Tag: novelist

Categories
Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind with Jan Drexler and Regina Rudd Merrick

Jan Drexler lives near in the Black Hills of South Dakota where she often goes hiking when she’s not writing. But her stories often take place in Amish country–Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania. Many of her ideas come from family stories “seasoned with a lot of research and imagination.” Because of her Amish/Mennonite/Anabaptist heritage, Jan understands the history, theology, and diversity of these groups. We talk about these and more in our interview.

Regina Rudd Merrick got her writing start in the world of fan fiction. Disappointed that one of her favorite shows had been canceled, Regina joined an online community dedicated to writing new stories for the characters in the series. Though Regina has lived most of her life in Kentucky, her Southern Breeze Series is set in Litchfield Beach, South Carolina. Her love of the area comes through in her novels.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, January 5, 2019 at http://www.novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

Categories
The Binge Writer

Are you a Binge Writer?

I am a binge writer.

I always have been, and I probably always will be. What is a binge writer you ask?

A binge writer is an author who indulges in writing for a brief period of time. Often followed by extended periods of an absence of writing.

For me, I can write 10,000-15,000 words a day typing at 25 words per minute. I know what you are thinking, and yes, I am a terrible typist. I am actively working to get my words per minute count higher. Mainly because I want to have more output during my writing binges.

This year I wrote a 70,000 word novel in about 70 hours. It was a fun experience for me, but once I finished I had to get back to reality. I didn’t write again for an entire month.  I also entered 13 writing contests after taking a weeks vacation to write. I wrote a ton that week. After I entered the final contest, I didn’t write again for a month.

I would like to say that I do this on purpose, but I don’t. It’s my personality.

God wired me this way.

I have tried to write a 1,000 words a day and I last about three days. I am not wired to be that consistent. But I can sit down and write a ton of words in a short amount of time.

[bctt tweet=”A binge writer is an author who indulges in writing for a brief period of time. “]

Maybe you are like me, maybe not.

In my periods of non-writing, I study, I read, and I enjoy life. All of these things help make me a better writer. I use what I learn to improve my writing and to help increase my productivity when I do finally sit down and write.

So… This blog is dedicated to Binge Writers or to those of you who want to use some of my Binge Writing techniques to increase your own writing output.

I will discuss writing software, apps, websites, writing techniques, procrastination, writer’s block, and many more. Hopefully these posts will help you meet deadlines, increase word count, and become the best writer you can be.

Any ideas on post topics? Post them in the comments below.

[bctt tweet=”What is a binge writer you ask? #writer #binge #writing”]

Categories
History in the Making

Three Reasons I Cry When Reading Louisa May Alcott’s Classic Novel

by Sandra Merville Hart

I was a teenager the first time I read Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. A childhood friend came in just as I sobbed over a tragic part of the story. I’ve read the novel at least a dozen times since that summer day.

Characters in the novel were inspired by Louisa’s own family and friends. Knowing her characters so well deepened the portrayal of them, evoking an emotional response in her readers.

*** Spoiler alert *** If you haven’t read the novel and intend to, you may want to read this post afterward as there are a few spoilers.

There are three reasons that I cry every time I read Little Women: believable family relationships; unexpected romances; and twists that mirror life.

Loving family relationships blanket the story. The reality of the Civil War touches the family. Jo’s father serves as a Union chaplain and is away at war. Jo and her sister, Meg, take jobs to support the family. When the story opens, another sister, Beth, helps the mother at home while the youngest, Amy, attends school.

But life gives them a terrible twist—Beth helps a family where three children suffer from scarlet fever and falls ill herself. She recovers from scarlet fever but her health is never the same. Eventually readers realize that she will die.[bctt tweet=”The twists and turns of Alcott’s classic novel mirror life. #writing” username=”@Sandra_M_Hart”]

The second reason I cry when reading this classic novel is the unexpected romances. We watch Laurie, the family’s neighbor, fall in love with Jo and really want them to marry.

Though readers believe that Jo and Laurie are made for each other, a twist comes. Jo accepts a position as governess to a family in New York City. Professor Bhaer, who resides at the same boarding house, teaches German to Jo. He also critiques her writing. His disappointment in her stories cuts deeply. He encourages her to write stories with a moral.

What writer can’t relate to her pain?

Jo spends six months in New York before returning home to care for her gravely ill sister. Laurie finally proposes as anticipated, but Jo rejects him. Sad and angry, he travels to Europe. Neither of these events is what readers expect.

Another twist is coming. Jo’s youngest sister, Amy, is in Europe where she’s being courted by Laurie’s rich school friend, Fred. Readers are surprised to watch Amy fall in love with Laurie. Fred seems to be the better choice for Amy at first because Laurie is an angry, bitter man. He wakes up in time to realize Amy is the woman for him. They marry while in Europe.

