Cover Reveal Kate Evangelista's TASTE

We have been on a blogging hiatus but I popped back in to reveal a new book...

TASTE by Kate Evangelista

Source: Goodreads.com

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

Add TASTE to your To Be Read List.

Writing 101: Page Critique - Emberchyld

Every Thursday the Writing 101 crew, Michael and Lauren, will critique a page from a novel. If you'd like your page critiqued, please fill out the Writing 101: Page Critique Form. Read the previous submission.

First we present the page without comment:

Author: Emberchyld
Title: The Desired
Genre: YA Paranormal
1st Page (242 words)


“You are so important, Sara. To me and to the world,” He whispered, as the sky above us flamed in a lightshow unlike any I’ve ever seen.

No one ever told me that my world would end in a medieval castle halfway around the world from my parents, my school, and my best friend.

No one ever told me that I’d have to choose between two people who I loved—and that my choice would probably mean life and death.

No one had told me that my life would be anything but normal, that the summer before my senior year would be anything more than a tan, a few great photographs, and a lot of good memories.

No one told me that I would be the one who had to save the world.

I wish they had. I would totally have slept in this morning.

Chapter 1
The summer before my eighteenth birthday was supposed to be quiet and normal. Well, about as normal as a summer can be when you’re shipped off to hang out on your grandparents’ farm in Europe while the rest of your classmates get to go to the shore or Philly or Florida. But, still, I wasn’t expecting anything special. Jog every morning, take a few photos for my blog, prep some of my college applications, drink lots of espressos at the local internet café.

Yeah, things never seem to turn out the way that you want.

What say you, readers of Paper Hangover? Did this first page intrigue you enough to read on? Please keep your criticisms constructive. Always be polite and considerate of the writer. Michael's and Lauren's line by line edits and then our overall comments, after the jump.

Writing 101: Page Critique - Ciara

Every Thursday the Writing 101 crew, Michael and Lauren, will critique a page from a novel. If you'd like your page critiqued, please fill out the Writing 101: Page Critique Form.

Congratulations to Ciara for being our very first page critique. First we present the page without comment:

Author: Ciara
Title: Untitled
Genre: Contemporary YA
1st Page (273 words)

I’m pretty sure my sister had decided to become a pagan or a Baptist or something before she off’d herself so I don’t know why we were having a Catholic funeral. I don’t believe in hell and she didn’t either, obviously, but I wonder when I see all these sad puffy eyed faces how many of them believe she’s burning now. Everyone says with their wringing hands that it’s such a waste but how long would she have to stay miserable to satisfy them? Maybe they only remember how she used to be before she got lost.

Our house is empty now of all the sombre tourist mourners paying to gape at our tragedy with their thoughtful lasagnes and endless pots of coffee. The ghost of condolences and morbid curiosity is hanging in the air on their stale cigarette smoke. But we’re alone now in this house separated by the gulf of our secret thoughts. Every day since she died has been leading up to the funeral and now that it’s all over I don’t know what we’re supposed to do. I don’t know if I’m allowed to go back in our room. My stomach turns over remembering how I used to wail about the unfairness of having to share a room with someone who would try to make my bed while I was sleeping in it and wave my own dirty socks in my face as proof that I never pick up after myself. I’ve been sleeping on the sofa since she died and no one has told me to go to bed so I guess that means I’m not supposed to.

What say you, readers of Paper Hangover? Did this first page intrigue you enough to read on? Please keep your criticisms constructive. Always be polite and considerate of the writer.

Michael's and Lauren's red line edits and then our overall comments after the jump.

The Goldilocks Zone

Today's post is about balancing description in your narrative. You don’t want too much description, or not enough description. You want to find that infamous Goldilocks Zone where the amount of description is just right.

Incorporate All the Senses

You've probably heard this one a gazillion times. That's because it works. 

Using any other sense besides sight makes a huge difference in narrative because sight is the sense most of us rely on most frequently. It's useful and necessary, but kinda boring.

The addition of sound, touch, smell and taste enhances the reader experience because those senses are used less frequently, making them stand out more.

Try to include as many senses as you can, but only the ones most important to the thing you are describing. It isn't necessary to use all the senses in every given scene.

How do you know which senses are most important? See the next item directly below.

Zoom In On Unique/Contrasting Details

• A mouse the size of an elephant
• An elephant the size of a mouse
• A wagon shaped like a rocket
• A cave that smells like laundry detergent
• Roses that smell sour
• A car wreck that sounded like guitar strings snapping
• An ice cube that burns
• Salty ice cream

Not all of your descriptions will be as contrasting as those examples, but the key is to find something so specific about the thing you’re describing that the image implants into the readers head and they begin to experience the story first-hand.

Pick one or two things that stand out in your setting or characters and describe that in great detail. (See, “Description Length”)

Filter Description Through the POV Character

When the POV character directly conveys how they feel about the sight/smell/sound/etc. they are experiencing, it makes the description more entertaining for the reader. Simple as that.

