JFM - A Novel Approach

DAY 128 - 26/8/5 - Modern stories teach , but audiences are not meant to learn . If they do learn, it would ruin the story's moral. To understand what modern stories have become, let's consider what classic stories used to be. The most famous kind of story is the Hero's Journey. This well-known plot structure shows up in all kinds of media—anywhere that a young kid needs to vanquish evil by gaining power and making friends. These stories are about characters such as Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, Peter Parker, Frodo Baggins, and King Arthur.  The reason the Hero's Journey is so prevalent in stories about young people is because the Hero's Journey is essentially about learning . The characters in these stories must learn new skills, technologies, or spiritual enlightenments to achieve their goals.  Science fiction and fantasy novelist Brandon Sanderson describes the Hero's Journey as always being  "about learning and obtaining things that characters need, bu...

DAY 120 - 26/30/4 - Pacing is crucial but often overlooked. Audiences don't tend to notice when a story matches its pace, but they might notice if it clashes—the finale wraps up too fast; the comedy relief drags. Great pacing can prevent "slow" moments, even in the longest stories. When I wrote plays, pacing was a matter of dialogue. Scenes were as long as it took performers to say their lines.  Once they finished, the lights went out, and the next scene began. After ten scenes, the play ended. If we finished in under an hour and a half, our pacing was great.  But books aren't like that. They can stretch and contract, making a minute last a chapter or a life fit in five pages. Plus, readers go through books in their own time. They don't have to leave the auditorium before ten o'clock. They can start, stop, and pick up again as they please.  This raised three questions for my book: How long should my story's scenes be? How long should I take to write them? ...

DAY 110 - 26/20/4 - My fingers flashed as I typed through my novel's fourth chapter. I hit the keys in rapid succession. But then, I froze. My thumbs twiddled, like a nervous school kid's. I couldn't type any further, because a peculiar thought entered my mind. "Should I even be writing about her bosom?" It's not as if I've never written a female character.  I've written several for my theatrical plays. They were  designed through stage direction, costuming and dialogue—all of which are external features. Because of this, I never worried too much about getting my characters exactly right. I knew they would ultimately be portrayed by  an actress. She would bring her own mannerisms and physicality to the role.  But this would not be the case with my novel. A performer wasn't going to pop out of the page. I t was up to me to create a whole person, with habits, shape, and thoughts. How am I supposed to know what a woman is thinking? Of all the puzzles ...

DAY 105 - 26/15/4 - I have a Newsletter! And yet, less than a month ago I didn't know what a newsletter was. For those who don't know, a newsletter is an ongoing digital publication where creators discuss upcoming projects. They also talk about future events they plan on attending, as well as other fun things in their life. Newsletters are a great way for creators to reach their audience. The format allows for immediate reader response, because subscribers receive the newsletter as an email. They can reply and comment. What's the difference between my Newsletter and this Blog? My newsletter is dedicated to building anticipation for my novel. It will showcase details about the setting and characters, and it will also feature story recommendations with similar themes and ideas. In my most recent publication, I shared a brief summary of my story's plot as well as a hint at its three main characters. The newsletter will be released on a monthly basis. Subscribers will have ...

DAY 096 - 26/6/4 - Nearly a month ago, I came upon this question, "What five books inspired your writing?" It's taken a while, but I have written my answer up to the  fourth novel . Now, it's time to discuss the fifth and final... #5 - This Present Darkness - Frank Peretti When I read This Present Darkness , the world was a mess—the kind you couldn't avoid by switching off the news. Governments were in upheaval and local churches were pushing the Bible aside to look more friendly and less bigoted. Life was hard and people were dumb. That's why I developed a fascination for superheroes. I wanted stories where good won and evil was put in time-out. The hero I admired the most was Superman. I read his comics. I watched all his movies. I even found his television serial from the 1950s. I was happy as long as I could read Superman. During that time, I came across some old church videos. They were led by this quirky fellow, named Frank Peretti. He gave high energy s...

DAY 084 - 26/25/3 - Not long ago I came upon the question, "What five books inspired your writing?" I have since explained the details of the third novel , so it's time to discuss the fourth. That honor goes to  S. Morgenstern's classic tale of true love and high adventure, better known as... #4 - The Princess Bride - William Goldman I sat in English class with my finished midterm on my desk. My teacher asked if I had any studying I could do. I told her this midterm was my last. So, she let me go to the library on one condition; that I take a Doctor Who personality test.* While I was there, reclining in one of the aisles, I saw a big green book. The spine was covered with stickers, so I pulled it out to look at the title. It was The Princess Bride . I was astounded. I didn't know it was a book. I thought it was just a wonderful film. My sister saw it first and then she recommended that Grandma watch it. Grandma loved it and bought the VHS. Then, she showed it to ...