Showing posts with label writing exercises. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing exercises. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Author Life ABCs - C

Happy Wednesday again, everyone! So, for your second post today, I'm back on my Author Life ABCs with the letter C. Today's topic is appropriate, I feel, because it's also Valentine's Day. We're out there spreading the love so our friends and family have an amazing day. What I want to know is what you're doing for yourself today. Let's chat about my word and the topic a bit. Ready? Hold on to your desk, and let's get going!


Today's word is:

Crossfit
/ˈkrôsˌfit/
noun - trademark
noun: CrossFit; noun: Cross Fit
A high-intensity fitness program incorporating elements from several sports and types of exercise.

Stay with me! I'm not talking about Crossfit for your body, so let's rename it to CrossCT (Cross Creative Training).

That's right, a one-hour exercise program for writers to keep our brains engaged and active. I hope y'all try this! I'm gonna! Ready? 3, 2, 1, GO!
  • 5 minutes of hard and fast writing only dialogue
  • 10 minutes, new characters, describing scene
  • 5 minutes, same characters, short world-building in a genre other than your own
  • 5 minutes learning the definition of a new word by randomly flipping open the dictionary and popping your finger down
  • 10 minutes, four new characters telling the reader their first impressions of one another
  • 5 minutes of micro-plotting
  • 5 minutes of speed editing the first dialogue you wrote
  • 10 minutes of prose with no dialogue using the word you just learned
  • 5 minutes of typing out a conversation with one of your characters

And you're done! That seems fun, right? Anyway, what I'm trying to get to here is that you should take terms and things you're familiar with and apply them to your writing. Have some fun. Flex your muscles!

Never stop learning how to write, market, and do. This is your career.

What do you think? You gonna give it a whirl?

I'll post my results sometime next week. Should be fun!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Friday, July 28, 2017

Friday Funday Part Four

Happy Friday, everyone! So, I used to do this awesome thing called Friday Funday. It's all about authorly word games or writing games you can play alone or with friends and family. If you'd like to check out past posts, click these links: Friday Funday, Friday Funday Part Two, Friday Funday Part Three. Keeping with the theme, I'm gonna do one today! These are all about observation to revise your work in progress. Get your brain ready, and let's get going!

Game #1 - Acting Crazy for Revisions (3+ players)
Use your phone or computer camera. Set it up so it can capture the area and hit record. Pick a scene from your work in progress, and read it aloud while the other people in the room act it out. You now have a live visual to draw description from. Pay attention to facial expressions and movements when you're revising the scene. You can also just do it for fun with a book you've read to see if other people picture it the same way you do. Costumes are optional, but fun.

Game #2 - What Happens Next? (3+ players)
Pick a scene from a book and read the first part. Players in the room act out what they think happens next. Whichever one is correct wins candy (or some other little prize). Who knows? If you're the author, you may revise the scene to make it fit what they acted out rather than what you've written. *grin*

Game #3 - Where am I? (2+ players)
Again, choose a scene (or two) and leave out any location details. Read the scene aloud, and let the other person/people guess where you might be. Have them tell you what they think the location looks like. This one can get pretty fun if you have imaginative friends.

Game #4 - Internet Meme Search (1+ players)
I find this one fun because you can do it yourself. Take a 2-4 word phrase from a book, add the words "meme" and your first name to the end, and type it in the search bar of your favorite engine. Choose image, and have fun laughing. In a group, whoever comes up with the funniest one wins a small prize.

I hope these provide you with a ton of laughs this weekend.

If you try any, come leave me a note to let me know how it goes!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Whatever Jo Wants Wednesday #3 - Tips and Tricks on Writing, Marketing, and Much More

Happy hump-day, everyone! Today, I'm talking about my little tips and tricks page here on the blog. I spend one month a year organizing it, adding alllll the posts from the year prior, and giving little descriptions so you can find what you're looking for quickly and easily. Let's dive into what's there, shall we? Get your clicking fingers ready, grab your coffee, and let's roll!

Here are the topics:

WRITING TIPS
This is broken down into Characters, Plot, Craft, and Tips and Tricks (like using MS Word to measure pacing, how to use Google Drive to collaborate, and more).

ADVICE ON EVERYTHING
Where to write, things to do to help you write, book swag, and other stuff. All clearly defined for your reading and browsing pleasure.

EDITING TIPS
If you're in the self-editing stage of your novel, this is where you want to be. Broken down into Punctuation, Dialogue, Pronouns, Variation, and Word Usage, you'll find everything you need to help your editor help you.

ORGANIZATION TIPS
Tips to help you organize yourself, your book, AND your files.

WRITING EXERCISES
Things to help you practice your writing. Games you can play with the family and dialogue exercises, too!

BOOK FORMATTING
What should be there, how you can get your novel ready to publish, and a few warnings.

EDITORS AND CONTRACTS
About the different kinds of editors and a breakdown of several contracts.

BRANDING YOUR AUTHOR SELF
Genres, look and feel, and why how you behave matters.

SERIES POSTS 
All the series posts I've written: Human Nature, Enneagram Types, Branding, Look at your xXx, Becoming a Book Blogger, and Punctuation (that one is fun).

FREE PDFS
All the PDFs I've created here for you to download, keep, and share for FREE!

BLOGGING AND BLOG TOURS
There's one on branding and one is a workbook to help you check your novel and fix holes (THIS IS A NEW TOPIC FOR 2016).

MARKETING TIPS  
Tools you can use to help you navigate the online waters and marketing ideas I've had.

I hope you find useful stuff on these pages. Every now and then, I throw archived posts out there into the ether and hope someone finds them when they're needed. I'm seriously considering focusing on social media how to this year.

