Track my writing
Wyl
Edited 20 pages
Manuscript open, re-reading, but unable at the moment to get back into the flow for whatever reason. A few text edits and a couple of additional sentences here and there, but after a couple of months away from it, it doesn't feel like mine at the moment. Any suggestions on how to reacquaint oneself with one's manuscript would be much appreciated.
Arike
if I've left off for a while I tend to have to dive in to write a specific scene that I can hold whole in my head, then when that's done the flow tends to have returned... tho I am still working away on my first real book length manuscript so whaddoiknow.
Wyl
Thanks Arike - I might just try that.
Bec from Write-Track
That's really good advice Arike - I like it because it's not about tinkering with what's there, but getting on with what's to come. I reckon once you're back in the flow Wyl, you could take a look back and perhaps rewrite, but you're probably best getting new stuff down, even though you're probably desperate to revise. Onwards to 'the end'.
Track my writing
Wyl
Wrote 300 words
I've needed a kickstart back into writing, and though it's not on the novel, I used the first Julia Bell audio writing exercise to get back into the rhythm of writing, to get some words on the page, as my words for the novel seem to be in another place at the moment.
Track my writing
Wyl
Tracked
Short session planning based on my research the other night. Still not sure what these changes mean for the plot, but I have a suspicion it might mean a fairly major overhaul.
Track my writing
Wyl
Tracked
A short session of research for the novel - considering potentially overhauling everything I've written so far as the structure becomes a little clearer is painful to contemplate, but may well end up with a better novel at the end of it, and as pushing on isn't working well, perhaps this is the moment for a rethink.
Track my writing
Wyl
Tracked
This is now more about grit than writing - not sure I'm adding anything useful to the text and can't really see where I'm going with it at the moment. As Bec commented earlier, difficult second act perhaps - my initial ideas have run out and reading back over what I've written, and was happy with at the time, I'm now a lot less so, and wondering how to take it up a notch and bring it together as a coherent narrative.
Isobel Jones
Wyl.. if this helps (and I am no expert like Bec is, no way), but if this helps:
In the past when I've hit a major bump of doubt, it's worked best when I have just decided NOT to read what's gone before and simply splurged stuff out. Even if it seems like not useful or even nonsense.
Reason being is that for me a major doubt or series of doubts is usually the sign of an unanswered question that is kind of lurking unconsciously. It might be that I don't know the answer yet, or I might not even know there is a question yet.. but if I keep going and trust in the process, doing that somehow makes it come to the foreground, and I realise what the issue really is.
Does that make sense?
It might mean then a re-jig of previous material, or even some new voice or direction, but if I stop, I'll never find out.
Like I said, only if useful, please ignore me if not. I do tend to go on a bit! ;) :)
Bec Evans
Just reading the latest Mslexia which has an article on 'saggy middles' do you want me to share? I promise not to tell them you're a man!
They had a good tip about just writing something later on in the plot, then it makes it easier to find your way there from where you are.
Wyl
Thanks both - and yes, definitely to the mslexia article (shhh). Isobel - there are definitely unanswered questions lurking:)
Wyl
I'm not sure of I can count this, but wrote a blog post about the sea, which was very close to the novel style, and am hoping some of it will be of use for the story.
Wyl
More small steps, and feeling somewhat lost with the story at the moment. Just hoping the edits and additions aren't breaking anything fundamental...
Bec Evans
Are you entering the tricky second act?
Wyl
Ah, is that what I'm doing? How do I know I am, and how do I find out what to do about it?
Bec Evans
yup - I reckon you're in it.
From what I've heard the only way through is to write. If you find a magic solution you'll make a million from telling other people.
