Best Laid Plans

I've been struggling with the writing this year. Not going to lie. There are so many distractions in the world that tug at concentration and emotions and all. If you've been following along, you'll know that because of this, I actually did an outline for the new book. It helps to keep on track, and on those days I sit down and have no idea where this story is going, it gives me direction. Except when it sends me the wrong direction.

I sat down this week and started a new chapter, then took the outline points to work from. Except they didn't follow on from where the last chapter left off. Folks, I'm a pantser at heart, I write from the seat of my pants. This is where I excel, and usually, those things that I make up all find a way to gel together, whether I intend them to or not. 

So here's what I started with. My characters are working together to unravel a mystery. Was it murder? Or was it suicide? In my outline, I have them meeting with suspects. Formulating hypotheses, and then getting together to compare notes. My last chapter ended with one of those suspect interviews, and in my outline, it jumps to one of the characters referring to a book for ideas on where to go next. The problem is that chronologically, the next chapter should be the comparing notes chapter. I've spent three chapters on one day, which is probably the limit on how long I can stretch this day out. What I don't need is more time with them apart thinking about what comes next. They need time together, time they PLANNED to spend together hashing out what they've learned. 

Excuse me, outline. You missed a spot. 

So I'm pantsing this next chapter, because logically I know what has to come next, and my choppy outline overlooked that. 

This might also be the right place to mention my outline only goes so far. I'd figured that if I got that deep into writing, I would find my groove and "roll on." In truth, that's probably true. I'm still struggling to write, but I'm far enough along now that I know where to go from here. I still have the outline to guide me if I get stuck (at least for a few more chapters), but the "flow" should carry me along from here. 

For those of you who think writing is easy... Nope. It's work. It's a job. Just like anything else. Unlike a regular job, the pay sucks, so you have to love what you do. I do. Which means I'm still plugging along. What can you do to help? If you like my books, tell a friend. 

Making Stuff Up

This week's challenge has been coming up with new names for places and bands. Once upon a time, I had some friends who were in bands, and they had dozens of fun names they wanted to use, including logos for those band names if and when the time came. Could I remember even one? Nope (feel free to chime in with one of your favorites). 

At any rate, one of the wonders of the Internet is fiction generators. You can ask it for the names of fictional colleges (which I did for FAMILY ALCHEMY), or restaurants, or bars, or even fictional town names. So I went out to search for fictional band names -- and I was disappointed. There are several websites to choose from, but the first one couldn't find anything based on my search criteria, which frustrated me enough to pull something out of a hat. Because my imagination works well enough, and I have goofy enough friends that sometimes these things do return to front of mind. 

The other option for names or ideas, and lots of authors do this, is to "phone a friend." The Who Wants to Be a Millionaire game that equates to post the question to Facebook. I've done that a time or two, too. (A shout out to all the people who have helped me in this regard.)

So in answer to the oft-asked question "how do you come up with all this stuff?" Sometimes I don't, and I have to use a lifeline. 

So here's my "phone a friend" for this book. The working title is When She Put The Book Down, which is long and cumbersome and could work, but maybe not... (sigh, take a deep breath). It's another Hoffman Grove book with Sue appearing as the main character. You may remember from COOKIE THERAPY that she likes to read. In this book, that love of reading is going to be put to the test when her new neighbor moves in and she has to help him solve the murder of his former roommate, whose suspicious death was ruled a suicide. It isn't really a "cozy" per se, but she is trying to put everything she's learned reading mysteries to the test, including trying to decide if the new neighbor DID kill his roommate. If anyone has any suggestions for a better title, I'm all ears!

In the meantime, back to writing the story!

For those of you who prefer to listen to my blog posts

For those people who would rather listen to my blog posts, I'm revisiting the five senses over on my podcast. It's a quick listen, I try to keep them around 10 minutes except for when I'm hosting my author friends (and then we tend to chat a bit longer). I'd love to hear your preferences, either here or at the podcast. Drop me a comment!

Meanwhile, back to writing the new book...

Plotting and Pantsing

As most of you who read my blog know, I'm basically a pantser, with some exceptions.

The benefits of pantsing (writing by the seat of my pants) include discovering the story along with your characters, which can be an exciting ride. They tell you their story. But what do you do when your characters are more circumspect? When they aren't in the mood to share?

The benefits of plotting include providing a story direction. A story can't just plod along with everyone being happy and learning about each other and their past and (in a romance) falling in love. They need obstacles. A reason to be on the page. The requisite goals, motivation and conflict.

As an author I start out with an idea. Something I want to center my story around, or a concept I want to incorporate in some way, shape or form. From seeing the majesty of a buck standing beside a snowy road puffing out clouds of breath, to walking through a French market. But how does that fit into the story?

In my current story, I have characters talking to me. They want to tell their story. That's all well and good, but what's the story? It can't just be "my life as a [fill in the blank]." It has to be interesting. That pesky goals, motivation and conflict. This is a case for the plot meister. Why should I tell your story? What trouble are they going to run into?

Here's another little hint. For people who have "writer's block," outlining and/or plotting helps clear some of the dam. Instead of trying to put paragraphs on the page, writing smaller chunks of ideas is much easier. Similar to the "spoke" method for writing a term paper or business article. Write each idea on one of the spokes of a wheel and sort them out later. Trouble your characters will encounter along the way. Places where the "everyday" needs to be weaved in to help them think through the trouble or uncover a clue to resolving the issue. Clues to solving the problem. Character arcs. Which of these experiences help your characters to grow? What will they achieve by the end of the book that they didn't have at the start? Or is there a reason they won't be able to achieve it?

Some easy plots are "a crime has been committed. Solve it." Or "solve the mystery of X." And in romance, most often, "how do two very different people who live their lives in opposition find that they can't live without each other?" It's in the middle ground that they find love.

So when my characters aren't "doing" anything but living their everyday lives, I sit down and write an outline to give them direction. What's stopping them from going about their business, and how do they fix it in a way that makes them better in the end?

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm setting up roadblocks for my characters. Happy writing!

The new audiobook is done!

BREAKING THE MOLD was delayed by a month, but it is now complete and heading to the usual channels for distribution! 

Have I mentioned the book is getting five-star reviews? Allow me to brag on it a little - after all, it is one of my babies!

“…Karla Brandenburg’s writing is spot on, and watching the characters deal with their problems while wondering if a romance will help or hinder their lives will keep readers turning pages.” - Leigh Carter

“…Will [Kayleigh] continue to stand up to her Mother and sister and run her own business, a ceramic shop she has dreamed of owning? We know there's going to be a lot of fireworks - good and bad…A wonderful story about learning to trust and grow as an individual. It is possible to start over again.” - BookHound

“…Kayleigh and Rafe’s story kept me turning the pages.” - Muddy Rose Reviews

"I totally enjoyed this, clearly, since I couldn't stop! ... That's what you get for writing such a good book!" - (from my narrator!)  

Have you read it yet?