Hi, I had a mad thought after speaking with our audience at Trowbridge Library, and that is to do a workshop,.
My purpose is simply to meet writers who are looking for a critiquing group and to network and to get them on the road to writing.
If you have some questions after you have read through this blog, feel free to post.
NOTE: All I ask is be nice. I hate spammers. I will block you if you are one of those.
I cannot teach you how to write a blockbuster – but I can provide you with a few essential tools TO START writing.
Now to the obvious, but I am going to say it anyway:
Before you start writing you might want the get the following prepared:
A drink.
Writing material
Pen. Pencil. Paper.
Laptop.
Whatever you feel comfortable writing with. And just as important bring a smile and be willing to do some work.
Remember we all may be planning to write in different genres – so I don’t need to tell you that it is important we respect everyone’s right to do just that.
I am going to throw a couple of questions out there. THERE IS NO WRONG OR RIGHT ANSWER!
I invite you to write the following questions down and answer them as best as you can.
WHY DO YOU WANT TO WRITE? 1.
- What is your motivation to want write?
- What do you want to write? genre etc.
- What genre do you enjoy reading?
- If your answer changes at any time that’s fine. This is about you. Writing is a creative process. It is ORGANIC
READING OUT LOUD. 2.
READING OUT LOUD IS A USEFUL TOOL TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN. THIS WILL HELP YOU ‘HEAR AND FEEL’ THE FLOW.
Give it a go. Start getting practised in hearing your voice. Reading your work can highlight if it flows or you are stumbling when you read the text. If you are stumbling, this could mean that the sentence doesn’t quite work. It gives you the chance to edit and refine.
WRITING GROUPS. 3.
BEING A BUDDY – If you are not already in a writing group, may I suggest you join one.
Writing a is a lonely occupation. For me, I FOUND I needed to have creative, like-minded people around me. So I started a writing face to face writing group around 15 years ago.
I also joined another writing group around four years ago. I attend both, and get different things from them.
Two years ago I started up a UK authors writing group with the UK authors of Wild Rose Press. Why? Because my lovely American friends have meetings on line and we miss them because of the time zone difference. This is an entirely different group. We don’t read each others work every time we meet. It is more of a sharing ideas and how we are doing group.
However, what is essentially the same with all three groups, is their honesty. They share their views, are kind, but constructive. They all help me to think outside the box, and hopefully I will become a better writer because of it. In return I do the same for them.
You can take their feedback or leave it. I usually take it. Go home. Check it over and find they are right. 😊IT’S NO GOOD BEING PRECIOUS – WE ALL NEED TO IMPROVE.
If you are interested in being in a writing group, it is important to find the right one for you. The ground rules in any writing group should be, being kind, constructive and positive.
BACK TO THE ACTION OF WRITING. 4.
- For some it is said that writing in the genre you love to read is genre you might enjoy writing in.
- Writing is ORGANIC – it will ebb and flow and stop and start and the process can be hard work but if you are motivated then you will be able to complete your work. If you get stuck, ask yourself why? Is it that it doesn’t motivate you? Doesn’t feel right?
- Okay so we are going to do some work if you are up for it:
You have 2 minutes to:
- Find a book from the library or off your shelf and get comfy.
NOW YOU HAVE A BOOK IN FRONT OF YOU.
You have two minutes to:
Find a name in the book and write it down. Male or female. Whichever character you want to build on.
There are tons of ways to find the right name. You can use TV credits. Mix and match names that you feel comfortable with. Street names and, apparently JK Rowling used the local graveyard for her names.
If you have a name you want to work with use it. You don’t have to follow every instruction. All I am doing it attempting to address some issues writers may come across.
Now to work again. I invite you to write the following, simple but effective characterisation sheet for your main character / protagonist / hero to get you started. No doubt some of you already have your own method of building an interesting character. I would be interested to know what you do.
NAME GENDER AGE
WHERE DO THEY LIVE
WHAT DO THEY DO FOR A LIVING / WHERE DO THEY GO TO SCHOOL /COLLEGE
WHAT ARE THEIR INTERESTS / HOBBY
WHAT IS IN THEIR FRIDGE
WHAT IS THEIR ISSUE – WHAT DO THEY WANT FROM LIFE – THEIR MOTIVE
WHAT IS THE ISSUE THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO MOVE ON – THE ARC
HOW CAN THEY MOVE ON – WHO CAN HELP
HOW CAN THEY RESOLVE THE ISSUE – ENDING
YOU NOW HAVE 7 MINUTES.
TO START FILLING IN THE QUESTIONS – DON’T BE AFRAID. JUST GO FOR IT. BE AS BONKERS OR AS SENSIBLE AS YOU LIKE. TRY AND KEEP TO THE GENRE YOU ARE INTERESTED IN WRITING.
YOU HAVE A FURTHER 10 MINUTES:
Now take the line of the first chapter from your chosen book. Write it down. Now think how you want to write the second sentence. Not the one in the book but one you feel would fit. Start writing.
OR start writing whatever you want to write.
By now you will have written a sentence in your chosen genre
Filled in a characterisation questionnaire
Read to yourself or to a group
Discovered a characters name.
Written a sentence to get you on the road to writing.
Well, that’s all folks for the time being.
LBGriffinAuthoruk
Where silence turns to courage, survival and happiness