Writing Wednesday

One of the things I have been struggling with in my writing is structure. It is the building block upon which your story rests. We have the standard three-act structure we learned about in school; it is a natural instinct in story-telling. The thing is learning how it works and how to develop it so that you can tell the story you want to tell.

One of the most succinct and structure concepts I have seen is the Seven Anchor Scenes which describe the arc of your story through seven big moments. While not all stories will have these exact scenes, it is at least good to understand the basic structure and how it functions before you deviate. A fun exercise can be to try to pick out the anchor scenes from your favorite stories but I think it works best as a discussion with someone else to bounce ideas off. It can take some time for all of it to become second nature; I am still wrestling with it. Take a listen to the episode of the How Story Works Podcast by Chipperish Media.

1.Inciting Incident. The event that begins the story.

2.Acceptance. Something about the situation is different and things must change.

3.Midpoint Reversal. A big discovery is made that changes the game and causes a major defeat.

4.Point of No Return. The nature of the enemy is known and the fight is increased.

5.Dark Moment. There is no hope.

6.Climax. Everything the character has gone through comes into focus and the conflict is resolved win or lose.

7.Resolution. Order is restored and the world is different.

I have gone back to my structure many times, trying to fit disparate elements into the seven anchor scenes with no real idea how they should all work together. I have pared my plot down to the arc of my male and female protagonist, cutting out some of the extra stuff diluting the story. Beyond ‘this happens and then this happens’, I am trying to unpick why things happen and how the characters react to lead the the next big moment. For someone who has generally been a “pantser” (someone who goes on pure instinct alone with no planning), this is not an easy prospect.

Review: Intertwine by Nicole Van

After devouring the Outlander series, I have been drawn to time travel romance. There is much to like about this book and much that could have been better. Emme finds an old locket with the portrait of a man and feels drawn to him. She is a magnate for disaster, especially while travelling. James dreams of a life of adventure, but he is set to inherit his family estate. Both characters are interestingly drawn and fit well together; their interactions draw the reader in. The side characters are also interesting.

On a research trip to England, she is transported via a mystical storm to the 19th century. Inevitably, she meets her mystery man, but she has no memory. While this plot point helped to cure some of the fish out of water ridiculousness that usually befalls such books, she spends a long time not remembering and nothing else much happens plotwise besides Emme and James falling in love.

I don’t mind the inevitability of a romance–a little destiny can be an interesting driving force, but the overall feeling here is blandness. Many opportunities for conflict are easily resolved or simply ignored. For instance, the climax of the book could have generated some interesting tension if the author had chosen to follow James and heightened the uncertainty of what happened and how they could be reunited.

Overall, this is a sweet romance with interesting characters. Like the cross-time Pink Carnation series, the House of Oak series covers the stories of the supporting cast introduced in this volume.

Alexander Hamilton’s Revolutionary Bookshelf

I started a series called From the Protagonist’s Bookshelf for Austin Public Library two years ago. I am hoping to expand that series here. Enjoy!

Alexander Hamilton rose from obscure beginnings to become George Washington’s military aid during the American Revolution as well as the first Secretary of the Treasury. He wrote extensively in defense of the Constitution. His most famous or infamous exploit is the duel he had with then Vice President Aaron Burr . In the wake of the immense popularity of the musical, New York Public Library mounted an exhibition of documents housed in their collections: Alexander Hamilton: Striver, Statesman, Scoundrel

Lin Manuel Miranda has commented that there is enough fascinating material in Hamilton’s life to make several musicals. The story related to the role of immigrants in the founding of American culture and Hamilton’s drive spoke to the themes of rap culture. This inspired Miranda to write in the voice of hip hop and find a cast of America now to tell the story of America then. PBS recently aired a documentary on Hamilton’s life and the creation of the musical. The musical resonates with themes of opportunity and legacy. Miranda won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 2016 as well as multiple Tonys. Republicans and Democrats both sides agree that Hamilton is an amazing piece of modern American theater.

Here are a few titles you might find on A. Ham’s bookshelf.

Other resources:

Turn: Washington’s Spies 2014-17

Hamilton, An American Musical Reading List

The Get Down 2016

Writing Wednesday

As I mentioned in a previous post I began writing through play by email games. The idea is simple, take a standard role-playing game but players exchange their actions and outcomes by exchanging emails. Usually, we would write out a scene or part of a scene from the perspective of our character and end at the point of some response for the other character to take up.

