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“There’s always going to be dark times but sometimes we forget that writing takes us away from those dark times.“ -Brenda Drake
Thrilled to share our newest episode of the week! Brenda Drake is the author of Thief of Lies and Touching Fate, and the creator of Pitch Wars and #PitMad.
In Brenda’s episode, we dissect Pitch Wars and Pitch Madness, and what the criteria are for both mentors and mentees to be accepted. We chat about Brenda’s books and the inspiration behind them, along with a detailed look at how Brenda uses a plot graph as a roadmap for all of her stories. We discuss how to discover your character voices and flesh them out.
For writers who are looking to join Pitch Wars or Pitch Madness, or you’re looking for craft tips and inspiration, this episode is especially for you.
PS. Loved Brenda’s episode? Pass it on for some karmic goodness!
“Writing is our escape.” -Brenda Drake
“I have to clear everything from my mind, and then I can start writing.” -Brenda Drake
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
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- What the criteria are for Pitch Madness: A great 35-word pitch, current and fresh storyline, strong voice
- Learn how a tarot reading in New Orleans inspired Brenda with the idea of “Touching Fate”
- How a coffee table book at a bookstore, filled with beautiful photos of libraries around the world, inspired “Thief of Lies”
- How Brenda uses plot graphs as a roadmap to figure out the inciting incident, mid-point, climax, and resolution for all her books (example of Brenda’s plot graph in photo below)
- How acting out loud as your character helps flesh out the character’s voice
- Why it’s important to work with three critique partners
- How to present your best manuscript for querying
- How you’ll discover your own voice through reading other books in your genre
Example of Brenda’s Plot Graph
Learn More About Brenda Drake
Brenda Drake is the author of Thief of Lies (Library Jumpers #1) and Touching Fate (Fated Series #1). She grew up the youngest of three children, an Air Force brat, and the continual new kid at school. She hosts workshops and contests such as Pitch Wars and Pitch Madness on her blog, and holds Twitter pitch parties on the hashtag, #PitMad. When she’s not writing or hanging out with her family, she haunts libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops, or reads someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).
Look for Brenda’s upcoming novels Cursing Fate (Fated Series #2) releasing November 21, 2016 and Guardian of Secrets (Library Jumpers #2) releasing February 7, 2017 from Entangled Teen.
Brenda’s Recommended Books & Resources:
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master by Martha Alderson
Teach Me to Forget by Erica Chapman
Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dun
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Romantic Times Booklovers Convention
