Cup of Story

Banned books

List of Most Challenged Books in the U.S.

You've probably heard a bit about controversial books now and then. I took a look at the books on the list and thought, "Really? Srsly? This title? Or That Title?"

And then I look at the news and hear about people booing at the GOP debates over Gays serving in the military, about crowds cheering for someone who dies without medical coverage...

I read about a NYC cop who peppersprays peaceful, non-violent protestors for no reason other than He Can.

I hear about how NRA Exec. VP, Wayne LaPierre claims that the president wants to strip the Second Amendment despite Obama's huge support of gun ownership. 

Makes me crack open a few more books on this list and really think about what's being said about Why they're challenged or banned...

It's about the ending.

If you don't know the end of your book, what are you writing towards?

Everything in your plot should be pushing your reader towards the ending. That might mean you have to set up a bunch of things to be revealed at the end. Or reactions have to occur at the end. But they need to be prepped at the beginning and throughout the middle or else, it feels like a deus ex machina… or worse.

You know the endings I mean, the ones that seem to come out of left field, that wrap the story up in a very unsatisfying way. Stephen King slays me with how abrupt some of his endings feel. I like his writing, I like his stories, I'm invested in his characters. I got to the end of Under the Dome and went, "WTF?! It's all just an alien kid playing a game?" Because none of that was hinted at or alluded to or even remotely identified in any way throughout the rest of the novel, the sudden appearance of alien tech in the middle of the woods just seemed completely out of place. As if King tacked it on at the end in a fit of "inspiration".

I don't know if that's what happened; maybe he had that idea all along. The problem is that the entire plot hinged upon a mysterious "something" trapping the townspeople under an impenetrable dome. By reducing that "something" to a little kid alien playing a game, it cheapened all the terrible things that happened to the townspeople. Of course, the whole idea was to show us how these characters reacted under pressure, and the stress brought out the worst in them (and maybe for some, the best).

But I was unsatisfied with the ending because it felt unsupported. It hadn't been set up, and therefore was unexpected.

So you must think about offering your readers all the information and clues they need to expect the ending, and then happily surprise them by giving it to them in a way they hadn't expected. Boy Saves the World from Evil Overlord but not in a flashy showdown. Instead, he stops fighting and forgives. I expected him to win, but not by shutting off his lightsaber. I got the ending I wanted (and expected) but also a little something else.

 

Tips for character creation

"Stereotypical", "flat", "two-dimensional". You might have heard these words about your characters, or you might have thought them of characters you've read. What makes a character feel real? They're not real people, you're reading fiction, after all. I hate hearing, "Well, in reality…" or "In real life…" You're not writing about reality or real people.

But, you can use real-life traits in your characters that real people--you and I--can recognize and relate to in some way.

Here are some things to consider:

1) Flaws

Your characters shouldn't be perfect. They shouldn't look, act, or respond "perfectly" unless they're robots or some other simulacrum, and even then, they'd be pretty boring. Flaws are what make characters feel "real". They are also the details that make them sympathetic and believable. If you make your hero's love interest "perfect" with "flawless skin" and "perfect hair", your reader will yawn and move on. But if her eyes are a little too wide and her hair is a little too frizzy and she has a crooked but bright smile, your hero will think she's perfect, which is the whole point of that love-connection. He has eyes only for her, crooked smile and all.

 2) Depth

Dig down deep into your characters' psyche. Why do they want what they want, and what are they willing to do to get it? What aren't they willing to do? What is the one thing that would make them cross their personal line, and why? You're the creator, so go down into the psychiatric depths to plunder their deepest secrets. There has to be more to a coming-of-age story than just "boy has magic powers he has to develop in order to save the world from the evil demon lord". What traits make this boy special--it's not just his magic. It's much more than that, and the boy, himself, can have doubts and fears (all your characters should have doubts and fears--it's what makes them relatable). Harry Potter has doubts about his fate and his affect on others. Neo has doubts that he is "the one" to save humanity. Luke has doubts that he can repel the dark side of the force (*waves geekflag wildly*).

Of course, not all characters need to have a full set of knock-off Louis Vuitton baggage--those kids in the Magic Treehouse books have very linear wants and needs. They want to help someone, they need to act within a certain time frame, and they have to get home through the treehouse. The boy is often more hesitant to jump into action because he's a little older and more circumspect while his younger sister is all about aiding those in need. It's a pretty good balance that offers just enough tension to keep the story from devolving into pure saccharin history-lesson-as-story.

