mcorriel

Michele asks: Why did you write Advanced Plotting?

Chris: I’ve learned a lot over 20 years of writing and studying writing. Some of this came from classes, workshops, or reading books and magazine articles on writing, but much of it came from trial and error, or critiquing others’ work. There’s nothing like critiquing a few hundred stories to show you what works and what doesn’t.

It’s not too hard to learn some of the basics, such as “Your main character should have a problem or goal” and “Your main character should solve his own problem.” But strong writing involves so much more. I wrote articles and developed workshops on techniques such as pacing and cliffhanger chapter endings -- things I rarely saw discussed, which may be why I see even published books that don’t make use of powerful techniques. Ultimately, when I had enough material, I wanted to share it in an organized way. Thus Advanced Plotting was born.

Here’s an excerpt from one chapter, How to Write Vivid Scenes:

Connecting Scenes

Each scene is a mini-story, with its own climax. Each scene should lead to the next and drive the story forward, so all scenes connect and ultimately drive toward the final story climax.

A work of fiction has one big story question — essentially, will this main character achieve his or her goal? For example, in my children’s historical fiction novel The Eyes of Pharaoh, the main character hunts for her missing friend. The story question is, “Will Seshta find Reya?” In The Well of Sacrifice, the story question is, “Will Eveningstar be able to save her city and herself from the evil high priest?”

In my romantic suspense novel, Rattled (written as Kris Bock), the big story question is, “Will Erin find the treasure before the bad guys do?” There may also be secondary questions, such as, “Will Erin find love with the sexy helicopter pilot?” but one main question drives the plot.

Throughout the work of fiction, the main character works toward that story goal during a series of scenes, each of which has a shorter-term scene goal. For example, in Erin’s attempt to find the treasure, she and her best friend Camie must get out to the desert without the bad guys following; they must find a petroglyph map; and they must locate the cave.

You should be able to express each scene goal as a clear, specific question, such as, “Will Erin and Camie get out of town without being followed?” If you can’t figure out your main character’s goal in a scene, you may have an unnecessary scene or a character who is behaving in an unnatural way.


The essay goes on to explore the four potential answers to a scene question (Yes, No, Yes but…, and No and furthermore…). This is the kind of detailed plot advice, with specific examples,

I wanted to share with other writers. Writing great stories starts with dreams, imagination, and creativity, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn specific techniques to make your writing even stronger. I want Advanced Plotting to help.



Learn more about Chris and read excerpts of her work at www.chriseboch.com (for children’s books) or www.krisbock.com (for adult romantic suspense written under the name Kris Bock) or see her Amazon page at http://www.amazon.com/Chris-Eboch/e/B001JS25VE/. Advanced Plotting is available on Amazon in paperback for $9.99 (http://tinyurl.com/4xfl7dp), or as an e-book for $2.99 on Amazon or Smashwords (http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/75078). You can also read excerpts from Advance Plotting this month on Chris's blog: http://chriseboch.blogspot.com/.

Michele asks: "What is the relevance of the magical world of Miserere to our current contemporary society?"

Thanks for having me here, Michele. I think your question wins for the most thought I had to put into the answer (that’s a good thing, by the way). I really had not considered the relevance of Woerld’s magic to our current society.

I think the thing I really wanted to impart with MISERERE is that magic doesn’t cure everything. That was why I deliberately downplayed the emphasis on spells and enchantments in MISERERE.

Lucian is powerful; he is the ONE SPECIAL CHILD, but as an adult his life is an unholy mess based on the choices he made when he was younger. By the time he finally realizes that he must accept responsibility for his mistakes, his magic is useless against his sister Catarina. She has gained more power and the balance of their relationship has shifted in her favor. At first, Lucian believes the only way to overcome Catarina is through enchantments; in the end, he escapes his sister not with magic but with his courage to change.

