In this fifth and final installment of Finding the Message, I would like you to consider again your favorite story. As I mentioned in an earlier post, one of my favorite stories as a child was The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum. While in the ninth grade, I checked the book out of my Jr high school library at least 47 times in the course of that school year alone. And yes, I read it each time, at least most times.
What was it that kept me coming back? Was it the tornado, the famous yellow brick road, the fanciful creatures, the Kalidahs—the ferocious half bear half tiger creature that hunted in the deep woods; or maybe the Hammerheads with their elastic necks. Or maybe it was a combination of them all.
But what was true for me, and I am sure it is true for all readers and lovers of good books, is that the message of true friendship and a love of family and friends is the thread that holds the entire story together. How many times did I imagine having a pal like the straw-stuffed Scarecrow, or a compassionate buddy (ready to lay his life down for me) like the Tin Man; and how could anyone ever forget the powerful comrade, like the Lion, that lets you hang on to his back as he carries you over life’s deep ravines when you don’t have the power to do it yourself.
This is the same message of romance, of deep friendship enjoyed by the command crew of the Star Trek series. No matter what happened, including Spock’s death, you always knew the team would be there for one another. This was their message. This is what held them together and what held us as viewers glued to our tubes.
Now we won’t all be a L. Frank Baum or a Gene Roddenberry, but we all can be the very best “Me” we can be. Go on now and create your new stories and build your masterpieces of creative thought, but in the doing so, don’t forget to weave in the threads of a message worth living. Think about it.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Finding the Message – Part IV
I was asked recently what I thought was the most important thing about writing. After a moment or two of thinking, the only answer that came to mind was the simplest of all…the story.
Think of the best stories you have read or heard; or even watched in a movie. It is not the great prose, or the finely crafted sentences, but rather the human element; the story that first hooks you and then draws you into its mythos.
Consider the book Raptor Red by Robert T. Bakker. In this story where there are no humans involved—sound familiar—but soulless animals only; nonetheless, Bakker creates a sympathetic character in Red and causes you as the reader to care for her and her struggle for life.
What was the message that Bakker so craftily conveyed? That life has value; and life is worth the struggle, worth the fight for the right simply to be “you.” In addition, what is it that draws the reader across the dusty ages and into the valley of a long Jurassic struggle? It is the message imbedded in a very well written story. Think about it.
Think of the best stories you have read or heard; or even watched in a movie. It is not the great prose, or the finely crafted sentences, but rather the human element; the story that first hooks you and then draws you into its mythos.
Consider the book Raptor Red by Robert T. Bakker. In this story where there are no humans involved—sound familiar—but soulless animals only; nonetheless, Bakker creates a sympathetic character in Red and causes you as the reader to care for her and her struggle for life.
What was the message that Bakker so craftily conveyed? That life has value; and life is worth the struggle, worth the fight for the right simply to be “you.” In addition, what is it that draws the reader across the dusty ages and into the valley of a long Jurassic struggle? It is the message imbedded in a very well written story. Think about it.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Finding the Message – Part III
Okay, here we are with the third installment on the message. To some degree we must first define what we mean by “the message.” According to Google a story is, “An account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment.” While a message is, “A verbal or recorded communiqué designed to convey specific information.”
Consider Josh Snell’s new short story Beyond a Beating Heart, published by Snellster Publishing. While the story, in a very poignant manner, deals with the tragedy of a teen death and the horror it brings to a family, the message is about the quality of life, and how and why we make certain choices over others.
The message is so skillfully wrapped into the story that the reader doesn’t realize he/she is being forced to ask and answer the question until the narrative has reached its zenith.
So as you are creating your manuscript, consider what the message might be. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, one of my childhood favorites, tells the story of an over the road adventure. But at its heart is the message of friendship and a kernel of truth that there really is “No place like home.” Think about it.
You can find Josh Snell’s book on Amazon by clicking here.
Consider Josh Snell’s new short story Beyond a Beating Heart, published by Snellster Publishing. While the story, in a very poignant manner, deals with the tragedy of a teen death and the horror it brings to a family, the message is about the quality of life, and how and why we make certain choices over others.
The message is so skillfully wrapped into the story that the reader doesn’t realize he/she is being forced to ask and answer the question until the narrative has reached its zenith.
So as you are creating your manuscript, consider what the message might be. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, one of my childhood favorites, tells the story of an over the road adventure. But at its heart is the message of friendship and a kernel of truth that there really is “No place like home.” Think about it.
You can find Josh Snell’s book on Amazon by clicking here.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Finding The Message - Part Two
The more I consider the “message of the story”, or as I am coming to see it, “the life’s blood”, the more I am compelled as a writer, who is also a Christian, to reveal the subtle truths that run through life almost unnoticed.
