Make a Scene

Someone once complimented my writing as being "economical prose that gets right to the action." In other words, I can't be bothered to describe anything. (Ha!)

Well, this week my co-worker Lois and I went to the Iola Car Show on behalf of the library. Krause Publishing, who host the car show, always have a huge blowout book clearance sale. Most of the books are on car and hobby subjects, and when all those $15-$30 dollar paperbacks are available for $5 each, it's a great way to get some fresh blood on the library shelves.

One of the books we picked up on our $300 shopping spree was a writing book called Make a Scene by Jordan Rosenfeld. I haven't actually read it (it's about planning and constructibg scenes in your book) but just the title made me think.

One of the things that got me into Harry Potter (especially in making fan art) was the unique, amazing visual aspect. There were things in every book that people wanted to imagine and draw, sometimes just even little touches.

There are no giants, werewolves, potted mandrakes and jugged grindylows in my book, but there are certainly things I could change to make the books more uniquely Castle Crabapple....for instance, the scene where the witches first arrive at the castle, and all the courtiers are dressed up in their finest, waiting to recieve them. Well, there's really only a handful of courtiers in tiny Crabapple Valley...I guess I will have to stick a few farmers in there. And their familes. And favorite sheepdogs. And possibly one prize pig. This could be fun. Must keep it tight, though....and I'm not sure if Ruffles M. should appear in the scene or make his grand entrance when originally written. Ruffles didn't exist yet when I first wrote this chapter.

Meanwhile, over on Livejournal, I have joined a new community for 'people passionate about reading, writing and illustrating.' Since the person starting it seemed to have some serious credentials, and since approval was required to join, I was hoping it might be a very serious sort of venue. So far people are posting their poetry and short stories and fan fics, and I'm having doubts. (Poetry always makes me suspicious.) I'm not about to post my Real Book there, or break off rewriting to dash off postable stuff. About the only other thing of note I have to post is my fan fiction novel, but not sure I want to add more frivolity to the blog.