Today we welcome guest author Candice Gilmer! Take it away, Candice...
Let’s Make It Complicated! (Read--How I Give Myself
Headaches)
By Candice Gilmer
Hi.
My name is Candice Gilmer.
And I am addicted to over-complicating my plots.
Ever heard the phrase “His eyes were bigger than his
stomach”? Yep. That’s about how I write.
My ideas are bigger and much more exciting when I’m
initially writing/plotting/world-building than when I’m actually doing the
writing.
Take my latest book, Under His Nose. It’s the first in the
Guys and Godmothers series.
The series overview? Three Fairy Godmothers decide to take
on men for their charges instead of women. Sounds simple, right?
One would think.
Then I get in there, and start pre-plotting (whether this is
a real term, I don’t know, but it’s what I characterize the series flow, etc.)
and think, sure! Let’s make three books happen simultaneous! That’s no big
deal, right?
Oh my God…
Seriously.
Someone kick me the next time I try to write three books
that are going on at the same time. Especially where, in the beginning, the
middle, and the end, all six main characters are together.
Don’t get me wrong, I really do love these books, they’ve been
a lot of fun. You wouldn’t know it, to look at the spreadsheets, notecards, and
outlines that litter my office space. I think I scared my husband the other day
when he accidentally glanced at one of my outlines.
But they are.
I mean, Fairy Godmothers taking on boys? How fun is that?
And in the first book, Under His Nose, the Fairy Godmother, Christy Molar
(Married to Ewan Molar, a Tooth Fairy), has her work cut out for her, because
what should be easy--best friends since grade school--turns out to be much more
than she bargained for. Especially when her arch nemesis, Cupid, is running
around with all his cherubs, shooting arrows into people, and screwing up all
of Christy’s hard work.
The second book, Before His Eyes, comes out in early 2014,
and the third, later in the year. And of course, with every book, I make it a
little more interesting -- read ‘complicated’-- than the last.
So when they’re all done, I get a big bottle of wine, or a
very large margarita, and cheesecake.
And believe me, I can’t wait for that margarita. Because I
will have earned it.
What about you, when you complicate things, how do you
reward yourself? (Leave a comment for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to
Amazon)!
Candice
http://candicegilmer.com
21 comments:
Welcome to the Fierce Romance blog, Candice!
Personally, I think it's always better to overcomplicate a plot rather than not have enough story to carry your book. An author always has the ability/luxury of editing out some stuff! JMO.
I look forward to reading Under His Nose!
Jenna
www.jennaives.com
Hi Jenna, thanks for having me!
I agree with the story having enough complications to get it through to the end, no fun when it solves itself by 1/2 mark.
As all my friends will tell, I tend to over-do it, always.
As a matter of fact, I am working on a book right now that I'm "de-complicating" it because it was a little more overdone than necessary. :)
>>Three Fairy Godmothers decide to take on men for their charges instead of women.<<
What a fun & unique idea for a series! Good luck with the books, Candice!
Leigh
Thank you Leigh :-)
They have been fun to write. Complicated but fun, lol :-)
Sounds like a fun series to read!!
Thanks for the great post!!
Ashley A
ash_app@hotmail.com
Thanks Ashley for coming by. It's been really interesting developing three guys who were distinct, each their own person. :) And to match them with their proper fairy godmother, too :)
Well, i have to admit to having a certain fondness for series and I agree that plotting out 3 books that take place simultaneously is probably hard but it also means you have to be really consistent in your writing and I like books that are really tightly woven together so...in the long run it will make me love the books even more:) Good Guest post and yes...you will have earned your Margarita:)
ringpop2010 at gmail dot com
Sounds like a great series! I'm sure it will be awesome just like your other books!
SOUNDS GREAT ! I reward myself with a hot bath and a book
meandi09@yahoo.com
Great twist on fairy tales, I'm looking forward to reading the series. Oh complications seem to crop up all the time unexpectedly. My reward, a big plata of pasta and a slice of cheesecake. Sometimes a mini meltdown deserves a milk shake.
Suzieqsbat)aol(dot)com
ROFL! Candice, I know your plotting must be giving you FITS right now because of the complexity, but as a reader, I can't wait! These are going to be awesome! I guess in a way, it must be a bit like plotting one HUGE book and then slicing it into the three stories, but not so easy ;) At any rate, this reader appreciates everything you're throwing in (maybe the kitchen sink? ;))
I have this book Candice I just haven't had a chance to read it yet. It sounds awesome.
Hi Maria!
Yes, yes, I think I deserve that margarita too! :)
And I think as a reader, I like well-woven plots as well, which is probably why I write them. :)
Hi Sherrie,
Thanks sweetie for stopping by! :)
Hi there Jennifer! Oh a hot bath is always well appreciated! :) Though many times when I try to relax in a bath, I wind up coming up with more story ideas :)
Hi there Suzie! You're making me hungry! I love pasta. Don't get it often at home, my family isn't big pasta eaters.
Cheesecake is always an awesome thing too :)
Hi flchen,
I do throw in the kitchen sink. At least it feels that way, lol. :) Thanks for the awesome enthusiasm, I love it :)
Thanks for stopping by.
Hi fcammer, I really hope you enjoy it! :) It was fun to write, a whole new world for me to build. Which is always exciting. ;)
I love complicated plots. So long as everything works out in the end.
No doubt your site is amazing and I really like it. Nice writing, you are doing great effort, your way of writing is unique. Love this site.
It depends on the gravity of the situation and/or what's most expedient. Instant gratification works for small stuff, involving some combination of chocolate, coffee, or Kindle books. If it's been a real crisis, I'll plan an overnight trip somewhere when it's done...
vitajex(at)aol(dot)com
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