NaNoWriMo - 1/4 of the way - How do you write? In chapters or scenes?

Well here we are, 1/4 of the way through NaNoWriMo. With the outline I have, I'm ready for my second story spark, which sets off the action into the next 1/4 of my story. I must say it feels strange to be working with a loose outline instead of just a vague story idea, but my story is still developing well as I write. How about you?

This NaNo I've been writing in scenes instead of chapters, because in a first draft who knows where a chapter ends/begins? It is one of the first things to be rearranged in a revision and takes so much time.


So I don't know exactly how it happened but I've been writing scenes - SCENE - POV - PLACE - TIME etc like in a movie script with END OF SCENE. A great way to keep track of POV as I can get confusing with this I'm told. This also helps when I don't have a fully-fleshed outline for my story - I know I want a scene about this or that, so I'll be able to put them together when I want in the future when I get the sequencing right.


Clarissa Draper over at Listen to the Voices posted about writing in scenes recently. Go to this direct link to read her great post - ahem, not yet, how about finishing mine first?

If you're still here, I like Clarissa's movie talk. Think about it - a director doesn't shoot movie scenes in order - he/she just knows the scenes he/she wants - so do I. However, I missed the vital part that Clarissa inserted into the mix - acting out your scenes. Hmm, I can see that's a great idea when no one's around! Thankfully I don't have many people in a scene so far.
 
So when I write a scene I get enthused, asking myself what will the next scene look like?
 Clarissa's advice is to act out the scene yourself. Take on the character roles, spouting their lines. Clarissa says: 'Move around. You'll be surprised how quickly you cut out the unnecessary characters - especially if the scene involves dancing or running a marathon.'

Yeah, I totally get it Clarissa. Think I'll keep my characters sitting around drinking...something...


Wouldn't it be great if the book you write this way is picked up for a movie? Easier to see its potential for film if the scenes are tight and fast moving.

Happy writing all and I hope I've helped someone today...

Denise

This post is part of the NaNoWriMo blogline. Go here to read more NaNo stories...

Blogfeast below: This entry - Writing Compelling Characters Blogfest

Thanks to Elana Johnson, Alex J Cavanaugh and Jennifer Daiker for their blogfest, Writing Compelling Characters. I only heard about it a day ago, so my entry may be no great shakes, but I'm sure the hundreds of other entries will be amazing. There is much to learn.

                                                         

WRITING COMPELLING CHARACTERS


As John Gardner says in his book, Creating Fiction, characters are the first reason readers read a book, therefore they must be alive and three dimensional, in other words, compelling.


How do we make our characters compelling? Aristotle, writing 2,000 years ago, wrote that sound characterisation was founded on four principals:

Aristotle thinking

1. good (morally worthy and sympathetic)
2. appropriate (representative of their sex, class or age)
3. lifelike, and
4. consistent

Do you think Aristotle's list is still relevant?

I'm no Aristotle, but I have a list too:

1. They must relate somehow to the real world, while at the same time be larger than life.
2. They must be believable - they must be written as convincing and consistent.
3. They must be fully fleshed, motivated, interesting.
4. Characters must speak with the right voice, often the most difficult part.
5. Let the characters face the expected, but also the unexpected to bring depth.
6. Let the characters reveal themselves through believable exchanges with other characters.
7. Minor characters have their place. They are not so important in a short story, but in a novel minor characters help move the plot along, bolster the main theme, add layers of suggestion. A good writer always uses minor characters well as they keep an eye out for their potential in the story. We've all heard cases where the minor characters take over the story, demanding a bigger role.
8. Take maximum advantage of brief moments in your story to let your characters shine.
9. Even if your character is a monster, they should/might/ have a soft spot, a crack in their armour.
10. Finally, if your readers don't care about your characters, they won't bother reading on. Make your characters sparkle, make them capable of change.

Okay, there you have 10 tips from me.

I always like to do an exercise. Here's one if you wish to work on your characterisation:

Recall someone you met briefly but who made a strong impression on you. Write everything you can about that person and the encounter you shared. Describe their dress, speech, the place, the weather, the scents, the discussion you had.

Then imagine that person stands up from your meeting and walks away. Where is he/she going? What did he/she think about? Who was the next person he/she met? What happened?

Let yourself go. Write quickly without stopping, then pause to examine where you've gone. How does the character you developed differ from the real-life person who inspired him/her? 

Plot Ideas, Characters, Wordy Details

A short paraphrase from a recent Pep Talk from Gail Carson Levine (author of Ella Enchanted) revving up NaNo writers:

When you run out of plot ideas, write about setting and what each character is wearing, in exquisite wordy detail. When you run out of setting and apparel, write about the voice quality of each speaker, speech mannerisms, facial ticks, body language. Hey! That sounds like me on a good day!

Now that I've cleverly downloaded the word count widget from NaNo Fun Stuff, I don't have to be so pedantic about my progress. Saturday I was a bit of a social butterfly for once, so only got about 700 words written and I've decided my brain is going to hurt if I don't take a day off, so Sunday I wrote zilch. I also gave the local Write In the flick. My fingers itched every time I looked at the computer but I stuck to my guns. I confess I had a bit of a play with my blogs etc.

I'm pretty happy how my story is going, but I have a love triangle coming up and I don't know who the heroine is going to end up with. Hmmm. I hope they can sort it out.

Happy writing everyone!

Questions to ask yourself about your novel

Day Three 3/11 - Tuesday - Words 2874 (9336)
Day Four 4/11 - Wednesday - Words 1771 (11,107)


A very useful little set of notes came my way courtesy of my local Nano region. They are good to check every now and then.

1. Character

• How can I make the actions/reactions of the characters believable?
• Have I provided enough background to understand the characters?

2. Setting

• How can I make the setting contribute to the tone, theme, plot of the narrative?

3. Plot

• How can I make the plot believable?
• Do the characters have a significant role in the plot?
• How can I make the plot fresh and original?

4. Theme

• What larger issues do I want readers to think about as a result of my novel?

5. Dialogue

• Is the dialogue natural?
• Does the dialogue develop the characters and plot?
• Does the dialogue show action?

Notes from Book in a Month, by Vl Schmidt and Writing for Emotional Impact, by K. Iglesias