SECIONDARY CHARACTERS NEED ZIP - TUESDAY only not

For work, I'm writing Individual Activity Support Plans and Risk Assessments: lots and lots of them. And, in my spare time, I'm applying for jobs. You know when you see the perfect job: not a comparable job... or even a well-paid one, but the job you find totally inspirational; the job you've always wanted but didn't know exists?  I'm only allowing myself to glance over my shoulder at one of the jobs I'm applying for - I don't want it to know how much I want it. I'm working out how to sell my skilful self without resorting to grovelling or, worse still, to opting for the Oliver Twist's-eyes approach.

On the Reading front, I'm having so much fun reading Tessa Dare: yet, I rarely read Regency novels.

SHARON SHINN

On the Writing front, I'm writing the last words for Hal Longleat today. As it has been seen by Betas, this is the slightly more polished end of the first draft. I have specific revisions to do. I have been concentrating on speech patterns for Hal and the other pages. The last specific revision is to check the character development arcs for the other pages - I can't allow any saggy support characters to wobble their way around and through my MG novel ;)

DONALD MAASS: TIPS TO WRITE TO:

Secondary characters sometimes need zip.  Here’s a simple way to work on that…

71 Pick a character other than your MC.  What would your MC never, ever guess about this person?  Spring that surprise.

WORK and WONDER - A to Z CHALLENGED

W is for WORK
and WONDER

Each post for the A to Z Challenge is the challenge I set for myself. 

Writing is a different kind
of labour intensive work.

W is for Work because, although it's great fun, I would be delighted to consider writing as work too. That would be a new and novel experience. W is also for Wonder because when I read my head is full of questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? And, How?

HAL LONGLEAT AND THE TROUBLE WITH TRUTH

The knight’s arrival made the castle folk move back , and quickly, as he strode up to the stable door. The light and air didn’t last long. White and billowing, his cloak settled into folds near his boots. The knight reached out his hand. “Arise, Henry. You are now a page entrusted to the house of de Moreville.”

Hal shook his head. That was life! After all that work, the crusader had won himself the wrong boy. Embarrassed, Hal turned towards the stables. His disappointment made him desperate. He had to hide.

Could YOU have been gifted with the ability to identify and eliminate weak and brittle phrases from your work? To the uninitiated, these interlopers look like quality imagery.

CLICHÉ RAIDERS: REWRITE!

•           warts and all

•           well-earned rest

•           wheels within wheels

•           when the going gets tough (the tough get going)

•           with all due respect

•           with bated breath

•           with malice aforethought

•           without a shadow of a doubt

•           wonders will never cease

•           work my fingers to the bone, I

FOR W, I CHOSE WORK AND WONDER. WHAT IS THE SUBJECT OF YOUR W POST?