Thus, the inciting incident will be our focus for today’s installment of Developing Themes In Your Stories. This post also features brainstorming and writing activities that can help at any stage of the writing process.

What Is the Inciting Incident?

In Part 1 of this series, we focused on how a character’s arc can reflect literary themes. We also touched on the inciting incident (i.e., the arc “trigger”), but never delved into specifics. Let’s do that now by identifying the components of the inciting incident:

• It occurs during the story’s Act I, usually around the 10% mark.
• It launches the story by drawing the protagonist into the external conflict.
• The protagonist and his/her world are introduced as or before this event occurs.
• Another character, an organization, or other outside influence is responsible for setting this event in motion.

Keep in mind that these four essentials only define what an inciting incident is. In order to find possible literary themes, we have to dig deeper and make the event personal for the protagonist. For now, let’s introduce the two examples of inciting incidents that we’ll follow during this post:

Garth Nix’s Sabriel: Sabriel is confronted by an undead creature that carries a bundle. She enters the realm of Death to retrieve the bundle and finds the tools her father uses as an Abhorsen (i.e., a necromancer). Thus, Sabriel learns that her father is either alive and trapped in Death, or possibly dead.

Andy Weir’s The Martian: In a computer log entry, astronaut Mark Watney reports that he’s stranded on Mars after a dust storm forces his crew to evacuate the planet – and leave Mark behind when he’s struck by debris.

Strike Your Character Where It Hurts Most – The Soul

In order for an inciting incident to succeed, it needs to tug at the protagonist’s emotions. The most effective inciting incidents threaten a character’s home, loved ones, dreams for the future , even his own survival. These and other scenarios threaten something that the protagonist holds dear – and that threat is going to hurt.

This shakeup will be inextricably linked to the story’s themes. As we discussed here, the protagonist should emotionally invested in the plot’s outcome. The best way of ensuring this is by tying his fears and desires to the external conflict. This will give him a goal to work toward, since he cares about the results of reaching that goal and the consequences of failing to achieve it. Any ideas or concepts arising from this shakeup will most likely grow into themes as the story continues.

So, when crafting your inciting incident, consider the protagonist carefully. What does he care about? What is his greatest fear? Does he have a false belief about himself or the world at large? Then, imagine what would happen if the protagonist’s worst fear came true, or if he lost the things he cares about most. How would his life change in unexpected or undesirable ways?

If you need some guidance, here’s how our two sample inciting incidents tug at each protagonist’s soul:

Sabriel: The event threatens Sabriel’s father. If Sabriel loses him, she’ll lose all that’s left of her family and her only mentor for her future role as Abhorsen.

The Martian: The event threatens Mark’s survival. Without enough food, oxygen, communication with NASA, or a rescue / escape plan, he could (in his own words) become the “the only human being to have died on Mars.”

Activity #1: Take a new story idea or your current WIP, and brainstorm your protagonist’s fears, desires, and other values. How would the character’s life change in undesirable ways if his worst fear became reality? Or if he lost the people or objects he cherishes most? What kind(s) of inciting incidents could rise out of these scenarios?

Force the Protagonist to React to the Inciting Incident

Remember Newton’s third law, “For every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction”? If the inciting incident hits the protagonist where it hurts most, it should provoke an equally strong reaction from him. He doesn’t have to do something about it right now, but he’ll be overwhelmed with thoughts and feelings now that one of his fears has been triggered.

Again, put yourself in the protagonist’s shoes and gauge his reaction to the inciting incident. What emotions does he feel? What is he thinking at this moment? These nuances can reveal more layers to the protagonist’s dilemma and provide additional insight into possible literary themes.

In some cases, the inciting incident might force the protagonist to make a decision. Don’t resist this if it happens in your story. Let the protagonist’s emotions, thoughts, and other details guide him (and you) in making that decision and establishing his initial goal. It’s still part of the character’s reaction, and it can shed even more light on the story’s themes.

Let’s go back to our examples and see each protagonist’s reaction:

Sabriel: Sabriel picks up her father’s sword and bandolier and decides to travel into the Old Kingdom to find out what happened to her father. She makes this decision because she realizes she might be the only person who can save him. She also wonders what could have trapped her father in Death, and whether she can remedy it despite her limited Abhorsen training.

The Martian: In his log entry, Mark recounts the crew’s decision to evacuate, the moment he was separated from them, and how he managed to return to the Hab. He also speculates how his family and the rest of Earth are reacting to the news of his “death” and the various ways he might truly die on Mars. Unlike Sabriel, Mark doesn’t make an immediate decision about his situation, putting it off until the next morning / log entry.

