My Writing Helpers | Sherrie Lord
My Writing Helpers
Apr / 30 / 2009
Husband Harry helps with the hero’s point of
view, son Erik helps me create my characters, and
son Mike is my location-and-plot-details
man.
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Not A Poser
I’d still write if I didn’t have Husband Harry’s help with my book plots and with the scenes written in the hero’s point of view, but it wouldn’t be as easy or as fun. Now sons Mike and Erik are in on the action.
Without ruining the surprise, one of my books has a scene where the hero gets fired from his work. Originally I had the guy arguing with his employer and trying to make a case for his innocence.
“No way. A guy wouldn’t beg for his job like that,” Husband Harry told me when he read it. “He’d hand over his front door key, politely tell his boss thank you, and leave.” It’s all about the hero’s dignity, said Harry.
So I rewrote the scene...and it made a stronger man of the hero. Who knew?
Now, son Erik has added his support. He helps me create my characters, how each one would feel about this or that, and how they’d react to situations in the plot. He’s very analytical and has great insight into the deeper parts of people’s personalities. But here’s the surprise: he not only sees into my male characters, but into my female characters as well. It’s like he made an in-depth study of women at some point and has this wisdom to share. He’s always willing to read scenes I’m not sure about, and always encouraging about how good they are or how to improve them. What writer could resist that?
Son Mike is my location-and-plot-details man. Over the years, as he’s satisfied his natural curiosity and answered his need to explore, Mike has learned about every back lot and back road in Idaho Falls, where we live and where Book #3 is set. So he’s selected practically all the scene sites, where key characters live and work, that sort of thing. But he’s been invaluable regarding the...clandestine stuff. That is, routes and evasive maneuvers for escapes, criminal activities typical to southeast Idaho, and locations where a person could hide what they’re doing. Mike has always been clever and aware of his surroundings; I remind myself of that when I start to wonder how he knows all this.
Pretty cool, huh?
Change of subject: Son Mike’s cancer surgery is tomorrow (Friday). Scary stuff. At first, the stress really messed with my concentration; I couldn’t write a thing. Now, I’m just waiting for tomorrow to get here. I think we’re all counting the hours, at the same time we’re hurrying to get work done so we can step off the world and let it spin without us for a few days.
I’ll keep you posted.
Hugs, Sherrie ;-}
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