For ten years, I told stories in this fashion, but I never considered the art of storytelling or improving my skills beyond the mere act of writing every day. Most role-playing books address the basic concepts but it is a different beast sitting around in the moment collaborating in-person with your friends to face a computer screen by yourself. Over time, I developed instincts in storytelling that people seemed to enjoy.

For inspiration, I turned to the books and films that I liked and thought of similar things that could happen in my stories–Jane Austen, Hornblower, Aubrey and Maturin, etc. Through the offerings of my partners, other ideas suggested themselves. The possibilities were endless.

While we were telling stories, when I looked at what we had written, there was no structure. It did not read like a novel. Since I began learning in earnest, I have been trying to apply structure to my story.

 

I got nothing

Well, that happened fast. Last week, I had a technical glitch and my Monday post did not go out as I thought it had. I was so jazzed, I had some great posts on deck for Valentine’s week, but then I started to think about what I would do for this week and I couldn’t come up with any good ideas. I wanted to be smart and funny and thoughtful, but I got nothing.

So, I’m going to write about having nothing.

Part of it is that I am still getting used to blogging and balancing that with working on the novel. The other part is coming up with the topics and what to say. Sometimes life just happens. We stumble, we fall. Hopefully we move on.

The advice is always the same though, keep plugging away. So I am here plugging away. I might need to cut back from time to time to posting here twice a week. I want to finish this draft of my book and no matter how long I leave it, little elves are not going to write it for me.

The Most Romantic Books I Ever Read

 Dragonfly In Amber by Diana Gabaldon. I think that this book is the strongest in the series. From the beginning of the book, the reader knows that our couple will end up separated. The momentum of the complex plot carries you forward to the inevitable conclusion but the strength of the characterizations and the complications of the narrative left me devastated and desperate for more. Plus, Jamie Fraser is the king of men.

 The Forgotten Room by Karen White, Beatriz Williams and Lauren Willig. After the generations of men and women, drawn to this room across different time periods, it is satisfying to see them finally get the happily ever after through their great-grandchildren.

 That Summer by Lauren Willig. An unhappily married woman meets an artist of the Pre-Raphaelite Movement who draws out her beauty and passion. When the two are about to go take their happily ever after, fate intervenes to drive them apart.

 A Room With A View by E.M. Forster. An Edwardian woman travels to Italy and meets an unconventional man who shows her passion. The beautiful setting of Florence doesn’t hurt either.

 A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. Sidney is a rogue until he falls in love, but she is in love with someone else. In order to protect her, Sidney makes the ultimate sacrifice for the woman he loves, wanting to see her happy, even if it is not with him.

 Persuasion by Jane Austen. Ann turned down her chance at love with a poor but promising naval officer. Years later he returns as a rich man and they discover that their love endures with the hope of a second chance.

What are the most romantic books you ever read?

Review

This is a great take on the Jane Austen biography told surrounding the Georgian home, a theme throughout her work. Modern biographies have emphasized Austen’s place as a woman of the world instead of the Victorian ideal put forth by her family. In the year of the anniversary of Austen’s death, it is good to have a biography that honors her impact on the world and offers a new perspective on her life and work. Highly recommended.

Book Battle: Wuthering Heights vs. Outlander

Last year I participated in a book battle on our library blog based on the theme of broken hearts. The pairing I wished I had gotten was Outlander vs. Wuthering Heights.

Both of these novels have a reputation for lush romance, but I found one to be more compelling than the other.

Wuthering Heights was published in 1847 by Emily Bronte. Full of dark atmosphere and a brooding hero, this novel helped to set standards against the fiction of its time and is now a classic. For years, I had heard this described as one of the most romantic stories of all time, but when I finally read it, I was absolutely turned off by the romance between Catherine and Heathcliff and his treatment of every other character in the novel. Far from being romantic, Heathcliff is a creepy stalker an pretty much a jerk. Ugh.

Outlander was published in 1991 by Diana Gabaldon. This book is known for its romantic story and genre-defying nature which has spawned its own standard in the publishing world. This is another novel I had heard about for some time before I got around to reading it, but I was completely swept away. The characters are compelling and strong and the romance is powerful. Jamie and Claire are a couple I am happy to spend time with.

