Archive | September, 2011

Voice Week 2011: Friday

30 Sep

Ah…the end of an incredible week. The project turned out better than I possibly could have expected. I think we’ve all learned a lot, had a lot of fun–and written some amazing stuff.

And as I write this now, there are still a few un-posted pieces to look forward to! Keep reading up on everyone’s fantastic work here. And tune in Monday for a recap of the entire week–plus the drawing (announcement) of our first prize winner!

 

I struggled for a bit with this one, but finally got into it when I decided it should be a first-day-of-school homework assignment.

See what you think:

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What did you do this summer?

This summer I tried one of mommy’s drinks. I wanted to see what it tasted like because she drinks it all the time and I thought it would be o.k. if I had just a taste but she was mad. It tasted bad. Worse than medicine. It burnt my throat and I felt sick. I asked her why she drank that bad stuff. Then she threw it and it hit the wall and almost hit me but I moved. Sometimes it scares me when she gets mad, but it’s o.k. because when she’s done being mad she’s nice and sometimes we go out for Snickers bars.

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From the prompt “alcoholic mother.” Read yesterday’s version.

Who does the character feel like to you? How old, what gender? Where did you think the voice was strong or weak? Let me know!

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Voice Week 2011: Thursday

29 Sep

Voice Week is almost over! I can hardly wait to read the genius work tomorrow, but it’ll be sad to see it end!

I decided to travel back in time for today’s piece.

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If the woman had a single flaw, her flaw was weakness; weakness for the caresses of wandering sirs who were more knave than knight, and weakness for spirits when they left her for their more elegant wives. With tender, purplish splotches here and there on her once-lovely face, she would sit hunched over the bottle, her feet spread wide beneath her skirt, abandoning the feminine charms with which she so often veiled her pain. My father very likely had noble blood, but I cannot imagine he had a noble heart to match it.

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From the prompt “alcoholic mother.” Read yesterday’s version.

Who does the character feel like to you? How old, what gender? Where did you think the voice was strong or weak? Let me know!

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Voice Week 2011: Wednesday

28 Sep

This is turning into quite a fascinating project – both into how what is written effects the reader’s perceptions of character, and how the reader’s own pre-existing bias figures in.

I tried a different angle with today’s piece:

When they ask, I tell them that my mother taught me everything I know. I say she taught me to love books by reading to me every night. I say she taught me to love music by singing me songs as she drove me to school. I say she taught me how to be a lady by never raising her voice, by never speaking a crass word, by never drinking more than half a glass of wine. But really, all she taught me was how to lie.

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From the prompt “alcoholic mother.” Read yesterday’s version.

Who does the character feel like to you? How old, what gender? Where did you think the voice was strong or weak? Let me know!

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Voice Week 2011: Tuesday

27 Sep

 

The plot thickens all over the blogosphere with Day Two of Voice Week! It’s fascinating watching everyone’s different interpretations of their characters, and of the project itself. I am so impressed with the talent out there, I could just kiss my computer screen. In case any of y’all missed it, read some quick notes on late postings and pingbacks here.

Here’s my second piece (under 100 this time):

My mamma ain’t much of one. Don’t read us stories, don’t make us dinner, don’t get us dressed in the morning. Heck, she don’t even get herself dressed in the morning. Just wears the same trashy tank and shorts ever’ day, hair all done up in knots, knocking it back. Beer, wine, whiskey, vodka. Anything you need ID to buy. Lays out on the couch or leans up against the stove in the kitchen, tilting her head back and just glugging it down like there ain’t no tomorrow. Sometimes I think maybe there ain’t. But there always is.

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From the prompt “alcoholic mother.” Read yesterday’s version.

Who does the character feel like to you? How old, what gender? Where did you think the voice was strong or weak? Let me know!

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Voice Week 2011: Monday

26 Sep

Voice Week is underway! As you can see below, I’ll be the first to break the 100 words rule – just to prove I won’t fault anyone else for doing the same. But I promise my other entries  are all under limit. Except that other one…

So it begins.

The thing about my mom – she’s sick a lot. Not the kind of sick you get from germs and stuff, but the kind you get from life. I mean, I don’t know that much about her past, because she doesn’t talk about it much, but you don’t live with somebody for fifteen years and not pick up some details.
Like, she hates men. You don’t get that way without being slapped around by a few creeps. And unless she’s passed out, I can’t go out anywhere except school, ‘cause she’ll freak out. She acts like she’s afraid something will happen to me, but really I think she’s afraid I’ll just decide not to come back. And she’s got scars on her arms, but like a lot of other things, I don’t ask about them.
Yeah, she’s been sick a long time. The booze? That’s just medication.

 

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From the prompt “alcoholic mother.”

Who does the character feel like to you? How old, what gender? Where did you think the voice was strong or weak? Let me know!

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5 Great Articles About Voice

23 Sep

Voice Week starts Monday! There are at least…21 of us participating. Who’s excited???

As one last hurrah before the big week, I’ve collected a short list of some of the most useful posts on voice I’ve found throughout the web. The excerpts are just the tip of the iceberg–click the links to really dig in to some excellent advice.

CONTINUE READING…

Inspiration Monday: the fault in our stars

19 Sep

This InMon is important for several reasons. First, it is my birthday. Second, it is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Third, and most importantly–it’s only one week till Voice Week!  Leave a comment if you want to join in or if you have questions. Participants: Visit the Voice Week homepage to make sure your name is on the Voice Writers list, and if it’s not, leave a comment and I’ll add you.

FOURTH – and this is important too – because of Voice Week, InMon will be postponed until October 10, which means you have three weeks to turn these prompts into gold, instead of just one.

Now check out what happened last week!

CONTINUE READING…

How to put writing talent to work in the “real world”

17 Sep

 Nobody writes their first novel and suddenly hits it big. Well, almost nobody. Most of us need some way to pay for peanut butter and Spaghetti-O’s while we’re shopping for literary agents. 

The good news? All this novel-writing experience can be used towards something other than novel-writing.

CONTINUE READING…

Inspiration Monday: don’t run

12 Sep

This week, I noticed that I have a disturbing new habit of sticking apostrophes where they don’t belong, on plural word’s. <like that! ME! I usually notice and fix it before anyone else reads it, but it frightens me nonetheless because I have never done that before. Am I losing my mind???

Don’t answer that.

CONTINUE READING…

The 7 narrator types: and you thought there were only two!

9 Sep

There are all kinds of narrators–going way beyond simple first or third person. So, in anticipation of Voice Week (comment if you want to join!), I thought I’d do a little study of the different types.
CONTINUE READING…

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