Good morning, everyone!  Welcome to Writer Wednesday, where I share my little tidbits about craft and fiction writing. Today, I'm carrying on about the Antagonist.  In other words, the villain.

We all love to hate him, but have you ever stopped to think that as much as we hate the villain, we love the villain.  Yes, it's true.  For me, one of the worst villain's I've encountered is Hannibal Lector. I fear him, he repulses me, I wouldn't wish him on my worst enemy...and yet, I don't want the feds to capture him again.

Why is that?  Well, I like to think it's because I'm not truly sick.  He's incredibly brilliant--course the true psychopaths are--and the fact he was able to get free from such a condemning situation is also, well, brilliant.  And that intelligence is a draw in some weird (sick?) way.

So let's talk about what makes a villain successful.

We've all met this guy...

A Villain Doesn't Just Wander Into The Pages

A villain is not the random guy stuffed into the plot who does atrocious deeds out of the blue.  He cannot be stereotypical like our friend Snidely Whiplash to the right.  A villain who does this is just...annoying... and a reader wants to swat him like a fly and get on with the plot.

Creating a true chaotic evil character is exceptionally hard in fiction, though totally plausible in gaming tables.  A villain cannot "do" something "just because."  He cannot be stereotypical and cartoonish like Mr. Whiplash.


A Villain Has Motivation

If he can't be chaos personified, he must have motivation.  By motivation I mean a goal, and a chain of actions, that the reader can relate to.  He must be human.  Even if that humanity is defined far different than our own.

One of my other favorite villains is Claudius in Gladiator.  His humanity is different than mine, but his motivation is something I can, as a human being, understand.  He felt betrayed by his father and wanted the same respect and success his father knew.  He was denied his birthright, and in that era, it was an insufferable shame.  Therefore, anyone who knew the truth and who could cast suspicion about his father's death, would be eliminated.  When he acts against his nephew and sister, he has suffered the deepest of betrayals, and you understand, as that is transpiring, that when he finds out the fit is going to hit the shan.


A Villain Does Not Set Out to Be Evil

Nobody ever decides they are going to be evil.  In a villain's mind, he is doing the right thing, even if he knows society is against his actions.  Think Waco.  Think of all the pirates we love so much--they were villains to society.  This all goes back to motivation and the very important question the author must know, without a doubt, why is the villain doing this?  He is infallibly right at the core of his existence, and this must go back to his ideals, moral perspective, and perspective of the world around him.

I watched a National Geographic special about big cats where clearly the majestic lion was the villain.  He purposefully and brutally hunted four cheetahs, which to the photographer (a cheetah researcher) was completely unlike lion behavior.  In later analysis with a lion researcher they concluded one simple fact:  Though the Cheetah does not impose upon the lion's hunting grounds or 'menu', it stands to reason that the Cheetah kills lion cubs if able, to protect its own population.  Therefore the cheetah has become a mortal enemy of the lion, and made the horrific massacre completely plausible.  Did the lion set out to be evil in the eyes of mankind?  No.  But to me, who saw the brutality and understands how terribly fragile the cheetah population is, this lion was a huge villain.  (We'll say nothing about the fact the cheetahs fell into the Too Stupid To Live category in this particular scenario.  Ahem!)


A Villain Has Emotion

A memorable villain has emotion readers can bond with.  The author can pull this out, making the villain more ...unforgettable.  Again, we can go back to Claudius for this example--he is in pain with every betrayal.  Yes, we want him to die and pay for his crime, but we understand and his suffering pulls at us.  Another renowned villain is Magneto from X-Men.  He's a holocaust survivor and he knows what evils humans can wreck upon the world.  He is afraid of humans.  And he is willing to do anything to protect the mutants.

The more emotion an author can wrest out of a villain, the more a reader can relate to him.  So don't be afraid to dig deep and get into his mind.


A Villain is Proactive

Just like your main characters, a villain cannot be reactive.  I would go so far as to say the entire core of your plot is your villain.  He must drive the action.  Otherwise, he is ineffective and doesn't create the threat the author desires.  This also somewhat translates to a villain must be alpha -- at least in his psyche.


