I occasionally free write fiction when I have the urge to write but also have a mental/creative block that prevents me from getting any further on my current projects. Below is a free write that began as a random character pair up of a strong man/enforcer and a college student/barista in a place where their … Continue reading Free Writing – April 2021
The Paradox of History by Nicola Chiaromonte (1970) investigates the idea of History by assessing literature (e.g. Tolstoy, Stendhal, etc.) which gave me some things to think about in terms of creating characters, relationships, and events. Here are a few of those things: Belief Culminates in thought which is externalized through events (action) Defines limits … Continue reading Belief and Event
When I hear "Sherlock," I think of highly functioning sociopaths. When I hear "Dean," I think of brotherhood and loyalty. When I hear "Doctor," I do not think of my general practitioner (sorry, Doc). Impressions given by and historically attached to names influence how we assign them in fiction. Presently we seem to take those … Continue reading New Old Names
I talk to myself. A lot. All day, about everything. Heck, when I'm in class or in public and can't, I feel like I'm holding my breath (crazy??). How I Collect Quotes Most of the quotes I keep are my reactions to everyday stuff or T.V. shows (e.g. Supernatural, TWD - I get very involved … Continue reading Where Disembodied Quotes Come From
I've found a nerdier repository for name ideas than sites like www.behindthename.com. Character Naming Resource For Nerds Peer-reviewed research articles. Real people have the coolest, most unpredictable last names that I may never discover while searching name websites. How I Find Names I might be writing at my little table (which is perpetually covered in articles from … Continue reading Character Name Harvest
3rd-person is my bread and butter but 1st-person is tons of fun. How 1st-Person is Like Theatre I know the script, I'm aware of other characters' intentions, I can recite my lines in my sleep but when the curtain goes up I must react organically to the other players in that moment despite how I may have rehearsed. In doing so the scene flows naturally … Continue reading 1st-Person Theatre
I once read that being a fiction writer is like being a schizophrenic actor because authors can play multiple people in a single scene each with distinct personalities, speech patterns and emotional states without letting them blur into one another. The simile made me smile. Growing up as a shy kid, I'd never had an interest in acting aside … Continue reading Lessons in Writing from Improv Comedy
Duri Rolvsson 