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  1. <?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><rss xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:openSearch="http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/" xmlns:blogger="http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008" xmlns:georss="http://www.georss.org/georss" xmlns:gd="http://schemas.google.com/g/2005" xmlns:thr="http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0" version="2.0"><channel><atom:id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163</atom:id><lastBuildDate>Sat, 28 Jun 2025 14:02:05 +0000</lastBuildDate><category>novel development</category><category>advanced writing craft</category><category>novel rejection reasons</category><category>character development</category><category>bad writing advice</category><category>literary agents</category><category>bad writer groups</category><category>novel outline</category><category>query and pitching</category><category>Michael Neff</category><category>major characters</category><category>Algonkian Writer Conference Reviews</category><category>Algonkian Writer Conferences</category><category>Novel into film</category><category>character roles in novel</category><category>new york pitch conference</category><category>Accountancy</category><category>Accounts payable</category><category>Arts</category><category>Authors</category><category>Best Served Deadly</category><category>Book Publishing</category><category>Business</category><category>Company</category><category>Contract</category><category>Creative writing</category><category>Devil&#39;s Bay</category><category>Edting</category><category>Fairleigh Dickinson University</category><category>Iowa Writers Workshop</category><category>Jenny Milchman</category><category>Jodi Picoult</category><category>MFA</category><category>Manuscripts to Market</category><category>Michael-Ann Ward</category><category>Novel pitches</category><category>Novels</category><category>Piper Robbin and the American Oz Maker</category><category>Publishing</category><category>Publishing and Printing</category><category>Publishing in the 21st Century</category><category>Query letter</category><category>Richard Curtis</category><category>Samantha Chang</category><category>The Literary Review</category><category>The novel</category><category>Thoughts on Writing</category><category>Walter Cummins</category><category>Writers</category><category>Writers Resources</category><category>Writing</category><category>bad writer</category><category>bad writing examples</category><category>best writer conferences</category><category>fantasy tropes</category><category>novel and fiction tropes</category><category>reasons novel rejected</category><category>reasons writers rejected</category><category>secondary characters</category><category>self-editing</category><category>writer beware</category><title>Novel Writing on Edge - Development Notes From Algonkian Writer Conferences</title><description>Tie-breaking advice for serious writers devoted to novel development, writing, and editing.</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/</link><managingEditor>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</managingEditor><generator>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>84</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-1844648185866181730</guid><pubDate>Mon, 06 Jan 2025 19:55:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-10T15:24:46.847-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">character development</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">character roles in novel</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel development</category><title>Antagonist - Unquestionably the Novel&#39;s Most Important Character?</title><description>&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial; font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgZAxIWRcRHQqp2YAOJgvTHzMI9sW_9zSKeRykAvmC2vAkhDTBZWGfSsIMYl_z4kQpvGM5Lsie2BHbX0kFALZORKqDE1f6Cnrk3xXkNboIsNh2ks_GkN2J-FpSY31OnHtpHZrSAqCFdE/s800/antagonistlayers.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;710&quot; data-original-width=&quot;800&quot; height=&quot;332&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgZAxIWRcRHQqp2YAOJgvTHzMI9sW_9zSKeRykAvmC2vAkhDTBZWGfSsIMYl_z4kQpvGM5Lsie2BHbX0kFALZORKqDE1f6Cnrk3xXkNboIsNh2ks_GkN2J-FpSY31OnHtpHZrSAqCFdE/w374-h332/antagonistlayers.jpg&quot; width=&quot;374&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Antagonists are quite often the most memorable characters in literature, regardless of genre.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Without them many of the best selling novels of all time would simply cease to exist, their supporting beams cut away, the shell of remaining &quot;story&quot; quietly imploding to ignominy and self-publication.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;
  2. &lt;span&gt;Consider the impact on a scene, any scene, as soon as the author moves the chess piece of antagonist onto the page.&lt;i&gt; The mere presence of a Javert from &quot;Les Misérables,&quot; Assef from &quot;The Kite Runner,&quot; or Nurse Ratched from &quot;One Flew Over the Cuckoo&#39;s Nest,&quot; immediately energizes the environment. The narrative and dialogue literally crackle and groan with antagonist. &lt;/i&gt;
  3. &lt;br /&gt;
  4. &lt;hr /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  5. &lt;span&gt;
  6. &lt;b&gt;What chances do you as a writer have of getting your novel manuscript commercially published,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;b&gt;regardless of genre,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;if the story and narrative fail to meet reader demands for sufficient suspense, character concern, and conflict?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span&gt; Answer: none. But what major factor accounts for this debilitating condition? What precisely makes for a quiet and dull manuscript brimming with insipid characters and a story that cascades from chapter to chapter with tens of thousands of words, all combining irresistibly to produce an audible thudding sound in the mind?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIe646lvOHo8h2Gmm1bIaTaIc9ggSokzRHSH7x7dHtvv0PHdTocbpsPCuIf-R0cwRJIN0GVYzOZXD3qqwm-Rb1C2B9ImTe-SQCNUCkadHraSYsXLizvOfL8R-T0Vd_1a0c6tHXN5Q-8QA/s548/nurseR.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; font-family: helvetica; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;422&quot; data-original-width=&quot;548&quot; height=&quot;131&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIe646lvOHo8h2Gmm1bIaTaIc9ggSokzRHSH7x7dHtvv0PHdTocbpsPCuIf-R0cwRJIN0GVYzOZXD3qqwm-Rb1C2B9ImTe-SQCNUCkadHraSYsXLizvOfL8R-T0Vd_1a0c6tHXN5Q-8QA/w170-h131/nurseR.jpg&quot; width=&quot;170&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Such a dearth of &lt;i&gt;Élan vital&lt;/i&gt; in narrative and story, more often than not, results from the unwillingness of the writer to create a suitable antagonist who stirs and spices the plot hash. And let&#39;s make it clear what we&#39;re talking about. &lt;b&gt;By &quot;antagonist&quot; we specifically refer to an actual fictional character, an embodiment of certain traits and motivations, and one who plays a significant role in catalyzing and driving the plot&lt;/b&gt;, or at bare minimum, in assisting to evolve the protagonist&#39;s character arc - and by default the story itself - by igniting complication(s) that the protagonist, and perhaps other characters, must face and attempt to resolve.
  7. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;Writers new to the fiction game often shy away from creating an effective antagonist.&lt;/b&gt; If you are an editor, you see this time and time again. But why? Is it because they can&#39;t accept that a certain percentage of cruel and selfish humans are a reality of life? Is it because they live in an American bubble surrounded only by circumstances that reinforce their Rockwellian naivety? Do they not watch Sixty Minutes or even a shred of film footage portraying the latest repressions of the downtrodden by tyrannical government? Or is it because they don&#39;t understand the requirements of good dramatic fiction (no &lt;i&gt;good&lt;/i&gt; guy without a &lt;i&gt;bad&lt;/i&gt; guy, folks)? Or some combo thereof? Whatever. Though you would think after watching hundreds of films (even comedies), and reading God knows how many novels, they might catch on. And this doesn&#39;t mean they have to reinvent the black hat cowboy. &lt;b&gt;We&#39;re talking about prime movers of social conflict and supreme irritation that come in wide variety of forms, from relatively mild to pure evil.
  8. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  9. &lt;b&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpd4m4oJt4XZCz9KMKGCSzI8KHnTUFUEU6YDI5WTiQ7c0mOhVVAvM7zm6L2H_Hf18V38jhwtqwleLRCV-k3J7YyDFcUQ8f0-oXyOmSQYZLMEREv5W4Mov-9Qb9KSM_dClvAysDZKYe3Q/s161/carla.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;161&quot; data-original-width=&quot;107&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpd4m4oJt4XZCz9KMKGCSzI8KHnTUFUEU6YDI5WTiQ7c0mOhVVAvM7zm6L2H_Hf18V38jhwtqwleLRCV-k3J7YyDFcUQ8f0-oXyOmSQYZLMEREv5W4Mov-9Qb9KSM_dClvAysDZKYe3Q/s0/carla.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;Antagonists are often the most memorable characters in literature, without whom many of the best selling novels of all time would simply cease to exist&lt;/b&gt;, their supporting beams cut away, the shell of remaining &quot;story&quot; quietly imploding to ignominy and self-publication. And what drives these antagonists? Whether revenge, zealotry, ruthless ambition, hubris or just plain jealousy, the overall effect on the narrative and plot in general is identical, i.e., a dramatic condition of complication (related to plot) and concern (related to character) infuses the story.
  10. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  11. True drama demands they exist. Imagine &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigone&quot; target=&quot;_new&quot;&gt;ANTIGONE&lt;/a&gt; without the dictator to stir her into plot.&lt;/b&gt; And consider the impact on a scene, any scene, as soon as the author moves the particular chess piece of an antagonist onto the page. The mere presence of a Javert from &lt;i&gt;Les Misérables&lt;/i&gt;, Assef from &lt;i&gt;The Kite Runner&lt;/i&gt;, or even Marilla from &lt;i&gt;Anne of Green Gables&lt;/i&gt;, immediately energizes the environment. The narrative and dialogue literally crackle and groan with antagonist.
  12. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  13. Below we see five antagonists from very different novels&lt;/b&gt;--all multimillion sellers (and successful films)--also noting their vital roles in the development of the story. Consider them ranked from sufficiently annoying to &lt;i&gt;genuine super bastard&lt;/i&gt;.
  14. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  15. First, but not worst, we have Marilla Cuthbert from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_of_Green_Gables&quot; target=&quot;_new&quot;&gt;ANNE OF GREEN GABLES&lt;/a&gt;. Author Lucy Maud Montgomery intended for Marilla to be a source of tension and obstacle for Anne, not a plot-swinging major like the four mentioned below. &lt;b&gt;You might call her, an &quot;antagonistic force&quot; or temporary antagonist, remaining an irritant long enough to provide verve to the story and suitable growth arc to the protagonist.&lt;/b&gt;
  16. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  17. Marilla begins as a woman with the personality of a falling guillotine. Only a barely perceptible sense of humor shows itself. Marilla’s state of being clashes markedly with Anne’s romanticism and imagination. She scolds and criticizes Anne, and like Javert of &lt;i&gt;Les Misérables&lt;/i&gt;, is equally harsh on herself. Even when she finds herself agreeing with Anne&#39;s brazen thoughts, she rebukes herself, and whenever she feels a fleeting rush of affection, she quickly suffocates it. Later, she changes, but she played her role long enough to help keep the reader on the page while at the same time provoking the evolution of Anne&#39;s character.
  18. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  19. And what decent discussion of antagonists in literature fails to comment on the role of Tom Buchanan in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Gatsby&quot; target=&quot;_new&quot;&gt;THE GREAT GATSBY&lt;/a&gt;? Tom falls fourth on the intensity list. &lt;b&gt;He doesn&#39;t qualify as a dangerous zealot or a vengeful junkyard-zilla, but without Tom&#39;s endearing personality, Fitzgerald&#39;s novel of love and loss falls to pieces.&lt;/b&gt;
  20. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  21. Playing in a love triangle that includes his wife, Daisy, and Jay Gatsby, the wealthy Buchanan displays himself time and time again as an arrogant and bullying schmuck, enough that by the time Fitzgerald needs us to cheer for Jay, and desire freedom for Daisy, we are more than ready to do so. In comparison to Buchanan, Jay Gatsby, despite his faults, appears like a Lancelot, while Daisy, despite her shallowness, becomes the distressed damsel. If Buchanan did not exist, or if Fitzgerald had depicted him as a decent fellow, the faults of Jay and Daisy would have burned in high relief, and as readers, our sympathy for them would be zero. Fitzgerald&#39;s only chance would have been to render them both irrevocably detestable, as Emile Zola did for his murderous couple in &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thérèse_Raquin&quot; target=&quot;_new&quot;&gt;THERESE RAQUIN&lt;/a&gt;--so much so that as a reader you turn the page in hopes they will both soon be wearing prison orange (or whatever color of rag they wore in those days).
  22. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVL1MKG8kq53GHGR9lBHt-sx-rEDj-jfIglicD1IIwB7ehgVGZ_n_00kPEIGh4IHC-PutZ7Brdfhnjw9w0p71rArDd42Kizhxpa4rUNn1haxigEalmbXskr6RuvDosmvOhu14n9Lg-ws/s269/javert2.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;269&quot; data-original-width=&quot;188&quot; height=&quot;215&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVL1MKG8kq53GHGR9lBHt-sx-rEDj-jfIglicD1IIwB7ehgVGZ_n_00kPEIGh4IHC-PutZ7Brdfhnjw9w0p71rArDd42Kizhxpa4rUNn1haxigEalmbXskr6RuvDosmvOhu14n9Lg-ws/w150-h215/javert2.jpg&quot; width=&quot;150&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;Next comes the infamous Javert of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Misérables&quot; target=&quot;_new&quot;&gt;LES MISERABLES&lt;/a&gt; by Victor Hugo. Unlike the first two antagonists, Javert&#39;s primary flaw might be defined as dogged zealotry, and at times, he behaves as hard on himself as on others. After the character Valjean, a victim of mistaken identity, appears in court and loses both his business and his position in Montreuil-sur-mer, he escapes long enough to hide his fortune. He spends more time in prison, working aboard a ship. Eventually he escapes again and retrieves the character Cosette from the evil Thenardiers. Then begins a decade of hiding, moving from place to place, always staying just ahead of the implacable Javert. Will Valjean save the farm and live to tell the story? Are we not concerned enough for brave Valjean that we want to know?
  23. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  24. Regardless, no Javert equals far less misery, and what else? ... No story.
  25. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  26. A close second to Assef below, for reasons of sheer despicableness, is good ole boy Bobby Ewell of &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Kill_a_Mockingbird&quot; target=&quot;_new&quot;&gt;TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD&lt;/a&gt; by Harper Lee. Shunned by the entire town, and terribly embittered, Ewell’s &lt;i&gt;raison d&#39;etre&lt;/i&gt; consists of being antagonistic towards every living thing. As Atticus Finch does his best to defend Tom, the rancor and hatefulness exhibited by Ewell at the trial manipulates the emotions and fears of those present, raising the heat on Tom to lynch mob intensity. Ewell is determined to see Tom hang, and following the trial, Mr. 666 stokes up his inner dragon for yet another bellow.  He seeks revenge on those who desired a fair trial for Tom, and doing harm to Scout and Jem seems like a great way to destroy Atticus.
  27. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  28. Without Bob Ewell, would you have ever heard of Harper Lee?
  29. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  30. Rising like a bad moon to the bottom of the list is the human monster known as Assef, antagonist from &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kite_Runner&quot; target=&quot;_new&quot;&gt;THE KITE RUNNER&lt;/a&gt; by Khaled Hosseini, a novel that has sold millions of copies in dozens of languages. A vicious and bigoted childhood acquaintance of the likable characters, Amir and Hassan, he torments them whenever the mood strikes, but devolves to subhuman status upon attacking and raping Hassan. And at such time the Taliban gain control of Afghanistan, he gravitates to their culture, thus placing himself in a position to indefinitely torture others he considers inferior. As a brutal cherry on the sociopath milkshake, Assef turns the character Sohrab into his sex toy, and Amir must defeat Assef to bring Sohrab home.  
  31. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  32. &lt;b&gt;Assef certainly doesn&#39;t possess the globe-spanning ambitions of Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter, but what if you handed this megalodon a magic wand? Power equals opportunity equals &quot;enthusiasms&quot; as Al Capone might say.&lt;/b&gt;
  33. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  34. Bottom line here: writers of manuscript-length fiction must create and deploy a suitable antagonist, allowing them catalyze the plot line and throw obstacles in the way of the protagonist and other characters, or at least become an &quot;antagonistic force&quot; of some type, like Marilla Cuthbert, a source of tension and character development. Or perhaps, you need maximum verve in the novel and wish to create characters who assume the roles of both a Marilla and a Bob. Whatever you do though, plan to make them an integral part of the story, or rather, allow them room they need to define the story.
  35. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/antagonists-in-novel-most-important.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgZAxIWRcRHQqp2YAOJgvTHzMI9sW_9zSKeRykAvmC2vAkhDTBZWGfSsIMYl_z4kQpvGM5Lsie2BHbX0kFALZORKqDE1f6Cnrk3xXkNboIsNh2ks_GkN2J-FpSY31OnHtpHZrSAqCFdE/s72-w374-h332-c/antagonistlayers.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>26</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-4342069717000474352</guid><pubDate>Wed, 01 Jan 2025 21:44:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T13:09:17.982-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel development</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel outline</category><title>Best 10 Steps for Starting the Novel - All Genres</title><description>&lt;p&gt;
  36. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;As you explore the nooks and literary crannies here, you&#39;ll find considerable words devoted to warning you away from foolish and terrible advice.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNijG_Dr5Kc2IRSSDAoZGuV8I7ft0QbuxJELXp3gtFNPRAfnRqEiO6fY6n6gaslUxzjDvHBSj9m56Kj8tZ3pm0iH_eA0mG9IHXAPtWEgWhMiyrP26JQLqJ2GsJSO9GrZySm24Y5kbV-8/s400/rolltop.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;300&quot; data-original-width=&quot;400&quot; height=&quot;275&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNijG_Dr5Kc2IRSSDAoZGuV8I7ft0QbuxJELXp3gtFNPRAfnRqEiO6fY6n6gaslUxzjDvHBSj9m56Kj8tZ3pm0iH_eA0mG9IHXAPtWEgWhMiyrP26JQLqJ2GsJSO9GrZySm24Y5kbV-8/w366-h275/rolltop.jpg&quot; width=&quot;366&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;But what about professional, tested, and proven advice? Below are ten bullet points for aspiring authors designed to help them overcome any confusion or misdirection when it comes to starting the novel. However, before you investigate, make certain you&#39;ve already prepared by reading &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/the-author-dawn-rise-and-blink.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;this sensible prologue&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  37.  
  38. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #444444;&quot;&gt;Note: the list below makes a base assumption that the writer is a relative novice and currently searching for direction and focus--the same stage every one of us passes through. For those in the second stage, or higher, the list might well begin further down. Nonetheless, we cannot stress enough how important it is to fully understand your genre. Eat and breathe it. Know the currents in the market, what makes for a &quot;high concept&quot; story in this context. You&#39;ll never be published otherwise.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  39.  
  40. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&lt;u&gt;KEY CONCEPTS&lt;/u&gt;: genre, high concept, Publisher&#39;s Marketplace, self-editing, readers, core development strategies, craft and research, story premise, SATG Novel, novel hook, first draft outline, inciting incident, plot point.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  41.  
  42.  &lt;hr /&gt;
  43.  
  44. &lt;h1 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Choose Your Genre First&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;
  45.  
  46. &lt;span&gt;Historical, thriller, women&#39;s fiction, mystery cozy, etc&lt;b&gt;. &lt;/b&gt;Focus on one that will consume you, one you have passion for. Passionless choice never bodes well (can you guess why?). If on the fence, consider &lt;i&gt;what kind of author do you wish to be known as five years from now?&lt;/i&gt; A thriller author? Horror author? Mystery?... Makes a difference, no? So be specific and take a slot (no &quot;slot&quot; shaming). You are attempting to break into a crowded and tough marketplace with a breakout novel. As of this point, you have no real idea how difficult it will really be in a country as big as America.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Best to begin wisely.&lt;/span&gt;
  47.  
  48. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;b&gt;WARNING&lt;/b&gt;: failing to locate yourself firmly in one genre &lt;i&gt;will only result in failure&lt;/i&gt;. And believe us when we tell you that agents and publishers will be merciless in their demand that you understand and obey the rules of that genre.&amp;nbsp;&lt;i&gt;From the heart, but smart.&lt;/i&gt; One last thing--you cannot invent your own genre. Don&#39;t try. Don&#39;t even ask. For the love of all that is holy!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  49.  
  50. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Mercilessly Immerse&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  51.  
  52. &lt;span&gt;Read the classics in your genre combined with the latest and hottest. Look up &quot;best book&quot; lists, read reviews on Amazon, dive into review journals dedicated to your genre, and obtain a membership at &lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Publisher&#39;s Marketplace&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;. It&#39;s never too early to familiarize yourself with who is publishing what in your genre. At PM it&#39;s all there. &lt;i&gt;And no, we don&#39;t get a kickback.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/i&gt;As a bonus, you get to review expertly written hook lines for new novels bought by publishers, thereby also getting a chance to note &lt;b&gt;the type of &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/12/high-concept-sufficiently-unique-what.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;high concept stories&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt; in the works. Invaluable! Truly.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;
  53.  
  54. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Via obsessive immersing, you&#39;ll also get an idea which authors and novels might compare favorably with you and your own work. Strongly consider analyzing story progression, character introduction, and scene development in three to five of the best in your genre. Take notes. Compare what you&#39;ve learned to what you read here at NWOE.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;
  55.  
  56. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Avoid Writer Groups&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  57.  
  58. Do not join a local or online writer group, however socially alluring it may be, and regardless of what its apostles tell you. &lt;i&gt;Don&#39;t fall for it&lt;/i&gt;. We know, it feels like the right thing because so many recommend it, but it&#39;s the wrong thing by a lightyear. You *might* consider it once you&#39;ve developed enough novel writing savvy to actually know the difference between an amateur group that *might* be somewhat productive and one that could be potentially ruinous or time wasting at a minimum. Review carefully our notes on &lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/problems-with-writer-groups-where-to.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;this crucial and controversial subject&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaS5w75Y-XEGiL15YDxoWOGGU0M9Wax5zfFB3Q0wSiR0ds0q-7LYraSguS_48Hj9mlH9SXDkRihyr7Yg54oF-FCKzCsuSF63SDyokayTeukM6tZ0ZFpO5V2W3k-yF-FRKegbWY-EOsizA/s160/banner-wtm.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  59.  
  60. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Begin the Reader Hunt&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  61. &lt;span&gt;
  62. Following on above, attempt to engage upwards of five good readers, if humanly possible. It will take time to ID the right ones, so begin the hunt early. Take note, they &lt;i&gt;will not be in a group&lt;/i&gt;. They &lt;i&gt;will not meet&lt;/i&gt; to discuss your work. If possible, best they do not interact or know each other. This condition will disallow the inevitable evolution of group politics, groupthink, imagined slights, false flattery, etc. Yes, it can happen. Regardless, can your picks be reasonably trusted to provide generally intelligent reaction to your narrative? You might have to jettison a few. Be prepared. &lt;b&gt;Additionally, serving as a reader for them will provide you with a form of editorial experience that might prove invaluable.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  63.  
  64. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;b&gt;IMPORTANT&lt;/b&gt;: utilize &quot;beta readers&quot; for narrative purposes only (prose style, clarity, imagery, dynamic motion, dialogue quality--that sort of thing), NEVER for novel development, i.e., premise, plot, character roles, important setting details, etc. Engaging in the latter imperiling act will only threaten your progress with those insidious major flaws inherent in 98% of writer groups.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  65.  
  66. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Study Self-editing Technique&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  67.  
  68. &lt;span&gt;Do it carefully, it&#39;s an &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/crucial-self-editing-and-advanced-brain.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;art form&lt;/a&gt;, even if you&#39;re not onto your second draft. No reason to delay. It takes experimentation and practice. Relying exclusively on your betas or future freelance editors is a mistake. Ultimately, you are responsible for the final product. Faith should not be necessary. Also, keep in mind, &lt;i&gt;the more refined your fiction narrative waxes, the more productive the future editorial professionals engaged to review your work&lt;/i&gt;&amp;nbsp;will&amp;nbsp; be, i.e., if you&#39;ve already ascended to level 8, they can bump you to level 10. Now, what about that contract?
  69.  
  70. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Craft Until Your Head Hurts&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  71.  
  72. &lt;span&gt;While researching your genre, immerse simultaneously into your core novel development strategy. Don&#39;t rush it or fret over it. You will inevitably revise. Meanwhile, utilize NWOE and especially&amp;nbsp;&lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/authorconnect/index.php?/forum/1-novel-writing-courses-and-novel-writing-on-edge-work-and-study-forums/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Algonkian Author Connect&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt; as a staging platform for the illuminating pursuit of brilliant and necessary craft technique. This is NOT an option.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Devour every single article or essay on development, drama, plotting, prose, and viewpoints. Set aside a space for experimentation. Practice writing scenes, dialogue, complex descriptions for starters. Additionally, consume only the&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/ten-best-books-on-novel-writing.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;best books&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; on novel writing.&amp;nbsp;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;You will ALWAYS be an apprentice to your craft.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt; Let &lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truman_Capote&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Truman Capote&lt;/a&gt; be an inspiration.
  73.  
  74. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Conceive Primary Premise&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  75.  
  76. &lt;span&gt;Given that you&#39;ve chosen your genre and you&#39;re well on your way to possessing a true literary skill set (it&#39;s not easy, so don&#39;t be impatient), and given you&#39;ve taken careful note of the quality of new novels coming to life at &lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Publisher&#39;s Marketplace&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt; (have you?), you may now begin to formulate your own novel premise, the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/12/high-concept-sufficiently-unique-what.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&quot;high concept&quot; story&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; that will form the development, writing, and marketing basis of your genre novel from title to last sentence.&lt;p&gt;Uncertain on how to go about it? One way to initiate a bit of productive pondering is to visit the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/12/high-concept-sufficiently-unique-what.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;High Concept page&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; first, followed by the&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/hook-lines-with-core-wounds.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&amp;nbsp;Loglines and Core Wounds&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; page. Read carefully. Note the &lt;b&gt;three &quot;hook line&quot; examples&lt;/b&gt;. Consider WHAT WILL BE YOUR CORE CONFLICT, AND WHAT WILL BE THE CORE WOUND? (all caps for emphasis). Play with it. Write down options. Choose wisely. Seek discreet professional advice if necessary.&lt;/p&gt;
  77.  
  78. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Begin the Planning Process&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  79.  
  80. &lt;span&gt;Engage in a careful examination of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/the-six-act-two-goal-novel.html&quot; style=&quot;font-weight: bold;&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Six Act Two-Goal Novel.&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;With your embryonic story concept nearing the birth canal, use the SATG Novel outline to assist with beginning to conceive smaller parts of the bigger picture. At each separate stage, from Act to Act, take a deep breath and sketch ideas, circumstances, characters. Be free and easy with the process. Jot down everything that comes to mind. Keep in mind it&#39;s all in dynamic flux. It can change. Just as importantly, attempt to finalize insofar as possible your &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/great-settings-maximize-opportunity.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;novel&#39;s major setting&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. Extremely important. Organize your thoughts, questions, commentary, and scenarios as needed.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;Imagination is truly your best friend (&lt;/i&gt;even if you don&#39;t like the original &lt;i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.amazon.com/Willy-Wonka-Chocolate-Factory-Wilder/dp/B005F96UJ6&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Willy Wonka&lt;/a&gt;).&lt;/i&gt;
  81.  
  82. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Sketch a Draft Outline&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  83.    
  84. &lt;span&gt;Make certain your story premise is &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/12/high-concept-sufficiently-unique-what.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;commercially viable&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and your chosen setting is simmering. Have on hand sketches of your major and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/deep-and-fresh-traits-for-majors.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;secondary characters&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;u&gt;Use the SATG&lt;/u&gt; to locate and ruminate over your major plot points.&lt;p&gt;Sketch your inciting incident and first major plot point. Go from there to your first major reversal, pinch point, etc., all the way to climax. Keep in mind this is a draft, however, it should reflect your efforts to date at fleshing out your story.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Consider also, &lt;b&gt;not just your basic plot but those special points, twists, and turns demanded by your chosen genre&lt;/b&gt;, e.g., if writing a cozy mystery you best get that body on the first page (or pretty close). Refer to steps 1 and 2 above.&lt;/p&gt;
  85.  
  86. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Draft Your Hook Scenes&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  87.  
  88. &lt;span&gt;Don&#39;t think of the novel in units of chapter. Think of it as &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/12/scenes-to-z-glue-drama-sex-sass.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;units of scene&lt;/a&gt;, each scene dedicated to a particular task, and each driving the plot forward (a must) in one way or another. I use the term &quot;hook scenes&quot; to refer to that combination of &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/12/scenes-to-z-glue-drama-sex-sass.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;opening scenes&lt;/a&gt; that will lead us through the initial set-up to the inciting incident and from there to the first major plot point that begins the next Act of the novel--30 to 50 pages into the novel, roughly. There are always exceptions.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Download the &lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/algonkiancfg.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Algonkian Study Guide&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; for necessary additional references and a breakdown of hook scenes up to and beyond the first major plot point in&amp;nbsp;&lt;i&gt;One Flew Over the Cuckoo&#39;s Nest &lt;/i&gt;(a favorite for the application of classic dramatic technique in the novel)&lt;i&gt;.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;_______________&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/best-10-steps-for-starting-novel-all.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNijG_Dr5Kc2IRSSDAoZGuV8I7ft0QbuxJELXp3gtFNPRAfnRqEiO6fY6n6gaslUxzjDvHBSj9m56Kj8tZ3pm0iH_eA0mG9IHXAPtWEgWhMiyrP26JQLqJ2GsJSO9GrZySm24Y5kbV-8/s72-w366-h275-c/rolltop.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>3</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-2828668749865261220</guid><pubDate>Wed, 01 Jan 2025 16:52:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T15:16:55.580-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">character development</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">character roles in novel</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">major characters</category><title>Writing the Ideal Heroine</title><description>&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicrV4750avLvxorJG0kWbQA5T0cK3uZCS8sENaXur2H1V9WaJgrkn13CnDU_0mnxBG4ke9ILMLhEoF0gtPkLyiqqU1Rv4xwQlTTeM9tGBmKv12CARxnndFbAOGHfuJD1Qnemk-vM6uPom1Tg2IbZ2b8S1eH52rsD_cq0Pp_Tj5AXOIx2cP9AYiGdg6EVg/s439/ippen.jpg&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;261&quot; data-original-width=&quot;439&quot; height=&quot;236&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicrV4750avLvxorJG0kWbQA5T0cK3uZCS8sENaXur2H1V9WaJgrkn13CnDU_0mnxBG4ke9ILMLhEoF0gtPkLyiqqU1Rv4xwQlTTeM9tGBmKv12CARxnndFbAOGHfuJD1Qnemk-vM6uPom1Tg2IbZ2b8S1eH52rsD_cq0Pp_Tj5AXOIx2cP9AYiGdg6EVg/w397-h236/ippen.jpg&quot; width=&quot;397&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;By Christine Stewart&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  89. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  90. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Many years ago, I took a workshop called &lt;i&gt;Writing the Ideal Heroine&lt;/i&gt;, which was taught by Rebecca Smith, a novelist, a former writer-in-residence at the Jane Austen House Museum (Chawton Cottage), and the great, great, great, great, great niece of Jane Austen. Pretty good credentials in my opinion. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  91.  
  92. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;There&#39;s another tip - if you can find a writing workshop wherever you&#39;re going, take it! How cool was it to sit in her garden doing writing exercises? &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  93.  
  94. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;It&#39;s harder to write a sympathetic female lead character than a male one, I think. Sorry if that sounds like a double standard, but in my experience as a reader and writer, it&#39;s true. Most have certain expectations of female characters related to emotions, actions, desires. Whether you meet these expectations or subvert them and how you do so, will affect whether or not your readers (especially women, who often identify with the female character) like them or hate their guts and throw your book in the fire or out the window. Wait, that could be just me....&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  95.  
  96. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;If you don&#39;t care if they like them, no need to read further! I&#39;m a writer that believes in both likable and unlikable characters. I&#39;ve written characters who were hard to like and I enjoy those characters too. But your reader must at least respect them and care about their conflict(s) and obstacles, enough to read through the entire book. If you make your character too unlikable and difficult, readers will toss your book aside.
  97. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  98. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;We&#39;re talking about the likable ones here, so the best formula, I believe, is this: for every subversion, meet an expectation. For balance. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  99.  
  100. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;No one is perfect. We make exceptions for people we care for and they for us. Who am I kidding? We make exceptions for everyone, including coworkers for which we should receive an Oscar for our performance of a person who doesn&#39;t want to kill them. Again, maybe just me. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  101. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  102. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;If your reader is introduced to a character they like, they are more willing to follow her, even when she does something stupid, mean, or inexplicable (the explanation will hopefully come by the end of the book). So start off with reasons to like them, then feel free to jerk that rug out from under the reader at your earliest convenience. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  103.  
  104. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;In the workshop, &lt;b&gt;we talked about our favorite heroines (in books and films) and made a list of qualities they possessed.&lt;/b&gt; Here is the list - but remember that you only need to pick a handful of these! Whatever will make your heroine appealing. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  105. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-interesting backstory&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  106. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-vulnerable
  107. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  108. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-a survivor
  109. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  110. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-solitary (even if in marriage, with kids, etc.)
  111. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  112. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-stands by convictions
  113. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  114. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-loyal
  115. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  116. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-mature (can be learned in the story)
  117. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  118. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-talented (in large or small way)/physically adept at something
  119. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  120. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-can hold her own in the world (can be learned in the story)
  121. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  122. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-makes mistakes but learns
  123. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  124. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-willing to fight/struggle/sacrifice
  125. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  126. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-feisty/witty
  127. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  128. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-gets involved/speaks up
  129. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  130. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-overturns stereotypes
  131. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  132. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-flawed
  133. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  134. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-doesn&#39;t need to be the center of attention
  135. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  136. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-determined
  137. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  138. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-can be headstrong
  139. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  140. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-must have capacity for change
  141. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  142. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-moves out of comfort zone
  143. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  144. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-has quirks (struggles with some - perhaps they make things worse?, proud of others - set her apart)
  145. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  146. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-examines emotions and actions (at some point), self-aware
  147. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  148. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-outsider
  149. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  150. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-inquisitive/curious
  151. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  152. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;-unassuming
  153. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  154.  
  155. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Here are some exercises we did that yielded pretty fabulous results from everyone. I&#39;m a tough critic and I found something admirable in everything I heard, and there were many different styles and genres among the dozen of us there. I&#39;ve tweaked the exercises a little because one or two I found rather bland.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  156. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I&#39;ll tell you why you should write them after you give them a try.
  157. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  158. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;1) Introduce the character as we would first come upon/see her. If this is too broad and difficult, write about some aspect of your heroine&#39;s routine. How she starts or ends her day. How she arranges flowers, writes a letter, organizes her desk, (gosh these sound so soft and girly - okay, how she cleans and arranges her knives, in case she&#39;s a serial killer. Better?).&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  159.  
  160. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;2) Write a scene where you draw out one of the above characteristics in your heroine via an argument with another character. One where she has to defend herself - for example, defend a belief, an action, a possession, a goal, a desire. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  161.  
  162. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;3) Write about your heroine&#39;s room or an object that is important to her. She can be straightening the room, packing or unpacking a suitcase before or after a trip, figuring out where to hide this object in her room from someone (make sure we know why), or better still - have another character be snooping in her room. The object and room should highlight one or two of the characteristics in the list.