Jamie and Heathcliff could be described as similar types of hero, certain of their love and ready to go to any lengths to prove it. There might be a world in which Heathcliff rises above his background and reputation to be the man he wants to be, but it is nowhere present in the novel. Jamie however is a man dedicated to his community and honor. There may be times that he acts in ways that are problematic (#imperfectJamie), but he is a chivalric hero in the tradition of Arthurian legend.

As far as the broken heart theme, I would say that Wuthering Heights more aptly fits the bill since Heathcliff and Catherine are doomed to be apart through societal circumstance and his broken and angry nature. Outlander has a love triangle across the centuries as well as the weight of history that puts pressure on their future happiness, but there is ultimately hope for their relationship. In Jamie and Claire, we have a love you want to cheer for. In Catherine and Heathcliff, you want to file a restraining order.

The winner is Outlander.

Happy Birthday Laura

Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series was one of my favorite series in my childhood. My poor little copies of the books are literally falling apart, they were loved so much. I was a fan of the television series as well, but the books were the “real” story. Here are a few titles that honor her legacy.

This is a fictionalized account of Rose Wilder Lane, her relationship with her mother. and the writing of the Little House books. The idea that Rose may have been much more involved in the writing has been revealed through letters, diaries and manuscript drafts. I don’t know how much this changes my view of the books; they are still charming and beloved, but I am saddened that mother and daughter were so at odds.

 This is a fun read, but these ‘a fan immerses herself in the life of whatever period is in question’ stories always disappoint me when the person is surprised or ignorant of some detail or other that is readily available to anyone who reads or pays attention.

 I am so glad that they finally decided to publish this. It is fascinating.

 While this series is not as rough with struggle as LH, it is a charming picture of a past time in my home state of Minnesota and a great read-alike. A librarian recommended the series to me when I was a girl. When I got to recommend it to a young customer a couple of years ago, I felt like I had completed a karmic circle.

 Rose’s version of her mother’s story is the closest we had to the Pioneer Girl manuscript.

 I devoured this biography many times when I was a girl. There is a mention in the chapter on Wisconsin of Yanish relatives–my paternal grandmother’s maiden name. I always thought it was a coincidence. Years later, I learned that the connection is real! My twelve-year-old self is totally vindicated.

 Caroline Ingalls’ story newly authorized by the Wilder estate. I haven’t read it yet, but it is on my list.

Writing Wednesday

I am terrible at writing letters, but I used that format as the basis for my first attempt at a novel. I never felt like I had much to say about my own life, but I found it easy to inhabit my characters and dive into the language which was so familiar to me from Jane Austen’s novels.

My story is historical fiction, set at the beginning of the war with Revolutionary France when the city of Toulon invited the British to come and mount a Royalist defense and restore the monarchy. It is about an officer in the British navy who is stationed in Toulon and meets an intriguing French countess who introduces him to the world of espionage as a way to make a difference in the doomed campaign they find themselves in. Of course, complications ensue, but that’s the basic premise.

A friend and I exchanged the letters written to characters’ families making up this story (and continuing what happened to the characters after) for years. Some writing advice I had seen said that if you don’t see the types of books you want to read, write it yourself. So I am. Here is the opening letter:

7 October 1793

Toulon

Dear Family,

Last night was the ball to welcome the Sardinian forces we brought on Leviathan and Bedford, which I mentioned in my last letter. I shall now recount to you what happened there. My host, M. Gerard, has a younger sister who was most anxious to attend the ball. I was happy to oblige, as her brother has been such a gracious host.  I suppose I must thank Mr. Winthrop for his efforts to drum so much vocabulaire into my head as my abilities have landed me in such a pleasant berth. But such is the life of an officer in His Majesty’s Royal Navy; one minute, one may be in the midst of battle and fighting for your life, or stifling in the fug of the wardroom after months at sea, the next dining with the great and the good or dancing with a lovely young lady.

Mademoiselle Gerard is quite a handsome young lady with golden curls and a pretty smile. She is quite a bit younger than her brother, probably a little older than you Abigail. I must admit that I am much taken with her and I feel sure that if you met her, you would agree that she is a delightful creature! The care which she gives to her brother is quite charming and while the two are so far apart in age, they are quite well suited to each other. Danielle has kept the house for her brother since their parents’ death and is quite an accomplished cook and chatelaine. Our time is spent in delightful conversation when the circumstances allow it, usually over breakfast which, while not as hearty as English fare, is still delicious. I quite enjoy having someone so lovely to look after me.

