Storytellersunplugged

Occasionally I’m asked, “Do the ideas for your characters come from people you know?”Now usually the question is asked by someone I know, so I’m figuring what they are really wanting to know is, “Am I in the book?”In truth, the answer is, “Umm . . .well . . .yes and no.” I might use your facial tick but his mustache, her eyes, and my neighbor’s Aunt Betty’s speech pattern to create a character. It’s a lot more fun for me to ... Read More

by Bev VincentSix little characters, two short words that are both the aim and the bane of writers. We set out with our “once upon a times” hoping—trusting—that we will eventually get to “and they all lived happily ever after” (or, as in the case of many horror novels “and they all lived miserably ever after, those who were unlucky enough to survive”) after which we will gleefully plonk out “The End.”For some writers, that’s it. They have revised so diligently along ... Read More

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected ':' in /homepages/44/d91377444/htdocs/StorytellersUnplugged/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/exec-php/includes/runtime.php(42) : eval()'d code on line 1 Read More

Every now and then I use my scheduled slot to give our readers a quick update on what's happening here at Storytellersunplugged and this week is one of those weeks. As you can see from the list of columnists on the right, we've had a few personnel changes around here. The writing life can by cyclical and sometimes the amount of work that falls into a short segment of time can overwhelm other activities. Such is the case with some of ... Read More

Sorry folks. The pressures of a looming deadline, and other stuff, have derailed me again this month, so I'm afraid I don't have an essay. But I do have a seasonal thought for you. It has recently been confirmed that all Christmas cards are actually made from very, very thinly sliced reindeer. So why not do what Tracey and I have done for the past couple of years: instead of sending cards, give some money to charity. Surely ... Read More

Part 1: The PersonalThe great thing, or should I say, one of the great things about conventions, is that they send your writing head home refreshed. The rest of you may be jet-lagged, exhausted and ridiculously hungover, but your writing head is buzzing with a new lease of life and eager to try out new things because new friends (and old) have inspired you to. Your writing world is positively sparkling with newness!And so it was, that on my return from World ... Read More

Now in Technicolor-surround-sound-smell-o-rama, and with electrical devices under the seats! The first job of any writer is to make a scene believable. To use the ever popular reasoning that is a must: for any story to work you have to be able to suspend the reader’s disbelief. What do I mean by that? Well, most of you already know, but just to clarify for those who might not: Suspension of disbelief is the act of telling a story smoothly enough that even when ... Read More

by Sephera GironThere will be many times in an author’s career where he or she will be asked to perform a reading. Now, if you are a ham like I am, then readings are looked forward to with pleasant anticipation.However, if you are like the majority of writers, you view your opportunity to present your work in public with all the enthusiasm of a convict walking down a prison corridor to the electric chair.Relax.Take a deep breath.It’s not as scary as ... Read More

-- by Steven SavileI am starting to think that a writer’s life is primarily centred around suspending their own disbelief, not the reader’s – which by now is a skill we should all be pretty good at, right? It’s all about the great lie – the greater the lie, the more will believe it.And that lie?Success will come. It will all be worth it in the long run.Because, of course, there is no guarantee of anything of the sort. Nothing that says ... Read More

I'm writing Christmas cards.Well, not right now, obviously, but in the general "to-do" list of life, I am. I've got the Rolodex open and I'm going through it letter by letter. But these cards aren't to family and friends. These cards are for all my professional contacts. Editors, agents, producers, film executives, development folks, actors, directors, scouts, and anyone else I've had the pleasure of interacting with or meeting in the course of my career - they all ... Read More