Simmons Says

WE ARE WHO WE ARE …

Writers, we are who we are … and therefore we write from that sense of place, whether we see it as a tower or a dungeon.

I know that what I write will influence someone.  I don’t know who, or how many or how few.  I just know someone.

So I feel responsible for that experience.  Do I have to?  No.  Should I? No.  Do I?  Yes. By choice, I know this and still, I write from my own center. My influences, preferences, beliefs, etc.  They all affect my work.

Hashtag Life

#PeopleOverPolitics.  #ComicOverChaos.  These were two personal philosophies that I championed (hashtagged) back in 2017.  I still stand by them to a large extent.

#CreateToCreate #ChildrenMatterMost #WhatIfWorks.  These are mindsets and habits that I championed for years.  I’ve been some form of an artist since my teen years, from actor to cartoonist to writer, to arts-n-ed consultant. 

Creating is fired by imagination which I have a Grand Canyon pool size amount of. And imagination can lead to envisioning and creating so many wonderful things.  So I’m all for it.  

It’s especially useful for children. But Children Matter Most for other reasons than their endless supply of wild and wacky thoughts. And if you don’t know why then you have so much to discover.  

What If Works is a powerful aid to creatives and inventors. When you ask that question you begin to journey along a path of discovery.  That path can be traveled by writers, singers, painters, choreographers, teachers, scientists, and many more. 

What if there is a land beyond the ocean?  What if I wrote a story about my ancestor’s journey?  What if these plants could cure that disease?  What if we could fly beyond the clouds?  

What If is a powerful question for minds with the fuel of imagination.

Who I am, affects what I write, and how, when, and why.  Maybe you feel the same way.

If so, more power to you.  

If not, give it some more thought.  Because it will help you determine so many aspects of your personal; and creative life.  And just may guide you further than you – and others – thought you could go.   

It did for me.

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HOW TO PLAY NOTEVEMBER

Twice per week one of us comes up with a word or a sentence, which we share with others.  

Then it is up to the players to come up with a poem, phrase, microfiction, cartoon, or whatever our furtive little minds can conjure.

Schedule?

Throughout November you can do it in a few minutes, or take 2 days max.  

What Next?

Then share your creative efforts via email or social media,.

Twice per week one of us comes up with a word or a sentence, which we share with others.  

So JOIN IN!

WHAT IS A SETTING FOR?

Ah, The Eternal Path Of A Story.  

From Idea to Plot, to Outline, to Character & Setting, to Conflict, to Resolution, and finally to Conclusion. 

Writers often study, discuss, and labor over most of these elements.  But some overlook or ignore one element in particular.  The WHERE of the story.  

Where does the story take place?  Where is the character from?

So let’s look at one of those two questions.

From Character To Setting.  From Setting To Character. 

Where a character comes from is a part of who that character becomes. 

Think about how the setting can influence them. 

Stroll through the neighborhood, the district, the house, a wooded area, a seashore, or a mountainous region. 

How would growing up in either of these settings affect your character?  And that’s totally different from how moving to such a setting might affect them. Especially in their later years. 

Being There In Mind And Body.

When walking through the setting, take in the size, the sounds, aromas, cleanliness, age, colors, indigenous inhabitants, and human/animal/insect. 

Think how these things would influence someone growing up there. 

What would they like, love, or fear?  What would they become so accustomed to that they barely notice it, despite it being unusual, fascinating, or threatening? 

Would the character want to stay there and grow old? 

Or would they be eager to explore new territories, or run away and hide?   And why?   No matter what the answer may be, you need to figure out the “WHY.”  

Why The Why?

See settings, environments, and personalities influence motivations, which influence actions.  And that helps establish a character’s goals, hopes, and regrets.

From the blog

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