Last night I was trying to figure out why Ghosts was being so stubborn. I barely made my words for NaNo and only after a lot of hard work. As I read over what I had written, I discovered the problem: Ghosts has no romance in it. I realized for the first time that all my books and plays have a romance and/or relationship as a major subplot: Bernard and Lisa in Murder by Dewey Decimal and Murder by the Acre; Luke and Darcy in Darkness, Oklahoma; Stefan and Maladora in Dragons Gather; Dark and Rebecca in Tin Man Dark; and so on.
The relationships aren't the A plot in any of those books. The A plots are mysteries, dark suspense, action adventure, etc. But the B plots are two people attempting to make a relationship together despite murder, former lovers, mad wizards, psychotic scientists, or the Old Gods.
This was a surprise to me. I don't consider myself a romantic person. In fact, quite the opposite. I'm usually described as pragmatic, very much into learning to love what I can get instead of wasting my life wanting something I can't. I'm sure there's probably something a psychiatrist could make of my apparent suppression of romance, but since one doesn't read my blog as far as I know, we can safely discard any psychological reasons and simply say that relationships make for compelling drama, whether between a werewolf sheriff and a psychic nurse, a powerless wizard and a mind witch, a reporter and a librarian, or a chem-enhanced black ops soldier and a crusading social worker.
So although I got my words on Ghosts, I suspect I'm starting it over. Now, if it wasn't NaNo, I would throw out most of what I've already written. But it is NaNo and 50,000 words in one month isn't easy so they're all staying until the rewriting starts. Truthfully I always throw away more words than I keep in any book or play.
A romantic subplot will certainly help me get words on Ghosts, and besides, I think Simon Simple needs to be even more tormented, don't you? All last night and today I'll be thinking about the new woman in Simon's life. I hope when I start writing tonight, she'll be ready to go. I need those words!
I think ... mind you, I'm not sure ... but I think she's warrior of the Shining Ones. I guess I'll find out tonight.
You have a great day. Talk to you tomorrow!
Order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Amazon.com.
Order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Barnes & Noble.com
Order Murder by the Acre in softcover from Lulu.com.
Order Murder by the Acre in hardcover only at from Lulu.com.
Order MBTA & MBDD items and more at Oakleaf
5 comments:
Ohmygosh, when I read 'romance sub-plot' the first thing I thought was Simon and a shining one! It could go one of two ways--either they're together somehow at the end, or she goes on without him like in "Ghost."
Actually, I've always thought you were a romantic. Maybe it's the 1,392 miles between here and OK that skews the view. ;)
EJ, I jotted down those thoughts. If I use, you get to be in the Acknowledgements! :)
Really, FF? Perhaps you see me better than I do.
I think you're on the right track. I'm with EJ
Woohoo!
Post a Comment