Blog - Sherry Alexander Writes

Those Pesky Weedy Words

8/5/2018

Tansy Ragwort, pretty but toxic to cows and horses.

Why do writers need to worry about weedy words? After all, what could be wrong with including a simple "really" or "every" in a sentence? Aren't they included in daily speech? Don't they add emphasis? Don't they help convey the meaning or emotion being expressed? These are all arguments I used when an editor sent my first non-fiction piece back with this comment, "Delete the weedy words, and try again."

The answer: Nothing is wrong with including them if your goal is to keep the power out of your writing. Each word that does not move your story ahead is a useless word, so why use them. Flooding your work with useless words are like Tansy Ragwort. They are toxic to the reader, and therefore, toxic to your story.

Here are just a few of the words I try to delete before I send a manuscript off to an editor.

as
before
so
basically
eventually
about
mostly
often
kind of
little
felt
slightly
somewhat
just
but
then
usually
seemingly

Skipping Ahead

7/25/2018

All writers should know how to skip. I'm not talking about skipping rope, skipping rocks across a lake, skipping for joy, or even skipping out on a bill. Instead, I'm talking about skipping ahead in your writing. Why would a writer do such a thing? The easy answer is to jump ahead.

There are times in a writer's journey when there's a stumbling block in the road. It can be a sentence, a paragraph, or even a word. (Trying to find the right word is where I tend to trip from time to time.) When that happens, the brain seems to disconnect from the fingers and all writing comes to a dead stop. So, what's a writer suppose to do? "I know!" (The hand raises from the back corner of class) "Skip!" That's right--SKIP!

To skip: to move with leaps and bounds.

When writing a story or a book, we all hope that we can start at the beginning, follow the plot, tie up all the strings, and write an ending that will amaze. Wouldn't that be perfect? However, there are times when writing out of sequence, or skipping, is an answer to a writer's prayers, and there is no rule that says a writer has to write in chronological order. But just like skipping rope or skipping a rock takes practice, skipping ahead takes a plan. Here are three important necessities to skipping.

Know your story.
Know your protagonist.
Know your plot twists.

Once you have those three things in mind, you can move ahead by writing a snippet of dialogue, a scene, a descriptive paragraph, or even the ending. All you need to remember is that there is a delete button on the computer. Don't be afraid to use it. I've been known to write an entire chapter, but in the end it didn't work and I cut it from the book. So, don't give up when you hit a roadblock, feel free to skip ahead and keep that brain working and the fingers trying.

Taking Away the Laura Ingalls Wilder's Award Is Censorship!

6/26/2018

Today is a sad day in Mudsville, people!

The ALSC (Association for Library Services to Children) announced that they are removing Laura Ingalls Wilder name from the award given to authors and illustrators who make significant contributions to children's literature. The reason? Her references to Native Americans as savages and Indians is a form of racism. It doesn't mater that those books reflect the history of the nation during the 1800s. All that matters is the, “ALSC has had to grapple with the inconsistency between Wilder’s legacy and its core values of inclusiveness, integrity and respect, and responsiveness through an award that bears Wilder’s name.” They add that it is no way "censorship." What? Of course it is.

Oxford's Living English Dictionary defines censorship as, "The suppression or prohibition of any parts of books, films, news, etc. that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security."

Racism is a terrible thing. It denies the rights of certain individuals because of the color of their skin and opens the door to prejudice, isolation, and bigotry. I know what racism is first-hand. I am part Cherokee, however, I take after my Irish father. My siblings did not. They, like my mother, had a darker skin color, thick black hair, high cheek bones, and beautiful deep brown eyes. My first experience was when a teacher asked me, "if the little half-breed playing on the swings" was my sister. That teacher met with a kick to her knee, and I sat at home for a few days. Yes, even in the 1950s, Native Americans were considered inferior to whites. That being said, history is history.

America's forefathers, make that "our forefathers", fought Native Americans and took away their lands, their homes, their ability to hunt and feed their families, and denied them the right to practice their customs. They kept some as slaves (my great-grandmother was one), they forced the Five Civilized Tribes to walk the Trail of Tears, and tore apart families when they forced their young children to attend schools like Carlisle where they were prohibited to even speak their native tongue. History is full of atrocities like these within all nationalities, races, and governments.

So what is my problem with the removal of her name from the award? Two things.

First, to me it is the same as what the Nazi's did when they burned all books that did not paint their regime in a good light or that did not support their superiority. I can only imagine what it was like during those times for the authors who wrote anything that was considered "politically unacceptable". Don't you think the Nazi's removed names from awards?

Second, the only way we can move forward as a country--or as individuals--is to look back at the mistakes we made and take steps to never, never repeat them. The adage, "learn from your mistakes" is probably to most important thing we can do as human beings. If we followed that very simple advice, we would see history as a learning tool for the future.

I don't like American history portraying a peoples who were only fighting to protect their way of life as savages. However, that is the way the media, the wealthy businessmen who wanted what wasn't theirs, the politicians, and even the military portrayed them. And, that portrayal is evident in Laura Ingalls Wilder's stories about "Indians". She saw them as savages. To the world in the 1800s that is who Native Americans were. Are her books divisive and racist? Her world was, and that is the world she wrote about. We cannot change history. We can change the present and the future. Removing her name is a form of censorship, and a move, as far as I am concerned, in the wrong direction for real change.

Did Earth Day 2018 Inspire Your Writing?

4/23/2018

The Global Earth Day 2018 was April 22nd. People all around the world were inspired to plant trees, discuss climate change, and think about why the earth needs to be protected. For all of us who care about the environment, it was a day of bliss and sorrow. Bliss for the wonders that still exist, and sorrow for those that have died out. Given the importance of the Earth, did Earth day inspire your writing?

I am not talking about sitting outside to write your end of all end novels, or to open the windows in the stuffy den where you work away your hours by hammering on a keyboard. I am talking about inspiring your creativity to look at the world around you, really look. Did you know that 50 percent of the world's ocean coral has died? Did you know that within the next 30 years there will be more plastic in the ocean by weight than fish? Or, did you know that half of the species of animals alive before the 1970s will never be seen again? Our world has changed dramatically. Why? The answer is simple--us!

So given the shape the world is in today, don't you think it is important to share your talent by drawing attention to the only home we have--the Earth--and how we can protect what we have before we lose even more. The answer lies within the heart of each one of us, but no can say it better than a writer. So write!!

Writing in Isolation?? Why?

3/31/2018

Have you ever wished that you could hide away in a cabin in the woods? No visitors. No distractions. Canadian novelist, Claire Cameron, said, "I would get a lot of writing done if I lived in isolation in a cave under a swamp." But is that true?

I, personally, think about isolating myself to get my writing done every time my husband asks, "Are you done yet?" However, since isolation and loneliness are two of the most common complaints of writers, I guess I am lucky that I do not feel that way. I am neither isolated or lonely. I have too much going on. Do I wish that I had more time to spend at the computer? "YES!" That, though, is simply because I allow interruptions and distractions. The isolation most writers feel is real. So if you are feeling isolated, here are two things that have helped me.

