{PROGRESS + ACCOUNTABILITY} LAURYN'S RECONSTRUCTION: GETTING TO 50 SHADES OF PAID

[Lauryn]

PS. I'm all about black and Latino empowerment but I will never trade anything over the personal development that comes through sexual empowerment. Sex creates and transforms. It's the most powerful energy we have. You will never enpower anyone until you empower yourself and nothing does that quite like sex does... Not cheap casual F*ck buddy sex.... Deep spiritually rejuvenating sex (with the right partner or partners, if that happens to be your thing, LOL) that releases negative energy and hurt and restored you to that juicy core of love and relaxation.

It's that supreme love and relaxation that gives you the universal love energy needed to empower and uplift by example. At the end of the day when you strip the skin, soul, sex and labels we place on ourselves and split ourselves by, at the core we are love. We tend to lose this in the human experience because we're looking outside ourselves for that acceptance and validation.

(Sometimes you can find this experience closely mirrored after six shots of Sweet Revenge, which I sometimes drink to get the juices flowing when I write.)

 

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[Cruor Vult]

(Sometimes you can find this experience closely mirrored after six shots of Sweet Revenge, which I sometimes drink to get the juices flowing when I write.)

It does seem that writing comes a little easier after a drink or four. I'm no longer puzzled that so many of the old authors of what we now call "classics" were alcoholics.

 

[MorgothBauglir]

You're always gonna have detractors and critics, more and more of them as your work gains attention. You know what you're about and what path you're on - they don't.
What driving force is more powerful than sex? Maybe the divine hahaha, but hey sex with someone you care about is tapping into that force no doubt.

Keep going.

At the end of the day when you strip the skin, soul, sex and labels we place on ourselves and split ourselves by, at the core we are love.

Powerful, and real. Well said.

It does seem that writing comes a little easier after a drink or four. I'm no longer puzzled that so many of the old authors of what we now call "classics" were alcoholics.

I don't know what you're talking about *takes a sip of whiskey*.

 

[Lauryn]

P.S. Since it's "clear where my head is stuck" ... do me a favor and let this be the last F*cking post you read from me. Thanks.

ETA: Said person's convo is deleted, they are on ignore and I really hope they move around where it counts. The Fastlane Forum is not a recruitment ground for the Neo-Panther Party. And I'm an Aquarius born straight out of New York. That's the wrong combo to push surrender on.

 

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[Lauryn]

You're always gonna have detractors and critics, more and more of them as your work gains attention. You know what you're about and what path you're on - they don't.
What driving force is more powerful than sex? Maybe the divine hahaha, but hey sex with someone you care about is tapping into that force no doubt.

Keep going.

Powerful, and real. Well said.

I don't know what you're talking about *takes a sip of whiskey*.

Thank you. You're right. I guess because it's so early, I wasn't ready. Maybe you're never ready - thanks for the support.

Yeah I know where I'm headed, and in due time... the path will be brighter and brighter.

LOL You know I had no idea the classics were alcoholics ... but the more I write, the more I see why.

 

[COSenior]

You know I had no idea the classics were alcoholics

Two words: Ernest Hemingway.

Yesterday my husband and I were driving together when we had to stop at a light behind a vehicle that had an interesting bumper sticker. It said "Women who behave rarely make history." I'd seen that before and always thought it was mildly amusing. But this time, I saw it from the perspective of someone who had just read "The Invention of Wings." If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.

The book was a fictionalized account of two sisters who, in the early 1800s were born and raised in a planter family in Charleston, SC., by the names of Angelina and Sarah Grimke. The twist was that the older sister had a deep aversion to their way of life, specifically that they owned slaves. At the age of eleven, she 'disgraced' herself in the eyes of society at her birthday party by refusing her gift, a young black girl about her age to be her personal maid. She also raised her sister in her beliefs, and eventually the two of them left Charleston and became the first female abolitionist agents in the 1830s, traveling alone, speaking in public and writing against the horrific crime of 'owning' another human being. If you aren't familiar with social norms of that time, all of those things were considered highly scandalous, especially for unmarried women. This book was based on true facts, and yet, did anyone ever hear of the Grimke sisters in their history lessons? Lucrectia Mott knew them and was influenced by them, as was Harriet Beecher Stowe, Bronson Alcott, John Greenleaf Whittier and others whose names you might know if you are a history buff.

