In going through old blog posts for another purpose (read the upcoming post for Tuesday's workshop), I realized I hadn't recorded what I've been reading since June. And I have been reading. Lots.
I read several romance novels, but, alas, did not record the titles anywhere. I know there was one Nora Roberts and two Jude Devereux though.
I've re-read The Hobbit, several times in the past two months as I'm teaching it. This was the first Tolkien book I read way back in high school. All my friends had read it and they kept telling me how good it was. I remember reading it in the car on the way to a speech tournament (I competed in Dramatic Interpretation). I also remember not liking it at all. I didn't see what the fuss was.
Several months later I read The Lord of the Rings and loved it. He wrote The Hobbit in a very different style than he used for LOTR and I found I liked the adult style much more than the children's story. Re-reading it now, I find I still hold that opinion.
But, as Bilbo would say, The Hobbit is "just a bit of fun." :)
Mostly I've been reading through L.E. Modesett's Recluce series. My husband bought me 15 out of the 16 books in the series, you may recall. I started reading them in the order in which they were written only to discover he didn't write them in chronological order. His official website says they should be read as he wrote them, but I found myself so confused by the jumping around, I've ignored that directive and am reading them in time order as the events occur in the world.
I'm so much happier.
It's pretty obvious why Modesett wanted people to read them as he wrote them, however. His style as a writer grew and got MUCH better as he went along. He stopped writing in present tense and the stories are tighter. Still a little too much repetition for me, but that's probably my own hang-up.
Reading them in chronological order means I skip back and forth in his style. But I'd rather that than be confused as to the story lines. Currently I've read all the books through Natural Ordermage, which puts me at book ten of the sixteen (I don't have Arms Commander which comes in the first ten, so I have only five more to go). Mage-Guard of Hamor is sitting beside me as I type and I might start it later today.
And that brings me up to speed!
Play safe,
Diana
The official site of Diana Hunter, author of erotic romances, short stories and historical fiction.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Point of view
How many points of view do you tell your stories in?
Okay, so the grammar police might want to get me on the construction of that question, so let me rephrase: when you write your stories, how many points of view do you use?
I was taught short stories could only reflect one person's point of view. That made sense to me. They're short. There isn't time enough in a story that short to have more than one point of view. As far as I'm concerned, that rule still stands.
But what about longer works? How many points of view are you allowed? Well, that depends. J.R.R. Tolkien has nearly 30 major characters in The Lord of the Rings and, at some point or another, almost all of them get a chance at telling at least a piece of the story. Romances are written from the points of view of both the male and female protagonists; modern murder-mysteries often have not only the detective's point of view, but the murder's as well.
The trick is balancing them all.
Some authors use the chapter break as a point of view shift. Some go so far as to put the character's name as the chapter heading and then further's the plot through only what that character sees at that particular moment. Still others will tell the same event twice, first from one point of view, then, in the next chapter, from the antagonist's side of the story.
Other authors will use spaces within a chapter to denote a change of point of view. I see this a lot in romances (and am guilty of the technique as well). The first half of the chapter will be presented through her eyes, the second half through his (or vice-versa). This works well only if you have two protagonists of equal strength. Favoring one over the other tends to lead to unbalanced storytelling.
What you want to avoid is the malady known as "head-hopping." This is where the point of view constantly changes between and among the characters in a scene. Worse than watching a ping-pong match* the continual back and forth, in and out of character's heads can be dizzying for readers trying to figure out what's going on.
The key with any point of view shift is to make is clear so the reader can follow. It should also move the plot forward, not simply rehash action the reader already knows (my personal pet peeve). Katherine Kurtz published an entire book of short stories culled from the "extras" in her Deryni series. Whenever she had to remove a section because it slowed down the plot, she saved it, then later wrote it as a companion piece to the main story. By the time she was finished with the series (some 12 books in all), she had enough of these cut scenes to make an entire book of short companion stories.
Write scenes from other's points of view, especially if it helps you figure out a plot point or character motivation. In fact, I encourage it. You can find out some really cool stuff about your stories, your style and your characters that way.
But don't become married to those scenes. They might, or might not, belong as part of the larger story you're telling. Be prepared to cut and slash if necessary.
But keep them. Off to the side. tucked in a folder. And later, after the big story is published, pull them out, dust them off and fix them up. Then release them as their own short stories, with links, of course, to the larger work. Companion pieces or enticements, they will not go to waste.
Keeping point of view as your focus, examine your current work in progress. What character's pov are you in? Are you consistently using that point of view throughout the story? Should you be? You decide then write a reflection in your journal justifying your choices (remember, taking time to reflect on what we do is a part of the craft of writing. It's how we get better!).
Choose one scene from that same work and write it from a different character's point of view. Could be a minor character or the antagonist. Again, your choice. Once you're done, what did you learn? Again, take time to reflect and record your observations.
Enjoy and leave a tip on the way out :)
Diana
Okay, so the grammar police might want to get me on the construction of that question, so let me rephrase: when you write your stories, how many points of view do you use?
I was taught short stories could only reflect one person's point of view. That made sense to me. They're short. There isn't time enough in a story that short to have more than one point of view. As far as I'm concerned, that rule still stands.
But what about longer works? How many points of view are you allowed? Well, that depends. J.R.R. Tolkien has nearly 30 major characters in The Lord of the Rings and, at some point or another, almost all of them get a chance at telling at least a piece of the story. Romances are written from the points of view of both the male and female protagonists; modern murder-mysteries often have not only the detective's point of view, but the murder's as well.
The trick is balancing them all.
Some authors use the chapter break as a point of view shift. Some go so far as to put the character's name as the chapter heading and then further's the plot through only what that character sees at that particular moment. Still others will tell the same event twice, first from one point of view, then, in the next chapter, from the antagonist's side of the story.
Other authors will use spaces within a chapter to denote a change of point of view. I see this a lot in romances (and am guilty of the technique as well). The first half of the chapter will be presented through her eyes, the second half through his (or vice-versa). This works well only if you have two protagonists of equal strength. Favoring one over the other tends to lead to unbalanced storytelling.
What you want to avoid is the malady known as "head-hopping." This is where the point of view constantly changes between and among the characters in a scene. Worse than watching a ping-pong match* the continual back and forth, in and out of character's heads can be dizzying for readers trying to figure out what's going on.
