“Made to Order Family” – Is the ‘Perfect Romance’!

Made to Order Family
Ruth Logan Herne
Steeple Hill Love Inspired
September, 2010, 224 pages.


Rewards! Rewards! Rewards!

I know making a claim that any book is a perfect romance needs to be substantiated. This I fully intend to do with examples and explanations.


Rewarding the Reader --
Every Step of the Way!

I should disclose at the outset that I am a little biased. I am writing a book on the romance genre which advances the theory that the best selling romance authors are the ones who reward the reader the most times on average per page. As of now, my research indicates that Nora Roberts is at the top of my ‘rewards-per-page’ index. I mention this research now because when it comes to ‘rewards-per-page’, “Made to Order Family” is off the charts! Reading the book provides one reward after another after another. This makes for a great reading experience with maximum enjoyment.

Many Ways to Reward a Reader

There are many ways for an author to reward a reader for reading her book. The author can ‘surprise’ the reader, ‘delight’ the reader, ‘5-sense’ her copy so the reader really ‘feels’ the story, and she can provide ‘new experiences’ which the reader can ‘vicariously’ enjoy.

The author may also go to ‘new’ places so the reader can see new things she may never get to see otherwise. The author can let the reader ‘feel’ a wide array of emotions, and she can make anticipated events happen sooner than the reader expected.

The author may also let the reader experience the emotional elation of ‘victories’ along the way without having to wait for the HEA at the end of the book. Victories are very important in creating a rewarding reading experience. (Some romance writers will present only problems and conflict until the very end thinking that this will make the HEA even more appreciated. This is bad thinking. It is like serving five bland courses of a six course meal in a fine restaurant so that the last course, baked Alaska, will seem more spectacular. Every course should be special and delicious!)

The author can please the reader with ‘sparkling’ copy and entertain the reader by writing in a way that makes the reader eager to discover what is happening next. This becomes even more rewarding when the reader is anticipating five or six events to happen!

There are many more ways to reward a reader but I think you get the idea.

Maintaining The Reader’s Interest!

A major factor in successfully rewarding a reader is by always maintaining the reader’s interest. Many authors do this by constantly raising the stakes and heightening tension.

For example, the bad guys may be trying to kill the heroine and with each chapter the murder attempts come closer to success and the heroine’s escapes come closer to disaster. This approach can be successful but it is one dimensional and wears thin rather quickly. This ‘straight-line’ approach is much better suited for the cinema because big screen special effects can dazzle and entertain viewers.

The ‘straight-line’ approach is weaker in a novel because the reader quickly understands that this is how the story is going to proceed. (Oh, it’s a chase story.) Having the expected happen as expected is not very rewarding without spectacular special effects.

The Multi-Dimensional Approach to Rewarding a Reader

A better way to maintain reader interest is to take a multi-dimensional approach with many different ‘threads’ of interest. “Made to Order Family” is an excellent example of this multi-dimensional approach.

Two Conflicts That Leverage The Tension

In addition to the standard hero/heroine conflict present in all romances, the hero and heroine in “Made to Order Family” are both recovering alcoholics. Each fears falling off the wagon which could happen at any moment. Neither wants to return to the disastrous lives they once lived. This danger elevates all normal life conflicts to life threatening proportions. I consider this to be ‘built-in’ tension that's inherent to the plot and thus not artificial. (As simply adding another ‘escape’ scene to a book would be.)


The reader of “Made to Order Family” is always faced with the very real possibility that the hero or heroine or even both of them may fall off the wagon. To make this situation even more poignant, the author is well experienced with AA and dealing with both active and recovering alcoholics. The realism of the narrative makes the danger of a relapse into oblivion an even greater possibility. (If the characters fear a fall, no matter how strong they may appear to others, then the reader will also fear a fall. I have not seen this ‘fear of a fall’ so well shown in a romance novel before.)