Meet and greet people. I know that sounds silly, but we writers tend to get so tied up in the story that is flowing from our brains that we forget that people exist outside our imagination. Then one day we wonder what happened to our friends, our families, the newspaper boy. Setting time aside to meet and greet family, friends, and even the person knocking at our door, provides a face-to-face connection that we all need in our lives. It can boost your creativity by allowing you to share your ideas with another person. And, let's face it, 140 characters in a tweet cannot help you or I understand body language, tone of voice, speech intricacies, or even how a relationship works. Plus, if you are a children's writer, nothing beats a hug from a small child to inspire.
Eat your meals away from your work. It's so easy to grab a sandwich and head back into your loneliness to type or write away until you are so exhausted you fall asleep over whatever story you are working on. Believe me, I've been there. But, 20 or 30 minutes away from that spellbinding plot you are developing will not put a damper on your creativity. You will actually find that the break to eat may increase your creativity, productivity, and even your inspiration. Not only that, but it will also get your butt out of the chair, allow your lungs to get rid of all that built up carbon dioxide, increase your sense of smell, taste, and touch, and let you pet the cat, the dog, or feed the bird. Wow! All of that benefit in 20 or 30 minutes! Then, it is time to get your butt back in the chair!! GO!!

Digging for Treasure

2/20/2018

Have you ever seen an archaeological dig site? Once a site is determined, it is walked over, surveyed, marked, and plotted before any digging even begins. Tools are gathered--trowels, flat-blade shovels, brushes, marking sticks, string, levels, measuring tapes, rulers, survey tape, gloves, screen for sifting excavated dirt or sand, boxes, bags, and the list goes on and on. Then when everything is set, the first trench or pit is dug very carefully. Not much different than starting a new story, wouldn't you say?

Each story is a treasure waiting to be uncovered and preserved. It begins with a walk-through of sorts with questions. Is the idea I have workable? Has it been done before? If it has, can I discover a new angle? One that has not been found before? Can I build a plot? Will I need subplots? Is there a protagonist? Is there an antagonist? Will it be a story? Can it become a book? All questions asked in a matter of minutes, days, weeks, and even months as you roll the idea or the concept around in your mind. If it survives the walk-through, then, if you want to see it in print, the survey begins.

A story survey is relatively simple, but it can be very time consuming. It involves marketability. Some books just happen and this step is in no way necessary, but it can't hurt to survey what books or stories have already been published on the selected topic. I have foregone this step, and have three completed manuscripts in my file cabinet from books I've written that were already published or about to be published by someone else to prove it. Just type the subject into Amazon books, Barnes and Noble, or even Google to see what is out there and what is, "coming soon." If you decide to go ahead even though there are several books using the same idea, you have time to change the angle yours will take so that it will be different. Now for the tools.

No one starts a treasure hunt without tools. For you and I, the tools can be anything from pencil and paper to a computer. But it doesn't stop there. Depending on the story, research is involved. Research on the time period, the location, the type of dress, relationships, or whatever motivates your characters. Added to that is a quiet place to work and time. Once that is all ironed out, it's time to begin the dig!

The dig is the actual writing. The plot, the character development, the subplots, the tension, the style you want to write in, and the beginning, the middle, and the end. Everything that has cooked in your brain and mind to inspire the story is now suppose to flow onto the page in perfection. NOT! Just like an archaeological dig, the treasure you are searching for rarely appears automatically no matter how prepared you are. It takes patience and revision, and even then, your protagonist might have something else in his/her mind that you hadn't counted on. Before you know it, your story could have taken a different path that you plotted, and a new treasure is discovered.

Digging for treasure is not easy. It's tiring, frustrating, and seldom anything but personally rewarding. But what a reward! Even those three manuscripts sitting in my drawer helped me uncover treasures I had not dreamed of. The skill to change a plot in mid-stream, the ability to walk in my character's shoes, the love of the written word, pacing, sub-plotting, how to fold in minor characters to add more depth, are all treasures I discovered from my dig. What will you discover?

The Value of Observation

2/11/2018

Photo by Teddy Kelley on Unsplash

OBSERVATION: The act or instance of noticing, attentively watching, or perceiving a person, place, or thing.

Recently, I read a quote by columnist, author, and lecturer, Marilyn Vos Savant who said, “To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.” That started me thinking about the importance and value of observation as a writer.

I consider observation to be much like the dictionary's definition, but I would add seeing and even listening. Writers need to observe, or watch, see, notice, and even listen in order to create a world that entices readers to plunge into our story, article, or book. But does observation end there, or does it, like the author quoted above, lead to wisdom? I don't think so.

