Sequels, Creating Tension and Prioritising

OK, so this post is going to cover a few topics at once, because I want to get them all down now and not have to worry that I'm forgetting points.


Sequels
It seems to today that all (OK, I'm starting to sound like the Family Guy theme) books come as part of a series or trilogy. There aren't as many standalones and writers quite often - to me at least - seem to be churning out sequels just because it's what's done right now.
Is it necessary?
I would say "No!"

You see, the problem with these sequels that seem to come out of the wazoo, is that they really are never as good as the first book. There are exceptions - as there always will be - but often these really are just superfluous and unnecessary. If your first book is good and you don't feel there are any more stories left to tell: Leave. It.
On the other hand, if there are plot points that are still unresolved or characters that you are desperate to explore in more depth, then by all means: keep going.

I've recently decided to add a sequel to my plan.
Remember that second main character that I decided to introduce a while back? Well, her POV is gone from my first novel - which, incidentally, now has 2 completed chapters, several more in progress and a much better plot plan! This decision almost halved my word count and gave me a lot more work to do to get this one right; but it also made things a lot less complicated for the reader, gave my other main character some more space to play - which I think they both deserve a lot more than I was giving them - and is really letting me let loose on some of the things I'd planned not to put in the first novel.

My second main character will have her own story in the sequel, and play just a secondary part in the first book. I have many plans for this second book and no plan yet to add a third because - quite seriously - it doesn't need it - yet (I'm not ruling it out, hehe).


Creating Tension
This is something I have always struggled with, as I like things to all end up happy and my characters to lead simple fulfilling lives. But this doesn't really work if I want people to read my book.

So I've taken a solid piece of writing advice and put my character in the situation they most dread. Don't worry, I have a plan to get her out of it, but for now I'm letting her wallow in all the angst that it's going to cause. She'll have to do a lot of work and develop as a person before she gets a break.

I was originally very tentative about doing this - it not being my usual style - but now that I've done it there are so many possibilities for character arcs, development and things to keep the reader interested.
Do I regret causing my character pain? No way.


Prioritising
I should probably add 'and procrastinating' to that title.

We all struggle with this: what should come first? What am I willing to give up? Why can't I just get my head down and do it? And it's a never-ending problem. There's always something to distract you or stand there with it's hands on its hips saying "You know I'm more important than what you're up to, so get over here and do me!" (is it just me or does that sound a bit dirtier than I meant it to?).

I'm having many of those problems at the moment, not least due to the fact that I am still in school and am currently in the middle of my January exams (which I should really be revising for right now) and yet I am still taking time out of my day, sacrificing sleep, so that I can work on my book. My family don't know, so they can't even help me with finding time (my plan sounds worse and worse all the time doesn't it? But I have really brought it on myself).
Yet, at the same time, I feel like I'm hardly getting anywhere with my book: I may have over 5000 word done, but so what? I'm sure plenty of people have been at it for half as long as me and have three times as much.

It's an uphill battle and one that I'm not always sure I'll win, but so far I'm muscling through it. I know I'm doing so much better than I would have done six month ago and I'm proud of it.
Let's just see where it takes me, eh?

Hope my rant was useful, even if you just think I'm a complete twit.
W-O xxx

Chapter Shuffling

Well, this is something I can say I have a fair amount of experience with.


It's not easy, it's often painful, but it is often necessary to make a book better and the narrative and flow more effective.
Have you ever reached a point where you know that something isn't working, but you love everything you've written and know every point you've made has to go into the final draft? (Oh, the unattainable joys of perfect writing.)
Well, chances are that this little chapter you've put in where Chapter 3 would go would work just as well - if slightly tweaked - as Chapter 5. It may not be nice; having to say to the chapter "Sorry, I can think of something that will fit here better than you." just so you can add in that lovely piece of exposition and add to the tension of you new Chapter 5, but in the end it'll be better for your overall story.

I've had a lot of issues of chapters no longer seeming to fit where they are: whether it's due to a certain piece of information that needs to go beforehand, but it won't fit into any of the previous chapters, or just that the flow isn't working as it is. I said a few posts ago that I had to cut out my prologue: well, now I'm adding it back in - with a lot of editing - as my chapter 2 and shifting my former Chapter 2 to Chapter 4. It's meant a lot of moving things around, but I'm happier with the overall result.


And one more tip:
If you decide to completely cut a chapter, never delete it! Just remove it from your main manuscript and make a note of why you cut it. You never know: it could be used again, much later.

Thanks for reading (I don't really think anyone is, but for some reason I'm still updating)
W-O xxx

Getting Feedback On Your Writing - Betas and Critiquers

We all know that, at some point, we will have to do this. There is no point going ahead if you don't know whether people will like it, or that you writing is definitely good stuff.

