Flexibility

Flexibility.

Such a familiar word--except, maybe, in how it applies to writing. This is another thing I learned from Cook's How to Write with the Skill of a Master/Genius of a Child.

Cook suggests an exploration exercise: "Select a finished story--your own or somebody else's--and play the 'How Many Endings?' game with it. How many different ways could you end that story? Don't judge, analyze, or otherwise evaluate...just capture the ideas. When you think you can't think of any more endings, think of one more."

With reservations, I decided to try this with my children's historical fiction manuscript. At first my brain cramped. After all, I've written the book--how could I possibly approach the ending any differently? But I grabbed a notebook and pen, and forced myself to begin freewriting ideas.

I jotted down first one, two, then three variations--and immediately scratched them. No, I mumbled, I'll stay with what I already have, thank you very much. No sense in changing things this late in the game.

But the drill wasn't finished. Even though I was sure I couldn't come up with any more endings, the suggestion was to try to think of one more. So I stayed with the exercise just a bit longer...

That's when a neat little twist--not a major rewrite, mind you, but a burst of something extra--came to my mind. An idea that has potential to strengthen my story, give it a touch more depth. Wow.

"The master writer," Cook says, "brings this sort of childlike flexibility to her writing. She ignores limits and sees instead the possibilities in a scene, an image, a word...She tries new angles, new combinations, new points of view...Master writer and teacher Ellen Hunnicutt puts it this way: If you only write the story that is planned, you will miss the story that is revealed."

See what a little extra stretching will do? Why stop at the knees--reach for the toes!

What a Marvelous New Day

"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.

He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him." --Mark 16:6

"What a marvelous new day...

when strife is replaced with peace...

when harshness gives way to kindness...

when grudges and grievances melt into forgiveness and reconciliation...

when indifference and complacency are slain by care and action...

when guilt dissipates in the bright light of a new heart...

when avarice is eradicated by a joyful spirit of generosity...

What a marvelous new day when grace enters your life."

Streams of Grace, Simple Words of Assurance to Experience God's Love in Your Heart

Countryman Publishers, 2006

Wishing you a blessed Easter...

The Reveal

Don't you just love those HGTV shows? Well, maybe not everyone likes them as much as I do, but House Hunters is my favorite. I also sometimes watch the "reveal" shows--those where someone needs a basement renovation, or help with a project gone bad. Homeowners are always thrilled at the "reveal" of the finished project.

Thus my lead-in to the reveal of my last post--the answer to the mystery photo. The answer is reminiscent of a remodeling job gone bad, too, but more on that in a minute.

As a review, the previous post was prompted by the discovery of Cook's book, How to Write with the Skill of a Master and the Genius of a Child (Writer's Digest Books, 1992) on my shelf. As I've delved into its pages, I've tried my hand at some of the author's "exploration" exercises. About approaching a subject first as you think you see it, then as a child might, Cook says, "When you fantasize this way, you teach yourself two important truths about your writing. 1). There are no right answers, only possibilitites; and 2). It doesn't really matter where you start. Start anywhere, dig long enough, and you'll strike the core."

So, since there are no right answers, only possibilities, my inner five-year old became convinced she saw a pile of autumn leaves just waiting to be leaped into--or buried under.

As for the real story, one through adult eyes, Lindsey and Shannon were right on in their comments when they said, "wallpaper." The surprise is in where this wallpaper can be found. I wish, Lindsey, it had been in a Victorian house!

Here's the reveal. Ready? Ta-da...drum roll, please...this photo comes from the (ahem) bathroom of a downtown Indianapolis hotel room where we stayed over the weekend when in town for a basketball game. Believe me, it's easy to become claustrophobic in the middle of this print.

So there you have it. Just a fun writing exercise. I'll try to post more of Cook's tips soon. But I promise: no more ugly wallpaper.

Skill and Creativity

Mystery picture time! What do you think this is? First reactions count--don't spend too much time thinking about it.

Got an idea? Okay, try again. This time, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and step back...into childhood, maybe as a three, four or five-year old. As you open your eyes, revisit this picture through that child's eyes. What do you see?

