Ian Dawson's Blog, page 18
August 30, 2022
Writing Tip of the Week: Let’s Talk About Theme (The Basics)
What’s the theme of your story? Does your story have more than one theme? What exactly is a theme, anyway? From theme weeks to theme parks to theme songs, the word is all around us, and yet what does it mean when it comes to a story?
Theme Defined
Regarding creative writing, a “theme is the main idea or underlying meaning a writer explores in a novel, short story, or other literary work” (MasterClass article). The theme is interwoven throughout the story. It is presented in various subtle and subtextual ways that give the story deeper resonance.
Theme or Topic?
Themes exist more implicitly, while a topic is more explicit. For example, suppose you are writing a story about poverty in America. In that case, the topic of the story is poverty. At the same time, you may present subtler themes of greed, oppression, or class throughout the narrative.
Warring Themes
One of the classic themes is good versus evil, and it’s been used for millennia in morality tales, comedies, tragedies, literature, TV, and film. Pitting two themes against each other also allows you to showcase elements of character in your protagonist and antagonist in a way that shows their motivations and opposition toward the other thematic element.
Emerging Themes
As a writer, you know what story you wish to tell, but maybe you are unsure exactly what themes are being presented in your work from the start. Fear not. As you write and develop the story and characters, various themes will pop out to you. Sometimes they will emerge in your writing subconsciously. Once you have discovered them, you can fine-tune and polish those themes to heighten their importance.
Sledgehammer Subtle
Don’t beat the reader over the head with your themes. Weave them in throughout the work and allow the reader to discover and interpret the meaning they want. If you try too hard, your story may become preachy and read more like a morality tale. Again, take the time – whether you have planned out your themes in the early stages or not –to work them in without directly shining a spotlight onto them.
Final Thoughts
This is a basic overview of a theme as it relates to fiction. If you want to explore further, I highly recommend the article where I found the initial definition. Click the link for more:
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/...
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Theme Defined
Regarding creative writing, a “theme is the main idea or underlying meaning a writer explores in a novel, short story, or other literary work” (MasterClass article). The theme is interwoven throughout the story. It is presented in various subtle and subtextual ways that give the story deeper resonance.
Theme or Topic?
Themes exist more implicitly, while a topic is more explicit. For example, suppose you are writing a story about poverty in America. In that case, the topic of the story is poverty. At the same time, you may present subtler themes of greed, oppression, or class throughout the narrative.
Warring Themes
One of the classic themes is good versus evil, and it’s been used for millennia in morality tales, comedies, tragedies, literature, TV, and film. Pitting two themes against each other also allows you to showcase elements of character in your protagonist and antagonist in a way that shows their motivations and opposition toward the other thematic element.
Emerging Themes
As a writer, you know what story you wish to tell, but maybe you are unsure exactly what themes are being presented in your work from the start. Fear not. As you write and develop the story and characters, various themes will pop out to you. Sometimes they will emerge in your writing subconsciously. Once you have discovered them, you can fine-tune and polish those themes to heighten their importance.
Sledgehammer Subtle
Don’t beat the reader over the head with your themes. Weave them in throughout the work and allow the reader to discover and interpret the meaning they want. If you try too hard, your story may become preachy and read more like a morality tale. Again, take the time – whether you have planned out your themes in the early stages or not –to work them in without directly shining a spotlight onto them.
Final Thoughts
This is a basic overview of a theme as it relates to fiction. If you want to explore further, I highly recommend the article where I found the initial definition. Click the link for more:
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/...
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
August 28, 2022
Writing Exercise: Using the Story Formula
Last time, we looked at the template needed to create a basic story formula:
HERO + GOAL + OPPOSITION = CONFLICT = STORY
For this exercise, use this template and brainstorm five to ten original ideas that utilize this framework.
• What types of HEROES can you create that are unique and interesting?
• What variety of GOALS can you come up with that would motivate a hero to actively pursue them?
• What types of OPPOSITION would throw the hero off-balance and cause them to lose sight of their goal?
• Do any of your ideas stand out as potential concepts for a larger story?
Maybe they all work, perhaps only a couple, but this is a great way to flesh out in its most basic form how a story and its conflict might work on a larger scale.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
HERO + GOAL + OPPOSITION = CONFLICT = STORY
For this exercise, use this template and brainstorm five to ten original ideas that utilize this framework.
• What types of HEROES can you create that are unique and interesting?
• What variety of GOALS can you come up with that would motivate a hero to actively pursue them?
• What types of OPPOSITION would throw the hero off-balance and cause them to lose sight of their goal?
• Do any of your ideas stand out as potential concepts for a larger story?
Maybe they all work, perhaps only a couple, but this is a great way to flesh out in its most basic form how a story and its conflict might work on a larger scale.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
August 26, 2022
Writing Tip of the Week: A Simple Story Formula
What are the essential elements that make up a story? How do we combine those elements in a simple formula that can be expanded upon? It all comes down to a simple story formula that is also that basic of a story’s logline:
HERO + GOAL + OPPOSITION = CONFLICT = STORY
These three factors are fundamental to keeping your main character active and motivated throughout the story.
Let’s talk about each one.
The Hero
This is your main character, your protagonist. We will follow the person from the story’s beginning to its end. They will go through the most CHANGE as the story progresses, following an arc that will change their perspective, change their outlook, and change them as a person by the time they get to the finish line.
We are rooting for this character to achieve what they need to accomplish, which is…
The Goal
What do they want? Why do they want it? What happens if they don’t get it?
