McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
A Conversation About Endings
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: prophet224 on August 21, 2007, 06:13:57 PM ---I have to say, I think that many books (whatever format or genre) aren't written with quite the 'grand themes' that we later take from them. Certainly, on the other hand, many are. The key is whether or not you told a good story.
--- End quote ---
Agreed, but there's still lots of interesting stuff to be learned in how you tell a particular story well, which to me is kind of the point of talking about writing in the first place; I doubt many of us are participating in these conversations without the intent of telling our various stories as well as we can tell them.
blgarver:
--- Quote from: prophet224 on August 21, 2007, 06:13:57 PM ---I'm curious what you settle on. Let me ask, though. Did you, when starting off, have a vision in mind for the end?
--- End quote ---
When I first concieved this idea, it was supposed to be a one page short. It quickly grew, and if I consider "starting off" to be when I decided to make it a novel, uh...I had a very generalized ending in mind. It wasn't detailed at all, nothing like it is now that I'm 30 pages from the finale. Still isn't quite sitting right with me, but I want to finish it so I can start the rewrite and fix it.
ihatepeas:
--- Quote from: neurovore on August 21, 2007, 07:16:29 PM ---Agreed, but there's still lots of interesting stuff to be learned in how you tell a particular story well, which to me is kind of the point of talking about writing in the first place; I doubt many of us are participating in these conversations without the intent of telling our various stories as well as we can tell them.
--- End quote ---
Tragedy! I wrote a beautiful response and promptly lost it. So the excitement I had at first seeing this comment is a little dampened now. I have to try and remember everything I wrote.
Okay, I have been pondering story itself for a while. I wrote this long blog entry that I don't think anyone ever read. But it means that I can respond somewhat articulately since my thoughts on the subject are already organized.
There are good stories out there. (And by "good story" I mean plot, mostly. The stuff that happens.) Then there are well-written stories. Then there are good, well-written stories. A good story is not necessarily well-written. A well-written story isn't necessarily a good one. These good, well-written stories are much harder to find but much more satisfying. They make you gasp when you close the cover, and they stick with you long after you have recommended them to everyone you know before putting them back on the shelf. That's what I aspire to. It's hard. I'd much rather just concentrating on telling a good story, or on telling a beautifully crafted one. But those aren't the kinds of books I love. I love the ones that do both, and I want to write those.
There is so much value in discussing all these aspects of writing: the nuts and bolts, the grammar, structure (I HATE structure! It's so freaking hard!), as well as the creative stuff.
And my final input is that while I respect anyone who writes stories because it takes guts to just sit down and actually finish something, I think that anyone who doesn't aspire to write a good story that is also well-written is cheating themselves, and that's sad. Not everyone can write, but everyone who writes can get better. Always.
--Sarah
blgarver:
I agree, ihatepeas. And I've narrowed my dilemma down to structure and character. I have a shaky handle on the characters, but havne't worked out their arcs. I'm too eager, too impatient.
So now that i've realized that I don't even want to finish these last 30 pages or so on the first draft. I want to go back, do the framework, and the do the rewrite. Now that I've accepted that I'm not Stephen King (only he can write sans outline) I'm very excited about building the story ground up.
But I also feel like I SHOULD finish this crappy first draft that has more holes than the bonnie and clyde death car.
Any advice? Tough this one out, even though I'm losing steam and kind of disenchanted with this version; or just go back and restructure and start with the rewrite?
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: blgarver on August 27, 2007, 02:49:53 PM ---Now that I've accepted that I'm not Stephen King (only he can write sans outline)
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This is not in fact true. Steven Brust is the first counterexample to come to mind, and I'm aware of several other published and well established writers who don't outline or find the things actively unhelpful.
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