Congrats to the winner of

WRITE GREAT FICTION:
PLOT AND STRUCTURE

is...

Sophia Richardson!

Congratulations, Sophie. It's on it's way.


Remember how back in January, I promised to have some multicultural offerings in the giveaways?

May I present Buxton Spice by Oonya Kempadoo, who has lived in several Caribbean territories as well as England.

From Goodreads:

Told in the voice of a girl as she moves from childhood into adolescence, Buxton Spice is the story the town of Tamarind Grove: its eccentric families, its sweeping joys, and its sudden tragedies. The novel brings to life 1970s Guyana-a world at a cultural and political crossroads-and perfectly captures a child's keen observations, sense of wonder, and the growing complexity of consciousness that marks the passage from innocence to experience.

I honestly don't read a lot of books by Caribbean authors. Lots of Caribbean books seem to take the super-literary take itself too seriously route. And that's fine for some readers, but not for me.

The thing that most stands out to me in Buxton Spice is the portrayal of sex. I'd never really thought about how the facets of sex are different in the Caribbean than how I've seen it portrayed in mainstream books. In some ways, sex is always just below the surface here. Many of the calypsoes (songs) have a double entendre, with other words used to cleverly (or not so cleverly) take about sex. There's an old calypso, where a man and a woman are dancing together and the women says to the man, "Something in ya pocket keep sticking me," and the man responds, "It's a ripe plaintain."

Kempadoo also provides a look at politics and corruption in Guyana. When you say corruption, I think of Guyana. Guyana has just about every natural resource I can think of: gold, diamonds, bauxite, lumber, a little oil, etc, etc. It should be one of the richest countries in the world. Instead it's one of the poorest countries in the English-speaking Caribbean. In my view, that's mismanagement and corruption.

Buxton Spice also shows so many of the "characters" in a Caribbean neighbourhood. Things are a lot more "Americanised" than they were in the '70s, but there is a lot that hasn't changed.

There is one caveat. The book uses a lot of dialect. It's not particular hard to understand, but it does take some getting used to. I suppose it's not so much dialect as a Caribbean style of speech. For example, instead of using "very" we repeat a verb for emphasis. "After a long day of work, I tired tired tired."

RULES:
Make a comment to enter.
Contest open til 1159 pm EST Wednesday.
Followers only.

Good luck!

Notebooks

Firstly, let me apologise semi-preemptively. I didn't post yesterday. That's because when I should have been writing a post, I was out with my neighbours for our last lunch, and then I was out with one of my schools for an end-of-term-1 drinking party.

Summer is pretty crazy for me. Staff drinking parties. Goodbye parties for ALTs (Assistant Language Teachers) returning home. Welcome parties for new ALTs. New ALT orientations (Tokyo and Morioka). Taking off to Hokkaido for the Sapporo summer festival (and hopefully a self-imposed writer retreat). Write On Con. Biggest Japanese drum parade in the world in Morioka, my prefectural capital. And my town festival, for 3 days, the last weekend in August.

Just typing it all is exhausting.

I'm telling you that because it involves a lot of not being in my house, or even in my town. Which means I can't really guarantee the 3 or 4 posts per week that I usually do.

---

As a writer, I keep a few notebooks, each with a different purpose.

SPARKBOOK

Ideally a sparkbook is tiny. It can fit in your smallest purse. This notebook is just right for jotting down single sentences or phrases to remind you of some spark of an idea that you had. I tend to jot down one or two lines about an idea, and then leave it in my brain to ferment. The way I figure it, if it can't keep my attention for a few days/weeks, then there's no way I can keep engaged enough to write it.

INCIDENTALS

The Incidentals Notebook is a book full of bits and pieces from real life. That party anecdote about the time one of the kindergarteners was over-enthusiastic during a performance of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, and flipped right off the stage. (Yes, it happened.) Interesting comments that you see on Facebook. Quotable things you say or hear. Jobs that sound interesting. The perfect name for a future character. Interesting stories you read in the newspaper.

The Incidentals notebook can really be a set of more specific notebooks. For example, if you write humour, you might have a Incidental Humour Book- filled with hilarious things you've seen or done, one liners, and stories you've heard. You can tailor-make the Incidentals Book(s) to your needs.

RESEARCH

Writing fiction requires a lot of research, especially if the book's characters and plot have little in common with you and your life. MS3's MC wants to be a forensic pathologist. All I know about forensic pathology I learned from MURDER, SHE WROTE and CSI. Jazz is the sort of person that knows everything about anything she's interested in. Which, for me, means I need to know as much as I can without ever setting foot in the field.

