Craft: Mastering the Story’s Beginning
September 13, 2024 by Bethlehem Writers Group in category From a Cabin in the Woods by Members of Bethlehem Writers Group tagged as Beginnings, Craft, engaging openings
Techniques for Engaging Openings
Once upon a time may work for fables, but choosing the right place for a story to ensnare readers is every writer’s worry.
The key is to hook them from the first paragraph. The following are a few ways to keep the pages turning. Setting the Scene creates a vivid picture to draw readers into the narrative, making them feel as though they are part of the story:
The courtroom was a hive of activity. The smell of polished wood and the rustle of papers filled the air as the jury filed in, their faces a mix of curiosity and solemnity.
Much of what works best has to do with the genre. Fiction readers enjoy imagery or action to engage and generate the narrative. Imagery is the use of descriptive language that engages the reader’s senses to create vivid mental pictures and evoke sensory experiences making the scenes, characters, and emotions more tangible and immersive.
Imagery in nonfiction writing makes real events, facts, and concepts more vivid and engaging for the reader. It can bring descriptions of people and places to life, making them more memorable and impactful. A Question or Statistic Lead might be your answer to a best-seller.
A Descriptive or Imagery Lead uses vivid descriptions to paint a picture and draw readers into the scene:
The morning sun casts a golden glow over the bustling farmers’ market. Stalls overflowed with vibrant fruits and vegetables, their colors a feast for the eyes. The air was filled with the scent of fresh bread and the sound of cheerful chatter.
Here are some examples of imagery:
Visual: The morning sun cast a golden glow over the bustling farmers’ market.
Auditory: The rumbling sound of load on load of apples coming in.
Olfactory: The air was filled with the scent of fresh bread.
Gustatory: Her lips tasted as sweet as sugar.
Tactile describes textures and physical sensations: The kitten’s fur felt like a velvet curtain.
Kinesthetic: I feel the ladder sway as the boughs bend.
Organic is about internal sensations, like hunger, thirst, fatigue, or emotions: A pang of anxiety tightened her chest.
Using sensory details can help simplify and clarify complex ideas:
Imagine the brain as a bustling city. Neurons are the streets, constantly transmitting signals like cars zipping through traffic. Synapses, the intersections, control the flow of information, ensuring everything runs smoothly.
An Action Lead jumps straight into the story to create an immediate sense of urgency:
The storm unleashes its fury upon the small coastal town with a deafening roar. Waves crash against the shore, and residents scramble to secure their homes against the onslaught.
An Anecdotal Lead starts with a brief, engaging prose that sets the stage:
Last summer, while hiking through the dense forests of the Appalachian Trail, I stumbled upon an old, abandoned cabin. Its weathered wood and broken windows told a story of a time long past, sparking my curiosity about the lives that once thrived there.
A Quotation Lead starts with a powerful quote that relates to your theme. This can lend authority and context to your story.
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.” These words by Franklin D. Roosevelt resonate deeply with anyone striving to overcome personal obstacles and achieve their dreams.
A Question Lead poses a thought-provoking question to engage readers:
Have you ever wondered what it takes to turn a simple idea into a successful business? For many entrepreneurs, the journey is filled with challenges, triumphs, and invaluable lessons.
A Statistic Lead begins with a surprising or compelling statistic to grab attention:
Did you know that nearly 70% of adults experience imposter syndrome at some point in their careers? This pervasive feeling of self-doubt can hinder even the most accomplished individuals.
A Dialogue Lead uses a snippet of dialogue to introduce characters and set the tone:
“I can’t believe we’re finally here,” Sarah whispered, her eyes wide with wonder as she gazed at the ancient ruins. “It’s like stepping back in time.”
Once the words are on the page, find the sentence that resonates best with your theme. Your opening should hook the reader immediately. Use one of the leads mentioned above to draw them in.
Be concise, every word counts. Avoid unnecessary details and focus on the core message. Have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Ensure each section transitions smoothly to the next. Keep your readers engaged with interesting anecdotes, vivid descriptions, and compelling stories. Edit to eliminate redundant or weak sections to aim for clarity and impact.
By starting your story with a strong lead and following these tips you can craft a compelling opening.
Happy writing!
