Warrior. That's what the Cowardly Lion is in comparison with me last week. I'd been hiding from my manuscript since that Monday. More than one hundred pages into a four hundred page rewrite, and I choked - scared off by this one scene. I had outlined it, decomposed it, and placed its elements in my scene table; so I knew exactly what had to be done. But...reveals and irony and subplots - oh my! Could I possibly have made it any more complicated? In this scene, one subplot is in denouement, one is winding down, another is in exposition and the last one is slowly ramping toward its climax. But wait! There's more - dramatic irony is being installed, and the heroine learns a couple of jaw-dropping facts that had never even been hinted at in her version of reality. A turning point of the story, it had to be deftly written - or it would kill any interest in the rest of the book.
The bar was set so high - for me, anyway - that I backed way up to get a good look at the height before attempting to clear it. Then...ooh - look a forest of distractions to lose myself in. Of course, I jumped at the chance to get away. I finished and posted a character sketch of the main antagonist. I had been avoiding it because he's not likable and I didn't think it fit on my blog. Once I patted myself on the back for going ahead with it, I went back to the story and included foreshadowing and subtext for the problem scene in earlier ones. Then I found lots of non-authorly diversions. Movies and dancing and games - oh my! The week flew by and I still hadn't faced writing that scene.
But...it was hard to enjoy having fun (yes, that's what I meant) with the scene continually gnawing at me. So this week, I made myself attack it. I jumped right in without the slightest idea of how I would get out. To my surprise, instead of finding the job way over my head, I found clarity. A single writerly truth that experienced authors already know: No matter how much there is to show, it can only be shown linearly. Then I saw the pattern. What worked for the scene was to show the subplots, dramatic irony and reveals in the order that placed the most emotional tension on the heroine. Duh... So that's how I wrote it. It has taken a fair few iterations to get it just right, but now I'm happy with the way it reads. Whew...no easy button for that one. On to the next...
Showing posts with label OnRevising. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OnRevising. Show all posts
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Spazzing Cats...Pun Intended
Without a doubt, Kimba - our semi long-haired stray cat, was the most nervous animal I'd ever met. It had nothing to do with hot tin roofs; she just couldn't adjust to surprises. Her earlier life was a mystery; she adopted us when she was fully grown. But it can't have been stable. Whenever I cleaned, it was a race to get her bed back to its permanent spot by the fireplace before she noticed it missing. If she did notice, she would find me; and just stand there trembling and dropping her hair. I often wondered if there was a need for cat toupees because during the time she spent with us, she shed enough hair to clothe many bald cats. She's passed on now and I miss her.
Earlier this week, I freaked out - just like Kimba used to do. Good thing I've got lots of hair. What happened? I recalculated the word count on my story. Yep - through the roof. I'd just spent a few days combing sites and advice posts on word count, and it seems I've disregarded yet another rule. Even with all the chopping and and more refined slicing; the word count is holding steady at about 120,000 words - up from the 115,000 with which I started the rewrite; and well beyond the 80,000 to 110,000 recommended for romantic suspense novels. Revision is supposed to reduce word count! Except that six scenes have been added - and according to my scene notes, there are several more to come. Yes, I know it's my debut novel. Yes, I know that the larger the book, the more expensive it is to produce - and the less likely it is that I'll be able to go the route of traditional publication.
What do I DOM-E-OW N-O-OW? The length of the story isn't caused by excessive exposition, meandering dialog, or overly prosy scene setting. It's all solid story. Just when I was doing a better Kimba than she ever did, I knocked over my notebook. All my stickys fell out, so I pulled myself together enough to re-assemble them. They're the notes from the editing session I had last November, and the nostalgia for simpler days (before I fully understood the journey I was undertaking) made me take the time to read them one by one as I put them away. The one that stopped me just short of spazzing myself into a frazzle said, "Forget about word count. Just wrt the best book u can & work it out w/ editr." Can you believe it? Wish I'd read it a few hundred hairs ago....
Earlier this week, I freaked out - just like Kimba used to do. Good thing I've got lots of hair. What happened? I recalculated the word count on my story. Yep - through the roof. I'd just spent a few days combing sites and advice posts on word count, and it seems I've disregarded yet another rule. Even with all the chopping and and more refined slicing; the word count is holding steady at about 120,000 words - up from the 115,000 with which I started the rewrite; and well beyond the 80,000 to 110,000 recommended for romantic suspense novels. Revision is supposed to reduce word count! Except that six scenes have been added - and according to my scene notes, there are several more to come. Yes, I know it's my debut novel. Yes, I know that the larger the book, the more expensive it is to produce - and the less likely it is that I'll be able to go the route of traditional publication.
What do I DO
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Obstinacy, Lunacy, Prologuecy?
Consider a clear, still mountain pool. Beautiful, isnt it? A disturbance - maybe a passing automobile - causes a rock to slide down the mountain side, hit a ledge and bounce into the water. Immediately, there are easily discernible ripples from the point of impact. Now visualize that the pool has several waterfalls at one end. Each splashes down into the pool, creating its own area of turbulence. This time, a much larger rock slides down the mountain and bounces into the pool. If it lands too far away from the falls, there may be no impact on the patterns they cause. If it lands too close, any effect it has may be totally obscured by the already agitated water. In order to see any disturbance caused by the rock, it would have to be sufficiently large and land far enough away from the waterfalls that the resulting undulations ripple out to meet and temporarily confuse the existing ones. The splash caused by the rock crests and eventually disappears; leaving the pool in it's original - or a new - state. If one is too close to the rock however, all that can be seen is the disruption - without any knowledge of the waterfalls as a contributing source. One last thing I'll ask - imagine the pool and it's waterfalls as the world of my characters as revealed in the prologue, and the rock as the inciting incident.
I know, I know - you're right. Prologues are typically the kiss of death. But still, I have to keep it. Not from bull-headed obtinacy (lunacy?), but because I really believe it fits the story; showing readers that the characters are already pursuing various goals and intrigues in the ten months leading up to the ten days during which the story takes place. Interesting that the story started off to be only seven days. But while I was setting up for revision, it became clear that there weren't enough hours in each day for all the events - even though I'd left out events for Sunday afternoon.
But back to the prologue - outlining the story and blocking out its scenes have given me a solid indication of what the pacing is supposed to be. The already complex world of the characters is thrown off-kilter by the inciting incident of the action plot; which happens in the first sentence of the first chapter. The characters all scramble to regain control of their world and maintain their previous pursuits. There's precious little time for scene setting and exposition. It's important that readers already have enough backstory in which to visualize the snippets that can be supported during the acceleration to the climaxes of both plots.
For the attorneys among us, I do have precedent. The romantic suspense genre is one which accepts prologues as an intrinsic part of the novel. Anti-prologue purists may say that I should just call it the first chapter. It's hard to explain - especially when I'm the only one to have read it yet - but the prologue reads like, well, a prologue; not a first chapter.
Though it's not at all about Eve, writing this novel has been a fasten your seatbelts kind of a ride. Who said an author's life is dull?
Though it's not at all about Eve, writing this novel has been a fasten your seatbelts kind of a ride. Who said an author's life is dull?
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#ROW80 update, 05/29/2011:
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#ROW80 update, 05/29/2011:
- Goal 1: Now rewriting chapter 5. Chapter 4 took two weeks because it was basically just glossed over - no depth.
- Goal 2: After all the distractions of school end activities, back to my three hours per day average.
- Goal 3 - Haven't missed a post!
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Thursday, May 5, 2011
Blindsided
It's impossible to know everything about a person. But we've been friends for the past few years and I thought I knew her fairly well. We'd spent so much time together; evenings, weekends, and those very rare days off. Very accomplished in her career, she was the one whose opinion was respected by her peers above all others; the one with the coolest head in a crisis. I admired her tenacity, technical prowess and unique ability to charm even the most obstinate of egotists into analytically - rather than emotionally - addressing the issues. She was the total package. But every now and then, a fissure would appear in her facade; but would be gone so quickly, it was easy to think I imagined it.
On infrequent occassions it appeared that she responded to a situation a little too harshly; other times, I thought I heard her gnash her teeth before yet another run-in with politically motivated colleagues. Maybe she just needed a vacation. After all, she'd been at it for five straight years without even a hint of a break. Then I began to pay closer attention - asked myself the hard questions. Isn't that what one does when a friend seems to be perilously close to the brink? I spent days trying to put the pieces together, but nothing added up. In spite of my misgivings, I finally had to ask.
Putting pen to paper, I allowed her to guide my hand. I was stunned by the words that flowed. My heroine suffered from a wounded heart. She had been trying to 'show' me, but I persisted in seeing what I wanted to see. She's the super-heroine; she has problems to solve, people to save, technology to master. Her life was full of external drama and I steadfastly refused to see that she also had a personal problem that threatened to drain her stamina. Obviously, I was the most obstinate egotist of all.
More of her backstory streamed from the pen. I fully expected her heart to heal in time for her to don the big red 'S' and wage war on the villians of the tale. But it didn't. It was still broken when she discovered each crisis. It was still broken when she fought her way through them. The broken heart explained why her natural determination was tinged with punishing agressiveness at times. Though she shared herself openly with her friends; her injury caused her to be aloof toward men; and to summarily back them off if they ventured too close. When she least expected it, her condition surfaced the transient vulnerabilities that she expended much of her energy to suppress. It isn't that the broken heart is now the focus of the story; it's more like a condition that has to heal while she stands up to the antagonists and fights for her future. With a refreshed point of view, I'm silkscreening in the new aspect; and sharing her more richly faceted story.
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Row80 Update, 5/8/2011:
My ROW80 session two update is a post this week .
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On infrequent occassions it appeared that she responded to a situation a little too harshly; other times, I thought I heard her gnash her teeth before yet another run-in with politically motivated colleagues. Maybe she just needed a vacation. After all, she'd been at it for five straight years without even a hint of a break. Then I began to pay closer attention - asked myself the hard questions. Isn't that what one does when a friend seems to be perilously close to the brink? I spent days trying to put the pieces together, but nothing added up. In spite of my misgivings, I finally had to ask.
Putting pen to paper, I allowed her to guide my hand. I was stunned by the words that flowed. My heroine suffered from a wounded heart. She had been trying to 'show' me, but I persisted in seeing what I wanted to see. She's the super-heroine; she has problems to solve, people to save, technology to master. Her life was full of external drama and I steadfastly refused to see that she also had a personal problem that threatened to drain her stamina. Obviously, I was the most obstinate egotist of all.
More of her backstory streamed from the pen. I fully expected her heart to heal in time for her to don the big red 'S' and wage war on the villians of the tale. But it didn't. It was still broken when she discovered each crisis. It was still broken when she fought her way through them. The broken heart explained why her natural determination was tinged with punishing agressiveness at times. Though she shared herself openly with her friends; her injury caused her to be aloof toward men; and to summarily back them off if they ventured too close. When she least expected it, her condition surfaced the transient vulnerabilities that she expended much of her energy to suppress. It isn't that the broken heart is now the focus of the story; it's more like a condition that has to heal while she stands up to the antagonists and fights for her future. With a refreshed point of view, I'm silkscreening in the new aspect; and sharing her more richly faceted story.
