 Drama: December 19, 2018 Issue [#9286] |
This week: A Quiet Haven in the Storm Edited by: NaNoKit  
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We all need some peace and quiet every now and then - including your characters.
This week's Drama Newsletter, then, is all about the quiet times.
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I don’t know about you, but I think there’s something special about this time of the year. Whether people are religious or not, many seem a bit nicer, more hopeful. It’s as though, collectively, we need a breather from our busy lives and besides, there’s way too much nastiness in the world. We shouldn’t need permission to let go of that darkness, but when we reach the middle of December, it feels like that’s what’s happening – we all know that this is the time of hope and peace and we embrace it. Run with it.
That’s what our characters need as well. As writers, we think up a multitude of scenarios for them, and it can be easy to overlook the quiet times. Yet, those quiet times are just as important as the action, and the drama. Indeed, without the quiet times you’re not only running the risk of wearing out your characters, but your readers, too.
One event after another can soon become an event too much. It’s good for your readers to become emotionally involved, but you don’t want to put them through the wringer to the extent that they stop enjoying your novel. When that happens, they might put it away and never look back. And they sure won’t recommend it to others.
Moreover, your story could end up being perceived as unrealistic. Sure, sometimes life events happen all at once, and their impact can be felt over a long period of time. I know that I’ve had years when I had to deal with a lot and it didn’t feel like there was any relief from what was going on... but when I look back there was. There were quieter moments. There was time for reflection. Even when I simply sat down and watched a movie or some episodes of a TV series, or curled up in a ball underneath my duvet, I had that space to collect my thoughts and gather my inner resources.
It’s good to provide your characters with that space, even if it’s just a brief safe haven in the storm of life. For example, in The Lord of the Rings our heroes find friends along the way, offering them food and shelter and even some merriment. They still have a long journey ahead, but there and then they can smile and laugh and heal their wounds. I remember those moments along with the action, as they are just as important.
You can even use those times for character development. Realisations may be had. Bonds may be strengthened, or weakened. You can also use them for plot development – perhaps new plans are made, new strategies dreamed up. They are not, in other words, a waste of your creativity, nor of the pages in your book.
Being a writer isn’t easy. You know that. It’s a balancing act, and sometimes it can feel as though you are juggling far too many balls. The quiet times, then, are as essential for authors as they are for everyone else. You’re treating your characters, you’re treating your readers, and you are treating yourself.
Just like right here, right now, I am enjoying this quieter time of the year. Most of my presents are wrapped. My final cards are going out tomorrow. I’m picking up the last bits of food on Saturday, and then I’m going to spend some lovely hours making chocolate truffles and, perhaps, even baking some cookies. Who knows?
Whatever you do, I wish you very happy holidays. 
NaNoKit
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Some contests to inspire you (including some nice and simple ones):
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Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,
The Drama Newsletter Team
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