Writing conferences in Utah

Years and years ago, I wrote an LDS romance. I thought it was pretty good, so I decided I needed to figure out where to send my amazing manuscript to have it published. I read about a writing conference close to where I lived and decided that is where I should start. After all, the conference title had 'LDS' in it.
The conference was smaller back then. We fit in one of the ballrooms at the Marriott hotel in downtown Provo. I'm not sure how many were in attendance, maybe 100? I got to meet so many amazing people! I'm still friends with most of them today.

I soon learned I didn't write the perfect book. That hurt my ego a little bit, which was good. I'm still learning the craft. I'm still learning I can't write the perfect book in one setting.
There are quite a few writing conferences in Utah. My favorite is LDStorymakers. I think this year there were over 800 participants and it runs for three days in May.

Life, the Universe and Everything is a fun conference full of panels of writers, comic strip makers, screenplay writers and lots and lots of science fiction and fantasy. You'll catch sightings of lots of writers, like Brandon Sanderson!

LTUE is usually in February.

WIFYR or Writing for Young Readers is held in June. There is a lot you can choose from in this conference. You can go in the morning, afternoon or evening. All week long, or just to a couple of classes or workshops. I haven't been able to go to this one yet (because of moneys) but every single one of my friends who have gone, have loved it and benefited from it.






Book Academy is held at UVU. A one day conference with a keynote speaker and amazing teachers.

There are also many writing chapters throughout Utah that host their own conferences. Plus, writing retreats.

Wednesday Writing with 2 Felines ~ Editing

I'm watching you, always watching. Get back to work!

Ugh.
I hate editing. Self editing. My story baby should be perfect the first time I type it out! Agents will clamor for it, it will soar to the #1 spot on any best seller list and the money should be rolling in.

That's what happened to no writer anywhere.

This writing and editing is journey I should try and enjoy and some days I do more than others. Some days I'm stuck and some days I sail. But when I'm stuck, I try a little editing and most times that helps me see the flaws and weaknesses to can fix.
At the ANWA conference, Lisa Mangum touched on how she edits. What to learn from the best? Here's a few tidbits:


1. Change your document to a different font, like Verdana. This will get help your brain turn from the creative writer to the analytical editor.

2. Use Chicago manual of Style to make a list of the small things you need to add, like title page, copy right, dedication page etc.

3. Run spell check

4. Look at the small details like:
     one space between sentences
     double space lines
     Use an asterisk for scene break
     Make sure chapters are numbered
     page break before each chapter opening

5. Read it! Print it out and read it out loud.

6. Test it. Send your manuscript to a critique group and/or beta readers

7. Read it again.


Good advice and ideas!
Do you anything you would add to this list?

Wednesday Writing with 2 Felines ~ Reverse Outlining

There's a lot you can do when you edit a picture. Take the two examples above. The first picture shows two cats on a green blanket, possibly in a garage. There's a lot of detail that really isn't necessary. After cropping, the second picture shows just the one cat and his whiskers and sleepy eyes.
The same type of editing works for writing. Less background detail (i.e. info dumping), close up detail (character's flaws, etc) and focus (insights, hints, foreshadowing).

I had the good luck to attend ANWA's (American Night Writer's Association) Time Out For Writers Conference in February 2015. And lucky enough to go to Phoenix where it was 70 while back home it was 30. I even got a light tan line.
But I digress...
There were many classes I really enjoyed, but the one from Lisa Magnum's stuck with me so I want to share it with you. I really needed a new way of editing and this helped tremendously.


Reverse Outlining

1.    Examine each chapter

a.     Who is the star?

b.     What new info is learned?

c.      What action is taken?

d.     Does the plot move forward?

2.    Follow every character’s thread

a.     Where do they begin?

b.     What are the events that trigger change?

c.      Is there a logical progression to their development?

d.     Where do they end?

3.    Summarize main theme

a.     What symbols have you used to communicate the theme?

b.     Are there areas in the manuscript where you can strengthen without being obvious?

I opened a new document and went through each chapter for step #1. It was eye-opening and very informative. Here, let me show you part of what I did:

Ch 5 letter

Emma is affected by weather. Keeps busy cleaning.

Major Henry gets a dance going. He chivalrous. William G. Henry

Nielson is Major Henry’s soldier and plays the fiddle.