The slight difficulty with this - though it should be easy enough - is actually finding people to read your work.
The obvious group of people to go for would be family and friends: that rock in hard times and the people you know (or hope) will love you no matter what, but unfortunately that familiarity is also their downfall. Can you trust them to give unbiased advice?
So, if you're not going for people that you really know, who is left? I've heard many stories of people asking tutors or teachers to read through their stuff, and this seems to go down fairly well. However, there is also a slight uncertainty of honesty and the embarrassment of the teacher not liking what you have.
And then there is that fountain of knowledge and danger: the Internet. We all know how to use it (or if you don't, where have you been?!) but can scarcely ever find exactly what we're looking for. There is the good old-fashioned google search and seeing what comes up, but it usually comes up with sites showing tips on how to find critique partners, rather than people who are really looking for them. And the ones you do find: how do you know they are who they say and can they really give good advice?
It's a bit of a problem, and one that I haven't quite found an answer to yet.

But if you are just looking for a site to get quick and fairly good feedback, there is one that I can recommend. It's not necessarily a sure-fire place to get top quality advice, but it is far from the worst and is definitely a place to find book-lovers: FictionPress.
On this site they have a system for beta-readers set up. Anyone can become a beta so long as they fulfil certain requirements - and therein lies the slight danger - but you are able to select who you send your work to beforehand, by looking at their beta-profiles for their reading preferences and general profiles for some information on the people themselves. These can usually tell you enough about them, for you to be happy for them to read your writing.
They have a secure system for sending files: both parties must agree before a connection to send can be established and you can withdraw your files if you want. Nothing is public unless you decide to announce it.


I already had an account on this site and last week decided to make use of the beta system. I sent off my first chapter to two beta readers I had selected - I seemed to hit the jackpot as far as good readers were concerned - after first checking if they were interested. Within a hour or two I had their feedback with me.
I was particularly looking for if my first chapter was interesting enough to keep people reading, and if the flow was good. Thankfully, they both seemed to enjoy the chapter and wanted to know more; this gave me a nice little boost (I was very hyper for the rest of the evening). One gave me a few tips on flow and how to make things a bit easier on the reader, and they both were able to point out some typos and little mistakes, that I had missed on my read through. One of them also added that it had the potential to be bookshelf material (*squee!!!*).


One word of warning:
Although there are plenty of active betas on the site, there are many who are no longer active, but are still listed as being so. It's a good idea to search their profiles for when they were last on the site, to see if they are still there: I recommend no-one who hasn't been on in at least six months.

Hope this was useful
W-O xx

P.S. If my two betas ever read this and work out who I am: thank you, I love you both!

The Difference Between 'If' And 'When' - Knowing What You Want To Do

Aka. Making The Decision To Write The Darn Book.

Today I'm going to address a problem that has plagued me ever since I decided I liked making up stories and writing them down. I'd always start something and never finish it, despite thinking towards the beginning that I was going to turn it into a book at some point.

This could happen for a number of reasons:

• writers' block (which I could never be bothered to get over when I was younger),
• lack of time for writing (still a problem even now - but a less substantial one),
• losing confidence in the story (a frequent problem),
• not actually having an idea for an ending (believe me you need one or you'll just end up floundering around until you run out of steam)
• or just running out of ideas.

The main one however was the lack of drive that I had. OK, I'd thought I may make a novel out of it and I always initially thought my ideas were good ones, but I never just said to myself "Right. No more mucking around; I am actually going to make a good go of this and get this thing finished." This was the problem: because if you're not sure if you're really going to do it, then no-one else can take that step for you.
I had this problem even up until less than a year ago: I had an idea and I was thinking "Yeah, I'm not a child any more, maybe I could make a go of this." but I never truly made the decision to take it seriously and that project failed like all the others.

It's no use going over in your head what could happen if you do publish it, because that's all it will be: just vague imaginings. However, if you think in terms of what could happen when you get it published; it means there is no uncertainty in your own head and though the thoughts of what could happen are still just ramblings of your creative mind, they are still a whole lot more likely to happen than when you're thinking in terms of ifs.

I know I can already see the difference between this project and the others.
Most of the others I never got much past starting chapter one or two and and having a vague idea of what's going to happen next.
This time I have nearly two chapters finished and several more on the go, plus pages and pages of planning, background and character profiles, not to mention several different notebooks all for different purposes - be them name ideas or just jotting random things down.
And another project (a fanfiction if you must know) done in a similar way to this now has eighteen completed chapters and the next close to completion, and with a definite plan of what's to come.

As you can see: much better.


So, how about you? Do you know this is definitely what is going to happen? Will you finish it, get it published and never look back?

Now, everything I've said here may not apply to you at all and you may be able to rattle off a book without really thinking about without even realising it's happening- and if you can please can you tell me your secret - but I think for, most of us, we all need to have that drive and know what we want to do.
Thoughts?


Well, that's my rant for today over with.
Hope it was enjoyed
W-O xxx