Tuesday 24 April 2012

Technical Friends!

Remember that old fashioned method of communication - talking, yes I mean seeing somebody in person and actually speaking to them...  I'm a bit old fashioned I'm afraid, but tt's funny to think that in this day and age we have 'technical friends'. I'm referring, of course, to people we are friends with online, but perhaps are never fortunate enough to meet in person. As I see it the world operates on two levels, the real person and the one we only know as a profile name or facebook photo...  Can a 'technical friend' ever bridge the gap into reality do you think...? I'd like to think so, and recently the proof came to light that they can - hurray!
A lovely lady has offered to help me this week and we only met on twitter a few days ago. I'm always very pleased to find the private communication routes available on most media platforms. They offer the online friend the opportunity to speak more freely, and thank goodness for that, perhaps a 'technical friend' can walk the line into reality... what do you think?  I sincerely hope my theory proves accurate since there are so many people out there, and it seems a shame to confine ourselves to the laptop screen!
Jayne-Marie Barker
Author

Thursday 12 April 2012

Characters - Reality Within Fiction

I promised you this blog and here it is - how to create characters that really stand up, in a fictional sense of course!  My tips on how to make characters real (within the realms of fictions) include:
  • Know your characters. It sounds so simple but it really does work. Get to know them well, before you start writing. Give them a full profile, note down everything you can about them from their shoe size to their hair colour. When you start writing you'll be surprised just how useful these notes become.
  • Expand your characters. As we live we make mistakes, we learn, we grow... yes it's true. Your characters should develope in the same way that real people do. Think about how people react to bad news, how disasters change them, how good news makes them feel etc.  For example - if a family home is destroyed by fire in your story, think about what your characters would feel about the loss of the building, their home, their personal belongings; in particular the sentimental items that cannot be replaced. This is especially important if the fire was not part of the original plotline, or at whatever stage you first thought about your characters. Golden rule - if you alter your plotline remember to focus on what this means to your central characters, how this could affect their personality or outlook on the world.
  • Commit your characters to memory. Throughout your novel writing process skip back to your character notes and refresh your memory. Even if your characters are living in your head and you think you know them better than the real people around you, just re-read and perhaps update your notes. It pays to be efficient with these things; you never know when they may come in useful.
  • Observe. Generally speaking, writers tend to be good observers of real life, people, places, colours, scents, tastes. The next time you're in the waiting room, dreading the call to the dentist's surgery, watch the other people around you. It's incrediable just how much is availble to inspire your literary skills, if you only open your eyes. Of course I'm not suggesting you stare at people, or write about real people in detail; but you could mingle a mannerism of one person with the unique hairstyle of another and so forth... you get the idea!
So, that's it for now. Keep reading for more literary tips and feel free to add your own as comments.
Best wishes
Jayne-Marie Barker
Author

The Idea Highway

As a writer one of the most common questions I am asked is "where do you get your ideas from?"  Well, I'll tell you.  Everywhere, everyone, everything. Just the other day I was told about a fabulous plotline (sadly true and quite terrible but with a little twist here and there it could be an excellent fictional tale). Naturally, I would never write a tale exactly as it's told to me, not even in its entire format, but these things can spark up ideas and it's worth remembering that several small ideas can conjure up one fantastic plot; when pieced together in the right way. So there you have it - be careful what you tell a writer, you may see it turn up in their next book!

Wednesday 4 April 2012

Happy Easter

Easter is almost upon us. Whatever your views on the subject, it is always a lovely opportunity to spend a few days away from the usual routine. Personally, I am looking forward to spending time with family and taking in that fresh sea air; there's nothing quite like it!
So, if you don't see much from me for a few days don't worry - I'll be back to normal before you know it!
Have a lovely weekend everybody!
Jayne-Marie Barker
Author

Happy Easter

Well Easter is almost with us. Irrespective of what your views on the subject are, it is certainly a lovely opportunity to enjoy a few days away from the usual routine! I'm looking forward to spending a few days with my family and taking in some of that fresh sea air.
If you don't hear much from me for a few days don't worry - everything will revert to normal in no time at all!  Have a great weekend everybody.
Jayne-Marie Barker
Author

Monday 2 April 2012

Guest blog on Kindle Promo

New guest blog on Kindle Promo site, read it here: http://t.co/4hXNlb59
Many thanks to the lovely people at Kindle Promo who have invited me to publish this second blog on their site.