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Thursday, April 3, 2014

BUILDING YOUR BLOCKBUSTER ONE "BLOCK" AT A TIME--by CHERYL PIERSON



Writing is a process—we’ve all heard that before, but let’s think about what the “process” actually is.

First of all, we have to come up with the idea that we want to write about. For many of us, the stories start with just one idea, one scene that we’ve thought of, or even dreamed of—the germ of the story that we want to tell. There are many ways that writers get the beginning seed of what their tale will become, but how to make it be “the best that it can be?” Regardless of how an idea comes to you, it’s what you do with it that counts, in the end.

In my contemporary romantic thriller, SWEET DANGER, the bulk of the story takes place in the space of around 48 hours. That can be hard to do--to keep the action moving without detailing every piece of minutiae. But the characters and the plot were a perfect vehicle for this kind of writing in this story.

http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Danger-Cheryl-Pierson-ebook/dp/B00BDY1VCI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1396534867&sr=1-1&keywords=Sweet+Danger+by+Cheryl+Pierson

Some stories are uniquely your own to tell. An autobiography, such as Elie Wiesel’s “Night”, or a fictionalization of an autobiography, such as Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”, could not be told by anyone else in the same way.

Other ideas are out there for the taking—but it’s up to each writer to put their own spin on a “generic idea” that others have used before. One of the examples I like to use in class about this is the retelling of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” in many different formats through the years. It’s a basic story; “star-crossed lovers” that can only be together in death. Who would believe a successful musical could be made of that theme in “West Side Story”? The twist on the ending was that Juliet’s counterpart, Maria, didn’t die, but the other parallels remain constant. There have been several movie versions, but a few years ago, Leonardo DeCaprio starred in a modern remake of Romeo and Juliet, his men using semi-automatic weapons rather than swords. Oddly enough, the director chose to let the characters keep the original dialogue that Shakespeare wrote. There was a message in that: no matter what the time, no matter what the weapons, or the clothing, the love between the hero and heroine remained as constant now as it was then. Although the medium that relays the message has changed—written word translated to stage then to screen in various “takes”—the point of the story never changes, only the telling of it.

In my novella, JASON'S ANGEL, set during the tumultuous times of the Civil War, a young southern girl rescues two Union soldiers from deplorable conditions at a nearby hospital. Is she right to do this? It makes the reader wonder--what would I do under these circumstances?

http://www.amazon.com/Jasons-Angel-Cheryl-Pierson-ebook/dp/B00I1M5I9M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1396535203&sr=1-1&keywords=Jason%27s+Angel+by+Cheryl+Pierson


So you’ve decided what to write about, and you have a basic idea of what the story will be. Has it been done before? More than likely. What will YOU bring to the table? How can you tell the story that will make it “the one” that everyone will want to read? Putting your own tone and “self” into the story will be what makes it different and unique, even if it has been “done before.”

The next question you must ask is, who are you writing this story for? What audience are you aiming at? Most people have a pretty clear idea of what group they are targeting, but if this is something you haven’t thought about, give it some careful consideration. If you’re writing YA, remember it’s going to have to be a bit “edgier” than what publishers were looking for when you were “that age.” The romance genre has changed, too. Some things that were acceptable, such as heroes who took what they wanted regardless of the consequences, (forced sex) are frowned upon in today’s mainstream romance market. However, there is a huge range of venues in other genres that are more accepting of that type of behavior for their heroes. Just be aware of your target audience. This will help you not only in completing your writing project by giving it direction, but also in finding an agent and/or publisher when you’re finished.

Note the cover and the message it sends to young readers in this newer release from James and Livia Reasoner through Painted Pony Books. This is a Middle Grade Reader book, for ages 9-12. We know this books it going to be filled with excitement and adventure, just by looking at it and by reading the enticing back cover blurb. No, it's not any kind of "romance", but I wanted to show it to illustrate my point. It's "age appropriate", exciting, and also looks very mysterious.


http://www.amazon.com/Phantom-Ranger-Skateboard-Gang-ebook/dp/B00GYAOFU6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1396535362&sr=1-1&keywords=Phantom+Ranger+and+the+Skateboard+Gang

Getting organized is the final preparatory step. Whether you’re a “plotter” or a “pantser”, you need to have some general direction of where you’re headed with your book. I don’t generally recommend forcing pantsers to become plotters. But in the beginning, sometimes it’s good just to make some kind of a general outline about what you want out of the story. There’s one question that must be answered of any story you want to tell:

“This is a story about __________________ who wants to do ________________.”

