Define your story with an effiicient outline, So that readers have aclear understanding of your story.

Hello, Readers
My topic this week is outlining. Again you may scoff at the idea. I have found several wonderful reference books that can help. Today I am highlighting two indie authors that are so helpful to writers like me. K.M.Weiland of Outlining your Novel workbook, Katherine King of The Love Plot workbook. I chose to purchase the workbooks from each of these so that I could write all over them. Each have separate novels about this topic available as well. Both authors have blogs themselves, and websites where you can email them with questions. Both women have been very helpful for me.

Many think that outlining takes away from the creative process of writing. It does if you allow it too. If all you are focusing on is how many chapters, how long, if its exactly like the outline you created no variations, etc. Then you deviate from the whole point of your story, and what an outline is supposed to be. An outline in my opinion is just a rough sketch of what you are hoping to accomplish with your story. It is a guideline of sorts that helps you keep on track, pace, and plot. Both of these books are excellent examples of how an outline can be helpful.  (Example from; The love plot workbook page 16)

This is the basic set up outline:

•    Act 1~Setup

• Part One~Set up    

1. Opening image
2. Hook
3. Inciting incident
4. Plot point One
In each of these parts both books go into detail about how each part needs to work to complete the whole.                              

For me and my logical brain I love the outline process, it gives me a clear direction of where I am  in my story, where I am going, what I am moving the plot towards.  I can periodically check to make sure if I am on the right track and then I am back to the creative center of my writing.

My point of these blogs is not to claim these are the right ways to write. I am sharing with you all valuable information that I have learned, and products I have used to simplify the process. With hundreds of books on the market today specifically for writer reference I hope I have helped narrow your search in which books to chose, or try, or check out from the library (which honestly is what I do the most.) In conclusion this is just another example of a process I use to create my fiction. I hope this information has been helpful to you all.
See you again soon readers.
As I always say; "Writing like life is a work in progress."
=) Jess

Redefine how your Characters feel, So that readers emphatically can relate to them.

Originally I was going to try to write a blog each week. I have come to realize that with all I do on a daily basis that is going to prove impossible. So I will do my best to write these at least twice a month.

 For my second blog in the series,  I am continuing with character creation but taking it to the next level. I discovered the most amazing book. It is called; "Breathing Life into your Characters." by Rachel Ballon, Ph.D. this book is intense as a writer because it takes you into yourself, the deepest emotions and teaches you how to translate that to your fiction. Each chapter ends with a free-write for fifteen minutes, this takes you into your sensory memories, and those emotions. I can honestly say this has been the most crying, I have done in a long time. The character I am working on currently lost her grandmother at young age. I also lost my grandma at a young age. Until I read this book I didn't understand how much that one major event had effected my life as a child, and now as an adult. This book is a valuable tool to use to give your character that extra edge. That something that no one else has. "The secret to having your characters stand out from the rest is to put your heart and soul into them, you cannot write effectively until you are able to experience your inner self in the process of creating characters" as quoted from Chapter one.

I could spend many more hours on how valuable this resource has been to me. I am serious when I say this is a therapeutic session that only costs the price of the book! That has been the most powerful thing about this book all those memories were inside me already, I just used my sensory memories to recall them and add them to my two dimensional fictional character. This is something that I appreciate as a reader. To care about a character, to want them to succeed, and strive for there happy ending.

Above is an example of how great writing can get you to care about a character even an animated one. Stitch is created by an evil scientist bent on world destruction. Stitch in essence is a weapon sent to destroy, he has no other function. Yet, as his friendship with Lilo proceeds he begins to be a lonely guy with no family, he is lost, he learns, and he is accepted and loved by a girl who lost her parents.
It is a beautiful story. In the end when he says "This is my family, they may be small, they make be broken, but still good." Tears, you have experienced empathy with this alien aka Stitch, this weapon. Who is not longer either of those things he is just a dog that is loved by his family.

Good writing is creating something that is fiction, yet it doesn't feel like its fake. While you are immersed in that world you are part of it, you are all in all the way to the end. That does not come from a good plot, or good setting, that comes from a character, you can relate to and emphasize with emotionally with. So readers we must look inside ourselves, dig into those memories, feelings, smells, sights so that our fictional world is real. So that those characters become real to those readers.

See you again soon readers.
As I always say; "Writing like life is a work in progress."
=) Jess

Redifine how you create your characters, So that readers can relate to them.

