The Darkest Path into the Woods

Long ago, in a galaxy far away, I was an opera singer. For a while. There were two parts to the job: one, singing. And two, going to concerts where I listened to other people sing.

I hated the second part. Being a narcissistic personality (not uncommon for opera singers in general - why do you think they’re called “prima donnas” and “divas”?) I didn’t want to listen to anybody else. Plus, I didn’t like going out at night. An opera singer who’s also a homebody? Not the best fit, I’m thinking.

There are two parts to a writer’s job, too. (Well, actually, there are three—there is the take-it-on-the-road-performing-monkey act we all have to do). But for this discussion, I divide a writer’s life into a) writing, and b) reading.

This I LOVE. I’ve been a reader all my life, and now this is part of my job? When I’m lounging by the pool with a book or on a rock in the middle of a stream in the woods, I’m working? Baby, I’ll take that devil’s bargain!

Plus, I read only the best, so it’s always fun.

A few years ago, when I decided to become a much better writer, I decided to read only the best and learn from them. I diagrammed books like THE LAST COYOTE, by Michael Connelly. I wanted to see if I could find the working parts of the stage set, the story beneath the story.

Lately, I’ve come up with something new, and suitably interactive for this age of video games and interactive websites and blogs.

I’m reading a book for fun, which is my primary goal. But at certain points in the book, we come to a crossroads. There’s a definite Y in the road. It might be something the main character is going to do, or something he might find out, or something big that’s about to happen. But there’s a choice the author has to make. Does he go this way, or that? If he goes this way, will it deepen the story, make it more suspenseful, set up more complications, lead us in a certain direction? Which choice is better for the story? Where do you get more bang for your buck? Where do get the most mileage? Which creates more questions than it answers, which leads us down a darker path into the woods?

I write in the book what I think will happen. “Do they find the body here?” “Yes.” “Why?” “Because that will lead to this which will lead to that…” Then I continue reading.

I feel like I am the author, writing the book as I go along.

I’ve never understood people who want to write books but don’t read them. What’s that all about? How can you do that without building up a life list of stories, without seeing what other authors have done? I’ve read so many books, I’ve learned (in the back of my mind) so many plots, that I’m past Plotting 101. It’s simple arithmetic that if you go over similar ground often enough, the mind is going to want to find new paths.

I used to write books in different genres, just for the challenge. I was always bored. Now I’m not. I think the monster load of reading has made the challenge of plotting more exciting, not less. There are so many ways to go, but which path will surprise you the most, and surprise the reader even more?