Cultivating the Power of Observation for Better Character Development

August 21, 2024 ~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

I remember back when I was in college, I took a speech class my freshman year. It was one of my favorite classes, and I loved our teacher (though I forget her name now).

One morning early in the semester, the lecture was interrupted by a former student who rushed into the classroom in a rage. He got in the teacher’s face, wanting to know why she had given him a bad grade the previous semester. She did her best to calm him down. As she escorted him from the room, she promised to discuss the issue with him after class.

My classmates and I witnessed this brief and intense exchange with a mixture of curiosity and puzzlement. We didn’t know what to make of it.

Once the former student left the room, our instructor asked us to take out a piece of paper and pen (this was way before computers) . She proceeded to ask a series of questions: What color was the student’s shirt? What was his hair color? How tall was he? Was he wearing a hat? What kind of shoes was he wearing?

There were only about 10 questions, but her intention became clear. Were we paying attention to the details? Her point? In a crisis or when witnessing a dramatic event, like a public argument, most people focus on the words that are said and how they’re spoken rather than the finer details of someone’s appearance.

People love watching other people and the events in their lives, from a car crash to a heated argument between people. We can’t help but be sucked into the drama. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re very good at recalling details. Yet in writing and in life, it’s a valuable skill. Those powers of observation can be useful when you’re a witness to a crime or simply people watching at the beach. You never know when you might need to relay those details, whether for a police investigation or for writing a mystery or memoir.

This practice is also helpful for writers when developing their characters from the inside out. It’s not just the physical characteristics to be aware of, but also their facial expressions and gestures, the way they move and their mindset and attitude. It can help you form the foundation of each character’s personality.

When quietly observing people, there are six areas to focus on. Each one can help you develop multi-dimensional characters.

Physical attributes. This might be the easiest to make a note of when observing people, though not always. Pay attention to the basics. If you see someone interesting on the street, note things like height, weight, hair color, skin tone, eye color, whether they’re wearing eyeglasses or sunglasses. Do they have thick, bushy eyebrows, or are they plucked thin? Does the woman wear lipstick, and if so, what color?

Think about how your own characters might appear if another person was observing them. Think also about how their physical attributes can define who they are as characters.

Clothing. Next, pay attention to how your observed subjects are dressed. Are they wearing a suit and tie or a dress, or more casually in jeans and a T-shirt? One indicates someone heading to a business meeting or a formal dinner, while the second person might be a student or someone going out to a movie. What kind of shoes are they wearing? Are they spiky high heels or casual flats? Do they wear glasses or contacts? Are they wearing a windbreaker or sweater? Is there head covered?

Think about how your own characters are dressed. Does their dress show who they are or what they do for a living? If your character loves music or attending concerts, for example, have them wear concert T-shirts of their favorite band. Are they an athlete? Have them wear athletic shoes and a baseball cap.

Nonverbal cues. Think about facial expressions and hand gestures. When you observe people, do their eyebrows rise up on their forehead when they’re surprised? Do they talk with their hands, or do they lay still at their sides when they speak? Do they smile a lot, and does that smile reach their eyes? What do their hands look like? Are they rough and callused because they work outdoors, or are they smooth and polished as if they’ve never lifted a finger to do housework? Do they have other types of body behaviors, like constant blinking, twirling their hair, pursing their lips? These small movements can give you an idea about a character’s mindset in your own stories.

Body language and movement. When you study your subject, look at how they move their body. Are they seated or standing? Are they seated upright in rapt attention, or are they slouched or hunched over at their desk? Are they sitting back against their chair, or leaning forward as if to hear every word their companion is saying? Are their movements swift, or slow and careful? Do they limp, or walk slowly and gingerly as if their limbs ache? Or are they racing ahead as if they’re running late? You can tell a lot about a person’s age, health and mindset by paying attention to their body movements. Sometimes it says more about what’s on their minds than the words they say.

Behavior alone vs. with other people. People tend to behave differently when they’re alone than when they’re around other people. For example, at first glance, a young woman traveling alone with a furrowed brow might be worried about something in her personal life, like a doctor appointment or an exam at school. But the same young woman out to dinner with friends may be livelier and more engaged.

Similarly, people behave differently around different groups of people. A child might be quieter, more sullen at home around his overbearing parents, while at school he’s more animated around his classmates. When writing your characters, think about how they behave in different situations. Who are they with and how do they behave around those people? How do they behave when they’re alone?

Possessions/accessories. When you observe people, take note of any unusual possessions or accessories they have with them. Do they carry a briefcase, a purse, a shopping bag or a backpack? Any one of those things can tell you something about your character. Someone with a backpack could be going to a job, school, or the library. Are they carrying books inside that backpack, the manuscript they’re working on, or sheet music? Are they staring into their mobile phones as they walk down the street? Are they listening to music on headphones? What do the headphones look like, and what kind of music do you think they’re listening to? Are they wearing any jewelry? Are they checking their wristwatch? They might be running late for a meeting. Are they walking a dog? Perhaps they’re carrying a pet carrier with a small bird or cat inside. A person’s accessories can tell a lot about a person’s career, hobbies and interests. When writing, think about what accessories your characters has and what they might say about that person.

