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Plot Busters – I So Don’t Do Spooky – Is it high concept?

By on January 6, 2012 in Plotting a novel

Surprise! I’m giving you a dose of Plot Busters early. On Monday, myself and 24 other self published and indie published authors are launching The Indelibles blog. There will be chances to win a Kindle Fire and all our books in a blog hop. So be sure to check it out!

Now let’s move on to I So Don’t Do Spooky by Barrie Summy. I just love this series.

Logline: (from book) Thirteen-year-old Sherry helps her mother, a ghost, to investigate who is stalking Sherry’s stepmother, but Sherry is also very busy with school and friends, while her mother is also striving for a gold medal in the Ghostlympics.

Eh, this logline is just okay. I like my shorter version below.

Thirteen-year-old Sherry solves the mystery of who is stalking her stepmother to earn real time with her mother’s ghost.

High concept?

Let’s see. Ghosts, a mystery, high emotional stakes – I’d say yes. (I end up thinking that every book is high concept when the emotional stakes are high. So technically, this book might not be high concept. But that’s just semantics.)

1. Does the character offer the most conflict for the situation?

I love Sherry’s shopaholic, peppy personality. This is a mystery series and I love that we don’t have a noir detective, but a cute middle schooler who just wants to hang with her friends and boyfriend.

It’s not her personality or flaws that bring conflict to this mystery. It’s the fact that she wants to spend more time with her mom’s ghost. High emotional stakes.

2. Does she have the longest way to go emotionally?

In some ways, yes. Her dad has remarried one of Sherry’s teachers, who kids call the Ruler. And we can see from the first chapter, that Sherry is struggling accepting her as a mother figure.

3. Demographically pleasing?

I’d say yes. This is a perfect mix of contemporary with a bit of paranormal to make it fun. This story would appeal to middle schoolers and elementary age girls.

4. Is it primal?

Yes, definitely. Sherry misses her mom and longs to spend “real time” minutes with her. Without this emotional aspect, the story would not have carried the same level of impact.

If you’re wondering how to add emotional impact to your humorous middle grade or young adult story, look no further than this book. Summy does a masterful job. Lots to learn.

A week from Monday, we’ll cover Act I. So if you want to join in the fun and give Plot Busters a whirl, pick the book up at your library and break down Act I! We’ll compare notes. (Because really this is not my area of mavenness. I’m learning, just like you.)

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Is IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE really a YA novel?

By on December 12, 2011 in Plotting a novel, three dimensional characters

Think about it. It’s an angel story. Okay, so there might not be a hot angel stud in it, but Clarence is definitely not your typical angel. There is a character named Potter in it. And think about the firsts – first kiss, first love, first job, first save-your-brother-from-drowning, and first…well, you get the point.

 

Here are the ten reasons I love this movie from a writer’s point of view.

1. Opening prayers that make me care for George Bailey. Why is he in so much trouble? Why is everyone praying for him? I want to know!

2. Every single scene is important to the story. They deal with George, Mary, or Potter; and of course, don’t forget the Bailey Building and Loan – that crummy old building.

3. The scenes start late and end early. No fillers! I sit down to watch for five minutes and I end up watching the whole darn movie.

4. Every scene contributes to the main storyline but also has its own storyline. Almost every scene ends with a cliffhanger. For example, George leaves Mary in the bushes to go see his father who had a stroke.

5. Humor is added to each scene: George and Mary falling into the pool or Mary losing her robe.

 

 

6. A great debate is introduced in the beginning. Will George take over the Building and Loan or go and travel the world? He chooses to stay but always holds onto the dream of leaving.

7. George is an extremely likeable character. He’s not off to save the world. His goals are really quite selfish. But every decision he makes, putting himself last, comes at huge personal sacrifice. For example – his hearing, his college, his travels, his honeymoon.

8. Incredible secondary characters. Their stories and pivotal moments are revealed when they connect with George’s life.

9. Let’s not forget the mirror images of the first and third act. Every scene in the first act, the characters who are introduced, come into play in Act III.

10. George never reaches his goals. I mean how often does that happen? But that makes the ending so moving. He realizes he had a better life than the one he dreamed about. So primal. Sigh.

This movie is so different from JINGLE ALL THE WAY, but I love them both!

What’s your favorite scene in this movie, if you’ve seen it? If you haven’t, tell me, your favorite Christmas dessert!

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Balance. Believability. Bordering on Ridiculous.

By on December 9, 2011 in Plotting a novel

I’ll be honest. I absolutely love stories that border on the ridiculous, the unreal, the fantastical, the unbelievable. I don’t mean fantasy. I mean real life that gets out of control. Hyperbole. Satire.

I totally crack up.

And there is no better example of it done right than the Christmas movie JINGLE ALL THE WAY. I watch it every year. A harried father tries to make up for working too much by rushing out to buy the hot new toy on Christmas Eve.

 

The unbelievable.



The fight for the Turbo Man doll, the stampede. Yes, overdone. But for me? Hilarious.

