Word Witch Wednesday - hooray for Story Genius

I'm starting off the year reading an incredible book on writing from Lisa Cron called Story Genius. I don't think I've ever been this excited about a book on the craft. While other ones have inspired me, Cron has opened my eyes and changed how I write for the better.

It's difficult to find a book on writing for pantsers. Most are for plotters, and many insist that pantsers will never be able to write good stories. This raises my hackles. Comments like that will make me put a book down and never pick it up again. One of my idols, Stephen King, is a pantser. A fact I delightfully discovered only recently.

When I write, I have the protagonist already forming in my mind. I know where the story starts and where I want it to go. How it gets there is always a surprise, but I love it. I write organically. The opening event happens, and it all flows from there. Action, reaction. Consequence, reaction. Action, reaction. Consequence, reaction. The story drives itself for me that way.

So how does Cron's book help me when I just let it flow like that? She bases her book on neuroscience. Of course that interested me in itself, but when she explained stories with science, it clicked with me. It's not beautiful prose or a clever plot that makes for a good story (though those things are the cherries on top), it's how the story connects to the readers emotionally. More particularly, how the protagonist connects to the readers emotionally.

There are no detailed character bios or elaborate plotting to be done in Cron's exercises. She helps bring you to the core of your story with the essential elements that make up your protagonist.

I did this with my current trilogy and totally blew myself away. I discovered what drives my story. It was the core of my story all along! No wonder my protagonist gives me trouble. She was fighting it and I was fighting it. But now I know how to write it so it's a specific internal conflict instead of something I knew was there, but couldn't properly get on the screen.

I want to rattle on and on, but you'll just have to read the book for yourself. I highly recommend it.

Have you read any of Cron's books? Is there a book on writing that has affected you this way?

P.S. I'm so excited that in February, Lisa Cron will be writing a short article for the IWSG newsletter. If you haven't signed up for the newsletter, click here. You don't want to miss it!

And don't forget that next week is the #IWSGPit. Polish up your manuscript pitches! It's a great opportunity and free for all writers. I'll see you then!

#IWSG for March 2017

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is the brilliant idea of Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the group is to share doubts and insecurities and to encourage one another. Please visit the other participants and share your support. A kind word goes a long way.

This month's awesome co-hosts are: Tamara Narayan, Patsy Collins, M.J. Fifield, and Nicohle Christopherson!

IWSG Question of the Month: Have you ever pulled out a really old story and reworked it? Did it work out?

I keep all my old stories. On occasion, I'll go back and read one, and most of the time I come away laughing or stunned. It is shocking how far I've come writing-wise. Some of those old ones are really, REALLY bad. But I keep them around just in case I ever do want to rewrite one or take an idea from it for something else.

I have one character that has been with me for over a decade. I wrote a trilogy for her many years ago and queried agents with it. I had no idea how to market myself properly, and so it didn't get picked up. Plus the writing was not as strong as it could have been.

This character would not leave my head. A few years ago, I started to rewrite the trilogy. I couldn't get it right. I tried a half dozen different beginnings, but nothing was clicking. So I pushed it aside again.

She's still with me. I have a new idea for her. One I think will work. She'll have to get into the queue with my other stories, though. Yet I believe she's strong enough to wait around. Maybe not quite so patient, but she's going to make certain I write her story eventually!

What makes a good flash fiction piece? - guest post by Juneta Key

I'm excited to be swapping posts with the awesome Juneta Key today. Please enjoy her excellent article about flash fiction, and hop on over to her blog to get a peek into my home and find out the little everyday things which helped inspire the Totem series.

 

Thank you so much, Christine, for inviting me to guest post on your blog today and post swap. You ask me.

What makes a good flash fiction piece?

To answer that question, we need to understand what flash fiction is about. It is a short story under 1000 words, generally right at or around 500 words. Flash fiction is the length of one short scene with emotional IMPACT using shocks, twists, irony, OR something deeply meaningful to end it.

Anything less than 500 that is Micro Fiction, which has several sub-categories, or anything more than 1000 words which would still be considered a short story, not flash fiction. The purpose of micro fiction is to express interesting ideas or tell a brief story in as few words as possible differing it from flash which depicts a scene or a “moment or realization” in the life of your character.

• Flash fiction should possess all the qualities of story and scenes with the presentation of character with one problem. (hook & inciting incident)
• At least 1 or 2 possibly conflicts to carry the story forward. (action) (brevity)
• And a brief ending, creating an overall satisfying capsule of the story. The short word limit only has room to capture a meaningful or powerful moment in the character’s life.

Flash fiction should give the reader some satisfaction with its ending. The more complete and self-contained the story the better.

• I try to create a “semblance” of the 3-arc structure when I write flash fiction keeping it loose with word limits.
• One or two descriptive words for character e.g. nervous typist, sarcastic officer, disillusion magician
• One or two descriptive words for setting, e.g. windy sidewalk = city, snowy incline = anything from hill to Everest or ski resort, sweltering heat = anything from the beach to desert, rolling hills = countryside/farmland. The setting can be woven into the conflict with descriptive words. (middle)

The key is to weave in descriptive and action words to create emotion, forward action, intriguing and interesting conclusions. Flash is so brief the most you hope for is to evoke emotion in the reader or leave questions and possibilities.

