Turning Tricks

Every novelist wants to knock out a great book, one that engages readers and gets them to care about the final outcome and read beyond chapter 1. To be an exceptional storyteller, the vital thing you must master is the art of hooking. And you do that by using plenty of page-turning tricks and lures.

One of the best ways you can create a hooky work that's so very hard to put down is to end every chapter in some dynamic fashion...even better if it's every scene. You never want to be predictable, to always use the same kind of endings, with a banal note of foreshadowing if in First, with a dum-dum-dum moment if in Third. The same kind of downturn used consistently time after time becomes stale, moldy and barbless, even exasperating for readers. Aim to surprise, stimulate and catch readers off guard.

I was reviewing one novel on TheNextBigWriter where every chapter ended with some kind of cliffhanger, but then when the new chapter began, the perceived threat was nothing. Perception by the character, or more likely a case of cheap teasing by the author, was way overblown.

This is melodrama in its most insidious and ugly form. It's fake. It's stupid. And worst of all, if you've dished this out every chapter and we're four chapters in, guess what, you've inadvertently shifted your readers to a place where they no longer believe you, and you may never gain your credibility back. Even the most unsavvy minds are no longer fooled, more over hooked or affected, by your "trick". DO NOT fall into this rat trap. Ever. You can play the misunderstanding card once, maybe twice if it's far removed from the first, but really, overall, mix things up.

Even if you write literary fiction or a more character-driven work, you can strengthen your plot and make your book irresistible. Here are some cool tricks and angles you can infuse in endings in order to pull readers onward in the journey you've mapped out for them:

§ Failure in reaching a goal. Characters generally want or need something. Your job as a writer is to pull that object of desire further away from their outstretched hands. End the scene/chapter after a failed attempt.

§ A setback or deterrent. You can land your characters in a spot that's far worse than they were at the onset of their quest.

§ Increased jeopardy. Is the antagonist one step closer to his or her prey, someone readers care about? Nothing gets readers turning pages faster than tension or a threat to the MC or another likable character.

§ A twist. You can lead readers to believe one thing and then make a shift in the story that gets them hungry to learn more about the jarring shocker you just revealed.

§ A new direction or lead for the protagonist/antagonist to pursue. Readers are information junkies and care about the story question you presented at the beginning, so get them excited or biting nails over the new possibilities in the arc.

§ A new question. You can hint at something that will be fleshed out later. Adding another mystery into your mix of goodies will give readers more to be concerned with.

§ Something totally unusual or unexpected. Pique curiosity, and you'll hook.

§ A cliffhanger, imagined or real. If you leave a character in a state of peril, readers will race through subsequent scenes to get back and learn the outcome.

§ A chord of doom. If characters are about to follow a dangerous path in the story or are dealing with the weight of some kind of trauma or terrorizing realization, readers will be concerned with how a character deals. If you can end with sour, dire or terrifying chord, that's best.

§ A departure from a heated moment. If you yank readers out of a heated argument or a passionate frenzy, they'll be dying to return and see how things get resolved. BUT if the build up and full display are equally as important as the resolution, then do NOT shut readers out by giving a mere summary in the resurface, pick up where you left off. Write the scene and end with one character dissatisfied or regretful or spurred into another course of action. You can have a goal being met yet the outcome being not what the character anticipated.

§ Big trouble: a character dying, moving into a trap, blacking out because of a car accident, fall or whatever or caught in a chase; the emergence of a new threat; someone has died or has been found dead.

§ A new obstacle to overcome.

§ An apparent use of concealment. You may want to keep something hidden and depart from a point of tension that leaves readers guessing and wondering about what happened so you can reveal those details later on in the story.

There are many ways to hook readers. The key to good execution is to give doses of forward motion with plenty of unexpected and stunning scene-ending disasters along the way to the big answer. Write on. Hook 'em and reel 'em in, my fellow plumers.

~Signing off and sending out cyber hugs.

Ending With a Bang

I've been hearing a lot of newbies on various sites talking about their manuscripts being way too long, so they then split those behemoths into two or more books.

Uh, well, the main issue with this is, if your first book doesn't sell well, why would a publisher roll out the next one? Would you really like your readers to be stuck with an ending that's no more satisfying than cotton candy?

And also, when readers begin your book, you've invited them into a world that poses questions in their mind. You are obligated to answer them. You can leave threads to be picked up in another book, sure, but you must wrap up the story you're telling in some tidy, satisfactory way. If you're planning two or more books during your writing process, the whole structure of each novel will be different than if you split one and magically make two. Each book needs to have its own arc, main question, character goal(s), ultimate conflict and resolution.

