Gerard Bianco, Writer en Route

WRITING YOUR CHARACTER’S PERSONA

2012-02-21T07:07:00.000-08:00

The persona is what Carl Jung thought of as the public self. He believed that people are the ones who play a role in a drama and that society is their audience.

When you look at life this way, your writing takes on a totally different slant, regardless of whether you are writing a play, a short story or a novel.

The writer’s job is to write about characters, shaping them with their beliefs. The writer then must create situations whereby the characters reveal themselves to society (the reader) as a result of these beliefs. This is showing, not telling.

A character’s belief system has to be obvious and the actions they take must be consistent with these beliefs. The persona of your character must be maintained throughout the story otherwise your story will be unconvincing and will fall apart. A common weakness that you’ll find in characters portrayed many times today in movies, on TV and in literature is that characters suddenly make an about face in their beliefs. The bad guy unexpectedly becomes the good guy and saves the day; the parent, who has had nothing to do with his kids for years, suddenly shows up on the doorstep and the story ends happily. This usually happens at the end of the story so that the author can tie the whole thing together, and everyone can live happily ever after.

This doesn’t mean that a character can’t change, i.e. conquering his/her fears, or acting for the good of the whole rather than being selfish as they’ve been portrayed throughout the story. But in order to be convincing, you character must have a reason for wanting to make the switch. Their actions must follow a logical path—one that is in keeping with his/her dominant emotions and beliefs. A word of warning: be very careful should you employ a persona switch; it’s been done a million time before.

Remember the old-age question and answer: What do you get when you scratch the surface of someone’s personality? You get more surface!

A persona switch does not happen very often in real life. It’s better to keep your story real. Your readers will appreciate it.

WRITING HAS OTHER ADVANTAGES

2012-02-03T07:18:00.000-08:00

As a result of my writing, I have had a wonderful opportunity to meet an entirely different and extraordinary group of people that I never would have encountered otherwise. These are the literary people. When you write a lot, you meet literary people. You are drawn to them, naturally, the way any group of people with the same interests is pulled together.

There are three types of literary people. There are writers; readers; and writer/readers. The most interesting of the three are the readers. Writers and writer/readers love to talk about themselves and the trials, tribulations and accolades of their writing. Readers, on the other hand, love to talk books and authors. I’ve learned the most about literature from them. The knowledge that many readers have about books, authors and literature is amazing.

I have found that readers are like eaters. There are some eaters who will eat anything—the more the better. Some readers are the same—they will read anything you throw at them—the more the better. Other eaters are pickier. Readers, too. There are readers who will only read good writing and they understand the difference between good and bad writing immediately. They’ve trained themselves to do so. Because of my writing and because I’ve given many book presentations, I have been blessed with meeting this very interesting group of people. Thank you, readers, for being there.

The Writer's Journey

2012-01-20T14:32:00.000-08:00

The writer’s journey begins within. A seed, nurtured by a dream, blossoms, gaining strength in its maturity. Small achievements promote discipline and persistence, while inoculating against the fear and self doubt that can often plague a writer in the most desperate hours. Abstraction leads to concretization, which leads to specificity and direction, which in the end, we hope will lead to success.

My writer’s journey began as a young boy, writing every evening in bed, before my eyes were too tired to remain open. Sometimes, my thoughts revolved around the day’s events—friends, relatives and school. But my most precious writings, and I still possess them, were of imaginative stories of things that were, coupled with visions of things that could be. This, you might say, was the beginning of my journey as a storyteller, and it is only because I retained a child-like sense of curiosity and adventure that I am able to continue to amuse myself with my writing, and hopefully others, as well.

HOW TO GRAB YOUR READER'S ATTENTION

2012-01-11T07:03:00.000-08:00

I am a FFLR – a first few lines reader. I sail through bookstores reading the first few lines from many different books, classics and bestsellers alike. I do this because I believe it's important for an author to signify the character of the story within the first few lines. The first few lines of a novel are also a way in which the author introduces himself. It's like saying, "hello." I read these few lines to get a feel of the book and I try to image the personality of the author, as well.

