Creative writing – Page 123

Today Two for One

Published on April 20, 2015April 20, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell11 Comments

Q = Quit & Quest

Quit: Give up, stop, relinquish, resign, abandon.

Quest: A mission, expedition, hunt, pursuit, or search for something. To chase, seek, hunt, pursue or go in search of something or someone.

How boring would your story be if it was just about the protagonist? Or about someone who quit every time the going got tough?

A good story is about something happening to the protagonist. A problem that needs fixing, a solution that needs finding or a need that needs fulfilling. A quest. A quest with clear opposition and with something to lose if they fail, and about someone who doesn’t quit.

It’s been a rough few days and I feel like throwing in the towel. Not feeling well can stifle the creative flow. Plus, the A to Z challenge is harder than I thought it would be and not for the faint of heart. Today, I feel like quitting.

But like any good protagonist I’ll keep trying to finish the quest and make it to Z.

She’d left any marked evidence of civilization over an hour ago. If the scenery didn’t change soon, her mark would see her coming for miles. Little to no traffic passed her on the long flat highway, an occasional rusty pickup didn’t count. Rachel checked the map on her phone. Less than an hour to go before she reached her target. There had to be a way to sneak close without detection. Maybe closer to the Red River a solution would appear.

How to write a premise for your story

Published on April 18, 2015April 18, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell2 Comments

P = Premise

Writing a Premise vs Concept

The premise and the concept, are not the same.

A premise is the essence of a story that unfolds based on the concept.

A concept is a story organized around a main idea or theme.

In fiction, a premise contains three things:

the protagonist – an event provokes the protagonist to act (not react)
the setting – where the protagonist acts on some desire with purposeful intention
the problem the protagonist faces – chaos and adventure leads to resolution

A premise identifies the need and proposes a solution for the hero and implied plot . A high conceptual theme can empower the story.

The premise is a general description (foundation) of the story you plan to tell. With a premise you shape an idea into a story with a two or three sentence statement, similar to a log-line.

A premise acts a guide for the writer, helping when you get stuck, and keeping you on the path to the heart of your story. It doesn’t have to be fancy or jaw dropping but a good premise is a lifeline for the writer keeping you grounded and on track.

The premise of my short serial.

A female Texas Ranger is working in the San Antonio office. She feels the need to prove herself as capable as any of the men as she sets out to find the hacker that held her computer for ransom. Leading her on a chase across the state of Texas to catch her man.

What do you think?

For info on writing a premise check out the links below:

http://www.writermag.com/2013/09/01/how-to-structure-a-premise-for-stronger-stories/

http://www.wheresthedrama.com/loglinespremises.htm

http://www.mybooktherapy.com/articles/how-to-get-published-articles/step-6-build-your-premise/

http://www.ceauthors.com/premise.htm

http://www.storyispromise.com/wpremise.htm

http://www.be-a-better-writer.com/story-premise.html

Avoid too much sweetness

Published on April 16, 2015April 16, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell11 Comments

N = Nice

Are your characters too nice? Too agreeable?

Readers don’t want perfection, they prefer reality.

Readers can relate to reality.

Too much niceness can seem artificial as Sweet-n-Low and turn off your readers.

I bet your favorite and most memorable characters were flawed and sometimes down right disagreeable.

Write characters who are engaging, interesting and filled with conflict. People who are most often warring with their own nature, or good and evil.

She typed the coordinates Mac had emailed into her smart phone. As luck would have it, the perp was an eight-hour drive from San Antonio. At least he was still in Texas, that would make things easier for her but harder for the hacker. Rachel smiled as she reached into her desk drawer and retrieved her sidearm. Kindness never killed anyone but she knew what did. She didn’t get her reputation by being nice. However, she always got her man.

Metaphorically Speaking or Writing

Published on April 16, 2015April 16, 2015 by Jean M. Cogdell1 Comment

M= Metaphor

a word or phrase for one thing that is used to refer to another thing to show or suggest that they are similar
an object, activity, or idea that is used as a symbol of something else
a figure of speech where you state one thing is another thing.

A comparison unrelated or contradictory objects with at least one common characteristic. To achieve more power, use a metaphor rather than a simile. Using “like”, “than”, or “as” can water down the image but a good metaphor creates instant understanding.

Rachel paid the ransom and her mind flooded with relief when her screen returned to normal. This idiot was dumb as dirt if he felt safe. No way would she allow him to get away with attacking her.

“Mac,” Rachel said into the phone. “It worked.”

“Good, I’m on my way. Wait for me,” he said. “Rachel?”

“I can handle it. You know what they say? One riot, one Ranger or in this case one dumb hacker.”

Mac chuckled. “Yeah, but help from the Agency didn’t hurt.”

“You’re right. Thanks for the spy stuff. I’ll phone later.”

For more information on using metaphors read:

http://www.copyblogger.com/magnetic-blogging/

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-analogy-and-metaphor.htm

http://www.westmaneditorial.com/analogy-vs-metaphor-vs-simile-whats-the-difference/

http://examples.yourdictionary.com/metaphor-examples.html

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