Thread: Good or Bad Practice?

Ok...I've been struggling in regards to writing on a consistent basis. Right now, I have a six-month block of time to work on my novel before I go back to school for my master's degree. So, I want to get rolling. The problem is that I struggle with planning things out.

I have events in my head that I can see unfold...as part of my planning. I really don't write anything down, unless it's a very important event. I also write scenes that pop up into my head...whether they're beginning, middle, end, etc. You get what I mean? Is this a good process...of the mix between planning and writing scenes?

I'm also having difficulty in regards to how many perspectives to include. I have these two female characters who are, in the end, going to be on opposite sides via a major blindside. One's the chief hero of the story, the other is the chief villain (or at least close to that). I have had these characters' stories lined up for the past year or two and think it will be very exciting to write. But I struggle when it comes to this...how many perspectives should I write from? My hero's? Or my hero's and future villain (who is a hero in the beginning...or protagonist rather)?

Also, what would be more interesting to you? I'm asking for opinions. My hero is going to become or is a military soldier. I've debated whether I should start my story around when she joins the military and goes through training, to build herself up. Or should I start the story for when she's a veteran. She's only 24 or so years old. I don't want to start in medias res, as I know that can weakens the story. Thanks!

I have events in my head that I can see unfold...as part of my planning. I really don't write anything down, unless it's a very important event. I also write scenes that pop up into my head...whether they're beginning, middle, end, etc. You get what I mean? Is this a good process...of the mix between planning and writing scenes?

Some writers start at the beginning, go on through the middle 'til they reach the end, and then stop. I work much more in the way you describe, writing sections disparately then fitting them together. It sometimes means I have to do a lot of editing and juggling to make it work, but I am much more satisfied with my writing if I have written something when I am in the mood to. Sometimes I am simply not in the mood for the next bit, sometimes I work on another part, sometimes on something different altogether. But it makes very little sense to me to stick to some self imposed schedule if I am not enjoying myself or producing what is required.

You can have as many perspectives (within reason, obviously) as you desire. I have written novels with upwards of six and seven different perspectives, and upwards of fifteen characters.

If this is a thriller (techno, military) I would advise you to start with something which will get your reader's attention. For someone who's served in the military, or who's interested in it, the story of going through boot camp with the over-zealous drill sergeant may be entertaining. However, most people who read thrillers are action junkies who haven't been on active duty. Chances are they won't find it as entertaining.

If this was my story, I would start with the soldier in a war-zone/on active duty. It allows you to establish character traits while bullets are whizzing around. You can gradually feed back-story later on.

Have you got an idea of what the story will entail?

Originally Posted by Sam W

You can have as many perspectives (within reason, obviously) as you desire. I have written novels with upwards of six and seven different perspectives, and upwards of fifteen characters.

If this is a thriller (techno, military) I would advise you to start with something which will get your reader's attention. For someone who's served in the military, or who's interested in it, the story of going through boot camp with the over-zealous drill sergeant may be entertaining. However, most people who read thrillers are action junkies who haven't been on active duty. Chances are they won't find it as entertaining.

If this was my story, I would start with the soldier in a war-zone/on active duty. It allows you to establish character traits while bullets are whizzing around. You can gradually feed back-story later on.

Have you got an idea of what the story will entail?

Thanks Olly! Sam, as for what my story will entail, I do have the idea in my head. I deem my novel as a thriller. As for my intended audience, it is geared more towards action junkies. In that case, I suppose having my female protagonist being already in the military would make more sense. She could be in a battle or a place where a fight's breaking out. Since the beginning is extremely important, I need something to catch and maintain my audience's attention. An event like that would work. I say that's the route to go. I will feed back story throughout the story.

My story will be about a power shift in this realm. I'm thinking about creating my own form of magic in this story. Something very different from Harry Potter, Avatar: The Last Airbender (the art of bending), etc. You probably get the idea. Something new. But I think having my main character come out from the start as a soldier would be good...but do you think it would be best if she were to start off as an early soldier? In other words, she's not a veteran. She's going to be between 23 to 27 years of age in this story. I don't want her to emerge as some goddess of war, of course. So, in the beginning, I think it'd be best to tell her story...of what happens when she's relatively weak and grow to become stronger. What do you think?

That is actually quite old for a soldier, most of the guys who went over the top during the first world war or landed on the Normandy beaches were not yet twenty, so at twenty thre to seven although she would not be a veteran you would expect her to be experienced.

Looking at my previous post, and taking into account the fact that you say you have a block of free time to use, I am reminded of some one who said that he sat down to write for ten minuets every day, some days that developed into a long session, some he finished after ten minuets. but he put himself in that position in front of the keyboard on a regular basis. Might be useful to you.

Ultimately the storyline is not vital to a work, sounds strange I know but there are good books with weak plots and lousy books with highly convoluted and imaginative plots. Really it is down to the writing, If your writing draws people in so they must know the next page you have got it, if not you will need to edit and revise until it does.

Hey Olly! Thank you for the insight. I see your reasoning behind her age being old for a soldier. She would be experienced, but yet not a veteran yet. I think this would be best for my story, to have her within that age range and her having experience, but having much to learn. I think beginning the story with an action scene would entice my audience more. Ultimately, I want to make a good book that people will want to read from beginning to finish. I'm not sure if devoting ten minutes per day will be enough for me. I am a fairly slow writer. However, if I were to set at least a half hour or more per day, all dedicated to my novel, I'm sure to progress through it in a good fashion.