People read encyclopedias when they want a list of facts. People read stories because they want to become immersed in a world outside of their own.

Revise that info dump until it feels like something the POV character would actually think about or say in that moment. Show their personality. Express who they are on the surface and at their core. It will bring your story to life.

Skip the Mundane

We live in an age where the world is literally at our fingertips. There are some things that just don’t require much explaining in fiction. Some things are universal enough that you can mention them without going into a lot of detail about it.

You always need to set the scene, and some description is always required, but a hospital is a hospital, a church is a church, and a school is a school no matter where you go.

Of course, not all hospitals, churches or schools look exactly the same as one another. They come in all different sizes and depending on where you are in the world, they will vary in numerous other ways. Those will be the unique details you pick out to describe your specific setting.

Beyond that, readers will imagine the kind of setting that’s most familiar to them. When we read a story set inside a school for instance, we tend to imagine the school we used to attend or the school we send our children to. We imagine the hospital where we go to see our personal physician, and the church we were baptized in, etc.

Only if there is something unique about the setting as described in the story we’re reading do we begin to see a different image in our minds.

For instance, the school may be described in the story as being held in a castle with lots of secret passageways, the professors are wizards, and ghosts frequently roam the halls. (See: “Zoom In On Unique/Contrasting Details.” Also, Harry Potter.)

Description Length

It’s not the size of the boat. It’s the motion in the ocean.

Sometimes you’ll need a paragraph or more to describe something. Other times you’ll need just a sentence or two. Fantasy writers, for instance, usually need to include more description than thriller writers because of the various new concepts that are introduced in a fantastical setting.

The Goldilocks Zone is what you make it. Everyone has their own tolerance level when it comes to description. Some readers require more description than other readers do. Each individual reader will bring his or her own preferences to your story, and there’s no way to anticipate that.

Utilizing the techniques above have helped me stay within a general safe zone.

Writing 101: How To Write a Banned Book

In honor of Banned Books week, this Writing 101 post is a joint effort from both Michael and Lauren. We’ve put together some fun tips to help you write a banned book. So, fasten your seat belts, make sure your seat is in the upright position and place your tongue firmly in your cheek. It’s going down.





1. The material was considered to be "sexually explicit".

You ever heard the phrase sex sells? Well, sex also gets your book banned. The number one thing to include in your potentially banned book is “sexually explicit material”. That's not as vague a term as it sounds.


We all know that sex doesn't happen in real life. Authors make it up. It’s common knowledge that the stork brought us all here...unless you believe in other alternative theories...

There's no reason to ever include sexually explicit material in a book unless you want your book banned.


Dear author, if you want to get your book banned by the powers that be, you can’t be afraid to get down in dirty in your fiction. The key here is details, details, details. You want to include every bump and every grind. The act should go on for pages, maybe even the entire book. Go crazy. Then go crazier!


And while you’re sexing it up, consider giving readers a double wammy and hit'em with some homosexuality.

Caution: Never include anything homophobic or anti-gay because your book will never attain banned books status. We checked. (“We” being highly skilled journalists and thorough investigators of such things.)




2. The material contained "offensive language".


Have your main character and people around them swear a great deal. Real teenagers are not exposed to such depravity in their day to day lives, so the appearance of such in fiction is bound to exert a bad influence on them. Soon they will be swearing with abandon and parents nationwide will cry for the censorship of your work.


But wait, it gets better. As you well know by now, including sexual violence in your book is a surefire way to raise hackles. But if you want to really guarantee bannination, there’s one more step you can take: give that violence a name. 

Oh, yes, you know what I’m talking about. The r-word. Alright, sometimes teens get assaulted--but they definitely shouldn’t know the proper name for it! That’s just vile. Someone might read a book, stumble across that dangerous and disgusting r-word, and decide they want to try it out for themselves. Worse still, reading a book like Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson might encourage teens to, well, speak up for themselves about their own experiences. Make teens rock the boat, get your book banned. Easy.




3. The materials was "unsuited to any age group".

Your potentially banned book should be unsuited to any age group. But how exactly do you write a book that’s unsuitable for any age group? Very easy. If your book should never have been written in the first place, you’re on the right track. If that's what you have in your sock drawer, polish up that story now and get it into the first library on your block. They will be sure to ban your book for its unsuitableness.


If you haven’t written something like this yet, here’s how you do it: first you must use each and every one of the the tips in this award winning article. But you must go even further than that. You must offend your readers with every chapter, every paragraph, every sentence, every word. Shoot for a masterpiece that is entirely unreadable by any one.




4. The material was written in 1995.


According to the ALA's chart, 1995 was the year that most books were challenged/banned since they’ve been keeping track of such vital information.


Here’s what you need to do, Biff. Wait for Doc and Marty to go rescue Jennifer. Then steal the DeLorean! Make like a tree and get your ban worthy book to 1995! Tell your younger self about how crappy the future is because of climate change and that he/you should invest in Apple products.


