How to Breathe Underwater (trilogy: Lessons in Skills for Life) (Page 4 of 8)

I agree. That's why I'm not bothered by shelving it. My next story will begin with a detailed outline for all three books since that will greatly influence story details throughout the trilogy. I also have to do most of the research up front this time for the same reason.

I'm going to suggest a book that I think very valuable--so valuable that I'm struggling to turn the clearly correct advice into my work!

The book is Matt Bird's The Secrets of Story.  The author starts by explaining that his expensive Columbia MFA was worse than useless, because it taught all the wrong things--things not to do.  Then he boils his experience down to 13 rules so obviously right your only problem is the skills to do them.  But you know what you're working towards.

New Jersey is right. The book is that good. It uses movies for example to prove points. It really puts the teaching into perspective

That blog entry is amazing. It's interesting to see how different my next story is from the traditional hero's journey.

One of my favorite bookstores sells this sign that says "Write drunk, edit sober". One of these days, I'm going to buy it and hang it on my wall.

Hey there, Lynne! I'm not nearly as experienced as this lot of awesome writers, but I promise I'll throw in my two cents when I can. As far as when to start a story, I read somewhere (can't recall where) that the story starts when the "problem" does. By problem, I mean the main point of the story. For instance, Harry Potter doesn't start with digging into his daily life and family issues. That's background noise. The real story begins with his letter from Hogwarts.

Well, in fact, Harry starts with being left on the doorstep of the Durnsleys, and then goes briefly into his life in the cupboard under the stairs. But I agree, the REAL story starts with the letter from Hogwarts.  So I agree, I need to bring in my problem rather more quickly than now. Look out for lots more foreshadowing I think.

I was reluctant to bring in HP to the conversation, but there is need to make your story as non-HP as possible. Using it as a template , even in negative comparisons can be trouble.

Have you debated this, Lynne?

Letting readers think they know what they're meeting gives you the chance to weave story around the differernces.

I wrote seven or eight versions of chapter one for my first book. However, it evolved as a result of the evolution of the rest of the story. You might want to keep going and see how the spirit moves you, then come back for a possible rewrite. If you already have a handle on the rest, then by all means, try writing another draft of chapter one to see which you like better.

Of course it's confusing - you haven't found you true voice yet.

Recommend: Read the published writers you love and emulate for your first draft. Draw what you can from this site, but don't attempt to do it all.

Second-pass come back and watch yourself emulating. Ask yourself what you were really trying to say. Filter it through the eyes of your reviewers. But come back with the wisdom of the completed story and make it yours. In doing so, you will find your voice.

-K

Added thought on the little review:
Fartravel -- four syllables, and awkward, for a bit of 'tech'.  After a decade or two, people would be saying 'Farter' or they'd invent other terms.  (Are you old enough to remember https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrvergnügen ?)  Anyway, if  people could substitute a short walk, it doesn't seem very Far.

Heinlein was a genius at this.  He could drop a nonce term like Welton Fine-grain or Burroughs Bachelor Buggy and the reader would get it at once.