Why “Free” …Isn’t
My friend (and non-fiction project collaborator) Jane Chin has broadcast a thought-provoking vlog in which she describes how offering free information and assistance to people online led to some of them feeling they “owned” her
and she has blogged suggestions for ways to avoid this situation.
These wise words apply to writers of all flavours as well as to entrepreneurs.
Outlining the NaNo-novel
My simplified structure is as follows:
POV character 1 : narrator : 36 middle-length scenes (done)
POV character 2 : action man’s mentor and our provider of social & political history : 12 longer scenes (done)
POV character 3 : action man : 20-30 short scenes (10 done so far)
The narrator and the mentor have their own dramas going on while they focus most of their attention on the action man’s progress, and the implications of his progress. Their dramas will escalate into action when all three storylines converge at the end.
I’m behind schedule after a kidney infection hit me at the weekend and I lost a few days, but I’m back on the job now and will catch up by the time NaNo starts on Saturday.
How are your preps going?
Pssst… Help Zette. Pass it on.
Lazette Gifford is a writer who spends her life helping other writers.
Right now, she needs some help.
Holly Lisle is waiving commission on several courses (which I recommend) and books on her site, and all the money (minus PayPal fees) we spend on these resources will go directly to Zette.
Click this button to see how you can help Zette (and pick up some goodies for yourself).
Writers write
After a week of struggling through bad pain, today my world exploded into very bad pain. I can do nothing more than crawl back into my bed and swallow mind-numbing painkillers.
But I must do more than that, because there’s a novel outline half done and waiting for me to complete it before NaNo starts next weekend. I suppose I could just let it go.
No, I can’t do that. I just can’t. I’m compelled to keep going. If I’m not a writer, then what the hell am I? I write because I have to write. It’s what I do. It’s what I am.
So I’m crawling back to bed with my dictation machine. The painkillers can go swallow themselves until this outline is done.
Parallel Worlds
Here are two interesting concepts for research:
A BBC Horizons programme that introduces String Theory, Super Gravity, the 11th Dimension, Membranes, the M Theory, the weakness of gravity, the Singularity, the Big Bang, and so much more… to get to the idea of multiverses.
And an excellent conversation taking place in the comments to this blog post, all about promoting your book online – which, let’s be honest, is an alternative reality for some authors. 
Plotting: Day 1
Yesterday I plunged into the Pre-NaNo Outline Marathon at Forward Motion. I’ll be doing that all this week, while writing associated blogbits for light relief and reading Holly Lisle’s Scenes Clinic for inspiration.
My rough calculation for number of scenes I need is:
50,000 words @300 words (1 page) per average scene = 170 scenes required
Before I started plotting scenes, though, I needed to simplify a complicated POV situation. Not because the storyline is ridiculously complicated, but purely for my own benefit while I’m plotting.
I have five POV characters, although the main story thread will have one of them (the narrator) channeling two of the others into his POV via telepathy. The fourth and fifth POVs will form the alternating storyline, which I plan to write when the main storyline is finished.
So I’ll outline each of the main storyline’s three POV characters one at a time this week, then mix their scenes in together before I start first-drafting during NaNo.
Yesterday, I did 27 scenes for the narrator.
In memory of Posh
Posh, my budgerigar friend, died of old age on Wednesday afternoon.
My online friends already know this because I wailed all over them that evening.
I hate the concept of caged birds. When someone in my family brought Posh home nine years ago I was appalled, but she and I became good friends. Two captives together.
She loved nothing more than long summer days when I’d place her cage on the wall in our back garden, with a tea towel over half of her roof to provide shade if she wanted it, so she could talk with her friends in the trees.
In winter, she had the run of the house. Her favourite spot was waddling about right in front of the fireplace, where she would peck at the mortar between the slates and glare at the flames, or sitting on the front room curtain rail to crap down the material.
She was a strong character and used to get a right toot on sometimes, but my voice usually calmed her. When I was learning how to use my Dragon voice recognition software in May this year, she kept scolding me for ignoring her so much. Every now and then the mic would pick up a line of budgie temper and something like it itch itch it at atch it atch would appear across the screen. I couldn’t help laughing every time. I miss her.
She’s free now.
One of my Quarter Square characters has a blackbird friend called Ban. Until now he’s only existed as an eccentric presence on her shoulder, which has been okay because I didn’t want to weigh down the fast-paced first draft with too many details.
When I return to QS after NaNo, I’ll get to know Ban well. He’s going to be a great character. In memory of Posh.
Sleep gently, little one.
How do you outline a novel?
Toyota Bridge (photo by Ian Black)
My pre-NaNo worldbuilding and character studies are finished, for now, and I’m ready to start outlining. This is a vital part of the process for me. I know I’m an enthusiastic evangelist for the “write it quick and dirty” method of first drafting, but I’d never reach The End in one straight run if I didn’t plan in detail beforehand.
I’ve signed up for Forward Motion’s annual “Pre-Nano Outline Marathon” from October 19-25, which I’ve found very helpful in the past. This is why Forward Motion is my writing home on the web: in addition to in-depth workshops and inspiring goals forums and supportive friendships, taking part in the marathons and other challenges is a brilliant way to structure your big tasks.
I expect there are as many ways of outlining as there are writers who outline. Here are some How To resources:
Holly Lisle’s Notecarding: Plotting Under Pressure
Holly Lisle’s Learn How To Create A Pofessional Plot Outline
Kate Brown’s Mind Mapping Your Plot
Lazette Gifford’s It’s Just a Phase
Peggy Kurilla’s Plotting for the Organic Writer
Heidi Elizabeth Smith’s Outlining Through the Block
So, do you outline? What method works best for you?
NaNoWriMo
I’m prepping for NaNoWriMo.
I love this event for three main reasons:
- from about mid-October the buzz in the NaNo forums is fantastic! Thousands of nutters gathering in one place to do one thing is truly energising
- NaNo is where I learned how to write my first drafts in a single rapid burst of inspiration and hard work, as I describe in How do you write your first draft?
- my first NaNo, in 2005, was the glorious first time I’d ever managed to dedicate myself 100% to writing without having to bid for computer time, etc. Because I’d explained the event to my family, they were fully prepared for it. And the fact that it’s a clearly-defined period – one month, full stop – made it easier for them to accept my physical presence/mental absence for the duration of the event. The knock-on effect of NaNo has been that they now take my writing as seriously as I do. They accept that it’s my job. NaNo was an important part of training them into this mindset.
I’m doing mythic fiction this year. Right now I’m immersed in worldbuilding, which will be followed by an intensive two weeks of outlining. I’m totally focused on NaNo, so don’t expect me to talk about anything else until December. That’s how it works for me.
My username is David Bridger. You’re all welcome to buddy me in there.
A broken week crawls off the road and dies
My wife is still sick. Monday and Tuesday were hell-on-wheels: dangerously high temperatures, lapses in and out of consciousness, and even some fits. Once the kids realised what was going on in midweek, they rallied around and relieved me of front line duty. By then, of course, the ME & Fibro-wise damage was done.
But the important thing is that my wife and I both survived. She’s determined to turn up for her duty weekend tomorrow, arguing that she isn’t infectious and will power will fuel her through it. Hm. Yeah, okay, even though you still can’t stand upright for more than a few minutes at a time today.
Wednesday and Thursday I grabbed a couple of quiet evening hours to write two character studies. I love my new project. It’s lived in my mind all through this shitty week and it can’t wait to burst into life during November.
I’ll be back here properly on Monday, talking about preps for NaNoWrMo.
Have a good weekend.
