Angela Ackerman's Blog: Writers Helping Writers, page 169
December 5, 2012
K.M.Weiland: 10 Lessons From a Completed Novel
I'm honored to have one of my favorite people joining us on the blog today--K.M. Weiland. I think of her as The Queen Of The Outline! She offers her thoughts on all things writing on her blog Word Play and has just released her newest book,
Dreamlander.
BTW, she's also running the BIGGEST & COOLEST contest I've ever seen, so make sure to check it out.
~ ~ ~ ~
An author can have no greater teacher than his own stories. Every book I write teaches me new lessons about both my craft and my life. Just when I think I’ve got it all figured out, I start a new story, and—bam!—I realize I still have so much to learn.
My journey with my just-released (yay!) fantasy novel Dreamlander was a twelve-year adventure that taught me more than any book I’ve previously written. Joy, sorrow, excitement, frustration, despair, and confidence—it was all there. Now that I stand at the end of that journey, I can look back and identify some of the most important writing lessons I learned. Here are ten:
1. Prepare. Most of us are going to be eager to skip the prep work and get right down to the fun of writing that first draft. But Dreamlander’s sprawling epic of story (which spans two worlds) drove home to me the importance of planning early on. Every writer’s prep work will look a little different; for me, it looks like a detailed outline, which allows me to chart my course safely through the sometimes choppy storytelling waters.
2. Listen. None of us are experts—even when it comes to our own stories. We lose our objectivity somewhere around the first completed page. Sharing our early drafts with knowledgeable and honest beta readers is vital. But, even more than that, we have to be willing to listen to those readers’ advice. Take a little while to let the sting of criticism wear off, then analyze their comments for the truth they will inevitably offer.
3. Persevere. Stories aren’t written in a day, and they’re not edited in a month. You may not need twelve years to bring your story to fruition, like I did, but it’s my opinion that any book is going to need at least a year or two to brew. To truly perfect a story, we have to grow and gain distance from it. During that time, we’re going to be discouraged. We’re going to believe the book will never shed its gray feathers and transform into a swan. But we just have to keep at it. Perseverance conquers the unconquerable.
4. Research. Writers may dwell in the realm of make-believe. But that doesn’t negate our responsibility to the facts. This goes both for research into topical matters (firearms, linguistics, cultures, etc.) and for research into our chosen genres. Don’t just read your genre—study it. Find its clichés, find its opportunities for originality, and use your knowledge to transform your story.
5. Find the magic. Magic is our stock in trade. But sometimes, as we’re slogging through our fifth revision, it can be difficult to remember why we fell in love with this story in the first place. If you find yourself dreading your story, take a break for a while. Take a bit of time to play with it in your head, just for fun, like you did in the days when you first conceived it.
6. Find the conflict. We all know it: no conflict, no story. Dig deep and find the conflict that powers your story. What do your characters want most? What’s keeping them from achieving it? That, right there, is going to be the heart of your conflict. Hit it for all your worth and don’t spare your characters.
7. Find the theme. Once you’ve found your conflict, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of the arc your protagonist will take over the course of your story. Once you’ve found the arc, you’ll be able to identify the demons your character will have to overcome. And once you’ve identified those demons, you will have found your theme.
8. Be patient. Sometimes getting to know characters takes time. Sometimes getting all the plot points right takes tries and retries. Realize that and stave off discouragement. View every word written, every word deleted, and every word revised as one tiny step that’s carrying you closer to your end goal of perfection. You don’t have to get everything right the first time. You just have to get it right the last time.
9. Be humble. Writing is tough on egos. We usually react in one of two ways. We either cave beneath criticism and fall into crippling depression. Or we figure we know it all and brush off all other opinions. Both are wrongheaded approaches. Always stay open to learning about your own shortcomings. Don’t box yourself into the prison of thinking you have it all figured out.
10. Be fearless. By the same token as the above, don’t let your own imperfections get you down. The only writers who succeed are those who dare much. Throw everything you’ve got onto the page. Acknowledge your fears about your level of talent and people’s perception of your work—and then face them fearlessly.
In the spirit of #9, I’ll tell you right off that these lessons are all WIPs in my own life. I suspect I’ll still be learning some of them after writing my fiftieth book. But, thanks to Dreamlander, and all the books that have gone before, I’ve learned a little more about myself and the writing life—and I’m ready to apply all those lessons to the next adventure!
K.M. Weiland is the author of the epic fantasy Dreamlander , the historical western A Man Called Outlaw and the medieval epic Behold the Dawn . She enjoys mentoring other authors through her writing tips, her book Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success , and her instructional CD Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration.
Also, if you are looking for a FEEL GOOD Pay-it-forward type event that is easy to do, please check out our OPERATION: HELP THE ELF! Help us spread some Christmas Cheer among writers!
~ ~ ~ ~
An author can have no greater teacher than his own stories. Every book I write teaches me new lessons about both my craft and my life. Just when I think I’ve got it all figured out, I start a new story, and—bam!—I realize I still have so much to learn.
My journey with my just-released (yay!) fantasy novel Dreamlander was a twelve-year adventure that taught me more than any book I’ve previously written. Joy, sorrow, excitement, frustration, despair, and confidence—it was all there. Now that I stand at the end of that journey, I can look back and identify some of the most important writing lessons I learned. Here are ten:
1. Prepare. Most of us are going to be eager to skip the prep work and get right down to the fun of writing that first draft. But Dreamlander’s sprawling epic of story (which spans two worlds) drove home to me the importance of planning early on. Every writer’s prep work will look a little different; for me, it looks like a detailed outline, which allows me to chart my course safely through the sometimes choppy storytelling waters.
2. Listen. None of us are experts—even when it comes to our own stories. We lose our objectivity somewhere around the first completed page. Sharing our early drafts with knowledgeable and honest beta readers is vital. But, even more than that, we have to be willing to listen to those readers’ advice. Take a little while to let the sting of criticism wear off, then analyze their comments for the truth they will inevitably offer.
3. Persevere. Stories aren’t written in a day, and they’re not edited in a month. You may not need twelve years to bring your story to fruition, like I did, but it’s my opinion that any book is going to need at least a year or two to brew. To truly perfect a story, we have to grow and gain distance from it. During that time, we’re going to be discouraged. We’re going to believe the book will never shed its gray feathers and transform into a swan. But we just have to keep at it. Perseverance conquers the unconquerable.
4. Research. Writers may dwell in the realm of make-believe. But that doesn’t negate our responsibility to the facts. This goes both for research into topical matters (firearms, linguistics, cultures, etc.) and for research into our chosen genres. Don’t just read your genre—study it. Find its clichés, find its opportunities for originality, and use your knowledge to transform your story.
5. Find the magic. Magic is our stock in trade. But sometimes, as we’re slogging through our fifth revision, it can be difficult to remember why we fell in love with this story in the first place. If you find yourself dreading your story, take a break for a while. Take a bit of time to play with it in your head, just for fun, like you did in the days when you first conceived it.
6. Find the conflict. We all know it: no conflict, no story. Dig deep and find the conflict that powers your story. What do your characters want most? What’s keeping them from achieving it? That, right there, is going to be the heart of your conflict. Hit it for all your worth and don’t spare your characters.
7. Find the theme. Once you’ve found your conflict, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of the arc your protagonist will take over the course of your story. Once you’ve found the arc, you’ll be able to identify the demons your character will have to overcome. And once you’ve identified those demons, you will have found your theme.
