1. 33percent

    33percent Active Member

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    Rewriting half first half of my book

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by 33percent, Jan 5, 2013.

    I've got around 60k + words down so far, and wrote down as I went with the flow. I finally got to the part I really wanted to write about the climax of my book, but going back rereading half of my book. Most of the parts just seem too boring with some excitement but predictable. I know its best to keep a reader guessing. Another problem I'm having is I can't explain everything, and make it understandable just in my main characters perspective of whats going on. There is too many problems going on, and it has politics/war/plots etc..

    I read some of Game of Thrones where it evolves having chapters of different characters situations all conflicting/merging with each other. Would it be best to use GoT plot structure to have the reader view the main character + characters that revolve around main character, opposing govt characters, and other characters drama that are driven towards the main plot?

    Better question is how can I manage with multiple different characters with all different plots?
     
  2. blenderpie

    blenderpie Member

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    If you are worrying about the struggle of adding the perspective of different characters, why not just make the book third person omniscient? (Which is manageable if you feel it would work. Don't just stick it there if it doesn't feel right) I'm super sick right now, so the most obvious example of this is the Harry Potter series. Most of the story is told through Harry's eyes, but we still get views of what's going on with Voldemort (sometimes through Harry's eyes, sometimes not), what's going on at Hogwarts, etc., as well as some of what the other characters are "thinking."

    And about reading through and it seems boring, it's a first draft. No book was ever made in a first draft. If I were you, I'd finish the whole thing and then go back. Some people work differently, but editing to be is both joyous and extremely frustrating. If I started when I was halfway through, I'd lose my love and motivation for the story really quickly.
     
  3. evelon

    evelon Active Member

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    Are you thinking that you could get the book down at the first attempt. There'll be more than one draft before you get the book you want. The first draft is just the beginning. And it's the most important part of the whole project. This is your foundation - it's where you can clearly see the weaknesses and the strengths. If you can't face it right now, put it away for a couple of weeks and then try again./

    The other thing is that nearly everyone has a 'favourite' part of a book to write, but you can't let that part take precedence over the rest of the book. It may the most exciting to write and will therefore be the most exciting to read, but your reader won't want to plough through the gunge just to get to the good bit. You are the writer and it's your job to make all parts worthy of the read.

    The boring bits aren't really boring, they're just the outline of the story - now is when you have to fill in the interesting bits. You have to build your book. It's hard work and maybe you hadn't anticipated all the problems. It's the same for everyone. If you really want to complete the book, to your satisfaction and to the satisfaction of your readers, you've got a lot of work ahead of you.
     
  4. Talmay

    Talmay Member

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    A first draft is an outline. By having that essential background already written, you can then focus on what needs to be improved. A story is not born the way it's published. Just keep going and you can revise at a later date (improve the narrative, tighten the plot, add characters, etc).
     
  5. SilverWolf0101

    SilverWolf0101 Active Member

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    I say finish writing the book completely before going back and trying to change anything. As others have said, this is your first draft, and they never turn out like we want them to. So finish it and then return to it and make any kinds of corrections you like. Or, after finishing it, if you don't like the way you wrote the story at all, try taking a different approach to telling the story. If you stop now just to fix what you've already done you may get in a dangerous habit of constantly doing this in your works and never finishing what you start. You want to avoid that as much as possible.
     
  6. 33percent

    33percent Active Member

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    After reading terribleminds.com first I'm going to finish it before I restart rewriting it again. The main character wakes up in the distance future, and question I'm debating is have him end up becoming a slave on accident for what he took for granted in today. Makes him realize how precious freedom is to him but fighting for his life to defend it. I'm trying to make it stay true, and could happen based on the actions we do today. I know the rough draft will look, and sound like sh!t but finishing is all but important on continuing it. I have the future setting, the environment down almost like concrete. Everyday I dream about scenarios in my head with my music like watching a movie in my head, and I'm the director. Then I just write it down whatever comes to mind. My book is more of action/adventure/thriller type of book. My grammar isn't the greatest either but I know it's understandable for people.

    I looked at Harry Potter structure, would like it more structure plot like HP but there is too many outside variables that I can so much explain with the MC. Main outside variable is the govt is anti-Protagonist the MC is taking on. Most of Harry Potter revolved around him and Voldemort. I haven't really created a solid bad guy in my story, and I know I need to but I need a good solid reason only one I have so far is he a telepathic. I have the mid-end plot down how it will end, and characters. Just after the MC wakes up in the future where the beginning is where I'm unsure maybe I was just racing to the part I wanted to get to before I actually creating a solid beginning plot for it. Since the govt is anti-Protagonist, and some colonies on distant worlds are not that effects what happens to the world/environment that revolves around the MC. That's why I think is best for more a GoT + HP kinda plot I'm still unsure still.
     

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