I read somewhere that J.K. Rowling rewrote the first chapter of her first book 15 times before she felt like it was right.
That simultaneously made me feel better and also cry.
Last week I had to make the call to leave chapter one behind and jump to the next stage of the story, otherwise I feared I might park there for all eternity. There's so much riding on that first chapter, though, it's so hard to set it down until it's perfect.
And it's far from perfect. Right now I think it just gives too much away too soon.
A little peek inside my life - All growing up whenever we would watch movies as a family, we'd be 20 minutes in and my mom would have the plot completely figured out. She wouldn't say anything, but we could all tell by the look on her face. Granted, it never seemed to take any joy from her - never being surprised, but I think of that as I write. Because ultimately, I want the reader to be farther in than chapter one before they start grinning like a fool for having figured out everything that comes after. Including what happens in each sequel.
I also read somewhere that to get a good 100,000 word book you really need to write 200,000 words. Then cut like crazy. Trim it, put the trimming through a woodchipper, and sprinkle a little of the waste in as backstory. The rest will just live in a pile of broken pieces in the darker corners of my brain.
Which made me...
That simultaneously made me feel better and also cry.
Last week I had to make the call to leave chapter one behind and jump to the next stage of the story, otherwise I feared I might park there for all eternity. There's so much riding on that first chapter, though, it's so hard to set it down until it's perfect.
And it's far from perfect. Right now I think it just gives too much away too soon.
A little peek inside my life - All growing up whenever we would watch movies as a family, we'd be 20 minutes in and my mom would have the plot completely figured out. She wouldn't say anything, but we could all tell by the look on her face. Granted, it never seemed to take any joy from her - never being surprised, but I think of that as I write. Because ultimately, I want the reader to be farther in than chapter one before they start grinning like a fool for having figured out everything that comes after. Including what happens in each sequel.
I also read somewhere that to get a good 100,000 word book you really need to write 200,000 words. Then cut like crazy. Trim it, put the trimming through a woodchipper, and sprinkle a little of the waste in as backstory. The rest will just live in a pile of broken pieces in the darker corners of my brain.
Which made me...
Anyway, I am marching on, soldiering through and all that. It's on to see about the rest of the book, eventually circling back around to that all important first chapter.
But first I need to get off the floor and get the mop...
But first I need to get off the floor and get the mop...