Episode 3. Popular Fiction and Showing vs. Telling

01/10/23 • 32 min

On this episode we look at some of the techniques used by James Rollins in his book The Last Oracle. We will also explore how to how and not tell and do a writing exercise and review the results from the writing exercise.
Here is the prompt that you will use today:
Writing Prompts 3: Write a story using a set of these details, but, do not just tell me that these elements are present in your writing. Show me that they are present.

A painting with a secret
A masquerade mask
A forgotten room

Here are the results from my own writing:

The man’s hand lined with the passage of time were the only clues as to his true age. How long had he waited for this moment? Slowly he took into his own hands the hand that had been offered to him. With great effort he stood up. Pain shooting across his hip as the weight bore fully upon his hips. He was prideful, thus extremely glad for the gold rimmed mask that covered his face as he fully stood and felt the shame of his pain as he winced. He couldn’t believe his eyes as he stood there. This painting was a myth up until a few days ago when he received an invitation in the mail. The man almost threw away the invitation until he saw the photo of the painting that he had been searching for his entire life. If it turned out to be an authentic relic, he could finally unlock the clue to his family’s mystery. A mystery that had destroyed his family’s good reputation.

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A painting with a secret
A masquerade mask
A forgotten room

Here are the results from my own writing:

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Previous Episode

Episode 2. Inger Christensen..and free writing

On this episode we will discuss Inter Christensen and Alphabet. Here you will also do three writing exercises that will help you hone in on your free thoughts. The idea is to let yourself loose and just write.
Here is the writing prompt and what I wrote as a result
Prompt 2:

How do I feel when I look at the sky?

I feel the power of nature as the snow gently lands on my face. I am reminded of the stars that are hiding behind each cloud, and the thousand of years that it has taken each ray of light to reach this lowly planet. I am reminded of the beautiful face of my partner. My wife, I feel as if I am walking on the clouds, reshaping the earth and the moon and the sun. I feel each and every beat of every poet that ever lived. I am for once soaring higher than an eagle as it scan the sky, knowing that nothing can come close. I feel the sun talking about the moon, and the ocean, and how envious it is not capable of feeling the love that feel. I think of that one moment when our fathers stood at the top of the hills and defiantly raised the hands in unison against the elements so that we could have a today. I weep for all of my brothers and sisters that I have lost over time. Lost to the demons of their past and the fear that it brings to all of us. That one day we may fall prey to the same.

The 5 words I picked:

Lands, Thousand, sky, walking, clouds

Lands

Lands are exists with the earth as the giver and taker of the universe, if lands exists and the earth exists, then do humans exists? Running on lands I find my place, my happiness where all is perfect.

Thousand

A thousand times I will curse and hurt the pain that was brought forth by your actions. I am not willing to forgive, nor will I ever forget. I am the power that comes in the night. I am the nightmares that the boggy man suffers from I am will not stop.

Joining the two prompts into one

The lands exists with the Earth as the giver and taker of the universe, if the lands exists and the earth exists, then do humans exists? Running on lands I find my place, my happiness where all is perfect. But, A thousand times I will curse and spit on the pain the was brought forth by your actions. I am not willing to forgive, nor will I ever forget! I am the power that comes n the night. I am the nightmares that keeps the boggy man awake at night. The earth and the land are sacred. They belong to my children. To your children’s children. Your war tore a thousand lives. It destroyed the essence of the humanity. Do not think a second that I forgive.

This is pointless. There is not time to think. I do not know what to write. The end is near and your ears are not here to hear! What can I do to make you see

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Next Episode

Episode 4. Why are you Writing

My journey into writing started a long time ago. However, I did not become a full-time writer until I found my Why. Writing is a labor of love. But what fuels your love as you write? For me is its my family. My partner in particular. She is the reason why I do as much as I do. I started writing on a full-time basis last summer. I was on break from a medical school program. I had been at the school already for two years. During those three weeks I started writing a novel. 25,186 words later I realized two things. These two things are:

I am a writer. Also writers can try to hide their talent, but, at the end of the day, it just keeps coming back
I write for the love. I write to show my family, my wife, how much they mean to me. How much I love them.

So as you embark on your journey, please, find that why. Because writing is difficult. and to write without fuel is no different than going on a cross-country journey with less than half a tank.
Here is the link to Jim Kwik's podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kwik-brain-with-jim-kwik/id1208024744

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