By increasing your power of observation, you can learn a lot about a person, or at least come close to the truth. Use those refined people-watching skills to create fully-developed characters for your own stories.

Retelling Classic Novels and Fairytales

August 15, 2024 ~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

Once upon a time, many years ago I watched a performance of Beauty and the Beast in a small theater-in-the-round. I was about nine or ten years old at the time, and I remember how I fell in love with Belle, her love of books and how she was first captured as a prisoner then fell in love with the Beast who was her captor. I didn’t know it then, but that portrayal of Beauty and the Beast was a modern retelling, and in fact, has been retold countless times over the years.

I had a similar experience when I read Wicked when the book was published. I remember being so intrigued by the premise, which retells the story of The Wizard of Oz from the witch’s perspective. I thought the reimagined premise was unique and compelling, and the story did not disappoint.

There have been many retellings since, either in published book form, on the big screen, even on stage. And the retellings aren’t just based on fairy tales and folk tales. Classic novels have also been retold in countless ways, such Little Women and Pride and Prejudice. Here are a few I’ve come across:

*While Beauty Slept by Elizabeth Blackwell, part historical fiction and part retelling of the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty;

* Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, based on Cinderella. (And if you really want to be entertained, check out the silent film Ella Cinders, also a retelling starring Colleen Moore);

* The Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, which adapts parts of Beauty and the Beast, the Norwegian folktale East of the Sun and West of the Moon, and the Scottish legend of Tam Lin.

* On stage, Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet performs a reimagined version of The Nutcracker set in Chicago in the late 1880s in the home of a migrant family that has come to work on the construction for the 1893 World’s Fair.

What makes these retellings so popular and compelling is in the way they bring familiar characters, settings and themes together with unique twists and turns that move the original story in directions we never imagined. It shows once again how one story can be told in different ways.

How does one go about retelling a classic novel, fairy tale or folk tale without damaging the original intent of the story? How do you create something that’s unique and compelling without borrowing too heavily from the original text?

Annie Cardi, author of Red (based on The Scarlet Letter), writes in Writers Digest suggests that you begin by finding key aspects of the original story that call to you. Is there a character that is memorable? Is there a scene that stays with you? Use that aspect as the central piece to create an entirely new story. You don’t have to use every single element of the original either. If there’s part of the plot or a character that doesn’t work for you, leave it out.

Consider, too, how and why your version of the story needs to be told. Are you telling the story from a different character’s point of view, one that readers may not have considered, such as was done in Wicked? Or are you changing the setting to draw on different themes or to describe current social and cultural issues, such as the reimagined choreography for The Nutcracker?

The retelling should be somewhat recognizable to the original, either through a loose retelling or a close retelling, writes Hannah Kate Kelley on the Jane Friedman blog. In a loose retelling, the main plot diverts from the original story, but keeps many of the characters, events and themes. A good example of this is While Beauty Slept by Elizabeth Blackwell, which describes what really happens within the kingdom when Beauty is put to sleep — and why. On the other hand, a close retelling sticks close to the plot but changes out characters, events and even points of view.

Kelley also says that while retellings aren’t considered theft, they should be legally created. Make sure the work you are adapting isn’t violating copyright or intellectual property laws. Check the public domain (or Commons as it is called) to see if the creative work is listed, which means it is no longer protected under intellectual copyright laws. As long as no one owns the copyright, writers and creatives are free to adapt the piece and reproduce it in any way. That’s why folk tales and fairy tales are often used for retellings because no one owns the copyright to them.

Rules differ from country to country, however, so you’ll have to do your due diligence. In fact, before doing any writing, check the Commons to see if the work you want to retell is listed there.

If you do decide to tackle a retelling, Kelley offers several approaches to reimagining the story.

Tell the same story from a different existing character, or create a new character to tell the story.
Tell the story from the antagonist’s perspective and turn them into your new protagonist.
Provide a cultural lens to the retelling by exploring issues of race, class and gender.
Put the main characters in a new setting or era.
Switch up genres, like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which is retold as a horror story.

Whether bringing a classic novel into the modern era or rewriting a fairy tale from a different character’s point of view, modern retellings and adaptations can open up creative new ways to tell your stories and entertain your readers.

For another look at how to craft a modern retelling, check out this interview with fantasy authors Sarah J. Maas and Heather Lyons.

Story Telling with a French Twist

August 5, 2024 ~ The Regal Writer ~ 1 Comment

(Image generated by AI).

Ever since I took French in high school, I’ve been in love with the French culture. During those four years under two different teachers, I learned about France through its music, art, literature and food. I learned to love the French Impressionists artists, like Renoir, Cezanne and Monet. We listened to classic ballads by Edith Piaf and Charles Aznavour. As a class, we read The Little Prince (or should I say Le Petit Prince) by Antoine De Saint-Exupery. En francais, of course.