As a avid reader I have noticed several things in great novels; One there is always something I can relate too in each Character, and Second that character must have a realistic personality. Otherwise I cannot root for that character or want them to succeed. As a reader I must have this. I am starting a new series of blogs highlighting my favorite reference books that I have used over and over to complete my short stories and novels. Each week I will use to as an example. This gives each of you a starting point in the creation of your novel. That way it can become a full length story verses just a great idea!



The two reference books I am using this week to start off this series is; "A Writers guide to Characterization." By Victoria Lynn Schmidt, and "Creating Characters; How to build story people." By Dwight V. Swain.

"A writers guide to Characterization." shows how, Characterization has a direct line to proven mythological Archetypes, and heroic journeys. She uses wonderful examples from Greek mythology.

 A lot of people turn against archetypes they do not want there character classified in such a way. I understand the parts were you don't sound cliche. This book does not do that however it shows you many different ways a character reacts, interacts, and emotionally responds to others based on a model or a particular archetype. She even has animal archetypes in this book which are in my opinion fascinating. I learned a lot about interaction in the book. I also learned that due to certain personalities if I do not have my character categorized in any way,  I cannot get him or her to function correctly. I found out this the hard way half way through my first novel! I had changed my girls personality so much she almost sounded crazy.

This however is a fantastic book in so many ways, it gives you a skeleton of personality straits, it shows you how this archetype will relate to another, it even gives you specific examples. Its great when you are trying to concoct a recipe that includes many different types of people. It shows you specifically based on your archetype how they will react to others. It is a great tool for character writing. I defiantly recommend it. Especially if your a beginner like I was an still trying to figure out how to present your character realistically.

 Lets face it we all have to do a little stereotyping when describing story people we are the ones that give them color, personality and a literal face.

This brings me to my second book of reference in this blog. "Creating Characters; How to build story people."
This book has so much information in it. I had read it twice now. I love the quotes, the humor and the insight the author gives. He breaks down each chapter as a intricate part of each character. He does not use archetype models, he uses characters from other books he has read, or real life examples. This book has 17 chapters of information and every bit of it necessary to understand all the small details that go into a seemingly simple character. Your character must be more then just words on paper, they must live, breathe, and thrive on your pages or people will not continue reading. So if you want to learn about creating story people from start to finish read this book! It is a must have for any writer in my opinion.

In conclusion to this blog. I believe that writing is a process one we need to study and learn about everyday to grow as a writer. No one wakes up one day and says "I'm going to be an author." It takes a lot of hard work to finish a novel.One quote I read "Its' easy to write a novel, all you need to do is sit at the keyboard and bleed!" I agree with this statement completely. I am still bleeding as I write my second novel, two more short stories, and complete chapter three of my children's fantasy series. Even though it makes me bleed, it also make me proud creating something memorable and entirely fictional!
"As I always say writing is a work in progress; as is life."
Until next time readers! Jessica =)
Next blog in this series; Outlining your novel

The writer who reads needs tools, The reader needs facts and tips to improve!

Hello all, it has been a busy time for me. Several new stories published in Amazon.  I have returned to college, to advance my career day job... So I decided to start a series of blogs about great writer reference books I have found, ones that have been recommended etc. I am re-reading my favorite writers reference books. I have so many, I admit it!! 

Being the reader that I am, I have course have to read good books again. 

I also want to give accolades to all the authors who have written theses wonderful books, and it's helped me become a better writer.

The current book I'm reading is called Creating Characters; How to build story people...it is written by Dwight  V. Swan

This is a fantastic read, I am enjoying it thoroughly..for the second time. This time however I'm going through each chapter and highlighting things I love, quotes etc. 

I may be a bit highlighter crazy because I'm back in college, but it's necessary on different levels I think. By using the different colors you categorize items according to what's important to you..for example Quotes, yellow. Important points, pink. Green writer prompts, blue humorous tales about writing dilemmas. 

Here is another awesome quote: How do you adapt the characters you zero in on to your story? Alfred Hitchcock put it well: "first you decide what the characters are going to do, and then you provide them with enough characteristics to make it plausible that they should do it." This is such a fantastic point. I have read so many stories with fantastical themes, and other worlds... But unless I can believe that character should be there, unless that author gives me concrete plausible facts, I have no interest in reading further!

