October 20, 2011 I Quit Not enduring to the end. Definition: Quitting. Giving up. Not pressing on and enjoying the journey. Rule: Never, ever quit. Unless God says. Unless you finally realize, “This is not my passion.” Then run out and find your passion! Rachel Hauck is an award winning,best selling author who’s made plenty of “author mistakes”
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Ten Common Author Mistakes. #9
By MBTAdmin on October 13, 2011 in Author Mistakes, Editing Basics, Hero, Heroine, Heroism, The Hero's Journey Simplified
Forgetting to weave in the story elements and symbolism. Definition: If you want to use a metaphor, like a world event or a family trait or tradition to show a contrast in the hero or heroine’s life, you must layer it in. If the heroine’s life if falling a part, coming down around her like 9-11, don’t tell the reader, “her life was just like the twin towers…coming down around her.” Weave it. The scene opens. It’s 9-11, the heroine is preparing breakfast. She calls her husband down to breakfast but he doesn’t show up. When she goes to see what’s taking him so long, she finds him collapsed on the bathroom floor, dead. As she’s calling 911, her best friend buzzes in. The twin towers […]
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By Rachel Hauck on October 6, 2011 in Author Mistakes, Editing Basics, Rachel Hauck, Secondary Characters
My Best Friend’s Wedding Neglecting to create dynamic secondary characters. Definition: Secondary characters are the protagonist, and the author’s best friend. A great story telling tool. They widen the stage, round out the story, spotlight the protagonist. They help tell the story. They add depth. They add conflict. They add humor. They reveal truth. It’s so easy to get caught up in creating our protagonist(s) we often forget to layer and deepen other characters. The end up being placeholders or sound bit machines. Secondary characters need to have a goal. A purpose. A hint at a problem. They can be a bit shallower than the main characters, and a bit two-dimensional, a bit more flippant, a bit more of a hyperbole. Use secondary characters to show the heart and depth […]
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Zap-Pow! Then What Happened? Tension is king. Never miss an opportunity for a good argument! Definition: Most of us hate conflict and confrontation. Even in our books. But tension is king! Donald Maass suggest tension on every page. Better yet, on every line. Tension doesn’t mean argument. Tension means “things aren’t going well.” For example: A conflict arises for your heroine. She gets pulled over for speeding. Instead of the officer letting her off, she gets a ticket. This upsets her. While she’s getting a ticket, her mother calls to say Uncle Ned is coming Sunday and our girl is expected at the house for dinner. She blows up. Why is Mama always so bossy? Our heroine will do what she wants for Sunday dinner. She might have plans already. Ever […]
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