When I was at college, many moons ago, I studied Behavioural Aspects of Marketing. I didn't much like the sound of it, but it turned out to be the most interesting module of the course!
One of the things we learned about (and today's M in my A to Z Blogging Challenge) was Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Have a peek at the following diagram:
This pyramid displays what Abraham Maslow believed to be our fundamental needs. The most important, basic human needs are at the bottom, and if you can make your way up to the top, you'll be the proud owner of some self-actualization. That's right: you've reached your full potential. How many of us have reached the top? A show of hands please...
Me either!
Maslow's hierarchy of needs completely fascinates me, and I thought I'd share it with you all, as I believe it could slot right in to the writing process!
How so? Well... why don't you try looking at the pyramid with one of your characters in mind? Pick one of the fundamental needs from the pyramid and put it in jeopardy.
What would happen to your character if you put their friendships or family in crisis? Or how about giving them an achievement, and give the reader that "feel good" factor?
What would happen if they lost their employment, all of a sudden? Or had a health scare?
Obviously if you remove any of the needs from the bottom row (like breathing), it could get a tad sinister.
Do you think the pyramid would be beneficial to your own storytelling?
Today's M is for Muddy Waters, singing Rollin' Stone. Goosebumps at the ready, people!
"You
were born with potential. You were born with goodness and trust. You were born
with ideals and dreams. You were born with greatness. You were born with wings.
You are not meant for crawling, so don't. You have wings. Learn to use them and
fly."
Rumi
I believe you can never stop learning. In fact, I'd go as far as to say your thirst only increases with each lesson learned!
If you're a geek like me, and love to learn, please visit today's A to Z Blogging Challenge topic of L for LearningSpace: The Start Writing Fiction course, by the Open University.
It's divided into three outcomes:
Character
Setting
Genre
It's the weekend... why not put a bit of time aside, to make your way through the excersizes? It's not a waste of time if it helps your improve your writing/brush up on your skills!
Today's L is for Led Zeppelin's When the Levee Breaks. This song reminds me of my lone bus journey to the T in the Park festival in 2010. I had this on the iPod, two cans of Strongbow cider (classy lady) and I was so excited about what was to be my best TITP experience yet!
Today’s blog post for the A to Z
Blogging Challenge, is K for Karl Pilkington, from the TV show Idiot Abroad. Why?
He taught me not to judge a book by its
cover.
The first time I watched Idiot Abroad,
I’d caught it mid-show and was faced with an onslaught of moaning and whinging from Karl, who was somewhat bemused at being traipsed around some grubby streets in India.
I thought to myself: Why do people rave about this? This is just irritating to watch! Then I switched it
over.
I thought nothing more of it for ages. I just presumed it was another Reality-TV show (I don’t watch much telly, by the way). One day, I walked into the living room and Colin was
watching this scene:
I cried with laughter.
We’ve since bought series 1 & 2 on
DVD and I’ve now put myself in the mood to watch it again. If you haven’t seen
it, I suggest you watch it. Immediately. Who else is up for some Arseboarding?
I’m not sure why I was so put off the
first time round. Was it just the mood I was in at the time? I know I’ve closed
a few books, after “not getting into them”: have I done said books an utter disservice?
Maybe I shouldn’t be too hasty next time.
Have you ever given a book a second
chance, and were glad you did?
I'll leave you with some of Karl Pilkington's finest quotes, pinched from Pilkipedia:
"You know how they say people have six senses? There's loads more than that. [The ability to feel someone looking at you], that's been around since man and dinosaur were knockin' about."
"I look at life like a big book and sometimes you get half way through it and go 'Even though I've been enjoying it, I've had enough. Give us another book'"
"They keep saying that sea levels are rising an all this. It's nowt to do with the icebergs melting, it's because there's too many fish in it. Get rid of some of the fish and the water will drop. Simple. Basic science."
Today’s K music video is by Klaxons performing Gravity’s
Rainbow on the Jools Holland show. Enjoy!
One of the most common pieces of writing advice I've read, is this:
Keep a Journal.
For most writers, it's a great way to expel their thoughts and ideas onto paper.
That's why I do it... mostly. Other times, I just question my mental health over and over again, and whine about why my novels aren't writing all by themselves.
If you'd also care to question my mental well-being, here's some entries from 2010/2011 that I felt acceptable to share with you all.
*WARNING: POTTY MOUTH AHEAD.* *Sorry Mum.*
20th August, 2010: I
believe writing a truly good book takes craft and skill, and I'm
going to learn it if it kills me (although I'm sure it wont).
27th July, 2011: I
just wrote the penultimate entry into my wee purple diary, and
totally squashed up the last page and rushed the ending, to save enough
space for when I go back to it, in whatever time it takes to make a
success of myself. I feel quite sad. It's like finding out your
best friend is moving to Australia the next day. We didn't get a
proper goodbye.
31st July 2011: Please
note it is 6:19 on a Sunday morning and I am awake, writing this
entry. Please let this be an encouraging sign that I'm ready to
write like a motherfucker.
20th August, 2011: (On
Nancy Mitford's “The Pursuit of Love”) I thought Uncle Matthew
was a big arsehole: violent, aggressive and vile. But the teeniest glimpse of him softening (the small edge of the wedge) made
me instantly adore him. But that says more about me than the book.
Give me an inch and I will call you master, unfortunately.
15th September, 2011: Colin
explained Scottish Football to me this morning, and I despair. It's
like the more I learn about something, be it the government, the
country's history, football associations and politics, the more I
wish I didn't know. Does
the privilege of knowledge come at a cost of personal contentment?
I envy the blissfully ignorant.
