Why I Like Donald Maass

I met Donald Maass in 2001. He was—and still is—a highly esteemed literary agent. At that point in his career, he’d undoubtedly read thousands of manuscripts. Plus, he’d written and published seventeen of his own novels. He was also a sought after conference speaker and, that same year, had penned WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL, a hardback how-to that offered, as the cover mentions, “Insider advice for taking your fiction to the next level.”

When my Georgia Romance Writers Chapter invited Maass to do an all-day workshop, I grabbed a front-row seat and soaked up as much information as I could. It didn’t take me long to realize the man understands story and especially the elements that transform an ordinary read into a best-selling novel. I bought his book, then went home and tried to incorporate what I’d learned into my current work-in-progress.

Three years later, Maass published WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL WORKBOOK, an easy-to-swallow text with accompanying writing exercises. The workbook offers examples from New York Times bestsellers, straightforward explanations about the processes those authors used to take their work to a higher level and exercises to incorporate the lessons learned into the writer’s manuscript.

Ask any Maass enthusiast, and they’ll probably say that his workbook is the bible, of sorts, for learning the breakout method. I hate to admit that his hardback had languished on the reference shelf in my office. I had picked it up a few times, but never really got “into” the text. The workbook, on the other hand, was easy to digest, and I eagerly devoured the information he provided.

Back in those days, I was blogging with a group of Love Inspired Suspense authors and was always looking for a fresh supply of blog topics. Wednesday was my blog day, and I started posting what I’d learned from Maass’ workbook in weekly installments. They say the best way to learn a subject is to teach it, which proved true for me. As I dug into each lesson and then encapsulated the essence of the various exercises into a short blog segment, I started understanding–and appreciating--his breakout method.

 

ACFW 2009. (L to R) Darlene Buchholz, Donald Maass,
Debby Giusti and Missy Tippens

In September 2009, I attended his workshop at the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference and came away with fresh ideas of how to turn a so-so story into a memorable read. Again, I was enthralled by his expertise and the way he challenged those attending his workshop to up their game and write a better book.

Fast forward to a few years ago when I started hosting a writing group in my local area. The folks who take part are writing at different levels in a variety of genres. Some are just getting started. Others have completed manuscripts. A few are published. The number attending the bi-monthly classes fluctuates due to busy schedules, but no matter how few or how many attend on a given evening, enthusiasm and creativity abound. I provide a topic and often use Maass’ exercises to drive home the lesson.

My local writing group hard at work!
They are so creative!

Registration for the American Fiction Writers 2016 Conference is in progress and many of you have probably signed up for the workshops being offered this year. Have you considered the early bird session? Literary agent and story-guru Donald Maass is presenting an in-depth program on his breakout method. Need proof that Maass is worth the extra $125 early-bird registration fee?

If so, here’s a sampling of what I’ve learned and shared with blog readers and writing enthusiasts over the years:

♦To create memorable first lines, Maass suggests taking what we’ve initially written and then shortening it. Perhaps the second sentence would provide a tighter opening. Or combine all the elements from the first paragraph and craft one hard-hitting line that draws the reader into the story. Maass warns against starting with weather, description or setting. Instead lead with a hook that keeps the reader guessing.

♦Equally important are closing lines, which should also be well crafted. Books in a series need to leave the reader hungry for the next release. Stand-alone titles should provide an uplifting resolution or final thought the reader can savor.

♦ Consistent characters become dull over 400 pages so mix things up. Show your protagonist’s less attractive side or take him places he doesn’t want to go.

♦ Determine what the heroine wants, then have her do the exact opposite. Eventually, she’ll recognize her mistake, but that momentary glitch helps her come alive in the reader's mind.

♦ Inner conflict makes a character memorable. Pull him in two different directions and make both choices difficult. What would your character never do or never ask? Have him do that very thing.

♦To improve a scene, cut the fat. Trim the introduction and set-up. Do away with exposition and pare down the dialogue to the essentials. Delete interior monolog and incidental action. Bottom line, take out everything that doesn’t move the scene forward.

