When I started this look at the eight points I decided to break it into 2 segments for ease of reading. Hope what is here will make you think as you write and plan your stories.
1. Tension - Tension is created by providing a reason for your protagonist ( heor or heroine) to want to reach for a goal. This reason may be triggered by an action or a reaction to something said or done by the protagonist (may be the villain but not necessarily).The role of the protagonist depends on the kind of story you're writing.
2 Opposition - This is how the antagonist tries to upset the plans of the protagonist. The opposition can be active or passive and for the antagonist must have their own tension point.
3. The tension must escalate. The reason becomes deeper and the conflict gains an intensity that takes it beyond the opening reason by action and reaction.
4. Change - One or many of the characters should be brought to a point of change. There needs to be a decision that makes the person or persons different from what they were. The journey to this change point is important. To make the point abrupt will make the story fall flat.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Tuesday's Inspiration - More free writing - pumping your characters
The book Discovering the Writer Within talks about using your free writing to write bout someone you know, giving the person you know a real look about actions and reactions. My take is to do this with a character. Sometimes this is done by writing it down but most often I do this by thinking about the character. Take the young woman who occupies the center stage in my current WIP.
What do I know about her beyond the basics and that's where free thinking or writing comes into play. She is a Leo, a Fire sign and she has a tendency to act first and react second. Because she is young she ahsn't learned the controls an older Leo would have learned. So this impetuosity is what I want to explore. She hates to wait.
During this session, I began to think about what disaster her leaping into action might cause. What would be the cause? Boredom and feeling as though something must happen. I explore this avenue for a time and the situation begins to come to a head. She acts im her usual way and then the question becomes What are the consequences of her action? This adds more depth to the scene I'm developing and brings her character into focus. By doing this with no real plan I've come up with a scene that adds depth to her character, that advances the plot and brings a complication to the hero.
From there I can free think or write what happens with the hero, also a Leo but one who has a different emotional reaction to events.
So use a bit of free writing or free thinking to go beyond your story and who knows what might develop with your characters and your story.
What do I know about her beyond the basics and that's where free thinking or writing comes into play. She is a Leo, a Fire sign and she has a tendency to act first and react second. Because she is young she ahsn't learned the controls an older Leo would have learned. So this impetuosity is what I want to explore. She hates to wait.
During this session, I began to think about what disaster her leaping into action might cause. What would be the cause? Boredom and feeling as though something must happen. I explore this avenue for a time and the situation begins to come to a head. She acts im her usual way and then the question becomes What are the consequences of her action? This adds more depth to the scene I'm developing and brings her character into focus. By doing this with no real plan I've come up with a scene that adds depth to her character, that advances the plot and brings a complication to the hero.
From there I can free think or write what happens with the hero, also a Leo but one who has a different emotional reaction to events.
So use a bit of free writing or free thinking to go beyond your story and who knows what might develop with your characters and your story.
Monday, November 7, 2011
7 November - Contest, Peeve. Week behind and week ahead
December is the month for giving. During the month I'll be giving away print copies of the 27 books I have available in print. Most of them are also available electronically. For those who are interested, they can go back and look through the blog to see the possibilty. I will start the draw on the first of December and continue until the 27th day of the month. One book a day. If there are any that particularly interest you, a mention of it in the blog post will help. Also I will need a way to get in touch with you so some clue as to your email addy will help. The followers of my blog may be the ones first chosen since it's nice to give gifts to friends even though they're not meant. One of these Mondays I'll list all the book titles. Though I wish I could send them all over the world I'll limit the ones sent to the United States and Canada as often sending books to other countries costs more in postage than the book sells for. Wish life were different. So to qualify, either become a member of this blog or leave a note on one of the posts saying you'd like a chance to have one of the books as a gift and leave a clue as to how I can reach you. I'll collect the names and then begin drawing on December 1st.
Peeve 4 - Maybe not really a peeve, but just an observation. Since 1998 I've been electronically published. When I began this adventure the negative remarks I received from fellow writers were hurtful but I knew I was doing the right thing for myself as an author. Some of my books are a bit outside the traditional genre guidelines. But I went with the flow and made some money, not a lot but money wasn't the reason I write. I write because I must. Now with the advent of the electronic readers now electronic publishing has become the thing. Guess back those many years ago, my choice was right for me.
Week behind - am now 51% done with The Chosen of Horu. Have half the chapters to make right. One of my problems is making sure the setting gets in there. I tend to leave this out when I'm doing the flow of the story and running my characters through the plot.
This week coming I intend to have another part of the story headed in the right direction.
Peeve 4 - Maybe not really a peeve, but just an observation. Since 1998 I've been electronically published. When I began this adventure the negative remarks I received from fellow writers were hurtful but I knew I was doing the right thing for myself as an author. Some of my books are a bit outside the traditional genre guidelines. But I went with the flow and made some money, not a lot but money wasn't the reason I write. I write because I must. Now with the advent of the electronic readers now electronic publishing has become the thing. Guess back those many years ago, my choice was right for me.
Week behind - am now 51% done with The Chosen of Horu. Have half the chapters to make right. One of my problems is making sure the setting gets in there. I tend to leave this out when I'm doing the flow of the story and running my characters through the plot.
This week coming I intend to have another part of the story headed in the right direction.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
3 Blog visit Sunday
http://ncpauthors.blogspot.com/ About piracy
http://writersblocknz.weebly.com/blog.html a bit old but good info
http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com/ - because I hit the wrong button. age at work
http://writersblocknz.weebly.com/blog.html a bit old but good info
http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com/ - because I hit the wrong button. age at work
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Saturday's Chapter - Sex, Lies and Contracts - Jennifer Probst
I've known Jennifer for a long time and I did have a hand in doing a pre-read on this story.
Here is the first chapter for Sex, Lies and Contracts coming 2/1/12 from Red Sage.
Chapter One
“You must marry her.”
Jack Alexander Woodward crossed one boot over another and leaned back in his leather chair. He glanced at the delicate woman across the room who shot fierce sparks of fury from her amber eyes. He’d been told by many women his mouth had a natural sulky pout made for sex, but those same lips were able to turn into a sneer that could intimidate the most demanding of females.
Unfortunately, the woman before him was his mother, and not the least bit afraid.
“Rachelle will be the perfect wife for you. I’ve been patient with you, Jack.” Victoria Woodward set her teacup onto the rose embroidered china plate and gave him the look she had designed from years of raising her only son. “I’ve let you go a bit wild and almost ruin the family name. I’ve been silent regarding your messy affairs and your crazy dreams of sailing the seas. But enough is enough, my dear. You will marry Rachelle by the end of the month and take your rightful place as heir to the throne. You will have a son of your own to pass down the family legacy to.”