8. Be patient. Sometimes getting to know characters takes time. Sometimes getting all the plot points right takes tries and retries. Realize that and stave off discouragement. View every word written, every word deleted, and every word revised as one tiny step that’s carrying you closer to your end goal of perfection. You don’t have to get everything right the first time. You just have to get it right the last time.
9. Be humble. Writing is tough on egos. We usually react in one of two ways. We either cave beneath criticism and fall into crippling depression. Or we figure we know it all and brush off all other opinions. Both are wrongheaded approaches. Always stay open to learning about your own shortcomings. Don’t box yourself into the prison of thinking you have it all figured out.
10. Be fearless. By the same token as the above, don’t let your own imperfections get you down. The only writers who succeed are those who dare much. Throw everything you’ve got onto the page. Acknowledge your fears about your level of talent and people’s perception of your work—and then face them fearlessly.
In the spirit of #9, I’ll tell you right off that these lessons are all WIPs in my own life. I suspect I’ll still be learning some of them after writing my fiftieth book. But, thanks to Dreamlander, and all the books that have gone before, I’ve learned a little more about myself and the writing life—and I’m ready to apply all those lessons to the next adventure!
K.M. Weiland is the author of the epic fantasy Dreamlander , the historical western A Man Called Outlaw and the medieval epic Behold the Dawn . She enjoys mentoring other authors through her writing tips, her book Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success , and her instructional CD Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration.
Also, if you are looking for a FEEL GOOD Pay-it-forward type event that is easy to do, please check out our OPERATION: HELP THE ELF! Help us spread some Christmas Cheer among writers!
December 3, 2012
OPERATION: HELP THE ELF!
Oh No!
Pete the Elf had one too many eggnogs at the Santa’s Workshop Christmas Bash and as he wobbled home, he dropped Santa’s Naughty & Nice List. As luck would have it, he managed to collect the Naughty List before the North wind blew in, but the Nice list scattered in its wake.
If Pete doesn’t recover Santa’s Nice List in time, he could be out of a job! We can’t let that happen--he has a wife, a pet hamster and six elf-lets to feed!
Will you help?
If you think you know someone (a writer, book blogger, critique partner or good friend) who should be on Santa’s Nice List this year, please fill out this simple form below. On December 19th, all of us will help Pete keep his job by spreading cheer for him through small gifts of ebooks, free ecards or other small kindnesses. Hopefully Santa will be none the wiser!
Will you join us on this secret mission to supply the missing NICE LIST?
If so, fill out this form for OPERATION: HELP THE ELF! and if you like, add your blog to the linky list below. If you don’t have a blog, no worries! You can still participate :)
My name is in this book!
Becca and I are committed to making sure Pete saves Christmas. Please join us! We have a small gift for all participants, but even better, YA author Marilee Brothers is offering up AN AMAZING PRIZE: the chance to be named after a character in her next book!
I won this honor a few years ago, and what a thrill! ---->
Let’s spread some joy to someone we've met online and let them know how special they are!
(Do you know someone else who might wish to participate in the fun, too? We appreciate your tweets or if you want to post about this event, just snag our HELP THE ELF blog badge and link to this post so others can sign up! Let's make this the biggest, best event ever!)
PLEASE NOTE: With the linky tool, put your name & blog URL if you have one, not the person you will choose to surprise with a gift or card. We want this to stay a nice surprise for them on the 19th. The linky tool will allow visitors to check our YOUR blog to see which writing friend you feature! :)
***** Don't forget to fill out the form ABOVE so I can email you more details!
Pete the Elf had one too many eggnogs at the Santa’s Workshop Christmas Bash and as he wobbled home, he dropped Santa’s Naughty & Nice List. As luck would have it, he managed to collect the Naughty List before the North wind blew in, but the Nice list scattered in its wake.
If Pete doesn’t recover Santa’s Nice List in time, he could be out of a job! We can’t let that happen--he has a wife, a pet hamster and six elf-lets to feed!
Will you help?
If you think you know someone (a writer, book blogger, critique partner or good friend) who should be on Santa’s Nice List this year, please fill out this simple form below. On December 19th, all of us will help Pete keep his job by spreading cheer for him through small gifts of ebooks, free ecards or other small kindnesses. Hopefully Santa will be none the wiser!
Will you join us on this secret mission to supply the missing NICE LIST?
If so, fill out this form for OPERATION: HELP THE ELF! and if you like, add your blog to the linky list below. If you don’t have a blog, no worries! You can still participate :)
My name is in this book!
Becca and I are committed to making sure Pete saves Christmas. Please join us! We have a small gift for all participants, but even better, YA author Marilee Brothers is offering up AN AMAZING PRIZE: the chance to be named after a character in her next book!
I won this honor a few years ago, and what a thrill! ---->
Let’s spread some joy to someone we've met online and let them know how special they are!
(Do you know someone else who might wish to participate in the fun, too? We appreciate your tweets or if you want to post about this event, just snag our HELP THE ELF blog badge and link to this post so others can sign up! Let's make this the biggest, best event ever!)
PLEASE NOTE: With the linky tool, put your name & blog URL if you have one, not the person you will choose to surprise with a gift or card. We want this to stay a nice surprise for them on the 19th. The linky tool will allow visitors to check our YOUR blog to see which writing friend you feature! :)
***** Don't forget to fill out the form ABOVE so I can email you more details!
November 30, 2012
A Fun Event, A Thank You & The Next Thesaurus Book
LIKE A BOSS.
Wow, November is over. What a ride! Despite many, many November mishaps (our blog feed exploding, Amazon pulling our book by accident, family illnesses and more) I did pull off my 50K and officially barely scraped past the finish line killed Nanowrimo. Woot! I know today, a ton of NANO folks are breathing a collective sigh of relief that life is going to get back to normal.
And of course, there were many crazy happenings on the blog here as well! People all over the world reported odd sighting of well, ME, doing strange things.
If you missed it (you know, because you were eating, breathing and sleeping 50K worth of words), Jessica Bell caught me Dancing With The Stars, Nicōle Olea Discovered I was raising Elvis from the dead,
Very strange, I say. After all, I was writing my new Nano novel! How could I do all those things?
*wink*
Big Fat Squishy Thanks
Huge thanks to all these awesome folks who helped make it a fun November while I was in my writing cave. And a super big bacon-glazed thank you to AMBER WEST, the master of photoshop, who helped with all those great pics. Each one had me howling, I swear!
Throughout this post you'll see some book covers, just a few of the offerings from these talented authors. I hope you'll check them out if you're looking for a new read!
The Next Thesaurus Book
Now, some big news! I know many of you who have The Emotion Thesaurus book have been patiently waiting to see which Thesaurus Becca and I would tackle next. We've finally decided to let the cat out of the bag. And guess what? We're releasing a PAIR of books!
Right now, Becca and I are hard at work on 2 books centering on Character Traits. Because this is such a massive topic, we needed a way to split it into two books in order to keep printing costs down. So, the new books will each cover a side of Character Traits. One will tackle Character Flaws while the other will take on a Character's Positive Attributes. We hope these books will help you create strong, unique (yet flawed) characters that will leap off the page. Becca and I are aiming for a summer release.
Got Body Language? Meet Becca in Person!
And speaking of books, and Becca...did you know she will be offering a workshop at the 2013 Miami SCBWI-FL conference? So if you live in the area and are attending, mark her workshop down, because Becca really, really knows her nonverbal communication. You'll learn how to better show Emotion through your character's body language and more. There are many great speakers like Bruce Coville and Ellen Hopkins and it looks to be a really great event. Ah! I wish I lived closer so I could go. Liked Random Acts Of Kindness For Writers? Stay Tuned...
