Friday 22 January 2010

the challenge

Between November 05 and August 06, I wrote my apocalyptically terrible 220k second novel. (I was seventeen. Don’t judge me.) It was fun to write but a total trainwreck: redundancy problems and my inability to handle multiple viewpoints contributed to the ridiculous wordcount. I made a half-hearted attempt at revising it and then gave up. It was the last novel I ever wrote without an outline, and the last with multiple viewpoints. I didn’t complete another novel until March 09.

Now I’m going to rewrite it. From scratch. Without looking at the previous draft. Here’s what I’m planning to do:
  • Aim for a wordcount of under 100k. I don’t have a length problem any more, and my last two novels both ended up around 80k, so I’m expecting this to be easy.
  • Finish the outline. Then actually follow it. Outlines love me and want to be my friend.
  • Tweak the setting.
  • Keep characters and factions to a minimum. I have a redundancy problem, and the best fix is not to introduce unnecessary stuff in the first place.
  • Switch the cast to all female. (Dystophil could have stopped this madness, but instead she encouraged me. Apparently there will have to be lots of girl-on-girl action.)
My new baby is called GLORY HUNTERS, and it’s full of attractive and terrifyingly unscrupulous women - one of whom has a master plan.
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5 comments:

  1. Writer Hippie22 January 2010 at 22:40

    My second novel attempt was pretty crappy as well. Let's not even talk about the first eh? Still, I've always thought I might re-write it one day if I run out of better story ideas.

    Outlines are definitely the way. My aforementioned novel was unplanned, and god forgive me, video game inspired. I thought it was pretty good at the time...

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  2. in which a girl reads22 January 2010 at 23:43

    Ooh, nice! Love the title, GLORY HUNTERS :D It sounds like it's going to be awesome.

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  3. Parametric24 January 2010 at 00:08

    Of course you share my love of outlines, Hippie. All sensible people do. ;) (Just kidding, pantsers.)

    choco, I'm glad you like the title! It has a little bit of a double meaning. Some characters hunt Glories, the bad guys. And the character who drives the plot has a taste for the spectacular - showdowns should be had in the most dramatic and, ideally, televised situation possible. ;)

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  4. Anonymous25 January 2010 at 01:38

    hahaha, of course it's my fault - tee hee. Drooling over the "female Leon" character already and can't wait to beta this particular piece.

    Also, I've totally begun to share your love of outlines. Although my WIP tends to deviate just a little from the Color-coded Outline Board of Awesome, I still stick to the overall outline.

    Also, is it just me or does the title invoke the idea that glory will be far from what's to come at your MC's in this novel? :D

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  5. bclement41225 January 2010 at 22:14

    Sounds awesome!

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