He remembered being little and easily admonished by her strict tone. His mother always had the ability to make him behave by some mysterious womanly power. He fought the urge to fidget in his chair and reminded himself he was thirty two years old. Far past the age when he should listen to his mother. Jack decided to try and reason with her first. A strange fear bubbled within as he looked into her face. Ever since his father passed away, she’d focused on obtaining Jack the perfect wife. At first, he thought it was a logical reaction to her husband leaving her alone. But as the months passed and she insisted on parading a bunch of rich, blue-blood sharks before him, he realized there could be more to the story.
A story he didn’t particularly want the ending to.
“Mother, don’t get me wrong. I understand you want me to settle down and marry. But I need to do this on my own terms. I don’t want some suitable companion who looks good on paper. I don’t want a breeder. I want someone I can love.”
Those eyes softened and pressure eased from his chest. But her words slammed through him like the proverbial nail in his own personal coffin.
“Jack, we’re out of time. If you don’t get married by the end of the month, your cousin will take over Castle Point. You will lose everything. The house, the money, the company. Everything.”
She took advantage of his stunned silence and continued. “I didn’t want you to know what your father had done. He was worried about you – about the legacy. He saw a man who didn’t want to grow up and assume responsibility, so he decided to take matters into his own hands. Your cousin is willing to settle down. Bryce is next in line and he’s not afraid to get married. He wants to take over Woodward Shipping, you’ve always known that.”
The thought of his cousin sucker punched him low in the gut. Oh, yes, Bryce had sniffed around his legacy his whole life. Always willing to step in when Jack ran off; ever polite and accommodating to his parents; and consistently whispering sweet nothings in his father’s ear. Love words regarding Jack’s unwillingness to marry and take over the family company. Jack knew those intimate conversations pushed his father to change the will. His cousin was closer than ever to getting everything his family owned. Everything that belonged to Jack.
Time was officially up.
Jack muttered a curse and ignored his mother’s disapproving frown. He pushed himself off the chair and paced the thickly piled carpet. Pissed off at his family, but mostly at himself, he realized he’d sorely underestimated the impatience of his old man. With royalty in the blood from generations of English ancestors, Castle Rock was one of the last in the legacy, watered down by a line of modern uncles who took off for riches in the US or the pursuit of the seas. The house resembled an old fashioned castle; a medieval tribute to knights and their ladies and a time when duty surpassed individual wants. The owner of Castle Rock would also run Woodward Shipping Enterprises – the most successful maker and supplier of boats in the country. One was infinitely linked to the other. All male generations before him had settled down with families in Castle Rock and run the corporation. His legacy had been drummed into his mind since his toddler years.
Jack shook his head in an effort to clear his thoughts. The expression on his mother’s face told the true story. If he didn’t marry, he’d lose everything. He cut through the problem with his usual economy of emotion and pierced the heart of the matter. Whining and bitching about his father’s decision solved nothing. Getting his mother upset so close to his father’s death would be cruel. He needed a wife.
But it would be on his terms.
His mother’s gaze bore into his back like an irritated bee sting. “I need more time,” he said.
Victoria gave a long sigh, deep with suffering. “Darling, you’ve had years to make this decision. Rachelle is a beautiful young lady and will give you lovely children.”
He wondered briefly if his mother knew about the famous women’s liberation movement where a mate was chosen for love, not breeding. He decided not to test her. Jack gathered up all of his emotion for his acting debut. Hopefully, it would be the finale and he would not have to partake in any other emotional scenes.
“I’m not in love with Rachelle. Yes, she’s lovely, but after a conversation regarding the weather and the china and society gossip, there’s nothing left. I need a woman who’s my match. Someone who won’t bore me to tears in the years to come. Let me have more time.”
“For goodness sakes, why? Do you really believe you’ll find this soul-mate in a few months? You’ve already been through every suitable woman in England.”
He gave a roguish grin, well known by his mistresses to be irresistible. As usual, his mother remained immune. “Maybe in England. I intend to go to the United States.”
Victoria blinked. “Excuse me? And do what?”
He leaned forward, intensity radiating in waves from his form as he sought to convince her. “Hear me out. I understand the stakes, and I’m willing to settle if I can’t find the right woman. Give me three more months. It’ll give me an opportunity to visit some of our offshore sites and check on our expansion overseas. I need to search for her on my terms, mother. As Jack, the sailor. Not Jack, the heir to Castle Rock. Let me disappear and focus on being me and I may find her.”
Victoria put down her teacup. Her lioness eyes, so like his own, mirrored pure frustration. Fortunately, Jack spotted another emotion in their depths. Empathy. He almost had her.
Jack dropped to one knee and grabbed his mother’s hand. “Three more months. Bryce can run the company while I’m gone. I’ve already settled Dad’s papers. You can tell everyone I’m on a brief holiday to grieve, and when I return, I’ll announce my decision to marry.”
Victoria stared at him for a long moment, then shook off his grip with irritation. “Don’t pull that drama on me, Jack,” she said. “I’m not one of your women.”
He grinned and gracefully rose from the floor. “As you consistently remind me. Thank you, mother.”
Her face softened, though she looked worried. “Search for this lost soul-mate of yours. But when you return, you’ll take over the company and marry. As long as she’s not a prostitute or horrible celebrity, I don’t care who you fall in love with.”
“I’ll make the necessary arrangements.”
“What will I tell Bryce?”
He waved his hand in dismissal. “Bryce will be thrilled to hear I’m gone. Does he know about Dad’s will?”
Victoria shook her head. “Just us and the lawyers.”
“I won’t worry about him, then. Let him believe he’ll inherit the whole pie for a while. It’ll keep him happy.”
“Jack, why are you always so hard on your cousin?”
He paused, tempted to tell his mother about the rumors. Bryce Sinclair was a wonder boy in many ways – the perfect confidante and supporter for both the company and his family. Something was off with him, though. Always had been. Jack caught the glimmer of evil in his face when he thought no one was looking. He’d also seen Bryce in action. But there was no need to worry his mother further. “Just want to make sure Castle Rock is protected. Now, I’d better go. I’ll call when I get settled.”
He left his mother with her tea and strode out the door.
* * * *
“Promise me….”
Julianna stared out at the churning waters and heard her father’s voice whisper through the harsh wind. She shivered at the first explosion of salty spray and wrapped her arms tighter around her body. Still, she did not move from the cliff’s edge. A storm brewed overhead and she longed to feel the icy cold against her skin. Numbness had been her constant companion over the past week. She needed to feel alive.
“You are my only daughter. You must promise to keep the family legacy alive.”
A cloud hovered and split open. The ground shook beneath her feet with the fierceness of a woman scorned, and she tilted her face upward as the rain poured down. Her hair lifted and whipped around like Medusa in all of her glory. Julianna gasped as the cold seeped through her bones and re-fired her blood, forced her heart to pump heavier for warmth, and the numbness burst wide open and let all the pain and hurt stream back.
“The Cliff House must be saved. You must marry someone with wealth. Someone who is worthy of you.”
She let out a long, animal wail as the grief took hold. The scene flashed in the sky overhead. Her father dying inch by inch as she watched. The promise wrested from her lips to save their family home. The final closure of his eyes, and the peaceful smile upon his lips as he sealed her Fate.
Her promise would be her sentence.
Her home would be her prison.
Julianna had no one. No siblings. No parents. No cousins. The money was gone, swallowed in a drench of medical bills and mortgage payments. The life insurance would barely pay for taxes and upkeep for the month. She had no one to turn to. The banks and credit unions and friends had nothing left to give her.
She needed to marry. For money, not love. For the home she’d been trying to escape her entire life.
The ocean roared its fury and the sky boomed back.
Her shoulders slumped. The emotions passed as quickly as they had taken hold. Julianna wasn’t surprised. She’d learned young emotions had no place in real life. Not when people depended on her.
She turned from the cliff and walked back toward her house. Her shoes sank into the muddy ground, and her dress hung heavy with wetness as she left the storm behind. The heat of the house pressed down upon her like an oppressive spirit.
Dreams of luxurious travel, hot affairs and a shiny, open world lay behind her. She must do her duty and continue her family’s heritage. Along the way, perhaps the man who was destined to fulfill her promise would be a man she could love.
Julianna shut the door behind her. On the storm. On her grief.
On her future.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jennifer Probst
To: shadyl717
Sent: Mon, Oct 17, 2011 3:43 pm
Subject: RE: My blog
Yes, of course I would love to! I love your blog - please send me the questions. Thanks!!
Jen
Jennifer Probst
A Little Bit Naughty...A Little Bit Nice
Website: http://www.jenniferprobst.com
*****************************
Blog: http://jenniferprobst.wordpress.com
Mommy Blog: http://4badmommies.com
Sex, Lies and Contracts - Available Feb 1st!
The Tantric Principle -Red Sage
Secrets Volume 11, "Masquerade" - Red Sage
Heart of Steel - BookHub
Buffy and the Carrot - Eloquent
A Life Worth Living - Kindle
Facebook! http://on.fb.me/mDSK0Z
Twitter Me! http://bit.ly/iMXHkr
Here is the first chapter for Sex, Lies and Contracts coming 2/1/12 from Red Sage.
Chapter One
“You must marry her.”
Jack Alexander Woodward crossed one boot over another and leaned back in his leather chair. He glanced at the delicate woman across the room who shot fierce sparks of fury from her amber eyes. He’d been told by many women his mouth had a natural sulky pout made for sex, but those same lips were able to turn into a sneer that could intimidate the most demanding of females.
Unfortunately, the woman before him was his mother, and not the least bit afraid.
“Rachelle will be the perfect wife for you. I’ve been patient with you, Jack.” Victoria Woodward set her teacup onto the rose embroidered china plate and gave him the look she had designed from years of raising her only son. “I’ve let you go a bit wild and almost ruin the family name. I’ve been silent regarding your messy affairs and your crazy dreams of sailing the seas. But enough is enough, my dear. You will marry Rachelle by the end of the month and take your rightful place as heir to the throne. You will have a son of your own to pass down the family legacy to.”
He remembered being little and easily admonished by her strict tone. His mother always had the ability to make him behave by some mysterious womanly power. He fought the urge to fidget in his chair and reminded himself he was thirty two years old. Far past the age when he should listen to his mother. Jack decided to try and reason with her first. A strange fear bubbled within as he looked into her face. Ever since his father passed away, she’d focused on obtaining Jack the perfect wife. At first, he thought it was a logical reaction to her husband leaving her alone. But as the months passed and she insisted on parading a bunch of rich, blue-blood sharks before him, he realized there could be more to the story.
A story he didn’t particularly want the ending to.
“Mother, don’t get me wrong. I understand you want me to settle down and marry. But I need to do this on my own terms. I don’t want some suitable companion who looks good on paper. I don’t want a breeder. I want someone I can love.”
Those eyes softened and pressure eased from his chest. But her words slammed through him like the proverbial nail in his own personal coffin.
“Jack, we’re out of time. If you don’t get married by the end of the month, your cousin will take over Castle Point. You will lose everything. The house, the money, the company. Everything.”
She took advantage of his stunned silence and continued. “I didn’t want you to know what your father had done. He was worried about you – about the legacy. He saw a man who didn’t want to grow up and assume responsibility, so he decided to take matters into his own hands. Your cousin is willing to settle down. Bryce is next in line and he’s not afraid to get married. He wants to take over Woodward Shipping, you’ve always known that.”
The thought of his cousin sucker punched him low in the gut. Oh, yes, Bryce had sniffed around his legacy his whole life. Always willing to step in when Jack ran off; ever polite and accommodating to his parents; and consistently whispering sweet nothings in his father’s ear. Love words regarding Jack’s unwillingness to marry and take over the family company. Jack knew those intimate conversations pushed his father to change the will. His cousin was closer than ever to getting everything his family owned. Everything that belonged to Jack.
Time was officially up.
Jack muttered a curse and ignored his mother’s disapproving frown. He pushed himself off the chair and paced the thickly piled carpet. Pissed off at his family, but mostly at himself, he realized he’d sorely underestimated the impatience of his old man. With royalty in the blood from generations of English ancestors, Castle Rock was one of the last in the legacy, watered down by a line of modern uncles who took off for riches in the US or the pursuit of the seas. The house resembled an old fashioned castle; a medieval tribute to knights and their ladies and a time when duty surpassed individual wants. The owner of Castle Rock would also run Woodward Shipping Enterprises – the most successful maker and supplier of boats in the country. One was infinitely linked to the other. All male generations before him had settled down with families in Castle Rock and run the corporation. His legacy had been drummed into his mind since his toddler years.
Jack shook his head in an effort to clear his thoughts. The expression on his mother’s face told the true story. If he didn’t marry, he’d lose everything. He cut through the problem with his usual economy of emotion and pierced the heart of the matter. Whining and bitching about his father’s decision solved nothing. Getting his mother upset so close to his father’s death would be cruel. He needed a wife.
But it would be on his terms.
His mother’s gaze bore into his back like an irritated bee sting. “I need more time,” he said.
Victoria gave a long sigh, deep with suffering. “Darling, you’ve had years to make this decision. Rachelle is a beautiful young lady and will give you lovely children.”
He wondered briefly if his mother knew about the famous women’s liberation movement where a mate was chosen for love, not breeding. He decided not to test her. Jack gathered up all of his emotion for his acting debut. Hopefully, it would be the finale and he would not have to partake in any other emotional scenes.
“I’m not in love with Rachelle. Yes, she’s lovely, but after a conversation regarding the weather and the china and society gossip, there’s nothing left. I need a woman who’s my match. Someone who won’t bore me to tears in the years to come. Let me have more time.”
“For goodness sakes, why? Do you really believe you’ll find this soul-mate in a few months? You’ve already been through every suitable woman in England.”
He gave a roguish grin, well known by his mistresses to be irresistible. As usual, his mother remained immune. “Maybe in England. I intend to go to the United States.”
Victoria blinked. “Excuse me? And do what?”
He leaned forward, intensity radiating in waves from his form as he sought to convince her. “Hear me out. I understand the stakes, and I’m willing to settle if I can’t find the right woman. Give me three more months. It’ll give me an opportunity to visit some of our offshore sites and check on our expansion overseas. I need to search for her on my terms, mother. As Jack, the sailor. Not Jack, the heir to Castle Rock. Let me disappear and focus on being me and I may find her.”
Victoria put down her teacup. Her lioness eyes, so like his own, mirrored pure frustration. Fortunately, Jack spotted another emotion in their depths. Empathy. He almost had her.
Jack dropped to one knee and grabbed his mother’s hand. “Three more months. Bryce can run the company while I’m gone. I’ve already settled Dad’s papers. You can tell everyone I’m on a brief holiday to grieve, and when I return, I’ll announce my decision to marry.”
Victoria stared at him for a long moment, then shook off his grip with irritation. “Don’t pull that drama on me, Jack,” she said. “I’m not one of your women.”
He grinned and gracefully rose from the floor. “As you consistently remind me. Thank you, mother.”
Her face softened, though she looked worried. “Search for this lost soul-mate of yours. But when you return, you’ll take over the company and marry. As long as she’s not a prostitute or horrible celebrity, I don’t care who you fall in love with.”
“I’ll make the necessary arrangements.”
“What will I tell Bryce?”
He waved his hand in dismissal. “Bryce will be thrilled to hear I’m gone. Does he know about Dad’s will?”
Victoria shook her head. “Just us and the lawyers.”
“I won’t worry about him, then. Let him believe he’ll inherit the whole pie for a while. It’ll keep him happy.”
“Jack, why are you always so hard on your cousin?”
He paused, tempted to tell his mother about the rumors. Bryce Sinclair was a wonder boy in many ways – the perfect confidante and supporter for both the company and his family. Something was off with him, though. Always had been. Jack caught the glimmer of evil in his face when he thought no one was looking. He’d also seen Bryce in action. But there was no need to worry his mother further. “Just want to make sure Castle Rock is protected. Now, I’d better go. I’ll call when I get settled.”
He left his mother with her tea and strode out the door.
* * * *
“Promise me….”
Julianna stared out at the churning waters and heard her father’s voice whisper through the harsh wind. She shivered at the first explosion of salty spray and wrapped her arms tighter around her body. Still, she did not move from the cliff’s edge. A storm brewed overhead and she longed to feel the icy cold against her skin. Numbness had been her constant companion over the past week. She needed to feel alive.
“You are my only daughter. You must promise to keep the family legacy alive.”
A cloud hovered and split open. The ground shook beneath her feet with the fierceness of a woman scorned, and she tilted her face upward as the rain poured down. Her hair lifted and whipped around like Medusa in all of her glory. Julianna gasped as the cold seeped through her bones and re-fired her blood, forced her heart to pump heavier for warmth, and the numbness burst wide open and let all the pain and hurt stream back.
“The Cliff House must be saved. You must marry someone with wealth. Someone who is worthy of you.”
She let out a long, animal wail as the grief took hold. The scene flashed in the sky overhead. Her father dying inch by inch as she watched. The promise wrested from her lips to save their family home. The final closure of his eyes, and the peaceful smile upon his lips as he sealed her Fate.
Her promise would be her sentence.
Her home would be her prison.
Julianna had no one. No siblings. No parents. No cousins. The money was gone, swallowed in a drench of medical bills and mortgage payments. The life insurance would barely pay for taxes and upkeep for the month. She had no one to turn to. The banks and credit unions and friends had nothing left to give her.
She needed to marry. For money, not love. For the home she’d been trying to escape her entire life.
The ocean roared its fury and the sky boomed back.
Her shoulders slumped. The emotions passed as quickly as they had taken hold. Julianna wasn’t surprised. She’d learned young emotions had no place in real life. Not when people depended on her.
She turned from the cliff and walked back toward her house. Her shoes sank into the muddy ground, and her dress hung heavy with wetness as she left the storm behind. The heat of the house pressed down upon her like an oppressive spirit.
Dreams of luxurious travel, hot affairs and a shiny, open world lay behind her. She must do her duty and continue her family’s heritage. Along the way, perhaps the man who was destined to fulfill her promise would be a man she could love.
Julianna shut the door behind her. On the storm. On her grief.
On her future.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jennifer Probst
To: shadyl717
Sent: Mon, Oct 17, 2011 3:43 pm
Subject: RE: My blog
Yes, of course I would love to! I love your blog - please send me the questions. Thanks!!
Jen
Jennifer Probst
A Little Bit Naughty...A Little Bit Nice
Website: http://www.jenniferprobst.com
*****************************
Blog: http://jenniferprobst.wordpress.com
Mommy Blog: http://4badmommies.com
Sex, Lies and Contracts - Available Feb 1st!
The Tantric Principle -Red Sage
Secrets Volume 11, "Masquerade" - Red Sage
Heart of Steel - BookHub
Buffy and the Carrot - Eloquent
A Life Worth Living - Kindle
Facebook! http://on.fb.me/mDSK0Z
Twitter Me! http://bit.ly/iMXHkr
Friday, November 4, 2011
How She Does It - Jennifer Probst
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?
Completely agree. All the questions are there: character, setting, time period, etc, as building blocks. The plot must have the conflict as key, so that would be my second answer. All of these elements lead to my conflict.
1. How do you create your characters? Do you have a specific process? How do you find a character's goal and what drives them to accomplish the goal?
My characters come to me when I am daydreaming or am inspired by something. I saw my heroine in Sex, Lies and Contracts on the Cliffwalk in Newport Rhode Island. She was just standing in the pouring rain, crying about the death of her father and feeling her mansion was now her prison. I had to take it from there. I think about strengths, weaknesses, physical appearance, etc. and usually brainstorm for a while, sketching out their story.
My process is all over the place. I wait for the characters, then move on the book. Usually, I know their inner strengths and weaknesses, and an idea of what the main problem is. Same thing with the hero.
