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Enceladus Literary

Tag Archives: creative writing

New interview

23 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by petellc in Uncategorized

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author, author interview, creative writing, ebooks, Frankenstein, Frankenstein A Life Beyond, Frankenstein Soul's Echo, inspiration, Princess Bella and the Dragon's Charm

Check out/share my newest interview from Lin Ryals and explore her works and other interviews on the site. The interview can be read at http://smithlinda60ls.wixsite.com/lrrsmith/single-post/2017/03/08/Author-Interview

Creating a short story

06 Monday Jul 2015

Posted by petellc in Uncategorized

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creative writing, free, imagry, publishing, seasons, short story, storytelling genre, symbol, tale

When people learn that I write I’m usually asked some standard questions.

• What do you write about/what have you written?
• Where can I find your work?
• How do you come up with ideas for your stories?

With the release of my newest short story “Strange Seasons of the Wellspring,” I figured now was a good time to address the last question and to revisit the creative process for this particular story. If you haven’t already done so, go read it and come back.

I tend to write more in the summer because that’s when I have the most uninterrupted time. But as summer started I began to fully realize how mentally tired I was feeling. I threw myself into a bunch of physical labor (garden looks great; cutting up wood; pulling carpet up is not fun) but the problem persisted. I needed to find a way to recharge myself. Although I’ve been working on a host of writing projects I hadn’t really tried to start anything new lately. I decided this was probably my best option.

I went about getting things done and several ideas popped into my head, which I duly jotted down. Where did the ideas come from?

I’m a big proponent of allowing my subconscious to guide me. To make this work, you’ve got to allow yourself to live a little and engage your curiosity. Rarely does sitting alone staring at a wall inspire me. I had to ask myself questions. What type of story did I want to tell? What would make it significant to me? What did I want it to convey? I also had to allow myself to find answers.

One of the things I really enjoy about writing short stories is that I get to play. I try to pick one element to focus each story on: tone, setting, character, theme(s), concise writing, dialogue, etc. Since I was going to create this story as a way to recharge myself, I began to consider places or objects that express the idea of renewal, of slowing down, of a basic connection to a natural element.

Time is a strange companion when you’re a writer.  It can be your worst enemy or greatest asset. The pressure it creates can seem crushing or giving yourself permission to use it as an ally can be immensely freeing. I decided to allow myself to slow down. I’ve been cooking new recipes (Sweet Potato and Tofu Jambalaya anyone?) like mad lately, both for the simple pleasure of trying something new and as a different way to be creative.

I’m finally finishing reading a book I started last summer titled The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton. It has its moments but I’ve been frustrated by a similar pattern for each of these short stories. I like the settings, the mood, and the set up for each of the stories but have been significantly disappointed by each of the endings. Twenty plus stories and the same pattern plays out over and over again. They’re either incoherent or nonsensical, almost like she got bored at the end of each. Or this was just the accepted narrative style of the day or ghost stories. So why keep reading? Again I don’t hate the book but I’m curious to see if any of these will have a strong finish. Since there are so many of the same type of story it’s fascinating to watch her shuffle basic elements around.

I’ve also been watching a lot of documentaries thanks to Netflix. One that I watched was Antarctica: A Year on the Ice. It’s full of gorgeous shots of a part of the world few will ever see in person. Glimpses into life in such a singular climate really got me thinking about the seasons and how they impact our perceptions of life and time. Sitting on the porch swing a few evenings later, watching the ample firefly population in my backyard light up the night, I decided I’d frame my new story by having separate tales in each season. But I still needed something more to bring it all together.

I guess my subconscious was still pondering the renewal question because out of nowhere one night the image of a well popped into my head. I’ve been thinking about taking out the old sketchbook lately so I figured it was nothing more than that. I looked up some well pictures on Google images and began to reflect on the role wells have played in the course of human history. Wells are gathering places, an oasis, have involved stories of spirits (good or bad) haunting them, they have been the backbone of communities, scenes of drama (Baby Jessica), are sources of hope or wishes, can symbolize the health or well-being of a place or people, or even have Goonies at the bottom of them giving dramatic speeches (“It’s our time down here.”). I had my unifying image.

