Tuesday Writing Tips – Where Should I Start My Story?

What’s the best place to start my story?

I have been asked this question a lot lately and while there is no one answer or ‘right way’ to do it, there are some things to keep in mind.

The main character

Particularly if it’s a story for kids or teenagers, the reader will need to meet your main character straight away.  The sooner they connect with your character, the sooner you will hook them into the story.

Start AT the story

This might seem like a strange thing to say, but especially when you first begin writing, it’s quite common for writers to start their story before it actually happens.

For example, if your story starts with the character’s brother arriving home from the war, don’t show the character walking down the hallway to open the front door and find their brother standing there, start your story from the moment he/she opens the door and finds their long lost brother standing there.

Don’t start with back story or information dumps where you give the reader lots of detail about your characters. Try and show characterisation by action and dialogue and how a character interacts with the setting.

Think about how you are starting your story. Are you starting it with something that the reader needs to know or something that the author needs to know? (Authors need to know a lot of background information about their characters because that’s what makes them who they are – but readers don’t necessarily need to know all this.) If your story starts with something that you have discovered as the author, but the reader doesn’t necessarily need to know, then you need to think about a stronger beginning.

Your story must start with a piece of action that’s essential for the reader to understand, be hooked into or be interested in your story.

By action, I don’t necessarily mean a murder or a shooting or a car chase – I mean something has to actually happen in your story, not just be talked about – for example, the long lost brother arriving home. Don’t talk about him arriving home – show it happening – show your character’s actions and reactions.

Inciting incident

This brings me to the next point.  Every story needs an inciting incident – this is the event that starts the story off – it’s the reason why things change for your character now, on this day at this time.

An inciting incident could be something like the long lost brother arriving home from the war, a letter in the mail, an accident – a piece of action that starts the story in motion.

An inciting incident is the thing that starts the chain of events that are your story – the chain of events that are going to change your main character’s life forever.

I hope this helps you getting started with your story.

If you have any other tips about how or when to start your story – or experiences to share, please feel free to post them in the comments section of this article.

Happy Writing:)

Dee

Tuesday Writing Tips – Joining/Starting a Writer’s Group

I moved to a new town recently, and I’m about to join the local writer’s group. So I started thinking about why I want to join this group and why writer’s groups are so important – not to mention a lot of fun.

If you don’t have one in your area, you can always start one. You’d probably be surprised to find out how many local writers there are.

Our Writer’s Group secured funding to produce this anthology of short stories, poems and illustrations.

I’ve set up two writer’s groups so I can tell you that it’s as easy as putting up a notice in your local book store or supermarket saying, “Always wanted to write? Meet likeminded people at the … Writer’s Group”.

Whether you want to write for a living or just for fun, belonging to a successful writer’s group will help and inspire you on your journey.

Benefits of a Writer’s Group

1. You get to meet likeminded people
2. It’s a forum where you can be inspired
3. You can learn more about writing
4. You can learn more about your own writing
5. You can get your work critiqued
6. You can have fun with writing
7. There’s a sharing of writerly information so you get to learn industry news
8. You get to learn about publishing opportunities and competitions
9. You’re in a place where your writing is supported – and you will have people who understand to share the ups and downs of your writing journey
10. You can apply for arts funding as a group and produce your own publication

Tips for running or being in a Writer’s Group

1. Find somewhere comfortable to meet (low cost or no cost).
2. Be democratic – find out what members of your particular group want to do and make this the focus of your activities
3. Be constructive and encouraging with feedback on people’s work
4. Don’t force people to have their work critiqued – they might not be ready for it
5. A writer’s group is just that … a group. It’s about sharing. It’s not about power … and it’s not about any one person. Don’t allow any one person to dominate too much – have a quiet word to them if this is happening. If you don’t, you’ll find that your group quickly becomes a lot less fun, and you may lose members.
6. Go on writerly excursions
7. Remember, this is social too – your members are people as well as writers – building trust is very important with critique groups or partners so take the time to get to know members of your group
8. Be open minded to other genre. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Just because you don’t write in a particular genre doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy reading it
9. Try and meet regularly (perhaps the same time every month) so this is somewhere people can look forward to going – a place they can go for support and inspiration
10. Have professional development sessions – pay to get people in to do workshops and talks. Members need to feel that the group offers new opportunities

So, what are you waiting for? If you don’t have a writer’s group in your area, go start one. Put a flier in the local book store or supermarket – ask your local newspaper to do a story – let teachers and students at the local high school know that you are starting a group.

