Rainforest Pickings #7 - 11 Writing Sites for 2011

Four Guys named Santa. . .

Here’s my pick of the writer sites that I’ve found helpful, and those that keep me coming back. Lists can save time, and most writers can use more time. In 2011, many bloggers assessed their blogging schedules and social media management. The result appears to be a move away from daily blogging, a change that makes it easier for readers to keep up with reading and writers to do more writing.

The following blogs offer a diverse selection of newsletters and email notification, forums, humour, blog events, and discussions of the ongoing changes in publishing. Read on and when you have time, browse the links. You might discover something new.


Alex J. Cavanaugh, author, movie reviewer, Science Fiction
http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/

Guide to Literary Agents
http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/

Hope Clark, author, & FFW
http://hopeclark.blogspot.com/
http://www.fundsforwriters.com/

Jane Friedman, Media Professor, & Speaker
http://janefriedman.com/

Konrath, J. A., Author & Self-pub Advocate
http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/

Nathan Bransford, author, MG
http://blog.nathanbransford.com/

Rachelle Gardner, literary agent
http://www.rachellegardner.com/

The Alchemy of Writing Blog - flash fiction, humour, book reviews
http://alchemyofwriting.blogspot.com/

The Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment - query analysis, creature analysis & blog events
http://theqqqe.blogspot.com/

Writers Beware Blog (watchdog for writers/supported by SFWA)
http://accrispin.blogspot.com/

Writer’s Digest
http://www.writersdigest.com/
http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents
http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/questions-and-quandaries

Do you have a particular site you find helpful for writing? Please share in the comments.
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Enjoy the Season!  Both of these photos showcase a friend's talent for making felt Santas and paper Angels.  I just took the photos.

Curiosity as Research or Just Plain Nosy?

RainForest Pickings # 4

As a people watcher, I like to observe how individuals interact and react, in groups and on their own. Part of this interest is tied to my writing and the desire to create memorable characters. The other part is purely intellectual. Why do they walk that way, why do they look threatening, why are they dragging that dog, and why do my observations of these individuals nearly always cause them to turn and look at me?

‘People watching’ is a time-honoured pastime in Paris, where small tables encroach on the sidewalk, forcing the passers-by to walk more slowly. In the small bistros and literary cafés people sit for hours, talking and watching others go by. If the weather permits, an outside table is the preferred location. The term ‘flâneur’ originated in Paris, referring to those who observe daily life in the city with more intensity than the average person. The various meanings of the word are stroller, lounger, saunterer, or loafer which comes from the French verb flâner, meaning "to stroll". Strolling is another way to watch and observe what makes us human.

When I’m writing, the knowledge gained from my observations helps me determine attributes for my characters. I need to know how a character looks if he’s strolling down the sidewalk, whether his gait is loping, long strides or mincing steps due to a possible injury. Is the person swaggering from too much drink or walking like a bodybuilder with every muscle under control? Are the shoulders bent from hard work or age? What is the overall image of that person -- active, sloppy, or a well-dressed suit? What props do they carry -- briefcase, skateboard, groceries, baby in sling, dog on leash? Is anything unusual about the location or that person being in that location? Sometimes it’s the circumstances -- why is that anxious looking person over there walking down a remote stretch of highway at dusk, without a jacket or backpack? Such observations become story ideas, or help with characterization.

One important trait is needed for this type of observation. Unobtrusiveness.

Keep some form of writing pad or media tool to record interesting facts or any ideas that may come to mind. Try to be surreptitious as this sort of activity seems to alert unknown sensors in the target, causing the aforementioned turning of the head. Staring blatantly is verboten.

Various aspects seem to contribute to actions which certain types of people exhibit. Location is one determining factor. If one knows the location and feels comfortable, the behaviour is different than when the location is new or threatening or unknown. Companions also affect the way a person may act in a given situation--think mob behaviour, preschoolers, or a group of teenage girls. Group dynamics usually reveal a leader, a backup supporter, a jester, a few sheep, and sometimes, an independent thinker.

As writers, we must observe to learn how to portray the range of human emotions in words. By recording the specific details, we can use that information to describe how a character might respond in a given situation. We see the effect, then we must determine what caused it.

Look around you -- there’s always something going on. Just keep your distance and don’t be too obvious. Pretend you’re a historian.