The Writer's Toolkit E-Book

Paul Kalburgi

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 253

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Beschreibung

Perfect for playwrights and screenwriters of all levels of experience, The Writer's Toolkit will equip you with everything required to kickstart your creativity, develop your craft, and make your writing the very best that it can be. Written by an experienced playwright, screenwriter and producer, this essential book is packed with almost two hundred practical exercises, techniques and ideas for every part of your process, designed to be used either solo or in a group. It includes: - Writing warm-ups to focus your mind and get your creative muscles in gear - Dozens of exercises to strengthen fundamental elements of your writing such as developing characters, improving dialogue, layering in subtext, creating a strong setting and constructing a compelling plot - Immersive-writing techniques to lift the world of your script off the page and allow you to shape it more effectively - A blueprint for writing a ten-minute play – a great way to practise your craft, explore a new idea and add to your portfolio - A Submission Surgery with exercises and pointers so you can review and fine-tune your completed work before sending it out - 101 quick-fire writing prompts to help you warm up, take a break from your current project, or just keep you feeling productive Also included are mindful meditations to use at the beginning and end of your writing sessions, to help you relax, boost your productivity and maximise your creative output. Whatever you need as a writer – whether that's to crack a problem in your current script, develop ideas for future projects, build up your skills and experience, or bust through writer's block – this book will give you the right tools for the job. So get writing! 'A generous and inventive book, packed full of the creativity it is bound to inspire' Anna Jordan, playwright and screenwriter (Succession, Killing Eve, Yen) 'An enthusiastic, encouraging guide with endless tips to make every stage of the writing process not only doable but enjoyable too' Diane Samuels, playwright and author (Kindertransport)

Leseprobe

Paul Kalburgi

THE WRITER’S TOOLKIT

Exercises, Techniques and Ideas for Playwrights and Screenwriters

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

For my boys, Lohit, Zane and Zeven

Dream big. Who said you can’t have it all?

‘Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.’

