READ,WRITE & LIVE YOUR TRUTH

Tag: #amwriting

  • More Ways to Think About Character Development

    E.G. Kardos

    A reader must connect in some way with one or more of the main characters in a book for that reader to keep reading—next word, next paragraph, next page.

    As a writer, my hope is that the readers might think, that’s what I would think, too, if some jerk said that to me. Or I’ve always wanted to do that but never dared to. We might even think, I really like this guy—kinda reminds me of….

    Cropped portraits of group of people on multicolored background in neon light. Collage made of 7 models

    For me, character development is crucial as my books are character driven. So, first, I want to create characters that in some way resonate with me. If I am successful in doing this, the character has depth and just enough substance so that a reader can grab hold to something about that character that intrigues them as well. 

    Character Development Takes Some Probing

    By probing into and exploring what the character thinks and feels, it is only natural for me to feel connected to the character on a deeper level. During this process, I draw an endless stream of thoughts and feelings from within and use them like bricks to build the character.

    The joy of both reading and writing comes from the same place; a well-developed character.

    I’m convinced that this is what makes exceptional characters, and it is what most readers want when they choose to invest their time, and heart, into reading.

    In Reading, Writing, and Yes, in Real Life Too

    Unless you’ve fully immersed yourself in remote work or spend your days and nights only chatting with an AI without a soul on the internet, you meet people in everyday life. This is a good thing because we are social beings. When we meet others and spend just thirty seconds with them, our minds tend to race. We might focus on one word they say, zero in on their eyes or hair—or something physical. Sometimes, we learn more about that person than we want. We wonder if we will see them again or if we hope we never do. Is it fate or coincidence that this person has entered our lives? And what, if anything, do we want to do about it?

    In other words, we evaluate the person much like we evaluate characters in a book.

    I see, think, and feel a blend between reading, writing, and the “real” world. I want the characters I read about and those I write about to feel as real as the people who come into our lives, whether for a moment or a lifetime.

    Because I have written four novels and a book of seventeen short stories, I’ve created many characters. Some are more developed than others, but overall, they are all unique—they are individuals. I’ve crafted characters that, to me, seem so real that when I type the final period of a story, I immediately miss them as if they were living beings.

    When you read good fiction, don’t you feel the same? 

    If you enjoyed this post, you may enjoy these: Writing Literary Fiction and What I’m Learning, Developing the Protagonist, Why Read Fiction.

    About E.G. Kardos

    I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write.  Here’s more about me and my books.

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  • Writing Literary Fiction and What I’m Learning

    E.G. Kardos

    There’s genre fiction and then there’s literary fiction. Examples of genre fiction to name a few are: romance, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, thrillers, horror, and adventure fiction. When it comes to literary fiction, there’s really just one kind—literary fiction. There are “types” of literary fiction for instance, there is realistic, philosophical, contemporary and philosophical and something referred to as experimental fiction.

    What is Literary Fiction?

    Literary fiction is character-driven as opposed to being focused on the plot. Yes, you must have a plot, but it is secondary to the story. When I say “character driven” I am referring to an inward journey the main character takes and whisks the reader off to join them. 

    photo by Uran Wang

    A person standing in a field at sunset

    Full of Complexities

    If the protagonist isn’t introspective, it’s not literary fiction. This is, in my opinion, the sheer joy of reading—and writing literary fiction. The main character does not react to the event in the story itself, but event spawns a feeling and the feeling manifests into an action.

    Metahors, imagery and symbolism help to tell the story and by doing so may lead the reader to personal interpretations. Our own experiences shape the meaning of what we are witnessing just like in all art forms.

    More About the Internal Journey

    Literary fiction is purely human-centered. This is what makes this type of novel relatable. It makes it significant…important…applicable to our own lives.

    Most of our journeys have nothing to do with boarding a plan, getting in a car or taking a train. Most of our journeys are inward as we try to decipher this larger journey we are all on together and that is life.

    Who Reads Literary Fiction? And I’m Being General

    Too few! Mostly women. Men, not so much. 

    Nothing against men—I’m one—but come on guys, there’s more to reading books than just science fiction, history, and biographies/memoir, crime and thrillers I should throw in stories about sports and war. Don’t get me wrong, if these are the kind of books you love to read, keep it going as reading is important, but consider mixing it up a little. Try literary fiction.

