In her spare time Katie also produces and hosts a YouTube talk show; Spilling Ink. She also has a regular column on First Comics News where she explores writing from a nerdy perspective.
September already? This year has really flown by. And now that the kids are back in school the days seem to be moving a record-breaking speeds. How many of you have kids in kindergarten? My littlest just started. There is a good ten years between my oldest and youngest girl children, and I have to say the stark contrast in education is noticeable. What used to be half days that included snack time and arts and crafts has turned into a full six-hour schedule of academics. And the homework! Don't even get me started with the homework. Three weeks into kindergarten and we're already crying over homework. Ahh the joys of a new school year. Gotta love it. So tell me, how is your new school year going? Kids enjoying it, good teachers, any funny stories to share?
I'll share one of my own that happened today.
Sitting around the table, oldest doing her homework (with headphones on), Boychild starting his, and youngest getting her first assignment (she had to write her name properly using correct capital and lowercase letters). Littlest attempts it and it needs a bit of work. I must have said something to set her off because instead of just erasing and trying again she flies into a rage, screaming about how she "just can't write an uppercase Z." (she can) and as I'm trying to get her to calm down and understand the difference between the capital and lowercase letter (between shrieks of "I can't do it"), my boy child is having issues with his math homework. He's in second grade now and they're deep into Common Core. His problem? 4+3. Find the answer. Simple right?
So while my youngest is screaming and my oldest is ignoring me with her headphones in, I'm telling boy-child just to add the two. I don't see what's so hard about that. He starts whining that he has to show his work and needs to use doubles. I'm not sure what exactly that's supposed to mean, and he has no math textbook to give examples of the work they're doing (just a worksheet), so I have to run to the computer to do a quick google.
Yes, you heard me right; I had to google my 2nd grader's math homework. MomFail of the year, right?
I finally understand what they are looking for. They want him to double the 4 to make the problem easier to add. Because adding 4+3 is really super hard, right? But this is common core training, so it's not allowed to be simple. Keep in mind that this is all happening while I'm dealing with my screaming Kindergartner who refuses to write a capital letter Z.
Twenty minutes of pure hell later Boychild finishes his homework and by some miracle the littlest writes a capital Z. All is right with the world. Meanwhile, I'm rocking quietly in a corner, realizing this is only the first month of school.
Yay school!!!
So that's my update for now. I know it's not book related, but I had nothing new to share yet. Next newsletter will hopefully have a sneak peek at the upcoming Agents of ASSET book 4 cover. I have my cover artist working on it right now, so it shouldn't be long.
Until then, why not check out the latest book deals for September. As always these book deals are hosted by StoryOrigin and books are provided by the authorsas a way to introduce new readers to their work. Check each deal to see what is on offer: Sales, Freebies, and Kindle Unlimited ebooks!
Just click on the links to be taken to the books description and/or sales pages.
Stories (novels, movies, television shows, and plays) are comprised of three key elements: Characters, Setting, and Conflict.
All three elements work together to create the journey. That journey is the story your audience will immerse themselves in.
Setting and Characters with no Conflict is boring. Characters cannot act out or experience their Conflict without a Setting to do it in.
All three elements must be developed fully.
START BY BUILDING A BELIEVABLE WORLD FOR YOUR CHARACTERS TO LIVE IN.
You must have a sense of your world as a physical place if you want your characters to exist within it.
A character’s world plays a huge part in forming who they are. Characters are products of their environment.
Take inspiration from the world you live in, and decide how similar or different you want your fictional world to be.
Geography
Environment
Society
Religion
Politics
History
CHARACTERS DO NOT HAVE TO BE LIKE-ABLE BUT THEY DO NEED TO BE REAL!
As their creator you must understand what makes your characters tick, so you know how they'll react to the conflict you throw at them. Know your characters. Create a character bible or rule book to establish their individual personalities. Understand their likes and dislikes. What motivates them? What are their goals and aspirations? Know what role they are meant to fill within your story.
If you write a character who does terrible things without any reason, readers will not connect with those characters..
Get your reader to understand why your character is doing something —good or bad — and they'll be more likely to support and root for your character. (Even if that character is morally ambiguous.)
REAL CHARACTERS RELY ON READER EMPATHY
A character is endearing when they mirror us in some way.
They have “Like Me” Qualities.
▪Have Flaws / Quirks
▪Bad Days / React Poorly to Their Situation
▪Have Fears and Phobias
▪Have Dreams and Aspirations
CONFLICT IS THE KEY TO DEVELOPING CHARACTERS
▪Choose a conflict that matters to the characters. A relationship between two people breaking down can be just as important as the fate of the entire universe.
▪Employ internal and external conflict to create tension. Tension is strongest when it attacks from within as well as outside of your character.
▪Create multiple sources of tension. We all deal with conflict and tension from multiple sources, and your characters shouldn’t be different.
▪Keep raising the stakes. Your characters need a challenge. They should try and fail a number of times. No easy wins.
SETTING + CHARACTERS + CONFLICT = PLOT
PLOT THEME
The combination of the three key elements with a primary theme (one large conflict) that sets the story in motion.
