HOW TO WRITE ROMANCE--Plot Part 5

Romance is one of the most popular plots. It is character driven, and the basic structure is boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy either recovers girl or loses her forever. The best romances have sympathetic characters, great dialogue, and unique settings. Since they are short, usually around 200 pages, character development is stressed.

 

In this plot, there are two major characters, the man and the woman. Since the readers are predominantly women, the point of view (POV) character should be the woman. She must be real, appealing, and in familiar situations so the reader can identify and project herself into the character. The POV must grow over the course of the story and display weaknesses as well as strengths, flaws as well as abilities, interests, dislikes, and an occupation relevant to the story. Conflict increases if the man and woman have differing views that require one of them to change.

In the beginning, where boy meets girl, often attraction exists, but there is dislike on one or both their parts. If love develops, don’t tell about it, show it. At the end of the first part, something separates them.

Boy loses girl in the story’s middle section. Usually three obstacles occur which have nothing to do with the relationship. Each attempt to resolve the situation results in more conflict and the stakes rise. Finally, an overwhelming crisis develops.

In the final section, the pair either overcomes the crisis resulting in a happy ending or the crisis pulls them apart forever. In commercial fiction, readers prefer happy endings.

Romance may appear in all genres, including adventure, mystery, suspense, science fiction, fantasy, historic, and all their sub genres. A related plot is forbidden love. Obstacles in this plot include social taboos, triangles, and differences in age, culture, or social standing. Next, we’ll look at the Rescue.—Quinn

HOW TO WRITE THE ADVENTURE--Plot Part Three

Unlike the quest that is character driven, the adventure story is all about a journey. The character is action-driven and doesn’t have to grow in any way. The reader vicariously experiences exotic, strange, or dangerous places as the main character (MC) seeks something. As in all stories, there is a beginning, a middle, and an end.

 At the beginning of the adventure, the story world is ordinary. Then, a motivating factor comes along that encourages a change. It launches the MC into the middle. On the journey through a new story world, the MC encounters obstacles and conflicts that are almost impossible to overcome. In the end, he arrives at the goal and receives a reward.

Fairy tales are simple adventures. Let’s look at Tom Thumb. In the beginning, Tom is born into an ordinary home. Though he is only the size of a thumb, he finds ways of helping his father. Some men who would exploit him for monetary gain want to buy him. His father refuses the offer. But Tom recognizes an opportunity to see the world. He asks his father to sell him and promises to come home again.

The middle shows Tom during his journeys. Before the men reach the town where Tom will go on display, he escapes [adventure one] and hides in a mouse hole until they give up searching for him. He wakes from a night in a snail shell and overhears robbers that plot to burglarize the parson’s house. He offers to help them [adventure two], but when he is inside the house he raises a ruckus that scares the robbers away. While hiding in a hay pile, a cow eats him [adventure three]. He cries out. Thinking that the cow is possessed, the parson kills it and throws its stomach on a dung heap. A wolf comes along and gulps down the stomach in one piece [adventure four]. Tom directs the animal to a place where he can get all the food he wants.

The journey ends when Tom’s father finds the wolf in his house, kills him, and frees Tom. Tom’s reward is returning safely to his home and receiving his parent’s love.

The adventure is one of the most popular plots. Examples of this story form are: Mort d’Arthur, Around the World in Eighty Days, Robinson Crusoe, Grapes of Wrath, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the Left Behind Series.—Quinn

 

CONTEST

My last few blogs dealt with writing for children. A good way to hone your craft and get the attention of editors is by entering writing contests. Children’s Writer is sponsoring a contest called Kindergarten Story: Exploration. The publication is an e-mail newsletter read by editors of children’s books and magazines in North America. First prize will be $500; second will be $250; and third, fourth, and fifth will be $100. Submissions are due by July 12, 2013 and prizes will ne awarded by October, 2013.