Having just read the book when I saw that bumper sticker, it occurred to me and I mentioned it to my husband that whenever we say 'behave' in reference to how women comport themselves, it has to do with rules that men made up and imposed upon us. Unfortunately, we women then adopted crab behavior and proceeded to pull any of our sisters who tried to climb out of the boiling pot back into the hot water. My point is, societal rules that govern our comportment, especially with regard to sex, are at best an attempt to disempower women and at worst another form of slavery. As women we are all the same color in the sense that it doesn't matter; someone is always going to try to impose rules on us that limit us in ways both subtle and outrageous.

Whoever wrote that message to you, Lauryn, has received their just punishment. Release the anger, it does you no good. Hold your head up and know that you have rightfully refused to bow to the narrow-minded, out-dated judgement of a bigot.

 

[Lauryn]

Two words: Ernest Hemingway.

Yesterday my husband and I were driving together when we had to stop at a light behind a vehicle that had an interesting bumper sticker. It said "Women who behave rarely make history." I'd seen that before and always thought it was mildly amusing. But this time, I saw it from the perspective of someone who had just read "The Invention of Wings." If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.

The book was a fictionalized account of two sisters who, in the early 1800s were born and raised in a planter family in Charleston, SC., by the names of Angelina and Sarah Grimke. The twist was that the older sister had a deep aversion to their way of life, specifically that they owned slaves. At the age of eleven, she 'disgraced' herself in the eyes of society at her birthday party by refusing her gift, a young black girl about her age to be her personal maid. She also raised her sister in her beliefs, and eventually the two of them left Charleston and became the first female abolitionist agents in the 1830s, traveling alone, speaking in public and writing against the horrific crime of 'owning' another human being. If you aren't familiar with social norms of that time, all of those things were considered highly scandalous, especially for unmarried women. This book was based on true facts, and yet, did anyone ever hear of the Grimke sisters in their history lessons? Lucrectia Mott knew them and was influenced by them, as was Harriet Beecher Stowe, Bronson Alcott, John Greenleaf Whittier and others whose names you might know if you are a history buff.

Having just read the book when I saw that bumper sticker, it occurred to me and I mentioned it to my husband that whenever we say 'behave' in reference to how women comport themselves, it has to do with rules that men made up and imposed upon us. Unfortunately, we women then adopted crab behavior and proceeded to pull any of our sisters who tried to climb out of the boiling pot back into the hot water. My point is, societal rules that govern our comportment, especially with regard to sex, are at best an attempt to disempower women and at worst another form of slavery. As women we are all the same color in the sense that it doesn't matter; someone is always going to try to impose rules on us that limit us in ways both subtle and outrageous.

Whoever wrote that message to you, Lauryn, has received their just punishment. Release the anger, it does you no good. Hold your head up and know that you have rightfully refused to bow to the narrow-minded, out-dated judgement of a bigot.

Sue Monk Kidd is a super writer - definitely getting... and thank you so much. this is beautiful and I'm printing this out.

 

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[Lauryn]

Just a little taste of what some people have thought of Ricochet, while you are waiting for a juicy update:

 

[Lauryn]

Haven pulled myself halfway through Six Appeal, I see how whatever you write must start with knowing:

1. What you're selling
2. Who you're selling to

Copywriting talks heavily of speaking to features and benefits, but where's the psychological pull on what you're writing? In your story, the goal is to make your story, whether it's yours or your character's, the reader's story. She must feel a deep connection with whomever the story is about, or the situation at hand.

Reverse engineering the process starts with understanding the worldview of the target audience, because it's going to reflect through the actions of your character.

