Tuesday's Writer's Tip - Beginnings #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Writing #Opening scenes

 The time has come to begin your story. You've gone through the four ways to explore your idea and you know you have a story but now what? The story must begin somewhere.

Now you could begin with a few paragraphs of exposition and many stories begin that way. One problem is that exposition is telling not showing. To make your story sing, you need to have action and action can always be found in a scene. What scene do you want to bring to your readers?

There are several places where you can begin your story. One is a moment before the change to the norm of the character's life occurs. Something like "She felt a change in the air. This sunrise blossomed like none she had ever seen. Now that makes a dramatic opening. The reader will wonder what will happen.

You could begin a moment after the change has arrived. Starting with something like this. The problem was what to do now. Why had she been the one to find the body? That brings some curious reaction on the reader's part.

Or you could begin in the middle of the action. She steppedinto the room and stumbled over the body. Now that's something to spur the reader on.

All of these opening scenes would stimulate th reader to continue reading. That's what a writer wants. People to continue reading their stories. So consider your opening and if possible find a scene that brings action into the story.What you are doing is taking the focus character of the story away from their normal life and casting them into an adventure. There are other things to consider in story openings that will be explored in the weeks to come.

Tuesday's Writer's Tip Beginnings #MFRWAuthor #BWLAuthor #Writing #Beginnings

The opening of a story isn’t just a clever line or two or a cute meet. There are a number of things you must fit into the opening chapters.

Now the fun begins. You have the characters and where they are set. Now it's time to put all this into action. The general plot is in hand since you know what your characters want and the way they will try to obtain them. So you begin. I don't know about most writers but I usually write the opening scene three or four and sometimes more times. Making sure you begin at the write place. I've read some books that start out with a great first sentence. Then the action bogs down on perhaps description or backstory.

The first line is what's important and considering what kind of story you're writing makes you start and then start again. Does this sound like a romance, mystery, fantasy, action, suspense. My first sentences are usually boring when they are first set on the paper. Then I have to consider so much. After all those tries to have the sentence make sense, show the genre, make the character seem alive, the sentence is finally down.

But a lot of words must follow this first sentence so I sit and write without stopping to think until I have part of a scene, Then I go back and tear it apart, And rewrite and rewrite until this bit seems to flow.

The beginning of a book has many things needed to be shown. The characters and hints to their goals. The kind of story that will take place. A lot of hints as to what will happen next. Hard to get this all done. But finally you have it then comes more fun. Where do you go from here?

The Hook - Every book should open with some kind of hook. An event has happened or will happen or is happening that changes the character's life. There are many events that can shape the book and carry the hook through the story. Let's look at one or two.

The change - The character has lost something important to them. A job, a loved one, a possession. Using this loss as a change in the opening scene, the character must come to grips with the problem and perhaps work out a plan to change the event. Their initial plan may fall apart but they are showing they want to move forward. The plan may undergo revisions or be scrapped for a new one. But the character needs to be shown they"re reacting to the change and taking action.

What if the change isn't immediate. Think of a teen starting a new school, someone facing an coming war or tragedy. The change looms and they must react to what might happen soon.

Perhaps we see the character during the moment of the change, How they act and react are what draws the reader to turn the pages.

I've just begun a story where the hero realizes a change must be made but he isn't sure of what to do. The first scene ends just as he decides where the road he needs to take will lead.

Remember, the first paragraph is what leads the reader to move to the second. So how do you make this bit so intriguing they can't resist reading on?

It's a matter of presentation.

You can make this opening unique. I started a book with She was the first woman to turn him down. Starts matters buzzing doesn't it?

There is also something unexpected. One of my books starts with the villain hiding in a cemetery across the street from the hospital. I didn't realize that this was both unique and unexpected until I had an editor remark that she never heard of a cemetery across the street from a hospital. Well, the burial groud was and is still there.

Show a deviation from the routine. Most mornings, John ate a hearty breakfast. Not this morning. Once again the curiosity if raised and the reader wonders why this has happened.

Show a change is about to take place. Suppose you're writing a story where a flood, a storm, something like this is about to change the lives of the characters. The dark clouds rolled across the sky like a giant run unfolding sending chills along Mary's spine.

Or begin with a lot of detail about a mundane object. I began a book when a heroine in the high meadow making a wreath of wild flowers that were known for their healing properties. Immediately this raises questions.