  163. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  164.  
  165. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;4) One of the big ones in the list is &#39;must have the capacity for change.&#39; Without it there&#39;s no story. Write a scene where a character has changed and learned something - the crisis/climactic moment or the moment of realization. A scene of self-examination. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  166.  
  167. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;I wrote quite a few fine scenes that really surprised me from these exercises. I learned a couple of things about my character that I hadn&#39;t known before. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  168.  
  169. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;I highly recommend doing separate writing exercises on your character&lt;/b&gt;, especially if you write in a linear fashion as I do. I write each scene one after the other. Writing scenes out of order is too chaotic for me. But it also means that, in the first draft, my main character can become rather suffocated. I don&#39;t see, and therefore dig into, her cracks as much as I could because we are both looking straight ahead. And the cracks are where it&#39;s at. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  170.  
  171. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;By looking at her from different angles via exercises, I look at her &lt;i&gt;obliquely&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;, and make inspiring discoveries that can make her fuller and richer in the book itself. It&#39;s called &lt;i&gt;&#39;averted gaze&#39;&lt;/i&gt; and it&#39;s how one looks at the stars in order to get a sense of their shape and see how brilliantly they shine. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;
  172. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;_____________________________________ &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  173. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;Christine Stewart is program director for literary arts with the Maryland State Arts Council. She writes, teaches, and edits in Baltimore. Check out her Facebook page at &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.facebook.com/ChrisStewartTheRealWriter&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;http://www.facebook.com/ChrisStewartTheRealWriter&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  174. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  175. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  176. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
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  180. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;
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  216. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2011/08/writing-ideal-heroine.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Chris Stewart)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicrV4750avLvxorJG0kWbQA5T0cK3uZCS8sENaXur2H1V9WaJgrkn13CnDU_0mnxBG4ke9ILMLhEoF0gtPkLyiqqU1Rv4xwQlTTeM9tGBmKv12CARxnndFbAOGHfuJD1Qnemk-vM6uPom1Tg2IbZ2b8S1eH52rsD_cq0Pp_Tj5AXOIx2cP9AYiGdg6EVg/s72-w397-h236-c/ippen.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-7396008824470052577</guid><pubDate>Tue, 17 Dec 2024 19:57:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T14:42:22.288-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Accountancy</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Accounts payable</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Business</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Company</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Contract</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">literary agents</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Publishing</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Publishing and Printing</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Publishing in the 21st Century</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Richard Curtis</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Writers</category><title>Do You Try Your Agent&#39;s Patience?</title><description>&lt;span style=&quot;font-weight: bold;&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIoONnqnqa0ahyKEDCvN7gBR8TqDy7s2aWpKnS9tZRmy00bUKW6HNYn9_tcB1JGp1Qp2GUOhDtdBKs0WrMWq8BmQJ_H8uXexbf4Qn6oEHNlquI-7onIccFH6soV38kyCm_lISTV9g0ULZVMPWtW7ma6ZYjy1Duo-yKdCYX1lhURzjr77Mc2rWkbIiawU/s389/19522726_businessman-working-papers.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;226&quot; data-original-width=&quot;389&quot; height=&quot;247&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIoONnqnqa0ahyKEDCvN7gBR8TqDy7s2aWpKnS9tZRmy00bUKW6HNYn9_tcB1JGp1Qp2GUOhDtdBKs0WrMWq8BmQJ_H8uXexbf4Qn6oEHNlquI-7onIccFH6soV38kyCm_lISTV9g0ULZVMPWtW7ma6ZYjy1Duo-yKdCYX1lhURzjr77Mc2rWkbIiawU/w425-h247/19522726_businessman-working-papers.jpg&quot; width=&quot;425&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;From the desk of Richard Curtis&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you do something so horrendous as to provoke your agent to declare, &quot;Life is too short,&quot; you&#39;d better start looking for someone else to handle your work. It means you have tried his or her patience beyond its limit. You&#39;re a walking dead author.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We recently described &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ereads.com/richard_curtis/2008/12/for-agents-timing-is-everything.html&quot;&gt;good timing&lt;/a&gt; as one of the most important virtues a &lt;a class=&quot;zem_slink&quot; href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literary_agent&quot; rel=&quot;wikipedia&quot; title=&quot;Literary agent&quot;&gt;literary agent&lt;/a&gt; can bring to the job. There&#39;s another that most good agents possess, and that&#39;s patience. If timing is the art of &quot;when to,&quot; patience is the art of &quot;when not to.&quot; Unfortunately, that often means when not to knock my head against a wall, wring an author&#39;s throat, or hop in a taxi, race over to a publisher&#39;s office and trash it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Although some people are born patient, for most of us it&#39;s an acquired quality. We attain it only with experience, and it is arguably the only significant benefit of aging.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you are constitutionally incapable of practicing patience, you are definitely not cut out to become a literary agent. Despite the appearance of furious activity, and notwithstanding such timesaving innovations as multiple submissions, computers, email, &lt;a class=&quot;zem_slink&quot; href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_printer&quot; rel=&quot;wikipedia&quot; title=&quot;Laser printer&quot;&gt;laser printers&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a class=&quot;zem_slink&quot; href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone&quot; rel=&quot;wikipedia&quot; title=&quot;Mobile phone&quot;&gt;cell phones&lt;/a&gt;, high-speed printers, overnight mail, instant books, and quickie releases, the truth is that just about anything of importance that happens in our industry happens slowly. Good books are written at a snail&#39;s pace, submissions take ages, negotiations drag on, money flows like cold lard, and the building of an author&#39;s career from first sale to bestselling masterpiece is about as dramatic as watching a lake evaporate. Difficult publishers test our patience, as do difficult authors. If agents seem to have a higher per capita ratio of weekend homes than other professionals, have pity on them: they must have a place to go to chop wood, bay at the moon, and otherwise relieve the strain of holding their natural impulses in check during the other five days a week.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I do not own a weekend home, but I do have a set of molars that have been ground down close to the nerve endings from restraining the desire to commit a variety of felonies in order to make things move faster. Behind a demeanor that one of my clients once described as &quot;judicious&quot; (it was not a compliment) seethes a cauldron of emotions, energy, grievances, and heroic fantasies. I smile, I speak moderately, I behave politely, I move deliberately. I polish my buckler and hone my sword, ear cocked for the call to arms. It may come in the form of a letter, a phone call, an offer, an opportunity, an insult. But I am ready for action.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Meanwhile, I wait.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I wait, for instance, for you to finish your book. Because my agency does a lot of &lt;a class=&quot;zem_slink&quot; href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business&quot; rel=&quot;wikipedia&quot; title=&quot;Business&quot;&gt;business&lt;/a&gt; in paperback original series, I have to wait only a month or two for many books. For most mainstream ones, however, I have to wait nine months, a year, or longer. The potential in these books presses heavily on my consciousness; I&#39;m dying to wheel and deal. But with few exceptions there is little to be done to convert that potential until the manuscript has been turned in, reviewed, critiqued, and revised (once, if I&#39;m lucky). However much I am dying to go into action with that book, I cannot advance the calendar by one day, the clock by one minute. I grind my teeth and wait.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I wait for publishers to make up their minds about my submissions. Decisions on manuscripts can be forced by means of the auction, and when agents have to move fast they can elicit decisions virtually overnight. But most material does not command that kind of attention. The more conventional approach of one submission at a time, or at best two or three simultaneously, is what is usually called for. Like most agencies, we have a reminder calendar and regularly write or phone publishers prodding them to keep the property in question at the top of the pile.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Despite every measure taken to make editors respond to submissions promptly, it is unrealistic to expect decisions in less than six weeks, and quite realistic to expect none in less than three months (at the end of which you discover the manuscript has been lost). If a work isn&#39;t placed on the first or second round of submissions, therefore, a year or more can pass with relatively few responses to show for all one&#39;s investment of time. So we wait.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We wait to make deals. Deals can be struck in a matter of minutes, but many negotiations take days, weeks, or even months to unfold. With the evolution of publishing from an individual entrepreneurial enterprise to a bureaucratized corporate one, seldom do agents end up negotiating with the principals of a publishing &lt;a class=&quot;zem_slink&quot; href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company&quot; rel=&quot;wikipedia&quot; title=&quot;Company&quot;&gt;company&lt;/a&gt;. Instead we discuss terms with editors, who refer them to superior officers or editorial boards. Several weeks may pass if the appropriate executives are not available to formulate offers or counteroffers. Often, figures have to be worked up by a variety of departments to help the company determine its negotiating strategy. During which time we wait.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We wait for &lt;a class=&quot;zem_slink&quot; href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contract&quot; rel=&quot;wikipedia&quot; title=&quot;Contract&quot;&gt;contracts&lt;/a&gt;. The people who work in the contract departments of most &lt;a class=&quot;zem_slink&quot; href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publishing&quot; rel=&quot;wikipedia&quot; title=&quot;Publishing&quot;&gt;publishing houses&lt;/a&gt; are among the most professional in our industry. Nevertheless, it is seldom possible for them to produce contracts for signature in less than six or eight weeks. After the editor reaches agreement with the author or agent, he prepares a deal memo summarizing the terms of the contract for approval by the head of the company. After approval has been rendered the deal memo goes to the contract department where it serves as the basis for the formal agreement. This agreement is reviewed by the acquiring editor and an officer of the company, then returned to the contract department for final issuance to the agent. After signed contracts are returned to the publisher, they are circulated for signature and a voucher is issued directing the &lt;a class=&quot;zem_slink&quot; href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accounts_payable&quot; rel=&quot;wikipedia&quot; title=&quot;Accounts payable&quot;&gt;accounts payable&lt;/a&gt; department to prepare the check. We now wait for the check.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We wait a long time for the check because in many cases the accounts payable department is not in the same building or even the same state as the contracts department. After receiving the voucher from the contracts department, accounts payable prepares a check that must be reviewed and signed by the treasurer or other officer of the company. It is then forwarded to the contracts department to be issued with the contracts, or sent to the payee directly from the accounts payable office.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If &lt;a class=&quot;zem_slink&quot; href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Form_follows_function&quot; rel=&quot;wikipedia&quot; title=&quot;Form follows function&quot;&gt;form follows function&lt;/a&gt;, publishers could not conceive of a better structure for attenuating the time it takes to release money. Even with all hands working at maximum efficiency - not a very desirable state from the publisher&#39;s viewpoint, you must realize, when there is interest to be earned - I figure two to three months is now the industry average for payout from the time check vouchers are issued (add thirty days if it&#39;s an emergency). Agents who have managed to map and penetrate the system can keep things moving with phone calls to various departments along the paperwork routes goading delinquent bookkeepers to press on with their tasks. (I am not afraid to alienate the CEO of a publishing company, but I never, ever speak unkindly to clerks in &lt;a class=&quot;zem_slink&quot; href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accountancy&quot; rel=&quot;wikipedia&quot; title=&quot;Accountancy&quot;&gt;accounting&lt;/a&gt; offices.)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And of course, we wait for books to be published and...well, you get the idea; just about everything concerning publishing is a test of an agent&#39;s patience. I wish that didn&#39;t include authors but why should they be exempted? One of my colleagues in a fit of pique wailed, &quot;Publishing would be great if it weren&#39;t for authors.&quot; And another, with tongue somewhat in cheek I suspect, created an index for rating his clients. He calls it the PITA factor.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;PITA stands for &quot;&lt;span style=&quot;font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;&quot;&gt;P&lt;/span&gt;ain &lt;span style=&quot;font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;&quot;&gt;I&lt;/span&gt;n &lt;span style=&quot;font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;&quot;&gt;T&lt;/span&gt;he &lt;span style=&quot;font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;&quot;&gt;A&lt;/span&gt;ss.&quot; He assigns his clients a rating from one to ten, depending on such factors as how often they hit him up for loans, how many times they call him at home at six o&#39;clock on Sunday mornings, how many editors they insult, and in general how much maintenance they require beyond routine care and feeding. Their PITA factor is then divided into the commissions earned on their sales. Applying his criteria, an author who earns only $1,000 annually in commissions but is a model client with a PITA factor of 1 is as valuable to his agent as one who earns $10,000 in commissions but, rated at 10, is a raving lunatic. &quot;Life,&quot; says my friend, &quot;is too short to have to deal with 10s.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Well, I don&#39;t know.As I said at the outset, if you do feel that way, the literary agent&#39;s trade is not for you and you should go into something less aggravating, like sewage management or emergency room administration. When it comes to dealing with artists, irritating behavior comes with the territory. And, far more important, think of what they have to put up with. With the rare exception of the author whose first book stuns the critics, sweeps the public off its feet, and soars to the top of the bestseller list, success for most writers is won only after decades of economic struggle, mental anguish, crushing loneliness and obscurity, and the consumption of murderous doses of pride. They spend a lifetime practicing patience, and if they do not always practice it very well, if conditions are difficult when they start out, difficult when they begin to make it, and difficult even when they finally arrive, a larger degree of tolerance is called for on the part of those who serve them, particularly if they&#39;ve never tried that life themselves. And most agents haven&#39;t.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A PITA scale that does not factor in the emotional satisfactions of midwifing first books, of nurturing authors careers as they gain skill and confidence and stretch to realize their visions, and the joy of attending their graduation ceremonies featuring smashing reviews and sales by the trainload, requires some serious rethinking.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Life is &lt;span style=&quot;font-style: italic;&quot;&gt;not&lt;/span&gt; too short if an agent&#39;s patience is rewarded with such satisfactions as these. And so, when tried, the wise agent will count to ten, then - realizing things could be worse, that we&#39;ve heard horror stories of agent-killers with PITA Factors of 20 or worse - we count another ten, sigh and go back to work.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And if you&#39;re wondering about my clients?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;They&#39;re all saints.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;This article was originally written for Locus, The Newspaper of the Science Fiction Field.  It&#39;s&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-style: italic;&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;reprinted in &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ereads.com/book.asp?bookid=299&quot; style=&quot;font-style: italic;&quot;&gt;Mastering the Business of Writing&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-style: italic;&quot;&gt;. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Copyright © 1990 by Richard Curtis. All Rights Reserved.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;      &lt;div class=&quot;zemanta-pixie&quot; style=&quot;height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;zemanta-pixie-a&quot; href=&quot;http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/98361363-496b-44d5-837b-f618ac1ffc89/&quot; title=&quot;Zemified by Zemanta&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;Reblog this post [with Zemanta]&quot; class=&quot;zemanta-pixie-img&quot; fpp00k5kv=&quot;&quot; src=&quot;http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=98361363-496b-44d5-837b-f618ac1ffc89&quot; style=&quot;border: medium; float: right;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2009/01/do-you-try-your-agents-patience.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIoONnqnqa0ahyKEDCvN7gBR8TqDy7s2aWpKnS9tZRmy00bUKW6HNYn9_tcB1JGp1Qp2GUOhDtdBKs0WrMWq8BmQJ_H8uXexbf4Qn6oEHNlquI-7onIccFH6soV38kyCm_lISTV9g0ULZVMPWtW7ma6ZYjy1Duo-yKdCYX1lhURzjr77Mc2rWkbIiawU/s72-w425-h247-c/19522726_businessman-working-papers.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>1</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-1329250736967844719</guid><pubDate>Tue, 10 Dec 2024 21:54:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T12:42:01.038-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">bad writer groups</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">bad writing advice</category><title>Top Worst &quot;Worst Writer Advice&quot; - Outrageous and Mind Boggling Maxims</title><description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;It&#39;s like acid rain.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;It never ceases to scar, harm the environment, and ruin vacations. We&#39;re talking about bad writer advice, of course (btw, see our &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2015/04/top-ten-worst-pieces-of-writing-advice.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;first article on this subject&lt;/a&gt;).&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;
  217. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  218.  
  219. &lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  220.  
  221. &lt;span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3KAP3gn9VgMD2IEyiA6Nf9X8aVx8QfhkiR6gQW-ubY66xAuMp8UGr7dB8sFY1sXMZrX95P4uNuTE3qFNfwV9IgWkDl9q7mJzG__68EaYY7VCn6dUoawnCk2_HyoKFTGRvWKIKyZZMMU/s433/nerdwoman.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; font-family: helvetica; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;395&quot; data-original-width=&quot;433&quot; height=&quot;342&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3KAP3gn9VgMD2IEyiA6Nf9X8aVx8QfhkiR6gQW-ubY66xAuMp8UGr7dB8sFY1sXMZrX95P4uNuTE3qFNfwV9IgWkDl9q7mJzG__68EaYY7VCn6dUoawnCk2_HyoKFTGRvWKIKyZZMMU/w374-h342/nerdwoman.jpg&quot; width=&quot;374&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;While perusing several collections of &quot;Worst Writer Advice&quot; found sprouting like toxic tulips after a &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&amp;amp;ei=xbK_X9LtO53E0PEPtKWugAI&amp;amp;q=ten+worst+pieces+of+writer+advice&amp;amp;oq=ten+worst+pieces+of+writer+advice&amp;amp;gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzoRCC4QsQMQgwEQxwEQowIQkwI6CAguELEDEIMBOggIABCxAxCDAToCCAA6CwguELEDEMcBEKMCOgUILhCxAzoFCAAQsQM6CAguELEDEJMCOgIILjoLCC4QsQMQyQMQkwI6CAguEMcBEK8BOgQILhAKOgUIABDJAzoHCC4QsQMQCjoHCAAQsQMQCjoJCAAQyQMQFhAeOgYIABAWEB46BQghEKsCOggIIRAWEB0QHjoFCCEQoAE6BwghEAoQoAFQqC9Y9YgBYNiKAWgAcAB4AYABnQKIAb4fkgEGOC4yMy4ymAEAoAEBqgEHZ3dzLXdpeg&amp;amp;sclient=psy-ab&amp;amp;ved=0ahUKEwiS5PWsraDtAhUdIjQIHbSSCyAQ4dUDCAk&amp;amp;uact=5&quot; style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;simple Google search&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;(most of it authored by insufferable rank amateurs working for the ad-driven content industry, and who wisely appear between ages 12 and 17), I found the various fallacies and idiocies about novel writing contained therein to be worth pointing out. Much of it was reminiscent of childish Twitter rumor, and therefore, potentially harmful to aborning novelists.&amp;nbsp;
  222.  &lt;/span&gt;
  223. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Should one even bother though to set this straight? It makes you feel a little like the baffled ex-astronaut prodded into revealing Earth &lt;i&gt;really is a globe&lt;/i&gt; when addressing a convention of flat earth fanatics, i.e., &quot;&lt;i&gt;I can&#39;t believe I&#39;m even talking about this&lt;/i&gt;.&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  224.  
  225. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;And btw, while out and about, I also visited the kingdom of Reedsy, one of the more popular writer advice hangouts. I was investigating their &lt;a href=&quot;https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/nanowrimo/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;article on writing for NaNoWriMo&lt;/a&gt;, aka National Writing Month, but&amp;nbsp;&lt;b&gt;I found the surge of cheerleading blather concerning this competition to be a grand welcome mat for bad advice scuffery.&lt;/b&gt; No surprise there (not *everything* was bad advice, though most points required far more elaboration, and enough dark neoplasms did exist to cripple a writer&#39;s ability to succeed, e.g., &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a;&quot;&gt;Follow whatever crazy character shows up and leads you down the rabbit hole, and let yourself be surprised!”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;). &lt;i&gt;Yes, yes, leave the plot behind, just follow that crazy down the hole, and once you&#39;ve reached the bottom, sitting with your crazy on a toilet in a squalid gas station bathroom just south of Pismo Beach, look up and squint to see that small crack of light high above you&lt;/i&gt;. &lt;br /&gt;  
  226. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  227. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;  
  228. &lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSZ6rZLfq5jN9fNBujw_t5hqhuU8e9pgnGkz7H8YikSFxA3Xb1m8D_Yu7VO-JLLEY0Q3NJbsCDzfulCQ8k_AqhaI6bLz3LH6nEGlcPbK856VQ2u798shS7-1VFSGypXs5tdycZP-TL8g/s230/childish.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;186&quot; data-original-width=&quot;230&quot; height=&quot;132&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSZ6rZLfq5jN9fNBujw_t5hqhuU8e9pgnGkz7H8YikSFxA3Xb1m8D_Yu7VO-JLLEY0Q3NJbsCDzfulCQ8k_AqhaI6bLz3LH6nEGlcPbK856VQ2u798shS7-1VFSGypXs5tdycZP-TL8g/w163-h132/childish.jpg&quot; width=&quot;163&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Overall, I felt as if I were being lectured by children who had just discovered how to type, and it made me think... Could I now toss aside decades of experience and acquired knowledge regarding the topic of novel writing, and quite simply, like them, sally forth and tap out a new &quot;epic novel&quot; in a month?&lt;/span&gt;
  229.  
  230. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;We are awash in wunderkind&lt;/i&gt;. Where do they come from? What do they want?
  231. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  232. Not long ago, a Reedsy-like writer in a Zoom workshop enthusiastically erupted, &quot;The best thing about writer groups is that no one is necessarily right. Writers are free to approach novel writing in any number of ways, even if they have to INVENT IT AS THEY GO.&quot; I informed her that was actually the worst thing about &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/problems-with-writer-groups-where-to.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;writer groups&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; (btw, was the inverse &quot;necessarily wrong&quot; also true?), and the &quot;invent it as they go&quot; was itself an invention of ignorant narcissism on the &quot;go&quot; only to rejection. &lt;b&gt;Next, I asked her if she knew the definition of a plot point, whereupon she evaporated into electronic memory.&lt;/b&gt; I never saw her again, but apparently, &quot;no right way to write a novel&quot; was an important standard for her, one she clung to tenaciously.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  233.  
  234. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;And btw, &lt;i&gt;she&#39;s not alone&lt;/i&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmb1ldNNpQ9st0fDymZYkIiTqpcQB9Tp8390Z3V-FkNJd-aUNbPGc9pxvBNijlZw_etJJEXjVdK3hRTvWv9Io004gbJ7Wz1oEVwCkmYM6a-bFzxeugYl2LeyGBEJ9d-Jvf5WO5FTxCXs/s221/banner-omg.gif&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; font-family: helvetica; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;221&quot; data-original-width=&quot;120&quot; height=&quot;249&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmb1ldNNpQ9st0fDymZYkIiTqpcQB9Tp8390Z3V-FkNJd-aUNbPGc9pxvBNijlZw_etJJEXjVdK3hRTvWv9Io004gbJ7Wz1oEVwCkmYM6a-bFzxeugYl2LeyGBEJ9d-Jvf5WO5FTxCXs/w135-h249/banner-omg.gif&quot; width=&quot;135&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  235.  
  236. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;Such &quot;writers&quot; don&#39;t wish their &quot;creativity&quot; to be &quot;controlled&quot; or &quot;diluted&quot; with rules meant for &quot;some.&quot; In all fairness, it&#39;s likely she&#39;d absorbed such foolish and ruinous maxims after ingesting the literary advice equivalent of cyanide, the kind one inevitably discovers puddling around the web (see Google search above). Where else?... Oh right, I forgot. She could have learned it from her &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/problems-with-writer-groups-where-to.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;writer group&lt;/a&gt;?
  237. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  238.  &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;, Trebuchet, sans-serif&quot;&gt;I felt as if I were being lectured by children who had just discovered how to type, and it made me think. Could I toss aside decades of experience and acquired knowledge concerning novel writing, and quite simply, like them, just sally forth and tap out a new &quot;epic novel&quot; in a month?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
  239.    
  240. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;i style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;Where is the nearest cliff?&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  241.  
  242. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;Maybe this act of investigatory literary journalism will rescue your dream from ruination, or not. As one of the wise sages we&#39;ll review points out, &quot;don&#39;t listen to experts if it &lt;i&gt;makes you feel bad&lt;/i&gt;.. just follow your instincts.&quot; Again, I repeat, where is the nearest cliff? &amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  243.  
  244. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;Regardless, more favorites below, from mind boggling to laughable. WE will not provide them with free publicity by naming or linking to them.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;As follows:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  245.  
  246.  &lt;ul&gt;
  247. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;&quot;Some people, however, will say that no book will ever succeed without an outline. This is terrible writing advice. If you don&#39;t want to use an outline and want to go straight to writing then go ahead - don&#39;t allow anyone to tell you otherwise.&quot;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  248.    
  249. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;(&lt;i&gt;Some people? In two decades I&#39;ve never heard anyone make this sweeping statement; however, I do belong to the non-pantsing school. I adamantly advocate for productive planning and/or outlining in advance, especially for aspiring genre-specific authors relatively new to the field. WE article on &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/what-dont-outline-your-novel.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;this issue here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/i&gt;)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  250.  
  251. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Some people are fortunate and they don’t have a lot of time commitments on their hands. These writers might get their book written, edited, and on their way to publishing in just a few weeks. This in no way means it’s not good! It just means they were able to spend a lot of consecutive time on it.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  252.  
  253. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;(&lt;i&gt;Some writer people known to this writer person are able to conceive, write, edit, and publish their novel in a few weeks... Tell me who. Show me the novel. This reminds me of the ancient Jack Kerouac novel-typing-in-one-sitting stunt, but not quite as extreme. Nevertheless, preposterous no matter how you look at it.&lt;/i&gt;)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  254.    
  255. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Join a writing group either in person or virtually and give them extracts of your work.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  256. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;(&lt;i&gt;We&#39;ve debunked&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/problems-with-writer-groups-where-to.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;that solution here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;.)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  257.  
  258. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Write in your own voice, with your natural grammar. Let copyeditors and proofreaders worry about your grammar later.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  259. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;(&lt;i&gt;Your &quot;natural grammar&quot;? As both a line and developmental editor, this green light to ignore reasonable grammar can result in eye popping hybrids. Consistent and obvious bad grammar is a red flag to professionals. There are irritating nuances to grammar, yes, but advising writers to ignore grammar rules in general is wrong.&lt;/i&gt;)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  260.  
  261. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Most of the writing and publishing industry is shockingly elitist, and most of what they teach is bad advice that doesn’t work.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  262. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;(&lt;i&gt;The portion of the industry that might present itself to some as elitist is not that portion of the industry currently engaged in freelance editorial work, i.e., unless the editor in question happens to be a former publishing house editor or literary agent. In that case, they are feverishly searching for jobs and will not be inclined to act snotty. The broad brush allegation that &quot;most of what they teach is bad advice&quot; is plain ridiculous, if for no other reason than the allegation is too sweeping. Most? Really? No examples given here. No names. Who provides unproductive advice and who does not varies widely.&lt;/i&gt;)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  263.  
  264. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;(&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;FYI, the statement above, and below, was made by an instructional-and-self-publication website&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  265.  
  266. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Nothing about reading books about writing—or subscribing to blogs about writing—is going to help you do that... But I have yet to find a book about writing that’s a better use of your time than actually writing.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  267.    
  268. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;(&lt;i&gt;I&#39;m still bandaging my jaw. Well said, I must say. The writer has yet &quot;to find a book about writing&quot; that&#39;s any good? Waste of time? For example, &quot;Screenwriter&#39;s Problem Solver&quot; by Syd Field teaches nothing worthwhile? &quot;Art of Fiction&quot; by John Gardner? And so forth? We addressed&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/ten-best-books-on-novel-writing.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt; this issue&lt;/a&gt; quite well on WE. It&#39;s hard to believe this issue has to be debated. I&#39;ve only ever heard one person say this in twenty years, and that was an MFA prof attempting to sell his program to a writer workshop. &lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;And I&#39;ll maintain that if you cannot communicate writing advice using the written word, then you cannot communicate it verbally either&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;. )&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  269.  
  270. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Read as much writing as you can in your genre (the kind of books you want to write)?... I actually tell people not to do this... Instead, read only the minimum amount necessary to know what the general consensus is in that field.&lt;/b&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  271.    
  272. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;(&lt;i&gt;Huh? This fellow actually finds harm in immersing in one&#39;s chosen genre? Read the minimum amount? What does that mean? How does he define? We never find out. It&#39;s just overall ridiculous&lt;/i&gt;.)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  273.  &lt;/ul&gt;
  274.  
  275.  &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;Do you find it hard to believe that a portion of the above isn&#39;t just an invention? I&#39;d prefer it that way actually. Far more disturbing to see fellow writers (or alleged writers) passing this pap around as if valid.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;God bless this website.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/top-worst-worst-writer-advice-advice.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3KAP3gn9VgMD2IEyiA6Nf9X8aVx8QfhkiR6gQW-ubY66xAuMp8UGr7dB8sFY1sXMZrX95P4uNuTE3qFNfwV9IgWkDl9q7mJzG__68EaYY7VCn6dUoawnCk2_HyoKFTGRvWKIKyZZMMU/s72-w374-h342-c/nerdwoman.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-3554283492064292446</guid><pubDate>Mon, 09 Dec 2024 19:44:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T14:45:04.100-05:00</atom:updated><title>Algonkian&#39;s Seven First Assignments</title><description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PXc84Z9HYeFWAY7dWjmyt7VY6c2gII8hXVuJc7wl0BrhumjrJDZHJy0xOxk6j0NDFFWy0p7bu5LDXSnMpKuM_h1Bw2gogSu2NodATPnExRuzczqLOl85ZPF-YQ-zM_VB9wIn3sZ3-uc/s700/editor.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;
  276.  &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Below are the first seven assignments we provide to writers who will be attending upcoming &lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Algonkian events&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. All of
  277. them are vital to reaching an understanding of the critical elements that go into
  278. the creation of a commercially viable literary project, whether novel or
  279. narrative non-fiction. There is more to it, of course, much more, but this is an excellent primer.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;&lt;i class=&quot;text-italics&quot;&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;&lt;i class=&quot;text-italics&quot;&gt;Pay special attention to antagonistic force, breakout title, conflict issues, core wound, and setting.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  280. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  281. Quiet novels do not sell. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  282. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  283. Michael Neff &lt;br /&gt;
  284. &lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/director.htm&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Algonkian Conferences Chief Editor&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  285. &lt;/span&gt;__________________________________________________________&lt;br /&gt;
  286. &lt;br /&gt;
  287. &lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;THE ACT OF STORY STATEMENT&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  288. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  289. Before you begin to consider or rewrite your story premise, you must
  290. develop a simple &quot;story statement.&quot; In other words, what is the mission
  291. of your protagonist? Their goal? What must be done? What must she or he
  292. create? Destroy? Save? Accomplish? Defeat? ... Consider the following classics.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  293. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;- Defy the dictator of the city and bury brother’s body (ANTIGONE)? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;- Place a bet that will shake up the asylum (ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST)? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;- Do whatever it takes to recover lost love (THE GREAT GATSBY)? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;- Save the farm and live to tell the story (COLD MOUNTAIN)? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  294. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;- Find the wizard and a way home to Kansas (WIZARD OF OZ)? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  295. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  296. Note that all of these are books with strong antagonists who drive or catalyze the plot line going forward. More on that later.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  297. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  298. If you cannot conceive or write a simple story statement like those
  299. above (which will help define your story premise) then you don’t have a
  300. work of commercial fiction. Keep in mind that the PLOT LINE is an
  301. elaboration of the statement.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  302. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #400000;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;FIRST ASSIGNMENT: write your story statement.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  303. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;__________________________________________________________&lt;br /&gt;
  304.  
  305.  
  306. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;ANTAGONIST PLOTS THE POINT&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;
  307. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;
  308. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf19Nl2rjpeuchQuSiq8gISGQCG3vYeEU1f1A3jVf1LbYG5LBLeA6jUYQXCVU1dccRIa6rAc0EugZmWLjI2Tj-w8PFomrarAViTIkL8RXB31bLSEUKZ8mijcLYbjTx9x9vrgxsrVWQsKBGGsyQwqF-u2oY4tBw_x9EC-HMUOJQaTu1zFU-IQcxO2WRH28/s343/javert.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;343&quot; data-original-width=&quot;327&quot; height=&quot;394&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf19Nl2rjpeuchQuSiq8gISGQCG3vYeEU1f1A3jVf1LbYG5LBLeA6jUYQXCVU1dccRIa6rAc0EugZmWLjI2Tj-w8PFomrarAViTIkL8RXB31bLSEUKZ8mijcLYbjTx9x9vrgxsrVWQsKBGGsyQwqF-u2oY4tBw_x9EC-HMUOJQaTu1zFU-IQcxO2WRH28/w376-h394/javert.jpg&quot; title=&quot;Javert&quot; width=&quot;376&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Since a true antagonist is the major driver
  309. of plot in successful genre fiction,&lt;/b&gt; what chances do you as a writer have of getting
  310. your manuscript, regardless of genre, commercially published if the
  311. story and narrative therein fail to meet reader demands for sufficient
  312. suspense, character concern, and conflict? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  313. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  314. Answer: none. But what major factor makes for a quiet or dull manuscript
  315. brimming with insipid characters and a story that cascades from chapter
  316. to chapter with tens of thousands of words, all of them combining
  317. irresistibly to produce an audible thudding sound in the mind, rather
  318. like a fist hitting a side of cold beef?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  319. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  320. Such a dearth of vitality in narrative and story frequently results from
  321. the unwillingness of the writer to create a suitable antagonist who
  322. stirs and spices the plot hash. And let&#39;s make it clear what we&#39;re
  323. talking about. By &quot;antagonist&quot; we specifically refer to an actual
  324. fictional character, an embodiment of certain traits and motivations who
  325. plays a significant role in catalyzing and energizing plot line(s), or
  326. at bare minimum, in assisting to evolve the protagonist&#39;s character arc
  327. (and by default the story itself) by igniting complication(s) the
  328. protagonist, and possibly other characters, must face and solve (or fail
  329. to solve).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  330. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  331. &lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;CONTINUE READING &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/antagonists-in-novel-most-important.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;:idea:&quot; class=&quot;smilies&quot; height=&quot;15&quot; src=&quot;https://www.the-writers-block.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_idea.gif&quot; title=&quot;Idea&quot; width=&quot;15&quot; /&gt;  &lt;span style=&quot;color: #400000;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;SECOND
  332. ASSIGNMENT: in 200 words or less, sketch the antagonist or antagonistic
  333. force in your story. Keep in mind their goals, their background, and
  334. the ways they react to the world about them.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  335. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;__________________________________________________________&lt;br /&gt;
  336. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  337. &lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;CONJURING YOUR BREAKOUT TITLE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  338. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  339. What is your breakout title? How important is a great title before you
  340. even become published? Very important! Quite often, agents and editors
  341. will get a feel for a work and even sense the marketing potential just
  342. from a title. A title has the ability to attract and condition the
  343. reader&#39;s attention. It can be magical or thud like a bag of wet chalk,
  344. so choose carefully. A poor title sends the clear message that what
  345. comes after will also be of poor quality.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  346. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  347. Go to Amazon.Com and research a good share of titles in your genre, come
  348. up with options, write them down and let them simmer for at least 24
  349. hours.Consider character or place names, settings, or a &quot;label&quot; that
  350. describes a major character, like THE ENGLISH PATIENT or THE ACCIDENTAL
  351. TOURIST. Consider also images, objects, or metaphors in the novel that
  352. might help create a title, or perhaps a quotation from another source
  353. (poetry, the Bible, etc.) that thematically represents your story. Or
  354. how about a title that summarizes the whole story: THE MARTIAN
  355. CHRONICLES, HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS, THE WORLD ACCORDING
  356. TO GARP, etc.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  357. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  358. Keep in mind that the difference between a mediocre title and a great
  359. title is the difference between THE DEAD GIRL&#39;S SKELETON and THE LOVELY
  360. BONES, between TIME TO LOVE THAT CHOLERA and LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA
  361. between STRANGERS FROM WITHIN (Golding&#39;s original title) and LORD OF
  362. THE FLIES, between BEING LIGHT AND UNBEARABLE and THE UNBEARABLE
  363. LIGHTNESS OF BEING. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  364. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  365. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;:idea:&quot; class=&quot;smilies&quot; height=&quot;15&quot; src=&quot;https://www.the-writers-block.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_idea.gif&quot; title=&quot;Idea&quot; width=&quot;15&quot; /&gt;  &lt;span style=&quot;color: #400000;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;THIRD ASSIGNMENT: create a breakout title (list several options, not more than three, and revisit to edit as needed).&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  366. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;__________________________________________________________&lt;br /&gt;
  367. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  368. &lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;DECIDING YOUR GENRE AND APPROACHING COMPARABLES&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  369. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  370. Did you know that a high percentage of new novel writers don&#39;t fully understand their genre, much less comprehend comparables?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  371. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  372. When informing professionals about the nuances of your novel, whether by
  373. query letter or oral pitch, you must know your genre first, and provide
  374. smart comparables second. In other words, you need to transcend just a
  375. simple statement of genre (literary, mystery, thriller, romance, science
  376. fiction, etc.) by identifying and relating your novel more specifically
  377. to each publisher&#39;s or agent&#39;s area of expertise, and you accomplish
  378. this by wisely comparing your novel to contemporary published novels
  379. they will most likely recognize and appreciate--and it usually doesn&#39;t
  380. take more than two good comps to make your point.Agents and publishing
  381. house editors always want to know the comps.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  382. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  383. There is more than one reason for this. First, it helps them understand
  384. your readership, and thus how to position your work for the market.
  385. Secondly, it demonstrates up front that you are a professional who
  386. understands your contemporary market, not just the classics. Very
  387. important! And finally, it serves as a tool to enable them to pitch your
  388. novel to the decision-makers in the business.Most likely you will need
  389. to research your comps. We&#39;ve included some great starter websites for
  390. this purpose below. If you&#39;re not sure how to begin, go to Amazon.Com,
  391. type in the title of a novel you believe very similar to yours, choose
  392. it, then scroll down the page to see Amazon&#39;s list of &quot;Readers Also
  393. Bought This&quot; and begin your search that way.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  394. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  395. Keep in mind that before you begin, you should know enough about your
  396. own novel to make the comparison in the first place!By the way, beware
  397. of using comparables by overly popular and classic authors. If you
  398. compare your work to classic authors like H.G. Wells and Gabriel Marquez
  399. in the same breath you will risk being declared insane. If you compare
  400. your work to huge contemporary authors like Nick Hornby or Jodi Picoult
  401. or Nora Ephron or Dan Brown or J.K. Rowling, and so forth, you will not
  402. be laughed at, but you will also not be taken seriously since thousands
  403. of others compare their work to the same writers. Best to use two rising
  404. stars in your genre. If you can&#39;t do this, use only one classic or
  405. popular author and combine with a rising star. Choose carefully!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  406. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  407. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;:idea:&quot; class=&quot;smilies&quot; height=&quot;15&quot; src=&quot;https://www.the-writers-block.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_idea.gif&quot; title=&quot;Idea&quot; width=&quot;15&quot; /&gt;  &lt;span style=&quot;color: #400000;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;FOURTH ASSIGNMENT:&lt;br /&gt;
  408. &lt;br /&gt;
  409. - Read this comprehensive &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/the-dire-necessity-of-comparables.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;article regarding comparables&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #400000;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;- Develop two smart comps for your novel. This is a good opportunity to
  410. immerse yourself in your chosen genre.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #400000;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;- Also find two comps related to TV and Film--always a good idea at this point in the 21st century. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  411. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;__________________________________________________________&lt;br /&gt;
  412. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  413. &lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;HOOK LINES, CORE WOUNDS, AND CONFLICT&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  414. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  415. Conflict, tension, complication, drama--pretty much basically related
  416. and going a long way to keeping the reader&#39;s eyes and thoughts fixated
  417. on your story. These days, serving up a big manuscript of quiet is a
  418. sure path to post-slush damnation. You need tension on the page, and the
  419. best way to accomplish this is to create conflict and complication in
  420. the plot, and narrative as well.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  421. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  422. Conflict was first described in ancient Greek literature as the &lt;i class=&quot;text-italics&quot;&gt;agon&lt;/i&gt;, or central contest in tragedy. According to Aristotle, in order to ensure interest, the hero must have a single conflict. The &lt;i class=&quot;text-italics&quot;&gt;agon&lt;/i&gt;,
  423. or act of PRIMARY CONFLICT, involves the protagonist and the
  424. antagonist, corresponding to hero and villain. The outcome of their
  425. contest cannot be known in advance, and according to later critics such
  426. as Plutarch, the hero&#39;s struggle should be ennobling. Is that always
  427. true these days? Not always, but let&#39;s move on. Classic drama creates &lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;conflict with real stakes&lt;/b&gt;.
  428. It cannot help but do so. You see it everywhere, to one degree or
  429. another, from classic contemporary westerns like THE SAVAGE BREED to a
  430. time-tested novel as literary as THE GREAT GATSBY (that would fall apart
  431. if Tom Buchanan were not a cretin). And the core of conflict can be
  432. expressed in a hook line. For example, let us consider hook lines from
  433. the following novels. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  434. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  435. &lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;Note the following hook lines are divided
  436. into two basic parts--the CORE WOUND and the resulting dramatic
  437. complication that denotes and drives conflict towards climax and
  438. resolution.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  439. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  440. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana; text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;The Hand of Fatima&lt;/b&gt; by Ildefonso Falcones&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  441. A young Moor torn between Islam and Christianity, scorned and tormented
  442. by both, struggles to bridge the two faiths by seeking common ground in
  443. the very nature of God.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  444. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  445. &lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;* &lt;/b&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;The protagonist is scorned and tormented, thus the core wound, and as a result he seeks to fulfill an almost impossible task.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  446. ___&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  447. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  448. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana; text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;Summer&#39;s Sisters&lt;/b&gt; by Judy Blume&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  449. After sharing a magical summer with a friend, a young woman must confront her friend&#39;s betrayal of her with the man she loved.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  450. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  451. &lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;* &lt;/b&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;The protagonist is betrayed by her friend
  452. and thus her core wound, and as a result she must take steps to reach a
  453. closure wherein conflict will surely result.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  454. ___&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  455. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  456. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana; text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;The Bartimaeus Trilogy&lt;/b&gt; by Jonathan Stroud&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  457. As an apprentice mage seeks revenge on an elder magician who humiliated
  458. him, he unleashes a powerful Djinni who joins the mage to confront a
  459. danger that threatens their entire world.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  460. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  461. &lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;* &lt;/b&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;Humiliated into a core wound by an elder magician, the story line erupts into a conflict with the entire world at stake&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  462. ___&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  463. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  464. &lt;span class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;*** Note that it is fairly easy to ascertain
  465. the stakes in each case above: a young woman&#39;s love and friendship, the
  466. entire world, and harmony between opposed religions. If you cannot make
  467. the stakes clear, the odds are you don&#39;t have any.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  468. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  469. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;:idea:&quot; class=&quot;smilies&quot; height=&quot;15&quot; src=&quot;https://www.the-writers-block.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_idea.gif&quot; title=&quot;Idea&quot; width=&quot;15&quot; /&gt; &lt;span style=&quot;color: #400000;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;FIFTH
  470. ASSIGNMENT: write your own hook line following the format above that
  471. includes core wound and resulting conflict. Consider also, what makes
  472. your novel distinctive? Might elements of the setting be displayed to
  473. add color? Is the antagonist noted or inferred? What do you see in the
  474. three examples above?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  475. __________________________________________________________&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  476. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  477. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  478. &lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;OTHER MATTERS OF CONFLICT: TWO MORE LEVELS&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  479. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  480. Consider &quot;conflict&quot; divided into three parts, all of which you should
  481. ideally have present in the novel. First, the primary conflict (noted
  482. above) that drives through the core of the work from beginning to end
  483. and zeniths with an important climax (falling action or denouement to
  484. follow). Next, secondary conflicts or complications which can take
  485. various social forms (anything from a vigorous love subplot to family
  486. issues to turmoil with fellow characters). Finally, those inner
  487. conflicts the major characters must endure and resolve--which may or may
  488. not be directly related to the main plot line (but at least an
  489. important one should be).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  490. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  491. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;:idea:&quot; class=&quot;smilies&quot; height=&quot;15&quot; src=&quot;https://www.the-writers-block.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_idea.gif&quot; title=&quot;Idea&quot; width=&quot;15&quot; /&gt;  &lt;span style=&quot;color: #400000;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;SIXTH
  492. ASSIGNMENT: sketch out the conditions for the inner conflict your
  493. protagonist will have. Why will they feel in turmoil? Conflicted?
  494. Anxious? Sketch out one hypothetical scenario in the story wherein this
  495. would be the case--consider the trigger and the reaction. And relate it
  496. to the main plot line or primary conflict.&lt;br /&gt;
  497. &lt;br /&gt;
  498. &lt;img alt=&quot;:idea:&quot; class=&quot;smilies&quot; height=&quot;15&quot; src=&quot;https://www.the-writers-block.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_idea.gif&quot; title=&quot;Idea&quot; width=&quot;15&quot; /&gt;
  499.  Next, likewise sketch a hypothetical scenario for the &quot;secondary
  500. conflict&quot; involving the social environment. Will this involve family?
  501. Friends? Associates? What is the nature of it?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  502. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;__________________________________________________________&lt;br /&gt;
  503.  
  504. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  505. &lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;THE INCREDIBLE IMPORTANCE OF SETTING&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  506. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  507. When considering your novel, whether taking place in a contemporary
  508. urban world or on a distant magical planet in Andromeda, you must first
  509. sketch the best overall setting and sub-settings for your story.
  510. Consider: the more unique and intriguing (or quirky) your setting, the
  511. more easily you&#39;re able to create energetic scenes, narrative, and
  512. overall story.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  513. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  514. A great setting maximizes opportunities for interesting characters,
  515. circumstances, and complications, and therefore makes your writing life
  516. so much easier.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  517. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  518. &lt;i class=&quot;text-italics&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;Imagination is
  519. truly your best friend when it comes to writing competitive fiction, and
  520. nothing provides a stronger foundation than a great setting. One of the
  521. best selling contemporary novels, THE HUNGER GAMES, is driven by the
  522. circumstances of the setting, and the characters are a product of that
  523. unique environment, the plot also.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  524. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  525. But even if you&#39;re not writing SF/F, the choice of setting is just as
  526. important, perhaps even more so. If you must place your upmarket story
  527. in a sleepy little town in Maine winter, then choose a setting within
  528. that town that maximizes opportunities for verve and conflict, for
  529. example, a bed and breakfast stocked to the ceiling with odd characters
  530. who combine to create comical, suspenseful, dangerous or difficult
  531. complications or subplot reversals that the bewildered and sympathetic
  532. protagonist must endure and resolve while he or she is perhaps engaged
  533. in a bigger plot line: restarting an old love affair, reuniting with a
  534. family member, starting a new business, etc. And don&#39;t forget that
  535. non-gratuitous sex goes a long way, especially for American readers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  536. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  537. &lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot; style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;CONTINUE TO &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/great-settings-maximize-opportunity.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;READ THIS ARTICLE&lt;/a&gt; THEN RETURN.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  538. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  539. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: verdana;&quot;&gt;&lt;img alt=&quot;:idea:&quot; class=&quot;smilies&quot; height=&quot;15&quot; src=&quot;https://www.the-writers-block.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_idea.gif&quot; title=&quot;Idea&quot; width=&quot;15&quot; /&gt;  &lt;span style=&quot;color: #400000;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;text-strong&quot;&gt;FINAL
  540. ASSIGNMENT: sketch out your setting in detail. What makes it
  541. interesting enough, scene by scene, to allow for uniqueness and cinema
  542. in your narrative and story?  Please don&#39;t simply repeat what you
  543. already have which may well be too quiet. You can change it. That&#39;s why
  544. you&#39;re here!  Start now. Imagination is your best friend, and be
  545. aggressive with it.&lt;br /&gt;
  546. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  547. ______________&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2024/12/algonkians-seven-first-assignments.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf19Nl2rjpeuchQuSiq8gISGQCG3vYeEU1f1A3jVf1LbYG5LBLeA6jUYQXCVU1dccRIa6rAc0EugZmWLjI2Tj-w8PFomrarAViTIkL8RXB31bLSEUKZ8mijcLYbjTx9x9vrgxsrVWQsKBGGsyQwqF-u2oY4tBw_x9EC-HMUOJQaTu1zFU-IQcxO2WRH28/s72-w376-h394-c/javert.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-568739554956066598</guid><pubDate>Tue, 03 Dec 2024 18:05:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-01T19:31:51.731-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Edting</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Manuscripts to Market</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Michael Neff</category><title>Manuscripts to Market - An Interview With Michael Neff of Algonkian</title><description>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;
  548.  &lt;span style=&quot;color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Senior editor Charlene Castor of &lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/authorconnect/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Algonkian Author Connect&lt;/a&gt; interviews Michael Neff, the CEO and Chief Production Editor of Algonkian Writer Conferences.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;trebuchet ms&amp;quot; , sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5czVtgYMnlSopqH8Ba-KsiT-wu35gGx3AHiB4cA6cd4_hI6v4kcHrCwKBxcCIMoxTnih2a5DnEtey3BVVyFgyOZ8IJMigWRD1IrWGKhacaC9tIN5QAySagaCP3tnfLdXpzaGsnhwnrNRdgknQWbSWeELGFkhv37wZ2FOkw8t7JcEITzR2LvXQsNOa0L0/s500/mtm-blog.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;305&quot; data-original-width=&quot;500&quot; height=&quot;195&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5czVtgYMnlSopqH8Ba-KsiT-wu35gGx3AHiB4cA6cd4_hI6v4kcHrCwKBxcCIMoxTnih2a5DnEtey3BVVyFgyOZ8IJMigWRD1IrWGKhacaC9tIN5QAySagaCP3tnfLdXpzaGsnhwnrNRdgknQWbSWeELGFkhv37wZ2FOkw8t7JcEITzR2LvXQsNOa0L0/s320/mtm-blog.jpg&quot; width=&quot;320&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;Q: What made you and Algonkian decide to start this novel editing service?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  549. &lt;div&gt;
  550. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  551. &lt;div&gt;
  552. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;NEFF: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://manuscriptstomarket.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Manuscripts to Market&lt;/a&gt; is a natural outgrowth of &lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;our writer events and programs&lt;/a&gt;. Writers are always asking for something like this, especially following the &lt;a href=&quot;http://newyorkwritetopitch.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;New York Write to Pitch&lt;/a&gt;. Over the years, I&#39;ve spent many hours helping alums get published, in one way or another. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;
  553. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  554. &lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;trebuchet ms&amp;quot; , sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;CC: &amp;nbsp;That makes sense, of course, but seriously, Michael, does the world need another novel editing service?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  555. &lt;div&gt;
  556. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  557. &lt;div&gt;
  558. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;NEFF: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Yes and no. The world does not need another commonplace editorial service. Ours is unique, indefinite in length, customized for each writer, and finally, structured more productively than other novel editing services--the condition we&#39;re striving for in terms of method and final results.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;
  559. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  560. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;CC: That&#39;s a bold statement. So how does &quot;Manuscripts to Market&quot; really differ from other novel editorial services?&amp;nbsp; I&#39;m skeptical.&amp;nbsp; There&#39;s a hundred of them out there.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  561. &lt;div&gt;
  562. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  563. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;NEFF: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Overwhelming
  564. evidence demonstrates that one-pass ms reviews rarely, if ever, result in publishable manuscripts. You&#39;ll see writers pay gobs of money to
  565. various freelance editors only to be left hanging with sweeping or confusing rewrites, and once done, the ms will require yet another layer of editing. Follow-up is &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;always&lt;/i&gt; necessary&lt;/b&gt;. The writer must be guided as needed, depending on their skill set, and the project itself must be developed in stages.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  566. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;We provide a &lt;i&gt;three-stage review&lt;/i&gt; of the manuscript. First, a preliminary &quot;sell sheet analysis&quot; of the story premise and other major elements that might well necessitate rewrites and a new draft from the start. Why begin a full edit of the manuscript if we know from the onset, for example, that crucial elements of plot are missing? Second, a core developmental review of the manuscript from first page to last, resulting in ms notes and a separate editorial report.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Weeks or months later (depending on the author and ms) this is followed by a third and final review once the author has completed the necessary restructure and rewrites.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  567. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;trebuchet ms&amp;quot; , sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;CC:
  568. And that wraps it up? &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;trebuchet ms&amp;quot; , sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  569. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;NEFF: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Next, we assist with the search for agents and production of a superlative query letter.&lt;/b&gt; We also stick with the writer through the query process for an indefinite length of time, reality checking as appropriate and necessary.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  570. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  571. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;We also differ from the many editorial services in other ways. &lt;/b&gt;For example, our own combined skill set exceeds that of most freelance editors. Unlike the academic types, we&#39;ve actually worked with commercial publishing house editors and agents, we have a track record, and unlike the majority of ex-editors from publishing houses who left the business to freelance, we are actual writers, published authors of fiction. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  572.  
  573.  &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;trebuchet ms&amp;quot; , sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;CC:
  574. What about editor-for-hire bulletin boards like the one on Reedsy? Don&#39;t they have real editors there?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  575.    
  576.    &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  577. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;NEFF: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Reedsy means well. They host dozens of editors looking for jobs and freelance work. Why? Because they lost their jobs. The turnover in the industry is at an all-time high. A few might be of value but most don&#39;t pass the test of being writers themselves, plus those who claim to have worked with popular authors have done so only because they were warming the chair when that particular author at the publishing house needed a line edit. In short, dabbling at Reedsy can result in mixed results. Just be careful. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;
  578. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  579. &lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;trebuchet ms&amp;quot; , sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;CC: Why do you feel your novel editing method is more valuable or realistic than methods utilized by MFA faculty? I know you&#39;re not keen on advice that emanates from MFA programs.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  580. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  581. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;NEFF: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;For the most part, no. I totally reject the Conroy philosophy and approach began at Iowa decades ago and later cascaded into the bulk of MFA programs throughout the United States. They preach that writing can&#39;t be taught, and in keeping with that disproved absurdity, therefore eschew notions of discussing plot or story premise when it comes to writing a novel. What could be more ridiculous? Craft becomes a whisper after dark and the word &quot;market&quot; gains the status of Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter, i.e., becoming a word which must never be spoken in the presence of ivy.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  582. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  583. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;An academic whose beliefs about novel writing, or fiction writing in general, are rooted in that culture should never be consulted. It&#39;s a little like consulting with a home builder who doesn&#39;t believe in the basics of physics. If &amp;nbsp;nothing else, the &quot;professors&quot; fail to understand the demands of various genres and their readerships, and that&#39;s just for starters.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;
  584. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  585. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;CC: Do you offer guarantees to writers? I mean, do you assure the writer they will be published as a result of utilizing Manuscript to Market services?&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  586. &lt;div&gt;
  587. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  588. &lt;div&gt;
  589. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;NEFF: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;No editor, no matter how brilliant, by contract or otherwise, has sufficient control over a work to engineer it to guaranteed commercial publication. Why? Because no matter what you do, no matter what services you provide or what you say, it is &lt;i&gt;ultimately up to the writer to rise to the challenge&lt;/i&gt;. At the end of the day, the writer must actually write or rewrite the manuscript. Also, given the reality and ease of social media interaction, you sometimes find yourself as an editor in a struggle to be heard over the din of readers and writer groups interacting with your clients--often telling them what they want to hear, rather than what they need to hear.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  590. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  591. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Any number of things will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. I&#39;ve witnessed long slogs to brass ring territory only to see a history of titanic effort go whooshing into the sewer because one single player in the writer&#39;s life, sitting beside her one evening at a theater, told her that her novel &lt;i&gt;was perfectly wonderful&lt;/i&gt;, no more changes were necessary, and to just &quot;follow her heart&quot; to certain success.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  592. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  593. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;A tragic event for that writer, though it seemed so right and blessed with divine good feeling.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  594. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  595. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  596. &lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;trebuchet ms&amp;quot; , sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;CC: Anything else you would like to add on the subject?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  597. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  598. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;NEFF: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Yes, I want to tell everyone out there to ask themselves the following questions before they ever &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;decide to spend a penny on novel or nonfiction editorial services. As follows:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  599. &lt;ol style=&quot;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;&quot;&gt;
  600. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Do you get to review the credentials of the individual who will be working on your ms?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  601. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Do the person&#39;s credentials include any real-time experience working in tandem with the New York publishing business, or at least with mid-sized or quality independent presses?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  602. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Is there a demonstrable track record of commercial or literary publication of any kind associated with past clients of this person? Is the track record relatively recent or really old news?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  603. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Is the proposed editor person an actual writer of narrative nonfiction or novels? Has the work been self-published or published?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  604. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Are accolades or testimonials about the business itself focused rather on buzz phrasing than pointers to actual results, i.e., contracts with major houses or agencies?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  605. &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  606. If you get positive answers to all these questions, you know with reasonable certainty that you and your manuscript will have a fighting chance.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  607. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  608. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;CC: &amp;nbsp;Thank you for the interview, Michael.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;NEFF:&amp;nbsp; &lt;/b&gt;Thank you, Charlene.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  609. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  610. _______________________________&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  611. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://manuscriptstomarket.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;Manuscripts to Market&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  612.  
  613. &lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2016/10/manuscripts-to-market-interview-with_23.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (CharleneC)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5czVtgYMnlSopqH8Ba-KsiT-wu35gGx3AHiB4cA6cd4_hI6v4kcHrCwKBxcCIMoxTnih2a5DnEtey3BVVyFgyOZ8IJMigWRD1IrWGKhacaC9tIN5QAySagaCP3tnfLdXpzaGsnhwnrNRdgknQWbSWeELGFkhv37wZ2FOkw8t7JcEITzR2LvXQsNOa0L0/s72-c/mtm-blog.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-1221443355886714325</guid><pubDate>Fri, 08 Nov 2024 18:42:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T00:48:35.723-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">fantasy tropes</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel and fiction tropes</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel development</category><title>RESTORING THE TROLL TROPE - Concepts and Solutions Regarding the Use of Tropes in New Fantasy Fiction</title><description>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;
  614. &lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;
  615.  
  616. &lt;span style=&quot;color: #5e5d73; font-family: verdana, arial; font-size: 11px;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;Using the Rowling &quot;Harry Potter&quot; approach, you create a sympathetic underdog and render highly imaginative events with masterful narrative while also introducing more characters who are unique and endearing to the reader. Meanwhile, as mysteries writhe beneath the surface and the reader is absolutely gripped, you introduce the trope (e.g., a roving killer troll) in a circumstance that can&#39;t help but create immediate concern.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  617. &lt;br /&gt;
  618. &lt;span&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: black;&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; font-size: medium; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCgRHO5xA45ABGs-Aj7K93-a16iEqNafIK8czDyS4il5cWsLk-AWezHQ9vjAuDRI6-qvZq1hhH8OXkm8pHvjMjbQBW1XJDekRLJgmOiM2jTUyT1h2oCX5opElEHodhk5yoK-MVGNDJcA/s1280/sixactpotter.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;800&quot; data-original-width=&quot;1280&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCgRHO5xA45ABGs-Aj7K93-a16iEqNafIK8czDyS4il5cWsLk-AWezHQ9vjAuDRI6-qvZq1hhH8OXkm8pHvjMjbQBW1XJDekRLJgmOiM2jTUyT1h2oCX5opElEHodhk5yoK-MVGNDJcA/s320/sixactpotter.jpg&quot; width=&quot;320&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Which tropes must you employ in fantasy fiction vs. those you must reconsider, and perhaps discard or alter? What techniques might an unknown writer use to avoid overdone-to-a-char tropes and create a competitive fantasy fiction novel that trumps the slush pile? ... A writer who shall not be named was recently asked in a forum to identify what she believed to be overused fantasy tropes (YA or adult). As follows:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  619. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  620. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;Golden-haired princesses, elves that are beautiful and magical and powerful and the most powerful race, grumpy dwarves that live underground, talking dragons, magical swords, white steeds, unicorns, vampires in general, looming castles, wizards with staffs (seriously why can&#39;t they have some other enchanted object?), female characters that are thin (particularly protagonists), the prince is always the most desired choice for a boyfriend, Caucasian protagonists and races, other races that resemble humans (Elves, dwarves, orcs are all roughly humanoid), female characters able to talk with animals, some magical object of power that will save the world, helpful hermits that always turn up at the right time, green eyes ...&lt;/i&gt;
  621. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  622. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  623. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;A major problem for you, the modern day fantasy or young adult fantasy writer, consists of the struggle to identify which tropes are acceptable right now in the genre, which tropes should be modified or &quot;refitted&quot; and returned to the battle, and which should be avoided as if they were mines set to explode you into rejection letter hell.
  624. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  625. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  626. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;As a writer workshop leader, I stress high concept stories (insofar as humanly or inhumanly possible) and the ability to view your work or the work of others with the eyes of a professional in the business&lt;/b&gt;--in other words, would you put your career on the line for that novel in an editorial meeting surrounded by senior editors, your bosses and the always bitching marketing department who demand great marketing hooks? Let&#39;s see one example of the contrast that becomes apparent at such time the brain of a hypothetical neophyte fantasy writer is compared with that of a veteran literary agent.
  627. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  628. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  629. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;Through the eyes of the writer penning a story about a prophesied dragon-riding princess known as &quot;The Chosen One&quot; who wields a flaming sword of power while on her way, together with her favorite faerie, Glynfee, to visit the Wizard Crumgar at Hell&#39;s Keep and enlist his aid in finding a team of elves and dwarves to help her defeat evil and thus fulfill the prophecy:
  630. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  631. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  632. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;I&#39;ve seen dragons and prophecies, wizards and such, and I love Tolkien and Ann and Robert and all the movies with these creatures in them ... they&#39;re everywhere, others love them, and this tells me such things are what people will always wish to read about.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;
  633. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  634. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtljorffFD0Nai7_R3kERAWVHET3UsQgxM0WvXKHzvHGXiwDvO9JqYpbFiAz07ZalPi6LLBRfjELWnmRpn5bidux-7G8L1_p1SscdT7H-nV8qFn6D5HNODEh0zi55hwXmwjmKmuYNqKCc/s415/flamingsword2.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;415&quot; data-original-width=&quot;88&quot; height=&quot;320&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtljorffFD0Nai7_R3kERAWVHET3UsQgxM0WvXKHzvHGXiwDvO9JqYpbFiAz07ZalPi6LLBRfjELWnmRpn5bidux-7G8L1_p1SscdT7H-nV8qFn6D5HNODEh0zi55hwXmwjmKmuYNqKCc/s320/flamingsword2.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span&gt;In other words, the fact of reading and seeing overused tropes done so many times by great authors, or in films, or in the Halloween costume store, leads to the assumption that because they are ubiquitous or prevalent they are somehow immortal, never to be overlooked or overdone.  
  635. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  636. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  637. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;A novel-dooming assumption if there ever was one. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;
  638. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  639. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  640. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;Can you imagine the hundreds, perhaps thousands of manuscripts like the one above that don&#39;t stand a chance? Or do they? Let&#39;s see the same manuscript or story concept through the eyes of a veteran fantasy agent:
  641. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  642. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  643. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;Oh my God, another dragon-riding princess out to fulfill a prophecy ... And let&#39;s see, some elves and faeries, of course, what else? A flaming sword? Argh! I&#39;m getting two hundred of these a week. Can&#39;t anyone write anything that sounds original? I&#39;m suffering an existential crisis ...&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  644. &lt;br /&gt;
  645. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  646. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;The literary agent, on the look for high concept stories, something unique she can sell a publisher, is going mad after reading query letters about novels that all begin to sound the same. &lt;/b&gt;Can you sympathize with her? Isn&#39;t she more likely to focus on a story that doesn&#39;t sound like all the rest?  Isn&#39;t she/he?  Isn&#39;t THAT the story you should be writing, aspiring fantasy author? Shouldn&#39;t you try to stand out from that Montana-sized slush mob from archetypal flaming-sword hell?
  647. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  648. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  649. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;But how to do it? Besides simply avoiding the mention and use of faeries, witches, flaming swords, and so forth, let&#39;s explore and consider other ways. You might high-concept a fantasy novel by creating a unique setting for the novel. A writer we know recently created a special tree hundreds of miles in diameter called The Brood Haven and populated it with various cultures and creatures, and explained it in such a way that it came alive and fascinated all who heard it. One of our writers at Author Salon has created a unique and complex fantasy version of Manhattan, but one alive with personality in a world that somewhat mirrors our own. Settings such as these will help convince agents and editors to take the novel seriously.
  650. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  651. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  652. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Another way is to invent a culture in a fantasy world different from other trope cultures, many of which typically mimic medieval or Tolkien-esque cultures.&lt;/b&gt; But how? Look for a culture extant on this planet (or from the past) that is unique ... search New Guinea, South America, Africa, the South Seas, even American cults, or perhaps just Thailand, and brainstorm a new and unique culture for your world, but unharness the imagination. Be aggressive with it. Between unusual cultures and settings, you create a hooky little pouch within which to insert those tropes the genre demands and which never grow old enough to go away: the battle of good vs evil, the game of romance, the need for a hero, conflicts between allies, among others.
  653. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  654. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  655. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;Or let&#39;s pretend you simply MUST have a troll in your story, maybe even a killer troll. Okay, fine, we&#39;ll leave it out of the query letter or pitch simply because it might be a FLUSH WORD (i.e., agent hears or reads word and in her mind a hand reaches out and pushes the flush button).
  656. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  657. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IYfPDkWIhw0-lfEn-8OCWyD5oEoySyAet10eI1hlzWgkzOroMTdVEWzMhS9YavTZXZU46aROP0UCtyPtzL96xpIanwkb-7lxJNxAVgfWkNA9zj7IJbr3PBT2bg0SLhrWrg9k5eDrwzQ/s88/urbanfantasy.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;64&quot; data-original-width=&quot;88&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IYfPDkWIhw0-lfEn-8OCWyD5oEoySyAet10eI1hlzWgkzOroMTdVEWzMhS9YavTZXZU46aROP0UCtyPtzL96xpIanwkb-7lxJNxAVgfWkNA9zj7IJbr3PBT2bg0SLhrWrg9k5eDrwzQ/s0/urbanfantasy.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;Using the Rowling &quot;Harry Potter&quot; approach, you create a sympathetic underdog and render highly imaginative events with masterful narrative while also introducing more characters who are unique and endearing to the reader.&lt;/b&gt; Meanwhile, as mysteries writhe beneath the surface and the reader is absolutely gripped, you introduce the trope (e.g., a roving killer troll) in a circumstance that can&#39;t help but create immediate concern (as opposed to an early exposition comment about &quot;the Trolls of Hell&#39;s Keep&quot;), and attempt, insofar as possible, to make an aspect of the killer troll a bit different from other troll tropes.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;And while you&#39;re at it, introduce the monster without reference to it being a troll, calling it something else (the &quot;Bolly Wumpus&quot; or whatever), and only later, a character might say, &quot;In another time, they called them trolls. But these aren&#39;t really trolls, not like our parents knew them ...&quot; etc.
  658. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  659. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  660. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;In effect, you &lt;i&gt;counterbalanced the overused trope&lt;/i&gt; by giving it a new twist, introducing it with a new set of clothes or background, or by containing it within a special setting or circumstance. Keep in mind that none of the aforementioned is possible without imagination. It&#39;s your best friend. Push it to the utmost and it will help you stand out from the flame-sword slush mob and get a contract.
  661. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  662. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  663. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;And as a bonus, your agent and editor will love you.
  664. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  665. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  666. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot;&gt;btw, anyone invent a steampunk Troll yet?  No? ... Yes?
  667. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  668. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;hr size=&quot;1&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; /&gt;
  669. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  670. &lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;,sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  671. &lt;/div&gt;
  672. &lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2015/03/restoring-troll-trope-concepts-and.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSCgRHO5xA45ABGs-Aj7K93-a16iEqNafIK8czDyS4il5cWsLk-AWezHQ9vjAuDRI6-qvZq1hhH8OXkm8pHvjMjbQBW1XJDekRLJgmOiM2jTUyT1h2oCX5opElEHodhk5yoK-MVGNDJcA/s72-c/sixactpotter.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-922622382881968416</guid><pubDate>Fri, 20 Oct 2023 21:18:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2024-12-31T13:21:20.373-05:00</atom:updated><title>The Pub Board - Your Best Friend and Worst Enemy</title><description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIBcT9ZO1pURl9ZL7Vq2E5Sr7HRrq02J9UtiJp5tSNc2U1_ZOAQbGYiVGMGbR7areVqE0hnExx_h1xvXycgZjQPZ8bkeP0Mf7nrkQzI5jjKR4qfC5AmkhyuwYhcPsNWuRjIyhzRUoY-QPb3dGZhuhfCjqp-B9YtNixztFaDwEC3XitUFlOqLpcr4NQpM/s320/boardpub.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;232&quot; data-original-width=&quot;320&quot; height=&quot;284&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIBcT9ZO1pURl9ZL7Vq2E5Sr7HRrq02J9UtiJp5tSNc2U1_ZOAQbGYiVGMGbR7areVqE0hnExx_h1xvXycgZjQPZ8bkeP0Mf7nrkQzI5jjKR4qfC5AmkhyuwYhcPsNWuRjIyhzRUoY-QPb3dGZhuhfCjqp-B9YtNixztFaDwEC3XitUFlOqLpcr4NQpM/w391-h284/boardpub.jpg&quot; width=&quot;391&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;So your agent has finally found a sympathetic editor for your wondrously impatient manuscript?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;And they work at a major publishing house, imprint, or press. Now you think you&#39;re in tight? Whooo! &lt;i&gt;Think again&lt;/i&gt;. The obstacle course has just begun. Your credentials and manuscript are facing the gauntlet of THE PUB BOARD!&amp;nbsp; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  673.  
  674.  
  675.  
  676. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The &lt;i&gt;what?&lt;/i&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;A group of chair-bound editors and professional types at the press who down or up their thumbs for the stack of proposals sitting in front of them&lt;/b&gt;; and it varies from place to place, but more often than not, the pub board meets once a month. They include the specific editor who is a fan of your manuscript, of course, but what about other players and professions? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  677.  
  678.  
  679.  
  680. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Let&#39;s back up for a second. &lt;b&gt;Pre-pub board editorial meetings can occur for the purpose of winnowing forth the absolute best proposals&lt;/b&gt;, thereby giving the editors a running start before sales and marketing weigh in to potentially cast doubts. And let&#39;s face it, if this group of editors don&#39;t see sufficient potential in the proposal (novel) despite the devotion of your new fan editor, your future career with this organization stops there. The Pub Board will never see it.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;We can verge off here into the politics of human organization, but that&#39;s a subject for your social-psyche class, or some derivation thereof.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Now back to the working parts of the Pub Board. Traditional publishers will send reps from the Sales and Marketing departments to Pub Board meetings. The sales types focus on sales to major bookstores and chains like Barnes &amp;amp; Noble. Their jobs are on the line, like everyone else&#39;s. What if they get it wrong and a thumbs up results in a first novel that sputters to dust on the shelf? How much dust can collect before feeding the tropical fish becomes a daily pursuit?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;Where do the fingers point after the thumbs go wrong?&lt;/i&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;In contrast, the marketing types are focused on selling the proposed novel directly to the reader. Among other things, they examine the author&#39;s platform. Is it good enough? &lt;b&gt;Do they have 5,650,876 followers on social media?&lt;/b&gt; No? Does sales believe the bookstores might wish to stock the novel? Well, too bad. The platform isn&#39;t good enough. The thumb goes down. And like the sales type, the marketing type foresees a future of feeding the fish if too many poor decisions are made. So what does this mean in terms of fight-vs-flight decision-making? It&#39;s much easier to be negative and wax positive only when it feels like there is sufficient support and enthusiasm all around the room, and that way, you see, if things go south later on when the book flops, the fingers will point everywhere, or perhaps, not point at all.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Consider, how many humans are willing to accept responsibility when their jobs are on the line?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;So as you might surmise, Sales and Marketing thump the heaviest fists at the table.They can be expert or inexpert, experienced or green as ivy, whatever, it does not matter. If they get fidgety over the prospect of success, gravity rules the thumb.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;And don&#39;t forget Accounting!&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  681.  
  682.  
  683.  
  684. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Accounting figures the cost of book production, and they&#39;ll crunch the numbers on you.The more pages your novel has, the more expensive to produce. Aside from pages, the accounting types might argue that an especially fancy cover will work hard to cause the novel to remain in the red. Then guess what happens?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;You must keep in mind that Pub Board politics and dialogue fail to take into account such vital and earth-moving novel elements as plot, characters, and theme.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;I wonder why? Does anyone know? &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2023/10/the-pub-board-your-best-friend-and.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIBcT9ZO1pURl9ZL7Vq2E5Sr7HRrq02J9UtiJp5tSNc2U1_ZOAQbGYiVGMGbR7areVqE0hnExx_h1xvXycgZjQPZ8bkeP0Mf7nrkQzI5jjKR4qfC5AmkhyuwYhcPsNWuRjIyhzRUoY-QPb3dGZhuhfCjqp-B9YtNixztFaDwEC3XitUFlOqLpcr4NQpM/s72-w391-h284-c/boardpub.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-8923209800807455066</guid><pubDate>Thu, 31 Aug 2023 18:51:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T15:46:59.682-05:00</atom:updated><title>Thoughts on Pitching a Memoir to New York - A True Story</title><description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;Several times a year I&#39;ll receive an email from a memoir writer wanting to know if attending one of our writer events is worth it. The answer is always a mixed bag depending on several factors; however, for purposes of meaningful sample, I&#39;ve decided to include a recent response to a concerned memoir writer who inquired about the potential of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://newyorkwritetopitch.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Write to Pitch Conference&lt;/a&gt; to sell her project.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
  685. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://algtmonkianconferences.com/director.h&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Michael Neff&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/director.htm&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;
  686.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  687. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;Algonkian Chief Production Editor&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;________________ &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyR5I4wwiozBXrjAWJtHOaw95GQLjuVl6cvhCUEe76DTKTQNjKT7BjjSfakX5VnNP-XqcptAwTMhuqYwl_cEsWu3RpJbKrjzwJ5R1vN5knLR0mk1aWdG7kOSmyahnQknqspawmyQfyhi7aKVLNWnZgdipvl4aFEHE8jFICGhy50Yck5e-tyaxk6YLdswA/s445/writer.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;331&quot; data-original-width=&quot;445&quot; height=&quot;264&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyR5I4wwiozBXrjAWJtHOaw95GQLjuVl6cvhCUEe76DTKTQNjKT7BjjSfakX5VnNP-XqcptAwTMhuqYwl_cEsWu3RpJbKrjzwJ5R1vN5knLR0mk1aWdG7kOSmyahnQknqspawmyQfyhi7aKVLNWnZgdipvl4aFEHE8jFICGhy50Yck5e-tyaxk6YLdswA/w354-h264/writer.jpg&quot; width=&quot;354&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Dear Madeline,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;You appear to desire real
  688. honesty, so I&#39;ll take a chance and provide you with that. As you read
  689. what I have to say, keep in mind that I respect memoir writers for
  690. having the courage to tell their stories&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;I
  691. quite understand your trepidation regarding the conference in New York. The brutal truth is that memoir
  692. rarely sells at any writer conference, and for similar reasons. The
  693. writers are usually not even quasi-famous (thereby disabling marketing
  694. attempts to sell the book at least partially on the basis of the author&#39;s background). The
  695. memoirs in question almost never have valid marketing hooks (according to marketing), i.e., they&#39;re not high concept. Much of memoir subject matter inevitably falls into categories
  696. already tapped out (according to marketing, for example, cancer recovery, bad family, marriage horrors, parental abuse and alcoholism, career drama, growing up in poverty, growing up in poverty with cancer, etc). In addition, many memoir writers can be
  697. very resistant to editorial direction as compared to fiction writers (yes,
  698. it&#39;s true--I&#39;ve seen it myself more than once)., thus running up the dreaded narcissist red flag. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;As the messenger of this brutal truth, I know that editors
  699. and agents are very wary as a result of the above. Writers who display even the slightest sensitivity during pitch sessions are often coddled and falsely encouraged just to avoid the potential of drama.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;No one wants to be seen as &quot;unkind.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;On the flip side, we&#39;ve
  700. had oversensitive memoir writers attend and later complain that the professionals they pitched really didn&#39;t take memoir in the first place, but
  701. the dark truth was that the editors or agents didn&#39;t wish to offend the
  702. writer (because memoir is so personal), and therefore behaved as if
  703. memoir just wasn&#39;t viable for them, unfortunately using boilerplate
  704. excuses (rather like those found in responses to query letters--won&#39;t
  705. work for our list, etc.).&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The truth is these same professionals would
  706. certainly get excited if they actually saw sufficient reason to
  707. pitch the project at an editorial meeting without raising severe doubts on the part
  708. of marketing. Memoirs that have sold at &lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Algonkian Writer Conference&lt;/a&gt; events all had high-concept marketing hooks, and in general, an aura of uniqueness
  709. about them. There may
  710. be exceptions to this circumstance, of course. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;I hope this helps.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Best,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Michael&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2023/08/thoughts-on-pitching-memoir-to-new-york.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyR5I4wwiozBXrjAWJtHOaw95GQLjuVl6cvhCUEe76DTKTQNjKT7BjjSfakX5VnNP-XqcptAwTMhuqYwl_cEsWu3RpJbKrjzwJ5R1vN5knLR0mk1aWdG7kOSmyahnQknqspawmyQfyhi7aKVLNWnZgdipvl4aFEHE8jFICGhy50Yck5e-tyaxk6YLdswA/s72-w354-h264-c/writer.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-1103755695537051312</guid><pubDate>Tue, 25 Jul 2023 19:34:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2024-12-31T13:58:27.005-05:00</atom:updated><title>How Not to Get Blacklisted by the Publishing Business</title><description>&lt;div dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot; trbidi=&quot;on&quot;&gt;
  711. &lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;
  712. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  713. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  714. &lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrTYrQQoAPCjHLb6ElqF07BB1HlNMFIgTC18VX50EPuUKklSWM-m2E-uyQmJX5O94Wm8j4aEKLYr4ENNGTK43LKGY9JkiSf1es1f-7q6uU4yLm7NeDdkP-UYdE7XPdgBGF43-6zaErfenkPlSI2WWhCd5T-Nqe5C4PaHVeeGPkH9n9hzOF538_xHOdSQ/s320/eovl.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;320&quot; data-original-width=&quot;320&quot; height=&quot;320&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrTYrQQoAPCjHLb6ElqF07BB1HlNMFIgTC18VX50EPuUKklSWM-m2E-uyQmJX5O94Wm8j4aEKLYr4ENNGTK43LKGY9JkiSf1es1f-7q6uU4yLm7NeDdkP-UYdE7XPdgBGF43-6zaErfenkPlSI2WWhCd5T-Nqe5C4PaHVeeGPkH9n9hzOF538_xHOdSQ/s1600/eovl.jpg&quot; width=&quot;320&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;By &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.facebook.com/ChrisStewartTheRealWriter&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Chris Stewart&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  715. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  716. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  717. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  718. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;As someone who organizes readings and a large literary arts
  719. festival with workshops, author appearances, and exhibitors, I
  720. have developed a list of writers who I will not work with again. And rest
  721. assured, I’m not the only one who does this. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  722. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  723. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  724. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  725. Why? Because they didn’t follow directions. It’s that
  726. simple. Who&#39;s on it? Writers who acted like the organizer/staff were their personal assistant/manager.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  727. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  728. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  729. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  730. Take note of the following ways to avoid this blacklist and
  731. be a true professional!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  732. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br style=&quot;mso-special-character: line-break;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  733. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  734. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;KNOW YOUR OWN SCHEDULE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  735. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  736. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  737. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  738. Double booking is such a big no-no we can’t believe you’re
  739. not aware of this already yourself. Whatever you have to do to make sure you
  740. know the days you are already booked: DO IT. Back out of our event at the last
  741. minute because you “forgot” you already had a gig? You’re on the list. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  742. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  743. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  744. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  745. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;SEND THE REQUIRED INFORMATION&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  746. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  747. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  748. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  749. It should be no surprise to you that we need your bio and
  750. right away—possibly a short one &lt;u&gt;and&lt;/u&gt; a long one. We also need a high resolution
  751. digital photo of the appropriate size with good lighting, not a selfie taken in
  752. the bathroom with your cell phone or with the light behind you. We need ordering
  753. information for your book. Possibly your dietary restrictions or lunch/dinner
  754. order. Special seating or parking needs. Have that at the ready to send right
  755. away. Don’t have them? Get them together and email them to yourself now so you
  756. will. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  757. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  758. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  759. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  760. Have a publicity team? Great! They are usually more
  761. organized than authors. But pick only ONE person for us to work with. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  762. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  763. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  764. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  765. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;SEND THE REQUIRED INFORMATION &lt;i style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-style: normal;&quot;&gt;AS REQUESTED&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  766. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  767. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  768. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  769. If we ask for your short bio, we mean about 100 words.
  770. Not half a page, a full page, or two pages. Put your current, key publications, awards, job in there and include your website so people can find out more. You should not send a link to your
  771. website or write back “it’s on my website which is in my signature block.” You will be asked again to send the bio and if you again don’t comply, you
  772. won’t have a bio listed.&lt;span style=&quot;mso-spacerun: yes;&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;Same with the
  773. photo and book order info. If we give you the format in which we want these and
  774. you send a link to your book on Amazon, Barnes &amp;amp; Noble, or your publisher’s
  775. website you will be asked again, etc. If you&#39;re a &quot;famous writer&quot; we will chase you for the info but you&#39;ll go on the list.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  776. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  777. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  778. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  779. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;MEET THE DEADLINE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  780. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  781. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  782. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  783. When we tell you the deadline by which we need the
  784. information we are not picking a random date. We have a deadline for ordering
  785. your book and/or getting it to the host so he/she can read it before your
  786. reading or interview. We are collecting information to layout and send to the
  787. printer for marketing materials: brochures, programs, postcards. For posting on
  788. the website and social media. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  789. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  790. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  791. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  792. Decided at the last minute you want to change or send your picture now that it’s too late? Yeah,
  793. no. Not changing the program which is already at the printer and would incur fees. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  794. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  795. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  796. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;PUBLICIZE!&lt;/b&gt;
  797.  
  798. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  799. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  800. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  801. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  802. Organizers count on participants publicizing the event they
  803. are part of, which helps extend the organization’s reach and hopefully means
  804. high attendance on the day/evening. Post our event on your website, your
  805. Facebook/Twitter/Tumblr/wherever pages. Follow our social media pages and share
  806. info from them. Let people know about your part, but also share the info about
  807. other writers, exhibitors, etc. if it’s a larger event or festival.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  808. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  809. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  810. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  811. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;DON’T EMAIL WITH 101 QUESTIONS&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  812. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  813. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  814. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  815. We are aware of our own schedule. We know when we want to
  816. release final details to authors, etc. Don&#39;t stalk us for weeks before asking where you’re parking, what
  817. building/room you’re in, or asking if your book has arrived yet. We will send out the logistics email when everything is finalized and in plenty of time.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  818. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  819. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  820. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  821. Please don’t “check in.” If we wanted to check in we would
  822. have. Basic information is, by now, on the organization’s website: location,
  823. day, time, parking. Do your own homework until you hear from us. That’s what
  824. websites are for. If it’s a few days before and no email, check your spam
  825. folder, then call.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  826. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  827. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  828. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  829. How a reading works or an interview or a Q&amp;amp;A is not
  830. rocket science. You shouldn’t need a minute by minute breakdown of what is
  831. expected.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  832. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  833. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  834. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  835. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;BE ON TIME—NOT EARLY AND NOT LATE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  836. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  837. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  838. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  839. On the day of the event, don’t show up two hours before your reading if you’re part
  840. of an event that runs for several hours, or a festival, wanting to check in or
  841. with questions. Check in at the appointed time—an hour before is best. Wait
  842. until the session before yours has started so it’s quieter and we can focus on
  843. you.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  844. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  845. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  846. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  847. Don’t wander off to other sessions, to lunch,
  848. whatever, and not be there on time for the start of your event. Keep track of
  849. the time and return at least fifteen minutes before your part starts. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  850. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; line-height: 115%;&quot;&gt;&lt;br clear=&quot;all&quot; style=&quot;break-before: page; page-break-before: always;&quot; /&gt;
  851. &lt;/span&gt;
  852.  
  853. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  854. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  855. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;CHECK IN&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  856. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  857. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  858. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  859. Always check in! Otherwise, you are considered a “no show”
  860. and we are scrambling to figure out what to do without you, sending people to
  861. look for you, spending time calling/texting you when there are ten other things
  862. requiring our attention. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  863. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  864. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  865. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  866. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;NO TEXTS/CALLS WITH QUESTIONS ON THE DAY&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  867. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  868. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  869. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  870. We simply do not have time to take your call. The ringer on
  871. our cell is mostly likely turned off. If you want to reach us because you’re
  872. going to be late due to traffic or a car breakdown, text us and give us your
  873. name and ETA. If there is a host for your session, text them as well. Don’t
  874. text us and ask us to tell them. We may not see them in time and guess what? We have ten other things requiring our attention.&lt;span style=&quot;mso-spacerun: yes;&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;What? You don’t have their phone number? You
  875. know my response to that.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  876. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  877. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  878. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  879. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;DON’T GO ROGUE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  880. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  881. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  882. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  883. If we didn’t offer or ask about your tech needs then please don&#39;t email asking if you can show a short film the day before the event. Or even weeks
  884. before. Tech has already been decided. We’ve had the final walk-though. We would have to hire a tech person at the venue which
  885. is not in our budget. You also may not call the venue yourself and ask for them
  886. to do this for you. We have a contract with them and you are not part of it. Put whatever you want to show on your website and have
  887. people view it on their smartphones during or after the session.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  888. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  889. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  890. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  891. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;STICK TO YOUR TIME LIMITS&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  892. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  893. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  894. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  895. We probably gave you a time limit for your reading or, if
  896. you’re a host of a reading/session at a festival for us, how long your session
  897. is. If you’re a writer, choose appropriate material and practice reading it to
  898. make sure you are just under your time. So if we said seven minutes that’s what
  899. you prepare. Not three minutes. Not nine minutes. Your running under/over
  900. screws up the schedule. Minutes add up. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  901. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  902. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  903. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  904. If you’re a host, don’t run over. Manage/track your time. If
  905. the host of the session before you didn’t do that and their session ran into
  906. yours, let us know later (they will go on the list!), but that doesn’t mean you
  907. can do the same to the session’s host and authors after you.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  908. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  909. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  910. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  911. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;STAY THE WHOLE TIME – PARTICIPATE!&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  912. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  913. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  914. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  915. Go to other sessions if you’re at a festival. Stay the whole
  916. evening if it’s a larger event/reading. Take pictures. Post on social media
  917. using the event hashtag and quote writers/speakers. Tag people. Share other
  918. people’s posts. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  919. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  920. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  921. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  922. If you just do your part and leave you were not really a
  923. participant making a contribution to our event and community. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  924. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  925. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  926. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  927. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG, BE GRACIOUS&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  928. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  929. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  930. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  931. Organizers are juggling more than you know depending on the
  932. size of the event: partners and their expectations, venues, catering,
  933. audio/visual recording, marketing, publicity, security, tech, tables, chairs, signage, exhibitors, book
  934. orders, the schedule, volunteers, parking, transportation/hotel for visiting
  935. writers, walk-throughs, last minute changes. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  936. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  937. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  938. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  939. We are horrified that your name was spelled wrong or the
  940. parking lot was closed or someone else took your vegan lunchbox. We didn’t do
  941. it on purpose and we can’t fix it now. Don’t call/text us asking for restaurant
  942. recommendations or the nearest parking lot. These are all accessible to you via
  943. your own phone.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  944. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  945. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  946. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  947. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;BOTTOM LINE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  948. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  949. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  950. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  951. We are doing our best to make everyone comfortable and happy
  952. while dealing with the banner falling off of the front of the building, microphones with dead
  953. batteries, a famous writer needing directions over the phone instead of using
  954. their GPS, volunteers who didn’t show up, the session room that’s locked so no
  955. one can get in, obvious questions from people who could answer them by simply
  956. opening and reading the program or checking the map.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  957. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  958. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  959. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  960. There are plenty of people ready to criticize every aspect
  961. of an event with massive amounts of know-it-all disdain. People who have never
  962. organized anything in their life but who think they’d be geniuses at it.&lt;span style=&quot;mso-spacerun: yes;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;Don’t be that person. You have no idea what
  963. was discussed, promised by venue/partners/caterers/etc., not allowed or
  964. not available, or didn’t work on the day. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  965. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  966. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  967. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  968. Be a help, not a hindrance. How? Remember that the event is
  969. not about you (unless you’re the headliner, in which case, still be gracious,
  970. not a diva). Do your homework. Do your prep. Bring your own water and a granola
  971. bar, just in case. Leave early, map out additional parking, check in, tweet
  972. about how much fun you’re having, smile. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  973. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  974. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  975. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  976. We are excited to have you at our event! We think you’re
  977. fantastic! But be responsible for yourself. If you can’t be, hire someone who
  978. will be able to handle your needs/details or risk not being invited back and
  979. word getting around that you are not a professional or too much work. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  980. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  981. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  982. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  983. Your call. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  984. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  985. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;_______________________&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  986. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  987. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  988. &lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;&gt;
  989. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;mailto:therealwriter@gmail.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Chris Stewart&lt;/a&gt; is Editor-in-Chief of Del Sol Press (&lt;a href=&quot;https://twitter.com/DelSolPressBks&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;@DelSolPressBks&lt;/a&gt;). Find tips, tools, information, and inspiration on her website: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.therealwriter.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;The Real Writer&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  990. &lt;/div&gt;
  991. &lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2023/07/how-not-to-get-blacklisted-by.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrTYrQQoAPCjHLb6ElqF07BB1HlNMFIgTC18VX50EPuUKklSWM-m2E-uyQmJX5O94Wm8j4aEKLYr4ENNGTK43LKGY9JkiSf1es1f-7q6uU4yLm7NeDdkP-UYdE7XPdgBGF43-6zaErfenkPlSI2WWhCd5T-Nqe5C4PaHVeeGPkH9n9hzOF538_xHOdSQ/s72-c/eovl.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>1</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-3672905401824620891</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Jul 2023 14:48:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2023-12-06T12:25:57.856-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">advanced writing craft</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel development</category><title>IMPORTANT: Coverage Checklist for Aspiring Authors</title><description>
  992.  
  993. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial; font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Note, MARKET VALUE FIRST...&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  994. &lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMv-HJBCdrCi2gJFMTmifQcryI3li15kImBvWpbgsgCsKl8m6ti2nIBj8FKV92TS3C_VPsrHV1_VyFPQ6eJew3tFgbM8D77j-nibAQ8awJ0a3LhvH9ZMJ4DKRHj081wBVFLyWcLRjOYRYNAsWZIFtJsuip1NL7ovhmBnbUx5n9ondMW2MUUQ2KReCiDY/s233/filmshoot.jpg&quot; imageanchor=&quot;1&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;175&quot; data-original-width=&quot;233&quot; height=&quot;175&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMv-HJBCdrCi2gJFMTmifQcryI3li15kImBvWpbgsgCsKl8m6ti2nIBj8FKV92TS3C_VPsrHV1_VyFPQ6eJew3tFgbM8D77j-nibAQ8awJ0a3LhvH9ZMJ4DKRHj081wBVFLyWcLRjOYRYNAsWZIFtJsuip1NL7ovhmBnbUx5n9ondMW2MUUQ2KReCiDY/s1600/filmshoot.jpg&quot; width=&quot;233&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;b&gt;Listed below are a summation of &quot;coverage&quot; checkpoints utilized by various screenplay and novel ms readers in both Hollywood and New York.&lt;/b&gt; Not every publisher intern or assistant will necessarily employ all these categories (a mistake), however, they&#39;re a great checklist for you, the aspiring author, to help ascertain whether or not you&#39;re meeting your goals for a successful commercial genre novel.
  995.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  996.    
  997.    
  998.    &lt;hr style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: justify;&quot; /&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;arial, verdana, sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;arial, verdana, sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;MARKET VALUE:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;ul class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 20px; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Originality, freshness - high concept&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Clear target readership?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Hook Quality&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;arial, verdana, sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;STRUCTURE:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;ul class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 20px; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Act Zero backstory development&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Exposition delivery&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Effective setup with inciting incident&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Plot line arc, and subplots (if appropriate)&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Well designed reversals (major and minor)&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Pinch points (at least two)&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Catalytic situation driven&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Conflict, tension, rising action,&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Every scene relevant (i.e., to driving plot forward)&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Effective, believable climax&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Resolution/Denouement&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;arial, verdana, sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;CHARACTERS:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;ul class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 20px; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Antagonist Quality and Role&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Consistent opposition&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Protagonist goals&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Sympathetic protagonist&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Protagonist arc&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Secondary character quality and roles&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;arial, verdana, sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;NARRATIVE DEVELOPMENT:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;ul class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 20px; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Scene length and structure&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Effective transitions and cliffhangers&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Quality prose narrative (genre appropriate)&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Tension on every page&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Dialogue mastery&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Narrative composition (quality of set and engaging circumstances)&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Cinematic imagery (both static and dynamic)&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Proper point-of-view&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Appropriate use of craft technique&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li style=&quot;list-style: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 14px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;Interior Monologue and rumination&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/important-coverage-checklist-for.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMv-HJBCdrCi2gJFMTmifQcryI3li15kImBvWpbgsgCsKl8m6ti2nIBj8FKV92TS3C_VPsrHV1_VyFPQ6eJew3tFgbM8D77j-nibAQ8awJ0a3LhvH9ZMJ4DKRHj081wBVFLyWcLRjOYRYNAsWZIFtJsuip1NL7ovhmBnbUx5n9ondMW2MUUQ2KReCiDY/s72-c/filmshoot.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-6178374681779889268</guid><pubDate>Tue, 04 Jul 2023 14:26:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-04T09:09:08.716-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">character development</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel development</category><title>The Enlightenment of Tragedy - Dramatic Art Primer</title><description>&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial; font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  999.  &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Before the novel, there was drama...&lt;/b&gt;
  1000. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1001. &lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkZwWi0i6XATW99Iq5GdgiJwXnSdlQVLbydD2XYAZ4KH3ws3dACUcq5fDiH93MRi-t_Ek2kJFWwANqAIVZbdukUs5u8JVl1nVYYnidgoQN80HHu5nze-wvSaCaXrYQRUiYJ8KlvxdLx_mNf5WPS6XMr0NNVR3q5Fanubp-SbmUu6gHcEVnKBB-EGUCqU/s320/macbeth.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; font-family: helvetica; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;232&quot; data-original-width=&quot;320&quot; height=&quot;232&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkZwWi0i6XATW99Iq5GdgiJwXnSdlQVLbydD2XYAZ4KH3ws3dACUcq5fDiH93MRi-t_Ek2kJFWwANqAIVZbdukUs5u8JVl1nVYYnidgoQN80HHu5nze-wvSaCaXrYQRUiYJ8KlvxdLx_mNf5WPS6XMr0NNVR3q5Fanubp-SbmUu6gHcEVnKBB-EGUCqU/s1600/macbeth.jpg&quot; width=&quot;320&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;Ancient dramatists understood the requirements of a good tale, one in which willful human beings engaged in major conflict, the goal being to possess or achieve something of value. A designated character, by virtue of position and personality, became the antagonist, naturally defying the efforts of the protagonist, or hero, to overcome. This basic conflict scenario resurfaces again and again in a myriad of forms, not only in life, but in novels, short stories, and of course, film and television. &lt;b&gt;What makes true dramatic conflict so universally effective is not only its ability to create tension, suspense, and powerful characters, but its unique method for portraying the need for value in human existence.&lt;/b&gt;
  1002. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1003. Below we&#39;ve created a drama primer with quotes (&quot;European Theories of the Drama&quot;) from three important dramatists to illustrate the nature of the drama and it&#39;s overwhelming relevancy to novel writing discussion here at WE. It&#39;s all pretty simple and brief, actually, but the major points are invaluable to the novel writing mindset.
  1004. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1005.  
  1006. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&lt;u&gt;KEY CONCEPTS&lt;/u&gt;: calamity, value in human life, universal human desire, dramatic art, essential character of drama, the &quot;discovery,&quot; the wound, social conflict, the enlightenment of tragedy, tragic flaw, fear and pity. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1007. &lt;hr /&gt;
  1008.  
  1009. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;J. W. Krutch&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1010. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;
  1011.  
  1012. ― Its action [drama] is usually, if not always, calamitous, because it is only in calamity that the human spirit has the opportunity to reveal itself triumphant over the outward universe which fails to conquer it.
  1013. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1014. ― &lt;b&gt;Tragedy reveals value in human life … The death of a loved character, for example, reveals a value, something worth cherishing about life or humanity.&lt;/b&gt;
  1015. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1016. ― Art should, at least in part, satisfy the universal human desire to find in the world some justice, some meaning, or at the very least, some recognizable order.
  1017. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1018. ― &lt;b&gt;The highest dramatic art is not achieved by pitting the most gigantic will against the most absolute necessity. The agonized struggle of a weak will, seeking to adjust itself to an inhospitable environment, may contain elements of poignant drama.&lt;/b&gt;
  1019. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1020. ― The essential character of drama is social conflict in which the conscious will, exerted for the accomplishment of specific and understandable aims, is sufficiently strong to bring the conflict to a
  1021. point of crisis.
  1022. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1023. ― &lt;b&gt;Drama should lead up to and away from a central crisis, and this crisis should consist in a discovery by the protagonist which has an indelible effect on his or her thought and emotion and completely alters his or her course of action&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;
  1024.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1025.  
  1026. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;Arthur Miller&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1027. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;
  1028. For Arthur Miller, the underlying struggle is that of the individual attempting to gain his or her &quot;rightful&quot; position in society.
  1029. &lt;b&gt;&quot;Sometimes he is the one who has been displaced from it, sometimes one who seeks to attain it for the first time, but the wound from which the inevitable events spiral is the wound of indignity.&quot;
  1030. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1031. It is this &quot;tragic flaw,&quot;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt; this unwillingness to remain passive&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt; in the face of what she or he conceives to be a challenge to personal dignity, that causes the protagonist to initiate the action of the tale, i.e., the rising drama.
  1032. If the struggle of the protagonist is just, if she or he contests for a fair evaluation, then those conditions which deny this reveal a wrong, or an evil in the world. Thus, the &quot;enlightenment of tragedy.&quot;
  1033. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1034. Pathos is achieved in struggling for a goal that cannot possibly be won&lt;/b&gt;, however possible it seemed in the beginning.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1035.  
  1036. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;John Dryden&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1037. &lt;span&gt;
  1038. Insofar as the protagonist is concerned, the primary emotional reactions on the part of the reader are fear and pity. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Fear during the course of the drama that the protagonist will meet a tragic fate, and pity for the protagonist at such time this occurs. Pity, or sympathy, cannot occur unless the character is respected. Thus, it is true concern for the protagonist that produces the highest emotion.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1039.  
  1040. ___________
  1041.  
  1042.  
  1043. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1044. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/theme-plot-strong-character.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkZwWi0i6XATW99Iq5GdgiJwXnSdlQVLbydD2XYAZ4KH3ws3dACUcq5fDiH93MRi-t_Ek2kJFWwANqAIVZbdukUs5u8JVl1nVYYnidgoQN80HHu5nze-wvSaCaXrYQRUiYJ8KlvxdLx_mNf5WPS6XMr0NNVR3q5Fanubp-SbmUu6gHcEVnKBB-EGUCqU/s72-c/macbeth.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>1</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-2234056884681937046</guid><pubDate>Thu, 22 Jun 2023 21:20:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T00:54:12.928-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Algonkian Writer Conference Reviews</category><title>Algonkian Writer Conferences - The Ugly Reviews</title><description>&lt;p&gt;
  1045.  
  1046.  &lt;iframe allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share&quot; allowfullscreen=&quot;&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/EHF__4z5110&quot; title=&quot;YouTube video player&quot; width=&quot;560&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;
  1047.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;style-scope ytd-text-inline-expander&quot; id=&quot;snippet-text&quot; style=&quot;background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/authorconnect/index.php?/topic/16517-comments-careers-and-contracts-algonkian-writer-conference-reviews/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Algonkian Writer Conferences reviews&lt;/a&gt; two of the most troll-heavy &quot;reviews&quot; ever encountered by its staff, or for that matter, humans yet remaining alive in the 21st century.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;style-scope ytd-text-inline-expander&quot; style=&quot;background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;hr /&gt;
  1048.  
  1049.  &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poppins;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poppins;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/thumb-algonkian3.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poppins;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: large;&quot;&gt;A&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;lgonkian Park in Northern Virginia might be described as&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poppins;&quot;&gt;a lush and calming act of forest rubbing shoulders with the Potomac River, and it was here, twenty-two years ago, that &lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Algonkian Writer Conferences&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;began with a small workshop of five writers. Since then, the grand majority of my own experiences with many hundreds of my fellow writers have been rewarding, and I can truthfully say I&#39;ve played &lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/director.htm&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;a productive role&lt;/a&gt; in assisting many to secure both agent and publisher contracts. However, during this same time, as Algonkian evolved with new faculty (both agents and publishing house editors) and fresh-rooted into&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;https://newyorkwritetopitch.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;New York&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://montereywritersretreat.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;California&lt;/a&gt;, the relatively benign flow of interactions could be compromised on rare occasion by something unexpected, and quite frankly, a bit lunatic.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Poppins;&quot;&gt;Below are a couple of meandering tales that unfortunately fit under the rubric of &lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/authorconnect/index.php?/topic/16517-comments-careers-and-contracts-algonkian-writer-conference-reviews/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Algonkian Writer Conference reviews&lt;/a&gt;, and as such, are so incredibly bad I never would have believed them possible had I not lived them from first howl to final tantrum.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;________________&lt;/div&gt;
  1050.  
  1051. &lt;p&gt;&lt;b style=&quot;font-family: Poppins; font-size: large;&quot;&gt;A Mad Hatter Out for Blood&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;T&lt;span&gt;welve years ago, in Marin County, I received a phone call at 3 AM on a weekday. Bleary and puzzled, I picked up the landline phone to hear the enraged voice of a popular author I knew in Faifax, Virginia. And what he said jolted me into a shocked awakening. &quot;Who the f**k are they?&quot; he began, yelling into the phone. &quot;They&#39;re lying about me, about you... the bastards! Who the f**k &lt;i&gt;are they?&lt;/i&gt;&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Since I had zero idea who or what had launched him screaming from the silo, I finally calmed him enough to extract an unexpected and jaw-dropping explanation. He&#39;d set up a Google alert to inform him any time his name was indexed and published by the search engine, and that morning at 6 AM EST, an alert led him to a particular thread on a certain writer chat board (remaining nameless due to my reluctance to provide said board with thousands more visitors).&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #660000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;And what did this disguised floating blip say that could have turned a mature and regarded literary author and full-time MFA professor into a mad hatter out for blood?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Within only a few minutes of reading what an anonymous poster had said about him on this thread, he was persuaded to contact me. And what did this disguised floating blip say that could have turned a mature and regarded literary author and full-time MFA professor into a mad hatter out for blood?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;But first, a little scene set.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Picture your browser window filled with a dull, grey-white background and blocks of typed narrative in a small black font. To the top left of each posted block, residing in its own narrow column, you see the icon and alleged name of the poster, plus info like date joined, etc. Typical chat board layout. Now, for the one in question. You zoom in on the icon and witness a bubbly vibrating fairy. To the right, you read the blocks of text this fidgeting blip as typed. You see &quot;Algonkian Writer Conferences&quot; and something about an upcoming reveal that &quot;will finally tell the truth about this organization&lt;b&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;stocked with literary frauds and flying sock monkeys!&quot;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;Flying sock monkeys?&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #660000;&quot;&gt;It took over a year of investigation, but Algonkian staff discovered the identity of the primary abusers. They operated a competitor writer event in the northeast. No big surprise there.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;For starters, the primary instigator of this massive fraud, Michael Neff (who else?)--in order to make his workshops seem more credible--willfully assisted a local author and college professor to spread a huge lie about winning a certain national literary award for one of his books. Not only that, but the flying sock monkeys that ran Algonkian&amp;nbsp;&lt;i&gt;really didn&#39;t feature actual faculty&lt;/i&gt;. They were just &quot;driven around in limousines&quot; for a few hours, but never met with anyone. Also, our staff were &quot;waiting at bus stops for dazed MFA grads&quot; to arrive home so we could trick them into taking these workshops with limousine-lounging faculty.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;I&#39;m not kidding. Not a bit.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;To make a long and ugly story short, the author noted above went on the chat board in question and began a roaring argument with the anonymous tribal members, most of whom resembled beasts or cyborgs. After a few days of wrangling and threats mixed with general acts of denigration and mockery on the part of all, the author finally produced evidence that indeed proved without doubt he had won said literary award, and no chicanery was involved in any way whatsoever. Despite his undeniable proof, the chat board owners refused to remove the post alleging his immoral act.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #660000;&quot;&gt;Despite his undeniable proof, the chat board owners refused to remove the post alleging his immoral act.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Following this, at least ten or so Algonkian writers who had learned of this ongoing farce via Facebook stormed the board and opened a new front to battle with the beasts and cyborgs. It must&#39;ve lasted weeks, but at the conclusion, the chat board shills admitted no wrong and no mistakes. The accused were guilty, the evidence was irrelevant, and the lies multiplied even further. In truth, it was a precursor to the later cancel-culture mobs of Twitter. Regardless, the whole affair was exhausting, stupid, and pointless, only further serving to taint the integrity of the human race.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;It took over a year of investigation, but Algonkian staff discovered the identity of the primary abusers. They operated a competitor writer event in the northeast. No big surprise there. The surprise lay in the fact that the vibrating fantasy blip was actually a well-known editor at a major publishing house who loved playing a roving assassin on various chat boards, not just the one noted here. Also, one of the meanest of the board trolls who ran a close second to the aforementioned blip turned out to be a popular literary agent in New York who also ran a blog that worked 24/7 to insult and cancel everyone she didn&#39;t like. No surprise there either.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;And still, not kidding.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;To this day, none of them have ever apologized for intentionally lying about that author or for my alleged involvement. Both of these accusations, and more, were acts of &lt;i&gt;per se defamation&lt;/i&gt;&amp;nbsp;and therefore legally actionable in civil court, but given the locations of the parties, the cost involved, and additional fallout issues involving the blip&#39;s publisher, we let it go.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;I&#39;ve often regretted that decision.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;______________&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;The Terrified One Smears Far and Wide&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Unlike the case above, this one manifested like ash fall on Pompey prior to inundation. It began with incessant phone calls and messages to staff over the course of several weeks from just one person who we finally determined would never be satisfied with reality as it presented itself. Did people at conference workshops sit in circles? Did they sit in half-circles? Did they stand? Sit? Why sitting? Why not a theater-seating kind of arrangement? Why not this? That? And on and on.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Then things got weird.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #660000;&quot;&gt;Rejected and free of restraints, The Terrified One transmogrified into the hysterically raging one, and the world was her playground.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;One of our staff people was trying to help this individual and reaching wit&#39;s end. Towards the conclusion of these interactions, the staff person was accused of &quot;terrifying her&quot; with her communications. I looked over the mails and saw absolutely nothing to indicate a hostile or &quot;terrifying&quot; attitude, only a weary human being attempting to help someone desperately striving to acquire a new victim culture medal.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;A final email was sent by staff to The Terrified One:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;I offered to help you but you chose to become &quot;terrified&quot; though I did nothing to terrify you. Best to reconsider and perhaps some other time. It&#39;s not good to approach an event like this with fear and major doubts, and wondering whether or not people sit in circles, or whether you have to be a public speaker, etc. etc.&amp;nbsp; It&#39;s just not worth it.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;Effectively disallowed from attending the actual event (because we all knew that an appearance by this person could well result in even more complaints and self-martyrdom) The Terrified One transmogrified into a Nemesis with a holy mission.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;The fact of this wasn&#39;t a shock, however, the sheer relentlessness of the retribution could not have been predicted. Rejected and free of restraints, The Terrified One transmogrified into the hysterically raging one, and the world was her playground.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #660000;&quot;&gt;Nowadays, it&#39;s easier to quickly get a court order to force the social media source to divulge information about the user, thus enabling legal action, but back at the time, such action was far more laborious.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The rest is a footnote of a footnote in history. TTO posted screeds of rage, alleging all manner of nefarious intent (nearly identical to the absurdities noted above, thus hinting at direct inspiration) and preposterously conceived fraud on several chat boards, Facebook, Twitter, you name it. Various childish identities were employed over the course of weeks, but the source was obvious.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Nowadays, it&#39;s easier to quickly get a court order to force the social media source to divulge information about the user, thus enabling legal action, but back at the time, such action was far more laborious. Most of the offending revenge posts evaporated over time and one or two are left, rising and sinking in the SERPs depending on the nature of the algorithm.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Damned if we did, and damned if we didn&#39;t.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;_____&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/director.htm&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Michael Neff&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/authorconnect/index.php?/topic/16517-comments-careers-and-contracts-algonkian-writer-conference-reviews/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Algonkian Writer Conferences&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Montserrat;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2023/06/algonkian-writer-conferences-ugly.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/EHF__4z5110/default.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-3005850554448996937</guid><pubDate>Thu, 22 Jun 2023 16:37:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T01:03:28.827-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">advanced writing craft</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">character development</category><title>A Great Damp Loaf of Description - Experiments in Fictional Imagery</title><description>&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Prepared for appropriate frustration and tapped out fingers?
  1052. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1053. Using our favorite &quot;stand on the shoulders of the classics&quot; approach, we&#39;re going to examine the role of detailed character description when it comes to enhancing prose narrative. We&#39;ve touched on this previously with our &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/12/experiments-in-high-impact-narrative.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;High Impact Narrative&lt;/a&gt; article and a caboose of &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/09/narrative-enhancement-via-nabokov.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Enhancement via Nabokov&lt;/a&gt;, but we&#39;re not done yet. Let&#39;s look at various examples and techniques.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1054.  
  1055. &lt;h4 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;A GREAT DAMP LOAF&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;
  1056. &lt;div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAV3bYaqNRElRhLlwBpxrIwLqTqOmxfoAoTJUYtBmY5OxVMFZIPf9AuVaL-n1gDy0lLo69srfyzBrCSdGgWlJyVKW4GmCnSyoKxvCdLGYJ2XrL329cXjDVg7nwDckhwafbdsopfe2IZThmj1tSfo4RFMpABk1DyGENm_IWgU2-ohLHS1Ks6B46U2YhF98/s320/shopping.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;241&quot; data-original-width=&quot;320&quot; height=&quot;241&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAV3bYaqNRElRhLlwBpxrIwLqTqOmxfoAoTJUYtBmY5OxVMFZIPf9AuVaL-n1gDy0lLo69srfyzBrCSdGgWlJyVKW4GmCnSyoKxvCdLGYJ2XrL329cXjDVg7nwDckhwafbdsopfe2IZThmj1tSfo4RFMpABk1DyGENm_IWgU2-ohLHS1Ks6B46U2YhF98/s1600/shopping.jpg&quot; width=&quot;320&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;From Annie Proulx&#39;s &quot;The Shipping News&quot;:&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  1057.  
  1058. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;b&gt;&quot;A great damp loaf of a body. At six he weighed eighty pounds. At sixteen he was buried under a casement of flesh. Head shaped like a crenshaw, no neck, reddish hair ruched back. Features as bunched as kissed fingertips. Eyes the color of plastic. The monstrous chin, a freakish shelf jutting from the lower face.&quot;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1059.  
  1060. Note that Proulx first makes a single statement of character impression before moving on to details, i.e., &quot;A great damp loaf of a body.&quot; Note also, &quot;shaped like a crenshaw.&quot; Consider your setting and choose an aspect of it to create a comparison to your own character. If your character lived in a desert town you might say, &quot;his face unshaved for days, rough as prickly cactus.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1061. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1062. &quot;Ed Punch talked out of the middle of his mouth. While he talked he examined Quoyle, noticed the cheap tweed jacket the size of a horse blanket, fingernails that looked regularly held to a grind stone. He smelled submission in Quoyle, guessed he was butter of fair spreading consistency.&quot;
  1063. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1064.  
  1065. Consider and sketch a few metaphors to physically describe a unique character you&#39;ve created. If you don&#39;t have one, perhaps you should get one ASAP? In any case, the more interesting the appearance, the easier your job. Begin with a single statement of impression and include simile or metaphor based on your novel&#39;s unique setting (is it sufficiently unique?). Note the above is third person POV.
  1066. &lt;br /&gt;
  1067.  
  1068. &lt;hr /&gt;&lt;h4 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;WATCHING THE MOUTH WITH ITALO&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWA1TsLRPalVmD99Np9uq2Mga1vVUg-Wjb9IeDA0K74VuOJ1746qsMkBFeiMEc9eYSVNNPqttxSoC4PQK0QSnq9L7d89-_dhZTsVE62A02gRona4rRt9ygH3zvEi-9rbGwXD0X9mUU6E/s310/jaguar.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;163&quot; data-original-width=&quot;310&quot; height=&quot;211&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWA1TsLRPalVmD99Np9uq2Mga1vVUg-Wjb9IeDA0K74VuOJ1746qsMkBFeiMEc9eYSVNNPqttxSoC4PQK0QSnq9L7d89-_dhZTsVE62A02gRona4rRt9ygH3zvEi-9rbGwXD0X9mUU6E/w401-h211/jaguar.jpg&quot; width=&quot;401&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;From Italo Calvino&#39;s &quot;Under the Jaguar Sun&quot;:
  1069. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;span&gt;
  1070. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;b&gt;&quot;Right in the midst of chewing, Olivia&#39;s lips paused, almost stopped, though without completely interrupting their continuity of movement, which slowed down, as if reluctant to allow an inner echo to fade, while her gaze became fixed, intent on no specific object, in apparent alarm. Her face had a special concentration that I had observed during meals ever since we began our trip to Mexico. I followed the tension as it moved from her lips to her nostrils, flaring one moment, contracting the next, (the plasticity of the nose is quite limited -- especially for a delicate, harmonious nose like Olivia&#39;s -- and each barely perceptible attempt to expand the capacity of the nostrils in the longitudinal direction actually makes them thinner, while the corresponding reflex movement, accentuating their breadth, then seems a kind of withdrawal of the whole nose into the surface of the face).&quot;
  1071. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1072.  
  1073. &quot;Right in the midst of chewing...&quot; The character is engaged in an action. Focus on one physical attribute, then another. &quot;As though&quot; what? Consider, she or he, looks &quot;as though&quot; or &quot;as if&quot;? Where are the eyes? What are they doing? Is the face twitching, moving? How? And now, time to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/09/the-prose-description-questionnaire.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;unleash the PNE&lt;/a&gt; here at WE. Look it over carefully. This is an ideal brainstorming prompter for prose narrative conception and description - the perfect onion peeler.
  1074. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1075. Apply at least &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/09/the-prose-description-questionnaire.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;five PNE questions&lt;/a&gt; to your character&#39;s face and overall appearance. Take your time and think about it carefully... Note the example above is first person POV, but third person POV works as well.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1076.  
  1077. &lt;hr /&gt;&lt;h4 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  1078. &lt;span&gt;
  1079. UPDIKE&#39;S MOTHER IS ANGRY&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1080. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbsQzP2Ulc4t4mczG-IxTg2AGKE8f_ef3fLX-6pc2EPyZ9Fsse-ha0KINNyObnKiq1RmsFEA0hdGgBO8Rpao5yYcDss8nFtMe4ToLRc6_jVxSf1AV8XXeDvSIysdjMy2atNrXsYrdbBY/s1024/centaur.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;768&quot; data-original-width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;288&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbsQzP2Ulc4t4mczG-IxTg2AGKE8f_ef3fLX-6pc2EPyZ9Fsse-ha0KINNyObnKiq1RmsFEA0hdGgBO8Rpao5yYcDss8nFtMe4ToLRc6_jVxSf1AV8XXeDvSIysdjMy2atNrXsYrdbBY/w384-h288/centaur.jpg&quot; width=&quot;384&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span&gt;(from John Updike&#39;s &quot;The Centaur&quot;)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1081.  
  1082. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;b&gt;&quot;A glance at my mother&#39;s mottled throat told me she was angry. Suddenly I wanted to get out: she had injected into the confusion a shrill heat that made everything cling. I rarely knew exactly why she was mad; it would come and go like weather. Was it really that my father and grandfather absurdly debating sounded to her like murder? Was it something I had done, my arrogant slowness? Anxious to exempt myself from her rage, I sat down in my stiff peat jacket and tried the coffee again. It was still too hot. A sip seared my sense of taste away.&quot;
  1083. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1084.  
  1085. Now describe a character who is familiar to you, like a family member, and depict them in a charged emotional state. Also, add at least one rumination like Updike did above, i.e., &quot;Was it something I had done, my arrogant slowness?&quot;
  1086. &lt;br /&gt;
  1087.  
  1088. &lt;hr /&gt;&lt;h4 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;
  1089.  
  1090. CHABON AND NEFF&#39;S HUNSECKER LOOKS PACINO&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h4&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4CMB2SusN6oyydlUgxYHX1N_gqbmpd1TF9uNrzUS2sUlLzLAWcFK9arAsPD70E5R26oXzYzz3YejJiMIpMnI50bP03M4w7pKebbdU29URJoF5ZPK5oodkTvu3sssXl0MQry3DwxOGApg/s475/30537056._SY475_.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;475&quot; data-original-width=&quot;317&quot; height=&quot;475&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4CMB2SusN6oyydlUgxYHX1N_gqbmpd1TF9uNrzUS2sUlLzLAWcFK9arAsPD70E5R26oXzYzz3YejJiMIpMnI50bP03M4w7pKebbdU29URJoF5ZPK5oodkTvu3sssXl0MQry3DwxOGApg/w318-h475/30537056._SY475_.jpg&quot; width=&quot;318&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;From Michael Neff&#39;s &quot;All the Dark We Will Not See&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;
  1091. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1092. &quot;First of all, Mr. Basil R. Hunsecker acted and looked the stereotypical bad boss: a middle-aged prick in three-piece gray and tacky pink tie who disturbingly resembled Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon (narrow head and brooding Italian look), only an older version, with a thinner face, pock-marked cheeks, and big, protruding, blue-bone eyes that sucked in everything and contrasted in an irritating way with his sallow brown skin—as if he were the victim of one too many spray tans. His odor, somewhat unique, like cooked shellfish marinated in mildew. What Manny didn‘t know was that Hunsecker remained the owner not only of a rare, painful, and mummifying disease that ate away the body fat between his skin and muscles, but also of more than one post-pubescent social trauma, his memory way to full of punky kids screeching at him: Hey, pizzaaa face, you fucking shithead pizzaaa face!”&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1093.  
  1094. &lt;span&gt;From Michael Chabon&#39;s &quot;Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1095. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1096. &quot;Then a hand as massive and hard as an elk‘s horn, lashed by tough sinews to an arm like the limb of an oak, grabs the boy by the shoulder and drags him back to the wings... &quot;You know better, young man,&quot; says the giant, well over eight feet tall, to whom the massive hand belongs. He has the brow of an ape and the posture of a bear and the accent of a Viennese professor of medicine. He can rip open a steel drum like a can of tobacco, lift a train carriage by one corner, play the violin like Paganini, and calculate the velocity of asteroids and comets, one of which bears his name.&quot;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;Apply the techniques and lengthy description of Neff and Chabon to describe a unique or outrageous individual of your own creation. Be bold and imaginative with your strokes. Use metaphor, simile, the wallop of a single first impression. Feel free to make the character move and speak if you wish. Be aggressive and prototype your sketch first.
  1097. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1098. Now, are you on your way to becoming a masterful prose stylist? Perhaps, but this is just the beginning.
  1099. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/12/a-great-damp-loaf-of-description.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAV3bYaqNRElRhLlwBpxrIwLqTqOmxfoAoTJUYtBmY5OxVMFZIPf9AuVaL-n1gDy0lLo69srfyzBrCSdGgWlJyVKW4GmCnSyoKxvCdLGYJ2XrL329cXjDVg7nwDckhwafbdsopfe2IZThmj1tSfo4RFMpABk1DyGENm_IWgU2-ohLHS1Ks6B46U2YhF98/s72-c/shopping.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-6468688506990723162</guid><pubDate>Thu, 22 Jun 2023 04:23:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2024-12-08T19:23:32.546-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Algonkian Writer Conference Reviews</category><title>Algonkian Writer Conferences Reviews Steps Prior to Querying</title><description>&lt;p&gt;
  1100.  
  1101. &lt;iframe allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share&quot; allowfullscreen=&quot;&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/JWMvs9ayeMQ&quot; title=&quot;YouTube video player&quot; width=&quot;560&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;
  1102.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;&quot;&gt;How to prepare before sending queries to agents, e.g., utilize Publisher&#39;s Marketplace to intelligently narrow down the best possible candidates. &lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/authorconnect/index.php?/topic/16517-comments-careers-and-contracts/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Algonkian Writer Conferences reviews&lt;/a&gt; each step in turn.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;a name=&#39;more&#39;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;
  1103. &lt;hr&gt;
  1104. &lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAqYjuHdAQ2-zdkKUtzAObVLn4MgUq6oO5sPU3TBrhelqKp_WXMRLN9DuGrCwDn8atZ7aWP8SozmLnuZZWo8C30mBipdhrdInC5QswjvmCWe-ViXADQUI1Q-edhAQShPvoywFVVcNCFZ86g3VuH4qHiVPIYuvDiLUHh8Ke1Wi0pi_zxmdKraKNKcu/s229/querysign.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;220&quot; data-original-width=&quot;229&quot; height=&quot;144&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAqYjuHdAQ2-zdkKUtzAObVLn4MgUq6oO5sPU3TBrhelqKp_WXMRLN9DuGrCwDn8atZ7aWP8SozmLnuZZWo8C30mBipdhrdInC5QswjvmCWe-ViXADQUI1Q-edhAQShPvoywFVVcNCFZ86g3VuH4qHiVPIYuvDiLUHh8Ke1Wi0pi_zxmdKraKNKcu/w149-h144/querysign.jpg&quot; width=&quot;149&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1105.  
  1106. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Here is our take on the smartest way to go about it. As a bonus, you learn a lot of &lt;i&gt;insider knowledge&lt;/i&gt; about the business (like who is in &quot;the club&quot; and who is not--see below) along the way. You might also come to the realization that your ms is not yet ready. Such illumination is always a positive thing.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1107. &lt;!--more--&gt;
  1108. &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1109. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;ol style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Join &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Publisher&#39;s Marketplace&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;and review it for at least a month (yes it costs a few bucks, but so what?).&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Search out the deals made during the &lt;u&gt;past two years&lt;/u&gt; in your specific genre (or specific sub-niche in your genre). Why? Because it will clearly define who is in &lt;i&gt;the club&lt;/i&gt;. &lt;b&gt;Every genre has a club composed of favored publishers and literary agencies&lt;/b&gt;. This data mining is going to take a few hours at least, but it&#39;s worth it.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Make certain the &quot;deals&quot; you review and mine are with major publishers, imprints, or well regarded mid-sized presses&lt;/b&gt;. If your novel is more literary in nature, make certain the deals are at least with respected and traditional small presses. &lt;i&gt;If you become desperate just to get your foot in the door, you might adjust expectations accordingly&lt;/i&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;With data in hand you&#39;ll know the top agencies making the most sales&lt;/b&gt;, and the top agents in the those agencies. Now, put the top agents on hold for the time being, but choose at least a dozen agencies working in your genre based on the criteria above.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Instead of the top agents,&lt;b&gt; identify the &quot;hungry agents&quot; in these top agencies&lt;/b&gt;. Use other sources like &lt;a href=&quot;https://mswishlist.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;MS Wish List&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; if you must. Choose the agent minus a full belly, yes, but only those who have transcended their salad days. Why? Because they&#39;ll likely take more time with you, be more lenient, perhaps more open to your story idea, perhaps more willing to provide editorial notes? Perhaps?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;As for transcending salad days, &lt;b&gt;make certain your picks have at least four to five sales to major publishers under their belts&lt;/b&gt;, and in this way, you&#39;ll know they&#39;ve made their mark and are evolving, as opposed to showing signs of dropping out as so many do. It&#39;s a very high turnover business. &lt;u&gt;VERY HIGH&lt;/u&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Once the above is done, especially if you have not already done so, review your list on &lt;a href=&quot;https://mswishlist.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;MS Wish List&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; just to verify you&#39;ve nailed the best people..&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;When you query, note in the very beginning something like, &quot;I saw you on Publisher&#39;s Marketplace...&quot; because this will mark you as a professional.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;________________&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Once you&#39;ve satisfied above, move on to writing the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/the-perfect-query-letter-your-hook.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;perfect query letter&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;A few other slivers of advice:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Trying to cold-query superpowered agencies like CAA is utter futility.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Agents with clients on social media who twitter forth with gushing comments is meaningless.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Agents getting axed by grinders is equally meaningless.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Personalities are such fragile creations subject to taste and circumstance. Focus rather on the eight steps above.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;-&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/director.htm&quot; style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Michael Neff&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Algonkian Writer Conferences&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2023/06/algonkian-writer-conferences-reviews.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/JWMvs9ayeMQ/default.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-8244794514108614635</guid><pubDate>Wed, 21 Jun 2023 16:04:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T12:19:43.712-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">bad writer groups</category><title>OMG! Offended Writer Syndrome!</title><description>&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: trebuchet ms, arial; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoj1faFaKT0InsoXvJrUOKTnZMMvSKA4v5x4CZWeHgYS-rqXurAB2WqhQ4kVZc8XUCXqpd6mO0SXM1XJzmyeyHODvmFWz95EUEMKiAA3F_5VTbCNa6Bis6fep1_X0ClzoUaK3ZnKJAtpNxqlqlQcvF-z8zSoYsFZLRpGm9kEfjKA8-QKAohXFFktNZdfY/s235/drama.png&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;204&quot; data-original-width=&quot;235&quot; height=&quot;204&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoj1faFaKT0InsoXvJrUOKTnZMMvSKA4v5x4CZWeHgYS-rqXurAB2WqhQ4kVZc8XUCXqpd6mO0SXM1XJzmyeyHODvmFWz95EUEMKiAA3F_5VTbCNa6Bis6fep1_X0ClzoUaK3ZnKJAtpNxqlqlQcvF-z8zSoYsFZLRpGm9kEfjKA8-QKAohXFFktNZdfY/s1600/drama.png&quot; width=&quot;235&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;Have you ever been in writer workshops and reacted to criticism of your writing or story by demanding the other writer defend their decision in such detail that it served your purpose of making certain they never gave you unfavorable critique again?&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1110.  
  1111.  &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1112.  
  1113.  &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Hell hath no fury like a thin-skinned narcissist with a needy manuscript... But wait!&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1114.  
  1115.  &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;Could you be one of them? In case you&#39;re not sure if your skin qualifies, Algonkian psychologists have developed a few skin test questions below. Feel free to respond honestly to yourself as you read each one. Everyone wishes to avoid time-wasting instances of Offended Writer Syndrome (OWS) that often takes place in writer workshops all across America. Even at this very moment!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1116.  
  1117.  &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1118.  
  1119.  &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;Now, time to take &lt;span style=&quot;color: #cc0000;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;THE THIN SKIN TEST&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1120.  
  1121.  &lt;div&gt;&lt;ul style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;
  1122.    &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Has any writer ever prefaced their critique of your work by first saying to you, &quot;Don&#39;t hate me, please?&quot;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1123.    &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Do you sense that writers who unfavorably critique your work are &quot;loading the gun&quot; and taking aim?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1124.    &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Do you rush to defend your work when a reader gives you criticism rather than absorb and weigh it carefully?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1125.    &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Do you feel a need to say unkind things about a writer&#39;s work if you perceive she or he was unkind to you first?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1126.    &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Have you ever chastised any writer for what you consider to be improper or incorrect critique of your work?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1127.    &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Have you ever been in writer workshops and reacted to criticism of your writing or story by demanding the other writer defend their decision in such detail that it served your purpose of making certain they never gave you unfavorable critique again?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1128.    &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Do you receive critique you oppose in good humor, but routinely seek the negation of it from those you know will agree with your version of reality?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1129.    &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Do you feel a bout of OWS coming on after reading the above questions?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1130.  
  1131.  &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;If you answered yes to three or more of the above questions, writer workshops are definitely not for you. Please discontinue attending such events. They won&#39;t help you and you can&#39;t help but make them less productive for everyone else.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;You might even make *yourself* miserable.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;___&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1132.  
  1133. &lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/spotting-thin-skinned-narcissist.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoj1faFaKT0InsoXvJrUOKTnZMMvSKA4v5x4CZWeHgYS-rqXurAB2WqhQ4kVZc8XUCXqpd6mO0SXM1XJzmyeyHODvmFWz95EUEMKiAA3F_5VTbCNa6Bis6fep1_X0ClzoUaK3ZnKJAtpNxqlqlQcvF-z8zSoYsFZLRpGm9kEfjKA8-QKAohXFFktNZdfY/s72-c/drama.png" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-7459338920217410797</guid><pubDate>Sat, 11 Jun 2022 17:58:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T01:02:29.366-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel development</category><title>The Author Dawn - Rise and Blink</title><description>&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;What should be brewing in the mind of the aborning author right from the start?&lt;/b&gt;
  1134. &lt;br /&gt;
  1135.  
  1136.  &lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1UMPoC3Eu7BIic7H9VgS4GIyeZx_3V3sObJuYCS0I5pFSVC-eU7ejOrOaY3m8D0kJZqjY-3pmX7tVnmvc8viI1AllC_Yb7dKmh0IeEaLMw6OKSy3X3NVDl9FWC4vk8I5K3PKJvksNDE/s381/newday.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;374&quot; data-original-width=&quot;381&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1UMPoC3Eu7BIic7H9VgS4GIyeZx_3V3sObJuYCS0I5pFSVC-eU7ejOrOaY3m8D0kJZqjY-3pmX7tVnmvc8viI1AllC_Yb7dKmh0IeEaLMw6OKSy3X3NVDl9FWC4vk8I5K3PKJvksNDE/s16000/newday.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1137.    
  1138. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Let&#39;s Talk About Passion&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1139.    
  1140. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;A few basic questions first. Why are you writing a novel? For reasons of ambition, ego? Well, why not? Most of us, in one way or another, tend the ego. We want recognition, validation, a chance to prove our ability to others and thereby rise above (careful... verging on narcissism). We may need to prove
  1141. something to ourselves, or more simply, gain a degree of independence from an unsatisfactory mode of
  1142. existence, the existential nausea of daily grind. We might require purpose, a desire to fill our lives with a mission, and what better way to achieve than by writing a novel? Then, of course, there is the pure need to create, the godlike urge shared by true artists... or perhaps your particular desire to write the novel results from some or all the above working in synergy.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1143. Regardless, please consider your answers,&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;even before&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/best-10-steps-for-starting-novel-all.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;the first steps&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp;towards actually developing and writing the novel are taken. B&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;e honest with yourself, and pause to consider writing a novel because you also have &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;something of value you wish to say&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt;--a potent concept, alien to many. You might desire to expose a social injustice, restore an unusual footnote of history, or reveal a new world of experience. Whatever your genre, the realization it must be said, and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;only you&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt; can say it, gifts you with passion (and perhaps even a theme).&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1144.  
  1145. &lt;div&gt;
  1146.  
  1147. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Core Vision and Realization&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1148.  
  1149.  &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The following are non-negotiable:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;ul&gt;
  1150.  
  1151. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; Ego must be &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/writer-ego-and-imaginary-bob.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;sufficiently tamed&lt;/a&gt;, enough to allow full realization that the aborning author is a beginner in every sense of the word, and on every level.
  1152. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1153. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; Aborning authors must consider themselves apprentices to the craft of novel writing.
  1154. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1155. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; The &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/aspiring-authors-must-cross-epiphany.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Epiphany Light&lt;/a&gt; must be entered. This viewpoint must be front and center.
  1156.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1157. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; The &quot;Art of Fiction&quot; must be satisfied. Passionate writers fail to become published either because either they do not sufficiently understand the art, or are unwilling to make those compromises necessary to satisfy it. See &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2015/05/top-seven-reasons-why-aspiring-authors.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Reasons Why Passionate Writers Fail&lt;/a&gt;.
  1158. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1159. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; The most powerful novels focus, at their core, on human beings in conflict with one another. Regardless of window dressing, characters are defined by their actions in the context of a dramatic story.
  1160. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1161. &lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt;  In order to become published, authors must also demonstrate a degree of mastery suitable to their chosen genre; and in order to do that, they must become intimately familiar with their chosen genre (no exceptions). &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  1162.  
  1163. Now that you&#39;ve absorbed the above, we&#39;ll bridge from that last bullet over to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/best-10-steps-for-starting-novel-all.html&quot;&gt;Best Ten Steps for Starting the Novel&lt;/a&gt;.
  1164. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;i&gt;
  1165. From the heart, but smart&lt;/i&gt;. &lt;i&gt;There are no great writers, only great rewriters.&lt;/i&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial; font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial; font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial; font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;
  1166.  &lt;hr /&gt;
  1167.  
  1168.  
  1169.  
  1170.  
  1171. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/the-author-dawn-rise-and-blink.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1UMPoC3Eu7BIic7H9VgS4GIyeZx_3V3sObJuYCS0I5pFSVC-eU7ejOrOaY3m8D0kJZqjY-3pmX7tVnmvc8viI1AllC_Yb7dKmh0IeEaLMw6OKSy3X3NVDl9FWC4vk8I5K3PKJvksNDE/s72-c/newday.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-5795655910187584141</guid><pubDate>Mon, 02 May 2022 13:11:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T12:20:36.742-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">advanced writing craft</category><title>Experiments in High Impact Narrative - Jerzy, Ralph, Italo, and Graves</title><description>&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Once more, the classics speak to us.&lt;/b&gt;
  1172. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What is one of the primary reasons novels get rejected? The narrative is too passive. It&amp;nbsp; ultimately falls flat, quiet and dull. Details are insufficient, metaphors lacking, lack of energy obvious, circumstances predictable (see also &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/09/narrative-enhancement-via-nabokov.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Narrative Enhancement via Nabokov&lt;/a&gt;). So what to do? At WE we believe in learning from great authors whose shoulders we stand on. Therefore, we&#39;ve developed a means of addressing this issue. We wish you to seek inspiration from the prose extractions below and utilize them for purposes of defeating passivity via emulation. In other words, you will intentionally choose and compose fictional subject matter for your novel that entertains, frightens, or enthralls the reader. And how? By creating a circumstance, place, thing, or event that is unique and curious&amp;nbsp;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;by virtue of its very nature&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;.
  1173. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1174. Let&#39;s engage in a few writing &quot;prompts.&quot; You must prod the imagination and peel the onion. By the way, in the context of your own novel, your task will be much easier if you&#39;ve &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/great-settings-maximize-opportunity.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;chosen an overall setting&lt;/a&gt; that lends itself to vibrancy and engagement in the first place.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;
  1175.  
  1176.  
  1177. &lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;From Robert Grave&#39;s &quot;Claudius the God&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEluhKD2imXuLLx0q9YPzs2USo3tPNJ-PAyrbBLIYLnH7RZ6J7J4ozy5RCqLeZNHlE0SzlmNu06xm8k6Vm23Cl4dJNec2KdjovufY1MmotznY10GmppTA1cSXgIvTHx2mk_0FuT3JcqJQ/s1732/claudius.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;1732&quot; data-original-width=&quot;1500&quot; height=&quot;390&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEluhKD2imXuLLx0q9YPzs2USo3tPNJ-PAyrbBLIYLnH7RZ6J7J4ozy5RCqLeZNHlE0SzlmNu06xm8k6Vm23Cl4dJNec2KdjovufY1MmotznY10GmppTA1cSXgIvTHx2mk_0FuT3JcqJQ/w338-h390/claudius.jpg&quot; width=&quot;338&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;Graves was a genius at utilizing set and circumstantial details to create verisimilitude in this novel of Romans battling ancient Britons. Note this unusual event and the associated imagery. Also, note the profound and engaging use of &quot;&lt;b&gt;delayed cognition&lt;/b&gt;&quot; technique. Read the paragraph carefully. The author intentionally postpones the full explanation of the primary phenomenon we encounter in this scene, thereby creating suspense in the narrative. The reader can&#39;t wait for the truth.&lt;ul&gt;
  1178.  
  1179. &lt;b&gt;&quot;A British outpost was stationed in the pine copse at the farther end, and as the moon rose these watchful men saw a sight and heard a sound which filled their hearts with the utmost dismay. (Graves doesn&#39;t come right out with what this is, but rather introduces a sight and sound &quot;which filled their hearts with dismay.&quot; As the reader completes this sentence, a dramatic question, an enigma is created.)  A great bird with a long shining bill, a huge grey body and legs fifteen feet long suddenly rose through the mist a javelin&#39;s throw away and came stalking towards them, stopping every now and then to boom hoarsely, flap his wings, preen his feathers with his dreadful bill and boom again. The Heron King! They crouched in their bivouacs, terrified, hoping that this apparition would disappear, but it came slowly on and on.
  1180.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1181.  At last it seemed to notice their camp-fire. It jerked its head angrily and hurried towards them, with outspread wings, booming louder and louder. They sprang up and ran for their lives. The Heron King pursued them through the copse with a fearful chuckling laughter, then turned and slowly promenaded along the edge of the marsh, booming dully at intervals... &lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;(Not until the next sentence does the reader learn the true nature of the Heron King.)&lt;/span&gt; The Heron King was a French soldier from the great marshes which lie to the west of Marseille, where the shepherds are accustomed to walk on long stilts as a means of striding across soft patches too wide to jump. Posides had rigged this man up in a wicker-work basket... head and bill improvised of stuff-covered lathes and fastened to his head. He knew the habits of herons and imitated the walk with his stilts...&lt;/b&gt;&quot;
  1182. &lt;/ul&gt;
  1183.  
  1184. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt;&amp;nbsp;Graves turns reality on its head. First the monster, then the exposition. Following on the Graves example above, consider using your imagination to invent a rather fantastical circumstance (in the context of your own novel) with the delayed cognition technique. In other words, portray a phenomenon with a surprise true identity, and depict this circumstance through the viewpoint of a character who is surprised or shocked by it, then use your narrator to explain the true nature as Graves did above.
  1185. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;hr /&gt;
  1186.  
  1187. &lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;From Jerzy Kosinski&#39;s &quot;The Painted Bird&quot;:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  1188. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1189. &lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf82HbiSESF40the5lYOVcxXcHJ8tEkY1L95yEssxmk-zBKZ-RCZT7709fxNJ0Z0SiFPqpwbuYo8qXBy8Uy1TJ4AoH4baHWOn6YMTBm3wDikXJVhbARSMeSs4JtSfvAJ6gX1_WMbD1IKM/s354/paintedbird.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;354&quot; data-original-width=&quot;250&quot; height=&quot;398&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf82HbiSESF40the5lYOVcxXcHJ8tEkY1L95yEssxmk-zBKZ-RCZT7709fxNJ0Z0SiFPqpwbuYo8qXBy8Uy1TJ4AoH4baHWOn6YMTBm3wDikXJVhbARSMeSs4JtSfvAJ6gX1_WMbD1IKM/w281-h398/paintedbird.jpg&quot; width=&quot;281&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&quot;From behind the cemetery appeared a mob of village women with rakes and shovels. It was led by several younger women who shouted and waved their hands …The women held Ludmila down flat against the grass. They sat on her hands and legs and began beating her with the rakes, ripping her skin with their fingernails, tearing out her hair, spitting into her face. Lekh tried to push through, but they barred his way. He tried to fight, but they knocked him down and hit him brutally. He ceased to struggle and several women turned him over on his back and straddled him. Then the women killed Ludmila‘s dog with vicious shovel blows.&quot;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1190.  
  1191. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; Using the example above, write a short vignette that describes a group of human beings engaged in a task both energetic and filled with conflict. Use characters from your own novel. Invent as necessary. As we&#39;ve said, and will say again, imagination is your best friend. Be aggressive with it.
  1192. &lt;br /&gt;
  1193. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1194. &quot;Here and there I saw ax cuts on tree trunks. I remembered that Olga had told me that such cuts were made by peasants trying to cast evil spells on their enemies. Striking the juicy flesh of the tree with an ax, one had to utter the name of a hated person and visualize his face. The cut would then bring disease and death to the enemy. There were many such scars on the trees around me. People here must have had many enemies, and they were quite busy in their efforts to bring them disaster.&quot;
  1195. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1196. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; Write a second short vignette describing a single visual phenomena of sufficient complexity that will surprise the reader with its unusual nature, and which also makes a statement on the human condition. Be original! This should be something unusual and taken from your novel. If you don&#39;t have it, improvise. &lt;br /&gt;
  1197.  
  1198. &lt;hr /&gt;
  1199.  
  1200. &lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;From Ralph Ellison&#39;s &quot;The Invisible Man&quot;:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  1201. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1202. &lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemg0Oy99uwRS4uy0e41eQfPBeTGDDxqj-WkRTzOzfj65etTraI6WnwkjoffdIH19jAjZ1sS9rA36JSZcYwrLuS2krqV0M6zR5v4iiPLvycRS8KMUVW9lORfDnNlme_8BTmDGG7Ss6SM8/s2048/invisible.jpeg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;1867&quot; data-original-width=&quot;2048&quot; height=&quot;337&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemg0Oy99uwRS4uy0e41eQfPBeTGDDxqj-WkRTzOzfj65etTraI6WnwkjoffdIH19jAjZ1sS9rA36JSZcYwrLuS2krqV0M6zR5v4iiPLvycRS8KMUVW9lORfDnNlme_8BTmDGG7Ss6SM8/w369-h337/invisible.jpeg&quot; width=&quot;369&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&quot;On Eighth Avenue, the market carts were parked hub to hub along the curb, improvised canopies shading the withering fruits and vegetables. I could smell the stench of decaying cabbage. A watermelon huckster stood in the shade beside his truck, holding up a long slice of orange-meated melon, crying his wares with hoarse appeals to nostalgia, memories of childhood, green shade and summer coolness … Stale and wilted flowers, rejected downtown, blazed feverishly on a cart, like glamorous rags festering beneath a futile spray from a punctured fruit juice can. The crowd were boiling figures seen through steaming glass from inside a washing machine …&quot;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1203.  
  1204.  
  1205.  &lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;From Italo Calvino&#39;s &quot;Under The Jaguar Sun&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  1206. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1207. &lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0NpqN56GJ5r9_HVzSa7BRhe83NQHa0Np3N7QShR-H5qxlA2M7LadnyjZo7wz_lexYhujxcLQD_lkGSSEu7AGtJNmcKeDW_IuptOZfetSY9wZVvNFrE5phHJicfEoqEfaSWBJAFjAAFY/s310/jaguar.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;163&quot; data-original-width=&quot;310&quot; height=&quot;201&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0NpqN56GJ5r9_HVzSa7BRhe83NQHa0Np3N7QShR-H5qxlA2M7LadnyjZo7wz_lexYhujxcLQD_lkGSSEu7AGtJNmcKeDW_IuptOZfetSY9wZVvNFrE5phHJicfEoqEfaSWBJAFjAAFY/w382-h201/jaguar.jpg&quot; width=&quot;382&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&quot;Waiting for evening to fall, we sat in one of the cafes under the arcades of the zocalo, the regular little square that is the heart of every old city of the colony -- green, with short, carefully pruned trees called almendros, though they bear no resemblance to almond trees. The tiny paper flags and the banners that greeted the official candidate did their best to convey a festive air to the zocalo. The proper Oaxaca families strolled under the arcades. American hippies waited for the old woman who supplied them with mescaline. Ragged vendors unfurled colored fabrics on the ground. From another square nearby came the echo of the loudspeakers of a sparsely attended rally of the opposition. Crouched on the ground, heavy women were frying tortillas and greens.&quot;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1208.  
  1209. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; With inspiration from both Ralph Ellison and Italo Calvino, imagine you are a camera sweeping across a big set with many different items included. Describe a place and note colors, movement, sounds and smells. Include bits of things, details of the set, types of people and their activities. Be vibrant with your description. Find something unique about the place you describe, and if you can&#39;t do that, find or invent a place wherein a unique or anomalous thing exists.&lt;br /&gt;
  1210. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Big doses of imagination. How many times do we need say it? Living there, you&#39;ll be free, if you truly wish to be.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/12/experiments-in-high-impact-narrative.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEluhKD2imXuLLx0q9YPzs2USo3tPNJ-PAyrbBLIYLnH7RZ6J7J4ozy5RCqLeZNHlE0SzlmNu06xm8k6Vm23Cl4dJNec2KdjovufY1MmotznY10GmppTA1cSXgIvTHx2mk_0FuT3JcqJQ/s72-w338-h390-c/claudius.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-620514651428990197</guid><pubDate>Mon, 04 Oct 2021 18:04:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T12:22:12.666-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">character development</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel development</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel outline</category><title>Writing Novel Scenes A to Z - Drama, Sex, and Sass</title><description>
  1211. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;So now you&#39;re writing the novel, or rewriting it, or preparing to?&lt;/b&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1212. &lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOm9_aM3aQXaHQW8FteGmjA7vUjqjwpmEDKrDuNKjJg_tHKNcFvymrzSoj7r4NWk4hohFUAxCemlZN7wg0v4guuXh9iDP14A7OpK6A7fu5qYEH8Jn3K0E6uXBICLAx3L3Mp21zZEZ2odQ/s635/gone.png&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;610&quot; data-original-width=&quot;635&quot; height=&quot;335&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOm9_aM3aQXaHQW8FteGmjA7vUjqjwpmEDKrDuNKjJg_tHKNcFvymrzSoj7r4NWk4hohFUAxCemlZN7wg0v4guuXh9iDP14A7OpK6A7fu5qYEH8Jn3K0E6uXBICLAx3L3Mp21zZEZ2odQ/w348-h335/gone.png&quot; width=&quot;348&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1213.  There is so much to consider your head has exploded and now you&#39;re groping for the parts. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend in this phase somewhere between false confidence and mortifying epiphany that you wisely execute your novel a scene at a time. No better organizing principle than this. Forget chapters, for the moment. &lt;b&gt;Know that each scene serves a purpose, often more than one, e.g., pushing the plot forward while introducing a major secondary character. Each scene also evolves with its own beginning, middle, and end (see the steamy example below).&lt;/b&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1214. Btw, if you&#39;ve not yet done so, great idea to absorb the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/the-six-act-two-goal-novel.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Six Act Two-Goal Novel&lt;/a&gt; before continuing. Also, please review the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/best-10-steps-for-starting-novel-all.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;First Ten Steps&lt;/a&gt;, as well as our crucial articles on &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/great-settings-maximize-opportunity.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;setting&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/antagonists-in-novel-most-important.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;antagonists&lt;/a&gt;, and delivering &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/learning-exposition-from-classics.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;exposition&lt;/a&gt;. Why? Because the points below will make way more sense if viewed in the proper context.
  1215. &lt;br /&gt;
  1216.  
  1217.  &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&lt;u&gt;KEY CONCEPTS&lt;/u&gt;: story premise, storyboard, dramatic plot instances, novel elements, protagonist vs. antagonist, inciting incident, character evolution, genre novel analysis, inter-scene narrative, sex scene in three parts.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1218.  
  1219.  &lt;hr width=&quot;200&quot; /&gt;
  1220.  
  1221. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Most Important First Scenes&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1222.  
  1223. &lt;span&gt;For starters, below are the &lt;b&gt;first five dramatic plot instances that will appear in your genre novel-in-progress&lt;/b&gt; as you develop the novel based on a defined premise and with an aim towards creating a tale just as suspenseful and engaging as any great film.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  1224. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1225. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Note that scenes might not appear in the exact order presented below (except in the case of inciting incident before first major PP)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: &amp;quot;trebuchet ms&amp;quot;, arial;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;. The protagonist might walk onto the stage first or immediately following portrayal of the antagonist, or not be present until after the inciting incident, etc. Nonetheless, these five plot instances occur in their own customized scene (sometimes more than one); and never forget that every major scene, and nearly every minor one, drives plot momentum and complexity in both novels and screenplays as well:
  1226.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1227. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;
  1228. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;PORTRAYAL OF ANTAGONIST - &lt;/b&gt;We witness&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/antagonists-in-novel-most-important.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;antagonist power and influence&lt;/a&gt;, in whatever way it&#39;s made manifest in the context of the story, e.g., the Opus Dei albino hunts his target in the DA VINCI CODE; Assef torments his victims in THE KITE RUNNER; Javert displays his powers and ruthless fanaticism in LES MISERRABLES; the crazed slasher in SCREAM dispatches his first victim... NOTE: &lt;b&gt;the plot instance below can easily be contained within this plot instance&lt;/b&gt; also, however, we believe it more powerful if they&#39;re distinct.&amp;nbsp;
  1229.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1230. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;ANTAGONIST IN POSSESSION OF MAJOR GOAL -&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;What will the protagonist and antagonist struggle to possess or control as the story moves forward? The mafia capo ruthlessly rules the casino; the Big Nurse controls the asylum; Tom Buchanan dominates his wife Daisy; a tyrannical King owns the &quot;Sacred Life Stone.&quot;&amp;nbsp;
  1231.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1232. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;PORTRAYAL OF PROTAGONIST &lt;/b&gt;- The protagonist appears on the page or in the film and the reader knows instinctively she or he will be matched against the antagonist (esp if the antagonist is seen first). Thus, the fate of the protagonist is foreshadowed and &quot;dramatic irony&quot; is manifest, i.e., the reader realizes potential doom, tragedy, or failure even before the protagonist does (thus greatly increasing concern and suspense). For this scene and others that follow keep in mind the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/protagonist-sympathy-factors-in-hook.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;protagonist sympathy factors&lt;/a&gt;--&lt;b&gt;important for the first scenes!!!&lt;/b&gt;&amp;nbsp;
  1233.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1234. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;INCITING INCIDENT SCENE&lt;/b&gt;&amp;nbsp;- The initial plot instance that sets in motion an inevitable course towards the first major plot point. Katniss takes her sister&#39;s place in THE HUNGER GAMES; the general decides to search for Private Ryan in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN; the disappearance of Amy in GONE GIRL engages the town.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1235. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;FIRST MAJOR PLOT POINT SCENE&lt;/b&gt;&amp;nbsp;- Following the INCITING INCIDENT, the protagonist, in one way or another, declares or indicates they will engage in the challenge, fight, or struggle to defeat, curtail, or foil the antagonist; thus, the core rising action or conflict of the novel is launched, as well as beginning the second act of a film: the Hobbits begin their journey to destroy the Ring; Gatsby makes it clear he will reclaim Daisy; Sarah Conner joins the struggle against the Terminator.
  1236.  &lt;br /&gt;
  1237.  
  1238. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Scene Writing by Steps&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1239.  
  1240. &lt;span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyZ1QwqboY7lBctg50RWlMpvhskPgVAdYgYArpScvjGS3KPz95IQb-_4wAGPUO2sxsV2Qq7Cu9LN6g2N1CDgxY_HjnMXy13QhDNDLK1BxSLwUGLFNDJ8aJTt3s0vpA6TBCkycZXZRdK8/s813/sarah.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;610&quot; data-original-width=&quot;813&quot; height=&quot;282&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyZ1QwqboY7lBctg50RWlMpvhskPgVAdYgYArpScvjGS3KPz95IQb-_4wAGPUO2sxsV2Qq7Cu9LN6g2N1CDgxY_HjnMXy13QhDNDLK1BxSLwUGLFNDJ8aJTt3s0vpA6TBCkycZXZRdK8/w375-h282/sarah.jpg&quot; width=&quot;375&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;Now, a couple of points about scene writing in general. Unless you&#39;re a veteran, strongly recommend the following advice.
  1241. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;span&gt;
  1242. 1. &lt;b&gt;Storyboard the scene.&lt;/b&gt; What does that mean? In other words, sketching on paper the layout of the scene with major characters and objects to assist with spatial placement and movement as necessary. This could ideally involve a bit of artful drawing combined with scene notes. In your scene notes, include the major characters and the particular set details (where, what, who). &lt;b&gt;State the purpose of the scene in one or two lines and know its relation to the overall plot line&lt;/b&gt; going forward, e.g., from the points above, you would state &quot;Inciting incident&quot; and go from there.
  1243. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;  
  1244. Don&#39;t overlook all &lt;b&gt;the novel elements that must be established&lt;/b&gt; in and around these first five dramatic scenes, and that includes the bulk of &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/learning-exposition-from-classics.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;necessary exposition&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/great-settings-maximize-opportunity.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;setting details&lt;/a&gt;, introduction of &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/protagonist-sympathy-factors-in-hook.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;major characters&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/deep-and-fresh-traits-for-majors.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;important secondary ones&lt;/a&gt;, establishment of the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/the-novels-agon-primary-conflict.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;primary conflict&lt;/a&gt; or &quot;agon,&quot; and more. Refer to the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/the-six-act-two-goal-novel.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Six Act Two-Goal&lt;/a&gt; for additional information.
  1245. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1246. 2. &lt;b&gt;Chart and establish all the major plot instances &lt;/b&gt;that follow on the first five above, e.g., your first major reversal. List them and add notes for each one as you consider their role in the novel. Just know, they&#39;re not set in stone yet. Editorial development will follow. Refer to the&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/the-six-act-two-goal-novel.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Six Act Two-Goal&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;for additional information.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1247. 3. &lt;b&gt;Following on above, and as additional guidance, locate the inciting incident and first major plot point scene&lt;/b&gt; in &lt;u&gt;at least three&lt;/u&gt; of your favorite genre novels. Analyze these scenes, note how they develop, and begin to write your own experimental scenes based on our notes here, and what you&#39;ve observed in the examples. THIS IS IMPORTANT! If you begin in this manner, you&#39;ll not only get it straight but build confidence in your own ability. &lt;b&gt;The successful development of these crucial first scenes will serve as a vital guidepost going forward.&lt;/b&gt;
  1248. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1249. 4. &lt;b&gt;Within the first 50 pages of the novel&lt;/b&gt;s you&#39;ve chosen, also note via your careful analysis &lt;b&gt;all the scenes that adjoin, support, and complement&lt;/b&gt; the five major dramatic scenes already noted above. Make a list of them and write down the purpose they serve in the novel. THIS WILL BE INVALUABLE to you going forward. Trust us!&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;Also, overview the types of &quot;&lt;b&gt;glue narrative&lt;/b&gt;&quot; (or pre-scene and post-scene narrative: example below) you find between distinct scenes. What purpose do they serve in the novel? Write down your glue narrative observations gathered from the novels you&#39;re reading.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1250. 5. &lt;b&gt;Character Evolution&lt;/b&gt; - as part of the process of sketching and developing your first scenes, take note of &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/deep-and-fresh-traits-for-majors.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;character development&lt;/a&gt; and roles as the story chugs forward, momentum increasing. &lt;b&gt;Consider the point-of-view character &lt;/b&gt;in the particular scene (if written third person POV, this character might well vary from scene to scene) and their predisposition, character traits, back story, and anything else that might be relevant. Why? &lt;b&gt;Because the viewpoint of this character will inevitably bring a certain tone and filter to the scene.&lt;/b&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;See the WE notes on this here. Also, keep in mind that quite often, whatever happens in the scene will bring some degree of change to the character in question--small or large. What will it be? Why will it matter? What purpose will it serve?... Keep in mind too &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/deep-and-fresh-traits-for-majors.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;the character&#39;s overall arc&lt;/a&gt; throughout the novel. Is the scene supporting it, or perhaps, is the scene changing it? That can happen.
  1251. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1252. 6. &lt;b&gt;Once you&#39;ve drafted a few scenes, up to and including your INCITING INCIDENT, return to them after a few weeks&lt;/b&gt; (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/crucial-self-editing-and-advanced-brain.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Self-Editing Technique&lt;/a&gt;) and verify proper application and emphasis of all the major elements. Do you see the cinema? Do you feel the momentum? Is the exposition parceled in properly? Is the suspense there? Is the setting serving its purpose? Is the point of view correct? Are all these scenes developing character and pushing the plot forward at the same time?&lt;/ul&gt;
  1253.  &lt;span&gt;
  1254. BTW, here is another article on &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2013/02/algonkian-writer-conferences-michael.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;advanced scene development&lt;/a&gt;. Worth a read.&lt;br /&gt;
  1255.  
  1256. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Inter-scene Narrative and Sex&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;span&gt;&quot;Glue narrative&quot; also known to us as inter-scene narrative. Like scene narrative, it delivers the major elements we&#39;ve discussed so far (exposition, setting, etc.), but outside the framework of an actual scene. It&#39;s not live action narrative that makes you feel as if the characters and circumstances are evolving dynamically in front of your eyes, no, rather it mimics a near omniscient or &quot;sweeping&quot; narrator style, immersing the reader in a panoramic world of time shifts, brief flashbacks, energetic exposition, and wide-angle camera vistas--whatever is necessary to relate the story outside the confines of the formal scene.
  1257. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;  
  1258. Quite often, the narrative in question possesses an anecdotal quality to it, whether related in first or third person, and more often than not, dialogue is absent (though exceptions exist, e.g, a short anecdotal flashback wherein a character is heard speaking one or two lines).
  1259. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1260. The example below of this type of narrative is borrowed from another article here on WE entitled &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/writing-brilliant-fiction-narrative-in.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Brilliant Fiction Narrative in Four Stages&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;.
  1261. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1262. &lt;hr width=&quot;200&quot; /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1263. &lt;span&gt;
  1264. &lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi65vELPBmYVjDCQYQNOy1vkJGzfe2r_CO476vgGjL8x8MPASWbpirnUsqvT5-Ht6XfVHT7oC3tpFaxPqWdKXa1N2XnCiXtPOxHXzlD2T7qvEmnbyNxmESgChBqsa1CfOVbF5wW2IfLmMM/s299/fantasywoman2.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;168&quot; data-original-width=&quot;299&quot; height=&quot;219&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi65vELPBmYVjDCQYQNOy1vkJGzfe2r_CO476vgGjL8x8MPASWbpirnUsqvT5-Ht6XfVHT7oC3tpFaxPqWdKXa1N2XnCiXtPOxHXzlD2T7qvEmnbyNxmESgChBqsa1CfOVbF5wW2IfLmMM/w390-h219/fantasywoman2.jpg&quot; width=&quot;390&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; Senna and her father set the traps together, for Senna possessed the power to see the trails of the animals they hunted--often dangerous trails that led the two of them into wounding thickets or up the slick trunks of tamarand trees, following wild Cholu monkeys that set traps for predators like themselves.
  1265. &lt;br /&gt;
  1266. &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; Father never saw the thin shimmering trails in the air, scattered all around and leading every which way, looking as if interweaving spiders had drawn impossibly gigantic webs. He could not mark the passage of living creatures through the world, and his blindness to it seemed like a failure to him. Senna knew he felt jealous. Her instincts often contradicted his own hunting wisdom, and that especially irritated him. But to Senna, her &quot;trail eyes,&quot; as she called them, felt natural, her ability effortless and always part of her vision. The newer the path of the animal, the bluer the shimmer. Older ones glowed in hues of green or waned to yellow, and the truly ancient ones softened to a dark red.
  1267. &lt;br /&gt;
  1268. &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; Father could only fume, or act annoyed, depending on the hour and his mood.  Senna avoided him if his mood darkened, and she feared that further development of her power might make him feel even more obsolete and angry, for her power grew each day.
  1269. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1270.    &lt;span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1271. [transition to live action scene - set-up then into dialogue]&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1272.  &lt;/span&gt;
  1273. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1274. &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; With the arrival of summer, the two of them journeyed once more in search of the Cholu monkeys, knowing full well the dangers, but Cholu fur brought huge rewards at the marketplace in Ulaanbatar, the closest town.
  1275. &lt;br /&gt;
  1276. &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; Father insisted on taking the lead during their foray as they ascended into highland country where the tamarand trees thrived in the cooler temperatures of the Massanutten foothills. Senna agreed without a word, just nodded. Over the past year, she&#39;d began to change her mind about hunting the Cholu. She found the practice rather cruel, despite the rewards. She could have sworn that a Cholu once tried to speak to her as it was dying. But the gods knew, talking Cholus or no, Senna and her father desperately needed coin to stay alive--the kind only Ulaanbatar provided.
  1277.  &lt;br /&gt;
  1278. &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &quot;We will bag a dozen Cholu this time out,&quot; her father said.
  1279.  &lt;br /&gt;
  1280. &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &quot;I&#39;m not sure we should,&quot; Senna said, her voice weak with anticipation of the consequences.  
  1281.  &lt;br /&gt;
  1282.  &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &quot;What do you mean?&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1283.    &lt;hr width=&quot;200&quot; /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span&gt;Above, you see a distinct difference between inter-scene and following scene narrative that creates a stronger camera-eye focus.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKadLxXQuabBU0ELtM3OIl872_irXLdIy2EKUiPJ8nCNLU7iDaOFYH3MlrboDqHprCZdZZKFcvXiuy1zUGZ9tzei72B5RcCCHZrPlSycASMP6rIPPchu4VpKlREb2kqU6R9V7XzCvwVsk/s320/weiner.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;180&quot; data-original-width=&quot;320&quot; height=&quot;226&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKadLxXQuabBU0ELtM3OIl872_irXLdIy2EKUiPJ8nCNLU7iDaOFYH3MlrboDqHprCZdZZKFcvXiuy1zUGZ9tzei72B5RcCCHZrPlSycASMP6rIPPchu4VpKlREb2kqU6R9V7XzCvwVsk/w402-h226/weiner.jpg&quot; width=&quot;402&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;And now, a short sex scene by Jennifer Weiner from her novel WHO DO YOU LOVE? Noted below, the beginning, middle, end. Man&#39;s point of view, and it ends with his fantasy:&lt;/b&gt;
  1284.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;
  1285.  
  1286.  BEGINNING&lt;/span&gt; (set-up, light the match, emotional response, reflection)
  1287.  &lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1288. &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; They walked in silence through the parking lot. When they got to his car, he hugged her, holding her tightly against him, an embrace still on the right side of propriety, one that could still be considered friendly, but only just. When they broke apart, her face was flushed, her eyes shining.
  1289. &lt;br /&gt;
  1290. &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &quot;I hope it won&#39;t be another three years before we see each other again.&quot;
  1291. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;
  1292.  MIDDLE&lt;/span&gt; (decision, action, emotion escalates, narrative verve escalates)&lt;/b&gt;
  1293.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1294. &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; Instead of answering, Rachel reached for him, putting her small, warm hand on the back of his neck, lifting her lips to his. They kissed, first lightly, then more urgently, his tongue in her mouth, her hips tilted against his, her breasts against his chest, her whole body sending a message that was undeniable.
  1295. &lt;br /&gt;
  1296. &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &quot;Want to come up?&quot; he asked.
  1297. &lt;br /&gt;
  1298. &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; She&#39;d left her bags in his apartment, with the understanding that they&#39;d pick them up after dinner and he&#39;d take her to the hotel she&#39;d booked. More than once, when they&#39;d been talking, he&#39;d offered her his bed, saying he&#39;d sleep on the couch, and Rachel had turned him down, politely but firmly.
  1299. &lt;br /&gt;
  1300. &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; Without a word, she climbed into the passenger seat, smiling at him, saying, &quot;Yes.&quot;
  1301. &lt;br /&gt;
  1302. &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; They started kissing again. Her tongue fluttered against his, and his hands were deep in the softness of her hair, and it was like time unspooled, carrying them right back to when they were teenagers.
  1303. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;
  1304.  END&lt;/span&gt; (verve and action ebb, resolution, reflection)
  1305.  &lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1306. &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; He pulled her against him, thinking that he&#39;d never get her close enough, that if he could fold her inside of him, like a mother tucking a baby into her coat, he&#39;d do it. He&#39;d keep her warm, he&#39;d keep her safe, he&#39;d keep her with him, always.
  1307.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1308.  _____________
  1309.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/12/scenes-to-z-glue-drama-sex-sass.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOm9_aM3aQXaHQW8FteGmjA7vUjqjwpmEDKrDuNKjJg_tHKNcFvymrzSoj7r4NWk4hohFUAxCemlZN7wg0v4guuXh9iDP14A7OpK6A7fu5qYEH8Jn3K0E6uXBICLAx3L3Mp21zZEZ2odQ/s72-w348-h335-c/gone.png" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-5687185713498240552</guid><pubDate>Mon, 13 Sep 2021 16:57:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T13:07:16.538-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">advanced writing craft</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">character development</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel development</category><title>Settings Are 60% - Maximize Opportunity</title><description>&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;When considering your novel, whether taking place in a contemporary urban world or on a distant magical planet in Andromeda, you must first sketch the best overall setting and sub-settings for your story.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ20Qn461_E635FknSrXn2kS36NfGoI9XznN7vE3LY7e_c6wujwh2ankhJA6YiKQJQ69_c9JN8BWvLJx1M076LBv4zQHaLPU9y63tAJGpxGuuhVFV8on2ujDF1vWhunZtOjCvMyc55fHE/s258/poisonwood.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;256&quot; data-original-width=&quot;258&quot; height=&quot;311&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ20Qn461_E635FknSrXn2kS36NfGoI9XznN7vE3LY7e_c6wujwh2ankhJA6YiKQJQ69_c9JN8BWvLJx1M076LBv4zQHaLPU9y63tAJGpxGuuhVFV8on2ujDF1vWhunZtOjCvMyc55fHE/w313-h311/poisonwood.jpg&quot; width=&quot;313&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Wasn&#39;t it F. Scott Fitzgerald who said something like, &quot;Setting is 60% of what makes your novel stand out&quot;? A great setting maximizes opportunities for interesting characters, circumstances, and complications. Therefore, with a dash of unleashed imagination and a dose of sufficient research, nothing provides a stronger novel foundation than a great setting. Fact.&amp;nbsp;&lt;b&gt;One of the best selling contemporary novels in recent memory, THE HUNGER GAMES&lt;/b&gt;, is driven by the circumstances of the setting, and the characters are a product of that unique environment as well as the plot.
  1310. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1311. But even if you&#39;re not writing SFF, the choice of setting is just as important, perhaps even more so. &lt;b&gt;If you must place your upmarket story in a sleepy little town in Maine winter, then choose a setting within that town that maximizes opportunities for verve and conflict&lt;/b&gt;, for example, a bed and breakfast stocked to the ceiling with odd characters who combine to create comical, suspenseful, dangerous or difficult complications or subplot reversals that the bewildered and sympathetic protagonist must endure and resolve while he or she is perhaps engaged in a bigger plot line: restarting an old love affair, reuniting with a family member, starting a new business, etc. And don&#39;t forget that non-gratuitous sex goes a long way, especially for American readers.
  1312. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1313. And not only must you choose the overall best setting, but &lt;b&gt;you must consider sub-settings that come into play for particular scenes.&lt;/b&gt; For example, if your overall choice of setting is India, you have it made. You might choose a sub-setting for a scene that includes a particular village wherein a large snake is sleeping in a tree and thus creating an absurd spectacle in the form of an ongoing conflict between Muslims and Hindus over the spiritual meaning of the snake&#39;s behavior.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1314.  
  1315. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;, Trebuchet, sans-serif&quot;&gt;As noted above, a great setting maximizes the potential for great characters, unique circumstances, and story complications of one kind or another.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
  1316.  
  1317. &lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Of if your character is in Scotland on a cold and dull day, place him or her in a scene during a &quot;blackening of the bride&quot; ceremony wherein the future bride is trashed and sloshed with everything from tar to Scotch whiskey. Will your character have any internal issues with this? Yes? Whatever creates inner or interpersonal conflict is a bonus too, don&#39;t forget.
  1318. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1319. If nothing else, create a setting or sub-settings that assist with the development of conflict between characters. If your character is an office worker in an otherwise stereotypical setting, place them in a special surprise meeting with certain types of ambitious, reckless or sociopathic personalities who combine to ignite an unavoidable moral dilemma.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Set it up so that the tension crackles. Setting fixtures don&#39;t have to be inanimate!&lt;/b&gt;
  1320. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;By the Way, Does Your Setting Possess the Following Qualities?
  1321. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  1322. &lt;h3&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Dynamic Evolution Over Time
  1323. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;One might quibble over the difference here between &quot;set-up&quot; and &quot;setting&quot;... Suffice to say, the author chooses a setting (a time and a place) that comports with a plot allowing for story enhancing social, political, cultural, or character-focused evolution in the fictional environment. Consider a novel filled with quarreling and toppling kingdoms (GAME OF THRONES), or a terrible secret uncovered that generates a killing machine to grind one man down (THE FIRM), or the coming downfall of a whole way of life for millions (THE UNVANQUISHED).
  1324. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  1325.  
  1326. A New World of Wonder
  1327. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Publishers like it when your novel takes readers into a world they&#39;re unfamiliar with.&lt;/b&gt; The freshness of new places, climes, cultures, people and things creates an irresistible draw for many. Witness the the popularity of EAT, PRAY, LOVE. Would it have been so engaging if the character had not traveled to exotic climes, but instead ate, pray, and loved in Podunk, Idaho? THE KITE RUNNER is another example. A whole new world, way of life, characters we could never have met otherwise.
  1328. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  1329.  
  1330. The Potential for Energy
  1331. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;As noted above, a great setting maximizes the potential for great characters, unique circumstances, and story complications of one kind or another. Now, any idea what might best suit as an example for this category? How about THE POISONWOOD BIBLE?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;An overzealous Baptist minister drags his wife and four daughters deep into the heart of the Congo on a mission to save the &quot;unenlightened souls&quot; of Africa. During this time, Belgium is about to give the country its independence, and a popular election will be held to select the new ruler. A purge of Westerners is expected once independence is won. All of this coupled with the presence of superstition and conflicting customs creates a dangerous and weirdly dynamic setting for the American mission family. &lt;b&gt;Consider, would anyone have read this novel if the author, Barbara Kingsolver, had set the story in Canada?&lt;/b&gt; Perhaps, but the color and energy would be lost, certainly polar opposite of what Kingsolver&#39;s setting, in that time and place, allowed.
  1332. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1333. Now, please go back over your settings and scenes and rewrite accordingly. You can&#39;t have too much energy or tension on the page.  Be as aggressive with your work as possible.&lt;/b&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;____________&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/great-settings-maximize-opportunity.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ20Qn461_E635FknSrXn2kS36NfGoI9XznN7vE3LY7e_c6wujwh2ankhJA6YiKQJQ69_c9JN8BWvLJx1M076LBv4zQHaLPU9y63tAJGpxGuuhVFV8on2ujDF1vWhunZtOjCvMyc55fHE/s72-w313-h311-c/poisonwood.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-6591657450767904190</guid><pubDate>Thu, 02 Sep 2021 02:25:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T12:25:03.035-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel development</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel rejection reasons</category><title>Aspiring Authors and the Epiphany Light</title><description>&lt;span face=&quot;arial, verdana, sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #660000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-weight: bold;&quot;&gt;A WATERSHED EVENT FOR SERIOUS WRITERS&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  1334. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1335. Whatever the stage of your project or writing life, know that all writers, if they desire to become commercially published, must see and enter the Epiphany Light.
  1336. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1337.  
  1338.  &lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1339.  
  1340. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3M04iS7vX6Q0-fbLKjhycyLJbaZMtANavwStXQFQV7GJDTZPFZzFEC7CrRdkR1d19FESKAhkVjkMNKibMnBZrh_C52U0125DezBbpB_W8Q9rZFXClZ2QdU9KO7zKSaRNnAukV6xDTx9M/s349/bulb2.png&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;335&quot; data-original-width=&quot;349&quot; height=&quot;335&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3M04iS7vX6Q0-fbLKjhycyLJbaZMtANavwStXQFQV7GJDTZPFZzFEC7CrRdkR1d19FESKAhkVjkMNKibMnBZrh_C52U0125DezBbpB_W8Q9rZFXClZ2QdU9KO7zKSaRNnAukV6xDTx9M/w349-h335/bulb2.png&quot; width=&quot;349&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;First of all, what is the &quot;Epiphany Light&quot;?&amp;nbsp; &lt;b&gt;The EL is a state of mind crucial to any aspiring author desirous of commercial or serious literary publication, and one which clearly divides the 99% from the 1% of those who&#39;ve learned the hard way how challenging it is to have their expertise and projects taken seriously by professionals in the publishing business.&lt;/b&gt; But are the percentages so drastic as depicted here? Yes, and probably even more so.&amp;nbsp;
  1341.  
  1342. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1343.  
  1344. Consider the very small number of first time authors who emerge with publishing contracts from major houses, imprints, or even well-regarded traditional presses, and then compare these few hundred to the hundreds of thousands of writers in America struggling valiantly yet vainly to accomplish the same feat.&amp;nbsp; Viewed from this perspective, as we near the EL, we eventually come to a knowledge of true writer pathos on a scale unimagined: instances of duress and disappointment inflicted each day on hundreds if not thousands of writers as their manuscripts are routinely rejected by agents or publishers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1345.  
  1346.  &lt;span style=&quot;font-weight: bold;&quot;&gt;But how does the EL finally come about, or rather, fail to come about?&amp;nbsp; Before the light can be viewed and entered, before writers can possess a state of mind that enables a forward movement towards success (by any reasonable artistic standard), they must, by one means or another, view their project through the eyes of an editorial professional in their chosen genre.&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;So why doesn&#39;t it come easy? It isn&#39;t natural, has to be learned, and circumstances of one kind or another arise to prevent this crucial vision.&lt;br /&gt;
  1347.  
  1348.    
  1349.    &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;, Trebuchet, sans-serif&quot;&gt;Viewed from this perspective, as we near the EL, we eventually come to a knowledge of true writer pathos on a scale unimagined: instances of duress and disappointment inflicted each day on hundreds if not thousands of writers as their manuscripts are routinely rejected by agents or publishers.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
  1350.    
