What Writers Can Learn From Film

            Hollywood is famously dismissive of writers. Jim Harrison, author of “Legends of The Fall,” taped a note above his desk that read, “You’re just a writer,” to remember the putdown delivered by one studio executive.

            I am a writer, but for a number of years I was one of those “suits”. My job was to pull apart screenplays, determine what worked and what didn’t, and most importantly, how to fix them. I honed my skills at intensives taught by screenwriter guru Robert McKee and talked script development with A-list directors and award-winning screenwriters. I’d always been an avid reader of novels, both classic and popular fiction, but then I immersed myself in thousands of scripts.

What I discovered is that a well-crafted story transcends the medium. What works in film can often work equally well in a novel. And when I began writing novels in earnest, I used that knowledge to craft what I hope are tightly written, well-structured books.

Here are a few takeaways from my movie days:

ACTION OPENING

            James Bond is famous for it, action films depend on it, and you can use it, too. It doesn’t necessarily mean an express train barreling off the tracks, but your protagonist should be in movement. Action and dialogue are married to quickly establish your MC, and what’s at stake.

            As I write, Sarah J. Mass’ “Court of Mist and Fury” is atop the Amazon bestseller list. Here are the opening lines:

Maybe I’d always been broken and dark inside.

Maybe someone who’d been born whole and good would have put down the ash dagger and embraced death rather than what lay before me.

There was blood everywhere.

We’ve immediately established the narrator may be morally compromised (creepy fun!) and will risk becoming more so as he/she wields that dagger (stakes). The landscape of blood just upped the ante even more. This writer has me putting her books on my TBR list with just three sentences, and we haven’t even gotten to the dialogue yet!

INTERCUTTING

            We’ve all wrestled with how to make the obligatory talking head scene more compelling without allowing pacing to slow to a crawl. Take a page from the film editor’s playbook and intercut your dialogue to keep the energy crackling and the viewer engaged. Toss the dialogue ball back and forth between your characters (watch an Aaron Sorkin film for pointers here). Cut the overly descriptive detail, and what detail you do include should be organic to the scene. Dialogue tags should be minimal. Less is more here.

BUTTONS

            What reader doesn’t love that aha moment, when a clue dangled early in a story develops into a significant plot twist? If you’re writing a tightly plotted novel, such as a mystery or thriller, you might want to plant a variety of such set-ups and pay offs. Analyzing how they’re effectively used in film can help a writer determine where and when they should be dropped into a story.

The rule of thumb in film is the smaller the button (the pay off) the closer it should be to the set up (and sometimes even in the same scene, especially if it’s a joke). You don’t want to build up your audiences’ expectations only to disappoint them down the line, or worse, have them forget the set-up. The opposite is also true: the bigger the button (the hero’s secret identity, the twist ending) the more time can and should elapse between set up and pay off.

An example of a button that falls somewhere in the middle can be found in every James Bond film; isn’t it canny that Q always knows exactly which gadgets the spy will need to defeat the bad guys?

CONNECTIVE TISSUE

            This neat little trick can tighten a story’s through line by linking scenes. Used correctly, this builds cumulative energy to sustain reader interest. An over-simplified example:

Scene 1: Amy and Zoe get invited to a party by Nick.

Scene 2: Amy and Zoe fight; Amy likes Nick, but Zoe thinks he’s a jerk.

Scene 3: Amy tells her mom about the fight; Mom encourages Amy to go to party.

Scene 4: Cut to party.

By carrying over something from a previous scene into each successive one, it creates a natural and organic order to your storytelling.

IF THEY CARE, THEY SCARE

            If you’ve seen an episode of Law & Order, you know each one begins with a cold opening of people stumbling across a dead body. Interesting, but you’re not emotionally invested in how the unidentified corpse got to be that way.

            But what if we had met the murder victim three minutes before her death? What if we knew this young woman was rushing to get her sick cat Mimi to the vet before they closed? That she was a pre-school teacher willing to eat Ramon for a week to pay for Mimi’s emergency treatment?  Suddenly we care about this woman’s fate, so when a man comes up behind her with a knife, our heart races in fear.

            All this is a long way of saying if you want your readers to care about the fate of any character in your book, even a very minor one, you need to hook them emotionally before they meet their end.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the ways story telling in novels and filmed entertainment intersect, but I hope you will find it useful.

Kes

Working with an Editor

I've been an editor for a number of years now and have had the honour of working with so many fantastic, talented, amazing authors from all over the world that I consider myself extremely privileged. And I like to think that most of those I've worked with have got as much raw, green, high-in-oxidants, low-in-saturated-fats goodness from our working relationship as me.

