I have a novel that I've been working on for years and years. I first came up with my characters and wanted to write about them when I was a freshman in high school. I wrote almost two chapters of that over Christmas break. A quite a few drafts and four years later I met my future husband and realised that there was no plot to my story... so I started over. Clean slate. I started logging my characters, making lists of their personality traits, lists about the country they live in or come from, the histories of the countries, everything. That's when I started to fall in love with my story all over again.
Then, this last semester, I took a creative writing class. That messed up everything. I look back over my story and realise how much revision I need to do on all those pages and chapters of writing.
There has to come a point where you realise that if you force yourself to write something, then it's not going to come out that great. I think that is what is happening now with my story. So I decided to start a completely different story. I've had this idea for quite a while, but I really had wanted to finish my first novel before writing it. (I also didn't know where I wanted to take the ideas I had for that story.)
I like taking a break from this story. After working on it for six years and not getting very far, it can be a little depressing. Starting a brand new idea from scratch is relieving, and makes me feel like I can use the things I've learned over the years in new ways.
So that's what I'd suggest if you feel like you're stuck with your writing. Try something completely different. You don't have to go to a different genre, just come up with a few characters in a different world and see where their lives take them...
Friday, December 30, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Revision
Revision is a word that makes every writer cringe. All the new writers tend to think their writing is pure gold, perfect for publishing, but I think the real power in being a writer comes from the humility that comes with revision and drafting.
My main novel has had at least half a dozen different drafts, mostly because as I've matured as a person I've also matured as a writer. Through these consecutive drafts I've gone through different ideas pertaining to landscape, how the different countries are, where the characters are in their lives, their pasts, even their personalities. I've changed one character from being a fugitive in control of her magic to trying to escape an oppressive mother with no idea how powerful she is. Another character went from being unsure and unhappy to knowledgable and overconfident. It's fascinating to me how these things progress, and I feel like I'm close with my characters. They're real people to me.
But even with this draft, the one that I like the best, the one that has legitimate characters with pasts and places they've been and things they know and have yet to learn, I still am not happy with it. I took a creative writing class this last semester and I've learned so much! And now, despite what I have and how much I like the direction I'm going, I can more fully see the inconsistencies and problems in the plot where the energy dies or a certain scene doesn't have a point, etc. This problem can only lead to one thing:
Revision.
And anyone who succuumbs to revision knows it's a painful process. You have to go back, delete words, sentences, paragraphs- sometimes pages at a time. Pages that you spent hours working on. Pages that are part of your creation, your child, your soul... But it has to be done. And it's a never-ending process.
My husband and I like to read each other's works and critique them. Most recently I read the beginning of one of his stories, and when he gave me the revised beginning I critiqued it again, just as much as the first.
The problem with me and revision right now is that I haven't had the opportunity to see the finished work after many revisions. I'm still new enough to be stuck in the revision process. It's rough.
Rough... but necessary. Just remember- you're not a perfect writer. Sucuumb to revision!
My main novel has had at least half a dozen different drafts, mostly because as I've matured as a person I've also matured as a writer. Through these consecutive drafts I've gone through different ideas pertaining to landscape, how the different countries are, where the characters are in their lives, their pasts, even their personalities. I've changed one character from being a fugitive in control of her magic to trying to escape an oppressive mother with no idea how powerful she is. Another character went from being unsure and unhappy to knowledgable and overconfident. It's fascinating to me how these things progress, and I feel like I'm close with my characters. They're real people to me.
But even with this draft, the one that I like the best, the one that has legitimate characters with pasts and places they've been and things they know and have yet to learn, I still am not happy with it. I took a creative writing class this last semester and I've learned so much! And now, despite what I have and how much I like the direction I'm going, I can more fully see the inconsistencies and problems in the plot where the energy dies or a certain scene doesn't have a point, etc. This problem can only lead to one thing:
Revision.
And anyone who succuumbs to revision knows it's a painful process. You have to go back, delete words, sentences, paragraphs- sometimes pages at a time. Pages that you spent hours working on. Pages that are part of your creation, your child, your soul... But it has to be done. And it's a never-ending process.