The Hero’s goal takes them on a new journey that they weren’t expecting to be on, but it is one they have no choice but to take on and hopefully complete.
The goal should cause the Hero to be ACTIVE to achieve it. Do they need to start something? Stop something? Prevent something? Run for something? Save something or someone? Fix something? Destroy something? These are all active states and goals for the Hero to move toward and accomplish.
It doesn’t mean that obstacles won’t pop up and attempt to thwart their progress as they work toward their goal. They also have to deal with…
The Opposition
From a supervillain to a judgmental parent, the Opposition or antagonistic force exists to cause CONFLICT for the Hero throughout their journey. The Opposition exists to do all it can to prevent the Hero from achieving what they’ve set out to do.
Most of the time, thanks to our overabundance of superhero movies, we think of Thanos, The Joker, or The Riddler as examples of clear opposition for the Hero. But know that it doesn’t have to be a world-ending conflict that the Hero is dealing with. It can be anyone in the main character’s life that exists to give them problems or issues that affect their journey.
Adding It Up
As stated before:
HERO + GOAL + OPPOSITION = CONFLICT = STORY
Using these elements, think about how you can plug the factors in your story into these spaces. Do you have an active hero who is out to achieve a goal but is prevented from completing it due to opposition causing conflict for the hero?
If yes, you have the basic parameters to develop a good story. But this is only the beginning of your story’s evolution from a basic story idea to a larger project.
Final Thoughts
This week, take some time to break down your favorite movies or novels into this formula. You’ll find that all mainstream films and books follow this template.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
HERO + GOAL + OPPOSITION = CONFLICT = STORY
These three factors are fundamental to keeping your main character active and motivated throughout the story.
Let’s talk about each one.
The Hero
This is your main character, your protagonist. We will follow the person from the story’s beginning to its end. They will go through the most CHANGE as the story progresses, following an arc that will change their perspective, change their outlook, and change them as a person by the time they get to the finish line.
We are rooting for this character to achieve what they need to accomplish, which is…
The Goal
What do they want? Why do they want it? What happens if they don’t get it?
The Hero’s goal takes them on a new journey that they weren’t expecting to be on, but it is one they have no choice but to take on and hopefully complete.
The goal should cause the Hero to be ACTIVE to achieve it. Do they need to start something? Stop something? Prevent something? Run for something? Save something or someone? Fix something? Destroy something? These are all active states and goals for the Hero to move toward and accomplish.
It doesn’t mean that obstacles won’t pop up and attempt to thwart their progress as they work toward their goal. They also have to deal with…
The Opposition
From a supervillain to a judgmental parent, the Opposition or antagonistic force exists to cause CONFLICT for the Hero throughout their journey. The Opposition exists to do all it can to prevent the Hero from achieving what they’ve set out to do.
Most of the time, thanks to our overabundance of superhero movies, we think of Thanos, The Joker, or The Riddler as examples of clear opposition for the Hero. But know that it doesn’t have to be a world-ending conflict that the Hero is dealing with. It can be anyone in the main character’s life that exists to give them problems or issues that affect their journey.
Adding It Up
As stated before:
HERO + GOAL + OPPOSITION = CONFLICT = STORY
Using these elements, think about how you can plug the factors in your story into these spaces. Do you have an active hero who is out to achieve a goal but is prevented from completing it due to opposition causing conflict for the hero?
If yes, you have the basic parameters to develop a good story. But this is only the beginning of your story’s evolution from a basic story idea to a larger project.
Final Thoughts
This week, take some time to break down your favorite movies or novels into this formula. You’ll find that all mainstream films and books follow this template.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
August 24, 2022
Organizing Your Books
If you’re like me, you probably have a sizeable collection of books on a bookshelf or in your closet. Some you’ve read, some you plan to read, and some are brand new that will be read before the ones you already have on the shelf.
Often, we can forget what books we have, what we can donate, and what we can toss when it comes to our book collections. So, let’s talk about ways to clean and organize that book collection.
First Things First
It’s time to pull all your books off the shelf, out of the closet, and out of boxes and see what you have. More than likely, you have books you don’t remember buying; books about subjects you once had an interest in but don’t anymore; or books from school that you never plan to open again.
Go through the books and make three separate piles: Keep, Donate, and Toss.
What to Keep
New books, books you plan to read again, and books that still interest you should all be put in this pile. Then, once you’re ready, you can get creative and organize them in the suggested ways below:
• Organize your books alphabetically by AUTHOR
• Organize your books alphabetically by TITLE
• Organize your books by SIZE
• Organize your books by COLOR
• Organize your books by GENRE
You can also create a shelf of books you plan to read ASAP. That way, they are ready and accessible when looking for them.
Now you have a refreshed bookshelf that’s cleaned up and organized, and ready for you to tackle.
What to Donate
Anything you don’t plan to keep should be donated to your local library, Goodwill, The Salvation Army, or another place where they take book donations.
What to Toss
If you have outdated market guides, old textbooks, or magazines that you have no use for and aren’t worth donating, toss them. Also, any books with damaged covers or missing pages should be thrown away or recycled.
Keep what you throw away to a minimum. Plenty of people enjoy old textbooks and manuals, so those could be worth donating, too.
Happy Organizing and Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
Often, we can forget what books we have, what we can donate, and what we can toss when it comes to our book collections. So, let’s talk about ways to clean and organize that book collection.
First Things First
It’s time to pull all your books off the shelf, out of the closet, and out of boxes and see what you have. More than likely, you have books you don’t remember buying; books about subjects you once had an interest in but don’t anymore; or books from school that you never plan to open again.
