Before B4
Cute title, doncha think? 
Okay, enough chuckling at my own wit, on with the post! I’m back from my mini-vacation, and I’ve been working hot and heavy on B4. Yes, that B4. In the process, I’ve discovered that the final book will be the most complicated yet. I guess that’s only fitting, since I have to wrap up so many plot lines, but still… it’s a bit daunting.
Right now, I’m working on the outline/timeline. Since I don’t have to introduce too many new characters or settings, I can jump right into the action (so to speak). But the action is complex. Really complex, actually.
At a friend’s suggestion (this friend is also a writer, not to mention one of my reality team members), I’ve been writing out story arcs. And I’ve come to a startling conclusion… I’ve been keeping all this in my head?!? Holy shit! I didn’t know I had so much up there. Honestly. B4 is one complex story, and I’ve been writing it entirely in my head for the past year. Yikes!
So, I’m currently in the process of getting all the story arcs laid out. This’ll give me a chance to cut extraneous plot lines before I go to all the trouble of foreshadowing and then writing them. I know most of you probably wouldn’t complain, but I’m too wordy. My novel-sized stories are 400,000-word epics. (For the record, 100,000 words is generally the threshold between novella and a novel.)
In an attempt to cut down on extra story (extra story = extra work * 10), I’m trying to tighten the story line before I start writing. What a novel concept, if you’ll pardon the pun.
The mechanics of the book will be less like B1/B2 and more like the end of B3 (i.e., macro-time). I simply can’t cover enough time without stepping away from the day-to-day. I think I can stay away from micro-time, especially with the experience of Nereids under my belt.
Still, the major weakness in my writing has always been that I tend to “go micro” when I don’t have a good grasp of the between-milestones plot. Felicia in B3 is a good example. I needed her character to introduce Paul to cocaine, and to give him a bit of heartache over his own infidelity, but I didn’t need three freakin’ chapters of her.
With all the time I have to cover in B4, I literally cannot waste any words. Writing out my story arcs has convinced me that I need to keep things tight and focused. Now, don’t worry—the story may be tight and focused, but I still have a complex and detailed plot. So I don’t think you’ll feel the “loss” of the extra baggage.
Anyway, that’s probably enough for now. I’m hard at work on B4, and things are picking up steam. With Nereids and “Breakdown” both behind me (writing-wise), I can concentrate on the grand scope of my magnum opus. Although, given the scale, maybe I should call it my Methuselah opus (that’s a goofy Champagne joke, in case you didn’t get it).
- Nick
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27 Responses to “Before B4”
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Sure glad I didn’t hold my breath waiting for B4. I ahve several other authors that I read like Pete (Old Fart) for one. Please keep me on your mailing list. Thank you. Bob
You know what we say in Texas - the bigger, better!
Seriously, enjoy your B4 writing journey and I am very excited that I stumbled across SC before it was complete - I can’t wait to participate in the sure-to-follow forum/chat discussions.
Thanks again!
T.
Doesn’t the style or format of writing always pull you into mircotime? It’s not like you can write a sex scene in macro time? Thus when writing erotica you are bound to be pulled in to the details.
A question: when writing none erotic stories do you find yourself being pulled into micro time the same as when you write SC? B4 for me is more about how it all turns out rather than Paul’s erotic journey. Enjoy the writing Nick, to be honest after reading the first 4 chapters of Nereid’s I can’t wait to tuck into B4!
Keep up the great work.
Much as I love “Nereids”, I have to confess to seriously liking the “micro time” layout of B1/2 and much of B3… so please, don’t entirely change style on us, Nick!
I understand the necessity for some change as there’d be too much to cover otherwise - but it’s okay to indulge yourself sometimes, honest! 
-Steve.
oh my god christmass came early!!!
I beg to differ with your statement that you have been writing B4 in your head for the last year. By your own admission on your forum, the Epilogue or the funeral scene was the first one you wrote. That would mean that you have been working on B4 since Day 1 of B1.
I am looking forward to enjoying B4 when it gets here. Thanks again for your considerable time donation to this major project.
Nick, I haven’t been to the Forum in a while… Been too busy traveling and working. I barely have time to dl a story and read it in pieces.
Thx for Nerieds and keeping the SC people going. Wordy or not, I really enjoy your writing style; it paints pictures in my head real well.
I noticed something in the latest story… A foreshadowing of Paul’s future? (…His conversation with Susan, and the need for more blocks…) But if I remember correctly, didn’t he say he was unsure as to what he wanted to be, until the Coulter’s built their house? Just a thought….
Keep up the good work, my friend.
I had enough trouble trying to conclude the story lines of Stormy. I don’t envy your task, with the rich and complex story you have crafted in Summer Camp. But then it’s a labor of love I’m sure. Enjoy the journey!
