Brainstorming Weekend

Our local writers group recently had a weekend retreat at the country home of one of our members. We met for dinner in town on Friday night before convoying to her home. Once we carried all our blankets, pillows, air mattresses, and items for the weekend, we shared the bare bones of our work in progress.

The next morning after breakfast we started in with each member introducing their main character. Other members could ask questions for clarification. Several members brought copies of character questions to share.

After lunch, we took a short country walk and resumed with our one sentence log line, which we helped each other refine.

We decided that each member should go ahead and describe the plot, conflict, and elements of their stories. After stopping for supper, we worked until bedtime.

On Sunday morning, we finished helping plot the remaining members stories. We ended our time together, agreeing we all were leaving with enough ideas to finish our projects. We decided two issues: 1. We all needed to diet after all the food we'd eaten this past weekend. 2. We definitely wanted to make this an annual affair.

So, I would strongly suggest that any writer get together with at least one other writer and devote some time so brainstorming your ideas for a story. Bring things you've learned from workshops, books, and articles to help with plotting. You'll be glad you did.

The Narrow Path by Gail Sattler

During a brief time with Ms. Sattler in a critique group, I received good advice on writing an interesting story with a clear, strong Christian message. Since I had never read a book by her, she sent me online an advanced copy of her newest book "The Narrow Path." Never before had I read a Mennonite book, so I found Gail's book not only a good read, but informative as well. This delightful romance pits the old, traditional sect with a modernized version of the same values which gave me a well-rounded view. Sattler gives insight into a different way of life, and colorful characters dot the pages. I found some of those characters in a work I was critiquing for her. I'm sure that will make an interesting sequel. I asked Gail a few questions to probe her mind.

1. List your 5 top favorite activities.

Number 1 music. Number 2. music. I say that because I'm in 2 different bands, a jazz band where I play my electric jazz bass and a concert band where I play my double bass with a bow because there is no electricity allowed with a concert band. I can't count the worship team for church, because I've played both basses and piano for that, so it's kind of a rerun. Number 3, reading; Number 4, walking my dogs: Number 5 I'd say after all that, sleeping.

2. Do you write in other genres as well as romance?

Yes, but I'm not published in them yet. I'm working on a woman's fiction that has a touch of romance, a cozy mystery, and the most fun, a supernatural thriller that I'm writing with my husband.

3. What does a typical writing day look like for you?

I don't have a typical writing day. I have a day job, so that takes my day. I write when I can on the evenings and do editing in the mornings before work, and I do a lot of writing on the weekends.

4. What 1 piece of advice would you give a beginning writer?

Best advice. Write and keep writing, and while you kep writing, keep learning the craft. If you think you know it all and think you can stop learning, you might as well stop writing. Write because you love to write, not because you want to sell. Selling is a bonus. I guess that's more than one piece of advise, but I write. I don't do math.

For more information about this good author, go to http://www.gailsattler.com/

"The Narrow Path" will be out in May, 2010. I would recommend buying a copy.

As writers, we are always searching for new books, articles, magazines, courses… anything to help us become more effective writers. Oftentimes, those pursuits can get expensive. Today, however, I want to share a resource that is completely free and yet one of the best online magazines for writers.

This monthly online magazine is called Christian Fiction Online Magazine. It is filled not only with articles on helping your craft but also current industry news that will help you stay abreast of market changes.

Check out this months issue HERE.

Top Five Best Craft of Writing Books

In all of the conferences, workshops, and meetings I've ever attended, I've heard the same titles touted amongst the masses as the best books to learn to write by. We here at Bookstowriteby strive to bring you such books to cultivate your craft. I thought today we would review, in my opinion, five books which I believe should be on every writer's bookshelf.

In no particular order, here are the five:

Dwight Swain
Techniques of the Best Selling Writer

Donald Maass
Writing the Breakout Novel

James Scott Bell

Plot and Structure

Jack Bickham

Scene and Structure

Margie Lawson

Empowering Charactions' Emotions

Granted this last one is not a book, but you can go to her website and order her lecture packet. I have the packet, plus I have had the honor sitting through one of her workshops as well as enrolling in her online courses. The content of her lectures are outstanding. I learned more about characterization through her workshop then I have reading books on the subject.

