Muse Therapy - D. D. Scott Style

I'm so pleased to have D. D. Scott join me today on my blog. D. D. Scott’s romantic comedies are all about sexy, sassy, smart, career-driven women and the men who complete them. They're a bit chick lit with a gone-country twist. She’s agented, and her series BOOTSCOOTIN' BLAHNIKS - think Sex and The City meets Urban Cowboy - is under consideration by several NY publishers.

She writes stories with big hearts and a bunch of sass. Once a small town newspaper crime reporter and now a HarperCollins Publishing Returns Center Executive Assistant, she's learned great fiction comes from the street as well as which jacket covers meet early deaths.

She's a member of Indiana RWA as well as RWA's Chick Lit Writers of the World Chapter and ScriptScene RWA. She's been featured in both Indiana RWA's and ScriptScene's chapter newsletters and been a guest blogger on Romance Writers on the Journey. She is linked to on Romancing the Blog and also has an active blog of her own on her website at www.DDScott.com.

Currently, she's driving her darling hubby nuts waiting to hear whether or not she'll be providing Muse Therapy for the 2010 RT BookLovers' Convention in Columbus OH and for RWR in an article-based Muse Therapy series. (Update: Woot! Just got notified she was accepted to teach at RT Convention!!!)

For updates on her books, her sexy, sassy, smart neurotic writer’s life blog, and for a schedule of future muse therapy sessions, visit her website www.DDScott.com. While there, sign-up for her mailing list for chances to win fabulous tchotchkes.

Are you all settled down and ready for a therapy session? Well, get comfortable and I'll turn to blog reins over to D. D. Scott!

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Welcome to a mini blog bit of Muse Therapy – D. D. Scott style – where it’s all about injecting life into tired and/or stressed out muses.
First, a huge thank you to Carol Ann and her Inside The Writer’s Mind for inviting me to do a mini Muse Therapy Session!
I take it many of you may need a writer’s go-to-gal for your muse “disorders”. Bravo! Me too...and I’m the “therapist”! LOL!
Being Queen or King of your creative domain may require “therapy” – Muse Therapy that is!
Congratulations, though, on being at the top of the writing game. No denial. No shame. You’re in the writing business for fun, fortune and fame. Right?
Okay. Okay. At least that ideal looks and sounds fabulous on our screens. LOL!
As a Muse “Therapist”, I give writer’s fun and fabulous tools to analyze their muses’ funks, rein in their creative divas and up their page counts.
Together, we discover what makes your muses tick. What ticks them off. And what makes them dance like nobody's watching.

So if your muse is in need of a tune-up, grab a comfy couch or chair and put up your feet. You're in the right therapy session. You’ll have a terrific time conquering your creative divas and taking back the crown of your personal Muse-ville kingdom. It’s soooo good to be Queen (or King) of your creative domain.
But how do you know if you’ve been dethroned? And how do you take back your creative sovereignty? Here are a few clues. You know you need Muse Therapy When...
1. Your muses aren’t ticking. They’re ticked off.
2. Your muses are in a funk saying “up yours” instead of upping your page counts.
3. Even great sex or a new pair of shoes can’t rein in your creative divas.
4. The following sessions sound appealing:
** Unleashing Your Inner Sybil
** Writing Bi-Polar: I Suck vs. I'm a Genius
** What Do You Mean I'm Neurotic? No, I'm Not. Well, Not Exactly. But Okay...There Are Times When. Like You Need To Know That. Anyway, I Was Thinking, My Jeep Is Red
** Rorschach For Writers: I See Dead Lines
** Stimulants: When Coffee, Chocolate, and Martinis Aren't Enough
5. Your word witches are on their way to publishing Oz but the Yellow Brick Road they’re bootscootin’ on...well...the damn thing never ends!
6. Everyone says your writing is a waste of time, a “hobby” that will never “pay-off”.
7. You feel the urge, however, to tell everyone in reason six to (I’m thinking of a phrase that starts with a 4-letter-word and ends with a ‘you’, ‘off’ or ‘me’).