Most Villains Have A Streak of Goodness

If your villain has a soft spot (of the normal not deranged kind) for puppies, this makes him more likeable.  If the author can portray this, even when he's at his most wicked, (or even better if a wicked moment is pre-empted by an unexpected softness) he again becomes more human.  Like in Silence of the Lambs, the serial killer has a pet dog who he clearly adores.


This is really just the surface of villains, but if you, as an author, can keep these points in mind you're one step closer to mastering The Villain.  The better you craft your bad-guy, the better your overall plot will stick in reader's minds.


Looking for a freelance editor?  Check out Finish The Story!

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: Claire Ashgrove , Fiction Villains , fiction writing , Finish the Story , On Writing , Understanding Villains , Writer Wednesday , Writing Craft , Writing Villains

This post is for a dear friend of mine.  Or maybe two.  Or three.  Or yeah, you too, you know who you are.

At some point in every author's career -- usually at the beginning for most -- an author asks what he should be writing, or where is it most advantageous to be writing, or what genre is selling and so forth.  I want to premise this blog with another blog article, from a woman I've not met personally, but consider a mentor in many ways:  Kristine Kathryn Rusch.  You should read This Blog Entry -- where she discusses this same topic, far more eloquently, and from a different standpoint, than I do.

We've all asked an agent or an editor a variant of this question:  "What's selling?"  And we've all heard, and simultaneously rolled our eyes, the answer, "Write what you want."

We, as insecure authors nurturing children, want guidance.  We want to up our chances at becoming the next bestselling author, the next #1 NY Times Bestseller, and the next big deal.  Maybe we don't conceptualize the question that way at the time--we just want an agent to sign us!-- but it's there, lurking, and wanting satisfaction.  And that satisfaction never comes.

So what should you be writing?

I can answer that without hesitation.  Write what you want.

Argh!  Yes, I know, you'd like to smack me right now.  But it's the truth, and if you're working with an editor  or agent who isn't telling you what you should be doing, count yourself as blessed.  Because that editor or agent is telling you, in so many words, write what you feel compelled to write, then we'll see if we can do anything with it.

In today's market that is a gift.  An author has never been more free to make choices about his or her writing.  Tired of being branded "like Evanovich"?  Would rather be branded "A must read for Grisham fans!"  This is your time to shine--the playing field is wide open.

Write that book that is calling to you, and then think about what you can do with it. 

Don't believe me?  Let me illustrate what happened to me for a little while.  I'll start by saying, however, I have never been pressured by my agent or editors to write anything specific.  I've never been told.

But I did open my mouth and ask my agent what she thought had the best chances after a bit of a pitfall on a particular idea.  She gave me her thoughtful and very insightful opinions.  I learned a lot in that conversation--about what the market was doing at that time, about where my potential books had possibilities (and didn't), and I walked away from the conversation totally energized...until it came to writing the first word on the project we agreed was the most marketable.

You see, I had another idea surging through the back of my mind.  And I didn't want to be working on that project that we mutually agreed was the best option.  Every word became a nail stuffed under my fingernails, until I didn't want to sit down at my computer and do anything.

One evening, on pins and needles, I communicated with her my frustration and my desire to work on this other project we had barely discussed.  And I set aside the painful project and that block came undone.  Words started to flow.  I completed what I think is the best novel I've ever written, threw myself into a brand-new market, and my agent loves the story.  (I must mention too that when I sent that letter I got nothing but support in response.)  Am I worried about it selling?  No, I'm not worried.  Of course I want it to sell, and sell big!!  But this book rocks, and if an editor doesn't feel the same, it will find a home somewhere and do well.

So you see, by seeking out "what the market wants" you aren't really following your passion for being an author.  You're writing someone else's project, not your own, and while it's completely plausible to do an excellent job, if your heart isn't behind what you're writing, you'll stall out.