I have found that there are two main ways that writers observe--structured or unstructured.

Structured observation is simply a method of collecting data. It is research. It's knowing you need to get a high school cafeteria scene right so you ask permission to sit and "observe" during several lunches at the local high school. You arrive early, choose a table off to the side, and collect data on language, inter-actions, the position of the tables, the food served, the teens' clothing, and whatever you need to help set the scene.

In my first book, The Great Camel Experiment, I felt I needed to observe the loading and unloading of a camel to help me understand the explanations written in the diary of one of the participants. That meant "observing" how a camel may have been packed in the 1850s. This structured observation helped me understand previously unknown terms and the time element involved.

When using unstructured observation, the writer has a vague idea of what to look for, but is open to whatever comes her way. I am using this technique now for my new book on bullying. I have an opinion, but I do not want it to take precedence. Instead I am looking for unexpected behaviors, words, phrases, or comments that could lead to a bullying situation. When I see or hear something along these lines, I record the incident in my notebook and include all the nuances of the moment--people, time, place, and situation. Because of my subject matter and the fact that I am a responsible parent at my location of choice, however, I am also ready to intervene when I do see it occur. If and when I intervene, I also jot down the behavior that follows.

It doesn't matter which observation is used, just that it is, and it does not matter which genre you choose to write. All writing, as far as I am concerned, can discover a treasure trove of value in observation.

So, you want to be a writer--for Kids

2/4/2018

"Picture" an Angry Character

12/24/2017

Photo by Varanasi/freeimages.com

A picture is truly worth a thousand words, but writers need to paint that picture with very few words. So how do we "picture" an angry character especially when we are told to show not tell?

Anger is a strong emotion or feeling. We all know that anger does not just happen. It needs a catalyst. There has to be a spark or something that stimulates or creates the anger. That spark can come from anyone or anywhere. As writers, we need to create the situation where the anyone or anywhere ignites that anger in our characters. In other words, it needs to be built into the plot. No one believes a character that flies off the handle all the time without a reason--that is unless that type of uncontrolled anger without reason is the plot. But a writer needs to decide on the motivation? Once that is decided, the next thing to consider is how the character will react. Is she passive or aggressive?

Passive meaning withdrawn, sullen, cynical, resentful, secretive, deceptive, or even judgmental. Aggressive meaning selfish, lashing out, assertive, combative, vocal, or even destructive. Why? Because each behavior displays different body language, and describing the character's body language defines the character's anger. Does the character roll her eyes, mumble, round their shoulders when asked a question, procrastinate, fold her arms over her chest when asked to do something or join an activity? Or, does she sneer, clench her fists, push into someone else's comfort zone, wave her finger, make large sweeping gestures, or square her shoulders and hold her body erect.

When we have a handle on the motivation and how we want our character to act, then we can start choosing descriptive words that will show the anger instead of just telling. Join me next time when I try out a few new phrases to describe my character's outrage at being bullied--and yes, he is passive aggressive.

Happy writing!!