    Having written literary fiction, fantasy and short stories, I’d have to agree that literary fiction is an art form…that it is “serious”. Perhaps folks would argue that all fiction is an art form. When our creative expression come in the form of words and it evokes a feeling in the observer, the reader, it is nothing less than an art form.

    While reading literary ficion, our feelings and thoughts could evoke a sense of beauty or just the opposite, as humans are capable of just the opposite and pulling out our dark self. The feeling could inspire, transform or wake up that part of us that is sleeping. Believe me, there’s quite a bit burying in all of us that is fast asleep.

    I Also Mentioned it’s “Serious”

    Any time we read, or write, about the human condition, it is “serious” whether it’s direct, satirical or somewhere in between. Some things are out of our control and there’s no way around it, so we, and the character, deals with it. Is it how we would deal with it?  Maybe.

    When we read literary fiction, we are reading about what it is to be human and we see it in the choices the characters of the story must make to continue on our their path. Many times their path is not so different than ours.

    My Reminder

    Just a reminder, this article is what I learned from writing literary fiction. Others may interpret their knowledge and experience differently than me. That’s the beauty in writing and reading fiction. My thoughts assembled here, just like literary fiction itself, doesn’t end with a neatly tied bow, but I hope it makes us think. It makes us feel.

    Do you write or read literary fiction? Thoughts?

    You may also like: Why Read Fiction?,Self Discovery Books – an Excerpt from Cutting of Harp Strings, Developing the Protagonist

    About E.G. Kardos

    I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write.  Here’s more about me and my books.

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  • “A Hero Ventures Forth…” Life May Be Imitating Art

    E.G. Kardos

    “A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered, and a decisive victory is won.”

    This quote by Joseph Campbell has meaning to all cultures over thousands of years…and that’s a long time.

    It’s so true and easy to see. Think of the last book you read or even the last movie you saw. Didn’t the main characters find themselves in a situation that blindsided them or one that they just couldn’t refuse—no matter what? They may not have “ventured” from the common day into the supernatural world—or maybe they did—but they left a place that was safe or familiar to a place that was unpredictable, scary, or even so horrifying with no seemingly good way to escape…but they do.

    They escape, make a difference, reshape the world, or better yet, they reshape themselves.

    Life Imitating Art or …

    These are the stories we as the reader or viewer resonate with the main character—the hero. We actually feel we have become the hero. We relate to the “good guy”, or his/her “treasure” is also our treasure. If we don’t feel that way, however, the story goes thud and it doesn’t sit on top of our list of best stories of all time that we’ve read or movies we’ve seen.

    Good storytelling, and some not-so-good storytelling, has been around forever—forever. When you think for a moment, most stories are allegories, unless it is, of course, non-fiction. An allegory is a story in which the character or situation symbolizes something greater than the actions taking place. These symbols tell us something about our life or our community. 

    Fiction Interprets Life

    I literally cringe when I am told something like, “I don’t read fiction, especially fantasy. I only read what’s real.” Oh really? What’s real? Our best stories and best storytellers of all time over the centuries were/are all about interpreting life, or what is real, in new and reimagined ways. Think about it. Even non-fiction accounts and biographies are embellished. Fiction gives us more than the black-and-white of facts, accounts, or events. It gives us the texture, color, brightness, and clarity we seek in life.

    Whether our day is mundane or extraordinary, we are the hero of our own journey—yep, our story can be pretty cool too. It doesn’t matter if you are 16 or 66, we all have something to share.

    Sometimes our story is all about our very private quest to live a life of our own making and to follow our own truth.

    We Face Challenges

    Sometimes, as Campbell insists, we must let go of the life we are building for ourselves to find the life we are meant to live. That’s our story—that’s you and me. Don’t we venture forth and find a world full of surprises? Life is full of challenges whether we like it or not. It’s all in how we approach that modern-day dragon that makes us truly a “hero” or not.

    Nevertheless, we must champion what’s right for us and stand up to the villains and beasts in our own quest. Sometimes that’s a neighbor, a boss, a system, or a belief. When we do this, however, we begin to harness “fabulous forces”, and unfortunately, a “decisive victory” is won—or not. There’s always the next chapter.

    Make Believe or Truth?

