AboutSusan Rand Expertise I can answer questions about the elements of fiction and non-fiction writing: how to get started, writing techniques, re-writing, etc. I will NOT write for you, do critiques except from my website at http://pygmypress.com, or give you ideas. I will not answer home-or-schoolwork questions in any category. If English is your second language, please say so, and I will make an exception. Please submit no more than one or two questions at once, as I tend to go into detail in my answers.
Experience I wrote my first book in 1957 and have been writing and studying writing since. I have a BA in Written Communications, and have taught writing both privately and through adult education for 15 years. Have also edited (fiction books) for an online publisher and edited/wrote more than 100 articles for realsexed.com. Currently writing web content and mentoring beginning writers.
Question My question is how do I know that my plot works?
I was writing about a boy who starts to go to a boarding school, but I had quite few feedbacks that this may not work as the big competitor would be Harry Potter, even though it is not a wizardry school...
So I am a bit upset as I think I have to start everything again.
How do I know that my story will work?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Laura
Answer Hello Laura:
Of course you do not have to start everything again!
Suppose you were to sit down and write a Harry Potter book yourself. Do you think it would turn out to be the same as Rowling's book(s)? Of course not.
The number of books written about boys who go to boarding school must number in the hundreds, if not thousands.
Don't take the "feedback" of friends and/or family too seriously. Too often they are uninformed about writing/publishing, etc. At the same time, make sure that you aren't leaning on Rowling's work too heavily.
Write your story the way you want to write it, and don't worry about what other people think or say, unless they are writers or publishers themselves. Trust yourself.
I hope this helps. If it does, a nice rating would be greatly appreciated. I am proud of my high scores over 1900 questions.
