R.M. Archer's Blog, page 10

July Hiatus – I’m getting married!

For anyone who missed the memo, I’m getting married on the 8th! As such, I’ll be taking a hiatus for the month of July to enjoy the last bit of wedding anticipation, the wedding itself, the honeymoon, and adjustment to being married.

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Book Review: A Wolf’s Rose by M. C. Kennedy

Thank you to M. C. Kennedy for offering a review copy of A Wolf’s Rose! It was fun to step back into the world of retellings for a bit (this book carries obvious elements of Little Red Riding Hood with some Beauty and the Beast vibes), and the allegorical elements were interesting. Reviews have been somewhat harder for me to write of late, with so much going on in my brain, but I’ll do my best to make this an effective review.

I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

What is A Wolf’s Rose about?

Can two broken people ever find redemption?

Roshien Cochall has one goal: appear before the Gwyns and prove that she can move beyond the mistakes of her past. Nothing seems to move her closer to that goal, however, and she is left feeling stuck.

Lorcan Mactire has been waiting patiently for nearly ten years to seize a cochall’s magic ring. Taking Roshien’s grandmother hostage, he lures Roshien to his fortress, confident that he will soon uncover the ring’s secret.

Is this Roshien’s opportunity for redemption? Can she somehow convince Lorcan to let her go—and maybe even take him with her? Or is this the beginning of her ultimate failure?

Review

From the outset, this is clearly a Little Red Riding Hood retelling–it has the hood, the grandmother, and a “wolf”–but it doesn’t shove those retelling elements in your face; it’s very well-done in its subtle clarity.

The first introduction we have to Roshien is well-immersed in the world that Kennedy has created, and it raises immediate questions about some of the workings of the world. The writing carries the detail it needs to raise those questions and create a vivid impression of the world, though it’s maybe a little info-dumpy at the outset and not all of those questions are deeply answered in the book. We do come to understand the pieces that we need to understand for the book, though the pacing of that information felt a little choppy in places. The world does seem interesting, and I hope it’s explored further in other installments of the series–including the upcoming A Bird in the Snow which I will also be reading and reviewing soon.

The characters were the next hook for me personally, as Roshien is one of three siblings. The dynamics among them were great in the first few chapters, and I was disappointed that Ean and Orla had so little role in the story–even in Roshien’s thoughts–throughout the book. I would have liked to see more of how their absence impacted Roshien and how she felt about the way she was separated from each of them. I am glad that Ean gets a chance to shine as the main character in A Bird in the Snow, since he seems like a really dynamic character, and I look forward to reading more about him.

Spoilers ahead

Grandmama was interesting. I liked her in the beginning, and her firm politeness. I never disliked her, but her advice toward Roshien in later parts of the book weren’t what I expected and I’m not sure how I felt about it. It seemed like such a peculiar mix of grace–toward Roshien and others–and the encouragement of extreme measures.

Spoilers over

Lorcan was an interesting character. I enjoyed the chapters from his POV and the conflict we see there. I would have liked to see more of that in his interactions with Roshien, and more to set up their softening toward each other. The development of their relationship in the latter portion of the book didn’t feel natural, it felt like it went too far too fast, and (More spoilers:) the enemies-to-lovers plotline fell flat for me. The romance element didn’t feel necessary to the story, and I would have liked for the focus to be on the redemption itself without attraction distracting. (I also wasn’t quite clear on the age gap, and while I’m not inherently opposed to large age gaps, it did feel a little weird and inconsistent. Lorcan didn’t act as old as he was said to be, which made their relationship feel less weird but also made the age gap feel weirder.)

Sorry there are so many spoilers; you’re good again.

Roshien was fine as a main character. A little angsty, but called out on it. Pretty average, intelligence-wise, which is pretty standard for an MC. She didn’t feel like anything special. I wish her backstory had played more of a role in her behavior throughout the book, both to add depth to her character and to tie in more thoroughly when it did become relevant. But generally I felt as ambivalent toward her as I usually do toward a (particularly, female) main character and I know that’s just a personal trend of mine.

I did like Braich. He was a good gruff mentor sort of character, and the character who seemed the least emotion-driven. (Another personal trend: I don’t connect with emotion-driven characters as well as others.) I’m glad he played a central role.

Then we come to plot. I love the redemption theme in this book, and I think overall it was done pretty well. There are some things I think could have been tweaked to make it even stronger, but it was effective as it was and, in fact, probably the strongest part of the book. The plot is a little lengthy for the theme, the book probably a little longer than necessary, but it didn’t feel too drawn-out or draggy. And the writing itself is overall pretty strong, making it easy enough to read from that standpoint.

Overall, there are a number of developmental things I think could have made this book stronger, but it’s still an enjoyable read with a strong and important core theme. A solid three-star read, I think, with a bonus quarter star for its thematic strengths.

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How Should Christians Write About… How God Speaks

Last year, I read two books back-to-back (Wishtress and Once I Knew) in which God or the allegorical God figure speaks directly to the characters. (Actually, I’m not sure I’ve read a Nadine Brandes book in which this isn’t the case.) As such, this topic was near the top of my thoughts and I mulled over it quite a bit because the idea of God speaking directly to characters in a work of fiction is something I always wrestle with to some degree or another when it comes up.

This post might sound familiar to those who follow my social media or are subscribed to my newsletter, since I wrote out my thoughts sometime last year, but I wanted to compile and expand on them here as part of my “How should Christians write about…?” series. As always, these posts are intended as food for thought and your conclusions should be guided by Scripture and your conscience, not my musings here.

When and how does God speak?

The first thing I want to establish is that I do believe God speaks audibly and directly in some cases to some people. Have I ever experienced this personally? No. But I do believe it happens. We don’t serve a silent God, He is the Word, and He has spoken to His people throughout history; of course He speaks. Because of this, I don’t think it’s strictly unrealistic for authors to portray God (or a figure representative of God) speaking to characters.

On the other hand, I don’t know that this is a particularly frequent occurrence. God is the Word, but He also gave us His word in Scripture and it is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17) We’re also told in Proverbs 25:2 that “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.” God doesn’t often make it easy for us by speaking directly; He desires that we earnestly seek Him in His word. That doesn’t make the two concepts mutually exclusive—He gives us guidelines for testing new revelation by His existing inspired word—but both are pieces to be considered.

To speak from personal experience, much of what I’ve “heard” from God in my life has been through Scripture or through thoughts that popped up unexpectedly, were in line with Scripture, and had some sense of peace and/or prompting attached even though they’ve seemed to naturally arise from my own thoughts rather than obviously being from outside myself in their delivery. (I hope that explanation made sense.) They’ve required discernment, and some thoughts along these lines have proven to be genuine God things and some have proven to just be my own wishes.

Some of the God dialogue in books I’ve read has seemed along these lines, though often being obviously presented as the God figure speaking. In many of these cases, these thoughts are questioned by the character and they have to determine where the thought originated, so the differentiation of portraying it as God’s speech is almost more for the reader than the character. This is the portrayal that I’m most comfortable with and that seems the most relatable to me. (It would be interesting to see more books that do this without clarifying for the reader, so the reader wrestles alongside the character, but at that point we almost leave the present topic altogether.)

