Month: June 2011

Friday Prompt 6/24

K. AndrewLeave a comment

Welcome to week fifteen. If you missed any just look for the Friday Prompt category and/or tag. Please share/tweet/RT/etc and post a comment if you are participating. If you want to share, you can! Just post it in the comments, or send me an e-mail or mention on twitter.

This week’s prompt: Write an interview piece with a character. If you want an extra challenge, make it a character you don’t know as well.

Here are the ‘rules’:

  • 1000 words or less (don’t want to spend too much time, now do ya?)
  • Must follow/incorporate prompt/idea into the story.
  • You have the week to write!

Getting Dirty

K. Andrew1 Comment

On my Facebook profile, I posted: “Sometimes a writer must dig deep and unearth emotions people would rather not experience.” And yes, I agree with what I said!

It got me thinking though of how to make it more important. Emotional connection to readers is important. Writers create an experience for readers and part of that experience may be uncomfortable. It should be. Even as writers we should be willing to face our discomforts to give readers our best insight into the human experience.

The best writing, at least mine, comes with emotion attached. Many writers agree as well. Let yourself be drained of emotions, do worry, you will get more back! This will allow your readers to see into your world.

But how to do it? Ive had experience in acting and the methods I learned there are much the same: experience the very emotions your are trying to convey on the page. This is perhaps the most excruciating part of the writing experience but the most crucial.

Teaser Tuesday

K. Andrew3 Comments

Here is this week’s teaser! From Heir of Illumination:

Early in the morning, Jonat woke Leana.  As appointed leader of this expedition it was her right to decide when and how they would accomplish the mission, simple as it was. Leana did not like that Jonat was given the command of the group. Not that the mission was difficult, just that Leana was not in charge. Jonat didn’t seem to like the idea very much either.

Today’s task was visit the Deerborough farm about five miles west, nearer the border than Dorevelle was, and help the farmer there. Doing what, she didn’t exactly know.

The room in the Inn was not particularly spacy, but it was larger than the cramped quarters aboard the river boat. Leana rolled out of bed, the sun barely peeking above the horizon. Leana groaned trying to find a mirror so she could check her hair, but remember the inn did not have such luxuries. She quickly undressed, creating a Net and gently laying it upon her clothes to remove the dirt and stains and smells. Just as quickly, she splashed a small amount of water upon herself from the basin against the wall. The water did little to clean her, but the point was the feeling.

She twisted another Net, this time more careful, and removed the dirt and water from her body. She did not care if the other girls saw what she did. They most likely could not have attempted a similar feat without studying it first and having her help them with it. She could not help her uninventiveness.

After feeling somewhat clean, she dressed.

“The Magus will be coming with us.” Jonat looked nervous. “For now, the boys will stay here in the village and help. We are to go to the farm. I believe we are caring for sick animals and people and perhaps helping with construction and crops.”

“That is correct,” Nyllwind said, having opened the door. “We have no time to waste, girls. We, again, have to walk.”

The morning brightened as she stepped out of the inn. Mora stood, shading his eyes against a lightening sky, pointing to the roof of the blacksmith. Borwin climbed the air, seemingly impossible if Leana had not known how it was done, and stepped to the roof. Mora shouted something Leana could not make out. Jonat followed Nyllwind, who seemed to know where she was going. Leana stepped behind, wondering how her friends fared on their final test.