Category: writing

4 Handy Building Blocks of Story

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

I don’t do character charts. They are the opposite of helpful for me.

Instead, whenever I endeavor to begin a new story, I sit down, write the protagonist”s back story, and thanks to Jeff Gerke and now, Lisa Cron, I search for….

A dark, significant moment from the character’s past

This could be anything….

As a child, the character could catch his mom having an affair.

She could discover she was an “oops” baby while eavesdropping.

Bullies might call her ugly or fat or any other mean thing bullies like to say.

Whatever moment we choose, it should lead to…

A false belief

The character who caught his mom having an affair might believe that only fools fall in love.

The character who eavesdropped might believe she’s a mistake or a burden.

The character who was bullied might believe she’s unlovable when she’s herself.

This false belief results in…

A debilitating fear

The character is afraid of opening his heart to a woman.

The character is afraid of being a burden  to her parents.

The character is afraid of rejection.

This fear gives rise to what craft book writers refer to as…

The fatal flaw

Otherwise known as the knot or internal issue. Basically, it’s any practice or habit or personality trait that shields the character from the fear, but will ultimately lead to his or her death. Whether that death be physical, emotional, spiritual, social, or psychological.

The character pushes women away, because that way he’ll never find himself in the same position as his father all those years ago.

The character is an overachiever, because enough success will make up for being a mistake.

The character starves herself and acts like the popular kids, because that way, she won’t be rejected.

Once we’ve decided, we should remember to….

Let the fatal flaw steer the plot.

Each conflict should rub against it. Jeff Gerke calls this the escalating arms race–where external forces continually and more aggressively challenge the protagonist’s old way of doing things. In return, the protagonist holds on to the old way even tighter. Because that knot is important. Take it away and our character will have to face his fear.

Which is the crux of the story, isn’t it?

As much as we might say story is about achieving a  goal, it’s really about facing fear. Ironically enough, the very thing the character has been avoiding or flat-out fighting (facing that fear) is exactly what the character needs to accomplish the sought-after goal.

Let’s Talk: What false beliefs have you held onto in the past? What fears have you had to face?

In my debut novel, my protagonist definitely has a dark, defining moment (hello, prologue) in her past that leads to false beliefs and fears and a fatal flaw that she must overcome. If you’d like to give the book a try, you can read the first three chapters for free here.

If I haven’t already sent you a welcome packet, I’d love to! Sign up buttons are at the top and bottom of this page.

Finding the Time

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

When people find out I’m an author and I write novels, they usually want to know how in the world I have the time.

I mean, I have a kid at home. I have a husband. We’re adopting (which is a time-consuming endeavor). I’m involved at church. 

When do I have the time to sit down and write words?

Beth Vogt wrote a post a few weeks ago that featured a quote from Lucille Ball. “I think knowing what you cannot do is more important than knowing what you can.” And the post completely resonated. 

Because THIS is why I have time.

There are so many things non-writing mama’s probably do that I just…..don’t.

I don’t iron.

I don’t garden.

I don’t dust unless absolutely necessary.

I don’t scrapbook.

I don’t volunteer at my son’s preschool.

I don’t do MOPS or other mommy-groups. 

I don’t buy new blinds for my son’s room even though his have been broken for two months.

I don’t garage sale or refinish furniture or cook gourmet meals or go all-natural. We’re all about preservatives in this household.

I don’t keep a meticulous home or do cross fit (all the rage, I hear) or paint my nails or watch TV. 

I do laugh and play with my child. I do love on my husband. I do make family dinners (even if it’s only grilled ham and cheese sandwiches and oven-cooked french fries). I do spend time with God. I do socialize on occasion. I do keep my house livable. 

Realizing all the things I cannot do and accepting these limitations is why I can write novels. 

Let’s Talk: What are some things you choose not to do? What do you do in place of them?

If you haven’t yet signed up for a welcome packet, I’d love to send you one! To sign up, just find the Sign Up button at the top and bottom of this page and give it a click.

Advice & a Giveaway from Susan Meissner

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

I’m quite confident that every writer has, at one time or another, struggled with envy. I’m also confident that many young mothers, especially the writing-variety, feel overwhelmed at times.

