Larry Brooks's Blog, page 54

"Top Ten Tuesdays" — An Interview with James Chartrand of Men With Pens

Welcome to  Top Ten Tuesdays, a series featuring winners of the 2010 "Top Ten Blogs for Writers" voting hosted at Writetodone.com.

Storyfix is proud to have James Chartrand of Men With Pens with us today.  James is one of the best known and most successful bloggers in the freelance and fiction writing niches, and was there for me as a mentor who provided my first guest post opportunity 20 months ago when Storyfix was launched.

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SF – Your site, in my view, has the widest breadth of writing focus out there, with a broad base of freelancers (both business and journalistic), bloggers and fiction writers.  What do you think these niches have in common, and what can fiction writers learn from the wealth of non-fiction craft advice you offer?

James – I'm always amazed at how many different types of people read my blog, from businesspeople to creative writers to gym owners to restaurateurs – it's actually pretty cool to hear from readers just because of that!

I think one element readers from every niche and interest appreciate about my blog posts is their level of practical, useful information, even if it comes in the form of a thought-provoking post.

Anyone can use tips on how to write more effective emails – to agents, clients, publishers, whomever. Anyone can benefit from time management tips – businesspeople, fiction writers, web designers. Anyone can think about how they strive to be better professionals and better people.

No matter what I write, I try to keep in mind that my audience wants to learn ways to get ahead online and in life, no matter what they choose to undertake. And writing with this mission in mind lets me pen posts that reach a wide range of people.

But I digress – you'd asked about fiction writers in particular, and I think these people can benefit most from my blog. Their work is absolutely creative and very often, a personal affair… but once their work is done (and very often, even when it's not!), they need to deal with other people who very often don't give a whit about their creative talent, and they need to communicate in an effective way that gets results.

Agents, publishers, reviewers, editors, proofreaders, network contacts, fans and readers, other authors… all these people are part of the network that fiction writers need to connect with, and my blog helps bridge the gap between fiction writers doing what they love and reaching others in an effective, professional and results-oriented manner.

So yes… fiction writing often seems a niche career that may not require business info, but it's definitely crucial of these writers want to get ahead in life. And with each post, I hope to help get them there.

SF – Any writing niche challenges us to adopt a ton of discipline.  A lot of fiction writers, especially new ones, seem to think fiction is a free-form exercise in creative finger painting, and that discipline comes slowly over time.  What's your advice to writers who are new to this game, fiction or non-fiction, relative to chaos-avoidance and the steepening of the learning curve?

James – Let me say this straight: free-flow writing is for experts.

And just in case that didn't quite get across, I'll say it again in different words: leave free-flow writing to experts.

One of the biggest mistakes I've seen writers of any type make is to assume they can sit down to the computer and just… well, write. The result, while certainly creative, often resembles something I like to call "pumpkin splatter."  That means that the person lets a pumpkin full of ideas, thoughts and creativity fall from their 20 story building and smash against the screen in a splatter.

Not very pretty. And quite often, the result is a huge mess of cleanup so that people know where to walk.

Training oneself to have discipline in writing creates clear results – with a good prep routine, a writer can write on demand. With an outline, a writer can curb the curse of knowledge and write within a clear set of boundaries. With a set limit per day, a writer can dodge dreaded burnout (commonly known in the blogger niche as being tapped out from overwriting). With a clear goal, path and plotted course, a writer can map attainable and realistic progress every day.

Without any of those? Well, it's just a dropped pumpkin… and a mess no one appreciates.

SF – We've both been at this writing thing for a long time, long before we discovered blogging.  What are your writing roots, and how did that prepare you for your current status as one of the consistently stellar bloggers and writing gurus in the game?

James – I could go back into childhood stuff about how I always wrote stories my teachers and parents praised, but that's a bit cliché. Truth is that I never took writing very seriously until I got into creative fiction role-playing – a group writing experience where several people contribute to a never-ending story.

I learned a lot from this creative writing venue, and I also discovered that this became my advantage in professional writing of the web copy kind… telling a good story and knowing how to bring it alive gives me a definite edge in everything I do, from blogging to copywriting.

As for preparing to be a leading blogger, a recognized name and a writing "guru" (I have to admit hating that label… too pretentious for my tastes!), the truth is… well, the truth is that I don't think you can ever prepare yourself for suddenly being in the spotlight that way.

I've often said in recent years that I understand how difficult it must be for sudden Hollywood stars, because you can't really ever prepare for that feeling, the demands and the pressures that come with stardom and status.

So I guess for all those out there who want to know the secret tip to best preparing for it… I'd have to say to remember where you came from – and enjoy the fame while it lasts.

SF – What kind of stuff — and who — do you read, either for work or entertainment?

James — Totally light, brainless, entertaining and amusing reading. Stuff made of a great story that doesn't require me to think hard to get it. The kind of book that lets me fall into the world, love the characters and live the moment… without making me tired as I try to follow grandiose plots.

I read to escape. Let me do that, and you've struck gold.

If you'd like to know some of my favourite authors or books, here are a few:  Anything by Anne Bishop, Patrick Rothfuss and Diana Gabaldon. The Lies of Locke Lamora was a winner, and I'm currently reading the sequel. Steven King books are a good read, too.

SF – You're one of the busiest bloggers I know, and yet, in past correspondence, you've hinted at your own fiction aspirations.  What are you working on in that regard, and what is your vision for yourself as a writer of fiction?

James – Ahh, I have a few plans up my sleeve…

I've written fiction for several years and have a few stories in mind that I'd like to develop. I play around over at the Creative Copy Challenge in public and have a mini-series going on there, but I've been wanting to expand my fiction in some way for quite a while. There's a book in me… and probably more than one.

So stay tuned on this one – you may one day find yourself drawn into a story without realizing it and find yourself looking forward to the next installment… and the next… and the next…

(I also have a LOT of people asking me when I'm going to start seriously writing fiction, so to those of you who regularly needle at me to get started, I already have, so shush!)

SF – Anything else you'd like to share with Storyfix readers today?

James — Aye, I do.

Remember that the world is small, and that you'll meet some very great people in the most unlikely places. Larry and I met each other long ago when we were both small online and getting our feet under us… and it's a little surreal (though fantastic) to find ourselves where we are today.

In that vein of thought, treat people well, with understanding, kindness, respect and friendship. You never know when someone you've dealt with in the past in a completely different situation might become one of your respected peers later on in life – and trust me, it often happens when you least expect it!

  James Chartrand writes and publishes Men With Pens, one of the largest and most successful writing resources on the web.  

James also runs a killer web design and web copy service, as well as offering ebook consulting/design and coaching for writers.

