Sticks and Stones: The Power of Words

We all remember those words from childhood… that false shield we held up to lessen the sting of juvenile taunts.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

I think we knew, even back then, how naive those words truly were. The truth is, words can cut so much deeper than a knife. They can mutilate on contact, leech like a slow acting poison for years, fester and poke at old wounds and insecurities. They can make us doubt ourselves. They can steal our joy. Shake our foundation. Words can puncture deep and keep on digging. Words can hurt.

But…

Words can also heal. Mend. Inspire. A kind word can brighten your spirit. Change your attitude. Change your life. Even change the world.

Words don’t simply wither up and die once they lose their oxygen. They continue to speak for generations.

The word became flesh. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. -John 1:1

Bottom line. Words are POWERFUL. 

And we, as writers, get the unique privilege of working with words like few others do. Sure, writer or not, we all use words. Sometimes we weaponize them in defense like we did when we were young. Other times we lavish them on those we love, and form deep bonds strengthened by expressions of affection. Our tone, our delivery, our word choice all contribute to who we are and how others perceive us.

But when we write, we get to weave words together in an intentional and artful way. We get to be wordsmiths in the truest sense. We don’t simply react to the situation or get runaway with tricky emotions. We craft. We mold. We shape a story like a piece of clay. Trimming and smoothing out the lines. Our words become our message, a way to communicate something deeper than an opinion or an entertaining story. We get to share our hearts on the page. A part of ourselves that isn’t always heard over the noise we create.

Your story, your words… are powerfully important. And when written, have great potential to find an audience beyond your everyday interaction and influence.

So take a moment to think on it. What are your words saying? How are they unfolding your message? Do your words cut or do they inspire? Don’t underestimate them. Let your art speak something to the world. Something empowering. Something true. Something worthy of the thought and process you give to every single precious word.

Write on.

Tell me: What is the central message of the story you are writing now? And how do you make your words count?

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Amy Leigh Simpson writes Romantic Suspense that is heavy on the romance, unapologetically honest, laced with sass and humor, and full of the unfathomable Grace of God. She is the completely sleep deprived mama to two little tow-headed mischief makers and wife to her very own swoon-worthy hero. Represented by the oh-so-wise and dashing Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary Inc.

Reader Whiplash: Developing Characters Organically

A couple years ago, I had just gotten my first brand new car, a cute little Civic, when I was sitting at a red light, and the woman behind me didn't come to a stop. Next thing I knew, my head lurched forward, and I heard that loud collision sound. My pulse raced, as my stomach sank. Not my brand new car!

Thankfully, Amelia (as I affectionally call my little Civic) took it like a champ and didn't need much in the way of repairing. But in the days that followed, I noticed my neck was very sore from the impact. I didn't have to get it checked out by a doctor-- and for that I'm very thankful-- but it was still no fun.

Photo by Sixninepixels at www.freedigitalphotos.net

It's amazing how sharp, unexpected movements can jar us, and even leave us confused, isn't it? If you've ever been in a fender bender yourself or had whiplash, you definitely understand!

So what does this have to do with writing?

All too often, when we're developing our characters, we employ a similar type of jarring motion in our stories. I know I personally have to fight against this tendency all the time. My theory is that this happens because, as writers, we know where our characters will end up, and we want to hint toward that. We get so very excited about their transformation that sometimes we allow it to happen a bit too early. We're thinking we're foreshadowing and layering our characters, while our readers are thinking, "What in the world is going on?"

Let me give an example. We know a good romance requires two characters who are attracted to one another, yet pulled apart from one another through challenges throughout the story, until finally, they reconcile and have their happily-ever-after. But have you ever read a romance that didn't keep that tension until the end? And what was your response as a reader? More than likely, it lost your interest.

So using our example of a romance story, consider a hero who can't find love because he's visiting a foreign country and doesn't want to start a love affair across an ocean. Early in a chapter, he may think to himself something like this (in so many words):

The woman glided across the deck of the cruise ship with a comfortable ease, as if she'd taken this day cruise before. Undeniably Italian, her dark hair formed loose curls at the ends. She smiled at him.

Had he been anyone other than Jack Johnson--Texas native who planned to stay that way--he would've swept that woman right off her feet like Frank Sinatra. But he was Jack Johnson. So he returned her smile and kept walking.

