Write, Right ~ What's in Your Carburetor?

This is my introductory blog post as a new member of The Borrowed Bookteam. My weekly contribution will be called, “Write, Right.” The title implies LisaLudwig’s faith in me to deliver the rightstuff for writers. My goal is to provide useful tidbits of information thatmight be of interest to my fellow writers, as well as for readers of our books.

My reaction to Lisa’s title suggesting was typical of me. Initialexcitement. . .followed by worry. Can I really present interesting, useful stuffweek after week?

Sure, I can. . .can’t I?

I suspect that kind of uncertainty is the bane of many introverted writertypes who spend more time in their heads then in the real world. In fact, anauthor’s whole journey is fraught with opportunities for self-doubt. When thingsare going well, a writer is on top of the world. But when the going gets rough(read: no contracts or bad reviews or rejections, etc.) a writer’s self-esteem canerode, impacting every area of his or her life.

Proactive self-awareness is vital to a writer’s emotional survival. Thatmeans being cognizant of what we’re feeling and why. Then, even if we can’t fixthe situation, we can redirect our thoughts. And even more important, we canremind ourselves that we’re not alone.

I sometimes compare myself to an old car with a carburetor*. On days whenthe fuel/air mix in my carburetor is off, I blow black smoke that shrouds me andthose around me in a smelly fog. As a result, my thinking is cloudy. I tend tosee the dark side and not the light. Then there are other days when my carburetorisn’t adjusted right, and my day starts in fits and jerks. Like when I discoverI have to run an unexpected (and lengthy) errand instead of being able to writefor hours as I’d planned.

I’m sure The Borrowed Book readers know where I’m headed with this. Thecarburetor is a metaphor for my spirit. And just as a well running carburetor, withthe perfect mix of fuel and air, keeps a classic car running smoothly, ahealthy spirit is essential to my well being—to keep my emotions runningsmoothly.

The fuel in my spirit carburetor is the Word of God. The air is the HolySpirit. I need both in the right amounts to navigate the ruts and puddles on mylife’s road. I must tend to my spirit carburetor and even rebuild* it ifnecessary to survive the bumps in the road. If I break down along the way, Imay need a new gasket or good soak in spiritual carburetor cleaner.

When I maintain the right mix of spiritual fuel in a clean spiritualcarburetor, I’m working at peak performance. I can approach whatever I do,whether it’s a proposal, a book, or a blog article, with the confidence thatthe Lord is with me. I can also face the rejections and down times withcourage.

And so with this introduction I begin my tour of duty with Lisa and TheBorrowed Book team. I hope my efforts will be a worthy addition. I’m delightedto be here.

*A writerly tidbit: Carburetors have been replaced in newer cars by fuelinjectors. In older cars, carburetors mixed air with gasoline to provide what’scalled internal combustion. A bad mix could lead to a number of problems fromblack exhaust to wasting fuel or even engine damage.

You can buy a carburetor rebuild kit and fix a carburetor yourself—amessy project. There are all sorts of little parts that easily get lost. I knowthis because I helped rebuild several of them. And trust me, the carburetorcleaner isn’t good for a manicure.

Small equipment like chain saws and lawn mowers still use carburetors.

Okay, to apply to our writing. Think manly hero with a ’57 Chevy thathe’s restoring. Our girly girl heroine goes to his house and is appalled todiscover his dining room table covered with newspaper and smelly pieces ofmetal. Or even funnier, reverse it. Our girly girl heroine is the car hobbyist,and our hero is amazed.

Below is a picture of a Ford Truck V8 1975 carburetor and rebuild kit.

Read More

Backstory 101 ~ Backstory Ascends Its Throne

August 24, 2010

If you'll remember from last week, we talked about how to hint at backstory (events that occur previous to chapter one) within your story. Today we will take that same example and build on it to show the importance of *knowing* your character's backstory before you begin writing. It adds depth to your character/s. Layers. Think onion.

LAST WEEK: A woman who has endured abuse in the past at the hands of her spouse is sitting at a table as he rants and raves. Remember, on paper, the reader knows nothing of this woman or of this man. They don't even know that she has been abused in the past. Yet. What we are going to do is SHOW through her actions and reactions to her spouse that she has endured violence at the hands of her husband before.

Mary focused on the vein in Larry's forehead. The one that always swelled in direct proportion to the build of Larry's anger. She gripped the edges of the kitchen chair with her hands and dared not stare down at the rough wood boards of the table.
"Listen to me!" he snapped and pounded the table.
Her spine stiffened and she purposely blanked her expression. Fear swam in the back of her throat, an oily taste that worked her gag reflex.
Larry jammed his face up next to hers. "That's the problem, you never listen to me."
He grabbed her upper arms with all the strength of a construction worker.

Today we'll add to this. Let's take one aspect of the woman's backstory, her job, and tell me how what she does for a living is going to affect her actions and reactions to yet another one of her husband's tantrums.

1)How would the woman's job as CEO of a company affect her reaction?

2)How would she react if her job was that of a janitor?

3)Same scenario, but she is a scientist?

4)What if she is unemployed?

Really give this some thought. What you're doing is seeing how one tiny aspect of a character's life, something the reader will not know about that person right off, can vary their action/reaction. Why is this, and how does it help deepen characterization?

Read More