Which one is your favorite?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Writing Exercise - Word Fun

Happy Hump-Day, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm gonna give you a writing exercise. Don't worry, it'll be fun. This is to expand your writerly vocabulary and get you thinking about the words you use on the page to craft your prose. So, grab those pens and printers and let's get going!

Start by printing out the four pages linked to below.

We're gonna use some common cliches for this exercise:
Babe in the woods.
The whole ball of wax.
By the book.
Same old song and dance.

Got those? No? Well, print them. I made them just for you!

Now, take a look at what you have in front of you. Try coming up with alternate endings so your cliches aren't. Step outside the box. Think harder. Fill out column A.

Remember to be engaging, outrageous, and contradictory when filling out columns B and C.

When you're done, fill out the bottom.

I'd be willing to bet you can do it in less than fifteen minutes.

Can't come up with that many? Try using MS Word's synonym tool.
  • Open MS Word.
  • Type in woods.
  • Right click.
  • Go to synonyms and see what you have.
  • Write them all down on your blanks.
  • Choose another word you came up with and do that one, too!

Make your own sheets and do this exercise often. You can find a list of common cliches easily if you do a Google search.

What do you think? Was today fun?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Monday, August 11, 2014

Improving Your Writing with a Journal

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! I hope you all had a super fabulous weekend and are ready to kick the week off with a bang. Today, I'm gonna talk to you all about keeping a journal and discuss how it may help you in your writing life. So, grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Journal
/ˈjərnl/
noun
1. A newspaper or magazine that deals with a particular subject or professional activity.
2. A daily record of news and events of a personal nature; a diary.

As you can imagine, I'm talking about the second definition of the word. But we'll take it a step further and add to that definition. Now, it'll read: A daily record of news, events, and emotions from a singular individual of a personal nature; a diary.

If you take five to ten minutes a day and write down your feelings or news topics that piqued your interest, you'll end up with an invaluable resource for your novels. I've talked about creating a feelings bible before, but this is something different.

Because you'll be writing in it every day, those emotions will be fresh. Feelings you had will still be on the tip of your fingers and ready to be slapped down on the page.

How does one journal feelings?

Think about a particular incident where you were taken aback by the reaction you had, or consider how something might have made you over-the-top happy. Write down what happened, then go on to describe your feelings about it in vivid detail.

Engage all five senses when you write these things down: Smell, Taste, Sight, Touch, Sound.

Go bananas. If you were angry, let it all out. Be real because you'll only be lying to yourself if you aren't.

What you'll find, after a month or so, is that you have a wonderful record of situational impact on a human being's emotional state. You'll know the situation, the players, and the results. Not only that, but you'll be able to recall things that interest you as a person.

You can also go sit in a cafe or coffee shop and journal other people. Yes, you'll have to guess about their feelings; but, chances are, you've been in a similar situation and can get pretty close to the physical fallout of a given situation. If you're an outgoing type (most authors aren't haha), go ask the person how they're feeling and write it all down. Take note of their facial expressions, posture, and vernacular.

Once you have this gem of a written record, put it somewhere you can get to it when you're stuck on a particularly emotional scene in a novel. If you already have a feelings bible, add some of the content from the journal.

I promise, it's never a waste of your time to get in touch with Human Nature (that's a link to another blog post series I did on the Jo Michaels blog that will give you some awesome insight into what makes us tick).

What do you think? Do you already have a feelings bible or journal? How has it helped?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Friday, April 25, 2014

Friday Funday - Part 3

Happy Friday, everyone! Because these posts have gone over so well, I'm bringing you another awesome post about things you can do with your family to keep your writer brain engaged and still have a ton of fun. I enjoy weekends with my husband and kids, and I love anything that lets me do that while keeping my creative side going. My first post was about free games you can play, the second was about word board games, and this one will be about getting to know those around you while creating new storylines or characters. Ready? Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Game #1 - Whodoneit? For four players (if more, increase the numbers accordingly)
Write down three personality types on tiny pieces of paper and put them in a hat. Write down killer, not killer, and not killer on three more. Put those in a hat. Have each person write down a motive for murder and put those in a hat. Have each person choose one slip of paper from each pile. Play detective and interview each participant. Make notes of their quirks, how they speak, and their body language while you try to solve the crime. Not only will this keep you all rolling on the floor laughing, you're getting some great research done!

Game #2 - Interview with the...? For two or more players
Dress up like an interviewer. Grab a clipboard, paper, and pen. Have the other player(s) write down on a sliver of paper one paranormal creature. They'll need to keep these slips in their pocket, so make sure they're small pieces of paper. Don't cheat and look. Now, you have to ask questions of the person to try and determine what paranormal creature they are. When you win, swap places. Reason for the piece of paper? So they can't change their mind halfway through and mislead you. *grin* This game can also be played with super powers. On your notepad, be sure you're writing down how vague you can be when identifying a creature. This will help you in your writing. You'll learn quirks, habits, and body language.

Game #3 - Fear This! For four or more players
Grab some paper and pens. Sit down with the other players in a circle. Round 1: Have each person tell about a scary incident that happened to them. Write down the key phrases they use as description. Try and psychoanalyze what's on the page. Ask questions about how things could've been done differently and what the possible outcome of those actions may have been. You can use fictional situations, but you won't get as visceral a reaction. Whoever comes up with the most alternative directions for the scenario, wins round 1. That person gets to throw out a scenario first in round 2. Now, for round 2: All players close their eyes except the winner of round 1. That person asks the others, one by one, to describe an encounter with something (spider, cockroach, creepy zombie, etc...). When they're done, everyone but the asker rates the story from 1-5. Tallys are kept by the asker. Winner of this round moves into sudden death with winner of round 1. Sudden Death: Round 1 winner must step out of the room. Round 2 winner will then spin a tale of what they believe it would be like to die. Answer is rated by remaining players (1-10) and round 1 winner is then allowed to return and do the same. Person with the highest score wins. I'm sure you can guess how this helps your writing.

