Wow, we're here three months since last I blogged over here. So what's up? I've made a lot of progress with Traitors & Tyrants. My strategy with this draft has been to focus on Rachel's and Hector's stories separately. I basically rewrote all of Rachel's POV, which was far more labor intensive than I anticipated. All in all, things are looking up. I finished rewriting Rachel's POV a few weeks ago and started on Hector's.
Hector's POV hasn't changed as much with this round of edits but he's always been a lot easier to figure out. However, there are some changes that were definitely unanticipated. They accomplished things that I've wanted since I started planning T&T - way before I even started writing it.
Editing hasn't been all fun and butterflies though. Lately, it's been difficult to muster much of a desire to finish revising draft three. I am almost halfway through editing Hector's POV though, which is exciting in and of itself. Due to my lack of motivation though, I've been experiencing a bit of T&T fatigue. I'm ready to finish this draft and work on something completely different. I haven't let anyone read T&T yet and am looking forward to finally handing it over to my two awesome critique partners.
Just as a breather, I have written a few scenes for my next project, which happens to be a story that I've wanted to read myself for a while now, for many years actually and I can never seem to find a novel that presents this type of story the way I'd like. I won't say much more about it except it centers around a princess and forbidden love: my favorite type of romance.
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Friday, February 6, 2015
So It Has Begun: Traitors & Tyrants Draft #3
It's been quite a while since I've blogged over here. I've been pretty busy working (I changed jobs), going to school, blogging at Chasm of Books, and writing.
I've made quite a bit of progress in the past five months. I read all of Traitors & Tyrants' first draft and decided that I needed to rewrite the entire thing. I was opposed to this thought at first but I came around to it. All I can say is that I am so glad I did. Neither draft is perfect, however each has something very important.
Draft one has the entire series plot and some important world building in it. However, draft one's plot was unfocused. Draft two lacks world building and detail but the plot is there. You have to understand that when I write I tend to write the main points of a story and bypass a lot of detail and setting description. These are important things though, since this description enables a story to envelop a reader. As you can probably guess, things tend to be very fast paced. Too fast. It's one thing after another. Rushed.
My main goal for draft three is to insert details, world building, and pacing. I think these are definitely the major things. I'll be keeping an eye on Hector's personality as well as Rachel's to make sure they're consistent and distinct. If I had to choose, I'd say Rachel is definitely going to undergo the most character development in this round of revisions.
I tried to interview Rachel before I ever wrote the first draft, but she was uncooperative; however, I'm pleased to say that she decided to cooperate this week and I've learned some really important things about her and how she feels about events (now I'll be able to add a realistic emotional punch to things).
I've started revisions for draft #3 this week and am enjoying the process a lot. It's really interesting to see the story transform into something I'd actually be willing to share.
I've made quite a bit of progress in the past five months. I read all of Traitors & Tyrants' first draft and decided that I needed to rewrite the entire thing. I was opposed to this thought at first but I came around to it. All I can say is that I am so glad I did. Neither draft is perfect, however each has something very important.
Draft one has the entire series plot and some important world building in it. However, draft one's plot was unfocused. Draft two lacks world building and detail but the plot is there. You have to understand that when I write I tend to write the main points of a story and bypass a lot of detail and setting description. These are important things though, since this description enables a story to envelop a reader. As you can probably guess, things tend to be very fast paced. Too fast. It's one thing after another. Rushed.
My main goal for draft three is to insert details, world building, and pacing. I think these are definitely the major things. I'll be keeping an eye on Hector's personality as well as Rachel's to make sure they're consistent and distinct. If I had to choose, I'd say Rachel is definitely going to undergo the most character development in this round of revisions.
I tried to interview Rachel before I ever wrote the first draft, but she was uncooperative; however, I'm pleased to say that she decided to cooperate this week and I've learned some really important things about her and how she feels about events (now I'll be able to add a realistic emotional punch to things).
I've started revisions for draft #3 this week and am enjoying the process a lot. It's really interesting to see the story transform into something I'd actually be willing to share.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Revisions: A Changing Perspective
Untitled Fantasy (AKA Traitors & Tyrants) arrived this week. My instructor provided some feedback, which was mostly really minor and disappointing, and I have their copy now as well as my own. This time though, I have the rest of my lessons and I've already learned some new things.
My first step is to read the manuscript without editing or making notes. How in the world am I supposed to do that? I've been unsuccessful so far, but I'm trying to limit myself at least to just the really big changes. There are some things I have to chew on before they can be discarded or put into action.*
*see post-it note in the picture above
My brain just keeps churning though and focusing is terrible hard. In the past, I would have been horrified at the work that lays before me. I don't know why it's different now, but when I think about all the changes that need to happen and how flawed it is right now, I'm both excited and relieved. Excited because of its potential. Relieved because it can still be changed. What I have here now, doesn't have to be the end of the journey.
