In today’s Journal
* Quotes of the Day
* Topic: Take Your Time
* “That” and other words of interest
* Great writing day
* Of Interest
* The Numbers
Quotes of the Day
“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” Pablo Picasso
“My goal is to live my life in such a way that when I die, someone can say, she cared.” Mary Kay Ash (thanks to Sam T. for the tip)
“In 1977, I wrote my autobiography. Since I was dealing with my favorite subject, I wrote at length and I ended with 640,000 words.” Isaac Asimov (my friend Sam T. said this one reminded him of me)
“Live your life so that when you’re all alone, you’re still in good company.” Anonymous in The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal newspaper, Lubbock, Texas, c. 1964/5
Topic: Take Your Time
Be forewarned, I’m in a satirical, cynical, fun-loving, finger-wagging mood today. But with a lesson. With that in mind, read on.
I’ve read several novels in which the characters are apparently capable of quantum movement.
As I understand it (and I am often wrong) the term “quantum motion” is most often applied to describe a quirk of quarks, which are teewinesy subatomic particles, when quantum physicists note that those particles have moved mysteriously from one place to another without having physically crossed the intervening space.
Such motion should appear only in SF or fantasy novels, but even then the movement should be noted by the author as being the result of some kind of “beam me up” technology in SF or of fantastic magic in fantasy.
Unfortunately, that is not always the case. At least one time in a heaving-bosom romance novel, Heathcliff was talking with Matilda in the drawing room with a balcony off to one side, and then suddenly, either in the same sentence or the very next one, he was standing on the balcony looking out over the moors as he continued his heart-felt plea.
Yet neither he nor Matilda ever so much as walked thoughtfully or otherwise toward the heavily draped windows overlooking the balcony. Nor did either of them draw the drapes to reveal the door to the balcony. Nor did either of them consider (to the reader’s knowledge) going outside, turning the doorknob, or actually stepping onto the balcony. They were just suddenly there.
All that melodramatic BS was to say this: When you’re writing a scene, take your time.
You have a POV character, so allow him to express his POV. As he moves into or through a setting or from one setting (the drawing room) to another (the balcony), the POV character sees, hears, smells, touches and maybe tastes various bits of the setting. Slow down and let him put those things on the page through your fingers on the keyboard.
If you do, you will eventually be rewarded by a reader commenting that she “felt she was in the scene with the characters” or some such thing. If you don’t, the next time the reader is at a water cooler, she’ll be discussing how stymied and lost she felt while reading “some book” instead of praising the storyline by “Author Name.”
Quantum physics, even as it applies to quarks and other subatomic particles, is theoretical. It definitely does not apply to human beings or other whole creatures, which are made up of Carl Sagan’s billions and billions of subatomic particles, all gathered in one place.
Be careful out there. Take your time.
If you’d like a less-cynical take on this topic, please see “Take Your Time” at https://harveystanbrough.com/pro-writers/take-your-time/ and “Take Your Time (Revisited)” at https://harveystanbrough.com/pro-writers/take-your-time-revisited/ and “Take Your Time: Part 3” at https://harveystanbrough.com/pro-writers/take-your-time-part-3/. I stand by anything I wrote there that makes sense. (grin)
“That” and other words of interest
In today’s “Of Interest” is a link to a post titled “That’s That.” I’ve included it for any of you who might find it useful.
Toward the end of the post, the author asks whether readers of the post are confused by when to use “that” and when to omit it.
I’m not. I write how I write, and on cycling I often take out some instances of “that” and leave others alone.
Here are a few guidelines for “that” enthusiasts:
1. Use “who” when referring to people (or job titles) and use “that” at all other times when talking about non-human creatures or inanimate items. (Unless you have personified a non-human creature as I have my kitten. Feel free to us “sho” then also.)
2. Any uses of “that” that occur when not describing people or other creatures or items are not extraneous, but dependent on how specific you want to be.
3. “That” is never simply interchangeable with “which,” which is a whole other ball of ugly that has to do with even finer specificity. If you’re confused about its use, look it up. But check at least a few sources as some of them get it wrong.
I’m not sure I’ve ever had a day of writing like I had yesterday. Over 6000 words on the day. I believe that’s my personal best. I celebrated a little. Today is a new day, and the novel continues to run.
Talk with you again soon.
Of Interest
See “Norwich Keyboard” at https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/norwich-keyboard. A story idea, perhaps.
See “13 Ways to Boost Your Creativity” at https://www.authorspublish.com/13-ways-to-boost-your-creativity/. She omitted the number one way to boost creativity and strengthen your writing: Sit down and write.
See “Noble Volunteers” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/noble-volunteers/. Read PG’s take. Story ideas and knowledge.
See “Audible bows to pressure…” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/audible-bows-to-pressure-and-changes-returns-policy/.
See “That’s That” at https://killzoneblog.com/2020/11/thats-that.html.
FOR FUN see “Walmart Thanks Government” at https://babylonbee.com/news/walmart-thanks-government-for-completely-obliterating-their-small-business-competition. This is satire. Just for funsies. (grin)
The Numbers
The Journal…………………………………… 900 words
Writing of The Journey Home: Part 1 (novel)
Day 1…… 3373 words. Total words to date…… 3373
Day 2…… 3312 words. Total words to date…… 6685
Day 3…… 3292 words. Total words to date…… 9977
Day 4…… 3794 words. Total words to date…… 13771
Day 5…… 4482 words. Total words to date…… 18253
Day 6…… 3379 words. Total words to date…… 21632
Day 7…… 4550 words. Total words to date…… 26182
Day 8…… 3326 words. Total words to date…… 29508
Day 9…… 6033 words. Total words to date…… 35541
Total fiction words for November……… 67163
Total fiction words for the year………… 430441
Total nonfiction words for November… 16100
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 181940
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 612381
Calendar Year 2020 Novels to Date…………………… 6
Calendar Year 2020 Novellas to Date……………… X
Calendar Year 2020 Short Stories to Date… 13
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………………………………… 51
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)………………………………… 8
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)………………… 214
Short story collections……………………………………………… 31