Re: Bringing things to a close - suggestions?

Rik wrote:
Hi, folks. My name's Rik and I'm learning how to write novels.


Hi Rik. Welcome to RASFiC the screwiest occupation you'll ever love (and starve with.)


So anyway, I'm doing an Open University novel writing short course, and I'm also practising by writing a book - it's a first novel attempt set on an alternative world (lacking elves and dwarves, etc; just humans in an alien setting). Before I started writing I'd planned out the storyline, but now I'm seven chapters into the first draft and the characters have taken over the writing process completely and there's no way I can see to get from where I am now to where I intended the storyline to go when I was planning the book. Plus I have no idea of what sort of ending the characters are leading me towards, or how to find an ending that would be satisfactory for me (and others, perhaps) as a reader.


Judging by your other answers, you have a case of minutiae. It's OK, it's not terminal at this stage. It is my belief that when the characters take over it's because your plot didn't give them the right reasons to do what you want. Your subconscious knows the characters better than your conscious and so as you write, the characters seem to be going off the track. They aren't really, they're just following the track their natures and personality dictate.

Also, you said you set out to write a sort of backstory about your world. Now your characters are happily doing everyday things like... washing up and fixing the barn and so on and that's not what you wanted. But it's not bad. It may be helping you to set the world in you head, get the characters to feel natural in the world and establish things you'll need to know later. When you get to the place where they are firm in your mind, you'll be able to leave home with them.

This is a first draft of a first novel and, in spite of the fact that it's "just humans in an alien setting" you haven't given yourself the easiest job. Setting and world-building are huge jobs and *very* *hard* *work*. If you're happy with the story--even if things aren't going the way you want just yet--let them go and see what develops. Eventually you'll get a feel for it and be able to either move the characters into the plot you need, or find a new plot in their actions that satisfies you.

If you really feel you must get the characters into the plot you had in mind, then you need to consider the characters and what would force them to do what you want. They have personalities and quirks and they don't just do things because you say so (if they do, it looks dumb and forced). They have to have a reason that is consistent with their personality. So... if they are happily tending their herds of Ologogoos Cattle at home and you need them to go to Far Ridge and discover the Alien Seed Pods of a Lost Civilization, you have to give them a reason to either abandon the Ologogooos (the farm is destroyed by inexplicable Alien Seed Pod things, perhaps), or desperately need to find the Lost Civilization--like... the Ologogoos are dying and only a legendary Thin gummy of the Lost iv can save them--or whatever. Then your characters have reason to do what you want them to do /on your plot terms/.

That's the key to making your plot advance if you must stick to an outlined plot or drive the plot to a specific conclusion (as one would with a prequel for instance.) Motivate your characters through their personality quirks to go in the direction you require. If that means killing their nearest and dearest, or introducing a character who forces the quest upon them, then that's what you'll have to do if you want the plot to move naturally.


Like I said, this is a first novel and I'm treating it as a learning exercise so I'm not too bothered by the mess I'm creating for myself (okay, I am bothered because in my heart I wanted my first attempt to be the perfect debut, etc, etc).


Alas they are never perfect. Save yourself the pain and get over that idea now. Work toward more realistic goals. Like getting the draft complete, or getting the characters to go to X or what have you. Then be prepared to revise, redraft, edit, slaughter deathless prose, and kill your favorite character if you have to.

So what tips can people offer me for getting my story out of this mess? Do I just keep on writing and hope for the best - maybe re-using the best passages for when I get down to writing my first 'proper' novel? Or is there something I can do now to bring the storyline back under control, so the book can eventually be edited into something coherent?


Editing is part of the process, but doesn't have to occur at the same time. As this is your first, simply jump in and *write* and enjoy the trip for a while. Don't worry about editing it until you've written enough /to/ edit. Everyone starts out rough and has "fish heads" that have to be pinched off and thrown away, or bits that are great from which a whole new, better story springs, or bits so bad you hope no ones knows you ever wrote them. Just do it, get it under your belt, and edit when there's enough direction and substance to give you a solid foundation. If you edit too soon at this stage, you won't get to the stage of a solid shape to work from.

That's not to say you can't do some editing as you go--several writers here are "rolling revisers" who DO edit as they write, fixing bits behind what they're currently on to make it line up and flow into the new part--but even they don't do that from page one. Get some bones down first, then flesh as you need to or as suits your working style. You may be someone who prefers to work all the way to the end, then edit, or you may not, but as a beginner, you have to have some material to work with before you'll know.


And is it normal for characters to take over like this? I feel like my mind's been invaded by my own creations!

Rik


It's not unusual, especially when you first get into the real work of writing (as opposed to thinking about it). I think it's a way we learn to write good characters--exciting, well-rounded, quirky. We let them develop in our minds, conversing with them, observing them, adventuring with them, doing the chores with them, until we can say "I know you!" and know without question what will make John of Ologogoos Farm go to the Far Ridge and find Alien Seed Pods of a Lost Civilization--or whatever. Don't sweat it. Run with it for a while and see what happens.

--
Kat Richardson
Grey walker (2006), Poltergeist (2007)
Website: http://www.katrichardson.com/
Bloggery: http://katrich.wordpress.com/
.

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