Wait. I mean, give your younger self the banned book you’ve already written and tell him to publish it as the eBook. He’s going to say that no one reads eBooks to which you’ll respond, “Do it, Butthead! I’m from the freakin’ future.”


Hopefully, when you come Back to the Future you’ll be able to look back on your historic banned book that, by its very existence, has created an alternate reality where you’re the king of like banned books or whatever. You’ll also be married to Lorraine and have shot and murdered George McFly, and climate change will still be a reality. At least, you invested in Apple!

“Last week I was in my other, other Benz.”

5. The material contained “violence”.


Teens live really peaceful lives and are unfamiliar with the concept of violence, except for what they see on the news, TV and movies, video games, at home, at school, and on the street. The point is, it’s important to shelter them from it in fiction. Adults don’t want them to get any ideas or, god forbid, see their personal experiences reflected in what they read. Wait, I mean, what personal experiences? I think we’ve established that real teens are not exposed to violence.


So if you open that dangerous door, dear author, you are well on your way to angering adults and getting challenged. Of special note: hate crimes, sexual assault, and domestic abuse. Those are the kinds of violence society really wants to sweep under the rug.




6. The material upset governments.


Governments are actually the only entities who can ban and have banned books completely from society. They can enforce a ban legally through the court system and can punish infractors with penalties.


The only reason this item isn’t number one is because different bodies of government vary on what criteria causes a book to be banned. Usually a government will resort to censorship when there are political, religious or moral issues with the written material.


Now normally, you're a meek, respectful, and polite author. But that attitude will not get you a banned book. Your job is to upset, anger and be a down right meany-pants. You must vilify your political opposition. Your religious arguments should be one-sided and inconsiderate of the majority’s belief system. Also, don’t forget to demean the opposite sex and include other immoralistic values. Speak your dark, infested mind.


There is no one way to upset governments. So combine all of our advice in one giant smorgasbord of ban worthy material.




7. The material upset parents.


Parents always know what’s best for their children. They are never wrong under any circumstance. And children are incapable of thinking for themselves. They don’t know any better. They’ll read any old thing you put in front of them and will likely suffer a lifetime of traumatization when exposed to certain fiction.


This is where you come in dear author. You must offend these parents if you want your book banned. Parents must disagree with the value of your book in every way. You must make them take umbrage with your fiction so strongly that they have no choice but to do what's right for the entire first world and force their opinions on the rest of society, who will no doubt listen and agree.


We are all aware that there is never a choice in which books to read and which ones to simply not read. We're all forced to read every single book that has ever been written, so banning books is a great way to protect us from like the Big Bad Wolf and stuff. Not only does banning books free us of the tedious nature of making a choice for ourselves, it also scares authors away from writing great stories...I mean, inappropriate material. As a society, we’ll force authors to churn out tame fiction for the masses that never challenges our lazy minds or provokes critical thought.


Deep topics in books aren’t open for discussion and shouldn’t be. Engaging in analytical discourse is a pointless endeavor. Banning is always the answer to everything. It is not a knee jerk reaction at all. Who cares if no one's read a word of your book yet to know for sure if it's actually as bad as we think it is? If it merely sounds like it's harmful to our children--Banned! Parents are your saviors!

“I’ll tell you where you can find fantastic beasts. Not in this household!”

8. The material upset schools and libraries.


Schools and Libraries have challenged more books than any other institution between 1990 and 2010. Aren't our children lucky to have such filters?


As we’ve seen from item number 7 above, parents are very capable of deciding what's appropriate for their own children and for everyone else. However, why should schools and libraries let parents do all that hard work?


Shouldn’t parents instead rely on another entity that can make that choice? You know, the same way parents remove the freedom of choice from their children...and everyone else.


In all reality, parents don’t really know any better than their children. They’ll probably just allow their kids to read any old thing. But even if they are awesome filters for their own households, they may not catch everything. They need schools and libraries to back them up or to do the job entirely.

Plus, what libraries and schools absolutely don’t need more of is books. They’ already full of them. You can help them out by writing a book that they will surely ban. It makes total sense.


Everything you applied to parents in the above item, you must apply it to schools and libraries as well.

Topics to Avoid When Writing a Banned Book

Don’t worry yourself writing about serious topics such as abortion, anti-ethnicity, racism, or as mentioned above, homophobia, which doesn’t even make it onto any lists at all. Not that many people care strongly enough about those topics to ban them from books. People are pretty much chill on those.


Also don't try to offend Community Groups and Prisons. They are both the least likely groups to ban your book. And one is instead more prone to shanking. The other we can’t can’t even tell you about because we’ve never been to prison. But we’ve heard stories of sexually explicit violence that’s unsuited for any age group and would especially upset any parent, school or library in the year of 1995.

But Why Write a Banned Book?

