Writing Unleashed with Laura M. Harkins

Source Readers look to novels to escape reality. An author’s words take them to distant lands. But a well-described location can do more than just take the reader on a trip away from home. It plays an important role in creating atmosphere and describing characters. The strength of location in a story transforms the setting into another character. Characters and setting rely heavily on one another not only to create images in the minds of readers, but also to describe each other.  A character reveals information about a setting. Their traits lead them to specific towns, cities, bars, schools, etc. A well-developed character personality can create the milieu. An uptight individual probably lives in a very neat and organized apartment. A character concerned with the environment might have a vegetable garden planted in the back with a recycling bin and compost heap. A young, single girl might feel stuck in family-oriented suburbia. Now, the...

qnntv.com   During this challenge, you and I will probably read through a thousand+ blogs. So many people, so many writers, it’s inevitable to find more than one person writing about the same topic. Our world is a kaleidoscope. The ideas, situations and events we experience make the loose bits of colored material in the telescope-like toy. When you twist the tube an endless variety of patterns emerges, very much the way each of us approaches our writing.  Each writer brings their interests, dislikes and influences to each topic.  Reading through all the posts can get overwhelming, but meeting so many different people makes it all worth it.  On the other hand, sometimes my fear of idea stealing keeps me from sharing my writing. Then I stop and think. They can’t steal my life experiences that influence my story.  A great quote from Stephen King in On Writing really put it in perspective for me. “But once your basic story is on paper, you need to think a...

As a mystery writer, I need to create crimes and figure out how the suspect will carry out the dastardly deed. Throughout the rest of the month, I will showcase a few poisons from  Book of Poisons: A Guide for Writer s  to demonstrate different ways to harm and/or murder a person. The book provides scientific information, so I won’t attempt to paraphrase, but give you direct quotes. Disclaimer : Do not attempt the method discussed. The information provided is meant for fiction writing only. Please keep it on the page. ddeventdesign.wordpress.com Jacob’s Ladder or Lily of the Valley (p.  60-61): Scientific Name: Convallaria majalis Other: Lily of the Valley, May lily, Our Lady’s tears, convall-lily, lily constancy, ladder-to-heaven, male lily Toxicity ( scale of 1-6; 1=almost non-toxic, 6=super toxic ) : 6 Deadly Parts: All, especially the leaves. Form : The small, white, bell-shaped flowers are well known. The plant bears orange-red fleshy berries. Even th...

jobdescriptions.net Shifting gears this week! Looking through the list of topics I wrote down for the A-Z Blogging Challenge Saturday, I felt a bit underwhelmed. Nothing jumped out at me, and my inspiration decided to take the day off when I went to write. While I read through the thousands of blogs I came across two posts discussing different aspects of writing: character and genre. The bloggers opened my eyes to problems my novel faced. My weak grasp on fiction writing left me with a tremendous amount of revision and rewriting once I finished my WIP. Most of my experience came from writing nonfiction, and character development proved harder than expected. So, I took the easy way out, basing the main character, Lexi, on me. Once I finished, I realized personality dictates action (lack of action in my case), and all my characters felt two-dimensional. The blogger I read subjected her character to a personality test. Brilliant! But before I could do so, I needed to connect...

Today, I want to talk about a house. Not my house, but WHAT the rooms in a house symbolize; using dream interpretation to strengthen writing by employing symbolism engages the reader. I’m using Dictionary of Dreams by Rose Inserra (paraphrasing) to help guide us through the process of understanding what each room represents.  blog.lamidesign.com ATTIC : It represents your memory, intellectual life or matters you’re burying. BALCONY : It represents the excitement and hardships of romance and aspirations. If the balcony is up high, you are detached. If you are in danger of falling, you might feel anxiety. BASEMENT : It represents your most secret fears or parts you’re hiding. BEDROOM : It represents how you “feel about your emotional and sexual life (i.e., privacy, relaxation and sensuality”). CHIMNEY : It represents how we deal with others emotionally, from inside to out. DOOR : It represents inhibitions or progress and how you are willing to deal with them. A closed...

This poem reminds me of  my grandmother. Enjoy! niralon.wordpress.com Beautiful Hands By Emma M. H. Gates SUCH beautiful, beautiful hands, They're neither white nor small; And you, I know, would scarcely think That they were fair at all. I've looked on hands whose form and hue A sculptor's dream might be, Yet are these agéd wrinkled hands Most beautiful to me. Such beautiful, beautiful hands! Though heart were weary and sad These patient hands kept toiling on That the children might be glad. I almost weep when looking back To childhood's distant day! I think how these hands rested not When mine were at their play. Such beautiful, beautiful hands! They're growing feeble now, And time and pain have left their mark On hand, and heart and brow. Alas! alas! the nearing time-- And the sad, sad day to me, When 'neath the daisies, out of sight, These hands must folded be. But, oh! beyond the shadowy lands, Where all is bright and fair, I know full well these d...

123nonstop.com Growing up, Ms. Manners and my mother made sure I behaved in a polite manner at all times. I responded with eye rolling and my catch phrase, “For crying out loud,” which drove my mother crazy. The frustration got overwhelming when I felt expressing your individuality went against the grain.    So, I channeled my loud and energetic personality through my musical and artistic interests, while I stayed quiet. Liz Phair, Sylvia Ji and Chuck Palahniuk sing, paint and write about sex, sadness, darkness and nakedness. Their raw and gritty honesty captures the essence of humanity, breaking through the filters everyone uses to look, sound and act the same. As an adult, I still fell in line, holding back my true nature for fear of what people would say. It carried over to my writing. My voice and style felt empty and forced. I didn’t want to upset someone, but a writer expresses themselves through their writing. It looked like I didn’t have a clue. I re...