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Row80 Update, 5/8/2011:
My ROW80 session two update is a post this week .
- Goal 1: Three hours per day. Met it five of the seven days this week.
- Goal 2: Discovering that my 1st draft was horribly uneven in terms of writing quality. In Chapter 3, reached a stretch that required editing, but not much rewriting. Update is complete now through the first scene of Chapter 4. So 28 down, 184 to go...
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Thursday, April 14, 2011
Where the ?@!*@?#! Is It?
--------------First, a note: -------------------------
I've been honored to be able to share posts from Guest Authors during the past three weeks. I'd like to continue to share voices of published and aspiring writers, poets, and screenwriters that I'm meeting along my journey. Their posts are always available in the GuestAuthors section of my blog, and for your further enjoyment, their blogs are listed to the left under Reader's Choice. Please give them a visit. This week, one of mine...
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Finally! I'm revising the story that is becoming Sparks. To prepare, I took all the steps I knew to take - got a wonderfully thorough editorial critique; was brutally honest with myself about my weaknesses and how to correct them; even painstakingly created a rich set of artifacts from which to work. It took me sixteen months to get to this point. Ready at last, and balanced on the point of no return, I executed my most perfect swan dive on the way in. Exhilarating....
Outline, scene notes - check and check. Prologue...first sentence. Whoa...this is deeper than I thought. What the ?@!*@?#!
After fighting my way back up to the surface and gasping deeply for air, I recovered enough to take another look. The revelation? I had mistaken editing for rewriting...and many of the scenes in Sparks require rewriting. To get the most out of the rewrite, I must assess each scene for the holy quaternary (goal, obstacle, action, resolution) and story advancement. Just as importantly, I must sharpen the focus of each scene - many times assembling a completely different cast of words. As for the new scenes; they must be of the same construction as the rewritten ones. No first draft wording or sentence structure allowed.
Needless to say, I have a bone to pick with somebody. You know who you are. Somehow Dear Blogger, I missed your post explaining the difference between first draft wording (and sentence structure) and that of the rewrite. For experienced writers, there may not be much difference - rewriting may truly be editing. In my case however, your post could have saved me many strands of hair and a fair few headaches. At least my editor will be spared the same fate. Honestly Dear Blogger, you've got to publicize your work. There is such a thing as Twitter, you know. When I do find you, I have a few choice (rewritten) words.
With Dear Blogger missing in action, what was I to do? Panic was an option, but not a fruitful one. So I studied up on rewriting. Then I dove in again. Now I find myself carefully considering - not just each sentence - but each word. Y'all know the drill - does it set scene, reveal character, contribute to the overall mood of the story, et al? Who cares whether I use 'propensity' or 'inclination' or 'disposition'? I do. Very much so. The page is my canvas and I find that I'm extremely particular about the colors and brush strokes I'm using to paint.
I bow to all of you published writers, beloved by your readers; especially those who wrote (and write) with pen and paper - or typewriter. No wonder so many of us tend to be half-bent. I've stopped counting the number of revisions I make of a sentence - and I've just gotten started with the rewrite. The first day, I spent hours trying to describe a fireworks display. When I was done, I had carefully chosen six words. That's all. Hours of work for six words. This is madness! This is insanity! This is the most fun I've ever had in my life.
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Row80 Update, 4/17/2011:
My first ROW80 session two update post. Last week's was a tweet. My goal is to make progress on rewriting, but I didn't specify how much - other than three scenes per week. Good thing. As you can see from the tweet, I put myself in a pickle this week:
----------------------------------------------------------
I've been honored to be able to share posts from Guest Authors during the past three weeks. I'd like to continue to share voices of published and aspiring writers, poets, and screenwriters that I'm meeting along my journey. Their posts are always available in the GuestAuthors section of my blog, and for your further enjoyment, their blogs are listed to the left under Reader's Choice. Please give them a visit. This week, one of mine...
----------------------------------------------------------
Finally! I'm revising the story that is becoming Sparks. To prepare, I took all the steps I knew to take - got a wonderfully thorough editorial critique; was brutally honest with myself about my weaknesses and how to correct them; even painstakingly created a rich set of artifacts from which to work. It took me sixteen months to get to this point. Ready at last, and balanced on the point of no return, I executed my most perfect swan dive on the way in. Exhilarating....
Outline, scene notes - check and check. Prologue...first sentence. Whoa...this is deeper than I thought. What the ?@!*@?#!
After fighting my way back up to the surface and gasping deeply for air, I recovered enough to take another look. The revelation? I had mistaken editing for rewriting...and many of the scenes in Sparks require rewriting. To get the most out of the rewrite, I must assess each scene for the holy quaternary (goal, obstacle, action, resolution) and story advancement. Just as importantly, I must sharpen the focus of each scene - many times assembling a completely different cast of words. As for the new scenes; they must be of the same construction as the rewritten ones. No first draft wording or sentence structure allowed.
Needless to say, I have a bone to pick with somebody. You know who you are. Somehow Dear Blogger, I missed your post explaining the difference between first draft wording (and sentence structure) and that of the rewrite. For experienced writers, there may not be much difference - rewriting may truly be editing. In my case however, your post could have saved me many strands of hair and a fair few headaches. At least my editor will be spared the same fate. Honestly Dear Blogger, you've got to publicize your work. There is such a thing as Twitter, you know. When I do find you, I have a few choice (rewritten) words.
With Dear Blogger missing in action, what was I to do? Panic was an option, but not a fruitful one. So I studied up on rewriting. Then I dove in again. Now I find myself carefully considering - not just each sentence - but each word. Y'all know the drill - does it set scene, reveal character, contribute to the overall mood of the story, et al? Who cares whether I use 'propensity' or 'inclination' or 'disposition'? I do. Very much so. The page is my canvas and I find that I'm extremely particular about the colors and brush strokes I'm using to paint.
I bow to all of you published writers, beloved by your readers; especially those who wrote (and write) with pen and paper - or typewriter. No wonder so many of us tend to be half-bent. I've stopped counting the number of revisions I make of a sentence - and I've just gotten started with the rewrite. The first day, I spent hours trying to describe a fireworks display. When I was done, I had carefully chosen six words. That's all. Hours of work for six words. This is madness! This is insanity! This is the most fun I've ever had in my life.
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Row80 Update, 4/17/2011:
My first ROW80 session two update post. Last week's was a tweet. My goal is to make progress on rewriting, but I didn't specify how much - other than three scenes per week. Good thing. As you can see from the tweet, I put myself in a pickle this week:
- Goal 1: Three hours per day. Met it this week - and then some because:
- Goal 2: Last week I did five scenes; this week I did one from my outline, and added a new one. Since it introduced a new theme and character, I then had to 'silkscreen' it into the outline and scene notes. So, eleven scenes down, two hundred and one to go. I know, I know - how could I introduce a new character? It's true, I confess - the story made me do it.
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Thursday, March 17, 2011
O! The Big D
Not my Big Distraction - that's an entirely different story. It's my Big Decision. The one I've ignored for as long as I could. It's time to answer the question. Am I writing a series - or not?
The fictional Skye Pointe community and its residents star in my current story and several more that I will write. With some tweaking, I can make at least four stories - including the one that I am now rewriting - into a series. My scene notes for the current story indicate where to drop in the clues and hooks for the later ones. To make this story fit into the series, I'll have to combine a few characters and remove a couple of the subplots. Doing so simplifies the story; and also reduces the number of conflicts that it has. That's why I've hesitated. Fitting the story into the series will dilute it.
On the other hand, readers' fondness for the series format is widely reported. It's true for me as well. I like getting attached to characters and traveling with them through multiple adventures. However, I don't limit myself to reading series. Many of my favorite books are singles. Should I go for the story as it was meant to be written or adjust for the potential of dedicated series readers? I have to commit - one way or the other. Otherwise the words I write will lack conviction.
Too conflicted to choose, I even considered a drastic solution - why not write it both ways and let someone else decide? No problem! Two versions of a 400+ page manuscript. Make twice the work for myself and dump the problem on someone else's lap. All because I insist on being a coward. Crazy.
Just as I'd decided I should grow a backbone, my old friend Serendipity dropped in for a visit - in the form of a tweet from Cathryn Wellner. You know her as @StoryRoute on Twitter. Her tweet referred to a post by Nina Amir (@NinaAmir on Twitter); in which she shared an experience from the San Francisco Writer's Conference. She had attended the lunchtime keynote presentation by David Morrell, author of First Blood (Rambo). Among other things, Nina wrote that David had said, "Write the book you must write."
After five months of agonizing indecision, could the choice possibly be that easy? Indeed it was. Conflict resolved. I'm secure in knowing that I must write the Skye Pointe stories as they were originally conceived. It's a mistake to make a series of them simply because of what I perceive the market forces to be. I have to trust that there are enough readers who will like them for the stories that they are - connected, yet each standing on its own.
Believe it or not, I do have a series in mind, but I won't get to it until after I've finished the Skye Pointe stories. Flash forward to my future - I won't be trying to figure out how to unravel the series because market research says that readers prefer singles. Lesson learned.
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#ROW80 update, 03/20/2011:
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The fictional Skye Pointe community and its residents star in my current story and several more that I will write. With some tweaking, I can make at least four stories - including the one that I am now rewriting - into a series. My scene notes for the current story indicate where to drop in the clues and hooks for the later ones. To make this story fit into the series, I'll have to combine a few characters and remove a couple of the subplots. Doing so simplifies the story; and also reduces the number of conflicts that it has. That's why I've hesitated. Fitting the story into the series will dilute it.
On the other hand, readers' fondness for the series format is widely reported. It's true for me as well. I like getting attached to characters and traveling with them through multiple adventures. However, I don't limit myself to reading series. Many of my favorite books are singles. Should I go for the story as it was meant to be written or adjust for the potential of dedicated series readers? I have to commit - one way or the other. Otherwise the words I write will lack conviction.
Too conflicted to choose, I even considered a drastic solution - why not write it both ways and let someone else decide? No problem! Two versions of a 400+ page manuscript. Make twice the work for myself and dump the problem on someone else's lap. All because I insist on being a coward. Crazy.
Just as I'd decided I should grow a backbone, my old friend Serendipity dropped in for a visit - in the form of a tweet from Cathryn Wellner. You know her as @StoryRoute on Twitter. Her tweet referred to a post by Nina Amir (@NinaAmir on Twitter); in which she shared an experience from the San Francisco Writer's Conference. She had attended the lunchtime keynote presentation by David Morrell, author of First Blood (Rambo). Among other things, Nina wrote that David had said, "Write the book you must write."
After five months of agonizing indecision, could the choice possibly be that easy? Indeed it was. Conflict resolved. I'm secure in knowing that I must write the Skye Pointe stories as they were originally conceived. It's a mistake to make a series of them simply because of what I perceive the market forces to be. I have to trust that there are enough readers who will like them for the stories that they are - connected, yet each standing on its own.
