Friday, October 13, 2006

Friday, the thirteenth

Okay, so it's Friday the thirteenth. And No, I'm not
superstitious. So why am I even mentioning the thirteenth?
Because it's a great plot maker.

Now, you know why I mentioned the 13th. I'm going to write
a bit about plot. However, I not doing anything with the 13th.
I just love plotting a book. An idea strikes and I'm off
and running. The question that I keep asking, "What if..."
That's my plot builder. No matter what the idea, that
question produces suggestions. Characters develop from that
question, location, even time periods are a result.

I start with one idea.

Okay, what's the idea?

I'm going to use the basis for my next Gothic as an example.
A woman dies falling out of a third story window.
Question? What kind of house? An isolated house on a high hill.
Where? I saw a house in Tennessee. Perfect.
So when? How about after the Civil War! Maybe 1880.
I'll research Tennessee in the 1880's)
Who is she? She's the older sister of a young woman
who is in school in England. So, who's the heroine?
The young woman in England. Of course she'll have to come
home because of her sister's death.
Now what if the sister's death isn't an accident?
Or, did the sister kill herself?
You can see how the story develops. I'm not going further
with this, because to be honest, I haven't settled on all
of the 'what if's'.

But, I will. Now, I admit I'm a plotter. There are some
authors who don't plot. They just start writing. They are
called Pansters. They write by the seat of their pants.
One of the best Pansters is Stephen King. So you can see
that some authors can write without a plot.

I can't. I'm a plotter! So, back to the plot.

More later.

Allison
www.allisonknight.com
Watch for TOO LATE TO SCREAM coming in
November from Wings ePress, Inc. In the spring
HEAL MY HURTING HEART from Champagne Books.
SIMON'S BRIDES is available now from Wings ePress.

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