Rebecca Cornish Talley

Posted By Rebecca Talley on October 28, 2009

I’m glad you’re here. Kick off your shoes and stay a while. I hope you will find it interesting as well as useful.

Come back and visit often. Happy writing!

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Posted By Rebecca Talley on March 8, 2010

When writing fiction, it’s important to utilize as many of the senses as possible.

The more you can include the senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, or taste the more your readers will “feel” your story.

As writers, we tend to use sight most frequently. We describe what our characters see more often than any other sense. We are visual and that comes out in our writing.

The next most used sense is sound. We write what our characters can hear. This adds more dimension to our stories, especially when we combine it with sight. Usually, sight and sound seem to describe enough. However, we are shortchanging our readers when we only use sight and sound.

When I was a kid, I used to go to the beach all the time. I’d stop at the snack shop and for a few pennies I’d buy green apple bubble gum and chew it while I was at the beach. To this day, whenever I smell green apple bubble gum, I think of the beach. Similarly, whenever I smell a certain perfume I always think of my mother. Coffee and burned toast remind me of spending the night at my grandmother’s house. Think about smells in your life and how they remind you of certain events. The same can be true for your writing. You can evoke a certain mood by including specific scents.

You can also pull readers further into your story by including touch. Was something rough, smooth, cold, hot, slimy, sticky, or gritty? Including touch can enhance your scene and involve your reader more fully in your writing.

The same is true for taste. Can your character taste the salt on her lips while she walks along the seashore? What about the tinny taste of blood in your character’s mouth after he’s been hit in the face? Use taste to bring your scene to life.

To develop more sensitivity to your senses try keeping a sense journal for a few days, or longer. Write down everything you see, hear, touch, smell, or taste. You’ll find that as you keep this journal, you’ll become more aware of your senses and then you’ll be able to use them more effectively in your writing.

Category: Writing Fiction, writing a novel | No Comments »
Tags: fiction, senses, senses in writing fiction, Writer, writing a book, Writing Fiction

Posted By Rebecca Talley on March 1, 2010

Credibility in your writing is crucial if you want readers to suspend disbelief and immerse themselves in your story.

For example, I’ve watched a television show that’s set in a city in California with which I’m very familiar. I know the city streets, beaches, and landscape of the city. I know the nuances and architecture. Though Psych does sprinkle the show with authentic street names, one of the characters last week pronounced the street name incorrectly. People who live in that city know how to pronounce the name of that street. It made me laugh because the pronunciation was so wrong.

Scenes on the city streets or at the beach are not shots of the city where it is supposed to be set. Not even close.

When a character was dumped in a lake, I knew immediately it wasn’t the lake they stated it was because I attended summer camp at that lake many times. It looked nothing like the lake they claimed it was.

The most obvious discrepancy is the police station. While I never actually spent time in the real police station, I’ve often driven past it and know it well enough to recognize that Psych doesn’t use the real one.

It turns out the show isn’t even filmed in the US.

The discrepancies are obvious to me because I’m so familiar with the city. Most people would never catch these details, but for me, they bother me enough that I’m not interested in watching the show anymore. See how that works? They should’ve set the show in a fictitious city if they couldn’t film it in the real city.

When it comes to writing fiction, you need to be aware that while not all readers may notice discrepancies in your story, those that do will probably never trust you again. You’re asking readers to suspend disbelief and to trust you. You blow that trust and lose credibility when you include false details.

If you want to include something real, like a city or piece of equipment or computer software, do your homework. Research what you want to include so that the story rings true with everyone, especially those who know better. You’ll not only keep your credibility, but more importantly, you’ll keep readers.

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Tags: Credibility in writing, fiction, Psych television show, writing, writing a book, Writing Fiction

Posted By Rebecca Talley on February 28, 2010

Some people believe there are secrets to getting a book published and if you know those secrets, you’ll soon become a published author. Is that true?

Unfortunately, there are no “secrets” to getting published. Those who’ve found publication success have done so through hard work, dedication, perseverance, and a willingness to continue learning.

Hard Work

Writing a novel is hard work. Very few, if any, writers sit down with an idea, pound out a manuscript, and have it immediately accepted. Most writers struggle to get through the first draft, rewrite and revise many times, study the market, and then submit their work. Sometimes, writers submit manuscripts for years before getting an acceptance.

Day after day, you have to be willing to put in the hours it takes to write a novel. Some days it goes smoothly and other days it might feel as if you are beating your head against the wall. Being a writer means that you sit yourself in a chair and work because creating characters, building story worlds, and plotting a story arc all take effort.