If you're an established author, you can have a more dangling end, but a new writer has a difficult time getting away with it. The publishing industry is competitive enough. Why shoot yourself in the foot before you jump into the race?

Once you finish your project, work on something else in that same genre or vein. Yes, that same one, just be more terse at your next go. When it's finished and edited, many times over, seek representation for it. Once you sign with an agent, he or she will generally get a first read of your VERY polished duology/trilogy. You'll have a foot in the door plus some respect for your writing ability, and it won't look so much like you have diarrhea of the pen. Perhaps, you can then get a three-book deal. If you show you can write well and entertain the market you're after, it will benefit you greatly.

Every writer should strive to create a satisfactory ending. It doesn't have to be happy. It just has to answer the questions you posed at the onset in the most dynamic way possible. Sometimes there's a twist, tragedy and tears, or blissful kisses. Let your ending resonate. Avoid a dead ending that lands in the grave. End with a bang, something more than what readers expect. The conflict and story arc must lead to the perfect resolution to make readers just a little bit sad that they've reached THE END. Then they'll be salivating for your next book.
~ Signing off and sending out cyber hugs.

Building Momentum in Your Middles

Well, I’m at the midway point of my novel, Sapphire Reign. My main character has just been declared dead. Is she or isn’t she? Things are looking grim. How’s that for a middle?

I’ve had ups and downs, drags and bursts of inspiration in getting to this point, which is mostly because of my just-wing-it style and penchant for intricate plots that weave mystery, suspense and romance with weirdness. It's predecessor has a little bit of weirdness. This one has a lot.

I’ve taken myself in uncomfortable and different directions in this endeavor, working with more description than I usually do, infusing deeper narrative internalization beyond direct thought, and also tackling grittier material and more physical scenes, both intimate and not. I also want to get in more action and physical altercations. I think that’s the most difficult thing for me to convey and show with words. I think I'd struggle with a gladiator battle.

Do you find yourself struggling with the middle, building up to that very important climax. The middle is basically everything between the onset of the story question and the end. We hear about story arcs and are told to think of our throughlines in this way, but that arched image may be hampering your writing.

An arc may not be the best visual of your book's structure. What if your story is more like a rollercoaster with many small hills and loops and one gigantic monster at the end that takes readers way up into the sky and then rockets them down below ground level into an unexpected, underground tunnel like the Superman ride?—Love that ride BTW!

With Kings & Queens, I didn’t suffer from the dreaded sagging middle at all because I built my novel like a rollercoaster and not exactly an arc. It doesn’t just go from A to B with one hump but takes readers over here to explore this option and then rockets them over yonder to check out that, all equally enthralling to get to the answers of who and why.

These little hills are called set pieces. They are things you can hint at or build up to. They are pinnacle moments of change, danger, revelation, and character experiences that take your story into delicious directions. If your story is begging to be a rollercoaster ride, then build little hills and turns along the way and make it so.

Some stories are more like an angular slope with little curve at all. Some are figure eights. Some are circles. Find the best shape of your story. No matter your story’s shape, everything needs to move towards a satisfactory end with good pacing. Here's a list of things you can do to fix sagging middles...aside from laying off the beer and Doritos.

* Increase tension/jeopardy/conflict

* Raise the stakes

* Add a twist

* Find ways to have your subplots affect your main plot like a domino effect

* Unlock a minor mystery then add another one

* Add a ticking time bomb

* Have your MC follow a solid but wrong path then set sights in a new direction

* Add a catalyst

* Add a cause that alters your character's motivation.

* Let a character adopt a new goal. e.g. The villain was after the little girl, now he's after your MC too.

* Give your character a new problem to deal with or goal to reach.

* Evaluate your subplots to make sure they're not creating drag

Your middle should never lose its intrinsic purpose as a connector from the onset of the story question to the end. Don't let it drag and sag. Make it gripping and interesting. Build momentum. You can do it. Write on!

~ Signing off and sending out cyber hugs.

Kickoff Pitfalls to Avoid

Yes! NFL season's almost here. I'm sooo excited. [EhhHemm. I'm still waiting for my Marion Barber shirt, NFL Shop. I ordered it two weeks ago. Come on! I'm cursed!!! What is with me not being able to get that stinkin' shirt?? Anyway...]

I collect football movies, and I'm going to make calzones, bacon cheddar fries and kick off the season's start with a football movie marathon. Knute Rockne All American and Necessary Roughness are so on my list, but I haven't picked my last. I need to have a balance of drama and comedy. Remember the Titans or Facing the Giants? Hmmm. It'll be down to a coin toss or my mood. Can't wait. I'm hoping my Boys start the season with a bang and keep going strong until they seize new rings in victorious triumph. In football, if you have a crappy game or season—let's hope not—you can always go out there and play harder the next time. As a writer, you only get one chance to make a first impression with your book and win a reader. One chance. That's it.

