Posts Tagged ‘book clubs’
Making a Good Idea Great
by Katie Hines
What elements create great fiction? Oh, the usual come to mind: killer idea, great plot, rich characters, full settings, lots of research, editing, story arc, conceptualization, and so forth.
I’ve been parts of critique groups, both in person and online, and I have to say that without a doubt, it has been one of the most valuable experiences of my writing life. But the thing I have seen, more often than I care to admit, that some writers simply don’t have a good idea for their book, or even worse, write a poor good idea.
There is one lady I am thinking of who is writing a piece of historical fiction that frankly, upon reading it, I find myself yawning, my mind wandering and the words “ho hum” waft through my thinking. I wonder, “And I care about this, why?”
See, it isn’t enough to have a good idea, even a killer idea. You have to make a good idea great by transforming your reader from “ho hum” to “I can’t put this story down.” How does this happen? By transforming your writing by lifting it from the doldrums, by wrenching it from your soul, making your words count in ways that make your readers sit up and take notice.
I read a great book by Noah Lukeman called, “The First Five Pages.” He basically says if you don’t have “it” in the first five pages, this elusive “it” won’t be in the rest of the book.
As a children’s author, you have to capture that kid on the very first paragraph–the first line–if at all possible. Think outrageously! When you pick up a kid’s book, do you want to wait for page three to get fully involved?
No, of course not.
And neither does your reader. With kids especially, you have to draw them in with the very first words. If you don’t make it by the end of your first paragraph, you run the very real risk of having the reader close the book, put it away and never finish reading it.
Your first words must sparkle with character, not descriptions. They must make your reader want to read further. The first words in my middle grade book, Guardian, are, “I have a secret…” Who doesn’t want to read further, to find out what this secret is? Right there, you’ve tapped into something every kid wants to know about – a secret.
Take it from there. Make your reader sit up and take notice. Make them wonder about the secret, throw some action in, perhaps some wild event (that adds to the story). Introduce your characters, but be sure and introduce them within the context of action. See, that’s the real key for writing for children. Action, suspense, and a story that keeps unfolding and keeping them guessing. That’s the key to exciting fiction.
So if you have a good idea, make it great by anticipating what your reader wants. If you don’t know what your reader wants, then you need to go to the library and begin reading everything you can in the genre you are wanting to write in. Once you know, you can know if your story is going to meet the test, and pass it, and woo your reader through to the very last page.
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Katie Hines has been writing snippets here and there as long as she can remember. Then, in high school, she wrote several poems that were published in an anthology. Marriage and raising two children contributed to putting away writing, but she came back to it while in her 40s. Since that time, she has been a contributing feature writer and columnist for a local newspaper, has written several features articles for another area newspaper, and wrote religious and humor articles for an online Catholic ezine. Her first book, “Guardian,” is a middle grade urban fantasy and available through http://4RVpublishingllc.com , Amazon, Barnes & Noble and your local bookseller.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIA GLASS!
This week on Fodder for Fiction, we’re celebrating the birthday of one of my favorite authors, and one I consider a mentor! Happy Birthday Julia Glass!
I know Julia Glass would appreciate my focusing on an excerpt about birthday cake in honor of her special day. Happy Birthday Julia!
“The angel food cake that Ray had requested was to be a birthday cake. The birthday was Claudia’s, Ray told Greenie that afternoon, clearly pretending that this had just occurred to him. “How ‘bout with some kind of berry sauce?”
“That’s her favorite cake?” said Greenie.
“I have n o idea what the woman’s favorite cake is. Everybody likes angel food, right?”
“Maybe,” said Greenie suggestively.
Ray gave her a testy look. “I got cows to sell here.”
“How many candles?’ goaded Greenie.
Ray considered this. “don’t know as we have birthday candles on hand,” he said. “But you get McNally to fork over some sparklers from his personal munitions. And how about pink frosting? The feminine touch.” He walked out the door before she could tell him that Claudia did not look like a woman who needed or even wanted the feminine touch.
Excerpt, The Whole World Over by Julia Glass
I think she has a new book coming out in September! Stay on the look out for it. I can’t wait!
Best to you,
Lisa Lipkind Leibow
Author of Smart Women’s Fiction
www.LLLeibow.com
Happy Birthday Penelope Lively!
Happy Birthday to Penelope Lively! She’s a contemporary Booker Award and National Book Award-winning author. I love reading her work. She’s an expert in delving deep into character and in crafting beautifully written prose. To celebrate her special day, I chose an excerpt from The Photograph, one my favorites of her work. Although, I hope she celebrates with more festive affair than did her character, Glyn!