Go through the books and make three separate piles: Keep, Donate, and Toss.
What to Keep
New books, books you plan to read again, and books that still interest you should all be put in this pile. Then, once you’re ready, you can get creative and organize them in the suggested ways below:
• Organize your books alphabetically by AUTHOR
• Organize your books alphabetically by TITLE
• Organize your books by SIZE
• Organize your books by COLOR
• Organize your books by GENRE
You can also create a shelf of books you plan to read ASAP. That way, they are ready and accessible when looking for them.
Now you have a refreshed bookshelf that’s cleaned up and organized, and ready for you to tackle.
What to Donate
Anything you don’t plan to keep should be donated to your local library, Goodwill, The Salvation Army, or another place where they take book donations.
What to Toss
If you have outdated market guides, old textbooks, or magazines that you have no use for and aren’t worth donating, toss them. Also, any books with damaged covers or missing pages should be thrown away or recycled.
Keep what you throw away to a minimum. Plenty of people enjoy old textbooks and manuals, so those could be worth donating, too.
Happy Organizing and Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
August 22, 2022
Writing Challenge: Creating a Character
People. We see them every day in some form. Whether it’s in person, on TV, in a movie, or in a photograph, each person is unique and has their own unique look, traits, and personality.
Either through observation out in the real world or via your TV, computer screen, a new story, etc., find a photo of a person (they can be anyone), and write a detailed description of them. If they are a celebrity or politician, give them a new name and profession.
• Describe what they look like.
• What do they do?
• What are they doing that day?
• Who are they with?
• How do they interact with others?
• What thoughts do they have?
• What do they think others think about them?
In this exercise, details matter, so take your time to create a three-dimensional look at this individual. Don’t be afraid to get silly, or dark, or outlandish, this is your opportunity to flex your creative muscles and create a whole new life for an existing person.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Either through observation out in the real world or via your TV, computer screen, a new story, etc., find a photo of a person (they can be anyone), and write a detailed description of them. If they are a celebrity or politician, give them a new name and profession.
• Describe what they look like.
• What do they do?
• What are they doing that day?
• Who are they with?
• How do they interact with others?
• What thoughts do they have?
• What do they think others think about them?
In this exercise, details matter, so take your time to create a three-dimensional look at this individual. Don’t be afraid to get silly, or dark, or outlandish, this is your opportunity to flex your creative muscles and create a whole new life for an existing person.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
August 20, 2022
Writing Tip of the Week: Keeping Your Reader Wanting More
Keeping the pages turning. That’s any author’s goal when it comes to enticing their reader to keep reading into the wee hours of the night. As writers, our job is to hook the reader in, then keep them glued to the page until the final sentence of the store has been read.
So, what are some ways to keep the reader engaged? Let’s talk about it!
Unanswered Questions
At the story’s start, you want to serve up some enticing tidbits and information that intrigues the reader. This leaves them curious about events, people, or things that initially have no clear-cut explanation.
This is a great tool used in mysteries or crime stories. We’re given possibilities and open-ended questions with multiple answers. Still, we’re never entirely given enough to piece the whole story together.
When constructing your story, consider setting up various aspects initially, but don’t start paying them off until it’s vital. You can even give readers hints along the way, but complete answers are usually left for the final act.
Cutting Them Off, The Classic Cliffhanger
The main character is chased by the villain, his army of goons, and their snarling, barking dogs hot on their tail. The hero trips on the tree root and flies into the brush, the wind knocked out of them. They can hear the villain and his men approaching.
NEXT CHAPTER about something else related to the story, but not what happens to the main character.
Another great way to keep the reader invested is to stop in the middle of the action and move over to something else for a chapter before returning to what was happening with the main character.
Now, the reader – who probably told themselves One more chapter, and I’m going to bed – is now bug-eyed and on the edge of their seat, wanting to know what happens next. So, they’ll plow through the next chapter to get to where the main character is awaiting their fate to get some relief before closing the book for the night.
TV shows and movies do this as well. Watch any drama series with high stakes. A commercial break will inevitably pop up right when something big is about to happen or is revealed, which leads us to...
New Information
Keeping the reader informed is important, but, as I stated before, you don’t want to deliver all the info at once. Doling out new information as the story unfolds keeps them interested and guessing about what’s really going on and how it all comes together in the end.
How the characters come across new information should be more active than passive. Have the working things out, processing old information, and coming up with new theories or ideas. This will also have the reader doing the same as the story moves along.
You can have the characters be given information, but they have to interpret and act on it themselves.
Each chapter should deliver new information to the characters and to the reader. A chapter should be cut if a chapter doesn’t provide information that drives the story forward.
What a Twist!
New information is a great way to present twists to the reader, but don’t go overboard with them. Too many twists in a story can be confusing. You risk losing the reader’s trust if you start throwing too many monkey wrenches into what’s already been established.
If you can, save a big plot twist for the story’s final act, but ensure you have given the reader enough information during the story, so the twist has plausibility.
We’ve all seen movies or TV shows where a twist happens, and it makes us upset because it makes zero sense and causes us to feel cheated by the storytellers. I’m all for story twists, but just make sure they are impactful and keep the reader in the story.
Final Thoughts
I LOVE books that keep me reading late into the night, even if I need to go to bed. By applying these tools to your story, you can keep the reader engaged in suspense and help keep them turning those pages chapter after chapter.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
So, what are some ways to keep the reader engaged? Let’s talk about it!
