Corralling Creativity for Cohesion

I've written about my "Cool Stuff That Never Happens" notebook where I keep all the strange scenarios that pop into my head when I should be doing something responsible. Its a creative boosting device I picked up years ago at a writing workshop.  If you're interested in the whole explanation including my reason behind "Killer Geisha's with Knife Fans," then take a look at the original post here.

So anyway, this notebook I have is chock full of the most outlandish plot twist, fight scenarios, and action sequence ideas I've ever had...and it keeps growing.  I don't edit my thoughts in this notebook. I don't talk myself out of things cause they're "too crazy" or "might have been done before." I give myself a TOTAL PASS in terms of what I write down. This is good. This is being creative.

The problem is that creativity has to be corralled in order to have cohesion.

Let me be clear here. I am not advocating stifling your creative juices. Not at all. What I am suggesting is once you have all these awesome ideas flitting around your noggin you have to actually pare them down to those that fit your story.

And that is why story blocking is so important.

I would love to have dirigible fights, killer automaton canines, and a spectacular fight atop a speeding train whilst dodging lighting whips...who wouldn't?

In fact, it is quite enticing to throw in everything just because I liked writing the scene and it turned out really, really cool. But you have to ask yourself a question...

Does it move the plot forward? Does it serve the reader to better immerse in the plot or character?

Blocking out your story, however you choose to go about it, is an essential tool in helping you tell the story you want to tell without going off in random directions and losing the reader's interest. Whether you are a Discovery writer or an Architect writer (Planner or Pantser) there has to be some sort of forethought and framework in order for your novel to have a clear sense of moving forward.

Make an outline of the basic points of your plot. Does your sequence serve the story or do you just like it?  How about you notecard/corkboard authors? Does your idea fit in the flow of your book?

From Snowflake method to good old scribbles in a notebook, have a planned plot. 

You can deviate from it if need be, just have a general idea.  I guarantee you will spend less time in frustrated editing at the back end if you keep yourself on track.

Until next time...Go Write! 
+Raquel Byrnes 

Have You Tested Your Premise?

James Scott Bell in his book for novelists entitled, The Art of War for Writers, has an interesting chapter on testing your novel's premise.  


Or in other words...your BIG IDEA for your book.  Is it different, fresh, does it have a new twist...all the things that will push you to the top of the pile?


Bell puts forth a sort of check list for you as a writer to weigh your book's premise upon and see if you are wanting or on target. I'll paraphrase them to you, but I encourage you to pick up a copy of this book. Its an extremely easy read, yet packed with helpful tidbits for taking your novels temperature during the writing process.

• Is your lead character someone real to you? Can you "see" them in your mind's eye? Do you think about them when you're not writing...not the plot...the lead?  

If not -- then what is missing?  Sometimes a free write or dialogue with the character introducing themselves to you, the writer, is helpful.

• Is there anything HEROIC about your character? Any qualities whether potential, hidden, or evident that would make them stand out?  

Define them -- can you?

• Who is the antagonist...and are they STRONGER than your lead in some way?  

They must be formidable at the very least, wily and diabolical are nice too.  If they're just irritating and slightly inconvenient to your MC...then fix them.

• Define the "Imminent Danger" that looms over your lead. 

Is it death, their sanity, their future?

• Can you see a climactic battle, won by your MC?  

What conflict do you throw at them? What must they overcome and how is their mettle tested?

• What is the CHANGE that occurs in your MC?  What did they learn, how did they grow? 

Start at their end point and work back -- how does the conflict they face move them toward that change?

Bell uses an example from film for this final point on CHANGE...

"At the end of Lethal Weapon, Riggs gives up the bullet he's saved to shoot himself.  He has learned that life is worth living and that love from friends is worth accepting."

Writing reminds me of inventing. You have to constantly tinker and test and rework to make it the best it can be...but once you're done...its magnificent.

Until next time...Go Write

Photograph by Allesandro Reginato 

What If I Just Flip A Coin?

Decisions...decisions...they drive your plot forward. They keep your characters from stagnating out with everyday minutia. They give the story conflict. From Luke choosing to find old Ben Kenobi and ask him what the hologram princess meant to Neo’s decision to, “follow the white rabbit” choices are the kindling that ignites a story.

When I was younger, I used to love those Choose Your Own Adventure books. The kind where you read a chapter and then choose either page 78 if you engage in a shoot out with Ugly Pants Pete, or page 89 if you’re a yellow bellied loser and run off before high noon. The premise behind the books is a great one that I use when I’m stuck in a story.

I write a few strands of “what if” scenarios based on various decisions at a specific moment in my character’s journey. For instance, if my MC is faced with a threat do they run away, run towards it, run a scam on the aggressor? This helps me to see what will happen next…and gives me a bit of insight into my character’s personality as well.

There is a famous author that uses Tarot cards as sort of out-of-the-box brain storming. A friend of mine does her main character’s star chart and figures out what moon is in what house of whatever cusp. A member of a critique group I went to acutally rolled those dice from the Dungeons and Dragons games...I'm telling you - - writers are an eccentric group.

The point is that there are myriad of ways to get over a logic hump or restart a stalled storyline. What works best for you? What was a total disaster? I’d love to hear what you have to say.

By the way, don't forget to sign up for The "Secret" Blogfest over at Tara's- Midnight Ink blog. It takes place on June 30th and should be really interesting.

Until next time…Go Write!

Photograph by dearoot.  Photograph by cometstarmoon.