 ++++

Self-serving side note: here's the latest online review of my new book, "Story Engineering:Mastering the Six Core Competencies of Successful Storytelling."  It includes a freebie you may want to hop on before it goes away.

"Top Ten Tuesdays" — An Interview with James Chartrand of Men With Pens is a post from: Larry Brooks at storyfix.com

"Top Ten Tuesday" — An Interview with James Chartrand of Men With Pens

Storyfix is proud to have James Chartrand of Men With Pens with us today.  James is one of the best known and most successful bloggers in the freelance and fiction writing niches, and was there for me as a mentor who provided my first guest post opportunity 20 months ago when Storyfix was launched.

****

SF – Your site, in my view, has the widest breadth of writing focus out there, with a broad base of freelancers (both business and journalistic), bloggers and fiction writers.  What do you think these niches have in common, and what can fiction writers learn from the wealth of non-fiction craft advice you offer?

James – I'm always amazed at how many different types of people read my blog, from businesspeople to creative writers to gym owners to restaurateurs – it's actually pretty cool to hear from readers just because of that!

I think one element readers from every niche and interest appreciate about my blog posts is their level of practical, useful information, even if it comes in the form of a thought-provoking post.

Anyone can use tips on how to write more effective emails – to agents, clients, publishers, whomever. Anyone can benefit from time management tips – businesspeople, fiction writers, web designers. Anyone can think about how they strive to be better professionals and better people.

No matter what I write, I try to keep in mind that my audience wants to learn ways to get ahead online and in life, no matter what they choose to undertake. And writing with this mission in mind lets me pen posts that reach a wide range of people.

But I digress – you'd asked about fiction writers in particular, and I think these people can benefit most from my blog. Their work is absolutely creative and very often, a personal affair… but once their work is done (and very often, even when it's not!), they need to deal with other people who very often don't give a whit about their creative talent, and they need to communicate in an effective way that gets results.

Agents, publishers, reviewers, editors, proofreaders, network contacts, fans and readers, other authors… all these people are part of the network that fiction writers need to connect with, and my blog helps bridge the gap between fiction writers doing what they love and reaching others in an effective, professional and results-oriented manner.

So yes… fiction writing often seems a niche career that may not require business info, but it's definitely crucial of these writers want to get ahead in life. And with each post, I hope to help get them there.

SF – Any writing niche challenges us to adopt a ton of discipline.  A lot of fiction writers, especially new ones, seem to think fiction is a free-form exercise in creative finger painting, and that discipline comes slowly over time.  What's your advice to writers who are new to this game, fiction or non-fiction, relative to chaos-avoidance and the steepening of the learning curve?

James – Let me say this straight: free-flow writing is for experts.

And just in case that didn't quite get across, I'll say it again in different words: leave free-flow writing to experts.

One of the biggest mistakes I've seen writers of any type make is to assume they can sit down to the computer and just… well, write. The result, while certainly creative, often resembles something I like to call "pumpkin splatter."  That means that the person lets a pumpkin full of ideas, thoughts and creativity fall from their 20 story building and smash against the screen in a splatter.

Not very pretty. And quite often, the result is a huge mess of cleanup so that people know where to walk.

Training oneself to have discipline in writing creates clear results – with a good prep routine, a writer can write on demand. With an outline, a writer can curb the curse of knowledge and write within a clear set of boundaries. With a set limit per day, a writer can dodge dreaded burnout (commonly known in the blogger niche as being tapped out from overwriting). With a clear goal, path and plotted course, a writer can map attainable and realistic progress every day.

Without any of those? Well, it's just a dropped pumpkin… and a mess no one appreciates.

SF – We've both been at this writing thing for a long time, long before we discovered blogging.  What are your writing roots, and how did that prepare you for your current status as one of the consistently stellar bloggers and writing gurus in the game?

James – I could go back into childhood stuff about how I always wrote stories my teachers and parents praised, but that's a bit cliché. Truth is that I never took writing very seriously until I got into creative fiction role-playing – a group writing experience where several people contribute to a never-ending story.

I learned a lot from this creative writing venue, and I also discovered that this became my advantage in professional writing of the web copy kind… telling a good story and knowing how to bring it alive gives me a definite edge in everything I do, from blogging to copywriting.

As for preparing to be a leading blogger, a recognized name and a writing "guru" (I have to admit hating that label… too pretentious for my tastes!), the truth is… well, the truth is that I don't think you can ever prepare yourself for suddenly being in the spotlight that way.

I've often said in recent years that I understand how difficult it must be for sudden Hollywood stars, because you can't really ever prepare for that feeling, the demands and the pressures that come with stardom and status.

So I guess for all those out there who want to know the secret tip to best preparing for it… I'd have to say to remember where you came from – and enjoy the fame while it lasts.

SF – What kind of stuff — and who — do you read, either for work or entertainment?

James — Totally light, brainless, entertaining and amusing reading. Stuff made of a great story that doesn't require me to think hard to get it. The kind of book that lets me fall into the world, love the characters and live the moment… without making me tired as I try to follow grandiose plots.

I read to escape. Let me do that, and you've struck gold.

If you'd like to know some of my favourite authors or books, here are a few:  Anything by Anne Bishop, Patrick Rothfuss and Diana Gabaldon. The Lies of Locke Lamora was a winner, and I'm currently reading the sequel. Steven King books are a good read, too.

SF – You're one of the busiest bloggers I know, and yet, in past correspondence, you've hinted at your own fiction aspirations.  What are you working on in that regard, and what is your vision for yourself as a writer of fiction?

James – Ahh, I have a few plans up my sleeve…

I've written fiction for several years and have a few stories in mind that I'd like to develop. I play around over at the Creative Copy Challenge in public and have a mini-series going on there, but I've been wanting to expand my fiction in some way for quite a while. There's a book in me… and probably more than one.

So stay tuned on this one – you may one day find yourself drawn into a story without realizing it and find yourself looking forward to the next installment… and the next… and the next…

(I also have a LOT of people asking me when I'm going to start seriously writing fiction, so to those of you who regularly needle at me to get started, I already have, so shush!)

SF – Anything else you'd like to share with Storyfix readers today?

James — Aye, I do.

Remember that the world is small, and that you'll meet some very great people in the most unlikely places. Larry and I met each other long ago when we were both small online and getting our feet under us… and it's a little surreal (though fantastic) to find ourselves where we are today.

In that vein of thought, treat people well, with understanding, kindness, respect and friendship. You never know when someone you've dealt with in the past in a completely different situation might become one of your respected peers later on in life – and trust me, it often happens when you least expect it!

  James Chartrand writes and publishes Men With Pens, one of the largest and most successful writing resources on the web.  