Of course, I think the primary way that God speaks today is through His written Word: Scripture. This has more or less bearing in a fictional setting depending on how the religion of the world is set up. In a world where there is no Bible or equivalent, it makes a lot more sense to show a personal God by way of direct dialogue. When the Bible is around, it makes more sense (to me, anyway) to make use of Scripture and the characters’ study of it and use direct speech more sparingly. (Which I should acknowledge Nadine Brandes largely does, if I’m going to mention her books as an example.)

But I think generally the question of how we should translate these principles into a fictional setting are matters of personal preference. I think that all of these methods–characters who hear directly and clearly from God/a God-figure, characters who experience the prodding of the Spirit, and characters who rely on God’s written Word–are biblically sound and make sense within particular fictional contexts. The question in a “secondary world” is which of these make sense within the constructed allegory/spiritual parallel built into the world.

Concerns with God-speech in fiction

Something that makes a difference in how I personally see God-speech in fiction is whether the book talks about God Himself or an allegorical figure. I’m generally more comfortable with an allegorical figure speaking directly (as in Wishtress) than with God speaking directly (as in the Out of Time Series or, arguably, Once I Knew) because there’s a bit less concern of putting words in God’s mouth that way. It’s still something that should be taken seriously, of course, because that allegorical figure is representative… but with less of a direct tie it feels like the stakes are a little bit lower. (I could see an argument being made that even direct portrayals of God in fiction are allegorical because we know they’re representations of God and not truly the real thing… That’s not an argument I’ll get into within this post, but it’s another angle that could be considered.)

Putting words in God’s mouth is my primary concern with direct dialogue from God or a God figure in fiction. We are warned not to add to God’s Word (Proverbs 30:6). Maybe the concern is misplaced, since I know authors who portray these dialogues give it a ton of thought and prayer and research into Scripture, and in the end it’s all weighed against Scripture anyway. It just makes me a little wary of it. I think as an author you take on a lot of responsibility to be true to Scripture when you go this route, and you come under stricter scrutiny for it. Which might even be a good thing, both from an author’s perspective in portraying truth carefully and from a reader’s perspective in reading critically and testing things against Scripture.

An easy way to avoid this concern is to base dialogue from God or the God figure heavily on Scripture (as is almost entirely the case in Once I Knew), which is often safer but then runs into the question of why it should be direct speech instead of a study in Scripture (again, in a setting where Scripture is available).

Another risk with direct speech is that of alienating readers. This can be a lesser or greater concern depending on the author and their purpose for a particular book; alienating readers is actually not always a bad thing, as it can challenge them or simply turn away those who are not your ideal reader. But the direct speech of a God-figure can be a divisive topic for Christian readers (as is the case with most of the topics I discuss in this series), and you can jolt certain readers out of a smooth reading experience if they’re the sort to stop and question the direct speech of a God-figure.

Context is important

I’ve already talked a bit about context in this post–certain portrayals of God/a God-figure’s speech make more or less sense depending on the context of the setting, and whether your God-figure is actually meant to be God or meant to be representative plays a role–but perhaps no topic I’ll discuss in this series is more affected by the genre in which you’re writing. I, of course, tend to tilt these posts toward fantasy writers since they’re my target audience, but I know that I have readers who write in other genres–perhaps especially readers of this series–so allow me to get into the question of genre expectations and the context of God-speech within them.

Fantasy, I think, offers the most flexibility on this topic. Even those who question the supernatural in the real world let down their guard and appreciate the transcendent in fantasy worlds. If your God-figure speaks and that is established as part of your world, you’re less likely to alienate readers than a contemporary author doing the same thing. And the way you choose to portray this speech can make a difference, as well; does it come in the form of a disembodied voice or does the God-figure visit and speak in an embodied way? Do they receive the God-figure’s guidance while asleep or awake? These sorts of details can shape your reader’s perception of the topic within your story.

Historical fiction authors, too, will be working with different reader expectations than authors portraying God’s speech in more modern eras. Readers will excuse in biblical fiction what they won’t believe in post-apostolic historical or modern fiction, because even cessationists accept that God tells us that He spoke in those times.

Contemporary authors run the most risk of alienating readers, because the cessationism debate is such a big dividing line today. Contemporary fiction has the least degree of separation between the reader and the story’s setting, which means readers let down their guard the least and read things much more personally. This has its strengths, but you must be aware of its consequences in both directions.

Conclusion

This will probably be the most “neutral” post in this series, the one I have the least solid conclusion on for myself. Portraying a speaking God in fiction is complicated and I haven’t figured out a solid personal rubric for it yet. I don’t do it in my own writing (though that could change down the line); I have mixed feelings about it in books I read. But hopefully these points have given you something to think about and the building blocks to construct your own personal conviction on the matter.

What are your thoughts on this topic? Were any of these points things you’d thought about before? Do you have a solid stance, or are you still trying to figure it out? Comment below and let’s discuss!

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Book Review: A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson

This book was on my list of most anticipated 2022 releases, I got it as a birthday present last August, and I finally got around to reading it last month when my fiancé said I needed to read something for fun to break up my for-work reading. (He was right.) A Forgery of Roses was a good choice for the purpose!

What is A Forgery of Roses about?

Myra Whitlock has a gift. One many would kill for.

She’s an artist whose portraits alter people’s real-life bodies, a talent she must hide from those who would kidnap, blackmail, and worse in order to control it. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone.

But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor’s dead son. Desperate, Myra ventures to his legendary stone mansion.

Once she arrives, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. Someone dangerous lurks within these glittering halls. Someone harboring a disturbing obsession with portrait magic.

Myra cannot do the painting until she knows what really happened, so she turns to the governor’s older son, a captivating redheaded poet. Together, they delve into the family’s most shadowed affairs, racing to uncover the truth before the secret Myra spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.

Review

Rating: 4.5 stars

A Forgery of Roses was a pleasant surprise. While it was on my “most anticipated releases of 2022” list, I’d been disappointed by enough mainstream books (and enough mainstream books off of my 2022 list) to be cautious in my optimism.

Let’s start with my biggest initial concern: When I picked up this book, I wasn’t sure how far the romance would go. I was hoping based on reviews that it would stay tame, but it was of a genre and had such language in the blurb that I wasn’t sure if that was a trustworthy expectation or if I would have a paragraph or two to skip. Fortunately, I had nothing to worry about! The most graphic A Forgery of Roses gets in the romance department is one particularly detailed kiss.

I was surprised by the level of violence/gore, however. While it wasn’t quite beyond my tolerance, A Forgery of Roses does have more horror elements than the blurb suggests. Once I realized that, I could adjust and enjoy it for the way it was written, but I want to include that as the warning I didn’t get, lol.

Content out of the way, let’s start with the world in terms of story elements. The magic system in this book is really neat. I love arts-based magic systems, and Olson delivered what she promised! I would love to see more exploring this world and maybe some variations on what we get to see in A Forgery of Roses. (See spoilers in my Goodreads review where I could hide them, lol.)

