Page 104 and chapter 7 finds Tracy in a bad way. Her sense of humor eludes her completely under the circumstances. It's something of a challenge to convey the situation from Tracy's point of view and relate information and build up to a shocking revelation and do it at a pace which builds suspense and perhaps a sense of dread as the reader finds out particulars at the same time Tracy does.
There's a really fine line which divides showing and telling, showing being the most highly desired form of writing. In the first person POV, just about everything is "telling," and I don't think there's anything to be done about it. The trick is to have Tracy tell it while it's happening to her, even though it's all in past tense as if it has already happened. I'm not sure I can characterize the challenge any better than that it is tricky. What it requires is many re-readings of the passage, reworking sentences, and sometimes changing the order of each step.
The best technique I've found is to imagine the whole scene happening as though I am watching a movie, with a narrator's voice filling in Tracy's thoughts, observations, and feelings. "Take the reader where the action is" is yet another rule for writing fiction. That's how the reader is able to share the experience, whatever it may be. As I "watch" Tracy on this one, it gives a little thrill of danger and awe. Now I just have to convey that in words.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Big Trouble
Page 89, well into chapter 6. Tracy is now dealing with more complications in her relationships and still uncertain how she feels about someone new who entered her world. A character from "Two Faces, Two Faced" made a brief return appearance. Next up, for the remainder of the chapter, she probes deeper into the murder and gets deeper into danger.
I did have to go back and rework a previous section. It had to set the stage for what's about to happen, but the way I first wrote it seemed too stagy and maybe too obvious. That's one of the challenges of writing a mystery. You have to provide enough basis and clues early on so that later revelations make sense and don't require exposition of things that occurred "off stage." At the same time, it all has to be natural and not too suspicious, lest the reader think, "How could she be so stupid to fall for that?" If the reader sees it coming before the character does, I've failed to get it right and might lose credibility.
Still toying with the ending, specifically the relationship issues. The mystery? That's solved, at least in my head.
I did have to go back and rework a previous section. It had to set the stage for what's about to happen, but the way I first wrote it seemed too stagy and maybe too obvious. That's one of the challenges of writing a mystery. You have to provide enough basis and clues early on so that later revelations make sense and don't require exposition of things that occurred "off stage." At the same time, it all has to be natural and not too suspicious, lest the reader think, "How could she be so stupid to fall for that?" If the reader sees it coming before the character does, I've failed to get it right and might lose credibility.
Still toying with the ending, specifically the relationship issues. The mystery? That's solved, at least in my head.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Ah, Romance...
Reached page 79 today and the end of chapter 5. Writing romantic scenes can be a challenge, especially so with Tracy's sense of humor. But what happened on page 79 wasn't funny. I can only hope it's tantalizing. I know I felt a touch of goosebumps writing it.
In a much older post, I mentioned that I don't write sex scenes. I don't think a second-by-second description of the full sex act between people really belongs in a mystery/thriller. Anyone who wants the graphic details knows what kind of reading material to buy to get it. I prefer a "to the bedroom door" method, the leading up to and the aftermath but nothing in between. The reader's imagination can fill in the rest and probably do a better job than I could with words.
Still, a little titillation can be entertaining, but it must also serve a purpose. Arline Chase of Write Words, Inc., provides writing advice in her own blog, and in one posting, she mentioned that each chapter must bring about a change, an event that changes everything forever. A romantic scene leading up to sex does that, I think. It changes a relationship, removes all the mystery and the flirtation and the anticipation. Suddenly, these two people who have been intimate see each other in a different way, good or bad, and they can never go back to the way they were.
If this book were a true fit for the Romance genre, the sex scene would probably wait until much later than chapter 5. Everything else would be leading up to it, the (dare I say it?) climactic moment. (Okay, so I said it. I couldn't think of a better word than climactic.) Because the sequel to "Faces" is not a solid romance, I've used today's romantic interlude to set the stage for another giant step along Tracy's path of self-discovery and to determining what she wants her life to be.
Next up, an obstacle as the antagonist(s) make their move.
In a much older post, I mentioned that I don't write sex scenes. I don't think a second-by-second description of the full sex act between people really belongs in a mystery/thriller. Anyone who wants the graphic details knows what kind of reading material to buy to get it. I prefer a "to the bedroom door" method, the leading up to and the aftermath but nothing in between. The reader's imagination can fill in the rest and probably do a better job than I could with words.
Still, a little titillation can be entertaining, but it must also serve a purpose. Arline Chase of Write Words, Inc., provides writing advice in her own blog, and in one posting, she mentioned that each chapter must bring about a change, an event that changes everything forever. A romantic scene leading up to sex does that, I think. It changes a relationship, removes all the mystery and the flirtation and the anticipation. Suddenly, these two people who have been intimate see each other in a different way, good or bad, and they can never go back to the way they were.
