From My Brain to Your Brain

When you tell a story you are in brain synchronicity with your listener.  The story goes from my brain to your brain when you hear me tell a story about burning my fingers on the stove, my visit with an old friend or my dinner at an ethnic restaurant.  There are studies that show the listener's brain lights up in the same way that the storyteller's brain does. You can read about it in Psychology Today.

When you are listening, you develop empathy for the storyteller because you are experiencing the event for yourself.  You may remember a time that you told a friend about something that happened to you.  Some time later, you heard that friend telling the story as if it happened to him.  They felt as if they were there.  The memory seems so real that he feels that he lived it.

Storytelling can be powerful. We can help to build empathy for others by telling a story well.  One story at a time, we can make the human race a little bit kinder and more understanding.  Share a story with someone today. That's the power of story.

You- the Protagonist

I recently interviewed a good many people to fill a position, and I realized that most people do not understand this important truth. You are the protagonist in your own life story.  No one knows you better than yourself.  No one can see your thoughts and know your inner strengths.  It is up to you to let others see the real you, or as much of the real you as you want to reveal.  When interviewing for a job this is a very important skill.  It is also important when you are ready to publish your work.

Some writers have chosen to disguise themselves when they publish by using a nom de plume.  Because we are very complex, and our writing may reveal a side of us (silly or sinister) that we don't want our intimate circle of friends to know about, this may preserve some privacy.  It may make sense to publish using only innitials to disguise the gender of the writer.  If you write in different styles it may make sense to have separate nom de plumes for each style.

Since you are the protagonist of your own story, spend some time crafting your biography.  Be ready to talk about your strengths and your experiences at a job interview.  Prepare your biography to include when you publish that novel you are working on.  No one knows you as well as you know yourself.

Fairy Tale Rules

“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” Albert Einstein

In a fairy tale, every feature of the story is important to the plot, including the landscape, the talents and powers of the characters, the political or social climate, and even the time of day or night in which the story takes place.

In a fairy tale, the characters know the rules.  They are not at liberty to do absolutely anything.  They know that you can only make 3 wishes.  They know how to use the magic tool at hand.  They know that ambition is rewarded.  They know that goodness and kindness are strenghts, not weakness.  They understand what is required to live happily ever after, and  know that making the wrong choice means not living happily ever after.

Fairy tale rules do not cross over, necessarily, from one story to the next.  Characters have the ability to change from one form to another in some stories.  Animals talk in some stories.  Wishes are granted in various ways by any number of benevolent creatures.

 Receiving wealth or gold is the result of hard work in some stories and is bestowed buy the King in other stories. Rewards vary from story to story, too. Childless couples receive a magical baby, orphans are adopted by a wealthy benefactor, the least favorite third son ends up getting a big inheritance.

What is the value of reading fairy tales? Reading fairy tales and fantasy stories strengthens several literacy skills, including narrative skills, vocabulary and phonetic ability. Darmatic skills and imagination grow from reading them.  Cultural values and morals are transmitted through old stories, too.  They reflect the civilization from which the stories originate. Many elements of fairy tales are rich in symbolism.

For pure entertainment, fairy tales have been around for a long time and are enjoyed by adults and children.  Which one will you read next?

Perfect Time

I have been struggling lately with carving out time to write.  I have lagged a little in motivation.  I tell myself that I am plotting, that my subconscious is working.  This is true.  But it is not getting words on a page.

But with everything a person tries to accomplish, it takes persistence and starting over and getting motivated again.  So here is a pep talk for me, and for you if you need it.  Barbara is one of my favorite authors.  And she is wise.

There is no perfect time to write.  There's only now. Barbara Kingsolver

Create Something New

I am sure you have a few favorite novels.  One maybe something you read when you were young.  Those often have lasting impact.  You may have a favorite novel from the classics or something you read recently may have really made an impression on you.  Think of one of them for a minute. What is it that you love about that story?  Is there an element of the plot that intrigues you?  A character you love to hate? A memorable scene or line?  You can use that to create something new.

Focus on a minor scene from that story.  Who is in the scene? Which of those characters resonates with you.  It may be a minor character.   Could you add another character, an observer to that scene?  Could you tell the scene from that character's point of view?

 Is the scene setting up a problem?  Try to think of five or six directions it could go.  Take the one that has the most potential and let your imagination play with it.

You might have the beginnings of a story you are going to love to write!

How to Write A Title

Need to write a catchy title?  Try this.

List some precise nouns, adjectives and verbs about your story.  Play with these.  Mix and match.

List some phrases from your story.  Find phrases that have two or three words, lots of imagery, double meaning.

List some one word reasons to read the book.  Magic.  Murder. Culinary.  List some character or place names from your story.  Mix and match from these lists.

List a few pivitol events from the book.

When you have 5 possible titles, search them on amazon or google to see if there are other books with the same title.  Titles are not copyrightable.  Still, you don't want anyone to confuse your book with another book. 

Do your 5 titles fit the mood of your book?

Do your 5 titles fit the genre of the book?



Try them on like you are trying on a pair of shoes. Be sure of the fit.  Take your time.

A Good Title

After living with your story for several months, it is very likely that it has taken a path you didn't consider at first.  The imagination embelishes and swells the small idea that initiated the story. New characters may have come along, the setting may have become more elaborate. Even the theme that was vague when you started writing may be quite different now that your story is complete. After all this time with your working title, you may need to ask yourself if it still works.  The title you had in mind when you began may need to be reconsidered. Choosing a good title takes some time.

What makes a good title?

• The title is memorable
• The title fits the mood of the story
• The title suggests the genre of the story
• The title invites but has no spoilers in it
• The title may come from a pivital line in the book
• The title may be a play on words

Next, we will consider some exercises to help you find just the right title for your story.