Have you ever?

charlotte49ers · Oct 15, 2009

Started two separate stories, then realized that they really needed to be combined? Because that happened to me tonight. I realized I liked the plot of one better, but the MC of the other. So, now I'm putting them together. I hope I'm not totally screwing them both up.

I'm not erasing either till I'm sure, but I need some reassurance that I'm not insane. :Wha:

This whole writing thing is so stressful. lol

Drice · Oct 15, 2009

According to the rules, you can do anything you like. And if it works all the better.

aadams73 · Oct 15, 2009

Yes, I have. In my case it was a matter of realizing that one was a subplot of the other.

charlotte49ers · Oct 15, 2009

aadams73 said:
Yes, I have. In my case it was a matter of realizing that one was a subplot of the other.

YES! That's exactly it!

I feel much better.

And yeah, I like rules that say I can do what I want.

MDei · Oct 15, 2009

aadams73 said:
Yes, I have. In my case it was a matter of realizing that one was a subplot of the other.

It wasn't really a subplot, more like a sub-idea. I couldn't get the idea to expand into a plot so I put it with another novel that was lacking.

bearilou · Oct 16, 2009

Yes. That's what has happened to my current WiP. I had an idea. I thought it was pretty good but it needed...something. As that was mulling around in my head, another idea for another book hit me. Still, it felt incomplete.

While pondering that it occurred to me that the two ideas could be combined and the second one actually took care of my current problem in the first one.

I think it will work quite well. At least, that's what I'm hoping.

The Lonely One · Oct 16, 2009

I've had the opposite happen, where from a complex universe I was able to pick and choose the most interesting characters and stories and separate them.

But what you've described isn't unheard of. I'm almost certain I've seen similar threads on AW, and I'm sure it's bound to happen to a number of us the more we write and plot.

No reason not to do it, like others have said. Go for it!

Jcomp · Oct 16, 2009

Very interesting topic. I haven't quite had that happen to me, but I've had minor, semi-comic-relief characters in an Sci-Fi story I was writing become so cool and interesting (in my eyes) that I abandoned the SF story and transplanted them into a modern, crime / techno-thriller trilogy I've been working on for a while...

Red-Green · Oct 16, 2009

This happened to me, as I had two characters with very different lives, living in different worlds. At one point, I realized their lives actually intersected, so I had to pretty much scrap everything previous to that moment, and write from that moment of intersection. It also turned the book into an urban fantasy, as there was no other way to explain these two characters meeting up. Oddly enough, it all worked.

JamieFord · Oct 16, 2009

As long as the endings aren't competing, you're probably in great shape. And the story will probably be better for it.

charlotte49ers · Oct 16, 2009

Thanks for your input, guys! I hope this works as well on paper as I'm seeing it in my head... lol

Freelancer · Oct 18, 2009

Charlotte. You're not insane at all. My present franchise was born from three of my previous, half ready works as I realized if I pull them together, they're giving a unique story and what is more important, endless world. All three works had quite different genre (Spiritual Fantasy / Drama, Sci-Fi / Psycho-Thriller, Sitcom Comedy), had quite different stories, but somehow each of them had common points, which gave the chance to merge them. In my case each of them had the very same two main characters (Only their family name was different) and one unique, but major trait, which applied in all. And now after the merge, I have a franchise, which is using all traits, all genre (Which is giving me an ultimate freedom) and I can work characters that I really love, that I really know.

So if it's going to help your WIP, I would suggest to do this, because it can do a miracle. In my case, this merging is made a miracle and a brand new, fresh and unique world was born on this way. Consider it as a major expansion, a great upgrade of your WIP.

Caitlin Black · Oct 18, 2009

I'm reminded of a bit of advice I read on this forum about a week ago. Now, I don't know the exact wording, but the gist was: "Never hold onto an idea for later use. If you've got it now, use it now. It'll all work out in the end."

I take that to mean that if it's at all possible, merging ideas should be a natural thing. I had 2 or 3 different ideas running around my head about non-my-saga-books, and since I've only written a few thousand words of each, it was easy for me to then realise, "Hey, this can all work as 1 book." Then I had another idea that could be a sequel, so I don't think you'll ever be lacking for ideas, so that premise shouldn't hold you back from merging your ideas. Now, my sequel idea isn't as fleshed out, but by the time (a long time from now, presumably...) I'm ready to write it, I'm sure I'll have a bunch of other ideas, one or more which can merge with this sequel idea.

Use it if you got it. Or: "Don't spread yourself too thin."

Laptoponthecouch · Oct 19, 2009

I wrote a screenplay just after I'd graduated from school a while back, and came to realize later that it was complete trash. I really loved the two main characters, though, and I was able to salvage them and their basic relationship and write a novel around them - with a completely different story - instead.

TheIT · Oct 19, 2009

Yes. When I got stuck working on my first novel attempt, I decided to work on something different. I created a brand-new character which was closer to my background and was trying to figure out what to do with her when I asked myself what if she was one of my other character's teachers. I'm finishing up the second draft of the novel that epiphany spawned.

L.C. Blackwell · Oct 19, 2009

Ooh, boy, have I had that happen! I love it, too: it's one of those "Yes, it finally works" moments. Interesting, but sometimes more challenging is when I realize that I'm trying to cram two stories into one, and--um, it probably needs to be two books. But I'm not sure yet. :e2writer:

charlotte49ers · Oct 20, 2009

I think you are so right because I feel like the story is going to be a lot stronger now, so yay! I was in the beginnings of both, so luckily, I'm not losing a ton. Thanks, y'all!

DrZoidberg · Oct 20, 2009

I do it all the time. My published novel is two separate ideas for novels, and countless cannibalised short stories.

Have you ever?

charlotte49ers

let it snow

Drice

aadams73

A Work in Progress

charlotte49ers

let it snow

MDei

Not a rich author yet, but I'm here

bearilou

DenturePunk writer

The Lonely One

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

Jcomp

Red-Green

KoalaKoalaKoala!

JamieFord

giving resonant directions

charlotte49ers

let it snow

Freelancer

Caitlin Black

Wild one

Laptoponthecouch

TheIT

Infuriatingly Theoretical

L.C. Blackwell

Keeper of Fort Blanket

charlotte49ers

let it snow

DrZoidberg

aka TomOfSweden