By Debby Giusti
Masks Required!
Masks have become the new norm, although I’m sure many of us
think they’re a nuisance. Yes, they protect us—somewhat—from the corona virus,
but they’re uncomfortable to wear. They cut off airflow and hamper breathing. Carrying
on a conversation while wearing them is difficult and reading lips is
impossible.
Personally, I like seeing people smile and frequently fail
to recognize folks—even good friends—when their faces are covered.
So what does mask wearing have to do with writing?
Remember internal conflict? That’s the fear or flaw or
wound our characters have from the past that causes them to hide behind a…?
That’s right!
A MASK!!!
Since we’re up to our eyeballs in masks, quite literally, during
this pandemic, I hope we’ve become more aware of our characters’ plight as they
struggle with their imperfections. They worry someone will peer behind their false
facades and see the truth they’re trying to hide. Regrettably, many of them
have worn masks so long they’ve come to believe their faux identities represent
who they truly are.
So what do we writers need to remember as we craft our stories?
First, we have to determine our hero’s wounds or flaws or fears.
Second, we need to identify the various ways he has learned
to hide that of which he is most ashamed.
Third, we need to plot our stories to ensure the hero has
the courage to remove his mask and embrace his true self. Only then is he able
to achieve his external goal, declare his love for the heroine and embrace life
to the full!
My debut novel, Scared
to Death, featured a single mom who was afraid of water. When the men who
killed her husband try to kidnap her young son, she and the boy flee to her
aunt’s house. Do you know where the aunt lives? Of course, you do because you’re
writers. The aunt lives in a gated island community. In fact, the aunt’s house
is a beachfront mansion so the heroine mom, in her attempt to protect her son,
has placed herself near the water she fears. I won’t spoil the story for you,
but rest assured, the mom has to take off the mask she’s been wearing, admit her
fear and then confront it head-on to save her son.
In Amish Safe House,
a cop’s wife and small daughter were killed by an escaped criminal he sent to
prison. Feeling responsible for their deaths, he handed in his badge and
returned to the Amish community he left long ago. The new reclusive life he has
created is threatened when a law enforcement friend asks him to shelter a
divorced woman and her two children on the run from one of the country’s most vicious
gangs. The reason the hero wears a mask includes not only the guilt he carries after
his loved ones’ deaths but also hurtful accusations by his authoritative father
long ago that the hero has accepted as truth. When the gang closes in, the hero
must ignore the memory of his father’s taunts and face his fear of not being
able to protect the people he loves.
In Dangerous Amish
Inheritance, my heroine sacrificed her own happiness ten years ago to care
for her ailing father in hopes of making amends for a mistake she made in her
youth. Misfortune haunted her until the beginning of the story when the father
of her secret baby returns to Amish Mountain, but the hero carries his own
guilt for leaving the woman he loved and the son, now nine years old, who
instantly steals his heart. When danger closes in, the hero and heroine must remove
their masks and move beyond their past mistakes to keep their son alive.
As you brainstorm your stories, remember to focus on your hero’s
wound or flaw or fear. In so doing, you’ll create exciting and intriguing ways
for your character to change and grow. Just remember that at the end of the
story, the hero has to discard his mask and accept himself as he truly is so he
and the heroine can live happily ever after.
Happy writing! Happy reading!
Wishing you abundant blessings,
Debby Giusti
Amish
Christmas Search
Oct
2020
An
Amish girl’s disappearance is a mystery…
and
the clues lead straight into danger at Christmas.
Convinced
her friend didn’t run away as the police
believe,
Lizzie Kauffman searches for the truth—but
someone
will kill to keep it hidden. Now the Amish
housekeeper
and her friend Caleb Zook are on the
run
for their lives. And if they want to find their
missing
friend, Lizzie and Caleb must figure out
a way
to survive the holiday.
Hi Debby:
ReplyDeleteHave you heard the saying: "Fake it until you make it"? How about: "Thinking makes it so"? Another saying goes, "Whether you think you'll succeed or think you'll fail, you're right."
What about a story of a hero with self-esteem problems who wears a mask of confidence. He acts like a winner and others follow him. Yet he knows he is a hollow fake. However, in the end he becomes the success he was pretending to be because his deceptions, like the promise of positive thinking, made this mask a reality. He could be a hero who grew into his mask and became authentic.
How would that work?
I was heartbroken because I had a very small penis, not nice to satisfy a woman, I had so many relationships cut off because of my situation, I have used so many products which i found online but none could offer me the help I searched for. I saw some comments about this specialist called Dr Moses Buba and decided to email him at buba.herbalmiraclemedicine@gmail.com so I decided to give his herbal product a try. i emailed him and he got back to me, he gave me some comforting words with his herbal pills for Penis Enlargement, Within 14 days of it, i began to feel the enlargement of my penis, " and now it just 2 weeks of using his products my penis is about 9 inches longer and i am so happy, contact DR Moses Buba now via email buba.herbalmiraclemmedicine@gmail.com or his Whatsapp number +2349060529305 or call me for more details +15019914802 . may God reward you for your good work.
