![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
I just finished reading "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman. I was first introduced to Gaiman's writing from the co-authored book, "Good Omens," which might be by far the most hilarious book I've ever read. But this book has so much going for it--witty humor, a hapless innocent MC, and an entire fantasy world attached to the "real" one.
I have to admit that with books this good I always feel slightly disappointed when I finish them. Why? Because leaving them feels like leaving home for the first time, and you get that somber feeling almost like homesickness. You're brain has been in another realm, and leaving it feels like goodbye.
How do you create a place like that in your own writing? A place that hangs on to you even after you've long since set the book aside?
Speaking of long set aside, I recently spent many hours re-reading my mammoth first attempt at a novel, the first piece of writing I ever finished, and my first ever completed first draft. I skipped over the parts where I dropped characters, changed some, went off on to stupid side plots, and generally lost focus. Oh, and it was 187K.
I got sucked in. The characters still have that special spark, and some of the scenes have real depth, even if the plot is scattered and some of the ideas a little overused. I didn't hate the very sight of the thing, and even the worldbuilding was more complex than I'd remembered. I still don't know if I'll ever do anything with it, but it was still good to see how much I'd learned while writing it, and that it didn't reach the heights of suckitude that I thought it did. It made me realize that yes, no writing is ever wasted.
Queries...
I'm in no way close to actually sending out any of my novels, but I thought writing a query would be a good exercise in trying to pare it down and get to the bare bones of the story. While doing this exercise I realized two things: One, that the connection between two plot points was weaker than I knew, and two, that while the personal stakes are pretty high, the public stakes needed a little boost. I have some more rewriting to do.
Also today, while trying hard to look busy at work, a sticky plot problem suddenly fixed itself in my brain. Yay for trying to look busy!
I have to admit that with books this good I always feel slightly disappointed when I finish them. Why? Because leaving them feels like leaving home for the first time, and you get that somber feeling almost like homesickness. You're brain has been in another realm, and leaving it feels like goodbye.
How do you create a place like that in your own writing? A place that hangs on to you even after you've long since set the book aside?
Speaking of long set aside, I recently spent many hours re-reading my mammoth first attempt at a novel, the first piece of writing I ever finished, and my first ever completed first draft. I skipped over the parts where I dropped characters, changed some, went off on to stupid side plots, and generally lost focus. Oh, and it was 187K.
I got sucked in. The characters still have that special spark, and some of the scenes have real depth, even if the plot is scattered and some of the ideas a little overused. I didn't hate the very sight of the thing, and even the worldbuilding was more complex than I'd remembered. I still don't know if I'll ever do anything with it, but it was still good to see how much I'd learned while writing it, and that it didn't reach the heights of suckitude that I thought it did. It made me realize that yes, no writing is ever wasted.
Queries...
I'm in no way close to actually sending out any of my novels, but I thought writing a query would be a good exercise in trying to pare it down and get to the bare bones of the story. While doing this exercise I realized two things: One, that the connection between two plot points was weaker than I knew, and two, that while the personal stakes are pretty high, the public stakes needed a little boost. I have some more rewriting to do.
Also today, while trying hard to look busy at work, a sticky plot problem suddenly fixed itself in my brain. Yay for trying to look busy!