I like to read mysteries and thrillers while I exercise on the elliptical machine. The more exciting the book the faster I move. I frequently don’t realize how fast I’m moving until the exciting part is over and I glance at the data on the machine and see my elevated heart rate. The book I’m now reading has an antagonist who thinks he knows what other people are thinking. Yes, he’s loco. What was interesting for me was that after my workout I continued to think about the antagonist and realized that his actions were not so different than some of mine. I asked myself how often I judge others without having any data on which to base my judgement. I didn’t like the answer I was getting to that question. I am going to try to be more aware of what I am thinking about other people and asking myself, “Do you have sufficient data to come to that conclusion?” I still want the protagonist in the book to take down the antagonist. I think I’ll hit the gym and climb on the elliptical the protagonist is closing in. I’ll be a blur to those next to me when I hit the exciting parts.
reading
✒️ Writers’ Wisdom ~ Great Characters
“All the great writers root their characters in true human behavior.”
~ Ben Kingsley
✒️ Writers’ Wisdom ~ Keep on Writing
“I’ve written about 2,000 short stories; I’ve only published 300 and I feel I’m still learning. Any man who keeps working is not a failure. He may not be a great writer, but if he applies the old fashioned virtues of hard, constant labor, he’ll eventually make some kind of career for himself as a writer. ” ~ Ray Bradbury
🖋 Writers’ Wisdom ~ Rewriting
“Rewriting is the essence of writing well – where the game is won or lost.”
~ William Zinsser
✒️ Writers’ Wisdom ~ A Spasm of Love
“It takes a spasm of love to write a poem.” ~ Erica Jong
✒️ Writers’ Wisdom ~ Listen to Your Characters
First, find out what your hero wants, then just follow him. ~ Ray Bradbury
🖋 Writers’ Wisdom ~ Need a Story Idea?
“Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day.” ~ Orson Scott Card
✒️ Writers’ Wisdom ~ Descriptions
Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.
~ Anton Chekov
✒️ Writers’ Wisdom ~ Use It or Lose It
Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up. ~ Jane Yolen
✒️ Writers’ Wisdom ~ Creating Characters
I try to create sympathy for my characters, then turn the monsters loose.
~ Stephen King
