Less Whiny
That last post was very whiny and left a sour taste in my mouth. I attribute part of that whininess to general stress (it's the second busy time of year for me and my time is being split between work, writing, podcasting, and Dragon Age in proportions that I'm not exactly pleased with). I'm at the library looking for a book to read and am very frustrated by the shelves of books that do not interest me in the slightest.
Wanted: Chosen One is not off the tracks, but it is rocking back and forth precariously. I was thrilled with the book's start, but I am now 61,000 words in and not a lot is happening. I seem to be pulling a Gabaldon, describing every step along their path. Somewhere 30,000 words ago the pace of the book slowed incredibly. Nashau also seems to be in a constant state of PMS. One minute he's happy, the next he's snapping at everyone and anyone around him. His character seems inconsistent. I try to explain this by the stress he feels at being unemployed (I know that feeling well), but that emotional state did not exist at the beginning of the book, it's odd that it should rear his head now. He's also a bit of a coward, yet he's snapping at everyone.
He seems to be an asshole when he has no right to be. Combine that with the lack of reading, and that's what set me on my rant about fantasy. Have you ever noticed that people in fantasy books are huge assholes? Even when they shouldn't be. They may be talking to the one person who can save their lives/the world. They may be speaking with someone that could kill them in an instant. But they're assholes nonetheless. This pervades fantasy video games as well.
Who the hell treats someone whose help they need so callously? The word is please. you should try using it!
So here's what's happening with Wanted. Podome and Nashau have met Bastin and Bastin has a thing going on with Jara, the second-oldest daughter of the owners of the Migrant Goose. I didn't see this relationship coming at all. It just kind of happened. Bastin hasn't been anointed CO yet and Podome is still quite insistent that it's someone else. Podome has a concussion from where a gate guard struck him and they're taking him to an apothecary.
This is all well and good except for the fact that, with the exception of Bastin escaping the Baker Boys and Nashau/Podome running away from a Cheynean assassin, there is no conflict in the story. They just bitch and tell stories.
I know what the end is. I have no idea how I'm going to get there. I just kind of keep rolling along, trying to find my way. If I keep rolling the way I am, this thing is going to balloon to 200,000 words or more. Can you imagine a 250,000-word fantasy novel without any action?
I've taken a wrong turn somewhere. I just don't know where. I don't want to go back, though. I worry that I'll just get mired in revision without making the way forward any easier (or actually making it harder).
Wanted: Chosen One is not off the tracks, but it is rocking back and forth precariously. I was thrilled with the book's start, but I am now 61,000 words in and not a lot is happening. I seem to be pulling a Gabaldon, describing every step along their path. Somewhere 30,000 words ago the pace of the book slowed incredibly. Nashau also seems to be in a constant state of PMS. One minute he's happy, the next he's snapping at everyone and anyone around him. His character seems inconsistent. I try to explain this by the stress he feels at being unemployed (I know that feeling well), but that emotional state did not exist at the beginning of the book, it's odd that it should rear his head now. He's also a bit of a coward, yet he's snapping at everyone.
He seems to be an asshole when he has no right to be. Combine that with the lack of reading, and that's what set me on my rant about fantasy. Have you ever noticed that people in fantasy books are huge assholes? Even when they shouldn't be. They may be talking to the one person who can save their lives/the world. They may be speaking with someone that could kill them in an instant. But they're assholes nonetheless. This pervades fantasy video games as well.
Who the hell treats someone whose help they need so callously? The word is please. you should try using it!
So here's what's happening with Wanted. Podome and Nashau have met Bastin and Bastin has a thing going on with Jara, the second-oldest daughter of the owners of the Migrant Goose. I didn't see this relationship coming at all. It just kind of happened. Bastin hasn't been anointed CO yet and Podome is still quite insistent that it's someone else. Podome has a concussion from where a gate guard struck him and they're taking him to an apothecary.
This is all well and good except for the fact that, with the exception of Bastin escaping the Baker Boys and Nashau/Podome running away from a Cheynean assassin, there is no conflict in the story. They just bitch and tell stories.
I know what the end is. I have no idea how I'm going to get there. I just kind of keep rolling along, trying to find my way. If I keep rolling the way I am, this thing is going to balloon to 200,000 words or more. Can you imagine a 250,000-word fantasy novel without any action?
I've taken a wrong turn somewhere. I just don't know where. I don't want to go back, though. I worry that I'll just get mired in revision without making the way forward any easier (or actually making it harder).