Unanswered Questions
At the story’s start, you want to serve up some enticing tidbits and information that intrigues the reader. This leaves them curious about events, people, or things that initially have no clear-cut explanation.
This is a great tool used in mysteries or crime stories. We’re given possibilities and open-ended questions with multiple answers. Still, we’re never entirely given enough to piece the whole story together.
When constructing your story, consider setting up various aspects initially, but don’t start paying them off until it’s vital. You can even give readers hints along the way, but complete answers are usually left for the final act.
Cutting Them Off, The Classic Cliffhanger
The main character is chased by the villain, his army of goons, and their snarling, barking dogs hot on their tail. The hero trips on the tree root and flies into the brush, the wind knocked out of them. They can hear the villain and his men approaching.
NEXT CHAPTER about something else related to the story, but not what happens to the main character.
Another great way to keep the reader invested is to stop in the middle of the action and move over to something else for a chapter before returning to what was happening with the main character.
Now, the reader – who probably told themselves One more chapter, and I’m going to bed – is now bug-eyed and on the edge of their seat, wanting to know what happens next. So, they’ll plow through the next chapter to get to where the main character is awaiting their fate to get some relief before closing the book for the night.
TV shows and movies do this as well. Watch any drama series with high stakes. A commercial break will inevitably pop up right when something big is about to happen or is revealed, which leads us to...
New Information
Keeping the reader informed is important, but, as I stated before, you don’t want to deliver all the info at once. Doling out new information as the story unfolds keeps them interested and guessing about what’s really going on and how it all comes together in the end.
How the characters come across new information should be more active than passive. Have the working things out, processing old information, and coming up with new theories or ideas. This will also have the reader doing the same as the story moves along.
You can have the characters be given information, but they have to interpret and act on it themselves.
Each chapter should deliver new information to the characters and to the reader. A chapter should be cut if a chapter doesn’t provide information that drives the story forward.
What a Twist!
New information is a great way to present twists to the reader, but don’t go overboard with them. Too many twists in a story can be confusing. You risk losing the reader’s trust if you start throwing too many monkey wrenches into what’s already been established.
If you can, save a big plot twist for the story’s final act, but ensure you have given the reader enough information during the story, so the twist has plausibility.
We’ve all seen movies or TV shows where a twist happens, and it makes us upset because it makes zero sense and causes us to feel cheated by the storytellers. I’m all for story twists, but just make sure they are impactful and keep the reader in the story.
Final Thoughts
I LOVE books that keep me reading late into the night, even if I need to go to bed. By applying these tools to your story, you can keep the reader engaged in suspense and help keep them turning those pages chapter after chapter.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
August 18, 2022
Reading Challenge: Trying Out a New Author or Genre
I’m a huge Stephen King fan and an avid reader of his novels. This past month when I was on vacation, I went to Barnes & Noble and found a new author in the horror genre: Ronald Malfi. I had never read any of his books before, so I took a gamble and bought one of his books.
I’ve found a new favorite author!
The next time you’re at the bookstore, on Amazon, or considering buying a book from an author you know, consider trying out a new author in the same genre. You can also experiment and try a new genre outside your comfort zone. If you love fantasy, try romance; if you love sci-fi, try historical fiction, etc.
Or, if you are a hardcore fiction reader, try a non-fiction book on a topic that interests you.
It’s easy to get locked into reading patterns – I know I do – but every once in a while, give yourself the challenge of trying out a new genre or author. You may not like it and run back to what’s familiar, but at least you know you tried.
Or you’ll be like me and find a new author to enjoy.
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
What authors or genres have you tried and found you enjoyed? Leave a comment and let me know!
I’ve found a new favorite author!
The next time you’re at the bookstore, on Amazon, or considering buying a book from an author you know, consider trying out a new author in the same genre. You can also experiment and try a new genre outside your comfort zone. If you love fantasy, try romance; if you love sci-fi, try historical fiction, etc.
Or, if you are a hardcore fiction reader, try a non-fiction book on a topic that interests you.
It’s easy to get locked into reading patterns – I know I do – but every once in a while, give yourself the challenge of trying out a new genre or author. You may not like it and run back to what’s familiar, but at least you know you tried.
Or you’ll be like me and find a new author to enjoy.
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
What authors or genres have you tried and found you enjoyed? Leave a comment and let me know!
August 16, 2022
Writing Challenge: A Sensory Exercise
The next time you’re out someplace waiting in line, getting food, ordering a coffee, or at the mall, take a few moments to fully take in your surroundings.
• What do you see?
• What do you hear?
• What do you feel?
• What do you smell?
• What do you taste?
Take out a notepad, or open the Notes App on your phone if that would make you feel less self-conscious. Write down everything you take in with your senses. Sights, sounds, colors, mannerisms, people quirks, etc. Almost as if you are looking at a moving painting.
Later, take your notes a write out the scene with as much detail as possible, using all the sensory elements as a guide. Paint the reader a vivid picture as if they are present at the location with you.
Do a few drafts, adding more detail and sensory elements with each pass.
Once you feel you’ve created a sensory-loaded piece, give it to a trusted friend or loved one to read. Did they experience all the sensory elements?
This is a great exercise to work on bringing the reader into a scene in more vivid and dynamic ways.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
• What do you see?
• What do you hear?
• What do you feel?
• What do you smell?
• What do you taste?
