Hi Voices,

Susie is busy with writing, four kids and doing a bit of traveling, so we’ll get back to Blog-a-Book next week. Thanks for your patience. We appreciate you all.

Today I wanted to talk about some of the basics of story telling and fiction writing. A great story starts with an idea. Any idea. What makes it great is developing a seed of an idea.

Take an ordinary idea — boy meets a girl — and turn it upside down. “An engaged boy meets a girl he believes is his true love. But he’s getting married in a month.”

Good, but how can we turn it upside down even more?

Boy approaches the girl only to discover she is just recovering from her own heartbreak — her fiance left her at the altar. Literally.

Good, wow, conflict is building. How can we make it worse?

She is his new boss.

And they are going on a customer junket together.

When they arrive at their fist destination, a snow storm keeps them in the hotel for two days.

Good, good, we’ve really added tension. But can we turn it upside down again?

Girl has a recurring dream where she’s seen Boy’s face many times. But she’s not about to open her heart based on a dream.

Keep digging. Put the characters at odd-ends. Turn things upside down.

How about Boy really loves and needs his job. He supports his aging father and cannot risk getting fired. Plus, does he really want to break Fiance’s heart over a stupid crush?

What about Suspense?

A murder, a public defender and the accused. How can you turn it upside down?

The PD and the accused were in the murder together? Why? They ran in the mob together? The PD was in gambling debt up to his eyeballs?

Turn the story upside down.

LIES

What lies do your protagonist(s) believe? It’s not just “God doesn’t love them” or “Fate is always against them.” But something deeper. They don’t believe they are worthy of good because they are evil, because they lied or hurt someone in their past. Because their parents told them they were no good.

I’ve seen way too many stories where the heroine or hero clung to some believe that seemed to have no basis. If she believes she’ll never find true love because her father died when she was young, WHAT incident or life situation instilled that belief? GO DEEP!!

GREATEST FEAR VS GREATEST DESIRE

Figure out your characters’ greatest fears and desires. Put them in opposition to each other. Then, put the character in opposition to the fears and desires of another character. Keep asking questions!

He fears he’ll never succeed in his career but his greatest desire is to own his own photography studio. She fears her appearance will never attract a good man, but wants to find true love. When He spots her on the street and wants to take her picture in his studio, tension ensues. She doesn’t want a camera in her face. He thinks she’s unique and exotic. He needs photos for a client that might launch his career. She’s his hope. She is about to date a man less than her standard so she can have security. (Which I’d ask, why is security important to her.)

See the set up for contrast?

RAISE THE STAKES

Keep turning the story upside down and raising the stakes. If he doesn’t take her picture for his portfolio, he’ll lose the client which means he’ll have to give up his studio lease and go back to working for Olan Mills. 😉

If Boy breaks off with his fiance, will Girl and Boss yield to his advances.

Have the characters TAKE the leap, arms wide, eyes closed, praying for a safety net — which you will create! But make it unique.

It can’t be she’ll yield and let him take her picture. Make it more complicated and unique. It can’t be Girl/Boss knocks on his door and says, “Sure, I’ll go out with you.” Make it more like… six months go by and she doesn’t have the dream. Did she lose her chance at true love? Meanwhile, Boy has moved on, in fact, he’s moving across country. Can she get to him in time? Even that is a bit cliche.

BLACK MOMENT

When and where does the protagonist lose all hope? That’s it, I’ll never open a studio. That’s it, I’ve lost my chance at true love? What’s at stake? What is the weight of all they lost? Love, career, respect, friends, family? At least three of the previous if not all! Layer it on thick.

HAPPILY EVER AFTER

Create a unique satisfying ending.