Simple! You ever noticed how much publicity those things get? Word of mouth is the best way to get your book flying off the shelves, and no news spreads faster than outrage. First comes the outrage from parents, schools, and libraries at your audacity to write such a book. Then comes the outrage from “free thinkers” who don’t think any books should be banned. Before you know it, your name will end up on the news and in lists all over the Internet. And just like J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer, you will be rolling in the dough.


Another reason some people might put forth is that banned books are often so honest, raw, delightful, and painful that they make everyone sit up and take notice for good or bad. And we hear some people like to write honest books. But it’s also okay if you’re just itching to write a scene with some blood and guts flying. As we have thoroughly demonstrated by now, it’s not the thought that counts, it’s the banning!

Writing 101: How to Name Things

This post is not about naming characters. This is for fiction writers who wish to create original concepts, but may have trouble naming their monsters, magical creatures, alternate species, McGuffins, magical objects, futuristic devices, and anything else that doesn’t exist in real life or in any other author’s story. I see posts on forums all the time from writers asking for help naming something, and the following is a comprehensive take on the condensed input I usually offer.

Naming things comes fairly easy for me. Sometimes the perfect name will just pop into my head. But that isn’t the norm, not even for me. When my bad ass muse is taking a smoke break I have to work a bit harder, so I’ve developed a few personal guidelines that help me create new terms for my stories.

Pictured: Bad ass muse. Not Pictured: Manuscript that broke the Rules of Naming Things.

Rules of Naming Things

Rule 1: Keep your terms simple.

Rule 2: Keep your terms simple. If the fictional “thing” you've created is not much different from something that exists in the real world, always use the term most commonly found in the real world. It will be less of a hassle for you, and will simply make following your story easier on the reader. Don’t call your creature a kertobble if it’s just a rabbit. Call it a rabbit. (See Rule #1)

Rule 3: Always remember that you're writing for a modern audience with modern sensibilities. Your names have to be pronounceable, and they must make sense within the context of the story. The reader shouldn’t be stumbling over your roadblock of terms. Jumping hurdles only hinders the reader from experiencing the story as it happens thus ruining any enjoyment. (See Rule #1 and Rule #2)

About Syllables

It’s a good idea to try and keep your term(s) to 3 syllables or less, preferably one to two syllables. The least amount of syllables contained in your word, the easier the word will be to pronounce, making for a more manageable read. Remember, readers will have to repeat your madeup words over and over throughout the story. Don't make it difficult.

Let's take a look at some words commonly in the English language in comparison to terms created by other authors.


Monosyllable words

• dog, cat, bird, cow, frog, bear, mouse, snake, horse, pig, crab, fish, whale
• book, phone, car, pen, desk, chair, pan, stove, clothes, spoon, fork, knife, plate
• Fictional terms: orc, elf, warg, ent, imp, troll

Disyllable words

• eagle, lion, tiger, giraffe, rabbit, donkey, chicken
• pencil, hammer, keyboard, trashcan, laptop, paper, oven, saucer, pitcher
• Fictional terms: hobbit, dragon, kraken, griffin, goblin, centaur, portkey, quidditch

Polysyllable words

Words containing more than three syllables are fine for real life, where the average person isn't saying something like rhinoceros every few breaths. But it's not so great in a story where a reader will have to repeat it (in their head or out loud) over and over again.

Usually, they'll end up skimming over a long word if they continue to come across it. But why give them a reason to skim your story? Try to avoid using terms with more than three syllables if at all possible.

Sometimes a word with more than three syllables will fit your story perfectly though and you wouldn’t want to avoid using it. In that case, ignore my suggestion, and use what best suits your story. In many cases though, a long word will end up being an annoying burden on a reader.

If you absolutely must use a word with more than 3 syllables, consider having your characters refer to it with a shorter name. Keep the long version as the official term, while you characters use the shorter version of the name in their dialogue.

Example 1: Rhinoceros (4 syllables) becomes rhino (2 syllables). 

Example 2: Television (4 syllables) becomes TV (2 letters).

Example 3: Hippopotamus (5 syllables) becomes hippo (2 syllables).

Example 4: Tyrannosaurus Rex (6 syllables) becomes T-Rex (2 syllables).

Naming Places

When it comes to naming your locations (cities, towns, countries, etc.) you have a lot more leeway with the syllable guideline. Afghanistan, Antarctica, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, and Lithuania are all examples of real world country names that contain more than three syllables.

Personally, I don’t find most people directly referring to their country, state or city on a regular basis so it would seem reasonable if your characters didn’t mention where they are located that much. In that sense, a lengthy place name may not be too much of a bother on a reader so most of the time you could get away with those.

Still, when writing a story I suggest keeping names of locations as short as possible where appropriate. It might be officially called the United States of America (9 syllables), but it's often referred to as just United States (4 syllables), or America (4 syllables), or USA (3 letters), or the US (2 letters). My hometown of Baltimore (3 syllables) is often shortened to B'more (2 syllables). Names seem to want to be short.

