C. Lee McKenzie's Blog, page 91

ROW80 Sunday Check In

Yawns, then sips. 40, 000 words. Turning the half-way corner. Still have a few hours to meet my goal of 2,000 words this week.



Check out my fellow ROW80 writers to see where they are on the mountain. Sheri Larson, Susan Kaye Quinn and Margo Berendsen. To see who else is writing to goals or if you want to set a goal and write too, check out this page.Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09

In the Throes of Thursday_Developing Scenes

It looks as if Blogger is back up, but it pulled this post from Thursday and all the comments with it. Sheesh! Guess I'll just keep this one up a while.

Here's what I've learned about building a scene.





Each scene must have



a goal
conflict
disaster
 I think of all the scenes in the book as stair steps to the end of the story where everything is resolved.





Here's an example of an early scene in Princess of Las Pulgas when Carlie has just had a scary encounter. In the following scene, she tries to tell her mom what happened without alarming her more than she usually is about Carlie's safety. In the end I bring the scene back to the even scarier move from her home to Las Pulgas.



GOAL: To pull Carlie back to the reality of her loss.SET UP: I'm not getting out of telling her something about tonight. But what? If Mrs. Franklin calls to complain to Mom about what happened, she'll hear a version of the story I probably won't like. That would so be like that cranky vegan. Mom's in a pretty mellow mood—playing her take-turns game. If I tell the Sean story, keep it light—  "A really strange thing happened at the Franklins." My laugh sounds forced, but she doesn't tense up. I tell about Sean, the burglar, only I don't use that word, choosing "suspected intruder," "hidden safely," and a "little nervous" to explain what happened. CONFLICT: "Carlie!" She lunges for my hand as if she's saving me from falling off a cliff. She's been so protective of Keith and me that we can't go outside to get the newspaper without her asking where we're going. "I overreacted, Mom. Really. And it ended . . . fine. Sean—""I'm calling the Franklins. Don't they have an alarm system?" "Yes, but I told you. It was a nephew who had a key. I just didn't know. It wasn't a big deal."She still hasn't let go of my hand and now she grips it even more tightly. "It's a big deal to me. If anything happened—""But nothing did. It was my imagination." I want to say, "You have no idea how unimaginative this version is," but instead I stroke the back of her hand. "Your turn."She rubs her forehead with both hands, taking her time before starting. I've seen her do this a lot as if she's constructing interior dams to hold back a flash flood—sometimes tears, sometimes fear. Sometimes I think it's anger. It's as if she'll be washed away if she doesn't control every emotion as it rises inside her.DISASTER: "I arranged for the moving company today."I'd almost forgotten about Las Pulgas. I come down from my Sean high so fast that I swear my ears pop. Now tonight's scare is nothing compared to what the move on the fifteenth is going to be. 

The Princess of Las Pulgas, C. Lee McKenzie

WestSide Books, 2009

Here are some links you might find interesting about building scenes. Holly Lisle writes about each scene having 

a place
a time frame 
a change (I used the word DISASTER.)
In John August's post about writing scenes for screenwriters he includes great advice for novelists as well. Two of my favorites are:



start the scene as late into it as possible
brainstorm all the possible ways it could start
Next In the Throes of Thursday_Building Tension Into Your Story.

Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09

In the Throes of Thursday--What I've Learned About Writing Novels_2

Scenes are the building blocks of any novel, and I've learned that 

each one has a structure.
it has to have a reason for being in your story.
it has to move that story ahead in some way.
Structure: Each scene must have

a goal
conflict
disaster
 I think of all the scenes in the book as stair steps to the end of the story where everything is resolved.





Here's an example of an early scene in Princess of Las Pulgas when Carlie has just had a scary encounter. In the following scene, she tries to tell her mom what happened without alarming her more than she usually is about Carlie's safety. In the end I bring the scene back to the even scarier part of her life, the move from her home to Las Pulgas.



