3T Writing Tidbit

This is another in my 25 Ways You're Losing Readers (and what you can do about it) series.

When is a stereotype character good?

You might be tempted to respond, "Never." I beg to differ. (What a strange phrase that is. "Oh, please, puh-retty puh-lease let me get into any argument with you." ?? English. amirite?)

Last month we discussed "Glove" characters, or a character the reader feels more in touch with than your Point of View (POV) character. Kill off this "window" character at your own peril!

I'm arguing that, in this one case, a stereotype is good. It will help you keep your reader from identifying with the character you want to make the disgusting bad guy or kill off.

I happen to be an older female. I like the CW shows but am most attracted to the ones that have excellent older characters (The Flash, for example.) So I'll use Older Woman as my example here. If you know you absolutely have to make a disgusting bad guy out of your only Older Woman--stop. Create a second Older Woman. Make her the blandest, most stereotyped Older Woman you can. Leave your kinda quirky, energetic Older Woman as is. Now, when you make the bad guy--make it the stereotyped Older Woman. Ninety-nine percent of your readers who glove the Older Woman will glove the quirky one, not the bland one.

Published since 2009, over the years I've accumulated various items of writing wisdom. The Third Tuesday Writing Tidbit showcases these items in no particular order. Click here to see all 3T Tidbits.  Click here to see all 25 Ways You're Losing Readers.

2T Repeat Performance

In December 2016, the lovely Magical Musings crew decided it was time to close down their blogging shop. I had three wonderful years with them. This is another of those posts.

8 Shocking Secrets Healthy People Know--Favorite Things #2--originally posted February 4, 2015

Let's get to know each other! In my first year as a Magical Musings blogger, I'm exploring my 10 favorite things. This is number two.

I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose. ~Woody Allen

They say laughter is the best medicine. What I want to know is, where did Dr. They get her medical degree and what studies has Dr. They done?

"Laughing. Easier than Yoga,"
says Squirrel.
photo credit: uBookworm 
via photopin cc

Well, exactly. "They" say a lot of things. But in this case, there's stuff on the Internet to back them up, much more scientific (marginally). So here they are, the eight shocking secrets.

1. "Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress" according to Helpguide.org.
2. It also "boosts the immune system." Ibid (which means I sucked the quote from the same post).
3. It also "protects the heart" by "increasing blood flow". Ibid (Yep. Another one from the Helpguide.org post).
4. Importantly, for those of us who suffer from depression, it "dissolves distressing emotion" Ibid. Ibid. (Hey! Repeated, it sounds like a frog.)
5. For diabetics, it "reduces blood sugar levels" according to PsychologyToday.com. I did not know that and am shocked. Shocked, I tell you. I don't know if my heart can take the stress. Oh wait--I can laugh it healthy.
6. According to  Michael Miller, M.D. in the same article, "it is conceivable that laughing may be important to maintain a healthy endothelium." Right! Um...what's an endothelium? (Runs to Wikipedia...blood and lymph vessel lining, huh.) "And reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease." Oh! Now I see.
7. In another article at UMM.edu, Dr. Miller's findings were elaborated: "people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh in a variety of situations compared to people of the same age without heart disease." (Does this count as separate item? Yes? No? Imma count it.)
8. Frankly, when I laugh I feel better. Okay, that's mostly anecdotal, but here's a quote anyway. "When I start the day by checking out my favorite cartoons, I start the day with a smile." From this post by the author M. Hughes.

Cat asks, "This is humor?" photo credit: Ms D. Meanor via photopin cc

In conclusion, I leave you with this medieval quote, "I say unto you, go out and find merriment, as it doeth you much goodeth." Or, from the contemporary translation, "Laugh. It's good for you."

1T Status Update

As the last (or one of the last) huzzah of winter strikes, giving me the twofer of joy and exercise while shoveling (I'm being sarcastic about the joy), I am really, really, really looking forward to spring.

This month:

• Husband spotted a red-wing blackbird today! Even though white scheiss lay all about, that's a sure sign spring is around the corner. (Thank goodness. See above.)
• Finished the second read-through of Night's Kiss. Kat, vampire hunter with a death wish for all vampires. Enkidu, vampire. Put on same page. Watch chaos ensue. Fun!
• Both Bad Boy Billionaire's Lady and Playing With Fire: The Battle of the Bands were launched to much excitement. Thank you to my readers for helping me get the word out! 
• Chapter One for Bad Boy Billionaire's Lady is here.
• Chapter One for Playing with Fire is here.
• I have another three planned read-throughs of Night's Kiss.
• Next up after Night's Kiss is Soul Mates! 
• As part of my prep for writing the final Pull of the Moon book, I'm doing a read-through and tweak of the series thus far.