Character, Theme, Structure; New Mac!

Just a few days away from the 31 days of writing the first draft of a novel. About 19% of the people who begin NaNoWriMo accomplish this original goal, although a much higher percentage get much further along in the projects than otherwise, I suspect.

Time will tell if I am part of the 19%

In these days, I have been hard at work outlining this story (a new experience, since I had very little idea of how to do this, in regards to my first book-length story). And have found that Larry Brooks' StoryFix site and his "Story Engineering" book to be tremendously helpful. Many thanks to Larry.

This process is about:

Finetuning the characters -- particularly the heroine. Alexa aspires to be bold, but she's shy. So, how to make her really likable for readers? That would be story arc, and a good deal of work to accomplish in a smooth, believable manner.

Identifying the Theme(s) -- something that could be allowed to just appear on their own. But I'd like my stories to connect to the reader's heart -- or gut -- as well as give them a good time and giggle along the way. A theme that resonates and develops and reaches the mountaintop: THAT's what I'm talkin' about.

Delivering the action -- at just the right moment in the novel's structure. The more I study and hearken back onto good books and movies I've known, the more I see that certain turns of plot at certain points in the story are crucial for the reader's visceral experience. They are markers along the way that show the story is heading in a direction that will make sense.

An aside note: I just ordered a new computer! My current Macintosh is seven years old, is run by a pre-Intel chip (i.e. speaks "Japanese" when every other computer speaks "French" or "English"), and is no longer supported by most Internet browsers. I love using things for a very long time (my Toyota is at 243,000 miles), but sometimes it's just time.  So, a MacBook Air is on its way to me -- hopefully to last another seven years.

Outline Plot for 2nd Book for NaNoWriMo; thanks

My first efforts at fiction were like jumping into the pool, and figuring out how to get to the other side. It's a technique, that took two years.

This time, since I will (in order to "win" in NaNoWriMo) complete a first draft with at least 50,000 words, within the 31 days of November, I am trying another technique: outline first, write second.

In these last few months, I have taken a few writing courses via the Internet. For example, the Writer's Digest is a a very good source of guidance.

I have a growing sense that there is a renaissance in the craft of story telling. Perhaps after decades of people playing the passive game of just watching television or movies, now there is more interest in reading. Maybe Harry Potter really did have a magical effect, other than what requires the support of Hollywood.

Anyway, there is now a LOT of superior support out there for writers. The Creative Penn, K.M. Weilland, and StoryFix by Larry Brooks are several that stand out, at least for me.

Larry Brooks, in particular, has been massively helpful in helping me understand the technology of a gripping story, the type we all know -- mostly by watching our favorite movies.

Brooks' details on what types of information for the reader should come at which point in the story (since we all feel comfortable with certain turns of events at certain times) seem to be VERY helpful.

Of course, the proof will be in the pudding, or the reading.

Challenge with First Draft? Write the Sequel: NaNoWriMo

As I wrote the first draft of my story, the characters and line of logic became stronger and more focused. And, the beginning third got left behind.

Come up with more drama, less prose, and that first part stands a chance of keeping the reader's attention.

Probably not a good idea, however, to introduce a completely new source of drama in the first part. On the other hand, I could move some sources of tension into the story sooner.

A decision must be made. Is one of the current bad guys really bad, or is he just inept? If he's really bad, then he would be capable of the action I planned for him in the second book of this trilogy. But if he's inept, then he fits the need for the first book -- and all badness focuses on the one, true evil guy.

My solution: write the second book. Then I will know with certainty the threads that must be laid in the first book.

NaNoWriMo, or more specifically NoNaNoWriMo (November National Novel Writing Month), is close. Can I do a first draft in one month? Gulp. It took me two years for this first draft. Nothing ventured out onto the NaNoWriMo limb, no potential leap into the multiple book realm gained.

I'm in.

5000 words out

This is my first effort with fiction. Journalism I know: Fiction was a complete mystery.

Until I got about half-way through the first draft.

Then, the flow began, and my completely uncritical spouse began to say, that sounds great! (always good to have a completely uncritical listener, at first) Even considering the source of this input, my gut says the story became, by the end, way better than the words I put on the screen early in the process.

In my own life, I work to keep everything smooth and drama free. And that's pretty much how I wrote that first third of the story. Now in the second draft, even I am scanning over vast tracts of boring verbiage. Ergo, 5000 words are exited from the manuscript, all from the first third of the story.

Now, I must figure out how to make the first third of the story as interesting as the last third.

Drama. More drama. And not just any drama. The kind that builds into the fascinating stuff near the end.

Perhaps introduce certain concepts/people earlier in the story -- or if I must, smooth in new ideas -- to produce the surprises at the end.

And those fascinating details I thought would be really cool to include but just didn't make sense later? Tickle them out so no one is the wiser.

Like weaving a tapestry, and go back to add new colors at the beginning to predict those that appear by the end. Also, extricate useless colors all along the way, one stitch at a time.