Las Vegas Romance Writers, a chapter of RWA.
PLOTTING YOUR BOOK
Don’t let plotting intimidate you.
Following are a few useful tips.
Read
published books in your preferred genre. Put on your writing cap and jot down
notes about the construction of each chapter. How did the author end the
chapter? Did they include a hook that would keep the reader turning the pages? Does
his/her chapter have a beginning, middle and end? If there is a complete change
of scene, is there a smooth transition?
Determine
the events that you want to include in your novel. How will your main character
address these events? What or who keeps her/him from reaching their goal? What
can you write that will keep the book moving? At this point, don’t worry about
what your character eats, wears, or other mundane details unless it’s essential
to the plot.
Consider
creating a synopsis to use as a plotting tool. If you have a picture in your
mind of how your book will proceed, plot it out chapter by chapter. This
doesn’t mean that during the writing process that other ideas might emerge that
will make your plot more interesting, but it will prove to be a guideline.
Know
how your book will end. This is important. It will provide a goal while writing
your novel.
Remember
the four C’S. CONFLICT---COMPLICATION---CRISIS---CONCLUSION
HOW TO PREVENT THE SAGGING MIDDLE
Once you’ve determined the structure of
your story, don’t linger on any one plot point longer than you need to. Tell it well and move
along. The scenes in the middle of your
book should heighten the drama. Keep it to the point and don’t allow yourself
to wander off into sub-plots that don’t move the action. This is a good
place to introduce your character to their worst nightmare, and then lull them
into a false sense of security. Sometimes the plot leads somewhere you haven’t
preplanned. That’s okay. Keep it fresh. For those of you who are “Pantsers,” if
the plot is unfolding as you write it, make sure you’re surprising yourself. If
you don’t experience surprise as the writer, you won’t relate it to the reader.
LET’S WRITE THE BOOK
Now that you have the outline, open your
book with a sentence that grabs the reader’s (and Editor’s) attention. That
first paragraph could make a difference. Carefully introduce the time, place,
setting and your main character, but don’t spell it out like a job interview.
Decide whose point of view you’ll use. The first chapter is a good place to
introduce your character’s flaws. Humanize them. No one likes to read about
Miss Perfect, but they enjoy reading about someone they can identify with. Hint
at the main character’s goal. What is the tone of your book? Romantic?
Humorous? Supernatural? Dark? Mysterious? Be subtle, but prepare the reader for
the plot and suggest the conflict.
Know everything about your characters.
Make a list. This information will keep you, the writer on track. Nothing
stands out more than to write in the first chapter about “her clear blue eyes,”
and later mention, “her brown eyes grew darker...” Or, “he put the top down on
the convertible, but later “backed his truck out of the driveway.”
In a romance novel, the hero and heroine
should meet within the first three chapters. This is a good place to write the
first conflict. Ask yourself, what could happen. Add inner conflicts and
struggles. Life doesn’t always run smoothly so magnify the events in your
character’s life. Allow for redemptive moments, but don’t solve everything
immediately. Don’t judge your characters, but allow them to make mistakes that
maybe you wouldn’t do. The transfer of emotions moves from the writer to the
characters and on to the reader.
Write the first draft. It doesn’t have
to be perfect…it doesn’t even have to flow at this point, but get your thoughts
down on paper. Write every day, even if it’s only a few sentences. DON’T EDIT.
I know that’s difficult, but editing can come later, and believe me your
finished book will look nothing like your first draft.
Once you have the first draft down on
paper, question every scene. Have you added the five senses to your scenes? Adding
scents, sounds, sights and tastes to your novel will make it vivid and come
alive. Close your eyes. Can you see the scene? Are your descriptions clear and
concise? You know what you mean to say, but will the reader? How about the use
of repeat words or unnecessary explanations? Did stay in the character’s POV or
did you head-hop? Did you write deep POV? Show not tell?
Be ruthless with the delete key on your
computer. Cut out the scenes that don’t push the story forward. Did your main
character grow or change? Did you give your villain an ever so slight redeeming
quality? In a romance novel, always create a happy or satisfying ending.
Tips: Resist the urge to explain
everything. Give your reader some credit.
Action before reaction.
Avoid author intrusion. You can only
write what your POV character sees, feels, tastes or hears.
Revise, revise, revise.
Show, don’t tell. Write deep POV.
Don’t make your story predictable. Life
isn’t.
Don’t use exclamation points. Your
writing should relate surprise and irony.
The shorter the story, the more
important each word becomes.
Know the rules of writing before you attempt
to break them.
Use strong verbs, and eliminate the unnecessary
adjectives and adverbs.
Skip the constant ‘she said, he said’
when there are only two character in a scene.
Find an honest critique partner or
group.