♦Include death, self-sacrifice, the giving of cherished gifts, betrayal, farewells or moral choices into your story to deliver a high emotional impact.

♦External turning points need internal turning points as well. How does the character change in each scene? Show him just before something happens as well as a few minutes later. What does he want at the beginning of the scene? How does that differ from what he wants at the end of the scene?

♦As writers, we need to ensure our characters grapple with pertinent issues that strike a chord with those who read our work. So cut the fluff, and zone in on core principles, universal truths and moral dilemmas that engage readers, whether contest judges or editors looking to buy the next bestseller.

♦We all know the antagonist needs to have his or her own GMC (goals, motivation and conflict), but Maass encourages us to go even deeper into the villain’s character. One of the workbook exercises focuses on exploring the bad guy/gal’s sympathetic side. By adding a few details, the reader can see the villain as a multi-dimensional character who may even be likable in some ways. Just as our hero and heroine can be pulled between what they really want/need and what they think they want, if the villain’s good side is in direct opposition to the bad deeds he’s forced to do, that internal struggle can provide a more richly drawn antagonist as well.

Another photo of my wonderful local
group of writers!

♦ Just as we describe a sunset or a garden in bloom, so should we detail the impact events have on the inner person. Maass suggests doing “emotional research.” How does a flesh and blood person react to a similar situation in real life? That glimpse of reality will give authenticity to our characters and will resonate with readers.

♦When we provide opportunities for a character to forgive a wrong or put the needs of another before his own, we are elevating that character’s worth. When characters are elevated, readers are elevated as well.

In conclusion, Maass says that most of the problems writers give their characters are too easily solved. What causes him to reject a submission? Usually it’s when he finds no immediate reason to care about the protagonist and/or a lack of tension within the first two to five pages of the manuscript.

I always provide chocolate for my writing group. Did you
know chocolate stimulates creativity? Help yourself!

To learn more about Donald Maass’ writing techniques, check out his bestsellers: Writing the Breakout Novel, Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook and Fire in Fiction.

Leave a comment about Donald Maass or a tip or technique you use to enhance a story to be entered in two drawings. Each winner will receive a copy of PLAIN DANGER, and a surprise gift!

Happy writing! Happy reading!

Wishing you abundant blessings,

Debby Giusti

http://www.debbygiusti.com/

PLAIN DANGER

By Debby Giusti

DANGEROUS INHERITANCE 

When Carrie York arrives at the house she inherited from her father in an Amish community, she's shocked to discover a soldier's body on the property. Her neighbor, army special agent Tyler Zimmerman, starts investigating the murder, and Carrie fears it's related to her father's mysterious death. Tyler doesn't trust the pretty speechwriter or the suspicious timing of her arrival—especially since her boss is responsible for his father's death. But when someone attacks Carrie, Tyler insists on protecting her. With his help, will Carrie be able to hold on to her inheritance and her life? 

Order your copy HERE!

Watch for PLAIN TRUTH, available in September.

PLAIN TRUTH

By Debby Giusti

AMISH COUNTRY SECRETS

When widowed doctor Ella Jacobsen is attacked and left for dead in her childrens’ clinic, the peace she’s found in Georgia’s Amish country is shattered. Someone is after something in her clinic and wants her out of the way...but what are they looking for? Ella knows only that  her life is in the hands of army special agent Zach Swain. Zach can’t resist the vulnerable but headstrong Ella, who stares down danger to care for the people she loves. With one look, the loner soldier goes from investigator to protector. To save Ella, he must uncover the secrets that swirl around the idyllic community. And he needs  to do it fast, because Ella is running out of time. 

Pre-order HERE!

STRANDED

by Debby Giusti

Reissued in a two-in-one with Emma Miller’s MIRIAM’S HEART

Available July 2016

Pre-order HERE!

Guest blogger Lacy Williams: Tension on Every Page

Good morning, Seekerville! Myra here. I’m privileged to introduce guest blogger and debut novelist Lacy Williams. I first met Lacy about five years ago through the Tulsa-area ACFW chapter, back when book publication was still a dream for both of us. She impressed me from the start with her smarts and determination, so I wasn’t the least bit surprised when she won the Genesis in 2009 with the manuscript that is now her debut novel, Love Inspired Historical Marrying Miss Marshall.

Please give Lacy a warm welcome as she shares her insights into maximizing story impact by creating tension on every page.

*****

According to Donald Maass, author of WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL and THE FIRE IN FICTION, for a novel to be successful it needs to capture the reader’s attention on each page—whether that reader is an agent, editor or someone picking up the novel off the shelf at the bookstore. Maass says the only way to do that is make sure there is adequate tension on each page.

There are several exercises in Maass’s WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL WORKBOOK that deal with tension. His workbook is an excellent resource and will definitely improve your writing, so get a copy! I was privileged to hear Maass speak at the 2009 ACFW Conference Early Bird and he said there are three main ways to add tension to any scene:

Dialogue—if you have two characters in a scene, consider ratcheting up the tension in the dialogue (this includes subtext). What if your characters didn’t have a nice, tidy conversation? What if they had a fight, instead? What if one of the characters doesn’t like the other (for any number of reasons)? What if they were trying to say one thing without really saying the words? Or trying to hide something from each other? Consider ways you could change the dialogue to make things worse for your characters.

External happenings—don’t make things too easy for your characters. What if the horse your character is trying to break refuses to behave, INSTEAD OF easily going on with what the heroine wants? What if the horse tries to stomp on a young girl that shouldn’t have been in the training ring? What if the horse jumps the fence and runs away (and what if the hero had spent the last of his money on the horse and it was his last hope for entering the racing circuit?)? Consider if there are other external things (outside your character) that could happen to increase tension in your scene.

Internal conflict—ask yourself what is going on inside your character in the scene? Is their internal reaction powerful enough? What could they feel or believe that would make things worse for them? In the example above with the heroine breaking a horse, what if she had a bad experience with a green-broke horse in the past? What if she’d been partially paralyzed and had had to fight her way back to being able to move around again? Or what if she’d witnessed someone trying to break a horse and they were killed? What if the girl who’d snuck into the training ring was her daughter? And what if her ex-husband (the hero) that she’s trying to reunite with has previously accused her of endangering their daughter? What if she’s afraid he might be right? Ask yourself if what’s happening in the scene could impact the character in a deeper way, then try to show that inner tension (especially if you have a chance to add conflicting emotions).

According to Maass, a writer should examine each scene, every single page of their novel to see if it needs additional tension. Recently, I led a discussion on WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL WORKBOOK for a local writers’ group, and decided to practice this exercise. I allowed one of the participants to pick a random page in the first draft of my current novel. We read the passage aloud and then had a group discussion on what could be done to add more tension to the scene. Talk about a humbling experience for me—I hate letting people see my first drafts!! But… I’ve decided to share the exercise with Seekerville, too, because what I got out of it was so valuable to me.

Here’s the passage we read:

FIRST DRAFT:

[My heroine (Penny) and her charge (six-year-old Breanna) have just been watching two teen boys (Breanna’s brothers) trying to break a horse.]

Penny hiked up her skirt and maneuvered her way through the rails into the corral. The horse immediately reacted, neighing a soft warning for Penny to stay away.

“Miss Penny, what’re you doing?” Breanna gasped.

Penny ignored her. “Don’t speak too loudly, you three,” she ordered. “I’m going to try a trick my granddad showed me.”

“You’re going to tame that filly?” Oscar scoffed.

His remark rankled Penny but she didn’t show her reaction outwardly. She needed to be calm so the horse would trust her. Pretending to ignore the horse, Penny leaned on the fence about halfway between the kids and the animal, one arm outstretched against the top railing, the apple piece dangling loosely from her fingertips.

“There’s more than one way to break a filly,” was Penny’s response to Oscar. “You can try to manhandle her into submission…” She let her voice trail off, showing him what she thought about his method.

Breanna and Ed watched in rapt attention.

The teen’s eyebrows arched in skepticism. “Or…?”

