OCTOBER WORKSHOP Digital Media & Mentoring Program. Genre: SUSPENSE FICTION Industry: PUBLISHING

Transcription

1 OCTOBER WORKSHOP Digital Media & Mentoring Program Genre: SUSPENSE FICTION Industry: PUBLISHING LEADERS Erica Silberman, Director of Community Outreach; iemi Hernandez Kim, Senior Community, Outreach Coordinator; Kyndal Thomas, Community Outreach Coordinator ; Kelsey Adolphs, Operations Coordinator; Nyasiah Colon, Intern; Yanbin Song, New School Facilitator; Jackie Wu, New School Facilitator CRAFT & INDUSTRY SPEAKERS AM: Wendolyne Sabrozo, Assistant to Johanna Castillo, Literary Agent, Writers House; Jeanabel Vargas, Accounting Manager, Open Road Integrated Media; Nadia DeLane, Visual Storyteller and Communications Professional PM: Jill Grinberg, Literary Agent, Jill Grinberg Literary Management; Justine Larbalestier, YA Author; Nadia DeLane, Visual Storyteller and Communications Professional WORKSHOP GOALS Writing: Learn the elements of writing suspense fiction Digital: Tell your story through GIFs Professional: Learn how writing and digital skills lead to jobs in publishing Portfolio Pieces: Post your GIFs to your portfolio under genre tag: fiction and story tag: suspense fiction SCHEDULE AM / PM Welcome Sign in & Snacks 9:45 1:45 Intro & Icebreaker 10:05 2:05 Writing: Define & Redefine 10:10 2:10 Why Suspense Fiction? Why Now? 10:25 2:25 Great Suspense Fiction 10:35 2:35 Cast Your Story 10:45 2:45 Sell Your Story 10:55 2:55 Craft & Industry Talk 11:20 3:20 Break 11:50 3:50 Digital Lesson 12:00 4:00 Experimentation 12:30 4:30 Application & Share Out 1:00 5: West 37th Street, Suite 1000, New York, NY

2 DON T READ AHEAD OR ELSE! 2

3 DEFINE SUSPENSE: CRIME, MYSTERY, THRILLER Crime Fiction Define: These stories tend to be contest of wills between hero and villain, typically detective and outlaw. It could be a murder, theft, kidnapping, etc. Crime Fiction asks the question: What is a just society? As a character (hero, villain, or both) tries to create one. The focus is on maintaining integrity in a corrupt world, righting a wrong, or exacting justice. What would you like to see? Mystery Define: These stories track the solution of a crime. They answer the questions: Who? And Why? They revolve around clues and the discovery and elimination of suspects. These stories really explore people s capability for deceit. What would you like to see? 3

4 Thriller Define: Thrillers tend to be the most emotional of the three subgenres, revolving around a hero s fears and doubts. These stories are all about the vulnerability, dread, and the danger of the imminent unknown. Typically in these stories, the perpetrator is known, but their guilt is not certain and the protagonist finds themselves under constant attack as they attempt to prove the perpetrator s guilt. What would you like to see? 4

5 WHY SUSPENSE FICTION? WHY NOW? Sarah Vaughan - writer of Anatomy of a Scandal writes: Crime fiction allows us to explore our darkest fears in a safe setting the world is an uncertain place right now and the closure offered by a crime novel can be comforting: the perpetrators of the crime will usually experience justice by the end. What makes you sad, angry, scared, or puzzled? 5

6 GREAT SUSPENSE FICTION: I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family. But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga s role. Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother seems to channel her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed. But it s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend Lorena, and her first love, first everything boyfriend Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal? Hollywood Homicide by Kellye Garrett Actress Dayna Anderson's Deadly New Role: Homicide Detective Dayna Anderson doesn't set out to solve a murder. All the semi-famous, mega-broke actress wants is to help her parents keep their house. So after witnessing a deadly hit-and-run, she pursues the fifteen grand reward. But Dayna soon finds herself doing a full-on investigation, wanting more than just money she wants justice for the victim. She chases down leads at paparazzi hot spots, celeb homes, and movie premieres, loving every second of it until someone tries to kill her. And there are no second takes in real life. My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier What if the most terrifying person you know is your ten-year-old sister? Seventeen-year-old Aussie Che Taylor loves his younger sister, Rosa. But he s also certain that she s a psychopath clinically, threateningly, dangerously. Recently Rosa has been making trouble, hurting things. Che is the only one who knows; he s the only one his sister trusts. Rosa is smart, talented, pretty, and very good at hiding what she is and the manipulation she s capable of. Their parents, whose business takes the family from place to place, brush off the warning signs as Rosa s acting out. Now that they have moved again from Bangkok to New York City their new hometown provides far too many opportunities for Rosa to play her increasingly complex and disturbing games. Che s always been Rosa s rock, protecting her from the world. Now, the world might need protection from her. Clue: Digital examples will be uploaded onto the GWN site for your reference. 6

7 CAST YOUR STORY: Think about your favorite character from a book, a movie, a song, a video game, anything! 1. What does this character love? (chocolate, power, puzzles, etc.) 2. What is their weakness? (shoes, their baby brother, snakes, etc.) 3. What do they want? (fame, love, justice, etc.) Clue: Remember, you ll be telling your story through GIFs, so start thinking about visual storytelling. Think about the way your character is going to look. Think about the visual cues of a hero/heroine and a villain. How can you complicate those expectations in interesting ways without confusing your viewer? How are you going to convey a character and story on such a small screen in such a short amount of time? Think about how your character will move within the gif. 7