 3) Voice

What do your characters sound like when they think? When they have their internal monologue? When they're having a conversation? Give them a distinctive voice so that your readers create an audio track in their minds. It's the same as creating each character's individual physical looks--give them a voice, too.

Voice also applies to the narrative. If you're writing in tight 3rd person Point of View, your narrative can have the "voice" of your main PoV character. I'm not saying leap into cockney or some mangled form of southern drawl, I'm talking about the cadence, rhythm, and tempo of the narrative exposition. In Neil Gaiman's Graveyard Book, the narrative has a storyteller tone, an almost "Once upon a time…" melody. George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series switches PoV every chapter, and while the author's voice is firmly planted, you definitely know which character's Point of View is revealing (or hiding) the story. That's voice.

You see it most obviously in 1st person PoV narratives--Holly Black's Curseworker books, Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series. Those voices are strong and very individual. They also have to be unique to carry an entire novel or series. Individual outlooks that are sometimes unreliable (which means that the reader only knows as much as the narrator; sometimes, that ignorance is what gets that character into trouble and keeps the reader glued to the pages) can make for a really great mystery (it also can show off all those neat flaws that make a character so individual).

So when you're creating your characters, move beyond the simplistic physical traits, go deeper into their psyche, and give your exposition a unique feel all your own. Use these things to propel you further into creating magnetic characters that move through your world and act out your plot.

 

 

 

Friday Reads--Heart Shaped Box

What is it: A thrilling hororr novel.

What's it about: An aging rock star who collects gruesome objects buys an old suit that's haunted.

Why I like it: Great characters and pacing. I like creepy stories. I like stories that keep me entertained and riveted. This is a ghost story, but the ghost is more than mean. Jude, the central character, isn't one to be easily spooked, but when unexplained things start to happen in his house, he begins to realize that he's in deep trouble. 

The best thing about Heart Shaped Box is the pacing. Building like a thriller with all the bottled up tension of a shaken soda bottle, the ending is both unexpected and satisfying in a totally visceral way.

 

What I didn't like about it: Is wanting more books by the author something to dislike? I'm greedy, I read fast, and I like Hill's writing. More please! (and yes, I've read Horns and the ongoing Locke & Key--all fantastic!) 

Final thoughts: It's hard not to think of Joe's dad, Stephen King. Both write very breathable, recognizeable characters caught up in supernatural conflicts. I've been a long time King fan, but I'm much more satisfied with Hill's endings (they actually work!). If you're thinking of pacing and how to crank up your tension, pay attention to Hill's novels. They are darn good.

 

To Stand or Sit?

There's been a lot of talk about how standing at your desk is better for you. That NYTimes opinion piece brings up some interesting things to think about. We writers and editors sit on our tookuses for hours at a time. We're either writing, reading, or "doing research" (aka playing Angry Birds or looking at Icanhazcheezburger cats).

And we snack. And drink coffee. And eat lunch at our desks (which is also supposed to be a big no-no--crumbs in your keyboard begone!).

Because I have adjustable legs on my desk (I have to because I'm really short), I thought, "Why not make it a standup desk and see if there's any noticable difference?"

I sit and stand and sit and stand rotating throughout the day. I think if I had a flat surface to stand on instead of living room carpet, I might like it more. But my legs and ankles strain in funny ways. I tried standing on a piece of wood, but then I'm lifted higher than my desk, which causes awkward keyboarding and mousing (I'm at the maximum height for my legs). It's about a 3/4" difference with the board, so it makes a huge difference when typing.

All in all, I like standing. When I feel fatigue, I sit on a barstool-height chair. When I feel like I'm slouching or when my ass gets numb, I stand up. I can stretch, stand on one leg, rotate my stiff ankle and still surf the web.

It also makes it a lot easier to go for more coffee.

Here are some other links to standup desk setups: Standing Desk Jockey, DiY platform for desktop

Machine writes story

A trade publisher and sports journalism site are using software to write stories so they can save money on writers.

Here's an excerpt generated from an article:

“Wisconsin jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in a 51-17 win over UNLV on Thursday at Camp Randall Stadium. The Badgers scored 20 points in the first quarter on a Russell Wilson touchdown pass, a Montee Ball touchdown run and a James White touchdown run. Wisconsin’s offense dominated the Rebels’ defense. The Badgers racked up 499 total yards in the game including 258 yards passing and 251 yards on the ground.”

It's seems to have all the facts most people want to know--scores, runs, yardage gained, and players. What's lacking is the human element--the voice. 