Activity #2: Choose one of the inciting incidents from Activity #1, and free-write about your protagonist’s reaction to it. What thoughts, emotions, and physiological responses does he experience? Does he make an immediate decision about his circumstances, or does he postpone it for later? Feel free to answer these questions for the other inciting incidents, too.

Deduce Your Story’s Themes From There

See all the groundwork you’ve laid for your story’s beginning? Not only do you have at least one possible inciting incident, but you also know how it affects your protagonist. Now you can apply DIY MFA’s working definition of “theme” to that groundwork and identify the high-level concepts that emerge.

Review what you’ve brainstormed so far for your inciting incident. What ideas are touched on through the fears and desires connected to this event? Do other values or concepts arise from the protagonist’s reaction? Most of all, what could the protagonist learn because of the journey that has now been launched? Some themes will be easy to spot, so don’t be alarmed if you need to think outside the box to find others.

Below are some of the themes that surface from our two examples. Do you have any to add to either list?

Sabriel: Family, mortality, coming of age, loss, the supernatural

The Martian: Man versus nature, mortality, isolation, home, fear

Activity #3: Using your answers to Activities #1 and #2, determine the high-level ideas or concepts that rise out of the inciting incident(s). Consider every angle of how the event affects the protagonist, from his fears and dreams to his reaction to the event. List any possible themes you find as a result.

The protagonist isn’t the only character we can turn to for literary themes. Come back in July for our next installment of Developing Themes In Your Stories, where we’ll focus on the antagonist.

What are some topics you’d like to see featured at Theme: A Story’s Soul? Share your thoughts by commenting below or tweeting me at @SaraL_Writer with the hashtag #AStorysSoul.

Sara Letourneau is a Massachusetts-based writer who practices joy and versatility in her work. In addition to writing for DIY MFA, she’s revising a YA fantasy novel and reviewing tea for A Bibliophile’s Reverie. Her poetry has appeared in The Curry Arts Journal, Soul-Lit, The Eunoia Review, Underground Voices, and two anthologies. Learn more about Sara at her personal blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

The post Developing Themes In Your Stories: Part 6 – The Inciting Incident appeared first on DIY MFA.

In this episode, I’m thrilled to interview debut author Susannah Marren. She and I talk about her process for writing her debut novel, her inspiration and the different thematic elements in her writing Get ready to be inspired by this lovely interview.

Susannah is originally from Long Beach Island, New Jersey. She currently lives in Manhattan with her family and still spends her summers on the Jersey Shore. Between the Tides is her first novel.

In this episode Susannah Marren and I discuss:

• What inspired her to write Between the Tides.
• Different thematic elements in her writing.
• The most enjoyable and most challenging parts of being a writer.
• How knowing the ending can drive your story forward.
• How to let your experience inform your writing.
• What the publishing process looks like for a debut author.

Plus, Susannah’s #1 tip for writers!

“It’s only when we write that we really feel whole.” @susannahmarren
Tweet this.

Resources:

To learn more about Susannah Marren and Between the Tides, you can follow her on Facebook and Twitter, or visit her website. Also, to celebrate her book’s release this Susannah will be appearing at several places this summer and fall. If you’re in the area, please come out and support this wonderful debut author!

Look for Susannah in New Jersey on these dates:

• July 23 at 7 p.m. – Ocean County Library/Toms River Branch at 101 Washington Street in Tom’s River.
  For more information, call 732-349-6201, ext. 5912
• July 25 at 6 p.m. – Tuckers Restaurant at 101 South West Avenue in Beach Haven, NJ.
• August 6 at 6 p.m. – Cape May Courthouse Public Library at 30 Mechanic Street in Cape May, NJ.
  For more information call 609-463-6350
• August 10 at 7 p.m. – Ocean County Library/Long Beach Island Branch at 217 S. Central Avenue in Surf City, NJ. For more information call 609-494-2480
• September 28 at 7 p.m. at the Middletown Township Public Library at 55 New Monmouth Rd. in Middletown.
  For more information call 732-671-3700
• October 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Collingswood Book Festival at 454 Center Street in Collingswood, NJ.