Believe it or not, I do have a series in mind, but I won't get to it until after I've finished the Skye Pointe stories. Flash forward to my future - I won't be trying to figure out how to unravel the series because market research says that readers prefer singles. Lesson learned.
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#ROW80 update, 03/20/2011:
- Goal 1: Completed the elevator pitch and short synopsis; now one third done with long synopsis. Look how far off I am from my original goals! I've only managed to finish the revision outline and scene notes. Now I'm revisiting my other artifacts to make sure I have a cohesive set when I start rewriting.
- Goal 2: Did my usual amount of writing this week though I average about two hours per day, I'll keep my goal at three so that I'm still working toward that.
- Goal 3 - Haven't missed a post!
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Thursday, March 10, 2011
Dauntless Dancing
It's finally happening. I'm at the end of preparing for rewrite. I celebrated early, dancing around until I was dizzy(er). After all, this past Mardi was Gras. Inevitably, Mercredi des Cendres rolled in; bringing clarity and sobriety. I was forced to remember that though I was at an end, it merely heralded the real beginning.
To get a feel for the size of the rewrite task, I broke out my two manuscripts - the one with the copious editor's critique notes and the commented one that I intend to revise into. I swear I heard them 'thud' as I pulled them up on the screen. Each at four hundred and two pages, more than one hundred fifteen thousand words; the behemoths seemed primed to squash me.
Even so, I chose to be undaunted. I briefly revisited my two guides (referred to in this post). Then I scrolled back to the beginning sections of my artifacts doc; and attempted to reacclimate myself to the story. WTF? More dancing - I had unexpectedly placed myself at the beginning of my path into the rewrite. Here's the plan:
#ROW80 update, 03/13/2011:
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To get a feel for the size of the rewrite task, I broke out my two manuscripts - the one with the copious editor's critique notes and the commented one that I intend to revise into. I swear I heard them 'thud' as I pulled them up on the screen. Each at four hundred and two pages, more than one hundred fifteen thousand words; the behemoths seemed primed to squash me.
Even so, I chose to be undaunted. I briefly revisited my two guides (referred to in this post). Then I scrolled back to the beginning sections of my artifacts doc; and attempted to reacclimate myself to the story. WTF? More dancing - I had unexpectedly placed myself at the beginning of my path into the rewrite. Here's the plan:
- First things first - breathe! ...And recharge my creativity. Take time to revel in gratitude and appreciation for having come so far. This time last year, I didn't even know that what I'd spent a year writing was merely a first draft. The year's growth alone is much to be thankful for.
- Finish the storyboard. Only three scenes to go.
- Close the manuscripts and leave them until after I've thoroughly reviewed my guides. Give myself time for a refresher on storycraft.
- Ease into the rewrite by starting with my elevator pitch, short synopsis and long synopsis. For me, this seems to be a perfect spot to address them. Not only am I checking off items I will need, working on them at this point helps me ease into rewriting the story. I might even try a query letter! Yeah, I know - bass akwards. A query letter without a finished manuscript. But - I can tweak it while I'm rewriting.
- Review the character and plot descriptions to refresh my memory; and update them as necessary to bring them into agreement with the outline and storyboard.
- Rewrite! Woo hoo! I should be well into the first chapters by the time the second session of Row80 starts.
#ROW80 update, 03/13/2011:
- Goal 1: Completed the outline and story board addressing the issues from the editorial critique of my original manuscript. Yay! On the down side, it took two months longer that I thought it would. For the rest of this session my goal is now easing myself into rewriting.
- Goal 2: Did far less than 3 hours writing per day this week. I could blame it on big distractions, but I won't. I just didn't get it done.
- Goal 3 - Haven't missed a post!
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Thursday, March 3, 2011
Time... For A Showdown
Hello...hello...hellooo... Where are you...are you...yooou... Echoes resounded from the void in my timeline. I'd been so focused on tightly winding the action that I'd overlooked the leap from Sunday morning to Monday morning. Sunday afternoon and evening didn't exist.
Once I'd stumbled across the hole, I saw that it should have been painfully obvious. Having that much time missing - out of a story that takes place in less than a week - was similar to viewing a vividly rendered canvas where the artist had left a large blank spot.
I carved a few hours out of my real world last Friday and Saturday for marathon 'fix-it' sessions. I had to unwind the action and create the rest of my fictional world's Sunday. At first, I was at a loss. The protagonists worked together like components of a well oiled engine; propelling it purposefully toward the climax and resolution of the action plot.
Hmmm... Resolution... Hmmm... That means conflict...
Understanding dawned. There was time for at least one more disruption before the climax. Time to prevent the protagonists from being quite so chummy.
Determined to avoid creating a flareup that didn't fit the story line, I combed through the outline, storyboard and existing manuscript; looking for something that I hadn't fully developed. Then I saw it. The hero and heroine had had their romantic differences, but her analytical acumen had never gone head to head with his strategical shrewdness. Exploiting such an encounter made for a game changing showdown - and on the eve of battle.
Perfect! Okay I admit it... I'd planned the confrontation all along.
Not! But it had better read that way.
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#ROW80 update, 03/06/2011:
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Once I'd stumbled across the hole, I saw that it should have been painfully obvious. Having that much time missing - out of a story that takes place in less than a week - was similar to viewing a vividly rendered canvas where the artist had left a large blank spot.
I carved a few hours out of my real world last Friday and Saturday for marathon 'fix-it' sessions. I had to unwind the action and create the rest of my fictional world's Sunday. At first, I was at a loss. The protagonists worked together like components of a well oiled engine; propelling it purposefully toward the climax and resolution of the action plot.
Hmmm... Resolution... Hmmm... That means conflict...
Understanding dawned. There was time for at least one more disruption before the climax. Time to prevent the protagonists from being quite so chummy.
Determined to avoid creating a flareup that didn't fit the story line, I combed through the outline, storyboard and existing manuscript; looking for something that I hadn't fully developed. Then I saw it. The hero and heroine had had their romantic differences, but her analytical acumen had never gone head to head with his strategical shrewdness. Exploiting such an encounter made for a game changing showdown - and on the eve of battle.
Perfect! Okay I admit it... I'd planned the confrontation all along.
Not! But it had better read that way.
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#ROW80 update, 03/06/2011:
- Goal 1: Completed the storyboard for 194 of 211 scenes. The end is in sight. Trying to figure out how to transistion from setting up for revision to actually writing.
- Goal 2: About 2 hours a day this week instead of 3. Starting to get pieces of story in my brain and am taking the time to write them down.
- Goal 3 - Haven't missed a post!
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Thursday, February 24, 2011
Rockin' The Board! Story or Planchette?
November 16, 2010. The day I began the revision outline for the novel that is becoming Sparks. By the very next week I knew that while an outline is a must, it doesn't give me the level of detail that I need. So I added a storyboard to my revision artifacts, and was still confident that I would complete them all and be set up for revision by the end of the year. But December 31, 2010 flew by...
Of course it did - I hadn't considered the holidays. Surely I would be done by the end of January. Missed that date too...
Now the end of February is here - and because I removed one chapter, but added three - there are still four chapters of outlining and storyboarding to go.
No tantrum this time; no acting out; not even a small rant. I've embraced the reality that experienced writers already live in. It takes time to deliver a story so sumptuous that it tempts ravenous readers to try to devour it in one sitting. Such a story is not to be confused with one so shallow, that readers flip through it in a sitting; nibbling only at the 'good' parts. My particular novel has to aim to be of the sumptuous variety; and has to pay off with cognac and dark chocolate truffle cake for dessert. Otherwise it will be merely a confusing collage of disconnected passages - a failure of mine, not of the story.
You'll know from other posts that I'm a first timer, and I've complicated things for myself by having multiple plot lines (each with multiple subplots), multiple POVs, a prologue and a rather large cast of characters. But that's the story as told to me by the main characters, so I'm honor bound to write it. The only open question is whether I will write it well.
When I've completed the outline and storyboard, I'll have the skeleton of the revised story as well as writing (or editing) prompts for each of the over two hundred scenes. Since I've also marked up the original manuscript with storyboard scene numbers and rewrite goals, I easily see how different the revised version of the story is going to be. For complicated novels, storyboards rock!
Even so, the closer I get to completing the storyboard, the longer it is taking. I'm being careful to insure that the main plots and their subplots are fully resolved and that the story ends with the characters exactly where readers want them to be. How do I know where that is? I don't. The best I can do is make an informed guess - based on my knowledge of the story - and hope I get it right. Or...does a Ouija board work for fictional people?
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#ROW80 update, 02/27/2011:
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Of course it did - I hadn't considered the holidays. Surely I would be done by the end of January. Missed that date too...
Now the end of February is here - and because I removed one chapter, but added three - there are still four chapters of outlining and storyboarding to go.
No tantrum this time; no acting out; not even a small rant. I've embraced the reality that experienced writers already live in. It takes time to deliver a story so sumptuous that it tempts ravenous readers to try to devour it in one sitting. Such a story is not to be confused with one so shallow, that readers flip through it in a sitting; nibbling only at the 'good' parts. My particular novel has to aim to be of the sumptuous variety; and has to pay off with cognac and dark chocolate truffle cake for dessert. Otherwise it will be merely a confusing collage of disconnected passages - a failure of mine, not of the story.
You'll know from other posts that I'm a first timer, and I've complicated things for myself by having multiple plot lines (each with multiple subplots), multiple POVs, a prologue and a rather large cast of characters. But that's the story as told to me by the main characters, so I'm honor bound to write it. The only open question is whether I will write it well.
When I've completed the outline and storyboard, I'll have the skeleton of the revised story as well as writing (or editing) prompts for each of the over two hundred scenes. Since I've also marked up the original manuscript with storyboard scene numbers and rewrite goals, I easily see how different the revised version of the story is going to be. For complicated novels, storyboards rock!
Even so, the closer I get to completing the storyboard, the longer it is taking. I'm being careful to insure that the main plots and their subplots are fully resolved and that the story ends with the characters exactly where readers want them to be. How do I know where that is? I don't. The best I can do is make an informed guess - based on my knowledge of the story - and hope I get it right. Or...does a Ouija board work for fictional people?
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#ROW80 update, 02/27/2011:
- Goal 1: I can't believe it - I finished the revision outline for the last four chapters! It was a marathon Friday/Saturday night. But...I still need to storyboard them. That may take a couple of weeks.
- Goal 2: I've accepted that 3 hours on Tuesday is not going to happen and that Thursday will also be a short day. I make up for it on the other days. This week, I still averaged about 3 hours per night because of Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
- Goal 3 - Haven't missed a post!
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Thursday, February 17, 2011
Foils & Finesse @ Forty
More bloody red ink, spewing endlessly while I cut, chop, whack. This time I'm attacking the characters.
After all the gore, about forty fictional people have survived. They are the community of the heroine and hero; the other protagonists, the antagonists, and folks that don't have a clue about what's going on - but are nevertheless affected. Though all of the characters are important, only about fifteen have major roles.
Traditional romantic suspense stories generally have only the hero, heroine, heroine's protector, an antagonist or two, and maybe one or two additional characters as foils or confidants. For this story of corporate intrigue, traditional numbers and roles are too confining. The heroine is an analyst who works with a team of other analysts. The hero, some protagonists and the main antagonist are executives with partners and staff. The hero and heroine share their leisure time with friends. When the heroine discovers that 'the sky is falling', she doesn't drop everything and run off to isolate herself with the hero. They both work to maintain normalcy in their world while trying to figure out how much of the sky is actually falling and how to prevent being flattened when it does.
Though challenging to keep them, I need all the remaining characters. They help expose different attributes of the heroine and hero by drawing their thoughts out onto the page where they can be seen. Not by switching through forty points of view (though that is a thought...), but by revealing character traits through dialogue. The heroine communicates differently with one of her posse than with a corporate teammate. The hero doesn't interact the same with corporate associates as with his crew. Having the community of characters simplifies the task of juxtaposing the heroine's and hero's personal and professional lives. They also provide information about - and various reactions to - the disrupting consequences of the heroine's discoveries.
The community of characters is organic to the novel. Each one has his or her own personality and reason to exist. My goal is to show them as real people; not as nebulous clouds of loosely defined characteristics, dropped into the flow just long enough to focus attention on a particular personality aspect.
How is it going? Good question. I have no answer yet. What I do know is that I must get it exactly right. The tone and delivery of the dialogue have to be sincere. Especially with the hero's interactions. It can't sound as though 'this female author thinks this is the way men talk'; a failure that would rip the heart right out of the story. Luckily, I have a way to avert that disaster. No chopping, cutting or whacking this time. Going for a weapon with more finesse. En Garde!
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#ROW80 update, 02/20/2011:
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After all the gore, about forty fictional people have survived. They are the community of the heroine and hero; the other protagonists, the antagonists, and folks that don't have a clue about what's going on - but are nevertheless affected. Though all of the characters are important, only about fifteen have major roles.
Traditional romantic suspense stories generally have only the hero, heroine, heroine's protector, an antagonist or two, and maybe one or two additional characters as foils or confidants. For this story of corporate intrigue, traditional numbers and roles are too confining. The heroine is an analyst who works with a team of other analysts. The hero, some protagonists and the main antagonist are executives with partners and staff. The hero and heroine share their leisure time with friends. When the heroine discovers that 'the sky is falling', she doesn't drop everything and run off to isolate herself with the hero. They both work to maintain normalcy in their world while trying to figure out how much of the sky is actually falling and how to prevent being flattened when it does.
Though challenging to keep them, I need all the remaining characters. They help expose different attributes of the heroine and hero by drawing their thoughts out onto the page where they can be seen. Not by switching through forty points of view (though that is a thought...), but by revealing character traits through dialogue. The heroine communicates differently with one of her posse than with a corporate teammate. The hero doesn't interact the same with corporate associates as with his crew. Having the community of characters simplifies the task of juxtaposing the heroine's and hero's personal and professional lives. They also provide information about - and various reactions to - the disrupting consequences of the heroine's discoveries.
The community of characters is organic to the novel. Each one has his or her own personality and reason to exist. My goal is to show them as real people; not as nebulous clouds of loosely defined characteristics, dropped into the flow just long enough to focus attention on a particular personality aspect.
How is it going? Good question. I have no answer yet. What I do know is that I must get it exactly right. The tone and delivery of the dialogue have to be sincere. Especially with the hero's interactions. It can't sound as though 'this female author thinks this is the way men talk'; a failure that would rip the heart right out of the story. Luckily, I have a way to avert that disaster. No chopping, cutting or whacking this time. Going for a weapon with more finesse. En Garde!
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#ROW80 update, 02/20/2011:
- Goal 1: Five more chapters to create revision artifacts for. The closer I get to the end, the more intricate the work and the slower I go. It's maddening! But still, there's been progress...
- Goal 2: Very close to my 3 hours per day goal. Tuesdays tend to be the hardest day. Only managing an hour there. Yesterday rocked!
- Goal 3 -Still posting!
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Thursday, February 10, 2011
Red Ink Blues
Now that I've eliminated my intrusive voice, coaxed the plots and subplots to play nicely together, gotten control of pacing, and overcome my hesitance with love scenes, it's time to complete the set of revision artifacts (outline and scene notes) for moving the plots toward their climaxes. I was very excited about getting to this point - until I saw that I have to say goodbye. Bid farewell to the pieces of story that don't belong.
It barely matters how much I love them. It matters less that they're witty conversations, scenes of poignant character bonding, or beautifully detailed descriptions. These snippets aren't like the long stretch of exposition I got rid of earlier. Putting that on the chopping block was easy. These are little islands of artfulness that I had thought would make interesting reading. I am reluctant to pick up the red pen and eliminate them. But no matter how long I procrastinate, whine, or otherwise behave badly; they have to be cut. Maybe I'll get a chance to use them in other stories, but they have to come out of this one.
Having learned that timing is everything, I now easily see that these showy bits of fluff are mucking it up. They're too costly - slowing down and confusing the story; sabotaging my ability to sustain tension and suspense. Packed into the next forty eight hours of the escalating action plot are several loud arguments, at least two fights and a murder. I really love the sweeping panoramic description of Skye Pointe, but no time for it. Gone. Then there's the scene showcasing the research I'd done on six-man yachting. I am extremely proud of it, but the action has to keep moving. It's out. Ditto for the beautifully detailed description of the hero's family estate. Doesn't really fit in the middle of a fight. Axed. Next up is the trip to the museum. Wait a minute... That's important to the story line. Have to keep that one!
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It barely matters how much I love them. It matters less that they're witty conversations, scenes of poignant character bonding, or beautifully detailed descriptions. These snippets aren't like the long stretch of exposition I got rid of earlier. Putting that on the chopping block was easy. These are little islands of artfulness that I had thought would make interesting reading. I am reluctant to pick up the red pen and eliminate them. But no matter how long I procrastinate, whine, or otherwise behave badly; they have to be cut. Maybe I'll get a chance to use them in other stories, but they have to come out of this one.
Having learned that timing is everything, I now easily see that these showy bits of fluff are mucking it up. They're too costly - slowing down and confusing the story; sabotaging my ability to sustain tension and suspense. Packed into the next forty eight hours of the escalating action plot are several loud arguments, at least two fights and a murder. I really love the sweeping panoramic description of Skye Pointe, but no time for it. Gone. Then there's the scene showcasing the research I'd done on six-man yachting. I am extremely proud of it, but the action has to keep moving. It's out. Ditto for the beautifully detailed description of the hero's family estate. Doesn't really fit in the middle of a fight. Axed. Next up is the trip to the museum. Wait a minute... That's important to the story line. Have to keep that one!
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#ROW80 update, 02/13/2011:
- Goal 1: From Chapter 14, both plots begin the spiral up to their climaxes. I had to make some adjustments to focus them. In spite of the scene cutting I did, I ended up with an additional chapter. So even though I finished Chapter 14, there are still 6 more to go! Crazy that I cut scenes and end up with more...
- Goal 2: There were only 3 days that I was able to spend 3 hours. I only managed an hour here and there the other 4 days. I need to do better this week.
- Goal 3 -Still posting!
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Thursday, February 3, 2011
Sparks, Zazzle and Taking the Leap
Update, 2/23/2011:
You'll see that I have cancelled the Kickstarter "Launching Sparks" project. Though there is only one public backer, I've gotten the support that I need. My experience is atypical and I can't draw any inference from it to help future authors. I can, however, point you to this article by Monica O'Brien.
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This post started off as a note at the end of my weekly post. The note kept getting longer, demanding a post of it's own. It has to do with the new bling on my right sidebar.
It's a personality trait of mine that I take a leap and then look around to see where I've landed. Most of the time I end up okay; but there have been landings that have been inordinately painful. Hopefully, this isn't one of them. Here's the story:
Earlier this year, I saw a tweet from Jeanne Bowerman regarding support for the "A Year Without Rent" project by Lucas McNelly. I checked it out on Kickstarter, which I hadn't before known about. I thought it was a great project and became a supporter. I also recognized that Kickstarter is a great way to support arts projects. I enjoy getting the periodic emails from the project and keeping up with what they are doing. A thought started to form in the back of my mind...
Meanwhile I continued working on my novel, immersed in developing my revision outline and other artifacts. This past weekend, I reached the point of 'knowing'. I know, without doubt, that I am publishing this book. That realization hit; then the idea bloomed. I played around with it... Sat on the fence... Hopped off the fence a few times - on one side and the other... Then I decided to take the big leap. I've created a Kickstarter project for my novel.
There are only a few book projects on Kickstarter. Of those that I saw, the authors with non-fiction projects were all successful. Those with fiction projects - not so much. The projects seemed to be inviting support during the concept stage, without very much to offer in return.
Why do I think my project will work? The truth is - I'm finding out just as you are. In my case though, I've already funded the first critique of my finished manuscript; I'm fully committed to the book's commercial success. What remains are editorial review of the finished outline, two to three rounds of manuscript revision/editorial critique; copy editing and publishing services. I've called it "Launching Sparks", in honor of the new title of the book. Even if my project is unsuccessful, another author may find the key that sparks participation. I will be a data point in their research just as current Kickstarter authors are data points in mine.
Our reality is that editorial departments of publishing houses no longer nurture the development of authors. Agents are so inundated by would-be novelists that they pass on everything except the best of the most polished stories. Gems in the rough typically don't get found and polished. Editorial and some publishing costs are now being absorbed by authors that travel the route of traditional publishing. Even a few seasoned Indie authors who were gracious enough to correspond with me indicate that they are taking on more editorial and publishing costs now than in years prior to Y2K. Worst of all, even though there still seems to be a steady demand for the written word, we're losing bookstores. Many independents have closed their doors and one of the largest chains is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Could it be that it's not all about ebooks? Could it be that there just aren't enough books making it through the gauntlet to bookshelves and ereaders?
Though currently unorthodox for an author, maybe Kickstarter and similar support sites are a part of our future; a path for some authors (debut and seasoned) to showcase and build buzz about their book as it's being completed. Check out "Launching Sparks" and leave a comment here or there. I'm interested in your thoughts - and I invite your participation.
------------------------------------------------------------------
#ROW80 update, 02/06/2011:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
You'll see that I have cancelled the Kickstarter "Launching Sparks" project. Though there is only one public backer, I've gotten the support that I need. My experience is atypical and I can't draw any inference from it to help future authors. I can, however, point you to this article by Monica O'Brien.
-----------------------------------------------------
This post started off as a note at the end of my weekly post. The note kept getting longer, demanding a post of it's own. It has to do with the new bling on my right sidebar.