Penny held her breath as the horse snorted. She watched from the corner of her eye as the animal bobbed its head, trying to determine who Penny was and just what she was doing in the corral. Penny could wait.

“Or you can woo your filly.”

“Woo her?” Oscar echoed, his voice changing from challenging to perplexed.

“Mmm,” Penny said softly. The horse took one step forward—in Penny’s direction. Penny didn’t move. “Yes, woo her. Just like when you’re trying to catch the attention of a girl you might fancy.”

Now his eyebrows went all the way up to meet his hat.

Penny went on, “When you want to get a girl’s attention, you don’t demand it…” She held her breath as the horse took two more steps forward. Still several to go before the rope would be within reach.

“You speak softly to her.” Penny kept her voice low and soothing. “Tell her things she wants to hear. That she’s pretty, if you like her dress, that kind of thing.” Another step. Another. “But don’t simply ask about surface things… you want to find out what is close to her heart… Her family… her dreams…”

One more step brought the horse close enough to stretch its neck and sniff the apple in Penny’s palm, tickling her with its warm breath.

“That’s right,” Penny encouraged the animal under her breath. “Take it…”

The horse lipped up the apple piece, crunching it between its teeth.

“And giving a girl—a filly—gifts can’t hurt your chances either,” Penny finished.

Penny remained still, internally exulting as the animal eased closer and sniffed her arm, her shoulder, her hair. And then, finally, nosed the apron where Penny had hidden the other apple quarters.

Penny rewarded the animal with a second piece, slowly turning and raising her other hand to touch the horse’s neck. The filly bobbed her head, agitated, but Penny left her hand where it was, didn’t move a muscle.

Penny maintained eye contact with the horse, letting the animal know that she was here, that she wasn’t going to hurt it. When the horse calmed, Penny was able to rub under its forelock.

So the scene has some tension in it (what will the horse do? some skepticism from Oscar), but it could use more. Here are some of the suggestions from my writers’ group on adding tension:

*Make the horse wilder (external)

*Horse doesn’t take apple, shies away instead, making her idea not work (external)

*She compares horse to hero or teen (dialogue/subtext)

*What if hero comes up behind her and overhears conversation? (external)

*Make teen more rebellious/not willing to listen (external)

*Make heroine afraid of horse (internal)

And here is the final version of the scene:

Penny hiked up her skirt and maneuvered her way through the rails into the corral. The horse reacted, neighing a warning for Penny to stay away.

“Miss Penny, what’re you doing?” Breanna gasped.

Penny ignored her. “Don’t speak too loudly, you three,” she ordered. “I’m going to try a trick my granddad showed me.”

“You’re going to tame that filly?” Oscar scoffed.

“Why doncha get outta there before ya get hurt?” Edgar chimed in, crossing his arms across the top railing and putting one boot on the bottom. [external: stronger reaction from the boys]

The boys’ remarks rankled, but Penny didn’t show her reaction outwardly. She needed to put off a calm aura so the horse would trust her. Pretending to ignore the horse, Penny leaned on the fence about halfway between the children and the animal, one arm outstretched against the top railing, the apple piece dangling loosely from her fingertips.

“There’s more than one way to break a filly,” was Penny’s response to Oscar. “You can try to manhandle her into submission… Perhaps to steal a kiss…?” She still couldn’t believe he’d done such a thing. Maybe she could teach two lessons at once. [subtext]

Breanna and Ed watched; the young girl with rapt attention, Edgar wearing a skeptical look.

Oscar’s eyebrows arched, his jaw lifting defiantly—she’d seen that look on her brother Sam’s face many a time. “Or…?” [external: boys’ reaction]

Penny held her breath as the horse snorted. She watched from the corner of her eye as the animal bobbed its head, trying to determine who Penny was and just what she was doing in the corral. Penny could wait.

“Or you can woo your filly.”

“Woo her? Yer joking.” 