Or come meet her in the tri-state area and beyond on these dates:

• July 21 at 6 p.m. Collette Consignment at 10 main Street in Southampton, NY.
  For more info call 212-348-9800
• July 22 at 7 p.m. at Chappaqua Public Library at 195 South Greely Avenue in Chappaqua, NY.
  For more info call 914-238-4779, ext. 19
• July 30 at 7 p.m. at RJ Julia Booksellers at 768 Boston Post Road in Madison, CT.
  For more info call 203-245-3959
• August 8 at 5 p.m. at East Hampton Liobrary at 159 Main Street in East Hampton, NY for Author’s Night.
• September 2 at 7 p.m. at Chester County Book Company at 967 Paoli Pike in West Chester, PA.
  For more info call 610-696-1661
• September 16 at 6 p.m. at Liderkranz Club at 6 E. 87th Street in New York.
  For more information call 212-534-0880
• December 10 at 2:30 p.m. at Society of the Four Arts at 240 Cocoanut Row in Palm Beach, FL.
  For more info call 561-659-8519

(Right-click to download.)

Reminder: Writer Igniter Con (#WICon2015) is Coming!

The DIY MFA online conference–Writer Igniter Con–is October 24-25 and it will be here before you know it. If you’re looking for a conference where you can learn from top-notch teachers, hear from agents and industry pros, and not even need to travel… we’ve got you covered.

Go here to learn more about Writer Igniter Con or to register.

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available. Also, if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please share!

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome.

The post Episode 52: The Debut Author’s Life – Interview with Susannah Marren appeared first on DIY MFA.

Like with the previous installments, this post features brainstorming and writing activities you can work on during any point in the writing process. Even if you’re still in the planning stages, these exercises can help you recognize your story’s themes before you start drafting.

How Does External Conflict Affect a Character’s Internal Journey?

External conflict plays a crucial role in a protagonist’s internal journey. It can catalyze the plot that sends the character on his ride, and can mirror or contrast his personal struggles. That’s why our working definition of “theme” includes external conflict. Its impact on the protagonist – and on readers – reflects some of the themes delivered in the story.

If you need a second angle on the subject, consider exploring a “what if” scenario. For example, what if your story’s external conflict had never occurred? It’s likely that the plot’s events and the character’s internal journey also wouldn’t have happened. Therefore, external conflict isn’t just important to the story – it’s mandatory. And, these “what if” scenarios are one of a couple ways we can glean external themes (themes from the external conflict) from the stories we write.

You’ll want to prepare a premise sentence, or an outline or general idea of your story, before doing today’s activities. Head over to “Developing Themes In Your Stories: Part 2 – The Premise” to learn how to craft a premise that includes the internal and external conflicts.

What If the External Conflict Had Never Happened?

Once you have your premise sentence and have identified the external conflict and internal journey (a.k.a. internal conflict), ask yourself, “What if the external conflict had never happened?” Then, consider how your protagonist and his circumstances would be different. Would he have faced the same obstacles or hardships? Would he have still fought for his goals and learned the same lessons?

We’ll explain how these “what if” scenarios reveal literary themes in the next section. For now, here are examples from three published novels to get you started:

• Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone: What if the chimera and the seraphim weren’t at war? Would Madrigal (a demon) and Akiva (an angel) have met and fallen in love? Would anyone have dared to dream of peace between the two races?
• Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief: What if the story didn’t take place in WWII-era Germany? Would the Hubermann family’s decision to hide a Jewish man in their basement have still been considered a crime? Would Liesel have lost her birth family and been forced to move into a foster home?
• Cormac McCarthy’s The Road: What if civilization and most life on Earth hadn’t been destroyed by an apocalyptic disaster? Would the unnamed father and his young son still struggle to survive every day? How would their relationship be different?

Activity #1: Create a “what if” scenario(s) for your story. Ask yourself how your protagonist, his circumstances, and his world at large would be different if the external conflict hadn’t happened. Feel free to pose as many questions and imagine as many possibilities as you’d like. You may also practice this exercise with novels you’ve read before doing it with your own stories.

What Lessons Would Be Lost Instead of Gained?

Oddly enough, some of your story’s external themes already shine through in the “what if” scenario you created. The key to finding those themes is using a “backwards” approach. Instead of looking for what lessons or high-level concepts would be learned or gained, you’re looking for what would be lost or never achieved. This emphasizes not only how the external conflict influences the internal journey, but also why the story is important to begin with.

Carefully study your “what if” scenario. What ideas would be lost if the story never took place? What lessons would the character never learn because his internal journey hadn’t been triggered? Some potential themes will be directly stated in your scenario; others might take a little digging before they’re clear.

Below are some themes unearthed from the sample “what if” scenarios in Activity #1. Maybe you’ll see other themes I may have missed:

• Daughter of Smoke and Bone: war, peace, hope, love
• The Book Thief: war, compassion, loss, family
• The Road: mortality, family, isolation, resourcefulness

Activity #2: Using the “what if” scenario(s) created in Activity #1, look for possible lessons or ideas the protagonist would never learn if the external conflict never took place. Consider how the character or his world at large would fail to change as a result. List any possible themes you discover when you’re done.

