Tag Archives: KM Fawcett

Michael Hauge’s Six-Stage Plot Structure

Posted on May 17, 2012 by | 6 Comments

When I was offered a two-book deal in April, I was both thrilled and terrified. Thrilled the editor loved my story enough to buy it, and terrified she wanted the sequel, which hasn’t been written yet. Yikes! I’m such a slow writer. How am I going to get this book done in six months when it took years to finish the others?

Frankly, I learned two things: (A) Fear is a great motivator. And (B) I needed structure. No more wasting time writing, rewriting, and polishing scenes or chapters that only ended up getting changed or deleted altogether because the story veered off in a different direction. I had to know my plot, my character arcs, and what direction the story was headed from the moment I sat down to write. But what tool would help me do all that?

Hello, Michael Hauge’s Six-Stage Plot Structure.

I took out my notes from Michael Hauge’s workshop at last year’s RWA nationals and read what he had to say about character arcs and plotting. The following are my notes taken from his workshop, as well as his website and YouTube videos. I hope it helps you as much as it helped me. (It enabled me to clearly outline an entire 100,000 word story in only three weeks. My editor gave her approval the next day to start writing it with no suggested changes. Woo hoo!)

A character arcs when he moves from his identity to essence.

Identity = emotional armor (facade) worn to protect himself from some wound.

Essence = who the character is when the emotional armor is stripped. True self.

What is your hero’s wound? From the wound grows a fear. This fear gives IDENTITY (emotional armor) to the character.

The character should have a physical goal, but that goal is primarily a symbol. It represents an emotional need (the true goal). The end reward must satisfy the character’s emotional need.

The only way the character can get to his longing (his emotional need) is to step out of his IDENTITY (emotional armor) and into his ESSENCE (true self).

Once you’ve established your hero’s WOUND, FEAR, IDENTITY, ESSENCE, EMOTIONAL NEED and PHYSICAL OUTER GOAL, we can move onto The Six Stage Plot Structure. Note: Stages are the Inner Journey. Since I write romance, I’ve included two Inner journeys–one for the hero and one for the heroine. Turning Points are the Outer Journey (the physical goal).

Stage I – Set up: Living fully within Identity (facade)

  • Heroine:
  • Hero:

First Turning Point – Opportunity: Change from stable to unstable world

Stage II – The New Situation: This is where we…

  • Glimpse the hero’s essence (true self):
  • Glimpse the heroine’s essence (true self):
  • Introduce Nemesis:
  • Introduce Reflection character: (sidekick, mentor, partner who helps hero achieve outer goal)

Second Turning Point – Change of Plans: Something happens that makes the hero realize he must do “this” (a specific, visible, established goal).

Stage III - Progress: Moving towards Essence without leaving identity. Hero/ Heroine makes a plan to accomplish goal, which seems to be working until…TP3.

  • Heroine:
  • Hero:

Third Turning Point - Point of No Return: (in a romance this could also be the 1st kiss/date/sex) traveler is closer to destination than origin. Hero is so committed to his goal that there is no turning back. Character has changed so much she can’t go back to who she was at the beginning.

Stage IV – Complications and Higher Stakes: Fully committed to Essence but growing fear. It’s more important to achieve goal, but more difficult. There is more to lose than “failure,” they will lose their Destiny.

  • Heroine:
  • Hero:

Fourth Turning Point - Black Moment: All is lost (H/H will never be together)

Stage V – Final Push: Last attempt to achieve goal or die trying. Living one’s truth (ESSENCE) with everything to lose.

  • Heroine:
  • Hero:

Fifth Turning Point – Climax: Turns everything back to stability. “Wins”

Stage VI – Aftermath: The Journey complete. Destiny achieved.

  • Heroine:
  • Hero:

For more information on Michael Hauges Six-Stage Plot structure, please visit his website at www.Storymastery.com. If you will be at the RWA national Conference in Anaheim, CA this July, be sure to attend his workshop!

~K.M. Fawcett

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Stop Cyberbullying

Posted on May 14, 2012 by | 1 Comment

The internet can be a wonderful place to find information, but it can also be a nasty place as people (kids and adults) find it much easier to spew their venom from behind a computer screen. Just read a few YouTube comments on any video and you’ll see what I mean. As our kids are connected to the internet at earlier ages, it seems to me cyberbullying is becoming more and more rampant. My daughter’s school recently sent home some safety tips on Cyberbullying that I wanted to pass on you. The information comes from the Connect Safely website. Please share this information with your children, as cyberbullying can be very hurtful and very serious. For more information about Connect Safely, visit their website at www.connectsafely.org.

