Know the Novel is a 3-part tag for writers, one for each of these last three months of the year. Each part will feature ten questions you can answer on your own blog (or anywhere else on social media!). The questions will be focusing on different parts of your novel and how the writing is progressing.1. How’s the writing going overall?
So far, so good! I randomly decided about a week ago to add in a new part to the plot that wasn't supposed to be important... but it is important. So that very much happened, buuuut other than that it's great!
2. What’s been the most fun aspect about writing this novel so far?
The most fun aspect...? Ah. Um. Well. Um. I guess I'll say just figuring out what's happening at all. The plot. Has CHANGED. AT LEAST THIRTY TIMES. >_< halp
3. What do you think of your characters at this point? Who’s your favorite to write about?
The characters?
OH YEAH THE CHARACTERS ARE FINEEEEEEEEE. DEFINITELY NOT GETTING KIDNAPPED. DEFINITELY NOT THREATENING EACH OTHER TO STOP KIDNAPPING THE SMOL CHILDREN. DEFINITELY NOT---
stopping now.
ahem.
I like my characters and everything about them. They are great. They are super cool. They are some of my favorite cast that doesn't just cause chaos everywhere although they do cause plenty of chaos so I do like my characters.
My favorite to write is... mmm, either Kel or Dabe. Dabe is in the category of "fun-to-write" whereas Kel is in the category of "WHY-DO-I-DO-THIS-TO-MY-HUMANS" and he's very... challenging to write (in a good way).
btw I made a post about all my characters, check it out here
4. Has your novel surprised you in any way?
As I said above, the plot has changed at least thirty times, and some of those changes I'm not sure are for the best??? So I have been very surprised with several twists and changes that have thrown themselves at me, but mostly in a good way. I've also been surprised by a character who decided she wasn't planning on chilling in the background and was going down and dirty. I did enjoy that greatly.
5. Have you come across any problem areas?
Problem areas? Well, I was stuck in one chapter for a while, but that was mostly because it was right in the middle of school crazy and other stuff, so it wasn't so much that the section itself was a "problem area" and just that I couldn't get past it because of tiiiiime. Other than that, no problem areas, really.
6. What’s been your biggest victory with writing this novel at this point?
*big breath*
I HIT 60K WORDS AND I'VE REACHED 200 PAGES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
obviously that isn't super duper long, and it's probably gonna be a bit longer, but all of my other stories have ended either at 99 pages (that actually happened >_<) or maybe 150. SO THE FACT THAT I'M GETTING SO FAR ALONG HAS MADE ME SO FREAKIN' HAPPYYYYYYYYYYYYY.
*lets out breath*
I'm also really happy because I finally reached the section that made me want to keep writing this novel at a point where I was debating stopping. (so I guess there was a problem area, I just don't remember where it was) I am veryyyyy happy right now!
7. If you were transported into your novel and became any one of the characters, which one do you think you’d be? Would you take any different actions than they have?
AHH I DON'T WANT TO BE ONE OF MY CHARACTERS. I'd probably end up being Alith, if I was in there, because she's the one who's the most "normal" in a sense... Would I take any different actions? I wouldn't have punched Garrin... actually maybe I would...? I don't think I would've done anything differently than what she does. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
8. Give us the first sentence or paragraph then 2 (or 3!) more favorite snippets!
Oh you want snippets now. I see how it is.
first bit:
Serwrenna thrust her heavy broadsword forward, lodging it deep in the bark of a nearby pine tree. She tugged on it, but the blade wouldn’t budge. She glanced to the side as her opponent approached, his own sword ready to strike.
She made the split second decision to drop her sword’s hilt and drew one of the small throwing knives always sheathed on her belt for crises.
Her enemy, a tall brute with small glittering black eyes, bared his teeth at her in a vile grin. “You think you can stop me with that?”
Serwrenna flicked her attention at the small blade for a split second, easily dancing out of the way on nimble feet as the ruffian lunged at her. She let out a quiet tsk-tsking sound and shook her head in a slow, mocking way. Stall a little longer, hse thought. Letting a lofty lilt spice her words, she responded, “My sir, I have stopped many a large person with a simple knife. I know I can stop you.”
and now for a few others....
Garrin didn’t waver. “Well, I’m afraid your concerns were unprecedented, because I have everything sorted out already.” He allowed his gaze to roam around the area, refusing to blink even though the rain was coming down harder. “So if you’ll kindly remove your men, we can continue business as usual.”
