People who read often get overwhelmed when they start to think about writing. A complete book is the result of such a long, massive effort that most would-be writers get discouraged and quit long before they do a lot of sustained writing. I understand that. I never knew how or why successful authors developed the story-telling tempo that could pull me so completely into a book until one of my English professors gave me the low-down on pitch points and pinch points. These are the spots in the plot that pull a story along and by using these as plot structure (not unlike poles in a circus tent) a writer can drape the line of whatever narrative he or she is writing and get the story-flow right. Let me explain what they are. Pitch points are the points in the story where circumstances cause the main character to change his or her usual pattern of responses which alters his or her ultimate destiny. Pitch points come (roughly) at the quarter point, half-way mark and three-quarter point of the story. Pinch points are when the protagonist (or the audience) gets reminded about how difficult it will be for the hero to…
This is how book friendships start: Two people meet in line at the bookstore or at some author’s appearance or on-line a book-friendly website and within twenty minutes they are best friends, comparing notes about favorite stories and characters like they’ve known each other for ages. Paperbacks and contact info are traded and they walk off together like the last scene in Casablanca, saying “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” Last December I met Mandy Shunnarah, storyteller, book-nut and bloggster extraordinaire (http://www.offthebeatenshelf.com/) and we’ve been friends ever since. Mandy’s devotion to the printed word embraces all forms. Her website and social media group (Off Da Beaten Shelf) gives a contemporary update to the old-school book discussion group while she’s works for her Masters in Library Science with a specialization in Archivist work. The gal is in love with words. I thought I’d introduce Mandy and get some background of this past and future “Book-Nerd.” Me: How did your reader’s journey start? MS: Until I came along, my grandmother was really the only reader in the family. She loves Maeve Binchy with an undying passion and reads at least a book a week, yet somehow the…
A friend of mine just took a brain-killer of a test, one those exams smart people study for and still flunk. None of the test is easy but she dreaded the essay portion. These essays test a student’s knowledge of the subject and his/her ability to communicate on paper. My friend put a great deal of time and effort into her preparation and I won’t be surprised when she passes but the only advice I could offer on the essay part was, “Write Like Hemingway.” Of course I didn’t mean she should write about hunting big game or creating a reason to live. (Frankly, Ernest’s, machismo and existential angst is part of what sours me on his novels. Half the time I want to yell at him to drop the attitude and pick up the baby – nothing cures existential woes like caring for somebody else.) No, I admire Hemingway’s style, how he stitched together phrases and words. If I didn’t like everything he had to say, I still love the way he said it.Direct, the man was direct. Hemingway started out as a journalist, wedded to the simple sentence and the fewest details that paint a picture. This excerpt for his…
With my sister away on vacation, she asked me to fill in for her. Since I have known her, she has had the gift of words. She always had a book in her hand, remembers everything she reads, recalls lines at the drop of a hat. Mention a book or author and she’s either read it and read it, deeply and can somehow relate to it. Reading seems effortless for her. I am jealous. I have to work at my reading, starting and stopping a book because my interest wasn’t hooked. I think of myself as an “Attention Deficit Reader”. So when I was asked to write something for this blog… I decided to write about what I know best. Finding the book that can capture you. Barbara Z. Goyda First, I think how you are feeling makes a huge difference in what you choose to read. I often choose books that portray the opposite of what the state of my life is at the moment. If I am sad, I want a happy book. If I am bored, I want an adventure. If I feel I am in a rut, I want a biography. Not everyone will chose this “opposite” course, however. Some…
Full disclosure: The love of words brought my late mom and Liz Kennedy together. I’m glad Liz stayed in touch with me because she’s someone I admire. After taking her B. A. in English Lit. at Brown, she earned an M. S. at Emporia State University. She’s also been a teacher, a museum educator, a mom and for the last several years the resident expert in children’s literature at the website, about.com. Her column, (http://childrensbooks.about.com/) is a must-read if you want the skinny on current kid-lit. She was kind enough to (virtually) sit down with me and talk about one of our favorite things : books. Me: Liz, you’ve created an amazing career as an expert in children’s literature. What journey brought you to this point? LK: Serendipity and my love of reading and learning were factors. I love to read, libraries and bookstores are my favorite places, and I have a background in education. However, what particularly helped at the beginning is that I also knew html, which when I got started 15 years ago, was very important to writing for the Web. My husband taught me. Me: What were your favorite books as a child? Do you still re-read any…