Edgar snorted as if to agree with his brother. [external: boys’ reaction]

“I’m not.” Penny remained perfectly still as the horse took one step forward—in Penny’s direction. “Yes, woo her. Just like when you’re trying to catch the attention of a girl you might fancy.”

Now Oscar’s eyebrows met his hat. He crossed his arms over his chest.
“When you want to get a girl’s attention, you don’t demand it…” Penny held her breath as the horse took two more hesitant steps forward. Still several to go before the rope would be within reach.

“You speak softly to her.” Penny kept her voice low and soothing. “Tell her things she wants to hear. That she’s pretty, if you like her dress, that kind of thing.” Another step. And another. “But don’t simply ask about surface things… you want to find out what is close to her heart… Her family… her dreams…”

One more step brought the horse close enough to stretch its neck and sniff the apple in Penny’s palm, tickling her with its warm breath.

“That’s right,” Penny encouraged the animal under her breath. “Take it…”

The horse lipped up the apple piece, crunching it between its teeth.

“And giving a girl—a filly—gifts can’t hurt your chances either,” Penny finished, pride coloring her voice. It had worked!

Penny caught sight of a sharp motion from the corner of her eye. Suddenly, the horse shied and reared. Penny jumped away, banging her side hard into the corral post. The horse’s hooves narrowly missed her—she heard the air whoosh by the filly galloped away to the other side of the corral.

“Miss Penny!”

“What’s going on here?”

Heart pounding so loudly that she only dimly heard Breanna’s shout and the second voice—Jonas’s—Penny clung to the corral post. The horse didn’t settle, instead heading around the corral and back toward Penny, who couldn’t seem to make her legs work. She knew she needed to duck between the rails and get out of the corral, but her feet felt like lead—she couldn’t move!

A pair of hands clasped her waist and she was bodily lifted over the top corral rail just before the horse thundered past, dirt flying up behind its dangerous hooves.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Jonas demanded. [external: horse’s reaction and hero shows up]

Scene excerpts copyright © 2011 Lacy Williams.

The bolded parts in the finished version of the scene are where I added tension. For this particular scene, it turned out to be mostly external tension, however, in the reaction scene that immediately follows this, there is additional internal tension as the hero confronts her and also she finds out that one of the boys caused the horse to react. So sometimes adding tension to one scene can cause a snowball effect and help create more/new tension in later scenes as well.

I hope that this post you identify some ways to add tension to your manuscript so that the editor or reader won’t be able to put it down!

*****

About Lacy: Lacy Williams is a wife and mom from Oklahoma. Her debut novel won ACFW's Genesis award before being published. She promises readers happily-ever-afters guaranteed. She combines her love of dogs with her passion for literacy by volunteering with her therapy dog Mr. Bingley in a local Kids Reading to Dogs program.

Lacy loves to hear from readers and posts short stories and giveaways at her website www.lacywilliams.net and can be found on social media at www.facebook.com/lacywilliamsbooks and www.twitter.com/lacy_williams .

About the book: Filling the shoes of her late husband as town marshal hasn’t been easy for Danna Carpenter. She’s not only fighting criminals but she’s also fighting to earn the respect of the townspeople. So crossing paths with tenderfoot detective Chas O’Grady is the last thing she needs. He’s hunting a band of cattle rustlers and isn’t used to the rugged Wyoming landscape. Teaming up is their only option, but when circumstances place them in a compromising situation, the town forces a more permanent partnership—marriage. If they can let down their guards with each other they might find that love is the greatest catch of all.


Praise for MARRYING MISS MARSHAL:

Publisher’s Weekly calls it, “warmly romantic with a hint of adventure and an unconventional heroine.” (June)

RT Book Reviews says, “Williams’ debut is a great story with a twist, and it will keep readers riveted.”  (August)

***

 Chat with Lacy today and you’ll be entered to win an autographed copy of Marrying Miss Marshall.

More Maass

By Debby Giusti

When Donald Maass talks about writing, I listen. In September, I attended his workshop at the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference and came away with fresh ideas of how to turn a so-so story into a memorable read. Here are a few tips Maass shared that day.

