Are there some rules of thumb in deciding which of two competing story lines to use in a novel?

Question

First of all, I didn't see a section just on literature or writing in general, so I hope this is not in the wrong forum.

I am writing a novel. It has been a slow process, mainly because I keep coming up with different story lines and I can't choose between them. I was just wondering if there are some general rules of thumb on how to select. Is there a kind of "Occam's Razor" for authors? Some axiomatic standard? I'm sure I'm not the first person to run into this problem.

Wow! I was not optimistic about the possible results here, but you folks have given me some GREAT suggestions! When I study them more carefully and apply them to the actual stories, I feel confident that I'll be able to resolve the conflicts. I look forward to more answers.

(I feel like I should be paying tuition, here!)

Salazar's #4 and Perpetua's #4 are both great food for thought. I will definitely do some serious study on these.

One thing I have found for sure: writing is fun and a piece of cake. Editing is a B*TCH! Like Michelangelo's comment that the masterpiece is already in the marble; the genius is in knowing what to chip away.

Thanks to all for your very helpful suggestions. Even ones which might not be so helpful now will be good to keep in mind as I write.
Fortunately, I know exactly how the overall story will go. It is some of the episodes I'm having trouble deciding between. And no, they can't be combined. These are either-or episodes.

Answer 1

Well Brant, there are rules of thumb for anything. I don't personally know where they are. But I can try to help you by inventing right here right now some rules of thumb.

1 - show don't tell
2 - Ockam's razor - simpler is best, so develop a taste for the shorter path to your goals, don't have characters ramble and do all sorts of decorative stuff. Have everything you write serve the story's purpose.
3 - No flat characters and no on-the nose dialogs.
4 - Between 2 story lines, choose the one with the most humor, even if it's black humor.
5 - Choose the one that appeals to sentiment best.
6 - Choose the easier to pitch to someone and to resume in a sentence, or to summarize in a moral conclusion/premisse.

Hope this helps
Salazar

Answer 2

Assuming that the characters, dialogue, writing style, etc. are not in question and the only variable you're concerned about at the moment is the plot, I would opt for a storyline that:

1. Presents a clear and compelling conflict.
2. Is intuitively interesting for some reason, such as that it represents a novel twist on something old and familiar.
3. Resolves the central conflict satisfactorily by the end of the novel.
4. Puts characters in control of the action rather than having the action control the characters; i.e., key plot-points should result from decisions or choices made by characters rather than coincidence or authorial manipulation.

A storyline like this should keep the novel from feeling stale. If choosing between two or more storylines, I would opt for the one that matches these criteria most closely.

Answer 3

I do admire your intelligent cite of Occam's Razor, and I agree that the best solution is usually the simplest.

I have wished for an opportunity to write a novel, and if I ever did, I would choose the story line that is the most original, with the most genuine characters, and the most compelling.

If you are struggling with this decision, I recommend you meet with a college professor, a good friend, a wise family member, or anyone else you feel may help you.

We are all looking forward to reading this novel, so don't delay.

Answer 4

'The only rules are what a man can do and what he can't, savey mate?' -Jack Sparrow The 'rules' are simply similarities found in several books written in the past that several authors seemed to have. These days, every story that is put out in print either breaks rules or completely rewrites them. The rules that applied back then no longer have a foot hold in modern writing, unless were are talking grammer. The best advice I can give about writing stories? Let the characters tell it. They're the ones that know it. By subjecting them to laws and rules, you are boxing your characters in and are preventing and potential that the characters would ever have to grow. Rules wre made to be broken, especially in the creative/artistic world. The rules are there to keep up safe as fledglings, but as we grow older and more experianced we get in our trade, the more rules need to be broken in order for an original voice to develope. So as Elizabeth Swann so delicately put it- 'Forget the rules! They're more like guide lines anyway!'

Answer 5

Is there any reason you cannot include the extra storylines? If you think it is necessary to "cull the herd", retain the one you see taking your characters the farthest. But write down the other ideas. You may wish to revisit your fictional world in the future - and you might be able to use your excess storylines then.

Good luck with your novel. I used to run into the same problem when writing. I would still, except I'm not really trying to write anything at the moment.

Answer 6

There's no rule of thumb with novels - in fact these days even guidelines from previous generations seem to be broken all the time by popular novelists.

I suggest you go with your intuition, and see what happens. In a good novel, your characters will somewhat take over, and you'll find that either your storyline works, and things move forward, or else you'll come to a dead end and have to back-track.

Best of luck!

Answer 7

Hi Brant,
I would jot down ALL the possible story lines you got. Once you see them, you might realize that two of them could be used in the same novel, whereas the next two combined could start a completely new novel for you. That's how I'd do it.
Happy writing and soon Happy New Year!

Answer 8

why not use several story lines threading through the main story - after all- that is the way of life.

Answer 9

be patient, think again.....