Leaping into the new story! I made a false start (and likely the not so false start will still not be the beginning), but I'm making progress. Words are flowing, my fingers are tapping out plotlines, and even though I have direction and plot, often characters take over and take you where they want to go. My heroine has a very strong voice - and she's argumentative and angry. This leads to problems with my hero. There is a lot I need to disclose about my heroine, considering she isn't your average, everyday human type person, but "The Rules" dictate that you need to bring the H/H together early on in the story. I have a lot of backstory to write, legends to build, worlds to create. Where will I find time to bring in my all-too-human hero?
So I asked one my writing buddies her opinion. Do I write parallel storylines that will converge at a later date? And she brought up a POV question in what she's currently working on, which addressed my next question as well.
I have a goal to write a story completely in one point of view. Like Victoria Holt, one of my first influences. Maybe that's old fashioned, although I just read a novel recently that was all one POV. My school of thought on that is that you should be able to include the nuances from that POV that can still show the reader what your main character might be missing. Not that your POV character is stupid, they're merely overlooking the obvious that you, as a reader, can infer on their behalf. (This likely won't be that story.) To me, it is the hallmark of a good writer. My writing buddy maintains that most stories these days are written from two points of view - readers prefer to be able to see inside both minds for the ultimate reconciliation of the opposing understandings of the characters. Anyone care to offer their opinions on the matter?
In the meantime, having gotten off to a (what I believe to be) good start with my latest, I believe I've found a way to bring my H/H together in Chapter #2. The more important question going forward will be if Chapter #1 is compelling enough to open with - and that won't be determined until several chapters from now, after the flow has gone from a trickle to a stream to a raging river.
The other consideration I've been contemplating is title. Since it is still developing, I'm taking the obvious roads with "Oneida" or "The Legend People," but ultimately, I'd prefer something a little more provocative with some use of "Legend" that will also highlight the focus of the novel as being something a little out of the ordinary. I'd also considered "The Great Gathering" but I don't think that discloses enough. Maybe "The Gathering Legend." Yeah, well, titles can wait for that raging river, too, when themes become clearer and brighter.
Yep, rambling. Part of that due to the fact I'm sick today and need a nap. Isn't it funny that some of our most creative writing happens when we aren't in an altogether clear frame of mind? (yes, rambling again.)
Going for that nap now. Maybe in my fever induced haze I'll imagine other brilliant plot lines or titles that can translate into a colorful story . . .
night night
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Beginnings
I love it when a story idea comes together.
I’ve been working on a new beginning – outlining, jotting down thoughts and ideas, but I was waiting to see my setting before I started the “Once Upon a Time” part. As I was touring, the ideas I had pre-formulated jogged back and forth trying to decide on my best approach and it actually wasn’t until I visited a second, previously unrelated locale, that the story began to take shape. Ideas jumped out at me and I began to make more notes, more outlines and the more I saw and learned, the more the story took shape. Once I knew how the story was going to flow, all the details fell into place, and everything I saw after that seemed to click in line with what I was already building. Sometimes I’m fascinated by how neatly things fit together. It was like that when I wrote The Treasure of St. Paul – once I decided I was going to write about Pompeii and then discovered that St. Paul had been in the region, and the timing of it worked so that “if” St. Paul had the Holy Grail, and his travels took him to Southern Italy before the volcano buried everything, well you get the idea. Once the story starts to roll, it is SO COOL when it almost seems to write itself. Now the research begins, exploring some of the legends already in existence to either incorporate or avoid.
