Reader Friday-You Were There

 

Have you ever wished you could have been physically present, on-scene, an eyewitness to an historical event? Preferably with notebook and pen in hand, of course!

I have. I gave it some thought, and here’s where my imagination took me:

 

Paul Revere’s ride.

Washington crossing the Delaware.

The signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The first moon landing.

The first Major League Baseball game ever played. (According to my research, the first Major League game ever played was a National Association contest between the Cleveland Forest Cities and Ft. Wayne Kekiongas on May 4, 1871. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong on this…)

The first car rolling down the street. Or…

The Wright Brothers’ flight.

TKZers, please feel free to add your own!

 

Taming The Backstory Beast

The Iceberg Approach: Exposition In A Short Film - The Script Lab

By PJ Parrish

I heard from one of my ex-students recently who is struggling with her work in progress. I met her years ago at a three-day workshop my sister and I did at Saturn Booksellers in Gaylord, MI. She was a solid writer with a great attitude who had self-pubbed two thrillers but was looking to up her craft.  Hadn’t heard anything since.

But this week, she reappeared on my radar. She was at war with The Beast. Also known as Backstory. And the beast was winning. Here’s part of her email:

Unlike my first book, this book has an important backstory the detective needs to know (and feel) that will help him deal with a tragedy that will be fall him as he solves the current case.

I am having trouble determining where and when to insert the backstory. It has many scenes ( 8 or 9) that I prefer writing as “live” as opposed to telling. It’s important that the backstory character, who we never meet in the current time portions of the book, comes to vivid life.

I need help with tips on when and how to insert and how to make sure the reader knows that the author has suddenly taken them to another time period so they aren’t confused.

Thank You
Jess W. 

Ah me. Who hasn’t been in Jess’s place? I know I have. Because Kelly and I dealt with a series, it got easier the farther along we went. By about book 4, we had less urgency to “explain” our protagonist’s past. But we realized, too, that the backstory had to become more layered and nuanced as our character progressed in age and experience.

I told Jess I’d get back to her after I talked to you guys. I asked her to give me a short synopsis of the backstory so I could get a better grip on the problem. I am hoping you’ll hang around here today, read up, and also give her some help.

First, some context. I’ll say it: Backstory is a bitch. You need it to bring your character to life and even illuminate the present-day plot. But man, it can really kill your forward momentum.

One of my go-to teachers on backstory is editor and writing teacher Jane Friedman. I’ve quoted her often in workshops. With 25 years in the publishing biz, she has dispensed easy-to-digest advice mainly via her blog/newspaper The Bottom Line. In 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World. Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Today Show, Wired, Fox News, and BBC.  So let me establish a base line by quoting her on some basics of backstory:

  • Characters don’t exist in a vacuum: Who they are, what they want, and why they do what they do is rooted in who they have been and what they have done—in other words, backstory.
  • Backstory brings characters to life, gives them depth and dimension, and draws readers in. Without it characters may feel opaque or flat, their actions random or unmotivated.
  • But too much backstory can dilute and derail your actual story.
  • Backstory is a potent tool in your writing, and like all power tools it must be operated carefully—too much and your story may bog down and stall out; too little and readers may feel uninvested or confused. Finding that balance can be tricky.

I couldn’t have said it better. Here’s the link to her full post on the subject. Read it and don’t weep. It will help clear your head.

Backstory is a tool. A powerful one. It is also a strategy. You have to wield it with a clear head and great deliberation. You never just toss it in.

Here’s what I have learned about finding the “balance” Jane Friedman speaks of:  You should reveal backstory details only when they are relevant to the present plot and character development. You should never, ever, info-dump all at once. It must enhance the present narrative by providing context for current events and motivations.

And transitioning from present-plot to backstory is a fine art. I could do an entire blog on that alone. (Go read the link to that in Friedman’s blog). But we don’t have time today, because I want to help Jess out.

