Inspire Christian Writer's Group

Inspire Announces Complete Book Analysis Group

Attention Fiction Writers:

We are adding a new entrée to the Inspire menu of training options—The Complete Book Analysis Group.

This group will meet monthly to analyze an entire novel to discover its strengths and weaknesses. We will find out what makes characters unforgettable and dialogue intriguing. We will learn what works and what doesn’t when building a character arc.

If you have ever wanted to learn how authors keep their readers awake long into the night with can’t-put-it-down fiction, this group is for you!

Inspire’s Complete Book Analysis Group will meet the second Monday of each month at Jericho Coffee House in Roseville from 9am to noon.

Our first meeting will be May 10.

We will read and analyze (before May 10) Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas. Note too that Debbie Fuller Thomas will be our special guest for a fiction workshop on June 29—details will be coming soon.

So, pick up your copy of Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon and plan to join us. You will need an Analysis Worksheet. These will be available from your Inspire critique group leader or you can email me for it.

After analyzing a published novel or two, we will turn our attention to the as-of-yet-unpublished novels of Inspire writers. We will analyze entire manuscripts so we better understand how all those chapters we are critiquing work as a whole novel. The goal of course, is to create our own can’t-put-it-down fiction that is ready for publication.

Let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to growing together.

Gratefully,

Beth

Fiction Writing for Dummies (And for Smarties, too!)

 Hello Inspire Writers,

I know you are not Dummies, so please do not be insulted by this invitation to join the Inspire Elk Grove group as we work through Randy Ingermanson’s Fiction Writing for Dummies.

Beginning Thursday, April 15^th we will meet monthly to review a chapter or two of the book. Meetings will start promptly at 10am at my home in Elk Grove. Let me know if you need my address and directions. You can email me at inspiregroup (at) Comcast (dot) net.

Please come prepared to discuss Chapter 1 Fiction Writing Basics. If you don’t yet have Fiction Writing for Dummies, you can get it at Amazon.com.

If you live outside of the Elk Grove area and cannot attend in person, let me know and we’ll start a discussion about Fiction Writing for Dummies on our Facebook page as well. Don’t want you to miss out.

Gratefully,

Beth

AFWCG Presents: An Early Spring Read

Hello Inspire Writers,

We have been invited by the Amador Fiction Writers Critique Group to participate in their Early Spring Read. Here are the details:

Readings in Various genres:  

Children’s, Historical, Literary, Poetry, Prose and Screenwriting

  

Guest Reader:  Tonia Triebwasser

 

Pianist Jake Guidi will entertain with piano solos

 

Saturday, April 3, 2010

 

6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

 

At: Clark’s Corner

  12 W. Main Street, IONE

 209-274-2233

 

AFWCG contact:  

Kathy Boyd Fellure – 209-274-0205

 

 

Some of the group’s Artwork and Photography will also be on display

Writers Workshop

ARE YOU READY?

·       To take your fiction to the next level?

·       To master Point of View?

·       To learn how and when to use Narrative Summary?

·       To write riveting Dialogue?

·       To develop your Voice?

·       To create unforgettable Characters?

If you are ready for this and more, join Inspire Christian Writers as we work through the book, Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to edit yourself into print. Non-fiction writers will also benefit from these editing techniques.

We will meet at Jericho Coffee House on the third Monday of each month beginning January 18. Please come prepared with the Introduction and Chapter One exercises completed.

Who: All Inspire Writers

What: Editing Workshop

When: 3^rd Monday of each month, 9:00am-Noon

Where: Jericho Coffee House, 8711 Sierra College Blvd, Roseville, CA.

Why: To hone our writing skills and make our manuscripts masterpieces.

Contact Jennifer if you have any questions: inklink (at) sbcglobal.net or call 530-823-6702

 

Writing Tips from Lee Roddy: Outcome

Hello Writers,

We are continuing our Fiction Writing Tips with Lee Roddy. Today we will learn about the outcome of our story and the basics on writing our story’s ending.

WRITING TIP #6: Outcome

By LEE RODDY

 

 

The ending part of a story is short. It begins by showing the main character, facing disaster, using his abilities in a final gallant effort to triumph over the last major obstacle leading to the outcome, or how the story ends. The ending has three parts:

 

1. CRISIS: The purpose of a crisis is to test the story person’s character and reveal who he really is. The crisis develops from the foreshadowed anticipated catastrophic event (ACE) which the main character encountered at the end of the story’s middle. This character now faces a vital decision. One choice is easy; the other hard. Here is where that focal character has an epiphany, or turn-around scene which reveals who he really is in his heart. He then makes an emotional decision by choosing self-sacrifice over self-interest.

