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Category: WordSowers Blog

Check out the Book Reviews and Author interviews. This is the latest release by author, Karen Kingsbury.

Review by Kat Crawford
Fifteen Minutes is available to purchase from Amazon.com. 
Note: I received this book as part of the Fifteen Minutes blog tour from Fiction Addict. I received no compensation for this review and only received a copy of the book for review purposes.  
Review copy provided by the publisher.
When I read John Kings’ description of finding names for book characters, I flipped in my Bible to the Genesis passage where God gave Adam the “naming” task.
“There were around 70 main characters in Centennial, and to find names that sounded appropriate for the parts they played, as well as being in keeping with their family origins and their time in history, was an important and pleasurable part of our research, rather like a game of literary Scrabble.”
“Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.” Genesis 2:19 (niv)
The Bible doesn’t say Adam whined. There is nothing recorded that says, “But God, I’ve never named anyone before.” No, Adam named every living creature and we know God continually said, “And it is good.”
Those helping Michener name the characters for Centennial didn’t whine, sometimes in their discussions they argued over what they believed a character might say or do, but mostly they enjoyed building the cast on paper.
What task has God given you? Maybe not naming animals or people, but if you complete the task without complaint will you hear the Lord say, “And it is good.”
Prayer: Our gracious father in heaven, help us to welcome with open arms whatever you call us to do for you. Amen
Here’s an exercise to get your creative juices flowing. Whether it turns into something you use or whether it’s simply stirring the pot, have some fun.
 Look at these pictures below (don’t think too hard). For each one, set your timer for five minutes and write fast and furious. No editing allowed as you go. Don’t correct yourself. Just write. ANYTHING that comes to mind.
For those of you who need a little prodding, there are a few questions below each picture that might help you get started.
Who is this man? Is he poor? Why?
What is he doing?
Is he hiding something?
 When is this picture?
Where is this train going?
Who is on the train?
 
 Where is this house?
Whose house is it?
What is going on inside this house?

After you have written you’re allotted time, go back and look at what you have written. Are there any nuggets there you can use – a short story, the start of a new novel or a scene you want to use somewhere?
If there is something worth keeping, you are now allowed to edit and “fix” your writing.

I would love to hear if any of you found a nugget worth keeping.

