Make Them Wonder!

I Have To Turn The Page!

Engaging and entertaining, the January meeting found us engaged by Daniel Tysdal as he spoke to us about how to make our readers wonder.

“Unless you make them wonder, they will not turn the page.” – Janet Burroway

Wonder is curiosity, we want the reader to feel a sense of awe. Daniel spoke about how imagery can create that wonder and awe. We can use sense experience to create emotion. You need to put your reader off-balance; they have to keep going to find that balance again. We want the language doing as much as it can. The group discussed multiplying perspectives, using art within the art of the story, and strange characters.

Wonder keeps the reader moving forward.

Daniel gave us the opportunity to put what he was teaching us into action. With each discussion, we were given an exercise. We inhabited a character from our current work-in-progress and wrote from their perspective. We dove deep into these characters: They must want something and want intensely.

Trouble is interesting.

By the end, I think we all knew our characters a little bit better. Learning about different ways to create wonder and applying it to an active character, was an amazing way to spend the afternoon.

There were many new members at this month’s meeting, and we’d like to extend a welcome to all of them. We’d also like to welcome our new Library Liaison, Rae Keen, and Assistant Program Coordinator, Ronda Theaker.

Open positions we’re looking to fill immediately: Membership Coordinator, Newsletter Manager, & Blog Editor. Contact MJ Moores, Board Chair for more details.

Page to Stage: with Charlene Jones – Thursday, January 31, 7:00pm to 9:00pm at TBA

Fact or Fiction? Q&A with the York Regional Police – Sunday, February 10 at Newmarket Community Centre and Lions Hall

Creating Compelling Characters with Ibi Kaslik – Sunday, March 10, 1:00pm to 4:00pm at Ray Twinney, Lounge 1

Playing the Short Game #2: You Sold a Story!: Contracts, Editing, & Reality with Douglas Smith – Thursday, March 28, 7:00pm to 9:00pm

For more information on our upcoming meetings click HERE.