James also runs a killer web design and web copy service, as well as offering ebook consulting/design and coaching for writers.

 

"Top Ten Tuesday" — An Interview with James Chartrand of Men With Pens is a post from: Larry Brooks at storyfix.com

A Whole Truckload of Reasons You Should See "The Adjustment Bureau"

Even if you've seen the preview and decided this isn't your cup of tea. 

It's a high concept story that has traces of, well, some creative and contemporary blending of fantasy, science fiction and The Twilight Zone. 

Why should you see this movie? 

Because you're a writer.  That should be reason enough.

Because, like a med student who doesn't consider those cadavers in Pathology 101 her cup of tea, either, we need to pursue every possible avenue and opportunity to wrap our heads around the craft of storytelling.  And nothing says "ah-hah!" quite like seeing it done well.

And if you're about to invoke your rights as a novelist who feels above the craft of the screenwriter, think again: story is story, and there's no more transparent tutorial for it than in a solid flick.

If you were a budding tennis player and Roger Federer was in town for an exhibition, you'd go, right? 

This story is like a 2-hour crash course in concept, story structure and theme.  Which, if you've been paying attention here on Storyfix, are two of the six things we need to master before we can produce publishable work.

The other three essential core competencies are on display, too, but it is these three – concept, structure and theme – that are sometimes best internalized by seeing them in full glorious action, rendered by skilled professionals.

The Adjustment Bureau, while a pretty good movie (my opinion), is a clinic in those three particular core competencies.

Let's start with story structure.

I won't belabor it (again), but there are four parts of a story – novel or movie – each with different contextual missions, each separated by specific milestones that have their own mission statements.

Internalizing that little gem alone can set you apart from the workshop crowd.

Over half of my new book defines what those parts and milestones are, and they're available on this site in my Story Structure series (see the Categories and Archives tabs for those).

Take a notepad to the theater for this one, see if you can pick out the hook, the first plot point, the first pinch point, the context-shifting mid-point, the lull before the second plot point, and the second plot point itself.

If you can't, then I hope you'll go back to study up on them.  Because they're dramatically evident in this movie (they might as well scroll font across the bottom of the screen when they show up).

A Killer Concept

There's little doubt that the first spark of creative life for this story began with its concept.  Such a spark can theoretically come from any of the four elemental core competencies, by the way – concept, character, theme and story sequence/plot – but in speculative stories like this it's concept that is often the ignition point.

Chances are, too, that the creator of the original story (Phillip K. Dick, upon whose short story this film is based) used the tried-and-true "what if?" technique to get there:

What if our fate is really being controlled by forces we cannot see or control?  What if we try to defy them in the name of love?

See this film to experience how many directions a powerful "what if?" concept can take you, and why a descending decision tree of creative choices becomes the most powerful story-design technique ever devised.

That alone is worth the price of admission… times a thousand.

An Eternal Theme

Often when we stumble across a compelling and powerful "what if?" concept, we are milliseconds away from encountering an equally provocative thematic landscape.

Go to the film's official website and you'll see the theme announced in the title graphics.  You can watch the trailer, too, which reveals (as they often do) of several of the story's major milestones.

Watch and learn. 

And grab some popcorn while you're at it… just don't get any that that greasy stuff that is supposed to pass for button on your notes.  Because you'll want to go over them in detail later.

(Storyfix is an affliate of Amazon.com. Somewhere out there is a guy in a cheap suit making sure this is noted.)

A Whole Truckload of Reasons You Should See "The Adjustment Bureau" is a post from: Larry Brooks at storyfix.com

5 Analogies for Writers That Will Keep You Focused and Sane – Part 1

The first in a 5-part series.

I discovered the power of a deftly wielded analogy back in the dark ages when I was a minor league baseball player.  A pitcher, to be more precise. 

How dark?  Let's just say I was on a mound in a crumbling old wooden stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia (the Class-A Northwest League) when the PA announcer interrupted the game to inform all 612 folks in attendance that Richard Nixon had resigned as President of the United States.

Not that I cared at the time, I had a two-run lead to protect.

Having discovered first-hand that a 96 mph fastball wasn't going to be enough to make it at the professional level – many of mine left the ballpark before I could crank my head to watch – I set out to learn the fine art of throwing a killer breaking ball. 

To be specific, a slider.  The pitch dubbed by the great Tom Seaver – who named his dog after it – as the great equalizer.

This nasty little gem of a pitch is a cross between a fastball and a curveball, but with a completely unique spin and an elbow-abusing requisite motion.  Having already learned the art of throwing a very mediocre curveball, I initially and naively believed that a slider was simply the same pitch, only thrown harder.

Many of those hastily left the ballpark, too.

(It should be noted here that the reason a ball actually curves, or slides, has to do with aerodynamic law.  Physics.  Remember that as we move forward.)

It wasn't until a coach used an analogy to clarify and visualize the intended spin that I finally got it.  The spin on a fastball, from the hitter's perspective, is south to north.  The spin on a properly thrown curveball is north to south.  And the spin on a slider is…

… just like a perfectly thrown football.  It spirals.

When thrown well, and hard, both the batter and the catcher see a tiny dot in the middle of the approaching baseball, which is the axis of the rotation.

A football.  Now it was clear.  And now I had a strikeout pitch that rendered my fastball orders of magnitude more effective and – soon – the tendons in my elbow to the consistency of overcooked pasta. 

My curve still sucked, but that's another story.  As is the story of my pro career, which in a flicker of literary irony ended because of the damage the slider imparted to my arm. 

Such is the price we pay in pursuit of our dreams.

I remain a fan of analogies as a teaching tool to this day.  

Here's one now.

Your Story is a Vehicle

Think of your story as a means of transporting your reader to another place and time.  Into another life.  Perhaps another world.

Great stories are vicarious, but they are also studies in motion.  You can only sit in a cool car stalled in a parking lot for so long before you understand that you are going nowhere.

Vehicles, as we understand them, have a few major and essential parts in addition to a long list of options and accessories.  As do our stories.  When we, as designers of our story-vehicles, focus on those accessories to the detriment of the essentials, bad things happen.

The worst of which is that nobody will buy your vehicle, must less ride in it.

Vehicles come in all sizes and shapes, with a wide breadth of power and options.  Some have two wheels, some four, some eighteen.  Some required tracks.  The coolest vehicles even fly.

But what makes a vehicle an effective means of transportation is non-negotiable.

It must have an engine. 

Something that generates power to create momentum.

It must have wheels or wings.  An engine without wheels or wings is something that sits on blocks in a parts warehouse.  Or, in a junkyard.

It must have a cabin of some sort, a place for passengers to buckle in for the ride.  The passenger experience is critical to the success of the vehicle in the commercial marketplace.

