First Words Make (or Break) First Impressions

“Next!”
“Checking in…?”
“Here or To-Go?”

Isn’t it frustrating when those are the first words that come out of a front line employee’s mouth? As if they didn’t want to take the time, or couldn’t care less about offering a friendly, approachable greeting to the customer. Meanwhile, the next guy waiting in line thinks to himself, “Gee, thanks for the warm welcome. Nice first impression.”

SAD BUT TRUE FACT: the first impression window is narrowing.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this social trend since I was interviewed by the Wall Street Journalon the topic. The reporter and I discussed this “window,” and I mentioned my research on hundreds of books on first impressions.

MY THEORY: As years go by, we seem to have less and less time to make a first impression.

Consider these numbers:

•In the 80’s and 90’s, NLP authors like Nicholas Boothman claimed you only had 90 seconds to make a first impression

•By the time the new millennium hit, you only had four seconds, according to hundreds of articles

•In 2005, Malcom Gladwell’s bestselling book Blink explained that people made first impressions in TWO seconds

•This year, an article from The BBC quoted a study which explained that Internet surfers form an impression “in one 20th of a second of viewing a webpage”

It kind of makes you wonder: as technology accelerates and as time goes on, will people eventually have ZERO seconds to make a first impression?

Ok, just kidding.

But think back to the guy waiting in line at the counter: if employees only have a few seconds to make a first impression anyway, why would the first words out of their mouths be so unfriendly?

I used to work at the Ritz Carlton. We were trained to eliminate the word “Hello” from our vocabulary. It was always “Good morning!” or “Welcome in!”

What ever happened to phraseology like that? Have we become so rushed, so programmed, so unfriendly, so unapproachable and so robotic that we can’t sincerely take the time to offer a customer a warm welcome?

Nevertheless, the following list of substitute phrases will make the first words out of your mouth UNFORGETTABLE:

Instead of “Next,” try:

•“Step right up!”
•“Come on down!” (that one’s for you, Bob Barker)
•“Don’t be shy!”

Instead of “Checking in?” try:

•“You finally made it!”
•“Welcome to paradise!”
•“Everyone’s been waiting for you!”

Now, if you have a standard protocol for greetings, that’s understandable. You don’t want to piss of your boss. On the other hand, if you say, “Step right up,” and your customer starts laughing before he even begins the transaction, I seriously doubt your boss will say, “Johnson! Stick with the script!”

Look, these phrases work. I’ve used them thousands of times in my retail, food and guest service experience, and customers love them. They’re funny. They’re memorable. Most of all, they’re different. And that’s the whole point: not only to give your customers a brief encounter or experience that’s both friendly AND memorable; but also to communicate in a way so others can’t help but pay attention to and remember you.

After all, if you only have two seconds anyway, you may as well have a little fun!

© 2006 All Rights Reserved.

Scott Ginsberg is a professional speaker, "The World's Foremost Expert on Nametags" and the author of HELLO my name is Scott and The Power of Approachability. He helps people MAXIMIZE their personal and professional approachability - one conversation at a time. To book Scott for your next association meeting, conference or corporate event, contact Front Porch Productions at 314/878-5419 or www.hellomynameisscott.com.

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Fire Up Your Organization through Storytelling

“Symbols, dramas, stories, vision and love–these are the stuff of effective leadership, much more so than formal processes or structures. When you involve people, they feel ownership and perform up to 1,000% better.”
– Tom Peters, A Passion for Excellence

The speed of change in today’s world is so disorienting, people are struggling to maintain their equilibrium and sense of well-being. In times of chaos, and especially when basic needs are threatened, strong leadership is more important than ever. Because people are looking to the workplace now for all their needs–professional development, social activities, on-site health care and child care services–strong leadership is especially critical. Corporate leaders need to reassure employees that they will continue to receive the support they need, even as the organization continually adapts to the chaotic marketplace so that customers’ rapidly changing expectations can be met.