Entries need to be fictional, their topic exploration, and they cannot exceed 150 words. The target is five through seven-year-olds, so use settings familiar to children of that age group and create a main character that explores an appropriate topic. Some suggestions for exploration include people, animals, nature, professions, and make-believe. The vocabulary should be fun, colorful, and on a level that most early learners can read. Use techniques covered on this blog and its archives and be sure to use normal story structure. That is, there must be a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Pay careful attention to the contest’s submission standards, especially to word length. They may be accessed at Children’s Writer by clicking on Guidelines in the sidebar—Quinn

Writing for Children-Part Three Non-Fiction

While non-fiction’s purpose is to impart well-researched information, non-fiction for children should retain the flavor of lively storytelling. It must be age appropriate with word and page restrictions identical to that of fiction. As with all stories, non-fiction’s structure consists of a beginning, middle, and an end.

Make the opener invoke curiosity, awe, and urgency. This can be done by using an anecdote, an amazing fact, a quote, or a quotation. A reason why the child should be interested in the topic must follow.

In the middle, present one fact at a time. Use short paragraphs and short sentences. Organize your information logically so the child understands sequentially. Break up narration with images, graphs, or timelines and compare difficult concepts to something easily visualized. Always use concrete language. Difficult words can be defined in the text.

The conclusion will be a summation and restatement of the beginning. A glossary, index, bibliography or a list of books for further reading can appear at the end.

The following describes several of the categories you can choose from if you decide to write non-fiction. Biographies are written for preschoolers as well as older children. Rather than only mentioning major events, anecdotal information is used and a large part of the story takes place in the subject’s childhood. How to and activity books use illustrations and materials lists along with step-by-step instructions. Behind the scenes books show how things work or are produced. Holiday books may deal with origins, traditions, or folk tales. Games, crafts, and songs may be included. History books cover one era, event, or topic. Sports and adventure books are lively, action-packed, and present basic information while using pictures. Museum books are primarily visual. Filled with color pictures and artwork, their subjects are explained directly and concisely. Science books cover many subjects. In the lower grades, some of the topics that interest children the most are dinosaurs, fossils, insects, weather, simple machines, habitats, and anatomy. For older children, subjects that relate to school curriculum are considered.

So, you are ready to write a non-fiction book. How do you choose your topic? Study your audience. Discover the leisure pursuits of the children in your targeted age group. Be familiar with the magazines they read and the news they see. Find out what interests young adults, for their tastes may have filtered down to the younger kids by the time you are published. Then research, using source materials.—Quinn

Children's Literature--Part One Writing for the Preschooler

Perhaps the most difficult genre is children’s literature. This is because children are very literal and because there are constraints on vocabulary, age appropriateness, and word count. Also the theme must appeal to both the child and the adult who chooses his books.

Books for preschoolers are tightly structured. Typically, they are 24 or 32 pages long with four pages reserved for the title, copyright, dedications, and other information. Sometimes they run a little more or less, but they are always a multiple of eight. Word counts for picture books are less than 1,000 with less than 600 preferred. Picture storybooks are less than 2,000 words with 1,000-1,200 words preferred.

The word limitations make pacing very important. Each word on a page must move the story forward, provide action and variety, and at the same time flow well with the artwork. While benefitting from the illustrations, each story must stand on its own. Typically each book has 14 to 18 scenes with a single activity per scene. The genre comes in three categories: fiction, concept, and novelty books.

As with adult books, the fictional story must have a beginning, middle, and an end. At the outset, the main character, a child, is introduced along with some difficulty he must overcome. Story is conflict, so in the middle there must be three obstacles to overcome. Though the character tries and fails with the first one, he will get closer to his goal. The second obstacle is more difficult and the conflict more intense. The third obstacle is the most difficult and he almost fails. At the end, he both reaches his goal and has changed for the better in some way. While adults may have a role in him reaching the goal, he must be the one who conquers the problem.

The concept book can be fiction, following the above form, or non-fiction. It teaches an educational concept or suggests a way in which the child may overcome a childhood dilemma.

Novelty books can also be fiction or non-fiction. They use a gimmick such as seek-and-find, pop-ups, or lift-the-tabs in addition to story.

Stories appropriate for preschoolers include situations common to the child’s world, timely topics, diversity, and life passages. At this age, topics appealing to children must also appeal to parents. Adults tend to like stories that include nostalgia, relationships, and redeeming values.

In my next blog entry, I’ll discuss books for elementary and middle school children.—Quinn

First or Third?---Point of View

The holidays are behind us and you and your family have made a lot of memories. Many could make a good story. By the end of March, editors will have selected articles and stories for use in their 2013 holiday publications. So, now is the time to submit your work. If you are not ready for a magazine, consider newsletters, bulletins, or your local newspaper.

