M.K. Martin's Blog, page 2

Scene 3 – The Ordinary World

Welcome to the Shire, a water farm on Tattooine, 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. Here, we find our Main Character (MC) in their natural environment.

Shh, MCs can be very shy and timid at first. Don’t spook the wee rascal.

[image error]Image by RENE RAUSCHENBERGER from Pixabay 

The point of the Ordinary World is to allow you to set up benchmarks for your MC. Show the reader what the MC’s State of Perfection (SOP) is and why they will work so hard, face so many challenges, and sometimes literally go through hell to get back home.

As we previously discussed, the SOP is generally how the MC starts off – reasonably happy, contented, an okay (maybe even great) life. They have people they care about, things they are working toward, goals, hopes and dreams.

[image error] via Giphy

Poor lambs.

And along comes you, dear writer, to take that wonderful life away. But it’s crucial to make sure that the reader appreciate, even feel that loss along with the MC.

How to do it? Five “easy” steps.

Loved ones. Who does your MC care about? Why? Is it a long-time lover, or a new flame, a beloved parent, charmingly precocious child, a sibling they are trying to impress or their bestie who’s always ready to share a beverage and a chat?Hopes and dreams. What is your MC working towards? It doesn’t have to be big, but it can be. A promotion at work, a trip, eating sushi for the first time, getting their crush to notice them. Consider how this can work with the plot and how it can work against it (even better – TENSION!).Foreshadowing. This is harder to do than threeshadowing, but not as advanced as fiveshadowing. For you pantsers, some of this will be done in post-first-draft revision. Totally okay. You do you. For you plotters, this is where the magic happens. Drop hints of what your MC will face and how they will change. Be subtle, but not too subtle. You know, write casual.Setting. What are the day-to-day conditions of MC’s life? Are they super advanced, living in a world where nanotech is a thing and they can access anything via their neural implant? Are they in the middle of a war? Are they at sea, in space, under the ground, at a horse race? Consider how the setting can either push the MC outward or draw them back.Routine. What kind of life has MC built for themselves? Are they a student going through the school grind? Are they a 9 to 5 office drone? A fisherman on the lonely isle of Nergoingnoplaceelseagain (located off the coast of Wales, I believe)? Consider how this can be used against them…I mean used to propel the story. Yes.



[image error]Image by Isa KARAKUS from Pixabay

And what about the feely-feels? Your MC recognizes the story problem – (“What’s the what of the story?” remember?), but can’t or won’t address it. They want to stay in the Shire and not have any adventures. They want to harvest water and shoot womp rats. They want to get out of the cupboard under the stairs, sure (not a euphemism, but J.K. Rowlings may yet prove me wrong), but they’re not expecting to go to a magical school.

Although this is where you can slow down and do a bit of worldbuilidng, writing “The Ordinary World” shouldn’t be boring and your reader shouldn’t be bored. Keep the focus on your characters – what do they care about? What do they notice? Why are they doing the things they’re doing?

If you don’t know or the answer to this last one is “cuz plot” that’s okay. This is your first draft. You can fix it later. The main thing is to get the ideas down before they escape into the ether.

Good luck!

Element 2 – Dramatic Question

The second element clarifies the overall question the story will try to answer, or the premise of the story. I use the formula I picked up from Eric Witchey’s Fiction Fluency class: X leads to Y, which results in Z.

X is the character’s starting internal and external conflicts.

Y is the change the character and story world undergo.

Z is the end state of the character as a result of what they’ve encountered and done as well as the changes to their story world.

Let’s look at how this functions in a couple books.

***SPOILERS***

via GIPHYIn The Poppy War Rin’s ambition, coupled with the rigid classism of the Sinegard academy, leads her to embrace shamanism, which results in unleashing a terrible god of wrath upon the land.In my book, Survivors’ Club, Marius’ naïveté and desire to help others lead to a viral outbreak, which results in a suicidal attempt to stave off a global pandemic.In Assassin’s Apprentice, Fitz’s need for safety and belonging lead him to accept his role as an assassin, which results in him saving the Six Duchies (and emotional trauma to this reader that has lasted for decades. Highly recommended!)

The Dramatic Question is really two questions: 1) What does the Main Character (MC) want? 2) What does the MC need? A great way to add tension to your story is to make sure that these are not the same thing.

