Writing Craft | Crystal Caudill

How do you plan a book’s storyline?

Crystal Caudill — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 12:00:33 +0000

As I’m still trying to read through my book for the challenge, I’m going to post another answer to one of the questions a local 8th grader posed to me during her “Ask an Expert” project. As a reader, I thought you might find it fascinating, and if a writer, I thought it might be helpful. So here’s this month’s question:

How do you decide how to form the book? Notes, pre-made plans, etc?

In the writing world, we have two classifications (technically three) of writers. Plotters, pantsers, and what I like to call plansters.

Plotters are the people who plan out every event that is going to happen in their book before they write it. They look at the structure of story, and determine what needs to happen when. Some do high-level plotting and just look at major turning points in the story. Others go down to the nitty-gritty of what will happen in every scene of the book.

Pantsers are those who sit down and write without anything more than a general idea in their head. They see where the story takes them, which can mean lots of revisions and edits as they get rid of rabbit trails or dead ends from the book. These writers tend to have a natural feel of story, and I really recommend new writers don’t just sit down and write. Try to think through the story and plot things out so that you can learn to understand the important elements of Story and when they happen. I spent two or three years studying story structure and plotting things out before I discovered that plotting wasn’t how my brain worked.

Plansters is a category name of my own making . We are the rogue black sheep of the writing world. We want to be plotters, but our characters just won’t allow us. I’ve discovered I cannot plan out an entire book even on a high level without my characters taking over, laughing in my face, and taking the story in a different direction than I expected. What I have discovered is I can do a high-level plan of where I need my characters to be in the next 1/4 to 1/3 of the story.

For right now, I’m shooting for my hero to join the board of a house of refuge where possible counterfeiting may be taking place so he can investigate the institution. However, I only have general ideas of what is going to happen to get him there or the order of those general ideas. So as a Planster, I am working toward that goal, but often sit down with no idea of what is going to happen in the scene I am writing until it ends up in words in front of me. This makes for slower writing, but I enjoy it.

All writers do brainstorm though. Before I sit down to write or plan, I’ll think through: What are the possibilities of this chapter? What are the promises to the reader that I need to fulfill? Are there clues I need to drop? What problems need to happen? What is expected in this chapter? What would be unexpected? I don’t always do it, but when stumped, I’ll write down every single idea that comes to my head, whether ridiculous or not and push until I have no other ideas. Then I look back at my list for anything that might be unexpected and would push my story forward in a fun and exciting way. I also do a lot of brainstorming with other writers. They help to push me to think of things in ways I never would have before. They help my stories to become better.

One thing to note is NO writer is the same. Every writer is going to develop their own methods and comfort zones for developing Story. It might even change with every story they write. If you are a new writer, spend some time studying writing craft and trying to plot out the various parts of your story. If you want to know more about story structure, I have a few posts on that on my Writing Resources Page under Story Structure.

Now, I’m off to let my characters look at my plan, laugh at me, and then go their own direction while I follow behind trying to make sense of their actions. At least every day writing is an adventure!

What questions do you have about writing and the writing process? Maybe your question will end up as a post. 🙂

What do I do after I write “The End?”

Crystal Caudill — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 19:08:51 +0000

Two of the most important things to realize as a writer are 1) Your first draft is going to be awful. That is what edits and revisions are for. 2) You need the help of others to push your story to become better than it would be on your own. This involves friends to brainstorm with, critique partners who read your work, and making suggestions on anything from storyline to sentence structure and grammar. Each critique partner will have different strengths. I’m really good at looking at the big picture and tightening up fight scenes. One critique partner is really good at helping me cut out unnecessary words. Another is super amazing at grammar and punctuation. Even when we’ve gotten it the absolute best we can make it , I send it on to a professional editor who takes it through everything from big-picture revisions to word-by-word edits. My book has passed through at least a dozen people’s eyes before ever going to publication, and even then, typos will happen. No book is ever going to be perfect, but you have to get it to the best you can, and then let someone on the outside look at it and help you push it to something even better than you could do on your own. Writing is both a solitary and team sport.