Tips To Help Stop Cyberbullying

Here are some tips if you or someone you know is being bullied – and advice for ending (or preventing) the cycle of aggression.

Don’t respond. If someone bullies you, remember that your reaction is usually exactly what the bully wants. It gives him or her power over you. Who wants to empower a bully?

Don’t retaliate. Getting back at the bully turns you into one and reinforces the bully’s behavior. Help avoid a whole cycle of aggression.

Save the evidence. The only good news about digital bullying is that the harassing messages can usually be captured, saved, and shown to someone who can help. Save evidence even if it’s minor stuff – in case things escalate.

Block the bully. If the harassment’s coming in the form of instant messages, texts, or profile comments, do yourself a favor: Use preferences or privacy tools to block the person. If it’s in chat, leave the “room.” This may not end the problem, but you don’t need harassment in your face all the time, and no reaction sometimes makes aggressors bored so they’ll stop.

Reach out for help. You deserve backup. Of course you know there are different kinds of help, from talking with a friend to seeing if there’s a trusted adult who can help. It’s usually good to involve a parent but – if you can’t – a school counselor can sometimes be helpful. If you’re really nervous about saying something, see if there’s a way to report the incident anonymously at school. Sometimes this can result in bullies getting the help they need to change their behavior.

Use reporting tools. If the bullying took place via a social network, use that service’s reporting or “abuse” tools. The social network may also have “social abuse-reporting” tools, which allow you to forward hurtful content to a trusted friend or directly ask someone to take offensive content down. If the abuse threatens physical harm, you may have to call the police, but think about involving a parent if you do.

Be civil. You’re doing yourself a favor. Even if you don’t like a person, it’s a good idea to be decent and not sink to his or her level. Research shows that gossiping about and “trash talking” others increase your risk of being bullied.

Don’t be a bully. You know the old saying about walking a mile in someone’s shoes; even a few seconds of thinking about how another person might feel can put a big damper on aggression. That’s needed in this world.

Be a friend, not a bystander. Forwarding mean messages or just standing by and doing nothing empowers bullies and hurts victims even more. If you can, tell bullies to stop, or let them know bullying is not cool – it’s cruel abuse of fellow human beings. If you can’t stop the bully, at least try to help the victim and report the behavior.

Please contact admin@connectsafely.org for permission to reprint or post.

Stay Safe on and off the internet!

~K.M. Fawcett

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Author Fun

Posted on April 19, 2012 by | 6 Comments

I’ve heard things in the publishing industry happen very slowly, but ever since my first book sold earlier this month, I feel like I’ve been swept up in a publishing whirlwind.

First, my editor, Lauren Plude, sent me a welcome aboard gift of a few Grand Central Publishing books. Notice all the NY Times bestsellers, including my friend, Caridad Pineiro’s, ARC (Advance Reading Copy) of The Claimed.

Lauren then asked me for a headshot so she could include it in some promotional materials. Unfortunately, the only professional photos I had were either from my wedding or from a recent formal karate picture. Ok, I know it’s a romance, but me in a wedding dress is over the top. And though the book has its share of fight scenes, me in a gi isn’t appropriate either. I ended up giving her two digital photos taken last spring, and hope one works for now. In the mean time, I talked my friend and author, Cathy Tully (who recently received a contract for her first book) to get author photos taken at Glamour Shots.

Cathy Tully

We had a ball getting our hair and makeup done, and changing outfits for our “photo shoot.” But then I came home and showed the DVD slideshow to my family. Big mistake. Although they liked the pictures, they didn’t like my hair. It was too different from how I normally do it. Umm…isn’t it supposed to be different? I’m supposed to be glamorous, here, people. But apparently it didn’t look like me, which means I spent all that money for nothing. *sigh* I’m considering retakes.

