IWSG Day Question: If you could use a wish to help you write just one scene/chapter of your book, which one would it be?
First, lets thank our co-hosts for this month
I thought hard about this question. Since I work so hard to craft my stories, the idea of having someone else help me write a scene or chapter doesn’t feel right.
And I thought about a sex scene. I’ve never written one because my stories don’t need them. I’ve been tempted to try one, but haven’t gathered up the courage. I’ve read so many bad ones, and I’m afraid mine would be worse.
I sometimes wish I had a magic wand for my opening chapter. In my current WIP, I re-wrote the first chapter at least four times. and that was before I started editing. I had to go back and change it as my characters revealed hidden parts of the story I hadn’t planned for.
But I can’t let someone else write the beginning of my book. Then it wouldn’t be mine.
I’ve been known to write a fight scene or two, and I struggle to get enough action without getting carried away with it. Especially when I write a fight between two wolf shifters. How many ways can I describe wolves trying to prove their dominance? Keeping fights fresh across the series is a challenge. I wouldn’t mind a different set of eyes helping me develop my scene.
So that’s my wish. Help with future fight scenes. I’m interested to see what everyone else asks for.
But before we go, I’d like to welcome you to my new website. I’d be honored if you would take a moment to look around. And even happier if you would follow me on here. See the subscribe box to the right? Yeah, that one. Go ahead, enter your email. That way you won’t miss any of my posts.
If not, I hope to see you next month for another #IWSG post!
What’s worse than writing a sex scene? Writing one when your mother is your proofreader. LOL
That’s one reason I don’t write sex scenes. My mother reads my books!
I don’t really write a lot of fight scenes. Chase scenes more so. And I have to watch those don’t drag on for too long. I hate when that happens, especially in the movies.
Chase scenes can be fun to write! And you’re right, they are better kept short. 🙂
Giggling because I imagine wolf shifters establishing dominance by peeing on things. I start a project expecting to redo the opening scenes several times, so no biggie there. If you ever decide to give sex scenes a go, I recommend Susie Bright’s How to Write a Dirty Story. Fun book!
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll have to look for it.
Writing and rewriting the first chapter is an occupational hazard for writers. In fact, it’s often best not to worry too much about the first chapter until you work your way through the rest of the story. Only then will you know what needs to be in the first chapter. And that doesn’t even count the difficulties of having to come up with a really great hook on top of all that.
I don’t write sex scenes because I don’t find them interesting in other people’s book. Clearly, sex sells, but for me I skip skip skip to get to the real action. You know, killing people, dead bodies. 🙂
I finally realized that getting the story down, beginning to end, was the first step to worrying about writing a great first chapter.