“Consistent characters become dull over 400 pages,” Maass said. “So mix things up.” Show your protagonist’s less attractive side or take him places he doesn’t want to go.

Determine what the heroine wants, then have her do the exact opposite. Eventually, she’ll recognize her mistake, but that momentary glitch helps her come alive in the reader's mind.

Inner conflict makes a character memorable. Pull him in two different directions and make both choices difficult. What would your character never do or never ask? Have him do that very thing.

“Enemies tell us the truth about ourselves,” says Maass. “If you need more story, empower the antagonist.” Look at the story through his point of view. What steps does he need to take to achieve his own goal? Don’t allow him to lurk. Make him face off against the hero. Add an emotional punch by letting the protagonist realize the antagonist may be right.

To improve a scene, cut the fat. Trim the introduction and set-up. Do away with exposition and pare down the dialogue to the essentials. Delete interior monolog and incidental action. Bottom line, take out everything that doesn’t move the scene forward.

Include death, self-sacrifice, the giving of cherished gifts, betrayal, farewells or moral choices into your story to deliver a high emotional impact.

External turning points need internal turning points as well. How does the character change in each scene? Show him just before something happens as well as a few minutes later. What does he want at the beginning of the scene? How does that differ from what he wants at the end of the scene?

Putting on his agent hat, Maass said that most of the problems writers weave into the stories he reads are too easily solved. What causes him to reject a submission? Usually it’s when he finds no immediate reason to care about the characters and a lack of tension within the first two to five pages.

To learn more about Donald Maass’ writing techniques, check out his bestsellers: Writing the Breakout Novel, Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook and Fire in Fiction.

The photo (left) shows Darlene Buchholz (l-r), Donald Maass, Debby and Missy Tippens at the Romance Writers of America Conference.

Happy writing!

Wishing you abundant blessings,
Debby Giusti
http://www.debbygiusti.com/
http://www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/

Leave a comment and your email for a chance to win a copy of Debby's last book, PROTECTING HER CHILD. Watch for Debby’s next release, CHRISTMAS PERIL, in bookstores December 7.

Tips from RWA 2009!

By Debby Giusti

This year’s Romance Writers of America National Conference, held in Washington, DC, offered more than 150 workshops. Here are some of the tips I picked up as I enjoyed three days focused on writing.

Janet Evanovich opened the conference and talked about her ten-year journey to publication. Before the "Call," Janet analyzed romance novels and made lists of how the authors told their stories. Now she’s at her desk by 5:15 AM. Janet calls herself a “reduction sauce writer” because she reduces descriptions into three or four sentences that are easy for the reader to ingest.

Analyze your writing, Janet suggested. What works? What do readers like? Asked about stumbling blocks, she said transitions are hard, but when well written, they make the book a page turner.

Toward the end of her talk, she provided a tidbit that hit home with me. She said an editor once told her, “Never save anything.” When as idea floats into her brain, she uses it for the work in progress. New ideas will come when needed so Janet says, “Don’t hold anything back!”
(Debby chats with Janet Evanovich above left.)

Best-selling author Brenda Novak talked about Emotion as the Heart of the Novel. Her tips? Keep the reader in the action. Start in the present and move forward in real time. Show don’t tell. Don’t repeat the obvious. Use specific details that create a picture.

Brenda suggested layering conversations with subtext to add richness. Blend the narrative with the dialogue. Show the reverse side to the extreme to make interesting characters, especially villains.

Sharon Sala, in her workshop From the Basement to the Penthouse: the ABCs of Building Suspense, said internal conflict is the character’s Achilles heel. The hero has to face his personal conflict and grow because of it. Sharon suggests having a story come full circle so it ends where it began. (Remember the opening beach scene in the movie Sweet Home Alabama? The movie ended with a concluding scene on that same beach years later.)

Sharon Page and Jessica Faust created an excellent handout for their workshop, The 15 Minute Synopsis: How to Create a Selling Synopsis Fast. Their advice is to start with conflict. What’s keeping the hero and heroine apart? Make the problem clear and specific. Detail how they grow, and why they fall in love. Start with a sentence, expand it into a paragraph and finally a one-page synopsis.

