Netflix's "Atypical" and The Media's Portrayal of Dads | Olivia J

"All good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere," -Anne Lamott

In recent Western media, there seems to be two types of Dads - the Bumbling, Comic-Relief Dad, and the Deadbeat, Absent Dad. 

While these two tropes can be respectively entertaining and effective, it paints a clear picture of what our culture believes about fathers in general. 

I recently binge-watched Netflix's Atypical, a family drama about a teenage boy on the autism spectrum, and was pleasantly surprised by the portrayal of the father, Doug. I could talk extensively about how the show succeeds in it's character development and execution of themes and messages, but, as the title suggests, I want to dive into what Atypical does so beautifully in portraying fathers. 

First off, Doug's characterization is refreshing. He's presented to the audience as not just some comic relief, but also as a human being with problems, thoughts, and complexity. This isn't something we see too often in father figures. Often, the father figure is a bumbling background idiot, or he's just an asshole because plot. 

However, Doug is portrayed as a human being, not as comedic relief or to give other characters a damaged background. It feels like he matters to the story as an individual, and not just as a plot convenience or to inspire other characters. We see the reasons and motivation behind his actions - bad and good -  and he truly becomes a heartfelt dad who is trying his hardest to connect with his son. 

Jumping off of Doug and Sam (the protagonist), his relationships with the people in his life are revolutionary. Not only does he have a good relationship with his daughter, he loves his wife (despite her infidelity), and desires desperately to connect with Sam - and does his best to do so. 

This trait is admirable, because all too often we see disconnected dads, out-of-touch dads, and terrible dads, but in actuality, most fathers aren't extreme. What makes this portrayal so revolutionary is that it portrays realistic, average fathers - ones who have the best intentions, but don't always succeed. Ones who care a whole lot, but sometimes make bad decisions. And those kinds of dads are the ones that we need to see more of. 

I probably could keep raving about Atypical and all of the things it does right (I'm looking at you, non-offensive-and-accurate-portrayal-of-autism), and the small, nit-picky things I would have changed. However, I digress. I think I've made my point. 

Here's to writing better dads! 

~The WordShaker

Guest Post: Creating Strong Characters by Gabriella Slade

"Readers are not sheep, and not every pen tempts them," -Vladimir Nabokov

We all love a strong character.

That's a fact. We as readers love the ability to pick up a book and fall in love with a person who exists only between the pages of a book. As a writer, it's our job, to not only create a compelling story that pulls a reader in but to write about strong, well-developed characters for people to read about.

If a reader doesn't like the character they're reading about, they'll most likely put down the story. It's as simple as that.

When I sent off my own book, Show Me, to be read by beta readers, much of the feedback I received said my main character, Kade, was not very likable. He was moody, and dark, and needed a lighter side of his personality to balance him out. It surprised me, but I knew the changes needed to be made, so I went back to the drawing board and took some more time to get to know my character.

What are some of the things that make a character strong?

• A backstory that is well developed throughout the course of the book/series
• Both Positive AND negative traits
• Quirks and Hobbies
• Things he/she believes in
• Passions
• Dreams or plans for the future
• Fears

Granted, that's a lot, so here are some questions used to develop these things even further than just a boring old bullet list.

1. Who were his parents? Were they present throughout his childhood? Where are they today?
2. What was his education like?
3. What does he like to do for fun?
4. What are some of his good and bad habits?
5. Is he religious?
6. What does he dream about doing one day?
7. What is he scared of?
8. Does he have any secrets?

OK, this is just yet another boring list, but it's also the starting point to getting to know your character even better.

When I dove back into Kade's development, I made sure to give him interests that weren't put there simply for the sake of the plot. I balanced out his darker, moody side by giving him a sense of humor, and made him less negative about every single little issue in his life. Sure he is still moody. He does tend to complain at times. But that's just because he's flawed.

A strong character is more an imperfect character, rather than a perfect one.

Maybe you're on the other side of the spectrum. Maybe you tried so hard to make your character good, that he is practically perfect. No imperfections. No fears. Unfortunately, that's just unrealistic and very unrelatable. Like it or not, you need to give your characters some spots. Does he take all his anger out on his family or friends? Does he blame other people for his mistakes? Does he lie, cheat or steal?

Just remember: Don't make the same mistake I did by making your character too unlikable because then you'll be in the same boat as I was.

You'll most likely spend a lot of time developing your characters throughout the writing and editing of your story. If you happen to be writing a series like I am, you'll have even more time to get to know your character. You'll also have the amazing opportunity to get to watch them grow. Maybe they'll mend some of their old flaws, and build new ones.

In the end, there will probably almost always be something you won't know about your character. But that's OK. Take the time, however, to learn about your characters, because if you don't know about your character, how will your readers?

~

Gabriella Slade is the author of the upcoming fantasy novel, Show Me. You can find her on Instagram @soulquestersaga, and on her website at gabriellaslade.com

Thanks for joining us, Gabriella! I hoped you learned something from her!

