Join Us November 15 for ‘Taking the Show on the Road’ with Susan Spann

Successful travel writing transports readers to another time and place. Join Us November 15 to learn the secrets of helping your readers see, hear, smell, and taste locations that leap off the page and ignite the imagination. Whether you’re writing nonfiction (memoir, true-adventure, and travelogue) or fiction (historical, thriller, and literary), this workshop will help your settings come alive.

Susan Spann is the award-winning, bestselling author of CLIMB (Prometheus Books, 2020), a narrative nonfiction chronicle of her quest to overcome cancer, break free from fear, and climb 100 Japanese mountains in a single year, as well as the Hiro Hattori novels, a historical mystery series featuring the ongoing adventures of master ninja Hiro Hattori and Portuguese Jesuit Father Mateo. She is also the author of numerous travel articles and a travel and photography blog. Susan currently lives in Tokyo, and will be presenting live from Tokyo via Zoom.

 

Plotting, Creativity, and the Universal Story — An Interview with Martha Alderson

Martha Alderson, MA, has been exploring and writing about plot and creativity for more than thirty years, and helping writers develop plot and structure, character transformation and change. Author of The Plot Whisperer, along with several other plot books, Alderson’s latest work is Boundless Creativity: A Spiritual Workbook for Overcoming Self-Doubt, Emotional Traps, and Other Creative Blocks

A new edition of her novel Parallel Lives (A Love Story), a historical novel set in 1960s San Francisco Bay Area, releases this summer.

On May 24 at 2 pm, she’ll be presenting ‘Plan a Plot with the Help of the Universal Story.’ RSVP and we’ll send you the zoom link. 

I spoke with her by phone in April.

What is the Universal Story?

It is similar to the Hero’s Journey of Joseph Campbell, but it is broader, more all-encompassing. It has to do with the seasons of the year, the lunar cycle, plant and animal cycles, the universal pathways that travel through everything.

You can analyze it for yourself, in your own life. When you’re writing a story, it’s where the energy rises and falls. It is so universal, that if you’re a reader and you don’t experience it in a book, it’s disconcerting. Readers expect certain things at certain times. 

And you want to satisfy them without being formulaic. 

But isn’t a formula of sorts? 

Not really, because you can do anything you want within these guidelines. It depends only on your imagination. Hollywood is very formulaic, it will hit these markers without fail, on the dime.  

There’s more latitude with literary fiction.

I would call this universal story an awareness. Once you become aware of these pathways, you don’t have to think about them anymore. 

But is that really true? I mean, I’ve read your book and a number of other plot books, and I still have to think about structure and flow every time I sit down to write. 

What I mean is that you begin to anticipate when things have to start happening. You know when the tension has to build. Because you’re aware that it’s needed.

How did you come to be “the plot whisperer”?

I started writing fiction late. I was a speech pathologist and learning disability therapist. I had a clinic. Then I changed course. I sold the clinic and decided I wanted to write this novel. As I was writing, I struggled with plot and the craft books that were around at that time didn’t devote much attention to plot. The thinking was that anything that was formulaic would conflict with the creative process. I thought I was the only one who didn’t get it, get how to structure a story, but then I realized I was not alone. 

I’ve worked more with women than men. For men, plot may be easier to grasp because men tend to be more linear. For a lot of women, it’s counterintuitive to think in terms of plot. I became passionate about plotting. I started doing plot consultations with writers.

To debrief my experiences, I started a blog called, “The Plot Whisperer,” and a publisher reached out to me and that’s where the book happened. 

Can you distill the wisdom of The Plot Whisperer into a sentence or two?

It’s really taking writers through the universal story. The pathways, what’s expected within the parts. To show the journey from the protagonist’s point of view. And also — and this is important — the writer’s journey is part of it, and it parallels the protagonist’s.

What do you mean?

