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Ira de Imperio, I'm making my very first novel... opinions are accepted.


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#1
Monte Cristo

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I'm creating a novel of my own.... Opinions are accepted and welcome with open arms.
 
 
It includes some of real life history, people (coincidence), events, C&C Generals: Zero Hour mod (Rise of the Reds)'s contents (chars, techs, names, units, etc etc) but I tweak it a little...... ok a lot!!! lol.....
 
new chapters are uploaded..... er... when it is finished...? 

If this topic is misplaced or not appropriate to this section.... feel free to delete this. and I'm sorry about posting something like this.


P.S.

 

 

Have a good read.


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#2
Duderonomy

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I've finished 2 novels, and the only thing I have to say is to not worry about people's opinions and finish the damn book. Most of the writers that I talk to get so bogged down in editing and getting opinions that they never finish a novel.

 

You've got to get it done now while the fire is in your belly. You can fix it/get opinions later.

 

Also, check out Brandon Sanderson's writing lectures on Youtube. They are primarily for speculative fiction, but many of the principles he talks about are universal to most popular genres.


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#3
Monte Cristo

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I've finished 2 novels, and the only thing I have to say is to not worry about people's opinions and finish the damn book. Most of the writers that I talk to get so bogged down in editing and getting opinions that they never finish a novel.

 

You've got to get it done now while the fire is in your belly. You can fix it/get opinions later.

 

Also, check out Brandon Sanderson's writing lectures on Youtube. They are primarily for speculative fiction, but many of the principles he talks about are universal to most popular genres.

Thank you for your reply. But I just wan't to hear about the people's thought about my story and stuff. What I was thinking is like uploading the chapters one by one etc etc. like making a "cliffhanger(?)"

it maybe... just maybe... make the reader want to know more and wants to know what happens next(?) that was my thought of this. but thank you.


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#4
Duderonomy

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I've finished 2 novels, and the only thing I have to say is to not worry about people's opinions and finish the damn book. Most of the writers that I talk to get so bogged down in editing and getting opinions that they never finish a novel.

 

You've got to get it done now while the fire is in your belly. You can fix it/get opinions later.

 

Also, check out Brandon Sanderson's writing lectures on Youtube. They are primarily for speculative fiction, but many of the principles he talks about are universal to most popular genres.

Thank you for your reply. But I just wan't to hear about the people's thought about my story and stuff. What I was thinking is like uploading the chapters one by one etc etc. like making a "cliffhanger(?)"

it maybe... just maybe... make the reader want to know more and wants to know what happens next(?) that was my thought of this. but thank you.

 

The internet does make serial novels more viable, but that form of novel isn't for the faint of heart. It's very easy to write yourself into a corner or have such a meandering narrative that it becomes a complete mess. Comic writers botch it enough, already, but they have the artwork for readers to enjoy if the story isn't up to snuff. Dickens wrote multiple stories before he tried, and a lot of his work illustrates the problems of the format (the reason Dickens is considered wordy and repetitive is because he had to reintroduce his original readers to events every week, like a recap on a TV show).

 

I generally don't look at anything unfinished & unedited by the author. If you ever do finish it and spend a decent amount of time editing it (6 months is my average on editing alone for a novel), let me know, and I'll be happy to look at it.


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#5
Ali bin Turban

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Congrats on doing some writing :). As a fellow would-be writer I've read just a couple of words here and there and have a few technical remarks. I hope it won't intimidate you, but help to improve (I wouldn't spend over 30 minutes writing this if I didn't want to help you ;) ).

 

1. Don't mix tenses in narrative. You're mostly writing in past tense but there are sentences like this "After the dusts have cleared, the Count sheathes his sword and starts looking around"  which feel odd.

2. Try not to repeat information. For instance if narrator says that bomb didn't go off and then character also stating that bomb didn't go off is redundant. Try to choose one way to inform reader about the situation (by narrator or actor but not by both of them).

3. Avoid giving opinions via narrator (unless the assumption is that narrator is describing and also commenting situation): "good thing the Thermobaric Bomb it carries didn’t go off" - that "good thing" is unnecessary - it's for reader to decide whether it was a good thing or not.

4. Always initiate dialogue with a new line - it's much easier to read this way. I'd also advise to use dash instead of quotation marks (that's the standard and people got used to it).

5. You also use italics (without quotation marks) for dialogue - don't do it. Chose one way to mark actors speaking lines and hold onto it.

6. Make sure reader knows who is talking in your dialogue. Here you got an example.

 

Its passengers quickly got out of the crashed Hunchback. “What the deuce is that kind of flying? I shall have his pilot licence remove from him after this is all over.” The Count said as he checked himself if he’s wounded.

“Well, at least the Thermobaric Bomb it carries didn’t explode; that counts as something.” <- Who said that last sentence? I've no idea and it's confusing.

 

7. Another example: "The door behind him opened and two men came inside. Untie him, untie him and face him to me. Stand him up straight. Then Sebastian was punched numerous times in the face and at his chest. He was unconscious when he was put into the hospital, Julianne herself treated his wounds. Two hours later, they are holding each other outside along with the other captives." :

   - Apart from italics you should avoid using passive voice if it's not absolutely necessary.

   - You should divide scenes into different paragraphs (beating the guy is one scene, putting him into hospital is another).

   - You should not jump in narrative (guy is being beaten and suddenly he's being put into hospital)

   - Julianne treating guy's wounds should be mentioned in separated sentence.

 

8. Another very important example about narrative:

 

   Count Clavio! This is your final warning. The MP Captain said. Do it! The MP Captain signalled his men to use the battering ram. After 3 attempts
the door broke down. The Military Police charged their way inside. The Count is upstairs with sword at one hand and a pistol at the other. Upstairs! Look upstairs!

            The Military Police went upstairs and opening different doors on their way to the Count’s study. Clear! Clear! This one’s clear as well! They reached at the door of the Count’s study. Open it. But just before one of the Military Police grabbed the door, the Count on the other side is aiming at the door with his pistol from his left hand. Ready?
 
        - You should be running narrative from one perspective. Either from Count's or MP's, but not from both. If you're doing from MP's then avoid stating information they don't know, like this one "The Count is upstairs with sword at one hand and a pistol at the other". Also you're killing all the fun for the reader, by giving information they don't need at that time. This way you're preventing reader from being surprised.
 
 
Also if you plan to do some serious writing get your hands on some handbooks like Stephen King's "How to write". They're gold mine.


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#6
Monte Cristo

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I thank you guys for your opinions and I'll took them for granted.

The truth is, there is a separate sheet that I keep with the same contents that I upload. so if there are any errors on the uploaded version then I can fix the version I am holding today.


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#7
Monte Cristo

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I really want opinions like those; that is what I lack: other's opinions.


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#8
Duderonomy

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I really want opinions like those; that is what I lack: other's opinions.

You need to find a circle of writers that you can share opinions with. Preferably, writers in the same genre, since not many can accept the differences between genres. If you don't have a local group you can meet with, then try to find one on the web. You might ask a couple of the active nation RPers on the OWF if they know of a place.


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#9
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delete


Edited by DeathMerchant, 08 October 2017 - 05:24 PM.
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