As for the goal, I like to pit their past against them for growth arc. And then pit them against each other for their conflict. I'm a big inner conflict girl, I like to get inside a character's head and mess with them - lol. With Sex, Lies and Contracts, I wanted to show how identities and expectations from others can both drive the goal forward, and cause conflict within the goal. Accomplishing them sometimes is different from what they originally thought, and you will see this with my heroine in that novella.
2. Do your characters come before the plot? Do you sketch out your plot or do you let the characters develop the route to the end?
Characters always come first for me. Plot second. The characters usually tell me the inner conflict, which is big for my books, and then I brainstorm for a plot to move them forward.
3. Do you know how the story will end before you begin? In a general way or a specific one?
I know it will have a happy ending and that's about it! I usually know the major conflict and an idea of the plot, but how they work it out is up to them, I am just with them for the ride.
4. Do you choose settings you know or do you have books of settings and plans of houses sitting around?
I like to choose settings I know. Most take place right here in upstate New York, but some of them came about from my vacations. Cape May, Newport Rhode Island, Lake Como, Italy, etc.
5. Where do you do your research? On line or from books?
Online is the best place to do research for me - I love the computer and enjoy visiting different sites for the information I need.
Completely agree. All the questions are there: character, setting, time period, etc, as building blocks. The plot must have the conflict as key, so that would be my second answer. All of these elements lead to my conflict.
1. How do you create your characters? Do you have a specific process? How do you find a character's goal and what drives them to accomplish the goal?
My characters come to me when I am daydreaming or am inspired by something. I saw my heroine in Sex, Lies and Contracts on the Cliffwalk in Newport Rhode Island. She was just standing in the pouring rain, crying about the death of her father and feeling her mansion was now her prison. I had to take it from there. I think about strengths, weaknesses, physical appearance, etc. and usually brainstorm for a while, sketching out their story.
My process is all over the place. I wait for the characters, then move on the book. Usually, I know their inner strengths and weaknesses, and an idea of what the main problem is. Same thing with the hero.
As for the goal, I like to pit their past against them for growth arc. And then pit them against each other for their conflict. I'm a big inner conflict girl, I like to get inside a character's head and mess with them - lol. With Sex, Lies and Contracts, I wanted to show how identities and expectations from others can both drive the goal forward, and cause conflict within the goal. Accomplishing them sometimes is different from what they originally thought, and you will see this with my heroine in that novella.
2. Do your characters come before the plot? Do you sketch out your plot or do you let the characters develop the route to the end?
Characters always come first for me. Plot second. The characters usually tell me the inner conflict, which is big for my books, and then I brainstorm for a plot to move them forward.
3. Do you know how the story will end before you begin? In a general way or a specific one?
I know it will have a happy ending and that's about it! I usually know the major conflict and an idea of the plot, but how they work it out is up to them, I am just with them for the ride.
4. Do you choose settings you know or do you have books of settings and plans of houses sitting around?
I like to choose settings I know. Most take place right here in upstate New York, but some of them came about from my vacations. Cape May, Newport Rhode Island, Lake Como, Italy, etc.
5. Where do you do your research? On line or from books?
Online is the best place to do research for me - I love the computer and enjoy visiting different sites for the information I need.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Thursday's Interview - Susanne Knight
FOR ECLECTIC WRITER
1. What's your genre or do you write in more than one?
My writing covers a wide spectrum in the romance genre-- paranormal, contemporary, mystery, ghost, Regency, time-travel, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy. I have to say, truthfully, I adore them all! And I love to blend genres, thereby giving my novels an extra little twist!
2. Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?
I’m a self-confessed incurable romantic. When I was growing up, the one thing I thought that was missing in most novels I read (science fiction, mystery, suspense) was romance--romance wasn’t heavily emphasized. I started writing so that I could remedy this by adding my own special dash of “happily ever after” and thereby created my Romance Writing with a Twist!
3. Is there any genre you'd like to try? Or is there one you wouldn't?
There are quite of few more genres out there, and I’ve started thinking about writing a western. That’s a completely new field for me! I’d also like to try my hand at a romantic comedy. For right now though, I've got my hands full with writing in the genres that I specialize in. As for a genre I wouldn’t try, I really can’t say. Anything with an interesting hook can beckon me to write its story. :))
4. What fiction do you read for pleasure?
I enjoy reading the genres of fiction that I write. I can never get enough Regency, mystery, science fiction, etc. To keep a balance, though, I also like to read non-fiction books, especially biographies, self-help, and history. One of my goals for 2012 is to read more. It’s a relaxing way to end the day.
5. Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you've been writing,
This incurable romantic has been writing 25 years, with my first novel published in 1999. I’m the author of 30 books, one anthology, and several short stories. I’ve been blessed with a wonderful husband and a darling daughter. Originally from New York City, I’ve lived in Florida, Alabama, Montana, Okinawa, and have now put down roots in the Pacific Northwest. Quite the wanderlust in my soul, however there’s a lot to be said for settling down. :))
6. Which of your characters is your favorite?
For my favorite female character, I’ll pick Lexia Cappello from EPPIE Finalist for Best Historical Romance THE CONTRARY CONTESSA (Can the tradition of “Fortuna” convince an obstinate English lord that he is meant to marry his Sicilian “stepsister”?) She is the one heroine most unlike me. I truly enjoyed “living” in her world. What a saucy minx! This Regency is flavored with Sicilian cooking, giving it a special little twist.
Also, I have to mention Sophia (Sam) McLaren, from science fiction Preditors and Editors winner and EPPIE Finalist for Best Fantasy/Paranormal/Science Fiction Romance JANUS IS A TWO-HEADED GOD (What happens when the Human leader at Milky Way’s core must deal with a headstrong female from the despised planet Earth?) Sam is extremely devoted to her sick brother, a quality I find very admirable. I had fun with her intergalactic journey to the fabled center of the galaxy.
As for a favorite male character, I’m in love with all my heroes! How can I possibly choose? ;-)
7. Are there villains in your books and how were they created?
Oh yes! Where there is good, there must be evil! Even if the evil is only the office bully. As with any character, a great deal of thought has to be done to bring a villain to life. To be believable, he or she has to have at least one redeeming quality, otherwise what results is a cardboard figure. For example, in my best-selling, paranormal romantic suspense, GRAVE FUTURE, (An innocent tourist is stranded in an isolated cabin with a hostile stranger, an eerie fireplace, and a Shakespeare-quoting ghost.) Perry Lyman is the worst kind of human being, but his saving grace is that he loves his dog.
8. What are you working on now?
Hmmn, right now I’m juggling several projects. Coming this month is the re-release of the popular time-travel Regency, LORD DARVER’S MATCH. (What happens when a modern woman’s wish for a happy marriage lands her back in time, in bed with a handsome nobleman?) Look for it at Amazon.com.
