Comments on: Learning to Enjoy Olives

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:06:00 +0000

You can do it Judy! Treat it as a roadmap that gets you to your destination. You might find you take a surprising route or shortcut, but the end is still the same. Or something. 😉

By: Judy Jarvie

Judy Jarvie — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:57:00 +0000

Interesting post Jackie. I've only recently had the syno breakthrough myself and yes you've totally hit the nail on the head.

I think of it as the most basic route map of the relationship only. The tighest journey on getting them together. Nothing else, no plot or secondary mentions, nada.

I'd had requests for fulls on terrible waffly synos before. But I now see the light. And I think it does make a difference to the book if the syno is tight and on course.

Progressing to doing the syno first? I can dream but can I pull it off? lol jx

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 02:26:00 +0000

That’s quite interesting Lacey. Nora Roberts is internal eh? Well, I think I’m quite an internal conflict sort of girl – at least now I know what that is! I wonder what other categories are primarily internal conflict driven?

By: Lacey Devlin

Lacey Devlin — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:14:00 +0000

I’ve heard that about Desire being external driven but I love external conflicted books (as long as it’s realistic) as much as internal category. One book on writing (can’t remember which at the moment) compared authors as having primary internal and external conflict focus in their early work. Nora Roberts was primary internal, Diana Palmer primarly external.

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 23:57:00 +0000

Snow? In Tasmania?? Maybe you won’t have to go anywhere for your skiing holiday this year, Felicity. 😉

By: Felicity Roger

Felicity Roger — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:22:00 +0000

Glad I could be of help (via Jenny of course). This method turned me around too, but in my old methods defence (in which there was no method), I did manage to paint myself into a corner late last week with my characters, so it pays to go back as you are writing and tweak the synopsis as well. Our clocks have changed as well and to celebrate, they are predicting snow.

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:16:00 +0000

Knew you'd laugh at that one, Lorraine. Yep, I have seen the light. Should have listened to you all along. :-)

Lucy, I was never one to do a synop beforehand but I have been totally converted. And it's really, really brilliant for working out conflict. Give it a go!

By: Lucy King

Lucy King — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 18:25:00 +0000

Synopsis before story. Note to self: must remember that one 😉 The conflict synopsis sounds like a brilliant idea! Might get me out of my current fix 🙂

By: Lorraine

Lorraine — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 10:14:00 +0000

So you've finally come over to the dark side ;-)

Welcome, friend :-)

Seriously though I think it does save so much time if you do them, um, before you write the story. I shall say no more...

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 09:21:00 +0000

In contrast, Suzanne, we have no sign of winter. It's beautiful blue skies and warm weather. Weird huh?

Yep, I'm liking this method. Doesn't mean my synopses are any good though!