Fellow Clarion-dude Trent Hergenrader laments:
Don’t you hate it when you’re 70K words into your novel and just then figure out what the book is really about?
Yes I do. But I know Mr. Hergenrader well enough to know he'll figure out where the novel wants to go and follow it. I'm confident he'll do it.
It's frustrating when it happens in a short story as well (although nowhere near as frustrating as it is after 70K words). I'm currently 2,200 words into what I think could be one of my best stories...but I'm stalled.
For me, at least in this situation (and this is probably not the case for Trent), I either do not yet know the main character well enough or am trying to manipulate the story or both. What I've got to do is find out what's at stake for my character, what she wants and what it will cost. Those are all things I thought I knew at the beginning of the story, but I'm not so sure anymore.
I can probably do a free-write on my character, completely unrelated to the story, and just let her talk about what's important to her, what she wants. Often that helps. Or sometimes just letting that character talk on paper to someone else that's not in the story at all. Anything that focuses on the character rather than the situation. Situations can be manipulated. Characters can too, but I think if I just let her speak, she'll probably show me where the story needs to go.
Who said it was easy? Did I hear somebody say it was easy? Where is that guy?
2 comments:
Thanks for the words of encouragement. Even though my statement sounds horribly depressing, I was actually excited. I was writing and writing (and writing) and knew something was kicking around inside all those words but I wasn't sure what it was. Now I have a pretty good idea what I'm trying to say with the whole book, and that means I can thread that through from beginning to end. So while it may be ideal to have a firm grasp to begin with, it beats the hell out of have a book about nothing. :)
Did you experience the same thing with your YA novel?
I did indeed. My first draft was pretty much an exploration, much of which I was able to retain, some of which I abandoned after I figured out what the novel was about.
I think you'll find that the second draft will in some ways move quickly - you'll have a much better idea of what you're after and it will be fairly easy to edit.
I'm going to start my third draft as soon as I get my comments back from the contest. I'm hoping the third draft will be mostly furniture moving and not a complete upheaval.
Keep us posted on your progress!
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