LDSPMA

Empowering Latter-day Saints to spread light and truth by connecting them at the intersection of faith, creativity, and professional skill

Writing

Advice from the Experts: Marianna Richardson (Author, Professor, Wife, Mother)

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By Lessa Harding

We all have moments that change our lives. For many of us, those moments are perfectly ordinary, yet somehow they shape the people we become. It could be a random exchange with a stranger on the street, an innocent comment from a child, or a sunrise after a long night. For me, it was a conversation I had with my stake president when I was 16 years old. We talked after a fireside, and while I can’t remember what the fireside was about or which building’s Relief Society room we were in, I can tell you that he asked me what I wanted to do with my life. As the opinionated daughter of a successful attorney, I boldly declared my resolution to pursue a career in law, changing the world one amicus brief at a time and spending any extra time traveling the world.

My stake president smiled broadly and somehow managed to turn the conversation to family. He asked if I wanted one. My answer was a very blunt no. Again, the stake president smiled, and then he told me about his wife and her life as a mother who was also attending school in the evenings. I later met his wife and was amazed to come to know a woman besides my own mother who loved being a mother and still pursued other dreams. All of a sudden, it wasn’t just my mom telling me that life doesn’t end when you have children. My stake president and his wife were telling me the same thing. The conversation with my stake president was my first introduction to Marianna Richardson, and it stuck with me as I became friends with her daughters, went to prom with her son, and babysat her grandkids. She’s one of the many women who showed me how important and fulfilling family is. The lesson she taught me is one of the reasons that made interviewing Marianna so much fun!

Marianna is married to Steve Richardson. She’s the mother of 12 children and author/coauthor of five books, including a fictionalized story from her family’s history, a book about C. S. Lewis, and a compilation of lessons her nine daughters learned while growing up with each other. Marianna is also an adjunct professor at BYU, where she teaches advanced writing for business and is the chief editor for the Marriott Student Review. She has a master’s degree from John’s Hopkins University and an doctorate degree from Seattle Pacific University. She’s working on her MBA and will be attending law school at BYU in the fall.

My favorite quote from Marianna during our interview is no surprise given our history. When I asked her how she balanced having a family and a career, she said: “The key is time. I didn’t do it all at once. I was an at-home mom for 40 years… The biggest frustration I see with a lot of women is they [think they] have to do it all now. . . . You don’t.”

I hope the other advice Marianna shared helps you as much as her advice has helped me!

  • “[You] have to go back to the basics of writing before [you] can talk about the beauty of language. If you don’t know the basics, you can’t do the other stuff.”
  • “I do feel that if you really want to become a good writer, you don’t need to just read, but read out loud so you are not only reading it but hearing it. Read out loud, have those experiences in language, . . . listen to the cadence. There is a difference.”
  • Self-publishing requires self-promotion. “You really do need to promote as a part-time job.”
  • “I think in order for a writer to become successful, you . . . need to stick with one genre. That is one of the business problems I have had. I like to write about too many different things. . . . You can’t have a following if you don’t stick with one genre.”
  • “Experiential learning is how you really learn.”
  • “It’s not that most people are not good writers; they just don’t understand the positive writing process. Writing . . . shouldn’t be a lonely experience. Yes, you write, but then you talk to a friend about it and have them read it and discuss how to make it better. . . . Don’t write the night before it’s due. If that is how you write, no wonder you hate it . . . . [In a] real writing process, you write it, you leave it, . . . you have other people read it and give you feedback, then you write it again. . . . [After that,] you have other people read it and do it again.”
  • “I feel strongly and firmly that every woman has to have their own outlet, something that means something to them, some sort of intellectual stimulation. Quilting, creating works of art, or cooking. For me, it was education.”
  • “[Some] women who have stayed home with their children . . . come out the other end [and] think they are done. I feel like now is the time to have your career. You don’t have to say ‘I am too old’ [or] ‘I can’t.’ I think that is totally wrong. If you want to get that graduate degree, go get it. . . . Don’t think you’re done at 60.”
  • “Keep trying. Every great writer has the huge stack of rejection letters. But I think that is just a good understanding of life. I don’t care what you want to do or what you want to be; you need to learn how to handle rejection. Have that long-term view. . . . You can’t let those things get you down.”
  • “Be patient. It is so easy to get frustrated. . . . It might take 10–20 years, and people don’t want to hear that. Be patient.”
  • Personal motto: “Wahoo, the gospel is true!”