Another fascinating part of the process is the almost bi-polar effect. Example: An agent/editor requests a full/partial of your work and you get so excited – you’re walking on air. Six weeks later comes the rejection in the mail and you’re ready to commit suicide (figuratively speaking, of course). Likewise with writing a story. The idea grabs you and carries you off. You get swept up in the excitement of a new concept and prepare to write, and then the reality strikes. Lots of work, moments where you get stuck or, worse yet, self doubt. Why start writing a story that you might not be able to sell? It can paralyze you and stop you dead in your tracks. But then something magical happens – and it seems to always happen this way for me. Either you get back a query response from someone that wants to see more, or you meet someone that asks you about your writing, or you get a random email from someone that loved your last book, and your balloon is re-inflated. For me, just as I was feeling like I might be wasting my time, I pulled Epitaph out of my bag on the flight home (still checking through and editing for when the editor wants to see the full manuscript after she’s read the partial). I’d already watched the movie and needed to kill another hour when the guy next to me says, “Excuse me, are you a writer?” Being able to talk to someone who understands the roller coaster ride gives you the strength to step forward and begin again because, even if no one ever reads the next book, this is what I love to do. Creative outlet, doncha know.
I’ve been working on a new beginning – outlining, jotting down thoughts and ideas, but I was waiting to see my setting before I started the “Once Upon a Time” part. As I was touring, the ideas I had pre-formulated jogged back and forth trying to decide on my best approach and it actually wasn’t until I visited a second, previously unrelated locale, that the story began to take shape. Ideas jumped out at me and I began to make more notes, more outlines and the more I saw and learned, the more the story took shape. Once I knew how the story was going to flow, all the details fell into place, and everything I saw after that seemed to click in line with what I was already building. Sometimes I’m fascinated by how neatly things fit together. It was like that when I wrote The Treasure of St. Paul – once I decided I was going to write about Pompeii and then discovered that St. Paul had been in the region, and the timing of it worked so that “if” St. Paul had the Holy Grail, and his travels took him to Southern Italy before the volcano buried everything, well you get the idea. Once the story starts to roll, it is SO COOL when it almost seems to write itself. Now the research begins, exploring some of the legends already in existence to either incorporate or avoid.
Another fascinating part of the process is the almost bi-polar effect. Example: An agent/editor requests a full/partial of your work and you get so excited – you’re walking on air. Six weeks later comes the rejection in the mail and you’re ready to commit suicide (figuratively speaking, of course). Likewise with writing a story. The idea grabs you and carries you off. You get swept up in the excitement of a new concept and prepare to write, and then the reality strikes. Lots of work, moments where you get stuck or, worse yet, self doubt. Why start writing a story that you might not be able to sell? It can paralyze you and stop you dead in your tracks. But then something magical happens – and it seems to always happen this way for me. Either you get back a query response from someone that wants to see more, or you meet someone that asks you about your writing, or you get a random email from someone that loved your last book, and your balloon is re-inflated. For me, just as I was feeling like I might be wasting my time, I pulled Epitaph out of my bag on the flight home (still checking through and editing for when the editor wants to see the full manuscript after she’s read the partial). I’d already watched the movie and needed to kill another hour when the guy next to me says, “Excuse me, are you a writer?” Being able to talk to someone who understands the roller coaster ride gives you the strength to step forward and begin again because, even if no one ever reads the next book, this is what I love to do. Creative outlet, doncha know. 
For the record, I think I’ve got something special with this next story. It isn’t just something to keep me going until a brilliant idea lights up over my head. It IS that brilliant idea that, to my way of thinking, is something completely new and different, and hopefully high concept enough to be that breakthrough novel. Stepping out onto the precipice, ready for the additional research and starting the “Once Upon a Time” phase. Here’s hoping the vision I have translates to paper as clearly as I see it in my head!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Routine
I’m back in the groove this week – back to work/life balance (or as near as I can get). One of the things you will hear about writing as that you should do SOMETHING every day. Write, edit, critique. Something writing related, to keep your brain focused. It’s much like anything else you want to do well. Like basketball, or baseball, or tennis. The more you practice, the better you get. And I’m feeling rusty.
My day job is very streaky. There are days when I’m so busy I can’t see straight which translate into lots of extra hours, and there are days when things are much more laid back. We just finished with the hectic deadline season (which is not to say there are no more deadlines, just not as frantic – or so we hope). It was very compressed this year, work spilling over into my writing time, so I haven’t been as diligent as I might have been. And now I’m paying the price.