Have you ever started a writer’s group or belonged to one? Feel free to share what worked/works for you and your group.

Good luck and happy writing:)

Dee

Tuesday Writing Tip – Sorting Through Your Scenes

My muse Molly is plotting just how she’s going to get that tasty piece of washing off the line:)

I’m currently going through the scenes of a much edited and rewritten YA manuscript.

There are so many things I like about the manuscript and so many things I don’t – and publishers I have submitted it to have pretty much reacted in the same way.

I keep coming back to the fact that I think the main issues with it are plot related.

I tend to complicate things with lots of small pieces of action and sub plots. I think it stems from an unfounded paranoia that you need lots of twists and turns to stop teen readers from getting bored.

Instinct, and the reading of other great YA novels tells me that if I have characters and circumstances teens can relate to, this is what I really need.

So for now I’m going with that – and trying to get rid of complications that don’t need to be there.

When I look at each individual scene I can convince myself that every scene needs to be there – they all have a purpose.

But when I look at the overall plot, I realise that some scenes are not moving the story forward or really developing my main character – they are just a plot device to show the reader something I want them to know.

So I’m going back to looking at what really matters in this story – and I think this is going to give me a guide to which scenes really don’t matter – which scenes don’t need to be there.

To do this, I’m looking at what I think are the essential elements.

To identify these, I’m looking at the main plot points as identified by screenwriting guru Syd Field – which seem to work just as well for novels (You can read more about Syd’s theories in his Screenplay and The Screen Writer’s Workbook)

Syd Field’s Main Plot Points

 1.  The inciting incident - the thing that starts the story

2.  Plot point one (occurs near the end of the first quarter of the story.) Plot point one is the moment when the main character takes on the story problem and decides to do something about it. This decision changes the character’s life.

3.  Midpoint reversal – As the name suggests, this occurs halfway through the story and is something that takes it in a new direction.

4. Plot point two – this happens about 3/4 of the way through the story. This is when the main character makes a conscious choice that they can no longer cope with the way things are and something has to change.

5.  Climax – this is where the main character confronts the problem/villain once and for all in the ultimate showdown.

Do you find your plots have a tendency to become too complicated? What do you do to simplify them?

Feel free to share your tips and suggestions in the comments section of this blog.

Next week, I’m going to talk about scene sequences and rising tension.

In the meantime, happy writing:)

Dee

Tuesday Writing Tip – Turning Fact into Fiction

One of the fun things about being a storyteller is that you can change the way things really happened and turn a real event into a work of fiction. You have control of your story. You decide what happens,who it happens to and where it happens. Real people and events can provide great inspiration for fiction.

But having creative licence brings responsibility. You have to write with integrity. You don’t want to do things that will invade people’s privacy, you don’t want to upset them and you don’t want to get sued.

If you want to turn a true story into a work of fiction for whatever reason (like I did with Hope for Hanna), these are my tips on how you could do it:

• Step away from the true story as much as you can. Try and sift the essential elements of what your story is about from the detail of what really happened.
• Write down the main things (action points) that happen in the memoir/biography. Decide what’s important to you – what do you want to keep in your story?
• Decide where your story is going to start and where it’s going to end – this could be different from what actually happened in real life.
• Do a plot plan for your story with a beginning, a series of events leading to the climax (the high point of your story) and a conclusion tying all the threads together. Plot your story as you would a novel.
• Decide which characters to include in the work of fiction. In a memoir there are usually lots of people mentioned because real life is full of encounters, but you can cut some of these out if you are writing fiction. It can get confusing if you have too many characters or too much happening.
• Do a character profile for each person you want to include in your story, but make their background and details totally different from real life. Completely change names, places of residence, appearance, number of siblings, number of children, possibly even gender. Do what you can to make them unrecognisable in your story, whilst still being real people. It’s the essence of the people you want to capture in your story, not their detail.
• Use these characters to create fictional things in your story and you can blend these with the true events.
• Rework your plot outline to include true and fictional incidents you want to use. Perhaps change the order of events from what really happened.
• Try and sum up in a paragraph what you want your story to be about. Leave out any incidents/action that is not related.
• Get someone who knows you well to read your writing to make sure you have moved away enough from the true story.
• Try and feel your story and allow it to take you in new directions. Don’t fight against these changes because they are not what actually happened.
• Find the truth in your story in the power and complexity of your characters rather than the detail of actual events.

If you have any tips or experiences to share on how you have turned fact into fiction, please feel free to share them in the comments section of this post.

Our series of posts on point of view is coming up soon on this blog so stay tuned.