Easy enough, right? Sometimes, that’s harder to answer than it seems it will be. It’s not always cut and dried. And there may be more that one simplistic answer as to what your main character(s) want.

In my paranormal time-travel novel, TIME PLAINS DRIFTER, the love story becomes evident quickly. But there's so much more to that story. The forces of good vs. evil are at work in a tug-of-war for the souls of seven young people, but also for a much higher stake than what we know in the outset. We learn as we read that what happens between Rafe and Jenni is going to affect the future in many ways. Their love will always bind them together, but there's so much more to be considered. So much, in fact, that their love may have to become the very last consideration.


http://www.amazon.com/Time-Plains-Drifter-Cheryl-Pierson-ebook/dp/B00HS5ZNBG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1396536232&sr=1-1&keywords=Time+Plains+Drifter


To recap, decide what you want to write about—something you love or are interested in telling about. Start with an idea, and don’t be discouraged about not knowing where to put it in your story. Many times, the idea we think is the “beginning” of the story turns out to be something nearer the middle. Has it been done before? Yes, but you’re going to make it different than anyone has ever told it before by bringing your own writing style and personality to it. In other words, you are bringing YOURSELF to the writing table, pouring your thoughts and beliefs and skills into your work to make it different and interesting. Who are you writing for? Give it some very careful thought. Some people write for themselves, while others hope to be on the NYT bestseller list in 6 months. Targeting your audience is important, either way. Getting organized is the next step to preparation. Getting your thoughts together and making an outline or even a general “guide sheet” to go by loosely will help, no matter what you’re writing.

Next, it’s time to start building your characters!

I'm offering a GIVEAWAY of a digital copy of TIME PLAINS DRIFTER to one lucky commenter. Please be sure to leave your e-mail information in your comment! Thanks for visiting with me today!

For more wonderful books to keep you reading, visit our Prairie Rose Publications website here:
www.prairierosepublications.com

For more books by Cheryl Pierson visit my author page here:
www.amazon.com/author/cherylpierson






24 comments:

  1. Always good advice - thanks!

    hays.jes@gmail.com in case I get lucky

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    1. Thanks for coming by today, JES! Good to see you here!

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  2. I am in awe of authors, the process of writing of novel seems very complicated. I'm not an author as you may have guessed but I love to read. Writing a letter is about my limit.

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    1. But Julie, if we didn't have readers, we wouldn't have a purpose! LOL You know, it is complicated, and some novels are more complicated than others. I remember when I was working on Time Plains Drifter--it was hard to get everything to "work out" since it was a time travel, but also was so heavy on the paranormal elements (good vs. evil--I am not a werewolf/vampire writer). But it was fun to get it come together and gel as it should, and Romantic Times gave it their highest rating--a 4.5 * rating/review. I was thrilled. It was so worth it. Thanks for coming by! I will enter you in the drawing--I think I still have your e-mail.
      Cheryl

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  3. When I write, I have a problem keeping track of time. Sometimes I have to write down when each even happens, so I know when the seasons are changing, and I don't write the wrong thing in the story. In one book, when I had a woman pregnant, I had to keep track of how many months, so she wouldn't be pregnant too long.

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    1. Morgan, I do that same thing! You know what I ended up doing, and it works well for me, is make a timeline starting with the first day of the book, the month, the year. I add events as I go along--a spring trail drive can't happen in November! When I get the major events worked out (and I had a pregnancy in one of my mss. I had to do this for, too) then it helps me to divide the book up into sections and makes it more manageable to work with. Certain events just can't happen out of order. I don't "outline" but I do use a timeline.
      Cheryl

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  4. Who are you writing for? That's an interesting question and my answer has changed some over the years. In the beginning I was more worried about fans of the genre I was working in, and what my agent would accept, and what the publisher was looking for. Now I worry less and have more fun.

