I suppose all writers have different definitions of what it means to be successful.
Some may not considered themselves successful until they earn incomes from their authorship as handsome as J.K. Rowling's, Nora Roberts's, Tom Clancey's or John Grisham's. Since mega-stardom in writing is rare, just as it is in acting or sports entertainment, such a lofty goal is extremely difficult to achieve--but certainly not impossible.
Others may consider themselves successful once a New York house publishes one of their books. This too is a lofty goal, though it is certainly more achievable than the one above.
Achieving publishing success through a small publishing house via e-book or print on demand may be the goal of a host of writers. If this goal is any easier to achieve than the New York house goal, it's only because there are many, many more publishers coming under this umbrella than under the one covering the more traditional publishers. Small or large, all publishers want quality work.
Many writers are independent thinkers, and some of these are independent authors. These folks, like independent film makers, might take the independent publication route. Once they publish their work in this way after they've striven to make it the best it can be, they will consider themselves successful.
To me, a book writer is successful once she completes her first novel or non-fiction project of book length--not when she publishes it, when she finishes it. Tons of people talk about writing a book "someday," few ever get it done. Why? Because writing a book, actually taking the time and effort to put down enough words to compose an entire book, is a huge, huge job. (And this doesn't count the research necessary before writing.) Unless a person has actually attempted a job like this, he has no idea how much work authoring a book is.
I say kudos to anyone who completes the task of writing the book and doesn't put off the job to be done "someday."
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award Winning Author
http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff
Monday, August 23, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Developing Talents
My cousin, a clergyman, told me more than a decade ago, if God gives us a talent, we should develop it. I'm not sure what his exact words were, but I do remember taking what he said to mean we have a RESPONSIBILITY to develop our talents.
For me, this moment of clarity catapulted me into the writing life whole heartedly. Up to that point, I'd dabbled in writing rather than having dedicated myself to it. From that moment on, I've been writing full time, working very hard.
Yet with all the time I've devoted to learning, studying, writing, and all the other things which make up a writer's life, I wonder if I will ever develop my talent as fully as I want to. Having won multiple awards for my work doesn't mean I've reached a point where I'm satisfied with my accomplishments. There is always another goal which needs to be met, improvements to be made, another milestone to reach.
I believe each of us is given talents. Those gifts make us capable of becoming great in our own ways if we work hard enough to develop our capabilities.
Take the athlete, for example. God gives a gymnast talent, but, no matter how naturally gifted she is, she will never become a part of an Olympic team unless she dedicates her life to developing her special abilities.
I love to watch NFL football. Witnessing a perfectly executed passing play delights me because I know that, in order to achieve such perfection, those men have worked years and years to develop their talents.
A perfect play, whether it is in sports, the medical field, business, the arts or whatever, NEVER just happens. It is always the result of years of hard work and God-given talent.
It is our duty to discover our talents and develop them to the best of our abilities. We as a people benefit every time one of us succeeds at becoming the best we can be in our profession whether we are doctors, engineers, homemakers, artists, factory workers, construction workers or teachers. The world needs us all, and no one of us is any less necessary than another.
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff
For me, this moment of clarity catapulted me into the writing life whole heartedly. Up to that point, I'd dabbled in writing rather than having dedicated myself to it. From that moment on, I've been writing full time, working very hard.
Yet with all the time I've devoted to learning, studying, writing, and all the other things which make up a writer's life, I wonder if I will ever develop my talent as fully as I want to. Having won multiple awards for my work doesn't mean I've reached a point where I'm satisfied with my accomplishments. There is always another goal which needs to be met, improvements to be made, another milestone to reach.
I believe each of us is given talents. Those gifts make us capable of becoming great in our own ways if we work hard enough to develop our capabilities.
Take the athlete, for example. God gives a gymnast talent, but, no matter how naturally gifted she is, she will never become a part of an Olympic team unless she dedicates her life to developing her special abilities.
I love to watch NFL football. Witnessing a perfectly executed passing play delights me because I know that, in order to achieve such perfection, those men have worked years and years to develop their talents.
A perfect play, whether it is in sports, the medical field, business, the arts or whatever, NEVER just happens. It is always the result of years of hard work and God-given talent.
It is our duty to discover our talents and develop them to the best of our abilities. We as a people benefit every time one of us succeeds at becoming the best we can be in our profession whether we are doctors, engineers, homemakers, artists, factory workers, construction workers or teachers. The world needs us all, and no one of us is any less necessary than another.
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff
Monday, August 9, 2010
Acceptance and Rejection
No one is immune to rejection. And all of us have experienced acceptance.
Given the choice, we'd rather be accepted than rejected, but disappointment is simply a part of everyday life.
Writers experience rejection regularly throughout their careers. So do actors, directors, artists, and anyone else who puts themselves or their work on public view to the masses.
If you put your heart and soul into creating a painting, it is almost guaranteed someone is going to hate it. But it's also quite likely someone is going to think it's the greatest work of art she's ever seen. (Yes, I'm talking about your mother--no, just kidding.)
As a writer I, like all of you creative people, have had doubts about my abilities when someone has said something negative about one of my books. It's hard to hear bad things about a project I've poured my soul into, a project I've struggled with for months or even years. (Yes, I have spent years on some books.)
