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| Stella Cameron Writer's Workshop - Plot, Plot, Who's Got the Plot? 01/18/01 |
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bfch - ?
Go back to Part 1
BonnieC has timed out.
kamy - ?
Joanna - ? *goodness..... my cold medication*
jeff - ?
Cissy - bfch has the first question (kamy, Joanna in line)
bfch - I've read the h/h have to work toward the same thing (other than their love for each other) do you agree with this? My h/h have two totally different things they are working for (subplot) this is typed fast so hope it makes sense
DeeGat - 
- 1/18 at 9:44pm EST
bfch - the heroes goal has nothing to do with the heroines.
pushpen - Hm--it's easy to be confused by too many experts 
It would be nice to have one's major characters finish their story by having at least somewhat of a similar vision--similar hopes, but no trouble (conflict) no story.
JaniceS has timed out.
pushpen - It's fine to have very different aims for your characters and they may well be there at the end of the book--just avoid having nothing in the relationship but bickering.
Tigg has timed out.
pushpen - ga
Cissy - kamy has the next question (Joanna, jeff in line)
bfch - well one is business related and the others goal is family oriented
pushpen - So, do you have a conflict between the two?
pushpen - If so, can you define it in a sentence?
kamy - The first things that jump in my mind are the ideas...then the people. They seem to take on their lives after I've developed the story and what direction it's going in. Is that the correct change of events for a romance novel? or do the people have to be more defined first?
kamy - change=chain
Joanna - That is a good one Kamy..
kamy - thanks Joanna
pushpen - Ideas always come first--even if we tend to think they don't
pushpen - I think your sequence is right.
pushpen - Some people use variations and they're good, too.
pushpen - ga
ascribe - logged on - 1/18 at 9:49pm EST
pushpen - Jeff--were you next?
Cissy - Joanna has the next question (jeff in line)
Joanna - Stella… as you are writing all of this down … developing the characters… I am going to assume that the plotting came earlier… do you keep a list of the characters attributes? As I know that we discuss keeping character lists before… or just keep checking back in the developing story?
pushpen - No, no, the plotting did not all come earlier!
pushpen - These character truths are appearing in conjuction with plot
pushpen - I don't keep character lists
niklovr has timed out.
pushpen - But it's fine if anyone wants to, of course.
Joanna - whoops... so you develope the character as you devolope the plot..
pushpen - I talked about gathering, selection, then people (characters)
pushpen - Yes, absolutely. As Kamy wrote, ideas come first.
pushpen - does that help?
Joanna - you can tell I diffently came in .... a little too late...
Cissy - jeff has the last (?) question
Joanna - yes....
jeff - How do you deal with it if you suddenly lose confidence that the psychology you've created between your h/h might be wrong. Who do you ask or where do you ask?
pushpen - There will be a transcript--that'll help.
Joanna - TY
pushpen - Jeff--I go back and find the place where I went astray.
bfch - good question
pushpen - I just finished a book--or thought I had--but
Joanna - that is a good question, jeff as I have heard that conflict come up a lot!
jeff - Does that mean you re-write?
pushpen - decided there was a character inconsistency and an annoying part of that characterization. I had to do some heavy revision but it was worth it.
pushpen - Yep, rewrite, rewrite
pushpen - ga
juice - logged on - 1/18 at 9:56pm EST
jeff - I've re-written what I'm hawking now so many times, I must be up to 150 rewrites by now.
JaniceS - join the club Jeff!
pushpen - Jeff--this may not be a popular suggestion, but it could be time to put that story aside and work on something else. Let the overworked piece really cool off.
Joanna - jeff, are you rewriting because of your dissatisfaction?
margi - ?
Renee D - Rewrite , rewrite and more rewrites here
pushpen - hi, juice
jeff - I'm never satisfied.
jeff - Every time I look at it I see something else I don't like.
pushpen - Yes, Jeff. If I'm not satisfied, I rewrite. Eventually we have to let go. Or go mad!
jeff - Or maybe I like it, but I wonder if anyone else will.
pushpen - This is why I've never read one of my books in print. I couldn't stand it.
pushpen - Some of each, Jeff. This is a talent that drags insecurity with it.
kamy - argh...you're missing some great writing Stella
Morgan - logged on - 1/18 at 9:59pm EST
Joanna - It would be time, jeff (me, as a visual artist) to set aside ... then look at it differently ... (usually upside down ....) but, maybe in writing from end to begining?
pushpen - hi, morgan
Morgan - Grrrrr, i missed it, didn't i? OH, man!
pushpen - Thank you, Kamy!!! But once it's in print I can't change it . . .
jeff - It's hard to find security when you're dealing with psychology.
pushpen - Morgan--there'll be a transcript.
pushpen - very true
Morgan - Hi Stella, i so wanted ot coem to the workshop tonight, but i had three little rugrats making it impossible ot shop tonight! I only got home aobut 20 minute ago!
Renee D - - 1/18 at 10:00pm EST
kamy - I'd say why mess with perfection, but i'd sound like a kiss a** hehehe
pushpen - I'm just listening to all of you.
Joanna - Goodness... should we all write from the heart with passion and not worry about what others will think?
