre, like science fiction, fantasy, romance, western, Christian, or others, there are books specifically dedicated to work with that area. Just make sure you really want to associate with a particular genre before going towards a genre-writing book.
Third, make sure you peruse the book before you commit yourself to reading it. Time is precious and so is money. You don’t want to invest in a book and find out afterwards that it doesn’t talk about point of view when all you needed was help on that topic. This is where you may run into problems with general self-help books. They might not give enough help on the subject you need. That is why style-specific point books are useful; identify what you’re really trying to correct and read before committing yourself to a 400-page horror.
Lastly, I’m going to leave you with a writing exercise. Many self-help books have them. They are meant to get us writers writing, and I’m hoping it works for me. Why don’t you give it a shot?
Try this. Choose a work that you have already started. Now, look at it again, and write a new beginning from a different point in the timeline, either before or after your original beginning.
How does the story change?
Look back at both beginnings. Which better fits your story? Why?
Next time you are stuck in your writing, think about the beginning. Maybe what you really need is to jump-start the front of your story, not the back.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
The Latest Addition
Meet A New Writer
CELINDA BAREFIELD
Celinda is a life-long lover of the literary arts. She received her BA in English Literature so she could spend her undergraduate years talking about books. She went on to get her Master's in Library and Information Science so she could be a Librarian and be paid to read books. In the few moments when she is not reading she tries her hand at writing.
"When I finish a book I can't help but take part of the writer's world and style with me. I'll read Shakespeare and hours later I’ll start speaking in rhymes with thee's and thou's issuing forth from my lips. Often I pick up the pen and continue the story until I feel satisfied with the ending. With that satisfaction sometimes comes the beginning to a whole new tale that only I’ve been able to enjoy so far. Here's hoping that my dream to share the stories swirling around in my head with the rest of the world will some day come true!"
Celinda currently lives in South Carolina in want of love or a cat, whichever doesn’t make her sneeze.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The Fool
By Celinda Barefield
It being spring, I thought I’d share an archetype with you. Though there are many to choose from, such as the “Betrayer,” “Casanova,” and “King Arthur” archetypes, I thought that a sub-character archetype would be fun for a change, so I chose the “Fool” archetype. Now, I know what you’re thinking. Why that one?
The “Fool" is one of the longest standing archetypes in history. It traces its origins as far back as Homer’s Iliad. It was made famous by Shakespeare. Every single one of Shakespeare’s plays included this archetype. A current example of the “Fool” is the character Neville Longbottom in the popular Harry Potter series. Here is a character that, but for a simple chance of fate, could have been the main character of the series. Instead, he is seen as the “Fool.”
So what is the “Fool” archetype anyway? It is a character that for the sake of the story is the laughing stock. He is the center of most jokes, but not because of his own choosing. Luckily, he is also usually the wisest character in the story, or at least he has a piece of wisdom that surpasses all the others showing him to be the smartest person of the group even though everyone thinks him the dumbest. Sadly, his wisdom is often ignored leading to the downfall of a main character. It is the “Fool” that helps get a point across that others would otherwise ignore.
“Fools” make for great sub-characters. They provide comic relief to a tense situation while providing needed insights into the world of the main characters. Most stories have them if you look hard enough. You might even be creating one as you read!
It being spring, I thought I’d share an archetype with you. Though there are many to choose from, such as the “Betrayer,” “Casanova,” and “King Arthur” archetypes, I thought that a sub-character archetype would be fun for a change, so I chose the “Fool” archetype. Now, I know what you’re thinking. Why that one?
The “Fool" is one of the longest standing archetypes in history. It traces its origins as far back as Homer’s Iliad. It was made famous by Shakespeare. Every single one of Shakespeare’s plays included this archetype. A current example of the “Fool” is the character Neville Longbottom in the popular Harry Potter series. Here is a character that, but for a simple chance of fate, could have been the main character of the series. Instead, he is seen as the “Fool.”
So what is the “Fool” archetype anyway? It is a character that for the sake of the story is the laughing stock. He is the center of most jokes, but not because of his own choosing. Luckily, he is also usually the wisest character in the story, or at least he has a piece of wisdom that surpasses all the others showing him to be the smartest person of the group even though everyone thinks him the dumbest. Sadly, his wisdom is often ignored leading to the downfall of a main character. It is the “Fool” that helps get a point across that others would otherwise ignore.
“Fools” make for great sub-characters. They provide comic relief to a tense situation while providing needed insights into the world of the main characters. Most stories have them if you look hard enough. You might even be creating one as you read!
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