I'm not a journalist; I work with fiction writers. But in all the news stories and non-fic articles I've read over my lifetime, there's always a point of view, a human voice relaying information. It's not a listing of facts and figures--there's always a reason behind why that data is relevant to the story (STORY!).

If you want a piece of software to gather data and blurt it out in a more user-friendly way (rather than a spreadsheet or graph), than I can see how this might be useful. But as a means to tell the story of the event or process or historical moment? Not even close to the human element.

 

World Building tips

You've got a big epic fantasy with lots of cultures and nationalities from Midnight Elves to Sandbox Snifters. But the feedback you've gotten sounds like this: "Your world's a little thin." "I'm not convinced." "I'd like to see your characters inhabit your world more."

What does it mean and how can you fix it (or avoid responses like that)?

You could break your world down into components:

Culture: fashion, food, language, superstitions, traditions, music/art/literature/dance

History: past and present, ancient, who controls it (did the conquerers rewrite history)

Religion: strong, weak, evolved, many systems, none at all, rites, taboos, rituals

When you consider your cultures, be sure to flavor your entire world with your choices--link them to your characters' backgrounds, the choices they make, the food they eat, the clothes they wear. If all of your characters come from the same nation and that nation is at war with a border country, how do they feel about the war? Are they pacifists, nationalists, extremists? Why do they make these choices? Their language should reflect their beliefs, morals, and ethics (there's a great chance at creating conflict and a plot thread if people within your group disagree).

History can also heavily flavor your characters' background. If the borders have flowed back and forth over the centuries with each nation falling to the other at one point in time, there might be a prejudice against those with mixed heritages. Or maybe they are the stronger ethnicity and the "pure" bloodlines are thought to be weak and closed-minded. Perhaps there have never been wars between armies, but wars of religion with holy leaders waging a social morals war within the city. Maybe there's an ancient tradition or rite that has always been feared, but no one will call for its abolishment because it has become the social norm (and your society does not tolerate anyone who rocks the boat).

Religion can play a huge role in mythic fantasies--gods, demons, spirits, a power source. Not all of your characters should feel exactly the same about your belief system. And your system can be a background color rather than a focal plot point.

Language, superstitions, taboos can be shown in dialog, clothing (what's acceptable or not), actions (i.e. Touching palms to palms is a social flub, shows how unsophisticated you are--greetings between strangers is a light touch on the right shoulder, only; a single man between the ages of 16-30 must be escorted at all times or else be considered a predator; aristocrats of a certain pedigree must always carry a fan and a coin purse to distribute small coins to peasants or else be considered miserly and socially unsophisticated). Create anything and then have your characters act accordingly. You may think of a million things to fill your world, but only show what's relevant to your scene, your characters' point of view, and your plot.

Your novel should not be a history of your nations, but a story with a plot and characters overcoming challenges. World building just swallows the reader and thrusts them into your vision so they can smell, taste, hear, feel, and experience your worlds alongside your characters. It has to be immersive and details will help your readers envision it the way you want.

 

Friday Reads--Dragonbreath

 

What is it: An illustrated kid's book series

What's it about: Danny Dragonbreath is the sole mythical creature in a school of reptiles and amphibians who goes on all kinds of adventures.

Why I like it: Awesome artwork, hilarious writing, and snarky humor that appeals to my inner 8-year-old. And my son thinks it's hilarious that I laugh along with him at the crazy stuff that happens to Danny and his best friend, Wendell.

Wendell is a nerdy iguana who does not share the same devil-may-care attitude that Danny has, but he's dragged along on various adventures all the same. The comedy is priceless, and there's just the right balance of danger and mystery to keep the pace bumping along.

In the first book, Dragonbreath, Danny is tasked with writing a paper about the ocean. Wendell refuses to help him, so Danny goes to visit his sea-serpent cousin (Danny's family is made up of all sorts of mythological critters) who takes them to see all sorts of neat things--a coral reef, a sunken ship, the lower depths where they almost get eaten by a giant squid. 

The other books in the series are Attack of the Ninja Frogs, Curse of the Were-Wiener (my favorite so far), Lair of the Bat Monster, and No Such Thing as Ghosts.

What I didn't like: I love these books, but I had a difficult time finding the first two at any local store. I finally stumbled upon a single copy at a Barnes & Noble (maybe they're just super popular and demand is high). Be aware that they're in hardcover only and seem costly for their size (although they are entirely illustrated, but still, I wished these came in paperback and didn't cost so much).

Final thoughts: If you like quirky odd-couple repartee, adventure and snark, you might really enjoy this series.

More can be found at Ursula Vernon's website.