Here’s the scoop...the secret to upping your page count isn’t done by hurling nasty insults at your muses. Oh no. You’ve got to wine and dine those divas. Whether it’s with coffee, chocolate, fabulous finds in some chic boutique, or with what I call Muse Therapy Trips, it’s all about pampering those chicks and chucks ‘til you get out of them exactly what you want...and then some.
Let’s begin by exploring your word witches’ inner divas. Note I said “divas” plural, not singular. You may have tuned-in to the creative energies swirling in your head, but have you noticed and perhaps worried a bit because there are multiple voices shouting between your ears?
Just like Carrie Bradshaw of SEX AND THE CITY would welcome a new, potential leading man into her life with a seductive “Hello, Lover”, we’ll be seducing our new, potential leading characters to join us on our pages by saying “Hello, Sybil”.
Sybil? As in:
***Multiple personality disorder/Dissociative identity disorder, as in the character played by Sally Field in the 1976 movie which won Field an Emmy?
***Sybil, of thirteen different personalities?
***Diagnosis of a condition in which a single person exhibits multiple distinct personalities, each with its own, unique behaviors perceiving and interacting with the world around them?
YES!!! That Sybil!
Take a look at this definition from www.mentalhelp.net (yes...I’m not in denial that as writers, we need mental help...LOL!):
“Those with a personality disorder possess several distinct psychological features including disturbances in self-image; inability to have successful interpersonal relationships; inappropriate range of emotion, ways of perceiving themselves, others, and the world; and difficulty possessing proper impulse control. These disturbances come together to create a pervasive pattern of behavior and inner experience that is quite different from the norms of the individual’s culture and that often tend to be expressed in behaviors that appear more dramatic than what society considers usual. Therefore, those with a personality disorder experience conflicts with other people and vice-versa. There are ten different types of personality disorders that exist, which all have various emphases. Antisocial. Avoidant. Borderline. Dependent. Histrionic. Narcissistic. Obsessive-Compulsive. Paranoid. Schizoid. Schizotypal...For more information on each of these Personality Disorders, as well as other mental health topics, visit www.mentalhelp.net. Cause mental health matters...”

