Where are the Stakes?

No, not those kind of steaks, but they do look delicious. And no, I don't mean the vampire kind of stakes either. I'm talking about your story's stakes.

Over the last couple of weeks, I've done a fair amount of critiquing for Pitch Wars and Write on Con and the one thing I saw missing most often from queries were the stakes of the story. And here’s the thing, while it was one of the most common things left out, it’s probably one of the most important parts of a query or pitch.

So what do we mean when we say we want to know what the stakes of the story are?

In general stakes means answering one or more of the following questions:

What happens if your main character fails?

What is keeping your main character from succeeding?

Will something bad happen if they do succeed?

In more specific terms your answer to those questions shouldn't be something like saving the world, or death of your main character. Cause let's face it, the world almost always gets saved and your MC almost always lives. Those stakes aren't very exciting are they?

So really dig into your main character and think about what their deepest desires are in the story. What are they really trying to accomplish? And if they fail, how personal can you make the punishment? Is their family in harm’s way? Are they going to lose a best friend? A lover? An arm? Something else? Get creative here.

While certain death or the end of the world really sucks, they are pretty common catastrophes in books. If you really want the reader to connect and care about your character give them stakes that are super close to your main character's heart. When you break your main character's heart, you break the reader's heart too. And that's a character your reader will follow anywhere. So dig deep into your story and find those stakes.

Well close enough! What's at stake in your story?

 

Meet our New Bloggers!

Middle Grade Minded is growing! Meet our brand new bloggers!

Lara Chapman
Lara Chapman lives with her family in Central Texas, where she teaches high school English. She reads and writes daily and is rarely—if ever—found without her laptop and iPhone. Lara has a lifelong love affair with animals, especially daschunds, and always has an animal or two snuggled close when writing.

Lara is represented by the 100% magnificent Holly Root of Waxman Literary Agency. She is the author of FLAWLESS (YA) and her middle grade novel THE XYZs OF BEING WICKED released in July 2014. It's sequel, ACCIDENTALLY EVIL releases April 2015.

Follow Lara on Twitter (@LaraChapman) and be sure to visit her website.

Dan Gemeinhart
Dan Gemeinhart lives, breathes and sometimes eats middle grade lit, meaning that to adults he's kind of weird and to kids he's...well, kind of weird, but kinda fun, too. He lives with his lovely wife and three young daughters in a small town in the mountains of central Washington State. He serves on a state middle grade award committee, works as a K-5 teacher librarian, and writes middle grade books of his own. His debut middle grade novel, THE HONEST TRUTH, comes out from Scholastic Press in January 2015.

You can follow him on Twitter (@dangemeinhart), Instagram, or Facebook. His website bears the strikingly original URL of dangemeinhart.com. If you lived closer he'd buy you a drink.

Tom Mulroy
Tom has been an elementary teacher for about half of his life and a writer for even longer. When he isn't doing something related to school or writing, you'd probably find him listening to music, reading, watching movies or playing video games, which makes him about the same person he was at fourteen years old.

He lives in the suburban sprawl surrounding tropical Minneapolis, Minnesota. He thinks potatoes are hilarious, and his sense of humor is so dry that even he can't tell when he's being sarcastic.

Tom is represented by Carrie Howland of Donadio & Olson, Inc. Follow Tom on Twitter (@Tomulroy424) and be sure to visit his blog.




Jason A. Rust
Jason first realized he wanted to be a writer way back in Mrs. Rollin’s 3rd grade English class, when he would scribble fantastic adventure stories instead of paying attention to the class discussion of Flowers for Algernon. Somewhere along the way, though, he found out that writers mostly make peanuts and survive on weak coffee, imagination, bird seed, and disappointment. So he became a different type of writer for a living, the kind that writes source code for software. Middle age, though, found him once again dreaming up new worlds and needing to tell their stories. He’s been back to scribbling ever since.

A lifelong resident of Northern KY (just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati), when he’s not writing software now, he’s working on the latest fantastic adventure story to take root in his head. In between doing that, he endeavors not to make his wife too crazy or ruin his four children before they can reach the safety of adulthood.

Jason is represented by Danielle Smith at Red Fox Literary.

