Novel Writers support group

[pinkroses]

Hi. I have started this thread as I am currently trying to find the inspiration to begin my first novel...and I can imagine I am alone.

Even if you're not writing a novel, you are very welcome here. We all enjoy writing on here.

I will begin by asking a simple question. How would you write a novel from the perspective of two people?? Would you write it like chapter one is Bob's point of view and chapter two is Fred's?? or would you write two seperate stories on one book. Bob's first, then Fred's to follow??

I would not keep it too rigid, switching in between as dictated by the plot. Like Dead Babies or Talking it OVer

You could do a couple of chapters from Bob's pov, then a couple from Fred's pov, then alternate (roughly) as the story progresses. As you reach the climax of the story, the chapters could get shorter. Or you could have three chapters in a row that are from Fred's pov, so the reader is going "But what's happened to Bob????" etc. HTH.

That's a good idea. I came up with the idea last night, but couldn't picture how it should be written.

Anyone else writing something at the moment????

Helloo!

Just got back from my creative writing class where we discussed the latest chapter of my novel!

I'm writing mine from several points of view. I head each chapter with the name of the person whose point of view the chapter comes from.

Oh, great!!! That is a good way to keep chapters organised.

Are you able to tell us anything about it???

Hi everyone

how far on are you with your novel anorak?

That's weird pinkroses, am thinking of writing a book from two points of view, mainly as the last 3 have been first person present tense, one pov, and I'd like to try something different. (not copying you - honest!!)

am gonna try alternating chapters, but this might turn out to be too rigid, I think you have to go with what feels right, you can always change the structure later if it starts to feel monotonous. Think the main thing (for myself anyhow) is just to get the thing flowing and the ideas coming.

am doing final edit on a book before I submit it (in one week - eeek) and have to start another pretty much straight away. Feeling much much better now the huge graft part is done.

how many other nover writing m'netters are out there???

Hi everyone. In answer to your questions my novel is about people living in an imaginary religious cult and I am about halfway through it.

What is everyone else writing about?

fionagib, you write for children, don't you?

I recently did some work for a friend on her childrens' book which came out in January. I'm very encouraged by her success. If you're writing for kids too maybe you'll bump into each other. Her name is Val Tyler.

hi sally - my fave creative writing book is called On Writing by Stephen King, the horror writer. It's inspiring and totally non pretentious. am sure there are courses but don't know which are good and which are guff.

it's actually grown up fiction that I do anorak tho did have a kids' story in an anthology once and would love to write for children/teenagers but can't fit it in at the moment and don't know if I could actually pull it off.

am on a book-a-year contract at the mo and also am part time, my 4 year old dd doesn't start school till later this year.

what ages are other people's kids and how d'you wangle time to write? (my dd goes to p/t nursery, also have twin boys of 8). Do LOTS of late night working hence mumsnet addiction!

What kind of fiction do you write, fionagib? Must look up one of your titles if you are prepared to give me names . Will I find them in my local library?

I have a 4 yr old too, he is in part time nursery and spends a few hours a week with a childminder. Also have two older dds in secondary school.

I find I can't write unless I am alone in the house. And if I have lots to do I can't concentrate enough either.

pinkroses, what are you writing about?

Can I lurk on your thread?

I am doing a literature PhD and it is sort of like writing a book (but ABOUT novels) ... One of my current daydreams is to dust off all my ideas for novels once the PhD is finished.

I manage to work by having a f/t live out nanny. Hated all the drop-off nightmare of nursery, lots of driving / cycling for a very short day. Altho I do work better if they are out at an activity.

I must be a glutton for punishment!!

My idea for a novel is about a female serial killer. I am really into CSI at the moment, so my ideas have been inspired from the idea of collecting evidence....doesn't make a lot of sense at the moment, but once I begin writing it should fall into place.

Fiona where did you get your childrens story published?? I have a childrens story I want to donate for a charity as it was on my laptop when it was stolen, luckily I have a copy.

Anorak...that's sounds a great story. I will look forward to reading it.

Sallystrawberry I have been doing a course with The Writers Bureau as they give the guarantee of refunding your money if you do not make at least the course fees back. I paid £189 through an offer on the web. It is a good course.

pinkroses it was published in an anthology of comp winners, the comp was in the independent newspaper with scholastic books. why not send your children's story off to some publishers?

anorak my stuff is pretty commercial really but (I hope) a bit quirky and (I really hope!) not chick lit. At the moment it seems to focus on the realtionships between adults and children. My first book Babyface is about the shock of first time motherhood, and a woman who meets a man through a lonely hearts column, becomes pregnant accidentally, and falls into the baby modelling world.

The second book, wonderboy, is about downshifting to the country but focuses on a mother's relationship with her son, who doesn't fit in and becomes obsessed with odd things like mazes.

