Jean's Writing

How to understand the secrets that bend a life

Published on October 3, 2016June 5, 2017 by Jean M. Cogdell16 Comments

Ding, Ding, Ding!

That was a bell going off in my head after I read a recent post on Writers Helping Writers.

I’ve read many books and blogs on writing. Lots of them talk about understanding what makes the protagonist tick. What secret from their past bent their life?

After all, we are all a product of our environment. Right? Well, our characters are just like us. They too are bent by their childhood, relationships and traumas. But how do you show that? By figuring out what made them the way they are.

I know it sounds about as easy as becoming a rocket scientist. But stay with me.

This post below gave me insight into how to uncover secrets about my protagonist but, most important how to use them to tell her story.

Lisa Cron gives 3 simple steps to help us break down our main character’s beliefs. So I took those steps and this is what I did. Be sure and click on the link below, read Ms. Cron’s article for

So after following her steps I had a breakthrough with my WIP. Here is a brief glimpse of how I used her 3 step method.

#1: I sat down and thought about something she believed that could be wrong. When did this belief start? What happened to make her believe this way? How has this belief led to problems? Have her beliefs proved false?
#2: Jotted down times when her beliefs led her astray. When they tangled up her life and how I could incorporate these events into the story.
#3: Then I wrote a short scene that started her on her road to believing and behaving the way she does. (Now I doubt I will use this scene in its entirety but bits and pieces may show up in other scenes. What it did do was help me flesh out my protagonist.)

Be sure and click on the link at the bottom of this post and read Ms. Cron’s article for the entire picture. You’ll be glad you did.

So tell, what did you think about beliefs and misbeliefs?

Does your protagonist have secrets you need to uncover?

In the post Become a Story Genius: How Your Character’s Misbelief Drives The Plot by ANGELA ACKERMAN welcomed story coach Lisa Cron to talk about new book, Story Genius and how defining the why behind this struggle is the key to unlocking a powerful story.

Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere) by [Cron, Lisa] — **Click Image for Sample Read**

I’d love to hear from you! Click the “write me” tab or contact me on Twitter @jeancogdell,Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on, and I’m waiting.

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What would happen to your story in a fire?

Published on September 30, 2016September 26, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell36 Comments

Or a flood, or should someone steal your computer?

I don’t know about you but, I’d have a freaking heart attack! laptop-fire

We’ve all know to back up our work. I do this religiously to an external hard drive. A hard drive that is in my closet, that would burn up with my laptop and house in a fire.

Geesh! Give me a minute while I bang my head on table.

September 15, 2016, the Associated Press reported about a fire. Nothing unusual about fires, they happen every day. Unless you are the victim. As was the case for Gideon Hodge a novelist that realized his only copies were on a laptop inside.

Mr. Hodge rushed past firefighters into the blazing inferno to save his computer.

superman-meme

Man dashes into house to save laptop, 2 completed novels from fire in New Orleans’ Broadmoor neighborhood BY MATT SLEDGE

So all of this got me to thinking. I better find a better way to back up my work. I have a lot of finished and unfinished stories on my computer.

But which is the best storage service to use?

I’ve used Google Drive for docs and pics I wanted to share but not for storage. I may give this another look as it is super easy to use. Google Drive is encrypted using SSL, the same security protocol used on Gmail and other Google services. 15 GB of storage won’t last forever but I can buy more as needed.

I’ve also used Dropbox in the past. It too is very easy to use and crosses many platforms. Dropping between my MS laptop to my Ipad with no trouble at all. The free version is only 2GBs but here again, I can buy more if I need it. Dropbox also allows you to encrypt each file for security.

I’ve tried Evernote for small things. I don’t know how it would work for larger items such as a manuscript.

For now, I’m leaning toward Google Drive.

But there are a lot more out there, including tips for Mac users. Check out this post:

Ask the Writers: Which Cloud Storage Service Do You Use by Laura Tucker

What about you?

Do you have a safety net for your writing?

Don’t let all of your blood sweat and tears be lost forever.

Which one do you use?

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Do you need to un-spam some of your friends?

Published on September 28, 2016September 26, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell7 Comments

Holy moly! I had no idea this could even happen! Did you?

But after reading a post on HUGH’S VIEWS AND NEWS, I opened my comments section and lo and behold there were 18 in the spam section. And guess what? Some were not spam! Some were comments from legit followers yet they were being dumped into my spam folder.

Y’all, I’m sorry! But this will now be part of my blog housekeeping.

Hugh explains in detail how to fix your comments if you are the victim of the filter gods at WordPress. But I think it’s also important that bloggers check spam folders for our legit readers.

Here is my little video for your viewing pleasure. But you must click on Hugh’s link below and read more in-depth about this problem.

What To Do If All Your Comments Are Ending Up In The WordPress Spam Folder Source: HUGH’S VIEWS AND NEWS

So what do y’all think? Have you checked the spam comments lately?

Have you found this to be a problem?

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Can an attitude adjustment make your story better?

Published on September 26, 2016September 22, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell2 Comments

Well, maybe. Sometimes just like kids our characters need an attitude adjustment.

A change in attitude at our house could save my kids a world of grief. And me a lot of aggravation. Parents reading this know exactly what I’m talking about. wooden-spoon-adjustment

The mood in our house could go from calm and peaceful to stormy in zero to sixty seconds if someone couldn’t find their shoes or if one of their siblings “stole” a favorite toy.

If only I had a dollar every time I’ve said, “Watch your tone, young lady.” or “Child, you better change that attitude.” I’d be very rich.

Why am I talking about tone and atmosphere?

Because I’m learning how important it is to put these two things at the beginning of a story.

I’m currently reading Story Trumps Structure: How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules Kindle Edition by Steven James and one of the things he talks about is setting the tone and atmosphere for the story.

Mr. James explains the reader becomes enmeshed in their surroundings from page one. So it’s important to set the stage early, to create a mood, and tone that is consistent with promises you’ve made to the reader.

In a story, we establish the mood through the setting. Such as in music, layout, weather, room decor, lights, etc.

The tone is something else. That is conveyed through dialog. The voice, dialect, rhythm, and style that tells the story.

“You better change your tone girl.” Another admonishment my daughter has heard me say a few hundred times. In a few clipped words, she could convey acid like sarcasm that’d peel paint from the wall.

Image result for attitude adjustment maxine meme