Learn Writing with Uncle Jim, Volume 1

smsarber said:

...but kind of an outsider's voice. One telling you the story.

Click to expand...

Nope. I get to see a movie, and I describe the movie as it unfolds.

The problem when I "see" it, I tend to "tell, vs. show". So I have sort of trained myself to hear. Not always, and it is no tried and true operation. I guess I sometimes try to visualize aspects like a documentary.

Welcome General Tso. I love your chicken. I have a question about your one POV character at a time strategy. What do you do when they interact? I assume your characters talk to each other.
I think you're complicating things more than they need to be. Write the story as it unfolds, according to your outline.

James D. Macdonald said:

Nope. I get to see a movie, and I describe the movie as it unfolds.

Click to expand...

I want to add, I understand that there are no rules as far as the creative process goes. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. And what works for Stephen King may not work for Steven Sarber. But if I could only plug a USB port into my head and download the images and words in my mind, wow, then we'd have something.

Thanks for the comments RJK.

My POV characters do indeed interact. In fact, I only have a couple minor (non-POV) characters so far. So most of the time, my POV characters are interacting with each other. But I'm not very concerned about that aspect of my strategy. I will select the POV character based on who has the most interesting view for that scene. As a reference for me and anyone else who is interested, I am a big fan of George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series (A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings etc.). They contain an enormous cast of characters including multiple POVs who interact.

However, I am still apprehensive about linear vs. character order of writing. Thank you for your vote of confidence in favor of the standard linear timeline order of writing.

GT, I think you would still find it useful to write an outline of the story for each POV character. I found it a helpful method to make sure they were acting in character, and to see more clearly what their reactions and initiatives would be as circumstances changed.

Hi,

I was hoping to read all this thread before I contributed as I didn't want to have to open discussions that have already been thoroughly explored.

I have been desperate for advice on *how to write a novel* and was trawling the Internet for anything that would help

I stumbled on this website and Learning to write with Uncle Jim (and his many friends) and have managed to read up to page 33 - I intend on continuing my journey through this epic thread but was becoming impatient so could not hold back any longer from introducing myself to this fabulous community.

I am 39 and have always wanted to be a writer - unfortunately the minor problem holding me back was that I didn't write anything...mainly as I was convinced no one would like it. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I had an experience which enabled me to get over that and start my first book (which has haunted me for years)

It has taken a year to write and now I have sent it off to a (recommended) editor at

http://www.writersworkshop.co.uk/ (at no small cost as I am sure you are all aware)

The editor is Emma Darwin http://www.emmadarwin.com/

I am expecting her report at the end of next week.....

Since I have begun to read this thread I think I know what Ms Darwin will say about my precious labour of love...

However I now know the best way to learn how to write a book is to write one, so the sequel has started. I need to firm up my BIC and I would like to say the best piece of advice, or the bit which is the most useful to me at the moment is 'write, write anything but just write'. Whilst writing my book I agonized over practically every page but now I know I can write anything (cos it's going to be revised anyway - right?) and the important bit is those squiggly black things on the screen.

I intend to write this sequel until I reach The End and then I will put it in a drawer for month (which is effectively where my first novel sits)

When my first book returns from the editor and a willing beta reader (I never knew that term) then no doubt re writing will begin in earnest.

Anyway, enough of me, I have tired myself out with my first post - I just wanted a moment of heartfelt sycophancy to say thank you very much for everything I have learnt so far on this thread.

it was page 133 not 33 .....

Welcome Ophelia. I too, stumbled upon Uncle Jim's thread, and found it invaluable. I have compared it to a graduate course in novel writing. Read the whole thread. You won't be disappointed. (You can probably skim over the silly arguments). It seems you’ve already learned the first lesson BIC. You can’t be a writer if you don’t write.
Good luck with your novel.

BIC

RJK said:

Welcome Ophelia. I too, stumbled upon Uncle Jim's thread, and found it invaluable. I have compared it to a graduate course in novel writing. Read the whole thread. You won't be disappointed. (You can probably skim over the silly arguments). It seems you’ve already learned the first lesson BIC. You can’t be a writer if you don’t write.
Good luck with your novel.

Click to expand...

What is BIC?

Butt In Chair

I tried to edit the above reply but I think I broke the program.

BIC is Butt In Chair. Sit your butt in you chair in front of your keyboard and start typing.

And how!

I have tried to put all my ifs, ands and buts in a chair. However, what works best is putting butt in chair.

sorry

Too bad I usually end up sitting on my brain. Maybe I should try standing on my head.

Title of a Story

Hi there everyone,

The one thing I hate is thinking of a title for a story. Is there a magic formula, system, method, etc. for thinking of a title? I'm stuck to be honest and my working title is not too attractive, based on accumulated comments.

Help?

Wait until you've finished the story. My understanding is that often titles get changed before publication anyhow. I know that's true for articles, at least. I wouldn't worry so much about the title as I would about getting the story written.

Waiting is good. But it can come early, too. Write down your ideas as they come and look for the one that catches your intrest as if you were in a bookstore browsing. That's how I came up with "A Birthday Suicide". That title popped in to my head and it was like, "Wow! If I saw that on a shelf I would at least be checking out the synopsis on back to see what it was all about." That's my two cents.

Calliopenjo said:

The one thing I hate is thinking of a title for a story. Is there a magic formula, system, method, etc. for thinking of a title? I'm stuck to be honest and my working title is not too attractive, based on accumulated comments.

Click to expand...

I usually give my titles "working titles" for the duration of drafting it and that, and then once it's done, change it.

smsarber said:

Waiting is good. But it can come early, too. Write down your ideas as they come and look for the one that catches your intrest as if you were in a bookstore browsing. That's how I came up with "A Birthday Suicide". That title popped in to my head and it was like, "Wow! If I saw that on a shelf I would at least be checking out the synopsis on back to see what it was all about." That's my two cents.

Click to expand...

I like that idea, too, Steven. Thanks.

My experience was as described by bsolah - I had a working title - which was the name of the POV character and when the final chapters were revealed to me I had a better idea as to what the title should be. I took a traditional Irish folk song (my story is based in Ireland) and used an appropriate line from that (By the Rising of the Moon)

It did take some time to come up with that idea and at one point I even spent valuable writing time playing (unsuccessfully) with a title generator I found through Google.

Even now I suspect that if it ever went to be published then it would probably change.

My WIP title is 'Lily's story' as I had a false start which included a character called Lily - Lily has now revealed herself as a different character called Siobhan and the story is no longer based around her but I am not too concerned at this early stage. It will stay as Lily's Story until:

1) Something else occurs to me
2) I come to The End and have to change it

It may be that a title will will pop into my head such as smsarber's A Birthday Suicide (cool title) - hopefully it will.

Perhaps also your beta readers may have some ideas? What kind of titles already exist in the genre you are writing? Is there a theme? Is it best to use those as a template - or to do something completely different? When you are browsing in a bookshop what kind of titles jump out at you? What makes you think 'I really want to read that?' What kind of books are on your bookshelf? Which have the best titles and why?

Perhaps spend sometime in a bookshop browsing titles and see what happens......in fact I think I might just do that when the WIP is finished...

Calliopenjo said:

Hi there everyone,

The one thing I hate is thinking of a title for a story. Is there a magic formula, system, method, etc. for thinking of a title? I'm stuck to be honest and my working title is not too attractive, based on accumulated comments.

Help?

Click to expand...

Pick up a copy of Hamlet. Close your eyes. Flip through it and blindly put your finger down on a page. Open your eyes. Where your finger is pointing is your title.

And.. backing up a little. Blue, every character has a story to tell that'll break your heart. If they're alive or ever have been, they're interesting... from the right perspective.

Callio, the easiest way to get across what your character thinks is by having her open her mouth. What we say and how we say it says everything about us. If there's no way to get it across through her actions or speech, and it really is vital to the story that the reader know this bit of exposition, well, if showing is awkward, just tell. Keith Snyder cannot be linked to enough:

I’m pro-tell. I like being told when it’s the most efficient way to get a piece of information across, or there’s some other reason it’s a better choice than show...

Nothing’s inherently wrong with telling; nothing’s inherently wrong with showing. Know the difference, and choose according to whether you need to engage or inform at this particular moment in the narrative...

Click to expand...

There are no rules in writing (You do not talk about Write Club). I mean, yeah, there are and people will tell you them, but they're more like guidelines. Do whatever you need to do to write and perfect your story.

Keith Snyder

Chris Grey said:

Keith Snyder cannot be linked to enough:

Click to expand...

Everything you said in your post was brilliant, Chris, but the best part was Keith Snyder.

Tell everybody about KEITH SNYDER

Calliopenjo said:

Hi there everyone,

The one thing I hate is thinking of a title for a story. Is there a magic formula, system, method, etc. for thinking of a title? I'm stuck to be honest and my working title is not too attractive, based on accumulated comments.

Help?

Click to expand...

Yes!

And I can sell you the secret for a mere ten thousand dollars!