My high school experience culminated in a trip to Paris my senior year with my French teacher and classmates. We visited Montmarte, where a young artist drew my portrait. We toured Notre Dame and the Louvre, and we visited several chateaus outside Paris. And of course, there was always the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomph in the background wherever we went. It was a memorable time.

That French influence is still with me several decades later. As an adult, I gravitate toward stories that take place in Paris or have a French theme. Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale and The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George are among my favorites. Some of the classics like Gustav Flaubert’s Madame Bovary and The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (this time in English) aren’t so bad either.

With the Summer Olympics well underway in Paris, it seems fitting to devote this week’s post to the novels that have been inspired by that beautiful city. My lists only scratch the surface, however. There are hundreds of novels set in France, which you can find on Goodreads or at your local bookstore or library.

Without further ado, here are my book lists featuring the City of Lights.

Contemporary novels that I’ve read and recommend to my fellow readers::
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
The Little French Bistro by Nina George
The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Marais
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

I’m currently reading Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky, a French Jew who was captured by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz, where she later died. This novel was hidden and unknown for 64 years.

Contemporary novels set in France that are either currently on my shelf or on my wish list:
All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr
The Paris Apartment – Lucy Foley
The Paris Orphan – Natasha Lester
A Caribbean Princess in Paris – Adriana Herrera

Of course, we cannot forget the classics:

Victor Hugo, Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables
Alexander Dumas, The Three Muskateers, The Count of Monte Cristo.
Jules Verne, Around the World in 80 Days, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Charles Perrault. You may not have heard his name, but you know his fairy tales—Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Puss in Boots and Little Red Riding Hood.
Gustav Flaubert. Madame Bovary
Beauty & the Beast originally written by Gabrielle Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve.

(Forget the Disney version. In the original version, Belle has three brothers and two sisters. There’s no Gaston, no magic and no curses on the palace staff. Still it is an enduring story. Check out this film version released in 2014.)

While France resonates so much with me, you might have your own city or country that you gravitate toward with your reading choices. London? Greece? Italy? Asia? What is your favorite city or country to read about?

Writing the Hidden Identity Trope

July 24, 2024 ~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

Last week, I posted this story about writing fish-out-of-water stories—stories about people who find themselves in unfamiliar surroundings and circumstances and struggle to fit in. Another trope I enjoy reading is the hidden identity, in which the protagonist hides some aspect of themselves to achieve a certain goal. I’ve always liked the suspense that builds as the character strives to keep their secret self hidden from others.

These characters lead double lives, with one foot in one setting and the other foot in another. They choose to conceal their true identities to protect themselves or the ones they love.

You probably recognize the secret identity trope from popular culture.

In adventure and superhero stories, our hero often poses as a regular guy or gal on the street. Think of Superman’s Clark Kent who works for the local newspaper and meets his love interest, Lois Lane.
In mystery novels and spy thrillers, the hero goes undercover to investigate a crime. This might be especially true for amateur sleuths who often disguise themselves to get close to their target.
In fantasy and science fiction, the hero must often hide an aspect of themselves to protect themselves from a terrible, untimely demise. Harry Potter, for instance, must hide his magic powers when he returns home to his muggle parents, though they make it difficult for him to do so.
In romance, the protagonist hides some aspect of themselves that they perceive interferes with their ability to find true love. For example, a prince or princess lives among commoners to escape their royal duties, or an heiress who hides her wealthy upbringing to seem more normal and attract someone who will love her for who she is not for her money.
In literary fiction, a character may adopt a new persona to hide from danger. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah comes to mind. Protagonist Isabelle becomes an underground messenger known by her code name The Nightingale to support the Allies during World War II.

According to First Draft Pro blog, the hidden identity trope explores themes of privacy, nature of self, duality and the consequences of leading a double life. There is often the conflict between the public face presented to others versus the personal self that those closest to you know best.

Like fish-out-of-water stories, hidden identity tropes resonate with the human experience. After all, who hasn’t presented a different persona in public settings while keeping their personal identity hidden? Why else would Halloween be such a popular holiday? Because it allows people to disguise their true selves and adopt a new persona that may be truly different from who they really are.

So how should you write these hidden identity stories? There are different approaches you can take that can build suspense while making your character relatable.

Approach 1: The Surprise Reveal
In this scenario, when the character’s true identity is revealed toward the end of the story, it usually surprises other characters and readers. It makes for a great plot twist. Jodi Picoult’s Leaving Time has one of the best and most surprising plot twists when readers discover the true identity of one of the main characters. It moves the story in an entirely new direction.

Approach 2: Going Along for the Ride
Readers know the true identity of the protagonist early on, even though other characters haven’t learned about it yet. Readers are taken along for the ride as the protagonist fights to keep his identity hidden. Superhero stories are constructed this way. In Superman, we know who Clark Kent is long before Lois Lane does.

