HELP! My current WIP is a monstrosity. (First draft completed at over 300,000 words--UGH!) I need to subdivide but am having difficulty deciding where that should be done, as well as brain cramps as I consider all the changes I would have to make to the story to create a new winding up place.
Any hints? Any advice? Any good books or articles I should read on the subject?
Posted by djvdakota (Member # 2002) on :
Stupid me. Shoulda checked Uncle Orson's Writing Class first. Still, it's hard to know which tension point to pick, and I may want to pick a few brains. Would anyone be interested in looking over a chapter by chapter synopsis to help me out?
Posted by rickfisher (Member # 1214) on :
I'll look at a synopsis. But are you sure you really need 300,000 words for this?
Posted by HSO (Member # 2056) on :
me, too... I'll even take a chapter or two and ruthlessly cut and edit if you'd like... I do aim to please. Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
The synopsis is a good idea. It might even help you to bring the word into perspective yourself, sort of like a map. If you decide to go that route, I'll be happy to take a look.
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
Me too.
Posted by Robyn_Hood (Member # 2083) on :
Are you wanting to divide the work into a multi volume piece or tell the same story with fewer words?
Either way I'd love to take a look.
Posted by djvdakota (Member # 2002) on :
Thanks, you guys!
Let me do a little tweaking and I'll send it on.
Sorry, no chapters just yet. My decision on how and where to subdivide will necessarily change things quite a lot, but I'll beg for some chapter readers when that's taken care of.
I'm afraid, rick, this beast really does have to be 300,000 words. My first-read editors say they like my writing style because it doesn’t go into overly great detail. They get a good feel for the atmosphere, etc. from a fairly stark descriptive style. In fact, IMO the piece could be longer. Much longer. Which is why I seek to subdivide into multiple volumes. It’s not overly full of detail, it’s not crammed with useless actions, it’s not overloaded with info-dumps. It’s an epic story-—a lifelong struggle between two brothers with the action taking place over a 30 year span. Something like that needs a great deal of background material—much too much IMO to rely on flashbacks, etc.
Am I wrong?
Posted by rickfisher (Member # 1214) on :
You're not wrong about the flashbacks. You could be right about the rest, too. I'd have to see it to know.
