tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45837585614462760502024-03-05T04:33:25.355-08:00The Mae ProjectLori Folkmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12707165102926821045noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4583758561446276050.post-50625175675795248472014-04-24T12:48:00.000-07:002014-04-24T12:48:39.207-07:00Lesson 7 1/2: Characters Are Puzzling After reading <a href="http://lorifolkman-author.blogspot.com/2014/04/lesson-7-bring-your-characters-to-life.html">my last post</a>, you are probably chomping at the bit, eager for examples of how to add depth to your characters. Well, the wait is over! Here it is: <br />
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In my first novel, <i>The Seasons of Mae</i>, the story begins in St. Louis, but the bulk of the story takes place in my beloved Montana. Just as the seasons change and bring death, rebirth and prosperity to Montana's rugged landscape, the seasons of Mae's life change, bringing her opportunities to travel on a path much different than the one her parents laid out for her.<br />
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But first, we need to get Mae to Montana.<br />
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In the first chapter of the book, we meet her sister's beau, who stands to inherit his father's railroad fortune. Robert works for his father, and more importantly, is overseeing the construction of the railroad across Montana. Here is Mae's opportunity.<br />
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Thus far in the book, we know that Mae is unhappy at home and feels continually slighted by her parents.<br />
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We are in the dining room, where Robert is discussing a last-minute trip to Montana that will pull him away from Mae's family and his pending proposal to Mae's sister, Alice. Alice is unhappy that Robert will be leaving before she gets a ring on her finger. There is a tense silence in the room as everyone sees how upset Alice is. And then Mae does this:<br />
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<i>"I would love to go with you," Mae blurted out.</i><br />
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She has just invited herself along with Robert on his business trip to Montana. There are several problems with the way this was written.<br />
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1. There's no mention beforehand of Mae's desire to see the Wild West. Perhaps she could have been reading books or newspaper articles about the beauty of the Rocky Mountains and the vast opportunities for those looking to start a new life. The reader should have seen that this was a hidden interest. It could even be something as simple as mentioning that Mae preferred to spend her time outdoors, enjoying the scenery, rather than sitting indoors sipping lemonade. <br />
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2. As Robert is speaking of Montana, the dialogue is all external, meaning that we are not getting a glimpse into any of the character's heads, with Mae being the most important character. Before she spoke out in such an atypical manner for the time period, we should have had some insight into what she was thinking so the reader can understand this strange request. Something like:<br />
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<i>Montana? Mae had always longed to go there. The untamed beauty of the state was touted as unrivaled. It was a land of endless opportunities--a land of promise. It was exactly the kind of place a girl with a restless heart and stifling parents could go to stretch her legs for awhile. This was her chance. Before she was able to give it a second thought, she quickly said, "I would love to go with you!"</i><br />
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In order for a reader to grow fond of a character, your reader needs to know what makes your character tick. How often have you visited with an acquaintance and thought, "I wish I knew what they were thinking," or "I wonder what makes them behave this way?"<i> </i>Those people you are the most deeply connected with are those you know well--you understand their motives, their desires, their passions. Your reader needs to have this same relationship with your characters.<br />
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But remember, don't <a href="http://lorifolkman-author.blogspot.com/2013/05/lesson-1-dont-get-head-of-yourself.html">TELL</a> your readers who the character is ALL AT ONCE. <a href="http://lorifolkman-author.blogspot.com/2013/05/getting-dumped.html">Remember to weave</a>.<br />
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Here's another analogy that might help you: think of character development like a puzzle. Your reader can't assemble an entire puzzle all at once. It takes time. They might just get a glimpse of who the character is at first, but after YOUR diligence as the author, the reader will be able to build an entire picture of the character's physical traits and see the essence of their soul. <br />
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You also want to make certain you don't spend too much time inside a character's head. I recently read a book that was 95% thoughts and 5% action. It was very annoying. We read to escape our own inner conflicts and thoughts; getting trapped in someone else's inner turmoil is not a release at all. Give just enough for your reader to understand, but not so much that your reader wants out. Balance thoughts with actions based on those thoughts. <br />
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3. If I add the paragraph in italics from step #2 to Mae's inner dialogue, it certainly helps the reader gain better insight into Mae's request to go to Montana, but something is still missing.<br />
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Physical actions.<br />
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If she's nervous about asking something so uncouth, we should see it in her body. Perhaps she could fiddle with her fork. Maybe she could clear her throat before speaking, indicating that she is hesitant to speak, yet she cannot stifle it. Do her cheeks flush after she realizes she's spoken the desires of her heart? Does her stomach burn with indigestion when she sees the glare her mother gives her for saying something so brazen? In my manuscript, none of these things happen, which makes Mae seem very one-dimensional. <br />
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Again, you want to be careful not to over-do it. Too much eye-rolling, heart-stuttering and blood-boiling can make it sound like your character's bodies have been taken over by a legion of demons. Add just enough for your reader to sense what is happening physically. Body language is oftentimes key to understanding those around us, so it needs to be another piece to the puzzle you are giving to your readers. Make certain physical reactions are included during key moments, such as the example given above. If it's a plot point, we sure as heck want to know how the characters are reacting.<br />
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Here's a better example from the next chapter: <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i>Mae quickly shrugged her shoulder to
remove his hand from her arm and turned towards him, her face feeling hot like fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No!” she exclaimed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You must propose to Alice!”</i>
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What do you think has just happened, without even knowing the entire context of the scene? What does Mae's reaction tell you about her integrity? What does it tell you about her courage? Is she able to speak her mind, even if the situation is uncomfortable? <br />