I start this series of blogs this week after my extended hiatus. Thank you for your readership. 

The writer who creates villains, the reader who fears them, yet understands them...

When creating a villain one has to understand how an evil mind works. It is strange when writing a character who kills; how we become attached to them. We create the motivation that causes them to kill. Yet we have to foil his plan. It is a slippery slope for an an author. It's  strange how we become fond of them. How twisted their mind. Becomes our mind as the reader. I am a huge fan of a good villain. Disney is a one company that creates great Villains. The evil queen, Frollo from hunchback of Notre Dame, Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty; to name a few. They do such a good job of creating a story that is plausible we understand the villains and their motivations. As a writer we must follow the same guidelines, and reasons for the bad guys to do the things they do. We must create fear for the life of our main character. Fear can be created through emotional conflict, family conflict, or physical conflict caused by villain. 

In that fear the villain must be a very good at his evil deeds. Blackmail, threats,  physical harm to increase the fear.   

Otherwise our attention is lost. We lose interest in the strength of our hero or heroine. They must overcome this obstacle, this villain. Sometimes emotional conflict is more difficult then physical harm. Sometimes a character can be there own worst critic, villain. 

 As I am creating a villain that will carry through in four novels. I'm finding different elements to carry him through all four stories. It is challenging especially in a series, to find a way for the good guys not to find him. But there must; be a good reason why. It must; make sense otherwise we lose the reader. If you the reader do not believe that this villain can truly succeed, or that our hero can overcome him there is no point to the story. Without our twisted villains, are antagonists; that create all of this conflict, suspense, our story is nothing. Even without a serial killer, or some action to cause our character to fail before they reach their happy ending there is no story. That my friends is the key to a great story, internal conflict, emotional conflict, physical conflict, these are all things that propel our hero forward. These are also things that propel our villain forward. If these are not in the story there is no story. So in conclusion, make sure your Villains are as developed, with backstory, motivations, conflicts, as your Heroes it will make the story more interesting, and you as readers will enjoy the story more. 

~Writing as in everything is a work in progress...Until next time readers! 😃 Jess~

The Writer who creates enduring love, The reader who follows the love story, believing in that happy ending."

I don't know about you; I personally love a good love story. It's the stories that have complications, conflicts, emotional and or physical that make the best stories. And I personally love seeing the happy ending. This happens in classic fairytales as well as in real life or 

In the books we read. The books be read if the characters are created correctly are the ones that we remember for a long time. One of my favorite stories of all time is the notebook by Nicholas Sparks this book travels through time and follows a love story all the way to the end of this couples life. If you have dry eyes at the end of this movie that's impressive. 

A good author creates a character that we love. In that love we will follow that character all the way to the end of their story. It may not be the romantic love. But it's definitely any emotional love, to see that character succeed and get their conclusion hopefully happy is what authors strive for.

So the question is how do you do this as a writer. Well in my experience I used to love stories from my past, with my grandparents, or my parents and take from them a story and then create my own from that. Every good story stems from something in our lives. Emotional love is usually involved in those decisions  or stories we tell, the pages that make up our life.

This goes back to your character description, the background story you create. The setting, any historical elements add details needed to enhance your tapestry, your story. That idea may seem romantic to you, its the truth. 

Everyone in their life has experienced some kind of love whether it be maternal, paternal, from grandparents or your very first love. So you take these aspects from your life, romantic, even sad. These become the basis of your love story. And that love story can be one of an animal that you adore, a parent that is no longer with you, a grandparent who is in heaven watching from above. All of those things are love stories. And we are the ones that make them.

Writing as in everything is a work in progress. 

Until next time readers. 😄 Jess

The Writer that uses Culture and Historical Elements to add more, The Reader who Demands Accuracy when using them...

 When I began reading romance all the books I read were historical. At one time I was a history major, so it was a favorite niche of mine. I even wrote a Civil War christian romance in the 5th grade! In one of those 80 page notebooks! I still have it, is has since evolved in to a quartet of books with my girl character and her brothers. It is still a work in process though. It is not the finished draft I have been chronicling here. I only am using the historical pictures to state a fact, when you are writing a historical piece it is so important to be accurate. I have read so many that are not, and it ruins the story for me as a reader. I am a fan of plausible reality in fictional settings, such as my current series set within all four seasons. Like when I spoke of settings in a earlier blog it touched on this. If my story is set in fall the setting should reflect that weather, and that clothing the character wearing, food they are eating, holidays too. I have actually read books that I shall not name that say they are holiday story and they forget the holiday all together! As a reader this is very frustrating. For this blog, I am using this culture reference because my characters even though set in modern day are from different backgrounds and ethnicity and it is important to me if they are Italian, like my guy character, to be able to speak Italian. I spent hours on you tube learning Italian phrases so I can be accurate with my guy in the Italian Rivera.

