Debut October, 2013: Cleveland Heights/University Heights Parents’ Book Club Writing Workshop

On September 24, the Cleveland Heights/University Heights Parents’ Book Club began its 2013-14 season and I was invited to offer a writing workshop. The idea was well received and 11 people have signed up. It’s going to be an interesting year as I share with them what I have learned about writing and encourage them to find their inner muses. Below is the outline that I drafted to guide us through our new adventure.

Discussion Topics for Writing Workshop

• Write about what you know or learn about what you don’t know
• Writing categories: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, screenplay, stage play, journalism
• Types of prose: Novel, short story, essay, memoir
• Writing genres: romance, family, biography, autobiography, science fiction, horror, crime thriller, historical, ethnic, comedy, spiritual, teen or young adult, children’s, sports, etc.
• Types of structure: 3 acts or the Hero’s Journey
• Keep a journal or make notes whenever you can. Use a hand-held tape recorder if you can. Many middle-of-the-night inspirations are lost when you’re too sleepy to get up and write them down. J
• Set aside a time to write if you can. Otherwise write as often as you can. Thinking about what you’re going to write is still part of writing but get it on paper or into a computer file as soon as possible.
• Once you decide on a topic and a structure, start writing! Try not to self-edit as you go. The instinct is to want it to come out perfectly the first time but the truth is all writing is re-writing. Supposedly Taylor Caldwell, author of many novels including Captains & Kings, thought about her book for a long time and then transferred it to a typewriter without having to edit a single word. I think that’s an Urban Myth so don’t try to be like Taylor Caldwell.
• Topics to consider: plot, scene development, character, dialogue, POV
• Plot: know how you want your story to end so you’ll have a destination for your journey. This doesn’t mean there won’t be forks in the road but you can deal with those when you come to them. Maybe the end will change but that will be a natural evolution of your writing.
• Scene development: get into the action of each scene as soon as possible and then get out, make one scene flow into the next, don’t give away too much too soon.
• Character: write a biography for each of your characters so you know who they are. Develop a style for each character including looks, mannerisms and language so they are all colorful and distinctive.
• Dialogue: keep it crisp and brief. People don’t usually talk in long, rambling passages unless they’re giving a speech.
• Point of View or narrative voice: don’t switch POV’s in the middle of a scene unless you need to do so to tell your story. But if you do, make it clear which POV you’re in. Writing in 3^rd person is usually the omniscient POV so you have more leeway.
• Finishing: a book is usually about 50,000 words minimum which is roughly 250-300 pages. But don’t let that scare you. Start out small. An essay or a short story or a poem is more than enough to get the ball rolling. If you discover that you like writing, you may find words you never knew were there. Be prepared to read and re-read your finished product until you’ve edited and proofread to perfection. That’s sometimes the hardest part. (I’ll testify to that) Get someone to help you if necessary.

The 3-Act Structure

1. Beginning (setup, introduction, exposition, problem, etc.)
2. Middle (confrontation, rising action, tension, conflict, growth, etc.)
3. End (resolution, falling action, denouement, solution, closure, etc.)

The Hero’s Journey

1. The Ordinary World
2. The Call to Adventure
3. Refusal of the Call
4. Meeting with the Mentor
5. Crossing the Threshold
6. Tests, Allies & Enemies
7. Approach
8. The Ordeal
9. The Reward
10. The Road Back
11. The Resurrection
12. Return with the Elixir

Remote Control Junkie

This is a piece I wrote in 1999. Can’t tell you how surprised I was when I read it today. All my techno-references were vintage 1999 so I had to do a major overhaul to bring it into the 21st century. But the sentiment remains and, in some ways, is more timely than ever. I used to be able to set up and maintain All of our devices from computers to TVs. Once even set up a splitter for Picture in Picture. Thought I was hot stuff when it came to cables, wires, input & output ports, etc. but now they are so complicated, I need the Geek Squad. Alas, time marches on…

Close-up of an Interviewer with a man who looks very disheveled and tired.

Interviewer: I’m told they call you a Remote Control Junkie.  How does that make you feel?

Man: (stammering) Well, I wouldn’t exactly call myself that. People are just so willing to put labels on things.

Camera pulls back to show an array of electronic equipment: Google TV, DVR Cable Box, Sony Blu-Ray DVD player and stereo system, Sony CD player with iPod adapter, Wii player, Sony Playstation, Microsoft Xbox  and a coffee table with about 10 remote control devices on it.  Remnants of snack food on the table and the man looks like he been sitting in his chair for a very long time without interruption.

Interviewer: Well, Sir, be honest—you have a lot of remote controls there. Could it be that you have—[pause] too many?

Man: Nah, nah—each one has a very specific function so I need them all. [Man is nervously flipping channels, muting TV to play stereo and then back to TV sound and swapping between devices with a kind of crazed look in his eyes]

Interviewer: When was the last time you got some sleep, Sir? You look pretty tired.

Man: Tired? No, not at all. The Late Show will be on in a minute. I always stay up this late.

Interviewer: That brings us a good point. When I tried to schedule this interview for earlier today, I was told you were too busy. But you don’t look all that busy.

Man: Well, earlier I had to see the Today Show and Morning Joe and then later I had to see The View and Kelly Ripa. Couldn’t miss them.  And then I had to record a show on HBO and MAX. It’s a full day.

Interviewer: But those shows are all aired at the same time. How do you keep up with them all?

Man: (looking pleased) Have you ever heard of DVR? Man, it’s great. I can record two shows at the same time. Or watch one and record the other. Man…

Interviewer: Sir, there’s talk that you’re a bit unstable.

Man: There’s those labels again. Unstable, smable. Folks are just jealous that I got things under control here, no pun intended.

Interviewer: I have a YouTube video to show you—maybe it will help you see where you’re headed if you don’t take a break here and get some rest.

Man: Sure, sure, just let me eject the DVD that’s in the player [pushes the button on the Remote Control to eject the DVD but makes no move to get up to get it]  They really need to put a button on these dang things that inserts the DVD too.

Interviewer goes to the DVD player, removes a disc and puts one in from her briefcase.  An image pops on the screen of an old man sitting in his driveway in a recliner with a remote control in his hand and as he pushes the buttons, the garage door goes up and down—over and over again. He looks entirely captivated as though he’s watching a movie.

Interviewer: Do you see that man, sir?  He has lost his mind and has nothing left but that garage door opener. Your family would like to save you from that fate? [reaches over and attempts to take the Remote Control from the man’s hand]

Man: [resists the attempt to take the Remote Control]  Man, that is really cool.  Look at that!!  A Big Screen TV (referring to the garage door).  I gotta get me one of those.