video 2 of 3
How to begin your novel, avoid the rookie mistakes, and go the distance!
Welcome to the Ultimate Fantasy Writer’s Stater Kit where you will learn how to begin your novel, avoid the rookie mistakes, and go the distance. In this lesson, we will look at 5 key tips to start writing strong. So pull up a chair, grab your notepaper, and let’s make your dream of writing an awesome fantasy novel happen!
YOU’RE an unstoppable character! I really, really, really admire your productivity. 🙂
I spoke briefly with you earlier about productivity, novel length and working with distractions surrounding us. Since then, I’ve actually gotten a few writing gigs on top of my ‘regular’ job, and I need focus more than ever. I’m definitely a victim of getting lost in the middle, new idea syndrome, AND lacking time. My plots are awesome, though, and my wife is doing her best to give me some space on my ‘off-regular-work’ days.
So . . . that was a lot of useless information, I suppose. I just wanted to thank you for another great video. I always go through your content, hoping to absorb some of that productivity. I keep saying that having a kid messes with my writing time, but I’ve managed to spend a lot of quality time with the little dude, AND watch the ENTIRETY of the Office and countless other series . . . I think I need to step up my game. 🙂
Writing first! (Well, actually; family first – but then writing!)
Hi, Robert! Writing Second! Lol. So good to see you here. ? I hadn’t realized you perused everything. I’m so glad you find it helpful and that you finally told me. Hehe.
Family, work, hobbies they can inspire us and make life worth living (or at least fund it!) or can distract. Everything is a balance. Finding it is the hard part! Hopefully the next video will give you some tips. ?
Now I’m worried I have too many characters…. but I love them!
Great points again here with video 2. My current project (approx 26k words) was started as a seat of the pants idea that I was writing before thinking about. A third party sample edit brought some unexpected commentary, but I like the comments so much I incorporated almost all of them into some partial revisions. Plot development is my hurdle right now, I have to take some time, read what’s been written and further develop some of the thoughts I have for moving the story along.
Seat of the pants is the way most writers seem to start, Perry! Because, at the heart of it, we are all passionate about writing. Then we all get caught in plot holes and the need to make a comprehensive story and end up learning more about plotting and developing our craft. Sounds like you are moving in the right direction. 😀 Glad you liked video 2!
Hi, Autumn!
The advice about not too many characters is especially helpful for someone like me who has Asperger’s Syndrome. I can’t keep track of that many characters. I now think that part of what’s been hindering me in writing my current project is that it’s a sequel to a previous work of mine (never published), and I didn’t originally write that with a sequel in mind. Consequently it ends with two new families including children who weren’t main characters in the first story. And I’ve been having difficulty trying to continue their story.
But after hearing that advice I cut down the characters who weren’t coming to life for me and made more composites where I could, and I think that’s all to the good. Also, switching perspective to a different new character who wasn’t in the original, and meeting the families from his perspective instead of their own, is going to help a lot.
I also appreciate your saying that the odds of your work being stolen are smaller than you think. I need to get over that because I honestly love talking in detail about the story I’m writing at the moment, and I’ve gotten positive feedback on at least the idea from multiple people. And that’s only encouraged me that this is a good story that I should finish and publish. I won’t go into details here, as that isn’t the place for it, but I will try to keep your advice in mind.
Thanks again!
It is so easy to pull in characters, isn’t it! I ended up with too many in my first trilogy, so I know this advice first-hand. I’m glad you are figuring out who to focus on. It makes sense to cut the ones that weren’t dynamic to you as a first round!
As long as you aren’t sharing an actual draft, just an idea, you should feel free to share. It is the best way to develop ideas, become inspired, and find support. Only when it comes to actual words on a page, especially pages of a manuscript should you at least pause to make sure you know and trust this person or have a non-disclosure agreement in place. No one else can write the story you have in your head the way you’ll tell it, so don’t get too flustered about sharing it.
It is easy, especially if a particular character serves just one (1) element that might serve the story or just that you like; one that either could be given to another character who is more dynamic to you, or one that could be cut from that story entirely.
That makes sense, since it’s only a particular set of words that can be copyrighted, and not an idea. If this is the wrong place for this, please excuse me, but what about this for a synopsis (this is what I finally came up with for the story I’m currently working on, after reading your download)?
