tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post979559991863076773..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: 5 Places in Your Novel That Probably Aren’t Terrible EnoughJanice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-67239395788534566982021-01-18T20:48:21.416-05:002021-01-18T20:48:21.416-05:00Great description and guidance!Great description and guidance!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17982330787775270631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-2149522230775510712021-01-17T07:58:38.166-05:002021-01-17T07:58:38.166-05:00Thanks! Glad it found you when you needed it :) Thanks! Glad it found you when you needed it :) Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-8301857912630906312021-01-17T05:56:17.986-05:002021-01-17T05:56:17.986-05:00A great post. Most useful as I'm currently rev...A great post. Most useful as I'm currently revising my novel. Thanks.V.M.Sanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02587346074785148671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-87767549532693449092021-01-10T07:22:59.333-05:002021-01-10T07:22:59.333-05:00I agree. I never said it had to be life threatenin...I agree. I never said it had to be life threatening, and that's a common misconception with stakes. They just need to escalate. <br /><br />Death around every corner is indeed boring, since the stakes don't escalate in that type of story. There's no way for the stakes to escalate if death is at stake all the time.<br /><br />Bumps in the road that cause growth are moments of change, and it's by getting over those bumps that the character avoids whatever consequence not getting over them would cause. That's an escalation of stakes. The lessons grow more important, the risks from not learning them get more dire. <br /><br />"Dire" doesn't have to be death. It just has to be something the character doesn't want to have happen, and it has to be serious enough that the reader agrees enough to keep reader to see what happens.<br /><br />The problem with low stakes is that the reader doesn't care if the characters wins or not. Or they know the character won't fail so there's no worry and there's no tension. <br /><br />The stakes needs of a thriller are also totally different from the stakes needs of a comedy or a romance or a light-hearted drama. <br /><br />Escalation does not mean death. It just means a higher price for failing that results in renewed motivation for the character to succeed in the goal.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-5550969580445818472021-01-09T16:47:21.379-05:002021-01-09T16:47:21.379-05:00My writer self and my reader self are at odds conc...My writer self and my reader self are at odds concerning this topic. As a writer I see a knife's edge over the tipping point of not enough or too much stake raising. As a reader I may be in the minority. When I run into a story where the stakes are raising to consistently simply to make it worse for the main character, that book gets put down. <br />It is a plague in TV thrillers and many action movies. Plot, plot, plot all the stakes must fit in the plot. And they do not need to be life threatening. I long for the character who learns something new from the bump in the road, not death around every corner.Samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14667181166024551683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-35710284520404256672018-08-01T09:50:44.855-04:002018-08-01T09:50:44.855-04:00Oh good! Glad to help. It always makes my day to h...Oh good! Glad to help. It always makes my day to hear a writer solved a problem by coming here :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-15426029578391908742018-07-31T21:31:49.641-04:002018-07-31T21:31:49.641-04:00I was reading multiple articles that connect to th...I was reading multiple articles that connect to this one and I realized that I probably got the wrong protagonist. I think you just helped me figure out the issue of my story and how I could make it better. All these articles gave me a lot to think about. Thanks! :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09790574916246379445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-18325488708702854532017-11-22T09:09:03.449-05:002017-11-22T09:09:03.449-05:00I always felt the beginning is the most important....I always felt the beginning is the most important. I need to set the tone and the pace of the story to keep the reader interested. Not having an agent I also have to keep that in mind as well. I have to be at the top of my game in those ten pages and not five chapters in. I want to reader to have a clear understanding of what the story is about. Bryan J. Faganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00439364121405747213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-24680388488008068442011-03-21T08:15:13.764-04:002011-03-21T08:15:13.764-04:00AllMyPosts: Most welcome, and good luck with your ...AllMyPosts: Most welcome, and good luck with your contest! (might be over by now. I must have missed this comment, sorry!)<br /><br />Joe: Yes I do and here it is:<br /><br />http://blog.janicehardy.com/2009/09/moping-in-middle.html<br /><br />I thought I'd linked it in the article but I guess I didn't. :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-74987219862012304872011-03-20T20:01:04.982-04:002011-03-20T20:01:04.982-04:00Add me to those who are bookmarking this one. :)
...Add me to those who are bookmarking this one. :)<br /><br />Do you have a post specifically on the mid-point reversal, with examples from your work and others? That's one concept I've seen you mention before that I think I could get better than I do right now. :)José Iriartehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03653811568201804995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-73395128900963753532011-03-10T23:56:23.892-05:002011-03-10T23:56:23.892-05:00Well, Thanks for the advice and the briefing.
