Category Archives: Adam Huddleston

Character Arc

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Character Arc

by Adam Huddleston

 

Continuing on my theme of literary terms, let’s take a quick look at “character arc.” It is simply defined as the inner transformation of a character over the course of a story. No matter what external forces are acting upon the character, it is the inner journey that creates the character arc.

A few examples: The character “Red” from the film “The Shawshank Redemption”. At the beginning of the story, the hardened inmate believes that there is very little light left in his life. He makes the comment that hope is a dangerous thing and can drive a man insane in prison. By the end of the tale, he has adopted the philosophy of his new friend, Andy Dufresne; that hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things.

Frodo Baggins from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy begins the tale very comfortable at home and not believing that he has much bravery inside of him. After a long a deadly journey across his world, he becomes much more mature and sure of himself.

Finally, Han Solo from the “Star Wars” saga. When we first meet Han in Episode 4, he states that he has no belief in the “force”, that it is simply a collection of tricks. In the recently released Episode 7, he has learned that the “force” does exist. He even admits to another character, “Crazy thing is… it’s true. The Force. The Jedi. All of it. It’s all true.”

Aspire to infuse a character arc in the characters that populate your story. Your fans will thank you.

Happy writing!

Meet the Author – Melanie Miller

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Meet the Author

 

Since the creation of WordsmithSix as a critique group, we have evolved in many ways. While every member is like family and brings their own valuable insights to the group, sometimes there are changes. Some of our members have moved on in their life’s journey, however their contributions continue to influence our writing forever. Others have filled the empty chairs and have started their journey into the world of writing.

Each member of WordsmithSix is excited about our writing journey. For the next few weeks we will dedicate a Sunday blog to letting our readers know a little more about who we are. Each author will be asked a few questions to help you understand their desire to write and what motivates them. Maybe their answers will influence you in your writing.

This week we want to highlight a young writer who has been a recent guest at our critique group. She has a great talent and we are sure that you will be seeing her writing in the near future.

Please welcome Melanie Miller.

Hello!

  1. When did you start writing?

I started writing in High School. My first attempt at writing a novel began when I was only a sophomore.

  1. Why did you choose the genre you write?

I write Young Adult Fiction because I love reading it, and I want to write something that my younger brother will enjoy.  Young Adult has some of the most fluid and dynamic characters–seeing how these characters grow and change makes me happy.

  1. What’s the best thing you’ve done to help your writing?

I went to the West Texas Writing Academy in 2015. Being there connected me with a bunch of writers and help me see that my writing aspirations were fully within my grasp.

  1. What’s your writing routine like?

Procrastination. I find that I am most inspired to do creative writing whenever I have something else that needs to be done. Like taxes. But normally, I will drag my self out of bed at six in the morning and write until I have to go to class.

  1. How do you reach that personal place that allows the writing to flow?

I usually go somewhere where I put on my headphones and sit with no distractions or friends trying to talk to me. After ten to thirty minutes of gutting out the words, things start to flow.

  1. Are you an outliner?

I don’t think I can be impartial when answering this. Whatever answer I come up with would be muddied by by own egocentric bias. Still. I would like to think that me and my writing style are different, but then again, who wouldn’t?

  1. What has been your biggest writing challenge?

Finding the will power to actually write. Actually sitting down and writing is the hardest thing in the world. There are a hundred-thousand distractions, especially if you work on a computer.

  1. What are you working on currently, future?

I am currently writing the first draft of my first novel. I also have tentative plans for two more books using this same world and main character. I also have several other commenting worlds and storylines that I plan on exploring in the future.

  1. What advice would you give to new writers?

Forge connections with writing groups. Once you get yourself in a strong writing group, it gives you reason and motivation to writing, even if that motivation is only to not be embarrassed by bringing in shoddy work or no work at all.

  1. What’s the most positive thing you could tell writers today?

The publishing business is becoming more and more accessible. With ebooks and online publishing, it is increasingly likely that your book will be published in some form or manner.

MacGuffin

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MacGuffin

by Adam Huddleston

 

Last week, I presented a blog concerning a plot device known as the “red herring”. This week, let’s quickly look at another: the MacGuffin.

The term, often incorrectly attributed to Alfred Hitchcock (though he did use it often), refers to a main goal that the protagonist is pursuing in a story and which may or may not be important to the overall plot. I retrieved these examples from Wikipedia: the meaning of “rosebud” in Citizen Kane (1941); the NOC list in Mission: Impossible (1996); the Rabbit’s Foot in Mission: Impossible III (2006); the Heart of the Ocean necklace in Titanic; and the mineral unobtainium in Avatar (2009).

Hitchcock did have an interesting quote concerning the MacGuffin:

“It might be a Scottish name, taken from a story about two men on a train. One man says, “What’s that package up there in the baggage rack?” And the other answers, “Oh, that’s a MacGuffin”. The first one asks, “What’s a MacGuffin?” “Well,” the other man says, “it’s an apparatus for trapping lions in the Scottish Highlands.” The first man says, “But there are no lions in the Scottish Highlands,” and the other one answers, “Well then, that’s no MacGuffin!” So you see that a MacGuffin is actually nothing at all.”

I hope this adds to your writing vocabulary!

MacGuffin

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MacGuffin

by Adam Huddleston

 

Last week, I presented a blog concerning a plot device known as the “red herring”. This week, let’s quickly look at another: the MacGuffin.

The term, often incorrectly attributed to Alfred Hitchcock (though he did use it often), refers to a main goal that the protagonist is pursuing in a story and which may or may not be important to the overall plot. I retrieved these examples from Wikipedia: the meaning of “rosebud” in Citizen Kane (1941); the NOC list in Mission: Impossible (1996); the Rabbit’s Foot in Mission: Impossible III (2006); the Heart of the Ocean necklace in Titanic; and the mineral unobtainium in Avatar (2009).

Hitchcock did have an interesting quote concerning the MacGuffin:

“It might be a Scottish name, taken from a story about two men on a train. One man says, “What’s that package up there in the baggage rack?” And the other answers, “Oh, that’s a MacGuffin”. The first one asks, “What’s a MacGuffin?” “Well,” the other man says, “it’s an apparatus for trapping lions in the Scottish Highlands.” The first man says, “But there are no lions in the Scottish Highlands,” and the other one answers, “Well then, that’s no MacGuffin!” So you see that a MacGuffin is actually nothing at all.”

I hope this adds to your writing vocabulary!

Red Herring

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Red Herring

by Adam Huddleston

Just thought I’d throw another literary device your way. You may have heard the phrase “red herring”. A red herring is defined as:

something, especially a clue, that is or is intended to be misleading or distracting.

The use of red herrings in writing can be quite effective in harnessing the reader’s interest. It also enhances the overall experience by providing surprises along the plotline. One word of advice however: make sure your red herrings are real. What I mean is, keep your writing sharp, clear, and free of mistakes in the plot that accidentally lead the reader in the wrong direction. This can aggravate the reader and pull them out of the story.

Happy writing!

My Favorite Works of Fiction

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My Favorite Works of Fiction

by Adam Huddleston

 

A couple of weeks ago I published a blog concerning my favorite non-fiction books for writers. This week, I would like to list a few of my favorite works of fiction (in no particular order). As you can imagine, me being a life-long reader of fantasy and horror, the list is full of selections from those genres.

Stephen King has always been a “fave” of mine. He has a plethora of thrillers and chillers. Some works seek to get you at the “gross-out” level. Others are more intimate examinations of the inner-self. My favorite novel of his belongs to the latter; “The Long Walk.” Reminiscent of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”, this story follows a young man as he participates in a horrific annual tradition. The book is eerie and very well written.

Shifting to fantasy, you can’t find many works better than those of J.R.R. Tolkien. In a world where new writers are shoveling their wares in both bookstores and electronically, this legendary author’s work stands the test of time and his “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy is, to me at least, at the top. It is the definition of an epic fantasy with a huge cast of characters, a sprawling world, and an entire language created by the author.

The late Michael Crichton penned a ton of great science-fiction stories, many of which were adapted into motion pictures. My favorite work of his is “Jurassic Park.” The movie, once it gets going, travels at a break-neck pace. Guess what? The novel does as well. The author even goes into great detail concerning how they manipulated the DNA to create the stories antagonists.

The last piece I’ll mention is one by Richard Adams. One of my earliest cinematic memories is watching “Watership Down” on a VHS player in my parent’s bedroom. When I was older, I discovered that it was based on a novel of the same name. The book does a great job of personifying the characters, mostly rabbits with a black-headed gull thrown in for good measure, and bringing their adventures to life. Like Tolkien, Richard Adams gives us a healthy dose of backstory, native language, and even a form of lupine religion.

Whatever your favorite genre might be, these novels are worth looking into. They will give insight into proper world building, plot, dialogue, and character development.

Happy writing; and reading!

My Favorite Books for Writers

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My Favorite Books for Writers

by Adam Huddleston

 

I thought this week I’d share a few books that I felt were very helpful for new writers.

The first is “Writing Fiction for Dummies” by Randy Ingermanson and Peter Economy. At first glance the title may appear to be condescending or lead the observer to believe that there is little useful information between its covers. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

The authors touch upon a wide range of topics in fiction writing. Everything from plot creation and character development to querying an agent and understanding royalties are covered. And what’s better, they are explained in a very easy-to-understand manner. This is the first title I read when I began my journey as a writer and I still return to it from time to time.

Another great reference, which I’ve referred to in the past, is “The Writer’s Digest Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy” by Orson Scott Card. Who better to give advice on writing fiction that a world famous author? He covers world-building, story creation, and the business side of writing.

For another famous author’s views on writing, read “On Writing – A Memoir of the Craft” by Stephen King. This personal work focuses more on his life and how he became a writer than actual advice on the subject, but it is still an interesting read nonetheless.

Finally, no writer’s bookshelf would be complete without William Strunk and E.B. White’s “The Elements of Style.” The subject matter may get a bit technical at times, and it exists as more of a reference than a title you would read straight through from beginning to end, but it is a classic. It contains helpful information on proper grammar and punctuation usage, as well as a list of commonly misused words and expressions and several “reminders” when writing.

Run, don’t walk, to your nearest bookstore (yes there are still books with paper pages out there), and pick-up a copy of these marvelous works. You’ll thank me later.

Happy writing!

Chekhov’s Gun

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Chekhov’s Gun

by Adam Huddleston

Just a quick reminder today. There is a principle in writing known as Chekhov’s Gun. It basically states that if you introduce a major element in your story early on, that element must make an appearance later in the plot. The principle’s name derives from the statement that if you mention a gun hanging on the wall in Chapter One, that gun must go off later in the story, otherwise, there is no reason to include it to begin with.

Happy writing!

The Front Line

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I read a writing prompt online at www.writingexcuses.com and since it was a short scene, I thought I’d share it. It’s fairly unedited, so don’t expect too much.

The Front Line

by Adam Huddleston

 

So I’m standing here, right smack-dab in the middle of the front line. Joe is to my left. You can tell he’s nervous ‘cause his teeth are clacking like a castanet. Oswald is to my right. He thinks he’s gonna be a hero. He keeps hopping up and down in excitement. And guess what. He stinks. Well, to be fair, we all stink.

We’re the army of the undead. There’s a long line of “good guys” across from us and man do they look intense. They’re all screamin’, and jumpin’ around; not unlike my buddy Oswald here.

I mean, I know we’re undead and all, and if one of those block-headed morons from across the battlefield “slays” us, we’ll just pop back up in a moment or two, but still, killin’ hurts! I mean, how would you like to keep dying over and over again? I know, right?

Well, the other army has begun their assault. They’re pouring down the hill on the other side of the river between us. I love this river; use to fish in it when I was a kid. My Pa and I did. That was ages ago. Long before that sorry excuse for a necromancer raised us all from the dead.

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate a second chance at life, such as it is. I just hate the way he’s always ordering us around.

“Chop down that tree! Forge this axe! Pick up that arm bone that just fell off!”

Humph. Prima donna.

Wow, the other army is making their way across the river now. Wonder when Mr. “Hey, ya’ll all follow me” is gonna give us the go ahead to charge. Not sure it will do much good. We’ll all go running into their front lines and they’ll scatter our bones all over the place. We’ll spend the next six hours trying to find ourselves, and I don’t mean in a psychological sense.

“Joe, don’t dry heave on me, man. You don’t even have a stomach!”

Ok, so they’re almost to us. Maybe a hundred yards away. And there’s our great and glorious leader, sitting atop his dreadsteed. Might as well be picking his…

Wait! What’s this? He’s giving us the choppy hand sign. I’m pretty sure that means “charge.” Alright, here goes!

 

Writingexcuses.com

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Writingexcuses.com

by Adam Huddleston

 

Now that I’ve caught on to an excellent online podcast about writing, I may be including their topics in my blogs from time to time. I promise to always give credit where credit is due as well. The podcast can be found at www.writingexcuses.com. The original moderators were Brandon Sanderson, Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells. Each episode lasts around fifteen minutes and is chock-full of great information.

The first episode covered brainstorming. I really appreciated the ideas the writers gave concerning different techniques they use to come up with ideas. One of the authors described how he uses the “map” or “navigation” feature of Microsoft Word. He creates three headings (plot, characters, and setting) and begins filling each one in with ideas. Once he begins the actual process of writing, he can move throughout the document easily by clicking on an item under one of the headings. I can’t wait to try this with my own work.

If you have a few minutes to spare, I highly recommend giving their podcast a listen. Happy writing!