Yesterday, we talked about the use of Public and Private Stakes to raise the epic element of your suspense, and drive your reader through the story. But that is only one part of the equation. You need motivation as well. You need to employ something I call the PUSH-PULL. Let’s start at the beginning of the story: Your character will need a motivation to start them on their journey. Some Why and What do they want? This is easy – you simply take a look at their greatest dreams and give them glimpse of hope that they can achieve them early on in the story. But that’s when things get tough. See, on every great journey, there is conflict – or obstacles along the way. And your character will […]
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I ain’t afraid of nuthin! (Creating the Perfect Suspense Heroine Day 2)
Yesterday, we talked about how to make the plot personal for your heroine so that she’ll leave her life and jump into the world of the suspense. That personal element is what will keep your heroine running forward, despite the looming fears before her. Case in point – I hate caves, especially a submerged cave. Never would I ever enter a cave under water. However, if my child was trapped inside, you betchya. Just a simple illustration, but if you were using me as your suspense heroine, this would be a great fear to dangle before me to ramp up the stakes. I’d have to reach deep inside and find the courage to fit myself through one of those dark, slimy crevasses. Which leads me to […]
Read the RestI’m a girl, I can’t lift heavy things! (A study on creating the Perfect Suspense Heroine)
Who is the perfect suspense heroine? A courageous woman? A timid woman? A strong woman? A fragile woman? A confident woman? A struggling woman? When I first met my husband, twenty –two years ago, I was a strong, lithe, hard core camping woman who could carry a Duluth pack and a canoe alone on a portage. I thought I was sooooo tough. In our group of fellow guides, there was a girl who loved asking the guys to carry things for her. “I’m a girl, I can’t lift heavy things!” she’d say and I’d roll my eyes. Never, I vowed, would I ask a man to carry things for me. Then came the day when I was trying to carry a baby, a toddler, our carryon, a diaper […]
Read the RestMan up (Creating a Suspense Hero Day 1)
Today, we’re going to take a look at our suspense Hero. See, when you’re when you’re writing a suspense, it’s all about the guy who rises from the dust, the ball in hand. (Ooops, it’s playoff season. And I just watched the Pack (my second favorite team!) beat the Bears. Go Pack!) so you may get football illustrations) But, just as quick review, last week, we divided a suspense novel into three sections: Act 1: The Game The set up: Players, the Goals, the Rules, Board/Playing field. Act Two: The Guts All the great stuff happens during the Guts phase – confronting fears, reaching out in the darkness for the girl’s hand, stealing a kiss, and failing big, and learning something new about yourself. Act […]
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