Getting back to the ball, (no, Abigail, I had not forgotten!) the fete took place at the mayor’s palace. The ballroom there was quite grand. After living in the more modest conditions aboard ship, it was strange to be surrounded by such opulence again.

It seems British officers were all the fashion that evening as all the Toulonese Mademoiselles were on the arm of some Lobster or Tar. Quite a fuss was made over those of us who could dance. When our hidden talents were discovered, we were obliged to fill each dance card. The Toulon ladies were quite easy to impress, in no small part because of the brilliant display of dress uniforms and shimmering gold braid. I have always wondered at the particular effect of the uniform on the opposite sex. I am glad that our dress uniforms are not so showy though it made us look quite drab in comparison to the other nations represented. It is difficult to take them seriously when they look more like peacocks than soldiers or sailors. The ladies were most anxious for news as well; I am fortunate that I have sisters who can keep me abreast of such important matters as gown styles and the newest dances. I did take no small satisfaction from the fact that I was the one dancing with the lovely young ladies at the ball while Lt. Barlow from Leviathan skulked about in the background complaining with the others. Apparently, he noticed this as well and scowled most obligingly. Were it not for the fact that we have been at odds in pursuit of promotion, these petty things would not matter so much, but I admit to a certain amount of joy at his jealousy. Mlle. Gerard was quite pleased, I think, to be on the arm of such a well-informed gentleman. Whatever such knowledge may do to my dignity among my fellow officers, I cannot regret giving a little pleasure to the ladies in these troubled times. You see, Mother, gallantry is not dead.

The Spaniards kept to themselves, which was hardly a surprise, but the Sardinians proved to be gregarious and helped to lighten the otherwise dark mood. It was easy to be friendly and pledge our alliance over drinks and dancing. If only the reality of cooperation were as easily practiced as it was in the ballroom. I am sure you can imagine how strange the room looked with the Spaniards glowering in one corner; the various dignitaries from the allied nations officiating with practiced smiles in the other and the British officers mingling with the Sardinians and dancing with the French ladies. I suppose it did rather bespeak the situation outside the ballroom as well, but enough of that sort of talk for now!

Captain Lord Conway arrived at the ball with some of the other officers from Leviathan, including Lt. Barlow. He took the opportunity to introduce me to some of his brother captains as well as other dignitaries present. And yes George, I did meet Admiral Lord Hood. His Lordship was kind enough to remember you Father from when you met at Court last summer and asked me to send you his regards. I am determined to find some way of coming to his professional notice here and earn my promotion.

The strangest occurrence of the evening happened outside the ballroom however. While I was escorting Mlle. Gerard outside to take in the evening air, I heard a noise like fighting off of one of the streets. When we rounded the corner, we saw a British naval officer being set upon by three brigands dressed in the Phrygian caps of the Regicides. The poor officer was not only outnumbered, but was handicapped by an injury; his arm was bound in a sling. My companion was quite startled by the sight, but I quickly joined the fray to help even the odds. Whatever these men had been expecting, they clearly did not reckon on the fighting abilities of two capable naval lieutenants.

One of the brigands tried to warn me off getting involved but his fellow had noticed my companion and made a comment which made no doubt as to his intentions. After this affront to Mlle. Gerard’s modesty, I quickly disposed of the villain. As the man began to collapse from his wounds, he reached into his waist and found the handle of a pistol he had concealed there. Danielle shrieked in alarm at this and I nearly missed avoiding the attack. I stood in front of her, my body shielding hers. Fortunately for me, he fell before he had a chance to use it!

My fellow officer disposed of the other brigands despite his wounded arm. The poor man was wounded in the shoulder, quite staining his uniform. A fearsome grin was frozen to his face which gave even me pause; it must have done wonders to keep the Frenchmen at bay. It is a pity that such an expression can’t be used to keep away the entire Republican army or we would be home by the end of the month. He was most grateful for my assistance however, and bade me call upon him later so that he may thank me properly as he was heading back to his quarters. While I regretted leaving him in such obvious distress, I readily agreed.

When we returned to the ball, Mlle. Gerard could talk of nothing else but our little adventure with her friends. She was content to recount her tale with me at her side while her friends reacted in amazement and indeed jealousy that such an adventure should have taken place. Our gallant efforts to preserve her honor obviously made quite an impression on her! I must admit that I find the sensation of being a hero to be quite pleasant.

I must leave off writing for now for I am going to visit that same officer. I shall finish my account soon.