AboutSusan Rand Expertise I'm primarily interested in people who want to write fantasy and can answer questions about what makes a fantasy, how well the writing works, techniques, characters, setting, etc. Check my stats before deciding!
Experience I am in the process of writing a fantasy in the Harry Potter genre, but different from those works in many aspects (first, unsold LOL!) I've had one book published and several more in the works. I have been writing, editing, proofing, teaching, and mentoring emerging writers for 40 years.
Expert: Susan Rand Date: 5/17/2008 Subject: Very confused
Question I love writing, and according to many of my friends, I have a certain talent for it. I wish to write a book, but am having trouble staying interested when I am actually in the process of writing the book. I have ideas, and the tales seem to be wrapped up in a corner of my mind, and when I start writing I am pulling the wrapper off piece by piece. However, I tend to get bored with the story after a while of writing, I hate wasting my time like that, because I love the idea and the characters for the story, I just can't stay interested! My idea is that there is a young girl, named Kit who is attacked by an injured Werefox when she finds it in the woods, drawn by its cries of pain. She later wakes in bed, to have her father staring over at her, and when he goes to get something for her to eat, she has her first Change. There is a school for young Weres (there are many different types in my story, even Swan weres), and it is called Kyrona Boarding School, as they have to stay there to keep from hurting others until they can control their Were ability. Anyways (sorry for babbling for a minute there), I was wondering if you had any tips for me.
Answer Hello Sam:
I do have some tips for you.
First, if this story was inspired in any way by the Harry Potter series, you must remove any reference to Rowling's fiction in your own, such as "boarding school." Call it something else, or take it out altogether. It sounds more like a prison than a school, anyway.
Second, it appears that you have a good story idea, but your loss of interest tells me you aren't fully invested in the idea. In other words, you are floundering around in the material, with no idea whether it's "right" or not.
Third: Writing a book is hard work, analagous to undertaking an engineering apprenticeship in say, carpentering, electricity or plumbing. Someone must show the apprentice how to do the job, and there is much trial and error as the apprentice slowly learns what works and what doesn't work. This period of study may take months or years. For example, before you start to write a book, make sure you know how to tell a good sentence from a bad one - ditto for paragraphs and chapters, plots and storylines.
So far I have spent 40 years learning how to write, and the hardest part for me was learning how writing works for readers. If you want to sell your book, you must learn this, however long it takes. At my website, http://pygmypress.com, I offer a mentoring plan at a very cheap rate ($2 per "lesson," tailored to your book specifically. Check it out, and if you are interested, you can contact me from there.
I hope this helps. If it does, a nice rating would be greatly appreciated. I am proud of my high score over 1350+ questions.
