Writing Q&A

[Hey_jude]

Hi again, I've started a new forum based primarily for our members to post their stories or story ideas and get help or advice if they need it. I know for myself, I've been having some trouble with my latest idea and could use any helpful feedback on how to make my idea progress from simply that...into written pages.
I hope to generate a lot of activity in this forum, cause I know I'm not the only one who often stumbles when it comes to the creative process. If there are any questions you need to know, about anything , writing related, this is the place to post your concerns and get help. Hope you enjoy.

[[deleted user]]

Cool, Hey_Jude! I have a story line, but I don't know how set up. I want to write about a world-wide alien attack form the POVs of about five people from all around the world in the form of journal entries, but I don't know how to do that. Can Wordsmith members please help?

[Hey_jude]

Well it depends what POV you're using. Is is first person, third person limited, third person omniscience? If you want to write it from first person point of view and from the point of view from the five characters, you could separate the numerous narrators by chapters, or even parts, depending on how big your story is going to be. For example. part One has narrator one, part 2 has narrator 2 and so forth. The chapter idea could work well especially if you want to do it as a sort of journal entry. Just make sure to have the name of the narrator above the chapter so the reader knows who's talking. Using various POV's can help the reader get a feel for the characters especially if you have a wide cast. I just finished reading THe Help and she used the POV of three women, each told the story from first person, which made it interesting to get the different opinions and outlooks on the book's events. She kept the character names on the top of the chapter heading though which made it easy to keep track. If you prefer to do it this way...I'd recommend the above way to avoid any confusion.
Hope this helped. (It's just me rambling on:)

[Hannah Solo]

Neat story idea, Nicola. And journal entries are such a cool way to write a story. I think that if you put each character's name overtop of their journal entry, you could write five journal entries for each of your characters within the same chapter about the same day. Sheesh, I just realized how confusing that sounded but what I mean is this:
just for an example . . .

JAMES
April 29, 2011

The aliens are coming.

Natalia
April 29, 2011

There are strange things happening here.

Reuben
April 29, 2011

I cannot shake the feeling that the world as we know it is about to change.

Jolene
April 29, 2011

I can feel it, something's wrong.

Teagan
April 29, 2011

My family is dead.

Again, this is purely to demonstrate what I mean and your journal entries would probably be much longer. :) I hope this helps.

[Hannah Solo]

Meanwhile, I'm having a problem with my story right now, it's about a carnival in the 1930s in the US. And I am feeling now that people will probably associate my idea with Sarah Gruen's Water for Elephants, which I haven't even read so I didn't rip it off! My story is also different slightly because mine is a carnival and not a circus and my protagonist is a teenage girl. And when I write it, I am writing from Norah's POV and I want to alternate between Norah in the past, and Norah in the present. However, I don't want this to be confusing for the reader. Does anyone have an ideas how I can do this? I'm kind of stuck on it right now!!! :)

[Hey_jude]

You could use some of the methods I described earlier. But firstly, are you trying to write from Nora's POV as a teenager, then when she's older looking back at her memories?

[Hannah Solo]

I'm trying to write from Norah's POV as a teenager (like seventeen or eighteen) remembering back to when she was a little kid up to how old she is now.

[[deleted user]]

Thanks guys for the help. I will start on it once I'm finished with The Gift: War.
SLEEPER, I would do it in such a way that she says something like "I thought back to a time when..." and then use words in the past tence.

[Hannah Solo]

Okay. After all, it's your story! :)

[Hey_jude]

I agree with Nicola, you should use the past tense to avoid confusion for the reader, especially if the older character is looking back.

[[deleted user]]

Exactly Hey_Jude.
Thanks SLEEPER.

[Hey_jude]

I have a question for you guys now. I'm writing a sort of futuristic novel and I'm not sure exactly what POV I should use. It basically follows my main character as he raised in society's ranks, to his eventual downfall. But I'm not sure if I should write from his POV or from his wife's. If you need more info on my story, I'll be able to post more. I'm kind of stuck.

[Hannah Solo]

Do you want to alternate viewpoints? That might be easier for the reader not to get a biased view of either character. But it's whatever you want. :)

[[deleted user]]

I'm with SLEEPER, its up to you, but I would, from a reader's POV, go with the main character's POV. I think it might be easier to understand the story that way.

[Hey_jude]

Thanks.

[[deleted user]]

Any time :)

[Thelastencore]

SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Hey_jude]

What? you're back?

[Julia]

Your chance to ask question!
Do you have questions for a published writer about writing, editing or publishing? Send me an ask (kittyinthestars.tumblr.com/ask) or mail (author@juliafellner.com) and I’ll answer your questions on my YouTube show, Writers’ Corner.
My name is Julia and I study English at the University of Vienna. I published my debut novel at the age of eighteen.
More information about
Writers’ Corner: www.youtube.com/user/KittyInTheStars/...
My novels: www.juliafellner.com