As writers, we know how hard it is to give our work over to someone else for critique. We fall in love with our words, cherish them as if they are children, and fight like animals when someone tells us to change our words or, heaven forbid, throw them away. Yet, as writers, we also know that when we finish a project we become very close to it, often too close to see the errors or omissions that may serve to undermine our masterpiece. We do the best we can, reading and rereading, reviewing and scrutinizing, but there comes a point when we just can’t see the text objectively anymore.
It is when we reach this point in the process that we need another set of eyes on our manuscript. Friends and family are a great resource and they will make a concerted effort to point out a missing punctuation mark or a misspelled word. However, those who value our friendship will likely be cautious when it comes to suggesting changes to content, sentence structure, transitional problems or other more significant editorial issues. There’s no doubt that calling on friends or family to review our work can be beneficial, but their expertise is limited, and their honesty toward the manuscript is often tempered by their desire to stay in good graces with us.
Having spent twelve years as a broadcast journalist and news host, thirteen years as an editor and teacher of creative writing, and over thirty years as a writer, I have the skills to help you reach the point of publication with confidence. I will proofread and edit your manuscript with close-read precision, offer expert analysis, and follow-up discussion. We live among an ever-growing population of published authors. Make sure your work stands out among the rest. I can help you!
Go to www.EileenAlbrizio.com to find out more!!
Happy writing!
Eileen
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
TROUBLE, WHO WAS NO TROUBLE AT ALL, AND HER BEST BUD, BUDDY.
A nameless, beautiful, feminine calico sweetheart of a kitten was dropped off at the Newington Animal Shelter the day she turned nine weeks old. Those were the rules, the attendant of the shelter had said, they don’t accept animals younger than nine weeks. So, the moment the clock struck two months and seven days the humans shoved the kitten in a crate and carted her off to the pound. There just wasn’t enough room in the house for another kitten, the human donors proclaimed. The attendant promptly scooped up the orphan and plopped her in a cage.
Right above her, a skinny, frightened tabby named Freddy hunkered down, his hopes for adoption diminishing with each new day. Now into his third month at the pound, Freddy was lonely and worn out. But things were about to change.
As Freddy tried to sleep, a little white puffed paw slapped against his cage. It was the calico saying hello. Freddy couldn’t see her face, but he liked that she was making an attempt to meet him. Deep in his heart, however, he knew that she would be gone in a matter of days. The kittens never last long. They have the adorable factor in their favor, something that had long faded from Freddy's sunken face.
“He looks scared,” the man said. “Poor thing. No one adopts the older ones.”
The woman by his side looked into Freddy’s eyes. “He looks sweet.”
“He is,” the attendant responded. “He’s the nicest cat you’d ever want to meet.”
“Hmm,” the woman moaned softly and followed the man around the room of cages.
Ten minutes later, the woman and man circled the room again, pausing once more at Freddy’s cage. The kitten below him had been sleeping, and Freddy secretly, selfishly hoped she would remain that way. If she showed herself to the couple they would surely take her. Just walk away, he thought, before she wakes up. Yet, throughout the day, the couple continued to survey the room of cats and kittens, pausing each time before Freddy's cage.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” a voice over the loud speaker announced. “The Newington Animal Shelter will be closing in five minutes.”
“Have we really been here for four hours?” the man asked the woman.
“Apparently. Wayne?” she paused. “What do you think about adopting him?" She pointed to Freddy. "The lady said he was a really nice cat.”
“I know, Eileen, but adult cats have history. I don’t know.”
Just then, in the cage below the orange tabby, a little white bit of a thing with orange and black spots arched her back in a massive kitten stretch. Sauntering to the front of her cage, she reached a fluffy scruffy paw up to Freddy’s door and gave it a swat. Freddy reached down with his skinny orange striped paw and reciprocated. Wayne and Eileen looked at each other, and without saying a word, nodded in agreement.
“Miss?” Wayne beckoned. “We’d like to take her.” He pointed to the calico.
Freddy tucked his paw beneath his chest, knowing his friend had charmed the humans and that she would be leaving him. The short reprieve of sadness that had come only as a result of the calico’s presence had vanished.
“And him,” Eileen said, pointing to Freddy.
“They look like they’re friends,” Wayne added. “We’d like to take them home together."
