Current Project: Doctor in Petticoats
Status: 52,000 words
A friend sent me an e-mail for “Great Karma”. The very first thing on the list was: Take into account that great love and great achievement involve great risk.
This statement had me staring at it and not pushing the button to go on. This is so true in life and in how a writer should go about thinking about a story.
Risk and love-
In life, you give your love to someone but that doesn’t mean it will be taken and you can end up shattered when it’s thrown back in your face.
In a story, you want one or both of your characters to be fearful of committing to the other or loving them- it makes great conflict, but it also makes them vulnerable a trait everyone can relate to and root for.
Risk and Achievement-
In life, everyone struggles to achieve something whether it’s getting out of a wheelchair and they risk falling or they’ve put money into something, or you’ve put all your emotions into a book and you’re looking for an agent/editor/ good review. Risk is something that is always knocking on the door and you can either hide from it and never try to achieve anything or do your best and hope the risk pays off.
In a story, risk is what keeps the story moving forward- it’s the momentum that keeps the character charging to the end and if all goes well they achieve their goal. It may not be the one they first started out wanting, but they end up finding out the risk was worth the reward or sacrifice.
I know we’ve said this before- writers seem to see something about writing in everything. What lately have you seen or read that reminded you about the writing process?
10 comments:
Ha! One step forward two steps back- After receiving requested research material over the weekend, I find the two chapters I wrote the end of last week are now going to have to change - drastically. And they were really good love scenes if I do say so myself- guess they have to wait a while longer. Oh well, all the more sexual tension to play with. LOL
I don't know if this counts, but I just finished Delicious by Sherry Thomas (everyone must read this book), and it dovetailed so perfectly with Eli's Friday post that it was eerie. The whole time I was thinking, "Must freely give up goal, must freely give up goal. Goals must be in opposition."
Also, on my parenting boards and blogs, I often find myself thinking about the juncture of fiction and non-fiction. All good writing needs a hook and purpose. A recent post I read reminded me that you need to visualize your ideal reader.
Hi, Paty!
Bummer on the rewrites. But better to find out now than after the book is published! And if they can be used later in the story, an even bigger payoff!
And you asked what reminded me of the writing process. Remodeling is definitely like writing. Just when you think you're about finished, something else comes up and you're off in a new direction--or on a new project. You know what I've been doing for far too long!
Hope you get some writing done even with your company coming!
Wavy, I sent a writer friend over to read Eli's Friday post and she was glad she did. I'll have to check out Delicious when I get this WIP finished. I've told myself no more reading, unless it's research, until I write the end.
I have trouble visualizing the ideal reader for my books. I'm finding I have quite a number of males reading them. But the females tend to be all ages and the males tend to be 50+. So what kind of demographics does that give me???
Genene, I couldn't tell you've been remodeling for a while. LOL ;)
Paty -- You're right that everything seems to remind a writer of writing. I believe I could circle any chore or art or pursuit back to writing given a little leeway...
Those love scenes you wrote are like money in the bank!
Hope you're having a nice visit with family.
Alice, Yep, I've already figured out how to work them in. ;) But first I have to get them across the state by train without any hanky-panky.
I loved this post for a different reason, Paty. To heck with using this in writing, I need to apply it to my own life. lol.
Love the quote as well, Paty. Glad to hear you're making such good progress on the wip and that you were able to salvage those cut scenes. For some reason I'm never able to do that. By the time I figure out where to work a cut scene back in, it doesn't seem to fit anymore.
Kendra and Eli, I agree the statement is something to live life by.
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