[image: Linda Formichelli]Today’s writing resource is Linda Formichelli, one half of the Renegade Writer blog. She has co-authored with Diana Burrell on The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success and The Renegade Writer’s Query Letters That Rock. Linda also wrote Write Your Way Out of the Rat Race…And Step Into a Career You Love
The Village Id – Excerpt from an Unpublished Work
Below is an excerpt from one of my unpublished works, The Village Id — my homage to P. G. Wodehouse.
Every village has a character. I don’t mean the village idiot. I mean a personality, a feel that’s obvious to visitors, yet invisible to residents.
Come to think of it, every village has a character in the other sense. Not necessarily an idiot. That would hardly be polite, and rarely truthful.
No, a character: the odd man out, the one whose character isn’t totally aligned with the village’s.
In Iddington village that would be me: I’m the only sane person there.
[image: The Village]
… more … “The Village Id – Excerpt from an Unpublished Work”
Nice Guys Make Boring Reading
[image: edges]Great character advice from Steven Pressfield in the form of a question:
“How close are they to the edge?”
When a character teeters on a knife-edge, we can’t take our eyes off them.
My characters feel a bit safe. For my light mysteries, that’s okay. For the deeper Chandleresque cozy I’m working on, Jake needs to be closer to the edge.
But wait and see what “edge” he’s close to.
2 Ways Accountability Increases Awareness of Your Thinking Process
It’s easy to fool ourselves. Two specific ways we improve our thinking process when we feel accountable to someone else for our results:[image: railroad_tracks]
![[image: railroad_tracks]](http://somedaybox.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/railroad_tracks.jpg){kind=link}
First, we’re more aware of the cues and clues we’re using to make decisions. The interplay between our conscious and unconscious is complex. As a result, the facts we think we’re using to reach conclusions aren’t necessarily the facts we’re really using. Accountability nudges us toward awareness of the cues and clues we’re actually using.
Second, we’re less likely to overestimate our accuracy. Studies show that we’re very likely to overestimate how accurate we are in our estimates and judgments. When we feel we’ll have to explain or defend our decisions, our improved thinking process reduces this tendency. It doesn’t make us more accurate, but it makes us more aware of how accurate (or inaccurate) our estimates are.
Dave Bricker: Writing is Design
[image: avoid boring words]Dave Bricker specializes in interior design and layout for books. This doesn’t stop him from being a writer as well. A writer who brings design sense to his word choice.
You can, too.
Writing is Design: Boring Words & Generic Descriptions — Not Nice!
Book Excerpt from “Through the Fog: An Irish Adventure”
[image: Through The Fog front]It was good to be back in Ireland. My annual trips to Sligo had not only helped my understanding of the ancient language of the land, but given me an almost native comprehension of the modern as well.
![[image: Through The Fog front]](http://somedaybox.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/ThroughTheFog.front_.tn_.jpg){kind=link}
It was a warm morning for Sligo; the sea breeze was usually cooler this time of year. Doesn’t matter; I’ll just lay here a bit longer; eyes closed, pondering the first cup of tea like you can’t get anywhere else in the world. Milk, not cream; no sugar, please.
The pain in my temple made me shoot upright in bed, which not only made the pain worse, but confused me immensely—there was no reason I should be in Sligo right now; the first glimpse of the room confirmed that, indeed, I was not.
I should, in fact, have been on the floor of the shed outside this house, not lying in my underwear in a feather bed in an upstairs bedroom.
Memory; that’s it, I’ve been having trouble with my memory.
An excerpt from my book, “Through the Fog: An Irish Advenure”. It is available at Amazon.
Favorite Bits of Storytelling Advice, and Questioning Maslow
Art Holcomb posting at Larry Brooks’ StoryFix blog: Smart list of 20 things you may not have thought about when writing. I particularly like #5. How ’bout you?
[image: photo http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1242703 by Leonardo Barbosa http://www.sxc.hu/profile/leonardobc]
Steven Pressfield: Blowing Off Maslow Here’s my take: we often confuse our “wants” with Maslow’s “needs.” Where Maslow says “food” we want to read “eating out” or at least “eating well.” Where Maslow says “shelter” we see a 3-car garage, or at least, a home we own rather than rent.
Maslow was right. We just twist his research into excuses not to do the work of making art. But go read the article at Steve’s site and see what you think.
If the Box Doesn’t Fit, Don’t Wear It
[image: photo http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1426375 by Bas van den Eijkhof http://www.sxc.hu/profile/mistermast” width=”222″ height=”247″ class=”alignright size-full wp-image-3295″ style=”border: none;]Most new authors dream of getting a book deal; having a publisher contact them and say, hey, we want your book. I’ll reserve comment on the value of getting a book deal for another conversation.
Some time back a client turned down not one, but two book deals. Two publishing houses approached them and said, hey, we want your book, just sign on the dotted line.
And they thought and they thought and they said, I don’t fit in the box you’d like to put me in.
And then they said the hardest word in the language of business: … more … “If the Box Doesn’t Fit, Don’t Wear It”
3 Words for 2014
Last year I tested Chris Brogan’s 3 Words thinking and it was a stupendous success. Last year’s words were dissident, High Priest and performer. The goal is to choose 3 words which remind me who I want to be this year. Words which will inform and affect every action, every day.
These words aren’t in play because of what they mean literally, nor does it matter in my routine what they mean to you. The goal is to give myself a quick and easy touchstone for “Is what I’m doing right now moving me toward my goals?”
My 3 Words
My 3 words for 2014: artist, adventurer, actor.
![[image: artist adventurer actor]](http://somedaybox.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/artist.adventurer.actor_.jpg){kind=link}
“Found Around the Web” Fiction Writing
[image: Angela Ackerman]Today’s resource is from The Creative Penn Blog by Joanna Penn. She recently posted an article by Angela Ackerman.
![[image: Angela Ackerman]](http://somedaybox.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Angela-Ackerman.jpg){kind=link}
Angela discusses creating character personality traits to make your story richer. Her resource books help writers create layered, compelling characters that readers relate to and care for. Read more at The Creative Penn Blog.