Oh, Give Me The Map

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This past week I’ve struggled with a new project. I’ve completed five books and started a handful in-between them. I’ve always started with a kernel of an idea and poof I’d take off down the story path without a care in the world. I’d type and think and type and think and the story came to life as if it had mind of its own. Four-hundred pages— geesh that’s nothing to write. This week however, I thought more about the characters, their wants and needs and how those desires would play against the hero and heroine and of course a villain.

I’ve always dubbed myself a panster, but I have this gut wrenching feel my writing style is changing, somewhat. I’ve had this nagging tiny voice in the back of my mind all week, waking me up in the middle of the night, saying, “I’d think what if and why and then ask more what if questions before you commit yourself to that direction.” I’m not a plotter by anyone’s description. I don’t make charts or time lines or collages. I just can’t sit still long enough or think that way. So is this change a bad thing?

After tormenting over not exactly having flying keys this past week, I’ve come to the conclusion that the change is a good thing. In recent years, I’ve learned that editing is part of the process of producing a good book and according to most authors I’ve spoken to, editing can take longer than writing the story. Passes must be made and layers have to be added to make the characters complex, scenery vivid, dialogue real and the writing tight. The only way the editing process can be shortened is if the author has a sense where he or she is going in the first place. So instead of starting off on a journey with just the sun at back while black clouds loom ahead, I’m taking a compass, a map and some equipment with me.

As you racked up books, have you noticed a change in your style?

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Today, Wednesday, I’ll be away for most of the day, having a new grandbaby , but I’ll return this evening and tomorrow to answer any comments.

Have a wonderful day. AJ

Welcome Margie Lawson

Hi, everyone and welcome to my blog. I'm totally honored to have Margie as my guest today. If you've taken any of her classes, you know you're going to learn a lot reading her post today. So get out your highlighters, red pens and notebooks and welcome her.

RHYTHM and CADENCE and BEATS. Oh my!

Lions and tigers and bears. Oh my!

I can see Dorothy, the Scare Crow and the Tin Man skipping down the Yellow Brick Road. The cadence of their sing-song line is similar to the heading for this section.

Rhythm and cadence and beats. Oh my!

Rhythm, cadence, beats--no matter which term you choose--it’s an internal assessment. No real rules apply. You know what sounds right and what sounds wrong.

You only know how it sounds if you read your work out loud. Frequently.

Read the last two paragraphs out loud. How’d they sound?

I could have written:

It is important to pay attention to the rhythm inherent in your written work. You could refer to this rhythm as cadence or a beat. It does not matter which terms you use. Understanding the rhythm of writing is an internal assessment. There are no real rules that the author can apply. You can only tell if the rhythm is right by reading your work out loud. You will know if it sounds wrong.

OKAY – Read that wordy block (above) out loud.

Is there anything pleasing about the way the words and sentences are arranged?

It’s written in a textbook fashion. Bor-ring. Bor-ring. Bor-ring.

What are textbook authors thinking? They often do an excellent job obfuscating what could be interesting information in an obdurate style. And they use words like obfuscate (I’m thinking disguise) and obdurate (I’m thinking unyielding) which increase the snooze factor.

What about my next sentence (from above).

You only know how it sounds if you read your work out loud. Frequently.

That rhythm works for me. Even the sentence frag.

Read your work out loud. Trust your CADENCE EAR. Your cadence ear tells you if you got it right. Your cadence ear will smile.

Ha! Funny image.

Let’s look at what Dwight Swain, TECHNIQUES OF A SELLING AUTHOR, said about sentence structure in 1965.
Yep, that’s when that gem was published and it’s still a winner.

The following is from Swain’s TECHNIQUES OF A SELLING AUTHOR, page 32. It’s three paragraphs.

It demands little genius to recognize that too many short sentences, or long sentences, or simple, or complex, or periodic, or loose or what-have-you sentences are likely to grow tiresome.

