Now, I know there is a MASSIVE Forum with the name of 'Plot Doctoring' up in the main world of NaNo, but sometimes I feel like questions get lost up there. I love hearing what all of my friends and peers and people that I will see face-to-face. And even if I don't see you, down here in SoIL it feels more personal. So I just thought it'd be nice to open up a little thread down here for our own personal little plot problems for us all to collaborate on :)
So, as I'm sure you guess, I've got a thorny little problem of my own. Haha Being my 4th year in NaNo, I know the ins and outs fairly well. I’ve planned, plotted, character sheet-ed, and over researched to my hearts content. The only problem is…I don’t know what to do.
2 years ago I won NaNo but I did not actually finish my book. The story was pretty engrossing (for me to write at least), but in 08 I wanted to try something new and not go back to a story that I’d already written on. The problem is, is that now that I’ve got a new story I’m ready to write, I sort of want to go back to the other story. I want to say, ‘Yeah, I finished a novel’. I can’t do that if I start a new story and I know it, so I’m tempted to go back and finish writing my story from 2 years ago. I know that ‘technically’ this is discouraged, but I’ll be getting out my 50k so it’s not really on my radar of important things to start a whole new story.
So my question is, what are your thoughts? Would you go back and finish a novel because it honestly interested you and you want to finish it or would you start a whole new novel for this year? I really love the story of 2 years earlier, but there is a new story. Should I just save the new one for a different time?
(Wow...Sorry that was kinda long..)
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2006: 11:34 A.M. (Ubran Fantasy), 10k- Fail
2007: Delilah's Demons (YA/Urban Fantasy) 51k- COMPLETION!
2008- Untitled (Historical Fiction) 3k- EPIC Fail
2009- Suns Dissapearing [Working Title] (YA/Fantasy/Romance)
40,008 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 16 24
Personally, I wouldn't finish something just for the sake of finishing it. However if it something you are compelled to write in this moment than I think you should. I feel you should be in love with what you write anyway -- although that seems to be against the spirit of NaNoWriMo as well.
--
I'm using November to finish a novel myself but I will just *wink and call it a sequel to appease the referees.
----------46,693 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 19 47
I thought about this same thing with last year's story. I won but didn't complete the novel. I could finish it this year, but there's quite a bit I don't like about it and the urge to go back NOW and change things would be strong. I don't feel like fighting it while trying to get 50,000 new words at the end. Therefore I decided to start a new story. There's something very satisfying about the birthing part of the creative process. I know my 'old' novel will be there for me when I done with this year's whereas this one, since it's not down on paper, might not be. Every day comes with new experiences that shape our outlook, vocabulary, behavior, etc. If they change enough, then I could 'lose' the story as I think of it now. I could still write it later with the base idea, but it would be a different story. Of course, it could be better that way. I won't know. But I'm excited about starting the new one just the same.
42,593 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 20 35
Dedikated I wrote on the same novel for my last two NaNo's am taking a break and going to a new one for this 50,000 words. i needed a break ..couldn't decide where to start the first novel. There is a span of 3 generations in it so a bit crucial in the make-up of the whole story line. So am letting it rest or ferment (or rot) (chuckle)
----------My demon is displining myself to write after NaNo is done...I am dedicated all month but then life gets in the way..any suggestions on this problemo?
Well hope to see you and others at the Thursday Borders meet in Fairview Heights 6-8 pm anyone going? How will we know each other? Jan
PTJanny
34,151 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 21 31
Oh, man, you guys don't even realize how much you're going to help me. You won't want to hear my voice by the end of the month!
I'm probably going to be at the Fairview Heights meet-up, and Sean definitely will be. It's looking like we're going to have a BIG group for both meet-ups, so we should be pretty obvious who we are.
----------Eight lords sleeping till it’s foretold
By an old hand they will be stirred
One a tree that’s grown too old
One a sound that’s never been heard
One a shade that hasn’t a caster
One a light been swallowed by a bird
One hangs like a ghost in the sky
7,443 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 04 49
dedikated: Newbie here, but here's my two cents anyway: write something new. Like Direct posted above, you'll be hard-pressed to NOT edit your original story, or at least tweak. Also, it's quite possible focusing on something different may net you some good ideas for your original book, or even get you more motivated to finally finish it. Of course, that could be just a load of hogwash. :P
Janny: I'm also worried about keeping motivated once the month is done. I like to write in my spare time, but between work, fam, and my on monstrous level of laziness, it rarely happens. This event is exactly what I need to keep me going. What about doing something similar after it's over? My fiance and I discussed starting a book club of sorts in the area (I live in Belleville), but we're just lazybones when it comes to starting things. What about a creative writing club? Meeting once a month at a local spot like Borders is a good way to start. I'd say once a week, but I know how hard it is to commit that kind of time, hence once a month. We could use it to help each other finish our current novels from this month, or previous works, or even something else entirely!
42,593 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 07 22
Fooflam: I think a writing club would be a good thing once a month I could do that. Are you going to be at the Thursday 6-8 in Fairview Heights? Hope but if not maybe we can make sure to hit one together. Hope to see you and Dedikated . Jan
----------PTJanny
42,593 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 07 30
Hey going to the Fairview Heights meet up and you say there will be a big group...I will more than likely be there early..around 5-5:30 so will be watching to see if I can recognize NaNo writers..Should be fun exercise for me...I might find a character for a book Ha I will be the older lady (young at heart) with silver hair (I like to call it Platinum Blonde) waiting to meet new interesting friends, crazy fellow NaNos. Jan
----------PTJanny
7,443 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 08 51
I'll be at the Thursday meetup, but probably a little late. We're all meeting at the cafe, correct?
18,178 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 09 57
Dedikated: To reinforce what's already been said, I'd say go for a new project. You've got 11 months to finish up what you start this month, but only this month to start something really hard. Sure, you could start another novel anytime, but are you always going to drag 50k words out of yourself in one go? Probably not.
If these forums are open all year (which I gather they are) we can all continue to give support throughout the year to finish what we started. Alternately, there are sites like The Next Big Writer that focus on helping writers help each other year round.
Life is about opportunities.
----------Hex
40,030 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 10 42
Fooflam -- yes. We'll be in the Cafe from 6-8:00 PM. See ya there!
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Sean J. Jordan
Municipal Liaison, Southern Illinois Region
Keep up to date on Southern Illinois NaNoWriMo events on our blog!
50,458 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 22 07
I think it's already been said, but it's worth saying again.
If you do something new, I think it will be more fun. It's easier to generate new ideas when you're headed in a new direction. Second, if you are reworking something it's easy to get into editing ("let's improve it") mode rather than piling-up-the-words mode which is the most fun for nano.
You can make something familiar into something new by giving it enough of a twist so that it is new. I'm reprocessing nonfiction stuff myself by shoehorning concepts into the lives of imaginary people ... making them living examples of ideas. What's new is the characters and their dialogue and their take on the same old ideas.
When I was younger I would put a lot of effort into elaborate settings/worlds and intricate plots... and sometimes get bogged down. Maybe you've got a great setting and no story ... or a plot without characters.
I wonder if the following would be fun and possibly help ... jot down names and a few characteristics:
Who is your hero?
Who is your heroine?
Who is his sidekick/BFF?
Who is her sidekick/BFF?
Who else are their allies?
Who are their family members?
Who is the enemy/rival/villain?
Who is the villain's sidekick?
Who are their allies?
Create a whole village of people who either love or hate everyone else you've listed. Throw in additional aliens, creatures or vampires suited for the genre whenever necessary or fun. Sometimes it's fun to assign actors or celebrities to the roles, or people we know (just be sure to change the names).
Now for a second list ....
What's the worst thing that could happen to each of them? (including the minor characters)
And when that's so awful, what could happen that would make it even worse?
(i.e. everybody's got a problem and then the problem gets worse ... and then worse)
And as all these things happen or come to light, how do your characters feel about them? And what do they say? And what do they do?
How do they try to fix their problems? And as they collide with each other, causing new problems, how do they try to fix those?
As the story snowball starts running downhill and picking up steam, some of the characters will seem less interesting and sort of fade out of the story you are telling, while others and their problems will get stronger and more center stage... and your story will emerge.
This is the way I imagine myself working my way out of not knowing what I'm going to write. I hope you find it helpful.
Dave
PS If you throw out part of the list I've mentioned above, this crew can come up with all kinds of additional characters to round out your cast and all sorts of irrational problems for them to struggle with. Plus aliens, zombies and narcissistic prom queens to throw in the mix lest it get dull.
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