Saturday Guest Blogger Ally Carter!
About a month ago, I finally picked up a book that had been on my TBR pile for WAY too long–I’D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I’D HAVE TO KILL YOU by Ally Carter. I’d heard such fabulous things about her from multiple sources…including on her agent’s blog and from Carly. Well, all the rumors about Ally’s brilliance were truer than true. As soon as I finished the book, I went right out and purchased the follow up to this book, which made the NEW YORK TIMES, then begged Carly to exploit her friendship with Ally to get her over here to Plotmonkeys for a guest blog!!
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A MOVIE LOVER’S GUIDE TO WRITING NOVELS
First I’d like to thank the lovely Carly Phillips for inviting me to guest blog here at PlotMonkeys. It’s so excited being asked!
I’ve thought long and hard about what I wanted to talk about—what aspect of the biz really pushes my buttons and the lessons I’ve learned in the last few years that I really wish someone had told me a long time ago.
But in the end I decided to go back to the beginning—the very beginning—to the first things I ever wrote and the first lessons I ever learned about writing…screenplays.
That’s right. I’m a recovering screenwriter. I had teenage dreams of houses in the Hollywood Hills and star-studded premieres. I read books on screenplay structure and formatting. I watched old movies with a copy of the script in my lap and a highlighter in my hand and prayed for an agent and a deal with a big studio.
Then I got real.
There are literally thousands of screenplays written every year but only a few dozen movies released by major studios, so it was pretty easy to see that the odds of having a book published—while still long—were significantly better than ever seeing my stories on film.
And most of all, I realized that writing books was a better fit for me and my writing style. At first I was afraid I’d wasted those early years writing those (incredibly bad) screenplays. But now, as I look back on it, writing (incredibly bad) screenplays was a great way to learn how to write (hopefully better) books.
So that has made me think about the things that movies and novels have in common and here are the top 10 things that this movie-lover learned about writing novels. They’ve certainly helped me. And here’s hoping it helps you as well.
1. Novels and movies both tell stories–that’s their function and why we lay down money and/or invest our time in them.
2. Point of view is the first story-telling decision the story-teller must make. Now, of course you have to decide on the story itself–but how to tell the story starts with POV. Get the wrong one and you’ll fight an uphill battle from day one!
3. Character–EVERYTHING ties to character. An old screenwriting test is to cover up all the character names and see if, from dialogue alone, you can tell who’s speaking. If not, your characters aren’t unique enough. Are there two characters you can combine? If so, why haven’t you? Make ‘em special—they’re your ambassadors.
4. Show don’t tell—This term is frequently used by screenwriters, but novelists keep it in mind too. In fact, it’s probably easier for a screenwriter to see and fix this problem. With novels, everything is technically “told”. What the adage is getting at, however, is our tendency to do the audience’s work for them.
Don’t TELL the reader, “Gloria had a bad day thanks to a rumor started by her ex-best friend who had recently stolen Gloria’s husband.” Instead, SHOW Gloria kicking a potted plant or slamming a door. Movie makers know that audiences only know what they see with their eyes and hear with their ears. If more novelists would keep that in mind, I think we could finally put the “show don’t tell” problem to rest.
5. Stories are ultimately a string of scenes. George Lucas has said that a great film is simply sixty great two minute scenes. Jack Nicholson has said that he’ll do any movie where his character has three great scenes and no bad scenes.
So, what are your three great scenes? Does all of your story take place within the context of a scene? If not, you may need to revisit number five above.
6. Amazing stories always have both internal and external struggles. Take the movie Rocky for instance. Rocky wants to make something of himself. He wants to find love. He wants to prove that he matters. How does he do it? By fighting the heavyweight champion of the world. If you’re all internal it’s boring, and if you’re all external it’s shallow. Strive for both.
7. Plot points are the scenes or events that “hook” into a story and spin it in another direction. In a classic three act structure, the first major plot point would be the thing that kicks off the main conflict of the story. You’ll have a lot of smaller plot points along the way as your characters strive toward their goals, but there is usually one big plot point near the end that sets up your final act.