Catarina, on the other hand, craves the way magic makes her feel—she is like an addict seeking a greater high after every infusion of power she receives from the Fallen. She doesn’t want to study or learn but demands instant gratification, and she gets it.

And finally, like Lucian, Rachael has great power, but all the magic in Woerld cannot heal her heart. She must work through her own feelings and decide whether Lucian is sincere or setting her up for another betrayal. Her great power is useless against her past and pain.

So, very much like our current society, power through money, property, prestige, or even magic doesn’t exactly guarantee an individual a perfect life in Woerld. It’s all about choices, those decisions which are made from the core of an individual’s principles, whether they be good or evil, and where those choices lead a person.

That’s why MISERERE isn’t about magic; it’s about people who are living through violent times and political upheaval. Yet no matter how great the external world events, they are simply people, just normal people, struggling to get through their lives and loves in the midst of all the turmoil surrounding them. That’s what MISERERE is about.

BIO:
Raised in a small town, Teresa Frohock learned to escape to other worlds through the fiction collection of her local library. She eventually moved away from Reidsville and lived in Virginia and South Carolina before returning to North Carolina, where she currently resides with her husband and daughter.

Teresa has long been accused of telling stories, which is a southern colloquialism for lying. Miserere: An Autumn Tale is her debut novel.

Teresa can be found most often at her blog and web site (www.teresafrohock.com). Every now and then, she heads over to Tumblr and sends out Dark Thoughts http://teresafrohock.tumblr.com, links to movies and reviews that catch her eye. You can also follow Teresa on Twitter (http://twitter.com/TeresaFrohock ) and join her author page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Teresa-Frohock/134892453223242).

BLURB:
Miserere: An Autumn Tale
(Night Shade Books www.nightshadebooks.com / July 1, 2011)

Exiled exorcist Lucian Negru deserted his lover in Hell in exchange for saving his sister Catarina's soul, but Catarina doesn't want salvation. She wants Lucian to help her fulfill her dark covenant with the Fallen Angels by using his power to open the Hell Gates. Catarina intends to lead the Fallen’s hordes out of Hell and into the parallel dimension of Woerld, Heaven’s frontline of defense between Earth and Hell.

When Lucian refuses to help his sister, she imprisons and cripples him, but Lucian learns that Rachael, the lover he betrayed and abandoned in Hell, is dying from a demonic possession. Determined to rescue Rachael from the demon he unleashed on her soul, Lucian flees his sister, but Catarina's wrath isn’t so easy to escape. In the end, she will force him once more to choose between losing Rachael or opening the Hell Gates so the Fallen's hordes may overrun Earth, their last obstacle before reaching Heaven's Gates.

Read the first four chapters of Miserere FREE here: http://www.nightshadebooks.com/Downloads/Miserere_%20An%20Autumm%20Tale%20%28Sampler%29%20-%20Teresa%20Frohock.pdf

Book Trailer Link: http://youtu.be/3MvCHEp0EVA

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LINKS TO PREVIOUS INTERVIEWS:
All Things Books http://speedyreader-allthingsbooks.blogspot.com/2011/05/interview-with-author-teresa-frohock.html

Layers of Thought http://www.layersofthought.net/2011/06/interview-with-teresa-frohock-debut.html

The Written Connection http://www.uninvoked.com/writingblogs/wordpress/?p=75


NEXT INTERVIEW IN THE TOUR:
The Punching Bag Fights Back http://thepunchingbagfightsback.blogspot.com/

I've finished the first draft. I've dreamed about situations and plot lines. I've revised. I've printed out the manuscript and sat in the dining room (a room without a computer) with a red pen and made yet more revisions. I've given it to my writer's group and a few other readers to make sure I'm on the right track, that the premise holds together, the voice is there, the characters make sense.
Then I sent it to my agent.
Now what?
I have a few other projects, some magazine deadlines and pressing chores I've put off for the last six months (it may be eight months, but who's counting?). So it's not like I have nothing to do.
And yet.
I feel like something's missing.
My manuscript.
It's been my constant companion for the last year or so, always in the front of mind, the characters growing, learning, getting in and out of trouble. I miss them. I miss coming to my computer and knowing they were there waiting for me.
So I move on. I have research to do for my next book. Edits coming in on another book. A proposal do out for a project. I know. I know. I have a ton of work.
And yet.
I feel the emptiness like a phantom limb.
Not to worry, I tell myself. I'm sure the manuscript will be back for another set of revisions soon enough.

As I approach the end of my first draft I find myself floundering a bit. I had this great new plot worksheet I made up using Freytag's plot layout and then inventing a seat of my pants way to get through it. I thought I had it all figured out.
And then I put a few twists and turns in there I wasn't expecting and the ending got further and further away from me.
But I kept on writing, hoping I'd find it somewhere along the way.
So far I've gone an extra three chapters from where I thought it would end.
I've "outlined" the next three chapters and I feel like I'm almost there. That's an extra six chapters.
I guess the key is to be flexible. If your characters still need to do a few more things before they're done with their parts -- let them! You can always cut it later.
At this point it feels like I'm running a race and every time I get near the yellow finish line someone moves it another mile.
But I also feel that the story is richer for it.
If I'd just followed my original outline I'm not sure the story would be as good as it's getting now.
I've already gone back once and rewrote the first ten chapters in present tense to see if changed the voice of the main character.
And by doing that I've learned how fluid the piece is. I think the work was worth it.
I've also come to know the characters better. All of them.
By the time I'm at the end I know I'll be ready to start at page one for the rewrite.
And who knows. I may end up with a different ending all together.

I just got back from a very long trip attending the SCBWI conference in New York and speaking at the AWP Conference in Washington, DC. After being gone for ten days, hitting two major cities, and listening to many, many speakers it's taken me a few days to really let everything sink in.

I heard Lois Lowry speak about where she gets her ideas -- she gets them from the life she's lived and likes to think about "giving sorrow words."

I heard Jane Yolen talk about the picture book, "Let the rumpus begin" she quoted from Where the Wild Things Are. And how to remain in the "small," keeping the emotional focus in the child's world.

Mark Teague advised us, "to meet the story on its own terms."

And Patricia Gauch urged everyone to feel the rise of the wave of your story. "Feel the swell of it, the peak of it, the sweep of it."

Penguin editor Jennifer Besser assured us that publishers are looking to take risks and Lisa Sandell from Scholastic told us that "our finest moment is just ahead," in regards to e-publishing. And she added, "We'll always need storytellers."

And somewhere in my notebook I wrote down, "The most important thing a writer can do is write."

I also heard several editors and agents say NO MORE VAMPIRES! They want literary work with commercial appeal. But are not done with paranormal, just no more vampires (or angels).

Editor Jeanette Larson from Harcourt said publishers can't afford to print "okay" books anymore -- the mid-list books -- she has to sharpen her game and the internet has given authors and publishers a lively audience, people who LOVE books. She's looking for good stories told well.

Of course there was a lot more and there are blogs you can read to get more quotes and notes. My point is it's a lot of stuff to process.

The panel I was on in DC was about pushing your boundaries and honestly, I was very happy to get home because I felt that my own boundaries were being pushed. It was an amazing experience. Our room was packed to the hilt with about two dozen people listening in the hallway and people sitting on the floor in the front!

Now I need a little time to think about what I heard, to appreciate the people I met, the new friends I made, and decide what lessons I'm taking to heart.

Which doesn't mean I'm not working. I have two deadlines this week and I decided to start all over on my WIP. But I'll also take a little time in between to let everything sink in.