We have something super fun planned for December that we would love, love, love you to participate in. Our next post on MONDAY, Dec 3rd will give out ALL the details, so please stop in and if you like, sign up. We are looking to spread some holiday cheer and hope you will too!
The Process From Blog To Book
Today Becca is over at Nina Amir's blog talking about the process of how we took our Emotion Thesaurus and expanded it into a book. This is something we are seeing more and more bloggers trying, so if you are interested in doing something like this yourself, please check it out! Make sure to poke around Nina's blog as well, because it is a wealth of information on blogging and how to go from blog to book. Really great stuff.
Okay, whew! This was quite the update--lots of things happening, and more to come. I hope everyone is looking ahead to December with as much joy and good cheer as I am. Becca and I both feel blessed to know so many wonderful people online, and we are sending vibes to every one of you for a wonderful December, and an even more amazing 2013!
November 29, 2012
NaNoWriMo: Angela, a Hero or Villain? You Decide!
Seeing as we're only days away from wrapping up Nano, I was hoping that there would be an end to Angela's crazy antics, but today, another email hit our Bookshelf Muse inbox! This one comes from Danyelle Leafty, MG & YA Fantasy author and blogger at Myth-Takes.
Danyelle is well known in the writing community, blogs for Query Tracker and helps facilitate MGLitChat on Twitter. So trust me when I say that I fully believe the following letter is not a hoax. Please read on to find out what Angela's done THIS TIME.
Subject: Super Hero Unmasked!
Dear Angela,
So, there’s been talk. Talk that maybe—just maybe—you aren’t exactly doing what we think you’re doing. You know? Burning up brain cells to get out 50 thousand words in one month. NaNoing. That.
At first, I couldn’t believe it. If Angela says she’s NaNoing, then she’s NaNoing. Right? But then, something happened. My characters were all on strike, something about demanding better working conditions, so I decided to do some serious people watching.
The Big City is the best place to do this, and I’m so glad I went because there’s something you need to know. Your cover’s been blown!
You know after that Incident—the one with the guy freezing everyone to the ceiling and trying to reconfigure their neural circuitry, not the one involving the purple fire, chocolate sundaes, and bricks—when the people who had saved us all stood up to accept our undying gratitude and thanks?
Well, I don’t know how to say this, so I’m just going to spit it out.
Ready?
Okay.
Your mask slipped. It just disappeared—went poof!
You would have gotten away clean if it hadn’t been for the left over chocolate on your mask. (And wow! I knew Toadman had a thing for chocolate, but I never knew his tongue could stretch that far.)
Original by Piotrus @ Wiki Commons
Anyway, I’m sending you the only evidence I’ve been able to round up. Some passerby snapped your photo just as Toadman stole your mask. Don’t worry though. I’ve burned the memory card and that particular cell phone is now sleeping with the fishes.
On the other hand, you might want to have a new alter ego on hand. Just in case. Because I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one who saw your face . . .
~D
PS: Just wanted to give you a heads up that you might get a call from someone named Todd inquiring about either your cousin or his phone. Since you’re the super hero here, I’ll let you handle this. O:)
Masks? Frogman? After Angela's stint on Dancing With The Stars, raising Elvis from the dead, terrorizing the Canadian countryside as a zombie, and raising her Alien legion of Bugites, I really, REALLY didn't think things could get any weirder. But it really does appear that Angela...just might be...Ms. Marvel.
I don't know, perhaps all this insanity is getting to me, but a teeny-tiny piece still believes there must be a logic explanation. That, despite a Grand Canyon-sized CRATER of evidence, she is (maybe?) doing Nanowrimo and this is all a crazy mistake. As always, I turn to you, Musers. Please help me puzzle this out by TAKING THE POLL.
Weigh in! Is Angela the Biggest Fraud in history, or...
Also, a FINAL REMINDER to enter our NANOWRIMO PARTICIPANT DRAW! Tell your nano friends! Tell your Nano family! Tell Elvis if you see him! Please encourage all the people you know in the NANOWRIMO CHALLENGE to enter our draw for one of 10 Emotion Thesaurus Ebooks! Your sharing & tweets are appreciated!
Danyelle is well known in the writing community, blogs for Query Tracker and helps facilitate MGLitChat on Twitter. So trust me when I say that I fully believe the following letter is not a hoax. Please read on to find out what Angela's done THIS TIME.
Subject: Super Hero Unmasked!
Dear Angela,
So, there’s been talk. Talk that maybe—just maybe—you aren’t exactly doing what we think you’re doing. You know? Burning up brain cells to get out 50 thousand words in one month. NaNoing. That.
At first, I couldn’t believe it. If Angela says she’s NaNoing, then she’s NaNoing. Right? But then, something happened. My characters were all on strike, something about demanding better working conditions, so I decided to do some serious people watching.
The Big City is the best place to do this, and I’m so glad I went because there’s something you need to know. Your cover’s been blown!
You know after that Incident—the one with the guy freezing everyone to the ceiling and trying to reconfigure their neural circuitry, not the one involving the purple fire, chocolate sundaes, and bricks—when the people who had saved us all stood up to accept our undying gratitude and thanks?
Well, I don’t know how to say this, so I’m just going to spit it out.
Ready?
Okay.
Your mask slipped. It just disappeared—went poof!
You would have gotten away clean if it hadn’t been for the left over chocolate on your mask. (And wow! I knew Toadman had a thing for chocolate, but I never knew his tongue could stretch that far.)
Original by Piotrus @ Wiki Commons
Anyway, I’m sending you the only evidence I’ve been able to round up. Some passerby snapped your photo just as Toadman stole your mask. Don’t worry though. I’ve burned the memory card and that particular cell phone is now sleeping with the fishes.
On the other hand, you might want to have a new alter ego on hand. Just in case. Because I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one who saw your face . . .
~D
PS: Just wanted to give you a heads up that you might get a call from someone named Todd inquiring about either your cousin or his phone. Since you’re the super hero here, I’ll let you handle this. O:)
Masks? Frogman? After Angela's stint on Dancing With The Stars, raising Elvis from the dead, terrorizing the Canadian countryside as a zombie, and raising her Alien legion of Bugites, I really, REALLY didn't think things could get any weirder. But it really does appear that Angela...just might be...Ms. Marvel.
I don't know, perhaps all this insanity is getting to me, but a teeny-tiny piece still believes there must be a logic explanation. That, despite a Grand Canyon-sized CRATER of evidence, she is (maybe?) doing Nanowrimo and this is all a crazy mistake. As always, I turn to you, Musers. Please help me puzzle this out by TAKING THE POLL.
Weigh in! Is Angela the Biggest Fraud in history, or...
Also, a FINAL REMINDER to enter our NANOWRIMO PARTICIPANT DRAW! Tell your nano friends! Tell your Nano family! Tell Elvis if you see him! Please encourage all the people you know in the NANOWRIMO CHALLENGE to enter our draw for one of 10 Emotion Thesaurus Ebooks! Your sharing & tweets are appreciated!
November 26, 2012
Adapting Story Structure for Any Project
Well, November is quickly wrapping up and we appear to be careening headlong toward Christmas. But slow it down, people! Because today we're Stop #3 on Lydia Sharp's blog tour for her recent release of Twin Sense. Ange and I are both HUGE Save the Cat! fans, and we're super excited that Lydia's going to share some tips on how to use Blake Snyder's Beat Sheet to help with story structure.
