Fi Phillips
  • Female
  • Wales
  • United Kingdom
Online Now
Share on Facebook
Share Twitter

Fi Phillips's Friends

  • Lynelle Clark
  • Annie Wood
  • Beverly Steeves
  • Zoe Brooks
  • Elisabeth Zguta
  • Edith O Nuallain
  • Vanessa Grassi
  • Teicha Hill Mailhes
  • Suzanne Williams
  • Candice W. Coghill
  • Ms. Reality Space
  • Kat Ward
  • Michele Tracy Berger
  • Vicki Malits Addesso
  • Satya Robyn

Fi's Magical Writing Haven

The Human Condition


A few months ago, I watched a TV series called 'In The Flesh'. It was advertised as a zombie drama. I'll put my hands up now and admit that I don't like zombie films but the cast and the director, Jonny Campbell seemed good, more than good, excellent. It was also a home grown British drama which always appeals to me. So I watched it.

I expected zombies and killings and bits that made me close my eyes (followed by dreams of being chased and overrun). There were zombies, shambling, grey, murderous creatures. There was an occasional killing but these were acted and filmed in an almost matter of fact way.  Not once did I hide away behind a cushion and I had no bad dreams.

In The Flesh trailer

What I found was a story that, rather than concentrating on the horror of the zombies, instead focused on how humanity reacted to first, the zombies and secondly, the return of the reconditioned zombies to their communities. This was a drama about the human condition.

It got me thinking. I looked back over books and rewatched some films. I approached new material too - written and viewed - with one question in mind. Is this about the human condition?

The conclusion I came to is that whatever a story may be - romance, horror, alien adventure - it is ultimately about the human condition. We place our characters - human, animal, alien - in a setting, with a dilemma, perhaps with companions, and then we proceed to tell their story through our understanding of what it is to be a human.

I must have always written from this point of view but now I can bring it consciously to my writing. What about you? How do you write of the human condition?

Tuesday Choice Words

Summer has receded into a blanket of cloud and rain. This kind of weather always makes me look inwards, which is handy when you're a writer. Less distractions, more imaginative delving, and all day (until school run) to write.

Dialogue can be a stumbling block for most writers - finding the right voice for your character, making every conversation count - so this week's link is especially useful, Write great dialogue scenes in 7 steps from Nail Your Novel.


Action vs Surprise

I may be showing my age here but when I was a child, I would take great delight in watching the Mission Impossible TV series with all its twists and turns, skeleton masks and mock rooms. The spies involved were sophisticated, clever and incredibly laid back.  No one seemed to run anywhere. Their plans were so well planned and timed that each action slotted into the next with apparent ease.



Nowadays I would probably be able to predict what was going to happen in most episodes but back then, when audience expectations were different and I was a child, their schemes were genius.



Excitement in books is often equated to action - a fight, a chase, a death defying leap - and it is true that action can help to maintain pace. As a reader, as well as a writer, I enjoy the thrill of a heart wrenching escape as much as anyone. However, there is one other element that can occasionally work just as well.



Surprise your reader. Throw something into the mix that they could never have dreamt up in their wildest dreams. Get their heart thumping, not through a chase or a fight, but through a shock. Wow! I really didn't see that one coming. She can't be his sister, surely? He was wearing a mask? He's a quadruple-agent on the run from smuggler nuns?