How to make it more interesting? Did I want to have this spread across the globe at several wells or in one location? What was the time period? What types of people were meeting at this well and why?

I settled on one setting with vignettes of people at different points in life, facing different problems, realities, fears, and hopes. I also decided each should present characters tied to a different art form (music, jewelry making, painting, and writing). The basic story elements for summer and spring came first. I wanted at least one story with young lovers. Several years ago I saw another documentary about the choice young Amish must make about staying with or leaving their way of life. Recalling this I did some basic research and incorporated some of the details into the story. I wanted to make spring and the idea of renewal a bit more nuanced so the relationship between the characters at different phases of their lives both explore renewal and change.

Winter was going to be a different story but more senseless shootings in real life changed the narrative. It was the hardest to write. I had about four different ideas for the autumn part and never really liked any of them strongly enough so I decided to use the season as a frame, hence the nods to “Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” Also, undoubtedly influenced by the ghost stories I’ve been reading, I decided that time in these stories would be more fun if left open to interpretation by the reader. I will admit that I wasn’t fully sure what the exact resolution would be when I started writing but was pleasantly surprised with how the more mysterious elements formed the conclusion.

So that’s the story of my story.

If you write it may mirror elements of your own creative process or simply offer a glimpse into the creative process of this writer. My goal is to release at least two more short stories this summer so keep checking back or visit the Short Stories and Poems page and see what’s there.

Dimensions of Setting

28 Saturday Sep 2013

Posted by petellc in Uncategorized

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characters, creative writing, editing, emotional environment, plot, setting, social environment

At some point, early on in the creative process, you settle on a setting for your story. Great. You can check that off the list. But is setting more than just a time and place? How important is it to shaping your characters, the plot, types of conflict, or themes of your literary endeavor? Are you overlooking the emotional environment of the story? If you’re unfamiliar with this term it is basically how elements of the setting help to shape and give emotional weight and complexity to your characters. Emotional (sometimes called social environment) also plays into shaping the tone and mood of your work.

Let’s examine this concept by picking a setting: a bedroom.

Make the details you present about your setting count for the story, for the characters, and for your readers. First, we want to give the reader a physical sense of the place without overburdening them with too many unimportant details like how many walls it has (we can assume four) or if the light switch is flipped up or down. Focus instead on giving dimension to the character by making the room feel lived in by the character who inhabits it.

Do certain colors or objects stand out or play an important role, either directly or symbolically? Can we gauge what they value by what they include or fail to include in their room (family pictures, religious icons, art, etc.)? What is the lighting like? Do they have a window? If so what view of the world greets them when they look outside? Has the view/environment shaped them as a person or do they exist to defy their surroundings thanks to their strong personality? Are they connect or cut off from nature or natural elements in this bedroom? What is the temperature or atmosphere (humidity, noises, smells, silence) of the bedroom like? Is their life a jumble like the pile of dirty laundry in the corner or are they so uptight the room feels sterile? Are your characters renovating it, discussing doing so, or does it look the same as it did 40 years ago? What does that say about them and where they’re at as a person or in their relationship? Are they holding on too tight to the past, rushing too quickly into the future, living a balanced and pleasant existence?

The main feature of any bedroom is typically the bed itself and can symbolically be used to represent a host of information about your characters. What comes to mind if I mention the only bed in the room is an infant’s crib that has never been used? How does that empty crib play into the story or how the characters interact with one another because of it?

A bed could be a symbol of passion, romance, fear, peace, sexual independence or confusion, joy, faith, infidelity, escape, imprisonment (if a character is sick, suffering from a disability, or even directly restrained to it) just to name a few. You could switch out one bed for another during the story if say it’s a coming-of-age tale or a person is forced to move because of choices they’ve made (or failed to make) and are forced to move or deal with the absence of another character.

