Scene Cards

by Rebecca Talley

I'm in the midst of a heavy-duty revision on my YA paranormal. I am currently going through the story scene-by-scene. In each scene I am looking for: goal, conflict, disaster as well as protagonist, antagonist, setting, and conflict.

I use an index card for each scene and on the back of the card, I write each of the above elements. On the  front side, I write a sentence describing that scene. I punch a hole in each card (upper left) and then use a ring to keep them all together. This allows me to see the story through its scenes and also allows me to see where the scenes lack something. I originally did this before I wrote the manuscript but much changed over the course of writing it so now I'm going back through each scene and finding the holes.

It's a ton of work. But it's helping me to see where I've dropped the ball in the story. If I can fix a scene then I can strengthen the story. Of course, simply fixing a scene won't fix the entire manuscript, but it's a start.

Holly Lisle recommends this process in her revision course, "How to Revise Your Novel," and I've tweaked it to meet my own needs. I've found the course to be very valuable, and added to my own techniques, has really helped me.

Do you ever write scene cards? What do you do to examine your scenes during revision?

Story Question

by Rebecca Talley

When I first started writing, I didn't understand the importance of the story question and that it's imperative to establish the story question at the beginning of the novel so the reader knows what it is the main character most wants, in this story, and what will happen if she/he doesn't get it. This creates tension and when the reader understands what's at stake she/he will root for your main character. Without a story question, the story itself falls flat.

In a murder mystery, the story question is generally: Will Joe the Detective find out who killed the blonde woman? In a romance, the story question is usually: Will Anne fall in love with David? In other fiction, the story question can be almost anything: will Sam find the hidden treasure? Will Sarah find happiness in her new life? Will John turn his life around before it's too late? Will Alison stop the aliens before they take over earth?

The author must know the story question. Without it, a story will flounder and readers won't know who to root for or why. Readers have to understand why  the story question is so important to the character. What will happen if Sam doesn't find the hidden treasure? Will he lose his family? His life? His chance at happiness? Why is it so important for him to find that treasure?

Once you, as the author, know the story question, you need to work it into your story, preferably within the first chapter to compel the reader from the first few pages to keep reading. The rest of the story will then be in search of answering that story question.

How do you work in the story question? You can do it through dialogue, action, inner monologue, or description. It's up to you to choose the best way to give the reader the information.

Think about your own work-in-progress. Have you established a story question? Have you made it clear to the reader what your main character wants, what stands in his way (also known as conflict), and what will happen if he doesn't obtain his goal?

Let's play a game. In the comments, list the story question either for your own WIP or for a well-known novel.

I'll start. In my novel, Altared Plans, the story question is: Can Caitlyn find love again after being dumped at the temple? The rest of the novel has something to do with that question.

Your turn.

Believe in your dreams

By Heather Justesen

I know I was supposed to write yesterday, but an appropriate topic eluded me--until this one slapped me upside the face.

We've been having a discussion in one of my online forums the past couple of days. One of the women there expressed her frustration because her parents not only didn't support her writing, but have been very negative about it, even telling her it's a waste of time to write, or to attend conferences to learn more.

It amazed me how many people in my group have experienced similar sentiments from their families, whether the detractor is parent, sibling, or spouse. I admit, I got lucky in that my uncle was a published author many times over, producing dozens of books and games throughout my childhood. In my family's minds, this made my pursuit of writing a totally doable and sensible option, so I've never gotten anything but support from them.

On the other hand, I do remember the first time I told my MIL I was writing and her telling me that was a nice hobby, but what was I going to do with my real life? Thankfully she changed her tune when she finally read something I'd written, but it did give me a small taste of what these other friends of mine have had to go through.

The fact is, you'll hear similar stories of discouragement and frustrations from a good percentage of published authors. I think this applies across the board, regardless of what your dream may be. I'm sure there are brilliant surgeons out there who were told they'd never make it through medical school; there are artists with their works displayed in major museums and galleries who were told they were wasting their time; and every other possible vocation will have similar stories.