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    1. You're branched out into so many different directions, Livia, I am just in awe. Mysteries, to me, would be the hardest thing ever to try to write. I just don't have that in me. But you know, we've all heard that "the western is dead"--yet there are still readers who want to read westerns! So I guess my answer would be I write what I like for those people who like the same things. LOL
      Cheryl

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    2. Should say "YOU'VE"...fast fingers strike again!

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  5. All good advice Cheryl! As you know I am working on a YA trilogy, (well, have been for a couple of years now!) I wanted a love interest with the young heroine and 'the hero' in the first book. I was concerned about how much 'attraction' etc to use, without actually getting them between the sheets of course, she's only 16! After reading this, I reckon I can put in a fair bit more about their attraction to one another, in other words make it more 'edgy' and more Romantic. Thank you Cheryl.

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    1. Yes, Jill, it's amazing what passes for YA now! Lots of variation, and I still believe that there is room for all kinds, with SMALLER publishers, but if you're trying to attract the big NYC publishers, edgy is the word. And anymore, kids are a lot more sexually active than they used to be at an earlier age. That being said, I know there are readers for the "tamer" YA/NA genres, as well. And you have to be comfortable with it, too.
      Cheryl

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  6. A very timely and useful post. As an oral storyteller it is easy for the voice and body language are tools that are used to great effect. Not so easy when you have just the printed word. It does make a difference. An improv writing group has helped bridge this gap, but the gap is still there. (Where there is a will there is a way and I really want to move into the written and make the dynamics a near to the spoken as possible. I know a daunting task. Grin)

    Thank you for the most helpful post. Continued success to you and the company. Doris

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    1. Thank you, Doris. You're right--the oral storytelling is very different from writing it down and making it effective. Being able to use emotions in your voice, volume, intonation, inflection...all of that is so wonderful and so very hard to translate into the written word. A look, a body gesture, all must be described rather than shown. But I doubt that I would be much of an oral storyteller. I get nervous before big crowds.

      Cheryl

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    2. And I'm the opposite. Terrified when I write, but can speak before hundreds or more! *Sigh*

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    3. That's a real gift, Doris--one I wish I had!

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  7. The most difficult part of writing for me is the beginning. It's hard to decide on where to begin .I have a horrible tendency to put in backstory.
    Time Plains Drifter is one of my favorites of your work. Actually, it's hard to pick a favorite because they are all just wonderful. I absolutely love the new cover for it--just gorgeous.

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    1. Thank you, Sarah. I love that cover, too. Livia did a wonderful job, but then, she always does. Thanks so much for the kind words. ( I'm working on your short story right now--should have it to you tonight.)
      Cheryl

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  8. Oh, just want to , if I had to give an oral story, I would pass out from anxiety. LOL

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    1. I WOULD TOO, SARAH! I don't mind small classes, but big groups just make me stutter and want to go screaming from the room. LOL
      Cheryl

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  9. Renaissance Women, Though I do not usually respond, I come here when Cheryl talks about writing tips. I think she is awesome. I've only one book out and another coming soon, but something I do that might help you: My last read through is done out loud so I can hear how it sounds. As you just said, talking and writing are two different things. Someone wrote in one the reviews on either B&N or Amazon, that he liked that it was easy to read out loud. He made my day. Good luck. Rod Thompson

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    1. Rod, you just made MY day! I'm so glad you stopped by, and that's an excellent tip, for sure. Many times, when you read it aloud, you can easily pick up where the dialogue sounds too stilted or "just isn't quite right". One of the main things that people can do to help that along is to USE CONTRACTIONS if your character would do so when speaking! Excellent tip, and thanks again for your very kind words. Come back any time!
      Cheryl

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    2. I thank you also Rod. I've heard of doing that but never took it to heart. Now, well...I'll give it a try.

      I also agree Cheryl has great advice. Doris

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  10. Thanks to everyone for stopping by today and commenting. I love sharing writing tips and learning from one another!

    MY WINNER OF THE DIGITAL COPY OF TIME PLAINS DRIFTER IS........
    J.E.S. Hays!
    JES, thanks so much for stopping by today, and you did get LUCKY! LOL I hope you enjoy TIME PLAINS DRIFTER. Will get in touch with you tomorrow.
    Cheryl

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