Friday, March 1, 2013

Ask Elnora--About The Seven Deadly Sins--Lenora Worth


Hello, my name is Lenora and I'm a sinner. There, I said it. But thankfully, I write books where I can analyze sin and tweak it a bit. I also write about characters who, gasp, actually don't always act in a Christian kind of way. I try to make my characters human (or at least they are that way by the end of the book.) :)

 

Today, I'll be teaching a workshop at my home chapter of RWA--NOLA Stars. My talk will be about The Seven Deadly Sins verses The Seven Heavenly Virtues. I also throw in The Seven Corporate Virtues and then add seven deadly habits verses seven caring habits. And to add yet another layer, I use seven original plots. This is like playing tic-tac-toe or working a cross-word puzzles. It's a fun way to connect the dots of plotting books. So let's say I take Pride and mix it with Prudence. Then I throw in feeding the hungry. Now I have a contemporary story set in an inner-city neighborhood or a historical story set along a wagon train trail. Or I could take Lust and pit it against Love and throw in a quest or a rebirth and now I have conflict. I might pit Anger against Courage and make it a comedy or a tragedy. Now I have to figure out that happy ending!

 

This is a good way to use Biblical principles to strengthen the threads of a plot. And we all want a strong Biblical thread running through our plots, right?

 

In my workshop, I will use an example of one of my proposals to break this down and show how I matched these elements up to create a plot. Fun stuff! But in the meantime, we can discuss this right here, right now. Do you like this plot technique? Do you hate it? Do you understand it? The way-smart Craftie Ladies here can add their own plot devices! And it's not even Third Friday Writing Day. But since I'm speaking on this subject, might as well share it here, too! What do you think?

 

9 comments:

  1. I should be taking your class, Lenora. It sounds like a great way to plot a story.

    You are so smart! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Debby. Maybe not so smart but this does help me figure things out.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lenora, your technique sounds intriguing, especially to this author who has a terrible time plotting. Do you ever teach this online?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lenora, your technique sounds intriguing, especially to this author who has a terrible time plotting. Do you ever teach this online?

    ReplyDelete
  5. I haven't but I could be persuaded!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh, other LI people at the conference. Margaret Daley, Winnie Griggs, Janet Lee Barton!, and Betsy St Amant. Plus LI editor Elizabeth Mazer. We rule!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sounds like a great conference, and I'm also intrigued with your method of plotting, Lenora. I agree with Debby G. - you are so smart!
    Blessings, Patti Jo :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sound good i would like to know more about it.God bless you.
    Norma Stanforth

    ReplyDelete

Popular Posts

Write for Love Inspired Romance?

Write for Love Inspired Romance?
If you do and would like to join this blog, please contact either Margaret Daley or Pamela Tracy

Total Pageviews

Blog Archive