StoryGodmother Newsletter #8
Hello!
It’s been an extremely busy few weeks, working on both a film script and the final book in The House At The Edge Of Magic series. Both are nearly finished, so there’s time for a very quick newsletter!
WRITING CRITIQUE SERVICE
I do get asked a lot for feedback on writing, so I’m happy to say I’ve now freed up some slots every month (deadlines allowing!) for your picture, chapter book and middle-grade needs. There are various packages available, including opening chapter, first three chapters, synopsis, and query letter options. I have kept the prices as reasonable as possible to make the service accessible in these financially challenging times.
If you’re interested, please have a look on my website.
There are also the coaching sessions (1:1 or group) available under the “Opportunities” tab.
UPCOMING EVENTS
It’s not long now until I’ll be attending and speaking at I Am In Print’s Writing Festival in May. I’m running a ‘Create A Chapter Book Series’ workshop on Friday 19th May at 11.45am. Given the current state of the market, it’s a great time to be working on a chapter book idea.
Later in the summer I’ll be speaking at the SCBWI Picture Book Retreat on 14th-17th July alongside the fabulous Jonny Duddle and really looking forward to it. Again, a big thank you to Clare Helen Welsh for inviting me along and organising everything.
RESOURCES & IDEAS
Two Key Character Questions
Working on the first draft of book four of The House At The Edge of Magic series (out in 2024) last week, I found myself in an unusual position: ‘stuck’ on a minor character. I won’t give any spoilers, but this was a new experience for me. Usually with these books, I write them very spontaneously without plotting, as it suits the chaotic style of the series and is tremendous fun, so I didn’t have any idea who this character was going to be. (In fact, when I started this book, I had no idea this character was going to even be there!). I very rarely get stuck, as when I come to a crossroads with these books, it’s a bit like throwing a magical ball in the area, finding out what I get when it lands and it all seems to work out in the end, but this time, when I caught the ball I had no idea: who was this character and how was this going to change the story from this point on?
I charged ahead anyway Amy-style and tried a handful of ideas, but they felt wrong. It felt flat – and for a high-energy book like this, that absolutely doesn’t work. Or it felt repetitive – after three books, I’m careful not to recycle ideas. And one idea I absolutely loved but felt like such a big twist, I couldn’t do it justice in the word count I had left. So, feeling a bit befuddled, I took a quick break from the writing to work on my film. I went back to the pesky character a week or so later and demanded answers to two key questions, wondering why I hadn’t just asked them this in the first place:
- Who do I need you to be?
- What do I need you to do?
Asking these questions bluntly was all that needed to happen. As I scribbled down the answers, the mysterious character came to me in less than 30 seconds, and although it was a complete surprise to me, it seemed so obvious, I was amazed I hadn’t noticed it before.
So, let’s break it down.
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Who do I need you to be?
Think about the personality dynamics a character will bring. What kind of personality do they need?
What is the tone of this part of your story? Will that affect personality choices?
How about theme? Is there a key theme in this part of your story which could be highlighted in the new character?
Which other characters are involved at this moment in time – and what does their relationship with this new character need to be like?
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What do I need you to do?
If your answer is ‘well, actually… very little’ then perhaps then ask if you need to have a new character at all. Could an existing character take on the part you intended, say, for example, setting the protagonist on a different path in their quest.
If you definitely need to bring in a new character, think about what kind of character could efficiently carry out the intended role function? Do you need an antagonistic character? A helpful character? A wise character? A neutral character? Is their purpose to they existing in the story to help or hinder your protagonist, or both? Or neither? How does this affect choices?
What sort of personality type is a good match for the function? Of course, you can completely spin this to subvert expectations – you may need the role function to be someone wise to advise and guide your protagonist. But they could meet someone foolish, who accidentally still manages to point them in the right direction.
However, this is another interesting thing I’ve found – when a character doesn’t readily reveal themselves to you, it usually means something. Perhaps they are very shy, or very defensive or sometimes it’s because they have something intriguing to hide. Don’t be fobbed off by characters too easily or jump too readily (as I did with my first two character ideas). It can take a while to ‘crack’ the character and find out who they really are, but it is usually worth the wait. After all, every character has their secrets – even if you don’t know about them yet…
BOOK NEWS
My next picture book, MY TREE with illustrator Fiona Lumbers, is out this week on May 11th ! Thank you to everyone who has made a pre-order – they make a big difference to authors.
I’m a big fan of trees, and really appreciate how important they are to our world. 5% of author royalties are going to The Woodland Trust to help them continue their brilliant work preserving our woodland for generations to come.
If you would like to buy a copy, please support your local indie bookshop if possible or you can order via bookshop.org.
COURSES
If you’re interested in developing character, I’m running a CHARACTER ARCHETYPES session on Wednesday 10th May at 7.30pm BST.
It’s a fun, eye-opening workshop giving an introduction to archetypes and how you can use them in your writing.
I’ve opened up some more spaces, and there are now 5 spaces left, so if you’d like to come along, grab them quick!
Keep an eye out for future upcoming Story Godmother workshops and sessions.
More info can be found on my Workshop Schedule page or you follow me on Eventbrite to be notified when courses go live.
I will also be running some more workshops/courses in May and June, so keep your eyes open for opportunities.
I’m keen to hear what people would like to see in future Story Godmother courses. I try to focus on the nitty-gritty of writing, helping you really hone your craft. But what would you like to see included? Please drop me an email at sparkles@storygodmother.co.uk if you have any suggestions for what you would find helpful.
END NOTES
More in the next newsletter. Hope your writing is going well.
Best wishes and sparkles,
Story Godmother.