Novels with a mind of their own

Go with it! Don't fight what the novel wants to be. Fighting it only makes the writing harder because you spend too much energy trying to make the novel what you think it should be. The joy of NaNo is watching what your mind really wants to do when you take away everything that prevents it (like good sense).

I'll say it again. Go with it. Even if your novel about pre World War I London decides it wants to be about the women's suffrage movement. Or your political thriller turns into a teenage soap opera.

"You can get away with stuff in real life that you can’t get away with in fiction." -Robin McKinley

Uh... yeah. I was originally going to just write about myself and the crap that's happening in my life...
... and now I'm writing a Zombie Apocalypse novel, inspired by my new (used) Jeep Wrangler and my family's hypothetical "Who Would Survive in a Zombie Apocalypse" conversations.

Last year, my main characters kept making out without asking me. It was ridiculous.

I wonder what else will edge its way in here...

http://www.bymaggie.com/

"All good writing is swimming underwater and holding your breath."
- F. Scott Fitzgerald

"Every book is a children's book if the kid can read."
- Mitch Hedberg

I think this has happened every year for me. I start out with one small thing in mind, and by the time I'm a week in, it's become something else entirely.

Year 1: Started as chick lit. Ended as murder-mystery told from 3 different characters' points of view.
Year 2: Supposed to be about an inappropriate office romance. Ended (before I quit) as a novel about terrorism and abusive relationships.
Year 3: Actually, this one didn't change much.
Year 4: This was the political thriller-turned-teenage soap opera that Eurydice mentioned.
Year 5: Started as a vampire story, ended (before I quit) being an allegory for the gay rights movement.

This year? Started as general, mainstream fiction. Before I was even 500 words in, it had become chick lit.

Embrace the Crap!

Sunday: One of the MCs goes into a house that I didn't plan for her to go in. It actually really helped advance the plot later.
Monday: The other MC comes out of the closet. I had no idea he was gay.
Tuesday: I guess we're going to have a flashback. That was not a plot point I expected.

I have an eerie feeling that the book is going to be telling me what to do by the end of the month. **whispers** Join ussssssss, join USSSSSSSSS **whispers**

My story is supposed to be a science fiction novel with overt elements of existential philosophy but so far it appears to be a romance novel of the childhood friends reunited as new lovers. I took drastic measures last night by outlining a series of scenes/chapters that will lead away from this potential mess. I'm not sure I am going to let these two long lost childhood friends end up together so soon, if at all.

iliketoridemybikesiliketoridmybikesiliketoridemybikes

O.M.G.
That's my family's FAVORITE dinner topic of conversation!
I would say we discuss it almost once a week and actually have "escape routes" depending on the type of apocalypse (or as we call it, the "pockie".
Awesome.

Sarah

"She said she cried at least once each day not because she was sad, but because the world was so beautiful and life was so short" - Brian Andreas

Follow your gut, and the flow of the story. First year, I had this whizbangkeen outline all done and ready to go two weeks before The Big Day. Three chapters in, I scrapped the dramatic themes and sad ending because I liked the main characters' interaction too much and turned it into a romantic comedy, tossing the outline out the window. You'll feel better if you do; as Eurydice mentioned, you'll be much happier working on the story if you just let it go the way it wants.

2009 - Black Mirror Broken - WINNER!

Mine started as a Zombie apocalypse romantic comedy (don't ask). Now it's taking a turn for a very serious sci-fi mystery. Le sigh. My characters never behave. It's fantastic.

Mine is taking all kinds of turns, mostly predictable in the ways of romance. What can I do? That's what I write. Beautiful imagery and love.

"I'm just a musical prostitute, my dear." -Freddie Mercury

Mine story was going to be about a Eighteen-year-old try to take over the world but for everyone around her to be very critical of her and just roll their eyes at her. But Then she turned out to be a great Public Speaker that can make people see to her cause and support her. That and some of my characters already started to go in different paths that I want. That was interesting.

Awesome.

There are a surprising number of zombie-related novels, it seems. Zombies are in, man.

Anyway, I love reading about how one ridiculous plot turns into a totally different, equally ridiculous plot. My sometimes-funny sometimes-serious novel is still battling with itself as my two main baddie-thugs can't stop arguing with each other. It's getting nasty, guys. They're either going to kill each other or start making out. I haven't decided which yet.

Yay everyone!

~My Brag Box~
2004: Dust to Dust (3,000 words!)
2005: Damned If I Do (51,000 words!)
2006: Between Hay and Grass (50,018 words!)
2007: Summer Birthdays Are The Best (15,000 words!)
2008: Wet Wood (700 words!)
2009: The Most Terrible Things (63,649 w

Dear God, I wish my story would take on a life of its own. That would save me from having to work so hard to put life into it. At least my characters are finally talking after about 4,000 words. I don't know why it took them so long to say something but dialog seems to come much easier for me than description. Maybe I should just throw thirty random characters in a room and let them talk for 50,000 words. A big long cocktail party might be just the thing. I knew I shouldn't have tried to make plot notes beforehand.

[Redundant Widget Removed]

~Chris

I once read somewhere that a good way to jump-start a stalled story is to have someone burst into the room, waving a gun. Or, say, a sudden natural disaster. Anything to put the characters into a situation where they're forced to react. Or something like that.

~My Brag Box~
2004: Dust to Dust (3,000 words!)
2005: Damned If I Do (51,000 words!)
2006: Between Hay and Grass (50,018 words!)
2007: Summer Birthdays Are The Best (15,000 words!)
2008: Wet Wood (700 words!)
2009: The Most Terrible Things (63,649 w

Didn't you hear?
Zombies, steampunk and the Apocalypse are the new Vampires!
Which is totes awesome for me because i love all 3 dearly.

Sarah

"She said she cried at least once each day not because she was sad, but because the world was so beautiful and life was so short" - Brian Andreas

Some advice that I am taking: If you find yourself in a rut when writing your current scene...stop writing it! Go to another scene that you've been looking forward to and begin writing that. I suppose this is the number one best reason to go to the trouble of outlining your novel.

iliketoridemybikesiliketoridmybikesiliketoridemybikes

Double Post. Whoops. I don't really have anything additional to add. I feel like the crisis has been averted in my story. The two main characters are "just friends". Whew. Now to move forward with the plot.

iliketoridemybikesiliketoridmybikesiliketoridemybikes

I was fascinated by, obsessed with, completely disenchanted with, and then actively made fun of vampires way before it was cool.

~My Brag Box~
2004: Dust to Dust (3,000 words!)
2005: Damned If I Do (51,000 words!)
2006: Between Hay and Grass (50,018 words!)
2007: Summer Birthdays Are The Best (15,000 words!)
2008: Wet Wood (700 words!)
2009: The Most Terrible Things (63,649 w