“It is Glyn’s birthday. He does not remember this until he notices the date on his newspaper. Birthdays never rated highly with Glyn. But he knows how old he is—sixty-two. This reminder of the relentless process is unwelcome. The passage of time is indeed his stock-in-trade, but when applied personally it is as though there were someone out there gleefully chuckling: You too—oh, dear me, yes, you too.
It is Saturday. He plans a weekend dealing with paperwork and ordering his thoughts on a projected article. This will be therapeutic. Glyn is in a curious state these days. He recognizes this, knows that he is not operating normally, that application requires an effort, that his mind wanders, that it is willful, that he cannot seem to control its direction. He has always been able to work; work has been the imperative, ever since he can remember. He has been able to switch into work mode under any circumstances. No, it is not like that. He stares for long minutes at the screen, he does not turn the pages of the book in his hand, or he reads without comprehension.
Kath. Her fault….” End of Excerpt, The Photograph by Penelope Lively
Join me next Wednesday for another Fodder for Fiction Author Birthday Bash!
Best to you,
Lisa Lipkind Leibow
Author of Smart Women’s Fiction
WHAT I’M READING – MARCH 2010
As I promised last month, after tackling Roots, my next read was going to be something light and funny. I read Fluke by Christopher Moore. I didn’t like it as much as Fool but it provided some good chuckles. The main character, a marine biologist searches for meaning in whale songs, discovers a subculture of odd creatures and lost-at-sea humans living inside ships-shaped-like-whales. It provided a read filled with comic and quirky characters and plenty of raunchy ridiculous humor, even if it did get a little too religiony (is that a word?) for my taste at the end. I also read a play called Betrayal by Harold Pinter. It was an interesting look non-linear story telling as it’s the story of an extramarital affair, told backwards from its ending to its beginning. I finished The Omnivore’s Dilemma, so I’m ready for my book club discussion of it next month. It made me think about what I eat in a new way. I’ll have to write a blog post in the near future on my feelings about organic and sustainable agriculture. We could have a good chat about that. Finally, I’m still listening to The The Hemings of Monticello. It’s pretty long – I have listened to about half of it and still have 13 hours left. It fills my commuting and laundry-folding time, so I’ll get through it in the next few weeks.
I’ll check back again next month to let you know what I’m reading. In the meantime, you can follow along with my progress at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/262330-lisa-s-2010-reading-goals
Have a great month of reading!
Fodder for Fiction Birthday Bash: John Irving
by Lisa Lipkind Leibow, Author of Smart Women’s Fiction
I can barely form words to express my excitement over celebrating the birthday of one of my favorite authors of all times. John Irving is the king of quirky characters. I read The Hotel New Hampshire when I was a teen, and giggled at the stinky dog named Sorrow, marveled at the odd family, and related to the familiar New England setting. I had that sweet-but-empty feeling at the last page when I don’t want a fantastic book to end. He’s the first author I ever set out to read everything he ever wrote – just for fun, not because a teacher had assigned it. To this day, when he has something new in the works, I rush out to buy it. My favorites of the bunch are The World According to Garp, A Prayer for Owen Meany, and Cider House Rules.
In honor of John Irving, I’m sharing one of my favorite first paragraph hooks, ever! And since it deals with what happens when the boys of the St. Cloud’s Orphanage are born, I thought it fitting to celebrate the birthday of John Irving, the first author I ever read who I immediately sought out everything he ever wrote. I love his quirky characters so much!
“In the hospital of the orphanage—the boys’ division at St. Cloud’s, Maine—town nurses were in charge of naming the new babies and checking htat their little penises were healing from the obligatory circumcision. In those days (in 192_), all boys born at St. Cloud’s were circumcised because the orphanage physician had experienced some difficulty in treating uncircumcised soldiers, for this and for that, in World War I. The doctor, who was also the director of the boys’ division, was not a religious man; circumcision was not a rite with him—it was a strictly medical act, performed for hygienic reasons. His name was Wilbur larch, which, except for the scent of ether that always accompanied him, reminded one of the nurses of the tough, durable wood of the coniferous tree of that name. She hated, however, the ridiculous name of Wilber, and took offense at the silliness of combining a word like Wilbur with something as substantial as a tree.” Excerpt, The Cider House Rules by John Irving.
Help me celebrate one of my favorite author’s special day by sharing something you love about his work. Check out his official site for more information about his novels, including his latest, Last Night in Twisted River. http://www.John-Irving.com
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN!
Author Birthday Bash for Toni Morrison!
This week at Fodder for Fiction I’m celebrating Toni Morrison’s birthday! Happy Birthday! To honor her, I’m sharing an excerpt from her work that made me think of how a birthday means something different to a mother than it does for a child. Enjoy!