8. Goal—this is what the characters want—not the physical item they desire but the outcome. It’s what everyone is working toward.
9. The MacGuffin is Albert Hitchcock’s term for “the item of importance that everyone wants, upon which the plot turns.” A great example is the microfilm in North By Northwest.
Now, nothing ever comes of the microfilm, but it keeps Cary Grant going all over the country—it gives everyone a reason to have the next scene. If your story is stalled, asked yourself “what’s my MacGuffin?”
10. Tasks are obviously the things that must be done in pursuit of your satisfying outcome (goal) to acquire your MacGuffin. Take Lord of the Rings for Example. The Ring is a textbook MacGuffin. The task is to destroy the ring by achieving a bunch of other tasks along the way. If your scenes don’t have tasks—well—why are you writing them?
Following these storytelling tips won’t assure a writer of a six-figure Hollywood film option, but keeping them in mind might help you to create and execute a story that will give you a leg up when it comes time to navigate the tricky sub-rights waters.
Welcome, Ally! Thanks for blogging here in the jungle! (We have Turkeys now!) :vibrating:
I love these tips. So important to keep in mind. I even have my macguffin in the story I’m writing. Woo Hoo!
What do you mean: Does all of your story take place within the context of a scene? That one left me a little confused.
Thanks! And Thanks again for joining us. As Ally knows, we think she rocks!
Comment by Carly — November 17, 2007 @ 7:35 am
Hi Ally and welcome to the jungle. Great post. I’m printing this one an keeping it close.
Love your books!! :vibrating:
Comment by Vicki — November 17, 2007 @ 8:35 am
Hi Ally, welcome!!
The one about the entire story taking part in a series of scenes struck me too but because I just heard the same thing this week. I took a storyboarding workshop and teacher gave an example of this from her latest book.
The h/h had just had sex for the first time and the hero needed to think about it. So he went to his office “to think” but then the writer decided that was going to be really boring. So instead of just thinking she had him realize the entire thing was caught on a security camera, so he pulled the tape, watched the scene and then made a decision to send a copy of the tape to the man he thought was her fiance.
A crappy thing to do, which was another point she made, sometimes our characters do things we don’t like, but they aren’t perfect either so she let it stay in her story. Anyway, she ended up with an actual “scene” rather than him just “thinking.”
Is that an example of what you mean, Ally?
These are great tips! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your knowledge with us!!
Comment by Jodie — November 17, 2007 @ 8:36 am
Hello Ally,
your tips and I think your example with the bad-tempered woman is a great way to show us what you mean. I’m definitely of your opinion because when reading I always imagine the actual scene I’ve just read about. That way, a reader really suffers with the hero/ heroine and I understand why they act this way or another.
You really chose a great topic.
Huge welcome to the jungle.
Though one disadvantage of my vivid reading is that I’m always really sad when a book or series ends. That’s why I love series so much. They could go on and on. Okay, now I’m changing the subject.
But I completely understand why writing screenplays now helps you to write books.
Ally, thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. I’m sure it’ll help a lot of guys here in the jungle who want to improve their writing skills.
See you
Vero
PS: :vibrating: Simply had to add one of those cute Thanksgiving icons.
,
Thanks
for another great Saturday blog.
Comment by Vero — November 17, 2007 @ 9:52 am
Hi Ms. Carter, welcome to the jungle! Thanks again for the reminder on all those very important writing strategies.
Good morning Plotmonkeys and all. Hope everyone is having a great Saturday so far. :gobble:
I just love the new icons. :santahat:
Have a wonderful day.
P.S. I’m participating in NANO this month and my word count so far is
30, 625! Woo Hoo!
Cher
http://www.chergorman.com
Comment by Cher — November 17, 2007 @ 11:20 am
Hi Ally, Welcome to the jungle!
Like Viki, I’m printing this one!
Thanks for taking time to stop by and guide us! I love the way you explained the “show not tell”…I recently was told this by a judge in a contest, and no matter how many times I reworked the scene it just didn’t click for me until I read your advice…now I already have an idea brewing…lol can’t wait to get home and work on it!
