Today I took a stroll through the American Christian Fiction Writers forum and saw the Ane Mulligan had started a thread on taglines. She offered to help author's come up with one before the conference in September, or share her opinions on taglines they already had. After reading through the thread, I was inspired to contemplate my own tagline. I hadn't really done so yet since I'm only about 25K into my novel.
What makes a good tagline?
Taglines in marketing are catchy slogans that peak the interest of consumers. We can all name present/past slogans for brands such as Nike, Pepsi, and many others. Similarly, taglines in writing are interesting sentences that grab the reader's attention and don't let go.
Taglines are:
--STRONG! They use as few words as possible to get the purpose of the novel across. They use powerful verbs and nouns in place of stretching out the description with adjectives and adverbs.
--CATCHY! A tagline must snag the reader. It should give them just enough information without giving away the secrets of the novel. Get creative!
--DEFINIATIVE! A super tagline defines a novel. It wraps in character, plot, purpose, etc all in one, while throwing in a taste of the style of the novel. A happy-go-lucky novel won't have a tagline which uses verbs/noun with a heavy or disheartened connotation.
So, I spent part of the morning messing with some words and metaphors, etc. and came up with what I think are a couple of good possibilities.
"When life shut the door on her memories, God opened a supernatural window to help her save the world."
"A disillusioned loan officer loses her memories, but gains a supernatural gift meant to save the world."
What do you think? Are they strong enough? Which do you think is better?
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
A Beginning that Wows!
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen 1:1)
While this may not be the most stirring of beginnings, this one sentence is a great example of what the first few pages of any novel should include. Let’s break it down:
“In the beginning…”
Okay, so the beginning should set the time period. We should be able to tell the basics of the era, what time in the MC’s life we’re starting, and depending on the importance—time of year, time of day. Now, obviously you don’t want to come out and TELL US, like this line does, but you want to intersperse clues throughout the first few pages.
“God…”
Introduce the main character. The Bible is all about God. From the beginning through Revelations…it’s all about God. So it is suitable that the first chapter we learn who this character is. Same goes for our stories. Now, as with all guidelines, there are exceptions. Some stories start with the villain. Some stories start with prologues that have characters we may never see again in the story. For the most part, though, your first chapter should introduce your main character in a way that will make us care about them. Readers won’t be persuaded to keep reading if they don’t care what happens to the main character.
“…created the heavens and the earth.”
Here’s a way to start a story with a bang. Our goal in the first few pages, paragraphs even, is to hook the reader. We have to introduce some action or conflict, a peek at the plot.
“Created” is a unique verb, one of my favorites. Created, by definition, means to make something from your own mind/vision. God saw the heavens and earth and spoke them into being. He saw all of this, and made it happen. And it was no small feat…He didn’t paint a masterpiece, record a #1 hit, write a novel…no, God created the HEAVENS AND THE EARTH (said in a deep, rumbling voice that echoes off the walls).
These words also tell us about the main character. God is ambitious, He can see the big picture, He is creative, He can make something out of nothing, He is bigger than a mere human, and much more.
So, God created the heavens and the earth…now what?
That’s the question that keeps the reader interested. We have a strong character, bigger than life (in this case), who has done something that is beyond possibility for us, what’s He going to do from here?
In Dividing Spirits, my main character Ninevah is a loan officer at a bank in Kansas City, MO. In the first chapter, the bank is robbed, her friend is murdered, and Ninevah is knocked unconscious—and that chapter is only about three thousand words. Through all of this, the reader learns a little (very, very little) about Ninevah’s background through dialogue, and they get a good glimpse into her personality. She’s a strong Christian woman who keeps her cool in tough situations, but wears her emotions on her sleeves when it comes to those she loves.
What about you? What important elements make your first chapter pop?
While this may not be the most stirring of beginnings, this one sentence is a great example of what the first few pages of any novel should include. Let’s break it down:
“In the beginning…”
Okay, so the beginning should set the time period. We should be able to tell the basics of the era, what time in the MC’s life we’re starting, and depending on the importance—time of year, time of day. Now, obviously you don’t want to come out and TELL US, like this line does, but you want to intersperse clues throughout the first few pages.