And, it must have operating controls, a means of driving or piloting the thing.  The vehicle must have a predictable response to prompts from an operator, rather than running at random and chaotic speeds.  (The exception here is found on the freeways of Phoenix, by the way.)

The loss of any one of these essential parts dooms the vehicle to either a repair shop or a crash.

And at the design stage, to nothing beyond the drawing board.

Too many writers don't understand that specific parts are essential to their stories. 

They're all about the paint and the chrome.

A great story may have a lot of style, but it is never a victory of style over substance.  And substance always comes from what's under the hood, no matter how cool the paint and how shiny the chrome.

These frustrated writers focus on one part – even if it's an essential one — to the exclusion or detriment of another.  Which also results in a crash, or the need for a massive repair.

Make no mistake, the engine of your story is the plot. 

And like an engine, you can't just toss one together however you please.  There are principles of physics and mechanics in play, and if you mess with them the thing will stall when you need it most.

Not a good thing when it happens at 30,000 feet.  Or on that freeway in Phoenix.

An engine requires fuel.  In the case of your story, that fuel is the compelling nature of the concept upon which the dramatic sequence is built.

No fuel, no forward momentum.  Even if the engine is otherwise structurally perfect.

The wheels – or wings – of your story are your characters. 

In an effective story we experience plot through character, and we experience characters through plot.  When the two are separated, you have nothing more than a junkyard littered with perfectly fine auto parts that are going nowhere until they are once again fused in the hands of a trained mechanic.

Too much character without a compelling story… that's boring.  Something that moves really, really slow. 

That mechanic – the story engineer – is you, by the way. 

You are both the designer, mechanic and operator of the story you are creating.

You are also the driver or pilot of your story.  The parts are worthless without you, without your deft touch and judgment.  A bad driver can crash a perfect engine without ever knowing what went wrong.

Your reader isn't making decisions, they are simply along for the ride.  Within this analogy, you are in complete control of the speed of the ride.  The comfort or thrill of the ride.  The temperature of the cabin.

Even the music.  Your writing voice is the music that gives the ride its personality and tonality.

If the stereo sounds like cats in a slaughter house, nobody will buy the otherwise perfect car.

This isn't an auto show or a drag race, it's a new car dealership.

Sometimes, in our desire to achieve unprecedented creativity and originality, we can push the limits of commercial viability too far. 

You don't see dragsters in the street, nor do you see aerobatic bi-planes waiting at the gate at the airport.

This isn't experimental writing, this is commercial fiction.  You are writing for money, to obtain an audience. 

Design your vehicle accordingly. 

And try for that great equalizer while you're at it, something that will be a cross between a fastball and a curveball that leaves the hitter frozen and the fans delirious.  (A mixed metaphor, I know, but sometimes more is better.)

Something that takes the physics of dramatic theory and gives them a fresh new spin.

Or not. 

There's something to be said for restoring a classic Ford in your garage using parts taken from old lawnmowers and smoothie blenders.  Making up your own physics as you go along.

Just don't expect to sell the darn thing.  The only people who will hop in and go for a ride with you will be family and friends, who are simply being nice.

If you want to break into the commercial market, you need to understand that the whole of your story must be a sum in excess of its parts, both essential and optional, artfully assembled.

Only when that aspect of your design works does the paint and trim count for anything at all.

Larry's new book, Story Engineering: Mastering the Six Core Competencies of Successful Writing," is available now at bookstores and online venues.  At this writing it is the #1 bestselling writing book out there.

Up next: four more writing analogies to help keep your head straight.

Meanwhile, feel free to share any writing analogies that help keep you focused and sane.

5 Analogies for Writers That Will Keep You Focused and Sane – Part 1 is a post from: Larry Brooks at storyfix.com

A Value-Adding Interview

I normally wouldn't create a new post just to pimp my book.  Put a pitch at the end of a post, yeah, I'm all over that.

But this is different.

I recently did an interview with Randy Ingermanson, the author of the #1 bestselling "Fiction Writing for Dummies."  He's also the author of six great novels, as well as a respected writing guru and the creator of one of one of the largest writing blogs and newsletters in the business.  The interview appears on that blog today.

And you can read it here.

Yes, it's about the new book.  Of course it is.  Randy was kind enough to blurb the book, but he's not the kind of guy to lend his name to something he doesn't believe in.  Having his name and reputation behind this book is a great honor, for which I am most grateful.

Here's the value-adding part — it's about why the principles in the book work, with focus on a few of the issues that serious writers need to grasp, and often don't.  A writing lesson in the clever disguise of an interview.

Also, there's a little "gift with purchase" offer awaiting there, if you haven't already bought the book.

Thanks.  Keep scrolling down to read Judy Dunn's great guest blog if you haven't read it yet. 

Up next: a few analogies about writing to keep your focus and sanity in check. 

Read some of the blurbs and three new reader reviews HERE.

A Value-Adding Interview is a post from: Larry Brooks at storyfix.com

"Top Ten Tuesdays" — Please Welcome Judy Dunn of CatsEyeWriter.com

Welcome to our new feature, Top Ten Tuesdays, a series of guest blogs by winners of the "Top Ten Blogs for Writers" contest hosted at Writetodone.com

Your Blog as Stage: Building a Believable Author Brand

By Judy Dunn of CatsEyeWriter

When I teach blogging workshops to aspiring authors, eyes always glaze over when I get to the part about building an author brand. My students think of consumer brainwashing, of taglines and commercials— Coke ("refreshing") and Apple ("Think different").

"I don't need a brand," they say. "I'm not a 'product.'"

Don't confuse branding with advertising slogans.

Branding is simply the feeling you want your readers to experience when they see your name—the emotional connection you want them to feel with you as an author.

And a blog is a perfect stage upon which to build your author's brand.

Your author brand is the character and your blog is the stage.

Like a character, your brand has a personality. It has a way of looking at the world. It behaves in a certain way.

Your brand is not the story, but your brand has a story to tell.

Your brand matters because it is how readers figure out who you are, what your message is and—ultimately—whether they want to buy your book.

Like well-crafted characters, good brands are:

Consistent- Did you ever read a book where a character did or said something that was so not who you thought they were that they became unbelievable? When your brand's character shows up on your blog, who it is should not change.

Clear- Be sure you know what market niche you fill and how you are going to communicate that. Knowing your audience and your message helps you get clear with your brand.

Convincing- Share the character that is you the author—and you the person. It's where readers get a sense of who you are and why they should care about you.

How to use your blog as a branding stage

1. Get the look right.

Your story's character has an exterior and so does your author brand. On a blog, that would be what we first see when we land on the home page: the look.

But unlike a fiction character, who might mask her inside with an exterior that sends another message, your brand's look should mesh with your story, message and content of your blog.

A good brand can be ruined by bad design.

Choose a style and tone that's consistent with your brand. Even the font types you choose tell something about your author brand: playful? dramatic? quirky?

Consider your blog's colors. They should not clash with your brand, whether you have identified it by genre, by audience or by something else. For example. a writer of stories of the old west would probably not use pastel colors on her blog.

While you're at it, get rid of every sidebar widget that doesn't relate to your blog's focus. You may love the "Top 10 Songs by Decade" widget or the one that shows the daily rainfall in Belize but they just water down your brand—and confuse your readers.

2. Define your audience niche.

You may focus on a certain market (readers of historical fiction) a character in a series (think the TV detective show Monk),  a region (stories set in the deep south), or your own personality ("thriller novelist with a sense of the absurd").

But the way you define your niche determines who your audience is—and what you will blog about. So nail down the thing that makes you different, and highlight that in your branding.

In other words, be clear.

One of my coaching clients, who is testing the book publishing waters with her blog, has branded herself as The Erma Bombeck of Grief. She blogs about the unexpected death of her husband and being shoved into single parenthood, but her posts are infused with humor. Sad subject. Interesting and unusual take on it.

And within ten seconds of landing on her blog, you get who she is, what her brand is and who her audience is.

3. Consider a tagline.

Movie trailers do this well.

Think of the taglines for the film The Fight Club: "Mischief. Mayhem. Soap." Or Mission Impossible: "Expect the impossible."

But unlike movie taglines—unless you are John Grisham and everyone on the planet knows you—your tagline should be specific enough to let your visitors know up front what they can expect to find on your blog.

Take Larry's tagline here on Storyfix.com:

get it written. get it right. get it published.

When you land on his home page, you know right away what Larry the blogger is all about.

He gives his readers tips on how to manage the writing process and get the work done (get it written.). He teaches form and structure so your plot doesn't fall apart (get it right.). And he helps you explore publishing options and find the right one for you (get it published.)

With those three bold statements, I get a sense of his brand: he is a no-nonsense guy and he's not going to sugar-coat things.

4. Find and claim your blog's voice.

Your brand has a voice. It can be elusive, but when you've finally claimed it, your branding is complete.

Your blogging voice should be congruent with what you write and how you write it. As people get interested in you, your blog and the things you write about, they are going to want more.

And where will they go? To the bookstore, of course, to read more of this author with the unique voice.

5. Show your real, three-dimensional self.

Your author brand should be convincing.

More than your newest book, more than your recent reviews (although these are important), your blog's readers want a  'behind the velvet rope' moment. They want to see who you are, what you are passionate about, what makes you tick.

They want to know—to be convinced—that this is the real you.

Let your readers in close. In addition to a compelling, authentic about page, consider a bio box of the sidebar of your home page with an engaging, brand-centric photo and a few sentences about who you are, what you write and the things you care about.

First-time visitors will appreciate this introduction-at-a-glance because they are deciding in scant seconds if they want to hang around. Help them out.

What about you?

Do you have an author blog?

Do you know what your author brand is?

Judy Dunn is a blogger and a content marketing specialist. She serves up tips and advice at CatsEyeWriter blog, one of 2011 Top 10 Blogs for Writers. She also blogs at bestbloggintipsonline.com. Her upcoming webinar is 30 Design & Content Secrets to Skyrocket Your Blog .

"Top Ten Tuesdays" — Please Welcome Judy Dunn of CatsEyeWriter.com is a post from: Larry Brooks at storyfix.com

Day Zero: The Morning Your Book Hits the Street

Allow me be completley honest and transparent here. 

I've been looking for a way to notify my 4000 or so Storyfix friends when my new book, "Story Engineering: Mastering the Six Core Competencies of Successful Writing" finally launches.

So let me go straight at this:

It's out.

Actually, the fabled "publication date" is a bit of a ballpark thing these days. 

The Amazon listing for the book, which has been up for about six months, had listed today, February 24th, as the "Publication date."  But it's been for sale there on a pre-order basis for about two months, and they began delivering on those pre-orders about two weeks ago.

As for the bookstores, they're typically late to this party.  Some may have the book now, but the ones I checked at dawn this morning – yeah, that's how it goes on Launch Day – didn't have it yet.

I encourage you to ask your bookseller to get with the program.

If you've been here for a while you've had your share of my previews and references and links about Story Engineering.  A good number of you have already opted in, and for that I thank you.

By the way, the book has already visited the #1 spot on Amazon's "Top 100 Bestsellers" within the fiction writing category (if there's a book out there, it has  a category;) for both the trade paperback and the Kindle versions.  It's bounced around the Top-15 for a few days now (it's currently #2 on the Kindle list as I write this), but it's a long road ahead and chances are I'll be checking in there about every 90 seconds or so.

That's how it goes from the writer side of this process.  It's what you'll do, too, when your book reaches launch day.

Any writer who says she/he doesn't check is lying.  Any writer who says they don't care is named Jonathan Franzen (inside joke, Google him and Oprah in the same line and you'll get it).

So here we are.  The book is out. 

I hope you'll pick one up.  It's the whole six core competencies enchilada, complete with extra spicy sauce and examples right off the bookshelf.

Dare I say, it's the book you've been looking for to wrap your head around turning a story idea into a publishable manuscript.  There are many other worthy and wonderful titles out there in this arena – including the work attributed to the names below — but you should know that Story Engineering offers a completely new paradigm and model on how to get it done.

We never get too much insight into things that are both hard and worthwhile.

For now, I'd like to offer you a few blurbs from some famous names.  Terry Brooks, Christopher Vogler and Jim Frey kind of famous.

I told you I didn't make this sh*t up. 

I just broke it down, then re-interpreted, re-engineered and repackaged it in a way that's never been done before.   