Here’s what she sent me about her present-day plot and its backstory:

Archie is a 30+ Detective Sergeant in a medium sized Michigan city. The current timeline opens with Archie responding to the kidnapping of a 5-year-old boy, taken from his bedroom during the night through an unlocked window. These are early investigative chapters with no backstory. There are many suspects—including the child’s mother.

BACKSTORY:

Archie is a loner, by-the-book-cop who takes every case to heart. He feels most of the cops he works are lazy and do not go the extra mile. His only friend is an older ex-sergeant who rescued him from a life of crime as a rebellious teen and put him on the path to the job he now has, resulting in intense loyalty on Archie’s part. The friend is also now a PI.

When Archie was 15, his beloved father was murdered. On day of this murder, Archie overheard a phone call from his mother which led him to suspect she (and an unknown lover) set up the murder of his dad on an isolated highway as he was on his way to buy Archie a used Jeep for his 16th birthday. Archie testified at a grand jury but the local police thought they did not have enough evidence and the crime remained unsolved. Archie’s stance in the case cost him his relationship with his mother and older brother.

Before his father’s murder, the father had purchased a small piece of land high on a hill on a 20-year Land Contract (where the owner financed it). Dad called the place Stardust after the old song. Archie and his brother assumed the contract after dad died. Eventually, Archie bought his brother out, but now is now responsible for all the payments including a large balloon payment coming at the end of the year.

Financially strapped, Archie lives in a small mom-and-pop resort of renetal cabins. His home is a memorial to his father with small reminders of a happy life lived before his mother ruined it all by her series of affairs. His dad’s records, the refinished stereo Archie plays them on, a portrait of him and his dad, a lava lamp his dad gave him, a POW Flag the father used to his hang for Archie’s grandad who never came home from Nam—stuff like that.

A year before the book opens, Archie met a woman who managed to squeeze through his emotional roadblocks. She was bookish and quiet. They connect emotionally when she tells him of her past abandonment, foster care and abuse where her rapist was never held accountable. Archie feels they are both people who never got justice. He falls in love with her. But five months in she suddenly leaves him a note breaking it off. Devastated, his mistrust of the world and women returns with a vengeance. (The woman never appears in the book but we learn of her through back story because who was, how she loved him, and what she does as the book starts to come to a close is vital to Archie’s character arc.)

FOOTNOTES FROM THE WRITER:

I understand there is a lot of material here and it may seem like the love interest overshadows the kidnapping case. But I’m not so sure that the “romance” isn’t worthy of the same page space.

I am wondering if it is possible that this is not a standard mystery but something more mainstream, with many stories told between the same covers? Why does a story have to be one genre? Does there have to be only one plot? And in using the girlfriend as backstory, what is the best way to tell the romance story without losing the momentum of the kidnapping?

Okay, crime dogs. Let’s try to help.

First thing I thought of was the famous quote usually attributed to Joseph Wambaugh. Paraphrasing here: It’s not about how the detective works the case. It’s about how the case works on the detective. In Archie’s case, for his backstory to become relevant, it has to somehow connect to the main plot — the boy’s kidnapping.

Here’s one problem I see immediately: The backstory case — the murder of Archie’s father, maybe at the hands of his wife and her lover — seems far more interesting than the kidnapping. Why? Because Archie is emotionally invested in his father’s death. He has NO INVESTMENT so far in the boy’s case — unless it ties to his hyper-need for justice. But is the vague notion of “justice” enough to connect the two cases? I don’t think so. It’s too impersonal, too ephemeral, too…noble.

I think Jess has to work hard to train the reader’s focus on the boy’s kidnapping and establish sympathy for THAT before she brings in Archie’s past. I haven’t read the manuscript, so I don’t know if this happens. Just raising a red flag here.

Backstory needs a trigger. What would it be for Archie? Something in the present has to trigger the past. If it doesn’t, the backstory steals the spotlight. It is similar to having two equal protagonists — inevitably, one becomes more interesting than the other and the reader then resents it when you move away from the more exciting one.

And what about the love interest? I have mixed feelings about that. Yes, she helped unclench his heart. But then she disappears — from his life AND the plot. Again, unless something in the FORWARD PLOT triggers his memories of her, it feels superfulous.

Backstory must always feel WOVEN IN. Not just attached. Backstory is always a beating heart. It should never be a prehensile limb.

Again, to quote Jane Friedman:

Context, memory, and flashback—the three main forms of backstory—feel most organic when readers can see what sparks the association in the present moment, how that backstory ties into what’s happening in the main story, and how it influences the character in the current story, whether by driving them to take a certain action, make a specific decision, evince a certain behavior, or gain some new understanding of a situation.

Jess asks:

  • Why does the story have to be one genre?
  • Why does there have to be only one plot?

Of course, you can cross-genre. But you can’t confuse a reader with expectations. Is this a ticking-clock thriller (to save the boy)? Is this a cold-case mystery (To solve Dad’s murder)? Is this romantic suspense (to “save” Archie emotionally?) You, the writer, have to make a choice on THE CENTRAL plot.  All else becomes sub-plot, which must then work in service to the main one.

Try this, Jess: Write a three-paragraph summary of your story that would serve as the back copy.  I bet, at this point, you cant do it.

And ask yourself that crucial question that unlocks the heart of every story: What does Archie want? Then plumb the depths:

  1. Most superficially: He wants to save the kipnapped boy
  2. Next level: He wants to prove himself within his department
  3. Deeper: He wants to find out who murdered his beloved father.
  4. Deepest: He wants to quell his own demons.

Whatever backstory you employ, it has to shed light on all of those levels. All else is…well, maybe gist for a different book.

Please feel free to weight in.

 

Reader Friday-What Would You Say If . . .?

A couple of weeks back we discussed the Awesome Power of One Word. Today, boys and girls, we’re going to build on that.

Cast your mind back to your younger self.

Picture what you looked like and what you were doing.

How old are you?

In this picture in your mind, are you sitting in your third grade classroom listening to an impossibly old person drone on about periods and commas?

Or, are you scrapping with your brother? Riding your bike all over town with an abandon that present-day kiddos can’t even fathom?

Maybe you’re hiding under your covers with a flashlight and a comic book.

Now that you’ve got that image, whatever it is, firmly fixed in your mind, I give you an assignment.

Look that younger self in the eye and speak one sentence that might change your thinking forever—if you listen, that is—and set you on a course living your best life.

My sentence to me, at age 16, would be this:  Don’t listen to anyone who tries to talk you out of your dream–go for it!

What do you say to you? Do tell . . .

 

Reader Friday-Where Am I?

 

Easy, fun question for today, TKZers.

If you could be anywhere in the world today except where you are, where would you be?

And, if you’re writing (wherever you are), what are you writing?

 

 

Me? Alaska. Never been there, but maybe some day, eh?

What am I writing?

I’ll let you know when I get there.

🙂

 

 

***

And for more fun . . .

Meet Kimber . . . our new owner! 🙂

 

Reader Friday-The Awesome Power of Words

I borrowed some words from Steve Laube for today’s post.

His post is entitled The Power of a Single Word, and it captivated me immediately.

It made me think of all the times in my life when just one word either made a huge difference in the path I was on, or it didn’t because I dismissed it or I wasn’t paying attention.

Below are some excerpts from his post:

 

“According to various sources, there are about one million words in the English language. Approximately 750,000 of them are technical or scientific. That leaves us with 250,000 words with which to communicate. I doubt any of us know all of them or use them.

Interestingly, in his works, Shakespeare used about 29,000 different words, 12,000 of them only once. The King James Bible has 12,100 different individual words. In our normal life, we use only around 10,000 words to communicate our ideas, our emotions, and our understanding of truth.

You [we] are gifted with words, both spoken and written.

I find that when I’m angry, my vocabulary expands like a thesaurus; and I use that articulation like the sharp edge of a blade. Never to kill but to fillet. To carve enough pieces to leave my victim bloody and helpless. There is no pride in this skill. In fact, it is my greatest weakness. Nay, it is my greatest humiliation.

What if I–what if you–used that skill with words to bind wounds?
To give hope to the hopeless.
To give breath to the drowning.
To catch falling tears and turn them into refreshing joy.
To laugh a little, cry a little, love a lot, and pray even more.

You [we] are word warriors. Called to something unique and special.

Never let the machinations of this publishing industry cause you to deviate from your calling. Never.”

* * *

Thank you for allowing me to share your words today, Mr. Laube.

TKZers, can you think of one word, just one, in your past which made a difference–either positive or negative–to you?

For me–amongst many others–the word TRY stands out in my memory.

Comments welcome.

 

Reader Friday-Name That Tune!

 

Fridays are fun around here at TKZ. We talk about writing, marketing tips and tricks—but wait! Yes, we can cover those writing topics and more on Fridays, but let’s have a bit of fun.

Today we’re going to indulge in some nostalgia.

What was your favorite music when you were a teenager? Tell us the genre and the artist(s) you couldn’t get enough of. Did your parents approve, or did you have to be an undercover listener? Has your choice of tunes changed now that you’re a *grown-up*?

I’ll start:  My parents introduced me to Andy Williams, Frank Sinatra, The Ames Brothers and the like. My friends introduced me to Creedence, the Monkees, and the Eagles—for covert listening, of course.

I liked all of it then . . . but now? I’d listen to that second group of artists every day and twice on Sundays.

Okay, your turn–what’s your fave music from back in the day? And how about your characters–are they music lovers? What tunes do they gravitate to?

And thanks for playing Name That Tune!

 

 

Reader Friday-Happy 2nd of July!

And you thought this would be a 4th of July post!

Well, technically, that’s what it is. Here’s the deal . . .

Reading up on the history of our country’s birth pangs, I discovered that our independence was actually declared by those dusty forefathers of ours—not on the 4th—but on the 2nd of July. I probably should have learned this in middle school (and probably did), but somehow it was not saved in my internal hard drive, aka, brain.

We celebrate our independence on July 4th, the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted and signed.

 

All that to ask you TKZers:  What is your favorite part of celebrating the 4th (or 2nd) of July?

 

 

 

Reader Friday-That Stinky Mood

Thinking back to my teenage years, it seems like I was in a bad mood about something most of the time. You’d think I would have outgrown those sour moods by now. Sigh.

I don’t get moody as much anymore, nor (heaven forbid!) about the same life stuff as when I was younger, but sometimes a mood strikes—one that causes me to slam my laptop closed and walk away.

You?

I ran across this website the other day:  Moods and Writing

It contains 5 tips for shooing away the doldrums in order to get back to work.

Listen to some upbeat [or your favorite] music.

 

“Music affects mood, so choose something that gets you happy and dancing. Try listening to it for just 5 minutes before you start writing, and see if your session doesn’t go better than you thought it would.”

 

Eat some dark chocolate. (My favorite!)

“Chocolate is good for you, and studies have also found that it can boost levels of the good-mood neurotransmitter, “serotonin,” in your brain. It also boosts dopamine levels, which will give you more energy. As if you needed another excuse to eat some chocolate! Just try to be sure it has at least 70 percent cocoa.”

Give someone a hug.

“A loved one, friend, pet—give someone a quick hug before you start writing. It lowers stress and stimulates the release of oxytocin, which helps boost mood.”  (And the cool thing is, you’ll usually get hugged back!)

Dress up. (Not so sure about this one, but hey, it’s worth a try!)

