tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post8011652832657205861..comments2023-10-11T09:22:33.136-04:00Comments on Paperback Writer: VW#3: Turn Up the Wattage ~ Story PowerUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-14696572047515277732007-07-16T12:44:00.000-04:002007-07-16T12:44:00.000-04:00Zoe wrote: How does a writer start seeing her sto...Zoe wrote: <I> How does a writer start seeing her story from the perspective of her readers? What's the best way to cultivate that viewpoint?</I><BR/><BR/>Good question. Over the years I've developed a couple of different reading modes: reading for pleasure, when I just immerse myself in the story and don't worry about the technical aspects, reading to learn, where I read to spot and understand what the author is doing with the prose to achieve the story effects, and reading for market analysis, when I basically skim through the prose to get the main points of the story. <BR/><BR/>I try to combine all three modes when I'm reading to edit. I try to see the story on the surface as an enjoyable experience, and I check the technical aspects to make sure I've covered all the nuts and bolts, and I check off the main points to see that I've stayed true to the outline. Sometimes I have to read the daily new material more than once to see it from all three angles, too, so it's not as if you have to do it all in one shot.<BR/><BR/>Another method is to read the work out loud. If you stumble over reading a sentence, your reader will likely do the same, or get halfway through and skip the rest.the authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03220786472896283714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-37932191284177712482007-07-16T12:30:00.000-04:002007-07-16T12:30:00.000-04:00Shannon wrote: When a book becomes powerful when i...Shannon wrote: <I>When a book becomes powerful when it takes on a life beyond the words themselves. I start actually seeing what is happening in extreme detail. When I stop reading, I feel like I leave behind another world.</I><BR/><BR/>I think that might be the quintessential definition of story power -- thanks, Shannon.the authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03220786472896283714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-6424465084269434332007-07-16T12:29:00.000-04:002007-07-16T12:29:00.000-04:00fionaphoenix wrote: Speaking of which, how did you...fionaphoenix wrote: <I>Speaking of which, how did you decide on romace as the genre for the Darkyn series? It seems like it would have worked as fantasy just as easily. Was it a matter of marketing?</I><BR/><BR/>I wrote the books as dark fantasy, which is how I wanted them published. The way I understand it, the publisher sent the manuscript to one of their senior editors, who decided the novel was a romance. They used that as the reason to market them as romances, I believe. I fought against it because I didn't write them as romances, but it came down to if I wanted them published, I had to accept their decision.<BR/><BR/>I'd still like to move the series out of romance, but that's not going to happen now. And guess who gets blamed by everyone for the marketing? Me. :)the authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03220786472896283714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-86469845186788809812007-07-16T12:25:00.000-04:002007-07-16T12:25:00.000-04:00cwahm wrote: My question: If the conflict is as dr...cwahm wrote: <I>My question: If the conflict is as dramatic as this book (woman running away from abusive boyfriend), how do you give that emotional pull? Dialogue? The character's description?</I><BR/><BR/>This is a powerful conflict, so I would put the reader in the character's shoes as much as possible. Skip the narrative, backstory or introspection -- hit the reader with action and dialogue that sends them on the run with this character.the authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03220786472896283714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-21534629821051465872007-07-16T11:58:00.000-04:002007-07-16T11:58:00.000-04:00Rowan wrote: As a reader, I get hooked in with int...Rowan wrote: <I>As a reader, I get hooked in with interesting characters that I can dig into. Second is an interesting story. Even if it's been done before in some form, your unique characters are going to do it their way. Make me care, that's all I ask.</I><BR/><BR/>There you go. Beautifully said, Rowan.the authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03220786472896283714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-91210973317707404262007-07-16T11:57:00.000-04:002007-07-16T11:57:00.000-04:00Tech wrote: Although I'm beginning to think that y...Tech wrote: <I>Although I'm beginning to think that you probably won't give a quote for my 10,000 page cyborg vampire ninja brotherhood epic ... :)</I><BR/><BR/>Um, didn't I mention I'm out of the quote business? Lol.the authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03220786472896283714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-91582690336890791772007-07-16T11:56:00.000-04:002007-07-16T11:56:00.000-04:00-by Hameeduddin wrote: ....So what would the edito...-by Hameeduddin wrote: <I>....So what would the editor do after reading this first page?...any pointers...?</I><BR/><BR/>Since I'm not a publisher's editor, I can't predict their reaction to your story. But just to offer a writerly opinion, I would try not to use so much narrative, and get into showing the action sooner versus telling the reader so much about it.the authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03220786472896283714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-53957880421633335552007-07-16T11:50:00.000-04:002007-07-16T11:50:00.000-04:00Bridget Medora wrote: Thanks so much for this post...Bridget Medora wrote: <I>Thanks so much for this post, PBW. I do have a question though -- for you, does a story's power come in the plotting stage, or more in the revision/editing stage? Or in other words, I guess, how closely is power related to plot? Or any other story element (world, character, etc.)?</I><BR/><BR/>If the plot is weak, the power won't be there for me, and I won't be interested in writing it. But all of my plots are character-driven, so I think for me it's in how I build the characters in the planning stage. <BR/><BR/>There are strong influences over the plot, like the novel premise, the main conflict, the story tone and pacing, which can also affect the power of the story. But if you write like I do, and put together cardboard characters, they become the poisoned tree from which everything else grows like tainted fruit.<BR/><BR/>I think the trick is to determine what drives your story in the planning stages, and make sure that's as powerful as you can make it. Everything should fall into line from there.the authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03220786472896283714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-33657164193728693222007-07-16T11:25:00.000-04:002007-07-16T11:25:00.000-04:00Tempest Knight wrote: Now, with so many new author...Tempest Knight wrote: <I>Now, with so many new authors popping every month, most of the trends are covered. It's hard to find one in which you can become a "power generator." So, what can you do to become one? How do you find that special niche that hasn't been cornered yet?</I><BR/><BR/>Being contrary has gotten me into nothing but trouble all my life, except when it comes to writing. I watch what everyone else is doing, and then I deliberately go the other way. Back when I first pitched Darkyn, all the vampire fiction depicted vampires as the monsters, and the humans as the victims (as it has for centuries.) I didn't buy most of vampire mythology anyway, and I have seen more monsters among humanity than you'll ever find in fiction, so it was easy for me to write the humans as the monsters and the vampires as the victims.<BR/><BR/>Often there are trend gaps that become more obvious as a trend swells into a tsunami, as paranormal romance has done. The classic vampire has been done to death (pardon the pun) so using a vampiric creature who feeds on something other than blood would give you a fresh place to worldbuild from and help your story stand out. <BR/><BR/>Or you can read some world mythology books and see if you can find a supernatural creature who hasn't yet been written into the ground (Lori Devoti did a great job with this by using men who shapeshift into hellhounds in <I>Unbound</I>, btw.)<BR/><BR/>If you'd rather stick with the basic trend foundation -- the classic vampire -- mix up the mythology and invent your own. We have so many vampires who can't go out during the day because sunlight turns them into ash, right? How about a vampire who can't go out during the night, because moonlight is lethal? Or, what if for some reason a vampire needs humans to drink his blood? That's the kind of myth-flip that makes your vampire fiction fall in with the trend but still stand out in the crowd.the authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03220786472896283714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-76804855319453168102007-07-16T11:09:00.000-04:002007-07-16T11:09:00.000-04:00Ayla wrote: I was wondering, how DO you grip the r...Ayla wrote: <I>I was wondering, how DO you grip the reader with emotion in the first few pages? I'm told im really good at doing it throught a story, but im never sure how to get that emotion in striaght away. thanks!</I><BR/><BR/>I love to play with hook lines (see post <A HREF="http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/2006/04/hookers.html" REL="nofollow">here</A> for more on that subject) as a way to instantly draw the reader into the story. They're effective maybe half of the time, but there are some readers who simply aren't that easy to hook. For them, you have to make the first five pages as engrossing as possible.<BR/><BR/>I don't like set-up prose or weather reports, so I gravitate toward using the conflict catalyst as an opener. In <I>Blade Dancer</I>, I start with Jory taking her mother's body out into the desert, and being caught with it by a future version of the INS. The mother's death (and the particulars of her Speaking before her death), combined with Jory's half-alien genes being exposed are the conflict catalyst, which sets the plot into motion.the authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03220786472896283714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-68336040385912739462007-07-13T20:00:00.000-04:002007-07-13T20:00:00.000-04:00Putting my name in the hat. :)Putting my name in the hat. :)Nadiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13733662207462341395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-23331004973851191282007-07-13T19:32:00.000-04:002007-07-13T19:32:00.000-04:00Great workshop. Throwing my name in the hat.Lavern...Great workshop. Throwing my name in the hat.<BR/>LavernLJBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00165084511521426399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-21668442559645632322007-07-13T15:13:00.000-04:002007-07-13T15:13:00.000-04:00This is an incredibly informative post. Thanks so ...This is an incredibly informative post. Thanks so much for the information. :)bamabellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15986745648983981412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-87548360215119001292007-07-13T12:18:00.000-04:002007-07-13T12:18:00.000-04:00I'm still trying to absorb all this wonderful info...I'm still trying to absorb all this wonderful info. Thanks for the workshops!witchofbreithlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12376853333742588353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-85770654386460905762007-07-13T11:14:00.000-04:002007-07-13T11:14:00.000-04:00Miri,The beautiful thing about the Shrek moment wa...Miri,<BR/>The beautiful thing about the Shrek moment was he was really saying how he had felt too. He admitted his own flaw even as he realized it was now moot. It was a great moment.<BR/>JulieBAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-14315055901037964842007-07-13T10:16:00.000-04:002007-07-13T10:16:00.000-04:00Enchanting stories are the ones that stay on my ke...Enchanting stories are the ones that stay on my keeper shelf! Great article today!Robin Baynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02640632701164428942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-43585356907236495462007-07-13T10:15:00.000-04:002007-07-13T10:15:00.000-04:00Enchanting stories are the ones that stay on my ke...Enchanting stories are the ones that stay on my keeper shelf! Great article today!Robin Baynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02640632701164428942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-24158789417321531052007-07-13T08:41:00.000-04:002007-07-13T08:41:00.000-04:00I really appreciate the structure of this advice. ...I really appreciate the structure of this advice. It makes *sense*, at a gut level. Hopefully translating it to the page is also something I can learn at the gut level when I've got it right or not.<BR/><BR/>(throwing my hat in the ring)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-84085966480007691422007-07-13T08:14:00.000-04:002007-07-13T08:14:00.000-04:00Often it's hard for the writer to judge these thin...Often it's hard for the writer to judge these things, too. I've read many a dull story that was clearly meant to be very exciting. And I thought my latest WIP would be incredibly boring to anyone but me - I was just writing it for fun, and didn't really expect to go anywhere with it - but so far I've only had one bored reader; the rest couldn't put it down. (They've told me I've got the first 3 elements, but am completely missing #4 :P ). So I guess my question is: How does a writer start seeing her story from the perspective of her readers? What's the best way to cultivate that viewpoint?<BR/><BR/>(I apologize if this comment shows up twice; Blogger isn't working quite right.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-77332163625846356082007-07-13T06:55:00.000-04:002007-07-13T06:55:00.000-04:00I remember getting a rejection way back when that ...I remember getting a rejection way back when that told me my presentation was fine. Umm. Well, that's something to be thankful for! loll<BR/><BR/>*throws name towards hat, then closes eyes in case it's a miss*nonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00415222406280230021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-80944539643533682572007-07-13T02:11:00.000-04:002007-07-13T02:11:00.000-04:00The editor reads the first chapter or reviews the ...<I>The editor reads the first chapter or reviews the synopsis, and then composes a letter to the novel's hard-working author. She might praise the author for their competence, but she does not make an offer.</I><BR/><BR/>Okay, you had lunch with the last editor I subbed with, right? ;-)<BR/><BR/>I'm late, but not here for the prize anyway. Just thanks for all the good advice in this article.rainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04258822737734173873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-59596105445030231232007-07-13T01:56:00.000-04:002007-07-13T01:56:00.000-04:00Gah... I'm just starting the initial work on anoth...Gah... I'm just starting the initial work on another novel and this is probably the <I>worst</I> time to read all this. <BR/><BR/>There's so much to think about. I live in hope, though. Since I'm an organic writer, I plan to learn through osmosis...Jaye Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05595648222196000153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-43672463738825098012007-07-13T00:35:00.000-04:002007-07-13T00:35:00.000-04:00I'm not completely sure what makes a story powerfu...I'm not completely sure what makes a story powerful for me, just yet, but I have a really good handle on powerful moments in movies. So offtopicness will abound, for now. <BR/><BR/>For instance: my favorite moment in Shrek the Third (yes, I went to see it as soon as it was out) was when Charming had the knife on Arthur, and Shrek had to bail him out, more or less. It combined several of my favorite elements: the bond between older and younger characters, life-or-death situations, times at which the villain is pretty much in control, and, a split second later, the crashdown of a major (perceived) betrayal.<BR/><BR/>For a moment, or a whole story, I suppose, to have power, it has to not only have something special--it has to weave several special somethings together in a way that I won't forget.<BR/><BR/>Congrats to Jaye and CalenhÃril!Mirihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18076693898421760613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-10307398787998130282007-07-13T00:07:00.000-04:002007-07-13T00:07:00.000-04:00It's still today for me, but I'll understand if I'...It's still today for me, but I'll understand if I've missed the cut.<BR/><BR/>Regardless, I wanted to say that this is a great post. I like how you categorize different types of power. I seem to have managed the dark and forboding, but I'd love to figure out the humorous. Just finished reading Angel with Attitude by Michelle Rowen, and she has humor down so nicely :). It's chicklit without the shoes...<BR/><BR/>Cheers,<BR/>MargaretMargaret M. Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00537558539259791284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8343238.post-24587376711179901322007-07-12T22:09:00.000-04:002007-07-12T22:09:00.000-04:00Throwing my name in the hat.SianaThrowing my name in the hat.<BR/><BR/>SianaUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714585527073488064noreply@blogger.com