What! Readers believed that Laurie was intended for Jo.

Meanwhile, Jo has all the sorrow she can handle. She tends to Beth as her little sister loses strength to even lift a needle to sew. Jo’s heart breaks—and ours with hers—when Beth dies.

As the family celebrates Amy’s marriage, Professor Bhaer arrives. In yet another twist to the story, he proposes and Jo happily accepts.

This leads to the third reason I always cry when reading Little Women: the twists and turns of the novel mirror life. The changes, the heartaches, and the bumps in the road feel realistic to readers—after we recover from shock and disappointment. Can’t we all relate to choosing a path leading one place and then ended up on completely different road?

Louisa’s publisher approached her in 1868 with a request to write a book about girls. She initially resisted. She finally gave in to urging from her publisher and her father. Then she set her novel in a house modeled after her home with characters inspired by family and friends.

The novel she didn’t want to write became a beloved classic and brought her financial independence.

Readers through the ages have reason to rejoice that Louisa listened to the urging of her publisher.

 

Sources

“Little Women,” Wikipedia, 2017/03/25 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Women.

“Louisa May Alcott,” Biography.com, 2017/03/25 http://www.biography.com/people/louisa-may-alcott-9179520.

Categories
Storyworld

Anatomy of Grays: Sex

AnatomyGraysSex

Jim held a gray spheroid up to the light. “So Doc, you’re saying the sex of this alien was actually female?”

“That is perhaps an overstatement. This is clearly an egg we retrieved from the deceased Sharalla pilot. While this may indicate a female of the species, their biology is unlike anything we’ve encountered. For all we know, the males carry the fertilized eggs, as in some of Earth’s aquatic wildlife.”

Jim lowered the egg, which had the size, heft, and texture of a softball. “You’re not saying this thing is fertilized are you?”

The doctor shook his head. “Our scientific team has concluded it most certainly is not. We wouldn’t let you handle it otherwise.”

The little rock wiggled itself in Jim’s hand, producing a breathless stare from Doctor Stein.

“Ahh,” Jim sighed in mock contentment, “ the certainty of science.”

 

What better way to spend the day before Valentine’s than talking about alien sex and reproduction? Seriously though, the method of reproduction in an alien species dictates much of its culture, so it bears at least some consideration in your storyworld.

Assuming your creatures have some form of sex to reproduce (and don’t just materialize or breed asexually), you’ll need to figure out how they do it. Generally, it will involve some form of fertilization, the method in which sex cells, containing half the genetic composition of each parent, unite to form a new, unique member of the species. This is broadly separated into two categories: external fertilization and internal fertilization.

External Fertilization

External fertilization is a form of sex that is mostly reserved to earth’s fish. While from our view, this seems impersonal, it doesn’t have to be. Granted, there doesn’t seem to be much intimacy between two fish, but there is sometimes a loyalty to the young. The male Siamese Fighting Fish will tirelessly guard over its eggs, ensuring they remain in a nest of bubbles until they hatch. Male seahorses will care for their fertilized eggs in a special pouch. Cichlids are fish that keep their eggs in their mouths, and continued to do so until they’ve not only hatched, but are old enough to fend for themselves.

If you introduce a sentient (and somewhat relatable) alien species with external fertilization, it would probably be best to model it after one of these more maternal or paternal species on earth. That is, unless you’re trying to create a heartless society of extraterrestrials. In that case, spawning massive numbers of progeny at random might fit better.

Internal Fertilization

This is the section that might get me fired from my position at A3. I’m kidding, I’m kidding – you can’t fire someone who works for free … I think. Anyway, internal fertilization is when male sex cells enter the female’s body and find the female sex cell(s). They combine and form a new life, starting as a zygote and eventually either hatching into the world, or emerging via the birth canal.

Which brings up the next distinction, whether or not the animal lays an egg or cares for the embryo in an internal placenta. Some examples of egg-laying creatures on earth are reptiles and birds. If your alien species lays an egg, you’ll have to decide the level of involvement you want the parents to have in guarding that egg. Some birds like the hornbill are very protective of their eggs. So much so that the female blocks herself off in a tree hole and entirely depends on her mate to bring her food. Others, like sea turtles, bury their eggs in the sand and then leave, hoping for the best (there may be a reason they’re so endangered). Rattlesnakes are odd egg layers though, since they don’t really lay eggs, but keep the eggs internally until they hatch. While that may sound like a live birth, the eggs are still self-sustaining, meaning no nutrients pass from mother to child.

And that’s actually one of the distinguishing features of sex and reproduction in a mammal – the placenta. When a mammal baby develops in the womb, it receives nutrients from its mother until ready for birth. Even then, female mammals provide milk for their young with their mammary glands (breasts in humans, udders in cows and pigs, etc.).

