Archive | January, 2014

Rachel Hauck

Backstory, Flashback, Memory Moment: The Difference

By on January 30, 2014 in Book Therapist, Rachel Hauck

In order to give our characters depth and widen our stories, we layer in backstory, flashback and memory moments.

Flashbacks and Backstory are familiar terms to most novelists.

Memory moments is my term to break out from backstory and flashback as ways to bring in “the past” of a character.

I also use the term Character History. But I’ve blogged about that already and it’s not exactly where I’m going with this post.

This post is the difference between backstory, flashback, and memory moment.

Backstory is back story. Another story. Something from the character’s “past.”

The rule in novel writing is no back story for the first 30 – 50 pages. Meaning, no wandering backwards in the character’s story line while we’re meeting them and discovering the initial conflict.

But we never really need a break from the current action to go backwards in the story.

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Finding Balance in Writing & Life: Lessons in Waiting

By on January 29, 2014 in 4. Writer’s Life, Inspiration and Life Coaching, Lisa Jordan, Writing

Believe it or not, though, but there is joy in the waiting. Unfortunately many of us can’t see it while we’re going through that season, but hindsight shows us the blessings.

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Extreme Book Makeover: Your story simply isn’t compelling.

By on January 27, 2014 in 1. Discover your story, Crafting a Strong Premise, Extreme Book Makeover, How do I create a Storyquestion and Stakes for my story?, Susan May Warren

We’re learning how to overhaul our stories this year, and we’re going to start with one of the biggest criticisms authors hear: Your story simply isn’t compelling. In order to overhaul a weak story, you have to start by standing on the outside of our book and asking the big question: WHY.

Why will someone care about our story?

A story usually starts with a story seed, something that has niggled at the author’s attention and made them ask, what if? From there, an author begins to build the story, adding in characters and plot. Sometimes, authors simply dive into the story from there, writing their way through it. Others step back and plot it out, seeing the big picture, and then diving in.

Regardless of your method, however, an author must consider the reasons someone might pick up your story before writing, or rewriting your book. This big WHY will comprise the backbone of your pitch, and keep your story on track as you write it.

The WHY of your story is answered in the STAKES of your story. And here’s the key – they are external stakes. Often, an author wants to pitch the internal stakes of the story – will she find true love? Will she learn to forgive? Will she overcome her fear? Of course she will – that’s the point of the story. And this question is posed in the Story Question/Theme of the book (which we’ll get to in an upcoming blog). The Stakes of the story are the external risks of the hero’s journey. What will happen if your character doesn’t complete his goal?

How do you find stakes? First, let’s take a look at the three types of stakes:

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Rachel Hauck

Ten Things I Learned On My Writers Retreat

By on January 23, 2014 in Rachel Hauck, Writer's life

I had to escape. Get away.

For some reason my WIP just wasn’t coming together. And I am four weeks from deadline.

I had to start over… again.

Now I have a great office at home but between the internet, my husband and dog, and just all those little homey interruptions, I decided to break away.

I rented a room up at Teen Missions in Merritt Island.

I packed up, drove 40 minutes up the road and spent three days writing like crazy!

Here’s a few things I learned for making the most of your personal writing retreat.

1. Go some place near by. Traveling is emotional and physically draining. The closer your retreat to your home, the better. Make the retreat short rather than long. I left on a Tuesday morning and was plenty ready to return home by Friday noon.

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