CLIMAX: This is the high point in a story. It emotionally shows how the main character, facing complete disaster, snatches victory from defeat and achieves his objective.

CONCLUSION: This is the story resolution, showing rewards and punishment, primarily revealing what the main character gets. The writer must quickly wrap up any loose ends to show the outcome and leave the reader satisfied.

SUMMARY: The outcome of a story dramatizes how the main character makes one final valiant effort to overcome the last major obstacle and succeeds in reaching his original objective.

Lee Roddy is the author of more than 40 young readers’ novels and countless short stories. This lesson is copyright 2009 Lee Roddy, but may be freely reprinted by including the author’s website: www.leeroddybooks.com. Lee’s 85-page instruction manual on “How to Write a Story” is available from this website, or the publisher, Andrew Pudewa’s Institute for Excellence in Writing.

If you have any questions for Lee, please submit them in the comments and we’ll be sure to post the answer here.

Gratefully,

Beth

Writing Tips from Lee Roddy: Obstacles

Hello Writers,

Today Lee Roddy continues to teach us the basics of fiction writing with a lesson on obstacles.

WRITING TIP #5: Obstacles

By LEE RODDY

 

After the DECISION by the main character to go for his OBJECTIVE (which ends the story’s beginning) this character TAKES ACTION to open the long middle part of the narrative. This SECTION PRIMARILY SHOWS THE main CHARACTER’S successes and failures in trying to overcome OBSTACLES.

Part 1: First attempt: The main character’s first effort tries a solution that fails and worsens the problem.

Part 2: Second attempt: This character’s strong emotional drive makes him / her willing to risk dangers to achieve that objective, so he tries again. This may seem about to succeed, but reversal results in a still worse situation. Three tries are recommended for beginning writers,

 

Part 3 Final attempts: the focal character tries again and again, depending on length of the story. One of these tries may seem to be effective, but the problem eventually always worsens.

 

The long middle part of a story ends when a forecast ANTICIPATED CATASTROPHIC EVENT (ACE) suddenly looms as a MONUMENTAL REVERSAL. This makes it seem totally impossible to overcome the last obstacle. This DARK MOMENT marks the end of the story’s middle and provides a transition to the ending, which will be in the lesson on Outcome.

Summary: The middle part of a story primarily shows the main character’s efforts to overcome obstacles that prevent reaching his goal.

 

Lee Roddy is the author of more than 40 young readers’ novels and countless short stories.

This lesson is copyright 2009 Lee Roddy, but may be freely reprinted by including the author’s website: www.leeroddybooks.com. Lee’s 85-page instruction manual on “How to Write a Story” is available from this website, or the publisher, Andrew Pudewa’s Institute for Excellence in Writing.

Stay tuned for more great fiction tips. If you have a question for Lee, please submit it in the comments and we’ll be sure to post the answer here.

Gratefully,

Beth

 

 

Writing Tips from Lee Roddy: Objective

Hello Writers,

Lee Roddy provides insights into the objective that drives a fiction piece in today’s writing tip.

WRITING TIP #4: Objective

By LEE RODDY 

 

Here’s a brief review of the first three lessons: A story’s beginning should be short. To start a story, the writer must thrust one main CHARACTER into a SITUATION which produces a PROBLEM.  Now the focal character’s OBJECTIVE is to resolve that problem. 

 

The OBJECTIVE or goal must be tangible so the reader will know when the focal character achieves it. The objective must also be of such significance that readers will continue turning pages to watch the character’s struggles against everyone and everything that prevents his reaching the objective.

 

Examples of simple objectives that young writers could use in a story:  Boy wants a dog. Girl wants a horse. Boy wants to become the school’s baseball pitcher. Girl wants a certain dress for a special occasion. The story possibilities are endless, but behind each main character there should be important stakes to win or lose, plus a strong motivation forces that keeps the main character tying to achieve his goal.

 

The first part of a story ends when the main character’s strong motivation makes him decide to go for the objective in spite of risks or danger. The long middle of a story shows the main character’s efforts to reach the objective in spite of all OBSTACLES. We’ll study Obstacles in the next lesson.

 

SUMMARY:  The main character’s tangible OBJECTIVE spurs him on to achieve what he wants.

