No matter what you’re looking to write, you’ll be well served by developing the skills to write coming of age stories. These are tales of firsts, from first love to finding a direction in life to realizing for the first time how the world works.

Below are the basic questions to consider when you’re writing a coming of age story of your own. Thinking about them deeply served them well when writing my YA novel Chasing Harmony and defining what was important for the main character and her arc. 

1. Who?

Most coming of age stories focus on one protagonist. Make sure it’s someone you’re interested in writing about for a whole book. Think about their demographics, interests, values, and goals. Who are they as a young person? What do they expect and aspire to grow into (and are these two things the same or different)? In what direction will they actually grow and change? These things should be interesting for you to write about, making them engaging for the reader, too. There is also, of course, the option of focusing on multiple characters, which requires a balancing act between storylines.

2. Where? 

The setting of your coming of age story is important in defining its character. If you’re writing about a young person growing up in a remote rural area (whether fictional or real), their concerns and experiences will differ from those of someone in a bustling metropolis. And the character’s interaction with the setting will say a lot about who they are, whether they embrace it, plot to escape it, or somewhere in between. If you’re crafting fiction, you’re at liberty to choose or invent your setting.  If you’re writing nonfiction, the setting is determined by your subject, and you might want to do background research to get the nuances right. (This is useful for fiction set in a real place, too, of course, and inspired by aspects of reality.)    

3. Why? 

Lots of things happen as we come of age, but a childhood does not automatically make a story arc. What is the thematic throughline of your story, the first or cluster of firsts that you are focusing on? This will drive the action and interactions of your plot. Maybe you want to focus on your character’s growth as an athlete, on their first successes and failures. Or perhaps you’re more interested in the first time your character lost a loved one, and their recovery from grief. These will be two very different stories. Sometimes a theme can help you determine and define the characters (the “who”). For other writers, it’s the other way around, with the characters emerging first and then revealing their thematic concerns.  

4. How? 

In a coming of age story, your character undergoes formative experiences and emerges changed. Think about what these experiences are like from their perspective, how they will alter your character, and what experiences will most effectively drive the changes you have in mind (or, if this is nonfiction, what real-life experiences were most impactful in changing the subject’s life). What’s hard for the character? What do they have to learn? How are they transformed by their experiences? The person they are at the end is usually somewhat unexpected, both to the protagonist on page 1 and to the reader. 

5. When? 

We discussed the setting above, and the time period is part of it: maybe your story is set today, maybe it’s set in the 1980s, or maybe it’s set in the 1800s. How well do you know your time period, and do you need to research to fill in the gaps? Another big aspect of “when” is the period of time that your story covers. I see this as one of the biggest questions to consider when writing a coming of age story: are you focusing on one pivotal summer in the character’s life, or following them all the way from early childhood to adolescence or adulthood? What time period matters most for the growth arc your story focuses on? Are there flashbacks or alternating timelines? Memory can be a powerful tool in coming of age narratives. Think about how wide or deep you want to go. What times matter most to your character? 

Hopefully, this has given you a few things to think about if you’re looking to write about coming of age. Most stories are about growth and change in some form, and coming of age stories take this focus up to 11. Have fun asking yourself these questions and creating a coming of age story of your own!

Melanie Bell is a Canadian multi-genre writer living in the UK. Her books include Chasing Harmony, Dream Signs, and The Modern Enneagram. She has written for several publications including Contrary, Cicada, The Fiddlehead, and Huffington Post. She loves music, art, and nature, and aspires to see as much of the world as she can. Connect with Melanie at InspireEnvisioning.com.

The post #5onFri: Five Things to Think About When Writing a Coming of Age Story appeared first on DIY MFA.

Have you signed up to be a DIY MFA Radio Insider yet? This is an exciting new monthly newsletter, especially for our podcast listeners. Every month, you’ll get an email from our podcast producer with recaps of the most recent episodes, a curated Listening List of episodes on a particular theme, and other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! The theme for July is Thriller, and you can become an insider by signing up with your email at diymfa.com/insiders.