*** does Dr. Peyren play the fiddle earlier? Or talk about it?

Priscilla is affected by Major Henry. She dances with patients.

The asterisks are ideas or missing information I want to add. After I worked on this chapter, I italicized this so I knew that I had finished the work.

After I finished step #1, I would do #2, then #3. This editing only took me a couple of days but I felt like it upped my story and made it better. 

What do you do to edit? 

Three things I do to help me be a better writer

1. Read ~ I was musing on this yesterday. Why read when I could be spending the time writing? The answer: Reading helps me with grammar, dialogue, chapter endings, hooks, character arcs, etc etc. I'm not talking about plagiarism but learning from others style. Why did they start the book here? How do they build worlds? Who is the protag? What is the inciting incident?  I may not ask these questions as I read but when I finish, I often ponder on what I can take away from reading the particualr story that will strenthen my writing.

Over on a friends writerly blog, she posted three things she does to be a better writer. That got me thinking: if I wrote a post about what I do, what would I say?

2. Write ~ Every. Day. I don't care if it's blog posts or editing a chapter or writing 500 words, daily writing trains my brain and fingers. This reminds me of something I learned when I took anatomy in college. We have blood vessels feeding our heart and keeping it humming. For ease of this illustration, let's say you have twenty little vessels in your heart. If you experience a heart attack, fifteen vessels die. Ouch! That leaves five to work and that's not much. For health sake, Doctors suggest exercise to help our hearts. Why? Here is one reason: more blood vessels.

As we exercise, our heart pumps more blood and pumps it faster. So guess what our remarkable body does? "Grows" more vessels in our heart to help with the extra blood flow. Isn't that amazing? But why is it amazing and how does it apply to writing?

When you start exercising on a regular basis, your heart soon develops more blood vessels until you have, say, forty vessels. This time, if you have a heart attack and fifteen blood vessels die, how many are left? Twenty-five! Much better than five. It's worth it to get some physical exercise daily if you can, don't you think?

If we can write every day our writing grows and develops and strengthens. We find we are ready to write/edit as soon as we sit down to our computers or paper. When a crisis comes up and we need to miss a day, hopefully our writing muscles have enough vessels to carry on and keep the creativity humming until we can return again. Miss too many days and it feels like starting over or it takes longer to get started. Writing daily helps strengthen our good habit and skills. I promise you will benefit from it.


3. Learn ~ I began writing five years ago. This great story was rolling around inside my head, waiting to be written and read. After typing it out, I thought my baby was ready to debut. HA! I had not learned much about the writing, except what my English teachers tried to teach me. But there is more to writing then proper nouns, grammar and dangling modifiers. I needed to be educated. I read books, went to writer's conferences and joined a critique group. I will admit I've come a long way, but there is still much to learn. Which is good because learning keeps my brain and creativity fresh.
Never stop learning. I take one day out of the week to go through blog posts that teach me something from my craft. Then I usually take time to read about writing/editing/marketing as well. Many of my published author friends admit they can still learn more.


What do you do to be a better writer?

LDStorymakers Conference~ Crafting Endearing Characters with Jensen and Jensen

Krista and Marion (not married!) were quite the funny pair as they taught how to create protagonists we want to win, villains we love to the, and secondary characters we couldn't live without.







Krista handed out the best, fastest most helpful character bio. Ever.
Here are a few of ideas for developing in depth characters:
Name
Age
Fears
Habits
Appearance
Secrets
Strengths
Flaws
Obstacles
Why will the leader like this character?

I thinking writing down this kind of information for your characters is helpful. It's also good to have it close by while you write.

LDStorymakers Conference ~ Focused Pratice~ Howard Tayler

Howard Tayler taught a master class which showed how to practice so that our writing weaknesses can become our strenghts.
Howard gave us a ton of useful sprints to help whatever ails a writer or just to get your writing gears moving.
He suggests doing a 15 minute sprint every time you start to write.

These are the other sprints he taught us:

10 minute prompt in first person limited (an alien or ghost trying to communicate through the phone)
Outline practice ~ take a movie and write an outline as quickly as you can
Dialogue practice~ write only dialogue and convey who and what the story is about
Editing practice ~ edit into 140 words
(Most of the sprints were fifteen to twenty minutes)

Very important! Do a once-a-year self-evaluation. Every year, take 5 minutes to evaluate what you do well and what you do poorly. Then do a sprint for something you need to work on. I need to work on internalization. So Howard suggested a twenty sprint where all I focus on is emotions and physical reactions.