Reverberations of the Serenity Prayer

It might be said that the spirit of the book is mirrored in the “Serenity Prayer”. Parts of the prayer are quoted in the narrative and are apropos to the story action. Seeing the “Serenity Prayer” so skillfully mirrored in the actions of the characters adds substantially to the reading enjoyment and the sense that this is an inspirational book.

Unexpected Victories -- The Kindest of Rewards!

At least in four places in “Made to Order Family” the reader is treated to an unexpected victory. These victories elicit the kind of vicarious ‘good feelings’ that are usually reserved for the HEA. To demonstrate this point I want to give one example below. This is the first example in the book. There are more and they get even better. I promise you’ll love experiencing the other victories but you'll have to discover them for yourself.

Example Setup

The heroine’s mother is overbearing and highly critical of the heroine. The heroine seems to be reconciled to her mother’s abuse and the reader fully expects the mother’s conduct to occur for the rest of the book. (Perhaps the mother will come around by the HEA.)

Here’s what happens: (Page 61):

“Mom, I totally get that you’re disappointed in me, my life, my children and my existence on the planet, but I think it’s in everyone’s best interests if we move beyond the drama, okay?

I haven’t got the time to go there with you anymore. What’s done is done. I’m not moving backward and I wish you’d move beyond it, too.”

Just like that! The abusive mother is dealt with and the heroine grows in stature right in front of the reader’s eyes! The heroine has waited her whole life to face up to her mother and we, the readers, get to be there at this critical moment to share in the event. I wanted to stand and cheer!

While this scene happens early in the story, I felt happier with this experience than I have when reading some HEAs at the end of a book. Better yet, this was just one of four unexpected victories in "Made to Order Family". And yes, when you are experiencing near-HEA moments throughout the book, it’s a great reading experience!

Always Having Something Happening That Holds The Reader Interest!

“Made to Order Family” is a multi-dimensional story with many threads of action woven into the main plot. Each thread carries its own reader anticipation and resolution. I am going to list some of these. I am sure there are more.

THREADS -- Creating Reader Interest


Pal the dog’s story – unique use of Scripture with dog to mirror human behavior. (Resolved.)
Kim’s story. (Resolved.)
Skeeter’s story. (Resolved.)
Paul & Amy story. (Resolved.)
Rita’s Mother’s & Father’s story. (Resolved.)
Brooks’ mother’s & Father’s story. (Resolved.)
Tootsie’s story (Resolved.)
Rita’s story. (Resolved.)
Brooks’s story. (Resolved.)
Baseball game. (Resolved.)
Jeff, the sponsor’s story: (Resolved.)
Wendy, the Farmer’s wife & kids story. (Resolving.)
Homeless story (unresolved.)

“Resolved” means the reader will get a happy feeling of satisfaction and unresolved, a sad feeling.

Writing with Realism & Psychological Insight

“Made to Order Family” is very realistic. Kids aren’t sweet and people’s lives are often painful. In additional the writing shows an understanding of human nature. Here is a quote about what the heroine thinks about the hero.

“Liv respected Brooks. It was obvious in her manner, her attentiveness, her awareness of detail in his presence. Something about him inspired others to reach a little higher, go a little faster, try a little harder, that indiscriminate quality that screamed leadership in calm undertones.”

Prose that Does Several Things At Once

You might wonder how a book that is only 224 pages long can develop so many theme threads along with the main plot. The author is able to do this because of her layering and economy of words. For example, in one short scene the hero goes to the town of Canton to look into buying a building that the heroine could use to start a bakery. The hero meets with the Realtor as quoted below:



“What are you thinking? If you’re free to tell me, that is.”

“I have a friend interested in this site,” Brooks explained. Steve’s interest spiked a grin.

“Rita Slocum?”

“Yes.” Brooks met his gaze. “you know Rita’s interested in this location?”

Steve nodded, then directed Brooks to the back of the store.

“We went over it inch by inch. I tried to fudge a few things, fluff them off, and she nabbed me on every one. Smart girl you’ve got there.”