Not only does award-winning author, Susan Meissner, have some advice on avoiding the ugly green-eyed monster and balancing our busy schedules, she’s giving away a copy of her newest release, The Girl in the Glass. 

Triple bonus!

To be eligible to win, all you have to do is leave a comment. A winner will be chosen by 9 pm CST on Thursday.

Without further ado, let’s dive in…

Susan, what would say if you could travel back in time and give your unpublished or newly-published self one or two pieces of advice?

First, be assured that if you write, you’re a writer. Getting published doesn’t make you a writer, it makes you published. You became a serious writer the moment you got serious about writing.

Second, I confess I’ve struggled with envy. I can sugar-coat it and say I just want God to favor me with book sales like he has other people, but I know deep down what it is. And I am sure the hard-working unpublished person who has done their homework and paid their dues and has waited patiently knows this feeling, too. I am learning to not let envy spoil the joy of writing. In the end a writer needs to write for the joy of writing. There are too many aspects of the publishing side of writing that you simply cannot control, just as there is in your unpublished life.

You and I can only control how much effort we expend at the craft, how much we are willing to rewrite and rewrite and rewrite to get it right. That’s what we can control. Envying someone else’s book sales is like envying their height. It’s pointless. It doesn’t change how tall I am. And I am learning to be happy for those whose books sell way better than mine. Being happy is so much nicer than being envious. I like it.

I agree. Jealousy is no fun. Neither is feeling overwhelmed. Any tips for busy mamas trying to balance a career, a family, and ministry?

The hardest part of balancing family, career, and ministry is keeping God at the forefront. When my relationship with Him is my first priority it’s pretty amazing how everything else falls into place. I’ve discovered having time to nurture your relationship with God is not something you find, it’s something you make. There are always too many things to do and not enough time. I really do get to choose how I divvy up the minutes of my day. I can spend 20 minutes dialoguing with God or 20 minutes doing just about anything else. I always have a better day and a better outlook on my day when I’ve connected with God before I dive into it.

Since we’re giving away a copy of your newest release, could you tell us what the novel is about?

Meg Pomeroy is a disenchanted travel book editor unsure of her father’s love, still smarting from a broken engagement, and whose normally cautious mother is suddenly dating a much younger man. Her perspective on everything that matters is skewed. She escapes to Florence, Italy, on a long-promised trip, believing her father will meet her there. True to form, he’s a no-show, but the trip allows her to connect with Lorenzo DiSantis, a writer she’s met only via Skype and e-mail, and Sofia Borelli, a tour guide and aspiring writer who claims she’s one of the last Medici, and that a sixteenth-century Medici granddaughter, Nora Orsini, speaks to her through Florence’s amazing statues and paintings. When Sophia, Meg, and Nora’s stories intersect, their lives are indelibly changed as they each answer the question: What if renaissance isn’t just a word? What if that’s what happens when you dare to believe that what is isn’t what it has to be?

Where did the story come from?

For our 25th wedding anniversary a few years ago my husband and I took a much-anticipated eight-day Mediterranean cruise. One of the ports of call on the Italy side was close enough to Florence to hop on a bus and spend the day there. When I stepped onto Florentine pavement I fell head over heels in love. No joke. There is something magical about Florence that I didn’t see in Rome, or even Paris if you can believe that. The beauty created by the masters of the Italian Renaissance is jaw-dropping and it meets your eye no matter which direction your turn. Florence  was the perfect place to bring a disillusioned present-day character who needs to re-invent her life. That’s what Renaissance means: rebirth. I went back a couple years later with my mom, daughter, sisters and nieces and knew I just had to set a story there and somehow involve the infamous Medici family.

I can’t wait to read it! I absolutely loved The Shape of Mercy and A Sound Amongst the Trees. Thanks for visiting today, Susan. And for sharing your wisdom with those of us attempting to follow in your footsteps.

Let’s Talk: If you could travel back in time and give yourself advice, what year would you travel to and what would you say?

 

You can find Susan on her website, her blog, Facebook, and on Twitter (@SusanMeissner). She sends out a newsletter via email four times a year. You can sign up for it on her website. She loves connecting with readers! You are the reason she writes.

On a personal note, I would LOVE to send you a welcome packet if I haven’t already. To sign up, simply scroll up or down. There’s a sign-up button in both directions.