In the research notebook, I write down important points. It's not about writing out the entire theory behind forensic pathology. I just need to have information all in one place. If I need more depth I can return to the source.

CHARACTER

I'm a character writer. (I scream this from the rooftops every other minute, so if you didn't know, I guess you're new. Welcome aboard!)So my characters get notebooks. This has evolved to the point where every POV MC gets their own book. I write out a stack of questions and then answer them from the MC's perspective. Some of the questions are physical (features, coke or pepsi, favourite colour) and some are abstract (best memory, dreams, things they feel guilty about) and everything in between. As I re-read and prepare to edit, I also add pictures of things that are important to the MC, and a pic of the MC herself/himself.

Major secondary characters go in two to a book. I like to know my secondary characters almost as well as my MCs, because the MC interacts with them a lot. All the other characters get a page in the last character notebook. I write their full names, ages, their connection to the MC, job, etc.

MS Book
The final notebook that I employ is the MS (manuscript) book. All the other tidbits that don't go in the research or character notebooks, but are specific to the MS are in here. MS3 takes place mainly in a school, so in the MS Book, I drew up a daily schedule to keep track of who had which classes with who, and what days the classes were on.

Other things you might put in an MS book: plot points, macro and micro settings, pictures, etc.

OTHER

The books I've listed above are the ones I keep, but you can add or subtract as you see fit. I'm a character writer so I have a crapload of character notebooks. If you're a plot writer, you may want to keep a plot book. If you're writing SF/F (Science Fiction/Fantasy), you're building a world pretty much from scratch, and you may want ot keep the details in a setting notebook.

WHEN

When you write in the notebooks is entirely up to you. I mentioned for example, that I add pictures to the character books AFTER my first draft. I'm a pantser who's not much for visuals, so it works for me. If you're a plotter or a very visual writer, you'll probably want pics from the start.

Also, as a pantser, the only one of my MS-specific notebooks that has a lot of info before I start writing is the character book. The research and MS books get info after the first draft. Then I commit all the info to my brain, and start on my re-write.

If you're a plotter, you may prefer to fill up all these notebooks and more before you type/write a single letter.

Your call.

NOTEBOOKS? REALLY?

No, they don't actually have to be physical notebooks, with the exception of the Sparks book. You'll want your Sparks book with you everywhere. Granted you could just use your phone and text/mail yourself, but it's easier to have a tiny notebook.

All the other 'books' can be files on your computer, or huge wall-sized butcher paper if you prefer. I personally like notebooks and I think the act of physically writing it out helps.

Do you, as a writer, keep notebooks?

I can't sacrifice

A little while back, I read an article on Yahoo! about women cheating.

One lady really loved swimming and surfing and all things to do with the sea. Her boyfriend didn't. So when she visited her family on the coast, and met a guy who was sweet AND loved the sea, she ended up drawn to him.

At the end of the article, one of the guidelines was to think about the things you can't sacrifice. Here's an example from my personal life. I have this thing about tall, bony guys. Seriously, 6 foot 6 and thin as a rake will give my palpitations. To the point where I have struggle to let my brain stay in the driver's seat.

I once had a boyfriend who was 2 inches shorter than me. I told myself it didn't matter. I mean it's just height. But I felt like I ran into it at every juncture. If we took a bus together, and I wanted to lean on his shoulder, I couldn't. When we kissed, I didn't have to tiptoe. I tried to bury it, because frankly those are silly (and shallow) reasons to walk away. But, when it finally ended for unrelated reasons, I decided I didn't want to be with a short guy again.

Sometimes, I think it's unfair. I mean, he didn't make himself shorter than me. He shouldn't be judged for things he didn't choose. That's what one part of me believes.

The other part knows I'm just being realistic. That first dude couldn't help not liking the sea. So there's a sacrifice to be made somewhere. Either he sacrifices himself and goes with her (sometimes), or she sacrifices herself and doesn't go (much). Like the article says, it comes down to what you can and can't sacrifice. Would you rather have this thing, but not exactly as you want? Or would it be better not to have it, if you can't have it with that special condition?

I know I love freedom and variety, in thought, literature, movies, friends, cultures, locations, etc. I feel like it's something I can tone down, but not give up. My life will always involve different countires and different languages. I know that it's important to me that my books be available worldwide. Because I grew up outside the big countries, and hate the words, "Offer available only in..." I feel like these are things I couldn't give up. There are other things (like tall men), and I will definitely have to make a list to save myself the heartache, but I feel like these are the most important for me. In life and in publishing.

How about you? What sacrifices are too much for you?

