While coming back from taking my son to school I was thinking of the climax of my story, and part of it didn't add up. Someone was doing (or not doing) something and my justification for it was weak. To fix the problem I needed to go back and re-write an earlier scene, and ended up changing it a lot. I added seven hundred words that weren't there before my walk back from the school run.
I then moved onto the biggest piece of exposition of the entire story. It's a character revelation that needs to happen for the story to reach the climax. That came to 2800 words, and for the first time since I began work on Sibylline Nights I shared what I had written with my husband and then we went back through and edited it to make sure the scene was as impactful as it could be.
I'm really pleased with what we produced.
And I loved working with Hubby on my story.
He's actually going to help me edit the first draft, and I cannot wait.
I just need to get the damn thing finished!!
Tonight I plan on writing the climax, and hopefully I can do it justice. Then it's just the final resolution left. I can't believe I'm so close to the end.
It's been a hell of a ride, and I'm very much looking forwards to the next part of my journey as I begin editing.
Lol, I hate it when it gets to the point where you are almost "chasing" the ending. Hopefully it will all come together soon enough. :)
ReplyDeleteI think it'd probably find it frustrating if I wasn't enjoying it so much! :D
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it will. Even though I'm writing scenes I never planned, I'm still progressing which is good.
My advice. Just do it. That's what revising and editing is for. :) Don't hold back, just dive in.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't let ANYONE disturb you while you're writing that climax scene :)
Good luck!
It's good advice, Kelley. And I'm trying to stick to it, but these new scenes keep appearing!!
ReplyDeleteAnd YES when I reach the climax I'm going to lock myself in the bedrom until it's done!
Thanks for the good luck wishes.
The A-Z Challenge brought me here.
ReplyDeleteSometimes you just have to sit down and write whatever. I hope you got that done. Without too many interruptions from small people.
Blessings and Bear hugs.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting, Rob.
ReplyDeleteI agree, sometimes you just have to embrace whatever you muse is telling you.
And thanks for the encouragement. I plan on locking myself in the bedroom tomororw where no small people can bother me!
My advice (and while I am at it- I need to make force myself to follow my own advice) is to just finish it. You will have plenty of opportunities to make changes and improve weaker scenes during your revisions. Get to the end and then work on polishing it.
ReplyDeleteI am a new follower. Congratulations on getting so close to the end.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting, Melissa. and for the follow, too.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part I am taking your advice, and have only edited one scene.
However at the moment whenever I sit down to write it seems as though a new scene I never planned demands to be written! LOL
I'm getting there slowly, though. :)
Don't worry, you will! Better to notice these things now that when you think you've done the final edit.
ReplyDeleteI really feel you. Bond of Darkness, the snippets you've been reading in the blogfest, was a seven year project since high school before my critique partners finally urged me to trunk it and decide if I wanted to come back. I outlined another idea for a novel length ms, and did a few shorts, but suddenly a new plot idea came to me for BoD. Just like that, I was back in the game. Persist. Writing is clearly a hobby for me, but it doesn't mean I don't want to achieve the dream.
ReplyDeleteAlex - oh yes, of course. I'm glad I've still got time to fix everything.
ReplyDeleteJustin - I agree. You have to stick at it. I've actually had this idea floating around for about five years, but it wasn't until NaNo 2011 that I had the kick to really do something with it.
Oh my gosh! 95K! That's amazing! It's awesome to see the end in sight!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I feel like when I get closer to the end of my novel, I find things out and have to go back and change a lot in the previous books. It's tough! But you know, it'll be worth it! And it's wonderful that you edit as you go...cause I don't and it's bad!
ReplyDeleteOh having to go back to previous books to change things would be annoying. I hope I don't experience that if I write sequels.
ReplyDeleteBut I agree, if it makes the otherall story better it will be completely worth it.
I've only gone back and edited one scene so far. When the story is complete, Hubby and I plan on doing a huge edit.
Thanks Leigh. 95k is a scary and mazing feeling. I can't beleive I've written THAT many words.
ReplyDelete