Warning: Some Violence and Much Strong Language.HE WROTE: Plot
Yes, we're alive. Told you we wouldn't be able to do this once we hit heavy writing. And heavy it is. We're both slugging through books, answering those damn hard questions we always asked out students when we taught and looked so smug doing so.
My new manuscript, CHASING THE GHOST, imploded today when I started asking myself hard questions about the plot as I worked on the outline. You know, simple things like:
1. Why is the protagonist doing what he's doing?
2. What's really at stake in the story?
3. Are the stakes high enough?
4. Is the initiating event of the story enough of a hook to draw the reader in?
So starting over tomorrow.
Dom't try this at home or without trained medical personnel standing by.
9 Comments:
I am so glad to see that experienced writers have this problem too!!
Take a break occasionally--eat some chocolate, play a few hands of poker with the clams...
Are you still on track for your deadline, though? I don't like waiting for your books! Too bad e-publishing doesn't get you as much money, you could have been showing us as you went. A girl can dream, right?
But *my* problem is that this blog is the first thing I check whenever I return to my computer. :)
The second thing I do is to check my college-age kids' live journals to see what they're up to. You are much more amusing, although my oldest daughter was recently distressed about being excited at the prospect of their landlord's replacing their washer and dryer.
Jonie
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This blog is one of my favorite places to visit. Not only are Jenny and Bob great, I get such a kick out of the reader response insights and humor -- thanks.
Not to mention the fact that Bob will be getting cover letters, synopsis and manuscripts from the Retreat folks within the next couple of weeks.!!!
Bob, not being an author, I stand in awe of the concentration and creative energy it must take to write a book. And I wonder how one can split his concentration to write TWO books at the same time? Doesn't the brain just want to explode sometimes? How do you DO it?
Bob, I drank a LOT of Chinese medicine while I was tackling these same four questions a week and a half ago. It helped! The awful brew probably made all my mulling cells to faint from the potent smell....
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