Step Five: 40 Scenes

How A Simple Trick Can Net You 80,000 Words On Your Next Book

This moment might be my favorite part of the writing process. I’ve just finished my 40 Scenes for HER LAST NIGHT (now called LAST SEEN), and what was a solid concept has now blossomed into an actual story.

The idea of formally outlining a book has always given me hives. I’m not good at it, to start. From the beginning, I’ve always gone into a story with only a concept and short, 1-2 page synopsis, which is basically the framework, a visual in my mind of what the house would look like when it was finished—minus decor, paint colors, landscaping, etc. The actual AutoCad renderings? No. And we all know that to build a house, one needs to start with the blueprints. The problem is, my brain doesn’t work that way. It starts with the more fanciful parts of the story, honestly, usually a line of dialogue or narration—and builds from there. Who are the characters? Where is it set? Who is the villain? What is their goal? That stuff. Loose. Free. The writers who know every step of their story before they start writing? I am in awe, but that wouldn’t ever happen for me.

And then, several years ago, I went to a great writer’s retreat on the coast of North Carolina. The organizers of this particular event (including the brilliant minds behind

The Book Tide

) had wisely built in time for writing and time for chatting, with a planned State of the Industry conversation among the authors. It was open to discussion about publishing, craft, creativity, the works. (Don’t underestimate the power of getting a group of writers together to discuss all the things…)