The benefits of being a pantser

There have been books where I wish I'd have started with a definitive outline, one that plotted where my story was going and how it played out. There have been books where I had to stop writing in order to plot where the story was going because I was getting lost, or writing "blah blah blah" instead of anything that might move the story along. Being a pantser (defined as someone who writes by the seat of their pants) has its downsides. But then...

I'm working on my new book, and yes, I'm pantsing my way through it. I have a pretty good idea where I'm going and what comes next, but the mystery part has been hanging over me. I have a villain. And I have a red herring villain. Today, as I was trying to figure out what comes next--and I should have had this thought sooner, when I wrote down the motives and reasonable cause for the murder--I found yet a third potential villain, one that makes a lot of sense! 

Sometimes we write characters to fill space. Someone needs to be somewhere and they need someone to be there with. Oftentimes, those filler characters don't even get a name because they aren't critical to the story. Sometimes, they need a name because they're going to have a spot in the story later, or they will be a recurring character. Sometimes you just need to call them something other than "the other guy." Many times, I've discovered that if I've gone as far as to name the character, they need to have a reason to be there--sometimes, even to be the unexpected villain! This is when being a pantser is fun. You write things you didn't know you meant to write and they suddenly come together to make the story richer. Deeper. As if your brain knows before you do and sets the stage, just waiting for you to have that "a-ha!" moment. 

I just plotted my "a-ha" moment. Which makes me excited about the story all over again. Which keeps me writing. Of course, I've been pretty interested in this story from the beginning, so that makes it that much more fun.

Stay tuned for more information on Unidentified Remains!

And then what?

Have you ever stopped to wonder why, when you finish a chapter and you have things to do, you keep reading instead? One of the rules of writing: Every scene, every chapter, should have a hook, something that makes you want to turn the page. If you finish a chapter with "and it was the end of the day so they went to bed," so will your reader. But if you finish your chapter with, "and then the bad guy walked in," you're going to want to know what's going to happen next.

That applies to more than just reading a book. As an author, we're often told to write your characters into a corner, and we don't always know the way out. Oftentimes, the hook isn't always obvious, but sometimes... That hook not only keeps you reading, it keeps the author writing. Trouble is interesting. Mysterious characters who show up out of the blue are interesting. 

I often find myself writing the end of a chapter, and if it's the end of my writing day, I'll keep going into the next so I know what I did there. If I finished a scene with a potential villain walking in, I'll leave myself a note so I know where to pick up. If I leave a character in potential jeopardy, I make a note that the next time I go into that point of view, I need to resolve the jeopardy (or up the ante). One example: Bella is in the kitchen at Edith Ann's, the coffee shop she runs. The server on duty comes in to tell her someone is asking for her in the dining room. Bella goes to see, and the potential villain's sister introduces herself. What does she want? The reader has to wait to find out, because now it's time to switch POV and get the forensic results for the second body in the coffin. (Second body in the coffin? Yep, but I'm not giving the whole book away here.) But how did he know to point the forensic anthropologist/dentist in the right direction? Welp, that all has to be addressed before he goes out on patrol and runs into... duh duh duh ... the girl Bella interviewed for a job at the coffee shop -- and the girl is being stalked. By who? End of chapter.

You get the drift. 

In a world full of distractions, it's hard to stay motivated, but if you keep leaving yourself spicy breadcrumbs, they're more likely to draw you back in, both as a reader and as a writer.

Pirates be walkin' the plank

I'm on a rant today...

With the dawn of AI, even artistry is becoming automated. Would-be authors have decided they can use AI to write a complete book. 

AI is NOT the be-all and the end-all. There is only so much you can do with soulless technology. It is flawed, and its creators are pirating work from actual artists to train it. 

I was recently notified that my work was pirated without my consent, and as part of a class action lawsuit, I am now entitled to compensation. Theoretically. I'll believe it when I see it. This is only the first of many, as I understand it.

As an independent author, there are costs that go into producing a book. Sure, it's easy to say "it doesn't cost anything," but if you want to put out a quality product, you need an editor. Some people use a variety of editors for different things, or one editor for a variety of things. There is the cost of commissioning a quality book cover. There is the cost of formatting. If you do an audio version, you might have paid a narrator. Some people have skill sets that make life easier, but as one of my author buddies always says, hire out what you aren't good at. And here's the thing. I was an editor on the day job, and I still hire an editor, because that's a particular skill that requires "a second set of eyes." I can get close. I get it right for the most part, but it's way too easy to miss things. 

The settlement will cover some of those extra costs, assuming the amount they're predicting comes through, and that's just from the AI pirates.

