Writing Imagery

Now-a-days, readers want excellent writing, but it needs to be straightforward. This makes it all the more important to place your metaphors and similes in appropriate places throughout your novel. If you have one metaphor after a simile after another metaphor...then you will slow down the reader and your story will sag with the weight of a word picture frenzy in the reader's overloaded mind.

Using well-placed metaphors and similes can 1) Anchor the reader to the setting and have them  connect to your character's situation, and 2) Emphasize high emotional intensity, as implied by James Scott Bell in his book, Revision & Self Editing.

Just as a poem begs to be memorized, a metaphor or simile create a memorable experience for the reader, and etches your story into their mind. I can think back on certain books and remember their well-placed metaphors and similes out of the entire 90,000 words. These tools grip a reader's thoughts and leave a “book”print in their mind long after the book is closed and put away.

Here are some examples from books that have printed on my mind:

Anchoring to the setting:

"If Broadway was Manhattan's artery, Five Points was its abscess: swollen with people, infected with pestilence, inflamed with vice and crime. Groggeries, brothels, and dance halls put private sin on public display. Although the neighborhood seemed fairly self-contained, more fortunate New Yorkers were terrified of Five Points erupting, spreading its contagion to the rest of them.” Wedded to War, Jocelyn Green.

Jocelyn uses the metaphor of the condition of the human body to not only emphasize the point of view of her heroine, an aspiring nurse, but she also gives such a vivid understanding of the setting that a reader could hardly dismiss this and move on without allowing the imagery to paint itself in their mind.

“Through the makeshift curtain that gave her some semblance of privacy, she could make out Captain Click's sturdy shadow like a locked gate barring harm's way.” Courting Morrow Little, Laura Frantz

This book is set in a time of unease and discord between the settlers and the Native Americans. This metaphor of Captain Click being a locked gate is appropriate to the point-of-view of the heroine who is a young woman traveling into hostile territory. This anchors the reader to the setting not only through the heroine's perspective, but gives the overall emotional climate of the setting—one of possible danger at every turn.

Emotional Intensity:

“The man who stared back was not a man he knew. The careful control bred into him since birth was gone. In its place he saw a fire-breathing dragon capable of murder.” The Duchess and The Dragon, Jamie Carie

The image of a fire-breathing dragon is placed at a time when the hero's emotions are high and his actions have culminated to a dreaded circumstance. Jamie Carie imbeds this metaphor in such a way that it maintains the momentum of the story but shows intensity of the hero's emotion.

“In the domestic cloud of dust and family, I too can forget the One who sees me, but in eucharisteo, I remember, I cup hands and all the world is water.

The well, it is still there.

There is always a well—All is well.

I choke out my son's name. His skin is transparent...glass. And he stares long, brims...quavers...falls. And I cradle him, the Boy-Man, flood over shoulders.” One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp.

Ann's moment with her son is filled with word pictures that emphasize the build to an emotional outpour. This book takes the use of metaphor to such a deep level, my heart stirs at every turn of the page.

Metaphors and similes can also unveil a writer's voice. Ann Voskamp does this amazingly well, not only in the example above, but consistently throughout the book. Depending on a writer's voice, these descriptive tools can be well-placed mirrors to the under-lying tone of the story.

Do you have examples of well-placed metaphors and similes in some of your favorite books? How about in your own? Please share!


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Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous days of diapers and temper tantrums. She is passionate to impress God's love on women regardless of their background or belief. This desire serves as a catalyst for Angie's fiction, which weaves salvation and grace themes across cultures. She is an ACFW member and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

 

Always Include the Unexpected

I would be cheating you if I'd kept all the great information learned at ACFW to myself. 

After all, if you went to a fabulous concert or travelled to an exciting place I'd want you to share with me (and I'd hope you do-we chat about everything at my website and you're invited). 

One of the MANY great take aways for me was James Scott Bell's day long class called Quantum Story.

AND because I don't think you'll want to read the four hundred and thirty three pages of notes I took covering every rich concept he shared, I chose one. 

This is my translation of what he said:

The Unexpected

The unexpected is an essential quality for our stories. Why? 

To elicit a response from the reader, (laugh, giggle, gasp, slam the book shut only to peel it open again, etc)
To wake the reader up, 
To tie an anchor around the reader's legs and plunge them deep into the abyss of the scene, 
To engage the reader so much--a real knock on the door startles them,
To question the reader's perception of what will happen next
To raise the stakes

The unexpected quality is like a piece of Warhead candy. Sweet, tasty, inviting on the outside, but when the tastebuds reach the core, a blast of sour smacks every cell in the mouth with a powerful surprise. 

1.  James Scott Bell told us every scene must have an unexpected quality.

He looked at our faces after making the comment and knew immediately what we thought. Murder, tornado, car crash, illness, etc in every scene? Can you imagine a warhead blasting through scene pages?

Jim held his hand palm side up toward us to still our crazy imaginations. "Anything can serve as the unexpected. It can be something as simple as 

a phone ringing,
a joke
a riddle
a dish falling
a discovered scrap of paper
hot instead of cold water and visa versa
sprinklers engaging when some walks through the garden
salt instead of sugar in food
a thunder clap on a clear, sunny day
a tux worn to a beach party

2. The unexpected in each scene needs to enlarge the plot in some way. As we know, the plot continually progresses toward the dark moment, and the climax, ever raising the stakes. Yes, a single phone ring can do this. 