From our previous examples:

Rin wants to avoid a forced marriage to an older man. Ultimately, what she needs is to study and understand how shamanism works. But she’s not interested in that. She wants to be a soldier so she can protect herself and exact revenge.Marius wants to research viruses and develop ways to treat and cure disease. Marius needs to survive and protect his friends and co-workers from the Infected. For extra fun, his attempts to do what he wants actually contribute to the pandemic that ultimately endangers everyone he cares about.Fitz wants be accepted as a Farseer. Fitz needs allies to survive at King Shrewd’s court. To gain allies and protectors, Fitz must make himself invaluable to the king. In agreeing to train to be an assassin, Fitz embarks on the road to a very lonely life and remember, he wanted friends and family.

Knowing what your MC wants and what they need helps you to craft a story where they are constantly struggling to get what they want, but you are pushing them towards what they need.

Element 2 – the Dramatic Question is where you must make it super-de-duper clear what your MC wants. You should at least hint at what they need, but this can remain unclear until much later in the story, especially if you’re writing a close first person point of view (POV).

What are some other examples of the Dramatic Question?

Once you start looking for it, you’ll see it everywhere!

Attendees at the 2011 Where’s Wally? World Record event in Dublin, Ireland

Scene 2 – Dramatic Question

The second scene clarifies the overall question the story will try to answer, or the premise of the story. I use the formula I picked up from Eric Witchey’s Fiction Fluency class: X leads to Y, which results in Z.

X is the character’s starting internal and external conflicts.

Y is the change the character and story world undergo.

Z is the end state of the character as a result of what they’ve encountered and done as well as the changes to their story world.

Let’s look at how this functions in a couple books.

***SPOILERS***

[image error]via GIPHY



In The Poppy War Rin’s ambition, coupled with the rigid classism of the Sinegard academy, leads her to embrace shamanism, which results in unleashing a terrible god of wrath upon the land.In my book, Survivors’ Club, Marius’ naïveté and desire to help others lead to a viral outbreak, which results in a suicidal attempt to stave off a global pandemic.In Assassin’s Apprentice, Fitz’s need for safety and belonging lead him to accept his role as an assassin, which results in him saving the Six Duchies (and emotional trauma to this reader that has lasted for decades. Highly recommended!)

In Scene 2 – the Dramatic Question is really two questions: 1) What does the Main Character (MC) want? 2) What does the MC need? A great way to add tension to your story is to make sure that these are not the same thing.

From our previous examples:

Rin wants to avoid a forced marriage to an older man. Ultimately, what she needs is to study and understand how shamanism works. But she’s not interested in that. She wants to be a soldier so she can protect herself and exact revenge.Marius wants to research viruses and develop ways to treat and cure disease. Marius needs to survive and protect his friends and co-workers from the Infected. For extra fun, his attempts to do what he wants actually contribute to the pandemic that ultimately endangers everyone he cares about.Fitz wants be accepted as a Farseer. Fitz needs allies to survive at King Shrewd’s court. To gain allies and protectors, Fitz must make himself invaluable to the king. In agreeing to train to be an assassin, Fitz embarks on the road to a very lonely life and remember, he wanted friends and family.

Knowing what your MC wants and what they need helps you to craft a story where they are constantly struggling to get what they want, but you are pushing them towards what they need.

Scene 2 – the Dramatic Question is the scene where you must make it super-de-duper clear what your MC wants. You should at least hint at what they need, but this can remain unclear until much later in the story, especially if you’re writing a close first person point of view (POV).

What are some other examples of the Dramatic Question scene?

Once you start looking for it, you’ll see it everywhere!

[image error] Attendees at the 2011 Where’s Wally? World Record event in Dublin, Ireland

Element 1 – Big Trouble

Whether your story starts en medias res or with a loving description of the how the universe began, it has to start somewhere.

Many Western stories follow the Hero’s Journey as described by Joseph Campbell. For the purposes of learning and practicing story structure, this is the model I’ll be using – at least in the beginning.

In the beginning…

Introduces main conflict of the story. As my ever-zen writing workshop instructor Charlie used to say, “What’s the what of this story?”