There are scenes I've already decided that need to be completely cut and I'm finding it freeing instead of horrifying. Of course, I've had some thoughts that are still hard to accept as very possible solutions and changes. I've grown attached to some things but I'm learning to let go. Just because you have to get rid of one thing or a character thought, doesn't mean you have to say goodbye to them forever. That thought is comforting and liberating.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Writing by Hand
I'll cut the Camp NaNoWriMo report short and say that I didn't get far into finishing Rogue Beings. I'm sure I'll finish it someday but that day has not come yet. For now, I'm focusing on just writing for me and enjoying it.
I've sent Untitled Fantasy in to my instructor-editor and am waiting for their feedback. I was going to edit the first draft before I sent it but I decided not to (and the instructions were to send it as soon as I was done without editing anything). As far as I know, it has arrived at the school but I have no idea when I'm going to get any feedback. It's only been a week or two though so I'm trying not to think about it.
In the mean time, I've been rereading The Two Towers and The Return of the Shadow. For those of you who don't know, the latter is a book on Tolkien's writing process while he was creating The Lord of the Rings. I've read the first and second drafts of the first chapter so far and am amazed at the difference already. It's so interesting watching Tolkien figure out what is going on.
As I've mentioned before, Tolkien is one of my inspirations. I love knowing that much of The Lord of the Rings' creation was sporadic and disorganized. I'm slowly learning to enjoy the writing process. I have a habit of rushing myself and I'm trying not to do that. In my efforts to enjoy the journey, I've started writing by hand. I'm not quite sure what it is that I'm writing but I'm also trying not to think about it too much. My main goal with this project is to let my pen take me where it will.
An entirely different creative door opens when you step away from your computer and go back to pen and paper. When you're typing, the mind has a tendency to take over. It's almost like your hands are instinctively creative and that creativity tends to flow uninterrupted when given a pen. Magic blooms across the page and your mind remember words you don't usually use and phrase things differently.
That's my experience at least...
Sometimes you need a project just for you and this one truly is just that. I'm not ready to figure it all out yet, I just want to continue to write it in scenes and watch the story take form from there. It can be anything it wants and I don't intend to get in the way of that.
I've sent Untitled Fantasy in to my instructor-editor and am waiting for their feedback. I was going to edit the first draft before I sent it but I decided not to (and the instructions were to send it as soon as I was done without editing anything). As far as I know, it has arrived at the school but I have no idea when I'm going to get any feedback. It's only been a week or two though so I'm trying not to think about it.
In the mean time, I've been rereading The Two Towers and The Return of the Shadow. For those of you who don't know, the latter is a book on Tolkien's writing process while he was creating The Lord of the Rings. I've read the first and second drafts of the first chapter so far and am amazed at the difference already. It's so interesting watching Tolkien figure out what is going on.
As I've mentioned before, Tolkien is one of my inspirations. I love knowing that much of The Lord of the Rings' creation was sporadic and disorganized. I'm slowly learning to enjoy the writing process. I have a habit of rushing myself and I'm trying not to do that. In my efforts to enjoy the journey, I've started writing by hand. I'm not quite sure what it is that I'm writing but I'm also trying not to think about it too much. My main goal with this project is to let my pen take me where it will.
An entirely different creative door opens when you step away from your computer and go back to pen and paper. When you're typing, the mind has a tendency to take over. It's almost like your hands are instinctively creative and that creativity tends to flow uninterrupted when given a pen. Magic blooms across the page and your mind remember words you don't usually use and phrase things differently.
That's my experience at least...
Sometimes you need a project just for you and this one truly is just that. I'm not ready to figure it all out yet, I just want to continue to write it in scenes and watch the story take form from there. It can be anything it wants and I don't intend to get in the way of that.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
All I Can Think About
I've finally finished Untitled Fantasy and I'm supposed to be taking a break from it and writing Rogue Beings for Camp NaNoWriMo. The thing is, I keep thinking about Untitled Fantasy and how much I want to give a real name and how much I just want to read and fix it already.
I keep telling myself it's only 20K. I can do that easy. I also tell myself that I need to buy ink and paper so I can print Untitled Fantasy so I can't work on it anyway. This isn't helping me not think about it though. I need to just sit down and write, but now that it comes down to it, I remember the fact that I have to re-acclimate myself to a story that is near its end and entirely different.
I haven't worked on Rogue Beings for... I don't know, a year? That's a long time. And to just plop down 62K into it and write? That's not the easiest thing to do. I have to capture the character's voices, their problems, argh! Why did I not finish this before? It was an awful mistake. *sigh*
While all of this is going on, I remember how many times I wanted to quite on Untitled Fantasy and how glad I am that I kept going. I'm holding onto that knowledge and am pushing myself to just sit down and do this thing with Rogue Beings. I can do this and I will be glad I did.