*****
Ever since I discovered Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder back in 2009 (which was actually less of a discovery and more of a recommendation by the fabulous Therese Walsh), I’ve never approached my first drafts in the same way again. I used to be an all-out pantser, with only a vague idea of where to begin and where the story would end up on the final page, but no idea whatsoever of how to get there or what needed to happen through the middle.
Then Blake Snyder’s Beat Sheet came into my life and everything made sense. Writing up a Beat Sheet is not the very first step of my story development process, but it does happen early on.
First, I get an idea for a concept and a specific main character to navigate the plot--this is where I hone my logline and 2-3 paragraph pitch. Then I write a possible opening scene, to get a feel for the main character’s voice. Then I create the Beat Sheet.
A Beat Sheet is not meant to be a strict outline. It’s more like a frame of guideposts that light your way from draft to draft. Here is my Beat Sheet for Twin Sense :
PROJECT TITLE: Twin Sense
GENRE: contemp YA; sub-genre: romantic comedy
WORD COUNT GOAL: 12,000
LOGLINE: Twin Sense is about a girl who must untangle herself from the love quadrangle she created with her boyfriend, her boyfriend’s twin brother, and her boyfriend’s twin brother’s ex-girlfriend.
START DATE: December 2011
FINISH BY: February 2012
Before I go any further I’d like to emphasize how important it is to have a word count goal before you start. This affects how you break down your Beat Sheet, which will in turn help you write a more focused first draft. Twin Sense is short, so I had very little room to develop one section before it was time to move on to the next. If not for the Beat Sheet I could have very easily gone astray between turning points, resulting in major revision woes on the second draft.
And since the Beat Sheet was meant for screenwriters, not fiction writers, you must calculate the word count milestone for every beat. This is how many words you should have written when you reach each major turning point. But remember this is just a guideline. There is plenty of room for flexibility, especially in a first draft. I also suggest giving yourself a deadline if this is a story not under contract with an editor-issued time frame. Deadlines have a way of motivating you.
Twin Sense has a total of 12,000 words, and there are 110 minutes in a Beat Sheet. Here is how that (roughly) translates:
Opening and Setup : 0 - 1300 words - inciting incident; set the tone - contemporary, teen romance, humor
Theme stated; all major players introduced
Catalyst : 1300 words - new element introduced that forces MC to make a choice
Debate : 1300 - 2700 words - MC unsure of which path to take; unsure of new relationship
Break Into Two : 2700 - 3300 words - MC makes the decision to avoid making a decision (haha)
B Story transition; running gag introduced
Promise of the Premise : 3300 - 6000 words - MC waffles between two love interests, not realizing the mess she’s creating until it’s too late
All minor players are introduced or referenced by now
Midpoint : 6000 words - MC realizes the mess she created; now the decision she was avoiding is even more difficult to make
The Big Squeeze : 6000 - 8000 words - stakes raised by outside forces; things the MC thought she knew for certain are now questioned
All Is Lost : 8000 words - an easy solution is clearly impossible; any solution seems impossible
Dark Night of the Soul : 8000 - 9300 words - MC reflects on her situation; seeks solution even if it means personal sacrifice
Break Into Three : 9300 words - MC decides to move forward despite any consequences. Everything the MC needs to reach the resolution at the climax has been introduced by now, even if she doesn’t realize this until the moment she needs it during the finale
Finale : 9300 - 12000 words - MC fights for what she wants; chaos ensues; story resolution
Closing Image: 12000 words - wrap-up; circle back to the beginning/emphasize theme
(Sorry I had to get really general in the second half to avoid giving away spoilers!)
Notice that each beat only requires a single sentence about what I planned to happen there. This is what gives my creative juices room to flow as I move through the first draft. If you get too detailed in this planning stage it doesn’t usually help much because you end up changing most of those details as you write in “story mode” rather than “brainstorming mode.”
For those of you who are novelists and tend to have trouble writing short fiction, you’re probably making cross-eyes at those numbers, I’m sure. In the average novel, the catalyst occurs right around the 10,000 word mark. In Twin Sense, 10,000 words is almost the entire story--the catalyst occurs less than 1500 words into it. This is why I believe writing short fiction is an excellent way to practice your brisk pacing skills.
Once I have this rough outline written, I reference it throughout the process of writing my first draft. I’m an obsessive word count checker, which may seem counter-productive, but it actually helps me finish my drafts more quickly because I don’t allow myself to run astray. That isn’t to say that I don’t write extra scenes or notes. I do all of that, and it helps tremendously with plot development, character development, and for brainstorming unique twists and turns. But all of that stays outside of the story document until I figure out how to use it.
After the first draft is complete and then major revisions are done, I tighten everything up to make sure it adheres to the story structure as closely as possible without feeling formulaic. If the average reader (not someone who studies the craft of writing) is able to “see” your structure, then your story isn’t ready yet. Blend and weave all the story elements in such a way that it feels like one, solid piece, instead of a bunch of little pieces all tossed together into a box labeled “story.”
It should flow naturally from point to point, never feel forced. Work as many drafts as necessary to make this happen. Beta readers are priceless at this stage.
After Twin Sense was accepted for publication, my editor suggested a lot of cuts (to help with pacing) and a few scenes were completely revised. This, of course, affected the overall structure, so the adjustments continued. I had to make sure my new changes didn’t mess up the flow or inadvertently shift a turning point to the wrong place.
In other words, revisions can create an imbalanced structure if you don’t go back and readjust. That is why you need to think about structure from the time you first think up a story idea all the way to your final edits before publication. It stays with you every step of the way, no matter what your story’s genre, type, or length.
So that’s my story structure process, but every writer has their own. Do you use a Beat Sheet? If so, how? If not, what do you use (if anything)?
Lydia Sharp is a novelist and short fiction author who grew up on the shores of Lake Erie. Then she got tired of finding sand in her clothes so she moved further inland, but she'll always call Ohio home. Laughing is her favorite pastime. Kissing is a close second. Lydia is also a regular contributor to the Write It Sideways blog and the award-winning Writer Unboxed blog. Her recent release, Twin Sense, is now available for purchase.
As girlfriends of the Taylor twins, Layna and Sherri have only been friends by association. But when Sherri breaks up with Keith (for real this time), and Kevin gives Layna a promise ring (whoa, what?), Layna's whole world spins off balance. She avoids Kevin's unwelcome pressure to commit by spending more time with Sherri.
Without the twins around, Layna and Sherri are tempted to go beyond friendship status. Then Keith tries to win Sherri back, and Kevin apologizes for rushing Layna. Now she's stuck inside a double-trouble love quadrangle that has her reaching for the consolation cheesecake. The only way to sort out this mess is to make an impossible choice—between the one she wants and the other one she wants—or she might end up with no one
*****
Ever since I discovered Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder back in 2009 (which was actually less of a discovery and more of a recommendation by the fabulous Therese Walsh), I’ve never approached my first drafts in the same way again. I used to be an all-out pantser, with only a vague idea of where to begin and where the story would end up on the final page, but no idea whatsoever of how to get there or what needed to happen through the middle.
Then Blake Snyder’s Beat Sheet came into my life and everything made sense. Writing up a Beat Sheet is not the very first step of my story development process, but it does happen early on.First, I get an idea for a concept and a specific main character to navigate the plot--this is where I hone my logline and 2-3 paragraph pitch. Then I write a possible opening scene, to get a feel for the main character’s voice. Then I create the Beat Sheet.
