@squidge
Active 1 month ago-
JaneShuff posted an update 5 years, 9 months ago
i amtrying to write a synopsis for a novel with multiple timelines and viewpoints. I cannot write the synopsis so that each time and POV shift is noted because it will be too long. Do you think it is OK to say something along the lines of….. Meanwhile, told from the POV’s of X, Y and Z, in 1957, this happens, that happens and catstrophe e…[Read more]
-
Athelstone replied to the topic Planning vs Winging it. in the forum
A place for Stupid Questoins 5 years, 9 months agoThis is about as not stupid a question as I can think of. In essence it’s ‘how do you write’. The supposed divide (classically) is between pantsers and plotters. Plotters, apparently, plan every detail, before they begin. Every chapter and plot point is set out. if a chapter should end with a challenging hook, then it’s there in the plan. Once the…[Read more]
-
I think most of us are probably ‘Plantsers’ in reality. And yeah, it means you do end up on the wrong path sometimes. Lots of times, actually… I’m trying to sort one out at the mo in Tilda #3, and it’s hard to back-track and find the point where you actually first stepped off the path.
-
I’m convinced that you need to be both a planner and a pantser – yes, a planster. The planning and pantsing parts of your brain need to find a way not to just to give each other space but to support each other.
-
-
-
Bella replied to the topic Planning vs Winging it. in the forum
A place for Stupid Questoins 5 years, 9 months agoIn every case I have started with a main character, a beginning, and end and a rough idea of how to get to the end.
However, my characters have a way of bossing me around.
In one novel the guy gets the girl, but as I wrote it became clear that the girl was wrong for him and I then had to write a sequel getting him out of that fix (eventually the…[Read more]
-
Bella joined the group
A place for Stupid Questions 5 years, 9 months ago -
JaneShuff replied to the topic Planning vs Winging it. in the forum
A place for Stupid Questoins 5 years, 9 months agoThe starting point for every book has been different for me and my process has changed as well. I used to plan very little but now I do try and start with the main thrust of the plot clear in my head otherwise I risk wandering too far down interesting paths that lead nowhere. But I need the actual process of writing words and sentences to…[Read more]
-
Seagreen replied to the topic Planning vs Winging it. in the forum
A place for Stupid Questoins 5 years, 9 months agoI start with a name – a character who rattles a stick along the boundaries of my subconscious. Someone who, when I am not looking, will sneak through a gap in the railings and broadcast snippets of conversation to pique my interest. If this character stalks me when I am waling the dog, or when I’m driving, then I might allow him/her free-write…[Read more]
-
Seagreen joined the group
A place for Stupid Questions 5 years, 9 months ago -
Sandra replied to the topic Planning vs Winging it. in the forum
A place for Stupid Questoins 5 years, 9 months agoI used to begin with a conversation between two characters and spread from there. One book I was ~20K in before I knew who would die, and a further 20K before I knew who did it. Even so it turned out to be someone else.
Now that those characters have become so familiar and the twists and turns of their lives compelling enough to become a…[Read more]
-
Checking something else, I came across this 2015 blogpost about a book now awaiting a final beta reader : http://sandra-linesofcommunication.blogspot.com/2015/08/back-to-front-strange-and-alien-progress.html
-
-
Athelstone replied to the topic Richard's Literary Byways: The Beginning Place, by Ursula K Le Guin in the forum Blogs 5 years, 9 months ago
Aha, this was the first Ursula K Le Guin book that I read and it made quite an impression on me.
I think you’ve put your finger on why a mixture of normality and fantasy is so effective. The magic becomes a metaphor for the way that changes happen in our lives. As well as providing entertainment for those of us who like a bit of magic in our…[Read more]
-
RichardB started the topic Richard's Literary Byways: The Beginning Place, by Ursula K Le Guin in the forum Blogs 5 years, 9 months ago
The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed that this is the second book by Ursula K Le Guin that I have featured in these blogs. This is not a coincidence. I apologise to no one for my admiration of her writing: I believe that she deserves to be ranked, not only as a great writer of sci-fi and fantasy, but as a great writer full stop. I once (or…[Read more]
-
A lovely blog, @richardb, and I wholeheartedly agree with your summary of le Guin – she is absolutely one of my favourite writers. I loved her as a young thing and my admiration has only deepened as my own writing journey progresses. Ive never read this and will seek it out – thank you!
-
-
Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly comp: July 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 years, 9 months ago
Month of the Cat
To be clear, although Gus didn’t get on with the cat, he was never cruel to it. When his wife, Mildred, died he didn’t want to go on taking care of it.
