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Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Fiction-Writing Plotting Techniques: The D. D. Scott Element List
Happy Tuesday, D. D. Scott-ville!
Now that my 5th Book is out - THUG GUARD, Book One of my new, Cozy Cash Mysteries - which is actually my 15th manuscript, I'm beginning to develop my very own, fiction-writing techniques for creating a D. D. Scott book.
My writing weakness used to be plotting.
And...to that once, huge-ass issue...I used to say:
"Why can't my characters just sit on a supercool bench in some great location and chat for 300 or so pages?! I've been repeatedly told my dialogue and witty banter rock. So yeah...let's just let my characters talk!"
Why can't my characters just sit on a supercool bench and chit-chat?!
Well...these days, it's because they're also involved in solving mysteries, which requires they get off their butts and follow their leads...or, let's face it, find a lead...any lead...LOL!
But, thanks first, to my fantabulous, mystery-writing author friend Misa Ramirez, I now begin each Cozy Cash Mystery with her Mystery Plot Exercise...which includes jotting down the following items:
*** A Sleuth
*** Victim(s)
*** 3 Different Suspects
*** 3 Different Motives For Killing
*** False Leads
*** Real Clues
*** Killer Revealed At The End
So, I took Misa's wayyy fab list, then added my own D. D. Scott twist.
How?!
Well...in my D. D. Scott Books, I like to explore what I call Pop Culture "Elements" in each book.
For example, take a look at each of the high-concept blurbs for my fiction books and their ripe-for-the-pickin' pop culture elements:
BOOTSCOOTIN' BLAHNIKS - Think Sex and The City meets Urban Cowboy
STOMPIN' ON STETSONS - Think Hell's Kitchen mixed with Meet the Fockers
BUCKLES ME BABY - Think paparazzi-hell and Ponzi-scheming fall-out meet home-shopping and Babies "R" Us
THUG GUARD - Think The Rachel Zoe Project meets Bond, James Bond and a Madoff-style, Ponzi-scheming King
Sooo...here comes my D. D. Scott Fiction-Writing Plotting Technique Twist...
I create what I call "The D. D. Scott Element List" for each book...a list, if you will, of all the Pop Culture Tidbits I plan to use in a particular book.
Take my next release - LIP GLOCK, Book Two of my new, Cozy Cash Mysteries - which will hit E-shelves in August...here's my D. D. Scott Element List for that book:
Lips
Glocks
The Mob
Life in a Castle/a princess-in-the-making (very Will & Kate)
Blackwater
The Galleon "cozy cash" scheme
Fashion-esque gadget-style weapons & the forensics to make 'em deadly
Bond, James Bond
Rachel Zoe's "Style A to Zoe"
One of the best spas in Europe
The Blue-Haired Version of Charlie's Angels - aka The Mom Squad
There you go...a Sneak Peek into the fictional world I'm building for LIP GLOCK.
Now...all I have to do...is get my characters off their benches and following each of these elements, then connect the dots from one to the next...and before you know it, I've got another D. D. Scott "The End"!
It's Your Turn, D. D. Scott-ville: If you're a writer, what plotting techniques do you use to get your stories onto your pages and screens? And, if you're a reader, what Pop Culture Elements would you like to see on my list?Labels: Behind and Beyond My Books, Being a Gutsy Romance Writer Girl, My Writing Process or Lack There Of
3 Comments:
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I loved this blog! I'd write more, but Samuel has shit his baby pants. Yay me. *holds nose*
OMG, Jennifer...you and your shit-filled baby pants are crackin' me up!!!
I'm holding my nose and sending flowery meadows and sweet parfum your way...LOL!!!
Oh, and I'm tickled you got a kick outta my post too!
Well put.