I've been pretty quiet the past few days, in terms of blogging here. Part of that is because I finally went back to work now that the snow has stopped. The other part, the larger part, is because I realized that I started this book wrong. Luckily, I was only about 7,000 words in, but still. It was wrong.
After talking to Erika (my really wonderful crit partner), I spent a day brainstorming and figured out why it was wrong. And then I spent another few hours brainstorming how to fix it. The main issue was that my MC had no specific world-view/perspective/compulsion that made her act a certain way.
Let me explain that.
In Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black, the MC, Tana, wants her life to be normal, she wants to keep her friends safe, herself safe, her family safe. And every single one of her actions is fueled by that. She pretends that things are normal because she wants them to be normal. That's her compulsion. That's the reason she acts the way she does in the book. (DISCLAIMER: This is how I see Tana. Your view might be entirely different, and that's totally okay.)
But my MC didn't have a reason for acting the way she was acting. At least, not one that tied into her general character arc. So I had to rework that. Which meant backtracking my timeline and starting the book hours earlier than it was currently starting. Which meant brainstorming an entirely new scene/chapter to introduce her perspective/compulsion and give her better motivation to drive her through the beginning of the book.
I hope it does that anyway.
So that's what I've been working on. So far, I've rewritten the first chapter, sent it to Erika, and then rewrote it again with her edits and my own edits when I realized that her some of motivation needed to be based on a part of her life that she hated but had no control over.
Today, I started a new chapter two (because apparently, the party that the book originally opened with wasn't the party that my MC was supposed to be attending). I still have my old Chapter One and Two hanging around because I haven't decided yet how much of them I'm going to delete. Parts of them are still workable, I think. Possibly. But that's why the word count still looks like it's going up. I haven't actually deleted anything...yet.
It just goes to show that often, for me at least, writing is not a linear process. I don't ever just write chapter 1, then chapter 2, then chapter 3, and so on. I write chapter one, then chapter two, then make those chapters three and four and go back to write a new chapter one and a new chapter two.
So, that's where I am.
Words written today: 614
Words written total: 12,336
Chapter Written: Worked on new Chapter 2
Tuesday 24 February 2015
Friday 20 February 2015
Day 7: Backtracking
Today, I want to talk about what happens when you've been writing along quite merrily and you're nearly at the 10,000 word marker and you realize...the beginning is wrong. How on earth did you write a beginning that is just that wrong?
Here's the thing. So much writing advice revolves around the idea of not going back and fixing. Just moving forward. Ignoring what was wrong in the previous chapter, telling yourself you'll figure it out later, when you're done with the whole book. Right now, your job is to keep moving forward.
But what if you can't? What if the thing that you wrote wrong is going to color every other thing that you write? At least, you think it will.
Do you go back then?
I think it depends. In the past, I've kept writing. In the past, I've finished books that I hated, absolutely hated, and consequently threw them away and started something new. In the past, I wrote, but I never really got anywhere.
So, for this book, I'm going to try to fix it. I have sat down and brainstormed in my notebook about how to fix the wrong thing. I've talked to my crit partner. I've looked at the beginnings of my favorite books to see what they do. To see how and where and why they start a book. I made a game plan.
(Speaking of my notebook, that's another new part of my process. I'm going to try to brainstorm every chapter out before I sit down to write it, in the hopes that it will prevent me from getting stuck. Also, the fact that it's hand-written and completely temporary will hopefully let me be more creative than I would otherwise be if I was just writing the story on my computer).
I'm hoping it works.
So...for right now, I'm not going to post how many words I've written, because I don't know yet.
ETA: I started a new Chapter 1, which takes place a little earlier than my current Chapter 1. Not sure how much of the current Chapter 1 will stay, but I'll cross that bridge tomorrow.
Words written: 1,239
Total words written: 8,396
Chapter written: Worked on a new chapter one. Edited a bit out of current chapter 2.
Here's the thing. So much writing advice revolves around the idea of not going back and fixing. Just moving forward. Ignoring what was wrong in the previous chapter, telling yourself you'll figure it out later, when you're done with the whole book. Right now, your job is to keep moving forward.
But what if you can't? What if the thing that you wrote wrong is going to color every other thing that you write? At least, you think it will.
Do you go back then?
I think it depends. In the past, I've kept writing. In the past, I've finished books that I hated, absolutely hated, and consequently threw them away and started something new. In the past, I wrote, but I never really got anywhere.
So, for this book, I'm going to try to fix it. I have sat down and brainstormed in my notebook about how to fix the wrong thing. I've talked to my crit partner. I've looked at the beginnings of my favorite books to see what they do. To see how and where and why they start a book. I made a game plan.
(Speaking of my notebook, that's another new part of my process. I'm going to try to brainstorm every chapter out before I sit down to write it, in the hopes that it will prevent me from getting stuck. Also, the fact that it's hand-written and completely temporary will hopefully let me be more creative than I would otherwise be if I was just writing the story on my computer).
