A spring morning to you all.  It’s been a couple of weeks, I think, since I last posted.  It’d be fun to say all kinds of exciting things have been happening but mostly I’ve given my brain a break.  Say, that’s my explanation for how little I’ve accomplished, at least outwardly, and I’m sticking to it.  I’d finished an 80k story for Kensington Aphrodisia and right after, I wrote a couple of 20k novellas which are now sitting on two different e-editors. (Is there such a thing).  I also did a revision of a romantic suspense proposal I’m hoping Laura can find a home for.  Now there’s another Aphrodisiia deadline staring at me which means time to get cracking. 

But truth be known, my brain was worn out.  I had tiny bits and pieces of stuff rattling around in my skull that I might or might not find useful when it came to writing the sucker.  Such as:  1. setting, remote and stark.  2.  Some paranormal.  3.  Two rough and raw characters.  4.  Noir feeling.  (Okay, I’m not sure what qualifies as noir so maybe I should stick with moody/broody.   5.  A personal writing challenge.

So what’s the problem you might ask.  Given those huge chunks of stuff, why didn’t I write Chapter One and get cracking?  Because I didn’t know the beginning, middle, or end.  Because I have no background on my characters.  Because it takes a plot to supply 80,000 words.  I started where I usually do, by hitting my head against my desk.  No, really, I went online and read RT looking for examples of erotica that got my attention.  I’ve read more sample chapters, blurbs, and reviews than I can possibly keep straight.  I dove into my personal research library and found my setting in a picture book on Canyon de Chelly which is in Arizona.  Stark and beautiful with a rich, rich history and mystique.  Somewhere in there a hero started slinking around the edges of my consciousness.  I deliberately say ’slinking’ because he’s catlike, a cougar shapeshifter.  A female character started whispering of her need for roots and a sense of belonging, a restless soul.  Both characters, I discovered from talking to them, have many of the same holes.  They’re loners.  They don’t trust, sometimes not even themselves.  They aren’t particularly civilized, particularly the man.  And the plot is starting to gel, thanks in part to one of those “where did that brilliant idea come from” moments I had somewhere between 1 and 3 a.m. last night.  I’ve been beating around the plot, trying to take it down one road but not getting far enough.  Then suddenly that part of my brain I have no control over jumped up, yelling, “Turn her motivation around.  Make this, not that, her goal.”  And yeah, now we’re getting somewhere.

I’d love to take credit for that middle of the night lightbulb moment, but I know what, in part, led to it.  A member of my local writers’ group is into screenplays and took a screenwriting class taught by Cynthia Witcomb who makes a damn good living as a screenwriter AND is a top-notch instructor.  She told her class, “Turn your plot on its ears.  Come at it from new directions.”  Fantastic advise!

And I’m outta here because I’m eager to get going on my character sketches and synopsis.

For the other writers out there, has there been one piece of writing advise that resonated the most with you?

Vonna

www.VonnaHarper.com