As a guide for developing a quick synopsis, Sharon and Jessica suggested focusing on the set up of the hero and heroine and their conflict, the black moment and climax and what the characters have learned as well as their declaration of love.

Another keeper from Sharon: The synopsis is to sell the book, not summarize the story. Just as in your actual manuscript, use plot points to build romance. Open with a story question and end with a rich emotional conclusion that will stand out in the editor’s mind.

Donald Maass, the author of WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL and THE FIRE IN FICTION, told writers to pull their heroes down to earth. What’s the hero's weakness? Give him a funny quirk or a flaw he can’t correct.

Once again, Maass challenged writers to make the villain multi-dimensional. Allow him to get what he wants in the beginning, but later, he confronts the protagonist and should lose but not easily. A Maass tip: Have the villain on the page interacting with the protagonist at least five times within the story.

Revitalize dead scenes by increasing the emotion. Up the character’s anger to fury, delight to euphoria, loneliness to desolation. Weave your own personal experiences into the story to make them ring true. (Darlene Buchholz, Donald Maass, Debby and Missy Tippens pose for the camera.)

Best-selling suspense author Andrew Gross was up bright and early on Saturday morning for an 8:30 AM, “He Said, She Said” workshop with Carla Neggers. He empowers his heroines and creates smart women who are pretty, but not beautiful. They overcome serious life obstacles, which make them stronger. Think iron fist inside a velvet glove for the gutsy heroine Gross does so well. He also gives the gals a hidden talent and lets them outcompete the male character. He added, while the female protagonist beats the guy, she never shows him up. (Debby with Andrew Gross.)

The last workshop I attended was given by Grammar Divas Darlene Buchholz and Annie Oortman. Sporting neon pink hardhats, the Divas talked about the nuts and bolts of constructing a story with emphasis on grammar and word choice. These girls know their stuff, provide excellent handouts and are getting ready to launch a website. Visit them soon at http://grammardivas.com/.

The best part of the conference was visiting with friends old and new. Thanks to everyone who made the conference so special. (L to R: Missy Tippens, Janet Dean and Debby at the Harlequin party. Janet and Debby at the Literacy Book Signing. Debby, Janet, Golden Heart finalist and newly contracted author Cara Slaughter, and Missy before the Awards Ceremony.)

Please leave a comment and share any new writing tip you’ve recently learned. When we pool our resources, we all benefit.

Happy writing!

Wishing you abundant blessings,
Debby Giusti
http://www.debbygiusti.com/
http://www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/

Is Donald Maass Worth $99?

By Debby Giusti

Registration for the American Fiction Writers Conference is in progress and many of you have probably signed up for the workshops being offered this year. But what about the early bird session? Literary agent and story-guru Donald Maass is presenting the full-day program. Cost for the event is $99.

With the economy in a downward spiral, money is tight. If you’re like me, the conference takes a big bite out of my writing budget. The Thursday early-bird program adds the workshop fee as well as overnight hotel accommodations to an already hefty bottom line. So, you might be asking, is Maass worth the extra expense?

Shortly after he published WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL in 2001, my Georgia Romance Writers Chapter invited Maass to do a program for our membership. I grabbed a front-row seat and soaked up as much information as I could. Didn’t take long for me to realize the man truly understands story and especially the elements that transform an ordinary read into a best-selling novel. I bought his book, went home and tried to incorporate what I’d learned into my current work-in-progress.

In 2004, Maass published WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL WORKBOOK. An easy-to-swallow text with accompanying writing exercises, the workbook offers examples from New York Times bestsellers, straightforward explanations about the processes those authors have used to take their work to a higher level and exercises to incorporate the lessons learned into a writer’s current manuscript.

Last year, I pulled the workbook off my reference shelf and referred to it in my weekly Craftie Ladies of Suspense blogs (www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com). Here's a sampling of what I learned and shared with my blog readers:

♦Maass encourages writers to push the envelope! Give your hero a one-liner that puts the villain in his place. The I-wish-I'd-said-that factor resonates with readers and makes our heroes and heroines compelling and memorable.