The attendant removed Freddy from his cage and handed him to Eileen. Then the calico, so tiny she seemed weightless, was placed in the palm of Wayne’s hand. But she wasn’t about to stay there. In a flash, she leapt from Wayne’s hand and onto the table. With a graceful leap, she practically flew onto the top of a cabinet where she sniffed and explored her new surroundings.
“She looks like trouble,” Eileen said.
“But I bet she’s no trouble at all,” Wayne replied with a smile. “By the way,” addressing the attendant. “What are their names?”
“She doesn’t have one. This fella’s Freddy, after Freddy Kruger, you know the evil dream demon from that movie, A Nightmare on Elm Street.”
“That doesn’t sound like him,” Wayne said. “He’s too sweet to be a demon. He’s more like someone’s buddy.”
So that is the story of how Trouble and Buddy were adopted by Wayne and Eileen. They all lived happily together for more than twelve years. Trubs and Buds remained best friends, hanging out together, tussling, cleaning each other and sleeping side-by-side. Buddy grew plump and content, while Trouble grew strong, yet gentle. Life for the two cats and their parents had been joyous and playful, harmonious and peaceful for all the time they were together. For animals, however, time can be an enemy, robbing the little creatures of their lives when they are just at the peak of living.
For Trouble, her time came on June 16, 2009. Cancer had attacked her intestine, not allowing food or drink to enter. The kind doctor did everything he could, but in the end, the cancer won. Trouble died at the tender age of twelve.
Today, Buddy, Wayne and Eileen all mourn her passing and miss her dearly. She remains in their hearts and her sweet chirp and compassionate purr will always be a song left lingering in the air around them.
We love you, Trouble. Thank you for being our friend and for allowing us to love you the way you loved us.
Buddy and Trouble
A nameless, beautiful, feminine calico sweetheart of a kitten was dropped off at the Newington Animal Shelter the day she turned nine weeks old. Those were the rules, the attendant of the shelter had said, they don’t accept animals younger than nine weeks. So, the moment the clock struck two months and seven days the humans shoved the kitten in a crate and carted her off to the pound. There just wasn’t enough room in the house for another kitten, the human donors proclaimed. The attendant promptly scooped up the orphan and plopped her in a cage.
Right above her, a skinny, frightened tabby named Freddy hunkered down, his hopes for adoption diminishing with each new day. Now into his third month at the pound, Freddy was lonely and worn out. But things were about to change.
As Freddy tried to sleep, a little white puffed paw slapped against his cage. It was the calico saying hello. Freddy couldn’t see her face, but he liked that she was making an attempt to meet him. Deep in his heart, however, he knew that she would be gone in a matter of days. The kittens never last long. They have the adorable factor in their favor, something that had long faded from Freddy's sunken face.
“He looks scared,” the man said. “Poor thing. No one adopts the older ones.”
The woman by his side looked into Freddy’s eyes. “He looks sweet.”
“He is,” the attendant responded. “He’s the nicest cat you’d ever want to meet.”
“Hmm,” the woman moaned softly and followed the man around the room of cages.
Ten minutes later, the woman and man circled the room again, pausing once more at Freddy’s cage. The kitten below him had been sleeping, and Freddy secretly, selfishly hoped she would remain that way. If she showed herself to the couple they would surely take her. Just walk away, he thought, before she wakes up. Yet, throughout the day, the couple continued to survey the room of cats and kittens, pausing each time before Freddy's cage.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” a voice over the loud speaker announced. “The Newington Animal Shelter will be closing in five minutes.”
“Have we really been here for four hours?” the man asked the woman.
“Apparently. Wayne?” she paused. “What do you think about adopting him?" She pointed to Freddy. "The lady said he was a really nice cat.”
“I know, Eileen, but adult cats have history. I don’t know.”
Just then, in the cage below the orange tabby, a little white bit of a thing with orange and black spots arched her back in a massive kitten stretch. Sauntering to the front of her cage, she reached a fluffy scruffy paw up to Freddy’s door and gave it a swat. Freddy reached down with his skinny orange striped paw and reciprocated. Wayne and Eileen looked at each other, and without saying a word, nodded in agreement.
“Miss?” Wayne beckoned. “We’d like to take her.” He pointed to the calico.
Freddy tucked his paw beneath his chest, knowing his friend had charmed the humans and that she would be leaving him. The short reprieve of sadness that had come only as a result of the calico’s presence had vanished.
“And him,” Eileen said, pointing to Freddy.
