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| Stella Cameron Writing Workshop 02/15/01 |
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Cissy - Okay, guys - we're talking about plotting tonight and shooting straight to the Q&A. Just type ? to get in line with a question for Stella and I'll call on you in turn.
Go on to Part 2
pushpen - Okay. Plotting, ladies. Let's concentrate on problems you have or have had. Start lining up the questions--and the hell was supposed to be hello.
pushpen - Well, don't all rush at once....
Cissy - ?
LisaL - ?
Cissy - I have one to get things rolling...
Diane W - ?
Niteowl - I'm sorry, I can't stay 
I'll catch you all later 
Cissy - How important is it to have your entire plot mapped out ahead of time? Do you like to see where the book takes you or is that just courting disaster? (Lisa and Diane in line)
Niteowl - 
- 2/15 at 9:25pm EST
jeff - logged on - 2/15 at 9:25pm EST
Cissy - Hi jeff, we're chatting with Stella Cameron about plotting. Just type ? to get in line with a question for Stella and I'll call on you in turn.
Beverl - ?
kamy - hi jeff
jeff - ?
jeff - Hi, y'all
Lynn - ?
pushpen - I like to have an overview--a strong sense of character and conflict. Conflict holds all the good stuff in story--it's the trouble that keeps those pages turning. I don't (sometimes I think this is unfortunate 
) ever have an entire plot worked out and rarely know who the villain will be until more than halfway through the book.
pushpen - ga
Susanna - 
- 2/15 at 9:27pm EST
Cissy - Lisa has the next question (Diane, Beverl, jeff in line)
pushpen - Oh, and I stop to outline chapter by chapter as I write.
pushpen - Hi Susanna and Jeff
Cissy - Hi Susanna, we're chatting with Stella Cameron about plotting. Just type ? to get in line with a question for Stella and I'll call on you in turn.
Mac - 
- 2/15 at 9:29pm EST
Mac - Computer froze.
LisaL - How do you make the villian not so obvious, but still a bad guy?
LisaL - How do you make the villian not so obvious, but still a bad guy?
pushpen - V. funny, Mac!
LisaL - Does that make any sense?
Lynn - makes sense to me Lisa
Cissy - does to me, Lisa
pushpen - By allowing him to emerge from a cast that can always throw you a curve. Obviously you have the bad guys who are running around the story and doing madly dangerous stuff, but to pin the mastermind stuff on one of them is boring (and done too often)-- you wait patiently for the true baddie to come forward. GLASS HOUSES is one of my best examples of this.
pushpen - Good question, Lisa! ga.
Diane W - Are there any tests for how well your crafted your plot is? Such as if you have 10 Big Misunderstandings, it’s a badly crafted plot.
Cissy - You really threw us a curve in GLASS HOUSES, Stella!
LisaL - Thanks. That helps. I just hate it when, in the end it was the brother-in-law, who we thought was so nice.
pushpen - If you have any Big Misunderstandings that play a major part in advancing action you've got a dicy plot. It's the "oh, sure" factor you have to avoid.
I BarbHicks has timed out.
pushpen - The villian should be difficult to spot, but not way out of line when he appears. He has to have strong motive, too.
Cissy - Beverl has the next question (jeff, Lynn in line)
pushpen - ga
Beverl - Which plot points besides the say major three should go into a short synopsis? Bevelry
Beverl - Should all the subplots be covered?
jeff - I attended a workshop conducted by an editor once where she said the romance cannot be the plot. But if your story is not a mystery, not an adventure, but is indeed the story of the romance, what IS the plot.
jeff - Oops. Sorry.
Cissy - good question, jeff!
I BarbHicks - logged on. - 2/15 at 9:37pm EST
I BarbHicks - im sorry Im back
I BarbHicks - hi susanna and jeff
pushpen - Beverl--I don't work with this plot point thing. That approach is the pop culture "must" because of a couple of books that made such an issue of the idea. I see a story like an inverted check mark. Try drawing one. Then play bounce the ball with zigzag lines bag and forth throughout the rising action of the story. This rising and falling action is classic storytelling and holds up always. As the tail of the check mark comes up to a point, that's the confrontation, the biggest crisis which then falls away in the denoument--which should be short because you've been widing up the loose ends for some time.
Cissy - well, we're not sorry you're back, Barb 
I BarbHicks - why thank you
pushpen - should be back and forth throughout, etc.
Lynn - LOL I was thinking it Cissy. You beat me to it
Diane W - ?
LisaL - we're glad you're back, Barb
pushpen - Does this give you pointers?
pushpen - Sit down in your seat, Ms Hicks and come up with a queston.
Morgan - oh my God! I'm in trouble with my story, i think.
LisaL - f putting it, Stella! 
I BarbHicks - I feel like Im in school
pushpen - Wassa matter, Morgan.
LisaL - I meant what a great way of putting it, stella!
Beverl - It's great to hear you say that! Like they say, if it isn't broken . . . Thanks!
pushpen - What did you say, Lisa ?
I BarbHicks - here is some 
for the teacher
ascribe - Me, too, Morgan.
