define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true); define('DISALLOW_FILE_MODS', true); Learn how to write your story - MyBookTherapy

Finding Balance in Writing & Life: When Your Cup is Empty

By on July 2, 2014 in Lisa Jordan

I knocked over my cup. Tea flowed out of the mug, onto the floor, and raced toward any crack or crevice it could find. I picked up the cup to find it empty, and my shoulders sagged.

I felt like that cup.

Empty. With nothing left to offer.

You see, I spent a week in June at my youngest son’s hospital bedside praying fervently for God to spare his life. A seemingly simple diagnosis of bronchitis led into pneumonia only to have his body attacked by an unknown virus that wrecked havoc on his organs, spiraling him near death.

Oh, and by the way, I had a book deadline that week.

Share this Post...Pin on PinterestShare on Google+Share on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterEmail this to someone
Read the Rest
Continue Reading • Comments { 1 }

Subscribe / Connect

Sign up to get Susan May's 5 Secrets of a Best-selling novel, and the articles you need to help you Get Published and Stay published!

Saggy Scene Solutions: Use Goals versus Obstacles to create tension!

By on July 1, 2014 in 7. Search by Author:, b. Building a Scene, How do I write Tension?, Susan May Warren, writing tension

I’ve been on the phone a lot this summer, helping my clients brainstorm scenes. One of the biggest issues I see in ACT 2 is the struggle to set up a scene correctly and create reasonable tension to drive a reader through the scene.

Last week we talked about how to set up a scene. Today, we’re going to talk about how to use the combination of Goals against External and Internal Obstacles to create tension.

In Act 2, it’s essential that each scene have tension. Many people confuse tension with obstacles. Obstacles do not cause tension unless they stand in the way of something someone WANTS for a Very Good Reason.

My son just got back from football camp, so we have football fever around here. Which means it’s time for a football metaphor. The push FORWARD of the offense is the WANT (motivation) and GOAL (a first down!) of the character.

The Defensive line is/are the obstacles that push BACK against the character. You must have both to create tension.

Share this Post...Pin on PinterestShare on Google+Share on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterEmail this to someone
Read the Rest
Continue Reading • Comments { 0 }

Subscribe / Connect

Sign up to get Susan May's 5 Secrets of a Best-selling novel, and the articles you need to help you Get Published and Stay published!

Rachel Hauck

The Great Debate! Story vs Structure

By on June 26, 2014 in Book Therapist, Rachel Hauck

So, here we are, Susie May and me, after the Christy Awards sitting in the Marriott Hotel with greats Ted Dekker and Steven James, fellow Christy Award nominees.

(Congratulations to Susie for her second Christy win! And to Ted!)

Among our company that night was Ted’s daughter, who is also a new, contracted author with Tyndale.

As talk goes among writers, we edged our way to talking craft. Steven James just came out with a book Story Trumps Structure.

I get what he’s saying. Books are about stories, people doing amazing things.

No one ever came up to me and said, “Rachel, I just thought of a great structure!”

All writers are dreamers of story.

But James contends too many writers get wrapped around the axel on structure and forget about story.

As you know, here at MBT, we are all about BOTH.

Share this Post...Pin on PinterestShare on Google+Share on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterEmail this to someone
Read the Rest
Continue Reading • Comments { 5 }

Subscribe / Connect

Sign up to get Susan May's 5 Secrets of a Best-selling novel, and the articles you need to help you Get Published and Stay published!

Research For Today’s Writer

By on June 25, 2014 in Editing Basics, Encourage Me!

I wanted to take a fresh look at how to research novels. I polled some of my writing buddies both unpublished and published and got some great ideas for researching.

Home Improvement?

If you’re trying to write a home improvement scene and are totally repair challenged, try Youtube.com.

Crazy Psychopath People?

This is obviously for people who write suspense. The FBI website offers research for you to profile your villain(s). Not for the faint of heart.

Local law enforcement

Share this Post...Pin on PinterestShare on Google+Share on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterEmail this to someone
Read the Rest
Continue Reading • Comments { 0 }

Subscribe / Connect

Sign up to get Susan May's 5 Secrets of a Best-selling novel, and the articles you need to help you Get Published and Stay published!

MBT Menu