Although Epitaph is done, I’m the type of writer that spits it all out and then cleans up the mess later. You’ll find lots of writers who are overly verbose, and their clean-up consists of cutting and chopping and leaving half their work on the editing floor. Not me. I tend to write what I like to call a detailed outline. In essence, it is the complete story, minus some of the details that bring it to life. That being said, I’m going back through Epitaph now and filling in the holes that were left behind. We’re talking CHAPTERS. And I’m motivated. With an editor requesting a partial, I want to make sure I can get those holes filled quickly for when (!) she requests the complete manuscript. I have two chapters in the works and as I submit them to my critique group (and this is where I really appreciate my critique partners the most) they’re scraping off my rust. Like crutch words. When you’re working in “well oiled” mode, you see them almost as quickly as you type them, or at least when you self-edit. Silly me. I pushed a chapter through with one of my most popular crutch words (“back” for those of you who are wondering) littered all through it (go ahead, count how many times I’ve used it in this post and you’ll see what I mean. I’m leaving them in.). The critique comes back and I roll my eyes. Couldn’t I have seen those before I put it in?
But I’m making progress. Not only am I productive on the story again, the gentle reminders will get me back into a better self-editing writing mode. (See, I used “back” again! And I noticed!) My fingers are itching and my brain is humming – my imagination has been repressed for too long. So without further ado, I must return (I didn’t use “back” this time) not only to cleaning up Epitaph but the new story that wants to be converted from information jotted in my notebook to an outline, to a file on my computer with characters and locations. Today, I’m thinking the working title might be Hoodoo you think you are . . . but that probably won’t stick.
Anon
My day job is very streaky. There are days when I’m so busy I can’t see straight which translate into lots of extra hours, and there are days when things are much more laid back. We just finished with the hectic deadline season (which is not to say there are no more deadlines, just not as frantic – or so we hope). It was very compressed this year, work spilling over into my writing time, so I haven’t been as diligent as I might have been. And now I’m paying the price.
Although Epitaph is done, I’m the type of writer that spits it all out and then cleans up the mess later. You’ll find lots of writers who are overly verbose, and their clean-up consists of cutting and chopping and leaving half their work on the editing floor. Not me. I tend to write what I like to call a detailed outline. In essence, it is the complete story, minus some of the details that bring it to life. That being said, I’m going back through Epitaph now and filling in the holes that were left behind. We’re talking CHAPTERS. And I’m motivated. With an editor requesting a partial, I want to make sure I can get those holes filled quickly for when (!) she requests the complete manuscript. I have two chapters in the works and as I submit them to my critique group (and this is where I really appreciate my critique partners the most) they’re scraping off my rust. Like crutch words. When you’re working in “well oiled” mode, you see them almost as quickly as you type them, or at least when you self-edit. Silly me. I pushed a chapter through with one of my most popular crutch words (“back” for those of you who are wondering) littered all through it (go ahead, count how many times I’ve used it in this post and you’ll see what I mean. I’m leaving them in.). The critique comes back and I roll my eyes. Couldn’t I have seen those before I put it in?
But I’m making progress. Not only am I productive on the story again, the gentle reminders will get me back into a better self-editing writing mode. (See, I used “back” again! And I noticed!) My fingers are itching and my brain is humming – my imagination has been repressed for too long. So without further ado, I must return (I didn’t use “back” this time) not only to cleaning up Epitaph but the new story that wants to be converted from information jotted in my notebook to an outline, to a file on my computer with characters and locations. Today, I’m thinking the working title might be Hoodoo you think you are . . . but that probably won’t stick.
Anon
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Afterglow
See, this is why I love writers conferences. I blogged a couple weeks ago about how I'm not a "people" person and it's an effort to come out of my shell to socialize, but every time I do, its so worth it!