The key with any point of view shift is to make is clear so the reader can follow. It should also move the plot forward, not simply rehash action the reader already knows (my personal pet peeve). Katherine Kurtz published an entire book of short stories culled from the "extras" in her Deryni series. Whenever she had to remove a section because it slowed down the plot, she saved it, then later wrote it as a companion piece to the main story. By the time she was finished with the series (some 12 books in all), she had enough of these cut scenes to make an entire book of short companion stories.
Write scenes from other's points of view, especially if it helps you figure out a plot point or character motivation. In fact, I encourage it. You can find out some really cool stuff about your stories, your style and your characters that way.
But don't become married to those scenes. They might, or might not, belong as part of the larger story you're telling. Be prepared to cut and slash if necessary.
But keep them. Off to the side. tucked in a folder. And later, after the big story is published, pull them out, dust them off and fix them up. Then release them as their own short stories, with links, of course, to the larger work. Companion pieces or enticements, they will not go to waste.
Activity
Keeping point of view as your focus, examine your current work in progress. What character's pov are you in? Are you consistently using that point of view throughout the story? Should you be? You decide then write a reflection in your journal justifying your choices (remember, taking time to reflect on what we do is a part of the craft of writing. It's how we get better!).
Choose one scene from that same work and write it from a different character's point of view. Could be a minor character or the antagonist. Again, your choice. Once you're done, what did you learn? Again, take time to reflect and record your observations.
Enjoy and leave a tip on the way out :)
Diana
">
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Doing more than seeing the scene
"It had a perfectly round door like a porthole, painted green, with a shiny yellow brass knob in the exact middle. The door opened on to a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel: a very comfortable tunnel without smoke, with paneled walls, and floors tiled and carpeted, provided with polished chairs and lots and lots of pegs for hats and coats--the hobbit was fond of visitors."
Many artists over the years have found inspiration in those words. John Howe, Alan Lee, Ted Naismith, the Hildebrandt brothers (among others) all painted Bag End in their own unique styles, yet it was Tolkien's words that inspired their imaginations and gave birth to their artistic creations (click on the names to see their versions of Bilbo's home).
This is the writer's goal: to write descriptions so lush and detailed that artists can picture the scene inside their heads and then draw or paint so that you, the writer, could look at their work and say, "Yes! That's exactly what I had in mind!" Then you'd know your writing was successful.
Take a look at the types of words Tolkien used in those two sentences. Adjectives describe some the things of the scene (shiny yellow brass knob, comfortable tunnel, paneled walls, polished chairs), while verbs are used to describe other items (floors tiled and carpeted). He even throws in two similes to help with the image (like a porthole, a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel). The closing image, that of the many pegs for hats and coats, leads to a statement about character: Bilbo likes company.
(Sidenote: notice he also throws an adverb in there (a perfectly round door), a part of speech many writers eschew and for good reason. Still, the judicious use gives a simplicity to the style that fits with the personality of hobbits.).
Note the description does more than just allow us to see the setting, however. It also gives us character clues. In only two sentences (the fourth and fifth of the entire novel) we discover that Bilbo's home is comfortable, neat, clean, smoke-free and has room for company -- a traits that are later reinforced by Bilbo's words and actions. Tolkien sets us up right from the start so his reactions to Gandalf's proposal are not a surprise. We know Bilbo from his home and we understand why he would not want to leave it for "an adventure."
This is what we want to accomplish in our own writing. Descriptions that are clear, yet do more than simply describe the room, the building, the field. Remember, a complete scene has several parts: setting, characters, rising action (what happens later as a result of this scene?) How can you write your settings so that they do double duty and bolster character or plot?
How? By focusing on the specific items that reflect on either. Tolkien chose to describe the door, the hall, the chairs and the coat rack, each of which comes in to play later. He's given us character clues about Bilbo, but also already set the scene for the entrance of both Gandalf and later, the dwarves. That way he's free to simply mention "a tremendous ring on the front door-bell" and we fill in the rest from his previous description.
You can use either a scene you've already created or write fresh. In either case, you're looking to create a description that either 1) gives us character clues or 2) sets up a later plot point. You're going beyond just describing what's there and giving specific pieces meaning.
A caveat: be careful not to over describe. It is possible to get so lost in the description and in layering in meaning after meaning, that you forget to tell the story. I love Taylor Caldwell's book, but will admit that I often skipped over her very lengthy descriptions because that's all they were: descriptions of setting. I found they bogged down the story and made it lag because nothing was there that moved the story forward. In fact, it was as if the story stopped so there could be description and then, once it was given, the story could move on again.
As you write (or rewrite), be aware that you're always moving forward. You might slow the pace some, invite the reader to linger in a particularly pleasant spot, but you're still planting little gems that will come in handy later. A character point there, a piece of foreshadowing there...all add up to create a beautiful scene that will inspire artists for years to come.
Go write! And leave a tip if you find this useful :)
Diana
The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
Many artists over the years have found inspiration in those words. John Howe, Alan Lee, Ted Naismith, the Hildebrandt brothers (among others) all painted Bag End in their own unique styles, yet it was Tolkien's words that inspired their imaginations and gave birth to their artistic creations (click on the names to see their versions of Bilbo's home).
This is the writer's goal: to write descriptions so lush and detailed that artists can picture the scene inside their heads and then draw or paint so that you, the writer, could look at their work and say, "Yes! That's exactly what I had in mind!" Then you'd know your writing was successful.
Take a look at the types of words Tolkien used in those two sentences. Adjectives describe some the things of the scene (shiny yellow brass knob, comfortable tunnel, paneled walls, polished chairs), while verbs are used to describe other items (floors tiled and carpeted). He even throws in two similes to help with the image (like a porthole, a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel). The closing image, that of the many pegs for hats and coats, leads to a statement about character: Bilbo likes company.
(Sidenote: notice he also throws an adverb in there (a perfectly round door), a part of speech many writers eschew and for good reason. Still, the judicious use gives a simplicity to the style that fits with the personality of hobbits.).
Note the description does more than just allow us to see the setting, however. It also gives us character clues. In only two sentences (the fourth and fifth of the entire novel) we discover that Bilbo's home is comfortable, neat, clean, smoke-free and has room for company -- a traits that are later reinforced by Bilbo's words and actions. Tolkien sets us up right from the start so his reactions to Gandalf's proposal are not a surprise. We know Bilbo from his home and we understand why he would not want to leave it for "an adventure."
