tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32078352.post7867300917389341033..comments2024-03-06T10:39:37.128+00:00Comments on Tania Writes: Making it longerTania Hershmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15781460794034586895noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32078352.post-78892199173445334722009-04-13T20:50:00.000+01:002009-04-13T20:50:00.000+01:00I so agree that it is absolutely about loving what...I so agree that it is absolutely about loving what you do and writing what it is you want to write. I know from bitter experience with a first agent that when you try to write something to please someone else it just doesn't work. I do think there is a lot to learn along the way, whatever form you choose, and I'm definitely learning all the time, but I still begin in much the same way (on my third novel now) searching for the story as I write and I think I always will. Perhaps the bigggest difference now though is that I'm beginning to give more thought to audience, to the reader and to what works for them.Avrilhttp://www.avriljoy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32078352.post-77627259517911523332009-04-13T20:31:00.000+01:002009-04-13T20:31:00.000+01:00V, I was thinking of your Big Thing when I was con...V, I was thinking of your Big Thing when I was contemplating all this. I will go with the "ach, sod it" school of plotting!Tania Hershmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15781460794034586895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32078352.post-36054943447982364532009-04-13T20:16:00.000+01:002009-04-13T20:16:00.000+01:00Great stuff, T. And if it is any help at all... my...Great stuff, T. And if it is any help at all... my 'novel type thing for which there is no word' is a collection of fragments, and as I write, each one informs the others. Then I go back and tinker with the reast unshamedly. I mostly enjoy the process. Sometimes I find it frustrating, when someone says 'so what is it about?' expecting a plot synopsis... then I think 'ach sod it.' Its about what its about and you'll have to wait and see. Which is what I am having to do as well!!<BR/><BR/>Good luck. V exciting!Vanessa Gebbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00833187671441310234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32078352.post-12334542405734093602009-04-13T18:06:00.001+01:002009-04-13T18:06:00.001+01:00Avril,you don't know how incredibly helpful and in...Avril,<BR/>you don't know how incredibly helpful and inspiring it is to hear you say that, that you started with a character and wandered around. That makes me feel that maybe, maybe, I could actually do this! And whether you write long or short, the main thing is that you love it, even the tough parts, and that you write what you want to write, right?Tania Hershmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15781460794034586895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32078352.post-16078247360146710292009-04-13T18:06:00.000+01:002009-04-13T18:06:00.000+01:00Avril,you don't know how incredibly helpful and in...Avril,<BR/>you don't know how incredibly helpful and inspiring it is to hear you say that, that you started with a character and wandered around. That makes me feel that maybe, maybe, I could actually do this! And whether you write long or short, the main thing is that you love it, even the tough parts, and that you write what you want to write, right?Tania Hershmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15781460794034586895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32078352.post-41813668470237015982009-04-13T18:03:00.000+01:002009-04-13T18:03:00.000+01:00What you describe is very much how I began to wri...What you describe is very much how I began to write my first novel - I had two women, well one but she kind of split into two - and a place and that was about it. I had no linear plot line - I definitely struggle with plot - so I wrote in fragments and let the characters wander! I think it was important for me not to try to think of it as a whole novel but just let it develop. I think this meant some problems later but they were not insurmountable - and in the end I did get an agent and get published by a small independent press. The praise for your writing should give you the confidence you need - go for it! Writing long is great (or do I only say this as I'm no good at short stories?!Avrilhttp://www.avriljoy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32078352.post-39985215507500035172009-04-13T17:56:00.000+01:002009-04-13T17:56:00.000+01:00Annie, that sounds wonderful! Not linked stories, ...Annie, that sounds wonderful! Not linked stories, but some kind of jigsaw of pieces, maybe you don't need to worry about how it fits together, maybe you can leave that to the reader. Maybe we can start a new genre: jigsaw fiction. I sense that's sort of where I am going. Who knows? That's the exciting part, eh?!Tania Hershmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15781460794034586895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32078352.post-29642956824510739762009-04-13T16:22:00.000+01:002009-04-13T16:22:00.000+01:00Tanis, this is really exciting. I have part writte...Tanis, this is really exciting. I have part written a novel that is in jigsaw pieces. I haven't found out how to bring it together yet, but there are patterns, and a central character, and somehow it will come toegether, in the same way as you describe... good on you, very exciting news...annie clarksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02142921731812954985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32078352.post-76016895837466625322009-04-13T15:48:00.000+01:002009-04-13T15:48:00.000+01:00Thanks, Nik!Nasim, thank you for sharing your expe...Thanks, Nik!<BR/><BR/>Nasim, thank you for sharing your experience, I know that it may take a long long time, but what is the rush? You're right, as long as we have the passion, there are possibilities.<BR/><BR/>David, 900, wow that's seriously long! I understand, I really do. Did you see I added a progress bar on the right here? Just to spur me on... even if in 100-word increments!Tania Hershmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15781460794034586895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32078352.post-15094583375558796162009-04-13T15:26:00.000+01:002009-04-13T15:26:00.000+01:00we're in the same place, Tania, as I want to write...we're in the same place, Tania, as I want to write longer too from time to time. I have one coming up at Necessary Ficiton (So New) that's about 900. That's llllooonnnggg for me. Good luck and keep us posted!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32078352.post-17105510529884210252009-04-13T13:39:00.000+01:002009-04-13T13:39:00.000+01:00Exactly, Tania - the possibilities are there, what...Exactly, Tania - the possibilities are there, whatever we write, however we write, the possibilities are there! I started with short stories (many years ago) and 'graduated' to my novel, it was energy that was my constraint, I didn't think I could sustain a longer narrative than a few thousand words, but slowly and surely the work took shape (over six years, and another two to get published!), the main drive being my passion to get a certain message out there. Wishing you luck in your new project. 2800 words is brilliant, I know you will get to your 50000...nmjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05477643084619789093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32078352.post-991042702412873962009-04-13T13:07:00.000+01:002009-04-13T13:07:00.000+01:00Sounds fab, T! ;)Power to your typing fingers!Sounds fab, T! ;)<BR/><BR/>Power to your typing fingers!Nik Perringhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07426321804560400335noreply@blogger.com