tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post8506358121558009325..comments2024-01-12T00:48:48.031-06:00Comments on Go Teen Writers: #WeWriteBooks, Post 27: Where to End the BookStephanie Morrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-26803709467767453972016-09-12T12:46:43.450-05:002016-09-12T12:46:43.450-05:00Great. Thank you so much!Great. Thank you so much!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07652485434796760077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-11411420145072992272016-09-10T07:27:48.236-05:002016-09-10T07:27:48.236-05:00Thank you, Jill!Thank you, Jill!Olivianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-37479928902304178862016-09-09T17:02:56.390-05:002016-09-09T17:02:56.390-05:00No, you don't have to format your contest entr...No, you don't have to format your contest entry to that degree of perfection. That's for submitting to a publisher for publication. We require 12-point Times New Roman or Courier New font, double-spaced with no additional spacing before or after, one-inch margins on all four sides, and page breaks between new chapters. The things I put in the initial contest post.<br /><br />You shouldn't indent with TAB because when the book is typeset, the typesetter sets the indentations, and any place you have typed tab will doubly intend and they'll have to delete them all. Professional authors know not to use tab but to set their indentations to .05 then just hit Enter for a new paragraph.<br /><br />Chapter titles do count toward your overall word count. If you're at 3001, you should be able to find one word to delete without too much trouble. And there's always the cheat if you've written Chapter One to instead write Chapter 1 or just a centered number 1. Whatever you decide, just be consistent with chapter headings.Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-56417082286323793612016-09-09T16:44:22.238-05:002016-09-09T16:44:22.238-05:00So glad, Olivia. Congrats on finishing strong!So glad, Olivia. Congrats on finishing strong!Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-54916241940627255562016-09-09T16:43:50.824-05:002016-09-09T16:43:50.824-05:00Cool, Corgi. Thanks for sharing.Cool, Corgi. Thanks for sharing.Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-87147090517757986992016-09-08T18:16:38.387-05:002016-09-08T18:16:38.387-05:00I remember now. Do we include the chapter numbers ...I remember now. Do we include the chapter numbers with our word count? I have 3001 words but that's with the chapter numbers labeled. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07652485434796760077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-36696086064609849052016-09-08T18:11:19.047-05:002016-09-08T18:11:19.047-05:00So I just watched Jill's formatting video and ...So I just watched Jill's formatting video and I have some questions about how the contest entry should be formatted. Do we follow everything in the video (like page numbers, headings, and a title page) or just the stuff from the contest announcement? Also, how come you shouldn't indent with the tab button? If someone (anybody, really) can answer these that would be great. (I think I had more questions but now I forgot them . . .)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07652485434796760077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-81779263918448149272016-09-07T20:16:36.571-05:002016-09-07T20:16:36.571-05:00Thank you both so much! That really helps. Thank you both so much! That really helps. J. Liessahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14121721342246613055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-12734215027585648792016-09-07T17:02:51.583-05:002016-09-07T17:02:51.583-05:00It's the end already?! I suddenly remembered w...It's the end already?! I suddenly remembered when saw the first post and thought about how the contest was so far away . . . <br />This has been a great series, though. Thanks for all the great advice! I haven't actually finished my book yet so I'll be back here soon . . . ish . . . not really soon. I haven't been writing lately so I need to get back into it again.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07652485434796760077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-62959309765337395362016-09-07T16:13:10.245-05:002016-09-07T16:13:10.245-05:00This is helpful for me, since I am currently tying...This is helpful for me, since I am currently tying up the climax on a book and getting the denouement and end sorted out in my mind. I am pretty settled on what to do now (after coming up with about a dozen alternate versions over the course of the rough draft stage), but your musts, dos, and don'ts helped me verify that my ending will work. Thanks, Jill!Olivianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-31984832618388148742016-09-07T15:50:43.593-05:002016-09-07T15:50:43.593-05:00I end where it feels right. When I start out a sto...I end where it feels right. When I start out a story, I don't know where I'm going to end. But the perfect ending will come to me. And when it does, I get attached. I won't change it (much)<br /><br />I also like to end tying up loose ends. For example, in the middle of the story une working on, one character tells another she traveled beck in time to tell her something. The book ends with her going back in time, because it's a vital part. <br /><br />I also like ambiguous endings. They can be interpreted in different ways Corgi Writernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-74268363013381424662016-09-07T15:37:36.446-05:002016-09-07T15:37:36.446-05:00Aww, thanks, Dmitri! 