Writing Tip / Morning Paper

Here’s guest-blogger Dorothy Ann Skarles with a writing tip for generating a scene.

When I think of writing a novel, I read the morning newspaper to help me generate and explore quirky ideas, so I can make my characters a little different from the run-of-the mill.

It is where my imagination searches for an idea, big or small, an insight, or maybe a mood for the characters of my book.

I scan for a “what if” situation that will cause my viewpoint character to change emotionally, a little at a time, as a result of multiplying problems that keep coming up and never stop until the end.

Conflicts between characters, intent on achieving different goals, creates dialog that evokes a scene of action and reaction.

Today, I ran across a newspaper article that inspired a scene between two characters.

The article was titled, “Put those spring weeds to use…toss them in a salad.”

It related that some edible weeds are just misplaced garden plants, like Dandelions, Blue Violet flowers and Lamb’s Quarter, that are good to eat in a salad before the plant goes into bloom.

According to the author, the leaves from these weeds are potential food sources and high in beta-carotene, potassium, and iron–a great way to save money on salads for dinner.

Here is a minor scene I came up with in response.  It has inner and outer conflict and shows instead of tells the problem.

She took a deep breath and set the weed salad on the table in front of him. She resisted the impulse to tear the evening newspaper he was reading away from him. “I don’t know why I can’t buy regular Spinach in the grocery store instead of eating weeds out of the back yard.”

“I’m saving money, that’s why,” he said. “Lamb’s Quarter may be a weed, but it tastes just like Spinach.”

“Well, I don’t like it!”

“I don’t like the cat you brought home either.”

And then the fight started.

Are not newspapers the best place to look for true-life, teary-eyed, mayhem, fuzzy features, murder, and drama?

daskarles©2011