The answer, obviously, is to introduce variety—variety of length, form, style, and so on. Many a tired old declarative sentence (He stalked off without a word) has been given a lift via rearrangement of its elements (Without a word, he stalked off) . . . rephrasing (Grim, wordless, he stalked off) . . . addition of some bit of action (Pivoting, he stalked off) . . . or of color (Face a cold mask of menace, he etc.), or the like.

On the other side of the fence, beware variety for variety’s own sake. The moment syntactical acrobatics attract attention to themselves, they also detract from your story; and that’s a sure road to disaster.

SWAIN MADE MY POINT FOR ME. Let’s look at that last sentence again.

The moment syntactical acrobatics attract attention to themselves, they also detract from your story; and that’s a sure road to disaster.

Note: Swain backloaded that sentence with his most important word, disaster.

SYNTACTICAL ACROBATICS. A power phrase for a power concept.

BEWARE of syntactical acrobatics. Any writing that creates a speedbump for the reader, writing that puts a hugs spotlight on the writing and away from the story – creates authorial intrusion by syntactical acrobatics.

Back to Rhythm and Cadence and Beats.

Do you read your work out loud?

How often?

Do you match the rhythm to the scene?

Brandilyn Collins, author of GETTING INTO CHARACTER: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors, shares important points about sentence rhythms. If you don’t have her how-to book, I strongly recommend getting it.

Here’s one of Brandilyn Collins’s points:

The rhythm of your sentences should match the “beat” of action in your scene.”

It’s MARGIE again. Brandilyn and I share a brain. I agree. :-)

Brandilyn Collins provides these guidelines (pages 147 and 148) on creating rhythm.

1. Past participles (past-tense verbs ending in ‘ing’) are best used in quiet, easy –rhythm scenes. When action or suspense begins, use regular past-tense verbs.

2. Complex sentences work better in quiet rhythm; simple sentences work better for action.

3. In general, the higher the action level, the shorter your sentences should be.

4. In high action sequences, such as fight scenes, divide the action and reaction into separate sentences or short phrases within the same sentence.

Great advice. You’ll find more discussion on these points in GETTING INTO CHARACTER: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors.

Challenge your Cadence Ear:

Check out the cadence in these excerpts.

Please take a couple of minutes, read them out loud, and consider the cadence.

Jodi Picoult, CHANGE OF HEART:

“Fletcher,” he said, testing the word in his mouth as if it were made of sharp stones.

Powerful cadence – and a powerful dialogue cue too.

Anna Campbell, UNTOUCHED:

I could feel his gaze on me as I walked to my car. It felt like a cape made of light, like the wings of the angels I’d never believed in.

Ah – Fresh writing that brushes your heart.

BLOG GUESTS: It’s your turn!

Analyze the cadence of one of these excerpts (above or below).

What did the author do that made the cadence work?


Harlan Coben, THE WOODS,

I knew they were watching me, studying my responses. I became aware of my steps, my posture, my facial expression. I aimed for neutral and then wondered why I bothered.
Allison Brennan, SPEAK NO EVIL
His heart continued to vibrate between his ears, a loud ringing, and he could hear anything but his internal organs working, working. Heart pumping blood through his veins, his head swelling, filing with certain knowledge that he would be discovered.

Lisa Gardner, HIDE, p. 9:

Matt took me to the movies. I don't remember what was playing. I was aware of his hand on my shoulder, the sweaty feel of my own palms, the hitch to my breath. After the
movies, we went for ice cream. It was raining. He held his coat over my head.
And then, tucked inside his cologne-scented jacket, he gave me my first kiss.
I floated home. Arms wrapped around my waist. Dreamy smile upon my face.
My father greeted me at the front door. Five suitcases loomed behind him.
"I know what you've been doing!" he declared.
"Shhhh," I said, and put a finger to his lips. "Shhhh."
I danced past my stunned father. I drifted into my tiny, windowless room. And for eight hours I lay on my bed and let myself be happy.
I still wonder about Matt Fisher sometimes. Is he married now? Has two-point-two kids?
Does he ever tell stories about the craziest girl he ever knew? Kissed her one night.
Never saw her again.

