I admit it: I'm struggling with the edits.
I've been at it for, hmm, four days and I'm currently on page 47. For me, that's nowhere near good enough. Worse, I'm perilously close to having two info-dumps within those 47 pages, though I think since the information is divulged through conversation, I'm safe... ish.
I've also added a prologue and new software.
The complication is the red ink. Every author expects red ink; if they don't, then I'm guessing their not from around here, as in planet Earth.
There's more red ink in this manuscript than I'm comfortable with - but that's a slap at my arrogance than anything else. It's rather a humbling experience to think you've all but done the work, send it out for a final read-through and have it come back a more vibrant colour than you sent it out.
Now then. An apology. To Kait Nolan over at Shadow and Fang for my rather snotty remarks during the "Left Behind and Loving It" workshops. Kait's contribution was on how she went from a pantser (organic) writer to a plotter. Kait put a lot of work into the posts, giving examples, indicating helpful software, the myths and facts between the two schools, dissecting the whys and wherefores and how to guide yourself to the final product. It was disrespectful of me to dismiss the information, post a comment and not read any further than the initial post; for that, I genuinely apologise.
Go over to the site and track down all the posts from the LB&LI series and discover the differences and similarities between the two writing styles. And since I'm trying not to be a total dick about writing one way or the other, I've downloaded Simon Haynes' yWriter to try.
Write and learn; it's an ongoing process for all writers. But I won't give up. Nevah, I tell you, Nevah-evah!
I fully expect (yeah, arrogance again) that once I sweep away all the red, a newer, better, completely black book will arise. It's just going to take time.
1 comment:
Jaye I really really have to laugh. I didn't take anything you said during LBLI as snotty. Everybody's got their own method. But it is so very often during the Dark Time with your manuscript that you have to suck and up and admit when something isn't working. I had that on about half a dozen manuscripts before I moved into the world of the plotter. I think the biggest thing I learned is that there is usually SOMETHING that everybody can take away from plotting, even if it isn't outlining. Because there is, of course, a whole lot more to the craft of writing than knowing where you go before you get there.
Good luck!
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