Game #4 - Make Me Laugh! For two or more players
You're all familiar with the old game show, right? Same idea. Only you need to have a tape recorder or video recorder on. This will give you funny sayings, facial expressions, and other fodder to use in your books.

What do you think? Will you use any of these?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Friday, March 14, 2014

Friday Funday

Happy Friday, everyone! The weekend is almost upon us and I figured I'd give you a few things to do in your downtime that will help your writing skills. Just a little weekend fun to keep your writerly brain engaged and on target for the workweek ahead. I know you don't really want to think about Monday, but it behooves us all to be prepared. I'll begin by giving you the name of the exercise, and then move on to how you can accomplish it (and maybe have some fun, too). Grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going.

Exercise #1: Dialogue Dissection
Grab a friend or family member and chat with them. Be sure you have a recorder of some kind running (voice notes on an iPhone work great for this). Give yourself ten to fifteen minutes then shut the recording device off. End the conversation and move to a room where you can be alone. Play back the recording and recall what each of you were doing as you spoke. Mentally add commas and periods where you think they belong. Listen to it again. Pay attention to the words used, pronunciation, and inflection. Think about how you might write the conversation out. If you feel so inclined, you may do so; but, this is more of an exercise to get your brain thinking about dialogue in general.

Exercise #2: Title Trivia
Sit down with a friend or family member and grab a couple of sheets of paper or 3.5"x5" index cards. Cut them into pieces and have everyone write one word on each piece. Fold them up and throw them into a bowl. Take turns picking out two pieces and sticking them together. Pretend it's the title of a book and come up with a synopsis to support it. This is all verbal, so no need to write anything down (unless you hit upon the next great novel idea!).

Exercise #3: What's That Word?
This, again, is a two or more person game. Grab a sheet of paper and write down a sentence with at least ten words in it. Exchange with others. Now, try and come up with as many words as possible in place of the ones written. Whoever has the most variations (accurate ones) wins! Don't cheat and use a thesaurus! I find chocolate is a great motivator as a prize for this game.

Exercise #4: Acting Gone Awry
Take a character from one of your favorite novels and pretend to be them for the day. Respond to other people the way you think the character would, do things you think they would do, and really try to walk in their shoes. Take little notes as you go if you want. At the end of the day, reflect on your actions and try to flesh out the character in your head. Were there circumstances that made you wonder about the character's personality or how they would react or did it all flow very naturally? What part of the book let you know that? Use this knowledge the next time you're building your own characters (or when writing scenes of discovery).

Exercise #5: Cover Collection Craziness
Go online and take a look at other books in your genre. Save images of the covers. Print out a quick copy on regular paper or pull them up in a photo editing program. Make notes about what you like and don't like about each one. If you wanna get crazy, cut them up and glue together a whole new cover with some of the elements. Kids love this one.

These are just a few games you can play with your friends or family members to help you become a better writer. An added bonus is: You get to spend time with your loved ones while sharpening your skills!

Which one of these sounds the most fun to you?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Writing What You Don't Know

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Wow, what a busy couple of weeks here on the blog, eh? For the next few posts, I'll be talking about some of the things suggested on day ten of the twelve days. If you missed that post, just click the name and you'll be able to see what I'm talking about. So, today we're gonna discuss writing what you don't know. I have some posts on writing what you know and using a memory bible to keep track of places you've visited and things you've seen. But what about when you want to put your characters in a fantasy land or have them visit a place you've never been? I'll give you some tips and tricks on how to keep that straight. Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!



I've said it a lot here on the blog: The best fiction is based in fact.

That will be a constant. No matter if you're writing science fiction, fantasy, or anything that requires you to think outside the box.

Rules:
In most works of fiction, the same rules that apply to the world around us hold true. Gravity, human survival (we need food, air, and water), human nature (reactions to things, love, betrayal, etc...) hold pretty constant, and other such things that are seen as everyday (sky is blue, leaves are green, etc...).

But what if you're writing about a world you've made up where the sky is pink, leaves are silver, and people no longer need air to breathe?

Well, you're gonna have to explain why those things are possible. What changed? How did it change? When did it change?

Here are a few tips that will help you when you're writing about something that isn't:
  • Use your imagination to get an idea of the rules that will be broken in this world and make copious notes. If the sky is pink, write that down and say why.
  • Google is your friend. Do research on why the sky is blue and what might change to make it perma-pink.
  • Hunt down fantasy images that fit your vision of your world. If you can't find any, sketch out a few (don't try and be Rembrandt, no one is gonna see them but you). Keep them where you can see them as you write.

To give you an example, one of my works in progress is called M. In that not-so-distant future (2024ish), my characters get around their city on sidewalks that move at incredible speeds and are powered by the sun. Before I wrote that little bit of information, I did a lot of research. It seems there have been a number of attempts at making these fast moving sidewalks and detailed descriptions of just how they would work. Score! I could explain to my reader exactly how people would use it because I had a full grasp myself.

Make sense?

If you're going to break a "rule," be sure you have a reason and an understanding of how your fantasy idea could happen. Even if on another planet, be sure and explain why the world is the way it is or how we can survive there.