My husband and I like to read each other's works and critique them. Most recently I read the beginning of one of his stories, and when he gave me the revised beginning I critiqued it again, just as much as the first.
The problem with me and revision right now is that I haven't had the opportunity to see the finished work after many revisions. I'm still new enough to be stuck in the revision process. It's rough.
Rough... but necessary. Just remember- you're not a perfect writer. Sucuumb to revision!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Story Piece
These are the first five paragraphs from an untitled short story that I plan on making a larger work out of someday. It probably needs revision still, but I don't plan on working on it again for a while. I'm working on a larger novel, and I have been for years (mostly starting it again and again).
Please enjoy, and remember this is my work. Any references to anything already published is unintentional.
*****
Please enjoy, and remember this is my work. Any references to anything already published is unintentional.
*****
Fyodor leaned back against the cold stone of his prison cell. It was primitive, made with badly-cut rocks and thick mortar, but the walls were thick and had settled firmly into their place in life. There was almost no light at all, only what came through the bars that separated him from freedom. The place had once been a tower, it seemed, for the wall he leaned on to face those iron bars was smooth and neat. When it had been converted the prison cells had been added on the inside, and the once-proud tower was now filled with nothing but death and darkness, smattered with a few hopeful torches for light.
He opened his mental connection with Ariana. Neither of them knew where the other was- they had been separated when they were brought to the tower. She was sick, and had been for the last couple of days. But there was no way of escaping- they had searched his every pocket, and wherever Ari was, it was far enough away that he couldn’t access his magic. When they brought him hard bread and stale water, they shoved it through the iron bars, leaving him no way to escape without a key. It was amazing how one small bit of metal could keep him from freedom.
He felt Ariana open her end of the connection. He could force through the connection if he wanted, but unless it was an emergency he liked to let her respond. She was cold, and her head hurt her. Someone was rattling the doors of her cell- he felt her surprise as a rough hand grabbed her by the arm and hauled her to her feet. She stumbled as she was shoved forward to follow the other men. Where were they taking her?
Fyodor stared at the stones, almost not seeing them. What if they killed her? He’d be powerless. He’d be slaughtered in an instant without her. Perhaps he’d have a fighting chance- but without any weapons, he would perish. There were a few long minutes as she was pushed along past cell after cell, shoved up some stairs, past more cells…
Iron rattled into his thoughts. He looked over to see his own cell door being opened. A chance! He lunged to his feet, but a second man appeared, a bow drawn and aimed for him. The first man, standing in the opening, looked at Fyodor, challenging him to try and escape. Fyodor slumped where he stood, and let the man shackle his hands together. They prodded him out of the cell, and onto the walkway.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Basic Blog Breakdown
(Woo! Alliteration!)
Ok, here's the deal: I'm a fantasy writer, still writing on my own. Most people know me as a musician, but this is something I love doing as well. I love writing down the ideas I get, fleshing them out, creating characters who are real people to me. I don't anticipate updating this blog very often, but maybe that'll change.
I plan on just posting things that I've learned while writing (these will probably be influenced by the creative writing class(es) that I've taken at my college), and probably a paragraph or two from my writing, just to get it out there and see what happens. (Even though I'm sure almost no one sees this.)
I am completely fine with constructive criticism if I post my writing on here. Just be nice about it- my writing is my child, the product of my imagination, and we don't talk badly about children here.
My husband is an underground writer too, although he's more science fiction than fantasy. I will probably invite him to post a few things on here as well.
Ok, here's the deal: I'm a fantasy writer, still writing on my own. Most people know me as a musician, but this is something I love doing as well. I love writing down the ideas I get, fleshing them out, creating characters who are real people to me. I don't anticipate updating this blog very often, but maybe that'll change.
I plan on just posting things that I've learned while writing (these will probably be influenced by the creative writing class(es) that I've taken at my college), and probably a paragraph or two from my writing, just to get it out there and see what happens. (Even though I'm sure almost no one sees this.)
I am completely fine with constructive criticism if I post my writing on here. Just be nice about it- my writing is my child, the product of my imagination, and we don't talk badly about children here.
My husband is an underground writer too, although he's more science fiction than fantasy. I will probably invite him to post a few things on here as well.
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