The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense. ~ Tom Clancy
I’ve been talking about characterization lately because I believe the reasons many books fall short is not because they don’t have a brilliant plot, but because they don’t have good characters.
But what happens when you believe you’ve created three-dimensional characters, but now to continue the series you need to develop a plot that’s worthy of them. Further you need one that can carry them for 85,000 words?
In today’s market, readers are demanding books at a frenetic pace. I am seriously considering adding wings and running shoes to my tortoise who’s so far not even close to the finish line.
To write the outline alone, I’ve had to consult with an IT expert, an FBI agent, a former Department of Justice trial lawyer, and a private investigator. Not to mention some very fine critique partners. Thanks to them, I’ll have my facts straight and ideally a plot worthy of readers’ approval.
Hope you’ll bear with me!
~ Donnell
Lots of eyes point out many things. I just consulted with a former deputy sheriff we both know. Just had to get the best info. hugs!
That’s fantastic! Better to be correct than sorry, Vicki.
People fail when they plunge ahead without any planning or forethought. What you’re doing now will definitely pay off in the end, Donnell!
Ha! I hope so, Lois. Taking life insurance out on you 😉
I like writing fantasy because I can make it all up myself. The characters still have to be three-dimensional, and the world-building has to be consistent, but I don’t have to come out of my shyness shell and consult anyone. Which is probably silly of me, but there you go.
Not silly at all, Barbara. We have certain comfort zones. I’m pretty shy, but because I write police procedural I have no choice. There are so many generous people in this world.
Good points, Donnell. And the upside of all of that research is that you bypass the heart break of cutting 20-50 pages from your story and having to do plot CPR. I came up with a brilliant idea for my Dreamwalker series–keeping it fresh by having my psychic sleuth use a new psychic ability each time. It made going to each book wonderfully fun. BUT, as my sleuth got stronger, I had to craft stronger villains to make the story plausible. I have one more book coming out in that series and the villain had to be so strong that I stayed up nights wondering if I could go to sleep after working on this book. Oh well, good thing I switched to something totally different, a catering series. And now I only have to pretend that I know how to cook.
Maggie, I’m loving Dreamed It. I hope you’ll be my guest soon to talk about your Dreamwalker series. Lovely writing. Yes, my plots are fairly complicated — maybe not the plot but the people and I have to get them right. Thanks for stopping by.