Would we care that the goose laid the golden egg, or that The Little Red Hen baked bread, if it wasn’t that the farmer learned that greed was bad, and that the farm animals learned that laziness had its own reward…lack.
My point? When I began writing N.H.I., I knew that the message that ran through the core of the story dealt with how we saw and treated people juxtaposed to how God commanded that we should. Then in D.R.T. came the question of the value of a human life and just who it is that gets to set that value. Of course, the real message there is: What will you do with the coming judgment between you and the Lord?
Then finally in I.A.I., while the message is ostensibly to police officers who’ve gone through an I.A.I. (Internal Affair Investigation), it is in the greater sense to anyone who has ever felt abandoned or cut off from a core group or family.
The message is what drives me as a writer and pulls you as a reader from page to page.
If we lose touch with the message, then we have, in effect, lost touch with our story. We’ll talk again later about discovering the true message within the heart of the manuscript. Until then, think about it.
Would we care that the goose laid the golden egg, or that The Little Red Hen baked bread, if it wasn’t that the farmer learned that greed was bad, and that the farm animals learned that laziness had its own reward…lack.
My point? When I began writing N.H.I., I knew that the message that ran through the core of the story dealt with how we saw and treated people juxtaposed to how God commanded that we should. Then in D.R.T. came the question of the value of a human life and just who it is that gets to set that value. Of course, the real message there is: What will you do with the coming judgment between you and the Lord?
Then finally in I.A.I., while the message is ostensibly to police officers who’ve gone through an I.A.I. (Internal Affair Investigation), it is in the greater sense to anyone who has ever felt abandoned or cut off from a core group or family.
The message is what drives me as a writer and pulls you as a reader from page to page.
If we lose touch with the message, then we have, in effect, lost touch with our story. We’ll talk again later about discovering the true message within the heart of the manuscript. Until then, think about it.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Out of Two Comes One: 18
As I near completion of I.A.I., book three in the Nate Richards series, I have been musing on the realization that what is really important about any story is its message. I don't mean the simple storyline, but rather what is the deeper truth that the story itself is trying to convey.
Consider the parable Jesus told of the vineyard. Remember how the owner of the vineyard hired a group of men to care for his property? And they, being the crooks that they were, began to plot how they could steal the land for their own. They even killed the property owner's son in a mad dash for power.
Well, ultimately the owner of the land returned and killed them all; it would have made a great movie. Enter voice over guy, "A grieving father returns to take revenge on the men who killed his only son.... And this time there won't be any peace in the valley."
But I digress.
The point is that when we are creating our manuscripts, we have to fight to first discover then keep that message alive. In the case of the parable of Jesus, the story may have been about greed, but the message was much larger: salvation and the price of redemption. Think about it.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
A New review of the short story, "I"
I by Ray Ellis is a gripping but disturbing short story. The story explores the sins and punishment of the sinner without any sugarcoating. Facing the memories of his transgressions, the main character suffers torment for false repentance. Excusing his own bad behavior leads the main character farther from the salvation he seeks.This story will leave sinners, especially the self-righteous types, squirming as they are faced with the excuses people commonly present for their sins in life. I is raw and unrelenting in its execution. Ellis writes in a manner that keeps the reader on edge but still hopeful for the main character to repent and find mercy.
Thank you for letting me read and review it.
All the Best!
T. L. Cooper, Author of All She Ever Wanted
www.tlcooper.com
writewithtlc.blogspot.com
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Out of the Two comes One - Part Seventeen
As an author, my life is quite simple, but couple that with my new role as CEO at NCC Publishing (www.nccpublishing.com.) and it puts me in mind of my dual roles as pastor and police officer. (What is it with the split personality thing and me anyway?) But I digress. My point is, as I execute my duties for the city in which I work, I am often confronted with issues of service and not merely enforcement.
It’s those moments when I get to touch a life with service…dare I say kindness, that the true beauty of being a cop shines through. Now, compare that to being a pastor: How cool is it when you’re the one that gets to lay your hand on the newborn child and pray the blessing of the Lord on this tiny new person. Or be the only one in the entire church with a ringside seat for the very first kiss of husband and wife.
Too many times the dualities of life can be seen as bad or harmful, but sometimes it’s just plain fun. I think the choice is up to you—or in this case, me. I choose to continue to serve both as pastor and as police officer, and now, I get to add to that—author and publisher. Who knows, it might just be fun for you too. So come along with me as I travel this new road in a world where two very different ideas make one very beautiful reality. Just saying…think about it.
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