“They look like they’re friends,” Wayne added. “We’d like to take them home together."
The attendant removed Freddy from his cage and handed him to Eileen. Then the calico, so tiny she seemed weightless, was placed in the palm of Wayne’s hand. But she wasn’t about to stay there. In a flash, she leapt from Wayne’s hand and onto the table. With a graceful leap, she practically flew onto the top of a cabinet where she sniffed and explored her new surroundings.
“She looks like trouble,” Eileen said.
“But I bet she’s no trouble at all,” Wayne replied with a smile. “By the way,” addressing the attendant. “What are their names?”
“She doesn’t have one. This fella’s Freddy, after Freddy Kruger, you know the evil dream demon from that movie, A Nightmare on Elm Street.”
“That doesn’t sound like him,” Wayne said. “He’s too sweet to be a demon. He’s more like someone’s buddy.”
So that is the story of how Trouble and Buddy were adopted by Wayne and Eileen. They all lived happily together for more than twelve years. Trubs and Buds remained best friends, hanging out together, tussling, cleaning each other and sleeping side-by-side. Buddy grew plump and content, while Trouble grew strong, yet gentle. Life for the two cats and their parents had been joyous and playful, harmonious and peaceful for all the time they were together. For animals, however, time can be an enemy, robbing the little creatures of their lives when they are just at the peak of living.
For Trouble, her time came on June 16, 2009. Cancer had attacked her intestine, not allowing food or drink to enter. The kind doctor did everything he could, but in the end, the cancer won. Trouble died at the tender age of twelve.
Today, Buddy, Wayne and Eileen all mourn her passing and miss her dearly. She remains in their hearts and her sweet chirp and compassionate purr will always be a song left lingering in the air around them.
We love you, Trouble. Thank you for being our friend and for allowing us to love you the way you loved us.
Buddy and Trouble
Monday, April 20, 2009
"Writing from Scratch": A Creative Writing Workshop
A Creative Writing Workshop ~ Limited seating! Registration required.
Saturday, May 23, 2009 from 1 to 4 PM
Only $15
605 Main Street, Middletown, Connecticut - 860-347-4957
Contact Eileen at EileenRain@aol.com to register
How often have you sat before your writing tablet or computer screen for hours at a time without writing a word. The starts are often the hardest part of the creative process of writing. That is because what we want to write comes to us by way of the abstract, that is, we feel something, so we want to write about it. But emotions are an intangible entity. As writers, it is our job to take those largely ethereal "feelings" and turn them into something palpable. By the use of words, we transform the abstract into something we can touch, taste, smell, hear and see.
This workshop will teach you the tools needed to do exactly that. We will begin by exploring the fundamentals of poetry, including form, meter, rhyme, and rhetorical devices such as repetition and metaphor to create a poem in a traditional form. (It's not nearly as daunting as it may sound. In fact, it's quite fun!) "But, POETRY," you say. "I want to write prose fiction!"
By actually learning poetic techniques and writing a poem in the structure of form, you will be able to then approach prose, whether fiction or nonfiction, with a more creative and exciting attitude. After writing our poem, we will then utilize the poetic tools we've learned to begin the process of writing that great story locked inside your head. Whether you are a novice or advanced writer, poet or novelist, or looking to pen your memoir, these tools will help you to engage in a more enjoyable and productive writing experience.
This is a 3-hour, hands-on writing workshop that will ensure you walk away with new enthusiasm for the writing process. Participants need only bring writing materials. There is no need to bring previously written works. We will, afterall, be writing from scratch!!
I hope you had an opportunity to read some of my poetry and visit my bio at www.angelfire.com/art/albrizio to read more about my credentials as writer. I hope to see you at the next workshop.
Eileen
Saturday, May 23, 2009 from 1 to 4 PM
Only $15
605 Main Street, Middletown, Connecticut - 860-347-4957
Contact Eileen at EileenRain@aol.com to register
How often have you sat before your writing tablet or computer screen for hours at a time without writing a word. The starts are often the hardest part of the creative process of writing. That is because what we want to write comes to us by way of the abstract, that is, we feel something, so we want to write about it. But emotions are an intangible entity. As writers, it is our job to take those largely ethereal "feelings" and turn them into something palpable. By the use of words, we transform the abstract into something we can touch, taste, smell, hear and see.
