A Twisted Writer or Twists For a Writer?
Once you’ve tried saying the title of this article three times fast be warned that I had no premonition or forewarning for this blog post. While that may not be uncommon, this time I’m writing it seconds after I did something that shocked the socks off me.
I’m hard at work on Voidhawk – The Edge of Forever, and after some questions, complications, and confusion early on I’m happy to say it’s flying past now. Or perhaps sailing would be a better word. Whatever the case, this story is doing great and improving with every page. I’ve got a plan and I know what’s going on, the problem (if there’s a problem), is all the little things that keep cropping up in between. Details that turn into major tangents or supporting stories / characters, dialogue that pops out and changes the way I had a scene planned out, or maybe a major twist that leaves even me shocked.
How is it possible? I wrote the darn thing, how can I be surprised? Well I’m not sure but I wrote something into the book with the plans of having it make sense and figuring it out later on. A plot device, so to speak, that would allow me to accomplish a sub-plot I wanted without having to focus too much time on it. Turns out the subplot wasn’t going to take second billing without a fight.
The twist that came out of my fingers still has me stunned. It was not what I had planned but it happened and I don’t think I can take it back. As a writer and a reader I think it’s terrible and awesome at the same time. As a person who likes to think of himself as sane and rational, I’m a little concerned that I can be taken so by surprise by myself.
I’ve always known my characters aren’t real. Sure, I say that they speak to me and they feel like memories of real people I’ve met, but I know better, right? Things can’t happen because a figment of my imagination says it happened, can it? Hmm, that line of paranoia might make for an interesting story all by itself!
Okay, all crazy talk aside this Voidhawk book is going to be incredible. And I hope it’s as exciting and shocking for fans of the series as it just was for me! I’ve got five more chapters to go and the rough draft will be finished.
To learn more about Jason Halstead, visit his website to read about him, sign up for his newsletter, or check out some free samples of his books at http://www.booksbyjason.com .
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You're not crazy Jason. My characters suprise me all the time with what they do and say. But unlike you, I don't outline my story first. I just have a rough idea of what is going to happen and where the story will go. Even still, these "people" surprise me all the time. That's what makes writing the story so much fun. Even I don't know what's going to happen until it does!
That's usually how I start out, just a vague idea, then usually after they characters start to show me what they want to happen I sketch it down so I know what's next and can organize it a little better. I've found it really helps me to know what's next so I don't have to reread parts and confuse myself.
That's probably a good way to do things. I tend to go in little spurts. I write out a portion of action and then ponder a bit and then the next part comes to me and I go again. If I get a little stumped, I go do something else for a day or two and then it generally comes to me. ;) It's the end that's the tough part. I'm wrting the end of The Golgotha Covenant and working hard to make sure the end is just right. Have any advice about endings to share? ;)
I can't afford delays - I like to crank out 3,000 to 8,000 words a day so I can maintain my pace of a novel a month.As for endings, I like to think that every ending is just a beginning. Maybe your book is a stand alone book, but it should show that the characters have a future. The caveat to that is that it's a HEA ending or at least an ending that doesn't have the world ending.
For a book that's part of a series it's good to leave some loose ends that you can pick up later on. Solve the big issues to give readers closure but give them a little bit of a teaser or cliff hanger to make them want to come back for more.
Or tell me to go pound sand and do something entirely your own. That's beauty of writing - as long you've got readers that like what you're doing you don't have to pay attention to what somebody else thinks is right or wrong!
No one can match your pace Jason! lol I do like to kick out 3,000 or so words a day, but when my brain gets drained, I have to do something else to refill the tank. I also do photography and a few other creative hobbies that help stimulate my creativity. I don't think I could ever make it to 8,000 a day. You're amazing!My first book, Mer Si Raen Ambush is a series and I have left more than one teaser for my readers. I am getting poked about the sequal. It's the next book in line, I have promised. I plan for The Golgotha Covenant to be a sequal as well, and I think it will have a good cliff hanger to bring readers back. But this ending is a little trickier than the last book.
I always like to read other author's perspective, it's good food for thought.
