I talk a lot about the Noble Cause, or purpose of a character as a key to discovering their motivations behind their actions. A Noble Cause is that one thing that drives a character through a story, whether it be a thriller (i.e., saving someone from being killed), or a romance (fighting for true love). But how does one determine the Noble Cause? I always start by asking the question of my character – What makes you the person you are today? His history will show you the things that molded him. Was he abandoned as a child? Perhaps, then, his Noble Cause is family, and never abandoning his own children. But let’s say he didn’t have a traumatic past – then ask: What is worth fighting for, and why? […]
Read the RestArchive | September, 2007
Picks: Straight Up by Lisa Samson
One thing we talk about as authors is reading. To be a great writer, you must be a great reader. In fact, it’s probably the primo craft study: reading. Craft books are largely about theory and how-to. And, in my humble opinion, craft books often use “high concept” books as their examples which can make the lessons hard to translate for genre or literary writers. Nevertheless, read craft books! Back to reading… what should you read to improve your craft? First, read the genre you’re writing. Read best sellers, or books that are getting a lot of buzz. Still, there’s no guarantee you’re “reading up.” I’ve read a few best sellers that were not strong on craft. The writing was fun, but not tight. I was mentally rewriting every other […]
Read the RestPrescriptions: Listen To Me!
There you are, you’ve got a blank computer screen, and the smallest tickle of an idea, something you’ve read, or seen, some question you think might be interesting tackled in a book. But where do you go from there? How do you turn a blip of an idea into a full novel, one that will resonate with readers? Christian books should reach beyond our hearts to touch our souls. Regardless of the genre — suspense, romance, historical, or chick lit — stories can touch our lives, even change us. And, while plot lines are important…it is characters that drive stories. When we think of the Hunt for Red October, we think of Jack Ryan. When we think of the Fugitive, we think of Dr. Richard Kimball. Characters drive the plot. […]
Read the RestDoctor’s Notes: Creating Story World
Why, why, why is JK Rowling’s Potter series so popular? What is it about her stories that capture us so, that make us, and roughly 500 million other readers, stand in line for days to get their hands on the latest 800 page offering? Aside from the depth of characterization, the twisting, detailed plot, the epic good vs. evil theme, I think there is one thing that makes Rowling’s book (and other classics, like Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis) riveting, and a story we can lose ourselves in for hours, or days. It’s…Story World. What do I mean? It’s that world the reader enters into in the book. EVERY BOOK HAS A STORY WORLD. Whether it’s a fantasy book, a contemporary romance, a historical suspense. Every book must have a backdrop […]
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