Reason for scene: To pull Carlie back to the reality of her loss and heighten the tension about the move.SET UP: I'm not getting out of telling her something about tonight. But what? If Mrs. Franklin calls to complain to Mom about what happened, she'll hear a version of the story I probably won't like. That would so be like that cranky vegan. Mom's in a pretty mellow mood—playing her take-turns game. If I tell the Sean story, keep it light—  "A really strange thing happened at the Franklins." My laugh sounds forced, but she doesn't tense up. I tell about Sean, the burglar, only I don't use that word, choosing "suspected intruder," "hidden safely," and a "little nervous" to explain what happened. CONFLICT: "Carlie!" She lunges for my hand as if she's saving me from falling off a cliff. She's been so protective of Keith and me that we can't go outside to get the newspaper without her asking where we're going. "I overreacted, Mom. Really. And it ended . . . fine. Sean—""I'm calling the Franklins. Don't they have an alarm system?" "Yes, but I told you. It was a nephew who had a key. I just didn't know. It wasn't a big deal."She still hasn't let go of my hand and now she grips it even more tightly. "It's a big deal to me. If anything happened—""But nothing did. It was my imagination." I want to say, "You have no idea how unimaginative this version is," but instead I stroke the back of her hand. "Your turn."She rubs her forehead with both hands, taking her time before starting. I've seen her do this a lot as if she's constructing interior dams to hold back a flash flood—sometimes tears, sometimes fear. Sometimes I think it's anger. It's as if she'll be washed away if she doesn't control every emotion as it rises inside her.DISASTER: "I arranged for the moving company today."I'd almost forgotten about Las Pulgas. I come down from my Sean high so fast that I swear my ears pop. Now tonight's scare is nothing compared to what the move on the fifteenth is going to be. 

The Princess of Las Pulgas, C. Lee McKenzie

WestSide Books, 2009

Moving forward: So this scene revealed the increasing stress the mother is experiencing; it showed the mother-daughter relationship, and set up the more dramatic scene of the move to Las Pulgas that comes in two more chapters.

 

A link you might find interesting about building scenes come from Holly Lisle who writes about each scene having 

a place
a time frame 
a change (I used the word DISASTER.)
In John August's post about writing scenes for screenwriters he includes great advice for novelists as well. Two of my favorites are:



start the scene as late into it as possible
brainstorm all the possible ways it could start
Do you have something to add about developing scenes? Hope you'll share it here.



Next In the Throes of Thursday will be about Building Tension Into Your Story.

Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09

Wednesday ROW80 Check In

See this guy? I've hired him to scare me into doing what I said I'd do this week. He's done a fair job because I've written two blog posts and dumped 1700+ words onto my WIP. Will check today to see if all 1700+ are worth keeping.





Be sure to offer support to the other ROW80 writers out here. The links are below . . . scroll down and send your best to a few of them.





Here are some blog tips from Ink-Spells that are wonderful. Check out what Susan Kay Quinn says, bloggers and check out her ROW80 progress. Very impressive.





Noah Lukeman wrote: "There are not great writers, just great re-writers." And that's what Sheri Larson's blog post is about. Take a look at what she says AND see her amazing progress in meeting her ROW80 goals.





Margo Berendsen is another writer on fire. Loved her Ursula LeGuin quote too. It spoke to me. I loved Margo's idea about connecting 5 stories you'd like to write. Take a look at what she has to say.





Until Throes of Thursday when I'll talk about writing SCENES. Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09

Monday Miscellany

I'll be making a TV appearance on Bay Sunday Channel 5 in San Francisco area, May 22. They do archive their interviews on YouTube, so I can study my mistakes afterward. Oh dear. Send any and all tip you have for what to do or not do when facing a camera.



Here are more miscellany this Monday. I wish I could send the aroma that goes with them. The weather gods have looked down on the roses in my garden this year and said, "Let there be lots!"













The next important item is I actually met my ROW80 goal last week and managed to set a new one for this week. I think I may have gotten carried away, however. What was I thinking? 2000 words, blogs, life?





I think a new word counts as miscellany, don't you? Here's one I found and did not know. Can you guess what rhabdophobia* means? (If you give up, look below.) Now I'm wondering how can I work this into a conversation or write it into a novel? That's where I found it!











Birthdays this month include my son, my sister, my nephew and three friends. May is a happening month! Anyone here having a birthday? I'm full of best wishes, so tell me and I'll sing for you. No wait, click here and enjoy a special BIRTHDAY treat.





