Yeah, you have to be very careful with writing software like Grammarly. They're really designed more for essays and school papers, not so much for fiction, and they can't see context. In writing the only thing I use a computer for is to check my spelling. I do let it check grammar, but often I laugh at its incompetence. But occasionally it gets something right.
I have Grammarly Premium so you can set goals. But it does offer some quirky suggestions at times which does stop to make me think which is a good training tool. But the squinting modifier made me giggle.
I just want to go on record as saying, AI isn't known for understanding anything remotely creative or artistic, despite advertising claims to the contrary. You're far better off brushing up on your SPaG (spelling, punctuation and grammar) using style guides in book or website form. A human mind can make art, a computer program can't. And what's more, a program isn't capable of understanding that it can't make art. It's been programmed to tell you that it can, because the company makes more money that way. But of course, do what feels right. Eventually most people decide to discard the software for grammar purposes. I remember a few years ago I got hooked in by Grammarly and almost tried it out, until I found a thread where people discussed its strengths and weaknesses.
I was researching DJs and how they reference beats... when dialogue beats popped up as part of the search. Improving dialogue Today I learned an interesting fact. Using beats. I tend to write them intuitively when writing dialogue. Laughing. I never realised they had a name. https://careerauthors.com/5-tips-to-level-up-your-dialogue-using-beats/ But I sometimes go further than she sighed, poked peeved at him, rolled eyes etc., with further action to add a third dimension ... so the reader is aware of other contributing factors to the dialogue and a character's reaction. First draft from current WIP Rebecca cleared her throat loudly and tried to make eye contact. Heaven forbid that this bunch of bimbos were responsible for caring for patients' needs. The surly faced, blond nurse cast Rebecca a cursory glance, was about to speak, then was drawn back into the conversation by another squeal of laughter. "ahem..!" They all turned and stared at Rebecca as if she were some low-life who'd just crawled from beneath a stone and was of no importance. They returned to their conversation without pausing for breath and barely a glint of acknowledgement. Rebecca looked along the corridor and saw the Doctor's office, pointedly turned her back on them, starting to make a way down the corridor. "Excuse me, where do you think you're going?" asked one of the nurses. "Oh, I'm not invisible then," Rebecca retorted sarcastically as she turned to see the blond-haired nurse running after her. "You'll have to leave. It ain't visiting hours yet." "Really, and your name is?" Rebecca noted the name on her badge. Nurse Longbottom. That figured. Overhearing her exploits of the night before of a blow-by-blow account with one of the male nurses, she seemed aptly named. "Doctor James requested I come in earlier as she wanted to talk to me."
Sounds like "how to write dazzling dialogue" by James Scott Bell might be one to add to your reading list.
I'm adding these YouTube videos on Lyrical writing to my study thread for future reference. Thanks for tagging me @Xoic Lyrical Writing https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC6qNi4LsUzdRxynFy1ClagklKXOFISez
Over the last couple of weeks, I've been rewriting/editing Dreams. This was my NaNoWriMo novel from 2012. It is Book 1 of a series, but I've been so wrapped up in other projects I failed to notice the following: I have used the same names for different characters. Mary x 3 times Peter x 3 times Maria x twice Marta twice Yep, I was defo having a senior and blond moment. So, today I learned an important lesson the hard way. Don't cut corners. Keep a spreadsheet, use plotter anything to keep track of the names you've used because it is not as easy as using the search and replace option for each of the above. And when you update them in the manuscript, remember to update the point of reference. The plot also thickens re names because the original plot was based in Cyprus but has since moved to Portugal. This means the flavour of the names changed for all the secondary characters. Writing romance? I found the following articles from Harlequin useful Advice from the Archives—Character 101: Building Complex, Interesting, Memorable Characters The Basics Full name (and nicknames) Age Birthday Eye and hair color Height & weight Ethnicity and birthplace Occupation Education Kind of car(s) or vehicles they drive Keeping this list, and adding anything you think might play into the story later, will help you keep track of who’s who, and will save you from reading back to see whether your heroine’s eyes were sky blue or emerald green. Additional facts you can track include: Childhood upbringing Immediate family members (names, ages, and defining trait) Primary romantic conflict Main foible(s)/flaw(s) Special skills Notable physical traits (scars, tattoos, piercings, accessories, mobility devices, etc.) It’s also a good idea to keep a running list of names of all characters and their relationship to your MCs in your story. Give Them a Code <---- I had not even considered this! Excellent point In the immortal words of Luke Evans in Fast and Furious 6, “Every man has to have a code.” This is your character’s iron-clad rule that they will not, under any circumstances, break. Not every character has a code, but if you’re writing a particularly challenging character, someone you might not even like because of the things they do or the people they hang out with, giving them a code might go a long way to redeeming them or explain who they are. It’s particularly effective if you give a villain or an anti-hero a code—for example, “I will not hurt or kill children,” or “I will do anything and kill anyone to save my baby.” Codes push characters into moral gray areas, giving them depth while also making them sympathetic. Article continues ** And Creating Characters: 5 Questions for Romance Writers Here are five questions to ask yourself as you start thinking about your characters. 