Writing 101: What's Your Hook?

Like the best hit songs, good books need to have a great hook. There are all sorts of different ways to hook readers right at the beginning of a story. Do you know how to use all of them? 

Baiting the Hook

How  a story begins is really the most important thing about it, because there are readers out there who will look at this and nothing else. If you don't catch those readers who nibble on those first few lines, and get them reeled in, you'll lose them for ever. There are many different literary devices which can be used to hook readers. Get to know them, learn how to use them and then figure out how to make them your own. 

Getting Mature in YA

Today's topic is mature themes in YA fiction. Just when do books cross the line from young adult into too-adult fare for teens? And when they do, does it really matter?

Get the answers today, plus lots more, in the guest post I did for Paulette's Papers. In the post, I'm talking about my newest book, plus a classic example of YA lit.

Writing 101: Who Are You to Dole Out Poetic Justic?

If you're going to torture a character, I want to enjoy it. I'm not a sadist, I'm referring to poetic justice. It's a pretty common literary technique, but it's also very tricky. Few authors get it right. The thing about poetic justice is this: a little goes a long way. 

The House That Martin Built

You'll see poetic justice a lot in storytelling. It's always satisfying when the villainous character meets his just desserts. We always root for the Road Runner to get away, and snicker when the coyote has the anvil dropped on his head. But if you drop too many literary anvils in your books, you're not longer a storyteller. You're a person who likes to dole out suffering. And of course, I've got an example. 

Writing 101: When it's Pointless

For many, reading is an escape. It's the chance to fall in love, have an adventure, defeat the forces of evil. But what happens when a book does none of those things? When characters don't grow, when resolution is not found, when there are no significant changes? When is your story...pointless?

Wish You Weren't Here

Many books contain action. Walking across the room is action. But what happens when the character gets to the other side? In books, it's not always the walking that makes the difference. It's what happens at the end. 

And in some books, nothing happens. The character goes across the room and sits down. Unless something falls out of the sky, why bother taking me on that walk?

Writing 101: The Unreliable Narrator

In books, we often trust the narrator of the story and accept the secrets they reveal. But not all narrators are trustworthy. Have you ever considered using an unreliable narrator to spin lies for the readers of your books? 

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

Some narrators are unreliable. It's a rarely-used but quite effective literary technique. When it's done well, it will lead to a shocking twist ending that takes readers by surprise. One of the best examples of this technique is The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, by Agatha Christie.

Indie News: Indies in the SFWA? Let the Debate Begin

Are the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America close to allowing indies to join their ranks? They're looking for ways to possibly include self-published authors in their group, so get your arguments ready.

A Sense of Belonging

The SFWA has had strict requirements for membership in the past: you must publish one novel or several short stories, being paid "professional" rates by a publisher. This leaves indies out in the cold...or, it did.

The SFWA is now looking for ways to offer membership to indies and self-published authors, and they're inviting comments from the indie community so the issue can be raised at their November business meeting. Comments have already appeared on their website, and the debate is becoming a hot topic.

Indies are upset because they don't want to have to "prove" themselves financially. Traditionally-published authors demand some sort of financial guidelines.

Want to sound off on the subject? Visit the SFWA to leave your own comment on the issue!

Books on Film: The Secret Garden

Frances Hodgson Burnett published The Secret Garden as a serial in 1910, and it was an unwise decision. Though this has become one of her most-adapted and popular works, in the beginning Garden was not a hit with audiences. But it's always been one of my favorite books. When it comes to film...well, somehow this story has never translated well to the screen. 

The Book

But on the page, it's divine. Mary Lennox is not a likeable heroine. She's a spoiled little brat, actually, skinny and mean-faced and even nasty, on occassion. But in truth she's a lonely little girl, and her backstory shows a lot of neglect. It's heart-wrenching to get to know Mary at the beginning of the book, a girl who is "quite contrary." 

Writing 101: Firing Chekhov's Gun

In the first Harry Potter book, Hermione uses a spell to open a door. This same spell must be used later when the famous trio is searching for the Sorcerer's Stone. This is an example of Chekhov's gun. If you add one to your book, you'd better darn well be ready to fire that gun. At least, that's what Anton says.

Bang!

No, I'm not just talking gibberish. I'm talking about a quote from Anton Chekhov, considered by many literary experts to be one of the greatest short story writers in the world. Here's what he says:

"Remove everything that has no relevance to the story. If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off. If it's not going to be fired, it shouldn't be hanging there."