Writing prompt from the blog of Angela D. Meyer
There are three things that are too amazing for me…
The way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
and the way of a man with a maiden.
Proverbs 30:18-19 (niv)
“…in 1936 and 1937, during the years of the great duststorms, I had caught on film a percentage of the images I would later use in my novel, Centennial.” James Michener photographed dry lands that broke men’s hearts, little towns not yet dead, but dying, the roll of the prairie, the look of an old house. “It was the persistence of these images that kept the ideas vital,” Michener said.
Imagine Michener’s delight when in the late 1960’s he dug around through his treasures and found the old Kodachrome slides and they were in remarkably good condition.
There are many things we cannot understand. Proverbs said the way of the eagle, a ship or a maiden—but oh so much more. Who can understand how the forty year old photographs remained vibrant. The slides were good, but also the memories in Michener’s mind of those days gone by.
Who can understand our memories—the day we saw our first eagle or fell in love, priceless moments. But what about the tragic times, those painful traumatic events? Sometimes in reliving the journey like Michener did, we help someone else see life differently.
Prayer: We praise you for what every day brings because we know each new day is a gift from you. Amen
It used to be an author would spend pages setting the scene, describing the beautiful countryside or the courtly manor in which their protagonist lived. In vivid, laborious detail. And the audience loved it.
Time was taken to draw an exact portrait of each character. With words. And the audience loved it.
The first chapter could very well be completely made up of backstory. And the audience loved it.
But, today, the reader is less patient. They want to know now.
But they do still need to know. So, how do we get the information to them while keeping their attention. A few seconds is all you have to hook them into staying.
And before you even reach the general public, you have to hook the agent. And then the editor. And then the publisher.
In his book The First Fifty Pages (yes, I like this book), Jeff Gerke asserts that you have 50 pages to accomplish this task.
In reality you only have one page. And then the next. And then the next.
As Westley in The Princess Bride quoted the Dread Pirate Robert, “Good night, Westley. Good work. Sleep well. I’ll most likely kill you in the morning.”
Here are 5 ideas to help you keep your readers turning those first critical pages.
  • Make sure your opening is free of any bloopers—grammatical, spelling, formatting, etc.— that would earn you an immediate rejection. Polish your work. Get several sets of eyes (hint: critique group) on it. Read it out loud.
  • Grab your readers’ attention. Get your metaphorical hands around their throat and don’t let go. Intrigue them. Shock them. Tease them. Bait them. Make them cry, laugh, scream. Bit by bit, leave a trail of bread crumbs they can’t resist following.
  • Give your reader a reason to care about your protagonist and connect emotionally with the characters in your story. What is the problem the protagonist must overcome? Get your readers emotions involved as soon as you can.
  • Give your readers the information they need to get on to the rest of the story. Don’t beat around the bush, but don’t lose them by jumping so quickly into the story they don’t know where they are.
  • Give your backstory as you go along. Avoid information dumps. Especially at the beginning. Before your reader will sit still for downloads of information, they have to want to know.
There are many ideas that can help an author grab the reader’s attention and keep it. What tips do you follow to ensure a strong start?
A book I found as a helpful reference is Hooked by Les Edgerton.
What is the worst opening line you have ever read in a book?
What it the best opening line?
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates correction is stupid.
~Proverbs 12:1
Read your email thoroughly before you reply.
Freelance newspaper work is tough. When I wrote a weekly column for the Plattsmouth Journal, I interviewed many gospel singers. Many times I interviewed individuals “cold,” no website to give me background. (The calls reminded me of years before when I sold pre-need cemetery arrangements. I stuttered in the beginning—but got the job done.)
Once when I needed to interview a country gospel soloist, someone gave me her email. I sent questions. She shot back immediate answers—and added a note. I read her answers, but didn’t digest the material in her note. Later I sent her a quick email, “Is there a time I can call you? What time zone are you in Texas?”
She emailed me, “I’m in Omaha—how about now.” I re-read her email and found all the information I needed.
Because of my haste, I apologized with a red face. The experience reminded me of other lessons I learned the hard way. Spiritual lessons. If I’d slowed down and taken time to pray and then listen to God before bringing up a sensitive subject with my husband or my co-worker, my tone of voice and my attitude—could they have been softer, more understanding?
Prayer: Lord, you are never too busy to listen to me or to advise me. Help me to slow down long enough to not pray and go, but pray and know before I speak. Amen
Last week I offered up some resources to help you with characterization. This week it’s time to look at resources for balancing the equation in your story: plot.
Every story has a flow. An arc. It rises and falls. You’re introduced to the characters and their conflict, the action rises to a crescendo than levels out to a satisfying ending. Simple. But when should the action rise? How long should you keep your audience in suspense? How close to the end do you bring it to the peek? And how in the world does my character’s arc dovetail with the plot?
That, my fellow writer, is what the following books can help you decipher.
Did you think only plays and movies had acts? Guess again. A great story will have 3 acts. Jeff does an excellent job explaining how to handle all three acts to build your story.
From answering “what is plot” to explaining common plot problems and cures, this book helps you build the right structure for your story. It explains how to make the beginning, middle and end strong. There are exercises at the end of each chapter.
Just as a story has a flow, so does each scene. Scene and Structure contains fourteen chapters filled with information to help you build scenes that will keep your audience reading. A couple of my favorites: Chapter 8 answers the question of how to pace your story through the use of scenes. Check out chapter 7 to learn how you go from scene to scene without a bumpy ride. And what about the stuff going on inside your characters? Bickham handles that, too.
Each of these books has its own unique flavor. I found all of them helpful. Do you have a favorite resource for plot?
Photo by Deb Heartscribeforhim

 