(By the way, I'm completely making this story up for the sake of example, so please excuse me if it sounds a little like An Affair to Remember. Ha!) These paragraphs set up the tension and let us know why Jack isn't interested in a foreign romance. Then, imagine that later in the chapter, Jack strikes up a conversation with the Italian woman, and you find a paragraph like this one:

 The beauty of the Isle of Capri was striking, and stirred something in Jack that had long been dormant. He fidgeted his hands, longing to catch the stray piece of Lydia's hair that had fallen into her eyes. Maybe, just maybe, moving here wouldn't be so bad, after all.

What just happened in this last paragraph? Jack has pretty much decided he's okay with the possible move to Italy, and the romance is now a go. Now, here's the problem. The tension has evaporated, and the reader is NOT going to take Jack seriously because he made this decision so impulsively. He initially tells us he has this serious qualm about ever moving from Texas, and then, in only a few pages, he's already changed his mind! While we may follow a story that flip flops around in this way, we are not going to allow ourselves to emotionally invest in the characters, because we'll never really know what page they are on.

So with that in mind, how can you avoid giving your reader whiplash?

• Remember that the reader doesn't know how your character is going to change. You might know exactly the arc your characters are going to take, but your readers don't. Take advantage of that. Keep them guessing. Don't "show your cards," so to speak. Which leads into the next point...
• Remember to take time to develop your characters at each stage, to create a deeper emotional impact. If you've created obstacles for the relationships and goals your characters might have, don't easily rush past those things. Make them count! If a character is hardened to love, make them actually hardened to it, and show us why. They shouldn't feel closed off one minute and totally open to possibility the next. Yes, we should see little moments of hope for change sprinkled throughout, but like pepper, don't add too many of such moments! If your readers believe in the struggle your characters are having, they will also believe in the redemption and healing your characters find. Consistent, slow-changing development (just as in real life) generally leads to much greater reader emotion, and much more believable characters.
• Don't shy away from keeping tension alive! When a character bounces back and forth between struggle and the end-of-the-book-resolution they will later achieve, that character is no longer providing your story the tension he or she could. By taking your time to develop each character consistently, rather than whiplashing your reader, you will amp up the tension in your story and keep readers desperate to see those characters find better ground.
• Be conscientious of this tendency during the editing process. Sometimes an initial read-through of a just-written manuscript can do wonders to reveal the whiplash moments. You will be amazed by how much stronger your story becomes whenever you get a hold of what your characters are facing, and you allow them to fully engage in that particular moment.

Have you ever read a book that gave you reader whiplash? Do you struggle with this yourself? I know I do! I would love to hear your thoughts!

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Ashley Clark writes romantic comedy with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.

Our writing spaces - an Alleycat open-home tour!

I'm undergoing a makeover of my writing area/ home office at the moment, and the process has made me think - what makes for a great writing space? 

Is it about creating an organized and efficient work area with everything you need at your fingertips?

Perhaps you're more interested in displaying images and words that inspire you, and picking a color scheme that makes you happy to sit down and dig into your work?

Is it about investing in an ergonomic desk chair, and positioning your computer screen at the right height to minimize eye strain - or settling wherever you're comfortable, even if that's the corner of the couch?

Separation from the rest of the family so you can concentrate, or the ability to be right in the middle of the action?

Clearly there's no one right answer to any of these questions. Our writing spaces are as different as our temperaments and writing styles. Some people prefer a more structured set-up with a desk, chair and writing books within easy reach; others are happiest to snuggle under their bedcovers with their laptop. 

Of course, there's usually a gap between our ideals and the constraints of reality, as well. Some writers would love a dedicated area to work in, but it's just not feasible given their current living arrangements. I mean, how many of us would love a desk with a sea view like in this gorgeous picture above - right?? Can't you just feel the inspiration flowing in on that ocean breeze? 

But this is real life, and writing happens wherever we can make the time and space for it.

With that in mind, I thought it might be fun today to offer a personal glimpse of where we write.

So kick off your shoes and come on in. The Alleycats welcome you into our homes to share our real-life writing spaces. 

ANGIE

Ang loves to settle in for a writing session on a comfy armchair with a chunky knit throw and her laptop:

SHERRINDA
This is Sherrinda's brand-new writing space. She's always written on the couch, but her son just moved out last week and she decided to turn his room into a guest/ writing/ art room. I love Sherrinda's inspiration board and that gorgeous whimsical chair - would you believe she picked it up off the side of the road and gave it a complete makeover with paint? (You can read all about that DIY project on her personal blog here!)