:gobble:
Comment by Tina Martinesi — November 17, 2007 @ 11:21 am
Hi Ally–Thanks so much for visiting the jungle! We are thrilled to have you here!
I definitely use the “how would this play in a movie” question when I’m writing and find it makes my scenes much more vivid!
Comment by Leslie — November 17, 2007 @ 11:22 am
Thanks you so much, Ally! (I’ll be printing a copy, too.)
Comment by Heather Harper — November 17, 2007 @ 11:49 am
Yay, Cher, way to go!!
I’m supposed to be doing NANO and 70 Days of Sweat with Sven…notice “supposed.” I’m not doing very well. But I’m working on something writing wise every day, it’s just editing or working on website, or revising storyboard for rewrites…nothing adding up to 50,000 words, that’s for sure!!!
Glad you’re doing so well. You’re over half-way there!
Comment by Jodie — November 17, 2007 @ 12:24 pm
Thanks, everyone!
Carly told me the comment section would be hopping, and she was right! So many good comments already (and I’m still in my pajamas!)
So I’ll jump right in.
Carly asked, “What do you mean: Does all of your story take place within the context of a scene? That one left me a little confused.”
That’s a pretty controversial one, now that I think about it, Carly. After all, I read a TON of books that don’t do it (and some are even on the TIMES list), but as a recovering screenwriter it’s something that I usually notice and it usually bugs me (not always, but usually.)
Okay. So here’s what I’m talking about. When I’m reading I like to envision what I’m seeing/hearing/feeling. I don’t know about other people but sometimes after I’ve read a really good book, years later I’ll find myself remembering it and I won’t be able to recall if it was a book I read or a movie I saw–it was so much like I was experiencing the story.
For that to happen (for me) I need to know where the characters are and what they’re doing at all times. I need to SEE the conflict between the character and her best friend instead of being TOLD that the character and her best friend had a tiff.
Recently I started a YA book that had been highly recommended to me by a friend I respect. There were entire sections where I didn’t know where the character was or what she was doing. She was just talking (it was first person) about the stuff in her life. Normally, I’d put that book down and never finish it, but I kept reading because I had to see what my friend saw in it. I never did,
That, by the way, is why I say that this is a psuedo-controversial thing. My friend loved the book; some editor loved the book; reviewers may very well have loved the book. And it’s their right to do so. But I didn’t, because I could never tell that the character was SOMEWHERE, doing SOMETHING.
That’s what scenes are to me: having our characters be SOMEPLACE, doing SOMETHING. That’s when *I’m* in the book too instead of just a fly on the wall of a character’s head. I’d much, much, much rather BE the character.
-Ally
Comment by Ally Carter — November 17, 2007 @ 12:29 pm
Tina - I just did a “Show Don’t Tell” workshop and one of the exercises we had to do was to write a paragraph (no more than 4 sentences), based on prompts like “Joe’s jealousy was threatening to overwhelm him”, and not use any feeling or thinking words at all. We had 10 sentences like that and it was tough! But it really helped to make the point.
It was also recommended in that class to run the “find” feature in your Word document for these words: think, thought, feel, felt, and see how many times they were used and then see if there was a way to show those emotions instead of just saying them.
We also had to do like Leslie has done here before, take a scene from a movie and describe it, action only - no dialogue or internal thoughts. I really struggled through it but once I got on the other side, I found it difficult to go back to just telling (which was one of the exercises we had to do at the end of the workshop) I think they wanted to just make sure we’d gotten the lesson.
Comment by Jodie — November 17, 2007 @ 12:34 pm
Welcome to the jungle Ms. Carter…I really like your “lesson” on writing…that’s what I call these Saturday…I was reminded about some things that I learned in acting class this summer when you talked about having three great scenes as well as Hitchcock’s MacGuffin…each time I come to the jungle, on Saturdays especially, I start to believe that I probably do have it in me to write a book well…that is the key term…I feel anyone can write a book, but not everyone can write one well…the lovely monkeys who run this jungle are writers who can do it well, so I am learning from some of the best out there…I haven’t read any of your books, but the titles make them seem more interesting…
I have a couple of questions for you…
1. Do you write from an outline or do you fly by the seat of your pants once an idea gets stuck in your head?
2. Do you do a lot of research before starting your books?
Thank you
for introducing me to another “new” author…I hope that everyone is having a wonderful Saturday and that the weather is beautiful….