Overcoming The Monster (rebellion)
Defeat an antagonistic force (often evil) which threatens the protagonist and/or protagonist's homeland.
Rags To Riches
The poor protagonist acquires power, wealth, and/or a mate, loses it all and gains it back, growing as a person as a result.
Hero’s Journey
The protagonist goes to a strange land and, after defeating the villain, returns with experience.
Rebirth
An event forces the main character to change their ways and become a better person.
Underdog (sports / heist / contest)
A loner or outcast with a special talent. Joins a group who needs their special talent. Group conflict threatens to break them up, but they come together in the end to win the day.
The Quest
The protagonist and companions set out to acquire an important object or to get to a location. They face temptations and other obstacles along the way.
Comedy
Light and humorous, conflict becoming more confusing and ridiculous until characters triumph over adverse circumstance, resulting in a successful or happy conclusion.
Tragedy
The protagonist's character flaw or great mistake leads to their undoing.
PLOT STRUCTURE
The order of plot elements as they play off each other during the course of the story.
THREE-ACT STRUCTURE
ACT I
EXPOSITION OPENING IMAGE
Snapshot of the Main Characters Normal life. STORY THEME REVEALED
What is the theme of the story? What expectations can we set up?
SET UP THE JOURNEY
What will the Main Character need to do to reach the goal of the story?
RISING ACTION DEBATE
The journey will be scary. Will the Main Character go? CATALYST
Something forces the Main Character to go on the journey.
ACT 2
RISING ACTION (CONTINUED)
THE CHOICE
The Main Character chooses to go on the journey.
PROMISE OF PREMISE
The journey is not what was expected. Harder.
B STORY
Side quest or strength given to Main Character to continue on the journey through Secondary Character interaction or support.
CLIMAX
TWIST. KINK IN THE PLAN.
False victory or early defeat.
BAD GUYS CLOSE IN
Enemies are everywhere. Infighting happening with Main Character and Allies.
ACT 3
FALLING ACTION All seems lost. Huge Defeat. Rock Bottom. Can the MC recover and get back on track?
RESOLUTION
DIG DEEP
Find a new, better plan. Choose to continue fighting.
REASSEMBLE THE TROOPS
Set up the final confrontation.
FINALE
The big win! Reward. Celebration. Character reflection on what happened.
You have to knowyour character before you can write them. If you don't you'll end up writing a flat, cookie-cutter, person.
You don't want that, do you?
Of course not!
So, how do we get to know these fictional characters we just pulled out of thin air?
We give them a life and history all their own.
The simplest way to do this is to give them a resume. Pretend they're sitting down in front of you, applying to be part of your story.
Start with the basics. (beyond the image stuff, which I assume you have already come up with; hair color, eye color, skin color, height, etc...)
What is their full name?
How old are they?
Where do they live?
How long have they lived there?
Did they ever attend school? If so, where? (I write vampires, so school could mean listening to the great Socrates, discuss philosophy back in the A.D. days)
Any specialized degrees or skills?
Previous work history? (the jobs we do help to shape us as much as our education. Did your character have to work some menial job they hated? Were they some high-powered executive? For fantasy stories, rulers of Kingdoms and peasants count as well)
Now, once you have the basics out of the way. Ask your "applicant", what qualifies them to be a character in your story?
Are they applying for a main character or a secondary character position?
What special powers and/or abilities do they have?
Ask them to list one good and one bad quality about themselves.
And finally, your character needs to provide references! What kind of friends do they have? What is their family like? Do they have any enemies that they wouldn't want listed on a resume? List a few of those people in their life, both good and bad.
If you (or your character) can answer all of these questions, you will be off to a great start. The goal is to have a character that not only feels real to you, but reads as a real person to your audience.
A background and history help to create that "real" feeling that can make your character jump off the page and become someone your readers will want to follow on their journey.
Now that the kids are heading back to school you'll have more time to read! Here is a selection of the books on offer all through the month of August! Get your read on!
SALES AND DEALS!
Even the most powerful psychic in the world has her blind spots.
I can't believe I'm saying this already. Summer blew by with such amazing speed that I'm left gobsmacked at the realization that on Monday all three of my kiddos will be in school. This is the first year for my littlest. She's entering Kindergarten. It will be a whole new world for her, and me too. For the last 15 years of parenting, I've always had someone else here with me. What will I do with myself for the 6ish hours a day kid free?
Anyway, fast as this summer is going, I had better get to the sales before they are gone too.
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Review Copy Reach Out
Free Review copies of amazing books. Just click the link to sign up. https://storyoriginapp.com/to/pXAFuuC
Get these books fast! This promotion ends August 31st!
Clean Fantasy Creatures Reads
Check out these amazing offerings. Just click the link to see what's on offer this month.
Get these books fast! This promotion ends August 31st! https://storyoriginapp.com/to/6EfyDxy
Starry Nights KU Bundle
Are you in the Kindle Unlimited Program? Check out these featured reads. Just click the link to see what's on offer this month.
Get these books fast! This promotion ends August 30th! https://storyoriginapp.com/to/XVwOFRH
Have you Read and Reviewed the Agents of ASSET series books 1 and 2? If so, why not sign up to be an ARC reader for Book 3, Magic In Disguise.
