NANOWRIMO PREP: What KIND of story is it?

By noreply@blogger.com (Alexandra Sokoloff)

So, do you have your

STEALING HOLLYWOOD ebook, $3.99
STEALING HOLLYWOOD print, $13.99

– Smashwords (includes online viewing and pdf file)

– Amazon US

– Barnes & Noble/Nook

– Amazon UK

– Amazon DE

=====================================================

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Via: Alexandra Sokoloff

10.2.16 – Sunday Smatterings

By JT Ellison

Hello, friends!

How’s it going? Did you have a good week? I’m out in the wilds of Colorado, spending some time with my family. I love it out here, nestled into the mountains and valleys I grew to love when I was a kid. It’s always good to be home. Wanna see some photos? You can check them out here! There is something special about fall in the mountains. The colors are astounding.

So, without further adieu…

Here’s what happened on the Internets this week:

One of the cutest memes I saw this week were people posting the three fictional characters that describe them best. Hmm! Mine weren’t hard, Hermione Granger, Katniss Everdeen, and Jaime Fraser. Rebels, one and all. Who are yours?

Let’s face it: writing is hard. Getting published is even harder. For those of you trying to accomplish anything, but especially publishing something, turn to J.K. Rowling’s pitch-perfect advice on perseverance. She does know a thing or two about the subject.

Speaking of J.K. Rowing, she’s finally telling us what our Patronuses are!!!! This quiz on Pottermore finally answers what we Potterheads have always wondered about ourselves. My Patronus is a wild rabbit, which fits in so many ways. No wonder I adore the bunnies in my backyard so much.

Attention all Yogis, Deb Harkness fans, and those of us who are both 🙋 – you need to read this article now. I’ve lost my yoga practice lately; travel and injury and the craziness of deadline has made getting to my mat very hard. I want to reboot my practice this fall, and this article was the perfect incentive. Because Matthew and Diana, y’all! Namaste!

What is it about fall that beckons us to the page? Is it the crisp breezes, the longer nights, the way we ever-so-slowly settle down in preparation for winter? Whatever it is, let’s embrace it. Here are 13 places we book lovers should visit this fall.

Fact: there are many words we are just plain pronouncing… well, differently than intended. Fellow word nerds, I bet you’ll find this article fascinating: The 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words, Explained. I know I did.

And closer to home:

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I co-host a TV show on Nashville Public Television called A WORD ON WORDS. My co-host, fellow Nashville author Mary Laura Philpott, and I are wrapping up our first season of the show, and needless to say, it’s been the literary ride of our lives. We’ve interviewed some of our favorite authors, some of the most well-respected in the industry (I mean, MARGARET ATWOOD, come on!). And if you don’t live in the Nashville viewing area, I’ve made it infinitely easier to catch up on the show! I’ve got a new A WORD ON WORDS page here on the website, where I’ve collected all the interviews for your binge-watching pleasure. As we get more, I’ll add them. Enjoy, y’all! 📚🤓

Also, some good news: THE END GAME is on the New York Times bestseller list for the third week running. Thank you so much for your support! You can also find the entries to both the Taylor and Sam series on specials this week: ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS on sale for .99 this week, and A DEEPER DARKNESS for $1.99. What a bargain!

That’s it from me! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, I hope your team wins, and we’ll talk again soon!

Meanwhile, here’s something adorable to begin your week with:

xoxo,
J.T.

Via: JT Ellison

10.2.16 – Sunday Smatterings

By JT Ellison

Hello, friends!

So, without further adieu…

Here’s what happened on the Internets this week:

And closer to home:

That’s it from me! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, I hope your team wins, and we’ll talk again soon!

Meanwhile, here’s something adorable to begin your week with:

xoxo,
J.T.

Via: JT Ellison

10.2.16 – Sunday Smatterings

By JT Ellison

Hello, friends!

