by Lynne | Nov 13, 2016 | News and Events, Writing
We are making history every day.
Time will tell us whether it is for good or ill, but since we have not figured out how to turn back the clock (except in science fiction novels,) we must move forward into an uncertain future.
With the holidays near, and many people despondent in light of recent events, I thought this poem appropriate, perhaps even optimistic.
Enjoy.
Things Work Out
By Edgar A. Guest, 1881-1959
Because it rains when we wish it wouldn’t,
Because men do what they often shouldn’t,
Because crops fail, and plans go wrong-
Some of us grumble all day long.
But somehow, in spite of the care and doubt,
It seems at last that things work out.
Because we lose where we hoped to gain,
Because we suffer a little pain,
Because we must work when we’d like to play-
Some of us whimper along life’s way.
But somehow, as day always follows the night,
Most of our troubles work out all right.
Because we cannot forever smile,
Because we must trudge in the dust awhile,
Because we think that the way is long-
Some of us whimper that life’s all wrong.
But somehow we live and our sky grows bright,
And everything seems to work out all right.
So bend to your trouble and meet your care,
For the clouds must break, and the sky grow fair.
Let the rain come down, as it must and will,
But keep on working and hoping still.
For in spite of the grumblers who stand about,
Somehow, it seems, all things work out.
by Lynne | Nov 8, 2016 | Dialogue, English language play, Researching, Writing
Since my mysteries take place at different time periods in the past, one of my personal “research” assignments is to study the language of those times. The style of language is important, certainly, in the narrative, but, absolutely, in the dialogue.
The flow and rhythm of the narrative helps set the tone for the story in the past.
The dialogue should be close to language at the time, although revised enough so the modern reader can understand it. Here’s a combination of narrative and dialogue from Pure Lies, about the Salem witch trials of 1692.
Sixteen-year-old Felicity thinks: “Was all this a grand deception? A vile and sinful imposture? Could her own friends fabricate such a cruel and terrible scheme? Procter’s words came back to her and filled her with a morbid sense of dread. ‘They have concocted the devil out of the stuff of nightmares and, more, out of taedium vitae.’”
When it is useful to the story, I use the actual language written at the time.
For example, here are some words from an arrest warrant for Susannah Martin:
“You are in their Majests names hereby required forthwith or as soon as may be to apprehend and bring (before us) Susannah Martin of Amesbury in the County of Essex Widdow at the house of Lt. Nationiell Ingersalls in Salem Village, in order to her Examination Relateing to high Suspition of Sundry acts of Witchcraft donne or Committed by her upon the Bodys of Mary Walcot Abigail Williams Ann Putnam and Mercy Lewis of Salem Village of farmes.”
Believe it or not, many citizens of Salem were literate at that time, simply because they were required to learn the Bible.
In my research, I read as many books of the time and about the time as I could to get a sense of the proper language but I often had to look up the date which many words or phrases came into use. For instance, I wanted to suggest that the “afflicted” girls were bored and cried out against their neighbors for sport. However, the word boredom didn’t exist at that time. Interesting, eh? It actually came into use around 1852. The word sport, however, dates back to 1582.
The modern story in Pure Lies takes place in 2006 and, for the most part, didn’t present language problems. Although with the constantly changing technology, I had to keep an eye on that as well.
Critique groups and a good editor can be very helpful in pointing out flaws of language in both historical . . . and modern pieces.
Writers, I welcome your thoughts.
by Lynne | Oct 31, 2016 | plots and subplots, Writing, Writing Tips
All good books (and movies) contain subplots.
Like real people, main characters have a lot going on in their lives. They go to work, make breakfast for the kids, feed the dog, pick up the groceries, and pay the bills. Are these mundane tasks subplots? I don’t think so. For me, they are often background noise.
I don’t care what kind of pancakes the kids get, although they can be mentioned to add flavor to the characters. I do care about paying the bills if the main character is in debt and worried about her sick mother and is considering suicide to redeem the life insurance policy.
Subplots can be very important, however, if they keep the central story moving forward. This is particularly true when new characters make their appearance. Why is this character here? What’s their purpose to the story? I’ve read books where characters were introduced then went nowhere. In fact, they disappeared without any reason for their existence. Did you ever wonder what happened to the suspicious woman seen in the same coffee shop the main character frequented? What was their point? To make us feel nervous that our heroine was in danger?
Moving the story forward is paramount.
In every scene, every chapter, every section, every episode. There are times when information and descriptive details can add to the story. You want to know, perhaps, what kind of furniture is in Sam’s bedroom, particularly if Sam is a stud who brings women back to his apartment and later kills them. A glass and steel, black and white décor Sam is quite different from an Italian Mediterranean Sam with rich, warm woods and quilts of gold and red. I would say these descriptions are not subplots. They are part of character development.