Mark Twain

CONTENTS

Dedication

Epigraph

Introduction

How to Use This Book

Acknowledgements

PART ONE: MINDFUL MEDITATION BEFORE WRITING

1.1 Meet Your Muse

1.2 Message in a Bottle

1.3 Today is Wonderful

PART TWO: WARMING UP YOUR WRITING MUSCLE

2.1 Freewriting/Freetalking

2.2 Pygmalion’s Seagull

2.3 Zooconomy

2.4 Scene-Bombing

2.5 Crosswords

2.6 One Step Forward

2.7 The Inspirator

PART THREE: THE ELEMENTS

3.1 CHARACTER

3.1.1 Getting to Know You

3.1.2 The Willard Project

3.1.3 Remember Me?

3.1.4 Stepping Stones

3.1.5 All Change, Please

3.1.6 Cuddly Toy

3.1.7 Fractured Fairy Tales

3.1.8 But Why?

3.1.9 The Age of Aquarius

3.1.10The Absent Protagonist

3.1.11 Flaws and All

3.1.12 Daddy or Chips?

3.1.13 In Loving Memory

3.1.14 Speed-Dating

3.1.15 The Day the Characters Quit

3.2 DIALOGUE

3.2.1 Unique Voice

3.2.2 Lady of the House Speaking

3.2.3 I’m Not Being Funny, But…

3.2.4 I’ll Join You for Dessert

3.2.5 Sell It, Don’t Tell It

3.2.6 We Are What We Speak

3.2.7 Listening In

3.2.8 Talking in Incomplete…

3.2.9 You Sound Familiar?!

3.2.10 Emoji Talk

3.3 SUBTEXT

3.3.1 Writing Between the Lines

3.3.2 Elephant in the Room

3.3.3 Walls Have Ears

3.3.4 I’m Fine. Really

3.3.5 And the Winner is…

3.3.6 Silence Speaks Volumes

3.3.7 That was Our Exit!

3.3.8 She Turns and Walks Away

3.3.9 Thematic Subtext

3.3.10 A Literary Bouquet

3.4 SETTING

3.4.1Rain Later. Good, Occasionally Poor

3.4.2 The City and Sex

3.4.3 The Dentist’s Chair… on Mars

3.4.4 Perspective of Place

3.4.5 Beats Keats

3.5 PLOT

3.5.1 Invisible Exposition

3.5.2 Pick a Path

3.5.3 Did You Lock the Door?

3.5.4 The Six-Million-Dollar Story

3.5.5 Baked to Plotfection

3.5.6 Change of Fortune

3.5.7 The Ticking Time-Bomb

3.5.8 Six-Word Stories

3.5.9 #Awkward

3.5.10 Plots Untwisted

PART FOUR: IMMERSIVE WRITING

4.1 The Writing Space

4.2 Post-it Plotlines

4.3 Visiting a Soul Place

4.4 Method Writing

4.5 Get Social

PART FIVE: THE TEN-MINUTE PLAY

5.1 The Perfect Ten

PART SIX: SUBMISSION SURGERY

6.1 Trimming the Fat

6.2 Dialogue Dont’s

6.3 Scenes on Trial

6.4 The Logline Test

6.5 The Pizza Read

PART SEVEN: QUICK-FIRE 101

7.1 101 Writing Prompts

PART EIGHT: SAVASANA AFTER WRITING

8.1 Savasana

Alphabetical Index of Games

About the Author

Copyright Information

INTRODUCTION

‘Procrastination is the thief of time.’

Edward Young

American playwright James Thurber once said, ‘Don’t get it right, get it written.’ A productive motto, which I try to keep in mind whenever I sit down to write, and something I always share with fellow writers in my classes and workshops. Just as an Olympic athlete must push through the pain barrier to achieve success on the track, writers must push past ‘writer’s block’ to achieve success on the page – especially when inspiration is fleeting. Sometimes, this is easier said than done, of course. Writing is a creative process, which I believe can’t be forced, so how do we keep writing and remain productive, when we are in a slump?

If a script is beginning to feel forced or sluggish, or you find yourself unable to write through or around a roadblock for lack of motivation or ideas, I suggest stepping back from ‘scriptwriting’ and refocus your creativity by simply ‘writing’. Remove the confines of structure, story beats, and the pressure to produce work that needs to be ‘good enough’ to one day share with others (hopefully an audience), and allow yourself to indulge in the craft of writing. Discover how writing exercises and prompts can free you of expectation, judgement and the need to deliver. Sometimes we all need to throw a little sand outside of the sandbox, colour outside of the lines, and give ourselves permission to make a mess, in order to inspire real creativity.

If you are on a roll, however, and just need a little help to shape, improve or invigorate a scene, then a related writing exercise can help to highlight any sticking points and may suggest a new way forward. In this book I will share specific activities for the critical elements of scriptwriting, which will allow you to fine-tune your script and inspire new ideas.

Perhaps you are looking for inspiration for a new piece of writing? I have included 101 quick-fire writing prompts, so set a timer and get to it. There are no rules, just read the scenario, pick up a pen or open your laptop – and start writing. It’s amazing how satisfying it can be to create a series of short, complete scenes in a brief amount of time, and this can provide a positive start to your writing session.

In this practical guide, I will share with you a bounty of original writing exercises and activities, as well as my riffs on some classics. Also included is an introduction to immersive writing and meditative writing. The latter is something that I have found hugely beneficial for the heart, mind and soul at the start and end of a writing session. Included are three mindful meditation exercises to try before your writing sessions, and a relaxing Savasana to finish your practice. I hope you will enjoy exploring the creative and spiritual benefits of meditative writing and find it a productive and enriching addition to your process.

The exercises in this book can be applied to any work-in- progress or used as a jumping-off point for a new piece of work. I hope that playwrights and screenwriters of all levels, including those who are new to the craft, will find them both refreshing and inspiring.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

‘Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.’

William Wordsworth

This book is divided into eight parts, each designed to help with a different part of the writing process. Writing is essentially an art form, not a science, and so the rules, devices and pointers given are provided as a guide and are not intended to stifle your creativity. As such, not every exercise will be relevant to every script, nor every writer, so run with the exercises which speak to you and feel free to adapt others to best serve your purpose.

Part 1 provides a collection of mindful meditations, created to provide a sense of calm and relaxation as a precursor to a productive writing session. Each one is roughly five minutes long and I hope that introducing these into your daily writing practice will make a positive difference to your day.

Part 2 offers a selection of warm-up exercises, designed to make sure your writing muscles are limber and to switch your creative mind to writing mode. The exercises in this part are shorter than the rest and are great to do without the thought or focus of applying them to a bigger piece of writing. They are quick and inspiring – great for those days when you don’t have time to work on your current writing projects but still want to stay productive.