In this episode Natalka Burian and Lori discuss:

• How to employ flashbacks effectively in your writing without overdoing it.
• Juggling multiple mysteries in one story while maintaining the intrigue of each.
• Using your readers’ drive to understand others as an engine for storytelling.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About Natalka Burian

Natalka Burian is the co-owner of two bars, Elsa and Ramona, as well as the co-founder of The Freya Project, a non-profit reading series that supports community-based activism and annually awards five unrestricted grants to further the work of women and non-binary writers. She is the author of three novels–her latest, The Night Shift, is out this summer with Park Row–and a cocktail book. Natalka grew up on a farm in Maryland but now lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters.

You can find her on her website or follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

The Night Shift 

Hidden behind back doors of bars and restaurants and theaters and shops all over New York City are shortcuts—secret passageways that allow you to jump through time and space to emerge in different parts of the city. No one knows where they came from, but there are rules—you can only travel through them one way, and only at night.

When Jean’s work friend Iggy introduces her to the shortcuts, it’s to help shorten her commute between her night shifts bartending and working at an upscale bakery. Jean is intrigued but has a hard time shaking the side effects—the shortcuts make her more talkative, more open to discussing her past and recalling memories she’s tried hard to forget.

When Iggy goes missing, Jean believes it’s related to the shortcuts and his growing obsession with them. But as she starts digging into their origins, she comes to find a shocking connection between herself and the shortcuts.

A shimmering, propulsive novel set in New York City during the early aughts and across time, The Night Shift shows that by confronting the past can we reshape our future. 

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link where, if you choose to purchase via the link, DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 418

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Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 418: Flashbacks, Time Travel, and Multiple Mysteries: Learning the Rules – Interview with Natalka Burian appeared first on DIY MFA.

negative, or flat arc. As your novel unfolds, your characters will “arc” from one place to another, undergoing some shift that leaves them meaningfully different from how they began.

However, I’d argue that this definition is missing something.

Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting with character arcs, and I’ve realized there’s another layer beyond the usual positive, negative, or flat arcs. These are what I like to call secondary character arcs, which are specialized character arcs based on common journeys like coming of age or redemption. These universal stories are flexible enough to apply to a wide range of characters, but also provide a more detailed blueprint for planning your cast.

Though there are about a dozen secondary character arcs in total, here are five of my favorites!

1. The Hero’s Arc

Based on The Hero’s Journey, the hero’s arc follows your character as they set out into the unknown, face tests and trials, and eventually gain some reward. This reward might be new tools, skills, or allies, but whatever it is, it’s the key to protecting their community. With this key in hand, the hero will then return home, sharing their reward and thus resolving the conflict of their story.

The hero’s arc looks something like this:

• With their community under threat, the hero leaves home (literally or metaphorically) in search of a solution.
• They face a series of trials that teach them about their world, allowing them to earn some reward.
• Realizing this reward can help their community, they return home to face their story’s conflict.
• Finally, they end their arc at peace, acting as a bridge between their community and the outside world.

It’s this return that sets the hero apart from other characters, because it demands they sacrifice some of their own desires in order to better their society. In doing so, they not only grow as a character, but also earn the title of hero!

Example: Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon, who starts as a timid runt, masters the world of dragons, and then uses that mastery to save his people from destruction.

2. The Heroine’s Arc

The heroine’s arc is a mirror of the hero’s arc, with one important twist: while the hero sets out in search of physical mastery over their world, the heroine is searching for their true self.

This heroine’s arc is based on the work of Maureen Murdock. In her book, appropriately titled The Heroine’s Journey, she outlines an alternative to Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, focused on a character discovering their identity and—through it—some truth about their world.

The heroine’s arc looks something like this:

• With their community under threat, the heroine leaves home (literally or metaphorically) in search of a solution.
• They face a series of trials that teach them about themselves, allowing them to discover some truth about who they are.
• Realizing this wisdom can help their community, they return home to face their story’s conflict.
• Finally, they end their arc at peace, acting as a bridge between their community and the outside world.

As you can see, this closely matches the hero’s arc, but with a more internal focus. Rather than gaining a physical reward, the heroine instead gains a deeper connection with themselves, and thus the wisdom needed to achieve their goals.

Example: Moana from Disney’s Moana, who starts out searching for her true ancestry, discovers her people’s connection to the ocean, and then uses that wisdom to save her tribe from destruction.

