My Friend and Her Novel-in-Progress

So as the title suggests, one of my friends and critique partners is writing a fantasy novel that I am proof-reading and editing. The trouble is, I'm doing so as she writes it. And she's one of those weirdos (haha just kidding guys) who doesn't write in chronological order. In other words, she started in the middle and is writing, in both directions, from there.

Now, I for one could never do that, because of two words: character development. I have to begin at the beginning (well that's what the beginning is for, right?) and write till the end, without skipping any parts, no matter who bad my writers block is, because if I do skip -- I never go back. I learnt this little fact about moi whilst writing my Strange Angels fan-fiction. (Which I may or may not share parts of here -- what do you guys think? Do you want to see how awfully cheesy my writing was last year? I think I will post some scenes at some point, after I do a Strange Angels Book Talk -- which is coming tomorrow.)

It's still not finished. I went away for three weeks, came back with an original novel idea (my current WIP) and never looked back. The fan-fiction was really just my coping-mechanism to fill the Strange Angels-shaped void Lili St Crow left in my life after Reckoning. That void disappeared after reading Anna Dressed in Blood and rereading Anastasia Forever ;)

Wow I went off on a tangent there -- sorry! My point is, if I tried to write like that, I'd get the character development ALL WRONG. I have to move gradually, progressively from MC's old-self to new-self. Plot would be okay, I could cope with plot. It's my characters that would suffer, and as characters are one of the things which can make or break a novel, they have to be good.

And another thing: she keeps hinting at things and posing huge questions to the reader -- all of which is great writing, but I'm tearing my hair out here trying to get her to write faster because SHE REFUSES TO TELL ME!!!

I swear, when she publishes this (God willing) I'm going to buy two copies just so I can throw one at her! I have to buy two because the other one has to stay beautiful, I have serious book OCD. Cracked spines make me want to cry -- and highlighting makes me want to FAINT! (Hence why I don't go to second-hand shops very often, haha. And the author doesn't get any money from a second-hand sale.) Oddly enough, books are the only thing I'm even remotely OCD about, as this conversation I had illustrates:

Jenny: You bought a paper copy of Girl of Nightmares? WHY? You have it on Kindle!
Me: I know, but it has to match Anna Dressed in Blood, or my shelf will look weird! It'll be LONELY!
Jenny: Your shelf?
Me: Yes, my shelf.
Jenny: Your shelf?
Me: *sigh* My floor.
(BTW, Anna Dressed in Blood is one of those coveted faves that does get a place on the shelf, but you see what I mean)
Jenny: So anyway, then why didn't you get a paper copy in the first place?
Me: I couldn't wait the three days it would be before I could go book-shopping
Jenny: *sigh* Obsessive...
Me: HEY! I waited six months! I couldn't wait any longer, okay?

Yes, that's a real conversation I had last week. And yes, my room is that messy. Too much to do and not enough time -- between reading, writing, baking, blogging, school, homework, studying, social life and sleep, there is no time left to organise my room. It's a wonder I get all of the above done, let alone more. If my mother wanted me to tidy my room that badly, she should hide a chihuahua there. Now that would get me organised. Or Lady Antebellum. But I think hiding three people in my teeny room would be more of a challenge for her... :/

I think this post has come to an end. So, goodbye, my pretties. I'll see you tomorrow for Book Talk: Strange Angels series by Lili St Crow.

Au revoir! xxx