So, without further adieu…

Here’s what happened on the Internets this week:

Attention all Yogis, Deb Harkness fans, and those of us who are both ? – you need to read this article now. I’ve lost my yoga practice lately; travel and injury and the craziness of deadline has made getting to my mat very hard. I want to reboot my practice this fall, and this article was the perfect incentive. Because Matthew and Diana, y’all! Namaste!

And closer to home:

That’s it from me! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, I hope your team wins, and we’ll talk again soon!

Meanwhile, here’s something adorable to begin your week with:

xoxo,
J.T.

Via: JT Ellison

October is Nanowrimo PREP month!!

By noreply@blogger.com (Alexandra Sokoloff)

STEALING HOLLYWOOD ebook, $3.99
STEALING HOLLYWOOD print, $13.99

This new book updates all the text in the first Screenwriting Tricks for Authors ebook with all the many tricks I’ve learned over my last few years of writing and teaching—and doubles the material of the first book, as well as adding six more full story breakdowns.

The print book is a nice big 8 x 10 workbook, so well laid out! And it even lies flat for easy highlighting and scribbling in margins.

There’s also a companion ebook that you can buy separately – or can get for just $1.99 as a Kindle Matchbook if you buy the print workbook.

And if you’re a romance writer, or have a strong love plot or subplot in your novel or script, then Writing Love: Screenwriting Tricks II is an expanded version of the first workbook with a special emphasis on love stories, and more full story breakdowns.

– Smashwords (includes online viewing and pdf file)

– Amazon US

– Barnes & Noble/Nook

– Amazon UK

– Amazon DE

Sign up to receive free Story Structure Extras!

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– And finally, I’m always up for suggestions – what would YOU like me to cover in this Nano prep month?

———————

THE MASTER LIST

So let’s get this party started with The Master List.

The first thing I always have my workshop students do is make a Master List of their favorite movies in the genre they’re writing in.

And you guys who have done this master list before, remember, it helps to do a new one every time you sit down with a new project, and brainstorm a list of movies and books that are structurally similar to your new project.

It’s very simple: in order to write stories like the ones that move you, you need to look at the specific stories that affect you and figure out what those authors and filmmakers are doing to get the effect they do.

Every genre has its own structural patterns and its own tricks — screenwriter Ryan Rowe says it perfectly: “Every genre has its own game that it’s playing with the audience.”

For example: with a mystery, the game is “Whodunit?” You are going to toy with a reader or audience’s expectations and lead them down all kinds of false paths with red herrings so that they are constantly in the shoes of the hero/ine, trying to figure the puzzle out.

But with a romantic comedy or classic romance, there’s no mystery involved. 99.99% of the time the hero and heroine are going to end up together. The game in that genre is often to show, through the hero and heroine, how we are almost always our own worst enemies in love, and how we throw up all kinds of obstacles in our own paths to keep ourselves from getting what we want.

So if you’re writing a story like It’s A Wonderful Life, it’s not going to help you much to study Apocalypse Now. A story that ends with a fallen hero/ine is not going to have the same story shape as one that ends with a transcended hero/ine (although if both kinds of films end up on your list of favorite stories, you might find one is the other in reverse. That’s why you need to make your own lists!)

Once you start looking at the games that genres play, you will also start to understand the games that you most love, and that you want to play with your readers and audience.

I’m primarily a thriller writer, and my personal favorite game is: “Is it supernatural or is it psychological?” I love to walk the line between the real and unreal, so I am constantly creating story situations in which there are multiple plausible explanations for the weird stuff that’s going on, including mental illness, drug-induced hallucinations, and outright fraud. That’s why my master list for any book or script I write will almost always include The Haunting of Hill House and The Shining, both classic books (and films) that walk the line between the supernatural and the psychological.

But what works for me structurally is not necessarily going to do it for you.

If you take the time to study and analyze the books and films that have had the greatest impact on you, personally, or that are structurally similar to the story you’re writing, or both, that’s when you really start to master your craft. Making the lists and analyzing those stories will help you brainstorm your own, unique versions of scenes and mega-structures that work in the stories on your master list; it will help you figure out how your particular story will work. And doing this analysis will embed story structure in your head so that constructing a story becomes a fun and natural process for you.