Sex Between Species

While forbidden in Leviticus 19, sex between two different species occasionally produces a hybrid creature. Probably most well known is the mule, a cross between a donkey and a horse. Additionally, ligers are crosses between tigers and lions, and according to liger scholar and artist Napoleon Dynamite, they’re bred for their skills in magic. There are a lot of different hybrids out there, including zonkeys , dzos, and other strange creatures. Usually the two parents need a similar number of chromosomes, and even then the result is typically a sterile creature. Sometimes though, intentionally breeding two species results in a very, very bad hybrid, such as the killer bee. Yes, thank science for producing a species of insect capable of killing thousands of humans and livestock … and then accidentally releasing them from quarantine -whoops.

Sometimes in sci-fi and fantasy literature you’ll see a hybrid race. The most obvious that comes to my mind is the Half-Elf. Born of human and elven parentage, these half-races display characteristics of each. But in a sci-fi or fantasy world, you can’t assume that every alien species can intermingle with every other. In Michael A. Stackpole’s X-Wing series, one of his protagonists humorously recounts a bad memory of having sex with an alien. The two hadn’t considered the delicate pH balance in that… region. And as a result, both partners developed severe rashes and some other, ahem, unpleasant side effects.

Sex and Culture

As I said in my intro, sex (and marriage) is a huge factor that dictates how a culture operates. How do two individuals in a species find a mate? How do they produce offspring? How do they care for their offspring? Is there sexual deviancy and abuse? While these are all major questions that deserve an entire column this column has mostly addressed biology. Fear not though, I will address them in the future. So if this article interests you, be on the watch for my sex and worldbuilding article in the next few months.

There, I made it through an entire column dedicated to sex without once mentioning the words vagina or penis. Oh! Darn. Well, almost.

Next month we’ll continue our anatomy series and tackle the neuroendocrine system! Yeah, that’s basically just a fancy word for evaluating how an alien thinks and feels.

 

Photo Credits:

Birds and Bees Photo: http://www.evilenglish.net/the-birds-and-the-bees/

 

Siamese Fighting Fish Photo (Also great resource regarding these cool fish): http://dkphoto.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Siamese-Fighting-Fish-Life-Cycle/G0000_kRdp2qXrtk/I0000qlzVaRnV4Qw/C0000NHUtq8T1jVw

 

Napoleon Dynamite Inspired Liger Drawing: https://www.flickr.com/photos/51035597721@N01/5266903

Categories
History in the Making

Create Timeline of Novel’s Events

By Sandra Merville Hart

 

Somewhere in the midst of writing my second novel my story started to get away from me. I couldn’t remember what day or week something happened in my plot, requiring me to reread earlier passages. This prompted me to create a timeline of my novel’s events.

Creating a Word document containing the timeline for our stories maintains accuracy, keeps us organized, and shows where the plot requires additional action.

I read a novel where two chapters spanned the summer only to find that the following chapter stated all those events happened in only two weeks. The author’s mistake on time jolted me out of the story. The things that happened early in the novel in a specific timeframe were incorrect. I continued reading though I had lost trust in the author. This discrepancy could have been easily fixed and monitored by maintaining a timeline.

Tracking this detail also keeps authors organized. My timeline is arranged in chapter paragraphs and contains the chapter’s major scenes. It begins with the character whose perspective the scene is written along with a brief description of the action and the date. The day of the week is also important because this detail grounds us. For instance, church is part of normal Sunday activities for Christians and in many historical novels whereas Monday begins the work week.

The time of day matters a great deal in suspense and mystery genres so tracking this detail saves the author constant rereading of prior scenes.

Timelines note every change of character perspective or date.

Historical novelists writing about particular events such as a Revolutionary War battle, the assassination of President Lincoln, or the San Francisco earthquake pay close attention to details. Tracking dates and historic occurrences within the novel keeps us focused and organized.

Another advantage of maintaining a novel’s timeline in the midst of writing is that it shows where the plot needs strengthening. Authors will see where the story’s action slows and picks up again.[bctt tweet=”Creating a novel timeline helps #writers track story details in each chapter. #writing #history” username=”Sandra_M_Hart”]

Tracking which scenes are in a particular character’s perspective helps to evaluate who gets the most “air time.” This can be important for specific genres like romance.

Authors may refer to timelines when writing novel proposals as a springboard for writing summaries, synopsis, or back cover copy.

I generally update my timeline upon completion of chapters. It you possess a forgetful nature like me, consider adding this organizational tool to your writing routine. It has saved my sanity countless times.