Why are these details important, to some this may be silly,to me it is a matter of being authentic in  what you are writing. If I have not done my research so that I give you the correct info, I have not done my job. Someone will notice. I want my readers to be transported and captivated. I am striving for the accuracy. So I may be a perfectionist when it comes to this but so be it. Its who I am as a reader and as a writer. Being true to yourself it absolute when writing. It is also important to remember this when you are being critiqued, you must be true to yourself and your story. The contributions are just that someones opinion.In the case of historical fiction, historical facts must be accurate, and the timelines exact otherwise its not a historical work. So it requires more attention to detail and more research.This is the same with vehicles, homes, clothing, accents, hairstyles etc. all of these details when accurate make more depth, it gives the reader that much more to be enveloped into the world you create for them.

So I'll end with this, Historical accuracy is a must. Instead of looking at it like its a bad thing, think of it as enhancing your story that much more, in most cases you can find visual reference for historical events so it helps to visually see what you are describing. History can be very fascinating and filled with wonderful drama, intrigue, and mystery. it can also give you something else for your character to feel more passionate about, and propel the story further, maybe even give you a new story idea all together! This is just another in a long list of details, another element to make your story that much better and more interesting.

~Life is a work in progress as writing is...Until next time readers, and hopeful writers. Jess =)

The Writer creates a state of Anxious Uncertainty, the Reader has Tension in Uncertainity...

I have been away for a while and I apologize. Life just got in the way in so many ways. I am starting fresh and new and this blog is about my current rewrite, I originally wanted to make it a romantic suspense novel. I unfortunately doubted myself and deleted all my tension, and uncertainty. I am now removing my mediocrity and writing it the way I wanted originally so it has the feeling I want it too. I want my story to be a page turner, so I am making it so.

I have said many times that writing is a process, as a writer I want to research everything, as a reader I read everything. I have recently been reading a series of books by one of my favorite authors. Her name is Julie Garwood. She is wonderful at romantic suspense. Here's her website if you are interested in her works.(http://juliegarwood.com/)

 Its funny I used to read her historical novels and then I discovered her contemporaries last summer. She does a wonderful job of weaving the suspense, the passion, an the romance into her books. I am so impressed with them. I am striving to create something like this. I love series books as I have said before and that is what I am writing. It is a strange place to be as a writer when you have others critique you work and then you completely second guess it. Not in a harsh or negative way but thankfully in a constructive way. I keep wondering why I didn't let other people read my story before. If I was being honest with myself I would say its because I wasn't prepared for criticism, or any negatives at all. I understand now that I am confident in my abilities as a writer to allow others to give me feedback. it has taken me a long time though.

I hope I am not the only writer out there that feels this way? I mean we literally bleed, and sweat for some of these pages and stories. In my case the bleeding part is usually because I trip, or fall. I am a genuine klutz. So I may put that in some of characters for comic relief. I usually make fun of myself too. anyways my rambles aside I have been researching how to create the right kind of suspense, and tension. Conflicts and relationships. All these factors are what give us those tense moments. So I am adding them. It is strange going into already made chapters an adding them. At the same time if gives my story more dimension. I have a wonderful villain who is becoming more real as well he is one crazy dude, but so calculating hes scary. It is fun to see him come to life. I cannot wait for others to meet him and fear him. So that is what I am working on at the moment. I have not decided if he gets to survive all four books of if he only makes it to book number two. I will keep you posted.

 In my research I have discovered that the villain is as important as the main characters because he is who propels the story forward in a suspense driven way. I am working on pacing. If you place the action in the wrong segment it looses its fervor. I have learned this through different critiques and I am thoroughly enjoying this process.

The key to this genre, I have learned is to stubbly weave in the actions, the questions, and boom the peril. It is a little strange going back to my draft and weaving these in now, I am kicking myself for deleting them previously. I was so worried that I was putting to many ideas into the story. For example its: like a cake that is decorated to much and you cannot even taste it because of the all the decorations and frosting. That is my best description. Instead of editing some of the sugar flowers, I deleted them all. So not I feel like I am playing catch up, or redo. It is a weird feeling. It is work in progress just like a first time recipe. This is my first time writing a novel so that is what I compare it too.