Follow him on Twitter (@jasonarust) and check out his blog, Puddintopia.

You must have VOICE!

It’s not enough to have a decent story. It’s not even enough to have a good character and a good story.  You NEED voice. You need to show that character’s personality and yours in every line of your novel.

Personality is how I define voice because, to me, that’s exactly what it is. Having a story without voice is like a good song sung with a computer generated voice. It doesn’t matter if the lyrics are golden and it’s masterfully written, all you will notice is that strange, bland voice.

Voice is one of the most talked about aspects of Middle Grade. Why? Because it’s easily the most important. Voice is what sells books. Rewrite Percy Jackson with a boring bland narration and flat character dialog and see how many kids get past chapter one. Here’s a hint: not many. 

So how do you know if your voice is good enough? That’s the tricky part. A lot of writers can’t actually tell if their voice is coming across because THEY see it. But just because they see it doesn’t mean the reader will. If it doesn’t translate, you’ve got problems. 

If you keep thinking about voice like personality you’ll get some good hints about what voice is and how to deal with it. 

Think about some common personality types. There’s that loud, bold and funny kid that draws people in right away. But that same loud, bold kid can drive people nuts. It’s all about how they come across.

 Then, there’s the shy quiet kid. That kind can fade into the background and never get noticed. Or they can be the most beloved all.

Or the quirky tries-too-hard to be liked kid. They can be total dorks that just get annoying or they can turn out to be incredibly loveable and really amazing friends and even hero’s.

Think about what makes those people likeable and try to put an emphasis on that aspect in your novel.

Also remember that if you’re writing third person, part of your voice is the narrator. Don’t make them stiff and boring, let them stand out too. 

Good examples of strong third person narrators to check out:

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

"What is a hobbit? I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us. They are (or were) a little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded dwarves. Hobbits have no beards. There is little magic about them, except the ordinary everyday sort which helps them to disappear quietly and quickly when large stupid folk like you and me come blundering along, making noise like elephants which they can hear a mile off." The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien.

 

 You may never know who’s actually telling the story but you can still make the narration into another character with bits of voice of their own.

Good examples of great first person voice in YA:

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan

The False Prince by Jennifer Nielson

"I'd never attempted roast thievery before, and I was already regretting it. It happens to be very difficult to hold a chunk of raw meat while running. More slippery than I'd anticipated. If the butcher didn't catch me with his cleaver first and literally cut off my future plans, I vowed to remember to get the meat wrapped next time. Then steal it."

The key to writing good voice is letting go. Let your character and/or narrator take over. The first draft you should stop worry about all the mechanics of writing and get as deep into your character as you possibly can. That’s when they begin to shine. You can spruce them up as much as you need to once you go back to revise, but one thing you shouldn’t have to worry about is voice.

Another great post about voice can her found here: http://chasingthecrazies.wordpress.com/2014/01/27/finding-voice-in-middle-grade-a-guest-post-from-melanie-conklin/

Do you have any hint or secrets that you use when it comes to voice?

Conquering the Doubt Gremlins

What do you do when doubt is preventing you from moving forward. We all get self doubt (in fact I blogged about it back in January). That little voice whispering in your mind "this isn't good enough", "how can I top what I did before?", and "why do I even bother?" and on and on. But what do we do when that little voice just wont shut up?

1.) Get a second opinion

Sometimes we just need that extra validation. Whether it's someone telling you if you are on the right track, or if you might be wasting your time, at least then you have some resolution. Hearing we're on the right track is often the kick in the butt we need to keep going. We all need that cheerleader every now and again. And conversely, if we are way off base, we can move onto something else and not have to worry or wonder.

2.) Talk to a critique partner or trusted friend

This feeds directly from number one, but even just talking about a plot can be enough to shut up the doubt gremlins. A good brainstorming session with someone who isn't so close to your project, can often give you options. And once you have options you can can squash that little monster with excitement to keep going on a project. Then suddenly a lot of the doubt falls into the background for a while.

In addition, talking to other writers and critique partners can help us see we aren't alone. There's comfort in numbers and in being able to hash out feelings with someone else who feels the exact same way. Writing is horribly lonely sometimes and we forget we aren't the only ones going through this stuff. So find a friend and commiserate together.

