Writers in the Storm

By Lori Freeland

Think about the way you craft a scene. Dialogue is pretty much a given. Some of us even use what our characters say as a backbone to begin filling in the blank page. Action is the same. We’ll often unconsciously describe what our characters are doing as they’re speaking. But unless your natural inclination as a writer leans toward setting, location doesn’t always score a lot of space on the page among the rest of the scene elements.

For a detailed list of essential story elements, see Layering Your Scene: The Five Key Elements

Where your story takes place is just as important as what your characters say and do. Sometimes we get caught up writing witty banter and choreographing every move that we forget to write in a backdrop. This is especially true if we tend to be more character-driven in our writing.

Let’s take some time to focus on what’s important when writing location.

Location is Everything

You’ve probably heard this phrase before. It applies to everything from buying real estate, to where you raise a family, to where you post an ad for your next book release. Location also applies to setting.

It matters where and when your scene takes place. Check out the buildings below.

Although both are pictures of a house, there are differences! The mood of the scene will change in each of these places—even if you use the same event and the same characters.

Think about it this way. John invites Lisa to his house. Lisa can barely afford groceries and rent on her salary and is trying to raise her daughter as a single parent. When she arrives, John tells her that he’s her biological father, he has a terminal disease, and has left her everything he owns in his will.

Depending on which house is his, she’ll feel two totally different ways about that news.

Setting is a Character

You’ve also probably also heard this phrase, especially when it comes to world building. Being stranded at sea in the middle of a storm (The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger) is different than being stranded on an island with carnivorous dinosaurs (Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton). But both the ocean and the island become an antagonist in each story. If you want a more concrete example, let’s take Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. Hogwarts, with its hidden passages, shifting stairways, and talking portraits is definitely a character of its own.

Show versus Tell 

We’re taught that showing a story is far more powerful than telling a story—to hook your reader, to build in emotion, and to keep a deeper POV. For a deeper look into this topic, see Show Don’t Tell: The 3 Most Misunderstood Words in a Writer’s Vocabulary.

If I asked you whether a movie better demonstrates the concept of “show” or “tell,” you’d probably pick “show,” because it is a visual medium. If I asked you if a book or a movie gives you a better feel for the location of a story, you’d probably pick the movie.

And I’d disagree.

While books don’t have the luxury of green screens and CGI, they do have a hidden power. The power of words and imagination. Movies are bound by their visuals. They “tell” us what to see in such a specific way that our imagination isn’t required. But words come with a freedom that invites imagination in and lets us create our own visuals.

Words Have Unlimited Potential

Painting a vivid picture using only words isn’t easy. Some writers are great at it. For them, it seems to just show up as a natural skill in their writing toolbox. Most of us aren’t that lucky, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn. One step to cultivating this talent is to realize location is our weak spot in writing and then be deliberate as we “sketch” our location into our work in progress.

In our heads, we know exactly what our scene looks like, but our readers don’t. That’s why it’s so crucial to make sure the idea in our heads makes it to the page. Whether you want to create a visual outline for your reader and allow them to fill in the details, or give concrete descriptions key to your story, you have to take your vision and share it in a clear manner to provide your readers with the intended experience.

“Don’t tell me the morning is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” (Anton Chekov)

This is one of my favorite quotes when it comes to painting a word picture. So remember, provide a picture of the location to let your readers know:

• If it’s night, show the stars in the sky or the headlights of a car.
• If it's unbearably hot and humid, show the sweat on your character’s face and the haze on the horizon of heat rising off the pavement.
• If it’s raining, show water soaking your character’s blouse and puddles she’s avoiding.

Set the Stage

When a movie opens, the location of the scene is the first thing you notice. You can’t help it, because those visuals set the stage and we want to set our stage in the first few paragraphs, too. Be sure to bring your location into the start of every scene or location change. It’s hard for readers to “see” your brilliantly crafted set or even fill in your more abstract outline if they have no idea where the scene is taking place.

Imagine you are in a movie theater, ready to watch the latest blockbuster, you wouldn’t simply close your eyes and listen to the opening dialogue, would you? Readers need the context of location to be grounded in the scene or they won’t stay engaged. Just like the movie, provide the visuals and keep your readers turning the page.

We want the reader to see this:                   Not this:

Don’t leave your reader “stuck” inside a white room. Orient your readers to location with at least a minimal description—even if you’re picking up from a previous scene.

Example: We ended the last scene in a parking lot, and it's also where the next scene begins. Because the reader might’ve bookmarked and walked away for a while, you want to jog the reader's memory using a few words. Perhaps something like this:

The blacktop in the parking lot was hot enough to fry eggs.

Now our reader has context of the location that will keep the continuum of the story flowing and keeps them engaged in our book.