Another thing you should know is there is a difference between revising and editing. Revisions are where you are looking at the big picture of the story. You are making sure that it fits story structure, the story makes sense, the characters are behaving in a believable way, your facts are correct, and that your story is engaging. Edits are were you zoom in and look a little closer. Is your sentence structure the best it could be? Are there better words you could use? Should this paragraph go somewhere else? Do you need to delete this part and expand on this part? Is your grammar and punctuation correct? There are all sorts of levels and nuances to this, but this is just the big picture look at what happens after you finish a rough draft.

When you finish your rough draft for the first time, I recommend setting it aside for a week (or really a month) or more if possible. Giving yourself some distance from your story will allow you to see things you wouldn’t have seen before.

Another important thing in writing books is realize you are never done learning. Good writers are constantly studying writing craft books, taking classes and workshops to improve themselves, and allowing others to sharpen them into better writers. This is a HUGE thing, honestly in whatever career you pursue. Learning is neverending. If you want a list of writing craft books, I can provide those.

One last bit of information that is important when writing a book: Remember, your story will not be liked by everyone. It’s going to hurt when someone doesn’t like it–maybe even hates it–but the important thing to remember is everyone has different tastes.

How do you decide settings, character names, and book titles?

Crystal Caudill — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 19:04:19 +0000

How do you decide the setting?

When choosing a setting you want to make sure it’s a location that makes it so if your story were set anywhere else, it wouldn’t work the same way. For example, in my book coming out in early 2022, my setting is set in Cincinnati during the flood of 1884. Without that flood, the climax of my story couldn’t happen. If I moved it to another time and location, my story would change.

The best advice I ever heard was to consider your setting a character. Your setting is going to influence your story, and you get to decide how. Think about how your story would be different if it were to take place in Winter instead of Summer, in a big city versus a small town. Figure out what your elements need to be, and pick the setting that will best support those needs and impact your characters.

How do you pick the main character’s name?

There are lots of ways I do this. Since I write historical, I look up the census records for the time period and region that I want to write in and sometimes pick from there. Sometimes a name just comes to me. Sometimes I look up the meanings of a name and have it connect to my character in a special way. Sometimes I just want to be humorous. For example, in my current story, I have a character who is murdered off screen very early in the story. I named him Mr. Farwell because it’s close to Farewell. Corny, but I get a chuckle out of it. 🙂 I also take into consideration the characters nationality, family heritage, and names that were common when they would have been born.

How do you pick a book name?

For books, I try to look for a theme, or even a single line that really resonates with the book. For my first book, Counterfeit Love, I (and thankfully my publisher) chose the title because counterfeit had multiple meanings to the story. Money, reasons for marriage, and where love comes from were all being counterfeited. Love was the main thing being counterfeited, so that is what we stuck with. The subsequent books are Counterfeit Hope and Counterfeit Faith. All these tie in with the theme and lessons of the book. Sometimes names, especially with cozy mysteries, have cutesy, whimsical, or even funny names. Search cozy mysteries on Amazon and you’ll get all sorts of funny, cheesy titles. You want to take into consideration your genre as well. If suspense, you want to have words that hint at suspense. Same with mystery, romance, and comdey.

Where do I start my story?

Crystal Caudill — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 19:03:25 +0000

Hi friends! I’m continuing my series, Ask the Author. Feel free to send your questions through the contact form and yours might end up on my blog. Don’t forget to check out my questions for you at the end.

Where do I start my story?

I always end up writing more than I keep. Usually what happens is I write in a lot of unnecessary background, about a chapter or two, so that I have a chance to get to know my characters and the storyline a little more intimately. However, when I go back to edit, I have to ask myself where does the story actually begin? Where is it that my main character faces the incident that is going to send them on their “quest” to achieve their goal? In a mystery, you usually start with the crime happening or having just happened off-screen. Oftentimes, you start the story as the amateur sleuths are about to discover the crime has occurred. In a romance, it is often around the first time the characters meet, or if they already know each other, during the something that proceeds them being forced to be together more often than they would have been otherwise.