I keep telling myself it's only 20K. I can do that easy. I also tell myself that I need to buy ink and paper so I can print Untitled Fantasy so I can't work on it anyway. This isn't helping me not think about it though. I need to just sit down and write, but now that it comes down to it, I remember the fact that I have to re-acclimate myself to a story that is near its end and entirely different.
I haven't worked on Rogue Beings for... I don't know, a year? That's a long time. And to just plop down 62K into it and write? That's not the easiest thing to do. I have to capture the character's voices, their problems, argh! Why did I not finish this before? It was an awful mistake. *sigh*
While all of this is going on, I remember how many times I wanted to quite on Untitled Fantasy and how glad I am that I kept going. I'm holding onto that knowledge and am pushing myself to just sit down and do this thing with Rogue Beings. I can do this and I will be glad I did.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
First Draft - Completed
Wow. It's been a long three months. I've been officially composing Untitled Fantasy's first draft since March and had begun brainstorming and character interviews a month or two before then. That means I've been working on it for the past six months (approximately).
And it's finished.
Three months.
I can hardly believe I've finished the first draft. You'd think I'd be excited but, right now, I'm sort of in a state of disbelief. It has finally happened. I came in at 60,010 words. I thought I had finished when I was just 500 words shy but I like even numbers so I went back later. Those last 500 words were some of my favorite to write.
All of today's writing flew by and I wrote the bulk of them (if memory serves) in two hours. I figured the last of it would flow like crazy, but I honestly was surprised at how much they just poured out of me.
Final stats:
And it's finished.
Three months.
I can hardly believe I've finished the first draft. You'd think I'd be excited but, right now, I'm sort of in a state of disbelief. It has finally happened. I came in at 60,010 words. I thought I had finished when I was just 500 words shy but I like even numbers so I went back later. Those last 500 words were some of my favorite to write.
All of today's writing flew by and I wrote the bulk of them (if memory serves) in two hours. I figured the last of it would flow like crazy, but I honestly was surprised at how much they just poured out of me.
Final stats:
Untitled Fantasy
6 Months
60,010 words
The Moment Before the End
As I write, I have Untitled Fantasy open on my desktop, waiting for me to begin typing the last 3,443 words. I worked all day yesterday, so I didn't get my 1,000 words in but I was able to think about the ending some more and figured out a better direction and one I am entirely too excited about.
I wanted to savor this moment before I finished Untitled Fantasy. I have the rest of the day with nothing to do (except renewing library books and vacuuming) therefore, it's my goal to get the last few thousand words in today.
I've been thinking about Untitled Fantasy's chosen ending for quite some time. I honestly didn't have a clue about how it would end until this past week. I keep trying to think about when I started Untitled Fantasy. I began brainstorming and outlining sometime in January I believe and actually started writing in March. (I think... it's hard to remember.).
Before beginning Hector's POV (which I consider to be the draft's real beginning writing wise), I wrote four chapters in Rachel's POV. Those first few thousand words flew by and poured out of me and I knew that this idea was one I wanted to see all the way through to the end.
I also experimented with Hector in that time too. My vision of him has changed since then so his chapter is much different from the rest of the novel and not included. But I kept every one of those chapters because they helped me discover the characters and the novel itself.
Untitled Fantasy may or may not ever see the light of day (I hope it does!) but I will be forever grateful for the experiences it provided me. I still doubt this novel a lot but I keep reminding myself it's a first draft. With that mindset, I'm pretty proud of this draft. I'm sure it'll change a lot during revisions; and I hope it does, because it can be so much better than it is right now.
I wanted to savor this moment before I finished Untitled Fantasy. I have the rest of the day with nothing to do (except renewing library books and vacuuming) therefore, it's my goal to get the last few thousand words in today.
I've been thinking about Untitled Fantasy's chosen ending for quite some time. I honestly didn't have a clue about how it would end until this past week. I keep trying to think about when I started Untitled Fantasy. I began brainstorming and outlining sometime in January I believe and actually started writing in March. (I think... it's hard to remember.).
Before beginning Hector's POV (which I consider to be the draft's real beginning writing wise), I wrote four chapters in Rachel's POV. Those first few thousand words flew by and poured out of me and I knew that this idea was one I wanted to see all the way through to the end.
I also experimented with Hector in that time too. My vision of him has changed since then so his chapter is much different from the rest of the novel and not included. But I kept every one of those chapters because they helped me discover the characters and the novel itself.
Untitled Fantasy may or may not ever see the light of day (I hope it does!) but I will be forever grateful for the experiences it provided me. I still doubt this novel a lot but I keep reminding myself it's a first draft. With that mindset, I'm pretty proud of this draft. I'm sure it'll change a lot during revisions; and I hope it does, because it can be so much better than it is right now.
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