This month we have another fun topic for our group.
Thanks Rhobin. When you are stumped on moving a plot line forward, what do you
do to reinvigorate your imagination?
So many things flashed through my mind. If I’m into the
story and writing a lot, the plot tends to pull me forward, but If I don’t know
my characters well enough, or I’m trying to make them behave in a way that they
don’t like, I can run into problems.
Knowing that when I’m stumped, I first I take a break,
go for a walk or work in the garden. Then before I go to bed at night I think
about where I’m stuck and ask for help. If I’m lucky, during the REM sleep and as
I wake up I’ll get an answer. If not I go back and spend time with my
characters, getting to know them better and how they act in certain situations.
I back off, rewrite the last challenging scene and find once I let them act the
way ‘they’ want I can usually move the story forward. What do you do?
Can’t wait to hear what others do.Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
A.J. Maguire http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
Anne de Gruchy https://annedegruchy.co.uk/category/blog/
Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.com
Marie Laval http://marielaval.blogspot.co.uk/
Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/
Dr. Bob Rich http://wp.me/p3Xihq-137
Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog
Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/
Heather Haven http://heatherhavenstories.com/blog/
Rhobin Courtright http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com
Stepping back and letting the characters do the work is a good idea. But, as you say, you have to know the characters really well. I've collected several interviews from different authors that they use to interview their characters. It's amazing how much you can learn about your heroes when you start asking questions instead of dictating their lives.
ReplyDeleteI agree. And there are so many different questions you can ask, depending on what you're trying to find out.
DeleteI've also tried asking a question before going to sleep, Beverley. It's worked on more than one occasion! And I totally agree about having to know your characters. I've written scenes and then had to delete them because I've later realised the character just would not act in this way. I enjoyed your post!
ReplyDeleteThanks Helena. Don't you love it when you wake up with an answer?
DeleteDuring sleep is when a lot of my best plot ideas emerge. Lots of scribbling on notepads at 3am when I'm in the swing of things...
ReplyDeleteI agree Anne, but can you read them in the morning? I find sometimes it takes ages to try and figure out what I wrote in the middle of the night. :)
DeleteIt's amazing how many good ideas have been presented and yet we all tend to do similar things! Enjoyed your post.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rhobin. And it is always interesting to find out what others think that's similar to my own thinking.
DeleteSleep is where most of my stories come from.Now I'm on a med that knocks me out so I must work to find a story. It's a pain. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThanks Charmaine. That's a shame about the med that knocks you out and interferes with the thought and writing process.
ReplyDelete