So many writers struggle to write their story. Writing a book is a universal story itself. Understanding emotional traps. The negative talk. Wondering if we count. Telling ourselves that we can’t figure it out. Or we can. I’ve worked with a lot of talented writers, mostly women, who are challenged because of their own internal demons. 

The creative process is meant to be a challenge. We grow from it. 

We’re not all happy well-adjusted people. We come with baggage, which gets in the way of accessing our muse, our spirit. Too often, there are so many layers of expectations on top of the muse. We need to clear them to unleash our spirit. To believe in our talent.

So you work not just on plot, but on breaking through barriers?

I think if you get a hit of inspiration, that’s great, but we have millions of ways to discount that. The inspiration is a gift, but so is the negativity. By confronting it, you become a transformed person. Characters go through challenges like that. So do writers.

I recall you giving a talk about how you can read a novel and see, at the 25 percent mark, when the protagonist’s life changes forever. I remember afterward paying attention to those turning points when I read books and I was amazed at how close to the 25 percent mark they came. Why do you think that is? Is that all deliberate, or is it somehow in the subconscious?

I’ve analyzed so many books. Lots of them were classic. I’m sure Steinbeck never counted the pages, but he still hit those markers on target. It’s this universal pathway that is within all of us. 

If your beginning goes on too long, you lose your reader because nothing is happening. If it’s too short, your reader isn’t ready. You have to give you the right amount of story before you turn that corner. 

It probably goes back to cave times.  The storytellers who kept their listeners’ rapt got the best cuts of meat. It’s almost imprinted on us now. 

When you read, or watch movies, are you always looking at the structure and formula behind the story? Does that enhance the experience, or does it sometimes get in the way?

Well, I’ve stopped paying as much attention to plot as I used to. Now plot is something most every writer is attuned of. You can find lots of plot books now.

What my true passion is to empower people through creativity. The germs of that were in The Plot Whisperer, but I’m digging deeper now.

We are creators. We are creating right now. It’s part of who we are. Where does inspiration come from? If it’s this universal thing, the only way that anything can be manifested is through us, because we are the creators. We have to be open. To be free, to go the distance.

Whether you’re baking a pie or writing a book. We have moments of brilliance, but so many of us also get knocked down. You’re in a critique group and you get panned for the art you do. It hits hard. For the more emotional of us, it can stop us in our tracks. 

This is your new book? Can you give me the elevator pitch?

The idea that when you embark on a creative project, you experience these moments of joy. You get feedback that makes you keep going.

But then you run into self-doubt. You may feel like giving up, but that’s where you have to persevere. Deal with the obstacles. 

Is the process of writing the gift? When you get feedback, and it triggers you, you might stop. It’s not because you lack creativity. It’s because of the issues that get in the way. Do you need praise to keep going? When you hear something negative, how can you grow from that? The more the muse gets that we will go the distance, the more likely we will.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

I have a garden that is a riot of color. I spend a lot of time beachcombing and boogie boarding in the bay. I love being in nature.

See more at marthaalderson.com.

‘Rewrite Right’ Slides and Video

Thank you for joining us Sunday for Rewrite Right: 22 Ways to Make Your Book Better, our first monthly meeting on Zoom.

It was wonderful that so many of you were able to participate — about 40 of you, think. I hope you learned something that will help you face your rewriting challenges. I very much appreciate your patience as we navigate our brave new world.

Here are the slides from the presentation:

Rewrite Right: 22 Ways to Make Your Book Better [SLIDES]

I’m also sharing a video clip of the meeting. It starts just as I’m introducing myself.

Rewrite Right: 22 Ways to Make Your Book Better [VIDEO] 

Hope to see you April 26 for David Corbett. Visit our website for updates.

— John

P.S. You can learn more about me and my books at johnbyrnebarry.com.

https://johnbyrnebarry.com

Bring Your Book to Life in Audio—An Interview with Becky Parker Geist

Becky Parker Geist will be presenting, “How to Bring Your Book to Life in Audio—and Make It Work for You,” on Sunday, June 23, 2 pm, at Book Passage, hosted by the California Writers Club Marin.