Part 3 is the largest section of the book, including exercises based around the fundamental elements of writing for stage and screen. These include character-based exercises, techniques for improving dialogue, how to include subtext in your writing, giving your scripts a strong sense of place or setting, as well as useful plot devices to heighten drama and raise the stakes.

Part 4 explores immersive writing techniques. See how you can lift the world of your script off the page and bring it into your writing space, to shape and mould in a physical sense. Similarly, it explains how you can physically enter the world of your script. Physical experiences and the use of props can add additional layers of texture to your writing.

Part 5 looks at how to master the ten-minute play. With so many playwriting competitions and festivals offering opportunities to get your work on stage and in front of an audience, a solid ten-minute play is a good thing to have in your arsenal. Ten-minute plays demonstrate lean and economical writing, and are great to attach to an email when reaching out to agents or industry professionals, and for building your writing resume.

Part 6 will help you to examine your work, making sure it’s in great shape for sharing and submitting. The submission surgery provides exercises for fine-tuning your dialogue, scrutinising your scenes and also looks at the importance of hearing them off the page.

Writing prompts offer an inspiring jumping-off point from which to write a short scene. Part 7 offers 101 writing prompts. Why not try a new one every day before you sit down to work on your current project? They are so easy, you could even do one whilst travelling to work, or waiting for the barista to make your latte.

Part 8 rewards a productive writing session with a little self-care. Just as mindful meditations are a great way to begin a writing session, practising Savasana is a wonderful way to relax and replenish the body, mind and soul when you have given so much to advancing your work. Savasana, or ‘corpse pose’ is simple to perform and provides balance whilst releasing stress.

If you have cleared out a day in your diary to dedicate to writing, you might include the exercises in this book and plan your day like this…

• Begin with a mindful meditation from Part 1.

• Warm up your writing muscle with an exercise from Part 2.

• Work on your own writing project, dipping into exercises from Part 3 if you need any pointers on character, dialogue, subtext, setting or plot.

• After lunch, why not try a quick writing prompt from Part 7 to re-energise your mind before returning to your project.

• Close your writing session with Savasana (Part 8), thanking yourself for all you have achieved.

All of the exercises in this book are designed to be done solo; however, many would be great to try out whilst working alongside fellow writers. I would encourage all writers to consider joining a local writers’ group (if one doesn’t exist, why not start one up?), where you can meet regularly to chat about your latest project, share tips and tricks, circulate news of writing opportunities, and find supportive and encouraging readers for your early drafts. If groups aren’t your thing, consider finding a writing buddy. Just like having a friend to go to the gym with, find someone to check in with once a week, keeping each other focused and on track towards achieving your writing goals and deadlines. If you can’t meet regularly in person, this could even be a weekly phone call.

Only you know the best way to tell your story. Go write it!

Here is a list of the tools that would be helpful to have at hand as you try out the exercises in this book:

• A towel or yoga mat (for Parts 1 and 8).

• A notebook and some scrap paper.

• Large sheets of paper, or a roll of wallpaper you can write on the back of.

• Post-it notes or index cards and mounting putty.

• Highlighters, marker pens, pens and pencils.

• A Dictaphone or mobile phone you can record audio on.

• A newspaper or magazine.

See The Writing Space for ideas on how to create your own writing sanctuary.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This book would not have been possible without the encouragement, guidance and support of a unique group of people.

To my mentors and lecturers at Regent’s University, whose passion for their craft inspired me to get stuff written! Thanks to Diane Samuels, Ella Hickson, John Foster, Anna Jones, Ben Musgrave, David Hanson and Line Langebek. Special thanks to Phil Hughes, whose wit and wisdom are unparalleled.

To the writers, living and dead, who continue to inspire me. Notably Alecky Blythe, David Henry Hwang, Suzan-Lori Parks, Alan Bennett, Doug Wright, Edward Albee, Harold Pinter, Julia Davis, Sally Wainwright and Tina Fey. Most importantly, to Victoria Wood for an education in comedy, pathos, the human condition and how to explain it. As she said herself, ‘One life per person is not enough. Not enough.’

Thanks to my fellow scribes John White, Lindsey Jenkinson and Siân Rowland, who are always happy to read my work and encourage the next draft.