Facial signalsMuch aggression can be shown in the face, from disapproving frowns and pursed lips to sneers and full snarls. The eyes can be used to stare and hold the gaze for long period. They may also squint, preventing the other person seeing where you are looking.
Attack signalsWhen somebody is about to attack, they give visual signal such as clenching of fists ready to strike and lowering and spreading of the body for stability. They are also likely to give anger signs such as redness of the face, lowered brow, showing teeth, scowling or sneering.
Exposing oneselfExposing oneself to attack is also a form of aggression. It is saying 'Go on - I dare you. I will still win.' It can include not looking at the other person, crotch displays, relaxing the body, turning away and so on.
InvasionInvading the space of the other person in some way is an act of aggression that is equivalent to one country invading another.
False friendshipInvasion is often done under the cloak of of familiarity, where you act as if you are being friendly and move into a space reserved for friends, but without being invited. This gives the other person a dilemma of whether to repel a 'friendly' advance or to accept dominance of the other.
ApproachWhen you go inside the comfort zone of others without permission, you are effectively invading their territory. The closer you get, the greater your ability to use a 'first strike' attack, from which an opponent may not recover. While you may well not intend this, the other person may well feel the discomfort of this risk.
TouchingTouching the person is another form of invasion. Even touching social touch zones such as arm and back can be aggressive.
GesturesInsulting gesturesThere are many, many gestures that have the primary intent of insulting the other person and hence inciting them to anger and a perhaps unwise battle. Single and double fingers pointed up, arm thrusts, chin tilts and so on are used, although many of these do vary across cultures (which can make for hazardous accidental movements when you are overseas).
Many gestures are sexual in nature, indicating that the other person should go away and fornicate, that you (or someone else) are having sex with their partner, and so on.
Mock attacksGestures may include symbolic action that mimics actual attacks, including waving fingers (the beating baton), shaking fists, head-butts, leg-swinging and so on. This is saying 'Here is what I will do to you!'
Physical items may be used as substitutes, for example banging of tables and doors or throwing . Again, this is saying 'This could be you!'
Sudden movementsAll of these gestures may be done suddenly, signaling your level of aggression and testing the other person's reactions.
Large gesturesThe size of gestures may also be used to signal levels of aggression, from simple finger movements to whole arm sweeps, sometimes even with exaggerated movements of the entire body.
See alsoPower, Emotions, War game, Emphasis with body language, Dominant body language, Gesture types

Writing With Kids

12/19/2017

Photo by MI PHAM on Unsplash

How do you answer a request from a young author-want-to-be when they ask, "Will you help me write a book?" Do you go into the million and one obstacles that face writers who have an innate desire to see their book in print? Do you talk about the long process most writers go through--idea, plot outline, character outline, tons of research, and the formidable beginning, middle, and end? Do you remind her that the key to writing is reading? Or, do you look into those discerning eyes filled with creative brightness and say, "Of course, I will!"

In my case, I answered with an emphatic, "Yes," when my granddaughter asked me that question. But then the doubts started flowing in along with the words of Steven Wright, "I'm writing a book. I've got the page numbers done." I had to ask myself, can I really write with a twelve year-old who can tell a story at lightning speed, change characters in a flash, and instantly weave in new ideas while my mind is still trying follow the bread crumbs she left for me along the way. How could I not? So our journey is beginning and this is how.

Decide on a topic. This isn't as easy as it sounds. My beautiful granddaughter was blessed at birth with a mind overflowing with ideas, and she doesn't just want to write one book--but hundreds of books. We narrowed it down to her top ten topics, put each idea into a bowl, and then drew out the winner. Topic acquired!
Choose a subject. Her topic is endangered animals which is where her heart is and what she blogs about each month. Now, we had to narrow down the subject. Would it be black rhinos, African elephants, wild camels, Siberian Tigers, Northern Right Whale, or the Mountain Gorilla?
Research the chosen subject. Keep this light to begin with. She chose basic facts about the animal, why it is endangered, and what is being done to save it.
Create a storyboard. We divided this into three sections--beginning or introduction, the middle is where the facts, history, region of the world, and why it is endangered went here, and conclusion for what is or is not being done and what can be done.
Final reading research. This is a rundown of what books are out there on her chosen subject, do they have the same material, and how are they different from the book she is writing.

I am proud to say that we are on the third bullet point, and I am learning right along with her. Since she has decided on a non-fiction picture book for 5 to 8 years old, she has added another bullet point to our journey. She has developed a questionnaire for schoolmates in Kindergarten through third grade so, "I can learn what they want to see in a book about my endangered animal."

I think this venture is going to be awesome! Who wouldn't want to write with a kid?