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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. 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
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Last Week's Goals
I am still working to get a more solid plot / outline for my Project: Life novel. I have quite a ways to go before I complete it but it's progressing.
I also did some actual writing. It was only part of a scene but as least I got something written. However, I really need to focus on the outline and get a solid story with that.
My goals for next week:
Work on Project: Life outline
This should be my primary focus. I still get distracted by other things that are not important enough to take me away from writing. So, I hope to do better and push those non-important distractions aside.
What did I learn this week?
I bought a copy of Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain recently and have been bouncing between chapters. I do like his thoughts on how to write Scenes and Sequels. Reading that information spurred me on to try it out with that scene I started on Project: Life. It was not the opening scene of the book but was an opening scene for another storyline. Since I was practicing I did go back and edit what I wrote so that slowed down the writing process. However, I felt it was worth it.
DREAMER'S ROSE: This one is starting to nag at me. It may be close to time to take it out of the drawer and see what it needs. I haven't taken it out of the (computer) drawer, yet. But I may this week.
THE SHAMAN'S CURSE: Have a look at the synopsis. Submit to two agents. No and no. What is it with me and synopses?
THE IGNORED PROPHECY: Make revisions as the chapter critiques come back. Yes.
BLOOD WILL TELL: Make revisions as the chapter critiques come back. Double yes. The chapter exchange is complete on this one. And I've completed the revisions that came out of it.
SEVEN STARS: Finish the current chapter. No.
OTHER: I still need to work on revisions to Dragons are Forever, The Seeker, and Mage Storm. I did work a little on Mage Storm.
MISC. Try again to install the router so I won't have that kind of computer problem ever again. No. Chickened out.
Next Week's Goals:
DREAMER'S ROSE: I think it's time to take this one out and read it through.
THE SHAMAN'S CURSE: Have a look at the synopsis. Actually, some of the comments from my chapter exchanges have made me think about this one a little. I'd like to tighten up the middle, if I can figure out how. I think it lags a little. And I'd love to get it under 100k words. I'm going to read it through--again--before I send any more queries. Which is not an excuse for not working on the synopsis.
THE IGNORED PROPHECY: I've got a chapter exchange going on this one. Make revisions as the chapter critiques come back. And on this one I think I need to go back and see if I can tighten up the first six or eight chapters. I may want to change where the story starts. Hmm. Yes. That could work.
BLOOD WILL TELL: The chapter exchange is complete and so are the revisions. So I need to put this one into a drawer for a while. But I still should work on the query and synopsis. Unless anybody wants to start up another chapter exchange so I can get feedback on my revisions. Dragons, werewolves, and a serial killer anyone?
SEVEN STARS: For a playground, I haven't been doing any playing. Actually, I think I need to shift the focus of the plot. I think that's what's stopping me. On the other hand, I know perfectly well that the ideas will only come to me if I'm writing. So I should write the parts I know and let the new ideas come to fill in the blanks. That's what I should do.
OTHER: I still need to work on revisions to Dragons are Forever, The Seeker, and Mage Storm. I haven't got any excuses for Mage Storm. I'll try to have that one in F & F by the end of the week.
MISC. Try again to install the router so I won't have that kind of computer problem ever again.
[This message has been edited by Meredith (edited January 22, 2010).]
posted
Since this is my first posting to the NSG, here's a little background. I wrote my first novel last year. My preferred genre to read is science fiction and fantasy, so it seemed natural to write a fantasy novel.
I enjoyed the writing and even receiving and incorporating feedback. Creating the query letter, short synopsis, and longer synopsis, however, feels like more of a pain, probably because despite researching many helpful suggestions, I don't feel like I have a good way of judging the result. So I've bogged down a bit and will see if setting some goals here can help me restart.
Last Week's Goals
I hadn't set any "official" goals, but I revised my query letter, came up with a second draft of my full synopsis, and started a short synopsis.
This Week's Goals
Complete a first draft of the short synopsis
Review and "finalize" full synopsis
Think about what to write next
[This message has been edited by Nagrom (edited January 25, 2010).]
This may or may not help you with your query / synopsis but take a look at it and it may guide a bit. There is a technique called the Snowflake method that may assist you in getting a synopsis for your novel whether it's complete or not.
posted
Still didn't meet my goals. Still trying to write a cohesive scene in the parts of my novel that need to come together. This is the drawback to working in a non-linear fashion.
