Story Sensei

Deep Point of View Worksheet

2012-02-01T05:00:00.001-08:00

Hey guys! I have a new worksheet available for download!

I have had a lot of requests for my Deep Point of View online workshop, but I haven't been able to hold it because of time and because I've been trying to cut back on my Story Sensei stuff due to my sore wrists.

So instead of holding my Deep Point of View workshop, I've made my notes and workshop into a .pdf worksheet that you can download for less than the cost of the online workshop. Those of you who have been hoping to take my Deep POV class can now download the worksheet and get all my tips and tricks.

Deep Point of View Worksheet
$15

Want to rivet your reader to the page? Want to make your writing richer emotionally? Want your characters to be more vivid? Learn ways to draw the reader into the mind, body, and soul of your characters through deep point of view techniques. By the end of the worksheet you’ll have:

1) Ways to strengthen the emotional writing and draw the reader deeper into the character’s point of view

2) An understanding of the structural elements of a scene to help you know when and how to add deep-POV emotions

3) Tips for how to tweak wording in order to deepen point of view on a minute level, which contributes to a richer point of view for the manuscript as a whole

4) A finely honed radar for spotting “Telling” and shallow POV through exercises

This 31-page worksheet consists of lessons, homework, and fun exercises for you to see lots of deep and shallow POV examples. You’ll learn lots of simple techniques to help you deepen your character’s point of view.

If you'd like the Deep Point of View Worksheet, use the button below to pay with PayPal, or you can mail a check or money order to my mailing address below.

Mail check or money order to:
Camy Tang
P.O. Box 23143
San Jose, CA 95153-3143
Please email storysensei {at} gmail {dot} com to let me know that it's on it's way.

Doctor your manuscript yourself with my .pdf worksheets

2012-01-30T14:45:00.000-08:00

Learn ways to draw the reader into the mind, body, and soul of your characters through my Deep Point of View worksheet - $15 NEW!!.

Deepen and strengthen your character development with my Characterization worksheet - $15.

Doctor your novel's structure with my Structure/Synopsis worksheet - $5.

Deep Point of View Worksheet
$15

Want to rivet your reader to the page? Want to make your writing richer emotionally? Want your characters to be more vivid? Learn ways to draw the reader into the mind, body, and soul of your characters through deep point of view techniques. By the end of the worksheet you’ll have:

1) Ways to strengthen the emotional writing and draw the reader deeper into the character’s point of view

2) An understanding of the structural elements of a scene to help you know when and how to add deep-POV emotions

3) Tips for how to tweak wording in order to deepen point of view on a minute level, which contributes to a richer point of view for the manuscript as a whole

4) A finely honed radar for spotting “Telling” and shallow POV through exercises

This 31-page worksheet consists of lessons, homework, and fun exercises for you to see lots of deep and shallow POV examples. You’ll learn lots of simple techniques to help you deepen your character’s point of view.

If you'd like the Deep Point of View Worksheet, use the button below to pay with PayPal, or you can mail a check or money order to my mailing address below.

Mail check or money order to:
Camy Tang
P.O. Box 23143
San Jose, CA 95153-3143
Please email storysensei {at} gmail {dot} com to let me know that it's on it's way.

Characterization Worksheet
$15

I got several requests for another worksheet like my Synopsis worksheet, so I have put together a .pdf worksheet that combines all the lessons from my Characterization class.

If you've already taken my Characterization class, this worksheet is exactly the same as the lessons you got, just without any feedback from me on your homework, naturally. :)

This 35-page worksheet will help you develop your story characters. By the end of this worksheet, you will have:

1) a solid grasp of who your character is—and I’m not talking just favorite ice cream flavor

2) your character’s flaws and heroic qualities to make him/her truly sympathetic to the reader

3) the character’s unique qualities to make him/her stand out from all the other characters on the Barnes and Noble shelves.

4) your character’s desire and external goal (you’d be amazed at how this can change from your original ideas about your character as you dig deeper and discover who your character is!)

5) the motivation behind your character’s actions—and not something done over and over again, but something really juicy and unique that shapes your protagonist to make him/her a richer, deeper character

6) conflict and obstacles that directly impact your character’s external goal

7) the riveting climax of the story—both external events and also internal arc

Cost of the worksheet is $15. I'm pricing it so low because I really want people to be able to afford it and get the help they need for their story characters.

If you'd like the Characterization Worksheet, use the button below to pay with PayPal, or you can mail a check or money order to my mailing address below.

Mail check or money order to:
Camy Tang
P.O. Box 23143
San Jose, CA 95153-3143
Please email storysensei {at} gmail {dot} com to let me know that it's on it's way.

Structure/Synopsis Worksheet
$5

The exercises in this worksheet will ensure that your story structure has all the vital elements, including character external goal, internal/spiritual arc, obstacles/conflict, climax, resolution.

Don't have a synopsis written? The worksheet will guide you through writing your synopsis.

If you'd like the Synopsis Worksheet, use the button below to pay via PayPal, or you can mail a check or money order to my mailing address below.

Mail check or money order to:
Camy Tang
P.O. Box 23143
San Jose, CA 95153-3143
Please email storysensei {at} gmail {dot} com to let me know that it's on it's way.

New design!

2012-01-28T14:34:00.000-08:00

Thanks to suggestions from Meredith Efken and Randy Ingermanson, I now have a new blog design for the Story Sensei blog! How do you like?

New PayPal button!

2011-08-16T00:11:00.000-07:00

I feel extremely proud of myself because I figured out how to insert a PayPal button for anyone wanting to purchase my Synopsis worksheet or Characterization worksheet!

The process to buy one of my worksheets should be extremely streamlined now. You can pay via PayPal and immediately be taken to a page where you can download the worksheet.

If anyone buys my worksheet and it doesn't work, please email me immediately at storysensei {at} gmail {dot} com.

Seekerville: My Self-Publishing Experience

2011-07-27T16:35:00.000-07:00

Seekerville: My Self-Publishing Experience: "Camy here! I just recently self-published the fourth novel in my Sushi Series, Weddings and Wasabi , and it came out a few weeks ago in bot..."

Update on my schedule

2011-05-17T19:38:00.001-07:00

Hi guys,

My telephone mentoring schedule is free right now, but because of a limit on the time I can spend typing at the computer, I'm afraid I have cancelled all my critiques and one-on-one synopsis or characterization coaching for the rest of the year to try to help my wrists heal. If you'd like recommendations of other freelance editors who can critique your work, I can suggest:

Mary DeMuth (http://www.thewritingspa.com/)
Cheryl Wyatt (http://www.cherylwyatt.com/)
Fiction Fix-It Shop (http://www.fictionfixitshop.com/)
Sharon Hinck (http://www.sharonhinck.com/)
Just email them through their websites and let them know that Camy suggested you contact them about critiquing.

New prices, schedule posted

2011-03-13T19:37:00.000-07:00

Hi guys,
As I mentioned last year in November, I'm raising my prices this month. You can check them out here.

Also, my telephone mentoring schedule is free right now, but because of a limit on the time I can spend typing at the computer, I'm afraid my critiquing schedule and one-on-one synopsis or characterization coaching schedules are booked until July 2011. If you'd like me to put you on my schedule then, please email me. If you'd like recommendations of other freelance editors who can critique your work sooner than I can, click the link above for suggestions.

Q&A - Beginning Writer

2011-02-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

I got the below message from Savannah, who graciously agreed to let me answer her questions on the blog in case some of her questions are those some of you are curious about, too

Hey Camy! I just started reading your story sensei blog, which is great! I have a few questions about your last post!

Shoot!

I am starting my first novel! I want to write & even though the chances for success are small you gotta chase your dreams right?!

Yes!

I took a short writing course & only have basic knowledge & decided go jump in. After about 4, 0000 words I'm stumped. Like your last reader am wondering if the story is to big for me or idea is no goos BUT you say you need no special powers! When you talk about fleshing it out does that mean I may need to study the craft more before I attempt a book?

You don't need any special powers. Yes, you might need to study the craft a bit more in order to feel confident enough to continue. Or you might need to just set aside your inhibitions and JUST WRITE, even if you think what you're writing is crap. It depends on what type of writer you are. :)

If you want to learn more craft, check out my two articles, I want to write a novel and I have no clue what to do! and I've written a novel and I have no clue what to do next!

The topic of studying other writers was also brought up, how do I do that? Maybe that ties into knowing the craft as well?!

Basically, analyze any recently published novels (only about 5 years old) that you really liked. Why did you like the novel? What about the characters and/or plot did you like? Figure out what you like reading, because you'll end up writing what you like reading.

Also, if you want your book published by a certain publisher--for example, say you're targeting a Harlequin line like Love Inspired or Presents or Desire--then read the most recent books from that line in order to understand what types of characters and storylines the publisher has published. You don't want your storyline to be too far off from the types of stories the publisher publishes, but you also want it to be unique so that it's not just a copy of a story already on the shelves.

Lastly, I've been trying to come up with other possible ideas. They all seem so weak. How do I find a good idea? Being that it's my first attempt do I pick an idea & write whether i suck or not?

Yes! Just write. You'll end up writing what you like reading, which will make the writing fun for you. I wrote 4 full manuscripts before I sold my 5th manuscript, so don't feel like your first manuscript has to be a winner. Just write because you enjoy doing it and want to read these characters' stories.

I hope that helped!

Hey guys--email me if you have any questions for my Q&A series! storysensei {at] gmail [dot} com

Q&A - Borrowing plots

2011-02-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

I got the below message from Tonya, who graciously agreed to let me answer her questions on the blog in case some of her questions are those some of you are curious about, too.

Hey Camy! I just found your story sensei blog & think it's fabulous :) I have a few writing questions for you though
I obviously want to be a novelist. I took the CHristian Writers Guild Apprenticeship & decided to start working on my first novel. I've gotten to a point where I'm simply stuck. I feel like I have an idea of what the book is in my mind but what I'm writing isn't conveying it. It makes me wonder if my idea is above my skills levels when it comes to conflict & dialogue etc.

Camy: No. A writer doesn't need some sort of advanced skill or superpower to write out the idea in her head. It could be just that you need to think it through more, mull it over, or learn some plot skills in order to fully flesh it out.

So I'm seriously considering setting it aside for a while & working on something else. Is that bad?

Camy: Not at all. Sometimes that really helps you go back to it later with fresh ideas and a stronger sense of purpose.

Ive been trying to come up with another idea & haven't really zoned in on anything. I've started to wonder about trying to recycle or build off a classic possibly. My struggle here is that I've never read a classic. I've seen your list about chick lit (my fave) on amazon & was wondering if you could guide to me to some good classics that aren't overdone in remakes?

Camy: Rather than me telling you an idea for you to write (or a classic for you to read), think about books you've read that you really liked, and use that as a jumping off point. Obviously, don't copy the author's words because that's illegal, but take the core story idea and think about how you want to alter it or give it your own spin.

I know a lot of people like Jane Austen. I'm considering that bit aren't tons of things similar to P&P? Has it gotten cliche?

Camy: It depends on how you do it. Clueless was a really original take on Emma.

One thing I'm wondering about is taking a story like Emma (only read the synopsis on amazon. Oh & watched Clueless) & had it set in 2011 BUT from the perspective of the friend being made over & set up. Is that the type of thing borrowed plots are like? Is that a good take?

Camy: Again, it depends on how you do it. My suggestion is to write something you really want to read yourself. So if you didn't care much for Jane Austen, you shouldn't use her novels as a jumping off point for your own ideas. Instead, pick a book or movie you really, really enjoyed.

I'd love to hear you thoughts!
Thanks so much -- loved the sushi series!
Tonya

Camy: Thanks a bunch! I'm so glad!

New! Characterization Worksheet

2011-01-20T20:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody,

I got several requests for another worksheet like my Synopsis worksheet, so I have put together a .pdf worksheet that combines all the lessons from my Characterization class.

If you've already taken my Characterization class, this worksheet is exactly the same as the lessons you got, just without any feedback from me on your homework, naturally. :)

This 35-page worksheet will help you develop your story characters. By the end of this worksheet, you will have:

1) a solid grasp of who your character is—and I’m not talking just favorite ice cream flavor

2) your character’s flaws and heroic qualities to make him/her truly sympathetic to the reader

3) the character’s unique qualities to make him/her stand out from all the other characters on the Barnes and Noble shelves.

4) your character’s desire and external goal (you’d be amazed at how this can change from your original ideas about your character as you dig deeper and discover who your character is!)

5) the motivation behind your character’s actions—and not something done over and over again, but something really juicy and unique that shapes your protagonist to make him/her a richer, deeper character

6) conflict and obstacles that directly impact your character’s external goal

7) the riveting climax of the story—both external events and also internal arc

Cost of the worksheet is $15. I'm pricing it so low because I really want people to be able to afford it and get the help they need for their story characters.

If you'd like the Characterization Worksheet, use the button below to pay with PayPal, or you can mail a check or money order to my mailing address below.

Mail check or money order to:
Camy Tang
P.O. Box 23143
San Jose, CA 95153-3143
Please email storysensei {at} gmail {dot} com to let me know the check is on it's way.

NaNoWriMo tip: tactile stimulation

2010-11-08T21:48:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've been AWOL, but I've been on deadline for several books, which takes up my blogging time!

In honor of NaNoWriMo, I thought I'd post a few quick tips for writing while on NaNoWriMo that can help you achieve your goal of 50,000 words written on your novel this month.

This is one of the best weapons in my arsenal:

Tactile Stimulation

This might not work for everyone, but of all the people who have tried it so far, it has worked for them all, so chances are, it'll work for you, too.

Basically, when you stimulate your hands (or your body, really) with tactile, kinesthetic stimulation, it enables you to think creatively and focus on thinking creatively.

When you're trying to write a novel in a month, you don't have time to sit and stare at the blinking cursor. Trust me, I've done that for HOURS. Hours of wasted time.

I discovered that if I have something in my hands that doesn't require too much brain-power, I can suddenly focus on my novel better and think of what to write next.

For me, I knit. For you, pick something easy for you to do, and tactile, but it can also be relatively boring.

I will sit in front of my computer and knit a sock, say, and think of what my characters are going to say next. When I think of something, I drop my knitting in my lap and type on my computer. When I don't know what to type anymore, I pick up my knitting again and knit until I think of something.

This is related to how people often come up with great ideas while in the shower or washing dishes or driving. I think it's partly the tactile stimulation that enables their creative brain side to wander and, well, get creative.

(I think this is also why I tend to write better when I have snacks. Eating is tactile and it's mindless and it totally works for me, but my behind expands with every book. Oy!)

The key is that the activity has to be relatively mindless. No complex lace knitting projects, in other words (and trust me, I've tried it. It wasn't a pretty sight.) I've also tried card making/stamping/scrapbooking, but I need too much brainpower for that and I don't get any writing done. I have tried crochet, but it has to be a super easy crochet like single crochet all the way--no complex crochet stitches or a pattern to follow.

I usually knit an easy garter or stockinette stitch scarf, or a pair of stockinette socks, or an easy blanket that doesn't require a pattern (just enough stitches to make your eyes cross). Those projects typically are so BORING that I don't do them unless I don't have anything else to knit -- OR unless I need something tactile but boring so that I can unleash my creative right brain power.

I discovered that when I knit and write, I average about 500 words an hour (there are some people who write more, some who write less. If you write more than that, go away. Just kidding. If you write more than that, you probably don't need this tip!)

When I don't knit and write, I can go as low as 100 words an hour. Yes! I am pathetic.

When I'm on deadline for a book, I can't afford to be writing only 100 words an hour. That's really when I get going on my knitting (so if you want me to knit you socks, tell me when I'm on deadline. :)

For you, pick some activity you can do while writing and try it out. You might find your productivity really increases!

I tried to list some activities below but have come up woefully short on ideas. If you have more ideas on what tactile activities writers can try, let me know and I'll add it to the list.

knit (easy projects)
crochet (easy projects)
Tunisian crochet
hand quilting (easy)
English Paper Piecing
mending
polishing silver
pedicure (manicure if you can type with stuff on your fingers, but my M key has a stain and sticks b/c--you guessed it--I tried it and it didn't work well for me)
stress therapy ball (Martha Ramirez)
bike ride/walk/drive in the car/(swim???) -- bring pen and paper and/or digital tape recorder for ideas) (Koala Bear Writer)
jigsaw puzzle (Jill W)
playing an instrument (sasafras)

Picking an Agent

2010-08-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

This is a compilation of a series of blog posts I wrote on picking an agent.

Picking an agent #1—FINISH THE MANUSCRIPT

Yes, I’m shouting.

Before I go into some tips on how to pick an agent (and possibly receive an offer of representation), I want to point out this very important part of the submission process.

For some people, this is a no-brainer, but I’m always amazed at people who’ve never heard this piece of advice.

Before you query that agent (or editor, for that matter), finish the manuscript. There are TONS of writers who never finish that first manuscript, and agents know this. Therefore, if they are interested in your story, they are going to want to see the full, completed manuscript.

For one, they want to know you finished it.

For two, they want to know if you can sustain your brilliance in the first chapter throughout the rest of the book. Many novels sag in the middle because the writer loses steam. If that’s the case with your manuscript, it’s not ready to submit. Period.

You want that manuscript ready to go if they come back with a manuscript request. You won’t want to make them wait for a few months.

Sometimes, the agent is interested in your particular idea because it’s hot in the marketplace right at that moment. If you wait, they might receive 20 other manuscripts of a similar idea and sell one of those instead. Or the market may be saturated. Or the market changes (which it always does).

Agents are also typically much faster than editors. They won’t often leave you hanging for months at a time.

Strike while the iron is hot. Make sure that puppy is primed and ready to submit.

Update: Julie Carobini pointed out that it is possible to acquire an agent with just a fiction proposal and not the entire manuscript, because, in her words, "time is money." She also had a strong freelance career at that point, too, which added to her credibility. In my opinion, it's not the norm to successfully query with an unfinished manuscript, but it certainly is possible.

Picking an agent #2—Do you like them?

This might seem like a dumb question, but think about it—here is your chance to choose who you get to work with. You want someone you get along with and who has the same work ethic as you do. You won’t necessarily be buddies, but you want to at least be happy to talk to them.

That’s why it’s good to research the agents you query. Read online interviews or buy CDs from conferences of workshops the agent gave, or agent panels the agent was on.

If you can afford it, go to conferences to meet them and talk to them. They don’t bite. Just get to know them, even if you don’t have anything to pitch to them.

You will get a good feel for who you’d like to work for, and which agent has the same types of goals you do in terms of career.

Picking an agent #3—To brand or not to brand

I’m going to flash around the b-word, so if you’re easily offended, skip this post.

Some writers agree with branding, some don’t. Some writers like finding a marketing niche, others feel it hampers their creativity.

There’s nothing wrong with either opinion, but your agent should agree with whatever your opinion is.

Some agents are heavily into branding. They not only pitch your manuscript, they’re pitching your brand, you as the writer. They’re pitching you so that the house will take you on and develop you as an author with that particular flavor of writing.

Some agents are more open to writers who want to branch out into different areas. They encourage creativity, no matter where that may take the writer. They can recognize good writing and push whatever genre manuscripts their authors put out.

There is nothing wrong with either side. But you as the author should decide which type of agent you want to target. That’s why reading their online interviews or listening to workshops on CD or meeting them at conferences is so important.

