Ella Carey on the web:
Problem solving in your stories
All writers are sometimes
faced with plot problems that are impossible to resolve. We all hit points in
our novels where sometimes, we are simply stuck.
I write with an element of
mystery in my books. Setting up an intriguing mystery is all very well- problem
is, you also have to solve it!
But it’s the same for any genre- you need to
set up a great premise, but then, how do you solve it?
The best outcome, to me,
is to provide readers with what they want, but in a way that they don’t expect.
But what happens when you
have set up a great premise, or even a great idea for a scene and you need to
resolve things, or move the story forward, and you are simply stuck?
It’s all too tempting to
over think these problems, and come up with a complex, convoluted solution- one
that readers will see through. You just don’t want that. You want something
tricky. You want something they will remember. You want something that they
would never have guessed.
Here are some ways that I
have found useful when sorting out tricky plot problems.
1.
I’ve learned that overthinking
simply doesn’t work. All I end up doing is going around in circles and getting
very stressed. Instead, I nearly always get away from my desk and go for a
walk. I’m a bit of a kinetic thinker, so if I’m out in the fresh air, and
deliberately not thinking- an answer will filter into my head.
2.
I always bear in mind that I
don’t want to use deux et machina ex (coincidence, in English!) to solve a
problem in a plot. It’s always best to have your character proactively get in
there and find a solution to whatever problem it is they have. That’s something
that I always try to bear in mind. The easiest answers will throw themselves at
you, but just watch that you are not relying on coincidence to solve a mystery,
or get your heroine and hero together, whatever it is you are trying to do.
3.
Sleep on it. I often find that
I’ll wake up the next morning, with the answer formed in my head. Much like
walking, sleeping activates your subconscious and you will just find that the
answer will throw itself out there while you rest.
4.
If your subconscious doesn’t
want to play ball, then my next method is to brainstorm. Just free write a list
of possible outcomes for your story- and if you are really stuck, bear in mind
that you’ve probably created a conflict that is so hard to resolve, your
readers will be kept guessing, and that is exactly what you want! So,
brainstorm a great big list of stuff. Your brain will throw out all sorts of
ridiculous suggestions. Most of them won’t help. But you need to work through
the rubbish to get to the gold.
5.
Try to use the adage- ‘all is
not what it seems’ in your novel. So, if you have led the reader down the path
that a certain assumption is a given, throw it on its head when you find
yourself stuck. Think about the implications of ‘all is not what it seems.” Really think about that statement and apply
it to your novel’s world. Try turning a big part of your story on its head to
solve a mystery, or a romantic problem, so that you intrigue the reader even
more.
6.
And my last tip, is to turn
clichés on their heads. If you are really stuck, think about the most boring,
clichéd way you could resolve your plot point. And then do the opposite. Just
write what the reader does not expect. After all, that is often one of the most
interesting things in life, when all is not what it seems on the surface, then
you have a story to tell.
Happy writing! And I hope you enjoy solving
your plotting problems in the most creative ways possible!
The House by the Lake
Anna is
content with her well-ordered life in San Francisco. But her world is turned
upside down when her beloved grandfather, Max, reveals a startling secret: Anna
is part of an aristocratic family who lost everything during World War II.
What’s more, Max was forced to leave behind a precious item over seventy years
ago in their estate in old Prussia. It’s now his ardent wish that Anna retrieve
it.
Anna
burns with questions as she heads for Germany: What memento could be so
important to her grandfather? And why did he keep their history hidden? As she
searches for answers, she finds herself drawn to Wil, a man who may hold the
key to unlock the mystery. Together they discover that her family’s secrets are
linked with an abandoned apartment in Paris, and these secrets go deeper than
she ever imagined.
Alternating
between 1930s Europe and the present, The House by the Lake illuminates
the destiny of a family caught in the tumult of history.
Read Reader
Reviews
Buy Links:
Awesome post. Congrats on the new release.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lynne! So glad you enjoyed it.
DeleteBeing stuck somewhere in the plot is so familiar. I do try not to overthink it when that happens. For me the best way out of that mess to let the character lead the way. Enjoyed your post today.
ReplyDeleteThose are excellent tips! I do rely on my subconscious to solve a lot of problems - thankfully, it generally cooperates :)
ReplyDeleteThose are great tips. I also find that the best way to find a way to solve a plot problem is by not actively thinking about it. :-)
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful tips. I always plan things before I write and if I'm stuck on something, I give myself a couple of days and better ideas come to me.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading these tips. Always nice to have some different strategies. I find sleeping on it helps too! I love the cliche on its head tip- sounds like a good idea.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great book! Very intriguing! Thanks for sharing and for the chance to win a copy. :)
~Jess
I do most of my thinking while walking. I prefer nice sunny days, but if I need to think, I walk even if it’s anything but nice. Otherwise, I find myself wide awake at 3am thinking, thinking, thinking. It pays to have a piece of paper and a pen on the bedside table!
ReplyDelete