Sadly, I don't think all writers, or editors, can say the same. Which is just horrible, but this doth maketh moi more determined.

However, I'm going to cut to the chase ...

There are two things I make crystal to any author I work with:

a) I am a professional, here to help, not hinder, or put down, or destroy, or mock. I am your fan, your cheerleader, your support. Use me, my skills, my expertise, BUT ... I will be honest, always.  

b) And you've got to be prepared to improve and work on your manuscript. It's highly unlikely I will come back to you after two weeks and say, 'It's perfect, don't change a thing'. You're paying me to pick your story to pieces and make sure it's absolutely water tight and the best it can possibly be. I will destruct, but I will teach you to construct. So, on receipt of an edited manuscript and report, the first emotion you might feel is OVERWHELM OVERLOAD.

Yeah, it can be a major shock to the system, and when considering how much effort and time might have to go into the rewrite, not to mention how much you've already put into your story, this often sends authors packing. Writing is easy. Writing well and producing an irresistible peach of a book is most definitely not.  

I know many (me included) writers who've cried, stamped on their edited manuscript, thrown it in the trash, cried, vowed never to write again, sobbed, scribbled all over it, cried again, been convinced the editor is out of their mind, cried ... OK, you get the picture.

 

But you know what, it's perfectly fine to react this way. Writing is an emotional beast. However, I implore you to come out the other side of this tantrum fighting, pumped and roaring for success. You and your editor are about to team up to create the next NY Times bestseller!

So, to build on Kara's blog earlier this week on how to find a reputable freelance editor, here are a few tips to consider before, during and after you work with them ...

1. Your manuscript, that story you've bled out from the deepest part of your soul, is your baby. You cherish it. You love it. And so should your editor. They should treat you and it with nothing but respect. One thing I will never do, and no editor anywhere ever should ever do, is tell an author their book is dreadful or any element unsurmountable. Because, quite frankly, this is never ever the case. OK, some books might need more work than others, but every one has the potential to be a work of art, and every author has the potential to be a quality craftsman. Consider that editor lucky you picked them.

2. An editor's time is precious, their skills invaluable, so make sure before you even send your work to them you've done all you can to make your book as good as you can. The internet is golden for seeking out writing articles and websites (much like this one!) that give you so much amazing advice to hone your writing, make sure you abuse it. And find critique partners. You won't believe how many writers out there like you need someone like you.

3. You're paying a lot of money for a professional to help you be better at what you love. Make sure you research them; speak with their previous clients, look at their success rate, check them out on social media and so on. And, a lot of editors offer a sample edit – maybe 1000 words or similar. Use this as a chance to see if you like their style and can handle what's to come.

4. You don't necessarily have to sign a contract with the editor, but you should receive some kind of email or document outlining what you're paying for and most definitely that your work will be treated confidentially. If they don't offer one, ask for one or discuss such things via email. Then keep those emails. I doubt there are any editors out there who will steal or share your work, but be sure to cover yourself.

5. You agree a rate, a date, and an outline. You send your manuscript to your editor. You wait one, two, maybe three weeks (depending on the word count of your book and whether they work full or part time) until your editor returns everything to you. During this waiting time, work on something new, or take a holiday, or read. Time and distance are the most powerful weapons during edits.

6. On receipt of your documents, take your time to read and devour everything. An editor will not rewrite your book for you, they will show you the way. Once you've read through, maybe take more time out to let all the information fester – who doesn't love a good fester? Or, if you're not one for sitting about, take out a notepad and jot down ideas. Play around with their suggestions. Look up more info on the internet or read published books in the same category and genre to support their suggestions. Try not to dive straight into revisions. Again: Time and distance are the most powerful weapons during edits.

7. Work through any suggested developmental edits first, concentrating on plot threads, structure and characterisation, your story skeleton, the cogs, the mechanics. These tend to lead to major changes to the manuscript, which in turn affects the acute elements. Once you're confident your story is solid and your characters are literally alive, then work through paragraph by paragraph focusing on sentence structure, show don't tell, punctuation, grammar, and that final injection of detailed characterisation and plot layering, and that all important final sprinkling of glittery fairy unicorn dust.

8. Put your manuscript away. Again: Time and distance are the most powerful weapons during edits.

9. Did your editor offer a follow-up read? Not many do, this is a big commitment, but perhaps recontact the editor you used and ask them how much they charge, if they do at all, to read through your squeaky, polished manuscript. Or find another editor, or other authors to do this for you. You need eyes, as many as you can find, and preferably not ones that belong to family and friends.

