I am Living the Dream

What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pales in comparison to what lies inside of you. Ralph Waldo Emerson
When you give someone a book, you don’t give him just paper, ink, and glue. You give him the possibility of a whole new life. Christopher Morley
The best inheritance you can leave your kids is an example of how to live a full and meaningful life. Dan Zadra

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell

Great book. I recommend all authors read it, study it, apply it. Do the listed exercises even.

I finished reading this selection a week or two ago. I had made twenty-five double-sided pages of notes while digesting the info therein. Then over the last few days, I've been reducing those first handwritten nuggets to six double-sided pages of solid tips for me to put to use as I create my future novels.

So when I say that what I'm about to quote from Plot & Structure urged me to write this post, then it must be pretty awesome. And it is.

'Know thyself,' the sages admonished, and that's still good advice. Especially for writers. By knowing yourself truly and honestly, by writing with passion and intensity...you'll find your writing is not only fresh, but a joy. You'll have you. And that's enough to start writing.

In other words, write true to yourself and your writing will be unique.

But what struck me, and what is not spelled out in Plot & Structure, is that while our writing may be fresh to others, it will not seem so to us. Don't let that hinder you.

This is what I want you to take away from this article. Just because your writing doesn't wow you, it could still amaze others. So share it. Your words may reach someone and work wonders in a person's life.

Also in Bell's book, and in further support of my interpretation above, is this quote by William Saroyan:

I don't have a name [title] and I don't have a plot...I have the typewriter and I have white paper and I have me and that should add up to a novel.

Love that one! For those who like mathematical formulas, it goes like this:

Author + Computer/Typewriter/Pen/Pencil + Paper = Story.

So never discount the Author component.

Denise Barker, author + blogger + copy editor

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Plots, Shlots

For pantsters everywhere, you will rejoice.

For you plotters, you can carry on, just with a different focus. Or not.

This post is borne out of a recent discussion in one of my CP groups. Hope it helps you as it freed me.

Here are a few foundational elements to my theory I'm about to propose:

I'm a character-driven author and reader. If you give me an interesting character, I'll follow them just about anywhere. Examples from books: Eve and Roarke from J.D. Robb's In Death series; Stephanie Plum from Janet Evanovich's bounty hunter series. Examples from TV: Jessica Fletcher (from Murder, She Wrote); Alan, Charlie and Don Eppes (from Numb3rs) and all the Gallaghers from Showtime's Shameless.
People are basically curious. We want to know what the Joneses next door are doing in their lives. What makes them happy, successful. Individually and in marriage. We want to know what Brad and Angelina are up to. What exciting and interesting things they have done. What (remote, unfamiliar?) places they have traveled to now. What else explains the sales of the gossipy magazines at the checkout lane in the grocery store, even while most consider them to be filled with invalid info? Other than possibly living vicariously through the people made the subject matter therein.
Those different sections in a (physical) bookstore are about the emotions they evoke: horror, love, mystery, wonder, humor, adventure, suspense/intrigue. This is often espoused by fantasy author Dave Farland.

So, if readers want emotions and interesting characters, we should focus on that, right?

And this therefore is my theory: It's not about plot. It's about the character arc. So while you may continue to create your requisite plot points, just think of them as hanging off the ultimate bell curve: your character arc.

In Robert McKee's Story, on pages 319–331 in the hardcover edition, he gives examples of his Principle of Antagonism, which deals with themes and emotions. I agree. Add communicating it well, being at least as smart as your sophisticated reader of today so there are no flimsy, faulty holes in your reasonings as to cause and effect, or human nature, etc., and you are set.

