Lou Paduano | Urban Fantasy Novels | Sci-Fi Crime Series

Get in Late, Leave Early

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I love staging a scene. I also hate it with a passion. Why? Because you have to get each moment right, each entrance and exit perfect in order to propel the narrative forward. It can be a nightmare of questioning but when it’s done, it appears seamless in its undertaking.

At least, one hopes it does…

Get in Late, Leave Early

There is an edict most writers attribute to scene crafting; especially screenwriters – Get in late and be sure to leave early.

What does this mean exactly?

Imagine reading a book where the opening scene is a dinner party. The dinner party itself doesn’t matter to the overall narrative, it is simply the setting for this initial drama. The significance of the scene comes three quarters of the way through the meal when there is a murder.

Now imagine not getting to that abrupt moment until after everyone knocked on the door, was invited inside, talked about the weather, washed their hands, made excuses for why their children stiffed at the last second, and so on and so on…

NOW imagine not getting to those introductions until we learn how the hosts of this dinner party decorated the dining room or why the party is occurring in the first place.

See where I’m going with this? The important moment is the murder. Or something less drastic – a heart attack, a family argument, etc. To get there, however, do we really need the backstory or introduction of every major or minor player in this one tiny scene?

Not at all.

Opening the scene in mid-meal is not only the smart move here but it starts on an action rather than exposition in explaining the role of everyone in the room. Getting in late removes the fat from the scene and keeps the focus on the moment.

The same holds true for most conversational pieces in the narrative. Meet and greets work occasionally but most of the time are unnecessary. If you’ve told the reader that Character A needs to visit Character B, the next chapter doesn’t have to open with them knocking on the door. Throw them in the middle of the conversation rather than make the reader wait to find out the importance of the moment.

It makes the writing tighter, more efficient, and removes any doubt where the focus should be.

Get the hell out of there as fast as possible.

My wife makes jokes about this all the time. Whenever we watch a television show and there is a phone conversation there is never a moment where the characters say goodbye. (Talk about rude…)

But it falls within the edict of getting the hell out of the scene as fast as possible.

Imagine – lots of imagining going on this time around, I know – a character make a staggering pronouncement. “I know who the killer is.”

End of chapter, right? It should be. However, for those who choose to carry on and stick with the scene longer than they should how does it continue from there?

“Well? Who the hell is the killer?”

“I can’t tell you that. I’m saving the reveal for the next chapter.”

“Dick.”

Right? Going back to my example at the start with the dinner party, where should the scene end? A murder occurs during the meal, let’s say by poison. The victim plops down in front of everyone and then the host walks in and says, “Dessert, anyone?”

Perfect ending. But carry it further and what happens? We learn about Uncle Newt’s peanut allergy and why he can’t eat the homemade brownies Paige spent all afternoon putting together. Or how Victor has to bow out and can’t wait for the police because he forgot to turn off the iron in his rush to make dinner?

The murder is the important moment. Starting the scene and then closing it as tight to that incident strengthens the scene as a whole.

What brought this up?

I’ve been reading quite a bit and a recent novel I devoured had a problem sticking with this edict. A number of chapters opened way too early and carried on way too long, pulling me out of the story entirely.

It’s a tough call. Maybe there is something else in the scene that matters. A brief exchange in the background or a minor detail layered into the room description, but does it service the moment? Is it necessary?

These are the questions to ask when staging the scene. Just be sure to get in late and leave early as often as possible. Your story will thank you and so will your readers.

Building a Series

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What is involved in building a series? Be it novels, comics, short stories, whatever, there are certain elements that are critical when building a series.

The need for planning…

I know people hate to read this. Everything would be easier if we could simply sit down and type, hoping for gold to spew from our fingertips. It might happen for you…

It might not.

I’ve been putting notes down on a number of projects. Far too many, if I’m being honest, as it is unlikely to go any further with my current schedule. But it is fun when the idea strikes.

That first moment of creativity when everything sounds so fresh and vital, where the concept has limitless potential.

Then you try to fit it into a mold and watch it crumble.

There are a couple things to do when it does. Give up, be grateful for the thought of a new project and then put it away for another day OR realize why certain elements slip through your fingers and what you can do to short them up.

