How To Fill Your Time….Ward Off Cabin Fever (4 of 4)

You’ve been cooped up for weeks now….trying to fight off  ‘cabin fever‘ which is a real thing.  The term originated during the long, confined dark winters in the Yukon and Alaska during the turn of the 19th century.  Gold miners and fur trappers would be confined to their cabins for months on end. Usually with their business partner, another male, (seldom was a woman around during these early days of panning and trapping.) The hardiest of these men would go slightly crazy and had even been known to kill their partner in a fit of crazed rage. 

Another writing exercise I would like to suggest is to write a letter to your dad, mom, your child. Write the truth. It might even spark the beginnings of a story as you remember the good times, the hard times growing up, the view of a new world through your child’s eyes. 
Cabin fever sparked the trivia part of my brain as I remembered this little snippet of fact and started me writing this post.

Did you miss the rest of this series? 
Self-Isolated. What Do You Do with All this Time?
What To Do with Isolated Time. Write a Short Story
What To Do with all Your Isolated Time? Journaling
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MY BLOG features INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!    December: Dervla McTiernan – January: David Poyer, March: Olivia Hawker, April: Dan Sofer 
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Ideas to Fill The Time….Writing

You’ve been  self-quarantined for weeks now…..Running out of ideas to fill your time?

Try writing something!

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Did you read these most recent posts?

Self-Isolated. What Do You Do with All this Time?

What To Do with Isolated Time. Write a Short Story

What To Do with all Your Isolated Time? Journaling

Some ideas on how to start and keep writing. We all have at least one story inside us. Why not try?
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MY BLOG features INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!    December: Dervla McTiernan – January: David Poyer, March: Olivia Hawker, April: Dan Sofer 
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  On the home page, enter your email address.  Thanks!

 

 

 

Books by Trisha Sugarek

  

 

 

What To Do with all Your Isolated Time? Journaling

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Journaling. Do you journal already?  Have you ever thought of journaling? 

The freedom journaling allows you is exhilarating. You can write anything!  Your thoughts for the day. Your fears (about this terrible virus) that you don’t want to share with your family. After all, you’re the strong one, right?  You can make up recipes that you want to try. You can make an outline for a story you want to write. You can try your hand at a little poetry. See? Anything. 

If you’re new at writing, begin by writing your thoughts down. Don’t be judgey. No one’s going to see what you write. Write a story based upon a story from your grandmother or dad. If you’re a new writer, it’s probably going to be bad. You’re not alone. My first stage play that I wrote was pretty awful. My first draft of my first novel was way bad. 

But practice truly does make perfect.  Editing and rewriting and the delete key are really what makes your writing good if you are trying your hand at creative writing. 

If you are journaling in the real sense then there is no “bad”.  Everything you write is good because it comes from you. It frequently takes a load off your mind and your heart.  Write a little something every day. It frees you to express yourself in a safe place that no one sees unless you want to share.

Note to self: Don’t leave your journal laying around if you live with other people. Find a nice safe hiding place for the most private book that you own.

This is a series of three posts about your isolated time and how to fill it. Click here

I have created a series of Journals for different kinds of writing. Click here
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MY BLOG features INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!    December: Dervla McTiernan – January: David Poyer, March: Olivia Hawker, April: Dan Sofer 
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  On the home page, enter your email address.  Thanks!

 

 

 

  Books by Trisha Sugarek

 

What To Do with Isolated Time. Write a Short Story

I hope you and your loved ones are still staying at home; the best way to avoid catching the virus or spreading it unintentionally. I know it’s boring and scary but we must do it to stem the transmission of this horror virus.

Now about writing; you’ve maybe pictured yourself as one of those who will write a novel “when you find the time”. I know many people who have said this to me when they find out I’m a published writer. I believe that every one has at least one story in them. 
The buyer of a book (in the store or online) take three steps to determine to buy or pass.  They see the cover…hmm..this looks interesting. They flip to the back cover where there is most likely a synopsis of the story. Then the buyer flips to the first page of the story. IT BETTER BE GOOD!  Because that’s your last chance to make them buy your book. The first line of your story needs to grab them. Here’s a list of examples, using all genres. 

‘As I crossed the street I didn’t see the bus bearing down on me. I heard someone scream.’

‘I sat in the prison waiting room about to interview a convicted killer. What would he say to me? More importantly what would I say to him. I’d never met a murderer before. 

“Slow down, Al,” Vi screamed and laughed from the back seat. “You’re gonna kill us.”