Bordering on ridiculous:

 

Oh yeah, that’s right. The Santa sweatshop. A bunch of con men dressed up as Santas selling overpriced toys. They come complete with candy cane numchucks.

 

And then there’s the part where the dad ends up dressed up as the toy, Turbo Man. And his nemesis throughout the movie, Sinbad, is dressed as Turbo Man’s nemesis. But what a perfect ending for such a fantastical movie.

The balance.

 

This movie was grounded in something primal: a father trying to make things right with his family, struggling to earn back their trust. I rooted for him, cheered for him, hoping he’d pull through.

This satire on commercialism at Christmas time was balanced with the true meaning of the season and real heartfelt emotion that anyone could relate to.

This is the kind of stuff I love to read and write. And I’ve often had to rewrite to find that balance: toning elements down, beefing up the primal emotion.

How did JINGLE ALL THE WAY get it right?

  • Great writing.
  • Great acting.
  • Finding that balance.

As a story, they did everything right too. Opening and closing mirror image and foreshadowing, making everything go wrong for the character, running gags, subplots that tied in. I’m sure it would pass the Blake Snyder beat sheet test.

The biggest aspect of believability is not whether what happens is truly believable. It’s in the setting up of expectations and the follow through. Not veering from the tone and style of the story. Building up to the ridiculous moments with the right emotions and set up.

What’s your favorite Christmas movie?

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Is your story too unbelievable? Add some “sweetening”.

By on November 28, 2011 in Plotting a novel

*Winner of the arc of  DITCHED by Robin Mellom is Riv Re! Congrats!

If you haven’t read this absolutely fantastic post about the Grinch at Fiction Notes by Darcy Pattison then click on over. Love, love, love it. And we wonder why that story remains a classic. Well, maybe we don’t wonder – the fun language, the characters, etc.

My whole family sat and watched HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS for our first Christmas special. I watch it for the Grinch song and for his tremendous moment of change when his heart grows and breaks the frame. I love villain songs. And why are villains so fun? #ilovevillains

My daughter had a question that I tweeted the other night.

Daughter: “Why does the Grinch have a sewing machine? And where did he learn to sew?”

Me: “Hmm. Good question.”

And then we proceeded to point out all the other unbelievable parts of the TV version.

But it got me thinking about believability. Why are some events believable even when they are unrealistic? (The kind of stories I love!)

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH is unrealistic but totally believable!

WHEN YOU REACH ME included time travel but was totally believable!

But if Rebecca Stead had tried to put in some magic beans and a humongous peach into WHEN YOU REACH ME it would’ve been totally unbelievable! (Or who knows? Maybe she could’ve pulled it off.)

Believability comes down to the story, story expectations, the world building; and honestly, the level of writing.

So, for me, the fact that the Grinch had a sewing machine or that Max actually pulled that gigantic sled with all the ribbons, wrappings, and bows up the mountain was totally believable.

Add some sweetening!

We happened to be watching a special edition with an extra behind the scene look at the making of the Grinch. They talked about “sweetening.” Which fascinated me. Sweetening refers to the sound effects they add, the small details, whether a marker squeaking against a balloon or some violins – all to add to the believability.

What would sweetening be for the author? Maybe those small details about the world or your character that seem unimportant but just might add richness to your writing, your story, your world. Hmm. Very interesting.

What do you think? What do you love about unbelievable but believable stories? Do you add sweetening to your work?

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A last look at THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE.

By on November 14, 2011 in Plotting a novel

We’re back for our last look at THE SKY IS EVERY WHERE. The ending, the oh so crucial ending if you want readers to read your next book! I learned a lot from this book, and I hope you did too. Here’s Act III broken down to Blake Snyder’s SAVE THE CAT.

Break into Three: (External and internal conflicts combine for the solution.)

In a character-driven story often the external conflict (or A story) is closely tied or the same as the internal conflict. So, at the start of Act III we see Lennie making decisions to take control.

She not only decides to challenge Rachel for first chair, but she brings her Gram’s famous roses to Joe’s house. Way to go, Lennie! Living life. Taking risks. The exact opposite of the Lennie we first met.

Finale: (the climax)

The climax, for me, is the rest of the book, chapter after chapter of emotional pay-offs. Her Gram. Toby. Her friend, Sarah. Joe. #nospoilers

An amazing ending.

Final Image: (Opposite of the opening image.)

Remember the sickly plant with black spots? That represented Lennie? I thought the plant would thrive at the end. But no.

In this last scene, Lennie visits Bailey’s grave and she throws the sickly plant off a cliff. I loved this. The plant didn’t get better. The old Bailey is gone. She realizes that through her sister dying, she has become a different person, a stronger person, a more alive person, who feels things she didn’t feel before.

Powerful.

Some of you may have figured out by now that this book had excellent structure. Whether Jandy Nelson did that on purpose, I’ll never know. Sometimes, stories come naturally. As writers, we know to put in more tension, create character change, and tie up loose ends.

The only reason I read this book was to study the structure of a literary novel. Would it hold up? I’m so glad I read it. Why did I wait so long?

Any books you feel that way about? Because I want to read them!

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