It’s Writing Tip Tuesday. Now, I can’t take credit for this tip, but I think it’s a dang good one, so I thought I’d pass it along.
Try editing in something other than red pen. (Like, say, green.) It’ll be less harsh, but will still make edits stand out.
I recently found this piece buried away. It was written in response to a prompt. I figured someone else might like to take a wack at it. The prompt word was simply “papyrus.” See what you can come up with. Comment with a link to your own work!
(Also, if anyone knows how to do specific fonts here on WordPress, let me know…)
Negative Font
JCD Kerwin
She wrote to you in p a p y r u s.
The typeface contradicts the bitter adieu written on the page. Each word makes you hate calligraphy. You imagine her sitting, her back against the ocean, listening to the wind within the reeds. She ran away to him and summer; you remain with nothing and the winter.
You rip pages from your notebook, pick up a pen and scrawl in IMPACT. You forget she’s long gone and throw the memories away.
(February 2016)
I was back…and then I disappeared again. I had a big health scare in the family. (The past two weeks have been crazy.) Everything seems to be on a good path now. *thumbs up*
But now I’m back. I pinky swear promise. Next week it’s back to our regularly scheduled program of tips and tutorials and prompts (oh my!). I’m also working on a new short story, too, so that’s pretty exciting.
Stay tuned…
I thought I’d share one of the short stories I’m working on. It’s a mystery/thriller. Spooky.
Let me know what you think!
Great Aunt Margaret
J.C.D. Kerwin
“It’s watching me,” Eliza declared. She scrunched up her nose and tilted her head.
“She is not,” her father said. He straightened the frame and descended the ladder. “There, that looks good.”
They each took a step back and gazed at the portrait now hanging above the fireplace. The lady pictured sat in a chair, arms folded gently across her lap. She looked directly at the painter—at the viewer—with a distinctive expression, as if she was trying to convey a thought with her eyes alone. A rusted metal placard sat at the bottom of the frame. Its faded type read “Great Aunt Margaret” but the artist and date were indistinguishable.
“It gives me the creeps, Roger.”
He pushed her shoulder. “It’s a woman, you know…and the name is Dad.”
“Well she gives me the creeps.”
He gave her a disapproving look. “You had better get used to it. It’s going to be here for a while.”
Eliza moved left and right, testing to see if the eyes in the painting would follow her movements. “Is this creepy picture really all you got?”
Her father nodded at the painting. “Yeeeep.”
“Well I, for one, am not going to be alone in the same room with that thing.”
She spun on her heel and hurried out of the room.
He stared at the painting for another few seconds before turning away. He paused at the light switch. He could’ve sworn he caught movement out of the corner of his eye.
“Now she’s got me doing it,” he mumbled. He shut off the light.
* * *
I got the idea for this story from a prompt. Now I’m going to offer it up to you! Here it is:
We’re due for a new installment of Writing Tutorial Thursday. This week’s theme is setting.
Writing Tutorial: The Setting
Disclaimer: The information presented herein is based on what I, personally, have learned in my educational and professional careers. This tutorial is simply meant to offer some helpful tips.
INTRODUCTION: So you have an amazing plot and some really awesome characters. Where are you going to put them? Setting is especially important in works of fiction so that the reader has a proper stage in which to imagine your story play out. Now it’s time to figure out the where, when, what details of your novel’s backdrop. What are a few tips to remember when figuring out your story’s setting, though? Have no fear, I’m here to help!
1) One of the first things you may want to do is to imagine the world of your story. Brainstorm. Remember some fundamentals:
2) Show, don’t tell. When describing your setting to readers, don’t just say it was “a rainy Wednesday.” Say the monotonous pitter-patter on the windows added to the dreary weekday afternoon. Use imagery, metaphor, simile and other literary devices to add excitement to your writing.
3) Use your characters to present setting. A good way to bring the setting to your reader is through the eyes of your character. Make your reader feel the spring breeze, hear the truck down the street, and cough in the smoky, crowded cafe. Use your character’s five senses to describe the backdrop of a scene.
4) Use details that make sense to the plot. Your setting should tie into the plot. You wouldn’t want to write a story about a playground bully but have the setting be a circus. That just doesn’t make sense. Make sure the setting of each scene in your novel is there for a reason.
5) It’s all about balance. It’s important to remember not to overwhelm your chapters with pages of setting descriptions. Your setting is meant to be a backdrop, remember? It should only be there as a stage where the main performers act out the play. If you find yourself writing paragraphs about a room, sit back and think about what’s most important about the room. Sure it’s an old room, but maybe it’s the creepy painting over the fireplace. Focus on that.
Do you have any other suggestions? Questions? Let me know. As always, the way to better writing is by practicing!
Until next time. Happy writing!
J.C.D. KERWIN 