Connections & Progress

I know I haven't posted on here in a while, but hopefully this progress I confess here today will make up for that absence. First off I have had many new developments in writing my own novel. I have settled on a title which is always exciting (even though this is only my first time to pick a title for a novel I or anyone else is writing), but I imagine it is always pretty exciting. I don't want to say it hear yet though without giving any context about the book or its story, but I will soon. I am hesitant simply because I have just reached the halfway point of the story and am unsure myself as to how this whole thing will end up. I have the story and plot planned out, but you just never know what directions the writing might take you in.

As my class has been writing we have also been reading a few book, among these is the No Plot, No Problem book by Chris Baty, whom I wrote to for my first contact in class and whom I never received a response from, shady punk. In his book he gives much advice as to how to make this journey of completing a novel in a short amount of time much smoother than you may be expecting. One of these helpful hints is to find a companion novel, a book that is similar to the one you are writing and use it as a kind of guide. I knew from the beginning which book I would use and as out of left field as it sounds it was going to be a novelization of the first "X-Men" film released in 2000. I read the book when I was thirteen and have a few times since, It just made sense. My novel is a little on the science-fiction/fantasy side and concerns a form of super hero like characters and the book was pretty close to the size we are shooting for in class. It was a perfect role model. And to date it has helped me out greatly when it comes to pacing.

The authors of this book are Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch. I was unable to find a way to contact Ms. Rusch, but found Mr. Smiths Word Press website and a link to his facebook so I messaged him and sent him a friend request. Turns out the guy has a pretty impressive resume of work. He founded a small press called Pulphouse and has published over ninety novels and a hundred short stories. He has written books for Marvel, DC and Dark Horse comics as well as an editor and publisher. Needless to say I am really hoping to hear back from him.

On a side note:  Writing this book has gradually become more of an obsession, but a good one I think. It has taken over my thoughts and I am constantly thinking of directions I can go and how I will construct the next chapter. I am always wanting to go back to it and write more, and when I watch a movie or read anything for just a short amount of time I begin to think about my story and what I can do to it that will make it as good as it can be. I am enjoying it thoroughly and though it does take up most of my time and brain space, I'm OK with that. Let's just hope it turns out to be a somewhat decent book.