Had a delightful time delivering “Story Lessons from the Hunger Games” at the annual conference for the Utah chapter of RWA up in Park City. Especially enjoyed delivering a sweet dream telegram involving waxed chests 🙂 Here’s the PDF as promised: Story Lessons from the Hunger Games RWA 2011
James Dawson, YA author, feels it’s somehow wrong to hold back on cussing in his fiction. He wrote an article about this in the UK Guardian called “Why Teens in Books Can’t Swear.” He thinks it’s unrealistic. He thinks it’s about gate-keeper censorship. You know, parents wanting to steer their children towards certain experiences and away from others.
People.
Dawson’s approach to the whole problem is wrong-headed. This isn’t about the virtues and vices of fiction. Or about gatekeepers, especially in today’s ebook world. Or what experiences parents want to provide their children. And it’s not about art reflecting reality. Reality includes trips to the toilet, and yet we somehow fail to include realistic bum wiping in so many of our tales. Good heavens, have we betrayed our artistic integrity? No. We’ve just naturally chosen to include things that appeal to us and leave out others that don’t. Every book is an exercise in hundreds of such choices.
The fact is that Dawson’s forgetting that a fundamental aspect of the book trade is the trade. The buyer trades his or her money for a product (the book) that provides a service (the entertainment, thrills, chills, etc. of the reading experience) he or she values. A customer preferring one kind of experience over another isn’t censorship (the horror, the horror). It’s choice.
As an author, you make your offer. If folks like it, they buy it. If not, they don’t. Nobody owes you a purchase.
This means that in any business, and selling fiction is a business, the most sensible way forward is to offer your intended buyers something they are likely to value. Something they’re going to like. Something they want. If your buyer is thirsty and wants water, offer him a cold glass of water, not a waffle iron. And if you can’t bear to develop anything but waffle irons, then, by all means, develop waffle irons. Just make sure you offer them to the folks looking for . . . waffle irons.
This business of making offers also means that we package our products and services so that customers can easily tell what’s in the box. You don’t want someone to purchase your box thinking it contains breakfast cereal when in reality it’s a bunch of bolts.
Yeah, writing is an art. But offering it in trade to others is also a basic economic act.
I just started watching Life, the NBC series. I’ve enjoyed the first four episodes. In fact, episode three has one of the most brilliant sequences I’ve ever seen.
Here’s the setup. Charlie Crews is a detective who was sent to jail for a murder he didn’t commit. Being a cop in prison made him a target for many many beatings. Eleven years later they found none of the DNA at the murder site was his. So they released him, and, as settlement for damages, gave him a bunch of money, and allowed him to be a cop again. He’s been partnered up with Dani Reese. Nobody really wanted him, but she’s had problems of her own and got stuck with him. Crews had a car in the first episode, geeked out about GPS and handsoff telephone (stuff his missed in prison), but the ex-con lawyer Crews has put up in his mansion ran it over with a tractor. He’s been riding the bus. In this sequence, Crews and Reese are looking for a guy named Manny Umaga who carjacked a man and his wife then shot the wife. In this sequence they go find where he is and then go get him.
Watch it and then read my comments below. It runs from minute 15:49 to 21:15.
1. Surprise. You walk into a dangerous car shop. What are you expecting? You know you’re going to meet hard characters. They’re not going to want to talk to you. There’s some danger and so a bit of suspense. So we meet some hard characters. I was still surprised by the particulars of Buscando Maldito–his neck tattoos and hat. Wonderful and new (at least to me). But before we can have a confrontation–surprise–Crews sees the car of his dreams. Then we get that wonderful exchange between him and Maldito and El Repitito. Total humor. Totally unexpected. Then Maldito suggests a posse? Not only is he willing to talk, but he suggests he goes with them? When going to get Umaga, more surprises. Flash bangs? Big honking Samoan running? Busts down the door? Takes Crews by the neck? Crews pulls his own knife? Surprise after surprise after surprise.
2. Characters. Loads of interest factors (see my post on character). Maldito and Repitito have fabulous eccentricities. Crews displays his own interesting reaction to the car. Surprising, but logical (BTW, in a later scene you see him driving the car!) Then we see his prison background coming up with the knife. Love his backstory. And did you notice how strong Reese is, taking none of Maldito’s crap?
3. Dialogue. Did you notice how the first few times Reese says anything to Maldito he doesn’t respond to her question? Total avoidance of on-the-nose dialogue, talking cross-purpose.
4. Soundtrack. The way they bridged the two scenes with that music was fabulous. And the music itself. Wow. BTW, that’s “No Nadie” by Edgard Jaude, Rafael Torres, & Andres Ayrado.