This is what we want to accomplish in our own writing. Descriptions that are clear, yet do more than simply describe the room, the building, the field. Remember, a complete scene has several parts: setting, characters, rising action (what happens later as a result of this scene?) How can you write your settings so that they do double duty and bolster character or plot?
How? By focusing on the specific items that reflect on either. Tolkien chose to describe the door, the hall, the chairs and the coat rack, each of which comes in to play later. He's given us character clues about Bilbo, but also already set the scene for the entrance of both Gandalf and later, the dwarves. That way he's free to simply mention "a tremendous ring on the front door-bell" and we fill in the rest from his previous description.
Activity
You can use either a scene you've already created or write fresh. In either case, you're looking to create a description that either 1) gives us character clues or 2) sets up a later plot point. You're going beyond just describing what's there and giving specific pieces meaning.
A caveat: be careful not to over describe. It is possible to get so lost in the description and in layering in meaning after meaning, that you forget to tell the story. I love Taylor Caldwell's book, but will admit that I often skipped over her very lengthy descriptions because that's all they were: descriptions of setting. I found they bogged down the story and made it lag because nothing was there that moved the story forward. In fact, it was as if the story stopped so there could be description and then, once it was given, the story could move on again.
As you write (or rewrite), be aware that you're always moving forward. You might slow the pace some, invite the reader to linger in a particularly pleasant spot, but you're still planting little gems that will come in handy later. A character point there, a piece of foreshadowing there...all add up to create a beautiful scene that will inspire artists for years to come.
Go write! And leave a tip if you find this useful :)
Diana
">
Friday, September 14, 2012
I'm on Itunes!
Did you know you can get my books through Itunes? You can. Just purchase through the Itunes store and download to the device of your choice.
To make it easy, I've included direct links to the books on the Purchasing Info page of this blog (use the tab at the top of the page). Just click on the link and purchase!
Diana
PS. With all the 50 Shades wannabees...maybe people should check out Stress Relief. Talk about being dominated!
To make it easy, I've included direct links to the books on the Purchasing Info page of this blog (use the tab at the top of the page). Just click on the link and purchase!
Diana
PS. With all the 50 Shades wannabees...maybe people should check out Stress Relief. Talk about being dominated!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Rememberance
Today marks the anniversary of an event we are still trying to understand. Eleven years ago, four planes were taken down on American soil in an act meant to bring us to our knees.
For those who died and for those who still grapple with what happened that day, my thoughts and prayers are with you. May you find the peace you deserve.
For others, this video is one worth watching. It's about the boatlift that occurred eleven years ago today, acts of courage and fortitude that got lost in the many other events of that day.
If you can, take time today and write down where you were, what you experienced eleven years ago today. Where you were, who you were with, what you felt. Record it for yourself and for your family.
God bless,
Diana
For those who died and for those who still grapple with what happened that day, my thoughts and prayers are with you. May you find the peace you deserve.
For others, this video is one worth watching. It's about the boatlift that occurred eleven years ago today, acts of courage and fortitude that got lost in the many other events of that day.
If you can, take time today and write down where you were, what you experienced eleven years ago today. Where you were, who you were with, what you felt. Record it for yourself and for your family.
God bless,
Diana
Wednesday, September 05, 2012
Identifying theme
My apologies. My intent was to post this last night, but I fell asleep early. :( With no further ado...this week's writing workshop!
I've done workshops on plot, character (here, here, and here) and setting. But up until now I haven't talked much about theme.
Briefly put, theme is the main idea behind your novel. In the romances I write, it's often that love will conquer all obstacles.
Long works often have more than one theme. While readers expect the hero and heroine to get together at the end of the story (genre rules come into play there), they also expect a deeper story when reading a novel, another layer to keep them interested. Since the Dominant/submissive dynamic is one that fascinates me, the themes surrounding that relationship often show up in my works. How can a woman be a feminist and a submissive at the same time? Where is the line between abuse and BDSM? What does 'total power exchange' mean, anyway? I start with the question and then find the answers as I write. These questions become the backbone of the book's secondary theme.
Determine the genre of your story and identify the theme as dictated by the genre. That's step one.
Step two is looking at the particular theme for YOUR story. "Main idea" is, to me, too generic a descriptor for theme, so I tend to phrase my theme as a question that is then answered throughout the book. Identify your central question and you've found the specific theme of your story.
And step three is reading through your book to 1) make sure you've answered the question for the reader through the character's actions and/or through the events of the plot and 2) check your story arcs. Where is the theme introduced? explored? answered? Double-check scenes in the story that don't deal with your theme. Are they really needed? How would the story read if they were removed?
In a short story, you only have time to deal with one theme, so you want the writing to be spare and specific. Longer works often have several themes interweaving at the same time, so when you're doing your re-read for theme, keep that in mind. If you're a pantser like me, you might find you wrote in a whole 'nother theme without realizing it.
Getting an outside view also helps. Beta readers or a critique group will look at the story with fresh eyes and may see things you, the author, didn't. That's a good thing. Use their comments to sharpen the story's theme and bring it into focus for a more general audience.
Theme doesn't get as much press as character and plot, but it serves as the backbone of your story. Don't sell it short.
As always, if you find these useful, use the link below to tip!
Diana
I've done workshops on plot, character (here, here, and here) and setting. But up until now I haven't talked much about theme.
Briefly put, theme is the main idea behind your novel. In the romances I write, it's often that love will conquer all obstacles.
Long works often have more than one theme. While readers expect the hero and heroine to get together at the end of the story (genre rules come into play there), they also expect a deeper story when reading a novel, another layer to keep them interested. Since the Dominant/submissive dynamic is one that fascinates me, the themes surrounding that relationship often show up in my works. How can a woman be a feminist and a submissive at the same time? Where is the line between abuse and BDSM? What does 'total power exchange' mean, anyway? I start with the question and then find the answers as I write. These questions become the backbone of the book's secondary theme.
Activity
Identifying your genre's theme(s) comes first. I mentioned one of the more traditional romance themes above. For a murder-mystery it would be that the criminal must always be caught and justice served. Horror novels center around a particular fear, coming-of-age novels deal with emotional growth, fantasies with what it means to be a hero.Determine the genre of your story and identify the theme as dictated by the genre. That's step one.