DeleteHE ALSO RENDER THE FOLLOWING ........1. BRING YOUR EX BACK........... 2. LOTTERY SPELL......... 3. PREGNANCY SPELL ..........4. WEAK ERECTION ............5. POOR EJACULATION.............
Hi Vince! If you were in my writing class, I'd ask you to pinpoint the reason he lacks confidence. Something happened in his childhood. Maybe it happened repeatedly, say a father who constantly tells his son he's stupid. The boy believes what he's been told and thus his lack of self-esteem. Then I'd ask you to pick out one especially hurtful attack by the father that remains in the hero's mind. Identifying a specific incident works best. In the story, he realizes his father was wrong. Perhaps the two reconcile, and the father asks forgiveness for the way he treated his son. Or maybe the son learns about his father's troubled childhood and how he was maligned. He sees his father in light of his dad's past pain, knowing he didn't know any other way to parent. Or maybe a love interest helps him realize all the wonderful qualities he possesses and his own ability to succeed in something (that occurs in the story) in a way his father never could have done.
ReplyDeleteSo to answer your questions, yes, your idea works, but showing his change--his character growth--and why he gains self-confidence will enhance the story.
Hi Debby:
DeleteThanks for your detailed answer. I had in mind a person who had a normal and healthy childhood. The reason he was wearing a mask was because he has been taught that acting like a success will make him a success. Using NLP he models the behavior of the most successful salesmen in his company. He also practices Creative Visualization in the belief that "You'll see it when you believe it."
The conflict is: will this approach work? Maybe the heroine is a skeptic and keeps telling him it won't work and that he should get a more stable job.
Years ago I saw a movie where a WWII pilot is shot down over China and takes cover in a small village which had a church and whose Catholic priest had died a few years before. He was an alter boy as a child so he pretends to be the priest. He knows some Latin but he makes up the rest. Who is to say he is wrong. He survives the war acting as a priest for years. When the war is over he has changed so much that he actually becomes a priest and returns to the village. Wonderful movie.
I guess if I write the story this way, with the mask becoming the reality, that I will need to develop the convict in some other ways.
Maybe the real story will have to be the transformation of the heroine.
Well that's what I had in mind.
Vince
Hi Debby:
DeleteThe more I think about it, the more I think there are two types of masks: the external and the internal.
The external is the mask we put on to hide from the world who we really are. The internal mask is what we see when we look in the mirror. Usually we take this as the real us but it can be just as much a mask aS the external one we put on ourselves.
Late last night, after I posted my last comment above, I went to bed reading Mindy's "A Father's Promise". This is the first paragraph I read:
"Wes walked out of the church twenty minutes later, he felt lighter. It was as though the burden of his past, the one that had weighed him down for so many years, had been lifted from his shoulders."
It was as if his internal mask fell away and he could see what he really looked like and in fact who he really was. His internal mask, what he saw in the mirror each morning, wasn't true nor who he was.
The above quote seems to be an ideal example of when a mask falls away. (I just love this book and don't want it to end, BTW.) I love all your books, too, of course. (I think you wrote the best novella ever, "Yule Die").
Vince
Mindy is a wonderful writer! I'm glad you're enjoying her story.
DeleteYour idea of a double mask is interesting. I would suggest that they both stem from that same wound, or issue that the hero/heroine is trying to hide. The character may think he's seeing himself as he truly is with your internal mask idea, but he's focused on that false lie he's accepted as truth. His external mask, as you also mentioned, would be his cover so no one else sees that wound or flaw or fear. Actually, both masks stem from the same starting point that caused the wound. Does that make sense?
Hi Debby:
DeleteYes…it makes very good sense…especially since I am a big fan of having multiple streams of conflict. It's just that I would love to try to have a hero who does not have a wound but rather a healthy desire to be successful with the goal to become a self-actualizing person. I know that this does not fit the pattern of successful romances and may not even be possible. However, it is something I think about. Thank you.
You need to write that story, Vince! You're "seeing it" and probably know how you want it to come together at the end. Go for it, dear friend!
DeleteGood post, Debby. This entire week so far has been like Fiction Writing 101.
ReplyDeleteI have no problem giving my people flaws, backstory and trauma. My people could fill a psychiatrist's waiting room. Where I fall short sometimes is tying it to a specific incident in the past.
These are good pointers.
I am looking forward to your Christmas book.
K.B.
Kathy, consider finding that specific incident. It narrows the character's focus on the past when in his/her POV and gives something concrete for the readers to identify with and increases their empathy toward the character.
DeletePersonally, I like the characters in the books I read to have a lot of wounds/flaws/fears. It ups my concern for them and my desire for them to succeed. So many people, in real life, have A LOT of baggage. Fiction mimics life, therefore our characters need to have that baggage as well!
Today's my wedding anniversary. Hubby and I are celebrating 48 years of wedded bliss. I hope you enjoy our special day! :)
I love my masks and am so thankful for them! I don't enjoy wearing them, but they sure do make me feel more secure.
ReplyDeleteAnd I guess that's how our characters, feel. :) Great post, Debby!! I love talking about a character's wound. I love that journey from identity to essence (Hauge). Thanks for sharing!
