GET A GOAL!

Though this book only came out in 1996, I consider it a classic text on fiction writing. While there are dozens of books on writing novels and getting published, this one really cuts to the heart of the matter: developing characters who will carry your story.

Whether you're just starting your novel, or you're staring at a hole the size of Kansas in the middle of your book, Goal, Motivation & Conflict will help you write a stronger story. I'd almost say "Guaranteed," but even foolproof systems require some work.

Dixon would agree. She opens the book by saying, "I was incredibly relieved to find out that the mega-stars of publshing didn't sit joyfully down at their keyboards and spew forth effortless prose that coalesceed into compelling blockbuster novels without the authors every having to work at it." But, as she says, we write because we MUST. And if we're not ready to put in the work, then we're not really writers.

But maybe the reason you're ready to give up and become an accountant is that you don't have the right tools. GMC breaks plots down into their essential building blocks and leads you by the hand through the process of choosing the right blocks and stacking them so they'll support the weight of your story.

What is all comes down to, she says in Chapter One, is "Who, What, Why, and Why Not." The Who, of course, is your character. The What, Why, and Why Not translate into Goal, Motivation and Conflict. These are explained in depth in Chapters 2 through 4.

In Chapter Five, she discusses conflict mascots and other ways to heighten conflict. The key is to make readers care what happens to your characters. Face it: If nobody cares who wins the race, you might as well throw away the starting gun.

Throughout the book, Dixon walks you through her GMC Chart. Just filling in the spaces in the chart – which does look rather daunting at first glance – helps you see the Big Picture. As examples for each aspect of GMC, she uses movies for illustration, and highly recommends renting these videos to understand her points. Why movies? Dixon claims "Movies don't bog you down with exposition, narrative or description . . . And most people can watch six movies more easily than they can read six books."

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