 

 

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi Storyworld

World-building From the Eyes of a Character

Character Eyes

The carbine was still jammed and Jim couldn’t do anything to fix it. He finally tossed it aside and cursed the shoddy Adronni weapon manufacturers – maybe their world would be next on the alien invasion tour. A shrill whine filled the air, and Jim pressed himself tighter against the debris-covered groundcar. A scant thirty feet away the earth erupted in blue smoke. As the remains of a prefab shelter rained harmlessly over his powersuit, Jim took inventory. A Gilgamesh repeater pistol, a single frag, and a suit of armor with a busted rebreather. As long as the reptilians didn’t gas him first, he’d probably live long enough for one of their walker units to plasma-blast him in the chest. He sighed. No, there was one last thing he possessed – the souls of his charred comrades pushing him on to avenge them. Jim unholstered the pistol and peered around the corner. Time to move – vengeance would be his!

On the surface, the above paragraph looks like an action scene. It’s dripping with tension, and Jim’s fate looks pretty bleak. But even an action-packed paragraph can be used to build your world. In fact, study it a minute and try to identify some of the foreign storyworld elements.

We’re not sure what kind of weaponry Jim has (laser? projectile?), but his attackers clearly have plasma weapons that explode in puffs of blue gas. And we can guess based on the grisly state of his allies that either the plasma weapons burned them alive or that the aliens have some other kind of burning weapon.

Let’s look at some of the subtler elements though. Take the use of the word “groundcar.” What is the implication there? Obviously a “groundcar” is a type of vehicle distinguished from some other type. An aircar? A hover car? We don’t know specifics, but use of that word reveals that methods other than ground-based vehicles are used for transportation in this world.

We also get a glimpse into the intergalactic relations. First of all, these reptilians are not only invading Jim’s planet but have apparently been on “tour,” invading many planets. We don’t know if “Adronni” is a company or a race of aliens, but we do know that either Jim or his military outfit purchased firearms from otherworldly suppliers. This establishes that the storyworld has interplanetary trade.

All of this could be done from a detached, third-person omniscient perspective, but the story is told from a deep, although third-person, POV. This not only conveys the gobs of storyworld information above, but it also does two other things: 1) it gives the action emotional impact. Sure, the battle scene is only a paragraph long, but you’re emotionally involved in the character. It inspires you to read onward and learn Jim’s fate, even as your imagination processes the alien elements. And 2) the world is shown with Jim’s particular biases. A comment like “shoddy Adronni weapon manufacturers” shows us Jim has preferences in firearms and the Adronni-supplied weapons are apparently not among them. This doesn’t mean his preferences are necessarily right, and a different character’s POV may reveal a different perspective on the carbine and its manufacturer. Your storyworld’s inhabitants, like those in the real world, won’t always agree on things.

This isn’t to say that every paragraph in your 90,000-word manuscript must be packed with exotic storyworld elements, but the first few chapters should do so as much as possible. And if you’re trying to get your audience attached to your characters in that same timeframe, doing so from a close, ground-level perspective can really help.

mhi1-posterLast year, my favorite novel was Monster Hunter International written by Larry Correia. A contemporary fantasy novel like this doesn’t need as much storyworld explanation as a distant-future sci-fi novel, but the author does equally amazing jobs at world-building and deep character exploration. I’ve also just started Marc Turner’s When the Heavens Fall, an epic novel with some well-developed fantasy elements and several great POVs. A final verdict will have to wait since I haven’t finished it yet, but thus far it’s a great read and exemplifies some of what we’ve discussed here.

That’s all for now. Next month we’ll kick off a series on alien and fantastic biology. Until then, let me know if there are any other storyworld elements you’d like me to explore in this space. Thanks for reading!

Categories
Storyworld

Board Games that Inspire Writing

The murmur of countless alien tongues subsided as the chairman of the interstellar council called for order. The delegates to Mecatol Rex were unusually nervous tonight, and with good reason. By the end of the week, congress might put forth a motion to ban bio-technology, a move that would devastate the inhabitants of New Moscow. The young ambassador from the Federation of Sol held his breath as the insectoid chancellor of Sardakk N’orr took to the stage, violently shaking a proposal in his foreclaw. The political games had begun. 

When you think of storyworld ideas, your typical sources are probably other books, movies, and TV shows. But have you considered board games? No, I’m not talking about Monopoly, Risk, or Sorry. Modern games provide a wealth of imaginative fodder for the aspiring novelist.

twilight-imperiumThe example in my opening paragraph comes from a truly epic game called Twilight Imperium. In it, various alien races compete for galactic supremacy through military force, shrewd diplomacy, and delicate trade arrangements. While there are similarities to any conquest-type game, from a writing perspective the real gem is the character development of the individual races and the manner in which they interact in the galaxy. In addition to battles and alliances, the actual rules of the game get voted on regularly at the council event. It’s an intriguing concept for a game, and any sc-fi writer is sure to enjoy the political debates between each of the six players. Trade deals and a variety of starships round the game out and should provide an abundance of ideas for anyone hoping to write a space opera.

