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surenlicious
May '20

Hi hi, my fellow novel writers! Today I want to discuss something I absolutely love doing in my written works, which is making story arcs. When I was reading the Sailor Moon manga back in the day, I absolutely loved the way how the author used her arcs in the plot. It made me want to try it for myself whenever I would make my own story.

My novel Jade Kingdoms has a lot of story arcs. The first one, the Dormant Arc has just finished and now it's currently in its second one called the Dominion Arc. It's a big novel, with a slow build to the climax. So I found that by using arcs I am actually able to plot my story a lot better yet still keep a healthy connection to the plot.

I was wondering if it's something you guys like to do as well? I'd love to hear about your experience and feel free to shout at me with your own novel, ok?

Also, can I just say I secretly LOVE making the cover art for my arcs; its a lot of work but hey its definitely work it haha! I've got so many left to do though, oh dear. :smiley:

ETfTvutXsAMLjK9.png514x1200 947 KB

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    May '20

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    May '20
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BWMaste
May '20

Hi! First, nice art by the way!

Well, our book is still a WIP. But it has many sub-arcs as well as the main arc. Which is of course, our hero's facing off against a great evil. Heh, the classics.

Right now Book 1 will be mostly about introductions, characters, background, etc. Eventually, Book 2 will have Tim & Terranis travel the world, as he explores different aspects of the hidden culture he is part of. Naturally, their will be danger and adventure along the way!

If I may suggest, try reading to Chapter 2, thats when the action really begins! And if you do, tell us what you think, love to hear some feedback.

Here's a link to our description... I hope-

surenlicious
May '20

Hello and thank you! I very much love the fact your novel will be a big boy too! I mostly get hooked when people are already announcing the next parts/sequels to their stories, I think is a wonderful thing!

Sssh! No spoilers, let the action explode in me eyes as I read it haha! I get it though, I sometimes worry for the pace myself and then I am so eager to announce when stuff is about to begin. :smiley:

BWMaste
May '20

Shucks, thanks! Yeah, he's got a long way to go before he gets to where he needs to be. Much like your character it seems!

LostSpirit
May '20

I've always loved the concept of arcs, to be honest. They're very story rich and you can always avoid reader exhaustion by breaking them down into different story plot points. But unlike Sailor Moon, my arcs are more centric to the protagonist. While there is a specific goal to this novel, and there is the ultimate problem that needs solving, the problem by itself is slow in nature, you could even call it slow poison. But the MC works toward it, in steps, through interconnected yet disjoint arcs that work towards his growth, readying him for the big problem in a way.

It's not unilateral or sequential in any way. But I still have a lot of fun doing it. An example of this could be seen in, say Bleach. A manga that once again is centric to the protagonist and the relationship he builds through the course of the story, readying him for an unknown towards the end. There's just a strong finality to such a story, in my opinion! :smile:

To anyone interested, do give it a read. Like the wonderful Jade Kingdoms, it's a new story. ^^

https://m.tapas.io/series/Curse-of-Immortals-Tempestatem

surenlicious
May '20

Absolutely! I find it more interesting if its about our protagonists and a certain thing that unfolds in their storyline on that moment. I definitely am doing it with mine haha!

:green_heart:

ratscout
May '20

I have finished the 1st arc of my story, which I will unceremoniously call the "Ball arc", and I am deep into the 2nd arc which I will call the "Crater arc". I'm nearly onto the 3rd arc which is where things will get crazy, and I'm currently at a pretty big moment at the current arc. I've dipped way too much time into this story, LOL.

linaket
May '20

I've found conceptualizing my series as arcs was the best way to go in order to stay on track with what I wanted to do.

In a way, each of my "parts" are mini arcs, so each one has a "main event" that pushes the story forward. But since they're kind of contained on their own, I can do things a little differently with each one (for instance, my Part III is really just one looooooooooooong chapter/event that is numbered differently, and when Part IV picked back up, the chapter numbers continued from II.... confusing? maybe. works for me? yes.)

What I think you're calling "arcs" would be equivalent to what I'm calling in my head "seasons" (same thing, different vocabulary!) I'm still in the first one (which has a name in my head, but I'm thinking of finding a way to integrate it into the title of things later) but the "finale" is coming in a month or so. When its done, it'll probably be equivalent (in word count) to a trad pub book.

I went into my story knowing I didn't want to structure it like a traditional book. Where my first arc/season/book equivalent ends, any traditional reader would be MAD because its almost like the entire first bit is set up for the fall out that's to come, but at the same time, it still satisfies the main first step in the story, which is getting allllllll the characters together in one place (finally) and setting the groundwork for the world/what's to come.

I'm actually really excited to get to the second bit, where everyone has to work together and the stakes start to make themselves more known.....

Anyway... tis me.... (the description is mostly just for season 1, and I reeealllly need to get on fixing that thing....)

darkone4587
May '20

For me because my works are split into various volumes each one having their own arc with some arcs going on into subsequent volumes.

If anyone's curious I have two works I'm currently working on here.


surenlicious
May '20
linaket

I like how you try to do something original with your work rather than what we're usually seeing. And I get ya, I'm always trying to work on summarizing the parts of my novel better too. There's just so much I always want to say, haha.

sarahmassey998
May '20

At first I thought I divided my series into books but now that I think about it I think I actually divided it into two arcs (so far!) The first two books will encompass the Mr. Graves arc while the three after that will look into Mr. Lovecraft. I hope to start a side series that will be a prequel and look into other characters so that might be an arc in itself.
I think there will be arcs after that which will bring in my wider universe but that's waaayyyy down the road.