Well, that was an experience. My first NaNoWriMo. I didn't quite make it to the end, but I did give it a red hot go for 25 days out of 30 and achieved 41, 750 words. This (aside from the fact I didn't achieve the ultimate goal of 50K) is a wonderful thing. It's certainly more … Continue reading And that’s a NaNoWriMo wrap
I had a major epiphany while working on my WIP today. I suddenly saw a solution to several problems all at once, and it was utterly thrilling. Very sadly, I was alone in the cafe at that point , my writing companion having disappeared temporarily for an appointment. I must've looked agitated, because the serving … Continue reading The epiphany: a new perspective
Ever since the conclusion of the WriMoFoFo challenge in mid-July, my writing productivity has declined somewhat. This is partially due to the fact that I'm hunting for a job (a time-consuming and mind-numbing process), but mostly due to my decision to edit/revise/expand the opening section of this new novel and the conviction that there has … Continue reading Struck by an IDEA
So, in the previous post I only got as far as the introduction in my summary of the McKee Thriller day. Here is part 2, in which the crime is committed and the protagonist victimised . . . Antagonist is key When writing crime stories, it turns out you always start by creating the perfect … Continue reading Robert McKee Thriller Day – part 2
Being in the early stages of a new novel, I've been thinking a lot about openings and first chapters. They are both essential to get right for different reasons: the opening (first couple of paragraphs) needs to immediately engage the reader, while the first chapter kicks off the story and generally provides the hook. Most writers spend a phenomenal amount … Continue reading Where to start? The first chapter
Ever have one of those nights when your mind is churning churning churning as it nuts out a story? And you turn the light out, because it's time to sleep . . . but then you have another idea and although it feels like you'll remember it in the morning, you know from experience that the chances … Continue reading Ideas in the night
One of the undisputed rules of storytelling is to hurt your characters: the protagonist must either fail to achieve a goal and in so doing make things worse, or achieve that goal at a cost that outweighs the benefit. If the writer is doing it right, in most cases things spiral out of control because … Continue reading Bad decision vs stupid decision
Sometimes there's a scene that is particularly challenging. It may be because there's something not working, or perhaps there's a higher than usual level of complexity. Or it may be that you simply don't know how to solve the specific plot problem that requires solving. This last scenario is when it's good to talk it … Continue reading Talking it out
E V Gregory 