Plot Problems

This week is supposed to be about getting tons of writing done, with no worries about editing or things like that. So, how's it going? Big thumbs down if you ask me.

I'm having plot issues. This isn't anything new really. After all, I've been working on this novel off and on for months, and the plot has changed several times. This is really my first time writing with a specific romance series in mind, and targeting something so incredibly specific has been a lot harder than I ever imagined.

The trick is to write something unique within the confines of a certain type of story. There are rules to be followed, but as a novice, it's difficult to know which rules are important and which ones were sort of 'made to be broken'. The guidelines for Silhouette Desire on Harlequin's website are extremely vague and could be taken a million different ways, so I'm not finding much help there. My main source of ideas and inspiration has been other Desire books.

There are definitely some things they all seem to have in common. Like an obscenely rich, alpha male hero and a slightly flawed but lovable and strong heroine. They are mostly riddled with some kind of conflict that leaves me asking "how are these two going to end up together?" Usually, they want each other with a passion, but there is some reason that it doesn't seem right or that they know they shouldn't be with the other person. By the end, of course, they realize that resistance is futile and they will never be happy with anyone else. The love wins out and the ending is always happy and satisfying.

Sounds easy doesn't it? Trust me. It's not as easy as it sounds to come up with a great plot that matches the line but is still original and fresh. I thought I had it worked out, but after getting started, the plot just isn't working. Of course, I also can't let myself get into that vicious cycle of never really writing anything because I'm worried about the plot. /sigh. Writing is harder than you might think, that's for sure.

Bottom line is that I have 34 days left before this novel needs to be finished and ready to pitch to the senior editor. There's no time for plot issues. I pray I can figure it out today and get my ass into gear.