Screen Setup

Still revising, slowly but surely. Not going to hit my targets for this month, so it's time to think about how to move forward with NaNoWriMo right around the corner. To NaNo, or not to NaNo. That is the question.

In the meantime, thought I'd share what my setup looked like today. On the big monitor, Scrivener is open with my current WIP along with Visual Thesaurus and iTunes. My laptop screen holds Chrome with my Trello story To-Do cards. Using iThoughts, a mindmapping app, on my iPad, I created a character's family tree. Yes, there is a scrap piece of paper and a pen too. Other notes and story outlines are in stacks just out of the photo on the desk and on a cookbook holder.

On a side note, something cool that I discovered today ... if using a Mac or Bonjour enabled Windows computer, a user can access/download iThoughts mindmaps via a browser if the iOS device and the computer are on the same wi-fi network.

Stuff and Revision

It's been quiet around here, as in here on the blog not here in my life. Life has kept me busy with family stuff, kids' school stuff, and general life stuff. My 3rd grader, as well as her teacher, would gasp in horror if they saw all the times I used the word stuff rather than descriptive wording. But sometimes you just gotta use those words.

But not in writing a novel. No, not in a novel. Or at least not often.

Now that I've finished mashing my outlines for my novel, I'm back to revising. (One day, I'll finish this dang story. Honest.) I've gone back to the start of the story, making sure that the story fits with this new outline, changing the plot as needed. In doing so, I've realized that I've minimized the stuff in the story. If I wrote a detail in, it's because gives a clue to the story, to the characters and their outlook.

I've been thinking how I use detail and stuff for the past few days. My husband started to read one of my favorite books, and commented that the author spends more time developing her characters than I do. While I strive to deliver a story that sticks to readers like hers do, I'm not sure that I want to write like her. She likes detail. Me, I'm not such a detail person, I'd rather read/write dialogue or action. When I said as much to my husband, he shot me a wry glance; between the two of us, I'm definitely the detail person. So maybe, that's an avenue for me to consider: adding more details.

My gut reaction is to ignore that consideration. But it's really not about me, is it? It's about the story's need. It certainly doesn't need details for the sake of bloat, but to make the story colorful and lively, to keep the reader from putting the story down, to leave the reader wanting more.

So, I'll keep my gut reaction in check, and add a sticky note to my laundry list of things to watch for while revising, and see how it goes. And, hopefully comments from the beta readers will help me gauge how well I've managed that balance.

Slow Progress

I'm chugging along. Progress is slow. Slow as we settle into the kids new school year. How slow you ask?

Well, since last week ... One Scene Done. Yes, Done. Just One, but Done. Only ~90 more to go.

A lot of work left, right? Fortunately some of those scenes, which ended up as thinking/no-action scenes, will be folded into others. Or is it unfortunately as I'll have to work to blend information that originally wasn't intended in the other scene? I don't know.

In this small progress, I'm reminded that revising takes so much more time than just writing a scene. Rereading, deleting, adding, rearranging, questions to ask and answer, picking the just perfect words, nailing the emotional impact, all while maintaining the flow.

But completing that one scene, that small victory, appeased the Muse (btw: she still holds that sword) and gave me energy to keep working.

Since the Muse watches me out of the corner of her eye while she sharpens that sword, and I desire that Victory High, I'm off to revise.

(Don't ask if I like revising yet. At this stage, better to leave the question unasked. And unanswered.)

MY Way

This whole revision process stinks, especially the crossing out, scribbling on a copy of my manuscript with red ink without making any real changes in the actual file. Instead of feeling I'm creating a tighter, stronger story, all I feel is frustrated for not really accomplishing anything. And no, having my digital notebook rather than dead trees to do this is not enough to keep me going.

This manuscript mark-up stage is why I stopped working on my 1st novel revision -- typing in over 300 handwritten pages of story with stickie notes, inserted chicken scratches and other instruction -- became too daunting.

Just about everything else Holly Lisle has taught me, I can get behind as it speaks to my relatively logical and organized style. I get why she encourages this multiple-pass revision process... major changes made later while revising can be easily incorporated all in one swoop of the keyboard type-in. But it isn't working for me.

So, I've decided, no, I've chosen not to follow her method to the T. Not this step. Nope. Not going to do it anymore.

I'm doing it MY way.

What is my way? Sort of like ...

1. read scene
2. make notes of what to change on the scene
3. incorporate those changes in the file
4. make sure all is good
5. repeat steps 1-5 with next scene until all scenes done

And while MY process is only slightly different than Holly's, making the choice to find a way that works for me, cliche as it sounds, leaves me feeling unencumbered. Like I can finish a revision without a bunch of busy work.

So, tonight after the kids are in bed, I'll pull out the computer, my notes, and get working. And finally make some progress. MY Way.

