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Save the Cat!: Not Just for Screenwriters
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We'll be back to our regularly scheduled program next week. Keep an eye out for the continuation of our February Poetry Month (focusing on Novels-in-Verse). Stay warm!
Converting my story from a personal one to a piece of fiction was the best choice. Not only did it strengthen the story I wanted to tell, but it reminded me that sometimes fiction is the best way to discover the truths of our lives.
Keep writing the next book, and don't stop challenging yourself! When you're a new author, there's so many fun "firsts" and great experiences that come with being published and you should definitely enjoy them! But it's important to remember why we write in the first place and to challenge yourself creatively along the way.
When it comes to leaving readers guessing, try to find the sweet spot between revealing too much (they know how it will end) and not enough (they have no idea what is going on). Your readers should feel curious but not confused. Critique partners and beta readers can help you find this balance because, unlike you, they don’t know how the story will end.
Anne-Marie Strohman (co-editor) writes picture books, middle grade novels, and young adult short stories and novels. She is a teacher, an editor, and a scholar. She is an active member of SCBWI and holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Find her at amstrohman.com and on Twitter @amstrwriter