Now, if you're writing about a place that actually exists, you need to do some of the same research with a little modification here and there. Try these tips on for size:
  • Pull up photos of the place you want to write about and curate them to a word document.
  • List common temperatures of the area during the day and at night.
  • See what other people are saying about the location and copy/paste those tid-bits into your document with the photos.
  • Close your eyes and imagine yourself in the midst of the place. Without looking, type everything you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel into your word document. What do you think would be fun to do there? Write that down.

In The Bird, Stormy visits a place called Ringing Rocks National Park in Pennsylvania. I'd never been there, but I did a massive amount of research about the area and imagined how I would act if I were in her shoes. Turns out, I'm kind of a big ole kid. And she has that playful, whimsical attitude as well. I had her click the nails in her boots on the rocks to make them ring out.

Even though I'd never been there, I made it seem like I had. I was writing what I didn't know, but learned about.

What it all boils down to is this: If you're writing what you don't know, you must make it something you know before you can write about it.

It's all kind of an oxymoron.

You have to immerse yourself in the world and know every possible outcome of every action. If someone jumps and your world has light gravity, how much further will they go? Things like that. Be sure and keep a word or notepad document on every book. Yeah, even those that are based in fact. Dates and descriptions are important, too!

You don't want to say the sky is pink because there was an increase in dust and pollution in the atmosphere that causes the light of the sun to refract differently, only to contradict yourself in the next chapter.

What have you written that you didn't know?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Checklists for Novels - Part 2 of 3 - Deepening Plot and Structure

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! And isn't it a grand day! The sun is shining and words are everywhere for the grasping. Today, I'm continuing my printable checklists and taking the plot and structure lists from yesterday a bit further. No pens and notebooks. Just bring your mouse and printer, please. Let's get going!

Deepening Plot:
  • Does my protagonist have a goal?
  • What is that goal and why does it matter (who cares scenario)?
  • When do I introduce the doorway of no return (should be in the first 1/4 of the novel)?
  • Is my antagonist evil/bad enough?
  • What's the relationship between my protagonist and my antagonist?
  • Is it strong enough to warrant their continued angst? Why?
  • What does my protagonist believe in deeply?
  • How does that change?
  • Did I make the change believable?
  • What opinions did I alter to garner a change of core beliefs?
  • Is there a sub-plot?
  • If yes, could the sub-plot stand on its own?
  • What was the reason for it?
  • Can I take it out and keep the suspense/action going just as well?
  • When I lay my plot out, does it flow in a linear fashion?

Deepening Structure:
  • The Beginning
  1. Have I shown the protagonist's world in enough detail so the reader understands the rules?
  2. How did I do that?
  3. Is the protagonist directly involved in creating or upholding those rules?
  4. How so?
  5. Do I have a dynamite opening line?
  6. Is my prologue necessary?
  7. Action first?
  8. If no, how can I rearrange the story so explanation comes later?
  • The Middle
  1. Is there a sense of death hanging over my protagonist's head (physical, emotional, professional, or psychological)?
  2. Could my protagonist simply walk away from the conflict and lose nothing (this should be a no)?
  3. Why?
  4. Is there plenty of action, reaction, and more action going on?
  5. Are my stakes high enough?
  6. What can I (or did I) do to raise them?
  7. How did I set up the final battle or show that it's coming?
  • The End
  1. Did I answer all the questions I brought up in my reader's mind during the tale?
  2. Is my ending a knockout, that'll leave my reader breathless or scratching their head?
  3. Was my ending predictable?
  4. What kind of ending do I have (objective reached, objective lost, or dangling)?
  5. How did I set that up?

If you can answer all these questions without a second thought, your novel is very well built. These aren't checklists for when you're starting to write. They're for the final product. It'll help you spot holes you need to fill.

Remember, feel free to print these out or save them as you wish. If you want to share them, I'll be putting up a PDF tomorrow of all six together. All I ask is that you don't alter them in any way if you redistribute on your own site.

Tomorrow, a checklist for scenes, dialogue, and complexity and one on character. Be sure and come on back for those!

Are these lists something you've done in the past; or, is this all new to you?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Monday, August 26, 2013

Checklists for Novels - Part 1 of 3 - Plot and Structure

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! I hope you all had a great weekend and are looking forward to the week ahead. On an awesome note, I managed to land exhibitor space at UtopYAcon 2014 and will be sharing a table with a writer I greatly admire, Ms. Tia Silverthorne Bach. I'll pass on more news to you about this awesomeness as it becomes available. For the next few days, I'm giving you all checklists you can run down and tick items off of that'll help you with the construction of your novel. I'm creating images out of the lists so you can save them and print them out. Today will be plot and structure. No pens and notebooks needed; just bring your printer and mouse. **NOTE** You may save and print these as you wish!** Let's get going!

Plot:
  • Critical Elements - Do you know what they are?
  • Strong Lead - Is your protagonist deeply layered?
  • LOTE - Do you have the following: Lead, Objective, Trouble, and Enticing Ending?
  • Identification - Can readers identify with your protagonist in one of these ways: Sympathy, Likeability, Inner-Conflict, or Power?
  • Objective - Is it strong and will people care? Ask yourself, "So what?" It must be something the protagonist must have to live a happy life.
  • Ending - Does it make your reader feel satisfied that all loose ends were tied up?

Structure (3 Act):
  • Beginning - Does it introduce your protagonist and the world they live in? Have you had the reader shake hands with the antagonist? Is the threat eminent? Has your character passed through the doorway of no return?
  • Middle - Have you deepened the relationships and character of the protagonist? What will the antagonist do to make life more complicated? This is where the action happens. Do battles rage? Have you set everything up for the final bang? Is there a revelation?
  • End - Have you wrapped everything up? Was the final battle full of enough tension? Do readers believe the ending could've happened?
Tomorrow's checklists will go into elements of the plot and structure.

