Teresa Jade LeYung's BLOG Love Made Of Heart ®

Posts Tagged ‘science fiction’

April 25, 2015

Writing Coach Teresa asks: “How do you hook your reader at the middle of your book?”

Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here . . . recording notes . . .  energized from co-teaching with Mary E. Knippel today – Day 2 of “For Theme’s Sake: Edit Your Own Manuscript Before Pitching or Self-Publishing”.

Our students / hardworking authors supplied plenty of inspiration for their own protagonists as well as for fellow-classmates.

Today we focused on the middle of everyone’s manuscripts. Why the middle?

Before I take on the role of the writer, I put on my reader’s hat.  For me, reading a book is like going for a hike on a trail that I’ve never been on before.  By looking at the signs at the trailhead, I know how long I would have to walk in order to get to the end . . .  just as I know how many hours it would take to read a book by seeing the page count.

That hike I’ve started – the sign posts on the first half of the trail are clear and helpful. I know that if I follow the arrows, I will reach the end, and feel great as I always do after a “good” long walk.

I’ve started reading a book. The author hooks me from page one – sometimes that hook is the narrator’s voice/language, other times it’s the subject matter (a topic that I do relate to or one that I would like to know more about).  By page 5 (oftentimes, even sooner) I know what the main character/protagonist wants or needs, and, I want to see what’s going to happen next. So I turn the page.  I am in the story world.

The author had planted “sign posts” to guide me. Those sign posts are called “themes”.

By the middle of the book, that core theme/sign post better be there.  If the story has stopped hooking me, I will put the book down and probably not open it again.  (On my hike, if at midpoint the trail seems to have disappeared, the marker has fallen off its post, and I’m all alone  . . .  do I continue on? By the way, I am not interested in getting lost today. My dinner awaits me at home.)

Such is the task for an author – how to guide the reader with that core theme, scene after scene.

To the dear authors in our class,

That big sheet of paper that Mary gave you today?  Tape the class handouts from Day 1 and Day 2 onto that sheet. Look at those aids every time you meet with your protagonist.  And, ask your protagonist these questions:   “Where are you today on your Hero’s Journey?”  “What do you want ? … in this scene.”

Speaking of “scene” –

Writing Coach Teresa says: “A scene is a compilation of paragraphs that creates a “movie” in the Reader’s mind.  Which means:  action, dialogue, sensory details, and authentic details.

A sequence of scenes guides the Reader in your Story World, and, is a vehicle to show the Hero’s/Protagonist’s transformation.  Go into scene whenever you want to show us what your protagonist is made of.

In real life, if someone says “I’ve changed. Take my word for it.”  . . .  wouldn’t you be thinking . . .  Hmm….    I’ll believe it when I see it.  Instead of telling us how your protagonist has grown, show us through scene, not through summaries.

Summary cannot spark the same emotional responses as a scene would . . . because summary either recaps what has happened or jumps over time in order to get to the next scene.

I recommend:

* Martha Engber’s book on how to write scenes

* Christopher Vogler’s book The Writer’s Journey (about Hero’s Journey and Archetypes)

* all books by Martha Alderson on plotting

* your rereading your favorite book and studying that author’s techniques

The fabulous authors in our class have mighty themes:

* make my own decisions and change my circumstances (author of YA science fiction)

* move on with my life in spite of unanswered questions and a broken heart (author of women’s fiction)

* speaking my truth transforms shame into courage and forgiveness (author of memoir)

* embracing my past and loving myself feed my spirit as well as my marriage’s spirit (Diana Lynn, author of women’s fiction)

Their readers will surely stick by their protagonists and be there at the end of the book.

Cheering for YOU!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

on behalf of

“For Theme’s Sake” teachers Teresa LeYung-Ryan & Mary E. Knippel

May 2, 2015 Teresa LeYung-Ryan ( Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days – workbook; Love Made of Heart: a Daughter, a Mother, a Journey Through Mental Illness – novel) celebrates Independent Bookstore Day / California Bookstore Day  with other local authors at Laurel Book Store, Oakland, CA  http://WritingCoachTeresa.com  and http://www.laurelbookstore.com

Saturday June 6
Teresa LeYung-Ryan (Fanbase-Building Coach and “Immigrant Experience Writing Contest” sponsor) joins California Writers Club colleagues for Writing Contest Awards Ceremony and Writers Helping Writers Through Mentoring;

June 13, 2015  for Authors Day

June 6 and June 13, 2015  at Literary Stage, Fine Arts Galleria, San Mateo County Fair (Cheers to Bardi Rosman Koodrin, Boris Koodrin, Laurel Anne Hill, David Hirzel, Margie Yee Webb, Wini McCaffrey, et al)  http://WritingCoachTeresa.com http://cwc-peninsula.org/fair.html

• Click here for Short, Short Story Writing Contest sponsored by California Writers Club-Sacramento Branch up to 750 words; entries must be postmarked by March 31, 2014 (no online submissions). $10 fee per entry. Cheers to Branch President Margie Yee Webb, sponsors, judges, and all contestants!