I met a lot of people this weekend, people I have a lot in common with. Went to some great workshops (special note of thanks to Jade Lee, who did a wonderful session) and some agents and editors, one of whom really liked my pitch for Epitaph! So keeping my fingers crossed that she likes my writing as well as my pitch.
Among the people that were there, Simone Elkeles, who recently hit the NYT Best Seller's list. My personal note on Simone - at my very first writers conference, she was the organizer and she held my hand. She got me into a pitch session when someone else chickened out (a priceless experience) and she is one of the nicest people I've ever met. Her success is well deserved and I couldn't be happier for her. At the booksigning, she got as many people at her table as the headliners did. Congratulations, Simone!
And the beauty of these types of conferences is that in addition to the successful authors, you meet the struggling and still learning. It's so much fun to hear their passion and enthusiasm when a group of writers gets together, and to share the journeys we all have in common.
Am I gushing? Then you know I enjoyed the conference. To all the people that put the conference together, kudos on a job well done. And now I have to polish up my submission one more time, make sure I've dotted all my "i"s and crossed all my "t"s so that the editor loves my hard copy as much as she liked talking about it with me.
Anon
I met a lot of people this weekend, people I have a lot in common with. Went to some great workshops (special note of thanks to Jade Lee, who did a wonderful session) and some agents and editors, one of whom really liked my pitch for Epitaph! So keeping my fingers crossed that she likes my writing as well as my pitch.
Among the people that were there, Simone Elkeles, who recently hit the NYT Best Seller's list. My personal note on Simone - at my very first writers conference, she was the organizer and she held my hand. She got me into a pitch session when someone else chickened out (a priceless experience) and she is one of the nicest people I've ever met. Her success is well deserved and I couldn't be happier for her. At the booksigning, she got as many people at her table as the headliners did. Congratulations, Simone!
And the beauty of these types of conferences is that in addition to the successful authors, you meet the struggling and still learning. It's so much fun to hear their passion and enthusiasm when a group of writers gets together, and to share the journeys we all have in common.
Am I gushing? Then you know I enjoyed the conference. To all the people that put the conference together, kudos on a job well done. And now I have to polish up my submission one more time, make sure I've dotted all my "i"s and crossed all my "t"s so that the editor loves my hard copy as much as she liked talking about it with me.
Anon
Monday, April 19, 2010
Agents and Editors and pitch sessions
I'm excited. I have a pitch session on Saturday with an editor at a publishing house I'd LOVE to get in with. Granted, these pitch sessions generally don't amount to much, but it is a one-on-one with an insider. Better yet, she respresents my genre! There's a big plus. My last pitch session I met an agent who didn't represent my genre, but she was very gracious and I found the experience to be very positive. I did my homework, I was nervous, but it all went off pretty well. I don't think I'll be as nervous this time, and I will spend some quality time preparing.
This was all sitting on my brain while I was relaxing this weekend (mandatory down time). I flipped channels on the television and came across a movie where a librarian steals a manuscript from a dead author. The manuscript was a thriller, whodoneit murder mystery, and the librarian's secret ambition was to write historical romance. I didn't watch the movie since, after about five or ten minutes, it seemed silly to me, and yet the premise stuck. This is the kind of thing they teach you about at "writing school." Give your protagonist an impossible situation. Her goals are diametrically opposed to the situation she finds herself in. Does she give up her dream of writing historical romance and try to venture into something she knows nothing about - something that she finds ugly and distasteful (thinking up murders)? Naturally, the agent that sold her stolen book had no interest in her historical romances. She was more interested in a follow-on book, a sequel, which the protag was ill-equipped to write. The protag got her foot in the door, which was her goal, but it was the wrong door.
