So, I've been added a bit here and a bit there while staring at the computer screen and letting the letters blur together before clicking onto something exciting like Bubble Town. However, that was all before yesterday.
I sat down to write, wanting to at least make an effort into forward progress, and give me some sense of something by adding words to my word count, even if they weren't always great words or even the right words. I used a new little trick I read about called fast drafting from Lynnette Labelle's blog. The concept is straight forward. Write the dialogue, write the scene -- don't try and give a lot of description. Instead let the story flow and advance. You can fill in the gaps and flesh out the scenes more in future edits.
There have been a few difficult scenes for me to tackle in this book and this technique helped get me over the rough spots. Once the action in the story moved beyond my stumbling blocks, the rest of the book fell into place. I suddenly knew the ending and what I wanted to happen. I got 5,000 words written yesterday not including making a rough outline for the end of the book.
Mission accomplished! I was surprised that the fast drafting method did help clear my head of questions and indecision. Once that was clear, I was able to listen to my characters better and let the story flow. Hurray!
That must be the method I write by..lol I wrote out all 16 of my novels that way, but I found backtracking and editing is grueling. It's far easier when you haven't written the future books in the series. Congrats; feels good to be able to make everything click, doesn't it? :)
ReplyDeleteIt is always great when everything clicks. I've never really fast drafted anything before, but this really helped me over a rough patch.
DeleteI usually end up doing a lot of editing and rewriting so I'm not too worried about that angle, but then again I haven't done it yet so we'll see.
congrats :)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteI'm impressed, 5000 words in one day is excellent! I'm a great believer in editing, so I think you're on to something. When you got the flow going you should just keep on writing what's in your mind and fix it all up later!
ReplyDeleteYes, Aderyn, I think you are going to do so much editing later that leaving a few rough spots in order to get the flow of the story is worth it.
DeleteI love those days when things are flowing and I can get out 5,000 words. Then there are days like today when I barely get 1,000. Progress is progress, I suppose.
Awwwwesome!!!! Don't you just love these moments??? *does a happy dance with you* I've had the same experience my second time around... you've *got* to get that first draft out and know what your story is and where it's going... then go back and make it beautiful. I wasted sooooo much time on my first MS, polishing as I went... I'll never do that again! :D
ReplyDeleteOh! And new follower here... I'll look forward to your future posts... I love awesome writer friends :D
DeleteHey, Morgan!
DeleteThanks for following. You are going to edit so much you once you finish that you can't let trying to be perfect get in the way of the story. I felt so good in letting the story flow. Then I can go back and make it all sound great.
That is awesome progress, congrats!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Melissa!
DeleteThat's amazing to get so much done at once! At least to me it is. Gotta love that free feeling of being able to let it all go now. Very inspiring. I'll have to try out that fast drafting method. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing. Then I have those days when I barely get down 1,000 words and I realize how amazing it is. I hope the method works out for you too.
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