I’m gearing up to throw myself into my fourth Brava. The itch is getting itchier and in my free moments, I find myself thinking of scenes that I’ll use when the time comes.
This is how my odd creative process works: I think up scenes in my head, usually conflict and highly-charged emotional scenarios, and then I “pants” my way between these scenes to write the book. So take the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. I would have:
- the sword fight between Sparrow and Will
-
the scene with Elizabeth on the Pearl fighting with Barbossa
- the scene with Sparrow fighting Barbossa
That’s it. There’s my story.
Then I’ll write the entire book around those scenes. When I begin, I have no idea why Sparrow and Will are sword fighting, but I’ll think of possible reasons. Are they fighting over a girl? Something stolen? Are they best friends? Enemies? Who’s the better swordsman?
From this, the characters are created. Eventually, the things they do will lead me to that first sword fight, but I won’t know what that is until I get there. Same with the other scenes. This is why I can’t write a synopsis. I have NO idea what’s going to happen.
Occassionaly, I wish I had a clear plan when I start, because sometimes I get stuck for days. My cp Annette has told me that it’s usually because I goofed somewhere. Someone did something out of character, or something is missing, and usually reading through the previous couple of chapters will strike a chord. But then sometimes, nothing works besides waiting for inspiration to strike.
Jack London said, “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” And he’s right. I’m thinking it’s not possible to seriously, balls-to-the-wall ‘pants’ a story like I do while juggling multiple deadlines.
Something else I’ve been pondering is why so many of my books feature heroines with issues. These types of stories, I’ve been told, don’t do as well as those that feature tortured heroes. My next Brava, the one I’m getting antsy to write, features a woman who is almost a villainess. And the hero is not quite a good guy either. I think it’s going to be great fun to write, and, as ever, I am grateful to my wonderful editor who doesn’t ask me what’s next or where I’m going or what I’m doing.
This isn’t the case with any of my other publishers/editors and somehow, I’ll have to balance their need to know against my inability to answer. 
I much to prefer to write the way I do. Then things can just happen the way they happen, without me forcing it to happen because the outline says it’s supposed to.
If that made any sense at all. :scratch:
