Tuesday, April 24, 2012

The Plot Thickens

funny cat pictures - DEH PLOT IZ THICKIN'N
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I'm writing the end of my book. I wish I could say that's all I have left to do on the manuscript, but my writing process doesn't work like that. After I finish the first three chapters, I write the end then I'll go back to chapter four and write the rest of the story.

Sometimes I only write the final scene. In this case, I've written several scenes, including a couple that lead up to the black moments for each of the characters. I thought I'd get to the end yesterday, but as sometimes happens life threw a curve ball that kept me from reaching my word count. I'm praying today will be better.

But there's another reason the ending has been coming a little slower than usual. I want the plot to thicken. I've been going back and forth in my mind about an external element in my story, trying to figure out what to do with it exactly. Should I go for a big dramatic event as the backdrop for my hero and heroine to overcome their obstacles and admit their love for each other? Or do I go with something more realistic and less...movie of the week/disaster film.

I write genre fiction, pure escapism, but I do like things to be plausible. One question I always ask people who help me with research is, "Is that possible?" Even if it's highly unlikely.

One reason for my hesitation (and I didn't figure it out until writing this blog just now) is that I've done this before. I used a natural disaster as the backdrop to a love amongst the ruins ending in one of my 2011 releases. (I'm writing published story #24 so you do tend to forget what you've done in the past. I wonder how writers like Nora Roberts with hundreds of plots do it!)

No wonder this dilemma has been slowing me down! Wish I would have figured it out sooner. Oh, well. Now to figure out another way to thicken the plot. Funny, but I think this may be the first time blogging has solved a writing problem for me! Thanks!

So a question for you...what book that you've read has the best ending? It doesn't have to be a romance, either!