It's Monday, that's what's on my mind.

Review and Giveaway- 29

Don't forget to email your list of 10 books every writer should read, for your chance to win.

Great zombie stories from last week's entrants. I've never seen Shaun of the Dead, though. *Hangs head in shame.*

Last week's winner

of Carrie Harris' BAD TASTE IN BOYS is...

DIANA!!!

Congratulations, Diana. Send me your full name and address and I'll get that right to you.

Today up for grabs is WRITE GREAT FICTION: PLOT AND STRUCTURE by James Scott Bell

So far, this book is my favourite book dedicated to plot. And I think that's mainly due to the concept at the centre of the book: the LOCK system.

Lead
Objective
Confrontation
Knockout

Lead- You start with a character. Who is he/she? What makes them interesting?What do they do? What do they love? Who do they love?

I love that Bell lets character take such a prime role in plot, because really plot and character are intertwined. Think of your fave plot-heavy mysteries, procedurals, etc. Sherlock Holmes stories, CSI, Murder She Wrote, Miss Marple... they all work because of their characters. I think plot and character are intertwined. The best plots fall flat without the right characters. And characters only get to show themselves and their qualities if the plot allows.

Objective- What does the character want?

Confrontation- What stands in his/her way?

Knockout- The final blow to wrap up your story.

Apart from the LOCK system, Bell goes into to detail on how to structure your story, how to get ideas, how to build scenes, how to fix plot issues, common plots within certain genres, etc. I loved this book, and would recommend it to anyone who struggles with plot, wants to fix plot problems, or wants to take their plotting to the next level.

I've mentioned several times that plot is the weakest of the "pillars of writing" in my arsenal. I don't plot beforehand, because it kills my interest in a story, and so far, all my stories end up with plot holes bigger than my country.

For your chance to win, tell me: What's your relationship with plot and/or structure?
This contest is open to followers only until Wednesday, 11.59 pm EST.

The Most Important Thing

I got to wondering the other day, what's the most important thing to concentrate on when you're writing? I decided to look at this thing logically- go through all the big issues, and then see which matters the most.

PLOT
Plot is the "what happens" in your story. It needs to go at a quick enough pace to keep the reader interested, but not be so fast they feel exhausted or confused. It has to be full of unexpected twists, but not feel contrived.

CHARACTER
I like to think that most people are attached to other people moreso than to things or events. So characters are responsible for pulling us into a story. Characters are the ones readers identify with, love, hate. They are the ones who make us laugh and cry and want to beat up imaginary people.

HOOK
The hook is probably the first thing a potential reader will hear about your book. If they ask a friend "What's that book about?" the answer will be your hook. A girl who lost her mother. A girl who's best friend dies and she stops caring about life and starts workin in a strip club. A boy who discovers he's the chosen one to lead his people out of opression. A hook is probably the reason someone picks up your book in the first place.

THEME
Theme is a big picture concept behind a book. For example while the hook for Hunger Games might be something like, "A girl enters a fight-to-the-death, in order to protect her sister," the theme(s) would be things like war and capitalism.

SETTING
This is the locale where your book takes place. In contemporary books, this is a current city or town. It also includes the political and social climate, as well as the physical environment. In fantasy, this includes the rules of the world (magic, dragons, poisonous creatures), the history, the government, etc.

WRITING
Unless you roll in hard-core reader circles or writer circles, you probably won't hear anything about the writing in a book before you read it. Writing needs to be accessible to the reader. Done well, it pulls a reader into the story, and makes them experience all the right emotions at the right time, and stays with them after the last paragraph.

So which of these is the most important? Well, the importance of the individual facets of a book change with the genre. For example, in YA- especially paranormal- I think characters are at the top of the pyramid, because plots can be similar and because teenager-hood is so much about identifying and fitting in. Mysteries are heavy on plot. Literary fiction boasts beautiful writing. Fantasy has intricate settings. Dystopians have lofty themes.

BUT

That doesn't mean that you can sacrifice characters in your dystopian. Or plot in your literary fiction. Or characters in your mystery. Because regardless of genre, a bad plot, paper characters, a hook that doesn't live up to it's potential, a preachy theme, a poorly-painted setting, or poor writing will still pull a reader out of a story.

So what IS the most important thing?

The most important thing is to keep your reader connected with your story. And to do that, you need to develop ALL the facets of your writing to a certain level.

