The Shed 14

a reply to: Night Star

(Angling down to land near the fire outside the shed...)

Yes I will have some beverage! Thank You Little Elf!
I am healing. I now have a very long battle scar on My back. Very long!

I saw that LittleBurgh was to have back surgery as well? I hope She is healing and doing well...

a reply to: PrairieShepherd
This part, which I didn't respond to earlier:

I think - and this is pure speculation - that it is in part because when I read, I hear voices in my head. That is to say, I hear the words I'm reading as audible in my head. My wife thinks I'm nuts, but it's exactly why she reads books about 40x as fast as I do - I have to move at the pace of the words in my head. She just inputs the words visually, not aurally.

I am exactly the same. When I am reading a good story, I hear it all. And if they pause to look at the landscape (or whatever), so do I. I live the story in my mind. I cannot read a good story quickly, purely because of this. For me, it's all real-time.

I recall a scene in Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre. I have long considered this woman one of the greatest geniuses of writing.

There is a scene where Jane was put off the coach because she couldn't pay enough money to travel further and then had to spend a night out in the cold and dark, hungry and alone, shivering and frightened. I was devastatingly real.

Those images that Charlotte Brontë crafted in words for us, all those years ago, affected me so much that I had to wait until the next day to read on. That scene stayed with me all night and haunted my dreams.

That's how great a writer she was. And with her exquisite dialogue, I heard every word, every lilt, every gasp -- and every sob.

Oh, to have just a fraction of the talent she was gifted! That story has been imitated a million times, but never, ever equalled. And always when I read it, at least once every two years, I hear them speak. It is a truly beautiful story.

These days some might say, "Oh, Jane Eyre? it's a cliche." But they're wrong. When Charlotte wrote this, it was original. It was incredibly bold; her story delved into the characters' minds like no-one had ever done before. It was pure genius and incredibly beautiful. And even 160 years after it was published, that beauty and those voices still live.

This is the dream, Shep. To be able to leave something for others who will live after we have gone. Oh, how I wish for this! Inventions and gadgets will come and go, but words from the mind? And music, which is thought in tone rather than words? We are still using words and thoughts and sounds first evinced by some who created them generations ago!

But it's just how some of us are: we hear them. We hear these voices, just as some composers can read sheet music and hear the orchestra -- a skill that is beyond me. We hear these people's voices because those writers wrote voices that we could believe in.

I always hear them when I write, or more correctly, before I write, because I write their dialogue as if I'm taking dictation. I hear them; I see them; they are utterly real to me. They have to be! Because if we do not believe in them as real, and see and hear them as real, how can others feel what we do?

a reply to: JustMike

" Because if we do not believe in them as real, and see and hear them as real, how can others feel what we do?"
THAT right there!!! Very well said Mike! I too can see My characters, and Hear the differences in Their voices. I've a lot to do to get back on track with My Tale.
Alas, someday perhaps?

Nice to see You again!

a reply to: jacygirl


I was just about to make some fruit salad and I come in here and see you foraging for food. LOL

Goodbye Honey! See you soon!

Just Because...

Ok one more.

Hi Mike, yes we must feel our characters emotions and see the images of the scene we are trying to portray to the readers.

Hi Syx! Yes, Little B had her surgery. She popped in once since then, but haven't her or Big B lately. Hope they are both well.

a reply to: SyxPak

Oh how I have missed these dragon images from you!

a reply to: Night Star

NightStar a Star just for You.


With some caring, it will grow!

An image from the other side of the island.

And finally Blue, checking out something as usual...

a reply to: SyxPak
From Robert Frost, a quote I've offered on rare occasion here and there:
“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”

When I first read that maybe 40 years ago, I didn't really get it. Now, I do.

If your own characters don't surprise you from time to time and make you sit back and think, "Where did that come from?", if they don't move you to laughter or tears at times (and have you perhaps asking the same question), then your story won't move your readers, either. We need to move them: we need to surprise them, need to make them smile or laugh, or even shed a tear.

