Who needs a plot?

If any of you have been following my work at Textnovel, then you've probably figured out that I revise, obsessively and often. True, I spend (waste) lots of time wishing I was one of those writers who can see her way clear to "the end" from the very beginning, but I've put enough stories behind me now to acknowledge that it's not going to happen, because I'm just not wired that way.

Not that I haven't tried to plot. I have. But no matter how exhaustive my advanced planning, my beginning product and my end product have little to do with one another.

True, some stories come easier than others. Take my two textnovels, for instance. Muse Struck is a lighthearted, paranormal romantic romp. It's also a gift from my muse. The story has written itself from day one.

But my other romance at textnovel, Surrender the Night, is dark and angsty. It also began as a vampire novel. Yeah, I know. How did I get from vampires to hellhounds turned Navy SEALs?

Umm...truth is, I have no idea! For me, stories, well, they just happen! That makes me what is known in author-land as a "pantser." I create plots by the seat of my pants, literally. That was fine until I actually sold something, only to bring these pesky little things called deadlines into the mayhem I call my life.

Only trial by fire has allowed me to keep the spontaneity in my writing that I love while disciplining myself enough to get to the end within a reasonable time period. When I put some of these tips to tweet these methods out on twitter, I got a few requests to post them.

So, for those of you who asked, here goes! I hope you find them useful!

Ten Coping Strategies for Pansters (as put out over Twitter, emoticons, shorthand and all!)

Pantser Survival tip #1: If you know it, write the ending first & let characters drive you toward it.

Pantser Plotting tip #2: Write the scene burning bright in your mind. Print, put in a binder @ look often @ progression. Is a plot being born?

Panster plotting tip #3 What's the worst thing that could happen to your character right now? Make it happen. w/ gusto. :)

Pantser plotting tip #4: Happy characters don't dance for the muse. Throw every form of misery at them & make 'em sweat. On page 1. :)

Pantser plotting tip #5: Stuck? Double break, pick an obstacle: organic, inorganic, elemental, suprnatural or internal. Proceed w/ story.

Pantser plotting tip #6 (Thanks to author friend, Tracy Madison)Start w/ your hook, 2 plot turning points, ending. Split the story's action b/t 20 2K chapters for an 80K book. So, up to 20K sets up beginning, 20K marks first turning point, 40K turning second point, 60K final turning point/complication and on to resolution near 80K

Pantser plotting tip #7: No plot? No problemo! Just ask, what does your character want right now? Time to throw up a roadblock.

Panters Plotting tip #8: Let go and let Muse. It will all shake out in the revision. (Love this method, but involves mucho rewriting. Not good for looming deadlines!)

Pantser plotting tip #9: Read your latest work before going to sleep. Ask your subconsious work on it as you sleep. Strangely effective.

Pantser plotting tip #10. Open a new email. Summarize your story like you'r emailing a friend about great movie you saw. At the point of your story's block, write, "and then ___" (Fill in blank.)___ You can play w/ multiple scanarios here if you like.

And finally, the one Pantser plotting tip I rely on most often: Prayer. :) If this fails, move on to another story for a week. Then come back. New pespective can work miracles on even the most stubborn story.

Come Get Your Demon On!

How To Lose A Demon in 10 Days

Looking for a fun free read? Come on over between the sheets and see what's going in with Caspian, a sexy Crown Prince of Hell and Grace, our resident witch. It's quite the brew, with Russian mobsters and Dominatrix demons... Not to mention some characters from Russian Fairytales. The Baba Yaga. A good time is definitely not had by all, but the hijinks are certainly fun to watch!

I'm having a blast at Textnovel, there's plenty of room in the sandbox. So come get your demon on!

xoxox

~Saranna DeWylde

P/S Lovelies, while you're there, check out the rest of these amazing ladies. Fae bad boys in Fae Nights by Jhaea a.k.a. Robin Wright, a muse to die for in Muse Struck by Liane Gentry Skye, and we can't forget Liane's other delicious dish, the Hell Hound Shifter, Ryder in Surrender the Night. I have a crush on Ryder. Then, if you've got your water still handy, come meet the sexy flyboy Steve in Confessions of the World's Oldest Shotgun Bride by Gail Hart.