😊Aww, thanks, Dmitri! 😊Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-36338618398138575472016-09-07T15:31:40.168-05:002016-09-07T15:31:40.168-05:00I was very pleased with how long the end of From D...I was very pleased with how long the end of From Darkness Won went on, just saying. ;)Dmitri Pendragonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06504235638226928257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-79840131854695455272016-09-07T12:56:47.034-05:002016-09-07T12:56:47.034-05:00I hope it helps, Josie. Good luck with your editin...I hope it helps, Josie. Good luck with your editing! You can do it! :-)Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-41975070444426329492016-09-07T12:56:02.904-05:002016-09-07T12:56:02.904-05:00Loved that, Steph. That's wonderful advice. *w...Loved that, Steph. That's wonderful advice. *writes it down*<br /><br />The only stand-alone book I've written I intended to be a sequel. It's my novel Replication. The publisher only wanted the first book, but I didn't know that when I turned it in, so I planted a few little hints to what would be the sequel. This was mention of some special clones that the bad guy insisted on taking with him when he tried to escape. I also mentioned a second lab. That was really all there was, but it was enough that many people ask me if there are going to be more books. I will say that neither of those things I mentioned had anything to do with my main plot. That might have made them stand out more, because readers tend to read such facts thinking that they will come back later and pay off. So when they didn't, readers assumed they were for a sequel, which they were. But I've also had readers who didn't notice them. So if you do decide to plant things, make sure they are subtle.Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-82428492276513891172016-09-07T12:47:50.176-05:002016-09-07T12:47:50.176-05:00Sounds like an interesting concept, Deborah!Sounds like an interesting concept, Deborah!Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-78566534437802485452016-09-07T11:02:26.882-05:002016-09-07T11:02:26.882-05:00Thank you for this post! I think it's going to...Thank you for this post! I think it's going to help a lot with editing for me. <br />My family might get those books while they're on sale. We pick certain books to read as a family, and the RoboTales seem like the type of book my brothers will like. Josiehttp://josieonthego.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-88006903865594432422016-09-07T09:52:49.755-05:002016-09-07T09:52:49.755-05:00I did this with my upcoming release, The Lost Girl...I did this with my upcoming release, The Lost Girl of Astor Street, because I knew I didn't immediately want to write a sequel but that I might someday. Here are two thoughts I have on doing this well:<br /><br />1. View your ending as a gateway to a new beginning: This is something we do in life, right? The end of high school means the beginning of college. The end of pregnancy means a new life. So in your ending, find some way to draw out what the new beginning is for your character.<br /><br />2. But most of the threads should be in your own head: That being said, just a hint will do. If you try to leave too many loose ends or hint at too much, then this will stop feeling like a satisfying ending. <br /><br />I hope that's helpful!Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-66290964432393354862016-09-07T08:33:51.551-05:002016-09-07T08:33:51.551-05:00How do you conclude a novel in a way that it can b...How do you conclude a novel in a way that it can be a standalone, but also leave enough threads to leave an opening for a second book? Like for someone who's never been published I know your first novel should be able to stand alone, but leave options for a sequel. I just don't know how to do that. J. Liessahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14121721342246613055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-54723834644997865842016-09-07T08:09:24.698-05:002016-09-07T08:09:24.698-05:00The ending of my story is one in a series of short...The ending of my story is one in a series of short stories that have the same characters, so the biggest change that happens by the end is bringing those characters together, and the main character learns to get along with those she couldn't when she first met them. I haven't written the end yet, but I outlined my story and I'm proud of its climax and resolution :)<br />Good luck to everyone else coming up with your ending. They can be tricky!<br /><br />-DeborahAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com