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Pastor Rick
The Reeve
Registered: 07-2005
Location: Texas
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Re: Contemplations
I have been asked by my local group how much longer my project is going to take. I decided to treat their question like I would treat a business project. That is what it will be when I start the editing process and try and get my novel published.
Worst case scenario deadline to finish the first draft: September 20, 2017.
Best case scenario deadline to finish the first draft: August 23, 2017.
That gives a 29-day window between the two dates. I am targeting the end of August for the completion of the first draft. That would give me 3 months of editing time to meet my original NaNo November to November goal that I started with.
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6/13/2017, 1:13 pm
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Joxcenia
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Re: Contemplations
quote: Pastor Rick wrote:
I have been thinking about it and have decided that I need to pay more attention to my "government" subplot in my story. Not to the extent of bringing it into a major role but more like an undercurrent role that readers will recognize in my sequel to the current project.
I am putting it off until I start the "first draft edit" process because I want to finish the main story first.
... hmm ... I think that's called 'subtext?' Not sure. You can Google it and see what you learn. I'm sure Firlefanz can also give you more information on it.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Fiction+Writing+Articles+Writing+Subtext
[Edit]
NOPE ... It seems I got it confused with something else.
Oooh! Subplot. I think that's what I was trying to say.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Fiction+Writing+Articles+Writing+Subplots
[/Edit]
Last edited by Pastor Rick, 7/20/2017, 1:31 pm
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6/14/2017, 5:29 am
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Pastor Rick
The Reeve
Registered: 07-2005
Location: Texas
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Re: Contemplations
I think my biggest hold up in June was the realization that keeping the government's plot a secret "background antagonist" wasn't going to work. Peter was brought back from earlier appearances in the story as an unintended hero who discovered the "smoking gun" allowing the story to move forward.
I had several unusual and minor events in my story that work well as either "transit effects" or "sabotage events" so I spent a lot of time going through the story to determine what was what and who was involved. This process has helped me discover just who the good and bad guys were so I could plot out the reveals and confrontations inside the story as it moves forward.
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7/1/2017, 2:19 pm
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Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
Registered: 05-2003
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Re: Contemplations
Love this. You got a lot of clarity out of this, and your novel will be much better for it.
Well done!
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7/2/2017, 2:56 pm
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Pastor Rick
The Reeve
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Re: Contemplations
I fought the subplot, and I think it was a tie! I wasn't able to put that bit totally back in its place, but I think I managed to stop it from taking over the story.
I so want to finish the novel so that I can do my first full "read through."
The original idea of keeping the "bubble transit drive" as a computer programming thingy is looking weak to me now. So when I start the first read through I will be looking for places to make the BT drive a combination projector and computer piece of equipment.
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7/20/2017, 1:25 pm
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Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
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Re: Contemplations
Yay for a tie.
(And grrrr. Smilies highjacked by Photobucket. Will shift them out now.)
I think you're doing quite a good job. And the read-through will tell you which plot is more important.
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7/21/2017, 9:09 am
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Pastor Rick
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Re: Contemplations
My "Story Bible" is now at 4,789 words (15 pages single-spaced with a 12 point font).
Why do character interactions take so many words to describe? A mere bump and apology event in my story is taking forever!!!!
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7/29/2017, 3:56 pm
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Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
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Re: Contemplations
That depends on how much you want to use those characters. A throw-away character doesn't need a detailed description. And readers don't want one, either.
So be easy on yourself.
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7/30/2017, 8:51 am
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Pastor Rick
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Re: Contemplations
My how things change! My original story line was set for the 50k word mark but was missing a few things. Expanding the story to 85k seemed like a near impossibility but doable. The missing things in my story now show me my 1st draft is going to go past the 85k mark but the novel will be less than 100k (double what I thought I was going to write). I didn't think about sequels when I started, I just wanted to keep a promise to myself.
Now I am seriously contemplating a sequel and I have ideas for book length stories in three other writing genres! Wish me luck.
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8/14/2017, 2:04 pm
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Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
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Re: Contemplations
Aha!
The writing bug has infected you, quite clearly.
I'm very happy you're writing and enjoying it. Much luck for all your stories.
