Feb
Words, I need words!
Sounds easy enough I guess. I’m at a point in my story where I need a scene. During one of the early read throughs, I realized a chapter goes from here >>> to >>> here really fast, and that it would read better if I created some tension, a conflict or a problem. Well, I’m now at that point and I have NO idea what to put there.
I was thinking maybe a bit of misreading of character reactions, which would create misconceptions, the “looks”, stuff like that. Jealousy works well in this kind of situation, cracks in the foundations of trust. I’m also thinking doubts, but I’ve got a lot of one character already wrapped up in that tent, so I don’t want to spread it too thin. There’s the possibility of something suspenseful happening. The scene revolves around two men and one woman and no, it’s not a menage, they’re just in the same space at the same time. 
So, if you had to toss in a scene, what are some things that would stand out to you as possibles for conflict? What have you used to create tension between characters?
Diana,
I have all my best plotting thoughts while walking the dog or having a shower. Often if I’m stuck an answer will pop up and it’s been right in front of me all the time.
I think initially I’d go back to my hero and heroine’s GCM. When I’m struggling it’s because I’ve rushed things, eager to write and haven’t thought everything through properly. Once I’ve done that and still can’t work out my problems, I usually toss a dead body in there. That always works for me. Can you do that?
February 22nd, 2008 at 4:19 pmI’d probably toss in a lead in to the black moment. Either that or a love scene hehe. But you did say it had two men and a woman…so umm, maybe a love scene might not be the best thing right now.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out!
February 22nd, 2008 at 10:11 pmWhen I get stuck, I find that going back to the beginning and reading through my whole MS again helps me to find little things that can progress the story.
February 23rd, 2008 at 11:19 amThank you ladies! Shelley, I love the dead body theory. I’ve always gotten a kick out of “when it stalls, drop a dead body through the ceiling”. I forget who I heard from, but it still makes me crack up.
Thanks Haven. It’s a point where I know something could and should happen. I just don’t know what. It’ll hit me, I just hope it doesn’t hurt when it does.
Lucinda, I do this all the time! I’m rereading what I’ve done. Sometimes it helps, but just as often I wind up finding words that got dropped or her for here…. LOL And I forget to think ahead. Oh well. That’s how I roll. LOL
February 23rd, 2008 at 12:35 pm