External Conflict – something threatens the Main Character (MC)’s State of Perfection (SOP)

Internal Conflict – MC is emotionally stuck. They have a deep fear, limiting belief, or conflicting desires.

State of Perfection – Yes/No?

State of Perfection means the MC has a reasonably happy, comfortable life. They are not motivated to change things. They like what they like and they don’t want to have any adventures.

If the MC starts in the SOP, they will be fighting to stay there, resistant to change, reluctant to leave.

It’s a bit more tricky to start with an MC not in SOP because you have to weave in backstory and benchmarks to explain why the MC is not in SOP and what exactly MC thinks SOP is (at the beginning of the story). We know MC’s SOP may change as they grow through the story, but we need a start point to…well…start from.

Worldbuilding:

Whether you’re writing spec-fic filled with nanotech, tentacle monsters, and swords and sorcery, or writing about a knitting circle in Blandsville, Nebraska (sorry, Nebraska, I still love you), you’ll need to establish where your MC is and what they’re doing.

Do NOT dump info. This is the part where you splash your reader with the world, not drown them in it. It’s more important that the reader connect with the characters and care about them than the reader understand how the hyper-drive 7000 works or the exact ritual elements needed to summon Yog Gogiryazhiji.

Instead, focus on the details the characters would care about. Unfold the world through their experience of it and trust that you’ll be able to work in all the cool tech, alien races, ancient elven feuds, and the finer points of the Double Moss Knit Stitch Pattern later.

Spreadsheety Goodness:

I have a spreadsheet and I’m not afraid to use it. Your tools may vary: 3×5 cards, notebooks, whiteboards, various software, a trusted friend or random pelagic bird who happens to be a great listener. Whatever you need to help you organize your thoughts, use it.

Image by Mario Liebherr from Pixabay

If you’d like to use my spreadsheet layout, here’s an example of Act I, Elements 1-9. I tend to ramble when I write, so I have broken down my word count targets based on an 80,000 word novel. That gives me 25% Act 1, 50% Act 2, and 25% Act 3. These are my rough goals to help me stay on track and should not be taken as carved in stone limits.

Additional Resources:

“The Writer’s Journey” by Christopher Vogler

Mythcreants has a beautiful post about the Heroine’s Journey that is well worth your time!

Fiction Fluency or really any class you can get from Eric Witchey, who is an absolute wizard when it comes to writing emotions.

Scene 1 – Big Trouble

Whether your story starts en medias res or with a loving description of the how the universe began, it has to start somewhere.

Many Western stories follow the Hero’s Journey as described by Joseph Campbell. For the purposes of learning and practicing story structure, this is the model I’ll be using – at least in the beginning.

[image error]



Elements of a beginning:

Introduces main conflict of the story. As my ever-zen writing workshop instructor Charlie used to say, “What’s the what of this story?”

External Conflict – something threatens the Main Character (MC)’s State of Perfection (SOP)

Internal Conflict – MC is emotionally stuck. They have a deep fear, limiting belief, or conflicting desires.

State of Perfection – Yes/No?

State of Perfection means the MC has a reasonably happy, comfortable life. They are not motivated to change things. They like what they like and they don’t want to have any adventures.

If the MC starts in the SOP, they will be fighting to stay there, resistant to change, reluctant to leave.

It’s a bit more tricky to start with an MC not in SOP because you have to weave in backstory and benchmarks to explain why the MC is not in SOP and what exactly MC thinks SOP is (at the beginning of the story). We know MC’s SOP may change as they grow through the story, but we need a start point to…well…start from.

[image error]



Worldbuilding:

Whether you’re writing spec-fic filled with nanotech, tentacle monsters, and swords and sorcery, or writing about a knitting circle in Blandsville, Nebraska (sorry, Nebraska, I still love you), you’ll need to establish where your MC is and what they’re doing.

Do NOT dump info. This is the part where you splash your reader with the world, not drown them in it. It’s more important that the reader connect with the characters and care about them than the reader understand how the hyper-drive 7000 works or the exact ritual elements needed to summon Yog Gogiryazhiji.

Instead, focus on the details the characters would care about. Unfold the world through their experience of it and trust that you’ll be able to work in all the cool tech, alien races, ancient elven feuds, and the finer points of the Double Moss Knit Stitch Pattern later.