What makes us REAL writers (as opposed to the dreamers who boast they are going to have a book published "someday") is our ability to shrug off rejection and continue to strive to create better and better stories. Fill in "artists" "actors" "engineers" "teachers" or whatever for "writers" and this observation is easily applied to all lines of work.
When we are rejected by our boss, an editor, etc. we need to take stock of the criticism offered, weigh it, use whatever might be helpful, then move on--forge ahead and continue with our plan to reach our goals.
The only bad writer (engineer, teacher, bowler, etc.) is the one who gives up instead of taking criticism in stride and striving to improve the quality of their work everyday.
As a writer, I realize I'm a sensitive person, empathetic, a worrier too. While these emotions can be negative in daily life (especially when dealing with rejection), they are a blessing in my professional life (when I'm not dealing with rejection).
Were I not sensitive and empathetic, how could I possibly create characters who were rich, human, vulnerable, strong, courageous?
I couldn't.
No matter what our goals are in our personal lives and our careers, we benefit most when we can take a negative (like a writer being extra sensitive to editorial rejection) and turn it into a positive (using that sensitivity to create unforgetable, touching characters).
Dare I say we should make lemonade when life hands us lemons?
No, I don't think I'll use that tired old cliche. I'll suggest we woman up or man up and do the best we can with what we have to work with.
Now, it's time I take my own advice and get back to my current work in progress.
Fran
Fran Shaff
http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff
Given the choice, we'd rather be accepted than rejected, but disappointment is simply a part of everyday life.
Writers experience rejection regularly throughout their careers. So do actors, directors, artists, and anyone else who puts themselves or their work on public view to the masses.
If you put your heart and soul into creating a painting, it is almost guaranteed someone is going to hate it. But it's also quite likely someone is going to think it's the greatest work of art she's ever seen. (Yes, I'm talking about your mother--no, just kidding.)
As a writer I, like all of you creative people, have had doubts about my abilities when someone has said something negative about one of my books. It's hard to hear bad things about a project I've poured my soul into, a project I've struggled with for months or even years. (Yes, I have spent years on some books.)
What makes us REAL writers (as opposed to the dreamers who boast they are going to have a book published "someday") is our ability to shrug off rejection and continue to strive to create better and better stories. Fill in "artists" "actors" "engineers" "teachers" or whatever for "writers" and this observation is easily applied to all lines of work.
When we are rejected by our boss, an editor, etc. we need to take stock of the criticism offered, weigh it, use whatever might be helpful, then move on--forge ahead and continue with our plan to reach our goals.
The only bad writer (engineer, teacher, bowler, etc.) is the one who gives up instead of taking criticism in stride and striving to improve the quality of their work everyday.
As a writer, I realize I'm a sensitive person, empathetic, a worrier too. While these emotions can be negative in daily life (especially when dealing with rejection), they are a blessing in my professional life (when I'm not dealing with rejection).
Were I not sensitive and empathetic, how could I possibly create characters who were rich, human, vulnerable, strong, courageous?
I couldn't.
No matter what our goals are in our personal lives and our careers, we benefit most when we can take a negative (like a writer being extra sensitive to editorial rejection) and turn it into a positive (using that sensitivity to create unforgetable, touching characters).
Dare I say we should make lemonade when life hands us lemons?
No, I don't think I'll use that tired old cliche. I'll suggest we woman up or man up and do the best we can with what we have to work with.
Now, it's time I take my own advice and get back to my current work in progress.
Fran
Fran Shaff
http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff
Monday, August 2, 2010
Characters with Depth
Things which happen to us in childhood can haunt us all of our lives. They might cause us to stifle our potential, inflate our egos or live a reclusive, permissive or indulgent life. Our hearts and souls, our innermost thoughts and ideas about ourselves can be greatly influenced by our childhoods in positive and negative ways.
Characters in stories who touch something familiar in readers are the type of characters we remember.
Writers, think about this when developing your characters: What happened to John or Jane Doe which changed him/her in a most profound way? What deeply changed them and why? Answer these questions, and your character will become deeper, richer, more human than you thought he/she could be.
Take a look at this excerpt from “Stephanie’s Surprise,” the second book of my Heart Junction Series which is set in the early 20th Century.
Setup: Stephanie has just helped Dr. Aaron Wesly (who is in love with her) with an emergency medical situation. She performed unbelievably well, and he’s wondering why she quit nursing when she was young to become a teacher.
“I want you to tell me why you are so certain you should be a teacher instead of a nurse.” He sat next to her. “I’ve seen you in the classroom, and you’re a very good teacher. But in there,” he said, pointing his thumb in the direction of the room where they’d worked on Harvey, “you were perfect. You knew exactly what to do. You knew exactly what I needed.” He looked at her with an admiration she’d never seen in his eyes before. “Miss Porter, you are a nurse. Why do you deny it?”
She bolted from the sofa and went to the fireplace across the room. She stared into the empty hearth as though she were looking into the darkness of the past. “I would rather not discuss it.”
She felt him behind her, close and warm, his body heat touching her while he remained several inches away from her.
“I think you should talk about it, Miss Porter. You came alive in that room in a way I’ve never seen anyone do before. You were a part of everything that was taking place. You were made to care for, maybe even to heal people.” He paused a moment. “I think you could be a doctor, if you set your mind to it.”
