More Funny Quotes on Writing

by Adam Huddleston

This week I wanted to share a few more humorous (and often quite true) quotes about writing.

I wrote a few children’s books. Not on purpose.

– Steven Wright

If the English language made any sense, lackadaisical would have something to do with a shortage of flowers.

– Doug Larson

Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.

– Gene Fowler

I was sorry to hear my name mentioned as one of the great authors, because they have a sad habit of dying off. Chaucer is dead, so is Milton, so is Shakespeare, and I am not feeling very well myself.

– Mark Twain

It’s splendid to be a great writer, to put men into the frying pan of your imagination and make them pop like chestnuts.

– Gustave Flaubert

Only kings, presidents, editors, and people with tapeworms have the right to use the editorial “we.”

– Mark Twain

Visualization

by Adam Huddleston

During my family’s recent trip to east Texas for Thanksgiving, I had a great opportunity to notice the differences in topography between the Panhandle and the Piney Woods regions. Growing up near Sulphur Springs, I took for granted just how beautiful that area of the state is. We now live in Canyon, just south of Amarillo, and while it has its own charm and splendor (try watching the sun set over the plains without believing in a higher power), the towering trees and rolling hills of my childhood will always hold a special place in my heart. This brings me to my point: when writing, work hard to help your reader visualize the surroundings.

Describe the flora around your characters. The length of grass and its color, height and species of trees, and types of flowers in the area go a long way in making the story world vibrant for your reader.

Mention any sounds the character might hear. Do they live in a bustling city with car engines and the constant murmur of passersby, or are they in a peaceful rural setting with only the wind rustling the leaves and the simple cluck of chickens?

Smells can play an important part as well, especially food. Describe what the character tastes and how it makes them feel. Try to relate it to a specific experience in their past.

With a little work and imagination, you can make your story’s environment jump off the page and pull your reader in. Happy writing!

Foul Language in Writing

by Adam Huddleston

Last week, I posted a blog defining a few of the terms we generally refer to as swearing or cursing. I hinted that a future post may concern the appropriate/inappropriate use of foul language in writing. I realize that this topic is very wide and that there are many on both sides who feel strongly about it. Let’s just take a few moments to analyze this subject.

First of all, let me state that I am proud to proclaim myself as a Christian. As such, I believe that the use of foul language in speech is displeasing to God. I base this on verses such as Ephesians 4:29 and 5:4. In a world where the common use of foul language has become the norm rather than the exception, my family and I have chosen not to use it in our everyday speech. As it relates to my writing, I honestly have not come across many instances where the character’s dialogue would necessitate cursing. If I do, I’ll deal with it on a case-by-case basis.

At this point, someone usually argues that swearing in your speech is not necessarily the same as having your characters swear. I understand the point and if it is possible to have your reader understand that the words spoken by your characters do not always reflect those of the author, I would agree with it.

Another point to consider is if swearing is appropriate for the specific character. The stereotypical sailor or gang member may use foul language, but I would guard against falling into the trap of assuming that every “rough/uneducated” type of person speaks that way. If it is appropriate, use it, but don’t overdo it. I’ve read many novels containing excessive foul language where the extra words simply did not add anything to the story. Instead, it detracted from it.

The last point to remember is you should write to your genre. If you are writing a book of children’s stories, you probably don’t want to be dropping f-bombs every other sentence. Not only is it inappropriate for the genre, but more importantly, you will NEVER…GET…PUBLISHED. Save foul language for the adult readers.

I hope these arguments will help you in your writing!

The Thrill

by Adam Huddleston

“There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.”

                                                        -Alfred Hitchcock

For works in the horror or thriller genres, the high point of the story comes with a bang; the killer is revealed, the hero is murdered by the antagonist, the kidnapped girl is finally discovered. Fans of these types of books and movies are usually drawn more to the build-up of tension rather than the climax. So, if someone were inclined to pen a horror/thriller short story or novel, what methods could they use to increase this anticipation?

1. Give small bits of information as the story goes on. It stands to reason that the reader does not want the ending spoiled and feels more involved if they can try to answer the puzzle themselves.
2. Make sure that the reader cares about the character that is in danger. The closer they feel to them, the more “terror” they will fell as the climax approaches.
3. Set up the “thrill-causing” events of the story in order of increasing dread. By the time the bang arrives, the reader should be flying through the pages.

Hopefully, I’ve given enough advice to help you in crafting your suspenseful story. Happy writing!

Sports in Writing

by Adam Huddleston

With football season in full force (Go Cowboys), the topic of sports is on the majority of American minds. For the writer, there may be instances when you include sports in your work. Whether you are writing fiction, blogging, or reporting, there are a few rules that need to be adhered to:

1. Make sure you know your sport! This may sound like a no-brainer, but nothing will turn away a sports reader faster than referring to runs in baseball as points or referring to Wrigley Field as Wrigley Stadium. Unless you are creating a brand new game, have a firm understanding of the rules and scoring system.
2. Use plenty of vibrant action verbs and try to avoid repeating them. “Joe Bob ran” will only work for so long before the reader falls asleep. Strengthen your repertoire and use terms appropriate for the sport.
3. If you are blogging, blog often. Serious sports fans like to keep up-to-date on their favorite teams and players. They look forward to reading about their most recent exploits, not how they lost a game in double-overtime five days ago.

With some study and a little practice, writing about sports can be a lot of fun and very rewarding.