3. The Coming of Age Arc

Next, the coming of age arc is exactly what it sounds like. This is a journey all about a character’s transition from dependent child to independent adult. As your character leaves the safety of their guardians behind, they’ll have to learn to survive on their own, face the consequences of independence, and eventually earn their place in their new adult world.

The coming of age arc looks something like this:

• Straining beneath the restrictions of childhood, the child ventures out in search of independence.
• Though they struggle to gain respect at first, they eventually prove they’re capable of standing alone.
• Of course, adulthood isn’t all benefits. The child will face a final test, leading them to sacrifice something in exchange for freedom.
• Now a full member of the adult world, the child is free to chart their own path.

With that said, this arc isn’t restricted to literal children. Any character who struggles to gain their independence can follow this arc, regardless of their age!

Example: Rose from Titanic starts out trapped under the thumb of her fiancé, embraces the freedom of life below deck, and then rejects her fiancé’s control—even as doing so risks her own life.

4. The Hermit’s Arc

Often the domain of anti-heroes and other less “traditional” characters, the hermit’s arc is about reintegrating into society. These are characters who have been driven from their communities by some past event, and must now undergo the difficult process of returning to their old world. To do so, they’ll have to forgive their wounds and eventually find a new place in their society.

The hermit’s arc looks something like this:

• Though they start out isolated, the hermit is dragged back into their old world when someone comes to them for help.
• Slowly, the hermit develops a renewed connection to their community.
• Forced to face their wounds, the hermit decides to forgive the past and fully embrace these new relationships.
• Now a full member of their society, the hermit settles into life among their community.

Often found in westerns, thrillers, and crime novels, the hermit is definitely my favorite secondary arc!

Example: Rick Blaine from Casablanca, who starts out emotionally isolated from his world, slowly learns to fight for a greater cause, and eventually overcomes his anger to protect the people he cares about.

5. The Redemption Arc

Last but not least, the redemption arc is all about forgiveness. Unlike the other secondary arcs on this list, this arc begins with a character that’s detrimental to their world. They’re destructive and dangerous, and so their journey is about recognizing the harm they’ve caused, atoning for the past, and earning their world’s forgiveness.

The redemption arc looks something like this:

• Unaware of how destructive they are, the character sets out in pursuit of some goal.
• In doing so, they’re exposed to new people and perspectives, and slowly realize their actions are harmful.
• After much internal conflict, they accept that they were wrong, and set out to make things right.
• Finally, they earn the forgiveness of those they’ve previously hurt, completing their redemption.

It’s this balance of repentance and forgiveness that really makes this arc work. By having your character truly repent for their actions and gain the forgiveness of others, it’ll be much easier to convince readers that their transformation is genuine.

Example: Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender, who starts out as the violent prince of a warring nation, realizes the destruction his family has caused, and then dedicates his life to fighting for peace.

All told, these secondary character arcs open a lot of exciting possibilities for us as writers. No matter what type of story you’re creating, I hope these journeys inspire you with new ways to power up your cast!

Tell us in the comments: Do you plan to use any of these secondary character arcs? Which one is your favorite?

Lewis Jorstad is an author and developmental editor who helps up-and-coming writers hone their writing craft over at  The Novel Smithy. When he isn’t working on the next book in his Writer’s Craft series, you can find him playing old Gameboy games and sailing somewhere around the eastern half of the US. You can also check out his free ebook, The Character Creation Workbook, and grab a copy for yourself! You can also follow him on Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram.

The post #5onFri: Five Secondary Character Arcs to Strengthen Your Cast appeared first on DIY MFA.

Elizabeth’s stories and essays have appeared in The Idaho Review, The Rumpus, PANK, and elsewhere, and have received numerous Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominations. She is also a regular contributor to Ploughshares Blog. Her debut novel Mona at Sea was a finalist in the 2019 SFWP Literary Awards judged by Carmen Maria Machado, and is out now. We’ll be discussing her book and her writing process in today’s interview.

In this episode Elizabeth and I discuss:

• How she wrote about an unemployed character in an interesting and refreshing way.
• The importance of assembling a good critique group and reading good craft books.
• Why persistence and patience are major parts of the publishing journey.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About Elizabeth Gonzalez James

Elizabeth Gonzalez James’s stories and essays have appeared in The Idaho Review, The Rumpus, PANK, and elsewhere, and have received numerous Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominations. She is also a regular contributor to Ploughshares Blog. Her debut novel Mona at Sea was a finalist in the 2019 SFWP Literary Awards judged by Carmen Maria Machado, and is available now anywhere books are sold.

