You’re telling me you don’t know how that story ends? Really?!
Well, what’re you waiting for?
Go figure it out.
Sheesh.
Say What?
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Tag Archives: writing process
Honoring the Periphery
Sometimes a photo is exactly as it seems. 
In this case, an Eurasian Collared-Dove dipping its tail in a heated, slushy bird bath.
Other times, however, photos contain bonus details the viewer might miss. Take a look at this picture: 
If you’re like me, you didn’t immediately notice the safflower seeds falling from the pointed beak of this Northern Flicker.
How about this photo? 
Did you notice the incoming finch in the upper right-hand corner? Or how about the finch suspended in flight in this next one? 
Pretty cool, huh?
I have gazillions of feeder photos taken over the years, and I’m loathe to delete any of them because it seems there’s a surprise hidden in each if I take the time to see what’s there. I’m having a similar experience in my writing life as I work with a fast-drafted manuscript I wrote and put away for four years. I’m creating a bookmap (an analysis/breakdown of each scene) and am tickled by the little gems hidden in the rough of that first draft. Granted, there’s a lot of not-so-good and, of course, the distractions of various plot and character possibilities. But I’m trying hard not to be blinded by the obvious so that I’m open to all possibilities. I want to honor everything: the written, the implied, and the subtle-yet-powerful details dancing on the periphery.
Breaking Bad in Downton Abbey, Yo
I have a long-time habit of coming late to television shows. Recently, I began watching both BREAKING BAD and DOWNTON ABBEY. I can’t imagine two shows more wildly different yet I find them both quite compelling (and sometimes imagine Carson the butler cooking meth in the servants’ quarters).
Me enjoying a violent contemporary program and a feel-good period piece might indicate a split personality, but the truth is, I have about as much admiration and respect for the British aristocracy as meth cookers/dealers; neither would make my birthday party list. However, I’ve grown fond of these characters (although, In the case of DOWNTON ABBEY, I’m much more invested in the servants than the pampered, with the exception of Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess who is a rude delight).
I jumped into DOWNTON ABBEY in season three, and have had no real difficulty easing into the characters’ lives and their story lines. While I wouldn’t want to spend time with any of the aristocracy, it’s not a huge stretch for me to (mostly) root for them or, at least, not wish them any ill will. BREAKING BAD is a whole other premise. I’m watching it from the start (am halfway through season two), and am so glad I went back to the beginning.
The writers do a phenomenal job making me care about those characters. I could easily loathe Walter and Jesse if I hadn’t gotten glimpses of their lives before they broke out the beakers and masks. But not only do I not loathe them, I root for them. As in, last night I caught myself being glad for them as I watched sale after street sale of their crystal meth. Whoa.
At the same time, Walt’s character is becoming less and less sympathetic (and I’m so glad Skyler is giving him a taste of his own attitude!), but there’s no way I’ll stop watching. And from the rave reviews, no one else stopped, either. DOWNTON ABBEY, on the other hand, has pissed off plenty of viewers by killing off the second major character of the season and may well slip in the ratings.
What does it all mean? Hell if I know. I’m just filtering everything through my writerly perspective while pondering how to apply these same can’t-turn-it-off principles to my own storytelling.
How Do You Know When to Let Go?
Cross-posted from From the Mixed-Up Files . . . of Middle-Grade Authors
According to Thomas A. Edison, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
I’m not sure to what Mr. Edison was referring with that statement, but I do know much writer-ly advice disagrees with the sentiment. How many times have we heard that writers should stuff our unsold manuscripts beneath the bed and start something new? Fellow writers, agents, and editors caution against obsessing over one manuscript. They tell us to let go and move on. Give it up, already!
I wholeheartedly agree with that advice in regard to a first manuscript. And maybe even the second. Write those books, learn all you can in the process, test them in the market, and move on. In fact, I’ve pretty much subscribed to the Write Your Next Book approach since I began writing novels. I’d give the manuscript my best shot and then put it away to write another. In fact, I’ve been so concerned with writing the next book I have two drafted novels I haven’t looked at in a couple years; it’s as if I’ve convinced myself whenever I’m not creating brand new work I’m treading literary water.
But I’ve recently realized the Write Your Next Book advice doesn’t always ring true. I wrote and polished a book I love (my fifth) and while writing my next book (a story I was exceedingly excited about, one that’s high concept and has a bigger hook) received editorial input on that fifth book. Conventional wisdom says I should continue with the hook-y work in progress. Exploit the commercial potential and finish that shiny, new book!
Instead, I set it aside and went back to the old. Am I obsessed? Delusional? Clinging to the past? Maybe. But thanks to the editor’s comments I now understand where the story was lacking. I understand why readers weren’t connecting with the main friendship and why they didn’t believe the protagonist’s fear. And because I’ve written a whole bunch more since that fifth book went out, I have faith in my abilities to make the revisions work. I want the story to shine the way it always has in my head and heart. 
So I’m going to offer my advice:
- It Is Okay to Revisit a Manuscript if your love for the story hasn’t wavered.
- It is Okay to Revisit a Manuscript if working on it helps you learn more about the writing process.
- It is Okay to Revisit a Manuscript if the changes you’re making aren’t merely a superficial editing but represent a significant revision.
That's my thinking, but I’d love to hear your take on all this. How do you know whether it’s time to move on or take a step back?
Friday Five: The Round-and-Round Edition
1) As mentioned before, I’ve had to circle back and work on opening chapters some more and have been mostly pleased with my progress.
2) Then yesterday I hit a bump and realized I needed to circle back yet again to tweak a scene so brainstormed characterization and plot issues to prepare myself for today’s work.
3) This afternoon I revised and revised, then printed out the pages and congratulated myself on a job well done.
4) Except when I began jotting notes about a tangential issue on my enormous whiteboard, I started doubting myself regarding the characterization and plot line I’d supposedly just wrestled to the ground.
5) So I went outside and shoveled very heavy snow while talking out loud about all this stuff and came up with this answer: there’s such a thing as over-thinking a story and it would be wise to relax and enjoy the ride.
image from morguefile.com
Wishing everyone a whirly-twirly, fun-filled weekend!
Friday Five: The Round-and-Round Edition
1) As mentioned before, I've had to circle back and work on opening chapters some more
and have been mostly pleased with my progress.
2) Then yesterday I hit a bump and realized I needed to circle back yet again to tweak a scene
so brainstormed characterization and plot issues to prepare myself for today's work.
3) This afternoon I revised and revised, then printed out the pages and congratulated myself on a job
well done.
4) Except when I began jotting notes about a tangential issue on my enormous whiteboard,
I started doubting myself regarding the characterization and plot line I'd supposedly just wrestled to the ground.
5) So I went outside and shoveled very heavy snow while talking out loud about all this
stuff and came up with this answer: there's such a thing as over-thinking a story
and it would be wise to relax and enjoy the ride.
image from morguefile.com
Wishing everyone a whirly-twirly, fun-filled weekend!
Revising in Circles
My awesome new critique partner read the first seven chapters of my book
last week along with chapter summaries of the remainder.
He was the first person to read this new project.
Waiting for his response was flutter-inducing,
and when it came, it was like an AHA! explosion in my head
because he put into words stuff that’d been simmering in the dim regions of my consciousness.
So now I’m reworking the opening of my story – again.
Revising chapters just a week ago I thought were grand while
battling feelings I’m not making any progress
because
I
keep
circling
back
to
the
beginning.
But when I went to morguefile.com and put “circle” into the search,
this is what jumped out at me:
So, hey! It’s cool I’m back at the beginning! (okay, maybe “cool” is a stretch).
However, it IS completely truthful to say this circling back represents
an opportunity to create a stronger core.
Today I am weaving words I hope will sustain those that follow.
Revising in Circles
My awesome new critique partner read the first seven chapters of my book
last week along with chapter summaries of the remainder.
He was the first person to read this new project.
Waiting for his response was flutter-inducing,
and when it came, it was like an AHA! explosion in my head
because he put into words stuff that'd been simmering in the dim regions of my consciousness.
So now I'm reworking the opening of my story – again.
Revising chapters just a week ago I thought were grand while
battling feelings I'm not making any progress
because
I
keep
circling
back
to
the
beginning.
But when I went to morguefile.com and put "circle" into the search,
this is what jumped out at me:
So, hey! It's cool I'm back at the beginning! (okay, maybe "cool" is a stretch).
However, it IS completely truthful to say this circling back represents
an opportunity to create a stronger core.
Today I am weaving words I hope will sustain those that follow.
Everybody Dance Now
Yesterday I printed out the first eleven chapters (about 80 pages)
from the second draft of my middle-grade,
and am quite pleased with how it's coming together.
It's the first book I've written from an outline
and I must say it's a more civilized approach to writing a novel.
Ahem.
Anyway, because this sense of well-being will certainly fade
in the not-so-distant future, I'm documenting my current emotional state.
Please join Batman and me as we do the
Check-Me-Out-I'm-Feeling-Pretty-Damned-Good-Dance!
(And yes, that is red lace. Thanks for noticing.)
Friday Five: The Comes and Goes Edition
1) Yesterday as I revised (again) Chapters One and Two it felt like a losing battle to make this book what I hoped it could be, and I experienced despair
2) but when I read those revisions right before bed, I realized I’d made huge progress and found the tone of the story amidst all that rubble, and I felt rejuvenated.
3) Yesterday morning Wildebeest was crabby and negative as I drove him to school
4) but this morning he was laughing and happy with life and the day ahead.
5) Today I’m grateful for the knowledge that the Good and Not-So-Good come in waves, and that whatever rolls in eventually rolls out only to replaced by something else that just might be Very Good or even Excellent.
image from morguefile.com
I wish everyone, at minimum, a Very Good weekend!
