Black Writers Reunion & Conference 2010 Atlanta – CALL FOR SESSION PROPOSALS

Black Writers Reunion & Conference is accepting proposals for workshops and seminars on the craft and business of writing to be presented at the 6th BWRC in Atlanta, Georgia, June 23-26, 2010. We invite presentations that demonstrate insight and expertise on the craft and business of fiction, nonfiction, writing for the web, songwriting, blogging for profit, play/screenwriting, food writing, copy writing, and inspirational writing with interactive workshops that will allow participants to engage in hands-on writing or related activities wherever possible. We also welcome sessions that would permit attendees to receive feedback on their work, whether during or following the conference. Workshop styles may range from a modified traditional presentation to skill-building training.

Compare And Merge Documents Online

via makeuseof.com

I’ve seen this new web app mentioned several times today. I’m going to check it out later this week. It occurred to me, CompareMyDocs would really come in handy when you have critique buddies sending back their assessment of your writing. It’s always been a bit of a hassle to open various files and compare what one critique partner or contest judge said about the same passage.

If you get a chance to try it, let me know your thoughts.

Posted via web from Tyora Moody

Writing Cozy Mysteries Workshop Starts July 13th

I’ve taken class via the Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America (RWA). I’ve really enjoyed them and have referred back to my notes on various occasions. One of my manuscripts is the first novel in a cozy mystery series, so I’m looking forward to signing up for this class in July. Check it out! — Ty

Writing Column on RAWSistaz Literary Group

This year I took a bit of a break from my manuscripts. I didn’t intend to, but I’ve spent the year mainly writing articles. I enjoy writing nonfiction especially how to types of articles. My writing craft articles can be found on Urban Christian Fiction Today and marketing articles on Shades of Romance Magazine.

This month, with the launch of the newly redesigned RAWSistaz (Reading and Writing Sistaz), my writing craft articles will be available to a wider audience. A big thanks to Tee C. Royal, founder of the RAWSistaz Literary Group for the opportunity.

I’ve been coordinating quite a few blog tours this summer, but writing is definitely on the horizon. Be on the lookout for more articles and a sneak peek at my characters.

They’re starting to talk again. Time to get busy with research and storytelling.

Do Non-African American readers read African American books?

Do Non-African American readers read African American books? That’s a question that floats around quite often among my writing and reading circles. Writing buddy and author, Linda Leigh Hargrove, writes a great article on Christian Fiction Online Magazine about this topic. Linda is the author of The Making of Isaac Hunt (June 2007) and Loving Cee Cee Johnson (September 2008).

Don’t Miss An Online Class for Mystery Writers

Thanks to Rhonda McKnight of Urban Christian Fiction Today for this tip!

I registered for a class that I think will be really beneficial and hopefully jumpstart me back into writing. If you have always wanted to write a mystery, this might be one you want register for before the deadline, May 1, 2009.

The Heart of Dixie RWA Chapter is sponsoring, Skips, Lies, and Videotape : How PIs Find the Missing, Nail the Fraudulent, and Obtain the Proof – May 4th – 29th, 2009 The instructors are Colleen Collins and Shaun Kaufman.

To register, click here.

Who’s Telling The Story?

Written for Urban Christian Fiction Today.

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Who’s Telling The Story?
by Tyora Moody

Whether in the form of a short story, novella or novel, there takes some skill to write a story. Choosing a viewpoint or point of view (POV) is a vital part of the process that starts with character development. Some stories are told through one person’s point of view, while others may involve multiple points of view. In this article, I will talk about how to build your cast of characters. I will discuss the types of narration in the next article, but keep in mind, fiction is mainly told in first or third person.

The Main Characters

In a recent article, Getting to Know Your Character, I discussed character sketches. Using a journal or notebook, I like to get to know my characters through their thoughts and conversations. Not to sound crazy, but it doesn’t take long, for one of the characters to start “talking” louder than the others. The character who wants to tell the story eventually stands out as the main character or a protagonist. Every story has a protagonist, a character who has something emotionally at stake in the story.

When it comes to the romance genre, the main character usually will be the woman depending on the storyline. If the male love interest is the one who has more to lose or whose experiences make the story more interesting, he may have the main viewpoint. Either way, romances usually have two viewpoints or two main characters. The couple’s thoughts and experiences may be shared via their own chapters or scenes.

Adding Characters to Create Conflict

As you develop each character sketch, you may start to visualize a potential or existing conflict that arises between characters. The protagonist may have an enemy or an archrival. A character bent on making life difficult for the main character is known as the antagonist. Depending on your genre, you may or may not give the antagonist a point of view.

Suspense writers often like to include a few chapters or scenes that give the reader a peek inside the mind of a deranged individual. These sneak peeks make a great addition to storylines with proper timing and pacing. The reader knows what the protagonist doesn’t know – that someone really crazy is on his or her trail.

In the first few drafts of my first manuscript, I thought it would be a good idea to try giving the antagonist a point of view. It’s not easy to do because it has been done so much in commercial fiction. You don’t want to appear to be adding it just because it seems to be the popular thing to do.

In my case, I became more concerned about the reader figuring out who it was too soon. In my final manuscript, based on a critique advice, I chose to keep the antagonist off-stage and show the events mainly from the protagonist’s reactions to events.

Who Do You Really Need To Tell This Story?
With my first manuscript, , I struggled with viewpoints. In the very early drafts, I had five viewpoints. Yes, five – explains why it took me so long to wrap my head around the story. My protagonist had her scenes. Since there was a mystery to solve, the detective had his scenes. As I mentioned above, I thought the antagonist needed to show up every now and then. The other two viewpoints had a relationship with the deceased that I felt was necessary to tell the story.

I soon found, writing a story with multiple points of view can really be tricky and probably not a good idea for a novice. I do plan to try to write a novel with multiple points of view, but only if it’s necessary to tell the story. Novels that generally have a group of friends with their own stories are great examples of when you may want to use multiple points of view.

My final manuscript, When Rain Falls, has two POV’s, the main character and the detective. With the help of my critique partners, I cut numerous scenes and removed a character. The cool part of telling the story through these two characters, I was able to focus more on the romance elements. Most women who read my manuscript wanted to see something happen between the protagonist and the detective. I was able to write more scenes placing them together to solve the crime and also gradually grow attracted to each other. It brought more texture to the story.

Finalizing the viewpoints also helped me define the manuscript’s genre as romantic suspense. Romance is the top selling genre which is something to keep in mind if you choose to write primarily for female readers.

I encourage you take the time to study your characters. Make sure the minor characters are included in the story only if they have something to add. It’s not necessary to give them a point of view if it only takes away from the main character.

For Further Reading
Here are a few books on my shelf that discuss viewpoint.

Characters, Emotions, & Viewpoint by Nancy Kress
Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tyora Moody is the editor of WrittenVoicesBlog.com where she features “African American Literature that Edifies the Soul.” Known simply as “Ty” in many circles, she’s also a writer, blogger, and the owner of Tywebbin Creations, a marketing and design company. Follow her journey to publication on TyoraMoody.com.

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