Again with the recipe reference, I tried a new soup recipe recently and I added to much pasta so it became a pasta dish instead of a soup the next day. I can laugh about it now, same as with my book. I don't want to end up with that again. I am going in like a surgeon and precisely adding, important tension elements, and suspense from my villain. I hope you all will enjoy the final product. I am very anxious to complete it the right way, but it has taken me ten years to complete the book, so I need to remember to take my time with it so that time will be the last until the editor gets a hold of it.

~Life is a work in progress as writing is...Until next time readers, and hopeful writers. Jess =)

The Writer who creates death, the Reader who embraces it with complete emotion and tears.

 Everyone has read that one book, where a character you love dies. It is one of those heart wrenching moments. Sometimes it adds more depth to your protagonist, and other times it is the protagonist. I have read books where I love the character, get all the way to the end and the author kills them! My first reaction is to throw book across room, second reaction is of disbelief. I think their is a small measure of grief that comes with that characters demise even if its in a fictional world. One that tore me apart was when Professor Dumbledore died, I was devastated. I wasn't even sure I wanted to read Deathly Hallows after his demise. It would not be the same. However I did read Deathly Hallows and it was explained why that character died and much of his life was given in that book too. It to this day is still one of my most favorite series of books, and the movies were pretty good too.

 In my book I just finished writing their was a poignant scene in which my guy protagonists mother dies from cancer, it was one of those times I struggled so much as a writer because I loved her so much. I was sad and emotional and I found that I couldn't write it. Instead I had her live to see the happy ending and then after the wedding pass. It was a scene I still wonder if I should include that death scene or leave be.

In my personal life right now I am dealing with the last days of my ailing grandfather he is not doing well and I am struggling to grieve and still be brave for my mothers whose father is dying, my siblings losing their grandfather, and my children who are losing a great-grandfather. I am somehow holding in my grief for the benefit of others, I am not sure if this is healthy but I am dealing with it slowly I think. As soon as he left the hospital after two weeks I understood it was not a good sign, the doctors said there was nothing else they could do. I can handle the facts. Today though I was told by the doctors and hospice nurse said that it will be anywhere from two days to two weeks that he will be gone. It is so strange that now having a date, or supposed date it is final, like its already over. In a book as a reader you don't have time to plan or expect the demise it just happens there is not time to grieve or wonder..It is sudden an awful at times, that is the emotions that the author portrays.

 The book "If I stay."by Gayle Foreman that question of mortality is taken to another plain entirely what if you were trapped between life and death what would you chose? This is a great book if you haven't read it.. I am reading it for a second time. I just rented to movie so I hope that turns out good too. To continue if an author is successful you are also immersed in that story and fully in that pain. It is a type of grief, I think all readers should experience at least once. As a writer however this is more difficult to write, I think because you have to reach deep into yourself an actually feel the pain. That is why I am struggling with it. I feel its necessary to go back into my book and write this scene and with all the emotion I am feeling now with my grandfather it will be raw and genuine I hope it will translate like I want it too.

 Another character and a completely different film that was difficult to see a character die was the one and only Obi Wan Can-obi, it was so sudden and shocking it took a few scenes to actually digest that it happened. I think that is what made it more powerful too. It is funny, if a writer tells the story correctly it doesn't matter if we are in space on on earth, or even a space between life an death we are there and feeling that grief. Yet if that death had not happened would Luke have stepped up and became a Jedi, or if Dumbledore had not sacrificed himself would Harry have done what he needed too to defeat Voldemort? These things not matter how horrible shaped these characters lives and helped them became the brave heroes they needed to be in their story. Without there bravery we would not have wanted Luke or Harry to succeed. Harry avenged his parents, and Dumbledore. Luke was able to see the good in his father when everyone else said he was a lost cause. Even though his father was a villain he died a hero. It made the story that much better with those added deaths, and it gave us the emotional pull to continue to read.

