NaNoNoGo

[jacey]

I think that NaNoWriMo is officially a dead duck this year. I've done 28k words on the secret dragons story - which means it now stands at 38k, which is not to be sniffed at since it's a children's book and I'm aiming for 60k maximum. But this book is proving wrigglesome as far as plot is concerned and I think it would be counterproductive to write any more until I've nailed the shape of the ending.

Thing is - I had a plot when I started writing this, but it largely got derailed by various critiques (Nothwrite, Milford and my own) which pointed out - quite rightly - that the dragons did not enter the story early enough. So I rewrote the beginning and the tiny ripples on the pond turned into great big waves.

The plan I had for the plot can still work, but the motivations are a bit off, now. I'm wondering if I'm trying to do too much by writing the linear story of two girls (medievalish setting) trying to hide two small but growing dragons AND detailing the problems of an army returning home after an absence of six years to find that the gaps they left behind them have healed over and the folks left behind have managed quite well thankyouverymuch!. I don't think I've really done that theme justice (yet) and at the end of the day it's not really relevant to the dragon plot, it's a sub-plot which develops character and world. I'm wondering if I've got two books intertwined.

Ideas? plot noodles?

Comments

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

I think the returning army idea is intriguing, but doesn't seem to relate thematically to the dragon story. Also it sounds as if different characters are involved.

It's possible that is does fit, but based on what you've said, it sounds like a separate novel to me, even if it uses the same world. Can you do a plotectomy and beef it up into an independent story?

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

How are the returning soldiers related to the children?

(and, forgive me, are they dragoons?)

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

The leader of the army is my main character's father. Alianne is only 11 and can barely remember him. He seems like a stern battle-scarred stranger - which he is. Suddenly her mother - who, since Richard's appointed steward died has been running the castle and the whole region while Lord Richard was away - is displaced and expected to be an obedient woman again. I said it was medievalish. Women have no rights here - even if they are valued, they are valued as commodities. Yes, OK, they can be loved as well, but a well-born daughter is really only a marriage pawn. Ali is heir to the Scadenfeld, but all that means is that they'll eventually marry her off to some bruiser of a battler who can hold the region for the King.

This reflects in the decisions my 2 girls have to take because women can't be dragon-riders... except the girls have accidentally bonded with two dragons fresh from the egg, so whatever they try to do is going to be oh so wrong - for their parents, for society and for the King.

The difficulty the town has with accepting not only the returning soldiers, but the camp-followers, wives and even children they've picked up on he way, parallels the situation up at the castle where my main character feels as though her home is under siege.

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

Can I drop you an email with the main plot points?

[brownnicky.livejournal.com]

What if the return of the men is some kind of catalyst. Maybe the girls had been told that all would be right when the men returned - and that doesn't turn out to be true they see their mother reduced and that is what sets them off to prove that they can be dragon riders?
If that doesn't work I'm sure there's another way to make it work.
I think you've done pretty well in Nov. I've only done about 20k in spite of my ambitions. I've just finished a kids' thing. Do you want to swap a crit?

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

Like that, it doesn't sound like too much. What you may have to do, though, if it is getting to be too much in the telling, is to reduce some of it to nods and gestures rather than full-on actions.

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

I'd love to swap a crit. That's marvellous. Send me yours as a Doc file and I'll send you what I've got of mine in a few days. Thanks, Nicky.

[khiemtran.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Looking at things from the other angle, how does the father feel about all this? Is the notion of *girls* bonding with dragons another example of how outrageous the situation he's returned to has become, or has he returned changed too? Perhaps, he has seen or fought female dragon riders abroad, or perhaps he has been through enough that he doesn't care any more. Maybe there's a theme there about accepting even what you weren't expecting, after you've been through enough.

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

Dad won't find out about the dragons until close to the end, but his final decision will be informed by the fact that he's fought mounted female warriors in the recent campaign.

I'm fighting very hard not to make this Dad's book, because I really like him as a character.
:-)

[cthulie.livejournal.com]

I think it needs both - the girls need a situation in which to be hiding the dragons where there's a constant danger of things blowing up in their faces. I like the extra reason for why they have to keep the dragons hidden.

The key thing really is going to be showing how this situation affects them - if it's not an adult book, then the effect on Dad is not so important, it's his effect on the girls, and the part of society they interact with.

(I'm still having a problem with a certain adult plot-thief myself, so I know what you mean!)

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

Don't you just hate it when characters try and take over?

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

Sorry for not replying more quickly. Yes, please feel free to email me the main plot points for the returning army idea. Since a week or so has passed, you may have already decided what to do regarding this and I have to admit that I'm not all that good at assessing the viability of a plot in isolation because so much depends on how it's written, but if it would help, email away. :)

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

I've managed to get over the stcky patch, I think, for now at least, but thanks anyway.