I am finding more and more that my first draft was something of a framework, or skeleton for the story I want to tell. I feel a bit like a scientist who discovers that they reassemble an excavated skeleton incorrectly. Like the back legs are on backwards and the wings are actually forelegs, etc. I am simultaneously moving the bones to the right places and adding flesh to create a more realistic monster. At the end of the day I am sweaty and covered in fake monster flesh sitting atop a pile of fake monster flesh and bones that had to be removed and can't be reapplied. Not yet anyway. And right now I have a one legged monster skeleton teetering in the middle of my office. Gross.
It's exhausting. Way more tiring than pounding out the first draft.
This surprises me. I guess I just thought that this part would be easier. That the pace would improve. I have added almost 7,000 words to my story, which is a good thing. The bad thing is that I think I've decided to cut the first six scenes, which leaves me a net 4,200 words added. The excitement of the story really starts in scene 7 and the rest can be sprinkled about as backstory. So, that's a bit depressing. But I guess that's what editing is for. Dadgumit I am simultaneously excited for and beat down by this book! Is that even possible? Is there a name for that feeling?
Oh, yeah. It's called BEING A WRITER. Or so I am learning.
All in all, the first draft is a mess, and the second is getting better. I understand my characters better, for sure. Which is something.
But somedays it's easier to sit and play Farmville (does anyone even play that anymore? No? Just me? Okay, well...) than it is to open Scrivener and start working.
And in case you, like me, are in need of motivation - read this - courtesy of everyone's favorite motivational speaker, Chuck Wendig*. Favorite line:
It's exhausting. Way more tiring than pounding out the first draft.
This surprises me. I guess I just thought that this part would be easier. That the pace would improve. I have added almost 7,000 words to my story, which is a good thing. The bad thing is that I think I've decided to cut the first six scenes, which leaves me a net 4,200 words added. The excitement of the story really starts in scene 7 and the rest can be sprinkled about as backstory. So, that's a bit depressing. But I guess that's what editing is for. Dadgumit I am simultaneously excited for and beat down by this book! Is that even possible? Is there a name for that feeling?
Oh, yeah. It's called BEING A WRITER. Or so I am learning.
All in all, the first draft is a mess, and the second is getting better. I understand my characters better, for sure. Which is something.
But somedays it's easier to sit and play Farmville (does anyone even play that anymore? No? Just me? Okay, well...) than it is to open Scrivener and start working.
And in case you, like me, are in need of motivation - read this - courtesy of everyone's favorite motivational speaker, Chuck Wendig*. Favorite line:
I mean SWEET HOT HELL, human history is in part the history of humanity making up letters and words and punctuation for you to use and if you willfully choose not to use them then you have just SQUANDERED THE EFFORTS OF ALL OF HUMANITY and that’s just rude is what it is.
Off to write, because I would hate to be RUDE.
*If you've never before stumbled across Chuck Wendig be forewarned - he uses the most fabulous creative profanity. Is this a trigger warning? It feels like a trigger warning. Oh, well. YMMV.
*If you've never before stumbled across Chuck Wendig be forewarned - he uses the most fabulous creative profanity. Is this a trigger warning? It feels like a trigger warning. Oh, well. YMMV.