Category: Storyteller

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More Reasons Why People Write…

Writing is tedious; it requires patience and enthusiasm. With that in mind, many writers are creative geniuses who change people’s lives. Here are some of the reasons why writers are truly inspiring.

Writing conveys emotion, intellect, and creativity. Reading a well-written novel, poem, or devotional can lift us out of the doldrums of life, lift us to a higher plane, and help us to see beyond our mental and physical boundaries.

So if you have any desire to write, if you’ve ever considered it, or if you are in the process of writing right now, think of your reader and take him or her on an enjoyable or exciting journey.

It takes a lot of enthusiasm to become a good writer. Let your readers feel that enthusiasm, and you accomplish that goal by …

Writing Creatively.

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Dreams Can, and Do, Come True

After 60 years, a childhood dream became reality! In late 2022, a man in his early 70s finally became an author, and now his second novel has been completed.

In his fourth-grade classroom, Charles Yancey’s teacher gave him a book titled Nobody Loves Me, authored in 1890 by Amy Catherine Walton, also known as Mrs. O. F. Walton. That book, placed in the hands of a child who already loved reading, sparked a genuine, decades-long interest in writing. He made up his mind that someday he’d write such a book, and his dream became reality.

In December of 2022, Yancey published Alone…Yet Not Alone, now popular with both teens and adults. The sequel to that book, Make Room for Others, Jonah, is also receiving great response. Yancey is elated at the success of his books.

Yancey was hesitant to submit the manuscript for his first novel for publication, and was further reticent to write another book. But upon receiving eager response from many readers, he complied with requests for a second novel. Will there be a third? Well, that remains to be seen.

Here are Charles Yancey’s own words. “For me, writing is a rewarding pastime. Although it’s demanding on time and effort, it can still be very satisfying. Everyone has a story. You might think no one is interested in hearing or reading yours, but that may not be true. Millions of people spend hours reading every day. People want to hear about adventures, hobbies, vocations, vacations, etc. that other folks have. It’s a way they can experience adventure and excitement that they, for many reasons, cannot encounter. And listen: the older generations have stories many young people would appreciate hearing. The key is telling them in an exciting way.

“I wish I had, in print or recording, the accounts I’ve heard from my parents, grandparents, and in-laws. But I don’t, so at least I’ll share my own stories for my family and friends. I think you should do it, also. You might be as surprised as I was at the results.

“And you might allow P&L Publishing and Literary Services to help you, as they did me. They do a great job.”

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Why do you like to write?

What compels you to write? Is it fun? An obsession? An adventure? An escape? I asked a group of people why they wrote, and here are just a few of their responses.

Writing helps me cope with stress.

Writing allows me to go to anywhere I want to go with no restrictions.

Writing allows me to create other worlds, and kind of live in them.

Writing allows me to safely express my thoughts, worries, and anxieties.

I enjoy writing because I find fiction more interesting than the real world.

I write poetry because it helps me connect to my artistic side.

I write to give people a good story to read.

When one of the men asked me why I liked to write, I told him I write to teach about life. Among other things, that includes topics related to history, science, the Bible, humor, and philosophy.

There are hundreds of reasons people write. Why don’t you interview yourself and find out why you like to write. The answers might help you learn to improve your skill. And as you improve, always …

Write Creatively

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You Don’t Know how to Start?

You want to write a book, but you don’t know how to start?

You might need to consider personal time management. Separate tasks or projects under “urgent” – “important” – “necessary” – “desired.” This takes insight, planning, preparation, and promotes efficiency. It also greatly reduces time spent in crisis-management.

Decide what’s needed to accomplish that task. Of all those necessities, which ones are more important? Of those, which ones are mandatory?

Of course, you will have decided on a theme, plot, and story line. You will also need pen & paper, typewriter & paper, or a computer. And it would help if you had a place to write, and time to do it.

However, one of the most important aspects of writing is what I call living your story. Authors who mentally enter the story write with a more balanced emotion, and that gives the story life.

So make your plan. Study your topic, ask for and receive proper mentoring, and pick out a good editor. Why? Editors refine and improve our material by correcting a lot of things we writers miss: errors in spelling, grammar, syntax, and punctuation. They also ensure that ideas flow logically and smoothly.

But you’ll never write the story or book unless you sit down and just start writing. It won’t write itself.

