It All Starts With One Word

Sometimes, ending a novel or story is the easy part, while the hard part is starting. You essentially have an opportunity to grab the reader’s attention and make her want to continue reading with the first sentence. That’s a lot of pressure.

I read all kinds of books—memoirs, thrillers, fantasy, middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, non-fiction, etc. I love almost every genre and truly believe that opening yourself to different kinds of storytelling will help you as a writer. In reading various genres, I have come to appreciate the way the writers hook you in with their opening line. The first sentence sets the mood, giving you an organizational cue as to what genre you’re reading.

A great beginning may not guarantee a bestseller, but it increases the chances of a reader purchasing your book. How do we hook our readers? We are not just writers—we are readers too! Think about the kinds of beginnings that draw you in.

Here are three ways that other books spark my interest:

Invoking Mystery

Some writers begin with a pronoun (“He heard a woman’s scream”) or placing the character in a bizarre setting (“Alice woke up in a white, windowless room”). Immediately, you have an uneasy feeling when you read both opening lines. Who is this man that heard a woman’s scream? Did anyone else hear it? Is he a killer? Has he been captured? You know nothing about this man, other than the fact that he heard something dreadful…what is it and will we learn more?

The second opening line makes you wonder who Alice is, where she is, and how she got there. Will she ever get out of this room? Who put her there and why?

Some examples of opening lines that invoked a sense of mystery for me:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” - Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

“I am an invisible man.” - Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

“It was a woman’s bedroom, actually a boudoir, and no man belonged in it except by invitation.” - Kathleen Winsor, Star Money

“We have been lost to each other for so long.” – Anita Diamant, The Red Tent

Springing Into Action

An effective way to start a story is to begin in the middle of the action. That way, you cut out too much of the “introduction” and get to the good stuff. In fact, I’ve had a few editors tell me that after writing your first draft, it would spice up your story to actually cut out the first chapter and start with your second. Another way to start with action is to begin with dialogue so that your reader is thrown right into the middle of a conversation.

Here are a couple opening lines that grabbed my attention because of the beginning action or dialogue:

“They threw me off the hay truck about noon.” James M. Cain, The Postman Always Rings Twice

“When your mama was the geek, my dreamlets,” Papa would say, “she made the nipping off of noggins such a crystal mystery that the hens themselves yearned towards her, waltzing around her, hypnotized with longing.” Katherine Dunn, Geek Love

Looking Back

I’ve been drawn to stories that begin with a teasing hook that tell me an amazing story is about to be revealed. These are generally written as a memory, something in the past that still plagues the character enough to unfold their story.

I really like how Stephen King does this in It:

“The terror, which would not end for another 28 years—if it ever did end—began, so far as I can tell, with a boat made from a sheet of newspaper floating down a gutter swollen with rain.”

Writing With A Partner

Writing is almost always challenging, especially if you’re writing something a bit foreign to you…whether it’s a feature drama, a children’s picture book, or a short film. That’s why writing with a partner attracted me to write two things I had never done before: a feature comedy screenplay and an animated web series.

I’m not a strong joke writer and I knew I needed someone who had punchier lines to help me with a feature comedy. When I approached Jessica a good friend of mine who’s naturally funny with an idea for a feature, I was a bit nervous. Would this affect our friendship? I had never written with anyone before, but I really felt like we could do this together, and that we could do it well.

Jess said yes and seemed very excited about it. We met up at a local coffee shop to talk about our characters and write descriptions for them. The next few sessions were devoted to our outline and eventually, our beat sheet. We met up once or twice a week to start writing the screenplay. I typed it out while we literally talked through each scene. There were several times when I wasn’t sure if an idea or a joke was funny, so just running it by my partner and getting feedback was good progress.

Although we finished writing the screenplay months ago, I wanted to get Jess’s opinion on what it was like working with a partner. Whenever the subject of writing with someone else comes up, I share my experiences so I thought I’d get some insight from the two talented people I worked with.

Here’s what Jessica had to say:

“For the most part, I am someone who prefers to work alone. So when I decided to write a screenplay with a close friend of mine, I was uneasy about how the process would work. How would we be productive? What if we didn't agree on things? What if we hated each other's ideas? I really didn't know how it would work, but we had an idea worth writing, so I decided to give it a try.

“I was amazed at how well we worked together. We spent a few sessions just going over characters and a general outline. Then we came back and broke that down into a beat sheet. Before we knew it, we had a full screenplay sitting in front of us, just waiting to be written.

“It really was a flawless system. Sometimes we would get stuck on a joke and then would bounce ideas back and forth, drawing on each other's creativity, until eventually our mediocre joke transformed into something really funny.