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8/15/2017, 7:07 am
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Pastor Rick
The Reeve
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Re: Contemplations
This morning I just basked in the glow of yesterdays discoveries. I wanted to add to them before going to church but something is holding me back.
I edited a song on my hymnbook project and looked at my story again but still have no idea on what to do.
Okay, I added some more smilies in my Design Elements/rbbt.net project and looked again. Nope, nothing there yet!
I rescued a board where I do have admin powers, replacing the old Photobucket graphics with images hosted on rbbt.net and looked again. Still nothing!
This is crazy! I do know what comes next so that isn't the problem, my mind just isn't allowing me to proceed. I will work through this today but I wonder what the deal is, why am I not able to add to my story this morning? What changed between last night and today to cause this? If I figure it out I'll let you know.
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8/20/2017, 2:01 pm
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Pastor Rick
The Reeve
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Re: Contemplations
And the problem turned out to be the thoughts of a character. Here she is, a woman married less than a year looking at the planet the ship is going to. Her mind starts assigning colors to the world like Aquamarine and Beryl gem stones and then I have her pull up a 500+-year-old antique pencil eraser to indicate how large the world looked from so far away! Mona, the character in question said: "no way am I letting you get away with that non-sequitur!" Look at me, use your brain, what am I wearing that matches the other "gem related" thoughts you have me thinking? Well, the answer to that is obvious, she has a wedding ring now and it just so happens that a one-carat round diamond is almost an exact size match to that #2 pencil eraser! I fixed that and then I could continue with my story.
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8/21/2017, 5:07 am
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Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
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Re: Contemplations
Actually, that is awesome. It means your writing brain has now been trained to recognize those non-sequiturs and blocks you until you fix it. Very good!
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8/21/2017, 7:40 am
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Pastor Rick
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Re: Contemplations
I am coming close to finishing my first draft, and I know it isn't ready for publication. I push on to finish, but I feel odd.
It is not butterflies. It is more like how I felt when as a 10-year-old kid I looked down from the high board for the first time. I am terrified of taking that next step and falling towards the water! I discovered I could do it as a kid, and it was fun but that first time? I turned around like a spinning top on that diving board for what seemed like forever before I took the plunge. This is where I am with my first book project. It is scary and exciting at the same time. Do you remember that time? Are you where I am?
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9/25/2017, 3:21 pm
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Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
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Re: Contemplations
*hugs*
Yes. That's rather normal. After all, you're doing something you haven't ever done before, like jumping from that board. It's the feeling of facing the unknown.
I think the journey from manuscript to book is doable and not too hard. But you don't know that in your bones, because you haven't been there.
Take it step by little step.
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9/26/2017, 6:54 am
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Pastor Rick
The Reeve
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Re: Contemplations
I changed my November 2016 posting to introduce a major character in my story sooner and changed the pov so that the story deals with ongoing events more than with the musings of Jame's as he goes to an "after party" dinner.
Activity is better than an introspective narration, right?
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9/26/2017, 2:11 pm
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Joxcenia
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Re: Contemplations
quote: Pastor Rick wrote:
Activity is better than an introspective narration, right?
I think that depends on the importance of the event/info. If the event/information needs to be known, but it isn't important enough to waste time on it, then it can be mentioned briefly offhand.
And congratulations on nearing the end point of draft one.
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9/26/2017, 8:39 pm
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Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
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Re: Contemplations
I think the difference can be called "show, don't tell".
In the first version, you told the reader what was happening, somewhat disguised as interior monologue of a character.
In the second version, you showed us what was going on, still from the PoV of one character (I think).
For readers, it's always more fun to "see" what's going on.
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9/27/2017, 6:50 am
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Pastor Rick
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Re: Contemplations
The second version is still from one character's pov and I can see work being done when the real "edit" phase begins.
What I did was the minimum needed to switch from one style to the other before getting back to writing the story.
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9/27/2017, 2:24 pm
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Pastor Rick
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Re: Contemplations
I created a new name for an asteroid in my story today. I took the phonic spelling of French word that means "half a cup of coffee" and came up with Demitas. I like the sound, it looks right as the name for a small moon.