Another great benefit of making the master list is that it helps you “brand” yourself as an author. Agents, editors, publishing houses, publicists, sales reps, bookstores, reviewers, media interviewers, librarians, and most importantly, your readers — all of these people want to be able to categorize you and your books. You need to be able to tell all of these people exactly what it is you write, what it’s similar to, and why it’s also unique. That’s part of your job as a professional author.

So the first order of business is to make your master list.

And I encourage you to splurge on a nice big beautiful notebook to work in. We writers live so much in our heads it’s important to give ourselves toys and rewards to make the work feel less like work, and also to cut down on the drinking.

ASSIGNMENT: Go to an office or stationery store or shop on line and find yourself a wonderful notebook to work in.

ASSIGNMENT: List ten books and films that are similar to your own story in structure and/or genre (at least five books and three movies if you’re writing a book, at least five movies if you’re writing a script.).

Or – if you’re trying to decide on the right project for you to work on, then make a list of ten books and films that you wish you had written!

ANALYZING YOUR LIST

Now that you’ve got your list, and a brand-new notebook to keep it in, let’s take a look at what you’ve come up with.

For myself, I am constantly looking at:

Silence of the Lambs (book and film)

A Wrinkle in Time (book)

The Wizard of Oz (film)

The Haunting of Hill House (book and original film)

Anything by Ira Levin, especially Rosemary’s Baby (book and film), and The Stepford Wives

The Exorcist (book and film)

Jaws (film, and it’s interesting to compare the book)

Pet Sematery (book, obviously!)

The Shining (book and film)

It’s A Wonderful Life

That’s off the top of my head, just to illustrate the point I’m about to make – and not necessarily specific to the book I’m writing right now. On another day my list could just as easily include Hamlet, The Fountainhead, Apocalypse Now, The Treatment, Alice in Wonderland, Philadelphia Story, and Holiday Inn.

All of those examples are what I would call perfectly structured stories. But that list is not necessarily going to be much help for someone who’s writing, you know, romantic comedy. (Although the rom coms of George Cukor, Preston Sturges, and Jane Austen, and Shakespeare are some of my favorite stories on the planet, and my master list for a different story might well have some of those stories on it).

Okay, what does that list say about me?

• It’s heavily weighted toward thrillers, fantasy, horror, and the supernatural. In fact, even the two more realistic stories on the list, Jaws and Silence of the Lambs, are so mythic and archetypal that they might as well be supernatural – they both have such overwhelming forces of nature and evil working in them.

• It’s a very dark list, but it includes two films and a book that are some of the happiest endings in film and literary history. I read and watch stories about the battle between good and evil… but if you’ll notice, except for the Ira Levin books, I do believe in good triumphing.

• The stories are evenly split between male protagonists and female protagonists, but except for Jaws, really, women are strong and crucial characters in all of them.

And guess what? All of the above is exactly what I write.

A lot of the stories on your own list will probably be in one particular genre: thriller, horror, mystery, romance, paranormal, historical, science fiction, fantasy, women’s fiction, YA (Young Adult, which is really more of an umbrella for all genres). And odds are that genre is what you write.

(If you’re not clear on what your genre is, I suggest you take your master list to the library or your local independent bookstore and ask your librarian or bookseller what genre those books and films fall into. These people are a writer’s best friends; please use them, and be grateful!)

But there will also always be a few stories on your list that have nothing to do with your dominant genre, some complete surprises, and those wild cards are sometimes the most useful for you to analyze structurally. Always trust something that pops into your head as belonging on your list. The list tells you who you are as a writer. What you are really listing are your secret thematic preferences. You can learn volumes from these lists if you are willing to go deep.

Every time I teach a story structure class it’s always fantastic for me to hear people’s lists, one after another, because it gives me such an insight into the particular uniqueness of the stories each of those writers is working toward telling.