I'm hoping it works.
So...for right now, I'm not going to post how many words I've written, because I don't know yet.
ETA: I started a new Chapter 1, which takes place a little earlier than my current Chapter 1. Not sure how much of the current Chapter 1 will stay, but I'll cross that bridge tomorrow.
Words written: 1,239
Total words written: 8,396
Chapter written: Worked on a new chapter one. Edited a bit out of current chapter 2.
Thursday 19 February 2015
Day 6: A Short Post
Just a short post tonight, because it's late and I spent my extra time working on Chapter 2 rather than thinking about this blog.
Tomorrow I plan to write a post about how I prepare for a chapter. It's a new process. As in, I started it tonight. And so far, at least as far as I can tell with this writing session, I really like it. Because I thought I'd barely be able to get a couple hundred words done tonight and instead I got over a thousand written in less time than I planned. I actually had to force myself to stop so that I could go to bed.
Words written: 1,154
Total words written: 7,159
Chapter written: Still on Chapter 2 (but almost to the end, I hope!)
Tomorrow I plan to write a post about how I prepare for a chapter. It's a new process. As in, I started it tonight. And so far, at least as far as I can tell with this writing session, I really like it. Because I thought I'd barely be able to get a couple hundred words done tonight and instead I got over a thousand written in less time than I planned. I actually had to force myself to stop so that I could go to bed.
Words written: 1,154
Total words written: 7,159
Chapter written: Still on Chapter 2 (but almost to the end, I hope!)
Wednesday 18 February 2015
Day 5: Forcing Yourself to Write Even When You Don't Want To (with tiny goals)
I actually had to double-check that today was Day 5 of writing. I very nearly didn't write today, because it's late and I have to be up early to try to catch one of the shuttles into work tomorrow. And also because I felt really distant from the book all day today, like I don't know the characters or the world or any of it yet. Whenever I thought about it today, I couldn't picture it. In fact, I'm still having a little trouble picturing it. I wonder if that's what happens when you spend so much time working on the same chapter day after day (even if it's only been a couple of days). If you start to lose sight of the bigger picture of the whole book. (Or if that's what happens when you spend the entire day watching Friends instead of brainstorming.)
But I knew that if I didn't write, I'd feel guilty. So I sat down, promising myself that I only had to write 400 words and then I could go to bed and read someone else's book. But instead, I actually got over 700 words done! So not awesome, but much better than I thought I'd do.
Words written: 727
Total words written: 6,005
Chapter written: Worked on Chapter 2
But I knew that if I didn't write, I'd feel guilty. So I sat down, promising myself that I only had to write 400 words and then I could go to bed and read someone else's book. But instead, I actually got over 700 words done! So not awesome, but much better than I thought I'd do.
Words written: 727
Total words written: 6,005
Chapter written: Worked on Chapter 2
Tuesday 17 February 2015
Day 4: How I Write, How Should I Write?
Sometimes when I'm writing or thinking about writing, I start wondering if I'm writing the right way. Like, should I be paying more attention to the way I write sentences? Should I put more thought into who is saying what, when? How much of my focus should be on setting or description or who's hands are where?
I guess what I'm mostly wondering is...How much is okay to save for revisions?
When I'm writing a first draft, I tend not to think about how pretty my words are. I don't usually ask myself if my sentences make complete sense. Goodness knows, I have no idea what is going on in the corner of the room or whether my characters care. Mostly what I'm doing is writing dialogue between my characters, as I try to figure out what it is that they like or what sets them off. I'm writing interior monologue to figure out what it is that my MC is really thinking, what she really wants, what she doesn't want.
But sentence-wise? I'm not even thinking on that level. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I honestly don't know.
Every bit of advice I've ever read about writing is Just Write. Do it. Sit down, pick up a pen or a pencil or a computer and just write. Put one word down, then another, then another. Don't delete them. Don't try to fix them now. Just write them down.
But then I find myself thinking, is that really the best way to write a book? Because when I'm done, what will I be left with? 75,000 words. But will they be good words? Will they be words I want to keep? How will I even know I want to keep them? Will my chapters even be chapters? Will my scenes even look like scenes? I know everyone says that you can fix this sort of thing in revisions, but shouldn't I be thinking about it now, while I'm writing the scenes, and try to make those scenes a little bit better now, so that the revisions won't be as bad? Or will that be like allowing my inner editor out into the wild where she can create all that awful doubt and fear and keep me from writing altogether?
Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe the most important thing really is to just keep writing. And figure out the chapter, scene, sentence, word thing out later. Who knows.
But for now, that's the way I write and it's the way I know how to write, so I suppose I'll keep doing it and hope it gets me to the end.