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You’re darn right it matters!!! Could we not substitute (Those with a need or desire to be a published writer) for (Those with a personality disorder)? LOL! I mean come on...I personally exhibit at least half of the traits in that definition! How about you?! And just ask my DH...my mental health (and his for putting up with me) matters!!!
So how do we as writers/creative Sybils take stock of all the voices/characters talking to us?
My solution? Collaging: A WIP of Your WIP
How many of you collage now? If you do...terrific! If you don’t...perhaps give it try. Let’s see if we can make this technique work for corralling your muses OR make it work better (if you’re already using it).
Visual arts always trip my muses’ triggers. Interesting though, I didn’t think of applying the collage technique to my writing process ‘til I stumbled on Jennifer Crusie’s 2003 RWR article “Picture This: Collage as Prewriting & Inspiration”. You can find the article at www.jennycrusie.com/for-writers/essays/.
Like Crusie, I panic when I’m starting a new book – but, for me, it’s a good kind of panic. I make good on the challenge of creating my next book by finding the images, words and phrases that send my muses into hyper-drive production mode.
RWA Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award Winner and author of over 75 books in the contemporary romance genre -- including BLAME IT ON PARIS and numerous bestsellers in over 20 languages around the world - Jennifer Greene aka Alison Hart says she doesn’t have an “artistic bone” so she’s “not looking to set-up anything fancy or gorgeous the way Jennifer Crusie does.” But before she starts a book, she “sits down with a heap of old magazines” and then “just plays.”
She picks out a house for her hero and heroine. Key room decors for each. Giving herself a visual of how her characters live, the colors they live with and how that works for their characters. Anything she’d have trouble remembering later, she gets a kind of “snapshot” of. She explained further:
“I find that something that slows us down is often filling in the details as we write...so if I have the book in mind, when I’m doing this collage – creation, I can pick up details right then. A picture of the heroine’s ‘mom and dad’. A treasure of hers. Something that typifies what her childhood was like, a picture from where she grew up.”
Jennifer puts all this on a corkboard then takes it down and “tosses it” after the book’s done. (Note: I keep my collages. I think Crusie does too.) Jennifer, however, doesn’t collage for every book, “but especially if (she’s) coming into a tough writing stretch, (she) finds it helps push the muse into gear.”
To understand my characters, I’ve got to first “see” them and their world. How do I do that? I’m a Magazine Ho! My mailman hates me! LOL! But while he’s stewing, my story is brewing thanks to the glossy-packaged images he stuffs to damn near shreds into my mailbox.
As I’m cutting, tearing and pasting these images to a foam core board, my muses are busy making sense of and connecting these fabulous fragments.
But here’s the thing. Somewhere between the collage for my last two manuscripts, my muses got overwhelmed. We’re talking complete sensory overload! Yes, they had every conceivable image they needed for my story, but they were at a loss as to how the hell sooooo many pieces fit together.
I stopped right there and put down the glue! What exactly did I have so far?
Well...I’d collaged a tad about my hero and heroine’s characterization and my Music City setting and my opening story question/hook “How can you build and run a celebrity empire with a baby on the way and paparazzi snapping away at your every success, misstep and dark secret revealed?”.
That’s it! That’s all I had on that board. Basically chapter one and two and part of three. I wasn’t overwhelmed. My mind wasn’t cluttered with fabulous, sparkling crap. My muses were relaxed and happy.
I actually heard their voices whisper between my ears “Okay, Sybil, pick out the images to finish chapter three, then show us your choices and inspirational pieces for chapter four, now we’ll help you get from one set of images to the next. We’ll use your collage as a WIP of your WIP.”
After listening to my muse squad (as you can imagine, listening isn’t one of my former strengths), I made myself a gin and tonic. Vermouth and voices. My kind of Muse Therapy! LOL! I chose my next chapter’s images as my muses instructed. I let the multiple personalities manifesting themselves with gusto in my mind show me the behaviors that would create my story plot and get my characters off their butts and benches. I unleashed my inner Sybil.
Now it’s your turn! Collage your way to your inner Sybil. Unleash the magic of your creative divas.
Get out your scissors, magazines and glue and be nice to your mailman!
You now know what makes your muses tick and what ticks them off. You’re indulging their word-producing whims.
But what if the feisty glam girls of your next bestseller are still pouting? What if they’re demanding you dig deeper to uncover their inner conflicts, make them work-it harder for your characters?
Perhaps you suffer from a few of the muse “disorders” I previously listed in the sessions that may sound appealing to you.
If any of the above has you written all over them, don’t worry. You’re among many creative goddesses battling the same devils...regardless whether or not we’re wearing Prada.
Throughout my Muse Therapy sessions, we explore each of these disorders. We divulge each disorder’s preferred behavioral manifestations then discover fabulous tricks to banish them from our writing kingdoms.
I hope to see you “in therapy” either during my online class sessions or live workshops. Check my website www.DDScott.com for dates and locations.
‘Til then...keep your muses happy. Pamper them silly. They’ll be glad you did and so will you.

Sexy, Sassy, Smart Muse Therapy Wishes --- D. D. Scott
http://www.DDScott.com
http://twitter.com/ddscottromcom

P.S. If you post a comment and join my website mailing list and/or follow me on Twitter, you’ll be eligible to win a fabulous Muse Therapy treat!

