A couple weeks ago, on one of my writing loops, best selling author Allison Brennan gave tips on everything form pacing to plotting. The one issue she addressed that really resonated with me was the idea of constantly leaving your reader with questions. Oh, not to the point of total confusion, of course, but CURIOUS…curious enough to keep reading to find the answers.
So last night, I was reading this book, and I noticed a little conversation I was having with myself.
Who could have put the sleeping pills in Daphne’s bag, and why?
Did someone really mean to poison the dog, or was Daphne the target?
Why did Taylor suddenly lose interest in discovering Sascha’s identity?
Is Ronald merely a troubled teen, or a more sinister character?
Peter’s past is a shady one—can he be trusted now?
Tamika seems to show up in every scene—coincidence, or manipulation?
Did Daphne really fall from the ledge, or was she pushed? And, if so, why? And by whom?
Why would anyone want to make it look like Daphne’s trying to kill herself?
Sounds pretty interesting, huh? The good news is, it’s the book I’m writing. The bad news is, I don’t know the answers.
Okay, I know SOME.
This is the project I began back in November during the NaNo frenzy--the one I haven't read a word of in MONTHS. Which is kinda cool, actually, 'cuz the I felt like an honest-to-goodness reader when I reviewed it last night. I mean, I was HOOKED.
Now if only I could remember what I intended when I created the questions.
Note to self: start taking, er, notes.
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3 comments:
That was a kick. You could write a novel about you trying to write a novel.
Ooh...Better yet, I could write a novel about a girl trying to write a novel about a girl trying to write a novel about...well, you get the idea.
LOL! Sounds like a great plot, Randy! I love all the questions and the mystery!
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