  1351.  
  1352. Whether it be a failure to properly immerse in the contemporary world of their chosen genre (reading books and interviews, studying deals at &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Publisher’s Marketplace&lt;/a&gt;, talking with publishing house editors at conferences or elsewhere), or an inability to rise above limitations imposed by their current writer’s group (consistently providing &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/problems-with-writer-groups-where-to.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;encouraging yet unproductive advice&lt;/a&gt;), or &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2015/04/top-ten-worst-pieces-of-writing-advice.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;bad advice&lt;/a&gt; from those they believe possess an adequate comprehension of the current book market (e.g., freelance editors of one stripe or another who are removed from current market realities or who fail to differentiate necessary tropes from overused tropes), the writer is deprived of the consciousness necessary to make crucial edits or changes to the story.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Put quite simply, if you write mysteries loved by your friends and fellow writers, and perhaps even your paid freelance editor (who most likely has never worked in the New York publishing business), but can’t produce a thing other than pale imitations of Miss Marple, no editor or agent who represents the mystery genre will ever take you or your work seriously.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;
  1353.  
  1354. &lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;, Trebuchet, sans-serif&quot;&gt;Regardless, the writer naturally grows frustrated and tired of unsuccessful efforts (if they‘re smart), and if determined not to fail, seeks new sources of information and inspiration.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1355.  
  1356. Now the question becomes, how do writers transcend life in the 99% and enter the EL to arrive in the one percent promised land?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&amp;nbsp;What might lead them to a cognizance of reality? It can happen in various ways, by accident or no, but always preceded by trial and error groping as false signals are received concerning the commercial viability of their writing (see above) thus leading to false confidence.&amp;nbsp; Regardless, the writer naturally grows frustrated and tired of unsuccessful efforts (if they‘re smart), and if determined not to fail, seeks new sources of information and inspiration.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1357.  
  1358.  Perhaps by happenstance the writer reads an article that clicks with them, or speaks to a professional who waves the red flag regarding what they’re doing wrong or what is specifically missing from their voice or manuscript that results in rejection after rejection--whatever the source of cognizance, &lt;b&gt;the writer, perhaps for the first time, declines to fall back on old sources of corroboration.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1359.  
  1360.  If you are nearing the Epiphany Light, or you’ve entered it already, much of what we say here will resonate with you.&amp;nbsp; If you have endured months or years of rejections, perhaps you need to point your toe over the line, just to test.&amp;nbsp; &lt;b&gt;And don’t feel down about all this, or discouraged. Learn from it. Understand that all writers make the same mistakes, learn the same lessons, fall down and get up.&lt;/b&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;
  1361. &lt;br /&gt;  
  1362.  The neophyte mystery writer holding her Miss Marple close and dear, as she might a mother’s warmth, must one day leave home and apply for a job with a suitable resume.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1363. ____________________
  1364.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/aspiring-authors-must-cross-epiphany.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3M04iS7vX6Q0-fbLKjhycyLJbaZMtANavwStXQFQV7GJDTZPFZzFEC7CrRdkR1d19FESKAhkVjkMNKibMnBZrh_C52U0125DezBbpB_W8Q9rZFXClZ2QdU9KO7zKSaRNnAukV6xDTx9M/s72-w349-h335-c/bulb2.png" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>7</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-7729297083831319182</guid><pubDate>Fri, 02 Apr 2021 06:23:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T12:30:22.601-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">advanced writing craft</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">character development</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel development</category><title>Dialogue - Never a Gratuitous Word or Boring Moment</title><description>&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;For starters... &lt;/b&gt;
  1365. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1366. Let&#39;s place this in a context rarely mentioned elsewhere. At such time dialogue becomes difficult or perplexing for writers to produce, it&#39;s usually because they have failed on some level to create interesting characters in the first place, or because they do not properly understand the role of each relevant character in the scene (please stop and &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/deep-and-fresh-traits-for-majors.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;read this article now&lt;/a&gt; if you&#39;ve not already done so), or both. To complicate further, the writer may not actually understand the&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/great-settings-maximize-opportunity.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt; role of the scene&lt;/a&gt; in the novel. &lt;b&gt;Put these three conditions together and artful dialogue becomes impossible regardless of other factors&lt;/b&gt;.
  1367. &lt;br /&gt;
  1368.  &lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&lt;u&gt;KEY CONCEPTS&lt;/u&gt;: screenplay emulation, dialogue as art, the LED, major functions of dialogue, delivery of exposition, dialogue arc, character style, tags and ellipses, provocations and disagreements, the foil character, dialogue samples.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  1369.  &lt;hr /&gt;
  1370.  
  1371.  &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Initial Admonitions&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1372.  
  1373. &lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnqYf7b3iiP23Xt73jPJjOd-ecLzWqGBQbU3_jikSkQ8OvMz6JXqQNcC2pAliDweYabvrhgune5QSPeXwM4faFfG43fEu5BG7bBacVzL0GxRPOa-I1XzndE5XJPqQqKyotaLnZvpHZ7k/s1024/glengarry.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;705&quot; data-original-width=&quot;1024&quot; height=&quot;275&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnqYf7b3iiP23Xt73jPJjOd-ecLzWqGBQbU3_jikSkQ8OvMz6JXqQNcC2pAliDweYabvrhgune5QSPeXwM4faFfG43fEu5BG7bBacVzL0GxRPOa-I1XzndE5XJPqQqKyotaLnZvpHZ7k/w400-h275/glengarry.jpg&quot; width=&quot;400&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;But let&#39;s assume the first three conditions above have been met. So where to go from here? First, a few admonitions for neophytes and middle-stagers:
  1374. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;
  1375. &lt;span&gt;
  1376. 1. &lt;b&gt;Best not to attempt dialogue until you understand that dialogue is art, not real life.&lt;/b&gt; Art imitates life only insofar as necessary. In the world of art, characters say what they must and almost always make it clear. Unless you&#39;re obsessed with David Mamet&#39;s early work, strongly recommend not placing speech on the page that mimics actual human blathering (btw, on the subject of Mamet, strongly recommend a close reading of the brilliant &lt;i&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glengarry_Glen_Ross&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Glengarry, Glen Ross&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/i&gt;).
  1377.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1378.  
  1379. 2. &lt;b&gt;Do not write novel dialogue without having first read, studied, and experimented with good screenplay dialogue&lt;/b&gt;. Download and read over screenplays relevant to your genre, then also watch the films, or at least a few scenes that correspond to the script. This is vital. In general, the best dialogue written these days can be found in screenplays or teleplays - not that great novel authors don&#39;t produce brilliant dialogue now and then, and we&#39;ll see a few below, but a classy smart screenplay is more likely to meet the goals for our purposes here. Later you can make useful comparisons between the two forms (you&#39;ll benefit hugely from this).
  1380.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1381. 3. Don&#39;t fail to realize that &lt;b&gt;screenplays teach us how to the say THE MOST with THE FEWEST words.&lt;/b&gt; This is also vital. Again, MOST with the FEWEST. Novel dialogue should always have a reason for existence, never be gratuitous, and never overstay its welcome on the page.
  1382.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1383. 4.&lt;b&gt; Refrain from drafting dialogue on the novel page until you have first drafted prototype dialogue in your literary experimentation document (LED)&lt;/b&gt;. What do we mean? Quite simply, you maintain a separate word document for the purpose of fictional experiments conducted by you prior to insertion in the actual novel. Here you sketch a sample scene that includes chosen characters engaged in dialogue. &lt;b&gt;First, create a good reason for them to converse&lt;/b&gt; in the context of the plot line and make certain to include elements noted below (i.e., conflict, exposition, etc.)
  1384.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1385.  
  1386. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Functions and Forms in Brief&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1387.  
  1388. &lt;span&gt;
  1389.  &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; Dialogue&#39;s major functions succinctly stated as follows (examples below):  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;
  1390.  
  1391. &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Advance the plot line or core conflict&lt;/b&gt; (&quot;We must intervene by noon tomorrow, or we wait three months.&quot;)&lt;br /&gt;
  1392. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Serve as characterization&lt;/b&gt;  (see &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/deep-and-fresh-traits-for-majors.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;examples here&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;br /&gt;
  1393. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Create conflict or provocation&lt;/b&gt; (overt or implied)&lt;br /&gt;
  1394. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Engender suspense&lt;/b&gt; (&quot;...and no one has ever gone inside and lived...&quot;)&lt;br /&gt;
  1395. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Create or support minor complications&lt;/b&gt; (&quot;We have a problem, people.&quot;)   &lt;br /&gt;
  1396. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Deliver exposition&lt;/b&gt; (&quot;The wheeled city, driven by steam and 5,432 gears, grinds now towards Belgium.&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1397.  
  1398. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; To satisfy the above requirements, for example, dialogue may acquire the following forms:  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;
  1399.  
  1400. &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Expression of fear or apprehension&lt;/b&gt; over a circumstance or event (&quot;Did you see that? By the gods, we&#39;re done!&quot;) &lt;br /&gt;
  1401. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Sexual mating play&lt;/b&gt;: posturing, advances, overt and covert  (&quot;Kiss me, you fool.&quot;)&lt;br /&gt;
  1402. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Arguments or disagreements of varying degree&lt;/b&gt; ignited by viewpoint disagreements or personality clash (&quot;Hell is too good for you.&quot;)&lt;br /&gt;
  1403. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Provocative  topics  introduced or continued&lt;/b&gt; (Dr. Yen replied to the student, &quot;The  soul, even the personality… all a fraud.  They really don&#39;t exist.&quot;)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1404.  
  1405. &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Critical for Both Screen and Novel&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  1406.  
  1407. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtqKhpVPcoLSRVKgVo6w_FuWcEhEq-2XRWDAvv18Yd7pGj-q1wEiNgG3icJmC5_alVZvT6sCTm2JGMgbHxLubjrr99ErG7aRdfLh-_Wh4qCSpefpxnlMKvaQWGwBgPrJytc6k6Wz-FVoA/s1800/shipping2.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;1012&quot; data-original-width=&quot;1800&quot; height=&quot;207&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtqKhpVPcoLSRVKgVo6w_FuWcEhEq-2XRWDAvv18Yd7pGj-q1wEiNgG3icJmC5_alVZvT6sCTm2JGMgbHxLubjrr99ErG7aRdfLh-_Wh4qCSpefpxnlMKvaQWGwBgPrJytc6k6Wz-FVoA/w368-h207/shipping2.jpg&quot; width=&quot;368&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;Enter late, leave early&lt;/i&gt;. No different than novel plotting, best to begin  dialogue &lt;i&gt;in media res&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;. What do we mean? From masterclass.com on the subject of writing sharp screenplay dialogue: &quot;Small talk is prevalent in real life, but it can be dreadfully boring to watch two people chat about the weather and other pleasantries on screen. One way to rectify this is to &lt;b&gt;enter the conversation as late as you possibly can&lt;/b&gt;. This technique can you help you write better dialogue by allowing you to skip the boring, introductory remarks and unnecessary follow-up questions and get straight to the heart of the scene.&quot; WE couldn&#39;t have said it better!
  1408.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1409. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Avoid dialogue that sounds stale.&lt;/b&gt; Dialogue can devolve into overly familiar patterns, as if you&#39;re imitating a bad television scene&lt;b&gt;.&lt;/b&gt; Exorcise with extreme prejudice. Best to negate this possibility ahead of time via an energetic and unique setting populated by intriguing characters.
  1410.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1411. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;When utilizing dialogue to deliver exposition, make certain it&#39;s accomplished at a time and in a place that makes sense relative to the story flow,&lt;/b&gt; i.e., delivered artfully rather than clumsily. See &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/learning-exposition-from-classics.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;notes on exposition here&lt;/a&gt; for more details. Note classic expo delivery by Jordan Baker, Robert Cohn, and Harding.
  1412.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1413. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Refrain from inappropriate use of dialogue, especially irrelevant dialogue, by minor characters&lt;/b&gt;. From screencraft.org: &quot;Every line of dialogue in the film has to matter and move the story and characters forward. Giving lines to characters &quot;in the room&quot; for the mere sake that they are in the room is a very common mistake that takes away from the rest of the dialogue that should be in the script. They are there to support the lead characters and the story. If what they are saying isn’t accomplishing that, it should be cut.&quot;
  1414.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1415. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;b&gt; Like characters and plot, dialogue also has a beginning, middle, and end&lt;/b&gt; - it&#39;s own arc, so to speak. Consider this carefully. What must be addressed and resolved? What must be introduced, but end with a mystery? From screencraft.org: &quot;Each scene of dialogue has to build to a climax, each story act of dialogue has to build to a climax, and each screenplay’s dialogue has to build to that ultimate climax at the end.&quot;
  1416. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;  
  1417. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; Insofar as possible, &lt;b&gt;give the leading and major secondary characters their own dialogue style&lt;/b&gt;, e.g., Felonious Mack is a nervous petty criminal who hesitantly speaks with lines of clipped speech in contrast to the magnificent Jezzie Belle who presents herself as flamboyant and outgoing.
  1418.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1419. &lt;img src=&quot;https://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; Punctuation purists senselessly quibble over the use of em dashes (e.g., &quot;You should close it and -&quot;) to signify speech interruption, and ellipses &quot;...&quot; to signify pauses, but only in the context of novel writing. Screenplay writers use both of these, as appropriate, and it works perfectly. &lt;b&gt;Truly, it&#39;s unrealistic not to include artful pauses and interruptions in the course of dialogue.&lt;/b&gt; In summary, do what works, but wisely.
  1420.  
  1421.  &lt;h2 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;Dialogue Samples from Novel and Stage&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZa4NEiqCZulKn3NWq69dj1r1cFWjiKZk8VCuPOEr1xrZUq2UxLOeIKPpcMeovsywjEdS34TBQC4f4BkoQ3SGAPHDMPXQQKfgt1bmTihapryAv8RJt-KRhc9zJtzT7lc3eZM44f3QBVw/s499/leonard.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;499&quot; data-original-width=&quot;330&quot; height=&quot;378&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZa4NEiqCZulKn3NWq69dj1r1cFWjiKZk8VCuPOEr1xrZUq2UxLOeIKPpcMeovsywjEdS34TBQC4f4BkoQ3SGAPHDMPXQQKfgt1bmTihapryAv8RJt-KRhc9zJtzT7lc3eZM44f3QBVw/w251-h378/leonard.jpg&quot; width=&quot;251&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;From &lt;i&gt;Freaky Deaky&lt;/i&gt; by Elmore Leonard.&lt;/b&gt; A police Detective, Chris, is staying at his father&#39;s apartment after getting kicked out by his girlfriend. This initiates an understanding of the relationship between son and father, delivers a bit of exposition, and concerns a specific topic of interest relevant to the plot line. Leonard&#39;s tags (&quot;said&quot;) are kept simple and sparse. Also, the dialogue obeys the rule of &quot;enter late,&quot; i.e., it opens without preliminaries, just jumps right into the subject at hand. Chris as &quot;a lot of trouble with women.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1422.  
  1423. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;span&gt;
  1424.     &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;His dad said, &quot;You seem to have a lot of trouble with women. They keep throwing you out.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1425.     &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I do what she wants, she comes up with something else, I don&#39;t talk to her.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1426.     &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I don&#39;t know what it is,&quot; his dad said, &quot;you&#39;re not a bad-looking guy. You could give a little more thought to your grooming. Get your hair trimmed, wear a white shirt now and then, see if that works. What kind of aftershave you use?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1427.     &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m serious.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1428.     &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I know you are and I&#39;m glad you came to me. When&#39;d she throw you out, last night?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1429.     &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;She didn&#39;t throw me out, I left. I phoned, you weren&#39;t home, so I stayed at Jerry&#39;s.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1430.     &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;When you needed me most,&quot; his dad said. &quot;I&#39;m sorry I wasn&#39;t here.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1431.     &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Actually,&quot; Chris said, &quot;you get right down to it, Phyllis&#39;s the one does all the talking. She gives me banking facts about different kinds of annuities, fiduciary trusts, institutional liquid asset funds... I&#39;m sitting here trying to stay awake, she&#39;s telling me about the exciting world of trust funds.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1432.     &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I had a feeling,&quot; his dad said, &quot;you&#39;ve given it some thought. You realize life goes on.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1433.     &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m not even sure what attracted me to her in the first place.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1434.  &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;His dad said, &quot;You want me to tell you?&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1435.  
  1436.  &lt;hr /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1437.  
  1438. &lt;b&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkPsfHGKsZAZhEtvqsZWVGfKEoryL5owhiUj4cLYTxUUU34cbq3BxYsNeYqNpMCRAdzijK8ZXihXuOu0M5XQRGyekQM536NLJ3_9Obkc0TccodQFd70pzLzpdsuNLRmMZ_qyaLmPHZkQ/s600/gleeson.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;600&quot; data-original-width=&quot;600&quot; height=&quot;320&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkPsfHGKsZAZhEtvqsZWVGfKEoryL5owhiUj4cLYTxUUU34cbq3BxYsNeYqNpMCRAdzijK8ZXihXuOu0M5XQRGyekQM536NLJ3_9Obkc0TccodQFd70pzLzpdsuNLRmMZ_qyaLmPHZkQ/s320/gleeson.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;From &lt;i&gt;Piper Robbin and the American Oz Maker&lt;/i&gt;&amp;nbsp;by Warwick Gleeson&lt;/b&gt;. Piper Robbin is having a talk with her father in their Brooklyn apartment as they prepare to enjoy take-out and a movie. Note the difference in tone compared to the Leonard sample above, as well as the more vibrant energy that makes the Leonard characters seem almost flat in comparison (detective mystery vs. science fantasy genre). &lt;b&gt;Note also the topics discussed are provocative and curious by their very nature.&lt;/b&gt; This passage establishes relationship between the two characters, allows the reader to experience their personalities, and parcels in necessary exposition. Narrative interjection is not overdone, just enough to render appropriate imagery relevant to the characters. Tags are simple, and we have a few em dashes and ellipses. And what else? A bit of friendly conflict between the father and daughter.
  1439. &lt;br /&gt;
  1440.  &lt;ul&gt;&lt;span&gt;
  1441. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Impressive in a primitive way, &lt;i&gt;mon amour précieux&lt;/i&gt;,&quot;
  1442. Edison Godfellow said of Manhattan one night while using the
  1443. remote control to locate a suitably ridiculous movie on
  1444. ComFlix prior to consuming Ms. Song’s khor stew, &quot;But like a
  1445. mound of ants in comparison to London.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1446. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Piper rolled her eyes. &quot;Your old magical super city, eh?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1447. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Yes, my own Oz,&quot; he said, followed by a whimsical smile.
  1448. &quot;I spent years planning each and every molecule.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1449. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;But what does that matter now?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1450. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Next to nothing,&quot; Edison said, verging on gloom.&lt;br /&gt;
  1451. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;And how much magic to erect those evil towers, Dad?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1452. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Enough to solve the debt of Ireland.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1453. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;And how many Englishmen did you piss off?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1454. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Thousands, but they grinned once I created flying cars.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1455. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Piper gave him the Bronx cheer.&lt;br /&gt;
  1456. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Daughter, how is it you can behave so immaturely after
  1457. more than twenty centuries?&quot; &lt;br /&gt;
  1458. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Dad, sometimes it&#39;s you who act like a child. Think of the
  1459. good you could have done in the world with all that magic...
  1460. And by the way, you&#39;ve spouted off about London at least five
  1461. times over the past week. Do you really need to rabbit-hole
  1462. your shit?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1463. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Psychoanalysis is a long dead pseudo-science, Piper, and
  1464. you should know—&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1465. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Enough was enough!&lt;br /&gt;
  1466. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;She interrupted him with her signature snap: small white
  1467. hands palm up above her mango head, arms elbows out and
  1468. pushing high, her expression a big smiley face—all achieved in
  1469. a quarter of a second.&lt;br /&gt;
  1470. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;In reaction, his eyebrows pinched ever so slightly, as if
  1471. feeling a surge of pain. &quot;I loathe that silly snap thing,&quot; Edison
  1472. said. &quot;Must you further enhance your preposterous role as an
  1473. American?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1474. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m having fun, Dad, and for the first time since jazz was
  1475. invented.”&lt;br /&gt;
  1476. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;But the language you damage is not—&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1477. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Brooklyn talk is &lt;i&gt;dumb good&lt;/i&gt;. Brooklyn is my &lt;i&gt;muther-f’n
  1478. music&lt;/i&gt; that talks to me.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1479. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Please, Piper. You attempted a farcical identity restart
  1480. many years ago in Hawaii. It failed miserably.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1481. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;That&#39;s because King Kamehameha was too anxious to spread his DNA. He ruined everything.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1482. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Recall... you once lived as Grand Sorceress of the Holy
  1483. Roman Empire. You commanded every room you ever
  1484. entered with power and magnificence. Magicians feared you.
  1485. Kingdoms groveled before you.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1486. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Yeah, yeah, and I can return to those groveling moments
  1487. whenever, but it all bores me, kinda like a plate of cold putz
  1488. and cheese.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1489.    &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Putz and cheese?&quot; &lt;/span&gt; &lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1491.  &lt;hr /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;
  1492.  
  1493.  
  1494.  
  1495.  
  1496.  
  1497. &lt;span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBjD80A0DDUY4VCJaPjCbfz8tZB12FP64WHI20i-pavGLIpTVWy0Mb8rNL4XvgwOBFgs6jUbA_pqpEmrXdVOrM0V0rHgHS0sGKhK_Bk2T57Kvz-b2GlMCUTJOotmNB6LRlM8vp9esv6M/s549/glass.png&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;366&quot; data-original-width=&quot;549&quot; height=&quot;253&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBjD80A0DDUY4VCJaPjCbfz8tZB12FP64WHI20i-pavGLIpTVWy0Mb8rNL4XvgwOBFgs6jUbA_pqpEmrXdVOrM0V0rHgHS0sGKhK_Bk2T57Kvz-b2GlMCUTJOotmNB6LRlM8vp9esv6M/w381-h253/glass.png&quot; width=&quot;381&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;From The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams&lt;/b&gt;
  1498. (the following dialogue creates suspense as it helps define the character Laura, and her relationship to her mother, Amanda; it also supports the major complication, i.e., the problem with the social environs)&lt;br /&gt;
  1499.  
  1500. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;span&gt;
  1501. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Laura, where have you been going when you&#39;ve gone out pretending that you were going to
  1502. business college?&quot;  Amanda asked. &lt;br /&gt;
  1503. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I&#39;ve just been going out walking.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1504. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;That&#39;s not true.&quot;  Amanda said. &lt;br /&gt;
  1505. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;It is.  I just went walking.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;
  1506. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Walking?  Walking?  In winter?  Deliberately courting pneumonia in that light coat?  Where did you walk to, Laura?&quot;
  1507. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;All sorts of places—mostly in the park.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1508. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Even after you&#39;d started catching that cold?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1509. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;It was the lesser of the two evils, Mother.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;
  1510. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;From half past seven till after five every day you mean to tell me you walked around in the park, because you wanted to make me think that you were still going to Rubicam&#39;s Business College?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1511. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;It wasn&#39;t as bad as it sounds.  I went inside places to get warmed up.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;
  1512. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Inside where?&quot; &lt;br /&gt;
  1513. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I went in the art museum and the bird houses at the Zoo. I visited the penguins every day.
  1514. Sometimes I did without lunch and went to the movies.  Lately, I&#39;ve been spending most of my afternoons in the Jewel Box, that big glass house where they raise the tropical flowers.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;
  1515. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;You did all this to deceive me, just for deception?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;  
  1516. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Mother, when you&#39;re disappointed, you get that awful suffering look on your face, like the picture of Jesus&#39; mother in the museum!&quot;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1518.  &lt;hr /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;
  1519.  
  1520.  
  1521. &lt;span&gt;
  1522. &lt;b&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdgoyzI83MfBDcgwG8TKu4CyjBUXdW21PxIOfKo8sYunYqgVDof05HIXx7neyay2JgAHuvC21H_KV-cSd34YO8ixsq1oIQDtpAzyy8MKAdPzXWruom6PZn_hwfO4jI1-ucmCTkDpAFvY/s2048/price.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;2048&quot; data-original-width=&quot;1329&quot; height=&quot;395&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdgoyzI83MfBDcgwG8TKu4CyjBUXdW21PxIOfKo8sYunYqgVDof05HIXx7neyay2JgAHuvC21H_KV-cSd34YO8ixsq1oIQDtpAzyy8MKAdPzXWruom6PZn_hwfO4jI1-ucmCTkDpAFvY/w257-h395/price.jpg&quot; width=&quot;257&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;From &lt;i&gt;Private Contentment&lt;/i&gt; by Reynolds Price.&lt;/b&gt; A man and a woman stop beside a creek to rest and talk. Elements worth noting include the value in this context of clipped speech, the lack of tags due to both characters being clearly delineated (we know who is talking), the artful delivery of exposition (about the woman), the presence of tension between the two, and &lt;b&gt;the role of the man as a foil character&lt;/b&gt;. In other words, he exists to manifest and reflect the qualities of the woman. &lt;br /&gt;
  1523.  
  1524. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;span&gt;
  1525. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Let&#39;s don&#39;t stay here, please,&quot; she said.&lt;br /&gt;
  1526. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Got homework to do?&quot; &lt;br /&gt;
  1527. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Latin, but that&#39;s not why.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1528. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Scared of Nazi bombers?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1529. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I used to be. When the war first started, I thought every plane passing over at night had me in the
  1530. bombsight.  Now I doubt even Germans would want this place.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1531. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Seems nice to me.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1532. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s better right down by the creek.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1533. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I could build a fire here—&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1534. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I said I couldn&#39;t stay here.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1535. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Lead the way, lady.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1536. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Don&#39;t make fun.  This is where I was miserable.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1537. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;What happened here?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1538. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;She walks over and kneels beside the creek bank, dips her right hand into the water.
  1539. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Is it cold?  he said.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1540. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;No, warm for some reason.  You can sit down here.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1541. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Thank you.  I&#39;m tired.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1542. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I knew you&#39;d complain.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1543. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I just told a simple truth.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1544. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I used to love it here.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1545. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;You said you were miserable.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1546. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;That&#39;s why I loved it.  I came here and talked to what couldn&#39;t talk back: rocks, leaves, lizards, frogs.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1547. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;What would you say?&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1548. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I&#39;d ask for things—a life like everybody else.&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1549.  
  1550. &lt;hr /&gt;
  1551.  
  1552. &lt;span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2522cUZ_tmcqzYGgdrDvRX7p8Ah5QMCIm_35HvxbWFqQtVqgHhc-4XQw9YCHpTRrMGeZACao-iznez8iSG3CC1CxUlrC_Q2OnCPP0WdhuNppaf4eJR7Bc28GmJRGbSr-TVcEQTCgxPx4/s450/joyce.jpg&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;450&quot; data-original-width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;320&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2522cUZ_tmcqzYGgdrDvRX7p8Ah5QMCIm_35HvxbWFqQtVqgHhc-4XQw9YCHpTRrMGeZACao-iznez8iSG3CC1CxUlrC_Q2OnCPP0WdhuNppaf4eJR7Bc28GmJRGbSr-TVcEQTCgxPx4/s320/joyce.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;From &lt;i&gt;Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man&lt;/i&gt; by James Joyce&lt;/b&gt;. Who are we to tell James Joyce how to write, but a few of the tags and adverbs would probably be deleted by contemporary editors; however, the presence of these does nothing to dilute the intensity of the drama. Rather than lecture on the socio-political problems of Ireland, Joyce places his characters at a Christmas dinner table and let&#39;s them go at it. Mr. Dedalus is the provocateur of the conflict that ramps up to violent frequency. As a bonus, we are treated to historical exposition concerning Ireland. Also, note the added narrative interjection to match the dinner mechanics, &lt;b&gt;as well as each distinctive personality and the dynamics that bring them to life:&lt;/b&gt; Dante, Mr. Casey, and Mr. Dedalus.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;
  1553.  &lt;ul&gt;&lt;span&gt;
  1554. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;There&#39;s a tasty bit here we call the Pope&#39;s nose.  If any lady or gentleman...&quot;&amp;nbsp; He held a piece of
  1555. fowl up on the prong of the carving fork … &quot;I&#39;d better eat it myself because I&#39;m not well in my health lately.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;
  1556. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;He winked at Steven, and replacing the dish cover, began to eat. &lt;br /&gt;
  1557. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;There was silence while he ate.  Then he said: &lt;br /&gt;
  1558. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Well now, the day kept up fine after all.  There were plenty of strangers down too.&quot;
  1559. Nobody spoke.  He said again: &lt;br /&gt;
  1560. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;I think there were more strangers down than last Christmas.&quot;  He said this then, receiving no reply,
  1561. remarked bitterly:  &quot;Well, my Christmas dinner has been spoiled anyway.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1562. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;There could be neither luck nor grace,&quot;  Dante said, &quot;in a house where there is no respect for the
  1563. pastors of the church.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;
  1564. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Mr. Dedalus threw his knife and fork noisily on his plate.&lt;br /&gt;
  1565. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Respect!&quot;  he shouted.  &quot;Is it for Billy with the lip or for the tub of guts up in Armagh.  Respect!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;
  1566. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Princes of the Church,&quot; said Mr. Casey with slow scorn.&lt;br /&gt;
  1567. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Lord Leitrim&#39;s coachmen, yes,&quot;  said Mr. Dedalus. &lt;br /&gt;
  1568. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;They are the Lord&#39;s anointed,  Dante said.  &quot;They are an honor to their country.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
  1569. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Tub of guts,&quot; said Mr. Dedalus coarsely.  &quot;He had a handsome face, mind you, in repose.  You
  1570. should see that fellow lapping up his bacon and cabbage on cold winter&#39;s day!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;
  1571. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;He twisted his features into a grimace of heavy bestiality and made a lapping noise with his lips.&lt;br /&gt;
  1572. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Really, Simon,&quot;  said Mrs. Dedalus, &quot;you should not speak that way before Steven.  It&#39;s not right.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;
  1573. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Oh, he&#39;ll remember all this when he grows up!&quot;  exclaimed Dante hotly.  &quot;The language he heard
  1574. against God and religion and priests in his own house.&quot; &lt;br /&gt;
  1575. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Let him remember too,&quot; furiously cried Mr. Casey to her from across the table, &quot;the language with
  1576. which the priests and the priest&#39;s pawns broke Parnell&#39;s heart and hounded him into his grave. Let him
  1577. remember that too when he grows up!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;
  1578. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Sons of bitches!&quot;  cried Mr. Dedalus.  &quot;When he was down they turned on him to betray him and
  1579. rend him like rats in a sewer. Lowlived dogs! And they look it! By Christ, they look it!&quot; &lt;br /&gt;
  1580. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&quot;They behaved rightly,&quot; cried Dante. &quot;Honor to them!&quot; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1581.    &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial; font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial; font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial; font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial; font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial; font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;
  1582.  
  1583. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/dialogue-never-gratuitous-word-or.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnqYf7b3iiP23Xt73jPJjOd-ecLzWqGBQbU3_jikSkQ8OvMz6JXqQNcC2pAliDweYabvrhgune5QSPeXwM4faFfG43fEu5BG7bBacVzL0GxRPOa-I1XzndE5XJPqQqKyotaLnZvpHZ7k/s72-w400-h275-c/glengarry.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-2887446321261643259</guid><pubDate>Sun, 03 Jan 2021 21:47:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T12:23:38.478-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">character development</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel development</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">secondary characters</category><title>The Six Act Two-Goal Novel</title><description>&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;What makes for good drama is a constant.
  1584. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;  
  1585. To begin, we combine Siegal&#39;s &quot;nine act structure - two goal&quot; screenplay (very much like the Syd Field three act except that the &quot;reversal&quot; from Field&#39;s structure joins &quot;Act 5&quot; in Siegal&#39;s version) with the Field classic three act. The Two-Goal Structure, Siegal maintains, creates more dynamic plot tension due to the insertion of PLOT REVERSAL later in the story. We concur.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;NOTE:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;i&gt;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Plot Point&quot; is defined here as a major occurrence that emphatically changes the course of the story. In the genre novel as a whole, we see three to five major plot points depending on various factors: a first PP that begins the rising action, second PP defined by the first major reversal, a third PP defined by a possible second major reversal, a climax PP, and a theoretical PP residing in the denouement, i.e., we think the story is going to resolve a certain way after climax, but a surprise happens that resolves it in a way not expected&lt;/i&gt;.
  1586. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1587. &lt;hr /&gt;
  1588.  
  1589. &lt;span&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWRdC4ouu-SH3YXjxYR5_x_Mr8q25f8KM37Z4TuLetyyM_31GnJ1yeCr-uybX5FTTtGxC9gHfe-W1pLDJX9_jSjEToI1Jlatmp-7C2c1LEBSVl_LPFdx_6PlY5soe18p5zgx_fe7RZao/s258/sixact2.png&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;258&quot; data-original-width=&quot;256&quot; height=&quot;321&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWRdC4ouu-SH3YXjxYR5_x_Mr8q25f8KM37Z4TuLetyyM_31GnJ1yeCr-uybX5FTTtGxC9gHfe-W1pLDJX9_jSjEToI1Jlatmp-7C2c1LEBSVl_LPFdx_6PlY5soe18p5zgx_fe7RZao/w319-h321/sixact2.png&quot; width=&quot;319&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;Algonkian Writer Conferences developed the &lt;b&gt;Six Act Two-Goal&lt;/b&gt; novel planning outline for all writers of novel-length dramatic fiction, regardless of genre, as well as narrative non-fiction. The point is to utilize a tightly plotted act structure, similar to that used by screenplay writers, to effectively brainstorm competitive and suspenseful plots for the genre novel (fantasy, SF, YA/MG, mystery, thriller, crime, historical, women&#39;s fiction, etc.).  Upmarket or literary fiction utilizing strong plot lines also benefit (see examples below).