Brooks grinned, thought of setting Steve straight, then realized too much protest only added fuel to the rumor mill.

“Rita’s got a great head on her shoulders.”

Steve barked out a laugh.

“If that’s all you’ve noticed, Brooks, you’re more than a little hardened. The woman’s beautiful.”

Brooks straightened, chin raised, his shoulders broad and blunt, remembering Steve’s marriage had dissolved nearly two years before. That made him single and in his mid-forties, just a tad older than Brooks.

“I’d noticed.”

“Ah.” Steven nodded, respectful. “I thought as much. It would be hard not to.”

“Right now she’s interested in opening a business.” Brooks wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince Steve or himself.

The above short passage, just 195 words, advances the story in these ways:

1. the Realtor reveals that the heroine is a very smart business person who has already looked into the property. (Hero did not know this.)
2. the Realtor reveals that he thinks of the heroine as the hero’s girl. (Hero had not admitted this to himself up until this point).
3. the Realtor is interested in the heroine himself because she is such a beautiful woman. (Hero doesn’t like this.)
5. the Realtor is not married. (Hero doesn’t like this.)
6. the hero discovers he’s jealous. (Hero must now rethink his relationship with heroine.)
7. the hero does not deny that the heroine is his girl. (Hero likes the idea.)

When so much story information can be presented to the reader in so few words, it becomes possible for an author to weave many more story threads into the general narrative while still staying within a limited number of pages.

'Information' Rewards Readers

When a story carries with it ‘inside’ information that is perceived as authentic by the reader, this generates a more rewarding reading experience. The author does this to perfection with her AA experiences and with her professional knowledge of the bakery business. This knowledge alone won’t make a novel a success with readers but it will add to the overall rewards-per-page for reading. This is important because readers are not really buying a book. They are buying a reading experience. The best selling authors create the most rewarding reading experiences.

Double “Knockout” Ending

James Scott Bell, a popular writing instructor and novelist, advises that novels finish with a ‘knockout’ ending! This elevates the impact of the book in the reader's mind making the reader 'hungry' for more and acts to help sell the author's next book. “Made to Order Family” not only has a 'stand and cheer' ending, it has a surprise Epilogue which doubles the HEA enjoyment. In New Orleans this 'second helping of happiness' would be called lagniappe.

Summary

“Made to Order Family” rewards the reader multiple times-per-page. It does this by doing many things right. In addition to the overall romantic conflict between hero and heroine, there is the dual tension caused because both the hero and heroine are recovering alcoholics. This ‘alcoholic’ background tension magnifies all the other conflicts in the book because any of life's normal problems could lead to the hero or heroine falling off the wagon.

The spiritual elements in the story are skillfully reflected in the recurrent use of the Serenity Prayer. This provides for inspiration without preaching.

The reader’s attention is always stimulated because, “Made to Order Family” employs numerous interesting story threads. There are also surprise victories throughout the book which will delight the reader. The writing is realistic, the characters authentic, and the author’s insider knowledge of her subject matter is ever present.

“Made to Order Family” also has a dual ‘knockout ending’ which doubles the HEA’s feelings of enjoyment.

“Made to Order Family” is a Perfect Romance!

Like the “Perfect Storm”, I believe that “Made to Order Family” incorporates the ideal combination of story ingredients that are necessary to produce the perfect romance. In a way, I’m sad. This is only the author’s third book and I don’t see how a book better than “Made to Order Family” can be penned! But then, like the pitcher who just threw a perfect game, it just might happen again.

Be Sure to Read This Book!

Read the Review of "Winter's End"
Read the Review of "Waiting Out the Strom"

Shirley Jump’s Writing Style Is So Lyrical I Wanted To Read It Out Loud!

Pure Romance! 5-Star Excellence! I Loved It!