“After writing an entire screenplay with a partner, I would happily do it again. I do think that the types of personalities are important though, and perhaps with someone else I may not have meshed as well. So, if you can find the right hard-working, dedicated, open-minded individual to write with, I say go with it! “

I also wanted to get some feedback from Molly, who is someone I often develop lots of film and television concepts with but we had never actually written something together. Since learning more about transmedia and seeing how popular web series had gotten, we decided to write an animated web series for women. We figured six webisodes would be a good start for the first season. Starting off with character profiles and springboards, we later split the writing in half: I would write three webisodes and Molly would write the other three. This process was a lot different than writing everything single thing together like I did with Jess.

After we had written everything, we sent each other our work for story editing. At first, we had different visions for a couple of the characters, but after a few meetings, we found ourselves on the same page again…

Once we shared the same vision, we met up and went through each webisode together, tightening dialogue, punching up the jokes, and making sure every scene flowed well and all the characters were true to form.

Here’s what Molly thought about writing our animated web series with me!

“Writing with a partner is a great way to meet deadlines and stay motivated. For me, this has always been a problem. However, since working with Lorna, I get things done when I say I will (most of the time!). Finding the right partner is really important. Try to find someone who complements your weaknesses and has a similar style of writing.

“For me, procrastination and motivation can be a problem. I talk myself out of problems instead of working through them. Lorna doesn't let me give up when we hit a roadblock. On the flip side, I find that one of my strengths is writing dialogue, so once we have the beat sheet (which I don't enjoy doing!) we are ready to go!

“Be honest, but objective. If you don't like something, figure out why. If you just try to be "nice" to each other all the time, you really aren't doing each other any favors. Before you start writing, make sure you have the same vision in mind. Use references to other shows, movies, plays, etc. to make sure you are headed the same direction stylistically.

“Also, sometimes you have to let the little things go. Unless you are adamant about a particular element in the script that perhaps your partner hasn't captured or gotten exactly the way you imagine, let it go. As in life, when writing with a partner, you must choose your battles wisely.”

And, for the record, I would absolutely write with both Jess and Molly again. Both experiences were fantastic…I learned a lot about what my strengths and weaknesses are and was encouraged to think about things in different ways. Writing with a partner can really open you up to other possibilities, which only enriches your own writing.

What A Character

Everything I write is very character-driven. The more I know my characters, the more attached I get to them. The more attached I get to them, the more I want to write their story. There are times, though, when I’m working on a story and I find that I’m just not in love with my main character yet. That’s when I know that this character I’ve created is just not that fully formed.

If you’re facing this challenge, consider these questions and try to answer them so you can get better acquainted with your character and fall so deeply in love with them, that you just need to write about them.

What is your character’s gender?

Ethnicity?

Hairstyle?

Eye color?

Complexion?

Weight/body shape?

Emotional level?

Occupation?

Income?

Location?

Marital status?

Best childhood memory? Worst childhood memory?

Family life?

Biggest goal/desire?

Biggest obstacle that challenges character from attaining goal?

Best friend?

Worst enemy?

Favorite comfort food?

Vices?

How would your character act on a romantic date?

What is your character like in a romantic relationship?

What kind of friend is your character?

What does your character hate about themselves? What does your character love about themselves?

It also helps me to think about my favorite characters and jot down why I like them so much. Here are four of the most memorable characters I’ve read about.

Flavia de Luce from Alan Bradley’s The Flavia de Luce Series
In this detective fiction series, eleven-year-old Flavia is courageous, sharp, hilarious, and an aspiring chemist. I laughed out loud several times reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. She outsmarts everyone—from her older sisters to her kidnapper, Flavia takes intelligence to a whole new level.

Jane Eyre from Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre is one of my favorite novels. What I love and admire most about Jane is that regardless of her difficult past and her suffering, she is never portrayed as a damsel in distress.

Alice from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Although Alice displays a superior attitude considering her wealthy upbringing and social class in the Victoria era, her curiosity highly appeals to me. Her logic often clashes with the madness she finds in Wonderland, so the identity journey she goes through is also one that a reader can easily connect to, regardless of the novel’s fantastical setting.

The Little Prince from Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince

The little prince is an extremely noble character of high caliber. What I love most about him is his child-like character that can clearly see the flaws and weaknesses of adults.

Say Goodbye Already

Like anything else in life, your novel has to end sometime. Some of my writer friends know exactly how they plan on ending their novel before they even begin writing it. Their outlines will actually have the final line written. My other writer friends never know how they will finish their novels. While I don’t necessarily know the exact final line, I generally do know how my story will end, so that I know what I’m working towards.

