TECH: A Checklist for Fractured Novels?
Apr. 19th, 2017 02:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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Original Posting Feb. 7, 2017
That's right! Over here https://madgeniusclub.com/2017/02/01/editing-the-novel/ Sarah Hoyt talks about what to do when your novel has been through the wringer and needs to be sewn together again. Obviously, not all novels need this level of surgery, but, consider these points:
1. Is your ending the strongest possible? You want to make a deep emotional impression on the reader. If not double check:
– Who is the most affected or changed by what happened? Can you get the reader in that person's head at the end, or at least get their feelings about it?
– Does your ending drop an elephant from the ceiling? It may be meaningful, but you need to foreshadow it. So, go back and add foreshadowing!
2. Is there a lot of nonsensical running around? Action is good, but it needs to be meaningful. So,
– Look at the scenes. Are they advancing the plot, do characters get closer to the goal, do they learn something?
– If not, can you change the scenes so they push the character towards the goal?
– If not, can you write new scenes that do that?
Try-fail cycles! Just like the three in the middle of every fairytale. Not random, building towards the final climax.
3. Is the final climax satisfying? Did it get lost in a swamp of minor squirmishes (Sorry, I loved that word so much, I had to borrow it!). Doublecheck:
– The final encounter is not a bang but a whimper? Whoops! Start adding more detail.
– The big battle is just a bunch of little battles? Choose one, and make it the focus.
4. Lots of other goodies to check:
– Every character gets a character arc! Even minor ones.
– Every large change/idea/reveal is foreshadowed and motivated.
– Vary the locations for your scenes. Everything shouldn't happen in the same place.
– Avoid killing characters twice, unless they are vampires or other undead.
– Brilliant ideas? If it's a series, make sure it's consistent.
– Make sure character descriptions are consistent, especially minor characters. Watch those hair colors, speech tags, and so forth.
– If it's a series, try to let new readers enjoy the books too. Not always possible, but try.
– Watch out for characters who acquire persistent habits.
And of course, the biggie. Keep writing!
tink
That's right! Over here https://madgeniusclub.com/2017/02/01/editing-the-novel/ Sarah Hoyt talks about what to do when your novel has been through the wringer and needs to be sewn together again. Obviously, not all novels need this level of surgery, but, consider these points:
1. Is your ending the strongest possible? You want to make a deep emotional impression on the reader. If not double check:
– Who is the most affected or changed by what happened? Can you get the reader in that person's head at the end, or at least get their feelings about it?
– Does your ending drop an elephant from the ceiling? It may be meaningful, but you need to foreshadow it. So, go back and add foreshadowing!
2. Is there a lot of nonsensical running around? Action is good, but it needs to be meaningful. So,
– Look at the scenes. Are they advancing the plot, do characters get closer to the goal, do they learn something?
– If not, can you change the scenes so they push the character towards the goal?
– If not, can you write new scenes that do that?
Try-fail cycles! Just like the three in the middle of every fairytale. Not random, building towards the final climax.
3. Is the final climax satisfying? Did it get lost in a swamp of minor squirmishes (Sorry, I loved that word so much, I had to borrow it!). Doublecheck:
– The final encounter is not a bang but a whimper? Whoops! Start adding more detail.
– The big battle is just a bunch of little battles? Choose one, and make it the focus.
4. Lots of other goodies to check:
– Every character gets a character arc! Even minor ones.
– Every large change/idea/reveal is foreshadowed and motivated.
– Vary the locations for your scenes. Everything shouldn't happen in the same place.
– Avoid killing characters twice, unless they are vampires or other undead.
– Brilliant ideas? If it's a series, make sure it's consistent.
– Make sure character descriptions are consistent, especially minor characters. Watch those hair colors, speech tags, and so forth.
– If it's a series, try to let new readers enjoy the books too. Not always possible, but try.
– Watch out for characters who acquire persistent habits.
And of course, the biggie. Keep writing!
tink