PEPPER
I love that Pepper has a beautiful artwork hanging over her desk, and a bookshelf within easy reach. What better inspiration than to be surrounded by books!

... but that's only one of Pepper's writing spaces! She also uses a treadmill desk. How cool is this??! What a great idea - as simple as installing a shelf to hold the laptop, so she can burn calories while racking up her word count.

MARY
Mary was so inspired by Pepper's awesome treadmill desk, that hubby made her one of her own!

Mary also uses a desk by the window when she's not sweating it out on the treadmill. I love all that natural light - a real mood-lifter.

KRISTA
All this talk of exercise is making me tired. Krista has the right idea... her writing retreat is right here in bed, snuggled under the covers with her laptop! How cosy does that look?!

JULIA
Julia's writing space is on the couch - and she's hung some pictures nearby that have very special meaning for her as a writer. I love what she has to say about this: "My inspiration is more what's on my walls. A picture of my daddy when he was young. He always told me to dream big and I'd like to hope he'd be proud of me. And a picture of Henry Wordsworth Longfellow with a signed nameplate! I feel like with those two men behind my desk I can achieve my best." So meaningful and so inspiring.

ASHLEY
Our resident animal-lover finds inspiration curled up next to her beloved dog Schroeder (how cute is he?!):

CASEY

This gorgeous writing corner has it all - a roll-top desk with plenty of little drawers and cubby-holes for writing supplies; inspiring photos on the walls; and a whiteboard within easy reach to jot notes and brainstorm ideas.

AMY
This divine lamplit corner just beckons me in. With a wedding photo for romantic inspiration, natural light and an ottoman pulled up to the couch, is it any wonder our Amy is so prolific at the keyboard? What a charming and inviting spot!

So that concludes our tour of the Alleycats' writing spaces. I hope you've enjoyed this glimpse into our homes. I love the individuality of each of these spaces - from cosy couches to treadmills and desks.

If you're wondering where my contribution is, you'll have to wait for Part Two of this post in two weeks' time. Meanwhile, I'll be busy finishing off some painting, installing shelves and completing the makeover of my writing space. It's already shaping up to be my favorite writing zone of any house I've lived in - I can't wait to share!

Where do you usually choose to write? Couch? Coffee shop? Desk? Anyone else rocking the treadmill desk like Pepper and Mary? Do you pull inspiration from your surroundings, or are you happy to write anywhere you can perch a laptop?

Karen Schravemade lives in Australia, where she juggles writing with being a SAHM to three small kids. She's had short stories published in two literary journals and is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such. Find her on her website, Twitter, and getting creative on her home-making blog, A house full of sunshine.

Perfect Writers Need Not Read...

See the ninja right there? It's my son and to show how imperfect I am, I'm breaking a rule of mine. You see I never put pictures of my family on social media. But with all those strips on his face he's not so recognizable. At least I hope so.

No, this isn't my son's Halloween costume. Facial wax strips, in case you couldn't tell. His sister thought it would be hilarious to turn him into a mummy. And he complacently agreed.

Comedy is no fun without an audience and so our creative children decided to assume the mummy position and march their way downstairs an hour past their bedtime. (Need I mention that the removal wasn't as amusing for my son?)

If you are a parent no doubt you've held back a snicker or two as your children acted like trouble with a capital "T" and somehow became astoundingly cute at the same time. Too bad it doesn't really work with grown-ups.

The jovial mood was gone as we had to remove the strips from Noah's face one-by-one. Lesson learned.  Our two children finally settled in to sleep as we headed out of reach to have a chuckle.

What's your point, Julia? And what does this have to do with writing anyway?

The picture displayed and described will be part of a video for the launch of a great new parenting book called No More Perfect Kids by Kathy Koch and Jill Savage.

I am thrilled to have my picture displayed as part of the message that there are no perfect moms or kids, but by God's grace we can keep growing. For many years I carried scars about being imperfect. Don't we carry those same scars as writers?

*That comment made by a contest judge that still enters our mind word for word every time we polish a story for a new competition?

*Those lies the enemy whispers into our ear during our writing time that keep us hitting the backspace and ending up with a near empty page?