Communication is the key to accomplishing this goal, and the most effective approach is to develop an authentic story–and tell it effectively. A company needs to develop a story so bright and so right that its target audiences (employees, customers, stockholders, affiliates, suppliers, etc.) are drawn to the flame! This story needs to be told–and retold with new twists–at every opportunity, and meeting planners can play a central role in advancing this goal. The key is to develop meeting themes that support the core story and reflect the organization’s core values. By reminding everyone affiliated with your organization of where you’re going and how you plan to get there-and most importantly, how each person can contribute-you will strengthen the culture and boost the team spirit.

Stories have been the “glue” connecting people with their cultures and with one another throughout human history. In ancient cultures, and even relatively modern tribes, the oral tradition was the vehicle for passing tribal practices and history down through the generations. The designated tribal storyteller was responsible for ensuring that each member of the group understood the importance of their roles in continuing the traditions upon which the very survival of the tribe depended. The storyteller also served as an entertainer, retelling familiar tales around the campfire and engaging the imaginations of all those in the circle.

One American Indian storyteller who has become a popular icon in our modern culture is a figure appearing on petroglyphs and pictographs throughout the Four Corners region of the American Southwest. This figure has been known by many names, the most common one is Kokopelli, a Pueblo Hopi name. The mystery of this legendary figure has never been completely solved. Was he a real person, or simply a mythical symbol? Whatever the facts of Kokopelli’s origin and meaning may be, historians agree that he was a very important symbol to the ancient Pueblo and related tribes. They note that he is a highly localized figure, appearing only in rock art where the Pueblo Hopi people lived.

Why have stories always been so central to human interactions? Because stories reach people at a deeper level than a litany of facts and figures, and they stay with people longer. As the high-tech elements continually become more dominant, people hunger for “high-touch” interactions.

Stories in Corporate Cultures
Corporate cultures are no different from ethnic cultures in their need for, and dependence on, stories like the one of Kokopelli, which help to create a culture as well as keep it alive. While in our modern culture we often think of a “story” or “myth” as a fabrication, stories, are, in fact, the primary tool we all use to communicate. “How’s your day going?” “What’s the status of your project?” “What’s the latest news on the company’s new product?” Each of these commonly posed questions is answered in story form, whether or not the speaker is consciously aware of being a “storyteller.” Awareness, however, is essential to the process of identifying an organization’s core story.

To reach key audiences, an organization’s story must be authentic; it must be based on corporate values and guiding principles. An authentic story reveals the true personality of the organization. It is, in essence, the heart and soul of the organization. As such, the core story must be told by people in leadership roles in a consistent manner and on a regular basis to ensure that they control it. When a leader articulates the core story effectively and consistently, people at all levels of the organization are captivated by the vision and begin “singing from the same page.” This level of company-wide consistency and commitment enables an organization to “cut through the clutter of the marketplace to reach its targeted audiences and draw them into the inner circle.

Teambuilding through Personal Stories
The storytelling approach also has proven to be a highly effective teambuilding system, which is especially fitting for a retreat. Work teams often choose to apply the process in telling their own personal stories before beginning the joint work of developing the organization’s story. In doing so, they experience two key aspects of working together:

• Self-discovery is exciting.
• Self-disclosure leads to trust.

Their excitement is contagious! As participants discover shared personal values, they begin building ties with co-workers with whom they formerly believed they had nothing in common.

In one memorable case some years ago, the storytelling process overcame what had seemed insurmountable barriers between an entrenched manager in a small municipal outpost and the new, sophisticated urban manager who had been brought in to replace him. The atmosphere, understandably, was tense as the first day of a two-day planning retreat began. Following a relaxing and playful creative exercise and the sharing of the team’s personal stories, however, the tension eased considerably. The two men warmed up to one another and continued their discussion over lunch. The rest of the retreat was extremely productive, with the outcomes far surpassing the expectations of everyone involved.

This experience clearly demonstrates that the sharing of common values and a common mission helps people to

• work together,
• support one another, and
• serve the customer more effectively.

By incorporating storytelling as a part of your meetings and retreats-as a guide for developing the theme and/or as a part of the agenda-you will have a direct impact on helping the organization realize its goals. You also will strengthen team spirit throughout the organization by keeping everyone fired up with the red-hot stories they hear and tell!