She spun around to face him. “A doctor?” She folded her arms defiantly in front of her. “A doctor! Why do you insult me?” She walked away from him.
“I insulted you?”
She turned back to him. “Yes! I want nothing to do with doctors. They can’t heal everyone. Sometimes they’re completely useless.”
“And sometimes we’re very helpful. Sometimes we save lives.”
“Don’t preach high and mighty to me, Dr. Wesley. Doctors kill people, and so do nurses!” Tears began to roll down her cheeks.
“Miss Porter, what are you talking about? Why would you say such hideous things?” Shock covered his face.
She turned and headed for the door. “I’m going home.”
He caught her arm before she reached the arch of the parlor. “You’re not going anywhere. I want you to explain why you said what you said.” The grip on her arm turned from firm to gentle. “Please, Miss Porter, I must know.”
A wave of exhaustion went through her. “I need to sit down.”
He took her arm and led her back to the sofa. He sat next to her and handed her his handkerchief. “Tell me why you have such a great distaste for doctors.”
She wiped her eyes and nose. “They killed my sister.” She sobbed harder. “I…I…I killed my sister.”
He gently stroked her hair. “In a million years, you could never harm anyone,” he said softly.
When she began to cry uncontrollably, he took her into his arms. “There, there, Miss Porter. You need to get hold of yourself.”
Stephanie clung to him as though she’d die if she didn’t. She needed the comfort he offered. She needed him to hold her and comfort her and to understand how she hated herself for what she’d done.
“How did she die, Miss Porter?” he asked when she began to calm down.
She pressed her cheek into his shoulder as she tried to draw on his strength. “I took care of her the best I could, Aaron. Mama and Papa trusted me to take good care of Eileen. She was only thirteen years old. She was so sweet and so fragile.” She wiped her nose and snuggled closer to him. “I did everything Dr. Zeeman told me to do. He’d spoken with several specialists, and they’d devised a plan to treat Eileen.”
“What was wrong with her?”
She pulled back and looked up at him. “It was a disease of the blood. She’d had it for years. We all thought the treatment was working. Then Mama and Papa were called away. Grandpa Porter had passed away back in Illinois. They took a train to his funeral and left me alone to care for Eileen.”
She left the sofa. “When they returned, my sister was dead. We’d killed her, the doctors and I, we’d killed her.” She turned to look at him again. “They’d ordered the wrong treatment, or perhaps I made a mistake with her medication.” She shook her head vigorously. “I killed my sister, Aaron. Eileen is dead because of me!”
When her knees began to buckle as she wept with grief and guilt, he went to her and took her into his arms.
She struggled against his grip on her. He shouldn’t be holding her. He was a doctor! She shouldn’t be trusting him. She shouldn’t be wanting him to comfort her.
Aaron held her more firmly as she continued to struggle. “You’re wrong, Stephanie, you didn’t kill her, and I can prove it.”
When she had no more strength to struggle against him, she stopped moving. She pulled back so she could look into his eyes. “You can’t prove anything. You don’t know anything about my sister.”
“I do know about blood diseases, and they can kill people very quickly.”
“But Eileen had been sick since she was nine years old. She’d get better, then worse and better again. When Mama and Papa left, she was doing well.”
“Yes, that’s all part of the pattern for some diseases. Do you know which one she had?”
She shook her head. “No, they never told us. I don’t think the doctors knew either.”
“They probably didn’t want to discuss medical details with you. Doctors are often like that. We tell the patient only what is necessary for them to know.”
“It doesn’t matter what they did or did not tell us. Eileen couldn’t have gotten so sick so fast unless either they or I had done something wrong. I trusted them. I took care of Eileen as they’d told me to do. I was with her when she died. It had to be their fault or my fault. She’d never gotten that sick that fast before.”
He held her close to him once more and kissed the top of her head. “Dear, Stephanie, Eileen’s death was not your fault. What you described is entirely typical of some blood disorders. A patient can live for years and suddenly get very sick and die. I’ve seen it happen.”
“Oh, Aaron,” she said as tears began to stream from her eyes once more, “can what you say be true?” Dare she hope Eileen’s death was not her fault?
He pulled back from her. “Stephanie, your sister’s death was not your fault, nor was it the fault of her physicians. I can assure you of that. In fact, if Eileen survived for years with her blood disease, then I would say she’d received extremely good care, and you were blessed to have had her with you as long as you did.”
She dabbed at her eyes and wiped her nose. “But Papa and Mama said it was my fault. They said I killed her. They moved away and left me alone in Aberdeen because they couldn’t stand to look upon the girl who’d killed their daughter.”
Aaron pulled her tight against himself and gently caressed her cheek. “Dear, God, what have they done to you? No wonder you mistrust doctors. No wonder you deny your inborn gifts for medicine. I am so, so sorry for your misunderstanding, Stephanie.”
He pulled back and took her face into his hands.
“Stephanie, you have got to believe me. Eileen died because God called her home. It was her time to go, and nothing you did made that time come any faster than it was meant to be. Blood diseases are extremely serious and usually quite deadly.”
“But Papa…Mama…they told me--”
He placed his thumbs over her lips as he continued to hold her face in his hands. “Parents can be wrong, Stephanie."