10. Keep the big picture in mind and enjoy yourself.

Remember why you wanted to write in the first place, and why you contacted the editor. To be better. To improve. To become published. Whatever, just keep focused on the goal. Some genius somewhere once said, 'It takes years to be an overnight success'.

 

I am always happy to answer questions from prospective clients, or simply those seeking snippets of advice. Please leave a comment or a question, or email me at contact@katejfoster.com if there's anything you want to know!

Tips for Finding a Reputable Freelance Editor

Whether you've just finished your first draft or you're days away from jumping into the query trenches, at some point during this journey, you'll have the need for an editor. Reasons for needing a professional editor is another post for another time, but suffice it to say, everyone needs an editor. And contrary to popular belief, you cannot edit your own work. Nor can your husband, wife, significant other, sister, best friend, high school English teacher, or anyone else who is close to you. While their intentions may be pure, chances are good they won't be 100% honest with you because they won't want to hurt your feelings. And let's face it -- no writer can grow without honest, helpful feedback. So, you need a professional editor :)

The process of finding an editor can be daunting. Where do you even begin? The first step is to build a list of potential editors, much like you'd build a list of agents you'd want to query. But, how do you find an editor? Better yet, how do you find a good one?

• Ask for Referrals -- Word of mouth is always the best marketing tool. Ask friends and/or fellow writers for recommendations. 
• This Blog! -- A lot of the super talented PitchWars Mentors are also freelance editors. Check out their websites (links on the sidebar) and see if any of them fit your needs. 
• Twitter -- A majority of freelance editors will advertise their services on Twitter, using the most common hashtags: #amwriting #amediting #Editor #editing #editingfiction. Some editors will even advertise on the popular contest hashtags: #PitchWars #PitMad #AdPit, etc. 
• Facebook -- If you type "fiction editors" into the search bar, you'll get a whole list of groups and pages where you can connect with editors. 
• Google -- Simply Googling "fiction editors" will give you so many options, you'll get lost in all the results.
• Craigslist -- This is probably a long shot, but sometimes you can find editors there. 

All right, so now that you've got a list of potential editors, it's time to research them. You wouldn't send your book baby off to an agent or publisher without first knowing a bit about them and their qualifications, right? It's exactly the same with a freelance editor -- only now you have the added element of handing over your hard earned cash, too.

1. Online Presence -- Look over their website. (Do they even have a website?) Do they have rates listed? Services offered? Testimonials? Qualifications? Social media links? Check them out on Twitter and Facebook. Do they conduct themselves in a professional manner? Do they share things or post things that make you uncomfortable? If so, they're probably not a good fit for you.

2. Qualifications -- Ask for a resume. See what sort of experience they have. Do they have any formal training? College? Working at a publisher? Working within an agency? Any prior jobs that utilized editorial skills? A record of editing / mentoring writers who have then gone on to find agents, publishers, win awards? If their only experience is beta reading for friends, proceed with caution.

3. References --  Ask for a list of clients they've edited for in the past. Reach out to those authors. Ask them about their experiences, and whether they have or would hire the editor again in the future. If any of the books the editor has edited have been published, go check them out on Amazon. Use the "Look Inside" feature to see the quality of editing; read the reviews to see if readers are commenting on poor editing.

4. Free Sample -- Most reputable editors will offer a "free sample," usually the first 5 or 10 pages. This allows you to see how the editor works and gauge if s/he will be a good fit for you and your work.

5. Specialties -- Editors generally have certain genres they prefer to edit. Ask what those genres are. You don't want to inadvertently hire an erotica editor for your YA or vice versa.

6. Services Offered vs. Needs -- If you're looking for a deep content edit, you don't want to hire an editor who specializes in copy edits. Be sure you know what you need / want and then find an editor who can provide those services.

7. Prices -- Every editor charges different rates. Some charge per word. Others per page. Others by the hour. There's no law or rule that regulates how much an editor should charge, however, the Editorial Freelancers Association is a good place to start looking at what the going rates are. If an editor charges way below or way above these rates, you may want to ask why. And, obviously, you'll want to find an editor who fits within your budget. Just remember: You always get what you pay for!

At the end of the day, the most important thing is that you find an editor you're excited to work with, someone you can see becoming a friend in your journey toward publication. Is there anything else you do when searching for an editor? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments!

Tapping Into Your YA Voice

by Alexandra Alessandri

If you’re like me and you write across age categories, you might sometimes find yourself muddling up the different voices in your head—even if your characters come in loud and clear. It’s only natural, I suppose. Spend enough time with one age group and you start sounding like them even if you’ve officially moved on to another. (This happens to me in real life, too, by the way!) And even if you don’t write across age categories, sometimes the voice just. Isn’t. working.