This workshop will teach you the tools needed to do exactly that. We will begin by exploring the fundamentals of poetry, including form, meter, rhyme, and rhetorical devices such as repetition and metaphor to create a poem in a traditional form. (It's not nearly as daunting as it may sound. In fact, it's quite fun!) "But, POETRY," you say. "I want to write prose fiction!"
By actually learning poetic techniques and writing a poem in the structure of form, you will be able to then approach prose, whether fiction or nonfiction, with a more creative and exciting attitude. After writing our poem, we will then utilize the poetic tools we've learned to begin the process of writing that great story locked inside your head. Whether you are a novice or advanced writer, poet or novelist, or looking to pen your memoir, these tools will help you to engage in a more enjoyable and productive writing experience.
This is a 3-hour, hands-on writing workshop that will ensure you walk away with new enthusiasm for the writing process. Participants need only bring writing materials. There is no need to bring previously written works. We will, afterall, be writing from scratch!!
I hope you had an opportunity to read some of my poetry and visit my bio at www.angelfire.com/art/albrizio to read more about my credentials as writer. I hope to see you at the next workshop.
Eileen
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
The Ever-Fading Passion for Poetry and Short Fiction
Why is it when I tell people I write poetry and short fiction they look at me like I told them their kids are ugly? I was weaned on poetry and short fiction. Those were the genres of choice for most everyone I knew all the years I was growing up. I understand the delight in delving into a long, well-crafted and multi-layered novel, but what about those times when you just want to escape for a single moment in time; take a short jaunt through the fantasy world of fiction before you have to prepare dinner for the family or pick the kids up from soccer?
Sometimes I think those who snub these pithy pieces of work believe that because they are short, they are trifles. Often I have been regarded as the “lazy” writer because I prefer to write in these brief forms. Imagine where Poe or Hawthorn would be if that were the attitude in the time of the American literary renaissance. Truth be known, I have penned more than a dozen plays and two full-length novels in addition to my hundreds of poems and scores of short stories, so I know the value of writing in both short and long forms. I find them all valuable, but there is something uniquely intriguing about the short story and the poem. These works are focused and tightly woven, revealing a mere snapshot of time. Their intensity is palpable, with the short story often beginning in medias res and ending at the peak the climax. Much of the time there is no falling action to ease the reader out of the story. So, upon approaching the final word, the reader is left in the height of the story’s emotion. For the poem, the reader is immediately drawn into the heart of the conflict, the center of the focused attention of the speaker. Words become an image, deftly evoking a profound emotional response. Poetry isn’t necessarily the lofty, lilting language of romance that needs to be studied in order to be understood. It can be quite accessible. From the beat poets of the sixties, to our nation’s former poet laureate, Billy Collins, who was actually criticized for his accessibility, poetry has been taken out of the hands of the academicians and placed onto the laps of the people.
I honestly don’t understand the aversion to these genres. Is it that folks are simply not reading them and drawing conclusions on unsubstantiated theory? Or is there something about them that is truly unappealing? I would love to know what you think. Whether you adore or abhor the short story and/or poetry, let me know your thoughts. I would love to figure this thing out!
Sometimes I think those who snub these pithy pieces of work believe that because they are short, they are trifles. Often I have been regarded as the “lazy” writer because I prefer to write in these brief forms. Imagine where Poe or Hawthorn would be if that were the attitude in the time of the American literary renaissance. Truth be known, I have penned more than a dozen plays and two full-length novels in addition to my hundreds of poems and scores of short stories, so I know the value of writing in both short and long forms. I find them all valuable, but there is something uniquely intriguing about the short story and the poem. These works are focused and tightly woven, revealing a mere snapshot of time. Their intensity is palpable, with the short story often beginning in medias res and ending at the peak the climax. Much of the time there is no falling action to ease the reader out of the story. So, upon approaching the final word, the reader is left in the height of the story’s emotion. For the poem, the reader is immediately drawn into the heart of the conflict, the center of the focused attention of the speaker. Words become an image, deftly evoking a profound emotional response. Poetry isn’t necessarily the lofty, lilting language of romance that needs to be studied in order to be understood. It can be quite accessible. From the beat poets of the sixties, to our nation’s former poet laureate, Billy Collins, who was actually criticized for his accessibility, poetry has been taken out of the hands of the academicians and placed onto the laps of the people.