The characters were all great! Myra was a compelling protagonist, not too proud to ask for help, and driven by loyalty to her sister. (Strong family ties. I love to see them.)

August was also awesome, well-rounded and charming. His struggle was believable, as was his relationship with Myra. Overall I thought his anxiety was handled well, though the theme of “your anxiety doesn’t need to be fixed” was maybe a little heavy-handed. I would have liked a bit more nuance, showing that mental illness doesn’t make you less-than and does lend its strengths, but it is still an illness and it’s not wrong to try to “fix” it or wish it weren’t a struggle.

Now, I did think that Lucy was written wonderfully. She was determined, disciplined, mature for her age by necessity and yet still possessing a childlike innocence. Her chronic illness is handled exactly the way I wish August’s mental illness had been. Her strengths are not overlooked, she is valued, and the drive and strength that has come from her illness is highlighted, but the difficulty and wrongness of her illness is also acknowledged and she and Myra are both happy to seek ways to heal her.
As someone whose best friend is studying to be a doctor and whose mom has a chronic illness and does tons of medical research, I would be remiss not to also mention that Lucy’s interest in medicine was both really cool and very fitting for the context of her character.

Victor was compelling, also, and I didn’t totally hate the brief love triangle in there. It read as a realistic conflict, it didn’t take up too much space, and it was excellently tied in with the main plot.

Overall, a great read!

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font-size: 14px !important; height: auto; line-height: 21px !important; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 10px 10px !important; width: 100% !important; box-sizing: border-box !important; max-width: 100% !important; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::before { border-color: #cccccc!important; background-color: #ffffff!important; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow input.custom-control-input[type="checkbox"]{ box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0; position: absolute; z-index: -1; opacity: 0; margin-top: 5px; margin-left: -1.5rem; overflow: visible; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::before { border-radius: 4px!important; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::after { background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 8 8'%3e%3cpath fill='%23fff' d='M6.564.75l-3.59 3.612-1.538-1.55L0 4.26 2.974 7.25 8 2.193z'/%3e%3c/svg%3e"); }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::after { background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='-4 -4 8 8'%3e%3ccircle r='3' fill='%23fff'/%3e%3c/svg%3e"); }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::before { border-color: #84a478!important; background-color: #84a478!important; color: #ffffff!important; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::after { top: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::after { top: 0px!important; box-sizing: border-box!important; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::after { top: 0px!important; box-sizing: border-box!important; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::after { top: 0px!important; box-sizing: border-box!important; position: absolute; left: -1.5rem; display: block; width: 1rem; height: 1rem; content: ""; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::before { top: 0px!important; box-sizing: border-box!important; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .custom-control-label::before { position: absolute; top: 4px; left: -1.5rem; display: block; width: 16px; height: 16px; pointer-events: none; content: ""; background-color: #ffffff; border: #adb5bd solid 1px; border-radius: 50%; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .custom-control-label::after { position: absolute; top: 2px!important; left: -1.5rem; display: block; width: 1rem; height: 1rem; content: ""; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::before { position: absolute; top: 4px; left: -1.5rem; display: block; width: 16px; height: 16px; pointer-events: none; content: ""; background-color: #ffffff; border: #adb5bd solid 1px; border-radius: 50%; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::after { position: absolute; top: 0px!important; left: -1.5rem; display: block; width: 1rem; height: 1rem; content: ""; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::after { position: absolute; top: 0px!important; left: -1.5rem; display: block; width: 1rem; height: 1rem; content: ""; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .custom-radio .custom-control-label::after { background: no-repeat 50%/50% 50%; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::after { background: no-repeat 50%/50% 50%; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-control, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-control { position: relative; display: block; min-height: 1.5rem; padding-left: 1.5rem; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input { position: absolute; z-index: -1; opacity: 0; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label { color: #000000; font-size: 12px!important; font-family: 'Lato', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0; position: relative; vertical-align: top; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-select, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-select { background-color: #ffffff !important; color: #333333 !important; border-color: #cccccc; border-radius: 4px !important; border-style: solid !important; border-width: 1px !important; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px !important; line-height: 20px !important; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 10px 28px 10px 12px !important; width: 100% !important; box-sizing: border-box !important; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle; background: url('https://assets.mlcdn.com/ml/images/de...') no-repeat right .75rem center/8px 10px; -webkit-appearance: none; -moz-appearance: none; appearance: none; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow { height: auto; width: 100%; float: left; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .ml-input-horizontal { width: 70%; float: left; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .ml-button-horizontal { width: 30%; float: left; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .ml-button-horizontal.labelsOn { padding-top: 25px; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .horizontal-fields { box-sizing: border-box; float: left; padding-right: 10px; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow input { background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; border-color: #cccccc; border-radius: 4px; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 10px 10px; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; overflow-y: initial; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow button { background-color: #84a478 !important; border-color: #84a478; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; border-radius: 4px; box-shadow: none; color: #ffffff !important; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'Lato', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px !important; font-weight: 700; line-height: 20px; margin: 0 !important; padding: 10px !important; width: 100%; height: auto; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow button:hover { background-color: #333333 !important; border-color: #333333 !important; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow input[type="checkbox"] { box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0; position: absolute; z-index: -1; opacity: 0; margin-top: 5px; margin-left: -1.5rem; overflow: visible; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description { color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0; position: relative; vertical-align: top; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow label { font-weight: normal; margin: 0; padding: 0; position: relative; display: block; min-height: 24px; padding-left: 24px;</p><p> } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow label a { color: #000000; text-decoration: underline; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow label p { color: #000000 !important; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif !important; font-size: 12px !important; font-weight: normal !important; line-height: 18px !important; padding: 0 !important; margin: 0 5px 0 0 !important; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow label p:last-child { margin: 0; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedSubmit { margin: 0 0 20px 0; float: left; width: 100%; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedSubmit button { background-color: #84a478 !important; border: none !important; border-radius: 4px !important; box-shadow: none !important; color: #ffffff !important; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'Lato', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif !important; font-size: 14px !important; font-weight: 700 !important; line-height: 21px !important; height: auto; padding: 10px !important; width: 100% !important; box-sizing: border-box !important; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedSubmit button.loading { display: none; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedSubmit button:hover { background-color: #333333 !important; } .ml-subscribe-close { width: 30px; height: 30px; background: url('https://assets.mlcdn.com/ml/images/de...') no-repeat; background-size: 30px; cursor: pointer; margin-top: -10px; margin-right: -10px; position: absolute; top: 0; right: 0; } .ml-error input, .ml-error textarea, .ml-error select { border-color: red!important; }</p><p> .ml-error .custom-checkbox-radio-list { border: 1px solid red !important; border-radius: 4px; padding: 10px; }</p><p> .ml-error .label-description, .ml-error .label-description p, .ml-error .label-description p a, .ml-error label:first-child { color: #ff0000 !important; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow.ml-error .label-description p, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow.ml-error .label-description p:first-letter { color: #ff0000 !important; } @media only screen and (max-width: 400px){</p><p> .ml-form-embedWrapper.embedDefault, .ml-form-embedWrapper.embedPopup { width: 100%!important; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm { float: left!important; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow { height: auto!important; width: 100%!important; float: left!important; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .ml-input-horizontal { width: 100%!important; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .ml-input-horizontal > div { padding-right: 0px!important; padding-bottom: 10px; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-button-horizontal { width: 100%!important; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-button-horizontal.labelsOn { padding-top: 0px!important; }</p><p> } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions { text-align: left; float: left; width: 100%; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent { margin: 0 0 15px 0; text-align: left; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent.horizontal { margin: 0 0 15px 0; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent h4 { color: #000000; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18px; margin: 0 0 10px 0; word-break: break-word; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent p { color: #000000; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0 0 10px 0; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent.privacy-policy p { color: #000000; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0 0 10px 0; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent.privacy-policy p a { color: #000000; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent.privacy-policy p:last-child { margin: 0; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent p a { color: #000000; text-decoration: underline; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent p:last-child { margin: 0 0 15px 0; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptions { margin: 0; padding: 0; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox { margin: 0 0 10px 0; 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The post Book Review: A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson appeared first on Scribes & Archers.