“The good news, however, was that Halle got married and had a baby coming. She fixed on that and her own brand of preaching, having made up her mind about what to do with the heart that started beating the minute she crossed the Ohio River. And it worked out, worked out just fine, until she got proud and let herself be overwhelmed by the sight of her daughter-in-law and Halle’s children—one of whom was born on the way—and have a celebration of blackberries that put Christmas to shame. Now she stood in the garden smelling disapproval, feeling a dark and coming thing, and seeing high-topped shoes that she didn’t like the look of at all. At all.” Beloved by Toni Morrison
Show Toni Morrison some love for her special day! Tell us about your favorite Toni Morrison read!
Best to you,
Lisa Lipkind Leibow
Author of Smart Women’s Fiction
www.LLLeibow.com
COLLECTIBLES AS QUIRK AND CATALYST
Do you collect something unusual? Is it your choice to collect it or have others thrust the collection upon you. My mother once bought a creamer shaped that looked like a purple cow, and everyone decided, “Oh! You like cows!” Now, due the generosity of friends and family, her house is filled to the brim with everything cow: magnets, pictures, coffee mugs, bath towels, mooing ice cream scoops, you name it-she’s got it.
In fiction, this kind of detail adds some quirky personality to a character. But what a character collects could be more than just a telling detail or character trait. Consider the following recount of the life of my personal collection of salt and pepper shakers, started when I was a little girl, it gave me something to search for as souvenirs and something special for my parents and friends to give as gifts.
Over the years, my collection of salt and pepper shakers grew. It included a zoo of animals, including trout, horses, monkeys, pigs, and even a kangaroo salt shaker whose Joey pepper shaker sat in her pouch. Toast and a toaster lined up next to replicas of landmarks like the Washington Monument, gardens of tiny, porcelain shakers of ears of corn, apples, and carrots. My collection was a sight to behold. I carried it with me from my childhood home, to dorm rooms, an apartment, and two houses. Finally, I displayed it on a mantle shelf hung above the kitchen sink. I loved admiring the shakers each day.
One day, I arrived home from work to the sound of running water. I walked into the kitchen to find that the shelf had fallen and hit the faucet turning it on, and worse, had left my cherished collection of salt and pepper shakers in shards all over the floor and counter. Ugh… I felt as if part of my childhood had been shattered along with my collection. I salvaged a few shakers. And, my mother – a very artistic and wonderful woman – took some of the broken pieces and glued them as a mosaic on a bulletin board frame, so I have the memory of my collection. However, I cannot bring myself to start anew.
If this were fiction, the build up and loss of this collection might be symbolic of the loss of innocence. Or, it might end up a catalyst to set the protagonist into action, sending him on a quest to find replacements, to seek revenge against whoever might have caused the shelf to fall, or to invent better wall anchors. It might also be an event that foreshadows disaster on a larger scale.
Use your imagination!
I’d love to hear about what you collect – be it stamps, beanie babies, antiques, or art! Share it here. It’s fodder for fiction.
Best to you,
Lisa Lipkind Leibow
Author of Smart Women’s Fiction
www.LLLeibow.com
WHAT I’M READING
This month, so far, I have read Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, You Are Not A Stranger Here by Adam Haslet, Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, and Portrait Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. I’m in the middle of The Omnivore’s Dilemma — My Book Club chooses a non-fiction every once in a while.
As I mentioned in my New Year’s Resolutions for 2010, I hope to read at least 50 books in 2010. So far so good!
Share with me what you’ve read recently. Recommend a favorite. Let me know what’s on your to be read shelf.
Fodder for Fiction Author Birthday Bash: JACK LONDON (January 12)
This week on the Fodder for Fiction Author Birthday Bash, we’re celebrating the birthday of Jack London (1876-1916). Spending the winter of 1897 in the Yukon provided the fodder for his first fiction in 1899. From then on, he produced over fifty volumes of stories, novels, and essays. His most famous novel is The Call of the Wild (1903). London’s passage (1907-09) across the Pacific in a small boat provided more fodder for fiction about Polynesian and Melanesian cultures. London’s writing on the subject helped to break the taboo over leprosy and popularized Hawaii as a tourist spot.
London wrote during a time when a new movie industry was born. And he was among the first novelists to see a number of his work made into films.
To celebrate the birthday of the great Jack London, I’ve chosen two quotes attributed to the him that attest to his way with words when it comes to the idea of aging and the fleeting nature of live.
“Darn the wheel of the world! Why must it continually turn over? Where is the reverse gear?” Jack London
“I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.” Jack London
Happy Birthday, Jack!
