I thought I'd mix it up a bit this week by answering a writer's tag I found online. It just has ten simple questions, so this should be short and sweet. 1. What do you write? A quick scroll down the categories over to the right of the page ought to prove I write speculative fiction. Spec fic covers a wide range of genres and their subgenres as well as mashups of those. I tend to stick more with science fiction, but I do dabble in fantasy now and again. And like with the Yekara series and the Myth and Science universe stories, there are times when I use both science fiction and fantasy elements in the same piece.
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Looking back over the year is something I'm always wary about doing. I'm one of those people who set overly ambitious goals at the start of each new year, and I'm inevitably disappointed when I look back at those goals.
I did make goals for the year back in January. I managed to grow a full garden, and I've gotten close to a couple of others. But that's about it. I didn't manage to publish TIP as I wanted, and I haven't even started the prewriting process on the second Yekara novel let alone have it roughed. I'm a good thirty pounds away from the weight loss goal I'd set. Still, I have made progress. New? Begin with lesson one. The biggest things you will need to fix during the rewriting phase is filling in plot holes and correcting sequences that are out of order. No matter how throughly you planned out your story, they're still bound to turn up during the drafting phase. As you write, new ideas form, old ones shift, and characters take off in unexpected directions because your subconscious mind is always working ahead and making connections you might not see consciously.
It is to be expected, especially when writing your first few stories. It's a natural part of the creative process, and this is one reason rewrites and edits are essential steps. Plot holes and trouble in the sequence of events aren't disasters at this stage. All it takes is a keen eye to find them and a bit of work to make these changes fit into your narrative without lapses in logic or flow. New? Begin with lesson one. Perhaps one of the most important elements of writing a draft is deciding which point-of-view to use. It flavors your word choices throughout the piece and determines both the timing and scope of the events you describe.
Start by considering the scope of your story. Does the plot impact an entire society or just one character? The larger the scope of your story, the more likely it is you will want to shift point-of-view at some point in the narrative. When events happening all over a particular city, nation, world, or worlds impacting the plot, being able to write chapters from the perspectives of different characters allows you more freedom to show those events than sticking with the protagonist's point-of-view alone. New? Begin with lesson one. I know action, setting, and characterization in description seems like a bit much for one lesson, but the topic is simpler than it sounds. We've already covered the creation of setting and characterization. Today we'll just discuss how to work them into the story itself. Today's topic is all about making your words earn their keep. To make the cut, each sentence, each word, needs to add something to the story whether it be to plot, setting, characterization, or background. There's a reason you don't usually see small talk in books. It's boring, and it rarely contributes anything to the story. |
A. B. England is a novelist, all around geek, avid crafter, and the home-schooling mother of two.
She is an autistic creator with a love of mythology, fantasy, and all flavors of science fiction. SubscribeCategories
All
Work QueYekara Series Book 2 Prewriting/Outlining 20% The Icarus Project Rough Draft Progress 77384 / 75000 Myth & Science Collection Planning Stages 38% Supers Collection
Planning Stages 23% Icarus Series Book 2 Sketched w/ Some Drafting Icarus Collection
Sketched Yekara Series Book 3
Sketched Myth & Science Collection 2
Intent Only at this Time Icarus Trilogy Book 3
Sketched Supers Collection 2
Intent Only at this Time Yekara Series Book 4
Sketched |