Which brings me to my point: know your genre. Know your audience. Know your stepping stones. While it was nice that I got to pitch an agent previously, she was likely not interested in what I had since that wasn't what she represented. It was good practice for me. She DID recommend me to another agent before it was all said and done (and no, the other agent didn't sign me), so it was not a waste of time. You might think she was just being polite, but there were others that pitched to her that day that she turned down flat or gave suggestions to that they weren't open to. Point number 2: Understand that they know what they're talking about and their suggestions, which might not be in line with your ideas, are meant to help you. If you don't like them, it is your perogative to look elsewhere, but its worth considering - they know the business. The agents and editors aren't there to soothe your ego, they're there to help you take the next step. It's up to you to determine whether or not their suggestions are in line with your goals and NOT TAKE IT PERSONALLY (every author will tell you that you need a thick skin and an open mind to succeed). That being said, I haven't met an agent or editor that was personally snarky or rude. They're always pleasant and polite, but they also recognize when someone ignores their expertise. That's the point they stop offering their assistance, cuz hey, if you know better than they do, more power to you.
So wish me luck. While I don't have inflated hopes, I'm excited to talk to someone who meets my query criteria!
This was all sitting on my brain while I was relaxing this weekend (mandatory down time). I flipped channels on the television and came across a movie where a librarian steals a manuscript from a dead author. The manuscript was a thriller, whodoneit murder mystery, and the librarian's secret ambition was to write historical romance. I didn't watch the movie since, after about five or ten minutes, it seemed silly to me, and yet the premise stuck. This is the kind of thing they teach you about at "writing school." Give your protagonist an impossible situation. Her goals are diametrically opposed to the situation she finds herself in. Does she give up her dream of writing historical romance and try to venture into something she knows nothing about - something that she finds ugly and distasteful (thinking up murders)? Naturally, the agent that sold her stolen book had no interest in her historical romances. She was more interested in a follow-on book, a sequel, which the protag was ill-equipped to write. The protag got her foot in the door, which was her goal, but it was the wrong door.
Which brings me to my point: know your genre. Know your audience. Know your stepping stones. While it was nice that I got to pitch an agent previously, she was likely not interested in what I had since that wasn't what she represented. It was good practice for me. She DID recommend me to another agent before it was all said and done (and no, the other agent didn't sign me), so it was not a waste of time. You might think she was just being polite, but there were others that pitched to her that day that she turned down flat or gave suggestions to that they weren't open to. Point number 2: Understand that they know what they're talking about and their suggestions, which might not be in line with your ideas, are meant to help you. If you don't like them, it is your perogative to look elsewhere, but its worth considering - they know the business. The agents and editors aren't there to soothe your ego, they're there to help you take the next step. It's up to you to determine whether or not their suggestions are in line with your goals and NOT TAKE IT PERSONALLY (every author will tell you that you need a thick skin and an open mind to succeed). That being said, I haven't met an agent or editor that was personally snarky or rude. They're always pleasant and polite, but they also recognize when someone ignores their expertise. That's the point they stop offering their assistance, cuz hey, if you know better than they do, more power to you.
So wish me luck. While I don't have inflated hopes, I'm excited to talk to someone who meets my query criteria!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Once upon a time . . .
We've been planning vacation time. It's still a ways off in the future (and if you watched Andy Rooney on 60 Minutes last night, he'd be spanking my hand for making time move to fast by planning too far into the future), but as I look at the things I want to do, the places I want to go, the things I want to see, I find myself inspired. Places inspire me. Settings. We're going to Bryce Canyon. I've never been to Bryce Canyon, but my DH, the amateur photographer, has been looking at photo ops, and has he found some beauties! "Come, look at this," he calls me from his cave. I look over his shoulder and I see, with my imagination's eye, something magical. Turns out Bryce Canyon has a unique landscape (okay, I knew that much) but the photographs capture something else. Credit good photography or credit my wild imagination, but a story started in that moment.
The author part of me started making notes - mental notes at first - and then yesterday I did some additional research while I had some down time. I had visions of the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz popping out of the scenery (Hoodoos are prone to dissolving in water). I had visions of fairy queens and princesses emerging from the "Fairy Chimneys." Well you get the idea. Much more, but until I can put it into a story, I think I'll spare you my wild imaginings. My dilemma? Ok, since these are Fairy Chimneys, does it become a Fairy Tale? Does it venture into the fantasy genre? (Sorry, I don't feel adequate to that task). I'm good with paranormal - that's my leaning - but how far out of paranormal will a fairy chimney take me? These are all rhetorical questions, really, but it does make you stop and appreciate Aesop and the Brothers Grimm. The possibilities for my fertile imagination are endless, but I'll stick with what I know.