One of the first decisions to make before you start is which point of view to use in telling the story. The two most common are first person and third person. Each has advantages and disadvantages.

First person point of view feels most natural to the novice writer. It is simple and intimate, allowing the reader to see deep inside the point of view character’s thoughts. The story’s narrator is the main, or point of view, character. He refers to himself as I and usually tells the story in the past tense. He is part of the action, reveals his emotions and reasons for writing the story, and is aware of the audience. His voice reflects his background, education, and regional accent, not the author’s. An example is this snippet taken from Black Sunday, which may be viewed in its entirety by clicking the Black Sunday tab near the top of this page.

Guess I was too big for my britches. I looked over the boys real good. Thought they was all pretty poor quality. But, all that changed one night.

First I seed of Franklin Pierce Pettigrew was at a box social at Preacher Pettigrew’s. He’d breezed in from Texas on horseback. And my! From his Stetson to his boots, he looked mighty fine. Had a sassy smile that shivered my heart. But, oh was he a wild one.

Right now, the most popular point of view is third person, because it allows the reader to identify with the main character (MC). In third person, the narrator is an observer, not a character. The MC is referred to by name and the pronouns used are he or she. The reader has access to only the MC’s observations, thoughts, feelings, and memories. Though the story is told in past tense, it feels like the MC is experiencing everything in the present. The following is the Black Sunday snippet written in third person. It takes more words to tell the story, but the result is more immediate.

Caroline turned up her nose at the farm boys who were hanging over the fence railing and gawking at the girls. She flounced to a hay bale and sat with her back to them.

Mary Ann approached, handed her a frosty jelly jar filled with sweet tea, and sat next to her. “My, Caroline, seems you’ve caught the eye of half the young men in Guthrie.

Caroline tossed her curls. “I pay those chewing, spitting, hawg callers no never mind.”

“Hmm.” Mary Ann gave her a sly look. “I ‘spect you’ve got your bonnet set for one of those big-city boys. Wonder who.”

Caroline’s cheeks burned.

Yip! Yip! Ye, haw!

A cowboy on a black stallion galloped over the hill. The horse skirted the grassy area around the parsonage, kicking dust on the guests who lounged on the lawn with their suppers.

The pastor’s wife coughed and dusted her dress. “Franklin Pierce Pettigrew, you stop that showing off right now, or I’ll take a stick to you.”

The young man drew the horse up short and jumped from the saddle. “Aw, you talk so mean to your favorite nephew.”

He grabbed her, kissed her cheek, and swung her off her feet.

“Put me down, fool. I’m getting all dizzy.”

Franklin set her down. As his gaze fixed on Caroline, his sassy grin widened and his eyes grew bolder. He whipped off his Stetson and made a sweeping bow. “Howdy, ma’am.”

Caroline’s heart shivered. Unable to respond, she held her breath. This brash young cowboy was quite the finest man in all the territory.

Which point of view should you use? That depends on what “feels right” for your story and what you want to accomplish. First person feels more factual. The narrator is presenting the story and he and the reader are aware of each other. He can digress, make comments, maintain a comic distance. In third person, the reader can immerse himself in the story world and the lives of the characters. It feels natural and the narration is not distracting.

Now’s the time to write that story. If it’s not ready for publication, it still can delight your family and friends.—Quinn

Writing the True Story

I trust you and your family are making many precious memories this holiday season. Preserve them. Keep a journal. This will be a valuable legacy for your children and grandchildren. If you desire to share your experiences with a wider audience, maybe you’ll consider writing an article for a magazine.

Articles differ from short stories in that they are true and answer the questions: who, what, when, where, why, how, and what’s the significance. However, in the last couple decades many publishers have preferred stories that contain more than just fact. They want pieces that incorporate techniques used in fiction. That is, they prefer submissions that employ story, as Jesus did when he used parables to reach the heart as well as the mind.

In what is called true story, there is a sympathetic character who changes, usually for the better. In the beginning, he faces some basic problem (the beginning complication) that is significant to him. He responds by taking action. However, obstacles (the development or the middle) impede him and increase tension. Then he has a flash of insight on how to resolve the problem. The resolution (or end) involves a significant effort on his part that relieves tension and changes his character.