There are many ways an author can say, “hello.” Like the Japanese, an authors can bow, courteously, introducing their story slowly. Some authors go a step further, using the hot, wet, clammy dead fish in your hands handshake. (Yuck) Then there is the hardy handclasp that some authors use in their first few lines. It’s a warm, neighborly and inviting hello. Finally, some authors, like me, use the screaming, slap-on-your-back, two-fisted, hand-over-hand handshake that draws the reader into the story immediately – intimately.
The art of selling your story boils down to capturing the reader's attention right from the start. I like to slap my readers between the eyes with my first few lines, grabbing their interest and never letting go. As an example of what I mean, here are the opening lines from my novel The Deal Master, the award-winning mystery/thriller.

Before she could react, he attacked her. He flung her backwards onto the floor and lunged at her, pressing the cold steel blade of a pearl-handled straight razor menacingly against the side of her neck. His face, only inches from hers, began to sweat. “Don’t move,” he said through clenched teeth.

And here are the first lines from my new theatrical comedy, Discipline: A Play:

HAROLD: I find that no two nipples are alike – even on the same person.

LILLY: It’s not polite to compare them.

HAROLD: I wouldn’t know why.

LILLY: I wouldn’t think you would, so I’ll tell you.

Notice how in both examples the atmosphere of the story is clearly laid out. There is no question as to the genre of either story.
Want to grab someone's attention? Think in terms of pushing the words into the face of the reader so that he/she has but only one option – to read further.

Setting Goals for the New Year

2012-01-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

When setting goals, it's important that you do not set your goals too high. Setting goals (New Year's Resolutions) on January 1 that you hope to maintain for a whole year is setting yourself up for failure. It's difficult to maintain a goal for a week - 7 days in a row. How are you supposed to do it for 365 days?

Better, is taking smaller steps in smaller increments. Want to eat healthier in 2012? Don't try to drastically change your entire diet. Begin by making a small substitution to your morning diet. Instead of drinking 2 cups of coffee in the a.m. have 1. Use sugar on your grapefruit? Use a low calorie sweetener instead. Taking baby steps allows the body and mind to cope with the drastic step of making a change. After you've accomplished the first small step, then take another. Set yourself up to be a winner. You'll see, it works. Go for it!

Great Tips for Writing Mystery/Thrillers

2011-12-11T08:04:00.000-08:00

Now Write! Mysteries is the fourth volume in the acclaimed Now Write! series. http://nowwrite.net/mysteries/

This series features 86 never-before published suspense, crime, thriller and other mystery fiction writing exercises from top selling authors. I was fortunate to be selected as a contributor to this marvelous collection. Here is my contribution:

http://nowwrite.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Mysteries-Samp-Bianco.pdf

Important Principle of Writing #18: WRITING WITH AN EMPHASIS ON PLOT

2011-12-09T18:58:00.000-08:00

Now that I’ve told you how important characterization is, I’d like to turn 180 degrees and stress the importance of a story that depends for its interest solely on plot. Short stories, especially short shorts, dominated by plot and not characterization, are interesting in that you must weave these stories with cleverness and tricky endings. There is no time for you to focus on characterization. The reader must receive evidence of a character’s goodness or badness from indications rather than explicit details. The reader must then use his imagination to gain the impression you want him to have. There is a fine line here. You mustn’t be too vague, otherwise the reader will have nothing to go on. You have to leave enough clues to give a good indication without going into too much detail. Here is the opening paragraph from a short short that I wrote called The Christmas Gift. It is written in the first person and it is a good example of what I’m talking about as it illustrates the character of the narrator without going into detail.

