How to write a book readers can't put down: Using scenes and sequels

I've been working on revisions of my current WIP, The Unhappening of Genesis Lee, for a month and a half now. Because I did so much plotting ahead of time, I haven't needed as many large-scale changes to this book plot-wise, which is awesome. Of course, that doesn't mean the plot is perfect. My individual scenes, especially, need to be tighter, more focused, and to lead naturally from one to the other. I tried out a new method to make this work, and it has been one of the most helpful revision tools ever.

Have you ever heard scenes referred to as action/reaction types, or scene/sequel types (same thing, different terms)? I had, but I never knew how it really worked. Basically, every scene in your book will be either an ACTION (scene) or REACTION (sequel), and the scenes should always alternate. (Action -->reaction-->action, etc.) There are some handy graphics here so you can get the big picture.

An ACTION scene has the following components: a goal, a conflict, and a disaster. The goal, obviously, is your character's need/want/objective for that specific scene. The conflict is what gets in your character's way. The disaster doesn't always have to be a disaster. Either your character doesn't get what they want (if they do, the book is over), or they DO get what they want, but something else happens-- they learn they need something else, or the thing they get isn't what they really wanted, etc.

After the disaster, of course, your character needs to react-- hence the REACTION scene. This is made up of the reaction, the dilemma, and the decision. The reaction is your character's immediate response to the disaster. It starts with the emotional response or feeling, then a reflexive action, followed by a rational thought/speech/action. These three elements don't ALL have to be there, but they should ALWAYS be in that order.

After the initial reaction in the reaction scene (I know, confusing), comes the dilemma-- the disaster in the last scene created a problem, so now what? Your character needs to make a decision, which leads to an action. Wait, an action? As in an action scene? Fancy that! We've come full circle.

My approach to this was to take out a notebook and go through my chapters one by one, making sure the cycle flowed, and writing out each part of the action/reaction sequence for each chapter. I found that each chapter isn't necessarily its own action or reaction scene. Sometimes, a single chapter was a full action/reaction sequence (or even 1.5 or 2 of them), with either the action or the reaction being quite short. Sometimes, a scene would stretch for more than one chapter. But ALWAYS, I made sure they cycled from one to the other.

If done right, the cycle of action/reaction should flow seamlessly throughout your book. And, if done right, it will make it almost impossible for readers to put your book down! After each disaster, they'll need to know how the character deals with it...and after each decision, they'll want to see what action the character will take next...and soon it's 3 a.m. and they've read your book all night.

So, my friends, have you ever used the action/reaction/scene/sequel process before? Do you have other tips that make it impossible to put your book down? What book have you read recently that you just couldn't stop reading?

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Researching your Setting

So the wonderful thing about my family vacation this year (from a writing standpoint, anyway) was that it served the dual purpose of being a research trip for my book.

I like to do a little on-site research for my settings whenever possible, such as the trip to Dugway military base I took for Devolutionaries. (If you want more details on how to conduct effective on-site research, that post has some pointers.) In The Unhappening of Genesis Lee, there is a red-rock canyon that serves as an important place for several scenes. I'd been to canyons like this before, but I wanted a little refresher. And boy, was it refreshing.

My canyon isn't quite as magnificent as Zion National Park, but you get the idea. :)

AND not only did I get in some family fun time and some research, I also finished my second draft. Woot! I gave the story a few day's rest, and I'm now plugging away at revision number three. Yay for progress.

So, my friends, have you ever done on-site research for your writing? Do you like to base your settings on real places, or make them up completely? How are your own writing projects coming?

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Working on Multiple Stories, or What to do with a Shiny New Idea

And, I'm back! The draft is done, I've written lots of letters to my bro, and I haven't finished the huge work project (darn). The fun summery adventure is taking place next weekend in the form of a zoo trip, and I'm ready to jump into edits for TUGL.

