I had an idea, and wanted to know what you all thought....

SeanDSchaffer · Jan 17, 2006

Hello,

I have been having trouble with my present WIP. It's just plain too short, as well as poorly written.

I'm working now on the writing part, but the question of making it longer has been a daunting question to me.

I came up with an idea, but wanted to know the opinions of other writers as to how well it would work.

I have three sub-plots within my work. I got the idea to write three separate 'books' if you will and then weave them together to form a larger, more complex, and I'm hoping more interesting, completed work.

I've already written out one sub-plot's outline, but what do you all think? Is this a good idea? Is it a waste of my time? What do you all think of writing each sub-plot as a volume all its own to weave together with two other sub-plots to make a completed work?

I appreciate any and all answers you might be able to give me, and I look forward to reading them.

Thanks.

aruna · Jan 17, 2006

I love the idea.
One of my favourite writers is Susan Howatch, and she did just that. She has a series of books called "teh Starbridge Novels", and each one takes up a thread from the book before it, focuses on a character who was a minor character in that book, and makes him'her the lead. There are six books in the series, and it makes for very compelling reading. Once you've read one you wnat to read all the others. I'd say go ahead!

Kevin Yarbrough · Jan 18, 2006

I don't see why it wouldn't work, Sean. I have heard of authors who write chapters of their books, in no particular order, and keep them all in seperate folders and then put them together in the end. That is what you will be doing.

SeanDSchaffer · Jan 18, 2006

Cool! I was wondering what everyone thought about the idea.

I'm actually finding that taking my chapters and working on them in no particular order really does make the work somewhat more easy and fun to do. That way I can worry about the hard stuff at a later time (and here I am, the dude who's always telling people I like to get the hard stuff done first! What is the world coming to?)

I appreciate the feedback to my question. I was worried that it wouldn't turn out all that good, but now as I've written four sections to this work, I've added 5,000 words to my present WIP that were not there before. I think that is epic, especially since previously the finished product was only 44,500 words long (using the 250 word-counting method).

So I think I'll continue this trend. The only thing I'm not really looking forward to is transcribing everything from my typewritten pages to the computer. That will be oh! so much fun. (Sarcasm)

Anyhow, I'd best get going. I have a lot to do today, and for once it doesn't have anything to do with the computer. I'll talk to you all later, and I hope you all have a great day.

Cathy C · Jan 18, 2006

What you're considering is what's called a "braided" plot or "multiple arc" plot. A book with a single plot is a "straight-line" story. Braided plots are common in genres such as romance, where BOTH the romance plot arc and mystery, intrigue or paranormal plot arc have to have equal billing. This is more difficult than it sounds, because both arcs have to make sense and not just run down primrose paths to a dead end. Most all of the books that I write have braided plots. The thing you have to be careful with is not to give too much "oomph" to the subplots. They always have to tie back in (braid) to the main plot in some fashion, over and over. So, yes -- you can have three stories, but there has to be a connecting thread that advances the main plotline in some fashion without distracting from it.

Here's an example I give in workshops. Let's say that your character lives in New Orleans and it's right before Hurricane Katrina hits. The "coming storm" forms the beginning of the plot. It's the CRISIS that can't be averted. It looms on the horizon and as it gets closer, the pace picks up. The ending of the book is the RESOLUTION, or the aftermath when they return home. The "braids" are trying to fit the crisis within the context of real life: boarding up the windows (and trying to find lumber at the stores), stocking up on water and food, gathering precious belongings, getting the car ready, etc. Then the drive north in agonizing slowness. A man with an "about to deliver" pregnant wife is standing next to a car with a blown motor. Does the character play good samaritan and pick them up? BRAID #1. Dealing with the pregnancy of a woman the character doesn't even know is a braid. Maybe the character rescues a small dog that panicked and jumped out of a truck bed that turned in the opposite direction. BRAID #2. Reuniting the dog with its owner (or even keeping it) is a braid. They all tie back with the crisis and resolve when the book does. These are subplots that keep the interest up, and each creates new problems. They can be as big or small as you wish. Other people's problems often become ours in real life, despite our best efforts (and sometimes BECAUSE of our best efforts). But the pregnancy and the dog aren't BIGGER than the storm. It's still the overriding fear in the minds of the reader and as it gets worse, so do the subplots. But they're always just a bit less.

Does that make sense? Good luck!

Julie Worth · Jan 18, 2006

I always braid plot lines together, but I do it on the fly. Could this work, developing the strands separately? Well, why not? Didn’t William Burroughs cut up a novel and paste it together, publishing it as the Naked Lunch? It that worked, this would be a breeze.

TheIT · Jan 18, 2006

Sounds like the Celtic Knotwork analogy from the "Learn Writing with Uncle Jim" thread. You might want to look there for more ideas.

SeanDSchaffer · Jan 18, 2006

Cathy C said:
What you're considering is what's called a "braided" plot or "multiple arc" plot. A book with a single plot is a "straight-line" story. Braided plots are common in genres such as romance, where BOTH the romance plot arc and mystery, intrigue or paranormal plot arc have to have equal billing. This is more difficult than it sounds, because both arcs have to make sense and not just run down primrose paths to a dead end. Most all of the books that I write have braided plots. The thing you have to be careful with is not to give too much "oomph" to the subplots. They always have to tie back in (braid) to the main plot in some fashion, over and over. So, yes -- you can have three stories, but there has to be a connecting thread that advances the main plotline in some fashion without distracting from it.

Here's an example I give in workshops. Let's say that your character lives in New Orleans and it's right before Hurricane Katrina hits. The "coming storm" forms the beginning of the plot. It's the CRISIS that can't be averted. It looms on the horizon and as it gets closer, the pace picks up. The ending of the book is the RESOLUTION, or the aftermath when they return home. The "braids" are trying to fit the crisis within the context of real life: boarding up the windows (and trying to find lumber at the stores), stocking up on water and food, gathering precious belongings, getting the car ready, etc. Then the drive north in agonizing slowness. A man with an "about to deliver" pregnant wife is standing next to a car with a blown motor. Does the character play good samaritan and pick them up? BRAID #1. Dealing with the pregnancy of a woman the character doesn't even know is a braid. Maybe the character rescues a small dog that panicked and jumped out of a truck bed that turned in the opposite direction. BRAID #2. Reuniting the dog with its owner (or even keeping it) is a braid. They all tie back with the crisis and resolve when the book does. These are subplots that keep the interest up, and each creates new problems. They can be as big or small as you wish. Other people's problems often become ours in real life, despite our best efforts (and sometimes BECAUSE of our best efforts). But the pregnancy and the dog aren't BIGGER than the storm. It's still the overriding fear in the minds of the reader and as it gets worse, so do the subplots. But they're always just a bit less.

Does that make sense? Good luck!

Yeah, that's actually what I was planning on doing. You see, when I originally wrote the work, one of my subplots (braids, as you called them) never really developed properly. All the braids had to do with the main story, but were plots unto themselves as well. Two of the sub-plots have been developed fairly well; they'll be pretty easy, in my estimation, to fill out. But the one I'm working on right now deals with two characters that are an integral part of the main story itself. Yet their sub-plot is nowhere near developed enough.

That's why I thought about writing three separate 'books,' as it were. That way I can fully develop the characters in the reader's mind and give them a reason for their actions in the climax of the main story.

This thread has definitely been informational for me. I appreciate everyone's answers.

SeanDSchaffer · Jan 18, 2006

TheIT said:
Sounds like the Celtic Knotwork analogy from the "Learn Writing with Uncle Jim" thread. You might want to look there for more ideas.

I might just do that. Thank you kindly for the advice.

aruna · Jan 18, 2006

To me, there are two seperate issues here. For me, a typical "braid" would be my own first novel, Of Marriageable Age. It has three completely seperate stories, hooked on to three separate characters; they are so seperate they livein different continents, different decades! And they seem to have no connection to each other. These three stories alternate,. and slowly the reader begins to see that there IS a connection - and tries to figure it out. The braid, which is invisible at first, becomes tighter as the story progresses, and finally there are no three stories but only one, as the the three strands of the braid merge and become one.

The example I mentions, Susan Howatch's books, are not braided in this way. The first book is complete in itself, though it does have subplots. For the second book, she takes one of the characters from the first book, and writes a story based on him - develops a subplot, if you like. But this story, subplot, is totally independent of the first. And so it continues for six books. Each book is a stand alone; they are connected, but not co-dependent.
In the case of my own book, none of the strands of the braid could stand alone, nor could I write them as a seperate book - they are co-dependent.

I suppose there are many ways of doing this. Whatever - it's all interesting, I think, as it keeps you curious and wanting to read more.

I had an idea, and wanted to know what you all thought....

SeanDSchaffer

aruna

On a wing and a prayer

Kevin Yarbrough

Will write for peace of mind

SeanDSchaffer

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

Julie Worth

What? I have a title?

TheIT

Infuriatingly Theoretical

SeanDSchaffer

SeanDSchaffer

aruna

On a wing and a prayer