My goal as an Aspiring Writer
I’m Writing a Book!
I’ve been working on a rather large project over the summer. I’m writing a book and it is nowhere close to being done. I'm still writing the first draft, I have quite a ways to go. Yet, I feel that I’ve been making tremendous progress. My story is gradually unraveling, piece by piece as each new idea comes.
“So, what kind of book?” you might be wondering.
Well, to be more specific, my ultimate goal is to eventually develop it into a novel or at the very least, a novella.
My story will be science fiction, one of my favorite book (and movie!) genres. I chose to write in this genre, because science fiction is one of the genres that offers a writer unlimited possibilities on what to create!
Furthermore, whether it will develop into a novel or novella, will all depend on the development and plotting of my story. If my story ends up coming short of becoming a novel, yet I absolutely, positively feel that my story is finished with much editing of course, then a novella it will be!
Making this the best possible story that I can make it is crucial to me. I’ve started with a mere concept — a rather vague concept that I wasn’t sure where I was going with it. I’m one of those spontaneous writers. I write as I go along, basically letting the story take its own path. This probably isn’t the best method though and with my seriousness in fully developing this story to the best of my capabilities, I’ve changed my tactic on writing. I now keep a journal for writing down ideas. In it, I write notes focusing on the characters and the plot line of the story. Keeping a journal provides me with a much needed structure yet it is just a loose and general guide to my story that I am still able to adjust my creativity as I like. I guess it's like being in art class in which you are told to draw a house. However, the specifics of what the house looks like ultimately depends on you.
I must say, and I’m sure other aspiring writers can relate — attempting to write a novel is intimidating! A story must be at least 50,000 plus words to be qualified as a novel. The average novel though runs at between 80,000 to 100,000 words! Currently, I’m at a mere 14,500. That barely makes a dent for it to become a novel. I could have the mindset and think that finishing this story is unreachable, but instead, I try to look at it this way: 14,500 words is the most I have ever written on one story thus far. This in itself motivates me to keep writing. Being persistent, 14,500 words will turn into 15,000. Then 20,000…
I should note that, while setting up goals regarding word count is a great way to keep track of a story, its really not what I want to focus on nor do I think to be the most important. Creating a well developed plot and well developed characters is more important to me.
I love creating characters! It’s fun yet challenging at times. Character development in a story is important and one of my writing goals is to make my characters shine. The protagonist should definitely be relatable to the reader. My protagonist’s name is Donovan.
The antagonist should provide conflict to the protagonist. Oh, yes! The antagonist! I would have to say the antagonist is my absolute favorite character to create. The antagonist can be a rather complex character. I find it fun envisioning my antagonist and helping him throw off the protagonist’s plan and just making my protagonist very very uncomfortable. My antagonist’s name is Maddox. While Maddox is my antagonist, I want to give readers something to like about him.
My science fiction story features a young man, Donovan, who suddenly and unexpectedly finds himself in an alternate universe. In this alternate universe, he finds that some of the unfathomable technologies that he has been fascinated with such as teleportation very much exist and are seen as normal occurrences. While Donovan searches for a way out of this alternate universe, he finds out about a research facility there that creates and tests these unfathomable devices. Donovan decides checking this research facility out might give him a clue as to where he ended up and, even more importantly, how he could return home.
Along the way, he ends up becoming a part of this facility and meets characters such as Dr. Maverick (will probably change the name because it sounds too similar to Maddox), lead scientist at the research facility. He also meets Maddox, a researcher who is highly trusted by Dr. Maverick. Smart and calculating, he knows the ins and outs of the workings of the research facility. Maddox becomes very suspicious of Donovan. There is something different about him. He is watching his every move. Donovan finds himself working on a telepathy device, something that has never been successfully achieved, with the strong persistence of Maddox. Maddox insists in a threatening way that no one else is to know about this device. Now things are taking a disturbing turn with this telepathy device and now Donovan must find a way out of this alternate universe and back home.
This story has been a heck of a rollercoaster of a ride to write. Sometimes, I have plenty of ideas and am able to write close to 1,000 words some days, easily. Other days provide so much more of a challenge as I’m desperately trying to figure out what’s going to happen next with my characters. Nonetheless, I am going to keep on writing this story with the ultimate goal being to self-publish it. Right now, that’s still a ways off but with writing, its just keeping persistent with one small goal at a time!
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/J.A.Rose