Tag: plotting

Categories
Writing for YA

How to Avoid Writing a Contrived Plot

I’ve been working on a story, and was a bit concerned my ending felt contrived. In my critique group, we discussed it a little, but I couldn’t come to a clear conclusion. I decided to study the topic and attempt to untangle this particular knot. I thought I’d share the list I came up with on how to identify a contrived plot or scene.

Out of the Blue Behavior

The protagonist (or antagonist) suddenly does something out of character with no explanation. He or she acts in a way that doesn’t line up with what readers know about the character, or they change core beliefs for no discernible reason, or do other odd things for no other reason than to provide a solution to a story problem.

Who’s Driving This Thing?

The story is propelled by circumstantial events happening to the protagonist rather than the protagonist being the catalyst. When I first started writing, I tended to throw obstacles into my story from outside the character, visiting terrible tragedy on them. I was blessed to have a mentor who helped me understand that the protagonist didn’t just need troubles, they must have a goal.

Check to make sure the main character is the captain of his or her own ship. They should try to procure what they want or need to solve their problem. As the story progresses, the protagonist faces obstacles, some of which are overcome, some of which are not.

I Need a Hero

At the eleventh hour, an unlikely hero comes galloping up on a white horse. He wasn’t in the story before, or perhaps only showed up in chapter three for two minutes. If he takes on such a vital role at the conclusion, it might be a good idea to dig into the manuscript in order to develop that character and his storyline. Then, hopefully, the resolution will unfold naturally in a realistic or logical way. This was the fix my current story required. I added interactions with the character, enhanced the setup, and viola!

Too Many Hidden Details

Sometimes it may feel like the plot is contrived because there’s not enough information given up front. If a character appears to make choices simply to get the author out of a plot pickle, a bit of backstory could shed light on the character’s behavior.

Here’s an example. Mrs. Susie Sunshine is the kindest soul you’ll ever meet, but treats her elderly mother with a lack of respect bordering on contempt. The reader is going to want to know why.

If Susie has a deep dark secret in her past that explains her actions, suddenly the story makes sense, and becomes more interesting to boot. Dropping hints about the main character’s backstory at key moments and providing an eventual airing of the issue will make for a satisfying resolution.

Sometimes an undeveloped character leads to a contrived plot. Developing a character may happen before a writer drafts, along the way, in the editing stage, or a combination of all three. It all depends on the author’s process.

The Charmed Life

A character has a charmed life, strolls through the story, never having to work for success. Solutions fall into his lap. He meanders along his way, riding the wave of good luck all the way to his happy ending. The problem here is no conflict, and possibly no goal or stakes.

Convenient Coincidences

There are too many coincidences, where the character gets necessary information by “just happening” to overhear conversations, randomly bumps into the person with the perfect solution or advice, becomes lost only to miraculously end up exactly where they need to be, and so on.

To check for these, I ask myself what would happen in the narrative if there were no coincidences? Is there a way to move the story forward without using the coincidences? Can the characters be given histories to explain these things? 

In Defense of Side Trips

Suppose you’re writing a discovery type draft and toss in a random coincidence to bring the story back into line for your vision. Is that a bad thing? Not always. It could be an opportunity to add layers or interest, or to explore an entirely new direction. As long as there’s enough set up and the unfolding events conclude with logic, it might shake out. In this type of writing situation, I might consider dropping in backstory and see how the story develops, then decide if it works.

The Coincidental Ending

Some genres lend themselves to coincidental endings, and some don’t. Check your genre. Even in inspirational fiction, leaning too heavily on divine intervention may fall flat. Readers want a character they can root for, characters who make choices, and then eventually find their way to a solution.

Years ago, I read a novel by a popular author and the concluding chapters suddenly took a weird sci-fi detour to explain the story. The event tying all the threads together felt out of the blue and of another genre. These contortions were necessary for the story to make any kind of sense. But I didn’t buy it. I was not happy, to say the least. I never read another book by this author.

That’s not the reaction I want from my readers. Do you have anything to add to this list about uncovering a contrived plot?

Leave a comment!

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of young adult contemporary and adult historical fiction. She writes about tough issues but always ends her stories on a note of hope. Her novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles.

Categories
The Intentional Writer

Want The Inside Scoop on Writing Mysteries?

The intentional writer

When I sat down to write my first mystery, I knew I needed a guide. I’d written a few historical novel manuscripts, so I knew the basics of writing good scenes and solid plots. But every genre has their specific tropes and techniques. I wanted to know the particular aspects of a novel that mystery readers expected.

For guidance, I turned to Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel by the bestselling mystery writer Hallie Ephron (sister to Nora, Delia, and Amy Ephron). With this book as my guide, I was able to write an award-winning mystery on my very first try. It might be a great resource for you, too.

How I created a mystery series from scratch

This comprehensive book provided me with the roadmap I needed to write a great mystery novel, and also helped me set the foundation for a series. Looking back, I see how I would have struggled to create a satisfying mystery plot if I hadn’t used this book to guide me during the planning stage. Here are some tidbits specific to crafting a mystery that I helped me develop a stronger plot:

“How many suspects do you need? At least two (plus the true villain) will keep the reader guessing. More than five and it feels like a parlor game.”

“Minor characters who are part of the wallpaper for the first twenty-eight chapters can’t be promoted to villain status at the end just to surprise the reader.”