I glanced up at my book shelf the other day and saw a book I didn't recognize. The title is How to Write with the Skill of a Master and the Genius of a Child, by Marshall J. Cook. When did I buy this book? Better yet, when did I read it? I sure don't remember doing either.

But there it was, second shelf from the top. And it cried out, "Read me next--read me next!" Curious, I pulled it down. It's now on the top of the list of books to read this week. It will be my writing inspiration.

In the meantime, the title has already inspired me (see how powerful the right title can be?). We know a lot about the skills of writing--that's probably a writer's strong suit since we're constantly studying the craft. What we don't always get is how to write with the genius of a child--tapping into creativity and imagination. I'll be reading the book to explore this side of writing--and will share some thoughts on the subject in my next post.

To jump start the process, I thought it would be fun to pose my mystery picture question. What did you see at first glance? What did you see through a child's eyes?

I'll share my answers with the review. Can't wait to see what you think!

Writing that Sparkles

Sparkle-- (v.)-- 1. "to throw off sparks of light or fire; to twinkle; 2.) to be lively or active."

Question: when does one's writing sparkle? What's missing--or needs changed--if it doesn't?

The subject came up in our recent writers' group meeting. I shared the story of a rejection I once received. The editor, who had published other stories of mine, noted at the top of the first page, "This lacks your usual sparkle."

Sparkle? I was new to writing back then. What's that--and how do I recognize whether or not I have it?

As I continue revising my children's historical fiction, I discover problem areas and have to ask, "What's wrong here?" More often than I care to admit, I find myself saying, "This page is boring," or, "Boy, is this ever flat." The sparkle is missing.

But I'm not discouraged. It only means there's more work to be done. Thankfully tried-and-true guidelines--sparks of the trade--endure. Each generation learns them anew. They include: show, don't tell; use active verbs; incorporate sensory details; vary sentence structure; avoid cliches and repetitions.

Robyn Opie's article, "Making Your Writing Sparkle" (you can read it  here), develops the subject in depth. In addition to those things on my list, she discusses pace, transitions, and logic--all very important elements to good writing.

There's a lot that can slow down our stories--but key writing principles can liven them up.

Hmmm, maybe there's something here that might help us add sparkle to our lives in general. Any ideas?

(photo credit: Microsoft Publisher clipart)

Time Out

I just had to share this picture, taken Friday when we were supposed to be babysitting. Babysitting? Aw, that sounds too much like work. This is not work. This is swings and slides, wind in the hair, a sunny day, and ducks on the lake. A precious pause, battery-charge. Discovery through a child's eyes with Grandpa at her side.

Memory makers, pick-me-ups, gratitude gulps. Slowing things down in a fast-paced world, finding joy in simple things.

A hall pass. A jump-start.

Savor the moment's gift. Monday's work and writing projects will be the better for it.

Zebra Stripes and Writing Skills

They say no two zebras have the same stripe pattern. This should not come as a surprise, since other prime examples of uniqueness abound--like stars, snowflakes, and fingerprints. Why not individual designs in zebra coats?

I take a quick scroll through Wikipedia and read opinions about why zebras have varied stripes. It's been suggested that the patterns serve either as identification, camouflage, or even--strangely--as a means to confuse the pesky tsetse fly.

Any one of these ideas could spark discussion about how unique each zebra's story is. But this photo from last week's circus suggests another story. Look closely. In the midst of differences, there is a similarity. Note how the stripes on their rumps draw together in a common pattern--as if the stripes were ribbon threads about to be gathered into a ponytail. Ever notice that before? I sure didn't!

Ha. I play an association game. Just like no two zebras are alike, neither are writers. Styles are different, experiences are different, messages are different--for sure voices are different. But we carry with us one thing in common--the need to build a good foundation in the craft of writing. You know the drill--good grammar, showing not telling, action words not passive, sensory details, things like that.

We writers need to tie up our different stories with the same craft threads. And just like performing zebras need to practice their drills, so do we need to practice our writing drills.

Zebras and writing--a stretch? Maybe so. But somehow I just knew I had to use this picture!