Lynn - I bet you never had a teacher as awesome as Stella though, huh Barb?
pushpen - Barb? CAn't take the discipline, huh *vbg*
Morgan - what you jsut said, about the characters. MY antagonists are set from te beginning and we all know woh they are, jsut not their motives.
I BarbHicks - no not at all, she would have been my favorite teacher
Cissy - jeff has the next question (Lynn, Diane in line)
LisaL - yeah! somnone who types like meee!!
pushpen - We'll get to that, Morgan.
jeff - As I already accidentally said, I attended a workshop conducted by an editor once who said the romance cannot be the plot. But if your story is not a mystery, not an adventure, but strictly a romance, what IS the plot?
pushpen - Certainly romance can be the plot from which all complications grow.
pushpen - People come up with some funny notions.
pushpen - That would be exactly like saying a mystery can't be the center of the plot.
pushpen - ga
Lynn - This is probably a lame question, but it still bothers me Is there any way you can make sure you don't make your plot too complicated?? I mean, to make sure that you aren't throwing all this other crap into it that is just dragging the story down
pushpen - Looong Luscious Night of the Demon Instrusion...
LisaL - ?
pushpen - Lynn--this is one of the biggest dangers in this business.
pushpen - I have to carve back my plots. The first sign is when I start to see characters who look like popsicle sticks with faces drawn on them and they pop on and off page until I think--"I don't need these people." Keep on looking for threads that go nowhere and folks who add nothing to the plot.
pushpen - ga
Diane W - If your villain is someone who’s not evil, just obnoxious and self-righteous, how can you intensity the tension? (I’ve got a couple of villains like that in this story, which is a romance not mystery/adventure/suspense.)
Beverl - ?
pushpen - These villains, no matter what they are NOT, must present some threat to the story. So, interference on their behalf that gets in the way of the progress the readers will want is the best course to take. These people can draw tension very tight by just plane getting in the way, by wanting things of the hero or heroine, or both, that are a threat to the relationship. make it big--they threaten to tear the two apart. GA
Cissy - we must be getting a long answer to this one! 
pushpen - just plain.
pushpen - Humph, it was a big answer.
pushpen - ga
Cissy - 
Stella
Cissy - Lisa has the next question (Beverly in line)
pushpen - I make sure I give this my all 
pushpen - Smooches back to you, Cissy!
Lynn - And we thank you dearly for it Stella
pushpen - Sniff, it's my pleasure.
Diane W - Thanks for the big answer! That really helped.
pushpen - welcome. Are you there, Lisa?
LisaL - Excellent responses, Stella! But isn't the balance between the romance and the plot (I'm writing a suspense) tipping more toward the plot, while still maintaining the sexual tension between m/f protaganists?
LisaL - Big question. Harrumph!
jeff - ?
pushpen - We've got a little tangle of terms here. The whole story balances on a plot. In romantic suspense we have the romance, and the suspense elements. The latter should be high profile and able to carry an entire story. The romance should be sophisticated and also able to carry an entire book if you weren't using suspense. Braiding the two together is everything. Remember, sexual tension is a natural benefit that arises from danger in the presence of a love story. GA.
Cissy - Beverly has the next question (jeff in line)
pushpen - if there are some unanswered and pressing questions we don't have time to answer--we could go to the lounge for a few minutes afterward.
Beverl - In a single-title, contemporary are there any taboo plots and if so could they be used as subplots?
Cissy - There's a chat with this month's Harlequin Superromance authors beginning at 10p... I have to go moderate
Cissy - You're all welcome to stay here and keep chatting, or go to the lounge, or attend the Superathors chat
I BarbHicks - logged on. - 2/15 at 9:58pm EST
pushpen - As far as I'm concerned there are no taboo plots. Some elements are better used as subplots, but don't shy away from anything you feel strongly about and believe you can handle.
LisaL - Where's that?
pushpen - Cissy--where is the other chat, please?
pushpen - ga
Cissy - it's here, in the Readers Chatroom, Lisa
ascribe - Thanks again, Stella.
Cissy - http://www.writerspace.com/chat/readers/
jeff - Thanks, Stella.
jeff - - 2/15 at 10:00pm EST
kamy - thanks stella...
pushpen - You're very welcome, ascribe--I enjoy joining all of you. You make me think.
LisaL - Thanks!f Is Stella staying?
Beverl - Thanks Stella!
pushpen - Welcome, Kamy-- have fun.
Lynn - Stella, is it any wonder why I think you are so awesome....*applauding*
Diane W - Thanks, Stella! That was a BIG help.
kamy - really enjoyed Married in Spring...
Cissy - stella's welcome to stay and chat with you guys as long as she wants, Lisa
pushpen - I'll stick for a little while if anyone wants to chat.
Lynn - Thank you Awesome Stella!!!
Cissy - I just have to pop next door. Thanks, Stella!
Mac - 
kamy - sure...would love it !
pushpen - Thank you, Kamy! You liked WE DO, huh?
LisaL - I have another question
pushpen - See you later, Cissy.
ascribe - I need to go. Talk w/you all next time. And thank you, Stella for answering questions for us. Bye for now.
pushpen - Ask away, Lisa
pushpen - Bye, ascribe.