“I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I have put my hope in your word.”
~Psalm 119:147 NIV
In years gone by my husband and I spent time in the woods. He liked to fish in the quiet early morning hours. I loved to sleep away from home. In the quiet, no husband and no phones, I took time to renew my energy—to spend time reading my Bible.
Often I used those hours at the campfire to write my weekly newspaper column, “Sunshine and Smiles.” By the time Gary filled the cooler with his mess of fish, I felt well rested, my spirit well nourished, my commitment for the week completed and ready for time to share coffee with him, my best friend.
Not everyone has time for a campfire, but everyone can make the opportunity to start the day refreshing their mind, body and soul reading their Bible.
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
~Psalm 63:1 niv
A lot of the US is in drought, a dry and weary land where there is no water; many souls are spiritually dry—come to the water—seek Him.
Prayer:  Thank you Lord for being our continual source of refreshment. For giving us moments of peace and quiet even when we don’t have the opportunity to camp. And thank you Lord, I never had to clean a fish. Amen
Some authors are plot heavy in their writing and others are into the characterization. The reality is, without both, your story will feel off balanced. Engage all of your reader and have both.
This week, peek into my writer’s library and discover 7 sources on Characterization.  Next week, look for more information on Plot.
Jeff Gerke’s book is easy to read. He talks about layered characters, the emotional journey, the three-act story structure that will sustain your character arc, backstory and who plot and character intertwine.
Draws on the Method acting theory that theater professionals have used for decades, this in-depth guide explains seven characterization techniques and adapts them for the novelist’s use. She uses examples from classic and contemporary novels show you how these techniques have been used to dazzling effect.
You’ll learn to:
  • Create characters whose distinctive traits become plot components
  • Determine each character’s specific objectives and motivations
  • Write natural-sounding dialogue rich in meaning
  • Endow your characters with three-dimensional emotional lives
  • Use character to bring action sequences to exuberant life
  • Write convincingly about any character facing any circumstance
Without goals, your story will ramble. Without motivation, your characters won’t be real(no one in their right mind would do THAT!). Without conflict there would be no interest – your story will flat line. Debra makes the concept of GMC easy enough for all to grasp and apply to their writing.
Have you ever been at a loss when it was time to name your characters? Have you ever wanted to name your characters based on what the name means? This book is for you. It contains a listing of names by ethinic background. Is your story set in the middle east? Choose an authentic name from their listing. Each name also has its meaning listed alongside it.
WARNING: Do not use this book to build stereotypical characters. Use this as a catalyst to get you thinking in the right direction. Some situations are easy enough to figure out by putting yourself into your characters shoes, but you don’t want all your characters responding the way YOU would to a situation.
Perhaps you don’t understand how someone who has a psychological disorder might behave (How do you walk in those shoes if you have never been there?). This is written by a psychologist who delves into the why’s of certain personality types and their behaviors. She has some answers for you.
WARNING: Do not use this book to build stereotypical characters. While Edelstein’s book delves into the character’s psyche, McCutcheon’s book looks to their actions.  
He has provided a character questionnaire to help you think through who your character is. He asks things you might never think you would want to know about your character. Most of it you will never pass on directly to your reader. But these background tidbits make for a fuller character.
You will also find a Character Thesaurus. A listing of different ways to voice what you want to say about your character. Words to use as you seek to show instead of tell your story. Instead of saying your protagonist is old, you might use descriptions like cadaverous, careworn, haggard or hair sprouting from moles.
Again, use this as a catalyst to find your own words in your own voice.
Part One: The internals including decription, monikers, setting, work and dialogue.
Part Two: The externals including attitude, her thoughts, avoiding assumptions, dreams, villians and a dossier you can fill out to help you pinpoint what you need to know about your character.
Part Three: Character and Plot. How to get where you’re going, conflict and violence, point of view, secondary characters, character change intertwining with plot and based on real-life events.
She includes a summary at the end of each chapter for easy review.

I hope you find a book that is helpful. Remember, if your budget is tight, see if your local library carries any of these. Do you have a different book in your library? Tell us about it and help us build a better resource list.