Love LetterSmaller in scope but not in story, the game Love Letter is a simple game where each player has only a single-card hand. Easy to learn, but sophisticated enough to keep gamers coming back, Love Letter serves as a wonderful gateway for those unfamiliar with modern games. But even the included back story is captivating. Basically, the queen of the kingdom has died and various suitors are trying to win the hand of the princess. The king won’t just let anyone speak with his daughter, so he carefully guards the young woman. Her only hope – that some handsome prince might find a way to deliver a message through the castle staff. Filled with intrigue and amusing characters, you might be surprised at the writing inspiration you can draw from this simple game.

Davith and FriendI recently had the opportunity to play the game Imperial Assault, a cooperative strategy game of heroes set in the Star Wars universe. While you might think you already know that Galaxy Far, Far Away pretty well, you should think again as you play this. Set in the period of the rebellion, each character possesses a deep history and exciting side quests. My character, a force-sensitive operative dressed somewhat like Mortal Kombat’s Sub Zero, is on the hunt for his former employer who might be selling secrets to the Empire. The set-up is similar to a Jason Bourne movie, but with enough interesting twists to keep me engaged. But the story isn’t just about my character, as each of the main characters has his own story that further fleshes out the universe. The elements of the world (blasters, walkers, etc.) may feel familiar, but the scenarios are unique enough that they may inspire you in ways that George Lucas’ films haven’t.

Shadows of BrimstoneSet in the Wild West, Shadows of Brimstone puts you in the role of a sheriff, preacher, rancher, or any number of assorted other professions of the period, and pits you against a wide array of Cthulu-inspired critters. The blending of monsters with a gold-rush era landscape is a great and fresh setting. The individual missions are all twists on old west concepts, whether exploring an abandoned (and now demonically reoccupied) mine, rescuing a child who fell down a well (and is now surrounded by evil critters), or finding the source of a town’s disturbances (which happen to be in another dimension). The amount of storyworld built here is stunning. Many of the ideas could inspire a hopeful steampunk or fantasy writer.

This is just a small sampling of various games I’ve played, but the wealth of ideas that have gone cardboard is legion, and many host quirky and fun stories to boot. If you get a chance, stop by your local boardgame store and scope out the market. From the 16th century piracy of Merchants and Marauders to the superhero battles of Sentinels of the Multiverse, you’re sure to find something that captures your imagination. Granted, you can’t lift their storyworlds directly without a copyright lawsuit, but if you’re searching for inspiration, this might be the ticket. Ooh, did I mention Ticket-to-Ride?

 

Twilight Imperium image from http://www.swordsandspace.com/2013/08/twilight-imperium-after-action-report_31.html

 Love Letter image from https://lordoftheboard.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/love-letters/

 Imperial Assault image from https://deathwatchstudios.com/2016/07/11/imperial-assault-heroes-of-the-bespin-gambit/

 Shadows of Brimstone image from https://wediealotblog.wordpress.com/

 

 

Categories
The Efficiency Addict

Writing a Novel in Three Steps

Writing a Novel in Three Steps - A simple method for drafting an entire novel in three passes.

A fellow wordsmith recently shared his method for writing a novel. I was so intrigued by his straightforward process, I’m sharing it with you today. If you’ve never completed a novel or if you’re frustrated with your pace, perhaps this method will give you new energy.

I call this system The Three-Pass Method. This involves writing the entire novel but does not include editing. That’s a topic best left for another post. Today we simply want to tell our tale.

The First Pass: Write the entire story in 5000 words.
My friend has done this several times. He thinks of a story idea. Then, he writes all of the main elements. This includes the main characters, a brief backstory, 3-4 pivotal scenes, and the beginning/middle/end scenarios. In one quick 5000-word sprint, he has the whole tale. He doesn’t waste his energy making the words pretty or polished. The point of this exercise is to the see the story from start to finish. When he’s done, he has the bones of a novel and can decide if he wants to pursue it further.

The Second Pass: Expand to 15,000 words by roughing in key scenes and details.
This isn’t a big leap. Moving from 5,000 to 15,0000 words is only a 10,000-word increase. You can easily reach that level by drafting 10-12 additional scenes. You already have your pivotal scenes from the first pass. So, what do your characters need to do or experience that lead them to those critical moments? Write those elements as new scenes and you’ll quickly reach the 15,000 word mark.

The Third Pass: Expand to 85,000 words by filling out the story.
This is the fun part. Up to this point, you’ve been drafting—writing the elements and marking the critical details. Now, you get to play. If you’ve been writing in dialogue, add the descriptive elements. Engage the reader’s senses. Give us a feel for the locale. If you’ve been telling the story, give us dialogue. Add that witty repartee. Let us know who these characters are through how they speak, what they feel, and the way they react physically. Based on passes one and two, you’ll know exactly where this story is going. Use all your writing skills to give us an emotional, fun-filled, scary, suspenseful, or cryptic journey to that fabulous ending.