5 Dialogue-Strengthening Exercises

You’ve read all the dialogue tips, you understand the concepts that make for strong dialogue, but your characters’ conversations are still coming across flat on the page. It could be that you don’t fully understand your character’s voice, or it could mean you just need more practice! These exercises are intended to help you focus that practice and experiment with different types of conversations (and for you to have fun with in the process). Enjoy!

1. Distinction

I know I got this particular exercise from somewhere else, but I can’t find it now to give due credit. I think it’s a common enough suggestion that it’s reasonable to include anyway. For this exercise, distinguish two characters by only their dialogue. No tags or actions. Just the way they speak. Keep in mind their background (educational, cultural, etc.) as you shape their vocabularies, speech tics, and dialects.

The trick with this exercise is to work at shaping unique voices without going overboard on speaking quirks, accents, etc. By all means, use those tools, but try not to overuse them. A good way of testing the balance is to read the exchange aloud and adjust the places that sound stiff or ridiculous.

Looking to boost your character voice? Explore the values that inform your character’s behavior and speech with the character voice questions!

2. Silence speaks volumes

This exercise is perhaps better labeled a communication-writing exercise than a dialogue-writing exercise, since the point with this one is to use as few spoken words as possible. Have your characters communicate without speaking for a whole scene, or as close as you can get. Give them a reason they can’t speak, or just create a context in which they don’t have to use words but do still communicate with one another.

You could approach this exercise from a perspective of characters who use a non-verbal language, but the point of the exercise is more to play with body language and behavior as communication devices.

3. “…But then I’d have to kill you”

Give one character (or both/all characters) a reason they cannot make their point directly. Choose the goal your character has in the conversation and then prevent them from talking in a straight line to get there. Maybe there’s someone in the room for whom the conversation would be inappropriate, or it would spoil a surprise, or the character has been threatened with harm if they achieve their goal, or their position in the group or society doesn’t allow them to speak candidly.

Explore the subtext and movement that the character would employ in order to accomplish their goal.

4. The real McCoy

When working to create realistic dialogue, look to reality. For this exercise, transcribe a real-life conversation. Capture the words, tone, and movement involved as best you can (without being creepy!). When you’re done, look over what you’ve written and make note of accents, speaking patterns, body language, etc. Some of these things can be used elsewhere, some can be adapted, some you won’t use at all. The idea is to get a feel for real conversation and to expand the range of tone and movement for your characters. This is a great exercise to try if you find your characters nodding and shrugging too often! (Trust me, I have the same struggle, lol.)

Another benefit of this exercise is to compare real-world dialogue with fictional dialogue. While we aim for realistic dialogue, we don’t want it to be so real that it’s boring–or annoying. If we wrote “like” as often in our characters’ dialogue as we say it in real life, our readers wouldn’t stick around long! Take the conversation you’ve dictated and strip it down, removing the fat, so to speak, without losing the character of the exchange.

5. Balance in all things… or not?

As authors, we can sometimes be too nice to our characters–and that can crop up in the way that our characters treat and talk to one another. We like to think of conversations as an equal back-and-forth, but sometimes they’re not–all the more so in fiction which is so often driven by conflict.

In this exercise, play with imbalance. Put together a talkative character and a quieter one, or put one character in a position of power, or have one character attempt to control the situation through intimidation or manipulation of the other character(s)–whether or not they succeed.

Explore the imbalances that would naturally crop up, as well as how the characters would react–accepting the imbalance, resisting it, operating in complete ignorance of it, or even pretending not to notice while they resist it subtly and maintain control of the situation and/or themselves. There are a lot of fun dynamics to play with, with this one.

Now I want to hear from you! Which of these exercises interests you most? Which sounds the most difficult?

Want to give your character voices an extra boost? Don’t forget to grab the character voice questions!

The post 5 Dialogue-Strengthening Exercises appeared first on Scribes & Archers.

Book Review: The Legend of Tawhiri by J.E. Purrazzi

I recently had the privilege of reading J.E. Purrazzi’s latest release, The Legend of Tawhiri! This book has been in the works for a while—originally as a blog serial that I never managed to make the time to read despite my interest—and I was super excited for the chance to read and review an ARC copy. (As always, opinions are still fully my own.)

What is The Legend of Tawhiri about?

There is a legend in the Archipelago. Long ago, the ocean grew weak, and feared for his heart. He took to the form of man and walked among the people.

Tawhiri was a gift from the ocean. Plucked from the waves as an infant. The people of the Islands know that the Ri, spirits of the ocean, abandon unwanted half-breeds on the shore. These demigods are destined to return to the sea and leave ruin in their wake. It has happened many times before.

Tawhiri has no interest in spirits or ruin. He loves his village, but as long as the elders forbid him from entering the ocean he cannot pass the tests which will allow him to be seen as a man and a full member of the tribe. When Kai’Ali, a friend whose twisted foot has held her back along with Tawhiri, passes the test and leaves him behind, the seeds of longing begin to grow in Tawhiri’s heart

Then the ocean begins to call to him.

Review

Rating: 4.5 stars

There is a lot to be said for The Legend of Tawhiri, but perhaps what stood out to me most was its internal consistency—especially when it comes to the coming-of-age rites of the world. It’s not often that a fictional world takes its coming-of-age rites this seriously and is consistent in its treatment of those who have passed through and become adults vs. those who have not and are therefore still considered children, but that is what we see in The Legend of Tawhiri. Tawhiri’s restriction from his culture’s rite of passage not only withholds him from the privileges of adulthood but also exempts him from some of the behavioral expectations; he is allowed to act like a child despite his age

Not only do we see this consistency clearly, but we also see the shift that happens when you stop thinking of yourself as a child and begin to behave as an adult. So perhaps my favorite thing about this book was the way that the coming-of-age theme was handled and the way Purrazzi tied it intrinsically to the world and culture she designed.

