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Post by nicole on Apr 7, 2014 20:37:48 GMT
Hello everyone! I'm Nicole. I'm 23 and have been writing since I was 18 and creating stories longer. I just recently finished the first draft of my first novel and I hope that being part of this forum will help me through editing and tweaking my story. I love Amber's writing advice she posts on tumblr so I'm excited to dive in.
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Post by Kristoffer Hansen on Apr 7, 2014 20:46:11 GMT
Hi there. Congrats on getting your first draft done!
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Post by Mariah E. on Apr 7, 2014 20:53:01 GMT
Hello there! Congratulations on your first draft! A toast-worthy accomplishment indeed.
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Melissa S
New Member
So close to graduating I can taste it.
Posts: 35
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Post by Melissa S on Apr 7, 2014 21:17:40 GMT
Hello! Congrats on your first draft! (I'm still working on mine.) And ooo! We are almost the same age. Maybe we will be able to bounce of each others experiences Pleased to meet you Nicole
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Post by Amber Skye Forbes on Apr 7, 2014 21:44:07 GMT
Welcome, and thanks for enjoying my advice! We'll do our best to help you in the revision process. It's a pain, believe me.
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Post by nicole on Apr 7, 2014 22:07:44 GMT
Aw gee thanks everyone! And Melissa, absolutely we should share! Good luck on finishing your first draft
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Melissa S
New Member
So close to graduating I can taste it.
Posts: 35
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Post by Melissa S on Apr 7, 2014 22:53:14 GMT
Thanks! It's going a little slow right now because of school but I will take all the motivation I can get lol
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cree
New Member
Posts: 21
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Post by cree on Apr 8, 2014 18:14:04 GMT
Hi Nicole, I still haven't finished my first draft. you should be proud of yourself for finishing. it's so difficult for me
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Post by nicole on Apr 8, 2014 19:22:32 GMT
Hi Nicole, I still haven't finished my first draft. you should be proud of yourself for finishing. it's so difficult for me Thanks cree! Are you more of an outliner or just create as you go?
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cree
New Member
Posts: 21
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Post by cree on Apr 8, 2014 19:33:44 GMT
I create as I go. thinking about it I did finish a draft for a short story. but the novel I'm working on is maybe 3/5 the way done. I'm stuck on a part right now. do you do outlines?
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Post by nicole on Apr 8, 2014 20:35:04 GMT
I create as I go. thinking about it I did finish a draft for a short story. but the novel I'm working on is maybe 3/5 the way done. I'm stuck on a part right now. do you do outlines? I don't really have the patience to sit down and do detailed outlines. I usually have a few major events that I want to happen and fill everything in between. And hey 3/5 done is really good! Keep going
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Post by Kristoffer Hansen on Apr 8, 2014 20:55:18 GMT
I can't, can't, can't outline.
Like, I can make an outline happen. There will be an outline and it will be filled with cool things that will happen in my book. But once I sit down and actually start drafting, the thing kind of takes on a life of its own. I could try and force it to fit the outline, but every time I do I end up with hackneyed scenes that don't make a lot of sense. The scenes that grow organically out of what my characters want are always a LOT better than anything I tried to force into my plans.
And as for being stuck 3/4 in, I always find it really helpful to sit back and ask "What do my characters want right now?" And then let them try to get it. Let them make a plan, follow through on that plan, and then watch the world collapse around their ears as they either get what they want or don't get what they want. It'll take the story in some interesting new directions sometimes, but if it's just your first draft, you can tighten it all up in your second and third.
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cree
New Member
Posts: 21
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Post by cree on Apr 8, 2014 21:08:09 GMT
Thank you for the feedback on outlines. yes, I notice that my characters will direct where the story is going most of the time. I just need to let them lead now.
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bunni
Junior Member
Posts: 55
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Post by bunni on Apr 29, 2014 6:35:35 GMT
I can't, can't, can't outline. Like, I can make an outline happen. There will be an outline and it will be filled with cool things that will happen in my book. But once I sit down and actually start drafting, the thing kind of takes on a life of its own. I could try and force it to fit the outline, but every time I do I end up with hackneyed scenes that don't make a lot of sense. The scenes that grow organically out of what my characters want are always a LOT better than anything I tried to force into my plans. And as for being stuck 3/4 in, I always find it really helpful to sit back and ask "What do my characters want right now?" And then let them try to get it. Let them make a plan, follow through on that plan, and then watch the world collapse around their ears as they either get what they want or don't get what they want. It'll take the story in some interesting new directions sometimes, but if it's just your first draft, you can tighten it all up in your second and third. Outlines are like rivers. They don't respect banks. They snake around a lot, drying up in places and getting wet in others. There's really no such thing as a fully realized outline, I find. Yet I tend to outline every book. It's really helpful in murder mysteries. When I was writing Sherlock fan-fictions (five novels), for example, it was a real boon! I got pretty good at it at that point, because plotting for an exceptional character has to be tight. But, no, this isn't water like in LA, running through concrete tubes getting harder and harder as it goes. Outlines are more like a wild waterway.
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