“I’m afraid I cannot do that, Director,” was the answer. Hakkyn’s features were all scrunched together in mock apology, except his eyes which gleamed dangerously. “My business with you specifically is drawing to a close unless the insurgents I have now repeatedly mentioned are brought here.”
_______________________________________________________
“Last question. Why is your hair so short?”
Alith ran a hand along her shorn locks, frowning slightly. The longest strands brushed the tip of her chin while the shortest tickled just below her ears. She didn’t think it was so much shorter than Serwrenna’s; it was just choppier. “It won’t get caught in machinery or anything this length.”
“And it won’t fly in her face while moving quickly either,” Kel added, materializing behind her.
Alith jumped at his sudden appearance and turned to him, her frown turning playful. “How long were you listening?”
“Just long enough to hear them asking about your hair.” He reached over and plucked the remainder of her breakfast from the table in front of her. “If we’re on the topic of length, why is your hair so long, Dabernell?”
Serwrenna smirked at her brother. “Yeah, Dabernell.”
Dabe’s face once more took on the color of a ripe tomato, and he scowled at his sister, also fingering his chin length strands of hair. “It makes me look dashing.”
Ellythian snorted. “Who’re you kidding, Dabe, it makes you look rumpled.”
Dabernell glared at her before turning to Ollyn, who was silently snickering. “Stop laughing at my hair!”
_______________________________________________________
Dabe replaced his hat and stalked toward them. “Hey! Let her go.”
Alith turned toward him, her eyes wide and angry. “Dabe. I said no talking.”
“I’m bad at listening.” Dabe waited until the stranger faced him. “Let her go.” He laid a hand on his knife’s hilt, waiting.
The man stepped away from Alith, lifting his hands. “I wasn’t going to hurt her, kid.”
“Kid?” Dabe snorted. “I don’t think I’m a whole lot younger than you.”
Alith stepped to his side, hooking her arm through his. “Dabe, this is Andre. He’s…” she hesitated, frowning. “He was our friend.”
“Was?” Andre crossed his arms. “That hurts, Alith.”
“I’m so not sorry.”
__________________________________________________________
“I want you to come with me. There’s plenty to do, so you wouldn’t be bored. And maybe we…” he trailed off. “Never mind. It’ll be somewhere safe where I can show you more of my world.” He reached for her again, this time taking her hand for real. “Please.”
She stared at their linked hands, her heart fluttering in that way she refused to acknowledge. “I don’t want to leave Treridon.”
“It won’t be easy,” Kel agreed, “but I have to ask, is it really home anymore?”
Wren closed her eyes against a sudden surge of tears. “It might not be welcoming, but it will always be home.”
“It’s time to move on now.” Kel took a deep breath before releasing her hand and stepping back, turning aside as well. “For both of us.”
9. Share an interesting tidbit about the writing process so far! (For example: Have you made any hilarious typos? Derailed from your outline? Killed off a character? Changed projects entirely? Anything you want to share!)
Oh. Well, if someone died, why would I say anything about it, hm? I don't remember my funny typos enough to put them here, although there was one time I was trying to write "tapestry" and ended up with "pastry"... I don't even remember why I was writing tapestry in the first place???
10. Take us on a tour of what a normal writing day for this novel looks like. Where do you write? What time of day? Alone or with others? Is a lot of coffee (or some other drink) consumed? Do you light candles? Play music? Get distracted by social media (*cough, cough*)? Tell all!
By now, I have commandeered one of my big sisters' desks, so that's my general writing nook. I've been doing most of my long writing sessions around 9-10:30... And usually alone, because I'm becoming a smol, lonely, introverted writing bean. I have fInAlLy been allowed to start drinking coffee regularly, buuuut only if I drink it in the morning hours... so it hasn't contributed to my novel at all. I've been playing music; I made a full playlist for A Word Unbroken that I have been listening to.... a lot. And social media... I've gotten distracted by Harry Potter and Star Wars memes on Pinterest a little too much sometimes... but no other social media. So my writing life has really been coming out at night, which is a new phenomenon for me. I've gotten maybe a paragraph in during five minute breaks in classes or whatever, but yeah.
So that's Know the Novel Part 2! Hope you enjoyed! Check out the original post at Christine's blog! Thanks for bearing with me!!
bye
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