Why is it we allow others to tell us that we aren't capable of reaching our goals? If our friends and neighbors would support me in learning how to play the piano, why wouldn't they support my desire to write? And why is it that writing isn't considered a reasonable way to spend a couple of hours a day, but watching television for the same amount of time is perfectly okay?

Here's what it boils down to: The Lord has given us talents and desires to grow and use in different ways. We don't choose those talents that are given to us, but we do choose what we make of them. If you want something enough, study, research, and keep moving along, eventually you'll reach your goal.

Does it matter what that goal is? Does it have to be the same one now as it will be in twenty years? No. I know lots of writers who are mothers with full-time jobs on the side and will be thrilled to manage writing a book in twelve months, while others in different circumstances may write four or five in the same period. Another group may not be interested in books, but maybe they want to put together a collection of short stories to share with their kids--is that a waste of time if no money comes of it?

Okay, so I may have rambled a bit. Here it is. If you want to become an accomplished pianist you practice, take lessons, and study theory. If you want to become a doctor or nurse you study, practice, and learn about people, and if you want to become a published writer you write, read, and study the craft of writing until you learn enough to reach your goal. The Lord wants us to develop our talents, to become more than we are, and if we sit back and let our family and friends tell us we can't reach our dreams, we're wasting our opportunities.

Eventually when you reach that goal, those who told you you'd never make it will learn you were so much more than they realized. And perhaps much more than you ever thought you could be.

Road Trip!

By the time you read this, my daughters and I should be well into the last leg of The Great 2010 Carey Family Vacation. This 19-day, 4,000-mile extravaganza took us through seven states, two time zones, and involved 65+ highway hours.

It's a good thing I like to drive.

In order to fit in all of the aunties, uncles, grandmas, grandpas, cousins, and friends, while staying safe and sane with two pre-teen passengers, I developed a fairly detailed driving schedule. Weeks before leaving, I had explored routes, hotels, fuel stops, and even rest areas, and had everything plugged into Carly, our little GPS.

One relative, when I related my plans, asked, "Don't you like to be spontaneous when you travel?"

And the answer is, yes, I do like to be spontaneous. I love taking new roads and finding out where they go. I like taking a different route just so I know what is there. But a trip of this magnitude doesn't work well with seat-of-the-pants planning.

My time is limited, as is the patience of my kids, the fuel in my tank, and the capacity of everyone's bladders. Having a thorough plan can make the difference between filling up regularly with inexpensive gas or paying an extra thirty cents a gallon in desperation.

It also prevents searching for a sagebrush large enough to use as an outhouse.

When I first started writing Bumpy Landings, my writing was very much seat-of-the-pants. I had no real plan other than a general idea where I wanted the story to go. I wrote on it for years and years, exploring different story possibilities, running into dead ends, and basically letting the story have a life of it's own. And it's a wonder that it actually arrived anywhere.

I've since learned that writing a novel is a lot like a long, involved road trip. With a van full of unruly characters who don't necessarily want to do what they're supposed to. It really is best to have a plan, and the more detailed, the better.

However, that doesn't mean I'm against letting the story have a life of its own.

A character might want to explore a tangential story line, or a pint-sized passenger might need an unscheduled pit stop. Just because the plan is there doesn't mean it can't be changed. I find I'm actually more likely to make exceptions when I have a solid plan, because I have a good idea of what the consequences of such changes will be.

Don't get me wrong - I still love doing exploratory writing, with no plan in place. I think it's both fun and educational. But just like the short Sunday drives I take around the county, I tend to limit seat of the pants writing to short little writing exercises that are simply there for my own enjoyment.

For my long trips, and my serious writing, I like to have a plan.

It takes a village

By Heather Justesen

They say that it takes a village to raise a child, but how many people realize it take a village to write a book too--or at least to publish a book.

My case in point: I have a book written that started with an idea spawned from a news report somebody wrote. I mulled the idea, then talked to a friend about ways to make it work, ways to expand it, extra conflicts. Then I went online to research information yet another person culled and posted. Several other people, most likely.

I worked on the story, asking for opinions from an ER nurse, my parents, and husband as I was trying to form everything and make the pieces fit.

