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Jackenobi
Hermes
Registered: 05/06/06
Posts: 1,355
Last seen: 6 years, 5 months
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Writing A Novel
#8748875 - 08/09/08 01:12 PM (15 years, 7 months ago) |
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What do you think?
How would you do it? What sort of organisation would it take? How would you decide what you most want to write about? And should you compile a detailed plan?
I might be answering some of my own questions already in the way I asked them (ie. the plan thing) but i'd be interested to see what you guys think.
Any novelists in the house? (published or otherwise!)
-------------------- read books
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Lakefingers
Registered: 08/26/05
Posts: 6,440
Loc: mumuland
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Re: Writing A Novel [Re: Jackenobi]
#8749871 - 08/09/08 06:07 PM (15 years, 7 months ago) |
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i'm assuming you're not a natural writer or have not discovered your talent, so this what i'd say, from my experience and talking to professional writers:
- read a lot - read anything (TV Guide to Homer in Ancient Greek) - read especially books in the genres you're writing in - learn to read in at least one other language and translate poems back and forth to understand the mechanics of language, especially the one you're writing in - start writing and write often
fine literature, poetry? check out "The Art of the Novel" (Milan Kundera), "Six Walks in the Fictional Woods" (Umberto Eco), "The Story Begins" (Amos Oz) and other books written about literature which don't try to tell you precisely how.
try to understand or sci-fi, crime fiction, etc? there are plenty of books that teach you how to write best-sellers, like James Scott Bell's books
story board (index cards, wall covered with stick notes, .xl doc)? or no story board? (can always do one later)
"How would you decide what you most want to write about?"
if you don't really know what you want to write about what can you write about? if you have some special things (tattoos, family secret, love affaris--who knows your situation) which you want to save for when you're written a few books or a few million words then do that. but if you don't believe what you're writing about is not what you should write about then just don't write
priority: start writing now, it will be crap, you may even think it's good, it may even be good, but you probably won't know why if it is, just start writing on something you want to write about after you have a lot of that go back and reread it, give it to other people (experienced and inexperienced readers) and then reread it slowly, turning the sentences and scenes inside out. Then leave it. Come back. Burn it or rewrite everything.
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Jackenobi
Hermes
Registered: 05/06/06
Posts: 1,355
Last seen: 6 years, 5 months
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Hey, thanks for the depth of your reply!
I may or may not be a natural writer, i guess that remains to be seen.
My problem is focus. I have a load of scattered notes and lyrical turns of phrase and a few poems, but have difficulty working through what I want to begin, what I want to revise and where I want to go... etc, etc.
I'm working on a few of the things you mention though so thats pretty cool. I think lately I've been getting there.
I still need organisation and more than this - clarity.
I think in all that you mention I may be able to find it.
Many thanks,
Jack
-------------------- read books
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Lakefingers
Registered: 08/26/05
Posts: 6,440
Loc: mumuland
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Re: Writing A Novel [Re: Jackenobi]
#8751456 - 08/10/08 02:14 AM (15 years, 7 months ago) |
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Some might be more natural than others, I think it's still fairly awkward, compared to other things, such as perfect pitch, certain maths for gifted kids, no autistics have produced well-written, deep works of fiction, which gives everyone else hope. Like with philosophy, with writing you can begin when you're 95 and still become a great writer.
Quote: "My problem is focus. I have a load of scattered notes and lyrical turns of phrase and a few poems, but have difficulty working through what I want to begin, what I want to revise and where I want to go... etc, etc."
I get up at six every day, even if I've been out, and write. Works well for me. My mind is more focused then, dusk and late at night is also another creative period. Maybe you do this already, but find your best writing time and reserve it for writing, even if you sometimes just stare at the pages during that time.
Another thing I forgot to mention is this, bounce ideas off people you can really talk to. It helps...
If you stick to it and think about structuring, eventually you'll start turning your notes into scenes, chapters, short stories... best to ya
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BurstingBeing
Huah-hememah
Registered: 03/04/08
Posts: 140
Last seen: 12 years, 9 months
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I just thought Id bump this cause I thought it was really good advise from Lakefingers
-------------------- A sudden shower falls - and naked I am riding on a naked horse! -Issa
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Grav
Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 4,454
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ive never written that much, but I would approach it like any piece of visual art or music.. block out major events or shapes first, the elements or values that make up your story and establish the overarching rhythm. plot, I guess, but more as a cohesive picture than a series of stuff happening.
I would write about anything that makes you feel something.
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