The End

Why finish writing a project?

I find that every project is different for me. Some I whip through, though most I get stuck on at some point, since I'm a pantser--writing by the seat of my pants. I couldn't plan out a story if I tried. I have lots and lots of story beginnings and some I've finished that need major revisions for one reason or another.

So why finish the story? Why finish more in the same vein? Because you might sell every one of them!!! I sold Heart of the Wolf, but had started Don't Cry Wolf before I sold, but quit, worrying that if I didn't sell Heart of the Wolf, why write another? Even though it was also a stand alone title. When I sold Heart of the Wolf, my editor wanted to see Don't Cry Wolf. It wasn't done! So I finished it and she wanted to see more...and bought Betrayal of the Wolf and Allure of the Wolf. So why finish the story?


Even if you don't sell, you still have them available to sell. And to me, that's the main goal. With every book you write, you hone your skills more. Some get really good at writing the first 3 chapters for contests, but what about avoiding the sagging middle? What about learning to give a compelling end that will encourage readers to pick up the next book and the next one? By writing the whole tamale, we gain more experience. :)

And the best part? We have books to sell. :)

Terry, who is off to work some more on Allure of the Wolf--54K done, 46K to go. Downhill slide!

Heart of the Wolf, Don't Cry Wolf (cover coming soon!!!!), Betrayal of the Wolf

Pumping up Boring, Nothing Scenes...Make Them Work!

Watch out for Boring, Nothing Scenes!!!

What makes for a unexciting, dull scene?

By analyzing each and every scene, we can learn to avoid tedious scenes. Or at least recognize it when we're doing edits. Write them, fine, just to get something down on the paper. But edit the "boringness" out in the final phases of the process.

So what makes for a boring scene?

** Doing stuff, but not moving the story forward.
** No conflict.
** Not pursuing a goal
** Not showing something new and different...same old things repeated.
** Back story.
** Making unlikeable characters that we really don't care enough about to read.
** Not showing the motivation for why someone does something.
** Failure to show emotion.
** Failure to show actions and their resulting reactions.
** All dialogue.
** All narration.

Now, have you read published works that have scenes like this? Absolutely. I don't know how many times I've read a book and skipped over pages of boring back story or scenes that just don't move the story forward.

So make every scene count. Make them do double duty, triple duty. What do we want to say in the scene? The point we want to get across?

How can we make it as riveting as the rest of our scenes?

Make sure we show the characters pursuing a goal, changing, strengthening the characterizations, showing something that prevents characters from reaching the goal (conflict), show new twists, reveal new information. Make the reader care about our characters.

What else can you do to make boring, nothing scenes spring to life?

We owe it to our readers to hook them so much, they can't put the book down. Out with the boring scenes, in with the riveting. :)

Terry Spear Heart of the Wolf coming April 1st from Sourcebooks!
http://www.terryspear.com/

Winning the Highlander's Heart available now on Amazon.com!