A Storyteller's Eyes

It didn't take me long to realize, after starting my first novel, that I'm a visual writer. I picture everything, whether in motion or stilled.

As a choreographer of dance, my thoughts ran on an inner movie screen, piecing together, pairing steps, and gaining an overall perception of what I wanted to communicate. Sometimes it was an entire storyline, while other times a simple emotion like rage or envy, concern or wonder. I've even shown chaos--that's always fun.


The more I write, the more I see my storyteller eyes honing and gasping more sensitively. My awareness of the world around me and the world's I create is greater and so is my perception. How do I see a particular scene or event as opposed to how I could see them.

Seeing how I haven't celebrated any prompts recently, I decided it was probably time. It can never hurt to find a bit of inspiration or even nudging on a Monday morning. Call this my gift of writer caffeine to you, only visually. I'm going with visual prompts.

Where could this setting take your character? Why is he there?
Did he come to meet someone or is he running?

Just yumm!!!! How could you use food
in your character's world?

What about emotions? What does your character want?
A CUPCAKE PERHAPS?

Have a great writing day!!

Shopping For A Pageant Dress Is Like A Writer's Diction

Back by popular demand, I'm bringing you another Edition of Monday Munchies ~ 5 thought provoking tabs you can ponder throughout the week and use to inspire your writing. Or you can use them to just make you laugh.

1) Participating in PiBoIdMo has really fueled my creative juices, only not always in the most appropriate way. Man, has my mind taken left turns and muscled in the backseat all week. Try using an 'inappropriate' idea at the most inopportune time for one of your characters. (Of course, keep it tasteful, please.) This sort of ingredient could also add spice during a scene, which would otherwise have been run-of-the-mill.


2) Yesterday, the hubs and I took the four chicklets to our local park for family pictures. And yes, we took dah' pooch. Tell me what image first came to your mind when I mentioned that we'd brought the dog. Go with it. Add it to one of your scenes. BE DARING.


3) For those of you who are history buffs, said park above is actually a historical park. Yup, can you believe it even in Maine. Fort Halifax Park is a small, quaint grassy area outlining the Kennebec River. It houses the only piece of the original Fort Halifax left for visitors to see. But it has a HUGE history attached to it. Try deepening the backstory of some element in your current story.


4) Friday, my daughter and I ventured through two states on a journey to find me the perfect pageant dress. Well, the pageant dress that was perfect for me. We found two, and came home with none. Search your current story and add a disappointment to a scene or character. See where it takes you.


I could tell you what's going on with the dress, but that's for a progress report day, which I'll be doing tomorrow!! And I'll also explain the connection between 'diction' and shopping. Hope you find these munchies useful. Until tomorrow....

MONDAY MUNCHIES: Watch Out for the Dog Doo!

Back by request, I'm here to contemplate with you Edition 2 of Monday Munchies ~ 5 thought provoking tabs you can ponder throughout the week.

Call them writing prompts, motivation, or maybe inspiration. Either way, if they make you think and write on then I've done my J.O.B.

1) I'm driving up an on-ramp to the highway the other day and as I approach what I call the time-to-merge the nearest car won't move into the passing lane. Really dude? What is up with that? Use a frustrating driving experience in a writing scene. It can be directly related to your MC or simply scenery.   


2) After I got over the above insult, I had to dodge an unpleasant sight of roadkill. Frankly, it looked like a massacre. Use something that makes you personally squeamish to describe one of your characters. 


3) The hubs and I watched a movie the other night once we got back from our NYC adventure. (Yeah, I've yet to share but I will.) I won't name the film, but it had a few nude scenes and a few that were quite violent. I felt repulsed, affronted as a woman, and disturbed. Think about a film you've watched that moved you in the opposite emotional direction than you expected. Use it. Write about it. Let it fuel you.

4) My family sat behind a young mother and her little guy, while attending Mass yesterday. His silly flirting, smirks, and giggles were some of the sweetest moments of my day. Add a tender moment to a scene you're writing.


5) While in NYC last week, my hubs and I were totally taken in by a comedian. We're strolling along Broadway with about eight million other people and suddenly we hear, "What the dog shit!" Yeah, the hubs and I literally jumped out of our skins and off the sidewalk. The dude got us. No dog doo. He did, however, offer us tickets to a comedy gig later that night. Incorporate the element of surprise into your manuscript.


Just like last week, feel free to suggest a Munchy in the comments that you'd like to see spotlighted. Once I accumulate enough, I'll start highlighting one of you each time I write up the prompts. Just make sure I can link to you.

Have an awesome writing & reading week, Alleywalkers!

Holy HAIL, Batman!

I noticed on Friday that lots of bloggers do a Friday Five kind-of-a-post, exploring themselves, their work, or the blogosphere as a whole. I've decided to do my own version of an itemized list, but today. Monday. Let's call it MONDAY MUNCHIES ~ thought provoking tabs you can ponder throughout the week.


1) What's up with HAIL the size of golf balls on an 85 degree day in Maine? Seriously. The other day they came down so hard windows smashed at a local bank. #somebody'smad Use a weird weather anomaly in your writing this week.

2) We attended grad parties for our 17yr-old's best friends. Have one of your characters see a life-changing-event through the reactions of another.

3) Josh (our 17yr-old) learned he's graduating June 6th next year. Try exploring a character's reluctant inner fears in a new way.

4) One of the girl's on my daughter's soccer team broke her collarbone. OUCH! Have you ever used a physical handicap as a character characteristic? Try it this week.

5) I finally have a winner in Kari Lee Townsend's FULL Chapter Critique ~ Jody Lamb chosen by Random.org. Congrats, Jody!! Try writing into a scene a WIN for one of your secondary characters. See what new material that might bring you.

So, OPINIONS? Did we like my new MONDAY MUNCHIES feature? Want more?? Suggest away, and I'll use them.