Queer Writers Unite!

Arwen · 11-04-2010, 04:13 PM

Another NaNoWriMo "keep writing" tip.

Remember that you want to show not tell. Telling doesn't put your reader in the scene. You will hear "show don't tell" so much you will want to SCREAM, but there's a reason for that.

EXAMPLE:

TELLING: Dean thought it was a hot day. He wanted some tea. Instead he found signs of thieves. That made him mad.

SHOWING: Sweat pooled under Dean's collar. He knew he would be red as a beet by noon but there was no escaping the west Texas sun. His boots scuffed up dust clouding the fence line. He dreamed of a shade tree and a
pretty girl handing him a sweet tea. Cursing softly, he found where
the barbed wire had been cut clean and neat by someone who knew what
they were after. "Rustlers. I'll kill the varmints when I catch them."

In the SHOWING, you not only have more words (Go NaNoWriMo), but you also now know where the character is and you should be able to feel the heat on your own skin. You also know why he's angry and the level of anger.

Keep writing!

Passionaria · 11-07-2010, 09:27 PM

Well I signed up. I have begun something I wanted to flesh out. We'll see what happens ! This is fun!

Pashi

Arwen · 11-08-2010, 10:57 AM

Yet another tip to help you get that word count up for NaNoWriMo.

Nobody is reading this.
Nobody is hating this.
Nobody is reading this but you.

No really.

What you are writing right now is not for public consumption. This is the dough for the eventual loaf of bread you will serve. But right now it's a gooey mess of flour and water and salt and yeast. You have to keep at this or it will stay a gooey mess.

But no one is reading this yet.

So stop worrying about what others think and forge ahead. Don't worry if one scene makes another obsolete. Keep writing. You can scoop that bit of eggshell out later.

11-04-2010, 04:13 PM	#1
Arwen Joy Seeker How Do You Identify?: Smartly-Flavored Preferred Pronoun?: Goddess Relationship Status: Mrs. Syzygy 1/9/14 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Joyville, NM (aka Land of Enchantment) Posts: 10,140 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 13,636 Thanked 28,108 Times in 6,412 Posts Rep Power: 21474862	Another NaNoWriMo "keep writing" tip. Remember that you want to show not tell. Telling doesn't put your reader in the scene. You will hear "show don't tell" so much you will want to SCREAM, but there's a reason for that. EXAMPLE: TELLING: Dean thought it was a hot day. He wanted some tea. Instead he found signs of thieves. That made him mad. SHOWING: Sweat pooled under Dean's collar. He knew he would be red as a beet by noon but there was no escaping the west Texas sun. His boots scuffed up dust clouding the fence line. He dreamed of a shade tree and a pretty girl handing him a sweet tea. Cursing softly, he found where the barbed wire had been cut clean and neat by someone who knew what they were after. "Rustlers. I'll kill the varmints when I catch them." In the SHOWING, you not only have more words (Go NaNoWriMo), but you also now know where the character is and you should be able to feel the heat on your own skin. You also know why he's angry and the level of anger. Keep writing! __________________ I wrote a book, y'all! *FREE* Tarotscopes Seek Joy, y'all. Eschew hate. 9Words: A Poetry Challenge \| Do you like me?

11-07-2010, 09:27 PM	#2
Passionaria Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Urban Bohemian : http://youtu.be/IM96Ch9Gx4A Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: She ran away with with the Gypsy's ✿ Posts: 2,519 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 5,316 Thanked 3,737 Times in 1,248 Posts Rep Power: 16689910	Well I signed up. I have begun something I wanted to flesh out. We'll see what happens ! This is fun! Pashi __________________ *Moon cat madness*

11-08-2010, 10:57 AM	#3
Arwen Joy Seeker How Do You Identify?: Smartly-Flavored Preferred Pronoun?: Goddess Relationship Status: Mrs. Syzygy 1/9/14 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Joyville, NM (aka Land of Enchantment) Posts: 10,140 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 13,636 Thanked 28,108 Times in 6,412 Posts Rep Power: 21474862	Yet another tip to help you get that word count up for NaNoWriMo. Nobody is reading this. Nobody is hating this. Nobody is reading this but you. No really. What you are writing right now is not for public consumption. This is the dough for the eventual loaf of bread you will serve. But right now it's a gooey mess of flour and water and salt and yeast. You have to keep at this or it will stay a gooey mess. But no one is reading this yet. So stop worrying about what others think and forge ahead. Don't worry if one scene makes another obsolete. Keep writing. You can scoop that bit of eggshell out later. __________________ I wrote a book, y'all! *FREE* Tarotscopes Seek Joy, y'all. Eschew hate. 9Words: A Poetry Challenge \| Do you like me?