Step two is looking at the particular theme for YOUR story. "Main idea" is, to me, too generic a descriptor for theme, so I tend to phrase my theme as a question that is then answered throughout the book. Identify your central question and you've found the specific theme of your story.
And step three is reading through your book to 1) make sure you've answered the question for the reader through the character's actions and/or through the events of the plot and 2) check your story arcs. Where is the theme introduced? explored? answered? Double-check scenes in the story that don't deal with your theme. Are they really needed? How would the story read if they were removed?
In a short story, you only have time to deal with one theme, so you want the writing to be spare and specific. Longer works often have several themes interweaving at the same time, so when you're doing your re-read for theme, keep that in mind. If you're a pantser like me, you might find you wrote in a whole 'nother theme without realizing it.
Getting an outside view also helps. Beta readers or a critique group will look at the story with fresh eyes and may see things you, the author, didn't. That's a good thing. Use their comments to sharpen the story's theme and bring it into focus for a more general audience.
Theme doesn't get as much press as character and plot, but it serves as the backbone of your story. Don't sell it short.
As always, if you find these useful, use the link below to tip!
Diana
">
Tuesday, September 04, 2012
today's workshop will be delayed
My apologies. Over the holiday weekend I got busy and didn't get the workshop finalized. Will do and post tonight.
:( Diana
:( Diana
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
We've broken a record!
Long-time readers of my blog know I'm a data junkie. Looking at hard numbers appeals to the left-brained, logical side of me (I do have one, you know!). Every month I record my sales numbers for each book and where they sold the best, then I make charts comparing this year's sales to all the years previous. I know what books have done well (Secret Submission) and what hasn't moved (Timeless Love).
A while back, Blogger started offering stats for the blog. I'd already put a counter from StatCounter on the site, but Blogger's data provides a better overview. I still use StatCounter when I want to drill down and find out things like how long people tend to visit (25% stay five minutes or longer) or what words people typed in to get to me ("diana hunter" is the most popular, although recently two people typed in "nude teachers" and got to my site. Don't ask me how, I've no idea!).
Blogger started collecting hit information in July of 2009 and, in that year, I had an average of 263 hits per month. In 2010, that went up to an average of 320 hits/month. Not great in the world of blogging, but I had a steady stream of dedicated readers and the occasional fly-by, so I was happy. In 2011 the stats went up again, although not by a lot, to 353 hits/month. Steady on!
However, in September 2011, I started the writing workshops and, while they took a bit to get going, they soon started having an impact on my blog hits. Every Tuesday I'd see a spike as people came to try out the new activity, raising the number of hits per month to 477/month for the first part of this year. Three times the blog registered over 500 hits in a months' time and I was thrilled.
Then, early this month, I switched the dianahunter.net address to point to this blog. I never had a good idea if that site was ever getting hits as my webmistress never gave me that info, even when requested. For me, the static website was always a shot in the dark. And the data junkie in me cringed.
Well, now I have an idea of just how many people were hitting that website because August has broken all my previous records, shattering them for all time. In the three weeks both addresses have pointed to this page, there have well over 1500 hits. Yep, that's FOUR digits, folks! I'm doing the happy dance on this side of the computer (be glad there is no video!).
Of course, the big question becomes: does the higher number of hits mean a higher number of sales? That, unfortunately, I do not yet know. The data is still too young. I'm not seeing a huge uptick in my self-published sales, but I won't know EC sales until October's statement. I'm hoping those who are sticking around the site long enough to read the posts are also visiting the Publishing Info tab at the top of the page (it does have the highest number of hits of all the tabs. I told you I'm a data junkie!).
So I'll keep watching the stats (and keep writing the workshops -- they're definitely popular! Although look for some guest posters to the workshops in the coming months) and I'll keep writing the stories, if you keep reading the posts and buying the books!
Oh! And I'll be getting a newsletter out before Labor Day that will have a juicy little surprise in it. Tied to Home is done and if you want a sneak at an excerpt, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter (use the link in the upper right corner of this blog).
That's all for now. Keep visiting and play safe!
Diana
A while back, Blogger started offering stats for the blog. I'd already put a counter from StatCounter on the site, but Blogger's data provides a better overview. I still use StatCounter when I want to drill down and find out things like how long people tend to visit (25% stay five minutes or longer) or what words people typed in to get to me ("diana hunter" is the most popular, although recently two people typed in "nude teachers" and got to my site. Don't ask me how, I've no idea!).
Blogger started collecting hit information in July of 2009 and, in that year, I had an average of 263 hits per month. In 2010, that went up to an average of 320 hits/month. Not great in the world of blogging, but I had a steady stream of dedicated readers and the occasional fly-by, so I was happy. In 2011 the stats went up again, although not by a lot, to 353 hits/month. Steady on!
However, in September 2011, I started the writing workshops and, while they took a bit to get going, they soon started having an impact on my blog hits. Every Tuesday I'd see a spike as people came to try out the new activity, raising the number of hits per month to 477/month for the first part of this year. Three times the blog registered over 500 hits in a months' time and I was thrilled.
Then, early this month, I switched the dianahunter.net address to point to this blog. I never had a good idea if that site was ever getting hits as my webmistress never gave me that info, even when requested. For me, the static website was always a shot in the dark. And the data junkie in me cringed.
Well, now I have an idea of just how many people were hitting that website because August has broken all my previous records, shattering them for all time. In the three weeks both addresses have pointed to this page, there have well over 1500 hits. Yep, that's FOUR digits, folks! I'm doing the happy dance on this side of the computer (be glad there is no video!).
Of course, the big question becomes: does the higher number of hits mean a higher number of sales? That, unfortunately, I do not yet know. The data is still too young. I'm not seeing a huge uptick in my self-published sales, but I won't know EC sales until October's statement. I'm hoping those who are sticking around the site long enough to read the posts are also visiting the Publishing Info tab at the top of the page (it does have the highest number of hits of all the tabs. I told you I'm a data junkie!).
So I'll keep watching the stats (and keep writing the workshops -- they're definitely popular! Although look for some guest posters to the workshops in the coming months) and I'll keep writing the stories, if you keep reading the posts and buying the books!