Diane Sismour
Diane Sismour gave up her hard-hat to write dark, suspenseful stories that keep fans up at night. Her characters (and readers) never know what perils await them or the predicaments they must resolve. Unable to restrain her passion for storytelling to prose, she is now writing adaptations of her works for the screen.
She lives with her husband in eastern Pennsylvania at the foothills of the Blue Mountains, where they own Leaser Lake B and B. Diane enjoys traveling to conferences to reunite with friends and meet fans. She’s a member of national and local writing and screenplay groups.
How We Grow As Writers
September 12, 2024 by Denise M. Colby in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby tagged as focus word, Growth, writers lifeHow do we grow as a writer? Or a better question is how do we track that growth?
I’m not talking about sales numbers or something easily trackable. I’m talking more about goals for our inner selves.
My word for 2024 is grow. And I have had a hard time finding things related to that word to motivate me specifically in my writing. Quotes or examples of that word playing out throughout the day. Last year was change and that was no problem. In fact this year could’ve been change, too. And there are so many more quotes related to change, than there is grow.
Yet change is what helps you grow. And when I took this picture, it occurred to me how much I have grown. It’s just difficult to see it.
Stacks of paper can show how we grow
This past week, I cleaned out a large stack of papers. What would seem like a very easy toss was not. It represented the entire set of printed papers of all the different versions my story went through before it became a published book.
Twelve years worth.
I don’t need them anymore. But when I look at this stack I see where it all began and what it then became.
When I started this writing journey I had no idea what I was doing. I read a lot of books and had story ideas, but how did you actually write one?
I started out by joining a writing group that held workshops every month and online classes. Then I joined a few more and took more classes. I printed out scenes. Had writing friends review. I then worked on sections during these online classes. I entered contests (a lot) and printed out all the feedback. Some was hard to accept, but I’d come back stronger and try again.
I’m not sure what drove me. God, definitely. He never gave up on the story He wanted me to write. I also wanted to follow through with what I started.
How far I’ve come
To read some of my early early scenes helps me see how far I’ve come. How I wrote scenes over and over again to find the words people would want to read. I also found some gems in side notes that came from those classes (I did save a few of those).
I most likely won’t print out pages like this with future books. Or if I do, I toss as soon as I’m done. I trust myself and what I’m doing more. But I won’t have this huge stack to remind me of all the work and change and growth that went into writing my story.
It’s now time to say goodbye to this stack, but I took a picture to remind me that anything worth doing is a journey. A process. I’m really thankful for all of it. I don’t think I’d change a thing.
Denise’s first novel, When Plans Go Awry, published June 4, 2024 and can be purchased on Amazon, both in print and digital formats. She has a section on her website where she shares about her Focus Words or you can see past articles by Denise here on A Slice of Orange in her archives.
In case you missed the cover reveal for SISTERS OF THE RESISTANCE… pubs September 29th
September 11, 2024 by Jina Bacarr in category historical fictoin, Jina’s Book Chat, Writing tagged as historical fiction, Jina Bacarr, Paris, Resistance, womens fictoin, world war 2 fictionIn case you missed the cover reveal for the sequel to Sisters at War #sistersoftheresistance Sisters of the Resistance, check out my TikTok video…
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7403660448920522027?lang=en-US&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fjinabacarr.wordpress.com%2F&embedFrom=oembed
2 sisters at war with the Nazis and each other…
The Wartime Paris Sisters 2-book series
I want to mention that everyone’s back in the sequel including that awful Gestapo man… but will Eve and Justine finally get some loving with the men they adore? It’s touch and go… especially for Eve.
Not to mention there’s a surprise for everyone at Maison Bleue when a Nazi general requisitions their home for his headquarters…
And of course, little Ninette is adorable… just love her. But then something happens…
Find out in Sisters of the Resistance!
Amazon Series Link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLGLTCMG
PS — Sisters of the Resistance, the sequel to Sisters At War will be published September 29th!! (audio, too). I am so very pleased with the sequel and I hope you’ll enjoy it. Thanks for your patience…. this was a rough one, you guys. A mental meat grinder. Keep you posted!
Wartime Paris Sisters series https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLGLTCMG
‘2 sisters at war with the Nazis…. and each other.’