There are many fine points of grammar that you can spend time correcting. As you learn to catch those problems in your self-edits, there will be fewer issues in your manuscript.
To give you a boost in the right direction, here are 6 tips to keep in mind.
Use strong verbs:
He strolled through the forest.
He walked through the forest.
He walked slowly through the forest.
Which is better? The first example is best because it shows how he walked. Using adverbs(third example) can easily clutter up your writing. If you choose to use adverbs, use them sparingly and make sure you cannot accomplish your purpose without one.
Watch the passive verbs:
The dog was hit by a car.
The car hit the dog.
The first is an example of passive voice. The action was done to the subject. The second sentence is stronger because the subject does the action.
Don’t use the passive on accident. Only use it to accomplish a specific purpose. For example, in mysteries where you do not know who did the action, a passive would be appropriate.  
There are several usages of verbs that weaken your writing- make it feel passive- without being passive voice and you need to be on the lookout for these as well. Tracy Crump offers an excellent explanation on the subject.
Watch out for clichés.
Don’t say something that has been around the world several times. When you find a cliché in your writing, pause and come up with your own unique twist. Something fresh. In your own voice.
Check for redundant/overused words.
There are times when a word is used repetitively (on purpose) for effect or to drive home a point. Typically, the same word over and over gets old and can drive your reader crazy. Break out the thesaurus. Use the RIGHT word. It will give your story zing.
Check for incorrectly used words. Don’t trust your spell/grammar check on this one.
There. They’re. Or their. Your spell check will say all is well. But how does it come across to your readers if you say: there going to the park, they’re dog ate the rat, or their is a party tonight? The next tip will help you catch these tricky spots.
Read your manuscript aloud before you pass it on. Listen for wordiness. Misused words. Places where your tongue trips over itself. These are all places to go back and work on.

Resources

Find a good grammar reference-a must have for your writer’s library.
What tips and resources have you found helpful?
You’re blessed when you meet Lady Wisdom,
   when you make friends with Madame Insight.
Proverbs 3:13 (msg)

Recently Pastor Aman of an Arabic Christian church preached in our morning worship. A translator stood to his right, sometimes looking puzzled. Pastor Aman repeated his phrases and the translator would smile and give us his English version.

Before giving us his scripture for the day, Pastor Aman said, “One day I followed a taxi with a bumper sticker that said:

Don’t follow me because I myself am lost.”
 
What a great bumper sticker for writers. We need to choose wisely in whom we follow, Jesus first, author fan pages with wisdom and also good informational blogs. No matter the genre we write, we need to study God’s Word, and ask Him to guide our minds and fingers.
These Proverbs spoke to me today:
Dear friend, guard Clear Thinking and Common Sense with your life;
don’t for a minute lose sight of them.
They’ll keep your soul alive and well…

No need to panic over alarms or surprises,
or predictions that doomsday’s just around the corner,
Because God will be right there with you;
he’ll keep you safe and sound.
Proverbs 3:21-22, 25-26 (msg)
Prayer: Father, thank you for reminding me to guard my mind and soul. Thank you, too for the promise You will be with and guide me in all my ways. I only need to ask. Amen
We are going to spend a few weeks talking about the trees inside the forest. The small parts that often feel tedious to the creative brain. But they are necessary. The rules you must understand before you go breaking them in the glorious exhibition of your style.
If you want your medicine to be a bit sweeter, join a critique group. The fellowship and encouragement you receive will make up for the toil and sweat you must go through. And what you learn in the process of editing others’ work will grow you toward your goal by leaps and bounds.
For starters, I am going to recommend several books I have found to be helpful.
  • Contains exercises
  • Applicable to both fiction and non-fiction
  • Covers 7 grammar points
  • Used throughout your manuscript
  • Short and fun
The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman
  • Contains exercises
  • Focused on fiction, but parts applicable to non-fiction as well
  • Focus on grammar, does include some on elements of story
  • Although applicable to entire manuscript, focuses on first few pages
  • From perspective of what an editor will see that may turn him off to your manuscript immediately
Self-Editing forFiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King
  • Contains exercises
  • Focuses on fiction
  • Elements of your story, not just grammar points
  • Easy to read and understand
The First Fifty Pages by Jeff Gerke
  • No exercises
  • Focuses on fiction
  • Covers elements of story
  • Great examples from the movies
  • Easy to read and enjoyable
All writers need to build a library of reference books. You will go back to them again and again. Consider purchasing one of these books or look around and find a different one that will suit your needs better. Do you already have a collection? If so, what is your favorite book covering some aspect of self-editing?