What a gripping bit of information the reader learns about Stephanie. Believe me, this bit of knowledge changes the readers total perception of Stephanie Porter. Her enjoyment of the book has now deepened, and she becomes a bigger part of Stephanie's life and a major cheerleader for her success.
In a nutshell, characters with great depth greatly enhance the reader's enjoyment of any story.
And isn't that what writing is all about?
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff
Characters in stories who touch something familiar in readers are the type of characters we remember.
Writers, think about this when developing your characters: What happened to John or Jane Doe which changed him/her in a most profound way? What deeply changed them and why? Answer these questions, and your character will become deeper, richer, more human than you thought he/she could be.
Take a look at this excerpt from “Stephanie’s Surprise,” the second book of my Heart Junction Series which is set in the early 20th Century.
Setup: Stephanie has just helped Dr. Aaron Wesly (who is in love with her) with an emergency medical situation. She performed unbelievably well, and he’s wondering why she quit nursing when she was young to become a teacher.
“I want you to tell me why you are so certain you should be a teacher instead of a nurse.” He sat next to her. “I’ve seen you in the classroom, and you’re a very good teacher. But in there,” he said, pointing his thumb in the direction of the room where they’d worked on Harvey, “you were perfect. You knew exactly what to do. You knew exactly what I needed.” He looked at her with an admiration she’d never seen in his eyes before. “Miss Porter, you are a nurse. Why do you deny it?”
She bolted from the sofa and went to the fireplace across the room. She stared into the empty hearth as though she were looking into the darkness of the past. “I would rather not discuss it.”
She felt him behind her, close and warm, his body heat touching her while he remained several inches away from her.
“I think you should talk about it, Miss Porter. You came alive in that room in a way I’ve never seen anyone do before. You were a part of everything that was taking place. You were made to care for, maybe even to heal people.” He paused a moment. “I think you could be a doctor, if you set your mind to it.”
She spun around to face him. “A doctor?” She folded her arms defiantly in front of her. “A doctor! Why do you insult me?” She walked away from him.
“I insulted you?”
She turned back to him. “Yes! I want nothing to do with doctors. They can’t heal everyone. Sometimes they’re completely useless.”
“And sometimes we’re very helpful. Sometimes we save lives.”
“Don’t preach high and mighty to me, Dr. Wesley. Doctors kill people, and so do nurses!” Tears began to roll down her cheeks.
“Miss Porter, what are you talking about? Why would you say such hideous things?” Shock covered his face.
She turned and headed for the door. “I’m going home.”
He caught her arm before she reached the arch of the parlor. “You’re not going anywhere. I want you to explain why you said what you said.” The grip on her arm turned from firm to gentle. “Please, Miss Porter, I must know.”
A wave of exhaustion went through her. “I need to sit down.”
He took her arm and led her back to the sofa. He sat next to her and handed her his handkerchief. “Tell me why you have such a great distaste for doctors.”
She wiped her eyes and nose. “They killed my sister.” She sobbed harder. “I…I…I killed my sister.”
He gently stroked her hair. “In a million years, you could never harm anyone,” he said softly.
When she began to cry uncontrollably, he took her into his arms. “There, there, Miss Porter. You need to get hold of yourself.”
Stephanie clung to him as though she’d die if she didn’t. She needed the comfort he offered. She needed him to hold her and comfort her and to understand how she hated herself for what she’d done.
“How did she die, Miss Porter?” he asked when she began to calm down.
She pressed her cheek into his shoulder as she tried to draw on his strength. “I took care of her the best I could, Aaron. Mama and Papa trusted me to take good care of Eileen. She was only thirteen years old. She was so sweet and so fragile.” She wiped her nose and snuggled closer to him. “I did everything Dr. Zeeman told me to do. He’d spoken with several specialists, and they’d devised a plan to treat Eileen.”
“What was wrong with her?”
She pulled back and looked up at him. “It was a disease of the blood. She’d had it for years. We all thought the treatment was working. Then Mama and Papa were called away. Grandpa Porter had passed away back in Illinois. They took a train to his funeral and left me alone to care for Eileen.”
She left the sofa. “When they returned, my sister was dead. We’d killed her, the doctors and I, we’d killed her.” She turned to look at him again. “They’d ordered the wrong treatment, or perhaps I made a mistake with her medication.” She shook her head vigorously. “I killed my sister, Aaron. Eileen is dead because of me!”
When her knees began to buckle as she wept with grief and guilt, he went to her and took her into his arms.
She struggled against his grip on her. He shouldn’t be holding her. He was a doctor! She shouldn’t be trusting him. She shouldn’t be wanting him to comfort her.
Aaron held her more firmly as she continued to struggle. “You’re wrong, Stephanie, you didn’t kill her, and I can prove it.”
When she had no more strength to struggle against him, she stopped moving. She pulled back so she could look into his eyes. “You can’t prove anything. You don’t know anything about my sister.”
“I do know about blood diseases, and they can kill people very quickly.”
“But Eileen had been sick since she was nine years old. She’d get better, then worse and better again. When Mama and Papa left, she was doing well.”
“Yes, that’s all part of the pattern for some diseases. Do you know which one she had?”
She shook her head. “No, they never told us. I don’t think the doctors knew either.”
