tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post7440203331207320083..comments2023-03-30T08:51:55.643-04:00Comments on On Romance Writing: Plot Driven or Character Driven?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07797338879140793709noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-66432578997962055362018-08-10T14:07:33.157-04:002018-08-10T14:07:33.157-04:00You're doing great. You posted a great interne...You're doing great. You posted a great internet dating profile at one of the online singles websites. Good for you. <a href="https://2yed.com/" rel="nofollow">คลิปหลุด</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14316483990880405145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-29913032992631025002012-09-01T19:39:51.931-04:002012-09-01T19:39:51.931-04:00Great comments! It's the same for me. Sometime...Great comments! It's the same for me. Sometimes I think of a character and want to put him into a plot. More often, for me, it's the plot idea. I just finished a couple of proposals and had the idea for one while having breakfast w/ my editor. She was talking about the kind of book that works best for Intrigue--and I came up with one. At least I hope so.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07797338879140793709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-21969566234823309672012-09-01T19:31:28.838-04:002012-09-01T19:31:28.838-04:00Great post! An editor told me once that I do bette...Great post! An editor told me once that I do better with a strong plot to hang my story on so I probably should be more plot-driven, but the creativity doesn't always work that way. I would say I'm both. <br /><br />It depends on where I am and what pops into the brain. I've come up with books based on a hero. One of my series stemmed from a line I read by a mountain rescuer in a climbing forum after a rescue on Mount Hood. Suddenly this hero was so clear in my mind I just knew I wanted to write his book. Other times it's a plot where I know what I want to happen, but not quite sure I know who it's going to happen to. I think both ways can work, but you have to make sure you fill in all the missing pieces. All plot books aren't fun to read, because I want that emotion and understand the motivation behind actions and see the growth of a character at the end. I'll add that as a reader, I like characters to be going after or doing something to drive a story.<br /><br /><br />Melissa McClonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16715664439441831529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-77431692090089579522012-09-01T09:50:07.399-04:002012-09-01T09:50:07.399-04:00Thanks! I think all writers need to rely on what ...Thanks! I think all writers need to rely on what they do best and fill in the hard parts. It's different for each of us.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07797338879140793709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-23568086105711045042012-09-01T09:19:59.565-04:002012-09-01T09:19:59.565-04:00I enjoy your stories and your insight so much. Tha...I enjoy your stories and your insight so much. Thank you for sharing your talent with us. <br />I'm more of a character driver writer. Showing the emotions come easily but have to work on making the plot a strong one.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05728065355113617376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-10712443530226276032012-08-31T19:36:35.385-04:002012-08-31T19:36:35.385-04:00I hope I'm fifty fifty. I had to work hard on ...I hope I'm fifty fifty. I had to work hard on learning how to show the emotions of my characters.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07797338879140793709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-7020581074653333162012-08-31T18:40:23.922-04:002012-08-31T18:40:23.922-04:00Hi, Rebecca. I'm soooo late getting here for t...Hi, Rebecca. I'm soooo late getting here for this installment. As always, you present a well-reasoned discussion. I like to consider myself 50/50 when it comes to characters vs. plot driving the story. If I get an idea for a plot, I work to find characters to implement the action. If the characters arrive first, they are usually full of advice when it comes to the story they want me to tell. Silver Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15606837105470988646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-14147027740335383072012-08-30T23:20:52.529-04:002012-08-30T23:20:52.529-04:00Chassie, thanks so much! I, of course, am plot ori...Chassie, thanks so much! I, of course, am plot oriented.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07797338879140793709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-1787537809396961112012-08-30T22:43:00.318-04:002012-08-30T22:43:00.318-04:00I'm with Mary. The characters always seem to ...I'm with Mary. The characters always seem to come to me first. What the heck to do with and to them comes next and that is always hard for me. Your blogs are helping immensely. Having things spelled out in black and white clearly makes a difference to me. You're a dynamite teacher.Chassiehttp://www.chassiewest.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-61116695009875876852012-08-30T11:49:40.621-04:002012-08-30T11:49:40.621-04:00Thanks Loni and Mary. I usually think of "an ...Thanks Loni and Mary. I usually think of "an idea" first, then characters. Sometimes it's the other way around.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07797338879140793709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-38675115894686950552012-08-29T23:59:08.056-04:002012-08-29T23:59:08.056-04:00I'm mostly character driven. Characters come t...I'm mostly character driven. Characters come to me and tell their stories. Their behavior is always about who they are for me. If I try to put them into plots I devise, they balk. If I need to follow a plot, I ask for volunteers who can do what is needed. Mary Marvellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12015719890476028848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-47452661896810790512012-08-29T09:44:12.516-04:002012-08-29T09:44:12.516-04:00"John protects Laurie by coverin her body wit..."John protects Laurie by coverin her body with his," would be in my outline. By the time I sit down to write the scene, I have to start coming up with the details, although a lot of them don't come to me until I'm actually writing. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07797338879140793709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-56105171775950648932012-08-28T15:45:51.625-04:002012-08-28T15:45:51.625-04:00You write: "I often start by focusing on bloc...You write: "I often start by focusing on blocking out the action." Can you plz tell us a bit more about the process of "blocking out the action." Is it a move-by-move sequence? Or just something like, "John protects Laurie by covering her body with his." How detailed do you get?Toby Devenshttp://www.midlifepassions.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-88230609880413532102012-08-28T15:31:46.986-04:002012-08-28T15:31:46.986-04:00I tend to be more 'character driven'--when...I tend to be more 'character driven'--when I'm starting out. I will have a sense of the plot but I believe in letting the characters 'take-over' and tell their story. I agree with Willa and my characters definitly surprise me. Their actions, words and even their thoughts are usually very clear to me so they are the driving force. But I agree on using their emotions to drive the plot along.<br /><br />Love your blog lessons--always something great to learn! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12427417933735772273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-46168581034039079342012-08-28T13:03:04.924-04:002012-08-28T13:03:04.924-04:00You've given us a very clear tutorial. Thanks...You've given us a very clear tutorial. Thanks! <br /><br />While my books generally start with a vision of the first scene and go from there, I think I've learned to be plot driven from you and the group. Outlining the book ahead of time reinforces this. Then, as you said, I go back and layer in the sensory cues and emotion. I learn about the characters as I go and sometimes they surprise me. Willa Blairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12465306036271972772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-80072360883621540432012-08-28T12:13:40.148-04:002012-08-28T12:13:40.148-04:00I love the way you provide examples of the points ...I love the way you provide examples of the points you make. This brings all the "rules" alive. Once again, a truly informative and helpful post.nancy baggetthttp://www.kitchenlane.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-80516352909751306762012-08-28T12:11:13.497-04:002012-08-28T12:11:13.497-04:00I think most men are uncomfortable with writing an...I think most men are uncomfortable with writing and reading stories with a lot of emotion. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07797338879140793709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2190272161363326208.post-69759035465962850582012-08-28T12:07:48.928-04:002012-08-28T12:07:48.928-04:00Many non-suspense Harlequin novel categories, such...Many non-suspense Harlequin novel categories, such as SuperRomance, are character driven. I sometimes feel frustrated by the guidance to tone down plot. But I agree, both are critical to any good story. I'll be interested to see if there are comments on your assertion that women are better at this (emotion in love scenes) than most me. I read mostly fantasy and science fiction, notorious for not doing much with love scenes, so I don't know of any other notable exceptions to your statement.Elizabeth Ashtreehttp://www.elizabethashtree.comnoreply@blogger.com