Another thing I learned in the course is not to estimate the importance of someone's identity or desire to identify with a certain group or profile. There's a study. Very dry and boring on the eyes, but if you can hold out long enough you'll learn from it.

The study shows that people have emotional identity profiles and archetypes they identify with. Based upon these emotional identity profiles, a person will subconsciously seek out experiences, products and even emotional reactions to consistently validate their identity through this filter.

Who they identify with is something that's highly personal and individual for each person, but the truth of the experiments is, bottom line, they are more likely to resonate with the messages and propaganda that resonate with the worldview through which they seek to identify. If they identify as the kind of profile who gets angry rather than disappointed or disgusted at something they don't like, then your characters' situations should play on this anger. If they need to feel disappointment, build on that.

Let me see if I can find the link. Again this is so dry but as you figure out how to agitate the mental state of your readers (every good story does - I believe)... then it can help. No matter what genre.

Except the kids. We don't want to make kids agitated and angry. LOL!

Oh - it's called Feeling Like Myself: Emotional Profiles and Social Identity - I can't link to it because it just downloads from Google. But you can get it or skim around for it. Just makes you think how your book description, marketing and story can further help your audience validate themselves as they're reading and buying your book.

 

[Lauryn]

OMG I'm back


So here's how I was already doing this to channel reactions from Ricochet:

- I took my own experiences... the issue occurred in my and friends' experiences
- I researched things people actually said and did when these things happened
- I daydreamed about what happened if someone took it to the EXTREME

Then I just started engineering to deliberately tug emotions.

Books on the addiction, bad marriages, military relationships, addictive compulsions... then I tapped the emotional states people were in but never getting to express.

So if you're wondering something besides, "How many words should my book be?" and want to know a good way to figure out a worldview or POV, then research what you're writing. No matter what your topic is, someone has somehow had an experience about it, and they're waiting to share it. If your book is romance-related, there are plenty of books available to help with this.

When all else fails you interview the audience members - or proposed target audience members themselves - and I promise you'll learn a lot.

How do you think Travis ended up becoming a favorite character for me to write?

 

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[AroundTheWorld]

Two words: Ernest Hemingway.

Yesterday my husband and I were driving together when we had to stop at a light behind a vehicle that had an interesting bumper sticker. It said "Women who behave rarely make history." I'd seen that before and always thought it was mildly amusing. But this time, I saw it from the perspective of someone who had just read "The Invention of Wings." If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.

The book was a fictionalized account of two sisters who, in the early 1800s were born and raised in a planter family in Charleston, SC., by the names of Angelina and Sarah Grimke. The twist was that the older sister had a deep aversion to their way of life, specifically that they owned slaves. At the age of eleven, she 'disgraced' herself in the eyes of society at her birthday party by refusing her gift, a young black girl about her age to be her personal maid. She also raised her sister in her beliefs, and eventually the two of them left Charleston and became the first female abolitionist agents in the 1830s, traveling alone, speaking in public and writing against the horrific crime of 'owning' another human being. If you aren't familiar with social norms of that time, all of those things were considered highly scandalous, especially for unmarried women. This book was based on true facts, and yet, did anyone ever hear of the Grimke sisters in their history lessons? Lucrectia Mott knew them and was influenced by them, as was Harriet Beecher Stowe, Bronson Alcott, John Greenleaf Whittier and others whose names you might know if you are a history buff.

Having just read the book when I saw that bumper sticker, it occurred to me and I mentioned it to my husband that whenever we say 'behave' in reference to how women comport themselves, it has to do with rules that men made up and imposed upon us. Unfortunately, we women then adopted crab behavior and proceeded to pull any of our sisters who tried to climb out of the boiling pot back into the hot water. My point is, societal rules that govern our comportment, especially with regard to sex, are at best an attempt to disempower women and at worst another form of slavery. As women we are all the same color in the sense that it doesn't matter; someone is always going to try to impose rules on us that limit us in ways both subtle and outrageous.