“They probably didn’t want to discuss medical details with you. Doctors are often like that. We tell the patient only what is necessary for them to know.”
“It doesn’t matter what they did or did not tell us. Eileen couldn’t have gotten so sick so fast unless either they or I had done something wrong. I trusted them. I took care of Eileen as they’d told me to do. I was with her when she died. It had to be their fault or my fault. She’d never gotten that sick that fast before.”
He held her close to him once more and kissed the top of her head. “Dear, Stephanie, Eileen’s death was not your fault. What you described is entirely typical of some blood disorders. A patient can live for years and suddenly get very sick and die. I’ve seen it happen.”
“Oh, Aaron,” she said as tears began to stream from her eyes once more, “can what you say be true?” Dare she hope Eileen’s death was not her fault?
He pulled back from her. “Stephanie, your sister’s death was not your fault, nor was it the fault of her physicians. I can assure you of that. In fact, if Eileen survived for years with her blood disease, then I would say she’d received extremely good care, and you were blessed to have had her with you as long as you did.”
She dabbed at her eyes and wiped her nose. “But Papa and Mama said it was my fault. They said I killed her. They moved away and left me alone in Aberdeen because they couldn’t stand to look upon the girl who’d killed their daughter.”
Aaron pulled her tight against himself and gently caressed her cheek. “Dear, God, what have they done to you? No wonder you mistrust doctors. No wonder you deny your inborn gifts for medicine. I am so, so sorry for your misunderstanding, Stephanie.”
He pulled back and took her face into his hands.
“Stephanie, you have got to believe me. Eileen died because God called her home. It was her time to go, and nothing you did made that time come any faster than it was meant to be. Blood diseases are extremely serious and usually quite deadly.”
“But Papa…Mama…they told me--”
He placed his thumbs over her lips as he continued to hold her face in his hands. “Parents can be wrong, Stephanie."
What a gripping bit of information the reader learns about Stephanie. Believe me, this bit of knowledge changes the readers total perception of Stephanie Porter. Her enjoyment of the book has now deepened, and she becomes a bigger part of Stephanie's life and a major cheerleader for her success.
In a nutshell, characters with great depth greatly enhance the reader's enjoyment of any story.
And isn't that what writing is all about?
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff
Monday, July 26, 2010
Making the Scene
Remembering a few basic essentials about writing scenes can be very helpful when crafting a new story.
Essential 1. Every scene needs a goal.
Essential 2. Scenes start with conflict.
Essential 3. Scenes end with conflict.
Essential 4. Scenes MUST move the story ahead.
Essential 5. Usually it's best to use only one point of view per scene.
Look for these scene essentials in this excerpt from A PARTNER'S PROMISE, my award-winning young peoples' novel. Previous to this scene, Axel, a homeless boy in 1880s New York had been in a fight. He'd been injured and unable to work to earn his food so he stole a loaf of bread. He was arrested.
Axel appeared before a judge later in the afternoon the day he was arrested.
Judge Thomas, a stern-looking man with glasses and a mostly-bald head, studied a paper as Axel stood silently before him.
“This report says you stole a loaf of bread,” Judge Thomas said, peering over the top of his glasses at Axel. “Is that right, boy? Did you steal a loaf of bread?”
“Yes, sir,” Axel said, looking down and placing his hand over his stomach.
“Speak up, boy. I can’t hear what you’re saying!” Judge Thomas shouted.
Axel raised his eyes and looked at the judge. “Yes, sir. I was very hungry.”
“Hungry, were you? That’s no excuse for breaking the law. If you want to eat, you should work for your bread. You young people must learn.” Judge Thomas stared hard at him. “What do you have to say for yourself, Mr. O’Grady?”
“I’m sorry, sir. I do work. I’m a newsie, but another boy beat up my friend and me and took our money. I have been too hurt to work. I ran out of food, and I was so hungry, sir.” Axel prayed Judge Thomas would accept his explanation and give him a chance to pay for the bread when he could work again.
“I’m not your mama, boy. Your problems are your problems, not mine,” Judge Thomas said firmly. “If you steal you go to jail. It’s as simple as that. Besides,” he added, running his gaze over Axel carefully, “if you got yourself beat up, it’s your own fault. You Irish are always causing trouble.”
Axel wanted to cause the narrow-minded judge some trouble right now, but he couldn’t. Instead, he swallowed back his anger and meekly replied, “Please, your honor, sir, please don’t send me to jail. I’ll pay for the bread.”
“I thought you didn’t have any money.”
“I don’t, but I’ll work again soon. I’ll pay for the bread when I can work again.”
“Not good enough,” the judge said, shaking his head. He looked at the papers before him. He rubbed his chin and thought a moment before he went on. “You got any folks?”
Axel shook his head. “My parents are dead.”
Judge Thomas nodded slowly. “I suspected as much,” he said, staring down at Axel over his glasses. He stroked his hand along his jaw and narrowed his focus on Axel. “Have you heard about the trains which take orphans west to be placed out in new homes?”
He not only sold newspapers, he read them too. He’d seen stories about city children finding new homes in the country. “Yes, sir, I know of them.”
The judge took off his glasses. “If you’ll agree to go to the Children’s Home and wait there to be sent west on the next train, I won’t send you to jail.”