I ...Well, Thanks for the advice and the briefing.<br /><br /><br />I just need to re-look at my narration form this point of view. Thanks a lot.<br /><br /><br />And by the way, everyone, I am organizing a flash fiction challenge on my blog. Please do participate in it<br /><br />with warm regards<br />http://becomingprince.blogspot.comAbhishekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03633374524540097827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-82483991133117844972011-03-10T08:06:57.500-05:002011-03-10T08:06:57.500-05:00JTWebster: Awesome!
Trisha: Thanks!JTWebster: Awesome!<br /><br />Trisha: Thanks!Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-50514835260038670892011-03-09T23:21:33.459-05:002011-03-09T23:21:33.459-05:00Very helpful post! Thanks :D Gonna add it to my &q...Very helpful post! Thanks :D Gonna add it to my "Me Likey" page I think :)Trishahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16927558937796802496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-70164950781298940192011-03-09T21:55:21.816-05:002011-03-09T21:55:21.816-05:00Great post Janice! Just what I needed.Great post Janice! Just what I needed.J.T. Websterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18042422842347246547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-45884458600156398542011-03-09T15:18:37.253-05:002011-03-09T15:18:37.253-05:00Rebecca: Most welcome. Glad you found it helpful.
...Rebecca: Most welcome. Glad you found it helpful.<br /><br />Taurean: Oh good! It's not unusual for things to start falling into place and to "get" stuff that's eluded you. I'm so happy it's clicking for you.<br /><br />Elizabeth: Most welcome! That's what I love about the three act structure. It's open enough to let you do what you want, but it provides enough of a frame to guide you.<br /><br />Paul: First, the folders. Next, the world. Bwahaha. <br /><br />Natalie: The three act structure is such a useful story building tool. <br /><br />Carol: You're welcome! That escalation is key :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-67202536047652149302011-03-09T13:49:51.295-05:002011-03-09T13:49:51.295-05:00I'm going to have to use this rough framework ...I'm going to have to use this rough framework to take a CLOSE look at my last novel and make sure the stakes are going up. Sure, there is continuing conflict, but I need to double check the stakes issue. Thanks for the great post!Carol Riggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14092209912983783974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-63178270207480003732011-03-09T13:12:47.565-05:002011-03-09T13:12:47.565-05:00Great suggestions on where to up the stakes. I lov...Great suggestions on where to up the stakes. I love how you tied it into the 3 act structure. Thanks.Natalie Aguirrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756087804171246660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-58915834820352945072011-03-09T13:04:28.696-05:002011-03-09T13:04:28.696-05:00This is another post I'm bookmarking. You'...This is another post I'm bookmarking. You're starting to take over my writing folder!Paul Anthony Shortthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14393249001158230985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-44952760522499647892011-03-09T10:55:04.746-05:002011-03-09T10:55:04.746-05:00Wow this is pure gold.
We've been told to rai...Wow this is pure gold.<br /><br />We've been told to raise the stakes from lots of different people, but it's always a little nebulous as to when that needs to happen. This little guide is the cat's pajamas because now we have a rough guideline for when to make things go boom!<br /><br />Thank you so much for this post. Janice, you are a godsend.Elizabeth Poolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03214706118828699708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-73371216256769102942011-03-09T09:42:44.662-05:002011-03-09T09:42:44.662-05:00Janice, I don't how it's happening, but no...Janice, I don't how it's happening, but not only do I understand stakes so much more about raising the stake after reading this post today, and past archives this week, but I'm honestly starting to both get it, and believe I can do it.<br /><br />Maybe not the first few times, but sometime soon, and it feels invigorating, and empowering, without being overconfident. I know you've felt this before, and it feels joyous, doesn't it?<br /><br />Despite how grumpy I get sometimes, I really do like to work hard, so long as I know I'm improving, it only gets annoying when I know something needs fixing, but how to do it isn't clear.<br /><br />I'll update my blog later and hope to have post where I touch on raising stakes, I've got some tips I think will help those who might be where I was last year, and at the most they'll know it'll get better, even if it's not a quick study, and I'm definitely living proof of that. <br /><br />As are you, Janice, and I know many regulars here would agree with me.<br /><br />TaureanTaurean Watkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16604609379930060667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-47090472597024249452011-03-09T06:37:45.941-05:002011-03-09T06:37:45.941-05:00I like the way this is explained. Thank you for a ...I like the way this is explained. Thank you for a great post. I will definitely refer to it during revisions.Rebecca Bradleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10194524230109997420noreply@blogger.com