Conversations with Diana Groe
When we first began this experiment, Diana and I went back and forth on what we wanted to share with you. Finally I asked Diana how she starts her books, as I'm always curious to hear how other pantsers get going. Here's what she had to say:
I'm just at the starting point for VEXING THE VISCOUNG, my Spring 2009 release. I have to turn in the first draft August 1st. Right now, I have about 50 pages of noodling.
I have an idea about who my characters are (I cheated a bit with the heroine. I already knew her. She's a 10 year old in PLEASURING THE PIRATE. She's a firmly on the shelf spinster by her own choice by the time VEXING THE VISCOUNT starts.)
I know my hero is a threadbare viscount, whose father (an earl) lost most of the family fortune in the South Sea stock swindle (an actual historical financial scandal). Lucian is determined to rebuild the family fortunes, not by marrying money, but by recovering a lost Roman treasure. He's uncovered an enigmatic ancient tablet describing an ancient theft of the Legion's payroll with clues to its location. Since Daisy (our heroine) found a hoard of pirate gold in PLEASURING THE PIRATE, she's been bitten by the treasure hunting bug and longs to have another adventure.
However, Lucian doesn't want anything to do with her since his father blames her uncle for his financial woes (Daisy's uncle wouldn't invest in the South Sea Company when it might have buoyed up the values long enough for Lucian's father to pull out.) So enterprising Daisy pretends to be an elusive French courtesan (who always wears a mask) who offers to finance Lucian's excavations as he follows the Roman clues to the treasure. Her one caveat is that he accept her agent as part of his team. YOu guessed it. The "courtesan" sends Daisy to guard her interests.
And that's about as far as I've got. The year is 1731, so I expect a few Jacobites will be after the treasure as well in order to finance the next Scottish uprising. And I know Lucian will be trying to seduce the courtesan (Daisy) who only wanted a financial business relationship with him while keeping Daisy (who's nursed a crush on him since she first met him when they were children and she accidentally gave him the scar that he still sports on his chin) at arm's length because of her family connections.
Now, I know some authors would sit down at this point and map out each scene. I wish with all my heart I was one of them. The closest I can come to it is to continue this rambling narrative until I have the bones of my story down. I've also talked to writers who find making collages helpful. By arranging and rearranging the pictures, they begin to see relationships between the characters that they hadn't suspected before. Mostly, I try to follow a "hero's journey" type of structure to my stories, all the while keeping a sticky note attached to my computer that says, "It's the relationship, stupid!" I have to watch myself or my plotting and intrigue will overshadow the romance.
Oh! And now I'm expected to be funny as well. Sheesh! I'd say I felt like a plate-spinner on the old Ed Sullivan show, but that dates me something awful. Writing comedy is another twist in my career that's given me a very steep learning curve as well.
Happy Writing,
I have an idea about who my characters are (I cheated a bit with the heroine. I already knew her. She's a 10 year old in PLEASURING THE PIRATE. She's a firmly on the shelf spinster by her own choice by the time VEXING THE VISCOUNT starts.)
I know my hero is a threadbare viscount, whose father (an earl) lost most of the family fortune in the South Sea stock swindle (an actual historical financial scandal). Lucian is determined to rebuild the family fortunes, not by marrying money, but by recovering a lost Roman treasure. He's uncovered an enigmatic ancient tablet describing an ancient theft of the Legion's payroll with clues to its location. Since Daisy (our heroine) found a hoard of pirate gold in PLEASURING THE PIRATE, she's been bitten by the treasure hunting bug and longs to have another adventure.
However, Lucian doesn't want anything to do with her since his father blames her uncle for his financial woes (Daisy's uncle wouldn't invest in the South Sea Company when it might have buoyed up the values long enough for Lucian's father to pull out.) So enterprising Daisy pretends to be an elusive French courtesan (who always wears a mask) who offers to finance Lucian's excavations as he follows the Roman clues to the treasure. Her one caveat is that he accept her agent as part of his team. YOu guessed it. The "courtesan" sends Daisy to guard her interests.
And that's about as far as I've got. The year is 1731, so I expect a few Jacobites will be after the treasure as well in order to finance the next Scottish uprising. And I know Lucian will be trying to seduce the courtesan (Daisy) who only wanted a financial business relationship with him while keeping Daisy (who's nursed a crush on him since she first met him when they were children and she accidentally gave him the scar that he still sports on his chin) at arm's length because of her family connections.
Now, I know some authors would sit down at this point and map out each scene. I wish with all my heart I was one of them. The closest I can come to it is to continue this rambling narrative until I have the bones of my story down. I've also talked to writers who find making collages helpful. By arranging and rearranging the pictures, they begin to see relationships between the characters that they hadn't suspected before. Mostly, I try to follow a "hero's journey" type of structure to my stories, all the while keeping a sticky note attached to my computer that says, "It's the relationship, stupid!" I have to watch myself or my plotting and intrigue will overshadow the romance.
Oh! And now I'm expected to be funny as well. Sheesh! I'd say I felt like a plate-spinner on the old Ed Sullivan show, but that dates me something awful. Writing comedy is another twist in my career that's given me a very steep learning curve as well.
Happy Writing,
Diana aka Em (yeah, that still feels weird!)www.emilybryan.com
Be sure to come back tomorrow, when I'll post the next installment.
posted by Erin @ 8:45 PM
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