Writing a Page Turner - Mark Acito

Writing A Page Turner

Mark Acito

Competing against high stimulus culture: TV, movies, games: video, virtual and interactive

Outlining:
1) Some do
2) Some don’t

He does. Puts him behind the wheel. The outline is the map to destination but is also flexible.
Outlines will have surprises

Follow 3-act structure (only) ((look up))

Use models – steal from the best
Soak up all things while working


Know your character

Story problems are character problems.

Character questions: Don’t need an all-encompassing questionnaire on character
Answered

Vital that protagonist be someone reader will want to relate to

Know characters before putting in scene

Make a list of everyone who reminds you of your character – can be a preperation

5 levels of character evolution:

1) Self
2) ?
3) joys
4) death
5)?

Story arc is character arc. Story about growth and change.

Make characters specific.

Need a character hook every time a character steps on stage.
Need 10-20 reminders of implied character hook

Is there a critical mass of number of characters?
He has 12 or 13 and that’s a lot.

Every character has detailed character bio; have them speak differently – not necessarily a large arc

Pet peeves – Names – Should know who character is from name: eg. don’t use Susan or Bob; Charles Dickens: David Copperfield – Ms. Piggotty
Don’t miss a critical opportunity

Plot – the big deal

Creating mystery and suspense

Story needs to be plausible

Game is to invent simplest explanation for most preposterous questions

Test – If you say “Conflict?”, then is answer “So What?”

Every good story is a mystery or suspense story

Mystery – solving a problem from past; puzzle

Suspense – from facing unknown; nightmare

Have to read both great writers and current bestsellers – great writers to improve your writing and bestsellers to know what sells

Subplots should always connect back to main story using connecting points
Crossing among each other along storyline

Techniques

1) Withholding Information
2) Switching between Story Lines
3) Cliffhangers – every chapter needs to end with a question
Ends with a yes, but
Or No, furthermore
Crosscutting across time
4) Shorter chapters work better
5) Chapter lengths
His:
1400 words - minimum
2400 words – average
3600 words – longest

No rule about how long chapters can be but shorter better

Note: Farce – Suspense with laughs

6) Keep two steps ahead of reader
Dramatic Irony – where author knows but reader doesn’t
7) The double-cross – secret identities
8) Reversal – Bad guy is good guy
9) Antagonist knows something we don’t
10) Ticking clock
Heightens tension
11) Conflicting ideals and values
Look at morals and viewpoints
12) Sexual Tension
Will they or won’t they?
13) Facing Unknown
14) Inability to take Action
15) Adapt Action Story Techniques
16 Impossible Crossing:

In the following techniques although many can be taken literally most are also only symbolic descriptions of many different scenarios:

- rickety bridge
- being surrounded
- Jumping for freedom
- Being led to who knows where
- Hanging on to a cliff
- Falling
- Mexican Standoff
Two characters facing each other in showdown “High Noon”
- Temporary Hideout Discovered
- Getting Trapped in a Dead End
- Bomb
- Unstable Person
- Aging Parent
- Hiding Out
- Were Locked in and Can’t Get Out
- Tied to railroad track
- Emotional blackmail


Plan must reveal: have to have setups
Setup: Reveal clue so that reader doesn’t notice it
Humor
Liars
Give clue 2nd meaning
Absence of clue

Is complicated


Create a reality; create a coverup, and then mix them up
Slows you as a writer; Hard work; complicated

Microelements

Need goal for writing a scene

Test:

1) What is point of scene?

2) What is POV char’s purpose?

3) How do you get out of a scene?

4) Scene -> Sequel

5) Scene – has goal, conflict and “disaster?”

6) Sequel plus emotion->quandary, decision


Try to get only two characters in a scene.

Dialog equals Action

Multitask:
1) Reveal characters
a) Inner
b) Outer
2) Underscore theme
3) Advance plot
4) Entertain



Style

Passive voice -> avoided

Use active verbs

Avoid adverbs

Be specific

Avoid using “that” or “which” unless want to slow down


Senses

How does character feel? - Use physical 5 senses:

(Referred to in a lot of these classes: How you do it:
Read what you wrote a character felt or sensed.
Try to go back in your life and try to remember what it
Felt like to feel a similar thing.
Notice how your body reacts.
Write it down so the character has the same physical
Reaction with his body as you did)

Avoid cliche’s

* Don’t tell us what we already know
** Use backstory only as needed

Then do it all over again and again and again and again
1st get first draft down – take a break
Book is ready when there are no glitches while reading whole thing
aloud