New Beginnings...
When Elisa, Sharon, and I started this anthology, I thought, how hard could 20k words be? I mean, I'd completed a 90k ms. So, 20k should be a piece of cake. HA!
It wasn't until I started my 20k novella, the first in the Soul Reavers Anthology, that I began to understand just how hard it would be to write. It has a lot to do with my standards, I know. I can't abide a weak romance, with weak conflicts, and weak plot. The problem was, I didn't know how to make my story strong and believable (well, believable for a paranormal, that is.) in so few words. I need my love story to call to me. To make me, as a reader, truly believe that my hero and heroine have fallen in love by the last page. I need that happily-ever-after. But, I need to feel it. Believe it. What I needed, was about 70k more words to do it in.
Writing a good novella is NOT EASY! I applaud the numerous authors at Ellora's Cave, Changeling & Samhain, just to name a few. These talented authors continuously produce loving, intense, believable romances in less than 50k. Some even as short as 12k.
Well, after a long bout of writer's block with Tori's story, I finally realized I needed to re-plot the entire thing. It was weak and I just couldn't get past chapter 4. In the end, as painful as it was, I threw out more than 5k words (Ummm, that would be all of what I'd already written.) and started from scratch. New plot, new scenes, new everything. Only now, I think I might be able to get this done in 20k. I think it works now. We'll see what my critique partners think when I'm done. ;-)
Sandy :-)
www.sandra.barkevich.com
*February 24, 2007 at Sandra's Goings On - Guest Blogger, Terri Garey - Dead Girls are Easy
It wasn't until I started my 20k novella, the first in the Soul Reavers Anthology, that I began to understand just how hard it would be to write. It has a lot to do with my standards, I know. I can't abide a weak romance, with weak conflicts, and weak plot. The problem was, I didn't know how to make my story strong and believable (well, believable for a paranormal, that is.) in so few words. I need my love story to call to me. To make me, as a reader, truly believe that my hero and heroine have fallen in love by the last page. I need that happily-ever-after. But, I need to feel it. Believe it. What I needed, was about 70k more words to do it in.
Writing a good novella is NOT EASY! I applaud the numerous authors at Ellora's Cave, Changeling & Samhain, just to name a few. These talented authors continuously produce loving, intense, believable romances in less than 50k. Some even as short as 12k.
Well, after a long bout of writer's block with Tori's story, I finally realized I needed to re-plot the entire thing. It was weak and I just couldn't get past chapter 4. In the end, as painful as it was, I threw out more than 5k words (Ummm, that would be all of what I'd already written.) and started from scratch. New plot, new scenes, new everything. Only now, I think I might be able to get this done in 20k. I think it works now. We'll see what my critique partners think when I'm done. ;-)
Sandy :-)
www.sandra.barkevich.com
*February 24, 2007 at Sandra's Goings On - Guest Blogger, Terri Garey - Dead Girls are Easy
posted by Sandra Barkevich at 10:24 AM
2 Comments:
We'll love it, Sandy. You know we will. And so will the editor. Can't wait to read it!
I had the same problem, Sandy. It hasn't been an easy project, but it's been a blast. I'm looking forward to reading your story.
Post a Comment
<< Home