Next I took it to my critique group and they gave me more feedback about things they liked or that needed more explanation. They told me what wasn't working and made me think about different ways to convey that information.

When I eventually find a home for the manuscript it will go through several readers, editors, line editors, and possibly more revisions.

Did I write the book? Yes. Could I have written it and gotten it to the final format without any help? Perhaps, but it wouldn't have been as good, it might not have resonated with as many people if I didn't have input and direction on how to finesse the story. My characters might not have seemed as real to the final audience.

We always say that writing is a solitary profession, and for the most part it is. I'm the one who put those words on the page. I had to suffer through countless edits and tweaks as I worked to make the wording just right, but I didn't do it all alone. I have a phalanx of loved ones and supporters who also want my book to be all it can be, and who are willing to give suggestions and feedback to help me accomplish that goal. And I've had other writers, those who are smarter and better at the craft than I am, who have helped me reach this place in my writing career, and who continue to support and cheer me on.

Because of that, I know I need to do the same. Though I've been talking about starting a local writing group since late last summer, we finally pulled a few women together last month and met to try and make something happen. We've each been in touch with additional people, and hope that in a few months we'll have enough dedicated writers to create an official chapter of the League of Utah Writers. But if that doesn't happen, I now have a core group of at least three other women living near me who want to take this writing thing seriously. They're all extremely talented, so I know we'll all have something to contribute to the group.

When a job is as solitary as writing a book, it takes a cadre of friends to help us reach our goals.

Too Coincidental?

by Rebecca Talley

by Rebecca Talley

Have you ever read a book and said, “That’s too coincidental?” If you have, you’re not alone.

I finished reading a book the other day and thought there were far too many coincidences in the storyline. In fact, by the end of the book I felt like I’d been manipulated by the author. Not a good reaction from a reader. Definitely not the reaction we want from our readers.

Yes, coincidences happen in real life. But we're not writing real life, we're writing fiction and in writing fiction, things that happen must not only have a purpose, but they must grow organically out of the plot.

For example, if a character needs to know a secret, find a way to allow that character to naturally discover the secret. If you have another character blurt out important information, especially if that character had been keeping the secret for a long time and it wouldn’t be natural for him to blurt out guarded information, it will feel manipulative.

Ask yourself as you write, “Would this character really say or do this?” “Would this really happen the way I’ve written it?” “Are my events growing organically from the plot?”

If you need a character to learn information or meet another character, foreshadow it so when it does happen, the reader feels like it’s natural. Don’t just plop a character in a specific place because you need to do so to advance your plot. Give the reader reason to believe the character should be there, naturally.

As you write your story, consider your plot points and make sure that one point leads to the next in a natural way. Don’t force a plot point because it will be evident to the reader. Don’t rely on coincidence to move your story forward because a reader will feel manipulated and as soon as he feels that way, you’ve lost him.

Make sure your plot grows organically and you won’t have readers scratching their heads and muttering, “Too coincidental.” Or worse, throwing your book across the room.

Cover art and how to finish a book

By Heather Justesen

First, you may have noticed my new book cover in the column on the side, but in case you didn't, or haven't seen it on my regular blog, or my website, or Facebook profile or any of the multitude of forums I belong to (I'm not at all excited, in case you couldn't tell), here it is.

Last week I received an email from a friend who is an aspiring writer. I've read the first three chapters of her book, so I know the girl can seriously write so I was surprised when she asked me this:

Okay, I'm feeling totally overwhelmed. How do you keep at a book when it seems like you're looking at a decade of work?

The problem? She kept going back to revise the previous chapters instead of focusing on getting the book written to the end. So this is what I told her.


I’m going to give you an assignment. Write the book—you are NOT allowed to go back and edit ANYTHING. If you realize in chapter 22 that you need to go back and change something in chapter 6 then make a note and keep plowing on (unless you’re going to add a scene, that is permissible. Editing the scenes around it while you’re at it is not). If you edit each chapter into perfection before you allow yourself to keep writing, it won’t get finished. This is your first draft—you’re going to have to rewrite it anyway to add or arrange for things you don’t know are going to happen yet. Wait until later, then edit the whole thing at once when it’s DONE.

