Protagonists can’t start with a complete understanding of themselves or their world, or there would be no story to tell. Most novels include a reveal, where the main character (and the reader) make a discovery. The desire to learn the hidden mystery is often what keeps readers turning pages. I’ve been thinking about the role… Read more »
News
A Little More About SCBWI-Michigan’s Nonfiction Mentorships
One of the things I do is coordinate the mentorship program for SCBWI-MI. This year, we’re holding two: a nonfiction middle-grade/young adult mentorship with Stephanie Bearce and a nonfiction picture book mentorship with Patricia Newman. The winners will receive a year-long mentorship consisting of six exchanges of materials and critiques with either Stephanie or Patricia…. Read more »
The Important Questions
My husband (Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Michigan State University) asked me if there are set protocols for critiquing novels. I explained that I’ve used forms or lists of questions when preparing for critique discussions at workshops. Usually when I write up a critique, I discuss the big items: overall impression, character,… Read more »
Snapshots
In Kate DiCamillo’s Louisiana’s Way Home, Louisiana, has a way of characterizing people in a few sentences. About her grandmother, Louisiana says, “If you have to choose between smiling and not smiling, choose smiling. It fools people for a short time. It gives you an advantage. According to Granny.” At that point, I started to… Read more »
Kryptonite
Tell me if this sounds familiar. The young warrior/wizard/Jedi/Strega/hobbit/dragon-rider/space traveler starts out without many skills or knowhow. As the story progresses, the character acquires power and knowledge so he/she can ultimately face the Forces of Evil. The character may be given a mentor or some other protection, but that safety net can’t last throughout the… Read more »
Sticky Situations
Every writer gets stuck. Some stare at a blank screen and write nothing. Others write reams of meaningless dialogue or gigabytes of unessential internal monologue. Choose your poison. This can happen when: the writer has painted him/herself into a corner the writer doesn’t know what happens next nothing is happening in the novel events in… Read more »
Telling Tells
Tells, unconscious movements that telegraph a person’s emotions, are beloved by novelists and gamblers. A character may rub his neck when he lies. Another character might pick at her split ends when she’s bored. Eyebrows frequently rise. Jaws are forever dropping. But sometimes a character has such a unique and memorable tell that it jumps… Read more »
Varying the Tempo
The appropriate pacing for a novel depends on the audience, genre and plot type. A literary novel aimed at educated women will likely be slower paced than a midgrade novel targeted at elementary school boys. If the pacing is too slow for its audience, the reader may wonder if anything will ever happen. If the… Read more »
Books That Make You Cry
My brother-in-law recently sent me a twitter feed in which people were asked to name books that made them cry. One person listed his organic chemistry text. For the record, I didn’t cry over organic chemistry. Physical chemistry might have been a different story. Not everyone is moved by the same things. I’m most likely… Read more »
Causality of Plots
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue By Mackenzi Lee Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2017 Mackenzi Lee creates a wonderful example of the domino effect in plotting in this adventure story. The protagonist, Henry “Monty” Montague, is a likable rogue who is taking a tour of Europe before settling down… Read more »