Plotting, plotting, plotting

Sorry, I didn't know anyone was hanging by a thread for the answer to my dilemma. I did resolve my issue since it's near the end of the novel and I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone, I won't be divulging my secrets here. I also was able to find out the motivations for my characters as they move through the story, now I need to weave it into scenes. I still don't have a handle on my hero, but I'm willing to let him fall out as we move forward with the story. I'm sure he'll tell me his secrets as it develops. Meanwhile plugging along.

Just Write

So my husband apparently thinks that reading and learning about the craft of writing is a complete waste of time. We don't see eye to eye on this issue. I do see the point of just writing and getting something on paper and maybe if all I wanted to do was sit and write all day and not worry about a cohesive story line and characterization, I could do that right now. I didn't sit down one day without any training and perform an audit simply by stating "I already know how to do math. This won't be too hard." I spent 4 years in college, 16 hours taking a qualifying exam and several weeks of training before sitting down at a client's to perform an actual audit. So forgive me if I'd like to learn something about the thing that I've wanted to do since I was a child. Instead of writing a piece of tripe, I'd like to at least understand what I'm supposed to do. So in continuing along that vein, I'm currently reading Characters, Emotions & Viewpoint in the Write Great Fiction series from Writer's Digest. And I have plenty more books where that one came from. :)

Dilemna

Currently I'm plotting a story. I've taken my two characters and got them to the point where they are on the run but I don't know how to save them. I'm going to need to brainstorm on this one. I've started to flesh out my heroine, but need to work on the hero. The hero's line of work is another object. It will need as much work as a lead character. I need to do some research before finishing that. I'll need to put it on hold until we move again, but will continue to work some on it. I'm reading to research a line (Harlequin line - Silouette Nocturne).

Writing Time-Out

I'm currently taking a time-out on writing while trying to prepare our house and family for our move to England. I'm hoping to find time to write once we get settled. I've purchased a few more writing technique books for the long plane rides back and forth.

Lessons in Love

Powerful love stories is what I would love to create. Those stories that make you still believe that there is a soul mate for everyone and true love is real. My husband mocks me for liking the movie "The Village". But it truly fits the hero's journey. And the love story... The scene on the porch between the two main characters. That's what love is about. It's pure and innocent and strong and unyielding.

I also like stories that the love is almost painful to bear. The misunderstandings convolute the characters actions. So the question to ask at the beginning of every plot is what will take center stage in this story the internal battle or the external battle. There has to be a little of both or the story will tend to be flat.

I've actually found "The Joy of Writing Sex" to be very interesting. It's based less on what Romance authors would write and more on how sex scenes can be woven into novels written by fiction novelists. Not that romance authors aren't fiction novelists, but there is a clear distinction. The author dwells not on the (pardon the term) ins and outs, but what's going on (ummm) underneath it all. How to make a scene move the story forward. Not just sex for the sake of sex. I agree with her and looking back at most of the novels I've enjoyed, the sex moved the story forward as part of the external dilema or in character development/realization. I don't want to write p*rn*graphy(stop the bots). Sex without plot without motivation without the hint of love. The characters don't have to be in love at first sight. Most of the time they fall into lust at first sight. There's a connection. They talked about that connection in "Ugly Betty" tonight. The sweaty palms, heart racing. The connection that makes you believe there is a chance of love here.

Alas, I don't know how to quit this post. I know I should draw some conclusion, but frankly, I don't feel like it right now.

Room to Write by Bonni Goldberg exercise

Food as symbolism

Katherine turned back to the stove and added more salt to the chicken noodle soup on the stove. The apple timer buzzed. She stepped back off the stool and pulled twelve perfectly browned rolls out of the oven. She put two hot rolls on the tray next to the lavender she had picked before the clouds that had threatened earlier in the day finally opened up to drench the garden. She filled the large blue and white rose bowl with the hot soup and added it to the tray. Carefully and slowly she picked up the tray and carried it into the room where her mother lay.

At Last

Okay, so I haven't been the best at keeping up with this blog, but my other one has been doing great. I haven't made the time to write lately. Plain and simple. I've ordered three writing books and when there are exercises will post them here (in case anyone wants to be a critic to my writer). The books are :"Room to Write" by Bonni Goldberg. This book is supposed to contain a lot of exercises to stretch your writing muscles.; "Plot & Structure: ..."(lots of other words to make a really long title) by James Scott Bell. I'm hoping this will help fine tune my skills as a novelist.; And drumroll please......."The Joy of Writing Sex: A Guide for Fiction Writers" by Elizabeth Benedict. Please don't make me try to explain what I hope to get out of this particular guide. They'll get here Tuesday. I'll probably be writing some by the weekend. Keep your fingers crossed.