Writing Tip of the Day

Some writers say they are "pantsers" rather than "plotters," meaning they don't plot their work but just sit down and start writing "by the seat of their pants." Don't be misled. Their books have usually been simmering on a back burner for weeks or months. They have a basic story concept and planned events in mind, even if they prefer not to set them down in a formal plot outline.

Writing Tip of the Day

It can sometimes be helpful to think of your book plot in terms of a traditional script for stage or screen. That is to say, as a three-act play with a beginning, middle and end. This seems to work best for shorter fiction, up to 50,000 words, which generally requires only two or three dramatic incidents plus a climax.

Writing Tip of the Day

Another way to think of plotting a novel, whether romance or any other genre, is in the context of a "quest" story. The main character leaves her/his normal lifestyle to seek something of importance, encounters trials and tribulations along the way, and finally triumphs because she/he has been proven worthy of winning--or of attaining a happy ending. For more on this idea see: THE WRITER'S JOURNEY: MYTHIC STRUCTURE FOR WRITERS, by Christopher Vogel.

Pen-Name Alert

Those of you who have followed my career for some time know that I wrote six short contemporary romances for Signet/New American Libary in the 80s using the pen-name Maxine Patrick. They were also published by Doubleday Romance Book Club, and often show up in both soft and hardcover versions on the Internet. The book titles were: ABDUCTED HEART, CAPTIVE KISSES, BAYOU BRIDE, SNOWBOUND HEART, LOVE AT SEA, and APRIL OF ENCHANTMENT. Recently, another author has begun using Maxine Patrick as a pen-name--or maybe it's her real name; I have no way of knowing. This alert is just to make sure readers know that any titles published under Maxine Patrick, other than those listed above, were not written by me.

FYI: The titles above have been reissued as Jennifer Blake books and are available as downloads from several sources, including www.ereads.com.

Writing Tip of the Day

The Resolution of a story, also known as the Denouement, takes place in the final chapter. This is where the main character reaches her/his internal goal, where any necessary explanations are made, loose ends are tied up and a mirror is provided for the future lives of the characters. The last few lines of a well written denouement in a romance novel usually leave the reader with a feel-good smile.

Writing Tip of the Day

The Climax is the final, dramatic confrontation in a book. It's the moment when the main character takes charge, overcomes all past problems or foes, and achieves her/his main or external goal. It should be a natural outgrowth of everything that has gone before, one which satisfies the reader's expectation of triumph for the human spirit.

Writing Tip of the Day

The Black Moment in a story is the point, usually about three-quarters through the book, when all seems lost. The happy outcome is most in doubt; justice and true love, so it appears, can never triumph. It is the moment when the author has the best opportunity to tap the emotions of readers. The darker you can make the Black Moment, the more satisfying will be your HEA ending.

Writing Tip of the Day

The "Dreaded Sagging Middle" is a threat to many authors. After introducing their main characters and setting them on a dramatic path, the story stalls at the halfway mark as they wonder what should happen next. The best way to avoid this is to include a dramatic turning point here in your initial plot. In romance, this is often the escalation of the romantic relationship into sexual intimacy. The ploy works best, however, if the change increases the conflict between the hero and heroine and/or raises the danger level for the heroine.

Writing Tip of the Day

Flashbacks, prologues and epilogues are writing devices which can interfere with the clear presentation of a story idea. A book written in linear fashion, without bells and whistles that steal attention from its basic premise, is always more elegant, and usually more pleasing to the reader.

Writing Tip of the Day

Epilogues are scenes added to the end of a story after the main action is over. They are popular in romance novels as a way of letting readers know what happened after the Happily Ever After, or else as teasers for future stories in a series. They can be anticlimactic, with a tacked on feel, unless handled with exceptional finesse. Think twice before adding one to your book.

Writing Tip of the Day

Prologues are much-loved devices because they appear "literary" and can illustrate back story that may be awkward to handle in straightforward fashion. The majority of stories are more powerful and immediate without them. Before including one, try writing a scene or two with the required information given in exposition and/or dialogue between characters.