In today's market, writing from your heart has little to no bearing on your sales potential.  If you want to write something for a niche market, you can conceivably corner all the sales in that market and still do quite well for yourself.  Your "risk" which scares traditional publishers might end up the next "50 Shades".  There is nothing holding you back.

Is it good to seek a little guidance?

Sometimes it can be helpful.  In my case, when we had the initial conversation, I had about three ideas I liked equally as well.  I just had a fourth come in and sideswipe me.  If the fourth hadn't happened, the project we agreed on might have been just as fulfilling personally.  But stop looking for someone to tell you what to do.

This is your career.  You went into it with hopes and aspirations.  That hope, that passion, carried forward to the book you published.  Don't let it go, and don't get stuck in someone else's mold.  Particularly if you have a project that you believe in, that may not fit a nice and tidy label.

What's a freelance editor's role?

I wanted to mention this too as an editor, because, with the wide-open horizons of self publishing, I see a lot of "non traditional" books.  That's the upside of self publishing.  You can publish whatever you want.  But I believe that if I see a book come in under one label, and it doesn't fit the expectations of that label, it's my job as someone who's taking your money to say "I think you would do better if you market it this way."  The opposite of that is, someone pays me, I work through the book, let it go, don't say a word, the book flops, and suddenly the editor is blamed.  And the editor should be blamed, so I say.

It's not good business in my opinion to take on a project that's say, labeled romance, when I know that romance readers aren't going to get what they're expecting if they plucked this off the romance shelves.  That can lead to negative reviews, which will ultimately lead to poor sales, and it can seriously damage a budding author's name.  You've paid someone to make the words work right.  Shouldn't that someone also offer their expertise on where what you've composed will likely grant you the best return on your invested dollar?

A freelance editor isn't "rejecting" your work in a conversation like this.  She's not saying "You can't publish this".  She's saying, "I see some inconsistencies for this market, that are not inconsistent in this other market, and if you make a small tweak here with your plot, you can fit this other market and have better earning potential."

To me, that's far better than letting a book go out to the world with aspects a hard-core reader will scream about, and passively set a book up to not do well.


Back to my point:

Write what you want -- there is no should be.  The passion you have for the project of your heart will prevent you from completely stalling out.  If it sells, the energy you've created in those words will carry it over mountains.  Should you discover the book won't fit into a traditional publisher's line-up, then you have a multitude of options in front of you.  Figure out what to do with the book after it's written.

And if someone involved with your career is telling you not to do something because it isn't marketable, then seriously, take some time out and evaluate whether this person is working for you or against you.  I offer this simple anecdote from my years of raising horses:

If I hire someone to promote my medal-winning stallion, and that employee tells me he's not pushing the horse because his coloring isn't flashy enough, I will be finding someone else to promote my stallion.  Instantly.




~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: Claire Ashgrove , Fiction Market Trends , fiction writing , Finish the Story , On Writing , Writer Wednesday , Writing Craft

Good morning, everyone!

It's Writer Wednesday again, and today we're talking about pen names.

Several of my friends have seen their first book contract in the last six months and I've been asked about pen names quite frequently lately.  I thought I'd share my thoughts with you.

So, let's look at what a pen name does first of all.

1.  It establishes an expectation for the reader.  The reader assumes that all books published by Joe Penname will have something similar.  Likely voice, perhaps structure, perhaps tone, and so forth.

2.  It establishes an author's first 'brand' -- it sets you apart from other authors in some fashion.  And it is where you want your readers to find you.

3.  It establishes a 'brand' for book buyers. For instance, Stephen King's full name is Stephen Edwin King.  A book buyer (likely) will not know Stephen Edwin.  Tell them Stephen King (or even King), and they make an automatic association.

Can I use my real name?

Mm... for the most part, yes, with a few exceptions covered below.  It is perfectly okay to use your real name, unless your real name is unpronounceable or, by some sad stroke of the fates, could be profane, or stand out for inappropriate/laughable reasons.  (This is the perfect time for Fred E. Kruger to consider a new name.)