Writing Suspense - Workshop 5

There are several ways of writing a suspense novel. You can make it a "thriller" type novel by allowing your readers to know the villain and see them plotting in the background while your unsuspecting main character moves along not knowing the bottom is about to drop out of their world. I love these kinds of suspenses, and I love to create wicked villains. Here's a short excerpt from the villain's POV in FOXFIRE:

Damn his luck. Max threw some bills on the table and weaved his way through the restaurant toward the bank of telephones. He stood in the shadows pretending to make a call and watched as the hostess escorted Grace and her two crotchety friends to a table much too near where he'd been sitting.
Under the overhead glow of soft lighting, Grace's hair shone like the fur on a young vixen. Soon, he'd be running his fingers through it, letting the curls wrap him with molten fire. His hands would play her like a violin making sweet music. It had been too long since he'd had her in his bed. And he would have her one more time before he killed her.

By throwing in the villain's POV like this you can create a "ticking clock." While the story moves forward, so do the villain's plans until they culminate in the climax.

Another thing that can create suspense is throwing in a "red herring." In the beginning of FOXFIRE, I created a "shady" character the reader could imprint upon and like my heroine, Grace, believe that he might be behind some of the things happening to her.

Here's another short excerpt:

Kissing. Adam couldn't believe what he'd seen. She wouldn't have dinner with him, but she'd let that dog doctor paw her. Worst of all, she seemed to like it.
Adam stomped up the path, putting as much distance between the clinic and himself as possible. He'd had such plans for Grace. It had been years since a woman made him feel the things he did when he was near her. He wanted to protect her, shower her with nice things, love her.
A low growl stopped him. Grace's dog raised her head from the back porch, lifting her canine lips to show sharp pointed teeth. Warning him.
Adam continued on his way. He'd have to do something about that dog. Grace really should watch her dog closer. One never knew what dangers lurked in these woods.

Later, when Grace's dog is stabbed, who do you think did it? Sorry, I can't tell. You'll have to read the book. (See, more suspense.)

One thing I must stress before we end this workshop is that no matter how great a plot, no matter how well you utilize the techniques to create a page-turning suspense, it won't work if you have cardboard characters. First and foremost your reader must care about your characters. Really care about your characters. So before you write your story, you'll need to know your characters and what makes them tick. Then put them through torture and bring them to a triumphant ending. Your readers will be begging you to hurry up and write your next book.

Good luck, and thanks so much for stopping by this week.

Writing Suspense - Workshop 4

Writing romantic suspense means having to seamlessly weave two separate plot lines into one novel. Depending on the publisher, when it comes to romance, you must have at least 50% of the story being romance--some publishers require more romance. Make sure you research your market before you write your book.

Your goal in writing a romance is to bring hero and heroine through trials and tribulations to a satisfying happily ever after. Your goal in writing a suspense is to make your reader believe something horrible is going to happen to your characters on the next page. Your goal in writing a romantic suspense is to give your reader a great suspense with characters who have a sizzling chemistry that promises fulfillment by the end of the book.

Your first chapter is critical. Not only do you have to set the tone that this is a suspense, but also you have to bring your characters together so your reader can imprint on the attraction. One word says it all. Tease.

Tease your reader with the threat hanging over your main character's head. Use tools like a ticking clock where the reader knows that unless a bomb is diffused, someone is going to die.

Tease your reader with the growing attraction between your main characters. Bring them close together and throw in something suspenseful that stops them from culminating their desire with a kiss or more.

Example from FOXFIRE:

Grace and Tyler are at the site of a waterfall after hiking up a mountain. Grace has just told Tyler something about her past. They kiss and the kiss draws them closer...and closer. Just as they are losing themselves in the passion, her dog draws their attention:

Tiffany's ears pricked and a low rumbling growl rose from her chest. She raced into the thick foliage, baring her teeth.
Tyler sprang to his feet. "Grace, stay down."
"Why?"
"I think someone's out there."

If you've done your job and have built the suspense AND the romantic tension, you can weave them both into a sizzling scene.

