13 Week Novel—Week 3 Activities: Plots & Subplots

I've got several things on my mind this week. I know I'm late, and it's not from all the issues swimming around in my little human brain. The Tucson Festival of Books wore me out, and I think it added to the ideas lazily backstroking into my consciousness from my subconscious mind. 

I know you've been keeping up on working through the next 2500 words, though. 

And I've been thinking.

First, about the long novel process. (How unlikely.) I was at the gigantic Tucson Festival of Books. I only got to one panel. I couldn't get into two others because they were so crowded. Ridiculous. 

The size of this book festival is difficult to fathom. Image: Lars Hammar

Anyway, in the panel I actually attended, it was encouraging to hear one author say he wrote what he thought was a novel in six weeks, then he spent three years actually rewriting and shaping it into a novel. The other novelist on the panel was floored. “It took me six years to write my last novel!” he said. (Or something like that.) I like being reminded that it takes a while to struggle through this.

What I Learned During Week 2: First Chapters & Character-Driven Story

Week 2 has been a little crazy for me. Teaching, preparing for the Tucson Festival of Books, feeling ill, editing, writing the book, and trying to keep up with this blog. I have mixed feelings about week 2.

How did you feel about week 2? I have mixed emotions on the productivity... Image: Soren Rajczyk

Write Your Novel Now! Week 2 Activities: First Chapters & Character-Driven Story

What do we expect from the first few chapters?
A great first line? Establishing the tone of the book and a character that readers care about? Some sort of conflict or trouble?

Do we get hooked into stories the same way each time? Image: Local Studies NSW

Some people think that the central conflict must be apparent of the first page. Others say that may be more about your style, your story, and your genre. Some think hinting at that conflict may be enough in the beginning and simply creating a question in the readers' minds can intrigue them into reading on.

What do you need in the first chapters of a book?

What is your process?

We all have different processes of writing a book and planning it. It's a matter of figuring out who you are as a writer.

There’s a profound difference between making something up and imagining it. You’re making something up when you think out a scene, when you’re being logical about it.
                                                                                 ----Andre Dubus III

Admit it. You write because you like the dream state. Image: Caden Crawford

6 Reasons Why "Write Your Novel Now" is a Better Process.

With Write Your Novel Now! you write 2500 words per week, read, and do some other activities. Why is this a good approach?

There's more to it than writing... Image: Roco Julie on Flickr

1. You don't alienate your friends and family because you still have a life--living life is necessary to being a writer.

Write Your Novel Now! Week 1 Activities: Getting Started

Alright. It's Sunday and we're starting the 13 week novel. Three months and we'll all have a draft. Let's get moving...

Kill it in 13 weeks. Image: Vaguely Artistic on Flickr.