How She Does It featuring Diana Cosby

Today's guest is a fellow member of an RWA chapter to which I belong.


We all know there are six elements in writing fiction and often fact. Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. I believe the first five lead to the sixth which for me is the plot. What's your take on this?



~I agree. Each element is imperative in setting up a clear goal, stakes, and emotional stakes for the respective character. In addition, I believe it's important for a writer to incorporate the 8 senses that we deal with when we craft our story. They are:

Touch Taste Smell Sight Hearing



Sense of time Sense of space Sense of the unknown







1. How do you create your characters? Do you have a specific process?

~I never know how each character will come to me. As a major plotter, I've tried to 'know' about my characters from the start by completing character interviews, but I've learned they will tell me about themselves when they're good and ready. Some appear complete, like Alexander and Duncan MacGruder, brothers from the best-selling MacGruder brothers series. But their eldest, Seathan MacGruder, I had to write the story to learn about him.





2. Do your characters come before the plot?

~Each story dictates who comes first. I've had both character before plot and plot before character.





Do you sketch out your plot or do you let the characters develop the route to the end?

~I'm a major plotter and I like to have a complete synopsis before I begin writing. As I write and learn more about the character, the character updates happen to change the plot, as long as the changes are properly motivated and make the story stronger, I let the change happen.





3. Do you know how the story will end before you begin? In a general way or a specific one?

~I know how a story will end in a very specific way. My plot is designed to ensure that the plot and characters are strong, properly motivated, and the story leaves the reader satisfied.





4. Do you choose settings you know or do you have books of settings and plans of houses sitting around?

~I normally choose the setting. I use pictures from both magazines and on-line for visuals of scene layouts.







5. Where do you do your research? On line or from books?

~Both. I have several 'must have' research books always on hand. At times, I use on-line sources for facts. I use the rule of 3 - find three sources to confirm facts as much as possible.

My bibliography:

http://www.dianacosby.com/oldpage/bibliography.html







6. Are you a draft writer or do you revise as you go along and why?

~I revise as I write. When I finish a book, it's normally pretty tight. I have no idea how fast draft writers write a whole book knowing they'll have to go back and revamp the entire story. Holy cow, my hats off to them.



On a side note, each year I run an International Food Bank Food Drive. If you donate to a local food bank, please leave a post beneath my Facebook post about the food drive, and you'll be entered to win a signed copy of the award-winning MacGruder Brother's to-date, and a copy of the anthology Born To bite, with Hannah Howell, Diana Cosby, and Erica Ridley, which I'll sign as well. Details:

http://www.dianacosby.com/authorevents.html



My sincere thanks for having me on The Eclectic Writer today, and another sincere thanks for everyone who stopped by. I wish each of you a wonderful holiday season!







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