Hank stood by the fire in his family's Rocky Mountain lodge massaging the heat into his fingers. He'd dreamed about the utter quiet of this moment since his last visit, barely noticing the crackling fire. 

A shrill bell pierced the quiet, starting him. In all the years he'd vacation at the lodge he'd never heard the phone ring. Who in their right mind would call anyone at a mountain lodge? He chose not to answer. The irritating noise stopped. Plaguing thoughts rustled through his mind disturbing the silence. Who called? 

3. The impact of an unexpected moment will be greater when the reader has a personal interest in the affected character. A personal interest does NOT come from

physical descriptions
setting
secondary characters

Personal interest comes when the character reflects his thoughts, feelings, mental processing's inward so much so the reader can predict the next move. 

This is the key, the fodder, the stage when a writer can create the unexpected (kept within reason-don't have a diabetic suddenly able to eat sugar)

To me one of the best examples of the unexpected is the true story of Jim Elliott. Jim felt a strong calling to tell the people living in the jungles of South America about God's love. He and four other men invested many days, demonstrating their friendly intentions to the villagers. 

Once convinced they would be well received, the missionaries landed their plane on the beach near the village and stepped on the sand. The jungle men stepped out from the bushes, spears in hand. Jim and the other men spoke, using their hands to help communicate peace.

The jungle men stepped closer, appearing to accept the missionaries. As the Jim and the other men continued to present their purpose, the village men raised their spears and plunged them into each missionary, killing all five men.

The story doesn't end there. The next unexpected event happened when Jim Elliott's wife, Elizabeth, chose to return to the village with other missionaries. Her unexpected sacrifice was used by God to touch the hearts of the villagers and bring many to faith in Christ.


I would love to tell you more, but the post is already long. I'll share more next time.

Your Turn:

Some of you attended Jim's class, would you add another aspect?

Do you have one huge unexpected event in your story? Probably. But do you have something unexpected in every scene? 

Chose one scene from your book that needs an unexpected event. What unexpected something could happen to elicit a response from your reader? 

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photo by Mary Vee

This blog post is by Mary Vee

Mary has moved to Michigan with her husband, closer to her three college kids. She misses the mountains of Montana, but loves seeing family more often. She writes contemporary and romance Christian fiction and loves to pen missionary and Bible adventure stories on her ministry blog, God Loves Kids.

Visit Mary at her website and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

  

Memorable Characters - The Basics

Over the next few months, I’m going to tackle the heart of good fiction. Characters! Now, I know a lot of you plot-driven writers might disagree, but most of our best fiction is memorable because of the characters who make up the stories.

1.       Lizzie Bennet

2.       Scarlet O’Hara

3.       Atticus Finch

To name a few – are memorable because  of some basic components.

In the coming weeks I’ll go over 9 different traits for compelling characters. Some of the tips will come from Michael Hauge, some I gathered from James Scott Bell, and a few I tagged on myself. But let’s start with an overview of what GOOD characters do for us.

They cause us to C.A.R.E.

In one way or other, we are impacted by them. That's why we remember them. How do well-developed characters do this?

1.       Conflict – Good characters have conflict – and cause conflict in the reader. I can’t recall one character who didn’t have to deal with some sort of conflict to make it to the end of the story. Probably because those types of characters are not memorable. “Nothing” happens to them – therefore “nothing” happens to the reader.

      When a character can cause the reader to feel conflict – then we remember them, good or bad. They do something we don’t expect. They respond in a way that is conflicting to our natures. They cause us to see the world from a different perspective or strengthen our own resolve and choices. Something to leave a mark on our minds as we read– and so we are more likely to remember them.

2.       Arc – This is very important. Memorable characters have an Arc. What does that mean? All great characters grow. Michael Hauge refers to this as a character moving from his identity to his essence. I’ll talk more about this next time, but it basically means that a character goes from not really knowing who they are (showing a certain ‘identity’ to the world) to realizing/accepting their essence (who they are at their core). It's usually part of the internal goal for your character. I can’t wait to talk about how the romantic relationship touches on this element of character development.

3.       Relate – At some point, great characters are relatable. I’m not saying you will have a super power or have to time travel to the Civil War, but what the character cares about, their struggle, their goal, their dreams, their life – will somehow be relatable to the reader. We may not live in Regency England, like Lizzie Bennet, but we can relate to her because she wants a love that is more than what her parents, or even society, expects. I can't travel to Middle Earth, but the strength of friendship, and desire to serve others through sacrifice, makes Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee memorable. We can relate to those things...with or without hairy feet :-)

      Btw, even bad-guys need to have these traits. The BEST bad guys give us a way to relate to them (which causes conflict in us and emotion). They may not have an arc, but they usually have the other three components.