Oh, and last, but not least Tabitha Olsen sent me this: Now I have to find some Stylish Bloggers to forward the award to. Give me a few days and I'll be passing this lovely award on along with 7 things about myself. 









*rhabdophobia=fear of magic





I can't imagine being afraid of magic. It's all around us, ready to be appreciated. Like those roses, for example.

Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09

Sunday Check In ROW80

The woman, lap top in one hand, pants as she crests the mountain top! Made it! Then she looks ahead--another mountain? What will she do?





So as of this day I have 38,000 fairly decent to great words on my WIP. Next week I plan to add, er, I mean my goal is . . . no I WILL add 2,000 more words. 



I will prepare for more promotion for Princess of Las Pulgas: one TV appearance, one book signing,  two blog posts.





Pant. 

Pant.

Pant. 



One more mountain! 



Check out my fellow ROW80 writers to see where they are on the mountain. Sheri Larson, Susan Kaye Quinn and Margo Berendsen. To see who else is climbing or if you want to climb too, check out this page.







Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09

In the Throes of Thursday--What I've Learned About Writing Novels_1

I probably have a century worth of posts on What I've Learned About Writing Novels. I came to this business of writing young adult novels as a writer of non-fiction--articles, newsletters etc.--and most were in my field of Linguistics and Intercultural Communication. And I came to this business accidentally. 



I've always loved to read stories, but writing hadn't occurred to me, then one day there I was creating something out of nothing except an idea I had. Suddenly I realized I really didn't know much about writing fiction, let alone doing it well.



Since that time I've read a lot about this craft. I've read in my category to see how it's different from adult fiction and I've written a lot of bad stories.  Yes. Really bad stuff. I'll save that for a future Throes of Thursday.



So now my stuff isn't as bad and that's because of this thing called learning. Today I'm focused on characters and how you can show your characters' social and cultural backgrounds.





So this is important, why?







Differences between classes, both social and cultural, create conflict. 



Conflict creates tension. 



Tension is what keeps readers turning those pages.







In other words, we need to be sure that our characters do not have an easy go of it while they're in our stories. But how do we characterize them so that when they come together, they clash because of their differences? How do we establish their personalities so that they are believable when they say or do something?



Let's start with the social class your characters come from. I know that sounds politically incorrect, but if your goal is political correctness, I'd forget about writing fiction. If you put people from the different social class together, there are tons of possible conflicts for the writer to capitalize on. Think Pygmalion or Street Car Named Desire.



Here are three areas that I use to create characters from different social classes. In these examples, I've tried to  give the people  something that suggests more complex personalities than just upper and lower class. Tell me if I succeeded.  Fingers crossed, here I go.



1. Physical Description: I'd seen her just before we got on the bus. Short and thick at the middle, her beret, a black plop of fabric, that sat angled over her forehead. When she took the seat next to me the air became thick with something eu de in the name--a K Mart bargain. I glanced at her as she opened her bag and took out a pair of nail clippers. I turned to the window and pressed against the side of the bus, listening to the plink of nail grooming. 





( I wanted to capture the stuffy observer and the woman next her who aspired to a classy look, the beret and the cologne, then proceeded with private grooming in a public place--not so classy.) 



2. Word choice, language usage: "So Charlie gives me this la de da crap about he don't do drugs no more. What's with that creep?"





(Unschooled or his grammar teacher failed. In my mind he's a street guy with friends who are also street guys. Now I have to let him meet a luscious, well-schooled, successful lawyer to fall for. Yum. I can see the sparks already.) 



3. Actions: Mable perched at the edge of the chair, crossed her legs at the knees, then smoothed her skirt and folded both hands on her lap.





(The word prim is all I can think of when I see Mable perched like that. Maybe she can meet the guy above. Another conflict. Another story.)





Now how about some cultural clash material, using the same three ways to characterize?





1. Physical Description: Jamal rolled his T-shirt sleeves just above the tattoo of the coiled black  snake, then splashed cold water on his face. He was sober enough to take on the Blancos.





