I am moving very fast through my latest novel: The Legacy of Zorro. I'm taking the legends of the hero and placing them in the modern day. For my character's training, I am using sport fencing and parkour, which is also known as free-running. I'm planning on mixing the classic swashbuckler with modern technology for an intense action thriller that will keep the reader turning pages. So far in less than two weeks of writing, I am 54 pages in and I had a 4-day hiatus in the middle of that as I worked with a mission team in Mexico this past week.

I wanted to do this story for a long time but never figured out how until two weeks ago, when I was inspired and everything came together. I am absolutely loving it and it is going to be very difficult for me to pull away from it as I am a 'hyper-focus' guy that is determined to finish something once I start it.

This will be my first non-explicitly Christian novel. One of my characters is a Christian but that won't play a huge role in the story. But it will be written from a Christian world-view and will be a way to reach to the non-Christian audience. And if I can get non-Christians to read this and some others, perhaps they will also read my more explicit Christian novels as well. Who knows this may turn out to be a side carreer after all. I still view this as a hobby more than a potential career.

Those are some very good points, Fencer. I've been using your advice in my novel, and it's helped me tremendously. Your new novel sounds very interesting...I'll be praying for your writing to progress smoothly and steadily.

I generally try not to describe characters in more than 3 sentences. Since I'm writing from the viewpoint of a young girl, I describe all the other characters in her eyes so that the reader sees and takes in everything she sees or takes in. For example, she meets a young boy and the first thing that strikes her about him are his eyes. I don't describe any more of his physique until later on because the focus on that particular moment is not on him, but on something else that is happening. Later on in a different scene when the two are talking, I describe him a bit more by what he is doing. I don't really like to stop and describe someone for ages - I try to describe them as they are doing something, because that gives more life to the description...at least, that's what I've found. Of course, I'm not a pro - still just learning.

I'm doing Camp NaNoWriMo this year. and it's pretty tough, but it's actually getting me somewhere in my writing! Even if I don't make it this year, it will be a huge breakthrough for me and my writing.

wild rose similar problem, only I'm at 6,855 words. I kind have the idea in my head of what I want to do, but I'm not sure yet how to do it. Guess it's the two of us!!

I had one of those morning today where I wake up at 3:00am and can't go back to sleep. If I'm going to be awake, I'd rather do something productive and since I am on a major roll on my latest novel, I wrote. And I made big progress. It's really been about 2 weeks since I started The Legacy of Zorro and I am now on page 74 with 37k. No, I will not break one of the largest NaNo records I had seen which was close to 500k during NaNo two years ago, but if this was NaNo right now, I would easily make it. I'll easily hit 50k by Friday or so.

I'm still making up the story as I go with a few overall goals that keep changing on me as the story progresses, but by the time I am done and I do my editing, this is going to be an exciting book. Yesterday, I finished an intense chase sequence that I am using as the point where the introduction to the story ends and the real plot begins. I've got two late-teen heros, one a fencer fresh of getting a medal in his first fencing touranemnt and the other a karate black belt and both with parkour experience narrowly escape being kidnapped by a group of men where you don't know if they are government agents or from a group of professional assassins. Right now, I am just starting a scene after my characters do extensive training, one is ready to go on his first 'mission' as the hero 'Zorro'. The plot just gets more complex from here on out and I am absolutely loving it.

It also helps me having a YouTube playlist of some epic video game and movie soundtracks. As I'm typing this, I have Jurassic Park going along with Indiana Jones, VDT, POTC, and even The Lion King and Mulan. Great stuff that is keeping me going.

sounds like a very interesting novel fencer

I'm enjoying writing my novel, even though at times I get really stuck, but it's coming along right now. I have my main character get transported to a different world while climbing over a fence. I've had a lot of fun making up my world, I've mixed mediveal Russia with fantasy and am quite pleased with the way it came out. All the costumes, armor and style are based on 13/14th century Russia, but since it is also a made up world it allows me to add some imagination and creativity.
Thankfully I'm over my writer's block but there are still times when I am writng and suddenly get stuck, it's very annoying, or at other times I am writing but I am not exactly sure what I am writing about
I'm starting to get to the action of my story, the characters are entering the 'World of Stone'

Only one big problem, my 'bad guy' doesn't have a name, I can't think up one that is good (or should I say bad) enough.he's an evil dark sorcerer, I need a name that will really match but just can't come up with one

Fencer that's great! Wow, its incredible that you were writing at 3 A.M. in the morning. Then again, sometimes our best ideas come ar weird times.

wild rose, I know that it can be hard to figure out the perfect name. You can try baby name sights and books. I know your antagonist is an evil wizard, but you don't have to go for a totally evil sounding name. Sometimes its even better to be a bit more subtle. But you probably shouldn't use a cute/totally friendly name either. Maybe you can do a bit of research and look up the names of historical people who were similar to your charater. I hope this helps a bit.