Whoever wrote that message to you, Lauryn, has received their just punishment. Release the anger, it does you no good. Hold your head up and know that you have rightfully refused to bow to the narrow-minded, out-dated judgement of a bigot.

yes, yes and yes! It amazes me sometimes to think of how far we have come in our society in such a short time. Really, it was not so long ago that women and blacks were suppressed by the same patriarchal system in the south. It has been even less time since we achieved the right to vote and even shorter still since Title IX was passed. My children all understand how fortunate they are to live where we live and in the time we live. And still, we have so far to go. I was just remarking last week that there are numerous references to male anatomy in our media, and it can all seem very main stream, but references to female anatomy is often done in one of the following contexts: 1) to reduce her to a sex object or 2) in a way that empowers her - BUT when it is done in that way, people become very uncomfortable with the reference. Just, MHO...

 

[Lauryn]

Just picked up a new scene in the book. Short but emotionally pungent and to the point.

Since it's been so long since I've felt - or could even relate - to these emotions, I have to go back and refresh my memory by reading the experiences of others. I hope to get to chapter 10 and a major event by the end of next week.

I know this is taking longer than it should... there's a lot of chaos around me right now. And I'm doing what I can to mitigate it (and make money off it) in the process.

Feels good to write something, even if I know it's getting tweaked later.

 

[Lauryn]

Oh I have a "preview" PDF for those interested. It's more explicit and rough, no editing... but if you've been paying attention, or have at least read Ricochet, you can hit me in Private and I'll hit you with a link...

Feedback would just be appreciated... the critiques help.

 

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[Cruor Vult]

Hm, I don't know how to send PMs. Link, please?

 

[Lauryn]

Sent

 

[Selfy]

nothing to add of value!

but damn I'm loving how you slowly transitioned that picture of your lovely self!

 

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[Lauryn]

Thank you to those who gave me feedback on the novel so far. I feel really good about the direction I'm going in. The adjustments will be made.... the biggest problem is making the protagonist lovable. No offense but she's a whiny b**** and she's annoying even me. She seems too self-piteous, and it's time to pull back into the research and build a stronger case for her emotions, and pull back a little of the wimp on her husband.

Goals:

- Research the overall theme - sexual compulsion - more.
- Strengthen Carmen's story so she doesn't seem to be whiny about nothing.
- Demonize Travis a little. Keyword: Ana.
- Refine the plot... maybe in a different POV or mixed POV in the prequel.

My sex scenes were great though. Mission accomplished.​

 

[Cruor Vult]

The adjustments will be made.... the biggest problem is making the protagonist lovable.

I've been pondering this for a day or two. One thing is that truth is stranger than fiction, so to make her woes credible, you maybe have to pile it on in a way that far exceeds what would happen in reality. And maybe have her care about something outside herself - a troubled sibling, a grandparent, a neglected kid in the neighborhood, whatever. Just off the top of my head.
And yeah, demonizing Travis slightly would be a good idea. As you know, I'm a fan of seeing things from his perspective, because it clarifies things that Carmen doesn't tell us. Maybe he has a dark side that C doesn't even see..

My sex scenes were great though. Mission accomplished.

Indeed.

 

[Lauryn]

I agree. The biggest thing, off the top of my head, is that you don't get enough build up beforehand. You meet her at the end of her rope, not knowing what she's done to try fixing the situation... or how to make things work. It looks like he's done one little thing and she just went crazy...

I read this portion in a book I'm studying to bring the drama to life:

While sexual relationships can be a way to connect during the times of tension that can arise between partners, it is also a place of great vulnerability. We bare ourselves to each other in our sexual connecting. While the feelings that arise around connecting sexually can be quite tender, when we add addictive behavior into the already vulnerable area of our sexual connection, we have the ingredients for conflict and suffering.

It can be difficult for some partners to clearly articulate their needs and views, especially about sexual needs, feelings, and desires. Sexuality is openly touted in the media, yet the layer of taboo that can also be a part of our internalized structures frequently hampers open, meaningful conversation. When the elements of vulnerability and feelings about privacy are combined with the powerful force of sexuality, and then sexually compulsive behavior is thrown into the mix, it’s no wonder that a potentially explosive situation occurs.

