 | 4 Nov 08 |
Since we have a wise “no politics rule” here at MSW, I thought I’d use my (Election Day — go vote!) blog to launch a little series-ette that will appear on my posts over the next few weeks and months. I’m calling it “Manuscript Milestones” because 1) I love alliteration (maybe much more than I should) and 2) I want to take a fresh look at one of our favorite topics: the writing process, and consider it from the angle of each little stepping stone we cross from conception to completion. I think the writers will recognize their own significant moments, and readers might enjoy knowing how this writer, and others, view each “step” (or stumble) along the way.
Let’s start with that toe-curling, hair-raising, gasp-inducing moment we all live to experience. You know, that singular sensation of shock and awe, when the light bulb doesn’t just switch on, but a klieg rains down a blinding beam of beauty. An idea is conceived! Now, I’m not talking about any old throw away idea, or one that simply whispers a story possibility in your ear. No, I’m talking about a killer idea. The kind that you know instantly is a whole book, done but for the writing. A tasty, sink-your-teeth-in and instantly see the beginning, middle, end and the conflict kind of idea. Aren’t they the best? Doesn’t that moment rival some other memorable moments of conception?
But how does this glorious conception happen? I mean, if we knew where to get an idea, we’d go to that place a whole lot, wouldn’t we? Let’s just get this one answered once and for all: we writers don’t know where we get our ideas. They just show up, like gifts from heaven, kind of like a surprise twenty dollar bill in the pocket of a pair of jeans you haven’t put on for six months. When asked that dreaded question — “Where do you get your ideas?” — we have numerous smart aleck responses ready: “From the idea bank. I’m overdrawn.” “The idea fairy.” “I don’t know, but I hope to hell they keep coming.”
But the truth is, something sparks every idea. I can look at my wall of twenty-two book covers and remember the moment that each story idea was conceived. Every book I’ve written is the result of some outside stimulus that generated at least the foundation, if not the whole premise.
Like the time I was driving to Orlando and heard an interview with Quentin Tarantino on the radio. “You can do anything on the internet,” Quentin the Uber-Movie Director said. “Hell, you can sign up to get yourself kidnapped just for the thrill of it.” I almost wrecked the idea hit me so hard. What about a web site that arranges kidnappings for adventurous, thrill-seeking ladies and offers rescues by hot, sexy guys? Then someone gets killed during the game, and the only way to stop the next one is for one relentless reporter to sign up and track down her friend’s killer?! TAKE ME TONIGHT took off in my head before I sped through the next toll booth.
That’s not the only book hatched behind the wheel. Several years ago I was pulling into the school car line to pick up my kids and saw a billboard on the beach highway, a very simple sign of black letters on yellow background. “Lady in blue — I can’t forget you. We met at the South Hampton Downs apartment complex. Meet me there on Wednesday night.” Oh, heart gush! How romantic is that? He bought a billboard as a personal ad! Two days later, the message changed to another Lady in Blue personal, referencing their next meeting in the lobby of the apartment complex. And then the third one.
Oh. Duh. That’s right, it took three ads until this blonde (and a former advertising executive, so there really is no excuse) figured out this was a very clever ad campaign for South Hampton Downs apartment complex. But along came an instant story idea for the Silhouette Desire line, a manuscript titled LADY IN BLUE, which became LIKE A HURRICANE, my first Rita-nominated book.
KILLER CURVES was conceived while watching the Indy 500 (just to be nice to my husband, I had no interest in racing then), when I discovered that some of those drivers are smokin’ hot. A few years later, my manicurist told me about her secret online romance with a high school sweetheart. I immediately wondered “Is e-dultery really a-dultery?” and the whole plot of HIT REPLY unfolded in my head before the hot pink polish was dry. And the memory of one crazy, lusty night in a fraternity house in college inspired a reunion romance I titled…you know, I don’t need to reveal everything, do I?
(All right, CONTEST ALERT: Guess that book correctly and I’ll send you an autographed copy of any one of my backlist. One person is excluded. You know who you are.)
The fact is, ideas are everywhere. They come from experience, friends, the media, and listening to the couple at the next table in the restaurant. I’m loathe to toss The New York Times or USA Today into the recycle bin before I’ve read them cover to cover because I know that somewhere in those pages, there’s a germ of an idea just waiting to infiltrate my brain. Channel surfing is yet another source of ideas for me. A Discovery Channel documentary on the Mayan mystery of 2012 gave me the premise of FIRST YOU RUN, and a “What Not To Wear” marathon sparked the makeover story, HIS STYLE OF SEDUCTION. (And, of course, my undying respect for the right jacket and an A-line skirt.)
The moment a book is conceived is a very happy one, indeed. But once the tendril curls around your imagination and tugs, once the eye-widening moment has passed, once we’ve shared it with a friend or agent or editor, then the real work starts — how to fan a flicker into a flame. I’ll save that for next time, when I talk about the next Manuscript Milestone…creating the characters. (Hooray — more alliteration.)
Until then, tell me about your best moments of conception… but let’s stick with books, okay? How did you (or your favorite writer) conceive an idea? Do you remember that magic moment? Please share!
© 2008 – 2009, Roxanne St. Claire. All rights reserved.
Roxanne St. Claire is a New York Times bestselling, RITA-Award winning author of nearly thirty novels of romance and suspense. The author of two popular romantic suspense series, The Bullet Catchers and The Guardian Angelinos, Roxanne is hard at work on new books for 2012, which will include the launch of a contemporary series, Barefoot Bay, and her first young adult novel, Don't You Wish, and a brand new stand-alone romantic suspense, Space in His Heart. A five-time RITA nominee, Roxanne's books have won the National Readers Choice Award, the Daphne Du Maurier Award, the Maggie Award, the Booksellers Best, the Book Buyers Best, The HOLT Medallion, multiple Awards of Excellence, and Borders "Top Pick"" for Romance in 2007. She lives in Florida with her husband, two teenagers, and one impossibly cute Australian Terrier named Pepper.
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For me, it was listening to “Leader of the Band” by the late Dan Fogelberg. I didn’t get the plot from that book, but when I heard the line, “Papa, I don’t think I said I love you near enough,” I KNEW I had to write that man’s story. And once I had Blake, the book, What’s in a Name?, took off for me.
by Terry Odell November 4th, 2008 at 4:18 amGREAT blog, Rocki! I haven’t had too many single moments of conception, although I haven’t written nearly as many books as you have, either. For me it was more a moment of realizing that there were these elements I wanted to explore (New York, which I miss like I’d miss a leg; smokin’ hot chefs; and food) and that there was no reason not to put them together. And that was CAN’T STAND THE HEAT. Now, I read Gourmet, Food & Wine, Saveur, and Cook’s Illustrated for ideas, as well as watching any Gordon Ramsay show I can find. It’s a tough life.
by Louisa Edwards November 4th, 2008 at 5:38 amOf course I know which book. It’s proudly displayed on the “Complete (and autographed) Works of Roxanne St. Claire” shelf in the room just down the hall from “the room where Roxanne St. Claire slept.”
I’ve had two lightbulb moments. The first was when I read a story online about women who bought sperm online then performed the inseminations themselves with the help of a friend. Thus was born the book I’m writing during NaNoWriMo this month. The second was when I stumbled upon a blog about a couple who used a gestational surrogate to have a baby and I asked myself “What happens if the intended parents die?” That will be the next book (if NaNo doesn’t kill me first).
And back to the first book, the lightbulb began to glow brighter when a certain unnamed author read my first attempt at chapter one and said “What if the dead guy wasn’t the heroine’s brother, but her husband?” If I could bottle the jolt that went through me when I read that, I’d be a bazillionaire, sunning on a beach somewhere.