~The WordShaker

A Writer's Love Letter to Theater | Olivia J

"Theater is the most immediate way in which another human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being," -Oscar Wilde

There has never been a time where I don't remember being on stage. If it wasn't theater, it was dance. When I quit dance sometime in elementary school, I started theater in fifth grade, and it's been a part of my life ever since. The thing is: I don't know if theater is going to continue to be a part of my life beyond high school.

And so we find ourselves, nearly a decade later. This Saturday was my last show at Washington. I've made lifelong friends and forever memories. I'm feeling a whirlwind of everything, and so, I did what only I knew how do. I wrote about it. 

~

Dear WCHS Theater Department,

Thank you for making this place a home away from home. Sometimes my creative cave can be a little lonely, even when I do connect with other writers/artists. But you guys are loud and bright and crazy and full of love and sometimes it's everything I need on bad days. Thank you for accepting me even though I'm not pursuing a career in this field, even though I'm not 'like you'. 

What I really want to say is that I'm going to miss this. I'm going to miss the bleary-eyed trips to Steak 'n Shake. I'm going to miss the writhing of nerves in the dimly lit wings, but the solace of knowing that we're all feeling the same thing. I'm going to miss gambling for Oreos in the scene shop. I'm going to miss that terrible, duct taped couch and that marma-laaaawwwhhd warm-up and the memes we made of ourselves and taped on the walls of the dressing rooms. I'm going to miss this whole experience more than anything about high school, and it breaks my heart that this period of my life is over. 

But hey, maybe this experience will show up in one of my books someday, in flashes of characters and subplots, or little puzzles pieces painting a picture of life and art and the feeling of being free. Maybe I'll write about all of you. That way, I can immortalize this. I'll freeze these moments in time for us to experience and re-experience all over again - the good, the bad, the ugly, and the absolutely amazing. 

Maybe then, I won't miss it so much. But then again, I think those are the best things to write about. 

With bittersweet love,

~The WordShaker

Your Book Doesn't Need a Plot: A Study of Turtles All The Way Down | Olivia J

"It's not what you write; it's the way you write it," Jack Kerouac

"Of course books need plots, Olivia! If you don't have a plot, then you'll just get a sad teenage boy wandering around the streets of New York City for three days, and who wants to read that!"

Yes. I want to read that.

(That was a reference to The Catcher In the Rye. Get on my level.)

Anyway, yes, you heard me correctly. I'm insinuating that your book doesn't need to have a traditionally developed "plot" to be successful.

Who needs plots, anyway? They're overrated.

@olivia.j.the.wordshaker

To scale back, "plot" within a story is defined as 'the sequence of events that affect other events and further the story toward its goal'. Examples: the plot of The Hunger Games is: Katniss's sister, Prim, is reaped, so Katniss volunteers, goes to the Capitol, trains and fights in the Hunger Games, wins with Peeta, and goes home.

What defines this traditional plot is a combination of events that are action-packed (being that something is happening externally) and that they are driven by the main character as well as other outside characters/forces. Both Katniss’s decisions as well as the decisions of others cause clear events in the story, and their reactions cause other events, which affect the development of themes, characters, and the outcome of the story.

However, I'm here to propose that you don't need a plot. You don't need to string all these story beats together and create anything convoluted for the story to be successful.

It really comes down to one thing:

Your book doesn't need a plot. It just needs a point.

I first experienced this with The Catcher In the Rye - my all-time favorite book, by the way. If you try and explain what actually happens in The Catcher In the Rye, it's going to sound like this:

"So, there's this kid named Holden Caulfield, and he flunks out of school, so, in order to kill three days time, he wanders around New York feeling sorry for himself, drinking a lot, and reminiscing about life, and then he takes his sister on a ride on a carousel."

Sounds boring and pointless, right? And to some, it is. However, what The Catcher In the Rye lacks in plot, it makes up for in strong prose, character development, and complex themes and messages.

Today's primary example, however, is Turtles All The Way Down by John Green. This is my most recent read, and I LOVED IT.

However, many complain of its lack of real plot or structure. But the point of the book isn't finding this billionaire, the point is Aza, and the point is the lessons, themes, and messages of the novel. It works because, while the intended external 'plot' takes a backseat to the character development and relationships, every scene in the story still furthers the point of the novel - and not necessarily the plot.

The key difference between the stories with no discernible plot and the stories with one is that the external events in a "plotted" story directly affect the character's - and the story's - overall arc. However, in a story with little-to-no plot, the external events are separate from the story's arc, as seen in Turtles. Often, they are only a catalyst, or are background noise to the front-and-center conflict of the story, which is usually a character/relationship.

The way to make a story with no plot work is that you have to have a strong point. You have to have something very clear and defined that you want to say. Everything has a point. You have to determine the point of your novel, and if the point can more accurately be shown through a plot, then so be it. If not, then, to hell with all writing rules. Everyone knows they're just guidelines anyway.

So, no. You don't need a murder-mystery or a space opera to get across your novel's point. In fact, sometimes it can distract from the heart of your story. Sometimes all it takes is a depressed kid wandering around Manhattan for us to realize how beautiful life is.

~The WordShaker