- CGSA - abbreviated deliberately

This is pretty much what's been going on with Travis. As for Carmen:

While deeper understanding takes time, it’s important to understand right now that whatever has happened, whatever your partner is doing or has done, you did not cause it. It is not your fault. You certainly may have done something (inadvertently or even deliberately) that has caused your partner to feel unhappy, uncomfortable, angry, or afraid. You quite probably have bumped into some tender emotional places in him and that particular contact has caused him to feel the full brunt of a reaction he does not want to feel. This does not mean that you are responsible for the way he has chosen to deal with his discomfort. You actually do not have the power to make that kind of a choice for your partner. In a way, that may be a relief!

Your partner’s sexual compulsivity is not about you, but you are deeply affected by it; it impacts you directly. However, you cannot mend the pieces inside your partner that are preventing his lack of ability to connect to you intimately. The repair he needs to do will be an “inside job,” meaning it must happen within. Even if you may want to, you cannot do it for him. You may support and witness his healing, but he will do the mending of his capacity to connect intimately with you.

CGSA

Both partners play a role. There's a great love between them, but it's definitely one-sided looking right now... my goal is to keep studying so I can even this out.

On a side note only 4 lessons left before my self-study brand product is ready for my audience...

 

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[Lauryn]

I printed out a copy of Ricochet and the chapters of PGD thus far.

I see why everyone doesn't like Carmen. The story needs less explanation and more action. More demonstration on her part of what is really going on with her. This means I have to spend some time developing her character more. She's an angry bucket of rage and overreaction because there's less drama and nothing but the aftermath. I see where I fired prematurely.

Don't worry, the story is still the same. The explanation and build up is what's going to be developed. Several key scenes will be brainstormed and added.​

​

In other news, I'll also be downloading, printing out and editing my other books. I have access to a printer that reduces the cost. All I have to do now is take my printed materials and give them to Staples for coilbinding. $3.99 a pop beats $10-$20 per book. I highly recommend printing books out when you can so you can look at the material objectively - and away from the computer and its distractions. It really helps.

I'm going to buy the book on character development, and the other on master plots. This is the key right now... getting the characters and the plot strengthened. The writing is great but the reason things catch on is because they move with a BANG and a BANG is what I want and need. I already have a great publishing team behind me for this series... I just need to facilitate the sales process by bringing something new to the game.

I'm ready.... #twerk

 

[Lauryn]

Getting amazing feedback on the product I've been finalizing my creation for.

To recap: It's a branding system for sexy brands. Sexy as in clean, attractive and feminine, or sexy as in ... well, sex-based. I've been working on it for a year, and it's been in beta for that long as well. I had some growth, research and breakthroughs to experience in order to finish this program. I also had to get over this 80% pause point. I have a habit of always doing 80 percent of the work and choking or delaying the last 20 percent. I thought going to school would kill that, but there were personal limiting beliefs to root out and re-work in order to change this.

I've already made a sale on this program and have others waiting for me to finish. This is a form of self-publishing, but this is more of an info-product. So it's not something I'm throwing on Kindle -- or will I? I probably will after I modify the program.




-----===---

I re-read Ricochet and I see the changes that need to be made. I don't know how many times I can say that. The changes have to be integrated so subtly, so this key is figuring out how to make this happen in a subtle but powerful manner. I finished the Six Appeal program, so I'm over here learning to apply the skills and methodology learned to everything I write. Except now. Now is a stream of consciousness.

======

I finally move this weekend. Hopefully I have internet by this weekend in my new place too. I'm super excited.