So, to put my theorem in a more usable format, here's the new revised "fought points" that I'm working from, at this point forward, to keep me focused on the correct nexus (repurposed from Campbell's original Hero's Journey):

Ordinary World. Our hero/heroine (H/H) with their individual secrets, their individual fears and, whether they know it yet or not, how that may conflict with each other's set of secrets/fears, or circumstances or internal compass; H/H are familiar with this stage, representing the known, the stilled waters; whereas the unknown evokes more fears and could involve change(s) which may be unpleasant to go through.
Inciting Incident. Thrown into the stirred waters, our H/H's secrets are threatened, or their fears are put to the test, either by circumstances or the other main characters' actions or internal guilt, regrets, depression, whatever you can imagine to put them through.
(At least) Three Try/Fail Attempts. This represents our H/H's experiments to get out of the bad place they find themselves and back to the old one, until they grow enough to envision a better one.
Climax. The "light bulb" moment where the H/H figure it out; their character has been changed, self-growth achieved.
Denouement. Resolution, tying up all the loose ends of minor character arcs, or any remaining questions revolving around the main character arc and—taking this next part from most of the beloved long-term TV shows—ending on a relaxing, regrouping moment of personal reflection or introspection into their new, improved self and resultant life. And successes, hopefully.

As with any theory, this is a work-in-progress, subject to subsequent experiments and failures and more tweaking. I've always considered myself plot-impaired and now I see why. My focus was off.

Anyway, if this resonates with you, give it a try.

If this is not for you, disregard my abstraction and continue carrying on. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Denise Barker, author + blogger + copy editor

Saturday, October 27, 2012

NaNoWriMo Tips: A Synopsis + Character Photos and Names

I'm a pantster, although one of my romance group authors thinks I'm a hybrid, because I usually have the beginning, the ending and the black moment conceived, just not any of the other stuff.

So take what you know and write out a synopsis, as if you were submitting same to a publishing house. Remember for these, inclusion of the ending is necessary to see if you can deliver a good tale. Regardless of whether you are seeking a traditional publisher or going the Indie route, you can benefit from this step.

So if you have seven major plot points, you are in good shape, IMO. Take them and fashion a synopsis, a summary of your plot in order, maybe expounding on each point with a paragraph or two. Fourteen paragraphs is not unusual. If you check out a few publishing houses online and see what their requirements are (which differ from house to house), a traditional synopsis can range from one page to five.

Plus, it helps to see where you have glaring logic flaws, or holes where nothing much is going on. Not that you can't go with it, as is, flaws and holes and all; you just need to be prepared to work each out as you navigate NaNoWriMo.

Also, if you love Pinterest, as I do, find a good depiction of your hero and heroine. Post them online. Or print out one of each for your computer desk. Remember: a picture is worth a thousand words. Find one that propels you to write about the person in it.

While you are at it, peruse your baby name book collection (or telephone book or obituary pages) for the main characters' names. If doing a romance, it really helps that they go together well in the same sentence, like Barbie and Ken. Just something to keep in mind. I started a list of preferred male and female names, A to Z, from one of my baby name books. Haven't finished that project yet and still have other books to go.

Above all, remember to have fun with the whole process, y'all!

Denise Barker, author + blogger + copy editor

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

NaNoWriMo Tip: Focus

I usually come up with my titles fairly quickly, easily. Long before I have enough plot points to entail a novel-length tale. And I have a very clear picture in my mind what my cover will be. For four of my WIPs, I printed out a scene (I prefer landscapes to people), affixed my title and hung them near my desktop computer. Having your tagline taped to your screen can help too.

It is all about focus.

So, for your 2012 NaNo project, imagine what your perfect cover would look like. Search for it online or in magazines or sketch it out yourself or whatever. This does not have to be the one you actually use, just a prop to remind you of your story.

Then create your tagline, that one thought that sums up what you want to accomplish this time. Make it twenty-five words or less. Remember, you don't need your characters names here. Just an adjective and a noun. Like "burned spy" or "rogue agent" or "unemployed waitress" or "Italian businessman." You get the idea.

Then sum up the major conflict without giving anything away. Write it on a sticky note or an index card.

Now place those two things where you are mostly likely to see them on a daily basis.

Denise Barker, author + blogger + copy editor