To the producers and artistic directors who have brought my work to stage and screen, thank you for the opportunities.

Finally, a huge thanks to Matt Applewhite at Nick Hern Books for making the dream of publishing this collection of writing exercises a reality, and to Nick Hern for inviting me to be part of the NHB family.

PART ONE

MINDFUL MEDITATION BEFORE WRITING

With the impulse to write, some writers can just sit down and write. They have the focus to hit the keys or spill some ink, and plant words on the page on demand. Perhaps you are one of those writers? For the rest of us, however, procrastination and writing often go hand in hand – we are the creators of magical new worlds, the makers of intriguing characters and weavers of wonderfully tangled plotlines… but sometimes, getting them out of our heads and onto the page can feel like a task best left for another day.

Whilst this book has been written as an aid to bypass any bumps in the road and to help overcome moments of writer’s block, this first part is a little different. Here we will explore how mindful meditation can help you to get the most out of your writing time, by cleansing the mind of clutter. Implementing this practice as a precursor to a writing session will afford you clarity and focus – leaving any distractions outside of your writing space.

Mindful meditation is widely accepted to have plenty of health benefits; most relevant to our purpose are decreased stress levels, increased positivity and improved attention – all of which can set us up for a great writing session. I began attending a yin yoga class a few years ago and found the meditative ‘surrender’ style of the classes so profoundly relaxing that I wanted to introduce some of the elements into my daily writing practice.

Participants in my writing workshops have enjoyed indulging in mindful meditation exercises, and often remark how energised and inspired they feel afterwards – geared up for a productive day of writing! In response to this, I have created three five-minute meditation exercises for you to try.

Set the Scene

Your writing room, study or space is your sanctuary. Close the blinds or curtains, light a candle and play gentle relaxation music to create a calming atmosphere. I love using the ready- made meditation and yoga playlists on Spotify for this… panpipes, white noise, bird song, a babbling brook... whatever will help you to tune out.

Californian white sage is a sacred herb that has been used by Native Americans for thousands of years to purify the energy of an environment. It is also great for removing feelings of negativity and providing an immediate lift within a space. I recommend burning a sage ‘smudge stick’ for a minute or so to renew and restore the energy within your writing space each day.

Get Comfortable

Lie on the floor, on a yoga mat, a rug, or just on the carpet. Make sure you are comfortable enough to spend five minutes or longer here. If you are not able to get down to the ground, a comfortable chair, or even lying on a bed will work too. Rest your arms on the ground beside you, or if seated, place them on your lap; palms open.

Meditations

Once you have found your happy place, try one of the following meditations, each about five minutes long. You can find audio recordings of the meditations at the following website: www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/writers-toolkit-meditations

Begin by listening to the introductory Tune Out (track 1.0), followed by your choice of meditation. Lie back, hit play and relax to start your day. Alternatively, as you become more familiar with the recordings, you may wish to perform the meditation from memory, adding any variations or extensions to suit your needs.

Tune Out

Close your eyes. Focus on your breath. Note each inhalation over a mental count of five... Then exhale over a count of five… Counting will help you focus and clear your mind of the world outside of this space. Slow, even breaths. Before you know it, you will forget you are even counting.

Notice how your chest and belly expand… Allow your body to sink into the ground… and then… Relax. Each new breath is a moment in time carved out for you, a precious moment of deep relaxation, where no one can ask anything of you, and the world outside of your sanctuary demands nothing from you.

This is your sacred time. If your mind starts to wander from time to time, that’s okay… Begin to count again and gently refocus.

1.1 Meet Your Muse

You’re relaxing on a peaceful tropical island. The gentle sound of waves ripples along the shore. The sun spills down onto your body, gently flickering across your face. The warm sea breeze drifts across your arms and legs. You feel safe in this space1.

After a moment... you notice a person in the distance. They walk slowly towards you, carrying a letter. You know this person. Perhaps they are a character from one of your previous works, or a new character you’ve yet to write about. You feel safe in their presence.

Very slowly, they move closer towards you… their eyes, mouth and spirit smiling all at once. Gently, they place the letter into your hands. As you look down towards the folded page, an immense feeling of excitement fills your body. Your eyes smile in appreciation as the person slowly leaves you in the tranquillity of your thoughts. Further and further they walk into the distance... back along the shore… until they have disappeared from sight.