So that opening paragraph is the rope for the reader to catch and be drawn into the story.

Other things to be sure to have in the book’s opening scenes.

This is the time to introduce the main characters and perhaps some of the secondary ones. Don’t give too many or you’ll confuse the reader.

Give a good but not long description of where and when the action takes place.

You need to at least hint to the characters’ desires, especially the main characters and give clues to their reasons for wanting such things.

Once you have established the characters at the end of the beginning of the story is a good time to show if there can be a change in their goals.

The assignment is to write the opening scene of your story. I’ll show you a part of mine.

Lasara pulled a leather vest over her linen tunic. From the shelves in the changing room, she took two tunics, several sets of undergarments, stockings and a second pair of leather breeches. She bundled them into a tight roll. She listened to the sounds from the bathing room and stepped toward the door leading to the outer passage ways. Her hands shook as she released the lock. She prayed no one would discover the unlocked door until she was far away.

All the things Kalia had told her this afternoon rolled in her thoughts. Her sister’s help was welcome but she dare not be the one to be present this evening. Rila would meet her and lead her to the gate. Lasara’s stomach churned and she hoped she wouldn’t collapse. What if something went wrong?

She pressed her forehead against the cool surface of the door. Move. She straightened. The copper bracelet she had found hidden inher room’s closet pressed against her chest. A bonding bracelet. Someday she might find her heart bonded mate. Facing the unknown was better than the man her father intended to be her mate. She would rather die than be bonded to Petanof the tainted lines of fire and erratic temper. Seeing the darkness of his lines made her ill.

She opened the door just wide enough to peer outside and make sure Rila had arrived. Her trembling hand rattled the knob. She drew a deep breath. Once in the hall she eased the door closed and pressed the bundle of clothing against her chest.

Rila waved the torch she held and indicated a dark passage. Lasara followed. The torch cast eerie shadows on the walls. The air held a musty odor. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling. Lasara prayed they weren’t inhabited. Spiders made her think of evil. Another thought occurred. Would their footsteps be seen on the dust covered floor?

Rila turned. “Slide your feet. The dust raised will settle and hide our passing.”

Lasara adopted the gait. This narrow hall was new to her. She knew of other passages and many unused rooms. The population of the Defenders had dwindled over the years and years since their arrival in this land.

Rila halted. “I must snuff the torch, Four paces will bring you to the door. We’ll enter the courtyard and glide through the shadows to the gate where we’ll be met.”

The light died. Lasara’s breath caught. Four paces and she would leave this gloomy passage. Her heart thudded. Would she really escape?

As she stepped through the open door, she inhaled the night air. Dark clouds obscured the moon and stars. While slipping through the shadows, she listened to the night sounds. Except for the aroma of Rila’s perfume, she noticed no new scents.

Rila paused. She whistled the call of a night flyer. Two men stepped from the shadows. Though Lasara trusted Rila not to betray her, she prepared for flight. Her stomach churned and her arms tightened around her bundled clothes.

One of the men moved away. “I’ll keep the gate guards occupied.”

The second man opened a narrow gate. “I’m Gamon. Rila and I will guide you.”

One by one they slipped through the narrow opening and scurried past the massive gate. They reached a hard beaten path leading to the pasture where bihorns grazed.

“We moved your mount from the stable,” Gamon said. “Call him.”

Lasara pressed against the fence. “Thank you. I hope I can manage this escape.” She didn’t want to tell them how little she was prepared for flight or that she dreaded thoughts of being alone. She didn’t want anyone to think she was a coward.

He grinned. “Don’t fear. Rila and I are on detached duty. We’ll be with you for two days and show you how to make camp and find food.”

Wednesday's Writer's Tip - Beginnings - The characters

Here we have more on the beginnings of a story. I'm re-reading Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V Swain, a book I've found most helpful in my writing career.

Now about characters. Every story needs people unless you're doing something experimental. I once wrote a story with a park bench as the main character. Needless to say this story never went anywhere but I had fun with the attempt.

When introducing characters into the story, one thing to remember is not to introduce casts of thousands in the first few pages. Too many characters makes the reader wonder who the story is about. In the beginning there are a few characters who need to be seen. These include the hero, heroine and the villain. Now they don't have to be shown in action during the early pages but showing them doing something to or about the heroine or hero can add a punch to your story. "Code Blue" opens in the villain's viewpoint and introduces the heroine quickly. By the second scene, the hero is at least mentioned by name.