Take out a notepad, or open the Notes App on your phone if that would make you feel less self-conscious. Write down everything you take in with your senses. Sights, sounds, colors, mannerisms, people quirks, etc. Almost as if you are looking at a moving painting.
Later, take your notes a write out the scene with as much detail as possible, using all the sensory elements as a guide. Paint the reader a vivid picture as if they are present at the location with you.
Do a few drafts, adding more detail and sensory elements with each pass.
Once you feel you’ve created a sensory-loaded piece, give it to a trusted friend or loved one to read. Did they experience all the sensory elements?
This is a great exercise to work on bringing the reader into a scene in more vivid and dynamic ways.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
August 14, 2022
Banning Books in America: My Two Cents
There’s something somewhat antiquated about the concept of banning books. Societies of the past have participated in book bans and even book burnings in the town square. Before the recent news stories about banning books, America had an odd obsession with rap music, destroying CDs with steamrollers to the cheers of those who feared its edgy lyrics.
People fear what they don’t understand and don’t care to learn about. And ignorance spawns an odd mob mentality that can lead to collective fear, anger, and violence. In our most recent incarnation of book banning, LGBTQIA+ books in school libraries have been the target of many parents and politicians. This has led to threats on librarians to closed local libraries due to pulled funding.
Let’s dig into the idea of banning books in 2022 and whether all this madness and furor is worth it.
Is it Really About “Protecting the Children,” And What Exactly Are We “Protecting the Children” From?
We hear this from both sides of the political spectrum. It’s all about protecting the innocent child. Conservative and progressive politicians and parents use this fictional child entity as a political weapon. This fake child will be forever scarred, their life ruined if they see – or don’t see – something before the age of eighteen.
What I find interesting about this in the context of banning books is that we never hear from real children who are upset, offended, or bothered by the content of these “evil” books that have “invaded” their school libraries to “corrupt” their naïve and unknowing consciences.
While I do believe that there is content that children shouldn’t be able to access, we also have to accept that in 2022 where everyone has some device linked to the internet, most young people have viewed content – on accident or not - that is probably more graphic than anything they will see in a library book.
Let’s move on to another aspect of this book banning that many have not considered.
The Taboo Effect
When I was in high school, a college acting troupe came to our church and did a sketch about the evils of television. One of the bits was a re-enactment of a scene from Married…with Children. I had never seen the show, but the troupe’s portrayal of the Bundy family didn’t seem that offensive or make them look that bad.
That night at home, I found a rerun of the show on TV and have been a lifelong fan of the series ever since.
I don’t think that was the intended outcome this acting troupe was hoping for.
Kids – and I used to be one – always seek ways to rebel against their parents and society. They can be overt acts of rebellion or more covert acts. When someone in authority tells a young person not to do something and becomes hyperbolic in their reasoning as to why it’s bad, a kid is more likely to want to find out about it for themselves.
When I hear about a book being banned, I immediately want to know why, and it also makes me want to read it to see just how “bad,” “evil,” and “morally corrupt” it is. And if I’m doing that in my 40s, curious kids and teens will do the same thing.
When a society demonizes something – rock music, rap music, video games – it tends to make that thing more popular and more intriguing due to its taboo nature.
Another aspect of this is that these parents and politicians who bring up these books and want them exorcized from libraries are creating free publicity and generating interest for them as well. There were thousands of books in the school libraries at my elementary, middle, and high school, and most I never looked at or read. Were there books about topics that some may have found objectionable? More than likely. But if attention isn’t drawn to them, no one knows about them, and they remain on the shelf.
By broadcasting your disdain and disgust for a book on a national stage, you just made that book more popular.
Book Banning in the Amazon Era
Back in the 1950s and 1960s, if you wanted to ban a book from your local library – like The Catcher in the Rye – you would probably have successfully kept it out of the hands of the “vulnerable” youth in your town.
However, in 2022, a book ban at a school is pretty meaningless when anyone can order any book they wish via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or any number of used booksellers online. Senator Ted Cruz (R – Texas) did a big presentation in Congress about a children’s book called The Anti-Racist Baby. If he were rallying against this book in 1950, we probably would never have seen the book again in most sections of the country.
But his is 2022, and his presentation about the book led to a surge in sales on Amazon, making it the #1 children’s book that week.
https://youtu.be/rW09nlTtkP8
Oops.
Senator Cruz’s action leads me to another point…
Never Trust a Politician
Whether on the right or left, Democrat or Republican, conservative or progressive, politicians only want your money and your vote. When you see any political entity either rallying for or against books being banned, ask yourself: What’s in it for them?
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is banning LGBTQIA+ books and even some textbooks from schools across his state. Read more here:
https://www.theledger.com/story/news/...
In California, Governor Gavin Newsom sent an Instagram post of himself reading a stack of banned books at a table. Oddly, one of the books Newsom had in his pile – To Kill a Mockingbird – was banned from a school district in his own state.
https://www.newsweek.com/kill-mocking...
In our era of aggressive political divisiveness and hyperbolic rhetoric, these two governors, Ted Cruz, and others of their ilk show that making book banning a political issue is silly, pointless, and another attempt to fundraise off of scared parents who are either afraid of books being banned or want more books banned ASAP.
The American Library Association publishes a list of The Most Challenged Books annually. I highly recommend checking out the list and reading a few of them to see why politicians and others are so appalled and oppose these works.
Here’s the link:
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/f...
So, the next time you see any politician talking about banning books for any reason, ask yourself their motivation. More than likely, it has nothing to do with saving the children or protecting society from bad words on a page. It’s probably all about them.