The first paragraph of a newspaper or magazine article written in the journalistic mode might sound like this:

Last night (when) at his London townhouse (where), Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge (who), the reclusive millionaire, received visits from three ghosts (what) that came to impart (why) the spirit of Christmas to him by showing him (how) his past, present, and future. It is alleged that he now keeps Christmas in his heart (the significance).

Matter-of-fact paragraphs would follow, ending with a summation paragraph. The article would convey all the pertinent information by telling, but showing, which was explained in my blog of 11/16/12, would make a dry series of events come alive.

In the beginning, Dickens did not say Scrooge was a curmudgeon. He demonstrated it with his “Bah, humbug!” and his impatience with people displaying Christmas cheer. His shivering, underpaid clerk and his refusal to help orphans showed his miserliness. The plot develops as spirits show him scenes from his life where his choices changed him from a lonely boy to a man who substituted gold for love, resulting in a grave where he lies friendless and un-mourned. We feel the sadness of Scrooge’s situation when he locks everyone out of his rooms and sits in the gloom eating only gruel. Dickens contrasted that with the young people’s happiness, joy, and sharing, seen in their laughter, dancing, and toasts at sumptuous feasts. After Scrooge has his transformation, we have our hearts melted by Tiny Tim’s “God bless us, every one.”

As a homeschool mom, you have a plethora of treasured stories. If you care to share one, develop it as a true story, employing techniques used in fiction. Many magazines include Christmas stories in their holiday editions. You may find a market that fits by using Sally E. Stuart’s Christian Writers’ Market Guide or the Writer’s Digest’s Writer’s Market. Both can be found at Amazon.com. Another way to reach a publisher is by finding a magazine that interests you and looking for its submission guidelines at the beginning or the end of the publication, usually in the fine print.—Quinn

Make Your Story Seem Real

We have covered some of the basics of character development, so let’s look at writing your story. The cardinal rule is Show Don’t Tell. It is easiest to explain with an example. The following scene is from a work in progress, the sequel to my novel Kokoweef. Physics assistant professor Dr. Nightingale Nox, a Savant, was mugged. The main character, Skip Jackson, scared off the attacker and took Night to the hospital. The following is the scene as it would appear if it was told.

After Skip gave a report to the policeman, he left Bethany and Sarah in the waiting room, and intercepted the ER doctor. The doctor told Skip that Night was in no danger, his wound had been stitched, and he would be released as soon as his guardian arrived. Night, however, was convinced he was dying, and Skip could not convince him otherwise.

Now I will show the scene.

Skip finished reciting his account of the assault to a policeman, left Bethany and Sarah sitting on the waiting room chairs, and hurried to intercept the ER doctor. “How’s Night doing, doctor?”

The man consulted his clipboard. “Are you Mr. Nox’s guardian?”

“No, I’m Skip Jackson. I rescued Night from the attacker. I called his guardian, and he should be here shortly.”

“Mr. Nox is in no danger. I stitched his wound. He appears a bit . . . disoriented. But that should pass quickly. I’ll release him to his guardian as soon as he gets here.”

Tension melted from Skip’s jaw muscles. He smiled. “Night’s always disoriented. He’s a high-functioning autistic Savant. He can tell you more than you’d like to know about string theory, Tesla, and space aliens, but everyday stuff.” He cleared his throat.

“I see. You can go in.” The doctor scribbled something on the chart and moved on to another cubical.

Skip ducked around the curtain surrounding Night’s gurney. “Hey, bro. How you feeling?’

“My head hurts. I’m going to die.”

“Not going to happen. Ask the doctor for something to stop the pain.”

“There was blood. Lot’s and lot’s of blood. You saw the blood. I’m going to die.”

Skip sighed. When the guy got an idea in his head, it was hard to shake it. “No, you’re not going to die. When your guardian gets here, you’re going home.”

“People don’t tell people when they’re going to die. I think they should tell people when they’re going to die. Don’t you think people should tell people when they’re going to die? Gramma said if I was good, I’d go to heaven. But, I’ve been so bad. I won’t go to heaven.” His face puckered. “I don’t want to die.”

Why can’t people stop scaring their kids with fairy tales about angels and devils, heaven and hell? “Night, stop it. You are not going to die. You’re going home.”

