Left Brain or Right Brain

Some people are logical, analytical and very good with numbers. Shapes & symbols are easily understood because they’re often used in language as well as math and science. Processing things in order of sequence, making lists, preferring organization and structure are important. The ability to pay attention to details as well as remembering the names of people and places is prevalent in these individuals. In other words, they are left brain dominant.

“Left brain people are more objective in the sense that they’re concerned with what’s outside of them; with the objective world.” - Bill Harris, Centerpointe

Others tend to go by feeling and intuition and are more likely to remember faces instead of names. Proverbial daydreamers, they can easily employ their imaginations and turn within to “see”. When calculating math problems, they don’t often work the problem out mathematically but find the answer intuitively. They seem to know, have a gut feeling about the right answer. Decision making is infused with this instinct; relying on gut feeling to remove themselves from uncomfortable situations or places. Music, art and creativity permeate their lives. Colors play a vital role as well by being used in associations and expressions both internal and external e.g.: “I felt blue this past Tuesday because the weather was so gray.” These are right brain dominant individuals.

“People who are right brain dominant are more concerned with the subjective; the internal world.” - Bill Harris, Centerpointe

What is intriguing about writing is that writing is known to be a left brain function but in order to write successfully, the right brain is also employed. The reason for this is that although the left hemisphere of the brain controls writing (grammar, punctuation, syntax), as writers we also invoke emotion, the senses, as well as color. This is where the right hemisphere steps in to lend a hand.

But how does this happen exactly? There is a bridge between the left and right hemispheres called the corpus callosum that allows the two hemispheres to communicate by connecting them together. So in a sense the corpus callosum is like a friendly messenger that allows two parties to speak to each other. When this happens the brain is functioning holistically. Even better is the fact that the more writers write, the more connections are made in the brain and the easier it is to write the next time.

So what if a writer is having difficulty with his/her writing? When this happens the writer may be entrenched in the left hemisphere. By turning within and activating the right hemisphere, the difficulty previously experienced may ease off. A good way to activate the right hemisphere is by listening to music - particularly Classical music like Mozart. Studies have shown that Classical music is beneficial for learning and memory because it has a positive effect on brain chemistry. Of course, not everyone likes Classical music so in that case Jazz, Blues, or Rock may work better depending on the preference of the writer.

As for me I listen to a variety of music from Classical to Goth to Rock to Symphonic Metal, depending on my mood and what is currently happening in the story.

First Person Narrative

One of the things that writers have to decide on is whether to write in first person or third person. Most often I write in third person. Somehow it flows easier for me to write in this style. My current work in progress, however, is written in first person. I want to show the perspective of the protagonist, Brooke, as the story unfolds. And of course, I could show Brooke’s perspective writing in third person but I want to hear her “voice” – her thoughts. It is a bit more challenging for me but since I don’t usually write in this style, I think it’s important to develop this skill.

As a side note, I’ve read that most published novels are written in third person and that novels written in first person are usually geared towards women readers. I don’t know how true this is and I certainly would prefer a broader reader demographic.

But as writers, I think we should just focus on writing the story we have to tell. If people are interested in reading it that’s great! If the population is mostly women, that’s awesome! And if the readers also include men well, that’s an added bonus!

When I write, I don’t worry about the gender of the reader. Mostly I decide whether the story is suitable for a young adult audience or for an adult audience. From there, anyone who wants to read my stories can do so and hopefully enjoy them.


Happy writing.

Writing a Love Scene

I’ve been pondering the issue of romance and therefore love scenes in my story. By the way, I should mention that I don’t do romance. It’s not my genre. I also don’t write erotica.

You see, I don’t think it’s necessary to be graphic in the description of a love scene. I have read many novels in which a romantic liaison was written very tastefully without graphic detail. These writers were able to clearly convey what was happening in heat infused beautiful prose. While there are others that graphically describe every aspect of coitus. I don’t think I can write in that style, but more importantly I don’t want to write in that style.

What I want to do (and what I’m working on which I’m finding really hard to do by the way) is gradually develop the sexual tension between the two characters until it manifest in a tasteful joining. But no matter what I write, I hate it. It comes off as cheesy, cliché and plain old drivel. I’m pushing forward anyway because I do want these two characters to like each other and eventually get together.

So I could really use some advice ‘cause I’m currently out of my comfort zone. From time to time I come across advice (on the internet) telling people that in order to become successful they have to get out of their comfort zone. Well, I’m out of mine and it’s an exhilarating ride but I don’t want to suck.

