After two months of metaphorically bashing my head against the wall (because, otherwise, that would hurt), I have finally found my groove in draft two of CR.
Right now, it feels like the possibilities are endless. I could do anything in this book (you know, within the realms of proper characterisation and plausibility). Things are sliding into place and scenes are moving together and neatly tying in with later ones. Above all, I'm finally beginning to see that this draft is a vast improvement on the first one (thankfully, or I would be in very big trouble right about now). I have no idea how long this writing good mood is going to last, but I'm going to follow it until I crash into the next mental wall.
Wednesday 23 April 2008
Wednesday 16 April 2008
*peeks in*
Nothing much to report.
- Still working on the second draft. of CR.
- Have started making tentative notes for Book 2.
- Am making a slow dent in one of my tottering to-read piles.
*waves hand* Carry on, don't mind me.
- Still working on the second draft. of CR.
- Have started making tentative notes for Book 2.
- Am making a slow dent in one of my tottering to-read piles.
*waves hand* Carry on, don't mind me.
Wednesday 19 March 2008
Monday 18 February 2008
Breaking silence...
So, it's been a while!
A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all since I was last here. Nothing much has happened since my last post, except that the rewrites to CHASING RABBITS have finally begun, after leaving it sit for three months. It's slow going - I ended up trashing around 80% of the first draft, so the second draft is a series of slow, trembling steps as everything unfolds - but I'm very excited, and I think I've finally found my footing in the book.
The last major research I need is to retrieve all of my Victorian history books from my father's house, mostly for the little niggling details that I glossed over in the first draft so I could keep on going. Everything that needs to be changed or clarified is being noted as I go. This odd rewriting draft stage is where I do most of my major work. The first draft is the easy one for me to write; the second where I do most of my tapping and shaping, so I spend a lot of time rereading what I've written the day before and do some very obvious syntax and word changes. Then I read it out loud and do further changes to what doesn't sound right. It's very slow going - a finished chapter can take up to a week when things are going bad, but it means my second draft is 95% finished, before I do a quick third edit and send it to readers for opinions.
It's very odd that for this second draft, I do my best work in the mornings and early afternoons; I'm usually too tired in the evenings for the level of concentration I require for this. Yet in the first draft, I do some of my best work at night. I suppose it's the amount of brain-work the polishing requires, or, more likely, it's to do with my laziness. ;) Still, it's interesting to think about.
Signing off now.
A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all since I was last here. Nothing much has happened since my last post, except that the rewrites to CHASING RABBITS have finally begun, after leaving it sit for three months. It's slow going - I ended up trashing around 80% of the first draft, so the second draft is a series of slow, trembling steps as everything unfolds - but I'm very excited, and I think I've finally found my footing in the book.
The last major research I need is to retrieve all of my Victorian history books from my father's house, mostly for the little niggling details that I glossed over in the first draft so I could keep on going. Everything that needs to be changed or clarified is being noted as I go. This odd rewriting draft stage is where I do most of my major work. The first draft is the easy one for me to write; the second where I do most of my tapping and shaping, so I spend a lot of time rereading what I've written the day before and do some very obvious syntax and word changes. Then I read it out loud and do further changes to what doesn't sound right. It's very slow going - a finished chapter can take up to a week when things are going bad, but it means my second draft is 95% finished, before I do a quick third edit and send it to readers for opinions.
It's very odd that for this second draft, I do my best work in the mornings and early afternoons; I'm usually too tired in the evenings for the level of concentration I require for this. Yet in the first draft, I do some of my best work at night. I suppose it's the amount of brain-work the polishing requires, or, more likely, it's to do with my laziness. ;) Still, it's interesting to think about.
Signing off now.
Thursday 1 November 2007
Whoo hoo!
So I've spent the last few days staring at a brief outline of the end of the book. Most of my time has been spent drumming my fingers and trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with the ending - something just didn't sit right.
And then I browsed through the Tragic Villains post in absolutewrite and I suddenly figured it out: my antagonist's motivations were shallow, at best. I knew there was something under the surface; there had been enough hints scattered through, and I was so close to figuring it out. So I made a cup of tea and thought about it for a while, and then it all just popped into my head.
It's going to mean even more rewriting than what's already on my plate, but it's also going to flesh out my antagonist, which is always a good thing.
I also have three days off in a row next weeks, so I'm hoping to have a good lot of the rewriting done by the end of that time off. Whoo!
And then I browsed through the Tragic Villains post in absolutewrite and I suddenly figured it out: my antagonist's motivations were shallow, at best. I knew there was something under the surface; there had been enough hints scattered through, and I was so close to figuring it out. So I made a cup of tea and thought about it for a while, and then it all just popped into my head.
It's going to mean even more rewriting than what's already on my plate, but it's also going to flesh out my antagonist, which is always a good thing.
I also have three days off in a row next weeks, so I'm hoping to have a good lot of the rewriting done by the end of that time off. Whoo!
Saturday 27 October 2007
Insanity!
I can't really be getting excited about rewriting my book, can I?
It's official: I'm a freak of nature! Well, a writing freak of nature, at least.
It's official: I'm a freak of nature! Well, a writing freak of nature, at least.
Wednesday 10 October 2007
Sub 01.1: result
Rejection. A nicer one than usual, though. I am somewhat heartened, though disappointed. I think I know what's missing from Sub 02, however, which is promising, and I have a new idea brewing.
I'll write a little more of the book, and then stop for the night. Important decision for the night: watch a cheesy film or finish Naomi Novik's fantastic Empire of Ivory?
I'll write a little more of the book, and then stop for the night. Important decision for the night: watch a cheesy film or finish Naomi Novik's fantastic Empire of Ivory?