© Evelyn Clark, The Corporate Storyteller, is president of Clark & Company, a marketing communication firm in the Seattle area. A public relations practitioner with more than 20 years experience, she was accredited by the Public Relations Society of America in 1986. Her firm's services include facilitation of retreats and communication workshops, marketing and communication management, media relations strategy development, and media training. http://www.CorpStory.com

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Finding Your Unique Voice

A writer friend asked me the other day, “When I read, I find I’m influenced by other authors. Depending on who I’m reading, my writing style is either playful, deep sounding or whatever. How can I stop writing like other writers and find my own voice?”

(She also added that I might want to write an article based on my response – hence what you’re reading now!)

Before we get on to practical tips, we should cover some basic preconceptions about voice.

First of all, your voice should never be some affectation you acquire or work on. I think you know what I mean. When we’re at school or in the office, we’re told there’s a way to say things – a style we must adopt to conform to the medium.

Many novice writers think the same applies to fiction – that there is perhaps some predetermined mental attitude and/or demeanour one should adopt – usually a ‘superior, more learned’ version of ourselves – to sound more authoritative when telling stories.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

You should always write in the style that is most natural to you. It may well be different from your speaking voice but should always reflect the way your mind works.

Secondly, your voice doesn’t have to be ‘original’. You can waste years of your time wondering what ‘originality’ is and trying to define and acquire it.

When critics, publishers and agents say they want ‘originality’, I believe they have no idea what they mean. They merely confuse writers by demanding something so nebulous and indefinable. I think what they should really be asking for is ‘honesty’.

The simple truth is you already possess all the originality you need. You are already unique. No-one else thinks and writes like you do – trying to undo your own originality by constantly striving to be anything less than yourself is counter productive. Trust yourself.

Trusting yourself is probably the hardest trick you’ll have to learn as a writer – but it is absolutely essential to your growth. Because it’s only when you trust your ability to say what you mean with honesty and integrity, that your voice will start to come through.

The real test of a good authorial voice is consistency – it is as strong and recognizable at the beginning of a story as it is at the end.

So how do you achieve this consistency? How do ‘get’ your voice?

It’s a process, of course – and here’s some practical tips to strengthen and consolidate your own:

Practice

Consciously practice different styles and categorize them. Write using different voices – some that are deliberately difficult to sustain. This will attune your mind to noting differences in style. Try writing highbrow and lowbrow articles, egocentric columns, playlets, short dispassionate biographies – anything that stretches you. These pieces don’t have to be publishable – they are designed to help you ‘play’ with the writing medium.

Detach

Try to write without thinking for short bursts. If this sounds too hard, try writing for ten minutes just after you’ve woken up in the morning – before you can think straight, just write anything.

Later, try looking up words in the dictionary at random and write for ten minutes without stopping on those words. Force yourself to write, whether you’re inspired or not – this is a great technique for getting in touch with your subconscious voice (i.e. your true voice.)

Avoid

During writing spells, especially first drafts, don’t read anything – no books, newspapers, magazines, cereal packets, nothing. Starve yourself of influences so that you can concentrate on just your voice and, not only the things you want to say but, how you want to say them.

Affirm

When you’ve written sections you’re convinced are beginning to reflect your most natural and compelling voice, read them into a tape recorder and play them back. The very process will help – you’ll probably find your best passages easiest to read. If not, delete the clumsy words, the extra adverbs, the overlong sentences and try again.

Experiment

Try writing two different versions of pieces – like short stories. Write one with all the literary might you can summon and write another with just a little casual indifference. Post out both to magazine publishers or read them to your friends to see what they think.

Strengthen

Consciously remind yourself everyday that you are a writer, that you are thinking writerly thoughts and your are determined that your writing will truly and accurately reflect your thoughts. Do not hide behind fear of honesty or the thought that exposing your inner psyche is in any way bad. It’s not.

The real you is what your readers want, respect and deserve.

This article is written by Rob Parnell. Visit his website at www.easywaytowrite.com

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Finding the Genius Within – A Writer’s Guide

This is a three-stage process.

First, you need to break down your preconceptions about what you think being a genius is.