It is freezing here in Northern Connecticut, but the sun is shining so that is a positive…
I will talk to you all later…
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Comment by Paula R. — November 17, 2007 @ 12:34 pm
Viki said, “Thanks for taking time to stop by and guide us! I love the way you explained the “show not tell”…I recently was told this by a judge in a contest, and no matter how many times I reworked the scene it just didn’t click for me until I read your advice…”
Thanks, Viki! I’m REALLY glad that was helpful because I do think show-don’t-tell is a really, really tough thing to get your mind around sometimes. I think a lot of people rebel against Show-don’t-tell because they think it’s just an arbitrary writing rule made up by English teachers, but I actually abide by it because it draws me into the story. It makes me work. It keeps me engaged. Otherwise, it’s like the author is playing both the reader and the writer role and there’s nothing for me to do.
I much prefer books where I have to work.
The same rule applies for infodumps for me. I’d much rather see/hear something interesting in a scene and leave the scene with questions that will be answered later than get everything I need to know handed to me. For me, it’s a lot more fun to wonder for a while–that’s when I can’t wait to pick a book up again.
–Ally
–Ally
Comment by Ally Carter — November 17, 2007 @ 1:05 pm
Paula R. asked:
“1. Do you write from an outline or do you fly by the seat of your pants once an idea gets stuck in your head?
2. Do you do a lot of research before starting your books?”
Hi Paula! Thanks for stopping by and asking such great questions.
As for #1, I guess the answer is yes and no. I tend to “storyboard” all of my books which is, again, something I got started doing back in my screenplay days. I’ll write scene ideas on big Post It notes and arrange them on my walls. Then I move them around like pieces of a puzzle until I like what I see.
I never get all the scenes right when I’m starting, though. In fact, I usually add and take away scenes right until the very last draft.
As for #2, the spy books do require a degree of research, but usually it’s stuff I do as I’m writing. Usually I pick up my research materials whenever I need to come up with a good idea for a classroom exercise or something like that. I try to make sure everything the girls learn are things that REAL spies study, so in that respect there is a degree of research involved.
-Ally
Comment by Ally Carter — November 17, 2007 @ 1:26 pm
Ms. Carter, thank you for addressing my questions so quickly…I have never used the storyboard idea to write before, nor do I use post it notes to help me visualize what I am trying to do…I will have to try that one at some point…
Three (actually four) more questions:
3. What drew you to writing YA books instead of adult fiction?
4. How do you find inspiration for your characters? Do you meld different characteristics of several people to create one specific character or not?
5. How did you choose your protagonist and the types of conflicts s/he has to go through?
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Comment by Paula R. — November 17, 2007 @ 1:48 pm
Ally, I’m really obviously dense on this - (see everyone, published authors don’t always get it either!). Are you talking about - setting? characters doing things while they are talking so they aren’t just “talking heads?” If so, that’s all a huge weakness of mine and since Janelle always points it out, I’m more aware. Is that how “all of your story takes place within a scene?” By meaning setting, action, etc. not just dialogue?
Comment by Carly — November 17, 2007 @ 1:57 pm
Ally also wrote a book that I picked up because I loved her website (her webmistress is mine too but Ally had her first) and I loved it so much I wrote to her. I ended upgiving her a quote for her book. It’s called Cheating at Solitaire and it was a lot of fun!
Comment by Carly — November 17, 2007 @ 1:59 pm
Thanks, Jodie. I’m having a blast! No internal editor, no second guessing. I’ve never written a book in this way before and its so freeing–creatively.
Keep on writing! The hardest thing about NANO this year is to stop writing.
Cher :vibrating:
Comment by Cher — November 17, 2007 @ 2:47 pm
Welcome to the jungle, Ally! It’s great to have you here!
