Last weekend, I read Annie Solomon’s TWO LETHEL LIES. It is a romantic suspense, but the way the hero feels about the child in his custody, his feelings about his brother, his feelings about his cold, shallow mother and his feelings about life – are every bit as important to that book as his feelings about Neesy, the heroine, and the suspense that keeps him on the run.
His emotions escalate as he goes from a man happy to be unknown, to keep his distance with people and never stay too long anywhere (because he’s wanted for murder) to being a man who finally slows down long enough to realize what he’s given up and to want more…as he questions his past and life in general.
What engrosses readers in this novel of suspense isn’t just the “what the hell is going on and are these characters all going to survive" element. We care about whether or not the hero survives because we care about him…because as he reveals himself through his reactions/emotions we know he’s a good guy who didn’t want this mess. It was thrust upon him, but he did the right thing and stepped up to protect the child in his custody.
(By the way...it wasn't easy to tell you all that without revealing so much of the story that I spoiled it for you! LOL Go buy it. Read it. Especially if you're writing suspense.)
It doesn't matter what genre you're writing. We need to care about your protagonists. Readers don't care about characters because they are rich or handsome or even followed by trouble. They care about characters who have a heart and soul. Mitch, the hero from TWO LETHAL LIES, opens the book by rescuing a pre-teen who jumps off a bridge. He doesn't want to call attention to himself. He knows the rescue could mean discovery. Though we don't yet know what he's running from, we know he risks himself to save this girl attempting suicide because she is little more than a child.
He gets our emotional attention immiedately. We know this is a hero. A real hero. Not just a good looking guy, who commands attention whenever he walks into a room. Or a man with a history or reputation for doing good things. On page one, Mitch does something good.
Annie Solomon doesn't tell us Mitch "is a good guy." She shows us.
She also doesn't tell us he's in trouble. She demonstrates his trepidation by his reaction to the praise that follows the rescue.
She doesn't tell us he loves Julia, the little girl he's traveling with. She shows us when Julia begs Mitch to stay in the cottage offered by the family of the rescued girl, and he -- though it's against his better judgment -- agrees because he knows Julia doesn't ask much, hasn't ever asked much, though their life of running is hard.
In a couple of pages Annie Solomon has us firmly on Mitch's side because of emotion.
The really great writers among us know that the best way to capture a reader's interest and heart is to give us a hero to root for. Give him a real problem. Show us he's honest, generous, kind, brave, courageous, strong, a person of conviction, and the journey he goes through will have more meaning, more power.
Because that's what you want. Power. For a story to be great it must be interesting, credible, consistent and compelling. A situation can be compelling, but a compelling character will draw us in every time. And a compelling character is what gives a story power.
So create characters with real emotions. Emotions that demonstrate who they are, what they want, why they want it...and readers will follow your story anywhere!
Happy Monday
susan
Monday, February 20, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Deciding What to Write
Very few of us have difficulty deciding what genre to write or even what book to write. Most of us have book ideas running around like mice on a barn floor through our brains. But lots of us wake up on Monday morning, or sit down at our computer after a long day's work, and wonder what the heck should come next in our books.
Personally, I'm turning into a plotter. I used to be a pantser. Then I sort of loosely plotted my pantsing. Now, after writing my last three books using a detailed outline, I'm sort of in love with always knowing what comes next!
But if you're not a plotter and don't have a lovely outline sitting beside your computer telling you the next step your characters should take...how do you know what comes next?
Well, you can use the action/reaction/decision formula. If the last scene you wrote was an "action" (there's a fire in the barn) then the next scene you should write is a reaction/consequence scene. (The horses die.) If the last scene you wrote was a consequence scene (the horses die), then your next scene should be a decision scene. (The hero decides he's had enough.) And if the last scene was a decision...(hero decides he's had enough) then the next scene should be an action...He leaves town.
There's a fire in the barn. (Action)
The horses die. (Consequence/reaction)
The hero decides he's had enough. (Decision)
He leaves town. (Action)
If you're not that much of a diehard on action/reaction/decision. You could do the old could/might/must and should list.
What could happen here?
What might happen?
What HAS TO HAPPEN (must) to make the plot work?
What should happen? (As in ... Is it time for a little romance? A kiss? Some suspense? Or the external conflict to get a little page time?)