If this book were a true fit for the Romance genre, the sex scene would probably wait until much later than chapter 5. Everything else would be leading up to it, the (dare I say it?) climactic moment. (Okay, so I said it. I couldn't think of a better word than climactic.) Because the sequel to "Faces" is not a solid romance, I've used today's romantic interlude to set the stage for another giant step along Tracy's path of self-discovery and to determining what she wants her life to be.
Next up, an obstacle as the antagonist(s) make their move.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Intricacies
Weekends are never my best times for writing. I certainly want to spend time with my husband, and there are always chores that need to be done. Writing is a solitary occupation. I sometimes bounce ideas off my husband and draw on his expertise in all facets of the physical sciences, but constructing a plot, building characters, and putting them all together is all on me.
I'm at the stage of my current book where I need to think things through to a greater extent. There are timing issues: what happens when, should one scene come before another. For example, Tracy is heading for a big scene very soon, and I began toying with the idea of her seeking more information about the other person involved, but should that happen before the scene or after? I don't want to have her tapping her father's wisdom too often on this one. He makes an appearance or two, but for those who have read "Faces," he's not destined for such an active role. Since I am determined not to write any "spoilers" in this series on writing, I dare not say more than that Pappy's participation serves to direct Tracy's thinking about herself and her relationships.
Still hunting for elements of cover art for "The Changeling Kill." I'm also at a stage now--post submitting to publisher--that I begin to question certain decisions I made about it. There's one scene in particular which is sort of graphic in nature, but I wanted readers to be as shocked as the character experiencing it is. But I did I go too far? Maybe I'm just being wishy-washy or cowardly. Some people will like my novels, some people won't. Some will be shocked, and some will shrug a shoulder and ask, "So what's the big deal?" The one thing that keeps coming back to me in this regard was from the keynote address given at Love Is Murder. "Write the book that is in you." That's what I did in "Changeling," and if it reveals some of the darker depths of my mind and imagination, so be it. Sometimes, life is shocking.
I'm at the stage of my current book where I need to think things through to a greater extent. There are timing issues: what happens when, should one scene come before another. For example, Tracy is heading for a big scene very soon, and I began toying with the idea of her seeking more information about the other person involved, but should that happen before the scene or after? I don't want to have her tapping her father's wisdom too often on this one. He makes an appearance or two, but for those who have read "Faces," he's not destined for such an active role. Since I am determined not to write any "spoilers" in this series on writing, I dare not say more than that Pappy's participation serves to direct Tracy's thinking about herself and her relationships.
Still hunting for elements of cover art for "The Changeling Kill." I'm also at a stage now--post submitting to publisher--that I begin to question certain decisions I made about it. There's one scene in particular which is sort of graphic in nature, but I wanted readers to be as shocked as the character experiencing it is. But I did I go too far? Maybe I'm just being wishy-washy or cowardly. Some people will like my novels, some people won't. Some will be shocked, and some will shrug a shoulder and ask, "So what's the big deal?" The one thing that keeps coming back to me in this regard was from the keynote address given at Love Is Murder. "Write the book that is in you." That's what I did in "Changeling," and if it reveals some of the darker depths of my mind and imagination, so be it. Sometimes, life is shocking.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Off Day
No new pages today, but did a lot of planning in my head. Sometimes, I "write" scenes in my head, playing them out like a movie. A couple of big ones are coming up, ones which define and redefine some of the characters and their interrelationships.
In the way of progress, I did some hunting for images on the web for the cover of "The Changeling Kill." It's very strange how one time I'll be searching and think I've found the perfect thing, a free image of one of the elements I need, and then the next time I go looking for it, I can't find it again, even with the same search terms on the same sites. My editor at Write Words advised that there should not be any need to pay for images as there is plenty out there for free. I guess I just haven't caught the trick of finding it. Images, clip art, royalty-free, vectors--the terminology of the web seems to evolve just one step faster than I can keep up. But I have some time on this cover as the galleys probably won't be ready for proofing for a few more weeks.
In the way of progress, I did some hunting for images on the web for the cover of "The Changeling Kill." It's very strange how one time I'll be searching and think I've found the perfect thing, a free image of one of the elements I need, and then the next time I go looking for it, I can't find it again, even with the same search terms on the same sites. My editor at Write Words advised that there should not be any need to pay for images as there is plenty out there for free. I guess I just haven't caught the trick of finding it. Images, clip art, royalty-free, vectors--the terminology of the web seems to evolve just one step faster than I can keep up. But I have some time on this cover as the galleys probably won't be ready for proofing for a few more weeks.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Tricky Business
Just started Chapter 5, and it comes in the midst of some relationship stuff. I always find it difficult to introduce strife between two characters who love each other or characters I like. (I like most of my characters, even the baddies.) But the highs and lows of relationships, the fights, the making up, the getting to know someone and responding to mutual attraction, are part of life and, let's face it, the juicy stuff is something that people want. I know I look for it in a book I'm reading and get bored very quickly if there isn't any.
I also did some advance planning about the plot points ahead, sorting out the order of things. I still don't have the exact ending down yet; I toss around ideas to see how they feel and how I feel by the time I get there. I've found it doesn't work very well to plan the entire book to the end because I always wind up changing it. I know there are authors who carefully outline and even do a synopsis before starting on the actual manuscript, but for me, the characters come in and take over and make decisions that suit them and guide their fate. When that happens, the nice, neat ending I had in mind goes right out the window, and I have to re-examine everything to figure out what the characters want to happen.
Also did some tinkering with the motive for the murder. It could be a couple of different things, but while one might be very surprising and dramatic, it might also be unbelievable. The same can happen if the motive behind heinous acts comes off too lame. It's a tricky business.
Got another review on "Two Faces Two Faced" via Amazon today. I'm also rethinking the cover for "The Changeling Kill." While it may be a while before I need to have it done, the cover for "Faces" taught me a lesson about waiting too long. That line which forms the two faces for that cover took FOREVER to get onto the computer and into the cover. I'm about to go searching for images on the Internet to see what I can do for "Changeling."
I also did some advance planning about the plot points ahead, sorting out the order of things. I still don't have the exact ending down yet; I toss around ideas to see how they feel and how I feel by the time I get there. I've found it doesn't work very well to plan the entire book to the end because I always wind up changing it. I know there are authors who carefully outline and even do a synopsis before starting on the actual manuscript, but for me, the characters come in and take over and make decisions that suit them and guide their fate. When that happens, the nice, neat ending I had in mind goes right out the window, and I have to re-examine everything to figure out what the characters want to happen.
Also did some tinkering with the motive for the murder. It could be a couple of different things, but while one might be very surprising and dramatic, it might also be unbelievable. The same can happen if the motive behind heinous acts comes off too lame. It's a tricky business.
Got another review on "Two Faces Two Faced" via Amazon today. I'm also rethinking the cover for "The Changeling Kill." While it may be a while before I need to have it done, the cover for "Faces" taught me a lesson about waiting too long. That line which forms the two faces for that cover took FOREVER to get onto the computer and into the cover. I'm about to go searching for images on the Internet to see what I can do for "Changeling."
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Scary
Page 58, Chapter 4. Tracy has her hands full now and is getting involved in the murder investigation. I wrote a scene where she learned, up close and personal, the method of the murder, and when I was finished with it, I felt as if it had really happened. (One of the dangers of writing in first person POV, I guess.)
I took a break to get myself in hand and started to wonder, where does this stuff come from? I invented a grisly sort of end for my victim and a pretty nasty way for Tracy to find out about it. But the whole plot, not of the book but of the bad people in it, and what lengths he/she/they are willing to go to for their own reasons, how did my imagination come up with that? Who are these people I invent?
I've been asked a number of times if I write people I know into my books, and the answer is an emphatic "no." I even avoid naming a character with the name of someone I associate with so that no one thinks there's a parallel or connection. My characters simply materialize and develop themselves as needed. And the heinous things that some of them do? I don't know. Perhaps a conglomeration of all the news stories I've heard and read, bits and pieces that seem scary or shocking. If I can scare and shock myself, hopefully my readers will be too. That's part of what people read fiction for, right?
As serious as all that was, I still managed to inject some humor, absolutely necessary for Tracy. There's a new character who made the scene today, and he has a sense of humor too. Should make for some good banter between them.
Had a couple of ideas for a title. "Three Faces Have I" or "Game Faces." But usually I don't really have a final title until somewhere near the end. I'll see where it all goes and then decide.
I took a break to get myself in hand and started to wonder, where does this stuff come from? I invented a grisly sort of end for my victim and a pretty nasty way for Tracy to find out about it. But the whole plot, not of the book but of the bad people in it, and what lengths he/she/they are willing to go to for their own reasons, how did my imagination come up with that? Who are these people I invent?
I've been asked a number of times if I write people I know into my books, and the answer is an emphatic "no." I even avoid naming a character with the name of someone I associate with so that no one thinks there's a parallel or connection. My characters simply materialize and develop themselves as needed. And the heinous things that some of them do? I don't know. Perhaps a conglomeration of all the news stories I've heard and read, bits and pieces that seem scary or shocking. If I can scare and shock myself, hopefully my readers will be too. That's part of what people read fiction for, right?
As serious as all that was, I still managed to inject some humor, absolutely necessary for Tracy. There's a new character who made the scene today, and he has a sense of humor too. Should make for some good banter between them.
Had a couple of ideas for a title. "Three Faces Have I" or "Game Faces." But usually I don't really have a final title until somewhere near the end. I'll see where it all goes and then decide.
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