In the meantime, 

Happy writing:)

Dee

NEW WRITING TIPS ARTICLES AND BLOG BREAK

 

NEW WRITING TIPS 

Over the next few months I’m publishing a series of blog posts to help you polish your writing techniques.

They’ll be appearing on this blog EVERY TUESDAY (except blog break week.)

I’ll be covering things like where to start your story, where to get your ideas from, how to develop your characters, plotting, ending your story and editing.

I hope you find the tips helpful.

BLOG BREAK

As it’s the last full week of the month, I’m taking my blog break week to focus on writing.

So there won’t be any blog posts this week.

Sorry for any disappointment, but if you need a writing tips’ fix, Janice Hardy has a great blog at The Other Side of the Story and agent, Rachelle Gardner has great posts and discussions on being a writer/agent/publisher at her blog

Literary Rambles is another favourite of mine.

I hope you have a great writing week and if there are any topics you want raised on this blog, feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments section of this post.

Thanks and Happy Writing:)

Dee

Marianne Musgrove’s Terrific Writing Tips

Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Marianne Musgrove back to DeeScribe Writing. Marianne has generously agreed to share some of her fabulous tips on writing.

Marianne Musgrove is an award winning author of such titles as The Worry Tree and Don’t Breathe a Word. She is also a descendant of King Henry VIII’s librarian so books are in her blood!

She is touring the blogosphere to celebrate the release of her latest book, The Beginner’s Guide to Revenge – a funny, moving tale of two teenagers who dabble in the art of revenge only to discover it may not be as sweet as they first imagined.

Making the Most of Metaphors – by Marianne Musgrove

Before I had a book contract, I had a dream one night that I was sitting in a publisher’s office. The publisher leaned forward and said, ‘So, Marianne, how much do you want this?’. My response was to remove my right arm and place it on the desk between us. Apparently, I was willing to give my right arm to be an author!

This dream goes to show how deep metaphors run in the psyche of we humans. They help us understand ourselves and others, and for this reason, metaphors are one of the most useful implements in a writer’s toolbox. Used well, they deepen the meaning of a simple story, exploring ideas, characters’ motives and feelings. Over-used, they render a story forced and awkward. Under-used, the story remains one-dimensional.

Tip 1: Consider the age of your audience

Children don’t develop the ability to understand concepts until around the age of twelve. For this reason, relying on metaphors to convey the meaning of your story will go over the heads of younger readers. While it’s great to use metaphors, make sure the plot stands on its own merit.

Tip 2: First person versus third person

If you’re writing your story in first person, the age of the character will determine the degree of sophistication of their metaphors. If your character is young and you’re keen to use complex images, consider writing in the third person. That said …

Tip 3: The exception to the rule

In my new book, The Beginner’s Guide to Revenge, I’ve used the metaphor of ANZAC Day to explore the themes of conflict, forgiveness, and letting go of the past. The story switches between the first person perspectives of two thirteen year olds, Romola and Sebastian. Even though these characters are unaware of the significance of the ANZAC Day metaphor, the reader is able to draw similarities between the ANZACs and the conflict in the private lives of the characters.

Tip 4: Less is more

I suffer from excessive metaphoritis. Once it comes time to edit, I comb through my manuscript and note how many metaphors I’ve use in any given scene, usually cutting back the number. Try not to have more than one per paragraph. Metaphors should support and enrich the story, not the other way round.

Tip 5: Keeping track

After the first draft, I get out my coloured post-it notes and assign a different colour for each major metaphor. I stick the relevant post-it on the corresponding plot card wherever I’ve mentioned said metaphor. The post-its give me a sense of how spaced out the references are. If there’re all grouped together at the beginning, I revisit the manuscript and amend accordingly.

Images bring a story to life. Use them wisely and well!

– Marianne Musgrove

TUESDAY WRITING TIP – ADD LAYERS TO YOUR PLOT

I sometimes find that my plots are too linear – there’s a lot happening, but they still feel flat

While I was away in Canberra, I read Donald Maass’s amazing book, Writing the Breakout Novel (and worked my way through his Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook) and so many things in it made sense for me – made me realise that what was missing from my plot was layering.

I needed to develop additional conflict/problems for my main character that weren’t related to the main story but added complications.

Here’s what I mean. My main character’s goal is to avenge an injury done to her and stop the perpetrator from doing it to anyone else.

I followed the directions in Donald Maass’s Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook and now I have three additional problems for my character.