It was late in the evening, December 20^th, and I was hunched over my desk, picking stones for an assortment of gold and silver mountings—Christmas gifts for last-minute shoppers. (Here we see immediately that this man is conscientious —a good worker—as he is working late in the evening.) A sorting pad of clean, bright-white paper sat in front of me. Scattered on the pad were diamonds, rubies and sapphires in a variety of sizes, glistening in the light thrown from a fluorescent lamp clamped to the desk. Tools of the trade sat within reach—a 10 power loupe, a millimeter gauge, tweezers, diamond papers and a scoop. My store, Jenson Jewelers, (Ah, so this man is also a successful businessman. He owns a jewelry store. He’s probably well off.) was closed, and I was alone in a work room that is normally bustling with the sounds of bench men, hammering, soldering, setting and polishing. On this evening, however, all was quiet as I had sent my staff home early to be with their families. (This man is a good employer, a sympathetic man, someone who appreciates others and is genuinely concerned for their welfare.) I yawned, stretching my aching back muscles and looked at the large round wall clock, which kept reminding me that my wife was patiently waiting for a dinner she would not begin without me. (He’s married, and he’s concerned that his wife is waiting for him. How bad can this guy be? Right?) The phone rang. I cursed the interruption, and for the umpteenth time that day, I picked up the phone and pleasantly said, “Jenson Jewelers; how may I help you?” (Patient and respectful, too. He could have yelled into the phone, or at the very least, he could have ignored the call. Instead, he answered the phone and did so politely. I like this guy.)

So, you see how much is learned about this man without me stopping to tell the reader what he is like by listing his good qualities, as if I was writing a grocery list? Every word I used moved the story along without pausing to describe this man’s character, and yet you know more about him than if I had characterized him by words. I hope this helps you.

Important Writing Principle #9: THE SIX-STEP FORMULA FOR WRITING THE SHORT SHORT EVERYONE WILL WANT TO READ

2011-11-26T06:03:00.000-08:00

A short short is a short story that usually contains between 1200 - 1500 words. Experienced writers can spit 1500 before breakfast. It's as easy for them as swiping a credit card.

However, an experienced writer also knows that writing the short short can be more difficult than writing a full length novel. The brevity of the story constricts the wordsmith, depriving him of developing character, plot and setting, all of which he can develop fully in a short story, a novella or a full-length novel. Every line and paragraph of the short short must be significant to carry the story forward with rapidity and terseness.

Like a prize fighter, the author of the short short attempts to score points with each swing of the pen. To accomplish this task, it is vitally important that you plan your short short well, from start to finish, long before you begin a first draft. There is no wiggle room, no chance to elaborate and not a word to waste.

To help with my writing, I developed a six-step formula to guide my pen from beginning to end of the short short. I hope that you will find it useful, as well.

Plan your story well, dividing it into three parts - beginning, middle and end. Write the end of your story first. Knowing where and how your story is going to wind up will keep the beginning and middle parts in line. This will insure that you do not veer off your story. In the short short you must keep on track.
When writing the beginning of your story use the Plunge Opening. This means that you must leap straight into the problem that confronts your main character. Now, with the beginning and the end written, the middle of your story will practically write itself.
Allow the reader an opportunity to bond with your protagonist, be he/she good or bad. Readers want to sympathize with your main character and need to understand the motivation behind the action your main character takes. It is therefore wise to focus your few precious words on characterization rather than on setting.
Make certain your characters are consistent. Don’t end the story with your good guy suddenly turning bad or the reverse. Never introduce an unknown character who will suddenly come out of the blue to save the day. Readers aren't going to buy it and they will resent you for it.
Use strong dialogue to move the story along. Don’t tell the reader that your leading lady is angry. Instead, have her scream at someone. It’s a lot more effective.
Finally, write a story that is worth the read. Give us an ending we’ll remember. Yes, I know, some people say “it’s all about the journey.” However, when it comes to story telling, that statement doesn't ring true. A surprise ending is ideal, and most sought-after short shorts are those with surprise endings - something with a twist. But if you can’t think of a story with a plot twist, make certain the ending has the reader going away with the desire to read your next story, the one after that, the one after that, and so on.

Important Principle of Writing #6: The Beauty of Self Expression

2011-11-10T20:36:00.000-08:00

John Gardner (1933 - 1982) in his book The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft For Young Writers wrote, “It (self-expression) comes about inevitably.”