You can also play around with the amount of syllables in your words to show a distinct difference of culture or class, or a separation in time. For instance, an ancient language vs. a modern language. (See “Sound & Look” below)

The Name Game

Right now you might be saying, "All right already with the syllables. I get all that. But how do you come up with a name in the first place?"

Well, there isn't just one way to create a name. Here are just a few techniques that continue to work for me:



Use a Dictionary & Thesaurus

• Look up a word that's similar to your fictional term. Steal the Old English version if it sounds appropriate. If it doesn't, try to manipulate the spelling a little bit to fit your story’s needs.
• Search a thesaurus for words that are close to your terms' meaning. When you find one that sounds about right, use that or fiddle around with the spelling. Make it look different, but sound the same.
• Utilize other languages this way as well. Search dictionaries that are in a different language from which you speak. Find a word that achieves your desired sound and look, and use that or change the spelling to fit your story.

Use Greek and Latin Root Words.

Combine roots, stems, suffixes, and prefixes as you see fit and create your own mashup terms. Don’t get too sciencey, unless you’re going for accuracy.

You’re writing fiction so you don’t necessarily have to follow real world rules when creating terms from Greek and Latin roots. Your term just has to sound right within the context of your story.

Science geeks may call you out on your inaccuracy, but they may not be your audience. If they are your audience, no big deal, you’ll just have to work a little harder and follow those rules.


Other Things to Consider


Language Is Your Playground

You're not constructing an entire language, but the same advice applies.

Study the way words look and sound, and how they feel when they roll off the tongue. As writers, we should be doing this anyway. Words are the tools of our profession. We need to know them.

You don’t have to learn a new language, but it wouldn’t hurt anything if you did. You don’t have to practice the art of calligraphy, but it wouldn’t hurt anything if you dabbled in it. You don’t have to be an expert in scrabble, but it would only help your writing if you knew a thing or two about words and how they fit together.

All I'm saying is try things out. Experiment with words. Jumble them up. Play around and have fun with them. You’re free to type whatever you want from the privacy of your keyboard. No one's going to see. So don’t be shy. Words don’t bite.


Variety

To make your fictional world feel real, you definitely want to have a variety in the terms you create. You don't want all your words to be the same length, shape or sound. Consider varying your word length regardless of the syllable guidelines above. Language is rough. It’s never perfect. It should sound that way.


Sound & Look

Have an idea of what direction you want to go with your word in terms of sound and look. Think about the effect that you want this special term to have on a reader. You may want your words to sound unearthly and alien-like or magical; you may want it to look foreign to your personal culture or similar to a particular culture; you may want it to feel ancient or modern depending on the setting. Keep those things in mind as you create.

The reader should also be able to use context clues to figure out what a term means even if they happen to miss its definition as told in your narrative.

If you create a magical creature for instance, tell someone its name but don’t tell them what your creature looks like. Ask the person if they can picture what your creature might look like just by the sound of its name. They won’t always give the description you’re looking for. But when they do, it’s a good indication that you’re on the right track with that term.

If they describe your creature in a way that isn’t what you intended, that doesn’t mean you should change the word to something different. It doesn’t mean anything really. Just thank them for their time.

The goal is to try and get your terms to closely resemble the appearance of the thing in your story by the way the term sounds.

Wookie’s look exactly like you'd think a "wookie" should look. Don’t they? That's not racist.

Everything in Moderation

Try not to populate your world with too many original creations. Readers like to be grounded in a story and familiarity helps them connect with your story’s surroundings. Too many unfamiliar things in a story may overwhelm a reader and jolt out of the story.

Unfortunately, “too many” is abstract, and there’s no way to tell what will be the limit for any reader. But if you’ve only created two or three creatures or objects, etc. you’re probably good. It depends.


Placeholders

Don’t ever allow the search for the perfect name to hold you back from writing your story. Sometimes, in order to finish your story, you may have to insert a place holder name temporarily until you come up with a better name. I’ve completed entire manuscripts only to go back to it and “find and replace” all instances of a term after I thought of a better one. Nothing is canon until it’s published.

Writing 101: The Story Circle

A while ago, Dan Harmon (creator and head writer of Community) wrote a series of posts on his website’s forum breaking down story structure in a hilarious concise fashion. His methods were written with television in mind, but these story techniques are universal for any writer and any medium. They are based on Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey, but simplified for modern storytelling. The way he breaks it down has helped me re-evaluate my own work. It’s amazingly simple.

First, you begin by drawing a circle. Divide it in half vertically, and then divide the circle again horizontally. Starting from the 12 o’clock position and going clockwise, number the 4 points where the lines cross the circle: 1, 3, 5 and 7. Next, number the quarter-sections themselves 2, 4, 6 and 8.

(The images from Dan’s posts were missing so I constructed my own visual representation of the Story Circle):

Download this if you want. Print it out. Doodle all over it.

 

Dan says:

That horizontal line dividing the circle is the first one you want to think about when creating a story. What's above it and what's below it?