Thanks for all the great tips (It’s never too late to teach this old dog new tricks!
). My daughter loves your books, so keep them coming!
Comment by Janelle — November 17, 2007 @ 3:04 pm
Hey, Ally,
Thanks for posting today. What a great post! I have a question about the MacGuffin. Can a person be a MacGuffin or does it have to be an object? I guess I’m thinking like The Fugitive where the one-armed man would be the MacGuffin.
This is the first time I’ve read a definition of the MacGuffin and understood it. Thanks!
Barbara
Comment by Barbara B. — November 17, 2007 @ 3:05 pm
Hi Ally! Great post. I’ve heard good things about your books too and now I’m certain I’ll have to pick one up.
You said “audiences only know what they see with their eyes and hear with their ears” This is so true. I’m starting to dislike when I’m reading a book and the author is telling me what the character is thinking, doing, seeing, etc. I want the character to simply do, see, hear, and share her thoughts, without author interference.
The tough thing is that it’s easy to see violations of this as a reader and hard to get it right as a writer.
Thanks for the great tips!
Patricia
Comment by PatriciaW — November 17, 2007 @ 4:19 pm
Wait, everyone has something animated in their post so I’m using my favorite holiday one, Snoopy!
Comment by PatriciaW — November 17, 2007 @ 4:19 pm
Great blog, Ally! :gobble:
Comment by Estella — November 17, 2007 @ 4:36 pm
Paula R. asked:
3. What drew you to writing YA books instead of adult fiction?
I actually started writing adult fiction (like CHEATING AT SOLITAIRE that Carly was nice enough to mention). My agent was the one who suggested I try my hand at YA since she was getting a lot of editors calling and asking for YA projects. Turns out it really clicked for me. I’m forever grateful she encouraged me to try something new.
4. How do you find inspiration for your characters? Do you meld different characteristics of several people to create one specific character or not?
Sometimes I draw inspiration for character traits from real people, but for the most part I’m finding that the characters are stemming from the story and the story is stemming from the characters. For my spy girls, I knew the main girl would be the “invisible” girl–that’s why having a boy see her was going to be so monumental. From there, I set out to give her friends that would compliment and challenge her.
5. How did you choose your protagonist and the types of conflicts s/he has to go through?
Again, I guess, the conflicts and characters just go hand in hand for me. I’m a big believer that if you have a different character you have a different story. Like can you imagine Wizard of Oz if Dorothy were street-smart? Or Lord of the Rings if Aragon and not Frodo had been responsible for taking the Ring to Mount Doom.
So for me it’s about finding a character, asking the question “what’s the worse that could happen?” And then getting out of the way while that character deals with those challenges.
-Ally
Comment by Ally Carter — November 17, 2007 @ 5:44 pm
Carly asked, “Ally, I’m really obviously dense on this - (see everyone, published authors don’t always get it either!). Are you talking about - setting? characters doing things while they are talking so they aren’t just “talking heads?””
Actually, Carly, I guess I’m talking about cases that are even more abstract than that–cases where there isn’t even dialogue–just pages of the character (or really the author) talking about stuff–backstory, feelings, etc.
I equate that to sitting on an airplane next to someone who absolutely loves to talk about him/herself, so you have to spend hours staring at nothing, listening to someone drone on and on about their botched root canal.
Now, it would be different if she/he described the dentists’ office, wouldn’t it? Maybe the first sign of trouble was when the doctor’s assistant was wearing an I’m with Stupid T-shirt.
Maybe the poster on the ceiling (you know the one that you stare at when you’re leaned back in the chair) had splatters of a highly-mysterious substance on it?
Maybe the dentist’s mother showed up halfway through the procedure and demanded he agree to go out with the daughter of her bridge partner.
See the difference between the woman on the airplane TALKING ABOUT her root canal and the woman TAKING YOU TO the root canal? One is all talking, one sets a scene–with a location and characters and dialogue and action.