I mentioned in my last post that I got a shiny new idea for a story I'm calling Perception. I used to just write down SNIs and leave them alone until I was done with my current project. This time, though, I've let it simmer in my brain during this last week when I took a short break from TUGL. That means I'm currently querying one book, editing another, and planning a third. I never thought I'd be able to handle three stories in my head at once, but it's amazing what you can get used to. In fact, I'm finding that I kinda like having stories in different stages.

I've discovered a lot of benefits of working on more than one project. For one, it helped get my mind off TUGL this week as I worked on Perception. I always try to take small (and sometimes large) breaks from my WIPs between different stages, and having something else to work on really lets my brain clear of the story so I can go back to it with fresh eyes.

Another thing I've figured out is how much it helps to let new ideas simmer for a few months at least. With Devs, which I'm querying now, I got the idea and immediately jumped into the planning and writing. Then, at 30,000 words, I realized I was writing the wrong story and started completely over. When I got the idea for TUGL, I was still in the middle of rewriting Devs, so it percolated in my brain for months. I considered and rejected multiple ideas-- before I ever put them on the page. I got all that figuring out of the story done before I started writing, making the writing so much easier.

Percpetion will go back to simmer mode for the next few months as I dive into rewrites for TUGL. In dull moments, my brain will play with it, think of new ideas, throw them away, and find better ones. Then, when I'm ready to send TUGL to beta readers and take a break from it, Perception will be waiting for some action.

So, my friends, how do you handle shiny new ideas when they come at an inconvenient time? Are you working on multiple stories, or do you prefer to handle one at a time?

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Brief hiatus interruption because the draft is done!

Just sneaking in to announce that last night, just before 10:00 pm, I finished the first draft of The Unhappening of Genesis Lee! In seven weeks, I wrote 76,525 words. WOOT.

Like a typical first draft, it's a lovely disaster-- I'm already planning to rip apart the ending-- but it's actually the best first draft I've ever written. It won't need nearly the overhaul Devolutionaries got when its first draft was done. By comparison, that first draft took over four months, and included a complete re-start around 30,000 words. Why the difference? Obviously JuNoWriMo helped, but the biggest change was MORE EXTENSIVE OUTLINING. Give it a try, my friends.

Also...I might be having a shiny new idea. Tentatively titled Perception, I'm still brainstorming, but I've got a fabulous protagonist, a terrific setting, and a twisty-turney plot all in embryo form. And, because I got all excited about it, it also has a mock cover.

Sigh. SNIs have such terrible timing. Maybe the first draft of this one will be a NaNo project this year.

Okay, sneaking quietly away again...see you July 15th.

image source

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JuNoWriMo Lessons: The Joys of Mid-WIP Discovery

I've kind of eased up a bit on JuNoWriMo this week. I've still hit my goals every day but one, but I haven't been quite so nazi about it. It's funny how it gets done all the same-- and this way, I'm a little more relaxed about it so it doesn't wear me out so fast! I'm coming up on 50,000 words, which means I'm about three-quarters finished.

Something interesting happened as I wrote this week. First, you should understand that on the Pantser-Plotter Scale, I have gradually slid from complete Pantser to over-the-halfway-mark-to-Plotter. I plotted TUGL more extensively than anything I've ever done. BUT. I don't think I could ever plot out each individual scene, like some people can. I actually tried, but when I start writing, the story takes on a bit of a life of its own and veers away from some of that plotting.

And while I fully advocate as much planning as you can manage (and maybe even more than you think you can), that pantser part of me is a wonderful thing. As I wrote one scene, I was surprised to discover a new "thing" in the middle of my scene. It led to creating a whole new scene, one that enhanced the world, deepened my character, furthered the plot, and (crazily enough) gave me an idea of a sequel.

AND THEN. Several scenes later, I had a moment where something terrible had to happen. I hadn't known exactly what that something terrible would be, but as I wrote the scene, it just flew out my fingers. I WOULD DESTROY THIS NEW THING. It would be emotionally traumatic for just about everyone in my story. In fact, I was so horrified with myself, I actually had to stop writing and convince myself that yes, this thing must be destroyed. As horrible as it is, that scene was so poignant and painful that I actually got choked up writing about it.