♦As writers, we need to ensure our characters grapple with pertinent issues that strike a chord with those who read our work. So cut the fluff and zone in on core principles, universal truths and moral dilemmas that engage readers, whether contest judges or editors looking to buy the next bestseller.

♦Maass encourages writers to step outside the box and embrace originality, perhaps peppered with a bit of audacity, to meld bizarre, seemingly non-convergent traits and actions into a memorable character.

♦When we look at each individual page of our manuscript instead of the chapter or scene as a whole, we’re better able to spot opportunities to up the stakes, which may have been missed otherwise.

♦Maass explains that if problems arise from an outside source—meaning they’re not self-imposed internal conflicts—and if the problems continue to escalate, they eventually become what he calls "public" stakes that can touch the reader on a universal level.

♦We all know the antagonist needs to have his or her own GMC (goals, motivation and conflict), but Maass encourages us to go even deeper into the villain’s character. One of the workbook exercises focuses on exploring the bad guy/gal’s sympathetic side. By adding a few details, the reader can see the villain as a multi-dimensional character that may even be likable in some ways. Just as our hero and heroine can be pulled between what they really want/need and what they think they want, if the villain’s good side is in direct opposition to the bad deeds he’s forced to do, that internal struggle can provide a more richly drawn antagonist as well.

♦Just as we describe a sunset or a garden in bloom, so should we detail the impact events have on the inner person. Maass suggests doing “emotional research.” How does a flesh and blood person react to a similar situation in real life? That glimpse of reality will give authenticity to our characters, which will resonate with readers.

♦When we provide opportunities for a character to forgive a wrong or put the needs of another before his own, we are elevating that character’s worth. When characters are elevated, readers are elevated as well.

♦To create memorable first lines, Maass suggests taking what we’ve initially written and then shortening it. Perhaps the second sentence would provide a tighter opening. Or combine all the elements in the first paragraph and craft a hard-hitting line that draws the reader into the story. Maass warns against starting with weather, description or setting. Instead lead with a hook that keeps the reader guessing.

♦Equally important are closing lines, which should also be well crafted. Books in a series need to leave the reader hungry for the next release. Stand-alone titles should provide an uplifting resolution or final thought the reader can savor.

Which brings me to the end of this blog. Maass challenges me to be a better writer, to dig deeper, to stretch and grow and to create stories readers will remember. In my book, that’s worth $99.

Happy writing! Happy reading!

Wishing you abundant blessings,
Debby Giusti
http://www.debbygiusti.com/
http://www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/

PROTECTING HER CHILD
By
Debby Giusti

“WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BABY?”

Wealthy heiress Eve Townsend is close to death. But before she dies, she has to know: what happened to the daughter she gave up for adoption twenty-four years before? Did she inherit her mother’s life-threatening disease? Medical researcher Pete Worth is ready to find answers by tracking her down. And when he finally locates Meredith Lassiter, he finds her widowed, pregnant and on the run. The loan sharks who killed her husband want her dead…and Pete is the only one standing in their way.

Winner of the 2008 Daphne du Maurier Award for Inspirational Suspense, medical technologist Debby Giusti writes spine-chilling Christian fiction for Steeple Hill. PROTECTING HER CHILD, her fifth book and the second story in her Magnolia Medical series, was released in May. CHRISTMAS PERIL will feature her novella YULE DIE in December, and KILLER HEADLINE will follow in February 2010. Her first three books, NOWHERE TO HIDE, SCARED TO DEATH and MIA: MISSING IN ATLANTA are available in hardcover by Thorndike. In addition to full-length fiction, Debby has written articles for numerous magazines, including Southern Lady, Woman’s World, Our Sunday Visitor, Army and Family. For over twelve years, she served on the editorial advisory board of ADVANCE for Administrators of the Laboratory and wrote extensively on emerging infectious diseases for that magazine. For more information about Debby and her books, visit her web site at: http://www.debbygiusti.com/.