It's a personality trait of mine that I take a leap and then look around to see where I've landed. Most of the time I end up okay; but there have been landings that have been inordinately painful. Hopefully, this isn't one of them. Here's the story:
Earlier this year, I saw a tweet from Jeanne Bowerman regarding support for the "A Year Without Rent" project by Lucas McNelly. I checked it out on Kickstarter, which I hadn't before known about. I thought it was a great project and became a supporter. I also recognized that Kickstarter is a great way to support arts projects. I enjoy getting the periodic emails from the project and keeping up with what they are doing. A thought started to form in the back of my mind...
Meanwhile I continued working on my novel, immersed in developing my revision outline and other artifacts. This past weekend, I reached the point of 'knowing'. I know, without doubt, that I am publishing this book. That realization hit; then the idea bloomed. I played around with it... Sat on the fence... Hopped off the fence a few times - on one side and the other... Then I decided to take the big leap. I've created a Kickstarter project for my novel.
There are only a few book projects on Kickstarter. Of those that I saw, the authors with non-fiction projects were all successful. Those with fiction projects - not so much. The projects seemed to be inviting support during the concept stage, without very much to offer in return.
Why do I think my project will work? The truth is - I'm finding out just as you are. In my case though, I've already funded the first critique of my finished manuscript; I'm fully committed to the book's commercial success. What remains are editorial review of the finished outline, two to three rounds of manuscript revision/editorial critique; copy editing and publishing services. I've called it "Launching Sparks", in honor of the new title of the book. Even if my project is unsuccessful, another author may find the key that sparks participation. I will be a data point in their research just as current Kickstarter authors are data points in mine.
Our reality is that editorial departments of publishing houses no longer nurture the development of authors. Agents are so inundated by would-be novelists that they pass on everything except the best of the most polished stories. Gems in the rough typically don't get found and polished. Editorial and some publishing costs are now being absorbed by authors that travel the route of traditional publishing. Even a few seasoned Indie authors who were gracious enough to correspond with me indicate that they are taking on more editorial and publishing costs now than in years prior to Y2K. Worst of all, even though there still seems to be a steady demand for the written word, we're losing bookstores. Many independents have closed their doors and one of the largest chains is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Could it be that it's not all about ebooks? Could it be that there just aren't enough books making it through the gauntlet to bookshelves and ereaders?
Though currently unorthodox for an author, maybe Kickstarter and similar support sites are a part of our future; a path for some authors (debut and seasoned) to showcase and build buzz about their book as it's being completed. Check out "Launching Sparks" and leave a comment here or there. I'm interested in your thoughts - and I invite your participation.
------------------------------------------------------------------
#ROW80 update, 02/06/2011:
- Goal 1: You can see from this post that I got myself involved in a different sort of a project. In spite of that, I finished the revision artifacts (outline, scenes, and manuscript markup) for Chapter 13. Now only six more to go!
- Goal 2: I spent far more than 3 hours a day this week on the novel; but only about 9 total hours on the revision. Back in the groove now.
- Goal 3 -Still posting!
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Thursday, January 27, 2011
Not That Into It and the Battle Beyond
My biggest nemesis - the love scene. I interrupted my progress this week, working myself into a snit about it. The way my story is written, the scenes have to be hot and passionate; expressing the love between two strong, independent people. The problem? I'm not that into sex.
Let me clarify - I'm not that into writing sex scenes. I'm referring to the ones having all the body parts exposed and labeled; with intimate details of the act. Other authors are into it, and do it very well. Knowing that I'm not one of them, I didn't know what the hell I was going to do. I re-read scenes in the existing manuscript where the characters move from the action climax, through the romantic buildup to the romantic climax.
Awk-ward. Now what? I'm doomed!
A twitter conversation with a writer friend helped the light bulb go off in my head. Thank you, Kathryn Magendie! She's katmagendie on twitter. With her help, I was able to figure out my new rule. It's very simple: If I'm too embarrassed to read it aloud, then I need to rewrite it. Period. I have to find the balance that works for me and my style of writing. I'm sure it can be better, but here is the first attempt using my new rule...
Battle weary survivors; their eyes meet, their hearts touch. Each finding solace in the other's embrace. Comfort gives way to desire, a more intimate heat starts to rise. She reverberates with his heartbeat; her every breath filled with his scent. She raises her head from his chest, her lips searching for the first taste of him. Wrapped tightly around her, aroused by the sensation of skin touching skin; he lowers his head and presses his lips to hers. The heat rages. Burning, intensifying, fueling their caresses. They yield one to the other, their bodies erupting in waves of unbearably exquisite rhythms. Gradually their breathing slows, their movements quiet. Sated, they drift, cradled in each others arms.
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#ROW80 update, 01/30/2011:
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Let me clarify - I'm not that into writing sex scenes. I'm referring to the ones having all the body parts exposed and labeled; with intimate details of the act. Other authors are into it, and do it very well. Knowing that I'm not one of them, I didn't know what the hell I was going to do. I re-read scenes in the existing manuscript where the characters move from the action climax, through the romantic buildup to the romantic climax.
Awk-ward. Now what? I'm doomed!
A twitter conversation with a writer friend helped the light bulb go off in my head. Thank you, Kathryn Magendie! She's katmagendie on twitter. With her help, I was able to figure out my new rule. It's very simple: If I'm too embarrassed to read it aloud, then I need to rewrite it. Period. I have to find the balance that works for me and my style of writing. I'm sure it can be better, but here is the first attempt using my new rule...
Battle weary survivors; their eyes meet, their hearts touch. Each finding solace in the other's embrace. Comfort gives way to desire, a more intimate heat starts to rise. She reverberates with his heartbeat; her every breath filled with his scent. She raises her head from his chest, her lips searching for the first taste of him. Wrapped tightly around her, aroused by the sensation of skin touching skin; he lowers his head and presses his lips to hers. The heat rages. Burning, intensifying, fueling their caresses. They yield one to the other, their bodies erupting in waves of unbearably exquisite rhythms. Gradually their breathing slows, their movements quiet. Sated, they drift, cradled in each others arms.
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#ROW80 update, 01/30/2011:
- Goal 1: My progress on the outline ground to a halt this week. I questioned my ability to write scenes with sexual tension and more intimate encounters. I took this week to figure out how to write the scenes I need to write, resulting in this post. Needless to say, I'm not going to finish the outline in January as I had planned, but I'm not unsatisfied with my progress.
- Goal 2: Held to my goal of three hours per day for the first three days of the week. The next three days I wrote very little, but got back on track last night. I found that I'm able to outline the love scenes far more easily now. I understand my style.
- Goal 3 -Still posting!
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Thursday, January 20, 2011
Hairpins and Curves
Flying down the freeway one cool June morning, we laughed and talked, enjoying each other's company. It was my first trip through the mountains to his favorite beach. He decided to take the scenic route and turned off onto a beautifully picturesque two lane road. It was charming - until we reached the mountains.
Far too comfortable driving the familiar road, he continually took one hand off the wheel, waving it high above the windshield to point out one landmark after another. We raced through each hairpin turn; the engine thrumming louder and softer as he accelerated and decelerated. The tires squealed when he banked into each turn and I swear I heard pebbles and other pieces of the roadside tumble over the side of the mountain when he floored the gas pedal on the way out. I was petrified. Mile after mile, it looked as though the nose of the car purposely sought out the edge, and felt as though it's rear tires found air.
Meanwhile he chatted excitedly, fiercely relishing each challenge the road presented him. To this day, I remember not a single word he said. Terror was not just an emotion, it was my entire state of being. Speaking was impossible; my mouth didn't remember how to open. Even my thoughts were inarticulate. I couldn't pull enough of myself together to scream. I tried to keep my eyes closed behind my sunglasses, but the sounds without the visuals seemed much louder and the jarring momentum was far more scary.
Then we started downhill.
When the short straightaways faced west - and my eyes were afraid to close - I saw the ocean in the distance, about a thousand feet below us. The downhill curves were - unbelievably - even tighter and closer together. The only thing left to me was to give myself over to the One. I was that sure I was going to die.
Reaching the gentle down slope to level ground was joltingly unexpected. One last nearly vertical tight hairpin and we were out. It took several minutes for my mind to process that the mountains were behind us. I felt myself beginning to thaw, and was soon able to unlock my knees and gradually remove my foot from the imaginary brake I'd been pressing. During the next few miles, I convinced myself to loosen my grip on the door handle and unclench my other hand. The fingernail impressions in my palm were so deep, I'd almost drawn blood.
Though it was obvious that I had found the drive disturbing, I never let him know how panicked I was (until now). I spent our time at the beach in a daze, dreading the drive back. It turned out to be a little easier than the trip out because we were on the inside lane. I did fear that oncoming cars, tightly hugging the curves, would swerve into us; or that we might take a turn too sharply and crash into the mountainside. Those worries were nothing compared to the terror I felt on the way out. Odd that I preferred smashing into a cliff over tumbling down the side of one.
If that drive had been a book, would you have stayed or bailed after the first few turns?
I love to read the books where I fully experience the development and epiphanies of the main character. In my own book, I flew by my main character's major epiphany far too fast. Receding in the rear view mirror, it disappeared into the turn I'd just accelerated out of almost as soon as it occurred. I raced on, banking rapidly into the next crisis. In that stretch of the story, I sped past many of the developmental changes that my heroine experienced; in too much of hurry to flesh out the action. When she acted on her new-found knowledge, there was little evidence showing from whence it had come.
Of course, the fly-bys are being fixed. I've added to the revision outline, expanding the story to show her epiphanies and other experiences. By the time I had adjusted the full outline to accommodate the changes, I'd added a new chapter. I may have to adjust my ROW80 goals to show that the outline is taking a little longer than planned. But that's okay, because the ultimate goal is to deliver my best possible story.
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#ROW80 update, 01/23/2011:
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Far too comfortable driving the familiar road, he continually took one hand off the wheel, waving it high above the windshield to point out one landmark after another. We raced through each hairpin turn; the engine thrumming louder and softer as he accelerated and decelerated. The tires squealed when he banked into each turn and I swear I heard pebbles and other pieces of the roadside tumble over the side of the mountain when he floored the gas pedal on the way out. I was petrified. Mile after mile, it looked as though the nose of the car purposely sought out the edge, and felt as though it's rear tires found air.
Meanwhile he chatted excitedly, fiercely relishing each challenge the road presented him. To this day, I remember not a single word he said. Terror was not just an emotion, it was my entire state of being. Speaking was impossible; my mouth didn't remember how to open. Even my thoughts were inarticulate. I couldn't pull enough of myself together to scream. I tried to keep my eyes closed behind my sunglasses, but the sounds without the visuals seemed much louder and the jarring momentum was far more scary.
Then we started downhill.
When the short straightaways faced west - and my eyes were afraid to close - I saw the ocean in the distance, about a thousand feet below us. The downhill curves were - unbelievably - even tighter and closer together. The only thing left to me was to give myself over to the One. I was that sure I was going to die.