Spreadsheety Goodness:

I have a spreadsheet and I’m not afraid to use it. Your tools may vary: 3×5 cards, notebooks, whiteboards, various software, a trusted friend or random pelagic bird who happens to be a great listener. Whatever you need to help you organize your thoughts, use it.

[image error]Image by Mario Liebherr from Pixabay

If you’d like to use my spreadsheet layout, here’s an example of Act I, Scenes 1-9. I tend to ramble when I write, so I have broken down my word count targets based on an 80,000 word novel. That gives me 25% Act 1, 50% Act 2, and 25% Act 3. These are my rough goals to help me stay on track and should not be taken as carved in stone limits.

[image error]



Additional Resources:



[image error]

“The Writer’s Journey” by Christopher Vogler

Mythcreants has a beautiful post about the Heroine’s Journey that is well worth your time!

Fiction Fluency or really any class you can get from Eric Witchey, who is an absolute wizard when it comes to writing emotions.

Tales of an apocalypse – Part X “The Whit”

by John White

Today was the first day the lights didn’t come on at all. Skylar moved the stacked cordwood from the side of the house and stacked it in the garage. The desperate were stealing whatever they could to heat their own homes.

Angie, Alvaro, and Heather came in the front door, bundled in wool coats, scarves, and beanies.[image error]

“A fight broke out at the Red Apple, a bad one. We had to get out. Store’s closed,” Heather said matter-of-factly.

Two heavily armed Humvees and a police cruiser went by the house. Skylar was relieved there was no wind. Fog hung heavily like old worries. At least the lack of a breeze would mean no tear gas blowing their direction, hopefully.

“I checked for coffee. There is none. There isn’t even any tea anymore.” Alvaro looked forlorn. “We managed some potatoes and a crappy can of green beans. The coffee, man…”

Dinner was sparse: fried potatoes and eggs from the chickens. The green beans were forced down with water. They ate in silence by candlelight. After the plates were cleared, washed, and put away, the four sat at the table, each lost in their own thoughts until reality came crashing back.

First the yelling from about a block and a half away, voices amplified in anger, then, the unmistakable sound of tear gas canisters launching and the metallic ping of metal hitting pavement. They had become all too accustomed to the sounds. People would yell, batons would strike bodies, and people would be arrested, but calm would prevail.

[image error]

A loud percussive thud shook the house and rattled windows, then loud screams of terror. The crisp sound of shots fired filled the air. More screams. They all flinched at the shrill sound of two, short bursts from automatic rifles. The high-pitched sound of a screaming ricochet and thwack of the round hitting the wood siding of the house sent the group scattering for cover under the kitchen table.

This was new. This was different. They swore out loud. The sound of feet running by froze them solid. Were they coming into the house? Was the door about to be kicked in? The feet went on past.

They stayed under the table. More trucks rolled by outside. The sound of automatic gunfire died down to single reports. Stern voices shouted commands. Red and blue lights went by briefly filling the room.

Loudspeakers blared, “Stay in your homes for your own protection. Anyone caught out of doors will be subject to detainment. Stay indoors for your own safety.” The commands receded as trucks moved on.

Curfew would be early today, it seemed.

As the grey light of day turned blue, they emerged from under the table.

“Let’s leave lamps unlit for now. We can see fine with the fire and one candle,” Skylar suggested and the others agreed. No one bothered to voice the reasons why. It was easier to pretend they liked the romantic atmosphere.

Angie said, “What about the coffee? We’re down to about a cup each. What do you guys say? Should we?” She forced a smile despite her resignation. “I mean, screw it. We’re going to be up all night, anyway.”

Alvaro swore in Spanish. To the others, it sounded like an incantation, a revolt against the chaos and misery. “Fuckin’ ay. I’ll put on the water,” he added.

Alvaro filled the large kettle with drinking water they had saved and placed in on the top of the wood stove to boil. Darkness took the Whittaker Neighborhood and a helicopter flew low, its searchlight probing, ever-looking.

[image error]Skylar retrieved four clean coffee mugs and Heather ground the last of the beans in her grandmother’s ancient wood coffee mill, her hand cranking out the lovely aroma of the finest Arabica. The French press was always the method of choice for brewing. Soon coffee mugs were full.

