What’s your novel writing process?
Websites, blogs, national magazine features, poems, short stories, resumes…it may appear I have written almost everything.
I have not written a novel.
I did not have the desire to write long-form fiction, but the feeling came to me a few weeks ago. No, not an idea. No characters, no plot, nothing–only a feeling that I want to tell a bigger story.
I chatted with a few writer-friends and told them I don’t know where to start. Do I make an outline or character histories? Do I write the entire novel sequentially or do I write the middle now, then the end, then the beginning?
When writing a magazine article I research facts, conduct interviews, then weave them together to tell a story. Writing a poem is not necessarily sequential either–I typically take a middle stanza and make it the first or last during revisions. None of this seems to matter as I start to approach writing a novel…first I need to know what it is about.
I want it to be a story I don’t mind submersing myself in for years to come. I want to write it without the influence of commercial goals.
I don’t care if it sells.
I started Write Naked without a drop of desperation and now my blog has grown to over 400 readers. I started freelancing because I enjoyed it – although I care if I made money – I still participate in projects gratis from time to time. I imagine if I approach a novel the same way, it will stand on its own as well.
Didn’t stall once. 🙂 Drove us to dinner after exploring.
One of the many farms nearby.
What has been the most inspiring to me the past few weeks are drives on the country roads around our home. The roads are free of traffic, the corn is getting high, cow tails flick, I see the bald eagle on my drive to town every day, and old farmhouses enrapture me. Plus, I have successfully learned how to drive stick. Exploring the country roads in a convertible on summer evenings is nothing short of inspiring.
Nearly 100-year-old single-lane steel bridge a short drive from home.
Write Naked 
Congratulations on undertaking a novel, Tara Lynne!
There are probably as many ways to write a novel as there are authors. My first novel began as a short story and turned into an exhilarating exploration that kept groping for an ending. Although I have finished it (several times), I have been unable to find a publisher for it. Someday I will, even if I have to self-publish. The working title is Venus Dreamtrap.
Five of my novels under two pseudonyms have been published. The names have been withheld to protect the guilty (me). Although these stories are genre fiction, the experience has helped me experiment with point of view (Whose story is it, anyway?), character development, and dialogue – among other aspects of novel writing.
I have pasted all of these novels into the site you once noted: I Write Like. Here is a list of my styles, in the chronological order in which the novels were published::
– H.P. Lovecraft (My fiction may be horrible, but it’s not horror!)
– James Joyce, in two consecutive novels (Am I that convoluted?)
– Leo Tolstoy (Most of the story was set in Siberia)
– Mario Puzo (I don’t see the resemblance in style.)
My published short story collection for the same genre is stylistically all over the board, from Raymond Chandler to Anne Rice.
Interestingly, I have subjected two works under my real name – “The Witching Hour for Watching Music” and “Terminal Flirtation” – to I Write Like. Each analysis said my style was like Margaret Atwood. No comment.
So, am I versatile? Or just schizophrenic?
In each tale, having a strong sense of how events will turn out has helped me complete the novel. Occasionally a character will “take over” and rewrite the story – not necessarily a bad turn of events, but the author can’t abdicate his or her plotting responsibilities too often.
Genre writing, of course, has drawbacks. The goal is to pump out as many titles as possible, but my writing is tediously slow. Several of my books have threatened to become unwieldy, and my efforts to rein them in have truncated potentially rich plot development. Your philosophy is wise: to let your novel take you where it will without concerning yourself with selling it.
On the other hand, commercial writing imposes the discipline of ruthlessly cutting out elements that aren’t essential to the story – perhaps to salvage these parts for a story of their own.
I would add that genre writing, like all writing for pay, enforces deadlines – but I would be lying. As I write these words, I have four unfinished novels that I must complete because of verbal commitments before I can bid adieu to genre fiction.
But, after following Write Naked for a couple of years, Tara Lynne, I know you will not repeat my habit of unfinished business. All of us who read your words know you will complete whatever you set out to do.
Best of luck to you!
Bill Stroupe
Thanks for your insight, Bill! Amazing the analysis of your work shows how diverse your writing is over time. Your experiences seem to match with what I’ve heard from other novelists. I guess I should expect a character or event to surprise me at some point and change my course. That is exciting to me!
As for unfinished business…don’t let my blog fool you! I have nearly 3 dozen short stories and not all are complete. I start a new one without finishing another, and the cycle repeats itself. Writing a novel won’t help complete those short stories. 🙂
After writing six novels, I can state that each one was written differently. Sometimes I had an idea for a really good character. Other times, the spark was an event, or a setting.
One thing I know for sure: the best ideas came to me while I was in the process of writing. Be open to ideas as they come to you.
Also, in most cases, I didn’t understand the theme of each book until I finished the first draft. For example, my latest book, “Bring Down the Rain” is about sacrifice. That concept developed as I wrote the book. I flushed out the theme more during revisions.
I wish you the best of success with starting your novel. It isn’t easy, but it is very rewarding.
J. Lloyd Morgan
Thanks for your advice, Jason! It’s reassuring to know that I don’t need to iron out all the elements before diving in. If I needed to decide and commit to a theme I would certainly be questioning every sentence’s intent–and probably too paralyzed with conforming the work to actually get anything complete.
I’m surprised you have not recognized a routine after writing six novels. Makes starting the seventh one an adventure too!
I’ve written almost 10 novels (one’s in the works) and all but 4 have been published. At this point, I’m “going back to school” to force me out of my comfort zone, largely because I’m changing genres (going from commercial to literary/upmarket).
The way I’ve always started is with the germ of an idea that ultimately becomes a short synopsis. I also do full character sketches. I’ve taught creative writing students over the years that you need to know what makes a character laugh, what makes them ill, how they would react in a fight or flight situation, what their childhood was like, etc. etc. I have approximately 30 questions I ask myself, starting with the appropriate name, right down to their most irritating habit.
Then comes the first draft. The first draft is mainly a dump. Just write the damn thing. Then I put it away for a while and think about the story. Does it follow the narrative arc? Is there enough tension/suspense? Is there a subplot? Does the subplot follow a narrative arc? Are there reversals in the story? Do they make sense?
Then comes the rewrite. Longest part of writing.
Of course, having a writing group or at least a couple of readers helps determine whether the writing is any good, but ultimately I have decided over the years that everyone in a writing group has an opinion, and while that’s fine, it really doesn’t help me figure out whether the story works.
I would suggest reading one of Donald Maass’s books. He gets deep into motivation and makes suggestions/asks questions that have helped me rethink my stories.
Good luck, Tara! If you ever need a reader and can be one for me, we could give each other some constructive criticism.
Cheers,
Dawn
Thanks for the valuable info! You’re one of a few writers who mentioned creating a synopsis! Is it really helpful to you? Do you go back and reference it – or change it to fit wherever you ended up taking the story?
I’ve created character profiles for short stories–very brief details to help me introduce the characters to different stories and weave them together, but I have not delved into extreme sketches. I had a teacher once encourage students to know everything there is to know about the characters–which sounds like your 30 Q list resolves. I think I may develop a list like that, but one that is answered during the creation of the manuscript and not in advance. My preferences change over time and so may a character’s. 🙂
Re-writes are unmentionable. Living in artistic bliss!I will look into the author you recommended. I have several saved in my Amazon cart. (I know, I know, I should support the local book stores!)
I may very well take you up on the critique partnership once I have something ready…which will be in quite some time. 🙂 I am enjoying glimpses of your writing process, the elephant theme, and more on Facebook. You’re working on something special!
Don’t worry about the how, just do. Then you can go back and how.
Well said. Writing, in any form, is as simple as that!