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The Story Equation by Susan May Warren (book review)

July 11, 2021 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Discover The Story Equation!

One question can unlock your entire story! Are you struggling to build a riveting plot? Layered characters? How about fortify that saggy middle? Create that powerful ending?

You can build an entire book by asking one powerful question, and then plugging it into an “equation” that makes your plot and characters come to life. You’ll learn how to build the external and internal journey of your characters, create a theme, build story and scene tension, create the character change journey and even pitch and market your story. All with one amazing question.

Learn:

The amazing trick to creating unforgettable, compelling characters that epic movies use!
How to create riveting tension to keep the story driving from chapter to chapter
The easy solution to plotting the middle of your novel
The one element every story needs to keep a reader up all night
How to craft an ending that makes your reader say to their friends, “Oh, you have to read this book!”

Using the powerful technique that has created over fifty RITA, Christy and Carol award-winning, best-selling novels, Susan May Warren will show novelists how to utilize The Story Equation to create the best story they’ve ever written.


I’ve heard a lot of good things about this book and have been looking forward to reading it. I was especially excited because of the length — it’s a short read.

Here’s the good about it: lots of great information. I love how Warren breaks everything down and helps you identify so many elements of good fiction. It’s definitely worth reading.

Here’s the not so good: I found this book to be really confusing. As a left-brained lover of math, I actually expected there to be an equation here. You know: A2 + B2 = C2 kind of thing. This is more like, I’ll teach you how to get to C2 with X, Y, and Z, which make up A2, but only after G, H, I (which is part of L) and then B2 comes together and we layer it all with 4, 5, 6, 7. Viola! It’s not so much a story equation as it is a mind map of sorts. If you go into it expecting an equation, it can be frustrating and confusing.

As is, I’m planning on applying everything I’ve read to my next manuscript, but first I need to organize the information (as I did find it hard to follow).

Yes, I recommend this book and will use the info in it, but I did find it hard to follow. This might not be the case for everyone though. Get your copy here!

Filed Under: book reviews Tagged With: book review, characterization, How to Write a Novel, My Book Therapy, novel writing, plot, story structure, Susan May Warren, writing books, writing tips

Mid-Level Story Structure by Nic Nelson

August 19, 2019 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

One of the most common problems I see in manuscripts by unpublished authors (besides slipping out of “storytelling” into “expository telling”) is a tendency to ramble from description to dialogue to action to discovery etc., almost at random.

This is fine when one is pre-writing— just brainstorming, outlining, and pantsing one’s way along, chasing inspiration. One pursues and often captures vivid scenes, character insights, and plot points around which the rest of the story will be written. But if “the rest of the story” fumbles its way toward the next gem, the reader might not stick around long enough to reach it.

What’s missing is a reliable way to hold the reader’s attention as you rhythmically spool through “the rest of the story” in a way that sets up each crushing defeat and glorious triumph. Fortunately, such a rhythm is well understood: it’s called story structure.

Story structure isn’t the same as a story arc, the three-act (or four-box, or eight-point) overall plot structure that makes a story satisfying. Nor is it a formulaic straitjacket to strangle your creativity. It is a basic underlying rhythm that engages the attention, emotion, and curiosity of your readers, and maintains it as long as you maintain that rhythm. Depart from it whenever you like… at your own risk.

Story structure (perhaps “story rhythm” would be a better term) is made up of two kinds of scenes, which Dwight Swain called “Scenes” and “Sequels,” each of which has three “story beats.”

Scene:

  1. Goal
  2. Conflict
  3. Disaster

Sequel:

  1. Reaction
  2. Dilemma
  3. Decision

The three parts of a Scene sound just like any scene you might write: a character strives toward a specific Goal, encounters Conflict or resistance, and either fails to attain the Goal, or succeeds and is disappointed for some reason, or discovers what the next Goal must be. It might not end in “disaster,” but there must be some kind of “uh oh” or “what next?” involved, which hopefully sets up another scene.

But this is Swain’s insight: begin with a Goal and Conflict, but always end in Disaster of some kind, at least something that feels like a Disaster to your main character and to your reader.

Then make the next scene something different: make it a Sequelto the scene before it. Describe the POV character feeling, absorbing, Reacting to the Disaster that just happened. Then give them a Dilemma: force them to make an impossible choice (or one that seems so to that character at that part of their character arc). Let them agonize in a way that resonates convincingly with your reader. But not for too long. They must Decide on some course of action—which becomes the Goal for your next Scene.

