Research Anyone?
by Roni Adams

From the time, the first writer put chisel to stone and began to write, writers have had to do research. Even the most imaginative of fiction writers has to do some type of research. In the pre-internet days, research was a long, tedious process. I can picture authors hunched over books at the library and studying articles about different parts of the world. I remember being awed by an article I once read from an author who had traveled to Scotland to do hands-on research. I thought that was the coolest thing. But of course only a few decades ago, how else could you completely "get" the feeling for what you are writing about.

research on the internet

Nowadays of course, the World Wide Web takes us anywhere we want to go. You need research on Scotland, you can Google the country and find whatever you need. You can find pictures, and even small videos. No need to spend thousands of dollars to fly there.

 

research with people

I've spent my fair share of time surfing the internet for research purposes, but one of my best research journeys ended not only in the information I sought but also in some lifetime friendships. I was writing a series of books set in Texas. In the second book in the series, I wanted the heroine to be caught in a storm and have to seek shelter (hey I'm a romance writer-it's cliché, but it's what we do). I live in Upstate NY. You want storms? We got snowstorms, icestorms and combinations of the two. But this book is in Texas and I knew nothing about the weather other than it's hot and dry. So I started searching the web for Texas weather information. But what I found wasn't enough. I needed a first-hand account of storms. Personal stories. The kind you only get from, well folks who live there. But I knew no one in Texas.

Then I stumbled into the RWA's site and that led me to the State of Texas. Pure luck led me to click on San Antonio Romance Authors (www.sararwa.net). I looked through their site and found a link to a woman in charge of membership. I figured I shouldn't bug the President, but the membership coordinator seemed tame enough. I sent her a note and said that I was a writer in NY who needed some first-hand Texas weather info and did she know of anyone in her chapter willing to email me some info. Her response was so warm and so sweet, that we began emailing Soon she told me that I should just become a long-distance member of SARA. I remember thinking at the time, "Why would I do that?" and "wouldn't the members think it weird to have this NY writer in their chapter?"

friends are forever

I couldn't have been more wrong. I signed up and joined the online SARA loop. To this day I am so thankful I did. This connection has been the source not only of tremendous amounts of research, but also friendships I never would have made otherwise. Seven years later, I'm still the only NY member of the San Antonio Romance Authors, but you'd never know I don't belong.

My point in sharing this story is to tell you that research can come in many forms. It's easy to Google something and find tons of impersonal information. But the next time you need to know something, don't be afraid to reach out to another chapter in another part of the country or even overseas. You may be surprised to find you have friends out there, who are more than happy to answer your questions and ask you some of their own.

Planning to Plan
(Otherwise known as trying to get it together)
by Judith Rochelle

Okay, you've decided you want to write. Or maybe you're already writing, and things are falling out of your arms like loose spaghetti from a bowl. How many times did you just say Oops! Or maybe something a little stronger.
No, you don't need a secretary (although one would certainly be nice at times.) You don't need to turn into a screaming maniac (although all of us seem to on some kind of regular basis). Here are a few tips that may help you pick up those loose strands of pasta that you keep slipping on. Everyone has their own style, so just keep what works for you.

File folders...

I'm a big believer in file folders. I keep one for every manuscript I work on. First into it goes the great chart from Layla Chase to keep track of your word count, manuscript length and chapter length, so you don't have one that's eight pages and another that's sixteen. It's so simple you'll kiss it. I also include a list of my characters with thumbnails sketches and a thesis statement for the plot. Some people do elaborate plotting, and I was privileged to attend a great bootcamp conducted by two Roses, but, again, I take what works for me. File folders can be in your desk or in your computer. You choose!

The lists...

After a story where the hero had eyes three different colors in three different parts of the manuscript, I learned to do a list of all my characters with a brief description of each. And imagine my surprise when my heroine from one WIP turned up in another, totally unrelated one. He he on me! So. It doesn't need to be elaborate, just something to guide you.
I also list the main points of my plot so I have a framework to work within. And one sheet with important facts about whatever area I'm writing about. If you're unfamiliar with the region, do your research first. Prairie dogs don't live in Alaska.

A schedule...

Decide how much you can write each day. Don't set yourself an impossible task. Family and life get in the way and deserve your attention as much as your H/h. Know what your quiet time will be and work it out with your family that this is time you set aside to write.

Clean desk...

Believe it or not, this is the hardest one for me. I seem to live in clutter. But I've learned a messy desk can lead to a messy mind, so put everything into those famous file folders and label them for easy access.

Okay. You're organized. You know when and what time you're going to write. You have your notes in a properly labeled file folder and your head is buzzing with a story idea. Turn on your computer.

Ready. Set. Go!
And good luck!

 

THEME
What is it? What does it do? How do you find it? Part Two
by Megan Kerans

Theme when used to its full advantage can be a powerful ally for writers and their stories, especially in a genre that has to fight for respect. As romance writers we often take a lot of grief and endure our work being called "silly, frivolous, and at worst meaningless." But, we aren't the only ones to endure these obstacles, just ask Walt Disney.

When Walt began on his first full-length, feature animation film, Snow White, in the late 1930's, the public viewed cartoons with the same descriptors I used above. As we all know, Walt changed people's opinions. One of the biggest keys to his success was incorporating strong themes into his stories.

What does Theme do?
Theme gives you...

three key elements

1. A base

2. Emotion for the characters & readers

3. Enriches the whole

1. A base

Many times plot is described as the frame or skeleton of story on top of which you add characters, goals, setting, and all the other necessary elements. If that's true, then theme is the DNA running through the bones and wood.

Whatever your theme, that universal truth comes out in your narrative. That belief shapes how you tell your story and what receives emphasis. Take Disney's Beauty and The Beast and its theme, "don't judge a book by its cover". The animators used multiple scenes to show The Beast as kind and generous, such as him feeding small birds and giving his library to Belle. And on the opposite side, we see the handsome villain Gaston being a jerk and plotting to have Belle's father committed as insane. If the story's theme had been about a young girl's search for adventure or a better life, those scenes wouldn't belong in the final film.

The same way theme guides what scenes go in a story, it also guides what roles characters play. Still looking at Beauty and the Beast and "don't judge a book by its cover", theme guides and shows the differences in your characters. The Beast is ugly on the outside, but a good person on the inside. Gaston is handsome outside, but an ugly person inside. Imagine trying to tell the same story with a cover model-looking hero?

2. Emotion for the characters & readers

Walt Disney said, "If I can't find a theme, I can't make a film anyone else will feel." He was right. That universal truth creates an emotional connection with your reader, the same way your characters do.

This is where the "universal" part of theme comes in. When readers can relate, they dip into and attach their own emotions. Emotion creates an attachment to not only the idea, but the characters. When the Beast is shunned for his appearance, the viewers feel his pain. They connect to him as well as the idea of not judging by looks alone.

Likewise, how a character feels about the theme, which relates to their goal, taps into their emotions and influences their actions.

3. Enriches the whole

Walt Disney had another belief. "Theme is a key creation of stories that endure forever, and characters that take up permanent residence in lives of filmgoers around the world." Considering fifty years or have passed since the original creation of many of Walt's fairytales and they are still as beloved today as then, he was on to something.

While characters have an external goal-to get the gold, a new job, or save the Earth-it's the lesson they learn that makes a story richer. We remember the lesson because it drew our caring. Suddenly, the tale goes from "silly" such as finding gold to something much more important.

The lack of this enrichment or important lesson by the character is most often times the reason sequels don't do well or work. The story is too focused on the external.

Imagine Beauty and The Beast if at the end of the story the only change was that the Beast became human?

What kinds of Theme are there?

Ambition

Jealousy

Beauty

Loneliness

Betrayal

Love

Courage

Loyalty

Duty (filial piety)

Perseverance

Forgiveness

Fear

Prejudice

Freedom (Aladdin)

Suffering

Happiness

Truth

Redemption

Acceptance

True love conquers all (Sleeping Beauty)

Let your conscience be your guide (Pinocchio)

Don't judge a book by its cover (Beauty & The Beast)

These are just a few possible themes. There are many more.

In part three, we'll explore how to find your theme and what to do with the information.

Who are my characters?
by Myla Jackson

 

Before I begin a new story, I lay out all my characters so that I know what they look like,who they are and what makes them act the way they act. Let's take one step at a time...

What do they look like?

Hair color, style, length

eye color

Height

body structure

clothing style

age

skin (color and texture)

scars (location & why)

Sometimes it helps to cut out a picture from a magazine or print one from online of a person you picture as that character. That way you have a clear picture in your mind when you put the description into words.

Where do they live?

Apartment

house

ranch

city

state

country

description of abode

Who lives with him/her?

