Another Writing Tool

If you’ve been following my blog you’ll know that my newest novel ‘A Love Most Dangerous’ appeared without me intending it to at all. I sat down at my computer and doodled and the first few sentences appeared….

To be a servant at the court of King Henry is to live with your heart in your mouth. This is so whether you are young or old, male or female. Some, of course, have more cause for concern than others. I am young and I am female. So the danger to me is considerable.

The danger is the more acute because I am pretty and the Queen is in the last month of her confinement.

Henry has divorced one wife and executed the second. But that is far from the whole story. A string of shattered hearts lies strewn across the land like pearls from a necklace broken in rage. Aye, it’s true that complicit fathers, brothers, uncles and even husbands have got rich by leading their women like heifers to the courtly market. It is the women who give the most and suffer the most

I guess that this is a good example of inspiration. But inspiration does not necessarily come when you want it to. Sometime it needs a little encouragement and help.

I’ve used this writing tool when I’m at a loss for something to write.

It works by harnessing your inner muse.

If you give it a go you may find that allowing your sub-conscious off the leash will help when you are at a loss for a story or how to progress one you are stuck on.

Be warned though; it doesn’t work for everybody.

It makes use of the following categories of story:

1. setting

2. protagonist

3. antagonist

4. theme

5. conflict

6. main action

7. subplots

8. resolution/cliff-hanger

9. point of view

Here’s what you do.

Look around you, or go for a walk, and note down the nine most memorable objects you see.

Give each object a number.

Use the first memorable object to answer the following question: In what way is (the object) like or unlike the setting of my story?

Write down your answer.

Then ask yourself: In what way is object 2 like or unlike the protagonist of my story?

Write down the answer.

In what way is object 3 like or unlike the antagonist of my story?

Write down the answer.

In what way is object 4 like or unlike the theme of my story?

Write the answer down.

And so on down to object 9 and point of view.

This gives you a lovely framework for your writing.

Try it and let me know how it worked for you.