Trying Something New

I’ve been a technical writer, I’ve edited countless blogs, articles and letters for businesses and organizations.

I hadn’t until recently tried fiction writing. I’ve always admired writers who can craft a whole storyline, develop character that are dimensional, and typically in the midst of a growth or development.

Recently I began attempting to write a fantasy novel. I’m about 60 chapters in, but essentially as a main plot line with some spotty secondary character development. Although I’m realizing the story is objectively boring. The die characters actually seem more interesting at the moment, so while I like the idea, the execution is terrible. I assume this is fairly normal in fiction. To start, try again, develop something, then undo that and go a different direction. The outline I started with is unrecognizable to the chapters I’ve begun.

For those of you who write fiction - I’d love to hear your best strategy, advice or ways you go about structuring your storylines, character development, etc. Whatever you’re willing to share that is. I know many of us writers have closely guarded secrets to successful writing. I’m not asking for anything too vulnerable, just seeking camaraderie, things you do that work for you, or even a bit about your process.

At some point I think I’ll have my ‘manuscript’ in a place where I might even be brave enough to share, but truly in its current state it’s pretty abysmal. By reading great books, it’s clear when you aren’t writing one. However, I also know many of us as writers are our own worst critic.

Also, world building is harder than I expected, I have a whole series of additional documents completely separate from my book to identify and keep straight for me the complex nature of this world I’m trying to weave, and this particular novel is not in a complete fantasy space - but has enough otherworldly stuff that it needs some additional explanation. This sometimes feels forced and awkward.

How do you just causally bring up the whole way a culture, or phenomenon occurs without it seeming contrived?

TL:DR - If you are a fiction writer, hit me up! I need some pep-talks.

xo

Dania