Thread: composing a novel

Good Morning! I have a few questions for those seasoned writers out there. I am about 30,000 words into a romance novel but I seem to find it easier to write as things come to me rather than in actual order of how the story is going to unfold. Does anyone else do that or is it just me? I am hoping I can tie it together once I have everything on paper. Also, what I thought would end up being mostly romance has taken a bit of a dramatic turn so I hope I am not confusing genres. Any ideas? Thanks!

Romance is not just limited to romance, so I wouldn't be too wary of it taking a "dramatic turn". Unless that dramatic turn happens to be the lead character bumping into a horde of zombies while looking for his sweetheart.

Personally, I write a novel linearly. The majority of those I've written take place over a matter of days or, at most, a week. So I know that for the story to make sense, my timeline must also. I'm not a huge fan of outlines, for reasons I'll leave unsaid. I find that that all the plotlines and characters dovetail at the end of my novels, and this is where I tie up the entire story. I've only ever had one experience where I couldn't explain everything which had happened throughout the story. That novel remains on my desktop, unfinished at 302,000 words. I don't know if I'll ever finish it. It's just too complex and there are too many loose ends to explain.

Having said all that, if writing the scenes that come to you seems to work, do it. There is no right or wrong way to write a novel. It's whatever gets you to the finish line.

Thanks for the encouragment! No, there aren't any zombies (yet anyway). Wow, 302,000 words! I can barely get my mind around that one! I'm glad you brought up the timeline. My story will probably also take place within a weeks time. I was worried about that as well, so it is good to hear that the story doesn't have to be expanded to months. Anyway...thanks for the feedback!

It's not necessary to have a novel take place over months. My most recent novel lasted sixteen hours. My current one takes place over twenty-four. Like I said, there are no rights and wrongs here. I've read novels that are written backwards. The last chapter is the first one, in other words. I've read ones that take place over one hour. There's no need to adhere to what current romance novels do, either. The way you get noticed is to be different.

Good luck with it.

I would guess that the ways writers build a book are as different as the writers themselves.

I had to write an outline. I was afraid that if I didn't I'd leave something out that I really liked or forget good ideas all together. I wrote it in a book on just the front of each page leaving the back blank. I have now been going back and putting more ideas on the blank backs and it's been a big help to me. I wake up at weird hours with ideas and can just flip to the page I want and add it in or leave pages blank if I'm having trouble with a part only to come back later. Good luck. You'll find what works best for you.

Interesting cross-section of answers. When I write a book, I have only the vaguest outline/concept of what is going to happen. Lots of times I have to write to find out what DOES happen.

One thing that seems to aid the above right-brain-idjitcy is to have a timeline. So I frequently write chapters by date.

The joy of writing by computer is that going back and rewriting is painless...

The thought of an outline never really crossed my mind. I could see where it would be useful, but I have to write to see what happens as well. Sometimes things just come out on the page that I didn't even realize were in my head.

I do have trouble when I reread. I fight the urge to be biased. I tend to start liking one character more than the other. I don't know, I guess it will work itself out.

I only write during my lunch at work so it may take a while to finish. However, it is a nice get away from the black and white world of finance.

Originally Posted by betweenthescenes

The thought of an outline never really crossed my mind. I could see where it would be useful, but I have to write to see what happens as well. Sometimes things just come out on the page that I didn't even realize were in my head.

I do have trouble when I reread. I fight the urge to be biased. I tend to start liking one character more than the other. I don't know, I guess it will work itself out.

I only write during my lunch at work so it may take a while to finish. However, it is a nice get away from the black and white world of finance.

You only write during lunch?

Mebbe I can give you some important advice... (mebbe not)

Here 'tis: It takes yer brain a few minutes to get cobbling. Then you get into a "zone". This is a wonderful place to be. Two of the requirements for being in the zone:

1. NOBODY interrupts!
2. Time... lotsa time is needed. None of the: "I got ten minutes left to write" pressure.

Writing during lunch is fine, but it is sorta similar to almost sneezing. Ya don't really get to where you need to be.

I have an advantage, since I am retarded and can work (write) all day in my 'puter room. My biggest distractions are that after a while I notice I am antsy. Tinkle break every ten hours, just like clockwork.

I have a novel coming out (please, Gawd) the end of next week. It is an alternate history of WWII. So you can readily see that a timeline as a layout device is doggone near unavoidable as well as handy.

To SamW:

Jeepers!! You can write a novel in just a few days? Dang. That blows me away. That is tres impressive.

This last novel of mine: ten hours a day as an average. For TEN MONTHS. Took a jillion tons of research.

LATE EDIT: I will leave my above idiocy for all to enjoy. Upon re-reading (with at least a small portion of my mind in gear) I see you mean the novel spans a few days... Duh.

As I enter the springtime of my senility, I realize I might get my literary license suspended.

Originally Posted by mgencleyn

I would guess that the ways writers build a book are as different as the writers themselves.

Regarding your tagline...

I saw:


"We are the Grob of dyslexia. Futility is resistant. Your ass will be laminated."

... I seem to find it easier to write as things come to me rather than in actual order of how the story is going to unfold. Does anyone else do that or is it just me?

It's just you.

No, I'm kidding. Lots of writers do that.

Of course the important question (for you, OP) is whether SUCCESSFUL writers do that.

Successful writers almost always plot their stories out at least to some minimal degree; it may not be something as official as an outline, but there will be notes. There will be that little diagram that looks like someone's family tree, except lying on its side. There will be color-coded stickies all over the place. There will be highlighted sections of text.

You get the idea.

Yes, it's easier to write in a "go with the flow" type of way, but it's harder to go anywhere with your writing if you don't develop at least a few organized habits, as other members have suggested above.

To make your writing process and your product appear organic and natural actually takes a lot of cold-blooded calculation.

In my opinion, that's one of the things that makes writing a total gas, i.e., making everything tally up, making it believable, making it REAL. You do your research and spend time working on and thinking about your project, you lie awake at night trying to resolve plot and scene inaccuracies, you map stuff out--it's fun. (Just my opinion, of course! I am in no way trying to offend those who may believe that writing is a corrupt, thankless process of suffering and degradation.)

It think that a mental outline is probably what I have going. This is my first shot at this so we will see what happens. I used to write short stories when I was younger but somehow the need to write something more substantial seems to be gnawing at me.

In regards to the writing process, I find myself going over what I have on paper quite a few times. I'm trying to be sure it flows correctly, previous scenes, timeline, etc. I do have to redirect my thoughts sometimes, I can end up writing for quite a while and realize I am headed in a place that doesn't make much sense. I have a good idea of where I want to end up, so that should help keep me focused.

Unca... the whole "zone" thing is absolutely true. I find myself not coming out of my office on time quite a bit. Sometimes I feel I could write for hours and hours if my schedule allowed.

Originally Posted by Scarlett_156

It's just you.

No, I'm kidding. Lots of writers do that.

Of course the important question (for you, OP) is whether SUCCESSFUL writers do that.

Successful writers almost always plot their stories out at least to some minimal degree; it may not be something as official as an outline, but there will be notes. There will be that little diagram that looks like someone's family tree, except lying on its side. There will be color-coded stickies all over the place. There will be highlighted sections of text.

You get the idea.

Yes, it's easier to write in a "go with the flow" type of way, but it's harder to go anywhere with your writing if you don't develop at least a few organized habits, as other members have suggested above.

To make your writing process and your product appear organic and natural actually takes a lot of cold-blooded calculation.

In my opinion, that's one of the things that makes writing a total gas, i.e., making everything tally up, making it believable, making it REAL. You do your research and spend time working on and thinking about your project, you lie awake at night trying to resolve plot and scene inaccuracies, you map stuff out--it's fun. (Just my opinion, of course! I am in no way trying to offend those who may believe that writing is a corrupt, thankless process of suffering and degradation.)

That is a truly cogent, accurate, helpful post.

Short stories can be "winged" from end-to-end, no prob. Best thataway, IMO.

If you ever want to see the ultimate damage winging it does to a novel, read (what I believe is utter trash) the twenty foot scroll of single-spaced, typed, marginless, single-sentence, Jack Kerouac 1951 crapola. On The Road. Praised by Time Magazine and New York Times. Pfui.

Originally Posted by Scarlett_156

Successful writers almost always plot their stories out at least to some minimal degree; it may not be something as official as an outline, but there will be notes. There will be that little diagram that looks like someone's family tree, except lying on its side. There will be color-coded stickies all over the place. There will be highlighted sections of text.

Define "successful"? Lee Child, who is a worldwide number-one best-selling author, has never outlined a novel in his life. In fact, he doesn't know what the next sentence is. I think you're making somewhat of a generalisation here. Some authors outline, some don't. You can't say, to within a degree of certainty, that successful authors outline. To know that, you'd have to know them personally.

Originally Posted by Unca Walt

If you ever want to see the ultimate damage winging it does to a novel, read (what I believe is utter trash) the twenty foot scroll of single-spaced, typed, marginless, single-sentence, Jack Kerouac 1951 crapola. On The Road. Praised by Time Magazine and New York Times. Pfui.

My good man, I've "winged" every novel I've ever written -- coming up on eight hopefully by the end of this week; not to mention three or four complete rewrites. The first two are "utter trash" because I was learning my craft, but the rest of them are very readable. I'm not successful by any means, but I've sold to numerous readers who've thoroughly enjoyed my work. Most couldn't believe how well I tied all the plot-lines and loose ends together at the end. They were astounded when I told them I don't outline.

Let's not split hairs here. If outlining works for you, do it. But please don't discard other methods because you think they are inferior. There are no right or wrong ways to write a novel.