Goodbye Writer's Block

Every now and then, when I tell people I am a writer, they ask if I have ever suffered from writer's block. Until now, I didn't think it was ever going to be a major problem for me.Until now. The book I'm currently working on, Aquarius Ardor, started wonderfully and the story just flowed out of my head and onto the pages. I'm a pantser, so I don't typically plot my stories, but rather I write by the seat of my pants.

Then I had to turn my attention to Kick Assitude, the novel that is going to be released by my publisher on March 15th. There were final edits to be done, a book trailer to be created, and promotional and marketing considerations.

When I got back to writing Aquarius Ardor, the story had disappeared. Try as I might, I wasn't able to pick up the thread. Writer's block had got me! I went online and did some research, and discovered this wonderful plotting method called the HCM Plotting Method, (HCM = Heart-Clutching Moments) and thank goodness it is working, as I still have many distractions to work on, including trying to find an agent for my next completed manuscript, Capricorn Cravings.

Here's how it works:

Get yourself some index cards – yes, there is still a use for them.

Use a new card to write down each heart-stopping moment you've already figured out. You know, the things that change the story and make the reader turn the pages.Think of more and write each one on a new card. When you sit down to write and experience writer's block, choose one card and write the scene.Once you have them written, even if you are a pantser, now is the time to plot. Shuffle the cards around and when you get them into a logical order, build your story around the HCM's you've created. Examples of HCM's:

Murder or death
Instant attraction or a seduction
A huge moral lapse
Betrayal
A savage or cruel act
A change of heart for good or bad
A revelation
A discovery
An act of grace or forgiveness
A battle or fight
A frightening act of nature – hurricane, tornado, etc.

Here's one plotting method that works for me:

PART 1: The setup:
Page 1 – the hook – what your primary character wants deep inside. This is the engine that drives your story. His/her goals can change during the story, but there must be something very emotional making him do what he does. Insert an inciting incident or crisis to lead you into act 2. (This is the first turning point.) PART 2: Development of the story: (the body of your manuscript)
After a few pages, insert another of those HCM's. Halfway through the story, add a crisis that is the point of no return. The character cannot go back. At around 60% of the manuscript, the second focus point occurs. At the end of Part 2, the climax or moment of truth happens. This is known as the second turning point. PART 3: Resolution of your story occurs, where you tie up all the loose ends.

Other tips on how to keep readers turning pages:

--Avoid repetition.
--Put chapter breaks just before or just after HCM's.
--Make certain there is internal and external tension.
--Show your characters internal emotional struggles and give them a human non-perfect element.
--Use dialogue for tension, not boring conversations over dinner.
--Delay some action to create tension. 

Happy writing everyone!