As promised, I want to talk a little bit about writers' groups. But I will give a warning here, it may not be what you expected. Don't get me wrong, I love my group. We've been together for about 18 years, more or less, and have seen each other through great times and rough times. Sometimes your writers' group can inspire you, and you run home to attack your manuscript with all the new fresh ideas you wrote down during your critique.
But sometimes it works the other way, too.
At our last writers' group I brought in two chapters and although the writing got good marks, the two chapters brought up some bigger questions about the whole WIP. Instead of running home to work on it I brooded about it. I wondered and second guessed myself. Is this heading in the right direction? Am I on the wrong track? Has my main plot veered too far off target?
The problem with taking in a chapter or two once or twice a month is that your group may not be on the same page all the time. And that's okay. Because one thing I've learned recently is that your writers' group is crucial, but they aren't your only audience.
The first person you have to listen to is yourself.
I'm not saying to ignore anything you don't like or to disregard any comments that might mean more work for you. On the contrary. I'm saying listen to your own muse, maybe the work at this point is veering off in a strange direction. But whose to say that's wrong. Nothing written is ever wasted. It may not be used at this point, but it may be a way to get where you need to go.
Since I'm at a major turning point in my WIP, I've decided to keep going. Let's see how it all shakes out. This is my crappy first draft and if I need to toss out a chapter here or there, that's okay.
Writing is messy work.

Between shopping, wrapping, ribboning, sending cards and decorating the house, who has time for writing? Well, if you're a writer you'd better find the time.
Not that the manuscript won't be there when the tree is down your house is busting with no place to put all your new prezzies. It will. But getting back to a cold manuscript is much harder than chipping away at it while you can.
You don't have to finish the entire novel in one sitting, or even go at it at the same pace you would the rest of the year. But you should work on it or else it will be twice (at least) as hard to get your groove back after the party's over and all your house guests have left.
The way to do this is to multi-task.
While you're whipping up a batch of your grandmother's special holiday chocolate snowball cookies you can do a few mental exercises about your characters. You can think through a plot or a sub-plot. You can jot down a few phrases of dialogue. And if you're really inspired you can run to your computer while the cookies are in the oven.
Granted it's not the ideal way to work on a story. But beggars can't be choosers. And when you finally do get down to some serious writing time, you'll reap the rewards.
Why add to the stress of the holidays knowing you're willfully ignoring your work in progress? Nobody says "work" means a certain number of pages or words a day. You can be working on your manuscript while reading a book, taking a walk, and yes, even shopping.
In fact, shopping is a great way to do research. Dialogue research.
Sit in a cafe and listen to a group of teenagers. Those nuggets are golden. You don't have to sit there with a pen and paper in hand. Just be aware of the rhythm of their voices, the way they check their phones (openly or secretly), what they talk about and what words they're using. I used to get teased for my eavesdropping all the time, but now I have a great excuse!
So shed the guilt and enjoy those cookies.

This fall we had editor Jill Santopolo (Philomel) at our the SCBWI Fall Conference and she gave a workshop on outlines.
I thought to myself: Outlines? Who needs them.
Mostly because in the last book I wrote I didn't outline a single scene. I knew where I wanted to get to and let the process guide me. I let the characters take over the asylum and it was so much fun I thought I'm never writing another outline again.
But there was something about Jill's 10-point screenwriting outline that really intrigued me. And like when I find a really good recipe I want to try it out, see what works and what needs to be tweaked. (I cannot leave a recipe alone. Something always needs to be tweaked.)
If anyone is interested in the 10-point screenwriting structure, it's based on Freytag's Plot Pyramid: Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement (the new normal). I like the 10-point style because it adds a few other things like first character growth and second character growth.
So I used the 10 points as very vague plot markers, knowing that by one-quarter way through the manuscript I needed to hit the first character growth and the point of no return.
Then I took my previous revelation about freeing up the characters to do as they please and incorporated it into a very, very loose chapter outline, but ... and here's the genius part ... I only wrote out one sentence for each chapter and only outlined the next THREE chapters.
This way the characters could do what they wanted, and I could adhere to my loose structure and get the story under "control" at the same time.
Plus, it had this really nice side effect of allowing me to know kind of where I wanted things to go when I sat down at my computer. Which is always a plus.