Picking an agent #4—location?

Some authors insist that agents reside in New York so they have more opportunities for face-to-face time with editors in New York. I can see the logic of that.

So what about if your agent lives in California? Or Colorado?

It depends on which publishers you are targeting.

Let me say that again: It depends on which publishers you are targeting.

Not all publishers are in New York. This is especially true for CBA publishers. If you are targeting Bethany House, they’re in Minnesota. If you’re targeting FaithWords, they’re in Tennessee. If you’re targeting Zondervan, they’re in Michigan.

My agent lives in California, which is terrific because I can meet with her every so often. She flies to visit publishing houses every year, and she has connections with all of them that she encourages by attending various conferences.

She is the primary reason Zondervan bought my chick-lit series, because of her connection with the Zondervan editor.

So . . . New York? In my opinion, not necessarily. However, it is up to you.

Picking an agent #5—How to know if they’re interested?

For some houses like Heartsong Presents and Steeple Hill, a writer doesn’t need an agent to sell to them. Some writers who have targeted those houses worry an agent is just taking them on for an easy sale.

As a writer, you can tell if an agent is truly interested in you and your writing. Did they read your manuscript? Offer suggestions or feedback? Do they plan which specific editors to send it to because they know the editors’ specific tastes? Do they communicate with you quickly and consistently? Is their communication thorough?

And for goodness’ sake, if an agent requests your proposal or your full manuscript, SEND IT! They don’t have time to request those things if they aren’t genuinely interested in your story idea. It’s not like they have nothing to do but log in manuscripts and then send a rejection letter. They have a lot of other things taking up their time, and they’re not going to waste any of it by asking you to send something they intend to reject later.

Picking an agent #6—Multiple submissions?

Many writers worry about sending queries or proposals to several agents at once.

First of all, if you received these submission requests at a conference, it’s understood that you might have multiple requests and therefore multiple submissions.

It’s also fine to send multiple queries to multiple agents, however you should check the agent’s website to see what his/her policy is on multiple submissions. Some agents discourage it. Some agents don’t care.

Whether you have multiple submission requests from an conference or you’re just sending multiple queries to agents, in your cover letter or query letter, let the agent know that your manuscript has been submitted to other agents. It’s a common professional courtesy. Do NOT skip this bit of communication.

If an agent requests a partial manuscript or a full manuscript, e-mail or write to the other agents you submitted to and let them know such-and-such agent has requested the partial (or full). It might garner more interest in your writing, it might not.

If an agent offers representation, but you’d also like to see if the other agents you submitted to are interested, then e-mail, write, or call them. Let them know you submitted to them, but you’ve been offered representation by another agent. Ask them if they would they be willing to look over your submission and give you an answer before you respond to the other agent. Be polite.

The main thing is, make sure you are clear and consistent in your communication with all the agents you submit to or query.

Picking an agent #7—Bad agents

Randy Ingermanson wrote an excellent article about bad agents in his Advanced Fiction Writing Ezine:

.PDF file

text file

No agent is much better than having a bad agent. At best, a bad agent will not push your manuscripts promptly and will waste your time. At worst, a scammer will take your money and ruin your chances with publishers through reprehensible business practices.

Anyone can print up a business card and call themselves an agent, whether they have any experience or connections with editors and the industry or not.

Don’t go with any agent who charges a reading fee or sends you to a specific book doctor or editing company.

Check that the agent is a member of the AAR (Association of Authors' Representatives). Members are required to adhere to their Canon of Ethics, which prohibits scammers.

Picking an agent #8—Communication

All agents have different communication styles.

Some agents are more minimalistic—short, to-the-point e-mails, and not very frequent. Some of them don’t mind if you contact them often, they just won’t contact you back as much. Other agents, however, prefer minimal contact from you, as well. For some people, this type of minimal-communication agent is what they prefer—they don’t want to be bombarded by information they don’t really need, they just need an agent who will work in the background for them.

Other agents are more in contact with their clients. They e-mail and/or call frequently, and welcome reciprocal contact from clients.

Since I am a more chatty person, my agent is the latter. That simply meshes with my personality—it’s an individual choice.

For you, figure out what kind of communication the agent has. Ask questions. Give hypothetical scenarios.

“How often will you contact me in a typical week?”
“Once you send the manuscript to editors, how often will you contact me? What will you contact me about, and what will you not contact me about?”
“What is your preferred method of communication?”
“If I e-mail or call you, when can I expect you to e-mail or call me back?”

Picking an agent #9—Ask around

If you don’t have a chance to go to a conference and meet the agent face-to-face, or if the agent doesn’t attend the conference(s) you go to, then ask other writers about their agents.

If you belong to an online writers group, ask them to e-mail you privately about their agents. Ask about communication styles and work ethics. Ask them about their relationships, how the agent works, etc.

Also, tell them you’ll keep all their information completely confidential.

Another good idea is something a published author did (I want to say Rene Gutteridge did this, but I’m not positive)—she contacted several editors and asked them to give her the top three agents they enjoy working with. That way the editors aren’t put on the spot about any particular agent.

Any other questions?

Leave them in the comments and I'll answer them!

New blog by Abingdon Press fiction editor Barbara Scott!

2010-07-12T11:59:00.000-07:00

Barbara Scott is Exclusive acquisitions editor for Abingdon Press fiction and she has just started a new blog! Check it out!

The Roving Editor

Exclusive acquisitions editor for Abingdon Press fiction. More than 30 years experience in newspaper, magazine, and book publishing. Mentor, teacher, editor, author, speaker. Lover of God, family, and friends.

What I’m bringing to the ACFW Conference

2010-07-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

Captain's Log, Stardate 07.08.2010

The highlight of my year is always the ACFW conference in September. It’s my favorite conference for so many reasons, some of which are:

1) the friends I get to see there
2) the industry professionals I get to meet
3) the workshops
4) the nice hotel (I am SO not a “roughing it” girl. I need room service.)

I’m terrible at forgetting what to bring every year, so this year I figured I’d make a list. And I also thought it might be a useful list for other people who might be going to conference, too (not just the ACFW conference, but any writer’s conference).

So here goes, in no particular order:

1) business cards and/or bookmarks. For me, bookmarks are usually easier.

2) A one-sheet of my latest proposal. Dineen Miller did a great blog series on One-Sheets: http://www.acfw.com/blog/?p=137, http://www.acfw.com/blog/?p=170, http://www.acfw.com/blog/?p=203, http://www.acfw.com/blog/?p=248, and examples here: http://www.dineenmiller.com/DineenMiller/D.G.Graphics.html

3) My pitch for my latest proposal. The one-sheet has my pitch on it so I don’t have to stress about memorizing it, although I’ll usually just talk about my story rather than reading the pitch because most editors/agents don’t like it if you read it. However, they will prefer you read it over go on for ten minutes about it. Be ready to give the gist of it in 30 seconds.

4) My camera because I always try to take lots of pictures!!! This can also be helpful if I take a picture with an editor or an agent so I’ll better remember what they look like, because now that I’m in pre-menopause, my memory is just mush.

5) $1 bills to tip the maids (a dollar on your pillow every morning, not just your last morning, because you could have different maids every day), cab drivers, porters, etc. Not tipping is just rude, in my opinion.

6) Clothes. Everybody is different, so pick what you feel comfortable in. I dislike tight clothes, but I also dislike baggy things, so I’ll go for cute tops that are form-skimming but also made from fabrics that won’t crease as easily. I bring both jeans and nice slacks depending on what I’m doing—if I’m teaching or meeting an editor or agent, I wear the slacks. If I’m hanging out with friends, I wear jeans. I also pack layers (see below). Bottom line: DON’T LOOK LIKE A SLOB BUT BE COMFORTABLE. Mindy Obenhaus had a good blog post here on raiding your closet for conference.

7) Light jacket and/or sweater. Actually, in years past I’ve been packing a lace shawl instead since I can cram that sucker into a bag and not worry about it getting wrinkled, but when I’m cold in those air-conditioned rooms, I can whip it out and put it around my shoulders. The nice thing about conference is that it’s always in a hotel so you don’t have to worry about weather except when going outside.

8) Comfortable shoes. I don’t always take my own advice here because I love cute shoes! But I always have at least one pair of comfortable but nice shoes that I could wear when walking from workshop to workshop, which matches my slacks.

9) Workout clothes/shoes. This year, especially, I’ll be in the gym since I’m training to run the Honolulu marathon in December! (I’ll blog more about that later, I promise.) The nice thing about ACFW conferences is that it’s always in a hotel with a good gym to work out in, and usually the hotels have pools, too.

10) SCENT FREE LOTION. The Conference is SCENT FREE since a lot of people (including our CEO, Colleen Coble) are allergic to perfumes, so I always bring Nutrogena fragrance free hand lotion.

11) An extra, empty duffel bag or suitcase because I always end up buying books and then trying to stuff them into my overstuffed suitcase to carry them home.

12) My knitting! If you’re a knitter or crocheter, bring your project along! I knit while listening to workshops or the keynote speaker.

13) Snacks. Do you really want to pay $7 for a granola bar at the hotel gift shop? Also, keep your blood sugar steady since you’ll be doing a lot, going places, interacting with people, and using more energy than you think you will.

14) Computer. I usually bring my laptop simply because I typically need to do work while at the conference. Since I’m a List Hostess and the Genesis coordinator, I almost always need my files or to get online to check my email address. Other people use their computer to take notes in classes. However, if you don’t think you’ll need to do any of that stuff, feel free to not bring your computer. Some people will bring their iPad or Alphasmart for notetaking. I use my Alphasmart Neo since it’s built like a tank, takes up less space in my conference tote bag, and doesn’t need to be plugged in.

If you’re bringing your computer for notetaking in workshops, remember that the rooms don’t always have enough outlets, so consider bringing a multi-outlet surge protector if you can fit it in your computer bag.

You don’t need to bring a notebook for notetaking because ACFW will give you a nice notebook with your conference totebag.

15) Cell phone. This is invaluable for me when I’m meeting someone (a friend, not an editor appointment) because who wants to waste precious minutes searching throughout a huge first floor lobby/meeting room area for someone?

16) Pajamas. I actually need to list this because I have forgotten my PJs on more than one occasion.

17) Charge cords for your cell phone, computer, etc. I also bring charge cords for my Nook ebook reader, my iPod, and my Bluetooth headset.

18) Books to read. Yes, I fully confess I get jittery and psychotic if I don’t have a book to read when I’m on the plane or waiting or whatever. I always bring my Nook ebook reader with me so I have hundreds of books at my fingertips.

19) Bible. I have one on my Nook so I never forget my Bible when I’m going places, since I always bring my Nook, plus it doesn’t take up as much space in my luggage as my regular Bible. If you have a pocket Bible, you may want to consider bringing that so it’ll take up less space.

20) Miscellaneous stuff:
makeup
contact lens solution
hair stuff (the hotel has a blow drier)
jewelry
vitamins/medications
safety pins
nail care kit (if you have nails that can chip or break at the worst possible times)
Bandaids

From Malia: extra batteries for camera, etc.!

From Glynna: a folded Fed-Ex box (I think even a folded USPS Flat Rate box would fit, and if you can pay the postage in advance, even better) for mailing anything extra home rather than paying for overweight luggage.

So did I miss anything? Anything you’d add to the list?

The One-Sentence Hook

2010-05-20T13:49:00.000-07:00

We're doing one-sentence hooks at Seekerville today! Come learn how to write a one-sentence hook and get feedback on your own!

Camy here! Today I thought I’d do a more interactive post and have you guys create a one-sentence hook for your story. This is actually a lesson from my Synopsis online class that I teach through my Story Sensei critique service, so forgive me if you’ve taken my class and this sounds vaguely familiar. :)

An agent might use this one-sentence hook when she presents your story to an editor, or you can use this hook in your proposal, and an editor might use it when she presents it to the pub board. Actually, I would strongly suggest you have a one-sentence hook in your proposal, because even if your editor doesn’t use it in pub board, you may be asked to submit a one-sentence hook later, after the book is contracted, to give to the Marketing and Sales team.

Click here to read the rest!

Interview with Steeple Hill Executive Editor Joan Marlow Golan

2010-05-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Today, Wednesday, May 5, www.seekerville.blogspot.com is hosting a special guest -- Steeple Hill Executive Editor JOAN MARLOW GOLAN. We'll be posting an interview with her, plus she's agreed to pop in several times that day to answer questions.

Hope you can join us!

Your Best Writing Time

2010-03-18T15:02:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

I'm at Seekerville talking about a writer's best writing time:

Camy here! As I write this, it’s late evening in California, because I’ve discovered my best writing time is usually in the evening and early morning hours.

For years this really frustrated me because who in their right mind writes best at 2 a.m.? Especially when I had to get up at 8 a.m. to go to my biology job. (Pain and suffering ...) Why can’t I be like Ruthy who can get up at (Godforsaken) 4 in the morning to efficiently zip off a chapter before breakfast?

Click here to chime in and let me know your best writing time!

Ten Ways To Create Character Empathy

2010-02-17T01:14:00.000-08:00

This is a fantastic article by Brandilyn Collins. Several of her points are similar to what I read in one of my favorite writing books, Writing for Emotional Impact by Karl Iglesias.

Ten Ways To Create Character Empathy

EMPOWERING CHARACTERS' EMOTIONS online course by Margie Lawson

2010-02-07T15:02:00.000-08:00

Camy here: I STRONGLY recommend this course! Many of the manuscripts that I critique could use more emotional writing, and this course is the best of its kind in teaching how to write with more emotion, more emotional intensity, more psychologically resonating emotion. TAKE THIS COURSE!

This course is designed for writers of ALL GENRES, published or unpublished. You'll work at your own pace, on your own level.

EMPOWERING CHARACTERS' EMOTIONS (details below)
Presenter: Margie Lawson

Cost: $20.00 PASIC members, $30.00 non-members - payable by PayPal

Deadline to Register: February 27, 2010

TO REGISTER, GO HERE:

http://pasic.net/class_lawson_032010.html

CLASS INFORMATION:

Would you like to learn how to:

Capture emotion on the page?

Hook the reader
by eliciting a visceral response?

Analyze your scenes?

Fix scenes that don't work?

Increase micro-tension?

Add psychological power to a good scene and make it stellar?

This power-packed on-line class covers the following topics and more:

The EDITS System
Deep Editing techniques
Four Levels of Powering Up Emotion
The Full Range of Body Language:
Facial expressions, Dialogue Cues, Proxemics, Posture, Gestures, Avoidance and Deception Cues
Fresh Visceral Responses
Cliché-busting
Motivation Reaction Units
Ideomotoric shifts
Subtext Power
Emotional Authenticity
Backstory Management
Emotional Hits
Rhythm and Cadence and Beats
Carrying a Nonverbal Image Forward
Projecting Emotion for a Non-POV character

About the Presenter:

Margie
Lawson—psychotherapist, writer, and international presenter – focuses
her analytical skills on writing craft. A former adjunct professor,
Margie taught psychology courses at the graduate and doctoral levels.
Applying her expertise in the writing world, she developed innovative
editing systems and deep editing techniques. Her deep editing tools are
used by all writers, from beginners to multi-award winners. She teaches
writers how to edit for psychological power, how to immerse the reader
in the fictional world, how to write page turners.

Margie
developed six on-line courses she teaches once per year. The lectures
from all her courses are available as Lecture Packets through Paypal
from her web site.

Empowering Characters' Emotions
Deep Editing: The EDITS System, Rhetorical Devices, and More
Digging Deep in to the EDITS System
Defeat Self-Defeating Behaviors
Writing Body Language and Dialogue Cues Like a Psychologist
Powering Up Body Language in Real Life: Projecting a Professional Persona When Pitching and Presenting

In
the last six years, Margie presented full day Master Classes for
writers fifty-four times, sharing her deep editing techniques with over
four thousand writers. Last year Margie was brought in as a guest
speaker to present full day Master Classes in Melbourne for Romance
Writers of Australia, and in Auckland, for Romance Writers of New
Zealand.

To
learn about Margie's 3-day Immersion Master Classes, full day Master
Class presentations, on-line course schedule, Lecture Packets, or
newsletter, visit: www.MargieLawson.com.

Read what graduates of Margie Lawson's courses and master classes say:

Randy
Ingermanson, Ph. D., author of WRITING FICTION FOR DUMMIES,
award-winning fiction author, creator of Snow-Flake Pro, in-demand
writing instructor:

"In the twenty years I've been writing
fiction, two teachers have astounded me with their insights and taught
me something radically new: Dwight Swain and Margie Lawson.

After
reading Margie's material on nonverbal communication and empowering
characters' emotions, something clicked in my brain. Margie taught me a
new ways to empower my writing."

Karin Tabke, Bestselling author:

"I
had so many epiphany moments Saturday my head was twitching. It's still
twitching! I wish I had attended Margie's Empowering Characters'
Emotions master class earlier. My writing is stronger, more vivid, more
emotional. The effects of the workshop were immediate. I highly
recommend if you have the opportunity to take Margie's workshop in
person, do it."

Colleen Coble, CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers and Bestselling author:

"The
workshop I went to last month was the best I've ever been to, bar none.
And I've been to plenty. Margie's workshop was so awesome, I'm going
over my notes from what she taught before I start my next book. She's a
genius, pure and simple."

Melanie Milburne, Bestselling, Award Winning author:

I
just sold my 31st title and my editor loved the book. She thought I had
written a really sophisticated story with powerful emotion. So thank
you Margie!

I
have worked my way through Margie's Empowering Characters' Emotions,
and Deep Editing Lecture Packets, and found them wonderful. Her deep
editing techniques have really lifted my writing. It's so exciting
working on each new novel now knowing I have these amazing techniques
to engage the reader in a more emotionally satisfying way. Thank you
again, Margie!

Cheryl Wyatt, Award Winning author:

"I
LOVED Margie Lawson's class. WOW. WOW. WOW. Wish I would have
discovered her sooner. Fabulous. My writing will soar to the next
level. She's an incredible teacher and such a fun teacher. Great lady.
I plan to take all her online courses."

At the Steeple Hill
spotlight, at the RWA National conference, editors Krista Stroever and
Melissa Endlich mentioned my books. They talked about how my writing
has a depth of emotion that makes them cry. They said that's the kind
of emotive writing they want to see from authors trying to break in.

Margie,
I know I have you to thank for the strong core of emotion that people
say are in my books. Thank you for bringing your wealth of knowledge
and sharing with us. You truly are amazing.

Jeri Smith-Ready, Bestselling author:

I
owe it all to Margie Lawson (and my editor) for helping me whip my
books into shape. I used her Empowering Characters' Emotions and Deep
Editing lectures as my bible for my final drafts. I am so grateful I
discovered Margie's editing expertise. I can't say enough about what a
difference it makes to have Margie's 'voice' pushing me to make each
word count and each sentence pop!

Linda Warren, Award Winning Best-selling author:

I'm thoroughly enjoying your Deep Editing lectures. And learning. I feel as if I've been writing in the dark. All of a sudden
you've turned on the light and my weak and dull writing is transformed into powerful and fresh. I love it!

As an author I get tired of the "thumping" "pounding" heart. "Lifted" "raised" eyebrow, too.

After
your full day Empowering Characters' Emotions master class at NOLA
Stars, I wrote this line: "She cocked her eyebrow with the power of a
.38 special."

