What's On Your Mind About Your Writing?

Facing major restructuring of Volume #1, major restructuring of Volume #4, and no chance to write for 3, that's THREE days.

I might burst.

In the process of excising one of my POV characters from my WIP because a) I really did have too many (still do probably) and b) he wasn't pulling his weight. The cool thing is that a number of scenes and even arcs that had felt a bit forced now flow much more naturally. Hopefully the word count will come down a little too.

Two things are on my mind about writing.

1) It's my first day of my first creative writing class. Nervous and excited!

2) I wanted to continue a linked short story collection that I had only written the first of and then abandoned, but I could only find the notes for the collection. Shortly afterwards, I realized that I had deleted the short and written something else on that Word document. But that may be a good thing since I remember posting the first 200 words on AW and people being confused. Rewriting it'll give me a chance not only to get to know the characters again, but allow me to make it less confusing.

My birthday is in three weeks and I was shopping with my mom. I saw two watches I really liked. A black and gold one that reminded me of my character's special watch. I was over joyed that it was the same colors as my character's . But there was also a rose gold watch that I wanted. My mom was super nice and bought both for a early birthday present. I put on the pink watch and it fell to pieces. The thing that holds the straps together practically fell apart. RIP pink watch.

Anyways have you ever bought something that reminded your of your story?

I wanted to write the second book straight through, critique group pressure. But I'm having the same issues I did with the first one: There are scenes I'm ready to write and ones that will work themselves out later. I know how the MC feels about the love interest at first: she hates him and has good reason. And I know how one of the main turning points changes that. But those aren't back to back scenes.

Well, sorry critique group, the chapters aren't going to be in order again.

Just finished editing pass #6 - the story is in good shape and is formatted and ready for self-publishing. I'll probably go through the whole thing again for the sake of my sanity.

Second epiphany with the second book: I have to write a dorky version and fix it after. Something about how my brain lives vicariously.

I realize that I'm going to have to go back through and add in more personality to my MC. She's okay, I just need more from her. And she's redoing an apartment in an old town and so I feel like I'm spending all my time looking on Pinterest and various house ware websites trying to come up with her economical, hip renovation. What kind of backsplash does this woman want? I'm trying to keep myself from going too far down that rabbit hole, but then I keep thinking how is she going to get plumbing to the third floor of the building? Why couldn't she just live on the second floor? Oh yeah--I'm going to move her LC to the second floor with offices. Stupid me. So balancing research with actual writing is on my mind. But I have been averaging 1000-1500 words a day, which makes me happy.

My MG ten-book, linked short story series is my favorite to writeheart, so I think I'm just going to focus on that one for a while.

How often do you guys change the names of side characters whilst writing your WIP?

I've never done it with MC's, but I'm doing it a lot with the secondary characters in my current novel.

Will Collins said:

How often do you guys change the names of side characters whilst writing your WIP?

I've never done it with MC's, but I'm doing it a lot with the secondary characters in my current novel.

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Whenever I need to, with some stories more often than with others.
Most of the times I've changed my side characters names was because of feedback of beta readers (for example, when the name of the MC resembles the name of an important side character which can be kind of confusing, or when the name doesn't feel completely right to the character, or whatever...)
But, then, when I change it I usually keep it that way.

Why do you (keep?) changing your side character's names?

I often write stories (particularly comic book scripts) which I then share on this other forum for critique. I receive plenty of more-or-less good reviews, but the common denominator with all my stories is that they're not exciting or fast-paced enough. This particular forum is a meeting ground for people who primarily got into comics from reading stuff from the Big Two (Marvel and DC), so that brings a question to my mind: Are my stories boring, or do most of the people (most of whom are accustomed to superhero comics) simply not prefer the type of stories I'm writing?

(By "boring," I mainly mean that a lot of my work features people standing around talking. I understand the typical superhero comic book fan wouldn't particularly like this, but I also know that "Fullmetal Alchemist," a manga that I highly admire, has some of its best moments when people are doing just that: standing around talking.)

Are my stories boring, or do most of the people (most of whom are accustomed to superhero comics) simply not prefer the type of stories I'm writing?

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Maybe you need a critique group that is more specific and offers suggestions on how to pick up the pace.

For example: more conflict and don't let your characters off easy even if that's what you want to do.

I don't know having not seen your work and not knowing comic books much at all. But I believe basic story writing is learnable. You just need guidance to get the learning started.

As for standing around, go back and look at that favorite Manga and read it again. Try to flesh out what it is that you liked. Is there conflict you maybe didn't quite recognize because it wasn't an action scene?