The Blurbs

"If you've been searching for an accessible, well-reasoned explanation of how the story building process works, look no further. Here is the roadmap you need to understand the craft of writing."  –Terry Brooks, author of more than twenty five bestselling novels including The Sword of Shannara

"Nobody on the planet teaches story structure better than Larry Brooks.  Nobody." – Randy Ingermanson, author of Writing Fiction for Dummies

"Story Engineering is a master class in novel writing. Reading it is like getting an MFA, without the pesky admissions process or student loans. This book will make you smarter about the craft. Period."  – Chelsea Cain, New York Times Bestselling author of  Heartsick, Sweetheart, and Evil at Heart



"Larry Brooks's Story Engineering is a brilliant instructional manual for fiction writers that covers what the author calls the `Six Competencies of Successful Storytelling.' The author presents a storytelling model that keeps the writer focused on creating a dynamic living and breathing story from concept to the `beat sheet' plan, through story structure and writings scenes. It's a wonderful guide for the beginner and a great refresher for the pro. I guarantee this book will give you new ways to fire up your creativity."  – Jim Frey, author of How to Write a Damn Good Novel

"A useful guide explaining how to transfer screenwriting techniques to the craft of novel-writing. Good for screenwriters, too, summarizing the essence of entertaining commercial storytelling with great clarity."  – Christopher Vogler, author of The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure  for Writers



"Larry Brooks' groundbreaking book offers both novelists and screenwriters a model for storytelling that is nothing short of brilliant in its simplicity, its depth, its originality and its universality. Following his unique process is guaranteed to elevate your writing to the highest professional level." – Michael Hauge, author of Writing Screenplays That Sell, and Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds

"Save yourself years of fuzzy workshops and failed drafts. Here is Story revealed with clarity, inspiration and simplicity. A masterful guide to the novel." – Kay Kenyon, author of Bright of the Sky

Thank you, Storyfix readers, for making this book a reality.

Larry's son, Nelson, has one more college year to go , so he hopes you'll give Story Engineering a try.  It's unconditionally guaranteed to enlighten and empower your storytelling process, so if you decide you want your money back… see the clerk at Barnes & Noble.

Kidding.

Day Zero: The Morning Your Book Hits the Street is a post from: Larry Brooks at storyfix.com

"Top Ten Tuesdays" — Please Welcome Ollin Morales

Ollin runs {Courage2Create}, one of the best writing blogs I've come across.  Maybe that opinion is an affinity thing, because he writes (like me) with passion and encouragement and (perhaps unlike me) unflagging positive energy.  I encourage you to visit his site and get pumped for the writing life.

Why "Idea Scarcity" is A Big Fat Myth

By Ollin Morales

Did you get the memo?

Apparently, humanity has run out of new ideas.

As Americans we've become inundated with sequels, and prequels, and sequels to prequels, and spin-offs, and remakes, and "reality shows" and it seems like today's mainstream media is sending us a clear message:

"Hey, we tried looking for them, but there's not a single original idea out there to be found! So, here, enjoy this steaming pile of recycled dog crap that looks like a burrito, but we're gonna call it a 'wrap' so that you think its an original product!"

First of all, a wrap IS a burrito that for some reason is filled with ham and cheese. (Which, by the way, is gross.) A burrito isn't a new product at all!

Second of all, the truth is that there ARE tons of original ideas out there, ripe for our picking.

So, why do we keep getting the message that the world is running out of ideas and its running out of them fast?

The answer is a pretty obvious: developing an original idea requires a lot of time, effort, and courage, and not everyone is willing to put forth that amount of energy.

Original Ideas Require That You Take BIG RISKS

First of all, trying out a brand new idea is risky. You have no standard of measurement. You have no way of knowing how people will react to your idea. You have no clue whether your idea will be successful or whether it will bomb big time.

Because there is so much risk involved with a new idea, it makes complete sense that most people would rather lie and say they've run out of original ideas, than admit the truth, that they have several original ideas but they're too afraid to try them out because of the high risks involved.

Original Ideas Are NOT EASILY VISIBLE

First of all, you need to pay real close attention to the world around you in order to catch really great, original ideas. You have to be able to see things most people can't, or don't want to see. Writers know that there is something in everything to write about–you can call it a writer's "sixth sense"–and a real writer will stop everything they are doing just to listen very closely to what others are misinterpreting as white noise.

Real writers won't discriminate against sources either. They know an original idea can come from their grandmother, as much as it can come from their boss. For a writer who listens closely, an original story can come from a neighbor and his girlfriend as they carry their fight into the middle of the street; or, from the dirty, stray dog that sprints beside them as they take their morning jog. All of this may not seem crucial or pertinent to most people, but, for a writer who listens, these moments carry new, original ideas tucked underneath the surface.

Original Ideas Require INTENSIVE RESEARCH

For instance, the novel I am currently writing is based on Mayan and Aztec mythology. Now, in order to really delve deep into this culture, I took a class on Mesoamerican archeology. I read all the books on the subject and, yes, I traveled to Mexico City and witnessed the remnants of that ancient civilization first hand.

The knowledge I gained through this whole process was priceless, but it was knowledge that was only gained through my intensive research.

When you do your research, you can uncover ideas that most people are too lazy to discover. This is why explorers are more likely to find buried treasure by diving into the depths of uncharted oceans all over the world, than by sitting at home and doing a quick Google Search for "pirate booty."

What people won't tell you is that original ideas don't have "treasure maps" to help you find them. They are not a "Google search" away. Original ideas are located in the places that are the hardest to get to, where only the most determined and hardworking treasure hunters are willing to reach.

Original Ideas Require that You Be VULNERABLE

You know why? Because the points of vulnerability in every human being are the places where the vast majority of people do not want to explore. In those vulnerable spots of humanity, you will find vast stretches of original, unexplored territory.

There are still islands in the human heart that have not been mapped, still some blank slates in the human spirit that have not been filled, and still some wrinkled fabric in the human mind that has not been ironed out.

But all this requires you to be open, and being open means you have to be vulnerable–vulnerable to failure, vulnerable to rejection, and vulnerable to misunderstanding.

I have experienced all three of these in my writing career.

I wrote and produced an original one-man show almost four years ago, and because I acted in it, wrote it and produced it, I was incredibly vulnerable to attack. Once the show made its debut, I was bit in the heart by rejection. I closed myself off artistically for three years because of the rejection, criticism, and misunderstanding that resulted after presenting my original work to the public.

After the show ended, I wrote a poem that I shared with my writing mentor, and in that poem I vowed not to write for anyone but myself–ever again. My mentor thought I was just having a bad day, but I was serious. I was convinced at the time that my original writing had no right to be attacked, criticized, or worst of all, misunderstood.

But the truth was, whether my original work was criticized, misunderstood, or attacked was beside the point. In fact, it was really none of my business.

Almost four years later, I now understand the truth: it was I who had no right to stop producing original work, despite some of the negative, unconstructive, feedback I had received.

Rejection, personal attacks, criticism, gross misunderstandings are just part of the work that we writers do. Sure, we can retreat from all of the unfairness we might experience by sticking to what is safe, but then we would never allow ourselves to try anything new.

The Bottom Line

"You're telling me I have to take risks, listen all the time, work really hard, and open myself up to rejection, criticism, failure and misunderstanding in order to be original?"

Yes.

