Book: This Year You Write Your Novel
By explorations
@explorations (1712)
United States
May 21, 2007 3:15pm CST
I really want to accomplish this goal this year: to write a novel. I'm tired of talking when I should be doing. I received a copy of Walter Mosley's book, This Year You Write Your Novel for work and thought it was fate. What books are you using, if not this one, (or websites, for that matter) to help you achieve this goal?
2 responses
@scribe1 (1203)
• United States
6 Jul 07
Well, it isn't Mosley's book, that's for sure. I borrowed a copy of that book from my library and found it to be lacking in a number of areas. I am so glad that I didn't waste my money on it!!!!
Anyway, the most valuable book, in my experience, is Noah Lukeman's book, The First Five Pages (Simon & Shuster, 2000). A more recent book of his on character development is excellent, with questions on every aspect of characters that you can ever think about and answer about your characters. The advice is practical and detailed, unlike Mosley's book.
@scribe1 (1203)
• United States
7 Jul 07
I have found that answering Lukeman's questions about my characters helped me to shape up a plot. The character's weaknesses seemed to suggest problems for him/her to overcome, as one thing led to another.
I have reached a point where I can summarize my plot in one sentence. You should also be able to do that for your plots.
I have another suggestion: check the one-line plots given in tv guides, such as "single mom and actor shack up in apartment." Let such one-liners inspire you. Ask yourself what the one-liner suggests that the story could be about, and go with that. You may also wish to substitute different characters. In other words, why re-invent the wheel?
Anyway, good luck!
@explorations (1712)
• United States
7 Jul 07
Thanks for the book suggestion! I read Mosley's book and think it's a great companion to larger resource text for *new* writers. I've been writing since 1999, so I found a lot of the information to feel like common knowledge. Know what I mean?
@murrdog (87)
• United States
6 Jul 07
How is it going explorations? Are you still focused and pursuing your goal? I hope you've been doing and not talking! Writer's Digest magazine has always been a good and helpful inspiration to me, you might try one. It is so easy to get sidetracked, you've got to make the time and just do it! Let's hear how it's going--
@explorations (1712)
• United States
7 Jul 07
Thanks for asking! :-) I've been doing a lot of exploring in a notebook with plot twists and setting. It's been a lot of fun brainstorming, researching the background of where I'd like the story to take place and researching books that compare to this idea in the marketplace.
