A lot of us go with plot…after all aren’t the things that happen in a story, the plot turns, twists and pursuits, why we read or watch a film in the first place?  Sounds legit.

Until…

We get some back story on a character, especially the hero or villain.

Then tumblers fall into place, wheels start to spin, and the chase is on.

To get more granular… we now are starting to get why the character does what they do, why they respond to events the way they do, and the more we watch and read, the more we see that this character will not stop short of the ultimate act that the story requires.

This person ultimately defines the meaning of everything else in the novel.  It’s not the plot that reigns in the protagonist; it’s the other way around. (Hat tip to Lisa Cron’s Book Story Genius for this insight).

So sure, develop the plot, the structure, the three acts, etc.  But the characters…they will take your plot and run with it…treat them with respect.

 

Onward,

 

Jon

or even the finishing, or even the flow in the middle.

All of these require one thing, they won’t occur without it…

Beginning.

Feeling a lack of motive? No drive or inspiration?

Guess what…   nobody does.

Until they start.

You can sit in a turbocharged vehicle all day, but until you turn the key nothing happens. You are sitting there, pretending.

Turn the key, get it started, tell me how you feel then.

Even if it’s just a “pretend start” as a defense mechanism…once you really do start…

…it’s real.

Onward,

 

Jon

 

This has become the working title of the sequel to Run for the Money.  Originally I had Go for the Dough as sort of a follow on title but it doesn’t ring true- doesn’t come off the tongue quite the way I want it to.

A working title is important, even if you end up using something else…you need a theme to write to, an image, a poster for what’s in your head to get out on the screen.  In a later post I’ll put up the cover image I’m using – I keep this image up in the corner of the monitor as I write, and it centers me, I find myself looking at it from time to time as a guidepost.

The pros tell us to have a one sentence theme that is the driver of your story taped to your monitor….sometimes, there’s nothing like a picture of what’s in your head to make you peck the keyboard a little longer.

Onward,

Jon

First, no- we’re not going to talk about writing while riding in spin class, nor dictating into your phone while running.

The premise is framed by this question:  Have you ever finished at the gym, showered, dressed, and said to yourself, “I wish I hadn’t done that.”?  My challenge is to find somebody who says yes.

Hasn’t happened.

Second question, (and you know where this is going) Have you ever finished a session of writing and said “I wish I hadn’t done that.”?

Same.

Now stay with me…

The 2 activities mentioned above, exercising and pursuing your creative passion, are the 2 hardest things to start yet the most satisfying when you’ve finished – even if the workout or the writing is mediocre at best.

Your brain will do anything it can to keep you in your comfort zone, your excuses will have the most rational thoughts behind them and sound perfectly legitimate to the part of your consciousness whose sole job is to protect you.

Recognize this for what it is, a defense mechanism against something you don’t need protection from.  Like all of the best things in life, the pursuit of that post-exercise endorphin rush or post-writing fist pump after an idea that popped in your head…

they come with a price.

Pay it.