Adrian Faulkner's Blog, page 33
November 5, 2020
Badly Acted Quest Text – The Climb #622
While the count from the US election is continuing, I’ve decided to take myself away and bury myself in videogames. I’ll return to writing and catch up on NaNo, when my head is in a better place.
So I’ve been doing a bit of Twitch recently. It started as a way to practise speaking to camera ahead of some video projects that I want to do. But, I realise that I use videogames – particularly Warcraft – as a way to disengage with the world. That’s been really helpful w...
November 4, 2020
Election Blues – The Climb #621
I think I’ve worked it out. I think I’ve worked out why my writing compass has been thrown completely out of whack.
It’s the US election.
That’s surprised me a little today, but watching results trickling in, I’ve kinda worked out why.
I think if I were a US citizen I’d be very much a Democrat. My personal politics seem to be very much centre left. In short, I’m not against people making money and becoming rich, so long as that doesn’t come at the expense of other ...
November 3, 2020
Being Too Negative – The Climb #620
I’m in a bit of a quandary.
So I’m not happy with the start of this novel I’m writing for NaNoWriMo. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s that the thing I’m heavily using for an influence has a very distinct start and I feel I should be emulating that.
Except, this is its own thing. Having influences is all well and good, but they should be influences rather than a pastiche. It’s not like this proposed style of start is common for the subgenre.
And this start works. I’ve b...
Saved By The Outline – The Climb #619
Today was one of those days where you wake up late and then find yourself chasing your tail for the rest of the day.
And guess what was at the bottom of the list? Yep, writing this novel.
It’s not that the start to this novel is bad, it’s just it’s the wrong type of start for this sort of novel. Had I had longer to plan, this would have been changed. But it’s the start I have and as such I have to write it… even when I’m feeling pretty meh! About it.
But this is wher...
November 2, 2020
The Dreaded Start – The Climb #618
And so we begin.
I wish I could say I’m excited about this novel but despite all the work, I feel unprepared. The beginning doesn’t feel exciting enough; I feel it needs to start with a punch to keep with the feel I want for the novel.
But it is what it is.
I did a quick presentation of my planning to my local NaNoWriMo group today and they all said my notes looked neat. First time I’ve ever been called neat.
But it did make me realise that I’ve leveled up as a writer...
November 1, 2020
I Have A Plot! – The Climb #617
So I have a plot.
Of course, I’m currently filled with doubt about it. Is it too basic? Are the characters a little simplistic? Is the story just… well… dull?
At this stage I have to fight myself a little. There’s a lot of fear and it’s easier to find excuses to delay. I have no doubt that if I sat on it a month some improvements would be made. I’m still a little worried about the length of the start.
But… I have a functional plot.
There’s enough here that I coul...
October 31, 2020
Real Life Puts Me Behind On Plotting – The Climb #616
Today has been a day sorting out some real life things, which means all my writing time has been eaten up and I’ve not made a lot of progress with the plot.
Still, I’ve had plenty of time to think, and thinking IS working.
I think I know what the secondary plot is. It’s basically the secondary character’s arc and whilst fairly simple, it will help enhance the stakes / conflicts on the protagonist. I just need to ensure I have the various beats mapped out.
The big thing...
October 29, 2020
Starting To Get The Plot Together – The Climb #615
I’ve been continuing to work on the outline for my NaNoWriMo novel. Having got a sense of the plot from a 50,000 foot view, it’s now time to start diving into chapters.
I made good progress today. I’d say I have about two thirds of the main plot worked out chapter by chapter.
The plan still feels a little loose but I normally plan each chapter out (using the beats I’ve got noted) just before I write it. This gives the story some room to breathe. I’m a little at odd...
You Know, I Might Just Be Ready In Time For NaNoWriMo – The Climb #614
This is how writing works. You bang your head long enough against any metaphorical wall, you’ll break it.
For the last few days I’ve been stuck on the plot of my NaNoWriMo novel this year. I’m using the event as a way to play with structure, specifically, whether planning heavily before writing leads to a better first draft. And that means, doing a LOT of prep work before I even start writing.
I’ve been struggling with plot, and specifically trying to create the si...
October 28, 2020
The Part Of Plotting I Hate The Most – The Climb #613
This is the part of plotting that I hate.
I have a protagonist, I have their first chapter. I have a secondary character and an antagonist. I even have the last, possibly last 2, chapters.
You’d think, at this stage, I’d be diving into my scenes and fleshing them out, trying to take the story from the start to the end.
But there’s another stage before that happens.
In the book I’m reading, this is referred to as SPOOC (Situation, Protagonist, Objective, Opponent, Clim...
