BREAK INTO FICTION :11 Steps to Building a Story that Sells
A nonfiction book on how to create a novel using YOUR story in the worksheets
-- by Mary Buckham and Dianna Love.
REVIEW for BREAK INTO FICTION:
Jon Franklin, author of Writing for Story and a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner :
"These writers know their business, and what's more, know how to explain it. Break into Fiction is solidly grounded in storytelling fundamentals but then goes much farther into the practical detail that determines whether your book will bring a check or a rejection slip. Altogether, it's one of the most useful writing books I've seen for a very long time.
From the foreword of BREAK INTO FICTION by #1 NYT best seller Sherrilyn Kenyon (she is a panster - does not plot):
"What I love about the programs that Mary and Dianna teach nationally is that their intent is not to convert pansters to be plotters, but to give both types of writers tools for breaking through writer's block or finding a plot hole or shoring up a sagging middle."
THE INTERVIEW:
ML: BREAK INTO FICTION: 11 Steps to Building a Story that Sells came out this month. How did you two meet and what prompted you to write this book?
D.L.: Mary and I met at a conference where we'd been invited to speak on the same panel. We hit it off immediately and realized we both had an analytical approach to craft where we studied what made a book or movie successful and what did not work in stories. The Power Plotting program included in our new BREAK INTO FICTION book was a labor of love as much as anything else. As fairly new authors (I didn't start writing my first sentence until 2001), we understood how many tombs of reference books and hours of workshops it took just to get the basics down-- because we both had those walls of books and had attended hundreds of hours of workshops to develop our craft. We believed there was an easier way to learn how to create a novel...and there is. We taught private retreats nationally for the last several years, but our speaking and writing schedules have gotten too busy to do as many now so we decided the best solution would be to put the BREAK INTO FICTION Power Plotting program into a book.
M.B.: When you find another writer who challenges you to think bigger, work harder and dig deeper into the craft of writing, it's a dream come true. After we met, Dianna and I worked on not only analyzing other stories, but on challenging each other on our own stories and we realized not only how fun it was, but how liberating. We also realized that not every writer can find another to challenge them, so part of the premise behind the BREAK INTO FICTION book is to afford any writer, at any stage in their writing process, to look and think about their own stories in a fresh and different way.
M.L.: Will this book help all writers or only plotters?
D.L.: We've taught new writers, multi-published mass market writers and a Pulitzer Prize winner who were plotters and pantsers (writers who write by the seat of their pants). Plotters like to figure out the key elements in their story so they know they aren't going to run wild on rabbit paths while writing. Pantsers like to let the story reveal itself through stream-of-conscience writing and consider revising or rewriting a large amount of pages part of the process. BOTH are correct ways to write. Using our book, a plotter can figure out their key elements and twist points in advance to assure their characters and plot are arcing to a strong finish. Pansters answer the same questions in our book during their revision process to find weak spots or plot holes.
M.B.: One of the most exciting elements we discovered when teaching our live BREAK INTO FICTION plotting retreats was to see how writers could step away from narrow definitions of HOW to write a book and embrace a larger concept of understanding the structure behind commercial fiction. Doing this liberated them to know how to write their book and not worry about the process. Pantsers discovered a more efficient way of creating a strong story structure without feeling constrained or limited as well as having a tool to let them know if they've veered off track from their main story during the revision process. Plotters have a solid road map that they work step by step through their story in a systematic and consistent way.
M.L.: What are the most common mistakes you ran across in working with both published and unpublished [writers] in your Power Plotting retreats?
D.L.: We found it interesting that so many writers miss the same things in the early stages of creating their stories. The sagging middle is one, which is fixed by understanding twist points that is covered in our plotting worksheets. A big issue is the lack of rising stakes -- give the reader a good reason to worry about what happens next. At the root of so many of these craft problems is poor motivation -- the character is only reacting, as opposed to acting, or the character is performing an action because the "writer" needs that to happen at the point and hasn't set up a good reason for that action. These are all things that pull a reader off the ride once they are into the story -- the reader puts the book down. Another thing we found was terminology confusion. Mary and I listen to writers when we teach. We take their feedback and improve a program. While creating our current BREAK INTO FICTION book, we realized many writers hit speed bumps in the terminology alone. We created our own terms such as Internal Character Growth as opposed to Internal Goal for the character. A person doesn't get up in the morning and think, "I need to change and grow over the next week so that I can reconnect with the world." Not understanding the terminology creates problems for a writer, so we made it easier to answer questions about their characters and plot.
M.B.: One of the issues that kept surprising me is the comment from writers that thinking so intensely and focusing on their story was 'hard.' Learning any new craft skill initially is hard, so why shouldn't plotting your story prove challenging when you really dig into a deep understanding of plot? Great news is that the 'hard' phase dissipates, once you know what you need in plot and don't need, then the process of plotting becomes so much easier and fun too!