Slowly, you open the letter. Go ahead... in your mind, read the first line to yourself. Now allow the words to play over and over in your mind. You hear them clearly. You see them sparkling vividly on the page. You know these words because they are yours. You wrote them.

Where the words live, who might speak them and what they might mean are an exciting stimulus to begin your writing session with.

In your own time, without rushing, slowly return to the room. Open your eyes, and when you feel ready to do so, sit up. If you have a whiteboard or noticeboard in your writing space, go ahead and write down those words now so that you can see them for the rest of the day. Otherwise, jot them down in a meditation notebook. One day, if not today, they might be the key to crashing through a writing roadblock.

1.2 Message in a Bottle

Imagine you are lying under a tree on a beautiful grassy riverbank. Sunlight dances across your closed eyelids as it peeps through the branches above you, which sway back and forth ever so gently in the breeze.

The sound of silence is only broken by the faint trickle of water from the river, as it ambles over smooth stones. Stay here a while. You are content. Nature has provided all that you require for this moment.

As your mind drifts in and out of a gentle slumber, you notice another sound in the distance. The soft twinkle of a glass wind chime, playing delicately in the breeze. With each deep inhale and exhale of your breath, you hear the chime sound. After a moment, looking down to the river, you see a small glass bottle with a long neck. The weight of its bottom allows it to sit upright in the water. Each time the wind sweeps past, it tilts gently from side to side. As it sweeps across the stones beneath, a chime rings out. Having connected the sound with the picture, you feel satisfied and relaxed. Enjoy this moment.

Feel the grass brushing against your feet as you step slowly down to the riverside. You notice how the sunlight reflects off the glass bottle as it drifts gradually towards you. Your eye is drawn to something inside of the bottle. Reaching your hand into the clear water, you pick up the bottle and take out a note from inside. As you unfold the paper, a single phrase is written inside.

Read the words aloud. Allow them to whirl around in your mind. What could they mean? Place the note back inside the bottle and step slowly back from the water’s edge. As you lie back down under the tree, sunbeams shimmer across your eyes. In your own time, when it feels right to do so, open your eyes and return to the room. Make a note of the phrase from the bottle in your meditation notebook. It will serve you in the future.

1.3 Today is Wonderful

With each breath you inhale, imagine a vibrant and brilliant white light entering your body. With each exhale, this light reaches a new part of your body, from your fingertips to your toes. The illumination is charged with positive energy. It makes you feel good about yourself and the work you will create today.

Feel it tingle through each fingertip with the words you will be empowered to write. Feel it nourish your creativity for the leaps you will take in progressing your current project. Feel it charge through your veins, giving you the strength to leap over any hurdles you might face today. Your entire body is alive with positive, creative energy, and the blank page awaits the words which only you can give.

Now use this energy to fill your sanctuary with positive words and vibes. Today is wonderful, and I am empowered to write. Go ahead… Repeat this aloud… ‘Today is wonderful, and I am empowered to write.’ Take a deep breath and say it once more. ‘Today is wonderful, and I am empowered to write.’ It feels good, right? Now, in your mind, repeat this line five more times, allowing the white light to enter and fill your body with each deep breath you take.

In your own time, start to wiggle your toes and fingers… then gently stretch your arms and legs. Now slowly open your eyes. Remember… Today is wonderful, and you are empowered to write!

A Final Stretch

Balasana, also known as child’s pose, is a resting pose that stretches the hips, thighs and legs whilst calming the mind and relieving stress and tension. If you choose to do so, move into child’s pose for a final stretch at the end of your meditation.

Start in a tabletop shape, on your hands and knees. Release the tops of your feet to the floor and bring your knees wider than your hips, big toes touching. Slowly lower your hips so that you are sitting on your heels. Now walk your hands forward and rest your head on the floor, or on a prop or rolled towel for support if required. Take several slow breaths into your belly and chest. To release, gently return to tabletop shape.

Experiment with these meditations and adapt them to suit your own needs, or try making up your own. Why not invent a new one each day? There are no rules, just go wherever your mind takes you and be open to experiencing whatever it is that your current writing project requires. Enjoy renewed focus and clarity without pressure or expectation.