You can find Elizabeth on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Here is the list of writing books that Elizabeth recommends during her interview:

• On Writing by Stephen King
• The Art and Craft of Novel Writing by Oakley Hall
• The Art of Subtext: Beyond Plot by Charles Baxter

Here are the books by former teachers that Elizabeth references during her interview: 

• Middle Men: Stories by Jim Gavin
• A Master Plan for Rescue: A Novel by Janis Cooke Newman

Mona at the Sea

A darkly funny coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of the Great Recession that takes the audience on a wild journey through a strange, uncertain modern America. For fans of Chloe Caldwell’s I’ll Tell You in Person and Ottessa Moshfegh’s My Year of Rest and Relaxation.

Mona Mireles is a quintessential overachiever: a former spelling bee champion and valedictorian of her college class, she has a sterling résumé and a wall of plaques and medals in her bedroom that stretches floor to ceiling. She’s also broke, unemployed, back at home with her parents, and completely adrift in life and love. 

Mona is seven months out of college and desperately trying to reassemble the pieces of her life after the Wall Street job she had waiting for her post-graduation dissolves in the wake of the Great Recession. When her reaction to losing her job goes viral and she is publicly branded the “Sad Millennial,” Mona begins a downward spiral into self-pity, bitterness, and late-night drunken binges on cat videos. Mona’s the sort who says exactly the right thing at absolutely the wrong moments, seeing the world through a cynic’s eyes. 

Set in suburban Tucson amid the financial and social malaise of the early 2000s, 23-year-old Mona must not only find a job, but quickly learn to navigate the complexities of adult relationships within the black hole of her parents’ shattering marriage. 

At her mother’s urging, Mona grudgingly joins a support group for job seekers, and slowly begins to see that all is not lost, and that perhaps losing the job on Wall Street was a blessing in disguise. She might even learn what it is she finds meaningful in life. The question is: Will she be brave enough to go after it?

If you decide to check out any of the books on this page, we hope you’ll do so via the Amazon affiliate links provided, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 376

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 376: Persistence and Publishing, a Debut Author’s Story – Interview with Elizabeth Gonzalez James appeared first on DIY MFA.

Sharon is the author of the new novel Half, which has received accolades from places like Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Foreword Reviews, and the New York Journal of Books. She earned her a B.A. from Barnard College and an MFA in Creative Writing from Pacific University. She is also the author of the memoir Playing with Dynamite and she teaches at WriterHouse in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she lives with her family.

In this episode Sharon and I discuss:

• What it means to come of age and how her novel Half addresses that.
• Why it is important to assess what type of point of view to use for a project.
• How to use voice as a bridge between the writer and the reader.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About Sharon Harrigan

Sharon Harrigan is the author of the new novel Half. She has a B.A. from Barnard College and an MFA in Creative Writing from Pacific University. She is also the author of the memoir Playing with Dynamite. She teaches at WriterHouse in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she lives with her family.

You can find Sharon on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Check out Sharon’s essay, “Changing Me to We.”

Half

Growing up, identical twins Paula and Artis speak in one voice—until they can’t. After years apart, with lives, partners, and children of their own, they are reunited on the occasion of their father’s funeral. Seeking to repair the damage wrought upon their relationship by outside forces, the twins retrace their early lives to uncover what happened—but risk unraveling their carefully constructed cocoons.

Written in spare,lyrical prose, Half is an achingly beautiful story of intimacy and loss, revealing the complexity—and cost—of sharing your life entirely with someone else. Sharon Harrigan deftly explores how fierce love can also be the very thing that leads to heartbreak and betrayal.

Suggested Reading on the We Voice

Weightless: A Novel by Sarah Bannan

The Fates Will Find Their Way by Hannah Pittard

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Diaz

We the Animals by Justin Torres

A Reunion of Ghosts by Judith Claire Mitchell

And Then We Came to an End by Joshua Ferris

The Committee on Town Happiness by Alan Michael Parker

If you decide to check out the books mentioned in this post, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 344

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 344: A Deep Dive into Point of View – Interview with Sharon Harrigan appeared first on DIY MFA.