A Beat Sheet is not meant to be a strict outline. It’s more like a frame of guideposts that light your way from draft to draft. Here is my Beat Sheet for Twin Sense :
PROJECT TITLE: Twin Sense
GENRE: contemp YA; sub-genre: romantic comedy
WORD COUNT GOAL: 12,000
LOGLINE: Twin Sense is about a girl who must untangle herself from the love quadrangle she created with her boyfriend, her boyfriend’s twin brother, and her boyfriend’s twin brother’s ex-girlfriend.
START DATE: December 2011
FINISH BY: February 2012
Before I go any further I’d like to emphasize how important it is to have a word count goal before you start. This affects how you break down your Beat Sheet, which will in turn help you write a more focused first draft. Twin Sense is short, so I had very little room to develop one section before it was time to move on to the next. If not for the Beat Sheet I could have very easily gone astray between turning points, resulting in major revision woes on the second draft.
And since the Beat Sheet was meant for screenwriters, not fiction writers, you must calculate the word count milestone for every beat. This is how many words you should have written when you reach each major turning point. But remember this is just a guideline. There is plenty of room for flexibility, especially in a first draft. I also suggest giving yourself a deadline if this is a story not under contract with an editor-issued time frame. Deadlines have a way of motivating you.
Twin Sense has a total of 12,000 words, and there are 110 minutes in a Beat Sheet. Here is how that (roughly) translates:
Opening and Setup : 0 - 1300 words - inciting incident; set the tone - contemporary, teen romance, humor
Theme stated; all major players introduced
Catalyst : 1300 words - new element introduced that forces MC to make a choice
Debate : 1300 - 2700 words - MC unsure of which path to take; unsure of new relationship
Break Into Two : 2700 - 3300 words - MC makes the decision to avoid making a decision (haha)
B Story transition; running gag introduced
Promise of the Premise : 3300 - 6000 words - MC waffles between two love interests, not realizing the mess she’s creating until it’s too late
All minor players are introduced or referenced by now
Midpoint : 6000 words - MC realizes the mess she created; now the decision she was avoiding is even more difficult to make
The Big Squeeze : 6000 - 8000 words - stakes raised by outside forces; things the MC thought she knew for certain are now questioned
All Is Lost : 8000 words - an easy solution is clearly impossible; any solution seems impossible
Dark Night of the Soul : 8000 - 9300 words - MC reflects on her situation; seeks solution even if it means personal sacrifice
Break Into Three : 9300 words - MC decides to move forward despite any consequences. Everything the MC needs to reach the resolution at the climax has been introduced by now, even if she doesn’t realize this until the moment she needs it during the finale
Finale : 9300 - 12000 words - MC fights for what she wants; chaos ensues; story resolution
Closing Image: 12000 words - wrap-up; circle back to the beginning/emphasize theme
(Sorry I had to get really general in the second half to avoid giving away spoilers!)
Notice that each beat only requires a single sentence about what I planned to happen there. This is what gives my creative juices room to flow as I move through the first draft. If you get too detailed in this planning stage it doesn’t usually help much because you end up changing most of those details as you write in “story mode” rather than “brainstorming mode.”
For those of you who are novelists and tend to have trouble writing short fiction, you’re probably making cross-eyes at those numbers, I’m sure. In the average novel, the catalyst occurs right around the 10,000 word mark. In Twin Sense, 10,000 words is almost the entire story--the catalyst occurs less than 1500 words into it. This is why I believe writing short fiction is an excellent way to practice your brisk pacing skills.
Once I have this rough outline written, I reference it throughout the process of writing my first draft. I’m an obsessive word count checker, which may seem counter-productive, but it actually helps me finish my drafts more quickly because I don’t allow myself to run astray. That isn’t to say that I don’t write extra scenes or notes. I do all of that, and it helps tremendously with plot development, character development, and for brainstorming unique twists and turns. But all of that stays outside of the story document until I figure out how to use it.
After the first draft is complete and then major revisions are done, I tighten everything up to make sure it adheres to the story structure as closely as possible without feeling formulaic. If the average reader (not someone who studies the craft of writing) is able to “see” your structure, then your story isn’t ready yet. Blend and weave all the story elements in such a way that it feels like one, solid piece, instead of a bunch of little pieces all tossed together into a box labeled “story.”
It should flow naturally from point to point, never feel forced. Work as many drafts as necessary to make this happen. Beta readers are priceless at this stage.
After Twin Sense was accepted for publication, my editor suggested a lot of cuts (to help with pacing) and a few scenes were completely revised. This, of course, affected the overall structure, so the adjustments continued. I had to make sure my new changes didn’t mess up the flow or inadvertently shift a turning point to the wrong place.
In other words, revisions can create an imbalanced structure if you don’t go back and readjust. That is why you need to think about structure from the time you first think up a story idea all the way to your final edits before publication. It stays with you every step of the way, no matter what your story’s genre, type, or length.
So that’s my story structure process, but every writer has their own. Do you use a Beat Sheet? If so, how? If not, what do you use (if anything)?
Lydia Sharp is a novelist and short fiction author who grew up on the shores of Lake Erie. Then she got tired of finding sand in her clothes so she moved further inland, but she'll always call Ohio home. Laughing is her favorite pastime. Kissing is a close second. Lydia is also a regular contributor to the Write It Sideways blog and the award-winning Writer Unboxed blog. Her recent release, Twin Sense, is now available for purchase.
As girlfriends of the Taylor twins, Layna and Sherri have only been friends by association. But when Sherri breaks up with Keith (for real this time), and Kevin gives Layna a promise ring (whoa, what?), Layna's whole world spins off balance. She avoids Kevin's unwelcome pressure to commit by spending more time with Sherri. Without the twins around, Layna and Sherri are tempted to go beyond friendship status. Then Keith tries to win Sherri back, and Kevin apologizes for rushing Layna. Now she's stuck inside a double-trouble love quadrangle that has her reaching for the consolation cheesecake. The only way to sort out this mess is to make an impossible choice—between the one she wants and the other one she wants—or she might end up with no one
November 24, 2012
Physical Attributes Entry: Ears
Funky Ear Hair picture:
courtesy of Wiki Commons
Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight.
One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.
EARS
Descriptors: big, small, dangly, flopping, large-lobed, cauliflower (wrestler's) ear, frostbitten, pink or red, protruding, pierced, Vulcan or elfin, deaf, hairy
Things Ears Do (and other words/phrases to describe those actions)
Hear: listen, eavesdrop, harken, overhear, catch, pick up
Key Emotions and Related Ear Gestures:
Ears can turn pink or red when someone is embarrassed or angry. They have the ability to become more sensitive to sounds when someone is afraid. People tend to play with their ears when they're nervous or restless by pulling, twisting, scratching, rubbing or bending them.
Simile and Metaphor Help:
I try flattening my ears, but it doesn't do any good. My head looks like a trophy cup.
He had foggy eyes and melted candle wax ears and scars that puckered his face.
Clichés to Avoid : Dumbo ears, someone who is "all ears", a talkative person "bending" someone's ear
HINT: When describing any part of the body, try to use cues that show the reader more than just a physical description. Make your descriptions do double duty. Example:
The cats wailed and howled and caterwauled, and all during the eerie duet they were moving closer to one another with their fangs bared and their ears laid back.
Nose to nose, Socks found Old Taylor a terrifying sight with his torn ear and his fur standing out on his great black jowls. But Socks did not back down. (Socks, by Beverly Cleary)
BONUS TIP: The Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above!
