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Nik · 21st November 2007, 09:09 PM

Sometimes, I've woken from a dream with a yell, grabbing for notepad and pen: I cannot claim full 'authorship' for such tales, I just transcribe and edit them.

Once in a Blue Moon, I've had a 'rush' and written well first time through.

Usually, I research and scribble, re-draft and research until I've nailed down all the loose corners. Then I write and revise, revise, write and revise. I'll re-read every time I open the text-file, often edit as much as I add. I'll shift phrases to&fro, try breaking sentences, try different wording, see how it works when I read it as-if aloud, rather than 'Mind'sEye FastForwards'...

And, when I notice something wrong, I'll go back and fix it, again and again and again...

Snag comes when an idea runs away. I had a middle chapter do that. I soon had 30,000 wonderful words that took my protagonists far, far away from my carefully crafted plot, developed them beyond its confines. I had to cut the lot. It was not wasted, it might do as a sequel...

I went back and re-wrote the earlier part of the story to avoid the diversion. Then one day, I glanced through, realised the re-write was a shabby, horrible, self-indulgent mess...

I banged my head on the wall for a fortnight, finally puzzled out a way to salvage the tale. I split the original story in three. I could re-work the first part with an everted scenario, re-use much of my research and a lot of banter. The second part minus my out-take now suited a sequel. The out-take would follow, and cap the arc...

So far, so good...

21st November 2007, 09:09 PM	#4 (permalink)
Nik Speaker to Cats Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: UK: ENGLAND: Posts: 324	Once in a Blue Moon... Sometimes, I've woken from a dream with a yell, grabbing for notepad and pen: I cannot claim full 'authorship' for such tales, I just transcribe and edit them. Once in a Blue Moon, I've had a 'rush' and written well first time through. Usually, I research and scribble, re-draft and research until I've nailed down all the loose corners. Then I write and revise, revise, write and revise. I'll re-read every time I open the text-file, often edit as much as I add. I'll shift phrases to&fro, try breaking sentences, try different wording, see how it works when I read it as-if aloud, rather than 'Mind'sEye FastForwards'... And, when I notice something wrong, I'll go back and fix it, again and again and again... Snag comes when an idea runs away. I had a middle chapter do that. I soon had 30,000 wonderful words that took my protagonists far, far away from my carefully crafted plot, developed them beyond its confines. I had to cut the lot. It was not wasted, it might do as a sequel... I went back and re-wrote the earlier part of the story to avoid the diversion. Then one day, I glanced through, realised the re-write was a shabby, horrible, self-indulgent mess... I banged my head on the wall for a fortnight, finally puzzled out a way to salvage the tale. I split the original story in three. I could re-work the first part with an everted scenario, re-use much of my research and a lot of banter. The second part minus my out-take now suited a sequel. The out-take would follow, and cap the arc... So far, so good...