Derivative ideas

Derivative ideas



It is impossible to write something original, but it is not impossible to write in an original manner. You must be yourself when writing. If, with every bit of training and practice you possess you pen words that critique partners disagree with, ask yourself why you wanted it this way.

I started chapter one of my current manuscript with a Hawaiian male inviting his sister in, “entrez s’il vous plait.”* Up went the hand. “You can’t say that, it’s out of place (at least, you need to lead us to why he's speaking French before you spring it on us).” I quietly disagreed (I said nothing except for thank you, which is always heartfelt). * In writing books this is called using "plot-hypers" which is subtle step down from foreshadowing.

I believe in unbridling my creativity and allowing it to take me on a journey. With no destination, no journey, you have no story. However, I’ll generally defer to my publisher’s opinions. If they say no French, then, there’d be no French, unless it was of critical importance to the story.

Making sure the characters are always smooth and inoffensive is not real or true and frankly, boring. In your first draft, don’t hold back. There may very well be a stone of such brilliance waiting to be cut and polished.

I have gathered some pet techniques.

1.       Celebrate unreliable characters and their quirky ways.

2.       Question every critique and while you are at it, question yourself.

Here’s a famous example of how accepted some critiques are. The POV character notices (in her thoughts) that her face is turning red. The critique, “Your viewpoint character can’t know her face turned red because she can’t see her face. Choose something like her face heated up (or she felt her warming cheeks).”

Ok, here’s the truth (call it heresy if you like), most characters over a lifetime and usually much shorter, recognize a heated face as red because they have seen it in others, have been told their face is red, or have looked in a mirror and have never seen any other color on anybody. Q.E.D. (quod erat demonstrandum -.the proof has been demonstrated). Being smart, they can jump to the easy conclusion that their face is red. Since, as far as I have seen, all editors and publishers will tell also you not to describe your POV character as describing her red face, agree with them. It’s a minor point to concede and it won’t hurt your story. All I am saying is write from your gut but use your brain. Ask yourself, are you in the business of writing stories for your fans or changing the way editors and critiquers think. Somewhere in between is best.

About last week, thanks for your many positive comments. To summarize, all romances whether mulitcultural, interracial, gay or uni-racial involve both protagonists saving each other in some manners, physically, spiritually, or mentally in a more or less equal way. Some romances of the distant past may have had the hero and heroine on seemingly unequal footing. Perhaps a closer look might change  our perception and maybe not. All I'm saying, a true happily ever after should have balance for the good of both the hero and heroine, and our readers!