I honestly don’t understand the aversion to these genres. Is it that folks are simply not reading them and drawing conclusions on unsubstantiated theory? Or is there something about them that is truly unappealing? I would love to know what you think. Whether you adore or abhor the short story and/or poetry, let me know your thoughts. I would love to figure this thing out!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Come Celebrate an Exciting Spring for Poetry and More in CT with Eileen Albrizio!!
Eileen Albrizio is a former award-winning news host and broadcast journalist for NPR News. The 2003 and 2008 recipient of the Individual Artist Fellowships from the Greater Hartford Arts Council, she is the author of three volumes of poetry, two novels, several plays and is currently working on a compilation of short fiction. Join her this spring for these exciting events!
AN EVENING OF MUSIC AND POETRY
Come enjoy an evening of Madrigal and piano music as well as the poetry of prize-winning poet, Eileen Albrizio. Eileen will share new works plus selected pieces from her latest book, Perennials: New & Selected Poems, which was nominated for the 2008 CT Book Award.
"The Well-Seasoned Perennial"
Saturday, April 18, 2009 at 7 PM
Studio 59
59 Barber Street, Torrington, CT
Contact Timothy Wallace at (860) 482-6901
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR READING AND BOOK SIGNING
Eileen will share her poetry and short fiction
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 6:30 PM
Frederick H. Cossitt Library
388 North Granby Road, Granby, CT 06035
(860) 653-8958
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR READING AND BOOK SIGNING
Eileen will share her poetry and short fiction at
Wood Memorial Library
783 Main Street, South Windsor, CT
Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 6:30 PM
(860) 289-1783
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POETRY READINGS AND BOOK SIGNINGS
Come enjoy an evening of poetry featuring the renowned poetry group, Artemis Rising. Featuring:
Eileen Albrizio
Priscilla Herrington
Terri Klein
Suzy Lamson
Mary Ellizabeth Lang
Suzanne Niedsielska
Paula Panzarella
Victoria Rivas
Linda Yuhas
Monday, June 1, 2009 at 6:30
Faxon Library
1073 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford, CT
(860) 523-5545
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR TALK AND BOOK SALE
Join:
Connie & Eileen Albrizio (Mother-Daughter Poetry Team)
Mel Hawthorne (Historical Fiction)
Denis Horgan (Memoir & Contemporary Fiction)
Jan Mann (Travel & Recipes)
Patricia Sheehey (Gift-Giving & Contemporary Fiction)
Carol Shmurak (Murder Mysteries & Young Adult)
for an author talk and book signing
Sunday, June 7, 2009 from 3 PM to 5 PM
The Buttonwood Tree
605 Main Street, Middletown, CT
(860 347-4957
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POETRY READINGS AND BOOK SIGNINGS
Come enjoy an evening of poetry featuring the renowned poetry group, Artemis Rising. Featuring:
Eileen Albrizio
Priscilla Herrington
Terri Klein
Suzy Lamson
Mary Ellizabeth Lang
Suzanne Niedsielska
Paula Panzarella
Victoria Rivas
Linda Yuhas
Saturday, June 27, 2009 at 1 PM
Broad Street Books
45 Broad Street, Middletown, CT
(860) 685-7323
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you for your enthusiasm for the literary arts!!
AN EVENING OF MUSIC AND POETRY
Come enjoy an evening of Madrigal and piano music as well as the poetry of prize-winning poet, Eileen Albrizio. Eileen will share new works plus selected pieces from her latest book, Perennials: New & Selected Poems, which was nominated for the 2008 CT Book Award.
