by Charlene Teglia | Feb 18, 2006 | Uncategorized
Before I filed the scene sketch for HH2 I thought I’d better ask my husband if the motorcycle stunt I envisioned was actually possible. He came up with three different ways it would work and storyboarded (as in drew it out) the most plausible. He also pointed out a plot hole in the scenario and then came up with an explanation for it. Woo! I taped the storyboard (with two elevations) to the wall above my computer.
He’s also doing site updates for me. The CAPA nominee graphic is going up, new review quotes, the CAPA nomination info in the newsflash. He seriously rocks.
by Charlene Teglia | Feb 18, 2006 | Uncategorized
Lou’s comic book thing was kind of a joke in Wolf, but I think it’s going to be important in this book. Which of course made me want to go find back issues of Fangoria. Which made Cass roll up a comic book and beat me over the head with it.
“What do you think you’re doing? I’m in the middle of a book here, Writer Wench, and you left me hanging after The Good Stuff got started to go think about comic books? Get back here and finish MY story!”
Um. She said lots of other things, but they contain spoilers. Or maybe profanity. Anyway, the comic books are important. The unconscious brain says so and it’s never wrong. So I will put that into the story file and then go back to work on Cass.
Also going into the story file is the stuff for Hal’s Heroes #2 I woke up with after the comic book thing. I’m getting a huge buildup of stuff in my brain, I think a story explosion is about to happen. It does seem to go in cycles like that.
I keep files for every story, finished and in progress, with all sorts of stuff. Background material, research, scene sketches, dialog, plot ideas. All neatly organized so I don’t lose it and it’s all there when I go to work on the story. Electronic works for me this way, if I use paper I lose it. Your mileage may vary. Anyway, when I get pieces of the story like this I write it down and put it in the file. So when I go to put it together I’ve got all these pieces and it’s like a puzzle.
Much more productive than starting from scratch every time, I think. It’s easier on me, at least. When I first started, I’d get an idea and jump right into writing it instead of letting it simmer and collecting pieces of it. This led to lots of rewriting. I don’t rewrite nearly as much now, because the unconscious brain is working on it ahead of time, ironing out the kinks.
by Charlene Teglia | Feb 16, 2006 | Uncategorized
And she’s not where I expected. She’s also having some interesting problems. I think I’ll spend some time with her today and see what’s going on. Yes, I know, this doesn’t help get MLH done. But when a voice is that strong in my head, I have to get it down.
I tried to work on this back in December when I first had the idea for another werewolf installment and spun my wheels until I realized that third person wasn’t working. Which makes sense, because Wolf is Lou’s story and written in closely held third person single viewpoint, which is pretty much thinly-disguised first person. It’s her story and her voice that carries it. And now she’s talking again. So we’ll try this her way, first person.
by Charlene Teglia | Feb 16, 2006 | Uncategorized
So I’m plodding along on Miss Lonely Hearts, and I’ve realized why I’m not done. I was thinking, “hey, a sexy contemporary romantic comedy, it’ll be easy!” Before you throw rocks at my head, a straight romantic comedy really is pretty easy for me, and I was looking forward to something easier after The Gripping Beast and Wolf, both of which were very complex.
It’s not easy. There’s the crime plot, the whodunnit, and that runs through the book. I’m not sure if I have plot and counterplot or two parallel plots but whatever, it’s not easy! Well, my muse obviously thinks I need to live up to higher standards or bigger plots or something, none of this taking it easy business. It’s going to be a really good book, better than a simpler plot would make it, and I can’t regret that, but geez, it seems like my brain keeps raising the bar every time I sit down to write something.
My solution to the plot hole is solid, by the way. Strengthens the themes and deepens characterization and conflict. Good stuff. Just not easy. Urgh.
by Charlene Teglia | Feb 15, 2006 | Uncategorized
So you can go there to read my column about passion. I’m glad it’s coherent because I posted it so far ahead of time I’d forgotten what I said. But it’s a topic I feel strongly about; it IS possible to combine your passion with something practical. And in fact I think you can’t be successful unless you do. Certainly life without it is lacking something vital.
Recent Comments