You need to create your list, and break those stories down to see why they have such an impact on you – because that’s the kind of impact that you want to have on your readers. My list isn’t going to do that for you. Our tastes and writing and themes and turn-ons are too different – even if they’re very similar.

So try it:

ASSIGNMENT: Analyze your master list of stories. What does the list say about the stories, themes and characters that most appeal to you?

– Alex

Via: Alexandra Sokoloff

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY KILLER: In stores November 15!

By admin

I am thrilled to announce that THE SLEEPING BEAUTY KILLER — the third installment in the Under Suspicion series, co-authored with Queen of Suspense Mary Higgins Clark — will be out November 15. You can pre-order from your favorite retailer.

If you’ve read the series, you know the premise: Laurie Moran is the producer of Under Suspicion, a television show that re-investigates cold cases by re-enacting the events of the case with the cooperation of suspects who were never arrested or charged, but who have lived for years under a shadow of suspicion. In her latest case, Laurie enters new territory when she agrees to cover the killing of famed philanthropist, Hunter Raleigh III.

Initially, the media called Hunter’s fiance, Casey Carter, “The Sleeping Beauty” because she claimed to be in a deep sleep at the time of his murder. But when police discovered evidence to contradict her story, she was convicted of manslaughter and served fifteen years for the crime. Casey claims to this day that she was wrongly convicted.

When Casey is finally released from prison, she finds that she is still living “under suspicion.” She hears whispers at the store. She can’t get a job. Even her own mother treats her like she’s guilty. Her story attracts the attention of Laurie and her team—it’s Casey’s last chance to finally clear her name, and Laurie pledges to exonerate her.

Mary and I are having so much fun with this series. Laurie is such a smart, capable, likeable woman, surrounded by a terrific cast of characters, both at home and at work: her retired NYPD father, Leo; her young son, Timmy, who lost his father to a violent crime; her loyal assistant producer, Jerry, and assistant, Grace, who provide much needed comedic relief from their tough cases; her demanding boss, Brett; and, of course, Alex, whose role in Laurie’s life is….a work in progress.

If you haven’t taken the plunge into the series, I hope you will. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY KILLER is a great place to start, but if you like to read in order, start with THE CINDERELLA MURDER and then move on to ALL DRESSED IN WHITE. I hope you’ll be hooked! I know I am.

Pre-order THE SLEEPING BEAUTY KILLER now.

Image result Image result for alafair burke all dressed in white

Via: Alafair Burke

“Incendio” sheet music for solo piano now available

By Tess

A number of musicians have written me, asking if the sheet music for my composition “Incendio” is available. I’ve just written a solo piano arrangement, and a digital version is now available on Amazon.com. “Incendio” is the theme music to my novel PLAYING WITH FIRE, about a Jewish violinist in WWII Venice who composes a […]

The post “Incendio” sheet music for solo piano now available appeared first on Tess Gerritsen.

Via: Tess Gerritsen

9.25.16 – Sunday Smatterings

By JT Ellison

Hello, dear readers!

How did you fare this week? I’m slowly recovering from a glorious week in New Orleans (you can see a few of my favorite photos here), but man. It takes me a bit longer to get over a few late nights than it used to.

So forgive me that this week’s list is a little shorter than some. But without further adieu…

Here’s what happened on the Internets this week:

When you woke up this morning, I know you were thinking, How can I dress more like a Victorian today? Well, dear reader, your wish is my command.

Just like maturing, every writer writes at his or her own pace. This is how long it took some of the world’s most famous novelists to finish their books. (Les Mis = 12 YEARS)

Sometimes this writing this is pretty surreal. Case and point: I’ve been reading Tess Gerritsen (and nearly everyone on this list) for years. YEARS! Long before I was a writer. So to be mentioned in this BookBub list of series to read if you miss Gerritsen’s Rizzoli & Isles on TNT is just, along with my writing heroes…I’m verklempt.