Missy, I probably sound like a broken record...for those old enough to remember records and record players. I believe my July post was on internal conflict as well. When I prayed about what to focus on for this month's post, the idea of masks sprang to mind so I went with it. Plus, I'm brainstorming a new story and am trying to dig into my hero and heroine's wounds. If I nail their internal conflict, the story is easier to write.
DeleteAs for masks, I wear one whenever I go to church or shop in stores. I don't wear them when I take walks, but then, I'm never close to people on the walking paths, and if someone does approach me, I maintain the 6 feet rule.
I wear a mask whenever I go inside a store or business. I will be going back to subbing soon and will be wearing it in school. I do not wear one outdoors. I can keep my distance from anyone when I am out taking a walk. I feel for people who live in highly populated areas who even have to wear a mask outdoors.
DeleteI agree, Sandy. I would hate to have to wear a mask when I'm outside.
DeleteWonderful post, Debby. I need to incorporate this concept into my character development. I hadn't thought of this aspect of a character before - but we all wear a mask to hide our inner pain or insecurities, don't we? We think we're safe, but it's a false security. In order to get close to people (i.e. a romantic relationship,) that mask has to come off.
ReplyDeleteBut in my current WIP (a mystery rather than a romance) the mask can be used for an entirely different purpose. Rather than hiding the character's inner emotions, a mask can hide his/her evil intentions.
My little gray cells are working! Thanks!
So true about the mask your evil villain will wear. He's put on a false facade to trick his unsuspecting victims!
DeleteAre you enjoying the new story? What has been the biggest challenge, if anything? I lean into mystery when I'm writing my LIS stories and enjoy the whodunit part of the story. Maybe someday I'll try writing a straight mystery. They're always fun to read.
I'm loving the new story! The biggest challenge is not to give away too much information too soon. Those clues need to be dribbled out at the right pace! And I've also found that detailed outlining is a must. I have a general outline for the book, but then I outline each scene in detail before I write it.
DeleteIt has been a challenge and a joy. :-)
I have always loved reading mysteries but they have always seemed so hard to write.
DeleteThanks for sharing, Jan.
DeleteDebby, this was very timely post. God knew I needed this today. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi Mindy, I'm so glad my post provided some food for thought. It seems I'm always focused on internal conflict, which I mentioned in a comment above. Perhaps because it took a bit of time before I could understand how important it was to my stories. We all use different techniques, and the wound from the past is a favorite of mine...and helps me develop the character arcs for my heroes and heroines.
DeleteGreat use of masks, Debby. I definitely prefer the literary kind to the ones we have to wear in stores. Although I do have a mask in a book print. ;-)
ReplyDeleteAmy, I keep looking for masks with a book print. Did you buy yours or did someone make it?
DeleteDebby,
ReplyDeleteOnly you could do such a good job of pointing out how important backstories are to developing a story. Thanks!
Carroll
I'm a broken record, right, Carroll? Hope you and the family are doing well! When does your next cookbook release?
DeleteAmy, where did you get your book print mask? How perfect for a reader or a writer! I have a number of plain colors and a few prints, but none of them are comfy. And if I wear them very long--like an hour or two--my face becomes dry and I have difficulty getting enough air. :(
ReplyDeleteI just asked Amy the same question above. I really need some more masks and would love book themed ones.
DeleteI'd love one too, Sandy! Perfect for you since you work at a book store!
DeleteGreat post, Debby. Masks make a great metaphor, especially now. Lots of good points to think about in my writing. Also, happy anniversary. I hope you have a fun day planned with your sweetheart.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sandy! I'm fixing a nice dinner at home. It was supposed to rain so we decided not to go out...since we only dine outside at restaurants that have a patio. Our favorite spot's patio isn't covered. In spite of what my weather app says, the sky is sunny and bright. Go figure! :)
DeleteStorms rolled in about 6 PM so we made the right decision to eat at home! :)
DeleteDebby, glad you had a nice evening and decided to stay home.
DeleteYou write such interesting articles.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lucy!
DeleteLove the metaphor!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lee-Ann!
DeleteI was heartbroken because I had a very small penis, not nice to satisfy a woman, I had so many relationships cut off because of my situation, I have used so many products which i found online but none could offer me the help I searched for. I saw some comments about this specialist called Dr Moses Buba and decided to email him at buba.herbalmiraclemedicine@gmail.com so I decided to give his herbal product a try. i emailed him and he got back to me, he gave me some comforting words with his herbal pills for Penis Enlargement, Within 14 days of it, i began to feel the enlargement of my penis, " and now it just 2 weeks of using his products my penis is about 9 inches longer and i am so happy, contact DR Moses Buba now via email buba.herbalmiraclemmedicine@gmail.com or his Whatsapp number +2349060529305 or call me for more details +15019914802 . may God reward you for your good work.
ReplyDeleteHE ALSO RENDER THE FOLLOWING ........1. BRING YOUR EX BACK........... 2. LOTTERY SPELL......... 3. PREGNANCY SPELL ..........4. WEAK ERECTION ............5. POOR EJACULATION.............
What a wonderful post Debby Thanks for sharing Love your covers of your books!
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