The Fiction Panel at Orem Writes

Last night, I attended the first event of Orem Writes at our library. It was a fiction panel, with Dean Hughes, Anita Stansfield, and Stephen Tuttle. I'll say right now that Anita is one of my favorite authors, and I was delighted to hear her insight on writing - both her own and that of others. :) Here are some of my notes:

1. Some authors focus on stories, and other characters. It all depends on your writing process.
2. A quote from Dean: "My son once asked me, 'Aren't you afraid you're going to run out of ideas?' I answered, 'No, I'm afraid I'll run out of life.'"
3. Many times, you can cut off the beginning of your book and bring the reader right to the tension - and it looks like you planned it. ;)
4.  Don't be afraid to cut out chunks of your work. Throw it out. :)
5. When writing, it's easier to come back to something instead of staring at a blank page.
6. Stephen: "If I even open my email, it's over." In other words, discipline is essential.
7. Criticism may be difficult, but it's still important to listen.
8. Mind triggers: If you use a detail familiar to readers (something that they've heard before and will attach to another place or feeling) - such as a smell or a sight, they'll be much quicker to imagine the scene surrounding the character.
9. Stephen: "If dialogue does anything but reveal the character, I cut it out." It's not meant to tell the story. That's what the narrator's for.
10. Keep things visual, even if the characters are talking. Enter their minds and explore how they feel.
11. Don't bring attention to the 'author upstairs.' Writing is to create an illusion - not bring reality into the spotlight.
12. In first person, everything should be filtered through the character. There are things they simply cannot know.
13. Don't confuse the readers on whose eyes they're looking through. "Where's the camera?"
14. Keep it believable so that you have the reader's trust.
15. Don't use fiction to write fiction.

Me and Anita :)