Words Worth Repeating

February 1, 2019January 31, 2019 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 7 Comments

Pixabay

I read an article today that, given this new reality I find myself wading through, really resonated with me. The article, posted on Medium and written by James Ardis is worth taking the time to read and give it some thought to. Never Sacrifice Your Happiness for Writing.

If you’re anything like me – a type A personality – you want to be the best at whatever you’re attempting to achieve. When I began writing it was no different. Some weeks I devoted a lot of time and energy and sacrificed time with family and friends; far more than I should have. Now, given my current situation, I find myself asking – Was it worth it? Or was it an indulgent waste of time?

Yes, I accomplished some goals. I published a small short story collection, that didn’t burn up Amazon and I completed a novel. The novel remains on the shelf for now, but publishing it is still in my sights.

Whatever circumstances may come into our lives, it’s worth taking time to examine the priorities in that rule our life. Writing may be one of the priorities we want to hold onto, but just maybe it shouldn’t take first place.

We have so little time. When it is gone it’s gone. And, it’s important to ask – How do I want to be remembered? Always at the keyboard? Or, remembered as someone loved by many, who lived for every moment?

“But the truth of the matter is: you can create amazing work and protect your emotional well-being at the same time.” James Ardis Click to Tweet

I hope you enjoy the article and drop James a line. Here’s to writing and living to the fullest.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story. I’m all ears and look for me on Facebook Page at SheilaMcIntyreGood, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram. You can follow my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

Take Your Best Shot

January 11, 2019January 11, 2019 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 8 Comments

And no, I am not referring to a gun, but to an old idiom. You know like: Roll up your sleeves and give the old college try. I’m talking about writing. It’s been quite a while since I have been able to pen to paper, so to speak. I won’t bore you with the details or the excuses; suffice it to say –– sometimes curling up under the covers is all you can do.

I’ve thrown off the covers for now, and I’m trying to get back to my routines, responsibilities, and to the business of figuring what the hell I’m going to do with this new reality called my life. I have a feeling it might take me a while to find my footing, but I’m ready to pull up my big girl panties, slap on some lipstick, and get on with living –– on my own terms.

I was finally able to write, and I’m submitting the essay to the Q2 WOW – Women on Writing Essay Contest. What the hell, maybe I’ll send it to more than one contest.

Perhaps you would like to start 2019 with a submission of your own –– Jump in and take your best shot.

Contests Open Now:

Q2 WOW- Women on Writing Essay Contest
Glimmer Train ( 2019 (and FINAL) Submission Calendar: Jan/Feb: Very Short Fiction Contest and Fiction Open; Mar/Apr: Short Story Award for New Writers and Family Matters

Good luck and here’s to a new, different, and exciting 2019!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

December 24, 2018December 25, 2018 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 6 Comments

As I navigate this new reality in my life, I know that I’m not alone. For those who may be facing a less than Merry Christmas, remember we travel these roads in life for a reason and we must have faith not only in yourselves, but first and foremost in the One to whom we celebrate this Holy season.

This is the time to take our minds off of ourselves, to focus on the reason for the season, to extend a helping to another, and to remember God holds us in his hands. A New Year with a new beginning is just around the corner.

Thank you for being a valued reader, friend, and fence jumper! May God bless and keep you during this Christmas season and throughout the New Year.

Tips for Writing Dialogue and Getting it Right

December 5, 2018May 13, 2021 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 4 Comments

Courtesy of Script Magazine & Google

From the Cow Pasture Archieves: Enjoy

Writing dialogue is one of the most challenging skills for writers to learn. Conversations dominate our lives on a day-to-day basis, but we rarely, if ever, focus on the tone, rhythm, or body language when engaged.

I like to people watch. The mall or similar venues are great places to hone this skill. Observing other’s interactions offers a treasure trove of different gestures, tones, words, body language, and action, to use in your stories.

Writing dialogue isn’t as easy as watching a conversation. In real life, we don’t have to worry about commas, speech tags, unclear antecedents, tone, or rhythm, or who is speaking. But, when writing, we must convey all of those aspects and more.

One of the stories in my upcoming short story collection is almost entirely dialogue. I have revisited that story a million times to ensure the conversation between the two men flow, sound natural, and is believable. That’s a rabbit hole best left for another discussion. Ultimately, readers will determine if I did my job well or not. For those of you who struggle, as I do, following are a few tips I’ve learned along the way and trust me, I’m not the expert.

Writing Dialogue:

Short sentences are best.
Use contractions unless your story dictates a more formal language or it is a characteristic of one of your characters.
Make it clear who is speaking.
Don’t overuse the characters names.
Keep dialogue tags simple as in: said, asked, replied, and answered. Using verbs like whispered, shouted, or stammered are permissible, but don’t over do it.
Don’t forget body language which often speaks louder than words.
Stay away from dialects unless you’re an expert in the dialect.
Characters shouldn’t sound like duplicates of each other. We all have our own distinctive manner of speaking; characters should too.
In real life, we often say, um, ah, or trail off in the middle of a sentence, but use sparingly, unless it’s reflective of a particular characters speech pattern.
Make sure the conversation has a purpose. In real life, we talk about topics that would never keep a reader’s interest. For example using coffee grounds to fertilize the soil of house plants. Unless discussing coffee grounds is significant to the story – like say, burying a murder instrument underneath the coffee grounds – I’d leave that conversation out of the story.

Speaking of observation, here is a look at one of my all time favorite scenes. Whoever wrote this dialogue, rich in words, body language, gestures, and action. It was magnificent. Enjoy.