FencerforJesus, thank you very much. I'll see if I can find that book. I"ll let you know if I need anything else.

I need to buy more pens and paper. My pens always go missing and my brother steals my paper to make arts and crafts...

I haven't been here for a while I've just about finished writing a play

That's marvelous! What sort of play is it?

(the ending somehow doesn't want to come about the way I wish it would I hate it when something I am writing starts behaving differently than I want it too, I know that sounds really weird, has that ever happened to any of you, you have one thing in your head and somehow when you try to get it down on paper it doesn't come out quite the way you imagined it?)

Yes, this happens to me quite a lot. If it's different in a good way, it's good luck. But if not, then it's best to try to mold it back into shape through time, practice, and many drafts and re-writes. For me it always helps to find pictures and music that portray the same atmosphere that I want the book to have, photos and videos of people who remind me of the characters, etc.; and to always keep them in front of me when I write, so that what I intend for it to be, it will become. It's fresh in my mind, and at my finger tips.

My novel is making slow progress though all because I am absolutely clueless on how to begin

I'd love to help, if I can in any way.

~Riella

Wow, Fencer, that is so exciting!

As for me, I've only begun to edit my NanoWrimo. Someday I do hope to publish it, but I'm not even going to let myself start looking at agents until my second draft is all done. I have so much work to do...

Just a question; how do you all approach the opening lines of a story? Is it all right to start with something just average, or do you always like to make it a real eye-catcher? I've rewritten my prologue about five times now, and I'm not satisfied.

I always try to use an eye catcher, since it's the first thing every reader sees. (Besides the back and front covers )

~Riella

There are lots of approaches on how to handle the first lines. Both Fellowship of the Ring and LWW's opening scenes would hardly be considered eye-catching. It really depends on the opening scenes. Are you trying to set the scene of the story by described the who, what, where, when, how? Or do you want to start straight with the story and develop the setting once your readers get a glimpse of what is going on? The answer to that question will guide the answer to the first lines.

For my book, I opened up in the middle of an action scene. What that did was set the tone of the story. That's is something you want to project to your reader with your first few lines and pages. You want the reader to get a glimpse of what type of story they are going to get into. The first lines can really help set the tone.

So that should help get the thinking gears turning.

Good luck with your editing narnian_at_heart! I haven't even touched my NaNo since November, but that's mostly because it's the sequel to my work in progress. I have referenced it a couple of times lately because some of those spur-of-the-moment ideas managed to make their way into book one.

You're writing a script, wild rose? Neat! Yes, sometimes scenes I have planned out in my head just don't come out the way I was imagining. Isn't it frustrating? I tend to think of my story as a movie in my mind, so sometimes it's difficult to live up to those expectations.

Valiant, that's funny about your paper and pens. Just curious, do you have a favorite "writing pen"? There's a certain brand of mechanical pencils that I just love to write with, and I dislike using any other kind! I'm just weird, I guess. But currently all of my pencils are hiding from me. It's making me really depressed. I guess I'm going to have to run and buy more.

Good luck editing, ChristProclamer! As for beginnings, here's my approach: don't worry too much about your beginning quite yet. Move on to other parts of the story and work on those first. You can keep ideas for your beginning in the back of your mind, but wait until you get the rest of your plot pretty much fixed. Then, look back and ask yourself, "Where does my story really start?" For me, that place was near the end of chapter one. So I scrapped my prologue and most of chapter one - I realized that all of that was backstory, setting things up so the real story could begin. I decided instead to thrust my reader right into the thick of things and fill them in on who's who and what's going on as those first few pages progress.

I haven't been here for a while I've just about finished writing a play

That's marvelous! What sort of play is it?

