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And, I'm on!

I ASK THE QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO HEAR

Posted on August 31, 2012 by Jacqueline Hopper

As a kid, it drove my family batty every time they watched a movie and I joined them half way through. Mainly, because I asked questions. This was before the convenience of VCRs or DVD players — you couldn’t rewind a scene back then. Most times, my parents and siblings were as much in the dark about the plot and characters as I was. However, I just had to know character A’s name, why character B did such and such, and how exactly the police discovered character C was the guilty party at the end.

Let’s just say, most of my questions were answered with a resounding, “Will you please sit down, be quiet and watch the movie?” Not exactly in those polite terms, but you get the picture.

To this day, I remain a ‘who, what, when, where, why’ girl. I need to know who the characters are in the story, what the motivation is behind their decisions and actions, and why I should care about them.

As an acquiring editor for Prism Book Group, I’m putting the pesky habit of asking questions to good use as I edit each manuscript that comes my way. It’s not in me to be presumptuous about such things as why a character didn’t want to show their vulnerability to the hero, or what motivated the hero to pull a gun on his best friend. I need it spelled out.

Writers tend to be deep thinkers. They give their characters motivations and plots with the kind of twists the reader doesn’t and shouldn’t see coming. Otherwise, why bother reading a story if it doesn’t surprise you? Why invest hours with predictable plots that act more as a sleeping tonic than a page-turner? Why be concerned about characters you couldn’t see yourself confiding in or falling in love with?

I want to care about each hero/heroine. I want to invest my time and energy, and risk my heart with each story, but I won’t if I’m left with unanswered questions by the last page of the story. My advice: don’t assume I’ll automatically guess that the heroine has been humiliated by a former boyfriend because she cried in front of him, and now she finds it almost impossible to open up to the hero. Don’t second-guess that I’m ‘smart enough’ to figure out that the hero has to either shoot his best friend or the villain will kill the hero’s child.

Never take for granted that I know your character’s mind and motivations. Otherwise, I’ll be right there with my questions, dogging the heels of your characters until they finally give me an answer; if only to make me sit down, be quiet and read the rest of the story.

I’m interested in fantasy, sci-fi, historical, mystery, humorous and contemporary romance. Fresh ideas are most appealing. Do you think you have that manuscript — the one that’ll keep me awake at night — that would fit in with my line? Please, feel free to email me at:jhopper@prismbookgroup.com.