Writing Worksheet Wednesday: Ticking Clock

by Eva, in category Writing Worksheets

Creative Writing Worksheet

Writing Worksheet – Ticking Clock (PDF)

A “ticking clock” is a great way to add suspense and purpose to your plot. Depending on your story, the clock can be the time of your character’s favourite TV programme, the last call for drinks, a big round birthday, the time at which the carriage will turn back into a pumpkin, or the countdown timer on a bomb an oven.

If you’re working on a longer story, your plot will almost certainly include a whole series of ticking clocks, with deadlines (or “dreadlines”) of shorter duration. Cause each clock to trigger the next until you reach the end, and you’ll have the bones of an exciting tale. Time’s ticking, get writing!

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Character Motivation Worksheet

by Eva, in category Characters, Writing Worksheets

Each page of this character motivation worksheet should help you when you need  your character to perform a function in the plot, but you’re not sure what would drive them to act: a person, an event, an environment or a set of internal beliefs & values?

Character Motivation Worksheet Writing Worksheet

Click Here to Download This Worksheet (PDF)

Character Motivation

This worksheet helps you explore 4 categories of character motivation:

  1. People: other characters who might have influenced the character (negatively or positively) or provided them with services or resources they needed.
  2. Events: experiences the character has lived through, and the memories and interpretations formed from them.
  3. Environments: places and situations that might support or suppress the character’s actions.
  4. Beliefs: the worldviews and priorities that the character activates during decision-making, whether correct or incorrect, empowering or disempowering.

Is the character consciously aware of this motivation?

  1. If the character isn’t aware of their motivation, they may be acting automatically, repeating patterns from their backstory when they need to change and adapt. These hidden motivations are usually revealed in the character’s behaviour or in subtle hints by other characters (or by the author). The character’s ignorance of their true motivation may keep them from making the change they need to make.
  2. If the character is aware of their motivation, it’s probably the conscious driving factor in their actions, perhaps their goal or dream. They will talk or think about it frequently and feel good about identifying with it, but this identification may also cause problems if it keeps them from making the change they need to make

Try combining conscious and unconscious motivations for a more three-dimensional character.

How do you ensure your character’s motivation fits in with their identity and with the story you’re telling?

If your plot requires your character to do something uncharacteristic, simply working out their motivation may not be enough. A motivating factor may feel forced or unconvincing if it isn’t integrated into the character’s backstory, their current state, and their development arc.

It’s important to have a storytelling structure that unites plot and character. I offer two online writing courses that teach you the writing techniques you can use to plot your novel and create your cast on just one sheet of paper. Click here to learn more.

Creative Writing Course

Character development course

 

If you found this worksheet helpful, please don’t forget to pin it for future reference!

Character motivation worksheet

Matryoshka Printables

by Eva, in category Paraphernalia

Matryoshka Journalling Cards

DOWNLOAD MATRYOSHKA PRINTABLES (PDF)

I’ve recently found myself collecting russian doll stationery and couldn’t resist creating some designs for journalling spots and writing paper…

Babushka Printables

I hope these dolls bring a smile to your and your correspondents’ (doll) faces. The quotes I found for my cards are as follows:

“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

&

“Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” – Carl Jung

Matryoshka Notebook Matryoshka Journaling Spots
Russian Doll Printables

Matryoshka Stationery

Matryoshka Printables

Plot Twist

by Eva, in category Writing Worksheets

Writing plot twistsPlot Twist Worksheet
Download This Worksheet (PDF)

Plot Twist Worksheet

Nothing makes me want to race through a story more than an idea for a great plot twist!

The best twists reframe the entire narrative and leave you spluttering in disbelief; Fight Club, Ender’s Game, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Birds Fall Down, and Murder on the Orient Express are a few that I always remember. Recently, I particularly enjoyed the twist at the end of the film, Transcendence.

I hope this 2-page worksheet will help you uncover the assumptions you, your readers or your characters make, and use them to construct a shattering éclaircissement. As the saying goes, “to assume makes an ass of u and me.”

Good luck!

For more help creating plot twists, try these worksheets:

  1. Uncovering Assumptions
  2. Story Loops
  3. Character arcs

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Modern Calligraphy Resources

by Eva, in category Penmanship

Calligraphy Practice

I’ve been enjoying listening to Arabella while I practice calligraphy; an old diversion which has recently taken on new force and form following my discovery of all the modern calligraphy resources that are now available online. I love the movement of this novel style, the way letters bounce and shrink in lively (if done right) harmony. Digital fonts have made even steven scripts somewhat superfluous and commonplace, I think, though no less impressive*. I have also been seduced by the knowledge that I am not limited to using India ink which has the indelible habit of getting everywhere. The smell of my little pots of gouache transport me back to primary school art classes. Not an unhappy association, and rather appropriate to my current novitiate.

* I have recently discovered some darling computer fonts in the modern calligraphic style: Octavia, Signature, Hollyhock & Dago are my favourites!

Blue Gouachemodern calligraphybrause 66EF

Here are some wonderful resources I’ve discovered for learning calligraphy:

Gouache Calligraphy

While I am clearly a padawan of penmanship, I do have a few recommendations:

  • If you find that your ink looks spotty on the nib, take some time to try one of the methods outlined in Dr. Vitolo’s book for preparing a new nib. I had best success with toothpaste.
  • I know one’s instinct is to instantly order all the wonderful paraphernalia – nibs, inks, papers, pen holders, etc. – but I would urge against it. My advice is to break down the learning into sections. First, get a sense of how letters are formed, then practice with a pencil, and then a brush-tip marker. The worksheets from The Postman’s Knock break the process down very nicely.
  • Find calligraphic fonts that you like and practice their alphabets. You can begin by printing the letters out and tracing them.
  • Keep a reference of letter shapes you like.

Blue Calligraphy

P.S. Arabella is very enjoyable and makes me long to have a dog.

Free this week on Skillshare…


An Online Skillshare Class by Bryn Chernoff