Writing dialogue

  Dialogue should have one of these two functions:
1) Reveal character.
2) Move the story forward.
This is what Catherine Ann Jones states in her book "The Way of Story".
 When I edit my stories I keep those functions in my mind. I ask myself, " Do these words have a purpose?" I get rid of unnecessary chatter. I also read the dialogues aloud to know if they sound natural and realistic.

Dialogues can help us  show the reader something about the character. They can also contribute to shed light on the theme in subtle ways. Words sometimes lead to something that is not expressed but can be felt or intuited.
Catherine Ann Jones mentions that we can use dialogue to offer some back story about the characters. She sets Shakespeare as an example of this. Interestingly, I'd read some advice against using dialogue to reveal back story. I don't take this piece of advice seriously. The best lessons in writing are always learned by reading other writers' work.
  What are the challenges you face when you write or edit dialogues in your stories?

Water, a source of inspiration

Whenever I get stuck with an idea, or just for the fun of it, I like to be close to water. It works marvels when I need to roll my thoughts into stories. Sitting by a lake, contemplating the ocean, listening  to a stream or river flowing, walking by a pond, are all gifts to my creativity.

There is a pond close to my house and I like to peer out the window to rest my eyes on it and let my mind wander.

Here you are some interesting facts about water:

-Our bodies are made up of 60-70 %  water

- Coffee, tea and soft drinks contain caffeine - not just water. The diuretic effects of caffeine make your body lose water.

-Our brains need water. Why? Studies have shown that if you are only one percent dehydrated, you will likely have a 5 percent decrease in cognitive function. If your brain drops 2 percent in body water you may suffer from fuzzy short-term memory, experience problems with focusing, and have trouble with math calculations.

- Don't take water for granted. One billion people worldwide have no access to safe drinking water. 

-Half of the world's hospital beds are filled with people who suffer water related illnesses.

I was visiting the aquarium in Milwaukee a couple of weeks ago when I thought about writing this blog entry. At that instant, a man approached me to ask for feedback on a website about the conservation of water. 

Here is the link to his website:

www.h2oscore.com

Now go and enjoy a nice sip of cool water.

If you enjoyed this post feel free to read my post on Light Pollution. 

Thanking my enemies

 I don't like to have enemies. Who does? Yet I have to admit that they've had an impact on my writing life.
  Don't we need conflicts in our stories? Thinking about enemies from my past and what they have done to me has helped me to create realistic stories that captivated readers and made them empathize with the narrator.
  We need tension, don't we? Enemies have inspired me to write stories where tension builds up easily. They have led me to craft thought-provoking stories where I exposed the dark side of human nature.
 "There's good and bad in everyone" says Paul McCartny's song, so I was able to find something good about some of those enemies unless the character was a psychopath. Enemies have ignited rage, fustration, shame, strength and even wisdom and patience. I put everything to good use and explored those emotions to the best of my ability.
   Creative writing has allowed me to see my past under a different light. Don't be surprised if some of the toxic people out there help you create your next popular story.
  To a writer, each experience is a gem, a potential treasure of creative endeavors. I prefer to have friends, of course, but life is not always beautiful.
  Did negative experiences with people fuel your creativity?

The "Smart Cookie" award

 I want to thank Cindy from  http://dreamersperch.blogspot.com/ who gave me the "Smart Cookie" award a couple of weeks ago.
 Now I have to do a number of things as the recipient of this award:
1) Thank the award giver and add a link to their blog. (See above).
2) Share some interesting facts on anything.
3) Pass the award to other "Smart Cookies".
I am going to give this award to the following bloggers:

Elizabeth Varadan aka :  http://elizabethvaradansfourthwish.blogspot.com/

Liz Davis http://novel-moments.blogspot.com/

Karen G http://karenjonesgowen.blogspot.com

Rick Watson  http://dorahighschoolalumni.blogspot.com/

J.L Campbell http://thecharacterdepot.blogspot.com/

Rachna Chhabria:  http://rachnachhabria.blogspot.com

Rebecca Kiel: http://rebeccakielpages.blogspot.com/

Now I will share some interesting facts. I have an interest in the mind and the human brain so I will say something about them.
1) Meditation has been shown to have beneficial effects on our brains. A study showed that after meditating for eight weeks the brains of those who meditated showed measurable changes in gray matter density in areas related to memory, empathy and learning. (MRIs were done to show the findings).
2) According to the same study, meditation also reduced gray matter density in the amygdala, an area of the brain connected to stress and anxiety
3) Exercise protects the brain as it ages. It has been shown to improve concentration and learning.
4) Studies suggest that  exercise helps to preserve mental functions and it may help to prevent Alzheimer's dementia.

The IMAX mind of a writer

Every time we write our stories we travel to another realm, we see the world from our characters' perspectives. We become like actors/actresses that play our characters' roles. We are going through the scenes as if we were watching a movie in an IMAX theater. 
This past weekend I went to an IMAX theater to watch The Mysteries of Egypt. It was a magic experience. While I was watching this fascinating movie I felt that I was traveling to Egypt. I had the chance to fly  over lakes and all kinds of different landscapes, to sail the rivers with the local people, to feel that I was right there. The vivid huge scenes made me  breathe in the dry air and feel the sun burning my skin and I could imagine myself touching the pyramids with my hands. I even felt the dizziness of going too fast in the air.
   While I watched this colorful movie, I came to the realization that the best stories I write are the ones into which I dive with my own body and mind. I sense everything, see, smell, hear and touch. Not because I bog down the story with descriptions, but because the scenes become so real in my mind that I become a different person embedded in the setting of my story.
   
   Don't you think it is fascinating?

Do strong opinions matter?

 A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a literary agent's blog who said that writers should not express strong opinions on their blogs because publishers don't like this. There were other recommendations but this one is the one that surprised me. There are readers out there who  disagreed with this agent's recommendation claiming that writers who do not express their opinions are not interesting and can be boring.

   I tend to write posts on which my personal views and opinions are made evident to the public. If I think that a subject is controversial I may take some time to process my ideas and thoughts before I dare write about it. In some cases I avoid writing about some topics altogether fearing that it may not be the right time in my career to do so.
  As writers we already take risks when we craft our own stories. Do we also take risks when we blog?
  Do you tend to gravitate towards blogs that are not opinionated? Or do you prefer blogs that express strong opinions? Do you prefer to sound neutral when you write a blog entry?
 What is your personal approach?
 

Saying less is saying more

  I've had a fabulous learning experience this week. I had to submit a short story of around 700 words, so I decided to convert a specific story of 2000 words into a piece of flash fiction (700 words). Does it sound crazy? I had a precious opportunity that I did not want to waste, and I considered this was the right story to do that. (I am not going into details over this because it is not the purpose of this blog entry).
   I wasn't sure it would work out. It did. Tightening this short story was an enlightening experience. I was able to enhance the emotional intensity of the piece. I made it more powerful. In the ruthless process of trimming, I was able to see how by cutting down sentences and details I made relevant pieces of information stand out. I also came to the realization that there was some clutter that did not need to be there. I spotted pieces where I had been  over-telling.
  I read it aloud many times because I care about the musicality of what I craft. (Reading aloud is always part of my editing process).
 Have you ever tried converting a short story into a piece of flash fiction? If you haven't, try so. Just for the fun of it. You will learn a lot about the power of saying less and expressing more.

 If you enjoyed this post, feel free to read my writing on the following book:

The Glass Cafe by Gary Paulsen