Outtakes 321

Frightening

By Cait Collins

Blood and gore. Slasher movies. Halloween One to whatever. Some find these movies frightening. But think back to the shower scene in PSYCHO. A black and white movie instead of Technicolor. The music. A knife stabbing down. The heroine cringing in the shower. The scene was so artfully filmed the mind took over and the viewer imagined he saw the knife strike a woman’s body.

The mind is far more powerful than blatant scenes. Alfred Hitchcock had the creative talent to scare the life out of me without the blood and gore. To this day, the movie THE BIRDS still terrifies me. The swarming birds hid the damage to the humans. The teacher died from being pecked to death, but we never saw the sightless eyes and ripped face.

The point is a well-crafted paragraph that builds a villain has more impact than the blow-by-blow vision of a killer’s actions. Give me a masterful book or a brilliant movie and I can imagine so much more than what I read or see.

Outtakes 320

Bump in the Night

By Cait Collins

It’s that time of the year when the ghosts and goblins are center stage. Witches, zombies, vampires, boogey men roam the streets. Television stations air scary movies and horror books are front and center in the books stores. I’m not a fan of the horror stuff. I don’t like being scared. And I don’t enjoy books and movies that keep me awake.

While I can take vampires and mummies, I have a real problem with living, breathing bad guys. I will never understand why I bought a copy of Helter Skelter by Curt Gentry and Vincent Bugliosi. Bugliosi was the prosecutor for the Manson trial and he knew the story of Manson’s family and crimes. That book terrified me. I couldn’t read it but I didn’t want to put it down. That doesn’t make much sense, but I’d read it until I was afraid to close my eyes. But the more Manson’s insanity was revealed, the more frightened I became. I finally shoved the book under the bed and never finished it.

This real killer was scarier than Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, and a zombie apocalypse could ever be simply because he is real. True monsters are more horrifying than fictional characters just because they are real and breathing. They can be the stranger you pass on the sidewalk or in the grocery store. Maybe the monster could be a teacher, a doctor, or a cop. This kind of knowledge is enough to make me keep a baseball bat under my couch. I don’t like guns but I have no problems bashing skulls, breaking knees, or wrists. I just pray I never have to face my fear. I may talk big, but I don’t really know if I could take him or her out. It’s something I really don’t want to know.

Outtake 319

A Little Trick

By Cait Collins

I don’t mind researching information for my stories, but I really dislike being in the middle of a productive writing session and need a fact and it’s not in my research notes. I have to save the work and switch to research mode. By the time I find the information I need for the scene, I’ve lost the muse. My writing doesn’t have the spark it did earlier.

I think I may have an answer for getting information without losing ground. I bought an Echo Dot. I’m still in the process for setting it up, but so far, I like saying, “Alexia, what is the distance between Chicago and Lexington Illinois on old Route 66?” While the Dot doesn’t replace in depth research, it can provide answers quickly with little interruption to the writing flow.

I do admit that technology often baffles me, but the Dot does help me by providing quick information. I just have to remember to ask the right question. For example, I asked “When did Al Capone go to prison?” The question wasn’t clear enough. I got a brief biography but no prison date. I should have asked “What year did Capone enter prison?”So not only do I have to train the Dot, I have to train myself.”

The great thing is I can start with a few basic apps and then add others as I need. If I had a smart home, the Dot would lock my doors and reset the thermostat. If I get stuck and a little frustrated, I can download an app that would allow Alexa to tell me a joke or play my favorite music. That’s not too bad for a device that’s only about an inch high and three inches in diameter. Best of all, it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. You can “test drive” it at your local Best Buy or electronics store. The Best Buy clerks introduced me to the larger Alexa device and stood back to let me play. I was sold on both Alexa and the Echo Dot in no time.

Again the Dot will not replace real research, but it is a tool to get quick answers. I think I’m going to enjoy making friends with my Echo Dot.

Outtakes 318

Short Stories

By Cait Collins

I love trying new genres and seeing if I can put a story together. Since I normally write novels, I’m finding short stories to be a bit intimidating. The short story limits my time to develop a character and tell the story. There’s no long way to define the hero or heroine in 30 or 40 pages. My protagonist still talks to me, but she’s a lot faster about telling me what’s going on in her head. I can’t be too subtle in revealing her issues; there’s just not enough word count.

