The Current Theory

[snurri]

Novels are problems--really, they are a huge knot of problems. Where's the front of this thing? How does it go? Can I drive it from here to there? If I yank on this bit, what falls apart, and will I be able to put it back together? How do I make anybody else give a crap about this? You have to care about solving these kinds of problems in order to want to do something like this.

Comments

[hecubot.livejournal.com]

This aligns with the theory I developed writing my last book: writing is problem solving. You have a lot of discrete problems to solve in every chapter. Maybe every paragraph.

How do I evoke the feeling of sad asparagus in this section?

Do I need the backstory on the revolt of the snails?

Is this a darling? Do I need to kill it? Maybe I should nurture it.

How to make this character More Funnier...

Isn't there some middle ground between sentimental glop and dry expositon? No? I thought as much.

[silk-noir.livejournal.com]

Nicely put.

[bondgwendabond.livejournal.com]

It's true -- and I can ever only answer these after I make it through zero draft (at least), which always strikes me as the most inefficient work process ever but: We are cursed to live our own processes.

[jess-ka.livejournal.com]

Part of why I love working on a novel, getting lost in all of that.

[ajjones.livejournal.com]

Well said.

[st-writes.livejournal.com]

This seems like a crystalization of the discussion a few weeks ago. That's what makes writing a novel so engaging, I think, why it's okay that it takes a long time (for me anyway).