I have committed myself (ha ha, no, not that way) to the He Wrote/She Wrote On-line Writing Course. I have a manuscript that I’ve been tossing about for the past few years that I’ve never really finished. I don’t mean it needs a little work. I mean the scaffolding is still up for all to see. And somewhere in the mess I call my Work in Progress, I’ve lost my original ending. Oh, I know what the ending is. In fact, I’m pretty sure my best friend has the original oh-my-bob-what-was-I-thinking version somewhere. I think it was actually typed, as in on a typewriter. For some reason, I don’t seem to have it down in a file or hardcopy anywhere.
Time to make a change. Besides, there are these other ideas clamoring away in my head, wanting to see the light of day too.
The first lesson is about your theme. You gotta have one. Love Conquers All. Men Can Be Idiots. Women Can Be Idiots Too. Work (And/Or Love) Sucks. Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Grocery Store Today. Something that gives a springboard for what the work is about.
Turns out, mine sucked. The big rotten egg too.
My WIP, in its current state, is a hopeless tangle of scenes. Picture a big, unravelled ball of yarn. There is potential there, but in the meanwhile, yikes. I write in scenes because that’s how I see the story. I hear conversation, and see a place. Something happens that keys my interest. That, and there is a demanding little person in my head screaming, “WRITE IT DOWN, DUMMY.” Unfortunately, this method of writing isn’t very conductive to a strong plot.
Witty conversation is great (not that mine is), but without a plot to hold it together, you might as well just have a series of index cards. Each has something to add, but it’s not exactly a good read.
So, here are my attempts at my homework:
The One Sentence Idea
A woman tries to balance her life as a physician with her father’s attempts to marry her off to the neighbor.
Ok, except dear old Dad isn’t really that much of a focal character. Yes, he would like to see his daughter married, but really the main characters are our lady doctor, her best friend, our hero and his twin brother.
A woman tries to reconcile the memories of the boy she once knew with the man now wrecking havoc in her life.
Better. There really isn’t anything quite like someone who’s known you your entire life. Still, not quite what I want.
Resigned to spinsterhood, a young lady physician is drawn into a web of mystery and murder as she is tempted by her childhood companion’s tantalizing offer: marriage, family, and resources to continue her work.
At first, I liked this. Then I realized it sounded like our hero might be trying to off our heroine.
A lady physician must decide if she dares to reach for the brass ring: her own practice and a family of her own.
A bit of feminist Catch-22. Fight for having choices, then be maligned for making one that falls into the traditional category. That, and I really don’t want to add the Suffragettes at this point. I have a tendency to create a cast of thousands as it is.
Bachelor taps Lady Physician to Play Matchmaker – Film at 11.
Ok, I’m getting punchy at this point.
Double Trouble: Twins vie for Lady Doctor’s hand
Methinks I’ve read too many tabloid headlines at the check out line.
Terrible Twins: Lady Doc finds herself engaged to one and in danger of strangling the other.
Close to what is actually going on, but not exactly an OSI. And too headline-y too.
These next two are my top picks. I’m leaning towards the last one:
Having spectacularly ended his engagement to another several years before, a woman finds herself playing matchmaker for society’s most sought-after bachelor – and yearning to fill the position herself.
An exiled lady physician returns to her home town only to find herself knee-deep in mystery and wedding proposals, neither of which are appreciated by her impromptu fiancé.
The main plot is about the developing romance between our lady physician and her hero. The subplot is the mystery that seemingly follows and intensifies as the romance progresses.
Now as for the theme, I am thinking along the lines of No Guts, No Glory or True Love Is Not For The Faint-Of-Heart. Hmm. Still needs work.
And with that, I will call it a wrap.
For now. You know how Works In Progress are …
2 comments:
Darling, I'm glad you discarded "A woman tries to reconcile the memories of the boy she once knew with the man now wrecking havoc in her life." I'm not sure why wrecking havoc is a bad thing. No one is for it anyway. ;>)
If it's wreaking havoc, it still doesn't read as strongly as your last two.
I'm not sure who wrecked the engagement in "Having spectacularly ended his engagement to another several years before, a woman finds herself playing matchmaker for society’s most sought-after bachelor – and yearning to fill the position herself."
But I find myself wanting,really wanting, to hear about "An exiled lady physician returns to her home town only to find herself knee-deep in mystery and wedding proposals, neither of which are appreciated by her impromptu fiancé." Why was she exciled? Mystery? Proposals? "Impromptu" fiance? Ooooh. Good OSI. I'm jealous.
After reading Jenny's response and this week's situational vs. character lesson, I'm going to have to go back to the drawing board with mine.
Hope you don't mind the tongue in cheek on this comment.
What Cary said about the second one. I really want to know what's going on. really.
Don't you wreck havoc on the way to Task?
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