This July I went to the Romance Writers of America conference in Reno, Nevada. Since it had been five years since I'd last attended an RWA conference, I was very careful in choosing which workshops I attended. I wanted to dip my feet in slowly. For the workshops that I did attend, I primarily sat and absorbed information rather than taking notes.
On the first day, I listened to a PAN (Published Authors Network) speech given by Randall Wallace, the writer of the screenplay for Braveheart. Mind you, I've not seen this movie, despite the fact that it's my husband's all-time favorite. Well, listening to this man speak made me want to watch it for the first time. He was very dynamic and charming as a speaker. Most of what he said was annecdotal, but he did say one thing that was profound, so I wrote it down below.
Another workshop I enjoyed was given by one of my favorite writers, Susan Elizabeth Phillips. She gave workshop on writing bestselling novels. I took copious notes in this workshop. But, my best conference experience came when it was time to board the motorcoach to the HarperCollins Author dinner. I got on alone, certain after so many years there wouldn't be any other writers I knew. So there was an empty seat beside me, and guess who got on next and took that seat. Susan Elizabeth Phillips. That made my night. She was so sweet and we chatted the entire ride. I was able to tell her how much I appreciated the tips (below) that she emparted:
Randall Wallace: Write what moves you.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips: Keep the reader in the story!
Write a compelling story that you cant put down:
Riveting plot
Characters we care about
Writing about an unfamiliar world in a interesting way
Distinctive voice/writing style
Master good craft
Create dazzling characters
They are sympathetic but not perfect - Keep their heart pure
Realistic and larger than life
Well-motivated by their own strengths and weaknesses
They develop and grow
They have strong individual voices
Read all the scenes the hero is in only to make sure hes consistent. Do the same for the heroine.
Fix relationships in each scene (consistent).
Plot should move fast. Leave the boring parts out.
Long passages of research can bog a story down
Flashbacks should begin with the highest point of action, be kept brief and in context with the story
Avoid too much internal dialogue
Make every word count
Cliffhangers - dont resolve things at the end of the chapter. Always leave the chapter at a point that will make the reader want to read the next chapter immediately.
Subplot - dont leave the main plot at the point of highest action