Make sure you come on back for that!

Do you use any kind of checklists once your novel is done?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

5 Ways to Bond Readers and Characters

Happy hump-day, good people of the blogosphere! Today, we'll be talking about ways to get your reader to really give a crap about your character. In reality, that bond is the most important. Forget plot, structure, and tension for a minute and think about your favorite book. What do you remember most? The Journey? The Problems? Or was it a character that made you say, "I want to be like them."? Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get this party started!

Here are five ways to create a tie between your reader and your character without resorting to handcuffs:

1. Likability
I'm sure you've all come across characters you didn't really like very much. Stop and ask yourself why. Were they cruel? Did they have too big of an ego? You want a character who can laugh at themselves. One who is kind or commits random acts of heroism. They need to care more about others than they do about themselves. There is one caveat to this: Power. If you make a character who's vile, give them obscene amounts of power. Above all else, you have to make them interesting enough to hold attention.

2. Inner Conflict
A character who has their mind made up, and one who doesn't struggle in some way, is boring as hell. Yes, this goes back to the doorway of change. Someone who has it all figured out and has no reservations will turn your reader off in a nanosecond. Show the inner conflict of your character, and let them come alive on the page. They'll seem much more real. Check out some of the entries in my Human Nature series of posts. That leads us to...

3. Identification
Here, I'm sure you're saying, "Well, duh, Jo!" But this is something a lot of people miss. Create a human that lives and breathes and your reader will identify with your lead. When we read about people that we can visualize, we tend to care about them. I've talked before about creating perfect characters and why it's never a good idea. Make your reader love the character (for all their flaws). This means...

4. Create Sympathy
There are four ways to do this:
  • Give your character hardship. Some kind of hurdle in their life that wasn't self-imposed. If you make it so the character put themselves in that situation, they'll come off as whiny.
  • Put them in jeopardy. Trouble is coming and there's no way out of it (or so it seems). Emotional jeopardy is just as heart-rendering as physical.
  • Show their vulnerable side. If your lead could lose at any moment, your reader will care. Make them nervous for the protagonist and you'll win.
  • Create an underdog. This is the long-shot. Know that horse who was slated to come in last in every race because of a prior hoof injury? What if it wins against all odds? There, you have your underdog. It's the same with characters that are humans.
5. The World and the Rules
Show the reader what life is like for the character. A character could be working or playing, but use this to create a bond and show the rules of their world. Perhaps a humorous mayor or a tough aristocracy is what your world will have. Portray the character in their setting and make one of the rules something they don't like or feel strongly about. It will help it feel like a reality to the reader. They'll inevitably compare it to their own if they believe it; and, bam! you have that special link.

Think about this post from last year: Writers that Cannot Feel, Cannot Write and ask yourself why that holds true. It's the same for readers. They have to feel something when they read your story.

Which of your characters do you love the most? Why?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Friday, August 16, 2013

Character Arcs

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! I'm looking forward to the weekend SO much. Melody is in round three of edits (see this post for the editing steps I take) and Coralie's story is flying from my fingers. I've been an emotional wreck the last few days because her story is truly terrifying. But, today isn't about those books, though I may use them for reference, it's about Character Arcs. What the heck is a Character Arc? Well, grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

If you've been a regular visitor to the blog, you've probably read a lot about doorways and change. I'm always talking about how a character should pass through the doorway of no return and how that moment should end up changing your character in a profound way. But what are the steps from doorway to epiphany?

An excellent character arc has these things:
  • Meeting
  • The Doorway
  • Impact on the Persona
  • Moment of Change
  • Finale
Meeting is where we're introduced to the character and learn a little about them. This isn't full disclosure, it's a tasting of the character's basic beliefs, values, attitudes, and opinions. Now, the basic beliefs and values a person holds are a direct result of their attitudes and opinions. Change enough of the opinions and you end up changing a core belief.

This is where The Doorway comes into play. Your character must waver on the threshold. Because of their beliefs and values, they won't want to step through that door. Find a way to shove them through. Leave them no choice in the matter. This is the beginning of change.

A few examples: In Mystic ~ Bronya, she has to leave the town she's in and give up on the possibility of love. I shoved her through the door by taking away all she cared about and leaving her no other option. While she answers the letter from WSTW with gusto, she almost turns around at the airport because she's still trying to retain hope that she'll end up with Cecilia. In Mystic ~ Lily, she's made to face the person in the mirror and practice self-love. She fights it because drugs and alcohol have served her well in taking away the pain up to that point. I added Markaza to the mix to shove Lily through the doorway; kicking and screaming.

Impact on the Persona happens throughout the story. These are what lead a person to begin to change their beliefs. Maybe hate is erased or judgment tendencies are quelled. But there are always outside forces at work. People the character interacts with or things they witness will begin to change their opinions, thereby changing their attitudes, values, and beliefs.

There has to be a Moment of Change. From everything that happens to the character from the doorway beyond, it will bring about the epiphany. It's that "ah ha!" moment. And it can't come out of nowhere. Outside forces are always at work on all of us. It's the same with your character.

You don't have to write out the moment. It can be shown via actions during the Finale. New things the character does or says can show the reader just how monumental the change was, and how the values and beliefs of the character were altered.

In a series, the Moment of Change doesn't usually happen in the first book; but in the last. For example: In the Mystic series, none of my ladies have really had that moment yet. Markaza is off collecting the girls,  each book is a sampling of their individual doorways, and some of the Impact that occurs to force the girls to pass through. There's no outside forces changing their belief systems just yet (though there was a hint of it in Mystic ~ Shelia when Aunt Ivy shows up).

