Last week we talked about the showing part in Show v Tell. This week we will take a look at the telling side of the equation. What is telling? Telling is writing with a style that uses primarily narrative exposition. It is explaining the story to the reader. The writer uses this style to provide … Read more
I received an email last week from a writer who felt her pages were flat. This writer (and her critique group) felt that she didn’t seem to generate much depth of emotion for her readers. I asked for a few pages of her current work in progress and saw that this writer, who was working … Read more
Point of View I was at Colorado Gold Writer’s Conference last weekend, and I honestly do believe it is the best writer\’s conference in the United States. The workshops were spectacular, so much so that even NYT best-selling author Jeffery Deaver sat in workshops and took notes. It reminds me that there is always more … Read more
GMC (Goal, Motivation, Conflict) is essential for character development and is a major component of all well-written books that readers love. But what is GMC? Goal = I want The Goal is what the character wants, or thinks he/she wants. The goal is so important to the character they can\’t let it go, even if the … Read more
I received a question last week about character development. A writer wasn’t sure if they should work out the plot first, or the characters first. My only response can be that every writer is different, and unique, and special, which means every writer’s process is different, unique, and special. Some writers start with the plot. … Read more
It’s now time to discuss our favorite part of the story: The Climax. The Climax in storytelling is exactly the same as it is in other areas of your life. The Climax is that highest or most intense point in the development or resolution of the story. It is that moment of greatest intensity. It … Read more
The Major Complication is a scene in your plot that raises the stakes for your character. The Main or Major Complication forces the character to change course because there is no other option. The path they were on failed. The plan they were following has been opposed by another character or an event, and now the … Read more
So let’s choose a plot type that we want for our novel. I chose Overcoming the Monster, but you can choose any plot type that you want, and apply the plot structure to that plot type. The Overcoming the Monster plot type is where the protagonist sets out to defeat an antagonistic force (physical, spiritual, … Read more