tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post3638951871146434642..comments2023-09-06T05:48:05.398-06:00Comments on Terry's Place: Vague is OKTerry Odellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-40277840138233072152010-08-25T19:20:08.875-06:002010-08-25T19:20:08.875-06:00Thanks, Jud - fascinating story, and some good ide...Thanks, Jud - fascinating story, and some good ideas. I used something similar in another manuscript, but it's not published ... yet.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-78336716353204987982010-08-25T19:08:00.575-06:002010-08-25T19:08:00.575-06:00A few ideas for the husband's motivation:
* H...A few ideas for the husband's motivation:<br /><br />* Husband gets involved in major business deal on the assumption that he'll receive a major inheritance on the death of his father. Father dies leaving little or no money. Husband faces bankrutpcy, default, disgrace.<br />* Father's will leaves significant sum to hitherto unknown illegitimate son/daughter. Said offspring turns up and begins to manipulate husband financially or psychologically.<br />* Among father's effects is a bundle of old letters, one of which reveals a dark secret.<br /><br />All devices that have been used time and again, but I like the letter-from-the-past as it mirrors my own experience.<br /><br />* When my father died we found some love letters written after he was married and I was born. Beautifully written and extremely moving, but my mother tore them up in a fit of anger. Alas, gone forever.<br />* In the days when my family ran a restaurant, we received a letter addressed to a waiter who had long since quit. The return address was a high-security prison and the sender's name, when I saw it, made me gasp. It belonged to a notorious serial murderer who had killed several dozen runaway boys and was serving a life sentence.<br /><br />Can't help you with the shoebox dilemma as I'm not sure how it fits in the story.Judhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06655631638867333878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-14621665835868407822010-08-25T17:01:58.123-06:002010-08-25T17:01:58.123-06:00Elizabeth - I know plotters are cringing, but yes-...Elizabeth - I know plotters are cringing, but yes--you don't have to know all the details and can write around a lot, then fill it in later.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-88786056636495285012010-08-25T16:31:44.836-06:002010-08-25T16:31:44.836-06:00Good advice, Terry! We can't fix it if we have...Good advice, Terry! We can't fix it if we haven't written it. I just throw it on the page, warts and all and worry about the mess later. :)Elizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-5714309784904406362010-08-25T13:38:45.581-06:002010-08-25T13:38:45.581-06:00Jemi--then consider my response to TerryS as yours...Jemi--then consider my response to TerryS as yours too!Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-54278990591964361302010-08-25T13:33:17.503-06:002010-08-25T13:33:17.503-06:00Good advice Terry. I'm more like Terry (Stonec...Good advice Terry. I'm more like Terry (Stonecrop - that sounded funny!) - but I'm learning to go around into of waiting!Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-52287394722677628352010-08-25T13:25:32.996-06:002010-08-25T13:25:32.996-06:00Thanks, TerryS. Yes, stalling can be counterproduc...Thanks, TerryS. Yes, stalling can be counterproductive, because not only are you not moving forward, you're taking the chance that you're losing the connection with the work. I always have to get a running start by revisiting the previous day's work. If it's been a week since I've been with the characters, it's harder to get back into the story.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-87058327878052323472010-08-25T12:59:38.295-06:002010-08-25T12:59:38.295-06:00Good advice to work around it if you get stuck. I ...Good advice to work around it if you get stuck. I tend to stall. Then I finally go on. I like the idea of vague:)Terry Stonecrophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03726985400500572770noreply@blogger.com