Chocolate, Info gaps, and Author notes

After a busy weekend working we are having a relaxing day, and the book I brought to read is finished. 

A romance set in Oxford and Lake Como, it seemed appropriate to read whilst in Lecco.
A typical, sweet, predictable romance, easy reading with lovely descriptions.

As ever I read for enjoyment, but a part of my brain remains in writer mode and this weekend's reading was no different. I read writing advice in books and blogs and then sometime later something connects in my head and I think- ahh, that's what they meant.

So two different pieces of advice have consolidated whilst reading 'Summer at the Lake' by Erica James.

Information gaps -
Leave information gaps.
 If you write fantasy or sci-fi the reader will expect to be given the opportunity to use their own imagination, to make the story experience their own.

In 'Summer at the Lake' it is easy to see what is going to happen and yet the author uses her characters to ensure you get the message fully! I am sure it is a style and  there are people who like everything to be explained. It create a book that ise easy to put down for a while, easy summer reading.
Dropping hints or describing one small aspect of a scene is something that is mentioned in many writing books and on blogs and on podcasts.
Leave the reader to form a view and they will become more invested in the story, it will be harder to put down.

Author notes and acknowledgements

Do you read them?
If you are an aspiring writer is is worth reading.
Why?
You understand how many people helped to shape the finished book. Recognise that you do not have to create perfection alone! Asking for help and advice is the norm for many well-written, best-selling books. Asking others for comments and accepting their opinions is part of the process of writing. 

You find out which agents, editors etc were involved in shaping the story. If it is the style you wish to write in it is worth noting these names for reference when seeking an agent or editor.

Established writers experience many of the same dilemmas as aspiring writers -Erica James says that although this is her 18th book she is still surprised at where the story goes, how characters change as she is writing and take the story in a different direction from what she had planned, 

Reading what inspired the story can be very interesting, and help you to see the world and what you experience in a different way. I love Brandon Sanderson's 'The Emperor's Soul'. The way the magic works leaves me in awe of his talent. The research behind the magic system, and where the idea came from made me realise the ordinary can be turned slightly to create something extraordinary. 

Established writers started in the same place as any writer, with an idea.

I am now going for a walk in the Italian sunshine alongside a river, and visit the chocolate factory we can see from our apartment :)

                                     My excuse?  Chocolate is an essential part of being a writer.

Story Prompts

If your brain is not as full as mine and you need ideas.

I have many pinned many images on Pinterest that fire the neurons in my brain and start a story flow. Today I wandered around a small town on the edge of Lake Como and found my own.

I hope they add to a story you are writing or begin a new one.

Where do these steps take you?
Who lives at the bottom?
Would your main character dare to find out?

The tree root has melted? 
Or is is eating the stone?
Or is it morphing into something else?

Plot so simple.

The writer's brain never stops.

At the time I usually write this blog I was having a picnic lunch with my hubby in Italy, having just crossed the mountains from Switzerland.

But my writing brain was not idle on the journey. I read a YA book with the simplest of plots. 
A girl wants to attend the best music school in the country to play guitar. She loses a finger on her fretting hand.
That's it.
There are sub plots and romance. Its an entertaining story and kept me occupied for much of the six hour journey.

Made me think about 'The Finder' and understand why the agents said to simplify. The original version s like a giant onion, far too many layers for the reader to eat. I am removing some of the plots. They may be used in a sequel or a parallel story. 

Does your plot have too many layers?

I leave you with the view from a window in my work/holiday apartment in Lecco.
This is part of the mountain range which surrounds Lake Como. 

Earlier, dragon-shaped clouds lifted free from the mountain top, and dispersed into the blue sky...

Weeding your Characters

Too many characters may choke your story.

Continuing IOWA course learning.
I tend to keep to a main character and a few secondary ones. maybe one day I will try a large cast.

If you are brave enough to write a story with a large cast these ideas may help.

First question is WHY?
Why is it important to the story to have so many characters? 
Who really supports the main characters and the plot?
How does each character contribute to the narrative?
How does each character bring a different view to the story?

As a writer you need to be clear as to who is the most important and who is only adding some colour. If you are clear about this then the reader will be too.

Weeding - 

Try creating a family tree with the primary character at the top. Link via relation ship to main character. If too far removed , maybe unnecessary.

Divide your characters into Primary, Secondary and Tertiary

Primary- 
You will know this character. their past, thoughts, flaws and secrets.
They will have conflicts which are raised at the beginning of the story and continue throughout.