 Real life is like this, I mean we have all these struggles, trials, obstacles to overcome. Health, financial, transportation whatever your trial is, if you didn't have it, what would you have to work for? How would you be grateful for what you accomplished without them. I feel a huge responsibility as the oldest daughter and oldest granddaughter to try and take care of everyone, and it is virtually impossible..Yet I still try to do it. I still put my needs behind those of my family, children, husband. It is something my mother does too. I am most concerned about her because this is her father. He has been in her primary care for the last four years and lived with her. It is especially hard to know that the end for him is coming an I wonder how do I prepare for that? How to I plan, cope, deal. My first reaction is to cry my eyes out. Then I remember I have to be brave for everybody, and strong for my mom and its exhausting yet fulfilling too. I feel like I can do something for her. I wish I could do more.

 This last quote above is one of my favorites. It is so true. I know that this is part of life. My grandfather is 90 years old he has survived multiple wars, multiple heart attacks, the death of his beloved wife of 50 years, and he has managed to stay on this earth for much longer then he planned. However while here he has taught us about, life, love, religion, politics, and he had an amazing sense of humor, always laughing and joking. I remember all the times he made my grandma so mad. These are the wonderful things I will remember. That is what makes it that much harder to say goodbye, because I will miss all those things, all those discussions where he said he had disowned me because i was a democrat, and all those times he made me laugh just because he could. He loves chocolate milk and pecan pie I will never look at those things the same way again but I will always love them. I wish I had said more things to him, or asked him more questions. I do know that I told him every day I saw him " I love you." I hope he knows that. I look at him now an all his fragility, it is so hard to see that strong an stubborn man I have known all my life reduced to this. However I need to remind myself that life is a gift, and I believe he has lived his to the absolute fullest.  I need to follow that example an reach for everything I want out of this life, and no holding back. That is what he has done. I hope I get the privilege to live until I am 90 years old and tell all the amazing stories of my life, and all the amazing books I want to write. I hope I have grandchildren someday that will look upon me with the same love and affection I have for my grandfather and think that I have not wasted this life, I have loved, and lived and laughed a lot.

 So I will leave you with a poem I found.

~Life is a work in progress as writing is...Until next time readers, and hopeful writers. Jess =)

The Writer creates the seasons&scenes, the Reader follows the senses in scenes on that journey.

 I have discovered as I write this blog how much I am learning and it is great to be able to share it. It is almost like I am in college again and striving for that A grade!  In college I took every writing course available until they told me I had to actually take courses that were just for my degree. My original degree had been English but my father had talked me into Business management, I was so bored there was no creative involvement it was one way or you failed. It was taught primarily by egotistical males they talked about all their achievements. Ugh! As you can probably tell I changed my major. Back to English I am very glad I did, my other favorite was history so I took a detour into that degree too. It was a process and still is. Just as writing.

 I have the top photo and the quote really inspired me, I have based my quartet on the different seasons. I noticed with each book their is a definite difference not just in climate, but also in clothes and temperatures, and change in dynamic due to the characters, it is fun to challenge myself to write in all those different seasons. I love that quote is too it really paints a picture, which is what a scene does. Description is important. It gives that very real visceral observation in the story, you have to be able to pull your reader into that scene. It is very challenging to do that without going over board. I have read authors who take the time to describe the beauty of there heroine in every scene possible there is a mirror and we need a description again! So frustrating and it makes you think the heroine is very vain, I lose some empathy for her if I think she is stuck on herself. Ugh! it is very difficult for me to finish a story that is written like that. I want her to be beautiful, but I also want her to be more then that.

 Now mind you I am just stating a proven fact that if you describe the same things too much the reader gets bored. Every teacher of mine in college stated that as well. Now twenty years later I am finally understanding it. One of the key things you learn early on in writing is how to evoke the senses. Sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. An I quote from Wikipedia: "A sense is a physiological capacity of organisms that provides data for perception." I remember my teachers telling me I need more detail, we need to see, feel and smell this environment. I used to struggle with this until I started noticing it in reading. Some writers were amazing and I was completely pulled in. Every sense was involved with the discovery of this person and their story. And after reading another article by a "published author" who said that details were not that important. I went through and deleted most of my detail from my draft and while it was entertaining with dialogue, I was not pulled in. I understand  that more now since I have had others read it. I am working feverishly on adding that to my draft. In this process that continues with each page I write, I am also learning how to edit properly. somethings do not need explicit detail. Somethings just need dialogue and more emotion.