As I told you in Shreveport, I've never taken a
workshop because getting around is so hard for me. I'm glad I waited
for a Margie Lawson Master Class to begin to learn about the power of
words, the power of writing. You're brilliant.

CJ Lyons, Award Winning author:

Margie's
Empowering Characters' Emotions and Deep Editing classes not only
helped me to get in touch with my characters' visceral reactions, they
also showed me ways to use my characters' emotions to drive my plots in
compelling and evocative new directions!

Lyn Cote, Bestselling, RITA nominated,
author:

I
love a teacher who knows how to break down the individual skills and
content in order to put into practice what is being taught. I've taken
Margie's Character Emotion and EDITS classes and have used them ever
since.

Margie's lessons are always practical and make such a difference! If you haven't taken them and implemented them, YOU SHOULD. "
Deadline to Register: February 27, 2010

Interview--My journey to publication

2010-02-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Lynda Schab interviewed me on my journey to publication! This was fun because she asked questions on topics I didn't think about when I first gave my writing journey story.

Now, Camy shares her journey to publication:
Fiction, non-fiction, or both? Fiction
Genre: Romantic suspense and humorous contemporary romance
How many books have you written? 9
How many of those have been published? 4
Years you've been writing: Longer than dirt. Okay, seriously, I started writing in Junior High or High School, but didn't start writing seriously until I got laid off from my biology job, which was in 2002

Click here to read the entire interview!

Proposals—basic structure

2010-01-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

I'm over at Seekerville today in a long blog article about how to put together a fiction proposal!

Camy here! I know that lots of you did NaNoWriMo in November, and as all of us start to prepare for writer’s conferences this year, I wanted to talk about putting together a fiction proposal for your manuscript.

Not all proposals are set up the same way, but I’m going to go through the structure of a typical one.

Click here to read the rest of the article!

2010 ACFW Genesis contest for unpublished writers

2010-01-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

This is my fifth year coordinating the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis contest for unpublished writers! We just went live yesterday!

Deadline is 8 a.m. Pacific Standard Time on March 31st, so get your manuscripts polished so you can enter! Actually, enter by March 15th in case your entry gets lost in cyberspace, so we have time to find it.

You must be an ACFW member to enter the contest, but you can join when you submit your entry fee! If you're thinking seriously about being published in Christian fiction, ACFW is a fantastic organization!

Here's the website:

ACFW Genesis contest

Q&A: Writing a scene with 2 characters who are not English speakers

2010-01-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Brenda asked:

I have a quandary. I have a scene in which two characters are speaking, both of whom are not English speakers, but of course, since it would be meaningless to have a page of dialogue the reader can't understand, it is written in English. In this story's case, it's a historical, the speakers are Apaches. Traditionally, historicals featuring a scene like this would write the dialogue in choppy, stilted English. But this doesn't make sense to me. The scene is in the POV of the Apache, and while I wasn't in that time period, I view it much the same as if you walked in on someone having a phone conversation with a friend in a rapid exchange of Spanish, French, German, what have you. They are not stumbling over their words.

On the other hand, I'm not sure if I should assume the reader "gets" that these two Apaches would be speaking in their own native tongue. And someone suggested to me to use the stilted English, which doesn't seem POV-true to me. How do I remain POV-true to the character yet provide the cultural clues the reader needs to not assume they are speaking English?

Camy here: I personally agree with you that the stilted English option wouldn’t be very true to character or to point of view. It also might be considered a bit non-politically correct to show the Apache language as stilted English when it’s nothing of the sort.

I have seen this in other books and it has worked quite well. You have two options, both them very similar:

1) Start the dialogue with a line in the language (in italics to show a foreign language), then switch to English, letting the reader know the conversation continues in the Apache language.

For example (since I don’t know Apache, I’m going to use Japanese):

”Genki desuka?” Eleanor asked.

Chikako tried to dry her eyes on her sleeve. Thank goodness Eleanor knew Japanese so Chikako didn’t have to struggle to communicate in English, not now with the way she was feeling. She continued in the same language, “I’m fine, thanks for asking. The doctor said I’ll get the results next week Monday.”

Eleanor smiled ruefully. “It’s hard waiting, isn’t it? I felt that way with my breast cancer a few years ago.”

2) Start the dialogue directly with an indication that it’s in the foreign language. The only problem with this is that some readers might miss the fact the dialogue is not supposed to be in English.

For example:

When Marta left them to go to the buffet table to load up, Chikako turned to Eleanor and asked in Japanese, “Who did the cooking for tonight?”

“Sylvia. She got her sisters to help her, though.”

I hope this helps!

If any of you guys have any other questions for my Q&A series, just leave a comment and I'll be sure to get to it!

Q&A: Unfamiliar settings

2010-01-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

Joy asked:

I thought to start my fiction (novel) while I'm on a holiday break. I'm conceptualizing some ideas and taking down notes for a chicklit story. I Love chicklit genre.But my dilemma is about the setting. Did it ever happen to you that you based a setting of your story in a place where you've never been before?

The last time I was in the US was in 1999. A part from the fact that my memory is kinda rusty and needs fine tuning from time to time, I also didn't pay attention to take note of specific details about the stores, where to go, sights to see. I was just overwhelmed with my new environment and ofcourse homesickness.

Currently, I'm based in Croatia ( Southeast EU), but as a background setting, I'd like to mention about the main character based in the US. Should I be very specific about the place in the US? If anything else, I've got friends from the US who can guide me through this.

I don't know if I'm making sense here. But I'm sure you know what I mean.
I'd really appreciate your input based on your writing experience, if that's not too much to ask. :)

Camy here: That's great that you're starting your novel! My advice would be to just write it even if you're not sure if you're accurate about the US settings.

If you're not sure about your facts at a particular point in the novel, you can do what I do and insert [xxx do research later] in the manuscript and then just keep writing.

After I finish the manuscript, I do a search for "xxx" and find all the notes I left to myself to fix. Then you can do more research, ask your friends specific questions, etc.

Also, don't forget that your setting should be a character in the book, not just a backdrop. When you integrate the setting into the storyline—so much so that the story couldn't take place anywhere else in the world—it makes for more vibrant reading.

If any of you guys have any other questions for my Q&A series, just leave a comment and I'll be sure to get to it!

Q&A: Manuscript format

2010-01-11T00:01:00.001-08:00

Jeris asked:

I'm in the process of formatting my novel and need to know whether the entire manuscript is saved as one file or separate files within a folder.

I started to save it as one file, but realized the header wouldn't be correct--"Chapter One" wouldn't work with the other chapters.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Also, are there any helps when using Word 2007?

Camy here: Yes, your entire manuscript should be saved as one file. That will make it easier for an editor or agent if they want the electronic version of your manuscript.

Some agents/editors actually prefer the electronic version, although some want the electronic version as just a supplement to the hard copy version, and they ask you to send both.

Your header should simply be your name, the title of the manuscript, and the page number. Check out my manuscript formatting article for more info on that. Don't put the chapter number in the header.

For Word 2007, I have found a lot of information simply by Googling "Word 2007" and then whatever question I have, such as headers or margins or whatever. Forum boards are usually very helpful. Computer people like helping others who are confused, I guess!

I hope this helps!

If any of you guys have any other questions for my Q&A series, just leave a comment and I'll be sure to get to it!

Seven of Nine – uniqueness in your characters

2010-01-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

I'm over on Seekerville today melding two of my loves, Star Trek Voyager and writing. :)

Camy here! I’m a HUGE Star Trek Voyager fan (I watch the reruns on SpikeTV). I really like the character Seven of Nine.

For you non Star Trek fans, Seven is a human woman who was a Borg (mindless cyborg) for most of her life, but Captain Janeway rescued her from the Borg collective and is teaching her how to be an individual.

Click here to read more about creating unique characters for your stories!

Q&A: Two characters

2010-01-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

Roxo said...

I was wondering lately if a two character book would seem boring.
The story is about a girl who wanders in the forest with this boy. I have other characters but they appear sporadically even if they contribute to the way the story goes.
Should I add someone with them just to make the plot less centered on just two characters?

Camy here: I’m afraid there’s no really good answer for this. It all depends on how you envision the story.

It’s good that you have other characters who appear sporadically, because they can serve to add more conflict and obstacles to the characters’ goals. If it were purely the two characters, I would say you definitely need more characters, if only to keep the conflict from becoming too much of the same kind of interactions.

I’m not sure how far along you are on the manuscript, or if you’ve already plotted the entire thing out or if you’re discovering the story as it unfolds. If you’ve plotted it all out already, look and see if you actually like just having the two main characters, or if you feel they need someone else to spice up the interactions. If you haven’t plotted it out, then just continue writing the manuscript, and again look to see if you like having only two main characters.

In this instance, you should go with your gut. What prospect gives you more interest or excitement about the book—only two characters, or adding a third? Follow your own instincts about your story.

I hope that helps!

If any of you guys have any other questions for my Q&A series, just leave a comment and I'll be sure to get to it!

A good post for those who write humorous fiction

2009-12-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

I love the Edittorrent blog, and Alicia Rasley posted this one that I thought was a really good post for those of us who incorporate humor in our fiction:

I was reading Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich, and I realized that one reason she's so popular with her readers is that she knows what's fun and spins it out to an enjoyable length. She doesn't just allude to it-- she exploits it.

Click here to read the rest of the post

Conflict In Every Line

2009-12-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

I'm at Seekerville talking about adding conflict in every line.

Camy here! I wanted to talk about conflict today, because we all could use more conflict in our lives, right? Especially now that it’s December and Christmas is around the corner?

(Breathe ... breathe ... I’m just kidding! I mean, I’m kidding about us needing more conflict in our lives, not about Christmas being around the corner. And if you’ve still got your head stuck in the sand of denial about Christmas—you have only nine days left, sugar. Get cracking.)

Anyway, one of the best things I picked up from a Donald Maass seminar was his injunction to add tension to every sentence on the page.

Chime in and add your own before and after writing!

Troubleshooting a Weak Climax

2009-12-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

Ideas For Fixing a Disatisfying End to the Story

Sometimes a writer’s critique partners or first readers will comment that they didn’t like the ending of a story, or that the novel didn’t resolve well. While critique is always good, a vague “I didn’t like the ending” isn’t helpful for fixing it. However, there are a few mistakes often made but easily fixed to create a stronger climax.

Click here for the rest of the article

Creating an Emotionally Resonant Climax

2009-12-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

How to Bring a Story to an End

The Beginning of the End is often used to refer to the climax of the story, or roughly the last 25% of the novel (in terms of word count or page count). After building the tension and conflict of the middle of your novel, now you want a strong ending that will grip the reader, then provide resolution and release of tension.

Click here to read the rest of the article

Excerpt - A NOVEL IDEA by ChiLibris

2009-12-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Camy here: I'm especially pleased to post this excerpt because I'm in this book, too! I have a piece on finding and developing your writer's voice, that elusive "something" in your writing that makes the piece uniquely yours. I hope you guys enjoy this excerpt enough that you'll buy the book! All proceeds from this book go to charity.

A Novel Idea

Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (November 1, 2009)

by

Various Best-Selling Authors
(contributions from best-selling authors including Jerry B. Jenkins, Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury, Randy Alcorn, Terri Blackstock, Robin Jones Gunn, Angela Hunt and more)

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Best-selling Christian fiction writers have teamed together to contribute articles on the craft of writing. A Novel Idea contains tips on brainstorming ideas and crafting and marketing a novel. It explains what makes a Christian novel “Christian” and offers tips on how to approach tough topics. Contributors include Jerry B. Jenkins, Karen Kingsbury, Francine Rivers, Angela Hunt, and many other beloved authors. All proceeds will benefit MAI, an organization that teaches writing internationally to help provide literature that is culturally relevant.

Product Details:

List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (November 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414329946
ISBN-13: 978-1414329949

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Chapter 1: Plot

The Plot Skeleton

Angela Hunt

Imagine, if you will, that you and I are sitting in a room with one hundred other authors. If you were to ask each person present to describe their plotting process, you’d probably get a hundred different answers. Writers’ methods vary according to their personalities, and we are all different. Mentally. Emotionally. Physically.

If, however, those one hundred novelists were to pass behind an X-ray machine, you’d discover that we all possess remarkably similar skeletons. Beneath our disguising skin, hair, and clothing, our skeletons are pretty much identical.

In the same way, though writers vary in their methods, good stories are composed of remarkably comparable skeletons. Stories with “good bones” can be found in picture books and novels, plays and films.

Many fine writers tend to carefully outline their plots before they begin the first chapter. On the other hand, some novelists describe themselves as “seat-of-the-pants” writers. But when the story is finished, a seat-of-the-pants novel will (or should!) contain the same elements as a carefully plotted book. Why? Because whether you plan it from the beginning or find it at the end, novels need structure beneath the story.

After mulling several plot designs and boiling them down to their basic elements, I developed what I call the “plot skeleton.” It combines the spontaneity of seat-of-the-pants writing with the discipline of an outline. It requires a writer to know where he’s going, but it leaves room for lots of discovery on the journey.

When I sit down to plan a new book, the first thing I do is sketch my smiling little skeleton.

To illustrate the plot skeleton in this article, I’m going to refer frequently to The Wizard of Oz and a lovely foreign film you may never have seen, Mostly Martha.

The Skull: A Central Character
The skull represents the main character, the protagonist. A lot of beginning novelists have a hard time deciding who the main character is, so settle that question right away. Even in an ensemble cast, one character should be featured more than the others. Your readers want to place themselves into your story world, and it’s helpful if you can give them a sympathetic character to whom they can relate. Ask yourself, “Whose story is this?” That is your protagonist.

This main character should have two needs or problems—one obvious, one hidden—which I represent by two yawning eye sockets.

Here’s a tip: Hidden needs, which usually involve basic human emotions, are often solved or met by the end of the story. They are at the center of the protagonist’s “inner journey,” or character change, while the “outer journey” is concerned with the main events of the plot. Hidden needs often arise from wounds in a character’s past.

Consider The Wizard of Oz. At the beginning of the film, Dorothy needs to save her dog from Miss Gulch, who has arrived to take Toto because he bit her scrawny leg—a very straightforward and obvious problem. Dorothy’s hidden need is depicted but not directly emphasized when she stands by the pigpen and sings “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Do children live with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em if all is fine with Mom and Dad? No. Though we are not told what happened to Dorothy’s parents, it’s clear that something has splintered her family and Dorothy’s unhappy. Her hidden need, the object of her inner journey, is to find a place to call home.

Mostly Martha opens with the title character lying on her therapist’s couch and talking about all that is required to cook the perfect pigeon. Since she’s in a therapist’s office, we assume she has a problem, and the therapist addresses this directly: “Martha, why are you here?”

“Because,” she answers, “my boss will fire me if I don’t go to therapy.” Ah—obvious problem at work with the boss. Immediately we also know that Martha is high-strung. She is precise and politely controlling in her kitchen. This woman lives for food, but though she assures us in a voice-over that all a cook needs for a perfectly lovely dinner is “fish and sauce,” we see her venture downstairs to ask her new neighbor if he’d like to join her for dinner. He can’t, but we become aware that Martha needs company. She needs love in her life.

Connect the Skull to the Body: Inciting Action
Usually the first few chapters of a novel are involved with the business of establishing the protagonist in a specific time and place, his world, his needs, and his personality. The story doesn’t kick into gear, though, until you move from the skull to the spine, a connection known as the inciting incident.

Writers are often told to begin the story in medias res, or in the middle of the action. This is not the same as the Big Incident. Save the big event for a few chapters in, after you’ve given us some time to know and understand your character’s needs. Begin your story with an obvious problem—some action that shows how your character copes. In the first fifth of the story we learn that Dorothy loves Toto passionately and that Martha is a perfectionist chef. Yes, start in the middle of something active, but hold off on the big event for a while. Let us get to know your character first . . . because we won’t gasp about their dilemma until we know them.

In a picture book, the inciting incident is often signaled by two words: One day . . . Those two words are a natural way to move from setting the stage to the action. As you plot your novel, ask yourself, “One day, what happens to move my main character into the action of the story?” Your answer will be your inciting incident, the key that turns your story engine.

After Dorothy ran away, if she’d made it home to Uncle Henry and Aunt Em without incident, there would have been no story. The inciting incident? When the tornado picks Dorothy up and drops her, with her house, in the land of Oz.

The inciting incident in Mostly Martha is signaled by a ringing telephone. When Martha takes the call, she learns that her sister, who was a single mother to an eight-year-old girl, has been killed in an auto accident.

Think of your favorite stories—how many feature a hero who’s reluctant to enter the special world? Often—but not always—your protagonist doesn’t want to go where the inciting incident is pushing him or her. Obviously, Martha doesn’t want to hear that her sister is dead, and she certainly doesn’t want to be a mother. She takes Lina, her niece, and offers to cook for her (her way of showing love), but Lina wants her mother, not gourmet food.

Even if your protagonist has actively pursued a change, he or she may have moments of doubt as the entrance to the special world looms ahead. When your character retreats or doubts or refuses to leave the ordinary world, another character should step in to provide encouragement, advice, information, or a special tool. This will help your main character overcome those last-minute doubts and establish the next part of the skeleton: the goal.

The End of the Spine: The Goal
At some point after the inciting incident, your character will establish and state a goal. Shortly after stepping out of her transplanted house, Dorothy looks around Oz and wails, “I want to go back to Kansas!” She’s been transported over the rainbow, but she prefers the tried and true to the unfamiliar and strange. In order to go home, she’ll have to visit the wizard in the Emerald City. As she tries to meet an ever-shifting set of subordinate goals (follow the yellow brick road; overcome the poppies; get in to see the wizard; bring back a broomstick), her main goal keeps viewers glued to the screen.

This overriding concern—will she or won’t she make it home?—is known as the dramatic question. The dramatic question in every murder mystery is, Who committed the crime? The dramatic question in nearly every thriller is, Who will win the inevitable showdown between the hero and the villain? Along the way readers will worry about the subgoals (Will the villain kill his hostage? Will the hero figure out the clues?), but the dramatic question keeps them reading until the last page.

Tip: To keep the reader involved, the dramatic question should be directly related to the character’s ultimate goal. Martha finds herself trying to care for a grieving eight-year-old who doesn’t want another mother. So Martha promises to track down the girl’s father, who lives in Italy. She knows only that his name is Giuseppe, but she’s determined to find him.

The Rib Cage: Complications
Even my youngest students understand that a protagonist who accomplishes everything he or she attempts is a colorless character. As another friend of mine is fond of pointing out, as we tackle the mountain of life, it’s the bumps we climb on! If you’re diagramming, sketch at least three curving ribs over your spine. These represent the complications that must arise to prevent your protagonist from reaching his goal.

Why at least three ribs? Because even in the shortest of stories—in a picture book, for instance—three complications work better than two or four. I don’t know why three gives us such a feeling of completion, but it does. Maybe it’s because God is a Trinity and we’re hardwired to appreciate that number.

While a short story will have only three complications, a movie or novel may have hundreds. Complications can range from the mundane—John can’t find a pencil to write down Sarah’s number—to life-shattering. As you write down possible complications that could stand between your character and his ultimate goal, place the more serious problems at the bottom of the list.