Axel felt as though an anvil had fallen on him. Jail or leave New York City. How could he stand either one? No matter which he chose he’d have to leave Nate.
“Well, boy? What will it be?”
He decided there was only one choice he could make, and it wasn’t jail. “I’ll go to the Children’s Home, sir, and take the train west.” He spoke in a firm, decisive voice. He wanted to be sure the judge wouldn’t change his mind and put him back in jail.
“Fine,” the judge said, putting his glasses back on. He wrote something on his papers. When he finished writing he looked up at Axel and pointed his finger. “Don’t you try to run off either. If I see you in this court again you’ll go to jail for sure.” The judge turned Axel over to a police officer and told him to take the boy to the Children’s Home right away.
Scene essentials 1. While the goal is not revealed until late in the scene, it's easy to see Axel's goal is to stay out of jail.
Scene essentials 2. Conflict doesn't rise much higher than that between a judge and an accused person.
Scene essentials 3. Conflict at the end of the scene is even higher than the beginning. Though Axel has achieved his goal, staying out of jail, it has cost him his best friend.
Scene essentials 4. There is no question this scene moves the story ahead. It evokes lots of questions for readers, but the main one is: what will happen to Axel when he must leaves everything familiar and goes to a strange new land?
Scene essentials 5. The entire scene is told through Axel's point of view.
With writing as it is with many other pursuits, it is always important to remember basics.
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff
Essential 1. Every scene needs a goal.
Essential 2. Scenes start with conflict.
Essential 3. Scenes end with conflict.
Essential 4. Scenes MUST move the story ahead.
Essential 5. Usually it's best to use only one point of view per scene.
Look for these scene essentials in this excerpt from A PARTNER'S PROMISE, my award-winning young peoples' novel. Previous to this scene, Axel, a homeless boy in 1880s New York had been in a fight. He'd been injured and unable to work to earn his food so he stole a loaf of bread. He was arrested.
Axel appeared before a judge later in the afternoon the day he was arrested.
Judge Thomas, a stern-looking man with glasses and a mostly-bald head, studied a paper as Axel stood silently before him.
“This report says you stole a loaf of bread,” Judge Thomas said, peering over the top of his glasses at Axel. “Is that right, boy? Did you steal a loaf of bread?”
“Yes, sir,” Axel said, looking down and placing his hand over his stomach.
“Speak up, boy. I can’t hear what you’re saying!” Judge Thomas shouted.
Axel raised his eyes and looked at the judge. “Yes, sir. I was very hungry.”
“Hungry, were you? That’s no excuse for breaking the law. If you want to eat, you should work for your bread. You young people must learn.” Judge Thomas stared hard at him. “What do you have to say for yourself, Mr. O’Grady?”
“I’m sorry, sir. I do work. I’m a newsie, but another boy beat up my friend and me and took our money. I have been too hurt to work. I ran out of food, and I was so hungry, sir.” Axel prayed Judge Thomas would accept his explanation and give him a chance to pay for the bread when he could work again.
“I’m not your mama, boy. Your problems are your problems, not mine,” Judge Thomas said firmly. “If you steal you go to jail. It’s as simple as that. Besides,” he added, running his gaze over Axel carefully, “if you got yourself beat up, it’s your own fault. You Irish are always causing trouble.”
Axel wanted to cause the narrow-minded judge some trouble right now, but he couldn’t. Instead, he swallowed back his anger and meekly replied, “Please, your honor, sir, please don’t send me to jail. I’ll pay for the bread.”
“I thought you didn’t have any money.”
“I don’t, but I’ll work again soon. I’ll pay for the bread when I can work again.”
“Not good enough,” the judge said, shaking his head. He looked at the papers before him. He rubbed his chin and thought a moment before he went on. “You got any folks?”
Axel shook his head. “My parents are dead.”
Judge Thomas nodded slowly. “I suspected as much,” he said, staring down at Axel over his glasses. He stroked his hand along his jaw and narrowed his focus on Axel. “Have you heard about the trains which take orphans west to be placed out in new homes?”
He not only sold newspapers, he read them too. He’d seen stories about city children finding new homes in the country. “Yes, sir, I know of them.”
The judge took off his glasses. “If you’ll agree to go to the Children’s Home and wait there to be sent west on the next train, I won’t send you to jail.”
Axel felt as though an anvil had fallen on him. Jail or leave New York City. How could he stand either one? No matter which he chose he’d have to leave Nate.
“Well, boy? What will it be?”
He decided there was only one choice he could make, and it wasn’t jail. “I’ll go to the Children’s Home, sir, and take the train west.” He spoke in a firm, decisive voice. He wanted to be sure the judge wouldn’t change his mind and put him back in jail.
“Fine,” the judge said, putting his glasses back on. He wrote something on his papers. When he finished writing he looked up at Axel and pointed his finger. “Don’t you try to run off either. If I see you in this court again you’ll go to jail for sure.” The judge turned Axel over to a police officer and told him to take the boy to the Children’s Home right away.
Scene essentials 1. While the goal is not revealed until late in the scene, it's easy to see Axel's goal is to stay out of jail.
Scene essentials 2. Conflict doesn't rise much higher than that between a judge and an accused person.
Scene essentials 3. Conflict at the end of the scene is even higher than the beginning. Though Axel has achieved his goal, staying out of jail, it has cost him his best friend.
