AN AUTHOR'S JOB—WRITER, ACTOR, AND DIRECTOR

Many writers say they see their stories unfold in their head, much like a movie. Is that the case with you? 

I attended a writer’s workshop recently that discussed using theatrical techniques when writing your story. It was presented by an actress and author (Leanna Hieber) and was a fun workshop.  I came away with better visual ideas for my writing.

The author is not only writer, but also:

·       Cinematographer and as such you’re in charge of the setting, picture, mood, and ambiance of each scene in the story.

·       Director whose job it is to set the staging, pacing, and viewpoint

·       Actor. As an actor you have to delve into the character.  What’s the character’s motivation, how should the lines be delivered, how do you use the dialogue to show your character and his/her intent?

·       Marketing Director and as such what’s your movie poster quote? The one line pitch or tag line? You’re a brand so how do you present you and your work?

I’ve gotten stuck now and then, while writing. You know when you know something is wrong but you can’t quite figure out what. It’s frustrating.

I had a light bulb moment as I was listening to the speaker. She said, never forget your characters. They are what drive the book. 

If we’re writing, editing, or have gotten stuck ask yourself as the actor in the scene:

·       What’s my motivation?

·       How am I going to get what I want (intention and tactics)?

·       What’s the conflict? Or what’s keeping me from getting what I want?

·       What’s my environment and how is it affecting me? This is context.

I can use this for character and dialogue but I could also use this when crafting or editing my scene—especially if I’m stuck. It would help me look at each character within the scene to see if they’re reacting true to their GMC. Is the scene being written to the best dramatic advantage?

• Do you use any of these techniques when you write or edit?

Be sure to stop back by this Friday and visit with my guest, Elizabeth Loupas.

Did you know that sweet chocolate was a deep dark secret for years? Me either. Elizabeth will be talking about Love, Sex, Power and Chocolate.

"These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things..."

My guest is Victorian Gothic author, Leanna Renee Hieber. I had the opportunity to meet the irrepressible Leanna at a RWA writers' conference in September.

Leanna is a sassy redhead and a lot of fun and she also knows the value of *presence* She did a fun and informative workshop on Direct Your Book--Using Theatrical Techniques. The gist of the workshop was to remember that while you're an author, you also are a Cinematographer, Director, Actor, and Marketing Director. Each plays a vital role in our writing. The workshop was great for visualizing your work and your characters.

Leanna has a unique way of looking at things in life and how they play into the writing process.

• Leanna, tell us a little about you:

Hello friends! I'm an award winning author, actress, playwright and author of the Strangely Beautiful series of Gothic Victorian Fantasy novels, beginning with The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker.

• I'm glad you were able to visit with us a bit today.

I'm so thrilled to be here Over Coffee with all of you!

• Gothics used to be quite popular and then segued into mostly paranormals (with ghosts, other worldly creatures etc) and true atmospheric Gothics fell by the wayside. What drew you to Gothics and the Victorian period in particular?

I've just loved Ghost stories as long as I can remember, and the Gothic style just calls to me like a siren, it's just like a second skin. I think it's the drama of them (being an actress and playwright, it's fitting).

As for why the Victorian era, another childhood obsession that I can only chalk up to a past life.The conflict and the strained romance of the time just adds so much delicious tension!

• You've given your Gothics a modern twist with fantasy/para, but would you still classify them with the old Gothics? How are they similar? Different?

Absolutely, I'd say I'm in the 'old school' Gothic style, but inspired healthily by Fantasy novels.

• I know of several who love and write dark Gothics but aren't seeing a lot of results. Your books seem to fit a niche and I'm seeing a resurgence of interest in Dark Gothics again.

I do think there's great timing for [Gothic] series right now, however I couldn't have known that when I started the book nine years ago.

• A case of writing what you love to read. I'm glad you persevered! It's a good book. What are some of your favorite things and do you use them in your writing?

I thought I'd make a list of all my favourite things because these are all things that have come up in interviews and when I look at this list, I realize it's a very important list to understanding me as a writer. I feel like singing a little Sound of Music here...

Except we don't have sound, Leanna, but I admit the song has been running through my head.

A (nearly comprehensive) list of Leanna's favourite things:

• British Accents
• British Actors-
• Greek Mythology (and Mythologies in general)
• Ghost Stories
• Writing (since I could hold a pen and finish a sentence, it’s my favourite thing to do with my time)
• Helpless romanticism
• Brooding, brilliant, magical men who seemed wicked but weren’t (Just like Anne of Green Gables says, she wants someone who isn’t wicked but has the possibility of being wicked. I’m so Anne... )
• Fantasy novels (Especially Harry Potter)
• Gothic novels/literature
• Jane Austen
• Theatre (everything about it)
• Gothic things (like architecture, music, clothes and all things under said title)
• Dr. Who
• Edgar Allan Poe
• Alan Rickman (the best actor in the known world)
• London- The Victorian Era and everything therein – (I have no idea why as a child I was flouncing around in doubled skirts and makeshift corsets, speaking in a British Accent in rural Ohio. I credit a past life because I don’t know how else to explain my long time love affair with the 19th century, or why London felt uncannily home when I went there.)
• Birds
• Pine forests (moonlit, please)
• Red wine or a dirty martini
• String music
• cheese
• Soulful singer/songwriters- Making things up that were utterly impossible and/or utterly non-traditional.
• Ghostbusters
• The Muppets (Particularly The Muppet Christmas Carol)
• A Garden-style graveyard
• Stained Glass (Particularly Louis Comfort Tiffany)
• Central Park
• Fine Art (particularly the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood)
• The BBC (Yes. I am an anglophile)
• My beloved pet rabbit rescued from a testing facility, named Persebunny

Save for the anachronistic things, many of this said list make their way into the Strangely Beautiful series in one way or another.

They say we are what we eat and I think we are also what we love. I'm so interested in the way that creativity meets our great loves in life, and to discuss that with writers and readers.

• Writers: What are your favourite things and does your list make it into what you're writing?


• Readers: Do you look for aspects of your list in what you read?

I hope you'll check out The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker. I've just announced the title and cover of the Strangely Beautiful sequel, The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker, which will release April 27th, 2010.

Come find me on Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/sbfbfan
Twitter: www.twitter.com/leannarenee
Blog: http://www.leannareneebooks.blogspot.com/
Website: http://www.leannareneehieber.com/

Blessings to you!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Award-Winning author, actress and playwright Leanna Renee Hieber grew up in rural Ohio where her childhood memories are full of inventing elaborate ghost stories. Graduating with a BFA in Theatre from Miami University, a focus study in the Victorian Era and a scholarship to study in London helped set the course for her books. The dramatic, historic, spiritual and paranormal are the primary forces in her lyrical, eerie, atmospheric fiction.

While performing in the regional theatre circuit, her one-act plays such as Favorite Lady, were published, produced, won awards and continue to be produced in colleges and festivals around the country. She has adapted works of 19th Century literature for the professional stage.

She hit the fantasy fiction scene with her novella Dark Nest which won the 2009 Prism Award for excellence in Futuristic, Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker is the first in her Strangely Beautiful series of ghostly, Gothic Victorian Fantasy novels published by Dorchester Publishing.