Oh! And I'll be getting a newsletter out before Labor Day that will have a juicy little surprise in it. Tied to Home is done and if you want a sneak at an excerpt, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter (use the link in the upper right corner of this blog).
That's all for now. Keep visiting and play safe!
Diana
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
back to school...
The lucky of us never stop learning. The whole world is our school and we revel in learning something new every day. I have a friend who kept a learning journal and, every night before she went to bed, she wrote down what she'd learned that day. What a marvelous way to reinforce your own experiences!
I've spoken before about being a reflective writer. About taking the time to look back on what you've accomplished/learned/experienced and then writing about it. Today is one of those days.
Yes, there is a danger in looking back too often. Living in the past is no way to move forward into the future.
Yet that's not really what I want you to do today. Today (or sometime this week), take a look only at what you've written in the past year. If you've been doing each of these exercises (there are just under a year's worth of them!), pull out what you wrote for each one and read it over again, then do the following:
1. Where do you see growth as a writer? What have you learned to do (or not do?)? Take 10-15 minutes and write down your observations.
2. What is your favorite piece from the year? Why? What did you like about it (be as specific as you can)?
3. Which is your worst piece? Why do you think it is? If you were to give it to someone else to read, would they agree with you?
4. Start looking ahead. What are some new skills/techniques you hope to learn in the coming year?
Enjoy the introspection and leave a tip in the jar on the way out...
Diana
I've spoken before about being a reflective writer. About taking the time to look back on what you've accomplished/learned/experienced and then writing about it. Today is one of those days.
Yes, there is a danger in looking back too often. Living in the past is no way to move forward into the future.
Yet that's not really what I want you to do today. Today (or sometime this week), take a look only at what you've written in the past year. If you've been doing each of these exercises (there are just under a year's worth of them!), pull out what you wrote for each one and read it over again, then do the following:
1. Where do you see growth as a writer? What have you learned to do (or not do?)? Take 10-15 minutes and write down your observations.
2. What is your favorite piece from the year? Why? What did you like about it (be as specific as you can)?
3. Which is your worst piece? Why do you think it is? If you were to give it to someone else to read, would they agree with you?
4. Start looking ahead. What are some new skills/techniques you hope to learn in the coming year?
Enjoy the introspection and leave a tip in the jar on the way out...
Diana
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Thursday, August 23, 2012
Finished!
Yipee! Yesterday I finished the first draft of ...my Sweet Spot story. Drat! I still don't have a title for the darn thing, since my current one just isn't working. I have two alternate titles in mind and, if YOU have a preference, let me know in the comments section. They are (in no particular order):
Tied to Home
Homebound
To better help you make a decision, I'm including a little blurb:
After eight years away, Matt Carter doesn't want to go home. Broke, down on his luck and with a troubled past, however, he has no where else to go. What was it Robert Frost said? "Home is the place where, if you have to go there, they have to take you in." So he's back in Port Clef, having no choice but to suffer through a boring summer, working for his cousin and paying off his debts.
Wisteria Penny Lane has life exactly where she wants it. Her store is in the black, the tourist season is about to start, and she has a best friend willing to get her out of the (literally) tight situations Wiste can tie herself into, even if she can't explain that self-bondage helps her relax, that the lack of movement is actually freeing.
What Wiste doesn't need is for the first boy she'd ever loved to come home again and mess up her ordered life...
I've had a lot of fun writing this novella (who am I kidding? I have fun writing them all!). If I can get this puppy a title, it's scheduled for release on November 1st. Leave me a comment or send me an email if you have a preference...and feel free to suggest a different one.
Play safe!
Diana
Tied to Home
Homebound
To better help you make a decision, I'm including a little blurb:
After eight years away, Matt Carter doesn't want to go home. Broke, down on his luck and with a troubled past, however, he has no where else to go. What was it Robert Frost said? "Home is the place where, if you have to go there, they have to take you in." So he's back in Port Clef, having no choice but to suffer through a boring summer, working for his cousin and paying off his debts.
Wisteria Penny Lane has life exactly where she wants it. Her store is in the black, the tourist season is about to start, and she has a best friend willing to get her out of the (literally) tight situations Wiste can tie herself into, even if she can't explain that self-bondage helps her relax, that the lack of movement is actually freeing.
What Wiste doesn't need is for the first boy she'd ever loved to come home again and mess up her ordered life...
I've had a lot of fun writing this novella (who am I kidding? I have fun writing them all!). If I can get this puppy a title, it's scheduled for release on November 1st. Leave me a comment or send me an email if you have a preference...and feel free to suggest a different one.
Play safe!
Diana
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
and even more prompts...
Pretty much every one of us has had schooling of some sort. For many, that meant attending a public school each year for a set number of years. We've had all sorts of experiences and went through every emotion possible in those "hallowed halls."
So, in keeping with the start of another school year, today's prompts center in on that setting. Use your own experiences or those of people you know and let the following prompts lure readers back to those school days they've forgotten...
Remember, this is practice and practice is something we should do often. To that end:
1. Choose one prompt as a 5-10 minute warm-up write. Use this time to relax and get your head in the writing game, so to speak.
2. Choose a second prompt for a longer writing, 30-45 minutes. Tie the prompt to a work in progress or start fresh. Be cognitive of the choices you're making as you're writing. Note the techniques you use, the sentence structure, the arrangement of words.
3. Reflect. This is the step we most often ignore and yet it's the step where the learning takes place. After you've done both writings, take another 10 minutes and, in writing, record what you did, how you did it, what you learned, what you need to change either in your process or your writing. Don't skip this step!
So, in keeping with the start of another school year, today's prompts center in on that setting. Use your own experiences or those of people you know and let the following prompts lure readers back to those school days they've forgotten...
Remember, this is practice and practice is something we should do often. To that end:
1. Choose one prompt as a 5-10 minute warm-up write. Use this time to relax and get your head in the writing game, so to speak.
2. Choose a second prompt for a longer writing, 30-45 minutes. Tie the prompt to a work in progress or start fresh. Be cognitive of the choices you're making as you're writing. Note the techniques you use, the sentence structure, the arrangement of words.
3. Reflect. This is the step we most often ignore and yet it's the step where the learning takes place. After you've done both writings, take another 10 minutes and, in writing, record what you did, how you did it, what you learned, what you need to change either in your process or your writing. Don't skip this step!
