Good morning! I’ve been filled with lots of plot bunnies over the years, but there have been many dust bunnies too. What’s the difference you might ask? Well, let me enlighten you.
PLOT BUNNY…
A plot bunny is a story idea. And like bunnies, it multiplies rapidly if not handled. They can appear at any moment and will haunt you until they get their way. Now, not all plot bunnies are good. Some of them can be quite worrisome and filled with holes. And nobody wants a bunny with holes… These are dust bunnies!
DUST BUNNY…
Now, a dust bunny is something everyone has under their bed. You know the ones that even after you vacuum, sweep, and mop, they are still there just floating around and annoying you. Well, in writing, these are the plot bunnies that go sour. You know the ones, they are the ones that don’t pan out. A dust bunny has no hope of ever panning out. They are full of holes, like I mentioned in the above paragraph. So, with some planning and plotting, you can avoid falling into a dust bunny well.
Good morning! I’ve been reading a suspense romance that I saw in my Amazon feed. It looked really interesting, so I took a chance on this new author. And I have to say that I’ve really enjoyed it. Then when I finished it suggested a book that was supposed to be similar. No… It… Was… Not…
The first book was a edge of your chair, nail biter that had me hooked from word one. It was engaging, bold, and kept me guessing up until the end. But this second one, although it was good, it was not similar because it was as if the author didn’t want to go over the line or say something that would send someone running away. It was watered down and didn’t have the suspense to keep my interest. I did read it to the end, but it left me empty.
So, what about your writing? Is it watered down? Did you add that extra element to keep the interest or did you leave it off to keep up appearances? Now, I’m not saying to go over the line with some things, but in a suspense novel, there needs to be suspense. Hence the word suspense. Leave the reader hanging on your every word. It’s important. So just do it.
End your chapters with a cliffhanger to keep your reader interested. Have a couple of characters get suspected of something they didn’t do. Make your reader go down the wrong trail, only to be snatched back with a zinger. It’s the way a suspenseful novel should be. Be bold and daring.
And that’s why I’m enjoying writing suspense filled romance now. This book has been such an eye opener. The whole series will be all about the edge of the chair, never knowing who done until the end type of books. I want the reader to be hanging on every word. I want them to think it was someone else and find out later that the one they suspected was actually innocent, but the one they thought was innocent was guilty. It’s the kind of writing that gives you a giggle and makes you want to jump out of your seat with excitement.
Now, not everyone likes suspense which is fine, but with my newest series, ‘In Harm’s Way’, I’m adding a dab of romance and some Christian essence to give it a different flare. It’s clean, but edgy. Is that even a thing? For me it is and as I’ve always said, it’s a world from my head, so anything goes.
As always, good writing and May God Bless You…
Safe is coming soon, so keep watching for the release date…
Good morning! It’s been a little while since I’ve posted, but tax season is kicking my backside. With all of the new tax law changes and programs having to catch up, well, it’s cost me a lot of writing time. And you know what that does to me.
But, on to this post. Plotting… Yes, it’s something I love to do. And there are so many ways to do it. Either on paper, on a computer program or in your head, which I don’t suggest this last one because sometimes our memory doesn’t serve us well.
Plotting to me is like building a structure. You’ve got to make sure to get the base right, or the rest of the structure will fall. Novels need structure in order to come alive. Why do I say that? Because with structure, you don’t just babble on and can easily lose the reader.
As I’ve said before, a novel needs a beginning, a middle and an ending. And in each section you need to start with a rise in action, then reach the climax, but come back down into the next section without losing your reader. Stay focused on the story, don’t add a lot of fluff that will make your reader lose interest.
This is where plotting helps me. I write down the scenes and then I make sure there is enough to the scene to make it work. It needs to be able to stand on it’s own and shine. If the scene falls flat, then the story will too.
So, try plotting and see where it goes. Not everyone is a plotter. Some are pantser’s which is fine. Just make sure your writing flows.
Sometimes life comes in and takes over. There’s so much going on that sometimes I have to step back and breathe. How can putting words on paper help? For me, it’s like the best anxiety medicine, but you can’t find it in a bottle. I find it every time my fingers touch the keys.
I have so much happening at the moment. It’s tax season, and being an accountant means that I’m working long hours and getting only moments to write. Which means my anxiety is high? Me, Anxiety, yes. I have anxiety, but not many know it. But, I have to get a release somehow, and my writing is that release.
This morning as I’m taking time for myself, I sat in front of my laptop, running my fingers over the keys. It was like a balm to my world. The anxiety slowly floated away. It’s amazing the power of words. And I’ve always had a more than normal amount of them filling my head. In order to get my head cleared, I have to get them out of my head.
So, if you have anxiety, get lost in the words. There’s no expensive doctor or pharmacy bill, just the words that fill your head. It doesn’t have to be a novel or novella, it could be as simple as a journal. Just write. Be honest with your words and you’ll see a big difference.
At this time of year I’m burning the candle at both ends. It’s something accountants prepare all year for. We know that for at least four months everything will be turned upside down and deadlines will be looming everywhere. But it’s why I love it so much.
Maybe that’s why I love a writing deadline. It’s the adrenaline. And it’s the excuse to drink more coffee, not that I needed one.
Have you ever worked on a story, then all of a sudden you have an idea for something that will happen several chapters ahead? As I’ve said before, I always know the ending of my stories. Although sometimes it changes slightly, but it stays in the same ballpark.
I’ve written several scenes ahead on my current WIP Safe. And it’s helping with the current writing because I know where I’m headed. And it follows along nicely with my outline because it’s more or less just a more detailed version. Since this is a mystery suspense type book, I’ve written who the bad guys are and what their part will be in the mystery. That way I can continue to make the suspicions grow and also keep the mystery in check. I don’t want to give away everything all at once.
I keep a notebook of notes beside me as I write. And a trusty red pen to mark out the scenes that have been written. This keeps me on track and the suspense building. I can’t have my bad guy getting off on a technicality from my writing too far ahead.
It’s Friday afternoon and the weekend is staring at me. With tax season, I don’t take much time off. I’ve been trying to take at least Sunday afternoons to refresh, write, and nap. So, here’s to the hope of a little time on Sunday to recharge. Sending good vibes to all of you for a great weekend.
Good Friday morning! It’s been a crazy week in the tax office. Between deadlines and paperwork, I’ve been swamp. My reprieve is my writing. Yesterday I was able to get lost in my words for a whole thirty minutes. And that was an accomplishment. But for those thirty minutes, I was somewhere else…
Now, with this new book, I’m trying something new. Although I started sending my editor two chapters at a time during my last book, this time I’m editing some before I send it. And yes, I normally edit as I go anyway, but this time is different. I’m delving into my words even deeper the first time around.
I’ve been really working on the words that I tend to use a little too often. It’s funny how we lean on some words more often than we should. So, I’m finding new, more colorful words to take their place. Take for instance the word ‘look’. I seem to have a love for that word, lol! That is one word that I’m having a hard time letting go. I am replacing it with gaze, glimpsed, focused, stared, gaped, etc. You get the picture.
With this new form of editing, I’m using the thesaurus a lot. It’s a tool that is most important to a writer. And they say you can’t teach old dogs new tricks, but this one is learning so much from viewing the thesaurus. See, I’m using a new word.
Good Thursday morning! You may be wondering about the title. Here’s the scoop, there are many things that come with the phrase, ‘When writing’.
When writing, always keep in mind that it’s your writing, not anyone else’s. Why do I say this? I say this to help you understand that it doesn’t matter what others think, you know what’s in your head. Write what’s there. Don’t let other’s put words in your writing.
When writing, make sure to pace yourself. If you try to do too much at one time, you’ll risk losing the thought process. Pace yourself and get it right the first time. Don’t overthink it.
When writing, enjoy the process. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, then it will show in your work.
Stephanie Hurt - Romance Author 