"The Well-Seasoned Perennial"
Saturday, April 18, 2009 at 7 PM
Studio 59
59 Barber Street, Torrington, CT
Contact Timothy Wallace at (860) 482-6901
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR READING AND BOOK SIGNING
Eileen will share her poetry and short fiction
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 6:30 PM
Frederick H. Cossitt Library
388 North Granby Road, Granby, CT 06035
(860) 653-8958
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR READING AND BOOK SIGNING
Eileen will share her poetry and short fiction at
Wood Memorial Library
783 Main Street, South Windsor, CT
Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 6:30 PM
(860) 289-1783
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POETRY READINGS AND BOOK SIGNINGS
Come enjoy an evening of poetry featuring the renowned poetry group, Artemis Rising. Featuring:
Eileen Albrizio
Priscilla Herrington
Terri Klein
Suzy Lamson
Mary Ellizabeth Lang
Suzanne Niedsielska
Paula Panzarella
Victoria Rivas
Linda Yuhas
Monday, June 1, 2009 at 6:30
Faxon Library
1073 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford, CT
(860) 523-5545
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR TALK AND BOOK SALE
Join:
Connie & Eileen Albrizio (Mother-Daughter Poetry Team)
Mel Hawthorne (Historical Fiction)
Denis Horgan (Memoir & Contemporary Fiction)
Jan Mann (Travel & Recipes)
Patricia Sheehey (Gift-Giving & Contemporary Fiction)
Carol Shmurak (Murder Mysteries & Young Adult)
for an author talk and book signing
Sunday, June 7, 2009 from 3 PM to 5 PM
The Buttonwood Tree
605 Main Street, Middletown, CT
(860 347-4957
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POETRY READINGS AND BOOK SIGNINGS
Come enjoy an evening of poetry featuring the renowned poetry group, Artemis Rising. Featuring:
Eileen Albrizio
Priscilla Herrington
Terri Klein
Suzy Lamson
Mary Ellizabeth Lang
Suzanne Niedsielska
Paula Panzarella
Victoria Rivas
Linda Yuhas
Saturday, June 27, 2009 at 1 PM
Broad Street Books
45 Broad Street, Middletown, CT
(860) 685-7323
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you for your enthusiasm for the literary arts!!
Friday, March 13, 2009
The President of the Unites States Reads Comic Books. So Should YOU!!!
They're not funny books any more! Comic books have evolved into a medium as diverse as literature itself! Boys and girls, men and women, all can now enjoy the thrill of reading these great works of fiction that are accompanied by great art. Here are just a few of the exciting books you can find at your local comic book store!!
Of course the classic heroes and hero teams are still going strong: Batman, Superman, Spiderman, X-Men, Avengers (darker than ever), Justice League and more.Of course, where would the world of the imagination be without ZOMBIES? The critically acclaimed Walking Dead. Robert Kirkman writes of the very personal problems that humans face when living in a world where zombies roam free!
What happens when every male mammal on earth simultaneously disappears? The only exceptions are Yorick Brown, a young amateur escape artist, and his Capuchin monkey Ampersand. Society is plunged into chaos and the surviving women everywhere try to cope with the loss of the men, their survivors' guilt, and the knowledge that humanity is doomed to extinction.
Something lighter perhaps. Enter the Bone family; white, bald cartoon caricatures with big noses that look like a goofy Casper the Ghost. In the opening pages, the three Bone cousins are run out of their hometown of Boneville and relocate in Barrelhaven, where Fone Bone falls in love with a girl and attempts to prove his love through poetry. From there, the Bones set out to save the world!
Don't worry! There's always something for the little ones: Archie, Betty & Veronica, Disney, Scooby Doo, Simpsons, and junior versions of all our favorite superheroes!!
Come on over to Heroes & Hitters
1845 Silas Deane Highway, Rocky Hill, CT 06067Or call us at (860) 529-8824
Serving the comic book community for 20 YEARS!
Open seven days a week
Monday, November 10, 2008
Taking the Labor Out of Starting a Story
Part One:
Don’t be the author that might have been because starting a story is too cumbersome to master. The blank page (or in modern-day vernacular, the blank computer screen) is your friend, not your enemy. Too often, writers get stuck even before they start, and because getting unstuck seems impossible, the starts never happen. Is this you? It’s been me many times, but I’ve learned a few things in the 30 years that I’ve been writing, and I never get “stuck” anymore. I am going to share with you a few skills and practices that will help you unlock that great story brewing in your mind, and allow you to put to the page those all important opening words, the words that will grab your reader and thrust them into the heart of your story. Notice I said “skills and practices” and not “tricks.” There are no tricks to successful writing. Each author has her own style, her own impetus to write. However there are a few fundamentals that every writer should know and practice BEFORE beginning the writing process. By learning and then following these fundamentals, the process will not only become easier, but far more enjoyable.
Arguably, a writer’s most important practice is to read. Seems rather rudimentary, but it is surprisingly the one thing of which many writers do too little. Reading is, as the axiom goes, fundamental. For the writer, it is nothing less than essential. Perhaps one of the reasons the simple act of reading seems so daunting to writers is that the volume of choices is so astronomically grand. Therefore, the question becomes, “What do I read?”
