Rather than take an existing discussion off-topic, I've started a new thread to gather all the snippets of helpful writing advice etc., under one umbrella. Or at least writing advice I found interesting When reading a discussion, how often have you had an 'a ha' moment and, 'I must remember that little gem!' ... then get distracted? I'll start with: White Room Syndrome. This morning I read a discussion. The term made me pause. What is white room? Asks Mr Google. Found a blog post https://paulathewriter.com/2019/01/14/white-room-syndrome-fiction/ After reading Considering the above I asked Chat GPT Prompt: What is white room syndrome in writing ChatGPT In the context of writing, White Room Syndrome refers to a common pitfall that writers may encounter when crafting their stories or scenes. It describes a situation in which the setting or environment in a narrative feels empty, lacking in detail, or poorly developed. It is as if the characters are interacting in a featureless, generic "white room" devoid of sensory and descriptive elements. When a writer falls into White Room Syndrome, they often focus solely on the dialogue or action without providing sufficient context or description to ground the reader in a specific time and place. As a result, the scene may lack depth, atmosphere, and the immersive quality that helps readers connect with the story. To avoid White Room Syndrome, writers are encouraged to incorporate vivid descriptions of the surroundings, including sensory details such as sights, sounds, smells, and textures. By engaging the reader's senses and providing a rich visual and experiential backdrop, writers can bring their scenes to life and make them more engaging and believable. Additionally, it is important to consider the characters' emotional experiences and their interactions with the environment. Describing their reactions, thoughts, and physical sensations can further enhance the scene, making it more dynamic and compelling. By avoiding White Room Syndrome and creating fully realized settings, writers can enhance the reader's immersion, enrich the storytelling experience, and contribute to the overall quality of their work. -------------
It isn't a problem in a play—the scene director (or whatever he'd be called ) takes care of White Room Syndrome, or decides to make it a Black Box production. And if they go that way, then the acting and certain other devices must provide enough excitement so nobody cares the entiure scene is empty and black.
Does it count if its got black curtains, near the station, no gold pavements and some tired starlings ?
It was the tired starlings that clued me in. Plus I considered making an "In a white room" joke already, but figured I'd leave it for you or Moose.
Just ran across this tonight: There are two followups to it. Plus Brandon McNulty is a great channel to binge on.
Thanks, @Xoic I've just taken a quick look, and after listening to the first couple of minutes, I've bookmarked to read it later today.
Today To capitalize or not to capitalize (nickname vs. character description) Yep, this has been something I've been meaning to research. Reference: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/capitalization-rules-in-writing Yes, you do. So Sophia's nickname for her fiance is Numpty, not numpty. ------------- Excellent YouTube by Brandon McNulty on dialogue. I made copious notes and have bookmarked the page to revisit at a later date. Immediate takeaway. Dialogue: Anaphora Technique. Who knew starting consecutive sentences with the same phrase had a name? I've always used this technique.
So when Sophia says, "Come on, Numpty." It is capitalised. What about "My Numpty is in a snit." Or "My numpty is in a snit." or "Numpty is all grump today."
Metrical writing in poetry and how we can apply it to prose. Many years ago I followed @OJB s blog https://www.writingforums.org/blogs/blog/ojbs-blog.79777/ also checking out Xoic study any other suggestions, please? Maybe it is not so much meter when writing prose and more rhythm. " Source: https://literarydevices.net/meter/ This also offers a better understanding when writing free verse. This is interesting "poets of free verse focus on natural rhythm and pacing." This is what I am working toward when writing fiction.
Yesterday, I studied 'Character Arcs' as mentioned in another thread. Fascinating. It's something I do naturally but never realised LoL Enjoyed the research and the more we read the more we learn ...
Some of the most in-depth info I've run across about character arc, including the various different kinds, is on K M Weiland's blog. She goes into great depth about it all, and it's where she worked out the ideas that then went into her books. The blog alone is so much information it takes a good long time to absorb it all, but the books go even deeper. Highly recommended.
Thanks, Xoic. I've taken a quick look. Good recommendation, thanks. I've bookmarked for more in-depth reading.
I've been thinking and reading this morning about a writer's instincts. It's with some amazement that I have seen my own instincts - gut feelings/inner voice - become honed the more I write and learn and increase my skills. Anyway, I read this particularly good article this morning from K.M. Weiland 5 Exercises for Honing Your Story Instincts
Thank you, Louanne. The article made me pause to reflect This: Your story instincts and your ability to tap into them clearly will define how much “talent” you may have as a writer. So how can you tell if you even have any story instincts? I wonder if the great writers such as Bronte, Dickens, Harper Lee, Arthur Conan Doyle, George Orwell, Colleen Margaretta McCullough and many more wrote from the heart or became bogged down with the whatnots as we do now.
I'd say they had plenty of instinct. I don't think anyone can write well without some form of instinct. Or do anything well for that matter. You can only teach so much... especially with writing, where so much of it is intangible.
And they also thoroughly learned the craft of writing. Not sure about whatnots (or what those even are?)
Chekhov’s Gun—if a gun is fired, it must be introduced early on; if it is introduced, it must later be fired. “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” Chekhov again! “The bigger the issue, the smaller you write. Remember that. You don't write about the horrors of war. No. You write about a kid's burnt socks lying on the road.” Richard Price
This is a really good question. First of all, I believe (and I have read) that all of us - everyone - has storytelling instincts. We can all make up a story in our head. But is this the same as a writer's instincts? That ability to know when you are crafting and constructing, that something is "off" - or that something sounds right, or it doesn't. For example, I have become much more in tune with the rhythm of my prose over the last year, coinciding with writing a dozen short stories. Is feeling the rhythm considered instinctual? Have I honed that instinct - my inner ear - as I increased my skills? But of course instinct is more than that. Instinct comes into play, too, when you are plotting and building characterization. This is where we rely on our inner voice to relay to us some innate knowledge. Makes me wonder about the distinction between inner ear and inner voice.
I live to learn LoL ... are you sure a meter is only 3 feet? Holds up hands and surrenders. Meter is the basic rhythmic structure of a line within a work of poetry. I thought meter helped to create rhythm. reference: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/poetry-101-what-is-meter-learn-the-difference-between-qualitative-and-quantitative-meter-in-poetry-with-examples and Wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metre_(poetry)#Dissent In poetry, metre (Commonwealth spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) is the basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in verse. Many traditional verse forms prescribe a specific verse metre, or a certain set of metres alternating in a particular order. The study and the actual use of metres and forms of versification are both known as prosody. (Within linguistics, "prosody" is used in a more general sense that includes not only poetic metre but also the rhythmic aspects of prose, whether formal or informal, that vary from language to language, and sometimes between poetic traditions.) I don't know... I'm still trying to figure out metrical writing and how I can apply it to prose.... Let's call it WIP, and ALL suggestions are welcome.