10 Common Mistakes Your Editor Wants You to Fix

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By Lessa Harding

By a show of hands, how many of you still have emotional scars caused by the red pen your English teacher used to grade your writing assignments? Come on, raise your hands. I’m definitely raising my hand. Fifteen years after graduating from high school, I still appreciate it when a professor uses a blue pen instead of a red one. I’ve always struggled with where to use commas, how to use modifiers, and how to properly cite sources. So, to help us all out, I asked Suzy Bills and Marianna Richardson, who teach editing and writing courses at BYU, to list some of the most common mistakes they see in university writing assignments and professional publications. Here’s what they shared:

Mistake 1: Using a comma after a conjunction when it links two dependent clauses

Rule: If or, and, or but links two phrases that couldn’t be complete sentences on their own, then don’t use a comma before the linking word.

Example: I went to the store and then went to the park.

Mistake 2: Following for example or for instance with and so forth

Rule: When a list starts with for example or for instance (or e.g.,), the list should not end with and so forth (or etc.) because for example and for instance indicate a finite number of examples will be listed, whereas and so forth indicates the list isn’t finite.

Example: For example, you can use red, orange, blue, and green.

Mistake 3: Using unclear and weak pronouns

Rule: Beware of weak pronouns (e.g., it, there, this) since they can cause confusion in meaning or can lead to being wordy or using the passive voice.

Examples:

  • The Book of Mormon focuses on Jesus; this emphasis changed how I live. (Not: The Book of Mormon focuses on Jesus; this changed how I live.)
  • Some people don’t like to run. (Not: There are some people who don’t like to run.)

Mistake 4: Misplacing modifiers

Rule: The modifier should be placed right before the word it modifies. Pay particular attention to the word only.

Examples:

  • Only Steve likes the team when it wins. (Meaning: No one but Steve likes the team when it wins.)
  • Steve likes the team only when it wins. (Meaning: Steve doesn’t like the team when it loses.)

Mistake 5: Using i.e. instead of e.g.

Rule: i.e. means “that is” or “in other words,” whereas e.g. means “for example.”

Examples:

  • Please, wear nice clothes (i.e., a suit and tie).
  • Beware of weak pronouns (e.g., it, there, this).

Mistake 6: Using that instead of which

Rule: Use that when what follows is essential to the meaning being conveyed in the sentence. Use which when what follows isn’t essential to the meaning being conveyed.

Examples:

  • I went to the beach, which is my favorite vacation spot. (Meaning: Beaches in general are my favorite vacation spot.)
  • I went to the beach that is my favorite vacation spot. (Meaning: One specific beach is my favorite vacation spot.)

Mistake 7: Using lead instead of led

Rule: Led is the past tense of the verb lead. The noun lead refers to a metal. People often confuse the verb led with the noun lead because the words have the same pronunciation.

Example: I led him away from the statues, which was made of lead.

Mistake 8: Using less instead of fewer

Rule: Use less when the object you are referring to is uncountable. Use fewer when the object is countable.

Example: I have less water and fewer pieces of candy than you.

Mistake 9: Using who instead of whom

Rule: Use who as the subject of a sentence. Use whom as the object of a verb or preposition.

Examples:

  • Who spilled this milk and didn’t clean it up?
  • To whom did you address the letter?

Mistake 10: Using a hyphen instead of an em dash

Rule: Use a hyphen to join two words together. Use an em dash to set off a statement that is parenthetical or that signifies a break in idea or sentence structure.

Examples:

  • I love my mother-in-law.
  • You think you have to go to the party—the biggest event of the year.

In case you want even more guidance, here are some resources suggested by Suzy, Marianna, and a few of our readers:

  • HBR Guide to Better Business Writing, by Bryan A. Garner
  • The Chicago Manual of Style, by the University of Chicago Press
  • Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace, by Joseph M. Williams
  • Chicago Style Workouts, available at https://cmosshoptalk.com/chicago-style-workouts/

Happy writing!

Advice from the Experts: Terry Deighton (Author, Wife, Mother)

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By Lessa Harding

One thing few people know about me is that I have pointed ears. I remember coming home from school crying because the kids in my class teased me about my ears. When I started reading fantasy novels and role playing with my daddy as a teenager, I thought my pointed ears were cool. On occasion, I even used dark eyeshadow to accentuate the pointiness and I styled my hair to draw attention to my ears. Who am I kidding? I did that through my 20s.

I secretly loved my ears, even when I was teased about them as a kid. I was certain I was really an elf princess with auburn hair to match the color of the Redwoods and with green eyes to match the leaves. My ears made me the heroine in many an imaginative story. I was drawn back into this reverie about my ears as I got to know author Terry Deighton.

