tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post4953431504942624168..comments2023-10-30T07:08:09.860-07:00Comments on It's a Mystery: But What Went Wrong?Elspeth Futcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-26234442080499641292011-02-22T12:51:20.857-08:002011-02-22T12:51:20.857-08:00Happiness doesn't sell, but as for unhappiness...Happiness doesn't sell, but as for unhappiness, readers can't get enough of it.<br />As Harlan Ellison once asked, "Who does your story hurt the most?".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-15937836688536517122011-02-21T16:15:00.588-08:002011-02-21T16:15:00.588-08:00It sounds like these stories could be the basis fo...It sounds like these stories could be the basis for a few fun novels where you just have to add a layer or two. I hope you took notes: )Jane Kennedy Suttonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12519340747761460017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-40502016661128876392011-02-21T15:34:02.359-08:002011-02-21T15:34:02.359-08:00Excellent reminder, I love this post!Excellent reminder, I love this post!Karen Jones Gowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01153821980625034810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-13875969666591188062011-02-21T14:59:37.710-08:002011-02-21T14:59:37.710-08:00Elspeth, we must be on the same wavelength today. ...Elspeth, we must be on the same wavelength today. My new post today on the All Day, All Night Romance Diva's blog has to do with a similar topic. We have to remember to keep ratcheting up the drama, otherwise we'll put ourselves to sleep as well as the readers.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-59677092200443154172011-02-21T12:18:49.600-08:002011-02-21T12:18:49.600-08:00What a great analogy. I'm an actor too and you...What a great analogy. I'm an actor too and you're so right. Every get-together involves exchanging stories of the terrible moment when your co-star didn't enter on cue and you had to improvise a monologue for what seemed like hours, or a flat fell down and revealed the naked star in the middle of a quick change. Stories involve stuff going wrong. Otherwise, it's like a painting ofAnne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-67378543669075088322011-02-21T11:45:11.197-08:002011-02-21T11:45:11.197-08:00exactly - that is what I tell myelf over and over ...exactly - that is what I tell myelf over and over as I resist piling on the obstacles for my protagonist! I think I've got it now.Jan Morrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01771180344305042855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-82291826866999864152011-02-21T11:35:55.482-08:002011-02-21T11:35:55.482-08:00Perfect is annoying, too. I like to see characters...Perfect is annoying, too. I like to see characters that are just as flawed as I am, or else I start feeling insecure...Elizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-91512319540028861322011-02-21T11:18:51.296-08:002011-02-21T11:18:51.296-08:00Yes, so true. Hope you had tons of fun.Yes, so true. Hope you had tons of fun.Carol Kilgorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15168273312704732896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-66908202847258504322011-02-21T10:50:24.548-08:002011-02-21T10:50:24.548-08:00Margot; Everyone appreciates something more if it ...Margot; Everyone appreciates something more if it took hard work to procure it. <br /><br />thelongandwritingroad; I think one has to remember not to make our characters too flawed, though. It's easy to go too far the other way.<br /><br />Terry; How extremely well put! But I do like to make sure my characters have things turn out well every now and again. <br /><br />JeFritz; Exactly. And Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-75918374168887739822011-02-21T10:40:34.120-08:002011-02-21T10:40:34.120-08:00Agreed. How boring is perfect? There's no conf...Agreed. How boring is perfect? There's no conflict. And with no conflict, there's no story.J E Fritzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03372746219262163566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-6621634529127553192011-02-21T10:32:38.881-08:002011-02-21T10:32:38.881-08:00Definitely. As Deb Dixon said, "give your cha...Definitely. As Deb Dixon said, "give your characters choices. But make them between "sucks" and "suckier". That keeps things interesting.<br /><br />Terry<br /><a href="http://terryodell.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><a href="http://www.terryodell.com" rel="nofollow">Romance with a Twist--of Mystery</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-71266333915404078212011-02-21T10:22:55.676-08:002011-02-21T10:22:55.676-08:00There's no growth or learning in perfect. Char...There's no growth or learning in perfect. Characters aren't true characters unless they have flaws.<br />Thanks for the posting!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-26980113260296232532011-02-21T10:20:00.612-08:002011-02-21T10:20:00.612-08:00Elspeth - Very well-taken point! We really see the...Elspeth - Very well-taken point! We really see the stuff a character is made of when things go wrong and they go off on the wrong tangent. In the end, they get there and that part of it is all the richer if the trip hasn't been easy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com