Connie's Notes From The RT Convention

Connie's Notes From The RT Convention - Page II

www.onceuponaromance.net

The authors and editors in the workshops offered a wealth of information that I'd like to share. There are many great tips here that can be implemented into your writing.

Great Openings
Elizabeth Grayson:
The 1st chapter is one of the most important chapters of the book.
The first page sells the book.

The 1st chapter foreshadows, sets things up.
Have an idea of where your book is going, the plot (main line of plot), get to know your characters.
Mid-point in the book, have a great scene, have the h/h share something important. After this, something goes awry to the end where there is a dark moment before the resolution.

Divide the book into 4 quadrants:
1. begin – set-up
2. mid-point
3. awry
4. resolution

The 1st chapter must establish time and place – research this – and also must establish the tone, the feel of the story. Introduce the h/h, get them to feel, appear like “people.” Give a general,, vague description physically, start developing their traits.

Every character has their secrets and throughout the book you slowly reveal them.

You’ll never use all your back-story, but in order to develop the characters, you need to know it. Establish the characters goals.

Realize that love is not always enough: respect, acceptance, and self-worth have to play a part too.

Have the h/h be in a dramatic situation to start the book.

Don’t describe or foreshadow something unless you are going to use it in an event later.

Start the book with action. Start in the right POV – usually it starts with the heroine, but often may start with the hero.

Keep things moving, tell, show, just enough to get the reader through that situation.

Prologue – something that is separated by time, generation, has a major impact on the story. It’s dramatic, quick.

The opening sentence – grab the reader quickly.
An opening sentence can:
Establish the place
Establish the character
Establish the mood
Establish the action
Establish provocative dialogue – show who is speaking before the dialogue begins.

The 1st chapter needs a great ending as well as every chapter does a hook.

The last page sells your next book.

Interviewing Your Characters
Victoria Alexander:
Characters are the most important things about the book.

When you’re stuck, interview the characters. Ask them questions. The answers will lead to other questions and you’ll be surprised what you find out about your characters. When the characters answer the questions, pay attention to how they’re saying it. Don’t ask them yes or no questions.

Doing this could strengthen what you know about the character. Find out why they (character) do things the way they do, or react the way they do.

Villains
Eileen Dryer:
The villain should be an antagonist worth of the hero, but note that the villain does not have to be human.

Don’t let the villain be more interesting than the hero, but he/she must be complete.

“Every villain is the hero of his own story.” Villains have their own logic system to their own beliefs and reasons.

Set up how the villain is going to act, but know why they do what they do.

Average villain – mope - idiot
Career villain – makes career of crime
Evil villain – genius at evil

The audience needs to connect on EVERY level of the book.

Conflict Makes The Story
Cheryl St. John:
Create a folder for and idea for a story. Write down every thought you have concerning this idea or the characters. Write down 25 things that could happen in the story.

One happening must lead to reaction and another happening and another reaction, etc.

Keep characters in character:
A carpenter would think “this is as hard as oak”, “tough as nails.”

If you have no conflict, you have no story. Use anything that hinders the character from getting what they want.

Internal conflict is fighting within.

Why is the conflict or situation important?

The reader must identify with and root for characters created with built-in internal conflict. Tap into a comfort zone, fear, and the reader identifies words that you pick to describe that fear or comfort zone. The description is imperative to the readers senses.

Built-in baggage:
Step-parent
Orphan
No money
Abuse

Be specific in how you come up with conflict situations.

Know your character internal goal, internal conflict, external goal, external conflict, and they should entwine, feed on each other.

Spoon-feed the back-story, background of the characters.

Good reference books:
Writing With Both Sides of The Brain by Harriet Klausner.
Techniques of The Selling Author by Dwight Swain.

Sensuality
Melissa MacNeal (aka Charlotte Hubbard):
We let OUR limitations and expectations limit our writing.

It’s not about positions – placement of body parts – it’s about the senses.

Don’t worry about what your mother, sister, or aunt would say if they read your story. Give yourself permission to write the scenes. You’re an adult now.

Explore your own boundaries of what you are willing to put on the page in love scenes. Your limits may not be as constrained as you think. Be comfortable with what you write.

Sensual scenes are about the power between the characters.

Heroines
Sight– never underestimate the power of an outfit
Texture – feel of things is important
Smell is important in all sensual scenes as is sound.
Layer the textures – senses – in your scenes. It’s what you don’t say; it’s what you imply to the reader that is important.

Writing What Sells
Cheryl St. John:
Westerns, now (Oct 2003), are the kiss of death. If you’re writing “Americana” it’s considered westerns.

You have to be flexible, willing to change to go with the market or even what the editor says needs to be changed.

You WILL be rejected, but KEEP sending out MS. Always keep writing and submit simultaneously.

Have an idea or a book that hasn’t sold, submit it as an idea, ask an/your editor for input on it.

In your query letter write, “I’ve written a book in the
Having an agent is a good thing.

Pam Crooks:
There is something (genre) out there for everyone. If you like to write westerns – Dorchester and Harlequin are good sellers right now (Oct 2003).

Don’t put your eggs all in one basket – diversify.

A good editor will tell you what’s wrong with your MS and invite you to resubmit.

Shirl Henke:
Do what you want to do (write), but also what will sell.

Write what you want to write and want to read. Figure out how you could fit it in with the trend.

Bobbi Smith:
If something doesn’t sell now, don’t dump it – put it away, keep the idea.

Listen to the voice in your head and follow the direction.

Submit to an agent and a publisher. Send 3 Chapters with your query letter.

*These notes are my interpretation of the speakers comments.
Any mistakes or misinterpretations are solely my error.