Scene essentials 4. There is no question this scene moves the story ahead. It evokes lots of questions for readers, but the main one is: what will happen to Axel when he must leaves everything familiar and goes to a strange new land?
Scene essentials 5. The entire scene is told through Axel's point of view.
With writing as it is with many other pursuits, it is always important to remember basics.
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff
Monday, July 19, 2010
Free and Hugely Discounted E-Books
Thousands of readers have taken advantage of my offer of CHANGE OF HEART as a free download. (Links to get this book are below.)
During July, all of my books at Smashwords.com are 50% off! This includes the entire Heart Junction Series and the highly acclaimed, award-winning contemporary romance STOLEN SON.
Use Coupon Code: SWS50 at checkout for the discount. To take a look and to download free previews of my books before you buy, go to:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=shaff%2C+fran
To download CHANGE OF HEART for free go to the links below. This book is also available for the I-Pad.
Smashwords (where it is the second most downloaded romance)
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/8911
Barnes and Noble
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Change-of-Heart/Fran-Shaff/e/2940000807705/?itm=1&USRI=shaff%2c+fran
Kobo Books
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Change-Of-Heart/book-KmCSs0Zyj0af9Xr0VKX8aA/page1.html
Sony e-Store
http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/fran-shaff/change-of-heart/_/R-400000000000000245705
I hope you're enjoying your summer reading as much as I'm enjoying mine.
Have a great week!
Fran
Fran Shaff
http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff
Read more: http://blogs.myspace.com/franshaff#ixzz0u9pjQPiu
During July, all of my books at Smashwords.com are 50% off! This includes the entire Heart Junction Series and the highly acclaimed, award-winning contemporary romance STOLEN SON.
Use Coupon Code: SWS50 at checkout for the discount. To take a look and to download free previews of my books before you buy, go to:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=shaff%2C+fran
To download CHANGE OF HEART for free go to the links below. This book is also available for the I-Pad.
Smashwords (where it is the second most downloaded romance)
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/8911
Barnes and Noble
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Change-of-Heart/Fran-Shaff/e/2940000807705/?itm=1&USRI=shaff%2c+fran
Kobo Books
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Change-Of-Heart/book-KmCSs0Zyj0af9Xr0VKX8aA/page1.html
Sony e-Store
http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/fran-shaff/change-of-heart/_/R-400000000000000245705
I hope you're enjoying your summer reading as much as I'm enjoying mine.
Have a great week!
Fran
Fran Shaff
http://sites.google.com/site/fshaff
Read more: http://blogs.myspace.com/franshaff#ixzz0u9pjQPiu
Monday, July 12, 2010
Dialogue: Real Life vs Literature
Writers strive to make stories real, believable.
However, one thing we readers do not want too real in our fiction is dialogue. We want fictional conversation to be believable and to look real, but we don't want it to reflect what we actually hear in our everyday conversations.
For example, if we have two characters discussing a date which took place the previous evening, we don't want to hear two women discussing the topic the way REAL women might talk.
Let's take a look at a scene using real life conversation (in the first example) versus fictional conversation designed to look real (in the second example).
Scene, a coffee cafe, two girl friends, early 20's sitting at a table and talking:
Girl 1: You and Tony went out, didn't you?
Girl 2: Yeah, you know, he picked me up at 7, around that time, I think, maybe it was later. I don't remember exactly what time he came. I got home late from work and, like, I was rushing around, trying to get ready, looking for my gray skirt. You remember the one I got at Macy's last fall when we went shopping before Thanksgiving?
Girl 1: Oh, the one you got at that great sale? Gees, what was that, like 35% off?
Girl 2: No, it was 50% off.
Girl 1: What a deal! Did Tony like it?
Girl 2: He never said, but he did say I looked nice, so I guess he must have liked it. Anyway....
(20 minutes later)
Girl 1: So you guys went to see "Knight and Day", huh?
Girl 2: Yeah, and I think he got a little emotional at the ending. (sighs) He's sweet, you know, I think. Kinda sweet, anyway.
Girl 1: Kinda sweet?
Girl 2: (shifting uncomfortably) Yeah, he, like, sighed and smiled at the end of the movie and said he liked it, but then when he walked me to the door, he made a grab for me before he even tried to kiss me.
Girl 1: How disgusting! Some guys. You think they're all romantic and sweet, then they go and do a pig thing like that instead of just trying to give a nice little good night kiss the way they should on the first date.
Girl 2: Yeah, I hate that.
Girl 1: (sips her coffee) So, are you going to see him again soon?
Girl 2: I think, you know, like I figured, I shouldn't cut him off completely just because he did one pig thing. He is kinda cute, don't you think?
--------------
Okay, lets see if we can "literary up" this little scene--
Scene, a coffee cafe, two girl friends, early 20's sitting at a table and talking:
Girl 1: How did your date with Tony go last night?
Girl 2: Not bad.
Girl 1: Not bad, huh? Sounds good. What did you two do?
Girl 2: We went to see "Knight and Day."
Girl 1: That's a terrific date movie. I saw it last week.
Girl 2: We both loved it. Tony loved all the action, chases, crashes, and I loved the romance. Cameron's character had some really great stunts too, which I enjoyed.
