Monday 12 March 2012

Conflict ongoing

Satisfaction may be great in real life, but in fiction,  the struggle is the thing. If your character faces troubles in the world around him, why not add to them by giving him inner troubles as well?
My current character is doubtful of his own abilities as a courier-cum-kidnapper, and for every step forward in confidence and ability he falls back two - or that's the way I'm trying to build the plot. He's doubtful of the rightness of what Henry VIII has asked him to do - more internal struggle. If he does what the king asks, he'll have his foot on the first rung of the ladder to success and riches - but at what cost? If he goes through with it, he can afford to take a wife, if he doesn't, he has no way of supporting her. Lots of struggle, I think. The only thing is, the struggle is all in my mind - but have I brought it out onto the page? Will my readers (if I ever have any!!) appreciate  his inner thoughts?)
Chatsworth House, south front

I've done a third draft of Treason, which needs a change of title as the hero, as an Englishman, is not exactly committing treason no matter what he does when he's in Scotland. (I'm thinking of The Hope of Scotland, but may come up with something better) and will now read it through hoping I have cut out all the repetition, glossed up the sentences and upped the tension sufficiently to keep people turning pages.

This morning is the first of a 3-day freebie for Fair Border Bride on Amazon Kindle, so if you fancy a great free read about Harry and Alina's struggles among the Border Reivers, do something about it now!

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