10:58 amThis is How One Writes a Novel…
… when one has no idea of how to actually go about writing a novel.
So as everyone knows, I’m trying to finish my book. My Great American YA Novel. Originally my time table ended in September, giving me the whole summer to finish it. Well, with kids home 24/7 all summer, doing any serious writing over the summer break just wasn’t realistic. So now I have a new plan: this book must be finished before the baby comes. I have almost 4 whole kid-free months (thanks to school) until the baby arrives … because then I will have zero time. This new time table also coincides with this contest. So that’s the new plan. And I’m running with it.
The problem: since this is my first novel, I am still discovering what my “creative process” is… I’m still trying to figure out how I best go about putting together a book. I’ve found out — through process of trial and error — that I can’t just sit down and write from start to finish. Which at first seemed very strange to me… because a book, traditionally, reads from start to finish. So it never occurred to me before now that that wouldn’t necessarily be how I would write it. Instead? I have vivid, scattered chapters and paragraphs… snapshots, really. Lots of them. And while in my mind I see how I want them to all come together into one cohesive storyline, physically putting them into order and making them all smooth is proving to be difficult.
So I did this:
I started creating (with colored note cards) sort of a storyboard that puts all of the events in order. Orange cards are “flashbacks”, or parts of the “back-story” that need to be revealed slowly as the book progresses. Green are the linear present events as they occur. And so on… I know, if you think it sounds confusing, try putting it into order in your mind without the aid of colorful index cards.
The cards each have an event (most of which I already have a chapter or several paragraphs written) that say things like this:
Some other things written on the cards? “Mom’s seduction of the Fed-Ex guy”, and “Sophie’s episode at the funeral”… I know, you are totally dying to know what it’s about, right?? The hilarious thing was when Jachin came home from school yesterday and wandered into the family room where the cards were strewn across the floor and he started reading them out loud. “Sophie makes out with the tutor??” he blurted out. “What is this?” When I explained that it was for my book, he said, “I don’t think you’re allowed to use the real ‘Fed-Ex’ name in a book. You might have to change that to a fake delivery company name.” And I hired him on the spot as my editor and fact checker.
Also, a thing I’ve been doing for weeks: keeping a journal and writing in it exclusively as my main character. I chose a really tacky spiral notebook in the dollar bin at the store.
I’m not sure why I chose such a tacky one, because I carry it around and write in it all the time and people must think I’m deranged… and under the impression that I think I am still 14 years old. Much of what goes into this notebook won’t actually make it into the book itself, but it’s really given me a clear picture into the mind of my main character.
And then there’s this:
The thumb-drive that holds all of my super-secret finished chapters and paragraphs and visions of genius. I keep it locked in a safe under the foundation of the house… because I am a perfectionist and want no one reading what I have until I have a completed rough draft. Which — knock on wood — should actually be before too long.
But again… all of this from a person who has no frickin idea how to actually write a novel…
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I have to say that I’m very curious how you’re going to make seducing the Fed-Ex guy and making out appropriate for a YA novel. It sounds more like the Harlequin novels that mom used to read.
Comment by Sam — September 13, 2008 @ 11:51 am
Pregnant and kicking my butt. Impressive.
Comment by Lisa Milton — September 13, 2008 @ 5:27 pm
You’ve piqued my interest. Can’t wait to read it!
Comment by Joan — September 15, 2008 @ 6:02 am
Sounds like you’re doing a pretty good job of writing a novel. You kick butt, lady. I can hardly write a haiku a day!
Comment by Leslie — September 29, 2008 @ 10:55 am