That’s the whole system. Notice this method focuses solely on the story. Time isn’t wasted on massive editing or polishing, although some editing will occur naturally as you make each pass. The benefit of this method is two-fold: we complete a manuscript (Yay!) and we don’t edit unnecessarily. We know that with each pass scenes and details will be built upon, so there’s no need to make them “perfect” in those first and second versions. By the time we make the third pass, we know the story so well we’re automatically making better decisions with the details we include.

If you try this method, I’d love to hear your results. Now get back to writing—you have a 5,000 word draft to craft!

[bctt tweet=”Have an idea for a novel? Here’s how to draft it in 3 simple steps. #WritersRoad #HowTo”]

Categories
Storyworld

Storyworld Governance: A Necessary Evil

Governance
Good Governance

The people in your world need governance. I’m sorry. I wish I could make it untrue, but a believable ruling system exists in virtually every fantastic world. The elven child in your young adult novel will eventually run into an elder or deputy. The four-man crew of an isolated space station will require a leadership structure. And even the lone hero occasionally needs to visit civilization to stock up on supplies.

So how do you craft a government? First of all, don’t get too overwhelmed, since you can craft it as you go as I wrote a few months ago. But the first principle to remember is this: Governments exist to ensure the interests of the governing bodies, not the governed. This has been true throughout all of human history.

[bctt tweet=” Governments exist to ensure the interests of the governing bodies, not the governed. #sadbuttrue #amwriting” via=”no”]

Good Governance – A rarity of the modern era

If you’re allowed to read this website and have the freedom to even consider writing a book, you may think my statement is overreaching. After all, you’ve been taught that governments exist to secure the rights of the governed, right?

Wrong.

In most western countries, we are privileged with brilliantly crafted documents called constitutions. In essence, they limit the power of politicians and hold them accountable to the people on a regular basis. Rulers continue to act in self-interest, but those interests (namely, power) rely on popularity and benevolence. In other words, good governments constrain the self-interest of the ruler to the well-being of the public.

[bctt tweet=”Good governments constrain the self-interest of the ruler to the well-being of the public #wisdom #takeitforgranted” via=”no”]

So if you want to create a realistic and stable society, or if you want a world in which the government plays little role in the daily lives of your characters, your fictitious country will need something to limit the power of those in charge. This doesn’t mean you need to go into details about the nation’s founding documents. In fact, if it isn’t relevant to the story, please don’t! But keep it in mind as you craft your world, because eventually your characters will interact with the laws of the land.

Note: A small group of people (e.g. a settlement, a space station) can sometimes get around this formalized power-limitation because the man in charge has a much more visceral threat before him. Specifically, if he doesn’t allow others to do their job well, his own living conditions worsen. Plus if he overextends his power, the populace may just kill him off, so good governance remains in his best interest.

Declining Governance – A violent transition

On a long enough timeline, even the best republic will eventually be found in the hands of a power-hungry zealot with enough popularity to bypass normal rules. You see this in Rome’s transition from republic to empire, Germany’s Third Reich, and of course, the end of the Republic in Star Wars.

The other option is complete economic collapse due to decadence and ignorance. Asimov’s famous Foundation trilogy shows this in sad detail, but it was seen earlier when the Roman Empire imploded from financial and military strains.

If your storyworld persists long enough, remember this other principle: no government lasts forever.

[bctt tweet=”No government lasts forever #whatarelief #scary” via=”no”]

Generally Speaking

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry too much. Regardless of the setting, most western readers assume a western culture, 20th century rule of governance unless you say otherwise. Taxes are mandatory, theft and murder are prohibited, and the average citizen can expect a degree of protection from powers foreign and domestic. If this is not the case in your world, chances are likely you’ve already given governance a great deal of thought because it plays a larger role in your story. We’ll look at that more in detail next time.

 

Categories
5 For Writing

The Perils of Head-Hopping in Fiction

Disappearing Man
The editor had me rework my first novel, changing it from the omniscient point of view to third-person limited. I’m so glad he did. I was no longer writing for talking vegetables and had many lessons to learn.

I used to write for VeggieTales, and if you’re familiar with the antics of Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber, you know that these animated characters do a lot of hopping around. How else are vegetables going to move? They don’t have legs.

But when I made the switch from writing VeggieTales picture books to writing historical novels, I found myself doing a different kind of hopping. It’s called “head-hopping,” and the editor on my first novel quickly cured me of the habit. I’m so glad he did. In fact, this was the first lesson I learned when making the switch from picture books to novels.