When you call someone a genius, what do you mean?

That they display characteristics that seem to be above the common herd? That they think ahead of their time? That they seem to be able to create perfect art with little or no effort?

Einstein was a genius they say. So was Leonardo da Vinci, Shakespeare, Beethoven and Van Gogh. Why? Because they displayed a unique way of thinking that separated them from the mainstream.

Did genius just bestow itself upon these individuals?

No, every so-called genius is a craftsman first. They learn the basics. They study them, copy them until they are implicit. So that, when it’s time to create for themselves, they know and understand their influences.

Good artists express themselves with honesty and skill. They also learn – and keep learning – from other artists. No influence is a bad influence. It all helps.

Genius is a not a thing in itself. It is merely a qualitative judgment made by individuals and critics – usually after the artist is dead!

What marks you out as a “genius” is your willingness to be true – to yourself and to your art. In other words, genius is really about having the courage of your convictions – the courage to be yourself.

Stage two: some practical advice now.

Clear your mind. To do this, meditate or go for a long walk in the country, undisturbed.

First, try to visualize nothing. No feelings, influences or distractions. Try to find that inner essence that is pure calm, joy and strength. It’s there, inside all of us. Get in touch with it.

Then, calmly tell yourself you’re a genius. Repeat the phrase to yourself until it becomes almost meaningless. I am a genius.

Do this about three to five times a day for five days. (You can do this with any phrase you want your subconscious to believe.)

For stage three, when you’re ready, take the plunge and write.

Write a paragraph or two about a character or a situation that you totally believe in – even if it’s fictional. Edit it afterwards until all the words represent that particular view of reality, as if it IS true, 100%.

Read it back. Is it convincing? If not, keep rewriting until the logic of each word and sentence is, in your mind, incontrovertible.

That’s the trick. Make your work totally convincing TO YOU on your own terms. Do not write for others. It doesn’t work. Be true to yourself and others will follow.

In the end, it’s about how much you believe in your own vision of the world. If you don’t really believe in something then neither will your reader, no matter how clever you are with words.

In brief, to be a potential “genius” you must trust your instincts, believe in yourself and write from the heart. To do any less is to cheat yourself – and your readers.

This article is written by Rob Parnell. Visit his website at www.easywaytowrite.com

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Finding Key Influencers With Your "VIP" List Of all the strategies available for marketing yourself and your work, this one can be the most powerful. Ironically, it’s the most underused. Who do you know that can help you with your marketing efforts? Very often, sending a few signed (and personalized) books to a few key “gatekeepers” can do more than ten great publicity strategies combined. This strategy is fairly straightforward:

1. Compile your list of contacts in Microsoft Outlook or whatever database management software you use (instructions for Outlook below) and refer to it for each new product release.
2. Cultivate your relationship with this cherished group of people and watch your list grow.
3. When your next book comes out, send each one a signed and personalized copy. This needs to be emphasized: it’s easy to have your publisher send out a book on your behalf, but if your book isn’t signed and personalized to the individual, you’ve just lost an amazing opportunity. If you’ve ever received a signed and personalized book from someone before, you’ll understand why—it makes you feel special! And you’ll keep that book. Too few authors and publishers understand this.

Is your current list of influential people a little thin? Well, here’s a good place to start your marketing efforts. There’s a great chance that you know more people than you realize or that you’re only a few phone calls away from accessing them. You’re looking for what marketer Seth Godin calls “Sneezers”: people of influence who may talk about your product and/or provide a gateway to new opportunities (like speaking engagements or bulk orders of your book). Additionally, many of these people can be counted on to offer testimonials and endorsements of new products. Some more suggestions:

• Every time you release a new product, send your VIPs a copy with a simple, handwritten note.
• Send a brief email to your VIPs to inform them of every noteworthy media opportunity you receive.
• Send them cards for New Year’s and other special holidays.
• Learn whatever you can about each person. Record their information in Outlook. When are their birthdays? Send them cards or emails, or give them a call.