Typically, there are five kinds of endings:

1. The lead gains their objective

2. The lead loses their objective

3. The lead gains their objective but loses something more valuable

4. An ambiguous ending

5. The lead sacrifices their objective for a greater cause

Sometimes, if I’m really stumped as to how to end a short story, novel, or screenplay, I look to writers I admire and flip through their works to their endings. Here are some of my all-time favorite last lines:

“You must go on, I can’t go on, I’ll go on.” (Samuel Beckett, The Unnamable)

“Yes,” I said. “Isn’t it pretty to think so?” (Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises)

“It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.” (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities)

“Are there any questions?” (Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale)

“He was soon borne away by the waves and lost in darkness and distance.” (Mary Shelley, Frankenstein)

“Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.” (J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye)

“Lastly, she pictured to herself how this same little sister of hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman; and how she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood; and how she would gather about her other little children, and make their eyes bright and eager with many a strange tale, perhaps even with the dream of Wonderland of long ago; and how she would feel with all their simple sorrows, and find a pleasure in all their simple joys, remembering her own child-life, and the happy summer days.” (Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland)

Research Sites For Writers

A big part of being a writer is having excellent research skills. Depending on what I’m working on, I usually gather information from interview sources, research journals, and yes, the Internet. The Internet constantly proves to be an easy source, because of its accessibility, but simultaneously a challenging one considering the prevalence of content mills.

I have looked into search engines that filter out content mills to enable a more credible research process. Here’s a list of my top three:

Blekko is a simple search engine that filters out low-quality content.

Quora is designed as a Q and A resource that many respected experts participate in. If someone on the site has not answered your question, you can just add it.

Wolfram Alpha is a computational knowledge engine with a goal to build on scientific achievements and knowledge to generate clear results. This engine is geared towards more objective research and factual data.

I hope these sites help increase your productivity! In the meantime, feel free to share some of your favorite research sites.

Food For Thought (And Other Writerly Needs)

If you have a long day (or night) of writing ahead of you, you may discover that eventually, focusing on your work becomes pretty challenging. Just when you need to sustain your energy to continue creative thought, you may experience some fatigue. Although I’m a coffee fan, I do try to fuel my body with energy-sustaining foods for those long writing and brainstorming sessions.

While working, your brain uses lots of power as it relies on memory, creativity, and energy. To enhance my work, I generally consume complex carbohydrates such as whole grain rice cakes (fuel for the brain), omega 3 fatty acids such as nuts (to enhance the building blocks—building highways within your brain to carry information), and anti-oxidants such as vitamin C and E (to preserve the brain from free radicals).

These are some snacks that I reach for to sustain my energy without making me crash:
- almonds
- avocado with a squirt of Dijon mustard
- bananas
- pumpkin seeds
- apple with all-natural almond or sesame seed butter
- oatmeal
- celery and carrot sticks with hummus

And, here’s a treat for you! It’s a delicious recipe from Teri Gentes, who’s a good friend and a gourmet holistic chef/nutritionist. Enjoy this dish to keep you fueled and focused for a solid writing session.

SunButter Pita Breakfast Pizza

1. Begin with a 4-inch Pita Break Breakfast Pita such as Muesli or Morning Grain (All natural and preservative free www.pitabreak.com)

2. Spread evenly with 1½ tsp of SunButter (Crunchy, Original and Organic) (This peanut-free, real food seed butter is rich in Vitamin E, thiamine and iron) www.sunbutter.com (Product of the USA)

3. Drizzle with 1/2 tsp of all natural local honey (Unrefined, un-pasteurized honey contains trace minerals and enzymes beneficial for your health)

4. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp Ruth's Chai Goodness Cereal (More Omega 3-rich than flax, more calcium than milk and a fabulous source of protein and fibre. www.ruthsfoods.com )

5. Top with a generous sprinkle of cinnamon. (Helps reduce blood sugar levels, lowers triglycerides/HDL, a digestive aid, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial)

7 Famous Rejected Writers

There is a lot of rejection in a writer’s life. It’s easy for rejections and form letters to discourage you to the point of giving up. Here are some of the most iconic writers who were rejected repeatedly—but kept writing and became best-selling authors.

J.K. Rowling submitted Harry Potter to more than ten publishing houses who all said no. Bloomsbury, a small London publisher, accepted it after the CEO’s eight-year-old daughter begged her father to print the book.

Stephen King’s novel, Carrie, received more than a dozen of rejections. Once published, it was this very novel that enabled him to quit his day job and write full-time.

Louisa May Alcott was told by editors to stick to teaching.

Meg Cabot, best-selling author of The Princess Diaries, keeps a bag of rejection letters.

Beatrix Potter had to publish The Tale of Peter Rabbit herself.

John Grisham’s first novel, A Time to Kill, was rejected by a dozen publishers and several agents before Wynwood Press finally published it. After The Firm, The Pelican Brief, and The Client became bestsellers, A Time to Kill was republished by Doubleday in hardcover and then by Dell Publishing in paperback, making it a bestseller.

Judy Blume received rejections for two years. According to Ms. Blume, she would go to sleep at night feeling that she’d never be published, but she’d wake up in the morning convinced she would be. “Each time I sent a story or book off to a publisher, I would sit down and begin something new,” she said.

And that’s only a tiny few of well-known writers who constantly faced rejection. It’s comforting to know that the road isn’t always smooth…even for the best.