There are other pirates out there. How many people want to save a buck and find a place that offers books for free? Legitimately? There are far too many pirates out there, but let's call them what they are. Thieves. You're buying "fenced" goods. Some people might remember when recording artists sued streaming services for essentially giving away their music for free. Hey, we need to eat, too.

There are plenty of authors who offer books free of charge to their readers - first in series is a prime example. We want you to read our books. Take the free one, and if you like it, support our work. If you can't afford to buy books, get them from the library. If they don't have the hard copies, you can bet they'll have the electronic copies, or you can request the hard copies.

I'm pleased the AI book pirates are being addressed, but that doesn't cover all the pirating that happens. I write because I love to write. I publish to share my work with you, but there are a lot of hours of blood, sweat, and tears that go into my work, and I don't overcharge my readers. In a lot of cases, my books are cheaper than a cup of coffee. I have to sell a lot of books just to break even. If you can't justify supporting an author as easily as your coffee habit, there will be fewer authors to choose from. I can't tell you how many days I ask myself if it's worth it. For myself? Yes. Sharing it? Not if you'd rather support a pirate than an author. It's very disheartening.

Time in a bottle

If you’re like me, there are certain instances when you expect time to stand still.

Have you ever gone to a high school reunion expecting everyone to look the same (I haven’t, but it seems like a reasonable expectation, eh?) Or movie stars? I always thought Sean Connery was handsome, even when he got old as sin. Maybe it was due to excellent makeup artists. Steve Martin? There’s a man who never changes - or maybe he does. Which brings me to the latest “when did he get so old?”

I saw a video clip featuring Steve Martin and Jackson Browne. (You can see it here.) Those of you who are of a certain age might remember "Running on Empty" (among other songs). It so happens a few years back I'd seen a Jackson Browne soundstage concert while I was writing Cookie Therapy. I modeled my fireman after him. Granted, JB was already aging then, but I looked up some pictures of when he was younger because he had a distinctive look and some of us 😏found him attractive. So watching that new video clip sort of took my breath away. That couldn't possibly be Jackson Browne. Could it? It must be the beard that makes him look different. Here's me, off to Google him. How many years ago was he making music? How many years ago did I write Cookie Therapy? HOW OLD AM I?? Which reminds me of something my writing buddy often says - she looks in the mirror and there's an old woman looking back--where did she come from? 

My mother used to say you're as old as you feel. After having some health challenges at a relatively young age, I was feeling pretty darn old before my time. Once those challenges were corrected, I felt remarkably better, but ever conscious of my age. I'm not one of those people who wants to be younger. To look younger. I've earned my stripes, in a manner of speaking. I am who I am, and this is what I look like. We all have our own vision of what "old" is. I've been told I'm an old soul, which might account for why age doesn't bother me quite so much (not that I'm THAT old). I'm the youngest of my sisters, and I still remember one of my sisters' boyfriends asking (when I was still a teenager!) if I was older than she was. By some measures, I've always been old. Still, it's somewhat of a shock when you see contemporaries or childhood idols who no longer resemble the heartthrob they once were. We can't all age like Dolly Parton or Paul McCartney, but the characters in my stories will be forever young. Here's looking at you, Matt Billings, the man I modeled after Jackson Browne.

Chasing Squirrels

I admit to being distracted when I write. Sometimes. 

There are days the words flow forth like a faucet opened to full stream. Then there are days the words dribble. On those days, distractions are more effective at getting your attention. Some days, I give up to the distractions, and others I firmly denounce them. What kinds of things distract me?

The "I don't know what I don't know" squirrel

I'm in the middle of writing something and one of my characters, who is in a profession I'm not knowledgeable about, has to wax poetic about their job. What do I do? I reach out to a professional and ask them how it works. How do I get around that? I write what I *think* and go back to it after I've heard from the professional.

The "what's the correct usage/idiom/word?" squirrel

This one can be tricky, because once you go out to the world wide web to find what you're looking for, the browser might distract you with something else, and then you lose track of what you went after in the first place. For example, I have a real blind spot when it comes to the correct usage of lie/lay. In order to get it right, I'll search the sentence I wrote to see the proper usage. If I remember why I went to the browser in the first place... This problem also leads to doom scrolling if you have news on your default browser page. 😟

The "I don't know what to write next. I must need sustenance of some sort" squirrel

So I go into the kitchen. Open the refrigerator. Open the pantry. Stare at the food and decide no, I'm not really hungry. Hey, at least I got a few steps in walking back and forth, right?

The "Wow, I didn't know that!" squirrel

This is the going down the rabbit hole trap. I look something up to make sure I got it right and learn more than I bargained for. Oftentimes, I find the answer so interesting, I keep reading, or if I don't find what I was looking for, I keep looking, which can provide more information than I needed, or divert me from the given path altogether. 

The list of distractions isn't comprehensive. We all have our own personal squirrels. Likewise, the amount of writing I do on any given day varies greatly. As mentioned, there are days I am fully focused for several hours and write until my brain runs out of words. It's like watching a movie, and let's face it, it has to end at some point (even if the story hasn't finished). Then there are the days the chart above is 100% accurate. The goal is to write 1,000 words a day. It's a reasonable expectation and gives me a focus. Even if I'm distracted, if I can get to the goal, I can quit and chase those squirrels. Or I can keep going and exceed my own expectations. 

And for now, the beat goes on (#MyLifeIsAMusical). Working my way through the next book, which follows on from Through the Viewfinder. My editor wanted to know the secondary characters' stories, so I'm indulging her (and me. Who am I kidding?)

See you next week.

Writing is like a box of chocolates?

You never know what you're going to get. 

I've have close to forty books under my belt now, and every one of them has been a different experience. I'm not a firm believer in writers' block, so I can't say any of them has ever stumped me, per se. The trick is to keep writing. Even when it's nonsense. One thing I can say, however, is that each book has presented itself differently.

Some books practically write themselves. You sit down and the characters play nice with you. They walk you through their stories and tell you everything beginning to end. You might hit snags along the way, but overall, it's a clear picture. A well-defined path. 

Then there are those books that are like buying a box of chocolates without any idea what flavors are inside. The characters play close to the vest and while getting them to show you the way, they turn their backs on you. That's the closest I've come to "writers' block." Trying to figure out what comes next. Where are they going? What is their journey? When you figure it all out, though, it all comes together in an "a-ha" moment that is very satisfying.

Through the Viewfinder was a box of chocolate truffles without a flavor key. I had all the pieces. I knew the characters. I knew the basic plot, but when I tried to fit it all together, it didn't track. It didn't make sense. How does this part of the story relate to the other? Why does this happen this way? How do these flavors go together? But I kept writing (and this is the lesson for this blog post, keep writing). I was at least half, and maybe further along when I reached the "A-Ha! Now this all makes sense!" Once you figure it out, you can fit in the missing pieces where they go, layer in the foreshadowing that gets you to that once piece of information that had been eluding you but now makes perfect sense. It's like taking a bite of one of those unknown chocolates and finding a new favorite flavor. There's an immense sense of satisfaction once it all comes together, that perfect blend of chocolate and [add your favorite filling here].

This time around? The secondary characters from Viewfinder are stepping forward for their story against a backdrop that both creeps me out and fascinates me. I took them on a field trip, found the ghost story (because that's what I do, after all) and instead of wondering what flavor I'm going to find, it's like I have a whole box of my favorites. I know what I'm going to get in every bite. So satisfying! 

When you're writing, as frustrating as the unknown flavor might be, it keeps me fresh. Keeps me thinking. If every story was easy to write, as with eating your favorite thing every day, you might lose interest. If I didn't have to work for it, I might take it for granted and write a boring story. Not everyone likes vanilla caramel every time.

I have favorite authors. At least two of them write "vanilla caramels" every time. I like vanilla caramels, but every time? Every now and then you want a cherry center. Or English toffee. That's when I switch off and read someone else. Well, you get the idea. 

The good news is that the current work in progress, tentatively titled "Unidentified Remains," is a perfectly balance chocolate truffle. I know this recipe, and I'm pretty sure you'll love the results. 

Doing the research

As an author, there comes a point in every book where I don’t know what I don’t know. Time to ask an expert. But how does one go about that?

The internet is a fabulous source of information, and now there’s AI, but let’s face it. Those sources don’t always get it right. Not only that, they don’t always answer the questions. For the “easy” stuff, it’s a quick search. But more in depth? And where do I go?

There are groups of professionals that help authors out. An online crime scene writers group is made up of policemen, firemen and other public servants who can provide a quick easy answer on those questions, but they usually limit their answers, and unless it’s an easy question, I’m usually left wanting more. I’ve found the best way to get the information you need is to interview a live person. Most people are happy to talk to you about their professions, and you usually get extra information in the process. “There was this one time…” Conversation. Where do you find these people? Everywhere. 

I have a friend who is an architect. After touring New Orleans and admiring the Garden District, I wanted to write a character who was an architect. Her first comment? Architects are boring. After helping me with the eponymous book (THE ARCHITECT), she gave me information that gave the book more depth, and she liked the story, too! I’ve interviewed policemen and firemen. They always have extras to provide a story with more depth, and when I stopped them in the grocery story or on a lunch break, they were more than happy to talk to me or set up a time to chat. 

Authors are often introverts, myself included. Talking to strangers is a difficult thing to do, but every time I put on my big girl pants and make the effort, I’ve been rewarded with more information than I was looking for, which made the books that much better.