The stakes—what your protagonist is risking—should increase in significance as the story progresses. In Mostly Martha, the complications center on this uptight woman’s ability to care for a child. Lina hates her babysitter, so Martha has to take Lina to work with her. But the late hours take their toll, and Lina is often late for school. Furthermore, Lina keeps refusing to eat anything Martha cooks for her.

I asked you to make the ribs curve because any character that runs into complication after complication without any breathing space is going to be a weary character . . . and you’ll weary your reader with this frenetic pace. One of the keys to good pacing is to alternate your plot complications with rewards. Like a pendulum that swings on an arc, let your character relax, if only briefly, between disasters.

Along the spiraling yellow brick road, Dorothy soon reaches an intersection (a complication). Fortunately, a friendly scarecrow is willing to help (a reward). They haven’t gone far before Dorothy becomes hungry (a complication). The scarecrow spots an apple orchard ahead (a reward). These apple trees, however, resent being picked (a complication), but the clever scarecrow taunts them until they begin to throw fruit at the hungry travelers (a reward).

See how it works? Every problem is followed by a reward that matches the seriousness of the complication. Let’s fast-forward to the scene where the balloon takes off without Dorothy. This is a severe complication—so severe it deserves a title of its own: the bleakest moment. This is the final rib in the rib cage, the moment when all hope is lost for your protagonist.

The Thighbone: Send in the Cavalry
At the bleakest moment, your character needs help, but be careful how you deliver it. The ancient Greek playwrights had actors representing the Greek gods literally descend from the structure above to bring their complicated plot knots to a satisfying conclusion. This sort of resolution is frowned upon in modern literature. Called deus ex machina (literally “god from the machine”), this device employs some unexpected and improbable incident to bring victory or success. If you find yourself whipping up a coincidence or a miracle after the bleakest moment, chances are you’ve employed deus ex machina. Back up and try again, please.

Avoid using deus ex machina by sending two types of help: external and internal. Your character obviously needs help from outside; if he could solve the problem alone, he would have done it long before the bleakest moment. Having him conveniently remember something or stumble across a hidden resource smacks of coincidence and will leave your reader feeling resentful and cheated.

So send in the cavalry, but remember that they can’t solve the protagonist’s problem. They can give the protagonist a push in the right direction; they can nudge; they can remind; they can inspire. But they shouldn’t wave a magic wand and make everything all right.

For Dorothy, help comes in the form of Glenda the Good Witch, who reveals a secret: The ruby slippers have the power to carry her back to Kansas. All Dorothy has to do is say, “There’s no place like home”—with feeling, mind you—and she’ll be back on the farm with Uncle Henry and Auntie Em. Dorothy’s problem isn’t resolved, however, until she applies this information internally. At the beginning of the story, she wanted to be anywhere but on the farm. Now she has to affirm that the farm is where she wants to be. Her hidden need—to find a place to call home—has been met.

In Mostly Martha, the bleakest moment arrives with Lina’s father, Giuseppe. He is a good man, and Lina seems to accept him. But after waving good-bye, Martha goes home to an empty apartment and realizes that she is not happy with her controlled, childless life. She goes to Marlo, the Italian chef she has also begun to love, and asks for his help.

The Kneecap and Lower Leg: Make a Decision, Learn a Lesson
Martha realizes that her old life was empty—she needs Lina in her life, and she needs Marlo. So she and Marlo drive from Germany to Italy to fetch Lina and bring her home.

You may be hard-pressed to cite the lesson you learned from the last novel you read, but your protagonist needs to learn something. This lesson is the epiphany, a sudden insight that speaks volumes to your character and brings them to the conclusion of their inner journey.

James Joyce popularized the word epiphany, literally the manifestation of a divine being. (Churches celebrate the festival of Epiphany on January 6 to commemorate the meeting of the Magi and the Christ child.) After receiving help from an outside source, your character should see something—a person, a situation, or an object—in a new light.

When the scarecrow asks why Glinda waited to explain the ruby slippers, the good witch smiles and says, “Because she wouldn’t have believed me. She had to learn it for herself.” The scarecrow then asks, “What’d you learn, Dorothy?” Without hesitation, Dorothy announces that she’s learned a lesson: “The next time I go looking for my heart’s desire, I won’t look any farther than my own backyard.” She has learned to appreciate her home, so even though she is surrounded by loving friends and an emerald city, Dorothy chooses to return to colorless Kansas. She hugs her friends once more, then grips Toto and clicks her heels.

The Foot: The Resolution
Every story needs the fairy-tale equivalent of “and they lived happily ever after.” Not every story ends happily, of course, though happy endings are undoubtedly popular. Some protagonists are sadder and wiser after the course of their adventure. But a novel should at least leave the reader with hope.

The resolution to Mostly Martha is portrayed during the closing of the film. As the credits roll, we see Marlo and Martha meeting Lina in Italy; we see Martha in a wedding gown (with her hair down!) and Marlo in a tuxedo; we see a wedding feast with Giuseppe, his family, and Martha’s German friends; we see Martha and Marlo and Lina exploring an abandoned restaurant—clearly, they are going to settle in Italy so Lina can be a part of both families. In the delightful final scene, we see Martha with her therapist again, but this time he has cooked for her and she is advising him.

Many movies end with a simple visual image—we see a couple walking away hand in hand, a mother cradling her long-lost son. That’s all we need to realize that our main character has struggled, learned, and come away a better (or wiser) person. As a writer, you’ll have to use words, but you can paint the same sort of reassuring picture without resorting to “and they lived happily ever after.”

Your story should end with a changed protagonist—he or she has gone through a profound experience and is different for it, hopefully for the better. Your protagonist has completed an outer journey (experienced the major plot events) and an inner journey that address some hurt from the past and result in a changed character.

What Next?
Now that we’ve reached the foot of our story skeleton, we’re finished outlining the basic structure. Take those major points and write them up in paragraph form. Once you’ve outlined your plot and written your synopsis, you’re ready to begin writing scenes. Take a deep breath, glance over your skeleton, and jump in.

Taken from A Novel Idea by ChiLibras. Copyright ©2009 by ChiLibras. Used with permission from Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Heighten the Climax By Resolving Subplots

2009-12-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Tie Up Threads Before the Last Section of the Novel

Subplots are wonderful things. They can help the reader better understand the characters by showing them in various situations and how they react. Subplots can also complicate a plot and help it take its meandering way to the climax.

But there is also one trick many novelists use to make the climax of the novel more emotionally intense, and that is to tie up subplot threads beforehand.

Click here to read the rest of the article

Eliminate Repetive Scenes

2009-11-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

Rehashing Information May Cause a Sagging Middle in Your Novel

Many times, writers will be able to see that their middle “sags,” or the pacing slows in the middle portion of the novel.

There are several ways to avoid the sagging middle, but often the problem can be some repetition of information. Identifying it, however, can be difficult when faced with searching a 100,000 word manuscript.

Click here to read the rest of the article

Writing Interesting Valleys in Between Peaks

2009-11-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

I'm at Suite101 talking about how to Keep the Reader Intrigued Even If Conflict Has Ebbed:

Stories are a series of peaks and valleys, high tension scenes and low tension scenes, also known as Scenes and Sequels. You must have those lulls in order to give the reader a chance to catch his breath, and also to set up the next scene.
However, while you must have these low tension scenes, make sure they don’t put your reader to sleep.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

The first page, part 11 - Query letters and critique partners

2009-11-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

This is the last post of my series on things to look for in your first page.
Click here for part ten.

Use that first page with a query letter

Now, many people advise not to put anything into an envelope with a query letter except for the query letter. This is good, safe, and proper.

But if you are a trifle daring, why not include your first page?

After all, if you’ve spent all this time working on it and revising it and making every word count. It ought to be so fantastic that an editor skimming that page will shout, “I must read the rest of this novel!”

If you plan to include the first page with your query letter, that should also spur you to put more time and effort into that first page to make it worthy of that brief glance. After all, you’ll only get that one chance.

Utilize your critique partners

Every piece of writing could use another set of eyes to catch errors, or tell you if something you thought was clear as a bell is actually a bit muddled.

Take advantage of friends to go over that first page, to give feedback, to help you make it as sparkling as it can be. Use both writing friends and also non-writing friends.

Encourage brutal honesty, too—a comment that everything you write is brilliant isn’t going to be as helpful as a comment that a sentence is a tad awkward, or your heroine isn’t very likable because she does XYZ.

And by the way, critique partners typically love chocolate. :)

80% discount on Snowflake Pro

2009-11-19T23:35:00.000-08:00

From Camy: I just saw this program being used today by a friend of mine, and I can tell you it's fantastic. Very easy to use and intuitive. If you have problems:

--writing a synopsis
or
--structuring your novel
or
--pacing your plot or character arc

then this program will help you with that.

From Randy Ingermanson:

Final Reminder: 80% discount on "Snowflake Pro" ends soon

To Readers of my Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine:

Just a quick reminder that my 80 percent discount on
"Snowflake Pro" ends soon.

As I write this, about 24 hours remain before I'll end
this special. (It ends on Friday night at midnight,
California time.)

Snowflake Pro is software to make my Snowflake method
faster, easier, and more fun. In the last few days, a
very large number of you, my loyal e-zine readers, have
taken advantage of this one-time special offer to get
Snowflake Pro.

Thanks to all of you who've already e-mailed me to tell
me how much you like it.

This note is just a reminder to those of you who haven't
yet grabbed your copy.

Snowflake Pro is an electronic download which takes
less than 30 seconds to download on most cable modems
or DSL lines. It runs on Macs, Windows, and Linux.

I won't belabor this. If you want Snowflake Pro, you
probably already know it. You can read all the details
here:

http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com/links/96.php

PS: One final point. When you buy Snowflake Pro, you
get free upgrades for life. I'm already making a list
of the features I want to add to the next release to
make Snowflake Pro even more powerful and easy to use.

Randy Ingermanson

Control Story Flow With Sequels

2009-11-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

I'm at Suite101 talking about the classic Sequel as described by Dwight Swain:

One of the most famous writing books is Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight Swain, where he breaks down fiction writing into modules. One of his most popular techniques is Scene and Sequel (described in this article).
Swain describes a Sequel as “a unit of transition that links two scenes,” but Sequels tend to encompass a broader range of purposes than just transition.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Live brainstorming session and Critique Contest

2009-11-17T10:12:00.000-08:00

Live Brainstorming Session with The Shredder aka Danica Favorite, Moi, & Cheryl Wyatt, plus a CRITIQUE GIVEAWAY by Cheryl, all over at Seekerville today:

http://seekerville.blogspot.com/2009/11/live-brainstorming-session-with.html

Q&A: Deepening Character

2009-11-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

Camille Cannon Eide asked:

Hi Camy - I'm working on a substantive edit and I'm looking for ways to deepen a character, give her more dimension. What are some ways to bring out more of a character's strengths and weaknesses, give the reader more of a reason to root for her?

Camy here: You’re actually talking about two slightly different things—character richness and character sympathy.

Character richness:

A three-dimensional character with flaws and strengths actually doesn’t just jump out of a writer’s head. Typically, authors spend a great deal of time embellishing and digging deeper into a character, whether before the book is written or as they’re editing.

Three-dimensional characterization is a deliberate, concentrated effort.

One of the best books I’ve found for doing this is Getting Into Character by Brandilyn Collins, chapters 1 and 2. She uses dramatic techniques to enable writers to create a richer character, just the way a good actor will create a richer character to act out.

Basically, you want to know not just character backstory, but how that backstory has shaped the character’s morals and viewpoint on life. And not just the viewpoint he’ll tell someone else—but the deeper, inner viewpoint he himself might not even realize he has, but which influences every decision he makes.

Once you start with this “inner value,” as Brandilyn describes it, then that inner value impacts various other aspects of the character’s life, and, more importantly, the decisions the character makes in your story.

Unfortunately, this might require a bit of rewrite if you discover an inner value that dictates a different decision than the one the character made in your story. But if that original decision didn’t seem quite right to you as you wrote it, maybe it’s because it clashed with your character’s inner value, and so you really do need to change it—and possibly change your storyline a bit.

Character sympathy:

One thing I’ve really taken to heart since being contracted is that the opening page (yes, that’s singular—page one of your story) has to show something that makes the reader sympathize or at least empathize with the viewpoint character.

I know that seems like a tall order, but my editors have asked this of me time and again, and I see this often in commercial genre fiction (but it doesn’t necessarily apply to literary fiction).

So ... how to make the character sympathetic in one page?

My secret weapon is the book Writing for Emotional Impact by Karl Iglesias, chapter 5. He has a quick and dirty list of various things that typically create reader sympathy.

The list is actually interesting to me as a psychology major, because the things all tend to resonate psychologically with the majority of people (naturally, there will always be exceptions). That’s probably why they work most of the time, and why you typically see these techniques in movies.

So, there’s my two-fold answer to your question, which might require this two-fold revision process for your manuscript.

If you have any other questions for my Q&A series, just leave a comment and I'll be sure to get to it!

Writing Conflict-Filled Scenes

2009-11-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

I'm at Suite101 talking about the classic Scene as described by Dwight Swain:

One of the most famous writing books is Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight Swain, where he breaks down fiction writing into modules. One of his most popular techniques is Scene (described in this article) and Sequel.
Swain describes a Scene as “a unit of conflict lived through by character and reader.” The key word here is Conflict.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Author-Speak Cheat Sheet

2009-11-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,
Sorry I've been MIA for a few weeks. I've been fighting off some kind of sicky that's left me really tired and headachey (and NO, I'm not pregnant! :)

Anyway, I'll kick off the week with this great "cheat sheet" by Janet Dean that basically summarizes all the major fiction writing terms that a writer might encounter from a contest judge. These are terms thrown around pretty often in the writing community because they refer to common principles which, if mastered, help a writer improve.

Author-Speak Cheat Sheet

Upon occasion, I play golf. Perhaps I should say golf plays me. Either way, there’s a language to this game. Terms that make me grunt, “Huh?” Like: “Pick the ball clean.” “Get down on the ball.” “Play your drives off your left heel.” I can’t blame my game on these baffling words of advice, but they’re not helpful if I can’t decipher their meaning.

Writing has its own language too. I call it author speak.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Marks of an Amateur - the Query Letter

2009-10-14T22:51:00.000-07:00

Really great post on edittorent:

Marks of an Amateur - the Query Letter

Are you committing any of these query faux pas?

Daily writing prompts

2009-10-12T22:20:00.000-07:00

Writing even a little every day is a really good way to keep your creativity flowing and to keep your productivity up. I have always liked writing prompts because they can be just a short short story or they can turn into an entire novel!

Writing.com has a new Twitter account that tweets a writing prompt every day! Click the link below to follow their Twitter:

http://twitter.com/DailyPrompt

Getting away with it--

2009-09-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

I just read this great post on Alicia Rasley's blog. She has a very candid style which I appreciate and like. I agree with what she's saying in this about writers who want to "buck the system"--not that it's wrong, but you have to make concessions if you do:

I have noticed a sort of interesting attitude in some submitters. It's that the trick is "getting away with it". You know, say I point out that a four-page long prologue all in italics (because, I guess, it takes place in the villain's head) might be kind of annoying. (I'm making this particular issue up, as the attitude is the important thing.) And the submitter comes back with (rule #1-- don't argue when you're being rejected... it doesn't help), "But (insert bestselling author's name) got away with it!"

Click here for the rest of the article

The first page, part 10 - Proofread

2009-09-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

This is the last post of my series on things to look for in your first page.
Click here for part nine.

Proofread that page with a fine tooth comb

After you’ve worked on that first page to set up the story, showcase your writer’s voice, and wow the editor reading it, give it to your most detail-oriented critique partners or a freelance editor (like moi—sorry, I couldn’t resist some blatant self-promotion) to correct any typos, grammar errors, or punctuation errors.

You do NOT want your first page to have an error on it. Nothing spells “unprofessional” like an error on the very first page.

The editor or agent will see that one little error and it will negatively tinge his/her impression of the entire manuscript and of your writing. You don’t want even a slightly negative thought to enter the editor’s mind as he reads. You don’t want even a question of your professionalism to niggle at the agent’s brain as she scans that first page.

Now, I’m not saying that an error means an automatic rejection. But because the industry right now is so tough, you don’t want to give any bad impressions on that editor or agent whatsoever. If you can get rid of those little errors, do it. It might be the deciding factor between your manuscript and another one with lots of typos.

Wouldn’t you want the editor to request your manuscript because it’s both professional and captivating? If it’s captivating but full of typos and the editor has only limited time to read full manuscripts, she might not request your story because the typos put her off.

So spend even MORE time checking your pages for errors. If you’re not confident about your sense of grammar and punctuation, then ask for help—either critique partners whose grammar/punctuation sense you completely trust, or a freelance editor who can look at the first chapter.

To be continued.

Increase the Tension of a Scene

2009-09-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

Building Peaks in the Story

Novels are a series of peaks and valleys, the ebb and flow of tension. If the story were all tension, it would tire the reader out. If the story were all tension-less, it would be boring.

A novelist should build the tension of the story in each peak and balance that with a valley.

But each peak should build to a higher point of tension than the one before.

Click here to read the rest of the article

Q&A: When to break the rules

2009-09-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

Kathleen L. asked:

Hi, Camy,
thanks for this opportunity. You are one of my favorite writing teachers. Your last article on showing versus telling raised a question for me. When is it okay to break the rules? Not just for telling, but for say, using an unusual tag in dialogue. "Come here," he said. versus "Come here," he demanded. (I realize beats are the most effective. ie He stomped his foot and clapped his hands at the dog. "Come here!")Anyway, can we sometimes use an unusual tag?
Thanks in advance.

Camy here: You can break the rules whenever you want to! Seriously. It’s YOUR story.

The “rules” are there to guide you so that you don’t go overboard. They’re not there to constrain you and box in your creativity. At the end of the day, creativity wins over “rules.”

I usually suggest to writers to stick with the “rules” as much as they can, but if a particular sentence or piece of writing just “feels” better with the rules broken, then try it!

I fully believe in the power of gut instinct in writing. Many times, writers know when there’s something wrong with a scene or a piece of writing—they can just sense it. Sometimes when you’ve suffered a few hours (or days! Oy!) of writer’s block, it’s your “Spidey sense” telling you that something’s wrong with the scene you’re writing.

Same thing with breaking the rules. I always tell people to try writing it by the rules as well as breaking the rules, and then decide which feels better. Don’t just arbitrarily assume that breaking the rules is always better—test it and see. You might be surprised.

Also, realize that if you break the rules too often, it might make your writing look amateurish or unprofessional to an editor or agent who has seen literally thousands of manuscripts—several of them by writers who largely follow the rules.

Bottom line: if you break the rules, make sure you have a good reason to do it. Your Spidey sense better be smokin’! Or you can break the rules for effect sometimes, too. It’s ultimately your decision, but make sure you’re breaking rules for the right reasons—that it makes your manuscript tons better!

If you have any other questions for my Q&A series, just leave a comment and I'll be sure to get to it!

The Value of the Unanticipated

2009-09-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

Sprucing Up a Blah Scene

Many times, writers themselves know when a scene is lacking. They may have structured it well, conveyed just the right amount of information, and revealed wonderful characterization via clever dialogue.

Yet they'll read the scene they've written and know something is off. While the solution isn't always lack of conflict, many times adding a specific type of conflict can lift a drab scene to one with sparkle.