I've put down books that were intellectually interesting, but which after a few chapters had not moved me at all. I don't want just mind games, I want humanity. To be sure, not every reader will feel the same, but most who read for the love of it want something back: they want to feel something.

For fiction writers, I believe that's what we need to do. We need to convey feeling. And humanity, in all its myriad forms.

The problem is, I don't even understand how it all happens. I only know it does.

a reply to: JustMike

I used to devour books. I would read about one a week, a little here and there at night just before going asleep.
I remember having thoughts of what I had read the night before all through the next day.
When those emotions and surprises take a hold of us, the writer has done Their job well!!
So it doesn't matter how that happens I suppose, just that it does!
ETA: Please forgive My addled medicated responses here today.
My meds have me in a bit of a rattle trap for the time being!LOL!!

Syx, Oh...my...God!!!!! Those images are amazing!!! Thank you sooo much!

Mike, I have often said that my stories write themselves. Sometimes I will sit and listen to some music and things will just start popping into my head and I can't seem to write fast enough to get it all out. It's like someone else is taking over. LOL
I find music very inspiring.

I've read all replies but as I don't want to be impolite, I can only say I'll have to continue the conversations later. It's gone midnight & I'm just tired and need to bail.

Have a good day/evening/night, everyone!

originally posted by: jacygirl
a reply to: Martin75
We'll be waiting for you on the other side! (with food and beverages and hugs)
I like 'beautimus'...may I steal that?

I tend to make up swear words that can be used in public, lol.
I never heard my mother say the "eff word", but she would often exclaim, "fluff under the bed!" (which was her way of cussing without being unladylike).
Made up words often end up becoming memes somehow...so we are potential meme-makers!
Awesomeness!

Well, as you see I barely came out on the other side. LOL I don’t usually quote but I needed all this, lol. My made up swear words are the way I met now our “trashy mouth friend”. Hahaha. She asked to borrow a word I can’t repeat here is this loveliest of places. I let any and everyone have my words so consider beautimus yours! I tell Paul if you say it three times in a sentence it becomes a word so the more people the more sentences. LOL Omgosh! Fluff under the bed is just wonderful! Mine in public is pifflesnort.

a reply to: knowledgehunter0986
Hello Hunter, sorry that I missed you!

a reply to: zosimov
The other avatar was beautiful but I agree this was is just “you”

a reply to: PrairieShepherd
Shep a wonderful story entry! I think they are showing each other more of themselves than they have even been willing to show themselves! It is so powerful in its quietness.

a reply to: Night Star
And you burst in like a ray of sunshine all springy and stuff. LOL, too cute! *Your response to Shed cracked me up! I know what the code means but the first thing I thought of because of bananas was Minions!!! Hahahaha

a reply to: JustMike
Thank you for leaving a link to your story…no shame. I think we have all linked our entries for our Shed family to find easier, wink wink, LOL!

a reply to: swanne
Have you come up for air? Taking a break or playing with weather?

a reply to: SyxPak
OMG is it really!?!?!?!
*Marty goes running around The Shed towards the dragon (ducks the stream of flames) and gives him a big hug* How are you???????
*OK going to read everything I missed when I say our Mighty Dragon.

Goodnight Mike, see tomorrow I hope! Give my love to Dada!

Hello Jess! How are you this evening? YES, our mighty dragon has returned and a damned good thing too! The other dragons were so damned cranky when he was away. I think they were just worried though.

Cooking spaghetti.

a reply to: Night Star
OK I think we may be getting just freaky synched now. I also had spaghetti and texas toast for dinner! I'm doing good. Flipping through threads and watching a class lecture.

a reply to: Martin75

Hi Jess! Yah it's really Me! LOL!!
Thanx for the Hug! That was nice!!
(Sorry if I singed Your hair...)

Another just because;