WritingNoDrama

I came up with this week's topic by keeping track of every time I used structure to help a my own writing or that of a client/student's. I lost count after about 107.

With the exception of word selection, structure pretty much informs every single line you write. And if it informs it, it can help it!

Let's say you aren't sure how your Hero is going to get out of a fight with your villain.

Now of course you want to find a super creative way to handle this, however structure can at least get you in the ball park.

Let's say this situation is in the first act. Well, first off we know that the Hero cannot win. Not even close. As a matter of fact, if this event is happening in the first act, this villainous situation is usually going to propel your Hero to take the Opportunity.

If this event happens in the second act I can nearly guarantee you that your Hero is going to fail... miserably. Usually lives will be lost.

The 3rd act is the ONLY place where your Hero really has any shot at all of winning (and even then at a high cost).

Each scenario requires a different set of events to take place to move you along to your next plot point.

Remember everything in your story needs to be moving forward. No event in your work can be suspended in a bubble. If you can get rid of a scene without having to MAJORLY rework your story, that scene needs to be cut.

Your story is a tightrope and structure is well... the tightrope.

Hopefully you can see how structure has helped color your options. Now it is still up to you to figure out the details, but at least knowing where you are in the story (and trust me we can go down much deeper into the sub-acts and come up with some even more fine-tuned advice) helps you to figure out your options.

Here is my challenge...Either call into the radio show (2pm PST Saturday)or Tweet your question onto my Twitter stream @writingnodrama about a problem you are having with your story and see if I can help you with structure! #game #on

We talk a lot about structure, the Hero's journey, pacing and scene setting. But why? I mean besides the fact we want to grow our craft?

It is because we want the reader to ENJOY reading our work. We don't want them to skim. We don't want them to have to go back and read something over again to understand it (unless of course you just blew their mind with a paradigm shift).

Now you can guess at what the reader's experience is going to be and hope you get it right, or you can understand the modern reader. You can get inside their head and know what their hopes, dreams and expectations are as they read.

Because if you have a good idea of what they want... you have a great chance of fulfilling it!

And a fulfilled, satisfied reader creates a loyal reader. One who will buy your next book. One who will leave good reviews. One who will spread word of mouth. And for an author there is nothing so coveted!

So tune in this Saturday where we will talk in-depth about what reader want... on both a conscious and sub-conscious level.

Call in to have any of your questions answered LIVE! Or if you feel too shy, just submit your questions on my Twitter stream @writingnodrama!

Also don't forget to contact me on Twitter @writingnodrama if you would live any of your work performed by our resident MFA actor Ben Hopkin then critiqued on-air!

Remember you can also subscribe to this show through iTunes and listen to it on your iPod, computer or Mp3 player!

"Talk" to you Saturday 2pm PST!

So don't mess it up!!!! :-)

To hook readers you need to connect to readers and one of the best, easiest, and most surefire ways to do it is to fulfill the Hero's journey.

We are going to talk inner wound, outer motivation, the reluctance and arrogance phase.

So tune in and even better yet, call in with real life examples and questions!

"Talk" to you Saturdays 2pm PST!!!

Pacing is probably one of the least talked about aspects of writing, yet is critical to creating a 'must-read' novel.

There's got to be a rise and fall to your story. At times there should be a sense of urgency and foreboding. At other times, a few quieter moments for reflection or revelations.

The last thing you want is for your story to 'drag,' but nor do you want the opposite and have your story feel 'chaotic' or 'rushed.'

Many writers fall into a common pattern of 'dragging' out the first two acts, then rushing through the climax. Never good #underanycircumstances :-)

I know I was writing a book and I was having trouble landing it. When I finally finished I said "Thank gawd they are dead!" Luckily my writing buddy said... "Um, I don't think that's how your readers are going to feel."

He was right. Just because as I writer I was ready for my Heroes to die, I needed to make their deaths more poignant and meaningful.

We will discuss how to check your own story against the Hero's Journey to make sure you are in the pacing "pocket."

So tune in Saturday at 2pm PST and listen to some advice on how to make sure your novel is properly paced or better yet, call in and let's talk about yours specifically!

Many writers lament that so much emphasis is put on to these first few words. But why shouldn't they be weighted heavily? After all first impressions truly are lasing.

On this week's episode we are going to discuss the many facets of this first, crucial set of words you present to your reader.

I will have plenty of examples of first lines to discuss but I encourage you to call in with your own and go LIVE with me discussing how to punch yours up!

So don't forget to set a reminder for Saturdays at 2pm PST!!! Can't wait to chat!

Dialogue is by far the hardest aspect of fiction to 'nail.' Because let's face it, everyone hears people speak all the time. However, writing great dialogue isn't as simple as listening to others talk and writing it down. What works in real life, alas, feels stilted on the page. Join us for an hour of dynamic discussion about how to make your dialogue jump off the page! Remember to set a reminder for Saturdays a 2pm PST!

Finally your chance to get writing advice LIVE from @writingnodrama! While this is the introductory episode, I am sure we will discuss everything from Act Structure to Narrative Drive and everything in between. So listen in for some practical, ACTIONABLE writing advice or get your questions ready and call in! I would love to hear from you!