The Offended Offensive
It’s fashionable in 2022 to be offended or upset by something, and books that have content contrary to one’s personal beliefs are a great way to get riled up and cause problems for school boards and libraries.
My take is that you have the right to control what your child reads, but not what my child reads and has access to in the library. That’s not your call. By creating a blanket of being offended on behalf of everyone, you do more harm than good, causing a national uproar when you are the only one with the problem.
In 2022, with a 24/7 news cycle and social media, one person can act like they are one of the angry millions when that is probably not the case.
When you see a story about a parent or politician upset over a book in their child’s library, take a step back and find out why they are upset and demanding the ban. What perspective are they coming from? Is there an agenda behind their demands? Are they upset about the content or how it’s presented? Would you even know about this book if this person wasn’t on CNN?
By taking the time to find out the why you’ll see that there may be religious or political reasons why this person is offended or upset. They have the right to be upset and offended, but that shouldn’t give them the power to ban a book.
Salman Rushdie
Author Salman Rushdie was attacked and stabbed during a talk this past week. He made headlines and created controversy in 1989 when he published The Satanic Verses, and a fatwa was placed on his head by the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini of Iran. According to The New York Times, the Ayatollah ordered “Muslims to kill Mr. Rushdie and [put] a price on his head of several million dollars. Mr. Rushdie, who lived in London at the time, immediately went into hiding with 24-hour protection from the British police, moving every three days from place to place until a fortified safehouse was prepared for him. He lived there for most of the next 10 years.”
Three decades later, there are still people angry about Rushdie’s work. And now, Rushdie is in critical condition from injuries caused by an angry man with a knife.
Is this where we’re headed? Actual violence against authors who write content someone objects to or finds offensive? We have to do better than this.
Being offended is one thing, but violence, attempted murder, or taking someone’s life because you object to their writing cannot be tolerated in our society in 2022.
More on the Rushdie story here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/13/ny...
More about the fatwa here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/12/ny...
Learn more about The Satanic Verses here:
https://www.salmanrushdie.com/the-sat...
Keeping the Literature Alive
If you read a lot like I do or follow authors or book channels, you’ve probably come across this slogan on mugs or shirts: READ BANNED BOOKS.
I am 100% for doing this. If someone is trying to ban a book, go out and buy it. Don’t let the mob on social media or a news story tell you what your opinion should be; read the book and make up your own mind.
Don’t fall prey to groupthink.
So, the next time you hear about a book being banned, do your research, learn about it, buy it, and fight against the powers that wish to silence authors.
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
People fear what they don’t understand and don’t care to learn about. And ignorance spawns an odd mob mentality that can lead to collective fear, anger, and violence. In our most recent incarnation of book banning, LGBTQIA+ books in school libraries have been the target of many parents and politicians. This has led to threats on librarians to closed local libraries due to pulled funding.
Let’s dig into the idea of banning books in 2022 and whether all this madness and furor is worth it.
Is it Really About “Protecting the Children,” And What Exactly Are We “Protecting the Children” From?
We hear this from both sides of the political spectrum. It’s all about protecting the innocent child. Conservative and progressive politicians and parents use this fictional child entity as a political weapon. This fake child will be forever scarred, their life ruined if they see – or don’t see – something before the age of eighteen.
What I find interesting about this in the context of banning books is that we never hear from real children who are upset, offended, or bothered by the content of these “evil” books that have “invaded” their school libraries to “corrupt” their naïve and unknowing consciences.
While I do believe that there is content that children shouldn’t be able to access, we also have to accept that in 2022 where everyone has some device linked to the internet, most young people have viewed content – on accident or not - that is probably more graphic than anything they will see in a library book.
Let’s move on to another aspect of this book banning that many have not considered.
The Taboo Effect
When I was in high school, a college acting troupe came to our church and did a sketch about the evils of television. One of the bits was a re-enactment of a scene from Married…with Children. I had never seen the show, but the troupe’s portrayal of the Bundy family didn’t seem that offensive or make them look that bad.
That night at home, I found a rerun of the show on TV and have been a lifelong fan of the series ever since.
I don’t think that was the intended outcome this acting troupe was hoping for.
Kids – and I used to be one – always seek ways to rebel against their parents and society. They can be overt acts of rebellion or more covert acts. When someone in authority tells a young person not to do something and becomes hyperbolic in their reasoning as to why it’s bad, a kid is more likely to want to find out about it for themselves.
When I hear about a book being banned, I immediately want to know why, and it also makes me want to read it to see just how “bad,” “evil,” and “morally corrupt” it is. And if I’m doing that in my 40s, curious kids and teens will do the same thing.
When a society demonizes something – rock music, rap music, video games – it tends to make that thing more popular and more intriguing due to its taboo nature.
Another aspect of this is that these parents and politicians who bring up these books and want them exorcized from libraries are creating free publicity and generating interest for them as well. There were thousands of books in the school libraries at my elementary, middle, and high school, and most I never looked at or read. Were there books about topics that some may have found objectionable? More than likely. But if attention isn’t drawn to them, no one knows about them, and they remain on the shelf.
By broadcasting your disdain and disgust for a book on a national stage, you just made that book more popular.
Book Banning in the Amazon Era
Back in the 1950s and 1960s, if you wanted to ban a book from your local library – like The Catcher in the Rye – you would probably have successfully kept it out of the hands of the “vulnerable” youth in your town.
