5 Struggles of Editing a First Ever Novel- Part Two
A few weeks ago I posted a list of the top five struggles that I found while editing my first novel. Today, I have a list of five more. I hope y'all enjoy!
1. Naming. No, it is not okay to name your MC after yourself. *facedesk* *immense weeping* Why younger me thought it was a good idea is beyond me. Do you see any of the greats doing that? I don't think so! So I spent hours brainstorming with Jules and looking up names that would work (I still haven't picked one). Talk about exhausting! Not to mention the fact that the name works with the character, so you can add the emotions connected with killing perfection into the equation.
Also, you know that meme about naming fantasy characters?
Yeah, that one. Well... I'm guilty, but for my villain. So I had to go fix my error there as well. More brainstorming and more name picking.
2. Blah dialogue. Do people really talk like that? Is that a natural way of speaking? No, it's not! So why are you writing it that way? Really! Have you ever held a conversation in your life? By the looks of it, the answer is no.
3. Overuse of reactions. Do people shrug 500 times a day? No, no they don't. Do they constantly raise one eyebrow? I doubt it. Though, if they did, they'd probably have some pretty unbalanced wrinkles on their foreheads. That would be an interesting character description.
4. Mountains of paper. Outlines. Conflict charts. Notes. So. Much. Paper. Somewhere out there a forest is weeping the loss of their children, but I'm over here thinking that it's all for a good cause, that they will immortalize the tales of thousands. Then I realize: "Wow! I'm turning into my villain. Mwhwhahahahaha!" *cough* Sorry about that.
5. Self-doubt. Decide to delete scenes 'cause they're stupid. Spend the rest of the round of edits wondering if it was a good idea. #yesitwas #rollwithit #butifindoubtalwayssavepreviousdrafts #theywillsaveyoursanity
So there you have it: five more struggles of editing a first-ever novel. It's fun. *sobs*
Are there any funny struggles that you face? Do you mind sharing them?
1. Naming. No, it is not okay to name your MC after yourself. *facedesk* *immense weeping* Why younger me thought it was a good idea is beyond me. Do you see any of the greats doing that? I don't think so! So I spent hours brainstorming with Jules and looking up names that would work (I still haven't picked one). Talk about exhausting! Not to mention the fact that the name works with the character, so you can add the emotions connected with killing perfection into the equation.
Also, you know that meme about naming fantasy characters?
Yeah, that one. Well... I'm guilty, but for my villain. So I had to go fix my error there as well. More brainstorming and more name picking.
2. Blah dialogue. Do people really talk like that? Is that a natural way of speaking? No, it's not! So why are you writing it that way? Really! Have you ever held a conversation in your life? By the looks of it, the answer is no.
3. Overuse of reactions. Do people shrug 500 times a day? No, no they don't. Do they constantly raise one eyebrow? I doubt it. Though, if they did, they'd probably have some pretty unbalanced wrinkles on their foreheads. That would be an interesting character description.
4. Mountains of paper. Outlines. Conflict charts. Notes. So. Much. Paper. Somewhere out there a forest is weeping the loss of their children, but I'm over here thinking that it's all for a good cause, that they will immortalize the tales of thousands. Then I realize: "Wow! I'm turning into my villain. Mwhwhahahahaha!" *cough* Sorry about that.
5. Self-doubt. Decide to delete scenes 'cause they're stupid. Spend the rest of the round of edits wondering if it was a good idea. #yesitwas #rollwithit #butifindoubtalwayssavepreviousdrafts #theywillsaveyoursanity
So there you have it: five more struggles of editing a first-ever novel. It's fun. *sobs*
Are there any funny struggles that you face? Do you mind sharing them?
Not to laugh at your pain, but some of this was funny. I relate to A LOT of this. I've never named a character after myself, though. I do struggle with naming. I have loads of websites for names and I'd be happy to give you the links if you want them. :D
ReplyDeleteOr, you could keep the character's name and you could write under a penname? (I'm sure you don't want to do that, but I figured I'd suggest it since the character seems attached to the name.)