I actually enjoyed reading “Vegas Pregnancy Surprise” as much as I enjoyed experiencing the story! But then, I love a pure romance. That’s a romance written without the aid of vampires, shape-shifters, murderers, spies, covered wagons, time travelers, or demons – all brought into the story to help provide added conflict and interest. To be sure, those are fine romances, too. But I have a motto.

Show me the romance!


“Vegas Pregnancy Surprise” is about a romance and that’s it! It’s as if the author took all the million parts of falling in love and expertly edited them back into a compelling romance! A romance that gradually unfolds while holding the reader’s interest, page after page, for over 248 pages! It takes a Romance PhD. to do that and the author did it.

Shirley Jump: Doctor of Romance!

The hero, Linc Curtis, is a Las Vegas computer software mogul. The heroine, Molly Hunter, is a just laid off San Diego kindergarten teacher. One night both hero and heroine, while in Las Vegas, do something totally out of character! They have a one night stand.

As strangers in the night.

They then depart never intending to meet again. Except the heroine becomes pregnant. Since she wants to learn something about her baby’s father, she finds him by searching the internet. Molly then goes to Vegas and lands a job in Linc's company.

That’s the plot.

The hero and heroine come to know and love each other.

That’s the payoff.

I loved the story and I loved the writing. The author often writes like a speech writer. Instead of writing a standard sentence, for example, she will write a sentence, allow time of a second or two to pass, (as in a speech) and then have what amounts to a punch line. (Not a funny punch line but a line that will make the reader smile. These are wonderful to have in speeches.)

Examples:


Standard prose:

She could still see the faces of the administration officials as they told her they were letting her go, with the promise that if funding improved, she would be the first kindergarten teacher hired back next fall.


JUMP prose:

She could still see the faces of the administration officials as they told her they were letting her go, with the promise that if funding improved, she would be the first kindergarten teacher hired back –

Next fall.

Standard Prose:

Molly may or may not be just one more in a long string of quick dates.

JUMP prose:

Molly could have just been one more in a long string of quick dates.

Or not.

Standard Prose:

Molly sighed. She reached for another tissue in her purse and faced the issue of what to do about the baby’s father.

JUMP prose:

Molly sighed. She reached for another tissue in her purse and faced issue number two.

The baby’s father.

Standard Prose:

Damn. Why did Molly Hunter have to come along and open a door he hadn’t even realized he’d shut?

JUMP prose:

And here Molly Hunter came along, opening a door he hadn’t even realized he’d shut.

Until now. Damn.

Standard Prose:

God, he wanted her. He’d always wanted her. The problem was in having her.

JUMP Prose:

God, he wanted her. He’d always wanted her. That wasn’t the problem.

Having her was.

All the above examples are only one of the author's techniques that together give her a delightful voice of her own!

Pure Romance – No One Does it Better!

YOU KNOW YOU’RE A REDNECK PHILOSOPHER...

The Redneck Philosopher Paradox:

What happens when very funny Redneck Philosopher jokes are not understood by the rednecks nor read by the philosophers? Are these jokes funny in the same way a tree falling unheard in the forest is noisy?

EXAMPLES:

Betty Crocker Theory of Truth

You know you’re a redneck philosopher when you think the Betty Crocker Theory of Truth is about whether Betty Crocker told the truth.

BUT

You know you’re a gifted redneck philosopher if you think the Betty Crocker Theory of truth is expressed in this statement: “If it tastes good, it is good.”

****

Straw man Argument

You know you’re a redneck philosopher if you think a Straw man argument is about which actor played the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz.

BUT

You know you’re a gifted redneck philosopher if you think a Straw man argument is an argument for the straw man selling straw when you really know he sells straws.

***

Correspondence Theory of Truth

You know you’re a redneck philosopher when you think the Correspondence Theory of Truth is about network news reporters not telling the truth.

BUT

You know you’re a gifted redneck philosopher if you think the Correspondence Theory of truth is about network news reporters, except for Fox News, not telling the truth.