‘My first audition since I hit Hollywood and what if I fail?’ Cold sweat slid down my spine. My eye twitched. ‘Next!’ A hard voice called out. 

‘The teacher grabbed my math work book and, marching to the front of the room, read my poetry aloud.’

‘As the saloon doors creaked back and forth, the trail weary cowboys backed away when they saw him saunter in.’

“Mother must be spinning in her grave,” Kitty muttered, as her chauffeur drove up the long driveway to the main entrance of the State Prison.

‘A large scaly head rose out of the muck. Dirty algae hung from the mouth, caught in its large teeth. A single cold,  green eye with dirty yellow flecks in it, stared at me.’ 

Excerpt from Winter of Murder  ©  (first page of the new mystery; I think it grabs the reader.)

“What?” Stella gasped.
“Where?” Raul, her husband, demanded.
“Alaska.” R.J., their first born had just informed his parents that he was going to Alaska for six months. Maybe longer.
“It’s a great opportunity, Dad. Not many internships are offered by this company, especially when I’m not going for a major in geology but to study the impact the mining industry has on spawning salmon.”
“My God. Alaska.” Stella whispered. Being a murder cop in New York City she was not shocked by much but this had certainly knocked her back. “So far.”
“How are you going to live? I hear it’s expensive up there.”
“I get a stipend. Meager but it will buy my necessities. Room and board are provided.”
“I guess we could find the money for your airfare.” Raul always supported his sons in everything they did.
“Not a problem, Dad. I’ve been saving and I’ve already purchased my ticket.”
“R.J! You’re going regardless of what we might have said?”
“Mi amor, R.J.’s a young man now, not your little boy. He’s of age and can go anywhere he can afford to go.” Raul kissed his wife’s temple.
“But, Alaska. And to a rough mining camp? I don’t like this.”
“Mom, it’s no rougher than some of the streets right here in Queens. And look what you do. I’ve spent my whole life wondering if you would be coming home each night.”
“Did you? Wonder? Oh R.J., we tried so hard to insulate you boys from the dangers of my job.”
“We weren’t stupid, Mom. Robbie and I both knew some crackhead could kill you.”
Stella eyes filled with tears. Partly for what her son was disclosing but partly because this beautiful, tall, lean young man before her was her son. And he was leaving for Alaska.
“Mi mujer Policía, it will be fine. Now that I think about it, it is a rare opportunity. To study his beloved sea creatures far inland. I hear the scenery is spectacular.
“When do you go?” Stella asked.
“Next week.”
“So soon.”
“Yes. But, I’ll be back before you know it, Mom. It’s only six months. The time will fly.”
“For you maybe.” Stella sighed. 

The same rules apply here, you have to create rich characters, an arch to the story and a resolution. With a short or long story, you have the liberty to write description for pages and pages. That’s not my favorite type of book; I much prefer snappy dialogue. But that’s probably because I write more dialogue than description. A story does not have the ‘time’ limitations that a stage play has. 

I write out of sequence frequently when writing fiction.  I may be in the middle of the book when the concluding chapters come to me. Especially the Epilogue. So I write it. Why not? I can always edit it. 
Example: (The chapter title lets me know that I created this chapter but won’t be certain where it fits in the story, if I use it at all.)

Sample: New Chapter ??? (c)

Gwendolyn Baxter sat at her desk, her chin in her hand. She had been the student counselor at Bayard for the past eight years. She listened attentively to the woes of a fifteen year old teen seated across from her. Her parents were stupid. Her teacher didn’t understand her. She couldn’t get a boyfriend. She knew her lover would love the looks of this girl. Tall, willowy, blond. Olivia.
“I know how it is with parents. Always on your back about something. Right?”
“You don’t know the half of it.” Olivia sneered. “If it isn’t my grades it’s the length of my skirt. Jeez.”
“Do both your parents work, Olivia?”
“Yes. Sometimes my mom doesn’t get home until late. I have to cook my own supper.” She sighed.
“How are your grades?”
“Average of a B minus. But that’s not good enough for them.”
“That’s pretty good. What’s their problem?”
“Who knows?” Another deep sigh.“Listen, a friend of mine and I are having a little afternoon get-together today. Why don’t you come? His house is just blocks from here.
“Oh, I don’t know⸺”Olivia hesitated.
“He’s very rich and always has gifts for his guests. It’s so lit. Grace is coming.”
“Grace Stern?”
“Yes.”
“We’re friends.”
“She always has a good time. Last week Geoff gave her some Gucci sneakers.”
“Really? That’s straight fire.”