Later that night I had an interview on Internet radio, Homegrown Radio NJ with my aunt, Sharon Moran, who recently had her book, Daughters of Destiny, published. The interview was originally scheduled for her, but she invited me to come along, and the DJ’s agreed. I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve heard some horrible stories where the interviewers don’t like the romance genre and so make fun it, or ask inappropriate questions. But that didn’t happen. Todd Mills and the Rickster were great. We chatted about our books, answered non-book related fun questions, and after an hour the interview ended. I had a great time, am so thankful Aunt Sharon asked me to join her on the show. It made my first interview so special because I shared it with her. I only wish I thought to take pictures!

Now, I understand that an author’s life won’t be all free books, photo shoots and interviews, but I’d be a liar if I told you it wasn’t fun, and an experience I’ll never forget. As soon as Todd sends me the interview, I’ll share it with you…unless, of course, I listen to it first and realize I sounded like an idiot. ;)

For now, it’s back to the computer (in unglamorous jammies and hair pulled back) to outline book 2 of The Survival Race.

~K.M. Fawcett

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Happiness is Validation – I sold!

Posted on April 16, 2012 by | 13 Comments

Two weeks ago, my agent, Michelle Grajkowski, of the 3 Seas Literary Agency sold my first book (a sci-fi romantic thriller) to Grand Central Publishing’s new digital imprint, Forever Yours. Thank you, Michelle! :)

I still can’t believe it! After eight years of writing, learning my craft and the business, and then submitting and receiving those dreaded rejections, I am finally going to see my story in print.

:D Happiness is validation. :D

All the hard work, blood, sweat and tears (yes there have been a few over the years. What can I say? I’m a sensitive martial artist) have finally paid off. Someone not related to me loves my story as much as Michelle and I do. In fact, they love it so much they’re willing to pay me for it!

And if that wasn’t exciting enough, my editor, Lauren Plude, wants the sequel. That really blows my mind. I can understand her wanting a book she’s read, but she wants a book I haven’t even written yet! I’m honored and thrilled that she enjoyed my writing and story enough to want more.

But I must admit, I’m also nervous about writing and delivering book two to her in nine months. I’ve never had a deadline before. So I got out the calendar and figured out what I needed to do each month, and how many words I must write per week in order to have this book done on time. I feel better having a plan. Of course, I probably haven’t thought of everything I needed to add to the calendar.

It’s strange being a newbie all over again, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I am incredibly excited to learn what happens now, after the sale, and to go through the stages of making a book. And most of all, I can’t wait to see my name on the cover of the finished product, which hopefully will be available at the end of the year. We’re aiming for a Nov/ Dec publication date.

I want to give a big shout-out thank you to my awesome critique partners, beta readers, contest judges, law enforcement officers who answered my questions, and of course my agent for helping me get this book ready to sell. Thank you Amy Pierpont and Lauren Plude for loving this story as much as I do! I look forward to working with you.

Thank you Attacking The Page community for sharing in my joy. If you have any advice for me, please let me know in the comment section.

~K.M. Fawcett

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An Action Packed Two Years

Posted on March 26, 2012 by | Leave a comment

It’s been two years and four days since we started blogging about martial arts, writing and action. Happy Anniversary, Attacking The Page readers! We hope you’ve found our posts useful, interesting, and entertaining.

Thank you so much for spending time with us every Monday and Thursday. Thank you for celebrating our successes (publishing contracts) and consoling us when disappointments (rejections) strike. Thank you for your comments and community. Hearing from you is what makes the blog so much fun.

On that note, please let us know in the comments section what you enjoy most/ least about our blog so we can improve for next year. Perhaps there are topics that interest you that you’d like to see more often. Are there any special guests you’d like to see? Do you enjoy the video clips we play or do you not watch them? Do you want more safety tips? Did you like the action scene critique? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

I still can’t believe another year has come and gone. Thanks again for sharing it with Melinda, Rayna and me. Happy Anniversary ATP readers!

~ K.M. Fawcett

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Body Mechanics Part 2

Posted on March 8, 2012 by | 5 Comments

On Monday’s blog, I said I’d post a video on body mechanics today. I figured it would be much easier to demonstrate rather than trying to type out each technique in a blog post. So, with the generous support of my husband and son (who filmed us), we made a little video on basic body mechanics of three Isshinryu Karate techniques: a punch, a middle block, and an elbow strike.