About evil names . . . I'm not really sure there. Sometimes going for 'harder' sounds, like 'K', 'C', or 'G' can produce a good sounding villainous name. 'Th' can also be villainous sounding, in a more subtle sort of way. As long as its not something like Darkdeath Fangblood, you should be okay.
Well, right now my heroine is about to begin a practice fight with her cousin's former spy. She's a beginner, but so is he, so it won't be too much of a stretch for her to beat him.
There's at least three new characters in here that weren't in the first draft. Elwen's instructor, Vorin, who's rather weird (in a nice sort of way;) Orlin, the previously mentioned spy; and Caelana, Elwen's friend and training partner. A lot of plot points have been changed, (and that's not a bad thing, the original was extremely derivative of another story.) And this whole thing is shaping up to be much longer than The Black Galloper. Its up to 51,377 words, and there's still a lot of story to tell.

Only one big problem, my 'bad guy' doesn't have a name, I can't think up one that is good (or should I say bad) enough.he's an evil dark sorcerer, I need a name that will really match but just can't come up with one

Another thing to consider, though I'm not sure if it will help you much... it usually works better with animals, may be having something related to black/dark/night in the name, while still keeping it realistic. Like maybe something like "John Shadows." But it usually goes smoother with animal names. I really must second Lady Haleth's suggestion. It's amazing what a few hard syllables will do.

My friend and me are also more or less doing Nano this month... she's at 3 chapters... I'm on page 2 Yeah... I hate writers block. But I got an idea now of what I'm doing, so I just have to stick it out.

The reason why I am looking for a good 'evil name' is cause well in my story the sorcerer is the personification of everything that is evil and dark in the world, I am not going to give him much description but want his name to sort of describe him for me, that's why I really need something that will sort of give the reader an idea of what he looks like and what sort of character he has, thanks for all the advice, I'm still thinking but will take everything that has been said into consideration

If I was doing NaNo 'officially' right now, I would have won. In about 2 1/2 weeks, I have hit 54k on my 'Legacy of Zorro'. No slowing down now. I'm in the middle of a short intense action scene where my hero meets the main villian face to face. My villian is a highly skilled assassin who takes the name of 'Zorro' to his advantage. My hero, seeking to bear the honerable mantle of the hero 'Zorro', is currently engaged in a sword duel when it won't go so smoothly for the hero. In a short time, the hero will learn the true legacy of Zorro and that being a hero is not what it always appears to be. I already know I have a lot of editing to do which is typical for me on my first draft but the story is already mostly pretty solid for me. And it's only getting better with each step.

^That sounds really amazing Fencer! I can't achieve that much work in my own in weeks like that. It usullay takes me from 4-6 months to finish a first draft of my story. What are some pointers you give me to finish a little bit earlier? That is if there is.

I had a question about college writing courses. Is taking writing in college necessary or at all recommended? And if so, does one take a course at whatever college is near them, or is there a specific college for authors?

I've seen college text-books on writing and they didn't seem very... helpful. Except in re-teaching things learned in high school/grade school and just basically encouraging people to observe, experiment, and study the works of other authors on their own. But I don't need a college to tell me to do that. Is there more that they teach that is actually helpful? Or is it a waste of time?

~Riella

Ithilwen, every english class is mandatory. Taking a writing class depends on your major or if it doesn't then you can still take it as an elective credit.

edit: I took a screenwriting course in college and a few mythology and folklore classses where I had to write and yes I will say that all of these classes have helped a lot.

^ I tend to hyper-focus on my tasks. I've been able to move that fast because in every spare minute, this is what I am doing. I'm not playing video games. I'm watching little TV or movies. I am just writing. It helps that I am on summer break and begin grad school in a just over a week. That has enabled me to get another 4k+ words done since my last post which was mid afternoon for me. (Now late evening). So I currently stand at 113 pages and 58k.

As for writing courses, it depends on your situation. I took one as an elective as I was working on my first novel. Because I was not in a reading group or writing group, I needed that experience. There was very little to learn that I didn't already know but a course on creative writing actually ends up more like a writing group. You just have to focus on certain aspects. Like for mine it was poetry and fiction. I can do poetry but I prefer fiction. And because of the class, you had to do both. So if you don't need to take the course and you are in a writing group of some sort, stick with the writing group, unless you need an easy A to fill in a gap.

Are there any writing techniques they teach you that is useful? Or ways of overcoming weak points? Or is all that sort of thing just a matter of practice and observing?

~Riella

Thanks Fencer!

Ithilwen, in the screenwritig class I took I did learn different structures about "The Heroic Journey" which is a technique used in all writing formats and I find it to be the best structure out there as well. It really depends on who is teaching the class where you are at and they might have different techniques so I'm not sure.

However if you ever come up to this book around your college I reccomend it 100% http://www.amazon.com/Writers-Journey-Mythic-Structure-3rd/dp/193290736X/ref=pd_cp_mov_4

It trully helps a lot in all writing formats.

Edit: Also anything written by Joseph Campbell is great too, it's the same structure.