Multiple Storylines

Donald Maass, in his oft cited (at least in this blog) book Writing the Breakout Novel mentions several different novels that he feels fit the mold of a breakout novel. One of these novels is Lonesome Dove, a favorite of mine. Seems to me that in Lonesome Dove there are a multitude of characters from whose eyes the reader sees the story (Augustus, Call, Pea, Newt, Lori, Clara, Elmira, Roscoe, July, Jake) all take a chance at showing their point of view. Each story is small by itself but each support the overall story of the trail ride moving North. I've always enjoyed stories like this. A multitude of stories that all contribute to a larger story. In Lonesome Dove there are small and large story parts. The reader has to wade through those slower, smaller ones in order to get to another bigger, faster storyline. It helps drive the story forward. The movie Crash was like this as well, multiple storylines with little linking them together that moves the story along a common theme.

Why's this coming up? I got to about 15,000 words and started to notice that my new National Novel Writing Month submission was turning a bit flat. It also looked like I would have a hard time getting to 50,000 words. Fearing the worst I added a second story line I'd been chewing on. Suddenly I had a slew of new characters, three new storylines, and now that I'm at 27,000 words I feel as though I'm only a third of the way through the story. I'm hoping to branch out again and find a third major storyline to add in as well.

So, here's the take away. Most writer's advise reading as much as you can in the genre in which you want to write. This past year I made a resolution to read one book on the writing craft for every three fiction books I read. For the most part I've stuck to it. Glad I did. If I hadn't read all those books on writing I never would have read Donald Maass' book, and had I not read that I doubt that writing this submission for National Novel Writing Month would have been as easy or my story as deep or compelling.

Yeah me!