Teens Writing for Teens, the 5th

Haha, that's awesome.

*snicker*

Heheh.

Even though I don't know who the dude on the bottom is.

The one on the bottom is George RR Martin of A Song of Ice and Fire fame, whose wholesale character slaughtering makes the Battle of Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows look like a Sunday stroll. Imagine if Harry had died in the first book, and move on from there.

Zoombie said:

MG is good for 12-14 though!

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Don't think it's an MG book, unless there's such a thing as edgy middle grade?

Zoombie said:

Teehee

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I love it.

As I understand it, middle grade is actually getting lighter and sweeter as young adult gets darker and edgier.

Oh. Haha. Now it's really funny!

Hmmm.... Weird or What has me reading up on the Voynich Manuscript.

Hey, guys.

Hi

It's trés quiet here.

TRL used to be MG.

Now it's five books long. Hailey goes from 15-19, Ella goes from 16-20, and Hayden goes from 17-21.

hey everyone hows it going?

Hey Ally! Not much is going on. I just figured out why the novel I've been wanting to write will never work.

Hey! I dont know why you think it wont work but, any idea can work! Your the author make it work if you want to write it.

So why do you believe it doesnt work?

I think the problem is I'm too inexperienced as a writer to deal with it. Each character has their own plot, their own back story, their own subplots. And I have about...2 main characters, 2 major characters, and 2 minor characters, and they each have their own story which needs to be told.

...I have no idea how to merge together all their stories in a coherent novel. :C

So long story short, I have too much going on and I don't know how to break it down.

You can do it, Kea. The thing with figuring out exactly what's wrong with a novel is it also makes it easier to fix.

That's where intense planning comes in! Experience has nothing to do with it, it helps granted, but if you come up with the idea you can pull it off!

Aww thanks guys for the encouragement! <3

Does anyone know any good tips for planning and breaking up a novel? Because clearly, I'm not doing a very good job at it. I know what scenes absolutely must be included in the novel, but I'm not sure how to connect any of them.

That would be Para's area of expertise. I am a very firm pantser and, as such, fail epically at planning.

now I'm just a little confused, are all these people friends? Complete strangers or what?

Well, this is where it gets confusing. XD The character relations.

Two characters are twin sister and brother. They are the main characters.

then the major characters are the people they wind up in a relationship with.

Of course, the sister has it a bit more complicated because she has a few relationships throughout the novel. >.<

and then the minor characters are the eventual kids that come about. They aren't really seen until the end. Well, Evelyn (the sister's daughter) comes about toward the middle.

And then to complicate things even more, the story takes place over a few years. x.x;

I think you will be able to do it just fine, the relationships between the people are what keep them all within the same story, you will find out through careful planning how to tie them all together

In b4 Para talks about spreadsheets.

I still don't understand spreadsheet outlining. XD I don't understand spreadsheets period! Not for math, not for writing! Haha. They do nothing but confuse me.

And thanks everyone! I feel a bit better about the novel now. :3