So what’s an author to do when they need to get back in touch with their YA voice?

Here are some things I do (not necessarily in this order and definitely not exclusively):

I remember my teen years

I might start with tapping into my memories. Most of us probably have pretty strong reminiscences of our teenage years. After all, it’s a time when we’re really figuring out who we are and what our place in this crazy, hectic world is. For me, those years play in the background like an old black and white film, sputtering at times, and at others, complemented by photographs and stories.

Sometimes these memories need some help getting dislodged from my brain, so I journal. I do simple prompt exercises, geared at remembering that specific time period. One of my fave memoir writing books is Natalie Goldberg’s Old Friend From Far Away. I skim through it, choosing prompts that might target memories and experiences from this specific time. Then, I write for about 10 minutes per prompt, trying to really embody my teen self. The first exercise might feel like adult me remembering the past, but the more I write about those years, the more my teen voice becomes discernable.

If you don’t have the book (or you’re struggling finding some prompts online), here are some good and useful ones:

• I remember and/or I don’t remember
• Where is home?
• The first time you fell in love
• First kiss
• First heartbreak
• Who was your best friend?
• Your best and/or worst teacher in high school
• A moment you thought you were beautiful
• A moment you thought you were ugly
• A moment you were in trouble in class
• Write about a time you lied
• Write about your biggest mistake in high school
• Write about a relative during your teen years

The idea is to let your brain focus on a memory specifically during the teen years that fits the prompt and to write for at least ten continuous minutes without worrying about spelling, grammar, cohesiveness, etc. Just write the memory down, trying to be as detailed as you can in the voice you remember.

That wasn’t so painful--er hard, was it?

I also look at old journals

When I was a kid and all through my adolescent years, I was an avid journaler. I wrote everything down in general spiral notebooks, and when I ran out of space in one, I’d move on to another. I’m lucky I still have those spiral notebooks with my scribbles, secrets, and poems, and if I’m particularly stuck, I revisit those memories.  

I might also revisit old photo albums or yearbooks, triggering memories of my high school years.

I observe and record

Tapping into my memories is great, but it’s been (!&^*%$&#%@*^#%@) years since I was a teen.

While experiences and themes can be universal and span generations, if I’m writing about teens today, I need to be familiar with teens today. If you’re a teacher or a librarian, or if you work with teens in any capacity, then you have a golden opportunity to observe and record things teens might do or say and what technology they might use (though not actual names and specifics because laws!). You can get a sense of what rings true with today’s teen that might be different from when you were that age, or on the flip side, what holds universally true. You’ll get phrases and slang and attitudes that might escape you. And in doing so, you embrace the teen voice.

Even if you don’t work with teens, there are plenty of places you can go to observe and record. Head to the mall or the park or the movie theater or anywhere in your town/city where teens meet regularly.

Another place you might be able to observe teens (albeit in written form) is online. Social media sites like Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Snapchat are great. Public online forums also work, especially if you’re looking for testimonies of teens going through specific experiences, like illnesses.

Finally, I read a lot and watch movies

As Stephen King has said, “If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write.” This is just as important to your craft as it is to your genre and age category. Read YA. Lots and lots of YA. Don’t just stick to the classics; read newly released YA and read a variety of it. If you have teens within your circle of family and friends (or within your workplace), ask them what books they’ve read recently they loved—and then go study those.

Similarly, watch movies or TV shoes that feature teen characters and read magazines tailored specifically toward teens. Study these. Compare and contrast them to the novels you’ve read and the teens you’ve observed or know.

The thing to keep in mind is that there is no one right way to tap into your teen voice and most often, I do all of the above until I feel the voice coming to me easily. I might start with remembering and journaling, but I’ll also read and observe the teens around me. I’ll also talk with teens in my life and I’ve found that they are almost always happy to answer my questions. They want us to get it right!

Happy writing!

Writing Tips from YALLWEST: My top takeaways from a galaxy of stellar writers at a most amazing YA festival

By Susan Gray Foster

YALLWEST panel with Nicola Yoon, Jennifer Niven, Robin
Benway, Heather Demetrios, and Stephanie Kuehn

After living inside the deep, dark revision cave for many months, I emerged into the sunlight, packed my bags and made the six-hour drive from Phoenix to Santa Monica for #YALLWEST. For those as in-the-dark as I was, #YALLWEST is a mind-blowing young adult literature festival, created by NYT bestselling authors, Melissa de la Cruz and Margaret Stohl. It attracts a host of top-name and debuting young adult writers who give panel presentations on a huge variety of topics and also sign books for fans. In addition, there are ARC and swag giveaways galore, as well as opportunities to meet and make connections with YA readers and writers. I focused on attending panels, seizing the opportunity to listen to some of my favorite authors share their insights on YA literature and writing YA. Here are some of my takeaways:

On writing “the truth of characters”:

Rainbow Rowell (Fangirl, Eleanor and Park) starts with characters, since characters are what interest her. She loves Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the characters but can’t follow the plot.