“Willard den Skitter, the rightful king of the Rats, is under a curse compelling his family to steal and hoard, so that he cannot rule his people justly until he acquires the rare cure for this condition. But his brother Worley seizes the throne too soon, refusing to step down unless Willard takes the throne from him now, while still under the curse himself, thus giving his people a mere choice of oppressors.”
I think it is a good beginning. From an outside perspective, I would focus it like this: “Willard den Skitter, the rightful king of the Rats, falls under a curse which compells his family to steal and hoard. He cannot rule his people justly until he acquires the rare cure for his condition [what stands in his way from getting this easily?]. While seeking the cure, his brotehr Worley seizes the throne. Willard must reclaim his rightful position as king even though doing so subjects his people with only a new oppressor instead of a caring monarch.” In theory, it is all there. Maybe just emphasis why the cure is rare/difficult?
If you are looking for more feedback, come over to our Facebook Group (if you are on Facebook) at AmWritingFantasy . I’d love to see you there too!
Thank you very much for the feedback. I don’t want this to turn into a long back and forth conversation–I don’t think this is the proper medium for that, since it’s your comment section and not mine, plus my email is subscribed. It’s funny because the moment after I clicked “add comment” I thought to myself that I could further pare down the sentences than I did.
And thank you for the specific advice. My biggest concern is that there’s a lot going on that doesn’t come across in that synopsis. What I didn’t mention there will probably serve as background, an external story that these characters are involved with, and that will feel like a major epic, but the focus will probably be more personal with these brothers and their kingdom.
I don’t currently have a Facebook account, but I would definitely welcome more feedback in an appropriate medium. And while I want to have a healthy amount of caution when it comes to social media, I fear I’ve been going too far the other way lately. So I might consider it: my family have Facebook accounts anyway, and my sister belongs to SCBWI (the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators).
You don’t have to reply here with an answer, as I don’t want to dominate your comment section, but the main point is that the cure is only found in one place, treacherously hard to get to, and difficult to get out of (more because no one wants to leave once they’re there), and harder still to get into a second time. Plus the cure won’t work on everyone, and it only lasts so long outside the one place it grows. In short, from the characters’ perspective (which is limited) it’s less reliable than what would be hoped–but there is literally no other cure at all. It’s that or nothing. (I suppose you could say it’s like an inverse of the situation with the One Ring in The Lord of the Rings: there isn’t much hope, only a fool’s hope, but sometimes that’s enough.)
I will try to think about it, and see if I can pare this and your suggestions down to a two-sentence synopsis–and from there, the basic seven-part outline of the story. I’ve already started thinking about the mini-story to begin, and have written a page of rough draft for it. This may not be the actual beginning, but it’s closer than I think I’ve ever been to the right beginning (then again, I’ve said that before, multiple times). My current goal is to start writing this by June 20 this year, the five-year anniversary of the day I came up with an idea for a sequel to my earlier finished story.
Thanks again!
It’s kind of funny how many of these tips I already use now. It’s actually good to know that I’m roughly on the right track lol
I do have a question though. What’s the difference between a main characters and a PoV character?
Hi, Irish! Awesome that you are in the right direction already. Wahoo! And good question. The main character is one who is pivotal to the plot. With most stories, there is only one but you can sometimes tease out two (This would be Frodo in LOTR). Secondary characters are those that help keep the main character alive (everyone else in LOTR). A POV character is one whose viewpoint a scene or chapter is written in. Usually, this is a secondary character or the main character (or the villain!), but sometimes authors throw in a character way down the list as well (bystander at a big event). So the main character is often the POV character but doesn’t have to be and vice versa. I hope this helps to clarify things. 😀
This helps so much! I have a tendency to get bored toward the middle of my manuscript. With that boredom comes a bright new shiny idea that I latch onto and the process repeats without me going back to a previous story. Too many shinies in my brain! So when I get bored again, I’m going to try to outline the next few chapters, interview or write a short story with some of my characters to get the boredom out. I really like those ideas. Thanks!
I’m so glad this helped, Sam! Even at 16 published books, I can still get a bit bored with a book (or series!) and think of something new. So yes, finding ways to stay engaged with the story you have is key. And sometimes it is just being plain old stubborn… ?. Good luck and I think you are ready to tackle that next distracting thought or slow spot!