“Hidden secrets are what propel a mystery novel forward. Everyone has them—the victim, innocent suspects, and the villain. The revelation of a secret sends the murder investigation in a new direction.”

“When you pick a profession for your protagonist, keep in mind that the less likely your sleuth is to trip over a dead body, the more you’ll have to work to establish a believable reason for him to investigate the murder.”

Since my novels are set in the New Testament era, I couldn’t take the easy route and make my sleuth a police officer or a lawyer. But the concept made me aware that I had to work extra hard to create believable scenarios that compel my sleuth to investigate murders.

Creating an awesome sleuth

In addition to advice on plotting, the book is filled with great information on developing complex, believable characters. The author provides questions and charts that help a writer consider character building from many angles—many of which could be just as helpful to writers of other genres.

Here are a few that intrigued me:

“Are there things your character has to do that he hates? A reporter who dreads making cold calls? A police officer who hates target practice? Contradictions make for interesting characters.”

“Characters who aren’t what they seem to be at first blush intrigue readers. … Create a disconnect between your character’s physical presence and true capabilities. Then mine the gap. Through plot and action, reveal who your character really is.”

“By understanding how the villain justifies the crime to himself and what events in his life triggered these crimes, you give yourself the material you need to get past a black-hatted caricature and paint your villain in shades of gray.”

Writing mysteries means characters under pressure

One of the sections I found particularly helpful focused on how characters behaved under duress. Due to the nature of a mystery novel, the main characters often find themselves in stressful situations. They will be lied to. They will be in danger. Or, they may be falsely accused or have their honesty questioned.

On top of that, a sleuth and her sidekick will be exposed to crimes. They will interact with others who have been injured, duped, or otherwise mistreated. Thus, both my sleuth and many of the people she interacts with are not behaving at their best.

Therefore, I appreciated the exercises that considered how my characters would react in hypothetical situations that would stress them. The book offers a series of questions that vary in intensity from getting a bad haircut to discovering their best friend has been embezzling.

As with many of the exercises in the book, the majority of the scenarios aren’t directly relevant to a story set in first century Rome. However, a writer can use the book’s questions as examples of the kinds of situations a character of any era or setting might find themselves in.   

In summary

Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel by Hallie Ephron is a valuable resource for a writer who wants to try writing in the mystery or suspense genres. It’s filled with helpful questions, exercises, and advice that will help you as you develop characters, plots, and crimes.

Even if you aren’t planning to write a mystery, give this book a read. It provides loads of good advice on writing an intriguing plot and developing complex, satisfying characters.

Final Note: I have the original edition of this book. I’m sure the newer revised and expanded edition is even better.

All quotes from Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel by Hallie Ephron

Lisa E Betz

Lisa E. Betz is an engineer-turned-mystery-writer, entertaining speaker, and unconventional soul. She inspires others to become their best selves, living with authenticity, and purpose, and she infuses her novels with unconventional characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her Livia Aemilia Mysteries have won several awards, including the Golden Scroll Novel of the Year (2021).

She and her husband reside outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in her novels. Lisa directs church dramas, hikes the beautiful Pennsylvania woods, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes. Visit lisaebetz.com.

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for June Part 1

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

The Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Review

Writers Chat co-host Norma Poore, attended the recent 2023 BRMCWC. Joining her in this episode are four other attendees to share their experiences, both as first-time attendees and multi-time attendees. Find out how attending a conference can benefit your writing journey with both opportunities and friendships.

Watch the June 6th Replay

Norma Poore is an award-winning Christian writer who is passionate about encouraging women in their faith, families, and friendships. After thirty-eight years of marriage, six children, and thirteen grandchildren Norma is still crazy about her knight in shining armor, David. Her favorite thing to do is to cook for and hang out with her large family

Plotting 101: How to Create a Story Readers Can’t Put Down with Crystal Caudill

Crystal presents a comprehensive look at the four-act story structure (which is the three-act structure with the middle act divided into two). She begins with an idea for brainstorming using M&Ms, followed by elements that strengthen our stories. The popular movie Shrek is presented as an excellent example of the four-act structure. Catch the replay of this episode to deepen your understanding of story structure.

Watch the June 13th Replay

Crystal Caudill is the award-winning author of “dangerously good historical romance. She is a stay-at-home mom and caregiver. When not writing, Crystal can be found hanging with her family, drinking hot tea, or reading at her home outside Cincinnati, Ohio. Find out more at crystalcaudill.com.

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

Categories
Screenwriting

Final Draft

For the last six months, I’ve known what I wanted to write about my final post of the year. If you go back and read my posts, you will see hints of the direction I was going. However, I didn’t want to make it to this post until the end of the year, so I tried slowing down the points I was trying to make by discussing how writers tackle this in storytelling.

  • Pacing
  • Subtext

These two aspects of storytelling give writers the means to control the information the audience receives and helps build momentum and anticipation toward the final act of the story. This post is where the column has been heading since I discussed first drafts earlier this year, the final draft.

Final Draft

This is not to be confused with the screenwriting software most of us use to write, Final Draft, the industry standard. A final draft is the final phase in the screenwriting process.

“The first draft is just the writer telling themselves the story.”

Scott Myers, Screenwriting Professor

Storytelling is a hard process, even if the writer already knows what they want to say because storytelling is the vehicle writers convey the message and at first, most writers don’t know how to get from plot point to plot point.

