Carolyn CordonWhat's Your Novel About?
April 6th 2009 22:27
The first and most obvious question to ask when someone tells you they're writing a novel is 'What's it about?'
Depending on the stage of the novel, the writer may be able to tell you the answer, succinctly, in one sentence. Or they may ramble on incoherently and make no sense at all. I was just asked the question, on this blog, by the lovely and wildly intelligent Morgan Ball, and my first reaction was to hide. Second reaction was to say it's about 25k too short.
But no, I'm a professional writer, I can do better than that:-
'An Ethical Dilemma'
What’s it all about? Short version
A twenty-five year old project officer tries to discover what life is all about.
Longer version
The main character’s name is Laani Evans – formerly Lana Evans.
Laani has decided her big sister’s way of life, a husband, a heap of kids and no job, is not what she’d choose for herself, but she’s wallowing in a mucked up life, and can’t work out where or how it all went pear shaped. She just knows, deep inside, it has all gone horribly wrong.
When her best friend becomes her former best friend, Laani vaguely realises it’s time to move on, but the friends she makes afterwards don’t seem to be fulfilling her life at all, and it appears one of them, or someone at any rate, wants her dead.
Laani doesn’t know who she can trust, or who she can believe. It seems that everyone around her has their own reasons for things, and Laani can’t catch on to anything to base her own life on.
When a gorgeous, male blast from the past shows up in her life again, Laani hopes that he might be the answer. But that blast from the past has his own reasons for getting back in contact, unfathomable to Laani and she ends up even more confused.
Laani’s life is going mad, and it seems only her own family, a big hairy dog, and an older lady with impeccable fashion sense, have a handle on what is going on in Laani’s life.
Laani eventually learns the truth of the old adage, Blood is Thicker than Water, and with help from a trans-gender police officer, begins to sort out what the heck is going on in her life, and why.
There that is what 'An Ethical Dilemma' is about. Any publishers lurking who might be interested?
Depending on the stage of the novel, the writer may be able to tell you the answer, succinctly, in one sentence. Or they may ramble on incoherently and make no sense at all. I was just asked the question, on this blog, by the lovely and wildly intelligent Morgan Ball, and my first reaction was to hide. Second reaction was to say it's about 25k too short.
But no, I'm a professional writer, I can do better than that:-
'An Ethical Dilemma'
What’s it all about? Short version
Longer version
The main character’s name is Laani Evans – formerly Lana Evans.
Laani has decided her big sister’s way of life, a husband, a heap of kids and no job, is not what she’d choose for herself, but she’s wallowing in a mucked up life, and can’t work out where or how it all went pear shaped. She just knows, deep inside, it has all gone horribly wrong.
When her best friend becomes her former best friend, Laani vaguely realises it’s time to move on, but the friends she makes afterwards don’t seem to be fulfilling her life at all, and it appears one of them, or someone at any rate, wants her dead.
Laani doesn’t know who she can trust, or who she can believe. It seems that everyone around her has their own reasons for things, and Laani can’t catch on to anything to base her own life on.
When a gorgeous, male blast from the past shows up in her life again, Laani hopes that he might be the answer. But that blast from the past has his own reasons for getting back in contact, unfathomable to Laani and she ends up even more confused.
Laani’s life is going mad, and it seems only her own family, a big hairy dog, and an older lady with impeccable fashion sense, have a handle on what is going on in Laani’s life.
Laani eventually learns the truth of the old adage, Blood is Thicker than Water, and with help from a trans-gender police officer, begins to sort out what the heck is going on in her life, and why.
There that is what 'An Ethical Dilemma' is about. Any publishers lurking who might be interested?
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Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
Comment by Carolyn Cordon
Light Within
How do You Express Your Creativity?
Food Leaf
My novel is in the early, secretly hiding in my computer stage. No-one else can read it there, unless some crazed editor hacks into my computer to see what wonders lurk in there.
Or unless my husband or son wanted to see what I'm doing, which I can't imagine happening.
Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
Comment by Morgan Bell
Science News
Deep Pencil
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Movie Train
Artist Quirk
have you seen the recent film "Awake" with Hayden Christensen and Jessica Alba? it kind of touches on the same themes, except its in a medical setting
i like hearing about the writing process of other writers, sometimes you find little tips and inspiration in the most unexpected places
thanks for dedicating a whole post to answering my question
Comment by Carolyn Cordon
Light Within
How do You Express Your Creativity?
Food Leaf
And I have to admit I like the chance to talk about what I'm doing with my writing, unlike some people.
Comment by moonglow
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Comment by Carolyn Cordon
Light Within
How do You Express Your Creativity?
Food Leaf
I know my second draft if I ever really get started on it, will make my novel better than it is in first draft.