Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Romantic Novelists' Conference 2015 and Showing not Telling

It seems hard for me to believe that the RNA Conference was just over a week ago. As always. it was superb even though I feel I attended only half of the conference due to a 'bug' that would not leave (still have it). So many things at the conference recharge my writing batteries...being with other writers always tops the list along with whatever session fellow Heroine Addict, Julie Cohen teaches. These did not let me down.

But there were a few surprises...the biggest one was the Show Not Tell taught by Sue Moorcroft and Heroine Addict, Christina Courtenay. This is something that is always at the forefront of my mind as I tackle my first round of edits but not normally until then. Like Julie I tend to write a sh*tty first draft for me that is full of short cuts just to get the story down. This will include much of she felt like this - knowing I will head back in and 'show' in the next draft. Because to be honest when that burst of writing is upon me stopping to think how I can show she is frightened, nervous etc means I can loose the flow.

This wonderful workshop was a brilliant reminder of how much fun it is to show and not tell...how I hear you ask? We played dressing up. Christina brought part of her beautiful collection of Japanese clothing... It's been a long time since I played in a dressing up box or wore a costume for Halloween. When I put on the kimono I transformed in so many ways...and then PING. Something I hadn't thought about in the book I'm writing at the moment...when my character puts on her Wrens' uniform for the first time....what did she feel? How did it alter how she carried herself, thought about herself? Did 'the world' look at her differently or did she just feel this way?

Many times as writers we immerse ourselves in our characters and don't stop and think about it. It's part of the job. It was brilliant to step out of my world and put on someone else's clothes and to 'feel' the difference. Hopefully this will refresh my writing and certainly my sense of fun!

4 comments:

  1. I missed the conference this year, and so would have loved to have been at this workshop. I bet you had a lot of fun.

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    1. I did even if I wasn't in the kitchens until the wee hours!! lx

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  2. Well that's fun! It's amazing how something so innocuous as trying on a costume can feed the muse isn't it? Hope the bug is leaving...slowly perhaps, but leaving.

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  3. The bug is leaving...thank you. I can't recommend dressing up enough now...it really did feed the muse as you say! lx

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