*The lies that keep us from bringing our writing to share with others at our critique group because its not polished enough...for the third week in a row?

*The continual frustrated feeling that our writing will never be where we want it to be?

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, I have come that they might have life and have it to the full. JOHN 10:10 NIV

How do we know the difference between perfectionism and a healthy perception of "good enough"?

Here's the definition of perfectionism, according to Merriam-Webster online: a disposition to regard anything short of perfection as unacceptable.

NEWSFLASH: There are no perfect writers, never have been. Shooting for perfection will only lead to condemnation which will eventually result in lack of growth.

Why? Because we can never reach the standard we set for ourselves so we will give up. Its not productive.

Perfectionism steals our joy. We will never be good enough. Our descriptions, our dialogue, nothing about our writing can compare to the standard of perfection.

It KILLS our love of writing. It isn't too long before we say, why bother?

This call to life includes our writing. God wants us to grow and flourish like spring plants in our writing as we arch closer to the sun (SON).

So how do we allow God to breathe life and growth into our writing, rather than letting the weeds of perfectionism kill our joy and productivity?

1) Consider writing with pen and paper for your first draft.

We are often told to write a sloppy first copy. This can be especially challenging for a perfectionist. Writing with pen on paper allows you to process before deleting. Maybe there is a word or two in there worth saving. For those who have a reflex toward hitting the delete key, writing in pen may be helpful.

2) Set a deadline for "good enough."

Determine a time when you will show your work. Give yourself plenty of time to polish, but maybe a little less time than you wish. After a certain number of days on this chapter, determine you will show it to a critique partner.

3) Stop apologizing for your work.

We're not perfect. We do need critique partners, contest judges and others to help us grow. BUT never apologize for where you are in your journey. You need to accept that your rate of speed is your own. Your growth is your own. Focus on doing your best with the time you have.

For I am confident of this very thing; that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6, NASB

Christ gave us any gifts we have to offer. AND HE will PERFECT it for when HE RETURNS for His bride. You are a work in process. He is doing the work. Notice God doesn't say we will or can perfect anything here.

4) Throw off the "sin" that hinders.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. HEBREWS 12:1, NIV

"Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; ACTS 3:19, NASB

Perfectionism doesn't lead to refreshing, only frustration. Spend time with the Lord. Sin in any area of your life will hinder your writing ministry. God wants to bring freshness and newness. If God has called us to write, it should bring rejuvenation to us as well. Yes, there are hard times, but it should bring us a sense of peace in being obedient to His calling. Make sure there is nothing else in your life that is hindering your writing. Remember you can't do any of this in your own strength.

Often perfectionism comes from pride. We are worried about what others might think of our work more than what God thinks of it.

Do we want to make a good impression to glorify us? Is it that we want people to see our talent and praise us, rather than just allowing God to minister through us?

Will we accept a quiet ministry of glorifying him or do we want to be known in our field for our own merits?
5) Run with perseverance.

Seek out an online course. Admit to a friend or critique partner that she is much better than you are at dialogue and ask for her tips. Humility can be a great medication for perfectionism.

Set a goal for your own growth that is measurable. Instead of saying I will master dialogue this year, how about I will read two books about dialogue this month and each day I will revise one chapter, looking specifically for ways to improve?

6) Run the race marked out for YOU.

Your race is not anyone else's. God's timing for you is not the same. The refining tools he uses may look different. BUT rest assured he has a specific plan and a course marked out for you. He will guide you along the way. He delights to show you the "ropes" and cheer you on. Run with perseverance toward the finish line.

He who began a good work in you will complete it, keep running toward the finish line.

Let go of being perfect and be all God created you to be instead.





YOUR TURN: Do you struggle with perfectionism in your writing? Or in other areas of your life? Have you found anything that helps you overcome the threat of perfection?

Julia writes contemporary fiction to mirror truth. A former assistant librarian, she now channels her card cataloguing skills into homeschooling her elementary aged littles and writing for Library Journal. She has reviewed for a variety of websites for several years.

What's Up the Street for Next Week?

Photo Credit

SNOW!

It seems everyone is getting a bit more than they were wanting (or needing) right now. But here, in my little corner of the world, this is the first snow we've gotten all year. Time to haul out the sleds and have some fun! 

What's up next week? 

Angie has tips for working through the dreaded self imposed deadline on Monday.