3.) Do some research

A lot of times we can doubt our own knowledge on a topic. Research can help us confirm what we know and also further bolster our stories with new information. When we doubt our qualifications, research can often help tell us we really do know what we are talking about. Or if for some reason we are on the wrong track, it can help set us back on the right one and re-energize our writing. Show that doubt gremlin you know your stuff.

4.) Take a break
Sometimes we just need a break. Don't let the little gremlin win, but take some time off to regroup. Then you can come back rejuvenated and ready to rock that manuscript. In war sometimes you have to give up a battle to win the war, and taking a break is exactly that. It's taking enough time to come up with a new plan and conquer with renewed fervor.

5.) Write something else

Sometimes changing focus is enough to shut up the monster inside our minds. You aren't taking a break, you are just temporarily refocusing your efforts on something else. Something new and shiny just might be what your brain needs to tell those gremlins to go shove it.

6.) Stick it in a drawer
This one is really tough. Unfortunately though, that voice is sometimes right. In our gut we know something isn't working, whether that be plot, characters, timing or we just aren't there skill wise yet. That doesn't mean you are giving into the doubt gremlin, but it does mean that you are tackling it in another way with a new strategy.

The doubt gremlin is evil and debilitating. We've all been there. But the best way to conquer that obnoxious voice in our minds is to keep going. So find what ever it takes to do that and run into it head first. Show that doubt gremlin you aren't going to listen to it, and you will prevail!

Neil Gaiman's, The Graveyard (reviewed by an eleven year old)

My contribution to this blog is quickly becoming "What the middle graders in my family are reading and their responses to those books."

In today's post, my eleven year old son responds to my questions. His answers provide a valuable observation of voice as well as providing insight into what motivates a real life reader at this age.

1.  When you were choosing your next book to read, why did you pick The Graveyard, by Neil Gaiman?

I just liked the back, the book started out amazingly, and it's part mystery. There is also a lot of adventure.

2.  Who were your favorite characters, and why?

My two favorite characters were

a) Silas, he is just so mysterious. He isn't alive or dead.

b) Bod Owens, (short for Nobody Owens) he is very curious and smart. Plus he can also Fade, Dreamwalk, cast terror, and many other things regular humans can't do.

3.  What did you like most about The Graveyard?

I liked the way that the book explains things and the adventure.

4.  Was there something you didn't enjoy about it?

No. I liked every single detail!

5.  Did you relate to any of the characters? If so, how?

I related to Bod. (You can find the rest in section b, the first sentence question 2.)

6. What sets this book apart from some of the others you've recently read?

It's very unique. The book takes place at a graveyard sometime during winter, and nothing seems to fit together at the beginning and it all explains itself at the end.

7.  Did you like not knowing how things fit together?

Yes, because it was very suspenseful.

8.  What else would you like to share about this book?

I definitely recommend The Graveyard book. It is entertaining and a good read.

9.  If you could get books on your iPod, would you read more and play less minecraft?

It depends on the time of day.

10.  What if your dad said "I'll take away your iPod unless you spend twice as much time reading on it as you do playing games or watching videos."?

Then I'd read a lot...but please don't do that.

Operation Tree Roper: An Eye Above by Robert Polk... BOOK TRAILER REVEAL!

Anaiah Press is revealing the trailer for OPERATION TREE ROPER: AN EYE ABOVE by Robert Polk today and we have it here on the blog!

Blurb:

Twelve-year-old Declan Parker was born with only one eye, but all he seems to have trouble seeing in proper perspective is himself.  All he wants is for kids to see him as normal before he starts a new school in the fall. To that end, he sets out to make money helping with his dad’s tree care business.

Unfortunately, when his dad lands in the hospital after a climbing accident, Declan’s surgery hopes are wrecked. His only hope remains in a neighbor girl and her uncle, a wounded army veteran. Can they help him save his dad’s business, or will Declan’s once-courageous drive turn into total despair?

Operation Tree Roper: An Eye Above is a well-crafted story about a strong, dauntless young man who redefines the value of self-reflection. Declan is a character you won’t be able to forget.