When Less is More

Sometimes, though, too many details can overwhelm a reader. You don’t always need to paint every detail of a location. Use other ways to give a visual, like incorporating places most people are familiar with even if they’ve never been there. Try visualizing a scene while reading the next examples.

What comes to mind when you read the following?

• maximum security prison
• small-town grocery store
• hole-in-the-wall diner
• Lake Superior in July
• Times Square in December
• an old mining camp in the Colorado mountains

Most of us will form an instant picture—though we might not see exactly the same thing. Your experience with each location will dictate what pops into your head. This technique can easily add details of location to your writing.

Mood Matters

Location sets the mood of a scene. How you describe a place tells readers the tone of the scene and shares how the character feels about it. What moods come to mind when reading the following examples?

Example 1: Sometimes you only need an idea to tap into a mood.

The faint glow of the floor-to-ceiling fireplace plus a few table lamps cast the great room in a mix of light and shadow. A long brown sofa on a thick shag rug faces the hearth. Two overstuffed loveseats and a cherry coffee table complete the room. Compared to the cutting chill of my current company, the chalet teases me with visions of books, blankets, and endless mugs of hot chocolate.

Example 2: Sometimes you don’t need any actual physical description at all.  

It didn’t help that I was alone in a house that was more “modern mausoleum” than “contemporary living.

Example 3: Sometime the context to the character's world view.

Oak Cliff High: Preparatory Academy and Boarding School. Breeder of the best. Alma mater to the elite. Nanny for the neglected. And—thanks to some poor choices I’d made my first week here—my hell away from home freshman, sophomore, and now junior year.

First Impressions are Crucial

It is best to provide the reader with the most description the first time we see a new place. When you introduce a location, your reader forms a lasting impression, good or bad, that’s hard to change. Make sure it’s the impression you want them to have.

Example:

The sixties had birthed this office. Shaggy avocado carpet covered the floor. Old books with multicolored spines bulged from the bowed shelves lining two of the four walls floor to ceiling. The hulking bookcases gave the room an I’m-closing-in-on-you feel. There were no couches or lounges. Just an ugly metal desk, a tall gray filing cabinet, and two retro command chairs that could have come off the set of the original Star Trek.

Peripheral Vision

Location has many layers of action when we consider our stories in real life. Take out your “word” camera and pan out on your writing scene. What’s going on in the background? Is your character alone? In a crowd? Watch for characters who seem to show up suddenly when they’ve been standing on the sidelines all along. Make sure the reader knows who’s in the scene.

Example:

The drone of everyday conversation buzzed through the congested coffee shop like annoying insects Kim wanted to swat away.

What does your character hear, smell, feel? Go beyond what can be seen to give a more 3D visual.

Weave in Description

This is a great way to avoid an information dump. After the initial setup, you can add interesting details that further your story, creating a more vivid picture of location for your reader.

Example:

I pull my ’69 mustang along the curb behind David’s boring black sedan. That’s where I lock my gaze. Not on the iron gates to my right or the sprawling estate behind them that could be a fancy bed-and-breakfast—but isn’t. 

How Much is Enough?

When to add and how much is a delicate balance that you, writer, can decide. Use pacing within your story and consider how you sprinkle the location throughout each scene to decide.

If your main character is running away from an evil clown, we’d expect a short, choppy description of where the action takes place. If she’s describing a boy she likes from school, we’d expect longer, more descriptive flowing prose.

Beware, though. Location can pull us deeper into a scene or boot us right out because it is a powerful element in writing. It can also make us root harder for the characters or decide we don’t care if they survive the story, but we risk losing the reader altogether if we don't add the right amount of location description.

How do you know if you’ve painted a solid word picture?

How can you be sure the story in your head gets onto the page?

Be deliberate when writing about location.

• Search for where you’ve written descriptions of location.
• Make sure it’s at the beginning of each scene.
• Ask someone to read a random scene without giving them any background information or set up. Then have them describe what they “see.”
• Can someone describe what you wanted them to see? If not, go back and fill in the missing visuals.

I think you’ll find that polish how you present your locations will deepen and strengthen your story and your scene.

I love your comments. Please leave them below. Does writing locations come naturally to you? If yes, why? If no, how can you be more deliberate about making sure you include great description in every scene? What are some ways you use location to deepen your characters and your story? Thanks for sharing!

If you liked this blog, you can find Part 1 of Bring Your Book to Life here: Characters are People too.

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About Lori

An encourager at heart, author, editor, and writing coach Lori Freeland believes everyone has a story to tell. She’s presented multiple workshops at writer’s conferences across the country and writes everything from non-fiction to short stories to novels—YA to adult. When she’s not curled up with her husband drinking too much coffee and worrying about her kids, she loves to mess with the lives of the imaginary people living in her head.

You can find her young adult and contemporary romance at lorifreeland.com and her inspirational blog and writing tips at lafreeland.com. Her book, Where You Belong: a runaway series novella, is currently free on Kindle Unlimited. 

