Extreme Book Makeover: The Secret of turning your POV character into a HERO.

Does the ACT 2 of your novel feel saggy? Maybe you’ve run out of great ideas to liven the plot? In this episode of Extreme Book Makeover, we’re going to talk about ACTS of HEROISM to add some twists and turns to your story.

Acts of Heroism

Remember – the key to a great character is to develop his story (and all the story pieces) off the page, so he walks onto the page fully formed. (That includes your character’s Lie, Wound, the Greatest Fears and Dream, as well as the Stakes of the story)

Now, let’s employ the concept of ACTS of HEROISM. Acts of Heroism are those character-change actions that take your character from an everyday Joe to a hero.

It’s not the grand gestures, the great sacrifices . . . Acts of Heroism are the choices your character makes that push him beyond himself beyond his comfort zone and changes him.

These choices will not only make your reader love him just a little bit more – but also cause new problems for your hero.

Rachel Hauck, Princess Ever After, royals, royalty

The Solution of Tension

We’ve also been watching the TV show Nashville on iTunes. It’s a night time soap opera set around country music.

Hubby and I make a game of “calling it.” What’s going to go wrong, when and how.

It’s almost NOT fun to watch TV shows where you know, just know, someone is going to do something stupid to mess up a budding romance or promising job.

Husband hates it. He doesn’t want to watch people be so stupid.

I get why the TV show writers do this… to drag the viewers along. To create a “Oh no, what’s going to happen?” curiosity.

In television, the writing goes from episode to episode and the writing is “episodic.”

Meaning from week to week, the tension and threads change to fit that show while carrying story threads forward.

For example, twenty years after they first toured together, country great Rayna James and Luke Wheeler get together. They’ve been married to other people and have children.

Tips to Create and Maintain a Successful Group Blog

Many authors I talk to are frustrated by trying to grow and maintain a solo blog. My suggestion for a lot of them is to either find an established group blog to join or to start a group blog. Today I’m going to share my tips to create and maintain a successful group blog.

There are several advantages to a group situation

Shared responsibilities.
Reduced time commitment.
Flexibility.
There are also some disadvantages

Shared responsibilities. Yes, I know it’s in the list above. But sharing isn’t always easy. None of us is perfect and trust me, people will let you down. If you have serious control issues a group situation may not be the best answer for you.
Reduced visibility. With a reduced time commitment also comes less time you’re in the public eye. It’s a trade off. The more popular the site though, the less this becomes an issue.

Getting Personal with Our Readers

It’s one thing to endow imaginary characters with hopes and dreams and Dark Moments and Wounds, Lies and Fears. It’s something else all together to go mucking around in my oh-so real hopes and dreams … and hurts.

If we want to write real characters who make our readers laugh out loud or cry as they turn the pages of our books, they we have to delve into our hearts and remember the events and the people who made us laugh out loud and cry behind closed doors — or in public.

Finding Balance with Writing & Life: Regaining Balance After a Deadline

I rang in the New Year with three major deadlines on my plate–one contracted book deadline, one day job deadline, and taxes for two businesses.

After many late nights and early mornings, two out of three of my deadlines have been met.

I’m so thankful for these deadlines because they represent pieces of a dream—business owner and published author.

Regaining balance after a deadline is essential for stability in the other areas of my life. For the past 12 weeks, I’ve been running on adrenaline, doing what was necessary to get by. Now that I’ve submitted my novel, I have a bit more breathing room. I have time to do those things I’ve been putting off like cleaning my bedroom, refinishing a dresser, painting my dining room.

Whether you’re completing a writing deadline or another type, here are three tips to help you regain balance: