Plots That Will Not Let Go!

Quite interesting when a plot will not let go! The first time that happened to me, the plot was actually far beyond what I could pull off. It was all about rarefied art, viewing said art in a very special room, having said art stolen, and recovering it. That started with a NaNoWriMo effort years ago - and got bogged down fairly early on. I worked with it, but got nowhere. The process, however, was a learning experience.

I am still convinced that cozy mysteries are where I belong, and that my primary character will be a female. Art still plays a part, although this time it is art in the form of a Tarot deck - a deck that may or may not still exist, and that contains an image that could bring some very important people down.

The backdrop has changed - the NaNoWriMo story was based in LA, of which I know nothing! My current effort has somewhere in CA as a backdrop, but the main action takes place in Las Vegas, where I lived for seventeen years. We have a disappearance, a brother who is not a brother, and a Tarot deck that has a very interesting story to tell!

Here's to this plot growing feet!

(c) 2015 Bonnie Cehovet

Rproduction prohibited without the written permission of the author.

Small Steps

 

Small steps is what it has been lately ... but small steps do get us where we want to go. I am co-authoring a book on Joy with Brad Tesh. As any writer knows, writing the book is only the first part of the process of getting it out there. We are working with Create Space, which I really like. It is a template format, and works well for me. We have the interior (text) up, the cover is done (thank you to Roxi Sim for allowing us to license one of her images!), and all of that is in to Create Space for review. We have keywords up, and will be working on how to promote the book next. We are getting there! :) (Note to self - create a page on your site for this book!)

One of the things that I am looking at is upping my presence on Goodreads. Well, more like creating a presence! I am on the site, but have really done nothing with that. It is more important now than ever, as Amazon has just purchased Goodreads. You can read more about that here - http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/apr/02/amazon-purchase-goodreads-stuns-book-industry, http://www.salon.com/2013/03/31/amazon_buys_goodreads_were_all_just_data_now/ , http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/its-about-time/2013/apr/1/amazon-grows-its-book-retail-empire-purchase-goodr/ .

What I am looking to accomplish over the next quarter (we are already into the second quarter of 2013!) is to firm up a social media strategy for my books, to promote the book that I co-authored, and to continue to promote my existing books. I have one more e-book to get out this summer - on decision making, and will devote the third quarter to getting my first mystery on board.

I have not been making any use of my Amazon.com Associate affiliation. I am strongly considering adding that to my pages.

A lot of work ahead of me ... but it's all good! :)

(c) 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

No reproduction allowed in any format without my written consent.

Writing A Mystery

I am so pleased that after this week I will be able to place my focus on my WIP - my lovely little mystery! I am stopping to think about how I want this process to go - I want to define the process, even though I know it will get fine tuned along the way. I took the first step already - I started the writing. Actually, I started the writing in 2010 for NANOWRIMO. I made several attempts to fine tune what I had written, which lead nowhere. I finally decided to keep (most) of the characters, change the setting, and tweak the plot line.

I am going to write my bible first - thoroughly detailing my characters, their backgrounds, the environment they move in, and how they are inter-connected in the web of their world. Then I am going to outline my plot, and allow the writing to flow!

One thing that I do know - I tend to edit to a small extent as I write. This is not something that holds me back, it is something that allows me to have a nice, clean manuscript in front of my face. Spelling errors checked, punctuation checked - life looking good!

Another important thing to decide before beginning to write is what voice do you want your book in? Who is going to be telling the story, and how are they going to tell it? First person? Third person? Do whatever you are comfortable with. Go back and reread your favorite authors. What voice do they write in? You are not trying to be a mini-me, you just want to sound real, and consistent.

My characters are already part of me - they are pushing my current project so they can get their chops out there! I know they will interact in a manner that is unique to them. I have often found that my writing takes on its own edge - it writes itself. I will have to reign in my characters, rather than trying to flesh them out! They will be the best of the best of all of the people that have moved through my life, or that I have observed along the way. My characters will "have" character, and they will "be" characters!

Some stories never get written because the writers who imagine them never move them from the imaginal world into the real world. Spend time working at your craft, people! Sit down and write! Every day!

Have fun with this! I know that I am going to!

June 2012 Bonnie Cehovet