The language, too, was consistent with the culture, utilizing Polynesian and south pacific island vocabulary and trading modern colloquialisms for phrases tied to the ocean and islands (e.g. “Now they were back on the same current” referring to characters coming back around to a tired topic).

But consistency wasn’t the world’s only strength. Purrazzi has clearly drawn from cultures and experiences she has intimate familiarity with, and the knowledge and love she has for the Polynesian- and south pacific-inspired setting. The settings are described in vivid detail that place the reader right into the wonder and peace of the characters’ surroundings, which not only makes for a lovely reading experience but also reflects perfectly on Tawhiri’s own love for the ocean and his island.

Moving on from the setting, the characters were all well-drawn. Though they fell into some easy tropes in certain ways, they were all thoroughly enjoyable to read and the cast was filled out well. Ooma was a great grandmotherly character, Kai’Ali’s relationship with Tawhiri was excellent all the way through, and Ihaka and Solbat both had perhaps surprising nuance.

Tawhiri himself was a compelling main character, torn between the life he knows and the life he both is drawn toward and fears. I admired his values from the outset—I can’t remember the last time I read about a male MC who was motivated by a desire to get married and provide for a family, and I think we need more of that—and the beginning and end of his arc came beautifully full-circle.

My biggest complaint with the book is the pacing around the middle of Tawhiri’s arc. While Tawhiri’s character arc started and ended consistently, I didn’t feel like the flow of his journey to get from one to the other was quite as smooth as it could have been. The first third of the book takes its time establishing the world, Tawhiri’s thoughts and values, etc., but the last two-thirds felt like they rushed through Tawhiri’s thoughts in places, not leaving the reader time to be as fully on-board with the shifts in his motivation as he seemed to be. That said, my “biggest complaint” is not really that big; I still quite enjoyed the whole book, even where it felt choppy.

Overall, this is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year and I highly recommend checking it out!

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}</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::after { background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 8 8'%3e%3cpath fill='%23fff' d='M6.564.75l-3.59 3.612-1.538-1.55L0 4.26 2.974 7.25 8 2.193z'/%3e%3c/svg%3e"); }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::after { background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='-4 -4 8 8'%3e%3ccircle r='3' fill='%23fff'/%3e%3c/svg%3e"); }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::before { border-color: #84a478!important; background-color: #84a478!important; color: #ffffff!important; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::after { top: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::after { top: 0px!important; box-sizing: border-box!important; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::after { top: 0px!important; box-sizing: border-box!important; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::after { top: 0px!important; box-sizing: border-box!important; position: absolute; left: -1.5rem; display: block; width: 1rem; height: 1rem; content: ""; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::before { top: 0px!important; box-sizing: border-box!important; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .custom-control-label::before { position: absolute; top: 4px; left: -1.5rem; display: block; width: 16px; height: 16px; pointer-events: none; content: ""; background-color: #ffffff; border: #adb5bd solid 1px; border-radius: 50%; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .custom-control-label::after { position: absolute; top: 2px!important; left: -1.5rem; display: block; width: 1rem; height: 1rem; content: ""; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::before { position: absolute; top: 4px; left: -1.5rem; display: block; width: 16px; height: 16px; pointer-events: none; content: ""; background-color: #ffffff; border: #adb5bd solid 1px; border-radius: 50%; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::after { position: absolute; top: 0px!important; left: -1.5rem; display: block; width: 1rem; height: 1rem; content: ""; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::after { position: absolute; top: 0px!important; left: -1.5rem; display: block; width: 1rem; height: 1rem; content: ""; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .custom-radio .custom-control-label::after { background: no-repeat 50%/50% 50%; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::after, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::after { background: no-repeat 50%/50% 50%; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-control, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-control { position: relative; display: block; min-height: 1.5rem; padding-left: 1.5rem; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input { position: absolute; z-index: -1; opacity: 0; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label { color: #000000; font-size: 12px!important; font-family: 'Lato', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0; position: relative; vertical-align: top; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-select, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-select { background-color: #ffffff !important; color: #333333 !important; border-color: #cccccc; border-radius: 4px !important; border-style: solid !important; border-width: 1px !important; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px !important; line-height: 20px !important; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 10px 28px 10px 12px !important; width: 100% !important; box-sizing: border-box !important; max-width: 100% !important; height: auto; display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle; background: url('https://assets.mlcdn.com/ml/images/de...') no-repeat right .75rem center/8px 10px; -webkit-appearance: none; -moz-appearance: none; appearance: none; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow { height: auto; width: 100%; float: left; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .ml-input-horizontal { width: 70%; float: left; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .ml-button-horizontal { width: 30%; float: left; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .ml-button-horizontal.labelsOn { padding-top: 25px; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .horizontal-fields { box-sizing: border-box; float: left; padding-right: 10px; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow input { background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; border-color: #cccccc; border-radius: 4px; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding: 10px 10px; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; overflow-y: initial; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow button { background-color: #84a478 !important; border-color: #84a478; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; border-radius: 4px; box-shadow: none; color: #ffffff !important; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'Lato', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px !important; font-weight: 700; line-height: 20px; margin: 0 !important; padding: 10px !important; width: 100%; height: auto; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow button:hover { background-color: #333333 !important; border-color: #333333 !important; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow input[type="checkbox"] { box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0; position: absolute; z-index: -1; opacity: 0; margin-top: 5px; margin-left: -1.5rem; overflow: visible; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description { color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0; position: relative; vertical-align: top; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow label { font-weight: normal; margin: 0; padding: 0; position: relative; display: block; min-height: 24px; padding-left: 24px;</p><p> } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow label a { color: #000000; text-decoration: underline; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow label p { color: #000000 !important; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif !important; font-size: 12px !important; font-weight: normal !important; line-height: 18px !important; padding: 0 !important; margin: 0 5px 0 0 !important; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow label p:last-child { margin: 0; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedSubmit { margin: 0 0 20px 0; float: left; width: 100%; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedSubmit button { background-color: #84a478 !important; border: none !important; border-radius: 4px !important; box-shadow: none !important; color: #ffffff !important; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'Lato', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif !important; font-size: 14px !important; font-weight: 700 !important; line-height: 21px !important; height: auto; padding: 10px !important; width: 100% !important; box-sizing: border-box !important; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedSubmit button.loading { display: none; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedSubmit button:hover { background-color: #333333 !important; } .ml-subscribe-close { width: 30px; height: 30px; background: url('https://assets.mlcdn.com/ml/images/de...') no-repeat; background-size: 30px; cursor: pointer; margin-top: -10px; margin-right: -10px; position: absolute; top: 0; right: 0; } .ml-error input, .ml-error textarea, .ml-error select { border-color: red!important; }</p><p> .ml-error .custom-checkbox-radio-list { border: 1px solid red !important; border-radius: 4px; padding: 10px; }</p><p> .ml-error .label-description, .ml-error .label-description p, .ml-error .label-description p a, .ml-error label:first-child { color: #ff0000 !important; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow.ml-error .label-description p, #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow.ml-error .label-description p:first-letter { color: #ff0000 !important; } @media only screen and (max-width: 400px){</p><p> .ml-form-embedWrapper.embedDefault, .ml-form-embedWrapper.embedPopup { width: 100%!important; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm { float: left!important; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow { height: auto!important; width: 100%!important; float: left!important; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .ml-input-horizontal { width: 100%!important; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .ml-input-horizontal > div { padding-right: 0px!important; padding-bottom: 10px; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-button-horizontal { width: 100%!important; } .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-button-horizontal.labelsOn { padding-top: 0px!important; }</p><p> } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions { text-align: left; float: left; width: 100%; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent { margin: 0 0 15px 0; text-align: left; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent.horizontal { margin: 0 0 15px 0; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent h4 { color: #000000; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 18px; margin: 0 0 10px 0; word-break: break-word; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent p { color: #000000; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0 0 10px 0; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent.privacy-policy p { color: #000000; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0 0 10px 0; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent.privacy-policy p a { color: #000000; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent.privacy-policy p:last-child { margin: 0; }</p><p> #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent p a { color: #000000; text-decoration: underline; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsContent p:last-child { margin: 0 0 15px 0; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptions { margin: 0; padding: 0; } #mlb2-5035206.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox { margin: 0 0 10px 0; 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Crafting Effective Dialogue: Writing Between the Lines

