2012 UNPUBLISHED MAGGIE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FINALIST!!!

Posted on August 3, 2012 by RoseAnn DeFranco

We now interrupt your regularly scheduled programing of The Hero’s Journey for this important announcement.  My current manuscript, Forbidden Signs, has been selected as a Finalist in the Young Adult Category for The Maggie Award of Excellence!  For those of you unfamiliar with the writing industry, here is a link to an article that will give you a little more insight into The Maggies. 

I could try to place this moment in my life somewhere on The Six Stage Plot Structure or The Hero’s Journey, but it’s impossible to do so at this time .  I can only tell you that I’m ecstatic.  I will never forget this day of my writing journey. 

I love Forbidden Signs…love these kids…Terra, Con, Ethan and Nadia.  Ever since this crazy idea of four Jersey Shore teens waking on the night of their 16th Birthday’s to the realization that they are Elemental Gods and Goddesses tasked with saving the planet popped into my head, I’ve wanted to do their story justice.  That might sound odd, but I know you writers out there understand where I’m coming from.  I’ve inserted little sneak peeks into their world, specifically the life of my hero, Terra, in previous posts.  Below is the opening of the novel.  Terra and Con don’t know that they are the Earth Goddess and Fire God at this time.  It is the night of his 16th Birthday.  Everything that they know is about to change.  Thank you for your support!  

Chapter 1

I stepped onto the small stretch of beach and searched for Conley McGuire.  The crisp sea air blew fresh and alive, invigorated me for the night to come.  Sparks of heat kissed my cheeks.  He was near. 

Sand crunched beneath my sneakers as I walked further into the hum of the party. A group of friends called out from where they’d gathered by the McGuire’s eclectic rock garden far away from the bonfire, but my gaze settled on Con.

His wavy, black hair blew wild in the strong ocean breeze.  The roar and crackle of splintering wood behind him dulled the pulsing beat of the crashing ocean beyond.  He scanned the area, shielding his eyes against the bright early evening sun with a strong, steady hand. 

Look for me.

The moment our eyes connected, my heart trembled, stilled, and grew warm.  He walked towards me, one foot in front of the other, and I mirrored his steps.  My legs shook with uncertainty, while his strides exuded self-confidence, and his smile, secretive and for me alone, left me breathless.  When we reached one another I absorbed the solidity of his presence, a constant all my life, and tried to pinpoint when he’d changed into so much more than my childhood friend. 

Con reached out and touched the tips of his fingers to mine.  Heat surged through my hands then my entire body, a near impossible feat on the cold March beach regardless of the fire.  We stood unmoving for a long time.  With anyone else, I would have felt completely foolish.  The air shifted between us and came to a loud stop.  The sounds of the party grew dim.  The only thing in the world that existed or mattered was Con.  Unable to look away, my throat grew dry as I looked into his deep, sapphire-blue eyes.  Then, as if someone pressed play in a movie, a gust of wind carried tiny particles of earth up from the ground.  They rose rapidly, swirled around us, and floated away.  Earth and sand rumbled beneath my feet like the click of a puzzle piece shifting into place until I stood on solid, unmoving ground. 

“Wow,” Con said. 

“Yeah, wow,” I whispered. 

“Terra, you just made the earth move under my feet.”  The sound of his deep voice and subsequent laughter vibrated low in my belly. 

My eyes widened in surprise.  Strange things like this happened to me all the time, more so when I’m with Con.  Of course he had his own brand of weird, but we had an unspoken agreement not to talk about these things.  Ever.  These unexplainable moments scared me because I had no control over them.  Although Nadia, my former best friend, thought I’d discovered a way to somehow use my freakish abilities to my own gain. 

He smiled and shook his head as if to quiet my fears.  “I’ve been waiting for you.” He took one of my hands in his and wove our fingers together.  I’d held his hand countless times over the years, but this was different.  This was a statement.  I liked it.

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When the Journey Ends Too Soon

Posted on July 24, 2012 by RoseAnn DeFranco

Today’s blog post was meant to be a look at Turning Point #1 in The Six Stage Plot Structure.  Every time I sit down to write that post, the stories of the victims of the Colorado shooting who lost their lives fill my mind.  Among them, a Navy veteran who served three active tours of duty in the Middle East, a budding young journalist, at least three men who took bullets for their loved ones, and a six year old girl. 

