Progress Report: 3/16/09--4/4/09
So, I've been very remiss on posting weekly progress reports, and I do have reason for it. Aside from being sick, there's been a lot going on these past few weeks, including but not limited to taxes, belated thank-you cards, and Odyssey LJ stuff. Half the time I haven't even felt like READING, and if that's not an indication of my current state of mind, I don't know what is.
I have not been writing, and I keep MEANING to get started on a synopsis, but it hasn't happened yet. I have, however, been furiously taking notes and in theory, I have the whole book outlined, albeit out of chronological order. But there's a few things I've thought of and a few things I want to do that give me some serious pause, and I keep questioning my sanity for taking those routes because those are routes I so vehemently have problems with in other people's fiction. Admittedly, I've always happily admitted to being a hypocrite (just check out my profile), but still, before I start writing, my brain is trying to exhaust ALL of the possibilities of the story, just to make sure another angle isn't just as good, if not better.
I also worry about my tendency to focus on the characters at the expense of the plot and the ideas fueling that plot. Maybe I wouldn't have worried about this so much before, especially since this is a first draft, but after watching the Battlestar Galactica finale, I feel I've been given an interesting lesson: this is what happens when you get TOO character-centric. Plot-wise, you dig yourself into a hole.
I'm also mad at myself because the story I've got on my hands as of now has absolutely nothing to do with my original title, Starvation, which I love to pieces and want to keep come hell or high water. Oh, I'll change the title when I have to, but right now, I'm allowed to have a fit. :)
The good thing is I'm fascinated by my increasingly large cast of characters (though only two will get POV time) and their history and relationships with each other, and I really like what the world-building has to offer. The trick is to capitalize on that world-building in such a way that the story would not be the same no matter what the basic premise is. To me, that's the key to any genre-related plot: could the science fiction story stay the same without the science fiction premise? If so, it's probably not REALLY SF. Does the romance still tell the same story if you take out the romance conventions? If so, it's probably not REALLY romance. That kind of thing. My specific question is: if I take out my anti-vampires, do I still have the same story? I don't have the answer to that. I'm incredibly self-critical when it comes to my own work, so my pessimistic self says, "Yes, you do have the same story; therefore, you have a PROBLEM." and my more optimistic (perhaps slightly more realistic self in this case) says, "Wait a minute, not so fast," and forces me to look at how the world-building is creating the story.
It's all about balance. No doubt, I'm having fun brainstorming, but it's taking its toll in regards to completely dismantling what I have and leaving me with nothing at all. That isn't so much fun. But then again, doubt never is.
Since I've been in a poll-making mood lately, though, let's play. We all know I'll do what I REALLY want, but advice never hurts to inform my decision-making process, and now that taxes and thank-you cards are done and the Odyssey LJ stuff is getting under some control, I need to get moving. So. Let's vote:
Poll
And that's it for this particular and overdue progress report. Starting next week (as in not THIS Monday, but the next), if I don't post these weekly, someone comment and kick me, okay?
I have not been writing, and I keep MEANING to get started on a synopsis, but it hasn't happened yet. I have, however, been furiously taking notes and in theory, I have the whole book outlined, albeit out of chronological order. But there's a few things I've thought of and a few things I want to do that give me some serious pause, and I keep questioning my sanity for taking those routes because those are routes I so vehemently have problems with in other people's fiction. Admittedly, I've always happily admitted to being a hypocrite (just check out my profile), but still, before I start writing, my brain is trying to exhaust ALL of the possibilities of the story, just to make sure another angle isn't just as good, if not better.
I also worry about my tendency to focus on the characters at the expense of the plot and the ideas fueling that plot. Maybe I wouldn't have worried about this so much before, especially since this is a first draft, but after watching the Battlestar Galactica finale, I feel I've been given an interesting lesson: this is what happens when you get TOO character-centric. Plot-wise, you dig yourself into a hole.
I'm also mad at myself because the story I've got on my hands as of now has absolutely nothing to do with my original title, Starvation, which I love to pieces and want to keep come hell or high water. Oh, I'll change the title when I have to, but right now, I'm allowed to have a fit. :)
The good thing is I'm fascinated by my increasingly large cast of characters (though only two will get POV time) and their history and relationships with each other, and I really like what the world-building has to offer. The trick is to capitalize on that world-building in such a way that the story would not be the same no matter what the basic premise is. To me, that's the key to any genre-related plot: could the science fiction story stay the same without the science fiction premise? If so, it's probably not REALLY SF. Does the romance still tell the same story if you take out the romance conventions? If so, it's probably not REALLY romance. That kind of thing. My specific question is: if I take out my anti-vampires, do I still have the same story? I don't have the answer to that. I'm incredibly self-critical when it comes to my own work, so my pessimistic self says, "Yes, you do have the same story; therefore, you have a PROBLEM." and my more optimistic (perhaps slightly more realistic self in this case) says, "Wait a minute, not so fast," and forces me to look at how the world-building is creating the story.
It's all about balance. No doubt, I'm having fun brainstorming, but it's taking its toll in regards to completely dismantling what I have and leaving me with nothing at all. That isn't so much fun. But then again, doubt never is.
Since I've been in a poll-making mood lately, though, let's play. We all know I'll do what I REALLY want, but advice never hurts to inform my decision-making process, and now that taxes and thank-you cards are done and the Odyssey LJ stuff is getting under some control, I need to get moving. So. Let's vote:
Poll
And that's it for this particular and overdue progress report. Starting next week (as in not THIS Monday, but the next), if I don't post these weekly, someone comment and kick me, okay?