MWA University

I probably shouldn't post a blog today because it's a holiday and no one is probably reading me today. But, on the other hand, I don't have many steady readers to begin with so it probably doesn't matter that much.

As you know, I went to MWA University in Philadelphia last weekend and had a wonderful time. I learned so much and met so many wonderful people. It was well worth the time and effort.

Of the six sessions -- and all of them were great -- there were two that were particularly useful.

First thing in the morning was Jess Lourey, whose topic was What to do after the idea. Lourey, a writing and sociology professor in Minnesota and the author of the Murder-by-Month mystery series, takes the pyramid approach to writing a novel. Through six steps, she starts with a one-sentence summary of the novel, then works her way into an expanded paragraph summary, creating a character bible, sketching a setting, doing a second one paragraph summary, outling the novel and, finally, actually writing the book.

Sounds like a lot, and it is. But the great thing about all the sessions was the teachers reminded us that they were giving us 'tools, not rules.' Use what you can and throw out the rest.

I don't care for outlining, although during NaNoWriMo I do outline. But what I took most from her were steps one and three -- the one-sentence summary and the character bible. It reinforced that I must be able to describe my work in one sentence and must be able to do it from the beginning. And I will know and understand my characters best by listing all their traits so I won't be forced into having to remember them all.

The other session I found particularly helpful was on character and was taught by the very funny Reed Farrel Coleman, who I enjoyed so much I friended him later on Facebook.

Coleman, who apparently doesn't outline, he says character is arguably the most memorable element of a mystery novel. Crimes come and go but it's the characterizations readers remember most. As I think of novels I enjoy, particularly if they are part of a series, the characters are what I remember most, not the plot. I have read loads of Sherlock Holmes, lots of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, Sue Grafton, the late William F. Buckley's Blackford Oakes series, and others, And in most cases, characterization is what sticks out most.

Coleman said think of a character's most closely held and embarrassing secret. Even if it is never revealed, it helps the writer to understand the character and to write them with more depth, even if they are only minor characters. Of all the 20 Stephanie Plum novels, I only remember the plot in the third of the series. It is Stephanie, Lula, Joe, Ranger and all the others that I actually remember.

So there you have it. I wanted to write sooner but it's been a busy week.

Have a Happy Fourth of July everyone. And thanks for reading.