I just finished a first-stage revision and I wanted to share a few tips.
After I got my manuscript back from my writer's group -- I'll talk about how important writer's groups are in another post -- I sat down at the computer and went over all their comments. I mulled it over for a bit and then rolled up my sleeves and got to work.
The first order of business was that I needed to put in a whole new scene, in a new setting. I could see the place, the room, the shop and the whole set up. Now I had to drain my brain onto the page.
Where to put it? I knew what I wanted to accomplish and I wanted the scene to get the most bang for the buck. Since this was a mystery, I needed to make sure there was a clue in the scene and some evidence my characters could take away with them.
Once I figured out what I wanted from my new scene I knew exactly where it needed to go. It just so happened I had a weirdly not happening part in one chapter that needed a little boost and this scene would be a perfect fit.
The new scene took up about ten pages, which bled from one chapter to the next. Again, perfect. Did I mention it's a mystery? I wanted to end each chapter with a kind of cliffhanger, to make the reader jump into the next chapter. Some cliffs are steeper than others but it's my little lesson I took from the Hardy Boys.
The next step was to read the whole manuscript on the computer where I could easily make any corrections that were needed.
It took a few days but I finally made it all the way to the end. Great.
Now onto the next step: Printing out the manuscript.
I don't know about anyone else, but when I'm sitting at my computer, it's very easy to start fiddling around the text, get distracted by email, remember something I needed to Google, check my facebook (see if anyone "likes" my status) and maybe stop in at Twitter and see if there are any good postings.
In other words, I get easily distracted.
When I print out the pages (on recycled paper) and sit in my kitchen with a pot of tea and a pencil I find I can truly concentrate on what I'm reading. No phone. No email. No nothing. Just me and the manuscript.
I read it from page 1 to page 160 making notes on the pages as I went.
Then it was back to the computer for the final run through, again reading it as I went, to make sure things made sense, the clues were there, the red herrings strategically placed, and the ending felt right.
And since it's a series, I left it so readers would want to pick up the next one.
I didn't always work this way. But I've learned to accept certain things about myself and printing the pages out helps me to focus.
Reading the manuscript several times from beginning to end also helps.
Now it's in the hands of my agent.
Rinse. Repeat.

For the last two weeks I've been presenting at conferences and festivals, signing books and meeting with other wonderful authors. It's been a great experience. Two weeks ago I was on a panel at kidlitcon 2010, in Minneapolis. What a beautiful city. The conference was fantastic and the people generous with their expertise and their time.
Last weekend I was in Missoula, for the Montana Festival of the Book, co-presenting with fellow 2K10er Janet Fox. She and I put together a fun talk about social media and I think everyone walked away with a little more knowledge in their pocket.
Besides that, I got meet one of my favorite adult fiction authors, Jess Walter, who was as nice in person as he is on Facebook!
This coming weekend I'll be at The Children's Festival of the Book in Bozeman, Montana, alongside ... get this: Lois Lowry!
It's going to be a great day, because besides the fabulous Lois Lowry, authors Karma Wilson, Elaine Marie Alphin, and Jeanette Ingold will be there as well.
I can only imagine how many people will be attending this.
So I have to put my good face on, try to wear matching socks, and think about my reading.
I'll be reading from my new book, Fairview Felines: A Newspaper Mystery and then signing books afterward, which is always a blast.
Usually, I like to read the first chapter because it really sets the tone for the rest of the book (the way I was taught to do it!). But this weekend I heard another author read from the middle of her book. Hmmm, there are some exciting parts in the middle ... should I keep the audience on the edge of their seats? Or should I ground them in the story and the character? Can I do both?
I have my copy of the book ready and a few brightly colored post-its waiting nearby so I can mark the pages I'm going to read, just like all the famous poets and authors do at a reading!
All I need now is a few minutes to think about it. That's going to be the hard part.