Janice Hardy's Blog, page 53
February 26, 2020
Oh, Woe Is Me: Strengthening Character Goals
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Characters drive the plot, because they want something badly enough to act to achieve (or avoid) it. But don't make it easy on them.
When I'm plotting a novel, one of the first things I ask is "What does the protagonist want?" It's a critical question to understand my plot and even my novel, because if I don't know the goal, I can't possibly write a novel that illustrates how the character tries to achieve that goal.
And that's what a novel is at the core: a character trying to have their way and get what they want.
What they choose to do is going to create the plot. Why they choose to do it will create the motivations and stakes. Together, characters, motivations, stakes, and plot make readers want to read on. I've found understanding the why make it's a whole lot easier to figure out the what.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 25, 2020
The Story on Your Heart Is the Story Readers Want to Hear
By Bonnie RandallPart of The How They Do It Series
JH: There are a lot of reasons not to write that novel you're itching to write. Bonnie Randall shares a lot of reason why you should.
“I had this really cool dream sequence in my story, but…dream sequences will make an agent stop reading, so I can’t.”
“I have a prologue but all the writing articles say they’re a no. So I can’t keep it.”
“I have this amazing plot on my mind, but the characters are all overdone—so I can’t write it.”
“I’ve sketched out this beautiful book of schedules, budget planning, inspirational quotes and lists, but there are so many already on the market. So I can’t write mine.”
I follow many writers on social media, and over the last several weeks this theme—I want to, but I can’t—has recurred, in variant forms, again and again. So much, in fact, that I want to scream:
“WHO TOLD YOU THAT?!”
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 22, 2020
WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at an SF Prologue
Critique By Maria D'Marco WIP Diagnostics is a weekly column that studies a snippet of a work in progress for specific issues. Readers are encouraged to send in work with questions, and we diagnose it on the site. It’s part critique, part example, and designed to help the submitter as well as anyone else having a similar problem.
If you're interested in submitting to WIP Diagnostics, please check out these guidelines.
Submissions currently in the queue: Two
Please Note: As of today, critique slots are booked through March 14.
This week’s questions:
1. Does the prologue draw you in?
2. Does the flashback work?
3. Do you understand what his problem is?
4. Do you get a sense of his character/is the character voice working?
5. Are there places I'm telling when I'd be better off showing?
Market/Genre: Science Fiction
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 20, 2020
Writing Takes Work, Even When You're a Pro
By Joyce SweeneyPart of The Writer’s Life Series
JH: Writers are always learning, and sometimes, we need reminding of the basics like everyone else. Joyce Sweeney shares thoughts on facing the things you stink at, even when you know how to do it.
Joyce Sweeney is the author of fourteen novels for young adults and two chapbooks of poetry. Her books have won many awards and honors. Joyce has recently switched to writing adult fiction and is represented by Nicole Resciniti of the Seymour agency.
Joyce has also been a writing teacher and coach for 25 years and offers online classes. In 2019, she, Jamie Morris and Tia Levings released Plotting Your Novel with The Plot Clock (Giantess Press). At this writing, 62 of Joyce’s students have successfully obtained traditional publishing contracts.
Joyce lives in Coral Springs with her husband, Jay and caffeine-addicted cat, Nitro.
Take it away Joyce…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 19, 2020
Stop or Go On? Should You Revise or Keep Writing That First Draft?
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Drafting a novel is often a messy process, because there are so many different ways to do it. Do you get it perfect on the first try, or worry about perfection later?
There are a lot of things I don't worry about in a first draft. My characters aren't fully formed yet, I don't always know what world building details matter, and my plot might change, even though I outline in great detail. I write a first draft to get the idea in my head down on paper, and then I figure out the best way to revise it.
Not matter what your process is, sometimes amazing ideas just happen as you write. The characters say or do something you weren't expecting, and you get that happy little buzz of excitement when multiple minor details converge into awesomeness.
And then you realize there's absolutely no groundwork in the novel for that amazing idea.
What should you do? Stop writing, go back, and put in the groundwork for this scene to have its full impact, or keep going and worry about it during revisions?
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 18, 2020
10 Things That Will Sink Your Novel’s Opening Pages
By Alythia Brown, @alythiabrown.85 Part of the How They Do It Series
JH: The opening pages of a novel are probably the most important pages you'll write in that novel. Alythia Brown shares ten things you might be doing wrong.