Click here to read the rest of the article

Building Toward the Climax

2009-09-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

Increasing Pressure On the Protagonist of a Novel

Make the middle of the novel ramp up the tension and conflict and set the reader up for the exciting climax.

Many times, a sagging middle could be because the tension is not increasing, but remaining the same. There are several things to keep in mind to help the middle build tension and drag the reader along for the ride.

Click here to read the rest of the article

Q&A: Emotional reactions

2009-09-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

Debra E Marvin asked:

Hi Camy, here's my question:

Somewhere in a judges' comment or a 'how to' book I grasped an idea that I thought would improve my work.

reaction, emotion, dialogue

meaning to me that when something happens or someone speaks, our character has a reaction that prompts an emotion and then they speak. (This done with the idea that these 'things' are part of the conflict).

Problem is, that by doing this, I now have been told that I'm burying my dialogue, because some have been at the end of a sentence or two of 'reaction and emotion'.

However, popping that dialogue to the front of the paragraph doesn't seem to make sense.

I feel like I latch on to these rules, thinking I'm doing the right thing and then . . .

Camy here:

Let me suggest a slight tweaking of that "reaction, emotion, dialogue" tool.

One of my favorite tools for writing emotion is Motivation Reaction Units, which Dwight Swain writes about in Techniques of the Selling Writer.

(Click here to read my article on Motivation Reaction Units)

Basically, you have a motivation or stimulus, then the character reacts to it.

Reactions can be many things—a visceral/physical reaction, thought, dialogue, action. A visceral reaction is like a physical knee-jerk reaction. Thoughts are, well, thoughts. Same for dialogue and action.

The difference is that depending on what the motivation/stimulus is, a person's reaction is going to be different. They aren't always going to think or feel before saying something. They may have a strong visceral reaction first before doing anything. They may act without thinking for a few seconds before their thoughts are in order.

In general, reactions go in order of least effort: visceral, thought, dialogue, action. You will probably have a gut reaction or a thought first before you say or do something. This is because it takes more synapses firing to say or do something than it takes to think or have a knee-jerk reaction.

Here are a few examples:

"Your mother is dead," he said flatly.

Sara's stomach flipped (visceral reaction). Mama dead? Could it be? (thoughts) "How do you know?" (dialogue) She clenched her fist. (action) He must be lying. (thoughts)

In the example, I used all four reactions. But the stimulus was pretty emotional. What if the stimulus is something minor? You can use one or two reactions instead of all four.

"Your mother's asleep," he said.

"Let her sleep," she said over her shoulder (dialogue) as she walked out of the room (action).

"Your mother's in the garden," he said.

Now that was strange. (thought)

"Your mother's at work," he said.

Her tightly clenched stomach released (visceral). Good. She had time to search her room. (thoughts)

The one thing to remember is to make sure the reactions are in order: first visceral, second thought, third dialogue, fourth action. You can switch them once in a while, but if you do it regularly, it creates a psychological dissonance and it distances the reader from the character's emotions.

"Your mother is dead," he said flatly.

She clenched her fist. (action) Mama dead? Could it be? (thoughts) Sara's stomach flipped (visceral reaction). "How do you know?" (dialogue) He must be lying. (thoughts)

If you compare the above with the original, you can see that Sara's reaction is a bit disjointed because the reactions are not in the proper order.

I answered your question in a slightly roundabout way, but hopefully in a way that makes a bit more sense. Let me know if you still have questions!

If you have any other questions for my Q&A series, just leave a comment and I'll be sure to get to it!

When a Scene Isn't Working

2009-08-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

Tips for Overcoming Writer's Block

Whether you believe in "writer's block" or not, there are always times when a writer gets stuck on a particular scene. It can almost feel like hitting your head against a brick wall.

Many times, the writer's unconscious instinctively recognizes when there's something wrong with the scene. While not all scenes have the same problems, there are three questions a writer can ask himself that might help jump-start the writing flow.

Click here to read the rest of the article

Avoid the Sagging Middle

2009-08-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

The focus of the middle of the novel is to push your character to the climax. If writers can keep that point in mind, it will help them craft the events of the middle section to be more driven and purposeful. Here are a few principles to write by.

Click here to read the rest of the article

Beginnings To Avoid

2009-08-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

There are many ways to start a story, and no "right" or "wrong" way. However, there are a few principles to follow that can help strengthen a novel's beginning. Here are three character traits that a writer should avoid in the first chapters.

Click here to read the rest of the article

Blatant plug: Don't forget that I do phone consultations where I can read your first chapters and give advice on how and when to start your story!

Q&A: Fictional settings

2009-08-21T15:50:00.001-07:00

From Teri D. Smith:

How much liberty are we allowed in creating a new place in our settings? I have a 3rd book of a series set in a town in California. My opening scene takes place in a park, but I can't find a park in the town that's like the one in my head. Can I make one up entirely or can I use an existing park and "plant" some trees or a place for an outdoor concert?

Camy here: It's fiction. The sky's the limit! Create new places with impunity!

Now, since you're using a real town, don't call your fictional park the same name as a real park in the town. Make up a name so your readers—if they're familiar with the real California town the book is set in—won't get jarred out of the "fictional dream" of the novel to say, "Hey, that's not in XYZ park. This person didn't do her research!"

If your setting—whether a house, park, building, or entire city—is fictional, make it obvious to your readers that it's fictional. Don't name it something too similar to what really exists.

If your setting is a real place, be meticulous with your research. There are people who live or have visited that real place, and if they spot inconsistencies or errors, they'll be knocked out of the story. And you want to keep them reading, not make them wonder if the town square really has a statue of General Jackson or if it's really President Lincoln.

This is especially true if you're writing a historical novel. If your town/place is fictional, make it obvious it's made up. If it's real, be exact on details. Historical readers, especially, pick up on that kind of stuff.

Also, don't forget that your setting should be a character in the book, not just a backdrop. When you integrate the setting into the storyline—so much so that the story couldn't take place anywhere else in the world—it makes for more vibrant reading.

If you have any other questions for my Q&A series, just leave a comment and I'll be sure to get to it!

The Decision That Starts the Story

2009-08-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

The beginning of a book is where the writer hooks the reader and reels him in. The opening page makes the reader keep reading, and then the end of the chapter is what gets him to buy the book.

While that opening page is key, so is the end of that chapter.

Click here to read the rest of the article

Promotion Routines for Writers

2009-08-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

I'm over at Routines for Writers today talking about Promotion! And before you click away, I want to stress that it's never too early to think about promotion!

Hi there! My name is Camy Tang, and I'm thrilled to be guest blogging today!

Now, before you look at the title and think it doesn't apply to you, let me tell you—I firmly believe that it's never too early to start promotion, especially if you are a serious writer, seriously pursuing publication.

Your book contract might come next week or next year or in a few years, but if you already have your promotion and marketing set up, you're a leg ahead of all the other writers submitting to agents and editors. Yes, they look to see what you already have set up in terms of marketing!

Click here for the rest of the article

Q&A: Planning a series

2009-08-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

From Sarah Forgrave:

- I've got a series idea that would follow a family with three daughters and a basic storyline for each. I'm a plotter and planner, so I'm wondering if you recommend planning out all three or four stories at once so they're intertwined? Do you have any other tips on how to approach a series?

Camy here: It depends on the storylines you're thinking of.

If you'd like each story to stand on its own (which most of my editors have wanted, but may not necessarily be true for your editors), then my suggestion is to spend time really developing each character so that you know their fears, desires, wounds, etc.

The characters' actual storylines for their novels might end up changing as you write each story, also, so this is a safe route to go--you have a good handle on the characters, but you're leaving yourself some wiggle room in terms of their stories.

If you're thinking that you'd like the stories to be strongly intertwined, then you not only have to do the character planning above, but you should also plot out each story in the series.

Figure out each characters' external goals for their stories. That way each character will have a sense of purpose for their story versus just be reactive to events.

Use a large board to plot how elements in one story intertwine with elements in another story. Map it all out so that you won't write yourself into a corner or unintentionally leave threads dangling.

This second method is considerably more work. You also run the risk that if an editor doesn't like the series premise or one of the characters, your entire series is rejected, not just one book. In this case, perseverance needs to be your best friend.

If you have a series where each book stands alone, you have a better chance because an editor may ask for revisions to the proposal before giving a definitive yes or no on the project.

For my current book, Deadly Intent, I did extensive planning of each of the three sisters' personalities before I wrote the first book. I did this so that I could know how each sister would respond and react to each other, to show the family dynamics. Those of you who have read the book will know I did some foreshadowing in terms of Monica's relationship with her father.

I also did some light planning in terms of the "crime" for each of the books, since they'll all be romantic suspenses. I deliberately chose Sonoma, California and a posh spa environment because there are three elements that are conducive to murder and mayhem:

1) Sonoma is a tourist city, so there is a lot of traffic in and out. The large number of people flowing in and out makes for a believable storyline where someone would come in and murder someone or be murdered.

2) The spa caters to the wealthy, making it a hotbed of people who might have a reason for someone to want to kill them. Also, the spa's services are in high demand, making the spa itself a possible target for competitors.

3) The Grant family is wealthy themselves, which makes the family a target for enemies who are jealous or hoards of potential suitors who want to marry into that wealth.

When you do your own series, think large-scale, solidifying motivations and conflicts. The planning stage is not the place for detailed thinking. Be visionary and look at your series as a whole.

(As a shameless plug, one thing I do in my phone consultations is help people to better visualize their series ideas so that they can plan effectively. Some people have a hard time seeing large-scale, so I can listen to their series ideas and character ideas and help them organize and plot.)

If you have any other questions for my Q&A series, just leave a comment and I'll be sure to get to it.

More Tips for How to Present Backstory

2009-08-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

The previous article on backstory mentioned this:

The key to presenting backstory in a way that is interesting to a reader boils down to one piece of advice: Make the reader want to know the information.

Aside from the points in that article, there are also some other more subtle ways to accomplish this.

Click here to read the rest of the article

Q&A: Market research

2009-08-10T00:01:00.001-07:00

From Sarah Forgrave:

- Do you have any market research tips (i.e., What are some of the ways you check to see if your story has been done before or what books might be similar to your idea)?

Camy here: Great question! Before I do every proposal, I check to make sure my story hasn't been done before. Often, I check this even before I write the story.

First I make a list about my story:
(1) Genre
(2) Character careers
(3) Villain career/type
(4) Overall theme/plot premise
(5) Setting
(6) Targeted publisher/line

Then I go online to Amazon or Christianbook.com (since I write Christian fiction, Christianbook.com is a smaller, easier database to search) and search for books similar to mine.

I will usually start with the publisher or line I'm targeting and search within that parameter for all the other things. For example, for my Steeple Hill novel, I searched within all the Love Inspired Suspense books on Amazon for any novels recently published in my chosen setting, Sonoma, California.

Since none of us has a money tree growing in the backyard, be thoughtful and pick several books to read from that publisher or line. I won't usually read all the books from that publisher. I just can't afford it. But I will choose books that sound like they might be similar to mine and I'll read them.

An exception is for the Steeple Hill books. They're very inexpensive and I got a bunch of them on ebay for a dollar a book. I also wanted to read all the books most recently published because I needed to get a feel for the line and the style of writing.

When you do market research for a proposal, you're not only looking at the obvious factors like not publishing characters too similar or a plot premise too close to what's already been released.

You're also looking to see if your writing style AND your plot premise/genre fits within that publisher's lineup.

You want to make sure your writing style fits with books already published. For example, if you write angsty contemporary romances that dabble in women's fiction, you don't want to submit to Steeple Hill because their romances are all light and positive. They do it that way on purpose to appeal to their reader demographic, which numbers in the hundreds of thousands.

You also don't want to propose a plot premise or genre that is too far out from what the publisher normally publishes. For example, you don't want to propose a chick lit to Steeple Hill because if you read the line, you'll see that they haven't published any chick lit in over a year.

So what if you discover your targeted publisher isn't a good fit? Then you research OTHER publishers to find a good fit for your story! Another option is to tweak your story to fit within your targeted publisher's lineup.

Either way, your time spent researching is just as valuable as writing that manuscript!

If you have any other questions for my Q&A series, just leave a comment and I'll be sure to get to it.

My Five Best Plotting Tips for Novelists

2009-08-07T00:01:00.001-07:00

I guest blogged about plotting on the blog of my friend Pamela James:

My Five Best Plotting Tips for Novelists

Thanks to Pammer for letting me guest blog today!

Now, just to warn you, not all of these will resonate with you because every writer is different and works differently in how he/she crafts the story. For me, sometimes every story writes itself differently! Oy! But hopefully these tips will help you if you get stuck.

Click here for the rest of the article

"Is it easier to write suspense because of the built-in conflict of a villain?"

2009-08-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

I was over at Life with Missy:

I’m so excited to be on Missy’s blog today! Missy asked me to answer the question, "Is it easier to write suspense because of the built-in conflict of a villain?"

Actually, the presence of a villain in romantic suspense makes it a bit harder to write. Suspense villains tend to have very strong motivations for the evil and mayhem they’re causing, but that also means I have to make sure that their every action and decision is logical and works toward their ultimate desire.

Click here for the rest of the article

Crossing Over

2009-08-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

I'm over at Seekerville today talking about crossover!

A few people have asked me about when I first switched genres. I learned a few things along the way, and there's also something very important I realized—whether you're a Christian fiction writer who wants to cross over to mainstream or a contemporary romance writer wanting to cross over into romantic suspense, there are a few things a writer should do to give you a better chance of success.

Click here for the rest of the post and to chime in to the conversation!

The Basic Building Blocks of Good Story Structure

2009-07-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

I'm over at Cheryl Wyatt's blog today talking about the Basic Building Blocks of Good Story Structure:

Hey there! This is Camy Tang, and Cheryl is letting me guest blog today!

She wanted me to talk about the basic building blocks of good story structure because I tend to naturally look at stories on a structural level. When I do telephone consultations for my Story Sensei critique service, most of my clients are looking for help to fix their novels’ story structures.

Click here to read the rest of the article

Q&A: Deep point of view versus omniscient point of view

2009-07-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Roxo left this question in the comments section of my Head Hopping article:

Hi!
Maybe it sounds a little stupid, but my question is: why deep point of view is better than omniscient point of view? In school we don't even learn about the former.
It's not that I don't like it, I love it actually (deep point of view I mean) but I would like to know what is it that makes it better than omniscient.

Thanks !

I answered in the comments section, but then thought that other writers might also be interested in the answer:

Hi Roxo,
It's not a stupid question!

Deep point of view inserts the reader into the character's body, which often creates a more deeply emotional reading experience and consequently makes the book a bit richer emotionally. Epics told in omniscient point of view tend to be very sweeping in scope but sometimes a little shallow in terms of emotion.

Most readers don't realize that the publishing industry has moved more toward deep point of view rather than omniscient in the last several years. It's an industry trend. Most new writers wanting to break in to the industry now should probably write in deep point of view if only to increase their chances of being contracted.

Camy

When I mention how the industry has moved toward deep point of view--I promise I'm not talking out of my butt. I have spoken with numerous industry professionals--editors, agents--as well as worked personally with several publishing house editors. They all agree that deep point of view tends to be preferred in the publishing industry today when they look at manuscripts from unpublished writers.

Multipublished authors will sometimes write in omniscient point of view. However, that is because they are multipublished and have been in the publishing industry for a long time. They can pretty much write whatever they want. You will not often see debut novelists writing in omniscient point of view for an entire novel, although there are exceptions, naturally.

However, for most of the unpublished writers whom I mentor, and for whom I critique, I usually suggest they switch their manuscript to deep point of view to increase their chances of getting contracted by a traditional publishing house.

The one glaring exception to everything I've said above is literary fiction. My experience is in genre fiction, not literary fiction. So I haven't talked to any editors who specialize in literary fiction. They might say that omniscient point of view is preferred for literary fiction, but I wouldn't know.

Rewards Per Page - article by Vince Mooney

2009-07-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

Forgive me if I gush but this is one of the best articles I've read in a long time, and I promise it's not because he quoted my book in it. His list of Rewards Per Page is absolutely stellar, because it's a very concise list of things I point out to my clients when I critique manuscripts. In future, I intend to point them to this article since it's so comprehensive and well written.

How Rewarding is the ‘Reading Experience’ Provided by Your Writing?

Measuring “Rewards-Per-Page” Can Give You an Indication of this Important Success Factor.

Click here for the rest of the article

Talking to Editors and Agents at conferences

2009-07-17T00:01:00.001-07:00

I was at Seekerville yesterday talking about talking to editors and agents at conferences:

Camy here, talking about pitching (both formal and informal) since many of you are probably at the Romance Writers of America National Convention right now!

I'm not a natural extrovert, but I force myself to be one at conferences in order to meet writers, editors and agents. I want to present a professional demeanor and make a good impression.

That's kind of hard to do when my mouth has suddenly become the Mojave desert and my legs have rooted through my Nine Wests into the floor.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Show versus Tell, example fourteen

2009-07-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

From contest entries and critiques that I’ve done, I’ve noticed that often people don’t quite understand what exactly is “showing” and what exactly is “telling.” So, I’m doing this series to give numerous examples so that you can see for yourself the various kinds of “telling” that can occur in your own manuscript, and suggestions for fixing it.

This example is from my own proposal. It’s an Inspirational romantic suspense.

(From Jorge's point of view)

Jorge explained, “My brother still visits some of his old friends to try to get them to come to church with him.”

“Oh.” Her eyes skittered away as she renewed her vigor in sweeping.

She had never been comfortable talking about her faith. They’d rarely talked about God when they were dating, but she had said she was a strong Christian.

The last paragraph is all telling. There’s a more dynamic and interesting way to show this information, plus you can use this as a way to deepen the point of view.

I decided to anchor the information in Jorge’s current thoughts and wonderings, which are all in real time. It turns the paragraph into a combination of backstory information about her faith and Jorge’s current thoughts in the scene.

Jorge explained, “My brother still visits some of his old friends to try to get them to come to church with him.”

“Oh.” Her eyes skittered away as she renewed her vigor in sweeping.

Strange, she seemed even more uncomfortable talking about her faith than a month ago. They’d rarely talked about God, but she’d never actually avoided the subject like this before. She had said she was a strong Christian—was her faith wavering in the face of all the recent problems?

The boldface phrases are all current, Jorge’s thoughts in real time. It shows the backstory information mixed with the immediate thoughts so that it: (a) is in deep point of view and (b) shows forward movement in the story (c) without pausing to “tell” the reader about the heroine’s faith struggles.

Grammar, Punctuation, and Style for Fiction

2009-07-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

Recently, a friend had witnessed a heated discussion between writers about the MLA Style book and the Chicago Manual of Style. She suggested I write an article on it. If you're not a fiction writer, this won't apply to you, but if you do write fiction, here's important information for you about style standards at major publishing houses.

Click here to read the article

Finding "Telling" and Fixing It

2009-07-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Many times, writers hear the injunction, “Show, don’t tell.” But how to know when you’re “telling” instead of showing, and what do you do about it?

Click here for the rest of the article

The first page, part 9 - Make every word count

2009-07-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

This is continuing my series on things to look for in your first page.
Click here for part eight.