A Little Bit About Cell Phone Novels:

What are an aspiring romance novelist's dreams made of? Well, besides the obvious, naughty things, a chance at getting your book picked up by a major publishing house is pretty good! Dorchester's Press Release:

Cell Us Your Novel

Publisher Seeks New Romantic Voices through Social Networking Venture

New York City—Dorchester Publishing and Textnovel announce their partnership in an innovative writing competition for aspiring novelists. Beginning today, authors ages 18 and older are invited to participate in America’s Next Best Celler, a literary challenge that pairs the emergent cellular generation with the traditional publishing model. The contest will award a guaranteed publishing contract with Dorchester, the publisher who discovered and nurtured the careers of New York Times bestsellers Victoria Alexander, Christine Feehan and Lynsay Sands.

America’s Next Best Celler utilizes Textnovel’s unique business model that allows authors and readers to create, read and share serialized fiction via today’s most popular and ubiquitous technologies. The site encourages readers to subscribe to developing works of fiction which are disseminated in chapter-length installments via cell phones and email over a period of time. Subscribers offer direct feedback to authors and vote for their favorite serials, fostering an intimacy between artist and fan similar to reality television.

Textnovel was created in response to the literary movement that exploded in Japan a little over two years ago which produced an entirely new genre that now dominates their mainstream publishing industry. In 2007, five of Japan’s ten best-selling novels originated as cell phone serials. Many of the serials, such as Love Sky written by a debut novelist and read by 20 million people, have been adapted for TV series and movies.

With faster cell phone networks and data plans now available, the U.S. market has the potential to experience even more success than Japan. “Textnovel’s business model could revolutionize the entire publishing industry,” says Brooke Borneman, Dorchester’s Sales and Marketing Director. According to Maho no i-rando (Magic Island), Japan’s first and largest mobile novel portal, the site has six million registered users, representing roughly 5% of the country’s population. “When applying this percentage to the U.S. population of over 300 million people, the potential to build name recognition for authors is simply staggering,” states Borneman.

A collision of multiple cultural and societal influences has created the ideal situation for the resurgence of the serial which traces its roots to Victorian era novelists Charles Dickens, George Elliott and William Makepeace Thackeray. “Our increasingly fast-paced and chaotic lifestyles have created challenges for many individuals who can’t or won’t make the time to read. Between fragmented attention spans, the enthusiasm and devotion cultivated by fan participation in reality television and the social networking revolution, we think the time is perfect to bring readers and writers together through Textnovel and we hope to discover America’s Next Best ‘Celler,’” says Borneman.

Dorchester is seeking contest entries in any of the following romantic sub-genres: historical, paranormal, urban fantasy, high fantasy, futuristic, romantic suspense or humorous contemporary. For complete contest details, including rules and regulations, please visit www.dorchesterpub.com or www.textnovel.com.

About Dorchester Publishing
Dorchester Publishing has published mass market books since 1971, making it the oldest independent mass market publisher in America. Known for its collection of best-selling romance novels, Dorchester also publishes award-winning horror, thrillers and western titles, as well as the Hard Case Crime line of pulp-style mysteries. In addition, Dorchester distributes the bestselling Family Doctor series of health guides in the US and Canada. Website: http://www.dorchesterpub.com

About Textnovel
Textnovel is a social network for authors and readers of serial fiction and the first English language cell phone novel website, allowing members to write and read fiction with their cell phones or computers, using text messaging, email and online tools. Textnovel also offers literary agency services to aspiring novelists. Website: http://www.textnovel.com

Dorchester Publishing Press Release site

READ THIS! Confessions of the World's Oldest Shotgun Bride

Dorchester Contestant Gail Hart and her fantastic contemporary romance. Read, vote, subscribe!

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Out From Under The Covers

This world is a changing, and you can be bedside! Texting Between The Sheets features Textnovel's up-and-coming authors in the romance genre. They are on the fringe of a technological boom already seen in Japan, the cell phone novel. Think Dickens--with an iPhone. You'll find links to their work, their causes, and their creative genius.