Friday, December 12, 2008

The Plot, Plot, Fizz Fizz Contest!

Some years ago, Alka Seltzer ran a commercial that went: "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh, what a relief it is!"

Well, last weekend, my writer-friend, Paddy Lock, and I attended a Writer2Writer Workshop at Flintridge Bookstore, where the lovely and talented Paula Yoo spoke to the group about plotting. And I couldn't help humming that little jingle to myself because just the way Alka Seltzer revives one's ailing stomach, there's nothing like plot points to bring life to an ailing storyline.


Paula has extensive experience in plotting books, as well as television screenplays, and explained her processes using examples from classic novels and the classic movie, “Diehard,” as well as providing hand-outs with further elaborations, exercises, and sources.

It was also great to hear about her writer’s journey, the two books she has in print, the one out in 2009, and a particular highlight was the brainstorming exercise she ran us through as if we were a table of TV screenwriters looking for new ideas for upcoming episodes.

Following her talk, she signed copies of Good Enough. Here she is with the director of the Writer2Writer program, Catherine Linka:


And with Paddy and me:


What Paddy and I did was to buy two books, one for us to read, and one for me to share with one lucky commenter here at YA Fresh. The contest starts NOW and will close on Sunday, December 14 at 6:00 pm PST. So go ahead and leave a comment...and best of luck!

42 fresh comments:

Anonymous said...

Somehow that talk was exactly what I needed to get the middle of my book moving again. Now if only all this holiday stuff would get out of my way and let me write. My character is in the hospital!

I LOVED Good Enough. My kids kept saying "This can't be set in Connecticut! It's obviously Glendale!" (CA). (smile)

Meredith said...

Hey, the contest ends on my birthday!!

I read the synopsis of the book. It looks really good and sounds like my kind of book!

~Meredith

Anonymous said...

Hi Tina,
I'm always up for a good plot discussion. Wish I could have been there with you.

Janie

Anonymous said...

I heard Paula speak a few weeks ago and she even treated us with her violin playing!! We would love to have an autographed copy of her book! Thanks so much. :)

-Adriana

nadine said...

Good Enough sounds good. The main character reminds my of a character from Jeanine Le Ny's Once Upon a Prom Trilogy.

=)
TruBlu

di said...

sounds great!

not_so_cg[at]yahoo[dot]com

Kelly (Lynn) Parra said...

Sounds like an awesome event, Tina! And Paula's book looks great!!

Good luck, Everyone!!

Anonymous said...

I'm with Janie - I would have loved to have been a part of the plot discussion too! But thanks to your announcement on FB, I went out and ordered a copy of the book. It looks great - just the kind of book I love to read. Thanks so much for turning me onto the work of another YA writer I am sure to enjoy!

Hope all is well on your end!
-Jessica

Paradox said...

I want to read this book! It has especially stood out to me when I've seen it on the internet because once I attempted to write a story with the same title. But like almost all my attempts at finishing short stories, I failed miserably and began something else. And so on, and so on...

C.R. Evers said...

Wow! What a great event! Sounds like an interesting book too!

Sign me up! Pick me, pick me! (picture raised hand) Ooooh!Oooh! Ohhh! ;0)

Christy

Jenny!!! said...

Wow...this book sounds wonderful!! I would *love* a copy! Please...with a cherry on top? :)

I was giggling on the inside while reading that old alka seltzer jingle. I just don't think it would quite work nowadays.

Unknown said...

Oh, I like your pictures! The Barnes and Noble link you provided for Good Enough had a really good blurb for the book, and it sounds amazing! Happy Holidays!

zarache AT aol DOT com

Anonymous said...

Ah, Good Enough was such a great novel. I wrote my review for my journalism class, and one of my friends liked the review so much, they decided to read the book. :)

---Annemarie McD

Rachael Stein said...

sounds like a unique book.

coincidentally, the name of the bookstore is also the name of the street i live in....too bad it's not on my street!

TinaFerraro said...

Thanks to everyone who has commented so far, and a special shout-out to Jessica who already went out and bought the book!

Anonymous said...

This is an anonymous entry, but Tina knows who I am!

A!

Anonymous said...

Hi YA Fresh readers! Thanks for your kind comments. I had a blast hanging out with Paddy and Tina and thanks for spotlighting GOOD ENOUGH on your awesome blog! Hope everyone has a rockin' weekend! xo paula

Anna R said...

Tina U always have the best book contests. This sounds like too much fun. Ur symposium about plots would be perfect for you. ILY

Debbie said...

Good Enough sounds marvelous. Not only does it sound like a story that I will enjoy, but also one that my students will want to read as well. I'd love a copy for my classroom library!

Rylie said...

This book sounds great! Enter me, please!

-Rylie
bcanyon at hotmail dot com

Anonymous said...

Sounds fabulous!

ylin.0621[at]yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Count me in! :)

Test said...

Enter me, please. This book sounds great!

Regina said...

OOOOhhhh, pick me, pick me!! hahahaha

Anonymous said...

sounds like a great book. I'm Chinese, so I understand the pressures that come with Asian parents. Luckily, my parents aren't as bad as the ones in the book sound. =)

Shooting Stars Mag said...

I'd love to be entered. I just heard a lot about this book and Paula recently, so i'm very curious now!!!

-lauren
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com

Sarah Woodard said...

I really want to read this book.

Anonymous said...

I've heard awesome things of this book and would LOVE a copy of it!! Count me in!

Ellie said...

Sounds awesome! I'm adding you to my followers; and I'll post about it on my sidebar so more people will see it! Please enter me!

my52booksand52weeks@yahoo.com
52booksand52weeks.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Plot, Plot, Fizz Fizz Ahahaha!

Anonymous said...

Plot discussion is surely interesting, even though you're not real writers haha

Please count me in

Anna said...

This book looks really good. I've heard only good things about it. :)

hope.
hopesblogAThotmailDOTcom

Bunny B said...

I'd love to read this book!!

bunnybx at gmail . com

asdfjkl; said...

Awesome! Please enter me!

emailthebookworm(at)yahoo(dot)com

Liviania said...

I read Paula's interview on Stephanie Kuehnert's blog. It was absolutely awesome. I definitely want to pick her book up.

tetewa said...

Sounds good, I'd like to be included! tWarner419@aol.com

Diana Dang said...

That's cool!

Carolina said...

Sounds like a good book please enter me!

Unknown said...

Oooh soo awesome!

TinaFerraro said...

Okay, the contest is closed! Thanks to all of you who entered!

Amy said...

I just discovered this site. I love it!

I'd also love to win the book for the teens I work with at the Arlington Public Library (in Texas). =)

TinaFerraro said...

Thanks, Amy! Keep visiting us...we have lots of giveaways and interviews and, well, "fresh" fun!