DRESSING—AND UNDRESSING—YOUR CHARACTERS by Best Selling Author, Ruth Harris

Clothes, said Mark Twain, make the man. And the woman, as any woman in her right mind knows—whether she’s shopping at Saks, at the mall or on her iPad.

As any writer knows, clothes also make (and define) the character. Think about it: Who's Mark Zuckerberg without his hoodie? Or Steve Jobs without his black turtleneck, jeans and New Balance?

Whether you’re writing about a fashionista or a stay-at-home-Mom, a tomboy, a 1920’s flapper, a surfer, an East Village artist or a Queen, modern or otherwise, the characters will be different and their clothes will be different.
An Annie Hall look projects one kind of heroine; a little black dress and sunglasses à la Audrey Hepburn another. Whether you’re writing about Madonna or Lady Gaga, Michelle Bachman or Michelle Obama, about Catherine the Great or the girl next door, their clothes are your secret weapon and a crucial part of the author’s tool kit, an essential way to bring your characters into focus for yourself—and for your readers.

By the way, speaking of writing about a Queen, did you know that Queen Elizabeth’s skirts are weighted so that no errant gust of wind can blow her skirt up? Never a photo of with the Queen’s underpinnings hanging out. ;-) Interesting tid-bit and just the kind of info that can give a scene or a character another and very intriguing dimension.

Shoes rule.
Some actors say that finding the “right” shoes for the character they’re about to play is key. Shoes on chick lit covers have edged into cliché territory. Cliché—but effective! Jennifer Weiner went even further and acknowledged the importance of footwear in a title: In Her Shoes.
The fashionista will be hobbling around in stilettos, the surfer in flip-flops, the tomboy in Nikes, the artist in Doc Martens, the Lauren Hutton type in jeans and Topsiders. They look different, they walk different, they talk different.

Diction and dialogue.
What your characters say and the way they say it helps define them: a bit of faux French for the fashionista? Chat about pediatrician recommendations for the Mom? NFL scandals and World Series stats for the tomboy? References to Renoir and Warhol for the artist? Safari tips from Lauren Hutton?

Menus matter.
Everyone loves food and reading about it. Think of all the “cupcake” covers or James Bond’s haute cuisine choices.

The fashionista will lunch at the latest, trendy bistro, Mom will eat whatever the kids don’t, the tomboy will scarf down a hot dog at the baseball game, the artist will go organic or maybe vegan. Where they go, who they meet, who they fall in love with—in essence your plot—will all derive from your characters as revealed by their wardrobes.

Twists and surprises.
Take the fashionista out of the trendy bistro, put her into vegan lunch counter and you have the beginnings of a plot. What will she think of the bearded video artist who, apparently needing to make a little money, serves her the organic sprout sandwich? What will he think of her? Intrigue? Disdain? Conflict maybe? Leading to sparks?

Then the twist: the “starving” artist working in an organic luncheonette turns out to be a good-guy Department of Health Inspector and the fashionista turns out to be the devil in (knock-off) Prada. Looks can speak honestly or looks can deceive. The twists and turns are up to the writer but clothes, well-described, can launch an engaging, twisty plot.

Tighty whities and Victoria’s Secret.
Whatever your character wears—or doesn’t wear—underneath his/her clothes counts. Come on, we’re writing fiction—romance, adventure, horror, mystery, erotica. We’ve got to get them undressed, too, don’t we?
The unexpected shock of Fruit-of-the Loom white cotton under the fashionista’s haute couture? Does Mom flaunt lacy, silky undies from Paris? A sequined thong for the tomboy? Or is super sexy Victoria’s Secret the secret our surfer is hiding? And what about the rule-breaking downtown artist? A bullet bra maybe?

If you’re writing historicals, don’t forget that corsets were abandoned in the 1920’s, that underwire bras became popular in the 1950’s and that recently a bra dating from the Middle Ages was found in Austria.

Briefs or Boxers.
Let’s not forget our heroes, either, the bad boys and the good ones. After, all, athletes aren’t called jocks for nothing!

Does the powerful executive in his custom-tailored Saville Road duds indulge in a silk g-string underneath? The electro-punk musician in tightie whities? What is that superhero wearing under his tights and cape? What, if anything, comes between that cool and clever assassin and his Calvins?

Is that honest politician (this is fiction we’re talking about, right?) wearing Spanx under his drab off-the-rack suit?

To finish where we started, I’m about to make a confession. MTwain’s entire quote reads: “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.”

Much as we love, respect, and admire you, Mr. Twain, we beg to differ. After all, we’re writers and we know better!


Ruth Harris, million-copy NYTimes bestselling author
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Decades - 2014 edition revised by the author for today's reader.

THREE WOMEN. THREE DECADES. Spanning the years from the optimistic post-War 1940s to the Mad Men 1950s and rule-breaking "Make Love, Not War" 1960s, DECADES is about three generations of women who must confront the radical changes and upended expectations of the turbulent decades in which they lived.

"The songs we sang, the clothes we wore, the way we made love. Absolutely perfect!" --Publisher's Weekly

How Helping Other Writers Helps You – Sarah Allen

I think, in general, writers are known as a welcoming and supportive community. That has been my experience as a new writer and blogger since the very beginning. People have offered advice and support that has helped me progress along my journey, and groups like the Insecure Writers Support Group are solid evidence of the way the writing community tries to support its members.

But this is not always the case. I am saddened when I see the rare cases of back-biting and author jealousy. I am a firm believer that there is room for all of us on the shelves, and that by helping other writers, we also help ourselves. Here’s how:

1. We find new readers. Writers are readers too, correct? Reaching out to support and help other writers is one of the best ways to introduce ourselves to a potential reader. Whether in real life or online, giving advice or a comforting word to a fellow writer will familiarize them with our name in a positive way. Of course I don’t mean for this to be all contractual, and the key is starting with genuine friendship. And to add cheese upon cheese, everyone is helped when you make new friends.

2. We find new publicity support. You remember when someone spontaneously gives your book a shout-out on Twitter or their blog, right? I know I do. And when they do I’m much more inclined to follow them or even give their book a looksie. In this way we create a team of friends both online and IRL who will help us spread the word when we have a release. Again, this doesn’t work as a straight up tit-for-tat kind of thing, and when someone lends a supporting hand solely for some kind of reciprocation or obligation, that’s just slimy and obnoxious. But by starting with genuine friendship we can create a trailblazing team that supports everyone involved.

3. We find new inspiration. I firmly believe we are shaped by the people around us. From family and closest friends to casual acquaintances and even strangers. I feel intellectually and creatively inspired by discussions with my roommates, or the great content on my favorite blogs, or the pictures of kitties in bowties I found on Tumblr. When we interact with other people, even in small ways, our circle of experience is expanded, and that can only mean good things for our writing.

C. S. Lewis said, “We read to know we’re not alone,” and I think in large part we write for that reason as well. This isn’t a race where only one person can win. In fact its more like a hike up a steep mountain, and the more we help each other, the higher we can climb.

Sarah Allen is querying two novels (one adult, one YA, both magical realism) and drafting a third. She has been published in several literary magazines and placed in several writing competitions such as the Utah Arts and Letters Original Writing competition and the Writer’s Digest 77th annual competition. She received her English degree from BYU and currently lives in Las Vegas where she works as a grant writer for Best Buddies Nevada. You can find her at her Blog, Facebook, Twitter, and a myriad of other places. Her short story collection, Cross-Eyed, is available on Amazon.

Ten Tips To Block Creativity

Do you want to live a creative life but sometimes feel something is holding you back? Guess what? It’s most likely you. Those obstacles you feel are in your way and block your creativity are the negative attitudes/thoughts/choices you allow into your life, that have the biggest impact and keep you stuck. From a writerly point of view, consider how your creativity suffers. I don’t know about you, but I am guilty of some of the following points:

I get too tired. Know that feeling of working late when you should be relaxing and winding down?

Eat sugar. Drink caffeine. How did I get tempted by coffee and a biscuit instead of water and fruit?

Take on extra work. Learn to say ‘no’. Saying ‘no’ doesn’t mean you are being rude; neither does it mean you are being disagreeable. It’s how you say ‘no’, rather than the fact you’re saying no, that affects the outcome. After all, you have your own priorities and needs, just like everyone has his/her own needs. Saying no is about respecting and valuing your time and space.

Spend time with energy vampires. Don’t fight them. Don't argue or get defensive, or tell them they're wrong. As soon as you do this and interact with them directly, you are pulled into their drama. Stay away from them. Rather say no to that invitation that doesn’t appeal to you.

Beat myself up for what I haven't achieved. Why not see the successes?

Compare myself with others. When I know their world is so different to mine. Remember, each individual’s talent, contribution and value is unique to that person, and to his purpose in this world.

Worry. 80-90 percent of what you fear will happen, never really becomes a reality. They are just monsters in your own mind. And if they happen then they will most often not be as painful or bad as you expected.

Forget to go out and play. Moderation and balance are things that we don't often think about in life. It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks. Addictions can take hold of us quickly and devour us. Moderation and balance = a little bit of this, a little bit of that, not too much and not too little, just right.

Feel there's no time, so don't get started. Every moment counts. Remember your life is not lived one day or one hour at a time. It is lived one moment at a time. The only thing you have absolute control over are your choices right now in this moment, so make the most out of this moment - and every one that comes after it. Even ten minutes is worth getting started for.

Cut out the clear thinking time. We all know that these moments of space are so important. Your brain needs that downtime. Mental breaks increase productivity, replenish attention, solidify memories and encourage creativity. 

Can you relate to any of these? Want to share any thoughts/ experiences of things that block your creativity?