This is why most original ideas don't get claimed. Most people don't want to take risks (they want to play it safe), they don't want to listen all the time (they want to hear themselves talk), they don't want to do all the hard work (they want to write a novel and publish it in one month), and the last thing they want to do is be vulnerable (they're too afraid of criticism and failure).

If you are not willing to take risks, listen, work hard, and be vulnerable then that's fine by me, but don't tell me the lie that you keep telling everyone else: that you've run out of ideas.

Because it isn't true.

Look at the list above and see what it takes to find an original idea, then be honest with yourself. Realize that you have not run out of original ideas, you have just run out of the courage to pursue the ideas that are really worth your time.

You can keep calling your wanna-be burrito a "wrap," but meanwhile, I'll be over here, cooking up something new.

much love,

Ollin

Do you agree with me that "Idea Scarcity" is a big fat myth? Or do you think that there is some truth to the old saying: "There's nothing new under the sun"?

Larry's add: what risks are you taking in your current WIP?

Ollin Morales is a writer and a blogger. {Courage 2 Create} chronicles the author's journey as he writes his first novel. This blog offers writing advice as well as strategies to deal with life's toughest challenges. Through his blog he also offers blogging and writing consultation services designed to help writers and artists build better platforms for their work.

"Top Ten Tuesdays" — Please Welcome Ollin Morales is a post from: Larry Brooks at storyfix.com

The Writing World According to American Idol

I tend to view the world through the lens of a writer.  Which means I'm constantly assigning meaning to things while scanning for hooks and nuances and story opportunities.

What some people mistake as a dumb blank stare and others as stand-offishness is really me trying to read between the lines.

I view the writing journey as just that – a journey – something to be savored and struggled with.  Anything we commit ourselves to – writing, love, a day job, a fitness program – becomes a seminar complete with exercises and feedback and broken intentions, all of it imparting available wisdom for those who take the time to notice. 

Like American Idol, for example.  

A guilty pleasure of mine.  Which is perhaps why I'm writing about it here, trying to attach some measure of meaning to it.

It's art, it's craft, it's talent.  Or not.  It's a dream struggling for breath. 

Sounds a lot like writing to me.

I can't help but notice the parallel between what these kids are trying to accomplish and what anyone who has sat down to pour a story onto a page is faced with. 

That includes the jokesters who don't take it seriously, who wrap a gimmick around their voice, usually to mask inadequacies.  The self-deluded few who can't carry a tune yet believe themselves to be supremely gifted, who are invariably indignant finger-flippers as they storm out of the facility.  The good-but-not-great aspirants who fail to realize they need a non-gimmick hook to stand out.  The inconsistencies and prejudices of the judges who wield the gavel on it all.

It isn't fair.  A lot a great talent goes home.  But it is life itself playing out on that stage.

In life, everybody gets rejected.  Everybody.  It's who comes back for the next audition that counts.

I just finished watching the first two Hollywood week installments. 

What we see are those who seemed worthy, breaking the promise of their first impression.  We watch them beg for their lives after Randy has sent them packing.  We witness back stabbing, elitism and ego, style trumping substance, and substance trampled beneath a veneer of glitter and bluster.

We see hearts splattering and dreams shattering.  And we see doors open as an emerging light ignites hope.

We see life.  We see ourselves, and we wonder how we might fare if there was an equivalent competitive venue for our storytelling.

Which there is, by the way.  Absolutely. 

It's called publishing, however you wish to define it.

Because what we put out there – either through submission to publishers or our declaration of self-publishing – is subject to the same fickle whims and inequities as those kids on AI are facing.

So what of it?  Life hasn't been fair for a long time, and yet, there are the very consistent physics of intention-leading-to-consequence manifesting all around us.  What's to be learned from this ear-candy analogy for writers looking for an edge to get into the next round?

What makes a dream come true?

There are four variables play on AI.

I broke it down this week.  Those singers – and those writers tracking with this analogous parallel universe – have only four weapons at their disposal.  Four arrows in the quiver.  Four hammers in the toolbox.

They have their voice.

They have their look.

They have their stage presence.

And they have, or at least they need, an indefinable something else.  What the departed Simon Cowell called "the it factor."

Do all four need to be there?  Yes, to some degree.  Can you make it if one of them is only mediocre in comparison to the competition?  Sometimes.  If you saw the Grammys you know after watching Bob Dylan that a singing voice is sometimes optional.

But can you make it if all four are simply good, yet none of them stand out and scream, "I'm the next American Idol!" rather than, "I'm the next winner of the weekend karaoke-a-thon at Sparky's Bar and Grill!"

Something needs to pop.  To explode. 

And as it sizzles, the others need to be conjured and presented at a professional level.

Look closely at next week's cuts, and notice who gets on the show and who doesn't.  One of those four things will be off-the-charts compelling for those going on to the next round.  The rest… hey, they were good.  They got this far.

But it wasn't enough. 

Maybe it'll be that cute chubby kid we can't help but root for.  Love that guy.  Sure, he sings wonderfully, but his stage presence is, well, under development.  But he has an off-the-charts X-factor, if not an It-factor. 

Maybe it's the cheery guy with the beard whose voice sounds like a loofa being scraped over a microphone.  A growl that sounds good because it translates to passion and soul.  His stage presence recalls an orgasm you wish you had.  And the sum of it – a guy who looks like he should be driving George Clooney's car – is astoundingly charismatic. 

Josh Groban isn't threatened, but I bet he's a toe-tapping fan.

And of course, there is the bevy of hot young starlets betting their dream on their shoes and eye-liner.  Is that enough?  Not when it's a commodity.  And yet, when you have a two singers of equal talent, one who looks like Britney Spears and the other who looks like Flo at the mall Starbucks, who's gonna get the nod?

Like I said, life isn't fair.

And neither is the world of publishing your writing. 

But it's fair enough, because there are laws of physics in play.  Dynamics of expectation.  They are, in fact, the same imprecise forces we see up on that American Idol stage.

The wise writer notices and makes a plan.

In our case, there are six variables in play. 

All six need to be good, even great.  But if all six are simply good – even great –that probably isn't enough.  Just like the auditions for AI, in which hundreds of pretty darn good singers are sent packing, it takes more.

It takes at least one of those six things to pop.  To explode.  To differentiate.  To grab and intrigue and seduce.

I call them the Six Core Competencies of Successful Storytelling. 

They are: concept, character, theme, story structure (plot), scene execution and writing voice.  They are non-negotiable, yet flexible.

Voice is a commodity.  Just like on Idol.  You are not the next Josh Groban of literature, Jonathan Franzen grabbed that golden ring and ran with it.  You need something else to establish your differentiated brand, your talent.

Chances are you're pretty good at most if not all of the Six Core Competencies.  Hey, you're not in this game because you struggle with sentence structure.