Doodle. Play a bit. Read the last thing you wrote and ask yourself what could happen, what might happen, what has to happen, what should happen?
If that doesn't work, do a list of 20. What are 20 fun things that could happen right now? What are 20 romantic things that could happen right now? What are 20 suspenseful things that could happen right now?
Let your brain run free. And don't stop at what looks like a good answer. Force yourself to go to 20 and see if you don't come up with something wonderful...something that might take the book to a whole new level.
And remember my mantra...enjoy the process! If it isn't fun...why are you doing this? It is work, and craft is serious business. But you can still have fun!
Happy Monday
susan
Personally, I'm turning into a plotter. I used to be a pantser. Then I sort of loosely plotted my pantsing. Now, after writing my last three books using a detailed outline, I'm sort of in love with always knowing what comes next!
But if you're not a plotter and don't have a lovely outline sitting beside your computer telling you the next step your characters should take...how do you know what comes next?
Well, you can use the action/reaction/decision formula. If the last scene you wrote was an "action" (there's a fire in the barn) then the next scene you should write is a reaction/consequence scene. (The horses die.) If the last scene you wrote was a consequence scene (the horses die), then your next scene should be a decision scene. (The hero decides he's had enough.) And if the last scene was a decision...(hero decides he's had enough) then the next scene should be an action...He leaves town.
There's a fire in the barn. (Action)
The horses die. (Consequence/reaction)
The hero decides he's had enough. (Decision)
He leaves town. (Action)
If you're not that much of a diehard on action/reaction/decision. You could do the old could/might/must and should list.
What could happen here?
What might happen?
What HAS TO HAPPEN (must) to make the plot work?
What should happen? (As in ... Is it time for a little romance? A kiss? Some suspense? Or the external conflict to get a little page time?)
Doodle. Play a bit. Read the last thing you wrote and ask yourself what could happen, what might happen, what has to happen, what should happen?
If that doesn't work, do a list of 20. What are 20 fun things that could happen right now? What are 20 romantic things that could happen right now? What are 20 suspenseful things that could happen right now?
Let your brain run free. And don't stop at what looks like a good answer. Force yourself to go to 20 and see if you don't come up with something wonderful...something that might take the book to a whole new level.
And remember my mantra...enjoy the process! If it isn't fun...why are you doing this? It is work, and craft is serious business. But you can still have fun!
Happy Monday
susan
Monday, February 6, 2012
Dear Writers Step away from the keyboard
I teach an entire workshop on revising, CAN THIS MANUSCRIPT BE SAVED.
You would think that would SAVE ME from over-writing, over-editing, over-tweaking...but last Saturday, once I had all the "tweaks" my editor wanted clear in my head...I still went overboard. When I realized some insane writer had taken over my normally calm and conservative brain, I yanked my fingers off the keyboard and stepped away from the computer.
Why do normally efficient writers do crazy things?
Who knows. LOL But I can tell you why I'd crossed over into the dark side.
1. I wanted to get it done too quickly. I just really wanted this done, so I dove into the book and started changing things -- which means --
2. I broke my number 1 rule: Read the entire manuscript before you change anything.
When you make changes before you read your manuscript the potential exists that the fixes you make could really and truly mess up something that comes later in the story.
You can also go overboard with a change. At one point on Saturday, I added a little scene my editor wanted to see toward the end of the book and in my punch-drunk enthusiasm I thought, Wow, this means I can totally change the ending to...
And that's when I stopped. Why? Because I didn't need a new ending! I needed a tweak before the ending.
So I stepped away. And even took Sunday off to clear my head. Because I'd literally gone through most of the book on Saturday...reading as I was wildly changing...I now knew the book again and knew what changes needed to be made and I took out most of the things I'd done on Saturday. And got myself back on track. I made the tweaks in three days and the book went in on Thursday.
I don't merely tell you this to show you that even after many, many books you can still go crazy. (Though you should see that lesson!) I tell you this to demonstrate that you really, really, really need to read your entire book through when you get editor changes.
Yes, you can mark spots with postit notes as you're reading.
Yes, you can mark places on your hard copy where grammar and sentence structure need to be fixed...or maybe a typo.
But really, you don't want to be making changes until you've read that whole book through! Not just because the changes you make can really screw things up...but also because once you read the whole book through with the editor's comments in mind, you can come up with the BEST answers/fixes for your story.