• Click here for Writing Contests  through Literary Arts Division of the San Mateo County Fair – many genres (including novels, memoirs, short stories, fantasy, science fiction, essays, poetry, children’s, immigrant experience) – open worldwide – $10 per entry -  online entries due April 1, 2014   5:00pm Pacific Standard Time. Cheers to Literary Arts Director Bardi Rosman Koodrin, sponsors, judges, all contestants!

• Click here for WriterAdvice Flash Prose Contest entries must be submitted by April 18, 2014  Fiction and creative nonfiction!  $15 fee per entry.  Cheers to to B. Lynn Goodwin, sponsors, judges, and all contestants!

Check out my blog post  “Coach Teresa says: Who or What is the Antagonist in Your Story?“  before you send your manuscripts to agents, acquisition editors, or writing contests.

Remember that a story, even a short one, has a beginning, middle, and end.  A “snapshot” of an event is not a story.  A story must have a main character, even if that character is the only character.

Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan cheers for Writing Contest Creators, Sponsors, Judges, and Contestants!

Writers at “Pitch-O-Rama: Meet the Agents, Editors, and Publishers”  – San Francisco, CA

Pitch your novel, memoir, biography, autobiography, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, thriller, graphic novel, romance, how to, children’s book, etc.

April 13, 2013 morning in San Francisco “Pitch-O-Rama: Meet the Agents, Editors, and Publishers” – register through Women’s National Book Association (Teresa LeYung-Ryan, Mary E. Knippel and Catharine Bramkamp will be coaching attendees before and after they pitch)

Peter Beren

Nancy Fish

Tory Hartmann

Brenda Knight

Michael Larsen

Linda Joy Myers

Elizabeth Pomada

Lara Perkins

Alan Rinzler

Andy Ross

Brooke Warner

Erin Wiegand

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Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: "Hook attention with your themes, the four Ws (what, who, when, where) and who YOU are . . . when you pitch to agents, acquisition editors, and publishers."

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Coach Mary E. Knippel says: "If you're given only 6 minutes with an agent, use your time wisely. Save 3 minutes for the agent to give you advice."

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**April 13, 2013 in San Francisco “Small Press Publishers Panel & Luncheon” – register through Women’s National Book Association (must also register for “Pitch-O-Rama” in order to attend luncheon)

Brooke Warner of She Writes Press and Brenda Knight of Cleis Press & Viva Editions

Featured Authors: Betsy Graziani Fasbinder and Maggie Oman Shannon

In both her works of memoir and fiction, Betsy Graziani Fasbinder explores the unending complications of people living, working, and loving one another. Her debut novel is a dark love story, lightened with the balm of humor and tempered with the comfort of deep and true friendship. Fire & Water (She Writes Press, March 2013) is Kate Murphy’s story of navigating the treacherous territory of passionate love with friendship and family devotion as the only anchor that can keep her from losing all. Betsy will have her book for sale and signing.

Maggie Oman Shannon is an interfaith minister, spiritual director, and workshop and retreat facilitator. She is the author of five books, including Prayers for Healing. She is serving as the spiritual director of the Unity Spiritual Center of San Francisco. In Crafting Calm: Projects and Practices for Creativity and Contemplation, a D.I.Y. guide to peace of mind, Maggie Oman Shannon explores crafts and creativity as a spiritual practice providing enormous benefits. Shannon takes a rich “potpourri approach” that weaves together interviews, historical facts, “Soul Craft” projects for readers, quotations, and suggested resources with a broad assortment of spiritual practices gathered from crafts communities around the world, as well as from everyday people who have adopted creative forms of spiritual practice.

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**Many thanks to Committee Co-Chair Kate Farrell (WNBA-SF Chapter VP) and Committee Members Linda Lee (WNBA-SF Chapter Co-President), Linda Joy Myers (WNBA-SF Chapter Co-President), Betsy Fasbinder,  Jane Glendinning, Sherry Nadworny, Susan Pace-Kochand, Catharine Bramkamp, and Mary E. Knippel (Past President) ! Many thanks to WNBA-SF Chapter Membership Chair Ana Manwaring,  Blog Editor Patricia V. Davis,  Social Media Manager Frances Caballo, Secretary Teresa LeYung-Ryan, and Immediate-Past-President Lynn Henriksen too!