*plays Phil Collins "In the Air" *

 

[Lauryn]

• Finally moved. Finally living in my own place. Something I haven't done since I was 21.
• Branding modules for my branding product are almost completed. Product creation is a beast, but it is EVERYTHING for a successful business.
• Been reading fiction - erotic and regular - as well as great writing to improve my voice and observe how I absorb. Storycrafting is my goal.
• Got a switch in position at the job. I'm social media and digital strategy director. Now I'm really using both my degrees (Internet Marketing and Media Design)... because I'll still write for the company, but not as much as before.
• My energy levels have been low and my appetite has changed. Definitely no angel but I'm naturally eating better than I have been. I have to in order to save myself from crashing.
• Book development... steady pushing. Steady pushing.

 

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[Lauryn]

I know how to structure my story now ...
===

The feminine journey is a journey in which the hero gathers the courage to face death and endure the transformation toward being reborn as a complete being in charge of her own life.

Her journey starts by questioning authority, then gaining the courage to stand up for herself and finally embodying the willingness to go it alone and face her own symbolic death. The nine-stage process is represented in three acts mirroring classic story structure.

The nine stages of her journey are:

Act I: Containment

1. The Illusion of a Perfect World
2. The Betrayal or Realization
3. The Awakening — Preparing for the Journey

Act II: Transformation

4. The Descent — Passing the Gates of Judgment
5. The Eye of the Storm
6. Death — All Is Lost

Act III: Emergence

7. Support
8. Rebirth — The Moment of Truth
9. Full Circle — Return to the Perfect World

Schmidt, Victoria Lynn (2007-08-01). 45 Master Characters (Kindle Locations 3060-3077). F+W Media, Inc.. Kindle Edition.


=====

This was a perfect accessory to my plotting. I now have all day to formulate this and get the story rolling.

 

[Lauryn]

I spent most of today reading on how to structure the feminine journey in more detail. This made a few things I could have done much more strongly show up in story structure.

Carmen's plight isn't clear because I skipped like every other stage in my story development. I wrote a story - and it's gripping and emotionally riveting - but there's no arc from which the story flows naturally. Now I can examine the story yet again to see what I can do to strengthen the narrative.

Now I'm onto building her archetype. Carmen is a confused a$$ child... a grown woman-child, but she fits in with and archetype known as the maiden. She's a natural innocent, pretty naive, creative. Deep within she may be more of an Aphrodite/Amazon blend... but she's hidden beneath this Maiden personality - which has nurturing tendencies.

Being a Maiden puts her into a crisis, and the battle for transformation - into a newer, stronger Maiden that co-exists with the other archetypes she fights against being, within.

If you need a rundown of archetypes, the book above is my reference. (No aff links or anything.)

===

This week I finish the modules on my product... and the audios, then release it into the world as a complete project.
Have gotten great reviews - even this week - and I feel it's ready to be released... At the very minimum it will also be published.

 

[U.P. Author]

That's an awesome resource. I have been using the MBTI as my touchstone for character development. I have been imagining the type of person I want, then finding the MBTI personality that best fits the person I'm imagining. I use the type descriptions to flesh the character out after that. It helps me figure to figure out what would be going on in their head a little better. It also helps me decide how they will relate with each other. For instance, my main character is INFJ and one of my third tier characters is INTP. She likes him, even feels affection toward him, but his incessant questions and insistence that she keep trying to do something she knows she cannot do drives her crazy.
Anyway, I think it's awesome that you have created such a compelling character.

 

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[Lex DeVille]

That's an awesome resource. I have been using the MBTI as my touchstone for character development. I have been imagining the type of person I want, then finding the MBTI personality that best fits the person I'm imagining. I use the type descriptions to flesh the character out after that. It helps me figure to figure out what would be going on in their head a little better. It also helps me decide how they will relate with each other. For instance, my main character is INFJ and one of my third tier characters is INTP. She likes him, even feels affection toward him, but his incessant questions and insistence that she keep trying to do something she knows she cannot do drives her crazy.
Anyway, I think it's awesome that you have created such a compelling character.

Interesting you should mention this. I did something very similar with my first EF book, only I used the Enneagram typing system as the source. The MBTI could be very useful since it has many more personality profiles than the Enneagram which only has nine. Aside from creating dynamic characters this method also helps you create characters that people can really bond with. For instance if your reader is an INFJ reading about an INFJ they will be drawn into the story at a much deeper level. The potential for connections on a personal level is increased by a lot.