Let me use a popular PBS series, Downton Abbey, as an example of what I mean by subplots that take away from (or even take over) the main plot. For Downton fans now watching the current season, what would you say the major plot is? The family is once more in financial straits and in danger of losing their home? Or would you focus on the individual character s, ie: will Mary find a new mate? Will Edith eventually marry Michael? Will Tom take his baby and run off to America? I guess these are all subplots that keep the main storyline going. Each subplot must be resolved somehow.
Also, as writers we must take care not to drag subplots out too long – or end them too quickly. For instance, the maid that Lady Grantham hired back without consulting with Mrs. Hughes once again made a play for Tom. Duh. When Mrs. Hughes found out, she made quick work of her and she was out of the series in a couple of episodes. Ahh, too quick for me. There could have been an excellent subplot here.
I felt the opposite when Anna refused to tell Mr. Bates about her rape. Even though it lasted just a few episodes, I was impatient to have the story told. Now, I want to see what Mr. Bates does in response. Tension.
Veering too often from the main story in unrelated directions will make your readers impatient. I know because I’m one of those impatient readers . . . eager to follow the story line to its final resolution.
by Lynne | Oct 23, 2016 | English language play, word fun, word play
In my travels across country, I have run into many signs.
Not omens, by the way, but road signs or signs posted on buildings, restaurants, theaters, etc. I’m always amazed at the imaginative ways the English language is used. Here are some you just can’t help laughing at.
The sign on the left is a favorite, since I’m from Brooklyn and it’s a hard place to forget! 
The one on the right is a sample of Dutch humor. Great, isn’t it?
I came across the next two recently.
The first one (left) was in Massachusetts. Makes you wonder whether you’re coming or going.
The second was on a rural dirt road in Vermont. Not a soul around. Seriously?
The next five are just for fun!
by Lynne | Oct 10, 2016 | Crafting Characters, Dialogue, Writing, Writing Tips
One of the major characters in my book, “Time Exposure” is Alexander Gardner, a famous, and real, Civil War photographer. Gardner hailed from Paisley, Scotland and arrived in Washington, D.C. in 1856 with a thick Scottish accent. How was I to handle dialogue? I wanted to make sure that the reader knew Gardner was from Scotland. So, I added a bit of dialect. Check this out:
“I must speak to ye, Joseph.” Gardener took a deep breath. “I’ve had a special offer I must consider. Mind ye now, it doesna preclude my maintaining an association with Brady. But, I want ye to be part of me decision.”
I also sprinkled in lots of dinnas, shouldnas, couldnas, ayes, me for my, etc. Ugh. The reader couldn’t possibly forget that Gardner was from Scotland. Or care. He’d already given up on the book.
Thanks to my critique group my eyes were open to this dialect dilemma. I began to notice it in other novels. Too much of an accent: “How vould you vant me to wote?”
Or overuse of slang: “He needs to mellow out, he’s bonkers and that’s too dicey for this girl.”
Or clichéd idiomatic expressions : “Once in a blue moon, we see eye to eye, but you’re usually on the fence, which only adds insult to injury.”
Eeek. The use of “casual” spelling such as lemme, or gimme, can be used . . . sparingly. Dropping “g” for a word ending in “ing” gets tiresome too if used every other sentence. We have to give the reader credit and assume that by dropping a slang word, accent or expression in, they’ll get the point and as they continue to read that character’s dialogue, they’ll naturally hear the dialect.
Some of the worst examples of overusing dialect can be seen when characters have southern or New York accents. Like the use of “Ah” for “I” or “y’all for, well, you know. Then there’s the exaggerated Brooklynese – “toidy-toid and toid street” or “poils for the goils.” (These may actually need translation!) I grew up in Brooklyn and, frankly, you do hear this. It’s one thing, however, to add it to a movie, where you can hear the character say it. It’s another to read it in a book ad nauseum.
So how do you get the character’s geographical location, or educational background across? The best way is through the rhythm of the dialogue and the words you choose. One “aye” from my Scotsman and the reader hears his accent through the rest of the dialogue. To portray a well-educated German you might avoid contractions and use the full words to make the speech more formal sounding: “I should not bother with that if I were you. Do you not think so?”
In the end, you need to do your homework. Learn the true dialect, accent, slang expressions of the region your characters come from, both geographically and historically. Depending upon the time period, speech was often more formal than we’re used to today.
Practice on yourself. Once you know how the dialect really sounds have your character try it out in dialogue in a scene. Read it aloud. Very important, to really hear the effect, you must read it out loud. You’ll find you will most likely want to eliminate all but a smidgen of the dialect. What will be left is the essence of your character.
Then fuhgeddaboudit!