In the end, that's your real goal. Not just to fix the turkey, but to turn it into a swan or an eagle or whatever kind of bird you really like. :P
Happy Monday!
susan
You would think that would SAVE ME from over-writing, over-editing, over-tweaking...but last Saturday, once I had all the "tweaks" my editor wanted clear in my head...I still went overboard. When I realized some insane writer had taken over my normally calm and conservative brain, I yanked my fingers off the keyboard and stepped away from the computer.
Why do normally efficient writers do crazy things?
Who knows. LOL But I can tell you why I'd crossed over into the dark side.
1. I wanted to get it done too quickly. I just really wanted this done, so I dove into the book and started changing things -- which means --
2. I broke my number 1 rule: Read the entire manuscript before you change anything.
When you make changes before you read your manuscript the potential exists that the fixes you make could really and truly mess up something that comes later in the story.
You can also go overboard with a change. At one point on Saturday, I added a little scene my editor wanted to see toward the end of the book and in my punch-drunk enthusiasm I thought, Wow, this means I can totally change the ending to...
And that's when I stopped. Why? Because I didn't need a new ending! I needed a tweak before the ending.
So I stepped away. And even took Sunday off to clear my head. Because I'd literally gone through most of the book on Saturday...reading as I was wildly changing...I now knew the book again and knew what changes needed to be made and I took out most of the things I'd done on Saturday. And got myself back on track. I made the tweaks in three days and the book went in on Thursday.
I don't merely tell you this to show you that even after many, many books you can still go crazy. (Though you should see that lesson!) I tell you this to demonstrate that you really, really, really need to read your entire book through when you get editor changes.
Yes, you can mark spots with postit notes as you're reading.
Yes, you can mark places on your hard copy where grammar and sentence structure need to be fixed...or maybe a typo.
But really, you don't want to be making changes until you've read that whole book through! Not just because the changes you make can really screw things up...but also because once you read the whole book through with the editor's comments in mind, you can come up with the BEST answers/fixes for your story.
In the end, that's your real goal. Not just to fix the turkey, but to turn it into a swan or an eagle or whatever kind of bird you really like. :P
Happy Monday!
susan
Sunday, February 5, 2012
March Online Workshop Info
Registrations for "Can this Manuscript be Saved" online workshop are now open. Here's the link - http://www.romancewriters.co.nz/workshops-2/.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Dear Readers -- Tuesday Afternoon Movie
Today I'm going to talk a bit about going to the movies...if you're a writer looking for the post on conflicts...scroll down.
For the rest of us just looking to chat...Let's talk movies.
When the weather turned and my DH and I couldn't play golf anymore, we decided we'd go to the movies once a week. It took a few weeks before we found a day that suited us both, considering he's visiting his parents, I go to hospice on Wednesdays and once a week I play Yatzee with my son and mom. But eventually we settled on Tuesday.
At first we sort of agreed on the movies, but after a while we just couldn't avoid the fact that I like certain things and he likes others. So now one week I pick the movie; the next week he picks.
I made it through CONTRABAND okay. Even if the movie hadn't been good, Mark Walburg is fun to look at. He didn't quite fare as well through EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE. In fact, neither did I. Even though I'd chosen it, I thought the kid in the movie was annoying and Sandra Bullock's part should have been bigger.
I know a few hundred thousand...maybe even a million people will disagree on that one! LOL At its heart ELandIClose was a great story. I just thought it could have been told a little better.
Today we went to see MAN ON THE LEDGE. A fairly good movie. My DH loved it. I got a bit antsy. Not because the movie wasn't good or entertaining, but because it was one of those movies were everything was at risk every second of the movie.
The writers really did their jobs...but I ended up a nervous wreck. Thought I'd need a shot and a beer afterward!
Next week, it's my turn to pick and we'll be seeing ONE FOR THE MONEY. I don't care if it's bad or good, I KNOW this one will be entertaining.
I don't always want to sit on the edge of my seat. Sometimes I want to laugh. Sometimes I want to cry. Sometimes I want to think.
Luckily, every other week I get to pick the movie!
susan
For the rest of us just looking to chat...Let's talk movies.
When the weather turned and my DH and I couldn't play golf anymore, we decided we'd go to the movies once a week. It took a few weeks before we found a day that suited us both, considering he's visiting his parents, I go to hospice on Wednesdays and once a week I play Yatzee with my son and mom. But eventually we settled on Tuesday.