It's set in Russian fairytale land it's about warriors and damsels in distress, all about honor and valor The title is (translated) 'The Battle for the Throne'
(Once I've finished it I can send it to you, it's nothing really special though)

My novel is making slow progress though all because I am absolutely clueless on how to begin

I'd love to help, if I can in any way.

thanks, I'll welcome any the help I can get . My biggest problem is that I don't know whether write it from first or third person. I'm completely unsure how to introduce my heroine. The novel is going to have a couple of flashbacks and I'm wondering if I should perhaps start with a flashback and then come back to reality, or start with the present day. I did have one idea on how to begin, I thought it was quite good as it would introduce both Liza (my main character) and her grandfather, who is a key person in the novel, give insight to both their characters, but again I am unsure if I should do it in third or first person and if in third person from who's point of view, Liza's or from her grandfather's. Also I am unsure on how much of of Liza's background to give in the beginning. Should I give it all in one shot, or perhaps reveal it piece by piece as the plot unfolds......anyways as you can see, I'm really stuck

Flashbacks can be tricky to pull off successfully. It's much easier in a visual medium like movies, but possible to do in book format. You don't want too many because that will confuse the reader as to who is who. A flashback is best used when it reveals a key plot point or character development moment that may not be better suited in a dialogue. When doing a flashback, it should be necessary for the reader to know the setting, know what kind of world the character was in at the time, and show the train of thought processes the character was going through at the moment. If the point you are trying to reveal can be done through other means, it may be best to try that. For your particular case, I could see a prologue being done in a flashback. It should set the scene and introduce the characters. It is a useful and powerful tool, but it can easily be misused.

It can be tricky to do things in first-person, but there is one thing to be very cautious about. It can be a thin line between first-person and going into the dreaded Molly Sue character, which is essentially putting yourself, the author, into the story. I'm not saying you are in danger of doing that, but it is something that first-person authors need to be aware of.

I have also rarely seen successful character descriptions where the author reveals their character and identity all at once. In fact, I can't think of any examples where it worked out. There are a number of stories out there, where the author reveals a critical part of a character's personality and identity too soon, then we wait for a long time to figure out what they are going to do about it. Another thing you don't want to do is pull the reader out of the story with long narratives, explaining things. Anything you can describe and reveal to the reader while being 'in the scene' from your character's perspective is the best way to keep the plot moving and keeping your reader interested in the story.

I hope that helps.

Hey! well, I'm a writer (sort of) and I have a tendency for rewriting traditional fairy tails (Like Cuchuliann, Cinderella, Sleeping beauty, The children of Lir, etc...) and I was wondering if anyone could think of some popular fairy tales that I might not have thought of! all suggestions are welcome!!!

~Lasea

Hullo, everybody! I am most decidedly a writer, but hadn't dared to set foot in this thread till now. (Now that the NaNo thread is closed, I was forced into it. )

So, about me. Or, my writing, I suppose. Well, I've been reading since I was 3, and writing followed soon after. I was always drawing & illustrating picture books of some kind - and the only finished work I have to this day is a picture book that I did when I was 4 or 5. Yes, that's right - I have not finished a novel. In fact, I hadn't even hit the 50k mark till November, but that's another story. If you want to hear all of my daring NaNo adventures, just ask.

I currently have a couple projects started. One of them is the novel I started two years ago that I fondly refer to as my magnum opus (whether it will live up to that title remains to be seen). It's a fantasy novel, and the very first story I took seriously. I'm still plugging away at it in little bursts, and fully intend to finish it when I get enough motivation. Secondly, I'm working on another novel that literally came out of nowhere. Both of the aforementioned projects sprang from my pen without my consent, more or less. In other words, I just started writing and... eventually, came up with a cohesive plot.

My goal is to finish my second project by June, so I can use my CreateSpace coupon from NaNo. I know most people use the coupon to get a proof copy of their NaNo novel, but I would prefer to get a printed copy of writing that I think is at least somewhat decent... I could rant on for hours about how terrible my NaNo novel is!

Anyway, I can't wait to get to know all of you and discuss writing, both the pros and the cons. I'd love it if you'd introduce yourselves to me, since it'd be great meet some new people - especially if you're as crazy a writer as I am.