M.L.: Did developing BREAK INTO FICTION have any influence on how you write?
D.L.: My first book was a romantic suspense because I'm a huge suspense/thriller fan. While working on this program with Mary I came to understand the difference between writing a suspense and kicking up to a high-concept thriller. This resulted in my having the wonderful opportunity to co-write the BAD Agency romantic-thriller series with Sherrilyn Kenyon. I've just finished a mainstream thriller project as well. And I wish Mary could tell you about the amazing project she's close to taking out, but she's keeping this one under tight wraps for a good reason. It's high concept with unusual paranormal elements that is unlike anything I've seen out there. This is not vampires, werewolves or fairies and I see her series working very well as a movie or television series. But she could tell you how her writing is far different now than her earlier award-winning suspense novels. One of the great advantages I've found from developing BREAK INTO FICTION is having a more efficient way to pull together large, complex stories. This is the book we would have liked to have had when we started, but are glad to have in our hands now.
M.B.: As you teach so do you learn. That was one of the most amazing aspects of working with 10 or 15 or 20 some writers at a time in our intense BREAK INTO FICTION Plot Retreats. Seeing students get excited about their own work was inspirational. Dianna and I always try to build in some serious plot time on our own stories when we get together, whether it's before presenting at BEA [Book Expo of America where we presented by request from the folks at Writer's Digest] or giving a workshop somewhere around the country. Give us a few hours and we can hammer out not only a plot, but have a great time pushing one another to think bigger, think outside the box and step up our writing. Our biggest challenge has been to find the time to write given our travel and presentation schedules. Now that the BREAK INTO FICTION book is out, and writers have their own personal program in the book to learn from, we're working seriously to free up more FICTION FIRST time for each of us.
M.L: Visiting both your individual websites as well as the BREAK INTO FICTION website, I'm impressed with all the workshops, presentations and touring you do. Do you have any tips for time management?
D.L.: Writers ask me all the time "How do you get so much done?" but they aren't always happy with the answer . I do whatever it takes to write. I write everywhere I go and give up recreational time/events to get my pages done. I do what it takes. I have never approached anything in business with a "clock" mentality. In other words, I don't tell myself I "deserve" every weekend and holiday off, especially if I have a deadline looming. I find holidays a great time to work because the phone doesn't ring as much and e-mails are quiet. I set a goal of getting a project completed by X date and treat that as carved in stone even though that date is generally several weeks before my actual deadline. This allows me room for the unexpected illness or family issue that might run me late. I do take time for my husband and family, but any day that is not specifically set aside for something special is a work day -- 7 days a week. I get up at 5 a.m., even on Sunday. If I'm not on track to hit my "early" deadline, I get up even earlier and work longer. Every person has to find the way to reach their writing goals if they want to have a career in writing. Better to get a plan before selling because you will need that discipline once you do sell.
M.B.: If there's a strong enough will, you will find a way. Given that as a starting point, the following tips might be helpful.
* Know that no one is given more time than you are. What you do with your time is your choice.
* Find what you are willing to give up to devote more time to writing. TV? Computer surfing? Meetings? There's always some way to rearrange a schedule if you want to write bad enough.
* Create an accountability person or group. Someone, or some people, who will not let you give excuses for why you didn't get your writing or revision or submission done. Give yourself the same permission to do what you need to do to write as you would a loved one, your best friend, your child.
* Seek out and surround yourself with other writers who will get published or stay published, because they will accept nothing less. Learn from them!
* Build in Fill the Well time, when you support your creativity by whatever makes you passionate.
* Know that the road to being published, and staying published, is a process, not an end all or be all. Didn't get your pages written today? Learn what stopped you and start again tomorrow.
M.L: Recently you've had an amazing Event on your BREAK INTO FICTION website www.BreakIntoFiction.com called The 5 for 5 Writer's Extravaganza. 
Can you share what that was and if you'll be doing it again?
D.L.: We wanted to offer a FREE tutorial program on our website -- with no passwords or sign in issues -- for writers where published authors of all levels shared their insights on Character, Conflict, Dialogue, Point of View and Plotting. We asked authors to choose 3 topics and share their thoughts then posted 5 author replies for 5 days. The response from both authors and visitors was incredible. I thoroughly enjoyed the information shared, and every writer I've spoken to who visited had something glowing to say about the event. It helps to read how authors from different genres (we had a wide selection of genres) approach their craft. Writers from all over the world gained new insights on writing, and an appreciation for how authors constantly give back to the writing community.