At first we sort of agreed on the movies, but after a while we just couldn't avoid the fact that I like certain things and he likes others. So now one week I pick the movie; the next week he picks.
I made it through CONTRABAND okay. Even if the movie hadn't been good, Mark Walburg is fun to look at. He didn't quite fare as well through EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE. In fact, neither did I. Even though I'd chosen it, I thought the kid in the movie was annoying and Sandra Bullock's part should have been bigger.
I know a few hundred thousand...maybe even a million people will disagree on that one! LOL At its heart ELandIClose was a great story. I just thought it could have been told a little better.
Today we went to see MAN ON THE LEDGE. A fairly good movie. My DH loved it. I got a bit antsy. Not because the movie wasn't good or entertaining, but because it was one of those movies were everything was at risk every second of the movie.
The writers really did their jobs...but I ended up a nervous wreck. Thought I'd need a shot and a beer afterward!
Next week, it's my turn to pick and we'll be seeing ONE FOR THE MONEY. I don't care if it's bad or good, I KNOW this one will be entertaining.
I don't always want to sit on the edge of my seat. Sometimes I want to laugh. Sometimes I want to cry. Sometimes I want to think.
Luckily, every other week I get to pick the movie!
susan
Monday, January 30, 2012
Conflict
In a few months I'll be giving two workshops on conflict.
The first is LET CONFLICT TELL YOUR STORY FOR YOU. (That's
April 2012 for the STAR chapter. Go to: http://starrwa.org/on-line-workshops/)
The second is CONFLICT AND THE CATGORY ROMANCE in May for Savvy Authors. (I think you have to go to savvyauthors.com for that one)
Anyway, why two workshops? Is there that much to know about conflict? Is the conflict of a category romance that different from a single title...
Are there different kinds of conflict?
Well, yeah. To all three questions.
LET CONFLICT TELL YOUR STORY FOR YOU is sort of self-explanatory. There are ways to let the conflict of your story push the story along. In fact, that's actually one of conflict's [main] jobs! LOL
But I was amazed at how much I had to talk about for CONFLICT AND THE CATEGORY ROMANCE.
For instance, Category Romance readers LOVE banter. If your banter springs from the hero and heroine just being snippy with one another or just being silly, it can work...but if it springs from CONFLICT...it serves the double duty of tickling readers and pushing the story forward.
Category Romance readers also love those "moments" in a story when the hero and heroine almost kiss, or almost make love, or accidentally touch...when everything is breathless and the action comes to a halt as they sort of stare at each other, or gaze into each other's eyes, both trying to make the decision...Should we do this? Then boom...one or both of them remembers their conflict [internal or external] and they step away. But the groundwork has been laid. Readers know the temptation is getting out of control. But conflict stopped them.
That's another great job of conflict in a category romance. Attraction tempts them to take steps, to step close, to touch, to almost kiss and then ultimately to kiss...but conflict pops into their heads and they think...he's not right for me [for whatever external reason you've created] or I'm not ready for this or don't want this [for whatever internal reason you've created] and they step away. But again, those seeds of the "rightness" of this hero and heroine being together have been planted. And readers know the next time they take a step they might not walk away so easily.
Readers also see that push pull that happens sometimes in real life, when you want something so badly you can taste it...but you stop yourself FOR DAMNED GOOD REASONS. Not because you're strong. Not because you like to deprive yourself. But for DAMNED GOOD REASONS. Those reasons your characters pull away are based on conflict.
Anyway, I could talk about this forever. (Obviously! I got two whole workshops out of one topic. For over 100 pages I went on about conflict! LOL)
But we're out of time here. I have two deadlines looming, so I'm off.
But think about the things I said above about conflict.
Is conflict driving your story? Your Characters?
Does conflict pop up when it's needed to stop your characters from doing things they aren't ready for or believe they don't want?
Does your conflict enhance the interpersonal relationships of your hero and heroine?
Lots of stuff to ponder on a Monday morning!
Happy Monday.
susan
The first is LET CONFLICT TELL YOUR STORY FOR YOU. (That's
April 2012 for the STAR chapter. Go to: http://starrwa.org/on-line-workshops/)
The second is CONFLICT AND THE CATGORY ROMANCE in May for Savvy Authors. (I think you have to go to savvyauthors.com for that one)
Anyway, why two workshops? Is there that much to know about conflict? Is the conflict of a category romance that different from a single title...