After speaking with Terry, I can’t help but wonder how many of us have envisioned ourselves as the courageous hero who saves the day and changes the world. The thing about a courageous hero, though, is you can’t be one unless there is conflict or fear that has to be overcome. WWI hero Eddie Rickenbacker said that “courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.”

Terry is a quiet hero who loves reading, crafting, watching television, and talking with her family. Her friend Ann Acton, author of The Miracle Maker, describes Terry as a “grammar goddess,” but Terry describes herself as an introvert who “always wanted to write books that would affect readers the way [she] has been affected by [her own] reading.” Terry also fully admits to having to work to develop the thick skin—and, I would add, the courage—required to send her work into the wide world of publishing. Terry told me that “the hardest thing I’ve had to learn is not to be hurt by criticism. It’s important to let it sit until it doesn’t hurt anymore and then look at it objectively and see how you can revise your writing to make it better.”

Terry is the author of three Christmas novellas and a five-book middle-grade series called Tweaks. Her blog describes her series as having “a dash of science, a splash of humor, and a generous portion of character development.” Having read the books, I fully agree with that description and the 4-star and higher ratings her books have received on Goodreads. I’m pretty sure Terry is one of those amazing heroes who “is doing what [she] is afraid to do.” I hope her advice helps you find the courage you need to be a hero too:

  • “Try to get an agent, but if that doesn’t happen in a reasonable amount of time, give self-publishing a try. You don’t have to choose one or the other.”
  • You may wish you could just “write your books, publish them, and send them out on their own. Unfortunately, they just sit if you do that. . . . All authors have to do a lot of marketing, so understanding social media and setting up Amazon ads is important.”
  • “Write when and where inspiration strikes.”
  • In terms of balancing family and work, “you have to decide what is most important and organize your time according to those priorities. Give up what isn’t important so you have time for both family and writing.”
  • “Don’t set arbitrary deadlines for yourself, and don’t compare your output to anyone else’s.”
  • “Use rejection to fuel the desire to write better, to learn the craft, to find your niche.”
  • “Above all, don’t give up. [Giving up] won’t make you happy. If you are a writer, you have to write. Write for yourself, and publish when it seems right.”

The Thirty-Two Words That Changed How I Viewed Myself as a Writer

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By Kristen Reber

“I have never sought to do anything other than to build His kingdom,” Sheri Dew said. “And as a result, I have had the opportunity to be in the presence of prophets, seers, and revelators.”

I heard those thirty-two words at the third annual conference of the Latter-day Saint Publishing and Media Association (LDSPMA). I was sitting roughly ten feet from Sheri Dew—CEO of Deseret Book; executive vice president of Deseret Management Corporation; former general officer in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and prolific, well-known author. She was among many admirers of her work and could have opened with anything! I expected her to start with something much grander about herself. But she chose to open with a line that praised the Lord and placed herself in the position of a humble servant rather than as a great leader. Her example, expressed in just thirty-two words, struck me. They changed how I view myself as a writer.

Sheri Dew at LDSPMA’s Third Annual Conference

I had long wanted to be a published author. Those yearnings began when I was about seven years old and someone told me I was a good writer. I heard over and over again that I had a talent with the written word. This was great news because I enjoyed writing! And it’s always nice to hear that you’re good at something.

When I became an adult, I was asked when I was going to finally publish a book. I’d start to write one, but I always got in my own head, wanting to craft something great. Something that I’d be remembered for. So I’d always feel disappointed with what I wrote. I knew I had talent, but when would I finally write something worthy to be on a shelf next to the great writers of the past? I wanted my name in lights. I wanted to be well-known. And the paltry stories I kept churning out just kept falling short.

But the ideas kept coming and I’d keep trying. I published a couple articles in the Ensign, and I was proud of them. It was fun to see my name listed as the author. But I wanted to write a book.

A particular book idea had been forming in my mind off and on for several years—ever since I’d returned home early from my mission. I had written a memoir and tried to get it published, but the manuscript was rejected because the topic was “taboo,” in the publisher’s words. Furthermore, memoirs generally don’t sell well unless they’re written by someone famous.

Kristen on her mission in the Philippines

I was actually okay with the memoir being rejected. I was still hurting deeply from having to leave my mission early and still grappling with feelings of failure. I had much more of a journey to walk before I was ready to write such a book.