MaeZe said:

As for standing around, go back and look at that favorite Manga and read it again. Try to flesh out what it is that you liked. Is there conflict you maybe didn't quite recognize because it wasn't an action scene?

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You have a point. Fullmetal Alchemist (the manga in question) did have plenty of action, but more importantly, there were actual, concrete, emotional stakes involved throughout the story. It wasn't just people standing around talking for the heck of it. There were really, really heavy things involved. I think I'm beginning to see the problem.

Regarding my critique group, I think it's generally pretty solid. I'm just not entirely sure that the revision-suggestions-by-committee approach is always the best route to take, at least for identifying the fundamental strengths and weaknesses of a work in progress. What do you think, kind sir?

I can't decide if I should throw myself into book four of my scifi series or if I should focus on a new, tight draft of book two first. Or if I should wait for book one to come back from the beta readers (just friends and family) before I do anything. I don't want to lose momentum while the complex plot lines are clear in my head. But it's taking a while for feedback to come in and I don't want to stagnate. Hmm. I can see myself writing a quick summary of what will happen in book four and that will be more elaborate than I expected and ... yes, that's how book three came about before I expected it.

LeviSweeney said:

You have a point. Fullmetal Alchemist (the manga in question) did have plenty of action, but more importantly, there were actual, concrete, emotional stakes involved throughout the story. It wasn't just people standing around talking for the heck of it. There were really, really heavy things involved. I think I'm beginning to see the problem.

Regarding my critique group, I think it's generally pretty solid. I'm just not entirely sure that the revision-suggestions-by-committee approach is always the best route to take, at least for identifying the fundamental strengths and weaknesses of a work in progress. What do you think, kind sir?

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Critique for a writer is absolutely essential, and groups do a lot. Yet there's one main person in my group that has taught me how to write. The rest of the feedback varies from week to week.

Yep, I once changed a side character's name which was Emy because my MC was called Evan.

I'm not sure why there's been more name changes in my current WIP. I think the first ones didn't seem to fit for me.

MaeZe said:

Critique for a writer is absolutely essential, and groups do a lot. Yet there's one main person in my group that has taught me how to write. The rest of the feedback varies from week to week.

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I see what you mean. There was this one guy in the other forum I frequent who gave me a lot of resources about storytelling, which I greatly appreciated. I guess my critique group isn't so bad after all. Thanks!

Just got the second version of the cover art for my next novel and have posted in the Cover Feedback thread (#21).

Maybe I'm just easy, but I fricken love it.

I've completely outlined my thriller novel. I know every major event that's going to happen, but I'm sure there will be some changes based on things that come to me in the middle of the night or if a scene doesn't pan out for some reason.

The funny thing about this plot is that the villain doesn't actually appear in it--only his villainous acts and the FBI's reaction to them. The villain escapes and doesn't actually appear until book 2. He's going to post some things on social media that will reveal his personality.

That's the plan, anyway. But, as Mike Tyson once said, "Everybody has a plan... until they get punched in the face."

Auteur said:

I've completely outlined my thriller novel. I know every major event that's going to happen, but I'm sure there will be some changes based on things that come to me in the middle of the night or if a scene doesn't pan out for some reason.

The funny thing about this plot is that the villain doesn't actually appear in it--only his villainous acts and the FBI's reaction to them. The villain escapes and doesn't actually appear until book 2. He's going to post some things on social media that will reveal his personality.

That's the plan, anyway. But, as Mike Tyson once said, "Everybody has a plan... until they get punched in the face."

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An outline is just that - it's like a map that will keep you on course, but there will be unexpected sights to see and people to meet along the way.

Going to spend the day thinking over how I'll be rewriting my fourth chapter. Ideally, it'll be a window into the past of the magical-girl protagonist, framed as a discussion between her and the butterfly-lady she recently met, hung on a wire of excitement and curiosity of what they might discuss but also fear and anxiety of actually letting her past slip to her new acquaintance.

I just hit the 20% mark for my word count goal for the novel. Super pumped about that! And I have some ideas on what I want to do for plotting for the rest of the novel. I know I'm going to have to do some major editing because the pacing isn't really there and the characters are a little spotty, but it's getting there. Now just to write the remaining 80%

I started a new story yesterday and I am so happy and pumped to be writing again after finishing my first short story collection.

Was thinking of throwing out the whole last half of the wip and rewriting it. So far, I've thrown out one chapter and cut another down another enough to work the necessary scene in elsewhere. I've also changed the MC's attitude.