Author Archive | Susan May Warren

USE PERSONAL STAKES! Last week in Prescriptions we talked about finding the Public Stakes for your story to build a hook for your reader. But, what if my story doesn’t have Public Stakes? What if Ben Affleck isn’t saving the world from a terrorist’s bomb, but is just about a prairie girl who wants to win a horse race? There’s no public stakes there… Who remembers the story of Laura Ingalls Wilder where she rides her horse Bunny in a race against evil Nellie? Why does this story matter? Well, of course, evil Nellie hates that Laura has a horse, and persuades her mother to buy her a fancy horse from Mankato. Laura doesn’t have a chance. What’s worse, Mrs. Olsen mocks Caroline for being poor, and refuses to sell […]

Q: My most vexing issue is figuring out how to tighten the noose (build the suspense) toward the end of the novel leading up to the climax scene. A: Don’t you just love movies where you’re on the edge of your seat, eyes glued to the screen, thinking, how could this get any worse? We think of classics like Die Hard, and Hunt for Red October, and Frequency, and one of my newest favorites, the Cell. But really, all dramas, and even comedies operate on this principle. Of course, instead of risking the life of a character, a comedy risks their reputation and status quo. Still, the structure is similar…each situation brings the character further and further from their goal. Some of my favorite television shows (and most stressful!) are […]

This week we’re going to continue with: How to hook your reader on the first page! To review, two weeks ago we talked about the HOOK, and how the hook needs to be SHARP. This week, let’s take a closer look at that first element of crafting your HOOK. S = Stakes – Making them big, scary and intimate Why does it matter? This is the question every reader is going to ask themselves, if not verbally, then underneath it all, as they’re reading. Why, indeed, should I spend my time reading this book? Stakes don’t have to be as epic as Red October (saving the world from a cold war weapon), or Independence Day (saving the world from an alien invasion), or even a cultural level (Erin Brockovich – […]

I woke up this morning to a memory. Twenty years ago, I met my husband’s family for the first time. They’re an…exuberant bunch. Loud, with lots of love to go around. Right now, there are about eight of them sitting around the kitchen table, playing Challenge Suduko. We have a total of about 40 immediate family milling around the house. I’m hiding in the bedroom…much like I did twenty years ago. It’s sensory overload. Love overload. *grin*. But I’m glad to be here, and even more glad that I didn’t have to get up at 5am to put in the turkey! Your assignment for the day: Enjoy. Let go of your manuscript for the day and take in the senses and sounds of the holiday. If you want to…write those […]