Approach 3: Everybody’s in the Act
In this scenario, each of the main characters is hiding some aspect of themselves or guarding a secret. One by one, each of their secret identities is revealed. In Hallmark Channel’s The Christmas Train, for example, during a long cross country train ride, we learn about the cast of characters which include several actors hired by a scheming director to push the two romantic leads together. Other characters not involved in the plot have their own secret identities, including one woman who is actually a private investigator trying to uncover a string of thefts on the train.

When done well, the hidden identity trope can create suspense and keep your readers guessing about what secret the character is hiding and who your character really is.

To learn more about the hidden identity trope in romance stories, check out this post by Seacrow Books.

Entertain Readers with “Fish out of Water” Stories

July 17, 2024 ~ The Regal Writer ~ 1 Comment

One of the most commonly used tropes in story telling is the “fish out of water.” When written well, it can produce some laughs and high entertainment value for your readers.

A “fish out of water” entails a person who is suddenly thrust into an unfamiliar world and faces numerous challenges when they try to fit in. They have to learn new rules of behavior, sometimes adopt a new dress code, and learn the language of the locals. Sometimes they can be at such a loss about what they’re supposed to do that they make things up as they go along. It can present some uncomfortable and hilarious moments.

You likely will recognize the trope from numerous movies, TV series and fiction. Think of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz who wakes up after a tornado in Munchkin Land. Or Harry Potter who is transported to Hogwarts and is introduced to the world of magic. Or Mork, the extraterrestrial in the 70s sitcom Mork and Mindy whose errant spaceship lands on Earth.

The “fish out of water” story isn’t just for fantastical stories like Harry Potter and The Wizard of Oz. There are numerous examples you’ll find in everyday life.

In Hallmark Channel’s Summer in the City, a young woman with her own fashion business in a small Ohio town gets a job offer in New York City. How does she navigate life in the big city?
In The Beach at Painter’s Cove by Shelley Noble (which I just finished reading), a wealthy family suddenly loses their fortune and must figure out ways to earn a living.
In Open House by Elizabeth Berg, a middle-aged woman whose 20-year marriage ends in divorce. How does she navigate life as a divorcee?
A young pianist who loses a hand in a freak accident and must re-learn how to play using a prosthetic hand. (I made this one up.)

You get the idea.

Funny thing is, we’ve all been in situations ourselves where we felt like the fish out of water—starting a new job, getting married, getting divorced, having a baby, moving to a big city or a small town, winning the lottery, etc. In each of these scenarios, we experience that feeling of not knowing what we’re doing and needing guidance to simply survive. We want so much to fit in that we inadvertently stumble over our efforts, sometimes with embarrassing, if not humorous results.

That’s what makes these stories so relatable. Because we’ve all been there. We all know those moments of embarrassment of being found out, the secret fears of not fitting in. Of stumbling over new rules of behavior, like not understanding why you can’t utter the name of Lord Voldemort or how a modest Midwestern girl should hail a cab in Manhattan.

It’s also what makes these stories so fun to read and write. There are so many scenarios to show how complicated and challenging life becomes when your protagonist is thrown in the deep end of the pool and they must fend for themselves. Learning to live in this new world is the basis for your story, and how your protagonist deals with the trials and triumphs of adjusting is the basis of their character arc. It’s how we see them grow and adapt over time.

(Test yourself. Check out my latest writing prompt on my website, or create your own fish-out-of-water story.)

Being a fish out of water pertains to our writing careers too. Think about the situations you’ve found yourself in where you felt out of your element:

* Writing in a new genre that you’ve never written before.
* Attending a writer’s conference for the first time (in person, not on Zoom), surrounded by strangers.
* Approaching an editor about your latest project when you’ve never dealt with an editor before
* When you attempt to write in the first place
* Self-publishing your first novel

Being a “fish out of water” means trying new things, experimenting with different ideas. Visit places you’ve never seen, take a class, start a hobby, join a club. Don’t be afraid of embarrassing yourself when you find yourself in unfamiliar territory.

Feeling like a “fish out of water” is as common as breathing. Embrace the feelings of newness, of being the odd man out. Sure, it feels uncomfortable at first, but it can inspire stories of new adventures to entertain your readers.

Protagonists Behaving Badly

July 10, 2024 ~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

Photo by Mihai Stefan Photography on Pexels.com

Remember to check out the latest writing prompt on my website!

I’ve noticed an interesting trend in the books I’ve been reading lately. More and more, I’m reading stories with protagonists who aren’t the most likeable people on earth.

I’m not sure if it’s the types of books I’m reading, or that my self-study of writing has made me more aware of characters behaving badly. Perhaps I’m letting my moral compass dictate which characters I should and should not like. In any case, over the past year and a half, I’ve come across numerous protagonists with questionable habits and decision-making capabilities. Some of them I wouldn’t want to hang out with, let alone share a glass of wine.

