Writing 101: Writing an Accent

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it, but I’m from the south. We talk a little bit slower here, because there’s no rush. Maybe we forget a g, every now and then. People in the south speak with an accent, but so do people from Boston -- whom I cannot understand even when I really try. Writing an accent is really an art form, and it’s really easy to do badly.

Like the Way She Talks

“Ow, eez, ye-ooa san, is e? Wal. fewd dan y' d-ooty bawmz a mather should, eed now bettern to spawl a pore gel's flahrzn than ran awy athaht pyin. Will ye-oo py me f'them?”

No, I didn’t just accidentally sit on my keyboard to create that mess. That’s actual text from an actual book. It’s an accent. Cockney, to be specific. Can you tell what it says? Because I can.

Writing 101: Fake Memoirs

One of the best books I ever read was a total lie. I didn't know that for many years. It was called "Go Ask Alice," and it was a diary. The book was full of powerful imagery, and frankly talked about stuff that was really relevant to me: dating boys, worrying about skin care, coming up with new ways to style one’s hair. But mainly, it was a book about drug use. When I first read it, I didn't know there was such a thing as fake memoirs. But there is, and this can be a powerful form of storytelling.

Go Ask a Writer

There is no Alice, at least not as far as this particular book is concerned. It was published anonymously, which always made it even more intriguing, and the actual first name of the diarist is never revealed. Most believe, however, that it was written by Beatrice Sparks. She is the sole copyright holder, and she wrote several other so-called diaries that were supposedly penned by teens. But no matter who wrote it, the book is still good. I still really like it, and I've recommended it to others who liked it. People write fake memoirs because fake memoirs work. It might work for you, too.

To Live Deliberately

If I told you I was leaving everything behind to go live alone in the woods, you might think I have gone insane. And maybe Henry David Thoreau's family and friends thought he was crazy, too, when he went off to the woods. He told the world that he did it so he could live deliberately. ...What do you think that means?

The Mad Writer

Henry David Thoreau decided to step outside the real world, the everyday world that the rest of us are forced to contend with, so he could go live in the woods. But he didn't just live in the woods, he wrote a book about it. And when "Walden Pond" was published, the world understood. Henry David  Thoreau wasn't crazy when he went into the woods. He was doing research.

Writing 101 Redux: Paragraph Indents

Do you use the tab button when you're writing a book? After you read today's TBT Writing 101 post, you won't do that anymore.

In today's Throwback Thursday writing tip, I'm going to explain why the tab space is the Devil's own invention.

Writing 101: Fear of Commitment

It isn’t easy to devote yourself to one story, just one story, when there are so many stories that want to be told. On Monday, you may get an amazing idea for a story that’s been brewing in your mind for a while. But on Thursday, you may figure out the answer to some nagging plot question on that novel you’ve been working on since January. When you find yourself writing a bunch of different projects at the same time and finishing none of them, you need to ask yourself a question: do you have a fear of commitment? 

Sticking it Out

I’ve worked on three different books in as many months, and when I look back at my progress for each one I’m always surprised by how little there is. I work on one story, start thinking about another and switch to it. It’s a good way to get all my ideas down when I’m having them. It’s a terrible way to write a book. Sometimes, authors need to commit to just one project. Otherwise, you might not get any of them finished. 

Writing 101: Are You A Modern-Day Playwright?

Different writers have different writing strengths. That’s the nature of the business. Sometimes, writing a novel may not be the best way to showcase your writing strengths. Maybe you are a modern-day playwright.

Screenwriting

Not all writers are strong narratively. It's tedious, and never easy, to describe actions and settings in a way that other people will enjoy. But you may still have stories to tell. Maybe you aren't meant to write novels. Maybe you're a screenwriter.

Maybe Sylvia Plath Was Onto Something....

If I told you that I'm about to write a book about a suicidal girl with writer’s block who obsesses about the execution of strangers, you might decide right away that you aren't going to read that book because it sounds depressing. Well, the fact is that this is already a book,and you are absolutely right. It's one of the most depressing books ever written, and everyone knows it. Sylvia Plath was depressed and suicidal, and she wrote the book about it. 

When it Shouldn't Work

Seriously, "The Bell Jar" is $&@!ing dark. At one point in the story, the main character goes around asking people how they would kill themselves. The book is so linked with depression, "bell jar" has becomes synonym for being depressed. And from a publishing standpoint, that really doesn't sound like a story that should work. But it did. Sylvia Plath's book is a big bestseller that's still read today. I own two copies of the damn thing, in fact. And I know exactly why this totally depressing book worked so well.

Writing 101 Redux: POV

In life, point of view can change everything. It's the same way for books. The point of view you choose for your story will pretty much determine everything about how that story is told. That's pretty serious stuff. So before you commit to a POV, explore all your options with this vintage Writing 101 post that lays it all out pretty clearly. 

When you're done with this post about POV, feel free to read it from the bottom up. After all, changing your point of view can make all the difference.