Now, how to keep it straight?

Try creating a Character Arc list. Four columns on a sheet of paper, each with a heading. Here's an example:
Temujin begins life believing he's the end-all be-all and has very astute ideals about how things should be. When he breaks his values during the story, he ends up with a lot of humility and understanding about life and love. This can be ramped up with a little bit of tweaking, but it'll give you a map to work from. I didn't show what I have in store for the women of WSTW because that would spoil the last book.

I hope you all have a good grasp of Character Arc and a handy tip that will help you formulate a plan.

Question of the day: Do you plot out your characters beyond page one? How has it helped you/hindered you?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Imagery and Writing Places You've Been

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm discussing writing about places you've been. It's something I've discussed before when I talked about keeping a feelings bible and when talking about writing what you know. If you're new to the blog, welcome! Take a moment and check out those links. Then, grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Almost everyone I know has a cell phone. 99% of cell phones have cameras. This is what I implore you to do: Take photos of your surroundings when you visit a place and use them in your feelings bible as soon as you return. Add a picture and say what you remembered feeling as you were in the space. It'll give you a two-fold return. 1. You'll have the feeling down before you can forget what it was. 2. Imagery will help you recall how to describe the location.

Time for examples!
The Best Boyfriend in the World and I went to a B&B in Dahlonega, Georgia, called the Mountain Laurel Creek Inn & Spa. I took some photos of the room in case I want one of my characters to visit there one day. Because I live in Georgia, a lot of my books will be set here. Makes sense, right? Here's what I wrote in my feelings bible and the images that went along with them:

What a lovely decor this room has. Lighting made me feel like I was in a five-star hotel and the room smelled lovely. I couldn't wait to lay in the huge bed and feel the sheets! *They turned out to be softer than a chinchilla, which I have touched in the past* I could live in this room and be happy as a lark. I was filled with a sense of peace as I entered.
One of the best things about the space was the furniture. It all looked like it was reclaimed or antique, but it all worked together seamlessly. There was this interesting table that looked like it was made from tree branches near the door. Colors were bright yet seductive in a wow kind of way. That closet could've held a small city!
An old makeup table reminded me of a sewing table and brought back memories of my mother and her sewing machine. I loved sitting in the big, squishy chairs on the floor. That unit in the corner was a fireplace and we had our own air conditioner which made for a perfect temperature experience.
What can I say about the bathtub other than, "WOW!" We both fit in it very nicely and the jets felt so good on our achy muscles. Settling down in the water, I felt all my stress melt away.
In the shower was something I'd never seen: dispensers for soap and shampoo! My hair and skin felt so soft after I used the on-site products. They obviously spared no expense with the toiletries. Wearing those robes was like wrapping up in butter. Soft and warm, they were top of the line.

Reaction: Wow! Ooooh! Ahhhh! I want that!





Descriptions, photographs, and feelings you had are all integral to the writing process. Don't leave anything out! It's not difficult to snap a few pics for later reference.

Just in case you missed it, I'm posting the rafflecopter entry form from the IBGW blog here. This is a gorgeous book and has some awesome reviews. I haven't read it myself, but I formatted it for print! If you like pretty, enter to win a copy!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck to you all!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Backstory

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today we're gonna talk about backstory and how to introduce it to your reader. There are many ways to accomplish this, and what we want to avoid is the information dump. Don't know what an information dump is? Well, grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!


An information dump is when you stop the story you're telling to give paragraph upon paragraph of your character's past. This isn't good practice when writing because, usually, the past isn't filled with a lot of tension and can tend to drag along. While you may get one great scene with tension, the rest is oftentimes unnecessary.

So, how can you show a character's past without dumping information on your reader? There are a few ways:

The Flashback
These can happen in little snips of memories brought on by something that's occurring in your character's life or something they see/hear. Just like in real life, certain things bring up items from the past. Don't allow your protagonist to dwell though. Give a little and move on.

Conversation
When one character is talking to another, they'll sometimes talk about life and their past. Use this to insert snips and quips into the storyline. Don't let the conversation drag out too long, and remember to make the speech sound natural. If you have trouble with dialogue, take a look at these exercises on practicing writing dialogue: Dialogue Exercises. You'll find links to fifteen writing exercises on that page.

Contextual Additions
Things you add in the text as you write can show some of a character's past. Whatever action they're engaged in, shoot a sentence of memory through it and allow that to paint your protagonist's past with vivid colors. This also works to show your character's personality.

Other People
Use some of the other people in the story to tell about your character. Have them talk behind the person's back, make remarks, or even react to the protagonist's presence in the room. If people are smiling and hugging your leading lady/man, then you know the others are happy to see that person. When people laugh, jeer, or avoid the main character, it tells the reader something's up and can lead to further discovery in other ways.

Just remember to KISS your reader (Keep It Simple, Stupid), and stay away from too much backstory in a single place. Avoid the blahs.

I hope this reference comes in handy for you all.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Variation

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm back to tips and tricks to keep your writing interesting. As many of you may know, I'm an editor as well as a writer. One of the things I notice people doing a lot of is starting too many sentences in the same paragraph with the same word. Another thing is repeating a word in a sentence. While both of these may seem like minor details, when paid attention to and rectified, it can create a world of difference in your final product. Remember to use your thesaurus!


Example time! Let's set the stage: Darren just had a fight with his girlfriend of six years.

He went through the door into the living room and exited out the back door. He walked over to his car and pulled open the driver's side door. He got in, slamming the door behind him, put the key in the ignition, started the car, and peeled out of the parking lot. He drove a long time before pulling over and getting out; giving the door another hard slam as he got out of the car.