Philosophy of Romance -- Winner of the Redneck Writer Award!

Prestigious Award is so Difficult to Win That There is no 1st Place! That’s Right! 2nd Place is the Highest Award!

In Honor of this Award, Philosophy of Romance Introduces a New Philosophical Problem.

The Redneck Philosopher Paradox:

What happens when very funny Redneck Philosopher jokes are not understood by the rednecks nor read by the philosophers? Are these jokes funny in the same way a tree falling unheard in the forest is noisy?

The First Examples:

Mind-Body Problem

You know you’re a redneck philosopher when you think the ‘mind-body’ problem derives from drinking too much white lightin’.

BUT

You know you’re a gifted redneck philosopher when you think the ‘mind-body’ problem begins with white lightin’ and ends in the morgue.

*****

'Problem of Evil'

You know you’re a redneck philosopher when
You think the ‘problem of evil’ is the possibility of getting caught.

BUT

You know you’re a gifted redneck philosopher when you think the ‘problem of evil’ is when you wonder why the devil would allow a good God to exist.

*****

Paradox

You know you’re a redneck philosopher when you think a paradox is a pair of doctors.

BUT

You know you’re a gifted redneck philosopher when you think a paradox is a pair of doctors who offer mutually exclusive diagnoses for the same patient at the same time.

A Very Interesting Book from a Writer’s POV!

“SOS: Convenient Husband Required”

Liz Fielding

Harlequin Romance, 2010, 251 pages, Large Print


What do you do after you’ve written over sixty books? You get even more creative. Instead of one romance theme, combine several.

Great Summer Reading!

I found “SOS: Convenient Husband Required” to be a zesty summer read. While I am sure that romance fans will be delighted with the book, I found it even more interesting from a writer’s POV.

The theme is part ‘baby on the doorstep’ (desktop), part ‘poor boy to rich boy’, part Jane Austen-style entailment caused ‘marriage of convenience’ (to be sure Jane Austen is mentioned in the book – a mention I feel sure is meant for other authors) and for good measure there’s a touch of ‘thriller- adventure’ to give the story a dash of life and death drama.

A Little Inside Baseball

In addition to being a poly-themed story, there is also something else going on of interest to writers. The author writes that her editor wanted a major character changed in the book and that she had only two weeks to essentially rewrite the book! It seems the editor wanted to change the ex-girlfriend of the hero who leaves a baby on the doorstep, to the hero’s sister who leaves the baby on the doorstep. (It seems when you are an ‘old’ pro, editors think you can do just about anything!)

One More Ingredient to the Pot

While the story is largely a ‘marriage of convenience’, as the title suggests, the hero and heroine are ‘hot-to-trot’ right from the start with both wanting a real marriage. "OK", I kept wondering, “Where’s the conflict going to come from?” Simple. The conflict comes from areas you don't expect. (I think this is an author having fun. It’s sure fun to read. You think not? Wait to you read the wacky wedding scene. I don’t think there is another like it in all the genre.)

England to Las Vegas

The author has traveled and lived all over the world. So you can always expect her romance characters to travel. Fortunately, they always seem to have up to date passports. The story goes from England to Las Vegas. (There are some stops in South America.) The thing is, it all works. The story is always interesting and enjoyable.

Clear the Buffer!

I think “SOS: Convenient Husband Required” makes a great book for a stressed author to read. It will clear the creative ‘buffer’. (This is computer talk.) It is also instructive to learn how the author made her major revisions. Frankly, I can't see how the book could have possibly been written with the ex-girlfriend character in place. That would be an interseting book, too!)



Add Some Zest to your Summer Reading! Highly Recommended!

First Lines and the Importance of the Final Sale!

The First Sale

An author really has three sales to make for each book. The first sale is to the editor. This may be the hardest sale of all. First sale considerations always come first. Without the first sale there is no second or third sale. It is of the greatest importance to give the editor exactly what the editor wants. At the current time, editors want great first lines that hook a reader’s interest and bring on a sale.

