So, i've read (and been told) that if you can visualise something you can make it happen. As long as you can see yourself working those steps towards whatever your goal is, anything is possible, right?
With this in mind-- I've decided to train to run a 5k. Yes, I am blogging this to the world, so I have to actually do it. Slightly terrifying. I haven't yet booked a race to run-- that's a bit too scary and ambitious for me, but I have actually printed off a training schedule and set a date to get my feet out on the street-- tomorrow. To be honest, the training doesn't look as scary as I had originally envisioned. It's only three days of actual running, two days of exercise and two rest days. Looking at the training that way, its not only doable, but it seems well, a bit crazy I haven't attempted this yet. You know, besides the fact that I don't really like running. But, as much as I 'don't like running' I've found that the more I do actually run the more I enjoy it. Weird, huh?
And this got me to thinking about my goals for 2010-- and why I've hit such a slump.
I've blogged about being unaccomplished this year and floundering, but I never quite put my finger on why and now I think i know why. I've just lost focus. I'm trying to do so many things (and do them well) that I'm just scattered all over the place. So this week, I'm going to try something else. I'm going to try to set my writing goals out onto a schedule just like the 5k training spreadsheet. Will this be just another procrastination tool? I suspect that might be the case-- but I am awake early on a Monday morning writing this blog post-- one of my many goals for the week-- so that's some modicum of success already, right?
So, today's first goal is accomplished. That's something (and done before work). My second goal for today rests on me being able to finish the scene that refuses to be written. Let's hope I'm that successful.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
My Three Rules of Editing
I just got comments for my first book back from my two readers. I have to say, first, that I am extremely lucky to have two such talented and insightful people willing to look through the whole manuscript and give detailed comments. So: thanks, guys.
My first draft of my first book was a train wreck. I’ve already noticed a lot of problems I’m having in the first book—mainly due to poor planning—that already aren’t happening in the next one, which is about halfway done. The first book will likely need a lot more work than the second. I want it to be ready for agents by December, but if this turns out to be a problem child—and the second book is ready much sooner—I will live with it.
So here are my three rules for this round of edits. Rules I intend to live by.
No cut and paste. A character’s eyes are green in one scene, brown in the next. People are sitting in one paragraph, then standing in another, then sitting in the next. Random scene consistency issues are a problem—most memorably, a big scene where the heroine appears to be in her underwear. She’s not; I just forgot to mention she got dressed after the last scene in her bedroom. Oops!
The big reason for this is that I wrote several drafts of this book, more or less concurrently. Then I went through and consolidated the best bits of each. But I never noticed the continuity problems—largely because I was too close to the material. First rule for editing: No cut and paste.
Use it or lose it. I have a lot of characters in my book that seem like big news—as one of my readers commented—only to fade into the background early. They need to have clear motivations and a role to play throughout the book. Other objects, supernatural or otherwise, need to be put to good use or thrown out. Second rule for editing: Use it or lose it.
Define the world. If I defined how my world works more clearly—what rules I’m operating under for vampires, magic, ghosts, ESP and other things—I would have a much easier time explaining the weird things that happen. The world has to make sense, even if it’s supernatural. Before I write the outline, I’ll sit down and plot out my rules of engagement for this world.
There are plenty of other problems too—notably, my main character gets overshadowed a lot by her friends and enemies. But I already have some ideas for how to make her stronger. Hopefully the next draft will be much stronger and more consistent—and easier to edit.
My first draft of my first book was a train wreck. I’ve already noticed a lot of problems I’m having in the first book—mainly due to poor planning—that already aren’t happening in the next one, which is about halfway done. The first book will likely need a lot more work than the second. I want it to be ready for agents by December, but if this turns out to be a problem child—and the second book is ready much sooner—I will live with it.
So here are my three rules for this round of edits. Rules I intend to live by.
No cut and paste. A character’s eyes are green in one scene, brown in the next. People are sitting in one paragraph, then standing in another, then sitting in the next. Random scene consistency issues are a problem—most memorably, a big scene where the heroine appears to be in her underwear. She’s not; I just forgot to mention she got dressed after the last scene in her bedroom. Oops!
The big reason for this is that I wrote several drafts of this book, more or less concurrently. Then I went through and consolidated the best bits of each. But I never noticed the continuity problems—largely because I was too close to the material. First rule for editing: No cut and paste.
Use it or lose it. I have a lot of characters in my book that seem like big news—as one of my readers commented—only to fade into the background early. They need to have clear motivations and a role to play throughout the book. Other objects, supernatural or otherwise, need to be put to good use or thrown out. Second rule for editing: Use it or lose it.
Define the world. If I defined how my world works more clearly—what rules I’m operating under for vampires, magic, ghosts, ESP and other things—I would have a much easier time explaining the weird things that happen. The world has to make sense, even if it’s supernatural. Before I write the outline, I’ll sit down and plot out my rules of engagement for this world.
There are plenty of other problems too—notably, my main character gets overshadowed a lot by her friends and enemies. But I already have some ideas for how to make her stronger. Hopefully the next draft will be much stronger and more consistent—and easier to edit.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Can You Revise Too Soon?
I’ve been departing from my method of novel-writing lately. With my second novel, I’ve been editing the first half—even though there’s a whole second half just waiting to be written. This is completely against the method I used to finish the first book, which included powering through a messy first draft with no time to edit. The question is: am I focusing my efforts wisely? Or am I stalling myself?
The thing is, the two books are in totally different places. For the first book, I had written three different versions over three years, all of which I scrapped and started again after about 100 words or so. I was totally shaky on my feet. And when I finally, after years of delete-rewrite lunacy, I settled on ONE draft, I was mired in doubt. The only way to move forward, for me, was to completely forget about doubt, accept that this draft wasn’t perfect and never would be, and keep going anyway. I had only one rule: The delete key was entirely off limits.
This second book is different. While it’s not perfect, I pretty much have the plot established in my head—at least the first half. What I’m doing is refining it, not deleting and completely starting over again. I know I won’t achieve perfection. But I do see some problems that I’m thinking if I fix now, I’ll have less work to do on later drafts. So I’m revising—despite my instincts, which say I should just power through. I’m ignoring those this time—in the hope that I’ve learned enough to be able to revise safely and without derailing my entire process, even in the first-draft stage.
Hopefully things will go well. I’m toying with the idea of finishing the entire first half by this weekend. Not sure if I can make it, but….it’s worth a try.
The thing is, the two books are in totally different places. For the first book, I had written three different versions over three years, all of which I scrapped and started again after about 100 words or so. I was totally shaky on my feet. And when I finally, after years of delete-rewrite lunacy, I settled on ONE draft, I was mired in doubt. The only way to move forward, for me, was to completely forget about doubt, accept that this draft wasn’t perfect and never would be, and keep going anyway. I had only one rule: The delete key was entirely off limits.
This second book is different. While it’s not perfect, I pretty much have the plot established in my head—at least the first half. What I’m doing is refining it, not deleting and completely starting over again. I know I won’t achieve perfection. But I do see some problems that I’m thinking if I fix now, I’ll have less work to do on later drafts. So I’m revising—despite my instincts, which say I should just power through. I’m ignoring those this time—in the hope that I’ve learned enough to be able to revise safely and without derailing my entire process, even in the first-draft stage.
Hopefully things will go well. I’m toying with the idea of finishing the entire first half by this weekend. Not sure if I can make it, but….it’s worth a try.
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