Tuesday, Julia is your hostess continuing her series on writer's emotions: perfectionism, the good, the bad and the ugly.

Karen is starting a fun two part series on writing spaces on Wednesday featuring some of the spaces the Alley Cats squeeze into for their novel creation.

Hate getting reader whiplash from those characters that change on the snap of a finger? Ashley shares on growing characters organically on Thursday.

Amy is your hostess on our favorite day of the week, Friday!

And the winner is...

Winner of A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner from her guest post on Wednesday is...

Elaine Stock!

Check your emails, Elaine! There is one in there from me. ;-)

What about your corner of the world?

 Snow falling, sticking around or maybe melting off?

The Great Internal Monologue Debate

Pride and Prejudice 2005 movie

I hadn't thought about Internal Monologue as a debatable issue. Until...

Recently, on another blog, I read a post describing the dos and don'ts for writing internal monologue. What intrigued me most about the post were the comments. I'll hop into that in just a moment.

Twice this last week, I heard two writers from different settings boldly proclaim: "The difference between a movie and a book is the internal monologue." This made sense to me. 

In a photo writing class, my instructor turned on a movie one day but left the sound off. He turned the subtitles on to let us read the dialogue. After a few minutes, he turned the movie off and asked the class, "What was mood?" 

We all guessed, but no one had the correct answer. He replayed the scene with the sound, including the music. Before a character spoke a word, we knew the answer. 

According to the instructor, we depend on the music to tell us what truly is in the heart of the character. 

Music tells us to view the scene as sad, aggressive, contemplative, happy, slapstick. Take, for example, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. From the first explosion, we know the movie is a romantic comedy. In Romancing the Stone, the music tells us the movie is a romantic adventure. Think of the opening music to Disney's animated Beauty and the Beast.

In a book, however, a writer can use words to reveal what is in the character's heart and mind. What motivates the character to commit a crime or suddenly kiss a frog? Why does the character hate Christmas or struggle to throw a ring into the chasm? The reader is able to step into the shoes of a well written character and go beyond outward senses to truly feel the inward struggles, pinings, secret hopes, and desires. We learn about skeletons in closets, true meanings of letters, why the character thought to look under the floorboard, and more. This happens because an inner connection has been made through the brilliant painting of words.

Writers do run into trouble, though, when pages are filled with one long internal monologue. 

It becomes like an infomercial. Boring.

And now the opposing views:
Ready?

The Show IM with Dialogue Team: This group of writers prefer to demonstrate what is going on in a character's heart and mind through dialogue and action. Show rather than tell is one reason stated. Specific words are chosen and other characters are placed in the scene to help set the stage for the needed dialogue. Who likes pages and pages of boring droll internal monologues which is nothing more than whining about a situation not going the pov's way. It is much better to provide action and convey issues through dialogue.

The Sprinkle a Sentence, Perhaps Short Para IM Team: This group of writers prefer to reveal the pain/joy/struggles and etc by revealing the processing of issues going on in the mind in the narrative. Care is given to descriptions of feelings, emotions, physical responses, interpretations of others, etc. We don't always say what we are thinking is one reason stated.


Time to discuss the debate.
But first the rules:
1. To have a debate we need to hear your voice (translated: please comment)
2. All comments need to be written with respect and kindness.
3. All comments need to take a side and defend the viewpoint.
4. It would be nice if commenters would join us to respond to those speaking for the other side.

Think about it for a moment. Consider books you've read. Choose a stellar one. Or choose your WIP. How was/is the IM done in that book? Now that you think back, did you like the IM written this way, or would you have done it differently?

The purpose of this exercise is not to truly battle!

The purpose is to help us decide in our own heart: 

which way do we prefer to write.

For this reason, let's discuss the great internal monologue debate. 
Which team would you chose to join and why? 
Why do you feel the other team would not work for you? 
Let's learn from each other so we can make our own choices.

(I chose the photo from Pride and Prejudice because Kathleen Kelly from You've Got Mail said, "Elizabeth Bennet is the most complex [complete] character ever written.") :)

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This blog post is by Mary Vee

Mary has moved to Michigan with her husband, closer to her three college kids. She misses the mountains of Montana, but loves seeing family more often. She writes contemporary and romance Christian fiction, is honing marketing and writing skills, and loves to pen missionary and Bible adventure stories on her ministry blog, God Loves Kids.

Visit Mary at her website and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter