Writing about Tragedy: Voyage of the Titanic by Janice Hanna Thompson

My agent asked me to put together a story idea focused on the Titanic. I’m usually a comedic writer, (and he happened to catch me on my way home from the theater, where I direct musicals), so I quipped: “Only if I can throw in a song and dance number involving an iceberg!” He laughed and responded with, “No, we have to play this one straight.” At first I wasn’t sure if I could come up with a serious plotline, but 24-hours later I had the story idea and the first chapter. My editors at Summerside (Rachel Meisel and Susan Downs) read the idea and loved it. When they saw me at the ACFW conference I got the news: “We’re going to publish your novel!” I was especially thrilled to hear that my book would be among the first to release in the new line. What a privilege!

Writing historically accurate novels take a lot of research. I spend months researching Titanic’s story (reading every available book and watching every conceivable documentary), I also drove from Houston to Branson Missouri to the Titanic museum. Talk about an eye-opener! The exhibit covers everything you could imagine, and includes all sorts of artifacts from the ship. When you write about an event such as this, particularly one that has been so well documented in movies and books, you need to get your facts right. Even the “little” things (like, how long did it take to load everyone onto the ship) can bog the writer down. Dozens and dozens of times I would stop writing just to look something up. And don’t even get me started on the clothing and hats! I created a board on Pinterest to study 1910 fashion!

Why are people still interested in the Titanic? I think it’s the “unknown variable” that makes it all so interesting. It’s the fact that we can only speculate: Who were those people? What were they feeling? What were their hopes and dreams? What were they feeling before the ship set sail? After? How strongly did they feel it? Who did they feel it with? These are the questions that motivate us. As I sat to write this story, I envisioned people from every walk of life, all converged in one small world for a brief moment in history. Together, in that place, emotions surely ran the gamut (from exhilaration to distress and grief). Placing a love story in the middle of all of that emotion just made sense.

Several of my characters (primarily Tessa) face their own destiny. They come to grips with the brevity (and value) of life. They see first-hand what’s truly important and what isn’t. In my story, Tessa learns that her picture of God has been skewed (since childhood). She discovers a relationship with Him while onboard the ship, but that relationship is tested the night the ship goes down.

This year marked the 100th anniversary of the Titanic. It’s such a tragic story, and one that affected thousands of people. Meeting Cathy Peeling really put this in perspective for me. Her uncle passed away that night. This completely changed the make-up of her family. And she’s just one person out of thousands. Generations of people were affected by this tragedy. And so many feel a connection. Ship builders. Dress designers. Modern-day cruisers. The rich. The poor. The dreamers. Those who long to travel. We can all envision ourselves aboard Titanic on that fateful journey. Perhaps the greatest lesson to be learned from Titanic is this: We cannot put our trust/confidence in man-made things; only in the Lord.

Janice is passionate about her faith and does all she can to share the joy of the Lord with others, which is why she particularly enjoys writing. Her tagline, “Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever Afters!” sums up her take on life.

She lives in Spring, Texas, where she leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends, and two mischievous dachshunds. She does her best to keep the Lord at the center of it all. You can find out more about Janice at www.janiceathompson.com or www.freelancewritingcourses.com.

Book trailer for Janice's book about the Titanic, Queen of the Waves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlLeB8tiZbQ&feature=share

Writing Humor by Janice Hannah Thompson

Welcome to another Writer's Journey Wednesday! (Dawn here.) I admire people who are gifted with writing humorous material. What a blessing they are! They bring much needed laughter into our world. We're honored today to have author Janice Thompson share her tips on writing humor.

Writing Humor

Humor writing comes naturally to some authors. Others have to work hard to be funny. (Sounds funny, doesn’t it . . . working hard to be funny?) I’m one of those who came into the world with an overactive funny bone. Oh, it occasionally gives me trouble. Life’s woes kick in and my funny bone gets arthritic. It locks up. Whenever that happens, I trip myself on purpose, just to loosen it back up again. (Hey, a girl can only go so long without laughter!)

So, what makes a story funny? Here are a few tips to creating a tale that will tickle the funny bone:

1. Create unique characters: Think of your favorite sitcom. For me, Everybody Love Raymond is near the top of the list. Why did I love that show so much? The characters were (individually) hysterical. Each one had his/her own quirks. And those quirks got them into (and out of) jams. When you set out to write a comedy, create a cast of characters that you absolutely love. Don’t just focus on one or two. Choose at least three characters in your story who really have that extra “zing.” Characters that readers will remember for years to come. In my “Weddings by Bella” series, I created several funny characters (and boy, have I heard from readers about them). These characters include Aunt Rosa, Uncle Laz, Bella and the trio of “sisters” from Splendora Texas. These wacky people will stay with me for the rest of my life! I think some of my readers have adopted them, as well.

2. Exaggeration: If your character is tall, make him really tall. Chubby? Make her exceptionally chubby. Nervous? Make him overly anxious. Claustrophobic? Carry it a bit further than the norm. Does she like to wear lipstick? Make it Pollyanna Pink or Ruby Red. Give that character an exaggerated “sticking point” that readers will remember. And, exaggerate plotline highs and lows, as well. Is she in a valley? Make it a deep one. Is he on the mountaintop? Give him the experience of a lifetime.

3. Situational comedy: Spend time watching for humorous moments in your own life. What “situations” get you giggly? Think about placing your characters in a “situation” that will play out in a humorous way. By way of example, let’s look at I Love Lucy. Did we really find it believable that a housewife would take a job in a chocolate factory and end up shoving candies down her blouse? Um, probably not. Did we laugh like hyenas when the episode aired? You betcha! I Love Lucy was the perfect example of a situational comedy. Week after week we waited to see what “situation” our gal would end up in. We empathized with her (this is very important) and we thought she was a little kooky. In short, we saw a little of ourselves in her.