What a benefit it is for the writer of fiction to understand this concept before putting pen to paper. If what Gardner wrote is true, and I believe it is, then no matter what you write, there will always be a self-expressive quality about the work. Do not attempt to negate this fact. Instead, recognize the self-expression in your writing and use it to your advantage. Be conscious of what you feel. Think about what you write and ask why. The answers you come up with will reveal your inner-most emotions, those that are buried in your subconscious. Don't write for the reader. Instead, get to know yourself. It was Joseph Campbell (1904-1987,) the great mythologist, who wrote, “The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” I believe the thrill of a lifetime is finding out who you are.

Send the Memo

2011-11-09T19:17:00.000-08:00

I’m living the nightmare that everyone has. You know the one I’m talking about. It’s the one where you’re back in grammar school and the teacher starts handing out test papers and you did’t study because you didn’t know there was going to be a damn test.

Six years ago I published my first novel. Back then it was a mortal sin to self publish. At the time, I was good at mortal sins so I figured self publishing was for me. Now, everyone I talk to is writing and self publishing a book. And forget traditional, in-your-hand books. Everyone is creating e books and selling them for 99 cents. What’s that all about? And why didn’t I get that memo? I’m still working on getting my words onto paper. When were they going to tell me that's not done anymore?

Oh, and when were they going to tell me about social networking? I didn’t know it’s a must to have 40,000 Twitter followers. How do you get 40,000 followers and what do you do with them, once you get them? It reminds me of the movie Sergeant York with Gary Cooper, where he captures hundreds of German prisoners and no one knows what to do with them.

Okay, so here’s the deal. In the future, should a radical change take place in the publishing industry, I would appreciate someone letting me know. Send the memo. Please?

The Power of Stories Part 2

2011-11-04T20:09:00.000-07:00

I have had more than one person ask for a reiteration of my thoughts on the power of stories. This, then, is part 2 on the subject.

The idea of power in stories is a new concept for me, but one that keeps cropping up in my reading and in my thoughts. Phil Cousineau in his book Once and Future Myths talks about the Power of Ancient Stories in Our Lives. Gordon Farrell in his book, The Power of the Playwright's Vision talks about the importance of the author's vision in a wold that has lost its unifying vision of life.

These are not new concepts. These thoughts go back to Plato, who believed that the author (and artist) had a sacred responsibility to influence his readers for the betterment of society as a whole.

Authors are many times so caught up in the art of writing they lose sight that their writing influences people to act and react. This is power. Any thoughts?

The Power of Stories

2011-11-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

The power of stories can not be measured by the books we read or the films we watch. For many, the effects of storytelling began long ago, in infancy. Stories affect the way in which we think, the method of how we perceive, and they induce the intensity of our emotions.

“Not until we tell ourselves a story can we make sense of our experience,” says Jerome Bruner, the noted psychologist. Stories anchor our beliefs, and at the same time, set them free. Stories present a yardstick by which we relate all things. They are the lies of fisherman and they are the truths that are held by the faithful. They are the fables, the myths, and the classics. They are timeless, traditional, immortal, and unforgettable. At the same time, they are contemporary, modern, and up to date. Some stories disappear almost at the exact second they are told.

For me, stories are a way of life. Storytelling is how I communicate my thoughts and emotions. All life is a metaphor. Have you told a story today?

And Then Anton Chekhov Said . . .

2011-10-31T19:13:00.000-07:00

In his advice to playwrights, Anton Chekhov suggested that “Declarations of love, the infidelity of husbands and wives; widows, orphans and all other tears, have long since been written up. The subject ought to be new, but there need be no ‘fable.’ And the main thing is - father and mother must eat. (Therefore) Write. Flies purify the air, and plays - the morals.”

Important Writing Principle #17: Precision

2011-10-27T07:49:00.000-07:00

To be precise in writing doesn’t mean that you simply use your Thesaurus. Precision paints a sharper picture in the mind’s eye of the reader. Authors visualize the scene they are writing down to the last detail. Unfortunately, this picture doesn’t always transmit to the reader. The author assumes the reader will see the details, when in reality, it is the reverse.

Some authors try to make their writing more precise by making it wordier. This usually doesn’t work, and the writing becomes heavy, stagnant - without movement.