However, in 2022, a book ban at a school is pretty meaningless when anyone can order any book they wish via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or any number of used booksellers online. Senator Ted Cruz (R – Texas) did a big presentation in Congress about a children’s book called The Anti-Racist Baby. If he were rallying against this book in 1950, we probably would never have seen the book again in most sections of the country.
But his is 2022, and his presentation about the book led to a surge in sales on Amazon, making it the #1 children’s book that week.
https://youtu.be/rW09nlTtkP8
Oops.
Senator Cruz’s action leads me to another point…
Never Trust a Politician
Whether on the right or left, Democrat or Republican, conservative or progressive, politicians only want your money and your vote. When you see any political entity either rallying for or against books being banned, ask yourself: What’s in it for them?
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is banning LGBTQIA+ books and even some textbooks from schools across his state. Read more here:
https://www.theledger.com/story/news/...
In California, Governor Gavin Newsom sent an Instagram post of himself reading a stack of banned books at a table. Oddly, one of the books Newsom had in his pile – To Kill a Mockingbird – was banned from a school district in his own state.
https://www.newsweek.com/kill-mocking...
In our era of aggressive political divisiveness and hyperbolic rhetoric, these two governors, Ted Cruz, and others of their ilk show that making book banning a political issue is silly, pointless, and another attempt to fundraise off of scared parents who are either afraid of books being banned or want more books banned ASAP.
The American Library Association publishes a list of The Most Challenged Books annually. I highly recommend checking out the list and reading a few of them to see why politicians and others are so appalled and oppose these works.
Here’s the link:
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/f...
So, the next time you see any politician talking about banning books for any reason, ask yourself their motivation. More than likely, it has nothing to do with saving the children or protecting society from bad words on a page. It’s probably all about them.
The Offended Offensive
It’s fashionable in 2022 to be offended or upset by something, and books that have content contrary to one’s personal beliefs are a great way to get riled up and cause problems for school boards and libraries.
My take is that you have the right to control what your child reads, but not what my child reads and has access to in the library. That’s not your call. By creating a blanket of being offended on behalf of everyone, you do more harm than good, causing a national uproar when you are the only one with the problem.
In 2022, with a 24/7 news cycle and social media, one person can act like they are one of the angry millions when that is probably not the case.
When you see a story about a parent or politician upset over a book in their child’s library, take a step back and find out why they are upset and demanding the ban. What perspective are they coming from? Is there an agenda behind their demands? Are they upset about the content or how it’s presented? Would you even know about this book if this person wasn’t on CNN?
By taking the time to find out the why you’ll see that there may be religious or political reasons why this person is offended or upset. They have the right to be upset and offended, but that shouldn’t give them the power to ban a book.
Salman Rushdie
Author Salman Rushdie was attacked and stabbed during a talk this past week. He made headlines and created controversy in 1989 when he published The Satanic Verses, and a fatwa was placed on his head by the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini of Iran. According to The New York Times, the Ayatollah ordered “Muslims to kill Mr. Rushdie and [put] a price on his head of several million dollars. Mr. Rushdie, who lived in London at the time, immediately went into hiding with 24-hour protection from the British police, moving every three days from place to place until a fortified safehouse was prepared for him. He lived there for most of the next 10 years.”
Three decades later, there are still people angry about Rushdie’s work. And now, Rushdie is in critical condition from injuries caused by an angry man with a knife.
Is this where we’re headed? Actual violence against authors who write content someone objects to or finds offensive? We have to do better than this.
Being offended is one thing, but violence, attempted murder, or taking someone’s life because you object to their writing cannot be tolerated in our society in 2022.
More on the Rushdie story here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/13/ny...
More about the fatwa here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/12/ny...
Learn more about The Satanic Verses here:
https://www.salmanrushdie.com/the-sat...
Keeping the Literature Alive
If you read a lot like I do or follow authors or book channels, you’ve probably come across this slogan on mugs or shirts: READ BANNED BOOKS.
I am 100% for doing this. If someone is trying to ban a book, go out and buy it. Don’t let the mob on social media or a news story tell you what your opinion should be; read the book and make up your own mind.
Don’t fall prey to groupthink.
So, the next time you hear about a book being banned, do your research, learn about it, buy it, and fight against the powers that wish to silence authors.
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
August 12, 2022
Writing Tip of the Week: Story Pacing
Have you ever watched or movie or read a book where at some point, you think: Is this EVER going to end??? Or a movie ends and you think: Wait, that’s it? Play it again!
Pacing in a story matters; it keeps you engaged as a writer and can help keep your reader engaged as well. How you pace your story is related to the type of story you want to tell and how you want to tell it.
So, let’s talk about it!
Taking Your Time
If you are world-building, writing historical fiction, or creating a nuanced view of your story’s setting, you will want to take your time to set things in motion. Your task is to draw the reader in, give them insight into the world the characters and the story inhabits, and deliver detailed descriptions that help them fully understand where the story and setting take place.
World-building gives you lots of ways to describe and present expository information, but it should be delivered in a way that keeps the reader engaged and interested. Much like historical fiction, you want to ground us in the world without getting too bogged down in minute details that don’t have any real bearing on the story being told.
Some novels that take their time and do it well are the Game of Thrones series, The Lord of the Rings series, and many of Stephen King’s works like It and The Stand. These works provide detailed descriptions of their worlds and still keep the reader focused and curious about where the story is headed.
Getting Right to It
Jumping right into the action is another pacing method. You start in the middle of an action sequence or some other adrenaline-pumping event that still gives us information about the setting and characters. Still, we get this information in bursts and not long paragraphs.
