The Non-Writing Part of Writing
By this I mean the aspects of writiing that help with a draft but are not actual drafts of the novels. This includes reading, research, outlines and worldbuilding. My writing proress is going slow but I have been taking notes on two different Shiny New Ideas. I send these notes to my alpha reader, aka my writing twin from writing.com, and she looks them over. I have yet to come up with an idea she doesn't like but some she likes way more that others. I have the story notes written for Steampunk idea but haven't shared those with Alpha. So, let's put the progress in individual paragraphs.
Steampunk Idea:
Notes done on general story line. Next step? World build, the first part being about developing the elemental fairies. One possible main character is a fae so it's important to have all the information on them figured out. I'm not going with the usual elements (earth, fire, air, water, spirit). Instead, as they seem more fitting for steampunk and the main character helped dictate this decision, the elements are wood, earth, fire, water and metal. I've never done worldbuilding before, so it's all new for me to do research and such before writing a first draft.
Border Bound:
Idea is down and approved by Alpha. I like this idea and it's a potential for when I'm done with Angel//Demon. It's a bit dystopianish, post-apocolyptic type with a slight horror element. I don't do horror well, or at least I don't think I do it well because I do not understand it. Will have to develop the monsters for this story, as I'm not sure what to use but I know it's not zombies, vampires, ghosts or demons. It's an animalistic type of monster that hunts humans. Much to develop but the storyline has good potential.
GeniusNorm SNI:
Doesn't have a title yet and the climax is lacking but I've almost finished the initial notes for this story idea. It's one of few ideas that didn't come from a dream. I like the idea but the execution will be different. One person main character, which is nice because a few of my new ideas have two people who could be the main character. The society will need work for this and I may need to do a little worldbuilding. But for now it will stay in the developing idea stage.
2 comments:
I don't mind the pre-writing non-writing part of writing, just the post-writing non-writing part. (sorry, I shouldn't have done that).
I used to think things like worldbuilding and outlines weren't important - I wrote my first novel without them and scoffed at anyone who did otherwise. But I've discovered, like you, that it's a neccessary part of most longer stories (and even some shorter ones)...at least to tell them well.
Ariana - lol. That's okay. I was able to follow the train of thought there. I don't mind the after writing actually. I haven't done a full edit yet but rewrite is fine. Then again, I was an editor for a newspaper once, so I had to edit.
I know outlines and worldbuilding helps other people, it's just not how I work. If I do an outline, I ignore it during the actual first draft. Just for this new subgenre for me do I really need to worldbuild first.
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