You can build a VIP list of hundreds or thousands. And let me give you a heads-up: in many cases, you won’t get a thank you—neither an acknowledgment of receipt nor a thank-you email. Don’t take it personally, and don’t worry about it. People are busy. Think about it this way: you’re planting seeds. You never know when an opportunity might present itself in the future because of something you sent out to someone today. To create a new category called “VIPs” or “Book Contact List” in Outlook:

1. Select any item. Items include email messages, appointments, contacts, tasks, journal entries, notes, posted items, and documents.
2. On the Edit menu, select Categories.
3. Select Master Category List.
4. In the New category box, type a name for the category.
5. Select Add.
6. To create more categories, repeat steps 3 and 4.
7. Select OK twice.

To create a distribution list in Outlook (for emailing):

1. On the File menu, point to New, and then select Distribution List.
2. In the Name box, type a name.
3. Select Select Members.
4. In the Show names from the list box, click the address book that contains the email addresses you want in your distribution list.
5. In the Type name or select from list box, type a name you want to include. In the list below, select the name, and then click Members. Do this for each person you want to add to the distribution list, and then click OK.
6. If you want to add a longer description of the distribution list, click the Notes tab, and then type the text.
7. The distribution list is saved in your Contacts folder by the name you give it.

The above article is an excerpt from the guidebook included in Everything You Need to Know to Become a Best-Selling Author.

About Scott Jeffrey With an impressive client list including New York Times best-selling authors, speakers, and consultants, Scott Jeffrey is renowned for his ability to guide each client's journey to the impossible—crafting their own adventure, zealously following their bliss and discovering their unique, meaningful contribution to the world. Scott is the master strategist behind Creative Crayon, LLC, a world-class strategic coaching enterprise and consultancy. Scott is the author of Journey to the Impossible: Designing an Extraordinary Life, a Benjamin Franklin Award finalist, as well as the interviewer in the 10-CD audio program, Everything you Need to Know to Become a Best-Selling Author. He was the editor of Impossible Journeys. Scott and his four-legged hiking companion, Yoda, reside in the mountains of upstate New York. Find out more at http://www.bestsellingauthor.com

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Finding a Book Publisher

Recently, a few writer-friends on the Absolute Write message boards and I were lamenting the fact that many inexperienced writers get tricked into believing that vanity presses and borderline-vanity presses are traditional publishers. We were talking about the numbers, mostly—how did so many new writers even find these publishers?

It all became shockingly clear: search engines.

We found that new writers often type phrases like “book publisher,” “find a publisher,” “book publishing,” or “novel publishers” into search engines like Google. And what comes up when you do that? Vanity presses all over the first page, with enticing messages like “Publish fast! We want your book!” Many writers don’t dig much deeper than that. They find those first few publishers, submit their manuscripts, and take the first “acceptance letter” that comes their way.

See, vanity and fringe presses caught on a lot faster than I did. They figured out what new writers were searching for and they optimized their web pages to make sure that when a writer typed in keywords like “book publisher” or “novel publisher,” their pages would come up first.

Now, I love the Internet. It’s a fabulous tool. But search engines are not the best spot to start your research when you’re a new writer in search of a book publishing contract. They’ll take you to the last-resort places first.

If you’re truly serious about building a career as an author, whether you plan to write novels or nonfiction books, you won’t skimp on the research. Aside from the time you spend actually writing the book, researching your publishing options may be your most valuable effort in the publication process. If you put your heart, your labor, your discipline into this manuscript, doesn’t it deserve the best home you can find for it?

Choosing a publisher is no simple task, and it’s not a decision that should be based on impatience. Yes, the easy way out is to find one of these “we’ll accept anything” publishers, turn in your manuscript, and have your book in your hands in a matter of just a couple of months (maybe even weeks). Unfortunately, it’s the easy way out only until you actually try to sell the darn thing—then it’s about the hardest road you could possibly have taken.

The next simplest way to find a publisher is in the Writer’s Market. I look forward to its publication every year; it helps to keep me up-to-date about thousands of markets for my work. You can search through it in hardcopy or online, and it has a genre index at the back so you can flip to book publishers that match your genre quickly. However, it shouldn’t be your only tool.