I asked her some questions on the phone earlier this week.

Q: Tell me about your journey to creating your audiobooks business. I don’t imagine that was your goal way back when.

No, it wasn’t. I started out training as an actor, and one of my first jobs after grad school was narrating books for Talking Books for the Blind. Through the Library of Congress.

I was living in Louisville, Kentucky, at the time, also reading scripts for the Actors Theater of Louisville. I fell in love with reading books out loud.

Most of the narrators for Talking Books were contracted one book at a time. Due to my popularity with listeners, I became one of the two narrators they hired full time. I narrated over 70 titles in the two years I was there. Then, in 1984, I had a baby and moved to California.

I wanted to start my own business, but at the time, home studios were not affordable. It was years later when the youngest of my three daughters was taking a voice-over class that I got back into it.

It was a master class, part of the Kids on Camera program, and I thought, hey, I do that. It stirred things up for me. Made me realize that I wanted to get back to that. I talked to my daughter’s teacher. We did a session. He said, “You are SO ready.” We did a demo, he introduced me to his agent, I signed and soon I was getting some work.

But after a few years, I decided it was time to take my career in my own hands. My friend Sandy Shepard told me about BAIPA. I joined in 2011, and started Pro Audio Voices in 2013. Now I do it full time.

Q: Don’t you also do some theater work — stage manager, props master, actor?

Yes, I love all the ways to bring stories to life. It’s good professional work, but audiobooks are my main focus.  

Q: Tell us about the process of making an audiobook. You’ve made an agreement with someone. What’s next?

The first step is casting. Sometimes, there’s also pre-production work, like preparing a manuscript that has pictures or exercises — figuring out the best way to handle each item that doesn’t automatically translate to the audiobook experience.

For your average novel, casting means one person, though our company does a lot of multivoiced projects too. What we do depends on the manuscript. For example, we did a zombie book that called out for music and sound effects.

Sometimes we have a book that’s in three parts. As a way of setting it apart, we might put a bit of music in between. We’re always looking for the best listening experience. That’s what sets us apart. We always have a producer, who asks questions and can make recommendations based on years of audiobook experience, like would you like music or what would you like your listener to do in response to this part of your book – things like that.

Q: So you’ve cast the narrator. What happens now?

We’ll do a call where we have the narrator and author together, so that the narrator can ask questions about the book. Learn about things like target audience.  The narrator will record the first fifteen minutes. The author listens to it, makes sure we’re on the right track. Then we record the whole book.

We have an editor who goes in and listens to the whole thing as well, takes notes. Maybe the narrator missed some key words. We expect the narrator to send in files that they believe are ready to go, so they do their own edit first.

If I’m narrating, and I’m reading a sentence, and I realize I have the emphasis wrong, I read it again, and then cut the first instance. Then the project editor gets it.

Q: Might that be like a writer who does a final edit of their own work and then gives it to a copy editor?  

Very much the same. The editor makes corrections. We sent it to the clients for any additional corrections and adjustments. Fix those and the author listens again.

Then we head into the submission process. We use Author’s Republic as our distribution services—they have the broadest range of distribution. We take a look at their metadata, keywords. Many authors are uncertain about metadata or really need help crafting a stronger book description. We review metadata to offer suggestions to make it stronger if possible.

Q: You need a different sized cover image than for the book, right?  

That’s right. 2400 pixels square.

Q: What kinds of books, or what elements of books work best for audiobooks?

It’s easier to answer what kinds of books don’t make good audiobooks. Like coffee table books, because they’re so heavily image-driven. Or reference books, which you don’t read from beginning to end.

Frankly, many nonfiction authors do not take advantage of opportunities that audiobooks provide. For example, creating incentives within the audiobook that makes listeners want to go to the author website. We also provide audio clips that authors can post on social media to drive people to their website.