M.B.: I have to give Dianna all the credit for the concept behind the 5 for 5 Event, which was marvelous, not only for us, but for the more than 110,000 readers and writers that visited us that week. By having so many great writers at so many different stages of their careers from recently published to multi-published and NYT best selling authors each talking about the same craft aspects, it was an in-depth tutorial that was simply amazing. If one or two authors say the same thing, it's one thing, but when you have 25 authors bringing home the same points said in slightly different ways, it's mind-expanding. I can't wait for us to do it again!
M.L.: Can you tell writers what makes BREAK INTO FICTION different from other plotting books currently out in the market?
D.L.: Our book is about creating Character-Driven Plots that are compelling stories with strong characters. When I started writing I constantly heard a debate about writing Character-based stories vs. Plot-heavy stories. There is no debate -- you need both character and plot woven so tightly they become one. BREAK INTO FICTION is based on programs we teach nationally to all levels and all genres of fiction writers on how to build a Character-Driven Plot. We wouldn't have considered writing a craft book if not for the enormous demand for our program and the realization we could never teach everyone. Time and again, writers ask "can you tell me how to fix a sagging middle?" or "can you explain how to fix a motivation problem?" or "the rejection letter said my book wasn't big enough -- can you tell me how to make it bigger?" and so on. You don't just fix 'one' issue most of the time -- it's a matter of understanding what makes a powerful story. Writers who tackle a story alone who use our book feel like they now have the benefit of a critique partner. Critique groups are getting copies for everyone in their group so they can all grow as writers together and challenge each other using the questions from our worksheets. This book finally gives fiction writers a way to create and revise with confidence.
M.B.: One of the key areas that sets BREAK INTO FICTION apart is that it's designed to get a writer writing on THEIR story immediately. No reading through 200 or 300 pages of what you should do with no practical way to apply the concepts. We've had writers telling us that not only have they broken through on elements of a plot that have kept them blocked or stymied, but that in as little as a coffee break they have strengthened, improved and understood elements of their own stories that have been missing. We've seen writers take story concepts and turn them into strong stories with BREAK INTO FICTION template questions and we've seen so-so stories develop breadth and width into strong, compelling plots that are exciting. All by asking key questions of their story at key places in their plot. That's very exciting!
M.L.: I see where Dianna will be at ThrillerFest in July then you'll both be presenting workshops at RWA National Conference in Washington D.C. the next week. Can you tell us what you're presenting, and when, as well as any special activities you have planned?
D.L.: I'm attending my first ThrillerFest in New York the weekend of July 8-12th where I'll be on a panel discussing collaborations from 3-4 p.m. on Sat., July 11th then signing afterward. Mary, myself and Pocket Executive Editor Lauren McKenna will be presenting a panel workshop at RWA National the next week entitled, "Do You REALLY Know what a Bigger Book is?" from 2-3 p.m. on Fri. July 17th. Then Mary will give a workshop from 4-5 p.m., Sat. July 18th on Body Language: Writing Compelling Characters of Both Sexes. *We'll be giving away copies of BREAK INTO FICTION at all of our workshops.
M.B.: Dianna will also be signing at the RWA Literacy signing in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, July 15th, and for folks registered for the conference, you can attend the Pocket Spotlight to receive free copies of Whispered Lies and Phantom in the Night that Dianna will be signing. Dianna is also offering a SPECIAL RAFFLE just for those who have her sign any books (you can bring your copies from home) during the RWA Literacy event and/or the Pocket Spotlight. You'll get a raffle for every book signed that enters you in a drawing for one of several BAD Agency T-shirts, an embroidered BAD Agency tote bag and a black denim jacket with the Bad Moon Rising logo embroidered on the back and the small on the front (Bad Moon Rising is #1 NYT best seller Sherrilyn Kenyon's August hardback release). We both are also available from Wednesday to Saturday to sign copies of the BREAK INTO FICTION book, which will be available for sale at the Conference book room.
M.L.: Last question! Do you have any plans for a follow up book to BREAK INTO FICTION?
D.L.: We have other progress in the works and a huge interest from the educational systems across the country, but the next nonfiction book will have to come after our current fiction projects. Also, we like to vet our programs with writers. As I mentioned earlier -- we listen to writers. In listening, we also learn so that when we do put the program in a book, it's been tried and tested.
M.B.: Yes and no to another nonfiction project ;) We've created a daylong workshop designed to teach the elements necessary to think about and consider before you ever sit down to plot. Because of observing writers get stuck in their story or the key story elements. At some point we'll pull these concepts into our next nonfiction project, but for now our motto is FICTION FIRST.
ML: THANK YOU!
Great interview!
Congratulations on your new release. BREAK INTO FICTION is an incredibly strong plotting book. I bet it will soon be a bestseller!
