Finding your tribe

Belonging. The odd woman out. Finding your tribe.

Let’s say that, er, I have a FRIEND – who LOVES to read contemporary romance – AND contemporary commercial crime and thrillers.

She likes a mixed healthy diet and comes back to one, then the other, hungry for more.

Then let’s say that … my, er, FRIEND… has made up stories and people in her head and then written about them on paper.
And, if this FRIEND had to find a place on a shelf in a bookshop, some of these stories might be called Romance.
And some of these stories would DEFINITELY be called CRIME/thrillers/detective – starts with dead gruesomeness and gore etc. although they MIGHT include an element of romantic relationship for the female protagonist detective as subplot.

Then this FRIEND feels that she needs to meet some other folks of a similar predilection. Preferably before her imaginary friends start talking back.

Which tribe does she choose to spend her time with?
Romance Fiction Tribe? OR Mystery Fiction Tribe?



Each tribe has its benefits. And colourful costumes, national dress and endearing habits. Even their own unique language and special sayings! They meet up in social events and have conferences etc.
Each tribe wants her to come and stay with them and eat their food and drink their wine and sing their songs and dance their special dances.

Each tribe has its own online and real live communities where my FRIEND has met great people who have become her friends.

CAN SHE BE IN TWO TRIBES?
She has heard of nomads who spend their summer with one tribe, then move south to spend the winter with the other tribe.

To avoid confusion they use different names so the passport always stays the same.

One name for the Romance Tribe.
One name for the Mystery Tribe.

While keeping their real name for their true-self tribe.

Then, for extra madness, this madwoman actually wants to become a WORKING, CONTRACTED AUTHOR!!!

Two career plans? Two publishers?
Two brand name platforms to create? Two blogs? Two websites?

What literary agent in their right mind would take on this woman?

Is this the path to madness?

Could be.
Maybe she should go where her true heart dictates and where the ‘girls in the basement’ take her, and not be ruled by other people’s expectations.

Cinematic Storytelling

Billie Mernit is the author of 'Writing the Romantic Comedy' and reads movie scripts for his day job. I always learn something from his blog *- and todays missive is no exception.





'Cinematic storytelling -- the term that's come to define this particular approach to screenwriting -- involves a kind of three-step process (though these steps are often enacted simultaneously):


1) you conceive your story in filmic terms,


2) you see the movie in your head, and


3) you write the story in a language that vividly communicates that movie's sounds and images.'

I wonder how many writers use this very visual and sensory approach to pre-screening the scenes of the fiction before writing them down?

Romance - certainly.

Suspense - almost certainly. In my case, yes. It is a key part of my work.

Perhaps this is the fundamental appeal of genre fiction as opposed to MOST literary fiction - the reader is invited into a fully realised world.

Part of creating the 'fictive dream' is surely to provide a fully engrossing and vicarious experience?

Interesting. I have learnt a lot from screenwriting techniques over the years - and am still learning. Thank goodness.

*http://www.livingromcom.typepad.com/

Writing Resources - Vicki Hinze

Opening your eyes to technology - does not mean reinventing the wheel. These pigeons truly did take aerial photos in war times before spy planes and remote drones.

Someone much cleverer than I, said that the Internet was like having a Library at your fingertips. A huge and always expanding library which is SO easy to get lost in for days on end.

So, when I find a resource which focuses on what I need to know, I jump on it.

I first came to Vicki Hinze through the Silhouette Bombshell series and personal recommendations through the net/online communities.

I only recently discovered that Vicki Hinze has an archive of free articles on the whole world of writing, which are available through her website and blog.

The current Feature Article for example, is about Character, and well worth reading.

Although they focus on Romance and Suspense Fiction there are technical articles which could relate to any aspect of publishing.

They are listed alphabetically in the 'Writers' Library' Tab, and you can find them here: http://www.vickihinze.com/

Be sure to look back through the archive articles too.

pic from National Geographic.

Centre of my universe

As a follow on from my post re:other writer's work space -here is MY 'room of my own' where I spent most of my day.

Yes, the door can close, although it rarely does. I have a laser printer, un-interruptable power supply and wireless broadband. There is a blackout blind, since the room is south facing, and a daylight bulb if needed.

The wall behind me has one watercolour seascape, but is otherwise blank.

If there was room, I would probably sleep there too.

Books are in other rooms around the house - far too distracting otherwise.

Each box file = one story. There are others, which even I find scary.

PS. This is the current state this morning, post submission. When I am jazzed on the next story, it does tend to look rather less tidy.

New words

NEW WORDS for your education and delight.

OPRAHCTUALIZED: Self actualized in an Oprah kind of way.
This is meant as a compliment.

“The Girls In the Basement,” - comes from a Stephen King phrase about the “guys in the basement” who take care of all the creativity and then send up the completed pages to be typed.
Our job is to take care of them, give them what they need, so they can get the job done.

{ I think mine are in need of chocolate and three weeks in Barbados }

POW – Not Prisoner of War – but Predatory Older Woman
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/03/2006_47_tue.shtml

Writing spaces

Where do you write?

Liz Fenwick http://www.lizfenwick.blogspot.com/ recently posted about her new writing space, and it reminded me of a fascinating collection of the work places of well known writers here: http://books.guardian.co.uk/writersrooms

Which only goes to prove one thing - every writer is unique.

Those are post-it stickers on the wall of Will Self's office.

Girl or Bloke? You guess.

Julie Myerson's cat has her own bed to distract from the monitor and keyboard. Not sure about the glass table though.

What's playing on my YouTube right now? Frank Sinatra. Once Upon a Time. [Just in case you thought romance was only at the end of our fingertips.] http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IkeW-jUfiJU

Tagged

I've been tagged by Nell Dixon -http://nelldixonrw.blogspot.com/

Rules-Link to the person that tagged you. Post the rules on your blog.

Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself

Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs and Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website. [ I am not doing this bit since the folks I know are on deadlines or mid-winter miserable, and would not thank me. Sorry Nell.]

Six random things/ quirks - hmm

1. I have a serious book habit. Every room in my house has books in it, and the first thing I notice in other people's houses is whether they have books or not. My family find it very amusing that I file them by genre - then alphabetically by author. Did I mention that I had considered becoming a librarian?

2. I like Trance and Techno dance music. My brother had a mobile disco when we were teenagers and I was the disco dancing queen whose job it was to encourage other teenagers to strut their funky stuff - I still can't hear Abba without some hip swinging.

3. My dad was a coal miner and we had fireplaces in just about every room in the house growing up - part of his wages was in coal. So I love to have a real fire and collect wood for kindling etc.

4. I hate nail varnish of any description.

5. I can't swim, despite years of lessons at school and the local learners pool a few years back. I know what to do and how the physics work, but the cunning brain kicks in and reminds me about my healthy respect for water.

6. I don't like sport - either watching or participating. Same as Nell. Both my brothers played Rugby and occasionally I was obliged to stand and watch two teams of massive hunky men [ usually local farmers] smash eachother into the freezing mud, followed by a visit to the local Accident and Emergency. Lovely.

However, I DO love to walk for pleasure and regularly go on walking hols in Europe.

I think that it enough for you to get the picture. Snarf.