Okay, now that I've gotten that out of the way... Lady_Of_The_Sea I'm "sort of" a writer too, haha! What about Beauty and the Beast? It's one of my favorites. Or you could do The Little Mermaid; that one could certainly use a rewrite since the ending was far from what I expected. (Let's just say that it's not very happy, and MUCH different from the Disney version.) I love fairy tales! That's awesome that you rewrite them; I wouldn't mind reading one or two if you ever feel inclined to share your work.

wild rose, I've always wanted to try writing something from first person, but I've never gotten around to it. It does seem a bit tricky to get right. You really have to know your characters in order to get inside their head like that. (My favorite example of first person point of view is the Percy Jackson series - I just love Rick Riordan's writing style ) I've been working with third person point of view, and I've found that it can be just as effective as first person in terms of getting inside characters' heads. I only let the reader in on one character's thoughts, so the whole story is pretty much told through his eyes. But if you so choose, you could use third person to tell the story through the eyes of many character at a time (omniscient), or you could switch back and forth between a couple characters' points of view. In the end, it really depends on which style you'd prefer.

I have some flashbacks in my novel too. They come in the form of dreams my main character has. When I first began writing, I didn't really have an explanation for these dreams. That came later on, once I was well into my first draft. It caused a bit of work for me because I had to go back and fix the earlier parts to be consistent. Anyway, if you think your flashback is the best way to introduce those characters, I say go for it! You can always change it later if you really aren't happy with it.

And I'm going to agree with Fencer as far as backstory goes...a little at a time is the best way to go, if you can. That's something I have to work on as well...I have a tendency to ramble sometimes.

Lady_Of_The_Sea, welcome to Writer's World! And to NarniaWeb, for that matter. I'm glad you decided to join in our discussions here. Actually, your question about retelling fairy tales reminds me a certain blog post I read. Are you familiar with the author Gail Carson Lavine? She's known for rewriting fairy tales (Ella Enchanted is her retelling of Cinderella). Anyway, here's the post. I hope you find it interesting!

Fie! Why hullo there! I'm Silvie. It's a pleasure to meet you.

It's good to know that I'm not the only one who's been writing for....a long time. I used to dictate to my mom what to write, and then she would write it for me. And then I would illustrate those books. I have a whole box of homemade picture books somewhere. Oh, and I would memorize stories before I could read, and recite them.

It's also good to know that I'm not the only one who just sits down and writes without doing much planning out beforehand. I'm actually surprised the plot of my current project came out the way it did, considering I didn't really know what I was doing when I started. In fact, my main character's best friend (and probably the third most important character in the story) was just a spur-of-the-moment idea that turned into something way bigger. I love it when things like that happen.

And let's not even speak of my NaNo, shall we? It's a complete mess.

Is anyone planning to do Script Frenzy? I am excited; it seems a bit easier than NanoWriMo (being shorter) and I am SO into movie-making!

Also, it's a lot sooner than NaNo...

I might do a fantasy movie! Or modern time period. Man, I wish it was NaNo!

Lu

Good mortereve, writers! (No, that's not a real word. I picked it up from Ditto Town. It means good morning, good afternoon, and good evening - all rolled into one. ) How have things been in my absence? Still writing away, I hope?

I've always wanted to try writing something from first person, but I've never gotten around to it. It does seem a bit tricky to get right. You really have to know your characters in order to get inside their head like that.

My very first story was in first person, and for the longest time that's the only perspective I felt comfortable writing in. I could never get up the courage to write in third person for the longest time. I felt the need to write my NaNo novel in third person though, and while it still didn't turn out like I wanted it to, I'm a lot more comfortable writing third person now. Actually, for me, writing in first person helped me get inside my characters' heads too, although at times I still didn't know WHAT they were thinking (that hasn't changed much. ) Now I like either, and I am slowly getting used to third person.

It's good to know that I'm not the only one who's been writing for....a long time. I used to dictate to my mom what to write, and then she would write it for me. And then I would illustrate those books. I have a whole box of homemade picture books somewhere. Oh, and I would memorize stories before I could read, and recite them.

Silvie! It's nice to meet you too, especially outside the Labyrinth of DOOM.

I did the exact same thing. I would dictate to my mom, then she would write it down, and I would illustrate. I would memorize stories too - that's actually how I learned to read. My parents read me the same books so often that I caught on pretty quickly.

It's also good to know that I'm not the only one who just sits down and writes without doing much planning out beforehand. I'm actually surprised the plot of my current project came out the way it did, considering I didn't really know what I was doing when I started. In fact, my main character's best friend (and probably the third most important character in the story) was just a spur-of-the-moment idea that turned into something way bigger. I love it when things like that happen.