When I wrote my series on crafting emotional resonance, I promised a future post on crafting effective dialogue. This is another element of your writing that will elevate your scenes and emphasize the emotions your characters are feeling. So let’s get into it.

Character

The most crucial piece of believable dialogue is to ensure that your characters talk like themselves. This comes down to a number of factors, most of which I’ve covered in my post on character voice. But to keep it brief, a character’s voice will have elements relating to the words they use and elements that influence how they use those words.

Elements relating to your characters words will include dialect, any accent, pet words, whether or not they use curse words, and the general size and bent of their vocabulary. (Do they know big words? If so, do they use them? Do they know advanced terminology only in certain fields? Etc.)

Your character’s background, interests, and overall character will also color the way they speak. Different characters will highlight or avoid different topics, use different metaphors, and simply speak more or less than other characters might.

It’s hard to divide these two categories, because they feed into each other quite heavily when used correctly. A character’s background and interests will shape their vocabulary, as well as how much they speak and with what tone, and a character’s dialect and vocabulary can tell a lot about their upbringing and values.

If you’re having a hard time with this piece and want to strengthen your dialogue, consider finding ways of listening to people from a similar background to your character, journaling from your character’s POV, or simply experimenting with different voices until you find the one that fits.

Subtext

Having your characters speak in their own voices makes your dialogue believable; making sure your characters are using subtext makes your dialogue feel real.

People don’t always say what they mean, whether that’s intentional or not. Subtext is the art of communicating between the lines—whether to the reader or between characters within a scene. This can be accomplished through tone of voice, movement (both of which we’ll get to shortly), silence, or dialogue that doesn’t say what it means.

If your character cares about how they’re perceived—or is hiding something—they may put a spin on the things they say in order to shape another character’s opinion of them. They may omit information, direct the conversation toward topics in which they’re confident, exaggerate events or traits (their own or others’), or simply lie.

A character who’s slow to trust might be reticent to talk at all, or they might veil their words intentionally. If someone hits a sore spot, they might deflect the conversation. In writing, you can communicate a lot about a character by what they don’t say, not only what they do.

Tone of voice

A character’s tone can say a lot about their emotional state, their attitude, and their character. Tone can also differentiate among characters, if it remains consistent enough; your soft-spoken character can contrast naturally with the more brusque, rowdy character. And, speaking of contrast, a character with a consistent tone can be contrasted with themselves for emphasis—if that ever soft-spoken character suddenly yells about something, that ought to turn some heads.

Tone can be shown, of course, through dialogue tags. “She whispered,” “he hissed,” “he bellowed,” “she purred.” But it can also often be shown through the dialogue itself and surrounding action. It can be expected that a character sneaking around a haunted castle is speaking softly… unless, of course, her friend winces and looks around to make sure she hasn’t started a ghost every time she talks. Being specific with your prose and action, and establishing your characters early on, will give your reader the tools they need to fill in the blanks in your character’s tone without an excess of tags.

You can add interest and subtext to a scene if your character’s tone doesn’t match their words.

“I’m fine!” Her voice was high as a chipmunk’s, and her eyes were nearly as crazed.

Clearly, whether she’s aware of it or not, this character is not fine. How can you tell? By the surrounding description of her tone and appearance. This makes the character wonder why she’s saying she’s fine. Is she unaware of her madness? Is she trying to convince herself she’s fine? Is she trying to deflect concern from others? Thus we have the subtext and interest that help to drive the scene forward.

Of course, tone and dialogue can match, and emphasize emotion in doing so. If a character is practically floating on clouds, you might emphasize their bouncing movements, include their words of encouragement to every character they pass, and let us know that their voice has a musical lilt. When matching, however, ensure that the description is necessary and adds something to the scene. If the reader can infer the character’s tone themselves and there’s no need to over-emphasize their emotion by making it really really clear, describing your character’s tone becomes redundant and annoys the reader.

Movement & body language

Some of you have probably picked up on this by now, but dialogue cannot operate effectively in isolation. Without motion, your characters become nothing more than talking heads. The reader loses their moorings in the setting and can’t latch onto the forward movement of the scene. They become disconnected from the characters, breaking the emotional connection you’ve tried so hard to build—even if only temporarily. That’s the storytelling reason for movement and body language amidst your dialogue.

The reality-based reason is that we humans communicate a lot without speaking—both consciously and, even more so, subconsciously. This, too, should differentiate your characters. High-energy characters might gesture a lot with their words; insecure characters may close in on themselves, crossing their arms or hugging one arm close to their body; frustrated characters may set their hands on their hips or wag fingers. All of these movements—not to mention the way characters direct their eyes, angle their bodies, and any other subconscious cues (several of which I discussed when I talked about showing characters’ repressed emotion)—give your readers insight into what your characters are thinking and feeling, and help moor your readers in the scene and setting (particularly when your characters interact with the setting around them, as they ought to).

Of course, there is a balance. Just as you don’t want to overuse tags, you don’t want to flood the reader with actions that interrupt the flow of a conversation, either. This is where it can help to read a stretch of dialogue aloud, offer it to beta-readers, or (if the flow is still a problem after rounds of edits) get a professional editor’s opinion.

Still finding your character’s voice? Sign up for my free list of character voice questions to help you develop their background and sound

There you have my most critical principles for crafting dialogue. I may write a couple more posts on dialogue, one looking at how to format and punctuate dialogue properly (a common fix throughout editing projects I’ve worked on) and one offering exercises for strengthening your dialogue. Let me know in the comments if either of those posts would be helpful or of interest to you!

And let me know which point you found most helpful in this post. Do you enjoy writing dialogue, or is it a struggle? I’d love to chat with you!

The post Crafting Effective Dialogue: Writing Between the Lines appeared first on Scribes & Archers.

