Teaser Tuesday Snippets

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday. Each Tuesday, I will post a snippet of a book from my personal bookshelf. Some books may be fiction. Some may be on the craft of writing. Here's today's selection.

Craft Book Selection

Da rules.

That's how we lose our voices. One of the ways, anyway. One of the biggest ways.

Huh? (I can hear you now.) Whaddya mean, da rules?

Way back in P.S. 101, the rules are what Missus Grundy drummed into our pointy little heads. You know--those carved-in-granite commands of the English language--as administered by that well-meaning, sweetheart dragon in the third grade.

In this chapter, we'll take a look at just how those rules keep us from getting to our individual voice in our writing. We'll also look at some ways to overcome what may appear at first glance to be a formidable obstacle in our journey toward publication, but is actually easily overcome, as you'll see.

Page 10, Finding Your Voice, how to put personality in your writing by Les Edgerton



Here's the Blurb:

Find your voice--
and make your writing sing!

You know a great literary "voice" when you hear it: David Sedaris' humorous cynicism. Elmore Leonard's weary, smart-mouth dialogue. Nick Hornby's simple yet imaginative descriptions. It's the kind of writing you should aspire to, right?

Well...not quite. Each of these authors found success in part by developing their own unique voice: a writing style that helped define--and throw the spotlight on--their work.

Now Les Edgerton shows you how to develop a voice of your own, one that rises above the literary din because of its individuality, not in spite of it!

Inside, he provides guidelines, advice and dozens of exercises for recognizing and developing a natural style that will make your characters, stories and dialogue better and more memorable. You'll learn:

* How to make any piece you write unmistakably yours and your alone
* What agents and editors really think about using your own voice
* How to write better by ignoring "da rules"
* The keys to getting your voice and personality on the page
* How to get back the unique voice you may have lost by trying to write like someone else.

Whether you write fiction, non-fiction or poetry, Finding Your Voice is a must for your personal library. Let's face it--editors, agents and readers all want to read something fresh and new. By finding your voice, you'll be giving them exactly what they want!

Do you have this book in your bookshelf?

Teaser Tuesday Snippets

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday. Each Tuesday, I will post a snippet of a book from my personal bookshelf. Some books may be fiction. Some may be on the craft of writing. Here's today's selection.

Craft Book Selection

All characters have unique personal histories and childhoods upon which social/historical events have a huge impact. Events that occur in a person's childhood shape the individual's background assumptions about life and the world, while those occurring in late adolescence shape the individual's conscious identity. Events in adulthood may affect the opportunities available to an individual, but do not shape their values or their identities.

Page 16, Writer's Guide To Character Traits by Linda N. Edelstein, Ph.D.




Here's the Blurb:

From sex to schizophrenia: Everything you need to develop your characters!

What makes a person commit a white-collar crime? Who is a likely candidate to join a cult? Why do children have imaginary friends? How does birth order affect whether or not a person gets married? When does mind over matter become a crippling problem?

Writer's Guide to Character Traits, 2nd edition answers all of these questions and many others. With more than 499 easy to reference lists of traits blended from a variety of behaviors and influences you'll gain the knowledge you need to create distinctive characters whose personalities correspond to their thoughts and actions--no matter how normal or psychotic they might be. In this updated and expanded edition, you'll also find:

* Comprehensive instructions on how to best use this book.
* New statistical information to help you create true to life characters.
* Corresponding exercises that show you how to put the material to work in your
stories.
* A quick-reference index to make cross-referencing a snap.
* Idea sparkers to get your thoughts out of your head and onto the page.

Plus, you'll learn about common--and not so common--psychological, physical, and relationship disorders; delve into the minds of criminals; find out what it takes to be a professional athlete, scientist, and truck driver; discover what life is like for a gang member, suicidal teen, and alcoholic; and more.

In Writer's Guide to Character Traits, 2nd edition, noted psychologist and author Dr. Linda Edelstein takes you beyond generic personality types and into the depths of the human psyche where you're sure to find the resources you need to make your characters stand out from the crowd.


Do you have this in your bookshelf?