As I look out my window 2013©
By Michael Casey
As I look out my window what can I see? I can see
my neighbours but they cannot see me, I can observe the goings on, the this way
and that way of traffic and of people. Writing is all about observation, what I
see with my eyes comes out on the paper as a story or a blog, or even a chapter
in my next book, my 6th book Tears for a Butcher. I have finished
the 1st chapter, I even put it on funny or die http://www.funnyordie.com/michaelgcasey and to my delight it is about to go through
the 6000 views barrier, if only people now go and buy my first 5 books on Amazon Kindle http://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Casey/e/B00571G0YC/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Enough of the advertising, just how do you write?
Well start with something simple, don’t try and be all poetic. Talking of
poetry go and buy a copy of The Book Thief, it’s a wonderful book and it’s very
very poetic. You have to read if you want to write, having read you’ll
learn about punctuation and style just
by reading. You’ll also learn who cannot write, throwing a cat amongst the pigeons
Dan Brown cannot write. The Daily Telegraph had a piece of his writing in it, I
read it and I thought I was reading concrete. Yes he has sold 40million books,
but I still maintain he cannot write. There is also a theory that writers just
always bitch. I’m not bitching I’m giving you my honest opinion. Writers
sometime belittle other writers, Jeffrey Archer gets some stick, but having
read some of his stuff I know he can write, he’s a story teller, I wish someday
I can emulate him. He as a Monet on his wall, worth £12,000,000, the most I can
hope for is if he sends me a framed photocopy of it, that’s if his local copy shop
has a big enough scanner.
Writing involves thinking, taking what you see and
changing it, so if a man walks down the street, what are you going to do to
make him more interesting. Does the man have two different coloured shoes on,
and if he does why, how can you explain it? Though I can reveal that one lawyer
I know did come to work with two different shoes on, because it was dark winter’s
day when he got up, without putting his bedroom light on, and the shoes were so
similar, thankfully he was not due in court that day otherwise he would have
had to go out and buy a new pair of shoes.
You are smiling now because of the shoe story, if
you can make your readers smile as they read then they will look up to see the
name of the writer at the top of the page. You have to ask yourself what am I
trying to do with this sentence, can I build more information, can I lead the
readers further down the path or do I have to go to another place with this
story.
Now if I was lecturing or talking to you over the
radio I’d give you several examples of this or that. Gill from my old computer
room days said that I put pictures in people’s head, and then let them enjoy
the story, I hope I do and Gill’s observation is one of the kindest things ever
said to me. So all writers need to supply information, make stories alive so
that the readers can have fun.
I’ve noticed in the corner of the screen that I’ve
just gone through 600 words, just as I’ve gone through 6000views for a sample
chapter on funny or die. My point being I’d really love the chance to talk to
all of my readers, on radio or webcast, then I can tell you all just how I use
words, and then you can use them for yourselves. I really believe if I can
write then anybody can write, if I were
in a position to encourage writing then
I’d be so happy.
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