4.       Emotion – Much like conflict, great characters cause us to experience emotions. We read fiction because we want to experience what the characters are experiencing . We want to fall in love as they do, laugh as they do, embark on an adventure, solve a crime, hyperspeed to another galaxy, fight dragons, or destroy the one ring….like the characters. But the journey is remarkable because of the emotions we experience through the characters along the way - and because of those emotions, we remember the characters.

How do you make your readers CARE about your characters? Do you have conflict? Is there a clear arc? Are your characters relatable in some way and do they evoke emotions in your readers? Those are the starting points for developing strong characters.

Next time, I’ll go into a little more detail about ARC and then we’ll begin going through the 9 Character traits for memorable heroes/heroines.

As a teaser, here they are:

C - Complex

H – Heroic/Courageous/Hopeful

A – Able/Adept/Resourceful

R – Raw Wound

A – A bit unpredictable within their predictability

C – Craving/Ache/Yearning

T – True/Noble/Honorable

E – Emotion/Passion/Purpose

R- Redeemable (even if only a little)
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Pepper Basham writes romance peppered with grace and humor. She’s a native of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a mom of five, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate. She writes a variety of genres, but enjoys sprinkling her native culture of Appalachia in them all.  She currently resides in Johnson City, TN where she works as a university instructor, searches for unique hats to impress her friends, and plots new ways to annoy her wonderful AlleyCat friends. You can find her on her personal blog, Words Seasoned With Salt¸ or at her group writing blog, The Writers Alley. She is extremely blessed to be represented by 2012 ACFW Agent of the Year, Nicole Resciniti.
 

Working with Your Contest Results...

90...98...76...

Its easy to focus on the numbers of contest results. Did you final or didn't you final?

Behind these numbers is a golden teaching experience. Take advantage of it. Here's how I personally processed my contest results, maybe you'll find an idea that works for you.
 
After you read your results, PUT IT AWAY. How long? That depends on you. Maybe a few hours, maybe a day or more.

Pick up those results again when you're in the right frame of mind. I sat down with a cup of hot tea and my laptop in my most comfortable chair, my sweet hubby only a few feet away in case I needed a tissue or hug.

Read the results slowly. I planned on spending a full evening looking over my results.

Plan on a reward for after you finish. Once I went over my results I rewarded myself with watching an episode of Downton Abbey. Helped me to keep on track and be willing to deal with the negative emotions that cropped up as I went over my results to know I had something fun to look forward to later that night.

Do you need to work on your expectations? I didn't expect to final in my first ever contest, but there was still a sting. Once I looked past the comparison game, I was able to see that I had performed my best. And THEN I was able to put all the comments to good use.

Find a way to organize those comments. I wanted to see how all the comments "fit" together. I copied and pasted all the comments into a Word document, then reread them as one cohesive whole.

Categorize "like" comments. I decided to use an Excel spreadsheet to mark the comments, putting similar comments next to each other. I made a column for strengths and one for weaknesses.

Spend a moment or two smiling about your "strengths." If you're anything like me, you spend MUCH more time focusing on the weaknesses. Spend a moment praising God for the changes he has brought in your writing. Reading my entry and the comments was encouraging because an area that had previously been labeled by critiquers as a weakness had now become considered a strength by two of the judges. That means I must have grown. And YOU have, too. Ask God to show you where you have grown when you need that encouragement. He will.

What are the most common areas of weakness mentioned? Pick a few and make these your writing resolutions for the year. My areas are showing character emotion and increasing conflict. These are based on the comments I received and you know what? They are RIGHT IN LINE with what God had used other people to show me. Ask God which areas he would have you focus on.

Hit the library. In the New Year I am planning to read Conflict and Suspense by James Scott Bell, Creating Character Emotion by Ann Hood and looking through The Emotion Thesaurus. Amazon is a simple search engine to use to find books on the specific topic you are attempting to learn.

Ask your critique partners to be on the special lookout for your areas of weakness. They have read more of your writing so will be aware of specific spots where you could improve.

Look for online courses. I have been looking over one of Margie Lawson's course packets and plan to go through her syllabus on deepening character emotions. There are many online courses available and there is most likely one in the area you struggle.

Thank the Lord for using contest judges as your teachers. He gives us the judges we need to help us to grow in our writing. He knows when we need advice, when we need encouragement, and gives us exactly what we need in exactly the right season.






Julia enjoys writing women's fiction whenever she can find a chair free of smushed peanut butter sandwiches and lego blocks. She is a wife and homeschooling mama of two littles. She also is a reviewer for Library Journal, Title Trakk and Christian Library Journal.

First chapter: Chop it or be Chopped!

I am a Food Network junkie. And my favorite show? Chopped. Ooh, I love a good competition and quick results! The competitors get a basket of ingredients and must come up with a meal course in 30 minutes. At the end of each round a competitor gets “chopped” if their dish is the most criticized.

The competitors are usually full-time chefs. They are good enough to cook food to sell in their everyday lives. And they only get minutes to prove their ability to the judges.

While I was reading some great advice from James Scott Bell in The Art of War for Writers, he reminded me that we as writers, are in our own episode of Chopped-- over and over and over again.

The chefs must impress the judges in a limited amount of time, with a limited amount of ingredients. Bell states:

“Wow agents and editors by grabbing them with your opening chapters.” 

Just as the use of ingredients in Chopped sell the dish to the judges, Bell refers to your opening chapters as your “selling documents” to agents and editors. Bell gives some great tips to make those first chapters shine, and I recently found one help in my recent submission to a publisher:

“If your first chapter absolutely precludes the use of dialogue, consider throwing it out and making chapter two your new chapter one.”

At first, I resisted cutting my first chapter...I loved my first chapter! It was the first breath of life into the character in my head. But once I sat down and tried to start from chapter 2 (more action and dialogue), I realized that most of my chapter 1 could be summed up in a few sentences, and shown through out the rest of the first few chapters.

If you watch Chopped, you'll see that the chefs might find their original plan must be changed to keep up with the clock and create a tasty and impressive dish...it's tough for them to do since they're racing against the clock, and for us, it's tough to cut those words that flowed from fresh inspiration. But try it...you might find they were the ground work for a winning dish!

Come up with that winning appetizer to intrigue those agents and editors to move on to your main course. Don't get chopped after those first chapters!

What techniques have you used to tighten up your first chapters for submissions to agents or contests?
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 Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous days of diapers and temper tantrums. She is passionate to impress God's love on women regardless of their background or belief. This desire serves as a catalyst for Angie's fiction, which weaves salvation and grace themes across cultures. She is an ACFW member and CEO of a family of six.

Building a Book Blurb

Do you know what I love to do when I’m surrounded by the fabulously seductive smell of books in B&N? I adore flipping over book after book and reading back cover copies.

I want the stories. I crave something fresh and unique. And I want to be hooked.

If you’re anything like me, this is a delightful obsession for you, too. And it’s exactly why nailing the book blurb or “back cover” copy is so important.

Regardless of whether you draft your logline and surrounding sentences before you begin writing your first word (I recommend drafting at least a rough version of this before you begin writing) of after you’ve typed The End, this step is crucial to get right.

And I liken it to building a house.

When building a house you need:

A strong foundation = a high concept logline
This is where you sum up the entire plot in a bam-pow-I-gotcha-hooked sentence. Whether someone decides to buy your book or not will hinge on how well you’ve crafted your concept.

Mortar & bricks = compelling characters
How you choose to describe your characters in your back cover copy is imperative. Are we talking Plain Jane and Boring Bob or Intriguing Ida and Captivating Carl?

Insulation = the current reality surrounding your character(s)
Does this reality have enough influence to get your reader all wrapped up in your novel?

Plumbing = word choice
You can have a beautifully written novel with a sloppy back cover copy. (It’s unlikely that you’ll actually be the one to create the copy that ends up on your book, but if you’ve done the legwork, you’re much more likely to adhere to the story and hone your ability to craft compelling prose.)

Windows = a glimpse of your voice and writing style
The back cover copy is an excellent place to showcase your skills, your command of craft, and your voice.

Electrical = excitement factor or what James Scott Bell calls the “ka-ching” in The Art of War for Writers
Test what kind of reactions you receive by reading (in person) your back cover copy to local book clubs, friends or family. A face can reveal a thousand things.

Roofing = A hint the reader can trust in the satisfying experience
Readers want to know that they’re signing up for something worthwhile when they invest time reading a book. Your back cover copy helps a reader feel confident they’re about to embark upon the real deal if you work hard to establish a non-gimmicky hook for your story.

An experience to top all experiences.

Can you think of any other ways the process of building a book blurb (or back cover copy) compares to building a house?

*photos from Flickr

Plotting from Scratch

I work for an elementary school and have the most glorious summers off. Last Friday was my first day of summer and my mind began to return to that creative mode where I mulled over questions like, "What if?" or "How could it work if...?"

Needing a refresher on plot, I searched through my old posts on plot and was reminded of James Scott Bell's book, Plot and Structure. What an excellent book!

In particular, Chapter 3 has a wealth of ideas on how to gather up plot ideas. He has a Top 20 list of ways to get plot ideas that just held me enthralled. Here are just a few:

1. Flip a genre. An example of this would be the old TV show,The Wild Wild West. It is just James Bond set in the Old West.
2. Obsessions. You know, money, looks, ego, etc. Ahab obsessed about a whale in Moby Dick. Create a character, given them an obsession and see where they run.
3. Titles. Create a great title, then write a story to go with it.
4. Steal from the best. Yep, you read right. Bell says even Shakespeare took other's plots and weaved his own magic into them. We've all seen movies with similar plots. Take a plot and ramp it up, make it new, let it sing!

Bell has so many great ideas for generating great and interesting plots. Do you have a favorite way to brainstorm ideas? Do ideas come to you in your normal, everyday life? Or do you sit yourself down and get down to business?

What's Up The Street For Next Week?

~*~Dreams~*~

They are the ethereal wispiness of wishes past and present and a grasp on what we hope will be coming in the future.

And as writers, we carry many dreams in our pockets, taking them out one by one to polish and perfect, admiring and loving before slipping them back into our pockets.

Dreams are fulfilled and sometimes discarded, but we are always left enriched for having them.

What are your dreams?

Coming Up...

Pepper brings to us a quick snap shot of tips from the recent Blue Ridge Mountains Writer's Conference on Monday.

Tuesday with Sherrinda is all about when life gets in the way and you have to put a short "hold" on your writing.

You must gain a reader's trust and on Wednesday, Mary has tips on how to keep and maintain that trust to keep them turning pages.

Sometimes simply doing a random search of your WIP is not enough. Casey has a few tips on her Thursday post to help spot the problem areas in your body language.

Krista shares on Friday the importance of your finances and managing them along with the writing dream.

~ NewsStand





Congratulations to Angie who has finaled in the Touched by Love contest!!

The ACFW Conference is open for registration and several Alley Cats are going! Are you?

Tamela Hancock joins the Steve Laube Literary Agency

James Scott Bell on Writing: Skin in the Game

Nominate your favorite Christian fiction novel for the Inspy Awards

And congratulations to Pam Hillman who recently sold her first novel, Saving Jake!!!

What's Up the Street For Next Week?

Time to celebrate that cold, white stuff that’s causing a lot of fuss and confusion right now across the U.S. Snow!


Aren’t you just loving it?!? If you didn’t get to see the great pics that Mary put up on her post, go here. Wowzers.

Christmas is on the way.

And speaking of Christmas – we have a gift to give out today. Colleen Coble’s The Lightkeeper’s Bride goes to Jill W! Congrats, Jill.

Send me an email with your snail mail to pepperbasham(at)yahoo(dot)com

And for this week – Oh, it’s a REAL treat!!!! Are you ready?!? Melanie Dickerson’s debut novel, The Healer’s Apprentice. Yes, oh YES!!! For your chance to win, leave the name of your favorite fairytale and your email address! Good luck!

So, what’s going on this week?

Monday - Angie starts off the week with a sparkle in her eye...er...wait! With a sparkle at the end of her pen. Stop in to learn about A Writers Twinkling Personalities

Tuesday - Grab a tissue box and computer. Julia talks about the healing power and creativity of writing through the grieving process. Don’t miss it.

Wednesday - While SOMEONE is braving the snows in Paris this week , no names mentioned – SARAH- she’s leaves us wondering if she’ll drop in Wednesday for a taste of Paris. I love suspense, don’t you? Oh la la. Stop in to find out!!

Thursday - The leash is on for Thursday. Let Wendy take the lead as she talks about Who’s Walking Who? How Writing is Like Walking a Dog.

Friday - Cindy’s going to chat about those pesky characters today. (whispering) You know the ones who kind of barge into the middle of the book? Yeah, we all have them. Make sure you check out what she has to say about their grand and pushy entrances :-)

Alley Cat Newstand

Learn more about Hannukkah at http://mimaryvee.blogspot.com/

Pepper’s posting a Christmas series called Christ in the Carols. You can check it out on her blog, Words Seasoned With Salt .

Links to Visit

James Scott Bell was the guest on Rachelle Gardner’s blog this week. His post was really helpful, and gave some good info about agents. Check it out at http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2010/12/agents-got-heart.html

Hope to see you this week. In the meantime, may your days be merry and bright.

Put a Belt on It—Tightening Your Sagging Middle

What’s that sound? No. No, no! It’s getting dark in here. Thud. Great, we’ve lost her for good.

Know what the above represents?

Your characters reacting to losing a reader due to a sagging middle.

We are fast approaching the perfect time of year to address sagging middles. Turkey Day. The day famous for causing bellies all across America to puff out. Did I hear something in turkey naturally causes people to become sleepy? Well, snap to it!

It’s time to put a belt on that sagging middle.

Other than ingesting small portions and snacking before a big meal, how do we rectify the problem of the sagging middle?

James Scott Bell pinpoints some excellent ways to “energize a lethargic middle” in his book, Plot & Structure:

Analyze the stakesBell suggests asking what the character will lose if he doesn’t achieve his objective.

~
What more could go wrong? A perfect question for this stage of a book. Ask it and then apply it.

Strengthen the adhesiveBell encourages writers to ask, “What is it that bonds the Lead and the opposition together?” Solidify that core relationship. Think of some ways their paths could uncomfortably cross even more.

Add another level of complicationOn the heels of the last point, Bell reminds us to aggravate your MC’s ease of acquiring success and merriment. Cinch that belt until it hurts a little.

Add another characterBell suggests that we don’t add just any character, but that we’re intentional with our selection and we add “one that will make the Lead’s life more difficult.” It’s our job to frustrate the Lead from achieving their ultimate goal. The time will come for peace, but not yet. Not in the middle.

Add another subplotYou pour spoonfuls of gravy onto your plate. Hence, the middle grows. Make sure if you add a subplot you maintain the flow of your work. Bell suggests writers use this solution sparingly (perhaps it’s the girdle kind of belt).

Push on through the WallYou push away from the Thanksgiving Feast. You’ve eaten your fill. Maybe it’s time for a walk? A break? Middles get saggy, especially when you consume words and ideas like any good writer does. Stories have great potential to bulge to non-attention grabbing works.

There’s hope for your sagging middle.

You can always put a belt on it.

*photos from flickr

Interview with Author James Scott Bell

Pepper here, and I'm tickled all the way down to my funny bone to welcome famous author, speaker, and teacher, James Scott Bell.
(To the left is a picture of me and Jim yesterday at ACFW in Indianapolis).

I met him three years ago at my very first Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and took his ficiton writing course. WOW! I realized then, for sure, that I was a writer. Sitting through that class confirmed all my weirdness in three short days. Oh, what a feeling!!! Two years ago, he was back at BRMCWC - and it was a pleasure to see him again. This weekend, he's up in Indy with loads of other authors, and aspiring authors, at the American Christian Fiction Writers annual conference.

So, I'm so happy to have him as our guest today on The Writers Alley.

Jim,

Thanks so much for being with us today.

You are an author of both fiction and nonfiction, an adjunct professor, and a fabulous presenter. What parts do you enjoy most about those various hats you wear?

As a novelist, my greatest pleasure is in making up stories. I love the creation aspect, the idea phase, coming up with plot and character and then seeing how I get there on the page. This is my foundation. I consider myself a novelist first, and everything else follows.

When I'm in a classroom situation, I love seeing lights go on in the students' eyes. When they "get it." In fact, I've lost count of the number of people who've come through workshops of mine and have gone on to be published or have improved their craft and have been kind enough to credit me with part of that. That is enormously satisfying.

I really appreciate how approachable you are. Every time I’ve had an opportunity to meet you, you’ve been tremendously encouraging. Who are/were some of the people in your life who took time to encourage you in this crazy writing journey?

The first influence was my mom, who encouraged my reading and who was herself an aspiring writer. She helped me to be creative and write stories when I was in elementary school. I got into sports pretty heavily, but in high school I had a wonderful English teacher, Mrs. Marjorie Bruce, who saw something in me and helped to bring it out. I stayed in touch with her over the years, and in fact we were very close until her death at the age of 90. She was probably my biggest influence.

And then there are all the writers who spoke to me through their fiction. The ones who spring to mind immediately are Hemingway, Steinbeck, Saroyan, Raymond Chandler, John D. MacDonald and the ghost writers of The Hardy Boys series.

Your nonfiction book, Plot & Structure, was one of the first writing craft books I ever read. Do you still use the three-point plot structure for your novels, and how might you modify it a bit?

I use everything in Plot & Structure. That's why I wrote it. I put in there all of the things I had to learn by trial and error, so they are hard won techniques that actually work. I don't modify structure, just as I wouldn't try to modify the Golden Gate Bridge. The originality in stories comes from character and concept, spiced up with great dialogue and surprising scenes, but poured into a solid structure that I have found works the best for telling stories.

Are you a pantster? Plotter? Plantster? Whatever you want to call it – how do you write your books in a nutshell?

I learned how to write screenplays first. I used the index card technique to lay out a structured story, and I still do that for every novel. How heavily I outline has varied, sometimes depending on how much of the story is in my head. I do outline Act 1 fairly extensively, because that is where all of the story elements need to be strong or the book will sag in the middle. I like to have a pretty clear idea of how the book will end, though that is subject to change as the book goes along. You have to have some breathing room so the book can be organic. I remember once having a wife character who I planned on having leave the family home to be safe. But when I got to that scene she refused to go. I argued with her. She stood her ground. It was the right decision. It changed the direction I had planned on, but I wasn't so wedded to an outline that I couldn't go there. I don't take too hard a stand on this issue. But people who are purely seat-of-the-pants writers will benefit from a little more forward thinking. And those who like ironclad outlines, though they work for many writers, need to be open to the needs of the story as it develops.

I really appreciate the fact that your books are set in your hometown. Los Angeles. I know that stories happen everywhere, but what do you find most helpful and intriguing about placing your novels in a very familiar city. Any challenges to that?

Los Angeles is the greatest noir city ever. Because of its diversity there are an infinite number of settings, plot points, crazy characters and so on. It's just so rich, and I love going to places in the city I'm not that familiar with and getting to know it, taking pictures, walking around. If I was smart, though, I would set my books in Hawaii.
What makes writing a thriller so…well…thrilling? You must like it, since your books span both Inspirational Fiction and Mainstream fiction. What are some reasons you enjoy writing thrillers over, shall we say, romance?

I think thrillers where the original stories. Of the Caveman sitting around a fire making himself look good by telling the rest of the tribe how a mastodon came after him and he bravely fought it off. Thrillers bring a sense of order to a chaotic world. A sense of justice in the heart of darkness. People need to believe that. That's why romances are popular, because people want to believe in love. In thrillers, people want to believe that good can triumph over evil. Plus it's just plain fun to keep people up at night, turning pages, as you take them on a roller coaster ride.

What writing advice would you give to those of us who are either learning the craft or spreading our proverbial wings out toward publication?

Work under a quota system. That was some of the earliest and still maybe the best advice I got. I do a weekly quota, because there may be days that I miss for some reason. But I do my 6000 words a week, taking one day off to rest.

You have to finish what you write. You have to get to the end of that novel you're writing. You learn the most by just working through, pushing through, and then stepping back and trying to learn what works and what doesn't. That's why I write my writing books, to help writers work through those issues. But the most important thing is to write and finish what you write, and keep on doing it.

If you could be any of your characters, who would you be and why?

I think for just one day I would like to be Sister Mary Veritas, the basketball playing nun from my series, Try Dying, Try Darkness and Try Fear. I have never been a basketball playing nun and probably never will be, so it would be an experience. But then I would want to return to my real life where I don't have to wear a nun's habit, where I can still wear a Hawaiian shirt, shorts and flip-flops to Starbucks and do some writing.

Thanks so much for being with us today.
For anyone who wants to learn more about James Scott Bell's books, check out his website at http://www.jamesscottbell.com/

What's Up the Street for Next Week?

September is here which means Fall is just around the corner... 18 days away to be precise. Not so sure I am eager to see the green and sunshine go away, but I do know that I love the changing of nature's cloak.

With just a slight nip in the air it is the perfect time to cozy up to a crackling fire and pry open a good book... or write the next chapter on your WIP. And hopefully this week on the Alley there will be some great advice (or what we think to be great advice) to help propel your story forward.

So grab a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and settle in for lessons on the craft of writing.

Monday: Hooks in the beginning, hooks in the middle, hooks in the end... Oh sorry wrong thought there. But Pepper will be talking hooks, how to keep that reader turning from chapter to chapter. Don't miss it!

Tuesday: What to write when there isn't anything to write? Sherrinda is your hostess today, don't miss out on the sunshine she brings to the Alley. ;-)

Wednesday: Part two of Mary's parable and allegory series, how it enriches our writing, to be used even in everyday fiction!

Thursday: Myth Buster #2 Show Don't Tell. What secrets will Casey unearth and explode in the face of one of today's popular "myths"? Only time will tell, so check back in.

Friday: The Grand Canyon. A spectacular view and a breathtaking glimpse of God's creation. Mary takes us there on the next installment of Vacation Fridays.

Saturday: Plotting your novel? Want some great advice? Stop by to visit with author Cara Putman as she talks about how she plotted her latest novel, Stars in the Night.

SideWalk Talk

The Alley welcomes well-known best selling authors to the blog to share their experiences in the publication world, check it out!



~James Scott Bell
~Joseph Bentz
~Laura Frantz
~Jack Cavanaugh

News Stand

Casey interview Julie Lessman on her blog! A giveaway of Julie's highly anticipated novel, A Hope Undaunted is being given away! Don't miss it.

Don't forget to check out the post with author Amanda Cabot from yesterday. There is a giveaway involved. *wink*

Mary's blog:  Monday: Fall Tip #1:  How to be a Super Hero.  Wed and Sat: Take a walk in Moses' shoes as he stands before Pharaoh. Will Pharaoh refuse to let the children of Israel go?  How will God respond if Pharaoh doesn't let them go? 

If you live in the Northwest, check out this writing conference coming to Boise, Idaho! Here is the link for you to check out the Idaho Book Extravaganza

A great week on the Alley in store, we hope you will stop by, you just never know what to expect!

What's Up The Street for Next Week?

Have you visited Seekerville lately? If not, you should, that blog is so wonderful and such a great learning experience, that this weekend edition is dedicated to them!

On Seekerville you can:

~Learn something new everyday from 15 fun and talented ladies that are always willing to share on their successes and failures in the writing industry.

~Experience and grow, share and critique, all while feeding off the wonderful enthusiasm that writers generate

~Be encouraged and inspired

~Enter some pretty spectacular contests

~You won't be stuck on Unpubbed Island for long with advice from these lovely ladies!

~Something for everyone!

Check out the ladies at Seekerville today! You are sure to feel welcome.

12 of the lovely Seeker ladies!

We have had Seekers visit the Alley too! Check out: Myra's post, Mary's interview and Cara's interview

Visit the Seekerville weekend edition from yesterday to find out what is happening over there this week.

And now what is going on at the Alley this week....

Monday: Pepper grabs hold and hangs on tight as she talks about "Hooking the Reader" from the very start

Tuesday: Sherrinda looooves to keep us in suspense and stitches, so watch for a uniquiely Sherrinda post sure to come your way!

Wednesday: What better way to learn about writing, then the way that Jesus taught? Join Mary as she posts about parables and allegories.

Thursday: Marks the start of Casey's month long series "Myth Busters" with the first installment: "Hitting the Writer's Block Wall"

Friday: Since Krista is on maternity leave with precious Annabelle, this month introduces the "Vacation Fridays- come travel with us!" Pepper jumpstarts the installment with a research/ trip for pleasure post and how to use it to the best of your writing. Don't miss it! (I am sure there will be pictures too :-)

Saturday: Join us and help welcome author of Paper Roses and Scattered Petals, Amanda Cabot as she teaches on her own experience: Keeping Your Series Accurate. There will be a giveaway, so be on the watch! :-)

SideWalk Talk

September is nearly here! Is that even possible? Well, it seems that it were so, check out the next week's guest and the spectular lineup for this coming month.

