Stuffing too much into chapters

[HDSimplicityy]

I know not every ideas for a book makes it into a draft. In my book's Chapter V up to the battle I already wrote - so potentially nine chapters - I want to use as many ideas as possible. Some are expanding on what is in my skeleton draft. Some are new. I'm concerned that I am stuffing too much in.

Do you limit yourself? Do you split chapter into halves or thirds? Thats what I am doing in a few. Other chapters are fully dedicated to certain characters. 

[Alatariel]

What kind of ideas are you talking about? World-building information? Plot details? I'll just talk from experience and I hope it helps.

I currently wonder the same thing. We want to avoid book bloat which is a classic problem with many writers. Right now in my draft, I have two main characters and their timeline converges about 14 chapters in and then their events happen together. I still switch between their POVs depending on what's happening in the chapters but since they are both experiencing the same obstacles (or simultaneous obstacles separately that relate to the main plotline) it still feels coheseive.

The problem comes from my OTHER storyline/characters. I also have my antagonist's POV and another POV to give a broader view of the world and how that ties into my main characters. I worry this other POV is adding too much unnecessary information. This is the first book in a series, I don't need to dive into complex politics that doesn't directly impact the main plot line yet. I like what it adds to the story, but it also could be take out without much issue.

I do want to present my antagonists motivation which directly relates to this other POV, but do I really need that POV to have her own plot line? Should I be using the time I take to add her POV to develop my main characters and deepen their connection?

This is where the whole "killing your darlings" dilemma comes into play. We have a hard time cutting stuff because we, the author, like it and think it's beneficial/cool/interesting/valuable/etc. But is it? Will it just bog down the reader?

I've learned to appreciate simpler stories, ones that take time to deepen/develop the main characters. Stories with focus win against complex convoluted stories. I also love stories and worlds that develop over time, through a series. Let book #1 really focus on the main character(s) and their direct issues rather than filling up the word count with world details that may or may not have any relation to the main plot.

[HDSimplicityy]

Mar 11, 2022 15:05:54 GMT -6 Alatariel said:

What kind of ideas are you talking about? World-building information? Plot details? I'll just talk from experience and I hope it helps.

I currently wonder the same thing. We want to avoid book bloat which is a classic problem with many writers. Right now in my draft, I have two main characters and their timeline converges about 14 chapters in and then their events happen together. I still switch between their POVs depending on what's happening in the chapters but since they are both experiencing the same obstacles (or simultaneous obstacles separately that relate to the main plotline) it still feels coheseive.

The problem comes from my OTHER storyline/characters. I also have my antagonist's POV and another POV to give a broader view of the world and how that ties into my main characters. I worry this other POV is adding too much unnecessary information. This is the first book in a series, I don't need to dive into complex politics that doesn't directly impact the main plot line yet. I like what it adds to the story, but it also could be take out without much issue.

I do want to present my antagonists motivation which directly relates to this other POV, but do I really need that POV to have her own plot line? Should I be using the time I take to add her POV to develop my main characters and deepen their connection?

This is where the whole "killing your darlings" dilemma comes into play. We have a hard time cutting stuff because we, the author, like it and think it's beneficial/cool/interesting/valuable/etc. But is it? Will it just bog down the reader?

I've learned to appreciate simpler stories, ones that take time to deepen/develop the main characters. Stories with focus win against complex convoluted stories. I also love stories and worlds that develop over time, through a series. Let book #1 really focus on the main character(s) and their direct issues rather than filling up the word count with world details that may or may not have any relation to the main plot.

All of that! 

I just cut away a section of world building, plot, and character development from my chapter spreadsheet that felt like it could be reused elsewhere and changed. And I think itll work. Made me excited for the moment as it clicked in place. I did that after noticing a big connecting problem I hadn't seen before with two other chapters. I put a clumsy fix on it, but itll work for this draft.

Its using many ideas I have wanted to use for this story versus letting a few details go. Simplifying it. I don't intend and don't want to write this into more than one book, but I have a feeling an alpha reader will suggest that. I also might have to reduce the amount of locations from three planets to one, maybe two, with others for background details for the next draft.

Seems that the answer to both our problems is to reduce how much information is there initially, then spread it out in more needed areas in the next book. For you, that is. Yep, simpler stories give that space to develop. But have you wanted to write a complex story anyway?

[Alatariel]

Mar 14, 2022 0:43:59 GMT -6 HDSimplicityy said:

Mar 11, 2022 15:05:54 GMT -6 Alatariel said:

What kind of ideas are you talking about? World-building information? Plot details? I'll just talk from experience and I hope it helps.

I currently wonder the same thing. We want to avoid book bloat which is a classic problem with many writers. Right now in my draft, I have two main characters and their timeline converges about 14 chapters in and then their events happen together. I still switch between their POVs depending on what's happening in the chapters but since they are both experiencing the same obstacles (or simultaneous obstacles separately that relate to the main plotline) it still feels coheseive.

The problem comes from my OTHER storyline/characters. I also have my antagonist's POV and another POV to give a broader view of the world and how that ties into my main characters. I worry this other POV is adding too much unnecessary information. This is the first book in a series, I don't need to dive into complex politics that doesn't directly impact the main plot line yet. I like what it adds to the story, but it also could be take out without much issue.

I do want to present my antagonists motivation which directly relates to this other POV, but do I really need that POV to have her own plot line? Should I be using the time I take to add her POV to develop my main characters and deepen their connection?

This is where the whole "killing your darlings" dilemma comes into play. We have a hard time cutting stuff because we, the author, like it and think it's beneficial/cool/interesting/valuable/etc. But is it? Will it just bog down the reader?

I've learned to appreciate simpler stories, ones that take time to deepen/develop the main characters. Stories with focus win against complex convoluted stories. I also love stories and worlds that develop over time, through a series. Let book #1 really focus on the main character(s) and their direct issues rather than filling up the word count with world details that may or may not have any relation to the main plot.

All of that! 

I just cut away a section of world building, plot, and character development from my chapter spreadsheet that felt like it could be reused elsewhere and changed. And I think itll work. Made me excited for the moment as it clicked in place. I did that after noticing a big connecting problem I hadn't seen before with two other chapters. I put a clumsy fix on it, but itll work for this draft.

Its using many ideas I have wanted to use for this story versus letting a few details go. Simplifying it. I don't intend and don't want to write this into more than one book, but I have a feeling an alpha reader will suggest that. I also might have to reduce the amount of locations from three planets to one, maybe two, with others for background details for the next draft.

Seems that the answer to both our problems is to reduce how much information is there initially, then spread it out in more needed areas in the next book. For you, that is. Yep, simpler stories give that space to develop. But have you wanted to write a complex story anyway?

I feel like all I'm capable of writing are big complex convoluted stories with major world implications. Even my contest entries have big ideas. None are contained personal stories. I'm trying, though. I want to be able to do both.

[HDSimplicityy]

Mar 14, 2022 16:13:06 GMT -6 Alatariel said:

Mar 14, 2022 0:43:59 GMT -6 HDSimplicityy said:

All of that! 

I just cut away a section of world building, plot, and character development from my chapter spreadsheet that felt like it could be reused elsewhere and changed. And I think itll work. Made me excited for the moment as it clicked in place. I did that after noticing a big connecting problem I hadn't seen before with two other chapters. I put a clumsy fix on it, but itll work for this draft.

Its using many ideas I have wanted to use for this story versus letting a few details go. Simplifying it. I don't intend and don't want to write this into more than one book, but I have a feeling an alpha reader will suggest that. I also might have to reduce the amount of locations from three planets to one, maybe two, with others for background details for the next draft.

Seems that the answer to both our problems is to reduce how much information is there initially, then spread it out in more needed areas in the next book. For you, that is. Yep, simpler stories give that space to develop. But have you wanted to write a complex story anyway?

I feel like all I'm capable of writing are big complex convoluted stories with major world implications. Even my contest entries have big ideas. None are contained personal stories. I'm trying, though. I want to be able to do both.

Makes two of us. Hard to think simple! We grew up with great big stories, so we want our own.