Ink in the Book

I've joined up with a group of writers running a writing marathon during the month of August. I love writing with others because it keeps me motivated. So each week, we are instructed to post a "this is where I am" post. There's a certain format we have to follow and this is my first one: Marathon Goal for the month: I've targeted my goal at 80,000. I'm using the Book in a Month guide. I plan to take Saturday's and Sunday's off. This means I need 4,000 each day. Stage of Writing: This will be 1st draft of a historical fantasy. No title yet. Only an idea, character and a very rough outline. What inspired this WIP: A my family tree. I've heard and gathered so many fascinating things about my family and ancestors and some of the things I've stood in amazement thinking about them! This one involves my Indian blood line. She was a Cherokee princess and I'm writing her story. Obviously with a little make believe. Kinda. What might...

I'm so thrilled to have a guest post to day by REUTS Editor Kisa Whipkey!! Not only is she offering to to help out with the workshop, she'll be critiquing scenes, answering questions, and participating in the pitch opportunity next week!! So without further ado, take it away, Kisa! **** First, I'd like to thank Talynn for hosting this wonderful workshop and for inviting me to help explain the inner workings of crafting a powerful scene. Today's lesson is Conflict & Tension. Thanks to the previous lessons, you've now got a scene that deftly describes the setting, has a reason for existing and is grounded by character motivations. But none of that is especially exciting, is it? Essential, yes. Gripping, page-turning excitement? No. For that, you need conflict and tension. What is conflict? Anything that stands between your character and achieving their goal. It can be large-scale, driving the entire story, or it can be small, affecting just a scen...

I can't believe we are already on workshop three! Hey beautiful guys and dolls! How's it going on your scene writing? Have you scene it yet? Today, I'm discussing MOTIVATION. So far, we've established the setting of your scene and goal of your scene. What motivates your character to accomplish the goal? why do they want to accomplish that goal? **Note: I realize a scene is generally longer than one paragraph. It can be several pages of a manuscript, I know. But for the sake of the workshop and trying to keep classes short, I've limited my examples to a few lines. Motivation is just as important as goal setting. Just like after you've read something and asked yourself, " What was the purpose of that?" you can do the same and ask, " Why did he do that?" It can be a subtle mention, which is usually the best method for weaving in motivation. You don't always have to spell it out: "I want revenge because he cheated on me!" ...

Hey beautiful guys and dolls! I hope our weekend was wonderful:) To add to everything else, I spent yesterday in bed and so far this morning, I wish I could crawl back under the covers! I don't take to being sick very well... So, today, let's get right to the lesson. We're talking MC goals today, and how important it is to make sure you have a goal for every scene. Now, it's not always about life or death. Goals drive the story forward. Have you ever read a story and been like, "What the point? Why?" If so, it's because the author had no driving goal for the MC. I'm not talking about the large picture goal. I'm talking the scene by scene goal. There should be one in every scene. Every one of them. Whether it's to find a missing book, wanting to look well dressed,needing to relax for the night, make dinner, go for a walk, sign on a new client, WHATEVER. There needs to be a goal. Let's take our established scene, and add a goal fo...

Hey all:) I'm taking today and this weekend off. A very, VERY dear, sweet, and close friend of my family passed away this week. And we just got word that his wife's brother, (whom I love like a mother) died last night. So she is dealing with the death of her husband and her brother. Enjoy your weekend, my friends, and hold those you love close. You never know when they will be gone. I will return on Monday, and will have workshop classes every day next week.

You have a pretty new idea, and new WIP you're dying to write. But you have no idea where to start. Hmmm. Or maybe you've written a chapter or two, or perhaps just a scene or two, and it F   a     l      l        s FLAT. What to do? How do you "make it better?" Let's start with an example. I've written a basic scene starter and will walk you through step by step and explain what I add and how I can make it stand out from all the other FLAT ones. The sun shined brightly down, burning my skin. I was alone for the moment, but Troy promised to return as fast as could. The day had been wonderful. There's no way I could have known it would be the last day my heart beat on it's own. If I had known, I'm sure I would have spent it the same exact way, with Troy and my best friends, and my family. Now, what can you tell me about this scene, just from what's written? I know, I know. It's not a full scene. It...

Thank you, Flickr Commons ! Hey all you beautiful guys and dolls! It's finally here! The Scene writing workshop:) Today, I'm posting what you can expect during the workshop and what I have planned during the workshop. There are two things that make a book: Scenes and sequels. If you know how to construct a good scene and write a satisfying, engaging sequel, then you've mastered writing a book. Because that's the secret to writing a page turning keeper. We'll be discussing: 1. Setting the scene 2. Goal of the scene 3. Motivation of the scene 4. Conflict and tension 5. Emotion in the scene 6. Decision and action We'll also look at how to plan a better scene and it's sequel, how to write each of them, and how to use them together to write the next scene. You may feel like your scene is dark and flat. Don't worry! If this is the way you see your scene, have no fear. Help is right on the other side of the dark room. Can you hear it calling ...