Wes Moore's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing-process"
A lot of people ask me if I know all the details of a novel before I begin writing. The answer is no.
That's not to say I don't know the end before the beginning, however. I do, at least, the biggest part of it.
My stories usually start with an idea or concept from something that's important to me or something that moves me at the moment. For example, I love baseball. When I was growing up, it was very special to me. So, I've mapped out a story for a baseball/who-done-it type story.
I love the beach. We went for a week early in the summer and I was so moved I plotted out a story about a cop from the northeast with his daughter to become a local sheriff in a small beach town.
After the big picture idea, I start working out details in my head and putting them on paper. Pages and pages of handwritten notes. When I'm in the car. When I'm at the gym. (You can see some at http://www.themakernovel.com. Go to the "Inside the Maker" tab and click on "Original Notes.")
Once I've got enough to fill in most of the big picture blocks of the story, I start writing. The details come as the story develops, from research I do as I write each chapter, or from asking the question, "Okay, I know what I'm driving at here. How can I make it interesting and unexpected?"
For example, in The Maker, I wanted an interesting place for Adrien and Addy to go to spark their romance. So, I came up with the idea of a Niagra Falls of the 24th century idea where they walk through a tunnel under the falls and see the bright lights, etc.
Anyway, that's a little about how I do it. Thanks for reading.
Wes
That's not to say I don't know the end before the beginning, however. I do, at least, the biggest part of it.
My stories usually start with an idea or concept from something that's important to me or something that moves me at the moment. For example, I love baseball. When I was growing up, it was very special to me. So, I've mapped out a story for a baseball/who-done-it type story.
I love the beach. We went for a week early in the summer and I was so moved I plotted out a story about a cop from the northeast with his daughter to become a local sheriff in a small beach town.
After the big picture idea, I start working out details in my head and putting them on paper. Pages and pages of handwritten notes. When I'm in the car. When I'm at the gym. (You can see some at http://www.themakernovel.com. Go to the "Inside the Maker" tab and click on "Original Notes.")
Once I've got enough to fill in most of the big picture blocks of the story, I start writing. The details come as the story develops, from research I do as I write each chapter, or from asking the question, "Okay, I know what I'm driving at here. How can I make it interesting and unexpected?"
For example, in The Maker, I wanted an interesting place for Adrien and Addy to go to spark their romance. So, I came up with the idea of a Niagra Falls of the 24th century idea where they walk through a tunnel under the falls and see the bright lights, etc.
Anyway, that's a little about how I do it. Thanks for reading.
Wes
With The Maker, it took a full year, and then about a year after it was released I went back and spent a few more months polishing it. The final version will be out the first of December. So, all together, I've probably spent 18 months or so on it.
My next novel, tentatively entitled, Identity, is coming a long much faster. I think I'm just better at writing novels now than when I started The Maker.
Identity draws on my own experiences in high school and is a story about a teenage boy named Nick Darsi, who is about to commit suicide over the loss of his girlfriend.
Not to give too much away, but he meets a mysterious subsitute teacher named Mr. D. who seems to know way to much about Nick's life. In the end, Mr. D. helps Nick move on with his life. (Look out for the twists in this one.)
Back to the point, when Identity comes out next year, I'll probably have eight months or so of actual writing time invested.
Thanks for reading.
Wes
My next novel, tentatively entitled, Identity, is coming a long much faster. I think I'm just better at writing novels now than when I started The Maker.
Identity draws on my own experiences in high school and is a story about a teenage boy named Nick Darsi, who is about to commit suicide over the loss of his girlfriend.
Not to give too much away, but he meets a mysterious subsitute teacher named Mr. D. who seems to know way to much about Nick's life. In the end, Mr. D. helps Nick move on with his life. (Look out for the twists in this one.)
Back to the point, when Identity comes out next year, I'll probably have eight months or so of actual writing time invested.
Thanks for reading.
Wes
I've gotten many positive comments on my habit of writing short chapters in my novels. Typically I shoot for 1000-1200 words. Although at times, in important chapters, I'll push it out to 2000 or 2500.
My main reason for doing this is to create a sense of movement and action (even it it's not an action scene per se). Short chapters, in my opinion, give the reader the feel that the story is progressing quickly, and keeps them excited about what comes next.
What I've heard from my fans is that this way of doing chapters makes it easy for them to read for a few minutes and then stop for a while (say at a lunch break, for example).
My wife is reading a book now (looks to be about 300 pages), and it only has seven chapters in the whole book! While she likes the book, she doesn't like that element of it. She doesn't feel like there are enough good places to stop.
Anyway, that's my take on short chapters! Thanks for reading.
Wes
My main reason for doing this is to create a sense of movement and action (even it it's not an action scene per se). Short chapters, in my opinion, give the reader the feel that the story is progressing quickly, and keeps them excited about what comes next.
What I've heard from my fans is that this way of doing chapters makes it easy for them to read for a few minutes and then stop for a while (say at a lunch break, for example).
My wife is reading a book now (looks to be about 300 pages), and it only has seven chapters in the whole book! While she likes the book, she doesn't like that element of it. She doesn't feel like there are enough good places to stop.
Anyway, that's my take on short chapters! Thanks for reading.
Wes