November 22, 2012
NANOWRIMO? I Don't Think So!
Well, we're staring down another week of NaNoWriMo, and another strange sighting of Angela. Like you, I've been exposed to some weird stuff this November, but I have to say, this really does take the cake.
This week's picture and letter comes from J.H. Bográn at The Tale Weaver Blog. He happened to spot Angela...I think it's better if you read about it in his own words.
Angela still insists she's writing her Nano novel, by the way. I want to believe her, I do. But as each week passes, it grows more difficult to view her as anything but a NaNoWriMo fraud.
Please read on for more on this week's "Angela Sighting"...
Is it a Bug’s life?
Well, here I am, thinking that dear old Angela has gotten bitten by a bug. Not the lovebug like the one from that Jonas Brother’s song, but one more in tune with us writers. You know, a writing bug.
So, around mid October we hear she’s getting all ready to submerge for thirty days and embrace her itch. We stay away to give her enough room. We content with perusing her blog, knowing that Becca will take care of it.
But then…or should I write, but then!
First we hear this funny report about how she’s dancing her way into the heart of a publisher, or agent, or whathaveyou. Personally, I dismissed as Angela doing her homework. Research is an important part of a writer’s life, right?
Then a second report comes in, that Angela’s is actively seeking to bring Elvis back! A good cause, I’m sure. Heck, I have more than one album from The King. Regardless of the cause, I wasn’t buying because I know the somewhat outer limits writers have gone in the name of research.
Last week I learned Angela had modified her diet. She’s into eating brains now. Good for her. Brains are high on protein. The question arose again, but I held firm. I chose to believe Angela was doing NaNoWriMo instead of these so-called sightings. I chose to think those people who claimed to have seen Angela were flukes, weirdos, people who had confused Angela for somebody else. I dismissed them as quick as I dismiss the UFO sighting reports.
That changed this week. Something’s bugging me. I came across this picture:
Original by Ed Schipul @ Wikimedia Commons
I am still not sure what the deal is. It looks like a stage adaptation of Disney’s A Bug’s Life or maybe Starship Troopers. Are we to understand that Angela’s bug was in fact an acting bug and not a writing one?
Honestly, it’s hard to keep up with Angela these days. It feels like we´re playing “Where in the World is Carmen San Diego.” Except the frustrating part that she should be home, writing. So Becca, I’m counting on you to give Angela a little message for me: Bug off, Angela!
So there you have it, folks. Is it official? Has Angela gone a little buggy? Or could there be some logical explanation for her sudden love for gold spandex? If you need more details on this latest encounter, you can usually find J. H. on Twitter or Facebook. And as always, I would love your thoughts on this, so please TAKE THE POLL...
Is this a case of beetle-brain, or simply that...
This week's picture and letter comes from J.H. Bográn at The Tale Weaver Blog. He happened to spot Angela...I think it's better if you read about it in his own words.
Angela still insists she's writing her Nano novel, by the way. I want to believe her, I do. But as each week passes, it grows more difficult to view her as anything but a NaNoWriMo fraud.
Please read on for more on this week's "Angela Sighting"...
Is it a Bug’s life?
Well, here I am, thinking that dear old Angela has gotten bitten by a bug. Not the lovebug like the one from that Jonas Brother’s song, but one more in tune with us writers. You know, a writing bug.
So, around mid October we hear she’s getting all ready to submerge for thirty days and embrace her itch. We stay away to give her enough room. We content with perusing her blog, knowing that Becca will take care of it.
But then…or should I write, but then!
First we hear this funny report about how she’s dancing her way into the heart of a publisher, or agent, or whathaveyou. Personally, I dismissed as Angela doing her homework. Research is an important part of a writer’s life, right?
Then a second report comes in, that Angela’s is actively seeking to bring Elvis back! A good cause, I’m sure. Heck, I have more than one album from The King. Regardless of the cause, I wasn’t buying because I know the somewhat outer limits writers have gone in the name of research.
Last week I learned Angela had modified her diet. She’s into eating brains now. Good for her. Brains are high on protein. The question arose again, but I held firm. I chose to believe Angela was doing NaNoWriMo instead of these so-called sightings. I chose to think those people who claimed to have seen Angela were flukes, weirdos, people who had confused Angela for somebody else. I dismissed them as quick as I dismiss the UFO sighting reports.
That changed this week. Something’s bugging me. I came across this picture:
Original by Ed Schipul @ Wikimedia Commons
I am still not sure what the deal is. It looks like a stage adaptation of Disney’s A Bug’s Life or maybe Starship Troopers. Are we to understand that Angela’s bug was in fact an acting bug and not a writing one?
Honestly, it’s hard to keep up with Angela these days. It feels like we´re playing “Where in the World is Carmen San Diego.” Except the frustrating part that she should be home, writing. So Becca, I’m counting on you to give Angela a little message for me: Bug off, Angela!
So there you have it, folks. Is it official? Has Angela gone a little buggy? Or could there be some logical explanation for her sudden love for gold spandex? If you need more details on this latest encounter, you can usually find J. H. on Twitter or Facebook. And as always, I would love your thoughts on this, so please TAKE THE POLL...
Is this a case of beetle-brain, or simply that...
November 20, 2012
Increasing Your Book's Momentum, by Editor Laura Carlson
Happy Monday, people! I'm off to Disney with the fam. Because, you know, hosting 14 people for Thanksgiving at my place on Thursday AND celebrating my son's birthday on Friday just wasn't enough excitement for the week. I know, the timing isn't great, especially with all the CRAZY photographic evidence rumors circulating about Angela and what she's really up to this month. But never fear. I've got it covered. I brought in Laura Carlson to babysit everyone and give us a run-down on Momentum in our stories. Please give her a warm welcome and check out her blog, Between the Lines: Edits and Everything Else, where she's offering an awesome Holiday Giveaway: a FREE MANUSCRIPT CRITIQUE. Check out the details here.
Momentum: Getting Your Story up and Running
Because many of you are currently writing or editing manuscripts, I wanted to discuss an aspect of your book that you may not be concentrating on: momentum. Perhaps you’ve had someone read your book and tell you it was a bit slow. Once you managed to get past the devastating blow to your pride, you told them that they just needed to keep reading; they’d get to it soon enough. Right?
Wrong.
We live in a world where we get upset if a webpage does not load within ten seconds. We have social networks to update our statuses instantly, and we can access our global village from any place in the world. We are not patient.
Perhaps a few decades ago this was different, but since the Internet, the world’s collective attention span has atrophied. Writers cannot expect their readers to patiently wait for their book to start. No, you must begin your story with a bang or chance losing reader interest.
So today I will discuss what momentum is, where it is important, what slows down and speeds up a book’s momentum, how to identify areas of fast and slow momentum, and ultimately, how you can fix these problems.
What is “Momentum”?
I define momentum as the aspects of your book that generate reader excitement. Throughout a story the momentum fluctuates, but the most momentum occurs in areas of high tension and exciting conflict. These are areas where readers cannot set aside the book—they must find out what happens.
Where in the Book is Momentum Important?
Technically, momentum is important everywhere in your story, but there are a few key places where momentum is absolutely vital.
Hands down the most important area is the very beginning of your book. Why? Readers often read the first few pages of a book before committing to it. And because huge booksellers like Amazon allow readers to preview the first few pages of a book for free, many times committing to a book is synonymous to buying it. The stakes are high; if you cannot pique your readers’ interest here, then you risk losing readers, and ultimately, money.