That’s where planning comes into play.

Build your series brick by brick…

Critical elements for building a series:

Characters –

Names are nice. So are foibles to express on the written page, however, you have to go further than the moment to make a character work. Histories are vital. Where they came from, how they stood up or fell in certain situations.

Every important moment in their story could potentially strengthen their motivation, their resolve for the narrative you are building.

Setting – 

I never put much thought in locales in the beginning. In the Greystone Saga, Portents was just a place at first. It grew to be more, almost another character, by the end of the first novel.

Using location, building each image in the mind of the reader, also assists in solidifying theme, tone and so many other elements being conveyed to readers.

Tone – 

Is your story a serious drama? Is it farcical? Is it somewhere in between? Knowing ahead of time what tone your story should take helps when it comes time to build each scene. It can also assist when creating your characters. Are they sarcastic? Maybe they never crack a smile? How does it fit with the story you’re trying to tell?

Arc – 

This to me has become the most important element of a successful project. Not only for the main character but for the supporting cast as well.

Going from point A to point B. The growth of a character, the failure of others, both play to the strength of the narrative. What challenges exist to bridge the gap from start to finish. Where are these players going and why? What is their motivation?

Know your critical elements…

Each critical element explored works in tandem with the rest. They grow together and through them your story comes to light.

Wouldn’t it be easier to explore these as you write? Maybe…

Or you’ll meander until you discover what that arc should be. What that great choice carrying the character from one obstacle to the next was meant to be all along.

That means more editing on the back end. Which might work for you.

But to me, planning ahead – knowing each character like they are standing over your shoulder as you write – takes a simple concept from pure imagination to words on the page.

And that’s what we’re all after, isn’t it?

Personal Reflections on Greystone

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I had this idea in 2007. A buddy-cop dramedy about a stay-at-home mom and a detective tracking down myths and legends. Soriya carried the Greystone, a weapon she knew nothing about – one that came to be the center of the story. Loren was there as well, his story nowhere near as fleshed out.

Eleven years later and look where we are.

Five Greystone novels into the saga of these two characters that have changed so completely from those early days.

Reflections on the series

It wasn’t until 2016 that I figured out the story. Okay, that’s not entirely accurate. I wrote the original version of The Medusa Coin in 2012 so there was some indication where Greystone could go…

I didn’t see the potential of the arc until I wrote Tales from Portents. When I realized these smaller stories could carry the narrative and open the possibilities for these characters, that was the turning point for me. Suddenly the map became clear for the entire arc. Three novels, two short story collections, each offering pieces of the puzzle until the conclusion.

Setting the deadlines for each book was pretty key to making the idea work. If I had limited myself to one book per year, I don’t think I would have had the drive to push through my own fears to make Greystone a reality.

Fun deviations

I tried to change the ending of The Medusa Coin several times. I was so angry that I spent an inordinate amount of energy building up the Loren/Soriya relationship only to tear it down in what was considered the second book at the time.

There was a version where they were secretly pretending to drift apart to draw out the threat. There was another where Soriya was doing it to protect Loren and he saw through it, grateful to have a friend like her.

They were messy and complicated, never quite fitting where the story was meant to go.

Each book was a challenge, from conception to execution. Each one caused me to sweat and bleed to pull the narrative together. Yet, A Circle of Shadows only took 16 days to write. I’ve never written anything so quickly and NEVER felt a first draft was as strong.

If only things went that smoothly for every project…

Regrets?

There are a few. Greystone was meant to be more metaphysical in nature; the concept of the Bypass as a corridor to infinity, a vital component of each adventure. The idea of Mentor and Soriya choosing their names/titles as positions of power was supposed to more prominent.

I wavered on it mostly because I knew my audience wasn’t ready for it. Having a character named Mentor alone drove a few readers away in the first novel.

I think Signs of Portents, as a whole, could use a new edit. A tighter, leaner version to fall in line with where the narrative turns by The Medusa Coin. Again, I have Tales from Portents to thank for that change in style. The restrictive nature of short stories really forced me to tune in on each moment, utilize each chapter to its fullest. Some might feel the short story collections aren’t as pertinent to the overall design of the series but to me they strengthened me as an author more than anything I’ve ever written.