Given that, how do you choose a pen name?

Really, a pen name boils down to personal preference.  There are several schools of thought, ranging from use something you'll never fail to answer, to pick one that will alphabetically fall in line near an author who's a household name.  I personally chose my original pen name -- Claire Ashgrove -- based on how I personally shop for books.  I start at the A's and browse to the Z's.  If I find a book I like, I usually stop browsing.

There are a couple things I think are important, which may be strictly myth, but do show some factual backing.

a.  Thriller, Horror, Action, and Fantasy / Sci-Fi trend with masculine sounding names selling better
b.  Do not choose a mouthful of consonants and make it somewhat simple for people to remember

When do you need a pen name?

This is super easy.

1.  When you, for whatever reason, don't want your real name associated with your work.  If you're writing erotic romance, or erotic fiction, and say you perhaps work for the Catholic Church... you might consider this option.

2.  If you are already published and you're wanting to separate a new genre from another genre.  In my case, I wanted a clear definition between what readers could expect as Tori St. Claire and what they'd get as Claire Ashgrove.  I'm not 'hiding'; I just didn't want to shock someone, and since books don't come with ratings warnings usually, this was the best way to go.  I have M.J. Marshall for my work on the Kill 'Em All project, because it's a 180 from anything I've ever published.  And I have two other pen names hiding around here for the same purposes.

3.  Remember that part up above where your pen name establishes a brand for the book buyer?  Well, it's not something anyone likes to talk about, but there are many authors who have experienced the unfortunate case where the best project in the world didn't sell like it was 'supposed to'.  Now book buyers hear that name and won't buy the book.  The author is forced to re-establish under a new name.  If you're having to let go of your real name for this reason, that can be a little disheartening.

That's it, really, as for when you need a pen name.



Questions?  Thoughts?  Feel free to comment away!


Looking for a freelance editor?  Try Finish The Story!  Proudly editing USA Today Bestselling Author, Nana Malone.





~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: Claire Ashgrove , Editing remarks , fiction writing , Finish the Story , Pen Names , Writer Wednesday , Writing Craft

Good morning, everyone!  Welcome back to Writer Wednesday.  Today I want to talk a little bit about cross genre writing since everyone seems to be dipping into different markets.

It's very logical for authors who have varying interests to delve into different genres, particularly when digital publishing has opened so many doors.  In fact, I am a huge supporter of exercising creative talent wherever there is a calling for it.  Goodness knows I have done so and I will continue to do so.

But there are a couple things I've been discussing with authors lately that have opened my eyes to a few hurdles that aren't always anticipated.  And if you're able to make a plan for those hurdles you're far more apt to succeed than if you suddenly find yourself facing them unprepared.



Voice

Be sure you've done some research in the new market you're looking at.  One of the biggest things I see as an editor is a writer switching into a genre that is completely unrelated to what they've been writing, and their voice won't fit.  For instance:  You can't very well write a thriller with a chick-lit voice.  Or at least it wouldn't be very easy to do so.  That would be some serious craftiness on an author's part!  It's very easy to shift within the same core genre:  historical romance to paranormal romance, for instance.  It's not so easy to shift without a little extra leg work into something that is a 180 from what you've already learned, even though the core aspects of basic craft are pretty much the same.

So study the field you want to be in and train your voice into that established expectation.  Sure, it's good to keep some of what makes you you, but keep your tone in line with what the genre expects.  Readers have expectations, and if you fall short, that makes the next book that much harder to sell.


Readership

Another very common and often overlooked hurdle is your readership.  Do not assume that because you have very strong sales as a fantasy author, that when you release a mystery your readers will follow you because they are devoted to you.  The sad fact is most readers are devoted to the story(ies) you've written and will continue to gobble you up in your established genre.  You can bank on losing about 50% of your readership, which means you'll need to make that up with more readers.  The more you divide yourself between genres, that's fewer and fewer carry-over readers.