My first historical novel, The Disappearing Man, tells the true story of Henry “Box” Brown, a slave who mailed himself to freedom in 1849. He escaped by shipping himself in a box from Richmond, Virginia, to Philadelphia. But when I began writing that novel, I just happened to be reading Lonesome Dove, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Larry McMurtry. Many of McMurtry’s novels are written in the “third person omniscient” voice, in which the author can get into anyone’s thoughts at any time. So, driven by McMurtry’s example, I wrote my first draft from the omniscient point of view, hopping into Henry “Box” Brown’s mind in one paragraph and then hopping into another character’s mind in the next paragraph.

How could anyone argue with McMurtry’s approach? He’s a Pulitzer Prize-winner for crying out loud!

As much as I loved Lonesome Dove, I quickly saw my editor’s point. Head-hopping, as the omniscient point of view is sometimes called, has problems. But before I explain these problems, let me give you an example of head-hopping. Here is an excerpt from The Disappearing Man, where Henry Brown, as a child, stumbles across another boy (John) tied up to a tree. For the purposes of this example, I have changed the excerpt so it reads in the omniscient voice.

Henry had been taught not to interfere in the ways of white folk, but he couldn’t just leave John to die. On the other hand, if Mr. Allen found out he’d untied his son, the man might shoot him dead in the field.

Another flash of lightning, another explosion.

John hollered, then whimpered like a beaten dog. The boy was almost as terrified of the lightning as he was of his father. John looked around, wondering if his Pappy might appear from behind a tree at any moment.

This is the third-person omniscient voice because in the first paragraph we’re inside Henry’s mind, understanding his thoughts and feelings about getting shot by Mr. Allen (John’s father). In the third paragraph, we’re suddenly in John’s thoughts, hearing his fears. If you constantly move from one perspective to another, paragraph to paragraph, you lose focus on any one character.

I highly recommend the wonderful book, Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, by Renni Browne and Dave King, which my editor suggested to me back when I was writing my first novel. The third chapter of the book deals with the issue of point of view, so imagine my shock when I found that the chapter began with an excerpt from McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove. In the excerpt, we get into the thoughts of three different characters—Joe, July, and Elmira—in the span of three brief paragraphs.

That’s some serious head-hopping.

“Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove is a powerfully written book, yet some readers find it hard to get involved in the story,” Browne and King say in Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. They blame this problem on the omniscient point of view that McMurtry used.

The omniscient point of view gives a writer a lot of flexibility because you can reveal any character’s thoughts at any time. But by jumping from one person’s perspective to another to another, it’s more difficult to create intimacy between the reader and the characters. You’re not sticking with one character’s perspective long enough to become strongly connected with him or her.

When my editor looked at my first draft of The Disappearing Man, he sent me back to the drawing board, and I converted my omniscient voice to “third-person limited.” And I had only a few weeks to do it.

But what is third-person limited, and why did I choose it?

To answer this, I need to devote an entire blog to the question, so look for an explanation in my next installment. For now, I simply leave you with one piece of advice: If you want to create intimacy between readers and characters, don’t head-hop.

Leave the hopping to vegetables.

 

5 for Writing

  1. Get writing. Find the time to write. Then do it.
  2. Learn by listening—and doing. Solicit feedback, discern what helps you.
  3. Finish your story. Edit and rewrite, but don’t tinker forever. Reach the finish line.
  4. Thrive on rejection. Get your story out there. Be fearless. Accept rejection.
  5. Become a juggler. After one story is finished, be ready to start another. Consider writing two at once.

Categories
A Little Red Ink

Dialogue Tips

dialogue film crew

When you write dialogue, think like a screenwriter. Every minute of screen time, every word counts. Don’t add fluff. 

You don’t want readers to skim your conversations because nothing’s happening. If it doesn’t move the plot forward, cut it, cut it, cut it.

Here’s something else that doesn’t belong in your conversations: director commentary. 

Sure, people buy DVDs with bonus footage, but I don’t know many people who actually watch the version with the director chatting the whole time—explaining, telling what he wanted from the scene, making himself sound generally witty. (Peter Jackson doesn’t count. Of course you watch those.)

Seriously, though. Audiences want the end product. They want to be entertained. They want the scene to play out in their mind. And they don’t want to think for one second about the writer behind the scenes—at least the first time.

Here are a few dialogue tips to help you accomplish that.

1. Use the word “said.” Avoid sounding like a thesaurus with your dialogue tags.  No one wants to be wowed with your synonym skills. Statistics show that readers actually skip over the word “said” in their reading. It doesn’t even register. All they see is dialogue (which is what you want). 

If your characters are replying, interrupting, cajoling, remarking, and muttering? There’s no way people can miss that. 

     “Are you kidding me?” Jen queried. “Just tell me we can undo it,” she complained. “What will it take?” 

     “We’ll do what we have to do,” Will countered.

     “We better,” she sniped. “If we lose this account because you dropped the ball—”

     “Relax,” he challenged. “Your attitude isn’t going to help us win them over.”