I cannot speak for agents and editors, but my guess is that they are usually also looking for books with strong beginnings. If the book does not begin with a bang, then they’ll pass. After all, they’re investing in you. They want to reduce their risk by making sure your product sells instantly. I cannot stress enough how important it is to hook readers in these pages.
Another area where momentum is important is the end of each chapter. This is so well known that we have a name for it: “cliffhangers.” Chapters mark convenient stopping points for the reader, but if you can end a chapter with a cliffhanger, chances are they won’t be able to put the book down.
What Increases and Decreases the Momentum?
When editing your own book, it’s difficult to gauge where the momentum picks up and slows down. This is one of those pesky blind spots a great many writers have. However, below are some general rules that can help you discern where the momentum of your book is slow and where it is fast.
Things that Decrease Momentum:
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Thoughts
Long-winded monologues will scare off interested readers. Anywhere in your book where these occur you should seriously consider thinning them out. However, at the beginning of your book, these should occur in clusters of a few sentences at most. Anything more and the reader might fear that this is the tone of the book and quickly abandon it.
Description
Perhaps the most tempting and most lethal way to begin a story is to include a lot of description. It’s a quick kiss of death for books because most industry insiders consider lengthy descriptions to be a sign of an amateur writer.
It’s also a waste of your time because most readers are more impressed by plot twists and character development than they are your description of a pretty sunset. Every person has his or her own idea of what a beautiful sunset looks like. You’ll save face and a lot of time if you give readers only enough description for them to fill in with their own ideas.
Boring Scenes
This is a hard reality to swallow. Most writers enjoy much of what they write, so they often believe that every scene is exciting in some way. Please take a step back and look closely at your beginning scenes. If you are introducing Ma and Pa’s little farm, and a warm conversation your main character has with them, this is boring. Readers thrive on conflict. Inserting conflict in place of cooperation will do wonders for your book’s momentum.
Things that Increase Momentum:
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Exciting Scenes
In opposition to boring scenes, exciting scenes jumpstart a book’s momentum. Exciting scenes are not necessarily shootouts, but they do involve conflict and/or intrigue. These are especially great at the beginning of your book because they can conveniently introduce the book’s main conflict, and they pique reader interest.
Exciting scenes are also great fodder for cliffhangers for the same reason—they introduce conflict and intrigue. Readers are curious; if a scene ends uncertainly, or poses a question that requires an answer, the reader will want to read on. Some of the best books exploit this chapter after chapter. I’m sure you know the type of book I’m talking about; these are the books that require us to stay up late to finish.
Dialogue
Where description can lose reader interest, dialogue often increases reader interest. This is because when there is dialogue, things are happening; events are unfolding. The character is sleuthing, asking questions, confronting the antagonist, discussing the problem, and deciding on solutions. When paired with conflict and exciting scenes, dialogue can be an incredibly powerful tool used to reel readers in.
How to Identify where the Momentum is Slow
Take a look at the length of your paragraphs. Are they thin, or full of information? It might surprise you, but usually smaller paragraphs indicate more momentum because events are unfolding so quickly the main character does not have time to stop and describe or think deeply about a problem.
How to fix Momentum?
Ideally, you want to begin your story at the moment there is one. Don’t wait fifty pages for your story to begin. Start immediately. This means that you’ll want to insert dialogue and exciting scenes as soon as possible. Save the lengthy explanations and description for later. Remember, readers like conflict and questions. Start here and they won’t be disappointed.
The Caveat
While momentum is important, you must not completely remove thoughts and description. During exciting scenes, it’s important to include some details and some of the main character’s thoughts. After all, the latter is considered voice, and lots of readers like characters with voice. In addition, once an exciting scene is finished, readers want to know how the main character feels about the new developments in the story. Ideally you want a balance between thoughts, description, dialogue and action.
Conclusion
Momentum is vital to increasing readership and ultimately marketing your book. It is most important at the beginning of your manuscript and at the end of each chapter. Thoughts, description, and boring scenes can slow down a book’s momentum, while dialogue and exciting scenes can speed it up. You can identify areas of fast and slow momentum by looking at the paragraph length. But remember, while thoughts and description can slow down a book’s momentum, they are also necessary. If you can increase your book’s overall momentum, you’ll likely increase your readers’ excitement—and excitement is crucial in this industry.
Happy writing!
November 19, 2012
6-1/2 Things I Learned from NaNoWriMo
For many of you, NaNoWriMo is in full swing. Some of you are proud of your progress. Some of you would like to wipe out your hard drive to get rid of every shred of evidence. Despite being a huge fan, I haven't done NaNo, but I can imagine that around this point, roughly 2/3rds of the way through, fatigue has set in. And maybe disgust. And possibly hypertension and a small aneurism.
Never fear, NaNo'ers! I've invited the most excellent Donna Gephart to share some wisdom and do a little pom-pom shaking. Hopefully, reading about her NaNo success story will give you that second (or third, or fifteenth) wind that will catapult you into December and NaNo success!
In 2009, desperate to emerge from my slump and write my third book, I discovered NaNoWriMo and signed up.
Two days before the November 1st start, I brainstormed ideas for two hours. At one hour and fifty-nine minutes, I scribbled these words: Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen.
The day before NaNoWriMo, I realized Olivia Bean was a trivia nut and wanted to get on the TV quiz show Jeopardy!
Armed with trivia books and autobiographies of former Jeopardy! champs and lots of internet articles about Kids Week contestants, I plunged ahead. Each day in November, I struggled to figure out Olivia’s external and internal struggles and get them on the page in an exciting, coherent way.
To keep myself accountable, I blogged about the experience daily, including my word counts and a fun trivia question. (Nothing like public humiliation to keep you on track with your writing goals!) My first blog post is here.
Despite a mid-month trip to California to attend our nephew’s bar mitzvah, I finished Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen in 29 days. My agent likes me to point out that revisions took months. They did.
Olivia sold in February of 2010 to Delacorte Press/Random House and went on to receive excellent reviews, including a starred Kirkus review. I was thrilled when Jeopardy! champ Ken Jennings told me his son loved the book, and Ken wrote a blurb for the back cover. I’ve even received fan mail from kids who were actually on Kids Week on Jeopardy!
All that from a novel I wrote in less than a month.
So, here are 6-1/2 things I learned about writing a novel in a month . . .
1. Hard work is good medicine. Not writing, false starts and "wasted" days made me feel crazy. Working hard every day on this novel made me feel decidedly less crazy.
2. Know when to say "No" but also when to say "Yes." Writing should be your priority over watching TV, diddling around on Facebook and organizing your Chia pet collection. But family, friends and your health trump writing.
3. Don't beat yourself up over unproductive days. Your brain might be doing important behind-the-scenes work. My "unproductive" days were often followed by fat page counts.
4. Don't forge ahead blindly. NaNoWriMo suggests you keep writing and not go back over what you've already written. Not me. I needed to go back down my writing trail sometimes to make sure I hadn't diverged from the path I'd created. The important thing to remember is don't linger too long on those back pages; forge ahead!
5. You can accomplish pretty lofty goals one day (page) at a time. What's your lofty goal?
6. A person can write a salable novel in a month. There is a list of writers who sold their NaNoWriMo novels, including Sara Gruen who wrote Water for Elephants
, which landed on the New York Times Bestseller list. I was determined not just to write a novel in a month, but to make it to that list of writers who sold their NaNoWriMo novels.
