Month: July 2019

Words for Writers Wednesday: Let No One Silence You

~ ladyjabberwocky ~ Leave a comment

Let no one silence your spirit.

Let no one silence your story.

You and your words have

tremendous value

and boundless potential.

Write with Heart,

Lady Jabberwocky

Main Character Name Reveal (And Staying Positive)

~ ladyjabberwocky ~ 4 Comments

Hello Writer Bugs!

It has been a rough week for me. Job hunting is difficult. Rejection is disheartening. I’m working on staying positive and strong, and learning how to keep my head above water in tough times. Shout out to my amazing boyfriend for keeping me afloat when I was drowning. I don’t know where I’d be without his unwavering love and support.

On the plus side, I think my main character for my WIP finally has a new name. For those of you who have been following my journey as a fiction writer, you’ll know that I’ve been wanting to change the name of my main character, after 5 years. Since this is a small milestone for me, and a brighter point in my week, I thought I’d share with you guys.

Drumroll please, writer bees! My detective’s new name is…

Graham Ward Barnaby or Private Detective G.W. Barnaby

This may not seem like a big deal to most of you, but to me, this is a well needed change. Personally, I put a lot of thought into character names. They have to look and sound like a given name found in the real world (in the right time period). Now, his name is still subject to change but for now, I think this name suits him well (both as a full name and as initials). I’m happy with the next chapter in my beloved character’s evolution. And who knows? You might see Detective Barnaby is another project of mine. Wink wink.

Thank you guys for always being so sweet and supportive of this little ol’ blog. It means more to me than words can express. You writer bugs keep me going, and keep me writing.

What do you think of his new name? Have you ever made a major change to your main character? Talk to me in the comments, I’d love to hear from you!

Write with Heart,

Lady Jabberwocky

3 Tips on Creating Likeable Antagonists

~ ladyjabberwocky ~ 5 Comments

Mayday! Mayday!

You’re writing a story, minding your own business, when suddenly, a character you’re creating is taking a nose dive right into unlikable jerk territory. Let’s try to save your character from being total terror.

Whether they be hot tempered, or rude, or just have a nasty attitude,  you have created a character who is nothing but bad qualities. An unpleasant fellow in every regard. Yes, there are antagonists and villains and personified rain clouds, however, is that all they are? Just… the bad guy?

Here are some tips for creating a character we love to hate (and not hate to hate).

Changing Point of View

If your story involves multiple narratives, consider having your jerk character try on the narrator hat for a bit. How do they see the world? Are they really as nasty as they seem? What are their home lives like? Is there a reason for their misbehavior? Take a walk in their shoes. By doing this, it can give the reader insight to that character’s backstory and perspective.

Create Obstacles

Let there a be a struggle that shows another side of their character. The reader will gain a level of empathy for this character if they see them face some kind of hardship. Maybe the character learns from their past mistakes? Or feels guilt about something? Or has to face a real, serious conflict, either internal or external. Give the character a hill to climb over.

Give Them a Redeemable Trait

Anything. There has to be something good. No matter how horrible and cruel someone is, there must be some redeemable quality. Are they charming? Quick witted? Hard working? Show some level of respect or affection towards another? Like animals? (Who doesn’t like puppies?) You catch my drift. Any sort of positive trait to balance out the not so positive traits.

Don’t just have a character who is only recognized by the reader as being a terrible person. Real characters, like real people, need a balance in order to be complex.

Hope this helps some writer out there. In the comments, let me know who your favorite bad guy character you love to hate.

Write with Heart,

Lady Jabberwocky.

Sorcerous of the Winter Moon (Fantasy Flash Fiction)

~ ladyjabberwocky ~ 4 Comments

This is a short story I wrote based the prompt of the week “Create a Fantasy Weapon“.

“What in all the realms is that?” The two children of magic stepped forward. Wedged high into the stone was a bejeweled staff with shards of ice cradling a turquoise orb.

Cecil shivered behind me, adjusting his spectacles. “The wand of Pellinora the wicked, sorcerous of the Winter Moon.” He unpacked a leather bound tome from his belongings and skimmed the tattered pages. Wings of a monarch butterfly stretched out on the young fae’s back as she lifted herself off the ground for a closer look. Her fingers gingerly caressed the silver handle. “I-I wouldn’t touch that if I were you. Legend has it that Pellinora was banished into her own wand.” Her companion’s voice wavered.

Juniper grasped the staff in her hand. Her idle flutter dipped down in the air, not expecting the weight of the scepter to be so heavy. “Oh please, that’s just a myth-” The orb began to glow, filling the cave with shimmering teal light. In a flurry of magic, a whirlwind of snow and ice began to rage within the cave.

“Juniper!” The young wizard called out, the blizzard colliding into his chest and forcing him to the ground. “Put it down!” She released the scepter, ice burning her hands. Frost chilled the tips of her wings. The silver staff clattered to the ground, the orb’s light dimming in ease. Cecil scrambled to his feet, clutching the book to his chest. “I forgot to mention, the wand can summon a blizzard at one’s will.”

The fairy girl hovered over the wand, shaking the snow out of her chestnut brown hair. “But I didn’t ask to summon anything!”

“It may not have been your will, b-but it may have been hers.”

The two adventurers stared down at the scepter. A devious laugh echoed through the cavern.

Crash Course in Ernest Hemingway’s Iceberg Theory

~ ladyjabberwocky ~ 12 Comments

Hello Writer Bees!

Currently, I’m cleaning out my space and getting rid of all my worldly, and worthless, possessions. So, in the spirit of removing unncesary things, let’s talk about the king of minimalism himself: Ernest Hemingway.

Breaking News!

For all the history buffs, this one’s for you. Before he became a famous author, Ernest Hemingway was a journalist for the Toronto Star. In the start of his career as a writer, he wrote reports on current events that featured little context and interpretation. This way of writing transferred into his fiction writing and shaped his signature style we know today.

What is the Iceburg Theory?

In short, the Iceberg Theory is a writing technique coined by Ernest Hemingway. In the words of Hemmingway himself, It’s “declarative sentences and direct representations of the visible world“. This style is about burying themes and meanings underneath the surface of a story. Let the readers uncover those treasures for themselves.

Tips on Minimalist Writing

  • Edit smart. Remove excess fat of exposition.
  • Let dialogue and physical cues speak for themselves.
  • Cover up symbols and themes under short, distant sentences.
Image Courtesy of embracetheworldsite.wordpress.com

Want to see Hemingway’s minimalist style in action? Check out some of his most notable works.

Hope you guys learned more about Hemingway and his unique writing style. Perhaps the Iceberg theory will creep into your own writing, just a little bit.

Enjoy the rest of the week everyone!

Write with Heart,

Lady Jabberwocky