How do you build a powerful Noble Quest for your character, launching him off into his Second Act Journey with enough motivation, yet enough reward waiting at the end? This section of your story is pivotal because you must have built enough Want for your character to propel him through all the obstacles and disappointments of Act 2, all the way to the Black Moment. Often, when we don’t believe in a character, if they seem “too stupid to live,” it’s because we haven’t built enough WANT. This can be solved by using the Push-Pull Technique. I’ve heard them called MRU – Motivation, Reaction Units. This technique is more about building a solid motivation to convince us of the Reaction and can easily be added to the MRU technique. Again, […]
Read the RestTag Archives | my book therapy
How do you build strong motivation for your character? Chapter 3: The Start of the Noble Quest
How do you structure your novel? How many words in a scene, or pages in a chapter? I get that question a lot, because the truth is there is no “rule” and the answer seems to vary with author. Here’s my formula, and why. I write many different length books for different genres: Contemporary Romance, Long Historical, Short Romantic Suspense, Novellas… but they all have the same story structure. (Or, if you follow MBT teaching the same LINDYHOP. Life, Inciting Incident, Noble Quest, Disappointments, Help!, Overhaul, Perfect Ending). This means, on average, the First Act (LIN) is 15% of the story, and the Third Act (HOP) is 15-20% of the story. Poor D, or the Second Act takes up 60-70% of the story. Which is why, of course, you want […]
Read the RestMBT Interview: Thomas Nelson Senior Editor, Ami McConnell
I’ve been privileged to work with some wonderful editors in the CBA. For the past four years, I’ve been under the tutelage of Thomas Nelson’s Senior Acquisitions Editor, Ami McConnell. She’s such a gift to me as a writer and story teller, helping me hone my skill and art, but by being my champion. When I sold my first 2 books to TNI, the ACFW Conference was in Nashville that year, home of country music and Thomas Nelson. The conference hotel was right across from the fiction (then West Bow) offices! Ami had just given birth to her third child, a beautiful girl. Even though she was on maternity leave, she took time to meet with me, picking me up from the hotel, driving me to coffee, and spending a […]
Read the RestLet’s Cast ’em
I love casting my hero and heroines – it’s part of the fun! I like to see their faces, pick out their names…that’s when they really start to come to life. So….go to VOICES, and let’s CAST our Heroine and Heroine! Add your Casting suggestions to the CASTING CALL discussion. Remember, our hero is an everyday kind of guy. And if you think you have the perfect heroine for him, then go ahead and submit your suggestion! You can pick from…well, anybody! (okay, probably someone fairly well-known. Don’t suggest your husband, unless he’s Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp. *g* ) We’ll be listing some of the favorites next week as we flesh out the rest of his bio! In the meantime, don’t forget to vote for our heroine! Every Voice […]
Read the Rest
