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? 

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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/.
 

Crit Groups: Should I be in one?

From my post over on My Book Therapy.

The other night during the Voices forum chat, Susie and I were asked about crit groups -- if we believed they were valuable, and what advice would we give. Here's the summation of our collective advice.

Should I be in a crit group?

If you are new to writing fiction, or struggling in your writing, join a crit group. American Christian Fiction Writers has established groups that are waiting for an author to join. I was in Crit group seven my first few years in ACFW.

Crit groups do not have to be your best friends. In fact, I recommend not pairing with your friends if you are starting out. It's too easy to be nice to each other. You like the other's work too much. Join up with people who are going to challenge you. Not knowing them is a great advantage. But do know if they are accomplished critiquers. That should really be your only requirement. If they are published, all the better.

Often we see crit partners like girlswriteout and we believe that's what we all want and need. Those woman started out just like all of us -- looking for input on their stories and they became best friends.

If that happens with your crit group, great. If not, it's still a valuable tool. I do think over time crit partners who become friends can be more forthright with input and not worry about hurting feelings.

Crit Group Pitfalls

I had input on a few of my manuscripts, but over the long haul, crit groups didn't work for me. I didn't have time to review five people's input on the same chapter. It became tedious. Constant chapter exchange can be overwhelming. Set up a workable guideline for your group's members.

Crit groups often turn into nothing more than line edits. Make sure your crit, or the ones you're receiving, are more about craft and the story than correcting a misspelled word, an awkward sentence, a missing question mark.

A crit group should focus on the story! Does the story work? Is the dialog realistic and snappy? Does it deliver the story? Is there a balance of narrative and action? Too much internal thinking? Is the hero and heroine likable? Is their character acting consistently. Are their goals obvious and planned out? Tension, where's the tension? I could go on. But you get where I'm going. Is this story working? Is it too cliche, too sweet, too dark?

Children with Pebbles

Often new writers armed with a handful of writing rules are like children standing on the side of the road with a fistful of pebbles. They have ammo but no idea how and when to use it, even if they should use them. Instead of helping a crit partner, they damage them. "This is telling," when it's not. Or, "you shouldn't use the word was." (My personal favorite.) At the same time, they lack understanding of how to use more mature writing techniques that would help you advance -- like recognizing metaphors or themes.

Most of all, immature crit partners throw pebbles at your voice. The biggest hurdle for any writer is to find her/his voice. You don't want a perfectionistic line editing crit partner adding or deleting words or phrases that define your style. You want a crit partner to read your work with a somewhat artistic eye. She should highlight a line and note: THIS is your voice.

In the end. . .

The hardest part for a writer is to show their work. The second hardest is to let someone give you feedback. You need a crit group, even a weak one, for that purpose alone if you're starting out. Let someone read your work. Not your spouse or best friend, or mother. They will hear you in the story and love it. Let another reader or writer who is not familiar or close with you read it. Ask for an honest opinion.

I'll admit it. I've lied to new writers before. I said I liked something when I didn't because I knew if I told them the truth -- both the good and the bad -- it would crush them. I didn't feel they were in a place where it mattered if I held back a bit. But if you're serious about writing, get honest, helpful feedback. If you don't get the response you want, email the critiquer and ask questions.

Once an author read my synopsis and said she loved it. When I asked more specific questions, I found out she didn't like the heroine's profession very much which made her not like the heroine. Well, gee, now you tell me. :)

Conference Critiques

Please, sign up for conference critiques. They are a big help.

Later, we'll talk about the dynamic of brainstorming partners.

Looking for an agent

Over on My Book Therapy, I blogged about my journey with agents and offer some advice to writers looking or wondering.

My Book Therapy "From the Inside Out" Book

My Book Therapy is releasing it's first writing book based on our craft blog from last year. I got my copy in the mail today. It's awesome.

Susan May Warren, My Book Therapy's founder and fearless leader put together a GREAT project. I'm so honored to be associated with her and this business.

And, best of all, I get to help others along the way.

Check out this video on You Tube.

Want to win a copy of From the Inside. . .Out: Discover, Create and Publish the Novel in You for your very own? Leave a comment here and tell us what kind of novel you have in YOU.

Do you already have your novel down on the page? Does it need a little THERAPY? Enter to win 10% off a Book Therapy Session by leaving a comment here telling us a brief synopsis of your story!

All winners will be chosen at random. Contest ends 2/28 and the winners will be announced on March 2nd!

Join the fun!