Consider what your bedroom (or house) conveys about you to others. Who interacts in this place? Is this a room that the character shuts themselves off from the world in as they seek solace in isolation, a place where they can truly be themselves, a safe environment that allows them time to reflect or connect with another?

Whether you do so initially or during the editing phase of your story, you should work to make the setting an integral part of adding dimension and complexity to your characters, plot, and themes. Remember that setting is more than just a time and place.

5 easy writing exercises

17 Saturday Aug 2013

Posted by petellc in Uncategorized

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characters, creative writing, creativity, easy writing exercises, fun, music, poems, short stories

Stuck without a muse?  Creative spirit gone on vacation?

At times all writers experience moments of doubt, laziness, or disinterest in their efforts.  We make excuses as to why we’re not working on a story but some times, lets face it, we need a break.  Other projects catch our eye; we want to go on that vacation; we need to get away from the computer before our eyes fall out from staring too long at the screen.  So how do we get back to form when we’ve been away for a while or feel stuck or uninspired?  Sometimes the best way is just to get back to the basics and do some simple writing exercises.

Through these exercises we can hone our skills, boost our self-confidence, and cast away nagging problems. So if you’ve suffered a summertime slump or just want some ideas for a rainy day, here are a few suggestions you might try:

1. Find the muse with music- Some people love to write using music for inspiration but not everyone shares this sentiment.  No problem.  While it might not work for the novel or script you’re working on music can be a fun place to reconnect with your creative impulses.  Find something new that you aren’t overly familiar with and let your mind wander through the piece.  See if it takes you to some new setting or allows you to envision interesting characters.  Maybe it will free your mind to create something totally unanticipated – a story or poem you never had in you.  Maybe this is your big chance to try your hand at creating some original lyrics for the song.  Go with the flow. Discover new artists or soundtracks, let the tone influence what you create, and have fun.

2. The nonfiction cure – What?  I’m a fiction writer.  How is nonfiction helpful?  Life and art are hopelessly intertwined.  A good dose of nonfiction might be just what you need to get some creative ideas rekindled.  Not in the mood to read?  There are some great documentaries available on about any subject or person you can think of so don’t limit yourself to the gospel of print alone.  Just like fiction, nonfiction can put you into new realities, present interesting characters, and get you to look at an idea or subject in a new way. Nonfiction can put fiction writers onto any number of interesting and unforeseen paths so get moving.

3. Embrace the love-hate relationship – Often writers gravitate to creating characters they can relate to or feel compassion for but what if you cast that aside?  Try to image a character you wouldn’t normally feel comfortable writing.  Why?  It will get you to leave your comfort zone, allow you to play with point of view, and possibly help put you in touch with a side of your creative self that you never knew existed.  You might create a character you love to hate. Play 🙂

4. Single purpose pieces – It’s easy when you’re working on a longer piece to forget all the smaller literary tools that make the whole more interesting.  Create short pieces that have a single goal.  For example, a short story that only works to establish a specific tone, explores symbolism, is centered on a single type of conflict, or explores a highly focused theme.  Brevity is the soul of wit.  

 5. New medium of storytelling – If you’re feeling in a writing rut don’t get down; instead, use it as an opportunity to try creating something in another storytelling format.  You might be a novelist but have you ever really tried to work on poetry?  Artistic?  Why not try making a short graphic novel?  Ever tried to write a screenplay?  Well, why not today?  

Bonus: Revisit a story or storyteller who inspires you – Don’t measure yourself against these stories or artists, especially if you’re already feeling down about your own creative efforts.  Enjoy what they have to offer.  Remember what drew you to them.  They are a part of your creative journey and sometimes it’s just nice to “go home” and see a familiar face.  

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