I’m eagerly awaiting the “Fanning the Flame” blog cause God only knows I need help in that department. It’s only take me oh… over four years to fan the online sperm bank idea from spark to story.
by She Knows Who She Is, All Right November 4th, 2008 at 7:14 amRecently, I got THE BEST heroine idea from Reader’s Digest. Haven’t done anything with her yet, but will!
by ArkansasCyndi November 4th, 2008 at 7:52 amThe book that won me my agent was inspired by a dream about chef Bobby Flay. I get “inspiring” dreams alot. lol
My current book was inspired by a snippet I thought I read or saw on TV, but upon further research, I must have made it up because I can’t find any documentation to that end.
My brain is a wonderland.
by Kristen November 4th, 2008 at 7:59 amTerry, I remember when you told me about that song inspiring you, and I can totally understand why. I went googling Dan Fogelberg not too long ago since I remembered that I loved his songs back in the day, and learned, sadly, that he’d passed away. He certainly left this world a better place because of his music, which is truly poetry and soooo romantic.
Louisa – LOL on missing NY like legs. I canNOT wait to see what you do with a hot chef. I get, um, hungry just thinking about it.
Dear She Who…You know too much, kiddo. But I am happy to have given you that jolt of inspiration – that’s going to be an awesome story!
by Roxanne St. Claire November 4th, 2008 at 7:59 amKristen – YOU are a wonderland! Bobby Flay had me going for a while, too. Back when he first did Boy Meets Grill, or maybe Grillin’ and Chillin’. I wouldn’t kick Rocco DiSpirito out of the kitchen, either.
Cyndi – Reader’s Digest! I bet you were in the dentist’s waiting room, huh?
by Roxanne St. Claire November 4th, 2008 at 8:07 amRocki, I’d also googled Dan Fogelberg, because once the book was published and actually getting good reviews. I “missed” him by about a month and was so saddened to find he’d passed away before I could thank him.
I urge everyone to make sure their loved ones get routine screening for prostate cancer. We lost a wonderful artist because he didn’t. (OK, not exactly what you had in mind when you posted your blog, but I’ve never been one to stay on task very well.)
And I have all your books, too, so I’m not entering your contest. But I know which one it is.
by Terry Odell November 4th, 2008 at 8:22 amLately, my book ideas have come from challenges. Write something dark a friend urged. Not vampires or demons, I thought. But dark brought out the suggestion of deep, and deep gave me all kinds of ideas. Thus a lengthy proposal for a series ensued. My agent liked the idea but wanted an earlier book to precede the proposal I had handed in. Can’t do it, I thought as the lengthy proposal was set up to be the first in the series. “Can’t” gets me motivated. In hours, I had started to put together an idea and with critique partner brainstorming the story became solid. The book is done, but now I have to build those characters into a continuing series that blends with the next story (the original proposal). At first I thought maybe that “couldn’t” be done well, either, but now the ideas are blossoming. Tell me I can’t do something or give me a challenge and it gets those brain cells creating. Great blog for election day, Rocki, and I VOTED, by the way.
by Sandy November 4th, 2008 at 8:50 amGreat post, Rocki. I’m not sure I have many of those great idea moments. Usually they end up being too stupid or outrageous to write about. Ha!
But, I get ideas from life. What I see and hear. I get great ideas at the gym of all places.
But those are usually scene ideas or dialog lines.
Ideas come from my passions about life.
Rachel
by Rachel Hauck November 4th, 2008 at 9:10 amAwesome post today, Rocki!
Ideas for my books come from absolutely everywhere. I’ve been in the middle of a manuscript wondering what will happen next and dreamed up a fantastic twist ending…thankfully. Whew.
One conceptual idea I had for a book came from a Jay Leno joke.
by Lara Santiago November 4th, 2008 at 10:37 amI never know when some random television show, newspaper article or commercial will spur an idea for a story. And I like that because it’s all a part of the fun.