Perhaps my criticism is harsher than it should be, or maybe I’m being a perfectionist (which I don’t think I am). What I do know is that I want the reader to feel/see what is happening in a temperature rising, fast breathing, licking of dry lips experience without resorting to a triple x rating. How do I do that and be original in my writing?

Basking in Creativity

Lately I’ve been comfortably nestled in my right brain. For once I took a break from the usual analytical left brain control. I’ve been writing – not for my novel, which is odd.

One morning I woke up from a dream and I could only remember a snippet of it but I decided to write about it; to expand it a bit. I decided not to fight the pull – the attraction to work on it, because it isn’t the novel that I have committed to write. I figured, why not? So, I plunged in and I’m having fun with this project right now.

The other thing I’ve been working on for some time now is jewelry making. I make costume jewelry and this started as a hobby a few years ago. I stopped for a while but took it up again. My friends have been very encouraging about it and I’ve actually sold a few pieces. So I’m very excited.

Right now I’m just letting creativity flow through me in different forms. For instance, I’m already thinking about working on my Halloween costume. I know it’s early but even though I sew, I’m not a seamstress and I want to give myself enough time to go back to the drawing board if it doesn’t work out. My previous costumes have been a success so I'm fairly confident that this year I'll design another winner.

I’m feeling really good and I realized that being creative makes me happy. Anyway, that’s all the update I have for now.

Happy writing.

Don't Want To Write

I don’t have anything to write about. It’s not writer’s block. This is different. It’s a combination of not having a topic to write about and also a lack of desire to write - about anything.

I have loads of ideas which get added to my idea file with a page or two of writing to go with it. But to me all this adds up to, is more started yet-unfinished projects. My mind can come up with lots of little scenarios, prompts, etcetera. Yet it doesn’t go further than that.

It’s like there are all these remnants of fabric spread out on a table. Some are mere inches apart, while others are a foot apart or even farther. How do I stitch them together? Clearly, I need a needle and thread. If the remnants of fabric are my ideas, then the fillers - the parts that tie the story together, would be the needle and the thread. And this is where I run into trouble. My difficulty lies in the tying it all together and not only making it fit but making it seamless. This is why I collect ideas and writing prompts and not finish any of my projects.

Identifying the problem is the first step. I understand where I’m going wrong but I suck at fixing it, so I can’t move forward. Every time I try to work on it, what I write is pure drivel. So I stop writing for a few days because I’m so disgusted with the poor quality of my work that I choose not to write. This is then followed by self beratement and insecurity.

But today is slightly different. I really don’t have anything to write about and I’m not having any negative thoughts or feeling down about the possibility of ever finishing my novel. Really.

The Adventures of Captain Faasha

“What are you doing?” she blurted throwing herself against the controls.
“Trying to save your life!” Drokkan answered flipping switches and pushing buttons around Faasha; evading her attempts to block him.

“By blowing up the ship?” she demanded.

Drokkan grabbed her shoulders; his gaze intense as he held her attention “Faasha, the Phluvoigh won’t stop until you’re dead! Shields are at 17 percent. How much longer do you think we can hold them off?”

“I don’t know!” she pulled away from him pacing down the bridge. She had evacuated the ship so her crew was safe except for Drokkan who insisted on staying with her. “Check the tactical database. There must be a maneuver the Phluvoigh can’t anticipate.” Faasha said holding onto a chair as the shields blocked another onslaught of phaser torpedoes.

“We’ve tried over 80 different maneuvers; if there was only one Phluvoigh vessel we’d probably stand a chance, but three of them?” The tactical computer burned out in a fit of sparks sending Drokkan flying against the front view screen.

“Drokkan!” Faasha flew forward bending down by him.
“I’m okay.” He croaked getting up stiffly with Faasha’s help. The front of his uniform had scorch marks and the fabric was fused to his skin. He dangled his left hand which was burned and useless. A quick check told them that shields were down to 6 percent.

“Captain, are you going to give the order or do I have to mutiny? Drokkan looked at her, a twinkle in his eye; his crooked smile reminding her of his bravery on past missions.

“Alright, set the ship to self destruct. We’ll go down in a blaze of glory!”
“Who said we were going down?” Drokkan teased amidst coughs that threatened to overtake him.

“Explain.” She said not understanding the glint in his eye.

“Do you remember Plexus 9?” he grinned.

“The Plexus 9 Maneuver? That’s a theoretical maneuver based on multidimensional models!” Faasha said incredulously.

“All you need is a nebula and a small uninhabited satellite.” His grin grew wider.

“Where is the nearest nebula?” Faasha asked before she crashed against the wall by the force of the latest phaser torpedo.

“There’s a nebula just up ahead and the navigational computer detected the remnants of a small planet that must have been torn in the opposing gravitational pull.” He said as he helped her up. Faasha supported her broken arm coughing up blood.

“How much time do we need?” she said her voice making wet sounds as if she was underwater. Drokkan sat her on the command chair and quickly programmed the navigational computer with the right coordinates that would take them in the nebula’s direction.

“They’re matching our speed but I think we can make it in three minutes.”

“Computer, this is Captain Faasha. I command this ship to self destruct code N4901-SD03.” The chirp of the computer acknowledged receipt of command.

“Computer, this is Lieutenant Commander Drokkan. I second the command for self destruct code D9925-SD03.”

The chirp of the computer sounded again with an electronic response “Self Destruct Sequence Executed. The ship will destruct in three minutes.”

“We’re cutting it close, don’t you think?” she asked looking at the view screen and firing phasers with her left hand. She was racing against time as it seemed to fly faster than warp speed.

“Nothing we can’t handle. I’m programming the Captain’s Yacht for separation before impact.”

Another assault on the ship set systems on fire, smoke filling up the bridge quickly making visibility difficult.

“Faasha!” Drokkan roared coughing and searching for her.
“On my way, Lieutenant” She responded amidst bloody coughs as she got up from the floor nursing her broken arm.

The ship’s electronic voice reported shields at 1 percent. “Self destruct in 30..29..28..” The ship’s computer continued the countdown as Drokkan dragged Captain Faasha into the turbo lift. The turbo lift jostled them as the ship rocked from multiple phaser fire.

They entered the Captains Yacht and Drokkan secured the Captain before taking his seat and sealing the hatch. The countdown continued “12..11..10”

“Initiating separation, warp factor two!” he shouted as the shields couldn’t compensate for the force of take off.

“Do it!” Faasha gurgled as she was pressed against her seat by the impact of the gravitational momentum.

The Phluvoigh vessels stopped pursuit abruptly as they realized the ship was on a suicide course with a satellite planet and watched the massive explosion as the ship made contact. Undetected by the Phluvoigh, the Captain’s Yacht had successfully separated from the main ship and remained hidden in the nebula.

Stories as Time Capsules

It’s interesting to see how some expressions in a story capture the societal views of the time in which it was written. Reading the classics is a wonderful thing. It makes me appreciate how literature employs grammatical artistry. But there are times that sprinkled throughout a work of fiction you’ll find traces, if not full-out in your face, racism.

I’m reading a children’s book that was originally copyrighted in 1911. That was a century ago and, of course, the views were quite different then. It was quite ordinary and acceptable to make statements that today would ignite ire in many people.

For example:

“I dare say it’s because there’s such a lot o’ blacks there instead o’ respectable white people. When I heard you was comin’ from India I thought you was a black too.”

“You thought I was a native!” You dared! You don’t know anything about natives! They are not people – they’re servants who must salaam to you. You know nothing about India.”

Wow. I know that this is a work of fiction and that it’s the characters who are expressing this opinion within the world the writer created. I’m not going to start a debate about racism in writing and the difference between Indian ethnic groups and Black ethnic groups. However, I am stating that this novel portrays the racist attitudes and beliefs of that time.

So, the social separation between groups of people was very pronounced and very strictly observed. This has been preserved in the story like a time capsule. I have been observing stories that reflect things which we would now consider to be in poor taste. To me this is a look into the past; and it shows me, a bit more poignantly than my history lessons taught me, how the world used to be.

It's Research - Not Obsession

Lately, I’ve been spending quality alone time in my attic/office doing a lot of reading, making jewelry and watching reruns of Angel on Hulu. And Spike has been on a couple of episodes; he’s such a hottie! Then there’s the 6’3 chocolate goodness of Charles Gunn - yummy! But for some reason, I’ve always wanted Wesley; the scholarly occult expert with the British accent who can also kick ass. The only downside to watching Angel is that I might be putting on a couple of pounds. I seem to devour pints of Hagen Daaz ice cream, bags of Doritos and a few minutes ago I had to put down the bag of melted chocolate Milano cookies before I ate the whole thing.

This is not an Angel obsession. It is simply research. Yes, I’m studying the characters in the series. The depth of their personalities, the intricacies of their interrelationships and how they deal with the obstacles they face. I do this so that I can create lifelike 3D characters in my stories. I do this so that I can become a better writer.

Okay, what I just said was B.S. I didn’t even believe it myself. I confess: I’m obsessed with the series. I went to Hulu and have been watching it from the first season and now I’m up to season 5. But although I’ve been experiencing a mild crush on the show, my heart still belongs to the Doctor, who to me will always be, David Tennant.