An Epiphany Strikes Late In The Game

[mmerriam]

I've been posting chapters of my novel, "Old Blood's Fate," on the workshop. One of the nice things about being on OWW is you can, if you are lucky and willing to work hard in return, develop relationships with people who will tell you the truth about your work, and point you in the right direction. I've managed to collect several reviews from people whose opinions I trust.

(allochthon, ccfinlay, dlandon, everyonesakitty, jmeadows, matociquala, merebrillante, navicat, and sosostris2012, I'm looking at you guys. Thanks for all the help!)

After reading the reviews by these very smart people, I think we have unearthed the main problem I'm having with this piece.

I'm rushing things. I'm not giving enough grounding details. I'm not using the really juicy verbs that can punch up a descriptive scene. I've had several reviewers tell me many of the same things: that the scenes are a little too frantic, that I could flesh out people and places more. That they need more information and description than I am giving them. That I'm rushing the story at a faster pace than it needs.

(Lest everyone think it is all first novel doom and gloom, there have also been some very positive things said about it. Most everyone thinks my main protagonist is a strong and likeable character, the villains are sympathetic, the blended mythology is working, and the dialogue is natural and flows well. So yes, there are things working, and they are things that I did nearly two years ago, when I was at a different skill level.)

I was looking over the reviews everyone left and wondering how in the hell I was going to fix this. The stupid thing is already almost 130,000 words long.

And it hit me (well, actually what ccfinlay said hit me): I'm writing a novel, but I'm thinking like a short story writer. I'm use to shoving eight pounds worth of story into a five pound bag, but what I have is three ten pound bags waiting to be filled.

*facepalm*

I've been approaching the piece from the wrong angle. I've been using the wrong storytelling technique the whole time!

I've been trying to cram everything into a single novel, because I've spent the last few years practicing the art of cramming everything into a single story. But a novel is a completely different type of storytelling. I've been trying to write this piece like it's an overgrown short story, but that's not what a novel is. And even though I already knew this, I did it anyway. A little part of my brain kept trying to tell me that, if the story was too big for one novel (which, if I go back and do it right, it obviously is), then it's okay to make it two or three novels. I, however, ruthlessly muzzled that little voice in my determination to get it all down in one book.

Why? Because I was thinking like a short story writer, not a novelist.

*headdesk*

Stupid writer! No biscuit for you!

I don't have one 130,000 word novel: I have the framework for two 90,000 word novels, or three 75,000 word novels. Now I know what to do. I have the skeleton and most of the internal organs in place, but I need to add muscle and skin to this tale.

Thank you, my wonderful reviewers and crit buddies. You've pointed me the right direction.

Back to work.

In Peace
Michael

Comments

[stillsostrange.livejournal.com]

Are you going to start revising when you're done with school stuff, or should I keep reviewing the chapters you have up? (That's the hypothetical sort of review that might happen when I stop being lazy, which could happen any day now.)

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

I think I'm going to start revising soon, under the theory of what I am planing to do will cause major changes in the way the whole thing reads and flows. I'll probably start tinkering with it this weekend, with an eye toward working furiously on it over the holidays between semesters. I do have a whole gaggle of short pieces I'm going to put up on the shop in the next day or two, so I'll have something for you to look at, if you want.

please?