After your big idea enters your brain and your main characters are sketched and fleshed out, your fingers will surely be itching to tap keys and plug away at your story. While it’s great to go with the flow, whether you work it out bit by bit or fly through, having the novel practically write itself, it’s important to know what pitfalls to avoid on the rush out of the gate. You want your kickoff to be effective so you can reel readers in and keep them riveted until the final word. To save yourself a major overhaul at revision time, or if you’ve already finished and are editing like me, here are some things to keep in mind for your first impression.

♦ If you decide to use a prologue, keep it short. Also, consider if your book can stand without it. If it can, ditch it.

♦ Dream sequences are generally frowned upon as an opener. If you must…keep it short and vibrant…but really, I'd be hesitant to use one. They are cringe-inducing and could be the kiss of death.

♦ Showing common routine-type things, especially getting up in the morning, is a total yawner. Begin with conflict or as close to your MC’s main change or the dawning of the story question as you can.

♦ Starting off with extreme action or a super steamy love scene, only to have the rest of your manuscript be uneventful is a cheat. It’s okay to ebb and flow, but using explosions to hook readers into literary or topical fiction is just not fair or nice.

♦ Skimp on modifiers. Being adjective happy will mark you as an amateur. I’ve read some books where every noun had three or more adjectives in front of it. Paragraph after paragraph of this creates sludge no one wants to wade through. It may look pretty to you, but the eyes of readers will gloss over for sure. Do paint descriptive pictures, but pick the most important adjectives to provide good pacing.

♦ Aim for punchier verbs instead of relying on lame and lazy be-verbs or just tacking on an adverb for that extra sort of nothing. Adverbs have their place; just use them sparingly. Often with a little effort you can find an oh-so-perfect verb that conveys what you want to say. Instead of using an adverb on a dialogue tag, try adding action to reveal tone. You can do it. Stretch and make your prose come alive.

♦ Instead of being happy as a clam using a stale metaphor or cliché, come up with your own description, which will make your work zingy and fresh.

♦ Too many dialogue tags, especially fancy ones, create snags. Drop unnecessary ones. When you need them, said should be used primarily, then maybe specific action ones like whispered, mumbled or the like. Conveyed, exhorted, suggested, inquired and other awkward cousins should be cut down to one or two per book, if used at all.

♦ Don't deluge readers with huge chunks of backstory. This should be avoided at all costs. Really. It’s very dangerous. Very. The past is the past and is telling about the past. Readers want to know what's happening in your character's NOW. Sprinkle backstory throughout the novel. I had great fun hinting at something early in my book then revealing the key to that mini mystery later in dialogue. In Dark Rivers of the Heart, Dean Koontz does an excellent job of using backstory effectively. If you want a good example of well-rounded characters, a well-researched work and how to use backstory and dreams to HOOK rather than turn off, check it out.

♦ Tears trickle from my eyes, for out my window, beyond cherry trees and mist, pink and coral bands stretch across the darkening sky like braids or interlocking fingers, tightly woven, reminding me of the stranglehold purple prose has on my first chapter…Nix that junk post haste.

♦ Blocks of static material is all telling and shows nothing because these aren't really scenes. Fiction is scenes. Not explanation or lots of blather. It’s word pictures of things going on, people talking, the plot moving forward. Established authors can get away with pages of exposition at the onset. e.g. V.C. Andrews for one. Unless you're her ghost writer, get to the action, the dialogue, the conflict. That’s where your story is.

♦ Present tense should be used with care for long stories. When a reader jumps into a book with it, it can sometimes be all kinds of awkward. I’m reading The Quiet Game by Greg Iles. He’s a good writer, but I’m highly distracted by his use of present tense, and it’s in first person and description heavy and jammed with is-es. I understand he used the present tense so his First Person Narrator could be a Partaker and the story could unfold in real time rather than look back, but it's still weird. I read fast, but I’m having difficulty getting into this book, never mind finishing it. I think it’s supposed to be a thriller. I’m not that thrilled. If you use Present, then really work on developing a superbly amazing voice so readers won't even notice and don't bog readers down in is-es; stretch to use more vibrant verbs.

Avoid those deadly Noids that will turn your work into a form-rejection-letter magnet. Put your best foot forward. [Another cliché. What's my tally, 6? haha.] Kick off strong and keep going.

~ Signing off and sending out cyber hugs.