You may choose to look for an agent first, or you may choose to go it alone. Agents typically take a 15 percent commission from sale money; legitimate agents do not charge anything up-front. A good agent can help you get read faster, can help you get read in places that are typically closed to unsolicited submissions, and can help you negotiate the best possible deal.

That said, I’ve made more than half of my book deals on my own. I tend to be more proactive about my career than an agent ever could be, and I’m not afraid to negotiate. It’s all a matter of figuring out what works best for you.

If you choose to fly solo, there really are better ways of finding a publisher than doing random searches or reading books of guidelines. Here are my best tips:

1. Read Publishers Lunch (www.publisherslunch.com), which gives a run-down of book deals. It tells you which publishers are buying which types of books, and usually includes the name of the editor who acquired the book and the agent who made the deal.

2. Read Publishers Weekly (www.publishersweekly.com). It’s expensive, but you can probably find it at your local library. This will keep you up-to-date on industry happenings, trends, who’s buying what, and staff changes.

3. Read books! This may be the most obvious, yet most overlooked suggestion. The best way to target your submissions is to find books in your genre or on similar topics at a bookstore or library, then copy down the name of the publisher. Check the acknowledgments section, too, to see if the author mentioned the editor or agent. Then you can hop onto Google and type in the publishers’ name. More often than not, on any publishers’ site, you’ll find a link to submission guidelines. Barring that, there should be a mailing address or e-mail address at the very least. You can cross-reference information with Writer’s Market once you’ve found publishers that interest you, too.

4. Ask around. Let’s say you found a book in your genre that you enjoyed, but you’ve never heard of the publisher. There’s no harm in looking up the author, then sending off a polite e-mail to ask if he or she is having a positive experience with that publisher.

5. Search Amazon. Look up books you’ve read or heard of in your genre or category. Amazon lists the book publisher in each book’s entry. Then look up the publisher in a search engine or guidebook.

Assuming you want to earn a living from your writing, it’s important that your book reaches a large audience. That means it needs adequate distribution. Unfortunately, most print-on-demand publishers can’t achieve decent bookstore distribution because of a number of bookstore-unfriendly policies (no returns allowed, lower-than-average discounts to bookstores, lack of a bar code or price on the back of the book, etc.), not to mention the overall poor quality of vanity-published books due to a lack of editing and lack of editorial standards. This is not the crowd you want to be in if you plan to be a professional writer.

Above all else, you must be patient. There’s much more to book publishing than I could ever share in a short article; luckily, there are plenty of professional authors who are more than willing to share their expertise with you. Don’t rush your manuscript out until you feel secure that you understand the way the industry works. A few good clues: Do you know what a distributor does versus a wholesaler? Do you know which trade magazines’ reviews are important? Do you know why it’s preferable to get royalties on list price instead of net? Do you know why it’s important to have an “out of print” clause and what it should look like?

There’s nothing wrong with not knowing the answers. Everyone starts someplace. The only wrong thing is rushing into the publishing industry before you get those answers. The more naïve you are about the process, the easier it is for unscrupulous people to get hold of you.

A traditional publisher will never pressure you to buy your own books, to pay for editing or cover art or even your own copyright. They’ll cover the expenses. You’ll be expected to pitch in with publicity efforts, but it won’t all fall on your shoulders. With vanity and fringe presses, these standards aren’t there. Those companies make money from authors instead of from readers.

I know the road can seem long and difficult. Most authors receive many rejection letters before that first acceptance letter. But it’s a worthwhile wait. In a case like this, your first “instinct” may not be the best one. The kinds of publishers you probably want to deal with are not the ones who are screaming, “Click here! We’ll publish your book!” They’re the ones who are busy actually selling books instead of concentrating their efforts on luring in new writers.

Keep working at it until you find the right solution. Take as much care in finding a book publisher as you would a marriage partner; get to know the publisher before you commit, and understand what you’re getting into. When you begin walking into bookstores and seeing readers picking up your book, you’ll thank yourself that you took the time to get it right.

