This is topic Novel Support Group 1/20 - 1/26 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. 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:

DUAL MAGICS SERIES (THE SHAMAN'S CURSE, THE VOICE OF PROPHECY, BEYOND THE PROPHECY,and WAR OF MAGIC): Social media promotion and a promotion with ebook Betty.
Done, but a wash out. [Frown]

BECOME: TO CATCH THE LIGHTNING: Continue writing first draft.
Rethinking some of the story structure. [Frown]

MAGE STORM: Read through what I've already rewritten.
Not yet. [Frown]

OTHER:
Update my blog twice a week.
Three times, actually. [Smile]

Next Week's Goals:

DUAL MAGICS SERIES (THE SHAMAN'S CURSE, THE VOICE OF PROPHECY, BEYOND THE PROPHECY,and WAR OF MAGIC):
Nothing for this week.

BECOME: TO CATCH THE LIGHTNING:
Reconsider the story structure--again. Continue writing some part of it.

MAGE STORM:
Read through what I've already rewritten.

OTHER:
Update my blog twice a week.
 
Posted by Grumpy old guy (Member # 9922) on :
 
I haven't actually written a story lately; almost four years in fact. There is a reason for this that is being actively addressed by me and a bunch of drugs and I 'feel' I'm only a matter of weeks, maybe up to 12, away from returning with a bang. It's been a long, slow haul of trial and error.

All that being hinted at, my current thoughts on writing are occupying my mind when I'm not having an unwanted nanna nap; a by-product of my medication. Below is a short list of the topics I'm exploring and trying to reduce to basic principles as opposed to a step by step analysis. Any thoughts or insights would be greatly appreciated.

Trust: Creating in the mind of the reader the idea that they can trust me, or you, not to leave them hanging at the end of the story with unresolved tensions and conflicts. In other words, how to create the trust in the mind of a reader that if I leave them wondering at the beginning they will understand everything by the end.

Seriousness: Just what is it? It must be important, both Aristotle and Freytag mention it with regard to Drama and Tragedy.

Significance: I know what is meant by the word when used in creating drama: a story has significance if it moves the human heart. What I want is to define what ' moving the human heart', sometimes referred to as exploring the human condition, actually means. What are the principles that govern it? And in a related topic, how it is best accomplished.

When is enough, enough: When is 'setting' and 'milieu' exposition too much information? Too much and the reader becomes bored, too little and they become lost and confused.

Finding what a story is really about: Enuff said. [Smile]

And my current bugbear, the principles behind taking an idea and turning that into the first draft of a story. And example. I had an idea pop into my head last night, just a fragment but I thought it had promise: “Just because I exist doesn't make the magic real.” Can I turn that into a story and what are the principles behind doing so?

Phil.
 
Posted by Disgruntled Peony (Member # 10416) on :
 
I managed to reach my goals for last week. This week I'm just hoping to put in an hour or two a day, five days out of the week. Every little bit helps, after all.
 
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
 
Good job! Keep it up.
 


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