I just try to write the sort of books I like to read.

I wrote the first synopsis for my book last night and it is actually a good story. I am hopefully gonna sit and write the first chapter later on.

I just need to disipline myself.

how did you get on with your first chapter pinkroses? Getting started is so hard isn't it. Do you have a word count goal, like 1,000 words a day or whatever, or just write at your own pace?

I work very chaotically which is not good for stress levels - but am vowing to be more steady and organised with the next book.

did ok last night....not got far and it is in the worst state but it's a start!!! I always find it so hard to begin...but once I do, then it should just flow out (hopefully)

How is your editing going??? Hope you are doing well.

working like a nut to make deadline but took few hours off last night to slug wine with dh. So nearly there, gotta submit it thur at the latest. Glad you've got started, doesn't matter what state it's in - the words are down and that's what matters.

uho, my kids fighting over watch to watch on tv.... dh taking them to cinema tomorrow so I can WORK!

All the best fionagib - Hope you can totally relax come Thursday!

I have yet to finish a book - I get about halfway through then lose confidence - although I have written a children's one (not sent it anywhere yet though). I imagine the editing process is a bit like painting a picture - you have to know when to stop!

exactly miaow, you just wanna twiddle and twiddle so I guess deadlines are a Good Thing.

The half way point in a novel is a NIGHTMARE I think. It's been in your life for a long time and maybe you get a bit fed up with it, and the end seems a long long way away. (my books tend to be about 26 chapters and actually the middle bit probably constitutes about 10 of those chapters!)

Why don't you submit your children's story to someone?

Hello
Can I join in too, please? I'm trying to find an agent for my first novel at the moment. I've got some advice for anyone who's thinking of trying to do this. Resist the temptation with every fibre of your being until you're certain it is the VERY BEST IT CAN BE!! Don't waste chances by sending it out when it needs work. I have found out that these days, agents are NOT interested in 'rough diamonds'. I got told by two different top agents, who wanted to see the whole ms, that they loved it and would have taken it on a few years ago. But it needed hand-holding work to be done and it just isn't worth it for them, unless something has instant bestelleer written all over it. My advice is to get professional editing done on it first - pay for this via something like Cornerstones (cornerstones.co.uk) or some of the others out there. I'm on this path now and really feel that I should have done it two years ago.
Anyway, hope that's useful for someone out there.

Can I ask all the mummy-writers WHEN they usually write?

Hello
Can I join in too, please? I'm trying to find an agent for my first novel at the moment. I've got some advice for anyone who's thinking of trying to do this. Resist the temptation with every fibre of your being until you're certain it is the VERY BEST IT CAN BE!! Don't waste chances by sending it out when it needs work. I have found out that these days, agents are NOT interested in 'rough diamonds'. I got told by two different top agents, who wanted to see the whole ms, that they loved it and would have taken it on a few years ago. But it needed hand-holding work to be done and it just isn't worth it for them, unless something has instant bestelleer written all over it. My advice is to get professional editing done on it first - pay for this via something like Cornerstones (cornerstones.co.uk) or some of the others out there. I'm on this path now and really feel that I should have done it two years ago.
Anyway, hope that's useful for someone out there.

Can I ask all the mummy-writers WHEN they usually write?

Really sorry to have sent that twice!! But just wanted to add something; I initially sent the ms out willy-nilly, which means I have effectively burned my bridges with those agents. Even though it is so much better, I can't re-send it to those same ones, and that's the chief reason for not submitting it until you're ABSOLUTELY sure it's the best it can be.

Hi. I write in the evenings. I never have time during the day, although I do research in the day as the kids allow me a bit of time...it is always to noisy to write, though.

I agree that you should always get your work looked at professionally before it goes to a publisher. Some agents will help with this process.

What is your novel about?? I have a children's book due out and a ghost stories book coming out in January.

Hi pinkroses,
It's about a woman who discovers that her mother, who she has thought dead for 30 years, might be alive after all. She's dealing with an unwanted pregnancy and is kind of an unlikely sleuth, lumbering around unravelling a horrible family secret. It's probably pants, but I can honestly say writing it was the most fun/satisfaction/fulfilment I've ever had apart from, ahem, my two children, obviously !

Are your ghost stories for adults?

That sounds really interesting. I enjoy writing. I get to switch off from everything around me and go into my own created world.

My ghost stories are for teenagers/adults. I suppose whoever likes scary stories. I enjoy stuff about ghosts and I always seem to come across people who enjoy telling me scary things that have happened to them. So, I decided to put them all together and see if I could get it published. I was shocked to find a publisher really interested in it.

I am really excited about my children's book as it is something I have done for my children.