From FOXFIRE:

Tyler sat on the edge of the sofa, placing a bag on the floor at his feet.
Grace flicked a glance at the bag. "What did you buy?"
"An alarm system."
Oh no. He couldn't possibly have bought that thing for her house. She rocked forward, placing both feet firmly on the floor. Her hands gripped the arms of the chair. "Don't even tell me that's for my house."
"It is."
"People here do not put in alarm systems. Ther are no crimes in Foxfire."
His amused glance infuriated her. She wanted to believe Foxfire was safe. That's why she moved here, but she'd brought danger to this community.
"No arguments. If you insist on staying at your place, we've got to do something to make it safe, especially with Tiffany laid up."
Grace knew he was right, but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction. "I don't need an alarm. I have a gun."
His emerald gaze met hers.
She jumped to her feet. "Damn it, Tyler. I don't need you to protect me. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I've been doing it all my life."
His gaze never wavered. "With a gun?"
She narrowed her gaze. "I know how to handle the gun quite well, thank you."
"And you think you're capable of shooting somebody?"
She held her own. "If I have to."
"Somehow I doubt you'd be able to shoot anyone."
Her face heated. How dare he? Did he really take her for a woman who'd back down from a threat? It just showed how little he really knew her. They could never have a relationship because he was just too cocky, too macho. She didn't need him or any man to protect her. Not now, not ever. She pulled herself upright. "That's your opinion. I can do anything I set my mind to."
He grinned. "Damned if I don't believe you. So, what did Harri tell you?"
The sudden change of subject took her by surprise.
"Excuse me?"
"Harri said not to forget what she told you."
"Oh, that? You mean I didn't tell you?" she asked in a false disbelieving tone.
"No."
She hitched both shoulders up and down. "Then it must have been none of your business."
Tyler's eyes narrowed into slits and a muscle twitched in his jaw. He stood and moved toward her. She cringed, backing against the chair, preparing to flee. But something about the look in his eyes...something about his demeanor froze her in place. He looked determined and angry...intent on punishing her. Before she could make her move, he grabbed her arms, pulling her toward him and clamping his mouth over hers. The kiss was hot and angry...and breathtaking.

Now it's your turn. Look at your manuscript and see where you can up the tension by weaving your two plots together in a "teasing" scene.

Tomorrow...the ticking clock, red herrings, and a twist.

Writing Suspense--Workshop 3

So, now you have your great beginning, you've picked out some backstory that you can use to up the suspense, and now you need to learn how to keep the readers turning those pages until they send you notes that say..."I loved your latest book. I stayed up all night reading it! I couldn't put it down!"

One of the best ways is to end your chapters with a cliff-hanger. For instance, in FOXFIRE:

A thousand spiders crawled up her spine. What were the chances of her reaching the gun in time? If she dove for the bed and rolled, she'd be a moving target, but she had to try.
With a burst of confidence, she threw herself toward the bed and grabbed the gun. She rolled, holding it in two hands, her finger on the trigger, and met his feral eyes gleaming like the blade of steel resting against her throat.

My goal was to make it difficult for the reader to close the book and read the next chapter at a later time. Easy, right?

In the beginning of FOXFIRE, Grace breaks up with her creep of a fiance. In Chapter Four, she's moving forward with her life and has just accepted a job working in the vet clinic near her home. She walks up the hill happy as a clam (pun intended) and here's how I end this chapter.

Grace left the clinic floating on a cloud of euphoria but it took a nosedive when she noticed the car in her driveway. The dark blue Jaguar looked out of place and so did the angry face of the man behind the wheel.
Connor.

This technique is easy to use. All you have to do is end your chapter in the middle of a scene. Caution: Don't overuse this. You don't want to end every chapter this way. If you do use this technique, make sure your following chapter begins with the continuation of the scene. Lead the reader further into your story with each scene and keep increasing the suspense.

Tomorrow we'll look at how to weave the romance and the suspense together, creating more tension and...suspense.

Writing Suspense Workshop 2 - Using Backstory

Writing romantic suspense is like any other romance and should avoid a lot of backstory. It's important to develop that backstory when you do your character development, for you have to know your characters to know how they will react to certain situations. However, don't bore your readers with all this knowledge. A lot of new writers think it's important for their readers to know all about their heroine's past or they won't "get it." Wrong. Give your readers credit.

