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Post by maggiee01 on Jul 30, 2009 17:44:23 GMT -5
Vicki,
First of all "City of Souls" was awesome. It's been a while since I threw a book across the room in anger, but its the books that elicit strong emotions that stay with us.
Secondly - now I am not a writer so writing fiction is a great big mystery to me. I was wondering if you are sometimes surprised by the twists and turns you come up with. I read on another post that you're not much of a planner, so do you sometimes surprise even yourself?
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lvlocalgirl
Agent
just killin' time until dawn
Posts: 516
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Post by lvlocalgirl on Aug 1, 2009 1:29:31 GMT -5
Nice question. I am curious as well and would venture further to ask, Can you share some specifics with us, Vicki, without giving spoilers?
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Post by Vicki Pettersson on Aug 4, 2009 15:05:12 GMT -5
Maggie,
Aw, I made you throw a book. How sweet. ;D
Do I surprise myself?
All the time.
I generally know the beginning and end of a book -- so I know where I'm headed. I'll know a few big scenes in the middle, but other than that it's a discovery while writing. Not to get too technical, but on the book I just finished, CHEAT THE GRAVE, I broke the story up in to four parts: act 1, act2-part1, act2-part2, and act 3. I plotted to the end of one act/section, then wrote to there. Then plotted the next quarter, and wrote to there. This worked amazingly well in that it gave me both structure and flexibility, and I plan on doing it again with the next book.
Stacey -- one specific example of being surprised by my story is from THE SCENT OF SHADOWS where Jo and Warren are out on the ledge after Olivia is killed. I really didn't want to put her out there. I had no idea how she was going to get off that ledge. Then Ajax's pokers melted as he tried to thrust them through the glass and I realized she was not only 'special' but she was in possession of a particular magic (which turned out the be the aureole, and added a ton to the overall series)
That's the best part of writing -- when your world and characters surprise even you.
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lvlocalgirl
Agent
just killin' time until dawn
Posts: 516
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Post by lvlocalgirl on Aug 6, 2009 0:28:57 GMT -5
Thanks for that. I look forward to the experience some day.  |
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Post by Raven on Aug 8, 2009 15:20:18 GMT -5
Good question and great answers. Thanks for the example, Vic!
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Post by Vicki Pettersson on Aug 10, 2009 9:47:52 GMT -5
Welcome! Hope it helps!
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