Secondary - 
You will know relevant information about the present story line, may have flashbacks to past but generally no past info is needed to support the role.
may have some conflicts which last for a couple of scenes and are resolved- often in relation to the primary character.

Tertiary - 
These characters are used to throw light or views on other characters, or the plot- especially the Primary.
No big conflicts, may have some issues but not to be dealt with, only to move the plot on. May have some issues with the Primary, but not personal ones.
It is a good idea to give a tertiary character a tag- an accent / relationship / food or clothing / attitude so the reader is clued in when they appear infrequently.


As usual read -
Read stories with large casts and analyse how the author has used them. 
Notice if there are characters you skip over as you read- why? Are they needed?

Good luck.

Art of Dialogue

A short burst of words from me today.

A little more from the IOWA course.

Good dialogue reveals the character's voice 
It advances the plot without being obvious.
Dialogue needs to be natural, but not realistic.
Dialogue can be basic, while the narrative is complex.
It can convey emotional and psychological information - through the way words are chosen and the tone.

How to achieve it-
Listen to conversations and note how many times' er, um, yeah' is used. This would annoy a reader.
Avoid too much dialect.
Don't overuse punctuation.
Read your dialogue aloud- or get someone else to read it to you.
Sometimes what is not said it as effective as what is.
Do not use dialogue to info dump.
Do not let your character explain the use or presence of something they would see as normal or everyday. Find another way to convey this information.
A huge amount of our dialogue is conveyed through body language, add it rather than a dialogue tag.

'You are completely mad.' He backed up against the wall, his hands raised in front of his face.

'You are completely mad.' She threw herself into his arms and kissed him.

Avoid dialogue tags. If in doubt use said and asked - they are more invisible to the reader.


My blog will be sparse over the next week as I am going to Italy for work and pleasure.

Plot Snob?

I am a Pantser. Does this make me a Plot Snob!

Writing up the festival talks has helped me to understand the information and ideas. 
I now want to do the same for other information gleamed from others.

Over the next few blogs I am re-looking at an online course run by IOWA university.
It is free and very good.
It is time consuming, last year I did it alongside Nano ! Not sure how.

One of the weeks dealt with Plot. Are you a Plotter or Pantser?

Plotter
Boris Fishman says - 'Don't be a plot snob.' It is a vital ingredient for your story.
Some writers spend months plotting their story before writing the first draft. They may create the main plot and leave subplots to emerge, or make a framework for everything.
Brandon Sanderson plots backwards and writes forward. He begins with the awesome ending of his story and then works out how to get there.

Pantser 
'It's like driving a car at night, you can see as far as the lights allow.'
Steven Lumley  believes in trusting the writing. The writer learns about the characters while writing freely and the plot thickens. It is only after the first draft that you understand the plot. 
This is me - the first draft story generally comes from a character, My plots often end up too complicated. I am now refining. So not a plot snob after all, just an after the draft plotter! 

It doesn't matter which way you create your plot as long as -
It drives the story onwards, encouraging the reader to turn the pages.
Plot is a combination of tension, conflict and resolution.
It is not always dramatic- it can be a human drama - a character development plot.
It is not the who did it, but the why?
The plot gives the reader a question, drops clues, and ultimately answers.
Plots are full of twists, a discovery is made but it creates more questions not less etc.
Johnathon Lethan says a plot is juxtaposition and causality. An interesting plot takes two un-related ideas and puts them together with a because.
The plot helps the reader to understand the character's motivation.


Each week we had a word limited writing assignment, this was commented on by other writers.
An external force demands all the characters react, but there needs to be a separate unrelated force which the main character is dealing with.

Here is mine -

It took Mary a few seconds to realise that she wasn’t holding hands with Fabian on the bus. It was not a police siren forcing its way through the traffic, but a persistent fire alarm.

                ‘Nobody panic,’ said Steven. ‘It’s probably a false alarm, but we will have to leave the room, go down the corridor and out the main exit.’ He said all this is a loud clear voice and immediately began to help the artists to stand.

Mary’s body protested at her sudden movement, but there was no time to stretch and restore circulation gently. Her hastened on her numb legs to George who continued to draw, oblivious to the noise and chaos erupting around him.

‘George,’ she touched his arm gently, but he flinched.

‘Mary,’ he shouted, ‘am I getting an up close view tonight?’ His eyes twinkled beneath raised bushy white eyebrows and his face crinkled as he smiled.