Which directly translates to:

Marketing

If you're launching a new genre, you need to approach that first book like you approached your very first book published.  You need to have a plan, you need to connect with that new readership, you need to sell yourself all over again.  Then you may see more cross-over readers, but not likely on the initial out of the gates, unless you are already a NY Times or USA Today Bestseller--routinely.  At that point, even then, your readership is going to drop, but in those sales numbers, it isn't as obvious or impacting--usually.

Commitments

Once you've stuck your foot in the new pond and wow'd the spectators with your swan-like swimming ability, you have to keep coming back to swim in that pool.  Meanwhile, you're swimming in the pool across town.  You're bound to encounter the problem of needing to be in two places at once.  Either because your self-publishing schedule demands releases hit close together, or because your publisher has said you will have x book done by y date, and y date is the same date as your other publisher wants something else.

Think this through.  Particularly if you are in any position to discuss projected deadlines with an editor.  Have a game plan for how you intend to be in two pools at once, and keep in mind many publishers will include in their contracts that you can't release a competing work for thirty days either side of what they are putting out.

Be prepared ahead of time; have an emergency action plan.  And, even better, use your free time to get ahead of your deadlines as opposed to perhaps running off on a brand new idea.  Get the idea down so you don't forget it, then finish up what you've already planned so deadline crunch doesn't end up kicking you in the rear.  In short, know what you are capable of and be honest with that self evaluation.

Pen Names - Do I have to have a New One?

Claire is saving that discussion for the next blog post.

Sum it Up:

1.  Make sure your voice matches your new project appropriately.

2.  Readers dictate a book's expectations.  Insure your new endeavor meets and exceeds those expected elements.

3.  You can't count on the same numbers you're currently bringing in, and often, when launching into a new genre, you will lose readers.  Create a marketing plan that is specific to your new genre.

4.  Be prepared.  Don't let deadlines take you by surprise--plan for them and give plenty of room to adjust.




Looking for a freelance editor? Finish-the-story.com wants to work with you!



~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: Cross-Genre Writing , Editing Tip , fiction writing , Finish the Story , Writer Wednesday , Writing Craft

Good morning, everyone!  Today's writerly perspective isn't about craft, or the technique of writing, but about how to handle an editor's remarks...appropriately.

Let's look a little at the process:  For one reason or another, you've entrusted an editor with your manuscript.  On the surface, particularly for traditional print, it may seem as if you have no choice in who is editing you.  Alas--wrong.  As an author, it's your responsibility to research the houses you are shopping your book with.  If you don't trust the editing staff of one house or another, you have no business shopping your manuscript there.  Read what the house is publishing, check out each individual line that corresponds with your work.  If you like what you read, there's a good editor behind the scenes.

With self publishing, options are broader.  The same research applies: look at some of their titles, ask them for references, analyze what comes back both in your initial correspondence and the 'test-edit' -- the remarks you receive from your sample.

So, all that accomplished, you have an editor, and now you must extend faith.  Just as an editor extends faith that you're willing to improve.

What happens then, when you get a manuscript back filled with red marks in the columns and comments all over the place?

In short form, particularly in self publishing, you can reject every darn thing he or she says.  But if you do so, why did you decide to hire the editor?

Your Editor Is Your Friend

An editor isn't out to cut-down your work.  That's the most important thing to understand.  An editor also doesn't want 'bad product' reflecting on his or her name.  And last, the editor wants your book to succeed.  Otherwise, she/he wouldn't be editing.

Editorial remarks come from a perspective that isn't tied to the story.  An educated perspective from someone who understands technical, market, and overall plot needs.  It's not just about fixing sentence structure or incorrect punctuation.  It's about looking at everything as a whole and crafting the best possible product for readers (and, in turn, for the author's bottom line.)

Editorial remarks can point out small things that, on the surface, may seem unimportant -- who cares if there are intruders, or commas in series?  Or if a specific car can really reach a claimed speed. Or what sort of helmet existed in the specific year.

Editorial remarks can also cover larger issues: characters who come off as psychotic when they aren't supposed to; gaping plot holes, and structure issues.

All of them are designed to draw your attention to a noted issue.  Most often, the editor is correct.  But it doesn't mean he/she is right.  If she's changed the entire plot by altering a poorly structured sentence, that's not particularly right.  The grammar change is correct, however.

So what do you do?

Thoughtfully Review

Well, review everything for starters.  Is there an overall theme?  Is she continually hitting the same 'issue' -- passive voice cropping up all over?  Or is it all about small details that could possibly be excused?

Your job as an author is to use that faith you entrusted to the editor you hired and evaluate whether the remarks damage or incorrectly change your story.  If they don't, I pose the question: What harm comes from spending the time to improve?  If you've been called out for passive writing, does it harm your story to nix it and put in active passages?

Editorial remarks should adhere to their purpose -- to improve what's already written.  If they don't, by all means, raise the objection with your editor.  Open a conversation to see if you can understand why they might have been made.

If they do offer a means of making your work more competitive, or can improve what you've already put forth, think solutions through.

Determine The Real Issue

Another thing I've learned is that the remark may not relate to what is specifically stated.  Nine times out of ten, if an editor has called out something and you object with the editor, you've failed to ground something you thought you did.  Often you can solve the issue by addressing that, as opposed to making a sweeping change.

Don't Sweat The Small Stuff

Discover what means the most to you.  What remarks can you shrug off with a "eh, if it makes her happy, fine."  What remarks have you saying, "No way ever."  Pick the battles accordingly.  There's no sense in starting an argument over a remark like, "I don't really see why she'd say this, please reword."

For instance, one of the remarks one of my editors made was "I don't really know anything about her family, at all.  Are they still living? Are they dead? I'd like to see more."  It didn't hurt me, or the manuscript to add in a sentence or two.  I made her happy.  I still don't see that as a detrimental remark, but it took all of five seconds to address something that bugged her enough to make a mention of it.  And chances are, if it bugged her, it will bug someone else.

Don't Make Excuses

Use your wisdom, your judgement, and really think things through.  An editor didn't spend 18 hours editing a manuscript just to drive you nuts or tear your baby apart.  She did so with thought and consideration for the likely success of your work.  Do what you can to really decide whether it's an improvement.  And don't just wave off the remarks with, "She doesn't understand my genre.  She doesn't know what she's doing.  I did it deliberately.  Other books in my genre are written like this."  (And so forth.)  Doing so only wastes the editor's time, as well as your money.  Rely on that trust you extended, and consider thoroughly if making the change will give you a better book.

And that's my long-winded two cents!




Looking for an editor?  Check out Finish The Story!



~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: Claire Ashgrove , Editing Process , Editing remarks , Editing Tip , fiction writing , Finish the Story , Indie Authors , On Writing , Writer Wednesday , Writing Craft

Good morning!  I hope everyone had a happy holiday yesterday, and if you don't celebrate, I hope you were able to enjoy some time off on a Federal Holiday!

Show don't tell -- we are preached that as beginning authors.  But what is the elusive meaning of that phrase?

Well, there's a very simple way to look at it, and I hope you'll walk away from this discussion today understanding a little more.  Mind you, again this is one of those topics that could go on for days.  I'm discussing one aspect of it, and one means of addressing it.

Do you remember the last camping trip you went on?  The last time you sat with friends and told a story?

"It was five years ago, and Julie and John went driving up Mount Skell to camp at the old cabin where it was rumored a man had been hanged to death.  Little did Jim know it would be the last time he went camping.  They lay down in their beds, the night wind blew through the closed windows, forming eerie moans in the silence.  Footsteps sounded on the floor.  Jim felt something crawl across his face.  He opened his eyes to find the man leering over him, his eyes swollen as if they were bulging out of his face, his lips cracked and dried.  He whispered one word.  "Revenge""

Yeah -- that kind of story telling.  Note... story telling.  Not story showing.

It's very easy for us writers to hear voices in our head and transpose the story that's being narrated subconsciously into actual words.  We hear it, we write it.  And we forget the translation to showing.

If a passage, a chapter, or even the whole book can give a reader the feeling they are sitting at a campfire listening to a ghost story, the writing is indeed telling.  You are narrating the story to the reader, not putting the reader in the thick of the plot and allowing them to hear, see, feel the same thing the characters are feeling.

Showing is putting more than the simple event on the page.  In the above, a simple event would be "They lay down in their beds."  Making it more than that requires some description, the feel of what is going on. Something like:

"John set a knee on the lumpy mattress. Dust puffed up from the mouse-infested stuffing, filling his nose.  He sneezed.  At his side, Julie laughed.  The light melody of her voice soothed the chills that crept down his back.  Chills he couldn't understand.  Like someone, or something watched them from the shadows beyond the trees.  This place was certainly spooky enough to pass as haunted.  No wonder the kids in town were afraid to come up here.  He was twenty-eight, and he couldn't wait to get out of the rickety old cabin."

Showing usually means breaking out portions of time into longer, more detailed events.  Summary is avoided.      Details are key to the experience.  I hit his sense of smell, his hearing, and sense of touch.  And I gave him a visceral reaction to those elements.

If you can remember to slow down, particularly in key places where you want to build some sort of tension, you are moving closer to showing the story take place.

Quick Tip:

When you've finished a chapter, pass it off to a reader -- can be even a family reader, but someone not close to you is better -- and ask them this one simple question:  "Did you feel like you were experiencing events along with him?  Or did you feel like you were experiencing his events second-hand?"  If second-hand is the answer, go back through, break it down into smaller pieces, and add in some details to make the passage come alive.





~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: Passive Writing , Show Don't Tell , Writer Wednesday , Writing Craft

Good morning, everyone!  Welcome back and happy hump day to all of you!

So many times writers are told "Your story doesn't start here, but there."  So many times, writers don't understand why they are told this.  I mean, after all, we've done hard labor getting those words out, and often the writing is clear and engaging.  So what gives?

I want to preface the rest of this discussion with the remark that this is very simplified. As your writing grows, these rules will flex.  But here's a good place to start if you're on your first endeavor, or you're hearing something along the lines of the above.

We live in an instant gratification world.  Readers of genre fiction want to be entertained, and they want the entertainment now.  Their patience for reading great prose that is building on a theme with a full moral to the story is... waning.

A writer is therefore presented with the problem of snagging the reader's interest immediately.  We stress first sentences, we stress closing chapter hooks.  We stress all kinds of things.  What it boils down to is conflict.  Conflict always drives the action of the story.  If you're in a lull, stir up the conflict again.  (Sagging middles are great places for people to die.)

Conflict also establishes expectations in the early pages.  If conflict is presented, the reader has a pretty generalized understanding of what is going to happen on the next few chapters and the stronger that conflict, the more promising the remaining pages are.

So in a book's beginning, bringing that conflict front and center right away is key.  You want the following tidbits of information in your first chapter:

WHO - is the character
WHAT - does the character want
WHY - can't the character have it

If you're writing romance, particularly category romance, you want this same information for both hero and heroine in the first chapter.  Or as close to the first chapter as you can get.

Notice what aren't core elements: how did the character get here? where is here? any external influences that have contributed to this situation.  That is not to say those are not important details.  They are simply not your first chapter objective.

This also doesn't mean you have to tell us heaps of back story to answer those questions either.  We do not need to know that Jim was heading out for his flight, got a flat tire, had to walk thirty miles to get assistance, wore a hole in the toe of his shoe, and missed his flight.... unless Jim wants to be on time for his job interview.  If Jim is arriving in Louisiana after these escapades, and Jim's goal is to get to the front of the McDonald's line, simply because he's hungry, none of how he got there is important.  The story begins with Jim staring at the person's head in front of him, swearing up a blue streak because his stomach is in knots.

Those three items also don't have to be detailed in depth.  In some situations you will want to only drop a hint.  Just enough to play to the objective, but without giving away elements that you intend to draw out as the story moves forward.

I've really simplified this, but it's a topic that could be written on for days.

In Sum:  Tighten out the extemporaneous.  If your first chapter doesn't address those points, as they relate to the plot of your book, chances are your story is not starting at the point of action.  Action moves your story forward.  Start it as close to the action as you can, and you have a natural propeller for the forthcoming pages.

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: Finish the Story , Writer Wednesday , Writing Craft

Hi everyone!  Welcome to the first Writer Wednesday installment.

Recently, I've been thinking about my assistant.  Some of you have even met her lately--she's been handling all my giveaways to insure you all get your prizes on time.  I couldn't get by without her, and she's been invaluable since she's signed on.

Part of our agreement when she joined forces with yours truly, is I'd impart knowledge about craft.  This last month has been so busy for us, we've not had time to sit down, discuss, and banter ideas.  So I figured, while we're waiting for schedules to open, the least I could do was write down a few things.  Which led me to the idea that I'd work on a Writer Wednesday topic.  Not strictly craft, but experiences, and general ramblings about this publishing world.

So here we are, day one.  And this week, I am actually going into a craft discussion.  Something I see frequently as an editor for Finish the Story.

From A Dolphin's Eyes.

Let's look at this mermaid for a minute.  And let's assume the dolphin is our main character, not the lovely mermaid who's saving the handsome man.

If we are experiencing the story from the dolphin's point of view, we know that this mermaid is Queen of UnderDeep.  We know this because we're the Captain of her Guard, and we've summoned her to stop the execution of an innocent man.  A man who's kept the secret of Mermaid Cove and protected it from earthly curiosities.  We know he's fae.

Our experience on this scene might go a little something like this.  (Oh and our name is Donau)

"She pulled with all her might, fighting the current that sought to suck him into the bottomless chasm.  His body rose limply over the fallen log, and Donau's heart raced.  If she failed, if her fingers slipped, he would be forever lost and the cove he protected would fall under the NosyOnes control.  No more would their kingdom know peace. With a mighty undulation of his tail, he dove beneath her elongated form and under Steven's body.  Using the broad width of his back, he pushed, helping her guide Steven over the obstacle and away from the hungry undertow.  Pain arced down his dorsal fin as it bent at an awkward angle."

Notice that we don't have any idea what her thoughts might be.  We don't know if the shirt is slipping through our fingers.  We don't know how heavy he might be.  We don't know if she's fighting floating toward the surface.  At no point do we know anything related to her directly, and certainly not the unconcious man.  What we know, is only what we can personally hear, see, or feel as Donau.  Our thoughts narrate. His pain is ours -- we are experiencing the sum total of events in his head, and those surrounding him.

If the next sentence was:

"Queen Naribia winced at the sight of Donau's crimped fin."

We've just switched into her head.  Donau could see her wince, but he couldn't know what made her wince. 

Let's try another real quick.  From Queen Naribia's point of view.

"He was heavy, even though the water buoyed him.  Heavier than she'd anticipated, and her body strained against the effort of pulling him away from the dangerous undertow.  Donau swam around her and positioned himself beneath Steven's body, pushing as Naribia pulled."

And if the next sentence was:

"Donau looked up, considering which way would take them past the rough log that tore at Steven's soggy clothing."

Now we've switched again.  Naribia would see him look up.  But there is no way she could know exactly what he's looking at --unless its her-- nor what he was doing by looking up, or what he's thinking about."

The Bottom Line

When you're analyzing your writing for point of view errors, ask yourself, if you were in the character's place, would you have the same knowledge? Or would there be things you couldn't know, things you couldn't describe because it wasn't happening directly with you?


If it's information you couldn't experience first-hand by being in that character's shoes, you've switched POV.  It's a very easy trick to helping navigate the murky waters (pun intended) of point of view.  Use it!  Your writing will become that much stronger!






~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Labels: Editing Tip , On Writing , Point of View , Writer Wednesday , Writing Craft