And lastly, on what I learned from NaNoWriMo, written on the day I completed it:
I've
learned:
I
can't sit and do 1667 words a day. I work better when I do clumps of
5-6k words every 2,3 or even 4 days.
I
can try and plot and outline and create spreadsheets all I want, but
at the end of the day, I'll probably not use it. From now on, I'll just be
writing the stories, then focusing on the craft later.
Sometimes,
I write until I get to a certain restless point. It comes to me
through no choice of my own and trying to battle through it is about
as effective as a chocolate teapot. My little mind is stubborn. If I
try to force myself to think about something, it will rebel. So, I
go for a bath. I watch a cookery program. I do the dishes. I
always end up drifting off into the land of my novel, thinking about
my characters and writing the story in my head. THEN I'll go back to
writing it.
I've
learned that I have to treat my writing like a good marinade or stew.
Sometimes, it's better to be left to develop. Perhaps for a few
hours, even better overnight. Too long, though, and it'll go off.
I've
learned that I'm at my happiest when writing, or thinking about
writing, or watching my characters coming to life. Even the nasty, vindictive ones. I love them too.
I've
also come to suspect that I may be quite mentally ill. I mean, who
can come up with some of the sinister shite I have in my novel?
Troubled soul? Or too many Virginia Andrews books in my lifetime? I
hasten to prefer the latter.
Honestly, I have about three years worth of this (and counting). Anyone want to buy it as a book? No? OK then...
Do you write a journal? Do you think it helps you with your writing?
Today's J music video, is Jefferson Airplane, with Embryonic Journey. It reminds me of my twinny :)
When I say Incubus, I'm not referring to the demon that sexually preys on women in their sleep...
(who sleeps like that, anyway?)
I'm referring to one of my favourite bands of all time.
I've chosen Incubus as today's I for the A-Z Blogging Challenge, as there is something unique about them that makes me feel better as a writer.
Why? Because they transcend genre.
I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but I struggle with the notion of sticking to a particular genre in my fiction. Is it because I'm not dedicated enough, or have enough direction? I don't think it is.
In my "ideas spreadsheet" (lets not get too bogged down with my geekiness), my scribblings and ponderings span a whole range of fiction genres: sci-fi, romance, thriller, comedy, the list goes on.
When people ask me what genre I write in, I tense up. I waffle on about what my story is about instead, and let them come to their own conclusions. My WIP has yet to be pigeon-holed.
And, like Incubus, I don't think I fancy sticking to one particular route.
Prepare your ears for an audible feast as we explore my argument further.
Observe this track "You Will Be A Hot Dancer" from their debut album Fungus Amongus. Like many, I'd describe it as Funk Metal.
Fast forward to their next album, S.C.I.E.N.C.E and you'll hear their style changes. According toRolling Stone writer Rob Kemp, it "links funk metal to the rap metal" This can especially be said for New Skin:
Could that be any more different to this song, Drive, from their following album (aptly titled), Make Yourself?
Their next album, Morning View, spans various genres, from Metal to tranquil songs like Wish You Were Here:
I'm not going to go through every album; I hope that's been enough to illustrate my point: That here lies a band who've reaped massive success without adhering to a particular direction, musical or otherwise.
Do you know of any authors who have fleeted between genres, successfully or otherwise?
I shall leave you my favourite Incubus song, Make Yourself. If ever I felt like just joining the rat race and aspiring to a life of mortgages, 2.4 children and wishing my life away, week after week, in a shabby office, I'd listen to this song and get a grip of my life:
You should make amends with you
If only for better health
But if you really want to live
Why not try and make yourself?
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If you let them make you, they'll make you paper mache
Of all the literary techniques I'm analysing right now, this one is proving rather enjoyable.
Today's H in the A-Z Blogging Challenge is for Hook, sometimes known as the "Narrative Hook".
Some people refer to the hook as the first sentence of the first chapter. Others define it as the first paragraph, or even the whole first chapter. Many will say it's vital to end every chapter with a hook, to convince the reader to turn that page.
Me? I don't care what it is, as long as it draws me into the story. In my own writing, I want hooks-a-plenty. I want my readers to feel perpetually hooked: Don't you dare put that book down, I'm not finished talking to you!
Anyway... *ahem*
I began to scrawl through possible examples of good hooks online, but turned to my very own bookcase for inspiration in the end. Funny how I always go to Google first, when I have a plethora of information right in front of me!
Here are some of my favourites:
This happened in 1932, when the state penitentiary was still at Cold Mountain. And the electric chair was there, too, of course. Stephen King - The Two Dead Girls
The last thing I expected was for Alexander Taylor to answer his own door. Michael Connelly - Lost Light
If a road could look welcoming, then Summer Street had both arms out and the kettle boiling. Cathy Kelly - Past Secrets
"It must look like an accident. Can you arrange that?" Sidney Sheldon - Memories of Midnight
"I'm going shopping in the village," George's mother said to George on Saturday morning. "So be a good boy and don't get up to mischief." This was a silly thing to say to a small boy at any time. It immediately made him wonder what sort of mischief he might get up to. Roald Dahl - Georges Marvellous Medicine
Oh I could go on, but I shan't. Instead, I'd love it if you'd share your favourite hooks with me?
In the meantime, have a listen to today's music video. It is dedicated to the humble Harp. I love the sound of harps playing. Lets all bask in the tranquillity... sigh :)
Today's entry to the A-Z Blogging Challenge is, I'm afraid to say, a complete cop out. Today's G is for...
Fishing in a pool of creativity, that is. Ahem.
I was originally going to do today's post on Glasgow, since that's where I'm from, but my muse has struck me over the head with his mallet, and dragged me by the hair to his cave of ideas.
I have to do everything he says, or else.
Back with you all on Monday. Have a glorious weekend, everyone. x
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