Angie picked up the emergency radio and cranked the handle to charge the battery. Before Angie flipped on the radio, the four sat on the floor on their favorite rug in front of the wood stove. No sugar or milk; those were long gone. Words did not pass between them. Each savored their last cup. They did not know how long it would be before they would have another. Knowing glances passed between them. Angie, no longer able to stand the silence, flipped on the radio.

They caught the DJ mid-sentence. The same lively woman’s voice greeted them that they’d heard for weeks. The broadcasts were always amateur and disorganized, but it was all they had.

“ . . . travel on major highways is now prohibited without proper documentation. Any crossing between counties and even cities is restricted or non-existent. So that’s how democracy ends, fellow Oregonians. Keep your heads down. We will transmit as long as we can. Or you could always listen to your local, sanctioned news sources and what will you hear? The same bullshit as any other day. What is it today? Chinese subs and destroyers off the coast? Another evil invasion foreigners defiling our sacred American soil? Hmm, I wonder what the folks at Pine Ridge would say. Blah, blah, blah. Those of you who no longer have electricity, be thankful, but then again, you would not be hearing my lovely voice, either. So the news for tonight: there was a bombing in the Whiteaker neighborhood in Eugene. No idea of casualties nor details. All we know is no new news is coming out of that area. So for now, we-”

The transmission cracked whined and stopped. As always, the signal had been jammed. They would broadcast again in a day or two once they found a safe location from which to broadcast and different frequency. If the broadcast took more than a few days to return, they were most likely dead and the air would be silent until the next upstart, pirate station.

[image error]

They sipped their coffee, again in silence. Next door, they could hear a large vehicle pull up. Pounding on doors – the police. Yelling and screaming broke the air, first in protest and then in pain, then screams. Glass breaking. People were rushed to open car doors that slammed shut. The screaming was cut off and wheels screeched away.

Tonight was the last of the coffee.

Author Bio: John grew up in Southern California and has lived in the Pacific Northwest his entire adult life. He loves the written word, either trying to forge his own or reading someone else’s. Social Services Specialist by day and dances with the Muse by night. 

Want to know more about the Whit? Check out Eugene’s eccentric neighborhood while it still has power, coffee, and craft beer!

The Pleasure and Pain of Editing

You’ve just finished a full draft. OMG! You are amazing! The last thing you want to do is acknowledge that you’ve only begun the true work of putting a story out into the world

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“Interactive Brokers War Room” By Ɱ

Editing can be daunting for a number of reasons, not least of which is the time investment, but I find that’s not the main thing writers shy away from. For most writers, it’s a lack of understanding of how to edit. Where to start? Spellcheck? A complicated wall maze of string, post-its, and 3×5 card madness?

Here’s a process guide to get you started:

Re-read the whole thing and make notes, but no changes yet
Cut scenes that blot the story

Save the good lines
Work the needed info or character moments into other scenes


Write scenes you need to add
Repeat steps 1-3 until your story is where you want it to be
Read each scene, keeping in mind what that scene should be doing

Is it doing that?

Yes. Cool. Go to Step 6
No. Why not? Fix it and go to Step 6




Edit your scenes. Make them work harder!

Is this a fight scene? Great, but…

Could it also be a romantic scene where the characters’ true feelings are laid bare?
Could it also introduce a new threat or foreshadow a tragic end?




Ignoring all content issues, do a proofread. Look for:

Typos
Grammar
Spelling
Usage
Overly used words
Consistency of spelling of made up names/words
Spacing issues (after a period one space or two?)
Punctuation
Fancy fonts – don’t. Unless you are self-publishing and even then, check industry conventions and try to hue to their guidelines. Your readers will thank you. Don’t make the visual presentation of your story the most interesting thing about it. If you want to do fancy fonts, write a graphic novel.

Let it go. You’ve done all you can.

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from Disney’s “Frozen”

Have someone else edit it, such as a trusted fellow writer, or pay a pro to edit it. You will frustrate yourself re-editing the same story over and over.

What did I miss? What’s your process?

Words Matter: Quest for Equality in a World of “Girls”

Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of editing of my and others’ work. As writers, we know that words are powerful. They are also delicate and easy to misuse.

