On Starting a New Novel

A week ago today I woke up with a story idea. Finally! I’ve written 6 fun kids’ stories this fall while waiting for that special young adult plot to reveal itself to my conscious thought. Before I could even start an outline life interrupted with a family emergency and now, seven days later, I can begin to flesh out my characters.

Here’s what I’m reminding myself to think of as I begin:
1. I need a complete physical description of each character (I’m starting with 5 teens)
2. Jot down how each character will react to conflict
3. List their personal quirks, speech, attitude, habits, mannerisms, what they wear, etc.
4. Think up a dominant impression – how the reader will perceive each one
5. What's each character’s point of view? That is, I need to make sure his background evokes the correct response to others and to himself or his plight
6. I need to plan for how I can keep each character interesting, how he will attempt the impossible or unattainable or forbidden or disastrous
7. The hardest part: How will I first introduce each character? The situation must show him in an act that will characterize him – first impressions are just as important in books as in life

In the past I’ve created my characters gradually through the course of writing the action. I’ve gotten to know them and let them grow on their own. This time I thought it would be more fun to create them first and then throw them into a situation.

Do you have any other tips for me?

Writer's Block

There is a song by England Dan & John Ford Coley called SAD TO BELONG about the hopeless feeling of realizing that you’ve finally met the right person, but it’s too late . . . you already belong to someone else. Using that as a theme in a novel almost requires an historical setting now because the 21st Century attitude would be to immediately break up and move on.

I’m searching for a theme for my next writing project, or rather I’m waiting patiently for a plot idea to land in my lap. Meanwhile I’ve been pondering various dilemmas. I woke up this morning thinking about whether it would be better to be with someone that was crazy in love with you (while you only liked him back) or be with someone that you were obsessed with who only just liked you.

To completely get a feel for the two situations I tried to remember my long ago teenage years of angst, love, and turmoil. Boy “A” pursued me from 5th grade until college. I had no interest in him, but finally accepted a date, had a great time, but just wasn’t feeling that “you know what”. He wasn’t the one for me.

Boy “B” was someone that I fell for in 7th grade and tried unsuccessfully to attract for the next 7 years. Finally, we briefly dated. But in this case I wasn’t the one for him.

From my young heart’s point of view I would have chosen Boy “B” if I could and chained my heart to someone who never would have loved me enough. From my author’s perspective I think I would have my character choose Boy “A” and, with time and love, have her be swept away. Oh, wait, that would be about the millionth variation of a Lifetime movie.

Back to the “sad to belong to someone else when the right one comes along” theme, which is, in reality, the situation in each of the above scenarios. Been there, lived that, married boy “C”.

I need some ideas. Some “what ifs”. Any ideas?

My Guest Post at 3BookBees - Thanks Girls

I began writing in high school. I would turn the music up really loud and let the words flow. Mostly it was poetry and short stories. I showed my work to my English teacher who, of course, encouraged me. Then, when a boy I had been crushing on since seventh grade started hanging around one summer, I actually let him read my poems. What was I thinking? Well, the emotional stuff didn't scare him away and we dated a couple years later when he came home from college . . . that is, until his girlfriend returned. Oh, well.

I also kept a diary which I would encourage everyone to do. It makes you think about what was important every day of your life and you get to really know yourself when you look back through the years. What was going on in my life on January 5th of eighth grade or May 5th of twelfth grade, who I was friends with, what I was stressing about, what my hopes were, etc., are more real because they are on paper and not faded or altered by my memory.

When I wrote EDGE OF ESCAPE, which flits around between events in Eddie's and Rebecca's lives in grade school, junior high and high school, having that diary front and center in my mind's eye gave me some added perspective to work with.

I had confidence in my decision to become a writer because of my early efforts. I just wish I hadn't waited so long to try novels. Since I started 9 years ago I have completed 7 novels and have 3 more partially done. Everybody has at least one novel inside - just write!