define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true); define('DISALLOW_FILE_MODS', true); November 2012 » Page 3 of 4 » My Book Therapy

Archive | November, 2012

TEE’s What and Why: Story Question

By on November 14, 2012 in Beth Vogt, Editing Basics

I’m trying something new for the next few posts: I’ll define a My Book Therapy term (the What) and then explain the importance of the term (the Why). Simple enough, wouldn’t you say? Let’s begin. What:  Story Question (Those of you who participated in the Monday night Bleacher chat that I taught will understand the motivation for this article!) The Story Question asks “what if?” It also asks a question of the heart or mind – the great “what if?” Why:  As I said during the Bleacher chat, if you hang around me long enough, and you’re working on a novel, I will ask you what your Story Question is. Why? The Story Question drives your entire novel. Consequently, the Story Question should be woven through every scene, every chapter of […]

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Conversations: Understanding Turning Points

By on November 12, 2012 in 2. Create Your Story, 4. Writer’s Life, Inspiration and Life Coaching, 6. Search by Series:, b. Building a Scene, Creating Story Layers and Subplots, How do I start my Scene?, SOTP or Plotter?, Susan May Warren, Truth or Dare: Conversations with an aspiring novelist

“I’m so sorry,” Sally said, sitting down and unwrapping her scarf from her neck. Outside, ice glazed the puddles, the sky a slate gray. The first hint of snow hung in the air, the world of northern Minnesota in crisp expectation. It was a perfect day to teach Sally about how to understand Turning Points in a novel. I love the change of seasons.  I blew on my candy cane mint mocha.  “Why?” “Our high school football season is over,” she said. “I know how you love to go to the games.” I do.  I live for the Friday night lights.  “It was a tough game.  A number of game-changing turning points that could have turned the game our way.  Our boys fought a tough fight.” “I heard that on […]

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Featured Fiction Friday Presents: Carrie Turansky!

By on November 9, 2012 in Featured Book, Featured Fiction, Featured Fiction Fridays

Howdy Folks! In the heat and passion of MBT WriMo, the Fraiser contest seems a little far away and forgotten. Today though, we are going to take a look at one of the people who made it possible. Introducing Carrie Turansky and her new book Snowflake Sweethearts. Q. Carrie, can you tell us a little bit about your book? A. In Snowflake Sweethearts – Travel back to Fairhaven, Washington, with single mom and personal chef Annie Romano. Annie has never forgotten the man she secretly loved as a teenager, and when he asks her to be the live-in caretaker for his ailing grandmother, she changes her career plans and agrees. As the holiday season approaches Alex’s grandmother, her matchmaking friends and one fatherless little girl are soon pulling at Annie’s and […]

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Week One of NaNoWriMo! Ca-ching!

By on November 8, 2012 in 1. Discover your story, Action and ReAction Scenes, Author Mistakes, How do I get started?, Rachel Hauck

Well, how are you doing? Are you taking on the NaNoWriMo challenge? If not, are you working on your WIP at a reasonable pace? Good! Here’s what I love about NaNoWriMo. Fast drafting. There’s an entire movement in the writing world telling us, “You can write fast and get a book almost done!” We’ve been given permission to press on, forget editing, forget fixing and polishing! Just write. A professor friend of mine tweeted that she was participating in NaNoWriMo for the “fun of fiction.” How true. For one month, you get to just make up a story! She can have red hair on page one, blue on page 50 and brown on page 100. She can be write, black, Hispanic. He can be a doctor, then a lawyer and maybe […]

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