See you there!
Sincerely,

Coach Teresa

Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan cares about helping fiction and nonfiction writers build their platforms and work on their craft simultaneously with ease.  She says: “Wear the dual hats as promoter and writer and be happily published. Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”

http://writingcoachTeresa.com

Coach Teresa’s Third Year Sponsoring “The Immigrant Experience” Writing Contest

I remember feeling hopeful when I entered the first five pages of my novel to the Jack London Writers Conference Writing Contest 1997 and the thrill when I heard my name announced as a winner. That recognition gave me confidence when I wrote query letters to literary agents. That manuscript became Love Made of Heart (published in October 2002).

So, when Bardi Rosman Koodrin (Literary Director of the Fine Arts Galleria at San Mateo County Fair) asked me to sponsor a writing contest, I had to say “Yes!”

Other sponsors said “Yes!” too.  For information about all the contests, please click on the headline below for my March 7, 2013 post:

Writing Contests – Novel, Memoir, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Short Story, Mystery, Essay, Poetry, Monologue, Children’s Novel, and More !

The deadline for all literary contests, including the NDNU scholarship opportunity as well as the two book cover art contests, is Monday April 1, 2013 at 5:00pm California time, no exceptions. $10 per entry.

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Coach Teresa here . . . sharing an exciting announcement from Bardi Rosman Koodrin, Literary Director of the Fine Arts Galleria at the San Mateo County Fair.

Writing Contests – Novel, Memoir, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Short Story, Mystery, Essay, Poetry, Monologue, Children’s Novel, and more !

Hi everyone,

The deadline for all literary contests, including the NDNU scholarship opportunity as well as the two book cover art contests, is Monday April 1, 2013 at 5:00pm California time, no exceptions.  ALERT:  Ignore the deadline date of May 8 on the entry form; all literary contests are due APRIL 1!

List and descriptions of contests and rules: https://www.sanmateocountyfair.com/pdf/2013/literary_13.pdf

How to submit your entries: https://www.sanmateocountyfair.com/pdf/2013/literary_submit.pdf

We’re offering several new contests, and the NDNU scholarship opportunity is now open to any full-time student, so make sure you read all the material.  Just like last year, we require a two-step entry process:

1)   you must register and pay for each entry through the online process www.sanmateocountyfair.com Click on [Contests] tab, then click on Entry form. $10 per entry.  April 1st (not May 8th) for Literary Arts Contests.

2)   email each submission separately to literary@smeventcenter.com so we can publish our second volume of the Carry the Light anthology.  You can also send questions to that email address.

We look forward to receiving your literary submissions to the 2013 San Mateo County Fair.  Check back soon to see all of our free “events within the event” that will be offered on the literary stage throughout the fair June 8-16, 2013 at www.sanmateocountyfair.com/contests/departments/literary-arts

Good luck with the contests and I look forward to seeing all of you at the 2013 Fair!

Best,

Bardi Rosman Koodrin

Literary Director of the Fine Arts Galleria

San Mateo County Fair

Yours truly is sponsoring:

Thank you, Bardi Rosman Koodrin, all sponsors, members of California Writers Club, and, of course the folks at San Mateo County Fair! Good luck to all contestants!

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan cheering for you!

Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan cares about helping fiction and nonfiction writers build their platforms and work on their craft simultaneously with ease.  She says: “Wear the dual hats as promoter and writer and be happily published. Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”

http://writingcoachTeresa.com

Sponsored by Teresa LeYung-Ryan — author of Love Made of Heart: an immigrant daughter’s journey to self-forgiveness (the book is used in college composition classes); author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW;  as editor/story consultant, Coach Teresa helps her clients polish their manuscripts by identifying themes and archetypes; read Coach Teresa’s blog at http://writingcoachteresa.com

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B. Lynn Goodwin’s WRITER ADVICE – 7th Annual Flash Prose Contest.  Short Fiction/Memoir, 750 words max. First Prize: $200, Deadline: April 18, 2012.  Guidelines  www.writeradvice.com

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Cheering for all writers!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

Coach Teresa says: “Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams!”

http://writingcoachteresa.com

As editor/story consultant, Coach Teresa helps her clients polish their manuscripts by identifying their themes, universal archetypes, front-story and back-story.

Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW

Love Made of Heart is used in college composition classes. Thank you, Teachers & Students!

What’s Happening February 17 – 21, 2011 For Writers and Readers?