Make every word count

This goes back to how you only have one page to hook an editor. If that editor isn’t hooked by that first page, he or she will move the entire manuscript to the Reject pile without even bothering to go to page two.

That being the case, you should expend considerable effort to not have any useless words on that first page.

Make every description juicy and unique, without any “throw-away” words or phrases.

Make every line of dialogue snappy and emotional, without unnecessary tags or adverbs.

Make every sentence concise and precise—nothing meandering or vague or fluffy.

Introduce your character with clear but unique descriptors, whether in dialogue or by action. Don’t waste time with backstory and “telling” the reader what’s happening—suck the reader in to “show” them what’s happening as it happens to the character.

Dwight Swain has an entire chapter in his book Techniques of the Selling Writer, where he talks about just the words a writer should use. Now, granted, Swain is a bit wordy himself, but he wouldn’t go off for so long on the topic if it weren’t important.

So go through every word on that first page and determine its importance and it’s vibrancy.

If a word is bland, try to come up with something stronger. If a word is unnecessary, cut ruthlessly.

Spend time on each and every word, no matter how tedious that might sound to you. Just do it, because you’ll be glad you did when an editor reads that first page and then HAS to read on to page two.

Click here for part ten.

Pubbing 1.0 How I did it by Camy Tang

2009-07-06T08:40:00.000-07:00

I’m on the Steeple Hill blog in an interview with advice for writers, especially those targeting Steeple Hill.

1. What’s your sale story? How did you end up selling to Steeple Hill?

I’ve been reading Steeple Hill books since the 1990s, so when I first started writing seriously, I targeted Steeple Hill as a publisher.

Click here for the rest of the interview

Head-Hopping

2009-07-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

Twenty years ago, omniscient point of view was commonly used in fiction. However, these days, a deep third person point of view is preferred most of the time, although there are exceptions, naturally.

Click here for the rest of the article

Show versus Tell--when to tell, examples

2009-06-29T00:01:00.002-07:00

Camy here: Since so many people asked me to, I ran a series of blog posts with examples about when it was better to tell rather than show. This is a compilation of those blog posts. If I post additional examples, I'll just add them to this article.

Also, remember, these are not hard and fast rules about when to show and when to tell. Please do not take these examples as such. Ultimately, it's up to you as the writer since it's YOUR manuscript. Utilize whatever is best for your writing voice, the rhythm and pacing you're aiming for, or the atmosphere you're trying to obtain.

For examples of "telling," see this article.

Telling isn’t always bad. In fact, sometimes it’s preferable. However, you ought to have a darn good reason to tell.

One reason could be to telescope time. If you’re skipping from one place to another, or one time to another, that’s where telling is good.

Say Joe has been arrested and then in the next scene, he’s talking to his jailmate. It’s okay to tell in a sentence or two what happened in between. The reader doesn’t need to know all that detail, and it’s useful for letting the reader know that time has elapsed.

The police slapped the handcuffs on him.

Exactly forty-two minutes later, after being slightly roughed around by the cops who processed him, Joe turned to his bunk mate with a casual, “Got a smoke?”

Joe got on the plane, flew to San Jose, and rented a car.

Two hours and one accident during rush hour later, he arrived at Amelia’s house, ready to break some heads.

Here, we didn’t need to see everything Joe did on the plane, in renting the car, in sitting in traffic. We just need to know what’s going to happen next.

So in these examples, telescoping time and/or space is a perfectly legitimate reason for telling instead of showing.

Another reason is if the action isn’t emotionally important. The reader doesn’t need to read detail if it’s not important for the story.

For example, the reader doesn’t need to read every step as Joe walks into his bathroom, brushes his teeth, combs his hair, shaves, etc. “Joe got ready for work” is sufficient.

Another example is when a character is telling another character what happened to him. Since we as the reader already know all the events he’s relating, we don’t need to read his dialogue telling his friend.

Jason Bourne related everything to other agent as he tied him up and set the house to blow up.

In the example above, we also didn’t need to follow all of Bourne’s actions as he rigged the house, because it’s not emotionally important.

However, what if the agent has information to impart while Bourne is telling the agent what happened to him? What if the agent can explain why so-and-so shot at Bourne, why such-and-such agency never existed, etc.?

In that case, show the complete dialogue between Bourne and the agent, because the information the agent gives him will cause an emotional reaction in Bourne and influence his decisions about what to do next.

Therefore, if the actions aren’t emotionally significant to the story or plot, telling is preferred. But if there will be emotionally relevant information, then go ahead and show it.

Sometimes you want to deliberately distance the reader from the character or action. It might be a decision you make based on pacing or emotional flow or simply word and sentence cadence. In that case, go ahead and tell. But make sure you have a good reason in your own mind for telling.

Why hadn’t he asked her for her phone number? (showing)

versus

She wondered why he hadn’t asked her for her phone number. (telling) No, she didn’t want to think about it. Too painful.

In the first example, the question is very blunt and emotional.

In the second example, I chose to keep the reader distanced from the emotion because the character herself is trying to distance herself from the emotion. The telling achieves the same sort of emotional distance or denial that the character is going through.

So, if you have a reason for telling, go for it. Sometimes it’s more effective.

One reason that people give for “telling” is one that I don’t like, although some of you might not agree with me. Some people use “telling” because they say they don’t have the word count for “showing.”

For example, many category books are shorter, and some authors say they have to tell in order to make the book hit their lower word count.

I don’t agree (but some of you might not feel the same way). While it’s true that showing often has a larger word count, there are more creative ways to show that will match the word count of a section of telling.

Also, a lot of times, the story doesn’t need that section of telling at all. I’ve seen many manuscripts with telling where the information isn’t necessary for the reader to understand and enjoy the story.

Or maybe the information can be snuck with in a phrase or sentence later in the manuscript where it's more pertinent to the current action.

My suggestion is that before you decide to “tell” something, ask yourself or your crit partners if the information imparted is absolutely vital to the story, especially at that moment. You may discover that you don’t absolutely need it. If you don’t need it, cut it. Make your word count with vibrant prose rather than prose with lots of telling.

If an editor later asks you add in more telling, that’s infinitely better than being rejected because your prose is too bland with too much telling.

The first page, part 8 - Reveal your voice

2009-06-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

This is continuing my series on things to look for in your first page.
Click here for part seven.

Reveal your voice

When I have talked to editors and agents, they always tell me that the first thing they noticed about their clients/authors is the writer’s voice.

Voice is what jumped out at them from the very first page. Voice is what captured them and compelled them to keep reading.

If you’re not sure about your own writer’s voice, it’s really worth it to spend some time developing it. Voice is something that can be learned.

I wrote a series of blog posts with some good exercises for developing your writer’s voice. I compiled them all into one blog article here: Developing Your Writer’s Voice

Back to your first page. Utilize those opening paragraphs to showcase your unique voice. Your voice will grab the editor by the throat and make them keep reading past that first page.

The great thing about voice is that you don’t have to alter the story to add voice. It’s there in how you show the action, the character’s thoughts and movements, in dialogue, in emotional tension.

Take a good look at that first page and make sure your voice really stands out from sentence one. If you don’t think your voice is very strong yet, spend time developing it with exercises. In my article above, I mention a really good book that you can borrow from the library or buy on Amazon.com. Whatever you do, make sure your voice is strong on that first page.

Click here for part nine.

Story Sensei Question and Answer

2009-06-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,
It occurred to me that you guys might have specific writing craft or writing business questions that I could answer for you. So, comment and leave your question, and I'll address the questions in posts on this blog throughout the month of July!
Camy

Show versus Tell, examples

2009-06-22T00:01:00.004-07:00

Many of you have seen the “Show, don’t tell” rule in writing articles and books. Basically, you want to “show” the reader the character’s emotions, not “tell” the reader the emotions the character is feeling. “Telling” tends to be distant point of view, which distances the reader from the character’s emotions.

“Showing” involves your reader in what’s going on. It’s active and also concrete or tangible. The descriptions are usually more vivid and evoke emotion in the reader. Rather than telling information, show it through the character’s emotional reactions to something that happens in real time.

Telling versus showing is a common mistake for writers because, at heart, we’re all storytellers, and that’s how storytellers “tell” a story.

However, for writing fiction, you’d rather “show” the reader the action and make the reader an active participant in the events playing out.

Put it this way: Like the audience of a play, the reader sees the characters acting and moving about on stage. There’s very little scenes where an actor will stop, turn to the audience, and explain what’s going on—this is what telling is like. Instead, the audience sees what’s going on for themselves by watching the scene.

Showing rather than telling is most important in the first few chapters. You want the story and action to move along swiftly to hook your reader into the story, and telling halts everything and risks losing your reader.

So while you can have more telling in later sections of the book, you should strive to keep telling to a minimum at least in the first 3 chapters. Try to find more creative ways to show the information rather than stopping the action to turn to the reader and “tell” him all this information about the story world or the characters—utilize dialogue, actions or movement.

Here are a few articles to explain basic show versus tell:

http://www.teresciaharvey.com/show.html
http://www.writing-world.com/dawn/dawn02.shtml
http://www.sfwriter.com/ow04.htm
http://www.barbaradawsonsmith.com/showdon'ttell.htm
http://www.shirleyjump.com/article/item-852ed1f8-ae59-4da7-a6e8-978a968f5211.aspx

Some books on show versus tell:

Revision and Self-Editing by James Scott Bell (chapter 8)
The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman (chapter 11)
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers 2nd edition by Renni Browne and Dave King (chapter 1)

From contest entries and critiques that I’ve done, I’ve noticed that often people don’t quite understand what exactly is “showing” and what exactly is “telling.” So, I’m starting this series to give numerous examples so that you can see for yourself the various kinds of “telling” that can occur in your own manuscript, and suggestions for fixing it.

Update (6/23/09): It seems people are taking these examples as hard rules for when to show and when to tell. This is not the case--please do not take these examples as such. They're simply examples of telling since many writers have told me they have a hard time recognizing telling when they see it in a manuscript, whether their own or someone else's.

You cannot eliminate ALL telling in a manuscript. It's impossible. But too much telling will bog down your reading pace.

I have had editors tell me that it's better to have too little telling in a manuscript and then have your editor tell you where to insert more telling. On the other hand, a manuscript with too much telling will sometimes give the editor an excuse to reject the manuscript.

Ultimately, it's up to you as the writer since it's YOUR manuscript. Utilize whatever is best for your writing voice, the rhythm and pacing you're aiming for, or the atmosphere you're trying to obtain.

~~On Monday, I will be posting an article that compiles my blog posts on examples of when to tell instead of show, so stay tuned!~~
Click here for my article on examples of when to tell

Show versus Tell, example one

She had almost been kil—no, she had to stop thinking about it. Her hands shook as she cleaned up the spilled juice from the counter. She tended to be a little obsessive-compulsive, putting things in order, cleaning things up as soon as the mess happened. If anything was even a little out of place, she had to straighten it or she couldn’t concentrate. She used her fidgeting now to calm herself.

Everything in italics is “telling.” Rather than “telling” the reader about her personality, it would be more vivid to “show” it to them through her actions and thoughts. For example:

She had almost been kil—no, she had to stop thinking about it. Her hands shook as she cleaned up the spilled juice from the counter. Why was she doing this? Why couldn’t she stop herself? Her sugar canister had been knocked askew by half an inch. She looked away, but an itching grew in her hand until she finally reached out to realign it with the other two canisters on the counter. She also straightened the potted violet by the sink, the coffeemaker in its corner, and the container of cooking utensils by the stove. She actually felt calmer now.

In the second example, the reader is drawn into her point of view to feel her agitation, to experience her compulsive acts of orderliness, and to see her fidgeting calm herself.

Show versus Tell, example two

She looked out at the high school. Three years ago, she’d been secretary there, and now she was secretary for the intermediate school instead.

The second sentence is “telling” the reader about the character. This information is the kind of thing that could probably be more actively “shown” in dialogue. For example:

(This conversation might be something that comes later in the story)

He took her hand. “Why don’t you come work for me at the high school?”

She pulled her hand away. “Nuh-uh. I already did that.”

“Huh?”

“I was secretary at the high school three years ago. Now I’m at the intermediate school.”

“So I’m three years too late.”

His flirtatious tone both thrilled and annoyed her. “Who’s to say I’d have stayed if you’d been Principal?”

Exceptions:

The question to ask is: Does the reader need to know she’d been secretary at the high school three years ago right at this moment in the story? Does the reader need to know she’s secretary for the intermediate school right at this moment in the story? If they don’t, then save it for later when the information is vital to the current action.

For example, say the story goes:

She looked out at the high school. Three years ago, she’d been secretary there, and now she was secretary for the intermediate school instead.

If she’d still been there, she’d be one of the dead bodies on the lawn, just another victim of the bombing. The thought sent a spasm through her as if her innards were trying to wiggle out of her skin.

In this example, then yes, the reader needed to know she’d been the high school secretary because the scene affects her emotionally, thinking she could have been one of the bombing victims.

However, if the story goes on to talk about something else, then the second sentence in the example—talking about being secretary at the high school three years ago—is not only “telling” the reader about the character, it’s extraneous information. Delete it and save it for later.

Show versus Tell, example three

”How dare you use wire hangers?!” Mama threw one at her, and the edge scratched her arm. She flinched.

She didn’t cry as Mama yelled at her. She had learned that tears only made her scream louder.

The italicized sentence is “telling” the reader about her past experience. (Actually, the “as Mama yelled at her” is also “telling” and extraneous because you “show” Mama yelling in the previous paragraph.) There’s a more active and emotional way to “show” this. For example:

”How dare you use wire hangers?!” Mama threw one at her, and the edge scratched her arm. She flinched.

She mustn’t cry. She mustn’t. She screwed her eyes shut, but a tear squeezed out and ran down the side of her nose. Oh, no. Her stomach heaved as the warm wet tickled the end of her nose.

Mama must have seen the tear, because the volume rose to screeching that stung Clara’s ears. “Crying is for sissies!”

Show versus Tell, example four

She stared at the funeral wreath, full of white lilies. She remembered Daddy’s garden, thriving with lush red roses and golden daffodils.

The second sentence is “telling” the reader about a remembrance. The question to ask is, does the reader absolutely need to know the information about Daddy’s garden right at that moment?

If no, then cut it.

If they do need to know the info, there’s a more active and emotional way to “show” it. For example:

The cloying scent of the funeral wreath made her stomach heave and her throat gag. Daddy would have hated it. Lilies had had no place in his garden among the more stately roses and cheerful daffodils.

It figures that the worst wreath would come from Barnaby Jenkins, the slime. And she was stuck holding it for the next hour.

In the example, I’ve added more emotional reactions to the wreath (heaving, gagging, Daddy hating it) and more emotive words to Daddy’s garden (stately, cheerful). It simply makes the information more alive.

I also added the second paragraph to show why the reader needed to know about the wreath and Daddy’s garden (actually, Daddy’s flower preferences)—the information was needed to explain her emotional reaction in the current action, her holding the darn thing for another hour.

Show versus Tell, example five

She rocked back and forth on the porch swing.

Her family had moved into this house when Daddy carried Mama over the threshold. She’d broken this swing a few times by jumping on it, her brother had dug a hole under the front porch, and her sister had painted flowers along the white-washed railings. The neighbors were friendly and the tree-lined street cool in summertime. Her backyard ran against a giant meadow that belonged to some development company.

The second paragraph is all “telling” information about her family and her house.

Does the reader absolutely need to know all that information right at that moment in the story? If not, then cut it.

If you just wanted to show the house and neighborhood, there are more active ways to “show” it. For example:

Old Mrs. Tarkington shuffled past the house, staying in the shade from the trees lining the street. She raised one arm in a wave, the other arm clutching yet another casserole, probably meant for deaf Mr. Billings next door. Yup, he was already on his porch anticipating his dinner that night.

Bless Mrs. Tarkington. Would Mr. Billings—or any of the other neighbors—starve without her?

In the example, I show the trees lining the street as well as the friendliness of the neighbors with a concrete example of kindness.

Or:

She tripped a little over the threshold. Really graceful. She ought to fix that. Then she giggled at an image of Daddy tripping as he carried Mama over the threshold into the house over thirty years ago. Naw, the house had been new then—no loose boards.

In the example, I kept the info about Daddy and Mama over the threshold because she realized she needed to fix it—linking the memory with the current action.

Show versus Tell, example six

Jeannie looked Amy in the eyes. “So, tell me what your Mama told you.”

Just like Jeannie to be straight to the point. She’d always been that way, even in grade school. Sometimes her directness was a bit tactless and got her in trouble. Amy was so unlike Jeannie—tender-hearted to the point of not wanting to hurt anybody’s feelings.

The entire second paragraph is telling. What information in that paragraph does the reader absolutely need to know for the current scene?

Also, the first sentence in the paragraph is extraneous—you already show her directness by her line of dialogue.

Here’s a better example.

Jeannie looked Amy in the eyes. “So, tell me what your Mama told you.”

Amy found the violet pattern on the china cup absolutely fascinating. Why did Jeannie always have to just jump straight into it?

“So?”

Amy spoke to the cluster of violets. “I’m too drained. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“But I want to know.”

Amy raised her eyes to glare at Jeannie. “Show some tact for once, will you?”

The information about Jeannie being direct is “shown” by an emotional reaction to it—her unhappy thoughts wondering why Jeannie had to be that way. Also, Jeannie’s tendency for lack of tact is “shown” with Amy’s angry line of dialogue.

Show versus Tell, example seven

Amy’s eyes were the size of her forgotten hard-boiled egg. “That’s amazing!”

So amazing that it had ruined Jeannie’s peaceful breakfast. She had a half-brother in New Orleans that she’d never even known existed before. He had written and wanted to meet her, now that their feuding parents were both gone.

The second paragraph is “telling.” Granted, it’s short—which might be a good enough reason to keep it as is—but there’s also a more vibrant way of “showing” this with dialogue.

Amy’s eyes were the size of her forgotten hard-boiled egg. “That’s amazing!”

“Amazing enough to ruin my breakfast.” Jeannie toyed with her cold toast.

“What are you talking about? I always wanted a brother—”

“Half-brother.”

“Whatever, half-brother. My point is, now you have one without having the annoyance of growing up with him.” Amy winked.

Jeannie pulled his letter close to her again to look at it. “I wonder what it was like, growing up in New Orleans.”

“What I wonder is why he wants to meet now, why he felt he had to wait until both your feuding parents were gone. After all, you’re both adults.”

All the information in the “telling” paragraph is now “shown” in the dialogue, which is more interesting for the reader and doesn’t pull her out of the story world with a paragraph of “telling” narrative.

Show versus Tell, example eight

She admired the rows of Salvatore Ferragamo shoes, her only extravagance.

The italicized phrase is “telling.”

Now before you start screaming that it’s short (after all, it’s only three words), think about it—if you eliminate as much “telling” from your manuscript as possible, the vibrancy of the writing as a whole goes up a notch.

Instead of “telling” the reader about how Ferragamo shoes are her only extravagance at that point, save it for when it’s vital to the current action. For example:

She slowed as she passed the Neimann Marcus shoe section. Oh, that black leather one …

No, she shouldn’t—she’d bought a pair of Ferragamo’s only two weeks ago. She had twenty-one pairs in her closet already.

But she’d just gotten paid. And she could honestly say it was her only extravagance.