I Don't Love Revisions ... yet

I don't even like revisions. Other writers at least enjoy this part of the process. Not me.

Planning, creating, writing the story -- no problem. It's the unending search for weak structure, lame verbs, and lazy characters that seems insurmountable. Could be because I'm still learning the writing process and all that goes with it, like this revising thing. Or maybe I rebel because I was raised to do something right the first time, and having to revise is an admission that it wasn't right. And how do I know if it was right or not?

Mt. Everest Photo by Chris Walker Innerwealth

Hence reading the writing craft books lately and reviewing my two Holly Lisle writing courses, most of it not yet ingrained in my brain or writing process. So, all that information just adds up to a checklist from hell. And I have that checklist printed out next to me, glaring in its sheet protectors, along with the thick stack of my planning sheets, a paper notebook, a pen, my digital notebook (my computer + tablet), and my manuscript hard-copy. Doesn't it all seem like Mt. Everest?

So, no more procrastinating with digital photos, the kids chores, my household chores, Kindle books, Deadliest Catch, knitting, Scrabble, this blog post.

Who knows? Maybe I'll like the revision process ... once I'm done with it. (And, please, don't remind me that EVERY story has revision, that won't help.)

Reacquainted

Coming back to my story after a break of a few months, I realize I'd forgotten some little details. Yikes. Fortunately, it was names of things like a castle, an estate, and a few minor characters. But still, yikes.

At least I didn't put everything out of mind, it's not like I could forget Akeva and Brian after I searched long and hard for their names or how long I've worked with them before, although they are a bit more snarky than I recall. Is it me or them? Not sure that it matters, but should I try to hear/write them as I remember them, or as they sound now? I'll have to think about that.

This revision process also highlights lots of "missed opportunities," you know those things that don't look so good after some time and distance. The upside/downside ... I have lots of those to capitalize. The Emily Contest comments have been extremely helpful to understand what I can do to improve the story. I'm finally getting the "Show, Don't Tell" mantra that writers see and hear everywhere.

In all, this whole process is a good learning experience, and reiterates to me that I should find some critique partners soon.

It's also nice to get reacquainted with my story again. Sort of like when you get back in contact with old friends from high school and college. If only it were as easy as those sorts of reunions. Speaking of which, time to get back to my keyboard, I still have some catching up to do.

Back in the saddle again.

Last week's celebrating is finished. The family grilled me a wonderful dinner, and they baked a 7Up bundt cake. I've downloaded my  music and ordered a new hard drive.

Now I'm in the throes of line-editing, revising, and typing a 400 page beast of a mostly handwritten manuscript. I've arranged my notes on what to watch out for, printed out the Emily Contest judges' comments, and rearranged my workspace so I can have everything at hand.

And so, I'm back in the saddle again.

Busy and a Finish Line

Lots of writing going on around here. I'm SO close to finishing the first pass revision of my first novel. It's only days away from completion.

If all goes according to plan, I'm keeping my fingers crossed, I'll finish this first pass and take a break before typing nearly 500 handwritten pages on the computer. During that break, I'll outline a third novel and participate in NaNoWriMo. I'm still waiting for lightning to strike so I can settle on a novel idea; I have a few ideas floating around. I'm cutting it close as NaNoWriMo starts 1 November.

All this despite dealing with a broken shower stall, parent-teach conferences, the kids' elementary school Fall Festival and my 20 year high school reunion on top of everyday tasks.

So, please excuse the sporadic and short posts.

Sideways Thinking at Work - Lightning Strikes

Recently, I was performing some much-delayed-research for my first story. I'd put off finding names for the houses for over a year and a half. (Yes, the houses have names. My story takes place in a time where large estates and castles are named. I suppose people may still give their houses names, but I don't know of anyone that does.)

Anyways ...

While looking up plant and tree names that grow in the Scottish Highlands, I came across a post about regions of the Highlands that are being re-tree'd, hopefully reestablishing native plants and animals. Made me wonder if they would decide to re-introduce wolves to Scotland, a politically charged topic there as it was/is here in the States.

Then literally, in my mind, I heard a voice. And no, I'm not crazy. I immediately took a sticky note and wrote down what I heard. I'd really like to share what the voice said, but it feels like a story seed. Something that would be fun to flesh out ... Scotland and wolves.

Lightning.

In the first writing online course I took, HTTS, Holly Lisle talks about how ideas come from lightning and from sideways thinking. I've mentioned it before here and here.

Lightning. Without even me calling for it. For a newish writer such as myself, this event is way cool. So now, my two sentence note is hanging in from my desk shelf, waiting for me to finish with these other two manuscripts.

Just had to share.