The book I’m working on now I’ve worked on a chapter at a time. I take the chapter to critique, mark their notes on it, then keep writing. I haven’t made any significant changes to it, or read it through, just made notes on the text. When I finish getting the whole thing through my critique group, I’ll go back and do my editing. And I can see piles of things that I did wrong, or that I should tweak to reflect the direction my book is going now, but I don’t give myself permission to work on those until the last chapter is written, or the end will never get finished.

Try it and see what happens. It’s too easy to get distracted with everything you did wrong earlier in the book and let that stop you from moving forward. It’s much easier to fix the book when it’s done, even though I know that seems daunting. Trust me, I hate doing full edits, especially when there’s a significant amount of reworking that has to be done. I drag my feet and procrastinate for months. I’ve looked at piles of manuscript that are covered in red ink and think it’s going to take me FOREVER to fix all of the problems my friends pointed out. Strangely, it’s never as bad as my mind makes it out to be. Usually, I finish it much faster and less painfully than I expected.

Go for it!

Yesterday at the Book Academy conference at UVU Brandon Sanderson was a key note speaker. He spoke about the ten things he had to learn before he got published. (If anyone got the title for #4, please let me know, I seem to have missed that slide). During the speech he talked about the difference between discovery writers (AKA seat-of-your-pants or 'pantsers') which he referred to as multi-drafters, verses single-drafters or plotters. He talked about the different methods, and how he uses different ones for different books, and--here's my point (yes, I do have one). He said multidrafters often have trouble finishing books because they don't have the ending planned, while single-drafters (a mis-nomer, of course, because even those who plot excessively have to edit their first drafts and revise--and they HATE to revise) tend to have trouble in the middle (and now I know why I struggle so much when I'm 60% done).

Understanding what kind of writer you are can help you avoid the pitfalls of never finishing your books so you don't have 13 on your hard drive that are nearly done (again, using me as an example. Well, 13 may not be exact, I haven't counted lately). Whatever your tendency, figure out what's holding you back and get the book finished. As Nora Roberts is commonly quoted: "You can't fix a blank page."

The Importance of Goals

by Rebecca Talley

Someone once said, "A goal not written down is merely a wish." I heard this long ago and since then have tried to write down my goals. At the beginning of each year, I write all the things I'd like to accomplish through the year. Though I don't always accomplish all of those goals, it keeps me more accountable during the year. (You'd think after setting patience as a goal for the last twenty or so years I'd at least be closer on that one).

On a daily basis, I'm a list person. I write a list every day of my to-do items and check them off as I complete them. It helps me at the end of a day of cleaning when I look at my messy house because I can return to my list and verify that I actually did clean the house (amazing how kids can destroy a clean house in the blink of an eye).

With writing, it's important for me to set goals, write them down, and then revisit those goals to see if I've accomplished what I wanted to accomplish. Recently, I've set the goal to write 1000 words each day on my current work-in-progress. Some days I haven't quite reached that goal, but some days I've surpassed it. The most important part is that it keeps me on task and gives me the kick-in-the-bottom I need to keep working on my WIP (even when I'd like to hit the delete key for the whole thing).

The number of pages set as a goal isn't what's important, it's the setting of the goal. A novel, or short story, is written page-by-page. No one (at least no one I know) sits down and writes a 60,000 word novel all in one day. It happens bit-by-bit, piece-by-piece. Setting realistic goals each day will help us to reach the major goal.

Some of my goals have included:

Write a character sketch
Research a job for a secondary character
Create a family tree
Write the time line for the novel
Interview my main character
Ask "What if?" for a sub-plot
Write a synopsis for the whole story
Write the story goal
Come up with the story-in-a-sentence (20 second elevator pitch)
List complications for my main character
Outline the story

These are some of the things I do before I start the actual writing and then I set a daily word count. I know some writers who set a daily goal of 2000 words while others set a goal of 100 words.

Don't just wish to write a novel, make it a reality by setting goals to accomplish it. You may be surprised at what happens!