Wednesday, March 22, 2006

It's Snowing!

Strange how the weather has the ability to impact your mood. I love to write on snowy, rainy or otherwise gloomy days. I don't really know why that is, but they are also the days I'd like to curl up with a good book. Maybe that's it. Whether its writing or reading, my mind loves to be engrossed in a good story when the snow flies.

It reminds me of how important it is to remember that your characters are people too. Readers will identify with those events they recognize as part of our common human experience. Funny thing though, the items that usually have the most impact are the tiniest details. Lets take snow for example. You have all had the experience of waking up in the middle of the night and being instantly aware that it's snowing.

How do you know? Is it that strange eerie quiet as the snow buffers all sounds from the outside? Or the very distinctive glow that streams through the bedroom blinds, an unearthly light from the reflection of white. The crunch of foot steps though the pure white power, the taste of one unique flake on the tip of your tongue. These are the the details that place your character in our world. The little tidbits that create the suspension of disbelief in your readers and engross them in the story. Next time you write a scene or even a paragraph think about the details you can add to make your writing sparkle.

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