In December comes the next book in my Minx Tobin Murder Mystery Series published by Desert Breeze Publishing, THE YULETIDE YORKSHIRE--Case 5. (Minx finds something unexpected under the Christmas tree. Unfortunately, it wasn’t something left by Santa.)
Then in February, another re-release, EPIC Award Finalist, THE MAGIC TOKEN, (An old woman gives skeptical Amanda a magic coin. It couldn’t possibly work, but how else can she explain her sudden good fortune?) to be available at Uncial Press.
And for my work-in-progress, I’m working on the sixth case for Minx Tobin: THE EMBEZZLED ENVELOPE.
9. What's your latest series release and how did the idea arrive?
My latest series release is Minx Tobin’s THE VIRTUAL VALENTINE--Case 4, Desert Breeze Publishing. (An online serial dater turns out to be a serial killer. But when Death claims this murderer, why is Minx also in danger?) As for the idea, writing a series had been on my list for a while. I do enjoy mysteries with romance mixed in, so I thought why not have a romance develop along with solving a murder in each book?
Who is Minx Tobin, you ask? Minx is a fitness instructor newly relocated to Los Angeles, California, who has a knack for solving puzzles--puzzles concerning dead bodies. For fun, romance, and... unexpected corpses, follow her adventures in this murder mystery series!
10. Tell me about your latest book and how it came about. Enclose a scene from the book.
My latest book is UNCOVERING CAMELOT, a fantasy romance, available at Amazon.com. Here is the link for the book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTGkLGFbC5c.
I had wanted to write something about King Arthur and Camelot for a long time. When I learned there was a Stonehenge Memorial in Washington State, well, that sealed the deal for me! Here’s the blurb, along with an excerpt.
A VACATION RUINED--Heather Woods suddenly learns her boyfriend, Connor, cancelled their summer plans. Determined to forget about him, she visits her flaky godmother, Nerissa, instead, for an impromptu vacation. Nerissa insists that Heather has a healing gift, something Heather doesn’t believe. But when she experiences visions... hallucinations... or whatever her jaunts back to Camelot are, she fears for her sanity. Meeting a man that might actually be Merlin the magician, and his very attractive nephew, Matthew, convince Heather that she’s in the middle of a strange, metaphysical phenomenon.
A VACATION CHANGED--Judge Matthew Limner also finds his vacation plans changed. He receives a call from a long-lost Uncle Mallory--so long-lost that he hadn’t even known Mallory existed. Mallory flies in from London, and expects to go sightseeing with Matthew. Resigned, Matthew plays the host. First stop: the Stonehenge Memorial in southern Washington. A chance encounter--or is it?--with Nerissa and Heather convince Matthew that something much more than coincidence is happening in this tiny corner of the world.
SCENE SET-UP:
After just experiencing a vision featuring Merlin the Magician, Heather Woods can’t believe her eyes when a man resembling Merlin introduces himself to her and her godmother, Nerissa. He calls himself Mallory Limner, and also introduces his nephew, Matthew.
EXCERPT:
Nerissa clapped her hands, which caused her many bracelets to jingle from the movement. “I have an excellent idea. Why don’t we explore the monument with our new friends?”
Heather stared at her godmother. Friends?
“I’m certain Mallory can give us his prospective on the true Stonehenge,” Nerissa continued.
You can’t possibly be serious.
But Nerissa was serious. She kept fondling her beaded necklace, along with wetting her lips and darting glances at Mallory. Preening gestures.
Heather sighed. How Nerissa could be sexually interested in a man as old as Mallory was beyond her. Different strokes for different folks, obviously. But if this was important to her godmother, then she really should acquiesce.
She shrugged. “Sure. We’ll explore. Why not?”
Mallory didn’t waste time. He extended his arm to Nerissa. “Come, my lady. Let us peruse these sacred stones while I regale you with tales of the Druids.”
Off the two of them went, leaving Heather in the dust. But that was just as well. Being in that man’s company set her teeth on edge. Since she usually was so easygoing, it was hard to reconcile her abnormal behavior.
She flipped back hair. Perhaps it was she who should be sent to the time-out corner.
Turning to go back to the lawn chair and her sketchpad, she was stopped by a touch on her arm.
“I believe the idea is that you and I pair up as well.” Matthew Limner gazed down at her, looking less green than he had before. “Just for the duration of this visit, of course. Unless you have other plans?”
She flushed. She’d forgotten about him. Although on any other day, that would’ve been extremely difficult to do. Square-jawed, dark wavy hair, and peek-a-boo dimples, he was a very handsome man. From her height, she had an excellent view of his prominent Adam’s apple.
Her preferences in men were California types, though. Athletic, blond, devil-may-care. Like Connor, and that man she’d met yesterday--one of Nerissa’s new clients. A man with shoulder pain--Desmond Redmord. He certainly had been of the finger-licking-good variety.
If she’d been interested to taste. Right now, she wasn’t--not tasting any man.
And Matthew? She looked him up and down. There was something stuffy about him. Something patronizing. Something that made her stomach churn.
“Look, I’m not interested in--”
“In being polite?” He shifted his gaze away from her, and instead, concentrated on the ring of heavy blocks resting on top of the solid ones.
He was right. She was being rude. She had no call to take her anger out on him--a stranger.
“I’m sorry. Really. This has been quite a bizarre day. Actually it’s been a strange few days.”
Taking a technique she used on her students when they got into arguments, she took a deep breath, released it, then held out her hand. “Let’s start over. Hello, I’m Heather Woods.”
His gaze flickered over her. Then he smiled briefly, which dimpled his cheeks. “Nice to meet you, Heather. I’m Matthew. Matthew Limner.” He stressed his last name.
She grinned back. “Yeah, sorry. I was an ass about it, wasn’t I?”
He strolled forward at a leisurely pace, walking around the inside of the concrete slabs. “I wouldn’t phrase it in those words, Heather.”
Following alongside him, she walked in the shade. “No, I didn’t think you would.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you so much, Janet, for this wonderful chance to connect with your readers!
1. What's your genre or do you write in more than one?
My writing covers a wide spectrum in the romance genre-- paranormal, contemporary, mystery, ghost, Regency, time-travel, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy. I have to say, truthfully, I adore them all! And I love to blend genres, thereby giving my novels an extra little twist!
2. Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?
I’m a self-confessed incurable romantic. When I was growing up, the one thing I thought that was missing in most novels I read (science fiction, mystery, suspense) was romance--romance wasn’t heavily emphasized. I started writing so that I could remedy this by adding my own special dash of “happily ever after” and thereby created my Romance Writing with a Twist!