What Are the Potential Results or Consequences?

In addition to “what if” scenarios, the results of the protagonist’s actions can reflect external themes. The character’s successes and failures, as well as the reasons for and consequences of his attempts, often impact or are impacted by the external conflict. And, the themes expressed in these actions and results frequently mirror the same themes you’d find in a “what if” scenario, and perhaps introduce new ones.

Think of it this way. Something has to motivate the character for him to react to – or even launch – the external conflict. Maybe Hero A rebels against the government because he believes its leaders abuse their authority. Or, maybe Hero B volunteers to give a bone marrow transplant so his best friend can beat cancer. The reasons for these actions (injustice and friendship, respectively) are possible literary themes.

What about the results? Perhaps Hero A joins other rebels and leads an uprising that topples the government. Depending on the details, some themes that could rise from those results are power, sacrifice, and loyalty. As for Hero B, perhaps his friend dies despite the bone marrow transplant. Again, depending on specifics, this ending could reflect themes like mortality, courage, and love.

Activity #3: Consider your protagonist’s actions in regards to the external conflict. What does that character do? Why does he attempt these actions? What is the outcome of each action? See if you can pin down specific concepts that act as motivators, reasons, or results / consequences, and write them down. When you’re done, compare your new list of possible external themes to the list you created in Activity #2.

We’ve got one more way of helping you nurture literary themes in your stories. Come back in August for Part 4 of this series, when we’ll focus on using dialogue to demonstrate theme.

What are some topics you’d like to see featured at Theme: A Story’s Soul? Share your thoughts by commenting below or tweeting me at @SaraL_Writer with the hashtag #AStorysSoul.

…………….

Sara Letourneau is a Massachusetts-based writer who practices joy and versatility in her work. In addition to writing a fantasy novel, she reviews tea at A Bibliophile’s Reverie and is a guest contributor for Grub Street Daily. She’s also a published poet whose works have appeared in The Curry Arts Journal, Soul-Lit, The Eunoia Review, Underground Voices, and two anthologies. Learn more about Sara at her personal blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

The post Developing Themes In Your Stories: Part 3 – The External Conflict appeared first on DIY MFA.

That’s the purpose of Developing Themes In Your Stories, a four-part series on consciously nurturing themes in your writing. We’ll look at how themes rise naturally out of different story elements, and give you activities to help you discover your story’s themes as early as the planning stages. That way, you’ll know your themes upfront instead of digging for them later.

We’ll kick off this series with the character arc, one of storytelling’s most inspiring elements.

Start With Your Protagonist

Remember how our working definition of theme ties the protagonist’s internal journey to the external plot? Goals, worries, lessons – writers use these and other details to demonstrate a character’s arc and, therefore, theme. To create that kind of connection in your own work, you need to start with the character.

Before diving into your story, figure out everything you should know about your protagonist. Not just appearance, personality and skills, but also vulnerabilities. What are her fears and flaws? Is she hiding any secrets? Most importantly, how does she see herself and the world? (I’ll explain in the next section why your character’s perceptions are crucial in your search for themes.)

Also consider your protagonist’s past. What was her childhood like? What were some of her happiest, lowest, and most embarrassing moments? Did she experience trauma with her health, family, friendships, etc.?

This prep work might seem tedious, or maybe you’ll find it fun. Regardless, it’s an essential first step in writing a compelling story with powerful themes.

Activity #1: Free-write for 30 minutes about your protagonist. Explore angles of his or her past (childhood, traumatic experiences), present (positive attributes, flaws, perceptions), and future (goals, desires). If you need a starting point, check out these suggestions from Writer’s Digest and Writer Unboxed as well as this character traits and flaws online thesaurus at Writers Helping Writers.

Probe for False Beliefs

Here’s why it’s important to know your protagonist’s vulnerabilities, especially her perceptions: Most characters carry “false beliefs,” or untruths that the character has been conditioned to believe are true about herself or the world. As Angela Ackerman explains here, false beliefs often rise out of traumatic experiences or emotional wounds. They can then taint a character’s worldview and cause her to change her behavior so she can avoid being hurt in the same way again.

This applies to real people as well as fictional characters. We all suffer from false beliefs, or have suffered from them in the past. We might think we’re unlovable, deserving of our pain, or that people can’t be trusted; and we hold onto those lies for years, even decades.

Despite our warped perceptions, other people usually don’t see us the way we see ourselves. Likewise, you probably won’t share your protagonist’s false beliefs about herself or the world. In fact, you might have already known that her warped perceptions are untrue. Keep that in mind for this next activity, and as this article continues.