The Second Sale

Next comes the second sale. This involves selling the book to the reader – the end user. This may happen when the reader opens the book to the first page while in a book store and is so drawn into the story that a sale usually follows. It is not clear how many readers buy books this way. For example, almost all my books are bought online. I don’t read the first lines before buying. Yet I buy many books. That’s because there are many other ways to stimulate the second sale. Author interviews sell many books to me. Book reviews also are instrumental in my buying decisions. Then there are the authors that are on my auto-buy list. These new books are just automatic buys. I’ll also buy books at book signings.

The Third Sale

You might think that the selling process is over once the buyer buys the book. This is far from the truth! If the author is interested in building a career, there is one more sale to be made: getting the reader to actually read the book! Many romance fans have very large TBR (to be read) piles. These are books readers were sold on buying but have not yet got around to reading. The third sale is selling the reader on selecting an author's book from the TBR pile and reading it. A reader is far less likely to buy another book from an author when that reader already has one of the author’s books still unread in her TBR pile.

It’s been said that 'the first chapter sells the book' and the last chapter 'sells the next book'. For this to happen the book needs to be read. This is why it is useful for authors to do blog interviews. The author can not only stimulate sales but can also entice current owners of their current book to actually read it. I really enjoy blog sites where the theme is: "The Story Behind The Story”.I also like it when blog sites do interviews with characters from novels as if the characters were real people.

It’s OK to Preach to the Choir

Here’s an advertising fact that might surprise you. The highest readership of an advertisement for computer equipment or software comes from people who have already bought the item! An author interview is very likely to attract fans who have already bought the author’s new book.


The Importance of the First Line In Making The Third or Final Sale

I think the first line is of the greatest importance in winning the third or final sale. In my case, I have many books in my TBR pile. When it is time to start a new book I will pull several books out of the pile and read the first lines. If I’m not hooked after a paragraph or two, I just switch to the next book in the TBR pile. Sometimes I go through five books before one grabs me. What if no book grabs me? I pull more books out of the pile. After all, with all those books to choose from, why not choose the best ‘read’? If I were to run out of books before finding a 'grabber', I would go back and select the most interesting book.

Fun Test For an Author

Take your WIP and three published romances from your TBR pile and pretend you are selecting your next book to read. Read the first lines of all four works and honestly state which book you would read next. If your WIP doesn’t win, your WIP needs more work!

Career Building & the Final Sale

To build a career in writing you need readers to buy your books and then read them. Your last chapter should not just end with a HEA; it should have what James Scott Bell calls a knockout ending. That’s an ending that’s so satisfying that the reader wants to go right out and buy another one of your books.

Think of Teasers

Authors should think of teasers for their current book to use when blogging and at interviews. These are statements that intrigue a reader, who may already own the book, to actually read the book.

On a recent blog Liz Fielding let it be known that her new book, “SOS: Convenient Husband Required” had to be substantially rewritten in just two weeks because the editor wanted to change a major character’s status in the book. An ex-girlfriend with a baby was changed to the hero’s sister with a baby. I can tell you, this information moved, “SOS: Convenient Husband Required" to the top of my reading list. I just had to see how the author managed the revision. (I have to say after reading the book that I totally agree with the editor. I don't even know how the book could have been written the other way!)

Authors can also give interesting hints about locations that are revealed in the book. There might even be a recipe or solution to a puzzle. These are only ideas. The idea is to have something that you can say, “when you read the book be sure to be looking for…” thus giving the reader more reason to start reading your book now rather than later.


Vince

Why the Devil Wants You to be a Pantster

The devil is in the business of making sin look attractive. He wants you to think that the risk/reward ratio is in your favor. That’s why he wants all writers to be Pantsters. These are writers who write by the Seat of their Pants!

In this the Devil is being quite devilish because a great many of the problems writers encounter stem from Pantsterism.

The Allure of Pantsterism

Say you’re a novelist. You have this wonderful idea for a novel. You can almost ‘see’ it with your mind’s eye. Everything fits perfectly. It’s an ideal story. You can’t wait to open your laptop.

But…do you outline your story? Do you lock-in all the pesky details so that no loose ends can derail your story?

Of course not!

Doing that would stifle your creativity. After all, you want your story to be spontaneous! You want to dazzle and delight your readers. Something written from an outline would be cold, dead, and uninspired long before the writing was completed. Better to write by the seat of your pants. After all, as Tony Hillerman wrote, “if I don’t know what is coming next, the reader sure won’t.” Tony was also the first to admit that he had many half-completed manuscripts in his home. These half-manuscripts were excellent. They made great reading because they set up a conflict which Tony could not realistically extricate himself.

But…but…Tony Hillerman was a great writer! He wrote many best selling books!

That’s true. Tony was a great writer, perhaps the leading Pantster of all time. He was able to make Pantsterism work – some of the time. The question is: are you as good as Tony Hillerman?

The Price of Pantsterism

Remember how the Devil likes to make sin look attractive? Well, pantstersim makes everything look wonderful as you start your writing journey. All options are open. You have maximum freedom. Your novel is free to be as wonderful as any novel ever written. Why, with a little exercise in ‘creative visualization’ you’ll be motivated to write the next RITA winning romance.

Then something happens.

As you start to write you begin to hear an annoying sound. It sounds like doors slamming. What you hear is the sound of your options slamming closed with each choice you make -- with each sentence you write.

Soon that fuzzy but wonderful HEA ending that you visualized at the start of your novel is no longer quite possible. Given the choices you’ve made, that great ending won’t work.

Then Comes Depression

First, there’s writer’s block. Surely you and your CPs can figure a way out of your dilemma. Rewrite and make more choices. Ah, but those choices close more options requiring new rewrites. Next depression sets in. Doubt prevails. Maybe the story really wasn’t that good. If Tony Hillerman can write himself into a corner, I sure as heck can. Perhaps I should just start a new book. I have this idea that is much better. Yes, I should start a new novel. (The Devil smiles and tells you that a new book is just the thing. Once again you can see the wonderful novel you dream of writing.)

Your Guardian Angel Speaks

“Don’t be a Pantster. Plan your book. Make a detailed outline this time. Then you will know in advance if your great idea will actually work.”

“But, Angel, what if I can never come up with an outline that works? What if in the final analysis I can’t come up with a solid plot for a publishable novel? What if outlining kills my creativity?”

“Then you will discover that your idea won’t work before you spend months or years on a project guaranteed to frustrate a saint.”

“But you're not a writer. It just doesn't work that way. I won’t even know my characters until the book is half written. Outlining won’t work until I know the characters.”

“It’s a simple matter of who’s the boss: you or your characters.”

“But my books are character-driven. My characters really are in charge.”

“And do they make good bosses? Do they make good choices? Do they deserve being in charge? Or…could it be that you’ve abdicated your responsibility as the author?”

“What do you mean?”

“It is far easier to let your characters write your book for you. Of course, you have given your characters ‘free will’ so the book’s failure is their failure and not your fault as an author.”

“So Pantstersim is the work of the Devil?”

“The devil makes Pantsterism look attractive. He lures you into a beautiful swamp and then when you get hopelessly lost he gives you a wonderful justification for giving up and starting over. Pantsterism will always seem more attractive. It will always seem easier and more fun. It will always generate the greatest hopes.”

“So you would have me plot my stories? You would lock me into a straightjacket of uncreativity and take all the joy out of writing?”

“No, I would have you spend your time on WIPs that have the best chance of being successful. Plotting is hard work and it has a price. But then it’s your choice: "You can pay the price now, or you can pay it later.”

Join NAPP: the National Association for the Prevention of Pantsterism.