The exercise today on Romance Divas in their author of the month workshop with USA Today Bestselling Author C. L. Wilson is to take a scene we’ve already written and revise it so that it has a completely different tone. I’ve been thinking about which scene to use and am coming up with a blank,…
I got some phenomenal feedback on Revealed from several Divas. Jodi suggested some great websites: Michael Hauge’s article Screenplay Structure and The Unknown Screenwriter’s article on Transformational Character Arcs. She also recommended the book Emotional Structure: Creating the Story Beneath the Plot by Emmy award winning TV producer Peter Dunne, which has me itching to…
I’m not sure if my plan is going to work. Yesterday, I worked on a story arc for another story idea that’s been around for a while. I spent far longer than 30 minutes on it and I didn’t get beyond than the set up and inciting incident. I should probably start on one that…
I neglected to find a pretty image to go along with today’s post. I chose the image and post to serve as a focal point. The diagram is very familiar to me by now. Books on plot and structure obligingly include at least one variation when discussing the Classic Three Act Structure and overall story…
Sometimes I think I’ve bitten off more than I can comfortably chew. The biggest problem I’m facing with my romance novel is deciding how to structure it so it’s interesting and makes sense. Romance novels don’t contain just one story line (or at least the interesting ones *I* like don’t). The romance is the over-arcing…
Every journey starts with a plan. Whether you’re going to the supermarket or off on a well-deserved vacation, you have some sort of plan. It may not be a formal plan – a collection of ideas, a shopping list or just a destination. Your plan might also be quiet elaborate, including a detailed itinerary with…
What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “Scenic Structures”? It might be a quaint old building in a romanticized setting. You may also picture a well-known landmark like the Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China, the Alhambra or even the pyramids. Unfortunately, these aren’t the types of structures crowding my brain this…
I picked up a variety of books at Borders yesterday. They had a small in the writer’s reference section, but I found a couple that were on my list to check out. 20 Master Plots and how to build them by Ronald B. Tobias. I read this one yesterday. “Plot is a process, not an…
John Gardner’s The Art of Fiction is rough going – for me, the language isn’t friendly or immediately accessible. Lots of good points in there, if I can just untangle it all. DH pointed me to the Turkey City Lexicon this morning. Ah, earthy and practical. Phew! Much easier to read. I will finish the…