I’ve been working on my novel for seven years. (Arrgh, has it been that long?) It has been interrupted by real life on a few occasions. It has survived attempts to abort, to give up, or just plain old neglect. It has sat in my head, asking to come out. Politely, most of the time. (Don’t ask about the other times.)
I’ve kept reading, studying, and yes, writing over that time. I’ve stuck with it, and I have a strong committment to finish this year. I’ve written more in the last few months than I have in…well, ever. If I never get published, I will not be a writer who “started a novel” but never finishes one.
Part of my motivation is entering a writing contest that will critique the first 15 pages. If it does well, they may want more. I guess I should have *more* to offer, so it is a deadline of sorts.
In one sense, my first 15 pages are tight. I’ve read them over and over, cut unnecessary words, and edited them to death. There’s still a problem though.
It is the earliest stuff I wrote for this book.
I’ve learned a lot since then. I knew that I should rework some of it, and planned to do it in the revision process. People who have critiqued me gave suggestions, and I realized there needed to be improvement.
This recent blog post from James Scott Bell hit it home for me. He talks about the importance of the first impression, and lists four things that he said should be avoided at all cost. I had two in my first couple of pages.
*sigh*
It is hard to go back and axe something that’s been with me since the start. I’ve read my opening over and over. I’ve polished them as much as I can – but I never made any significant edit to the substance. It might be polished, but it’s not gold, so who cares.
I knew revision would be hard, but I had put that off as something down the road. “Cross that bridge when I get there.” Well, the water’s up to my chest, so I’d better back up and get on the straight and narrow. I wrote something that was amateurish. Hard to admit, but I think if I picked up my book on the shelf with the current opening, I’d probably put it down.
So here we go. Time to go back to the beginning.
The clip below will show where my mind was when writing this post, and explain the picture for those who didn’t get it. I’m a geek, I know…
Have you had something in your story for a long time you finally had to kill? —
I’ve been working on my novel for seven years. (Arrgh, has it been that long?) It has been interrupted by real life on a few occasions. It has survived attempts to abort, to give up, or just plain old neglect. It has sat in my head, asking to come out. Politely, most of the time. (Don’t ask about the other times.)
I’ve kept reading, studying, and yes, writing over that time. I’ve stuck with it, and I have a strong committment to finish this year. I’ve written more in the last few months than I have in…well, ever. If I never get published, I will not be a writer who “started a novel” but never finishes one.
Part of my motivation is entering a writing contest that will critique the first 15 pages. If it does well, they may want more. I guess I should have *more* to offer, so it is a deadline of sorts.
In one sense, my first 15 pages are tight. I’ve read them over and over, cut unnecessary words, and edited them to death. There’s still a problem though.
It is the earliest stuff I wrote for this book.
I’ve learned a lot since then. I knew that I should rework some of it, and planned to do it in the revision process. People who have critiqued me gave suggestions, and I realized there needed to be improvement.
This recent blog post from James Scott Bell hit it home for me. He talks about the importance of the first impression, and lists four things that he said should be avoided at all cost. I had two in my first couple of pages.
*sigh*
It is hard to go back and axe something that’s been with me since the start. I’ve read my opening over and over. I’ve polished them as much as I can – but I never made any significant edit to the substance. It might be polished, but it’s not gold, so who cares.
I knew revision would be hard, but I had put that off as something down the road. “Cross that bridge when I get there.” Well, the water’s up to my chest, so I’d better back up and get on the straight and narrow. I wrote something that was amateurish. Hard to admit, but I think if I picked up my book on the shelf with the current opening, I’d probably put it down.
So here we go. Time to go back to the beginning.
The clip below will show where my mind was when writing this post, and explain the picture for those who didn’t get it. I’m a geek, I know…
Have you had something in your story for a long time you finally had to kill? —
Over the last several years there has been a huge increase in awareness about the problem of human trafficking around the globe. Many groups have sprung up to take direct part in the fight to end the scourge of modern slavery. I have listed several of these on my sidebar.
One such group, Not For Sale, is organizing Freedom Sunday for another year. This started in 2010, and it has been growing among churches since.
This year Freedom Sunday is being held globally on February 26, 2012. It is not necessary to join or participate on that specific weekend, but it is a great time to come together as one voice in the body of Christ to bring freedom to the captives, and light to the oppressed.
They provide many resources that churches can use, from videos that can be shown for a quick overview, to sermon or Bible study notes, to songs that speak of justice, plus many more.
I encourage you to bring this to the attention of your church leaders. I know they have many pressing things on their plates, but remember Jesus’s words, “If you do this for the least of these, you have done them to me.”
Over the last several years there has been a huge increase in awareness about the problem of human trafficking around the globe. Many groups have sprung up to take direct part in the fight to end the scourge of modern slavery. I have listed several of these on my sidebar.
One such group, Not For Sale, is organizing Freedom Sunday for another year. This started in 2010, and it has been growing among churches since.
This year Freedom Sunday is being held globally on February 26, 2012. It is not necessary to join or participate on that specific weekend, but it is a great time to come together as one voice in the body of Christ to bring freedom to the captives, and light to the oppressed.
They provide many resources that churches can use, from videos that can be shown for a quick overview, to sermon or Bible study notes, to songs that speak of justice, plus many more.
I encourage you to bring this to the attention of your church leaders. I know they have many pressing things on their plates, but remember Jesus’s words, “If you do this for the least of these, you have done them to me.”
That’s how writing goes often. Keep chopping wood. Put more words on the page.
Writers know that there are two general methods for getting a story on paper. The plotters love to outline, charting each scene and building up a framework that their words can fill in. The pantsers, so named for writing by the seat of their pants, make it up as they go.
Not quite the idea…
The plotters like knowing where they are going, having a map or blueprint to follow. The pantsers will tell you how their story can be more organic, being surprised by the twists and turns that pop up along the way.
How about a middle way?
Of course people do this all the time. You don’t have to be tried and true to one method to get to “The End.”
I was surprised when this started happening with me though.
I’ve always been an outline guy when writing papers. In college I would do my research, label it all out with Roman numerals and A. B. C., and when I was all done, write my final draft as my first draft. All done. Ready to go!
Yeah, it’s not that easy when writing a novel.
Closer? I dunno…
I have a general outline in my head. I know where my protagonists need to be…eventually. I have the ending all worked out. There was just a little problem with the middle, and getting them to where they needed to be. A small issue.
I kept dealing with writer’s block whenever I finished a point on my outline. Where to go next? How do I get there?
I’ve started doing it by the seat of my pants.
A technique that I’ve found effective for me is to set my phone’s timer, meaning I can’t browse the internet for some obscure fact that I HAVE to have for my next scene, and start writing. It might not be the best prose in the galaxy, but I have made progress.
It has been propelling me past these sticking points. I’m forced to make a decision and go with it.
And there’s been some good stuff come out of it. Who would’ve guessed?
I still have my general outline and I still know where I want to end up. But the process of getting there has become more interesting. Hopefully it all turns out when I get there!
So if you’re writing and wondering how best to do get moving – do whatever it takes. There’s no need to just plot or pants it. The point is words on the page.
That’s how writing goes often. Keep chopping wood. Put more words on the page.
Writers know that there are two general methods for getting a story on paper. The plotters love to outline, charting each scene and building up a framework that their words can fill in. The pantsers, so named for writing by the seat of their pants, make it up as they go.
Not quite the idea…
The plotters like knowing where they are going, having a map or blueprint to follow. The pantsers will tell you how their story can be more organic, being surprised by the twists and turns that pop up along the way.
How about a middle way?
Of course people do this all the time. You don’t have to be tried and true to one method to get to “The End.”
I was surprised when this started happening with me though.
I’ve always been an outline guy when writing papers. In college I would do my research, label it all out with Roman numerals and A. B. C., and when I was all done, write my final draft as my first draft. All done. Ready to go!
Yeah, it’s not that easy when writing a novel.
Closer? I dunno…
I have a general outline in my head. I know where my protagonists need to be…eventually. I have the ending all worked out. There was just a little problem with the middle, and getting them to where they needed to be. A small issue.
I kept dealing with writer’s block whenever I finished a point on my outline. Where to go next? How do I get there?
I’ve started doing it by the seat of my pants.
A technique that I’ve found effective for me is to set my phone’s timer, meaning I can’t browse the internet for some obscure fact that I HAVE to have for my next scene, and start writing. It might not be the best prose in the galaxy, but I have made progress.
It has been propelling me past these sticking points. I’m forced to make a decision and go with it.
And there’s been some good stuff come out of it. Who would’ve guessed?
I still have my general outline and I still know where I want to end up. But the process of getting there has become more interesting. Hopefully it all turns out when I get there!
So if you’re writing and wondering how best to do get moving – do whatever it takes. There’s no need to just plot or pants it. The point is words on the page.
