Writer's moments

It’s Not All Party, Party, Party…

…over here at Nan’s house. I am still floating on a little pink cloud over the release of Rule Number One on Tuesday and the fact that today, it hit #2 on the BookStrand Mainstream Top Sellers list (Woot!), but I also have to keep maintaining what passes for normal in my life. So, I went swimming this morning, did a load of laundry, thought about what to make for supper, decided on shrimp,  and got back to work on my work-in-progress (WIP).

I’m a little bit stalled on this one, so I’m doing something I don’t normally do—I’m plotting. Ordinarily, I just sit down and write and let the characters take the story where it needs to go. But I’ve reached a point in this one where I have to organize my thoughts. There’s a lot going on and I need to get Sophie and Ben through a crisis and on to their happily ever after. This novel is different for me because it’s romantic suspense and has more plot elements than the others that I’ve written. My stories are mostly character-driven, but this one depends on the plot to move it along.

At one point this morning, I was starting to think I’d introduced too damn many twists and turns, but as I look at the timeline I’ve made, I don’t think that’s the case. I just need to bring it all together in a way that is believable and satisfying. I can’t really tell you what the story’s about because even giving you the basics presents the likelihood of major spoilers, but I can tell you it involves the possibility of sunken treasure, the reality of family drama, a frightened heroine and of course, need I say it? A bold and delectable hero.

I’m having a great time writing something different, but it’s much more of a challenge for me to maintain a balance between exploration of the character’s personalities and moving along in the plot. I’m trying hard not to get bogged down and to keep things lively and interesting. So far, my crit partners are on board, so I’ll carry on…I think I may know how to get Sophie and Ben out of trouble…hopefully without getting them killed…

3 Comments

  • londonmabel

    I’ve taken a pause from my writing to focus on the job hunt thing. (Gotta eat my veggies before going back to The Treat.) But I am thinking of starting to swim–you guys are always talking about your nice swimming or splashy classes, it sounds inviting.

  • Nan

    Mu first three were all character-driven, but this new one is full of lots of adventure and some interesting family drama.

    Can’t wait to read your books, Roben!

  • robena grant

    Yay! You. A romantic suspense. I’m doing the opposite. Wrote three RS and everything for me was about the shoot-em-ups and the blow-em-ups. My crit partner would keep pointing out the first word in the genre is romance. Hee hee.

    I just finished the rough draft of my Italian story and it is pure character. Not one gun, knife, or bomb. It was hard for me to do but I produced 75,000 words. Now have to revise and tweak.