• Remember conflict= action taken, has consequence for the character: It is not just a sequence of unrelated events.

Make the character responsible for his choices and actions.

• Action = reaction BUT conflict has real consequence for the character to deal with or accept, a lot of times with compounding effects.

I prefer flash fiction that engages me, evocates reaction, thought, curiosity, irony, and/or the shock factor. 

The shock factor must be meaningful, or I won’t read that author again.  It must intrigue or raise a question, not make me feel bad or disappointed.  It must be consistent with the tone of the story.

StorytimeBlog Hop flash fiction by several different authors in 2015 & 2016

Dragon Smoke & Wind by Karen Lynn (This one is one of my favorite from July 2016 blog hop.

 

Effigy Blog Tour - guest post by M.J. Fifield

Joss Is Boss

This post will contain spoilers.

There's a little known fact about me that I am completely and irrevocably obsessed with writer/director/demi-god Joss Whedon.

I first became aware of His Glorious Magnificence back in 1998 when I tuned in to my very first episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. It was the season three premiere, Anne. That's the one where Buffy has run away from Sunnydale and is waiting tables in Los Angeles. There's a scene toward the end of the episode (written and directed by Joss Whedon) where Buffy battling a seemingly endless onslaught of goons pauses on a platform, weapon in hand, and glances behind her to her left. (It's the shot that closes out the opening credits through season six.) It looked so bad ass that I was immediately in love with both the show and its creator.

I haven't looked back since.

I love what Joss does with character. There's always a lot of talk about the strong, female characters he creates Buffy, Willow, Echo, Fred, Kaylee, River, Zoe, just to name a few and all of it is well-deserved, but the bottom line is that he creates amazing characters period, regardless of gender. We love Mal and Giles, Xander, Topher and the man they call Jayne. Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog saw audiences rooting for a character named Dr. Horrible whose ambition is to join the Evil League of Evil.

I also adore what Joss does with story. I love how in a 43-minute span, he can make you laugh and then cry all the tears in all the world. He will go for the jugular, and you still will beg him to hurt you just a little bit more (Name! That! Reference!). 

Look at "A Hole In The World," a fifth season episode of Angel also written and directed by Joss. The episode starts off with a funny debate over who would win in a fight - astronauts or cavemen - that continues to pop up at random moments during the episode, but before you know it, Joss has ripped out your heart and stomped on it right in front of you when he kills Winifred 'Fred' Burkle. The last line of the debate? A dying Fred saying, "Cavemen win. Of course the cavemen win."

There's also Wash and Book from Firefly, Phil Coulson in The Avengers, and Penny from Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog. People make a lot of jokes about Joss killing off characters, but what it all comes down to is that Joss will always do what needs to be done for the best interests of the story, and that is exactly the philosophy I want to employ in my writing.

Thank you all for stopping by, and thank you, Christine, for hosting me today!

The survival of a once-mighty kingdom rests in the hands of its young queen, Haleine Coile?in, as it slowly succumbs to an ancient evil fueled by her husband's cruelty.

A sadistic man with a talent for torture and a taste for murder, he is determined to burn the land and all souls within. Haleine is determined to save her kindgom and, after a chance encounter, joins forces with the leader of the people's rebellion. She gives him her support, soon followed by her heart.

Loving him is inadvertent but becomes as natural and necessary as breathing. She lies and steals on his behalf, doing anything she can to further their cause. She compromises beliefs held all her life, for what life will exist if evil prevails?

Her journey leads to a deceiving world of magic, monsters, and gods she never believed existed outside of myth. The deeper she goes, the more her soul is stripped away, but she continues on, desperate to see her quest complete. If she can bring her husband to ruin and save her people, any sacrifice is worth the price?even if it means her life.

Available at Amazon~Amazon UK~CreateSpace

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About the Author:

Armed with a lasting love of chocolate, purple pens, and medieval weaponry, M.J. Fifield is nothing if not a uniquely supplied insomniac. When she isn't writing, she's on the hunt for oversizedbaked goods or shiny new daggers. M.J. lives with a variety of furry creatures - mostly pets - in New Hampshire. Visit her online at mjfifield.com.

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Wicked Wednesday - romance isn't all flowers and chocolates

With Valentine's Day two days away, I've been seeing and hearing all sorts of commercials for florists, jewelers, and fancy chocolates. I shake my head and sigh. Is this what romance is built upon? Okay, I'm a chocolate lover, but they're not romantic in my eyes even if they come in a gigantic heart-shaped box. Most people I know agree that true romance is not represented by the stereotypes of Valentine's Day.

You need to consider this when writing romance. Are your characters traditional romantics? Or does something different sweep them off their feet? Find what romance is to your characters and you've discovered the core of their being.

