Category: Katie Ganshert

3 C’s – It’s Friday

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

Cares:
I’m convinced hypocrisy is the most damaging thing a believer can do when it comes to the glory of God. When we call ourselves Christians, we’re proclaiming our allegiance to Team Jesus. The world sees us and they think they see Him. The smallest action–a snide remark, an unnecessary comment, spreading gossip–can ripple into a tidal wave of damaging confusion. Where fellow believers deflate and the outside world looks on and thinks, “What a messed up Jesus they follow.” The thing is, we’re not looking at Jesus when we look at Christians. We’re looking at a bunch of redeemed sinners. Most believers know that. But who’s going to set the outside world straight? I long to keep my eyes focused on the real deal – my Yahweh, my Creator, my Savior.

Not sure where to put this one. Little Man tells us when he has to go to the bathroom now. So what does this mean? We should start potty training him? This all started happening this week. I thought we wouldn’t venture down that road until next summer!

Concerns:
Still waiting. It truly never ends, does it?

Celebrations:
I officially finished my 5th novel and sent it off to my critique partners. I’m not even going to think about a future project until after the ACFW conference.

I finished my synopsis!

Celebrating for two blogging friends and fellow WordServe Clients, Jody Hedlund and Richard Mabry, who both received 4.5 reviews (the highest rating) for their books (The Preacher’s Bride and Medical Error) from the Romantic Times.

Three day weekend here I come!

Question to Ponder: What are your cares, concerns, and celebrations today?

*I’m taking a blogging hiatus next week. See you on the thirteenth.*removetweetmeme

The Narrative Trinity

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

Back story. Present story. Hidden story. Every novel has all three. So what are they?

Back story:
Anything that happened to your characters before the novel starts.

Present story:
The series of actions and reactions between the front and back cover.

Hidden story:
The story off stage. The untold scenes and occurrences that don’t make it on the page.

How does back story affect a novel?
Back story determines the characters’ motivations. The characters’ fears. Hang ups. Beliefs. Prejudices. You name it. Back story plays a HUGE roll in every novel. It’s the conglomeration of all that makes a character. Without a back story, the characters are lifeless and flat. Not real. So authors must spend a lot of time on it, even if only bits and pieces make it into the novel.

How does the present story affect a novel?
Umm…..it sort of is the novel. So there ya go.

How does the hidden story affect a novel?
We all know not to start with back story. We know present story must be a series of scenes and sequels. We hear those terms a lot as writers. But hidden story? While the terminology isn’t as well-known, the concept is. At least it should be. Those secondary characters have lives, right? They end up in the same places as our main characters. Like when the hero runs into the heroine’s old boyfriend at the grocery store. Well, how did the old boy friend get there? Why is he there? What’s his story off the page? Every character should have their own story (whether hidden or seen), otherwise we’re left with cardboard. And who likes cardboard?

My epiphany (or more like Rachel Hauck’s epiphany):
My Book Therapy has Monday night chats. I urge you to hightail it to the archives and read. I guarantee you’ll be blown away. One Monday night, while Rachel Hauck and Susan May Warren discussed the role of secondary characters, Rachel said something that stuck with me. She said, Every character must have their own special problem. A problem gives secondary characters depth. It made me think of the hidden story and how we have to pay just as much attention to what’s not on the page as we do to what is on the page.

Questions to Ponder: What part of the narrative trinity do you most enjoy creating? What part do you struggle with the most? Have you heard of the hidden story? Do you give it the attention it deserves?removetweetmeme

A Friday Analogy & 3 C’s

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

A Friday Analogy:
Seeking publication is like being stuck in a horrible traffic jam when you’re super excited to get to a show. Any creep forward makes you ridiculously excited. Like, “Alright. This is it. Things are moving now!” Then all of a sudden, you’re in a standstill again, wondering if the road exploded. Wondering if you’ll ever get there. Craning your neck out the window, trying to see what’s causing the backup, only a big stupid truck’s in the way.

Cares:
Some Fridays, I sit and scratch my chin, trying to think of what to write for 3 C’s and other Fridays, I have to narrow things down because there’s too much to say. From now on, I’m only writing a 3 C’s post when I have a Friday like the second one. I mean, do you really care that my son didn’t eat his green beans? Probably not. So, I’m thinking of doing a Friday Analogy on the days there’s not much to say. It will probably be an analogy on the writing journey – usually silly, occasionally serious, rarely profound. I’ll still pose the question: What are your 3 C’s today, because I enjoy reading your updates. Whadaya think?

Concerns:
The beginning of my WIP is edgy. Like, really edgy for the CBA. Here’s the thing. It’s not edgy for the sake of edginess (that’s silly). It’s edgy because my heroine is completely broken. She’s chasing after happiness in all the wrong places. I’m not glorifying her lifestyle. I’m writing about it to magnify the severity of her brokenness and the beauty of God’s grace. Those are the novels I like. The ones that don’t shy away from reality. The ones that aren’t afraid to get a little grit under their fingernails. However, I can’t help but feel nervous about it’s future acceptance in the eyes of potential publishers.

Celebrations:
I finished major revisions for my novel. Now I’m polishing, which is my favorite part.

Junior High Ministry had their kickoff for the new school year this past Wednesday. Talk about energy (and volume)! God’s doing some amazing work in the lives of these students.

Questions to Ponder: What are your cares, concerns, and celebrations today? What do you think about the Friday analogy idea?removetweetmeme