Sometimes the unexpected can be just as exciting as action.…







Continue
 

Fi Phillips's Page

Latest Activity

Fi Phillips replied to the discussion 'What did you blog about today?' in the group Bloggers: Let's Make It Work!
"I've written an article on my blog about the human condition. http://fionajphillips.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/the-human-condition.html"
Wednesday
Fi Phillips replied to the discussion 'What did you blog about today?' in the group Bloggers: Let's Make It Work!
Jun 11
Fi Phillips replied to the discussion 'What did you blog about today?' in the group Bloggers: Let's Make It Work!
Jun 7
Fi Phillips replied to the discussion 'What did you blog about today?' in the group Bloggers: Let's Make It Work!
Jun 4
Fi Phillips commented on the blog post '7 Ways To Keep Your Writing Rich'
"Thanks for the lovely comments, Edith and Pamela. Makes it worth writing."
Jun 4
Pamela Kivi commented on the blog post '7 Ways To Keep Your Writing Rich'
"Fi, You use the phrase "info dump" and maybe that comes from novel writing but I like to call it a "flight of fancy." I discovered this while reading an author whose quotes I enjoy but realized that she really plunge off the deep…"
Jun 4
Edith O Nuallain commented on the blog post '7 Ways To Keep Your Writing Rich'
"What a great writing craft post! I love your emphasis on working slowly, concentrating on the sound and cadence of your words and sentences. Sometimes I think there's way too much emphasis on producing vast quantites of words with not enough…"
Jun 3
Fi Phillips replied to the discussion 'What did you blog about today?' in the group Bloggers: Let's Make It Work!
Jun 3
Edith O Nuallain liked Fi Phillips's blog post 7 Ways To Keep Your Writing Rich
May 28
Fi Phillips replied to the discussion 'What did you blog about today?' in the group Bloggers: Let's Make It Work!
May 28
Fi Phillips replied to the discussion 'What did you blog about today?' in the group Bloggers: Let's Make It Work!
May 21
Fi Phillips replied to the discussion 'What did you blog about today?' in the group Bloggers: Let's Make It Work!
May 18
Fi Phillips replied to the discussion 'What did you blog about today?' in the group Bloggers: Let's Make It Work!
May 13
Fi Phillips replied to the discussion 'What did you blog about today?' in the group Bloggers: Let's Make It Work!
"Today I'm taking part in Satya Robyn's event, 'What I Live For'. http://fionajphillips.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/what-i-live-for.html"
May 10
Fi Phillips replied to the discussion 'What did you blog about today?' in the group Bloggers: Let's Make It Work!
May 7
Fi Phillips replied to the discussion 'Magic Realism Blog hop' in the group Surreal Fiction, Magic Realism and Flash Fiction
"I'd be interested, Zoe. My fantasy novel has a lot of magical elements in it.I'm not a published author though - is that a requirement? "
May 4

Profile Information

Who I am:
Wife, mother, writer. How much better does it get than that?
Connect with me online! My site, blog, or Twitter handle are:
http://www.murderingthetext.co.uk
http://fionajphillips.blogspot.com/
http://about.me/fiphillips
http://seehearam.tumblr.com
https://www.pheed.com/FiPhillips

Twitter - Mystery_scripts and fiswritinghaven
Books I've written, anthologies I've contributed to, and any scripts or plays I've authored:
A whole host of plays for my company Murdering The Text
Media outlets that I currently write for:
I write plays for Murdering The Text.
My writing is:
Fiction, Plays, Blog Posts
Outlets where I review books, TV, or film:
Occasionally review books on my writing blog.
Services I offer to other writers:
My writing blog is there to discuss writing related issues along with my own adventures in the literary world.
I'm part of these writers' groups or salons:
Blooming Late Authors
My professional associations:
Member of Giant Potential.
I found out about She Writes from:
Other writer blogs.

Hello

My name is Fiona (Fi). I'm a forty something mother of two and wife. For years I worked as a PA/administrator/secretary to support my habit - writing. I've always been a dreamer, an observer of people and a creator of worlds.

You'll usually find that I'm writing a novel but since 1997 I've been penning murder mystery plays for my business, Murdering The Text with two occasional co-writers. I write a blog to accompany the business, a writing related blog, and my personal family history research blog.

I lead a very full life, writing, working, networking and creating in between looking after my two children and their two guinea pigs.

Fi Phillips's Blog

7 Ways To Keep Your Writing Rich

Posted on March 1, 2013 at 5:17am 3 Comments

That's rich like a good coffee, sumptuous chocolate or the deepest red of a velvety rose, not rich as in financially overflowing (although that one would be good too). How do you achieve and maintain the quality within your writing?

1. In the competitive world of Nanowrimo-esque word counts, it can be tempting to…

Continue

7 ways to survive NaNoWriMo

Posted on October 25, 2012 at 4:18am 0 Comments

Facebook Cover

 

1. Plan your book



I don't necessarily mean write out a chapter plan but at the very least sketch out an idea of where your story will go, the barest bones of its plot. You don't have to keep exactly to this plan but at least you'll have a guideline to start from.

 

2. When will you write?



It's all well and good to announce that you're going to take part…

Continue

Beating Off The August Monster

Posted on May 24, 2012 at 1:00pm 0 Comments

It isn't even June and yet I'm already counting down the days until the summer holiday begins. No more getting up at 6am. No more preparing packed lunches, reading school newsletters, or scouring the house for change to pay for miscellaneous school fees. It will be peaceful, restful, and above all organized.…

Continue

7 ways to avoid online overload

Posted on March 14, 2011 at 7:03am 0 Comments

Do you spend more time talking to your other half on Twitter and Facebook than to their actual face? Has your life been taken over by blog hops and online projects? Is your email inbox reaching critical mass? If you can answer yes to any of these questions (or all of them in my case), then I may be able to help.

