Writing Novels
Posted on | May 3, 2010 | 2 Comments
Besides Weeping Willow, the book I wrote with Steve Mancini, I have written three novels (at least one of which should be published this year, a science fiction odyssey called Guardian Mosaic.) I am in the process of mapping out another one right now. While doing it, I am taking a sort of omniscient view of the process I’m using. Is my approach to novel writing different from that which I use to write short stories? What I am discovering is very interesting to me.
Yes, on the surface, I am approaching them differently. Novels are a different form and need different things: A novel is more sprawling than a short story. Although, like short stories, no two novels are the same and each has it’s own requirements, generally, a novel has more twists and turns, more sub-plots (often short stories don’t have sub-plots at all) and usually a novel will have more characters, so the interaction and relationships between characters requires more preparation. So in that sense the approach is different.
On a more fundamental level, however, I am realizing that I approach it in almost exactly the same way. Like with short stories, I start with an idea. I imagine myself through the setting and imagine the intricacies of the characters. Even though I don’t use as much detail in a short story, I imagine these things very thoroughly so that I know they are real for me, so that process is almost exactly the same besides there being more of them.
I then begin to design the beginning, middle and end. This step is more complex in a novel, because each character might need their own beginning, middle and end, and each section of the novel might need its own. However, I find I use the same techniques to do it for each. So it’s quite similar, just on a grander scale.
It is exciting to me to discover how similar the process that I use for both is. As I continue work on this novel, I will continue to look at the specifics of the process. Stay tuned.
~Geoff Hoff
Co-author of the how-to guide On Writing a Short Story.
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May 4th, 2010 @ 8:29 pm
Geoff, I love how seamlessly you move through your articles advising and enlightening your readers about different aspects of the process. Thanks!
Bobbye Middendorf
The Write Synergies Guru
May 4th, 2010 @ 8:44 pm
Thank you, Bobbye. It’s an exciting process and its fun to watch it from outside myself a little.