If you’re writing a thriller, an action-adventure, or an exciting sci-fi epic, grabbing the reader with a flashy opening sequence will help hook them fast and keep them turning the page. Just make sure that you still take the time to deliver substantive information that relates to the rest of the story.
A high-octane story with a ticking clock and high stakes would definitely benefit from a fast-paced style. You can always give the audience time to catch their breath, which leads us to the next section.
Charging Ahead, Then Pulling Back
This is the most commonly used in mainstream films and novels, and it’s a healthy combination of the two. You hook the reader with a fast-paced open, then pull back and give us some detailed exposition and plot information, character backstory, and description, then ramp things up again.
There’s an ebb and flow to the storytelling, allowing the reader moments to take a quick breather before things speed up again.
What’s Best for Your Story?
If you are working in a particular genre, I recommend reading books in that genre to see what the pacing is like. Do they hold your interest? Were there any points while reading that your mind wandered, or were you locked in and focused on the story the whole time?
If a novel has lengthy descriptions that interest you, how does the author structure those paragraphs to keep you engaged?
If the novel has a faster pace, how does the writer deliver needed information with fewer words while still connecting with the reader?
During the drafting phase, experiment with pacing. Choose a scene or sequence from your story and write it using different pacing styles. Does one fit what you want to do better than the other?
Editing and Pacing
While editing for continuity, spelling, and grammar are essential, reading for pacing is also important. If there are sections of you story where you lose interest, you have the power to fix those areas to avoid the same situation with a reader.
I recommend a Pacing Edit. After you’ve gone through and fixed basic issues, removed sections, added new material, and are happy with what you have, take the time to read through the manuscript and mark – don’t do any rewriting at this point – any areas where you lose interest or aren’t engaged with the story.
Once you have those areas marked, go back through and figure out why. Are the sentences too long? Is the paragraph lacking information needed to move the story forward? Do you need that section? If you cut it, would it impact the story?
Once you have resolved these issues, read through again and see if the pacing has improved and keeps you focused.
Final Thoughts
You know your story best and what pacing will help convey your story, characters, settings, and dialogue most effectively. Doing some reading research and experimenting with pacing can help maximize reader interest and engagement in your own writing.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Pacing in a story matters; it keeps you engaged as a writer and can help keep your reader engaged as well. How you pace your story is related to the type of story you want to tell and how you want to tell it.
So, let’s talk about it!
Taking Your Time
If you are world-building, writing historical fiction, or creating a nuanced view of your story’s setting, you will want to take your time to set things in motion. Your task is to draw the reader in, give them insight into the world the characters and the story inhabits, and deliver detailed descriptions that help them fully understand where the story and setting take place.
World-building gives you lots of ways to describe and present expository information, but it should be delivered in a way that keeps the reader engaged and interested. Much like historical fiction, you want to ground us in the world without getting too bogged down in minute details that don’t have any real bearing on the story being told.
Some novels that take their time and do it well are the Game of Thrones series, The Lord of the Rings series, and many of Stephen King’s works like It and The Stand. These works provide detailed descriptions of their worlds and still keep the reader focused and curious about where the story is headed.
Getting Right to It
Jumping right into the action is another pacing method. You start in the middle of an action sequence or some other adrenaline-pumping event that still gives us information about the setting and characters. Still, we get this information in bursts and not long paragraphs.
If you’re writing a thriller, an action-adventure, or an exciting sci-fi epic, grabbing the reader with a flashy opening sequence will help hook them fast and keep them turning the page. Just make sure that you still take the time to deliver substantive information that relates to the rest of the story.
A high-octane story with a ticking clock and high stakes would definitely benefit from a fast-paced style. You can always give the audience time to catch their breath, which leads us to the next section.
Charging Ahead, Then Pulling Back
This is the most commonly used in mainstream films and novels, and it’s a healthy combination of the two. You hook the reader with a fast-paced open, then pull back and give us some detailed exposition and plot information, character backstory, and description, then ramp things up again.
There’s an ebb and flow to the storytelling, allowing the reader moments to take a quick breather before things speed up again.
What’s Best for Your Story?
If you are working in a particular genre, I recommend reading books in that genre to see what the pacing is like. Do they hold your interest? Were there any points while reading that your mind wandered, or were you locked in and focused on the story the whole time?
If a novel has lengthy descriptions that interest you, how does the author structure those paragraphs to keep you engaged?
If the novel has a faster pace, how does the writer deliver needed information with fewer words while still connecting with the reader?
During the drafting phase, experiment with pacing. Choose a scene or sequence from your story and write it using different pacing styles. Does one fit what you want to do better than the other?
Editing and Pacing
While editing for continuity, spelling, and grammar are essential, reading for pacing is also important. If there are sections of you story where you lose interest, you have the power to fix those areas to avoid the same situation with a reader.
I recommend a Pacing Edit. After you’ve gone through and fixed basic issues, removed sections, added new material, and are happy with what you have, take the time to read through the manuscript and mark – don’t do any rewriting at this point – any areas where you lose interest or aren’t engaged with the story.
Once you have those areas marked, go back through and figure out why. Are the sentences too long? Is the paragraph lacking information needed to move the story forward? Do you need that section? If you cut it, would it impact the story?
Once you have resolved these issues, read through again and see if the pacing has improved and keeps you focused.
Final Thoughts
You know your story best and what pacing will help convey your story, characters, settings, and dialogue most effectively. Doing some reading research and experimenting with pacing can help maximize reader interest and engagement in your own writing.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