And for those interested in the house names so far ... The first house is named Faradach den Beithe, translated from Gaelic to English is the dwelling in the birch. The second residence is based on the Rose Clan Castle in the Highlands near Nairn, so I've used one of its historical names: Cill Rathaig, translated to mean the church at the small circular.

Another Lesson Done!

Just a quick post ... I finished another lesson in my revision course, in less than one week! Putting things in chronological order was easy.

This week's exercise ... looking for ways to shake up that order for interesting reading.

That is when I'm not thinking of distractions. (Read: playing with new Lensbaby and Aperture 3 trial, or wishing for a Wacom Bamboo Fun tablet. And yes, I can justify the tablet for writing ... as a handwriting input tool for writing notes and revising. No more paper!)

My Progress

It's been a while since I posted about my writing progress. Here's the latest ...

Well, it only took me 8 weeks to finish Lesson 1 in my revision course. Eight weeks? Yep, eight weeks. Life interuptions (the holidays, family visits, daily life, new books to read) made it difficult to always get in my 2-3 hours a day to work on the revision. Eventually I got through it with pen, pencil, lots of worksheets and even more determination. But, man, that first lesson was a killer!

Now I'm working on Lesson 5, which is all about identifying conflict in each of my scenes. Or finding out that I have no conflict in the scene; found quite a bit of those yesterday. On scene 55, only 200+ to go. Wonder how long I'll be working this lesson? Any bets?

At this point I am only seven lessons behind with lots of completed worksheets but little new work. Everything so far has been about identifying broken and weak spots in my manuscript. I'm also supposed to find strong points, but me being me, I've focused on the bad stuff and everything else just seems ok.

No beast slaying yet, but lots of looking at my beast from different angles to find broken bones, blemishes, missing scales, grime and strange behavior. Through this process of looking at her, really getting to know who she is, I realize I don't want to kill this awkward beast. Every once in a while, I spy her potential through the mud and blemishes.

Hope and excitement are welling up again, making it bareable to review, yet again, each scene and jot notes for possible fixes. Fixes that will make my beast shiny, healthy and beautiful. In my mind, I imagine my beast looking like Saphira from Eragon ... sleek, beautiful, smart, engaging, but with attitude.

Until then, I'm off for more observations of my beast. Hope she doesn't breathe fire ... at least not in my direction.

Yep, revising.

Yep, still revising. I haven't moved past the first lesson from the HTRYN, the course I'm using to help me revise my first novel. The course started the 29th of November, nearly a month and a half ago.

Yep, still on the first lesson. I've yet to complete the first read through in which I'm supposed to note the things that are not working in the novel. Since I'm still a newbie to this revising business, I know I'm missing a lot of things and just don't know it.

Yep, frustrating. Frustrating to be doing something without really knowing how to do it. Frustrating to be so far behind the course (just downloaded lesson 7, but not even looking at it.)

Yep, technically, I'm still slaying the beast. Well, maybe not slaying, more like poking and jabbing at it. The lesson employs worksheets on which I take copious notes of inconsistencies, bad dialogue, world-building problems and info-dumps. I've still have a long ways to go just to finish lesson 1 as I am only on page 196 of the 374 page beast.

Yep, slogging on. I can only reading a few pages a day with my limited time during the little one's nap and after the kids go to bed at night. But every page is one more than the day before, slow progress. If one calls moving slower than a snail progress.

Yep, creative juices still flowing. Great ideas for how to make the story interesting come to me while I'm writing my notes on the worksheets. These ideas tempt me to dump this revision and just start anew. But, given that I'm paying for the course, I can't in good conscience do that. Besides, what better way to learn how to revise but with a truly awful first draft of a terrible first novel? Right? Please say right.

Yep, grrrr.

Yep, revising.

Plan of Attack for December

So I lived through November with NaNoWriMo, my own birthday and Thanksgiving dinner for 20 at our house. And now we are in the midst of December and all the activities of this glorious month: homemade cookies, new recipes, buying and wrapping presents, family visits, birthdays, parties, Christmas and New Year's Eve...

And two stories to revise/edit. Yes, revisions, with an S. I now have two beasts to slay. And, fortunately for me, I received an early Christmas present in the form of a new writing course to help with my first story.

But how am I going to keep on top of everything and maintain forward motion on my stories? I've got a plan...

1. Courses - Each manuscript corresponds to a writing course, so I'll be able to use the tools from my coursework to assess and modify each story. The weekly assignments will help me keep a schedule of sorts, if not a strict schedule. Fortunately each course is self-paced.

2. Hard copies - I'll be keeping actual paper copies of my manuscripts nearby with notebooks and a red pen to mark down notes. Yep, I'm using old school technology. Besides, it's safer to keep paper than my precious in a kitchen dusty with flour. (Don't worry, I'll still be using electrons and the "intertubes" to do research and coursework.)