Tune in for Thursday’s post, How To Journal
Did you miss part 1 of this series?
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MY BLOG features INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!    December: Dervla McTiernan – January: David Poyer, March: Olivia Hawker, April: Dan Sofer 
To receive my posts sign up for my 

  On the home page, enter your email address.  Thanks!

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Self-Isolated. What Do You Do with All this Time?

First of all…how are you all doing?  I’m thinking of my readers during this terrible, scary time. The safest thing for you all to do is self-isolate. That’s what I’m doing….I’ve been in my house for three weeks, seeing no one, going nowhere. My groceries are delivered…I spray them down before I touch them or put them away. 

FACT: Refrigeration doesn’t kill the virus.  Did you know the coronavirus can live in your freezer for two years?

What can you do with all of this time that you suddenly have?  Maybe start to write that short play or story that you have rattling around in your head. Now you have the time and quiet to begin writing.  Or perhaps you received a journal, as a gift, and never started writing in it. 
Here are some fun (and helpful, I hope) tips on how to BEGIN.

How To Write A Short Play
Picture walking into a room with three to five people. They are talking and you are walking into the middle of that conversation. That’s how you write a ten minute play or a short play.  You should know these people, how they express themselves, what they’re passionate about.  
Example: 

                                                     GWEN (Whispers.)  © 
Here she comes now.

                                                       SUE
 Look at her…she’s so stuck up.

                                                        GWEN
Who does she think she is?

                                                        SUE (Sarcastic.)  
Big shot on campus…just because she was first draft at the cheerleading try-outs.  I heard she was on the competition team at her last school. Took state.

                                                        GWEN
That’s just a rumor.  I personally don’t think she’s all that good.

                         (BRIDGETTE has gotten close enough to the girls to smile.  HER smile dies when SHE realizes that THEY are talking about HER. SHE                                    averts  her head and walks on by. The GIRLS whisper  just loud enough to be heard.) 

                                                           SUE 
Ice Queen! 

                                                         GWEN 
Like, so cold. The blond ice berg.

                                                          SUE
Look at her….she thinks she’s all that.

(Now. For this exercise, you, the writer, are Amanda. You walk into the middle of a conversation.)

                                                         AMANDA (Entering.)
Hi. What’re you talking about?

                                              SUE
That new girl…Bridgette. She’s so stuck-up. 

                                             GWEN
So stuck up, I can’t believe it. She’s not even pretty.

                                              AMANDA
Well, I wouldn’t say…

                                                     SUE (Cutting her off.)
You know, Debbie lost her spot on the team because of that (Aiming the word at Bridgette.)  beee-ach!

                                                             GWEN (Slightly shocked) 
Sue!

                                                               SUE
Well, she did.  And Debbie’s my friend and I don’t appreciate someone nobody even knows, ruining Debbie’s chances to cheer this year. 

                       (BRIDGETTE continues past, and at a  
                         fast walk, exits. The
GIRLS’ voices  follow HER.)

                                                             GWEN
She’s got no friends. 

                                                              SUE
Well, duh, she’s stuck up.  Doesn’t talk to anyone.

                                                        AMANDA
I’ve talked to….

                                                  GWEN (Interrupting.)
Just ‘cause she’s tall and blond and skinny doesn’t give her the right to look down on all of us.

                                                                SUE
Yeah, who does she think she is anyway?
                                                                                                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can almost promise you that your characters and their dialogue will sweep you down the river of words. It happens to me all the time.  Your ten minute play can go over (12-15 minutes) without much complaint from anyone. You must have an arch and a resolution even though it’s very short. If you find you cannot do this you can create a one act play. About 40 pages.  This excerpt is from a best selling (ten minute) play of mine titled Mean Girls. The play is basically about a form of bullying.  The arch occurs when the mean girls allow Bridgette a chance to join them. The resolution (and end) is they find that Bridgette is not stuck up at all but just very, very shy. 

Tune in for more about writing short stories, journaling and being creative during this stressful time.  Tuesday I’ll blog about writing a short story and Thursday I’ll write about journaling.
Note: I apologize. Word Press doesn’t always hold my formatting. I’m looking into it.  
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MY BLOG features INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!    December: Dervla McTiernan – January: David Poyer, March: Olivia Hawker, April: Dan Sofer 
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  On the home page, enter your email address.  Thanks!