Greetings and Salutations

My name is Dale Coparanis and I am endeavoring to write my first book. The book is about three Christians in different time periods and how they dealt with the trials of keeping their faith. The book culminates with Jesus' 2nd coming in the not too distant future. It's not like I've started out with an easy topic but this whole subject has been on my heart for a few years now so...

I've just gotten started getting the plots going and putting the characters together. I will be very open to ideas and advice as there is no reason to re-invent the wheel so I look forward to communicating with many of you.

I currently live in Kansas with my wife and work for the Army as a Major at Ft. Riley.

Welcome Dale. Your project sounds challenging. You may find the following website helpful.

http://www.openculture.com/2012/04/ray_bradbury_gives_12_pieces_of_writing_advice_to_young_authors_2001.html

Hi Dale,

Welcome to the forum! Good luck with the book project!

Thank you for the link, Abe. It had quite a few good suggestions. It also validated several ideas others have also said.

Given that I want to write about different time periods (in a sense, three short stories in one novel), does it make sense to have them begin and end before starting the next time period or to interweave the three story lines?

Literary license gives you lots of wiggle room. Will the reader be confused or will interweaving improve the story?

Hmmm....haven't gotten that far. I've seen it done both ways and sometimes each way works and sometimes it doesn't. In your experience, what seems to work the best? Or, better stated, which do you enjoy more and why?

I just finished the draft of a book that covers three time periods. I still have some revisions and editing to do before I can call it ready to take the step of looking at publishing options, so I can only tell you what I am attempting - not whether it works or not.

The three time periods interweave in my book, but I have worked to find something to tie the scenes to each other. A place, a theme, a phrase; often all of the above.

While I have deleted most of the passages I originally had in the WIP, in preparation for its release, I did leave a part of one that might show you what I mean.

Ann

Ann, thank you for the link. It certainly seems to work in your situation. As I have not gotten far from the starting gate, I will need to wait and see which way I'll go with it. However, if I do decide to go with the interweaving angle (which I think I'd rather, but I don't want to commit to that just yet) I'll be in touch to see if you have some pointers for me.

Small simple steps, like short stories, are easier to write. Tying them together in a smooth manner can be challenging. From what I've read, I think Ann has done that.

Welcome, Dale. And thank you for your service!

Victor

That sounds like a really interesting subject. I'm looking forward to reading it one day. Don't be disheartened - but the writing of the book is the easy part ! Not only is it incredibly difficult to get published, but it is also incredibly difficult to market the book, regardless of what your publisher does/does not do!
A specialist subject like yours should attract vastly more attention from publishers than novels do.
I have 3 novels out and one true story. My web site is turquoisemoon.co.uk The books are more the kind of thing your wife will enjoy reading however!
Catherine Broughton

I like your idea of Jesus in contemporary times as a character. That's a tough one. You have to imagine how he copes with modern technology and today's moneychangers, and you have to be careful to write him objectively from his POV rather than your own. Also how contemporary society deals with his presence, if they recognize or reject him, how many obstacles they put in his way, and his take on all that.

Good luck with it.