Thursday, Feb. 17th, 2011, 6 to 9 pm- $149
Presented by Literary Agent Katharine Sands, author of Making the Perfect Pitch. Learn how to effectively pitch your project to the agents and editors at the SFWC…or anywhere!  http://www.sfwriters.org/pages.cfm?ID=206

Friday February 18, 2011 While Talking Tagline Mentor Elisa Southard author of  Break Through the Noise, 9 Tools to Propel Your Marketing Message & I (Writing Career Coach Teresa LeYung Ryan author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW) will be presenting “Get a Grip: Be Your Own Best Promoter” at the exciting San Francisco Writers Conference . . .

February 18, 2011, 11:00am PST / noon Mountain Time Author Judith Marshall (Judith & I were in a critique group with Lynn Scott and Marcia Naomi Berger!)  will be interviewed on BlogTalkRadio show Page Readers.  If you miss the live broadcast on Feb. 18th, you can listen to Judith Marshall (she’s delightful!) when the show is archived.  Go, Girlfriend Judith!!!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/show.aspx?userurl=page-readers&year=2011&month=02&day=18&url=judith-marshall-on-page-readers

Judith Marshall is a third generation native Californian, born in St. Helena and raised in Concord. After leaving a successful career as a human resources executive, her lifelong dream of writing fiction was realized with the completion of Husbands May Come and Go But Friends Are Forever, winner of the Jack London Prize awarded by the California Writers Club and recently optioned for the big screen. She is an active member of the California Writers Club and a regular participant in writing classes and workshops. She continues to hone her craft and is currently working on her second novel, Staying Afloat, the story of a devoted stay-at-home wife and mother who morphs into a sex-starved adulteress. She lives in Northern California with her husband. For more information, go to www.judithmarshall.net

MONDAY, February 21, 2011  FULL-DAY AND HALF-DAY WRITING INTENSIVES

Sponsored by San Francisco Writers University and the San Francisco Writers Conference  http://www.sfwriters.org/pages.cfm?ID=206

These classes will be held at the Mark Hopkins InterContinental Hotel on Nob Hill in San Francisco.

Each of these intensive workshops takes one subject and breaks it down
into parts to give attendees a deep understanding of the topic. Each
workshop is taught by an expert on the subject who is also a good
teacher.

Full Day Classes (9 am to noon, break for no-host lunch, 2 -5 pm) — $297 for either class

1. Social Media for Authors with social media gurus Tee Morris and Linda Lee
By the end of this nuts and bolts workshop, authors will know how to effectively use Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Linked-In, how to create a website and blog and how to podcast your writing. And you’ll also know how to select which of these tools is right for you. A must have for writers in today’s online world.

2. Self-Publishing Boot Camp with Carla King, Alan Rinzler, Joel Friedlander, Mark Coker, Tammy Nam, Alexis Masters, Karen Leland and many more
Listen up, soldiers! Today is the best time ever to be a writer. With eBooks and self-publishing options never before available to get your book in front of a reading audience, you need to understand the whys, whats and hows of self-publishing. Taught by the creator of the Self-Publishing Bootcamp and a whole host of experts in every aspect of self-publishing. Go to Carla King’s Self-Publishing Boot Camp web site.

Morning Half-Day Classes (9 am to noon) –$149 for each class

1. Micro-Tension: The Secret of the Best Sellers with Superstar Literary Agent Donald Maass
This workshop has been given to rave reviews throughout North America by the man who wrote the book (and workbook) on writing the novel that will break you out of the pack. In the course of two decades Mr. Maass has arrived at a number of definite and highly perceptive conclusions on just what the differences are between an ordinary, pedestrian but enjoyable novel and an ostensibly similar work that catapults the book and its author into an entirely new plane of literary success.

2. Writing Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror
With best selling author Katharine Kerr, editor/assoc. publisher Gabrielle Harbowy and rising star fantasy author Philippa Ballantine

3. Writing Romance and Women’s Fiction
With literary agent Christine Witthohn and romance author Elizabeth Jennings

4. Writing Mysteries, Suspense and Thrillers
With NYT best-selling mystery and thriller authors Bob Dugoni and Sheldon Siegel

Afternoon Half-Day Classes (2 pm to 5 pm)–$149 each

1. How to Write a Book Proposal (non-fiction)
With the man who wrote How to Write a Book Proposal. literary agent Michael Larsen and Consulting Editor Alan Rinzler

2. Making Your Memoir Bigger Than The Story of Your Life
With writing teacher and memoirist Adair Lara, author of Naked, Drunk and Writing: Shed Your Inhibitions and Craft a Compelling Memoir or Personal Essay

3. How To Make Money in the Hot Young Adult Market
With author Doug Rees and Annette Pollert from Simon and Schuster