Props

Benefits

Notebook and pen

Decreased stress

Background music

Increased positivity

White sage smudge stick or incense for burning

Improved attention

A yoga mat, rug or towel

Ideas for your writing

PART TWO

WARMING UP YOUR WRITING MUSCLE

Sometimes, if I’m feeling daunted by the prospect of tackling a problematic scene or simply don’t feel inspired to work on my current project, then completing a short, unrelated writing exercise can be just the thing to help find my writing groove and refocus my mind.

Whilst Part 3 of this book offers exercises to help with the fundamental elements of playwriting, the activities in this section are generic, and can be used to warm up your writing muscle and simply to get your fingers typing – totally judgement-free and without expectation to deliver anything of note. The results are for your eyes only, so you can try the exercises again and again, with totally different results every time.

Starting your day with a short exercise can be a great way to jump-start your writing session. What better way to take on a demanding work in progress, than with a sense of achievement and boost of confidence, having already completed a quick assignment.

The following exercises can all be completed in roughly ten to fifteen minutes. But don’t worry… if you don’t have time for that, simply skip ahead to Part 7 and pick one of the speedy, two-minute writing prompts to begin your day.

2.1 Freewriting/Freetalking

‘Start writing, no matter what.

The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.’

Louis L’Amour

If mindful meditation (in Part 1 of this book) serves as a Ctrl+Alt+Del for your conscious mind, then freewriting continues with the blank page you find yourself looking at. I think of freewriting as less of a writing exercise and more of a physical warm-up for me as a writer. In much the same way that a singer needs to warm up their vocal cords before a concert, it is good practice for writers to warm our writing muscle and re-engage and reconnect with our creativity before launching into or continuing a piece of work.

Freewriting

Many writers will be familiar with the practice of freewriting, but here I’m going to offer an expansion on this classic. I have included this exercise so that this book may serve as a comprehensive resource tool for writers at all stages.

The main aim of freewriting is to write continuously for a set period – I recommend five to ten minutes if your schedule permits. Sit comfortably at your desk and just allow your hand to write (no computers allowed here). Now just keep writing, anything that comes into your head. Don’t worry about grammar, punctuation, spelling… just write. It doesn’t need to look neat and doesn’t even need to make sense or be legible, the purpose is simply to empty a continuous stream of words from your mind onto the page. The most important thing here is to keep writing. If you find yourself lost for words at any point, simply write ‘I am writing I am writing I am writing I am writing’, until something new comes to mind.

This is freewriting in a nutshell. You can pick a single random word to inspire a flood of thoughts, or use something related to whatever it is that you are working on.

If you are currently working on a scene or section of dialogue from a project, freewrite about this. Picture the scene in your mind’s eye and tune into the conversation between the characters in it – allow your hand to write away as you listen. As you hear the ‘live’ voices of your characters whirling around your mind, permit them to overlap, cut each other short, sharing fragments of thoughts and feelings, heartache or joy – in this way, perhaps soundbites and clues that you might have missed within the confines of the scene will be captured on the page. If we remember that all our characters have a life beyond the tiny windows through which we see them in our work, there are an abundance of experiences and feelings that we only really scratch the surface of. Freewriting is a great way to hear from your characters, beyond the world of the play.

Perhaps you still won’t find your way into the scene, but you may just learn something crucial about one of your characters, which in turn might inform or unlock something elsewhere in their story, which may help you progress with another scene. What do they really want? What makes them tick... or ticks them off? What are they most passionate about? What do they think about the other characters in the story? Can you decode their thoughts captured from your own stream of consciousness?

For more information on this practice, consider reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (Tarcher/Putnam, 1992), who encourages filling three pages with freewriting every single morning, in what she calls ‘morning pages’.

Freetalking

As an extension of freewriting, freetalking is something that I often do with writers in my workshops and classes, creating an orchestra of overlapping voices similar to someone turning a radio dial and skipping across multiple frequencies. I have found that it is equally effective in a solo writing environment… why not give it a try?

Once you are in the freewriting groove and you hear your characters talking freely on the page, you may find that your hand is unable to keep up with the speed at which the voices are speaking to you. That’s okay! Let their voices out! As characters begin to overlap in your mind, start to speak one (or more) voice aloud and write the others. If it helps, try playing some gentle classical music in the background. It might feel a little uncomfortable hearing your own voice at first but you’ll soon relax into it.