Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Novel Support Group 9/27

This is topic Novel Support Group 9/27 - 10/3 in forum Hatrack Groups at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :

quote:
Welcome to this week's Novel Support Group (NSG). Anyone can join. If you're new, tell us a bit about who you are and what project you are working on. Feel free to update the NSG Work in Progress thread with your current projects. Although we can report on any number of things, here is a list of suggestions (suggestions welcomed).

What were your goals last week and did you accomplish them?
Describe what you worked on.
Set goals for next week.
Did you learn something during this week?

Here is a list of things that you can do each week as we work on our novels (suggestions welcomed).

Writing on a novel
Characterization
World Building
Relevant research

=-=-=-=-=

As for me.

Last Week's Goals:

FIRE AND EARTH (formerly known as SEVEN STARS): Contact a few more potential reviewers. Think of something new.
Hmm. Not yet. Or rather, I have an idea, but no idea how to execute it. [Frown]

BLOOD IS THICKER: Finish setting up a blog tour for November.
Not yet. [Frown]

THE BARD'S GIFT: Wait.
Easy one. [Smile]

MAGE STORM: Send out three queries.
Nope. I goofed off this week. I did get another request though. [Smile]

MAGIC AND POWER: Wait.
Another easy one. [Smile]

THE SHAMAN'S CURSE: Think about how to fix some of those structural issues.
I've had a couple of ideas. Not there yet, though. [Smile]

WEIRD OZ STORY: Let's say three more chapters. That'll be through chapter 9.
Eh. I'm on chapter 8. I'm either going to have to find a way to move faster or work on something else. [Frown]

OTHER:
Update my blog twice a week.
Yes. [Smile]

Next Week's Goals:

FIRE AND EARTH (formerly known as SEVEN STARS):
Think of something new for promotion.

BLOOD IS THICKER:
Finish setting up a blog tour for November.

THE BARD'S GIFT:
Wait.

MAGE STORM:
Send out three queries.

MAGIC AND POWER:
Wait.

THE SHAMAN'S CURSE:
Think about how to fix some of those structural issues.

WEIRD OZ STORY:
Let's say three more chapters. That'll be through chapter 10.

OTHER:
Update my blog twice a week.

Posted by shimiqua (Member # 7760) on :

I'm working on Waxling, and at 30,000 words I hit a wall. I love the stuff that came before it, and I know how the story wants to end, but I can't get the darn thing to get to the instigating incident. It's SO FRUSTRATING...stupid middles. Every story I write, at about 30,000 words I lose all sense of my way, and end up throwing the story off the cliff. Some times literally. I want to finish this darn thing, but I can't keep pushing my head against this knife. I have no idea what to do next, and it's filtering into my real life. Maybe it's just that I'm so STRESSED about Alchemy coming out in 2 weeks, but I'm in this funk and the only thing that will solve it is to write more, and I don't know what to write. I hate this.

And so...I'm going to do what I always do when I don't know what to do next. I'm going to scatter the ducks. I'm going to change everything. Just cause I can.

Try to find your way to happy ending now, weird story.

Thanks for listening, peeps.

Oh, An Meredith, I haven't forgotten you. It'll go up in October, after Alchemy releases.

Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :

shimiqua, stop trying to write what comes next. Work on the ending, since you know how that should go. Then work on the part before that, and so on, working your way backwards if you have to.

This is a first draft. You don't have to write it in the order in which it will be read.

Posted by mbwood (Member # 9525) on :

Shimiqua;

Kathleen offers good advice.

I suggest that you spend time listing plot points BEFORE you start writing and figure out where the story is going. Yes, you need a gang-buster opening (set the hook) and a satisfying end that will make your readers want (no, LUST) for your next story.

I've taught classes on outlining novels, which for some people is difficult. Others find the process eye-opening. However you write, you should have an opening and a resolution clearly in mind before you put too many words down on paper or into electrons.

As for endings, I suggest reading history, for that will give you all kinds of endings: Some happy, some satisfying and some horrible. Take your pick.

Also, if you outline, you can 'cut and paste' action until the story flows and satisfies.

Remember, all stories are like a three-act play: The first third is bringing the characters on stage and revealing their problems; the second is where the complications take place and the protagonist becomes challenged; the third act is the resolution where all the sub-plots converge and the climax sees the protagonist prevail... (Well, that sounds simple, but it's kind of the way it works).

Good luck and remember the four rules of writing...
1. Write
2. Finish what you write
3. Revise what you have written
4. Sell what you have written.

Simple, right? Hah!

mbwood

Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :

quote:
Originally posted by shimiqua:
I'm working on Waxling, and at 30,000 words I hit a wall. I love the stuff that came before it, and I know how the story wants to end, but I can't get the darn thing to get to the instigating incident. It's SO FRUSTRATING...stupid middles.

Oh, And Meredith, I haven't forgotten you. It'll go up in October, after Alchemy releases.

Yeah, I'm going through something similar with my Weird Oz Story. I'm reading up on outlining. For me, that's fairly desperate. [Mad]

(And I didn't think you'd forgotten. We're all busy. October's cool.)

Posted by arriki (Member # 3079) on :

I'm stalled. I have finished a complete draft of Evolution and now am stalling waiting for a few readers who read one chapter a week to hurry up and finish. I am packing away all the variant drafts and trying to get started on book two.

My main computer is acting crazy inserting extra characters in my file names every time I save a file. I took it into the store and it worked perfectly. I even hauled in ALL the peripheral cables and screen and keyboard. Worked just fine. When I brought it back home -- it started acting up the same as before!!!! It's maddening!

I bought a new laptop and it is never going online -- but it has that nasty windows 8 preinstalled on it. And now (I weep) the insallation disk for wordperfect 6x -- which SHOULD have one more download on it (3 downloads, right!) won't load onto the new computer!!!!

Posted by Jed Anderson (Member # 9863) on :

Finished my first novel Return of the Gods: Book I of the Blood of the Gods. 77k. Not the longest book, but the following will be much longer.

Working on perfecting my query and synopsis. These are harder than writing the damn book.

Stalled out on Book II: Flight of the Gods. For the most part, I know that story, but there's been some new developments, i.e. secrets revealed and a pending betrayal. And I still have no idea how this one's going to end. Just gotta sit back and write some damn words down. Get those juices flowing.

A Life Dreamt is still on the back burner. About 45k in and still learning about the main character's story.

Posted by Jed Anderson (Member # 9863) on :

@Arriki: Get yourself a Mac. You'll be a lot better off.

Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Jed Anderson:
Working on perfecting my query and synopsis. These are harder than writing the damn book.

Yes. Yes, they are. [Smile]

When you've got a query you think is ready, post it in F&F for Books. We'll try to help you polish it.

Posted by LDWriter2 (Member # 9148) on :

I managed to work on one novel-Stone Within.

Got to a spot I'm not sure about. I know what this scenes needs to lead to but there's no action and has the potential of being boring.

I revealed something from my MC's pass and she may just overhear something that will help her but I'm still not sure what she is doing in this section.