Along the way, a story can get rough or pick up extra baggage from the journey, each of which can help slow the narrative down and not in a good way. Like in the game of chess, each character and event needs to fulfill its specific purpose if the writer is going to win the game.

Furthermore, the writer needs to know when to move each character or let a particular event occur. One domino out of sync can ruin the flow. Each draft of a screenplay is a refining process to make sure the pieces (characters, exposition, action) come into play at the right time.

Rewrites and drafts are a necessary part of screenwriting; the average screenplay goes through at least 30 drafts before reaching the final draft. Along the way is not uncommon for the story to change drastically.

4 steps from Script Lab on how to write a final draft in 10 days.

  1. Day one-You already have your beginning in your head. Remember that you have to open your script in a compelling form. There has to be a physical or emotional hook that will take hold of the reader and force them to need to read on. Your task is to write ten pages. We’re shooting for a 100-page screenplay, which is right at the sweet spot of where you want your spec script to be. So you’ll be writing ten pages for each writing session/day.
  2. Now, you can choose to write over the span of ten consecutive days if you want. Maybe you’ve taken vacation time to write this script in a week and a half. Perhaps you’ve dedicated X hours of each day or night after you come home from work or school. Or maybe you can’t commit to ten consecutive days of writing. That’s perfectly fine. A break in between writing sessions allows you the opportunity to visualize what you’re going to write for the next.
  3. Many scripts from novice screenwriters fail to offer a consistent tone, atmosphere, and pace. This is primarily because most novice screenwriters take upwards of six months to a year to finish a single script. Their writing sessions are sporadic. They get bored with the story. They get frustrated with the process. And they become complacent to the point of just wanting to get it done. When you reread and rewrite pages as you go, immediately before you continue on writing from the point you’ve left off, you are in constant connection with the tone, atmosphere, pacing, characterization, and beats of your story. You also want to use this reread and rewrite process as a way to maintain a consistent format as well. There’s nothing more frustrating for a reader than inconsistent format, which includes scene headings, character names, scene description, etc.
  4. Before you continue, you need to ask yourself some additional questions before you rewrite the first 30 pages of your script. Is there enough conflict in those 30 pages? Is the protagonist well on their journey (physical or emotional)? Has the major conflict caused many additional conflicts that the characters must face? You want to have some conflict injected into the story every few pages. That’s what creates a true page-turner. Now it’s time to write pages 31-40!

To save space, I only shared half of the list, so I highly recommend you going the original article on Script Lab and read the full list. The Takeaway is, the final draft isn’t just a leaner script, it has a clear message, and a focused story.

The golden rule of screenwriting is to cut whatever doesn’t move the narrative forward. A chunky description isn’t necessary to describe a scene, endless exposition isn’t the best way to develop your characters. And finally, always remember to enter the story at the latest possible point and get out as quickly as you can without confusing the audience. Every piece of your screenplay needs to count towards the bigger picture.

Make It Work

Remember, a screenplay is like a puzzle. If a piece is missing, then you cannot complete it; likewise, if you have too many pieces that aren’t necessary, they only get in the way. If you don’t make the cuts, the studio which purchases your script will likely cut them along with a lot more. Studios are notorious for changing screenplays drastically before the movie is made. Below are a few notable movies that changed drastically before being made.

As long as a screenwriter knows the key components of a screenplay, they can just fill in the blanks with their ideas and write a clear final draft!

Martin Johnson

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries, he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at MartinThomasJohnson.com and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
The Intentional Writer

A simple Tool to Keep Track of Off-Screen Characters

The intentional writer

As I was editing my latest WIP, I ran across several instances where my plot followed one character on a busy day while entirely ignoring another one. This is a problem, since these are not characters who will sit idly at home for a day waiting for their chance to do something!

Once I discovered my mistake, I had to rethink my timeline and revise several scenes in order to give the characters a plausible activity to keep them occupied.

What did this teach me? That it’s easy to lose track of off-screen characters.

And losing track of characters can come back to haunt you. Intelligent readers may notice that you haven’t mentioned what Mrs. X or Villain Y are up to, and make (possibly incorrect) assumptions about why you aren’t mentioning them, which may lead to later confusion.

Or even worse, you suddenly realize that you have a minor character showing up in two different places at the same time. Oops.

Fortunately, there’s simple solution for this problem.

Create a comprehensive timeline

I write mysteries, so timing is critical. But whatever your genre, you need some way to keep track of what happens when.

The wise author creates a timeline to keep track of when each scene occurs. I’ve created timelines for all my novels, but what I’ve been doing isn’t enough. I was only keeping track of the characters who were in the scenes.

What I will be doing from now on is also keeping track of what the other characters are up to each day.

This doesn’t mean I need to invent stories for what every character is doing every day. But I will keep track of where I left each character. And that will help me spot gaps when I’ve been ignoring them, or when I forget to move them from one place to another.

Benefits of a comprehensive timeline

  • A one-stop resource to keep track of who is where when and what they’re up to
  • Highlights when you have too much or too little happening on a specific day. Or when you have a long time span between scenes.
  • Highlights when you’ve ignored a character for too long
  • Points out gaps in the plot when you’ve forgotten to give a major character something to do.
  • Forces you to pay attention to what the bad guys are doing while the good guys are busy trying to track them down.
  • Helps keep track of where minor characters are and what errand you last sent them on.

