Dear friends, This is the place for you to share your thoughts about my books as well as your tips on writing. Please don't use this as a forum to discuss works by other authors, pro or con. There are plenty of places you can go for general book discussions. I'd like this to be a friendly place where you can get to know others who enjoy my books. Stir up a little controversy if something in a book bugged you, as long as it's done in a reasonably gentle way. Feel free to ask questions of me and each other. I'll sign on as frequently as possible to answer your questions. Okay, then...jump in anytime. Sherryl
Marie
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Apr-01-03, 05:47 PM (EST) |
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1. "RE: Set the scene"
In response to message #0
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I guess I am partial to settings that involve water ... probably because I was born in Savannah and grew up in King George! I always loved Fairview Beach and Colonial Beach! I even spent many a Saturday at Westmoreland State Park! We use to skip school in the spring and head to Colonial Beach! That was like the “city” to us! I haven't been home in twenty years...can't imagine the changes! I must admit that I never thought about using King George as a setting but you have me thinking otherwise. I can see an interesting dinner teaching someone how to eat steamed crabs.
I loved your comments in the Fredericksburg newspaper about writing a story set in a western location -– even though your experience only extended to the Dallas-Ft Worth airport! Like you, I think that the characters make the story and the setting is only a backdrop.
I love to write and recently took some fiction writing classes at the local community college but my husband says that was just a stall tactic on my part! He keeps telling me to stop reading and write. I have recently joined RWA and my local chapter (Heart of Carolina). I have two short drafts that need alot of editing and expanding and one that is about half way complete…any advice other than “shut up and write”?
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Sherryl
Member since Mar-19-03
51 posts |
Apr-07-03, 02:18 PM (EST) |
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4. "RE: Set the scene"
In response to message #3
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Marie...Alas, that tidbit is dated. There are FOUR stoplights in King George now. That's growth for you.
The time factor is a tricky one, especially when you are juggling so many things. When I first started, I was fortunate enough to work a job that allowed me to work four long -- okay, seemingly endless -- days, then take three off. I only wrote on those three days, but I found that some of my most creative time was driving to and from work, so by the weekend I always had lots of little notes as starting points. When I began to write fulltime, I had to build that thinking time back into my schedule in some other way.
Another tip...I believe strongly in writing a book start to finish as fast as you can. In other words, no censoring, no editing along the way. I think that gives the story an energy than can be lost if you keep laboring over the same sentence, paragraph or chapter for too long. THEN on the next draft, take the time to flesh out the story, polish up the language and so on. When I first start a book, I will go back to chapter one and read it through before writing each day till I'm up to chapter three or so. From that point on, though, I only read and fiddle with what I wrote the day before. That has two benefits...I'm always moving forward and not going over and over the same material AND by the time I am ready to polish, I have some distance from those early chapters and can more readily see mistakes.
And one last tip, if you don't belong to a critique group, think of joining one. It's not necessarily for the insights you might gain into your book, but because it will force you to have a few pages or so done for every meeting. I have a small writers' group at my store and several of them have finished a book a year, just by having to be ready for those every-other-week meetings.
And I haven't forgotten the promise to talk about synopses and how those can help. Next time... |
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Marie
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Apr-15-03, 01:18 PM (EST) |
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9. "RE: Set the scene"
In response to message #8
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Sherryl: I am half way through Ask Anyone! It's great. I now understand the incident prompting the youth center in Here Comes Trouble. Yes -- the familiar turf is great! I'm enjoying it more than I can tell you. It's so funny. Growing up there, in such a small town, I couldn't wait to get away and I certainly never would have thought of using the area as a setting. But now, thanks to you (and the fact that I am a few years wiser), I remember some wonderful things about the area. THANKS! |
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noel
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Oct-17-03, 08:46 AM (EST) |
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11. "RE: Set the scene"
In response to message #10
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hey sherryl!
i love your book 'Flamingo diner'! its awesome! i am reading it for a school report and when i give my speech i know that everyone with want to read it too. I am 14 years old and i write poems all the time that my friends and teachers think are great! i am a bookworm and just started to get into your books! |
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