Years passed and I healed from the experience of returning home early from my mission. But thoughts of the book persisted. Over the years, my idea changed from writing a memoir to a resource book. No such book had been written for early-returned missionaries, and I realized that I could become the first to do so. I might even become famous for doing so. I tried not to let that thought persist, but it came back, as self-aggrandizing thoughts have a tendency to do.

During the LDSPMA conference that Sheri Dew spoke at, I met an acquisitions editor from Cedar Fort and pitched the book idea. She loved it. She told me to dust off the old manuscript, spruce it up, and give her a call when it was in progress. These words were an aspiring author’s dream come true!

I was in a daze the rest of the conference. Me? A published author? At last? The experience was surreal.

And then Sheri Dew said the words that woke me up to the real purpose of having a talent: “I have never sought to do anything other than to build His Kingdom.”

I thought about how I’d wanted to see my name in lights. I wanted me to be glorified and recognized. I wanted the world to know that I was talented. I wanted “Kristen Reber” to be known.

It all seemed so silly. I have worth and talents, but they come from Heavenly Father. They were given to me in the hopes that I would use them to build His kingdom. It became clear to me why my stories had been so paltry lately. I’d been comparing myself against others. I cared more about what the world thought than what He thought. I needed to change my focus. My writing shouldn’t be about me. It should be about Him. Who cares if Kristen Reber becomes famous? I wanted my works to make Him well-known to others. I wanted to do my part, however great or however small, in building His kingdom. And I was going to start with a book for early-returned missionaries.

I also felt grateful to Sheri Dew and her example to me. Because of her example, I started every interview with early-returned missionaries, every writing session, and every editing session with a prayer. I refused to get cocky about my own abilities. The book was a challenge to write, and I knew that to adequately cover the topic, I needed all the help I could get. And even as I became an expert on the subject, I knew it couldn’t hurt to remain humble and continue to pray for help and guidance. When I read what I wrote and was satisfied with it, I said another prayer of gratitude instead of patting myself on the back. These practices made writing the book a sacred experience.

Early Homecoming was published in August 2018. I received emails from people thanking me for my work and telling me that I was talented. At times I could still feel the attention getting to my head. I mean, it was exciting to receive those emails, to see my work on the shelves of bookstores and in Deseret Book’s catalog, and to receive pictures of people—both those I knew and those I didn’t know—purchasing my book! It was exciting to see the sales numbers from the publisher and to see a “bestseller” label slapped on my book at Costco! And it was thrilling to see my name finally on the cover of a book! But when I felt the praise and the attention getting to my head, I reminded myself that the purpose of Early Homecoming was to build His kingdom. I let myself enjoy the excitement and the feeling of accomplishment, but I didn’t let it go beyond that. The feeling of building His kingdom was better than any compliment, and I wanted to keep that perspective.

As I’ve continued on my journey in publishing, whether as a writer, editor, or some other role, I’ve asked myself: “How can I build His kingdom?” I’ve found a lot of peace through asking that question. When I get caught up in “I can become well-known or famous or praised if I . . .” I notice myself tailspinning and lacking in inspiration. But when I focus on building His kingdom, inspiration and peace come.

Although Sheri Dew and I have both chosen to focus our work on gospel-centered topics, building His kingdom isn’t limited to creating Church literature or media. In my interview with David Archuleta at LDSPMA’s fourth annual conference, David told me that he keeps God in mind in everything that he does. Though David sings pop music, he wants what he sings to bring people closer to God. David also tries to remember who gave him this gift of music and how He wants David to use it.

Also at the fourth annual conference, Orson Scott Card said that although he doesn’t seek to write novels related to the Church, gospel ideals find their way into his work. For example, Ender Wiggins in Ender’s Game exemplifies Doctrine and Covenants 121:41–43. He’s the perfect leader, and Card encourages readers to try to develop those leadership qualities.

 Kristen Interviewing David Archuleta
Orson Scott Card speaking at LDSPMA’s Fourth Annual Conference

I will always be grateful to people like Sheri Dew, David Archuleta, and Orson Scott Card for showing me that building His kingdom has its own reward. While these people are famous, they don’t let their fame define them. They don’t compromise their faith; nor do they assist in building His kingdom just so they can become more famous. Rather, they’ve been set as “lights on a hill” to lead others to Him. I am grateful that LDSPMA provides opportunities for so many people to learn from Sheri Dew, David Archuleta, Orson Scott Card, and others. And I’m grateful that because of those thirty-two simple words from Sheri Dew, I changed how I saw myself as a writer.