I don’t necessarily like the term “unlikeable” in this sense. It implies that the character has no redeeming qualities, which is often not true. In you’re familiar with the Save the Cat storytelling method, writers are encouraged to give even the most awful villains some positive trait to balance out their personality. For example, after your character robs a bank and stabs a bank teller, he might come home and play with his two German Shepherds, a scene that shows his softer side.

Writing an unlikeable or unreliable protagonist isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Their flawed personalities might create chaos for the people around them and for themselves. Without their flaws, you wouldn’t have a story arc, an interesting, well-founded protagonist or conflict and tension that can keep readers reading.

Unlikeable protagonists can still be people we root for in the end. They can still earn our respect, even our compassion. It’s not always easy, but it can be done.

By my count, there are at least seven types of unlikeable protagonists (known in publishing as the anti-hero, which conjures up the song by Taylor Swift.) These characters simply get in their own way. I’ve listed them below along with a corresponding example.

1. Protagonists who don’t act their own age. These Immature characters act more like bratty teenagers than the mature adult they should be. Their behavior and decision making sets them up for trouble.

Example: The Girl I Was by Geneva Rose

2. A clingy protagonist or one involved in a co-dependent relationship. These individuals are so closely intertwined with another person that they lose sight of who they are and who the other person is. They’re so afraid of the future that they cling to the other person. Yet, they don’t recognize how the relationship has stifled their own existence.

Example: One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle.

3. Protagonists with an addiction. Characters with an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol can find themselves in all sorts of trouble because their addition often clouds their perceptions and judgment. At their harshest moments, it can be difficult to feel anything for them. But of course, that is the basis of their conflict. Can they begin to resolve their conflicts despite the impact of their addictions?

Example: The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware.

4. Protagonists who are unwilling to change their ways despite the truths they have faced. In a typical character arc, the character should experience some growth from point A to point F. But sometimes, the character doesn’t change much, no matter what they have learned or experienced in the story. Rather than embrace the changes that the plot begs them to accept, there is some aspect that scares them so much that they run and return to their old way of life.

Example: Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult

5. A protagonist with an obsessive personality. After tragedy strikes or a personal crisis, the protagonist focuses all their time and attention on fighting a cause or in caring for another person. But when that character becomes so obsessed with that they lose sight of their own needs or the needs of other people in their lives, it can create unbreakable bonds. Only when a crisis occurs with other characters do they realize that their life is out of balance.

Example: Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

6. A protagonist who treats others with disdain and arrogance. It’s hard to like someone who treats others like they’re dirt. At first glance, they may not have any redeeming qualities. Yet, if you look more closely, they usually do, and it’s usually buried under a veneer of anger or sadness or loneliness. Take, for example, Carrie Soto might be standoffish and arrogant around her competitors, but you have to admire her work ethic, her single-minded determination to win every tournament, and most important, her devotion to her father.

Example: Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins-Reid

7. A character who takes advantage of the good, kind nature of a friend or loved one. These individuals have learned to live off of others, whether it’s because they grew up in poverty and never had enough growing up, or they believe they’re entitled to other people’s possessions. In other cases, they are starved for love and affection and believe they can get it by needing the help of others. Their neediness and manipulation can cause a lot of strife between characters. Sometimes the friendship survives.

Example: Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner

By observing these characters’ struggles, we learn to empathize with these flawed characters. After all, we all have our own demons to slay. Why shouldn’t your own protagonists have them too? Let them reflect the people you meet in the real world, people who have their own private struggles, whether it’s dealing with grief, an addiction, job loss, a divorce, or a health crisis. That’s what makes these unlikeable characters a little more likeable—their relatability.

Writing experts offer a few suggestions for making these characters work well in your stories, despite their flaws.

1. Make them relatable. Give them problems to overcome, with their flaws acting as barriers to their resolution.

2. Give them redeemable qualities. Allow their humanity to show through. Give them a quality people will respect. For example, the playground bully who goes home every day and plays with his dog.

3. Show how they became flawed. Whether it’s through backstory or it’s a part of the novel’s set up, show how your protagonist became the person they are.

4. Sometimes, it’ not about the character’s personality but about their decision making process. It may be that you don’t agree with the decisions they make, whether they’re right or wrong.

Writing and reading about an unlikeable character can be both fun and enlightening. Just don’t take them too seriously; they are only fictionalized people, after all. Remember that all characters are flawed in one sense or another. As readers, we can learn to empathize with their struggles, no matter how likeable they may be.

Finding Your Creative Writing Niche

June 26, 2024June 25, 2024 ~ The Regal Writer ~ 3 Comments

Editor’s note: I’m tied up with assignments this week, so please enjoy this reposted article from 2021.

When I first embarked on my writing journey, it was a challenge to shift from writing magazine features and website content to creative writing. It was a far cry from the business world, where the criteria was set by employers and clients. I had to shift from writing for business to creating whole new worlds in fiction.