Until tomorrow, best to you,
Lisa Lipkind Leibow
Author of Smart Women’s Fiction
www.LLLeibow.com
Beneath the Surface of the Long Island Sound: How a (Once-hated) Body of Water Gave My Novel Depth
I. The Seventies
At age eleven, years away from reading The Great Gatsby, I associate the Long Island Sound not with the glamorous Jazz Age parties at its shore or the green light of Daisy Buchanan’s dock, but with these three things:
- Beginners, the level of Instructional Swim at Camp Pine Tree from which I will never in four summers graduate. Among the requirements for moving up to Advanced Beginners is swimming the crawl to a counselor while keeping oneself parallel to shore. “Crawl,” alas, turns out to be an apt name for my rendition of this stroke, as I end up beached, sand scraping into my bathing suit and hands and knees, the tide pushing me to shore as I stroke (flail) and kick (splash) with my eyes squeezed shut against the burn of brackish water.
- Jellyfish, the supposedly “harmless” type known as Moons that look and feel like congealed Vaseline when I’m fishing them out of my bathing suit and hair (along with several pounds of sand) after beaching myself.
- “Creeping Crud,” a parasite/fungus/rash/myth that counselors at Camp Pine Tree swear campers will catch if they do not shower thoroughly after Instructional Swim–whether or not there is hot water and whether or not someone has stolen my Suave Green Apple shampoo. Though I never actually observe anyone afflicted with Crud, I am certain of its existence, convinced it will turn me into a leper should I not adequately scrub the Sound off me.
Because after summer number four I stop going to sleepaway camp (instead attempting to learn to swim at day camps with clean, still pools–where I still don’t pass Beginners), and because my home is not near the Sound, I don’t think about it for years. Until…
II. The Eighties
When I read The Great Gatsby in high school, I don’t recognize the Long Island Sound that Fitzgerald describes. Fitzgerald’s Sound is safe, still, even “stagnant in the heat,” a small boat “crawling slowly” across it. Gatsby’s guests swim in it at night and dive into it from his dock during the day, none of them plagued by jellyfish or errant tides.
It is a romantic place, a site of longing, a body of water across which Gatsby stares at the green light on Daisy’s dock. It is a place for contemplation; Nick Carraway sits on its shore after Gatsby’s death, looking out at it and thinking about metaphorical currents–not real ones that drag sand into bathing suits–that keep us from escaping our pasts.
I decide I must have misremembered something. Maybe everything. Nobody in Gatsby catches Crud.
III. The Nineties
Years after high school, having read Gatsby several more times, I find myself working as a teacher on the North Shore of Long Island, the setting for Fitzgerald’s novel. I give little thought at all to The Sound, though it’s right there. It is but backdrop–the place where land is not. From the window of a car or a waterfront restaurant, it is scenery. Crud-less scenery. From a window, it looks still.
IV. The Aughts
I am living three thousand miles away from the Sound when I decide to set a novel on its shore, in a fictional third “Egg” that Fitzgerald hadn’t mentioned. Because the Sound is backdrop for my characters, as it was for me a decade earlier, I’m only concerned with what it looks like from shore. My characters sit near it, talk near it, look out at it. It is like scenery in an elementary school play. I decide the problem–the flatness–comes from not having seen it for myself for so long.
To remedy this, during a trip east, I take my camera (and my then-two-year-old daughter) to The Sound, convinced that if I can just describe the view better, the sense of place in those scenes will come alive. As I’m shooting photos of the water and gulls landing on pilings, and views, my daughter keeps bending to touch things washed up onto the sand: leaves of bright green seaweed, tufts of something maroon that looks like hair, mussel shells, a horseshoe crab carapace.
Which is when I realize I’m taking pictures of the wrong things. I’ve been writing about the wrong Sound. This Sound beaches things. This Sound contains an entire world I know nothing about.
When I begin researching it, I learn that there are indeed currents and tides. I learn that it’s an estuary–a place teeming with life, an intersection of salt water and fresh. For the first time since I was eleven, I think about what is beneath this water’s surface.
I change scenes to let my characters interact with The Sound instead of just look at it. I let it nearly drown one of them. And finally, it graduates from backdrop to symbol: like many of the characters in my novel, its surface belies what exists below.
(P.S. — In case you were wondering, my research turns up nothing about Crud. Nothing.)
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Bio: Tanya Egan Gibson is the author of How to Buy a Love of Reading (May 2009 – Dutton), a novel about a nouveau riche parents who address their teenage daughter’s professed hatred of books (and the possibility that their community thinks their family “anti-intellectual”) by commissioning a book to be written just for her, moving its author into their mansion, and dubbing themselves “the Medicis of Long Island.” Tanya lives with her husband and two young children in the San Francisco Bay Area. She would love you to visit her website, http://www.howtobuyaloveofreading.com/, and share a story about how reading changed–or even saved–your life.