Sara Gruen , WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, From the Prologue:
That moment, the music screeched to a halt. There was an ungodly collision of brass, reed, and percussion—trombones and piccolos skidded into cacophony, a tuba farted, and the hollow clang of a cymbal wavered out of the big top, over our heads and into oblivion.
Grady froze, crouched over his burger with his pinkies extended and lips spread wide.

SECOND EXCERPT from the prologue of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS:
The concession stand in the center of the tent had been flattened, and in its place was a roiling mass of spots and stripes—of haunches, heels, tails, and claws, all of it roaring, screeching, bellowing, or whinnying. A polar bear towered above it all, slashing blindly with skillet-sized paws. It made contact with a llama and knocked it flat—BOOM. The llama hit the ground, its neck and legs splayed like the five points of a star. Chimps screamed and chattered, swinging on ropes to stay above the cats. A wild-eyed zebra zigzagged too close to a crouching lion, who swiped, missed, and darted away, his belly close to the ground.

BLOG GUESTS:

Please post your ideas regarding rhythm and cadence and beats.

Have you trained your Cadence Ear?

Does your work carry the power of cadence?

Do you work to create cadence that draws the reader deeper into the scene?

I’d love to hear from you!

I’ll respond as time allows during my work day. I’ll be on-line in the evening (Mountain Time).

POST A COMMENT – AND YOU MAY WIN A LECTURE PACKET!

I will draw a name for a Lecture Packet, a $22 value, at 10PM Mountain Time. Winners may choose a Lecture Packet from one of my six on-line courses. Lecture Packets are available for all my courses through Paypal from my website, www.MargieLawson.com.

1. Empowering Characters' Emotions

2. Deep Editing: The EDITS System, Rhetorical Devices, and More
3. Writing Body Language and Dialogue Cues Like a Psychologist
4. Powering Up Body Language in Real Life:
Projecting a Professional Persona When Pitching and Presenting

5. Digging Deep into the EDITS System

6. Defeat Self-Defeating Behaviors
Thank you for being here today. Please keep reading – you’ll learn about cool opportunities for writers!

FYI: BRENDA NOVAK’S DIABETES AUCTION!

NYT Bestseller, Brenda Novak, donates an amazing chunk of her life to fundraising for diabetes research. She selflessly gives months of her energy, creativity, and what would have been writing time, family time, self-time to her DIABETES AUCTION.

For writers – it’s a warm-your-heart win-win. Bid on one of the hundreds of items – support diabetes research and you may win an experience that changes your life. A plotting lunch with an agent or NYT bestseller at a national conference could contribute to a contract for you.

If you're not familiar with this auction -- it's a gold mine for writers!

My husband and I love to support the Diabetes Auction. With over 1000 donations, if I don’t mention them . . . you might miss them.

Yikes – a Missed Opportunity!

Margie’s Donations:

1. A set of six Lecture Packets

2. A 50 page Triple Pass Deep Edit Critique

3. Registration for a Write At Sea Master Class by Marge Lawson on Deep Editing Power, April 4 -8, 2011; donation by Margie Lawson and Julia Hunter

4. A FLYING GETAWAY FOR TWO

You select the destination – any place within 600 nautical miles from Denver.
A weekend, you and a friend, plus my pilot-husband flying our four-seater plane, me, and a two-hour deep editing consult. The consult is on the ground.

5. Registration for an IMMERSION MASTER CLASS session!

A $450 value . . .

The three-day Immersion Master Class sessions are designed as a personalized, hone-your-manuscript experience focusing on deep editing. The sessions are held in Margie’s log home at the top of a mountain west of Denver. Participants will concentrate on transforming their manuscript into a page-turner. The winner may attend a session in the fall of 2010 (depending on availability), or one of the four sessions offered in 2011.

THE DIABETES AUCTION runs from MAY 1ST to MAY 31ST. You can tour the
Diabetes Auction site now. http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/

Brenda Novak is my hero. What a way to give back.
Margie Lawson —psychotherapist, writer, and international presenter—developed innovative editing systems and deep editing techniques for writers.