The purpose of the video is to demonstrate how different body positioning and proper tensing of the muscles, or chinkuchi (chin-coo-chee), helps increase a person’s strength. Feel free to grab a partner and experiment with these techniques on your own. The video covers the basics of body mechanics.  With further fine tuning of proper body alignment, each of the following techniques can yield even greater power.

~KM Fawcett

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Scream And Shout

Posted on February 16, 2012 by | 1 Comment

Pacific Ocean 2010

In Monday’s post, we discussed that the goal of self-defense is not to win, but to not lose. If you haven’t read the post and are wondering what the heck I’m talking about, click here.

In the comments, someone had shared her story of being attacked years ago and being so stunned at the viciousness, she couldn’t fight back. All she could do was scream. She kept screaming as he punched her in the face. She kept screaming as he yelled at her to shut-up. And because she kept screaming, he feared she’d gain attention from the on-coming cars and he ran off. In other words, she did fight back…using her voice.

When we think about self-defense, we tend to think about blocking and striking. But as we discussed in past blogs, self-defense is also about using our brains (common sense is the first step to self-defense) and heeding the warning of the little voice whispering inside us when something doesn’t feel right. Self-defense is also about using our VOICE. Screaming to gain attention from someone who can intervene or call the police is as important as striking our attacker. Remember, he does not want to get caught.

Our voice is so important to self-defense that we even have a name for it.

Kiai (Kee-eye). It’s a spirit shout. And it has a few purposes:

  1. It helps draw attention to our situation.
  2. It can scare our attacker.
  3. It tightens our muscles to prepare us to take a hit.
  4. And it fires us up. (Don’t athlete’s do this before games? “Come on!”  “We got this!”  “Go [insert team name here]!” Of course they do.

You might recognize a kiai as the “hiya” from old karate movies. However, it can be any word or sound that you want to make. Swearing a string of profanities at your attacker counts. Or shouting, “Fire!” or maybe for a child, teaching them to scream, “Stranger, stranger, 911!”

It doesn’t matter what sound you make. Just make some noise. Even if it’s a high pitch girly scream (which I admit I do when someone scares me. Yes they laugh, but I can’t help the sound. I call it my auto-response kiai.)

Like singers train their voices or drill instructors train theirs, martial artist also train their kiai. Usually a new person in the dojo has trouble making any sound at first. Perhaps they feel silly or self-conscious, but after a few weeks they are shouting with enthusiasm and much spirit.

What sound you make isn’t as important as using your voice to fight back.

~KM Fawcett

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A Writer’s Favorite Game and Self-Defense

Posted on February 13, 2012 by | 8 Comments

Today I was in a gym surrounded by big, muscular karate guys. Guys with many years of training under their black belts. And I started to play a writer’s favorite game, What If. What if one of these guys attacked me right here, right now? Could I really, truly defend myself? Could I beat my attacker? Could I win a fight against them?

Then I remembered that traditional Okinawan karate teaches that, “The purpose of karate is not to win, the purpose of karate is to not lose.” In other words, the goal of self-defense is not to fight until I “finish off” my attacker, the goal is to fight until the attacker loses his will to continue.

Statics show that fighting back (even with no training) gives you a 50% chance of survival. This is because your attacker has 2 fears; getting caught and getting hurt.

Therefore, I don’t have to keep fighting until I win. I have to keep fighting until I don’t lose.

Don’t believe me? Then check out this video of a seven-year-old girl who was grabbed by a stranger at a Georgia Wal-Mart.

Did she win? Well, she didn’t knock him out.  Didn’t subdue him.  Probably didn’t even hurt him much.

But did she not lose? You bet she did! And THAT is the goal of self-defense!

No matter how big, strong, or scary your attacker is, keep fighting until you don’t lose!

~KM Fawcett

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I Get Knocked Down…

Posted on January 26, 2012 by | 17 Comments

Daruma doll

Have you ever worked months, maybe years, toward a goal you really, truly wanted? I’m talking blood-sweat-and-tear-shedding, sleep-depriving work for this goal in which the pain never bothered you because your excitement and hope blunted it, especially when success was within reach; so close you could stretch out your fingertips and brush the goal’s smooth, pristine surface. Only to have your heart’s desire tip over, fall off the pedestal and shatter on the tile floor into a million teeny tiny pieces?  Along with your heart.

If you’re a writer who has received a rejection letter, you understand exactly how I feel.