9/12: Cara Putman
9/19: James Scott Bell
9/26: Joseph Bentz
10/2: Laura Frantz

NewStand

Mary entertains the young and the young at heart with: After days of trekking across the desert, Moses and his family arrive in Egypt tired and thirsty. No one put out a welcome banner, no one threw a party. God walked beside him. Come read about Moses return to Egypt this week.

Casey is giving away Melanie Dickerson's The Healer's Apprentice, an ACFW bookclub selection, so check it out!

Krista updates us at least once a week on Annabelle's condition so be sure and stop by and add this precious child of God to your prayer list.

We are excited to share this week on the Alley with you and hope you stop by often. We love the visits. :-)

What's Up The Street For Next Week?

In honor of our guest this week, Jen Stephen's post on goals, the weekend edition is all about making a goal and reaching for it.

Do you have any goals?

Have you reached them?

Or do you need to set a new one?

Take a small step in faith. Reach for the stars! You might be surprised at what you find.

So, here are the goals this week for the Alley. The only question is, will we make them? ;-)

Monday- Join Dr. Pepper as she prepares to go to the ACFW conference next month!! (We all are still a bit jealous). Excitement and preparation abound as she gets ready to pack her bags and fly off to Indy, but first she posts about one sheets and the "visual pitch."

Tuesday- Sherrinda is swamped with 12 hour work days and moving, so today is a SURPRISE day! Except something great, but different from the normal schedule. ;-)

Wednesday- Mary gives a glimpse into the art form in writing we all long to understand on a deeper level- metaphor and similies, grace and depth to add to your fiction.

Thursday- Casey tackles the controversial topic of swearing in fiction. Agree? Disagree? Stop by to share your opinion.

Friday- The final installment of "Tips From Those That Have Gone Before Us" with author Michael Snyde on "Considering Your Audience"

Saturday-  Our special guest is an interview with author, Margaret Brownley! Stop by to glean from her words of wisdom.

SideWalk Talk
Mark your calendar and ceck out the amazing lineup of authors we are inviting over for a chat in the month of September!

Amanda Cabot coaches us on keeping our series accurate.

Cara Putman takes a moment to share her wisdom just before the ACFW conference.

James Scott Bell, best selling author and teacher at the ACFW conference, shares an interview he had with our own Pepper!

Joseph Bentz instructs us on the importance of living with our characters.

What a lineup! Takes my breath away, so exciting to have them all visit here very soon!

News Stand

The winner of Cara Lynn James's novel, Love on a Dime is.... A.J. Hawke!!! Congratulations!

Stop by Operation Encourage an Author this coming week to support author Vanessa Johnson and enter to win her novel, Sacrfices in the Name of Love

Casey is currently doing several giveaways on her blog, stop by Writing for Christ to enter to win for your favorite new read.

Sherrinda is busy moving and getting back to work this month, but stop by her blog, to show a bit of support.

Krista is still away on maternity leave with her precious baby, Annabelle, but stop by her blog to hear the latest and pray for this precious new life.

Pepper has a new job! And is moving! And is trying to get a new story written that her agent has requested! (and is feeling a tad overwhelmned) Visit her blog would you and let you know she isn't alone?

Mary always has a new Bible story written in her own fictional account on her personal blog, check it out this week!

It's going to be a great week on the Alley! We look forward to sharing it with you.

What's Up the Street For Next Week?

Well, as usual, the Alley has been crowded with a wonderful array of visitors over the summer. Authors of various genres have stopped by our little corner to share their wisdom, humor, and experiences. At a glance here are a few of our past special guests:

Janice Thompson

Christa Allan

Deb Raney & Tamera Alexander

Myra Johnson

Michelle Sutton

Margaret Daley

Mary Connealy   

And so many more.


That’s not all. There’s more to come. Just stick around and find out.

What’s going on this week? In celebration of the school year, we have school buses - of all various shapes and sizes. Anyone here NEVER ridden in a school bus? Or do you have some fantastic school bus story from your past? :-)

Monday – One of the hot topics for the ACFW First-timer’s orientation loop is One Sheets, and Pepper’s learning along with the others. But she’ll share her take on the ‘one sheets’ and provide a few links to help you along.

Tuesday – With life on the move and a full work schedule, Sherrinda will fill us in on writing, work, and everything in between. :-)

Wednesday – Mary gives us a few tips about the future in Writing Today for Tomorrow’s World.

Thursday – Stop by and check out Casey’s post, When Description Goes Too Far – like that could ever happen. ;-)

Friday- It’s another writing tip day with Krista’s special guest, Michael Snyder, and his post Consider Your Audience

Saturday – Award winning author, Angela Hunt, stops by for an interview. Don’t miss it.


SIDEWALK TALK

August 28 – Interview with Margaret Brownley

September 4 - Amanda Cabot talks about the good, the bad, and the ugly of writing a series

September 11 – Just before ACFW, Cara Putnam stops by during her busy schedule to join us.

September 18 – An interview with award winning author and speaker, James Scott Bell

September 25 – Joseph Bentz joins us to teach us the Value of Living Permanently with Characters

Blog Stop?

Found a new blog this week hosted by Abingdon Press editor Barbara Scott. Check it out at http://therovingeditor.blogspot.com/

Have a great week and enjoy!