Comments on: Novel Writing – Day 10 http://allfreelancewriting.com/2008/06/09/specialties/book-writing/novel-writing-day-10/ Your Freelance Writing Resource Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:03:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jennifer Mattern http://allfreelancewriting.com/2008/06/09/specialties/book-writing/novel-writing-day-10/comment-page-1/#comment-8586 Jennifer Mattern Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:15:04 +0000 http://allbookmarketing.com/2008/06/09/writing-books/novel-writing-day-10/#comment-8586 Thanks Joan. :) For the previous novel that I outlined, I used the Marshall Plan. I loved it. Some people seem to think it's too formulaic, but I actually didn't feel that way - it was more about not letting you leave certain threads of your story alone for too long without progression. Anyway, I walked away from the previous project to give it some "cooling off" time originally before pursuing it further, and did so by starting work on another piece of fiction a few years back. Unfortunately it was being in the early phases of setting up my PR firm that made it impossible to go back to writing fiction (working literally 12-16 hours per day most days at that time), and in the process I just sort of "forgot" about it. :( When I found the outline recently and read through all of it, I found that I was surprisingly still very interested in the story concept, so it's something I do plan to go back to after doing these outlines as an experiment. And the cooling off period was definitely a good thing, as I realized I need to give it a little extra "oomph" in certain areas. So I'm very pleased to say I haven't quite gotten bored with it yet. :) I don't think either of the two books I'm testing now are going to compare to the marshall plan in my mind, because I don't think they're going to give me as thorough of an outline to work with - at the same time, the past plan probably took a bit longer to follow and adapt to my own needs. I think what I'm <i>really</i> looking forward to in time is being able to pull out the best elements of each to create a system that really fits my own needs. :) Thanks Joan. :)

For the previous novel that I outlined, I used the Marshall Plan. I loved it. Some people seem to think it’s too formulaic, but I actually didn’t feel that way – it was more about not letting you leave certain threads of your story alone for too long without progression.

Anyway, I walked away from the previous project to give it some “cooling off” time originally before pursuing it further, and did so by starting work on another piece of fiction a few years back. Unfortunately it was being in the early phases of setting up my PR firm that made it impossible to go back to writing fiction (working literally 12-16 hours per day most days at that time), and in the process I just sort of “forgot” about it. :(

When I found the outline recently and read through all of it, I found that I was surprisingly still very interested in the story concept, so it’s something I do plan to go back to after doing these outlines as an experiment. And the cooling off period was definitely a good thing, as I realized I need to give it a little extra “oomph” in certain areas. So I’m very pleased to say I haven’t quite gotten bored with it yet. :)

I don’t think either of the two books I’m testing now are going to compare to the marshall plan in my mind, because I don’t think they’re going to give me as thorough of an outline to work with – at the same time, the past plan probably took a bit longer to follow and adapt to my own needs.

I think what I’m really looking forward to in time is being able to pull out the best elements of each to create a system that really fits my own needs. :)

]]> By: Joan Reeves http://allfreelancewriting.com/2008/06/09/specialties/book-writing/novel-writing-day-10/comment-page-1/#comment-8585 Joan Reeves Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:54:55 +0000 http://allbookmarketing.com/2008/06/09/writing-books/novel-writing-day-10/#comment-8585 Hello, Jennifer, I found your blog via a list where someone mentioned you. I like what you're doing in comparing these 2 books, each promising a novel in 30 days. Of course, you've already figured out that there's no way you'll have anything but the roughest of drafts in that time period. However, I think the premise of the books is a good one in that it makes you think about all necessary narrative aspects of a story though it may not yield more than a really good outline. I read where you'd actually outlined before but then abandoned the project. I think this is one of the dangers of outlining so completely and writing detailed character descriptions etc. It lessens the discovery process. Don't get me wrong. I think you have to have a basic outline and know where you're going and why. but if you put so much time, energy, and creative effort into the outline, often times you end up feeling as if you've told the story. You get bored with it. I'll keep following your journey. Good luck! Joan Reeves Hello, Jennifer, I found your blog via a list where someone mentioned you. I like what you’re doing in comparing these 2 books, each promising a novel in 30 days. Of course, you’ve already figured out that there’s no way you’ll have anything but the roughest of drafts in that time period. However, I think the premise of the books is a good one in that it makes you think about all necessary narrative aspects of a story though it may not yield more than a really good outline.

I read where you’d actually outlined before but then abandoned the project. I think this is one of the dangers of outlining so completely and writing detailed character descriptions etc. It lessens the discovery process. Don’t get me wrong. I think you have to have a basic outline and know where you’re going and why. but if you put so much time, energy, and creative effort into the outline, often times you end up feeling as if you’ve told the story. You get bored with it.

I’ll keep following your journey. Good luck!

Joan Reeves

]]>