 As I always do in each blog, I mention a person or a book that has inspired me in some way. Any English major or anyone in general knows who Jane Austen was, and her wonderful books. My topic book this time is Sense and Sensibility, lol cause its a play on words and my topic Senses lol..Mostly because it is a wonderful story and as in all her writing you are in the story her descriptions, and emotions so clear an precise and her dry wit contagious. I have read an reread her stories so many times. The movies they have done are very good too. It is amazing to me a women in the that era can translate and we can all relate to the stories more than a hundred years later!

As quoted from Wikipedia:
"Her realism, biting irony and social commentary as well as her acclaimed plots have gained her historical importance among scholars and critics." The link to the website is below if you want to read about her life.

wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Austen

It is ironic to me that in every one of her stories their is always a happy ending, but in her own life there was not a happy ending. She endured a lot of hardship and illness. Her stories are alive an well with everyone that reads them just as every story should be. This directly applies to the details you give your characters, if you make them believable an relate-able then readers will return to read again and again. I only know this fact from personal experience as a reader. If that author does a good job I will buy their stories sometimes even sight unseen. As a writer I think it is important to remember that readers have no idea where they are in the story until you give the Setting, we have not idea what season it is till you give it the, Scene with the senses involved. In conclusion; The most important element to create, is to make your reader believe in your character completely, relate to them even if they are in Victorian England, and want to see them reach their happy ending. No I go back to writing my happy ending. Here are a couple of books that I can recommend for this topic (Scenes&Senses) are: Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One & Never Lets Them Go; by Les Edgerton,Scene & Structure (Elements of Fiction Writing);by Jack M. Bickham
 

~Life is a work in progress as writing is...Until next time readers, and hopeful writers. Jess =)

The writer creates the realistic backstory, The reader can encompass that story!

I was talking about the importance of names last time. Now I want to talk about the importance of back-story. How it creates conflict, and emotion and moves the story forward.
I placed pictures of Audrey Hepburn here because One: I adore her, Two: I admire her. She was amazing in an all her movies. The real women was a humanitarian and advocate for basic human rights. My main character starts a non-profit to help other women so they have a place to turn too in any situation. Why did she start her non-profit? Well that is her back-story. So it is important because it gives us the answers to questions and fills in holes, and gaps, with action, emotion, laughs, and conflict. All these are needed to propel story forward. I can relate to Audrey in her movies because she is so genuine. If she was superficial or a snob I would not enjoy watching her films. I have tossed books because of that fact, non-relate-able characters, non-realistic motives. I am a firm believer in Plausible reality. This story can happen in any realm, universe, alien nation. Only if I can relate to that character and why they are there. What they are going through. This were back-story comes in. The who, what, why, and where's.

I have several favorite movies of hers, Roman Holiday ,My Fair Lady, Sabrina  and Funny Face to name a few One particular movie especially; Breakfast at Tiffany's. What a wonderful name Holly Golightly light an bubbly, flirty, it is perfect for this character. She is trained by O. J. Berman, to be in essence sophisticated call girl or prostitute. She adores jewels and men, parties, drinking and no commitment. If this was her only story it would not be very interesting, it would be dull, an I personally would have no interest in it. However her back-story is what makes her the women she is now. She wanted to make a better life for her an her younger brother, everything she does is for Fred, every sacrifice she makes is for Fred, she sells herself just so she can take care of Fred. I can relate to her, because I am a big sister and I would do anything to protect my brother or sisters. If she was not a big sister, or working to provide for her brother. I would have nothing to relate to. I have never been to New York, never bought jewelry from Tiffany's, etc.
When he dies she is overcome with grief. We were sad with her. Her past in the country, her previous marriage,wanting to get away from poverty, and farm life.This desire to change gave us the emotional reason to follow her and root for her success. It is the emotional conflict that pushes the story forward. Whenever you give a character a back-story it gives them more layers to play with, more characters to introduce and for readers to enjoy. As I was adding to my cast, I was created characters and people from my girls past, people from my guys past. It was amazing how much you can add with just one person from the past.  Below is an example of some to the questions you can ask you Character.
Several of my teachers in college suggested a Character profile, and a series of questions to ask them. One teacher explained. "It is as if you were on an interview for the newspaper." I love this idea because I used to be a newspaper editor in high school.  So think of questions you'd ask a nanny for you children, or questions someone woul ask you in a job interview? These are important because this is person you trust your children with, or someone you would hire. This is also where Character traits can come into play. Choosing a good balance between positive and negative traits makes it much easier for conflict to occur. For example: His temper, quick to flair. Her stubbornness, she will not compromise. I can see an argument right here!