 

[U.P. Author]

The enneagram may actually be a better system for character creation, especially when you're getting into someone's head. I hadn't seen that before, but I think I'll start integrating that into my character development. I found a website that correlated enneagram type by MBTI type. May be good to use both. Thanks for the great resource.

 

[Lauryn]

I have to look into these for future character development - thanks guys!

This week I've been focusing on a new role at work. Social media development. All that jazz.
And business development for my branding and copywriting business.
(Yeah... the power of focus is definitely a lifelong challenge for me.)

So 45 Master Characters has really ironed out what's going on with Carmen... and why she's so damn bratty.

She fits the Maiden/Troubled Teen Archetype. Maidens are positively sweet and girly, a mix of cutie pie and sexiliciousness. They're innocent and bubbly, the world is their oyster, and no need to worry her pretty little head, everything is taken care of.

When the dark side of the Maiden emerges, she's ungrateful, spoiled. She's a raging nightmare. A full moon b*tch. A teenage terrorist on steroids with reckless behavior. She's self-centered, attention-seeking, and she has great delusions of being amazing in the future but never actually ACTS on her plans to change. She's passive aggressive and operates with a death wish.

@Cruor Vult I'm sure you can recognize a lot of this already huh?

As Ricochet is written, some people only see the Troubled Teen. Carmen's Maiden is hidden...so the key to making her lovable at this point is building in the events that happened prior to her spoiled behavior. The story requires action demonstrated to clearly define the situation in Ricochet.

In a weird way, this is pretty fun. Archetypal development after the fact feels good because I know who the characters are in my head and they evolve on their own... but using the archetype to refine the vision after the fact makes it easier to see where your character's actions are leading the plot off track. There's a little improv in plot writing - and it's fine, but when nobody understands your main character - not even you - it gets weird trying to create a reason to root for her. LOL!

So GOALS:

1. Create refined plot for Ricochet based on Carmen's feminine journey (which, sorry isn't completed HERE but in the trilogy)
2. Research Travis' archetype.
3. Delve into the masculine journey for Travis. I've decided he will have his own subplot ... or his own series.

 

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[Cruor Vult]

@Cruor Vult I'm sure you can recognize a lot of this already huh?

Ha ha, yes, it rings a bell

As Ricochet is written, some people only see the Troubled Teen. Carmen's Maiden is hidden...so the key to making her lovable at this point is building in the events that happened prior to her spoiled behavior. The story requires action demonstrated to clearly define the situation in Ricochet.

In a weird way, this is pretty fun. Archetypal development after the fact feels good because I know who the characters are in my head and they evolve on their own... but using the archetype to refine the vision after the fact makes it easier to see where your character's actions are leading the plot off track. There's a little improv in plot writing - and it's fine, but when nobody understands your main character - not even you - it gets weird trying to create a reason to root for her. LOL!

So GOALS:

1. Create refined plot for Ricochet based on Carmen's feminine journey (which, sorry isn't completed HERE but in the trilogy)
2. Research Travis' archetype.
3. Delve into the masculine journey for Travis. I've decided he will have his own subplot ... or his own series.

Yessssss. Travis is superb. Let him roam freely, he's fireworks.
Loving how you're handling this, with the structured approach, not throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Now you have a whole framework for your protagonist. She'll turn out fine. And then, the story becomes truly character driven.

 

[COSenior]

Just caught up. That looks like a great resource. I'll pick it up soon. My stories tend to be plot-driven rather than character-driven, but I can see how having strong, relatable characters would certainly enhance the whole product. I'm terrified to get it now, though, with one edit to go for my latest. I can see getting bogged down in re-write if I get one more piece of crafting advice. I admire you, Lauryn, for working to make your story the best it can be. As for me, I'm going to serve mine up and then use the next one and the next one and the next one to perfect the craft. Every book I write is better than the last. With eight under my belt this year, I'm sure they're at least readable.