I know that I don’t need to express my outrage at this senseless, evil crime.  I am one of many observing this tragedy, and the ripple effect this heinous act has had, and will continue to have, on the friends and families of the victims as well as our nation.  Since I have immersed myself in the Six Stage Plot Structure and the Hero’s Journey, I keep going back to the lives lost and ask myself “what if?” Where would the lives of the twelve victims journeyed to if given the chance?  We will never have those answers.  Instead, we are left with unanswered questions, and the knowledge of lives ended too soon because the journey of one mad man went horribly wrong.

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Stage I: The Everyday Life of Peter Parker

Posted on July 16, 2012 by RoseAnn DeFranco

Now that we have looked at the difference between a character’s Identity vs. Essence, it’s time to look at Stage I of The Six Stage Plot Structure. 

Stage I mainly encompasses our setup to the everyday life of our hero before their journey begins.  As writers this is where we must create a hero worth falling in love with or rooting for.  How do we do this? 

First, create empathy by either making the hero a victim of some misfortune, or by putting your character in jeopardy.  The threat doesn’t necessarily need to be physical.  The threat of losing something of vital importance to the hero will draw the readers to the character’s plight.  It is also important to create a likable hero.  Without this, no matter how dire the situation, the readers will not connect with the character.  There are various ways of achieving this.  People are naturally drawn to people who are funny, people who have a unique skill, or those who are good at what they do.  Likable hero’s readily share their time and talents with others.  If your character is a loner, a random act of kindness will leave a lasting impression in the readers’ minds. 

The Amazing Spiderman does a fantastic job of setting up the world of Peter Parker prior to his transformation.  Peter is a victim of mysterious misfortune.   His parents left him in the safe hands of his Aunt and Uncle at a young age and then were killed in an automobile accident.  The audience sees a tormented, lonely hero in search for the truth about his parents.  We also see a young man who struggles to fit in.  Even so, he is still willing to reach out a hand to help others.  Peter is often the target of bullies in school.   This does not stop him from stepping in and helping another target to his own great detriment.  After suffering a beating at the hands of a bully in front of the entire school, he is rewarded by gaining the attention of the girl he admires most.  Gwen believes Peter’s actions exceptionally brave, if not incredibly stupid.  Her response is the embodiment of the audience’s reaction.  In addition to finding him an interesting character, we now empathize with Peter Parker.  This is the perfect set up for when he gains his Spidey powers.  The audience already knows that with or without his powers, Peter Parker is the type of young man who runs towards danger to aid others.   So much has already happened, and Peter has yet to embark on his actual journey. 

At the start of my current WIP, Forbidden Signs, Terra is living the life of a seemingly normal teenager.  Sure, there have been unique and unexplainable occurrences in her life, but they have grown to be par for the course over time.  At the start of the novel, we see a well-liked girl, readily willing to lend a hand to others in her community and abroad.  She has turned her unique and unexplainable talent into a thriving business for her previously struggling family.   In addition, the opportunity to be with the boy she considers her true love is abruptly taken away without explanation.  Prior to applying The Six Stage Plot Structure to Forbidden Signs, these emphatic devices were already in the draft.  After taking a closer look at my set up, I enhanced them in the hopes of drawing my audience closer to my heroine. 

For the most part our own daily lives are rooted firmly in Stage I.  Often we are strolling along, feeling as if we’re in a groove, and then BAM, welcome to your journey! For example, years ago I was a young mother to a 1 year old.  After four years of trying for a child, she finally made her way into this world.  That first year was so peaceful in its routine of juggling work and parenthood for my husband and I.  Then out of nowhere my father was diagnosed with brain cancer.  Life was turned upside down for my entire family.  This change moved us all swiftly from the comfortable confines of Stage I on to an unavoidable journey. 

The important thing to keep in mind regarding Stage I in novels or screenplays is that at this point, our hero is living FULLY IN HIS IDENTITY.  He or she is stuck in some way until Turning Point #1 comes along and takes the hero in a new direction.  It is at this point that the Hero’s Journey truly begins.   

Next week I’ll focus exclusively on Turning Point #1.  Until then, I’d love to hear from you.  What Stage I story set ups in novels or films have made lasting impressions on you, and why?  What emphatic devices do the story tellers use to draw the readers or viewers to the hero?

Posted in Forbidden Signs, The Hero's Journey, Writing, Young Adult | Tagged , , | 4 Comments