Thursday, December 15th, 2011
By the time I recognized that I had been tying myself up in knots, I was already in a pretty tight tangle. Too happy that the narrative structure of my new story was all sorted out, I was unprepared to find that the plot structure wasn’t cooperating. The story was complete, already framed in my mind; and I knew the inciting incident for the part of it that happened in the past. There also had to be cause for the characters to act in the present, and it eluded me. Hence the knots. Depressing.
I tried to create a ground-zero event, but it was obviously only there to be ‘the incident’. Then I tried to scrap the story in the past and bring its event forward. Ruined everything – not enough time had passed. Finally I examined the motivations of the hero and heroine. To my intense relief, the tangle started to undo itself. It was clear that each of them had to have their own reason for getting involved in the story.
So in the present, there are two inciting incidents for the action plot. Additionally, there must be an inciting incident for the romantic plot. That makes four plot lines, when I had made myself believe that there would be only two – one each for the past and present. How I could do that when the single-timeline story I just finished had dual plot lines – one each for the action and romantic plots – is a mystery. But for now at least, I am no longer imitating a pretzel.
Filed under: OnWriting by Cathryn Louis
Tags: « inciting incident - narrative - plot - wip »
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Friday, December 9th, 2011
As usual on Friday morning, I checked my Twitter feed to read interesting news and to see my blog post tweet roll through. It didn’t. What the heck? Didn’t I schedule the tweets? Nope, I surely didn’t. Even worse as you can see, I didn’t post.
The post was ready, but I exhausted myself trying to build a color palette for updating my blog. I suck at it. So much so, that I spent all night (forgetting what I should have been doing) and got nowhere. Maybe it’s time to enlist L – she’s the style maven in the family. I’m permanently retro boho, which I understand is shamefully ‘so last century’. At least I don’t write that way. 😀
Filed under: OnWriting by Cathryn Louis
Tags: « blogging - social media »
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Thursday, December 1st, 2011
Just as with Sparks, my second novel is in the driver’s seat and I’m just along for the ride. For months, when I’ve had spare brain cycles, I tried to figure out whether or not a portion of it should be shown in flashback. Now that finishing it is one of my main activities, I began to write in earnest and immediately the story showed me that flashbacks won’t work.
The circumstances are such using them would make it the hero’s tale – and I want it to be that of the heroine.A challenge is that a significant part of the story occurs in the past, so I’m driven to study up on alternatives to the linear narrative. I’m also reading stories such as Katherine Neville’s The Eight and Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveller’s Wife. They’re helping me out tremendously and inspired me to figure out how to handle time displacement in the way that works best for my story.
As soon as I typed the first few words, a scene evolved, revealing what I had to do. Strategically placed snippets – or vignettes – from the past. Not shown in flashback, but used to propel the linear story line of the present. Holy cow – just like that, the narrative structure is in place. I’m really jazzed!
Filed under: OnWriting by Cathryn Louis
Tags: « flashback - narrative - storycraft - wip »
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Thursday, November 24th, 2011
For the first ten months of the almost three years it took to write Sparks, I had only one objective – to finish writing it. Then I added blogging. I liked managing both – each cleansed my writing palette for the other. Now though, I find myself with a longer list of activities and no idea how I’m going to get them all done:
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Getting Sparks published: A primary activity, which will take time, and for which I will need patience.
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Reviving novel 2: Another primary activity. I had started it before I began revising Sparks, and now need to reacquaint myself with the characters and the story so I can get back to writing it.
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Updating and managing my web presence: A third primary activity. Geez… I’ve accumulated a lot of primary activities. Right now, my domain name points only to my blog. I have to incorporate my blog into a broader site.
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Keep up my weekly blogging: The fourth primary activity. I’ve now finished the character sketches for Sparks – except for very minor characters, and it’s time to move on.
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As if four primary activities aren’t enough, I’ve gotten an idea for an e-book I want to put together. Though I don’t count it as primary, I have to address it because I’ve found that when I stifle an urge, I give myself writer’s block.
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OMG – there’s a sixth one! I have several ideas for short stories. I’ll have to write them too, or again, run the risk of blocking myself.
So… four primary activities, and two others. This is going to be a wild ride. Anybody else juggling multiple major activities? Think I’ll need to clone myself.
Filed under: OnWriting by Cathryn Louis
Tags: « blogging - wip »
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Thursday, November 17th, 2011
It has to be me. I’m sophisticated, accomplished; a good fit for his family. My career is important enough to complement his, but not demanding enough to interfere with plans for family, travel or his advancement. I’ve spent five years planning my approach; watching each relationship, studying the mistakes made by those who’ve tried to capture him.
Most were so much in awe of his beauty and masculinity, that they never moved past worship. He easily—and quickly—tired of such fawning attention. Each of the others astonishingly made the same fatal error—asking him to take the relationship to the next level. To hell with asking; I’ll just ease us into commitment. Once he’s there, he’ll see that moving forward into marriage is the next logical step. I deserve to be with him and to be a part of his family. I always get what I deserve.
Filed under: Sparks by Cathryn Louis
Tags: « love story - People - power - Sparks »
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Thursday, November 10th, 2011
Embarrassing but true – I’m suffering through an identity crisis. Not in the sense of real name versus pen name, though that debate rages in some corners of the writing community. As much as I love to read, I don’t recall ever questioning the name on a book jacket. However, I have made sure to remember it when I love the book.
My particular crisis concerns my Twitter or ultra-short bio and that I’d chosen to call my writings ‘stories where the heroines are masters of technology’. Sounds incredibly cool – or so I thought. But what does it tell prospective readers? Ummm… geez… well… nothing. As far as book lovers are concerned, my artful? description is absolutely worthless.