 

Lee Roddy is the author of more than 40 young readers’ novels and countless short stories.

This lesson is copyright 2009 Lee Roddy, but may be freely reprinted by including the author’s website: www.leeroddybooks.com. Lee’s 85-page instruction manual on “How to Write a Story” is available from this website, or the publisher, Andrew Pudewa’s Institute for Excellence in Writing.

 

I hope you are enjoying Lee’s writing tips. If you have a question for Lee, please submit it in the comments and we’ll be sure to post the answer here.

Gratefully,

Beth

Inspire Christian Writers to Host Award-Winning Author Sharon K. Souza

Hello Writers,

 

The Inspire Christian Writers Group

Proudly announces a special guest appearance by

Award-winning author Sharon K. Souza

On Tuesday, September 29 at 7pm.

 

Please join us at

Warehouse Christian Ministries,

9933 Business Park Dr., Sacramento

For more info contact

Beth Thompson at 916-607-7796.

 

Sharon is a gifted story-teller with a remarkable ability to create characters that whisk readers away to another time and place. She is coming to share her experience and expertise with us. She is optimistic, encouraging and a deep well of wisdom.

 

Sharon’s first book, A Heavenly Christmas in Hometown (which was also adapted as a play) was followed by two novels published by NavPress in 2008: Every Good and Perfect Gift and Lying on Sunday. Her newest project is titled Unraveled. To learn more about Sharon and her writing, you can visit her website and follow her on Twitter.

        

Plan to attend this fun Inspire Christian Writers’ event. And bring your writing friends. There is no charge for admission for this event. However contributions toward an honorarium will be accepted..

I’ll look forward to seeing you then.

 

Gratefully,

 

Beth

 

 

Writing Tips from Lee Roddy: Problem

Hello Inspire Writers,

Today we continue our series of fiction writing tips from best-selling author Lee Roddy.

WRITING TIP #3 Problem

by LEE RODDY

Writing teacher Anne Marie Winz of Orlando submitted this question from one of her students: Does the main character have to have a problem?

Yes. Readers want a likeable focal character as he encounters a SITUATION LEADING TO A PROBLEM which he must resolve. Without a problem, there’s no reason to read on.

The PROBLEM TESTS THE MAIN CHARACTER to see if he is STRONGLY MOTIVATED and DESERVES TO WIN. He proves this by encountering VARIOUS OBSTACLES and suffers SETBACKS, but he never stops trying.

Near the end, a major complication makes it seem impossible for the focal character to reach his goal. However, he makes a final effort that succeeds. He resolves the problem himself, ending the story on an upbeat note.

SUMMARY: The entire story depends on introducing a PROBLEM which the main character struggles to resolve.

Lee Roddy is the author of more than 40 young readers’ novels and countless short stories.

This lesson may be reprinted by including the author’s website: www.leeroddybooks.com.

If you have a specific writing question for Lee, please leave it in the comments and we’ll be sure to post the answer here.

Gratefully,

Beth

 

Writing Tips from Lee Roddy: Situation

Hello Inspire Writers,

Here is the second weekly installment of writing tips from Lee Roddy. Today he teaches us the basics of the opening situation of a story.

WRITING TIP #2:  SITUATION

by LEE RODDY

The main character is the most important element a writer must deal with in writing a story, but   the second vital element is the OPENING SITUATION in which the character finds himself. The purpose of the situation is to set up the STORY PROBLEM which is the third required element to be explained in the next lesson.

The situation must either have changed or be about to change so that it threatens the main character in some important way. That can be life-threatening, but most children’s stories will have the character facing a threat to his plans, happiness, health, etc.
 
An opening situation can be dramatic or seemingly-innocent as long as the story problem grows out of the situation. In my best-selling novel, “Secret of the Shark Pit,” the opening situation has the main boy character is approached by a stranger who shows him a photo, asking if the boy knows where this man lives. The stranger claims the man is an old army buddy he needs to find.  

The boy knows the man is lying because the image is of his father, and he’s never been in the army. This simple situation leads to the boy’s story problem, causing him to end up in a pit filled with sharks and apparently no way out.

Summary: The main character’s OPENING SITUATION MUST LEAD TO THE STORY PROBLEM.

Lee Roddy is the author of more than 40 young readers’ novels and countless short stories.

This lesson may be reprinted by including the author’s website: www.leeroddybooks.com.

Next week, Lee will help us develop a story problem. Until then, keep writing and be sure to visit Lee's website.

Gratefully,

Beth