Here’s what I’m learning.

One word can be more important than detailed description. Brilliant sunset says as much as the “bright orange glow of the sun setting in the western sky…” and it saves your word count.

Moria, my heroine, doesn’t have 250 pages to decide whether or not she’s attracted to Aiden. She either is or she’s not.

Aiden has to go a little slower in order to reach Moria, but then again, he can’t be too subtle. He has to make his move without scaring her off.

Forget men, a good dog can be a girls’ best friend.

One other thing I’ve found to be important is getting the details straight. Route 66 is a well known and well traveled road. People will know if your work is not accurate.

While I’m finding the short story a bit daunting, I am enjoying the challenge. Maybe I’ll consider writing a series of short stories and publishing them. And then again, maybe not.

Outtakes 316

The Human Spirit

By Cait Collins

I’m continually amazed by the resilience of men and women. Throw the book at them and most will catch the volume. Take a look at what’s been going on in southeast Texas in the aftermath of hurricane Harvey. Although forced by rising water to leave their homes, these ordinary men and women are determined to return and rebuild. They are not wailing “Oh woe is me.” No, they are fighting back. Sure there are exceptions. There are the looters, the scam artists, and the quitters. But the fighters outnumber them.

Some people might say the citizens are Texas Tough, but they are just people fighting for their homes and lives. They are the very best of the human spirit. And they are not regulated to Texas. This is the humane endurance we write about. We take our characters from their calm, quiet lives, force them to reach bottom, and then crawl back to happiness or contentment. Without the day-to-day examples of normal individuals, we might have little to write about.

Humans who always appear to be on top of everything, who have no obstacles in their paths, who live well, are boring. Heroes are not born, they are made. And some heroes are ordinary men and women who rise to the occasion and excel. We need heroes, but we also need the average man who lives out his life going to work, caring for his family, and respecting others. The human spirit is the basis of all character growth. Never discount the ordinary man.

Outtakes 315

No Words

By Cait Collins

Have you ever been in a situation that was so intense and over-powering you couldn’t describe it? I can think of several situations where there were just no words that fit or would bring the event to life.

The John Kennedy assignation comes to mind. I was in junior high (that’s the old fashioned word for Middle School) when I watched President Kennedy exit Air Force One and run up into the crowd. He was young, vibrant, and engaging. A few weeks later he was dead. As a kid, I couldn’t define how I felt. Schools were closed, and we watched everything on TV. But it wasn’t real. Who would kill the President of the United States? Fifty some odd years later I still remember that day, and I still can’t make sense of what I saw or how I felt.

The Panhandle Wildfires. I remember an email from a writer friend trapped in her home. “We are surrounded by fire. Pray for us.” She and her family survived but others did not. I read John Erickson’s blogs and marveled at the courage and fortitude of cowboys. Yet I cannot put their situation and losses into words.

My first Presidential Press Corps was exciting. I enjoyed the rush of being investigated, finger printed, and receiving my first national press badge. I stood at the front of the pack with my recorder and microphone in hand waiting for Air Force One to land. When President Ford stepped to the podium, I had my microphone in his face and hoped he’d call on me. I had my question prepared. “Did you have a deal with President Nixon? Was the President’s resignation pending your promise of a pardon?” I never had a chance to ask my question, but I was a close to the President of the United States as the Secret Service allowed. How did I feel? Important is the only answer I have.

“Just a few flurries folks. Nothing to write home about. By morning we had 40 inches of snow on the ground. Mom and Dad had to dig the car out of a drift. Dad had to wade through chest deep snow drifts to connect the oil hose to the tank. I was afraid he’d die.

National and international disasters like the tsunami in the Far East that killed hundreds, destroyed property and left so many homeless. I saw pictures of people running away from the danger, but I couldn’t put myself in their places.

These events are just a few ideas of remembering incidents that should be fodder for our best stories. But our awe of events that are so important or disturbing causes us to freeze. Could I write news stories about the disaster in the Texas Gulf region? No, but I’m glad there are those who can.

Outtakes 314

Least Favorite Part

By Cait Collins

I love the creative part of writing, but I hate editing. It takes too much time and can create even more issues if one is not careful. I have two memoirs and a novel to edit. I have a new short story to write, and a novel to finish. Please excuse my short and to the point Outtake.

Outtakes 313

The Dynamic Sentence

By Cait Collins

A couple of weeks ago I suggested we might diagram sentences. Well, it isn’t as easy on my computer as with a pencil and a piece of paper. Truth is diagramming a sentence isn’t as important as writing the dynamic sentence. We all know the different parts of speech and how to punctuate our work. The trick is combining the parts and making them sing.

One good, strong verb is worth more than a passive verb and a dozen adverbs. For example:

Jordan walked across the room and stared sadly into Merrilyn’s stormy gray eyes.

Or

Jordan stormed across the living room. Yanking Merrilyn from the plush sofa, he lifted her up to meet his cold stare. “We’re through,” he spat. He released her allowing her to fall back on the couch, and then stomped out the door.

Changing the verb from a generic walk to an action verb not only sets a mood, it gives definition to the character. We know Jordan’s angry and believes Merrilyn is at fault. If we want more drama, we can create a series of short sentences to ramp up the tension.

“I don’t know,” Merrilyn stated. “I was never involved in Gray’s activities. And if you think I’m going to stand here and take your bull, think again. You jerk. It’s not about you. It’s about my kids and their safety.”

To slow the action, use longer, more complex sentences. Just remember variety is necessary to keep the reader interested in the work. Page after page of complex sentences soon become numbing and difficult to follow. Similarly, a page of fast action can exhaust the reader. Varying the sentence lengths balances the story and makes for an easier read.

Outtakes 312

Road Trip

By Cait Collins

Sometimes the best research is a road trip. Seeing, holding, smelling, and maybe tasting the past or the present makes the setting real. You see the ghosts, hear their laughter, and shed tears with them. Imagine walking the wards of an Army hospital built in the 1860’s. What was innovative then seems primitive now.

Out on the lawn a baseball game is in progress. The Kids’ team is up at bat against a youth team from a nearby town. The uniforms are heavy cotton and yellowed with age. The gloves look different, but not being a baseball fan, I couldn’t put my finger on what was off.

A trip to the site of the Sand Creek Massacre taught me to view Native Americans differently. I could sympathize with the men and women who had traveled the area for centuries in search of game to feed their families.

My most recent road trip took the Wordsmith Six group to Shamrock, Texas and the U Drop Inn. We roamed the small café, showroom/gift shop, and the walkways surrounding the place. It brought back memories of the small Texas towns where my grandmothers lived. And the environment sparked creative juices. I now have a short story to write.

Day or weekend trips provide endless opportunities to learn and examine the past, present and future. They provide inspiration, and help build friendships. I recommend taking trips with your writer friends. It’s great fun.

Outtakes 310

What’s the Difference?

By Cait Collins

Have you ever started writing a business letter or a short story and then come across one of those pesky words that makes you stop and think. Is it affect or effect? Or maybe it’s two or to. Every student, every writer, every speaker wrestles with these annoying word choices. The following is not an exhaustive list, but it includes some of the most common issues.

Accept – Except: Accept meant to receive or take. Except means to leave out or exclude.

Joe accepted the job offer.

Invite everyone except Mark and Amy.

Affect-Effect: Affect is a verb meaning to influence. Effect as a verb means to bring about. As a noun it means result.

The stock market affects my IRA.

The commissioners’ ruling had an adverse effect on jobs.

He effected a riot on the campus.

Compliment-Complement: Compliment expresses praise. Complement completes something.

The quiet compliment was not heard.

The silver sugar bowl complemented the other serving pieces.

Lay-Lie: Lie means to recline. Lay means to place or put. Lie means to tell a falsehood.

John had a headache so he decided to lie down.

Mary laid the placemats on the table.

Tom lied about having car trouble.

There-They’re-Their: There is a place.     I will wait over there.

Their is a pronoun. The clerk took their picture.

There is a contraction for they are. Do you know if they’re going?