When you start with too much background information, that is called an info dump. As a writer, we are told by those older and wiser than us that readers need that background information sprinkled in throughout the story. Readers are invested when they have questions they want to be answered. The character screams when she sees a picture of a snake. The reader might wonder, why is the main character deathly afraid of snakes? Later on, they find out an incident where someone dropped a pet snake on her that bit her… maybe even the hero if they were friends or enemies early on when they were kids. It all depends on how you want to build your story out and how you want the character to change over the course of the story.

Bottom line is, don’t be afraid to delete words from your story. Sometimes you need to write it just for the sake of you as the author. Once you have that solid in your head, you can reevaluate your story for where the READER needs you to start your story. If it makes you feel better, you can cut and paste those lost words into a separate document labeled deleted scenes or scenes to use later. You may never look at those words again, but you will always have them. I promise you, a lot more writers than you think do this. Many of has have files and files of such documents.

Writing Craft: Finding Your Author Voice

Crystal Caudill — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 13:00:38 +0000

Voice seems to be one of those elusive things I have encountered as an aspiring author. What is it? How do you know what your voice is? How do you know if it is unique? Until recently, I just avoided the whole issue because it seemed so convoluted.

But the day must come when we chase down that elusive concept in order to fully develop into who we are. So here it is, wrong or right, my own view and explanation of voice.

Author Voice:

An author’s voice is not one tangible element in a novel, it is the culmination of all the flavors an author brings to their writing. From genre choice, to settings, typical characters, humor, to even word choice – it all goes to develop a unique voice.

Take a look at this picture:

What story comes to your mind?

My first thought was a woman lying in bed, fumbling for a shoe to throw at the cat that never stops meowing out her window. Typical image? Yes, but give me time and I will develop it into a storyline that is unique. What if she killed the cat by accident? And what if it was her neighbor’s prize winner? Or even better, there was a note attached to it revealing a danger no one could have foreseen. Oh, so many ideas are skittering through my mind…

Maybe your first thought was a mystery, a ghost story, or something altogether different. Your author voice can change depending on your genre choice, and most of us tend to pick a particular genre and stick to it.

Three Examples:

Mary Connealy has a voice I love. She has humor focused on the cowboy days of the west. Her females are almost always strong, independent women with quirky ways. Her characters are always unique and at odds with each other. Whenever I pick up one of her books I know there will be an element of danger, sweet romance, a splash of humor, a cowboy setting, and characters that make me smile.

Jen Turano is another author with a unique voice. Whenever I pick up one of her books, I know they are going to take place in a city setting, with characters who are oddball in some way, danger will ensue, and hilarity prevails. When I need a good laugh, I turn to her or Karen Witemeyer.

My friend and critique partner, Joanna Davidson Politano, will be releasing her debut novel in October. While I won’t share details of her story now (you will have to wait until next month) Joanna has a voice that makes me swoon. Whenever I read her submissions, I know I will step into a Regency world clouded with mystery. Her books read like a mix of Bronte, Daphne Du Maurier, and Dickens. To read her work is to float through a world that entrances and intrigues, and I absolutely cannot wait for you to read her books!(Okay, swooning over.)

Bottom line, your voice is what a reader can expect to find when they pick up your book.

Finding Your Voice

Evaluate your writing. Do you notice certain trends? Are your stories dialogue heavy? Witty? Detail oriented? Do you add humor to your work? A little? A lot? Do you have odd ball characters? Do you choose a particular type of hero?

What settings do you tend to choose? Cities, the country, a particular region? Are they darker, brighter? Winter, Summer, Autumn, Spring? That can change with each book, but if you notice a particular trend, that just may be part of your voice.

Is your writing very formulaic or is it organic? Susie May Warren is very formulaic in her writing. She works in twenty chapter patterns and has a plan of what has to happen in each segment of her story. For others, there is no discernable pattern beyond the standard three-act plot.

By evaluating your writing, you can determine your strengths and weaknesses, elements that you want to refine and improve upon, maybe even elements you want to weed out of your writing altogether.