Q: I’ve heard you do voices—on your answering machine. How you decide how to deal with multiple characters? For example, I have a scene in a kitchen with four characters who are talking to each other, over each other. How to distinguish who is talking in the audiobook?

We look for narrators who are actors, who have those skills to differentiate voices. So you can tell who’s speaking. The general rule is there’s one person narrating the full story. Usually, they do the of all the voices in the scenes. Another actor in the mix can sometimes be jarring for the listener.

We can do overlapping voices, though it’s not something we do often. It’s always a question of whether it will better bring the story to life versus being a distraction.

Q: What would you say to authors who want to record their book themselves?

I often have authors who want to narrate themselves. If they’re a local author, I give them a chance to record part of the book. Then I do the same narration, and have them listen to both. Even if you’re an experienced speaker, it’s a very different thing to work with a microphone in a studio.

Most of the time, they decide to have it professionally narrated.

But sometimes it does make sense for the author. Because they’re very good, or their topic and their voice is recognized by their following.

Q: What if they want to do themselves? What do they need to pay attention to?

There are a couple main categories. First is the physical studio setup. They need to create a space that is quiet enough. They need a decent microphone and professional audio software. And then there’s the learning curve of dealing with all those elements.

As for the performing side, the biggest thing I notice is problems with mouth sounds and audible breathing. Many people are not used to speaking so close to a mic. Listeners hear those sounds and it can drive them crazy.

From the acting perspective, many authors tend to read their material on the flat side. Because it’s so alive in their minds. They’re not used to having to translate that aliveness into verbal expression.

Q: Tell us about the audiobooks market. And marketing to it.

Audiobooks are hot now. Very popular. More and more people are listening. It’s a good place to be. Audiobook listeners are only going to find you if you have an audiobook.

It can be an expensive proposition. And you still have to be found. That’s why we created our Audiobook Marketing Program. We looked all over and didn’t find anything that already existed, so we pulled together a marketing team and built our own.

There are three main elements. First are the video trailers that we use as the hub of the marketing wheel. Second is we send out a weekly ten-minute marketing memo, with marketing tasks that authors can do in ten minutes or less.

For example, one week we might explain how to get your video onto Amazon’s Author Central.

The third part is community—for example, we ask authors to go watch someone else’s video on our Audiobook Authors YouTube channel and comment on that video and share it. Then follow the author. We leverage the community of audiobook authors to help everyone in it.

Q: What will you do at June 23 session at Book Passage?

I will be introducing writers to the audiobook scene. I’ll cover the things an author needs to know to make good decisions about the choices ahead then answer their questions. What’s the process? What are the challenges? Should I record it myself? I’m the audiobook world tour guide, but the audience will help direct where we go.

 

‘Setting That Works’ in Oakland June 5

[Note: This event has been rescheduled from April 3 in Berkeley to June 5 in Oakland.]

On June 5 at 6 pm, I’ll be leading a two-hour workshop for the California Writers Club in Berkeley — Setting That Works: How Memorable Setting Can Advance Plot, Reveal Character, Echo Theme, and More. We’ll be gathering at WeWork, 1111 Broadway, Oakland. (If you were at the CWC Marin meeting this past November, you saw an earlier version of this workshop.)

We all know that the primary job of setting — in fiction, memoir, and narrative nonfiction — is to immerse readers in the scene. So they can visualize it, feel it, smell it.

But the most memorable and effective setting is more than a pretty, or gritty description. It’s lean and strong because it’s working hard. Doing two or more jobs. Not just showing the reader where the story is taking place, but also advancing your plot, unifying various elements of your story, revealing character, echoing theme, setting mood, and more.

In this hands-on workshop, we will review the different ways setting can strengthen your story, and do several writing exercise putting what we learned into action.

One of the most common jobs of setting is defining, revealing, or changing character. For example, in Larry McMurtry’s western, Lonesome Dove, the characters are so defined by the setting, they almost couldn’t exist elsewhere.

