Basketball season is over at our house. Which means one thing: We’re one sport closer to football. We love football, and the wait is killing us. But one of the things I love about football is that it’s a great metaphor for nearly everything. Like writing a suspense novel. A football game has all the elements of a great suspense novel: the players we love, an objective, a playbook on how to win the day, villains, truth tellers (called coaches) on the sidelines and deadline for “game over.” I blogged all year in 2011 about suspense, so I can’t cover all that territory today, so we’re going to touch on the one big element every suspense should have: The Big Event. Every suspense must have a Big Event that looms […]
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Conversations: The basics of writing a Suspense Novel
“How is your writing going? Do you feel ready to dive into crafting the Black Moment and Epiphany?” I asked Sally as she came to the table with a chai latte. “Not yet. I want to write a suspense into my romance.” Sally sat down and pulled out her notebook. Outside, the sun shrank the snow banks, spring in the air. “I watched Eagle Eye on FX over the weekend, and I realized how much I love suspense.” “I love suspense too,” I said. “A romantic suspense combines the fun of falling in love with that edge-of-your-seat-fear that the people we care about could get killed. “Let’s take a look at what that would mean for your story. Writing a romantic suspense means adding another story structure/plot to your novel. […]
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Quick Skills: Genre makes you a better writer
I’ve written 35 books. Many of them have been on the best-seller list. A number have won awards. And at least half are….romance. When I get to that last sentence, whatever literary cred I’ve earned with the first three statements seems to vanish. “You write Romance?” someone will ask, (as if they haven’t heard me) and sometimes add an accompanying look of…disdain? Disappointment? As if writing romance is somehow less highbrow than general fiction. I hate the assumption that general fiction is better written. Hogwash. Words are words, and the truth is, writing fabulous genre fiction is harder than general fiction. You have to stand out in a category with your words while delivering a plot that follows the genre constructs. General fiction can be wonderful…or it can be a […]
Read the RestThe Construction of Chapter 8 – Kenzie’s scene. Don’t Rush the Drama!
One of the struggles I see with many writers – and even myself – is the rush to the climatic parts of the story. They see the drama of the big pieces and want to get there immediately to wow the reader. However, the problem is when we don’t give the drama resonance – when we don’t show the progression of emotions leading up to it, and the significance of the drama, we miss out on the punch. I always advise clients to take their time, to feel the nuances of the scene and allow the reader to, also. However, sometimes it can feel like eating an elephant. You have so far to go, and today you’reworking on a toenail. (okay, yuck. Maybe I should find another analogy). What […]
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