Welcome to your new favorite book...

Release Date:

October 7, 2014

Book Links:

Goodreads

Anaiah Press

Author Bio:

Robert Polk lives in western Nebraska where he shares his love of books and the great outdoors with his wife and seven children. He is a former school counselor, business owner, and tree climbing arborist. Robert participates in his church and local community, currently serving on several non-profit boards.

Author Links:

Website: www.stmercy.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/RobertPolk2
Goodreads: https:// www.goodreads.com/author/show/8286827.Robert_Polk

Basics Of Plot Structure

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about plot. Specifically, things I wish I’d known when I first started writing (find it here). If you’ve read, understood and implemented the points in the first plot post you’ll probably have a pretty good start when it comes to plot structure but it’s a truly interesting topic to dig into. Below, I’ve listed out the most common major points in a strong plot structure.

 You can use these basic plot structure points to plan a new novel idea and make sure you’ll have a full, impactful story before you even get started. Or you can use it as a check list for a finished novel when you want to be sure you’re not missing anything.

Step One: Set Up

     What’s normal to your character? This should be quick, as short as one sentence and not much longer than one page. The truth is, we need to know what normal is to your character or we won’t really understand why the changes matter. If normal is, well, normal (school, homework, parents, siblings etc.) you won’t want to share much or you’ll run the risk of boring the reader. One sentence is enough to establish normal and it doesn’t necessarily have to be the first sentence. “If Grams had only warned me about the demon below the stairs I would have never hid there during hide and seek”. (yes, I just made that up) That sentence works because it shows both the normal and the not-normal. I know this character has a grandma he calls Grams and he was playing hide and seek. There is still a whole lot more to know but at least I have an idea of what his normal is. We can learn more as the story progresses.

 

Step Two: Inciting incident: 

 

      This is the very first event that starts the ball rolling for the rest of the plot. This is the very first big change in your character’s world. The thing that prompts the character’s call to action. It should come as close to the beginning as possible.

Step Three: Character makes a choice: 

 

               

     This is the specific moment that the character chooses to act. It might be during the inciting incident, it could be the next scene, could be a few scenes later. It all depends on your story. 

 

 

 Step Four: Fun and Games

 

      My editor explained this to me as what you see on your cover. The cool parts of the story. In a romance, this is where the characters fall in love. In a mystery it’s where the character finds that super cool clue. In an adventure, it’s the most exciting, fun part of the adventure. This is the fun part before things turn south and start to fall apart. The higher the hill of a roller coaster, the better/scarier the dip when things finally start to fall. Establish a high for your character so when things fall we get the best stomach sinking feeling possible.  

 

Step Five: Midpoint

 

      The top moment of the fun and games. The midpoint is either the most “high” moment or the “low” moment (the latter being the minority and very difficult to pull off). I’ve heard this described as the moment your character thinks the story is over. They’ve achieved their goal, or there is NO way they’ll ever win.

 

Step Six: All is lost
 

      This is usually the next scene and should be the opposite of the midpoint. If your midpoint is high, you’ll need that twist that brings it all crashing down, if your midpoint is low, you’ll need that moment where things start looking up. Basically, in the midpoint, your character comes to a conclusion and in the next scene learns they were wrong.

 

Step Seven: The choice

 

 

      The character clears their head of the horror of the All Is Lost Moment and makes a plan for success (make this a tough plan, not an easily achieved)

           

  

Step Eight:  Finale  

 

 

      The big moment, for better or worse the story will end on this moment. This might be the long awaited battle with the big bad guy, or it might be a more personal “proving a point” moment. If it’s the latter, make sure it something that’s been set up from the beginning, something your character would never have done at the beginning of the story. It should cost something.

The End!!

 Congratulations! You have a fully plotted novel.

Now, it's time to get writing, or revising or maybe even querying (depending on when you can across this list)

The plot points above are the powerful moments in the story, with them you’ll be sure to have an impactful story for all readers. Does your story fit these plot points? Can you think of a successful story that doesn’t? Do you use another plot structure or do you even worry about structure? I’d love to hear your thoughts!