As you can probably see, there are a ton of no-nos in the paragraph above. While there are many ways to re-write it, let's try on the first pass to eliminate starting each sentence with he.

Darren went through the door into the living room and exited out the back door. Walking over to the car, he pulled open the driver's side door, got in, slammed the door, put the key in the ignition, started the car, and peeled out of the parking lot. It was a long time before he pulled over, got out, and gave the door another hard slam.

Now, while we fixed the problem with the word he, you can tell we've created other issues. How about we fix a couple (like that looooong second sentence)?

Darren rushed through the living room and out the back, leaping down the three short steps to the driveway. Stomping to the car, he got in, started it, and peeled out of the lot. It was a long time before he pulled over and got back out; taking his anger out on the door as he shoved it closed behind him.

Remember, you have to name the character at some point before you can use the pronoun he. Try not to bore your readers by giving them a blow-by-blow, either. If you do a good job with actions, they'll be able to grasp that your character is pissed, sad, or happy. By the time we say he's taking his anger out on the door, we've already set the stage and given plenty of action to show how he feels. If you tell, it might look like this:

Darren, madder than a mashed cat, left in his car and drove a long time before pulling over and getting out.

While there are less words, it's not as fun to read. Keep it simple, vary your word usage, and show your reader what they should be picturing in their head.

I hope you'll try writing the world's worst paragraph and fixing it. For this is how one learns a new skill. Practice makes permanent.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, May 23, 2013

When the Muse Steps out of the Room

Well, it's Thursday yet again, good people of the blogosphere! Today we're gonna talk about the Muse and what to do when she steps away from your side to go tend another author, songwriter, or painter. Tips and tricks to tempt her back, if you will. So, grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!






What do you do when you feel the Muse upon you? Do you hurry to your computer and quickly boot up and begin to write? What happens when you're at the store or at church when she pays you a visit? Do you rush home and leave your buggy or excuse yourself from the chapel to go to your car and write?

Of course not. We don't have lives like that, where we can drop any task and write when we need to.

But what about when your Muse has abandoned you and refuses to return? There are a couple of things you can do to help yourself in this situation.

  • Write at the same time every day. Muses are busy, they don't have time to hang around with everyone on the planet. Seriously, when you write at the same time every day, your brain will get used to the creative cycle you put it on and you'll find words flowing more easily over the course of just a few weeks.
  • Read a book. Books are a writer's fuel. We consume them because they engage our brains and make us think.
  • Exercise. Believe it or not, exercise stimulates your brain. It gets your blood flowing and your neurons pumping.
  • Read a good writing blog (like this one!). Sometimes, just reading about writing helps you out of your funk and allows you to put down new words.
  • Take a walk or call a friend. Walking and having a seat on a bench, watching people, can be a huge booster to your brain. Sometimes, you'll find an interesting character that way. Talking to a friend and letting them vent will also give you book fodder. Maybe not exactly, but you can pull from life.


Before you know it, your Muse will be right there with you all the time.

Those are just a few suggestions. I'm sure if you do a Google search, you'll find many more.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Friday, May 17, 2013

Enneagram Types - Conclusion

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today is the tenth and final post in my series on Enneagram Personality types. Rather than just have you typing your characters and following the Enneagram model, I'm going to give you food for thought today. You've been (hopefully) working through the dialogue exercises and have a pretty good grasp of how specific character types will react in certain situations. You can combine these types with an understanding of Human Nature and really dream up characters that make an impact. I'll show you how. So grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Here's a recap of all the posts from the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist
Type #5 - The Observer
Type #6 - The Questioner
Type #7 - The Adventurer
Type #8 - The Leader
Type #9 - The Peacemaker

I used definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

So, if you've been following along, you now know what drives each type of person to do the things they do. You'll also have a pretty good grasp of how these characters interact if you've been doing the exercises at the bottom of the posts.

Let's talk about how to bring these characters to their knees, shall we?

Ones are perfectionists. This means they're a little on the OCD side and they try to push their perfectionism onto others. They enjoy dotting the I's and crossing the T's. Think for a moment about what would drive a One up the wall.  If you're using a One as a main character, consider putting them up against something they can't control or can't change the outcome of; no matter how much they want to.

Fives are watchers. Rarely do they get into the thick of things. They prefer to read about things to learn how to do them rather than learning by trying. These folks usually have the right answer. But what would drive them batty? Being wrong all the time, never knowing what's really going on, or even being forced to take control of a situation.

When you study the Enneagram, you're looking for a deeper sense of self. It will tell you what your pitfalls are and how to avoid them. Character insight goes from surface understanding to truly knowing what your character feels, thinks, and how they'll react in any given situation.

What else does understanding give you?

The ability to know just how to hit them where it hurts, make them sublimely happy, or change them in some profound way. Wait, change them? Why would you want to change a great character?

Every character is on a journey. They must change in some profound way from page one to the end of the book. Without the journey, you have no story. If you have no change, your character will seem like one that can't learn from their mistakes. They come off flat. Using the Enneagram will prevent unbelievable change. Know what they tend to when stressed or happy. Put it to good use.

You should think about what kind of character you're writing before you ever put down the first word. Now, there's a caveat to this! Maybe you have a great character and don't know yet what their personality type is. My suggestion is to use free-writing via dialogue. Sit down and have a conversation with that character. Let them show you just who they really are. Once you have that down, you're golden.

As writers, we tend to base our characters on people we know well. We don't even realize we're doing it half the time. But we're familiar with their personality so we're in our comfort zone. Keep this in mind. There's nothing wrong with doing it that way, just make sure you have the greatest understanding possible.