In the example, the information is part of her thought process as she justifies buying a new pair of shoes rather than tacked on as a section of “telling” in the narrative.

However, because the section of “telling” is only three words long, you could leave it in, especially if the information is vital for the reader to know for the current scene. It’s up to you.

Show versus Tell, example nine

She arrived at her parents’ home, which always reminded her of a gingerbread house.

The italicized phrase is “telling” the reader what the house looks like. Instead, why not “show” the reader her emotional reaction to the house while you describe it? It would make a more vibrant way of “showing” the same information. For example:

She arrived at her parents’ house, a great big gingerbread confection that made her want to gag at the sweetness.

She arrived at her parents’ house, a great big gingerbread confection that lifted her spirits as if she were on a sugar rush.

In the examples, the character’s emotions are incorporated in the description so that the “telling” about the house isn’t just tacked onto the narrative, but a vital part of her impressions of the scene. It’s just a tactic to convey the information in a more interesting way to the reader.

Show versus Tell, example ten

She rushed out of the elevator and bumped Sherri’s arm. “Sorry,” she mumbled.

But Sherri made an exasperated sound. “Just sorry?”

Gloria paused. She was in a hurry, but she couldn’t afford to antagonize her, because Sherri would make her life miserable.

Gloria turned with a plastic smile. “I’m so sorry. Can I help you carry those files?”

The italicized sentence is “telling” the reader about antagonizing Sherri. Granted, it’s only a sentence, and because it’s short, you could keep it in and it wouldn’t be bad.

But even a sentence can “burp” the reader out of the reading flow because it’s a sentence of “telling” narrative. This is especially true if you have several sentences of telling, in different paragraphs, on the same page or in the same chapter.

There’s a more vibrant, emotional way to convey the information if you go deeper into Gloria’s point of view. For example:

She rushed out of the elevator and bumped Sherri’s arm. “Sorry,” she mumbled.

But Sherri made an exasperated sound. “Just sorry?”

Gloria paused. Was she already late? If she just blew past … No, she got a headache at the thought of Sherri’s sour face and insolent work habits if she didn’t appease her.

Gloria turned with a plastic smile. “I’m so sorry. Can I help you carry those files?”

In framing the information as Gloria’s clicking thought process, the information is more interesting to the reader.

Show versus Tell, example eleven

She chewed on her hair, an old habit of hers that she was trying to break.

The second half of that sentence is “telling” the reader about her old habit. There’s a more active way to “show” it by incorporating her emotions into it. For example:

She caught herself chewing her hair and dragged it out of her mouth. Nasty habit. Why couldn’t she break it?

In the example, I’ve delved deeper into her point of view and “shown” the same information in a more active, emotional way.

This might seem like a rather trivial example for “telling,” but think about if you changed all these instances throughout your manuscript. The small changes made would contribute to the whole of the writing, making it just a bit crisper and sharper.

Show versus Tell, example twelve

She wanted to call her sister to cry over the phone, but she shouldn’t. Tonight was Sherri’s birthday, and she knew Sherri’s husband was going to give her a diamond pendant as a present.

Here, you’re “telling” the reader about why she can’t call her sister, but sometimes a little mystery is good for the reader, to pique their interest and keep them reading.

Also, if you’re in the character’s deep point of view, she wouldn’t “tell” herself why she can’t call her sister, she’d already know and would only mention it in a way that would be cryptic for anyone not in the know. For example:

She could call Sherri, have a good cry … No. She’d ruin everything if she called Sherri tonight.

And just leave it at that. It creates an aura of mystery that makes the reader wonder why tonight is so special, plus you’re in deep point of view, which draws the reader into her dilemma. Later, you can reveal Sherri’s special birthday gift to explain why she couldn’t call and ruin her birthday.

Show versus Tell, example thirteen

Adelaide found the housekeeper, Mrs. Long, in the kitchen. Adelaide was able to relax around her because Mrs. Long knew she was the mistress’s niece, and she had assured Adelaide she wouldn’t tell a soul.

The italics is all telling.

There are two types of telling here:

(1) When you write the deep point of view of a character, she wouldn’t think to herself, “I’ll go find the housekeeper, Mrs. Long.” She’d either look for “the housekeeper” or look for “Mrs. Long.” The additional modifiers are purely for the reader’s info, which is telling.

This is an easy fix. Use “the housekeeper” and “Mrs. Long” in the same paragraph, to make it obvious to the reader that the housekeeper is Mrs. Long. Your reader can figure out things better than you think. You don’t need extra modifiers to make sure the reader knows some piece of information.

(2) The second sentence in italics is telling the reader information about Adelaide and Mrs. Long. It’s also recapping an event that happened earlier.

The essential aspects of the information can be more dynamically shown in dialogue instead:

Adelaide found the housekeeper in the kitchen. “Do you need help, Mrs. Long?”

The woman jumped, and a fountain of peas erupted from the colander. “Mercy, you scared me, Miss Adelaide.”

“Just Adelaide. No one else knows.” She playfully nudged Mrs. Long aside, picked up a pea pod, and began to shuck.

Mrs. Long turned back to grumble at her peas, “’Tain’t right for you to help me.”

“Maids are supposed to help the housekeeper.”

“Maids aren’t supposed to be nieces to the mistress.”

This dialogue is just more fun to read than a paragraph of narrative. It also shows the relationship between the two women with more color and vibrancy.

Show versus Tell, example fourteen

This example is from my own proposal. It’s an Inspirational romantic suspense.

(From Jorge's point of view)

Jorge explained, “My brother still visits some of his old friends to try to get them to come to church with him.”

“Oh.” Her eyes skittered away as she renewed her vigor in sweeping.

She had never been comfortable talking about her faith. They’d rarely talked about God when they were dating, but she had said she was a strong Christian.

Jorge explained, “My brother still visits some of his old friends to try to get them to come to church with him.”

“Oh.” Her eyes skittered away as she renewed her vigor in sweeping.

Strange, she seemed even more uncomfortable talking about her faith than a month ago. They’d rarely talked about God, but she’d never actually avoided the subject like this before. She had said she was a strong Christian—was her faith wavering in the face of all the recent problems?

Oh the Joys of Freewriting!

2009-06-19T00:56:00.001-07:00

I talked about Freewriting and why that can help with character development over at the Seekerville blog:

Camy here, talking today about how freewriting is saving my sanity.

Yes, it’s true, I’m not being melodramatic (although Ruthy would probably differ—hush, woman!).

Usually, when I’m brainstorming a new novel, I am armed with a pen, Post-It notes, and my closet doors:

Click here to read the rest of the article

Motivation--got enough?

2009-06-17T21:24:00.001-07:00

Cheryl Wyatt posted on character internal motivations over at Seekerville today:

ToooT! TooooT! Chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga....

Welcome to Seekerville! Today I wanted to talk about something that I think is crucial in story structure, yet something not a lot of authors fully understand. I'm still on this learning train too by the way.

Just this week I was brainstorming a new proposal with my editors in New York the day before Book Expo America and it dawned on me that character motivation has many more layers than I had really consciously thought about before.

Click here to read the rest of the post, which includes examples!

Tips for How to Present Backstory

2009-06-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

Even if you don't present backstory in the first chapter of a novel, you have to present at some time in the book. But there are a few tricks you can use to make that backstory as emotionally compelling as possible. I wrote a Suite101 article on it:

The key to presenting backstory in a way that is interesting to a reader boils down to one piece of advice: Make the reader want to know the information.

As a reader gets to know the characters and become interested in them, she will naturally want to know more about them. But even beyond this natural interest, up the stakes. Make the past important to the reader because it ties together mysterious threads of the current action.

Click here to read the rest of my article.

Save the Backstory For Later

2009-06-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder why you hear that it's "taboo" to include backstory in the first chapter of a novel? I always did, too, until I discovered some psychological reasons why it's best to keep it out of the first chapter for the modern reader. I wrote an article on Suite101 about it:

Writers often hear the advice to not include backstory or the character’s past history within the first chapter of the story.

Many balk at this. After all, a character’s backstory explains things, makes the character’s actions make more sense. Otherwise, the reader will be confused or, worse, dislike the protagonist for his actions because there’s no explanation for this aberrant behavior.

Click here to read the rest of my article.

Opening a Scene In a Character’s Viewpoint

2009-06-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

As a follow up to my Suite101 article about establishing the viewpoint character at the beginning of a scene, I also wrote an article on a few tips for how to continue with the scene from the viewpoint character:

When a writer opens a scene, the viewpoint character should be immediately established in order to slip the reader into a character’s skin.

But once you’ve established the viewpoint character, there are a few things to remember in order to keep the reader interested.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Establish the Character Viewpoint

2009-06-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

I wrote a Suite101 article on a few quick tips for opening a scene and establishing the point of view character:

In his book, Techniques of the Selling Writer, Dwight Swain writes this about character viewpoint:

Viewpoint is the spot from which you see a story. It’s the position and perspective you occupy in order best to savor a fictional experience.

Ordinarily, that vantage point is inside somebody’s skin.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Developing Your Writer's Voice

2009-05-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Camy here: This is a compilation of my short series of posts on Developing Your Writer's Voice that I posted back in 2006, but I have put them all in one article for you here.

One vital way to make your writing stand out is voice. In many of the contest entries I've judged and manuscripts I've critiqued, writers have muted their natural voice to sound bland and generic.

Writing that's alive with its own distinct vocal flavor is a joy to read. The prose is richer and more vibrant, the characters more three-dimensional--all because the writer opens herself to her own writing style and revels in it.

However, voice can also be the most difficult and slippery aspect of writing craft to discover and perfect.

Raw, creative voice often doesn't result in a polished piece. The key is to first lay down the story with your unhindered voice and polish later.

But how to unleash your voice?

Many times, a writer's internal critic is hampering the free reign of his unique style, but certain exercises can help him lift all restraints, open the cage door, and let the lion roar.

Not all these exercises will work for every writer, but some might enable you to find and/or further develop your voice.

(Most of these exercises are taken from Finding Your Writer's Voice: A Guide to Creative Fiction by Thaisa Frank and Dorothy Wall)

Distill your raw voice.

Do automatic or free-writing writing and put it away for a week.

Return to it and pull out words or phrases that grab your attention. Do another free-write with those key phrases, and put it away for another week.

Highlight the passages that speak to you, and delete everything not highlighted. You should be left with writing that profoundly impacts you--your unique voice. If the writing still seems diluted, repeat the process.

Unusual situations and a sense of urgency will bring out voice.

External stimuli: Create a certain setting or mood by surrounding yourself with objects that will put you emotionally in different states. Try laying on your desk several things that make you mad. Or maybe things that make you sad. Be creative and utilize all five senses. Create different atmospheres that run the gamut of your emotions--don't hold back. Explore difficult emotions, intense emotions.

Internal stimuli: Use your mind to put you in different places, at different times. A cold, lonely prison cell. A loud, crowded prison cell. An abandoned warehouse during WW2 with bombs exploding. A desolate cornfield during the Depression. What's important is to put yourself in an unusual situation or one with some type of emotional urgency. Immerse yourself in your imaginary world, feel the culture and tension around you.

Once in that atmosphere, whether external or internal, free-write. Write about anything and everything. Use the computer or use a pen and paper. Don't let yourself stop writing--write gibberish or repeat yourself if you have to.

Do this for many different types of external and internal stimuli. The object is to experiment and discover what stimuli helps create that sense of urgency to unleash your voice.

Write your voice with your whole body.

An opera singer or a screaming child uses his entire body to project his voice. It's a comprehensive, total physical feat. A writer is the same. You want to use your entire being--your whole body--to bring out your writer's voice. This will mean different things to different writers.

The important thing is to discover your own all-encompassing combination of rhythm, force, and music that is your voice. The key is all-encompassing--try to involve all of you, not just your mind.

Try to imagine what it's like for you to write from your gut, from your toes, digging in with your shoulders, straining with your spine. Make it an energetic feat, requiring force and strength, pulling in aspects of your whole body. Then just do it--free-write.

Discover your natural rhythm.

All of us have a natural cadence to our speech and thoughts. It's a combination of our genes and environments. For every writer, it's unique.

Write nonsense words in grammatically correct sentences, or do free-writing--keep the pen moving even if you just write nonsense or the same sentence over and over.

You'll discover things about your voice. Your sentence length, your word choice. Alliteration, metaphors, similes. Twists of phrase, dialect. Learn to be aware of these aspects of your voice's cadence.

Take a lesson from children's storytelling.

When children tell stories, they improvise with things connected to their emotions, urgent and important to them at the moment. The duckie in their lap, the blue carpet, the stinky smell from the diaper bag, the lint under the table. It doesn't have to make sense, it doesn't have to be polished.

What makes their stories compelling is that it's raw and free. Our writers' voices come out when we can emulate their storytelling mindset.

This is related to what we say in public and private. There are certain things we will only say to our families, or sometimes just to ourselves. I'm not talking about foul language or unpleasant bodily functions. Opinions, one-line zingers, rage, frustration, joy, pride--good things, bad things. All uncensored.

Voice can come out when we start to blur the lines between the two, the way a child does. Children don't know what's acceptable to say in public versus private. They say what comes into their heads, guided by emotions.

Adults tend to edit ourselves, even when we don't think we are. But what if you didn't? What if you wrote everything and anything--the good, the bad? What if it was just a matter of getting it all down, no matter what it looked like, no matter that it didn't make sense, no matter that you'd never let another living soul see what you wrote?

Voice is that raw writing. Don't stress because the editing will come later. Write on any topic, going off on any tangent, making whatever associations you feel like. Just get it down. You'd be surprised at what comes out of you, and it might even start you off on new, uncharted ground.

Speak your voice through characters.

Like a ventriloquist, you throw your voice into a story character so that it's you and yet not you speaking. More than anything, it should be the character's voice that dominates, but your own voice will add vibrancy to your character.

Your heroine will have her own unique way of speaking, and it will also depend on her audience. She may speak one way to her mother and a different way to the hero. Through it all, don't be limited by her personality--rather, let her individuality unleash your own raw voice.

Take a persona and notice if you speak directly in his voice--in his skin--or describe him as if you're in the room. Sometimes, this can indicate a preference for first person versus third person.

Let this persona be uninhibited. Give her the quick mouth that would never survive in the real world.

Experiment with different personas completely different from who you are--an extrovert if you're an introvert, or a high-powered attorney if you're a teacher. Put them in different situations to discover who they are on deeper levels--stick your extrovert in a Hollywood party and then a monastery, or move your attorney from New York to Taiwan.

Keep practicing.

Voice is developed by writing, writing, writing.

Try doing a voice writing exercise each week. It only takes a few minutes, and that weekly stretching and warm-up will help your writing the rest of the week.

And not just short exercises--use your manuscript as practice ground for unleashing your raw voice. Take a scene, or a page of your manuscript. Work some of the exercises with that piece of your writing. Not only will you be developing your voice, you’ll also be working on beefing up your manuscript.

Don’t be discouraged if the exercises don’t seem to be showing dramatic results. Often a writer’s voice comes out subtly, in waves or glimpses.

Some writers’ voices are loud, others are soft and more subtle. Don’t assume you’re one or the other. Don’t fall prey to preconceived notions. Just WRITE. Be yourself.

With diligence and perseverance, your voice will come roaring out of you.

The Basics of Introducing a Character

2009-05-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

I'm again at Suite101 with a new article on introducing a character in your novel:

Whenever a character makes a “first appearance” in the novel, there are three things a novelist should remember when writing the scene.

Click here to read the rest of my article.

Fiction After 50 seminars

2009-05-26T17:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a note from author Ron Benrey:

Janet and I are launching “Fiction After 50” seminars to help
late-blooming novelists write publishable fiction and market their
manuscripts to real publishers.

The first Fiction After 50 seminar is scheduled in Dallas, on July
17-19; the next is in Orlando, on October 2-4.

Each seminar is an intensive program -- 2.5 full days of classes,
workshops, and guided small-group brainstorming sessions filled with
practical exercises -- that will help unpublished novelists refine their
novels-in-progress (or their ideas for the novels they want to write)
and increase the likelihood that they'll sell to royalty-paying
publishers. We’ll also teach many “hurry-up” strategies that can
accelerate the process of finishing and marketing a manuscript.

For more information visit: www.fictionafter50.com

Incidentally, our Fiction After 50 seminars will be "managed" by Free
Expressions Seminars and Literary Services, the same group the does the
excellent Don Maass "Breakout Novel" seminars that many Chilibeans have
attended.

Strong Emotional Reactions, part two

2009-05-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

Check out the second part of my two-parter at Seekerville, talking about Strong Emotional Reactions. On Friday, I went into the other TWO of the four different types of emotional reactions and how you can mix and match them to create stronger emotions in your story.

Also, check out the comments there--people bring up some good questions and I answer them in the comments.

Strong Emotional Reactions, part two

Stong Emotional Reactions, part one

2009-05-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

I am over at Seekerville in a two-parter, talking about Strong Emotional Reactions. Yesterday, I went into TWO of the four different types of emotional reactions and how you can mix and match them to create stronger emotions in your story.

Also, check out the comments there--people bring up some good questions and I answer them in the comments.

Strong Emotional Reactions, part one

Create a Relatable Character

2009-05-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

In my first drafts, I often have a problem in making my characters likeable within the first page or two. Since your reader will probably only give you a page or two in the bookstore, you need to capture their interest fast.

I wrote a new article at Suite101 with a few tips on how to do that.

Most readers—including editors and agents—look at the first few pages to determine if the characters are worth reading about.

Writers can utilize certain actions and traits that cause the reader to like the character or relate to him on a psychological level, without knowing anything else about him, and sometimes even showing him doing unsavory things a few pages later.

Click here to read the rest of my article.

The first page, part 7 - Indicate point of view

2009-05-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

This is continuing my series on things to look for in your first page.
Click here for part six.

Indicate point of view

Make it obvious to the reader whose head he/she is in. Don’t leave them guessing—readers want to be grounded in the story as soon as possible.

Here is where you can utilize deep point of view and WOW that editor. Drop them into a character’s head—a character who is so fascinating and unique that they’re struck by the vibrancy of the character’s personality or completely relate to the character’s struggles.

Use deep point of view to accomplish this. Let the reader experience the character’s emotions, reactions, thoughts. Let the reader cringe or laugh when the character does. Let the reader feel everything that character feels. Let the reader know exactly what the character thinks about the things happening to him/her.

Let your reader become that character from the first sentence, until your reader is transformed by the end of page one.

Again, forgive me for using my own books as examples, but it’s just easier for me. I will boldface some of the “deep point of view” phrases for you. This is from Deadly Intent:

The man who walked into Naomi’s father’s day spa was striking enough to start a female riot.

Dark eyes swept the room, which happened to be filled with the Sonoma spa’s staff workers at that moment. His gaze glanced over Naomi like a tingling breeze. She recognized him the moment he recognized her. Dr. Devon Knightley.

For a wild moment, she thought, He’s come to see me. And her heart twirled in a riotous dance.

But only for a moment. Sure, they’d talked amiably—actually, more than amiably—at the last Zoe International fund-raiser dinner, but after an entire evening sitting next to her, he hadn’t asked for her phone number, hadn’t contacted her at all. Wasn’t that a clear sign he wasn’t interested?

She squashed the memory and stepped forward in her official capacity of the spa owner’s daughter and acting manager. “Dr. Knightley. Welcome.”