‘No George,’ she replied and slapped his hand away.’ There is a fire in the building. We have to leave.’

‘Fire? Where?’

‘Somewhere in the building. We have to go George. Now.’

‘But I need my coat, and blanket, and my stick.’

The volume of his voice made Mary wince, but she calmly said, ‘George, I will help you. We can walk out together.’

‘You will walk out with me? Looking like that?’ His eyes flicked up and down her body.

‘Yes, you dirty old man, like this. You won’t get another chance.’ She bent her knees and slipped her arm under his and helped him stand. Most of the other artists were near or through the door. She could see Steven arguing with Margaret who wanted to take all her art materials with her, and go to the room where they left all their belongings.

‘It’s the best I have ever done, I can’t leave it here,’ Margaret had tears rolling down her cheeks.

‘Give it to me,‘ said Steven. He placed the art pad on the nearest table and carefully removed the top page, rolled it up and handed it to Margaret.  ‘Follow the others to the main door.’ He said firmly, she nodded and left. Steven continued his head count, saw that George was ok and hurried out to ensure that they had all remembered the way out.

Mary heard him shout Margaret’s name with a hint of frustration as she replied that she needed her bag for her bus pass, how would she get home without it. That was when she remembered the ring, it was still in her purse as she hadn’t given Andrew an answer yet. It was a hard decision, she did love him, but …

‘Vi, you’re in the bloody way woman. Move.’ George shouted and jerked Mary back to the room.

‘Violet, are you alright? Do you have a pain in your chest?’ Mary felt her heartbeat increase. She had come to love all the wonderful rich characters who attended this life drawing class, and couldn’t bear the thought of one of them having a heart attack because of the alarm.

‘No my love,’ Violet replied while continuing to fiddle and rub the front of her cardigan.

‘Vi, move ut of the way. If you want to burn that’s fine. But I am walking out with Mary. And Mary is…’

‘I know who Mary is, George, and there is no need to shout. I’m not the deaf one.’’ Violet shook her head.

‘No, you are the daft one.’

‘Violet, what are you doing?’ Mary asked as she firmly removed George’s hand from her hip.

‘I am trying to take off my cardigan.’

‘You are daft,’ said George. ‘It is freezing outside, you need to keep it on.’

‘It’s for Mary, you selfish bugger.’

George looked at Violet and then at Mary, ‘You said bugger!’ He shook with mirth, and Mary smiled. Trust George to focus on that aspect of Violet’s speech.

‘Violet, don’t worry about me. I will be fine. We do need to get out as quickly as possible. Take George’s other arm and we will go together.’

‘I’ll keep her warm,’ said George. Violet’s lips pursed together.

We are not alone.

The festival wasn't just about the talks, courses and agents, it was about meeting other aspiring writers.

Most were woman, age ranged from 20 - 80 years. Different background, different experiences, different jobs, different lifestyles.
Some were published, some just starting out. many like me were somewhere on the way, still trying to decide which route to take- self publishing or traditional, but all linked by the power of story.

One weekend and three hundred people shared a dream. How many more attend similar conferences and festivals throughout the year? How many more never attend? There are so many of us. we are not as alone as we feel.

The official number of attendees is three hundred, but to me it felt like thousands. I am not good in a crowd.
I was nervous before arriving, and nervous again in between talks. I found empty spaces to stand or sit. Often near another quiet person. One of us would have the guts to say 'Hi, what genre do you write?' or 'Did you find that interesting?' Suddenly we were swapping writing experiences, ideas and problems.
Everybody had something in common here, I was not alone. many confessed to being unnerved by the number of people around them. 

The conversations anywhere else would have had people being taken away -
How many people have you killed?
Are you a plotter?
Do your characters talk to you?
How many stories do you hold in your head?
Are there dragons in your world?
What magic do you use?

We all had problems to overcome, nerves about agents to settle, and truths to face, there are many people travelling the same road as me, 
Meeting other writers regularly  is not possible for me because of my physical isolation of living in a quiet area of France,  but I had different experiences to share - websites, online writing communities, places to find readers, podcasts and free writing courses.
Where ever we are in the world it is possible to link with other writers.

I have kept in contact with a few people I exchanged emails with, it is nice to share how we are progressing after the festival.

The end of my weekend is not the end of my experience - this festival opened my eyes to the huge task I have ahead. Daunting, challenging, but possible.


The blog does not end here either- I have more to share.