What do you do well in your writing?
What do you need to work on?

LDStorymakers Conference ~ Scene & Sequel with Josi Kilpack

SCENE:
Fast paced, action is taking place
Goal-Conflict-Disaster

GOALEvery scene the goal should be stated, internally or externally
Goal is what the POV character wants, what's important to them
CONFLICT
Someone or something gets int he way of the goal.
Involves someone or something
NOT internal
Creates character and reader tension
DISASTER
Logical but unanticipated
Bittersweet success OR outright failure OR partial failure
Character is left further from his goals

Transition is a simple device showing the reader that a change in time, place, or POV has occurred. This leads to a new scene.
I.E. "The following Sunday..."

SEQUEL:
Slower paced
Off-stage
Recovering from disaster
Shows characterization
Allows character and reader to catch their breath
Reaction-Thought-Decision-Action

REACTION
Not entirely rational
Reflexive (like wiping away a tear)
Can be shown through discussion

THOUGHT
Reviews what happened
Shows why what has happened is important
Considers options to move forward
Shows characterization

DECISION
Specific
Short term
Goal oriented
Clearly state new direction to reader
Shows characterization

ACTION
Usually launches to next scene
Moving in new direction
Can be combined with goal
Statement of new scene
Shows characterization


MAXIMIZE scene & sequel

• Shift POV during conflict, after a disaster or during thought
• Less people in scene equals more focus on goal
• Use reaction, thought and decision to weave back story
• Know what your characters are thinking even if your readers don't
• Shorten sequels and lengthen for faster pace.

LDStorymakers Conference ~ ANNE PERRY You can do it. Do it beautifully.

I could not write fast enough while I listened to Anne Perry's keynote speech.
Here are a few of the quotes I did catch on paper:

Her favorite story is Dante's Divine Comedy. This is what she said about it: "It's one heck of a good yarn!"

On Writing:

• We create stories to understand.
• What is the difference between sentiment and sentimentality? One is trite, one is honest.
• Write then go back and take out everything that isn't sincere or what you want to say.
• You can write something that will enrich someone, either now or in the future.
• Repetition weakens what your want to say.
• Light on water touches me. What touches you? Bird song? Church bells? Share it. Write it the very best you can, then share it.

On belief:

• I believe what we are here to do is emphasize with others.
• We aren't punished for our sins but BY our sins.
• Share your love, your faith, your doubt.
• If nothing bad has happened to you, hang on, it will!
• We have a Bible and a Book of Mormon an people have died to bring them to us.
• Don't be ashamed to say something hurt or that you sat down in the middle of the night and wept. Then got up again.
• The church bells call the faithful and frightened and all sorts of people to pray. 

You can do it. Do it beautifully.

LDStorymakers Conference ~ POV with Jaime Theler

The point of view (POV) is the eyes through which writers tell a story. I seems simple enough, but getting the POV right can make or break your story. We learned about the different types of POV, their advantages and disadvantages, and how to use this tool to bring our story to life.
(pssst! Jaime and I are in a critique group together. She's pretty chill.)

POV
How to pick a point of view:
Who will be hurt by the action?
Who can be present at the climax?
Who gets most of the scenes?
Who will provide an interesting outlook to the story?
Whose head are you most interested in inhabiting during the sotry?

Tense:
Past
Present

Person:
1st = me, myself, I
2nd = you
3rd = he/she, ominscient, one head, multiple heads

Distant 3rd person:
You want freedom to describe settings or characters without filter of character

Middle distance:
Good for multiple POV stories

Omniscient:
Popular in classical like Jane Austen
Can go into any characters head
Narrator becomes an invisible extra character
It would seem to be easy POV but it's the most difficult to do well
It is NOT head hopping
Be careful to not get preachy
Can us for sections of a story, like at the beginning or end like in Harry Potter

Building better characters with Mr. Potato Head

Lisa Mangum gave a great, hands on, presentation at Book Academy using a childhood toy.

How do you build a better character?

What does your character see?

• How does he perceive the world? With paranoia or rose-colored glasses?
• What does he need to survive?
• Look outside the character to how the setting affects him.
• Is it an urban setting? Rural? Alone? 
• Think how the boy who lived under the stairs saw Hogwarts. When a character moves to a different environment, he will naturally compare it to what he has seen before.
• Look inside.
• Use introspection. Does the character have to plan everything? 
• Are they confidant in themselves?
• What are their flaws? Exploit them!

