tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post2089769452669047092..comments2023-11-18T03:15:19.102-06:00Comments on Straight From Hel: Creating ConflictHelen Gingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-83236209106613675332010-04-19T22:26:02.852-05:002010-04-19T22:26:02.852-05:00Like the new banner, Helen! It's spring in Tex...Like the new banner, Helen! It's spring in Texas now? Conflict, my new friend. I haven't considered it when I first started writing but now I know I have to.<br /><br /><a href="http://steamydarcy.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow"> Bargain with the Devil</a>Enid Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12248877161249788607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-62400035662917883002010-04-19T20:56:34.412-05:002010-04-19T20:56:34.412-05:00I'm just starting a new project. This advice i...I'm just starting a new project. This advice is perfect. Thanks, Helen!Jenn McKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08096584277185808602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-18957075684865786262010-04-19T17:25:46.376-05:002010-04-19T17:25:46.376-05:00Why, thank you, Wendy! Don't actually know wha...Why, thank you, Wendy! Don't actually know what that means, a gold star in Google Reader, but I like gold, stars and Google and I'm a reader, so I like it.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-23110145055144802382010-04-19T16:24:38.167-05:002010-04-19T16:24:38.167-05:00Excellent post, Helen.
Worthy of a gold star in G...Excellent post, Helen.<br /><br />Worthy of a gold star in Google Reader, I feel :)Just Wendy https://www.blogger.com/profile/05268645629027109282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-71974339369140098382010-04-19T16:05:31.207-05:002010-04-19T16:05:31.207-05:00Glad to see I'm not the only one with a writin...Glad to see I'm not the only one with a writing folder!Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-43645359933963928112010-04-19T15:18:27.098-05:002010-04-19T15:18:27.098-05:00Great post, Helen. I printed this one for my writ...Great post, Helen. I printed this one for my writing folder. :-)Shannon O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17299313309059235876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-27068502143689801832010-04-19T15:15:01.555-05:002010-04-19T15:15:01.555-05:00Like you, Helen, I sometimes have a hard time with...Like you, Helen, I sometimes have a hard time with conflict and have to remind myself to ratchet it up for the characters. Thanks for the great tips.<br /><br />And Gayle, I loved your short story. What a hoot.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-53646322939921835722010-04-19T15:01:45.433-05:002010-04-19T15:01:45.433-05:00We always have to remind ourselves, Sia, that we c...We always have to remind ourselves, Sia, that we can't take the easy way out when it comes to writing.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-60045741018760983482010-04-19T13:14:04.743-05:002010-04-19T13:14:04.743-05:00This came at just the right time for me Helen. I&#...This came at just the right time for me Helen. I'm doing some work on conflict. I like what you mention:<br /><br />"As much as possible, keep the action on stage. As readers, we don't want to be told what happened. We want to see it occur...let us live it along with the characters."<br /><br />Something I have to remind myself of constantly as I'm writing. It comes easier now, but still work in progress. :-)~Sia McKye~https://www.blogger.com/profile/08470562659597351033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-68085617689633130742010-04-19T11:58:02.634-05:002010-04-19T11:58:02.634-05:00WateryTart and Carol, I've found that sometime...WateryTart and Carol, I've found that sometimes I have to step outside my comfort zone and push myself to up the conflict. But it always seems to make the manuscript better.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-44873407013712052312010-04-19T11:42:33.714-05:002010-04-19T11:42:33.714-05:00This is the BEST post!
