originally posted by Jo
Hi Janny
Did you know how this is all going to end with Arithon and Lysaer before writing COTM or has the story take on a life of its own. Just wondered if you think this it how it begins this is how i want to end and then the rest of the story is filled in as it comes to you.
I am not an author as you can tell by my question just intrigued as to how you go about writing a series like this. Which is fantastic by the way.
Hi Jo -
Yes, I know how it ends. Knew it before setting down the first volume, absolutely!
Here's how it happens: you begin with one idea, which leads to another and another and another. You know, as this snowballs, where high points are, where the drama peaks, and the big picture zigs and zags. You get the little pings of inspiration that cause you to put stuff in that LOOKS LIKE a wild card - and then that stuff knits in and was meant to be there all along.
As the story form unrolls, you "have" the pearls and the string that holds them together - the tensions that lead one scene to the next.
When you stop to write the SCENES, begin here, end there - that is when the characters pop their surprises. You get the "ah HAH!" sort of gestalt that makes creativity fun, because it is intuitive. The logic always, but always, appears in hindsight.
This huge epic was not let loose before I knew enough of its unraveling.
Did I make a "mistake" by letting the characters in Arc III grow into major roles (because the story high points as such, stayed the same, right to concept?) I don't think so, since they all did their wild oats inside the greater story's framework - didn't step on stage, shoot off a thrill, and disappear with their life thread unstated…
Every author writes their story in their own unique way. But there has to be slack for the twisty surprises to HAPPEN - or there is no thrill to the writing.
The middle arc laid out quite a lot of the complexity of the fabric - the ending arcs will build upon that, strongly - but development will now be shifted toward denouement, and that is a much "quicker" bang for the wordage…
(and thanks for the happy smile.)
originally posted by Derek Coventry
Thank you Janny for confirming my vision of how you create. It's your attention to the fine detail that ensure I absorb every word.
Great sighs of contentment!
originally posted by Jo
Thank you for taking the time to answer that Janny and thank you for the snippet cannot wait for the next book.