3. Is there any genre you'd like to try? Or is there one you wouldn't?
There are quite of few more genres out there, and I’ve started thinking about writing a western. That’s a completely new field for me! I’d also like to try my hand at a romantic comedy. For right now though, I've got my hands full with writing in the genres that I specialize in. As for a genre I wouldn’t try, I really can’t say. Anything with an interesting hook can beckon me to write its story. :))
4. What fiction do you read for pleasure?
I enjoy reading the genres of fiction that I write. I can never get enough Regency, mystery, science fiction, etc. To keep a balance, though, I also like to read non-fiction books, especially biographies, self-help, and history. One of my goals for 2012 is to read more. It’s a relaxing way to end the day.
5. Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you've been writing,
This incurable romantic
6. Which of your characters is your favorite?
For my favorite female character, I’ll pick Lexia Cappello from EPPIE Finalist for Best Historical Romance THE CONTRARY CONTESSA (Can the tradition of “Fortuna” convince an obstinate English lord that he is meant to marry his Sicilian “stepsister”?) She is the one heroine most unlike me. I truly enjoyed “living” in her world. What a saucy minx! This Regency is flavored with Sicilian cooking, giving it a special little twist.
Also, I have to mention Sophia (Sam) McLaren, from science fiction Preditors and Editors winner and EPPIE Finalist for Best Fantasy/Paranormal/Science Fiction Romance JANUS IS A TWO-HEADED GOD (What happens when the Human leader at Milky Way’s core must deal with a headstrong female from the despised planet Earth?) Sam is extremely devoted to her sick brother, a quality I find very admirable. I had fun with her intergalactic journey to the fabled center of the galaxy.
As for a favorite male character, I’m in love with all my heroes! How can I possibly choose? ;-)
7. Are there villains in your books and how were they created?
Oh yes! Where there is good, there must be evil! Even if the evil is only the office bully. As with any character, a great deal of thought has to be done to bring a villain to life. To be believable, he or she has to have at least one redeeming quality, otherwise what results is a cardboard figure. For example, in my best-selling, paranormal romantic suspense, GRAVE FUTURE, (An innocent tourist is stranded in an isolated cabin with a hostile stranger, an eerie fireplace, and a Shakespeare-quoting ghost.) Perry Lyman is the worst kind of human being, but his saving grace is that he loves his dog.
8. What are you working on now?
Hmmn, right now I’m juggling several projects. Coming this month is the re-release of the popular time-travel Regency, LORD DARVER’S MATCH. (What happens when a modern woman’s wish for a happy marriage lands her back in time, in bed with a handsome nobleman?) Look for it at Amazon.com.
In December comes the next book in my Minx Tobin Murder Mystery Series published by Desert Breeze Publishing, THE YULETIDE YORKSHIRE--Case 5. (Minx finds something unexpected under the Christmas tree. Unfortunately, it wasn’t something left by Santa.)
Then in February, another re-release, EPIC Award Finalist, THE MAGIC TOKEN, (An old woman gives skeptical Amanda a magic coin. It couldn’t possibly work, but how else can she explain her sudden good fortune?) to be available at Uncial Press.
And for my work-in-progress, I’m working on the sixth case for Minx Tobin: THE EMBEZZLED ENVELOPE.
9. What's your latest series release and how did the idea arrive?
My latest series release is Minx Tobin’s THE VIRTUAL VALENTINE--Case 4, Desert Breeze Publishing. (An online serial dater turns out to be a serial killer. But when Death claims this murderer, why is Minx also in danger?) As for the idea, writing a series had been on my list for a while. I do enjoy mysteries with romance mixed in, so I thought why not have a romance develop along with solving a murder in each book?
Who is Minx Tobin, you ask? Minx is a fitness instructor newly relocated to Los Angeles, California, who has a knack for solving puzzles--puzzles concerning dead bodies. For fun, romance, and... unexpected corpses, follow her adventures in this murder mystery series!
10. Tell me about your latest book and how it came about. Enclose a scene from the book.
My latest book is UNCOVERING CAMELOT, a fantasy romance, available at Amazon.com. Here is the link for the book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTGkLGFbC5c.
I had wanted to write something about King Arthur and Camelot for a long time. When I learned there was a Stonehenge Memorial in Washington State, well, that sealed the deal for me! Here’s the blurb, along with an excerpt.
A VACATION RUINED--Heather Woods suddenly learns her boyfriend, Connor, cancelled their summer plans. Determined to forget about him, she visits her flaky godmother, Nerissa, instead, for an impromptu vacation. Nerissa insists that Heather has a healing gift, something Heather doesn’t believe. But when she experiences visions... hallucinations... or whatever her jaunts back to Camelot are, she fears for her sanity. Meeting a man that might actually be Merlin the magician, and his very attractive nephew, Matthew, convince Heather that she’s in the middle of a strange, metaphysical phenomenon.
A VACATION CHANGED--Judge Matthew Limner also finds his vacation plans changed. He receives a call from a long-lost Uncle Mallory--so long-lost that he hadn’t even known Mallory existed. Mallory flies in from London, and expects to go sightseeing with Matthew. Resigned, Matthew plays the host. First stop: the Stonehenge Memorial in southern Washington. A chance encounter--or is it?--with Nerissa and Heather convince Matthew that something much more than coincidence is happening in this tiny corner of the world.
SCENE SET-UP:
After just experiencing a vision featuring Merlin the Magician, Heather Woods can’t believe her eyes when a man resembling Merlin introduces himself to her and her godmother, Nerissa. He calls himself Mallory Limner, and also introduces his nephew, Matthew.
EXCERPT:
Nerissa clapped her hands, which caused her many bracelets to jingle from the movement. “I have an excellent idea. Why don’t we explore the monument with our new friends?”
Heather stared at her godmother. Friends?
“I’m certain Mallory can give us his prospective on the true Stonehenge,” Nerissa continued.
You can’t possibly be serious.
But Nerissa was serious. She kept fondling her beaded necklace, along with wetting her lips and darting glances at Mallory. Preening gestures.
Heather sighed. How Nerissa could be sexually interested in a man as old as Mallory was beyond her. Different strokes for different folks, obviously. But if this was important to her godmother, then she really should acquiesce.
She shrugged. “Sure. We’ll explore. Why not?”
Mallory didn’t waste time. He extended his arm to Nerissa. “Come, my lady. Let us peruse these sacred stones while I regale you with tales of the Druids.”
Off the two of them went, leaving Heather in the dust. But that was just as well. Being in that man’s company set her teeth on edge. Since she usually was so easygoing, it was hard to reconcile her abnormal behavior.
She flipped back hair. Perhaps it was she who should be sent to the time-out corner.
Turning to go back to the lawn chair and her sketchpad, she was stopped by a touch on her arm.
“I believe the idea is that you and I pair up as well.” Matthew Limner gazed down at her, looking less green than he had before. “Just for the duration of this visit, of course. Unless you have other plans?”