Many successful authors would answer that question by asking you in return, “What do wish to write?” If you wish to pen mysteries, then you should read mysteries. If your desire is to write historical fiction, then you should read historical fiction. Are children’s stories your style? Then, of course, read children’s stories. Makes sense, and the advice is sound. For whatever genre you are looking to specialize in, you should be an avid reader in that genre. Go to the bookstore in your local mall, or check out Amazon.com and see what the best-selling, best-reviewed books are in your genre. Then read them. Ask your friends, family, co-workers what they are reading, and if they answer they are reading something in the avenue of which you wish to write, then borrow the book.
The advantages of reading are many. First, reading helps the writer define exactly where his passion lies. If you think you would be a great mystery writer, but find reading well-received mystery novels less than pleasurable, then you must ask yourself, “Why do I want to write mysteries if I don’t enjoy reading them?” If the answer is, “Because I think mysteries will sell,” then you are writing for the wrong reasons, and you will likely not become a successful mystery writer. On the other hand, if, while reading your forty-third romance novel, you look up at the clock to discover that it’s three in the morning, and you’ve been reading for six hours and you have to be up at seven, but still can’t put the book down, well, you might be on to something.
Once you determine that you in fact do have a passion for the genre in which you wish to write, then reading serves another purpose. You have already perused a plethora of well-written novels, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Now, reread the ones you loved best, and study the format, the structure, the formula perhaps. Take notes on language and characterization, transition and plotline. Denote the balance between description and dialogue, action and rest. How much time does the author dedicate to the start, rising action, climax and denouement? Are there twists, red herrings, subplots, and subtexts? How many characters are there? How many settings? Etc. Etc.
Another benefit is that in reading you expand your mind. By reading, you open yourself up to experiences that you never thought imaginable. You take in ideas that could not have been perceived without having read a particular book. You expand your language and vocabulary, learn new dialects, patois, and other regionalisms. You discover what works for you in a certain story and what doesn’t. Even the best-written and most notable novels don’t appeal to everyone. Soon, you will find that you can decipher specifically what holds your interest and what slows down your reading. The more you read, the more your mind grows. The more expansive your mind, the better equipped you are to write.
Now, you’ve read enough books to know you want to write certain kind of story. You have studied the genre to a point where you believe you should be ready to start, but as you click on your computer screen, you still find yourself staring at a blank page. Where to begin? I could say, draw an outline. Many authors do. But, some award-winning, highly successful writers simply begin at the beginning and make notes as they go. Again, each writer has a different style, a different motivation, a different approach to writing. No one approach is more correct than another. All that matters is that it works for you. So, then, where do you start? How do find those elusive all-important first words that are essential in grabbing your reader? You sit, alone, pondering, wondering, thinking, “What to write? What to write? What words are the right words to write?” And those words don’t come. Why? – The answer likely lies in your plot sentence. Do you have one? While explaining to a friend what your story is about, you find yourself digressing and rambling in many directions, unable to formulate a cohesive description, it then becomes evident that you don’t have a clear understanding of your story at all and therefore are not ready to begin writing it. Even if the story changes, you should have an initial plot sentence before entering the story. Formulate one sentence that, in a nutshell, effectively describes the main plot, the main story arc, and more often than not, the protagonist of your story. The effectiveness of your story’s beginning depends largely on the structure and specificity of your plot sentence. Make certain the action of your story in your plot sentence comes before the noun or the mention of the main character. And by all means, avoid being vague. Ask yourself the necessary questions that will fill out your plot and your main character. For example, let’s say this is your plot sentence: “The story is about a college student who comes against life-altering obstacles that threaten to destroy his dream of becoming a professional football player.” Ask yourself these questions:
- Who is the college student?
- What is his name?
- Does he actually play college football?
- If so, what’s his position on the team?
- What year student is he?
- Is he any good at the game?
- What are the life-threatening obstacles?
- Are they chance obstacles, like he develops cancer or his house was washed away in a flood, or are they purposeful threats – someone is out to get him to intentionally hurt him.
- When deciding on the life-threatening obstacle, how did it happen and when?
- Why does he dream of being a professional football player – prospects for fame and fortune - love of the game - his father was a pro ball player - his father is pushing him to be a pro ball player - He was a 90 pound weakling who proved himself to be a powerful force on the football field.
