Kate Padilla's Blog, page 9

THE STORY MAP: OPENING IMAGE

Ok. This is it. The actual start of outlining your novel. The earlier stuff is important, but you've got to admit -- it's a little exciting to be at this point. From here on, you'll be able to see the story progress forward.

First up: The opening image. It sets the tone for the book, and it gives the first impression for your overall story. But this doesn't mean that your opening image needs to be the start of your Story A. If your story includes a prologue, for example, it might be a flashbac...

NEW RELEASES: MARCH 25-31

MARCH 27 Bump and Grind, by Jessica Martyn
Fiction: Romance

Henry Stanton, newly arrived in the small beach town of Spoonbill Point, Florida, has a five-year plan to establish his business and achieve the security and prosperity he grew up lacking. Daisy Bishop is a sassy single mom with a dream of making her part-time job of dancing in throwback burlesque shows her full-time career.

'THE MARTIAN' AND THE POWER OF RESEARCH

The Martian, by Andy Weir. Published 2014: 369 pp. I went and saw The Martian when it came out in theaters (2015, stars Matt Damon as Mark Watney). I was struck with exactly how ingenious the story was. Later, when I read the book, I was even more blown away. Surprisingly, the money is true-to-book, which is pretty rare these days. But, this isn't the point of this post.

I want to talk to you about research. If I had a single example to illustrate the power of thoughtful and in-depth research...

THE STORY MAP: WHAT IS 'STORY A'?

Here we go. Into the nitty-gritty of The Story Map. Well, almost. The Set Up primary focuses on what I call 'Story A,' and I wanted to spend a little time unpacking exactly what this 'Story A' is, and why it's important to have a good grasp of it before moving forward with this outlining method.  1. Story A is the primary plot of the novel. When you think of a thriller novel, the Story A is the suspense story. It is the driving plot of the book, and often it's the story that defines the genre...

INDIE FEATURE: REVOLUTION? WHAT IS WRONG WITH AMERICA?

REVOLUTION?: WHAT IS WRONG WITH AMERICA? BY DINO HATZOPOULOS
Nonfiction: Memoir. 120 pp.
BUY REVOLUTION?: WHAT'S WRONG WITH AMERICA? ON AMAZON THE STORY Revolution?: What's Wrong with America? follows Dino Hatzopoulos' transition from an abandoned boy in Greece to a patriotic American man. He chronicles his early years facing a country caught up in WWII and then a Civil War. Dino discusses his life as a member of the Greek army before his departure of his homeland in s...

THE STORY MAP: PART 1

If you're not sure exactly what the Story Map is, be sure to check out last week's post. If you haven't yet downloaded the Story Map, you can find it here.

So here we are -- at the beginning. Part 1 of the Story Map is The Set Up, and it's pretty much exactly what it sounds like.

Typically, the beginning of your story sets the tone for the rest of your novel. The major plot points are noted. The major characters are introduced. The scene is set. Essentially, you're warming the reader up for the...

NEW RELEASES: MARCH 11-17

MARCH 13 LIFE EVERLASTING: CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS AND MYSTERIES FOR THE EVERYDAY SEEKER, BY GARY JANSEN
Nonfiction: Religion. TargerPerigee. 304 pp.

St. Jude. The Rosary. Petitionary prayer. These things work. Here is a practical guide for readers of all faiths to discover the lifesaving power of Catholic devotions.

METATRON: DAGGER OF MORTALITY, BY LAURENCE ST. JOHN
Fiction: Science Fiction. Imajin Books. 304 pp.

Tyler must render the most arduous choice of his life. He'll save himself, save his b...

NABOKOV'S 'LOLITA': HOW ARE WE TO APPROACH THIS NOVEL?

Lolita was always one of those books that intrigued me. As a life-long reader and double English major in college, I'd heard of Vladimir Nabokov's classic novel throughout my entire life. And yet I only read it this year. If I'm honest, it scared me to take it off the shelf, because I didn't want to get that icky feeling in my gut. You know, the feeling you get when you're reading or watching something you know is against everything you believe. And men who pursue younger girls as sexual obj...

WHAT IS THE STORY MAP?

I have tried pretty much every method in my attempts to write a novel. I have sat my butt in a chair and started writing. I have done The Snowflake Method. I have tried outlining my novel using methods other authors have talked about using. And, to this day, I am still novel-less.

So I decided to make my own way.

I took parts of outlining methods that I liked -- The Snowflake Method, The Beat Sheet, the 3-Act Method, etc. -- and I combined them into what I call the Story Map. And then I pieced...

NEW RELEASES: MARCH 4-10

MARCH 6 A BRUSH WITH SHADOWS, BY ANNA LEE HUBER
Fiction: Mystery. Berkley. 384 pp

Sebastian Gage returns home to battle the ghosts of his past and prevent them from destroying his future with Kierra in the latest exciting installment in this national bestselling series.

CLOSE TO HOME, BY CARA HUNTER
Fiction: Thriller. Penguin Books. 320 pp.

A truly original psychological crime novel about a missing child and the scandal that erupts in the aftermath, brilliantly plotted with a shocking twist.

QU...