6 1/2. Say thank you. NaNoWriMo came at the exact time I needed to sit down, shut up and write my next novel. What a valuable tool. I've sent them a donation. I also sent a donation to 826 Valencia because I love what they do to foster and encourage young writers.
So, don't give up! Keep at it! And if you do decide to step back and actually breathe this month, don't worry. There's always next November.
Donna Gephart is working on her next novel. It’s taken a little longer than a month to develop. Ahem, three years. But she’s almost done . . . and is tackling NaNoWriMo again this year, along with her 18-year-old son. If you’re serious about writing well and quickly, get a copy of Rochelle Melander’s Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (and live to tell about it)
. It’s an excellent resource. To learn more about Donna’s books and presentations and view a funny singing hamster video, visit http://www.donnagephart.com.
Never fear, NaNo'ers! I've invited the most excellent Donna Gephart to share some wisdom and do a little pom-pom shaking. Hopefully, reading about her NaNo success story will give you that second (or third, or fifteenth) wind that will catapult you into December and NaNo success!
In 2009, desperate to emerge from my slump and write my third book, I discovered NaNoWriMo and signed up.
Two days before the November 1st start, I brainstormed ideas for two hours. At one hour and fifty-nine minutes, I scribbled these words: Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen.
The day before NaNoWriMo, I realized Olivia Bean was a trivia nut and wanted to get on the TV quiz show Jeopardy!
Armed with trivia books and autobiographies of former Jeopardy! champs and lots of internet articles about Kids Week contestants, I plunged ahead. Each day in November, I struggled to figure out Olivia’s external and internal struggles and get them on the page in an exciting, coherent way.To keep myself accountable, I blogged about the experience daily, including my word counts and a fun trivia question. (Nothing like public humiliation to keep you on track with your writing goals!) My first blog post is here.
Despite a mid-month trip to California to attend our nephew’s bar mitzvah, I finished Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen in 29 days. My agent likes me to point out that revisions took months. They did.
Olivia sold in February of 2010 to Delacorte Press/Random House and went on to receive excellent reviews, including a starred Kirkus review. I was thrilled when Jeopardy! champ Ken Jennings told me his son loved the book, and Ken wrote a blurb for the back cover. I’ve even received fan mail from kids who were actually on Kids Week on Jeopardy!
All that from a novel I wrote in less than a month.
So, here are 6-1/2 things I learned about writing a novel in a month . . .
1. Hard work is good medicine. Not writing, false starts and "wasted" days made me feel crazy. Working hard every day on this novel made me feel decidedly less crazy.
2. Know when to say "No" but also when to say "Yes." Writing should be your priority over watching TV, diddling around on Facebook and organizing your Chia pet collection. But family, friends and your health trump writing.
3. Don't beat yourself up over unproductive days. Your brain might be doing important behind-the-scenes work. My "unproductive" days were often followed by fat page counts.
4. Don't forge ahead blindly. NaNoWriMo suggests you keep writing and not go back over what you've already written. Not me. I needed to go back down my writing trail sometimes to make sure I hadn't diverged from the path I'd created. The important thing to remember is don't linger too long on those back pages; forge ahead!
5. You can accomplish pretty lofty goals one day (page) at a time. What's your lofty goal?
6. A person can write a salable novel in a month. There is a list of writers who sold their NaNoWriMo novels, including Sara Gruen who wrote Water for Elephants
, which landed on the New York Times Bestseller list. I was determined not just to write a novel in a month, but to make it to that list of writers who sold their NaNoWriMo novels.6 1/2. Say thank you. NaNoWriMo came at the exact time I needed to sit down, shut up and write my next novel. What a valuable tool. I've sent them a donation. I also sent a donation to 826 Valencia because I love what they do to foster and encourage young writers.
So, don't give up! Keep at it! And if you do decide to step back and actually breathe this month, don't worry. There's always next November.
Donna Gephart is working on her next novel. It’s taken a little longer than a month to develop. Ahem, three years. But she’s almost done . . . and is tackling NaNoWriMo again this year, along with her 18-year-old son. If you’re serious about writing well and quickly, get a copy of Rochelle Melander’s Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (and live to tell about it)
. It’s an excellent resource. To learn more about Donna’s books and presentations and view a funny singing hamster video, visit http://www.donnagephart.com.
November 17, 2012
Physical Attributes Thesaurus Entry: Arms
Before we get into today's entry, congrats go to Sandy Fry; Janel Gradowski & Jessica S. who have all won themselves and their friend a 250 word critique in our World Kindness Day Giveaway! Thanks everyone for entering and hurray for all the kindness you do for others!
And also, a reminder: for you NaNoWriMo'ers out there, Ange and I are giving away 10 digital copies ofThe Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression to participants and winners. More info can be found here, or just skip right to the entry form :).
And now, on to today's Physical Attributes Entry:
ARMS
Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight.
One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.
Descriptors: skinny, plump, dimpled, ropy, wiry, sinewy, muscled, tanned, hairy, strong, weak, bony, loving, sweaty, too-long, farmer-tanned, flabby, tattooed, broken
Things Arms Do (and other words/phrases to describe those actions)
Carry: lift, heft, hoist, lug, shift, take, tote, move
Hug: embrace, squeeze, enfold, hold, clasp, cuddle, snuggle, clamp, clinch, clutch, grasp, grip, seize, snatch
Key Emotions and Related Arm Gestures:
Excitement: flap, wave, pump, embrace, flail, gesticulate wildly
Anger: stiffen, harden, cross
Simile and Metaphor Help:
His arms hung too long, like they were made of silly putty that someone had stretched too far.
Yesterday's workout turned my arms to wood: they were hard and tight and no longer hinged in the middle.
Clichés to Avoid : gorilla arms, arms like tree trunks or branches, toothpick arms
HINT: When describing any part of the body, try to use cues that show the reader more than just a physical description. Make your descriptions do double duty. Example: Stephen's arms snaked around me and I tried not to stiffen. A hug should be a loving gesture, but with Stephen, it felt like two ropes tightening around me, binding me to him.
BONUS TIP: The Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above!
And also, a reminder: for you NaNoWriMo'ers out there, Ange and I are giving away 10 digital copies ofThe Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression to participants and winners. More info can be found here, or just skip right to the entry form :).
And now, on to today's Physical Attributes Entry:
ARMS
Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight.
One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.
Descriptors: skinny, plump, dimpled, ropy, wiry, sinewy, muscled, tanned, hairy, strong, weak, bony, loving, sweaty, too-long, farmer-tanned, flabby, tattooed, broken
Things Arms Do (and other words/phrases to describe those actions)
Carry: lift, heft, hoist, lug, shift, take, tote, move
Hug: embrace, squeeze, enfold, hold, clasp, cuddle, snuggle, clamp, clinch, clutch, grasp, grip, seize, snatch
Key Emotions and Related Arm Gestures:
Excitement: flap, wave, pump, embrace, flail, gesticulate wildly
Anger: stiffen, harden, cross
Simile and Metaphor Help:
His arms hung too long, like they were made of silly putty that someone had stretched too far.
Yesterday's workout turned my arms to wood: they were hard and tight and no longer hinged in the middle.
Clichés to Avoid : gorilla arms, arms like tree trunks or branches, toothpick arms
HINT: When describing any part of the body, try to use cues that show the reader more than just a physical description. Make your descriptions do double duty. Example: Stephen's arms snaked around me and I tried not to stiffen. A hug should be a loving gesture, but with Stephen, it felt like two ropes tightening around me, binding me to him.
BONUS TIP: The Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above!
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