An impression of the character needs to be shown. Show them in action. Show them through a description that allows the reader to know why they are and what they are doing. Be realistic here. Little bits of description to show who they are. In "Shattered Dreams, the heroine is shown entering her medical office and getting ready to see patients. She is late because of an emergency that kept her at the hospital. The hero is sort of mentioned. All we know about him at this point is that he is a new hospital hire coming in for a physical and her secretary/nurse can't reach him to reschedule his appointment.

Of course, one has to thread in some hints about the back story. This can be difficult to bring into view. Long passages aren't needed. Just a few lines can often do the job. Be careful to keep the back story in the present through a piece of memory. Something in the present that triggers a memory of what happened in the past. In "Prescription For Love." The heroine is introduced to the hero, a new doctor on staff. In a short passage, she recalls their first meeting, one that didn't go well.  Just remember to keep this short and simple. Nothing pulls a reader out of a story that a going back in time for pages and pages. Remember the impact on the present is what is important.

Writing Tips Plotting continued

This is part 2 of Plotting. All stories have a beginning, a middle and an end. Before talking about the beginning, there are several things to remember.

Three places to begin your tale.
1. A moment before the action that will force a change in the hero or heroine's life.
2. In the middle of the action.
3. A moment after the action has taken place.

Another important series of three to remember. Each scene, bit of dialogue should do one of the following things. If you can bring two about, that's great. Hitting all three is wonderful.
1. Reveal something about the character.
2. Advance the plot.
3. Impart an important piece of information.

Keeping these things in mind, it's time to begin. The beginning of the book can be as much as a third of the book and must show the characters in action, to learn about their motivations, establish the conflicts both internal and external, show the setting and the time period. Often the book is started too soon or too late. There are times when I write a chapter one and find the only value is for me as the writer, not the reader. It's time to scrap that chapter. Other times I start a book too late and have to go back and do a scene before the one I originally intended to be the opening scene.

There are problems that happen during the opening of a book. Often times the first paragraph is intriguing. Then the writer spends pages giving the back story of the characters. A sentence or two won't bother the reader but paragraphs about the hero or heroine's life are more for the author's benefit than the reader. Save this kind of the story for times when it can be done in a sentence or two of through dialogue. Another problem is when the author becomen enamoured by the setting and spends paragraphs describing a house, a vista or something. In fantasies, sometimes more time is needed to establish where the characters are but these are details that can be brought into play during the action.

The opening scene is where the writer has to give enough information to intrigue the reader to comtinue reading. There are several problems that can creep in. There's the information dump that provides the reader with too much information. This can be back story or it can be scenery or other descriptions. There is the cast of thousands start where too many charactera are thrown into the mix in the first few pages. For me this is one of my faults. There is also starting with a dramatic scene like a car chase ro a volcano erupting and the hero or heroine fleeing from some drastic event. Problem here is how can the tension be maintained for the entire book. A hard act to follow is what I call this kind of opening.

Beginnings

This is about beginnings as in writing and came about when I was talking to my friend and co-author of Becoming Your Own Critique Partner published by Zumaya Press. I had just finished reading her novel Nightingale Man which I enjoyed very much, We talked about the beginning part which I wasn't sure she needed. She agreed with me. We talked about starting in the middle of the action a good rule in general. Sometimes this can become a very confusing opening if there is too much action or too many people. The trick then is to begin a moment before the action or a moment following the action.
Sometimes writers think a cute or exciting first sentence or paragraph is what will catch the reader's attention. It will but only if the action continues or the cleverness follows along.
I often start a book more than once until I find the right opening scene. A cast in point is my current project, The Dragons of Fyre. My first attempt began with the hero escaping from slavery and traveling through a mountain tunnel to reach his home. A sort of exciting moment, but then nothing was to happen for a year. I could have used this as a prologue but I sort of don't like prologues. I think I've written maybe one or two in the nearly thirty books I've written. So I began again, this time with the heroine. That read well until my critique group thought the villain was the hero. Not a good idea. So once again, I tore up the pages and began for a third time. This was from the hero's viewpoint. A better start but I got involved in the writer's need to know cycle and threw in too much backstory. I tore up the first three pages of the scene and wrote them over and with some tweaking, the beginning works and reads the way I wanted.