Lara
Rocki, it is amazing where those ideas come from. A newspaper article, or a tv show, or eavesdropping at Starbuck’s. I love the feeling when the idea slams into you and you wonder why you didn’t think of it before.
by Amanda November 4th, 2008 at 10:43 amI just started a wip that is based on a theory my mom had about a family member ripping off his mother. It’s been yelling at me for years and I finally decided to do the story. Although fortunately in real life no one was killed. I just started the book and two people have been murdered so far.
The rest of the ideas I don’t know, one minute nothing, the next an idea is floating around in my head.
My theory is if you don’t vote, you don’t get to bitch and complain about it. So of course I voted early this morning.
by HollyD November 4th, 2008 at 11:03 amOooh, Lara, I like a story idea from Jay Leno joke. That just nails the whole idea of “the moment of conception.” And Rachel, I love that ideas come from your passions. And the passion comes across in the pages of your wonderful books, too.
I’ve heard some of the voting lines are long. Here in my small town, my husband and I breezed through in about five minutes.
by Roxanne St. Claire November 4th, 2008 at 11:12 amI can’t decide whether to be insanely jealous of “She Who Knows” because of that autographed wall or super delighted because I just realized that I don’t have all of your books so there are MORE TO ENJOY, HOT DAMN, GOTTA GO SHOPPING NOW. Okay, I’m going with the latter.
Ideas… are everywhere, I agree. I think you have a particular knack for taking the “what if” and making it about character / stakes, giving that idea a shot at being immensely marketable instead of simply interesting. Bobbie Faye showed up, the character completely whole, but the story was in response to me wondering what if someone who was terribly disaster prone tried to be the person rescuing someone else? Everything just exploded from there. The script ideas prior to that were either in direct response to a song or, in a military thriller, a phrase someone used that made me play that “what if?” game.
Great post, Rocki!
by toni mcgee causey November 4th, 2008 at 11:25 amHey, Rocki, great post! My Samantha Shaw books came from when I was sitting around with several friends, and we were sort of swamping life stories, and I realized that half of us were divorced. I’ve been married forever and the thought struck me that I COULD BE LYING TO MYSELF about my marriage. I mean this thought just stuck with me–what if I’ve created a story line of what my marriage is, that was more fiction than fact? What if I was in denial?
Happily I don’t think that’s true in my life, so I created Samantha Shaw who that did happen to. Of course, it changed a bit as I worked with the idea and character, but that was how it started. That book sold into a mystery series. It’s just weird how ideas pop up.
by Jen Apodaca November 4th, 2008 at 12:27 pmOHMYGAWD, I was coming out of Starbucks after I got my “I Voted” free cup of coffee and heard one woman say to the other (and these were nicely dressed women) “And there we were, chasing a goat through Name of Very Nice Subdivision.” Of course that lends itself to comedic southern women’s fiction (since this is Alabama) but I don’t have to worry about getting sidetracked by junior leaguers chasing goats because I don’t write comedic southern women’s fiction.
And don’t worry — even though I know where all your bodies are buried, my lips are sealed. You know where mine are buried too.
by She Knows Who She Is, All Right AKA Marilyn November 4th, 2008 at 2:04 pmGreat post, Rocki, as I thought back to those moments when a story just hit me upside the head I had to smile. Not all of mine have come to me in a moment of clarity, but the ones that did? Those were the easy ones to write. MASTER OF TORMENT was like that. I was surfing the net one night and read about a Viking princess who was stood up at the altar. Cheeky girl that she was, she hired and army, went after the knave and killed him. A woman scorned indeed!
I was listening to the song Fancy one day sung by Reba McIntire and wondered what happened to her after her mama turned her out. JADED was born.
by Karin Tabke November 4th, 2008 at 2:08 pmI’ll admit FANCY has made me think of the same. Heck of a story in one short song.
by Stephanie P November 4th, 2008 at 3:59 pmMy dream hero is inspired by the illustrations in a graphic novelization of Frankenstein. Bernie Wrightson was the artist. And no, my hero is not the monster, but the man. Dr. Frankenstein is absolutely gorgeous in those drawings, and I always picture him when I think of a hero who is tenacious or determined. One day, I’ll write a story that fits him.