How to make a timeline

How you create the timeline is up to you. You don’t need to make it “to scale” with an even amount of space for each day. When things are happening rapidly, you might need increments smaller than a day. Or you might jump five years between scenes. Do whatever makes sense for your plot.

Here are some suggestions for different mediums you might use:

  • Find a large space like the dining room table and use sticky notes. When you’re finished, take photos.
  • Use fine-tipped dry erase pens to write everything on a large white board, window, or a full-length mirror. (True story: My son used the mirror on the door of his dorm room to study for tests. It works like a dry erase board.)
  • Tape notebook paper together until you have enough room to write in all the info. (Or use a roll of craft paper.)
  • Create a spreadsheet.
  • Create a table in your word processor. This is what I’ve done in the past. Like a spreadsheet, it can be color-coded to keep track of POV or whatever.

Whatever medium you use, here are some suggested types of information you may want to include:

  • Day. You can use calendar dates if you like. I keep track of days elapsed, with Day One being the start of the novel. If important events happen just before the novel opens, you might want to begin numbering there instead.
  • Time of day. If a lot happens in a short amount of time, you might need to keep track of the hour, or even the minute. (I know from personal experience that it’s easy to write scenes from two different POVs that were supposed to intertwine, but didn’t because I wasn’t keeping careful track of the minutes.)
  • Plot. A brief description of each scene. Just enough so you remember what’s going on
  • Setting. Keeping track of the specific room or area can help you notice if you’re overusing certain ones.
  • Key information revealed in the scene
  • Current theory or goal. In a mystery, the MC’s theory about the crime changes as she learns new information. It’s helpful to keep track of who she thinks is guilty as the plot progresses.
  • Where off-screen characters are and what they’re doing. You may want to make several columns to keep track of different types of characters, such as villains, suspects, servants, rivals, etc.
  • Important plot structure points such as inciting incident or point of no return.

This may sound like a lot of work, but it’s time well spent. When I’m editing my WIP, I frequently refer back to my timeline to check details, particularly how long ago something happened. My timeline also serves as a brief scene list that I can use to revise and rearrange the action.

Do you create a timeline for your novels? What tools help you stay on track with your story?

Lisa E Betz

Lisa E. Betz worked as an engineer, substitute teacher, and play director before becoming an award-winning mystery writer. She brings her analytical mind, quirky humor, and positive outlook to all she writes. She draws inspiration from thirty-five years of leading Bible studies to create entertaining mysteries set in the world of the early church, and then she fills that world with eccentric characters, independent females, and an occasional sausage-snatching cat. Her first novel, Death and a Crocodile, garnered a gold medal in the Illumination Book Awards.

In addition to writing novels, Lisa blogs about living with authenticity and purpose. Visit her at www.lisaebetz.com. Facebook LisaEBetzWriter Twitter @LisaEBetz and Pinterest Lisa E Betz Intentional Living.

Categories
Guest Posts

Plot Structures: Predictable or Helpful?

Guest posts

Girl meets boy. Even though it’s obvious to the reader that they would make a perfect couple, they don’t like each other. Somehow they’re forced to spend time together. They gradually fall in love but then they have a big argument and break up. Eventually they come to the conclusion they can’t live apart. They reunite and live happily ever after.

This is a basic romance plot structure. I want to address your immediate instinct which is to roll your eyes and complain, ‘It’s so predictable.’

When it comes to stories, predictability is generally considered a bad thing. Would you read a book if you knew the ending? You said no, right?

Chances are, you’ve read a romance novel. You’re probably thinking about ‘Twilight’ or ‘Cinderella’ right now. What do these two stories have in common?

‘Nothing. One is about vampires and one is about fairy godmothers.’

Wrong. They both end with a romantic happily ever after. You knew (consciously or subconsciously) when you started reading that the girl and boy would end up together. It was predictable. Did it take away from the story?

‘Twilight’ and ‘Cinderella’ follow the same basic plot structure but originality is still achieved through characters and context. Even though they fall into the same genre, these stories attract different audiences. ‘Cinderella’ is for little girls who like dressing up as fairies and princesses. ‘Twilight’ is for edgy teenage girls with weird types. (No judgement.)

One of the benefits of using a basic plot structure to craft your story is ease of writing. Girl meets boy is a good place to start if you’re stuck. And that predictability we were talking about makes it easier to read as well. There’s a clear beginning, middle and end. That makes a story.

You can edit it into a good one later.

Many writers don’t decide to use plot structures but they emerge naturally as the story evolves. The truth is, plot structures are a good place to start if you’re suffering from a bad case of writers’ block.

In the words of Jodi Picoult,

‘You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.’

 Deborah Rose Green is the author of ‘Dragon Pearls’ (2019) and ‘Crown My Heart’ (2020). She’s the Contributing Editor for the ‘Hey Young Writer’ blog and starting her Creative Writing degree in September.

Categories
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

Pets as a Plot Ploy

mystery suspense thriller

Are pets an asset or an albatross in our mystery, suspense, and thriller genre?

Pets have shown up in film since the time of silent movies and far earlier in the written word. Both film makers and authors draw out strong emotions through the use of animals.

Dogs seem to be a staple in cozy mysteries and romance stories, adding a feel-good dimension. Lassie and Rin Tin Tin, the iconic furry best friends of the shows of the 1950s and 60s, elicited a sense of stability as they sought justice alongside their human companions.

On the opposite, movies and books abound with examples of less than stellar animals––Cujo, the St. Bernard, from 1980s movie and Stephen King novel, The Shining, the zombie Malamute from the movie, Pet Sematary II, based on another Stephen King novel, and the wild Aussie dogs cross bred with wolves in the 2015 Australian film, The Pack.

One image connotes sloppy kisses and waggling tails, the other, bared teeth, drool, and mange.

Let’s consider three uses for employing a pet character:

  • Rachet up the tension and conflict
  • Describe a character
  • Create mood.

Tension and conflict

The reader feels unsettled when the family dog raises its hackles as it stares at a blank wall, or the cat unexpectedly claws a long-time friend. The dog jumping from the bed and barking in the middle of the night serves the same purpose. Our characters may respond with fear, curiosity, or amusement––pulling bedcovers up to their chin, running to the dog, grabbing the gun, yelling out in frustration, or simply chuckling—depending on the level of conflict the plot demands. The response raises or lowers the tension.

Character Description

When our character goes for a run with a Labrador in tow, we’re likely looking at a people-person who’s physically fit. Or when the character lives with fifteen cats at the end of the lane in a dilapidated house, we think recluse and a little creepy. Readers may connect Pit Bulls with villains.

If our character houses snakes or iguanas, we view the person differently than one who raises Springer Spaniels. If the dog is chained in the backyard, we think cruelty. If the pooch eats lobster and salmon, our character is either wealthy and indulgent, or self-sacrificing, putting the perceived needs of a pet above their own.

One can visualize each of these characters, as Jerry B. Jenkins says, “in the theater of your mind.”

Create a Mood

Marley and Me, the 2008 movie based on the autobiographical novel by John Grogan of the same name, drew us in as the author interacted with his yellow Labrador Retriever and the grief following his death. The story tugged at viewers’ and readers’ heartstrings, and no doubt, increased fans and book sales alike.

A cat curled in a slant of sunlight ushers in a sense of relaxation. The dog romps through the park, and we want to grab a Frisbee and a pair of running shoes. With the sight of a growling, seething junkyard dog in a dark alley, our backs slam against the wall and our hands reach for a weapon.

Never an afterthought

Like all characters, never throw in a pet without first considering how they enhance the plot. Pets need names, purpose, even backstory. The reader reacts differently to a rescue dog than a show dog, or to a rain-soaked kitten versus a twenty-pound Persian perched on a velvet cushion. But avoid overwhelming the main plot with pet subplots as a way to distract from poor story structure.

Statistics

According to spots.com, two out of every three American homes includes a pet, and 393.3 million pets live in the United States. A 2019/20 pet owners survey reveals over 63 million households in the United States owned at least one dog.

We’re in good company when we include a pet in our novels. They add another tool in our writer’s bag to bring our story to life. Consider casting one in your next mystery, suspense, or thriller and keep your reader turning the page.

Write well, my friends.

PJ Gover

PJ Gover encourages her readers to live the thrill one story at a time. She wrote her first thriller at age nine, all of six pages, but only returned to creating suspense/thrillers years later after unearthing her deceased father’s secret work designing missiles for the government. After thirteen writing awards, including five for first place, her high school English teacher must be shaking her head in disbelief. A ranch in Texas serves as home base. Offer her well-crafted chili rellenos or anything gluten-free and you’ll have a friend for life. Jim Hart of Hartline Literary represents PJ.

She’d love to hear from you!

Categories
History in the Making

What Time is It?

History in the making

When writing historical fiction, it’s important to be aware of your timeline. Timelines are significant in all genres of writing, but in historical fiction, they are imperative.

Why does your timeline carry so much weight? True history is becoming a thing of the past in most books and schools, so as writers who strive for excellence, we need to be sure the history of our novels is true and accurate. The truth and accuracy of your timeline is part of that—keeping historical events in proper sequential order and in the correct years.

How can you keep your historical facts in order, especially if you’re a pantser? As a historical romance writer who has always been a pantser, I have learned to become a “plantser” (that’s someone in between a pantser and a plotter). I research my time period and I make hard copies or handwritten notes of major historical facts and events, and I keep them close at hand as I write my novel.

Pacing is also an important part of keeping your timeline accurate. Determining how many historical events you want to include in your novel is key in creating your pacing. If you’re planning to create a series of historical fiction novels, you need to have a clear vision of what events will take place in each book of the series. You have to weave your fictional characters and story into that historical timeline and framework.

If you love including as many historical events as possible, like I do, this can become quite a challenge. You can collect so many historical facts and events that it can prove difficult to decide what to include in your story and what to leave out, which will also depend on your timeline.

The historical facts and timeline can be worked into every aspect of your story—the description of your setting, your characters’ clothes and dialogue. It doesn’t all have to come out in the plot. Painting your history throughout your novel brings balance and gives your readers a complete picture that allows them to experience a different time period as they are immersed in your novel.

What about your readers? Many people who read historical fiction read about their favorite historical time periods and already have a good bit of knowledge in regard to that time and its history. If you make an error in your historical facts, your readers will let you know, and that could be via a personal email or a book review posted on a prominent book site, either of which may not be kind and respectful.

As historical fiction writers, we should strive to create a story woven throughout historical events that satisfies both us and our readers.

Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.

You can find her online at:

Categories
Screenwriting

Plot Twist?

Before I began writing my current W.I.P I knew exactly who my protagonist and antagonist were. I knew how they were connected and when and how I would introduce them. The setup for my story was obviously act one.

But, the preparation and this information left me with a bigger problem: how to keep my audience interested all the way until the end of act three. That’s 70 pages or about an hour and 10 minutes of screen time.

Since my audience would have already met the bad guy in act one, I feared that I gave away too much information too soon. So I had to figure out how to trick my audience to keep them interested in my narrative. Then I remembered the key aspects of keeping an audience engaged

  • Conflict.
  • Relevance.
  • Theme.

In this case, its not about getting to the end of the story/destination; it’s more about how we get there and why we need to. Plotting a story should be interesting and challenging for both us and our characters.

As summer sets in a lot of people are planning on taking road trips. Many simply want to go from home to the destination, while others like myself like the little detours or pit-stops along the trip. They make the journey more interesting.

Easy paths in a narrative are boring, that’s why they need drama to keep us engaged. Life is full of drama, our stories should be as well.

Plot Twists?

Bad storytelling is like having a heartbeat that flatlines, there’s no life in it. Each ripple or obstacle in a storyline gives our characters purpose to continue on the journey. If things get too easy there’s no need to continue on in the plot.

Don’t let your story flatline. Screenwriting legend and teacher Scott Myers explains, “We WANT to see our story’s Protagonist struggle to overcome obstacles along the way. It makes for a more interesting read, the plot filled with twists and turns.”1

Robert McKee notes, “The final cause for the decline of story runs very deep. Values, the positive/negative charges of life, are all at the soul of our art. The writer shapes story around a perception of what’s worth living for, what’s worth dying for.”2

The charge of these values should change from beginning to end, ideally from scene to scene. Each change of charge represents a change in character or a change in our story, and these lead to character growth.

Each change of charge is a turning point in our story. Turning points are necessary to keep our stories from flatlining. Screenwriters have several ways to accomplish turning points.

  1. Roadblocks.
  2. Complications.
  3. Reversals.
  4. Plot twists.

  Turning points are a great way to keep the momentum in our stories going forward, they keep our audience on their toes and interested in our narrative. Without turning points and obstacles, stories just coast along from point A to point B in a straight line, which is pretty boring if you ask me.

Obstacles?

In storytelling, we know the journey should take us on an adventure. Whether the journey is one of self-discovery, self-sacrifice, or fulfillment, the obstacles we encounter along the way make the destination worth it.

When a story is told correctly, the audience connects with it. We are challenged along with the characters. Ideally, we will grow, grieve, and love right along with our favorite characters as they overcome whatever obstacle blocks their way. Below are a few of my favorite movies with plot twists.

Don’t make the journey to easy, it’ll bore everyone involved. Sometimes the biggest obstacle for a screenwriter faces in getting their scripts produced is the writer themselves—and that’s a plot twist.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

1  https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/complications-reversals-and-roadblocks-1515facefba

2  Mckee, R 1997 (Story) HarpercollinsBooks, page 17.

Categories
Courting the Muse Guest Posts

How Reading Poetry Collections Can Help You Plot Your Novel

Whether your novel closes on a cyclone-worthy twist, or a conclusion as warm and satisfying as homemade pie, you’ll need a solid plot to guide you as you write your way to that ending. Of course, coming up with one is easier said than done. 

You might have your major plot points all lined up, but maneuvering your cast from one scene to the next doesn’t always mean smooth sailing. You need the plot to advance, but there’s so much more to think about. Is your protagonist’s growth coming through? Are your themes subtle and multilayered, or just clear as mud? 

When you’re stuck on questions like these, it’s helpful to step beyond the world of your own manuscript and do a little outside reading for inspiration. Of course, you can look at how the greats in your genre have plotted their masterworks. But there’s another kind of book that just might give you the Eureka moment you’re seeking: poetry collections.

Poetry collections are plotless. But they’re also highly curated and intentionally ordered, without a verse out of place. Taking inspiration from their structure can help you plot a story that satisfies. Here are three crucial lessons to take away from them.

1. Think about the reader’s experience.

Poetry collections are often organized with the reader’s experience in mind, attending to their emotional and intellectual needs. That could entail interspersing two devastating pieces on grief with something more hopeful in tone. Or it might mean mixing in some lighter works with dense, allusive poems that require substantial thought to appreciate.

Let this reader-focused approach guide you as you assemble your chain of events. If you’ve placed a lot of tearjerker scenes early on, for instance, you’ll risk having your audience all cried out before the climax. Alternatively, you might be subjecting them to information overload —  forcing them to juggle too many names and too much backstory before the action kicks off. 

2. You might have to cut beautifully written scenes.

What makes a poetry collection difference from a bunch of poems bound together? Cohesion. A seasoned poet is wise enough to leave out any piece that doesn’t fit with the rest — even if it won them their latest Pushcart.

This sort of strictness will serve you well too. As writers, we’re often told to kill our darlings, setting sentiment aside and subjecting the lines we’re proudest of to revision’s red pen. That generally means excising an elegant but distracting metaphor. But it can also apply to entire scenes.

A scene might be gorgeously written, showcasing the most stylish prose in your entire book. But what if it feels out of place, or doesn’t serve a purpose beyond mere beauty? File it away and save it for a companion short story (or perhaps a sequel).

3. Give each chapter a shadow title.

Speaking of every section serving a purpose, here’s a poetry-inspired trick to make sure each chapter you write pulls its narrative weight. Each poem within a collection tends to have a title. That’s generally not the case for novel chapters (unless you’re writing for a middle-grade audience). But try to give each of your chapters a title anyway — for your eyes only.

Formulating these “shadow titles” help you distill each chapter down to its essentials: its key takeaway, its place in the overall structure of the book. It can also help you spot any outliers that should perhaps be reworked — or even removed. Say, for instance, you’ve come up with Friends-style titles for most of your chapters — “The One Where Iris Finds the Amulet”, “The One Where Jeff Dies”— but you have one that you can only call “The Sunset”. That might be a sign that it’s out of sync with the rest of the book.

By examining how every chapter works within the structure of your book, you’ll be able to deliver a satisfying story — and keep your readers hanging onto your every word. After all the work you’ve put into shaping your plot, that’s exactly what you deserve. 

Lucia Tang is a writer for Reedsy, a marketplace that connects self-publishing authors with the book industry’s best editors, designers, and marketers. To work on the site’s free historical character name generators, she draws on her knowledge of Chinese, Latin, and Old Irish —  learned as a PhD candidate in history at UC Berkeley. You can read more of her work on the Reedsy Discovery blog, or follow her on Twitter at @lqtang.

Categories
Screenwriting

The End?

Recently a fellow aspiring screenwriter reached out to me on social media. She was having problems with figuring out the details of her story and asked for advice on how to develop her story ending.

Like me she is far removed from the security of Hollywood’s screenwriting community, in fact, she doesn’t even live in the United States. Our common bond inspired me to share an unusual plotting technique I learned myself from other screenwriters earlier this year.

Reverse Plotting

Reverse plotting may seem counterintuitive, but once you’ve tried it the benefits reap dividends. Even with my current revision of an older screenplay, it helped me.

  • Create new plot turns.
  • Create new characters.
  • Flush out existing characters.
  • Develop clear subplots.
  • Improving the flow of my narrative.
  • Enhance my take away.

If you’re struggling with any of these in your screenwriting, read this post carefully to give your story a more satisfying resolution in the end. I don’t understand how some movies ever got the green light with endings so bad. Here is a couple to give you an idea of bad resolutions.

  1. Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull- 
  2. Savages-

Resolution?

In the writing process, the resolution is the final element in storytelling. Its primary function is to tie together the previous elements into a proper conclusion.

  1. Exposition- Setting, characters and timing.
  2. Rising action- crisis or conflict
  3. Climax- The height of her story that results in a change of character or protagonists biggest test.
  4. Falling action- Tying up loose ends or subplots
  5. Resolution-where the initial conflict is resolved and the protagonist achieves their ultimate goal.

In reverse plotting, we start with resolution and work backward. It’s a lot like drawing a B and leaving a blank space before A, now the writer must fill in the blanks with the proper steps to show where our protagonist has come from and their struggle to get where they want to be. Somewhere along the way clarify our protagonist’s purpose.

Obviously, a story’s resolution is important. Robert McKee explains, “All films need a resolution as a courtesy to the audience.”[i] As 2018 comes to an end many people already working on coming up with a New Year’s resolution for 2019. They will start the year knowing where they want to be at the end of the year and then spend the next 12 months trying to get there. They’re using a type of reverse plotting; starting next month they will decide what steps need to be taken to get them to where they want to be. Their resolution is more than just an answer it’s their next goal.

Next?

Movies with satisfying endings answer the questions we first develop at the beginning of the story. They also let us know if this is the end of our protagonist’s journey and possibly clues us into what’s next.

However, there are times when storytellers in films don’t want to let us know if there’s more to the story in a film’s resolution. These cliffhanger endings are common in sci-fi movies, superhero films, and other genres as well. A couple of good examples of this are.

  1. The Star Wars saga
  2. The Avengers Infinity War  

In these types of films, stories are so complex the conflict continues through a series of films before the final resolution comes to the end.

[i] Mckee, Story:Style, Structure, Substance. HarperCollins, 1997. E-book.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
The Picky Pen

Editing the Plot

Okay. Most of you (myself included) admit it’s challenging and exciting to plan the next book. It must be simple, right? Think of an idea. Create characters and compelling scenes. Write a few hundred pages. And you’re done. Right?

Wrong. Not. That. Simple.

You’ve got to think of a plot that works. A plot that includes a beginning, middle, and end. You may not think plotting a book is part of editing, but it is, my friend. What I’m going to say next is vital to the life and breath of your story. If we don’t analyze how our story flows at the macro level we won’t have a solid story to edit at the micro level.

What? There’s a structure to tying it all together? I’m afraid so. A story isn’t Friday Mish Mash. (Although some writers have successfully pulled off a great mish mash story . . . that’s another conversation for another day.)

