~ Seven Sexy Scribes ~: LETTERS, WORDS, SENTENCES, STORIES

Monday, November 23, 2009

LETTERS, WORDS, SENTENCES, STORIES

Before I start my blog, here's a reminder to vote 12-30 November in NIGHT OWL ROMANCE'S KISSING SCENE CONTEST! Go to:
http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/contests/authorcontests.aspx

MARIANNE STEPHENS' ENTRY IS #4

We all know the order in which we learn to read and write: letters, words, sentences, stories.

Letters. As a kindergarten and first grade teacher, I got plenty of experience in watching bright little faces light up as child after child progressed from one step to the next. This was a fun time in a child's life...the beginning of reading and writing communication skills. Phonics, however, can be troublesome, not only for children but for adults, especially those from foreign countries learning English. Why do some letters have more than one sound?

Words. Step two in the learning process is putting those letters together and forming words. Again, phonics can screw with your head. Laugh? Doubt? Breathe?

Sentences. We put words together to form coherent thoughts. There are short sentences like "She cried". Long sentences like, "She threw herself down on the bed, tossing the pillows to the ground and screaming words of disbelief as tears streamed down her cheeks and washed away any eye makeup she'd applied that morning". Phew. Too many words and thoughts there. But, how long should sentences be to convey what you want to say?

Writers go from letters to words to sentences before approaching the biggest challenge...putting all those together to create a story that makes sense and will entice a reader.

Stories. Just putting sentences on paper won't make a story readable. In romances, you need a hero, heroine (or whatever combination), plot, black moment, goal, motivation, conflict. And, it all has to sound like a logical, page-turning entry into a world of fictional love that emotionally involves the reader.

We can learn the letters. We can learn the words. We can learn how to write sentences. But learning how to write stories comes with lots of hard work, rejections, rewrites, editing, and a "try, try again" attitude.

Everyone's journey to selling that first book is different, but motivation to succeed remains the same. In my case, it took ten years of learning the ins and outs of the industry and nuances of romance writing.

If you're an aspiring author, don't give up. Put the letters, words, sentences together for your story and benefit from networking about the writing industry. If you're an author, how fast or easy was your journey to being published? If you're a reader, are there books you never finished because the letters, words, sentences, story, never could "pull" you into the action and hold your interest?

Thanksgiving is almost here. Click on the link below for a Thanksgiving Alphabet message.

http://www.flowgo.com/funny/3119_thanksgiving-alphabet.html

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!