Writing Tip of the Day

A flashback should serve a purpose that can be gained in no other way. Though it illustrates events in the past, it must still be constructed in such a way that it adds momentum to your story.

Writing Tip of the Day

Make certain your story is off to a strong, running start before adding a flashback. You don't want past events to sidetrack the reader from her/his quest to discover what's going to happen next.

Writing Tip of the Day

If you create a scene to dramatize past events, one which includes character actions and dialogue, it's a flashback. If you only describe something that happened long ago, it's exposition. Any time information derived from past events can be given in a few sentences, a flashback is not required.

Writing Tip of the Day

Flashbacks, the presentation of vital past events in separate scenes, are a possible outcome of beginning books in the middle of the action. They can be included in your initial plotting, but should be severely limited as they interrupt the forward motion of the story. Do without them if you can manage it.

Writing Tip of the Day

Cliffhangers are useful devices that keep readers turning pages. They can occur at the ends of scenes as well as at the ends of chapters. They need not be so dramatic as to literally endanger characters, but can pose subtle--or not so subtle--questions that demand answers.

Writing Tip of the Day

Coincidences--things that "just happen" to change events--may occur in real life, but are not allowed in fiction. Because all fictional events are contrived by the author, solving a plot problem by use of a coincidence is seen as a failure of creativity at best or cheating at worst.

Writing Tip of the Day

Romance novels are stories about the basic human emotions which ensure the survival of the species: sexual attraction, love and pair bonding. Plot points, or dramatic incidents, can and often do involve changes within the male-female relationship.

Present Tense Plague

I recently picked up a couple of contemporary romance novels, both of which, unknown to me until I began to read, were written in present tense--"She smiles" instead of "She smiled", "He says" instead of "He said." The first book began with a prologue, which I read because I assumed it would change to normal past tense for the remainder of the book. Being hooked by the premise, I continued to read to the bitter end, but was constantly distracted by the tense in which the story was told, constantly looking for, and finding, errors in the method. When I opened the second book and discovered it was written in present tense as well, I immediately tossed it.

Most books are written in past tense because this is the traditional method of telling a story, as if the events have already happened and a raconteur is entertaining an audience with them. It feels "right" to readers. A story written in present tense, as though taking place in real time with the author as observer, is usually a tour de force, an exhibition of writing skill that may be clever but serves no particular purpose except, possibly, to be "different." It's okay in short fiction but awkward in book length, particularly when including past events. For the majority of books, anything that distracts the reader from the story is automatically wrong, no matter how correct or incorrect it might be as a literary device. Why an author would shoot themselves in the foot by using present tense is beyond me. Don't do it, please, or I may toss your book, too.

Dropping the Other Shoe

If you read my October newsletter (copied below), then you know I've been working on a short contemporary romance. I'd given myself a personal deadline of Oct. 5 to finish it, which would have been about a month from when I began on Sept. 7. I'm happy to announce that I actually completed the book on Saturday, Oct. 3. Now I can start work on book 2 of my medieval trilogy under contract with a free heart. Don't you love it when thing work out according to schedule?

Triumph in Arms Cover

I'm delighted with the cover for my February 1, 2010 release, Triumph in Arms, and thought some of you might like a sneak peak. It's in my favorite color...
Jennifer

Writing Tip of the Day

Romance novels, like all popular fiction, are morality tales, stories about decent people who surmount their difficulties and gain their heart's desires because they deserve to win.  Holding this in mind while plotting your story will help keep you on the right track.

Writing Tip of the Day

Foreshadowing--the insertion of *subtle* hints about what is to happen next--is a plot device which can add great interest.  One of the benefits of organized plotting is that the author knows where the story is headed so can insert these hints into the natural flow of the story in rough draft instead of in revision.

Writing Tip of the Day

Every novel is made up of thousands of ideas.  When brainstorming for your main story events, don't discard minor ideas that are too weak to act as turning points.  They may become secondary events or trigger interesting scenes in your story.