  • Beginning. Introduce your characters, bring in a conflict or desire between your main character and an antagonist (can be an animate or inanimate object), and set up how the main character is going to achieve their goal.
  • Middle. Continue story with riveting twists and turns for the character to achieve the solution to the problem or desire. You can even introduce subplot, which is often more exciting than the main plot.
  • End. Begin to wrap up the solution to the problem, but not before your character is forced to choose between good and evil in order to obtain their goal. This is the most exciting part in your story because you’ll hook your readers even more and keep them reading late into the night. (A very good thing!) Your conclusion should be satisfying and solve the problem your character faced in the beginning of the story.

Remember. Readers who have a reason to care about the characters you’ve created will be hooked from beginning to end.

Here’s an example of my own WWII story:

Beginning
Clara must babysit her little sister while their mother goes shopping. In addition to babysitting, Clara has to put up the tomatoes (goal). Little sister Bevy proceeds to wreck Clara’s work (problem). Clara tries to work with Bevy to no avail (aggravated problem.)

Middle
Clara is frustrated that Bevy is squashing all of the tomatoes and reacts angrily toward Bevy. Bevy runs outside (climax).

End
While cleaning up the tomato mess, Clara sees Beverly running toward the tractor where their dad is harvesting crops (unexpected climax that causes reader to care). Clara realizes the importance of her attitude toward Bevy (resolution to the problem).

The instructions might sound simple. But it takes practice to grasp the concept of beginning, middle, and end structure and then to execute it. Grasping the concepts are also determined by editing the plot to make sure it sings like a canary rather than a crow. Then. It. Will. Be. Simple.

Join in the discussion!

What part of the novel do you struggle with and what resources help you conquer the struggle part(s)?

Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but also edits and proofreads for beginning and best-selling writers, professional editing agencies, and publishing houses. She has a BA in Professional Writing, an MS in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute, affordable continuing education for editors. Active in American Christian Fiction Writers and The PEN, she appreciates the writing and editing communities. As Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, she enjoys travel marketing and updating PENCON’s Facebook Page. Connect with Tisha on her website www.tishamartin.com and engage in the conversation.

 

Categories
Talking Character

Which Comes First, Plot Or Character?

Plot and character. Two halves of any great story. Both are critical, whether you are telling a character-driven literary story or a plot-driven spy thriller.

Disagree? Consider this quote:

Plot and character are integral to one another. Remove either one from the equation (or even just try to approach them as if they were independent of one another), and you risk creating a story that may have awesome parts, but which will not be an awesome whole. K. M. Weiland in Creating Character Arcs.

Or, to put it differently, consider this statement from Lisa Cron in Wired for Story:

Myth: The plot is what the story is about.
Reality: A story is about how the plot affects the protagonist.

So then, a good story is one where the plot affects the main character. Does that mean plot comes first?

Not necessarily.

I don’t think it matters where a writer begins, so long as you remember that the two are intertwined.  The character must have goals and issues that are challenged by the plot. The plot is nothing but a series of unconnected events unless there is a character whose struggles give them meaning. A writer cannot get too far along in one before he needs to consider the other.

The big mistake is to forget they are two sides of the same whole. The great discovery is when you allow your developing character to spark plot ideas, or vice versa.

Where do you start?

 

Character first

If you are a character-first writer, you begin by crafting an intriguing character. But at some point the character will need a goal, and obstacles that stand in his way. Remember, it is a reader’s anticipation of what the character will do next that sucks them into the story. A protagonist without a clear goal gives a reader no reason to care—and thus no reason to keep reading.

Therefore a character-first writer will need to consider the complex, flawed character you have created and ask what climax moment will force the hero to face the strongest of his inner demons. Come up with a climax that forces the character to dig deep, to strive against the enemy with every fiber of his moral and physical being, and then work the plot backwards from that moment.

Plot first

If you are a plot-first writer, you start with an intriguing what-if or an awesome idea for an amazing climax scene. But at some point you will need to create a character worthy of your plot. One whose inner demons threaten to keep her from defeating the opposition.

The most powerful stories are built on a character whose exterior plot goal is in direct conflict with her inner story goal. This is true whether the story has a classic character arc or not. Even in stories where the character does not change (a flat arc) she still needs to overcome something beyond the antagonist’s evil plans. That something might be as simple as convincing everyone around her that the evil villain is truly an evil villain, but the plot must force her to dig deep inside herself to find the strength to keep fighting when no one else believes.

Therefore, plot-first writers need to stop and consider what conflict of inner need and outer goal will might work with the plot. Create a believable character that embodies those two things, (giving the character enough backstory to explain the why of it) and you are well on your way to a great story.

[bctt tweet=”The character drives the plot, and the plot molds the character’s arc. They cannot work independently. K. M. Weiland #quote #writer” username=””]

Lisa E. Betz is a Bible study leader, drama director, and aspiring novelist. She lives with her husband and a neurotic cat in a scenic corner of Pennsylvania. When not teaching or sorting books at the library, Lisa blogs about intentional living at www.lisaebetz.com.

Connect with her:

Website: www.lisaebetz.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LisaEBetzWriter/
Twitter: @LisaEBetz

Categories
The Writer's PenCase

Plot Twists – Part IV

The Writer's PenCase

We’ve been looking at crafting plot twists. #amwriting #plottwists [bctt tweet=”Create a jaw-dropping plot twist by convincing your reader your story world is exactly how it should be” username=”@donnalhsmith @a3forme”].

Continue reading “Plot Twists – Part IV”