5 things about HP 7.2 in Japanese (no spoilers)

Floating on air cuz I watched Harry Potter and the new Ghibli Kokkuriko-zaka kara (From up on Poppy Hill) today. I watched them in Japanese. It's always weird watching English language films in Japanese for me. Whatever language I watch a movie in first is the RIGHT language. To this day, I can only sing "Dille Che L'ami" (Italian) instead of "How Does She Know" from ENCHANTED (COME D'INCANTO). So Harry Potter 7.1 and 7.2 will probably always sound weird in English.

Anyhow here are some random thoughts about seeing Harry Potter in Japanese:

1. Most of the Japanese voices do a fair job of sounding almost exactly like the English or capturing the spirit of the character. Except Hermione. Hermione sounds vaguely Minnie Mouse on helium, so it always take a few minutes of giggles to get adjusted.

2. Harry Potter in Japanese is pronounced funny. Ha-RII PoTAA. I scoured youtube for Japanese voice overs but I can only find the trailers with subtitles. :(

3. 分霊箱 (Bunreibako) confused the heck out of me for the first 30 minutes. Eventually I figured out it meant "horcrux"- literally "part-spirit-box". Horcrux isn't exactly in the dictionary.

4. For about 90% of the movie I wondered why they kept talking about 机 (tsukue)- desks. I kept saying to myself, I can't remember there being this much talk of desks in the book. Turns out they were saying 杖 (tsue)- wand. Wand makes so much more sense than desk. So much more sense. Definitely should have looked that one up before hand.

5. And my fave thing: The translation of "Marauder's Map" was "忍びの地図" (Shinobu no chizu) or literally "Ninja Map" !!! BEST. TRANSLATION. EVER. I mean who doesn't want a Ninja Map?

And that's my 5 randoms about watching HP 7.2 (and 7.1) in Japanese. Did you love it? Hate it? Not see it yet?

(P.S. leave a random word at the end of your comment and I'll incorporate it into a short story I wrte next week. I'll use at least 5 words, maybe more.)

Little Adults- the teen edition

Last week, we looked at how children are just little adults. Today we'll take it up a notch and talk about teens.

Cast of The Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants

THE OLDER YOU GET
Somewhere between then and adulthood, children begin to understand that life is not black and white. Teens won't say any of the things I've mentioned last week. So, what's the difference between a teen and an adult?

Keiko Kitagawa with co-star

EXPERIENCE
Teenager-hood is a time that's notorious for bad decisions. Some adults act like that's because the teenager's brain is less developed. I'm not a neuro-anything specialist, but I don't think I "know" more since my teen years. I think I've experienced more. I have more examples of good and bad, and it can help me make better decisions.

Beverly Hills, 90210- the original

EMOTION
Another major factor involved in how adults perceive teens is emotion. In the teenage years, hormones increase to make all the changes for adult life. A side effect is increased emotions. The emotional teen is a sterotype to many adults. And they're often written off with a "This too shall pass." I appreciate that message, and sometimes it's neccessary, but it can come off as patronising. Sometimes. the message a teen really needs isn't "Deal with this, until it gets better," but just a simple acknowledgement. "I know it hurts."

Emotions can influence bad choices. Teens do things to stay in favour of the people they think matter. And to align themselves with the things that they think matter.

Jaden Smith

PEER PRESSURE
Firstly, peer pressure is not a teen thing. Peer pressure exists among adults, too. The pressure to have the best job, a good spouse, 2.5 kids, etc. Even on a micro level, to do/have certain things that other people in your field do/have.

The difference with teen peer pressure is that we tend to care about peer pressure only from our group. As an adult that means a few very homogenous communities: work, neighbourhood, maybe church. As a teen, that's a school full of different groups, and diverse people.

Not all teens even have this issue. I was never an "everybody else is..." kind of teen. This may be because a series of events that lead me to withdraw from the world and do what the heck I felt like, but the fact remains that peer pressure didn't cause me to smoke or drink or what have you.

Cast of Saved By the Bell

WHERE DO WE STAND?

Children and teens understand more than we give them credit for. You still have to make decisions for little children, but left to their own devices, they do a pretty good job of right vs. wrong.

As for teens, I tend to think that a well-educated (in the world and in school) 16 year-old has all the tools he/she needs to make decisions. And I tend to think that adults should stay (mostly) out of the way as much as possible and let the teen figure out what bad decisions are and their consequences.

That's not to say you should watch a teen get involved in a gang war, but there comes a point in everyone's life where they have to make their own mistakes. It's easier when that point comes at 16, when mistakes are forgivable. As opposed to at 24, when there may be larger implications and setbacks, including financial and legal.

I have faith in children. After all, they are little adults. And if they can't do it, then we're all damned to Hell anyway.

It's Monday. That's what's on my mind.