Prompts
- Your son or daughter waits for the bus on the first day of school - ever. Determine the age of both the child and the parent and write the dialogue the two have as they wait.
- Your protagonist witnesses a fight at school (but does not become involved). Write a scene where he/she is describing what happened to an authority figure.
- The substitute teacher (whom your protagonist has never had before, nor ever heard of) enters the classroom and begins teaching the wrong subject, or giving incorrect information. How does your character react? How do others in the room react?
- Your protagonist witnesses a bully intimidating another classmate. Your protagonist doesn't like either person involved in the incident. Show the incident through your protagonist's eyes. Be sure to include his/her actions regarding the incident.
- It's time for public speaking! Your protagonist has written and practiced a beautiful speech to deliver before the class. Except he/she has forgotten the written speech at home. It is his/her turn next. What happens?
Enjoy the prompts and leave a tip!
Diana
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Monday, August 20, 2012
Whee!
We've hit over a thousand visits to the blog this month! First time ever over that magic number. Many thanks to all who visit, even if I think some are bots who scan and ignore (my stat counter shows a number of hits that stay less than five seconds and move one. I'm pretty sure that's a bot).
Even so, that's a record I like. I re-directed dianahunter.net to this site earlier this month and I'm pretty sure that's the big reason for the uptick in visits. Didn't see any sense in keeping a site I never updated when this one is updated frequently.
So welcome to all who are finding me for the first time, and thank you for all who visit often. Good to "see" you all and feel free to drop a note in the comments every once in a while.
Play safe!
Diana
Even so, that's a record I like. I re-directed dianahunter.net to this site earlier this month and I'm pretty sure that's the big reason for the uptick in visits. Didn't see any sense in keeping a site I never updated when this one is updated frequently.
So welcome to all who are finding me for the first time, and thank you for all who visit often. Good to "see" you all and feel free to drop a note in the comments every once in a while.
Play safe!
Diana
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Blogging at the Scribes again!
http://www.sizzlingscribes.blogspot.com/2012/08/when-real-life-gets-in-way.html
Head on over and take a gander!
Diana
Head on over and take a gander!
Diana
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Back to Myst
Long-time readers know I am a fan of the Myst stories. I
call them stories rather than games because, at their heart, that’s what they
are. Each “episode” builds on the last, yet, like any good series of books,
each section also stands on its own. If you’ve read (played) the previous
episodes, you understand a little more deeeply, but they are not essential to
the current piece you’re dealing with.
A fellow teacher turned me onto the first Myst game back in the early
1990’s. I was hooked not only by the gorgeous graphics, but by the story as
well. Subsequent episodes told more of the story of Atrus’ family and the more
I learned, the more I wanted to know.
The series hooked me on the idea of telling a story in
random order. Of letting readers meander through the events the way they wanted
to. Non-linear. Gathering information in bits and pieces, exploring the world
and discovering the characters’ background, thoughts and ideas – their stories.
I just finished re-playing End of Ages, the fifth in the series of Myst “games”. I’d started a
re-play a while back, but that computer died and I had no way of finishing.
Then my son turned me onto Steam, where I could buy an entire bundle
from Cyan (the original Myst
creators) for thirty dollars. I will replay them all, but started with the end
only because I wanted to finish from the notes I took two years ago.
And yes, you have to take notes. Either within the game (a
journal is provided) or separately. I like to play with a notebook beside me
where I can record drawings, or, in this case, simply thoughts about the story
as I go. A place where I can talk back to the creators of the game as well as
the characters on the screen. In a book I’d call this active reading. In this
particular video “game” I’d call it active participation.
Writing a story like this is still on my list of things to
do. I have a story in mind that would work very well when told in a random
order and in a setting where the reader/player is set down and has to figure
out what is happening as he/she wanders about. After all, isn’t that really how
life goes? We get a piece of the story here, a piece there – and have to put it
all together ourselves? It’s an attractive challenge.
For now, I’m headed back to the cabin to finish my current
work-in-progress and will leave my idea for this type of storytelling on the
back burner.
Play safe!
Diana
Friday, August 17, 2012
It ain't me!
I have certain alerts set so that any time my name is mentioned, I get an email telling me someone's mentioned me. It works great and I've found several review sites, especially, because of it. I've also found pirates!
But this week I've gotten several alerts about a Diana Hunter handing out Trojan vibrators in New York City. The picture is of an attractive young woman holding a purple box and the caption says the sales of Trojan vibes is up 14% this year. They're holding 50 Shades of Grey accountable, but I'd like to think maybe I had a hand in that as well (pun intended).
Anyway, the Diana Hunter pictured is not me. Yes, I'd be happy to hand out Trojan vibrators in Times Square, but alas, they did not ask. You can see pictures of this event here and here.
Go vibes!
And Play Safe! :)
Diana
PS. If you buy a Trojan vibe, tell 'em Diana sent you. This Diana, not the one in the picture!
But this week I've gotten several alerts about a Diana Hunter handing out Trojan vibrators in New York City. The picture is of an attractive young woman holding a purple box and the caption says the sales of Trojan vibes is up 14% this year. They're holding 50 Shades of Grey accountable, but I'd like to think maybe I had a hand in that as well (pun intended).
Anyway, the Diana Hunter pictured is not me. Yes, I'd be happy to hand out Trojan vibrators in Times Square, but alas, they did not ask. You can see pictures of this event here and here.
Go vibes!
And Play Safe! :)
Diana
PS. If you buy a Trojan vibe, tell 'em Diana sent you. This Diana, not the one in the picture!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Plein Air Writing
This past weekend my husband took part in his first plein air festival. Sponsored by Billsboro Winery on Seneca Lake, the art created in just over twenty-four hours was incredibly beautiful and fascinating in its diversity.
For those unfamiliar with the plein air style, there is a wonderful explanation here but, for the layman, the short version is that it is painting from real life. It's an attempt to capture on canvas the light, the sound, the mood of a particular place in space and time. It is painting "in the open air."
And while he painted, I spent the weekend wondering why writers didn't do more of the same. We think nothing of accepting an artist, easel upright and paints at his or her side, creating art in public for all the world to watch. We go to museums and galleries and ooh and ahh over paintings that were created in this style.
Why don't we do the same for writers?
Answer: we have a different stereotype: that of the lonely writer, locked in a garret room with only a typewriter for a companion and a whiskey for sustenance. Writers spurn the outside world. We live inside our heads and crave solitude.
Bollox.
It is time to put to rest that tired old picture of a writer and the best way to do that -- is to go public.
You heard me. Get out there. Go to parks, to restaurants, to festivals - and write. Don't find a quiet corner, sit right in the middle of the action and whip out your notebook and pen and start sketching with words. Capture phrases, conversation, write sentences that fill in the flavor of the scene. Work fast and don't edit. Create. Create art with words.
2. Choose a larger portion of the scene for a longer writing, 30-45 minutes. Be cognitive of the choices you're making as you're writing. Note the techniques you use, the sentence structure, the arrangement of words, but do not let your thoughts trick you into editing. Pause, watch, listen, write.
3. Reflect. Do this step at home or in private. After you've done both writings, take another 10 minutes and, in writing, record what you did, where you wrote and how you felt about both the process and what you created. Don't skip this step! This is where you learn.
For those unfamiliar with the plein air style, there is a wonderful explanation here but, for the layman, the short version is that it is painting from real life. It's an attempt to capture on canvas the light, the sound, the mood of a particular place in space and time. It is painting "in the open air."
And while he painted, I spent the weekend wondering why writers didn't do more of the same. We think nothing of accepting an artist, easel upright and paints at his or her side, creating art in public for all the world to watch. We go to museums and galleries and ooh and ahh over paintings that were created in this style.
Why don't we do the same for writers?
Answer: we have a different stereotype: that of the lonely writer, locked in a garret room with only a typewriter for a companion and a whiskey for sustenance. Writers spurn the outside world. We live inside our heads and crave solitude.
Bollox.
It is time to put to rest that tired old picture of a writer and the best way to do that -- is to go public.
You heard me. Get out there. Go to parks, to restaurants, to festivals - and write. Don't find a quiet corner, sit right in the middle of the action and whip out your notebook and pen and start sketching with words. Capture phrases, conversation, write sentences that fill in the flavor of the scene. Work fast and don't edit. Create. Create art with words.
Activity
For this week's prompt, get out of the house. Shake up your writing routine and go somewhere public. Outside in the sunshine if you can. Plein air artists focus on capturing the light. How can you do the same but with words? Look at the scene and focus on mood. Don't worry about full sentences or editing. This is a sketch.
1. Find a comfortable place where you can both observe and be observed. Look around you and focus on one part of the scene as a 5-10 minute warm-up write. Use this time to relax and get your head in the writing game, so to speak. Let people watch you write if they want (you may need to ask them to hold a question until you've finished a thought).
2. Choose a larger portion of the scene for a longer writing, 30-45 minutes. Be cognitive of the choices you're making as you're writing. Note the techniques you use, the sentence structure, the arrangement of words, but do not let your thoughts trick you into editing. Pause, watch, listen, write.
3. Reflect. Do this step at home or in private. After you've done both writings, take another 10 minutes and, in writing, record what you did, where you wrote and how you felt about both the process and what you created. Don't skip this step! This is where you learn.
4. Optional: Edit. Painters do not have this luxury, but writers do. Take a look at the work you created. Where can you tighten the phrasing? Add words to fill in the picture? BE CAREFUL! Just as painters need to be careful to not overwork a painting, writers must also be wary of overworking their sketches.
Have fun with this! If you're adventurous, let me know how it went in the comments below.
If you find this useful, please leave a tip in the jar.
Diana (who thinks it might be fun to create a plein air festival for writers...)
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Saturday, August 11, 2012
Name change
Okay, if you've been over to the Sizzling Scribe site, you've seen that my next book is coming out in November and that it's part of the Sweet Spot series. You also would have seen that the name of the book is Proud Bondage.
I have to change it. I just have to.
Why?
Because every time I look at that file on my computer I heard Credence Clearwater Revival singing Proud Mary.
"Big wheels keep on turnin'
Proud Mary keep on burnin'
Rollin'. Rollin'. Rolling on the river..."
Now it's stuck in your head, too.
You're welcome.
Yeah, I gotta change the name.
I have to change it. I just have to.
Why?
Because every time I look at that file on my computer I heard Credence Clearwater Revival singing Proud Mary.
"Big wheels keep on turnin'
Proud Mary keep on burnin'
Rollin'. Rollin'. Rolling on the river..."
Now it's stuck in your head, too.
You're welcome.
Yeah, I gotta change the name.
Tuesday, August 07, 2012
Fan fic prompts
Many writers start out with fan-fic; fiction based on someone else's characters and story lines. I certainly did.
Back in high school, one of my best friends wrote great fan-fic TV scripts for some of the more popular shows on television at the time. My favorite was one she did for Mannix (yes, that dates me). They were hand-written on notebook paper, but she used the characters and gave them new plot lines. I wasn't confident enough as a writer to try my own, however. Yet.
I wasn't too far into my college years when my cousin introduced me to Star Trek fan writings. Paramount had taken ownership of the TV show and wasn't too sure what to do with those early magazines dedicated to the defunct program. I knew when I wrote my first (and only) Star Trek story that I was treading thin ground when it came to copyright, but figured as long as I didn't publish it and only showed it to a few people, I'd probably be okay.
(By the way, that story still exists in my file drawer. It's hand-written and my cousin and I fleshed out the plot together. I re-read it a few years back and was surprised. While there are the expected technical issues of a young writer, its actually a pretty good story. Listening, Paramount?)
Of course now, with 50 Shades of Gray beginning life as a Twilight fan-fic, the genre is growing in respectability, even if it exists in kind of a legal gray area (no pun intended).
Still, it's a great way to practice skills. The characters are already developed, the setting is pre-determined, even the overarching themes are already set in stone. All you need to do is 1) stay true to the original writer's intent and 2) focus on plot and point of view.
Today's workshop focuses on those literary elements. Remember, practice makes perfect! Using an existing book, movie or TV show allows you to slide on some elements and concentrate your practice on specifics. The prompts below focus on plot and point of view, so decide where you want to focus your energies and get crackin'!
1. Choose one prompt as a 5-10 minute warm-up write. Use this time to relax and get your head in the writing game, so to speak.
