{"id":2876,"date":"2010-10-22T14:06:14","date_gmt":"2010-10-22T18:06:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.amberstults.com\/?p=2876"},"modified":"2010-10-22T14:06:14","modified_gmt":"2010-10-22T18:06:14","slug":"the-marshall-plan-for-novel-writing-by-evan-marshall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.amberstults.com\/?p=2876","title":{"rendered":"The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan Marshall"},"content":{"rendered":"

Title:<\/strong> The Marshall<\/em> Plan \u00c2\u00ae<\/em>\u00c2\u00a0for Novel Writing
\n<\/em>Author: <\/strong>Evan Marshall
\nSource:<\/strong> Anna at FSB Associates<\/a><\/p>\n

Evan Marshall offers easy to follow advice on how to set yourself up for success in writing a novel.\u00c2\u00a0 He gives you the basics such as\u00c2\u00a0how (and why)\u00c2\u00a0to pick a genre, how to determine the number of words needed for the particular genre, character sheet information, mixing point of views, and how to plot in a way that creates tension.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0Marshall points out that he can’t help with the hardest part – the actual writing.<\/p>\n

Of particular\u00c2\u00a0interest to\u00c2\u00a0me is the section on plotting.\u00c2\u00a0 Marshall’s plotting advice is to have the character do an action\u00c2\u00a0in an attempt to\u00c2\u00a0overcome the obstacle.\u00c2\u00a0 However, the action results in failure.\u00c2\u00a0 This can be in several ways… the character has to figure out a new way to overcome the obstacle, fails and finds out about a bigger obstacle or does succeed but finds out about a bigger obstacle ahead.\u00c2\u00a0 It reminds me of the first season of the tv show Prison Break<\/em>.\u00c2\u00a0 Each time Michael Scofield\u00c2\u00a0figured out how to overcome an obstacle\u00c2\u00a0in getting his brother out of prison there was a new one waiting around the corner.\u00c2\u00a0 It was so exciting to watch because you didn’t know if the prison system, other inmates or the shadowy organization in the background was going to get in his way.\u00c2\u00a0 Marshall includes examples of action and reaction sheets to help with the plotting.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another section of the book is an overview of writing mechanics.\u00c2\u00a0 He explains passive action without saying he’s explaining it.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0It’s a nice refresher.<\/p>\n

Now, if you’re unable to keep everything straight with your papers or electronic files, Marshall and Martha Jewett wrote novel writing\u00c2\u00a0software to accompany the book.\u00c2\u00a0 It organizes the alternating viewpoints and action\/reaction sections.\u00c2\u00a0 I’ve only seen the screenshots of the software.\u00c2\u00a0 If filled out properly it should greatly assist in writing the synopsis of your novel.<\/p>\n

Marshall and Jewett are running a Fiction Makeover Contest for NaNoWriMo<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 Until November 15th, 2010\u00c2\u00a0you can send them the first 25 pages and a synopsis for a chance at winning the software or a copy of this book.\u00c2\u00a0 Good luck!<\/p>\n

About the Authors:<\/strong><\/div>\n

Evan Marshall<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0is an internationally recognized expert on fiction writing and author of the \u00e2\u20ac\u0178Hidden Manhattan” and \u00e2\u20ac\u0178Jane Stuart and Winky” mystery series. A former book editor, for 27 years he has been a leading literary agent specializing in fiction. His Marshall Plan\u00c2\u00ae Novel Writing Software, co-authored with Martha Jewett, is an adaptation of his bestselling Marshall Plan\u00c2\u00ae series.\u00c2\u00a0He is the president of The Evan Marshall Agency, a leading literary management firm that represents a number of\u00c2\u00a0<\/span>New York Times<\/em>\u00c2\u00a0andUSA Today<\/em>\u00c2\u00a0bestselling authors.<\/p>\n

An award-winning business book editor at McGraw-Hill, John Wiley & Sons, and HarperBusiness,\u00c2\u00a0Martha Jewett<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0is currently a literary agent and editorial consultant specializing in business books. An avid memoirist, she blogs at\u00c2\u00a0www.writeyourmemoir.com<\/a>. With Evan Marshall she created\u00c2\u00a0The<\/em>\u00c2\u00a0Marshall Plan\u00c2\u00ae Novel Writing Software,\u00c2\u00a0<\/em>an adaptation of the bestselling Marshall Plan\u00c2\u00ae series.<\/p>\n

For more information, please visit\u00c2\u00a0http:\/\/writeanovelfast.com\/<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0and follow the authors on\u00c2\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0and\u00c2\u00a0Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Title: The Marshall Plan \u00c2\u00ae\u00c2\u00a0for Novel Writing Author: Evan Marshall Source: Anna at FSB Associates Evan Marshall offers easy to follow advice on how to set yourself up for success in writing a novel.\u00c2\u00a0 He gives you the basics such as\u00c2\u00a0how (and why)\u00c2\u00a0to pick a genre, how to determine the number of words needed for… Continue reading The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan Marshall<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[392,393,67,394],"class_list":["post-2876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-review","tag-evan-marshall","tag-martha-jewett","tag-nanowrimo","tag-the-marshall-plan-for-novel-writing","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.amberstults.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.amberstults.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.amberstults.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.amberstults.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.amberstults.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2876"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.amberstults.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2876\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2881,"href":"http:\/\/www.amberstults.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2876\/revisions\/2881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.amberstults.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.amberstults.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.amberstults.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}