Jenna Glatzer is the editor-in-chief of www.AbsoluteWrite.com and the author of many books, including Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer, which comes with a free editors' cheat sheet at www.jennaglatzer.com. Her latest book, Fear is No Longer My Reality, which she co-wrote with Jamie Blyth of The Bachelorette, is hot off the press.

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Fiction Writing Lessons from Shakespeare

Common advice in all fields of study is for the student to take lessons from a master. Unfortunately for those who wish to write fiction — either in plays or stories — the most renowned and highest authority in the art of fiction-making is long dead.

Few would argue William Shakespeare’s supremacy in the art of creating a compelling story. And since he never wrote, “Will Shakespeare’s Guide to Writing Great Stories,” if we are to learn from this master, we must draw lessons from his works.

The following would seem to be the cardinal elements the Bard would likely include in his guide for writers:

1) You must have a story to tell.

2) Your story must introduce us to extraordinary people; not impossible people, but characters whose circumstances and lives are able to engender powerful interest.

3) Your story must be thoroughly developed and told with consumate skill.

4) The atmosphere of actual human life must be so artfully hung over all the scenes that we feel it, breathe it, and live in it while we read.

5) Every element of your story must be referable to the sources of human passion, aspiration, credulity, fancy, faith or manners. Nothing in it must be untrue to the universal human possibilities; but each dramati crisis must turn on some extraordinary conjunction. The commonplace must not be preponderate.

6) There must be absolute dramatic vision; without this the novel is a mere tale, the drama a mere play, the painting a lifeless transcript, the music a meaningless tinkle, the sculpture a form without suggestion.

7) Last comes style, which is the final stamp of the personality of genius. There is no such thing as a masterpiece without the presence of this indestructible preservative.

For more great articles, tips and resources for writers and publishers, visit www.PublishingCentral.com

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For Successful Fiction, Add Conflict — Twice

Previously in the pages of CBI I have often written about the basic structure for children’s fiction: a character encounters an obstacle or conflict of some kind, and then resolves it through his or her own purposeful action. This makes up the events of the story, or the plot. How the character changes as a person through this conflict and resolution process reflects the book’s theme, or underlying message. But lately I’ve been thinking that the above explanation is too simple.

After studying many successful children’s novels for ages eight and up, it’s become clear that the character really confronts two kinds of conflict: external and internal. The external conflict is often beyond the character’s control; it’s a situation he is thrust into, for better or worse, and it’s what pulls the plot along from page to page. It could be a mystery that needs solving, moving to a new neighborhood or a death in the family. The external conflict makes the period of time between the first and last page of the book different from any other time in the character’s life.

The internal conflict is something the character brings to the story on page one. This conflict may be unknown to the character — it could be lurking just under the surface — or it could be a problem the character is aware of but has been ignoring. But when the character is confronted with the external conflict, the internal conflict is brought to light. The internal conflict is contained within the main character — guilt over cheating on a test at school, anger at parents who are recently divorced, lack of self confidence — and must be resolved in some way for the character to grow. Middle grade and young adult novels, which require complexly-layered stories, need both internal and external conflicts. Without internal conflict, the characters have no depth. Without external conflict, there is no plot — only angst. But there has to be a connection between the two for a cohesive and believable story. One brings on the other. They feed off each other until the character takes active steps to resolve one conflict, thus leading to the solution of the other problem.

An example of this intricate structure is Suzanne Fisher Staples’ young adult novel Dangerous Skies (Frances Foster Books/Farrar, Straus & Giroux). The narrator, 12-year-old Buck Smith, lives on the Chesapeake Bay. His family is descended from the English settlers who moved to Virginia in the 1700s. His best friend, Tunes, is descended from the slaves who were brought from Africa to work the Smith farm. She shares Buck’s last name, and the two were raised together since infancy. But Buck remarks at the beginning of the book how lately he’s noticed the adults watching them as they go off fishing together, and that suddenly Tunes is growing and turning from a girl to a woman. Buck resists this inevitable change in their lives — this is the internal conflict he brings to the book.