2. Choose a second prompt for a longer writing, 30-45 minutes. Tie the prompt to a work in progress or start fresh. Be cognitive of the choices you're making as you're writing. Note the techniques you use, the sentence structure, the arrangement of words.
3. Reflect. This is the step we most often ignore and yet it's the step where the learning takes place. After you've done both writings, take another 10 minutes and, in writing, record what you did, how you did it, what you learned, what you need to change either in your process or your writing. Don't skip this step!
First, choose a TV show, movie or book that you love and know inside out (this makes it easier to focus on plot and point of view instead of everything else). Then choose from the prompts below and have some fun!
Have fun and leave a tip on your way out!
Diana
Back in high school, one of my best friends wrote great fan-fic TV scripts for some of the more popular shows on television at the time. My favorite was one she did for Mannix (yes, that dates me). They were hand-written on notebook paper, but she used the characters and gave them new plot lines. I wasn't confident enough as a writer to try my own, however. Yet.
I wasn't too far into my college years when my cousin introduced me to Star Trek fan writings. Paramount had taken ownership of the TV show and wasn't too sure what to do with those early magazines dedicated to the defunct program. I knew when I wrote my first (and only) Star Trek story that I was treading thin ground when it came to copyright, but figured as long as I didn't publish it and only showed it to a few people, I'd probably be okay.
(By the way, that story still exists in my file drawer. It's hand-written and my cousin and I fleshed out the plot together. I re-read it a few years back and was surprised. While there are the expected technical issues of a young writer, its actually a pretty good story. Listening, Paramount?)
Of course now, with 50 Shades of Gray beginning life as a Twilight fan-fic, the genre is growing in respectability, even if it exists in kind of a legal gray area (no pun intended).
Still, it's a great way to practice skills. The characters are already developed, the setting is pre-determined, even the overarching themes are already set in stone. All you need to do is 1) stay true to the original writer's intent and 2) focus on plot and point of view.
Today's workshop focuses on those literary elements. Remember, practice makes perfect! Using an existing book, movie or TV show allows you to slide on some elements and concentrate your practice on specifics. The prompts below focus on plot and point of view, so decide where you want to focus your energies and get crackin'!
To use these prompts as practice, use the following steps as a guide:
1. Choose one prompt as a 5-10 minute warm-up write. Use this time to relax and get your head in the writing game, so to speak.
2. Choose a second prompt for a longer writing, 30-45 minutes. Tie the prompt to a work in progress or start fresh. Be cognitive of the choices you're making as you're writing. Note the techniques you use, the sentence structure, the arrangement of words.
3. Reflect. This is the step we most often ignore and yet it's the step where the learning takes place. After you've done both writings, take another 10 minutes and, in writing, record what you did, how you did it, what you learned, what you need to change either in your process or your writing. Don't skip this step!
Prompts
First, choose a TV show, movie or book that you love and know inside out (this makes it easier to focus on plot and point of view instead of everything else). Then choose from the prompts below and have some fun!
- Put those characters into a unique spot and have them get out of it. Use an omniscient viewpoint or write as a TV/movie/play script.
- Write from the point of view of one of the minor characters. Use this "outside" pov to show us a different side of one of the main characters.
- Make up a new character who meets the established characters for the first time.
- Explore the work by going deeper into the established action: two neighbors discussing Bilbo's sudden disappearance or two people from District 13 discussing Katniss' act of volunteering for the Games, for example.
Have fun and leave a tip on your way out!
Diana
Monday, August 06, 2012
More steps accomplished!
Email is back up and running. If you sent me email in the past five days, please resend as it is lost in cyberspace. On the upside, that was five days without having to clean out the spam!
My website addy (dianahunter.net) also posts here now (that was step one), so we're moving right along with the changes I wrote about here (at the bottom of the post). I've learned not to give timelines as there's always something that takes longer than it should, so just know I'm still working on the promotional side while writing my next book.
I didn't send a newsletter this month because of the website and email issues. Look for a new one come September. In the meantime, I'll be spending August finishing not one, but two novels:
I'm currently hard at work on my contribution to the Sweet Spot series. I'm 24K words into it and liking the hero and heroine very much. The book is on track to release in November, so look for blurbs and excerpts within the coming months.
I'm also working on a new Mystic Shade title. This is a story that's been sitting on my computer in pieces for nearly three years. I finally decided to put it together and get it ready for publication. It's just about in the same stage as my Sweet Spot book as far as completion. I'm having fun with both of them!
Lastly, some sad news, my Nova Scotia trip is off. My husband's mother is ill and we don't want to be too far away if she needs us. So we're going to treat ourselves to a fancy spa instead. Gotta find that silver lining!
Play safe everyone!
Diana
My website addy (dianahunter.net) also posts here now (that was step one), so we're moving right along with the changes I wrote about here (at the bottom of the post). I've learned not to give timelines as there's always something that takes longer than it should, so just know I'm still working on the promotional side while writing my next book.
I didn't send a newsletter this month because of the website and email issues. Look for a new one come September. In the meantime, I'll be spending August finishing not one, but two novels:
I'm currently hard at work on my contribution to the Sweet Spot series. I'm 24K words into it and liking the hero and heroine very much. The book is on track to release in November, so look for blurbs and excerpts within the coming months.
I'm also working on a new Mystic Shade title. This is a story that's been sitting on my computer in pieces for nearly three years. I finally decided to put it together and get it ready for publication. It's just about in the same stage as my Sweet Spot book as far as completion. I'm having fun with both of them!
Lastly, some sad news, my Nova Scotia trip is off. My husband's mother is ill and we don't want to be too far away if she needs us. So we're going to treat ourselves to a fancy spa instead. Gotta find that silver lining!
Play safe everyone!
Diana
Friday, August 03, 2012
One step accomplished!
Okay folks, if you typed in http://www.dianahunter.net, it redirected you here. That's supposed to happen. While the other site undergoes a major reconstruction, I'm having the addy point here where you can find links using the tabs at the top of the page to find information about all the books I've self published as well as those published with Ellora's Cave.
Take a look around if this is your first time here and try not to notice the dust piles in the corner as I sweep away the old site and build the new!
Play safe,
Diana
Take a look around if this is your first time here and try not to notice the dust piles in the corner as I sweep away the old site and build the new!
Play safe,
Diana
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