"I'm all set to write the great American Canadian novel. Now all I need... is a plot."
You know, just an absolutely secondary thing when it comes to writing. The fucking
plot.
"Been working on making Into the Void an actual book. It was coming along well until I hit one snag: I don't know what the plot's going to be lmao. I know the theme, setting, characters, everything except what they're actually going to do."
Lily, you don't know how to write, that's all. Every fucking creative writing class, or community or group with a somewhat experienced and/or published group leader will tell you the same: productivity is just as important as creativity if you want to be an
actual writer. It is not up to argument that Lily even lacks the creativity, not just productivity. She will not continue Void, or if she does, it will be that borderline-vinette style with a few scenes of "cute babu" or "wholesome sibling-moments" each paragraph and done. You can shove the "
theme, setting, characters" up your ass, because these worth nothing without the fucking
plot to actually get them in a system and to move
. Slice-off life sci-fi story set in the space with Andy and Laylay whatever their names are and a random ass toddler/small kid they find. Then what? I would be honestly interested in the already written 18K, what the hell could she write about in 18K words with this hollow of a description? What happens actually in that 18K, more like.
It honestly gives me flashbacks to high-school, where everyone was "writing a book" at some point. And there is no shame in stopping with a project, or leaving it unfinished for a bit, and let it simmer and think. But just like high-schooler's books rarely get published, you honestly think it was a good idea to start writing a novel after a decade of vignettes, Lily? Just because they are "both writing" it doesn't mean, they don't need to tally different skills to write - not to mention that some people/people's style just doesn't fit the format/length/logic of a novel/poem/short story/etc. If a writer is used to writing novels, a short story will be hell, and the same goes back as well.
Lily, if you would dare to go out in the great wilderness of the city and look for a creative writing group/community, your writing would actually improve (not to mention networking). Of course the
Great Canadian Novel would still need some extra time, but you could at least come up with an actual plot in the meanwhile.