Alythia Brown is an award-winning journalist and author represented by Moe Ferrara of BookEnds Literary Agency. She’s also the copy editor who created The Grammar Chicken. Find her Medium articles on writing, life and parenting under @alythiabrown.85.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads |
Take it away Alythia...
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 17, 2020
Plotting With the Save the Cat Beat Sheet Structure
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardySince I'm still deep in revisions, and recently had an interesting discussion with a fellow author about screenplays, I thought I'd pull this favorite out of the archives.
I love story structure, and I've studied so many different templates and concepts since I first started writing. Even if the structure isn't for me, I almost always find something useful in it I can add to my process. I think it's also important for writers to understand how story structure works so they better understand what goes into crafting a strong story.
I've discussed both the Three-Act Structure and the Hero’s Journey, and now it's time for screenwriter Blake Snyder's ever-so-popular Save the Cat Beat Sheet. (There's also Hague's Six Stage Plotting Structure and Joyce Sweeney's Plot Clock) While Snyder's format was designed for movie screenplays, writers have adapted it to the larger novel format with great success. You'll notice how this also fits into the same basic story structure as what we looked at so far.
If this structure appeals to you, I recommend buying the Save the Cat book, which goes into more detail that I can do here. (ya know, those copyright laws and everything). It's a great book to have on your shelf no matter what your process is, actually. There's also a novel version, with Save the Cat! Writes a Novel.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 16, 2020
WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at a Short Story Opening
Critique By Janice Hardy, @Janice_HardyReal Life Diagnostics is a weekly column that studies a snippet of a work in progress for specific issues. Readers are encouraged to send in work with questions, and we diagnose it on the site. It’s part critique, part example, and designed to help the submitter as well as anyone else having a similar problem.
If you're interested in submitting to WIP Diagnostics, please check out these guidelines.
Submissions currently in the queue: Three
Please Note: As of today, critique slots are booked through March 14.
This week’s questions:
1. Do my changes work?
2. Are you pulled into the story?
3. Is my use of stylized language subtle enough that it adds to the quality of voice, or is it too distracting?
Market/Genre: Short Story
Note: This is a revised opening from 2015. Here’s the original if you’d like to see how this writer revised.
On to the diagnosis…
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 15, 2020
Real Life Diagnostics is Now WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working?
By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy The very first Real Life Diagnostic appeared way back in May 2010. Since then, I (with recent help from Maria D’Marco) have critiqued and diagnosed 410 submissions. That’s a lot of pages to review.
I had no idea when I started these critiques that they’d still be going strong ten years later. Thank you for that, and for all your submissions and comments on the writing posted here every week. I have quite a few regular submitters, and I’ve seen how they’ve improved from everyone’s help and generosity.
After all this time, I felt the column was due for a name change that better described what it was. I’ve always thought of it as “diagnosing real life works in progress,” but that wasn’t obvious from the title. It’s still the same column, with perhaps a little more general feedback and well as answers to the submitted questions. My goal, as always, is to help writers improve their writing.
The first official new post appears tomorrow, but then it goes back to its regular Saturday run date.
As of today, there are four submissions in the queue.
--JaniceWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
February 13, 2020
Writing a Page-Turner: Keep the Reader Guessing with Story Questions
By Kris Bock, @Kris_BockPart of the How They Do It Series
JH: Readers keep reading to get answers and discover more about the story and its characters. Kris Bock shares tips on how to add story questions that will keep your readers guessing--and reading.
Chris Eboch is the author of over 60 books for children, including nonfiction and fiction, early reader through teen. Her writing craft books include You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers , and Advanced Plotting .
Her novels for ages nine and up include The Eyes of Pharaoh , a mystery in ancient Egypt; The Well of Sacrifice , a Mayan adventure; The Genie’s Gift , a middle eastern fantasy; and the Haunted series, about kids who travel with a ghost hunter TV show, which starts with The Ghost on the Stairs .
Chris Eboch Website | Blog | Goodreads
Chris also writes for adults as Kris Bock. Her Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. Get a free 10,000-word story set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café when you sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter. You’ll also get a printable copy of the recipes mentioned in the cat café novels.
Kris also writes romantic suspense set in the Southwestern U.S. If you love Mary Stewart or Barbara Michaels, try Kris Bock’s stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue in the Southwest.
Kris Bock Website | Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter
Take it away Kris...
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com
