Daunted by Book One

I’m really excited about writing Book One of The Epic Novel.

So why can’t I start?

All my characters’ motivations are becoming clearer and clearer, the plot is falling nicely into place. Things that didn’t make sense before suddenly make sense. If writing this story is so exciting, why can’t I put pencil to paper?

I think I still have a bad taste in my mouth from six years and twelve drafts ago. I’ve already written this book. Five times. One time, I actually finished it. I’ve already introduced all the characters, written the battle scenes, and cried at the death scenes. I don’t want to do it again.

But I have learned so much about writing in those six years. Whatever I write now will be miles better than those earlier drafts.

Another problem: where to start. I can’t decide which incident is the inciting one. The decleration of war? The trip to another country? The raid? The revelation that the main character is a valuable weapon? The introduction of a mysterious figure? Or is it the highschool graduation from Drafts 10-12? (that seems doubtful).

I think I’ll start in the middle and write the beginning later. I don’t usually do that, but it seems necessary at this point. (I sigh deeply.) Well, if writing Book Two took only a year, then writing Book One can’t be all bad. I just have to buckle down and do it.

Anne M.

How many times have I said I would be consistent in updating this blog? Well, at least I'm consistently inconsistent. Let's see if I can actually do it, this time. I already had been thinking I need to update my blog frequently when I came across a series of posts by my friend Janet Fox. She has three very informative posts on marketing your book and branding yourself as a writer: "Marketing and Publicity for Authors," Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

One reason for my sudden motivation is that I actually see an end in sight. When I first embarked on Epic Novel, I had no idea it would become my favorite project. As I continued to work on it, I wondered if I would wind up taking 14 years, as Tolkien did with Lord of the Rings (not that I'm comparing my story or writing to Tolkien--just the length of time writing the manuscript). After 11 years, 14 years doesn't seem so long. However, I have actually completed the rough draft of Book 2. Yay!

This draft took me about 10-11 months to complete. When I realized that I actually wrote an entire draft of a novel in less than a year, I realized that pursuit of publication may actually be 3-5 years down the road rather than 10-15. Therefore, I should start thinking more seriously about my web presence and my writerly connections.

Now that I have a complete draft, I am mentally organized enough to join a writer's group. Yes, yes, I know, I should have joined one long before now. Just trust me that I know myself, and I would not have functioned well in a writer's group until I had organized my own mind.

Aside from looking for a critique group and other writers with whom to converse, I am currently revising Book 2. The characters are finally growing in the correct order. They kept arguing about things they had already worked out, and they kept being angry for no reason. I'm excited with how the motivations and growth are sorting themselves out. I also have been able to cut numerous extraneous scenes. I love getting to the point in revision when, for the good of the story, I can cut something with which I was once in love.

I am also trying to read more blogs. I enjoyed this recent post on theme by Gail Carson Levine.

And for now, that is all. Today is my one day off this week, and having spent the morning on necessary errands, I shall now devote the afternoon to more revision.

Write on!

Motivation

When I embarked on the journey of Epic Novel, I had never had any instruction in Creative Writing. I had learned what I knew solely from reading fiction and one or two books on craft. I had not even had much instruction in reading literature. I had no knowledge of character motivation or character arc. Even so, I recognized that my story fell flat because I didn't know what my main character wanted. Okay, there's a huge massive war and he wants to protect his family and his people. But what about before the war? What did he want then, and how did that motivate him to join the war? Rereading my draft, I realized that he has motivation--he's had it all along--it just needed bringing out. I didn't recognize it when I first started the story because I didn't know what my own motivation was. I know both now. What a relief!

Rereading my old draft, I realized there are a lot of things buried in there that I didn't realize when I wrote it. The motivation for my main character seems so obvious to me now, it's amazing. I've figured out a few more motivations as well, including the motivation for Arch Nemesis Number 1. Now I just have to master character arc. :-)
Anne M.

Draft Eleven of the Epic Novel

Six years ago, I completed Draft 11 of Book 1 of the Epic Novel. After five years and eleven drafts, I was so sick of that story, I wanted to throw it out the window. I put it away before I'd even finished typing the draft. This spring, when I began working on the Epic Novel once more, I went straight to Book 2, knowing I need to figure out the rest of the story before I can redraft Book 1.

A few weeks ago, I had the sudden urge to reread that old Draft 11. The draft was horrible--I mean, very, very rough. I made myself laugh with all of my "He tilted his head quizzically" and "He raised his eyebrows skeptically." The text was all floating dialogue and action. Very little description or character development. Many scenes did not need to be included. They did not move the plot forward or reveal character. Even I became confused with the plethora of characters, and I had created them all. When I thought about it, I immediately counted eight extraneous characters. So, not my best work.