<3
~Ivie
iviewrites.blogspot.com
Hey, I wrote it for the laughs, so I'm glad you got a kick out of it! And thank you, but I have several name sites, plus I love naming characters, so it shouldn't end up being too bad. It's just that I've written six books, plus two rewrites and half of an edit with this name, so it'll be difficult for me to change it.
DeleteI've thought about that, but I'm not a fan of pen names, so I quickly scratched that idea. But it definitely is a great suggestion!
That's good. Those websites come in handy!
DeleteSome people don't prefer pen names. I do because stalkers and certain people.
(Nothing bad, though.) XD
I love pen names!!!
DeletePersonally, I have a lot of names I go by. My OotP nicknames, a few personal nicknames from friends, my penname and nicknames of it, and then of course, the way my real name gets mispronounced (one reason I went with a penname), and then the many times my dad calls me after my sisters or my mother!
And I get called "you" "cansomeone" and "someonehelpme" quite a lot as well! XD
Made it a bit confusing the first time I joined your Camp cabin... ;P
DeleteLol! I can only imagine! But at least you can say you survived!
DeleteI did indeed survive... but I now have a document with names, OotP nicknames, general names, blog names... ;D
DeleteYou should receive a prize for your organizational skills.
DeleteSorry Jem!!! I'm not /trying/ to be confusing...
DeleteLOL! All of this is so true!!! XD
ReplyDeleteEspecially the reaction overuse. I can relate to all of these!!
I know right! I'm glad you can relate to them!
Delete~Thinking that an sixteen year old person is practically a grown up. #nope I'm older than that and feel like a kid.
ReplyDelete~Thinking an eighteen year old was "old." Maybe in regards to the ages of the other characters...
But there I was, a 13-year-old writer, writing about some grown up people doing cool stuff, and now that I look back at it, I think "these are a bunch of irresponsible teens who are going to get themselves killed if they don't get some adult supervision."
Seriously! I had to age up some of my characters because they were way too young. But sometimes younger me did an okay job, since most of them were a pretty reasonable age. And then, of course, I still have the "irresponsible teen who is going to get herself killed if she doesn't get some adult supervision". So I put her with some adults who are only slightly less irresponsible. #waytogosarah
DeleteBut Branwen, Drew, and Georgie are still wonderful characters. I can't wait to go back to them someday!
Delete1. Naming characters is sO HARD. But I do wish to point out - Jane Austen named Jane Bennett after herself, and she's the "second-main" female character. I guess MCs are different, though. I hope you find a name you're happy with!
ReplyDelete2. Actually held a conversation?? wouldn't that require... talking? to people??
3. I ONLY HAVE SO MANY REACTIONS IN MY ARSENAL OKAY. Shrugging and raising an eyebrow are two of them. If I MUST mix it up, the character can raise both eyebrows. There we go. Problem solved. I am a brilliant writer. *dies*
4. Paper. Yessss, my precious. Alll the notebooks. ...And loose pages, which are what I'll actually write on, leaving the notebooks 98% blank.
5. I'm actually still on first-drafting, so I just don't write those scenes... or I write them and think "That was fun! ... I'm never going to fit that into the storyline, am I?" (The second is more likely. Because NaNo. And first drafts.)
Jem Jones
Thanks for pointing that out! But I still do think I have to change the name. I think I might have an option, so I'm pretty happy about that. I'm going to test it out on some people, though, before I completely settle on it.
DeleteI CAN RELATE SO HARD TO THIS. Especially the naming characters one. Ugh. I once named a fantasy character "John" for three whole drafts because I couldn't find a different name to suit him. #thestruggleisreal
ReplyDeletekatie grace
a writer's faith
I actually have a John in my books. He's one of my faves!
DeleteJohn is the best!!!!
DeleteYES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Nickname Giver!
Delete