Speaking of Tales from Portents… I had this notion of putting Resurrectionists first in the collection. It was to showcase Soriya and Loren first. It was to make sure previewers on retail sites didn’t get a full story and more, before hitting the purchase button.

It shouldn’t have happened. I wish I put the story in the proper order so it flowed perfectly timeline-wise.

The Journey Continues…

Two and a half years. I picked up the draft of Signs of Portents in March 2016 and set to work on completing this saga from start to finish.

I made it to the halfway point.

Yes, A Circle of Shadows closes out Loren’s story. It, however, fails to answer some of the most important questions of the series. No, I won’t spill the beans on what is to come but if you look closely enough you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Portents will always be part of me. It is in everything I write, everything I imagine, and it creeps to the surface every time I talk about the books.

I can’t wait to visit again soon.

Writing Update – September 27, 2018

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Are you ready for National Novel Writing Month? I’m gearing up for NaNoWriMo this November, my third year running in the program. It’s a great opportunity to get words on the page with some fantastic motivation by a community dedicated to telling stories.

Currently Writing

In order to put my best step forward this November, I’m currently scripting the last three books in the DSA’s inaugural season. My hope is to draft like a fiend for a six week stretch to close out the story, leaving edits for after the first of the year.

It’s a pretty big challenge I’ve set for myself this year but with the proper planning I think it is completely manageable. We’ll see how it goes.

The Bridge, book 3 of the DSA, is finished. My first time around this was my favorite story of the season. It still is. It really showcases each character so well, pushing the arc of every player into high gear for the rest of the season.

Story Bibles

I’ve been sidetracked of late. It happens. My brain gets stuck in idea mode. I’m forced to ride the wave while jotting down as many new concepts as I can before they slip away.

Some are just that – a note or two without any clue what they might mean down the line. Others are something bigger, more fleshed out. I’m currently working through one of these in the background of what I am currently writing, trying not to let it take over my entire week.

I don’t think I’m going to win this battle…

Another was a gift from a friend, an incredibly detailed time travel story. Usually when people ask me to write their book, I’m hesitant. Not this time. I can’t wait to dive into this world, when time allows. I think it’s going to be a very special novel when all is said and done.

Reading

Duel in the Dark by Jay Allan – An incredible start to a space-military series. Allan weaves quite the tale, building each world and their philosophies. It was perfectly paced, introducing multiple elements and characters, layering their backgrounds and conflicts, before kicking the action into overdrive for the second half in a blistering space battle.

I’ve already purchased the second book in the series and can’t wait to dive in.

 

Organizational Tools

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Organization is critical to the survival of a writer. It also happens to be one of the most difficult things to maintain in the midst of one, or multiple, projects at any given time. (I know this for a fact…)

This month, for me, has been all about putting things in order and I’ve listed some crucial tools necessary to assist in the endeavor.

The almighty calendar!

The number one tool in my arsenal when it comes to organizing. I use multiple formats to keep track of my micro and macro goals when it comes to writing.

  1. Notepad – Not the software. An actual notepad. I use this for my week to week, day to day tasks. Small goals I need to maintain from maintaining my Twitter feed to making sure I submit to a certain promotional site to advertise one of my books. It also gives me somewhere to doodle when I need to space out for a minute or ten…
  2. Dry Erase Marker Calendar – This I use for my writing goals. Day to day word counts or chapters completed on any given day. Something goal oriented to get me to the finish line. Plus it helps me map out what days I can spare five minutes to play with the kiddos.
  3. Outlook Calendar – There are other options, I know, but I still use Outlook for my home-base in terms of calendars. This is definitely more for macro goals, long term planning of projects from outline to self-editing phase. I also have weekly goals and monthly ones that tend to repeat to keep me on track so nothing slips through the cracks. (One hopes, at least…)
  4. Book Planner – This is a nifty little site that allows you to work project by project with firm deadlines in place. Want to have a book published by a certain date? This site can get you there. It is a paid subscription, but I’ve found it helpful when planning out my release dates so I can nail down certain details with different vendors with plenty of time to spare.

Taking notes –

This has become my home away from home. I used to jot down tidbits on random pieces of paper – and then, of course, lose each and every one over time. Now, I plug everything I can into OneNote.