Reaching the gentle down slope to level ground was joltingly unexpected. One last nearly vertical tight hairpin and we were out. It took several minutes for my mind to process that the mountains were behind us. I felt myself beginning to thaw, and was soon able to unlock my knees and gradually remove my foot from the imaginary brake I'd been pressing. During the next few miles, I convinced myself to loosen my grip on the door handle and unclench my other hand. The fingernail impressions in my palm were so deep, I'd almost drawn blood.
Though it was obvious that I had found the drive disturbing, I never let him know how panicked I was (until now). I spent our time at the beach in a daze, dreading the drive back. It turned out to be a little easier than the trip out because we were on the inside lane. I did fear that oncoming cars, tightly hugging the curves, would swerve into us; or that we might take a turn too sharply and crash into the mountainside. Those worries were nothing compared to the terror I felt on the way out. Odd that I preferred smashing into a cliff over tumbling down the side of one.
If that drive had been a book, would you have stayed or bailed after the first few turns?
I love to read the books where I fully experience the development and epiphanies of the main character. In my own book, I flew by my main character's major epiphany far too fast. Receding in the rear view mirror, it disappeared into the turn I'd just accelerated out of almost as soon as it occurred. I raced on, banking rapidly into the next crisis. In that stretch of the story, I sped past many of the developmental changes that my heroine experienced; in too much of hurry to flesh out the action. When she acted on her new-found knowledge, there was little evidence showing from whence it had come.
Of course, the fly-bys are being fixed. I've added to the revision outline, expanding the story to show her epiphanies and other experiences. By the time I had adjusted the full outline to accommodate the changes, I'd added a new chapter. I may have to adjust my ROW80 goals to show that the outline is taking a little longer than planned. But that's okay, because the ultimate goal is to deliver my best possible story.
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#ROW80 update, 01/23/2011:
- Goal 1: Revising chapter thirteen now heading to fourteen. May not make the end of the month, but feels like I'm making significant progress.
- Goal 2: Was averaging about three hours per day until Friday and Saturday. Will make sure I have time today so that I can head into Monday on a positive note.
- Goal 3 -Still posting!
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Thursday, January 13, 2011
Eye of the Beholder
It was one of the nights that I spend with other parents who have also accompanied their children to ballet classes. Sometimes there's conversation, sometimes we've brought something to work on, sometimes both. For me, it's always both - I try never to ignore a nice chunk of writing time.
A new gentleman struck up a conversation. He's a musician and was 'scoring a play'. "A trivial thing," he said. "Favor for a friend."
I said that I was a writer and that I was working on the revision of my first novel. Surprisingly, he was interested in the process of composition as it applies to writing. I talked about flow, pacing, rhythm; and he saw it as very similar to melody, tempo and rhythm in music. I added that the concepts are generally applied to plot, but the best of us apply them to scenes or even sentence structure within scenes.
At one point, he looked over my shoulder at my scene notes and exclaimed, "Ah - but you're playing a duet!"
Of course, I had no clue what he meant. "Excuse me?"
"Your notations here - main plot, secondary plot - it is a duet, is it not?"
I was astounded. Of course he was right. Each of my scene notes includes which plots and subplots the scene addresses. He saw immediately what has been nagging at me since the beginning of my outlining process. I knew that flow, pacing, and rhythm were not the complete picture for this story. And here, in this chance conversation, the last piece of the puzzle was nearly in sight. I had to know. More accurately, I was dying to know. How could I make the two plot lines play well together? So I admitted my ignorance and listened to his explanation of how duets are written.
Among other things (that went way over my head), he talked about varying the dynamics of the two parts so that within the framework set by the melody, tempo and rhythm; each part is written as softer (piano, mezzo-piano, pianissimo or pianissimo possibile) or louder (forte, mezzo-forte, fortissimo or fortissimo possibile) depending upon which part is in the lead, which is in the background and what mood is being set at each point in the composition. I was fascinated.
Then with great enthusiasm, he said. "You can compose for a trio of plots - a quartet even!" Apparently my expression gave me away because he patted my hand and said, "But please understand - for a first novel, a duet is quite brave."
Brave? I didn't have the heart to tell him that I hadn't known any better.
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#ROW80 update, 01/16/2011:
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A new gentleman struck up a conversation. He's a musician and was 'scoring a play'. "A trivial thing," he said. "Favor for a friend."
I said that I was a writer and that I was working on the revision of my first novel. Surprisingly, he was interested in the process of composition as it applies to writing. I talked about flow, pacing, rhythm; and he saw it as very similar to melody, tempo and rhythm in music. I added that the concepts are generally applied to plot, but the best of us apply them to scenes or even sentence structure within scenes.
At one point, he looked over my shoulder at my scene notes and exclaimed, "Ah - but you're playing a duet!"
Of course, I had no clue what he meant. "Excuse me?"
"Your notations here - main plot, secondary plot - it is a duet, is it not?"
I was astounded. Of course he was right. Each of my scene notes includes which plots and subplots the scene addresses. He saw immediately what has been nagging at me since the beginning of my outlining process. I knew that flow, pacing, and rhythm were not the complete picture for this story. And here, in this chance conversation, the last piece of the puzzle was nearly in sight. I had to know. More accurately, I was dying to know. How could I make the two plot lines play well together? So I admitted my ignorance and listened to his explanation of how duets are written.
Among other things (that went way over my head), he talked about varying the dynamics of the two parts so that within the framework set by the melody, tempo and rhythm; each part is written as softer (piano, mezzo-piano, pianissimo or pianissimo possibile) or louder (forte, mezzo-forte, fortissimo or fortissimo possibile) depending upon which part is in the lead, which is in the background and what mood is being set at each point in the composition. I was fascinated.
Then with great enthusiasm, he said. "You can compose for a trio of plots - a quartet even!" Apparently my expression gave me away because he patted my hand and said, "But please understand - for a first novel, a duet is quite brave."
Brave? I didn't have the heart to tell him that I hadn't known any better.
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#ROW80 update, 01/16/2011:
- Goal 1: Well I'd like to say that I've completed revision artifacts (outline, scenes and map) through chapter thirteen - but I can't. One chapter got eliminated last week - but one got added this week, so I'm on chapter twelve. Still nine more chapters to go. Reading it critically, I could see that I had compressed the story. There wasn't enough there so I added it.
- Goal 2: Averaged about three hours per day this week so doing better there. I had to really, because of the extra chapter.
- Goal 3 -Still posting!
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Thursday, January 6, 2011
A Tale of Two Scenes...and Chocolate
Zipping merrily along through my revision outline; making great progress. In the zone, every thought had a home. And then...I rounded a blind curve and had to skid to a brain locking stop. Hit an obstacle. Makes me crazy when that happens. Actually, the obstacle was an event. I had shown it from the heroine's point of view; trying to keep the alpha male hero inconspicuously in the background. Bad idea. Like making ganache and expecting everyone to ignore the smell of chocolate. My attention kept getting drawn to him even though I hadn't written him in. Where the hell was he? Obviously, the story begged for scenes from his point of view.
Piece of cake...
First, I enlarged the experience of the event by adding two scenes for him - one at the beginning of the event and one during. Good, but there was no closure.
Hmmm...not as easy as I thought.
Then I added a scene for him at the end of the event. Better, but not quite there - no transition for him to the next step in their story.
Fine!! Looks like I'm really going to have to work to fix this.
So I added the transition scene and read through that portion of the revision outline using "...and then". Naturally, there were gaps.
Sigh...
I had to revise every scene associated with the event to adjust for the new scenes. Adding a mere two scenes had turned into adding four and adapting four more.
Finally - nailed it!! Now where's that ganache?
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#ROW80 update, 01/09/2011:
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Piece of cake...
First, I enlarged the experience of the event by adding two scenes for him - one at the beginning of the event and one during. Good, but there was no closure.
Hmmm...not as easy as I thought.
Then I added a scene for him at the end of the event. Better, but not quite there - no transition for him to the next step in their story.
Fine!! Looks like I'm really going to have to work to fix this.
So I added the transition scene and read through that portion of the revision outline using "...and then". Naturally, there were gaps.
Sigh...
I had to revise every scene associated with the event to adjust for the new scenes. Adding a mere two scenes had turned into adding four and adapting four more.
Finally - nailed it!! Now where's that ganache?
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#ROW80 update, 01/09/2011:
- Goal 1: Completed revision artifacts (outline, scenes and map) through chapter eleven. One chapter was eliminated by being absorbed into the previous and following chapters. Only nine more chapters to go! Still looks like I can complete the outline by the end of this month.
- Goal 2: Averaged about two hours per day this week. I sidetracked myself with a potential new project - but NO EXCUSES! Have to hit my average next week.
- Goal 3 - Posted this week, so no problems there.
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Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Zero, One...And Counting
Yes - I know it's customary to count down to the new year, and no - I'm not counting the wrong way. I'm saying goodbye to 2010, - or as I've come to think of it - my year zero; and saying hello to my year one. It will be my ferst furst first full year of being known as a writter writer.
In year zero: I started this blog. Looking back through my posts, I see that there are a variety of shared thoughts - from short stories, to essays, to my musings on writing, to the journey through the revision of my first novel. In the beginning, I thought I had nothing to say. I got beyond that though, and I've found lots to write about (including randomness). Posting has been a blast (even the sad ones). I hope you enjoy reading them.
In year zero: I joined Twitter - as an author. Big step for me; stepping out of the ranks of AA (Authors Anonymous) and openly declaring myself. How lucky it was that CathrynLouis was available! I took it as a good omen that not one of the millions of Twitter users had chosen that user name. On Twitter, I've met many communities of authors - the #amwriting, #litchat, #writechat, #scriptchat, #fridayflash, #fridayreads, #IndieBC, #ROW80 folks and more; I've learned from those in the businesses of writing, publishing and social media; and had a darn good time! I love dropping into the Twitter conversation several times throughout the day. Something is always going on. It's a never ending Happy Hour. All I have to do now is find those vodka martinis...
In year zero: I created pages on Facebook and Goodreads. Posting more consistently on Facebook and becoming more involved on Goodreads are goals for year one. I have lots to share with Facebook folks and my Goodreads shelf is packed with books I haven't yet reviewed and a fair few that I haven't read.
In year zero: I joined communities such as Zoetrope and RedRoom. Being on Zoetrope really helped me tighten up my stories; being on RedRoom introduced me to many other authors and experts. I haven't visited them as much since I have been revising. I want to spend more time on those sites, so that's another of my goals for year one.
In year zero: I self-published my debut novel as an ebook. Once I understood that it was something that lots of people might like to read, I unpublished it; and am now taking it through a purposefully scripted revision process. Though I missed my goal of having the revision outline completed by the end of this year, I'm fairly well along and have created a process and document that work perfectly for this book and all the next ones. When this first novel is ready, I may again self-publish it, or opt for traditional publication channels. That's a decision for year one. Year zero taught me the novel is good enough to give it my best effort - so I am.
Have you looked back over the year and itemized what you have accomplished? I think you may be surprised. I certainly was. That's why I'm inspired to do even more next year; and I hope you are too. What a difference a year makes.