At the same time, I wrote the draft before I had ever had any formal instruction in creative writing. I could tell when I had taken Comp II at college because the writing drastically improved at that point. The draft wasn't great, but it was a rough draft, and one I needed to write to explore the story.

The more I read, the more I became amazed with this story. The story is there, the characters are there. They just need work. I know I have to make some tough decisions: which characters do I cut? Which ones really are unnecessary, as much as I love them? How much of the characters' complicated back-stories is necessary for the reader to understand motivation, and how much is just too much?

I'm excited. I have already learned so much from this story. Someday, I'll finish it, and I hope that others learn as much from it as I have.
Anne M.

Anne After the MFA

After a year and a half hiatus from blogging, an update seems in order: I have my MFA! Yes, nearly a year ago, I graduated with my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. The first six months AMFA (After the MFA), I didn't touch a book, and I didn't pick up a pen. I needed a break. This spring, however, I dove back in. You see, for ::::does mental count:::: five and a half years, I had writer's block--including the two years I attended grad school. Don't ask me how I got through; it was by the grace of God! Every piece I sent in for workshop was an idea I had come up with before the onset of writer's block. I had an okay time actually writing (although it was like pulling teeth sometimes), but coming up with new ideas was out of the question.

Well, I figured out some things about my life, and other people figured out some things about my life, and God opened my eyes to some things about my life. Once I got those things mostly straightened out--voilà! Story ideas out of the woodwork. I began a Young Adult fairy tale retelling, but after only twenty pages, I felt called back to my "epic novel," the story I've been working on for ten and a half years (minus five and a half years of writer's block). The story has gone through many evolutions already, and several different names, hence the affectionate project title of Epic Novel.

I am daunted. This project could take years more to finish. My current estimate is that it will be a four book series. Yikes! But I want to be published now! (wines a voice in my head that sounds amazingly like Veruca Salt) The wonderful thing about this story--I am incredibly passionate about it. I've known these characters longer than I've known some of my best friends. The story intrigues me, absorbs me. The result? So long writer's block, hello obsession. I'm back to struggling to balance writing with all the other aspects of life. It's a good problem to have.

I hope to keep this blog updated more regularly now, if for no other reason than I need an outlet for all my writer ramblings (there's only so much my sweet husband can take). Until next time, I remain writerly yours,
Anne M.

Getting Close to Close-Third

My packet was originally due today (Thursday), but my mentor is out of town, so she asked for it on Saturday. I’m very grateful for the extension. Workshop and Thanksgiving in one packet period ate into my writing time a great deal.

I have made a breakthrough. I think I am finally getting the hang of close third-person point of view. I revised the last fifteen pages of my middle grade novel (turning it into twenty-five pages), and it is so much better than the rest of the novel right now.

After last packet, I realized that I’ve never revised for anything other than plot before. After three semesters here, I can’t believe I got into the program. There is so much I still don’t know, but that’s why I’m here.

Evidence that I’m getting better at inhabiting my characters: My husband about gave me a heart attack by coming up right beside me. I should have seen him, but I was on a jungle gym in a backyard far away at the time.

Things I did to my draft:

Removed the words “felt,” “feel,” or “feeling” and showed the feeling instead

Removed adverbs and described actions and looks instead

Replaced dialogue tags with actions or descriptions

I might have gone overboard, but since this is a learning experience, I preferred to do too much than not to do enough.

This packet (due late tomorrow night/early Saturday morning) is my last packet of the semester. I’m very excited about the end of semester. I need my two weeks of break! I’ve actually read two of the books for the residency book discussion and have started the other. I feel ahead for once, and well deserving of my break.

If I don’t post again, Merry Christmas! Enjoy your holidays. I know I will.

Anne M.

One Lump or Two?

I just read an interesting article at the Teaching Authors blog on food and fantasy. It reminded me of an exercise I did once for a big project. I wanted to get to know my characters better, so I wrote a few questions for them. A couple of the questions were "What is the character's favorite dessert?" and "How does the character take his tea or coffee?" I used it just to get to know my characters better, but the answers came in handy later for a scene where the characters drink hot tea after a harrowing experience. I knew the MC always had his tea with a little bit of honey.

In other news: today, I turned in the first twenty pages of a young adult science fiction novel for my workshop in January. I really like the story, but I have a feeling the first draft of the first twenty pages isn't very good. I'm also almost done with the second draft of my middle grade novel. And my last packet is due December 10! I feel this semester should be over already, but just three more weeks.

I imagine I won't post in the next week (family in town), so Happy Thanksgiving everyone!