“When Gramma was dying, she said she was going home. But she never came, and I never saw her again.”

“If there is a heaven, I’m sure you’re going there. But, not for a long, long, long time.”

“But you would say that if the doctor told you I was dying.”

“He didn’t tell me you were dying. He said he was going to release you soon.”

Night’s face blanched. “Grampa said he was going to release old Smokey. Then he shot him.”

“You are not a horse.”

The professor began moaning soulful moans. “He took him behind the barn and shot him.”

“Night, you’re giving me a headache.”

There are instances in which telling is appropriate. Mainly it is used for summary or scene setting. But too much showing slows the action and takes the reader out of the story. As seen above, though showing the story takes more words it is richer and allows the reader to feel he is an inside observer.—Quinn

Giving Your Character a Personality

On October 10 and October 29, we talked about building your character’s background and giving him a unique voice. Now he needs a psychological make-up.

Knowledge of the character’s composite personality indicates how he will behave in different situations within the story. The writer should know the environments in which the character will feel comfortable and what circumstances are easy or a struggle for him. With this in mind, it is the writer’s job to reveal the character’s depth of personality as the story unfolds. By contrasting his inner life and his public life and giving him traits that contrast and collide with one another, an interesting, multi-faceted person emerges.

Jung identified two primary personality types, the Extrovert (E) and the Introvert (I). These designations have to do with the world in which one lives. The extrovert’s life is directed outward. He is out-going, assertive, energetic. His interests are in, and he receives gratification from, the outer world. He gets bored when alone. The introvert is reserved, quiet, shy. His interests lie in reflection and the inner self. He enjoys time alone and likes solitary activities.

There are also subcategories. Sensing (S) and Intuitive (N) describe how one gathers information. One who is sensing relies on the concrete and the practical. The intuitive person thinks of abstract possibilities, trusting intuition without facts. Thinking (T) and Feeling (F) have to do with decision making. The thinker is rational, logical, impartial, and fair in accordance with predefined rules. The feeler decides things case by case and is subjective based on his value system. Judging (J) and Perceiving (P) have to do with how we live. The judging person is neat, orderly, settled. The perceiving person is flexible, open-ended, and spontaneous.

Each individual personality consists of one of sixteen possible combinations of the secondary traits coupled with either introversion or extroversion. In various circumstances, one of the traits will be dominant, more proficient, and more conscious. It is supported by a second function then to a lesser degree a third. The fourth one is opposite to the dominant resulting in repression and unconscious behavior. Though uncomfortable with the fourth function, an individual can develop that trait.

In my novel Echoes, there is a character called Misty McKenna. When informed that her grandparents and her sister are ill, she immediately takes a leave of absence from her teaching position in another state and returns home to help her widowed mother cope. She takes over the household duties, the nurturing of her youngest brother, and is a fierce defender of the family. Analysis reveals that her personality type matches with the ISFJ combination, the Nurturer. People in this category are kind, quiet, conscientious, dependable, stable, practical, observant of others, perceptive of other’s feelings. They value security and tradition and are interested in serving others. They’re exactly like Misty.

I decided to analyze myself. I thought I matched best with the INTJ combination. People with this personality are independent, original, analytical, determined, turn theories into plans of action, value knowledge, competence, and structure. They are long-range thinkers and have high standards of performance for themselves and others (ask my long-suffering family.) They are natural leaders but will follow trusted people. This combination is called the Scientist. Interesting. My background is in chemistry.—Quinn

Your Character's Voice

Well, let’s get back to character development. What’s most fun for me is playing with voices. Each character should have a unique way of expressing himself. Train yourself to listen to people as they speak. Drawls and dialects tell you where they are from. Things like slanginess, crudeness, or formal English hint at social or educational level. Pet words, habitual expressions, and occupational jargon tell about background. Coldness, flippancy, cynicism are a few tones that betray thought patterns, attitudes, and personality. Your character will also use different voices with different people. He may be authoritative with employees or students, while at home he may speak lovingly to his wife and use baby talk with their toddler.