The Three-Legged Stool of Excellent Writers

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By Janet T. Perry

A savvy business friend who interviews job candidates once told me he looks for three things in future employees: accuracy, timeliness, and added value. Like the legs of a three-legged stool, each of these “Big 3” qualities bears equal weight in excellent writing.

Why “The Big 3” Matter in a Writer’s World

Accuracy: For a writer, finding a typo published is like discovering your zipper is down. Avoid embarrassing yourself by carefully checking your writing before publishing. This includes paying attention to small punctuation errors, which can not only throw off a reader but can actually change the meaning of the text. Neglecting to use even a simple comma can spell disaster (e.g., “Let’s eat, Mom.” vs. “Let’s eat Mom.”). Perhaps even more essential is verifying content. Misrepresenting information or skewing data can be a turnoff to readers and can make it difficult for you to build credibility and trust.

Just 3 Ideas: Edit and re-edit your work. Ask a skilled and trusted colleague to review your work. Fact-check scrupulously.

Timeliness: Half of falling in love is finding the right person; the other half is finding that special someone at the right time. By the same token, who wants to read a fascinating movie review about last year’s blockbuster? And what good is a captivating company blog if it promotes a hot product released several months ago? When we read something is often as important as what we read.

Just 3 Ideas: Sync your writing calendar with important events, product releases, and upcoming services. Submit work slightly ahead of schedule. Use a friend, incentive, or device to help hold you accountable for meeting deadlines.

Added Value: When I was hunting online for a tried-and-true chili recipe, the photos and reviews all ended up looking and sounding very much the same. However, one recipe used cocoa as a secret ingredient. This tip had me hooked. Trust your own writing expertise to add a little “Wow!” whenever possible. Give readers inside information or ideas to save them time or money, and don’t be afraid to use visual or structural pizzazz to keep them engaged. Employers want to be heard, and they hired you to get their message out.

Just 3 Ideas: Make plain sense of confusing or boring material. Make material reader-friendly by changing the format or sentence structure. Delight your readers with unexpected humor, helpful tips, or interesting tidbits of information.

Putting “The Big 3” into Practice

I get a monthly email reminder about my book group, but instead of dishing up the same old who-what-where-when-why information, our group leader keeps us on our toes. Sometimes she draws us in with a creative subject line; other times she includes a question, riddle, or acrostic poem. Occasionally, she shares a little-known fact to pique our interest in the book (Added Value). We calendar a year in advance so we all know who is reviewing what book and where the meeting will be held (Accuracy), but charming missives like hers would be rendered useless if they arrived after the group had already met (Timeliness)— which they don’t.

No one is ever anxious to read a standard email, a predictable five-paragraph essay, or boring business report. Instead, excellent writers delight readers by giving them what they need when they need it, and they keep them reading by sharing a little extra.

©2017 Janet T. Perry. All rights reserved.

The 3 Cs of Editing: Clarity, Consistency, and Correctness.

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By Devan Jensen

As editors, we focus on three Cs: clarity, consistency, and correctness.

Clarity

Clarify, but use a light touch. “A light editorial hand is nearly always more effective than a heavy one. An experienced editor will recognize and not tamper with unusual figures of speech or idiomatic usage and will know when to make an editorial change and when simply to suggest it, whether to delete a repetition or an unnecessary recapitulation or simply to point it out to the author, and how to suggest tactfully that an expression may be inappropriate. An author’s own style should be respected, whether flamboyant or pedestrian” (The Chicago Manual of Style, 2.48).

Fix or query ambiguous statements. Make sure the author has a clear sense of audience, purpose, and focus. Check thesis statements, topic sentences, and transitions.

Address excessive passive voice. You don’t need to fix every passive; about an 80 to 20 ratio of active to passive voice works well in most writing.

Consistency

Edit spelling, hyphenation, abbreviations, punctuation, number treatment (numerals or spelled out), table format, and citation format. Consult reference books and reputable websites for spelling of names, historical events, and terms.

Create a style sheet. As you go, make an alphabetical list of names and capitalization or hyphenation of terms.

Edit chapter titles and subheads for consistency. Read chapter titles and subheads in a separate pass. Make sure they are consistent, and get a basic understanding of organizational issues and pacing problems (too much or too little time on any one concept).

Correct capitalization. If authors neglect putting in subheads, add them or ask the author to do so. Subheads are the road signs to get from here to there; without them, the reader is lost.

Correctness

Check facts and figures. If the author claims that Uncle Heber was born in 1920 and died at age eighty, check the math. Write down the solution in the margin (so others will know that you checked).