    Fiction in all its pretense and make-believe actually tells us the truth, that is, if you’re open to it. Since the beginning of time, humans have told tales about what they know best—themselves and their struggles. Whether we read about it or live it, you are the “hero”, and every story told or written over the years is about you. It is how humans have overcome tyrants, natural disasters and the voice within that is not always so kind.

    Fiction adds a perspective that with some distance, gives an extra light that’s just enough to give us the clarity we seek.

    Stories passed down for thousands of years are all about who we are. We are the heroes of every journey in every story over generations. I’m just not sure if life imitates art or if it’s the other way around. I do know, however, that fiction is all about the truth.

    In future posts, I will share my thoughts on the Hero’s Journey and its 12 stages to tell a story.

    About E.G. Kardos

    I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write.  Here’s more about me and my books.

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  • Stepping Into Worlds that I am the First to See

    E.G. Kardos

    Stepping into worlds that I am the first to see before all others and being the first one to meet those living there is a joy unlike anything else I’ve experienced. This, to me, is inspired writing, and I want to share this joy with an invitation to readers. 

    Reading fiction opens a gate to other worlds, whether in the distant past, the here and now, or light years from now. 

    Fiction creates a path that unites us with a story’s characters; in best-written fiction, those characters resonate with us. Why?

    Somewhere in our lives, we have felt the same deep emotion as the character, shared some quirky behavior, wondered the same thought, or had the same experience. Perhaps we identify with the character’s misgivings or flaws and feel a connection.

    Reading fiction makes us think and feel differently.

    This is why I read. Why do you? If you don’t read so much anymore, pick up something you’re interested in and start today.

    Stepping into Worlds of Writing

    As a writer, I dig into a part of me that many folks seem to have misplaced over the years—my imagination. As we get older, it seems to me that our creativity wanes. I’m not talking about “old age”, I am talking about when we grow up and become overly serious. Maybe you are like me and cherish your imagination and lean on it throughout your day, and I think this is a very good thing.

    When I write, I pull from inside of me a new land or a place never thought of by anyone else. Maybe it’s a place that seems real or one found in an enchanted forest but the bottom line—it’s new and different as we see this place through our own filters. Our mind makes sure it is.

    This, to me, is inspired writing, and I want to share this joy with an invitation to readers. 

    You’ve Got to Have a Reason

    What’s my reason for writing? Simply, I am drawn to illuminate the human condition. Without judgment, light pierces the darkness and is freeing. It allows us to explore what it is to be human. I weave these themes into my works of literary fiction and fantasy.

    This is why I write. Why do you? If you don’t write, start today with a journal, a note, or a sentence that captures a moment in your day. It can be a text to yourself! Write anything that means something to you.

    Words Spark a Whole new World Inside

    If you are here reading this post, you probably appreciate the written word at some level. I’m fascinated with books as they transport us, give us an escape from the out-of-control world, or give us a moment to ourselves to stir up our imagination.  Maybe you’re here to gain a different perspective, or to learn something new to spark something inside you—hope so.

    So Where Does this Idea of “Living Your Truth” Fit In?

    To me, it’s like your fingerprint–your truth. The only person we are with 24/7 from the day we are born until the day we die is, obviously, ourselves. Who we are—who we really are—is our truth. Deep down there is no escaping our truth as it is unique, beautiful, and soulful. It is why you are you and as unique as your fingerprint. If you strive to be true to your core and are trying your best to live authentically, reading and writing is a kind of fuel that moves your personal journey forward.

    If you read or write from this point of view, you become the story.

    The books we enjoy are written by authors who live their truth. Each word is selected with care. It’s easy to see this in each sentence and paragraph they choose. They capture the soul of a character and share them with us. I count myself among the lucky. They allow us to see, hear, taste, feel, and smell the story.

    It’s easy to get sidetracked, but that comes with being the “flawed character” in my own story.

    If you appreciate fiction, you will agree with me that the “best” characters are flawed. I happen to be the “best” character to lead my own personal quest.

    Cutting of Harp Strings is a literary novel and is all about living your truth. My fantasy series, The Elias Chronicles asks the questions we all think about- who am I? What should I do with my powers? What’s ahead for me? Whether it is literary fiction or fantasy, my books are about what it is to be human with all the emotions that make us who we are.