Top image: Palapa restaurant. Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico by E.L. BuikemaII

by John Peragine

So, you’ve written your novel, it’s selling, and the reviews are in. They are mostly positive, but a few consistent critiques may be keeping you up at night. You read back through your book, and you notice minor errors here and there, and that only increases your anxiety.

After some time, to stave off insomnia, you do something about it. You decide that it is time for the second edition of your book. Here are seven things to consider with a second edition.  

Second Printing vs Second Edition

There is a difference between a second edition and a second printing. If your book is being handled by a traditional publisher, they usually print a bunch of them simultaneously. The next time the book is printed in bulk, that is considered the second printing. Usually, there are no “significant” changes to the book with a second printing. With POD, second printings (and beyond) are not as relevant anymore.

A second edition has significant changes to the original book. These changes can be the cover or interior of the book. By significant, I mean there has to be more than just fixing a couple of typos. In the case of correcting some grammar, it is far easier to just quietly make those changes and resubmit a file.

Covers

Cover changes are sometimes a good idea. It can’t be overstated that a cover can make or break a book. Sometimes we think it is a great cover, but our sales and readers' feedback say differently. A cover is the first introduction to your book, and if it isn’t engaging, a reader’s eyes slip to the next book. It can be a difficult decision to make.

If a book is part of a series, and there is a brand look to it, it makes sense to create a new edition. Also, you might have a special artist create a special cover. This happens all the time in comics where there are multiple variants of a cover. When there is a new book cover, that would be considered a new edition.

Typos

Typos and grammar mistakes are something that readers will pick up and will mention in a review. It is considered amateur to have a book with typos, and it can be a hard pass for some readers. The goal for indie authors is to have a book that is indistinguishable from books from traditional publishers. Even with editing done before a book is released, there will be things that can slip by. If there are many of them, then it is time to come up with a new edition.

Titles

A title change is not unheard of. Here are some examples.

Guy de Maupassant’s The Tallow Ball (15k copies)  changed to A French Prostitute’s Sacrifice (54K copies)

Oscar Wilde’s Pen, Pencil and Poison (5Kcopies.) changed to The Story of a Notorious Criminal (15K copies.)

Titles of books can be changed when made into movies or sold in foreign markets. It is something to consider if sales are low. Perhaps float some titles to your audience to get feedback. Changing a book's title still makes it a second edition of the book if the interior is the same. The original name of the book is often added to the copyright page.

Content Update

Changes in the actual content of the book definitely create a new addition. A bit of thought should go into those changes, as anything significant could create a new book entirely. As writers, it never seems like a book is done, and we want to make tweaks on it even if it is published. A better strategy is to make sure the book is ready to be published and make those changes ahead of time. A good practice is to give time for people to read ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) of your book. This allows you to receive critical feedback and make necessary changes before the book is published.

New Book in Series

If you want to add a chapter or two of a new book in a series at the back of your book, that is a good time to do a second edition. Also, your contact information might change, although if that is the only change, then you might just want to quietly update that in your current edition.

Process of Creating New Edition

Creating the second edition of a book, technically, requires you to set up a whole new book. This means that you need a new ISBN and a new listing for the book, and those files need to be uploaded. Once the new edition is released, you can stop the prior edition's production and distribution. This also allows you to re-release your book to a new audience. If you have a special new cover and people like your book, they may want to buy the second edition of your book.

There are some other practical reasons to have a second edition. If your first edition had some unfavorable reviews by trolls and it's hurting your sales, creating a second edition gives you essentially a clean slate. If you had hundreds of positive reviews, unfortunately, it will be like you are starting over. You can have them linked if you prefer on Amazon, but it is a process that you will have to contact KDP about to get done. With KDP, it can be a flip of a coin whether the books connect or not.

The decision to create a new edition shouldn’t be taken lightly. It will cost money, and it can negatively affect your brand and the sale of your book. Ask other authors for their opinions and their experiences.

Do you have a second edition of your book? If so, what was your experience?

About John

John Peragine has published 14 books and ghostwritten more than 100 others. He is a contributor for HuffPost, Reuters, and The Today Show. He covered the John Edwards trial exclusively for Bloomberg News and The New York Times. He has written for Wine Enthusiast, Grapevine Magazine, Realtor.com, WineMaker magazine, and Writer's Digest.

John began writing professionally in 2007, after working 13 years in social work and as the piccolo player for the Western Piedmont Symphony for over 25 years. Peragine is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors. You can learn more about his books at JohnPeragineBooks.com. 

His newest book, Max and the Spice Thieves, is available for purchase. Click Here!

by Ellen Buikema

I was privileged to work in a co-operative preschool for six years that allowed for teacher autonomy. (Bless them.) This was the stage of my career where I learned the “And then what happened?” method of storytelling. These kids were phenomenal writing teachers!

