tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post6833992789821760978..comments2023-10-30T07:08:09.860-07:00Comments on It's a Mystery: Which Comes First?Elspeth Futcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-59686334738542714542009-10-04T18:01:34.797-07:002009-10-04T18:01:34.797-07:00Helen; Interesting...my first character is always...Helen; Interesting...my first character is always the victim.<br /><br />Ms. Bookish; "What ifs" are great. Thanks for stopping by! Hope to see you again.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-90461329296873896322009-10-03T21:17:47.930-07:002009-10-03T21:17:47.930-07:00What an interesting topic! When I look at my baske...What an interesting topic! When I look at my basket of ideas, I don't see any consistency. I'd say the most common method I seem to use is "what if". But not always. For instance, the mystery I've been trying to finish up grew from an idea I had for a character. And then a project I was doing for work, a hockey book, gave birth to a second character, about a month later. <brBelle Wonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12112894169429729531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-23746994752272092662009-10-03T10:46:21.044-07:002009-10-03T10:46:21.044-07:00I tend to start with a character, mostly the prota...I tend to start with a character, mostly the protagonist. That's quickly followed by plot.<br /><br />Helen<br /><a href="http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Straight From Hel</a>Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-38659124366231442172009-10-02T17:02:01.780-07:002009-10-02T17:02:01.780-07:00Elisa; Wasn't Sex and the City fun? And more...Elisa; Wasn't Sex and the City fun? And more importantly....why don't I live in Charlotte's apartment???? I think what-ifs are great. It's the beginning of both plot and character. And hey...whatever works.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-73077799109972813352009-10-02T16:58:51.316-07:002009-10-02T16:58:51.316-07:00It can be anything. Faking It came as the result o...It can be anything. Faking It came as the result of watching Sex and the City and my being shocked at the boldness of the conversation. The what-if was, what if a woman was so inhibited she doesn't know what she's supposed to know about sex? And what if she meets a guy who teaches her? And what if they become friends? <br /><br />My most recent manuscript is a very comical twist on Elisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08399296868934652020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-10729894612888680502009-10-02T16:52:10.297-07:002009-10-02T16:52:10.297-07:00Galen; I have no problem imagining you using diff...Galen; I have no problem imagining you using different methods for each of your stories. You have a complex mind!<br /><br />Jemi; It is an interesting question, isn't it? The answer doesn't really matter in the great scheme of things.<br /><br />Marv; Of course it doesn't matter; it's just something to think about. The end result is what counts; not how you got there.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-80373851895740572472009-10-02T16:12:19.088-07:002009-10-02T16:12:19.088-07:00Doesn't matter. Really. Whichever comes first,...Doesn't matter. Really. Whichever comes first, if it's damn good writing and sets up the other effectively, it'll be a good book. No set rules as to the order of chicken or egg - just make both of them delicious and real.<br /><br /><a href="http://theoldsilly.com" rel="nofollow">The Old Silly</a>The Old Sillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09661188622348794193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-42362508246848005612009-10-02T16:05:48.024-07:002009-10-02T16:05:48.024-07:00Hmmm. Like some of the others, I'm not quite s...Hmmm. Like some of the others, I'm not quite sure. My ideas rarely come when I'm consciously thinking of them. Usually they come when I'm daydreaming, or trying to sleep. I think characters come first most of the time. Interesting post, I'll have to pay more attention to my thoughts :)Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-37005363757701398162009-10-02T14:43:59.318-07:002009-10-02T14:43:59.318-07:00With only two books (one published, one under cons...With only two books (one published, one under consideration) to my credit, I don’t know how I begin, to be honest. Both books had a different genesis and no commonality. I think I like to start with a plot idea, and populate the plot with interesting people. But, that’s just a guess…or maybe wishful thinking.<br /><br />Best Regards, Galen<br /><br /><a href="http://www.galenkindley.com/joe doaks-Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05283066862112820202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-3094918359571631092009-10-02T13:23:11.119-07:002009-10-02T13:23:11.119-07:00Elizabeth; Wow. I never get the title first.Elizabeth; Wow. I never get the title first.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-91958595006456205592009-10-02T13:21:51.535-07:002009-10-02T13:21:51.535-07:00All of the above. I never know how the story will ...All of the above. I never know how the story will make itself known to me, whether through character, plot, or maybe just the title comes first. I'm constantly thinking up titles. Then I make up a story to go with.Elizabeth Bradleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03150221675618198674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-27498817593568168352009-10-02T12:29:11.680-07:002009-10-02T12:29:11.680-07:00Carol; It's a good beginning. Conflict could...Carol; It's a good beginning. Conflict could arise from one being a fervent vegetarian...Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-28468004716959356062009-10-02T12:22:11.575-07:002009-10-02T12:22:11.575-07:00I'm like you, the beginnings of character and ...I'm like you, the beginnings of character and plot usually occur simultaneously. That said, I'm in the very beginning of thinking about my next manuscript. So far I have two sisters, one a chef and the other a veterinarian. No plot. I've no idea if anything will come of it.Carol Kilgorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15168273312704732896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-10397855233903165612009-10-02T11:53:16.015-07:002009-10-02T11:53:16.015-07:00Margot; If I give you "food for thought"...Margot; If I give you "food for thought" your lovely comment was dessert. Thank you! (and that motive you mention is superb).Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-66562052722864227372009-10-02T11:49:28.398-07:002009-10-02T11:49:28.398-07:00Elspeth -
You always have the most interesting ...Elspeth -<br /> You always have the most interesting "food for thought!" My inspiration varies, actually. Usually, though, it comes from something I've experienced. For instance, years (and years ; ) ) ago, when I was in grad. school, I competed for an academic fellowship. Later, when I started to write, I thought, "What would it be like if a fellowship was so important that Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-86827819403190713622009-10-02T10:52:38.095-07:002009-10-02T10:52:38.095-07:00Alan; Thanks for sharing the word verification; ...Alan; Thanks for sharing the word verification; that gave me a nice giggle.<br /><br />Elizabeth; That would be unnerving! I also hide behind the laptop, but when it's not with me I always have a small notebook and pen in my purse!Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-74042350521629786452009-10-02T10:49:30.971-07:002009-10-02T10:49:30.971-07:00Usually, I start with the victim and the motive fo...Usually, I start with the victim and the motive for the crime. <br /><br />I like to eavesdrop on people, too! :) But I was uncomfortable yesterday--I was out having breakfast with my sister and realized near the end of our visit that there was another writer in the room. He was an older man with a legal pad and damned if he wasn't writing down stuff about *me*! It was such a shock havingElizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-50871622532208757122009-10-02T09:57:09.371-07:002009-10-02T09:57:09.371-07:00Great question, and one I wish I knew the answer t...Great question, and one I wish I knew the answer to. Often, I'm like you, where the character and the plot come to me almost simultaneously--I honestly couldn't identify which came first. Of course, it's not the <i>whole</i> plot, but just the overall premise. Sometimes the great ending will appear at the start, sometimes not.<br /><br />For me, setting isn't an impetus. <br /><brAlan Orloffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03695574442723430347noreply@blogger.com