I’m reading the list of questions you all posted in the comments today. Wow, these are great! It’s going to take months to work through all these, but that’s OK, right?
I’m cataloging your questions now. If you’ve got more, keep them coming. I’ll try to put some order on these and create a new page that’ll archive the answers.
The best form for a question is: “How do I __________________?” The blank should be something fairly specific but not too specific.
It’s been a long day, and it’s almost midnight, and I’m frazzed, so I’m going to bed now. Tomorrow, I’ll pick a question and we’ll start working on it.
Oakly Dokely Randy here’s my best practice question: How do I come up with a high concept idea that captures the imagination. I think that ideas such as “A rogue physicist travels back in time to kill the apostle Paul” get people thinking about the story before they even start reading and they’re already excited. How do we do this oh, wise one?
This is a great idea! How do I write quickly, without letting the internal editor come on, each and everytime?
And another question that is not related to “Best Practices” and one that doesn’t HAVE to be answered: What’s your take on the NaNoWriMo?
How do I know if my middle sags when in my head it’s saying what I feel it needs to? How do I know how much detail is too much?
How do I write a satisfying ending that leaves the reader happy they read the book and happy with the ending?
How do I turn a concept into a plot?
How do I develop a plot from character and/or setting ideas? (Or, how do I come up with a viable story when all I’ve got so far is an intriguing character or two and maybe a storyworld concept?) I love the Snowflake method, but I’m finding it difficult to use right now when I can’t seem to come up with a storyline.
How do I edit effectively without hacking it into mush?
How do I know if something is too melodramatic?
How do I come up with an effective title?
How do I edit effectively without hacking it into mush?
How do I know if something is too melodramatic?
How do I come up with an effective title?
How do I balance plot and character? Example: I focus on plot and my characters suffer; I focus on character and my plot wanders into Neverland.
How do I sustain enthusiasm and vision into the next drafts when I realize that much of what I have now needs to be rewritten?
How do I make a strong villain without cloning Darth Vader?
How do I edit my story without spending my life savings on ink and paper?
How do I know I’m opening the story at the right place/scene/time?
In one of my wips, I had the opening with a frightening happening that drew my female protag back to a memory which explains why she was so frightened. But my critters said it would have been better to open with the older event first. The the reverse was doing it as backstory.
Like Peg I never know what is the best time/place to open, and which POV character to open with?
How do I know if my character talks too “deeply”? (ex they always say something that makes you stop and think, but they keep talking like that? Does that make sense?)
Not sure if these are any good, but…
How do I know if my book is too tradgic?
How do I know if my book is too corny?
Oops…sorry I posted my comment on the previous blog entry. =)
How do I write action scenes (i.e. fistfights, swordfights, car chases, great escapes)?
How do I know the exact length of a scene, without boring the reader or rushing him through?
How do I find out how many details to include in a scene? Should I stick to the plot like a gum and provide details which move the plot forward or can I be descriptive for characterization?
How do I generate enough plot to fill a full-length novel from 80-100,000 words?