Let me explain...

My classroom consisted of several centers of activity that allowed for maximum creativity, keeping in mind that everyone learns in a different manner. At the Pre-K stage many were full-body learners who really threw themselves into their play, sometimes literally.

Typical centers in this type of classroom are: math, science, art, fine motor, gross motor, housekeeping (which in this school changed themes monthly and was a real eye-opener), reading, and writing.

Often the writing centers consisted of a table with a variety of paper types as well as writing implements. I changed this up a bit to include story writing to be acted in play form at the end of the students’ day.

At a separate desk lay a numbered piece of paper with lines drawn for the students to print their names to the best of their ability. Students were encouraged to ask for help from an adult or other student. A few had good fine motor skills by age five.

After several spots were taken, either my assistant or I sat with the students and wrote either like the wind, trying to keep up with their thoughts or sentence by painful sentence as the children decided what they wanted to say. This is where I began the “And then what happened?” system of drawing a story to its conclusion.

The students needed to identify the characters in their stories, give them names, and find classmates who were willing to act in their plays. If a classmate declined there was to be no pouting, just go on to another friend. The teachers were sometimes asked to act. I have played multiple roles over the years. The oddest of which was playing a dog in a vet’s office. I died in that role.

I still use the method of “And then what happened?” to this day. It proved invaluable during National Novel Writing Month.

 5 Recurring topics in children's writing

Over the years I've seen several common themes in the stories that children have dictated.

The hero

The author of the story is the main protagonist who tends to save either friends, pets, or both. Stories with animals are common, and pets were very important to the young children I’ve worked with. The antagonist in the stories composed by four and five-year-old children is most often a natural phenomenon like hurricanes, tornadoes, or volcanoes. The next likely antagonist is a dangerous animal, either living or extinct. Dinosaurs are awesome antagonists.

Television characters

Whatever cartoons are popular at the time are often used in dictated stories. The children take the same roles as the cartoon characters down to the exact personalities and actions—a good reason to monitor the TV.

At the time my students acted out stories with the characters from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I only paid peripheral attention to the program until I wrote out the stories. The names of all the turtles are fine, Italian artists. Figuring out how to make the turtle’s sewer in the scene was tricky. The authors eventually opted to use an invisible sewer.

Acting out fears

The main themes displayed for fear were bullying and loss.  A friend moving away was how loss was most frequently expressed. As moving is common and stressful, it makes sense that children would choose this theme to help work through what may be happening to them. In these stories the child moving offered to return and to have their friends come to visit.

Bullying was difficult to cast as no one wanted to be the “bad guy.” So, the bully was often an invisible foe that the characters could see. Interestingly, the teachers were never asked to be the bully.

Vacations

Vacation stories were rarely family vacations. Generally, vacations were taken with friends and favorite stuffed animals substituting as pets. Favorite settings were the beach, Disneyland, Disneyworld, and Legoland.

Not a lot of drama in these stories. Mostly action and short on dialogue.

A day in the life

Doctor and dentist office visits were common themes although these were not always human-on-human. Sometimes animal patients visited animal doctors and dentists and checkups were happy ones. The classroom had a play doctor’s bag and a real stethoscope. Temperature, blood pressure checking and heart monitoring were great fun and would happen spontaneously during the school day, not only during scenes.

Other scenes took place in airports, veterinarian’s office, restaurants, and home.

The only gender stereotyping was for parents. Boys chose to be dads and girls chose to be moms. At one time or another, everyone was a ninja turtle.

Everything you can think of that happens at home eventually finds its way into the classroom.

Check out this link for more information about Creative Drama and Young Children: The Dramatic Learning Connection.

Another form of communication I've tried is through drawing. When children have been unable or unwilling to express their feelings, I've asked them to draw a picture. Later, they would tell me more about it.

Once a child in my Resource Specialist Program (RSP) classroom was having an unusually difficult day. I asked him to stop his math lesson, which was going nowhere for him, and draw what he was feeling. After I saw that picture, I totally understood why he was sullen. The illustration showed a large head with a corona of fire spewing forth. Poor guy had a horrible headache.

This relates directly to writer-illustrators. A picture really can express the equivalent of a few paragraphs of prose. 

Think back to your childhood. What type of stories and plays did you create? Do you have other themes to add to the list? Please share them with us down in the comments!

About Ellen

Author, speaker, and former teacher, Ellen L. Buikema has written non-fiction for parents, Parenting: A Work in Progress, and The Adventures of Charlie Chameleon, a series of chapter books for children with stories encouraging the development of empathy—sprinkling humor wherever possible. Her Works In Progress are, The Hobo Code, YA historical fiction and Crystal Memories, YA fantasy.

Find her at http://ellenbuikema.com or on Amazon.

Top Image by free stock photos from www.picjumbo.com from Pixabay