My voice is still developing, but I have decided that my voice includes a few elements: Danger and murder plots, women who are independent but get into lots of trouble, heroes who generally fall into the law enforcement category, clear villains, a splash of humor (although nowhere near the amount I thought I would have), and broken families. Forgiveness, redemption, and family are strong threads in what my stories encompass. Do I have a lot of work left? You betcha! Is my voice completely clear and finished? Nope, but I am working on it.

Now it is your turn to share. Comment below.

What do you want a reader to expect when they pick up your books? Have you discovered your own voice? Do you agree or disagree with my view of author voice? What would you add to this?

WCW: Creating Well-Rounded Characters – Dark Moment Stories

Crystal Caudill — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 01:13:30 +0000

Characters are more than just the sum of their actions. In the previous weeks, I discussed character archetypes and negative/positive personality traits, but all of these really just boil down to actions. So what more do you need to create a living, breathing, well-rounded character?

To give your characters the breath of life, you need to give them a past full of good and bad experiences, even though their full back story will never be revealed to the reader. Susie May Warren does a fantastic job of explaining how she does this in her book The Story Equation (SEQ), and I highly recommend getting it. For the meantime, here is the basic process derived from her SEQ.

Developing Character History

Your character is who they are when they walk on the page due to their histories. As an author, it would be impossible create a comprehensive life story for your character from birth to the time they walk on the page. Many of those details are not important.

The important details of our lives are those life-altering parts. Those moments in time that end up wounding you, burying a lie deep into your heart, and creating fears. Susie May Warren calls these Dark Moment Stories.

Dark Moment Stories

These dark moment stories aren’t as vague as “my parents divorced.” As bad as divorce is, moments within the divorce will be what really shaped the experience of your character. They are the stories that can be retold in detail to another character.

For example, take a story of a four-year-old boy whose father walked out on him. That memory is so painful, so poignant it becomes immortalized in the mind, twisting and growing roots down to the soul.

He can remember his Dad loading up the car, ignoring the son as he followed behind asking questions.

“Daddy, where are you going?”

“Can I go, Daddy?”

“Why is Mommy crying?”

“Can I help?”

Then it happened. Dad closed the door, separating the boy from him forever. The boy runs to the window and watches as the car putters off into the distance without one backward glance from the driver.

Imagine the wound developed by that. What fears would develop from that experience? The fear of abandonment. The fear of being unworthy. The fear of being out of control.

Lies will develop from this experience. I’ll never be good enough. I am unlovable. I can’t trust people. People I love will always end up leaving.

These lies and fears developed from the wound determine the actions of our characters and make them believable. The wounding story is what makes us sympathize the character and even connect with the character. You don’t have to have your father abandon you to understand the feeling of abandonment.

Bringing your characters to life means giving them experiences that readers can connect to and identify with. Give them experiences that define who they are at the beginning, but are overcome and redefined at the end.

Exercise Your Brain

This week, come up with your own dark moment story for a character (or use a real experience, we’ll never know!). Then tell us the possible lies and fears developed from that dark moment story. Come back and encourage one another and comment on the different stories.

WCW: Crafting the Perfect Chapter – It’s Elementary, My Dears

Crystal Caudill — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 14:30:56 +0000

*This is an expanded edition of my guest blog post to Southern Writer’s Magazine on December 14, 2016.

Crafting the Perfect Chapter – It’s Elementary, My Dears

Before becoming a stay-at-home-mom, I taught fifth-grade students to analyze writing. I hadn’t given much thought to applying what I taught to my own writing until I substitute taught a fifth-grade reading class. That day, I discovered a crucial concept for every fiction writer.

Students all over the country are forced summarize every chapter they read by looking for these key things: Somebody… wants… but… so… then…

We, as writers, need to zero in on every chapter we write to make sure we can answer: Somebody… wants…. but…. so… then…

How do we do this? It’s elementary, my dears.

To illustrate this concept, I will use chapter eight of George Washington’s Socks. I will assume most my readers have not had the enjoyment of reading this children’s novel, so I will just give a very brief introduction to the story.