Activity #2: Create a four-column table on a new page or document, and label the first column as “False Belief(s).” Using the free-writing exercise from Activity #1, write down at least one false belief your character has about herself or the world. You’ll recognize a false belief when you know instinctively that your protagonist is wrong.

Determine Your Character’s Arc and Possible Themes

Now that you know your protagonist’s false beliefs, here’s your challenge as the writer: What if you had a chance to proveyour protagonist wrong and make her change how she thinks about herself? This act of letting go of a false belief is your character’s arc and the source of your story’s themes.

Think about what happens when we let go of untruths or doubts. We’re often changed for the better. Before that can happen, something must cause us to question our false belief. That’s where the journey to letting go of that belief begins.

So, from a thematic standpoint, the character arc should reverse a character’s false belief. If Protagonist A considers herself a poor leader (false belief), she should learn that she actually does have what it takes to lead (reversal / arc). Or, if Protagonist B thinks avenging her friend’s death will bring her peace (false belief), she should instead realize the consequences of her decision (reversal / arc).

And what about theme? Since themes can be lessons learned by the protagonist, we can say that character arc themes are lessons that the character learns when letting go of false beliefs. For example, when Protagonist A realizes she’s a good leader, she discovers more about who she is (identity) and possibly power or courage. When Protagonist B changes her mind about vengeance, she might learn about compassion and choices. All of these concepts are possible themes in each story.

Activity #3: In your four-column table, label the second column as “Reversal / Character Arc” and the third one as “Themes / Lessons Learned.” Then, for each false belief, write down its reversal and any possible themes in their respective columns. If you struggle with themes, ask yourself what you might learn if you experienced the same situation.

Build Your Plot Around a Trigger

I mentioned in the previous section that a significant event often forces us (or our character) to question our false beliefs. This is the “trigger” for your character arc. It occurs early in the story, and can be out of your character’s control (e.g., political / outside circumstances, another character’s decision or actions) or voluntary (e.g., your character’s decision or action). Regardless, the trigger is the catalyst for the journey your character will take where she’ll learn to let go of her false belief.

Let’s imagine possible triggers for Protagonists A and B. If Protagonist A’s false belief is a lack of leadership qualities, maybe she could be assigned to oversee a mission abroad or an espionage operation. If Protagonist B’s false belief is that avenging her friend’s death will bring her peace, maybe she could be forced to work with her friend’s killer. Wouldn’t either arc make an awesome story?

Once you determine the trigger, you can start building the plot. What obstacles or outside forces will your protagonist face? Which supporting characters will help her reach her goal or clash with her? What settings, objects, and other elements will play important roles? Remember that the key is to show your character’s growth from beginning to end. And once you’re ready to start writing, you might be surprised with how well everything knits together – and relieved to know your themes.

How about one last example that shows character arc themes through the steps we’ve discussed? Let’s use Tris Prior from the Divergent Trilogy:

• False Belief: When Divergent begins, Tris views herself as weak.
• Trigger: Tris takes her faction aptitude test and, upon learning she’s a Divergent and isn’t a perfect fit for any faction, chooses to switch from Abnegation to Dauntless.
• Plot / Character Arc: Tris’s initiation into Dauntless tests her physical and emotional strength in numerous ways, yet she passes thanks to her gutsy determination.
• Reversal / Themes: Tris proves to her new faction – and to herself – that she’s stronger than she had realized, which gives her a new sense of identity and personal power.

Activity #4: Label the last column in your table as “Possible Triggers.” Then, using your results from Activities #2 and #3, brainstorm possible triggers that can jump-start your character’s arc. From there, decide which thread of false beliefs, reversals, themes, and triggers you want to explore. Now you’re ready to write!

Character arcs aren’t the only method for developing themes in your work. Come back in June for Part 2 of this series, when we’ll discuss themes that rise out of your story’s premise.

What are some topics you’d like to see featured at Theme: A Story’s Soul? Share your thoughts by commenting below or tweeting me at @SaraL_Writer with the hashtag #AStorysSoul.

…………….

Sara Letourneau is a Massachusetts-based writer who practices joy and versatility in her work. In addition to writing a fantasy novel, she reviews tea at A Bibliophile’s Reverie and is a guest contributor for Grub Street Daily. She’s also a published poet whose works have appeared in The Curry Arts Journal, Soul-Lit, The Eunoia Review, Underground Voices, and two anthologies. Learn more about Sara at her personal blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

The post Developing Themes In Your Stories: Part 1 – The Character Arc appeared first on DIY MFA.