| Ah. When things go wrong... Like when I write six different beginnings to a book before finding one that works... Like when I redo the same scene four times because it keeps stalling... Like when I scrap a short story halfway through because it's boring even me... Like when I start researching mathematical algorythms because I am so desperate to do something other than work (there is no math in my books. I hate math)... Like when I decide to just give up altogether because I am clearly fooling myself thinking I'm any good at writing books... When things go wrong... Like when my heroine wakes up in the middle of the night because zombies are breaking into her house... Like when she learns there really is something sinister about the two men who are suddenly so interested in her "professional expertise"... Like when demons start exploding like gory Christmas crackers all over the city and nobody knows why... Like when she discovers she's been sold out and will probably die in the next fifteen minutes, as soon as she finishes the lovely meal in front of her... There is a connection between the two. This isn't simply me plugging my books. See, when things are going wrong for me, like the first list, it usually means the second list isn't working hard enough. Books stagnate because the danger isn't dangerous enough, the stakes aren't high enough, not enough is happening. When in doubt, scream and shout may be a bad (and misquoted) adage here, but the principle works in writing. What other bad thing can possibly happen? Car accident? Yes. Dental surgery? Yes. Death? Absolutely. Fifty lashes with an iron-tipped whip? Yes! The lights go out and something slithers up the heroine's leg and it sure doesn't feel like her boyfriend's hand? Bring it on! In other words, get good and passive-aggressive, and take out all your hidden aggressions on your poor characters. Treat 'em mean and keep 'em keen, as another saying goes. I'm not happy unless everybody's crying. (Oh wait, that's at home. Oops.) I'm not happy with my writing unless stuff's blowing up everywhere and guns are going off and glass is flying and everyone's waiting for Chow Yun-Fat to enter stage right. (Of course, that last bit would make me awfully happy at home too...sigh.) Oh, and, ah, avoid cliche, except when you're attempting to use them to "humorous" effect in a blog post. Ha! Ha! Make 'em bleed! |
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We used to say, Drive 'em up a tree, set a fire at the base of the tree, then start throwing hand grenades at 'em. :) Without conflict there's no story and a life going well is boring. Exploding demons and impending death work nicely too. [grin]
Angie
This sounds like my mom's child rearing strategy, actually.
Now you're just being cruel.
"Like when demons start exploding like gory Christmas crackers "
ummm... yeah...
ever worry that people won't get your imagery? *grin*
Exactly, Angie. The more twists and turns, the more complications, the better!
Lol tm. Mine too!
Muahahaha Charles! I am a cruel mistress indeed.
Did you not get the imagery, Anton? Take a look here. Or am I obtuse, and so not getting your actual clever meaning?
I must read your books! :p
Great advice!
I agree conflict to some extent livens up a plot, and is essential until it takes on what I call the 'House' syndrome. If anyone's seen the TV series House, you know the writers have the team torture, cure, fail, torture some more, and cure through every episode. Unrelenting upheaval in a plot can get just as boring, or even comical in a bad way, after a while.
I'm clearly not an international author since I didn't know about the Christmas Crackers. I hang my head in shame.
*takes banjo and heads out to the outhouse to cry*
See. Now, I got the christmas crackers image and took it to the next logical place.
We do the crackers and everyone wears the paper crown, so I'm assuming the demon killer will be found wearing a crown of intestines.
Or not. I could be wrong.
Yes, the good advice about setting things on fire.
LOL
I love twists and turns and a fast-paced tale, but pacing is everything, n'est pas?
And if you don't have exploding christmas crackers and a few demons handy, you can always put the lovers on opposite sides in a war. Mwuhaha
Yes, Cheryl, you must. There will be a test. Hee.
True, Bernard. I loves me some House, but I know what you mean about occasionally thinking, sheesh, another bizarre collection of symptoms with a commonplace meaning.
And for you, you don't have the sex appeal factor of House to keep you interested, whereas I could watch Hugh Laurie be cold and insensitive for days.
Oh, poor Anton, oh don't you cry for me.
Oooh! No, Mark, but there is ritualistic cannibalism in that book. Yay for ritualistic cannibalism! And a chandelier made of human bones.
Very true, Sam. There must be some downtime, or it gets irritating. I'm also not a fan of stupid problems. It's why that movie with Fievel the mouse always bugged me. They kept missing each other by like a minute, it drove me nuts.
Ah, Gabriele, you know what I'm talking about! War is GOOD!
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Have a lovely day! :-)