Does a story have to have a plot?
Seriously.
Does it?
I'm judging contests entries again. I'm thinking plot is one of those dated concepts. What's more important is having an engaging POV character...or at least two of my entries' authors believe so.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Our Unbiased Media
Well, it's supposed to be unbiased, but somewhere between Walter Cronkrite and those vanity-seeking folks at MSNBC, unbiased is such a dated concept.
Wanna know why I don't watch any morning news or nightly news programs anymore?
The folks over at MSNBC decided to do a report on Danielle Steel, the grand-dame of romance. Here's the link to the ariticle.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25191970
Near the bottom, after the cover art for her new release, is a poll. A very admittedly non-scientific poll...and clearly unbiased...or at least as unbiased at the faux journalists at MSNBC are capable of being.
Why could a simple "yes, no, sometimes" be acceptable answers? Granted, I take offense to romance novelist taking offense to their books being labeled "sex" books. Shoot, if the words "hot, sexy, sensual" are anywhere used on the back-cover, then can we blame anyone for calling a duck, a duck?
No, what I take offense to is calling the best-selling genre in the world "bodice rippers." Romance novels have grown beyond trite, Kathleen Woodwiss bodice rippers. What's amazing is that the two hottest selling romance genres are Inspirationals and Erotica. Hmmm.
To whatever MSNBC reporter who wrote the Danielle Steel article: Do your research. Else your bigotry will surpass your unbiased journalistic duty. Then again, maybe unbiased journalistic responsibility is a dated concept. Kinda like bodice rippers.
Wanna know why I don't watch any morning news or nightly news programs anymore?
The folks over at MSNBC decided to do a report on Danielle Steel, the grand-dame of romance. Here's the link to the ariticle.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25191970
Near the bottom, after the cover art for her new release, is a poll. A very admittedly non-scientific poll...and clearly unbiased...or at least as unbiased at the faux journalists at MSNBC are capable of being.
Do you read romance novels? * 6634 responses
Yes, yes, yes! Bodice-rippers are my ultimate escape.
34%
No way. I don't touch those books.
38%
Sometimes, while on vacation or at the beach.
28%
Not a scientific survey. Click to learn more. Results may not total 100% due to rounding.
Why could a simple "yes, no, sometimes" be acceptable answers? Granted, I take offense to romance novelist taking offense to their books being labeled "sex" books. Shoot, if the words "hot, sexy, sensual" are anywhere used on the back-cover, then can we blame anyone for calling a duck, a duck?
No, what I take offense to is calling the best-selling genre in the world "bodice rippers." Romance novels have grown beyond trite, Kathleen Woodwiss bodice rippers. What's amazing is that the two hottest selling romance genres are Inspirationals and Erotica. Hmmm.
To whatever MSNBC reporter who wrote the Danielle Steel article: Do your research. Else your bigotry will surpass your unbiased journalistic duty. Then again, maybe unbiased journalistic responsibility is a dated concept. Kinda like bodice rippers.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The High Life
"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." ~Will Shakespeare
Call me a wacky American, but I am thinking that sexy, goatee-wearing--and quite prolific--British bard was onto something.
"What in the world does that have to do with me?" you say.
"Well, it has a lot," I say.
Okay, maybe just a little. See, in my brilliant-ish opinion, some are born great [blank], some become great [blank], and some have great [blank] thrust upon them. Ball players, singers, seamstresses, firefighters, musicians, teachers, moms, dads. The list could go on, but for the sake of personalizing, I'll pick one.
Some are born great writers, some become great writers, and some have great writing demanded of them because they were loony enough to take AP English in high school.
Where are you?
Me? I’m the last (yes, I got an A in AP English and scored high enough on the exam to clep out of Freshman Comp I). Yet, my biggest literary achievement, so far, has been winning the state competition in 8th grade for writing the astounding essay “What the Statue Liberty Means to Me.” The only give me liberty, give me death stakes surrounding my writing was the threat my mom made the night before the essay was due. Talk about stressful deadlines.
Thirty minutes of scrawling and I earned a $50 saving bond.
Oh yeah, it pays to be a writer.
Were you born a great writer? Do gerunds and prepositional phrases ebb and flow off your fingers like Lance Armstrong on his bike? Are you a Martha Stewart of metaphors? Yes?
Yes!!!
Oh, heck, quit reading and give me space…or liberty and death. Uggh, you make me Hulk green.
You weren’t born a great writer? Well, who cares? So you can’t tell the difference between a colon and a semi-colon; does it really matter anyway? Isn’t that what editors are for? (Note to self: Re-read Strunk and White’s Elements of Style by end of the week.)
