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4 Revision Goals: Conflict, Emotion, Surprise, Enrich
For the next month, my writing goals for my work-in-progress novel trilogy are clear: conflict, emotion, surprise, enrich. The trilogy is tentatively called, The Blue Planets, and is an early-teen or YA science fiction. Book 1, The Blue Marble, has a complete draft; for Books 2 and 3, I have complete outlines. I’m happy with…
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What Went Wrong? Story Conflict and How to Make it Stronger
In your story or novel, something must go wrong. Without conflict, there is no story. As you develop a plot, it’s helpful to think about what is the worst thing that could happen and then figure out if you can make that even worse? The absolute worst thing–the thing your character fears most of all–MUST…
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Scene: Fast or Fast-Paced?
Is your scene fast or fast-paced? There’s a difference, an important difference. A fast paced scene has lots of small changes happening, which keeps the reader on the edge of his/her seat. Think of it as the last few minutes of a basketball game where the ball changes hands often, and the score bounces back…
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Fight Scenes: The Waltz of Death
You are thinking you need a fight scene in your novel. The most important question is “Why?” Your novel and the specific situation in a particular scene must demand some sort of physical interaction between characters. But don’t think that the physical is the end-all of the scene; instead, a fight scene is an opportunity…
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2 Questions to Develop Plot: What If? and What Next?
While I am struggling with plot, the main question I am asking is “What if?”, closely followed by “What next?” What if? Creative plots focus on an unexpected combination of events that somehow manage to mesh together at the end when all is revealed. Plots can be about vengeance, catastrophe, love & hate, chase, grief…
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Rereading: Details, Emotions, Scene Cuts, Conflict
Reread your story. Does it surprise you at any point? Does it keep YOUR interest? Recently I reread a story that I had not read for a while, long enough for me to start to be fuzzy on details. Here are some things that struck me. Interesting details. Stories which leave behind generalities in favor…