Driving Around Looking for Trouble

Have you ever read a book where the character seems to meander through the plot, not really stopping or thinking until the big finish?  They're like teenagers driving around seeking out adventure in whatever way possible only to end up sneaking a smoke behind the 7-Eleven and complaining about how boring their life is.

I've written stories like this...we probably all have. I hit a point in my book where I wondered why I started the story in the first place. My problem was that I didn't think of my book as a series of scenes, and that was a structure issue that lead to more problems down the road.

Because I am a total computer nerd, I sought help from other blogs about writing.  There are some great resources out there to help with story structure and pacing. Its important to find the one that fits with your style and method of writing.

My favorite approach is found at Randy Ingermanson's Advanced Fiction Writing website. In it, he describes the basic structure of a scene and its purpose.  I will try to paraphrase it below, but I urge to check out his website for a more detailed explanation.

In Randy's approach, you try to imagine the scenes in your book strung together like beads on a chain. The chain in its entirety is the plot. Your character has to hop from one bead to the next in a logical, timely, and interesting way or you lose the reader. 

To do that, each scene can have only one of two reasons for being there: either the scene pushes the story forward, or it shows how the character reacts to the plot point you just revealed. 

Thats it. Anything else just eats up time and patience. You don't want your reader wondering why you're taking the time to describe your MC's morning routine. Toothbrushing isn't fascinating in real life. It won't be on the page.

Easy right? Well the beads, or scenes, have to have structure in themselves.

The plot-pusher bead has three parts:

• There has to be a reason for your character to be in the scene - a conversation, action sequence, internal monologue, etc.
• Something that goes wrong or gets in the way of what they wanted to accomplish in the scene - get information, compel someone into action, stop a disaster, etc.
• The outcome - disaster, disappointment, confusion, danger, etc. This propels the character into the next scene as they react to what just occured.

The reaction bead has three parts:

• Your character changes because of what just happened - either their thinking, their goal, their motivation, etc.
• A new conflict shows up - how do they deal with what just happened or learned?
• They form a plan and act on it - this leads them to the next scene and provides you with a cliff hanger or hook into your next chapter.

With a novel, time is a commodity.  The clock is ticking down on your reader's patience. To incorporate all the elements of a story: set up, conflict, back story, worse conflict, red herring, climax and ending...you have to move along at the right pace.  Too fast, and the story reads like a frantic, jumbled race. Too slow, and your book gets put down halfway through. 

With bit of structure, however, you can incorporate all of your creative and original ideas while cutting out unnecessary fillers that slow down the pace.

What about you?  How do you structure your book? Do you have an outcome in your head and work backwards?  Are you more of a 'see where it goes' type of person?  How do you keep your story on track?

Oh! And don't forget to read the great entries for the Character Interview Contest tomorrow at Echoes of a Wayward Mind. Great idea, Sangu!

Until next time, my friends, Go Write!

Photograph by mshades. Photograph by horiavarlan. Photograph by sk_vel.

The Sagging Middle Blues

"My middle sags." These are not vain words said in front of a mirror...that is a whole other post.  These are the words uttered by many a befuddled romance writer.

You have a spectacular beginning to your novel; a compelling hook, riveting main characters, a worrisome conflict...great!  Your ending is excellent with a twist, a resolution - the satisfying all is well, or isn't this ironic last few words.

The problem, you decide, is the stuff in between. The middle of your book is lacking...something. There's no spark, no oomph.

I recently read a book on just this problem. There are a few tell tale signs that your middle either is already, or will soon begin to sag -- horribly.

• Your hero and heroine spend too much time apart. You know, this little tid bit actually made a light go on in my musty dusty mind. They have to be together to get together.  Oh...okay.
• Your star-crossed duo get along too well.  There's no tension or uncertainty, no misunderstanding - in other words, "No Heat."
• Random, pointless crap. Do you write about the morning routine? Driving places? How about a few paragraphs describing boring stuff like what they do at work?  Busy work that doesn't push the plot loses the reader and makes your characters too ordinary.
• Recapping and redundant conversations. Your reader isn't an idiot. Don't treat them like one. If you already showed something in a scene, you don't need to spend time talking about it, unless it's a really convoluted storyline in which case...sagging probably isn't the problem.
• Second Fiddle becomes more interesting. If secondary characters, supporting staff, and scenery become the focus of your book...you're in trouble.

The good news is there are some steps to take BEFORE your middle starts to sag that will allow you to side-step the whole horrifying ordeal.  I know that some of the SEAT OF YOUR PANTS writers out there will hate me for this...but OUTLINING, is the best way to avoid this. 

• The number one reason for a sagging middle is you don't have enough of a plot to support a book.  The romantic subplot doesn't have enough emotional twists and turns, or the main plot is too linear.  An outline can help you see if you need more of one or the other...or if your novel should really be a novella.
• Now, this may seem backwards, but too much action is another reason middles sag. Doling out the tension systematically...piece by piece, ramping up the stakes just a bit each time, is a more effective way to keep your story exciting and moving.
• The middle matters in matters of the heart. Use the middle to focus on the romance and the major turning points in the plot.  Don't go off on tangents like side character issues, or backstory. If you know the middle of novels tends to sag...fill it with juicy stuff and it won't.

Now its always good to do these things before your WIP needs major surgery. Sometimes going back in and adding romantic subplots, or story twists opens up a whole avenue you didn't realize you had.  So don't panic...be aware...and keep at it!

I will see you all tomorrow for the Dream Sequence Blogfest over at Amalia T's. Until next time...Go Write!

Photograph by sandcastlematt. Photgraph by Daniel E Bruce