Party On!

If you've been around this blog for awhile, you know that I occasionally take late night walks. On these walks, I sometimes see interesting things or get a little scare, but even if I don't, I tend to come away with tons of story ideas or to have worked out a story issue I was having.

The other day I took one of my late night walks (it's been super rainy here lately, which is weird for us, and the other night was actually clear!) While I didn't observe anything fascinating, I did walk by a party. On the one hand, I was happy they were out on the porch, as it meant there were people who were a) conscious, and b) in a position to hear me, say, scream should anything happen on this late night walk. Yes, I think about those things, and I know I shouldn't go on late night walks, but they soothe me and open up my creativity. And sometimes that is my only opportunity to get out for a walk or any type of exercise.

Courtesy of Stephanie, clker.com

Back to the party, it made me think about how parties can be used in your writing for various purposes. For instance, having a character interact with folks one way, then completely change their behavior in privacy can tell you about that character pretty quickly. And even if you don't change anything once they get away from everyone, you can still learn plenty about them. Are they bubbly and outgoing? Shy and reserved? Do they feel threatened or get aggressive? Are they highly competent and professional? Are they putting on the party? Crashing it? Or are they being forced to attend due to a relationship, friendship, or work?

A party scene can also help you introduce several characters at once, giving us a hint about who it is we should follow and become invested in. Harry is highly personable, organized the entire event, and was the life of the party. Betty skulked in the shadows, cast fake smiles at anyone who spoke to her, and left early. Ramin was friendly, albeit reserved, chatted with folks and showed interest in what they had to say, but was relieved when the evening came to a close. We've just met three characters, and if you write the scene properly, you should actually have been able to show their personalities through their actions and reactions, rather than telling us their personality traits or situations.

Courtesy of Camaher, clker.com

The type of party can also say a lot about the setting and characters. Is it a raucous, drunken orgy of energy? A sophisticated, highbrow affair? A dinner party? A barbecue? A kegger? What type of house is it being held in? What is the general setting? A field? An apartment? What's being served? Is there hired help or a frantic hostess? Even better if you can immediately set a time period for the story. Are they wearing hoop skirts, evening gowns, or poodle skirts?

Interactions between folks can also lead to the sharing of quite a bit of information. Conversations can reveal backstory, establish relationships, and lead the story forward. A character can discover clues or additional information they might not have gotten otherwise. Discoveries can be made.

Not only can information be established, but so can relationships. Did Betty glare at Ramin the entire time she was there? Did Harry look at Betty with lustful eyes or with deep love that isn't returned, because she never notices him or pays any attention to him? Is Ramin carefully studying Harry out of the corner of his eye, maybe reporting into a hidden microphone?

I'm sure I could keep going, but the point of it is, parties can be a great tool in your writing toolbox. If you're struggling with presenting some information, consider throwing a party! In your book, anyway.

Have you used a party in your writing? What did it help you establish? Can you think of other ways it could be used to help your story?

May you find your Muse.

[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday - Elk Nuts & Links

I still haven't had a chance to go through the photos from my trip, so how about an infantile sampling?

Elk nuts? Actually, while we all know this means they sell elk AND nuts, hubby brought a gag gift back from Australia on one of his first business trips: a little bag made from kangaroo scrotum. So elk nuts really wouldn't be unrealistic. Also, this is the land of Rocky Mountain Oysters (look it up if you're not sure what that is).

The vast majority of my other photos are looking good, though! And they're scenic ones, not goofy ones like this one, with the exception of a few. I got some great photos of a gorgeous elk buck, along with a huge herd of elk up at the peak of one of the mountains. We also sat in a nasty thunderstorm, which apparently triggered a tornado down here over Pikes Peak. We missed it, but my dad got pictures. Insane once in a lifetime thing! (One hopes).

Okay, enough babbling. I'm a bit wired because I just got done with my first night at my CNA course. I could squirrel at you all day, but it's time for links. (Yes, I said squirrel. You know, like in Up: "Squirrel!" Highly distractible).

Free Online Workshop:

David Corbett presented a workshop for Pikes Peak Writers. You can view this 2 hour workshop absolutely free online, and it is most definitely worth the time! The workshop is The Outer Limits of Inner Life: Bringing Characters to Life by Looking Within.

Accepting Submissions:

Emby Press has several upcoming anthologies about monster hunters: Blood Trails is looking for your standard monster hunter as part of a trilogy of anthologies, with a deadline of August 15; Doomsday seeks monster hunters with a focus on an apocalyptic scenario, an outbreak, an epidemic, with a deadline of September 15; The Dark Monocle seeks steampunk monster hunters, with a deadline of October 15. All pay $25.

Alaska Quarterly Review seeks short fiction, fiction novel excerpts, poems, short plays, literary non-fiction, and photo essays. They do not open for submissions until August 15.

Descant is taking part in the 25 year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall with an issue following the theme of Berlin. Pays $100 honorarium. Seeking fiction, poetry, essays, and art. Deadline August 16.

Horrified Press is accepting submissions for Until the End, an anthology featuring short and flash fiction based on a couple left behind in the apocalypse. Deadline August 20. Pays in royalties. May consider poetry. They're also seeking submissions for Tales of the Undead - Suffer Eternal, Volume III. Deadline August 25. Pays in royalties.

Chuffed Buff Books seeks poetry for Poetry and the City. Deadline August 31. Pays £4 per poem.

Wolf Willow Journal has four editions of their literary journal each year. They're thematic, but will accept things that don't follow the theme. Macabre Symphony will be their October 2013 edition. Poetry, fiction, non-fiction, artwork, and photography. Fall reading period ends August 31. Pays $20 for short fiction and creative non-fiction. Pays $10 for flash, photography, poetry, and art (cover art pays $20).

Grant:

Live in Brampton? The Brampton Arts Council offers a grant to writers of any kind, as long as their ultimate goal is publication. Amount varies. Deadline August 29.

Of Interest:

Rise 365 put out a piece by Claudia Good entitled 10 Things No One Told You About Being a Writer.

Interested in any of these? Anything to share?

May you find your Muse.