I did wind up getting some good editing done.
I looked over some work I did a few months back that I put aside and hadn't worked on/looked at for several weeks/months. I still liked what I read which is a good sign. My only issue is if something pokes a plausibility hole in the medical research I did then the section doesn't stand a chance as I wrote it 'cause the plot will fall apart.
Thanks for the links. They're both helpful, and it's interesting that they both stress coming up with a single sentence summary. I'd already done that, but I felt it was too long. The article you linked on queries strengthened that feeling, so I'm trying to make it more succinct. Is there an appropriate group to ask for feedback for one-sentence summaries?
Glad they helped. The one thing I did with my current project is write up a "Twitter Pitch" which would fit into a Twitter post in case I ever needed it. Now, that was challenging. The reason I did that was I read an article (lost the link) where some editors have said they found novels via Twitter. So, I decided to create my "Twitter Pitch" just in case I needed it.
As for getting feedback on summaries, many here will post a request for feedback. Then you can e-mail what you want reviewed. However, for a single sentence, a better option may be to add a post to the Fragments and Feedback section with your summary and ask feedback there.
Now, I have not made many requests for feedback (not quite confident enough yet ) so others in the group may better give thoughts on what questions to ask from reviewers.
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I think the fragments and feedback section would be good for a one-sentence summary, just the same as for the full query pitch. Why not?
You can always specify what kind of feedback you want. However, most of the time, I find it more helpful to leave that open.
You could post it here, of course. But F & F will get more traffic. People who aren't currently working on a novel or who mostly write short stories will also look at it there.
posted
Posting tweets and one-sentence pitches in the Fragments and Feedback areas is a good idea, Meredith.
One caution might be that such short summaries could (and most likely will) serve as triggers (conscious or unconscious) for other people's stories. They would be too small to copyright, but as long as people are okay with that, it could be worthwhile.
quote:One caution might be that such short summaries could (and most likely will) serve as triggers (conscious or unconscious) for other people's stories. They would be too small to copyright, but as long as people are okay with that, it could be worthwhile.
Good point and one reason why I haven't wanted to post such small summaries. I was tempted to post the "Twitter Pitch" for the novel I'm writing but I decided not to for the very reason you just stated.
quote:@ Unwritten: Have you started the synopsis, yet? I don't want to scare you off, but if you think the query letter is hard . . .
Nope. Thanks a lot Meredith.
On the plus side, I'm really close to finishing the query. If it didn't contain spoilers, I'd send it to you. I still might, once you get through a couple more chapters.
I can't imagine that the synopsis is this hard. Then again, I never guessed the query letter would give me a week's worth of nightmares either.
posted
This is such a great idea! I need to feel accountable for my progress.
I am a stay at home mom of four children. There is only one left at home during the day, but he is our tornado child. My current and constant goal is to eke out at least two hours of writing time a day. Unfortunately, it never seems to be consecutive minutes adding up to that goal.
My current WIP is a science fantasy. The story is all there and I am a year into my revisions--now focusing on killing the passive voice and minimizing the telling sections that are left.
Goals for next week: 1. Rewrite the Talia/Shishali dream from Talia's pov. 2. Continue passive voice scan/edit. 3. Run away to the library on Wednesday and Saturday for a real writing block of time.
What I learned this week: 1. A twenty minute block is better than nothing if you actually write. 2. My husband is willing to let me run away to the library, so I need to take advantage of it.
quote:A twenty minute block is better than nothing if you actually write.
Good point. I have often forgotten that these last few months. I continually get ideas during the day (usually at work) but I fail to take the time to write them down later or expand upon them. I need to strive to do better in getting these thoughts written somewhere.
quote:My husband is willing to let me run away to the library, so I need to take advantage of it.
Having the support of your loved ones is so important. I may never get published but at least I know that I have my wife's support in this dream. It's especially nice since we have the same tastes in what we read.
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Thank you to everyone who has helped me with my query letter. I think I'm headed in the right direction now. It took a long time to figure out the real heart of my story! I've been so frazzled lately that I probably didn't thank anyone personally. I do appreciate it though, and would be glad to return the favor asap! Melanie
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It was only part of a scene but as least I got something written. However, I really need to focus on the outline and get a solid story with that.
