tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post1427358422779563111..comments2023-10-30T08:00:54.059-04:00Comments on Laurel's Leaves: Make them turn pages with this simple trickLaurel Garverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03657218435228802535noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-35722155551962796802011-03-25T11:31:56.193-04:002011-03-25T11:31:56.193-04:00Anne: I'd argue that it's often best to wa...Anne: I'd argue that it's often best to wait until you have a full draft to decide how to group material by chapter. <br /><br />Faith: Indeed, the technique is tried and true. <br /><br />Abby: Mixing techniques is a good idea. Scene splits definitely can draw attention to themselves if overdone. <br /><br />Susan: thanks so much. I've been out studying post-naming from other bloggers! :-)Laurel Garverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03657218435228802535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-34561116200170774632011-03-25T11:22:39.381-04:002011-03-25T11:22:39.381-04:00Tessa: I've rejiggered my chapter breaks multi...Tessa: I've rejiggered my chapter breaks multiple times in the revision process. The number and length of scenes per chapter being in balance is yet another consideration. <br /><br />Margo: I do hate feeling manipulated by an author, don't you? When there's balance, you don't notice the techniques--the story just flows.<br /><br />GE: Writing books often focus on the groundwork I mentioned at the beginning of the post, and don't look at simple tricks like the scene splitting technique, an easy change to do during revision. Not sure why.Laurel Garverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03657218435228802535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-8286100752048088032011-03-25T11:15:28.032-04:002011-03-25T11:15:28.032-04:00Shannon: I've heard that about Dashner's t...Shannon: I've heard that about Dashner's technique. Worth a close reading, right?<br /><br />Kelly: It's a technique that's often best applied at revision stage, once you have the plot worked out, then you find critical spots to draw out moments and raise questions. <br /><br />Jenna: I'm glad you recognized the pattern and remedied it. Better to tuck her in mid-chapter, right? Elizabeth Lyon's Manuscript Makeover has more details on adding uncertainty to scene endings.Laurel Garverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03657218435228802535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-77136886342372033992011-03-25T11:08:06.283-04:002011-03-25T11:08:06.283-04:00Katie: The scene split technique IS easy. One of m...Katie: The scene split technique IS easy. One of my CPs suggested it, and within about two hours, I'd more than doubled the tension in my manuscript by simply changing where breaks happen and adding a sentence or so to chapter beginnings.<br /><br />Jade: It's a good tool for the toolbox!<br /><br />Leigh: Lyon's book, which I mentioned in my Tuesday post, has more details on adding uncertainty to scene endings, if you're looking for ideas.<br /><br />Janet: Glad it's useful, and thanks for the example.Laurel Garverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03657218435228802535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-9184109839641566812011-03-24T23:08:46.671-04:002011-03-24T23:08:46.671-04:00Your title made me turn the page. I had to read yo...Your title made me turn the page. I had to read your post. :)<br /><br />Thanks for the great tips. I love your blog.Susan J. Reinhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07461276857852409546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-51422046881679450292011-03-24T20:30:20.528-04:002011-03-24T20:30:20.528-04:00I always try to end about every other chapter on a...I always try to end about every other chapter on a cliff hanger. I want the reader to say "just one more chapter" before they go to bed. But you are right- we can't overdo it or the reader will get annoyed.Abby Minardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963640263845561309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-74321418265757026412011-03-24T18:31:36.446-04:002011-03-24T18:31:36.446-04:00Great advice; thank you. I noticed this "tric...Great advice; thank you. I noticed this "trick" when I read THE HUNGER GAMES--Suzanne Collins NEVER ends a chapter at an ending, but generally in the middle of just what you want to find out.Faith E. Houghhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03823750019164801104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-61366119287397797432011-03-24T17:01:33.178-04:002011-03-24T17:01:33.178-04:00Thanks for another insightful post, Laurel. I'...Thanks for another insightful post, Laurel. I'm doing this now, going through in revisions and breaking chapters. Gruesome but needed.Anne Gallagherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05816355522284492131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-73756990623112099542011-03-24T17:01:22.407-04:002011-03-24T17:01:22.407-04:00Thank you for the tips! This is one of the few pos...Thank you for the tips! This is one of the few posts I've seen on how to write "page turners"--I'll have to remember it.Golden Eaglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08721520451194318436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-28101244564277351342011-03-24T16:21:25.378-04:002011-03-24T16:21:25.378-04:00Good point about not overdoing it so it becomes gi...Good point about not overdoing it so it becomes gimmicky! That's the one thing I will ALWAYS remember about Nancy Drew novel chapters, even as a kid I noticed this! They'd cut off right in the middle of the tensest moment!Margo Berendsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03476308235642890474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-24820066937405435462011-03-24T15:27:25.981-04:002011-03-24T15:27:25.981-04:00I'm often rearranging my chapters and scenes b...I'm often rearranging my chapters and scenes because I feel as if it has to be at the most perfect moment - but not overdone, as you've mentioned.<br /><br />I think Karen Kingsbury does a brilliant job of this. Her novel, "Unlocked", is the first book that I literally could not put down.<br /><br />Thanks for these tips! I'm bookmarking this post. =)Tessa Emily Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08625256104634830104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-70181999725866094382011-03-24T13:52:50.610-04:002011-03-24T13:52:50.610-04:00Oh yes! I made the mistake in my last WIP of endin...Oh yes! I made the mistake in my last WIP of ending just about every chapter with my MC going to sleep. Not exactly the way to keep a reader up at night. I'm determined to make use of read-on techniques on this go! Thanks for the tips.Jenna Wallacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07591399291903261245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-54517040360382818142011-03-24T13:03:38.346-04:002011-03-24T13:03:38.346-04:00Great post! This is something I'm working on r...Great post! This is something I'm working on right now.Kelly Lymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14773120663217816189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-68902792894321334112011-03-24T11:42:28.006-04:002011-03-24T11:42:28.006-04:00Great post, Laurel. James Dashner is a master at p...Great post, Laurel. James Dashner is a master at page turners! :-)Shannon O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17299313309059235876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-21863208768058985402011-03-24T10:46:12.519-04:002011-03-24T10:46:12.519-04:00This is a great tip! I think I'm getting bette...This is a great tip! I think I'm getting better at this, and I agree about the varying.<br /><br />Hunger Games is a great example of this, I think. :)Janet Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12688012956157161889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-61955859837970428232011-03-24T10:45:18.632-04:002011-03-24T10:45:18.632-04:00splitting scenes is a great tool, and you're r...splitting scenes is a great tool, and you're right. Anything overdone grows tiresome. I also just try to throw in some foreshadowing, maybe amp up the build to the major conflict... <br /><br />good stuff~ :o) <3LTMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05239077455322030275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-58701925578053212032011-03-24T10:31:42.148-04:002011-03-24T10:31:42.148-04:00Thanks for this tip! I definitely agree with you a...Thanks for this tip! I definitely agree with you about varying this technique, like all techniques. :)nonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13025913472730278205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263988256560129564.post-5718452330055279682011-03-24T09:55:15.054-04:002011-03-24T09:55:15.054-04:00you make it sound so simple...
back to writing! ;-...you make it sound so simple...<br />back to writing! ;-)Katie O'Sullivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17295418503546522882noreply@blogger.com