5. Conflict. Between the Maldito and Crews about the car, between Maldito and Reese, between Umaga and Crews. Then Crews and Reese (with the knife).
I think I watched this a dozen times. Loved it.
Just a reminder. I’ll be meeting the public and chatting about my book in Utah this week. David Farland and Larry Correia will there as well. It’s a three-for-one deal.
| Thursday, October 22 6 pm – 8 pm |
Book signing and release party | Logan, UT | Borders 1050 N Main St. Suite B-2 Logan, UT 84341 435-787-0678 |
| Friday, October 23 4 pm – 6 pm |
Book signing and release party | Orem, UT | Barnes & Noble 330 East 1300 South Orem, UT 84058 801-229-1611 |
| Saturday, October 24 12 pm – 2 pm |
Book signing and release party | Layton, UT | Barnes & Noble Layton Market Center 1780 North Woodland Park Drive Layton, UT 84041 801-773-9973 |
| Saturday, October 24 3 pm – 5 pm |
Book signing and release party | West Jordan, UT | Barnes & Noble Jordan Landing 7157 Plaza Center Drive West Jordan, UT 84084 801-282-1324 |
Brandon asked me to come in and teach about indie writing. Here are the slides of my lecture and a document for notes.
Folks, this book was a blast to write. I feel like I did when I wrote “Loose in the Wires.” Here are my stats.
I’m surprised at my drafting speed on this one. I’m usually between 500-600 words per hour. Of course, there were a few spots where I ran into huge gaping holes in my invention. For example, at the end of June I finished the climax. But I couldn’t write the last two chapters, which usually take no time at all, because I realized I knew nothing about the criminal justice system. I knew TV generalities, but not the kind of detail I need. Not enough to envision the last 5,000 words. So all my writing time in July was spent researching. There were a couple other invention stops earlier on. So that’s my excuse. Let’s hope the next one goes faster so I’m not totally embarassed.
If I were full time, I could have finished this in 10 weeks. As it was, I started drafting in January. My goal is to write two books a year. I’m not going to make it at this speed. Let’s see how book 2 goes.
Here are my next steps. I’m going to let BP sit for three to four weeks to cool. I’ll then read it and revise. Then it goes out to my readers. I hope to be shopping this one around by the end of September.
In the meantime, I’ve already been noodling around with the ideas for book two in this series. My goal is to finish the working outline while this one’s cooling off.
If you feel a bit lost or anxious about how to teach narrative for the new core, especially stories, I think I can help.
I’m an educator in the private sector and an award-winning novelist and short story writer. I’ve been teaching authors in various venues how to write for the last five years. I’ve been on writing podcasts with thousands of listeners, taught at a number of writers conventions, and had a series of articles published by the national Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America organization, an organization for professional authors. I’ve also been helping Nellie, my wonderful wife, teach her 7th and 8th grade language arts students the unit on short stories during that same period. We’ve taught it to twenty different classes and picked up a number of important insights along the way.
This last year I couldn’t help but examine all the materials Nellie brought home during the district’s writing program adoption investigations. Some programs looked very promising; others not so much. Some got some things about writing flat out wrong. Most of the programs had gaps.
Furthermore, because I work with so many people wanting to write, I know that it’s difficult to teach if you really don’t understand what stories really are and how they work. For lots of people, the subject matter can seem impenetrable. And yet writing stories is such a wonderful way to teach writing, especially because so many kids love it. You won’t find a kid who will spend extra hours writing a business letter or poem analysis, but you will find quite a few who will go crazy writing stories. And the whole time they’re practicing their writing skills.
The question is how DO you write a story?
What is a story?
How can you tell if it’s good?
How do you come up with ideas?
Where do you start?
And what the heck is this chart? Do writers really use this? (Not many that I know.)
And does anyone think changing the diagram to look like Aspen, Colorado actually helps?
Hey, students—please make your story look like Aspen, Colorado! (Yeah, that’s going to be effective.)
And yet it’s not as difficult as it appears. Nellie and I have seen a lot of kids really get into writing stories. We’ve seen kids WILLINGLY going way beyond the assignment to write stories that are eight, twelve, twenty-five plus pages. And as they’re writing, they’re practicing grammar, spelling, structure, vocabulary, etc. without knowing it and having a great time. I know that if you enable your students, many of them will write, write, write. Especially in grade school. But also in the higher grades.
Stories can be a blast. The assignments can connect to many students. And the results can be wonderful. I’ve laughed out loud at some of the stories coming out of Nellie’s class. Others have been enjoyable on other levels.
But for this to work in your class, you need to know some key things. You need to understand the core of story and the story development process. You need a lesson plan that details everything step-by-step so your students don’t flounder. And you need to know some fundamental tips (secrets?) about teaching this content.
