Write On! :: Comments :: Plotting 'God Like Me'

But what's the point, what's the heart of the novel, and how does the action reveal that point?

All you should need is to answer that question and sit down to write it.

One thing I would reccommmend strongly is to work it out on your own, for several reasons:

1) You want to write your novel, not mine.
2) I want to write my novel, not yours.
3) Sharing too much of a work in progress could lead to copyright disputes down the road, if you know what I mean.

I can understand the rationale for cross checking the plot, but it's a tried truism that writing is a solitary art that doesn't suffer outside interferance very well.

Once it's written, a second set of eyes is indispensable. Until then you need to treat it like a cocooned insect. You may be very eager to show your butterfly, but if you try too soon in the end all you'll get is a dead, funny-looking caterpillar.
--
"I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." --Thomas Jefferson

Looking at this six months later -- now *really* ready to get started -- I see that your question is the first one I must answer.

Thanks.

[ Parent ]

I've only just now read your article and the outline of your story. To elaborate on jason's suggestion of getting at "the point" of the story, I'd ask, what is it about the Law and about Religion that Chad is opposing? What aspect(s) of the modern world he is most at odds with? I imagine once you put your finger on what that is -- what he cannot be reconciled with -- that will point you to a natural event that will put him over the edge. Maybe you've already got this in your head but haven't stated it, in which case you just need to figure out how best to highlight it.

--ich sage nicht, was ich will, sondern was die Sprache will--
[ Parent ]

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