Hello all,

I say this with great sincerity and gratitude. WELCOME TO THE WEEKEND!

Been a long few weeks!

A writer buddy of mine shared this on Facebook and I thought I’d post the link here. It’s a hilarious video and song about a guy signing in the Waldenbooks and no one shows up. While I certainly hope this isn’t a future prediction for any author, I did chuckle at his humor in the video.

Enjoy, and more later!

Watch the youtube video here.

Hey all!

I just returned from a mini-trip to enjoy a bit of relaxation, celebrate some things, see family and do book research. I love these multi-purpose trips; they make me feel productive :)

For those of you who either live in cities where the Doors doc did not play in theater, or those who want to see it on TV, it is airing tomorrow night – WEDNESDAY May 15, at 9pm EST, on PBS. Check your local listings. It’s part of their music programming during sweeps week.

I believe it’s 98 minutes long, so even those of you who aren’t night owls can still get to sleep early. I did see this in theater but only once. The theater it opened at in Atlanta had its challenges to get to and park, so I’m looking forward to seeing/hearing it on my TV in surround sound.

So check it out! Narrated by Johnny Depp, written/directed by Tom DiCillo.

Website for film (including trailer) – www.whenyourestrangemovie.com

ENJOY!

Happy Friday all :)

Today’s topic is words. Round ones, curt ones, leisurely ones, quick ones.

Let’s face it, words are the tools in our craft toolbox. As writers and artists, it’s imperative we choose our words (or paint brushes, or camera lenses, etc.) carefully. Mark Twain said, “The difference between the right word and the almost-right word is like the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.”

This is why a thesaurus is a must. And my new one just arrived yesterday! Yay! I have a pocket one that I keep in my purse, but an extensive volume is so much better.

Consider the following examples:

She walked across the room.
* She meandered across the room.
* She trudged her way across the room.
* She stormed across the room.

While a basic example, the 3 sentences with asterisks (*) give a better description of the character than “walked” which is generic. The word choice offers deeper insight into the character, thereby connecting with your reader more.

Now consider phrases we can shorten by choosing alternate words:

He talked softly.
* He whispered.
* He muttered.
* He murmured.

FYI – you should always try to find a more descriptive verb than a verb + adverb. Using a verb + adverb (in this case, “talked softly”) weakens your sentence.

Use descriptive terms when you can. Instead of saying “he got wet in the rain” you can use words like immerse, drench, soak, plunge, douse, etc. Always keep a balance; you don’t want your writing to sound like you’re putting on airs or showing off your latest dictionary. But use strong terms where you can.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Happy Monday, all!

Hope everyone had a great weekend, and you took some time to enjoy yourself.

Yesterday, I went to see a well-written film called “The Joneses.” I loved it. Would see it again. I think it was a combination of an original idea, combined with great writing. Four people, who aren’t related, “pretend” to be a family and move into a wealthy neighborhood to sell products to their demographic–by simply living. That old phrase “keeping up with the Joneses” gives this new meaning–what if retailers actually put fake families into strategic areas to help improve their sales? Kind of mind-bending. Watch the trailer here.

With so many predictable stories out there these days, it’s rare that a film truly surprises me. This one did, perhaps because the concept was a bold and risky one.

At the closing credits, I heard a familiar song, one I’d heard before. The music video is almost 4 minutes of a rube goldberg. It’s different, unique, unusual.

What’s the point of today’s post, you ask? Rare things stand out. Taking bold risks can lead to stronger connections from your readers, viewers, customers, what have you. That’s not to say every risk is worth taking (for example, don’t send query letters to agents using polka-dotted stationery–it’s a no-no).

But take bold steps where you can, make your characters fresh in some way we haven’t seen before. Your reader will connect to you more. If you’re a painter, try some color blending you hadn’t considered until now. Play. Let the muse dance. See what happens.

Until next time, keep on dancing.

Elaine

Hey everyone,

Many thanks for the recent follows on my blog! I appreciate it and hope to update this with news and info on artistic pursuits. This includes anything from latest Indie films I’ve seen, to tips for writers, to pretty much anything else. There are days when one feels random, yanno?

Hope y’all can see the Doors documentary “When You’re Strange” if you haven’t yet. It’s in select cities now and will air on PBS on May 12, I believe. I’ll post another update closer to the time.

And by the way, if anyone wants to ask a question or spur a blog topic, email me or leave a comment and let me know :)

Thanks!

Elaine