And let's not even speak of my NaNo, shall we? It's a complete mess.

Ah, another spur-of-the-moment writer! It's good to meet one of those. A lot of my writer friends literally PLAN out their entire novels before they write them, whereas I dislike planning because I can never think of anything good. Most of my ideas come when I'm typing away at the keyboard or scribbling in a notebook. That's the way I like it though. So, how do you come up with your ideas? Do they just come out of the blue in a random burst of inspiration, like mine do?

Yeah... I don't know if I'll ever touch my NaNo again. I'll probably do it again this year too, even though I don't know why I continue to participate in the craziness... Do you plan to do NaNo again?

Is anyone planning to do Script Frenzy? I am excited; it seems a bit easier than NanoWriMo (being shorter) and I am SO into movie-making!

I'm planning to do it, hopefully. My friend and I are co-authoring a script about pirates. I'm super-excited. I haven't decided whether I'll do a script of my own yet... although I've come up with a ton of amazing plots from the plot generator on the Script Frenzy website. That thing is hilarious!
-
And now...

Drumroll please...

I finished my novel.

At 1 a.m. last night, I penned the last word of the story I've been working on since August of last year. It's been seven months of blood, sweat, and tears. And a whole lot of laughs. (Okay, kidding on the blood, sweat, and tears part. Although I'm sure you can agree that writing is hard work. )

It's kind of weird - it didn't feel as amazing as I expected it to. While I love this story, it hasn't caused me a whole lot of trouble, and the whole writing process felt really easy. I have had so many other problems with my other stories that are all sitting around on my hard drive, and they're the cause of the blood, sweat, and tears. So I guess I didn't feel as... victorious as I expected to. I was excited, yes. But I expected to be a lot more so... I don't know, maybe jump around the room or something?

Something did change in me, though. It was at that moment that I felt like a true author. Before, I liked to say "oh yeah, I'm a writer," but didn't have any finished work to show for it. Yes, I know I'm not published yet, and yes, I have a long way to go still before I can be published, but there's something about finishing your first novel. Anyone with me on that?

I'm still working my way through the 'boring' stuff and figuring out languages. Right now I'm starting to feel like somebody at a movie waiting for something to explode, because there's so many more exciting things that are going to happen and I haven't got to them yet.

It's good to see the progress going on here. I too started in 1st person, but I never got myself out of the story when I did that. I can say I've gotten experienced enough with writing now that I could try it again, but I would prefer to have an appropriate story to make that attempt.

I am both a 'seat of your pants' author and out-liner author. My first drafts are always on the seat of my pants where I literally as the author go on the journey with my characters and make it up as I go. But after I do that, I often have to do a lot of re-writing in the editing process because characters change on you, scenes need to be re-arranged or flat out re-done, and stuff like that. So I usually outline based on the first draft, but I still do a 'seat of your pants' with that.

As for finishing, there is practically nothing that describes the feeling of finishing a manuscript. It is quite surreal and you have that sense that you have accomplished something. I still remember when I finished the first draft of a medieval novel I did to kick start writing (I still plan to come back to it and revise it for publishing). That was four years ago and I remember just leaning back on my chair in the awe of 'It's finished'. But when I took my spiritual warfare novel and began to think publication, the day I found out that publishers would be interested in my novel, that told me I had 'arrived' and when my book was finally released, I can't begin to describe my emotions at that time. Finishing a manuscript, regardless of pursuit of publication or not, is something every author/aspiring author should pursue. It's a feeling that words on the page cannot express properly.

On another note, while my book has not sold many copies on Amazon to my knowledge recently, I have already breached the 100 copies sold mark in just under two months since it was released. And this is explicitly due to word-of-mouth and my direct contacts. I've sent three copies to two Christian bookstores and World Magazine for marketing. One bookstore is not in position to do it at this time and I haven't heard back from the others yet. But it's all in God's hands. If I only reach my direct contacts with my book, I am fine with that. For me, it's not about making money or being a #1 best-seller. It's about using a story to point people to God. And as more people read it, word is going to spread and we'll see what happens from there.