What now? Back to the drawing board. First thing is to define what I write. That’s easy enough. Sparks, and the stories to come, are suspenseful tales interwoven with a love story; or in short, romantic suspense. Some experts say I should compare my work to a known author. But whom? There are many, wonderful romantic suspense authors; each significantly different from another – and from me. After deep consideration, it seemed best to go to the source.
Mary Stewart is widely recognized (sometimes with Dame Daphne Du Maurier) as the defining author of romantic suspense. I LOVE her books. Since Sparks has yet to be published, it is extremely arrogant to compare myself to her. Instead, it’s more accurate to say that my work is ‘in the tradition’ of hers.
Now for the next questions: What makes my work unique? What is different for the characters? A shift in time is the main thing. This is the twenty-first century. The types of problems characters can face have grown by orders of magnitude. Tastes and mores are also far different. Most of us accept that there are no absolutes. I can make scenes of intimacy far more sensual and those of peril far more personally threatening, without leaving the realm of romantic suspense.
After several attempts, what I’ve come up with is ‘A romantic suspense author, in the tradition of Mary Stewart, who writes edgy, provocative, contemporary stories.’ I like it for now, but as always, #amwriting #amediting. 😀
Filed under: OnWriting by Cathryn Louis
Tags: « action - author - genre - love story - technology »
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Thursday, November 3rd, 2011
It started innocently – for me anyway—as such things often do. At a poetry reading. He hadn’t been attending, but saw me through the coffee bar window and came in specifically to meet me. A powerful man; so attentive. I was flattered and quickly gave him my heart. Seemingly alarmed that I, in his words, ‘slaved away’ as a barista while I put myself through graduate school, he offered me an interview for the position of his administrative assistant. Its salary was far more than I could earn as a new teacher.
After some thought and a visit to his offices, I cast aside my dream of inspiring students. To my detriment, I went for the money. Surviving a tough interview with senior members of the administrative staff, I got the job on my own merits. Thrilled that we would be together, I showed him my gratitude. Then I learned the truth. Not only was he married, but had two sons of whom he was inordinately proud.
I should have broken off our relationship and left. But the gift of a six-figure bank account convinced me to stay. Then the car; the forty-ninth floor condo. The acceptance of each gift added another wall of bars to my prison. Then he added the last. Now if I leave, I lose everything—and I’ll have a six year hole in my resume.
For now I go on, well paid for all that I do. He demands; I acquiesce. I loved him once, but now I merely endure, saving for the day he’ll find me too old and release me. I welcome that day; I’ll be free to once again go after my dream.
Filed under: Sparks by Cathryn Louis
Tags: « blues - love story - People - Sparks »
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Thursday, October 27th, 2011
After almost a year of disciplined, structured writing time, I find myself finished with Sparks and at a loss for what to do next. There are several more character sketches I can write. My author platform needs work. There are even a couple of short stories I can finish. I’ve two novels in the pipe and several more concepts; enough to keep me busy for at least the next ten years. So why am I stalling?
Down time! But conversely, I have an abundance of pent up energy. So I’ve been using it for fun. Problem is, I haven’t quite had enough fun yet. Maybe this week I’ll have had all that I need… Or maybe not. In any case, I will still blog, although I’m winging it because nothing in my life right now is driving the posts. Interesting and scary.
Guess it’s time for a break – my brain refuses to cooperate with anything that requires structured thinking. It wants to run wild and free. Holy cow – there it goes… Gotta run! Have you taken a break lately?
Filed under: OnWriting by Cathryn Louis
Tags: « fun - platform - wip »
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Thursday, October 20th, 2011
Two halves of the same soul; together we were one. I wanted her life to be about me, and only me. But she refused to give up her’s to focus on mine. So I left her—to teach her a lesson. To make her feel what it would be like without me. She is stronger than I thought. She didn’t come after me.
In anger, I went after what I thought I should have—and I got it. How could I not? I’m the total package. I’ll be CEO of a conglomerate someday. But what I got isn’t what I want. Great conversation, but not spirted. Companionship and closeness, but not intimacy. A common goal, but she hasn’t one of her own—and doesn’t think that she should. Devoted, she will give me wonderful children, help me build a good life. But not a passionate one.
I am an idiot. Maybe if I can see my love one more time, hold her in my arms once more, I’ll have the strength to end this farce; push the reset button and go back to where I belong…
Filed under: Sparks by Cathryn Louis
Tags: « blues - heart - love story - People - power - Sparks - turbulence »
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Thursday, October 13th, 2011
We all know that the Managing Partner is on his way to a Board position. One of us is to be his successor. To his credit, none of us has a clue which of us it will be. He has mentored us all; helped us all advance our careers. One among us wants the rest to believe that he’s got the inside track. Smart move. If we buy into his act that he’s the successor, he’ll get it by default. I think he’s bluffing. He achieves results through inflicting fear. That’s not leadership – that’s bullying.
I am afraid that it won’t be me. I’ve come up through operations – not analysis. The MP is an analyst; and acutely aware of the debacles that can occur when non-technical executives take over technical companies. A well known company that had been the standard for electronic instruments stars as the adverse example in his teachings of stewardship over profit. He has called that company ‘a rudderless ship crashing into port after port, looking for it’s rightful home’.
That situation would not happen to our firm under my leadership. Techie or no, I’m sure I’ll be a good steward. It would be ridiculous for me to badly run a company whose business is to help other companies run theirs. One thing’s for sure. If I don’t succeed him, I’ll have to step up my mentoring – include other women outside my organization. If I don’t, they’ll get left out. The other potential successors don’t give a rat’s ass.
Filed under: Sparks by Cathryn Louis
Tags: « heart - People - power - Sparks - technology »
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