I read it, and now I'm...This is the BEST post!<br /><br />I read it, and now I'm going back to read it again. So may points to remember.<br /><br />Thanks.Carol Kilgorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15168273312704732896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-36291014039539216032010-04-19T11:41:17.732-05:002010-04-19T11:41:17.732-05:00This is great, Helen! I have looming rewrites, an...This is great, Helen! I have looming rewrites, and I think this is fabulous advice to do the best job I can shaping my novels up.Hart Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-72526030531156141072010-04-19T11:28:52.098-05:002010-04-19T11:28:52.098-05:00Karen, I hope your file on me is nicer than the FB...Karen, I hope your file on me is nicer than the FBI's.<br /><br />Writtenwyrdd, a character doing what s/he wants instead of what they should is more like real life, isn't it?<br /><br />I think conflict keeps a story fresh, Jane.<br /><br />Elspeth, if writing were easy, everyone would do it. Oh, wait, just about everyone does. Make that: if writing well were easy...<br /><br />Gayle, I'd write another chapter to your story, but I'm laughing too hard!Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-67367802604860776122010-04-19T11:26:50.827-05:002010-04-19T11:26:50.827-05:00I had a comment, but Gayle's cracked me up so ...I had a comment, but Gayle's cracked me up so much I forgot what I was going to say!<br /><br />Thanks for the great post, Helen. I'm glad I read it this morning.<br /><br />=) WendyWendy Wagner;https://www.blogger.com/profile/16341499181581331264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-15427914229631741902010-04-19T11:24:06.301-05:002010-04-19T11:24:06.301-05:00I wrote a lot about what my character didn't w...I wrote a lot about what my character didn't want to happen!Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-80830376919138985702010-04-19T11:12:16.222-05:002010-04-19T11:12:16.222-05:00"No." Gayle's neck and cheeks redden..."No." Gayle's neck and cheeks reddened in anger. "I'm not creating conflict, Helen. It's just not my style."<br /><br />"Listen, Chiquita." The editor's voice stayed low and calm. "If you want that manuscript to sell, those characters have to DO something, not just sit around talking about burritos."<br /><br />"But the name of the book is 'Let's All Talk About Burritos'. What don't you get about that?"<br /><br />Helen sighed. "Yes, but you need action. Can't your characters actually make a burrito, and fight about the ingredients?"<br /><br />"Maybe you're not the editor for this book." Gayle's eyes narrowed. "You don't seem to recognize literary genius at work."<br /><br />"I know genius when I see it, and this isn't it." Helen pulled a small-caliber handgun out of her purse. "I'm sorry, Gayle, but I can't let this manuscript be published. The book world might never recover from the flatness of the writing."<br /><br />She tossed the 1,000-page manuscript onto the fire as she stepped over Gayle's body. <br /><br />"It's all about the conflict, honey - even burritos are spicy."Gayle Carlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15783449240138097315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-84805876015518257442010-04-19T10:52:56.606-05:002010-04-19T10:52:56.606-05:00Wonderful reminders, Helen. It's so important...Wonderful reminders, Helen. It's so important to have the conflict happen -not just talked about. Not particularly easy to write, however!Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-64686532452196839302010-04-19T09:59:05.336-05:002010-04-19T09:59:05.336-05:00Your post is a timely reminder for me as I’m in th...Your post is a timely reminder for me as I’m in the middle of an edit of my second book.<br /><br />I tried to keep my characters’ life full of conflict in my first book. The cover even has a picture of a roller coaster on it, which relates to the story in a couple of different ways.Jane Kennedy Suttonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12519340747761460017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-70329988553408010242010-04-19T09:09:08.748-05:002010-04-19T09:09:08.748-05:00Great advice, and thanks for sharing, Helen!
I tr...Great advice, and thanks for sharing, Helen!<br /><br />I try to have some internal conflict as well as exterior for the pov character, and opposing wants such as 'I should do this, but I want to do that' which can result in half-hearted efforts and difficulty reaching a goal. <br /><br />I think that for me, having a main character who knows what she should do and yet doesn't really totally buy into it is a great device. (Especially when it's regarding the villian, or attraction to bad boys.)writtenwyrddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02280711822302493122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-46849862727814909412010-04-19T08:10:51.728-05:002010-04-19T08:10:51.728-05:00Wow! I can't add any conflict to this either.....Wow! I can't add any conflict to this either... ;)<br /><br />Excellent advice. I'm printing it out for myself now as a reminder.Laura Enohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09982794146667832204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-47552845391715163682010-04-19T07:27:05.511-05:002010-04-19T07:27:05.511-05:00Y'all are too agreeable. Where's the confl...Y'all are too agreeable. Where's the conflict? (Kidding!)Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-33832500050965758632010-04-19T06:39:15.718-05:002010-04-19T06:39:15.718-05:00Without that conflict the story would be dull. Gre...Without that conflict the story would be dull. Great points.<br /><br />Mason<br /><a href="http://www.masoncanyon.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Thoughts in Progress</a>Mason Canyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10935307400882363560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-14712833727226308872010-04-19T06:29:09.166-05:002010-04-19T06:29:09.166-05:00A real keeper! Marked this one for reference. Than...A real keeper! Marked this one for reference. Thanks, Helen.<br /><br />Maribeth<br /><a href="http://gigglesandguns.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Giggles and Guns</a>Mary@GigglesandGunshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07350818228268801008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-40081429825268284942010-04-19T06:01:14.765-05:002010-04-19T06:01:14.765-05:00Lots of conflict advice today! Good stuff, Helen.Lots of conflict advice today! Good stuff, Helen.L. Diane Wolfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06425864276166334896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32918125.post-37345720946802450462010-04-19T05:57:26.889-05:002010-04-19T05:57:26.889-05:00Excellent points. Somthing I will definitely keep ...Excellent points. Somthing I will definitely keep in mind for my re-writes.<br /><br />Laurita<br /><a href="http://ringkeeper.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Brain Droppings</a>Lauritahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03688820247531607677noreply@blogger.com