YA Indie Carnival - Recipe for Plotting

This week's YAIndie Carnival topic is Recipesfor Plotting Stories. To this I say…nothing I do is customary.  I learned early on that there was an expectation forme to write a book following the 'perfection' of traditional formulas.  Instead, I created a series unlike any beforeit. It's one that could only be writtenand published by an indie author.My recipe is simple:·        1 Distinct Ideao  A physician with the ability to heal thedying  ·        1 Story Filled With Enough Realism To Makethe Paranormal Believableo  The real-life hospital emergencies act as theperfect balance to the main character's miraculous abilities.·        3 Great Main Characters (and lots of great supporting characters)o  Allison La Crosse (beautiful resident)o  Brody Kennedy (gorgeous chief resident)o  Clark Ardent (amazing friend, land lord, andattorney)·        MoreThan a Dash of Romance…Drama…Actiono  Allison& Brody  OR  Allison and Clark o  SuriChan's (who has a stalker-like crush on Brody)o  Goodvs. Evil ·        18Chapters (432 pages) To Tell The StoryChapter 1   – ABridge to the Other SideChapter 2   – Satan'sSectChapter 3   – TheCatalystChapter 4   – Rosesare RedChapter 5   – TheSalvadareChapter 6   –ObservationChapter 7   – GoodLuck CharmsChapter 8   –Stranger AnxietyChapter 9   –BetrayedChapter 10 – It Is What It IsChapter 11 – Breaking and EnteringChapter 12 – LightheartedChapter 13 – God Grant Me the SerenityChapter 14 – Deadly SinsChapter 15 – WarriorsChapter 16 – DisciplesChapter 17 – ViolatedChapter 18 – Miracles Do Happen
Aftercombining the above ingredient, you will read and re-read.  With each pass, you will build on everydetail, fine-tune each aspect of the story, and edit, edit, edit.  When you think that you are completelyfinished and the book is perfect, put it aside for a few weeks.  Then, got back and read, build, fine-tune,and edit for as many times as it takes for you to feel comfortable.  After you've vetted the story and its editingthrough someone who is completely objective, and they've given you the thumbsup, you can publish your book.
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Published on November 26, 2011 19:50
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T. R. Graves, Author

T.R. Graves
T. R. Graves, debut author of The Warrior Series, lives in Texas with her husband of twenty-five years. Together, they raise their eighteen-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son.

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