4. Slapstick: Think of Larry, Mo and Curly. Sure, their antics got a little old after awhile, but you get the idea. “Physical” comedy (tripping over things, physical gags, etc.) has always had its place in humor writing. Use these events sparingly, but don’t rule them out.

5. Pacing: There’s much to be said about the placement of words, phrases and inflections. Pacing is truly everything in comedy. In many respects, it is learned by trial and error. If you aren’t sure something is working, run it by your critique partners. See if they’re tickled by your words.

6. Living the Life: Let humor lead the way! In my own life, I find that being funny on the page is easier when I’m truly walking through life with a joyous attitude. It’s not always easy (and life often intervenes, threatening to remove any hint of humor), but for those who live a life of faith, it is possible. The Bible is loaded with all sorts of great scriptures about joy. Check out this verse: "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones." (Proverbs 17:22) When we transfer our “merry heart” to the page, then we’re sharing the joy with our readers. Is there any greater honor?

Award-winning author Janice Thompson also writes under the pseudonym Janice Hanna. She got her start in the industry writing screenplays and musical comedies for the stage. Janice has published over fifty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, children's books and more. In addition, she enjoys editing, ghost-writing, public speaking, and mentoring young writers. Janice currently serves as Vice-President of CAN (Christian Authors Network) and was named the 2008 Mentor of the year for ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). She is active in her local writing group, where she regularly teaches on the craft of writing. Janice is passionate about her faith and does all she can to share the joy of the Lord with others, which is why she particularly enjoys writing. She lives in Spring, Texas, where she leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends, and two mischievous dachshunds. She does her best to keep the Lord at the center of it all.

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Morning Edict by Janice Thompson

Please welcome author Janice Thompson with this encouragement before heading into your weekend.

Morning Edict

Dawn awakens and I attempt to do the same. With diet soda in hand and eyes still crusted over from sleep, I drag up the stairs and cross over into hallowed territory. In this sacred place I have witnessed miracles, waged wars and struggled to maintain my sanity. I love this spot nearly as much as I despise it. A turn to the left, my heart aiming to the right, and I sit to translate His daily symphony. My ritual has become almost commonplace, and I fear I might one day forget the awesome responsibility of this call – this blissful, gut-wrenching call.

The sublime dances alongside the mundane and I witness it all as my fingers prepare to transcribe the notes on the page. These two worlds confuse and delight me. Oh, the wonder of such a majestic composition! Oh, the fragility of a heart aching to be used. How great, the ensuing battle between the two. I find myself forever torn between wanting to do His will and wondering if I am capable of constructing even one intelligent sentence. Can I lay down my insecurities and selfish desires long enough to pencil the message the Lord places on my heart this morning? Will there be a message worth conveying?

The instruments begin to warm up – a harsh contrast to my ears as each one pits itself against the other. For a brief moment I’m baffled by the cacophony of sounds, the sheer confusion of it all. Then, miraculously, all of the dissonance fades into one clear, singular note and I am free to begin. My fingertips dance across near-silent keys, a stark contrast to the plinking and plunking of yesterday’s typewriter. Today’s message tip-toes out onto a bright white screen, and I come alive as the oil begins to flow – blessed, holy oil that washes over me with its invigorating power. The music is pouring now, and I am tuned in as never before. I race. I sit idle. I sing in three keys at once. I hold back, suspended in time. I press anxious keys. I wait in silence.

Sometimes, truth be told, I forget to wait. Some days I forge ahead, anxious to meet the deadline, state my case and impress potential readers with carefully crafted words. On those days, pride becomes my friend. We feed one another tasteless foods and toast our victories with empty glasses. Then, just as quickly, arrogance gives way to defeat. There are days when I search aimlessly for words, unable to locate even one. On those days, hopelessness seeps in and the enemy of my soul whispers the phrase I’ve grown to dread, “How can you offer up what you don’t even possess?” Just as quickly, the voice of the Lord echoes loudly in my ears, reminding me that I possess heaven and earth. Heaven, I can share with those on earth. Heaven, I must share with those on earth.

I clamor for forgiveness and the Lord whispers words of solace. Hope kicks in and I’m on my way once more. Faithful fingers begin to dance with joy and something miraculous occurs. In that moment, as heaven and earth meet, self gives way to the Spirit of God. I cease typing and He begins. Tiny black words tumble out onto a barren white screen, then somehow plunge forward into paragraphs. Paragraphs gently press their way into full pages. Pages majestically align themselves to compose chapters, and chapters gloriously sing until they erupt into books. I don’t mind playing the role of spectator as His stories take shape. In fact, I have grown rather accustomed to it.

Tomorrow morning I will rise from my bed and wipe the sleep from my eyes. I will once again face the challenge of the call of God on my life – to write, or not to write? As I step foot onto that hallowed ground I call my workspace, I will empty myself of all I desire and give myself over.

Again.

Award-winning author Janice Thompson also writes under the pseudonym Janice Hanna. She got her start in the industry writing screenplays and musical comedies for the stage. Janice has published over fifty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, children's books and more. In addition, she enjoys editing, ghost-writing, public speaking, and mentoring young writers. Janice currently serves as Vice-President of CAN (Christian Authors Network) and was named the 2008 Mentor of the year for ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). She is active in her local writing group, where she regularly teaches on the craft of writing. Janice is passionate about her faith and does all she can to share the joy of the Lord with others, which is why she particularly enjoys writing. She lives in Spring, Texas, where she leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends, and two mischievous dachshunds. She does her best to keep the Lord at the center of it all.

You can find out more about Janice at www.janiceathompson.com