Robocop: Above the line, cop. Below the line, Robocop.

Die Hard: Above the line, bad marriage. Below the line, terrorist attack.

Citizen Kane: Above the line, news reel. Below the line, truth.

MacBeth: Above the line, hero. Below the line, villain.

Star Wars: Above the line, farm boy. Below the line, adventurer.

The Incredible Talking Dog: Above the line, dog can't talk...

Back to the Future: 1985 / 1955

etc. etc.

1. You (a character is in a zone of comfort)

Dan says:

ESTABLISH A PROTAGONIST... Who are we? A squirrel? The sun? A red blood cell? America?

2. Need (but they want something)

Dan says:

SOMETHING AIN'T QUITE RIGHT… Something is wrong, the world is out of balance. This is the reason why a story is going to take place. The "you" from (1) is an alcoholic. There's a dead body on the floor. A motorcycle gang rolls into town.

3. Go (they enter an unfamiliar situation)

Dan says:

CROSSING THE THRESHOLD… For (1) and (2), the "you" was in a certain situation, and now that situation changes. A hiker heads into the woods. Pearl Harbor's been bombed. A mafia boss enters therapy.

4. Search (adapt to it)

Dan says:

THE ROAD OF TRIALS… Adapting, experimenting, getting shit together, being broken down. A detective questions suspects. A cowboy gathers his posse. A cheerleader takes a nerd shopping.

5. Find (find what they wanted)

Dan says:

MEETING WITH THE GODDESS… Whether it was the direct, conscious goal or not, the "need" from (2) is fulfilled. We found the princess. The suspect gives the location of the meth lab. A nerd achieves popularity.

6. Take (pay its price)

Dan says:

MEET YOUR MAKER… The hardest part (both for the characters and for anyone trying to describe it). On one hand, the price of the journey. The shark eats the boat. Jesus is crucified. The nice old man has a stroke. On the other hand, a goal achieved that we never even knew we had. The shark now has an oxygen tank in his mouth. Jesus is dead- oh, I get it, flesh doesn't matter. The nice old man had a stroke, but before he died, he wanted you to take this belt buckle. Now go win that rodeo.

7. Return (and go back to where they started)

Dan says:

BRINGING IT HOME… It's not a journey if you never come back. The car chase. The big rescue. Coming home to your girlfriend with a rose. Leaping off the roof as the skyscraper explodes.

8. Change (now capable of change)

Dan says:

MASTER OF BOTH WORLDS… The "you" from (1) is in charge of their situation again, but has now become a situation-changer. Life will never be the same. The Death Star is blown up. The couple is in love. Dr. Bloom's Time Belt is completed. Lorraine Bracco heads into the jungle with Sean Connery to "find some of those ants."

Dan Harmon goes on to explain:

… the REAL structure of any good story is simply circular - a descent into the unknown and eventual return - and that any specific descriptions of that process are specific to you and your story.

It's not that stories have to follow this structure, it's that, without some semblance of this structure, it's not recognizable as a story.

There are some exceptions to everything, but that's called style, not structure.

When I talk about "story structure" I'm talking about something very scientific, like "geometry." Your story could have "perfect" structure, in that it hits all the resonant points craved by the audience mind, but that won't make it a perfect piece of entertainment. Example:

Once upon a time, there was a thirsty man on a couch. He got up off the couch, went to his kitchen, searched through his refrigerator, found a soda, drank it, and returned to his couch, thirst quenched.

That was "perfect story structure." On the other hand, the story sucked.

Here's a converse example:

Once upon a time, a car exploded. A Navy Seal killed a werewolf. Two beautiful naked women had sex with each other, then a robot shot the moon with a Jesus-powered laser. The world became overpopulated by zombies. The End.

Lot of exciting, creative stuff happening, but very little structure. Again, boo, but the lesbian scene did give me a boner. What do you want? You want both. You want to be cool, but you're going to be cooler if the structure is there. Cool stuff with no structure is like that perfect scene you recorded when you left the lens cap on. "Guess you had to be there." Show me an army of zombies and I might say "cool zombies," but I'm not going to "be there."

 

Links to the full posts. All are well worth a read.

Dan Harmon - StoryStructure 101: Super Basic Shit

Dan Harmon - StoryStructure 102: Pure, Boring Theory

Dan Harmon - StoryStructure 103: Let's Simplify Before Moving on

Dan Harmon - StoryStructure 104: The Juicy Details, part 1

Dan Harmon - StoryStructure 104: The Juicy Details, part 2

YA & MG Author Lindsey Leavitt, gives us a humorous look at an author's life with young children

Today we welcome Lindsey Leavitt, Young Adult Author of Sean Griswold’s Head

(Bloomsbury, March 1, 2011), Princess for Hire and The Royal Treatment releasing May 3, 2011.

Lindsey was raised in Las Vegas, yes, she had a normal upbringing, and lives there with her family among the Cacti.

I had the pleasure of asking Lindsey about creativity, time for writing with young children and coping with multiple book releases in a year.

What every mother with children wants to know, how do find the time to write?

I get this question a lot, usually around deadline or release time when I feel like THERE IS NO TIME. Why couldn’t there be one more hour, just one? Or even a day. 25/8 sounds right.
When it’s business time, I put my kids down for the night and work until I flop. I also have started to get babysitters twice a week, and work a few hours on the weekend. Add that all up, and it’s a solid part time, sometimes full-time, job. But when I’m not on deadline, I schedule a few hours a week for administrative, a few more to write, and then just kind of hang out. Writing is the best job for this—it’s usually there the next day if I need to put life things first, and there are weeks and even months in between projects where I take time off. I’m looking forward to a low-event, high-fun summer.


If creativity strikes, how do you take advantage of it?

Like most authors, I have an idea notebook in my purse for those littler bursts of inspiration. Like I met this guy the other day, and he ONLY wears red socks. And I asked if he had a lot of pink underwear because of this fashion choice/laundry disasters, and then he ran away from me. But anyway, red socks! That’s brilliant. In my idea journal.
I’m also notorious for getting out of bed to jot ideas down. There’s a notebook by my bed for that reason too. I get some of my best ideas when I’m in the not-awake, not-asleep state. AND I take a journal on vacation, because I’m usually seeing new terrain and relaxation=clarity.
So short answer=journal.



Sean Griswold’s Head, released just last month. How do you pursue marketing your books with young children at home? Do you adapt the run-of-the-mill marketing to suit you or jump on the book tours and appearances?

A mix of both. I really like the online interviews because I can do those in my pajamas, at home, while kids are in bed. Skype has also been AMAZING, because I can visit with schools around the country without worrying about travel or childcare (and actually, since I’m pacific time, most of these are still while kids are in bed).
Of course, my kids aren’t Mini Rip Van Winkles, so I have to do some promotion when they’re awake as well. I do really enjoy the signings and in-person visits—especially in schools—so I do as many as I can. And by can, I mean when I can get a babysitter. I’ve had to say no a couple of times, but I do try to take these opportunities when they arise. And if it’s west coast and on the weekend, I bring my kids along, so we’re kind of partridge family lately. Er, minus the musical talent. And bus. And David Cassidy.


Your new book, second in the series of Princess for Hire, The Royal Treatment, releases in May. What plans have you laid for the book release, writing more entertaining books and keeping your mother role?

Since I’m crazy and launching two books two months apart, I’m not doing as much for the next Princess for Hire book. I’m doing a few signings, a couple of interviews, and then just trying to hit previous readers through newsletters and social networking. I worry if I’m too out there, people are going to get sick of me. Not you, though, right? Right? Hey! Don’t leave.
Also? While I strongly believe an author should have some sort of brand and market themselves, the most important thing is to be working on the next book. I’m revising the last book in the series right now, and after that I have a contemporary to write. I like to be under contract, because the deadlines help me plan vacations and school field trips and spring cleaning (ha! That one is a total lie). If you’re pre-published, I suggest setting a deadline on each project. Make it realistic, factor in other things you have in your life, but have a plan so you’re moving forward.

You can find Lindsey and her books at: www.lindseyleavitt.com

Thanks so much Lindsey for your insight and humor. Good Luck!


Praise for Lindsey Leavitt

Sean Griswold’s Head, Bloomsbury, March 1, 2011

“Leavitt delicately handles topics of illness, evolving relationships, and what it means to grow up. Payton’s alternately sarcastic, snappy, and reflective narration carries this insightful story.”~ Publishers Weekly
“Payton’s voice, funny and honest–drew me in from the first line. This is my favorite kind of book–one that offers laughter and hope even in the midst of a serious subject.” –L.K. Madigan, author of Flash Burnout

Princess for Hire, Bloomsbury Hardcover available now. Paperback release March 29, 2011

“I totally heart this book! Funny, witty, and magical, Princess for Hire is a must-read.” ~Lisa Schroeder, author of I Heart You, You Haunt Me and It’s Raining Cupcakes

“This story will easily appeal to fans of Meg Cabot’s “The Princess Dairies” as well as anyone who likes their princess stories with a bit of excitement.” ~Children’s Literature.

“Desi shows that she’s a heroine with heart.” ~Publisher’s Weekly

Teen Interview #6

Today for our teen interview, I'm bringing you answers from a teen I've had the pleasure of watching grow up.  She's my best friend's sister, and quite possibly the sweetest sixteen-year-old you'll ever meet.  

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I'm a random, mostly happy, and very unique person.  I love APH and history, my two major weaknesses. ((Side note -- APH is a type of manga. I had to look it up, lol.))

What is it about a book that makes you pick it up when you're browsing the shelves of the library or book store?

The title.

What's the best book you've read in the last 6 months?

Hmm.... Either Unwind, Gathering Blue, The Giver, or Messenger. I can't decide.