‘It’s vindictive,’ he said, ‘it kills half a dozen birds every day. It craps on the decking, wrecks my flower borders, and last week it scratched up the wallpaper.’…[Read more]
-
-
Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Competition: June 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 years, 10 months ago
Congratulations, Squidge. Great story.
-
Thanks, Ath. Dare I say it was something I rushed off? Not sure why, but they seem to be the better of my short pieces. Perhaps because I didn’t examine it too much?
-
-
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Competition: June 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 years, 10 months ago
Well done Squidge and thanks to all participants for the chance to read so many varied interpretations of Jill’s challenge – and to Jill for the comments.
-
Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Competition: June 2020 in the forum Monthly Competition 5 years, 10 months ago
Midsummer Magic
Frankie wiggles his shoulders in a figure of eight and exhales. He flicks his hat back and mops his brow with a handkerchief. Then he loosens his tie another quarter inch and Matzo slaps his hand down on the table, making all three of us jump.
“For Christ’s sake, Frankie. Yeah – it’s hot. I’m hot. Eddie’s hot. It’s the longest…[Read more]
-
RichardB posted an update 5 years, 10 months ago
Dunno if you’ve seen that shocking business on the news about the house explosion, but it’s only about two miles down the valley from us. I’ve never seen a house so totally destroyed in a domestic explosion. Good bits: (a) no one’s actually been killed; (b) without waiting for the emergency services to arrive, the neighbours piled in before the…[Read more]
-
Just looked it up, Richard. Quite a scene of devastation.
-
It looks awful – to see a house so completely destroyed. Thank goodness for the folks who acted quickly to get the mum and kids out.
-
More community spirit: a local councillor who lives close by started a support fund, setting a target of £10,000. It was reached in less than 36 hours (yes, I diod chip in).
-
*Did* Diodes have got nothing to do with it.
-
Poor family – what devastation. BUt it’s life affirming to hear of the community response. 🙂
-
-
-
-
-
-
Athelstone posted an update 5 years, 10 months ago
Disaster has struck. Mrs Athelstone has confirmed that she will still buy me a valentine, wish me a Happy Birthday, and give me a bottle of wine. BUT, she bought me a Nintendo Switch with some games and my daughter added even more games. I may never write again!
-
:O
-
I had that particular birthday on the day my daughter got married in Scotland. The attending piper was prevailed upon to play a certain tune…
-
Nothing of such significance happened on my birthday, unless you count the assault on my writing with the gift of a Nintendo Switch and a pile of games. In fact, I’d forgotten it even was my birthday and I was busy making plans to do things around the house until my daughter pointed out that Mrs Ath had invited the in-laws round for afternoon fizz…[Read more]
-
Not quite as thought-provoking, I contend, as the birthday I had a month ago. I have reached my three-score-and-ten, and am now officially An Old Man.
-
Well, many happy returns. Definitely a landmark – positively biblical.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sandra posted an update 5 years, 10 months ago
“pleonasm”. As discussed by Allan Guthrie. I mentioned it on another site and a lot of people found it interesting/useful when it came to tightening writing/reducing word count. Google it – there’s a choice of places to go.
-
Sometimes an unusual word like pleonasm is a necessary reminder not to go on adding words endlessly without stopping simply to make the meaning clearer for the sake of epexegesis.
-
Indeed. Something those who adhere over-strictly to the rules are inclined to overlook.
Thank you.-
🙂
-
😦
-
-
-
-
Anthony Trollope comes to mind.
-
Thomas Wolfe. Oh, yes, Thomas Wolfe.
-
-
-
Barny joined the group
A place for Stupid Questions 5 years, 10 months ago -
RichardB replied to the topic Where to start? in the forum
A place for Stupid Questoins 5 years, 10 months agoGood point, Squidge. It can also help if your think about how you perceive things in real life. When someone becomes angry, for instance, no one tells you ‘this person is angry.’ It’s shown to you as you see their brows come down, as you hear their voice rise.
And for all ‘novices’ reading this, another plug for Emma Darwin’s blog, the finest…[Read more]
- Load More
I think your approach is fine, though in the interest of saving words I would not bother referring to POV in the synopsis. You could mention the book is seen from multiple POVs in the covering letter, perhaps?
This might be a candidate for starting with a single sentence stating the basic premise of the story, then adding a second sentence and then a third. etc. mentioning time span only insofar as there are several. Good luck!
In a word, yes. You can definitely sum in up in that tell-y sort of way in a synopsis.
Or as Bella says, just mention that it’s from several POVs at the start and then just talk about the events without mentioning the POV it’s from as you go.
Thanks @kazg. And thank @bellam and @sandradavies. I’ve had a another go just concentrating on telling what happens and ignoring the POV and it is falling into place.