This week, Alida and Kathryn talk about ending chapters so that readers can’t wait to “jump the gap” and get on with the next one. What kind of end-hooks work and how? Do we instinctively know where to place our chapter breaks? Is there a formula to follow? Or maybe the story guides us? How to handle end-hooks when you change POV characters at the chapter break? When not to use an epigraph before your chapters, and more!
We’ll be spending extra time with our families this month, but will be back with all new podcast episodes in January...
What is trouble? How does it contribute to both character and plot arcs? How do you have to pay off trouble? And do you have to get it into every scene? We enjoy making a character struggle with a speeding ticket, and talk about how it can contribute to hooks both between chapters and books.
At what point does a character or place earn a name? How do naming and significance relate? And how do you keep nameless characters descriptors from becoming boring or repetitive? And what about real world places? Is there such thing as a short cut? And finally we commiserate about the difficulty of naming characters. We all just want them to sound awesome!
How do you define literary fiction? And is there a value judgment between literary and genre? Is literary just a feeling or can we measure it? And how can you make your own novel literary? Want to pick up a literary book – we’ve got plenty of examples for you to choose from!
What is the difference between a cliffhanger, an end hook, and an ambiguous ending? And what about cliffhangers within books versus at the end? How can you avoid cliffhangers within a series? And what does the reader actually want at the end of the book, story, or part in a serial?
What makes a fantasy a fantasy? Can you combine fantasy with other genres? What are the main things that go into a fantasy novel? And what are reader expectations of your world and characters? And what are some pitfalls you need to avoid as a fantasy writer?
Since our last conversation about foreshadowing created more questions than answers we decided to try again! Here we lay down a solid definition of foreshadowing and talk about why you want to do it, and how to do it well. What elements in your story can foreshadowing be used in? Does it require hindsight? And are you opening loops? Or providing answers to questions the reader hasn’t even thought to ask?
How important is the science in science fiction? What are some conventions of science fiction? And when should you break them? How can you use names to bridge the familiar and unfamiliar? And are there any genres you can’t mash in with science fiction?
As a writer, do you consciously try for foreshadowing, or is it a miraculous surprise? What feeling should foreshadowing give the reader? And what are the differences between foreshadowing, laying clues, or layering plot elements? What truly is the nuance of this portion of the craft, and is it okay that all of us have different definitions?
We take a deep dive into three sample openings from literary novels. Want to know what your readers latch on to? How do you deliver a strong character in just a few paragraphs? And can you telegraph what your story is about in such a small space? What are the most important elements of an opening? And do we want to keep reading?