Goodbye 2010, and Happy 2011!
In year zero: I started this blog. Looking back through my posts, I see that there are a variety of shared thoughts - from short stories, to essays, to my musings on writing, to the journey through the revision of my first novel. In the beginning, I thought I had nothing to say. I got beyond that though, and I've found lots to write about (including randomness). Posting has been a blast (even the sad ones). I hope you enjoy reading them.
In year zero: I joined Twitter - as an author. Big step for me; stepping out of the ranks of AA (Authors Anonymous) and openly declaring myself. How lucky it was that CathrynLouis was available! I took it as a good omen that not one of the millions of Twitter users had chosen that user name. On Twitter, I've met many communities of authors - the #amwriting, #litchat, #writechat, #scriptchat, #fridayflash, #fridayreads, #IndieBC, #ROW80 folks and more; I've learned from those in the businesses of writing, publishing and social media; and had a darn good time! I love dropping into the Twitter conversation several times throughout the day. Something is always going on. It's a never ending Happy Hour. All I have to do now is find those vodka martinis...
In year zero: I created pages on Facebook and Goodreads. Posting more consistently on Facebook and becoming more involved on Goodreads are goals for year one. I have lots to share with Facebook folks and my Goodreads shelf is packed with books I haven't yet reviewed and a fair few that I haven't read.
In year zero: I joined communities such as Zoetrope and RedRoom. Being on Zoetrope really helped me tighten up my stories; being on RedRoom introduced me to many other authors and experts. I haven't visited them as much since I have been revising. I want to spend more time on those sites, so that's another of my goals for year one.
In year zero: I self-published my debut novel as an ebook. Once I understood that it was something that lots of people might like to read, I unpublished it; and am now taking it through a purposefully scripted revision process. Though I missed my goal of having the revision outline completed by the end of this year, I'm fairly well along and have created a process and document that work perfectly for this book and all the next ones. When this first novel is ready, I may again self-publish it, or opt for traditional publication channels. That's a decision for year one. Year zero taught me the novel is good enough to give it my best effort - so I am.
Have you looked back over the year and itemized what you have accomplished? I think you may be surprised. I certainly was. That's why I'm inspired to do even more next year; and I hope you are too. What a difference a year makes.
Goodbye 2010, and Happy 2011!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
One, Two, Three - One, Two, Three... Ssshhh!
During revision, silkscreening is one thing; constructing a scene is quite another. The complexity of my current WIP makes the process more an intricate choreography than a construction. We know that the basis of scene choreography is the Holy Quarternary of writing - goal, obstacle, action and resolution. In my particular case, many scenes in the story also have multiple plot elements in play - the rising action of a subplot, the exposition of another, the denouement of yet another. Obeying the Holy Quartenary while weaving in the plot elements is the dance. Keeping the choreography hidden is the trick. The last thing I want when enjoying The Nutcracker is to hear the choreographer "count it out" from off stage as the dancers perform. In writing, the comparable situation is sometimes described as "intrusive author's voice". In the current version of my story, I'm counting it out - rather loudly.
How do I fix that? I realized that to do so, I needed a form of notation - a mapping. So I created a mapping table in my WIP Artifacts document - in a new section between the plot and outline sections. The table maps (links) plot elements to the associated outline entries and scenes. Now, at a single glance, I can verify that every element of each plot and subplot links all the way through the outline entries to a scene. Each scene now has a "writing guide" column with all of its plot element back links. How does that help the dance? Every choreographer uses a map (or notation) of some type, so that each dancer is aware of their territory at each instant in time. In my case, "dancer" is the metaphor for a plot or subplot; and the instant in time is a scene. The "writing guide" column is the blocking for the scene. Wonder if I ought to call it that instead? Anyway, when I start to write or revise a scene, I'll know exactly what it needs to show. As long as I write to the guides, I'll be sure of the flow of the dance; and there won't be a need to count it out. No more intrusive author's voice!
Yes - I know, setting the document up with so much interlinked information takes time. It's worth it to me because when I start the manuscript revision, I'll have everything I need to give my best effort.
Happy Holidays everybody!
How do I fix that? I realized that to do so, I needed a form of notation - a mapping. So I created a mapping table in my WIP Artifacts document - in a new section between the plot and outline sections. The table maps (links) plot elements to the associated outline entries and scenes. Now, at a single glance, I can verify that every element of each plot and subplot links all the way through the outline entries to a scene. Each scene now has a "writing guide" column with all of its plot element back links. How does that help the dance? Every choreographer uses a map (or notation) of some type, so that each dancer is aware of their territory at each instant in time. In my case, "dancer" is the metaphor for a plot or subplot; and the instant in time is a scene. The "writing guide" column is the blocking for the scene. Wonder if I ought to call it that instead? Anyway, when I start to write or revise a scene, I'll know exactly what it needs to show. As long as I write to the guides, I'll be sure of the flow of the dance; and there won't be a need to count it out. No more intrusive author's voice!
Yes - I know, setting the document up with so much interlinked information takes time. It's worth it to me because when I start the manuscript revision, I'll have everything I need to give my best effort.
Happy Holidays everybody!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Irony - Not Pumpkins
Something challenged me last Friday. Well, that's probably an understatement. It actually brought out the worst in me. I'm pressuring myself to meet a self-imposed deadline. I flew into a snit and ultimately stomped away from my desk, banging the door shut behind me. Making matters worse, I'd forgotten that L was at school, and I had no diversion. The truth stared at me, waiting for recognition; I looked for distractions to help me ignore it. Would I acknowledge the truth, or continue giving expression to my inner brat? I don't allow L to behave that way, so I had to either give myself a timeout or be a grownup.
What flipped the 'losin' it' switch? It became clear that I had to modify the outline and storyboard. I hadn't fully exploited the dramatic irony in the story; it should have more suspense. The protagonists suppose that the antagonists are up to A, when they are really up to B. Then the antagonists do something that confirms they are up to B, and the protagonists go full bore to stop them. Meanwhile, the antagonists discover that they should really be up to A, and immediately change direction. The protagonists are still in hot pursuit, trying to prevent them from doing B. It's not until the climax of the story that the protagonists realize that the antagonists are really up to A. Then - as it should - everything hits the fan.
What's the problem with that? Not a thing - except that the irony needs to be more explicitly detailed. I've got to add more story from the antagonists' perspectives - which means more outline and storyboard entries. It also means modifying some of what's already there, to seamlessly silkscreen it in. That's the crux of it - the reason for my mini-meltdown on Friday. Admitting to a problem means having to fix it, and I'm already short on working hours. The end of the year is almost here, and I've only completed the outline and storyboard up to chapter seven of twenty-one. Decision time. Is my loyalty to the schedule or to the story?
Of course, it has to be to the story. It will be harder to meet my goal of being done by the end of the year - but telling the best possible story is always the only thing to do. Nobody turns into a pumpkin if I'm not done by then. It was a goal I set myself. If I miss it, I'll use what I've learned to make a better plan for next time. From behaving badly on Friday to having my priorities in order and well into making the changes by Monday. That's progress. Just so you know, I'm still aiming for the deadline!
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Update: Someone asked if 'inner brat' should have been 'inner bitch'. Naw - no real 'attitude' there; picture ten year old self being whiney and throwing a tantrum. :)D
What flipped the 'losin' it' switch? It became clear that I had to modify the outline and storyboard. I hadn't fully exploited the dramatic irony in the story; it should have more suspense. The protagonists suppose that the antagonists are up to A, when they are really up to B. Then the antagonists do something that confirms they are up to B, and the protagonists go full bore to stop them. Meanwhile, the antagonists discover that they should really be up to A, and immediately change direction. The protagonists are still in hot pursuit, trying to prevent them from doing B. It's not until the climax of the story that the protagonists realize that the antagonists are really up to A. Then - as it should - everything hits the fan.
What's the problem with that? Not a thing - except that the irony needs to be more explicitly detailed. I've got to add more story from the antagonists' perspectives - which means more outline and storyboard entries. It also means modifying some of what's already there, to seamlessly silkscreen it in. That's the crux of it - the reason for my mini-meltdown on Friday. Admitting to a problem means having to fix it, and I'm already short on working hours. The end of the year is almost here, and I've only completed the outline and storyboard up to chapter seven of twenty-one. Decision time. Is my loyalty to the schedule or to the story?
Of course, it has to be to the story. It will be harder to meet my goal of being done by the end of the year - but telling the best possible story is always the only thing to do. Nobody turns into a pumpkin if I'm not done by then. It was a goal I set myself. If I miss it, I'll use what I've learned to make a better plan for next time. From behaving badly on Friday to having my priorities in order and well into making the changes by Monday. That's progress. Just so you know, I'm still aiming for the deadline!
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Update: Someone asked if 'inner brat' should have been 'inner bitch'. Naw - no real 'attitude' there; picture ten year old self being whiney and throwing a tantrum. :)D
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Ya Talkin' Ta Me?
Someone asked me - earnestly, sincerely - for my thoughts on writing a book. My first reaction was - who me? I've not yet commercially published my first novel. What thoughts am I qualified to share?
If someone were to ask for my thoughts on software development, I could expound at length. How to immerse oneself in the customers' world and help define their business rules; how to use those rules to determine the best architectural approach; how to develop the application using the best fit for design, implementation, testing, deployment and maintenance. No problem - I strut that stuff.
But my thoughts on writing a book? I'm not as well-versed in the publishing industry as I could be; my degree's not in any writing related field. All I can say is that I had an idea for a family of novels and an overwhelming desire to share it. Maybe that's what I can share - my perspective on writing, as someone who is new to writing and the publishing industry.
Using that point of view, I'll creep out on the limb and share what I've learned so far:
Have Patience. Writing is a profession - at least as demanding as the one you're already in. It is best for newbies - like me - to accept that no matter how long it took to finish the novel, or how many times it was revised and polished; it should still be considered a first draft. Agents are not interested in first drafts. Reputable independent publishers will either refuse or advise against publishing one. Self-publishing an ebook is free and easy, which is why millions are doing it. It's also why readers are extremely discerning about which ebooks they will buy. My 'first draft'? Took over a year. So how to make your first draft the best it can be?
The first step - Learn. Learn patience, dedication, the framework and rules of writing, the ins and outs of the publishing industry. Use the many free resources on the Internet to get an idea of what you need to learn more about; then take online and/or offline courses to learn it. Many writing community sites have recommendations for classes. Many universities have online writing courses. Some professors freelance with online courses and/or non-university workshops.
The next first step - Write. Yes, I meant that. Writing is not second. Learning is not second. They are both first. Start a blog, write short stories, write your novel. Write something for readers everyday, each time using what you have learned up to that point. I've found that writing for others makes me work much harder than writing for myself. That's the main reason for having a blog - to post what you write. The more you write - knowing that someone will read it - the better you will get. What? You don't have the time? If you want to write - really, really want to write - you'll find the time. I found the time by giving up nightly television. Now I write instead of watching what others wrote.