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Ask yourself questions like these as you review your manuscript. How are my character's thoughts, actions, and body language being portrayed? Have I given enough puzzle pieces, or have I given too many? And most importantly: when the puzzle is completed, is my character someone the reader has grown to love?<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">Give your characters hearts and then send blood pulsing through their veins</span></b>. Make them breathe, feel, touch, love. Give them the ultimate gift--life. Lori Folkmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12707165102926821045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4583758561446276050.post-38304637789602441192014-04-09T12:50:00.002-07:002014-04-10T12:44:01.529-07:00Lesson 7: Bring Your Characters To Life Without A Magic Wand One of the most sobering realizations I had as an early writer was this: there are no new stories. Literary experts disagree on the exact number of plots which have been rewritten time and time again, but there's a 99.9% chance your storyline has been told before.<br />
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Does that mean you should quit writing?<br />
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No, it does not.<br />
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But if you are going to make your novel rise above scores of other similar novels, you are going to have to make your book as unique as your own fingerprint. How do you do this?<br />
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By creating realistic, compelling characters.<br />
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While you may delight in reading a book where the prose is flowery and poetic, or you may devour a book where non-stop action keeps you turning the pages, when you think about the books that you truly love--the ones that linger with you for days or months or even years--chances are you felt a deep connection with the characters. They left an imprint in your heart, just like a living, breathing person.<br />
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<i>The author's role is not to be a like puppeteer, </i></div>
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<i>controlling the character's actions, but ...</i></div>
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<i>to be like the Blue Fairy, giving the character life</i>.</div>
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How do you create lifelike characters?<br />
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Well, there isn't a simple technique or a simple trick. Like everything else in writing, it's a process. Word by word, chapter by chapter, you build your character's personality and strengths, as well as weaknesses. But before your characters can come alive on the pages of your book, you need to be well acquainted with your characters before you ever type a single word.<br />
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I keep a cheat sheet for each of my characters. I do this during the plotting phase, but I do change or add to the cheat sheet as the story develops. On my cheat sheet, I list the following for each character:<br />
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<b>Main goal:</b><br />
<b>Motivated by:</b><br />
<b>Inner need:</b><br />
<b>Flaw blocking need:</b><br />
<b>Core trait:</b><br />
<b>Other good and bad traits:</b><br />
<b>Imperfections and quirks:</b><br />
<b>Dialogue style:</b><br />
<b>Age:</b><br />
<b>Occupation:</b><br />
<b>Appearance:</b><br />
<b>Relationships with others:</b><br />
<b>Catalyst:</b><br />
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I like how this list is prioritized: the focus is on the character's personality and not on their appearance. Unless the character's appearance is pivotal to the plot, (for example, if the hero can't get a date with the girl of his dreams because he has was born with two noses instead of one) a wise author would downplay external appearances and would focus on internal attributes instead. Why?<br />
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Think of the people in your life who are close to your heart: do you love them because of their appearance? Most likely, that answer is no. Yes, at first you may have been attracted to them because of their smile, their hair, their six pack abs, (I've never seen any in real life. I think they're a myth.) but the reasons for truly loving a person are much deeper that what's on the surface.<br />
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Great characters should have some of the following traits:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Selflessness:</b></span></span> your character should have interests other than their own pursuits and goals. Think of all the amazing conflicts that arise when a character has to choose between something they have always desired versus the love and acceptance of their family and friends. Selflessness is something your character might have to learn or strive to develop, but so long as your character doesn't start out as a narcissist, your readers will be glad to watch your character grow.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Compassion:</span></b></span> in order for your hero or heroine to be well liked, they need to show that they have a heart. Even (or especially) in their relationship with the antagonist, your hero should feel deep empathy to towards those who betray or otherwise cause harm. That empathy might stem from a need for acceptance, a remembrance of the person the antagonist was before they turned to the dark side, or even a weakness the antagonist has which the hero can see in himself. <br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">External calm</span></b></span> (even while they might be in the midst of a raging inner storm): this is simple. No one likes to be around a hot-head. Yes, we all blow our tops from time to time, and if your character does so, it should be uncharacteristic and rare, and followed by feelings of guilt from the character. If your character snaps and yells at his friends, his family, or his high school math teacher, it should be a pivotal plot-point, where your reader will see that the character is falling apart at the seams.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Diligence:</span></b></span> your character should be able to persevere though the toughest of challenges. They may have a moment where they simply can't take another step towards their fate, but they will eventually pull through. Before they reach that critical point, make certain you show that your character has was it takes to be a champion, even if they don't see it in themselves.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Vulnerability:</span></b></span> Unfortunately, we live in a world where people like to tear down those who are deemed too successful or too "perfect." If your characters come across as being exceptional in every way, your reader will not relate to them and will ultimately dislike them. Give your characters weaknesses: fears, insecurities, health problems, skeletons from their past. As a character works to overcome his or her weaknesses, your reader will feel a kinship with that character, since readers are working on overcoming their own weaknesses as well.<br />
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In reviewing my first novel, <i>The Seasons of Mae</i>, I am relieved to know I did something right: I gave my characters depth. However, the way in which I manifested each character's traits could have been improved.<br />
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Since your eyeballs are probably bleeding by now, and since characters are such an important topic that they warrant more than one post, I'll save my examples for how to give your characters more dimension next week. See ya then!Lori Folkmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12707165102926821045noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4583758561446276050.post-59453898023717099382013-06-27T06:30:00.000-07:002013-06-27T09:52:58.708-07:00Lesson 6: English as a First Language <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lkZKzflXgT2xDvnefAJyTp5WXhMt3ZPJmVKiiPVXLnH-ZbtqmALspOqLuLQb3fAyhs4Y7NIJvfWHqFjiOBgTpg2Qsw6Wtm1o6anJNw_AzTH2nSQQFyzVBO0qwuAzZIB0QHFfCMzpc0g/s1600/tools2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lkZKzflXgT2xDvnefAJyTp5WXhMt3ZPJmVKiiPVXLnH-ZbtqmALspOqLuLQb3fAyhs4Y7NIJvfWHqFjiOBgTpg2Qsw6Wtm1o6anJNw_AzTH2nSQQFyzVBO0qwuAzZIB0QHFfCMzpc0g/s320/tools2.jpg" width="320" /></a>You’re building a house! How exciting! You’ve interviewed
