Activity

So, I have a dilemma regarding my 200k epic fantasy novel that I’m hoping to get some thoughts on. But first, a little background:

I wrote the second draft of my epic fantasy last year. Rewrite might be a better word, since it was radically different from the first draft. I outlined most of it, though the plan for the second half of the book was a bit blurry. I figured I’d clarify it when I got to that point. That didn’t end up going so well, and the entire climax was an absolute flop. So, I’m writing the third draft, which will include a major rewrite of the second half of the story.

I’m an outliner. I’ve been working on an outline for quite a while now and have a solid grasp of the plots and subplots and villain plans. I also have a very clear vision of the final quarter of the story, aka the Third Act and the climax. HOWEVER… from the Midpoint to the Third Plot Point is one giant blur.

I have a general idea of what needs to happen there, just no specific scene ideas. Everything is abstract, like “this thing in general needs to happen a some point, but I have no idea how and what it will look like.”

Coming up with something is like pulling teeth and nothing I do come up with feels right.

So, I thought maybe I should finish planning the earlier parts of the story (Act I and the first half of Act II), and start writing. And figure out the second half of Act II once I get there.

Sound familiar? Yep, I did that last draft. And it was a terrible idea. BUT this time I do have a very clear image of the climax. So my brain thinks that perhaps that means waiting to outline from the Midpoint to the 3rd Plot Point will go along just fine this time.

My question is: do you think this is a good idea?

Basically, if I did wait to outline the second half of Act II, I would end up treating my 200k novel like four 50k novels in a series. Like a series, I would have a pretty solid idea of what the subsequent 50k novel would look like (except for #3), but it wouldn’t be completely outlined until I wrote the 50k novel before it. But my ideas for #3 might get moving better that way, while I would have a clear idea of #4 to guide me. In the end it would be one novel, but I would be writing it like multiple ones.

Thoughts, anyone? Can you treat giant books like a series and break them up to make the writing and outlining easier? (while keeping the pacing for a novel, of course). Just let me know if something in there didn’t make sense and I need to clarify.

Oh, and for context, I write a lot of short stories. So I’m used to dealing with smaller-sized ideas, even if any novel ideas I come up with inevitably stretch into giant epic fantasies that I can’t split in half because the Midpoint is…well, not a great ending point. 😛

Tagging some people….

@this-is-not-an-alien

@obrian-of-the-surface-world

@daeus-lamb

@hope-ann

@ashley-tegart

@skylarynn

@writergirl101

@anyone

(hello to anyone who has not met me. I’m your friendly neighborhood forum stalker who rarely posts 😉 )