Comments on: What Makes Twilight Fly?

By: Morgan

Morgan — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:32:07 +0000

I’m with you Randy, I’d be a werewolf. The only pesky thing about it would be carrying that little pouch to quick change into clothes. Maybe I’d just be a wolf permanently… lol.

By: Simon

Simon — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 19:51:58 +0000

I’d add an addendum - a true emotional response can only be had when it’s something the author feels too. You can’t expect to have your audience weeping if you write that final scene with a stone-cold face. It’s got to be real - at least at the moment it’s written. My 0.05…

By: kinjalkishor

kinjalkishor — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:39:08 +0000

I enjoyed reading twilight from first line. Its writing is good enough to get the reader in story(obviously better writing will be bonus), the story not the idea only, it is the whole chain of events, which leads to Randy’s PEE. Immersion in the world is really important, at which twilight succeeds really well. And the reader(me) cares a lot about the characters. I am a boy but I was just more associated with bella as her character has lots of appeal, and I liked her father also very much.
I will just say that Immersion in world, characters, idea, chain of very interesting events, beautiful flow of events to the satisfying conclusion (I will say the same for the movie Avatar also), diid the trick. Also Stephanie’s writing is good enough for the PEE, it invokes in readers.

By: Tessa

Tessa — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:53:18 +0000

Thanks for that, Randy.

Have you read Stephenie Meyer’s THE HOST? (Si-Fi for people who don’t like Si-Fi) Slow start, but I think it’s even better than Twilight (and I simply loved Twilight - the emotional experience packs a punch).

By: Sakhi

Sakhi — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:42:42 +0000

I finally understood why people love twilight so much. Quite an eye-opener.

And yes, I would prefer to be a werewolf too. They were just way cooler.

By: Ceci Tognotti

Ceci Tognotti — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:36:44 +0000

Hi Randy, Thanks so much for all the help you provide toward getting our novels planned out with your Snowflake and your pillars, though I’m still prone to Rewrite Hell.

I was talking to my granddaughter about Twilight. There’s so much going on with the story that meets the needs of raging teen hormones and angst about so many things–and our innate desire for eternity, to live forever! But a “heavenly” forever is just too tame for a teen wanting more it seems, physical systems all geared up for the experience of passion and love and extremes of loyalty, the supernatural power to right wrongs, and danger and overcoming in the safety of a novel.

Stephenie wrote just where a teen lives, in a lusty, full-out whirlwind of a body and mind gearing up for adult life–adding in a thriller of an answer for our (God-given) quest for eternity. And who wouldn’t like to be a “skinwalker!”

By: Melissa

Melissa — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:50:12 +0000

“(For the record, I’d rather be a werewolf than a vampire. For whatever reason, I’d rather be hot and furry than cold and stony. So my sentiments were with Jacob over Edward.)”

So what you’re trying to say is… Team Jacob?

Randy sez: Woof, woof!

By: Paulette Harris

Paulette Harris — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:00:13 +0000

Love the reply today Randy. It’s simple and so right on.

Although, I don’t go for this type of story, it helps me understand my beautiful grand daughters a little better. Romance is such a big part of human nature.

My husband, Jim takes the girls to the Premiers of this series and they have a ball. An interesting note, last time they went at the midnight opening and lo and behold! There were a ton of 40ish women there. They were all in different groups and having a ball. Some were tipsy but not bad, just enough to entertain six lines outside of waiting fans. The weather was 12 degrees and so they were all committed.

Ah….to write such a book huh you fellow writers?

Hugs to all.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:06:27 +0000

At a moment when I needed it the most, this questions was addressed. Yet, I still struggle with how much “angst” I should remove from my main character?

I am currently studying with a mentor author with three other published writers (I and one other writer are non-published, plus this is my first novel). Yesterday I was told, though my writing and story is compelling, I need to take out all the “flowery stuff” — that is, the written emotional reactions of my protagonist. But I’m having trouble agreeing with the mentor; since this story is also targeted for young teen girls, I assumed “feelings” would be key. I took out all the flowery stuff and re-read it. Now it seems less emotional, even with all the action and dialogue, of which there is a great deal. (This is the first chapter, by the way, and the opening scene… very emotional). I want to trust my mentor, but the reaction I received from my daughter (13) when I re-read it to her was not a Powerful Emotional Experience.

So, since this is my first novel with my first mentor, how do I move on? Take her suggestions so that when I re-read next week it includes all her points? Or explain my reason for keeping some, if not all, of the emotional reactions described by my protagonist?

Randy sez: I would define “flowery” as “too many adjectives and adverbs.” So look at your writing and try to find stronger nouns and verbs. Also, when a reader isn’t having a Powerful Emotional Experience, the first thing to check are the things Dwight Swain calls “Motivation-Reaction Units” and which I have now renamed “Public Clips and Private Clips”. I explain all this in great detail in Chapter 10 of my WRITING FICTION FOR DUMMIES book. Dwight Swain has a chapter titled “Plain Facts About Feelings” in his book that covers the same ground. I also have an article on this web site that explains the basics, “Writing The Perfect Scene.” I’d suggest you read that article first, since it’s short (and free).

By: Don

Don — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:22:25 +0000

The last few days I’ve been listening to Fiction 101 again. Among many helpful points was one about the P.E.E.: that each genre has its expected P.E.E. — to that extent, a writer isn’t left to one’s own devices to figure out a suitable P.E.E. for any particular project. (Obviously, this only takes one so far — a lot of work still has to be done — but at least the concept of a wheel has already been invented.)

Randy sez: Yes, readers of each genre have a particular Powerful Emotional Experience they want. If you give them one they don’t want, they won’t like your book. It’s crucial to know who you’re writing for, and then give them what they paid for.