My writing process, a cocktail of variety and patterns
I start writing to get a sense of the characters and
setting. I might write the opening of the story, a scene or two from the middle
or the end. In the beginning, I write whatever comes to mind, whatever makes
the story and characters come alive for me. I keep writing until I get stuck.
When I get stuck I ask myself a couple questions. What does
she want? What’s her goal? What does he want? His goal? The best stories have
complex characters who desire several things, often these things are conflicted.
Like the woman who wants excitement in her sex life but is afraid to trust. Or
a guy who wants to commit to the woman he’s in love with but has a job that
always puts him in danger. Once I know
what the characters want I can use those goals to give the story shape.
The next ingredient is motivation. Why does she want crave
excitement in her sex life? Sure, everyone wants excitement. But each character
is unique and much of that individuality is expressed in motivation. Does she
want excitement because she’s just left a dull but secure romance and wants to
know what she’s missing? Or does she want to experience some wild sex because
she’s just finished law school and has done nothing but read, write and study
for the past couple years? What about him? Does he long to provide for his
woman because while growing up he never had a home of his own? Or maybe
appreciated his childhood and wants to provide a stable home for future
children. The characters’ motivation propels the story forward by causing them
to move toward their goals.
Next up, conflict. What’s in the way? There has to be
something in the way ‘cause if there isn’t a problem there isn’t really a
story. Readers are wonderful people, but, well, they do like to see the
characters work hard for that happy ending.
The best conflicts are ones custom designed for the
character. That woman who wants hot sex but is afraid to trust? Create a
to-die-for hero who gives her a taste of what he has to offer but makes it
clear that to get more she has to trust him. Even better, add in an external
element that requires her to trust him, to do something she can’t, maybe help
her achieve a goal that’s important to her.
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