3. Time - Schedule some time just for my writing/revising each day, even if it's just a few minutes here and there. I commit to performing at least one writing activity each day. Even if it's in between batches of cookies and wrapping presents, I'll find time to work on my revision.

4. Flexibility - This will be the hardest for me, but I'll just keep reminding myself that having fun and enjoying this holiday season will only help my writing, even if it gets pushed to the side from time to time. Besides, there is always January.

So, that in a nutshell, is how I plan to keep slaying those beasts I've created.

I'm off to imbibe a cup of eggnog and toast this plan of mine. I'll need those extra calories to keep the my sword at the ready.

I don't need no stinkin' backup. Wait, yeah I do.

This past weekend while cooking meatballs for the little one's 3rd birthday I was revising my WIP and had gotten some good stuff. I incorporated more of the love interest's issues, which will create more tension when my main character meets her mother-in-law. And I realized that there maybe something medically wrong with the mother-in-law causing her to be difficult; I'll see how that plays out.

Anyways, I was actually pleased with what I had gotten down. So imagine my distress when I finally get back to  my WIP this week and the computer is locked up with all the edits gone. Yep, gone. And when I restarted the computer, the recovered files had nothing of my edits. Nothing.

Fortunately I was able to recreate most of it, and I think it came out stronger than before. So maybe it was a good thing. All that extra work done before I remembered my Time Capsule backup, which I remembered as I was write this entry. So ...

Hold on while I enter my Time Capsule ... just a little bit longer ... Yay! The backup contains my edits, so now I can pick and chose for the betterment of the story. (My Muse is doing a jig, but is still upset with me.)

But back to this post --

This experience has me rethinking my backup strategy. Here are a few of my take-aways ...

• I need to remember that I have the dang backup system and should check it before making extra work for myself. Another Duh moment!!
• It's time to use the cloud more. I was lucky and only lost a few scenes worth of work. But who knows about next time. I've already had two backup drives die on me. I'll be using my Dropbox and iDisk more often now. Just got to make it automatic; maybe more SuperDuper is in order.
  
• I really want a Drobo.

Hopefully this can serve as a warning to those of you who don't have a good strategy. Set yourself up before you lose something important.

As for me, here's to learning a lesson the hard way.

Battling the Beast

My army of 78 march along side me. The staccatto of the march drives me forward.

Progress has been slow but methodical. The yields of my efforts  barely discernable; leaving only small knicks on the beast's hide. I am wary and unsure, but determined to continue.

My army and I slash at everything in our path, searching for my elusive prey. Each stroke reshapes the landscape as we dodge and cut, cut and dodge. The fallout flies to the ground, cast aside by my savage hands, landing somewhere beyond my vision. The irregular rhythm pulses through my blood.

Turning the corner I spy the beast. Its horrendous face looms over me as it stalks me. The knowledge that I created this monster tears at my heart. Must I destroy it to redeem myself?

Before I can continue my charge and summon mercy it races away. And bound as I am, I follow. Thus the chase continue.

Slashing away, I move forward slowly. No matter my efforts, the beast is always a step ahead, always beyond my reach.

As I pursue my terrible creation, I am confronted by altogether different foes who steal me from my path, forcing me to wage a separate battle. Engaged in this other struggle, I am diverted from my purpose.

No matter; I clench my dire hope to my breast. The hope that I will continue my pursuit of the beast and I will be triumphant.

Yes, one day I will conquer this beast. The beast I call Revision of the First Novel.


Thanks to Tamlyn Leigh for the inspiration that led to this post.

How much longer?

That's the question that I keep asking myself lately.

When I started the my first novel, during last year's NaNoWriMo, the extent of my recent creative writing had been a few writing exercises, none of which I would show to anyone but the hubby.  So imagine just jumping in to write a novel with nothing but a basic outline, excitement and determination. Excitement and determination got me through the month of November (meeting the goal of  50k words in one month) and working to finish the story (total length of 125k words) in February. As for the outline, well that had fallen by the wayside in the first week.


Since then I've read some more on the craft of writing ... author blogs, Flogging the Quill, and portions of Story. With this new info in my head, I went back to the ol' computer to begin the revision process, envisioning a few months worth of work.

After getting started, all I have to say is "Yikes!" While excitement and determination got me to the end of the first draft, it didn't do much for a well crafted story. I've encountered truly cringe-worthy passages, painful I tell you. And too many craft issues to list. So now I'm working on improving the story so it makes sense, is realistic, has tension & engages the reader.

It's taking much longer than I expected. My original estimate of a few months has followed the same path of the original outline: out the window.

How much longer until I'm finished? I have no idea. Well, let's look at it -- there is family to tend to, the holidays coming up,  another NaNoWriMo this November and countless other things that are bound to crop up. But I am committed to finishing it.

So the answer I give myself: as long as it takes.