My Writing Blueprint

A common question for writers is "how do you come up with a whole book?" Every author has their own style of organizing ideas, plot lines, character development and all the details that eventually create a captivating novel. My system may not be the best but it's the best for me.

I start by deciding a loose plot: what do I want to happen in this book? I have a main character who must navigate the reader through events and dialogue to accomplish a story. For me, that starts with a general outline. For "Breaking," I knew I wanted the main character to be Bekka, a journalist who is generally satisfied in her career but feels constrained by family obligations. She wonders if she'll ever be able to advance to a bigger market because there's no one to watch over her sometimes erratic mother who struggles with bipolar disorder. Add to this, a tiny little issue of seeing wild flashes in her head of people being murdered and you've got one problematic protagonist.

In that first book, I had to figure out how to move the plot along to create all kinds of tension and issues associated with Bekka. The outline gives me a roadmap. I plan at least 10-15 chapters to get me going in the right direction and once I've created the conflict, the remaining chapters seem to come on their own. As I continue writing, my mind is always considering how much foreshadowing I've done. Did I lay enough Easter eggs to make the reader think they know the final outcome? Remember, the killer can't just show up at the end.

I also keep a ledger that reminds me exactly what I covered in each chapter. When did I introduce Bekka's love interest? How did I describe him? Black hair or blonde? A quick scan of my handwritten notes of each chapter will send me back to the correct location in the novel to answer the question. In that chapter outline, I will also write the names of characters as they are introduced. It's very hard to remember a last name I gave a character way back in Chapter Five when they re-emerge in Chapter 49. Some authors keep excel spread sheets with these details and if I didn't struggle with Excel, I would do the same. You learn through mistakes. Also in "Breaking," I had Bekka driving a Honda in one chapter and a Jeep in a later one. (No worries, I caught the mistake before print!)

After I write my first draft, I re-read and edit as I go. It's painstaking but necessary. In this stage, I'm looking for issues with continuity, flow of story, arc building and plot sensibility. I also want to flush out more context, paint a picture for the reader. I'm fairly good at dialogue but let me tell ya, my ability to describe rooms, roads, action and movement always need a second look. What's the temperature, the noise level, the feel of a chair, a person's smell? Those are the details that really take a reader into a story so I strive to flush them out.

Finally, I send the manuscript to Polly Van Doren-Orr, my friend and former boss. She's a wordsmith and loves finding gaps in the narrative or a character's description. In "Breaking," it was Polly who said to me, "I need Sandra to be more crazy!" She was right and I added a little more irrational vibe to that character. After Polly is finished and has offered suggestions, it goes to my book club buddy Darla Upchurch, who is an actual book editor! She graciously reads my novels and sends the most helpful feedback. Darla can spot an inconsistency from a mile away! She is also my formatter and has shown me how to upload future manuscripts to Amazon without assistance. While both of these women are reading, I'm working on a cover using Canva and writing the acknowledgements and dedication sections.

It takes at least five complete readings before I feel the manuscript is ready to publish and even then, I tremble at the prospect of hitting "send." Honestly though, there's no better feeling than holding your own published novel in your hands. Do you have a book in you? Get writing.