The story follows two retired Texas Rangers and their fellow cowboys as they drive a cattle herd from Texas to Montana, facing bandits, Indians, disease, and the harshness of the landscape. The challenges of the Old West breed a certain kind of character — a loner, macho, self-reliant, independent.

You can read about the other jobs that setting can do in Setting That Works: How Memorable Setting Can Advance Plot, Reveal Character, Echo Theme, and More.

Sign up here.

 

Five Takeaways from C.S. Lakin’s Ten Scenes Workshop

We had the pleasure last Sunday to participate in C.S. Lakin’s workshop — “10 Key Scenes to Frame Up Your Novel.” She not only helped me strengthen my novel’s structure, she was lively and entertaining too. It was especially fun to see movie clips that demonstrated the placement of key scenes. (Now, in addition to reworking my book, I have a list of movies to watch.)

Thanks to all who participated and made it such a stimulating afternoon.

Below are five key takeaways. Why five? Well, one of the takeaways from the workshop was benefit of using round numbers.

1. Your protagonist needs a goal and if he or she doesn’t have one, you’re in trouble. The goal can evolve over the course of the book, but you have to have one.

One example she referenced was McFarland USA, based on a true story of a cross country team from a poor, primarily Latino high school, in California’s Central Valley. At the beginning of the book, the goal of the team’s coach, Jim White, played by Kevin Costner, was to coach at a prestigious school. But by the end, when his McFarland team has won the state championship, he turns down an offer to coach in Palo Alto. His goal evolved, but he had one from the beginning.

2. The advantage of mapping out these 10 key scenes is that they are the most important to making the story work — they are the big rocks that you need to put in place first.

She told one of my favorite stories, but one I’d heard in relation to time management and priority setting, not novel writing. Here’s my version of that story:

A teacher takes out a clear jar and pours a pitcher of rocks into it. To the top. She asks the students, “Is it full?” They say yes. Then she takes another pitcher, full of pebbles, and empties it into the jar. The pebbles settle into the spaces around the rocks. When she asks again if the jar is full, this time the students say no. Then she pours in a pitcher of sand, and then water.

“What is the lesson here,” she asks? The students raise their hands enthusiastically and when she calls on one, he says, “it mean that when you think your life is full, that there’s still more room.”

She says, “No, it means that if you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in.”

Same is true for writing a novel. The big rocks are these 10 key scenes.

3. Key Scene #1 (Setup) introduces your protagonist and shows him or her engaged in their “normal” life, the life that is about to change as a result of Key Scene #2 (Inciting Incident), which disturbs the protagonist’s path and starts him or her on a new journey.

4. While novels are more flexible than screenplays, you still want your midpoint to come as close to the middle as you can. The midpoint is where the protagonist is balancing on the knife’s edge. Once he or she commits, there’s no going back.

The movie clip she showed to illustrate this was from Casablanca, where Rick, played by Humphrey Bogart, changes from the selfish, bitter bar owner, who’s been a bystander as the war takes its toll on others. Ilsa comes to the bar and Rick is drunk and he treats her poorly, reminding her that she abandoned him in Paris. Ilsa, in tears, pleads with him to understand, telling him that she left because she had learned her husband, Victor, was still alive.

This is the point where Rick decides not to be a bystander any longer, to take a side, to help Ilsa and Victor.

At the midpoint, the character is forced to look within and ask the hard questions, like “What am I doing?” or “How do I go on from here?”

5. If you want to do a twist that will surprise the reader, but not make them angry, you have to set it up early in the book. You have to lead readers to believe in a certainty when it’s not the case. You can make a list of things you want the reader to assume and place misdirection accordingly.

Bonus Takeaway: Movies I either need to watch to study scene structure: Truman Show, Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Shawshank Redemption, Nell, McFarland USA, Ever After, Strictly Ballroom. Did I miss any?

Here are the slides from her presentation. Click on the image for the pdf. (Note: the movie clips were removed, since they did not translate to the pdf. And they made the file too big to upload.)

You can find more excellent resources at livewritethrive.com.

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