It was a brilliant idea, if I do say so myself. And it all came because of being willing to discover new things in the midst of all my planning. I've got to say, being a pantser-plotter hybrid is the best thing I've ever done for my writing.

So, my friends, what have you discovered in the middle of your stories that you never saw coming? Are you a total pantser, total plotter, or somewhere on that sliding scale in the middle?

P.S. I've added some new pages off to the right. There is now an index of my most popular/helpful writing posts, as well as an index of all the books I've reviewed! Feel free to check them out.

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How to Write Deeper Characters: Be them for a day

When I started writing TUGL, I had a little problem with my main character, Gena. I didn't get her. I didn't know who she was. I knew a lot about her, but I knew her less than I usually do when starting my stories. I typically get to know my characters quite a bit better as I write the first draft, but with Gena, I wanted to do a bit more. I wanted to get inside her head.

Gena is a dancer. She does ballet and jazz, and dance forms part of her worldview and is part of an important sub-plot. Here's the thing: I have not danced since I was a kid. So I did my traditional reading research, but I've also talked to dancers and plan to observe a dance class. Here's the funnest thing, though: I've been dancing myself.

I can't afford a dance class right now, but there's this awesome thing called a library that has all sorts of videos. Including dance instruction videos. For the last two weeks, my exercise has consisted of ballet and jazz steps, and it's so darn fun! It also helps me not just understand Gena, but to feel things like she does.

And, call me crazy, but I've tried to channel her a bit in daily life, too. While rollerblading in the canyon, I looked around me and tried to see things how Gena would, to notice the things she would notice. As I go through my daily routine, I imagine what Gena's routine is like, and how it's different from mine. While the Kiddo runs in mad circles around the yard and our resident garter snake sticks his head out of his hole next to my foot, I let myself feel how Gena would about it.

It's been surprisingly helpful to literally get inside Gena's head from time to time. The writing helps too, of course, as I get to know her through her actions and reactions. Maybe I'm a little nuts, but it's been fun to "be" Gena occasionally.

So, my friends, what do you do to get inside your character's heads? Have you ever looked at your world as they would? Have you done extra research to find out more about what they love?

image source

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How to Kindle your Imagination, or This One Time I Slapped a Guy

Thanks to everyone who gave help and advice on my which-story-to-write conundrum. I made my decision, but before I tell you which story I chose, let me share a little story. I promise, it relates.

Freshman year of college, I was in a fabulous creative writing class. My friend Reece also happened to be in the class, and one day we got a sort of odd assignment. The professor wanted all of us to go do something we'd never done before-- something that would get us out of our "box," that would give us a new view of the world. Something that would expand our minds, and therefore our imagination and creativity.

As Reece and I talked about it after class, we came up with a brilliant idea. I joked that I'd never slapped a guy. He'd never been slapped by a girl. And neither of us had ever made a public spectacle.

Have I mentioned we were freshman?

We enlisted the help of our friend Emily and went to the local skating rink, and the spectacle began. I "found" Reece in the skate rental area, and pretended to be confused to find him there, as he'd told me he had homework. Then Emily arrived, and the "truth" came out-- they were on a date. I began to yell, berating Reece for "cheating" on me. Then, I took a deep breath...and slapped him across the face. Hard.

The entire skating rink was staring at us. After a bit more yelling from all of us, we stomped out. As soon as we regrouped outside, we all laughed until we couldn't breathe.

And did that hilarious experiment actually get me to look at things differently? A little. Probably not as much as the professor had hoped. So how exactly does this relate to which story I chose to write next?

I spent a lot of time the last week thinking about the plot of Black and Blue and the main character in The Unhappening of Genesis Lee. Whichever I chose, I knew I'd have a lot of work to do in one way or another. Yesterday, I was outside playing with my son. I was wearing a twirly skirt, and had an impulse to do something I haven't since I was a kid: twirl. So I did. I took off my shoes and twirled around the grass while my son ran in laughing circles around me.