Goal, Conflict, Disaster — Reaction, Dilemma, Decision

Goal, Conflict, Disaster — Reaction, Dilemma, Decision

As you string these together, you start a virtuous cycle of fascination and tension, an engine that drives the reader inexorably through the story. This smoothly-running engine can roar like a rocket or coast along at cruising speed, as the pace of the story varies, but if you can keep it running without interruption, you’ve got what’s called a “page-turner” on your hands. You have learned how to structure a book that your reader can’t put down.

Again, this is a scene-by-scene story rhythm that just works. It isn’t a formula, because every author will implement it differently. Your reader won’t “see” this Scene/Sequel structure because you’ll clothe it in characters, setting, thoughts, emotions, dialogue and action. Your reader will see and hear what you describe to them; they won’t notice the story structure you’re using.

Unless, of course, you don’t have one, or you deviate from the Scene/Sequel cycle in a distracting way. Then they will indeed miss the smoothly-running engine, even though they won’t know what exactly has gone wrong. Every passionate reader of fiction, regardless of genre, is familiar with the thrilling purr of well-structured storytelling even though almost none of them would recognize the machinery if they peeked under the hood. But readers don’t need to understand the mechanics of story structure to know immediately when it has stalled on them. Very few readers are willing to push your story along to the next service station. Now that you know the secret, you won’t do that to them anymore!


Nic Nelson started following Jesus early in college and has found it difficult to keep up with the fellow. It’s more like hurtling headlong from one impossible challenge to another, involving widely varied failure and just enough triumph to keep him sane. Which is probably just how Jesus intended it. Oh, and for the past fifteen years he has been helping authors to “write well and publish wisely.” Since clients keep coming despite Nic’s complete lack of advertising acumen, and they keep saying nice things about him when he isn’t around, he seems to do this pretty well.

Filed Under: writing Tagged With: fiction editing, fiction writing, Nic Nelson, story structure

End of the Year Sale — Novel Critiques!

November 26, 2018 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Black Friday, Shop Small Saturday, and Cyber Monday are behind us, but the holiday savings aren’t over yet — this December I’m offering 25% off all novel critiques!

What’s a critique? It’s a review of your manuscript without the line-by-line comments and edits. It includes:

  • Overall assessment of the story and writing strengths and weaknesses
  • Comments and suggestions at the end of each chapter
  • Fiction Fliers to explain various fiction-writing techniques (as needed)
  • Recommendations for the next step

When and why should you consider a critique?

  1. When you’re in a hurry. Substantive edits can take 4-6 weeks to complete depending on how much work the manuscript needs and how detailed of an edit you’ve requested. Sometimes, however, you need (or want!) input faster than that. Because a critique is an assessment (not an edit), it usually only takes 1-2 weeks. Perfect for the person who’s looking for tips NOW!
  2. When finances are tight. In an ideal world, every new author would hire a substantive editor before submitting their first manuscript to an agent or publisher. Realistically, however, that edit can cost upwards of $4,000. Not everyone can afford that. That’s where critiques can help — get a professional review, suggestions, tips, and recommendations at a fraction of the cost of a substantive edit!
  3. When you don’t know what you need. Not sure whether or not your book is ready for an edit? Are you wondering if your story is even worth pursuing? Then consider a critique. Not only will you receive comments and suggestions from an industry professional, but you can apply the cost of your critique toward a substantive, developmental, or line edit, when you’re ready.*

From now until the end of the month, anyone who schedules a novel critique for 2019 will receive 25% off the full critique — that’s just $1.50 per page! But don’t wait until that manuscript is done to contact me! Editors’ schedules fill up quickly, including mine. Reserve your spot today to make sure you get on the schedule for your novel critique.

Questions? Don’t hesitate to ask, and have a very merry Christmas!

—

Owner of Write Now Editing, Karin Beery’s passion is fiction. As Managing Editor for Guiding Light Women’s Fiction (an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas) and an instructor for the PEN Institute, her goal is the same: to help authors create engaging novels that captivate their audiences. She specializes in substantive fiction edits, helping authors with big-picture issues like characterization, plot holes, and authenticity while also honing fiction-writing techniques, such as showing, point of view, dialogue, and more.

Karin is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of American, and Christian Proofreaders and Editors Network. She is represented by literary agent Steve Hutson at WordWise Media. You can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

 

*Manuscripts in which characters, setting, or plot elements are changed will not be eligible to have critique costs applied to edits.

 

 

Filed Under: editing Tagged With: characterization, critique sale, editing sale, novel critique, story structure

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ABOUT ME

Editor. Teacher. Novelist.
A passionate lover of fiction, Karin doesn't just write novels, she helps others write their best stories! A certified substantive editor with the Christian Editor Connection, her goal is to help authors to put her out of business by equipping them with the tools they need to become better writers.

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