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The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World…Word by Word

The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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How Much Back Story?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon February 27, 2014
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escape

Sometimes in my review of a novel, I find that the story doesn’t pick up soon enough. I’m not sure what I’ll be reading about and my interest may lag, though I can still eye great writing.

“But I wanted my readers to know about my characters,” the author may protest.

Understandable, indeed.

However, I believe it’s important to lay out the basic conflicts for the reader early on so she’ll know what she’ll be exploring with you and will be eager to keep diving in. Before I learn that the hero had a difficult childhood and the heroine struggles with lingering effects of poverty, I want to know their immediate obstacles to their current goals. Those goals may be (whether they know it or not) their ultimate romance. Or they may be involved in a quest. Or perhaps solving a mystery. In any event, the reader wants to know what type of book he’ll be reading and will want to learn what obstacles he’ll be overcoming with the characters right away. Then, once the reader is interested in the characters’ journey, their back story will be all the more fascinating and relevant.

I’ll grant that this is a finely tuned dance. Learning how to balance enough back story within the plot is part of the craft, but one worth pursuing.

Your turn:

What is your favorite book that is really successful in balancing back story with plot?

Have you ever put down a book because you thought the story took too long to get moving?

Did you ever slog through a couple of boring chapters to get to a story? Did it pay off?

Leave a Comment
Category: Craft, Editing, Tamela, Writing CraftTag: Back Story, Craft, Writing Craft

What Will You Give Up for Lent?

By Karen Ballon February 26, 2014
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Believe it or not, Easter is just around the corner. Which means something else is almost upon us:

Lent.

I love the idea of a 40-day preparation for Easter, of refocusing our hearts and minds to spend more time in prayer and contemplation of what Christ has done for us. And I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of “giving up” something for those 40 days. Even more intriguing—and sometimes …

Read moreWhat Will You Give Up for Lent?
Category: Career, Christian, Faith, Karen, Personal, TheologyTag: Career, Faith, lent

Basketball and Writing

By Dan Balowon February 25, 2014
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Next week is March and that means basketball “March Madness” around the country.  From high school to college, teams will compete in tournaments where excitement is at its peak.  

One of my hobbies is to work as the official scorer for the Wheaton College (Illinois) men’s and women’s home basketball games.  I started doing this back in the late 70’s, took some time away from it when our kids …

Read moreBasketball and Writing
Category: Book Business, Career, Creativity, Dan, The Publishing Life, Writing CraftTag: Basketball, publishing, Writing Craft

Fun Fridays – February 21, 2014

By Steve Laubeon February 21, 2014
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A parody of the song "Blurred Lines" now called "Church Signs."
Found at Jon Acuff's "Stuff Christians Like" blog. Blame him.

Read moreFun Fridays – February 21, 2014
Category: Fun Fridays, Steve

Do You Like to Cry While Reading?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon February 20, 2014
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I'll have to admit, I don't like to cry. I don't even like depressing songs. Instead I prefer things that are upbeat. For example, here are some of the lyrics to a song that helped me get through my teen years:
Flashlight.
Red Light.
Neon Light.
Spotlight.
Most of all you can funk. Help me find the funk....
Yoww
I think I found the funk!
["Flashlight" was written by Ronald R. Brooks, …

Read moreDo You Like to Cry While Reading?
Category: Reading, TamelaTag: Reading

Spring is Here!

By Karen Ballon February 19, 2014
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A picture of a beautiful flower I took this morning in our garden.

It started two weeks ago. Little green sprouts poking up through the frozen, barren ground. Ground that, thanks to a winter of record-breaking cold, was so hard just a month ago that not even my shovel made a dent in it. So you can imagine my delight when I spotted those bits of green pushing their way through that same, dead …

Read moreSpring is Here!
Category: Career, Craft, Karen, Personal, The Writing LifeTag: Career, Spring, The Writing Life

Adopt a Bookstore

By Dan Balowon February 18, 2014
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Bookstores throughout the United States are going through the most challenging period in their history.  The combination of online purchase of printed books and the dawn of the eBook have combined to deliver a one-two punch to the business of book retailing.

For Christian bookstores, the challenges started over a decade ago when a substantial part of their business (in some cases over a third) …

Read moreAdopt a Bookstore
Category: Book Business, Book Sales, DanTag: Book Business, Book Sales, Bookstores

A Valentine’s Day Message

By Steve Laubeon February 14, 2014
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George Eliot wrote in the novel Adam Bede:
What greater thing is there for two human souls,
than to feel that they are joined for life --
to strengthen each other in all labor,
to rest on each other in all sorrow,
to minister to each other in all pain,
to be one with each other
in silent unspeakable memories . . .
In …

Read moreA Valentine’s Day Message
Category: Personal, SteveTag: Personal, Valentines

Rooting for the Bad Guy?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon February 13, 2014
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Last week I blogged about amoral protagonists. But what about protagonists who are unquestionably immoral?

Some general market books make their readers root for the bad guy. Think about accounts of bank robbers Bonnie and Clyde, written from their points of view. Or a book written primarily from the point of view of a courtesan, such as Amy Tan's The Valley of Amazement. These books set the …

Read moreRooting for the Bad Guy?
Category: Craft, Creativity, Genre, Tamela, Trends, Writing CraftTag: Genre, Protagonists

Why I Read Romance Novels

By Karen Ballon February 12, 2014
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Valentine’s Day is on its way, and that got me to thinking about that four-letter word we all use with impunity:

LOVE.

What a powerful word, one so full of meaning I could write a dozen blogs about it and still not exhaust the depth and breadth of all it entails. I’m grateful for love. For God’s love. For my hubby’s love. For my family’s love. For my doggies’ love. Love has blessed me more …

Read moreWhy I Read Romance Novels
Category: Craft, Creativity, Genre, Karen, Romance, Trends, Writing CraftTag: Genre, Romance
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