I really believed this manuscript was the one. The manuscript that would bring my first contract, start my career, drop me on the path toward New York Times bestsellerdom, and keynote speaker at RWA’s national conference. (What, your dreams don’t include being a future keynote speaker?) Anyway…the editor had good things to say about my writing, but thought my twist was a little too different. Argh! (Side rant: I’m beginning to think the NY publishers don’t want “a new twist on an old story” they want “slight curvatures”.) Granted she was only the first editor we’ve heard back from on the new project, and my agent and I still love it and wholeheartedly believe in it, but the rejection knocked me down anyway. What can I say? I’m a sensitive girl. So as I was sinking into the quicksand of self-pity and crushed dreams, I thought about the Daruma I gave my husband for Christmas.

A Daruma is a traditional Japanese wishing doll that helps us achieve our dreams. When you get a Daruma, you set a special goal and then color in one of the doll’s eyes signifying the start of your commitment to work toward achieving it. Then you place Daruma where you can see him everyday – either at home or at work. He motivates you to stay focused on your goal. Once your goal has been achieved, you signify your accomplishment by coloring in his other eye.

Daruma’s are made from papier-mâché, are rounded, hollow, and weighted on the bottom so they will return to their original upright position if tilted or knocked on their side (like a Weeble Wobble – remember those?). Because of this unique ability to right itself, Daruma is associated with the Japanese proverb, nana korobi yaoki, which states, “Fall down seven times, get up eight”.  In other words, the proverb and the doll represent persistence and perseverance.  Not only is that a good writing motto, it’s a good life motto.

Daruma reminds us to never, ever give up on our dreams. No matter how many rejections we may receive.

~K.M. Fawcett

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That’s not a knife. THIS is a knife!

Posted on December 15, 2011 by | 11 Comments

Flesheater Knife

Two and a half years after placing the order, the Flesheater – a hand crafted fighting knife – has arrived! Though my husband will argue otherwise, this Flesheater is mine. Yes, knife ownership is a running joke in our family, and even our son tries to get in on the action, but since he didn’t spend a cent on it, we can easily rule him out. Believing that ownership is 9/10 of the law, my husband hid the knife from me, and maintains that since I don’t possess it, it must not be mine. Wrong! The knife is mine and I’ll tell you why…

It’s because I’ve had it in MY possession for the past few years.

Okay, maybe I didn’t physically have the fourteen inch weapon in my hand, but I’ve featured the Flesheater in one of my manuscripts before we ever placed our order with custom knife maker, Jim Hammond. Since the knife plays a key role in my story, I’ve long dreamed about how my Flesheater would look on the book’s cover (not that cover art is up to the author, but I can dream…and seriously who wouldn’t want a knife this awesome on the cover?)  Therefore, I conclude that she who spent hours researching, writing, and dreaming about the Flesheater knife is truly its owner.  Besides, it feels really good in my hand. :)

Now this is a knife!

So why am I’m getting worked up over this knife? Well for one thing, Scott’s sensei, A.J. Advincula (world renown martial artist/ instructor, retired marine Master Sergeant, and knife expert) designed this fighting knife so you know it can’t be improved upon. Although, in my case, the knife won’t be used for fighting as much as for collecting…though I did make sure it was nearby the other day when two vehicles stopped in front of my house, raising my suspicions… Ahem…I digress.

If you’re interested in the history, design, and specs of this knife, visit Jim Hammond’s website. The following is a short excerpt from my manuscript, The Survival Race, in which the hero describes the Flesheater.

“Damn you, Duncan,” Max muttered, and tossed a box aside.

Addy returned the khaki uniform to the shelf. “What’s wrong?”

“The guy collects seven guns but only one with ammunition.”

“One is better than none.”

“Hardly. There are only three bullets in it. He rummaged through another box and then whistled in awe when he unsheathed a Rambo looking knife. “I’ll be damned.  You know what this is?”

She restrained from stating the obvious.

“It’s a Flesheater.” He turned the stainless steal weapon in his hand. “Strictly a fighting knife. Nine inch blade. Short handle with finger grooves for a secure grip. Curved lower edge. Designed to cut through a man and keep better edge contact than a straight knife. This is one serious weapon.”

Addy gulped. The gladiator certainly knew his knives. And apparently how to use them. Good thing they were on the same team…at the moment.

~K.M. Fawcett

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