Originally Posted by Marthix2011

Thanks Olly! Sam, as for what my story will entail, I do have the idea in my head. I deem my novel as a thriller. As for my intended audience, it is geared more towards action junkies. In that case, I suppose having my female protagonist being already in the military would make more sense. She could be in a battle or a place where a fight's breaking out. Since the beginning is extremely important, I need something to catch and maintain my audience's attention. An event like that would work. I say that's the route to go. I will feed back story throughout the story.

My story will be about a power shift in this realm. I'm thinking about creating my own form of magic in this story. Something very different from Harry Potter, Avatar: The Last Airbender (the art of bending), etc. You probably get the idea. Something new. But I think having my main character come out from the start as a soldier would be good...but do you think it would be best if she were to start off as an early soldier? In other words, she's not a veteran. She's going to be between 23 to 27 years of age in this story. I don't want her to emerge as some goddess of war, of course. So, in the beginning, I think it'd be best to tell her story...of what happens when she's relatively weak and grow to become stronger. What do you think?

I agree with Olly. Most soldiers join the military when they finish school. That means your character has at least seven to eleven years of combat experience, whether it be in a war-zone or just in training. That makes her experienced. She's also old enough to have a degree and register for Officer Training School (OTS). That would make her at worst a second-lieutenant, at best a captain. That's a lot of experience too. If your character is competent at all in military circles, she will have attained at the very least the rank of corporal or sergeant. That speaks of experience too.

I think you misunderstood the reasoning. I am not suggesting you restrict yourself to ten minutes, but one often finds that there are days one does not feel like it or for some reason doesn't get around to it. However once you get going you often find that it simply carries on naturally, so insist on ten minutes, if you still don't feel like it after that, fair enough, you probably won't produce anything worthwhile anyway, but more often than not ...

Thanks Sam and Olly. You guys are a very BIG help! Sam, I think having her move herself up through the ranks throughout the book would be a good idea, no?

Olly, I understood your reasoning. I will just have to write however much I want when I have the time available to do so. Whatever feels natural I guess.

The one thing that's troubling me when I write this novel, thus far, is that I'm worried about what to say. You know, how much description to put in versus dialogue. What words to use....isn't that something I should worry about until I'm ready to edit a draft? I'm only on my first draft, so should the basic focus be to get the story done? I said I write in bits and pieces. I have a general idea of what's going to happen, but want to leave room for surprises. Right now, I'm just writing bits and pieces of the story and will eventually tie them all together. Is that an appropriate habit?

I had a main character in my novels do what you're thinking. In the first, he started off as a sergeant-major. That's the highest non-commissioned officer in the Marines/Army. Through special circumstances, he was promoted to major at the end of the novel. Then he made colonel. And, finally, major-general. Moving up through the ranks of the military takes years, though. I think you're eligible for promotion every two years (my knowledge on that score is somewhat limited), but there's no reason why you couldn't have your character advance through the ranks.

The problem is that I struggle with planning things out.


Maybe you shouldn't plan things out. Honestly, some of my best work comes when I sit on the porch drinking some rum and smoking a bowl. I used to write it down, but then realized that I couldn't read the writing in the morning, but remembered every word of it, even single lines of dialogue so i stopped writing it down. I drink my rum, write my next chapter in my head, then put it down the next day. At times, I feel very creative and open a Word program to just save it then edit it later. I have no plan whatsoever and I'm on my fifth novel. The advantage of a computer and even electronic books and being self published, is that you can always go back, even months later and edit your text, even add a chapter or a thought even after it has been published. I wouldn't do this once hundreds have been sold, but early on, it's OK.

At times, I see something unfolding but need to go back and add what leads up to it. I really find it strange that one of my main characters in the first novel was named Carmen. The story takes place in the Yucatan beginning in 1614. In the fourth novel, they are looking for a new place to live along the coast and find a suitable place. Carmen is the first to drop to her knees on the beach and bless their new home. She then looks around and asks what they will name it. The main character says, "Well, you said the blessing, from this day forth this place shall be known as Carmen's Beach, Playa Del Carmen. Things just seem to work out like that without a plan. My entire first novel can be described, as far as the plot goes, in 2-3 sentences. As can the other 3. Try working without a plan.

The one thing that's troubling me when I write this novel, thus far, is that I'm worried about what to say. You know, how much description to put in versus dialogue. What words to use....isn't that something I should worry about until I'm ready to edit a draft? I'm only on my first draft, so should the basic focus be to get the story done? I said I write in bits and pieces. I have a general idea of what's going to happen, but want to leave room for surprises. Right now, I'm just writing bits and pieces of the story and will eventually tie them all together. Is that an appropriate habit?

Starting at the end, it doesn't seem an inappropriate one. It will give you a frame work to flesh out the rest of the story detail around.

In terms of how much description etc. I would simply write it first, then consider it. You will probably find that your description does not fit the plot straight off. By this I mean some insignificant detail will be so clear in your mind you have described it in a detail that far exceeds its importance. Or visa versa, that some important place is barely described, because you have been so taken up with the events happening in it. Don't worry about this too much initially, It is much easier to make these assessments when what you have written can be seen in the frame of the rest of the story.

Same goes for what words to use, I'll write it and as I do so get a 'feel' for the character, then when I go back to edit the first part think "No ! An ex army officer would never put it like that, that's a builder talking", for example.

There is a famous letter from Jane Austen in which she says she has finished writing the draft of her novel, and all that remains is to "Edit, edit, edit."

There are very few writers who can simply put it down first time to any effect, they mostly seem to write novels that are variations on a basic plot, like detective stories.

Hi

It's great to have this six months' free time to write but I also sense that you may trigger unnecessary pressure to finish within this period and it may affect your creativity and a clear mind. Just a suggestion, indulge in some sports to 'sweat it out' between your writing!