1). Goal: What does your character want? For an engaging romantic conflict, your main characters should have a goal outside the relationship that’s put at risk by the romance. Preferably, this should be an active goal, not just the desire to avoid pain or inconvenience. “I don’t have time for love”, and “But I live in another city!” are low-stakes obstacles. The characters can just fall in love and change their minds. (And since this is a romance, we know they will!) Your main characters’ goals should be so important to them that falling in love with each other would be a disaster. This is why when characters are at a crossroads at the beginning of the story, (returning home after losing a job or ending a relationship, for example) the journey lacks drama. Your mains should be fixed on their goals, resistant to change, and then forced to make a choice. 2). Motivation: Why do they want it? Whether your character wants to save the family ranch, win the dog show with their prize Pomeranian or become Hairstylist of the Year, it’s their reason for wanting it that adds emotion to the romantic conflict and makes the reader want to go along for the ride as the characters are forced make tough choices. Your character’s motivation could be as universal as fear of rejection or loss, but it should feel specific to their goal. (“If Max and I win the dog show, Mom will never make fun of my obsession with Pomeranians again!”) Your protagonist might not understand their own motivations, but you should. 3). What’s their history? Where did they grow up? How many parents and siblings did they have? What were the seminal experiences that shaped their fears, dreams and accomplishments? Try writing a full character backstory or profile. Even if only some details make it into the story, when you know your characters intimately, it’ll shine through on the page. 4). What do they look like? One of the great pleasures of reading is being dropped into a world that feels as real as the one we live in. Flesh and blood characters are essential to that experience. Is your character tall and awkward? Petite, round and graceful? Do they have an unusual bump in the bridge of their nose, piercing eyes, and a ridiculous laugh? Even being exceptionally beautiful affects a person. If you choose to give your heroine long flowing hair and violet eyes, and your hero a chiseled body and velvety lashes, how does that influence their image of themselves and others? 5). How do they interact with the world? How do your characters treat their family and friends? Do they tip their servers generously, soothe babies and befriend dogs? Do they relax in a Bauhaus chair or on a rumpled leather couch? Listening to Ariana Grande or Gregorian chants? Or both? Observing and portraying the details breathes life into your characters. Article continues
You have a Mary, A Maria, and a Marta? (Make that several of each actually). I would avoid such similar names, people won't be able to remember which one is which. Generally you want to make names extremely different, in several ways—number of syllables, first letter, vowel sounds, etc. Maybe Peter, Maria, Nicolette and Joan or something?
Excellent point! I'd never considered this. Maybe some of the characters don't even need to be named for example Marta is the Housekeeper and appears in one... maybe two scenes. as a minor character.
Understanding the 3 Types of Character Arcs How to Craft Your Character's Arc I am revising my novel from NaNoWriMo from 2012 and the more I dig into the revision, the more I think about the goals, obstacles & conflicts, and stakes for my protagonist, Rebecca. I included these points instinctively at the time, but now I can hang a tag on them. Revise and follow through. Epiphany: The end of my book circles back to the beginning. Each chapter builds to achieving her goal etc. This is for screenwriting but assume it also applies to novels https://screencraft.org/blog/understanding-the-3-types-of-character-arcs/ When crafting your story, try asking some of these questions to assess various elements and determine whether your character’s arc is strong enough. Goal What is your protagonist’s goal? By the end of the story, do they succeed or fail in achieving that goal? Do they learn some kind of lesson along the way? If so, is it inherently positive or negative? Obstacles & Conflict What obstacles does the protagonist face in pursuit of their goal? What conflict arises in their journey (external and/or internal)? How does your character react to these obstacles and conflicts? Are their reactions positive or negative, or are they changed by the conflict positively or negatively? Stakes What happens if the protagonist does not achieve their goal? How will they be affected by success or failure? Starting Point & End Point Who was your character when their journey began? Who are they at its conclusion? How would you describe the change that has occurred to or within them along the way? Article continues https://screencraft.org/blog/understanding-the-3-types-of-character-arcs/
Not really a writing tip exactly, but some good solid advice I think. This guy talks a lot, and lets his mouth run away at times. Sometimes I don't know what he's babbling about for a while, but he usually brings it back down several times in each video and makes some good sense. I think he does that really well in this video: I just posted it on my blog, but also wanted to drop it on the board somewhere so people who don't go blog-hopping can see it.
