Say the words “Boy Scout” and most people will think “Be prepared.” (That’s the Boy Scout Motto.) Or they might think of words like trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous … (These are parts of the 12 Points of the Scout Law. I know this because my husband, who is an Eagle Scout, recited all 12 Points to me in rapid-fire succession. Once a Scout, always a Scout.) And yes, this Scout trivia is applicable to writing a novel. What: Boy Scout Moment This is a sweet moment in the beginning of the book where we glimpse the hero or heroine doing something kind – petting a dog, saving a cat, helping an old woman across the street (Boy Scout, remember?) –that functions to create likeability of your character. Why: I […]
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Learning from Pixar: Storytelling Rule #7
Recently Pixar’s 22 Storytelling Rules circulated on the Internet. Being as the Pixar gave us great movies like Toy Story and Cars, I figure they might know what they’re doing. Another fun tidbit, my office – the turret tower – was designed and built by a Pixar artist. Fun huh? I feel a bit of connection with Pixar because of it. I picked rule number seven to discuss today. Here it is: #7. Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front. Most writers start out with an idea. We see the beginning. We have an idea of the inciting incident and how it might move toward the middle of the book, but rarely do we know the ending […]
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Strategy #3: Brainstorming Secrets
As a young girl my friends and I used to pinky-swear that we wouldn’t share each other’s secrets. It became a sign of loyalty if you could keep the secrets of others, but a sign of a traitor if you could not. The adult world also has a large interest in secrets as well. Tabloids, spies, politicians, journalistic sources, countries and even pleading the Fifth Amendment in court centers around the secrets we keep. We all have secrets and usually they are something that we hold close to our heart. We keep these secrets for a variety or reasons like embarrassment or vulnerability. With our characters secrets can be a way to show their inner self and the level of trust they have built with their friends […]
Read the RestQuick Skills: Scene Creation Checklist
I thought it might be helpful if I posted the Scene Creation Steps you could use when crafting a chapter. If you’ve been following the blog for the past month, we’ve addressed each of these sections/elements in the blogs. Part One Keeping Scene Momentum: Character Journal Ask the following questions: 1. What did you think about what just happened? 2. What are your choices? 3. What will you do next, and why? 4. What is the worst thing that could happen to you right now? 5. And, if it’s a romance –how do you feel about this person? What do you fear happening emotionally? Part Two Create Scene Tension Scene Tension Equation: Sympathetic Character + Stakes + Goals + Obstacles + Fear of Failure. Step 1: Determine your Action Objectives […]
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