Her Deep Editing tools are used by all writers, from newbies to NYT Bestsellers. She teaches writers how to edit for psychological power, how to hook the reader viscerally, how to create a page-turner.

Over four thousand writers have learned Margie’s psychologically-based deep editing material. In the last five years, she presented fifty-four full day Master Classes for writers in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Lectures from each of Margie’s on-line courses are offered as Lecture Packets through PayPal from her web site. For more information on courses, lecture packets, master classes, and 3-day Immersion Master Class sessions, visit: www.MargieLawson.com .


Thank you for your time – and thank you again for joining us today!

All smiles…………Margie
www.MargieLawson.com


NEXT WEEK'S BLOG: VALENTINE'S DAY WAYBACK STYLE
Please join me and six other Wayback authors as we share special valentine moments featuring couples from our books on sale at THE WILD ROSE PRESS.

24 Does It For Me

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You know when I only cursor once, I probably have my subject matter already pinned down. I do. 24.

I’m absolutely nuts over the action-packed television show. I’ve been a fan since season 4, when I found the series. I immediately had to find seasons 1, 2 and 3. What is it about the show that makes me count the days until it airs, has me warning all of my family and friends not to call while it is on, and turns me into a superhuman and grab the power for the big screen television from my husband? JACK.




Kiefer Sutherland’s character Jack is one of the reasons the show has me hook. He is a fearless tortured soul. He is a man whose morals will not be comprised. The man fell in love once in the eight seasons, and even though he and Audrey have gone their different ways, he has not had another relationship. Well, there was that woman in season five—a small town woman who made him think, maybe I could live a normal week or two without terrorists, but in the end Jack knew who his heart still wished for. IMO. Sigh.




But Jack isn’t the only reason to watch the show, the cast is filled with characters you’ll either love or hate. I cried, actually mourned for days, when Edgar died. I've also jumped out of my chair and cheered when others got what they deserved.


And if it’s action you crave, 24 has got it. There is a definite storyline, stop the terrorists and save the world, but there are so many subplots woven there isn’t time much time to relax. These subplots take you into the personal lives of the characters and in a short time you are vested in their well-being, like Edgar and his mother. (Grabbing a tissue) Okay, sometimes the what happens in the personal lives of a character has a direct bearing on the ultimate goal of saving the world. Like when Tony’s wife was killed in season 5, he came back in season 8 as a villain. I completely understood where his anger was coming from and I’m hoping the writers will redeem him in this season.

Cliffhangers, if you want to learn what cliffhangers are, watch the show. Ninety percent of the time, at a commercial break there is a cliffhanger. And every week, at the end of the show there is a black moment which will have you counting the hours to until 24 hits the screen again.

Now, If you’re a writer, we can talk about the elements it takes to make a great story such theme, characters, plots, black moments. Which pulls you into a story.

Or if you’re a 24 fan, we can talk 24 and JACK. (GRIN)

Coming JANUARY 27, 2010 from The Wild Rose Press, OBSESSED BY WILDFIRE.

Let's Dance

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Let’s dance. January is a depressing month for many. Some of you might begin to cry cabin-fever as soon as the ball in Times Square drops. Why is that? If you’re one of the millions who suffers each year from SAD or cabin-fever would you love to, well, not suffer?

I love winter. I’m not one to suffer from SAD or cabin-fever, but my body does slow down and the mind seems to say, “Okay, if you’re not going to move, I might as well rest too.” I didn’t want that to happen to me this year. I’ve set some pretty aggressive goals for 2010 (listed under my 1/1/10 blog), which is going to be a very busy with two sons getting married and a grandson to arrive in late April, AND two books coming out (one in 21 days. Yikes!), so I decided last week before the old year was waving Tata to get myself primed for the coldest months if the year, here in the NE USA.