Please keep these thoughts in mind, and …

Write Creatively

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Don’t be Predictable

It’s important for the author to insert him/herself into the plot; that helps in creating a great story. But don’t let the story be predictable. Ernest Hemingway at times stopped in the middle of a page and walked away for half a day or so to refresh his mind. The noted radioman, Paul Harvey, always had a twist in his narrative called, “The Rest of the Story.” The turn-of-events took his listeners – and readers of his books – by surprise, and left them wanting more.

Unless predictability is your purpose, design the plot with those sudden surprises that will capture your readers’ attention and keep them reading. One of your primary means of doing that is to …

Write Creatively

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Experiment with Genre & Style

I wrote for public newspapers in several states from 2001 through 2023. My subject matter included Bible, history, science, nature, travel, and a lot more. But I didn’t write about animals; that wasn’t my forte.

But one day in July of 2013 after relating a dynamic experience to my friend and co-writer about our kitten getting stuck in a glue trap, he suggested that I write about it in my next article. When I told him I don’t write about animals, he paused, took a sip of coffee, and said, “You do now.”

I thought that would be a challenge, but I was wrong. It was the easiest piece I ever wrote because I merely related what happened.

Did I say “merely related”? Well, that wasn’t quite true. Everything I said in the article was accurate, but I painted the word picture in a creative manner. Through well-chosen words, I let the readers “watch” the 3-month-old kitten as it …. Hey, I’ll let you read part of the writeup so you can see what I’m talking about.

Two and a half month old Marvel was playing in the sun-room. He batted his ball, it bounced behind a box, and he pounced after it. A playful kitten disappeared behind the box, but a hissing, crazed, writhing monster erupted from the other side! He had stepped into a glue trap!

He was screaming, thrashing, flipping, running from his phantom attackers, flailing and irrationally bouncing as only a cat can do, running into walls to make matters worse, and getting glue all over himself; but I was finally able to grab him to remove the source of persecution. I paid (got bit) for my efforts, but I didn’t punish him for that error: he was frantically fighting for his life!

When my co-writer saw the responses I received from readers about that story, he said, “You have added another genre to your bag of tools.” That also introduced me to the genre of Creative Nonfiction, which is described as “true stories well-told.”

So, I encourage you readers to experiment with genre and style. Remember The Cat and the Glue Trap, consider looking into and studying about Creative Nonfiction, and …

Write Creatively

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Start with What You Know

Sometimes I have a difficult time starting a blog or a story. When that happens, I have a default mode – I start writing about an idea I’ve stored in my “Idea Folder” in my computer, or something I already know about. An event in my life, something I remember or saw recently, a news flash – many things can ignite the writing flame. That heats up the imagination and the story begins to flow.

If I’m writing history, I write what happened. If I’m writing fiction, I feel free to change things around. Sometimes I start with history but the flow changes direction and I revert to fiction. That’s okay.

Let your creativity out of its box and create characters that fit what’s happening in your imagination. The story can be historical, morph into historical fiction, or turn to total fiction – that’s okay. As you “see and hear” the characters floating in your imagination, your emotion will generate energy for the story. Write what you see and hear. You can – and should – always edit later.

So, if you’re having a difficult time thinking of a theme or story line, start with what you know, and …

Write Creatively

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Are You a Writer or Storyteller?

In a proverbial nutshell, there is a difference between a writer and a storyteller.

A writer uses words in various styles and techniques to communicate ideas. A writer’s prose and/or poetry can be so polished that by using imagery and metaphors the writer can enrapture people with their literary brilliance even without a well-defined plot. The emphasis is in the choice of words.

A storyteller is someone who communicates about events in images, and sounds. Excellent storytelling resurrects old worlds or creates new worlds. Storytellers enable us to watch the forces of Attila the Hun clash with the Roman Legions. They help us to walk through the distant past and watch the pterodactyls fly overhead. People are enabled to experience fear as they see and hear the battle between imaginary interstellar forces.

Storytelling is a social activity that draws the listener to a different dimension of time and space. The wording can be rough and crude, and that’s forgiven because the emphasis is in the plot.

But can a person be both a writer and a storyteller? The answer is a resounding YES.

I think it’s something we should all be striving for, because that would enhance the quality and the value of our work – and the number of sales of our books.

I want to be both a good writer and a good storyteller. I’ve got the verbal storytelling down okay; it’s the writing part that I’m still working on. So, yes, I’m still endeavoring to …

Write Creatively