There is a trick that I use that will help you to be more precise in what you want to say. I call it the Triangle of Precision. Imagine a triangle, sitting with the point up. The point represents a scene with the least amount of detail, i.e. “She took me home in her vehicle.” Vehicle is the word at the apex of the triangle. As we fill in information about the vehicle, we begin to descend the triangle, filling in larger areas. Vehicle becomes car. Car becomes an Audi. An Audi becomes an A6, etc, until you are at the bottom of the triangle and the sentence now reads: “She took me home in her brand new 2012 metallic blue A6 Audi, custom built with tan leather seats, a wooden dash and so many steel-aluminum parts that it made me feel like I was sitting in a can of tuna fish."

Here is a ‘before/after scene from my mystery/thriller The Deal Master that will further illustrate the advantages of the Precision Triangle.

Draft: "Vinnie sat in a chair in the center of Gillette’s office. A spotlight cast deep shadows around him. It looked like a scene from a movie."

After rewrites: "Like a scene from a movie, Vinnie sat up straight in a chair in the center of Gillette’s office. A spotlight over his head cast deep, dark shadows that looked like large black holes under his eyes, his cheeks and his feet. The blinds were drawn, the door was closed, and the rest of the room was in total darkness."

The Movie "The Trip" (2010)

2011-10-26T06:32:00.000-07:00

In the movie, “The Trip,” Michael Winterbottom’s 2010 comedy, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon advance the ‘Buddie Trip’ to a whole new intellectual and philosophical level.

At the start, Steven, an actor, accepts the job of reviewing up-scale restaurants in Northern England. He accepts this assignment, thinking it would be a great way for him and his girlfriend to enjoy a romantic getaway. However, girlee can’t make it because she’s gone to the U.S. hunting for a job and presumably to sort out her relationship with Stevie, so Steven calls on his ‘sort of’ buddy Rob to accompany him.

Between dueling impersonations, mindless eating and the obvious failings of a middle-aged celebrity ‘wannabe,’ “The Trip” contains an important underlying message. Hey, don’t expect me to reveal it; watch the movie. Besides, I’m too busy practicing my Michael Caine impersonation. The acting is superb, the scenery is marvelous and the score fits in perfectly. My rating: B+ Have you seen this movie? What do you think of it?

Important Principle of Writing #12: The Definition of Writing

2011-10-24T20:45:00.000-07:00

Understanding What Writing Is: This is the first step towards writing well.

What is writing?

Definition: Writing is words in relationship.

Examples:

A word in relation to nothing. (Help); A word in relation to itself (reflective) (to wash, to wake, to stop); A word in relation to a word next to it ( I awoke.) or (She smiled.); A word in relation to other words in a sentence, a paragraph, a chapter, a story, or a novel.

Understanding this concept, you will begin to understand the power of words and the importance of the choice of words to use. There are many young writers who believe that more words equals better writing. This is not the case. It is the relationship of each word to other words that gives writing its importance. As an exercise, fiction writer should write poetry. This will help to understand the importance of choosing the right word to express thought with economy.

Who is Your Favorite Author?

2011-10-23T12:33:00.000-07:00

We all have our favorite authors. Do you know where your fav lies on the all time “Author Best Seller List?” You may be surprised who is on top, just under the Bible and Willie Shakespeare. If you guessed it was Agatha Christie, you’d be right. 4 BILLION books sold. Yikes!

Here’s the list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_fiction_authors

Shhhhhh

2011-10-22T11:06:00.000-07:00

Speaking about dogs: did I tell you that I am working on a top secret book project that's all about dogs? No? Well now you know. More news to follow.

Maine Lobster – Do you know . . .

2011-10-19T11:21:00.000-07:00

Maine is the lobster capital of the world. Here, we have the sweetest, juiciest and finest lobsters anywhere. Mainers are proud of this fact and take lobster fishing very seriously. The most recent figures published indicate that in 2009 there were over 72 million pounds of lobster caught off the Maine coast, valued at over 297 million dollars.

Even though Maine lobsters are consumed by millions of people all over the world, little is know about our Homarus americanus (American lobster.) Let me share a few little-known lobster facts that you can ponder the next time you dig into these succulent crustaceans.

