Writings

Welcome!

I am a writer.  I dream of stories in fiction, and daylight often gives non-fiction ideas.

In fiction my current work, Salvage, is in the science fiction genre, while other works planned are in mainstream and children’s fiction.

In nonfiction, I have authored articles on a variety of subjects and blog posts related to the craft and business of writing.

December Status

by Cindy Rae

I have my first critique partner!  So exciting!

My novel and children’s series continue on hold.  I’m working on a revision of my science fiction short story, incorporating feedback from online and from my critique partner.

It’s been interesting learning how to add more emotion beats to my write and learning that sometimes the subtlety I shoot for — well, sometimes it’s just too subtle for the reader.

Dialogue Does More Than You Know

by Cindy Rae

Here’s a few tidbits to consider.  Dialogue can

  • Be a vehicle for character
  • Help draw relationships
  • Reveal tensions
  • Create atmosphere
  • Help the reader read between the lines
  • Illustrate underlying emotions
  • Drive the plot forward

I will be pondering the above as I review dialogue in my own writing.

From Writing a Scene with Good Dialogue and Narration by Helga Schier, PhD over on Writer’s Digest.

 

Writing Status for November

by Cindy Rae

Writing Skill Development Takes Precedence

I’m not pushing to complete any of my works in progress at this point.  Instead, I’ve switched gears to improving my writing skills.  This involves incorporating feedback (thank you, Absolute Write Forums!) back into my stories and improving the way emotions are conveyed in my stories.  I’m using not only my works in progress but also snippets from my writing journal.   Stay posted for more before and after examples!

Being a Plotter

Entire arguments exist on the web about writing a book by the seat of your pants (pantsters) and writing by planning the structure in advance (plotter).  What I’ve found is that capturing my dreams and ideas is great as a pantster, but to write well I need to be a plotter.

So, my major ideas are now organized into a MS Word table identifying concept, premise, and M.I.C.E. quotient.  A few of these I’ve developed with a synopsis as well as major setup, conflict, climax, and resolution.  One or two now have heavily developed character charts.

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by Cindy Rae

A road dead-ended quietly into a drab yellow stone plaza.  Several structures of the same dusty dingy yellow stone, hundreds of years old, surrounded the plaza.  Footfalls raised stale puffs of dust with each step.

To the east in the gloom stood doors to an old frayed church huddled against its larger looming neighbor.  It was also made of the stone, but the thick, tall doors rose in dark wood gleaming despite the dust in the growing dark.

The air around lay dry and still.  No wind blew, no breeze teased the dust.

The entrance reached over their heads.  At a glance, the dark doors were at least nine feet.  A pediment of sorts crawled and curled and curved its way up and over the doors in a half-moon arc.  Inside the pediment’s half-moon shined defiantly two quarters of stained glass, like slitted eyes of a baleful being staring out from the church.

by Cindy Rae

I wasn’t standing in the Oval Office when it happened.  Those upper echelons don’t know I exist.  Didn’t, I mean.

I bet it was quite a shock, though – a hologram appearing out of nowhere just to the right of the Resolute desk?  I would have loved to have seen the expressions on their faces.  Did they think it a prank?  Did they disbelieve their eyes for a split second?

You know bureaucrats.  It took them way too long to figure out it was real – the message and the alien.

If the figure hadn’t been dressed in high fashion – as in Milan – would it have been so incongruous?