Are there different kinds of conflict?
Well, yeah. To all three questions.
LET CONFLICT TELL YOUR STORY FOR YOU is sort of self-explanatory. There are ways to let the conflict of your story push the story along. In fact, that's actually one of conflict's [main] jobs! LOL
But I was amazed at how much I had to talk about for CONFLICT AND THE CATEGORY ROMANCE.
For instance, Category Romance readers LOVE banter. If your banter springs from the hero and heroine just being snippy with one another or just being silly, it can work...but if it springs from CONFLICT...it serves the double duty of tickling readers and pushing the story forward.
Category Romance readers also love those "moments" in a story when the hero and heroine almost kiss, or almost make love, or accidentally touch...when everything is breathless and the action comes to a halt as they sort of stare at each other, or gaze into each other's eyes, both trying to make the decision...Should we do this? Then boom...one or both of them remembers their conflict [internal or external] and they step away. But the groundwork has been laid. Readers know the temptation is getting out of control. But conflict stopped them.
That's another great job of conflict in a category romance. Attraction tempts them to take steps, to step close, to touch, to almost kiss and then ultimately to kiss...but conflict pops into their heads and they think...he's not right for me [for whatever external reason you've created] or I'm not ready for this or don't want this [for whatever internal reason you've created] and they step away. But again, those seeds of the "rightness" of this hero and heroine being together have been planted. And readers know the next time they take a step they might not walk away so easily.
Readers also see that push pull that happens sometimes in real life, when you want something so badly you can taste it...but you stop yourself FOR DAMNED GOOD REASONS. Not because you're strong. Not because you like to deprive yourself. But for DAMNED GOOD REASONS. Those reasons your characters pull away are based on conflict.
Anyway, I could talk about this forever. (Obviously! I got two whole workshops out of one topic. For over 100 pages I went on about conflict! LOL)
But we're out of time here. I have two deadlines looming, so I'm off.
But think about the things I said above about conflict.
Is conflict driving your story? Your Characters?
Does conflict pop up when it's needed to stop your characters from doing things they aren't ready for or believe they don't want?
Does your conflict enhance the interpersonal relationships of your hero and heroine?
Lots of stuff to ponder on a Monday morning!
Happy Monday.
susan
Friday, January 27, 2012
For those asking about my schedule this year!
What am I doing in 2012?
March 2012 CAN THIS MANUSCRIPT BE SAVED New Zealand chapter!Registrations are now open. Here's the link http://www.romancewriters.co.nz/workshops-2/.
April 2012 I will be doing my workshop LET CONFLICT TELL YOUR STORY FOR YOU for the STAR chapter. Go to: http://starrwa.org/on-line-workshops/
April 19...JOHNSTOWNERS and surrounding areas...I will be at the Coal Miner's Cafe talking about how the publishing industry has changed and is changing!
April 27-28 I will be at the Spring Fling in Chicago doing CAN THIS MANUSCRIPT BE SAVED live.
In May 2012 I will be doing a workshop for Savvy Authors CONFLICT AND THE CATEGORY ROMANCE.
Jun 11 to July 8th, I will be doing JOURNEY STEPS for Savvy Authors.
October, SELF EDITING for the multi-genre group PENNWRITERS.
March 2012 CAN THIS MANUSCRIPT BE SAVED New Zealand chapter!Registrations are now open. Here's the link http://www.romancewriters.co.nz/workshops-2/.
April 2012 I will be doing my workshop LET CONFLICT TELL YOUR STORY FOR YOU for the STAR chapter. Go to: http://starrwa.org/on-line-workshops/
April 19...JOHNSTOWNERS and surrounding areas...I will be at the Coal Miner's Cafe talking about how the publishing industry has changed and is changing!
April 27-28 I will be at the Spring Fling in Chicago doing CAN THIS MANUSCRIPT BE SAVED live.
In May 2012 I will be doing a workshop for Savvy Authors CONFLICT AND THE CATEGORY ROMANCE.
Jun 11 to July 8th, I will be doing JOURNEY STEPS for Savvy Authors.
October, SELF EDITING for the multi-genre group PENNWRITERS.
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