Morgan - Thanks. I so hatred missing it though.
pushpen - Hah!
kamy - i think we writers are perfections by birth anyway...can't change that
jeff - You can't fail to worry about what others will think. Otherwise you may never sell what you've written.
bfch - well, I've got to get. Thanks Stella.
pushpen - Joanna--if we write only what we think other people won't get upset about, or twiggled a bit in their seats about, we'll be miserable. Yes, write from the heart.
bfch - bye all
jeff - Stella, do you consider your own books to be character-driven or plot-driven?
bfch - - 1/18 at 10:02pm EST
Joanna - I think that is where the problems come...
pushpen - night bfch
kamy - is it true that we should just sit down and write start to finish...then go back and re-work it? Instead of trying to fix it chapter by chapter?
Joanna - 
bfch *night*
kamy - good question jeff
pushpen - jeff--a book like Finding Ian is absolutely chracter driven. Glass Houses is plot and character driven. 7B is plot and character driven.
Joanna - To me it would be like worrying to try to sell one of my children... and right now they are both teenagers.... 
jeff - logged on - 1/18 at 10:04pm EST
pushpen - I write in chunks, Kamy. Sometimes chapter by chapter, but I don't go for any sort of finished product. I write mostly through to the end, read everything, then start hacking away.
jeff - DAmn. I got kicked off right in the middle of a thought.
pushpen - I get uneasy when I'm kicked off.
kamy - loved Glass Houses.....just got in Finding Ian two days ago...and pre-orderd 7B...Guess I'm current...Yea
margi - Joanna: hmmm, as the mother of a teenager, that has merit
JaniceS - what do you write?
pushpen - You're getting there. Don't forget next month
Morgan - Hey, are we off protocol? Can i ask you somethin Stella?
jeff - When you set out, Stella, do you have a basic, overall plot in your mind, beginning and ending?
kamy - lol@Joanna
pushpen - You're almost there Kamy. Don't forget next month's anthology--Married in Spring. Nasty's in mine--called WE DO!
Sara - yeah, nasty
pushpen - Morgan--ask away
kamy - wow....really?!!!!! I'm there!
Morgan - What if you have a plot worked, then it changes mid- story. I'm at a crossroads on my Ms, and i'm not sure what i should do about it.
juice has timed out.
pushpen - Jeff--never have an ending...
pushpen - I have a sort of cartoon tornado going on.
jeff - Yikes, Stella. But you do know almost how it will end, don't you?
pushpen - It's made of idea and bits and pieces and sort of chunks and I just let it go like that.
Sara - Stella, after an hour we do offer a graceful exit, but as always you are welcome to stay as long as you want. And I would like to remind everyone that Stella has a wonderful tool for writers -- her writers board
pushpen - No, Jeff--I don't know how a story will end--seriously.
Joanna - cartoon tornado? About the plot.... Oh! //light I understand!!
KimElliget has timed out.
pushpen - Morgan--plots can change or stop working. You don't give up, you take a long, calm look and decide what to do.
kamy - .......always happily though
margi - But what about guidlines withing a certain genre series. Is is possible to use such guidelines to help you establish your plot, or is that just a little too resricting?
Joanna - oops .... that is //bulb
pushpen - Thanks, Sara--I would always urge all of you to stop by the writers' board on my site and ask any questions. I always answer.
Joanna - goodness.... am I in rare form or just normal? That is 
...
pushpen - NO MARGI--forgive shouting, guidelines are not useful.
kamy - LOL@joanna....that's okay, we read dyslexic
Morgan - hahahha, i'm trying. IT's jsut that both will work, and both will do nicely. i'm not sure which would work. DO you recommend for me to run it by someone?
pushpen - Hah, Joanna--no, I meant an inverted black thing swirling along the ground and gathering stuff as it goes!!!
margi - OH, THANK YOU. I felt like I was in a corsett.
pushpen - I recommend to write in the direction that most appeals--if you don't like it, try the other one.
Joanna - hence the .... it finally hit me ....
pushpen - Rosa Pearl, you started to say something a long time ago--want to repeat?
pushpen - I see, Joanna--very clear now.
Morgan - ok, i'll do a little searching, and pondering on it. Thanks, Stella.
Rosa Pearl - thank you for your time this evening It has been enlightening
Joanna - it all makes sense .... sort of like the darkness before the dawn ....
Rosa Pearl - no that was me not knowing I was sending gibberish =)
pushpen - I leave for Spokane in the morning for some signings so I'd better toddle off and pack. Don't worry, Rosa, welcome to the right place--gibberish spoken here.
pushpen - Sara dear, want to do the closing honors?
ascribe - As always, Stella. Thank you for sharing some pearls of wisdom.
Rosa Pearl - night folks
kamy - Have a safe trip Stella, and thanks again for your patience and inspiration
Joanna - Thank you Stella .. have a safe trip ..
Sara - thank you stella, we will be back for part 2 on february 15th
jeff - Thanks for your time, Stella.
Morgan - Thanks for helping me Stella. Sorry i couldn't make it, i was so looking forward ot being here.
ascribe - Night all. Have fun and be safe, Stella.
pushpen - Thank you all very much. Night!
Joanna - Oh what are going to discuss next month ... part ll on plotting?
margi - Have a safe trip and thank you.
ascribe - - 1/18 at 10:16pm EST
Morgan - Be safe, and have a good time. Wish i could go!
Sara - look for the transcript. happy writing. and USE stella's board. It is very worthwhile!!!
Morgan - Night Stella.
pushpen - Morgan--we'll continue with plotting next time and by then you'll have seen the transcript.
Joanna - *NiGhT* NiGhT* Stella *SwEeT* DrEaMs*
pushpen - Yes, come and chat on the board and don't forget to Talk About It, either.
pushpen - Take care all of you. Bye.
