WRITER'S CONUNDRUM: GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT FRANKENSTEIN

Art versus the science of writing

I don't attend writing workshops. I don't want a book on "Writing for Dummies."

I do read author blogs and I do educate myself on writing great dialogues and the like - but not TOO much.

The reason? I have this awkward fear it will ruin my writing. Sure, learning more about plots and denouement and killer endings would improve my writing. I know this. But wouldn't it take the fun out of writing if I tried too hard? Moreover - and here is the crux of the matter - would it change my writing? Would my writing become less like one of my own flesh-and-blood children and more like a grammatically correct Frankenstein?

If I know too much about themes, antagonists, and symbolism, will the fun be sucked out of stories like the vampires that my English teachers proved to be? To put it in Hollywood terms: if I know how the special effects crew created a compelling scene, the magic of the movie is lost forever.

What do you think? I'd love to hear from you, even if you are an English teacher, as long as you promise to refrain from biting my jugular.

Keep writing & keep sharing! - Cronin Detzz

WHAT'S YOUR IDEA OF A "DREAM" WRITER'S HOUSE?

Dream big – what’s your idea of a dream home for a writer?

Here is my short list:

1. To recharge, we need to be able to connect with nature. Ideally, I’d love to conquer writer’s block by taking a walk in the woods. Other writers might prefer a walk on the beach, a hike in the mountains, or apartment patio gardening.
2. A large tub with whirlpool jets to soak our aching backs would be great. Doesn’t that sound great after a writing marathon?
3. A room or a “suite” that is separate from the rest of the house would help us write with more focus. This could be a large den on the second floor with windows so that the writer can gaze at the setting sun on tree tops. High above the world, he can hone his craft.
4. Sell us a house with interesting designs, provenance, or ghosts. We will incorporate the house into our writing. Haunted house, anyone? What a fun writing prompt that would be!
5. Writers tend to go into hibernation at times, so if the house had a good security system, we could keep solicitors and mothers-in-law from intruding.
6. One room has to be a library, or at least one wall should be earmarked for shelves. Writers are readers.
Writers, what features would your dream house have? Does the right environment help you overcome writer’s block?  I’d love to hear your ideas.
Keep writing & keep sharing! – Cronin Detzz

POEM: ANGRY JACKET

ANGRY JACKET

photo by Cronin Detzz

wearing your jacket of anger
deploying your umbrella of denial
carrying a briefcase of shame
trudging to work with a stiffened smile

You smother your feelings
with your thermos of hatred
drinking it lustily as it burns your tongue

wondering when, exactly, life slipped sideways
This wasn't how it was supposed to be

Slip on your leaden shoes
and drag your heartache around
scream inside your head
until you are deafened to love's sound
Or
Draw the bows from your quiver
aim at your traumatic past
and finally kill your demons

Burn your angry jacket
in the bonfire of vanities

Wear rose colored glasses
and peer into tomorrow
see it embroidered with possibilities

Until at last
through heart-felt gratitude
you can freely run naked
in the satiny, silky present

-poem by Cronin Detzz, 2013

5 GREAT TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR STORY'S SETTING

WRITER'S BLOCK: WHERE ARE YOU?

The texture of a slimy earthworm, the sound of a creeking door, the lack of sight in a dark and cold mausoleum, and the taste of bile in your mouth upon seeing a decaying corpse are all examples of setting in a story.

It's surprising to me that writers often focus on character development, dialog, and action sequence, and while juggling all these balls in the air, they drop the ball on setting.

Setting explains the physical environment of your characters and gives the reader a shift in mood. Writers are good at letting us know when it rains, but give us more than the dew point. Is the room crowded? Is it noisy or quiet? What colors pop out? Does it smell musty, fresh, or malodorous?

Certain types of music can also provide setting - Nirvana's 90's grunge has a different vibe from Bob Marley, for instance. What your characters are wearing can also add depth.

If you get writer's block when describing setting, try some of these tips:
1. Physically go to a location that is similar to your story. For instance, if your characters are in a restaurant, bring writing materials with you to your next dining experience and record every sight, sound, and taste.
2. Look at a photo of a similar location. Use photos of your own or use Google images.
3. If setting is a weak point for you, then simply plow through your story and add setting later.
4. My FAVORITE tip, which I recently used myself: after the story was done, I created an outline in Microsoft Excel. I created a new row for each chapter. The columns were labeled as:
A. Chapter #
B. Name of Chapter
C. Brief description of events
D. Character name & descriptors (this shows me in which chapter the character was first introduced)
E. SETTING. this shows where certain setting elements are first introduced and prevents duplicate descriptions. This also shows which chapters are lacking setting references.
5. If you have a favorite book that is replete with setting, glance through the pages. My fave author who is masterful at setting is Carlos Luis Zafron, who wrote "Prisoner of Heaven" and other modern-day gothic tales.

Some writers are masterful at setting while others struggle. What works best for you? I'd love to hear from you.

Keep writing and keep sharing! - Cronin Detzz

3 TIPS FOR FRAGMENTED WRITING: I’M BATMAN

This teenage boy I know says, "I have a great idea for story: Batman goes into this virtual reality game in a contest against Ra's al Ghul, only Batman doesn’t know that the game actually creates real events. At the end of my story, Batman must be the one who goes back in time to kill his own parents."

So this boy writes the best parts of his juicy, action-packed story but get's writer's block when it comes to storyline rules, such as writing a compelling first page, creating masterful segues and crafting spine-tingling page-turners.

This type of writer's block is okay, and very normal! Don't let it stop you!

Go ahead and write all your favorite parts. You can fill in the gaps later. Your favorite portions are the heart and soul of your masterpiece. If you find that you are lamenting over fragmentation (how to string the pieces together), just have some trust in yourself and give it time.

Three key tips on fragmentation that I have found to be useful in overcoming writer's block include:

1. Before you go to sleep, write down your problem on a piece of paper. You can phrase it in the form of a question, such as: "How do I get Batman to accept a challenge from Ra's al Ghul?" This allows your subconscious to contemplate the issue.

2. Many writers have fragments of other stories in their treasure chests. Why not incorporate elements of your other stories into your current endeavor?

3. Use real events. Although we have never played a virtual reality game against a villain, we have had to deal with bullies at some point in our lives. How did you meet that bully? How did he make you feel? What elements in the bully's life formed him into such a tyrant?

I don’t normally create an outline until the primary sequence of events are clear. You may find that writing an outline is helpful at some stage, and I'd love to hear from you on this topic.

Keep writing and keep sharing! - Cronin Detzz