You’ve been writing a huge story in your head and only now suddenly realized it? Reminds me of the work of legendary authors like John Milton and Stephen King.
I am sure you will equal them, Nick. Good luck. I will be enjoying Nereids while I await B4.
Nick first let me just say that I really enjoy all of your sc stories .to me if a story can draw you into it with in the first 2 or 3 chapters then it is written well, and as far as all the stories that you have in your head you are the first person that I have seen with a googol byte memory .keep up the fantastic work and good luck with The 2006 Golden Clitorides Awards for Nereid’s .thanks for all the great reading and keep the storied coming .]
Dragon
Nick,
I enjoy all your stories, especially Nereids and SC.
In my humble opinion, it would be a mistake to change styles in B4. If you try to cover too much ground, the story becomes too complex and at risk of being superficial. Rather set a few goals, and accomplish them enjoyably and thoroughly, than skipping from thread to thread, only touching on the main points.
I would suggest one of two alternatives: 1. break B4 up into B4 & B5, or leave some of the threads for parallel stories.
After all, your purpose is to write for the enjoyment of the reader, not to be able to claim you tied up all loose ends, no?
Good luck!
Chris
But Nick, we like your writing style!
I hope this doesn’t have a huge effect on it,
-fan since mid book 1
Nick,
It is good and OK to plan, but I hope (with quite a few people in these replies) that You won’t completele break with the habit of ‘going micro’!
It is so well written and makes the story self explanatory!
All the best to the writer, planner and so on,
eagerly awaiting both B4 and further chapters of Nereids
John
@Chris Els
Break B4 into B4 & B5?
That’s a lot of work you’d like to commit me to. Let me say that again: that’s a whole helluva lot of work you’d like to commit me to.
Let me ask you: was it easy to blithely suggest I double my workload simply for your enjoyment?
Then again, I’d make twice as much money if I split B4 into two books, right?
Wait, 2 * $0 is still $0.
Sorry… but no.
And for what it’s worth, I write for my enjoyment, not yours.
Sorry to sound like a disgruntled prick, but I get like this when people selfishly suggest that I double my workload. Go figure.
- Nick
Nick Your writing is so good that all your storys short or long are eagerly waited for, so have fun. I’take anything you are willing to write. The best part is you inspire fan fiction so we get even more. Bud
i read ch5 and it was so intense. just like platoon. and then the soft ending;) wow you’re a great war writer! i’ve been a fan since long and its great reading new things from you. cheers, Andy
I have been following SC since the begining, starting with Book 1..I am now into Nereids, as just finished Chap. 5. You are a formidable writer! I want to see more, but am willing to wait… I am a 72 year old male and am fraught with health problems so I don’t have a whole lot to do except read. I appreciate you. Thank you.
Nick,
Lighten up, you follow your own head in any case!
My remarks were (partly) aimed at what (in my very uninformed view) would make your story better, not to double your workload. After all you created the complexity that needs to be untangled now, not so?
To be honest, I will enjoy reading more of SC, so don’t blame a guy for trying…
Anyway, there were two solutions, remember? I also suggested parallel threads.
Furthermore, if you write for your own enjoyment, the more you write, the more enjoyment you get out of it! QED
Selfishly yours,
CE
Nick,
I think we all love micro writeing, however as long as it is mixed in with macro writeing it is a good thing. I for one want to see how this all ends up. Macro writeing is good to move away from the every day mundane activities. I cant see you glossing over the important story points in a effort to finish the book. You more than any other writer I read on line takes pains to have historical accuracy in all that I have read and seem to have all the details correct. Keep up the good work.
Yes, the blog title’s cute. The same idea is seen in a poem by Walt Kelly (Pogo):
Once you were two, dear birthday friend,
In spite of purple weather.
But now you are three and near the end
As we grewsome together.
How fourthful thou, forsooth for you,
For soon you will be more.
But ‘fore one can be three be two;
Before be five be four.
Lest we forget folks, Summer Camp was originally meant to be a trilogy: Susan; Gina; and Christy. But Nick realized that it would be quite some time before Christy took center stage, so he decided to split the third book into books three (Kendall) and four (Christy). And from that revised plan, both books were to be about seven or eight chapters.
Nick will readily admit he’s a wordy SOB (or would that be a wordy ERB?), and because of that, the revised SCB3 was a lot more than seven or eight chapters.
I have no doubt that SCB4 will be much longer than seven or eight chapters. There will undoubtedly be plenty of micro time, and enough sex to fuel several fantasies for all of us pervs, but if you’re expecting Nick to write a book for every year of Paul’s schooling, and professional life, up to and including the death of one of our beloved leading lady (whoever that may be), I think your sadly deluded.
