tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post5606332897706253671..comments2024-03-29T10:59:34.918-04:00Comments on Writers Who Kill: HOW A BOOK BEGINS AND EVOLVESJim Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-80277931482136493122014-03-22T11:21:07.567-04:002014-03-22T11:21:07.567-04:00Actually, Barbara, although I know my murderer and...Actually, Barbara, although I know my murderer and why, I have the hardest part actually figuring out he/she will be found out towards the end, before everything is wrapped up in the last chapter.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-11306047333620982212014-03-20T21:49:04.994-04:002014-03-20T21:49:04.994-04:00I get a beginning scene first, though it doesn'...I get a beginning scene first, though it doesn't always end up as the beginning! It is usually a complete scene though, with characters and setting. Then I come up with the end. It's the character development and middle of the book that are the hard parts for me.Barbara Lundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05031635871739502352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-54450726900713636762014-03-20T16:57:48.675-04:002014-03-20T16:57:48.675-04:00Sarah, it sounds like once you get started, the st...Sarah, it sounds like once you get started, the story almost tells itself. I think that's wonderful. It tells me that you have a very creative mind.<br /><br />Kara, I'm finding the comments left so far interesting, and yes, I'm lucky to have an expert I've known for quite a lot of years to help me with this part of the story although she's never known any reenactors who were murdered, she did give me some ideas.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-44385866932991981622014-03-20T14:27:02.979-04:002014-03-20T14:27:02.979-04:00Thank you for giving us a peek into your writing p...Thank you for giving us a peek into your writing process, Gloria. It's interesting to see the different ways writers begin a story. <br /><br />How wonderful that you know an expert who is willing to answer your questions about Civil War reenactments.Kara Cerisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16484336785514235707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-46814750497886783762014-03-20T13:55:44.842-04:002014-03-20T13:55:44.842-04:00For me, there's a kernel of an idea. Just some...For me, there's a kernel of an idea. Just some sort of hook. Then, I flesh it out by writing a pitch and then a query-style three- or four-paragraph description. That said, sometimes, I'm not even done with the pitch before the voice comes to me (usually in the opening lines) and I have to quit on the big picture and just get it all out!<br /><br />This seems to happen book by book, even in the one I wrote as part of a series.Sarah Henninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06822639126179367121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-86901670908724411832014-03-20T13:02:18.592-04:002014-03-20T13:02:18.592-04:00Warren, I know my murderer and how/and why they co...Warren, I know my murderer and how/and why they commit the murder, but I have no idea how I'm going to end this book yet.<br /><br />Linda, I've preordered your third book and can't wait to read it. No matter how you do it, your books are well worth reading. I think my process is more organic or pantser than actually neatly organizing whee the book will go.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-85943895647617611792014-03-20T12:21:51.393-04:002014-03-20T12:21:51.393-04:00I tend to know the theme of each of my books in th...I tend to know the theme of each of my books in the Skeet Bannion series first. I know where Skeet is going in terms of personal development in the series, but each book's mystery plot is what has to take her to the next step by pushing her to her limits in some direction, and that plot has to arise for me from the introduction of a new character or situation and all of the other characters' reactions and responses, which affect all the others, etc.<br /><br />So I know that somewhere along in the series, Skeet has to deal with thus and so, and somewhere along in the series this seed that was planted back in book x will have to sprout into a new mystery plot. But that's about it until the time comes that I have to deal with it. It's a very organic process.<br /><br />I think it's fascinating to see how many different ways people approach successfully the problem of writing a novel.Linda Rodriguezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11913741596693442469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-23679930046773093712014-03-20T10:18:29.669-04:002014-03-20T10:18:29.669-04:00I usually start with the glimmer of one part of th...I usually start with the glimmer of one part of the book. It may be a character or a situation. When I'm lucky I know the ending and just have to work backward. When I not lucky I start with a line a character speaks so I have to figure who spoke and why.Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-47507006653079165442014-03-20T10:08:02.804-04:002014-03-20T10:08:02.804-04:00KM, I love your series. It is frustrating, isn'...KM, I love your series. It is frustrating, isn't it, to have so little time to harness all those ideas and create something with them. Life does seem to get in our creative way at times.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-27952477903965436122014-03-20T09:36:10.494-04:002014-03-20T09:36:10.494-04:00I have a series, too, Gloria, and it kind of evolv...I have a series, too, Gloria, and it kind of evolves on its own. I have lots of ideas tumbling around in my head, and I wish I had the time (and energy) to work on them all. For me, a lot of the development bubbles around when I'm doing (and thinking about)other things and most characters and situations seem to arise spontaneously. Often social issues about which I feel strongly are an important part of what results.KM Rockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973749764907859829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-31387916088273724762014-03-20T06:08:52.388-04:002014-03-20T06:08:52.388-04:00E.B. any form of child abuse is a heavy topic, one...E.B. any form of child abuse is a heavy topic, one that bothers me just reading about it in the newspaper. I'm not sure I could write about it, but I think it is something that should be addressed. I just read a horrific news item that a cartel in Mexico kidnaps children and has a medical team to remove their organs for sale on the black market.<br /><br />I like to hear how other people approach their way to start and then write a book. I think the chess game is an interesting concept of building a plot. <br /><br />Like you, I don't see how writers can produce more than one book per year. There are two prolific writers in my local Sinc group, who have three series going. But I don't think they are readers like you and me. I for one could not imagine a life without reading books Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-76756622795023598102014-03-20T05:31:17.561-04:002014-03-20T05:31:17.561-04:00I think your blog needs prefaced, Gloria, with the...I think your blog needs prefaced, Gloria, with the fact that you have your series concept developed. Your main characters are developed, so you're at a different stage than those starting from scratch.<br /><br />I work on themes. If my second book in my OBX mysteries ever happens, I'll work on another aspect of child abuse and work the plot around that issue. I have an idea now, but it's not a plot. I have an idea of the minor plot--how my characters will develop, interacting with the plot and what happens in the book that will affect them ultimately to change them forever into effect. After that, I'll work on scenes. <br /><br />The beginning stages are a chess game. I put the characters on the board and move them around. I find out what one scenario culminates, then start over until I end up where I want to end up with--mainly how the characters will react by what they find when they solve the mystery.<br /><br />I don't know how writers can produce more than one book per year. It's a long process with a lot of work.E. B. Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16746747050278597888noreply@blogger.com