Writing Tip of the Day

Brainstorming is the #1 tool for plotting.  With pen and paper or computer file, jot down every event that can possibly take place within the parameters of your story.  Discard the hackneyed or too improbable; choose those that excite you.  Arange them in logical order and you will have the bones of your story.

October Newsletter

Greetings:

 

So here we are again in the busy season of the year.  I usually gear up for a winter of writing about this time, but got off to a special start this past month by working on two projects at once.

 

The first of these was the proposal for the second book in my medieval Three Graces trilogy.  After polishing and reprinting its pages at least ten times, I emailed it three or four days ago.  The working title for this story is BY GRACE POSSESSED, and it features a Scotsman as the hero.  I've wanted to create a heroic Scotsman in traditional plaid, or kilt, since a trip to Scotland in 2006, so expect to enjoy working on this book.  Just as a reminder, this Three Graces trilogy will be out in 2011 with the books published in consecutive months, probably October, November and December.

 

The second project came about after a phone discussion with my daughter about Harlequin Presents novels, those short (50,000 words compared to my usual 100,000), sexy reads with European heroes and exotic settings.  The instant I hung up, a story idea popped into my head using Italy's Cinque Terre region that I visited last year.  The genre isn't new for me; I wrote six short contemporary stories back in the early 80s that were published under a pen-name.  At the time, I had a contract that called for a book per month..  Could I do that again now, write a 50,000 word book in the month or so I had before starting the next contracted work?  The challenge was irresistible, especially as I hate letting a story idea go to waste.  As I write this, then, I'm working on Chapter 10 out of a possible 12, and expect to complete the book by Oct. 5.  Neither my agent nor my editor has seen this book, so it has no publication date.  I'll let you know what happens with it as time goes along.

 

For those who might be curious, the earlier contemporary romances mentioned were written for New American Library as Maxine Patrick and sometimes show up in used book stores or as collectibles online at hefty prices.  They are also available as Jennifer Blake titles via electronic download or print-on-demand from www.ereads.com or on Amazon.  The titles are ABDUCTED HEART, CAPTIVE KISSES, BAYOU BRIDE, SNOWBOUND HEART, LOVE AT SEA and APRIL OF ENCHANTMENT.

 

I'm Twittering.  Isn't everybody? J  Posting a 140 word note every morning is becoming addictive; it makes me feel no end of productive.  To find out what I'm up to on any given day, look for JenniferBlake01 (plain Jennifer Blake was already taken) on www.twitter. com.  You can become a "follower" and receive this short note every day, if you like.  The more people I know are reading it, the more likely I am to keep posting!

 

Let's see, what else do I have going on?   I've begun adding a daily writing tip to the blog on my web site.  I'm not sure how long I can keep this up, but the plan is to do it for a year.  At the end, I may wind up with one of those Thought of the Day calendars.  You never know!  Check this out at: www.jenniferblake. com.  Click on Jennifer's Journal (blog) at the bottom of the home page.

 

 And I've received the proof of the cover art for Sourcebooks Publishing's reissue of my New York Times best selling novel from 1983, ROYAL SEDUCTION.  It's stunning, with lots of purple and a steamboat.  When the final art work is ready, I'll post this cover to my web site.  My editor at Mira Books also sent the final cover art for my February 2010 title, TRIUMPH IN ARMS.  I love this one, as it reminds me of the original cover for ROYAL SEDUCTION which was done by cover artist Jim Griffin.  Of course it doesn't hurt that both are in my favorite color, a deep, intense turquoise.  I'll get this cover up on my web site before long as well.  However, I'm planning a major overhaul of the site in the near future, and may wait until my web maven gets the new version online.

 

That's it for this month.  Signing off with warmest wishes for an October that's as haunted as your heart can stand,

 

Jennifer

Writing Tip of the Day

If the dramatic incidents in your book can be called "story peaks" then the space between them becomes "valleys."  These valleys are where backstory, character development and secondary plots are explored—all while building toward your next peak.

Writing Tip of the Day

The dramatic incident at the beginning of your book should raise questions about future events and how your characters will face them.  It's the pursuit of answers to these questions that engages the mind and emotions of the reader.