I won the contest, but now I worry about whether or not my book will be good enough, if I write fabulous first chapters but can't write the rest, if they're very sorry they picked me as the winner, etc. It's just in the nature of the business, I think. Because our work is so personal to us, I guess.

Nope, I'm a pantser all the way. I get character and situation and start to write. I'm trying to write a synopsis now in the hopes I can alleviate some of the doubt about direction, but I pretty much have to let the characters go where they want.

You have to ask yourself the purpose of each scene. Debra Dixon, in Goal, Motivation, & Conflict, says every scene should have three purposes. (If you haven't read that book, I highly suggest you do!) If your scene is simply on the page and not doing anything for you — not revealing character or moving the story forward (or any of the myriad things DD talks about) — it doesn't belong.

Tea and toast dialogue may be dialogue, but it's still boring.

Thanks for your reply, it was a HUGE help! It’s a shame the voice doesn’t completely go away when you finally get up there though… *sigh* I was kind of hoping it would. I never thought that once you were published you’d be worried that you would wake up and it would disappear, but I can see how you would. It’s a tough industry.

I think I’m somewhere in between a plotter and a character builder… which is probably part of my problem! I struggle with outlines although I know I’m not boxed into them I feel like I have to force the story in a certain direction rather than where the characters want it to go (and when I listen to them I usually end up nowhere lol) Do you plan out your books in detail with character sheets? Or do you come up with a situation and just start?

Nikki

The doubt, unfortunately, is ALWAYS there. I had this discussion with the Pixie Chicks recently (2008 GH finalists). People who seem to have everything happening for them keep waiting to wake up and find out that someone has discovered they aren’t a real writer after all. They keep waiting to get kicked out of the club.

So yeah, you will feel the doubt and the confusion, but you have to keep going if it’s what you want to do. Because, seriously, if you give up, you will never get published. If you hang in there, and keep writing and growing, I really believe it can happen.

As for marketability? Oh dear. Wish I had the answer to that one! My gut reaction is to tell your marketing side to stop. But who knows, it could work! If you always think in terms of characters and emotion first, why not? Everyone uses their background to a certain extent when they write. I used military for a long time because that’s what I knew. With the Harlequin Presents, I use the knowledge of the world I gained living in diverse places.

But we all write differently. Characters come to me first. If you are a plotter, you might think of a plot and then people it. I don’t understand that thought process because it doesn’t work for me. BUT, I would say first and foremost you must write what you really love to read.

I hope that helps some. I’m not an authority, but I have opinions. Thanks for asking me.

Yes, Kathy! I saw the trailer for that movie about the black Heisman winner and thought that would be an awesome movie to see!! Can’t remember the name of it either, but it’ll be high on my list of flicks to see.

I was never a big Field of Dreams fan, but I love Bull Durham, The Natural, and For Love of the Game.

What about Field of Dreams with Kevin Costner? Love that movie. It’s about never losing sight of your dreams and keeping faith in what you love, who you love, and connecting with who you really are.

I wish to pick your brain…

What do you do with that little voice inside your head tells you mockingly that it’s time to give up and get a real job? I’m lucky enough to be writing full time but lately I just can’t get that voice to shut up. Drowning it in chocolate doesn’t seem to be working either. The bizarre thing is that I don’t want to give it up and really have no intention of doing so but it’s still there lol Do you have any tricks or is the doubt always there in the background?

I also wanted to know just how much marketability factors into your story ideas. I’ve read one of your old blogs about the ‘meh’ and thought it sounded a little too familiar not because I’ve been to so many critique groups ect but because my marketing degree is getting a little too involved and I think of what markets first and develop the story around that… probably sucking out the soul out in the process.

Any thoughts? Or could you refer me to another blog entry that might help?

Cheers,

Nikki

P.S. I watched a movie with my niece the other day, it was called ‘Stick it’ about a girl who did gymnastics in the Olympics but it all fell apart when she finds out her mother is having an affair with her coach. The girl has a bit of spunk and gets ordered by the court to return to gymnastics after she accidentally damages property. It was inspiring even though it’s a little out of my age group.

Ah, movies are great inspiration. Especially the bios about people who defied naysayers.