5 Types of Story Structure to Help You Outline Your Novel

I’ve been wanting to have a post comparing different plot structures/outlining systems on the blog for a while, and today Rose Atkinson-Carter is filling that gap! Big thanks to her for this guest post.

I have added affiliate links to this post. They are marked with an asterisk, and purchases made through them earn me a small commission at no extra cost you. Plus, BookShop supports local U.S. bookstores! The books that I’ve recommended are all in my own personal writing library and I’ve referenced them myself for various projects.

All that out of the way, I’ll turn it over to Rose!

As you outline your novel, you’re juggling dozens of different parts. You have character arcs, pacing, and plot to consider and somehow put together into a cohesive whole. The process can be daunting. Writers often find themselves stalled in the planning phase, unsure where to go next.

Sometimes, what you need is a game plan: a dependable story structure that can set you on the right path and help you finish that outline. Even if you’re more of a pantser, an understanding of story structures and how a plot should progress will help you develop in your writing.

Let’s look at some common types of story structures and see how they can make planning your novel easier.

Three-Act Structure

Let’s start with a classic: the three-act structure. Found in everything from stage plays to page-turning thrillers, this structure is timeless and works for just about any kind of story. As the name suggests, there are three acts, each of which has three important beats.

Without getting too far in the weeds, every act has a specific purpose:

Act one is where you introduce your reader to the story, your characters, and their backstory, before propelling them into the plot with the inciting incident — an event that sets off the action and which causes the character to pursue a goal.The second act sees the character begin to pursue their goal and come across obstacles (and enemies) on the way.The third and final act sees the character at their lowest point so far, before the final confrontation with their antagonist — and, hopefully, the achievement of their goal.

It’s easy, simple, and familiar, giving your story a clear beginning, middle, and end. If you’re stuck on how to move the plot forward and need a nudge in the right direction, a three-act structure can function like a step-by-step guide to creating one. Maybe the best part is that the pacing is built right into it, so you don’t have to worry about whether the action is developing at the right pace.

But if you’re having trouble coming up with a plot at all, a more detailed form might be just what you need.

Seven-Point Story Structure

Though in part inspired by three-act structure, seven-point structure is a far newer type of story format. It was truly popularized by author Dan Wells in 2013 and features seven “points” that a story needs to hit. These are:

The hook — an introduction to the world and its characters.Plot point 1 (or inciting incident) — an event that drives your character to embark upon an adventure.Pinch point 1 — a conflict is introduced.Midpoint — the point where the character begins to take action in their adventure.Pinch point 2 — the conflict worsens.Plot point 2 — the character manages to turn a corner and resolve their conflict.Resolution — the story’s threads are tied together.

Don’t worry if this all seems a little confusing; the main point is that your story fluctuates between highs (plot points), where your character takes action towards their goals, and lows (pinch points), where conflict occurs.

You might notice that this is incredibly similar to the three-act structure. So you’re probably wondering what this structure offers that you can’t get from a more well-established method. The key with seven-point structure isn’t the structure itself but how you use it.

Dan Wells’s method has you start your planning at the end. You determine what you want your resolution to be and then you go to the beginning and consider the hook. Then you move on to the midpoint — the turning point of the story — before figuring out your plot points and pinch points. Essentially, you create your ending and your beginning before you make the middle.

Doing this allows you to craft a carefully balanced story that flows logically and has the tense stakes you need to keep your readers interested, as well as helping you maintain a sense of direction. The extra points that Wells added here are great if you need some extra help creating a plot.

Maybe you’re looking for something that provides even more guidance though. The next structure is probably the most detailed of them all.

Archer’s Note: I loved K.M. Weiland’s book Structuring Your Novel* for understanding the 3-act structure with Dan Wells’ additional points. If you’re looking for a deeper resource on these structures in particular, I highly recommend it!

Save the Cat

Hollywood can teach novelists a thing or two about plotting. Screenwriter Blake Snyder created the Save the Cat beat sheet for writing screenplays, but it’s since been adapted by storytellers across mediums to write compelling, well-paced stories.

The structure provides 15 beats that a story needs to hit, including the kinds of events that happen in each section. It’s the younger, more stylish cousin of the three-act structure and was specifically designed to help writers get through the saggy middle without the extra baggage to slow it down.

If you’re struggling with writer’s block or just aren’t sure where to take your story next, research this cutting-edge technique to see if it sounds useful. The detailed step-by-step nature of it means everything is already meticulously laid out for you. You also don’t have to worry about your pacing as much. Save the Cat lays out at what point each event should happen very specifically, so no need to worry about your plot being too fast or too slow.

While the structures I’ve looked at so far can be used for basically any story, the next two can be used for specific types of narratives.

Hero’s Journey

Joseph Campbell introduced the concept of the hero’s journey in his 1949 book, The Hero With a Thousand Faces*. Looking at various world myths, he found and described a common structure that underpins our oldest tales.

Building on the classic three-act structure, he divided the hero’s journey into three specific stages:

The Departure Act — the hero leaving their ordinary world.The Initiation Act — the hero travels into unknown territory, where they face challenges and obstacles which turn them into a true hero.The Return Act — the triumphant hero returns.

Screenwriter Christopher Vogler further expanded this formulation into 12 phases, and this is the form we’re most familiar with today.

Archer’s note: This expansion is outlined in Vogler’s book The Writer’s Journey*, which is another great resource—and one of the first plot resources I ever used.

Since the hero’s journey originates from mythological stories, it’s used most for adventure stories, specifically science fiction and fantasy. It’s a classic structure that is instantly recognizable and understandable for readers. And from a writer’s standpoint, it provides a specific guide for creating plot points and developing characters. If you’re focusing on a single protagonist and working on a fantastical story, using the hero’s journey can help you create a tightly plotted and well-rounded narrative.

But if you’re looking to write a less upbeat story, there’s a structure tailor-made for literary tragedies.

Freytag’s Pyramid

So-called for its triangular structure, Freytag’s pyramid was created by 19th century writer Gustav Freytag. This five-act pyramid can be used to describe the classic tragic narrative, such as those we see in Shakespeare’s plays. These five parts are:

Introduction — establishing the characters and what’s at stake.Rise — life seems to be going well for the characters.Climax — a point of no return, where everything suddenly changes.Return — the character’s descent begins.Catastrophe — the horrible ending,

Perhaps the most singular of all the structures I’ve examined so far, Freytag’s pyramid is only used to construct tragic narratives. So if you’re looking to write an emotionally-tense story that focuses on human flaws and has an unhappy ending, this is definitely the way to go.

There are many more story structures besides the five I’ve outlined here. Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to plotting. It’s all about finding the structure that works best for your story and writing goals. Hopefully this guide has helped you identify some potential candidates that’ll be a great match for your writing, and let you know where to begin. Happy writing!

About the Author

Rose Atkinson-Carter is a writer at Reedsy, where she advises authors on all things publishing from the best writing software to how to make audiobooks . She lives in London.

Thanks again to Rose!