1.         She wants to break up with her boyfriend but doesn’t know how without ruining their friendship.

2.         She has been caught shoplifting and her father is a policeman.

3.         She has to stop her younger sister from becoming involved with a dangerous older guy.

See already, I have things that are going to complicate my character’s life and hamper her in achieving her goal.

But thanks to Donald Maas, I realised I had to do more than create obstacles for my character.

As Maas points out.  ”So what? Who cares if your main character doesn’t achieve their goal? What’s at stake?”

These questions have encouraged me to delve even deeper into my plot

If my main character doesn’t stop the person who attacked her then her own family is at risk because the perpetrator knows where she lives. Lives are at stake…and not just her own.

Now all I have to do is get my readers to care about my main character and her family and then the stakes will matter to them too.

Don’t you just love it when you pick up a writing book that really resonates with you, that can help you see how you can become a better writer.

If you have some favourite books on writing I’d love you to share them…and also share your experiences of how they have helped you.

Feel free to leave your feedback and suggestions in the comments section of this post.

Happy writing:)

Dee

FRIDAY FEEDBACK

Don’t forget to come back Friday to checkout our feedback on a piece of someone’s work in progress.

If you’d like to submit your work for the Friday Feedback segment, click on this link to find out how.

Have You Ever Lost Your Writer’s Voice?

Tania, me and Claire

I have. It was gone for over a month, but now it’s back – thanks to some great writer friends and the stars.

I’m in Canberra this week with my son who’s doing work experience at Mount Stromlo Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics. He loves astronomy so it’s going to be a great week for him.

It has worked out well for me too because it has given me time to write, and the opportunity to catch up with writer friends like Tania McCartney and Claire Saxby (who happened to be in Canberra by chance).

But most important of all, I’ve had the chance to step back and look at things from a new perspective.

I came to Canberra expecting to work on a new manuscript. I had put aside my work in progress after receiving some unsolicited feedback on my writing style that took me by surprise (not in a good way) and dried my words up.

I’m not normally this fickle – normally one manuscript is the centre of my focus and I don’t deviate from it until the current draft is finished, and I put it aside knowing that I’ve gone as far as I can at that point in time. But over recent weeks, I’ve been unable to touch my work in progress.

Inspiring Ellen Hopkins and Mo Johnson

On my way to Canberra I deviated, and that’s where I found the first piece of my voice. I went from Melbourne to Canberra via Sydney where I caught up with the Mo Johnson (author of Boofheads, Something More and Noah’s Garden, and Ellen Hopkins. Ellen’s amazing books, Crank, Impulse, Burned (and many more) were what first inspired me to try my hand at verse novels.

It was so exciting to be among YA novellists talking about YA novels. I’d been feeling a bit disheartened lately because although I’ve had quite a bit of interest from overseas, it appears that Australian publishers are not publishing the kind of YA that I write at the moment.

Just being with Mo and Ellen and talking about our writing was invigorating. It also reminded me that we have to write what’s in our hearts. As Ellen says, “We have to tell the story that we need to tell”.

Ellen’s words reminded me that although being published is fabulous, we write because we have something to say.  And so we must say it…no matter how many setbacks we have…no matter who is going to read it…we have to tell our stories in our own unique way.

So this is my week for putting aside all the things that have held me back from working on my YA thriller…that it might be ‘too dark’ or ‘too different’ or ‘too something else’.

After a long break, I’m getting back into it with fresh eyes and renewed vigour. I believe in this manuscript (I almost always have:) and I’m determined to make it work.

The break has been good for both me, and the manuscript, but now it’s time to immerse myself in it again.

Today, when I was lunching with Tania and Claire I realised that I’d let the words of one person paralyse my writing.

Whether it’s a bad review or a ‘too personal’ rejection, it can cripple our creativity, but the fact is that we have to move on.

I’m lucky to have my ever-optimistic and supportive crit buddy, Alison Reynolds who has encouraged me and had faith in me every step of the way. I’m lucky to have such wonderful and empathetic writing friends who have helped me more than they know.

If you lose your writer’s voice, here are my suggestions on how to get it back.

MY TIPS

1. Take a break from your manuscript
2. Identify what’s holding you back and deal with it
3. Find or read about inspirational people to inspire you (go to conferences, join writer’s group, go places where you can meet and share with other writers)
4. Read books by people who inspire you.
5. Have ceremonial burnings of painful reviews or rejection letters
6. Celebrate your successes, large and small

Have you ever lost your writer’s voice? How did you get it back?

We’d love you to share your stories and suggestions in the comments section of this post.