I have my summer project!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Writing Instructions
I got my latest writing magazine in the mail this week and now that deadline is over (picture squished animals in the middle of the road and that's about how I feel post-March 31), I actually took a few minutes to flip through it. And then, once my brain re-engaged with life, I actually read some of the articles.
One of the interesting viewpoints was "what kind of writer are you?" which analyzes similarly to a personality profile. Get ready, I'm going to editorialize here.
Articles for writers are written by writers who are trying to earn some money while they're waiting for their books to sell or as a marketing technique to get you to recognize their name and read their books. Nothing wrong with it, but at the end of the day, these articles boil down to one person's opinion. Often they are dry, which makes me less inclined to read their prose. Every now and then you come across someone whose personality shines through in their articles (case in point: J.A. Konrath). But I digress. Back to my point - one person's opinion.
An important thing to note is that all writers are not created equal. The "rules" of writing are a standard that most should follow and particularly for novice writers, they need to follow the rules until they learn when it's okay to break them. An example here is Nora Roberts. The Rule is stay in one point of view per section. Nora is a terrible head-hopper, and yet she is wildly popular. So the novice writer says "if Nora can do it, so can I." But Nora has something they don't: experience and knowledge. My point here is that novice writers should stick to the rules. Again, I'm digressing from my point (call it battle fatigue).
Back to the article I read. Even when I don't agree with the author, there's usually something you can come away with. I enjoyed this particular piece because it identifies how you write. It tells you to stay true to what you write, but it also tells you to know enough about how you DON'T write to incorporate some of the other personalities into for a more well-rounded story. (Not sure I'm making sense here - checking head for fever . . .) Let me see if I can elaborate.
I fall into what she classified as "Type C" writer. Vivid imagination, alternate reality, I can see it all in my head but I can't always get it onto paper. I have another buddy who is a "Type A," which is defined as more clinical - to the point, but lacking depth of emotion. Then there's the "Type B" that is all romantic interludes. The author goes on to point out that there are rules for how many interludes you can get away with in your novel and those folks either have to write erotica or find balance in the A's and C's.
My friend who is a Class A writer throws in some of those Class B scenes according to the "rules." Obligatory, she calls it. I disagree. I'm all for a good sex scene now and then, but there are some stories that just don't need them. Dan Brown, for instance, writes excellent Class A books without having the hero jump into bed with the beautiful young heroine. The attraction is there and clearly presented, but our hero has more important things on his mind. To my point - Sex scenes are NOT obligatory. If they advance the plot, well and good.
Call me out of touch, but I know what I like to read. Reining back in to the article now. Each personality needs to touch on the others to make the book a better read. Although I can clearly see my convoluted plot lines and trains of thought in my head, without a little Class A balance to my Class C writing, my readers will have no idea what's going on. And THAT is what I got from that article. I can see myself, and I can see my shortcomings as she detailed them. (Good writing!)
So as to writing instructions, and authors sharing all their tips and tricks: at the end of the day, no two authors are created equal. Nora Roberts is allowed to write head-hopping scenes, but the rest of the world is forbidden. Dan Brown can write a plot line that stretches the imagination to its limits, but I guarantee you my critique group would point out immediately that it would be highly unlikely that my hero could solve a puzzle an hour in a foreign country where he doesn't know his way around, let alone the landmarks he has to find there.
It's all in what the editors will tell you - if you have a well written story, the rest will take care of itself. People will overlook the rules you've broken if you can hold them with good writing, and good writing comes with a balance of imagination, attention to everyday details and yes, sometimes, a hot romance scene. It comes from "showing" and not "telling" (the cardinal rule!). Most of all, and this is probably why the article rang with me, is that you have to be true to yourself and not try to write outside of who you are. If you're a Class C writer, embrace that and while you should incorporate the other styles, don't try to BE the other styles.