And closer to home:

You might’ve heard that I just finished a book (🎉🎉🎉), and… the Sam & Taylor book I thought was coming out next year won’t be coming out just yet. I know—I really don’t like disappointing you. Here’s a little bit more insight into that decision.

🍝 BONUS: cooler temps harken visions of comfort food, so this week I cracked open the archives and rediscovered this beauty: carbonara featured in WHERE ALL THE DEAD LIE. Man, oh man, did it hit the spot. I used gluten-free ziti, since that’s what I had in the cabinet. Between mixing cheeses using farm-fresh eggs (we’re talking sunset-golden yolks), and lots of pancetta and black pepper, this was just spectacular. And it’s quick and easy, perfect for busy weeknights!

That’s it from me this week, y’all. Happy first full week of fall, put out your festive decor, and we’ll talk again soon!

xoxo,
J.T.

Via: JT Ellison

9.25.16 – Sunday Smatterings

By JT Ellison

Hello, dear readers!

So forgive me that this week’s list is a little shorter than some. But without further adieu…

Here’s what happened on the Internets this week:

When you woke up this morning, I know you were thinking, How can I dress more like a Victorian today? Well, dear reader, your wish is my command.

Just like maturing, every writer writes at his or her own pace. This is how long it took some of the world’s most famous novelists to finish their books. (Les Mis = 12 YEARS)

And closer to home:

That’s it from me this week, y’all. Happy first full week of fall, put out your festive decor, and we’ll talk again soon!

xoxo,
J.T.

Via: JT Ellison

9.25.16 – Sunday Smatterings

By JT Ellison

Hello, dear readers!

So forgive me that this week’s list is a little shorter than some. But without further adieu…

Here’s what happened on the Internets this week:

When you woke up this morning, I know you were thinking, How can I dress more like a Victorian today? Well, dear reader, your wish is my command.

Just like maturing, every writer writes at his or her own pace. This is how long it took some of the world’s most famous novelists to finish their books. (Les Mis = 12 YEARS)

And closer to home:

You might’ve heard that I just finished a book (???), and… the Sam & Taylor book I thought was coming out next year won’t be coming out just yet. I know—I really don’t like disappointing you. Here’s a little bit more insight into that decision.

? BONUS: cooler temps harken visions of comfort food, so this week I cracked open the archives and rediscovered this beauty: carbonara featured in WHERE ALL THE DEAD LIE. Man, oh man, did it hit the spot. I used gluten-free ziti, since that’s what I had in the cabinet. Between mixing cheeses using farm-fresh eggs (we’re talking sunset-golden yolks), and lots of pancetta and black pepper, this was just spectacular. And it’s quick and easy, perfect for busy weeknights!

That’s it from me this week, y’all. Happy first full week of fall, put out your festive decor, and we’ll talk again soon!

xoxo,
J.T.

Via: JT Ellison

Murderati

MURDERATI examines critical themes, historical archetypes and trends in publishing, marketing and the life of the published author.

NANOWRIMO PREP: What KIND of story is it?

Sign up to receive free Story Structure Extras!

10.2.16 – Sunday Smatterings

Hello, friends!

Here’s what happened on the Internets this week:

And closer to home:

10.2.16 – Sunday Smatterings

Hello, friends!

Here’s what happened on the Internets this week:

And closer to home:

10.2.16 – Sunday Smatterings

Hello, friends!

Here’s what happened on the Internets this week:

And closer to home:

October is Nanowrimo PREP month!!

Sign up to receive free Story Structure Extras!

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY KILLER: In stores November 15!

“Incendio” sheet music for solo piano now available

9.25.16 – Sunday Smatterings

Here’s what happened on the Internets this week:

And closer to home:

9.25.16 – Sunday Smatterings

Here’s what happened on the Internets this week:

And closer to home:

9.25.16 – Sunday Smatterings

Here’s what happened on the Internets this week:

And closer to home: