Finishing a Long Novel

[Philip Overby]

So I'm at the end of my novel, the first one in which I'm going to complete a first draft. I've probably written at least five or six novels that I got towards the end and quit for whatever reason. Either I veered too far off my outline and got lost and frustrated, or I got excited about a new project and abandoned the other one. I'm at 110,000 words (a decent-sized novel) and I think I'm about three or four chapters away from finishing. My problem? It seems I'm wanting to stretch it out even more. But I don't want to. I think my story is meeting its logical end, but for some reason I'm wanting to add new stuff or stretch out scenes. What I'm trying to do (sub-consciously) is build to an exciting climax and end. I don't feel like that's what I'm doing though. I feel like I'm just stretching it out just because I have some inexplicable need to. I think I'm frustrating myself because I'm so close and I just want to finish it.

Since I know this will be my first completed "big" novel, any tips on how to finish this darn thing?

 

[Feo Takahari]

The traditional advice is to write a bare-bones version, and don't stop to edit no matter how awful it comes out. When you get to the second draft, you can expand as necessary.

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

Phil,

Need some more info.

Are we talking about a stand-alone novel, a single book that you may want to write a follow up for, or the first of a series?

Depending on future options for the story, advice may differ on how to handle the ending.

 

[Philip Overby]

I think it's definitely going to be a stand-alone novel, but I'd like to explore the world again, maybe with a different cast of characters. I'm trying to shy away from planning a series until I can finish one book. But I'm a fan of writers who use the same worlds but don't necessarily make the stories inter-connect.

Also, the ending seems to be building up to the main character destroying something that actually keeps him alive. I don't want the main character to die at the end, so I'm thinking of ways to try to have a satisfying ending without doing the "everyone dies" ending. I'm thinking of writing two endings and just seeing which one I like better.

 

[Ankari]

Phil,

Why don't you finish it exactly at that point where the reader wonders if the MC will destroy that object or not. Make sure to finish the arc of the story (if it can be separated from the object-destroying). You would have the option of revisiting this story line in the future or leaving it as is.

I find that authors that keep loose strings for readers to wonder find more repeat business. I know you're a Steven Erikson fan. I can't count the number of loose strings he left for me to gnash my teeth and howl at the moon (Icarium, Karsa, Quick Ben, Fiddler, Kalam (this one makes me really angry, in a good way), Anomander Rake, and on and on...).

But I'll by every book seeking closure.

 

[Philip Overby]

Ankari: That's a good idea. I didn't think of just leaving that part hanging. I think I could still complete the arc of the story without having him destroy the object, but I worry if that would leave people "cheated" if it's a stand-alone novel. I'll write up an ending where he destroys it and one where he doesn't and see which one I like better.

I remember being really annoyed (in a good way) after Gardens of the Moon after not seeing Paran's story finish and then finding out he wasn't even in Deadhouse Gates. But I suppose that made me want to read more!

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

Lots of authors write many endings to their books before they settle on one.... I think I read somewhere that Hemingway wrote the end to A Farewell to Arms almost 50 times.

 

[Philip Overby]

Lots of authors write many endings to their books before they settle on one.... I think I read somewhere that Hemingway wrote the end to A Farewell to Arms almost 50 times.

50 times? Ack! I don't want to do that, but I'll try to do whatever it takes to get the most satisfying ending. My main concern is that I'm going to ramble on more and delay the ending, thus further frustrating myself that I can't finish it.

I thought of one solution: write the ending chapter now and then work backwards to fill in the rest. I've heard people have varying degrees of success with this kind of method, but I've never written non-chronologically before.

 

[Rob P]

I felt such a sense of relief when the last word was written to my first draft. This came off the back of a frustrating two months when I could see the end only to realise I was rushing towards the end instead of allowing the story to take me there. Sub-consciously I was forcing it instead of allowing it to flow.

That's not to say that much of what was written will stay or be trashed. That's the purpose of editing.

I agree with Ankari, complete the arc of the story up to the point where the MC is faced with the destruction and leave it for a few weeks. Go back and read, edit back up to that point and then decide if that additional ending is needed. Your editing may very well change your perception of what is actually required at the end.

 

[MadMadys]

Finish the story as soon as you can, I'd say.

Doing so will, in your mind anyway, "finish" the book and allow you to look over it all with a better perspective. I'd do this after letting it simmer for a few days so your eyes and brain are properly rested. Then you can determine whether the ending you have is good enough for what you wrote. If it is then happy days! If not, well, it's still just a draft so you can always change it.

 

[Addison]

Sounds like you have cold feet. Every writer gets it, or it's just you and me but I doubt that. If you know what the end is like, your final scene, then write that. Skip the stuff in-between for now and write the final scene. The write the climax. Write how your characters get to the battle scene. If you work backwards like that you'll find there's less places for you to stretch and less reason for you to want to stretch. You'll get it done.

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

You should be doing the exact opposite of making it longer.

 

[Addison]

I'm not saying to make it longer. But I've found that if I try to finish it from where I'm stuck then I'll end up making it longer by dragging it out. But if I work backwards I block out possibilities of stretching too far.

 

[wordwalker]

Sounds like you want to write follow-ups. Either direct sequels, or spin-offs, or prequels or tales in the Distant Lands, but one thing or another that's in the same world. Or some ideas might be for scenes that relate closely to the book itself but just don't fit the pacing-- those are great for websites and other places to offer as "deleted scenes."

So I'd say, make some plans --or even write a few pages-- about those other works. But do this book justice in its own right.

(I once wrote that most writers are serial murderers: again and again we create people knowing it's all building up to the time we have to say goodbye to them...)

 

[Philip Overby]

wordwalker: Yes, I always posit the idea of extending a world into another story or some such. I'm not sure I want to write a sequel, but I would like to re-explore the world and maybe some of the characters. I wanted to write a stand-alone novel though after many failed attempts at trying to write the beginning of a series. Also, writing from one POV helped me a lot. Oftentimes I get so bogged down when writing multiple POV stories. It's the style I ultimately want to do, but now I realize it was better to just finish ONE novel with ONE POV before trying to juggle so many different things.

I think I have a clear idea of my ending now, so I may take everyone's advice and write it, then just work backward. Then at least I know I have an end to work towards.