8 SELL YOUR STORY: BACK COVER/SYNOPSIS Write a short, impactful synopsis of your story, like the blurb you would find on a back cover of a novel, under the description for a Netflix Series, on a video game case, etc. Se Character(s): Setting: Crime/Discovery: Stakes: 8

9 Back Cover/Synopsis: 9

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11 REFERENCE: Excerpts from David Corbett s The Differences Between a Crime Novel, Mystery Novel and Thriller Novel Mystery A crime is committed almost always a murder and the action of the story is the solution of that crime: determining who did it and why, and obtaining some form of justice. The best mystery stories often explore man s unique capacity for deceit especially self-deceit and demonstrate a humble respect for the limits of human understanding. This is usually considered the most cerebral (and least violent) of the suspense genres. Thematic emphasis: How can we come to know the truth? (By definition, a mystery is simply something that defies our usual understanding of the world.) Structural distinctions: The basic plot elements of the mystery form are: 1. The baffling crime 2. The singularly motivated investigator 3. The hidden killer 4. The cover-up (often more important than the crime itself, as the cover-up is what conceals the killer) 5. Discovery and elimination of suspects (in which creating false suspects is often part of the killer s plan) 6. Evaluation of clues (sifting the true from the untrue) 7. Identification and apprehension of the killer. Crime In this genre the focus is on the contest of wills between the lawman hero and the outlaw opponent, and their differing views of morality and the aspects of society they represent. The greatest crime stories deal with a moral accounting on the part of the hero for his entire life, or provide some new perspective on the tension between society and the individual. Thematic emphasis: What is a just society? The story world of the novel is out of balance, somewhere between a state of nature (where chaos prevails and those with money and/or guns wield power) and a police state (where paranoia prevails and the state monopolizes power). The hero hopes in some way to rectify that imbalance. Other moral themes can include the challenge of decency, honor and integrity in a corrupt world; individual freedom versus law and order; and the tension between ambition and obligations to others. Structural distinctions: There is seldom any mystery as to who the criminal is. Typically the story starts with a brilliant or daring crime, and then a cat-and-mouse game of wits and will ensues, with the tension created by the increasing intensity of the battle between the opponents. The underlying question is: Will the cops prevail before the opponent stages his next crime? Given the similarity to war and action stories, the prose often tends toward the naturalistic. 11

12 Thriller Where mystery stories represent the most cerebral of the three major suspense genres, and crime stories the most dramatic, thrillers are typically the most emotional, focusing on the fear, doubt and dread of the hero as she faces some form of what Dean Koontz has deemed terrible trouble. This genre is a hybrid of mystery and horror. However, the thriller also shares a literary lineage with the epic and myth. Monsters, terror and peril prevail. Thematic emphasis: The dangerous world we live in, the vulnerability of the average person, and the inherent threat of the unknown. Structural distinctions: The plot often proceeds along these lines: A devastating crime is about to be committed, or has been committed with the threat of an even worse one in the wings. The perpetrator is known, but his guilt is not absolutely certain or the hero wishes not to accept the truth of his guilt. (The uncertainty enhances the suspense.) The hero is under constant attack as she tries to definitively prove the perpetrator s guilt and/or stop the next atrocity. (Note the difference from the mystery genre, where the villain typically remains hidden.) Clue: The full article will be uploaded to the site for your reference. 12

13 CHECKLIST: PLEASE REVIEW THIS AT YOUR NEXT PAIR SESSION Mark Your Calendar: College Fair, THIS TUE, Oct 16, 5-7 PM at HS of Fashion Design colleges, universities, and support organizations will be ready to load you up with information and answer any of your questions. Strongly recommended for junior & senior mentees and open to all. Mentors are welcome to accompany. Mentor & Mentee Social + Book Launch THIS WED, Oct 17, 7-9 PM at Books are Magic. Strongly recommended! Get to know your mentors and mentees over books and readings! Next GWN Workshop: Persuasive Writing, Politics & Philanthropy, SAT, Nov 3 Required event Run to Write! Sign up for Nov 11 race in Riverside Park. Help Support Girls Write Now through this fundraising event Upload to your Portfolio: Your suspense story in GIFs is due uploaded by your next workshop (Nov. 3). Your individual bio was due today! If you haven t uploaded it yet, please do! Your pair goals were due today! If you haven t finished yet, make sure to upload at your next pair session! Stay up to Speed: Read the Girls Write Now Gazette! Your go-to guide for important dates, deadlines and opportunities. UP NEXT... We know the suspense is killing you, so you will be getting an about your cohort lead soon. Mentees: you ll be receiving your pre-workshop surveys soon! Mentors: you ll be receiving Count-Me-In surveys soon! Mentors: If you haven t already been assigned to a committee, you will soon! IMPORTANT: Prompt communication is vital in helping us provide you with the best program year possible! We will be expecting responses to s/phone calls within 24 hours unless otherwise specified. If there is another way that is easier to reach you, let us know! 13

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15 PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE TODAY WITHOUT TURNING THIS IN! My Name College Fair, THIS TUE, Oct 16, 5-7 PM at HS of Fashion Design Strongly recommended for junior & senior mentees and open to all. Mentors are welcome to accompany. Yes, I will be there No, I can t make it Questions/Comments Mentor & Mentee Social + Book Launch THIS WED, Oct 17, 7-10 PM at Books are Magic Strongly recommended! Get to know your mentors and mentees over books and drinks! Yes, I will be there No, I can t make it Questions/Comments Run to Write! SIGN UP TODAY for Nov 11 race in Riverside Park. Help Support Girls Write Now through this fundraising event Yes, I will participate No, I can t Questions/Comments Interested in joining the CURRICULUM Committee? We are looking for more DMP representation. Yes No Questions/Comments 15