Write It Right the First Time?
I'm so happy to be one of the “New Kids” on the Writer's Block. I learned about the blog from chapter mate (and terrific writer) Lynn and I really look forward to being here. I write historical--that is to say, medieval--romance. No, not the ones with the hot Highland heroes. The ones with the hot English knights.(Brief pause for big sighs.)
During the day I’m a mild-manned teacher of English at a local college. But on nights--and weekends when I don’t have my granddaughters--I’m filled with derring-do. Sword fights, word duels, kidnapping, tournaments. And happily every afters. Well, for my characters, at least.
Most of the time. Sometimes they are recalcitrant. They refuse to conform to the outlines I have for them. Refuse to mouth the words they ought. Refuse to move the story in the direction I really want them to.
Consequently, I’ve learned to leave a lot of bracketed blank space I’ll eventually go back and ‘fill.’ Just as soon as I know what goes there.
And that was a hard lesson to learn. I've been writing fiction for five and a half years. When I began, I honestly thought I had to get it right the first time. Not that other writers didn't warn me, they did. But I 'felt' the story couldn't unfold properly unless every plot point was perfect, every piece of dialogue precise, and all the characters fully developed from the start.
My first manuscript was written that way. Page by revised/re-edited/re-polished page. And it took for-ever. But I really thought it was finished when I wrote ‘The End.’
When I actually went back to re-read it, I found lots of places to 'fix' again. Lots of revisions. Lots of sections that could be said much better the second, third, even fourth time through.
Hummmm. A lesson. Since I was changing a good deal of that finished product, perhaps the first version didn’t have to be exactly right. Perhaps I could write a ‘rough draft’ kind of chapter (especially when the story proceeded slowly) then go back and fix it later.
It’s a little easier to skip around now. I still have trouble not re-reading and editing and revising what I wrote the day before. But at least I know it doesn’t have to be perfect the first time through.
I don’t know why that was such a tough lesson to learn.
Do any of you have similar problems with wanting to revise and polish instead of forging ahead?
9 comments:
Hi Barb- nice to see you here.
I'm always thinking I should have got it right the first time. But I'm finding (especially with my short stories) I'm loving the edit process, where I can tighten and mold the story to meet the needs of the characters.
Great first blog.
And welcome.
I did the same thing with my first and it's still not right... grrr. But I did learn a lot and am trying to be less linear now. Thanks for the reminder!
Barb, I have a friend who is one of those "It has to be perfect" people. As a result, his work stays hidden in his room. Drives me NUTS.
Hi Barb,
I feel like I'm an old tool in a new shed, so to speak, and learned this trick a while back. (BTW,I love those Medievel Historicals, too. Currently, I'm writing Western Historicals so I really do live vicariously in the past.) Back to the point of your post, I remember the angst over my first [what/who/when/where] and the fear of moving on without that vital tidbit. What I learned, eventually, was that one little bit would get answered on its own a chapter or two later. Viola! Really tamped down the fear of blank lines and brackets from then on. LOL! Now, if I could just get the hang of doing my website, electronic life, etc. Old tool...New Shed. Ha!
I struggle with this, partly because I'm a pantster, so I have to write more or less in order to figure out what happens next. It also didn't help that I used to write and post fanfiction serially, so I'm used to thinking a chapter finished is a chapter carved in stone. OTOH I am plagued by characters who constantly refuse to do what I want them to.
Hi Barb -
Love that word "recalcitrant"! One of my favorites, especially for my CEO at work :)
I always felt like each page had to be polished before I could move on too, but now I try to keep writing and edit later, which helps the flow.
Great post - thanks!
Cathy
I catch myself editing over and over again. Even if it's just a word removal here, a word replacement there. Yeah, I can see myself being one of those authors that buys their own book at B&N and red pens it to death even after it's too late.
Glad to know I'm not alone on this. ;)
P.S. I also started off thinking I wouldn't have to edit... HA!
Good question! It's a great way to trip yourself up and stop forward progress. No, I tend to do what I call a "word vomit" for my first draft. Just write, write, write. Iron out the kinks later!
Great post, Barb. I know exactly what you mean. Like one of the other commenters, I am a pantser, and I need to write linearly to know what happens next, but sometimes I know I need more, so in go the brackets, whether entire chapters or a place name. Makes for an interesting editing experience. :)
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