=====================
SISTERS OF THE RESISTANCE (sequel to SISTERS AT WAR) and it’s a wham bam finish even I didn’t see coming… thanks to my editor’s fabulous edits and notes. Thank you, Isobel!
Keep you posted…
The Beaufort Sisters are at war with the Nazis… and each other
‘A must read for anyone’
‘Hard hitting and heart breaking’
‘An absolutely gripping, powerful story’
Who are the Beaufort Sisters?
They’re beautiful
They’re smart
They’re dangerous
They’re at war with the Nazis… and each other.
A Cozy Corner for Books and Pens
September 10, 2024 by Tari Jewett in category WritingI find it fascinating to learn where other authors write. I know friends who prefer coffee shops, the library, or even the beach, and I’ll admit, I tend to be more productive when I leave the house…no laundry to do, or dishes to put away. But I’m kind of a homebody, so I prefer to write at home.
When the weather is nice, I’ve been known to write on the patio, or our rooftop deck, when we lived in a townhouse overlooking the harbor and ocean a few years back. I’ve had a desk in the bedroom when the boys lived at home, and at times a little office of my own.
For years, I’ve dreamed of a home library. A place for all my books. A place to close the door and immerse myself in the pages of a new story…one I’m reading, or writing. In homes where I had an office, I also had a couple of bookshelves. I’d longingly refer to it as ‘my library’.
Some of you know, Hunky Hubby and I recently moved to Arizona, and I finally have a real library. It’s not finished. My new dream is to make the closet into a reading nook stuffed with pillows, and a more book storage, because of course, I have MORE BOOKS! But I’m happy with it as is.
One bookcase houses autographed books. They’re not all unpacked yet, but every book on the shelf is signed by the author.
The next bookcase holds vintage books, and my own books.
Then more novels, again, not all are unpacked, followed by a full bookcase of cookbooks. That’s right. Just cookbooks. For years, I wrote a food column for The Antelope Valley Press, and then Quick ‘n Easy Cooking magazine. This is a small number of the cookbooks I’ve collected over the years. Next to the cookbooks you’ll find reference books, then my desk.
The picture over the desk represents two of the main characters in the 1920’s book that I’m writing. In fact, I’m going for a vintage feel in the room. (I don’t actually use the vintage typewriter, but I love the way it looks.)
So, when you can’t find me, I’ll be, hiding in the library with a good book, or writing. I’d love to hear where you like to read…or write.
Have You Heard of RAVE? by Kitty Bucholtz
September 9, 2024 by Kitty Bucholtz in category It's Worth It by Kitty Bucholtz, Writing tagged as 20BooksVegas, Kitty Bucholtz, writers conference
A short post this month to tell you about something new and exciting — RAVE, the Reader Author Vegas Event. If you’re active on the 20BooksVegas Facebook group, you probably know all about this.
The annual 20BooksVegas writers conference has a new owner/manager, Joe Solari, and it’s now called Author Nation. This November is the first conference with the Author Nation name, and the first one I’ll be going to! One of the new things Joe and his team are doing is creating a full-day reader event. (I attended this sort of thing in Vegas in 2012 or 2013 when the guy behind Romance Novel Covers did a conference and reader event. It didn’t work as well as he expected. But I’m hopeful Joe can make it work!)
You have to be an author attending Author Nation to get a table, but then you can put your books in the online store for the RAVE event and start getting presales before the conference. Author Nation and the authors attending will be promoting the site. And guess what? I’m excited to say I’ll be there at a table!!
Here is the link to the Author Nation conference, and here is the link you and your readers can check out for going to RAVE. Additionally, here is The Signing Store where the authors will upload their books (I just signed up so I still have to hurry and get that done!) and where readers can pre-purchase them before the conference so they can get them autographed. 🙂 Do books need to be pre-purchased? No, but if the author doesn’t bring any books or sells out of their table stock…well, readers will have to take the time to purchase them elsewhere and miss out on getting them autographed.
I think that’s everything I know at this point. I’m sure I’ll learn more before my post next month so I’ll keep you updated. And if you know more about any of this, please leave a comment! Will you be at Author Nation this year? If so, let me know!
