October 3, 2015. Welcome to the third day of my October Blog Challenge on preparing to write your novel. If you're new here, you might want to check out the earlier posts on this challenge, as the exercises/reflections build on each other. To find out what this challenge is all about, read my original post explaining it HERE.

Today we'll reflect on when your story takes place, and what research and/or invention you will need to do in order to write convincingly about that time.

1. When does your story take place? In the past, the present, or the future? If it is not in the present, how far in the past or into the present does it take place?

2. Why is this time period ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY for you to tell this particular story? (What plot points depend on it)

3. What research is necessary for you to convey that time period? What recurring or central image(s) (sights/sounds/tastes/smells) will you use to make your reader feel like he/she is in the past/future?

4. If your story is in the present, does it take place in a high-tech, modern location, or in a location where the conveniences we take for granted are missing (or some of them). List the physical aspects of our lives (running water, dishwashers, toilets that flush and have seats, cars, internet, cell phones, etc) that will be different or missing.

5. What aspects of your chosen time period will your reader not be familiar with, but your characters will take for granted? Make an extensive list.

6. How will you present those items, or the lack of them?

NOTE: if your POV character doesn't know something, he can't explain it. (Do you know how an airplane works?) If your POV character is completely familiar with something, she won't notice, let alone describe it, in her thoughts. (Would you describe how to ride a bicycle? Would you even think about the chain and gears, or would you just hop on and peddle away?)

If you feel like sharing anything about today's exercise, please leave a comment or tweet or like this post. We can all learn from each other. See you tomorrow!

October 2, 2015. Welcome to the second day of my October Blog Challenge on preparing to write your novel. Those who are just arriving, please read the earlier posts on this challenge, as the exercises/ reflections build on each other. To find out what this challenge is all about, read my earlier post HERE.

Today let's reflect on the kind of story you are writing.  The same story idea can be explored in many genres. Just because you have so far mostly written in one genre, doesn't mean that's the best one for this idea. I'm speaking from experience here; I had an idea I loved, and tried to put it into the genre I was focused on writing at the time (science fiction). After I spent a year writing it, an editor kindly suggested it might be better suited as an historical fiction novel. So I started again from scratch, and he was right - that's the story that eventually got me my agent. I could have saved some time, though, if I'd considered different genres from the start. 

1. List all the genres you enjoy reading? (You can't really write in a genre you don't enjoy, or don't read much of, so don't worry about those.) What are the expectations readers bring to each of those genres, particularly in terms of characters, types of goals and obstructions to that goal, and plot line?

2. Review your notes from yesterday about your idea. Which of the genres from your answer to question 1 above, is the best fit?
 
Now that you've chosen the best genre for your story, let's explore it a bit more.

3. Quickly list your 5-8 favourite novels in this genre. (Some may be old favourites, but make sure at least half are fairly recent, popular books in that genre.

4. Which character did you like most in each of these books? Why? Which character did you like least? Why?

5. What aspect of the plot did you like most? Why?

NOTE: when you are writing and you try to create a new character, or are thinking about what can happen next in your plot, your unconscious mind will instinctively access these stories, and you will think, "Oh I love that idea!" Then, even if you remember that it's a little like what happened in XXX, or the character in XXX, your mind will start to justify why you should use it. ("There are lots of characters like this" "It's not like that author invented this idea". I know, I've done it.)  But your target readers will also have read and loved those books, and their minds will also draw connections instinctively -  it's what our minds are hard-wired to do. And your story will feel stale to them... UNLESS, because you are consciously aware of those characters and plot-lines, you either avoid them, or give them a unique twist that your readers will enjoy and find fresh and interesting.

6. What, overall, makes your story similar to others in this genre?

7. What, overall, makes your story dissimilar to others in this genre?

If you feel like sharing anything about today's exercise, please leave a comment. We can all learn from each other. See you tomorrow!