Again, there are other options but all fulfill the same task in organizing your thoughts for future projects or even the current one.

How I’ve come to organize my notes has been fun to discover over the last few months. I’m sure everyone will use their own system but I’ve found the following very helpful in my own business:

  1. Series Notes – Everything goes here. The complete overview of your world. From start to finish. Book 1 to 100, all right here in a very macro look.
  2. Character Bios – Break it down for each character. Take the macro view and apply it to each player in the drama. Book by book arcs, foibles, descriptors to use when drafting.
  3. Book by Book Notes – I open a new page for each book, once the macro view is sorted out. Then I can flesh out the plot outline, insert relevant dialogue as needed, to have the best possible approach when getting to the final outline phase. I’ve broken this down two different ways. The first is general overview. Plot A follows Character A’s journey where he or she must tackle some threat. Plot B follows Character D as they accomplish some ancillary goal that will pay off in a later book. The second method is a chapter by chapter breakdown. This is less involved than the final outline, more general whims of each movement, with added notes when I’m not sure if it fits correctly or if it could be staged in a different way.
  4. Book Links – This might my holy grail. Every important link, from sales pages to review sites for your book should be saved in a file; readily available to copy and paste wherever you need it. And you WILL need it!

What is your favorite organizational aid?

Email me at lou@loupaduano.com and let me know!

Thanks for reading.

Building a Scene – Stylistic Choices

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There are many thoughts to pull together when building a scene. It’s something I struggle with when staging my books, how to tell a simple action in narrative form. For my latest project, The Bridge, I ran into a specific scene where I wasn’t sure if it needed to be told completely differently.

What it boils down to are stylistic choices.

What do I mean by stylistic choices?

Is your book action-based? Fast-paced? Slow and prosaic to set the mood of each setting? What is the tone of your book? Do you spend three pages describing the room or do you jump into the dialogue immediately? Each and every decision made sets the scene and builds on the stylistic choices of your narrative.

Every author makes them. Every author probably curses each one as well.

My approach

I get a lot of compliments for smaller chapters. There is a reason I use them. It keeps the action at the forefront and presses the momentum of the story forward to the climax. When the pace slows it is meant to be there, a questioning moment for a character or possibly a new setting that needs to be established. Look at any Greystone novel and you will see these chapters clearly for what they are, a break from a story to give some exposition in one form or another.

However, they are not the norm.

For The Bridge, I fell in love with the idea of stepping back from the action of the scene to describe the situation in more detail. It failed spectacularly. It didn’t fit because it wasn’t me, it wasn’t the right time to be maudlin but to push the action over anything else.

Looking at other authors

I’ve been reading a few books lately where I’ve felt the same was needed. Jay Allan, who writes the brilliant Blood on the Stars series had an early chapter in Duel in the Dark where Katrine gets the opportunity to visit home for a brief moment before heading off to start a war. Allan goes into great detail about the affair, about the luxury of seeing her children, their home and the character’s personal feelings on the matter.

It goes on for quite a bit.

To him, this is an important character moment for you to sympathize with this character who is most likely the villain of the novel. (Not done yet. Don’t spoil it.)

To me, I would have opened the scene at its end when she leaves her children in the night rather than say goodbye. From there I would work in some of the details, the irregularity of being able to see her family and the like. Mostly, however, I would have collapsed the prose for more movement on the plot.

In Dean F. Wilson’s Dustrunner I ran into the opposite feeling. Wilson’s work is fast-paced, shorter bursts to propel the story along on a rollicking adventure. There were a number of times in this novel where I felt the main character, Nox, was lost in the action and we had no idea what was going on in his head.

A slower, thoughtful approach, wouldn’t fit, though, and not what I would add. Instead, to me, more dialogue would have been key to giving Nox a fuller arc in the story.

Each author tells their story, their way. And always should.

This is one of the main reasons I don’t read novels when I write. I tend to crib styles depending on what I’m reading. It gets in my head and I try to see the world from that perspective instead of making my own.

Stylistic choices, however, should always come from within. Heavy prose or insane action, deep internal conflict or dialogue-rich scenes, these are the choices before you.

Make sure they fit the story you are trying to tell.

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