Yep. I'm on board with that. Half the battle is identifying your style. Once you're there, you know what you have to work on.
One of the interesting viewpoints was "what kind of writer are you?" which analyzes similarly to a personality profile. Get ready, I'm going to editorialize here.
Articles for writers are written by writers who are trying to earn some money while they're waiting for their books to sell or as a marketing technique to get you to recognize their name and read their books. Nothing wrong with it, but at the end of the day, these articles boil down to one person's opinion. Often they are dry, which makes me less inclined to read their prose. Every now and then you come across someone whose personality shines through in their articles (case in point: J.A. Konrath). But I digress. Back to my point - one person's opinion.
An important thing to note is that all writers are not created equal. The "rules" of writing are a standard that most should follow and particularly for novice writers, they need to follow the rules until they learn when it's okay to break them. An example here is Nora Roberts. The Rule is stay in one point of view per section. Nora is a terrible head-hopper, and yet she is wildly popular. So the novice writer says "if Nora can do it, so can I." But Nora has something they don't: experience and knowledge. My point here is that novice writers should stick to the rules. Again, I'm digressing from my point (call it battle fatigue).
Back to the article I read. Even when I don't agree with the author, there's usually something you can come away with. I enjoyed this particular piece because it identifies how you write. It tells you to stay true to what you write, but it also tells you to know enough about how you DON'T write to incorporate some of the other personalities into for a more well-rounded story. (Not sure I'm making sense here - checking head for fever . . .) Let me see if I can elaborate.
I fall into what she classified as "Type C" writer. Vivid imagination, alternate reality, I can see it all in my head but I can't always get it onto paper. I have another buddy who is a "Type A," which is defined as more clinical - to the point, but lacking depth of emotion. Then there's the "Type B" that is all romantic interludes. The author goes on to point out that there are rules for how many interludes you can get away with in your novel and those folks either have to write erotica or find balance in the A's and C's.
My friend who is a Class A writer throws in some of those Class B scenes according to the "rules." Obligatory, she calls it. I disagree. I'm all for a good sex scene now and then, but there are some stories that just don't need them. Dan Brown, for instance, writes excellent Class A books without having the hero jump into bed with the beautiful young heroine. The attraction is there and clearly presented, but our hero has more important things on his mind. To my point - Sex scenes are NOT obligatory. If they advance the plot, well and good.
Call me out of touch, but I know what I like to read. Reining back in to the article now. Each personality needs to touch on the others to make the book a better read. Although I can clearly see my convoluted plot lines and trains of thought in my head, without a little Class A balance to my Class C writing, my readers will have no idea what's going on. And THAT is what I got from that article. I can see myself, and I can see my shortcomings as she detailed them. (Good writing!)
So as to writing instructions, and authors sharing all their tips and tricks: at the end of the day, no two authors are created equal. Nora Roberts is allowed to write head-hopping scenes, but the rest of the world is forbidden. Dan Brown can write a plot line that stretches the imagination to its limits, but I guarantee you my critique group would point out immediately that it would be highly unlikely that my hero could solve a puzzle an hour in a foreign country where he doesn't know his way around, let alone the landmarks he has to find there.
It's all in what the editors will tell you - if you have a well written story, the rest will take care of itself. People will overlook the rules you've broken if you can hold them with good writing, and good writing comes with a balance of imagination, attention to everyday details and yes, sometimes, a hot romance scene. It comes from "showing" and not "telling" (the cardinal rule!). Most of all, and this is probably why the article rang with me, is that you have to be true to yourself and not try to write outside of who you are. If you're a Class C writer, embrace that and while you should incorporate the other styles, don't try to BE the other styles.
Yep. I'm on board with that. Half the battle is identifying your style. Once you're there, you know what you have to work on.
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