She flushed. She’d forgotten about him. Although on any other day, that would’ve been extremely difficult to do. Square-jawed, dark wavy hair, and peek-a-boo dimples, he was a very handsome man. From her height, she had an excellent view of his prominent Adam’s apple.
Her preferences in men were California types, though. Athletic, blond, devil-may-care. Like Connor, and that man she’d met yesterday--one of Nerissa’s new clients. A man with shoulder pain--Desmond Redmord. He certainly had been of the finger-licking-good variety.
If she’d been interested to taste. Right now, she wasn’t--not tasting any man.
And Matthew? She looked him up and down. There was something stuffy about him. Something patronizing. Something that made her stomach churn.
“Look, I’m not interested in--”
“In being polite?” He shifted his gaze away from her, and instead, concentrated on the ring of heavy blocks resting on top of the solid ones.
He was right. She was being rude. She had no call to take her anger out on him--a stranger.
“I’m sorry. Really. This has been quite a bizarre day. Actually it’s been a strange few days.”
Taking a technique she used on her students when they got into arguments, she took a deep breath, released it, then held out her hand. “Let’s start over. Hello, I’m Heather Woods.”
His gaze flickered over her. Then he smiled briefly, which dimpled his cheeks. “Nice to meet you, Heather. I’m Matthew. Matthew Limner.” He stressed his last name.
She grinned back. “Yeah, sorry. I was an ass about it, wasn’t I?”
He strolled forward at a leisurely pace, walking around the inside of the concrete slabs. “I wouldn’t phrase it in those words, Heather.”
Following alongside him, she walked in the shade. “No, I didn’t think you would.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you so much, Janet, for this wonderful chance to connect with your readers!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Wednesday - What plot is.
More coming on Plot. Many writers I know think they draw great characters and do nice situations and scenes but they aren't sure they have a plot. I thought I'd look at some things about waht a plot really is. I always say a plot is just a plat, a roadmap that takes the writer from the initial impact of the characters through the twists and turns of the middle to the end of the road where all is wrapped up and tied with a bow.
1. A plot is a plan and has a structure. Beginning, middle, end.
2. Plot is like the skeleton seen in anatomy labs or shown at Halloween.
3. Plot is a force that drives the story.
4. Plot is a process, or a becoming rather than something objectified.
5. Plot is drama. It doesn't just sit there and wait for something to happen.
6. Plot is a riddle. There is always something to solve, some goal to obtain or a lesson to be learned. Finding the reasons for these move the plot forward.
7. Plot is filled with surprises. Things unplanned can often happen and though the writer knows the destination getting there can change.
1. A plot is a plan and has a structure. Beginning, middle, end.
2. Plot is like the skeleton seen in anatomy labs or shown at Halloween.
3. Plot is a force that drives the story.
4. Plot is a process, or a becoming rather than something objectified.
5. Plot is drama. It doesn't just sit there and wait for something to happen.
6. Plot is a riddle. There is always something to solve, some goal to obtain or a lesson to be learned. Finding the reasons for these move the plot forward.
7. Plot is filled with surprises. Things unplanned can often happen and though the writer knows the destination getting there can change.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Tuesday's Inspiration -- Places you've been or haven't
Many of us have problems with settings. I know in the beginning of my writing career the rejections often mentioned my characters operated in a vacuum. Then there are the writers who give us pages and pages of the places where their characters exist and the story is lost. There's a happy medium and several ways to go about this.
One way is to take a place you know. Pick up your pen or pencil or hit the computer keys and just write everything you can remember about this place. Put in your reactions and also throw in the five senses. Just let it flow. You can use parts of this in your story and sprinkle them in like seasoning in a dish you're creating.
But say you're writing about a place you've been maybe onceor never. This takes a little work but can be solved from books or the internet. Look the place up and jot down descriptions and facts from your research. Once you have these notes down, put yourself or your characters in that place. Start writing what you remember from what you have read and made notes of.
Now's the time to start putting those into your story. Make sure to pick the things that are unique. I've been to Santa Fe once and while there I picked up every piece of free literature I could find. When I was ready to
set a story in that city, I thought about my impressions and then looked at all those flyers. During the writing of the story I had bits and pieces to pull out and hopefully succeeded.
One way is to take a place you know. Pick up your pen or pencil or hit the computer keys and just write everything you can remember about this place. Put in your reactions and also throw in the five senses. Just let it flow. You can use parts of this in your story and sprinkle them in like seasoning in a dish you're creating.
But say you're writing about a place you've been maybe onceor never. This takes a little work but can be solved from books or the internet. Look the place up and jot down descriptions and facts from your research. Once you have these notes down, put yourself or your characters in that place. Start writing what you remember from what you have read and made notes of.
Now's the time to start putting those into your story. Make sure to pick the things that are unique. I've been to Santa Fe once and while there I picked up every piece of free literature I could find. When I was ready to
set a story in that city, I thought about my impressions and then looked at all those flyers. During the writing of the story I had bits and pieces to pull out and hopefully succeeded.
Monday, October 31, 2011
31 October = Week Behind and Week ahead - Peeve 3
Today's peeve is about those people who think it's their right to steal the intellectual property of others. Whether it's books, movies, songs or whatever the creator is entitled to reap the proceeds from the sale of these materials. I've heard all the excuses about this sharing but electronic material is unlike the paper books shared or re-sold. The electronic copies never wear out and never become antiques. I've read every excuse that could be invented for this kind of "borrowing" but none of them make sense. The one that gets to me most is "rich authors." If someone has had a phenomenal success does that mean they're fair game. No they were the one who sat at the computer and dreamed up the story and the author is the one who deserves the rewards of their creative endeavour. For someone who didn't create the work to reap profits from the "mind children" of others is rather akin to kidnapping. Enough said.
Week behind. 45% done with The Chosen of Horu. Much starting and stopping while doing this draft since I had to refer to the previous book in the series and also to do research both from books and online. Had to rein myself in when coming across something interesting to keep from settling in for a long read. That's the problem with research. Can suck you into a deep well and the work doesn't get done.
Week ahead - Will continue with the story and hopefully get further but the research outline is always the slow one. Starting to get ideas for the next in the Seduction series. Hero is Tony, lawyer and friend of the characters in the other stories.
Week behind. 45% done with The Chosen of Horu. Much starting and stopping while doing this draft since I had to refer to the previous book in the series and also to do research both from books and online. Had to rein myself in when coming across something interesting to keep from settling in for a long read. That's the problem with research. Can suck you into a deep well and the work doesn't get done.
Week ahead - Will continue with the story and hopefully get further but the research outline is always the slow one. Starting to get ideas for the next in the Seduction series. Hero is Tony, lawyer and friend of the characters in the other stories.
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