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You Don’t Have To Do It Alone – Brainstorming Help!

By on July 22, 2014 in Alena Tauriainen, Brainstorming Strategies and Tips, Encourage Me!, Next Step on the Writing Journey, Plotting, Tricks, Writer's life

As writer’s we are constantly learning new things to improve our craft. That being said, brainstorming is one of the harder aspects of the writing journey for me. It’s amazing, I can help other writers with plotting but when it comes to mine, I get stuck. I was astounded (and greatly relieved) to find out I could get help.

Last week I met with my craft buddies and we had a fantastic time brainstorming. Not only did we flesh out our next novel but Gabrielle Meyer was an awesome hostess. She planned the schedule and created the perfect atmosphere of brainstorming and relaxing. For the most part, we worked in the mornings and played in the afternoons. Listen, if I didn’t love where I lived, I would move to Little Falls Minnesota. Thank you Gabrielle!

If you want to brainstorm with a group, here are a few tips.

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Act 2: Adding in Unexpected Twists, Turns and Tests

By on May 10, 2011 in Managing the Muddle (keeping your story moving!), Plotting, Suspense

  Last week, we talked about the GUTS, or Act 2 of your novel, the first element being the Growing romance of the hero and heroine.    However, this romance only happens through the next element:   U- Unexpected Twists, Turns and Tests: During the GUTS portion of the story, the hero and heroine’s mettle will be tested – especially as it relates to their competence, that thing they do well.  The point of the middle to cause them to grow as human beings through lessons, revelations, challenges and epiphanies.  However, the middle is often where the tension sags – and that’s usually because we run out of the unexpected, and our motivation to keep going sags.  The key to a powerful middle is using the  peripheral plotting, and stakes […]

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Writing a Suspense: The basic elements

By on May 2, 2011 in Plotting, Story Crafting, Suspense

Over the past four months, we’ve been covering the basic elements of Act 1 of a Suspense.  Before we take a little romance rabbit trail (for all your romantic/suspense novelists!) let’s review the basic Act 1 elements:   The first act consists of the setup, or what I call: The Game:  Players, the Goals, the Rules, Board/Playing field.    G =  Let us meet the Guys and Gals.  Who are they?  What makes them common/sympathetic?  What makes them extraordinary?  We’ll be talking in coming weeks about developing the romance of a romantic/suspense novel, also, but for now, there are a number of elements a suspense hero/heroine should have.   If you took my plotting class, you’ll know I spend a lot of time on developing my characters, and making a […]

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The Big Event…examples.

By on April 26, 2011 in Plotting, Suspense

  Yesterday, I said I would use some Big Events from popular books and movies…   I changed my mind.  I think it might be easier to explain if I applied the Big Event to my own work.  That way we can see if I did it correctly.   So, just to summarize…the Big Event must be: Believable, Compelling, Immediate, Terrifying.   I’m going to use examples from my current suspense series…The Missions Of Mercy Series …       Point of No Return   An American boy and a warlord’s engaged daughter have disappeared-together-in an Eastern European border country. Only one man can find them in time to prevent an international meltdown-Chet Stryker. But Chet is taken aback when he realizes the boy is the nephew of Mae Lund, Chet’s former […]

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