I love crafting a premise – -it’s one of the first things I do after I get a story in my head. With my premise as my guide, I know where the story is headed, the main themes, and the stakes. For those who are SOTPs – (Seat of the Pants plotters) – you can STILL do this – you don’t have to nail down every scene and nuance right now. But I’ll bet you have in your head the theme, the characters, and what the story is about. That’s all you need to craft a great premise. Let’s get started. Step One: Name your character, and their significance. For example, if the story is about a veterinarian, and her job is crucial to the story, then her occupation should […]
Read the RestTag Archives | fiction editing services
Where are we going? (Constructing the premise of your story!)
Okay, here we go – we’re off our journey! But…wait! What kind of journey are we going to take? I hike in the Himalayas? A beach vacation in Cancun? Skiing in Vermont? How about a canoe trip in Minnesota? (come visit me!) Before you take your first step, you need to know what your journey is all about! And that means – PREMISE. A premise is simply a 2-5 sentence blurb of your story. It’s zeroing in on the MOST important elements of your book – the stakes, the fears, the dreams, the theme and plot, and the main players. You’ll use your premise to grab your editor’s attention in your query letter, or pitch at a conference. And you’ll paste it above your computer as your write as a […]
Read the RestAnother perspective on how to write a book: or, The “Just calm down and enjoy the process, it’ll all work out” Rachel Hauck method!
Wow, I’m awed by Susie’s detailed writing process. She writes great fiction, fast. I however, do not. Let’s talk about my writing process so you can see how incredibly different we are, but yet end up with a novel at the end. The longest time I took to write a book was eight months, Sweet Caroline. The shortest, four months and twelve days, Diva NashVegas. My average writing time is five months, but I prefer more. Here’s why. When writing on deadline, I’m so engaged and engrossed in my current characters I can’t carry on dialog with possible future characters. When a book is done and submitted, I begin to think of the next book while waiting for rewrites. I get a high level idea and plot, usually with beginning, […]
Read the RestHow to write a book in 3 months, in 3 hours a day!
(or, my organization and book development secrets!) Write a book in 3 months? In three hours a day? And have a family life, too? Bah! You laugh, but seriously, it can be done. Now, I’m not saying it’s easy. But the fact is, with a little “nose to the grindstone” as my father used to say, it’s possible. Here’s how: First, we talked yesterday about the four keys to a successful writer’s life. If you’ve committed to the task, found your writing space, wheedled out time from your schedule and determined to keep a running game plan, then it’s time to talk strategy. Let’s assume you have 12 weeks to write a 30 chapter book, with approximately 3000 words per chapter. That’s 1500 words per scene. That’s 6 pages per […]
Read the Rest
