Ask the Author: Rose Edmunds
Answered Questions (12)
Rose Edmunds
Always. Being a former bean counter, I use an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of this stuff. A "story board" sounds a bit arty for me!
Rose Edmunds
What a great question! I could write at great length on this topic, but the short answer is that I do and it's very calculated. I always put in hints as to what might be coming, plus a few red herrings too. Ideally, when the reader gets to the "killer plot twist", you want them to think back, remember those subtle hints and wonder why they didn't realise earlier. It's a very fine balance though between giving clues so obscure the reader doesn't pick up on them and letting the cat out of the bag too soon. Often the clues get written in later drafts, as it's only then that you appreciate the plot and characters in their totality.
Rose Edmunds
Yes, very much so. I find subplots break up the action and give the books more depth by providing additional insight into the characters. The subplots are usually non-existent in the first draft, but I develop them in subsequent rewrites as I get a feel for the underlying themes of the story.
Rose Edmunds
Hi Jean - great to connect with you. My books are all on Amazon - thanks for asking!
Rose Edmunds
Sort of! I think that if someone of high intelligence applies their mind to criminal activities they are more likely to succeed than someone of lesser intellectual ability, just as in most other walks of life!
Rose Edmunds
The plots of my thrillers, especially the frauds involved, draw heavily on my real life experiences working in finance. But in themselves these could never form the basis of an entire novel, because in the real world people tend to follow procedures and report suspicions through the appropriate channels. Therefore they don't get sucked into the kind of nightmares my protagonists do (which is probably just as well!). My role as author is to imagine what might happen if... More generally, I sometimes find that real life events are too implausible to be used as plots. Fiction has to make sense - life does not. There is a reason for the old adage that 'truth is stranger than fiction'!
Rose Edmunds
Sadly, it was the sudden death of a former colleague, which came when I was already looking into some unconnected real-life cases of potential fraud, and a maverick blogger who was covering them. I suddenly realised I could combine several of these elements to make a twisty mystery for Amy to solve. Initially, I did feel somewhat guilty that my friend's death had sparked the idea, but I'm sure he would be pleased to know that he'd contributed to the creative process as he always loved my books.
Rose Edmunds
Inspiration is everywhere! News stories, my own and others' real-life experiences, a snippet of conversation overheard on the bus. Anything can spark off that initial idea which will ultimately grow into a novel. Of course, not all these ideas will work, and the next stage is to winnow them down and decide which ones to run with. Which is much harder!
Rose Edmunds
Book 3 in the Crazy Amy thriller series (no title yet). I like where the series is headed because Amy, the heroine, starts off as a sometimes unpleasant character but she's evolving into something approaching a decent human being. I also have some really exciting ideas about Book 4, but I really don't know for sure until I'm done with Book 3. Amy is so volatile, I find it hard to predict what she'll do next, even though I created her...
Rose Edmunds
It sounds obvious, but don't talk about writing - just do it! Also, don't get too hung up about writing perfect prose, much better to complete the first draft and then go back and refine. This is something I learned the hard way, when I had to chop out an eloquently crafted scene (possibly the best I've ever written!) because it held up the action in my debut thriller Never Say Sorry. It was replaced by one sentence later on!
Finally, there are so many ways to get published now there is no need to go through the agony of being rejected by agent after agent. But, having said that, if you're going to self publish, you need to take a hard-nosed and objective look at the quality of your work, and probably you will need professional feedback. I went through this process with my first novel and concluded that it was not fit to see the light of day, although I learned a lot in the process. And hey - nothing is ever wasted. I was able to recycle some material from that first unpublished work in my latest thriller, Exposure.
Finally, there are so many ways to get published now there is no need to go through the agony of being rejected by agent after agent. But, having said that, if you're going to self publish, you need to take a hard-nosed and objective look at the quality of your work, and probably you will need professional feedback. I went through this process with my first novel and concluded that it was not fit to see the light of day, although I learned a lot in the process. And hey - nothing is ever wasted. I was able to recycle some material from that first unpublished work in my latest thriller, Exposure.
Rose Edmunds
The complete freedom to write what I like. Having spent many years in a corporate environment where it was important to stay "on message", it has been liberating to speak out about what I truly believe.
Rose Edmunds
In my opinion, writer's block is caused by one of two factors - a disinclination to write, or a problem with plot or character that is difficult to solve. The first one can be overcome by applying a little self discipline. Writing is like any other job, and there are days you really don't feel like going to work, but you have to force yourself to get going, especially as (unlike most jobs!) no one is checking up on you. The second one is more insidious as it can really drain your enthusiasm and bring factor one into play. Sometimes I have been stuck for ages with my plots, and really have to strain every sinew to keep going. I am now trying to plot more thoroughly in advance, so that when I actually start writing it will all flow more smoothly. Or at least that is the theory. I will let you know how it goes!
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