Some FAQs!

Okay, here goes.
1. Does Katsa loiter? Does she lurk in the corner of your mind and say things like, "That is so not how I would do it!" (for example)?
*smile* No, she really doesn't. None of my characters do. There is a very clear line between me/my life and my characters/their lives, and when I think about my characters, they're always in their own world, not mine. I wish this did happen now and then, though. There are plenty of times when my characters would make better decisions about how to handle certain situations than I would. I could really use some tips from them :o)
2. I'm writing a book. It's slow going at times to try to keep my focus. I feel like I can see ahead to more exciting parts of the story, while right now I'm trying to set up the setting, which can be tedious. Do you have any suggestions for this? Should I skip ahead and write the exciting parts, then go back and fill in the build-up?
This is a really good question, and it's something that happens constantly, over and over, in the course of writing a novel. There are so many parts of a novel that are the parts without a major tension or emotion or climax or revelation.
Some people skip ahead and that works for them. I can't tell you what to do. But I can tell you what I do. I do NOT skip ahead. (The only time I skip ahead while novel-writing -- and I never skip more than a few lines/paragraphs -- is when I absolutely cannot know what's supposed to happen now until I've written something that won't happen until later. I leave a gap with a small outline or notes, and make myself move on, even though I hate to leave blank places and it makes me worried and nervous.)
What I do try to do is figure out a way to write the establishing-the-setting type things, the establishing-who-the-characters-are things, in scenes that are emotionally interesting and do have some sort of small excitement. I don't mean that every single scene needs to have high drama; I only mean that... well, for example, right now in my writing, I'm building up to some fun, exciting stuff that will be happening soon. But the parts I'm writing right now are distinctly unexciting, and it's hard to make myself keep writing. I kind of need to show the passage of time and do some exposition that feels pretty boring to me. So, I'm trying to use these passage-of-time sections to build the relationships between characters I've neglected so far. For example, if there's some information I need to convey to the reader during this slightly unexciting section of the novel, I might try to find a way to reveal the information using an unexpected conversation between two characters who haven't interacted much before. Put them in an interesting place, maybe give them a few props to work with (something to do with their hands or look at with their eyes), and also give them a few things to talk about at once -- some important topics, some less important topics, and maybe even something frivolous or funny, all mixed in together. (Don't make your conversations too linear!) If you get your characters moving around their setting and talking, revealing the way they interact with each other, your setting/characters/exposition will come to life, and the conversation/action will engage the reader at the same time as you convey the possibly unexciting stuff you need to convey. And you might learn something from their conversation that you hadn't realized before.
Does that make sense? It's only one example of a way you can use laying-the-scene to also further-the-plot and increase-inter-character-tension. ^_^ If you feel like you're bungling, don't worry too much. I don't think it's possible to write a novel without feeling that way.
3. Do I need to read Graceling before reading Fire?
This is hard for me to answer objectively, because, of course, as the purist author, I would prefer everyone to read them in the order in which they were published, and I also think that reading Fire first gives away one big Graceling spoiler. BUT, I have heard from plenty of people who read Fire first and then Graceling and say that reading them in that order totally works. Both books stand alone -- technically, you don't need to read one in order to understand the other. So I think you're safe either way! (Blog readers who've read both -- if you have a [SPOILER-FREE] opinion about this, please feel free to leave it in the comments!)
ETA: There are some strong (spoiler-free) opinions about question #3 in the comments, so do check them out if you need advice!
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There are so many other questions I want to answer, including questions about dealing with anxiety about publicity/appearances/etc., and I hope to have time for more FAQs soon. Happy Monday, everyone!
Comments
One of my ONLY O.C.D. tweaks is reading books the order that they were published. That being said I'm forced to admit that you could read either Graceling or Fire first and still have a GREAT experience. However, for me personally, reading Fire AFTER Graceling was like meeting back up with a good friend you haven't seen in forever. It was like running back to the old leather chair by the fireplace where you knew a great story was going to be told, but you didn't know what. I was already comfortable in the environment and ready to learn more, meet more folks and have new adventures.
Of course, people who have not read Graceling will probably not SCREAM IN TERROR while reading the prologue to Fire, the way I did.
Thank you for your books. I'm so happy to read and share them with my students.
http://oohbooks.blogspot.com
Unfortunately I haven't been able to read Fire yet, BUT from the preview and such, I believe that the readers should read them in the order published, since as you said it could very well give away some spoilers in Graceling, also if you read Graceling first it leaves more of a questioning on who could have done whatever, since the characters are completely new to the reader.
Anyways, thanks for the great advice and I hope my advice answers someone else's question(s)!
(Imagine my surprise.) I didn't realize I'd asked it...
Well, thank you for your opinion about, that really helps. A lot. Now I realize I can use that area for character and relationship development. Thanks:)
As to number 3: I haven't read Fire yet, but I read the preview, and just that gives away huge spoilers to Graceling. As one who prefers to remain spoiler-free about a book, I would recommend reading Graceling first.
I have a countdown till Fire comes out; I'm so excited, I can't wait! Usually I have a whole list of books I can't wait to come out; this time I have a whole list of movies and just that one book.
I can't wait for October, either!
I was wondering if you could recommend any books that teach more of what you discussed, ie: exposition, transitional paragraphs, how to establish setting and characterization. Or can you recommend any books on writing in general?
Your answer to question 2 was incredible, and I'm definitely going to keep what you said in mind as I plow through my own novel. Thanks so much!
Secondly, thank you -so- much for your answer to #2. The book I am working on started with a vague thought of a world and six characters. I tried writing what they were up to, but I kept getting stuck because I didn't know them or the world well enough.
Every time I sat down I would have more ideas about the Before and since I have found my Beginning to start with the writing has come a lot easier. I still feel the taptaptapping of the original characters waiting for me to get back to them, but I know they'll be happier that when I DO get back to them I'll know what I'm talking about. :)
Everyone's writing process will be different, but I do think things work out better if you allow yourself the time for the building ups. And as you said, building ups shouldn't be -boring- just because someone isn't getting betrayed/killed/seduced/hijinked/plundered/promoted/reigning victorious/busting heads/kicking trash and taking names/locked up/escaping/rescued... Okay, you didn't say that -exactly-, but I think the message was conveyed.
So, yes, thank you!
I haven't gotten to read Fire yet, but if there are spoilers for Graceling in it, I wouldn't recommend reading it before Graceling. That would take away part of the fun, and when is that ever a good idea? :)