I began to dance in the morning as a form of exercise. I love to dance. My husband not so much. So, the minute he is out the door, I’m struttin’ my stuff to any beat I want. In just one week, my energy level has soared. Yes, even after a very busy holiday season, I’ve got tons of energy.

If you don’t believe me that dancing can do this, here are some articles verifying the benefits of shaling your booty. Check them out.

http://www.aarp.org/health/fitness/get_motivated/lets_dance_to_health.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/belly-dancing/AN01491

Another great thing about dancing, you don’t need a video or a special piece of equipment or to go out of the house. Just crank up the music and dance. Dance in the sunlight. Dance you way through January.

Do you have a way to fend off SAD or cabin fever you’d like to share? Or have you seen another article on dancing for health? If so, please share the link.
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PRIZE

With each post during January, I’m giving away a few more AUTUMN JORDON pocket-calendars. One commenter will be selected from each post (must have a USA address) and not only will I send that winner one for his/herself but also two more for their best friends. So please leave a comment..

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Next week, Author Diane Craver joins me. The author of the most moving Christmas story I’ve ever read. Please stop by.

Goal Buster. Don't Go There.

I had such a great response on the PFS site with this blog, I decided it needed to be posted again here.

It’s a new year and if you’re like the majority of the human race you’re planning to set goals for 2010. You have a burning desire to tackle an area where you think you need to improve yourself or your life. You visualize where you want to be in a few months or by the end of the new year or even years down the road. Come midnight on January 1st, you’re totally focused. Your jaw is set and you’re determined to meet those goals until ...da, da, da! …your first set back.

If your goal is to get up earlier, the set back will be the morning you oversleep. If your goal is to lose weight, your set back will be the first cheeseburger or candy bar you’ll gobble up. If your goal is to write every day, the setback will be the day life took over and you didn’t have a minute to boot up your computer or grab a pad and pen.

It’s important to keep in mind when working towards your goals that there will be setbacks. As sure as the sun will rise in the east, there will be setbacks. They happen. How you handle them will determine if you will make your goals.
Like a cowboy who gets thrown off his horse, you need to get off your butt, dust yourself off and get right back in the saddle. Like a ball player who gets thrown a third curve for a strike out, you need to shrug off the disappointment, study the pitcher and stand up to him again. Like the chef whose cake falls, you need to start over. I could go on with the analogies, but you get the picture.

Hints for making your goals for 2010.

1) Make your goals reasonable. Something you can control. And be specific.
Ie: (Non-writing related) I want to lose twenty pounds in 2010. (Writing related) I want to write my next book- 375 pages.

2) Write the goals down. Yes you can have more than one. Excelling at one might help your determination to do better at achieving the other. Post the goals where you will see them every day.

3) Break the goal or goals into manageable bits.
Ie: (NWR) I want to lose five pounds by March. Five more by June and the final ten by the November 1st. (WR) I will write 10 pages a week.

4) If you’re the type of person who needs to report to someone, an accountability partner, find one and set up a schedule to report. IMPORTANT NOTE: Keep in mind there will be weeks, maybe several in a row, when you are the one having trouble making your goal. Remember that cheeseburger. It’s okay. There will be weeks when you will shine.

5) Don’t get depressed when a mini-step toward the goal is not met on time. Life happens. Computers crash. Kids get sick. Husbands come home with candy hearts. Enjoy life. A happy person is more productive.

6) Mondays are the first day of the week for many of us, probably because of the business world, and the day of the week we seem to be most productive. It’s a mind thing. If you have more time to exercise or write on the weekend, try thinking of Saturday as being your first day of the week. Make a calendar labeling Saturday as the first day of the week if that will help you. Again, it’s a mind thing.

7) For the most part, we know our schedules for the week. Plan the minutes or hours you’ll work toward your goal out.

8) Make a list of things that have stopped you from making your goal in the past. Post that list too and don’t go there. Ie: Television, email, over volunteering, buying junk food, over stocking the pantry.

9) Remember the old adage. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

10) Remember this saying: Just do it. It says it all.

I hope my list will help you make your goals in 2010.