Check sources. Ensure accuracy of quoted information and source citations. Watch for plagiarism (quoted information without quote marks). Query missing information.

Check notes for completeness. Look up missing information or query the author.
Prepare front matter for books. Produce clean copy for half title, title page, copyright page, and contents page. Double-check chapter titles for accuracy.

Reread for accuracy. Skim through the manuscript again to catch errors you missed while fixing other problems. This pass is where you will catch small but significant errors—or even, heaven forbid, that glaring error in the title or contents page.

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Katherine Farmer’s “Cracking the Story Code”

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By Amy White

Cracking the Story Code: Increasing a Work’s Success through Age-Appropriate Plot Patterns (An Introduction)

Each stage of human development has a corresponding plot pattern. Because of this, young readers will either accept or reject a work depending on whether it parallels their patterns of thought.

Finding the right plot pattern for each developmental stage doesn’t take a degree in Piagetian philosophy, but it does help to have the insight of one who has studied human development and how it can be applied to narrative works.

There are five plot pattern “pure forms,” three of which are drawn from Aristotle’s classic model:

1. Simple: Single goal plot pattern, in which the entire action seeks to resolve the initial problem, with clearly defined beginning, middle, and end. Often found in children’s picture books such as The Cat in the Hat or Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

2. Episodic (two varieties):

a. Nesting Episodic: Self-contained story units that pile up on each other, but are not connected with a story line. Same characters, new stories (e.g., Christmas Story, Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).

b. Latticing Episodic: Open-ended story units that spiral and pile up cumulatively. Same characters with multiple stories where there is an over-arching story line through-out (e.g., Lobel’s Frog and Toad are Friends, and many of today’s television series).

3. Complex (Level 1): Single on-going action that includes the element of surprise, at least one reversal, and a recognition process. These works are psychologically complex, but with action that is not hard to follow (e.g., most one-act plays, Patterson’s Bridge to Terabithia, Oedipus Rex).

And, after the study of more than 2,000 works in 10 geographic regions in 320 library systems, two more plot patterns emerged:

4. Cumulative: Incidents that pile upon other incidents with the only unifying tie being the central character (e.g., The Gingerbread Man, There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly).

5. Paralleling: Multiple story lines that run parallel to each other, at the same time. Each story line is unique, and usually pulled together by the end (e.g., Pinballs by Byars, television series such as Modern Family).

Pre-Operational Thought: Zero to Seven-year-old Children
This Intuitive phase of development prefers simple and single-goal patterns as found in the Simple and Cumulative plot patterns—patterns where the entire action seeks to resolve the initial problem. Narratives that have a clearly defined beginning, middle, and end. Works such as Seuss’s Cat in the Hat. These children judge by a single clue, are preoccupied with the parts of the whole, as they are not able to see the forest for the trees, and will always judge a work by its end—not the process that got them there.

Concrete Operational: Seven to 11 year old children.

The awareness that others do not share their personal perspective identifies this age group. The discovery of other points of view leaves this age with a need to verify their ideas with concrete evidence supporting their view. This age prefers a narrative that has neat and self-contained units, like those found in episodic plot patterns. Examples include Lobel’s Frog and Toad Are Friends, up to the mixed nesting and latticing episodic pattern of Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The need for this age to have near reality–with the fantastic taking place within the home, or nearby. Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is considered nearly unbelievable, until the concrete and seemingly real machines are introduced. Machines that can be felt, seen, and heard, that then justify the existence of the remarkable and fantastical the story contains.

Formal Operational Thought: 12 year old children, young adults, and cognitively mature adults.

As a child’s thinking matures at age 11 or 12, they are capable of shifting to a higher and more complex level of thought, and Complex plot patterns. This shift usually settles into an equilibrium by age 16. At this point they begin to find irony as a form of humor, along with satirical works that contain hidden and subtle meanings. Interweaving, paralleling stories—works with multiple plots and subplots—like those found in Collin’s Hunger Games, or Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, along with Shakespeare’s works are found to be comprehensible and even fun.

The above plot patterns are not a complete listing, there are mixes and variants that branch off of, and blend, the five “pure forms.” Variations that also bring in differing developmental ages. It is merely a launching point for delving into the powerful impact that appropriate plot patterns can have when they are matched to appropriate developmental stages. You will find that, as you match your work’s target age with their developmental capabilities through deliberate plot management, you will be keeping those audience gateways open. And we as producers of narrative works should always be looking for those gates. Every mental gate you successfully identify and keep open will put you yet another step closer to influencing the world for the better through your good works.