I wish I could give examples of books that have done this poorly (but I’m trying really, really hard not to be any tackier than I have to be). Instead, I’ll tell you a book that does it really, really well…
Even if you don’t write YA or Middle Grade fiction, I highly recommend the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books by Rick Riordan. The first is THE LIGHTNING THIEF. I’ve now read all three that are currently available (I think there are going to be five total) but every single page is a part of a scene with characters, dialogue, and most of all…CONFLICT. No rambling plane rides for Percey which is why it’s so much fun to go on trips with him.
-Ally
Comment by Ally Carter — November 17, 2007 @ 6:01 pm
Welcome Ally!!! Very late in the day, but I’ve been on the road all day. My oldest niece reads your books and loves them and told me I must read them too. I have I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to kill you at the top of my TBR pile.
Comment by Liza — November 17, 2007 @ 6:20 pm
Barbara asked, “Can a person be a MacGuffin or does it have to be an object? I guess I’m thinking like The Fugitive where the one-armed man would be the MacGuffin.”
Yes, exactly! Everything the fugitive does is prompted by trying to find that man. It drives him and, by extension, the story.
Not every book or story NEEDS a MacGuffin, by the way, but they do come in handy sometimes. The search for–and fight over–things things is a great source of conflict and great stories don’t happen without great conflict in my opinion.
Other great MacGuffin examples that I can think of off the top of my head:
The Ruby Slippers — Wizard of Oz
The little autistic boy– MERCURY RISING
The Sorcerer’s Stone — Harry Potter 1
The Maltese Falcon–THE MALTESE FALCON
The letters of transit–CASABLANCA
The NOC list–MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
The Aztec gold medallion–PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
The little Amish boy–WITNESS
Zeus’s lightning rod–THE LIGHTNING THIEF
The big green jewel–ROMANCING THE STONE
Comment by Ally Carter — November 17, 2007 @ 6:21 pm
Hi, Ally! Sorry I wasn’t here earlier to welcome you…busy day. As I said in my intro, I absolutely ADORE the Gallagher Girl books. I have Cheating at Solitaire on my TBR. I love your writing style…it’s just so fresh and quick paced, but packed with emotion. I’D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I’D HAVE TO KILL YOU won you a fan for life!
How did I find the book? Your agent’s blog. I’m a loyal reader. And recs from both Carly and Diana Peterfreund.–I think you blog toured with her a long time ago. Anyway, I bought, I loved…the rest is history!
Just wanted to mention that I picked up THE LIGHTNING THIEF at the bookstore because it’s been chosen by the State of Florida as required reading for 5th graders. My daughter, unfortunately, is in the 4th grade and has her own really extensive list. But I bought TLT anyway because it looked so interesting. With your rec, I’ll make sure I read it.
But not before I read CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO SPY! It’s very high on the TBR! Congrats on making the NYT!
Comment by Julie Leto — November 17, 2007 @ 6:32 pm
Many thanks, everyone for all your kind, kind words about the books and this blog.
I’m BLUSHING!
ally
Comment by Ally Carter — November 17, 2007 @ 8:56 pm
:feast: WTG!
Comment by Diane Dobson Barton — November 18, 2007 @ 3:37 pm
Very useful information and much of it I’ve heard before. The telling vs. showing gets overdone, a LOT. Some authors focus so much on the showing that the books are bogged down in dialogue and a lot of stomping that never goes anywhere, leaving the reader wondering what on earth just happened. This is why I automatically turn off many authors.
There is a fine line between telling and showing. Much of the gift in telling a story has been lost in our society because too many people want to show it all and forget to leave some of the plot in the telling. It takes a well-crafted combination of the two to develop a truly good plot. Which was why I ended up at this website–fan of the authors.
Comment by chris — November 22, 2007 @ 9:07 pm
i’ve read both gallger book and they are pretty amazing. i love allys style of wrighting and i think she really has a nack for chater delovopment. i am really looking foward to the love you kill you movie and the third gallger book me and all my friends how i have recomende these books to are all beond exited for it to come out!!!!!!
http://www.plotmonkeys.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/people-snoopy4.gif
http://www.plotmonkeys.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/sarcastic-writersblock.gif
PARTY
Comment by brooke — November 25, 2007 @ 11:51 am