Kiersten White (Paranormalcy) shared that her characters (both villains and heroes) are drawn from her own feelings.

Gwenda Bond (Lois Lane: Fallout) told the audience that, “Every person has a universe inside them,” and that characters should reflect that.

Jennifer Niven (All the Bright Places) advised writers to, “Live in the story.”

Robin Benway (Emmy and Oliver) uses, “research and empathy.”

Heather Demetrios (I’ll Meet You There) told writers, “Put yourself in that person’s position,” using “method writing.”

Nicola Yoon (Everything, Everything) believes that, “Experiences that are widely different have a common thread.”

On plotting vs. pantsing:

Rainbow Rowell shared that she writes with a vague idea and no intention, and never even worries about whether her work is YA or adult; she just writes it. Ransom Riggs (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children) expressed that writing is often like “a journey using a map drawn by an idiot.” Other pansters include Simone Elkeles (Perfect Chemistry series) and Evelyn Skye (The Crown’s Game).

Gwenda Bond explained that she tells the story to herself, and has a loose outline so that she doesn’t lose “the magic of discovery,” while Leigh Bardugo (The Grisha Trilogy) uses a twelve beat story outline.

On the value of YA literature:

Jennifer Niven expressed how books “open other worlds and make us feel that we’re not alone.” This sentiment was echoed over and over by authors throughout the festival. Newbery award-winner, Matt de la Pena and Coretta Scott King award-winner, Jason Reynolds stressed the importance of giving those who feel like outsiders, “a home in literature.”

General writing advice:

Sara Zarr (The Lucy Variations): “Read widely. Pay attention.”

Jessi Kirby (Things We Know by Heart): “Don’t be afraid to write crappy stuff.”

Adi Alsaid (Let’s Get Lost): “Make time for writing.”

Siobhan Vivian (The Last Boy and Girl in the World): “Finish a first draft.”

Jason Reynolds: “Know all the rules and then break every single rule.”

Matt de la Pena: “Talk less and listen more. The answers are all around you.”

Kiersten White: “At the end of a writing period, write three lines of the next chapter.”

Libba Bray (The Gemma Doyle Trilogy): “Learn to be brave.”

Evelyn Skye: “You’re telling your story.”

Jennifer Niven: “You have to feel the emotion if you want the reader to feel it.”

Adi Alsaid: “Originality is over-rated; just be personal.”

On those days when you feel like a failure and everything you write is crap:

Matt de la Pena and Jason Reynolds discussed how success can be as paralyzing as failure.

Leigh Bardugo shared that what’s important is the way you deal with those days.

Heather Demetrios talked about how sometimes changing one’s perspective makes all the difference. She also stressed the importance of “taking care of yourself creatively.”

Stephanie Kuehn (Charm and Strange) advises writers to read (or watch) something they find compelling that makes them feel inspired rather than defeated.

Jennifer Niven shared her mom’s wisdom: “There’s only one Jennifer and only she can write what she writes.” And also, “There’s room for all of us.”

Robin Benway told writers, “Let it suck! You can go back and fix it.”

Nicola Yoon advises, “It’s part of the process. Trust that you can get past it.”

With Everything, Everything author, Nicola Yoon

On writing love and romance:

One of my favorite moments of the weekend came when Nicola Yoon passionately defended novels that focus on love and romance against those who dismiss them or regard them as inferior, saying, “I dare anyone to say that love isn’t important; it’s the thing that makes the world go around. Even the critics who say those silly things are obsessed with it.”

And my number one takeaway: Go to YALLWEST next year!! It’s like an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord of fabulous YA authors and books. Don’t miss it!

Many thanks to my fellow Pitch Wars ’14 alums, Traci Chee (The Reader) and Tara Sim (Timekeeper) for waking me up to the fact that YALLWEST was taking place and for introducing me to a fun group of writers who let me tag along and showed me the joys of free ARCs! Thanks also to Pitch Wars mentor Jennifer Hawkins who, sadly, was unable to make use of her VIP pass, but, happily, sent it to me. Most of all, HUGE thanks to #YALLWEST organizers, Melissa de la Cruz and Margaret Stohl, and to all the authors and the behind-the-scenes people who made this amazing event happen.

Brought home some goodies!