In the example above, I use techniques like direct thought (He’s come to see me) in addition to deep POV narrative (Wasn’t that a clear sign he wasn’t interested?). The second sentence isn’t direct thought, but it’s very close, which makes the narrative itself deep in the character’s head.

I also use visceral responses (tingling breeze, heart twirled in a riotous dance) and key words (wild, squashed).

Click here for part eight.

Q&A: hero

2009-05-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Ms. Tang,

I've read a lot of your articles on writing, trying to shape my idea into a better novel. I've found that one tip I'm finding a hard time following is this...

As soon as you can in the story, commit the character to their goal for the book. There shouldn't be any easy way out or turning back. Once the character decides on a course of action, he can't stall, run, or quit--there should be something logical, believable and powerful preventing him. The character should irrevocably decide to fight whatever danger threatens him.

I don't have an apathetic/unmotivated main character, but I do consider his most identifying personality trait to be the opposite of such heroes as Frodo Baggins, Luke Skywalker, etc. as he does not yearn for adventure. He is full of self-doubt and lacks confidence, despite being the one destined to save everyone else and having the most potential/power to do so. My idea was to make his biggest enemy himself, needing to overcome his mental weakness. He has the motivation to fight, but not the guts to do so. In contrast to many headstrong, cocky heroes of literature, mine would appeal to young readers who don't have confidence in themselves, and could learn the moral by the end, that you need to believe in yourself, and step up to the plate, so you can be what you're truly destined to be.

So in conclusion, my actual question is if my character contradicts your advice?

Camy here: Your character doesn't actually contradict my advice. Most heroes in today's literature and movies have some type of inner flaw that they also have to resolve by the end of the book.

Having self-doubt is actually a good thing because the reader can relate to a hero with self-doubt. Most modern readers have a harder time relating to a hero who's perfect. While in the past, heroes have been almost god-like, these days, readers want flawed heroes they can relate to.

But internal doubts does not mean the hero doesn't have an external goal. He could be scared of his goal but still determined to do the right thing.

In OXYGEN by Randy Ingermanson and John Olson, the hero, Bob, is actually quite insecure. He's a rather geeky guy, he's not a "heroic" type of character. He doesn't trust one of his team members--a woman of faith--because he had been burned by a woman of faith before. Understandable, right? Yet he's determined to do his job and get the shuttle to Mars, and that involves trusting his team member, up to the point where she has to put him in a coma so the shuttle can arrive safely. He overcomes his doubts (his internal flaws) for the good of the mission (his external goal).

In TRY DYING by James Scott Bell, the main character is overly ambitious and self-centered. Not your typical hero. Then his fiancee is murdered and he tries to find out who killed her. In the process of doing something selfless, he becomes a better person. But he still has that external goal of finding his fiancee's murderer, DESPITE his internal flaws.

You say your character is not apathetic or unmotivated. Well then, what is he motivated to do? What does he want that he pursues for the entire book?

A hero is not necessarily a "hero" in the "heroic" sense of the word, but the protagonist of your story. A protagonist needs some kind of goal for the story, a proactive thread for the reader to follow throughout the novel.

He also doesn't necessarily have to achieve his goal--in fact, many books have the hero not achieving his goal at all, but sacrificing it at the end for the greater good.

But there still needs to be that action by the protagonist--that desire, that forward movement, that proactive movement so he's not simply a reactive character.

Sleeping Beauty is completely reactive. She's in the woods, she falls in love, she pricks her finger, she falls asleep. The prince, on the other hand, actively searches for her, fights the dragon, etc. He is proactive.

You need your hero to be proactive on at least some level. He can be scared and doubting, but he's still acting. He can be reluctant, he might be prodded by others, but he still makes the decisions himself to take those small steps, to act at each crossroad.

The first page, part 6 - Use key words deliberately

2009-05-14T18:03:00.000-07:00

This is continuing my series on things to look for in your first page.
Click here for part five.

Use key words deliberately

In the first page, especially, you want to be extremely deliberate with every single word you use. If you have bland or neutral words, try substituting stronger key words that will indicate genre or develop your story’s atmosphere. You can always change it back if it doesn’t sound right or do what you want it to.

(Forgive me for using my own writing as an example, but it was easier than typing up a few paragraphs from a book. The following is from Single Sashimi:)

Venus Chau opened the door to her aunt’s house and smelled something terrible.

“What’s that smell?” She tried to hold her breath.

Her cousin Jennifer Lim entered the foyer with an angry look. “She’s making my kitchen smell.”

“Who?” Venus hesitated on the threshold, breathing clean air.

“My mother, who else?”

versus

Venus Chau opened the door to her aunt’s house and almost fainted.

“What died?” She exhaled sharply, trying to get the foul air out of her body before it caused cancer or something.

Her cousin Jennifer Lim entered the foyer with the look of an oni goblin about to eat someone. “She’s stinking up my kitchen.”

“Who?” Venus hesitated on the threshold, breathing clean night air before she had to close the door.

“My mother, who else?”

(This book is already published, or I would replace “exhaled sharply” with “sputtered” or something like that. Then again, writers are always self-editing, even long after the book has gone to the printer.)

Click here for part seven.

Story Sensei now offering phone consultations/mentoring

2009-05-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

Hi guys!

I now offer telephone consultations or mentoring. Cost is $75 per hour, and I will be able to mail you a CD with an MP3 recording of our call.

I offer consultations/mentoring on a variety of topics, from writing craft to marketing and writing business. I can do brainstorming, advice/mentoring on agent and editor research, tips on marketing, pretty much any kind of question you might have.

Clients are welcome to "try me out" with a 20-minute call at a cost of $25. Finding the "right" mentor for you is like finding the "right" spouse--it takes time, trial and error.

Clients must prepay for their mentoring calls, and all calls are charged in increments of 20 minutes. For example, if your call only lasts 15 minutes, you will be charged $25.

See my info page for payment options.

I'm on deadline

2009-05-08T19:50:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody,
Just a heads up, I'm going to be a bit scarce the next few weeks. I'm on deadline for a new book. I'll post a little bit but not regularly. I'll be back up and running ~~in May~~ Update: I'll start posting again around May 10th!
Camy

Tips to Trim a Synopsis

2009-05-05T13:53:00.001-07:00

These tips originally appeared as individual blog posts. I'm posting them all here for convenience. If I write more tips on trimming a synopsis, I'll include them here, too.

Why do I need to trim a synopsis?

While I haven’t talked to every editor and agent on the planet, the majority of the ones I’ve spoken to prefer a 2-3 page synopsis.

However, every editor is different. One editor will want a one-page synopsis, another will want an extensive chapter-by-chapter synopsis.

In my experience, it’s usually better to opt for the shorter synopsis when submitting a proposal. If they want a longer one, they usually specifically mention that they do.

Another reason to have a short synopsis handy: Writing contests often have you submit a short, 1-2 page synopsis with your entry.

Here’s a little tip: when querying a novel, it doesn’t hurt to slip a one-page synopsis in with your one-page query letter. And it doesn’t cost any more in postage.

Also, when submitting a partial manuscript or a proposal (only at the editor’s request, of course), most standard proposals consist of a 2-3 page synopsis, not a chapter-by-chapter.

Sometimes you can include both a 2-page synopsis and a chapter-by-chapter synopsis in with the proposal, to give the editor his/her pick of whichever length they prefer. However, I put the chapter-by-chapter synopsis at the very end of the proposal, so that the editor/agent can choose not to read it if they don’t care to.

Tip#1 to cut a synopsis—formatting

Check your formatting. Make sure all your margins are 1 inch. Make your header ½ inch from the top.

Make your header only one line with the manuscript title, the word “synopsis,” and your last name (e-mail address optional) on the left side, and then the page number (optional) on the right side. It’ll look something like this:

BRILLIANT NOVEL/Synopsis/Tang 1

You don’t have to put the word “Synopsis” at the top of the actual text. Just start the synopsis text.

Tip#2 to cut a synopsis—repetition

Eliminate any repetition. If you mention something once—say the hero left the heroine five years ago—don’t mention it again. For example:

After a five year absence, Ronald McDonald returns to Birdy’s life . . .

A paragraph later:

A different man than he was five years ago, Ronald is still in love with Birdy . . .

Don’t mention the five years again. Cut it: Now more spiritually mature, Ronald is still in love with Birdy . . .

(Thanks to Dineen Miller for the idea of this example)

Tip#3 to cut a synopsis—eliminate subplots

Cut out any mention of the subplot. Be ruthless. Even if the subplot gives a bit of depth to the hero because it tells the reader about his life as a drug runner in Brazil, if it doesn’t directly impact the main plotline of saving the heroine’s ranch, don’t include it.

Some subplots do influence the main plot near the end of the book. Here you have a couple choices:

1) Pare down the mention of the subplot to the absolute minimum needed for the ending to make sense. Maybe a sentence in the beginning of the synopsis, and then a sentence at the end when it impacts the main plot.

2) Eliminate mention of the subplot completely and insert something near the end to make the ending make sense.

Don’t do more than that for subplots if you can absolutely help it.

Tip#4 to cut a synopsis—relevance

Cut absolutely anything that does not have direct impact on the main storyline. Be ruthless.

Don’t leave things in because they pertain to a subplot.

Don’t go off for too long (more than a few sentences) on a red herring.

Don’t include character backstory that doesn’t absolutely need to be there in order to explain the main plot.

Don’t describe characters’ physical features unless it’s a vital element to the story (such as the hero mistakes a red-head for the heroine).

Tip#5 to cut a synopsis—action

Don’t describe the characters’ every action unless that action directly influences the main plot:

She kicks the villain’s kneecap and runs outside. She tries to start the car, but it won’t turn over. The villain comes closer. Finally the car starts and she guns out of the driveway.

Versus

She escapes.

Be especially wary of verbosity in the ending of the synopsis:

He grabs her to force her to look at him. He tells her he loves her and can’t live without her. He’d held back while he thought she still loved his brother, but he’s done with the safe path. He can’t hold it in any longer and risks telling her how he feels. She tells him she loves him, too, and they share a passionate kiss. He asks her to marry him, and she answers yes. In the epilogue, they are married from his yacht before sailing off to Bermuda for their honeymoon.

Versus

They confess their love to each other and marry.

The editor or agent does not need a blow-by-blow version of your emotional or climactic scenes, because they are not expecting and don’t need to be emotionally moved by the synopsis. That’s what the manuscript is for.

They just need the facts about what happens. Try to rein in your tendency to “show,” and “tell” the bare actions instead.

Tip#6 to cut a synopsis—character names

Don’t mention a character by name unless they appear more than twice in the synopsis AND each appearance is vital to the plot. Mentioning too many names can be not only confusing, it can lengthen your synopsis. Refer to the minor character as “her neighbor” or “his old flame.”

Tip#7 to cut a synopsis—get rid of a short line

When you're down to only a few lines to go until your target page number, look for any paragraphs that end with a partial line, such as the example below:

Sports-crazy Lex Sakai isn’t too worried about
shouldering the unofficial family title “Oldest Single
Female Cousin” when her cousin Mariko marries in
a few months. Her control-freak grandma nags her
about her lack of man, but it’s easy to ignore—until
Grandma bellows at her in the middle of a
restaurant that Lex can’t get a guy because she
needs breast implants. Bristling at the challenge,
Lex insists there’s nothing wrong with
her—Grandma says to prove it. If Lex can’t find a
boyfriend by Mariko’s wedding in June, her ruthless
Grandma will cut off funding to the girls’ volleyball
team that Lex coaches. And pay for breast
implants. (14 lines)

Cut words here and there in the paragraph until that last line disappears.

Sports-crazy Lex Sakai isn’t worried about
shouldering the unofficial family title “Oldest Single
Female Cousin” when her cousin Mariko marries in
four months. Her control-freak grandma nags her
about her lack of man, but it’s easy to ignore—until
Grandma bellows in the middle of a restaurant that
Lex can’t get a guy because she needs breast
implants. Bristling at the challenge, Lex insists
there’s nothing wrong with her—Grandma says to
prove it. If Lex can’t find a boyfriend by Mariko’s
wedding, her ruthless Grandma will cut off funding
to the girls’ volleyball team that Lex coaches. And
pay for breast implants. (13 lines)

Tip#8 to cut a synopsis—cut modifiers

Adjectives and adverbs are usually the easiest to cull from a synopsis. Sometimes you don't even need to change the noun or verb. Other times, a stronger noun or verb is needed.

She determines to win without interference from her meddling friends.
vs.
She determines to win without interference from her friends.

He is physically attracted to her.
vs.
He is attracted to her.
or
He lusts after her.

Tip#9 to cut a synopsis—change nouns and verbs

This is similar to tip #8. Sometimes you can substitute a different noun or verb that's a little shorter than what you have. Because the format is typically left justified, even one less letter in the sentence can be enough to eliminate a line (see tip #7 about getting rid of short lines).

He sneaks up to the house.
vs.
He creeps to the house.

He needs to stay out of her way.
vs.
He needs to avoid her.

She leaves her job.
vs.
She quits.

Tip#10 to cut a synopsis—eliminate extraneous nouns and verbs

There are some places where certain types of nouns and verbs can be eliminated entirely. Things like "He realizes", "She understands that," "He hears her say," "She sees him."

He follows her. He sees her enter the hotel.
vs.
He follows her. She enters the hotel.

He reads the family Bible. He discovers that Sally is his cousin.
vs.
He reads the family Bible. Sally is his cousin.

His reaction opens her eyes. She realizes she's always been in love with him.
vs.
His reaction opens her eyes. She's always been in love with him.

However, be aware that sometimes, these verbs can't be eliminated, so don't beat yourself up if you can't do it:

They fight. She realizes she's always been in love with him.
vs.
They fight. She's always been in love with him. (doesn't make sense)

Tip#11 to cut a synopsis—eliminate dialogue

Do you have any lines of dialogue in your synopsis? Even if they’re key lines, cut them and tell what’s going on instead. You can usually trim by telling instead of showing. For example:

Luke hangs on the overhanging metal strut, armless and vulnerable. Darth Vader reaches out to him and says, “Luke, I am your father.” “No! That’s not true!” Luke denies, then falls down the duct to what he believes will be his death.

Vs.

Luke hangs vulnerable on the metal strut. Darth Vader insists he’s Luke’s father, which Luke denies. Luke drops down the duct.

Be careful about the climax of the story—that’s usually the place where writers are tempted to include key dialogue lines which the story pivots upon. However, in trimming a synopsis, it’s better to cut those dramatic lines in favor of “just the facts” and a shorter synopsis.

Tip#12 to cut a synopsis—eliminate conversations

In Tip #11, I mentioned to cut dialogue in a synopsis. However, sometimes there are conversations in a synopsis that are just like dialogue, only without the quotation marks.

These conversations can be cut or condensed just like dialogue.

For example:

Duke tells Shelley he loves her. She denies it, saying she’s not worthy of love. He doesn’t understand and asks her why. She explains how her father was never there for her, how his job was more important to him than she was. Duke asserts she’s beloved by her Heavenly Father, and that his love for her mirror’s God’s love for her.

versus

Duke tells Shelley he loves her, easing her feelings of unworthiness by explaining the boundless love God has for her.

Camy here: Look for these conversations in your manuscript and see if you can cut and condense. You don’t need to tell entire dialogues for a synopsis.

Steeple Hill editor podcast link

2009-04-28T18:27:00.000-07:00

Got this from Cheryl Wyatt:

Someone just sent me this link. Thought it'd be helpful to anyone targeting Steeple Hill.

http://www.eharlequin.com/store.html?cid=749

Hugs

--
Cheryl Wyatt www.cherylwyatt.com
15-author blog! www.seekerville.blogspot.com
Ready-Made Family (4.5 stars RT) IN STORES NOW!

Tweak a Cliché Into Something Original

2009-04-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

I wrote a new Suite101 article on how to take a cliche and make it something wonderful:

The old saying, “There’s nothing new under the sun” is very true and a death knoll for writers. How can writers come up with fresh prose when it’s all been done before? How can writers avoid using clichés when sometimes there’s no other way to say something?

Click here to read the rest of my article

Utilize reader statistics

2009-04-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

An old article of mine is on WannaBePublished.blogspot.com today!

The Gallup Poll website is fascinating. Okay, I admit, I’m a geek.

However, it’s also useful in gathering information about the book business, which is important for a writer.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

96 HOUR SPECIAL

2009-04-17T13:22:00.001-07:00

To Readers of My Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine:

This is Randy Ingermanson, with a special note for you.

Tax Day has come and gone, and I hope you've survived.
This past year has been brutal for all of us. May the
next year be better!

To celebrate getting past Tax Day, I'm running one of
my famous super-slasher sales on my web site store.
Everything is 50% off for the next 96 hours.

If you're getting a tax refund this year, you might
want to consider taking advantage of my 50%-off sale to
invest in your writing career.

For less than the cost of a month of cell phone
service, you could take action that would improve your
writing skills for a lifetime.

This 96-hour special runs from midnight on Thursday,
April 16, 2009, through midnight on Monday, April 20.

(All times are California time.) Sorry, but I can't
give extensions on this. When it's over, it's over.

I don't run these ultra-discount sales very often. The
last was in December.

In order to take advantage of this 50% discount, you
just need to know the coupon code.

You can discover this coupon code, along with
information on all my fiction-writing products, on this
page of my web site:

http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com/info

* Do you need help learning the craft of writing? Try
my two series of lectures which I've given at writing
conferences across the country: "FICTION 101" and
"FICTION 201." Going to a multi-day writing conference
can cost you hundreds of dollars and will take days out
of your life. You can buy my lectures with full notes
for a fraction of that price.

* Do you need help getting your writing career
organized? Take a look at how I got myself organized
with the help of Strategic Planning Expert Allison
Bottke. Allison and I did a series of five
teleseminars, which we recorded. Get the full set of
recordings, with transcripts and Allison's incredible
checklists. We call it "Clean Up Your Act!" because
it'll help you start acting like the professional
writer you want to be.

* Do you want to learn to promote your writing (and get
paid for it) by developing your speaking career? Check
out the teleseminar series I did with Mary Byers, a
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along with transcripts and Mary's worksheets and get
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adore writers who speak, because writers who speak are
usually writers who sell.

* Are you planning to go to a writing conference in the
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* Want to learn my biggest secret for building a web
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Here is the link again with the special coupon code to
get a 50% discount during my 96-Hour Special:

http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com/info

I'm teaching at the ACFW conference!

2009-03-30T13:43:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,
My workshop "The Hero and Heroine's Journeys" just got accepted for the American Christian Fiction Writers conference this year! I'll be teaching on--duh--the Hero and Heroine's Journeys.

If you've never used the Heroine's Journey, especially, and you have a female main protagonist, this will be a good workshop for you for characterization.

The ACFW Conference is in Denver, Colorado this year, from September 17th through the 20th. Information is on the ACFW website.

Registration hasn't opened yet, and only ACFW members can attend the conference (but it's only $50 membership fee for the first year to join ACFW, and believe me, it's totally worth it to join! I talk about ACFW here. If you have questions about ACFW, just leave a question in the comments.)

They'll announce when registration is open for the conference on the ACFW members email loop.

So anyway, I hope you (a) join ACFW and (b) take my workshop in Denver this year!