Our Obligation as Writers

"You are right in demanding that an artist should take an intelligent attitude to his work, but you confuse two things: solving a problem and stating a problem correctly. It is only the second that is obligatory for the artist."

-Anton Chekov

As writers, we are not called to solve problems. We only have to see the problems of the world--know they exist--and not shy away from addressing them in our work.

(Of course, readers are going to want the "story problem" resolved by the time they reach the end of the book, but the story problem is different from the more deeply defined "ills of the world"--those issues to which there are no easy answers.)

We are not the judge (though the pen is in our hand); we are merely the observer.

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~

Check Out the Mug on That Guy

A random mid-week interruption of your regularly scheduled blog programming to say that I just *love* Robert McKee's coffee cup.

I was in one of his webinars last week, and, I'll admit, I was curious when he kept lifting this *massive* cup of coffee to take a drink every so often, so I was elated when someone asked how big it was during the Q&A.

It holds 32 ounces, apparently. 

Four Cups of coffee.

#goals

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~

P.S. I am learning all of the writing and storytelling-related things, of course, but I couldn't resist sharing a screen shot of that mug. 💖 

On Gestures

He slammed his fist against the table.

She twirled one of her curls around her finger.

He crossed his arms.

She lifted her chin, twisted her lips in a half-smile.

In life, gestures are a non-verbal form of communication. Our body language--how we move, our facial expressions, our "tics"--these actions say as much as (or sometimes more than) our words.

In writing, gestures are often used to fill space or to create a rest from dialogue.

When used correctly, they add depth to the character and give us something else to focus on before returning to the real story/action. When used incorrectly, they can come across as trite, overused, irrelevant, or even distracting.

Therefore, gestures should be approached with care and consideration.

Try to avoid generic descriptions (one size fits all). Each character should have a unique response to any given situation. A gesture should tell us something specific about the character and what he/she is reacting to. Think unexpected and unusual (but not forced or overdone). 

Above all, make sure your gestures mean something. Resist using them as a placeholder or filler material. When in doubt, leave it out. It's likely your story will progress just fine without the attention drawn to a random nodding of the head or pointing of a finger.

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~  

The Truth is in the Details

What makes the reader suspend disbelief and lose himself in the story you're telling? 

The details.

Not too many details, but just the right amount.

A single detail, in fact, can tell us more about a character than a lengthy paragraph. 

What kind of details, you ask? The particulars. Something interesting that might otherwise be overlooked. Little clues that offer insight into who your character is, what she enjoys, or the trials he may have faced.

That glass clock on the mantle--a 25-year service award from his company? A detail.

The crucifix above the grandmother's window? A detail.

The colored pencils scattered on the floor by her bed? A detail.

We can assume a lot about a character through these strategic descriptions, even if we don't fully know them yet.

Stories are built on little details.

Make them count.

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~ 

On Being "Not Good Enough"

It's in our nature to assume someone (or anyone, or everyone) else is more creative than we will ever be.

But don't let your feelings of being "not good enough" stop you from doing what you want (or were meant) to do.

Practice your creativity. Show up. Do the work.

It's risky putting yourself out there, but it's worth it.

Jump, then strengthen your wings on the way down.

Above all, keep your eyes on your own paper. Your creative journey will look vastly different from the person next to you, just as his journey will look different from hers, just as hers will look different from. . . .

You get the idea. 

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~

Robert McKee On Bad Writing

"Bad writing doesn't make the money you think it does. 

Write as beautifully and wonderfully as you can."

--Robert McKee

It can be tempting, reading that bestseller, to think: "I can write better than this."

And perhaps we can. But even if the writing is mediocre, something else is compensating. The storytelling, for instance, may be compelling--something about the plot grabs readers and refuses to let go. The characters. The world they are in. . . .  

When you're interested in a particular storyline or character and what might happen to him, it's easy to overlook elementary writing. The pages turn themselves anyway.

But books such as these (especially as bestsellers) are the exception rather than the rule.

Fact: the more we write, the better we will write.

This is why we shouldn't compare our first attempts to someone else's masterpiece.

But the idea that because a few "bad" writers made quite a bit of money we're allowed to write badly, too? 

No. 

There may seem to be exceptions to the rule, but 99 times out of 100 bad writing is bad writing, and bad writing gets trashed (or rejected, or poorly reviewed). 

A better idea? 

Tell your story and tell it as beautifully as you know how.

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~ 

Which Came First?

The chicken or the egg?

Or . . . . which came first?

The character

The title

The climax

The first sentence

The last sentence

A funny line

A tragedy

A name

An interest

A desire

A need

There is no wrong place to begin brainstorming a story. 

For Cross My Heart, the idea came from a song ("November Rain"), and Jaden (as a perfectionist) arrived first. For Rise, Fallon's name came first, and that she was a musician (a rock star violinist) second. For All I Never Wanted, the idea about a girl in a rehab facility came from a movie I'd recently watched, and for my latest WIP (work in progress), the villain arrived before anyone else.

The point?

Ideas can show up anywhere and at any time, and while they rarely show up fully formed, there is no right or wrong "first."

There is no order in creativity.

The act of creating is messy.

Anything that pops into your head can be built upon, so take that little nugget from the universe (a gift, really) and make that story happen.

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~