If you are in the market for buying books, add these to your shelf. If you are in a money crunch, then look at local library annual book sales, half.com, amazon.com to see if you can buy a used book. If you just want to borrow a book check them out at your library or borrow from a friend. You won't be sorry.

Creating Characters: How to Build Story People by Dwight V. Swain

Creating Characters: How to Build Story People by Dwight V. Swain is a book a fiction writer would definitely want to add to his/her permanent library.

When I saw this book available for purchase on Amazon.com, I knew I wanted to order it. I am not sorry I decided to purchase this book. The book is divided into seventeen chapters. In the preface Mr. Swain recommends selecting a chapter that addresses a particular problem area you need.

Since I planned to review the book for this blog, I read them all. My favorite chapter was "Fleshing Out" since one critique of my last manuscript was "Your characters are two dimensional". This chapter provided some good suggestions on how to give my characters depth.

Chapter Twelve talked about character descriptions and how choosing the right words to describe the characters was essential.

Chapter Thirteen revealed some techniques for writing good dialogue that would move the story along and show who the character was instead of telling.

Chapter Seventeen was "The Search for Zest", which addressed how to keep on writing and not lose the motivation to write.

I feel more confident that I can write better characters in my next book based on what I learned from Dwight Swain's book. If I have any questions, I know which book to pull off the shelf. The combination of notes I took and underlinings throughout the book should help me overcome difficulties I might experience at the time.

This is one more book I will keep close at hand because I know I will be rereading selected chapters many times in the future.

Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maass

Would you love to go to a writing conference or workshop this year but can't afford it? I have the answer. Buy "Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook" by Donald Maass and do every assignment.
Previously, we recommended "Writing the Breakout Novel," and I'm sure many of you have purchased it. It's a good read. However, if you didn't get the corresponding workbook, you missed a treasure. For every chapter of three to five pages, Mr. Maass challenges us with the same assignments he gives to those who attend his workshops across the country. I guarantee your manuscript will be strengthened and improved if you not only read this book, but do the homework. Granted, you must be self-disciplined because the highly-acclaimed literary agent won't be looking over your shoulder.
My young adult heroine in my present work in progress took on heroic qualities from the first chapter of Donald Maass' book. In chapter six, by listing as many possible motives for different actions by my protagonist as I could think of, I found new and surprising twists and turns. I found new problems for my young character by raising the stakes, then raising them again, and then again.
With Mr. Maass direction, I listed all main characters and dreamed up new motives, new reactions, higher stakes, a recommitment. I thought through inner turning points. I dreamed up new layers and extra subplots. I learned to measure the inner growth of my protagonist by finding scenes or inserting new scenes that prove my point. Low tension spots waved at me as I studied my words.
By the end of Maass' book, my mind popped with rewritten scenes and added tension to be woven in. This workbook was a purchase well worth my money and the next best thing to going to a writing workshop or conference.

Noah Lukeman The First Five Pages

Ahhh… the joy, the ultimate blissful feeling that envelopes you once you have that finished manuscript. But now you want to make sure it’s ready before you send it to an agent. But what things do you check for?

Like a pilot getting ready for takeoff, Noah Lukeman in his book, The First Five Pages, gives us a pre-flight checklist for our manuscripts. A literary agent himself, he shares with us about things he sees in submissions everyday, things that could potentially send your otherwise wonderful manuscript into the slush pile of no return.

In this easy to read book, you’ll find wonderful suggestions and pointed tips to make your manuscript shine, especially those all important first five pages. From preliminary problems such as presentation and style to problems in the ‘bigger picture’ such as showing versus telling, pacing, and hooks, Mr. Lukeman’s book is sure to help you take your writing to a higher level.

Link to website and excerpt to Mr. Lukeman’s book: First Five Pages