By: Marcia King-Gamble
www.lovemarcia.com
Don’t do as I say, although somehow, it’s worked for me. By
this I mean don’t start a project and then never finish it unless you have
to. The panster in me, makes this a
recurring problem. Actually, not a problem, the way I see it, it’s an opportunity
What’s a panster? A
panster isn’t a plotter, that’s for sure. It’s a writer who lets things happen
and writes what pops into her head until the plot comes together. That means no extravagant plotting boards,
charts, or Excel spreadsheets. No meticulous note taking about what has
to happen before pen makes contact with paper, or fingers connect with
keyboard.
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with plotting out
the details of your story. It’s just not my personality and so not right for me.
Panstering is how I roll, and what works
for me.
What I’ve learned from being in the writing business twenty
plus years is you spend three to four months writing and perfecting a book, (I
write fast,) only to submit and not hear back for six months to a year.
Sometimes it’s taken two years to get feedback. By then I could have sold that manuscript to
someone else or published it myself. This was especially annoying back in the
day when multiple submissions were frowned on. You submitted, then prayed and hoped
you’d hear back soon. After a year or so, you received the dreaded
rejection. Here is one that became an actual book.
Because of this annoying factor, I learned to write many
stories consisting of just three chapters. These chapters I polished to perfection and
sent out to editors. My justification for doing this is that by the time the editor got back
to me, I would have written the book. Frankly, this process has saved me a lot
of wasted time and anguish. Often if the editor really liked the book, they worked with me
to deliver in a couple of months. If the three chapters were rejected, then I had
a work still in progress and I would refine the manuscript in my spare time.
The upside is endless manuscripts that have beginnings and
no endings. This means I always have something at the ready should a
publisher start a new line or look for something specific. A manuscript
in the developmental stage also allows me to make easy adjustments.
Recently, I brushed off a manuscript started about five
years ago and eliminated all the sex scenes. This particular publisher wanted a
sweet story line. That was a heck of a lot easier to do since I was only four
or five chapters in. Had I written the entire book; it would have been an enormous
rewrite.
Another plus is having something ready to present on the fly. In traditional publishing, the standard question is, “what else are you working on?” What I’ve also found, is if I leave a manuscript and come back to it months later, I come at it with a fresh eye. The plot may take a completely different twist, or a concept I have been struggling with suddenly jells.
There
was one story that I knew something was off but couldn’t put a finger on it.
Years later I realized the conflict needed a tweak. There just wasn’t enough
there for the reader to root for either of my characters. Then it clicked. Back
to writing 101. Two dogs fighting over one bone. I came up with something relevant
that would matter to my character and to my readers. So, yes deepen the plot.
The long-winded
answer, when anyone asks me what I’m working on, is many things. I’m a good
multi-tasker, and I bore quickly, so alternating between stories keeps me
motivated and fresh.
On the burner now is
another H. E. Caldwell story. So far there have been two. First there was Elle’s
story in By Design. And now my latest
release, Cyndy’s story in By Heart. My other work in progress is
tentatively titled Dr. in the House. This one’s about a
plus-size model, who just wallows in the attention she’s getting. Her love interest,
however, shies away from publicity of any kind. Now that’s a problem. This is a rags to riches story.
What I am currently working on is a story of an internet friendship,
forged because of loss. The women are brought together in person when once
again tragedy hits.
Before I wrap things up, one last question, which do you
find to be the more compelling opening hook?
A/ Eboni with an i was trouble on
steroids. She was exactly the kind of trouble he didn’t need.
B/ “If there’s a doctor onboard, please
ring your call button.”
As you can see, this summer I am working hard to better
my hooks. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Stay Safe and be Happy!
Find Marcia King-Gamble Online
Instagram * Amazon * Website * Facebook * Twitter
Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble
originally hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the
same mesmerizing shade of blue. This travel industry executive and current
world traveler has spent most of life in the United States. A National
Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. Her free
time is spent at the gym, traveling to exotic locales, caring for her animal family,
and trying to keep sane.
It's not too late to enter this week's drawing to win this prize: Just sign up for my mailing list, here.https://www.facebook.com/Marcia-King-Gamble-12364168212/app/141428856257/ or purchase By Heart https://www.amazon.com/Heart-H-Caldwells-Book-ebook/dp/B08CRC78W1/ or Last Chance Beach: Summer's End https://www.amazon.com/Last-Chance-Beach-Summers-End-ebook/dp/B08CV3GN3R/
14 comments:
Marcia, I love your "By Heart" cover. It's Gorgeous! As to your question? I like both so it would depend...Eboni with an 'i'immediately grabbed my attention however if the title of the book has doctor in it, then the other one also works.