“God…”
Introduce the main character. The Bible is all about God. From the beginning through Revelations…it’s all about God. So it is suitable that the first chapter we learn who this character is. Same goes for our stories. Now, as with all guidelines, there are exceptions. Some stories start with the villain. Some stories start with prologues that have characters we may never see again in the story. For the most part, though, your first chapter should introduce your main character in a way that will make us care about them. Readers won’t be persuaded to keep reading if they don’t care what happens to the main character.
“…created the heavens and the earth.”
Here’s a way to start a story with a bang. Our goal in the first few pages, paragraphs even, is to hook the reader. We have to introduce some action or conflict, a peek at the plot.
“Created” is a unique verb, one of my favorites. Created, by definition, means to make something from your own mind/vision. God saw the heavens and earth and spoke them into being. He saw all of this, and made it happen. And it was no small feat…He didn’t paint a masterpiece, record a #1 hit, write a novel…no, God created the HEAVENS AND THE EARTH (said in a deep, rumbling voice that echoes off the walls).
These words also tell us about the main character. God is ambitious, He can see the big picture, He is creative, He can make something out of nothing, He is bigger than a mere human, and much more.
So, God created the heavens and the earth…now what?
That’s the question that keeps the reader interested. We have a strong character, bigger than life (in this case), who has done something that is beyond possibility for us, what’s He going to do from here?
In Dividing Spirits, my main character Ninevah is a loan officer at a bank in Kansas City, MO. In the first chapter, the bank is robbed, her friend is murdered, and Ninevah is knocked unconscious—and that chapter is only about three thousand words. Through all of this, the reader learns a little (very, very little) about Ninevah’s background through dialogue, and they get a good glimpse into her personality. She’s a strong Christian woman who keeps her cool in tough situations, but wears her emotions on her sleeves when it comes to those she loves.
What about you? What important elements make your first chapter pop?
Monday, June 22, 2009
Happy Belated Father's Day!
Yesterday, my family and I enjoyed a day of fun and sun. We went to an outdoor mall and walked around, played in a fountain, and ate at a children's dinosaur themed restaurant (hubby's choice...he's such a kid). We had fun celebrating the fact that my kids have a wonderful father. It was also our sixth anniversary. It was nice...
My friend, Jeannie Campbell, had a wonderful post about father's on her blog. Stop by and leave her a note! http://www.mindhealingfiction.blogspot.com
My friend, Jeannie Campbell, had a wonderful post about father's on her blog. Stop by and leave her a note! http://www.mindhealingfiction.blogspot.com
Thursday, June 11, 2009
In the Beginning...
The beginning of any novel is the most important part of the novel. The first sentence, first paragraph, first chapter--they set the tone for the rest of the novel. They give us insight into the plot, they create a powerful first impression of the main character. The beginning introduces us to the story.
I'm going to do something a little different in my blog. With certain subjects, I'm going to ask for your opinions BEFORE I post my thoughts on the subject.
What are your thoughts/opinions/insights concerning the beginning of a novel? What are the crucial elements? What holds your interest; what turns you off?
I'm going to do something a little different in my blog. With certain subjects, I'm going to ask for your opinions BEFORE I post my thoughts on the subject.
What are your thoughts/opinions/insights concerning the beginning of a novel? What are the crucial elements? What holds your interest; what turns you off?
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
What Makes Suspense Different?
Suspense was not my first pick when I started writing fiction. Yes, most of my novels and stories at the time had suspense undertones, but they weren’t specifically suspense. At least, I didn’t think they were. The last novel I completed made me realize that my heart was drawn to creating suspense, even if I didn’t necessarily follow the formula.
What makes suspense different?
In a lot of novels, the focus is on the hero and the hero’s journey. Readers aren’t really concerned with other characters except for how they relate to the main character(s). In a suspense novel, we have the hero…and then the villain.
In a suspense novel, the villain is just as important to the story as the hero. Without it, the story becomes a mystery and takes on a completely different perspective. Here’s an excerpt from a Writer’s Digest article written by Simon Wood:
“The key difference is perspective. Both genres deal with a crisis event to hook the reader and keep the story going. But the storytelling approach is completely different.
Let’s say the crisis is the assassination of the president of the United States. In a mystery, the president would die in the first chapter, and the rest of the book would focus on the government agents charged with finding the killer and bringing him to justice. In a suspense story, an intercepted communiqué or a bungled weapons drop would take place in the first chapter, alerting the White House of an imminent presidential assassination threat. This time, the government agents would be charged with protecting the president while tracking down the would-be assassin. The story would climax at the point where the assassination attempt is thwarted. In a nutshell, suspense creates drama before the crisis event while mystery starts its thrill ride after the crisis event.”