    Stepping into Worlds – More Worlds!

    This blog may include reviews and mentions of books that inspire. As an author, I will share more about what I have learned and still learning. I will share thoughts, observations, reflections, musings, and stories that help me on my own journey to live my truth. This informs what I read and write. You may find it helpful or entertaining as well. If you value the idea of living your truth as well as reading or writing, I hope you find a flash of inspiration in my reflections.

    You may also like: It’s Created by the Mind & Why Read Fiction?

    About E.G. Kardos

    I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write. Here’s more about me and my books.

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  • It’s Created by the Mind

    E.G. Kardos

    The reality that we navigate daily appears to be, well, real. On the surface, wouldn’t you say that we can count on it? It’s here to last, right? We certainly can’t mistake what’s fake for reality. Oh really? Man certainly does mistake “what is fake or made up” for what is real. It’s hard to miss this one as it is a daily occurance, but that’s for another post. As far as “counting on reality” or reality is “here to last”, I’m just not sure of that either. Suffice it to say, humans shape reality like it or not. I think Plato hit it on the nose when he said, “The reality is created by the mind.

    My leaning on the subject is that “… Nothing lasts forever but the Earth and Sky… “ as the rock band, Kansas, wrote and sang in their hit, Dust in the Wind. Great song. So that’s the way I lean. Unless it is the Earth or the sky, I’m not so sure we can count on it or that it’s here to last. After all, very few physical and nonphysical realities that man has originated have truly lasted. Humans are pretty good at making new tools over time and those in power create social constructs–some last for a while.

    Photo by Michelle LeBlanc

    Created by the mind

    Reality, both in physical and nonphysical reality (like social constructs), is the product of the minds of humans over the millions of years. Other than what comes from the natural world, everything else started as an idea in someone’s head—good or bad. It’s all fantasy until we take an idea and build it.

    Cell phones don’t grow in the wild.

    Just an aside…man has been an expert on how to create a war, but not so good at creating a reality that eliminates them. Perhaps we are still lacking in some areas. This is a little heavy for this post, but it is a clear example that man creates his own reality–for himself and everyone under his control.

    My family and I like to go to the mountains and escape from the craziness of life. On a recent trip I remember sitting on the cabin’s porch in an old rocking chair. I was looking out to the mountains, the stream and a setting sun. A thought popped into my head. I thought that everything that was in front of me was truly real and untainted. As that thought became louder in my head so did another.  Where I sat and all behind me (the cabin and everything in it) was only “real” because man had a thought and did something about it. For example, he might have said, “I want to sit on something other than the ground.” From that, came the first chair. It suddenly became real – it is now part of reality. Fast forward to cell phones–same thing.

    I still think that the sky, the mountains, and the stream are my reality of choice but I assume they don’t measure up for some folks. It’s what I value. The stuff we own, not so much.

    Taking a stake in what’s created by the mind

    The communities we live in didn’t just happen. Someone or some group thought about what they wanted to do, and they built it—urban, suburban, and rural. This all seems very obvious. I remind myself it’s fine for others’ reality to enter our life as that is how it is and our hope is that others’ intentions are good. But we should have a stake in our reality. In other words, we don’t have to be penned in by others’ reality everytime we turn around.

    One way to give us some control of our reality is as easy and as enjoyable as reading and writing. Both of these are solitary activities. So take control of what is real for you, and one way to do this is when we read or write.

    What?

    When we read fiction—any kind of fiction—it transports us. We to to another land—could be London in the 1880s, the Congo in the 1940s, a million light years in some other time or in a different parallel world to right now. 

    Wherever it takes us, it is for sure, taking us away into a reality of our choosing.

    If we allow ourselves, we are immersed into the author’s version of those places, times and situations. But best of all, through their eyes we now live in this fictional space. We become part of the fabric of the tale. We are given freedom to interpret what we read. It is us who give the words shapes, color, sounds, smells, taste, and know how it feels in our hands or beneath our feet. What a gift the author has given us.

    Our self expression is created by the mind

    I encourage people to not only read but to write—or to express themselves in the manner that best suits them. There are many wonderful options for expression. Dance, painting, sketching, photography, digital art, and the list goes on.

    When we express ourselves, we become the master of our own reality as we are in control and we’re calling the shots. 