The following are excerpts from Black Sunday. You can access the whole story by clicking the Black Sunday tab up top. From Mrs. Pettigrew’s voice I don’t have to tell the reader she is elderly, from the Midwest, and not well-educated.—Quinn

. . . Town of Guthrie growed-up over night right near us. Got my schooling there. Learned to read and cipher. Ma looked so proud rocking by the fire, mending in her lap, while I read the Good Book to her. Learned all about how folks come to this land for freedom, too. Learned how all folks are important. So, even common folks like us, providing they work hard, can get to be president. Imagine that!

Life was good there in the old days, but Pa said he was feeling cramped. He sold out to Uncle Jed and bought two sections near Boise City. Put in wheat, sorghum, maize, and broom corn. Run a few head of cattle too. . . .

           

. . . Guess I was too big for my britches. I looked over the boys real good. Thought they was all pretty poor quality. But, all that changed one night.

First I seed of Franklin Pierce Pettigrew was at a box social at Preacher Pettigrew’s. He’d breezed in from Texas on horseback. And my! From his Stetson to his boots, he looked mighty fine. Had a sassy smile that shivered my heart. But, oh was he a wild one. Next day he come a calling without asking! Pa like to run him off the place. Didn’t see him again ‘til three months later at the church ice cream social. . . .

A Great Conference!

Last weekend I had a great time at a Christian writers conference. Several hundred authors from novice to the multi-published attended. Among them were home educators. It seems to me homeschoolers and home school graduates are disproportionally represented at the Christian conferences. Perhaps for them (me), after teaching their students literature and writing skills, becoming a writer is a natural progression.

The first evening opened with an awards ceremony for the best published books of the year in various categories. A keynote speaker followed. Afterward, an authors panel and an editor/agent panel discussed the industry and fielded questions from the audience. The next day was filled with speakers, workshops, and opportunities to pitch a manuscript or an idea.

This year I elected to explore the various methods of publication. Traditionally, an author submitted a manuscript to an agent who took it around to publishers. If a publisher could use it, he’d offer a contract. His job was to take care of editing, printing, and distribution. A newer way to publish is with e-books through Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble, Apple, or Google. The author is responsible for formatting and graphic design. He must do all the marketing, which seems daunting. However, the traditional publishers are now requiring the authors to market as well. Why would some be interested in e-books? The royalty on a printed book is typically $1.12 and 15% of that goes to the agent. E-books yield about $2.50, and there is no agent involved.

While at the conference, I had the opportunity to pitch both ECHOES and KOKOWEEF to an agent, an acquisitions editor, and a publisher. How that works is the author makes a fifteen minute appointment. During that time, he briefly tells what the book is about, leaving time for discussion and marketing strategies. If the person the author pitches to is interested, a full manuscript is requested.

You might consider attending a conference for enrichment or just to see if writing is something you’d like to do. If there aren’t any conveniently located, you might try MuseOnLine Writers Conference. It’s too late to enroll this year, but there is another chance next October. As with regular conferences, there are general sessions, workshops, and pitch sessions. And the price is right—free.—Quinn

Building Your Fascinating Characters

 Last time we looked at plot. This time we’ll begin the process of character building.

First, start with a fragment of personality. Add to it until you can visualize a person. Give him a background. Add his attitude. Then pretend you are that character. Imagine how you would react emotionally under various conditions. Draw from your background, from impressions of other people, and from observations of people in similar circumstances.

After you know a bit about the character, give him a name that is unique to him in the story. It can indicate ethnicity as with O’Malley; or age as with Ida, Linda, or Sierra; class as with Reginald Smith vs. Smitty Smith; or maybe an occupation as with Slugger Jones or the Weasel.

To deepen character, write out a bio sheet for him. This may contain brief descriptions of family background, age, appearance, mannerisms, religious persuasion, relationships, education, career, hobbies, and his goals. After that, interview him. Let him have his head and say whatever he wants. You’ll be surprised how he takes over the conversation and reveals things about himself you didn’t know existed.

The following is a character interview for my book Echoes. The subject is a minor character, the popular, handsome, charismatic, 36-year old politician Emilio Cardenas. His grandfather emigrated from a fictional South American country that exports arms and revolution throughout the Americas. And, my goodness. What I learned about him.

Who are you Emilio?

A champion for justice. I work for the little man. The oppressed worker. The so-called immigrant.

How did you get involved in politics?