I may not have several partial ms but I am a dedicated pantser. It works for me and that's what counts. Whichever or both or hybrid or writing backwards, etc. an important "lesson" as a writer is to figure out what works for you but be open to options. I used to think I could only write at home, in my office on my desktop but I've done some writing challenges in the Pre-C-19 world in a donut shop, a mountain cabin, at the beach (not actually on the sand but with a view of the beach) and have produced quality work. I prefer to write at home but I know I can write anywhere.
Judith, I learned to write anywhere, back in the day when I often had to deliver 4 or 5 books a year and had a full time stressful job. Im at the point where I can write and conduct a conversation. Thanks for weighing in, Can you tell I recently attended a workshop on hooks?
I did submit the second option in my query and have rethought it, so lets see the feedback I get. I agree the first option is more catchy.
Hi, Marcia,
I really liked the first on "Eboni with an I ". Made me want to read further. Great post! I envy you having 3 or 4 first three chapters ready. That's awesome.
Thanks Diana. I like that opening better as well, but submitted with the second. Let's see what happens. You have to be a fast writer to make those few chapters work for you.
Interesting way to write, Marcia! I vote for the "B" beginning. ;-)
I enjoyed learning more about your process, Marcia!
Hook A puts me immediately in a character's pov, introduces emotion and conflict, and makes me want to know, Who is Eboni? Why is she trouble for him? And why is he having to remind himself he doesn't need trouble right now? In other words, it draws me in and keeps me reading.
Hook B tells me the scene is on board an airplane where a medical emergency may be occurring. No pov, no personal reason to care. I might keep reading because I usually give an author at least a page to hook me, but might not.
A great post, Marcia! I'm a natural pantser, but am trying to use my time wisely these days. Not that it's working, but I'm trying!
Thanks Lynn, for popping by and voting. Hooks can be subjective.
Thanks Sarah, yes it does occur onboard an airplane. I had B as an opening until I took the Opening with a Bang workshop. Now I am rethinking my opening.
Liz,
Good to see you here. I lose the excitement of storytelling if I plot every aspect out. Yes, time, these days are not our friend. We try though. We try.
I liked hook A. It's really different and sets the tone right away.
I found it interesting to read about how you work. I think I'm a combo. It get an idea for a situation then have to figure out who goes in that situation. I keep a notebook so I can keep track of who's who, and I make a list of their ages, what year they graduated, stuff like that. I plan more or less the background of the story, and then once I get started I see where it goes.
Marcia, I love pantsers who stick with their process. I've been one for more than 20 years as an author.
As to the hook, I agree with everyone else that the first one really got me because it puts a character front and center. On the other hand, if you are writing in a genre that loves doctors (medical romance), or in a genre like suspense or thriller, the first one could work.
I was actually a pantser in high school and college,too. That assignment to outline your persuasion paper before writing the paper itself? Um...not me. I had no idea where the paper was going. It developed as I wrote it. That's my thinking process. Instead of talking things out, like extroverts do, I think them in my head or on paper.
So, I wrote my entire paper first and then revised the structure, cutting and editing. Then I outlined it. I always turned in the outline on time, and then two weeks later turned in the paper as if I sweated over all that writing from the outline. (big grin)
My novels work the same way. Back in the day when I was submitting synopses and outlines to agents and editors, I did the same thing. Book first (or at least half of it--enough to know what it was really about), then synopsis or outline second.
I WISH I could only write three chapters and know the story after that. But nope. My first three chapters are me getting to know my characters, what they want, and how they are going to get there. They are the most throw-away and rewritten three chapters of the entire book. My light bulb goes off around page 100-120.
Hannah,
Really funny how Hook A resonated with me after I'd submitted, but of course, I had just taken a workshop on hooks, and had already submitted my chapters. Hannah you are a lot more organized than me, jotting this info into a notebook and having a background to work from.
Maggie,
Trust me,those first three chapters look nothing like the original submission when the book is finished. I like the surprise element and the ah-ha moment when it all comes together. Keeps me motivated and excited to write.
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