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During my time as a student of Linguistics, I ran across the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis, or Whorfianism, which holds that language either determines or at least influences thought and that linguistic categories limit and determine cognitive categories. What this means is that our language structures how we think, the ways we classify things, our worldview. For example, if your language is divided into “genders”, it is really hard for you not to see the world as also being divided. Similarly, languages that don’t separate the future from the present tense influence how people save for retirement.

But enough science. What’s this got to do with writing?

When gender inequality exists in our internal language it can influence our worldview and our writing. For example, I’ve noticed that many writers frequently use the word “girl” to refer to adult female characters, while they rarely use the word “boy” to refer to adult male characters. Similarly, a group of people of mixed gender is often referred to as “guys” or “men”. My own novel Survivors’ Club has several instances of this that I shamefully missed in my final editorial pass. As a born Minnesotan, “you guys” is the way to pluralize “you” and it’s a tough habit to break, especially when talking about military or paramilitary groups.

So, what? Why get so wrapped up about this?

Because language matters![image error]

When we use diminishing terms for a character, treat an adult like a child, or make an entire gender invisible in a crowd, we are telling the world implicitly what we think of that character or group of people. Girls need to be protected and cared for because girls are children. Women are adults who are capable of making independent choices and dealing with the consequences.

How can you help make the world of words a better place?
What not to do:

Do not use the term “girl” unless the character is A) female and B) under 18.

Instead:

Think about your characters. Would you call a male character of this age “boy”? If you answer no, well, “young woman” works fine or simply “woman”. Don’t let the laziness of typing an extra few letters hold you back from writing about your characters with the accuracy and respect they deserve.

The exception to this rule is character dialog. Some characters, especially those of a certain age or background, will call any female, regardless of age “girl” and if that’s what the character would say, have them say it. But you, dear writer, are not that antiquated character. You can do better.

What not to do:

Do not use “guys” or “men” to mean a mixed gendered group. For example, “The soldiers marched across the parade field. General Bushy Beard was pleased to see the men in their dress uniforms.” Or “Detective Eva Maxwell enjoyed the banter of the guys in the bullpen as they waited for Captian Dwayne to brief them.”

Instead:

“Guards” “soldiers” “cops” “troops” and on and on. There are plenty of non-gendered ways to describe almost any group of people.

What are your writing pet peeves? 

Additional resources:

The movie “Arrival”
TED Talk by Lera Boroditsky “How language shapes the way we think”

Exploration and You: Advice for Pantsters

If you’re a panster writer dealing with writer’s block, try exploring your characters’ motives and agendas

A Crack in the Pavement

While I’m on injured reserve Molly Martin has agreed to step up to the plate. My goal is to see you on Friday. Fingers Crossed.

Until then…..Molly, take it away!!!

Congratulations! You are in your favorite writing spot, a fresh page ready, waiting, aching for your words to cast the magic spell that brings life to a whole new world.

In a breathless flurry of inspiration and caffeine, you write. And write. And write. Hours pass by in a bliss known to few but runners, writers, and junkies. Let’s be honest, there are few highs as good as a writer’s high.

But then…you crash. The words stop flowing. Your characters turn against you. They refuse to be interesting, spontaneous, or even interactive. The dialog stumbles along with banal banter.

“How’s the weather?”

“Oh, fine.”

“Great.”

“Well, so nice to see you.”

“You, too.”

You don’t want to write this. No…

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Thumbscrews: How and When to Ratchet up the Tension in Stories

Thrilled to have a chance to share some insights on writing and interrogation – keep reading. It’ll all make sense.

A Crack in the Pavement

A long time ago I was taught an excellent lesson: Surround yourself with smart people and listen.

My Wednesday guest blogger is such a person. We met a few years ago when I was a stumbling bumbling writer. In that time I have listened and I have learned.

I am really happy that she found the time to be a guest on my blog.

Molly, take it way…..

Thumbscrews: How and When to Ratchet up the Tension in Stories

by M. K. Martin

How many times have you gotten feedback along these lines: “I liked it, but it needed more tension.”?

Yeah, we all have.

So what do you do? Add some gunfights, maybe a car-chase or a natural disaster. When in doubt, call in the ninjas…

….ah, not that one. She’s busy writing.

But here’s the thing – you don’t always need tension in every scene. At least, not…

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