I was bred to it. My grandfather witnessed the exploitation of the masses in his country, Tierra Dulce. He fought with the communist revolutionaries until the movement was crushed by the regime, and he fled to the United States. Here he worked the fields and witnessed the same oppression as in his homeland. So he demonstrated, boycotted, and marched for justice. He married my grandmother, a descendent of the original land grant holders. This land was ours until the Europeans stole it from us. We will right this wrong. My extended family has mayors, assemblymen, union officials. We are in the media, academia, and Hollywood. I was an assemblyman then state controller. Now I am running for governor.

 Some allege you have some shady characters funding you.

Shady? I assure you, everything I do is perfectly legal. And, I would not accept funding from any illegal source.

Investigative reporter Troy Wasserman alleges you are accepting foreign funding, which is filtered through several organizations, from the president of Tierra Dulce. 

Troy. Well, I can expect that. I have to confess an indiscretion with his wife. I’m not proud of it. I’ve apologized profusely. But I’m afraid Troy is out for revenge. He’ll do anything, say anything to destroy me.

Troy says you are acquainted with the president of Tierra Dulce.  

Yes. While in the Assembly, I engaged in a cultural exchange between our countries. Troy accompanied me on one of my missions.

Are you El Presidente’s agent to promote revolution in the United States?  

This interview is over.

For me, creating believable story characters is the most entertaining part of fiction writing. We’ll continue next time.—Quinn                                           

What is Plot?

I’ve finished my 90,000-word novel Kokoweef. So, for the last couple of weeks, I’ve been working on a book proposal. The hard part of writing begins soon. Pitching to agents and editors.

Now that your nest is empty, you too may have dusted off that old dream of becoming a world-class novelist. But, you ask, where do I begin? With a plot and characters. These basic elements create the narrative, which consists of a beginning intent, a middle that contains a series of actions and reversals, and an end that is the logical outcome.

Let’s look at plot today. Plot isn’t the same as story. The story consists of a chronology of events. For example: She got up, grabbed some coffee, and caught the bus to work. This is all action, so it is story. Plot is the story, plus it answers the question why by using a pattern of actions and reactions. Example: Exhausted from cleaning offices all night, she overslept. She grabbed some coffee so the children could have the last of the cereal then rushed past her broken-down car to catch the bus to work. The story tells us about a woman that is late for work. Plot is revealed as we see a single mom struggling to provide for her family.

Basically, there are only two types of plots, either ones that address the physical or ones that address the mind. Physical plots are action driven and usually don’t answer any great moral or intellectual questions. They include adventure, mystery, thriller, western, sci fi. Those that address the mind are character driven. They explain ideas, human nature, relationships, beliefs, attitudes, and the search for meaning.

What fuels plot is tension. Tension in turn is created by opposition. As opposition grows, the tension grows until the narrative reaches a climax where there is some change to the main character.

Deciding on your plot is the first step in writing your novel. We’ll explore character next time.—Quinn

Do You Have a Story?

Today, I shall complete the final scene for my third adventure/suspense/speculative fiction novel. It took me about a year and a half to write Kokoweef. But the main character, Skip Jackson, had been flitting around my mind for several years before I had a plot.

How about you? Do you have a story you are longing to tell? It could be factual or fiction. It might be just for fun, and you’d never dream of sharing it with anyone except your family. Or maybe, like me, you’d want it published.

Now because of the way I am, I started by jumping in with wild enthusiasm. After I had completed a 122,000 word novel, I thought I’d read a how-to book on writing, just to confirm what a fabulous author I was. My ego deflated in about a half chapter. By the time I finished reading, I realized I had broken almost every rule there was, and I had an incoherent mess. Humbled, I spent the next couple years revising, devouring books on technique, and taking writing courses.

I found there are many classes available through colleges and universities. What fit my lifestyle were online courses where I could work at my own pace. Writers Digest offers several. A big one that is Christian is Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild. I chose the Long Ridge Writers Group. It is secular, but there are many Christians in it and I didn’t find anything offensive.

In many areas across the country, guilds and writers conferences offer critique groups, workshops, and mentoring clinics for all levels of writing, novice through professional. Many specialize in non-fiction or particular genres like mystery or romance. A couple of the biggest Christian conferences are the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference and the Mount Hermon Christian Fiction Writers Conference. In addition to teaching, editors, authors, and teachers are on hand to give participants advice on their works in progress.