What do they hear?

• Do they only hear complaints? Compliments?
• What does the character say when they talk to themselves when they are alone?
• What do they think about? Process?
• Do they believe they are good? Bad?

What do they say?

• Pet phrases
• Slang
• Do they lie?
• Prefer silence?
• Dialogue reveals something about the character like education level, beliefs, prejudice.
• Words can hurt AND heal. For some, words are weapons.
• Voice is one of the best ways to showcase a character

  
What dreams or goals do they have?

•  
• What are they reaching for?
• What is their hearts' desire?
• Evaluate 'nice to haves' and 'have to haves'.
• Dreams drive us! Withholding the fulfillment of dreams will force the character into action, into growth
• Be specific about dreams!

Where is the character going?

• What actions will they take? 
• Motivation is a powerful tool for revealing character

Where does your character stand?

• What does he believe in? Fight for? Die for?
• Where is their boundary? Push them over that line over and over again

Characters with well-defined values--even if you don't agree with them--make compelling, interesting and memorable characters.
Characters with conviction are characters who move the plot.

Do you have what it takes to be an author?

I went to Lisa Mangum's presentation at the UVU Book Academy. She talked about FOUR things you need to shine as a newbie author:

Vision
Passion
Flexibility
Endurance

Not what you expected, right? I'll expand.

Vision-Publishing is a business. Research your genre and the marketplace. Where do you see your book going and how is it going to get there? Do you have ideas for marketing your book? What is your platform?

Passion- Write every day. It makes you a better writer. Read. It makes you a better writer. Learn to self-edit and make every page better. You are a storyteller. Tell your story.

Flexibility- Publishing is a team effort. Trust your editor. Maintain balance in your life. Can you work creatively and market your book? Are you willing to publish digitally as well as traditionally? Can you live with a title or cover you don't love?

Endurance- Is your writing a hobby or career? Both are good choices. What are your goals? Can you write more than one book a yer? Can you meet your deadlines? Editors LOVE when writers meet their deadlines!

Patience + Persistence=Publication

How to pitch to an editor or agent

Get ready for your pitch session!

• Be professional.
• Dress in business casual.
• Don't chew gum.
• Make eye contact.
• Be friendly, but not over-friendly.

• Have your elevator pitch ready, one to two sentences of your book. 
• (Love this idea!) Have something prepared like a one-page synopsis of your book to hand to the agent. Here's an idea: one sheet with summary of book at the top, bullet points of key features that would help it be marketable, ideas for marketing and a little bit about yourself.
• Do what feels right to you like practice your pitch or have notes in front of you.
• When the meeting is over say "thank you" and move on.

• Clarify what they are asking you to send, how and where.
• If they say "I wish I could take it on", ask "do you know of an agent or editor who might be interested?" Write down the names. After the conference contact the other agents or editors and say "so-and-so at the writers conference said you might be interested in seeing my work."
• They might say something about how the story isn't working. Now is your opportunity to talk to a professional. Ask what they think would be better or make it more marketable. They may not know without looking at the full work but it can't hurt to ask.

Use a writers conference as an opportunity to further your career!

LDStorymaker's Conference May 4-5, 2012

2012 LDStorymakers Conference is coming soon!

Lovelovelove this conference.

You should go.

Seriously.

Go to this site and register.

I'll save you a seat!

Conference: May 4-5 2012

• 2-Day Conference: $170
• Friday-only Conference: $95
• Saturday-only Conference: $75

Location:

Conference: May 4-5, 2012

• 2-Day Conference: $170
• Friday-only Conference: $95
• Saturday-only Conference: $75

The Provo Marriott Hotel

101 West 100 North · Provo, Utah 84601 USA

Show me the love! Tristi Pinkston

Having a good Valentine's Day? Eating an extra piece of chocolate. There are no calories today!

Today I want to talk about the next person who helped me, made me smile and answered all my questions:

Tristi Pinkston

I don't remember when we met. Writer's conference? Book signing? I'm not sure. I'm just happy we're friends.
She wrote a book called Season of Sacrifice about the Hole-in-the-Rock expedition. My hubby's ancestors were in that group and I wanted a signed copy for him. I found Tristi easy to talk to and laugh with. She's clever, witty and brave. She has so much going on with writing, reviewing books, homeschooling and getting healthy. And yet, she still has time for the newbies like me. Even at Wal-Mart! :)

Thank you, Tristi, for everything you do in our writing community!