George Washington’s Socks

A mysterious rowboat transports five adventurous kids back in time to the eve of the Battle at Trenton where they experience the American Revolution. Through encounters with Hessian soldiers, revolutionaries, and even George Washington himself, Matthew, Quentin, Hooter, Tony, and Katie watch history unfold before their eyes as they see first-hand, the grim realities of war and the cost of freedom.

– Amazon.com Blurb

Somebody… wants… but… so… then…

Let’s break it down:

Somebody…

Who is the central focus of this chapter? This can be one or two characters if you are splitting your story between points of view, but even if there are multiple points of view, a chapter is generally about one person. Who would students identify as the main character for your chapter?

In George Washington’s Socks there are five focus characters, however, chapter eight focuses solely on the perspective of Matt.

Wants…

This is the goal of the main character for this chapter only. What is it that the character wants to accomplish in this small timeframe? More often than not it is a small goal that builds into something bigger.

For Matt, his initial goal in the chapter was to return General Washington’s cape.

But…

No story is engaging without conflict, and neither is a chapter. What obstacle does the character face? It can be internal or external in nature, but it needs to be plausible and, if at all possible, unforeseen.

Matt’s challenge comes in the form of a captain who believes Matt is a rebel soldier.

So…

This is the reaction to the conflict. What does the character do? What does he/she think? Do they change their goal? What about the supporting characters? How do they respond to the conflict, and how does their response affect the main character?

Matt changes his goal. He goes from wanting to return General Washington’s cape to retreating to the safety of the boat.

Then…

This is where a consequence occurs or an additional problem is added to the plot. There could be a hint to the subplot, or a difficult obstacle the character must face, or it could leave the reader with a cliffhanger. Whichever course you choose, the “then” is used as a hook for the next chapter.

Matt’s chapter doesn’t end with him being forced into battle. His “then” is the fatal injury of the only man who can get Matt home.

Combine all the elements and you get:

Matt wanted to return General Washington’s cape but a Captain thought he was a rebel soldier trying to desert, so Matt tries to return to the boat. Then, as Matt is being forced into battle, the only man who can get Matt and his friends home suffers a fatal injury.

Somebody… wants… but… so… then… is a quick, easy summary that drives to the heart of a chapter. Do each of your chapters contain these elements? Could you summarize them in this way?

Even scarier…. could a fifth-grader?

I challenge you to share one of your chapters in this way, and just so I am being fair, here’s my example from chapter one.

Kessara wants to pay off her grandfather’s debt, but she doesn’t want him to find out she had to save the family name again, so she goes to the cemetery at midnight to retrieve her secret stash of money. Then as she is returning to the carriage she stumbles upon a clandestine meeting between two criminals who spot her.

What do you think? How would you break down one of your chapters?

Writing Craft Wednesday: The Story Equation

Crystal Caudill — Wed, 02 Nov 2016 13:36:43 +0000

Have you struggled with flat characters? Difficult to plot stories? A lack of knowledge on how to correct these issues?

Oh my! I must admit I fall very solidly in this category. After the ACFW Conference, I realized just how much of a beginner I am. It feels like I have scrapped my story for the umpteenth time, but this time I have a solid plan.

One of the many benefits of attending the conference was connecting with Susan May Warren, a wonderful author and teacher. She has created this wonderful online community that is lesson based. It does require a membership, but the investment has been definitely worth the cost so far.

Due to the fact I do pay a membership, I have been hesitant to share what I have learned. I would not wish to break any copyright laws nor infringe on what Susie has spent so much time creating.

But lucky for you, one of the most helpful sets of lessons has recently been transcribed into a book that, even with access to the courses, I have added to my library of resources.

The Story Equation: How to Plot & Write a Brilliant Story From One Powerful Question by Susan May Warren

Susie’s wonderful method is based on developing your POV characters from the inside out. I will not steal her thunder, for the information is not mine to share, but I will say this has become my new favorite method to work my story.