I hope this series has helped you in some way. Character driven stories are pretty popular. Think: Harry Potter, Pride and Prejudice, or the Percy Jackson series.

How will you use the Enneagram? For personal or writing purposes?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, May 16, 2013

The Peacemaker - Enneagram Type #9

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I give you the last of the Enneagram types: The Peacemaker. Tomorrow, we'll go into how you can use these personality types in a different way. So far we've been delving into the human mind and extracting what makes people tick. I'm gonna show you how to use that knowledge to create lots and lots of drama. So be sure you come on back tomorrow for the final installment of the series! Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going.

As always, I'll begin with links to the first posts of the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist
Type #5 - The Observer
Type #6 - The Questioner
Type #7 - The Adventurer
Type #8 - The Leader

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #9 - The Peacemaker.
Definition: Peacemakers are motivated by the need to keep the peace, merge with others, and avoid conflict. Since they, especially, take on qualities of the other eight types, peacemakers have many variations in their personalities, from gentle and mild mannered to independent and forceful.

Nines are usually pretty easy to spot. They tend to try and diffuse a situation by offering some excuse for the other person or entities' behavior. Some of the more aggressive types might the Peacemaker as taking sides with those who behave badly. It will probably piss the other type off.

At their best, Peacemakers are some of the most pleasant people to be around. They always fit in with a group of people and are seen as the most understanding of the nine types. However, when they're stressed or having a bad day, you'll be face-to-face with one of the strangest people you'll ever meet. It's like a total personality change. Where you've had this calm, nice, understanding person before, you'll be faced with a roaring lion that can't seem to focus on anything and passive-aggressively attacks you.

Never will a Nine ask for what they want. They'll be so focused on you and your needs, they'll overlook themselves. But the dam breaks eventually and the Nine will begin to act a lot like a Four; bringing drama to the table you may not be able to handle. After their meltdown, they'll feel bad and try to patch things up.

Peacemakers don't make good antagonists because they desire peace at any cost.

This leads us to the exercise for today!

You have a Peacemaker that just broke up an argument between a Reformer and an Artist. Show how the Peacemaker acts when under duress. Use a lot of action. Have both the One and the Four yell at the Nine. Make them throw things. Create a hurricane your character must traverse. It's up to you how it all ends, but remember to have some fun with it.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the final post!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

The Leader - Enneagram Type #8

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! Wednesdays always make me think of weddings. You got wed on a Wednesday. How charming. Okay, enough drivel. We're continuing with our Enneagram personality types today! The Leader (also can be called The Asserter) is a fun type of character for an action novel or as comic relief for a lighter read like chick-lit. Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

As always, I'll begin with links to the first posts of the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist
Type #5 - The Observer
Type #6 - The Questioner
Type #7 - The Adventurer

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #8 - The Leader.
Definition: Leaders are motivated by the need to be self-reliant and strong and to avoid feeling weak or independent.

Leaders are assertive and often end up getting themselves into trouble with their constant fight for what's right. They can be martyrs, sacrificing themselves for the "greater good." If you use a leader in your novel, do it with caution if they aren't the main character. They'll steal the spotlight every time if you allow them to.

Using an Eight as your protagonist might just be the kick you need to really catapult your story into the next realm of awesomeness. They're assertive, loyal, and fiercely protective of those they love or their own ideals.

When they're bad, you see a control freak that can go overboard with their wants and needs. Leaders make great bad guys; but they can also make a compelling good guy. Remember Peeta in The Hunger Games?

All this leads us to today's exercise!
Create a leader who's angry about deforestation in their area. When the machines show up to cut down the trees, put a Three in the role of foreman. Allow the scene to write itself. What the Eight will do should be based upon their feeling of injustice to the trees. Use action tags with only a few dialogue tags as the two go at it. Remember, you can use a woman and a man, two women, or two men. Do something unexpected. Have fun with it!

Is there someone in your life who's a cut-and-dry Leader? What causes do they fight for?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The Adventurer - Enneagram Type #7

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, we talk about an exciting personality type: The Adventurer. When you read the book about the different types of people, you'll start typing people in your head. Heck, you may be doing it now, from these blog posts! I urge you to pick up a copy of the book and have your friends or loved ones answer the typing questions at the start of each chapter. You may be surprised. Someone you've nailed down as a Three may end up being a closet One or Eight. It's a lot of fun. Well, grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

As always, I'll begin with links to the first posts of the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist
Type #5 - The Observer
Type #6 - The Questioner

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #7 - The Adventurer.
Definition: Adventurers are motivated by the need to be happy and plan enjoyable activities, contribute to the world, and avoid suffering and pain.

This character is fun-loving, enthusiastic, and charming when on their game. They're also clingy, needy, and a wee bit self-destructive when they aren't. Never being happy with what life gives them, they're constantly searching for more.

Your reader may see the character as impulsive and want to slap their face. Or, the reader may wonder why in the hell this character would act they way they do. Especially if your reader is a Five or Six.

Adventurers are reckless and love the element of danger. They sometimes seek it out if life becomes too hum-drum. These actions can cause trouble or a lot of fun! Great characterization can be done if you create a protagonist who's a Seven.

On to today's exercise!
Write two pages of dialogue between a Seven and a Three. Remember, the character types on either side, called wings, also influence the actions of a person (we'll go into this more on Friday). A Three will also have traits of a Two and a Four. Keep your Seven firmly in their type while allowing the Three to lean one way or the other. Your scene? A crowded bar with loud music and lots of dancing. Threes are workaholics so go with the flow and enjoy writing. Don't paint the scene through anything but dialogue. Use no inner-monologue for this exercise.

What was your favorite book with a Seven as the protagonist?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo