Sticking Points, Oh Sorry, I Meant Plot Points

You have to have plot points. Well, I mean if you want to have a plot that is.

There are just points along the way where you HAVE to have something happen.

Let's say you started the story with your Hero HAVING to get to Los Angeles. So we are heading to Los Angeles.

However your big climax happens to occur in the French Quarter.

Ok, we have to at some point take a left turn and go down to Louisiana, right?

YOU as the writer has to make that left turn because gosh darn it, you want to get New Orleans.

However, the reader should NEVER know that you HAVE to get to Mardi Gras.

This 'turn,' this plot point that must be executed, however we want to 'cover' this fact up.

We want this plot point to feel organic and a part of your story and not feel the author's 'hand.'

But how to do that?

Seeding things helps.

I like to reference Lord of the Rings here. Clearly Tolkien needed to get Frodo into Mordor. Equally clearly he needed to make that journey intimate.

However the thrust of the plot was to get to the GATES of Mordor. But ultimately Tolkien knew he was going to go the 'secret' back way.

Luckily he seeded this. Gollum had suggested it. Sam, who has been WELL established to not trust Gollum, shot him down. Only by being in peril and the impossibility of scaling the main gate, do they finally decide to go the 'secret' way.

This was a massive plot point that could have stuck out like a sore thumb, but instead felt organic and you felt as desperate as the characters to have to take this perilous journey.

The lesson here is that if you have a major plot point coming, seed it. Mention and discard the idea. Put up resistance to the Mardi Gras. New Orleans simply is NOT an option.

Then when you get to the plot point you need to make Los Angeles simply unattainable. Whatever they feared about Louisiana becomes so much less than the disastrous conditions in California.

Or they are forced to Mardi Gras. Someone has been kidnapped. A vital piece of information or item has been moved to New Orleans.

Whatever it is, it must MAKE sense. It must feel motivated by the story, the characters, and the environment.

Your Assignment: Find a major plot point in your story. Does it feel like a major plot point? #RutRo

Find at least 1 way to 'soften' and camouflage this point.

Now do it to the rest of them :-)

Until next time!

Don't forget that "Plain Jane" (a Patterson, "Kiss the Girls" style thriller) is out!
Read 50 pages for free at Smashwords: http://bit.ly/b60jVe
To sweeten the pot here's a 50% off coupon: RH88E

Scene Setting... So Simple...

Yet so hard.

Even though I love writing with every breath I take, setting a scene or the 'travelogue' portion of the novel is probably my least favorite.

I want to get to the action, damn it! LOL :-)

But scene setting is essential to any great story. We, as the reader, needs to be oriented to the environment.

Scene setting is also a place to allow your writing to shine. This is a place where you generally have enough room to turn some phrases and get away with a few more descriptors.

However, beware. Too much of a good thing is still too much. Narrative drive must always be maintained.

Even while standing perfectly still on a snowy field under a lone tree, your story must be moving forward.

But how to keep the momentum going forward when you want to pause and sit a while under the tree.

Luckily you can do both. The trick is to allow us insight into the character setting the scene (looking around, smelling, feeling, tasting their surroundings).

Each character in your story would look at that winter scape completely differently. (If that isn't the case, then you have bigger problems then scene setting).



One might look at the stark scene and consider it harsh and barren. Another might find the meeting of the white of the snow and the blue of the sky on the horizon as beautiful and yet another might notice the tiny droplets of dew falling from the branches, creating tiny crystalline pools in the snow.

Each are describing the same basic physical landscape but HOW each is describing the scene gives us incredible insight into not only their character by their word choice (intelligence, education level, etc), but also their current state of mind.

Perhaps at the beginning of Act 2 our Hero hates the snowy field. But by the end of Act 2 he would die to defend it.

Test your scene setting skills.

Read a section of scene setting a loud.

Do you have WAY too many descriptors? Did you not give us vital information (like the tree has mistletoe in its bare branches that is later important)? Can you tell EXACTLY to character and even the Act in which that scene was described?

If not... you know the drill. #Rewrite!

Also, I would love some feedback.

Could you head over to smashwords.com: http://bit.ly/b60jVe

You can read the first 25% of my new novel Plain Jane for free there. Take a peek then leave a comment here and let me know if I practiced what I preached about scene setting!

Now if you have to happen to fall in love with Plain Jane and want to read the whole thing, here is a 50% off coupon (TF93S)which makes it only $1.99 to purchase the entire novel!

Also if you are on GoodReads, please 'friend' or 'fan' me and I will return the favor!

Why do we write?

Just stop for a second and ask yourself that question... "Why do I write?"

For me, I write because I have to.

The stories inside of me are quite persistent. Trust me, I have wanted to stuff them down and ignore them, but they would come out while I was driving or in my sleep or simply pester me every time I sat down at a keyboard.

I was a born a storyteller. My guess is if you are reading this blog, you are to.

So the next question becomes... If I love writing so much why aren't I doing it more often?

Usually because well... we love it... almost to much.

What we put on paper feels so much like a part of our soul, that it is hard to send our stories out into the harsh world to be criticized. So a part of us feels 'we can't write it otherwise it will be judged.'

And do you know the one thing that I realized that help me get over that and put my stuff out there?

My stories are tough little boogers. They aren't flail little things that will faint at the first whiff of critique. They are hardy and hail.

It turns out they are far stronger than I am!

My stories would rather be out in the world, strutting their stuff and taking their lumps rather than being cooped up inside my head.

Of course work on your craft so that you can tell your stories better, but take it from me folks, your story is going to do just fine out in the big bad world.

So WRITE ALREADY!

And don't forget my book "Plain Jane" is out. Below is the book trailer. Also you can read more than 25% of the book for FREE at SmashWords: http://bit.ly/b60jVe

Plus of course email me at writingnodrama(at)aol(dot)com for workshops on... you know... craft stuff!

Self-Publishing Is Where It's At!

The stigma is gone, guys. #finally

Thank God!

Now I have made a lot of money off my writing. The only problem is I can't tell you how. As a writer, my life is bound by confidentiality agreements. So iron clad are they that I can't even tell a new agent about them.

Which found me in an awkward spot this year. I had to let my agent go last fall. I really can't blame her for not being able to pimp my work since she can't point to anything on the shelf to claim my sales track record.

And I wasn't satisfied with a five or heaven forbid 4 figure advance. Not out of arrogance, but because I know how the house handles publicity and marketing if the advance isn't in the 6 figures.

Um, basically they don't do anything! Nothing. Nada. Sure your book is out. A few thousand copies, buried on the shelf, spine out.

I knew unless I got a hefty advance, they would be no help. I also knew if I sold the book to a house that little bit of money, forfeited my creative freedom. They would want to wash out my voice to bring it into their imprint's 'fold.'

Great, I give up creative control and basically get nothing back for it.

And for years self-publishing has been such a taboo. A taint have you. That no publishing house would ever touch that book let alone anything else by you if you dared publish something yourself (without permission from the publishing gods).

Which I always thought was retarded. Remember, I came up from the screenwriting side where Indie Film is huge. And a major source of fresh material for studios locked into their 'fold' mentality.

Ah, then came along Amazon.com. And Kindle. And now Indie Publishing has gained the stature it deserves.

To the point where houses are now looking for you to have a following and sales record before they risk throwing down some cash.

Like I said #finally

So I present to you, "Plain Jane" A thriller in the "Kiss the Girls," "Hannibal," and "Along Came A Spider" genre.

You can either head over to Amazon.com for the print version (and, of course, leave a glowing review) at http://amzn.to/aV16Z9

Or read an entire 25% of the book before buying the ebook at www.smashbook.com: http://bit.ly/b60jVe

It is gritty, shocking, and #strangely funny.

Also, if you have a self-published book or one published through a house, but isn't getting any support, go follow my marketing alter ego @zerotosold where we are forming an Indie Book Marketing Collective!

And then, of course, GO WRITE 2 PAGES :-) #sorry #hadtogetthatinthere

Writing Without The Drama Workshops

I wasn't planning on giving workshops until the fall, but I've had a bunch of requests, so... carpe diem!

There are stories to be helped so I say damn the torpedoes! #actuallyIsaythatalot #butthatisawholeotherstory

The basic structure #youknowhowIlovestructure of these workshops is...

General writing workshops:
2 hrs long

Everyone participates, but no guarantee that your work will be chosen to discuss specifically. In these workshops, only small snippets of work will be reviewed to use as an example to the group. These excerpts are NOT submitted nor reviewed before the workshop.

You do NOT need to volunteer your work for review. You can simply soak up the knowledge :-)

These are 'drop in' workshops. While I prefer pre-registration at least 48 hours in advance, you can sign up and pay for these sessions until 15 minutes before the workshop.

Topics will vary based on participant's needs (I like to focus on what the group as a whole needs in the moment rather than pre-plan a topic #Iamadventuresomelikethat).

No more than 10 students in a session

Normally $25/workshop, Right now, I'm offering them at $10/workshop #jumponitnow #maygoupatanytime :-)



Semi-private workshops:
2 hrs long

Each person gets at least 20 minutes on their work therefore your writing sample (up to 10 pages) must be submitted 48 hours before the workshop for review by me and any other participants.

Since we are going more in-depth into critiquing during these sessions, everyone must have some 'skin' in the game i.e. have their work up for review (I find this keeps people's critiques more gentle knowing theirs is coming up next).

These are NOT 'drop in' sessions. Registration must occur 48 hours before the workshop so we have time to review the material.

These workshops are a hands-on critique/evaluation/re-writing session, really digging into how your work can be improved with the eye to publication

No more than 5 students in a session

Normally $50/workshop, Right now, I'm offering them at $25/workshop #jumponitnow #maygoupatanytime


Private consultations:
2 hrs long

Um, I think this one is self-explanatory #allyou #allthetime

Normally $200/workshop, I'm offering private coaching at $100/workshop #jumponitnow #maygoupatanytime

2hrs is about the time it takes to really go in depth, however for private consultations we can discuss a 1 hour session for 1/2 off. #again #ifIaminagoodmood :-)

I will also be adding more lecture style classes to cover the major aspects of writing such as: Outlining/preparing for a story, world-building, re-writing, preparing book proposals for non-fiction, prepping your manuscript for agents/publisher review, the ins and outs of self-publishing, and MARKETING for authors!

Please feel free to leave comments below if you are interested in any of these topics or add some topics that interest you!

I promise a warm, fun, informative time for one and all!

Now to be fair, I want everyone to realize despite the above, I am going to still say "Shut Up and Write" #alot #really #Iamnotjoking

Remember my allegiance is to your story so I am only interested in participants who are really dedicated to improving their craft AND getting their story out there!

You have been warned :-) :-) :-)

If you're really ready to take your writing to a whole new level of dedication and craft, please email me at writingnodrama@aol.com and we'll hook you up :-)

P.S. Payment is through PayPal so please have an account ready. Also the sessions will be hosted on a web conference site so either you can phone into the workshop (standard rates apply) or use the microphone on your computer. We will be sharing my desktop/screen, but no one will not be able see yours so no need to panic about privacy :-)

Any questions, don't hesitate to email me!

The Hero's Arc or a.k.a. What It's ALLLLL About!

No matter your cool plot devices or statement about the human condition, your story really boils down to your Hero's Arc.

It is the overwhelming driving force in your story. All plot points hinge on it. Whether or not you hook your reader is much dependent upon how well you fulfill this arc.

The arc is the meat that lies over the bones of story structure. Without the arc fully completed your story will feel 'light' and bony (ok, I just made that up to fit with my imagery, but roll with me here!)

Many people bandy about the term "Hero's Arc" but don't fully understand it.

Simply put, your Hero starts in one emotional place and lands in a COMPLETELY different emotional space.

One way to test an arc is to ask your Hero the same question at the beginning of the story and again at the end.

For ex: Neo from the Matrix.
"Would you risk everything, including your life, for the greater good?
Act 1 Answer: Duh, of course not.
Act 3 Answer: Duh, of course!

Another good question for him:
"Do you believe in true love"
Again the first answer is NOOOOO, the Act 3 answer is an emphatic Yes.

Usually the question revolves around self-sacrifice, feeling their worth as a Hero or their ability to love or be loved.

The closer the question comes to identifying his inner wound, the better.

Questions like:
Can you ride a skateboard?
Are not really what we're talking about.

The greater the difference in their answer, the steeper the arc. The more poignant the question, the deeper the arc.

Assignment:
Test your Hero. Ask him a question regarding his inner wound. What are his answers in Act 1 and Act 3?

Leave them in the comment box below and I will randomly answer back how steep I think his arc is! :-)

Next Blog: What's a Hero Gotta do to get some respect?

Wrapping up 7 Acts... in 1 Blog!

Yep, that's pretty much how I roll.

I thought it might be nice to tie this all up with a little schematic for you to refer to when looking at your underlying structure #andbecauseitwasfunformetomakeit

The 7 Acts are broken down by dividing Act 1 into 2 sections, Act 2 into 3 sections, and Act 3 into 2 sections as follows:

Act 1
First Section is 10% of total pages - Snapshot of Hero's old life
Second Section is 15% of total pages - Hero resisting the Opportunity

Act 2
First Section is about 12.5% of total pages - Hero learning about his new life
Second Section is about 25% of total pages - Building up to Tentpole, Tentpole and aftermath
Third Section is 12.5% of total pages - Building towards Climax

Alright, hope this has been helpful!

Assignment:
Check your work against these numbers. Are you within 5% for each act section?

If not, make sure your story has narrative drive!

Next week's series... The Hero's Journey or a.k.a. How he kicks ass and takes names :-)

Act 3
First Section is 20% of total pages - the Climax/Resolution of all plot points
Second Section is about 5% of total pages (or less) - The Denouement, tying up loose ends.