Tag Archives: Michael Cunningham

Lists

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Outtakes 214

Lists

By Cait Collins

 

I love lists. I can’t take a trip, plan a party, or shop for special occasions without making a least one list. Folks laugh at my purse-size notebooks, but I do stay organized and I don’t forget what I need to buy or pack. I even keep a mini-ledger to track my spending so that I stay on budget.

The question is, “What do my lists have to do with writing?” There are a couple of applications. While lists keep me organized in my personal life, I cannot write from outlines. I have writer friends who need the structure of an outline and detailed character sketches. I know others who write by the seat of their pants. Lack of structure could potentially create pitfalls for the author. On the other hand, too many details can stifle creativity. Personally, I enjoy the discussions I have with my characters. Their point of view has helped me rework scenes. Sometimes I win and sometimes I lose, but the conversations are fund.

While I don’t outline or track turning points, I do keep some lists and notes. Pulitzer Prize winning author, Michael Cunningham, taught an advanced writing group the importance of lists. One exercise was to make a list of 20 physical characteristics of our hero. The characteristics were to employ the five senses. When the list was complete, we were to write the opening paragraph to our story and use six of those items in the opening. I was amazed at how alive the hero became. When having problems creating vibrant characters, I employ this method and it does help me rework the scenes around the characters.

Different writing personalities must find an organization method that works for them. There is really no right or wrong way to structure a story. A rough draft might be an outline. Or a timeline can keep the author focused. The most important thing is to write the story.

 

Thank You

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Outtakes 69

 Thank You

By Cait Collins

It’s that time when we begin looking back over the events of the year, assessing the good and the bad, the successes and the disappointments. No matter how tough the year may have been, it’s important to realize that writers have much for which to be thankful. It’s been a good year for me. I have completed HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW and am working on the final edits. I have started a contemporary western short story. I’m working on a short work entitled Borrowed Uncles. There have been disappointments, but the good far outweighs the bad. I sat down and made a list of some things for which I am truly grateful.

  1. I’m thankful for parents who taught me to love books and stories. Even before my sisters and I were old enough to read on our own, Mom and Dad took turns reading to us. They made sure there were books in the house. No matter where we were stationed, they found the public library and took us to get library cards. They encouraged my story writing.
  2. I have five sisters who are a major part of my support group. They want me to succeed. They have encouraged me to investigate publishing my novels as E-Books. (It’s on the agenda.) The great thing is they don’t gloss over my mistakes. When something is not right, they tell me.
  3. I have a great critique group and a reader. Natalie, Dee, Craig, Sharon, and Joe give good advice. They temper the problems with positive comments. Cynthia takes the completed work and gives it a final read. Their support and friendship means more than they will ever know.
  4. I’ve been blessed with good mentors. Successful writers tend to give back. They’ve been through the early struggles, have been given support by their peers, and now they reach out to newer writers who are finding their footing. Michael Cunningham told me to write my story. Author/actor Bruce Campbell showed me how to treat fans, Michael Blake spoke of keeping on in the face of rejection. Nicholas Sparks honestly told a group of writers at a book signing that being successful doesn’t make the job easier. It means you have to do it better next time. Jodi Thomas, Phyliss Miranda, Linda Broday, Kim Campbell, Jenny Archer, Gail Dayton, Terry Burns, Candace Havens, and the late Rhonda Thompson guided my early efforts and told me never to give up. I could fill this page with other writer friends and mentors. There are so many who have been part of my growth.
  5. I’m grateful there are a limitless number of stories to tell. Okay, were told there are only about seven stories. That may be true, but there are so many ways to tell them. The challenge is to create a unique version of the theme.

This is just a sample of a writer’s list of blessings. Each of us can add more and more to the list. Recognizing the endless blessings and expressing our gratitude helps us through the dark times when we stare at the screen and nothing comes. It makes the rejections easier and the critics less upsetting. Thank you to all of you who read and follow this site. I appreciate every one of you.