(This turned out more like West Side Story than I wanted, but maybe with some twists and a different story line than Jamal meets Rebecca, I can turn this into something fresh.)





2. Word choice, language usage: Airi moved closer, his eyes intense. "I am very interesting." 

"Say what?"

"In what you did. I'm interesting in what you did." Didn't this girl hear well?





(The confusion between "interested" and "interesting" is, well, very interesting when you put a non-native speaker of English together with a native speaker. Maybe Airi will learn the difference between the words or maybe the native speaker will humiliate Airi because of his English. There are all kinds of things I can do with these two characters.)





3. Actions: (Space is a silent language in culture. In some cultures, standing close in casual conversations is comfortable. In North American it's not. Someone from South America and North American talking in a hallway, can travel the length of a hall while each tries to find that comfortable space for conversation. Read Edward T. Hall for more of these silent "mis-communication" opportunities.)

 Here I've used action, but I also combined dialog to establish the non-native speaker of English. All of these elements of characterization can and should work together.





Carla stepped back two steps.



Jose stepped in to close the gap. "Why do you always go back from me like this?" he asked. 



Carla shrugged. 



"Do I not smell good?" 



"No. Of course, not. I mean. You smell great."





(But I'll bet she continues to adjust the space between them to be comfortable and he will too. Will they be able to understand each other enough to develop a closer relationship? Will she unintentionally insult him so that he goes after another girl--her best friend? Uh oh.)





Here's something that Stina Lindenblatt posted last week about

Characterization. 





The flawed character is the interesting character.

"We know character flaws are important for making our protagonist (and the other good guys) dimensional. If you're stumped for ideas as to how to make your characters flawed, check out Leslie Rose's list to get you creative blood flowing. "





Yes, Leslie. Make them bullies. Make them liars. Make the reader hate/love/admire/cringe when those characters strut/creep through our stories.  And try doing it with physical description, word choice, and action. 





Hope you'll let me know if this has been helpful. Next Thursday I'll try to give some specific idea about scenes. Hope you'll join me.Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09

ROW80 Wednesday Check In & A to Z Reflection

I did it! 1000 words AND before my deadline. Onward. A lot of this has to do with my fellow ROWers, so check them out as you hop around the blogs. If you spur them on, you'll spur me on too.



Author SA Larson






InkSpells




Writing at High Altitude


Reflections on the A to Z Challenge 2011I didn't get to participate in the A to Z Challenge this year, but I enjoyed watching from the sidelines. I met a lot of new bloggers, had some fun with those words and thoroughly enjoyed the Zebra Badge that everyone in the Challenge earned. Next year I'm there! 

Be sure to check out the bloggers (See Below) who joined in and went through the alphabet one letter at a time.Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09

Monday Miscellany

Writing. Writing. Writing. However, I did take a Miscellany break yesterday and lazed a bit in the garden--translation-- I worked my you-know-what off, but at the end of the day this was my reward.



I'd forgotten this clump of white iris, but there they were once I'd cleared the winter weeds. 

Just on the edge of garden these nutmeg scented purple and white iris burst into bloom. "Hey it's spring! Look at us." I think that's what they said, but they speak Iris, so I could be wrong. 

Euphorbia! They prefer to be green and greener and they grow where it suits them best. Plants seem to have a true sense of self. They know what they are and how they want to do things. They're much smarter than some people I know. They're definitely smarter than I am. 





Now here's a guy who has an issue with territory. Take a look at this greedy little tyrant. He'd be a great character in a story--sort of a winged Napoleon.










Be sure to visit In the Throes of Thursday when I start the series on what I've learned since I started writing. I'm starting with characterization. CU Thursday! Meantime . . . back to WRITING. I have 1,000 words to put into some meaningful order by next Sunday. Awk!





Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09

ROW80 Check In

YAY for ROW80. I made my goal this week: 500 good words! Now I know I have to stretch next week if this is really going to help me finish a draft, so I'm upping that word count to 1,000. Gulp. That's not much, except next week I have a few other things to do. I'll cut out sleep and see if that helps me get where I want to go.







As for my fellow ROW80 women of letters,  Sheri Larson, Margo Berendsen, and Susan Kaye Quinn, check in with them and see how they're doing.Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09