So You Want to Write a Novel?
Melinda Palacio -- September 21, 2007
Had I known what I know now, writing my first novel would have been much easier. I'm happy to report I've moved onto a second novel, to new stories, poems, and, more important, new characters. This week's column focuses on alibi, telling your story and sticking to it.
Six years and counting into the process of writing my novel, Ocotillo Dreams, I've finally finished. At least, I'm calling it quits. Someone once said, if you are changing less than ten percent of your manuscript, give it up. This idea of being done is not new to me; I've said this before, "I'm done," when I've merely run into a wall and taken a sidetrip to write short stories for two years. Part of my literary sidetrips involved learning how to write and knowing I was ready to write the piece of work. Barbara Kingsolver, in her author's note, said she waited "nearly thirty years for the wisdom and maturity" to write The Poisonwood Bible.
Four years ago, when the title was Immigrant Souls, I had a different ending. In fact, I had a different story. Worse, five years ago, when my working title was, RoyGBiv only the characters were recognizable. Nothing beats hindsight, but you can stick to one story until reaching the end of your draft. It will make the difference between writing your novel and finishing your novel.
Melinda Palacio
I used to feel some embarrassment in the fact it has taken me several years to write a long work of fiction. Michael Stackpole has developed a method for writing a novel in 30 days. However, I'm in good company for taking my time. Luis Urrea took 20 years to write the Hummingbird's Daughter and, in this month's Poets & Writers, Junot Diaz writes about the 11 years he spent writing his first novel, The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, which Diaz describes as "Moby Dick, the whale."
Part of the problem of getting to the two last words of your novel is knowing what your story is about and figuring out your novel's theme. In Ocotillo Dreams, a young woman unravels her deceased mother's secrets after discovering an illegal immigrant occupying the house she has inherited in Arizona. The novel's themes include returning to family and learning to trust the people who care about you.
As a longtime resistor of outlines, I never had a concrete visual of what my story was about until I broke down and drew a chart or what Christopher Moore calls, a timeline. It was fun. I bought a large sketch pad for artists, colored pens and pencils and sat for hours playing. I drew a straight line, divided it into three acts, the left end of the line was the beginning of act one, the right end of the line, the end of act three and somewhere in the middle, was a notch for act two. At first I only had a few ideas for five chapters in act one and I knew what had to happen in the last chapter.
The timeline helped me visualize the rest of the novel. When things were fuzzy I slept on it. If dreaming up the novel worked for Sid Stebel Double Your Creative Powers, I was going to make it work for me. Keeping pen and paper by your bed is now essential for me. I solve problems or get my characters into deeper trouble during my dreams. Although I usually remember my dreams in the morning, I take no chances and jot things down in the middle of the night. Forget about the fancy journal I received for my birthday. Inspiration does not lend time for holding the thought until you find the beautiful journal.
Although the invention of the typewriter has made it possible for me to become a writer, my first impulse has always been to write on paper. I need a box to hold all of my research for any writing project because I'll make important notes on the closest piece of paper I can get my hands on. I'll say more about how I keep all of my ideas organized at the next installment. Until then, stick to your story.