Look through your character profile and pick out things you can use to create a suspenseful scene. In FOXFIRE, my heroine, Grace, likes silk things. It's something I discovered in the character profile, but not important for the reader to know...or is it?

Here's how I used that in my book:

"...Grace opened her mailbox and removed a large brown envelope. Her name and address had been printed in neat block letters, but there was no return address. She studied it for a moment, wondering who had sent it...

(Okay, building a little suspense in those few sentences)

"Curiosity got the best of her and she pulled the strip to open the envelope. Peering inside she saw a silk ivory scarf."

(Aha, part of my backstory, but how does this become important? Read on.)

"Last night, Tyler had kissed her goodnight after walking her to the door. Could this be a present from him? He said that her skin looked and felt like silk. A rush of pleasure warmed her. No matter that she had fought against it, she was falling for Tyler. He made her feel beautiful, not outside, but inside where for so long she'd felt soiled."

(Anticipation and a little breather for the reader.)

"She lifted the silk to her cheek, closed her eyes, and rubbed its smoothness against her face..."

(Grace loves silk)

"Tiffany (Grace's Dog) sniffed at the paper that had fallen at Grace's feet. Grace stooped and picked it up. The words scorched her vision. Printed in block letters was a name that made the bile rise in her throat. Gracie Jo. Only one person had called her that--the man she'd been hiding from for three years--Max Clayton. She read the note again. Gracie Jo. I know you like silk. This is for you. A gift. Like old times. How did you like the roses? Wheren't they pretty? Such a vivid shade of red. The color of fresh blood."

Okay, now we have suspense. The villain has found her. Her world is now changed. The reader's expectations are now waiting for the confrontation which is a given.

Now, it's your turn. Go back into your characterization and pull out something about your character you can use to write a suspenseful scene.

Til tomorrow...

Writing Suspense--Workshop 1

Writing suspense is all about creating an expectancy that "something" is about to happen.

Do you remember the first time you started falling in love? Perhaps you saw that special someone and instantly felt the chemistry between you. Remember that little increase in your heart rate? The anticipation of getting to know the person you couldn't take your eyes off of? You might have been afraid of rejection, yet filled with hope and anticipation. You may have started daydreaming of having that person put their arms around you, of having your lips meet in that first passionate kiss.

This is suspense. It's the anticipation of something to come. If you want to write a good suspense, a page-turner that your reader won't be able to put down, you have to create the same feelings of anticipation as falling in love.

The first step is to drop a hint that something is going to happen.

You see that special someone and your eyes meet. Aha. Something is going to happen.

In a suspense novel, the same thing is true. You first foreshadow something that is going to happen. Don't reveal too much, just foreshadow.

For example in my novel FOXFIRE, on page three, my heroine, Grace Wilkins has just broken her engagement. She is fleeing the scene and enters the parking garage to access her car and make an escape. As she reaches the floor where her car is parked she hears a scraping of metal on concrete.

Once again, she heard the sound of metal grating across the floor. For endless seconds she held her breath, listening to her own racing heartbeat. With palsied fingers, she turned the key and the motor roared to life. She glanced through the rear window and inched her car out of the narrow parking space. Her headlight beams illuminated a man standing next to the elevator. Their eyes made contact, and with a sense of unease, she pressed the accelerator and sped toward the exit.

Nothing bad happened here. She just had a "moment" of unease, that sense of something not being right. But then, the following morning, Grace retrieves the newspaper. She opens it and glances at the front page.

Her breath imploded in a painful gasp. The headline screamed at her. Another woman had been found stabbed to death last night. The hairs raised on the back of Grace's neck. Her heart thumped as she recalled the man she'd seen lurking in the parking garage--the same one where this latest victim had been discovered. Oh, my God. Had she seen the killer?

Now the earlier suspense has grown more imminent. The reader is anticipating that Grace has seen the killer. Something bad is going to happen.

And with that...I'll leave you until tomorrow. You do want to know more, don't you? Suspense...