But simply knowing that you have to swing for the fences with at least one of those Six Core Competencies could be the thing that launches your career into a higher orbit.

Too many writers don't embrace that challenge.  They try to write just like their favorite author.  To blend in to a published crowed.

What do you do better in your stories than any other writer, and that an editor or reader hasn't seen in a long time, or in that form?  That is the question.

The karaoke bars are full of people who sound every bit as good as the lead singer of Lady Antebellum.  Trust me, you do not want to be just another storyteller who can write well.

No, you want to be the next Chuck Palahnuik.  Who writes like nobody else out there. 

So keep singing.  Keep going to the audition.  Keep working on craft.  But do it while thinking Big, and strategically.

Whether in traditional publishing or the emerging self-publishing arena, good isn't good enough anymore.   At least to break in and make your name.

Sometimes you have to scream.  And look good in the process. 

My new book, "Story Engineering: Mastering The Six Core Competencies of Successful Writing," is available now on Amazon.com and other online venues, and will be in bookstores by early March.

The Writing World According to American Idol is a post from: Larry Brooks at storyfix.com

"Top Ten Tuesdays" — Please Welcome Top Ten Writing Blogger K.M Weiland

The 3 Integral Components of a Story's Beginning

A guest post by K.M. Weiland of Wordplay

Beginnings are tough for a number of reasons, not least among them the fact that we're wading blind into unknown territory, trembling with the knowledge that if we fail to be brilliant, readers won't get past the first chapter.

How do we grip readers with can't-look-away action, while still taking the time to establish character? How do we decide upon the perfect moment to open the scene? How do we balance just the right amount of information to keep from confusing readers, while at same time raising the kind of intriguing questions that make them want to read on?

I'll admit to you that the beginning chapters of my books are inevitably rewritten more than any other part of the story. They're tough to get right because they must offer so many elements in a seamless presentation that effortlessly entices and guides readers into the meat of the story. Look as we might, we won't find any surefire method for making certain every beginning chapter of every book turns out just right every time. Writing is too organic an art form to be confined by checklists. I can't give you the "10 guaranteed steps to a winning first chapter." What I can do is highlight the three integral components found in almost every successful opening.

Character. Action. Setting.

Barnes and Noble editorial director Liz Scheier offers an anecdote (about a professor demanding active verbs) that sums up the necessity of these three elements. Scheier writes:

A professor of mine once posed it to me this way, thumping the podium for emphasis: "It's not 'World War II began'! It's 'Hitler. Invaded. Poland.'"

Scheier's professor not only made a sturdy case for the active voice, he also offered a powerful beginning. Let's take a closer look.

Character: Hitler

The professor's example immediately gives us a human being (albeit a rather unsavory one) in whom we can invest our interest. Stories are about people. No people, no stories. We read because we want to cheer for larger-than-life heroes, learn about people different and not-so-different from ourselves, and vicariously experience adventures through the eyes of a character who lives in another time or place.

Authors can't afford to put off introducing their characters. Whenever possible (and, with the exception of certain types of mysteries, it should almost always be possible), introduce the main character right away—in the first sentence even. The opening line of my medieval novel Behold the Dawn is "Marcus Annan had killed before." Right away, readers know the character's name, gender, and a hint about his personality and back-story.

Opening with generalities, historical or factual background information, or descriptions of the weather offers nothing to connect readers with the personalities who will inhabit your story. Readers aren't likely to care about any of these elements—no matter how important they may be to the story—until you've given them a reason to care, via the characters.

Action: Invaded

Static characters are boring characters. A Hitler who sat around in his swank Berlin office and twiddled his thumbs might have made for a happier Europe, but he wouldn't offer readers any reason to watch his actions. Don't settle for opening the curtains to reveal a character standing in the middle of the stage with a name tag pinned to his shirt. When those curtains open, the character should be hard at work, preferably exhibiting himself in a characteristic moment.

At first glance, the opening of your story (particularly if it is the story of an ordinary person forced into extraordinary circumstances) might not seem to offer many opportunities for characteristic moments. For example, if your story's inciting event is the hijacking of a subway on which your character is riding to work, you probably won't find it practical to open with a scene showing your character working at the orphanage where he volunteers. So how are you supposed to force a characteristic moment into an event that is obviously far outside the character's normal life?

Although it's often handy when a characteristic moment is able to reflect on the physical nature of the protagonist's world, you can force your character to act in ways just as powerful and revealing in even the most unusual of circumstances. The manner in which your character responds to the hijacking will tell readers much about him. Don't just let him sit there in his seat. Make him do something. If bravery is the characteristic you want to emphasize, perhaps he challenges the hijacker. If you're going for compassion, maybe he jumps up to help a wounded passenger. Or maybe you need to illustrate his cowardice, so you show him staggering to his knees with his briefcase over his head.

Whatever the circumstances you decide upon, make your character move. Show him in action, preferably an action that will knock over the first domino in the line of dominoes that constitute your plot.

Setting: Poland

Well-crafted settings not only ground the characters and their actions, they also shape the plot in important ways. Hitler had to have some place to invade. His actions couldn't take place in a vacuum. It's important to ground the opening of your story in a definitive setting for a number of reasons:

1)     It immediately helps readers fill in their mental blanks. Instead of imagining your character roaming about a featureless white room, they're able to place him within the defined boundaries of a specific place.

2)     It puts the reader on the same page as the writer. Nothing frustrates readers more than a writer who forces them to fill in the blanks on their own, then rips the rug from under their feet by finally describing the setting as a much different place from what the reader imagined.

3)     It sets the tone and defines the story. Where a story takes place defines it just as much as who it is about. What if Hitler had decided to invade Spain? His story would likely have turned out much differently.

Don't bore readers with lengthy descriptions. For instance, in our example of the hijacked subway, you don't need to spend paragraphs describing what the inside of the car looks like, since most readers will already be familiar with the generalities. Even if they don't know what a subway car looks like, they won't be interested in finding out until you've hooked them with the character and action. Spend your setting dollars wisely by using them to establish the setting and sketching only the vivid essentials, just enough to orientate the reader and bring the scene to life.

Once you've anchored your opening scene with these three essentials, you'll have built a solid foundation that will allow you to manipulate and refine the specific requirements of your opening in a way sure to captivate readers.

K.M. Weiland writes historical and speculative fiction from her home in the sandhills of western Nebraska. She enjoys mentoring other authors through her writing tips, editing services, workshops, and her recently released instructional CD Conquering Writer's Block and Summoning Inspiration.

"Top Ten Tuesdays" — Please Welcome Top Ten Writing Blogger K.M Weiland is a post from: Larry Brooks at storyfix.com