Also its what adds depth and personality the one dimension becomes two, or three , or four dimension's. Like Holly Golightly she is described as: the naïve, eccentric, café, society girl. Even in that description she is so much more than that. She was a women trying to make a better life for herself and her brother. Yet all most people saw was a pretty face, or arm candy they could hire. All these things are additions to her story and her character.They can be created individually or can come from past experiences adding another layer to your character. It is so interesting adding layers. In our society today though it is appalling to me how women are labeled and judged by their face, or their weight. Kelly Clarkson is always being hammered about her weight, or Jennifer Garner being accused of being pregnant because she doesn't have a perfect plastic surgery tummy. It is just awful that women have to be criticized like this. So hopefully your characters are not plastic surgery perfect, they have flaws, freckles, frizzy hair etc. They are real. Because real women read romantic fiction.

Above quote is one of my faves of hers. I truly believe she speaks the truth. True beauty comes from within, and how you treat others. A cool few facts about the beautiful Audrey Hepburn the real women not Holly. Audrey Hepburn was the granddaughter of a baron, the daughter of a Nazi sympathizer, spent her childhood and teens doing ballet to secretly raise money for the dutch resistance against the Nazis, and spent her post film career as a goodwill ambassador of UNICEF, winning the presidential metal of freedom for her efforts...And history remembers her as pretty...Let's change attitudes and challenge preconceived notions. Let's evolve! Join the cause.Quoted from Actor and Director Rose McGowan's Facebook page.

We all carry baggage, so the fictional characters have to have baggage as well. Rapunzel? Talk about baggage, her mother for example is  so obsessed with beauty and kidnaps Rapunzel so she can have it all to herself. Rapunzel always has this feeling of not good enough, and she can't do anything thanks to her mothers obsessive tendencies they have contributed to Rapunzel and her views, like everything in the outside world is evil and they all want to kill her for her magic hair. Talk about paranoia right?
Rapunzel however is not timid, she is determined to see her lanterns and have an adventure even if this means going out into that evil world, and disobeying her mother. Heck she trusts a criminal with her care? If she was not afraid, if her mother had not said no their would be no story. She is fierce and loyal and has a mean right hook with a cast iron pan.Yet she also has that innocence and sadness. She has many layers even as a Disney princess. Her desire to accomplish this birthday goal is what propels the story forward. She gets the guy, and a real family in the end too which is awesome.

All of these conflicts are things that happened before our story begins. We as writers should have a clear picture of that back-story before we start. In a perfect world that would be the case lol. In mine however this book has been a process of years so the back-story has come and be added as I go. The chapters have changed from my original outline. When you are working on a lengthy book it is normal that this happens. I thought I was weird or unprepared. I have read and heard I am just like every other writer trying to figure all this stuff out as I go. That is also why I say all the time. Writing is a learning process its constantly changing as we are, and as our characters are.

In conclusion; I never understood how important a back-story was to my readers. When I finished my fourth draft, and had others read it. I had left out important back-story thinking it was taking away from my story. What it did was leave my story with all these holes, and questions, and it gave my readers no association with my heroine. That is the key to any story your reader has to identify with her. She has to root for her, want her to succeed and get her happy ending. I understood the happy ending part. I didn't thoroughly understand how conflict, emotion, and back-story propel that character forward. Now I do. So it is an exciting prospect to me that I have again learned something new about writing, and story development. So do your research and add your layers it makes the story so much more. Add those negative traits as well as positive ones, because we are all not perfect. They shouldn't be perfect either there is nothing to shot for then.

In my next blog, I will go into more detail on how different conflicts emotional, psychological,  and suspense, created from back-story we are writing now to add dimension to the story. Three great books to check out for more information on character development: Creating Characters;How to build story people, by Dwight V. Swain, Breathing life into your characters;How to give your characters emotional and psychological depth, by Rachel Ballon, PH.D., Writing a Romance Novel;For Dummies, By Leslie Wainer, Writers digest has tons of articles to on each and every aspect of writing characters.

Here's a link to one of the back-story articles: http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/write-first-chapter-get-started/weave-in-backstory-to-reveal-character

~Life is a work in progress as writing is...Until next time readers, and hopeful writers. Jess =)