Awesomesauce Friends

Dear awesomesauce readers/friends/writers/authors/buddies:

Taffy here
<-------

Thank you for visiting my blog throughout 2011! I appreciate your visits and comments more than you'll know. You have given me an amazing gift of friendships memories that I hope will last years if not a life time.

I've met many of you through writing conferences, blogs and author signings. It's been a fantastic ride and I've enjoyed my adventures this past year. All thanks to you, dearest readers.
And a huge shout out to my critique group, the Sharks & Pebbles! You. Are. The. Best.

Being in the reminiscing mode I glanced through my posts from the past. I found a few I'd forgotten about and I'd like to share them with you. This is one way I can show you my thanks, by giving back those posts many of you read and enjoyed:

(Thankyouthankyouthankyou.)

• Do you know the rules of a diamante poem? Me either. Until I wrote one. Diamante Poem
• I try and post on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On a rare occasion I post on another day. This post about what to expect after getting rejected, showed up on Saturday: What? A Saturday Post? 
• In The Abominable Snowman Way I compare writing to making a cake an Abominable Snowman cake. :) 

I hope all your wildest dreams come true in 2011!

My Query

Highlights from Elana Johnson's Class:

A query letter is to generate requests!

What you need in your query letter:

1. Hook. Sum up your novel in one sentence.
2. Setup. A few details about the main character, world-building and catalyst.
3. Conflict. What does the MC want?
4. Consequence. What will happen if the MC doesn't overcome the conflict? 

This is what my query looks like after Elana's awesomesauce class with notes in () from said class:

Dear Agent,
I read your blog and noticed you are interested in Young Adult Science Fiction (add personal touch as this shows you did your research). FROZEN (title always in caps) is a 55,000 word count novel about a small-town girl who discovers other-worldly visitors living in her midst.

Seventeen-year-old Mandy McAllister is assigned to write about missing youth for the school paper. As she digs deeper into the strange disappearances, she discovers her town is full of secrets, lies--and aliens (this last sentence is the hook. It sums up the novel in one sentence.).

Mandy learns that her mother is an alien impostor and her father--the Mayor--has been covering it up for years. Mandy gathers her courage and goes in search of her biological mother and the missing youth, only to find herself the next victim of alien abduction. (This paragraph is the setup).
On a spaceship full of frozen boys, she breaks free of her alien mother's mind control and initiates a plan of escape (this is the conflict). But can't do it alone. She finds her boyfriend on the ship, but is he one of the abducted? Or on of the aliens? She'll have to learn who she can trust and who she can't if she wants to get off the ship and saev those who've gone missing before her (this is the consequence).

I am member of League of Utah Writers, Utah Children's Writers and I sit on my local library board.
The complete manuscript is available upon request (assume they want it!).
Thank you for your time and consideration.

Name
Address
Phone
Email


A few more notes:

• If you're stuck on your query, trying writing it in your MC's voice to break down the barrier.
• Most of your query should cover the first 30-50 pages.
• Write the query when you're about 10-15,000 words into your story. It will help shape your story.
• Business format letter: Two hard returns; no indenting.

Writing a Synopsis

This is from one of the classes at LDStorymakers:

Writing a short synopsis

A synopsis should tell the agent:
The hook
The genre
The audience
What happens

Easy enough!

A synopsis must:
Make sense!
Give sense of tone and plot
Bring out what is unique
Make the agent want to read more

Do not do these:
Blurb yourself
Make comparsions that don't make sense
Tell too much
Include praise from the relatives or pets
Market your book

Also avoid:
Starting with a question
Props
Trying to be too clever or funny

Not too hard, is it? Have you written a synopsis yet? How did it go? Or, what are you stuck on?

Playing Full Out @ Writing Conferences

I read this article and wanted to write my own post about Playing Full Out because I believe in it not only at conferences but in life.

<------(The picture has nothing to do with writing. Don't kids play fully though??)

I've been to my share of writing conferences. I always come away recharged and ready to revise my stories to be better. I've noticed a few shy attendees, hiding in the corner or in the back, somehow fearful of talking to anyone.

