  Action/Adventure
This week: Staying on the Trail Edited by: Legerdemain  
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Staying on the Trail
I was reading a western short story this weekend and really enjoyed the author's descriptive work. While there are many ways to describe a western town and prairie grasses, this author didn't try to accentuate the unnecessary things. If you're like me, when you read a story that not only has a good plot, but feels good reading it, you start to examine why. To find what the author did to make it a wonderful read. I find I learn a lot that way, not only about what it is I liked, but also dislike about their writing.
For example, this western has the typical ride out into the countryside. The author spends absolutely no time describing the horses. I can only tell you what horse I saw in my mind as I read the story. The animals have no more significance other than transportation from one setting to another and the author kept it that way. I really admired that perspective, not feeling the need to paint the entire picture with a heavy brush, just sketching the minimum to convey the right feeling and keeping the reader's focus on the important part of the scene.
So when you read something that feels good, something that touches the author-part of you, take a few moments when you finish the story to root out the cause and learn from it. I'm not saying copy it, I'm encouraging learning from it. Even when we're not writing, we're learning and improving our voice. So...read on, and Write On!
This month's question: What have you learned from reading other authors?
How do you use that in your writing?
Answer below  Editors love feedback! 
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Excerpt: His mother, her brain slightly addled by the incessant West Texas wind, was overly fond of flowers. When she first glimpsed the tiny face of her new-born son with its delicate creases, it reminded her of daffodil petals; so she named him "Jonquil." His father, a cattle rancher, did not object to this sissified name because he did not know what a jonquil was. Besides he left such matters up to his wife.
Excerpt: The little girl stared in amazement at the wall of books, trophies, and other awards accumulated over a lifetime by her grandfather. Earlier, during Thanksgiving dinner, she had heard the elderly gentleman refer to his 'study' several times. This was somewhat puzzling to Jennifer Gilead, age six, since whenever she had heard the word 'study' in her young life, it meant - without fail - that homework lay ahead on her immediate horizon. Consequently, it just made no sense to her that her grandfather had homework to do - surely he had completed school years ago. As a result of this nagging conflict, Jennifer made her grandpa promise to show her after dinner just what this 'study' business was all about.
Excerpt: With two quick kicks of Boyd's heels into both sides of his sturdy mount, the horse took the first step down the steep gravelly hill, and Boyd leaned back, pulled back on the reigns just enough to get Rango to lean back also. Rango, with his front legs stiff forward and his back feet braced forward, and Boyd his feet braced forward in the stirrups over his mount's shoulders; horse and rider slid down the hill all the way to a shallow ledge.
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Excerpt: Kurt rode into Sophieville on a Saturday afternoon. His vivid, blue eyes scanned the saloon and then glanced over at the corner store. He wiped at his face with a plain, red bandana. Streaks of mud ignored his swipe, but his leathered face blended well with the dusty, dry town.
Excerpt: Violet struggled in Sheriff Jebediah Monroe's strong grip as he hauled her along. However, with her hands secured behind her back, there was little she could do to free herself. The sheriff pulled up short in the dusty street, making her run into him. He turned abruptly and brought her up close to his body, her back to his chest, wrapping his arms securely around her scantily clad figure.
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Excerpt: Why am I writing about recent events in my life? For justification that this is happening not only to my mother, but to many. Will I read it over and over again, testing reality like pinching myself to confirm it’s not a dream?
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Excerpt: “Rworf.” Buster worked the bone around in his mouth until it fell out one side. “Grrrr,” he said, as though the bone had leapt from his mouth intentionally. He started to pick it up again, but stopped and looked at Jimmy. “Thanks,” he said. “It’s quite tasty.”
Jimmy jumped back in amazement and stood staring as Buster picked up the bone and chomped happily away. “You spoke,” Jimmy said when he’d regained his senses
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This month's question: What have you learned from reading other authors?
How do you use that in your writing?
Answer below Editors love feedback!
Last month's question: What is your favorite personified character?
pnut67 responded: My favorite personified character? In all the writings, shows, cartoons, amusement parks, history? Well, that's an easy one. I would have to say "Droopy" from the Droopy cartoons. Not the eighties Droopy, but the original from back in the golden age of movies and tv. Tex Avery really knew how to give Droopy character. BUT NOW as of late, I would have to say I am fond of my own Denny in my "Crow's Nest" series stories, due to the fact that I based him on my own actual little rat terrier dog we have running around the house here. I think, and I'm sure it is just my own opinion, that when writers put add animals, they are adding their own pets, just like they put a lot of themselves into their main characters.
benjwriter14 answered: I can tell you my favorite and least favorite... First, my favorite: Toothless in Train your Dragon. Still quite animal but the dragons have a lot of expressions that make them relatable as characters so I think it would count. My least favorite was a dog in one Dean Koontz more recent novels (sorry can't remember which one) but there are several scenes from the dogs POV...
I was also thinking about Pinocchio, would he count since he was turned by magic into a living puppet. Its not the same as characters like bugs bunny.
ZombeeLuv replied: What is your favorite personified character?
First I will have to explain that I am obsessed with Sir Terry Pratchett. So of course when you ask the question my thoughts turn to the movie and book, 'The Color of Magic'. It isn't uncommon to have a talking sword...but to have one that is a thrill seeker in the hands of Rincewind, the cowardly wannabe magician -- PRICELESS!!! The thought that Rincewind wants to run away from every conflict and the sword is saying, "Come on we can take them..." is hilarious.
Shadowstalker-- Covid free reveals: I like to use animal/human hybrids as a way of inventing aliens. While I know this is a bit "safe" it also allows me to use the story as a means of dissecting human behavior. While you can identify with the "cat people" of Catz, you are still aware of their very alien nature despite them looking humanish. So when they go "feral" or "sensual" because it is "just their culture and nature" the reader can distance themselves enough to not get put off by it. When in truth, if they take a closer look, that culture and nature is just regular human instinct-- if exaggerated a bit. Or some Hardcore warmongering race of dog people is just human desire for war personified in an entire species.
StephBee admits: The Argo II from the Heroes of Olympus series.
alysia said: I love creating my own creatures and using them to enhance the story, whether it be to propel the character forward or to be used in some other way. Great article!
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Action/Adventure: April 01, 2015 Issue [#6912]
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