It could be something silly she collects or tickets to a sporting game she enjoys. BUT most of the time it isn't about physical things. It's about actions, morals, and emotions. A dedication to family, the will to never break one's beliefs no matter what the enemy does to him, selfless acts, and loving someone for who she is no matter all her crazy little quirks.

For me, romance lives in the times my husband and I stay up late talking and laughing about silly things, and the moments we sit quietly in each other's company. Walks in the woods holding hands. When he stays home instead of going to do something he really wanted to do and takes care of our son so I can have a nap. A smile and a wink that still makes my stomach quiver even after 15 years.

What is romance to you?

Wicked Wednesday - writing that first paragraph

It might seem like a lot of pressure... Okay, there is a lot of pressure on writers to hook the reader in with the first paragraph. Most readers need to feel an immediate interest in the protagonist and his/her story. It's a tricky feat to accomplish and even trickier to do so with paranormal romance. The stakes are raised because the reader is expecting something apart from the ordinary.

The first sentence needs to have a hook. Use humor or a surprising fact about the protagonist or his/her world. Keep it short and snappy.

Make sure your protagonist has a unique voice. Paranormal romance gives you a lot of room to create amazing characters. They do have to be human enough for the reader to relate to, but just a little tweak to the ordinary can go a long way. Also, keep in mind, something way outside the norm can turn the reader off.

Introducing danger immediately is an excellent way to hook a reader in. Paranormal romances tend to be fast paced and full of action. The tension and immediacy will set your reader on the edge of their seat.

Set the tone of your novel. A few shocking words can take the story a long way. Make it intriguing and quietly raise the questions your novel will address.

Three wonderful examples:
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
Fallen by Lauren Kate

What are some of your favorite first paragraphs?

Please check out my interview with science-fiction romance author Aubrie Dionne and comment for a chance to win a copy of A Hero Rising. You still have two days to enter!

Favorite Character Blogfest

Thank you to Laura Josephsen for hosting this great blogfest. It's so much fun! Here are the rules:

1. Decide which of your characters you'd like to introduce everyone to, and choose a snippet about this character (preferably no more than 200 words) to share about this character. 

2. Between January 23-25, tell us who your favorite character you've written is and why, and post your snippet.

3. Hop around to other participants to check out their favorite characters and a bit of their story.

The lovely Melanie Billings, Acquisitions Editor at Whiskey Creek Press, has graciously offered to supply critiques as prizes! Winners will be drawn from the list of active participants after midnight on the 25th and announced on my blog on the 26th.

1st Prize: critique of first 15 pages of your manuscript, an e-book copy of my book, Confessions from the Realm of the Underworld (Also Known as High School) and an ARC e-copy of my next book, Rising Book 1: Resistance (upcoming publication in February 2012).

2nd Prize: critique of first 10 pages of your manuscript and an e-book copy of Confessions from the Realm of the Underworld (Also Known as High School).

3rd Prize: critique of first 5 pages of your manuscript.

Here's my entry: 

My favorite character is Magena Silver, celebrity therapist and witch. She's the protagonist in Witch' s First Rule (the first book in a paranormal romance trilogy). Magena is intelligent, sexy, and career-minded.  Imagine a 30-year-old Catherine Zeta-Jones in professional clothes tailored to hug her lovely curves. She gives her clients love potions to re-ignite their passion and boost her success rating. Nothing is going to get in the way of getting what she wants. Not even love. Well, nothing gets in the way until she gives a love potion to the wrong people, her life is threatened, and she meets a gorgeous man who can feel her powerful emotions behind her cool therapist mask.

I don't want to hurt the feelings of my other characters, but Magena's been with me for a long time. I love to write strong women. Not just physical or supernatural strength, but ones with an iron will and clear mind. Magena knows what she wants and how to achieve her goals. She is determined and aggressive in all areas of her life. Underneath that strength, she's hiding herself from love. She's afraid of being seen as weak. I like writing a protagonist who seemingly has her act together, but her hidden flaws are massive. Part of the challenge for me is coming up with a story that can unveil those flaws and make her face them.

Here's a snippet from Witch's First Rule:

“Yes, I have-” Nathan cut himself off and looked at her. “He sent you blood? Whose blood?”

“You're just here to supervise. If Mr. Knox didn't tell you, you don't need to know.” Magena kept her eyes upon the road. A smirk played over her lips.

“What are you using it for? I know you're a witch. He did mention that much.”

“I'm making a potion,” she replied with a small shrug.

Nathan reached into one of his pockets and took out a tiny red vial. He held it up and asked his question again. “Whose blood is it and what sort of potion are you making?”

She smirked and made a left turn into her neighborhood. “Are you worried it's your blood?”

“F*ck, yes!” He opened the window and stuck his hand out with the vial in it. “Tell me whose blood it is or I'll drop it.”

“No, you won't.”

He shook the vial, letting it dangle from his fingers. “I'll drop it.”

Magena glanced at him, wearing the calm expression she put on her for clients. “You won't drop it because then you'll have to explain to Mr. Knox what happened to the most important component of the elixir. I don't know how easy it was for him to obtain it, but I'm sure he would not be pleased at all.”