One piece of advice I received before my first conference: Don't be shy.
If any of you know me, that's not a problem. But, I still feel a little overwhelmed by all the people. Writing conferences are full of interesting/amazing/funny people. You just have to take a step forward and meet them. The person you want to talk to probably feels the same way. :)

Next piece of advice: Inhale the knowledge.
Not matter how tired or bored, don't get distracted. Learn from the experts, those in front of you.

Why playing full out though?

• Anytime you are bringing your very best to the conference, you are raising the bar for yourself and those around you. Even the presenters benefit. When you are doing your best, negativity isn't around, only the positive comes through.
• When you are playing full out, you are totally into the class you're in and you absorb and understand more.
• Playing full out means you are more open to change, doing better. And your work will reflect that change.

What about you? Been to any conferences where you played full out? Any more advice you'd give?

Arrogance vs. Confidence

At the last writers conference I had the opportunity to pitch my book to an agent. I was nervous like I though I would be, only sweaty and out of breath.
(Gross, right? Learn from me and be prepared!)
I ran back to my room and grabbed my first chapter just in case I had time to read her a portion to give a feel for my "voice."
I gave her my pitch, she wrote something down and told me she liked alien stories and wanted to see more of my story.
Very cool!
I told a few friends, called my husband (who chewed me out because I didn't call him right away) and began to think of a few changes I could make to tighten the story.
The week following said conference I've gone about my writing in a totally different way.
I feel different.
I feel good.
Really good.
Somehow, my few minutes of time with the agent gave me a boost in confidence. I think I'll call it validation. Yes, validation. Which leads to self-respect and self-respect.
Then I wondered if I was being arrogant.

So, of course I had to look up the two words:

Confidence= belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance
Arrogance= offensive display of superiority or self-importance; overbearing pride.

Ah. Confidence, not arrogance. 
I think confidence sometimes comes across as arrogance. Or do we just perceive it that way? Why is that?
Be confident in your work because you are your works best advocate. 
Go forth in the world and be bold.
It's not arrogance driving us, it's confidence.


What about you? How do you feel after your last writers conference? Or how do you boost your confidence??


Here are a few quotes for you as well:

Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.  ~Eleanor Roosevelt
It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes.  ~Sally Field
It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.  ~Author Unknown
 


HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

LUW-Hero's Journey-Annette Lyon

The Hero:

The audience can identify with him or her.
The hero has to grow through out the story.
The hero is involved in most of the action.
S/He has a character flaw which is sometimes opposite of their strength.
At some point in the story, The hero must make a sacrifice, even their own life.

There is a Mentor in the hero's life.

The Mentor:

Teaches the hero.
Gives the hero a gift.
Motivates the hero
Can be a shape shifter-may not be who the appear to be.
I.E. Obi-Wan (taught Luke, gave him a light saber etc)

Along the journey there are Threshold Guardians.

Threshold Guardians:
Block the hero's way.
Can be a human or object.
Test the hero-can the hero get through the obstacle? Is he worthy?
Can be working for the good or bad side.
I.E. Fluffy from Harry Potter (literally guarded a door), Stormtroopers, poppy field.

The journey needs a herald.

The Herald:
Shows up about 1/4 of the way through the story.
Issues the hero a challenge
Announces coming changes-"All is not well! The world is changing!"
Gives the hero motivation to go on adventure.
Can be a person or object.
I.E. Buzz Lightyear (Andy is changing), Gandolf (giving ring to Frodo), Harry's first letter from Hogwarts.

Every story needs a shape shifter.

The Shape Shifter:
Not what he/she appears to be.
Revealing their "real" self can create big change in the story.
Can be good or evil.
Can be combined with another character type like a herald who is a shape shifter.
I.E. Anakin who shifts into Darth Vader, Mr. Darcy, Wizard of Oz

And every hero needs a nemesis or shadow.

The Shadow:
The villain.
Tests the hero's true abilities and worthiness.
Forces hero to rise to challenge.
Often beautiful, elegant or good.
I.E. Darth Vader, bigotry, natural disasters, The Joker

What hero would be complete without a trickster or sidekick?

The Trickster:
The sidekick.
Helps balance out the drama with a little humor.
Brings things into perspective.
I.E. Bugs Bunny, Merry & Pippin

Wednesday: The hero's actual journey

Read any books recently where the people in the hero's journey were evident? Which book? Which characters?