Straight talk from the sisters about blood, sweat and ink
Starting a new project is always exciting. After I applied to a writers grant with my current WIP this February, I decided to start another novel, or rather resurrect an idea I’d developed a year earlier. I already had character sketches and a beat sheet complete, so I rushed right in to writing a scene-by-scene outline …
Continue reading “A Pre-Writing Checklist”
Welcome back to Masterplots Theater on this the very last day of the A-Z Challenge! Yippee! We made it! And as happens every year, we get to Z and go, “What the heck are we going to write for this letter?” Of course, now that I think of it, we could have picked zombies, but …
Continue reading “Masterplots Theater: Z is for Zoomorphic”
Welcome back to Masterplots Theater! All month we’ve been talking about writing individual masterplots, but what if you’re deliberately writing a story in two genres? What the heck is that? Well, I’d call that a “mashup”, or for the purposes of the A-Z Challenge, an “X Meets Y” masterplot. But the real question is: should …
Continue reading “Masterplots Theater: X is for X Meets Y (Genre Mashups)”
Welcome back to Masterplots Theater! Today we’re going to talk vengeance, for all those writers who are just dying to exorcise a past wrong through fiction… Vengeance Plot Notes: The main drive of this masterplot is simple: the protagonist seeks revenge on the antagonist. The antagonist must have done something that warrants the hero’s desire …
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Welcome back to Masterplots Theater! Is your story about a someone on a mission to stop a murderer? Great! But do you know whether it’s a thriller or a mystery? If you’re like me, you might have answered, “It’s both — a mystery thriller!” Thing is, I’ve discovered that mysteries and thrillers are not the …
Continue reading “Masterplots Theater: T is for Thriller”
Welcome back to Masterplots Theater! When people hear “Rite of Passage plot” they often think it’s another term for “coming-of-age story.” While youthful tales involving loss of innocence and puberty most definitely fit the Rite of Passage mold, not all ROP stories are about teenagers. Allow me to explain… Rite of Passage Plot Notes: The defining …
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Welcome back to Masterplots Theater! Today we’re going on a wild ride with the Pursuit masterplot, which is more commonly known as the Chase plot. But hey, this is the A-Z Challenge where coming up with a suitable synonym so one has a post for a tricky letter is fair game. 😉 Pursuit Plot Notes: …
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Welcome back to Masterplots Theater where we examine archetypal plots in books and film. Today we’re going to study a plot often referred to as “Rivalry”, but I need an “N” post for the purpose of the #AtoZChallenge, so I’m going to call this masterplot “Nemesis.” After all, there is no rivalry if the hero doesn’t …
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Welcome back to Masterplots Theater! Today we are exploring one of the most popular masterplots of all time: The Love Story. And even if you’re not writing a full-on romance, most stories have an amorous subplot which contains the same plot elements. So without further ado, let’s fall in love! Love Story Plot Notes: The …
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Welcome to Masterplots Theater! Today we’re examining Juvenile Journal, which admittedly is a term I just made up so that I have something to write for the letter J. But still, there are many books out there written in a diary format. Perhaps your own teenage scribblings would make a great story… Journal Plot Notes: …
Continue reading “Masterplots Theater: J is for Journal”