  1590. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;In the opening of a story ignited directly or indirectly by the antagonist, the protagonist(s) are focused to embark on their primary task, challenge, journey, or struggle (first major plot point), and thus follows a &quot;first major goal&quot; to win that struggle, thereby initiating the second act of the story (Syd Field model); however, by the middle of the second act or later, the protagonist(s) realize they have pursued the wrong goal. A second goal is now needed. The protagonist(s) are therefore forced to alter their course and struggle to accomplish a new and presumably more productive means-to-an-end.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;b&gt;To put it simply, &lt;/b&gt;storming the walls didn&#39;t work and now the Trojan Horse solution is needed. Finding the wizard wasn&#39;t sufficient, now the little band of heroes must steal the Wicked Witch&#39;s broom. Acquiring a reasonably priced rest home for her mentally unstable father failed, now the impoverished daughter must prepare a room in her basement.&amp;nbsp;Attempting to flee got his knees pulped by a sledge hammer, now the captive author must connive a more subtle and deceptive means of escape.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1591. &lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; The fusion of the Siegal and Field models we outline below thus becomes a tighter six act model for the novel or narrative nonfiction. However, before you begin using the SATG, take note that &lt;i&gt;your most important elements&lt;/i&gt; to sketch and produce from the onset are your: &lt;br /&gt;
  1592. &lt;ul&gt;
  1593.  &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/12/high-concept-sufficiently-unique-what.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;High Concept Story&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1594. &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/2020/11/protagonist-sympathy-factors-in-hook.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Protagonist Hook&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/hook-lines-with-core-wounds.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Core Wound Defined&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;(+&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protagonist&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;General &quot;P&quot; Definition&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;)&lt;/li&gt;
  1595. &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/2020/10/antagonists-in-novel-most-important.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Antagonist&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1596. &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-novels-agon-primary-conflict.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;The Novel &quot;Agon&quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/2020/11/great-settings-maximize-opportunity.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Rich and Potent Setting&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  1597.    &lt;/ul&gt;
  1598. &lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;b&gt;BTW, keep in mind that you construct your novel in &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/12/scenes-to-z-glue-drama-sex-sass.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;units of scene&lt;/a&gt;, and every scene drives the plot line(s) forward.&lt;/b&gt;
  1599. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1600. &lt;/span&gt;
  1601.  
  1602. &lt;hr size=&quot;1&quot; /&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;u&gt;NOTE&lt;/u&gt;: we use examples of novels, stories and films below that will likely be familiar to the widest range of readers. These include &lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;ANTIGONE, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, THE HUNGER GAMES, HUCKLEBERRY FINN, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO&#39;S NEST, GLADIATOR, THE GREAT GATSBY, WAR OF THE WORLDS, CATCHER IN THE RYE, CITIZEN KANE, HARRY POTTER, DA VINCI CODE, THE MALTESE FALCON, THE SUN ALSO RISES, COLD MOUNTAIN, THE WIZARD OF OZ, and MISERY. &lt;/span&gt;But make no mistake, the rules governing the art of fiction, or good storytelling, remain steady regardless of genre, and have pretty much been fixed since Apollonius of Rhodes wrote about the Argonauts. And if you happen to be one of those writers who believes that writing a novel &quot;your way&quot; or simply &quot;from the heart&quot; or &quot;only with my character&#39;s direction&quot; means avoiding or denying the critical elements of commercial fiction and good storytelling found below, it‘s best to move on quickly from this page and seek the Elysium of your desire. All best wishes to you.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;hr size=&quot;1&quot; /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1603.  
  1604. &lt;span&gt;
  1605.  
  1606. &lt;span style=&quot;color: #a60000;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;ACT ZERO &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1607. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1608. &lt;b&gt;Backstory to Set Up the Tale&lt;/b&gt;
  1609. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1610. &lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; You must carefully forge your backstory before you begin. Understand the issues below. This does not directly appear in the story except by use of flashback and via other methods to &lt;a href=&quot;https://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/2020/11/learning-exposition-from-classics.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;DELIVER EXPOSITION&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;: &lt;br /&gt;
  1611. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1612. &lt;li&gt;Writers set up the disaster that is coming in the story. &lt;br /&gt;
  1613. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Forces need to already be in motion in order to create conflict for the characters. &lt;br /&gt;
  1614. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Usually the emphasis for the backstory will be on the antagonist, but even protagonists carry baggage into the story.&lt;br /&gt;
  1615. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Years and years of planning might have gone into the collision course. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1616.  
  1617. &lt;hr size=&quot;1&quot; /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1618.  
  1619. &lt;span style=&quot;color: #a60000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;ACT ONE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt; (Page 1 - 30+)
  1620. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1621. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Issues of The Hook: Protagonist Intro - Antagonist First? - Inciting Incident - Extreme Importance of Setting - Establishment of Characters - The MacGuffin - In Media Res - Crucial Sympathy Factors - Something Bad Happens - Exposition - Theme?&lt;/b&gt;
  1622. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1623. What needs to be done from the start? Why is the hook of Act I critical to this novel and to being taken seriously as a writer?
  1624. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;ul&gt;
  1625.  
  1626. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;The author showcases their &lt;a href=&quot;https://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/2020/11/writing-brilliant-fiction-narrative-in.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;BEST PROSE AND NARRATIVE SKILLS&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;. Opening scenes clearly use show-don&#39;t-tell effects to render the protagonist and major characters as necessary. Scenes themselves have clear beginnings, middles, and ends. Point of view is rendered masterfully on both a distant and close level. Narrative and story progression don&#39;t feel overly derivative, but rather fresh and suspenseful, definitely engaging. &lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; And btw, Algonkian Writer Conferences recommend you consider utilizing the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/12/scenes-to-z-glue-drama-sex-sass.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;SCENE STORYBOARD GUIDE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; at this point to sketch important scenes ahead of time (crucial).
  1627. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1628.  
  1629. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Act I foreshadows the primary external conflict or complication&lt;/b&gt; (related to the protagonist goal in ACT II) to come.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1630.  
  1631. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/2020/11/protagonist-sympathy-factors-in-hook.html&quot; target=&quot;_new&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;SYMPATHY FACTORS&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; in the first 20 pages, or fewer, are critical for connecting the reader with your protagonist. We must see the character playing out their role in active scenes. We learn about them, their strengths and weaknesses, idiosyncrasies and flaws, and we learn these things by virtue of their actions, various internal concerns and conflict, and in the way other characters react to them in real time &lt;b&gt;(vital--set up &lt;a href=&quot;https://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/2020/10/deep-and-fresh-traits-for-majors.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;SECONDARY CHARACTERS&lt;/a&gt; whose role, at least in part, it is to reveal the traits and inclinations of the protagonist)&lt;/b&gt;. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1632.  
  1633. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conflict begins on one or two of three levels&lt;/b&gt; (primary story conflict, inner conflict(s), and interpersonal conflict). &lt;a href=&quot;https://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-novels-agon-primary-conflict.html&quot; target=&quot;_new&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;THREE LEVELS OF CONFLICT&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.
  1634. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1635.  
  1636. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Setting is established&lt;/b&gt; (and it must be one that works &lt;a href=&quot;https://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/2020/11/great-settings-maximize-opportunity.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;TO CREATE VERVE AND OPPORTUNITIES&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1637.  
  1638. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;IN MEDIA RES&lt;/b&gt; may be employed here (&quot;beginning in the middle&quot;), ie, beginning where it most benefits the story, at a point of action, turmoil, or during a lively or curious event, etc.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1639.  
  1640. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Something bad, irritating or tension-causing usually happens&lt;/b&gt; (Chief Bromden gets electro-shocked in the CUCKOO&#39;S NEST or Jake debates his impotency with his ex-girlfriend in THE SUN ALSO RISES) or has just happened (murder victim found in the mayor&#39;s plum tree).
  1641. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1642.  
  1643. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;An &lt;b&gt;INCITING INCIDENT&lt;/b&gt; may take place that sets in motion events leading to the FIRST MAJOR PLOT POINT (see Act II below). In the movie, GLADIATOR, Commodus murders his Emperor father (Inciting Incident) which inevitably leads to the Emperor&#39;s general, Maximus, realizing the murder. He defies Commodus and faces execution (Plot Point) as a result. In King&#39;s MISERY, the author protagonist gets in a car accident and is rendered helpless (Inciting Incident). Kathy Bates finds him and imprisons him in her house (Plot Point). In ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO&#39;S NEST, McMurphy is sent to the asylum as a result of a fight (Inciting Incident) and later bets the inmates that he can shake up the Big Nurse and not get sent to the shock shop (Plot Point).
  1644. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1645.  
  1646. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; The author cleverly &lt;a href=&quot;https://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/2020/11/learning-exposition-from-classics.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;PARCELS IN EXPOSITION in a variety of ways&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, via narrative, dialogue, characters, flashbacks, etc.  NOTE that all major exposition must be delivered before or during the scene wherein the FIRST MAJOR PLOT POINT takes place.  All information necessary to understand the story going forward must be known. Pardon the cliche, but exposition horse before the plot point cart at all times. In THE SUN ALSO RISES, Jake delivers the final round of exposition about his love, Brett Ashley, to his rival, Robert Cohn, just as Robert is making it known he wants Brett for himself. Jake reveals Brett&#39;s background and future plans (Exposition), and Robert indicates his plans for pursuing her (Plot Point).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1647.  
  1648. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGuffin&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;THE MACGUFFIN&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, if any, might well be introduced&lt;/b&gt; or foreshadowed as an object (or even goal) which catalyzes the plot line, or at least assists creates a source of mystery or tension (THE MALTESE FALCON or the mysterious head scar on HARRY POTTER).
  1649. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1650.  
  1651. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Something called THEME&lt;/b&gt; might well get a foothold here. Does the author have a message or a bigger point she or he wishes to portray in the plot, or by means of the character struggles, their conflicts and arcs, or perhaps by means of the setting itself?  All the above?  And theme doesn&#39;t have to be the exclusive province of literary or upmarket literature. Regardless, here are some &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/cuckoos-rhinoceri-and-miss-l-i-admit.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;great examples of theme from the dark classics&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;b&gt; Please read and consider writing a &quot;theme statement&quot; for your own novel. It can&#39;t help but inform your work and make it richer and more relevant to the reader.&lt;/b&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1652.  
  1653. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/2020/10/antagonists-in-novel-most-important.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;ANTAGONIST AND HIS OR HER MINIONS&lt;/b&gt; &lt;/a&gt;(if any), are introduced to a meaningful degree, along with more characters as necessary, or sidekicks of the protagonist. &lt;/b&gt;
  1654. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1655. Note to Writer:&lt;/b&gt; don&#39;t create a minor or major character who doesn&#39;t somehow play a role in the development of the plot(s) and/or the protagonist arc. And they must &lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;create a presence&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt; on the stage of the page, either by virtue of their personality, position, attitude of the moment, or all of the above. You must consider and weigh and sketch each character carefully.  Imagine they are all in a film.  Will they seem gratuitous or vital to you? Sufficiently energetic or too quiet?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1656. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;The &lt;a href=&quot;https://writersedgeinfo.blogspot.com/2020/10/antagonists-in-novel-most-important.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;PRIMARY ANTAGONIST&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; might remain a mystery (Lord Voldemort in HARRY POTTER), or be introduced first&lt;/b&gt; (the Big Nurse in CUCKOO&#39;S NEST or the Opus Dei albino in DA VINCI CODE or the Wicked Witch in WIZARD OF OZ) to produce dramatic concern once protagonist accepts the goal.
  1657. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1658. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;u&gt;NOTE: The above is a very important dramatic effect.&lt;/u&gt; If you understand to a meaningful degree the power of the antagonist, whoever she or he may be, &lt;i&gt;then instinctive concern for the protagonist enters the reader&#39;s mind&lt;/i&gt; as soon as she or he accepts the goal in ACT TWO (see below).&lt;/b&gt;
  1659. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1660.  
  1661. &lt;hr size=&quot;1&quot; /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1662.  
  1663. &lt;span style=&quot;color: #a60000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;ACT TWO&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt; (Page 10+ - 50+)
  1664. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1665. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;More Hook: Write the Story Statement - Establishment of Major Goal - Primary External Conflict or Complication Begins - First Major Plot Point and Plot Line - Protagonist Psychology - Rising Action&lt;/b&gt;
  1666. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1667. What&#39;s the mission? The goal? What must be done? Created? Accomplished? Defeated?
  1668. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1669. Defy the dictator of the city and bury brother&#39;s body (ANTIGONE)?  Place a bet that will shake up the asylum (ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO&#39;S NEST)? Do whatever it takes to recover lost love (THE GREAT GATSBY)? Save the farm and live to tell the story (COLD MOUNTAIN)? Find the wizard and a way home to Kansas (WIZARD OF OZ)? Note that all of these are books with strong antagonists who drive or catalyze the plot line going forward.
  1670. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1671. &lt;font color=&quot;#a60000&quot; size=&quot;4&quot; style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Note to Writer: If you can&#39;t write a simple story statement like above (which builds into your hook/log line) then you don&#39;t have a work of commercial fiction. Keep in mind that the PLOT LINE is an elaboration of  the statement, of the primary complication. Also, look over the brief summaries of films and novels in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/loglines.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;SAMPLE LOG LINES PDF&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. These contain the simple statement, but more elaborated into a short hook.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  1672. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1673. &lt;hr size=&quot;1&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1674. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Necessary Preparation Steps for the Author: (members utilize the AAS technique guides)&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1675. &lt;ul&gt;
  1676. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Write the story statement. Make it clear.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1677. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Brainstorm necessary complications, reversals, and conflicts on all levels.
  1678. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Write a short synopsis to reveal the major elements and clarify.
  1679. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Sketch the plot line(s) with notes on the proper settings.
  1680. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Write the hook/log line and listen to how it sounds.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1681. &lt;hr size=&quot;1&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1682. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;The &lt;u&gt;FIRST MAJOR PLOT POINT&lt;/u&gt; therefore takes place that establishes your protagonist‘s overall goal. In other words, the course of the action or plot changes, often drastically, and usually with a change of setting.  Success seems possible.&lt;/b&gt;
  1683. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1684. The &lt;a href=&quot;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rising_action#Rising_action&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;RISING ACTION&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; of the story truly begins with the launch of the primary external conflict or complication. A means to achieve the goal is decided.  The work begins, the war begins, the feet hit the bricks, the plan to reunite the lovers is initiated. The graph has begun to rise and it won&#39;t stop until after the &lt;b&gt;CLIMAX&lt;/b&gt;.
  1685. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1686. In other words, the protagonist commits to the goal(s). &lt;b&gt;But why? What is the motivation?&lt;/b&gt; What are the internal and external issues involved? She or he may go willingly into the situation because the alternative is worse, or to help an apparent victim. She or he may undertake the task not realizing the true dangers or complications ahead, out of ignorance. Another character might trick or push the protagonist into situation.
  1687. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1688.  
  1689. &lt;hr size=&quot;1&quot; /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1690.  
  1691. &lt;span style=&quot;color: #a60000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;ACT THREE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt; (Page 50+ - 250+)
  1692. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1693. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Plot Line Evolution: Minor Reversals - Complications - Thee Levels of Conflict - Major Reversal Time - Plot Points - The Martians are Winning&lt;/b&gt;
  1694. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1695. The dramatic pursuit of the goal evolves.
  1696. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1697. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; The FIRST GOAL (the means to the end) within the master goal (the final desired result) is pursued (see STORY STATEMENT above), but this will eventually lead your protagonist to a firewall or dead end, or what is known as the MAJOR REVERSAL in the parlance of our times (Dorothy gets to Oz, but no Kansas until the broomstick is fetched). &lt;u&gt;Members should utilize the AAS craft and technique guide modules&lt;/u&gt;.
  1698. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1699. &lt;font color=&quot;#a60000&quot; size=&quot;4&quot; style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;NOTE: This act pulls out all the stops to create tension, angst, conflict, and issues for the protagonist and appropriate characters to resolve:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
  1700. &lt;ul&gt;
  1701. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;MINOR REVERSALS TAKE PLACE&lt;/b&gt;: protagonist(s) struggle, perhaps score small victories of one sort or another, but these are almost always reversed. For example, McMurphy organizes the inmates and theatrically pretends to watch the World Series in defiance of the Big Nurse, but she makes her will known later and punishes him (ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO&#39;S NEST). The Wicked witch makes Dorothy and company take a poppy snooze right on the verge of OZ, and later, the Guard at OZ tells them no one gets in, no way, no how!
  1702. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1703. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;MINOR COMPLICATIONS TAKE PLACE&lt;/b&gt;: in other words, things happen that have a notable negative physical or emotional impact on the protagonist or those he/she cares about. These are not as strong as minor reversals, but action must be taken to overcome them. McMurphy takes the inmates out for a boat ride, but conflict at the dock with the boat captain and a need to make a quick escape takes place (ONE FLEW OVER). Meanwhile, Scarecrow hassles with crows, Tin Man is rusted, Lion overcompensates for cowardice, and Witch throws fireball. And know that &quot;minor complications&quot; can be fairly serious. In &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/www/warworlds/b2c4.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;WAR OF THE WORLDS&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; the major character had to bludgeon an insane curate to prevent him from giving away their hiding place to the Martians.
  1704. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1705.  
  1706. &lt;center&gt;&lt;table bgcolor=&quot;black&quot; cellpadding=&quot;10&quot; cellspacing=&quot;10&quot; style=&quot;width: 670px;&quot;&gt;&lt;tbody&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td width=&quot;10&quot;&gt; &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;font color=&quot;white&quot; size=&quot;4&quot; style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;You get the picture. &lt;u&gt;But how many of them?&lt;/u&gt;  Good question.  &lt;b&gt;Assignment: open up and read three of the best novels in your genre that you can find&lt;/b&gt;. Analyze the scenes and pick out the reversals and complications.  Make a list.  Report back.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt;&lt;/center&gt;
  1707. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1708.  
  1709. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Whether upmarket or genre, MINOR COMPLICATIONS combine with MINOR REVERSALS to continually spike the narrative and story. It can&#39;t be easy for the protagonist and/or her companions. If too easy, you inevitably build to classic &lt;i&gt;mid-novel sag&lt;/i&gt;. Tension runs out, wheels spin, and an inexperienced writer pads the middle with lumps of dull narrative and quiet situation. Ugh. &quot;Best Wishes&quot; rejection letter on the way. Off to a minor eBook publisher who will publish you if you have more than 100 Facebook members. &lt;/b&gt;
  1710. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1711. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Note: as a bonus, complications and reversals also assist greatly in maintaining all three levels of conflict (see above).&lt;/b&gt;
  1712. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1713. &lt;font color=&quot;#a60000&quot; size=&quot;4&quot; style=&quot;font-family: helvetica;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Also, prior to climax, we may have a smart and strong reversal or complication which serves to introduce a twist or an unexpected event in the story (sometimes called a MIDPOINT CLIMAX).&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;o&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1714. &lt;hr size=&quot;1&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1715.  
  1716. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Pinch Points Reveal and Reinforce the Antagonist Aims&lt;/b&gt;
  1717. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1718. Pinch Points: an example or reminder of the nature and implications of the antagonistic force that is not filtered by the hero&#39;s experience. We see it for ourselves in a direct way as a scene that provides a glimpse into the villain&#39;s mind. The antagonist reaffirms his or her goal to delay, injure, stop, crush, or kill the protagonist. The intent is manifest and the concern for the protagonist is elevated.
  1719. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1720. There should be two and situated near the 3/8 mark and the 3/5 mark in the manuscript. In ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO&#39;S NEST a pinch point takes place at the 3/5 mark when the Big Nurse informs the assembled hospital staff just what kind of cruel fate is in store for McMurphy.
  1721. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1722.  
  1723. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Crisis Point or MAJOR REVERSAL = Second Major Plot Point&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1724. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  1725. We&#39;ve already noted what happened to Dorothy. In Stephen King&#39;s MISERY, after the captive author protagonist has his knees sledge-hammered by Kathy Bates (God, that hurt!) to prevent him from trying to escape again, he knows he&#39;s been using the wrong means to pursue the master goal (ie, to escape). He must now reboot and choose another path, a second goal to achieve the master goal (escape). To accomplish, the author conceives a new plan of theatrical cooperation with his captor, the new goal within the master goal being to trick her into passivity and lure her into a trap whereupon he can knock her senseless.
  1726. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1727. In general, at this point, backstory issues, mysterious strangers, twists and turns and events all point out that your protagonist is on the wrong track, and the antagonist graph is rising. The Martians are conquering Earth and the Big Nurse is slowly tightening a noose around McMurphy&#39;s neck.
  1728. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1729. Once more, success seems possible.
  1730. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1731. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;INTERNAL CONFLICT IS ON THE INCREASE ALSO&lt;/b&gt;. Of course, and so is interpersonal conflict.  All three levels of conflict are rising!  But back to the protagonist for a moment ... Why should she or he turn back now? Why doesn&#39;t he/she? What&#39;s at stake? &lt;u&gt;Is there a DILEMMA?&lt;/u&gt; What makes your protagonist realize the unavoidable importance of her/his original goal? What gives it new meaning?  Does someone die?  Do the stakes raise?  Does reputation suffer or threaten to diminish?  We must have a answer.  This is true drama.  Storytelling at its finest.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1732.  
  1733. &lt;hr size=&quot;1&quot; /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1734.  
  1735. &lt;span style=&quot;color: #a60000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;ACT FOUR&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt; (Page 200+ - 375+)
  1736. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1737. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Second Major Plot Point - New Rising Action and Suspense - Conflict Levels - Climax - Victory at a Cost&lt;/b&gt;
  1738. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1739. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Opens with the &lt;u&gt;SECOND MAJOR PLOT POINT&lt;/u&gt; as protagonist pursues the new and truly productive goal&lt;/b&gt; (the author of MISERY decides to write the novel Kathy wants in order to enact his new scheme to escape). The characters get that final clue, the missing piece to the puzzle, which allows them to make the necessary changes to successfully complete the plot line.
  1740. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;ul&gt;
  1741. &lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Success seems more possible than ever despite MINOR REVERSALS OR COMPLICATIONS which may continue to take place.
  1742. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;The final clue or missing piece to the puzzle is found.
  1743. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Possible surprise or twist takes place (the traitor is revealed--or this is reserved for CLIMAX or DENOUEMENT)
  1744. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;All three conflict levels continue to build, however, some interpersonal conflicts may be resolved by this point.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  1745.  
  1746. This builds to CLIMAX, and the protagonist will usually win out over the antagonist, but victory or success must come at a price (such as the death of a favorite character: the sheriff in MISERY is killed by Kathy just before climax).
  1747. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1748. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Climax should be the most intense plot point in the story,&lt;/b&gt; but the intensity and nature of that intensity depends on the needs of the genre and the nature of the story.  While the climax is the moment when the decisive event occurs, plot development is a process that occurs throughout your novel (see above). As we&#39;ve noted, the reader must see how main character behaves at the start of the novel, and understand how her/his nature is challenged by the main goal. In HUCKLEBERRY FINN, Huck thinks about going against morality of the day and writing Miss Watson where the Phelps family is holding Jim. Instead, he follows his conscience and he and Tom free Jim, and Tom is shot in the leg in the attempt (victory at a cost).
  1749. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1750. You can also have a double climax. For example, in HARRY POTTER, when the heroes find and escape with a magical hoarcrux, that&#39;s a climax, but a climax is when Harry finally defeats the chief antagonist, Lord Voldemort.
  1751. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1752. After the climax, you must show the reader the outcome, and how it is good or bad for the main character. Important!
  1753. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1754. &lt;hr size=&quot;1&quot; /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1755.  
  1756. &lt;span style=&quot;color: #a60000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;ACT FIVE&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt; (Page 300+ - 400+)
  1757. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1758. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Denouement - Loose Ends Wrapped - Theme Wrap - Conclusions - Resolutions - A Final Surprise?&lt;/b&gt;
  1759. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1760. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Denouement wherein all loose ends resolved&lt;/b&gt;, a final surprise perhaps, hint of the sequel perhaps, but readers on their way with the emotions the writer wants them to feel (Fitzgerald actually saved final exposition regarding Gatsby for the denouement following Gatsby&#39;s death).
  1761. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1762. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Internal Resolution and With Theme or No&lt;/b&gt;
  1763. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1764. What does the protagonist and possibly other characters learn as a result of climax? How does this manifest itself going forward? How are things different?  How are they changed, especially the protagonist?
  1765. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1766. In CATCHER IN THE RYE, Holden leaves it ambiguous as to whether he&#39;s &quot;better&quot; or not, and many would say there is no &quot;better&quot; anyway; he just has to grow up, painfully and with a lot of depression thrown in for good measure. On the other hand, we look to the last line of the novel for another take on the conclusion: &quot;Don&#39;t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.&quot; Perhaps then, the conclusion to Holden&#39;s initial conflict (the tension between wanting to connect but hating everyone) is that he did in fact connect – in one way or another – with everyone he met. The new question isn&#39;t whether or not one should connect, but whether or not the pain of inevitable loss is worth the initial gain.
  1767. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1768. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://algonkianconferences.com/att.jpg&quot; /&gt; From SPARKNOTES, we have a slice of theme from TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD:
  1769. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;
  1770. The most important theme of this novel is the book&#39;s exploration of the moral nature of human beings--that is, whether people are essentially good or essentially evil. The novel approaches this question by dramatizing Scout and Jem&#39;s transition from a perspective of childhood innocence, in which they assume that people are good because they have never seen evil, to a more adult perspective, in which they have confronted evil and must incorporate it into their understanding of the world. As a result of this portrayal of the transition from innocence to experience, one of the book&#39;s important subthemes involves the threat that hatred, prejudice, and ignorance pose to the innocent: people such as Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are not prepared for the evil that they encounter, and, as a result, they are destroyed. Even Jem is victimized to an extent by his discovery of the evil of racism during and after the trial. Whereas Scout is able to maintain her basic faith in human nature despite Tom&#39;s conviction, Jem&#39;s faith in justice and in humanity is badly damaged, and he retreats into a state of disillusionment.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1771. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1772. So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
  1773.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1774.  _______________
  1775.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1776.  &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/11/the-six-act-two-goal-novel.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWRdC4ouu-SH3YXjxYR5_x_Mr8q25f8KM37Z4TuLetyyM_31GnJ1yeCr-uybX5FTTtGxC9gHfe-W1pLDJX9_jSjEToI1Jlatmp-7C2c1LEBSVl_LPFdx_6PlY5soe18p5zgx_fe7RZao/s72-w319-h321-c/sixact2.png" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>1</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017951724114846163.post-7775584719951335894</guid><pubDate>Sat, 02 Jan 2021 18:33:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2025-01-02T12:24:13.313-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">character development</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">novel development</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">query and pitching</category><title>Loglines and Hooks With Core Wounds</title><description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;bbc_underline&quot; face=&quot;helvetica, arial, sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; line-height: 22.4px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: maroon;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;verdana, geneva, sans-serif&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-style: inherit;&quot;&gt;HOOK OR LOG WITH CORE WOUND AND CONFLICT&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;helvetica, arial, sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; line-height: 22.4px;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;separator&quot; style=&quot;clear: both; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;helvetica, arial, sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; line-height: 22.4px;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xQDn5TyV7WDPHuULD-ZzRHGUVrbRl83RJQ81spAST31Ohyr19fs9F9cePlstQx7s1aG6475x5fFShLL6Fq7OuaFLW57PAq-5j8jZWeHqpZwuzlNzF1hxvveji7hyphenhyphenGzIfIA2i38lzIiQ/s252/corewound.png&quot; style=&quot;clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;&quot;&gt;&lt;img border=&quot;0&quot; data-original-height=&quot;200&quot; data-original-width=&quot;252&quot; height=&quot;261&quot; src=&quot;https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xQDn5TyV7WDPHuULD-ZzRHGUVrbRl83RJQ81spAST31Ohyr19fs9F9cePlstQx7s1aG6475x5fFShLL6Fq7OuaFLW57PAq-5j8jZWeHqpZwuzlNzF1hxvveji7hyphenhyphenGzIfIA2i38lzIiQ/w328-h261/corewound.png&quot; width=&quot;328&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  1777.  
  1778. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;Your hook line (also known as logline) is your first chance to get a New York or Hollywood professional interested in your novel. It can be utilized in your query to hook the agent into requesting the project.&lt;/i&gt; It is especially useful for those pitch sessions at conferences, lunches, in the elevator, or anywhere else. When a prospective agent or editor asks you what your book is about, your &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/12/high-concept-sufficiently-unique-what.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;high-concept&lt;/a&gt; hook line is your answer. Writing one also encourages a realization of those primary elements that will make your novel into a work of powerful fiction.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;b&gt;The great novel, more often than not, comprises two stories: the exterior story or plot line, and an interior story focused primarily on the protagonist, one that defines and catalyzes her or his evolutionary arc throughout the novel.&lt;/b&gt; For example, a protagonist with a flaw or core wound that prevents her from achieving a worthwhile goal is forced to respond to a lifechanging event instigated by an antagonist, and in the process of responding to that lifechanging event (usually with the help of an ally) she is forced to overcome her flaw. In doing so, she becomes far more capable of achieving her goal in defiance of the antagonist.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span&gt;The key elements of conflict, complication, and dramatic rising action are all pretty much related and serve to keep the reader&#39;s eyes fixated on your story. These days, serving up a big manuscript of quiet is a sure path to post-slush damnation. You need tension on the page, and the best way to accomplish this is to create conflict and complication in the plot, and narrative as well.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1779.  
  1780. &lt;h3 style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;century gothic, helvetica, arial, sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; line-height: 22.4px;&quot;&gt;Elements of a Hook or Logline (examples below)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  1781.  
  1782. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  1783. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;b&gt;Character(s)&lt;/b&gt; – Who is the protagonist? What is his/her main goal? What is their CORE WOUND (see below)?
  1784. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1785. Conflict&lt;/b&gt; – Who is the antagonist? Is she/he implied or clear in the hook line? What obstacle do they create to frustrate the protagonist?
  1786. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1787. Distinction&lt;/b&gt; – What is the &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/12/high-concept-sufficiently-unique-what.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;primary unique element&lt;/a&gt; of your story that makes it stand out?
  1788. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1789. Setting&lt;/b&gt; – for a novel, adding a little about the setting, time period, and possibly genre (if it’s not obvious) is a VERY good idea.
  1790. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1791. Action&lt;/b&gt; – Your hook line should radiate verve and energy. Which hook as follows catches your interest more?   A woman has an affair and runs off with her new beau, OR, a neglected wife begins a torrid affair with an ex-con, soon kidnapping her children to flee the state and join him in Vegas.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: trebuchet ms, arial; font-size: 16px;&quot;&gt;&lt;div&gt;
  1792.  
  1793.  &lt;span style=&quot;color: #282828; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;As for &quot;core wounds,&quot; consider conscious motivation stimulated by both memory and subconscious pain. The &quot;core wound&quot; drives the character in certain unique ways, perhaps leads them on a journey to prove themselves. Resolution, if it ever comes, will make them happier, healthier, or more in tune with the world around them. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #282828; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;span face=&quot;&amp;quot;Trebuchet MS&amp;quot;, Trebuchet, sans-serif&quot;&gt;Every core wound is based on a basic knowledge that we are unacceptable as we are, so we have to adjust and change to be perceived as good.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #282828; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;Fundamental and popular core wounds include loss of a parent, a broken heart, an ultimate mistake (the character could spend a lifetime trying to make amends), a big secret (the revelation of which could ruin or harm the character), or perhaps a perceived terrible failure in the character&#39;s past (a primary desire forever denied by a moment&#39;s hesitation or a small mistake).
  1794. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #282828;&quot;&gt;
  1795. From&lt;/span&gt;&lt;i style=&quot;color: #282828;&quot;&gt; Psychology Today&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #282828;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;:&lt;/b&gt;
  1796. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #282828;&quot;&gt;
  1797. &quot;Core wounds tend to be things like a sense of not being enough, of being unlovable to a parent, of feeling stupid, dirty, unwanted, or ugly. No matter what your core wound may be, you can guarantee that your wound influences who you are and how you behave...&quot;
  1798. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #282828;&quot;&gt;
  1799. &quot;Every core wound is based on a basic knowledge that we are unacceptable as we are, so we have to adjust and change to be perceived as good. It influences our self-esteem and the very fabric of our thoughts.&quot;
  1800. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #282828;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1801. And one core wound is usually enough. As famous screenplay writer Peter Russell points out&lt;/b&gt;:
  1802. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1803.  
  1804.  
  1805. &lt;center&gt;
  1806. &lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture&quot; allowfullscreen=&quot;&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/embed/wm-kBreibFg&quot; width=&quot;560&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;
  1807.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1808. &lt;/center&gt;
  1809.  
  1810.  &lt;span style=&quot;color: #282828; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;
  1811. Note that the sample hooks or loglines below are divided into two basic parts: the CORE WOUND and the resulting dramatic complication that drives conflict.
  1812. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1813.  
  1814. &lt;ul&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&quot;The Hand of Fatima&quot; by Ildefonso Falcones&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1815. A young Moor torn between Islam and Christianity, scorned and tormented by both, struggles to bridge the two faiths by seeking common ground in the very nature of God.
  1816. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1817. * The protagonist is scorned and tormented, thus the core wound, and as a result he seeks to fulfill an almost impossible task.&lt;/b&gt;
  1818. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1819.  
  1820.  &lt;hr size=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;200&quot; /&gt;
  1822. &lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&quot;Summer Sisters&quot; by Judy Blume&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1823. After sharing a magical summer with a friend, a young woman must confront her friend&#39;s betrayal of her with the man she loved.
  1824. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1825. * The protagonist is betrayed by her friend and thus her core wound, and as a result she must take steps to reach a closure wherein conflict will surely result.
  1826. &lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1827.  
  1828.  &lt;hr size=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;200&quot; /&gt;
  1829.  
  1830. &lt;b&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #990000;&quot;&gt;&quot;The Bartimaeus Trilogy&quot; by Jonathan Stroud&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
  1831. As an apprentice mage seeks revenge on an elder magician who humiliated him, he unleashes a powerful Djinni who joins the mage to confront a danger that threatens their entire world.
  1832. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;
  1833. * Humiliated into a core wound by an elder magician, the story line erupts into a conflict with the entire world at stake.&lt;/b&gt;
  1834.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
  1835.  
  1836.  
  1837. &lt;span class=&quot;bbc&quot; face=&quot;helvetica, arial, sans-serif&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;&quot;&gt;Note it is a simple matter to ascertain the stakes in each case above: a young woman&#39;s love and friendship, the entire world, and harmony between opposed religions&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #282828; font-style: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;&quot;&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;span class=&quot;bbc_underline&quot; style=&quot;text-decoration-line: underline;&quot;&gt;If you cannot make the stakes clear, the odds are you don&#39;t have any&lt;/span&gt;. Take note!&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #282828; line-height: 22.4px;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #282828; font-style: inherit; line-height: 22.4px;&quot;&gt;&lt;i class=&quot;bbc&quot; style=&quot;font-weight: inherit;&quot;&gt;_________________&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br style=&quot;background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
  1838.  
  1839.  
  1840. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class=&quot;blogger-post-footer&quot;&gt;________________________________&lt;/div&gt;</description><link>http://www.novelwritingonedge.com/2020/10/hook-lines-with-core-wounds.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Algonkian Chief Editor Michael Neff)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xQDn5TyV7WDPHuULD-ZzRHGUVrbRl83RJQ81spAST31Ohyr19fs9F9cePlstQx7s1aG6475x5fFShLL6Fq7OuaFLW57PAq-5j8jZWeHqpZwuzlNzF1hxvveji7hyphenhyphenGzIfIA2i38lzIiQ/s72-w328-h261-c/corewound.png" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>3</thr:total></item></channel></rss>

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