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The house he describes is your dream house! Then the first day of
construction arrives. You watch as your builder swings a hammer at a nail and he
misses EVERY SINGLE TIME.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see that
he doesn’t even have his hands firmly grasped around the hammer: he’s
holding it like it is covered with thorns. You
panic as you realize you have hired a builder who doesn’t know how to use his
tools. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Your dream house is going to be a nightmare. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What does this analogy have to do with writing? It has
EVERYTHING to do with writing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you want to become a published author, you have to learn
how to use the tools of the trade. WORDS are your tools, and if you don’t dot
your i’s and cross your t’s, you have no business writing. (Especially since
computers do the dotting and crossing for you. Duh.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The most important thing any writer can learn is this:
publishing is a BUSINESS. Writing a book is a heartfelt journey, and while an
author is emotionally attached to their creative endeavors, a publisher does
not look at your book with the same sentiment. The main question publishers
ask while reviewing a book on submission is “will people buy this book?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not going to go into details on what makes a book sellable, but every writer should know this: the competition is FIERCE. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even if you are self-publishing—wait: make that ESPECIALLY
if you are self-publishing—you need to make certain your book will stand out
above the millions of other books out there. So in addition to a complex plot
and likable characters, your prose needs to be polished. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The painful truth about my first novel is that not only did
I commit many writing sins (like telling, not showing and head hopping), my
grammar wasn’t very stellar either. I’ve spent countless hours over the years
reading books and websites about grammar, style and punctuation. And since I’m
Dory’s first cousin (at least I thought I was, but now I can’t remember) I have
to frequently refer to these same guides to double-check usage and rules. Lay
vs Lie might trip me up for the rest of my life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>But, the point is: my writing got gooder. I mean
better. Much better.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am blessed with a creative mind, so forming a complex plot
comes naturally to me. But mastering spelling, grammar and punctuation is
something I have to work for. The lesson to be learned from my own journey is
that<b> no matter what your writing weakness is, if you work hard enough,
you CAN overcome it! </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve heard people say the most important aspect of writing is an interesting story
and bad writing can be fixed by an editor. This is not true! If your words
are your tools, no one is ever going to look at your work if you show that you
don’t know how to properly form words into sentences and then form sentences
into paragraphs and then form paragraphs into pages and then … Sorry, my
fingers got away from me. They do that sometimes. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Want to see some awful examples from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Seasons of Mae?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">She was standing
behind “the ladies in waiting,” as Mae and Sara had begun to call the three
wealthy young ladies, Margaret, Beth and Lizzy, who had their backs to
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could hear that they were
conversing about someone in love.</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mae’s
curiosity got the best of her and she leaned in a little closer to see if she
knew whom they were talking about.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This sloppy section has a few obvious mistakes. “Was
standing” is passive. The pronoun “her” (and also “she”) refers back to Lizzy,
while the subject should still be Mae. The overabundance of commas in the first
sentence is also confusing. A better version would be:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mae stood behind
Margaret, Beth and Lizzy: three wealthy young ladies Mae and Sara had aptly
named the “ladies in waiting.” The young women were gossiping about a new
romance. Mae hated to eavesdrop, but curiosity got the best of her and she
leaned in closer.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now look at this one: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“You first,” he
said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mae breathed a heavy sigh, and
spilled the beans on her pretend fetish for Robert in attempts to rid herself
of his control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It was a huge mistake,
I should have never done it, but it was all I could think of.” </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s dialogue from two different speakers in one
paragraph—which can be done occasionally, but this is not the occasion. It is
confusing to the reader. And again, there are too many commas. There’s a boring cliche in there. And saying “breathed a heavy sigh” is too wordy for a simple, involuntary
act. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s also a sentence ending with
a preposition. This would be better:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“You first,” he said.</i></span></div>
<span style="color: #38761d;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mae sighed heavily and
then divulged her pseudo fetish with Robert for what it really was: a desperate
attempt to rid herself of his control. “It was a huge mistake,” she said. “I
know it was wrong, but it was my only chance.” </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are also many simple mistakes, like these ones:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">“Who’s farm is this?” she asked.</span> </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Whose</span> farm …)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red;">He tried to sell, but
no one was ever interested, so its been sitting here empty.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>(It has been)</div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="text-indent: 0in;">
I could go on for pages
with basic mistakes like improper word usage, spelling and contraction
mistakes, but I won’t. You guys all know how to fix those. But here’s one more
example of BAD writing:</div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: red;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mae looked at him puzzled, but he said nothing else and unlocked the
door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First off, if this is Mae’s POV, she doesn’t really know
what her face looks like—although she can guess. When I glare at someone, I can
assume I look mean, but I’m not going to say “I looked at him mean.” Which
brings up the second thing: saying she looked at him puzzled isn’t proper
English. Plus, t<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>his is one case where the reader deserves more. Rather than just saying a “puzzling expression,” the author can
elaborate. When describing actions in a particular character’s POV, rather than
saying what they look like, describe how the action feels to the character.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mae felt her eyebrows
furrow--even though she knew contorting her eyebrows in such a manner made her
look like a Neanderthal with a unibrow. He had to know she was beyond
curious, but he said nothing more as he unlocked the door. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Maybe you’ve been told by agents or critique partners that
your “writing isn’t quite there yet,” or maybe you can sense with your
inner-author intuition that your writing isn’t the best it can be, but don’t despair!
