Friday, October 26, 2012

Idea Sparking! How to Brainstorm Conflict Into Your Novel



Hey all, please welcome My Book Therapy team member, Michelle Lim. She's taken the time to write a well done book on how to spark new ideas for your novel that will add depth and conflict.

Welcome, Michelle!


 Rachel, thank you so much for inviting me to visit your blog. 


I’ve enjoyed getting to know you through My Book Therapy and our local ACFW Chapter, Minnesota N.I.C.E. retreat a few years ago.


 For those of you who haven’t heard, during my Idea Sparking: How to Brainstorm Conflict in Your Novel Tour I’m having a drawing for a Free Kindle Paperwhite.


 For each different blog I visit that you comment on during my tour, you get one entry. Each day I will post any new tour locations on my blog.


 One of my favorite romantic moments in my life was the day my husband left a rose in my mailbox. A surprise meant to bring me delight and it did. 


I fell in love somewhere between roses in mail boxes and moonlight strolls along the shore of Lake Superior.


 Our characters fall in love in much the same way. The struggle is how to be unique in building conflict in a Romance novel. Brainstorming is a great tool for bringing out the conflict to accentuate the romance.


 In my new book Idea Sparking: How to Brainstorm Conflict in Your Novel I give tools and strategies to build that conflict to lift a sagging middle or intensify a limp plot.


 Let’s try the Strategy of Pedestal Principles when talking about your characters. Characters all have expectations of themselves as do those around them. Oftentimes our expectations cause internal conflict when we don’t meet our personal expectations.


 For example:
 Linda is a Pastor’s wife at a small country church. It is her goal to always bring a meal to a family with a crisis like hospitalization, etc. When Linda comes down with pneumonia she is unable to bring food to a family they have been trying to reach out to for the last year. She feels she has failed. This might cause internal conflict.


 The expectations we have of ourselves are not the only expectations. What about the people around you? The boss that expects you to finish your work by the end of the day, but you value quality and there is no way you can produce quality work in that time line.


 Pedestal Principles are one of the tools I cover in greater detail in my Idea Sparking Book. They are just one of the many ways to add conflict in a novel.


 Focusing on not just the happy gushy moments in our romance story is difficult, especially when what we tend to remember most about our own love story is the special moments that made us feel cherished. Both are needed to create a strong story.


 How about you? What is your favorite romance moment? 


***

What Others Are Saying About This Resource!

 “I think it's a great resource! I love the way you give examples, offer opportunities for writers to craft out their own ideas.”  ~Lisa Jordan Author of Lakeside Reunion and Lakeside Family

 “Michelle recently helped me brainstorm Silent Night, my new Rock Harbor digital novella coming at the end of next month. Her brainstorming prowess amazed me! I loved her new book, especially the chapter on secrets.” ~Colleen Coble Award Winning Author


 “Michelle encapsulated some workable, practical, yet energizing techniques to help spark that all-important conflict and tension in our stories. I especially appreciated the buffet of ideas that showed how a combination of tips could bring about a tailor-made solution to a lack-luster character, scene, or plot.” ~Cynthia Ruchti Multipublished Author, speaker, and writing instructor.  


Michelle Lim is the author of the new book Idea Sparking: How to Brainstorm Conflict in Your Novel. Also a romantic suspense author whose manuscripts have earned recognition in The Rattler Contest 2012, the Genesis Contest 2011, and the Frasier Contest in 2010. Michelle is the Brainstorm/Huddle Coach at My Book Therapy and serves as Vice President of MN N.I.C.E., a local chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. Check out her blog at: http://thoughtsonplot.wordpress.com/.
 

11 comments:

Lisa Jordan said...

Michelle, you have such an incredible gift. The unique way you look at stories and pull out the necessary bits amazes me. I'm thrilled for everything you're accomplishing with your writing!

Michelle said...

Thanks, Lisa! I couldn't have done it without you!

Gabrielle Meyer said...

Michelle, I'm so excited to get this book! Last weekend I was at Storycrafter's with Susie and she was bummed because the book hadn't been delivered to the retreat center. :( I would have bought it on the spot had it been there. I'm going to head over to MBT and buy it now.

My favorite romantic moments in real life are when my hubby does something unexpected, like call me in the middle of the afternoon and say: "Can you get a babysitter for tonight so we can go have supper alone?" Those are the moments I cherish!

Rachel Hauck said...

Hope you sell a bazillion, Michelle!

Michelle said...

Gabrielle, I have kids, I totally get that babysitter moment. Thanks for buying my book. Hope you enjoy it.

Michelle said...

Rachel, thanks for having me on your blog and the well wishes!

PatriciaW said...

This sounds like a great resource. Love the questions you pose for ways to add conflict to a story.

Michelle said...

Thanks, Patrica! So glad you stopped by to visit.

Lois said...

Michelle, your book sounds interesting. Unfortunately I could not find a link anywhere in this book tour post for someone who may consider purchasing the book. (I've not seen your previous book tour posts.) I checked Amazon and don't see your book there. Your blog says the book will be available Sept. 20 but I don't see any links to it on your blog. How are you getting the book into the hands of your readers?
Lois

Michelle said...

Hi, Lotis! Sorry You didn't get the link. Here it is:

http://www.mybooktherapy.com/magento/idea-sparking.html

Thank you for stopping by!

Latayne C Scott said...

Michelle, to answer your question about what is my favorite romance moment-- at first a difficult question because I don't read romance novels nor do I usually watch romantic movies. But by far the most poignant and significant quote about the love between a man and a woman occurs at the end of Toni Morrison's book, Beloved:

“She is a friend of my mind. She gather me, man. The pieces I am, she gather them and give them back to me in all the right order.”


― Toni Morrison, Beloved