“This can be particularly helpful if you’ve been in sweats all day. Put on something you like and that you think makes you look good. Studies have found that clothes really can affect our mood! (Read more about that here: “What Are You Wearing? Why Writers Should Care”) Better yet, choose something colorful. Green and yellow are associated with happiness, red with energy, and blue with calm.”

Look at nature images—and make sure they contain some green. 

“Studies have found that simply looking at pictures of nature can help relieve stress and put you in a better mood. If you want to boost creativity too, make sure the pictures have some green in them. (In other words, no winter pictures!) Studies have found that green helps stimulate creativity.”

 

TKZers—what would you add to this list? What is your surefire way to combat a stinky mood so you can get on with the fun stuff of writing?

 

Reader Friday-Holiday Magic!

Did you know there are holidays out there that no one has ever heard of?

I went down a cyberspace rabbit hole the other day and found this website–https://www.holidayscalendar.com/topics/weird/ .

Here’s some favorite never-heard-of-holidays I found.

Z Day—January 1st:  “For years, people whose last names start with a “Z” were the last to be chosen in any alphabetical system, and this day corrects that problem. On this day, people with last names starting with a “Z” get the chance to go first, ahead of anyone else. At least in theory. These individuals are automatically moved to the front of the line, even if it’s only for one day of the year.” No joke! Click on the link if you don’t believe me…

World Sword Swallowers Day—Fourth Saturday in February:  “It’s our opinion that most people don’t know someone who swallows swords for either fun or profit. If a person does, however, they should thank them on World Sword Swallowers Day—a holiday that celebrates this ancient art and the people who practice it.” Someone give that guy a drink of water!

 

And, last but not least . . .

Take Your Houseplant for a Walk Day—July 27th:  “This holiday is observed on July 27th, and it gives everyone a chance to bond with their plants and probably get a few strange looks from their neighbors as well.”

Those are just a few. Check out the link above and share your favorite with us—or come up with your own!

Question:  Do any of these weirdo holidays spark ideas for short stories?

***

 

And speaking of short stories, check this out! An awesome collection of short stories by our own JSB–read for pure pleasure or craft teaching–or both!

Click on the cover to view on Amazon…

 

 

 

 

 

Reader Friday-On the Thirteenth

There’s some weird stuff out there about Friday the Thirteenth. Consider this from our fine friend, Wikipedia:

One source mentioned for the unlucky reputation of the number 13 is a Norse myth about twelve gods having a dinner party in Valhalla. The trickster god Loki, who was not invited, arrived as the thirteenth guest, and arranged for Höðr, the god of darkness, to shoot Balder, the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow. Balder died, triggering much suffering in the world, which caused the number 13 to be considered unlucky.

Kinda sounds like a plot for a thriller novel, yes?

Writers can be quite superstitious. I wrote a Killzone post back in February touching on how quirky some (or all?) writers are. You can read that post here.

Since today is Friday the 13th, I thought we’d share some of the weird superstitions that are out there. Cue Twilight Zone music. Or maybe X Files

Here’s a few more I ran across:

Never stick your chopsticks straight up. In Japan, poking chopsticks down into your food is a big no-no. The utensils look like the unlucky number four, which means death, and also the incense sticks used at funerals. Another tip: Don’t point your chopsticks at anyone. That’s just plain rude.

***

Don’t go home right after a funeral. In Filipino tradition, if you go straight home after a funeral, a bad spirit could tag along and wreak havoc on your life. Stop at a restaurant first to stay safe.

***

Keep your new shoes off the table. (Say what?) In Britain, it’s considered bad luck because it symbolizes the death of a loved one. Back in the day, placing someone’s shoes on a table was a way to let the family know that they passed away. Nowadays, it’s also just bad etiquette.

And if you’re dying (heh, heh) to learn more about superstitions around the world, go here.

TKZers, what are some strange superstitions you’ve heard of; or maybe share some from your own family archives. And in your writing life, do any of your characters have weird superstitions?

(I’ll be in and out today, and will monitor as I can…)