    When Plato said, “The reality is created by the mind”, I think he meant that the world is best lived when we seek its meaning. We have the capacity to shape what’s in front of us—not just to passively let it go by. It’s less about making a chair or a cell phone but it’s about using our imagination to help us understand what is happening around us, and to find the meaning in our own lives.

    There’s something about knowing that nothing lasts forever except the earth and sky. I say let’s try to understand where we live and those who live here. That reality speaks to me.

    About E.G. Kardos

    I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write.  Here’s more about me and my books.

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  • Seizing the Day

    The Write Stuff

    E.G. Kardos

    I attended an all-boys Catholic prep school in the 1970s. At that time, most of our teachers were monks who dedicated their lives to the Order of Saint Benedict. They were mostly older, stern men in black robes. Even though some taught Latin, “seizing the day” was not always top of mind.

    Most were very good teachers. However, looking back I’d have to say the teacher who inspired me the most happened not to be a member of the monastic order. He happened to be one of the few laymen who taught us—Mr. Storino.

    Our Introduction

    It was the end of August and marked the beginning of my sophomore year in 1975 when twenty-five of us, or so, filed into Mr. Storino’s English Literature class. He sat at his desk, nose down reading a thick tome.

    His classroom was on the second or third floor of a century-old building and as we learned in science class, heat rises—it was hot. There was no air conditioning. The large windows were raised as high as they would go letting in a periodic breeze here and there. 

    Moments passed and we continued to sit quietly as we heard classical music coming from an old record player. We didn’t dare say a word.  

    Colorful Posters

    His classroom felt alive and there was an energy–a vibe. It was unlike all other rooms in that old building. The other teachers were “old school” and probably didn’t see the value in creating a cool learning environment. Their classrooms were barren besides the occasional cracks in the plaster or a crucifix. But, Mr. Storino’s walls were adorned with colorful posters of Impressionism or Abstract art among many other provocative wall hangings. Against the walls were bookcases that overflowed with all kinds of books.  Sitting in my seat, I looked around the room and all I could do was smile.

    Letting the Words Take Us – Seizing the Day

    More than a decade before Robin Williams gave life to Mr. Keating in the movie Dead Poets Society, Mr. Storino was all about seizing the day—carpe diem.  He wanted us to grab hold of the words of a story and let them take us somewhere other than that old classroom in that hot archaic building. 

    For those of us who took advantage of his enthusiasm, and I did, we became equipped to appreciate the required tenth-grade literature with open eyes.  

    His assignments made us think—and feel. Mr. Storino wanted more from us than what most fifteen-year-olds typically wanted to give in class—being vulnerable wasn’t in a teen boys’ lexicon. 

    He talked with us, not at us. He wanted my thoughts on what I read? Really?

    Not until many years later, did I realize just how much he awakened me to literature. He inspired me in so many ways, and I am thankful to have had the opportunity to learn from him. At that time I began to realize it is okay to like, or maybe even love, literature and to seek it out.  I looked forward to his class where we could discuss The Metamorphosis, Brave New World, Catcher in the Rye, or… the list goes on.

    Time Presses On

    That was fifty years ago—wow! After that year, Mr. Storino took a position at a local public school, and I have not seen him since. Recently, I learned that he had a long teaching career and was heralded as one of the finest English teachers in his district. 

    Learning that about him made me feel even more fortunate.

    When my novel, Cutting of Harp Strings, was published a friend helped me to locate him. As if I were fifteen again, I was a bit shy asking him to read it, but he was delighted and read it at once.

    Since my best grade on any of my compositions in his class was a B+ (but mostly C+s if I’m honest), I was worried about how he would evaluate my latest work. However, I was pleasantly surprised—more like elated—by the “grade” and review he gave the book on Amazon.

    Teachers have so much to give. They have an awesome power and he played a major part in my love for reading and writing fiction.

    He is a true inspiration.

    Thanks, Mr. Storino!

    Who influenced you the most? 

    About E.G. Kardos

    I am a fiction writer and the author of five books. My writing draws inspiration from the beauty surrounding us all—both in nature and in each other. Spirituality, friendship, love, and our connection to the universe inspire me to write.  Here’s more about me and my books.

    Latest Posts

    Most Viewed Posts

    All Posts

    Please notify me when you publish a new blog post.
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