Help and advice required!

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   FranyaBlueposted 13 years ago

   So I am taking the plunge into my first ever novel.
   
   It will be historical fiction....
   
   I have begun writing books before but lost interest in my own story lines lol usually due to not having the whole story thought up before starting but I am significantly excited about my new idea and the whole plot seems to be unfolding in my mind - quicker than I can write it up.
   
   The great thing is my story line is embedded into real historical events so it helps me keep to the story and not go off on some random tangent!
   
   I have planned my plot twists, I have an ending, and I am currently 4000 words in.
   
   I wanted to ask all you hubbers out there if there is anything I have missed....do you have any good tips, tricks or any advice that you think would be useful to a novice?
   
   Please help!

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      stoneangel444posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      May I recommend you take your note book to a museum where you can get into the era and a feel for what your characters may have experienced. You can have a look at the clothing and total lack of conveniences which we take for granted and it might help to keep you writing. I am also a fan of steven kings book and wrote a hub about it some months ago whch you are welcome to read. I has helped me .  Good luck

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         FranyaBlueposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I love museums! Thanks.

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   FranyaBlueposted 13 years ago

   I posted this hours ago.....has no one got any good advice to share?

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   Arthur Fontesposted 13 years ago

   I can say, i like historicol fiction. James Clavell is one of the best. His history is accurate and his characters hold the readers interest.  What period of history is your novel?

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      FranyaBlueposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      the specific year is 1903....but it spans a few years before and after.
      
      I want my story to work around the history of the suffragettes so it has a lot of what really happened at the time plus my story woven in...if that makes sense! but more story than history really..

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   Originposted 13 years ago

   Carry a notepad around with you with a short pen/pencil, sometimes great ideas come to you while your doing something else, therefore you can quickly write them down. Otherwise, if you just try and remember them for when you are home to write them down, you may have forgotten by then.
   
   

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      FranyaBlueposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah I have the memory of a fish normally....my mum just bought me a mini recorder thingy that comes with a usb and software...it's handy for my journalism assignments too. But....I might look a bit strange if I start talking into it during lessons lol

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   TheGlassSpiderposted 13 years ago

   You might want to talk to Shadesbreath about this one. He's published a few already and will be writing a novel this summer - I'm sure he'll have good advice for you

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      FranyaBlueposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you! I will try....I did notice that he has a very nice writing style.

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         TheGlassSpiderposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I love his writing. And you're welcome!!
         
         I wish you the best of luck and discipline!! May I recommend taking a look at Stephen King's _On Writing_ for stylistic help...as well as Strunk and White's _Elements of Style_. Both of those are more...about the technical details of good writing, but if you haven't read them, I've found them absolutely necessary to keep around.

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            FranyaBlueposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Thank you again! I will look into the books you have mentioned. It's easy enough getting a story together...and writing it...but writing it well is something else and good advice is always needed.

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   Awful Poetposted 13 years ago

   Tape Recorders
   Are Nice To Have

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   Thorn058posted 13 years ago

   Not sure if it fits into the type of story you are writing but might I suggest the works of Naomi Novik. She does a twist on historical fiction where her books are set during the Napoleonic wars but the existence of dragons is there. the dragons take a role of modern aircraft or utilized like ships of the line. They are brilliantly written and show just where you can take a historically accurate story if you step outside the box. Just a suggestion

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      FranyaBlueposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      This is called alternative history....I think. Thanks for the advice.

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   M. T. Dremerposted 13 years ago

   I have two bits of advice that will hopefully help you keep interest in your story. The first is to not be afraid to jump around with the timeline. The audience will read it in order, but you don't have to write it in order. Write the part that interests you most, otherwise you run the risk of getting bogged down in the lead-up.
   
   The second point of advice is to not be afraid to write crap. First drafts are never good; the important thing to remember is that it has to get written somehow. You can always go back and edit crap, but you can't fix something if it isn't there.
   
   I wrote a hub about writing a novel with more advice like this, but I didn't immediately point you towards it because I didn't want to sound overly promotional. :p Good luck!

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      FranyaBlueposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      This is a good bit of advice. My plot involves 3 timelines that meet up at the end. I will definitely be jumping around.
      
      No harm in being promotional if it is relevant. I will take a look.
      
      Thanks.

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   AdeleCosgroveBrayposted 13 years ago

   If you set yourself a daily word count and stick to it without fail, you'll find progress runs smoother as this becomes habit.
   
   If you haven't already read Stephen King's "On Writing" then I highly recommend this.  Even if his fiction isn't your personal taste, he's enjoyed an incredibly successful career and obviously knows the business.  This book offers a lot of valuable practical information for all kinds of writers.
   
   I'd also sugest joining a writers group local to you, so you can get helpful feedback on your work as it progresses.
   
   Write your first draft, aiming at 100,000 words.  Don't aim for perfection at this stage, just get the story down.  Set it aside for a few weeks then come back to it with fresh eyes.  The re-writing, editing and polishing is as important, if not much more important, than getting the first draft completed - but you do have to finish the first draft before you cana reach this stage.

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