Now I want to hear from you, the reader. Have you used any of these structures before? Which have you found to work best for your process? Are there any you hadn’t explored before?

The post 5 Types of Story Structure to Help You Outline Your Novel appeared first on Scribes & Archers.

My Philosophy of Book Reviews

As I get back into reviewing books on a regular basis, I wanted to give an overview of what I endeavor to do with book reviews and my general philosophy toward them.

Honesty with Grace

As both an author and reader, I believe that being honest is the most helpful thing you can do as a reviewer. I will never pad a review to say I thought a book was good when it wasn’t. However, I will do my best to find the positives I can and highlight those as well. I do my best to remain honest about both sides of a book, and to write my reviews in full as graciously as I’m able. Authors put a lot of themselves into their work—their time, energy, and heart—and I try to respect that in my reviews even when I didn’t like a book or its execution.

I believe there is a line to be walked in being honest without being cruel, and I do my best to write along that line in negative reviews.

I try not to inflate my positive reviews, either, but to point out a book’s strengths—and weaknesses—with clarity for readers.

My Star System

Since stars can mean different things to different people, here’s a quick overview of how I use the 5-star system.

5 – Loved it; it’s a new favorite4 – I really liked it, but it was missing something3 – It was fine, but it had significant problems or just wasn’t my thing2 – The problems overshadowed its strengths, but it had great strengths1 – I made it all the way through by sheer willpowerThe Use of Negative Reviews

Before I launch into more on negative reviews, allow me to clarify that I don’t try to lean toward negative reviews or skew my reviews toward negatives; my focus on them in this post is a result of positive reviews needing no clarification, while negative reviews get more push-back and misunderstanding.

That aside, I think that negative reviews serve a purpose for both authors and readers. From an author’s standpoint, of course there’s the element of (ideally) constructive criticism, which—while helpful—can sometimes still be frustrating on a book that has already been published. But there is also the element of credibility that negative reviews provide. Readers have different tastes, and not everyone will like your book even if it is good. Having a handful of negative reviews on your book tells readers that the reviews aren’t all biased feedback from your friends and family (even if your positive reviews aren’t all biased feedback from your friends and family). It helps people trust that both sets of feedback are real and provides greater trust in your book, leading (ideally) to more sales.

Beyond the help for authors, negative reviews help readers, as well. There is, again, the factor of credibility. But reviews are informative for readers, and negative reviews provide additional information to help readers decide whether or not to read your book. While this information might dissuade readers from picking up your book, it can also encourage purchases if one person’s dislikes fit with what another reader likes to read. “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” can be applied to the reading experience.

Reviews are a Double-Edged Sword

Positive and negative reviews can each have either positive or negative effects on your sales and audience. A positive review praising a book for its mature scenes is going to turn me away from a book as surely as a negative review criticizing a book’s weak writing. A negative review critiquing a book’s over-emphasis on its worldbuilding might draw me in just as much as a positive review that highlights strong family relationships.

This is another reason for honesty. When you review a book, you are giving a reader information to help them decide whether or not to read a book, you’re granting the author exposure and credibility, and you’re reflecting on yourself as a reviewer. So be honest, and be kind.

What do you think? What is your philosophy on book reviews, as either a reader or author?

Want me to review your book? Check out this post first and then submit your request here!

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The post My Philosophy of Book Reviews appeared first on Scribes & Archers.

Book Review: Orchidelirium by E.B. Roshan

Thanks to Ms. Roshan for offering a review copy of Orchidelirium! I’m not sure I would have picked this one up without prompting, but it was a fun read and I’m glad I had that push to check it out.

What is Orchidelirium about?

An heiress, a tiger, an artificial arm, a hatbox of stolen orchids: each one is a vine in the tangle of Opal Morris’s life. As she begins to discover how they all connect, she will find herself re-evaluating not only her botanical studies, but her whole life.

This illustrated novella, set in an alternative Edwardian England, will be a treat for fans of cozy mysteries and historical fantasy alike.

Let’s start with the characters. I had some difficulty getting the cast straight, at first; they’re introduced at a party, and the prevalence of family means many of them were referred to by shared surnames which made it hard to keep track of which were which. Gem and Opal gave me the hardest time, between both having gemstone names and the POV being somewhat unclear in the beginning, with Opal presuming and communicating Gem’s feelings as well as her own.

That said, the characters were quite enjoyable once you got them straight. I loved Opal’s passion for both her flowers and her family, and her fearlessness in confronting those who needed to be confronted. Gem’s better decorum seemed to balance her well, though I would enjoy seeing a sequel in which they both understand and appreciate that balance better and it can thus shine through more fully.

I enjoyed the Ardmores, as well, and particularly Leonidas. He was honorable and gentlemanly, yet willing to ruffle feathers as needed—albeit with somewhat more restraint than Opal. And his steampunk-style prosthetic was interesting.

Leonidas’s arm will bring us to the worldbuilding. While his prosthetic was interesting and the electric carriage provided some color to the story, the more steampunk elements didn’t feel like they overall had much bearing on the story. His prosthetic could have been more traditional, the carriages horse-drawn, the airships omitted altogether, and the story would have been none the worse for it. As it was, those elements didn’t contribute quite enough color to provide a full backdrop or quite enough influence to seem like a necessary and organic part of the setting. While I liked the idea of giving things a steampunk twist, that twist mostly felt extraneous in practice.

The Edwardian setting was nearly sufficient on its own (Leonidas’s prosthetic being the one truly relevant addition from steampunk), and the writing of it was a joy to read. The prose was smooth, and the dialogue sounded like it had come from an Austen novel. It was proper and veiled in the way you would expect of high society dialogue, with witty remarks scattered throughout (particularly courtesy of Opal). The focus on orchids, as well, was a lovely divergence from the norm, and described beautifully!

Not only was the emphasis on plants refreshing from a setting standpoint, but also in regard to the plot. While Gem had a courtship storyline that became a focal point, it wasn’t the main plot as would often be the case in an Edwardian-era novella; and while there was a mystery, it wasn’t a murder as you would often expect. And this in no way distracted from the importance of the plot to the main character, with Opal established so well in her affection for orchids and her passion for their proper upkeep.

I do think the plot is where the story was weakest, however. The progression of events, particularly after the crime is committed, was a little hard to track; and the resolution involved pieces that felt too coincidental, particularly for a mystery story where every detail carries consequence in most cases. I would have liked to see more time taken to establish those pieces upfront so they weren’t a shock at the end, and more time dedicated to the case in general to clear up the more awkward transitions. Because this story is more character-driven despite being a mystery (which sounds familiar), I wasn’t overly bothered by the weaker plot, at least until the deux ex machina feel of how some of the characters reached the resolution scene.

And as this is an illustrated novella: The art style wasn’t my cup of tea, but the illustrations were cute and they were a fun way to break up the text.

Overall, despite its few weak spots, I quite enjoyed the style of Orchidelirium and I would recommend it to readers of historical fiction and/or readers who enjoy passionate characters and plants.

Rating: 4 stars

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The post Book Review: Orchidelirium by E.B. Roshan appeared first on Scribes & Archers.