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Penelope Redmont writes fun traditional historical romance, romantic mysteries, and other fiction

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December 25, 2017 By penny Leave a Comment

Writing Fiction: 5 Ways To Rescue A Novel Gone Wrong

Writing Fiction: 5 Ways To Rescue A Novel Gone Wrong

When you’re writing fiction, you’re rarely certain of anything, until your novel is done. Even with extensive outlining, the book may wander off in strange directions.

“It’s not working…” you mutter to yourself in despair and decide to take a few days off from writing.

That’s dangerous.

Writing fiction: keep writing, even when it isn’t working

Keep writing. Sit at your desk, or on the sofa, or wherever you normally write, at the time you normally write. Writing is a habit. So is not-writing.

Every single novel — or novella, or short story — you ever write will hit the wall at some stage. If you stop writing, your project will join all the other projects you started and didn’t finish.

Now let’s look at how you can rescue your novel.

1. Delete the first three scenes, or delete the first chapter

Delete the first three scenes, or the first chapter, whichever has more words. Yes, you can move the material to a “Later” folder, so it’s not gone for good. 🙂

Novels tend to “go wrong” when you lose your initial inspiration. With most novels, the first chapter is you, unsure of yourself and deciding what to write.

Here’s why trashing this starter material helps. You’ll be forced to rethink the way you’re telling the story. Most new novelists’ first few scenes are packed with backstory and flashbacks (horrors!) This junk stifles your voice and disheartens your creative muse.

2. Junk the main character (this will mean a major rewrite)

It would be insanity to junk your main character… or would it? In at least half of novels which collapse, the reason is your main character. He or she bores YOU, so guess how a reader will feel — yes, your readers won’t like the character either, so you’ve lost nothing.

You’ll be amazed that as soon as you decide to kill off this character, another character will step forward into the limelight: and he/ she will belong there.

Alternatively, you’ll discover a way to make your main character care more. Either way, ideas will flood in, and you’ll soon be happily writing.

3. Power up a meek and milky plot (yep, rewrite extensively)

When a book needs help, it’s because the central story question is weak, and your novel lacks narrative drive:

Something important MUST be at stake in your story. If not literal life or death, then metaphorical life or death. When there’s nothing at stake, readers don’t care, and they won’t read.

4. Juice up the conflict in EVERY scene (aim to resolve major conflicts)

Every scene in your novel MUST have conflict.

In our writing group, we often talk about how challenging it is to ensure that we have conflict on every page, but it’s essential. Think about the conflict in your daily life. Do you get along with everyone? Of course you don’t.

Moreover, you always have more conflicts with the people to whom you’re closest — you care more.

Aim to resolve the big conflicts, but the minor ones — general family conflicts, especially sibling conflicts, and conflicts which arise from office politics — you needn’t resolve. These conflicts are just part of life.

5. Genre check: find the best genre for your novel

Occasionally, when a novel goes wrong, it’s because you’ve chosen the wrong genre.

For example, you’re writing mystery, or so you think. However, you keep wanting to write scenes from the murderer’s point of view (POV.) The entire point of a mystery is of course the mystery — who dunnit — so you can’t do that.

What if you changed genres, and wrote a thriller? Now you can happily write from the murderer’s POV.

Another example. You’re writing a rom-com, supposedly a funny novel, but it’s falling flat. What if you wrote a humorous historical romance? Set the novel in ancient Rome, or in the 1950s. Yes, you’d need to research, but such a huge change might do wonders for your inspiration.

The Eardleys Of Gostwicke Hall
The Lady And The Rake: A Scandalous Arrangement

The Lady And The Rake: A Scandalous Arrangement

eBook: $4.99
Author: Penelope Redmont
Series: The Eardleys Of Gostwicke Hall, Book 1
Genre: Regency Romance
Tag: regency

Melisande Eardley has a temper, and that temper gets the better of her.

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The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season

The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season

eBook: $4.99
Author: Penelope Redmont
Series: The Eardleys Of Gostwicke Hall, Book 2
Genre: Regency Romance
Tags: Recommended Books, regency

Her sister Catherine believes that Elaine's hair tells you everything that you need to know about her. It's flame-red. When Sir Oliver Destry trifles with Elaine, she decides on revenge. Elaine soon discovers the truth of the old saying that if you want to make the gods laugh, just tell them your plans.

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The Lady And The Man Of Fortune: A Wicked Secret

The Lady And The Man Of Fortune: A Wicked Secret

eBook: $4.99
Author: Penelope Redmont
Series: The Eardleys Of Gostwicke Hall, Book 3
Genre: Regency Romance
Tag: romance

Although he's a prize on the Marriage Mart, wealthy and twice-widowed Lord Delmere thinks that nothing could ever tempt him to marry again. Until he meets the lovely Lady Kingston.

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The Lady And The Military Man: Conquer My Heart

The Lady And The Military Man: Conquer My Heart

eBook: $4.99
Author: Penelope Redmont
Series: The Eardleys Of Gostwicke Hall, Book 4
Genre: Regency Romance
Tags: regency, romance

What happens when two people who won't consider marriage can't live without each other?