The suspense writer has a unique problem to overcome. All the important facts in the story come out in the first couple of chapters. We know WHO the hero and villain are. We know WHAT both of their goals are (or at least an idea) and what is driving them. There’s little mystery left except for how the hero is going to stop the villain.
Now the suspense writer has to use their storytelling skills to create a host of problems, choices, and events to come between the hero and the goal of stopping the villain. Anything that can go wrong, should; the path is never easy, always winding, and hopefully not what the reader anticipates.
What stands out about the suspense genre to you?
What makes suspense different?
In a lot of novels, the focus is on the hero and the hero’s journey. Readers aren’t really concerned with other characters except for how they relate to the main character(s). In a suspense novel, we have the hero…and then the villain.
In a suspense novel, the villain is just as important to the story as the hero. Without it, the story becomes a mystery and takes on a completely different perspective. Here’s an excerpt from a Writer’s Digest article written by Simon Wood:
“The key difference is perspective. Both genres deal with a crisis event to hook the reader and keep the story going. But the storytelling approach is completely different.
Let’s say the crisis is the assassination of the president of the United States. In a mystery, the president would die in the first chapter, and the rest of the book would focus on the government agents charged with finding the killer and bringing him to justice. In a suspense story, an intercepted communiqué or a bungled weapons drop would take place in the first chapter, alerting the White House of an imminent presidential assassination threat. This time, the government agents would be charged with protecting the president while tracking down the would-be assassin. The story would climax at the point where the assassination attempt is thwarted. In a nutshell, suspense creates drama before the crisis event while mystery starts its thrill ride after the crisis event.”
The suspense writer has a unique problem to overcome. All the important facts in the story come out in the first couple of chapters. We know WHO the hero and villain are. We know WHAT both of their goals are (or at least an idea) and what is driving them. There’s little mystery left except for how the hero is going to stop the villain.
Now the suspense writer has to use their storytelling skills to create a host of problems, choices, and events to come between the hero and the goal of stopping the villain. Anything that can go wrong, should; the path is never easy, always winding, and hopefully not what the reader anticipates.
What stands out about the suspense genre to you?
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Happy Birthday to me!
I have always been a big fan of birthdays. I love surprise parties, festive dinners, and, okay…I love presents, too. *smiles* But, I don’t just love them for myself, I love everyone’s birthday. It is a unique opportunity to celebrate the life and future of those we know and love.
Let’s see…some statistics about my life in the last 28 years.
• I survived one life and death surgery a couple of days after I was born
• I was blessed with loving parents and two crazy sisters (love ya guys!)
• I was first published in a small city-wide literary magazine in the third grade for a short prose on Martin Luther King, Jr.
• In 8th grade, I learned that I really could not sing.
• I still tried to sing by joining the praise band at church between my freshman and sophomore year in high school
• I’ve never broken a bone in my body…that we know for sure.
• I was sick for six months straight with a slew of colds, sinus infections, and ear infections. It got to the point I had to have a scope shoved up my nose, down my throat, and into my lungs, followed by a CAT scan or MRI whatever it was they did.
• I’ve had to undergo allergy shots…twice.
• I have been to 30 states and 3 countries.
• I graduated in the top 10 of my class with a 3.89 GPA.
• I was offered two partial scholarships…one to Manhattan Christian College in Manhattan, KS and one to Eureka College in Eureka, IL (same college Ronald Regan went to).
• I want to be a published author.
• I took advantage of everything high school had to offer, but failed to do so in college.
• I have a wonderful husband and two darling daughters.
• I want to adopt children (yes, more than one) some day when the girls are older.
• I’ve gotten three speeding tickets.
• I’ve screwed up more times than I can count. I’ve disappointed everyone I know at least one time in my life.
• I am a Christian. I am redeemed.
• I am forgiven.
• I am learning to love the way God intends me a little more with each passing day.
• I am learning to forgive in the same way.
• I am a work in progress…every day is a new chance b/c God’s mercies are new every morning.
• I am 28 today.
What are your major highlights?
Let’s see…some statistics about my life in the last 28 years.
• I survived one life and death surgery a couple of days after I was born
• I was blessed with loving parents and two crazy sisters (love ya guys!)
• I was first published in a small city-wide literary magazine in the third grade for a short prose on Martin Luther King, Jr.
