The Novel I left behind... http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/nanowrimo-ate-my-soul/threads/49605 Kimberly Dawn To do Nanowrimo I had to leave behind a novel I was working on in my off season. I have to admit I can characterize this novel as delicate, fussy and often prone to tears. It got out of the structuring gate, then changed its mind a few times while I was working on it, and then I was building up its voice. (You know, the story voice v. that of the characters). Then I said wait for me while I work on my Nanowrimo. I wrote the Nanowrimo smoothly, (though it's got gaping holes that makes swiss cheese look like it is cement.) and got the word count done. But then I went back to this delicate novel, and I'm having trouble getting it to start again. I've told it that it can sulk all it wants in the corner, but really it won't do me any favors. There are other novels I need to write too, and others in the series, (though I structured it so I can sell them separately if need be.) But all it does it sulk in the corner. I fed it research--more of it, baited it a rewrite, offered to change its tone, tried to work on the characters, did a marathon of my favorite related shows to jump start ideas and I get absolutely nothing from it, except a few sentences that would make a Literary person working at a university look like a cheetah. My Alpha is on extended break. My previous novel was more the type of child that pulls me everywhere and goes, "Ohohh! Roller coaster." I say no, "But I want to go Nooooooowwwww or I won't love you any more." How do you get a screaming child of a novel on the verge of a mental break down to calm down? Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:14:19 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/nanowrimo-ate-my-soul/threads/49605?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1094975 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/nanowrimo-ate-my-soul/threads/49605?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1094975 Lady_Indis_Dress The best thing to do is ignore it for a while and when it's calmed down and reasonable, then go ahead and talk to it. Do not reward your novel's bad behavior by giving it attention, it will only perpetuate the vicious cycle. Be fair, but be firm. Explain to the novel that you provide limits because you care and want it to grow up to be a strong, independent novel that can stand on its own, and even though you don't enjoy laying down the law, you will do it for your novel's own good. It simply has to learn that kind of behavior will not get it what it wants. Assure your novel that you love it no matter what, but it must follow the rules you have set. And have a cookie. You deserve a treat for taking on the challenge of raising a novel. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:04:11 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/nanowrimo-ate-my-soul/threads/49605?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1095266 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/nanowrimo-ate-my-soul/threads/49605?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1095266 Dennis Dunjinman So long as we're talking about the raising of novels... One of my novels is the kind where it's a big kid now, but looking ahead to a bumpy adolescence and tells me "No. I refuse to grow up and make those mistakes. I'd rather stay where I am, thank you". This novel has been sitting in the closet and giving me the silent treatment since it doesn't want to grow up and make mistakes and would rather avoid all the conflicts entirely, which means the story refuses to move forward. The other novel is a mature and kind young adult who is eager to take on the world and everything in it, but doesn't exactly know where to go with all its opportunity in front of it. And I don't know how to push it in the right direction. Oh, offspring. What're gonna do? Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:41:31 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/nanowrimo-ate-my-soul/threads/49605?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1095808 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/nanowrimo-ate-my-soul/threads/49605?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1095808 Kimberly Dawn @Dennis That's the kind of novel that I ignore and keep plowing through anyway, throwing more and more conflict at it until it has to move forward. This may leave you with a convoluted background story, but at least you can skim the fat off later through an exercise program. Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:51:13 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/nanowrimo-ate-my-soul/threads/49605?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1098400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/nanowrimo-ate-my-soul/threads/49605?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1098400 Dennis Dunjinman That's the kind of thinking that gave me a 20,000+ word prologue and several lengthy irrelevant tangets that went nowhere last year. By the time I trimmed it of waste, I was nearly back where I started. Rather than going through a vicious cycle of weight gain and loss and regain, I'd rather go for a vigorous excercise regimen that would make it lean, muscular and strong. Except those are hard to find. Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:34:31 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/nanowrimo-ate-my-soul/threads/49605?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1098525 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/nanowrimo-ate-my-soul/threads/49605?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1098525 Kimberly Dawn I think you are suffering from world building and fright disease if you're stuck in the prologue--not enough confidence to move out into the real world, and very stuck in the past. Try this: Chapter 1: Character _Verb_ _problem_. If the parent is frightened, the child will be unsure of themselves. Most of the background story doesn't make it into the actual story. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:26:04 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/nanowrimo-ate-my-soul/threads/49605?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1103659 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/nanowrimo-ate-my-soul/threads/49605?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1103659