Why Tell Stories?

This came in an email from a dear friend this morning, an answer to a non-fiction writer who stated in one of her books, “I learned that I was to write truth – not fiction.”

 Quoted from Matthew 13 (The Message):

The disciples came up and asked, “Why do you tell stories?”

He replied, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this is insight. It hasn’t been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for me, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That’s why I tell stories, to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare until doomsday and not see it, listen till they’re blue in the face and not get it. I don’t want Isaiah’s forecast repeated all over again.

Truth is the foundation of fiction. Truth the the thread woven throughout and holding it together. Fiction is holding up a mirror so people can see themselves–and do something about it!

Editing Done…Check

I finally finished my edits for Watch Over Me.  Of course, finished is a relative term.  While I did send my rewrites to my editor, I’m sure there is more work to be done.  I’m dissatisfied with three chapters, so I’ll need to revisit them.  My editor will also have questions and comments as she rereads, and those tweaks will have to be made, too. 

The process was quite different than with Home Another Way.  I had very little to rework with my first novel, mostly due to the fact I had three years to develop and write it.  Watch Over Me was a much more rushed, stressful process – sophomore angst; changing plots; desperate attempt to create distinctive characters unrelated to Sarah, Jack, Memory and Beth; deadlines.  Also, I cut nearly 5,000 words from Home Another Way (most of that was one long chapter of Doc’s back story my editor didn’t feel fit well in the book), my word count ending up just over 80,000 words.  As I edited Watch Over Me, I kept adding more, the novel currently weighing in at 87,500 words.  I expect, before I’m finished, it will be 88,000.  I suppose three distinct main characters – all with their own plots, as well as interwoven story lines – will do that.

Now, on to book three.

Register for the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference

It’s registration time for the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference.  This was where I met my agent, and learned some excellent ways to polish and tighten my writing.  If you’re at all interested in being published, I highly recommend attending a writer’s conference.  Not only will it help you strengthen your craft, but you will be able to connect with other writers, published authors, and people in the industry – agents, editors, and publishers.

I will be teaching two fiction workshops in Philly this year:

• Majoring on the Minors: Writing Supporting Characters
  In fiction, all characters are important.  Are your supporting characters as memorable as your protagonist? Do they have a life, a past (outside the realm of the novel), quirks, flaws, noble traits, fears, aspirations, aches and pains, and joys? Do they ignite, impede, or showcase the protagonist’s growth? During this workshop, writers will spend time identifying their novel’s minor players, examining these characters’ purposes and exploring ways to make them multi-dimensional. We’ll also discuss “character economy,” working to identify places where supporting cast members can be cut or combined. 
• Endurance: Pacing Your Novel from Beginning to End
  One of the most challenging aspects of crafting a novel is pacing.  Learn how to avoid sagging middles, the second chapter information dump, and uninspired dialogue.  Keep your readers engaged by continually moving the action forward. Find ways to add tension to every page, and by doing so, keep the reader engaged from first page to final chapter. 

 If you live in the Philly area, or even if you don’t (I know people who have attended from Texas and North Carolina), I’d highly recommend this conference.

Coming Soon – Watch Over Me

A Stirring Novel of Love Rediscovered

Deputy Benjamin Patil is the one to find the infant girl–hours old, abandoned in a field. When the mother can’t be located, Ben and his wife, Abbi, seem like the perfect couple to serve as foster parents. But the baby’s arrival opens old wounds for Abbi and shines a harsh light on how much Ben has changed since a devastating tour in Afghanistan. Their marriage teeters on the brink and now they must choose to either reclaim what they once had or lose each other forever.