You CAN improve your writing. And do you know what? Every writer can improve
their writing—even authors who are successfully published. Life is about
continually learning, and writing is no exception. You won’t reach a point
where you think: "There, I’ve mastered the art of writing.” Your writing will
continue to evolve year after year. How? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Practicing. Write, write, write: especially if your are discouraged by rejections and harsh critiques.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Read. Yes! This includes grammar manuals! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have your work critiqued by honest people who are not
related to you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Critique the work of other budding authors. In fact, I think
doing online critiques of beginner’s novels helped me develop my craft more
than any other tool. Once you can recognize BAD writing, you know what pitfalls
to avoid. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You will get to the point where you can’t read a book
without having your internal editor turned on. (This can be annoying
sometimes!) When you reach that point, you will know that everything you have learned about grammar is
deeply imbedded in your brain and you will be able to write fluidly without being tripped
up by all the little (sometimes nonsensical) rules. This is when you know that
your writing is “there” and you have made the transition from “writer” to “author.” Congratulations! Let's celebrate with some cake ... </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUt6Nn6InJWTIBK4tH65bG5OmqfamsaiyzSTpGVLljAhHhMVTL1SN0R0L4LvhniOTwIEakVX2ISAiucSwtvJ-4xZAM0qAheau-kHtbdvOtCB4ENzvmppt5gsT9HmPZ00l4ZwUgC6DNXs/s1600/cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUt6Nn6InJWTIBK4tH65bG5OmqfamsaiyzSTpGVLljAhHhMVTL1SN0R0L4LvhniOTwIEakVX2ISAiucSwtvJ-4xZAM0qAheau-kHtbdvOtCB4ENzvmppt5gsT9HmPZ00l4ZwUgC6DNXs/s400/cake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Image via<a href="http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2010/5/27/drem-big-gjrads.html"> cakewrecks.com </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Lori Folkmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12707165102926821045noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4583758561446276050.post-53337058862389096402013-05-30T06:30:00.000-07:002014-05-14T15:21:02.488-07:00Lesson 5: Rev Up Your Search Engine<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLU5cidiWrRoYBZsVgy8Z4GlGjqzAKs-q2_Cb1T99_4Kq1vDvgN5IhD3SoirvMzrc8p-GNLvIkv8Fy9PV_KsNUwz0opsEgUfqJKKZ9tbh8cxSIpFU2hyphenhypheng7cZAJPKNPVjT4S4DEsNuNes/s1600/iron+man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLU5cidiWrRoYBZsVgy8Z4GlGjqzAKs-q2_Cb1T99_4Kq1vDvgN5IhD3SoirvMzrc8p-GNLvIkv8Fy9PV_KsNUwz0opsEgUfqJKKZ9tbh8cxSIpFU2hyphenhypheng7cZAJPKNPVjT4S4DEsNuNes/s320/iron+man.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a>We’ve all watched the Behind The Scenes footage at the end
of a DVD. Sometimes the footage can be just as long as the movie: especially if
there’s a lot of costuming and special effects. But we all know that the massive amounts of extra footage is just a tiny nutshell of what really
happened during the filming process. For every minute we see on-screen, there are thousands of man hours prepping for that scene. So it
should be with our writing. <b>Sometimes, the most important words are the ones that don’t
make it on the page</b>.
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Yes, I’m talking about <b>RESEARCH</b>!</div>
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For each book I write, I have a binder full of information. (Not women. Ha ha. Oh wait, that joke is too old? Sorry.) Each notebook is full of research on history, setting, and character development, including a very detailed character bio. Most of this information never makes it into the novel.
Remember how we <a href="http://lorifolkman-author.blogspot.com/2013/05/getting-dumped.html">talked about weaving</a>? All the research done for a novel should
be carefully disbursed throughout the novel, like leaving a trail of crumbs (preferably
chocolate cake crumbs, because those are always the best) for the reader.</div>
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I’ve currently been researching the Gilded Age and more specifically,
Newport, RI. In addition to reading non-fiction books about the locale and
time-period, I’ve been reading novels set in that time period as well. One modern novel I read used large chunks of description that, I kid you not, came straight
out of one of the non-fiction books. The description of the house in
the novel (an imaginary house) was almost the exact description of one of the
Vanderbilt mansions. I understand that the author wanted her readers to sense
the ornate world of the Gilded Age, but there are a few things wrong with letting
research (and in this case--near plagiarism) show up on pages of your manuscript.
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1. It shows a lack of creativity and originality.</div>
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2. It can make the author seem like a know it all</div>
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3. And related to #2: it makes the author visible on
her pages. It’s a form of <b>AUTHOR INTRUSION</b>. What is author intrusion? It’s any
time the reader is pulled out of the story and reminded that an author is
there, pulling the strings on each of her character puppets. <b>Don't be rude: never intrude</b>!</div>
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If research shows up on the pages of your novel, it’s going
to distract readers because it will be an <b>INFO DUMP</b> and it will likely
not be in the author’s voice. An oversimplified way to think of how to bring
your research to light is the Kid History videos. Children are retelling—in their
own voices—a story they have heard their parents talk about. As an author, you
will take little tidbits you have learned and disburse them throughout your
story in your own unique author voice. But remember: if it’s not information your
POV character would know, it should not be there. (Again, that’s<b> author
intrusion</b>.) </div>
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So far, I’ve given research a bad name. Let me clarify: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>research is NOT bad! On the contrary: it’s
crucial to your success as an author. Like I said in the first paragraph, just as much time—if not
more—should be spent researching before a single sentence is typed. If you are
writing a historical, this is especially important. You want your reader to
feel as if they are living in the same world your characters are, and this can
only be done if the author is <b>intimately</b> aware of the time period. For my last
novel, <i>The Reign of Trees</i>, I looked up thousands of words to make certain they
were in usage in the 1500’s. (Simple words like <i>billowy</i>) Most of them weren’t and needed to be replaced. An
author must be <b>meticulous</b> if she is going to immerse her reader in the story. </div>
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I wasn’t always so meticulous though. Several times in <i>The
Seasons of Mae</i>, it was obvious I didn’t do my research. For example, one
character mentions listening to Bach. This would imply listening to a
phonograph, but guess what? The phonograph wasn’t invented until 1877. My book
takes place in the early 1880’s in Montana. Do you think the phonograph would
have been in mass production in just a few years AND available to people who
lived beyond the edge of civilization? No, probably not. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWxuSpR_xkM4UPMewpj_ERW8PSJ1XE2wup8ry9wY_X9Ym12t1F2-5t1IZzM-42FS0BDWJBIY0GRIcdKZ5s6sBcYpw0X4GAJ9_vWYPeK8DmNFGxiA3tPCCzxuhueDJ7WVtD_BgPTl53Bk/s1600/muddy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWxuSpR_xkM4UPMewpj_ERW8PSJ1XE2wup8ry9wY_X9Ym12t1F2-5t1IZzM-42FS0BDWJBIY0GRIcdKZ5s6sBcYpw0X4GAJ9_vWYPeK8DmNFGxiA3tPCCzxuhueDJ7WVtD_BgPTl53Bk/s1600/muddy.jpg" /></a>Another mistake I made several times throughout the novel
was not understanding social decorum of the day. Unmarried men and women weren’t
allowed to fraternize without a chaperone, yet this happens frequently in <i>Mae</i>.
One scene that stands out under such circumstances involves a muddy road and a carriage
that becomes lodged in said mud. As the characters work to free the trapped
carriage, the male character, Reese, uses the backside of Mae’s dress to wipe
his muddy hands, and therefore leaving intentional muddy hand-prints, making
it look as if he had goosed her. Even if Reese is from backwards Montana, no
respectable 1880’s man would have ever done that to a woman, let alone to a
society debutant. Writing scenes that don’t fit in a particular time period make
an author (in this case, moi,) lose all credibility. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Research isn’t just for writers of historical fiction. Your
novel may be set in a place you’ve never been to,<b> </b>or have only visited once.
Make certain you spend hours studying the area, including using Google maps street
view so you can get a better feel for the area. I recently read a novella which
took place in Montana, and I happen to know a thing or two about Montana.
However, the author had not done enough research. She referred to our beloved University
of Montana as the UM. UM, that’s not right. It’s the U <i>of</i> M. Yes, readers will
be that nitpicky if you get your facts wrong! It’s your job to fact check
everything in your novel. <b>Get it right, or the readers won’t buy it!</b> </div>
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Before you write, make sure you READ, READ, READ. You should become completely immersed in the genre you are writing in
before you ever type a word. It is through prolific reading that <b>a writer
becomes an author. </b></div>
<br />Lori Folkmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12707165102926821045noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4583758561446276050.post-3760813935638309572013-05-23T06:30:00.000-07:002013-05-23T09:13:53.579-07:00Lesson 4: Over The Top Makes A Book Flop<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxNaMDrF8KECt8b7Ktv8XDTlj-70Vh752fAlizxgNjtwm_jDoDbIqxblcJGHBYq_tcFDF10FV2pD2HVcfqpwH_D6a25YCzr6jlKpmY0HLlGpDPdxeQKWTQODdYcvY-2VrxnYU0Fnl7YI/s1600/overacting1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxNaMDrF8KECt8b7Ktv8XDTlj-70Vh752fAlizxgNjtwm_jDoDbIqxblcJGHBYq_tcFDF10FV2pD2HVcfqpwH_D6a25YCzr6jlKpmY0HLlGpDPdxeQKWTQODdYcvY-2VrxnYU0Fnl7YI/s1600/overacting1.jpg" /></a>Last week, we related theatrical performances to writing as
a method to ensure that your characters are acting rather than being acted
upon. Let’s continue with that analogy for a while today, alrighty? </div>
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<br /></div>
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A stage actor has been taught to be animated. Their face
needs to look alive. They need to project. They need to sell their performance
to the audience. But some novice actors go a touch too far and instead of just
acting, they over-act. You’ve seen this before, right? While watching the performance,
you might hope the actor will turn it down a notch. If this actor has one of
the lead roles, you might get so annoyed with their OVERACTING that you can’t
wait to get out of the theater. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Oftentimes, novice writers do the same thing. <b>OVERWRITING</b> is
a symptom of writers trying to be more vivid with their writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If “showing, not telling” is the fundamental
language all writers need to learn,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>then
it is only natural that diligent, hardworking writers are going to try to do
just that and write prose that is meant to describe every scene to perfection. There’s
a key word in that last sentence. Do you know what it is? It’s TRY. </div>
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<br /></div>
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And sometimes when we TRY, it means something is not coming
naturally to us. Trying too hard in writing results in manuscripts that are
bogged down with flowery, superfluous prose which detracts from the storyline. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you feel like I’m contradicting what I said last week
about slowing down the pace of <i>The Seasons of Mae</i> to let the reader absorb the
lifestyle of the late 1800’s, I’m not! It IS confusing. But don’t worry:
filling your novel with just the right amount of imagery is possibly one of the
hardest tasks to master. </div>
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<br />
Last week’s good example of imagery was one small paragraph. Now
take a look at a bad example:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>The old wood floorboards creaked underneath the weight of
the sturdy rocking chair as Mae absentmindedly rocked back and forth. The
rhythmic rocking mimicked the perpetual beating of her heart, which she gave no
thought to either. It was the magnificent sunset which held her interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She watched as the vibrant orange clouds
mingled with the shockingly pink sky until they seemed to meld together like
paint on the palette of a skilled painter. It wasn’t until the sun had completely
fallen behind the tree-clad mountain that she remembered her surroundings. Her
arms were ripe with gooseflesh from the brisk nighttime air and a chill ran up
her spine as she heard the howl of a straggling coyote. She shouldn’t be out
here alone, but what choice did she have other than to keep her eye on the
lonely horizon until he finally came?</i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What stands out to you as you read that paragraph? It’s the
overabundance of <b>adjectives</b>, isn’t it? They are like little speed bumps along the
road to your plot. Picture yourself driving over a speed bump in a low-rider as
you read every adjective in that paragraph. Are you annoyed yet? Unless you are
aiming to annoy your readers, you’re going to need to plow down half of those
speed bumps. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Don’t get me wrong:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>adjectives are good! BUT! Like everything else in life, they should be
used in moderation. Take that first sentence for example: if the floor boards
are creaking, we can assume that the wood is old. That’s an easy elimination. Examine
your sentences carefully and <b>get rid of unneeded adjectives</b>. Also make sure the
adjectives you pick pack a punch. Rather than saying “she had shoulder-length blonde
hair” try something more descriptive by saying, “her flaxen hair rustled in the
wind like a wheat field just before the harvest.” (Hasty example, but you get
the idea.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of the best similes I’ve heard lately came from an
episode of <i>Psych</i>, when Shawn says, “My heart feels like wet toilet paper.”
Isn’t that the perfect description of a broken heart? Not only does it match
the character’s personality, it gives the viewer a vivid image to attach to how
Shawn is feeling. And notice how short that sentence is! See, you don’t always
need to be wordy to illustrate your point. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In addition to choosing powerful adjectives and nixing the rest,
oftentimes novice writers spend too long <b>dwelling on details</b>. I once read a
book where the author took an entire page to describe a waterfall. Yes, really.
We’ve all seen waterfalls before (well, maybe except for the people who live smack
dab in the middle of the Sahara Desert, but we’ll forget about them for now.)
so why would we need to waste so much time describing how water descends from mountain top to valley floor? Nor should we spend more than a few
sentences describing a character’s appearance—at least not all at once. Remember
to weave those details throughout your story. You wouldn’t notice every feature
on a person you have just met; your readers shouldn’t have to learn all those
details at once either. Pick your character’s most prominent feature to
describe first, and then later on, let your narrator notice how his hair curls
up at the nape of his neck after he’s spent the afternoon working in the yard.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Think of how you would feel if you ate the entire bag of
Oreo’s all at once. <b>It’s too much</b>! Relate this to your writing: you always
want to leave your reader wanting more. Waiting for that next clue. That next
piece of the puzzle the helps them see the plot you so meticulously planned.
Give them one yummy little morsel at a time in a clear, precise fashion and you’ll
have your readers <b>eating out of the palm of your hand</b>.
</div>
Lori Folkmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12707165102926821045noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4583758561446276050.post-57989041167399321782013-05-16T06:30:00.000-07:002013-05-16T07:56:15.815-07:00Lesson 3: What a Pace Case!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->Everyone moves at a different pace. Some people have endless energy. You know the type: they run marathons, serve on the PTA board,
bring meals to new mothers, and keep their family and house trendy and
spotless. (I say that with no jealousy whatsoever.) Then there’s the type who
enjoy a slower pace: the type who has a rocking chair on their front porch
where they sit to shell peas from their backyard garden. (I also say that with
no jealousy whatsoever.) The way each person lives at either breakneck speed or
lackadaisical ease isn’t something we should judge. One way is not better than
the other; they are merely different and unique to each life situation. <br />
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<br />
It is the same with a novel. There isn’t just one way to
pace a novel, as each novel is unique in its execution. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
A mystery or a thriller should have a <b>fast pace</b>. A character
in such a novel might have times where they are running for their life. A good author will leave her readers feeling breathless as well. This is achieved by staccato writing: meaning short, precise sentences. Now is
the time to tick-off English teachers everywhere, as you will use incomplete
sentences and sentences that start with conjunctions to create a sense of immediacy.
For example:</div>
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<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The door. She could
see the door. She had to make it inside. And fast. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
There isn’t a lot to think about in those sentences, making
it easier for the reader to become immersed in the story and feel the same panic
the character is experiencing. Most books in suspense genres aren’t very
detail oriented, as taking time to describe houses, food, flowers, etc, would detract
from the urgency of the storyline. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
However, historical novels are a place where greater
descriptions are appropriate. A historical novel does have a <b>slower pace</b>, as
the day-to-day life at that time was indeed slower. (Read that last sentence again.
It was SO profound!) In a historical, you want your reader to take time to absorb their surroundings. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Seasons of Mae</i>
is set in Bozeman, Montana in the 1880’s, and here is the scene where Mae sees
her surroundings for the first time:<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></i><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As they approached the mountains, the scenery
grew even lovelier. The large pine trees towered like stately statues guarding the
earth’s most precious treasure. The smell of the evergreens was medicine to
Mae’s soul. She closed her eyes, tipped her nose in the air and drew in a deep
breath, relishing the aroma. It had been ages since Mae had felt such inner
peace. Instantly, she had fallen in love with the Gallatin Valley.</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This passage is
slow, serene, and descriptive. It’s exactly what it needs to be at this point
in the novel. However, the general pace of the novel is off. Mae makes an impromptu, life-changing decision within the first 20 pages of the novel. When I wrote the
book, I never thought of Mae’s character as being rash and impulsive, but after
letting the book sit for a decade, I realize that is exactly how I have
portrayed her. In several instances, she reveals deep inner desires and personal
secrets with people who are practically strangers. After meeting someone once
or twice, she feels like they are family or like she has known them her entire
life. This isn’t really her true personality: it’s my own weakness as an
author. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In addition to allowing the characters to make hasty decisions and not giving them adequate time to develop relationships (one couple goes from strangers to secret lovers as the result of one conversation! This would have been highly unlikely during this time period, especially considering the proper upbringing of the characters.), I also didn't allow scenes to fully develop.</span></div>
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<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: red;"><b>Picture a balloon</b></span>. A few puffs of air and you have a toy that will instantly entertain a child. But if you spend a bit longer and sacrifice several more precious breaths, you can make the balloon bigger, more interesting, and a lot more fun. A word of warning though: just like a balloon can be overfilled and therefore pop, so can a story. Don't fill your story with unnecessary verbiage. Don't weigh your story down with TOO many details. You want your balloon to be just the right size. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In most of the
chapters of <i>Seasons of Mae</i>, I only skimmed the surface of each scene. Take this scene for example:</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“If he has enough
money in the bank, I dare say they don’t care what type of man he is,” Joseph
said harshly. </i></div>
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<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mae said that she was
surprised to hear Joseph saying such things, for it was usually she that
brought the conversation down a notch. She was worried that her bad example had
rubbed off on him, but he replied by saying how the focus of Alice’s courting
this past year had left a bad taste in his mouth.</i></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I don’t know why
that entire conversation wasn’t written out. Oh wait, yeah I do! It’s because I
was cheating my way through this novel. This example is just one of thousands,
making it obvious that I didn’t take the time to give details. And if the
author doesn’t take the time to build a solid scene, it will crumble.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlAYWNoJLkaGcZbv3IooSv8dc6yF9bJDe97b9BdN0plO2ur6UgDag6eertp_VEmzwruW_eJN-A5bn7rNtGrnHSqtOlkxorEJfKpIcRiANN0OWYOCj6Fj6XXQLbkqGnlm57MvyD0ddfCs/s1600/stage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlAYWNoJLkaGcZbv3IooSv8dc6yF9bJDe97b9BdN0plO2ur6UgDag6eertp_VEmzwruW_eJN-A5bn7rNtGrnHSqtOlkxorEJfKpIcRiANN0OWYOCj6Fj6XXQLbkqGnlm57MvyD0ddfCs/s1600/stage.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Think of each
scene like you are <b><span style="color: red;">watching a play</span></b>. If the scenery has changed since the last
chapter, we need to know that. We need to know if the lighting has changed:
indicating day or night, or possibly one character taking the spotlight for a
time. And then most importantly: dialogue. What is being said? What is <i>not
</i>being said, but is being implied through body language and sarcasm? Write all
of that down. If my book was a play, the actors would be standing on
stage, looking confused (twiddling their thumbs and possibly picking their
noses) and not acting. The narrator would be saying, “Mae did this and then
Joseph did this and then she decided to ….” Essentially, <b>the narrator has hijacked
the story</b>! </span></div>
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<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Your characters
have mouths: let them speak! It is through their words, their actions, and their thoughts—not
the narrators—that your reader will see what is happening on the stage you have built in their mind. You are the producer/director/writer of the production: it is your job to make certain your audience is </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">properly </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">entertained. Slow the story down enough to let them visualize what is happening on stage. Let them get to really know the characters. Pull them to the edge of their seats when necessary. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Don't cheat them, after all, they've paid for the best seat in the house. :)</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
Lori Folkmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12707165102926821045noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4583758561446276050.post-13495999299989827632013-05-09T08:46:00.000-07:002013-05-15T20:36:43.678-07:00Lesson 2: Getting Dumped <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What do you think of w</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">henever you hear the word "dumped?" Let me guess: it ain't pretty! Whether you are thinking of getting dumped by a beau or finding moldy cottage cheese in the back of the fridge that needs dumped out pronto, most usages for the word "dumped" carry a bad connotation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When it comes to
writing, you can give your readers this same unsavory sensation by telling them
too much information too soon. This is called the <b>INFO DUMP. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Look
at this passage from <i>The Seasons of Mae</i>, where she has just met her sister’s new man of the
hour:</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Robert Hales was in his late-twenties and had lived his
entire life in the lap of luxury. His father had risen from poverty and created
a very successful shipping business, first by steamboat and carriage, which
then gave him the opportunity to buy into the great railroad movement. Fortunes
were made overnight, and with the completion of the first transcontinental
railroad in 1869, a world of opportunities opened. The elder Mr. Hales was the
first to build transcontinental without being subsidized by the government.
Many thought he was crazy, but his great foresight paid off, and he reaped the
rewards. He eventually squashed the competition and owned most of the rail
lines in the west. Robert had the same business smarts and great foresight, and
was a great attribute to his father’s company. In addition the vast fortunes
Robert had already made for himself, he stood to inherit his father’s company
and wealth</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This sounds like it came right out
of a history book (guilty as charged! It DID come out of a history book, but was embellished slightly) and not out of the pages of a romance novel. Yes, the
information is pertinent to his character, but does the reader need to know all
of this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right now</i>? No. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you were to meet Robert, imagine
him shaking your hand and then saying, “I’m in my late twenties and I’ve lived
my entire life in the lap of luxury. My father rose from poverty and …” <b>blah
blah blah</b>. You would immediately tune him out and then you would glance around
the room, looking for a way to escape this boring “conversation.” If you want
your novel to feel authentic, each character’s introduction should be just like
meeting a real person. The reader should be given visual clues about his
persona. Mae noticed this about him as he entered the room: </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He was tall and
thin—obviously his delicate frame was not accustomed to hard labor.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">That
line right there—while far from perfect—gives just as much insight into
Robert’s character as does that long, boring paragraph from above. He’s a true
1880’s gentleman; meaning he’s not going to be built like John Cena. His body type shows us that he is wealthy; there is no need to go
into further details about his father’s business at this point (page 5!) in the
story. Those details can be woven in later on. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOPBLbf3Da8UHvqN7zHNh4geGNrBaeX42q0C4Lv1ER5qH5MiO1fsQmRlwlnw6aK3hA63fW4n-tKjykg9_Hl2Sdoi1zawCpEn2AukZb3FlrukG6RYMQj_WFg3TyZugrVfyR8CBy4M2gHeo/s1600/reversible-cross-stitch-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOPBLbf3Da8UHvqN7zHNh4geGNrBaeX42q0C4Lv1ER5qH5MiO1fsQmRlwlnw6aK3hA63fW4n-tKjykg9_Hl2Sdoi1zawCpEn2AukZb3FlrukG6RYMQj_WFg3TyZugrVfyR8CBy4M2gHeo/s1600/reversible-cross-stitch-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Speaking
of weaving, writing is much like sewing. Take cross-stitch for example: it has
a front and a back. Obviously, it’s the front side of the cross-stitch that is
meant for display, but that doesn’t mean that the backside doesn’t exist or
isn’t equally as important. But the backside is just for the seamstress to see.
It is where the work of sewing is hidden away—the anchors, the knots and the places where the seamstress jumps with the thread from one detail to the next. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
is the same with a novel. The author needs to know every last detail about his
or her characters. Quirks, weaknesses, strengths, habits, backstory—that
information should be written in your character bible, but it should not be
written in such a straightforward manner for your readers to see. Those are
your knots and long stitches on the backside of your pages. You don’t want
those facts to be seen! They should be woven—one little thread at a time—into
your story. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">How
would we know that Robert is the heir to a powerful railroad tycoon? While that tiny tidbit of information could be given, the rest of his backstory should be omitted.
Instead, I should have shown the incredible respect Robert received at any
public local. People from the working class would cower when in Robert’s
presence. People from the upper crust would fawn over him, especially if they
had an unmarried daughter. Robert’s power and influence should be given to the
reader through a series of exchanges of dialogue whenever Robert is in a scene.
Other hints can be given, like seeing his surname name written on the sidecar of
a freight train. <b>Show</b> the reader who the character is, rather than <b>telling</b> the
reader who the character is supposed to be. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Remember the old proverb: <b>ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS</b>. Make your characters <b>ACT</b>. That is how your story will come to <b>LIFE</b>. </span></div>
Lori Folkmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12707165102926821045noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4583758561446276050.post-62632122900710755722013-05-02T08:32:00.000-07:002013-05-02T08:32:53.619-07:00Lesson 1: Don't Get A Head Of Yourself <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
there is one thing that will easily identify a writer as a novice, it’s head
hopping. What is head hopping? It’s switching from one point of view to another
within the same section, or even worse: within the same paragraph.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> For
example:</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dinner was served on the finest china, with a full staff of
servants attending. Mrs. Davies couldn’t have been more thrilled, as the food
was delicious and the setting perfect. Even the prince of the mighty
Northwestern Railroad dynasty was impressed and pleased.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">First, we experience the
dinner from the hostesses point of view, and then we switch to the point of
view of the distinguished guest, Mr. Hales. While this one instance may seem
insignificant, after pages of head hopping, the reader will feel like they are
reading a book while riding a merry-go-round. (That means head hopping is
dizzying, just in case you missed the metaphor.) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To use an over-exaggerated
comparison, let’s say omniscient POV is like social media. Every minute, thousands
of thoughts (I can’t be sure exactly how many thoughts, but it might be
somewhere in the kabillion range) are sent out into the interwebs. Can you
read/process every one? No. Would you want to? Heavens no. You don’t really
care that Suzy Somebody thinks Fluff-n-Stuff is the best Laundromat to use
when visiting Wichita, do you? In order to sift through the overabundance of
information, you focus on those you find the most interesting, or those with
whom you are the most invested. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Authors must keep this in mind as
they write. Always ask: <b>Which characters do I want the reader to bond with?
Which characters have the most to lose? </b>–These are your POV characters.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now that you have established which
characters are your POV characters, all other character’s heads should be
closed; their thoughts hidden. Certainly, the reader can guess what other characters
are thinking based on behavior and expressions, but the reader should not be
<b>TOLD</b> minor character’s thoughts. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Oh hey—did you see that word I used
in that last sentence? <b>TOLD</b>. One of the biggest downfalls of the omniscient POV
is that the author uses thoughts to <b>TELL</b> us what is happening rather than
showing us. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In this particular scene, a fight
has broken out between two characters. At first, we are in Reese’s head:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Reese jumped at Robert with all his force and began swinging
his fists, not aiming at any body part in particular. A group of men had
gathered outside and several of them pulled Reese off of the dazed Robert. </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
then we head hop into Robert’s POV:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thankfully for
Robert, the alcohol had numbed his sensations and he wasn’t aware of how hard
he had been hit, although he would feel it double-fold in the morning.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We’ve just been <b>TOLD</b> about Robert’s
injuries rather than seeing them. Imagine this instead:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Robert let out a devious chuckle and his breath filled the
air with the pungent smell of whiskey. It was obvious that the alcohol had
numbed his senses, as any other man with an eye that had instantly swollen shut
would be writhing in pain.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>SEE</b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>the difference? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Another downside of omniscient is
that the author is not able to hide secrets from the reader. Why does a novel
need good secrets? Because it’s what keeps the reader turning the pages. Look
at this passage:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Your</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> letters portray an entirely
different person. Either you are a Dr. Jeckal & Mr. Hyde, or you are not the
author of your love sonnets,” Mae said.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I will omit the next paragraph where
the accused, Robert, acts offended and lashes out at Mae for her allegation.
But then, we learn this in the very next paragraph:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What Mae didn’t realize was that Robert was on the defense
against her remark; he <b><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">had</span></b>
hired someone to write love letters for him. Several years ago, he hired a
young and promising poet to write lyrics. Robert constantly kept the small notebook
with him, as it was filled with verses of love and adoration. Whenever Robert
needed to enchant a young lady, he referred to this book and merely changed a
few words and phrases to fit the female. </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If Mae is going to get duped by
Robert’s sycophantic words, shouldn’t the reader get duped as well? The reader
will feel more attached if she gets to experience the same emotions as Mae.
Another risk of giving away too much information is that the reader can
actually turn against your main character and find them ignorant and foolish.
You want your readers to be sympathetic, and this is best accomplished with
an intimate emotional connection between the reader and the character. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Instead of the author (in this case,
the much younger, much more armatureish me) divulging Robert’s secret, imagine
if Mae falls for Robert’s wiliness, but then later in the story reads a poem
written by that aforementioned young poet—who is unknown to her—and finds the
very same verses that had once been written for her in Robert’s hand? After
experiencing a growing attachment to Robert, she would now feel betrayed, used,
and foolish. The reader will sympathize with her and her hatred for Robert,
rather than just thinking, “What a lame-o! Mae should have known better than to
get jiggy for a playa!” (Although, if that is how your reader thinks, maybe she
is reading the wrong genre. She probably thought your book was a how-to guide for
getting more hits on her dating profile.) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">While
omniscient POV is mostly associated with the classics, there are some modern
authors who use this style successfully. If you like reading omniscient, you
may like writing it as well. That is fine. Don’t let anyone tell you which POV
you can or can’t use. But! Be aware of the pitfalls of omniscient before
deciding if it is the right POV for your novel. If you use omniscient, do it
with purpose and do it right—meaning to only include the thoughts of those
characters who really matter, changing POV’s only after a section break. Infuse
your story with rich imagery rather than telling them what everyone is thinking. Give your readers reason to keep reading. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
Lori Folkmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12707165102926821045noreply@blogger.com2