The external conflict soon presents itself; Buck and Tunes find the body of a friend in the Bay while fishing, and Tunes acts strangely and immediately takes off into the marsh. A few days later the sheriff appears at Buck’s house looking for Tunes — he wants to question her about the murder. As Buck helps Tunes hide from the law he is confronted with other external conflicts: racial prejudice that takes the word of a white man over a black girl; punishment from his parents when he tries to help Tunes; suspicion from the sheriff that he might be involved in the crime when he lies about Tunes’ whereabouts. Internal conflicts Buck was never aware of also surface: his relationship with his parents deteriorates when they don’t stand up for Tunes, even though she was always like a daughter to them; Tunes puts up an invisible wall between herself and Buck, keeping information from him that will allow him to fully understand her predicament.

The ending of the book is bittersweet. The external conflict is resolved, though not to Buck’s satisfaction. He also comes to terms with his internal conflicts, but it’s not a traditional happy ending. As with many great young adult novels, not all loose ends are neatly tied up. This is a story about real life, and Buck learns that people are not perfect and sometimes prejudice is too big for one person to fight. He sees this time as the end of his childhood, a loss of innocence. He accepts this and moves on, and in doing so he grows.

When creating problems for your main characters, think along two lines. A big, external conflict that forms the plot and keeps the story moving, and an internal conflict that forces your character to change, reflecting the theme. This will give your story depth, and give your readers something to think about.

Laura Backes is the publisher of Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Writers. For more information about writing children's books, including free articles, market tips, insider secrets and much more, visit Children's Book Insider's home on the web at http://write4kids.com

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Family Storytelling

Storytelling is an effective way to build quality time together with members of your family. It is also a terrific way to collect family memories, lore and folktales to save and pass from generation to generation…

Through stories, you can convey love, care, and traditions that make your family unique. The best time to begin this activity is while the family is sitting down together or perhaps while taking a ride somewhere. Ask the family members to remember special adventures they have shared. Select one such adventure that everyone remembers well. Ask one of the family members to act as a recorder and write down the story as the others describe it. Or, use a tape recorder if more convenient. Tape recording can be fun, especially for the younger children. In this way, the actual voices and laughter are preserved on the tape.

Include plenty of time for remembering, summing up, and sharing the past. This can be repeated from time to time to add more information to the story or so the family can collect a series of family tales. Good times to do this are at family reunions, family holidays and visits with the grandchildren. Christmas is a time when many extended family members get together, so plan early to include this in your holiday merriment. A guide for storytelling can be helpful.

You don’t have to do this at special events, however. Anytime is a good time to share a story with someone in the family. Storytelling is a great way to tell a family member about yourself or to convey that you understand what they are going through. You may find the time is right when a family member is in similar situation as one that you have experienced. Or you may want to record some tales while just sitting around the kitchen table on a rainy or snowy day. Need some other story starters? Try these:

Life As A Baby

Where I was born; getting mother to the hospital; the kind of baby I was or you were; first words; favorite toys or games; how they got me (or you) to stop crying; how my name (or yours) was chosen; funny things I (or you) did.

Life As A Little One

First playmates; things feared or believed in; favorite things to do; first pets; favorite foods; first things such as walking and singing; funny things I did.

Life As A Student

First day of school; what I did at recess; best friends; favorite year or teacher in school; pranks or tricks; field trips; sports and games; plays and programs; favorite subject; worst subject; favorite books and faerie tales.

Life As A Young Person

Learning to do things like ride a bike or skate; a lesson I learned the hard way; sleeping over with friends; summer camp; camping out; getting lost; being away from home; good luck; bad luck; an embarrassing moment; a time I was brave; secret codes; a time I was most afraid; a time I felt proud.

Life As I Enter Adult-hood

Falling in love; getting my first job; learning to drive; taking a trip; cooking a meal; leaving home; moving to a new house; meeting a new neighbor; joining a new club or church; decorating my home; redecorating my home; having children.

Ancestor Folktales

I have an extensive collection of family folktales from the Texas Dust Country, that have survived the years. Although most of them are tales of colateral family lines, they are none-the-less interesting.

Every time you share a story you share a part of yourself that will never be forgotten. Why not start a new tradition and share a family folktale today?

This is Dubh Sidhe

Virginia Marin Original source: http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/folklore/28409

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