It can get annoying after a while, right? 

vancouver
2. Use action beats about 50% of the time. An action beat is exactly that—a moment filled by the character’s action. When it’s right next to the dialogue, it’s clear who’s just spoken. Often, an action beat can do more to convey the emotion than an explanation, with no “said” involved. Isn’t that same excerpt better like this?
“Are you kidding me?” Jen snapped her head to the side. She swallowed, then turned back and locked gazes with Will. “Just tell me we can undo it. What will it take?”

 3. If the characters are taking turns nicely, don’t tag every give and take. Sometimes, it’s obvious. 

     Will stood a little taller. “We’ll do what we have to do.”

     “We better. If we lose this account because you dropped the ball—”

     “Relax. Your attitude isn’t going to help us win them over.”

     Jen rolled her neck and closed her eyes. After a few deep breaths, her shoulders relaxed an inch. She met his gaze once more. “I’ll smile, and you dig us out of this hole you got us in.”

Make sense? A little goes a long way.
Thanks to McBeth and Vancouver Film School for the images.
Categories
The Binge Writer

5 Tips on How to Write Faster (With Bonus)

Do you want to write 30K-40K+ words in a weekend? Do you want to write faster?

You can. Become a binge writer.

Binge writing is an impassioned writing session during an elongated time period. It can last from five hours to fifty hours. A binge writing session is uninterrupted—apart from limited sleep.

[bctt tweet=”Do you want to write faster? #1K1H #writer #novelist”]

Many writers spend years attempting to finish their stories, but they never do. Not for lack of desire, but for lack of follow-through. I know from firsthand experience that if I tried to write 2,000 words every day I’d fail. I already have, multiple times. But, if I set aside time to binge write, I can complete project after project.

It’s time for you to become a binge writer.

[bctt tweet=”It’s time for you to become a binge writer. #writer #writing #writingtips”]

The results will astound you. I bet an extra 40K words might help you finish the final few chapters or your novel, or help you create an entire series of chapter books. The uses are endless.

But if you never embark on your binge writing journey, you may never accomplish your writing goals in a realistic timeframe, unless you learn to write faster.

Here are some binge writing tips:

  1. Cram your brain.
    1. Fill your mind with pictures, ideas, and research on the topic you are writing about. If you are writing a novel set in Paris, inundate yourself with French music in your car, watch French foreign movies or documentaries, and visualize the world around you as Paris itself.
    2. If you are writing a non-fiction about training dogs, spend time with dogs. Train them, observe them, and watch movies with dogs as characters.
    3. Let your mind absorb the images, actions, and ideas that you want to flow effortlessly out of you and into your story or book.
  2. Schedule your binge session.
    1. Pick your time and place. Don’t let anyone infringe upon your session and don’t make plans close to the start and finish of your time. You’ll only be able to binge write, if you hold fast and firm to your timetable. So when your brother-in-law calls to invite you to dinner and board games, you say NO even though you really want to go. You make a date with yourself.
  3. Set the mood.
    1. Before your session download music that will stimulate the proper mood for your writing. Epic soundtracks for fantasy, love songs for romance, etc. Have them preloaded and ready to go.
    2. If you like the lighting low for romance or suspense. Get your candles ready.
    3. If you are writing a story in a bakery, plan to have fresh bread baking in your house. Or, if your story is set in a field of flowers have scented candles or oils to help create the right aroma and atmosphere.

    [bctt tweet=”It’s not called binge editing—It’s binge writing, so write. #write #writing #1K1H”]

Categories
Things Every Writer Should Know

How to Make Sure Your Writing is Unique

You’re a lover of books and in you burns a desire which you cannot ignore. You want to write! At the same time you think, “There’s a gazillion authors out there. What makes me think my writing would be good enough? How will my writing stand out among so many? How do I write in a unique enough way to set me apart from other writers and successfully grab reader attention?” Before I answer with a do, here’s a vital don’t.

Don’t try to be unique.

It doesn’t work! You’ll end up with a bland and boring – generic, story. So don’t try to be unique. I assure you that every writer has their own special voice and style of writing. That includes you! Yes, we must submit to editorial changes (a topic for another day), but your voice should never be taken out of your story. Think about this for a moment: If each of us were to write a story with the same starting line, would we all write the same story? No. Everyone would write very different stories. Why?

Every writer’s story is unique.

Our personalities, our life experiences, our family and local cultures, and even our belief systems vary in so many ways. These factor in to our writing, giving each voice it’s own distinct flavor. So as you sit down to write, let the words flow and I guarantee your story will be unique.

Just for fun:

Start with the line below and write a short in the comment section. Let’s see just how unique everyone is.

Vance Scaggs stumbled in the dark. …

Have fun with that!

[bctt tweet=”Every writer’s story is unique. #writer #story” via=”no”]