Oh, the simple truths of these cartoons.

http://stuffnoonetoldme.blogspot.com/

Stay safe!

Cheryl

Come on, admit it.  You spend too much time surfing the internet instead of writing.  That blank page of manuscript taunts you to fill it.  The blinking cursor is a blinking evil overlord, cackling at your inefficiency.  in retribution, or procrastination, you click on your email.  Or Facebook.  Or Twitter.  And maybe a link or two.  Or a dozen.  Bottom line?  Time flies, and you book doesn’t get written.

Well, we at writers like us have a solution to your unproductive habit.  Yes, we do.  Below is a handy-dandy list that fulfills two (count ‘em, two) objectives at once.  You can (1) surf the internet and (2) call it research.  We all know inspiration can strike at any moment, and the following sites carry our 90 day, money back guarantee to inspire you in some way, shape or form.  Really.

To hone your setting:

• http://strangemaps.wordpress.com

• www.roadsideamerica.com
• www.findlatitudeandlongitude.com

To create the perfect name for your character, evil overlord, fair castle or gristly dungeon:

• www.dragonsmark.com/names.php
• www.hobgoblin.net/modules/namegen/index.php

To make sure destiny is on your side, or to find the destiny of your characters:

• www.osho.com (click on zen tarot)
• www.astrocenter.astrology.msn.com
• www.famousbirthdays.com

To search for inspiration:

• www.funtrivia.com/en/w.html
• www.bloomington.in.us/~propa/trivia.html

To hone your spelling and grammar skills:

• www.freerice.com

To search for the perfect images:

• www.flickr.com
• www.youtube.com
• www.renderosity.com

To gather inspiration from the masters:

• www.ealasaid.com/misc/vsd
• www.fanfiction.com/book

And finally, for the best writing advice:

• www.writerslikeme.com (did you expect something different?)

What is your favorite site to spend (too much) time on?

I’ll be back Wednesday with a scintillating tip or two.  Until then, be safe.

Cheryl

Somewhere between potato salad and campfires, I found today’s post.  I won’t bore you with the details of my family reunion, nor would I give away the people I love.  However, I will say this:  I could write a novel – a saga – about my family.  But I won’t because people would never find it believable.  Seriously, in this case, the truth is stranger than fiction.

Anyway, the point is this: you can find ideas for stories and characters everywhere you go.  Reunions, the airport, even in the grocery store – there are possible character sketches in all the people you meet.  The stories you hear, your family tragedies and history, the details strangers reveal to you in their need to tell someone their story – these are all the makings of great story lines and subplots. 

Don’t quote them exactly.  Don’t journal their lives as your story.  Don’t steal their privacy.

But… 

Do pay attention to their words and the emotions those words are attached to.  Study their posture when they tell their story.  Listen to the circumstances around their tale, the set up of their life, the little asides they feel are important to the “plot” of the events they relate.  Note how they behave as they relate to one another.  What is their body language?  Do they maintain eye contact?  Are their voices soft, frantic, wobbly, or overly loud?  Do they always use words or do they shrug, smile, and gesture with their hands?  The people around you are always giving you great stuff!

 Sure, you can make your hero look like Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt.  Go ahead and steal the physical description of Carrie Underwood or Jennifer Aniston.   (Just try to avoid saying that they look like these people – show, don’t tell.)  But if you want your story to ring true, you need the details that real life people and situations provide.  Lucky for all of us – they can be found everywhere.

Have a great week!  I’ll be back on Thursday.

–Mary