Sounds like a lot for one sentence, but it really isn’t. You can condense all of your answers into one or two words and it is not against the rules to have more than one clause in your sentence (But be careful to not have too many as you may fall victim to the run-on sentence.) Once these questions are answered, then structure your sentence so the action is up front. Instead of “The story is about a college student…” turn it around.
“After a violent and suspiciously purposeful rogue tackle from rival Jack Snow, Blue Devil’s running back and senior college football favorite John Foxworthy is paralyzed from the waist down, left to struggle with his broken dreams, more importantly his father’s broken dreams for him, of becoming a professional football player.”
OK, it’s not perfect, but you get the idea. Now you have your plot sentence. So, how do you turn this into the opening lines of your book? Easy. The opening lines of your story should directly connect with the core or your plot. If you are writing about a college football player who dreams of being a pro, then start the story on the football field. If your story is about a town threatened by deadly forces from outer space, then begin the story with a spacecraft crash landing in the middle of a Midwestern town. If the plot of your novel circles around finding a serial killer who preys on college women with long dark hair, then open your novel with the murder of one of these women. From there you can either flashback or move forward. It’s up to you. Notice that in each example your story is opening with an action. It isn’t a student sitting at his desk in World Geography class, or a Midwestern family gathered around the dinner table in prayer or the young woman primping to go out for the night. That all may have a place later, but right at the start, jump into the action!
There’s one more element that is vitally important in creating that all-important opening scene, and that is the picture that you paint. How vivid is the scene, how specific the action. How clear is the scene. Will the reader be confused about what’s happening? What is the mood that is being set? Don’t be overly comic if the genre is literary drama, or draw out a graphic death scene if the book is a comedy. The mood must be instantaneously set. Later you can add comic relief, or dramatic reinforcement, or whatever you need to round out your story. At the start, the mood should be set. But how do you create a mood with words? How can you paint a picture with text? If you weren’t having fun before now, then here’s where you’ll start. This is where you begin the real creativity in your creative writing. And it all comes down to poetry. POETRY? Yes, poetry. As a poet, I have mastered many of the rhetorical devices used in writing verse and applied those devices to my prose writing.
Think about it. What is poetry? Poetry is taking one moment in time, one tiny slice of life, and presenting that moment to the public in the least amount of words possible. That is the opening of your book. Successful poetry concentrates on the concrete images and pictures that depict the emotions of the poet. By focusing on the concrete and eliminating the abstract, the poet is able to pinpoint the precise emotions they are trying to convey. If a poet were to do the opposite, that is focus on the abstract, then the meaning of the words would be open to too broad of an interpretation. By turning emotions like love, hate, fear, anger, frustration, depression, etc. into concrete images, the poet is able to more clearly and accessibly convey what she is trying to say. Take the emotion of the scene, the rush the football player feels as he’s racing for the goal, the disruption of peace in the sleepy Midwest town, the fear of the young woman walking alone at night, and turn it into an image. I will help you through that process in my next blog.
For now, send me your comments or questions regarding what you’ve learned or read so far in this blog, and I will be happy to answer you. Let’s make this interactive. You may know something I don’t regarding how to successfully write the opening pages of your novel or story. You may want to add to what I’ve already said or contradict some ideas. You may want to send some examples of what you’ve written for critique or just to share. Remember, if you are critiquing someone else’s work, be as constructive and kind as you would wish others to be to you. The purpose of critique is to enhance an existing work, not to interject ideas of your own or to simply say you like or don’t like something. We are looking for positive reinforcement and constructive advice.
Don’t worry, if you are eager to continue with the use of poetic rhetorical devices and concrete imagery in the writing of your prose fiction…It’s coming! In the meantime, I am looking forward to your comments and thank you for reading my blog!
Eileen Albrizio - Author: Messy on the Inside (poetry), Rain: Dark as Water in Winter (poetry), On the Edge (a recitation of poems on audio CD), Perennials: New & Selected Poems (poetry), Alision’s Weight (young adult novel), Dragonfly Net (mystery novel), What’s a Mother For? (one-act play –co-authored by Connie Magnan-Albrizio &-recognized by Writer’s Digest in 1996), Rain (one-act play – recognized by Writer’s Digest in 1997), The Blind Side of Night (compilation of short stories – in progress)
Winner of the 2003 and 2008 Individual Artist Fellowships from the Greater Hartford Arts Council. Former award-winning news anchor and journalist for NPR and its Connecticut affiliate.
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