Line by Line 10-14-2020
#WritingCommunity,
You are invited to #LineByLineTime, A Mini Critique Hour hosted by @graestonewriter on Twitter.
In the movie, Gore Vidal’s Lincoln, the president “runs the lines” of The Gettysburg Address with his aides, saying, “I have a short short short speech, which I will try out on the chickens, as the farmer said.”
(Marvelous, powerful movie that has haunted me all these years.)
Each week #LineByLineTime writers share lines from their WIPs. (Try it out on the chickens, as the farmer said.)
During the hour, there will be a focus question, a chance to share, and a time for “best in show.”
Next Time: Personal Writing Weakness
Wednesday, October 14th, at 9:00 PM Eastern, we share our writing weaknesses.
Most of us have weaknesses in our storytelling that rear their ugly head as we write. My Critique Partners have to remind me and correct my shortcomings constantly. It’s a wonder they don’t go mad!
I am using Betsy Byars’ Good-bye, Chicken Little, and The Cybil War for our Line-By-Line exercises. Byars wrote MG books for years, won prestigious awards, and knew her stuff. Betsy passed away on February 26, 2020.
Betsy’s books are well polished, and I have no idea about her struggles as a writer, but I offer this:
My mother, Delores Beckman, an author, and Ruth, my wife, went to see Betsy Byars at a children’s book talk in Fresno. I was installing a 10″ pipeline to irrigate our pasture and didn’t go. I have regretted that choice.
Betsy said she had the title, The Cybil War, for years before writing the book, giving us a glimpse into how she worked.
Wednesday, we will share a before and after, showing the weakness followed by our “new improved” technique.
I will share one of my go-to weaknesses, “The Looking.” My characters look and see a great deal. Apparently, they have excellent vision.
In 2016, I wrote: (From an Airplane)
Having never taken her seatbelt off, Margo looked at Los Angeles. She saw an orange layer of smog.
In 2020 the same sentiment looks like this:
The layer of smog over Los Angeles hadn’t been comforting.
I have a little hint for October 21st, Poetry! It doesn’t have to be a classic poem, but something from your writing. One of our members has a song in a WIP, which is a lovely poem. If you have never written a poem, take a look at #vss365, on Twitter. Writing poetry can be fun and perhaps you have a hidden talent. As Michael Rispoli says in the movie, It Had to be You, “When doesn’t rhyme, it means more.”
I hope you will join us Wednesdays for #LineByLineTime.
Feel free to make helpful suggestions about other lines the group might explore in the future.