Posts Tagged ‘Wini McCaffrey’
April 26th, 2015 | Author: admin
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
Posted in About Teresa Jade LeYung aka Teresa LeYung Ryan, Art / Craft / Teaching, writing-career coach / manuscript consultant / writing coach / editor/ book doctor / author / writer's life / publisher | 
Tags: a Journey Through Mental Illness, a Mother, A scene is a compilation of paragraphs that creates a “movie” in the Reader’s mind, A sequence of scenes guides the Reader in your Story World, action, authentic details, author, Bardi Rosman Koodrin, books, Boris Koodrin, Build Your Writer's Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days, California Bookstore Day, california writers club, Christopher Vogler, David Hirzel, dialogue, Fine Arts Galleria, For Theme’s Sake Edit Your Own Manuscript Before Pitching or Self-Publishing, Hero's journey, Hero’s/Protagonist’s transformation, How do you hook your reader at the middle of your book?, Immigrant Experience Writing Contest, Independent Bookstore Day, inspiration for protagonists and classmates, Laurel Anne Hill, Literary Stage, Love Made of Heart: a Daughter, Margie Yee Webb, Martha Alderson, Martha Engber, memoir, middle of manuscripts, novel, reading a book is like going for a hike on a trail that I’ve never been on before, san mateo county fair, science fiction, sensory details, sign posts are called “themes”, Wini McCaffrey, Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan, YA, Your-Writing-Mentor Mary E. Knippel | 
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January 27th, 2015 | Author: admin
Author & Platform/Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa Jade LeYung (formerly Teresa LeYung-Ryan) celebrates New Year 2015 with dear colleagues
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https://lynnscott.wordpress.com
https://feministteaching.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/
Lynn Scott, Linda Harris, Sheryl Fairchild, Teresa Jade LeYung, Margie Yee Webb
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author Luisa Adams http://www.rp-author.com/Adams/
author Teresa Jade LeYung (formerly Teresa LeYung-Ryan) https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog http://writingcoachTeresa.com
author Martha Alderson https://marthaalderson.com/
authors Luisa Adams, Teresa Jade LeYung, Martha Alderson
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https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog
Writing Coaches Teresa Jade LeYung and Mary E. Knippel prepare outline for Teresa's "For Theme's Sake" class for writers and editors
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https://www.facebook.com/diane.warner.948?fref=ts
Carmen Lee of Stamp Out Stigma http://www.stampoutstigma.net/ I look forward to seeing you soon!
Margaret Davis, Ray Davis, Winifred McCaffrey, Teresa Jade LeYung, Diane Warner
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http://lovemadeofheart.com/Love-Made-of-Heart-Online-Store-&-Gift-Shop.html
Teresa Jade LeYung with her Love Made Of Heart trademark - photo by YBK
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Yolande Barial Knight is:
Teresa Jade LeYung and Yolande Barial Knight - photo by Allen Pulido
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Elisa Sasa Southard (Certified Tour Director) is creator of Big City Travel Skills http://elisaonassignment.com/
https://www.facebook.com/elisa.southard?fref=ts
Sasa Southard and Teresa Jade LeYung brainstorm over breakfast at Sunrise Bistro
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Theme consultant, author, photographer Teresa Jade LeYung http://writingcoachTeresa.com https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog
Professor Sheryl Fairchild https://feministteaching.wordpress.com
Author and photographer Margie Yee Webb https://www.facebook.com/
Teresa Jade LeYung, Professor Sheryl Fairchild, Margie Yee Webb meet in Berkeley
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I met with filmmaker / artist Chandra Garsson and had a lively discussion about a new book cover for Love Made of Heart, commenting on facebook to support our colleagues, and movie recommendations.
Chandra Garsson takes photo of the bookcase she was commissioned to paint for author Teresa Jade LeYung (formerly Teresa LeYung-Ryan)
https://www.facebook.com/chandra.garsson?fref=ts
http://flyingpaintproductions.blogspot.com
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Dear Vicki Weiland, I wish to see you soon!
https://vickiweiland.wordpress.com
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Theme consultant and author Teresa Jade LeYung wishes everyone excellent mental health!
Teresa Jade LeYung (formerly Teresa LeYung-Ryan) is “Platform & Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa” and Manuscript and Theme Consultant and . . .
author of:
Love Made of Heart: a Mother’s Mental Illness Forges Forgiveness in Daughter Ruby (novel used by college professors)
Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW (workbook)
Coach Teresa’s Blog at https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog
Posted in About Teresa Jade LeYung aka Teresa LeYung Ryan, Art / Craft / Teaching, Being an Immigrant - The Immigrant Experience, Mental Health, writing-career coach / manuscript consultant / writing coach / editor/ book doctor / author / writer's life / publisher |
Tags: Author Teresa LeYung-Ryan wishes everyone excellent mental health, Build Your Writer's Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days, Carmen Lee of Stamp Out Stigma, Certified Tour Director, Chandra Garsson, Coach Teresa's Blog, Diane Warner, Elisa "Sasa" Southard, Linda Harris, Love Made of Heart, Luisa Adams, Lynn Scott, Margaret Davis, Margie Yee Webb, Martha Alderson, Mary E. Knippel, Platform & Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa, Ray Davis, Sasa is creator of Big City Travel Skills, Sheryl Fairchild, Teresa LeYung Ryan, Teresa LeYung-Ryan with her Love Made Of Heart trademark, Vicki Weiland, Wini McCaffrey, Winifred McCaffrey, Writing Coach Teresa's For Theme Sake class, Yolande Barial Knight |
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