I · Wear · My · Heart · on · My · Sleeve

Because Justine Larbalestier told me to and mikandra is also following the herd (or should that be 'heard'?).

So...

How to Write a Novel
by Heidi Wessman Kneale

Okay, this should be titled "How I Write a Novel", but since there are only so many ways of going about novel creation, no doubt several people may benefit by hearing about my method.

For me, a novel doesn't start with an idea, but the resolution of an idea. I've gotta know how the novel ends. Otherwise, I'll start writing only to have things fizzle out in the end. Nobody likes a dull or unsatisfying ending.

But if I can come up with a dramatic and satisfying ending, then I've got a novel.

No, I'm not an organic writer. I tried to be one once, but half-way through I discovered I had no idea where I was going. I had to sit down and brainstorm the rest of the novel. Therefore, I'm a structured writer. I like to have some sort of roadmap to let me know where I'm going. I don't have to write down the map, but sometimes it helps.

Now that I know how the novel ends, I need to work out how what sort of snafu situation led to needing that particular resolution. Once I suss that out, I can sit down and write.

Coming up with the ending and the beginning involves a lot of thinking and sorting and shuffling in my mind. This is called pre-writing, and it all happens in my head. I could spend months or even years shuffling stuff about. I'll spend idle moments working out scenes, playing with descs or character motivations.

Knowing where I'm going and how the novel is going to end makes for fast writing for me. Once I've got the gist of how things connect, I can sit down and crank out the words.

The events that happen in my novels are due to the goals and motivations of my characters. They have something they want to accomplish, and so they set out to get things done. Something comes along to prevent them from reaching their goal by the direct route and they have to deal with that.

I never have characters that prefer their status quo and suddenly they're tossed off into the deep end. I have characters who have dreams and goals and suddenly they're tossed off into the deep end. I prefer this, because not only do I have a character who's trying to cope with treading water but they've got to examine themselves and their own personal goals and how will they achieve them now?

I believe this makes my characters proactive, rather than reactive. Makes 'em more interesting that way.

Setting. I confess I haven't been very good with setting in the past, but recently I've been exploring on how I can make setting better. I've figured out that I should treat setting like a character. Setting should be given mood and other characters should interact with it. I don't know why it took me this long to figure it out. I should have figured this one out in the early 90's when I was studying moviemaking and stagecraft. Lighting is very important in film and theatre. By changing the way you light something, you give it atmosphere and mood.

Same thing applies to writing. The details one points out should add to the emotional environment one is trying to create, either by highlighting or contrasting it. I need to be a better gaffer in my novels.

Pacing is important and I try to pace things so that they have a certain rhythm. I'm still trying to get the hang of this.

Last, and maybe most of all, I must love the novel. I must love it so much my heart aches when I'm not working on it. If I love it, I will indulge in it and that indulgence will show.

Now, since I never envisioned an ending to this post, I'm going to fizzle out now and no doubt will only think of a clever ending much later.

Meanwhile, how do you write a novel? Novelists must understand their method for the best chance of success.

Yep, that's it. I officially suck this week as a writer. The following 1775-word story is an unfair and unworthy response to the very, very good words that
jpsorrow (pompous, batshit, electrostatic)
and
mnfaure (malady)
and
rcloenen_ruiz (malapropos)
gave me. In fact, you are better off just reading the above words and imagining the terrific and humourous story that they could all have been found it, because to read the following story will be a waste of your ten minutes.

Still, these words count towards my million, don't they?

( Tweeville )

I almost didn't post it, it's so bad.

Yahno, that's exactly the sort of story I had to suffer through in University workshop classes. Crap. It's tweeness has embedded itself in my brain, dormant for nearly twenty years, only to awaken now? Bugger!

Why can't I write this week? Where has my muse gone? It took me until nearly eight-thirty tonight to even try and come up with a plot. That is so not me. I hope I can blame this on the cold I've got and the stress in my life (stressor #1, how on earth do I rearrange next quarter's schedule so Their Ladyships can go to gym on Thursday; stressor #2, I learned today that the IT manager is seriously thinking of pulling me from my on-site position at the library and sticking me in the generic Help Desk centre up at the Council building. That is so not on!).

Maybe next week I'll be a better writer.

Now, unrelated opinions: should I continue to play around with my style and voice in little exercises like this, or should I rewrite Troth of the Dark and hope I've improved enough in my craft in the past short while to make a difference?