“I’m angry with you!” Sally said as she sat down. She was smiling, so I frowned. “You let me write the first chapter before I was ready.” “Oh, that,” I said. “Yes, I did, knowing you weren’t quite ready. But I knew you had so much story in you that if you didn’t get started you’d only get frustrated. I know why you weren’t ready, but you tell me.” “I didn’t really know what my character wanted, nor how to hint at his greatest fear in the first chapter, so I created exactly the wrong scene.” “You created the scene that helped you jump start your story. You were doing a lot of “Wax On, Wax Off” and getting ansty. So, I told you to simply let your character walk […]
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Ask the Doc: How do I decide what scenes to put in the book?
Have you heard “let the action unfold on stage” while studying the craft of writing? If not, you have now. On stage means “on the page.” As you write your story and plot your scenes a critical choice you face is deciding what must happen on stage, and what can happen “behind the scenes.” I’m going to quote one of my favorite books, “Love Begins with Elle.” When I chose my on stage scenes, I always asked: What is important for the reader to invest in? No enough on stage action, and the readers don’t care. Too much, and I’ve bogged down the story with every little detail. The major scenes are easy. Like when the heroine meets the hero, when the heroine is proposed to, when the heroine realizes she’s […]
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Brainstorming Strategies: #1 Layers
Every story has a basic story line or plot that is central to the book. Without it, there would be no story. But to create a deeper story you need to add layers. What are layers? Layers are the different pieces or story threads that run along side your plot to make it more interesting. Often these layers are added by subplot or other POV characters besides the hero and heroine. For example, in the movie White Christmas there are several layers, here are a few: *The two sisters agreed that they won’t let a man come between them Deepening Layer: The youngest pretends that Danny Kaye is her sweetheart so that her sister will feel free to fall in love. Deepening Layer: It works so well that when the […]
Read the RestConversations with an aspiring author: Building the Triumphant Ending!
“You might be able to write a book in a month, but I’m only on chapter five. I have four kids, you know.” Sally wasn’t wearing makeup today, her blond hair tied back in a ponytail. She looked like she’d lost some weight, her blue eyes a bit tired. “I spent all weekend spring cleaning my house. I haven’t touched my book in a week. My ending is so far out of site, I’ve forgotten what I’m writing about.” “It’s all right, Sally,” I said and nudged my uneaten bran muffin over to her. “You’ve just forgotten what you’re aiming for. See, if you set out on a journey without a destination, you might get lost or even…discouraged.” She tore off a chunk of the muffin. “So, you’re saying that […]
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