It is organic and naturally encourages great depth. The plot, theme, and premise developed around my characters with surprising results. My story already feels stronger with the use of the Story Equation (SEQ).

I will not lie. As a beginner, I have spent many hours doing the courses, redoing them, and reading the book over and over again, working my characters as I did so. My characters are finally (mostly) solid and I am working on developing my major plot points.

The Kindle Edition of the book costs only $6.99. Let me tell you, this is an AMAZING price for an invaluable book. It is a quick and easy read, and easy to apply. If you can afford a monthly membership to her community, The Novel Academy, I would HIGHLY recommend that as well.

Below is the book blurb from Amazon. If you have any questions or experiences with the SEQ or Novel Academy, please comment below. I am so excited to share this resource with you!

“Discover The Story Equation!

One question can unlock your entire story! Are you struggling to build a riveting plot? Layered characters? How about fortify that saggy middle? Create that powerful ending?

You can build an entire book by asking one powerful question, and then plugging it into an “equation” that makes your plot and characters come to life. You’ll learn how to build the external and internal journey of your characters, create a theme, build story and scene tension, create the character change journey and even pitch and market your story. All with one amazing question.

Learn:

The amazing trick to creating unforgettable, compelling characters that epic movies use!

How to create riveting tension to keep the story driving from chapter to chapter

The easy solution to plotting the middle of your novel

The one element every story needs to keep a reader up all night

How to craft an ending that makes your reader say to their friends, “Oh, you have to read this book!”

Using the powerful technique that has created over fifty RITA, Christy and Carol award-winning, best-selling novels, Susan May Warren will show novelists how to utilize The Story Equation to create the best story they’ve ever written.”

– Blurb from Amazon

Writing Craft Wednesday: Michael Hauge’s 6 Stage Story Structure

Crystal Caudill — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 13:16:25 +0000

In my search for the perfect story structure and plotting, I have read many books and continue to do so. However, so far, Michael Hauge’s 6 Stage Story Structure has been my favorite. I love his linear, clear-cut structure.

Mr. Hauge’s structure is centered around script writing and is very formulaic. Although the percentages are more a reference to script writing, they can be loosely used for novel writing.

Stage 1 – Setup or “Everyday Life” (0%-10%)

Outer Journey

Introduce your hero in their everyday world
Create identification with 2 or more of the following:
- sympathy
- put them in jeopardy
- make them likable
- make the hero funny
- make them powerful

Inner Journey

The hero exists completely in their identity.
- Their identity may be centered on what they do, their religion, or how they want others to see them.
- Their identity is what protects their core essence. (People pleaser vs “I am fine the way I am.”)

Turning Point 1 – Presented with an Opportunity (10% marker)

Outer Journey

Creates in the hero a desire to move into a new situation, something new
This is not the desire for the true endpoint.

Inner Journey

Hero gets a glimpse of what it would be like to live in their essence
They refuse the call to change

Stage 2 – New Situation (10% – 25%)

Outer Journey

The adjustment
- What are the new rules?
- How can I get along?
Usually, hero believes it will be easy.

Inner Journey

Hero gets a glimpse of what it would be like to live in their essence.
Reject living in their essence.

Turning Point 2 – Change of Plans (25% marker)

Outer Journey

The visible end goal is established.
The character realizes, “No, I have to do this.”

Inner Journey

A foot in who their initial identity is and a foot in who they really are – their essence.
- They struggle back and forth with who they are and what they were.

Stage 3 – Progress (25% – 50%)

Outer Journey

The plan seems to be working.
There must be conflict, but the obstacles are avoided, overcome, delayed, or by-passed.

Inner Journey

They are still straddling the fence of their essence and identity.

Turning Point 3 – The Point of No Return (50%)

Outer Journey

When the hero is closer to the goal than the start, and they have become so committed they burn their bridges, making it impossible to turn back.
The hero’s life as he knew it is over.

Inner Journey

Their identity is stripped away.
They realize their essence and begin pursuing it.

Stage 4 – Complications and Higher Stakes (50% – 75%)

Outer Journey

It is more difficult to accomplish the goal, but also more important to accomplish.
They have more to lose.