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The Lady And The Adventurer: Win My Heart

The Lady And The Adventurer: Win My Heart

eBook: $4.99
Author: Penelope Redmont
Series: The Eardleys Of Gostwicke Hall, Book 5
Genre: Regency Romance
Tag: regency

Henry (Henrietta) Eardley makes a huge mistake. Then she makes it worse. She's never known a man like Lord Devernwood, and he's never met a woman like her.

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The Lady And The Devil: If You Knew Me

The Lady And The Devil: If You Knew Me

eBook: $4.99
Author: Penelope Redmont
Series: The Eardleys Of Gostwicke Hall, Book 6
Genre: Regency Romance
Tag: regency romance

When Cerise and her sister are in danger, she relies on herself. There's no one else. Then she meets Lord Grayhurst.

 

 

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Lady Julia’s Destiny: A Love To Treasure

Lady Julia’s Destiny: A Love To Treasure

eBook: $4.99
Author: Penelope Redmont
Series: The Eardleys Of Gostwicke Hall, Book 7
Genre: Regency Romance
Tag: regency romance

Julia doesn't know whether to be amused or angry when Lord Lyneham decides to find her a husband. He and Julia's cousin take charge of Julia's fortunes. Suddenly, Julia's an heiress and her life changes.

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Map It: For Writing Success — Fiction And Nonfiction Outlines Made Easy

Map It: For Writing Success — Fiction And Nonfiction Outlines Made Easy

eBook: $5.99
Author: Angela Booth
Genre: Writing related
Tag: writing

Are you a writer who hates outlines? I did too, until I realize that the inability to outline was crippling my writing career in many different ways.

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Filed Under: Fiction Tips Tagged With: authors, writing process, writing strategies

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Love And The Unexpected Duchess

Love And The Unexpected Duchess
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The Lady And The Rake: A Scandalous Arrangement

The Lady And The Rake: A Scandalous Arrangement

Melisande Eardley has a temper, and that temper gets the better of her.

More info →
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The Lady And The Rake: A Scandalous Arrangement
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Lady Julia’s Destiny: A Love To Treasure

Lady Julia’s Destiny: A Love To Treasure

Julia doesn't know whether to be amused or angry when Lord Lyneham decides to find her a husband. He and Julia's cousin take charge of Julia's fortunes. Suddenly, Julia's an heiress and her life changes.

More info →
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Buy from Kobo
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Various Book Retailers
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Lady Julia’s Destiny: A Love To Treasure
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The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season

The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season

Her sister Catherine believes that Elaine's hair tells you everything that you need to know about her. It's flame-red. When Sir Oliver Destry trifles with Elaine, she decides on revenge. Elaine soon discovers the truth of the old saying that if you want to make the gods laugh, just tell them your plans.

More info →
Buy This Book Online
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The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season
Buy now!

Time Travel Regency Romance

Tara’s Enchantment – Regency Time Travel Romance, Book 1

Tara’s Enchantment – Regency Time Travel Romance, Book 1

A Regency time travel romance... What if you could escape across time, and find your soulmate?

Pure evil dispatches gorgeous Tara Ballantine across the centuries, to Regency England. Tara lands on Adam Jervoise, Earl of Hillingworth -- literally -- as he's riding through a bluebell wood.

Hillingworth is handsome, rich, and kind. He's also set to propose to an heiress.

When Tara realizes that she's falling in love with the earl, she fights the feeling.

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Molly’s Magic – Regency Time Travel Romance, Book 2

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At 24, not only is Molly Ballantine stunning, she has two sisters she loves, and a wonderful career. Then her eldest sister Tara vanishes, and her life disintegrates.

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Books from Penelope Redmont

Escape Across Time: Tara, Molly, & Priscilla (Time Travel Regency Romance Trilogy)

Escape Across Time: Tara, Molly, & Priscilla (Time Travel Regency Romance Trilogy)

Love time travel romances and the Regency era?

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Escape Across Time: Tara, Molly, & Priscilla (Time Travel Regency Romance Trilogy)
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The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season

The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season

Her sister Catherine believes that Elaine's hair tells you everything that you need to know about her. It's flame-red. When Sir Oliver Destry trifles with Elaine, she decides on revenge. Elaine soon discovers the truth of the old saying that if you want to make the gods laugh, just tell them your plans.

More info →
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon Kindle
The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season
Buy now!

The Major’s Gift: A Sweet Regency Romance Novella

The Major’s Gift: A Sweet Regency Romance Novella

In 1816 England, pretty Eleanor Devayne teaches young ladies at Miss Merryford's Academy. Although Ellie's job scandalizes her family, Ellie is happy, because she's supporting her small sister.

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The Major’s Gift: A Sweet Regency Romance Novella
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Lady Saville’s Lover, A Regency Romance

Lady Saville’s Lover, A Regency Romance

She's gorgeous, but hot-tempered, and Scottish heiress Bess Fleming takes the ton by storm. She's refused six proposals of marriage -- will Lord Darius make number seven?

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His One True Passion: Everlasting Regency Romance Series

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The relationship between scandalous Lady Hedworth and Major Lord Cambwell has teased and annoyed the gossiping mamas of the ton for years.

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