  1. Taking part in discussion forums can be interesting, informative and just generally make us feel part of a community. When you comment on or sign up to follow a thread, the…
Continue

Comment Wall (20 comments)

You need to be a member of She Writes to add comments!

Join She Writes

At 8:11am on September 22, 2011, samantha stacia said…

Hello Fiona!

Thank you so much for joining my group Blooming Late!

I had a look-see at your blogs! They are wonderful! I appreciate too that you wish to be a guestblogger on my blog. Also please take a bit of time and introduce yourself to the group in th Kick It Off discussion as well as list your wonderful Blogs in the OUR GROUPS BLOGS pages section to the left of the main group page.

Feel free to look around at the many discussions we have going and feel free to participate! I would really like if you could also list this last particular post from your "magical" blog in our comments section for everyone to read as the group really should read this!

You will also see that we have a wonderful group of ladies here that are in varying levels of the writing journey who are a great source of support, encouragement and inspiration for your writing.

Ver glad you are here and WELCOME to my group!

Samantha Stacia

At 4:21pm on January 20, 2011, Pauline Frederica Kiernan said…

Hi there Fi,

I'm delighted you've joined Writing a Screenplay.

Look forward to sharing.

All good wishes,

Pauline

At 12:16pm on January 12, 2011, Heather Blanchard said…
I've been a member for a while but been dormant. Now it's the new year I'm eager to get really stuck in with my writing and get active on here.
At 2:21pm on December 1, 2010, M Kathy Brown said…
A lot more than I did! I didn't even try - lol.
At 8:57pm on November 24, 2010, M Kathy Brown said…
Did your novel make it out of the cul de sac!?
At 9:14am on November 12, 2010, M Kathy Brown said…
Can you give me a glimpse? a title perhaps? or...
At 7:21am on November 12, 2010, M Kathy Brown said…
Way to go! You reached Day 12's word count goal!! Noticed your post and just wanted to back you up :~)
At 7:12pm on November 4, 2010, Barbara Fischkin said…
Thanks you for accepting my friendship!
8,000 plus words. Wow some people take years to do that. They shouldn't.

Jodi: I saw your message below. None of us are crazy. It just looks that way to other people who are not compelled to write.
At 12:11pm on November 2, 2010, Jodi O'Donnell-Ames said…
Thanks for adding me. So, I was reading all that you are doing and thought:

"Wow, this woman's crazy."

Then I reminded myself that I am an EMT, nanny, writer, teacher, massage therapist and personal assistant. Hello!"

My mind observes everything and forever curious! Sound familiar?

Jodi
At 11:20am on November 2, 2010, Anjuelle Floyd said…
So glad you've joined ”Why Do You Write & What Is Your Process?”
We have a wonderful group of members. I encourage you to read their profiles and visit my blog that lists the essays members have offered in answering the question that is the name of our group.
I encourage you to consider submitting an essay where you answer the question.
This is a great way to introduce yourself and a good promotional opportunity.
I also post the essay and picture (yours) on my personal blog.
To be featured forward your essay and picture to: nepadfwriter@yahoo.com
Again, I am glad to have you joined us and hope your time here will provide encouragement and helpful information about writing, publishing and all that good stuff.
Take care.

anjuelle
www.anjuellefloyd.com Imagination is the key to freedom.
The author's job is to cultivate and nurture her or his imagination and that of others.
www.anjuellefloyd.com/books/keeper-of-secrets/
www.anjuellefloyd.com/books/the-house/

 
 
 

Latest Activity

Alla Gibert posted a blog post

Keys to Earn Residual Income by Writing and Promoting eBooks

Do you wish to earn a passive income by writing and promoting the eBooks? If yes, then you need to possess efficient writing techniques and skills.…See More
53 minutes ago
Alison Jack posted a status
"Excellent post by Christian Mihai http://ning.it/18UvK0s about his struggle to realise his dream to be a writer against severe odds"
56 minutes ago
Sonja Benskin Mesher posted a status
"this is nothing at all. sbm."
1 hour ago
Renate Stendhal posted a blog post

She Writes Press Celebration and First Self-Publishing Summit 2013 in Berkeley

When She Writes comes to my doorstep to celebrate and teach, I put on bells and…See More
1 hour ago

Members

Badge

Loading…

© 2013   Created by Kamy Wicoff.

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service