Novel #2 Progress: Conflict!

It was another great week for Novel #2. Once again, I was immersed in scenes that rank among my favorites in the story, so my already super-charged motivation received additional jolts when my writing time rolled around each day.

Word Count Progress:

Draft #1 Word Count:

• Start Word Count: 52,576
• End Word Count: 55,440
• Total: 2,864

Draft #2 Revised Word Count:

• Start Word Count: 54,012
• End Word Count: 57,074
• Total: 3,062

Writing Process Notes:

• This week I began reading Sever by Lauren DeStefano for two reasons: 1) I love the Chemical Garden Trilogy. It’s one of the most original and well-written YA series out there. 2) It’s written in first person, present tense. While I’m enjoying the story, I’m taking notes on the overall structure of the novel. I’m looking at this as an amazing learning tool to help me with my own work on Novel #2. I see places where I’m implementing point of view and tense correctly, but I’m also starting to see where I need to make some adjustments.

Novel Tidbit:

Conflict:

• They say the core of every good story is conflict and that is particularly true for YA. However, for my novel I wanted to make sure the conflict I created would showcase the importance of self-reliance and selfless sacrifice for those we love.
• Through trial and error, I discovered how important it is to make sure conflict comes from a place of truth or it will not seem authentic to readers. Even though, my novel is rooted in urban fantasy, human beings are at the core, so that’s where I had to dig to find the origins of internal and external conflict.
• There are several layers of conflict built into Novel #2, but here are a few examples of friction in terms of characters and plot:
  • Amanda and Ian: They are a couple, but like all couples they don’t agree on everything. Ian often underestimates Amanda, (not because he thinks she is weak, but due to what he is in comparison to her mortal status), and that infuriates her! On the other hand, Amanda constantly tests Ian’s boundaries, which causes him to question the promises he’s made in the past. In addition, these two argue frequently over the concepts of free will and fate.
  • Amanda on the inside: Amanda is constantly at war with herself as she oscillates between her duty to her mother and what she wants for herself. Her fierce loyalty to family keeps her trapped in an impossible situation, while her longing for something better keeps her optimism alive.
  • Ian on the inside: Everything about Ian is a contradiction. He is locked into a particular path thanks to his true identity, but he secretly dreams of a different existence. His love for Amanda coupled with his secret could lead to his demise – a reality that haunts every decision he makes.
  • Amanda and Ian vs. The World: Ian’s friends and those from his world all disapprove of his relationship with Amanda. Ultimately, they have to fight for their right to be together, despite ancient laws and traditions bent on destroying their bond.

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c.b.w. 2013