Dedication

You have to be dedicated to your writing. You need to be able to carve out time each day to write if you want to finish writing a novel. Sometimes, that means skipping television shows or other activities to finish a novel, especially if you’re on a deadline with an editor. Most writers use their free time to write. They spend whatever time they can working on their book. You must have the dedication it takes to see a novel all the way through if you want to see your name in print.

Perseverance

The difference between an unpublished and a published writer is perseverance. Some days it’s tempting to “give up writing” but you have to trudge through the days that test your creativity and patience. When you’re ready to submit you have to persevere when the rejections come. Rejection is part of the writing process and happens to all writers. You have to believe in your work and yourself and continue to push through it all.

Willing to Continue Learning

It’s important to hone your craft. You can do this through online classes, reading books, and attending writing conferences. Keep abreast of changes in the industry by researching the market, subscribing to industry newsletters, and reading blogs. Never stop learning because all writers can and must improve their writing skills.

When all is said and done, if you seek publication and are willing to put forth the effort, you will realize your dream. You can become a published author. Don’t give up on your dream.

Category: Inspiration, Writing Fiction, writing a novel | 1 Comment »
Tags: Manuscript, publishing, Writer, writing, writing a book, writing a novel, Writing Fiction

Posted By Rebecca Talley on February 21, 2010

Many new writers complain that using “said” is too boring. They want to liven up their writing with new and different tags. The problem with using tags other than “said” is that 1) they call attention to themselves and draw the reader out of the story, and 2) they tell instead of show.

For example:

“You can’t mean that,” she shouted.
“But, I do,” he laughed.
“How can you be so cruel?” she questioned.
“It’s easy,” he intoned.
“I thought you loved me,” she cried.
“Never,” he exclaimed.
“But I love you. Please give me another chance,” she begged.
“Not interested,” he declared.

So what do you think? Don’t those tags call attention to themselves? Wouldn’t it have been easier to read if I’d used “said” instead? “Said” is a tag that virtually disappears. Readers don’t stumble over it. You can occasionally use, “asked” or “replied,” but do so sparingly.

The main problem with these tags is how they tell the reader what is going on in the story as opposed to showing what’s happening. This exchange seems to be between two people who are dating. A better way to show that dialogue might be:

“You can’t mean that,” she said as she brushed a tear from her cheek.
“But, I do.” He stepped to the side and she could hear a muted laugh.
“How can you be so cruel?”
“It’s easy.” He turned to face her, his expression void of emotion.
She swallowed the lump forming at the back of her throat. In a soft voice she said, “I thought you loved me.”
“Never.” The intensity of his voice startled her.
“But, I love you. Please, give me another chance.” She reached her hand out toward him.
“Not interested.”

How’s the second example? Does it show you more of what’s going on with these two people?

You don’t always have to use a dialogue tag if the reader knows which character is speaking. When you do use tags, make sure you use the invisible “said” for most of them.

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Tags: dialogue tags, fiction, fiction writing, Writer, writing a book, writing a novel, writing dialogue tags

Posted By Rebecca Talley on February 15, 2010

What exactly is purple prose and why should you avoid it?

Purple prose can be defined as overwriting, using flowery language, and making the writing so complicated it’s hard to even understand it. Purple prose calls attention to the writing instead of the story.

Have you ever read any? It’s easy to spot. Here’s an example, “The rosy fingers of dawn gently painted the azure sky, while tender grass blades waved their welcome in the breeze scented with soft roses and fragrant honeysuckle on a lazy summer day that tasted of tangy lemonade and sweet watermelon.” Doesn’t that seem a bit over the top?

Yes, it’s important to include sensory images in your descriptions, but go easy with them. Don’t overwhelm the reader with so many images he becomes confused.

Another way in which authors use purple prose is when they want to demonstrate their vast knowledge of a subject. Authors sometimes fall into the trap of wanting to share every detail they’ve gleaned about a subject they’ve researched in detail. Some use of certain jargon is acceptable, but spending pages and pages explaining a medical procedure in technical terms that doesn’t move the story forward will drive readers away. It’s best to sprinkle in facts and specific terms without detracting from the story.

You want readers to see the story, not the writing. The writing itself should be transparent. Using flowery or complicated language will detract from the story. The last thing you want to do as a writer is to make readers stumble over your words or notice the language rather than the story. Once a reader is pulled from the story, it can be difficult to reel him back in. Try to keep your writing simple and easy to read.

Readers want to be absorbed in the story, they want to lose themselves in the world you’ve created, they want to imagine themselves as the hero or heroine. Stay away from overwritten, purple prose, and you’ll have a much better chance of keeping your readers.

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Tags: fiction, Purple prose, writing a book, writing a novel, Writing Fiction