I have just taken a deep breath and severed all of chapter seven’s major arteries. I might scream tomorrow, but tonight it is looking good. I decided the whole thing was too ‘tell’, no ‘show’, and to make it more ‘show’ I had to completely change it and throw a spanner in the works. This means writing a whole new chunk – hoorah! New words to play with!
Technically, the new stuff is already there but in a dialogue format. So what I am going to do is to rewrite it as a scene instead and put the reader in the action, rather than finding out about it two steps removed, so to speak. This is going to be fun – the scene is in 1941, so bam – straight in the heart of everything that is happening. Get in!
The only problem is that I don’t dislike what I had already written for chapter seven. Some of it actually makes me chuckle (does anyone else chuckle at their own writing?). It has some important points in it. It has some nice twists and turns. So then I guess it depends whether it fits in elsewhere, or I copy and paste it into a new document, save it, and then conveniently forget about it. Or, if deemed important enough, it turns into chapter eight, and everything else shuffles on a gear.
Gosh I hope I am not going to do this with every flipping chapter! Also I read something on another blog, along the lines of top ten major mistakes a novice writer can make – and one was whinging and complaining about how hard writing is on a blog. This made me gulp a bit, and wonder if I should only post here when I am feeling sunny and as light as a feather. But then that’s not exactly true to life, is it? I should imagine everyone feels insecure on their first novel, by the second (and with a book deal) you might feel a little more gung-ho about the whole thing. But think of it from an employer’s point of view – would you employ someone who worries constantly that they are no good and doubts their work? As technically an agent or publisher would be your employer, not just Important Magic Folk From Afar. The problem is I tend to post more when I need reassurance, when I need to see my words in a published medium (if just a blog), when I need a boost. I’ll just have to try and temper this with posting when I am feeling *positive and happy with my writing as well.
*This is when I disappear until October!
7 comments:
Oh, interesting post. I would rather look it as sharing your writing experience with other aspiring writers or those who are interested. We all go through the same pain and pleasure and blogging is a great place to share, motivate and inspire. It's a strange business this writing life. I think if you complain about publishers and editors, blogging is probably not the place to do it. :)
Yes, I agree. I do wonder about some blogs I stumble across that publically slate agents or publishers, to me that doesn't seem very professional, or that promising for the future! ;)
I like sharing my thoughts about writing - good or bad - as I enjoy the progression that's been made. I think the story of writing it - the beginning to the end (I live in hope!), is just as interesting in its own way as the novel! I am always fascinated about how other people write, where they write, what they write about... endless source of interest. And I like the new colours on your blog by the way - very nice!
Oh, thanks Jane. I'm not sure if they're the right colours so I may change them in the near future.
I think, yes, the story of writing your story is very fascinating with many insights.
I whinge about how hard writing is all the time! And I like reading about other people's experiences. :)
I regularly whinge on my blog about how hard it is to edit the damn thing once it's written. I flipping well enjoy a good whinge, too!
When others say the same thing I know I'm not alone... so PLEASE don't only write when you're feeling perky and shiny and having good days!
As far as an agent/publisher seeing someone who is insecure, I like to think of it (wrongly, perhaps, but I'm the eternal optimist) as them seeing someone who is conscientious and who strives to get things right.
:0)
Hi Cat! Hee - that gives me hope! And I do love reading how other people come to write their stories - it's encouraging, inspiring, fascinating, and keeps me sitting here tap-tap-tapping away. :)
Hello Kit! That agent/publisher thing threw me a little when I read it, but yes I would like to think they would prefer to have someone on their list who cares about making a story as good as it gets. And that is what we all are doing - so let's carry on the good work! There's definitely something to be said for a good whinge now and again. Clears the cobwebs! :)
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