Believe it or not, you must Read. A lot. Literary fiction, genre fiction - all fiction. Over time (the patience thing again), the more you read, the more you will be able to discern the construction of a book. You'll start to appreciate the artistry behind the stories and learn from it. Also you'll start to recognize an author's style and voice, and be able to recognize your own as well. Once you recognize your own style and voice, you can evolve them. It was fun to reread the post on my voice and see that I was (am) spot on. Pay close attention to the second to last paragraph. I address it later in this post. ;-)
Another must do is Participate. Immerse yourself in the writing community - offline and/or online writers' groups, critique sites, any community where you can share the journey with and get feedback from other writers. You'll find that you'll begin to offer feedback as well. Reviewing someone's work and giving them feedback hones your critical eye. Developing a practiced critical eye is very important - you'll soon have to use it to objectively critique your own work. Attend writers' conferences. You can start with local ones. They are a great resource for community and learning. Twitter is a wonderful community builder. As CathrynLouis, I have lists of authors and people in the business of writing. Are they full lists? Of course not. I don't know that there is such a thing. But they are my community. There are also Twitter story and chat hashtags you can participate in when they're live, such as #fridayflash, #litchat, #storycraft, #writechat, #fridayreads and a host of others. If you don't know what that means, it's time for the learning thing again.
Select your Guides - a very small set of printed guides that remind you of writing essentials such as plot, characters, style, etc; and keep them with your writing materials. I only have two. Why just two? Because more than two light volumes is too much to carry - for me anyway - and I've begun to carry my writing materials (in some form) almost everywhere I go. I've always got the laptop, my thumb drive, a journal, a writing pad or something I can use to record a few paragraphs should the inspiration hit - and my guides. I've even begun to make voice recordings on my phone that I later transcribe. If you've got an electronic dictionary/thesaurus, great! Take it with you. Otherwise leave the references behind and use them in your permanent writing space.
Recognize that Competition is maddeningly fierce. You're competing with a host of people who are writing books; many whose career is writing. So you've got to give it your best shot - and even then, you may not yet be publishable. What to do then? Use what you've learned and go on to the next novel or continue to rewrite and revise your first. That's what writing professionals do. Many of them aren't publishable the first time either. But almost everyone who considers themselves an author tries to publish every book they write; and sometimes, the same one over and again.
So back to that first draft. How do you turn it into a novel that is at least worthy of consideration for publishing?
Choose a developmental Editor. It is highly unlikely you will hear the words "Get a developmental editor." You will more likely hear ringing silence - as in no response. Remember - you are new to the writing profession. It is highly advisable that you get the best developmental editor who will take you on as a client. I'll always be grateful to those who gave me a (not so :-D) subtle nudge to get an editor. But whom to get? If you've participated - immersed yourself in the writing community - there are many you can ask for advice. If you haven't, it's a crap shoot and I wish you luck. Even with recommendations, you have to research the editors and choose the one who looks to be the best fit for you. Then you ask to be taken on as a client. If you are refused, find out why. If it's fit, ask for a recommendation of someone who would be a better fit. If it's quality of the work, then improve your skills (write, write, write some more, read, learn), rewrite and/or revise your novel or start with a new idea; and try again.
If you're harboring a romantic notion about dashing off a quick novel, sending it around until an astute agent recognizes your genius, then being mentored into the author you know you can be; Fagetaboutit! Ain't likely to happen. Developing your talent is your responsibility. That said, you will find help along the way. One example in my case, is the way I found an editor. I took a chance and asked an editor who is highly respected and widely known to recommend a list for whom my book was a good match. After he took a look at the book, he said he would do it himself! I was - and still am - floored. I count myself very fortunate that he is willing to work with me, and am inspired to work that much harder at improving the story. I'd like to call it validation, but I can't. It's far too early. I still have to finish the book.
There are other examples I can give; and you will also accumulate your own. Just be sincere and keep it real as you travel along the road to authorship; and always, always be willing to give back. I have found writing to be personally rewarding and I continue to work toward being commercially published. What do I advise for you? Go for it!
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Note: Since I'm posting this as part of my revision journal, I should probably add something about my progress. How's it going? Swimmingly! I'm at chapter six of twenty one now for the outline and storyboard. Chapter five took a little longer than I expected. Remember the paragraph in the post about my voice? There was a long scene of exposition thinly disguised as a character's thoughts. No wonder I couldn't figure out what to do with him while he was thinking. I ended up moving him around his condo like a Ken doll. zzZZZZ.... I've now broken that passage into three scenes; one in which he interacts with another character. I've also interspersed another two scenes among them for continuity and easier transition to the next rise in action. Much more lively now.
If someone were to ask for my thoughts on software development, I could expound at length. How to immerse oneself in the customers' world and help define their business rules; how to use those rules to determine the best architectural approach; how to develop the application using the best fit for design, implementation, testing, deployment and maintenance. No problem - I strut that stuff.
But my thoughts on writing a book? I'm not as well-versed in the publishing industry as I could be; my degree's not in any writing related field. All I can say is that I had an idea for a family of novels and an overwhelming desire to share it. Maybe that's what I can share - my perspective on writing, as someone who is new to writing and the publishing industry.
Using that point of view, I'll creep out on the limb and share what I've learned so far:
Have Patience. Writing is a profession - at least as demanding as the one you're already in. It is best for newbies - like me - to accept that no matter how long it took to finish the novel, or how many times it was revised and polished; it should still be considered a first draft. Agents are not interested in first drafts. Reputable independent publishers will either refuse or advise against publishing one. Self-publishing an ebook is free and easy, which is why millions are doing it. It's also why readers are extremely discerning about which ebooks they will buy. My 'first draft'? Took over a year. So how to make your first draft the best it can be?
The first step - Learn. Learn patience, dedication, the framework and rules of writing, the ins and outs of the publishing industry. Use the many free resources on the Internet to get an idea of what you need to learn more about; then take online and/or offline courses to learn it. Many writing community sites have recommendations for classes. Many universities have online writing courses. Some professors freelance with online courses and/or non-university workshops.
The next first step - Write. Yes, I meant that. Writing is not second. Learning is not second. They are both first. Start a blog, write short stories, write your novel. Write something for readers everyday, each time using what you have learned up to that point. I've found that writing for others makes me work much harder than writing for myself. That's the main reason for having a blog - to post what you write. The more you write - knowing that someone will read it - the better you will get. What? You don't have the time? If you want to write - really, really want to write - you'll find the time. I found the time by giving up nightly television. Now I write instead of watching what others wrote.
Believe it or not, you must Read. A lot. Literary fiction, genre fiction - all fiction. Over time (the patience thing again), the more you read, the more you will be able to discern the construction of a book. You'll start to appreciate the artistry behind the stories and learn from it. Also you'll start to recognize an author's style and voice, and be able to recognize your own as well. Once you recognize your own style and voice, you can evolve them. It was fun to reread the post on my voice and see that I was (am) spot on. Pay close attention to the second to last paragraph. I address it later in this post. ;-)
Another must do is Participate. Immerse yourself in the writing community - offline and/or online writers' groups, critique sites, any community where you can share the journey with and get feedback from other writers. You'll find that you'll begin to offer feedback as well. Reviewing someone's work and giving them feedback hones your critical eye. Developing a practiced critical eye is very important - you'll soon have to use it to objectively critique your own work. Attend writers' conferences. You can start with local ones. They are a great resource for community and learning. Twitter is a wonderful community builder. As CathrynLouis, I have lists of authors and people in the business of writing. Are they full lists? Of course not. I don't know that there is such a thing. But they are my community. There are also Twitter story and chat hashtags you can participate in when they're live, such as #fridayflash, #litchat, #storycraft, #writechat, #fridayreads and a host of others. If you don't know what that means, it's time for the learning thing again.
Select your Guides - a very small set of printed guides that remind you of writing essentials such as plot, characters, style, etc; and keep them with your writing materials. I only have two. Why just two? Because more than two light volumes is too much to carry - for me anyway - and I've begun to carry my writing materials (in some form) almost everywhere I go. I've always got the laptop, my thumb drive, a journal, a writing pad or something I can use to record a few paragraphs should the inspiration hit - and my guides. I've even begun to make voice recordings on my phone that I later transcribe. If you've got an electronic dictionary/thesaurus, great! Take it with you. Otherwise leave the references behind and use them in your permanent writing space.
Recognize that Competition is maddeningly fierce. You're competing with a host of people who are writing books; many whose career is writing. So you've got to give it your best shot - and even then, you may not yet be publishable. What to do then? Use what you've learned and go on to the next novel or continue to rewrite and revise your first. That's what writing professionals do. Many of them aren't publishable the first time either. But almost everyone who considers themselves an author tries to publish every book they write; and sometimes, the same one over and again.
So back to that first draft. How do you turn it into a novel that is at least worthy of consideration for publishing?
Choose a developmental Editor. It is highly unlikely you will hear the words "Get a developmental editor." You will more likely hear ringing silence - as in no response. Remember - you are new to the writing profession. It is highly advisable that you get the best developmental editor who will take you on as a client. I'll always be grateful to those who gave me a (not so :-D) subtle nudge to get an editor. But whom to get? If you've participated - immersed yourself in the writing community - there are many you can ask for advice. If you haven't, it's a crap shoot and I wish you luck. Even with recommendations, you have to research the editors and choose the one who looks to be the best fit for you. Then you ask to be taken on as a client. If you are refused, find out why. If it's fit, ask for a recommendation of someone who would be a better fit. If it's quality of the work, then improve your skills (write, write, write some more, read, learn), rewrite and/or revise your novel or start with a new idea; and try again.
If you're harboring a romantic notion about dashing off a quick novel, sending it around until an astute agent recognizes your genius, then being mentored into the author you know you can be; Fagetaboutit! Ain't likely to happen. Developing your talent is your responsibility. That said, you will find help along the way. One example in my case, is the way I found an editor. I took a chance and asked an editor who is highly respected and widely known to recommend a list for whom my book was a good match. After he took a look at the book, he said he would do it himself! I was - and still am - floored. I count myself very fortunate that he is willing to work with me, and am inspired to work that much harder at improving the story. I'd like to call it validation, but I can't. It's far too early. I still have to finish the book.
There are other examples I can give; and you will also accumulate your own. Just be sincere and keep it real as you travel along the road to authorship; and always, always be willing to give back. I have found writing to be personally rewarding and I continue to work toward being commercially published. What do I advise for you? Go for it!
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Note: Since I'm posting this as part of my revision journal, I should probably add something about my progress. How's it going? Swimmingly! I'm at chapter six of twenty one now for the outline and storyboard. Chapter five took a little longer than I expected. Remember the paragraph in the post about my voice? There was a long scene of exposition thinly disguised as a character's thoughts. No wonder I couldn't figure out what to do with him while he was thinking. I ended up moving him around his condo like a Ken doll. zzZZZZ.... I've now broken that passage into three scenes; one in which he interacts with another character. I've also interspersed another two scenes among them for continuity and easier transition to the next rise in action. Much more lively now.
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