I need advice for my book please

[Mary]

I am currently writing a story- a retelling about Alice in Wonderland where she is actually kidnapped and taken to a different wonderland. She has to deal with many emotional issues and each character has a story. THe thing is, I have over 30,000 words right now and I have just barely gotten Alice into the new world. I want everything to seem as realistic as possible and i want the characters to be believable.
I understand that I will have to revise and I will. I've been planning this out for almost 3 years and written out everything and character profiles as well.
So, fellow Goodreads, if i may ask, what advice do you have? I am worried that I have already written too much for the beginning but all of this is necessary for character development. I want it to be as enjoyable and as realistic as possible. If anyone has any advice I would be very grateful to hear your thoughts! Thank you!:D

[[deleted user]]

just write it how you want it to be

[Mary]

Sumaya wrote: "just write it how you want it to be"

ok thank you:)

[Tricia Drammeh]

Just write with abandon. After you've finished your first draft, go back and really edit with a critical eye. Don't be afraid to cut things out - even stuff you like. I usually look at each scene and ask myself, "Does this advance the story or show character development?" If not, the scene is cut. Every scene has to move the story forward. But, like I said, that can be addressed once you finish the first draft.

[Gabby]

I'm trying to write a story, too. but i think once i finished it- i won't put it on Amazon :(

I know i have a lot of good writing, and i really don't think the book i'm writing now, reflects that.
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So, don't give up, and make sure to keep learning about punctuation- even if yu think you know it all!
Write, write, write!

[Mary]

Tricia wrote: "Just write with abandon. After you've finished your first draft, go back and really edit with a critical eye. Don't be afraid to cut things out - even stuff you like. I usually look at each scene a..."

thank you very much. its difficult knowing whether or not certain planned scenes help the story but i will "write with abandon" thank you.

[Mary]

Gabby wrote: "I'm trying to write a story, too. but i think once i finished it- i won't put it on Amazon :(

I know i have a lot of good writing, and i really don't think the book i'm writing now, reflects that...."

thank you for your support! lets both do our best and thank you again!

[Gabby]

Mary wrote: "Gabby wrote: "I'm trying to write a story, too. but i think once i finished it- i won't put it on Amazon :(

I know i have a lot of good writing, and i really don't think the book i'm writing now, ..."

That's Okay! I love helping out. :)

[Carmel]

Hello Mary,
as you say each character has his/her own story, you just need to make sure that Alice is connected to each character and keep the story moving forward. As Alice is the key character, her relationship to other characters is important and even though you are 30,000 words in without reaching your destination, just keep the journey interesting for your readers and it will all fall into place.
cheers
Carmel
http://www.amazon.com/Ours-Yours-Mine...

[Mary]

Carmel wrote: "Hello Mary,
as you say each character has his/her own story, you just need to make sure that Alice is connected to each character and keep the story moving forward. As Alice is the key character, ..."

thank you! you really got me thinking again!

[Mike]

Mary wrote: "I am currently writing a story- a retelling about Alice in Wonderland where she is actually kidnapped and taken to a different wonderland. She has to deal with many emotional issues and each charac..."

Tricia gave good advice, Mary, in re moving the story forward or developing story. If you can afford to do so (since this is your first novel), after you've finished and rewritten, hire an experienced quality editor. I learned so much from the one I hired, but she was very expensive, and since she hasn't responded to the few e-mails i sent her a few years ago, I couldn't recommend her. Otherwise, join a "good" writers group and be selective on whose advice you take. Be fiercely loyal to your own writing style, once you've discovered which one you feel most comfortable with. Being a writer is a never ending growing experience. Be subconsciously always vigilant for any information that increases your awareness and how you can make your characters and plot more meaningful. Good luck and go with what feels right. Trust yourself

[jarplum]

The thing is, Mary, you're not going to please every one who will read your book. There are going to be some folks who enjoy the fact that you've focussed on the minute details first before throwing Alice into this new world, and there'll be the other folks who've become impatient that you HAVE focussed on the minute details and STILL have not put Alice in the new world, and then there'll be the folks who don't care either way.

What you've done already is great. Character development is crucial to stories (unless you don't want them to develop...). But be careful you don't reveal too much from the get go. Hold something back to further develop your characters during the telling of the tale. But most importantly, as Anne Rice said in this very inspirational video, write the story you would want to read. It'll be a waste of time to write something others may like but which you couldn't stand. :)

And follow Tricia and Mike's advice. Beta readers and editors! Editors are a must, but beta-readers can help too.

[Mary]

Mike wrote: "Mary wrote: "I am currently writing a story- a retelling about Alice in Wonderland where she is actually kidnapped and taken to a different wonderland. She has to deal with many emotional issues an..."

Thank you! All this advice really helps:) Its so confusing though since i have no one really who takes this interest in my family so i cant ask them for help

[Mary]

Tracy wrote: "The thing is, Mary, you're not going to please every one who will read your book. There are going to be some folks who enjoy the fact that you've focussed on the minute details first before throwin..."

Thank you very much for your advice and the video:) Yes, i cant please everyone, and i want to write a story that i would want to read but i feel as if theres a way to write a book. thank you for clearing that up for me!

[jarplum]

Mary wrote: "...but i feel as if theres a way to write a book..."

No, there's no 'way to write a book.' There are grammar/punctuation rules, and helpful guidelines on plot/character development, but there is no rule/guideline on 'how one should write a book.' Everybody writes differently. There'll be similarities, yes, but there'll always be differences too.

One man's meat is a next man's poison. i.e, what another may like, another may hate, and what another may hate, another may like. Write your book and make sure you're proud of it/have faith in it first before releasing it to everybody else.

[Mary]

thank you very very much! it really means a lot to hear advice!

[Afifah]

I dont want to judge you or sounds offensive, but do you have to put Harry Potter as the tittle? This post has nothing to do with HP, like, at all??

[Gabby]

Well, where else was she going to put it?

[Mary]

Afifah wrote: "I dont want to judge you or sounds offensive, but do you have to put Harry Potter as the tittle? This post has nothing to do with HP, like, at all??"

sorry haha i get what you mean but i honestly had no idea where else. its not like i could make a discussion thread without a book cover-although that would be nice

[Ruth]

Hi Mary, I'm a fairly new writer, currently working on a second novel, so I'm not an experienced writer, yet! But I am an experienced reader and I think the advice you've been given so far is excellent. I'd just like to encourage you to enjoy your writing, go with your gut feelings, and finish your first draft. Then you can edit, edit, edit... :)

[Nichola]

why don't you let one or two people whose reading opinion you trust, cast an eye over the first few chapters and get an opinion on the details? Its a bit hard to be able to tell anything from a word count. Good luck with the book though.

[Mary]

Ruth wrote: "Hi Mary, I'm a fairly new writer, currently working on a second novel, so I'm not an experienced writer, yet! But I am an experienced reader and I think the advice you've been given so far is excel..."

thank you very much and sorry for the late reply! I wish you luck on your second book and I hope you continue:)

[Mary]

Nichola wrote: "why don't you let one or two people whose reading opinion you trust, cast an eye over the first few chapters and get an opinion on the details? Its a bit hard to be able to tell anything from a wo..."

thank you very much and I will let some people read it before hand

[Mary]

Maria wrote: "after you finish writing your first draft, go back and take out the things that aren't necessary, like telling how the characters feel,especially if the characters' actions show how they feel."

thank you! that's really helpful. its really difficult at times though to know when to show or when to tell