So for a few years now ive had a "fantasy" world in my head and, after telling a single friend about it, I decided to write it as a novel. I took to word, writing out a whole timeline, and have even written the first 5 and a bit chapters. However I feel like I need to plan more. Or just do more before I have lept in to write. idk. What other planning should I do and... ahh! Im just confused and stuck. This is my first literary project and i dont know.
First of all, congratulations of taking the first step and braving this new, chaotic, sometimes, scary, but mostly wacky world of writing. Hope you enjoy it here, because once you start, it gets so addicting you can never go back. Overall, I'd just say write, write, write. Get every juicy detail out of that wet towel and wring it out on your paper. Getting the first draft done is the first challenge, and should be the only thing you focus on to begin with. Believe me, i wish i had done that...
Planning is a personal preference, but you seem to have "pantsed" it, and found that it didn't suit you... You probably need a general outline (evil genius takes over the world, young hero finds a reason to take up arms against him, happy ending), and then you need to flesh this out into HOW young hero sets about it...takes arms against a sea of troubles, gets beaten down, gets up again,etc. Enough varied challenges to overcome (and as much detail as you feel that you need), and you've got a novel. You may also find it useful to have outlines of the characters of your main actors...age (especially if there's a long time-span between the start and the end of the story - recently read a synopsis where the age for the MC required her parents to be active spies into their 80s...!), upbringing, family, education, intelligence, physical characteristics (if relevant), mental attributes. You're NOT going to tell the reader all of this the first time that the character hits the page, but YOU need to know it because it all affects how you write about him. Good luck!
Outline or planning might help. Having the fantasy world or setting is one aspect. Telling a story that takes place within that setting is another layer added.
Can't tell you want you should plan, but can give you suggesstions on what you might want to think about. Outline your story Create character profile (or at least write down the essential info about them) Interview your characters (I came across this in a book - it gave a list of question and said to answer as many as you can, afterwards it said to have a converstation with your character, asking them everything you want to know and then let them to ask you questions) Create a World and Town makes Make notes on their laws and culture What laws/rules do magic and powers (if you have any) have to obey? Thats all I can think of to suggest at the moment. I hope something will be of use or spark an idea for what you might want to plan.
Everyone's different. I like to dive in - as long as my character's have a problem and a goal, and problems achieving that goal - I've got a story. As for a new world, I let that take shape as I'm writing. I've tried doing lots of planning but I found that a lot of the information I created never made it into the story or worse I had to write a lot of dull exposition to cram it all in. This way I can dribble out the information in scenes waiting for 'dead time' where the characters are doing more thinking that action fueled activities. Or I can work it into the action. The great thing about coming up with things on the fly is it helps you to shape the scene by 'looking around' at your fantasy world and having your character interact with it on a more now level. It becomes more an experience than explanation. I'd stick with just writing. Planning might not make it any easier ( very first drafts are always hard ) and if you have the momentum now, might as well stick with it.
Get the basics of your world laid down. If you haven't mapped it, do so. It is much easier to write if you have a visual reference and solid directions. Keep a timeline of your world's history. See the world through your character's eyes, make it visceral. Utilize the senses of your character. What do they see, hear, taste, smell, feel? Your character will be the medium through which your realm is brought to life, keep this is mind when you create them. Where do the basics of their history fall in the course of your realm, what region do they originate from, where are they going, why are they going? What is the history of the their people/tribe? What customs do they observe? How do they measure time? These are just a few questions that can be used as starting points. World building and plotting require a lot of work and attention to detail if you want it to be authentic. Take your time and get tenet points laid down so you have something to refer back to. Once you have a character created, play with them. Put them into situations to see how they respond. And do the interview with them, you will be surprised at what this can spawn. If you get a chance run them in an RPG. Fantasy is a tricky genre and is often character driven. If your character starts to go off script, follow them. Outlines are all well and good, but they shouldn't bind your story. (Personally, I consider outlines a nemesis to the creative process and a contributing factor to writer's block. I just follow my characters in whatever endeavour they are undertaking.)
I have to agree. Some of the writing that I've had a go at has just taken a live of it's own. Whilst writing it can sometimes just get away from you, but having an outline could still be helpful.
I think it was Cogito that advised me to try writing a short story first to get the hang of writing a story, a novel is a huge undertaking. I wrote out a fairly lengthy outline to my "novel" but then switched to working on short stories and haven't gone back to the novel. Writing a short story in your same genre as your planned novel may bring out some aspects that you need to prepare for which is what I think you were asking. And when I say write a short story I also mean to post it here so that you can get feedback on it. It is amazing the things that your fellow forum members can spot in your writing, weakness and strength, even reading other peoples short story posts and the feedback is extremely helpful.
Thank you for your response. Ive had a look at this, but it feels like over-preparing. Also kinda like its too late for it, as ive already started writing. Thank you for your response. I usually find coming up with new story ideas is hard, but ive just had this one for ages so i wanted to write it. Does this forum have an adoption thing like the NaNo forums? Alternativly, is it too late to start preparing for a NaNo next month? EDIT: There is a short story I could write in the same universe, but how much different is writing short storys? and where do i start? I have college all throughout november, but I have ample free time to write. I think a big thing for me is motivation
I only signed up for NaNo a couple of weeks ago, a couple of days into preparing...if you've got an idea for a plot, you're halfway there. If not, what I'm doing is picking a story that's already happened and editing it (more than just the names being changed to protect the innocent!) into something that I'll be happy enough writing. I can't help feeling that you shouldn't need to do too much preparation, you just turn on your fingers at a minute past midnight on 1st November...I have read of a few people who are planning to write 25,000 words on the first day (after all, it's the weekend, I can spend a solid 8 hours banging away at 50 wpm without even a toilet break)...I can't help feeling that they're actually planning to have that much written beforehand, and just input them on day one.
Echoing prior posts about NaNoWriMo, you try and plan this and you will hit burnout. The whole purpose of the endeavour is to achieve the 50,000 words by the end of the month. It is a challenge to push yourself out of your comfort zone and leave the box behind. As long as you have an idea and a character in mind pick up and run with it.
I don't see why it would be too late to sign up for NaNoWriMo - November hasn't even started yet. Even if you couldn't go to its website and sign up, there isn't anything stopping you from attempting it. You can attempt to write the 50, 000 words over the month without signing up, you just wouldn't have any benefits that come with signing up... if there are any. I believe there is a support community, or something, to help and encourage participants, but I'm not entirly sure as I've never participated.
I have always been plagued or blessed with the same nonsense in my head. I have found that if I just get all the words, thoughts and ideas out on paper my mind is calmed. The beauty of writing a novel is in the editing, so for now get your thoughts out and worry about the flow or the plan afterwards.