So I’m going to hold this day-long class for you. A full eight hours. And share everything Nellie and I have learned. This class will be for teachers at ALL levels (I’ll show you some ways to scale the complexity of what you’re doing). There will be NO cost. The only thing you have to bring is a pencil, paper, whatever program materials you have, and a willingness to have a good time.
When we finish, you will know how to write a simple story like the ones your students will write because, ta-dum, you will write one! AND you’ll have a step-by-step lesson plan that builds on whatever materials you have—an official program or one of your own. AND you’ll understand story better than 99% of the population. AND you’ll have a bundle of techniques to help your students. AND you’ll solve both world peace and maybe the lost sock conundrum.
Truly, I think that instead of feeling stress, you’ll actually be looking forward to teaching and writing stories with your students. If not, you may bring tomatoes and huck them at me, but please be aware that I will not stand still; to find satisfaction, you will have to be able to hit a moving target.
If you’re interested, just click the Contact John link under my photo in the left sidebar and send me an email letting me know.
Hope to see you in class!
GET READY FOR A FUN DAY OF LEARNING!
Topic: Teaching writing (narrative & the common core)
Who: Teachers (and writers at least 18 years old), seats are limited
When: Monday, July 29th, 8:15 AM – 5:00 PM
Where: Rich Middle School, 54 E 100 S Laketown, UT 84038
Materials you need to bring:
AGENDA
8:15 AM Arrive
8:30 AM – 9:20 AM
9:30 AM – 10:20 AM
10:30 – 11:20
LUNCH
12:00 – 12:50
1:00 – 1:50
2:00 – 2:50
3:00 – 3:50
4:00 – 4:50
Comments are closed.
Thank you, John, for presenting your dynamic and enlightening, “Lessons On Story From The Hunger Games.” When I watched your presentation last winter at LTUE I had an “Ah ha” moment. Given the opportunity to pick and choose over the workshops at the URWA conference, I decided that your presentation was one of the most important I’ve ever seen. Sometimes people giving you bullet points about elements, conflict, beats and turning points isn’t as effective as demonstrating where, when and why the emotion hits you/sucks you into the story.
You are a fantastic and engaging speaker, and I cannot thank you enough for agreeing to come to our conference.
PS. Thanks you the Lesli thing, I wish I’d been there to see it. Note to self: Do not make declarations of love over the internet. Someone is always watching…
Lisa, you make me blush. So happy to hear you found it useful. I really had a good time 🙂
Okay, now, I’m really hoping SOMEBODY will take pity on me and clue me in on exactly what happened with the sweet dream telegram. I really think I deserve a few details! You know how to reach me….
Lesli introduced me. In her introduction she said that “this is the man I said I’d leave my husband for.” Then she read a bit of my bio, saying why: I’d been raised a florist and pugilist. Loving flowers and a good fight. Then she revealed she’d been a florist. But then she indicated how embarassed she was because she had no idea I’d bring my wife along to the conference.
Oh, Lesli, how little you knew at the time. . .
I started my presentation. At the part where I pointed out that the three romance covers were using the same dark-haired chest waxer, I deepened my voice and revealed that I was thinking about getting my own chest waxed. The audience laughed. Then I said, “Lesli Lytle.” There was a small uproar. “Lesli Lytle,”–still in the deep voice–“Are you here?”
Her friends all shouted. “Here, here!”
Lesli’s eyes went wide. Her face reddened.
I paused. “Lesli,” I asked, “you know what your name means in ancient Gaelic, don’t you?”
She shook her head.
“Oh, yeah,” I said meaningfully, fanning my face.
The audience laughed. Lesli at this point had very good blood flow to her face. I think she tried to duck under the table.
“Lesli,” I said. “I have it upon good authority that you perform”–I paused a beat for effect–“acts of waxing upon select men.”
The audience hooted. Lesli told me later that she was so embarassed at this point she lost her hearing.
“Is this true?” I asked.
She couldn’t speak. “Yes,” a woman said. “She does!”
But Lesli shook her head.
“Alas,” I said. “In such a way, over cheesy potatoes, are a man’s hopes dashed upon the rocks.” I made my voice throaty. “I hunger, Lesli,” I said. “I”–pause–“hunger.”
The audience hooted and roared.
“And that,” I said, “is your sweet dreams telegram, wishing you a happy Friday, with love, from Sherry Lewis Brown.”
The audience awwwed. Lesli was beet-red, shaking her head in that “oh, I’m going to get her” manner. And then I got on with the presentation.
Lesli was such a good sport. And it was perfect for the audience.
ROFL. Okay, not true. Sitting in my chair laughing — out loud. That’s too, too funny! Thanks for the laugh. I definitely needed one this morning!