Let me state right now that I have no idea what Nick plans for SCB4. I have had no private discussions, nor have I be privileged to any advanced look at any chapter(s) that may or may not be completed as of this time. But here’s what I guestimate we’ll see. Most of the summer will be macro time, with a micro time incident while building and a visit to Camp. Most of the school year will be macro time, with some micro time at the beginning of school, around the holidays, and if in the event there is a P-K-W threesome, that. We’ll probably see some micro time with Christy, the end of the school year when Kendall once more sets Paul free as she goes off the Chattanooga to persue her doctorial degree. Oh, also we’ll see Trip and Wren hooking up, and if there’s some swinging with PK-TW, we’ll see that.
We’ll see the next three years on macro time with plenty of Paul and Christy getting together in microbursts of time. We’ll see some PC-TW, and a few visits to SC by all four of them.
What I don’t think we’ll see is much, if any, of Paul’s life after school. Let’s remember, that this a memory of Paul’s as he contemplates the death of a loved one. And when he gets to the point of the remembrance where his wife, Trip, and Wren become dear friends with the deceased, he (and we) will not need to remember anything else.
The only other things that he might need to include is Paul’s interaction with the deceased in the years up to and including her death. but if he does that, then we’ll know who the deceased is long before the epilogue of SCB4, so I doubt he’ll include it.
So folks, sit back and enjoy the ride - where ever it takes us. I’m certain our captain will make it a very memorable experience!
as always,
just a rambling joe
As someone who has written stories of such complexity (five or six different parallel plot lines) that mapping out beforehand was utterly necessary: I feel your pain. Having said that, I found that the resulting outline wasn’t really an outline, it was almost more of a first draft. Sure, none of the micro- scenes were written down yet, but most of them were already in my head, and all I’d have to do was copy-paste them onto the page in the order I’d set out. Having said that, I have a habit of just skipping macro- scenes entirely, which may reduce complications for me.
Also, I have to disagree with gyrofx: you CAN write a sex scene in macro–and Nick HAS. Check out the first segment of Ch18 Bk2. Obviously, it’s not quite as ENTERTAINING as the micro- descriptions, but as this was the day after Paul and Gina’s first, I think everyone was pretty well satisfied anyway. (Except Gina. Little nympho.
)
CWatson, point taken, I guess it’s like a movie where you see them kiss and then the sheet covers are aranged to cover all the naughty bits as the man reaches for a drink/smoke/shorts (depending on what is PC at the time).
Once again I would like to thank Nick for Nereids, really really enjoying it and looking forward to tucking into B4 sometime B4 the end of 2007
Loyal fan, but I have to throw something out there… I like all the little micro-plots. If you were to tighten up and focus only on the protagonist, you might cut it down to a more traditional length novel, but… I don’t think there are plans to publish it, nor do I think many people read it all at once- I read it when it comes out chapter by chapter. There are so many little micro-plots/little story archs that I recall fondly- roommate fights, sexy roommates, Erin’s sexuality, Paul’s mom, pikes liking it, well… receiving it, Gina’s mom liking to be dominated, Stacey, Kendall’s feelings about her dad, Wren’s mom and the made up boyfriend- all mentioned in a few chapters, not central to the plot, but the story would be far less without them, and they keep us looking foreward to next week. You could cut out all those things and still tell the story you want to tell, but it wouldn’t be as much fun for the reader. I’m no professional writer, just a fan asking PLEASE don’t tighten up the story too much.
I for one have enjoyed your SC stories and Know the last book will be as good as the first. I stumbled onto these stories and I am glad I did. I am no writer so you won’t get any advise from me. I am waiting to see who has passed away. I have my idea on who it is but I will keep those to myself.
I must agree with Tim. I’m also no writer, so I’m willing to accept Nick’s assessment of his difficulties, and not make any un-educated suggestions. I also stumbled onto Book 1, and have thoroughly enjoyed every chapter of every book. When Paul was being harassed / assaulted by the Pikes, I was so angry, I had to stop readin before putting my fist through the PC! I don’t usually find “Smut Stories” THAT engrossing, but Nick’s don’t really fall into that category.
Nick, do whatever you think will best fulfill the needs of the story and we will greedily feast on whatever you you give us.
You do a fantastic job as an author, and I understand the enormous amount of work involved in arranging story arcs, tying up loose plot lines, etc. I eagerly look forward to B4, regardless of how long it takes to get here. Thank you for providing a remedy to the usual dreary porn stories, and thank you for the breadth and depth of character development and complexity you bring to this all-too-frequently predictable and unexciting genre.