Part of the challenge of being a creative writer is finding a niche. It’s deciding what kind of creative writing I wanted to do and what I was best suited for. Did I want to focus only on novels, or were short stories more my thing? Maybe I was drawn to the soul-baring essence of creative non-fiction, or the challenge of tackling a 100,000-word novel. Or would I be better suited for flash fiction where stories rarely exceed 1000 words? When I first dove into the creative writing pool, I thought I knew what I was doing. After all, I’d already had magazine features published and had received positive feedback about my writing from teachers and editors.

But I quickly realized there was a lot I didn’t understand. It was necessary for me to start from the beginning – to take classes, read up on story telling technique, and most important, to practice, practice, practice. I experimented with different writing styles. I attempted several novels as well as short stories and, more recently, novellas. I’ve submitted essays to competitions and sought feedback from writer’s groups. It’s all been part of a learning, growing process.

I’m still working toward finishing my current novel in the hopes it will one day be published. But I also understand that it takes more than talent to get there. It takes grit and determination and perseverance. It takes a consistent writing practice.

Here’s how you can find your own creative writing niche.

1. It’s important to read a lot, and to read a variety. In his book, On Writing, Stephen King says the best way to learn about writing is to read and to read widely. That’s how you learn how to craft stories, develop plot and character, create suspense and satisfy readers. By reading, you naturally absorb authors’ writing styles and adapt to your own. By reading, you also notice what works well in storytelling, and what doesn’t. Reading other authors’ works is a must to advance your own writing aspirations.

2. Know who you are as a writer and what you stand for. Julie Anne England of the Self-Publishing School says it’s important to assess yourself – your interests, your strengths and weaknesses, and your writing goals. That means understanding what you can tolerate in the world at large and what you can’t. Maybe writing critique groups aren’t your thing. Not everyone is cut out for them. Maybe you feel more inspired by writing in a semi-public place where there are other people nearby so you don’t feel so alone while you write. Or maybe you prefer to write at home alone. England advises writers to “be true to who you are. Trying to be someone you’re not will only impede your progress.”

3. Pay attention to the feedback you receive. Whether you get feedback from a writing buddy, a coach, a boss, or your website audience, pay attention to what they tell you. Do they like the way you describe a scene or the way you draw your characters? Conversely, are they confused by your plot structure or is your protagonist flat, lacking in emotion and personality? Then use their feedback to improve your work.

4. Learn as much as you can about the writing craft. Whether you’re just beginning your writing journey or you’ve traveled this road for some time, it’s important to keep learning. Readers’ tastes and publishers’ needs constantly change, so what was popular a year ago may be obsolete in another year or two. You need to stay on top of the publishing trends. Further, by keeping up with your professional development, you keep your skills fresh and learn new story telling techniques. You show agents and editors that you are willing to do whatever it takes to produce the best story possible.

5. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different genres and writing styles. Maybe you’ve been writing narrative non-fiction, but you’d like to experiment with writing short stories. Don’t be shy about taking a workshop about short story writing. You may decide after completing one or two stories that it just isn’t right for you. That’s okay. At least you tried, and there may be some things you learned about the writing process that can be carried over to your essays. Don’t be afraid to experiment to see what works best for you.

6. Be flexible and open-minded. Don’t get locked into your niche or specialty because it will likely change over time, writes Shaunta Grimes at The Write Brain blog. For example, when I started my blog in 2016, I wrote about a variety of writing and communications topics because that was my professional background. As time went on and I gravitated toward more personal writing and less business communications, my blog reflected that shift. Now I focus almost exclusively on essays about the writing life with some posts about fiction writing thrown in. Allow your personal interests to dictate your path.

If you want to know more about what kind of writer archetype you are, check out this quiz at The Write Brain blog. (Note: You will need to create an account to read the article on Medium.) Find out if you are a Hesitater, a Skipper, a Spiller, a Teacher or an Artist. It will help you learn what you write and why. (Btw, I’m a teacher, which should be obvious from my blog.)

The beauty of creative writing is that there are multiple paths to choose from, and it’s not uncommon for writers to specialize in more than one genre or writing style. Finding that niche, however, depends on knowing who you are and what you have to offer readers.

Reading Present Tense Stories vs. Past Tense

June 19, 2024July 24, 2024 ~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

I remember picking up a book several years ago and opening to the first chapter. I don’t remember what book it was or where I was reading it. I do remember my first impression when I noticed it was written in present tense.

It was jarring, like my brain couldn’t adjust to the different tense. I’d been so accustomed to reading stories in the standard past tense that seeing a different tense struck me as odd.

Not just odd, but wrong. Out of place.

I’ve since softened my stance. I’ve read enough books written in the present tense since then that I’ve simply gotten used to reading it. Still, there are some hard-liners who refuse to read any book written in present tense. Do a Google search, and you’ll find plenty of opinions on the subject—both good and bad. Critics call it “unnatural,” “trendy,” and “a distraction,” while proponents say it makes the story more interesting, real and immediate.