Where a person lives tells a lot about that individual. Getting to know where they live and with whom, gives you more insight into your character. Does the woman have a roommate? Does the man still live with his mother? Does your heroine live in a homeless shelter? Does your hero live on a ranch?

Getting to know the outside of your character is important, but more important to your story is what's on the inside. What makes them tick? Why do they behave the way they do? How do they react to different stimuli? One of the steps in getting to know your characters is a basic understanding of their goals, motivations and conflicts. A good book to have in your arsenal of writer's weapons is Debra Dixon's book Goal, Motivation & Conflict. If you get a chance to see her workshop, do it! It's worth every penny spent.

Here's my interpretation of what these three words stand for and how you find them in your characters:

Goals

What does he/she want? A lot of the time, a character believes he/she wants something at the beginning of the story only to find out by the end of the story, that's not what he/she wants anymore. This morphing-of-the-goals comes from character growth. What does he/she learn along the way. So when you start your story, identify what your character thinks he/she wants. Then identify what he/she really needs. For example, your hero might think he needs to be the richest man in town and in acquiring his wealth, he squashes everyone in his path. What he really needs is to move on and forgive.

Motivations

Why does he/she want it? It's not good enough to know your character's goals. You have to dig deeper and understand why he wants what he wants. If your hero's goal is to be the richest man in town, why does he want this? Is it because he was born on the wrong side of the tracks and he's determined to punish everyone in town for turning their noses up at him when he was growing up. Or is it because the rich town mayor wouldn't let him marry his daughter and now he's out to prove he's good enough? Either way, the motiviation will help you to understand why he thinks he needs what he wants. It will also help you to understand what he really needs.

Conflicts

Why can't he/she have it? A story without conflict is a boring story. Every reader wants to cheer the hero on. How can you do that if everything in his life is hunky-dory? He doesn't need a cheering section. The reader will get bored with him and go look for someone with real problems she can invest herselve in. She wants a character that reflects the real world. How many people go through life trouble-free? Not many. We like to know others have problems and we cheer them on to overcome their issues so that they can triumph in the end. Think about the time you went to a football game and you were on the side of the winning team, but they were winning by such a longshot that you started cheering for the losing team. Give your characters conflicts!!!!!! If you love them enough, you'll torture them and hurt them and make them cry. How you do this is by creating conflicts that get in the way of them attaining their goals. Make it relevant by hitting them below the belt in their motivations. Hero thinks he needs to be the wealthiest man in town and squash everyone in his path. Put obstacles in his path. Make those obstacles matter. Make them show him how wrong he is to want to hurt others. By the end of the book, he will see that he no longer wants to be the richest man in town. He didn't know it, but he only ever wanted to belong. (Like in the Scrouge).

Get to know all your characters. Even your villain. The more you know them, the more you will discover ways to introduce them to your reader and show how they will grow and overcome their problems.

If you want to learn more about your characters, join the Roses Colored Glasses in the Know Your Characters Workshop.

 

Dear Rose

Dear Rose,

I woke up the other day with two partial requests and a sold, as-of-yet, unwritten novella. Everything seems to be due at the end of June. Can you help me find time for it all?
Signed,
Irons in the fire in Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Dear Irons,
AhAh…. time. The ever-elusive nemesis of any writer. There's never enough, is there? The best thing I can tell you is this will be a very busy month.

You've got a contracted novella- this is your first priority. The best way to get it done? Timed writings! Here at Rose's Colored Glasses, we get together 3 times a week on an IM system. After we check-in, all of us go and write for 45 minutes. Just write. Good, bad, or ugly. Then we check in, help with any plotting snafus or questions and go again and again. You'll be surprised at how much you can get onto that page. Set goals. Depending on the length of the story, vow to write at least a half chapter a day. Break down the word count and divide it by the rest of the days in June. However, be realistic and be sure to leave time for husband/kids/real life.

As for the requests, plug these into your calendar on days when you're stuck or need a small break on the contracted book. They're partials and, assuming you've already got some of it on paper, you can use the timed writings to get your synopses and the chapters cleaned up. Set goals for yourself. Get the synopsis done and cleaned up in one evening. After you send off the partials, don't think about those two books for the rest of June. The normal response time from New York is way more than three weeks. Once the contracted book is done, you can get back to those two stories on July 1st.

I promise there is time for it all. You've just got to set your goals and commit to writing every single day. You can get it done and Rose is definitely here to help!

Always,
Rose