Rejection Issues–Healing Part II
Posted on May 12, 2015 Leave a Comment
On this website you can find the classic symptoms of rejection, or what is clinically known as Avoidant Personality Disorder. You can check those out here.
When I was growing up, I had all the classic symptoms, shy, uncomfortable in new situations where I didn’t know anyone, hard time making friends, etc. One side effect of APD I found in myself twenty years ago is what I call “info dump.”
Research–Imperative for Writers
Posted on May 6, 2015 Leave a Comment
Whether writing fiction or non-fiction, research is the most important thing we do. Movies and television seem to be able to “get away with” not being accurate or getting their facts straight. And maybe in the past, writers could as well. Not anymore. But the thing about fiction is that you can away with fudging a bit, as I am in my novel. I’m fudging a bit on time, on how civilized my hometown was, shoot, I’m even fictionalizing the name of my hometown.
Do Not Judge–Part I
Posted on May 5, 2015 2 Comments
In today’s world we have to make all kinds of judgments. We make decisions based upon these verdicts about the weather, about what to purchase, and even about people.
The meanings of the word “judge” I’m looking at today are 1) to form an idea, opinion, or estimate about any matter, and 2) to criticize or censure. I believe that we criticize or censure people based upon the ideas and opinions we’ve formed about them.
Storytelling – What Makes a Story Great?
Posted on April 29, 2015 2 Comments
Charlton Heston in Ben-Hur
What is it about a story that makes it compelling? Is it the characters? Is it the plot? Is it the element of surprise? Is it the challenges? Is it danger?
I submit, it’s all of them, skillfully put together, woven like a tapestry to make an impression on our minds and in our hearts.
Extraordinary – What Makes It?
Posted on April 28, 2015 Leave a Comment
Webster’s – 1) not according to the usual custom or regular plan; 2) going far beyond the ordinary degree, measure, limit, very unusual, exceptional, remarkable; 3) outside the regular staff, sent on a special errand, having special authority or responsibility.
I believe we are all created to be extraordinary. Some things came out of my mouth over the weekend. Has that ever happened to you? An idea or an inspiration hits you and the words that come out of your mouth surprise you?
Putting Fire in Your Fiction
Posted on April 22, 2015 Leave a Comment
The tagline to Donald Maas’ The Fire in Fiction is “passion, purpose, and techniques TO MAKE YOUR NOVEL GREAT.”
The book covers everything from characterization, the story world, scenes, dialogue, and voice. Each chapter has a set of practical tools dealing with each section from that chapter. As an example, I’ll talk about Chapter Three, Scenes That Can’t Be Cut.
Forgiveness is Key–Part II
Posted on April 21, 2015 2 Comments
I was recently at a writer’s conference with other Christian writers. I met one of the speakers for the first time, even though I’d emailed her before. She was pleasant to talk to and I felt a connection with her which I hope we can develop further.
I attended her fiction-track session and it was interesting. But during her presentation, she said something that grieved my heart. Her emotional pain and wounding spilled out. Her big thing is “truth.” People should be truthful in their writing, tell the truth. What she meant by this is to not gloss over, cover up or dilute the truth of what we’re writing.
Writing–The Mystery of Characters Part I
Posted on April 15, 2015 Leave a Comment
What is a character? An imaginary person we writers think up. How did I create Meghan Gallagher? She started out as a nineteen-year-old very unlikeable spoiled brat, which is what I wanted her to be, but soon learned no one wants to read about a spoiled brat, even though she was going to change drastically. A former Christian Writers Guild (CWG) mentor helped me make her more likeable, and it worked. Meghan could still exhibit immaturity and impulsiveness, but without the entitlement snobby attitudes that go with it.
How did I form her two suitors, Scott and Duncan? Well, they had to be similar, yet very different. Duncan the cowboy especially, had to be opposite of Meghan, yet in reality, had more in common with her than Scott, the doctor. I’ll deal with them in Part II, and some of my supporting characters in Part III. Read More
Rejection Issues–Healing–Part I
Posted on April 14, 2015 Leave a Comment
Collage of photos gathered for my party 2014
Healing is a process. My healing has come in stages. As I go along, I’ll tell my story, in some detail, but not all. I believe I have received personal revelation from God Himself about myself before I was born.
Healing comes in different ways. My healing came first from God, then people. When in prayer some years ago, I believe God told me about what happened while in utero, so to speak. There are two kinds of people who are adopted: those who are affected by rejection, and those who aren’t. My brother wasn’t affected by adoption, and he had much more reason than I to be affected with APD/rejection syndrome.
Writing–Developing Characters–Jackson
Posted on April 8, 2015 2 Comments
In developing characters for my novel, Meghan’s Choice, I tried to populate my fictional town of New Boston, Kansas, with as many different kinds of characters as possible to challenge Meghan Gallagher’s sensibilities.
I wanted an ex-slave who would still sort of talk like a Negro from the south, but I wanted him to be intelligent and considerate. When I was first thinking of his name, I thought of a black girl I knew in high school, her last name was Jackson. I thought about who an ancestor of hers could be. So I called him Jackson.
Donna L.H. Smith 