• In 8th grade, I learned that I really could not sing.
• I still tried to sing by joining the praise band at church between my freshman and sophomore year in high school
• I’ve never broken a bone in my body…that we know for sure.
• I was sick for six months straight with a slew of colds, sinus infections, and ear infections. It got to the point I had to have a scope shoved up my nose, down my throat, and into my lungs, followed by a CAT scan or MRI whatever it was they did.
• I’ve had to undergo allergy shots…twice.
• I have been to 30 states and 3 countries.
• I graduated in the top 10 of my class with a 3.89 GPA.
• I was offered two partial scholarships…one to Manhattan Christian College in Manhattan, KS and one to Eureka College in Eureka, IL (same college Ronald Regan went to).
• I want to be a published author.
• I took advantage of everything high school had to offer, but failed to do so in college.
• I have a wonderful husband and two darling daughters.
• I want to adopt children (yes, more than one) some day when the girls are older.
• I’ve gotten three speeding tickets.
• I’ve screwed up more times than I can count. I’ve disappointed everyone I know at least one time in my life.
• I am a Christian. I am redeemed.
• I am forgiven.
• I am learning to love the way God intends me a little more with each passing day.
• I am learning to forgive in the same way.
• I am a work in progress…every day is a new chance b/c God’s mercies are new every morning.
• I am 28 today.
What are your major highlights?
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Why Suspense?
The first suspense story I remember reading was The Cat in the Hat. What? You don’t think it was a suspense story? But, but…didn’t you wonder how much he could stack on his head? Weren’t you on the edge of your seat just knowing that eventually it would all topple over? It was only a matter of time, after all.
Random House Dictionary describes suspense as “a state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety.” Now tell me you weren’t awaiting the outcome with a bit of apprehension. Of course, if you never got to experience The Cat in the Hat as a small child, you are probably laughing at me, but that’s okay. You just don’t know what you were missing. :P
Since that time many moons ago, my tastes have become a bit more refined. I enjoy an eclectic interest in genres from a good, clean romance to a touch of sci-fi to a Midwest, small town drama (via my critique partner! Hi, Cathy!). But, ah…there’s nothing like a good suspense novel to have me cuddled up in a blanket, sipping hot chocolate and soaking up every word, emotion, and plot twist.
So, what does it take to be a suspense writer? What makes us standout from other novelists? Is it exploring the depths of our masochistic minds? Is it our knack for taking the worst situation we can imagine, and finding that one way to make it that much intense?
In Stephen King’s “Storm of the Century”, we have what the title hints at, the worst storm in a small town’s history. Throw in a slew of missing people throughout the night and we now have a terrifying mystery to go along with the worst storm ever. In Ted Dekker’s novel, “Kiss”, the heroine loses her memory. What can be worse than not knowing who you are? Finding out that you have a huge secret that could destroy your family…or running from an unknown killer?
Suspense is full of plot twists that keeps the readers on their toes, characters that win their hearts, and the sense of waiting for the next shoe to drop…all in good time.
Random House Dictionary describes suspense as “a state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety.” Now tell me you weren’t awaiting the outcome with a bit of apprehension. Of course, if you never got to experience The Cat in the Hat as a small child, you are probably laughing at me, but that’s okay. You just don’t know what you were missing. :P
Since that time many moons ago, my tastes have become a bit more refined. I enjoy an eclectic interest in genres from a good, clean romance to a touch of sci-fi to a Midwest, small town drama (via my critique partner! Hi, Cathy!). But, ah…there’s nothing like a good suspense novel to have me cuddled up in a blanket, sipping hot chocolate and soaking up every word, emotion, and plot twist.
So, what does it take to be a suspense writer? What makes us standout from other novelists? Is it exploring the depths of our masochistic minds? Is it our knack for taking the worst situation we can imagine, and finding that one way to make it that much intense?
In Stephen King’s “Storm of the Century”, we have what the title hints at, the worst storm in a small town’s history. Throw in a slew of missing people throughout the night and we now have a terrifying mystery to go along with the worst storm ever. In Ted Dekker’s novel, “Kiss”, the heroine loses her memory. What can be worse than not knowing who you are? Finding out that you have a huge secret that could destroy your family…or running from an unknown killer?
Suspense is full of plot twists that keeps the readers on their toes, characters that win their hearts, and the sense of waiting for the next shoe to drop…all in good time.
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