Lobsters love the colder waters you find around the Maine coast. However, I have witnessed them hanging out in some of the bars in the Old Port in Portland, too. They molt 2-3 times a year while juvenile, but only once a year when fully mature (about 4 to 7 years old.) In the first two weeks after molting, lobsters are very vulnerable because their new shells are so soft they can’t move very fast, or defend themselves. Their natural predator is the codfish. There are others, too - haddock flounder and other lobsters.

Lobsters are not the scavengers everyone makes them out to be. They eat live food, consisting of fish, mollusks, other crustaceans, worms and some plant life.

Lobsters can live for more than 100 years. They can get big, too. The largest lobster weighed in at over 44 lbs. They come in a variety of colors, including red, blue, green purple and yellow.

Lobsters have a brain the size of a grasshopper’s. They have two different size claws; a crusher and a pincher. A lobster’s teeth are in its stomach.

Here’s one other lobster fact that you should be aware of: I make the best sterling silver lobster in the country. It has movable claws with hidden hinges. The claws are different sizes, (remember crusher and pincher?) There are ten different pieces that must be assembled to create this lobster and it takes me three weeks to complete the job. The details are exquisite. I often sell this lobster to lobster fishermen, here in Maine, and if there's one thing you should know about lobster fishermen in Maine: it's that they’re very particular when it comes to lobsters!

Log onto www.gerardbianco.com and click the jewelry logo to see my lobster, and other sea and nautical jewelry that I create. Oh yeah, check out the diamond rings, too.

Caché; The Film That Hides the Truth!

2011-10-18T13:00:00.000-07:00

Caché (Hidden) is Michael Haneke’s 2005 fascinating, award-winning film in which the director builds up electrifying tension through heightened contrast coupled with the fear of the unknown.

The serene Parisian family life of Georges (Daniel Auteuil), his wife Anne (Juliette Binoche), and their twelve year-old son Pierrot is contrasted by the turmoil stemming from the arrival of a haunting videocassette recording of the family’s comings and goings. The cassette mysteriously showed up on the family’s doorstep. More arrive at different times. At first, the recordings appear to be a harmless prank, but when the cassettes are accompanied by strange drawings of mutilated animals and stick figures with blood pouring from them, the family begins to worry.

As the film continues we learn that along with this horror the family is, in many ways, dysfunctional. The husband does not communicate with his wife, nor share his feelings with her. Ann has her own secrets. There are hints throughout the movie that she may be carrying on an affair with a friend. Pierrot, always on the edge of the action, gives the impression of being rebellious and spiteful. Each member of this family holds secrets that accelerate the conflict and fan the flames of self sabotage.

What are the secrets you keep hidden? What do you hide from your family and friends, your lover or your spouse? Are the truths you hide more dangerous than those you reveal? Is it better to keep them secret? Do you try to hide them from yourself?

It’s time to spill the beans . . .

Important Principle of Writing #249: Succinctness

2011-10-17T19:59:00.000-07:00

If you read the literature on fiction writing these days, you’ll find that there are at least 649 principles of good writing that you should consider before putting pen to paper. I’m certain that if I took a little more time, I can come up with 650 + principles, too. What a lot of beginning writers do not know is that it is important to narrow down the field of writing principles, choosing only those that will help move the story along. It is this purposeful selection of a dozen or so ingredients that informs the writer’s style. Over this century and the next, I will list some of the important ingredients that have helped me over the years.

Important Principle of Writing #249: Succinctness.

Editors love to slash. They take the greatest joy out of cutting and wiping out all of the hours the agonizing work you put into describing, elaborating, detailing and decorating your nouns and verbs. There is a good reason. Good writing is tight writing. Every word should work towards a successful conclusion. Today’s fast-paced, internet-driven reader demands shorter, easier-understood writing. Get to the point quickly or you will be left behind, sucking gravel, as your reader peels away in search of other, more enjoyably understood writing. Eliminate unnecessary words, phrases and paragraphs. Give up the juice, leaving the rind and the pits behind.

I hope that you’ll leave a comment – oh yeah, make it a short one.