When a manuscript is ready for publication, it is time to write a proposal and find an agent or editor. The competition is stiff, so it is best to meet them face-to-face. So this fall, I am off to a conference to “pitch” Kokoweef. Wish me luck.---Quinn

How Did Your Family Tree Grow?

Now that you have time for hobbies, you might consider finding your family’s roots. I started while still home schooling, intending to spark interest in history. It began when an elderly relative bequeathed some antique hymnals to us. One had a name written in a child’s hand. We did some detective work and found that the little girl was a 4-great aunt who was born in Canada in the mid 1800s and died young.

With that discovery, we dug deeper. Our family’s story paralleled America’s story. Missionaries came from Leiden to Plymouth. Advertisements written by William Penn drew persecuted Quakers and war-weary Germans who cleared the land and established farms, towns, churches, and schools. Familiar names like Alden, Standish, Adams, Crockett, and Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark expedition, kept cropping up. Family members served in each of our nation’s conflicts, starting with King Philip’s War. Uncles and cousins fought and died on both sides of the civil war. As the nation grew, our people followed the Westward Expansion. Perhaps the most interesting discovery I had was my husband and I are 12^th cousins, both descended from William Brewster, the spiritual leader of the Mayflower.

My fascination with genealogy continued after my nest was empty. Family anecdotes of the Dust Bowl and the English civil war inspired published short stories. Someday I hope to organize my material into a history of the United States.

If the genealogy bug bites you, you can get started by gleaning as much information as you can from family members. With your parents’ names and places of birth, you can find their birth, marriage, and/or death certificates. On these will be data about your grandparents. With that information, you can find great-grandparents and so on through many generations. My tree goes back to the 1580s. My husband’s goes back to 1066.

A good place to begin research is at your public library or the historical society in your hometown. Also, there are free online sites such as Family Search which has a huge data base. The USGenWeb Project covers every state and many counties. It includes census, land and cemetery records, history, bios, and picture galleries. Ancestry.com is excellent and has a free fourteen-day trial offer.

In many areas, like-minded people have formed genealogy societies where they share methodology and trade data. But a disclaimer. While this hobby is exciting and rewarding, it is also highly addictive.---Quinn

Is It Time for Your Memoirs?

Recently, my mother-in-law was watching a rerun of an old Lawrence Welk show. To me this was a bit nostalgic, but since it was part of my childhood, not at all unusual. However, as I watched my nephew and his wife, I was amazed. They had never seen a variety show. For the whole hour, they sat fascinated by the music, the costumes, and the hairstyles. Periodically, they exclaimed things like “wow” and “is this how it was?”

Afterwards, I got my mother-in-law to reminisce. Ordinary things from her girlhood like her father’s horse-drawn delivery truck, petticoats, and Marcel hairstyles provided precious glimpses into a past totally foreign to her children and grandchildren. The world is changing so quickly. Who knows? Maybe our children will visit grandchildren on the space platform or Moon City and regale them with stories of the olden times and the old folks who were earthbound.

Now that you are a home school graduate, you have leisure for hobbies and new pursuits. Maybe, while stories are still fresh in your mind, it is the ideal time to write your memoirs.

But you say, with all the material I have, I wouldn’t know where to begin. First you must remember a memoir is not a biography. Nor is it told chronologically. Instead, it is built upon a theme. Spend several months writing about fun experiences and little disasters that you now laugh about. Use story form. That is, each account must have a beginning, middle, and an end. When you have collected quite a few anecdotes, you should see patterns emerge. Put them together and that will be your theme. Examples might be: How My Home Schooled Children Grew in Character, How I Juggled Being a Home School Mom, a Soccer Mom, and a Theater Mom, or How We Home Schooled Our Way Across America.

Be consistent with the theme. Think small. You don’t need all the details. Focus on the main things and build around them. Write the narration in the first person using the voice you would use in a personal letter. If you speak with idioms, use them. Let future generations hear your personality, your character, your emotions, and your humor. What you feel is important to recall will be important to your readers as well.

The most memorable memoirs are filled with love. The strongest ones combine time and place with some turning point in one’s life. The decision to homeschool produced major changes in my life. Does anyone care to share a story?---Quinn