We all have our heroes, and one of mine is Maggie Stiefvater. I admire her for many reasons:
English: Author Maggie Stiefvater. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Her books are awesome
She drives cool cars
She plays six instruments
She’s an amazing artist
Her blog is full of great writing advice
So, let’s dissect. Her array of skills tells me two things: 1, she has enviable natural talent, and 2, she works hard. No one can write, play, and draw without serious dedication, and I admire hard-workers above all others. She’s a full-time author with touring commitments, a million emails to answer, and two scallywags to care for. Clearly this is a woman who wastes little time doing pointless activities.
http://maggiestiefvater.com/tag/how-i-write/
Go to her blog for insight into her writing life and process. I’ve certainly nicked some ideas in the quest to hone my writing method. (I even pulled out my old sketchbook and pencils. It’s been near enough a decade since I last drew something. It shows…)
Anyhoo, Maggie says she likes to get into your head and move stuff around. After reading this I had an Eureka! moment.
SHOW DON’T TELL
Something we all know, but I bet I’m not the only one who fails to put this theory into practice. I always thought about this in terms of other characters, never my MC. If a new character appears on page, I try to show what they’re like, rather than telling the reader. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
However this lesson gets trampled when it comes to my main character. Why? Aliens maybe, or the fact I’m not very clever. My latest WIP is told in the first person, so I’m all Woohoo! I can say how she’s feeling!
A typical day
Opens laptop. Opens Scrivener.
Tippy tappy tip tip
“I feel happy! Oh… now I’m sad (upside-down smiley).”
Closes laptop and feels good about a successful day of writing.
ARGH!
What I should have said was ‘Closes laptop and cracks open a bottle of champagne and box of luxury chocolates omnomnomnomnom.’
I need to make readers feel what the MC is feeling, without them realising they’re being manipulated. I need to sneak into their brains and meddle with them. I need to slither into their rooms while they read, clad in black, like a ninja…
…like… like the Nightman.
Lesson learned, lightbulb on, now time for an inappropriate musical.
