by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
I have a really strong novel concept I’m about to start writing. I have gotten as far as the scene summary outline, but the characters are still in flux. But the whole thing is a lot of fun.
Tag: writing about writing
My Novel Concept Is As Ambitious As It Is Unique
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
I really like the concept I’ve come up with, but I need more international flavor to it. If you want to help me add some international characters from outside the United States, please get in touch with me on Twitter.
V-Log: Developing A Scifi Novel Concept
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
Here are some thoughts about a novel concept I’m developing.
Idle Rambling About The Novel Concept I’m Working On
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
The thing about writing a novel as opposed to a screenplay is you’re alone. With a screenplay, you have a large vibrant and supportive community of like-minded people looking to score with a story they’ve come up with, but with novels it’s just you. I love telling stories and I have what seems like an endless supply of pretty good movie concepts rolling around in my head. One thing I’ve learned the hard way is you have to have “paper” for anyone to take you seriously. You can’t just pontificate about some great idea to any and everyone who will listen. You have to actually put in the hard work of producing something someone can read.
One of the things I know I’m good at is taking pictures. That’s self-evident. I love photography because I can point to a shot I took and you instantly know if it’s any good or not. You don’t have to spend a few hours reading something I spent months, if not years, working on. You just glance at it and know if it’s good or not.
It’s just unfortunate that pretty much I’m 20 years behind the curve on realizing I want to be a photographer. Writing a novel, meanwhile, if you do a cost benefit analysis is something a middle-aged man can actually believe he might be able to successfully produce.
I still want to become a professional photographer, but I am going to start working on the novel again in earnest. Nothing, but nothing, is going on right now in my life. Things are at a complete standstill. So writing a novel gives me a distraction from what a disaster my personal life is right now.
The issue with the novel concept is as I currently conceive of it is it allows me to tell the story of ROKon Magazine in a layered manner that you won’t know that I’m doing it unless you know the story of the magazine as well as I do. The novel originally was going to be a homage to The Big Chill, but after developing it some, I realized it was pretty good, but it was a screenplay, not a novel.
So I went back to square one.
After I get some idle rambling out of my system, I’m going to finally sit down and work on character studies and try to flesh out the plot some. Right now I have a pretty good logline and that’s it. Now I have to figure out what, exactly, I want to say. That will probably suck up an entire day, if not more.
Finally Time To Get Back To The Novel
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
I’ve waited long enough. Nothing is going to happen to change my life for the better. Nothing of note is going to happen any time soon and the only option I have in the near term is to go back to working on my novel. I have a solid concept for the novel, it’s just a matter of putting the work into it.
So that’s what I’m going to do today. I’m going to put some thought into characters and plot and begin, yet again, to work towards actually writing a novel. This isn’t to say I’m not going to get distracted now and then, that’s just my nature. But I’ve finally decided to get back into the writing a novel mindset.
Writing a novel is a lot of work. An enormous amount of work. And I’m going to have to do some serious pondering. I have the general concept down pat, but the specifics of a novel that I hope will be around 100,000 words is an enormous task for a first time writer. I have an enormous ego, so I am shooting the moon as they say.
But that’s today’s task. Today’s task is to start to take working on the novel seriously again. I have absolutely nothing else going on in my life and I love to write, so why not?
Of #Trump, #Art & #Immigration In The Context Of The #Screenplay I’m #Writing
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
It’s interesting how the more I think about it, the more this screenplay I’m developing is about, in real terms, immigration in the Trump era. Humanity — and specifically the United States — is given the greatest opportunity in human history and the screenplay asks out loud if because of political dysfunction if anyone would be willing or able to take advantage of it.
At least, that’s my vision of the concept. I see my efforts as a stepping off point. If I’m able to finish something, anything, I can pitch it to others who might be able to make it better. I’m sure I’m going about this all wrong, but, then, I never do anything right.
The key is, of course, to simply finish something, anything, instead of screwing around and daydreaming. I have produce “paper” as they call it so I can prove that I’m actually serious about all of this. But the process itself is fun. A lot of fun. And I believe I’ve come up with a really, really unique take on the First Contact cliche. But only time will tell. Maybe I’ll grow bored of this like I have everything else.
I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Some Idle Thoughts On #Writing A #Novel
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
The concept I have for a novel is pretty strong. It’s interesting and has a great built-in hook. Having said that, it’s a lot harder than I expected to get out of the outline stage. At one point, I was writing the outline out in longhand, but that kind of burned me out.
So, now I’m using a new laptop to write the outline and the story keeps evolving. But I see that as a good thing. Once I do finally get out of the outline stage, I think I’m going to just write a first draft that’s just something to get the story down pat.
The second draft I will write a lot slower. In between the first and second draft I also think I may do some character studies as well as pay someone to look over the first draft and give me suggestions as to how to improve it. Maybe. I really believe in this novel concept and I’m willing to do put my money where my mouth is. But that is a little bit down the road. We’ll see.
But, in general, I’m enjoying the process of writing a novel if nothing else. I am very much more about producing media as opposed to consuming it and I’ve been looking for a big project that would keep me occupied. Writing a novel, at least for the time being, is it.
V-Log: The Progress I’m Making With My Novel About The Trump Era Is Cool
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
I’m not claiming that my novel will have any serious literary merit, but I’m finally figuring out how to write it. It’s a lot of fun. I’m just working on the outline now, but for once the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t a train. The novel will be so cinematic in nature, that there is always a .000000000000000000000000000000000001 chance that maybe it will be a success and a movie of some sort will be made out of it.
Talk To Me Internet: The Novel’s Outline Is Flowing Well, & This Could Be A Movie
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
I continue to write a lot on the first draft outline of the novel I’m working on. Things are flowing quite easily and what I’m putting down on the page as I write — in longhand — the story has the makings of an eventual movie. It really is that good. But I have to write the novel first. But I could see how this novel could be turned into a screenplay pretty easily under the right hand. I doubt it will be me if it does happen, but it’s fun to write and daydream as I go along, regardless.
I really like Ilana Glazer and I keep trying to figure out ways to make one of the major characters based on her in some way. Things are still kind of up in the air, so I don’t know exactly how it’s going to work out. But I’m trying to just let things flow out of my head without getting too worked up about the specifics at this point. Just getting things down and being able to work with them later is what’s important.
Talk To Me Internet: Babbling About The Novel I’m Writing About The Trump Era
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
I am writing a speculative fiction satire of sorts about the Trump era. The book I would compare it to the closest is Fahrenheit 451. It’s definitely got that kind of vibe to it. It’s funny and yet sort of serious at the same time. That’s my goal in writing it, at least.
But I’m just in the outline writing stage at this point. It’s going to be a while before I finish it. It could be a year or more before I get to the point where I’m comfortable trying to send it to a publisher or whatever.
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