Present tense writing seems like it’s a fairly new phenomenon, but actually, it’s been used for years. There are numerous top sellers that have used that feature. Rabbit, Run by John Updike is one, though I have not read it. This post on The Write Practice blog does a fairly good job of explaining the difference between past and present tense and provides the pros and cons of present tense

It does seem as if more writers are experimenting with present tense writing in recent releases. When combined with first person point of view, the story can pack a powerful and suspenseful punch by putting you in the scene along with the protagonist.

A good example of how it can work is The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave, one of the most suspenseful books I’ve read in a long time. From the opening pages, readers are taken along on a suspenseful ride with the protagonist as she opens the front door and a young girl hands her a cryptic handwritten note from her husband.

When you’re right there next to your character seeing what they see, feeling what they feel, present tense can create a stronger impact on readers. Isn’t that what you want your readers to feel when they read your story?

That said, it would be a mistake to use it all the time. Some stories are simply better read and written in the past tense. It is still the standard in publishing, and it will never go away. It’s also the standard in verbal storytelling. Do you share a story with your friends in present tense? Hardly. It would seem odd rolling off your tongue. Why should written stories be any different?

My advice is to experiment with both styles and see which one works best for your story. There are three factors to consider:

* Genre – Some genres are better suited for present tense. Novels of suspense or action/adventure come to mind. The Hunger Games series is a case in point. Readers are present from the moment the story begins and they experience the suspense along with the narrator/protagonist. Meanwhile past tense is probably better suited for literary fiction and historical fiction.

* Point of view – Present tense might best be used with first person to get a real “up close and personal” feel to the story. I don’t think it works as well with third person POV, though I have seen it done with some success.

* Readers’ preferences – This might be the most critical factor. Which tense do readers prefer to read? Are your readers willing to read a present tense story that you’ve written?

The truth is, many readers hate present tense writing, so much so that they will close the book and put it back on the shelf. If any of your intended readers fall into that camp, you could lose them.

On the other hand, there are other readers who say they don’t notice the tense at all when reading. As long as the story is well written, they don’t mind if it’s present or past tense. Perhaps that is the key point to remember. Make sure the story is so well written that readers hardly notice whether it’s written in present tense or past tense.

I’ll always stick with past tense as my preferred reading format. But an occasional trip through a story with present tense can be worth the journey.

In case you want to explore present tense stories, here are a few to check out (though in truth, I’ve only read the one by Laura Dave so I cannot vouch for how enjoyable they are):

The Hunger Games series
All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr
The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas
The Last Thing He Told Me, Laura Dave
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid
Room, Emma Donoghue

Career Planning Tips for Aspiring Authors

May 22, 2024July 24, 2024 ~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

I jumped into my fiction writing journey with hope in my heart and my fingers crossed. I didn’t have a clear idea where I wanted to go once I started writing though. But even if I did know, I didn’t have a map or a compass that told me how to get there. I simply jumped into the deep end of the pool and hoped something would come of it.

When I started writing in earnest, I didn’t know whether it was a new career path or a hobby to keep me entertained while I looked for work. It’s one thing to say “I’ve always wanted to be a writer.” It’s quite another to actually formulate a plan for getting there.

Some writers do plan their writing careers. Others, like me, slip into it gradually, more as an experiment rather than a conscious career choice.

Most professional writers will tell you that it’s a good idea to have a plan, something concrete to guide you along your writing journey. A plan helps you visualize your writing goals so you have a picture in your mind of what you want to accomplish. Without it, you might as well spin your wheels.

So that begs the question. Should aspiring authors have a career plan? If so, what does that plan include? How do you know what you want to accomplish, and how long you expect it to take? These are all questions you need to ask yourself before embarking on your writing journey.

Do you have a plan for your writing career? Have you mapped out what you want to accomplish and how to get there? Would you do anything differently?

If you think a career plan is right for you, here’s what you might include.

A vision of success. Take a few moments to visualize what you want your writing career to look like. What do you want to accomplish? What does success look like to you? What does it mean to be a successful author? Try to be as detailed as possible. You have to know what the end game looks like in order to get there.

Your goals. If your vision is the end game, your goals are the wheels to help you get there. Be specific. For example, don’t just say you’ll write every day. Instead, say that you’ll write 1000 words a day six days a week, which is more specific and more achievable. Focus on things you can control, such as your output and time spent on writing activities.

Your timeline. Some career experts suggest having a five-year plan, no matter what career you choose. Then working backward from your end goal (or vision) at the five-year mark, set goals at intermediate points, such as annual or every six months. Put goals in the order of how you want to achieve them. For example, completing a fiction writing course might occur earlier in your timeline than publishing a short story.Having a timeline can help you determine if you’re on track to meet those goals, or if you have to reset the timeline.

The road map. How do you plan to achieve your goals? What steps do you need to take to move forward? For example, do you need to brush up on your writing skills? Do you need to build a network of fellow writers? Do you need to find out how to craft a work of fiction?

Fantasy author Holly Lisle suggests finding a model author to follow. Read every one of their books, and study them for how their writing progressed over time. Learn all about their work methods. See if any of them will work for you.