Inner Journey

They continue pursuing who they really are.

Turning Point 4 – The Major Setback (75%)

Outer Journey

The reader has the sense that all is lost.
The plan they had is out the window but they can’t turn back.
They must make one last push or die while trying.

Inner journey

The hero has fully committed to living in their essence but now the outside world starts coming in and frightening them.
The hero retreats back into their identity. They run away from who they are.

Stage 5 -The Last Push (75% to ?)

Outer Journey

Do it or die while trying.
Everything is put on the line.

Inner Journey

They realize they don’t like who they were anymore. They have had a taste of who they truly are and they have to go after it.
They have to find their destiny, even if it means risking everything to get what they want.

Turning Point 5 – Climax (% Depends)

Outer Journey

All the problems are resolved.
- The hero can fail, succeed, or change their mind.
The length of the climax depends on how many problems you have to resolve.

Inner Journey

The moment they fully realize who they are.

Stage 6 – The Aftermath

Outer Journey

Responding the climax emotionally.
The wedding, reconciliation, etc.

Inner Journey

The hero is going to live their new life as they truly are.

Interested in examples and learning more about either Mr. Hauge’s structure or the hero’s journey? I highly recommend buying the audible recording of his and Chris Vogular’s presentations. It is worth every penny. I have listened to it half a dozen times already and plan on listening again as I drive to Nashville for the ACFW Conference next week.

Michael Hauge’s website also does a great job showing examples.

Tell me what you think about this plotting format? Does it make sense to you? Are there any movies or books you can identify with this plot structure?

Writing Craft Wednesday:Writing in the Male POV – Part 2

Crystal Caudill — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 13:00:01 +0000

Fitzwilliam Darcy

Thor

Two great swoon-worthy heroes, and who doesn’t love a swoon-worthy hero? As a writer, I strive to make my heroes the type that makes you swoon despite their flaws.

After learning the devastating truth, that my hero was a girly-man, I sought out to learn how to better craft the male POV in my writing. This sent me on a hunt through dozens of articles written by men, women, published authors, and editors to discover what makes a realistic male POV.

Last week I shared what I learned about male dialogue and conversations. Today I am wrapping up with bulleted lists on what I discovered about the male’s inner world.

The Inner Male

Short snippets of inner monologue are best. One or two sentences is a good target.
A man always thinks of himself in positive terms, even when he botches things terribly. He will phrase his defeat in terms that make it clear that he was put in an impossible situation or that he was off his game. (Of course, you can still have characters who struggle with self-image, but even then they can still have times of thinking like this.)
A man would never describe himself as helpless. EVER. He may be down for a time while he waits for the next opportune moment, but he is not helpless.
When a man sets his mind on a target, everything else vanishes from thought until the mission is accomplished.
Men aren’t going to agonize over whether or not they should kiss the woman, they do it, then deal with the consequences afterward. Teenage guys might naturally agonize, though.
Men are very visual. The way a woman dresses creates visual images a man’s brain that can linger for days, months, or even years.
For every problem, there is a solution, but the consequences don’t matter as much as simply solving the issue to begin with. They may just try the direct, brute-force way first.
Emotion, except for anger, is usually kept under wraps or repressed altogether.
They think about responsibilities, deadlines, family, life, and sometimes there is literally nothing. (Is that seriously possible? I can’t even wrap my head around thinking nothing.)
Most guys like to imagine they don’t have feelings. They use the ‘push it deep down’ approach 90% of the time and the remaining 10% of the time, it is bottled up until it eventually bursts.
If you push a guy, he’ll get angry; if you break a guy, he’ll cry.
Guys understand a woman’s emotions; they just don’t know what to do about it.
Most guys only know eleven colors: red, blue, yellow, green, orange, purple, black, brown, gray, white, and pink.
Guys do NOT always think about sex. If they do, they are not the type of guy you want being your hero. Real men can and do think about other things.

What do you think? Are there any things that could be added to this list? Any things which should be removed? Leave your comments below and come back next week for my final installment with Male Behavior.