JFM - A Novel Approach

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...