Great post, Rocki! I get those kind of “aha” moments all the time, when I am inspired by something I’ve heard or seen and take it a bit further….
by Natalie November 4th, 2008 at 4:00 pmHi Rocki! As a reader, I so love reading about that trigger that comes from where it all started with the story idea. I love to ask that question to the authors because it takes me to either an ‘aw’ moment where I so see where they came with it but most of the time its a ‘awesome’ moment because I could never think of such a idea! I watch news and shows and don’t even think of them to becoming a story idea in books rarely. I’m more of one who reads and just so fastinated on how you all come to it and even more how you make the new ‘world’ of your books as series and the like. I look up to you all and I don’t want to be a writer and come up with it because I know its not in me. Whats in me is the joy of reading all you write and having that awesome feeling reading them.
by Caffey November 4th, 2008 at 9:31 pmGreat blog, Rocki! All my books had a spark somewhere. Sometimes it’s a news article, or a snippet of a conversation, or a series of things which suddenly come together . . .
For THE PREY it was reading a newspaper article about a man who killed his family then himself, and his neighbors were shocked because he didn’t seem the type. For SPEAK NO EVIL it was following the Taylor Biehl tragedy. When I had to come up with my option book after the NO EVIL series, I was kind of stuck — I had a lot of ideas, but nothing that really “clicked” for me. I wanted to write Will Hooper’s story, a secondary character from the No Evil series, but nothing jumped out at me. Then I remembered that he had to leave SPEAK NO EVIL to testify at the appeals hearing of a killer he put in prison. I started getting a feeling for the past case, but I was stuck … the killer was on death row. Getting him out on a technicality seemed too easy, having him break out of San Quentin too hard. I had just heard a news report that California was transporting prisoners to other states because of prison overcrowding, so I thought, what if Glenn’s plane goes down? Naw, it didn’t seem fresh. I googled San Quentin just to read about the history of the prison, and stumbled across a seismic report . . . that’s it! Earthquake! As a native Californian born and raised only 30 miles or so from the prison, I know about earthquakes! Everything clicked after that.
by Allison Brennan November 4th, 2008 at 10:36 pmI loved hearing all your conception stories! The Viking story makes me want to read TORMENT even more, Karin! And, I do love to think about how songs influence our story ideas. The funny thing is, twenty-five writers could all hear the same song and all have an idea, and no two stories would be the same!
And no one guessed the book inspired by my fraternity house adventures!
by Roxanne St. Claire November 5th, 2008 at 10:16 amWe probably all have it already! I know I do, along with all your other books.
by Terry Odell November 5th, 2008 at 10:20 amI’ll take a stab at it.
by Stephanie P November 5th, 2008 at 5:10 pmLike a Hurricane
Steph P – you’re very close, but no.
by Roxanne St. Claire November 5th, 2008 at 5:48 pmsins of teh past
by kh November 5th, 2008 at 11:00 pmGood guess, kh! But…no. HINT: It was a Desire, yes, and there is an actual reference in the first chapter to a wild night she’d spent with the hero when they were in college. She even mentions the name of the fraternity…
by Roxanne St. Claire November 6th, 2008 at 3:42 amthe fire still burns
by kim h November 7th, 2008 at 4:06 pmkim h – YOU GOT IT! THE FIRE STILL BURNS is indeed the book inspired by some frat house misbehavior on my part. (But, oh, he was a cutie! Bet he still is.) Email me at roxannestc@cfl.rr.com and let me know which of my backlist you’d like, and it’s yours. Thank you!!!
by Roxanne St. Claire November 7th, 2008 at 5:31 pmcool thanks roxi and i will
by kh November 8th, 2008 at 10:29 pm