If you could ban one thing from all books, what would it be?

Corny/Lame Characters

What would you like to see more of in YA novels?

More adventurous heroines.

What's your favorite part of a story: plot, characters, or setting?

All of it? They all make a great story.

Do you feel like characters in YA books are representative of you?

Yes, most of the time when it comes to the books I read.

What's a saying that you use frequently?

"Heh... I'm hungry."

What did you eat for lunch today?

A sandwich, tortilla chips, swiss cheese, a banana, and a fudge round. And water.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

The ability to fly.

Last, but not least, if you could have a book written specifically for you, what would it be about?

A heroic girl with an adventurous streak and a love for animals. Set in a middle-earth type time. With magical creatures and magical powers. ^-^

Introducing Debut Picture Book Author: Kelly Hashway

Most of us are parents, and through probably one degree of separation we have nieces, nephews, god children and friends with children. I'm sure most of us are fed up of reading the same picture book after picture book. I came across Kelly's wonderful debut at JacketFlap.

Changing it up this week from YA authors, even though that's what Kelly writes, Kelly took some time to talk picture book publishing with me and seeing her words go to print after many, many, many edits....

Most of our readers and contributors have children, writing a Picture Book seems like so much fun. Can you share with us how you write a Picture Book?

I spend most of my day reading picture books to my daughter, and that really helps. I study different books to get a feel for the sound quality, the word choice, and the balance between what needs to be written and what can rely on the illustrations. After that, I start much like I would when I’m writing a novel. I have an idea and I brainstorm how to develop that idea into a story kids would want to read.

Morality seems to play a large part in Picture Books, how do you work out what lesson to put in each book?

I don’t like to be preachy. No kid wants to have a lesson shoved in their face, so I try to be subtle. I have some picture books that are more humorous than anything else, and others that have definite lessons but also entertain so the lesson isn’t overwhelming. I never begin writing the book with the lesson in mind. I create a character or situation and the lesson will develop from that, never taking over the story though.

A Picture Books Journey...

How long would it take from First Draft to complete manuscript?

For me, it completely depends on the story. I spend a while just brainstorming ideas, jotting down everything that comes to me—bits of dialogue, plot, character names. Once the story is fleshed out in my mind, I sit down to draft it. I’m a perfectionist so my drafts can take a while. After I revise a few dozen times, I let the manuscript sit for a few weeks and work on something else. Then I’ll go back to it with fresh eyes before sending it off to my critique partners. After that it’s back to revisions again. When my eyes are about to fall out of my head, I know it’s ready to start submitting.


How long would the illustrations take to complete?

I didn’t illustrate my book, but I was paired with the very talented Valerie Bouthyette. My picture book was accepted for publication in October and Valerie had her sketches drawn pretty quickly—probably a month later. It was amazing to see my story come to life through someone else’s eyes. The sketches then became full-color illustrations by the end of December. It happened rather quickly.

Assuming the book has already sold, the road to publication of a picture book differs from that of the regular publishing process. Can you take us through the steps to publication after your work is complete.

I went through several rounds of edits. You’d be amazed how many edits you can go through with a picture book! Since the books are short, word choice is very important. Once my illustrations were competed, I went back to edits to make sure the text and pictures matched. I had to make some minor changes to accommodate some of the illustrations. It’s very much a 50/50 between the text and illustration. After these changes were made, I went to another round of edits before my final edits. I told you it was a lot of editing. Then the proof was created and the book was sent off for reviews.

Thanks so much Kelly for joining us, I'm off to order some copies for my children's school Library.

You can order your copy of MAY THE BEST DOG WIN

For other works of Kelly Hashway visit www.kellyhashway.com
or Follow her on Twitter at @KellyHashway

Flash Fiction Friday #4

It's time for Flash Fiction Friday again!

Here's the gist. Each week, one of us we'll give you some kind of writing prompt--it won't always be stories, just something to get those creative juices flowing. If you want to participate, just leave your link in the comments and we'll stop by and see your work. Easy, right??


This week's prompt is:  "Take any minor/background character in your novel and give them their own wacky, mini adventure. In 300 words or less, start the scene in media res and end with a cliffhanger. No resolution."

Contributor's submissions:

Michael

Holly


Leave your link in the comments!

Flash Fiction Friday #3

It's time for Flash Fiction Friday again!

Here's the gist. Each week, one of us we'll give you some kind of writing prompt--it won't always be stories, just something to get those creative juices flowing. If you want to participate, just leave your link in the comments and we'll stop by and see your work. Easy, right??



This week's prompt is:

"In 300 words or less, write a story that begins with 'It's not you, it's me...'"

Check out some of our contributors' blogs, and leave your link in the comments!

Super Mom Writes


Writing Possibilities


Next week's prompt is:  "Take any minor/background character in your novel and give them their own wacky, mini adventure. In 300 words or less, start the scene in media res and end with a cliffhanger. No resolution."