Words written: 961
Total words written: 5,278
Chapter written: Working on Chapter 2
I guess what I'm mostly wondering is...How much is okay to save for revisions?
When I'm writing a first draft, I tend not to think about how pretty my words are. I don't usually ask myself if my sentences make complete sense. Goodness knows, I have no idea what is going on in the corner of the room or whether my characters care. Mostly what I'm doing is writing dialogue between my characters, as I try to figure out what it is that they like or what sets them off. I'm writing interior monologue to figure out what it is that my MC is really thinking, what she really wants, what she doesn't want.
But sentence-wise? I'm not even thinking on that level. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I honestly don't know.
Every bit of advice I've ever read about writing is Just Write. Do it. Sit down, pick up a pen or a pencil or a computer and just write. Put one word down, then another, then another. Don't delete them. Don't try to fix them now. Just write them down.
But then I find myself thinking, is that really the best way to write a book? Because when I'm done, what will I be left with? 75,000 words. But will they be good words? Will they be words I want to keep? How will I even know I want to keep them? Will my chapters even be chapters? Will my scenes even look like scenes? I know everyone says that you can fix this sort of thing in revisions, but shouldn't I be thinking about it now, while I'm writing the scenes, and try to make those scenes a little bit better now, so that the revisions won't be as bad? Or will that be like allowing my inner editor out into the wild where she can create all that awful doubt and fear and keep me from writing altogether?
Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe the most important thing really is to just keep writing. And figure out the chapter, scene, sentence, word thing out later. Who knows.
But for now, that's the way I write and it's the way I know how to write, so I suppose I'll keep doing it and hope it gets me to the end.
Words written: 961
Total words written: 5,278
Chapter written: Working on Chapter 2
Monday 16 February 2015
Day 3: Writing in Manageable Chunks of Time
I'm currently dealing with the Blizzards of 2015 (yes blizzards) and there is about seven feet of snow outside, so you would think I would be doing loads and loads of writing on this book. Especially since the trains are down and I can't really go anywhere. Not to work or the grocery store or even the bookstore.
I wish you were right.
That isn't to say I didn't write. I did. 794 words tonight, which means Chapter 2 has officially been started. But I also spent the day baking, making a virtual closet, painting a picture of sunflowers (badly), sewing a pillow, and cooking more food.
I wish I was one of those writers that could spend the whole entire day writing. That could see three or six or eight hours of open time and think, Yes, that's my writing time. I mean, I love to write, but I need it to be in small, manageable chunks. At least, right now I do while I'm still at the beginning. Maybe as I keep going that will change.
But little by little it goes. It's only been three days, so I'm still in the I'm-not-sure-if-this-is-working phase. It still feels new and totally scary and not at all solid. I'm hoping it will start to feel more real as I keep going.
Word written: 794
Total words written: 4317
I wish you were right.
That isn't to say I didn't write. I did. 794 words tonight, which means Chapter 2 has officially been started. But I also spent the day baking, making a virtual closet, painting a picture of sunflowers (badly), sewing a pillow, and cooking more food.
I wish I was one of those writers that could spend the whole entire day writing. That could see three or six or eight hours of open time and think, Yes, that's my writing time. I mean, I love to write, but I need it to be in small, manageable chunks. At least, right now I do while I'm still at the beginning. Maybe as I keep going that will change.
But little by little it goes. It's only been three days, so I'm still in the I'm-not-sure-if-this-is-working phase. It still feels new and totally scary and not at all solid. I'm hoping it will start to feel more real as I keep going.
Word written: 794
Total words written: 4317
Sunday 15 February 2015
Day 2 of Writing
So, I decided to start this blog after I'd already started writing my book, but luckily, I've only been writing for two days so there isn't much to report. In those two days I've started and finished the first chapter.
Honestly, it was difficult to start the first chapter. I always find the beginning of things hard. One of my friends once said that things always become more complicated once they start existing, and I think that's so true. Because while a book lives in your head, it is yours and no one else's, and there is so much possibility. But once you begin to write it down, suddenly there's the opportunity to fail and the inner editor comes alive and there's doubt everywhere.
But there's no possibility of following your dream if you never start it. Which means writing. Taking all that brainstorming you've done and figuring out how to turn it into a story.
Day 1: 2100 words
Day 2: 1423 words
Total words written: 3523
Honestly, it was difficult to start the first chapter. I always find the beginning of things hard. One of my friends once said that things always become more complicated once they start existing, and I think that's so true. Because while a book lives in your head, it is yours and no one else's, and there is so much possibility. But once you begin to write it down, suddenly there's the opportunity to fail and the inner editor comes alive and there's doubt everywhere.
But there's no possibility of following your dream if you never start it. Which means writing. Taking all that brainstorming you've done and figuring out how to turn it into a story.
Day 1: 2100 words
Day 2: 1423 words
Total words written: 3523
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