Find a support network. Writers might work alone, but they need the support of family, friends and colleagues too. Make sure that your spouse, kids, roommates are on board with your new career plan. Make sure they give you the space and time you need to do your writing.

Starting a writing practice isn’t always easy, especially over the long haul. Here are some additional tips for planning your writing career. .

* Pace yourself. Burnout is very real, writes Heather Webb at Writer Unboxed blog. Meeting deadlines, especially those enforced from outside yourself, like an agent, editor or client, can zap you of your energy. “When writing begins to feel like a chore, it’s time for a time out to regroup. Writing will come back. Your love of storytelling won’t go anywhere,” says Webb.

* Be flexible. Real life can get in the way of your writing. Webb advises writers to be flexible in all aspects of the writing business—your schedule, with story ideas and with your career path. Don’t be afraid to pivot when you need to. If one genre doesn’t seem to be working for you, switch to another.

* Define what success means to you. If you were a successful author today, what would it feel like? How would you behave? Dress? Treat others? Treat your work? Success won’t look or feel the same way to everyone. Define success on your terms.

* Don’t let your negative inner voice or ego become the loudest voice. Drown it out with your own positive energy. Similarly, avoid author envy. It’s tempting to compare yourself with other writers, especially those whose work you admire, but that serves no useful purpose. Focus on becoming the writer you are meant to be.

* Most important, be sure to write as often as possible. You learn most about the craft by actually sitting down and writing. Once you start, you won’t want to stop.

Having a career plan isn’t mandatory for success. But it can help you clarify your goals and map out a path for achieving what you want. It’s one more tool to add to your writer’s toolkit.

Reading What You Write: Tips for Presenting Your Written Work

May 16, 2024July 24, 2024 ~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

There may be times when you may be invited to read your work to an audience. Whether it’s reading to visitors at a local bookstore or presenting it in class to fellow aspiring writers, the thought of reading your work aloud can be unnerving if you’re not used to it. Writers, especially, can feel uncomfortable. Because they’re used to working alone and don’t have many opportunities to read to an audience.

However, reading for an audience offers several advantages. For starters, it can help you get used to facing an audience. It takes practice to feel comfortable speaking out loud. The more you do it, the better you will sound and the more confident you’ll feel.

Reading aloud can show you the rough spots in your writing. According to the University of North Carolina Writing Center, when reading aloud your work, your brain receives information in a new way so you tend to notice details you didn’t see when you read it silently. While most of their advice pertains to research papers, I think it’s relevant for fiction writing as well.

When reading aloud, the sequence of ideas in a research paper (or scenes in a story) should make sense to readers. You might notice gaps in explanations or narratives. Words might be left out. You might see awkward sentence structure, or sentences that are too long, confusing, repetitive or convoluted. You might find that the tone isn’t quite right for your piece. For example, the humor may not be appropriate or the jokes simply fall flat.

Conversely, reading aloud can help you notice where your writing is strongest. You can tell when the story flows the way it should, and the dialogue is lively.

Conquering your fear of reading out loud

There are two types of fears when reading out loud. One is the fear of facing an audience, whether they’re strangers or people you know. (Sometimes reading for people who know can be scarier than reading to a room full of strangers.)

The second fear is the fear of sharing your work. You fear people won’t like your work. We all have an inherent desire to be liked, so any semblance of negativity can make us lose confidence in our abilities even when those abilities are topnotch. No one likes receiving negative feedback or getting criticized. But to be stronger writers, sometimes we have to take the risk of reading our work to others. How else will we know if people will enjoy what we write?

Writing experts offer a few tips for presenting your work.

* Read from a printed copy. Print out your manuscript rather than read from a computer. Seeing your work on a printed page might help you noticed errors you didn’t notice on the screen.

* Practice, practice, practice. Take a day or two to practice your reading. Note if there are any rough spots that you have difficulty getting past. Keep practicing, no matter how tired you get of reading it, so that the words flow easily. It might help to read in front of a mirror, a friend, even your pet dog.

* Pretend you’re someone else reading your work. This might seem tough to do, but some writers swear by this technique. Imagine you are someone else who is given the task of reading your work out loud, like a news anchor or your favorite actor. Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes can make you feel less self-conscious about facing an audience.

Tips for reading to a group

When it comes time to read for your audience, remember to do the following:

*Project your voice so everyone in the room can hear you. This is especially true if there is no microphone available. Speak clearly and enunciate your words. Avoid mumbling.

* Don’t rush through to the end. When you’re nervous about speaking to strangers, it’s easy to fall into the habit of speeding up when you need to slow down. People need and want to hear you, and they can’t do that if you’re racing ahead like you’re running in the Kentucky Derby.

* When you’re reading from your manuscript, be sure to look up often and make eye contact with your audience. It might help to focus on two or three friendlier faces, those who give nonverbal cues like smiling and nodding, so you know they’re paying attention.

Reading aloud is an often overlooked skill, but one that you can master and add to your skill set early in your writing career. When you finally publish your work, you’ll have the confidence to read your work with pride.

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