The fact is most writers aren’t born great writers. Since Ernest Hemingway and Flannery O’Connor aren’t our parents, it’s likely none of us have any “great expectations” being thrust upon us. We have no Write-Like-Dad/Mom standards to measure up to. And, best of all, none of us are attending Craft of Writing High School. Writers and writerettes, set your writing free! No rough drafts, not a single WIP is graded. You cannot flunk.
Most writers are greatness achievers. They must learn to write.
Remember when you wrote your name for the first time? My 8-year-old first spelled his name XOJE. (Actually, his J was backward and upside down.) Say with me JADAN. His name didn’t quite sound like it was written because he was still learning.
Published or unpublished, you are still learning. And to be published, you must master the fundamentals of writing. Read a new craft of writing book or re-read an old one. Go to a conference. Join a new critique group. Do something wild and crazy like write an article for the RWR or some online writers' newsletter. Push yourself to learn.
And enjoy the process.
Recognize that the first part of fundamentals is FUN. The second part is DA MENTALS, aka The Mind. Put your mind to work and enjoy the high life.
Call me a wacky American, but I am thinking that sexy, goatee-wearing--and quite prolific--British bard was onto something.
"What in the world does that have to do with me?" you say.
"Well, it has a lot," I say.
Okay, maybe just a little. See, in my brilliant-ish opinion, some are born great [blank], some become great [blank], and some have great [blank] thrust upon them. Ball players, singers, seamstresses, firefighters, musicians, teachers, moms, dads. The list could go on, but for the sake of personalizing, I'll pick one.
Some are born great writers, some become great writers, and some have great writing demanded of them because they were loony enough to take AP English in high school.
Where are you?
Me? I’m the last (yes, I got an A in AP English and scored high enough on the exam to clep out of Freshman Comp I). Yet, my biggest literary achievement, so far, has been winning the state competition in 8th grade for writing the astounding essay “What the Statue Liberty Means to Me.” The only give me liberty, give me death stakes surrounding my writing was the threat my mom made the night before the essay was due. Talk about stressful deadlines.
Thirty minutes of scrawling and I earned a $50 saving bond.
Oh yeah, it pays to be a writer.
Were you born a great writer? Do gerunds and prepositional phrases ebb and flow off your fingers like Lance Armstrong on his bike? Are you a Martha Stewart of metaphors? Yes?
Yes!!!
Oh, heck, quit reading and give me space…or liberty and death. Uggh, you make me Hulk green.
You weren’t born a great writer? Well, who cares? So you can’t tell the difference between a colon and a semi-colon; does it really matter anyway? Isn’t that what editors are for? (Note to self: Re-read Strunk and White’s Elements of Style by end of the week.)
The fact is most writers aren’t born great writers. Since Ernest Hemingway and Flannery O’Connor aren’t our parents, it’s likely none of us have any “great expectations” being thrust upon us. We have no Write-Like-Dad/Mom standards to measure up to. And, best of all, none of us are attending Craft of Writing High School. Writers and writerettes, set your writing free! No rough drafts, not a single WIP is graded. You cannot flunk.
Most writers are greatness achievers. They must learn to write.
Remember when you wrote your name for the first time? My 8-year-old first spelled his name XOJE. (Actually, his J was backward and upside down.) Say with me JADAN. His name didn’t quite sound like it was written because he was still learning.
Published or unpublished, you are still learning. And to be published, you must master the fundamentals of writing. Read a new craft of writing book or re-read an old one. Go to a conference. Join a new critique group. Do something wild and crazy like write an article for the RWR or some online writers' newsletter. Push yourself to learn.
And enjoy the process.
Recognize that the first part of fundamentals is FUN. The second part is DA MENTALS, aka The Mind. Put your mind to work and enjoy the high life.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Hmmmm...
As I'm in the process of filling out a 22-page character questionaire, I wonder:
Should I have chosen the 3-pager instead.
Should I have chosen the 3-pager instead.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Educational Video Games
My oldest son, Matthew, is determined to finally beat The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. What cracks me up is how the three middle kids love to sit and watch him play. Too cute.
Well, I came across this quote from the game. It made me laugh so I thought I'd share.
"You know, my fortune said that even if I rebuff him, once a man is captivated by my heart, he'll keep approaching me. I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in younger men."
~Castle Town Woman
Well, I came across this quote from the game. It made me laugh so I thought I'd share.
"You know, my fortune said that even if I rebuff him, once a man is captivated by my heart, he'll keep approaching me. I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in younger men."
~Castle Town Woman
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