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10/7/2017, 5:54 pm
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Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
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Re: Contemplations
That sounds quite nice.
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10/9/2017, 6:44 am
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Pastor Rick
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Re: Contemplations
Tryingtowrite has revealed a significant weakness in my writing style which is a good thing. The online critiques break things down into numbers that indicate my story has the potential to be an excellent one. But the weakness in my character interactions has the power to kill readers interest before they read the story. So I need to learn how to correct my deficiency or take a co-author into my editing process.
I would like to do both for my Transit books because the goal of being published remains and from where I stand right now I am looking at two or three years before my skill set catches up with my story.
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11/23/2017, 3:16 pm
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Firlefanz
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Re: Contemplations
I would see a co-author as the last resort. I've done it once, and it can be very tricky and difficult. Doing it on your own will be easier. If you want to go with a co-author, set up a contract.
In order to improve your writing:Try to read a lot of dialog. Look at how other authors you admire handle the interactions. Get a sense for smooth integration of dialog and action.
You can do this.
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11/23/2017, 4:05 pm
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Joxcenia
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Re: Contemplations
Instead of a co-writer, perhaps what you really need is an editor? Once you've reworked the MS a few times on your own, and you have it where you don't think you can improve upon it any more. You can research editors and find a good one for the price you like best.
I've read that you shouldn't get critiques on a first draft ... that it's best to wait until you have reworked it a few times. But, some writers, who edit as they go, probably don't need to do that. And some writers are just able to do a finer first draft than others. (This is why I haven't read your WIP yet. I was waiting until you've reworked it a few times. Plus, I'm not much of a sci-fi fan, so I'm not sure I am the right fit to critique your WIP.)
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11/23/2017, 11:30 pm
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Pastor Rick
The Reeve
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Re: Contemplations
I think you are correct Jox. I have a weakness when it comes to character interactions, and it sometimes wears on me. An editor of some kind could help me figure out how to improve in that area.
I wonder why a scene in my sequel feels more like it should be the opening scene than the one I wrote to be the opening scene! Is this normal? It didn't happen to me in my first book, so it feels odd.
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11/25/2017, 3:31 pm
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Joxcenia
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Re: Contemplations
Books on writing that I've read claim that sometimes writers start the story with info they need, but not the reader. Sometimes those starts need to be cut, or inserted in other parts of the story.
Perhaps you started the story too soon for the final draft? Maybe you need to cut that part during editing? Just leave it and let it settle until you're ready to rework it. You might have a better grasp on how to fix it.
Last edited by Joxcenia, 11/25/2017, 11:47 pm
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11/25/2017, 11:47 pm
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Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
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Re: Contemplations
It happens.
Questions: Do you need the current first scene? Does it grip a reader, does it create curiosity?
Does the other scene do that? Can you share the information of the current first scene later on?
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11/27/2017, 10:06 am
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tryingtowrite
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Re: Contemplations
Hey you've got this P.R.! These skills just come with practice. I could post my first attempts at a novel so you could see how good you're doing. (Although the embarrassment would be huge.)
I'm with Firle, pick apart books you like to find out why they work for you. Perhaps you have someone that could act out the scenes with you? That might give you an idea of how the conversation flows.
You've written a novel which is more than most people can say. Just keep writing and you'll get there.
I've heard that about critiques as well, Jox, and like you say it all depends on the writer. I actually don't read much SiFi either , but am hoping I can help P.K. with story mechanics and leave the mathy stuff for someone who knows it.
Last edited by tryingtowrite, 12/5/2017, 12:04 pm
--- I'd procrastinate now, but it would be easier tomorrow.
A fantasy tongue twister: Sputtering silver sliver Sphinxes spit splinters.
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12/5/2017, 12:34 am
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Pastor Rick
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Re: Contemplations
As I am writing "Transit Promises" I find myself wondering about characters I left in the Moka star system. Their story is worth a book (Transit Survival).
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12/5/2017, 2:45 pm
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Firlefanz
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Re: Contemplations
It is.
And I have a feeling even that won't be your last book. That writing bug has you in its claws.
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12/6/2017, 8:48 am
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