Girl 1: (raising an eyebrow and grinning) What about Tony? Did he have a great stunt or two?
Girl 2: (giggling) Stunts? I guess one thing he did could be called a stunt, and it wasn't a good one.
Girl 1: What'd he do?
Girl 2: (sighing) At the end of the movie, he got really emotional, almost choked up. I thought to myself, gee, this guy is really sweet.
Girl 1: That is sweet. I loved the ending too.
Girl 2: Who wouldn't? It was perfect. However, (shifting and twisting her mouth) mine and Tony's ending wasn't sweet at all, not with the stunt he pulled. When he walked me to the door, he made a grab for me.
Girl 1: Right out of the blue? Before he even kissed you or anything?
Girl 2: Yeah. I almost slapped his face, but I didn't.
Girl 1: (drinks coffee, gives friend a tentative look) So...are you going to see him again.
Girl 2: (shrugging, smiling) Why not? He's kinda cute, don't you think?
------------
See the difference? The "literary" dialogue is definitely believable, seems totally real too, but it isn't real enough to include all the side-tracking, uhs, you knows, likes, ahs, needless details, etc. we often use in our natural, normal conversations.
Dialogue can be tricky. Writing it so it flows smoothly while it engages the reader at the same time isn't easy, but it is doable.
Take care and have a great week!
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
http://sites.google.com/fshaff
However, one thing we readers do not want too real in our fiction is dialogue. We want fictional conversation to be believable and to look real, but we don't want it to reflect what we actually hear in our everyday conversations.
For example, if we have two characters discussing a date which took place the previous evening, we don't want to hear two women discussing the topic the way REAL women might talk.
Let's take a look at a scene using real life conversation (in the first example) versus fictional conversation designed to look real (in the second example).
Scene, a coffee cafe, two girl friends, early 20's sitting at a table and talking:
Girl 1: You and Tony went out, didn't you?
Girl 2: Yeah, you know, he picked me up at 7, around that time, I think, maybe it was later. I don't remember exactly what time he came. I got home late from work and, like, I was rushing around, trying to get ready, looking for my gray skirt. You remember the one I got at Macy's last fall when we went shopping before Thanksgiving?
Girl 1: Oh, the one you got at that great sale? Gees, what was that, like 35% off?
Girl 2: No, it was 50% off.
Girl 1: What a deal! Did Tony like it?
Girl 2: He never said, but he did say I looked nice, so I guess he must have liked it. Anyway....
(20 minutes later)
Girl 1: So you guys went to see "Knight and Day", huh?
Girl 2: Yeah, and I think he got a little emotional at the ending. (sighs) He's sweet, you know, I think. Kinda sweet, anyway.
Girl 1: Kinda sweet?
Girl 2: (shifting uncomfortably) Yeah, he, like, sighed and smiled at the end of the movie and said he liked it, but then when he walked me to the door, he made a grab for me before he even tried to kiss me.
Girl 1: How disgusting! Some guys. You think they're all romantic and sweet, then they go and do a pig thing like that instead of just trying to give a nice little good night kiss the way they should on the first date.
Girl 2: Yeah, I hate that.
Girl 1: (sips her coffee) So, are you going to see him again soon?
Girl 2: I think, you know, like I figured, I shouldn't cut him off completely just because he did one pig thing. He is kinda cute, don't you think?
--------------
Okay, lets see if we can "literary up" this little scene--
Scene, a coffee cafe, two girl friends, early 20's sitting at a table and talking:
Girl 1: How did your date with Tony go last night?
Girl 2: Not bad.
Girl 1: Not bad, huh? Sounds good. What did you two do?
Girl 2: We went to see "Knight and Day."
Girl 1: That's a terrific date movie. I saw it last week.
Girl 2: We both loved it. Tony loved all the action, chases, crashes, and I loved the romance. Cameron's character had some really great stunts too, which I enjoyed.
Girl 1: (raising an eyebrow and grinning) What about Tony? Did he have a great stunt or two?
Girl 2: (giggling) Stunts? I guess one thing he did could be called a stunt, and it wasn't a good one.
Girl 1: What'd he do?
Girl 2: (sighing) At the end of the movie, he got really emotional, almost choked up. I thought to myself, gee, this guy is really sweet.
Girl 1: That is sweet. I loved the ending too.
Girl 2: Who wouldn't? It was perfect. However, (shifting and twisting her mouth) mine and Tony's ending wasn't sweet at all, not with the stunt he pulled. When he walked me to the door, he made a grab for me.
Girl 1: Right out of the blue? Before he even kissed you or anything?
Girl 2: Yeah. I almost slapped his face, but I didn't.
Girl 1: (drinks coffee, gives friend a tentative look) So...are you going to see him again.
Girl 2: (shrugging, smiling) Why not? He's kinda cute, don't you think?
------------
See the difference? The "literary" dialogue is definitely believable, seems totally real too, but it isn't real enough to include all the side-tracking, uhs, you knows, likes, ahs, needless details, etc. we often use in our natural, normal conversations.
Dialogue can be tricky. Writing it so it flows smoothly while it engages the reader at the same time isn't easy, but it is doable.
Take care and have a great week!
Fran
Fran Shaff, Award-Winning Author
http://sites.google.com/fshaff
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)