It took me out of my box. My adult/mommy/responsible adult box melted away and I saw the world how I used to see it. I was a teenager again, and the world was full of possibilities and I wanted them all. And that's where I found Genesis Lee, inside my own teenage self.

So, my friends, I am excited to get to work on The Unhappening of Genesis Lee! Have you ever done something you've never done to kindle your imagination? What could you do today to get outside your own box? What do you do to get your creativity fired up?

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The Tug of Two Stories

My writing progress for the last week or so has been sort of dismal. I'm crawling through edits on Devs right now at a much slower pace than I'd prefer due to a drated sinus infection (will the winter never end??). I think I'll still meet my end-of-April deadline, though, so I'm not too worried.

Instead of working away at Devs these last few weeks, I've actually been thinking a lot about what's coming next. I fully intended to work on The Unhappening of Genesis Lee once Devs is done.

Except.

I got a brilliant idea for Black and Blue, the story on hiatus. And now I have a problem. I LOVE the story of TUGL, and it's begging to be told. But I'm having trouble getting into my main character. With BaB, I LOVE my main character, but am still having some trouble with the story.

I've never had two stories warring for my attention this way. I've written the first three chapters of both of them, and just don't know which one I love more. Any advice, my friends?

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The Show Must Go On

So I've got to admit, I'm at that point where I'm totally ready to give Devs a month break when it goes to beta readers. If I have to read/edit certain sections one more time, I'm going to rip my hair out.

Well, probably not. I kind of like my hair.

Regardless, I'm finding it hard to push through my last few edits. I'm pushing it, though-- I've got to finish my plot chart, fix any holes I find, and do an out-loud read through. The show must go on, right?

I'm allowing myself little breaks, though. Last night, I worked some more on TUGL, and I'm getting more excited about it the more I figure out. I've got my setting planned-- there's two main settings that simultaneously echo and contrast with each other, and are symbolic of the society itself. I've got my character relationships starting to work themselves into lovely complicated little knots. I've got my plot beginning to rise from the mud. I can't wait to give Devs a little rest and work on this one.

With any luck, once Devs is back from betas, I'll be eager to jump back into it. I do really love the story, after all. We just need a little space to redefine our relationship.

So, my friends, have you ever had to muscle through a story? Rediscover your love for it? How is your writing going right now?

And now, before I go, I'd like to say thanks to Rachna Chhabria for the Fair Dinkum award, and to Jodi Henry and Margo Kelly for the Stylish Blogger award! You ladies are awesome.

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Announcing the What's Your Process Blogfest!

So, I'm starting a new novel. And no, it's not the new novel I've been talking about for a few weeks (BaB). It's...another one. A three-million-times-cooler one. It's tentatively titled The Unhappening of Genesis Lee (TUGL), and I'm really stoked about it.

As I've been hashing out the idea, coming up with characters, and formulating a plot, I've thought a lot about my writing process. It changes a little every time I write a new book-- hopefully for the better. I started out years ago as a die-hard pantser because I didn't know there was another way to do it.

Since then, I've learned about and tried many different tools for planning my novel, and I've learned something important: I don't have to do it like everyone else. And I shouldn't do it like anyone else. My brain works differently than someone else's, and that's okay. That's really good, actually!

All writers have different process for different parts of their writing, and I have learned a lot about what works for me and what doesn't by trying out other writer's processes. So...I'm hereby announcing the What's Your Process Blogfest!

If you want to participate, sign up below. On Tuesday, January 18th, blog about ANY part of your writing process-- how you create characters, how you plot your novel, how you organize your rewrites, your whole writing process from start to finish, anything. Even if you're a complete pantser, tell us your pantsing process. Do you write chronologically? Jump around? Edit as you go, or just dump it all on the page? Let us know!

Hopefully, we'll all be able to see how other people write, and pull out a few new gems to help us with our own creations! Sign up below, and pass the word around. The more of us there are, the more we can learn from each other.

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