Happy writing:)

Dee

HOW TO GET EXCITED ABOUT YOUR WRITING AGAIN

I have a number of submissions ‘out there’ at the moment.

Just to name a few, I have a contemporary YA novel, a humorous mid-grade series, a humorous educational chapter book and a proposal for a non-fiction YA series.

I know there are many many writers out there just like me…waiting…waiting…waiting. And it’s not always easy. There are some days when I wonder whether I’ll ever hear back…when I seriously wonder whether I even want to. Sometimes I feel as if I’m chasing a rainbow that disappears just as I’m about to reach out and touch it.

Last month, I had a ‘will you stop writing this stuff’ rejection in the same month as the same manuscript shortlisted in a major writing competition and I got a request for a ‘full’ for it from a US agent. No wonder we writers get confused.

For a nano second I even asked myself last month why I do this. Why do I put myself through all these ‘ups and downs’? The answer wasn’t hard to find. It’s because I’m a writer. It’s what I do.

And now, less than a week later, I’m excited about writing again…and here’s why?

1.            I have the most awesome writerly friends (you know who you are:) who inspire me with their great work, support me with their caring and wisdom and show me true kindness.

2.            When I’m not writing I’m reading, and reading fabulous books reminds me why I write and inspires me to write better.

3.            I have just done another amazing, inspiring, so full of learning online course with the great Mary Buckham, (Check out her website) who not only provides awesome learning materials but also positive helpful feedback.

4.            I have excavated from my manuscript pile a piece of work I always loved, but never submitted because it ‘breaks a few rules’. I’m now working on that one ready to submit.

5.            A new idea for a quirky new YA novel has leapt into my head, complete with plot and characters…and I’m having fun writing again.

I have put aside what I was working on to pursue this new idea and I’m finding it liberating. This new idea is truly what I want to be writing at the moment.

Sometimes I forget that I have control of all this. I was soldiering on with a manuscript that I still think has merit, but for a number of reasons I’m just not into right now. But I was stubbornly pursuing it because I felt I had to get to the end. But I don’t. Not right now – not when I’m not in the mood – not when I’m not enjoying writing it.

Another thing going for my new WIP is that it’s about a 15 year old boy and I happen to have one of those home on school holidays at the moment…and he’s always willing to help me with ideas, suggestions and crits…so why wouldn’t I make the most of this opportunity?

When your writing isn’t going the way you’d like it to, what do you do to bring it back on track.

I’d love you to share your tips and suggestions in the comments section of this post.

Happy writing:)

Dee

P.S. Friday Feedback is back this week

TUESDAY WRITING TIP – TAKING A BREAK FROM YOUR MANUSCRIPT

I’ve been on a roller coaster with my writing over the last few weeks. Life has taken over at times and like all writers, I’ve had a few setbacks. (Not just the ‘thanks but no thanks’ emails)

I’ve been working on my YA trilogy which is a complex maze of characters, plot and foreshadowing. I tried a series of different plotting devices, but what I realised this week is the thing I need most is to take a break – to stop forcing the issue and allow my subconscious to do its work.

I find that the more pressure I put on myself, the harder it is for my brain to relax…for my thoughts to flow freely…to find the creative solutions I need.

Part of my difficulty has been the discovery that what I thought was book one in the trilogy is actually book two and now I have to basically start from scratch – which is okay, but these characters and their conflicts have been in my head for so long that I feel like I need to put some distance between us.

It’s like spending 24/7 with a bossy friend and feeling that you just need time out to breathe…to be yourself.

Basically, I got to 12,000 words and hit the brick wall. Even though I know what’s going to happen, I need to do more character development and plotting…and thinking. Like a freshly made pot of tea, I need to leave this story to let it brew. So, hard as it has been, I’ve walked away from the manuscript for the time being.

I’m taking a break and loving it…and I know that when I get back to this story I’m going to love it a whole lot more too.

Sometimes you need to walk away from a manuscript. It doesn’t have to be permanent, but it’s okay to let it go for the time being and move on to something else.

Here’s what to I’ve been doing and these are some things that might help you if you feel like your manuscript is managing you:

1. I’m reading a lot…and loving it. Reading great books reminds you of what you love about being a writer.
2. Taking lots of long walks with my dog (and sometimes the cat). They think this is a fabulous idea.
3. Revisiting an old manuscript in a completely different genre. (I’m really enjoying this).
4. Taking a short writing course.

I’d love to hear your suggestions and tips about what you do when you feel like you are getting bogged down with a manuscript. What do you do to get back the spark?

Feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments section of this post.

Happy writing:)

Dee